Year Book 2013

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2013 YEAR BOOK VOLUME 1
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CONTENTS
INDEX
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1 19 44 63 115 153 170 187 198 209
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NATIONAL - News
*UPA government wins FDI vote in Lok Sabha: The motion on the government's decision to allow 51 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multibrand retail, which would allow global supermarket chains to set up shop in India, was moved by the BJP and the CPI-M.
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(CPI-M) by itself is responsible for nearly 45% of all attacks in India. If we include all groups affiliated with the Maoist insurgency, the vast majority of terrorism which occurs in India is by nationalists/separatists who are politically motivated.' As per the index the rankings are: 1. Iraq 2. Pakistan 3. Afghanistan 4. India 5. Yemen Only 31 of the 159 countries ranked have not experienced a terrorist attack since 2001. 'India ranks 89th out of the 108 countries in the Positive Peace index. It performs poorly on all the indicators of positive peace where it falls below the world average although the Wellfunctioning Government indicator is close to the world average.' * Maha Kumbh gets underway with 'Shahi Snan': The biggest religious gathering in the world is underway. The 55 day long Maha Kumbh Mela that happens once every 12 years started in Allahabad in India on January 14th. The Kumbh mela is a religious gathering where millions of people take a dip in where 3 major rivers meet, and is believed to wash away karmic sins. The Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Allahabad, the Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years, at four places Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The Mela alternates between Nasik, Allahabad, Ujjain and Haridwar every three years. Kumbh Mela is organized every three years on a rotation basis of Allahabad, Nashik or Nasik, Haridwar and Ujjain. Kumbha Mela: Held at all four places. Ardha Kumbha Mela: Held at Haridwar and Prayaga (Allahabad), every 6 years. Purna Kumbha Mela: Held only at Prayaga, every 12 years. Maha Kumbha Mela: Held only at Prayaga, every 144 year. The next Kumbh will be held at Ujjain (MP) on the bank of river Shipra in 2016. The Kumbh at Ujjain is also called "Simhastha". Each site's celebration dates are calculated in advance according to a special combination of zodiacal positions of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter. The first written evidence of the Kumbha Mela can be found in the accounts of Chinese traveler, Huan Tsang (602 - 664 A.D.) who visited India in 629 -645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana. NATIONAL - News 1
*India 4th most terror-affected country in the world: India, Pakistan and Afghanistan were among the nations most impacted by terrorism in 2011, according to a new global study, which said the terror strikes worldwide had increased fourfold since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. The inaugural Global Terrorism Index said Pakistan, India and Afghanistan accounted for 12 per cent, 11 per cent and 10 per cent of global terrorist incidents respectively from 2002 to 2009. In 2011, Middle East, India, Pakistan and Russia were the areas most impacted by terrorism. Overall, there were 7,473 fatalities in 2011 due to terrorism, which is 25 per cent less than in 2007. The index scores 158 countries over the last 10 years and takes into account factors like number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries and property damage. According to the report, India's experience with terrorism, like other countries in the region, can be roughly divided into foreign and 'homegrown' terrorism. The report says, 'FOREIGN TERRORISM broadly covers the dispute over Kashmir with Pakistan. The Communist Party of India Maoists KITE4education.com
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* Buddhist antiques unearthed at Peruvaje: Buddhist antiques of Satavahana period were unearthed at Peruvaje in Dakshina Kannada. The Buddhist relics were found on the slopes of a small hill near JALADURGA TEMPLE. Moghalmari excavations unveil West Bengal's Buddhist past Recent excavations at Moghalmari, a Buddhist monastery complex in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district, reveal a historically strong presence of Buddhism in the State which dates as far back as the sixth century AD. This has so far remained largely unnoticed by historians. A Signal Passed At Danger (SPAD) occurs when a train passes a stop signal without authority to do so. SHRAM AWARDS were set up by the Government of India in 1985 to recognize the outstanding contributions of workers in different fields. *Bihar may take state route for Dagmara hydro project: Power-starved Bihar's 126 MW capacity Dagmara hydro power project in Supaul district has got clearance from the Central Water Commission (CWC). The DAGMARA PROJECT'S fate hung in balance also because the Central Electricity Authority had not given its nod to it in view of submergence of vast areas in bordering Nepal. Now the project is proposed to be set up in the downstream of Kosi River. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had already agreed to provide Rs.4 billion for the project. *Pranahita-Chevella project pact signed: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and his Maharashtra counterpart, Prithviraj Chavan, signed an agreement here to set up an inter-State board for speedy execution of the Rs.40,300-crore Pranahita-Chevella irrigation project that will serve both States. The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi project, which Andhra Pradesh wants to be declared as a national project, envisages diversion of 160 tmc of water by constructing a barrage across the Pranahita River, which is a major tributary of the Godavari. It further utilises 20 tmc of water from the Godavari at the Sripada Yellampally project. This project will irrigate 16,40,000 acres in droughtprone Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Warangal, Rangareddy and Nalgonda districts of the Telangana region. As per the agreement, a joint inter-State committee KITE4education.com
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will be formed to ensure efficient, speedy and economical investigation and execution of the project. To prevent any differences between A.P. and Maharashtra over the project, the joint committee will decide on the location of the barrage and the share of the expenditure involved for the two States. Mr. Bansal termed the agreement a trendsetter and hoped other States would follow suit in the inter-State water disputes. Mr. Reddy described the agreement as historic, as the project would be a lifeline for both States, particularly the backward Telangana region. Water from the basin will be utilised for drinking, irrigation and industrial requirements by the districts of Telangana region, including the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad (30 tmc). As per the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) report, dated October 6, 1975, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have agreed to take up the Lendi Project, the Lower Penganga and the Pranahita-Chevella at an appropriate time with agreed water utilisation. The Lower Penganga and Lendi Projects are already under execution. For the inter-State board, the Chief Ministers of the two States will be chairman/co-chairman on rotation and its members include the Ministers and the Secretaries of Irrigation, Power, Finance, Revenue, Forest departments (both States). *Naresh Chandra panel recommends military preparedness to deal with 'assertive China: India has to be prepared militarily to deal with an "assertive" China even as it seeks to build bridges of cooperation with Beijing, the Naresh Chandra Task Force on national security has recommended. It also buries the proposal for a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the single point military adviser to the government. Instead, it has recommended that a permanent Chairman Chiefs Of Staff Committee be appointed from among the three service chiefs, allowing India to have four four-star generals. The panel has given a set of recommendations for reforming the national security architecture, covering both intelligence and military apparatus, as part of its mandate to review it. It has recommended a re-look at the process of blacklisting truant defence firms, separating the post of DRDO chief and scientific advisor to the defence minister, appointing military officers upto the rank of joint secretary in the ministry of defence (MoD), creating new Special Forces Command etc. More importantly, across Asia there is concern that as Beijing grows "the United states will become more circumspect and accommodating in dealing with China". The committee has recommended that the NATIONAL - News 2
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government take an immediate decision on the existing recommendation that the Army be given management of Sino-Indian borders, and retain operational control over forces deployed in the areas. On Pakistan, the committee suggests that it "remains both unable and unwilling to set its house in order, or put in place economic policies that can increase or sustain growth". And there is "nothing to suggest that the Pakistani military has given up the use of radical Islamic groups to promote terrorism in both India and Afghanistan." But its biggest concern is Pakistan's ambition to use Afghanistan for strategic depth. The panel has recommended that India "should spare no effort, politically, diplomatically, economically and through military assistance to ensure that Pakistani efforts to convert Afghanistan into an extremist run, pliant and client state are frustrated". Calling for better coordination between the ministries of defence and foreign affairs, the panel recommends that the MoD set up a bureau of politico-military affairs. "The primary role of this Bureau would be liaison with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) on issues and actions having foreign policy applications," the committee says. *Panel to look into anomalies in UGC regulations: Professor P.N. Tandon, Department of Neurosurgery AIIMS, who chaired the Tandon Committee on deemed universities, is also member of the new committee that will review the UGC guidelines of 2010 as also are Goverdhan Mehta, National Research Professor; M. Anandakrishan Chairman, IIT Kanpur and Mrinal Miri former chairman Indian Council of Philosophical Research. The new committee will examine whether there are any anomalies or infirmities in the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2010 with regard to any other policy or rules applicable to the higher education sector and suggest suitable amendments; examine the provisions of the Regulations keeping in mind the need to regulate institutions as deemed universities so that institutes maintaining average academic standards are regulated and motivated to enhance academic standards to protect academic interests of students; and suggest measures to ensure independent quality assurances of institutionsdeemed universities thereby reducing the need for inspection-based approval regimes. *Chandigarh gets Asias first RTI library: A library of RTI documents, touted as Asia's first, was inaugurated at Dwarka Das Library, Lala Lajpat Rai Bhawan. The library has been formed by Servants of People's Society in association with the Citizens' Voice and RTI Users' Association. KITE4education.com
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Interestingly, it was also the seventh anniversary of the RTI Act in the country. A large number of RTI documents were deposited with the library on the inaugural day. The library is an open source depository of information collected under the RTI Act. Anybody can become a member of this library free of cost and can also contribute to information available. The documents will be catalogued according to subject matter, ministry/department and whether they relate to the central or state government, making it easy for anybody to navigate through the collection. *Government plans hostage policy for Naxals: The Centre is planning to seek the cooperation of states in formulating a national policy to deal with hostage crisis in the backdrop of Maoists taking hostages in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The necessity for such a move arose in view of the problems being faced by Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments following the abduction of an MLA and two Italians in Odisha and a District Collector in Chhattisgarh by the Naxals and subsequent demands of the rebels to release their jailed colleagues. The hostage policy and the SOPs, if formulated after consultation with states, would suggest the states as well as central governments about how to deal such a crisis and if and how much should be yielded to fulfil the abductors' demands. *10-member committee to suggest amendments in Nalanda University Act: Planning Commission has constituted a ten-member Committee to suggest amendments in the Nalanda University Act, 2010. The Committee will suggest amendments to provide for full autonomy in matters relating to making appointments, determining salaries and emoluments and auditing. Prof NR MADHAVA MENON, Former Vice-Chancellor, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata will be the Chairman of committee. The Committee would also suggest amendments in the Act to ensure that the university acquires international stature and excellence through representative and flexible governance and forward looking legislation. It would first examine Statutes, existing Ordinances and Regulation and suggest changes. Chenab Rail Bridge Promises To Be An Engineering Wonder The worlds highest rail bridge being constructed over chenab river in Jammu & Kashmirs Reasi district will be ready by December 2015 coming up at kauri, it will be 359metres above the river bed 5 times the height of Qutub Minar and 35 metres taller NATIONAL - News 3
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than Eiffel Tower. India's first river-lake link project launched in Bundelkhand The Madhya Pradesh government claims to have launched the country's first ever river-lake linking project in the water-scarce Bundelkhand region. The Harpura irrigation and river-lake link project, launched in the Tikamgarh district, will be implemented under the Centre's Rs.7266 crore Bundelkhand package. It will link the perennial Jamni river to the nearby lakes and water bodies built during the Chandel era. Under the project, an additional 1,980 hectares of land are expected to come under irrigation. Top RSS Leader and BJP Former Vice-President BAL APTE passed Away. *The Castle Naggar in Himachal Pradesh was given Heritage Status: The Castle Naggar, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's prime hotel in the picturesque Kullu valley, was notified under the heritage status by the Union Tourism ministry on 23 August 2012. Naggar was the capital of the erstwhile Kullu state for about 1460 years. The castle was built by Raja Sidhi Singh in the 16th century. The castle has traditional architecture called Kathloonmi, which uses a combination of stones and wooden beams. The castle was handed over to state-owned HPTDC in 1978 to be run as a hotel. * First Principal Secretary of Indira Gandhi P.N Dhar passed away: Professor of Economics Prithvi Nath Dhar passed away on 19 July 2012 in New Delhi. He was 94 years old. He was the professor of Economics in the University of Delhi. Prithvi Nath was the first Principal Secretary of Indira Gandhi in 1970. He was the only person who had joined Prime Ministers Office in the year 1970. *Indian Sand Artist Sudarshan Pattnaik won People's Choice Gold Medal Award in Moscow on 18 July 2012. It was the Second World Sand Sculpture Championship. The theme of World Sand Sculpture Championship 2012 was World Cinema. Artist from eleven countries took part in this championship. He sculpted the copy of the face of The Showman of the Millennium Raj Kapoor. His interpretation of Raj Kapoor was highly praised by the visitors. His sculpture symbolizes Indo-Russian Friendship. *Famous Art Expert Sumahendra passed away on 19 July 2012. He was the director of Visual Art in Jawahar Kala Kendra, Rajasthan. His painting Akbar and his Navratnas is on display at the KITE4education.com
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Parliament House in New Delhi. *Govt extends Justice Shah Commission term by 1 year: The government has extended the tenure of Justice M B Shah Commission, which was set up to probe into the cases of illegal mining, by one year till July 16, 2013. The Commission, which had recommended ban on iron ore exports, has so far submitted two interim reports. Of this, one was submitted last year on the iron ore mining across the country and the other report was given in March this year on illegal mining in Goa. *R K Pachauri conferred with Mexican Order of Aztec Eagle: Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) R K Pachauri has been conferred with the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle by Mexican President Felipe Calderon during the G-20 Summit in Los Cabos. * Rs. 1,100 crore for NATGRID: The NATGRID was conceptualised after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks to facilitate robust information sharing by security and law enforcement agencies. It will give 11 agencies including the RAW, the IB, the ED, the National Investigation Agency, the CBI, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and the Narcotics Control Bureau access to the combined data. The Centre approved Rs.1,100 crore for purchase of hi-tech equipment for the National Intelligence Grid, cleared by the Cabinet last year. The NATGRID will pool information from 21 categories of database including rail and air travel, income tax, bank account details, credit card transactions and visa and immigration records for ready access by intelligence agencies. The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) - an integrated facility which aims to link databases of 21 departments and ministries to improve the capability to counter terror threats. * Indian nuclear scientist S.K. Jain to head WANO Tokyo centre - Indian nuclear scientist S.K. Jain has been elected chairman of the Governing Board of World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), Tokyo Centre. The first Indian to hold the position, Jain is a former chairman and managing director of the Nuclear Power Corp of India. WANO is the international nuclear organisation of utilities and operators committed to work for the enhancement of safety and reliability to the next higher level. All utilities which operate nuclear power plants are member of WANO, which is headquartered in London and has four regional centres in Tokyo, Moscow, Paris and Atlanta. NATIONAL - News 4
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The Nuclear Power Corp of India is a member of WANO, Tokyo Centre. * Government defers urea price hike: The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) deferred the Fertiliser Ministrys proposal to hike retail prices of urea by 10 per cent to Rs. 5,841 per tonne for the 2012-13 fiscal. Urea is the only fertiliser that remains under full price control. Its current retail price is Rs. 5,310 per tonne. The proposal to hike urea prices was made to redress imbalanced use of the soil nutrient and reduce the subsidy burden of the government. The government mainly provides subsidy on fertilisers, fuels and food. The difference between the cost of production and the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) is paid to manufacturers. To encourage balanced use of fertiliser, reduce its subsidy burden and to compensate companies of rising input costs, the Fertiliser Ministry has proposed to modify the New Pricing Scheme (NPS) Stage-III instead of decontrolling the urea sector, which has been opposed by various ministries. Earlier, the government had plans to decontrol the urea sector by bringing it under the nutrient based subsidy (NBS) scheme. However, the proposal hit road block as the Fertiliser Ministry, among others, opposed it in view of rise in retail prices of phosphatic (P) and potassic (K) fertilisers after they were decontrolled in April 2010. High prices of P and K fertilisers prompted farmers to use in excess the cheaper urea fertilisers, leading to imbalance in use of soil nutrients. According to the industry, the annual demand for urea in the country is around 28 million tonne, of which 22 million tonne is indigenously produced and the rest is imported. * Former Indian envoy to US Abid Hussain died: Hussain, a former Ambassador to the US and honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1988. Hussain was a member of the Indian Administrative Service. He was secretary in the heavy industries and commerce ministries and chairman of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. He became a member of the Planning Commission in 1985. * PDS activist Ambika Dubey shot dead: Ambika Prasad Dubey had been working to bring out corruption and leakages in the Public Distribution System. (In Madhya Pradesh). *UGC set Guidelines for the Foreign Universities entering India: According to the new set of guidelines approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) on 2 June 2012, only global top KITE4education.com
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500 universities will be allowed to start their operation in India. The new guidelines set the norms for the foreign universities aspiring to enter into agreement with Indian universities for offering education programmes in the country. As per the new guidelines the foreign varsities entering into tie-ups with Indian partners should be ranked among the top 500 by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking or by Shanghai Jiaotong University of the top 500 universities. Institutes who fail to abide by the new UGC guidelines would be suitably penalised which also includes stoppage of grants from the UGC. The UGC came up with the new guidelines following the rising concerns among the educationists in the country over the quality of foreign institutions which is tying up with Indian colleges offering separate education programmes. *Revised draft national water policy restores priority to agriculture: One of the chief aims of the NWP is to identify the users of water and determine the allocation of water to them. The 2002 NWP, like the first water policy in 1987, states allocation priorities: water for drinking purposes is to be given top priority followed by agriculture, hydropower, ecology, industry and navigation. What the initial draft policy said: The draft NWP, 2012 did away with priority given to agriculture. It said that water, over and above the preemptive need for safe drinking water and sanitation, should be treated as an economic good so as to promote its conservation and efficient use. What the revised draft says: Water, after meeting the preemptive needs for safe drinking water, sanitation and high priority allocation for other domestic needs (including needs of animals), achieving food security, supporting sustenance agriculture and minimum ecosystem needs, may be treated as economic good so as to promote its conservation and efficient use. In the draft NWP, 2012 these priorities were explicitly done away with, and the document underlined the need to treat water as an economic good. Civil society groups were critical of the draft policy. The revised policy document concludes with two short points for implementation. One that the National Water Board should prepare and monitor a plan of action to be approved by the National Water Resources Council. Second, those state water policies should be revised keeping the new policy in mind. * The government has extended the tenure of Justice M B Shah Commission, which was set up to probe into the cases of illegal mining, by one year till July NATIONAL - News 5
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16, 2013. The commission, which had recommended ban on iron ore exports, has so far submitted two interim reports. Of this, one was submitted last year on the iron ore mining across the country and the other report was given in March this year on illegal mining in Goa. *Dhoni appointed brand ambassador of cricket in Nepal: The Nepal Cricket Association has appointed Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as their brand ambassador. SACHIN is the first active cricketer who has been nominated to Rajya Sabha for 6-year term. The President of India under ARTICLE 80 of the Indian constitution nominates 12 members belonging from the various fields like art, literature, business and sports to the 250-member Rajya Sabha. The New Democracy Party leader ANTONIS SAMARA sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Greece on 20 June 2012. Samaras's centre-right New Democracy party bagged 129 seats of 300 in the parliamentary elections held on 17 June 2012. Gambian lawyer Fatou Bensouda was sworn in on 15 June 2012 as the International Criminal Court's new chief prosecutor. Bensouda was elected at the latest session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute (ASP) in December 2011 for a nine-year term. Bensouda is the first woman and the first African to be appointed as the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which is investigating 15 cases in seven countries, all of them African. LEON PANETTA - US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta visited India & he vowed to strengthen tie with India. Panetta called for more joint research and production, expanding military exercises and for both countries to tackle legal dilemmas posed by space weapons and cyber warfare. * Staff integration in Air India: Committee of officers holds meeting: A committee of officers, set up to implement the critical issue of staff integration in Air India, has begun the process of preparing a roadmap for implementation of the recommendations of the Justice Dharmadhikari Committee on the issue. The four-member panel, headed by Civil Aviation Ministry Director Nasir Ali, met for the first time here yesterday and decided to meet leaders of all unions representing various sections of Air India employees to ensure there was no labour trouble during the implementation of integration process. MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF DHARMADHIKARI COMMITTEE Air India should continue to maintain two separate lines of seniority for pilots belonging to the premerger Indian Airlines and Air India Pilots of both erstwhile carriers must be allowed to fly aircraft of all types KITE4education.com
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A 10-15 per cent salary cut for pilots and engineers to bring their salaries on par with industry standards Uniform salaries for both sets of pilots Cross-utilisation of pilots, which means Indian Airlines pilots can fly Dreamliners, and Air India pilots can fly Airbus aircraft after obtaining requisite endorsements and training. * 'Clean India' campaign launched to woo tourists: To improve quality of services and provide a hygienic environment in and around tourist destinations across the country, government today launched the 'Clean India' campaign aimed at attracting more visitors. The campaign emphasising on sensitisation and action at field level comes after the Ministry conducted a survey in some selected sites where it was found that hygiene and sanitation conditions in and around tourist destinations are a big issues with foreign and domestic tourists. Tourism Ministry has set a target of achieving 12 per cent growth during the 12th five-year plan which commences from 2012 in the sector with the aim of attracting six million more foreign tourists. Currently India attracts about 5.7 million foreigners in a year. *Cabinet nod for Tamil Nadu plan to set up PCPIR: The Cabinet approved the proposal of the Tamil Nadu Government to set up a Petroleum Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts. PCPIRs have already been approved in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Orissa. The PCPIR policy prescribes that infrastructure will be created/upgraded through public-private partnership (PPP) to the extent possible, and Central Government will provide the necessary viability gap funding (VGF). The Tamil Nadu Government has sought central support to the tune of Rs.1,143 crore on account of VGF funding for two road-related projects, CETP and desalination plants and Rs.1,500 crore of direct budgetary support for a rail project. *Assamese Poet Hiren Bhattacharyya passed away: Renowned Assamese Poet Hiren Bhattacharyya, who was fondly called Hiru-da by his admirers, passed away on 4 July 2012. He was 80. Hiren Bhattacharya was well known as Prem aru Rodalir Kobi (Poet of Love and Sunshine) in the Assamese literature. *Union Government of India unveiled New Free Drug Policy: In a policy aimed at benefitting countrys 120 crore population, the Union Government of India on 4 July 2012 unveiled the 5.4 NATIONAL - News 6
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billion dollar free drug policy. Under the new policy, every citizen of the country will be provided free medicines in all public health centres spreaded across the country. As the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare kept branded drugs out of this policy, the patients will be given only generic drugs. The policy which will remain effective over the next five years will provide a much needed support to nearly 40 percent people of the country, which spends 1.25 dollar or less a day on health. The new free drug policy marks the first of its kind endeavour by the government of India to address the grim health services condition in the country. India spends about 1.2 percent of its annual GDP on health, making it a country with least spending on public health services. The country also has a high infant mortality rate as 66 of per 1000 children die before the age of 5, compared with 19 in China and 21 in Brazil. If the report of Organisation for Economic Co-operation to be believed, only seven countries in the world have got their public health expenditure less than India in terms of GDP percentage. *Anup Sankar Bhattacharya appointed as the Director of IBPS: Anup Sankar Bhattacharya was appointed as the Director of the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) on 2 July 2012. M Balachandran was the former director of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection. After the abolition of Banking Services Recruitment Board, IBPS plays a vital role for candidates who are interested in Bank Jobs. Approximately, 15 million applications applied in the year 2011-12. In 2011, all the nationalized banks authorized Institute of Banking Personnel Selection to conduct a common written test to get admission in the government banks. IBPS conducts separate test for SBI (State Bank of India) and its associate banks. *Verghese Kurien, father of India's "white revolution" and Amul dairy brand, died: A champion of the small farmer, Kurien was instrumental in creating a national milk distribution grid in the 1970s that turned India into the world's largest producer of milk and dairy products -- a feat with enormous financial and health implications. In creating the Amul brand, he empowered farmers that are generally treated only as suppliers--fighting for contracts with the big companies that can take their products to market *Cyclone NILAM Hits the Southeastern Coast of India: CYCLONE NILAM has struck the southeastern coast of India, bringing with it severe flooding and winds almost as strong as SUPERSTORM SANDY. Cyclone Nilam comes only a year after Cyclone KITE4education.com
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Thane, which last December killed 47 people in India. This massive storm, which hit Tamil Nadu destroying houses and crops, brought gale force winds of up to 135 kmph and tidal surges of nearly 1.5 metres, or about 5 feet. * Climate change killed Harappan civilization: Climate change may be the main culprit behind the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization around 4,000 years ago, says a new study, which also claims to have resolved the long-standing debate over the source and fate of the Saraswati, a sacred river in Hindu mythology. The study, combining the latest archaeological data along with state-of-the-art geoscience technologies, suggested that decline in monsoon rains led to weakened river dynamics, and played a critical role both in the development and the fall of the Harappan culture, which relied on river floods to fuel their agricultural surpluses. The research, which was conducted between 2003 and 2008, also claimed that the mythical Saraswati River was actually not fed by glaciers in the Himalayas as believed. Rather, it was a perennial monsoon-supported watercourse and aridification reduced it to short seasonal flows. Mapped on top of the vast Indo-Gangetic Plain, the archaeological and geological data shows instead that settlements bloomed along the Indus from the coast to the hills fronting the Himalayas, as weakened monsoons and reduced run-off from the mountains tamed the wild Indus and its Himalayan tributaries enough to enable agriculture along their banks. *Indian-origin student cracks 350 years' old math puzzles: A 16-year-old Indian origin schoolboy in Germany has managed to crack puzzles that baffled the world of maths for more than 350 years. Ray solved two fundamental particle dynamics theories which physicists have previously been able to calculate only by using powerful computers. His solutions mean that scientists can now calculate the flight path of a thrown ball and then predict how it will hit and bounce off a wall. *Bihar topped in Gross State Domestic Product: Despite relentless negative campaign by certain vested interests in the media and political parlays, Bihar has emerged as the number one state in terms of annual percentage increase in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the fiscal year 2010-11 by attaining a whopping growth rate of 14.15%. The latest figures that were released yesterday by the Central Economic and Statistics Directorate are based on the 2004-05 prices. Close at the heels of Bihar were Chhattisgarh, Uttar NATIONAL - News 7
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Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. *Task force constituted to examine media school standards: To check the mushrooming growth of unregulated media institutes which charge exorbitant fees but provide sub-standard education, the HRD ministry has formed an inter-ministerial task force. Several senior journalists like Sanjay Baru, NDTVs Managing Editor Sonia Singh, Indian Express Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta, Editor of The Hindu Siddharth Varadharajan and Editor of Nai Duniya Alok Mehta are part of the task force along with several government officials and others. The task force would examine and identify the issues related to the standards of education in media institutes and suggest measures to strengthen the regulatory framework. The task force will also explore the possibility of an accreditation mechanism for media-related education and other such issues. Officials said the need to create a framework that would ensure certain standards in this sector had been felt for a long time as there was a negative feedback regarding the quality of education imparted by several institutes. The task force would devise its own methodology for functioning and may select a chairperson from among its members. * UGC to let only top 500 foreign universities enter India: According to the new set of guidelines approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) on 2 June 2012, only global top 500 universities will be allowed to start their operation in India. The new guidelines set the norms for the foreign universities aspiring to enter into agreement with Indian universities for offering education programmes in the country. As per the new guidelines the foreign varsities entering into tie-ups with Indian partners should be ranked among the top 500 by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking or by Shanghai Jiaotong University of the top 500 universities. Institutes who fail to abide by the new UGC guidelines would be suitably penalized which also includes stoppage of grants from the UGC. The UGC came up with the new guidelines following the rising concerns among the educationists in the country over the quality of foreign institutions which is tying up with Indian colleges offering separate education programmes. * Panel to suggest changes in Nalanda University Act: The Planning Commission has constituted a Committee under the chairmanship of former ViceChancellor of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Prof NR Madhava Menon to KITE4education.com
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suggest Amendments in the Nalanda University Act, 2010. The Committee would examine the Nalanda University Act, 2010 particularly provisions relating to academic, administrative and financial autonomy and suggest amendments to provide for full autonomy in matters relating to making appointments, determining salaries and emoluments and auditing. The Committee would also suggest amendments in the Act to ensure that the university acquires international stature and excellence through representative and flexible governance and forward looking legislation. It would first examine Statutes, existing Ordinances and Regulation and suggest changes so that these are consistent with the Act and lay down broad principles for making Statutes, existing Ordinances and future Regulations in the interest of consistency and clarity and would suggest amendments / insertions in the Act to take care of existing gaps with a view to see that the University functions smoothly. * Govt bans use of live animals for education, research: The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has banned the use of live animals in dissection and other experiments in educational and research institutions. But scientists conducting new molecular research will be exempted from the ban. Based on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960), the MoEF has issued guidelines to the University Grants Commission, ministry of health and family welfare, Pharmacy Council of India and the Medical Council of India to discontinue dissection and experiments with live animals in universities, colleges, research institutes, hospitals, laboratories and instead use alternatives like computer simulation. The MoEF says that the central government is duty-bound to use alternatives to avoid unnecessary suffering or pain to animals. It states that effective alternatives in the form of CDs, computer simulations and mannequin models are available; they are not only effective as absolute replacements for animals in teaching anatomy or physiology but are also superior learning tools in teaching of pharmacy or life sciences. The guidelines were framed based on the duties of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments and Animals (CPCSEA), which has been constituted under the provisions of Section 15 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960). The committee comprises seven nominees - three nominees appointed by CPCSEA and the remaining four from educa-tional institutes. NATIONAL - News 8
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"The animal experiments should be stopped in all institutes except for the purpose of new molecular research. Sometimes, in laboratories, a lot of work is repeated and animals become unnecessary victims. Only scientists researching on a new molecular theory can experiment on animals. In medical and pharmacy colleges, there is unwanted cruelty towards animals which can be avoided. These guidelines mention imprisonment for five years and monetary penalty," said Mangal Jain, a nominee of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC), which is appointed by CPCSEA. Hoshang Bilimoria, also a nominee appointed by the CPCSEA, said the guidelines were a welcome change. * India goes down in global ICT ranking: India has been ranked 69th among 142 nations in inherent capacity to leverage information and communication technologies (ICT) for progress, in the latest of a series of Networked Readiness Index reports brought out annually by the World Economic Forum and the business school, INSEAD. It ranked 48th in 2011, against 43rd the previous year. China, ranked 51st this year, occupied the 36th place in 2011. However, India fared better in the availability of new technologies and venture capital, the intensity of local competition and the quality of management schools. The low penetration of ICT was one of India's weakest aspects, with the country ranked 117th in individual usage. Mobile penetration had to be improved further, as also the percentage of the population that used the Internet. * LOPs to foreign vessels: Fishermen's Associations have sought cancellation of the licenses issued to Foreign Fishing Vessels as they were violating all guidelines and depleting the fish stocks to the detriment of Indian fishermen. The foreign vessels are misusing the LOP scheme to fish in the Indian waters. The foreign vessels were operating within 12 nautical miles in shallow waters between Nizampatnam in AP and Paradeep Port in Orissa. The MURARI COMMITTEE Recommendations of September 1996 have not been implemented by the Government of India so far. The Committee was against allowing foreign vessels to fish in the Indian waters. Though foreign vessels were not officially' allowed till 2002, they were being allowed subsequently. LoP scheme for fisheries sector draws criticism the Letter of Permit (LoP) scheme for the fisheries sector, introduced by the Union Ministry of Agriculture 10 years ago, has resulted in foreign KITE4education.com
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fishing vessels massively looting India's marine wealth. The report says that India's lucrative commercial fish resources, including one of the world's last healthy tuna stocks, are being systematically exploited by fishing vessels of foreign origin because of the LoP scheme. The scheme also has an adverse impact on the livelihood of millions of people and the business interests of the Indian fishing sector, creating huge losses to the country's exchequer and destroying its marine habitats. The scheme was introduced on conditional grounds: boosting the country's fishing sector. One of the prime conditions of the scheme is reporting all the catch from the Indian waters. But all the conditions are being violated, says the Greenpeace report titled Licence to Loot.' Under the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), only registered Indian fishing vessels can operate. But the LoP scheme of Department of Fisheries allows Indian fishing firms to buy technologically advanced foreign vessels. Under the scheme, the permission for a foreign vessel to operate in Indian EEZ is issued once it surrenders its registration in the country of origin and 10 per cent of its cost is paid by the Indian firm to the original firm. The vessel is supposed to employ 25 per cent Indian crew. Within three years, the Indian firm is supposed to completely own the vessel and the majority of the crew has to be Indian. Currently, 79 vessels are operational under the scheme in Indian EEZ. Greenpeace alleges that many of these vessels continue to be registered in their country of origin and are controlled by the foreign firms. It found that at least eight vessels operating under the LoP scheme in Indian EEZ are also registered in Taiwan, their country of origin while two of them had Tuvalu National Registration. The Indian firms are just the proxy owners that are paid commission for the huge profit made by the original firms that sell Indian fish in the international market, says Areeba Hamid, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace India. *Bihar becomes the third state to ban paan and gutka products: Bihar has become the third state after Kerala and Madhya Pradesh to ban paan and gutka products. * Govt cuts farm loan interest subsidy to 2%: The government cut the interest rate subsidy to 2% for this fiscal on farm loans given by the public sector banks from 3% last year. The financial implication due to the interest subsidy on farm loans by PSU banks, regional rural banks and co-operative credit institutions were at Rs4, 311 crore in 2008-09. It was NATIONAL - News 9
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estimated to be at about Rs.4, 000 crore in the current fiscal. Under the INTEREST SUBVENTION SCHEME, the government will pay 2% interest subsidy to banks for granting shortterm crop loan to farmers at a concessional rate of 7%. * Centre planning major changes in rules for clinical trials: Under sharp criticism for inadequate monitoring of clinical trials in the country, the government is contemplating major changes in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and its Rules. These would make it mandatory for the Investigator to report all serious adverse events, including deaths, to the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI), as well as the sponsor and the ethics committee, within 24 hours of occurrence. The DGCI will constitute a committee of experts to analyse the report of the Investigator, the sponsor, and the ethics committee, to arrive at the exact cause of the injury or death, and it shall then recommend the exact quantum of compensation in case of trial-related injury or deaths within three months. As per the existing procedure, all serious adverse events (SAEs) are reported by the Investigator to the sponsor and the company within 24 hours and to the ethics committee in 7 days. The sponsor then submits the information to the DCGI and some other investigators within 14 days. It is the institutional ethics committee or the independent ethics committee that decides on the cause of the injury or death, and announces compensation accordingly. There is also a proposal which makes it mandatory for the sponsor to provide medical care to the person who suffers injury during trial, for as long as required. There will be a specific provision in the Rules for payment of compensation to the affected persons/their nominees, for trial-related injuries and deaths. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already moved amendments to the Rules, wherein 12 New Drug Advisory Committees, consisting of leading experts from the government medical colleges and institutes from all States in the country, have been constituted to advise the DGCI in matters related to approval of clinical trials and new medicines. Applications of Investigational New Drugs (IND), which have never earlier been used in human beings, are evaluated by the IND committee, chaired by the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research. Deaths may occur during clinical trials due to various reasons, including life-threatening diseases like cancer, cardio-vascular conditions like congestive heart failure, and stroke. KITE4education.com
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They can also be due to the side-effects of the medicines or their administration to critically or terminally ill patients. In order to capture the socio-economic background of the persons participating in the trial, it is proposed to modify the Informed Consent Form to capture qualifications, occupation, annual income, and address of the person concerned. Requirements and guidelines for registration of the ethics committee would be prescribed in the Rules. However, this method has drawn a lot of flak, as there have been complaints related to violation of ethics, and prejudiced reports of the ethics committee. Even the existing manner of securing consent from the subjects has been questioned by rights-based health activists. *Cabinet clears Rs 4000 cr grant for fighting encephalitis: Union Cabinet cleared Rs 4,000-crore joint action plan for tackling Japanese Encephalitis. The GoM had in November last year made certain recommendations for tackling the deadly virus which has affected over 6,300 persons across the country till September. Among some of the recommendations made by the GoM are provisions of safe drinking water to the affected persons by replacing shallow tubewells with deep tubewells and providing proper sanitation facilities in high-risk districts, besides setting up improved health facilities and step-up of vaccination of children in the area. ENCEPHALITIS Encephalitis means an inflammation of the brain, but it usually refers to brain inflammation caused by a virus. Viral encephalitis may develop during or after infection with any of several viral illnesses including influenza, herpes simplex, measles, mumps, rubella, rabies, chickenpox, and arbovirus infection including West Nile virus. Herpes simplex type 1 virus is one of the more common and serious causes of viral encephalitis. Herpes-related encephalitis can erupt rapidly, and may cause seizures or mental changes and even lead to coma or death. It occurs when the herpes simplex type 1 virus travels to the brain rather than moving through the body to the surface of the skin and producing its more common symptom, a cold sore. Early recognition and treatment of herpes encephalitis can be life-saving. In rare instances, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, or rickettsial infections cause encephalitis. Cancer or even exposure to certain drugs or toxins may also cause encephalitis. The GoM also recommended the provision of improved health management systems to tackle JE/AES, improve nutrition of the affected people and undertake their rehabilitation, besides helping NATIONAL - News 10
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people in affected areas to find alternative means of livelihood for pig-rearing population and set up special schools for mentally challenged children. *Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay dies: Eminent litterateur and Sahitya Akademi President Sunil Gangopadhyay died. He had won the Sahitya Akademi Award (1985), Ananda Puraskar (1989) and the Hindu Literary Prize (2011). After serving five years as the Vice President, he was elected the President of the Sahitya Akademi on February 20, 2008. He used the pen-names of Nil Lohit, Sanatan Pathak and Nil Upadhyay. * Govt Clears National Policy on Electronics: National Policy on Electronics 2012 aims to make the domestic electronic hardware manufacturing segment into a USD 400-billion industry by 2020. Under the policy, government has set objective "to create an eco-system for a globally competitive ESDM (Electronic System and Design and Manufacturing) sector in the country to achieve a turnover of about USD 400 billion by 2020 involving investment of about USD 100 billion and employment to around 28 million people at various levels. Demand for electronics product has been rapidly growing in the country. However, the domestic production in 2008-09 was worth about USD 20 billion. In the absence of a government initiative, it was estimated that at the current rate of growth, domestic production can cater to a demand of USD 100 billion by 2020 as against demand of USD 400 billion. The rest would have to be met by imports. The strategies included in the policy are listed below. Provide incentives through Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS) Setting up of Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication facilities Preferential market access to domestically manufactured electronic products Provide incentives for setting up of 200 Electronic Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs) setting up of Greenfield EMCs and up gradation of Brownfield EMCs Establish a stable tax regime and market India as a destination to attract investments Create a completely secure cyber ecosystem in the country Implementation of e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 To set up National Electronic Mission *PM announces $50 million for biodiversity conservation in India: India will earmark a sum of KITE4education.com
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$50 million to strengthen institutional mechanism for biodiversity conservation in the country, when it holds presidency of the Conference of Parties (CoP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Announcing this while inaugurating a high-level segment meeting at the ongoing CoP-11 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the funds would be utilised to enhance technical and human capabilities of India's national and statelevel mechanisms to attain the Convention on Biological Diversity objectives. India has assumed presidency of CoP for the next two years. * PM forms committee on implementation of cash transfer scheme: Moving ahead with the ambitious plan for direct electronic cash transfer, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set up a high-powered committee headed by him which will identify the schemes to be covered and ensure smooth rollout of the programme within specified timelines. The National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers will have 11 cabinet ministers, two ministers of state with independent charge, the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, the Chairman UIDAI and the Cabinet Secretary as its members. The Committee will act as a mechanism to coordinate action for the introduction of direct cash transfers to individuals under the various government schemes and programmes. The scheme, which is expected to benefit 1/4th of the country's population, is being introduced to check corruption and pilferage of subsidized items. The Committee would provide an overarching vision and direction to enable direct cash transfers of benefits under various government schemes and programmes to individuals, leveraging the investments being made in the Aadhaar Project, financial inclusion and other initiatives of the Government, with the objective of enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability. It will determine broad policy objectives and strategies for direct cash transfers and identify government programmes and schemes for which direct cash transfers to individuals can be adopted. The Committee will suggest the extent and scope of direct cash transfers in each case besides specifying timelines for the rollout of scheme. It will coordinate with various ministries and departments involved in enabling direct cash transfers and ensure timely, coordinated action to ensure speedy rollout of direct cash transfers across the country. The National Committee on Cash Transfers will review the progress of implementation of direct NATIONAL - News 11
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cash transfers and provide guidance for mid-course corrections. It will be assisted by an Executive Committee on Direct Cash Transfers chaired by the Principal Secretary to PM Pulok Chatterjee. It would identify and propose for the consideration of the National Committee on Cash Transfers such government programmes and schemes for which direct cash transfers to individuals can be adopted and suggest the extent and scope of direct cash transfers in each case. The Executive Committee will ensure the preparation of and approve strategies and action plans for the speedy rollout of direct cash transfers in areas agreed to and in line with the timelines. It will coordinate the activities of various ministries, departments and agencies involved in enabling direct cash transfers to ensure that the architecture and framework for direct cash transfers is in place for rolling out direct cash transfers across the country. The Executive Committee will also review and monitor the rollout of direct cash transfers and undertake mid-course corrections as and when necessary. The National Committee will include Ministers for Finance, Communications & IT, Rural Development, Social Justice & Empowerment, Human Resource Development, Tribal Affairs, Minority Affairs, Health & Family Welfare, Labor & Employment, Petroleum & Natural Gas and Chemicals & Fertilizers. It will also have Deputy Chairperson, Planning Commission, besides Ministers of State (Independent Charge) of Food & Public Distribution and Women & Child Development. The Mission Mode Committees will be Technology Committee, Financial Inclusion Committee, and Implementation Committees on Electronic Transfer of Benefits at the ministry or department level. The Technology Committee will focus on technology, payment architecture and IT issues while Financial Inclusion Committee will focus on ensuring universal access to banking and ensuring complete financial inclusion. Implementation Committees on Electronic Transfer of Benefits at the ministry or department-level will work out details of cash transfers for each department such as data bases, direct cash transfer rules and control and audit mechanisms. *India's first glass mosque coming up at Shillong: Madina Masjid in Shillong, built near the Umshyrpi stream in the city, the four-storied glass dome can accommodate about 2000 devotees at a time and was built at a cost of Rs. 2 crore donated by well wishers and the Muslim Union. KITE4education.com
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Standing as high as 120 feet and about 60 feet wide, the mosque is the first one to be built using special strengthened glasses in India and the biggest in the north-eastern region. The mosque was conceptualized two years back and is built at Idgah complex premises which were set up way back in 1942. *Anti Collision Device for Railways developed by Hyderabad Based Firm: Hyderabad Based Company, Hyderabad Batteries Limited (HBL) developed a new anti collision safety device which is path breaking technology in ensuring safe travelling and fewer accidents. The device is based on a combination of railway signaling data with radio communications, global position, radio frequency identification devices, software and logic. It was HBL Power Systems which reacted first to the expression of interest floated by the Research, Design and Standards Organization of the Indian Railways to develop an anti-collision device in August 2008. The system is designed to automatically bring trains to a halt when collision-like situations arise or when the red signal is violated, for whatever reason. In the Month of September 2012, a train collision avoidance system (TCAS), tested in real time on a track near Tandur, in the South Central Railway demonstrated the viability of the system. During the trials, the effectiveness was demonstrated for prevention of head-on collisions; rear-end collisions, over-speeding of trains and disregard for red signal. The new anti collision device had essential features of both automatic train protection and collision prevention in one solution. HBL Power Systems had also developed electronic interlocking system, audio frequency track circuits and train management systems. *India placed 94th out of 176 countries in corruption: Transparency International: India has been ranked 94th out of 176 countries in Transparency Internationals 2012 Corruption Perception Index (CPI). Last year, India was ranked 95 out of 183 countries that were studied. In this years CPI, India earned a very low score of 36 on a scale from 0 (most corrupt) to 100 (least corrupt). Transparency International India attributed the low score to the recent scams and incidents of corruption in the public sector involving government officials, private officials and private companies.
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Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia perceived as most corrupt countries scoring just 8 out of 100. Two-thirds of the 176 countries recorded a CPI score below 50. Denmark, Finland and Switzerland topped the index with a score of 90 followed by Sweden with a score of 88. Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia were perceived as the most corrupt countries scoring just 8 out of 100. India has been ranked below neighbours Sri Lanka and China, while it fared better than Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. From this year, the CPI methodology has been updated allowing for year-over-year comparisons from 2012 onwards. India was ranked 72 among 180 countries in 2007 and since then the countrys ranking fell to 87 in 2010 and 95 in 2011. *MoD approves Indian Army's demand for 'mini air force': Army which recently won the conflict with the IAF to get heavy-duty attack helicopters of its own, it is now is now aiming to create its own mini air force. Army has approved the setting up of a permanent cadre for the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) by the end of 2102, which will operate light observation and attack helicopters in the short-term and medium-lift choppers and even fixed-wing aircraft in the long-term. Nations such as the US, China and Pakistan have a dedicated aviation wing within their armies. Currently, the AAC operates around 250 light helicopters like Druv, Cheetah and Chetak, while attack and medium-lift choppers have always been with IAF. The Army has demanded one attack helicopter squadron (10-12 choppers) for the establishment of its three "strike" formations Corps (Mathura) Corps (Ambala) Corps (Bhopal) In addition, it has plans to induct another 114 Rudra light combat helicopters for the 10 pivot corps. As per IAF it will lead to duplication of efforts and waste of scarce resources. *Former PM I.K. Gujral died: I.K.Gujral (December 4, 1919 November 30, 2012) Born in Punjab, in British India. Participated in Indias struggle for freedom. Left the Indian National Congress party in the mid1980s and joined the Janata Dal. Became the 12th Prime Minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998. Second PM to govern exclusively from the Rajya KITE4education.com
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Sabha, first being his immediate predecessor H.D. Deve Gowda. Key contributor to Indias foreign policies. Principles of Gujral Doctrine With neighbors like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, India does not ask for reciprocity, but gives and accommodates what it can in good faith and trust. No South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against the interest of another country of the region. No country should interfere in the internal affairs of another. All South Asian countries must respect each others territorial integrity and sovereignty. They should settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations. Gave a set of five principles famously known as Gujral Doctrine to guide the conduct of foreign relations with Indias immediate neighbors. *India out of Olympics as IOC suspends Indian Olympic Association: In a huge embarrassment for India, the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Association because of government interference, a development which puts a bar on the country's Olympic participation. The decision was largely expected after the IOA decided to go ahead with the elections under the government's Sports Code, defying the IOC's diktat to hold the polls under the Olympic Charter. The IOC had repeatedly told the IOA not follow the government's sports code for the elections on the ground that it would be a violation of the Olympic Charter and compromise autonomy. But the IOA went ahead saying they were bound by the Delhi High Court order. Suspension meant that the IOA will stop receiving IOC funding and its officials will be banned from attending Olympic meetings and events. India's athletes will be barred from competing in Olympic events under their national flag, but they can participate under the IOC banner. The IOA top brass said that they were not aware of the decision yet as no communication has been sent to them yet. The IOA has the option of challenging the IOC's decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sports. India earns the dubious distinction among a handful of countries which have faced suspension from the world sports governing body. South Africa had been suspended for its apartheid policy while Kuwait faced the same fate for government interference before it was re-admitted after the Gulf country's Olympic body amended its constitution. The Netherlands Antilles and South Sudan were also banned for not forming their national Olympic NATIONAL - News 13
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Committees. The elections to the IOA have been marred by controversy over the issue of under which framework they would be held and this had led to the resignation of IOA-appointed Election Commission Chairman S Y Quraishi and later presidential candidate Randhir Singh withdrawing from the race. IOA's position has been that it has been opposing the Sports Code from the beginning but will have to abide by the Delhi High Court order to hold the elections under the Sports Code. * Delhi HC dismisses PIL challenging Tendulkar's nomination to Rajya Sabha: They had said the provision under Article 80 (3) of the Constitution is not confined to inducting experts only from the fields of science, arts, literature and social services, but also from sports, education and other disciplines. *Vinod Rai re-elected as Chair of UN auditors panel: Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai has been re-elected as Chairman of United Nations Panel of External Auditors for 2013. The Panel of External Auditors plays an important role in promoting accountability and strengthening governance mechanisms in the UN organisations. The Panel meets annually to discuss emergent issues in the audit of UN organisations. At present, the Panel comprises Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Pakistan, Philippines, Switzerland, Tanzania and the UK. The United Nations Panel of External Auditors which comprises Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) engaged in auditing United Nations, its specialised agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency, held its 53rd meeting which concluded last night at the UN Headquarters in New York. * Minorities Rights Day Celebrated By the National Commission for Minorities: National Commission for Minorities celebrated Minorities Rights Day on 18 December 2012. Minorities Rights Day is celebrated on 18th December every year. The day is celebrated to protect rights of the minorities communities as well as bringing the better understanding among religious minorities in India. The day is celebrated because on 18th December 1992, United Nations adopted as well as broadcasted Declaration on Rights of Persons who belong to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. On Minorities Rights Day, i.e. on 18 December 2012, the National Commission for Minorities also released the special issue of publication called Minorities India. This publication highlights KITE4education.com
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activities as well as functions of the Third Statutory Commission of the National Commission for Minorities. * Britain returns 215 coins of 1st century Kushanera to Afghan: As many as 215 coins of the Kushanera in the 1st century AD were returned to Afghanistan National Museum at a ceremony attended by Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul. Under the rule of the Kushans, present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India participated both in seagoing trade and in commerce along the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean. By positioning themselves at the center of the Silk Road, midway between China and India in the east and the Mediterranean world in the west, the Kushans became a world power second only to China and Rome and the first unified force in Afghanistan to dispense rather than receive authority. The Kushan Empire lasted from 20-280 AD. * Birthday of Ramanujan 'National Mathematics Day: Declaring 2012 as the 'National Mathematical year' as a tribute to maths wizard Srinivasa Ramanujan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voiced concern over the "badly inadequate" number of competent mathematicians in the country. *Justice Swatanter Kumar takes over as first NGT chief: Justice Swatanter Kumar became the first chairperson of the National Green Tribunal the apex body constituted under a 2010 Act for deciding cases pertaining to environmental protection and conservation of forests and natural resources. As he assumed his office, Justice Kumar, a Supreme Court judge, also earned the distinction of becoming the first apex court judge to take over as the head of this tribunal after demitting his judgeship. The NGT was till date functioning without a full-time chief. * Explicit stone tablet found in Vasai: Early in December 2012, a team of the historians in Vasai recovered the 750 year old stone tablet which has sexually explicit inscription. The historians explained that the bygone king of that area (identity of whom is yet to be discovered) might have had custom-made the carvings as warning symbol for keeping the trespassers at a distance or to make sure that the tax collectors regularly deposited the revenue. The stone tablet bears the inscription of a donkey copulating with the female, which might be an indication that women of trespassers would face a similar fate. In the olden times, the property owners NATIONAL - News 14
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in Vasai area used to place the carved stones at entrances of their properties. This practice is followed even today in Vasai. Trespassers were given a warning using the abusive words but historians believe that such a pictorial abuse was not common. The stone tablet dates back to 1268 AD and was recovered from the Kiravali village. The measurements of the stone are 126 cm, 56 cm and 22 cm in length, width and breadth respectively. The stone is from the era of SHILAHARA KINGS who were the rulers of Vasai around 1000 years back. Shilahara kings had ruled over the Vasai region before Portuguese in 1536. It is important to note that this stone tablet was, at some point of the time, acclaimed artifact in village. It was kept in Chankai Devi Mandir and villagers broke coconuts on it on new moon day. Later, this stone was kept near the pond. The historians eventually removed this stone tablet and were surprised at the historical value. *Bihar became the Fastest Growing Indian State between 2006 and 2010: As per the data released by the Planning Commission of India, Bihar became the fastest growing state in India at 10.9 per cent between 2006 and 2010 while Gujarats growth rate declined to 9.3 per cent and it lagged behind Bihar and other four states- Orissa, Maharashtra, Haryana, Chhattisgarh in terms of growth rate. Bihar was the slowest growing state during 2001-05 period with GDP figure of 2.9 percent whereas Gujarat was the fastest growing state between 2001 and 2005 with figure of 11 percent. * Deep Joshi is new IRMA chairman: Well-known social worker and winner of Magsaysay award Deep Joshi has been appointed chairman of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA). *Cow sanctuary to be made a pilgrimage centre: Indias first kamdhenu cow sanctuary is being opened in 472 hectare area village Salriya in Susener tahsil of Shajapur district, Madhya Pradesh. Adequate arrangements have been made in the sanctuary for manufacture of insecticides from cow dung and urine, development of meadows, housing and feeding of cattle found stray and confiscated by the police and free grazing of cows. Natural and suitable environment will also be creat*Karnataka Announced Safety Measures in Public Transport: On 23 December 2012, Karnataka became the first state that announced some measures for making public transport safer via use of technology. The Karnataka government announced that it would equip taxis as well as autorickshaws with surveillance cameras as well as GPS for providing safety to the women travellers. KITE4education.com
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All the state transport buses would be equipped with the surveillance cameras. Apart from this, the deputy chief minister R Ashoka who has home department under him also announced establishment of fast-track courts for dealing with all rape cases. Additionally, the deputy chief minister announced that Karnataka government would push aggressively regarding capital punishment in rarestof-rare cases. On 22 December 2012, a meeting of the home department officials discussed about the safety concerns of women. ed for animals of bovine species. A religious tourism circuit will be developed by interlinking Maa Bagulamukhi Mandir at Nalkhera, Pipalya Balaji Mandir at Soyat, Baijnath Mahadev Mandir at Agar and the cow sanctuary. *India's largest naval base to come up near Vishakapatnam: Indian Navy is all geared to get an exclusive sea port for its Eastern-bound frigates and warships. Ramkonda, a quite hamlet on the Coromandel coast some 50 kms east of Vishakapatnam, was chosen for building the new marine base. The work on the PROJECT VARSHA began in 2005, and when completed, it is expected to be a gem of the Indian Navy. Seen by many as another step in fulfilling the ambitions of Indias Look East policy, Project Varsha is expected to be the largest such base in the country once it is completed. The base, envisaged for the exclusive use of the Navy, is also expected to ease off traffic from the Vishakapatnam harbor. Project Varsha is being built on the same line of motives as PROJECT SEABIRD. While Seabird, located on the coast of Karnataka, was built to have an eye on Pakistan, Varsha is seen by many as manifestation of Indias ambitions in South China Sea and counteracting the growing Chinese might in the region. But Project Varsha is not the only war base in the strategic Bay of Bengal. A naval air station is all set to be built off Kolkatas coast, with another envisioned for the Tamil Nadus coast. The latter is expected to secure the Indian interests on both, the eastern and western flanks. Besides, India also boasts of an air surveillance station in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. It had been built to monitor the activity of air and seaborne traffic in and around the region. *Report calls for mapping tree plantations on private, non-forest land: In a first of its kind study on felling and transit regulations for tree species NATIONAL - News 15
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grown on non-forest and private land, an expert panel has called for mapping of such plantations. It also suggested a uniform mechanism to regulate transit of forest produce, such as timber, within a State, and also in various States forming a region, such as the North East. The PANEL, HEADED BY A.K. BANSAL, Additional Director-General of Forests, was set up in 2011 to study the regulatory regime in the backdrop of low forest and tree cover in the country. According to the report, forest and tree cover has stabilised at around 23 per cent of geographical area, whereas the National Forest Policy1988 lays down the national goal of 33 per cent for ensuring environmental balance. The panel felt that as the area under natural forest was difficult to increase, the extension of forestry in non-forest areas, such as agro-forestry and farm forestry, had vast scope to meet the need for timber and other wood products, thereby reducing the pressure on natural forests. Among various recommendations, the report, submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), has underlined the need for maintaining a record of tree plantations on private land. *Broadcasting Content Complaint Council told Channels to Abstain From Vulgar Comedy: The Broadcasting Content Complaint Council (BCCC) on 28 December 2012 asked all the entertainment channels not to televise abusive, crass, vulgar as well as double-meaning language that has sexual overtones in comedy's name. The Broadcasting Content Complaint Council is a thirteen (13) member body consisting of a Chairperson being retired Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court and 12 other members. The composition of other members of BCCC shall be as under: Four (4) Eminent Persons Four (4) Members from any national level Statutory Commissions Four (4) Broadcast Members Indian Broadcasting Foundation established in 1999 is India's premium apex organization of television broadcasters. *National Water Resources Council Adopts National Water Policy (2012): The National Water Resources Council (NWRC) has approved the National Water Policy (NWP) in its meeting in New Delhi. Led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the council approved the policy as submitted by the National Water Board. The policy suggests an overarching water framework law of general principles of water KITE4education.com
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management that recognized water as a scarce resource and a sustainer of life and ecology. By extension, it suggests amending existing laws that give proprietary rights over water to individuals. The law will also cover the development of inter-state rivers and streamline the management of water in India. The policy ensures peoples access to a minimum quantity of potable water for health and hygiene, determining ecological needs and bolstering water infrastructure in the east and northeast, which it claims are water-rich. The policy, redrafted after 2002, has some welcome changes to deal with climate change. It states, Special impetus should be given towards mitigation at micro-level by enhancing the capabilities of community to adopt climate resilient technological options. These strategies could include increasing water storage in soil moisture, ponds, groundwater, small and large reservoirs, and their combination, which provides a mechanism for dealing with increased variability because of climate change. It also calls for better demand management in agriculture and industry. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION is also the key, according to the policy, in mapping aquifers for which a provision has been made in the 12th Five Year Plan. It recognizes the rapid depletion of groundwater but does not spell out any specifics. The drastic decline in this resource needs drastic steps, and we feel the policy is inadequate in this regard. More proactive steps, retraining groundwater board staff and a national programme on community groundwater management based on successful experiments in India is required here. In WATER EFFICIENCY, the policy recognised the importance of small schemes, while making a case for efficiency across the board. Strangely, no target is mentioned making this a vague statement. The policy details WATER PRICING while cautioning that differential pricing may be required to supply lifeline water. It recommends setting up water regulatory authorities in state to regulate water tariffs and the system as a whole. Water charges must be volumetric and water user associations must be free to fix these to suit local conditions subject to a floor tariff. However, experience with the existing regulatory authorities has been very poor and it has been seen they are very susceptible to political and industrial pressures at the expense of agriculture and domestic supply. NWP recognises Gujarats positive experience of the Jyotirgram scheme. It calls for PROTECTION OF RIVERS, water bodies and infrastructure by identifying and protecting flood plains, removing encroachments, checking illegal sand mining, pollution, and improving the maintenance of water infrastructure. NATIONAL - News 16
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NWP should have emphasised on completing existing projects, the cause of cost overruns, but has instead subsumed this under the need to have more such projects. The silver lining is the inclusion of peoplepanchayats, municipalities, etcfrom the planning stage. To CONTROL FLOODS, the policy does state rehabilitating natural drainages, but then reverts to the old rhetoric of building more embankments, spurs and revetments. India has a mixed experience with these and there is no mention of rehabilitating existing structures. On WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION, NWP breaks new ground only in stating that urban water supply and sewage treatment schemes should be integrated and built simultaneously. It re-states the obvious: cities should get their water from surface systems and encouraging rainwater harvesting. Worryingly, it introduces desalination as an option instead of pointing the way towards maximising local water availability. There are a few noises about incentivising reuse that are welcome, but needed to be spelt out better. The policy ignores the elephant in the room; that cities draw half their water from the ground and this need to be balanced by an aggressive urban water management plan. A National Water Disputes Tribunal takes shape in the policy but the section on institutional arrangements and inter-state rivers has blacked out the existing laws and tribunals. How the new tribunal will sit with those already around, and those that have passed verdict and folded up, is unclear. This may be recipe for further inter-state conflicts given the recent experience of the one between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka who refuse to accept orders from the Prime Minister. Singh did not touch this topic in his speech. *Govt to set up new Defence Technology Commission: The government announced setting up of a new Defence Technology Commission to provide a major boost to research and development and decided to go for the second generation of main battle tank 'Arjun' and 'Akash' surface-to-air missile. A new Defence Technology Commission will now be established with the Defence Minister as its Chairman and supported by a Secretariat located at DRDO Headquarters," said Antony, who approved the recommendations of a committee under former Science and Technology Secretary P RAMA RAO that was set up in February 2007 to restructure DRDO. After the committee had submitted its report to Antony a year later, another team headed by Defence Secretary was formed to study the report and submit recommendations for implementation. The government has also given its nod to KITE4education.com
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development of second generation of main battle tank 'Arjun' and 'Akash' surface-to-air missile by DRDO. With Arjun's performance in the comparative trials with Russian T-90 tanks coming in for praise and it proving itself to be a superior tank, the decision to go in for a second generation Arjun Mk-II tanks is only an indication that the Army would be inducting more of these tanks in the future. Already, the Army has placed orders for 124 Arjun tanks of which about 50 tanks were finally handed over to it last year to form a regiment.Other key measures on which Antony took a decision include the decentralization of DRDO management and making it a leaner organization by merging some of its laboratories with other public-funded institutions with similar discipline, interest and administrative system.
Pay Rupees 900/- PER YEAR SUBSCRIPTION CHARGES. * IRIDIUM POWDER, a common chemical used as an adulterant in gold, has been seized by the customs department at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Iridium is a rare metal and once applied, it becomes difficult to differentiate between the original and fake gold through naked NATIONAL - News 17
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eye. Veteran Hindi filmmaker Yash Chopra died. Intelligence Bureau is completing 125 years of its existence in the year 2012. The 100th Indian Science Congress was held in Kolkata, the venue where the first edition of the ISC was held in 1914. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presided over the centenary edition hosted by Calcutta University. The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari released a set of volumes on The Role of Muslims in the Indian Freedom Struggle, 18571947 brought out by Institute of Objective Studies (IOS). Joint Coastal Security Exercise 'Tat Suraksha': at Suraksha is a bi-annual coastal security exercise wherein various drills and contingencies are practiced jointly by civil administration and armed forces in a coordinated manner to safeguard the coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in keeping with the coastal security architecture put in place after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.
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The worlds first all-women paramilitary pipe band on April 9, 2012 marched to its maiden tune after it got its ceremonial colours under the CRPF.
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* Al Qaida-linked group claims massive Yemen bombing: More than 90 people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack at a military parade rehearsal in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. The country has profound problems that have nothing to do with al-Qaeda - dwindling oil, dwindling water, rising food prices, soaring unemployment, a Shia insurrection in the north, a separatist movement in the south. Corruption and
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foreign debt of the country is also piling up as the current figure stands at 24 billion euro. * 20th ASEAN Summit adopts 4 outcome documents: The 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, promoting the target of ASEAN Community Building by 2015 a step forward concluded in April 2012. Under the theme "ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny", the summit adopted four outcome documents, namely the Phnom Penh Agenda on ASEAN Community Building, the Phnom Penh Declaration on "ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny", the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on Drug-Free ASEAN 2015 and the Global Movement of Moderates. The ASEAN, established in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. * Afghanistan and Norway finalized the Draft of the Strategic Partnership Agreement: The agreement on strategic cooperation between Afghanistan and Norway is finalized and ready for signature September 2012. Norwegian forces are posted in Faryab province of northern Afghanistan. The strategic partnership agreement provides the long-term framework for the relationship between Afghanistan and the Norway after the withdrawal of forces. Afghanistan has already signed strategic partnership agreements with the US, Britain, India, Germany, France and Italy. * Afghanistan, U.S. reach deal on controversial night raids: Afghanistan and the United States reached a deal to curb night raids on Afghan homes, giving Kabul a veto over the operations despised by most local people and clearing the way for a wider pact securing a U.S. presence. Night raids on suspected militants have helped fan rising anti-Western sentiment ahead of a withdrawal by most Western combat troops to be completed by 2014, but are backed by NATO commanders as a key anti-insurgent tactic. Their conduct had been one of the biggest hurdles in negotiations on a broader strategic pact governing a future U.S. role in the country, including advisers and Special Forces soldiers to help safeguard stability for at least a decade. Under the agreement, Afghan authorities will have control over prisoners taken in night raids and decide whether to allow U.S. interrogators access to detainees. AFGHAN COMPLAINTS Many Afghans, in complaints backed by President Hamid Karzai, say the raids violate their privacy, especially that of women in conservative areas, where support for the ethnic Pashtun-dominated Taliban is strongest. Only Afghan forces, the document said, would be able to search residential homes or 19
tribal feuds are rife. But Yemen is also home to what many consider to be al-Qaeda's most dangerous branch - al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) - which, together with its allied tribal militants, has managed to take significant ground from the government in Abyan province, profiting from the chaos engendered by last year's protests, including looting abandoned warehouses full of weapons. *Tomislav Nikolic won the Serbias Presidential Election: On 20 May Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Tomislav Nikoli won the presidential runoff against the leader of the Democrats Boris Tadi in the second round of the presidential elections. Nikolic, during his previous stints in power worked as a deputy prime minister under the former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who was put on trial for genocide at The Hague. He was also the part of the government when Nato forces attacked Serbia in 1999. Nikolic, an ultranationalist, has widely been considered as antiEuropean Union given his vocal opposition of the bloc. He, however, in a bid to recapture the power toned down his antipathy towards the European Union and vowed to not deviate from its European path, after winning the elections. Serbia, located at the intersections between Central and Southern Europe, became a separate sovereign republic in summer 2006 after Montenegro voted in a referendum for independence from the Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The country has its unemployment rate spiraling high at 24%. The total KITE4education.com
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compounds, while Afghan police and soldiers would have to protect women and children, as well as culturally sensitive places. A joint U.S.-Afghan committee will decide which raids to carry out and an Afghan judge must then review its recommendation and decide whether to issue a warrant. There is also growing sensitivity over the presence of foreign troops after a series on incidents, including the massacre of 17 Afghan villagers for which a U.S. soldier was charged, and the burning of copies of the Koran at a NATO base. An Afghan judge would also have to grant a warrant approving operations, although the document said Afghan authorities would have to set up judicial processes "capable of issuing timely and operationally secure judicial authorizations". Analysts have warned that stronger curbs on night raids for quick-reaction NATO forces could hamper operations and reduce the impact of one of the most effective anti-insurgent tactics, a prospect which will privately worry NATO commanders. U.S. troops will continue to take part in operations, but a new elite force of Afghan special operations commandos will lead raids with American forces along to give advice and support. The Americans also now have an Afghan partner that will be held equally to account if there are civilian casualties or allegations of mistreatment. The resolution of this dispute is a key step toward finalizing the long-term "strategic partnership" to govern U.S. forces in Afghanistan after the majority of combat forces leave in 2014. The long-term pact is seen as important for assuring the Afghan people that they will not be abandoned by their international allies. Similar agreements with other NATO nations would also have been endangered if one had not been signed with the United States. * African Union readmits Mali, backs plan to retake north: The African Union has readmitted Mali after suspending it from the pan-African bloc following a March coup, and backed plans for authorities there to recapture the north from Islamists. The move came as the International Red Cross issued a warning about the plight of those in the north of the country, where a food crisis looms. Mali's membership was revoked after army officers overthrew the elected government seven months ago. The subsequent chaos gave free rein to a rebellion by gunmen and Tuareg separatists who took over large swathes of the country's north, before the Islamists forced out their former Tuareg allies. Fearful that the area the size of France could become a sanctuary for Al-Qaeda-linked gunmen, Mali's neighbors and Western powers are keen to drive the radicals out. The AU also endorsed a plan urging the "restoration of state authority of the northern part of the country". KITE4education.com
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The plan, which also calls for free elections in Mali early next year, would be presented to the United Nations Security Council for endorsement. The AU called for Mali's authorities to set up a national body to open talks with any armed groups in the north "willing to engage in dialogue to find the political solution to the crisis. * Al-Shabaab pushed back in Somalia by African peace enforcers: Soldiers from the UN-backed AMISOM FORCE [African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)] are edging towards the Islamist militants' stronghold of Kismayo. There has been Increased fighting since late 2010 in southern Somalia between forces allied to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Islamist armed group al-Shabaab. In July 2011 the United Nations declared a famine in two districts of southern Somalia. Ongoing fighting, insecurity, and al-Shabaabs prohibitions
on humanitarian aid, including restrictions on aid agencies work and threats and attacks on humanitarian workers, have contributed to the present catastrophe. A TFG military offensive launched in February 2011, supported by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Kenyan and Ethiopian armed forces, and Somali militias, including those organized in Kenya and Ethiopia, has resulted in the capture of territory previously under al-Shabaab control in Mogadishu and in the south of the country near the borders with Ethiopia and Kenya. In particular, Kenya aims to make a strip of Somali land adjacent to its border, referred to as JUBALAND, into a buffer zone between Kenya and al-Shabaab controlled areas. Civilians have borne the brunt of the fighting between the many parties to the Somali conflict: the TFG, al-Shabaab, AMISOM, the Ethiopiansupported pro-TFG militias Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa 20
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and Ras Kamboni, and Kenyan-supported militias. There have been serious violations of international humanitarian law (the laws of war) by the parties to the conflict, including indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas and infrastructure, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and summary killings. The conflict has had an unquantifiable impact on the ability of civilians fleeing drought-affected areas to find assistance across the border in Ethiopia and Kenya either by blocking their way out or, in the case of alShabaab, the deliberate prevention of people from leaving. Somalis fleeing from al-Shabaab-controlled areas reported widespread human rights abuses. AlShabaab continues to carry out public beheadings and floggings; forcibly recruits both adults and children into its forces; imposes onerous regulations on nearly every aspect of human behavior and social life, and deprives inhabitants under its rule of badly needed humanitarian assistance, including food and water. The population in areas controlled by the Transitional Federal Government and its allies has also been subjected to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. These include arbitrary arrest and detention, restrictions on free speech and assembly, and indiscriminate attacks harming civilians. Somalis seeking safety in Kenya contend with police harassment, arbitrary arrests, and deportation back to Somalia. Somali refugees en route to the sprawling complex of refugee camps at Dadaab, Kenya, take hazardous back roads to avoid the Kenyan police and the official border pos that until recently remained closed. They are then at the mercy of well-organized networks of bandits who engage in robbery and rape. Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary lies near Tanai in Myitkyina district of Kanchin state of Northern Myanmar, boardering India. With an area of 21890 sq km, it is also considered as the worlds largest tiger reserve. Chindwin river, one of the largest river of Myanmar originates from this valley. * China Launches 'Strike Hard' Campaign in Tibetan Areas: The Chinese authorities in Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture have issued a public notice 'encouraging' the general public to secretly report to the police any 'illegal' activities aimed at harming 'social stability' and 'national unity'. The notice emphasizes 'striking hard' on 'illegal' activities. The Tibetan words for Strike Hard are Dungdek Dakpo or Dungdek Tsenon. The 'Strike Hard' campaign, also known as Yanda in Chinese, was first launched in China in 1983 to crack down on crimes such as gun and gang crime, telecom fraud, human trafficking, robbery, prostitution, gambling and drugs, etc. But in Tibet, the campaign is used for political purposes to forewarn Tibetans from taking part in any of protests and demonstrations during politicallysensitive months. KITE4education.com
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Human rights activists have said that many human rights violations in Tibet occur during the implementation of the Strike Hard campaigns. * China-Philippines Banana War: China is the largest importer of Philippines bananas, supporting the livelihood of about 200,000 farmers. Exporters have blamed the crisis for souring relations between the two countries and Philippines handling of the Scarborough shoal issue. At the same time, the Philippino authorities are sceptical of Chinese quarantine reports, (as the said insect is found in coconuts and not in bananas). Also, China does not conduct 100 per cent inspection on imports from other countries, so far Filipino containers were randomly inspected. Philippines quarantine officials claim that they did not find any pests on China-bound bananas. China rejected Philippines demand for jointinspection of Filipino containers at Chinese ports. China in the meanwhile has sought bananas from Ecuador to fill the void, causing worry within the Philippino exporters of losing the Chinese market. * CTBTO celebrates its 15th birthday: Although the CTBTO celebrates its 15th birthday this year and has come a long way in establishing its formidable verification system, the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty (CTBT) has yet to become global law. The CTBT bans nuclear explosions on the Earth's surface, atmosphere, in outer space, underwater and underground. As of 1 March 2012, 182 countries have signed the Treaty, of which 157 have also ratified it. Of the 44 nuclear capable States which must ratify the CTBT for it to enter into force, the so-called ANNEX 2 COUNTRIES, 36 have done so to date while eight have yet to ratify: China, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States. A global verification regime with over 300 sensors monitors the globe around the clock for nuclear explosions to detect any violations of the Treaty. The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) consists of the States Signatories and the Provisional Technical Secretariat. The main tasks of the CTBTO are to promote signatures and ratifications and to establish a global verification regime capable of detecting nuclear explosions underground, underwater and in the atmosphere. Try this question Ratifying the CTBT is in Indias Security Interests. Debate. The regime must be operational when the Treaty enters into force. It will consist of 337 monitoring facilities supported by an International Data Centre and on-site inspection measures. As of 1 March 2012, roughly 80 percent of the facilities of the International Monitoring System were fully operational. Ratification is the process that binds a State legally to the Treaty. 21
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* Defying U.S.-EU, Bern opposes curbs against Iran: Switzerland has reinforced its opposition to unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran outside the framework of the United Nations. The assertion comes in defiance of such unilateral sanctions imposed by Israel, the United States (U.S.) and the European Union (EU). Not being a member of the European Union (EU), Switzerland is not bound by the decisions of the 27-nation grouping, which has recently imposed fresh curbs, including a ban on Iranian gas imports. * FJP Leader Mohammed Mursi won the Egyptian Presidential Election 2012: Mohammed Mursi, leader of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), on 24 June 2012 was declared victorious in Egypt's historical presidential election. Mursi bagged 51.73 per cent of the total 13.23 million votes cast, while his closest rival Ahmed Shafiq, the former Egyptian PM and the independent candidate, polled 48.3 per cent votes. The FJP is an independent political party, which enjoys a strong political support from the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest and best-organized political group in Egypt. Impact of the Mohammad Mursis Victory on Global Politics - The victory of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammad Mursi has virtually delighted the entire Arab world. Being the first Islamic President of the country, Mursi is expected to cooperate in a better manner with other Islamic nations in the region. The victory of Mursi also holds a larger significance in the context of Arab- Israel conflict. The poll verdict, which appeared highly satisfactory for the Palestinians, caused the same amount of anxiety among the Israeli establishment. Islamist leaders rise to power certainly perturbed the Israel and its allies in the world, which had long been at loggerheads with Arab countries. Given the fact that Palestinian organization Hamas is popularly called the daughter of the Muslim Brotherhood and has always shared a warm tie with the mother organization, the two countries are likely to team up against Isreal on regional issues which will apparently intensify the hatred politics in the middle-east. * Habeeb Bama died -Boko Haram Cell Leader. BOKO HARAM IS AN ISLAMIC SECT that believes politics in northern Nigeria has been seized by a group of corrupt, false Muslims. It wants to wage a war against them, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria generally, to create a pure Islamic state ruled by sharia law. * Hindi to be taught in Australian Schools: Australia on 28 October 2012 revealed that the country was planning to include Hindi and Mandarin as languages to be taught in its schools. This was a step forward to be taken by the county to establish deeper and strengthened links with India and other nations with booming economies, of the world. KITE4education.com
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Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard announced the plans of the nation at the release ceremony of the sweeping policy blueprint with its title ASIAN CENTURY WHITE PAPER. The white paper was released with an aim of link maximization with Asia; this would help Australia to be among the top 10 most powerful economies of the world by 2025. * IONS gearing to tackle piracy: Sea-faring nations and littoral countries in the Indian Ocean region have decided to work to address immediate and emerging challenges in the form of Piracy, Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). The recent meeting of the 35-member Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Cape Town, South Africa, decided to farm out the task of preparing concept papers for three countries Australia on anti-piracy, Singapore on MDA and India on HADR. IONS will work towards evolving Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that would be finetuned with table top exercises. Australia was selected to prepare the paper on piracy as it is part of the international coalition that operates in the Gulf of Aden region. In the absence of a U.N.-led Force that New Delhi advocates, the Indian Navy operates under its own flag. Only since the beginning of this year, it is coordinating patrolling schedules with China and Japan. In the backdrop of the Kochi-incident that led to the killing of two Indian fishermen, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma underscored need to have an SOP in order to avoid recurrence of such tragic incidents and clear guidelines for merchant vessels that transit through the Exclusive Economic Zones. In fact, India also took the opportunity to flag an issue related to piracy and is not happy that the waters closer to Indian shores in the Arabian Sea continue to be identified as a high risk area for piracy. The IONS has not yet cleared the decks to grant observer status being sought by countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, even as Iran has raised objection to the clause in the Charter that is yet to be ratified. * Iran, P5+1 start fresh round of talks in Iraqi capital Baghdad (May 24, 2012): The previous round of the talks between Iran and the P5+1 was held in the Turkish city of Istanbul on April 14. 5 permanent members -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- plus Germany is known as P5+1. Iran and the P5+1 had previously held two rounds of talks, one in Geneva, Switzerland, in December 2010, and another in Istanbul, Turkey, in January 2011. Both the Iranian and the power states wanted to make progress in their two-day discussions in Baghdad, but substantial differences still remain. Iran declared its readiness to address the issue of 20 22
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percent enrichment and came with its own five-point plan, including their assertion that we recognize their right to enrichment. Both sides agreed the talks will be based on "stepby-step approach and reciprocity, stressing that both sides remain determined to resolve Iran's nuclear dispute in the near future through negotiations. Uranium enrichment is among the inalienable rights of all NPT member states and Iran insists on using this right. The UN has by now imposed several rounds of sanctions against Tehran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel or materials for bombs. The EU, the United States and some other countries have imposed oil embargo as part of their sanctions to pressure Tehran into resuming talks on the country's nuclear program. They have also imposed tough banking sanctions aiming at limiting Iran's ability to sell oil, which accounts for 80 percent of its foreign revenues. EXERCISE COLD RESPONSE Cold Response is a Norwegian led winter exercise. The main purpose of this years winter exercise is to rehearse high intensity operations in winter conditions within NATO with a UN mandate. * ISAF: International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) - called the Coalition Forces, is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan that was established by the United Nations Security Council in December 2001 by Resolution 1386, as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement. Its main purpose is to train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan rebuild key government institutions but is also engaged in the 2001-present war with insurgent groups. * Kuwait court voids election and reinstates parliament: Kuwait's former parliament has been reinstated after the country's latest election was declared "illegal". The constitutional court ruled that a move to dissolve the previous government, ordered by Emir Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, was unconstitutional. Elections were subsequently held in February, in which Islamist-led opposition made significant gains. The emir has dissolved parliament four times since 2006. The most recent dissolution came after the country's cabinet resigned ahead of the questioning of former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser alMohammed al-Sabah. Protesters stormed parliament after the government tried to prevent him facing questions over the alleged payment of bribes to pro-government MPs. The constitutional court's decision to reinstate the previous parliament is thought to be final and unchallengeable. KITE4education.com
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* Mali's Tuareg rebels declare independence: Tuareg rebels seize control of remote northern region of AZAWAD amid chaos surrounding overthrow of Mali's president. Rebels of the nomadic Tuareg people have declared the independence of the remote northern region of Azawad, citing 50 years of bad governance and UN articles on the rights of native people. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (NMLA), which has seized control of the region, accused Mali's government of attempting to wipe out the Tuaregs, including by starving them during various droughts. Malian Tuareg colonels who fought for Muammar Gaddafi in Libya and returned home heavily armed have led the rebellion, which has taken advantage of a coup in the distant capital of Bamako. The NMLA is fighting alongside a radical Islamist group called the Ansar Dine, or Defenders of the Faith, which earlier announced it was imposing sharia law in the ancient city of Timbuktu. The rebels launched their insurgency in January, saying they wanted to establish an independent Tuareg homeland. They only succeeded in taking small towns until 21 March, when disgruntled soldiers stormed the presidential palace in the distant capital of Bamako, overthrowing the democratically elected president. In the confusion that followed the coup, the rebels launched a new offensive and succeeded in taking the capitals of the three main Northern provinces Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu. * New Greek financial minister meets troika officials: Greeces new finance minister Yannis Stournaras headed into his first meeting with the countrys international debt inspectors. The European Central Bank, European Commission and International Monetary Fund is known as the TROIKA * Pak, Afghanistan clash over Durand Line: Pakistan jumped into a war of words between Afghanistan and the United States over the legitimacy of Durand Line as an international border saying it was a settled issue. The Durand Line came into existence in 1893 through a treaty between Afghan King Amir Abdur Rahman and British Foreign Secretary Mortimer Durand to formalize the boundary between the two countries. In 1947, Durand Line began to serve as the international border between the newly-created Pakistan and Afghanistan. While the Durand Line is internationally accepted as the border, Afghans have never accepted it. The issue was prised open by U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman during his visit to the region over the weekend. In an interview to a private television channel in Kabul, he said Washington recognized the Durand Line as the international border between the two countries. 23
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Afghanistans contention is that the Durand Line Agreement signed by the erstwhile governments of Afghanistan and India (under the British) to demarcate their respective territories was valid only for 100 years and the land that had been made part of the British holdings should return to the Afghans. Among the Pashtoons in Pakistan also, there is a section which advocates this position; primarily because of ethnic loyalties and the general demand for a PASHTOONISTAN. Pakistan rejects the 100-year time-frame of the agreement and maintains that binding bilateral agreements are passed on to successor states; making the Durand Line the official Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Pakistan-Afghan ties are currently not in the best shape because of differences over fighting terror and reconciliation. * Rio+20 declaration - The Future We Want: Encourages countries to introduce green economy policies to wipe out poverty without adding extra strains on food, water and energy supplies. It has said that developing countries needed additional resources for sustainable development and that unwarranted conditionalities on Official Development Assistance (ODA) and finance should be avoided. Emphasised the importance of TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER to developing countries. The green economy policies should also contribute to closing technology gaps between developed and developing countries and reduce the technological dependence of developing countries using all appropriate measures. It should also respect each countrys national sovereignty over their natural resources taking into account its national circumstances, objectives, responsibilities, priorities and policy space with regard to the three dimensions of sustainable development.
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council to protect their respective allies from interference. * South China Sea sparks diplomatic row: The Philippines and China traded diplomatic protests over a standoff in a jointly claimed area in the South China Sea, but Manila ruled out the use of force in its enforcement of local maritime laws. The two countries are contesting sovereignty over a small group of rocky formations, called the Scarborough Shoal. It is known as PANATAG SHOAL in Philippines and HUANGYAN ISLAND in China. A Philippines navy surveillance plane spotted eight Chinese fishing boats in the shoal and Manila's largest warship was sent to check on the presence. * Tremseh killings: UN observers are hoping to enter the village of TREMSEH to investigate reports of mass killings. A team has set off from the capital Damascus for Tremseh, 25km north-west of the city of Hama. UNMIS - the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria. * Turkish prime minister visits China: Trip by RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN is first to China by a Turkish leader for 27 years and is designed to boost business ties between the booming economies. Urumqi is home to China's Uighurs who are ethnically related to Turks. China-Turkey & Xinjiang The deeper roots of their dispute lie both in history and modern geopolitics. The countries which host significant numbers of the Uyghur diaspora, or which have close ethnic or cultural ties with the Uyghurs, are among those that have expressed concern about the bloody events in Xinjiang and Beijing's ruthless crackdown's. Turkey considers itself the guardian of ethnic Turks around the world, including the 7.2 million Uighurs who live in western China. China calls the area where Uighurs lives the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, but Turkish politicians and news commentators usually call it Eastern Turkistan. Chinese authorities are determined not to give further autonomy to the Uighur region, which is believed to have vast oil and mineral reserves. They have closed mosques, broken up protests and moved several million Han Chinese into the region. * UN Approves 300 Observers Dispatch to Syria: The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution expanding the number of UN observers in Syria from 30 to 300 and demanding an immediate halt to the violence that has been escalating since a ceasefire took effect. The resolution approved gives Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon authority to decide when to deploy the additional observers, based on developments on the 24
* DEBBY, the first named storm of 2012 to enter the Gulf of Mexico, was centered about 190 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. * Russia, China veto UN Security Council resolution on Syria: It was the third time that Russia, a key ally of the Syrian government, and China have used their veto power to block resolutions designed to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and halt the 16-month conflict that has killed thousands. Despite some limited cooperation with Western powers, Russia and China have been increasingly pro-active in recent years when it comes to preventing Western Security Council members from putting too much pressure on the governments of countries where they have an interest, such as Iran, North Korea and Sudan. Russia and China support each other on the KITE4education.com
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grounds including "the consolidation of the ceasefire". Ban accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of failing to honour the ceasefire, expressing dismay at the upsurge in violence. The resolution merges rival Russian and European texts and dropped a European threat of non-military sanctions if Syria fails to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from towns and cities. * UN maintains sanctions on Ivory Coast: The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to maintain sanctions on Ivory Coast for another year, including an arms embargo and a ban on the import of rough diamonds from the West African nation. A resolution adopted by the council also renews financial sanctions and travel bans on political figures for violating human rights and blocking peace, including former president LAURENT GBAGBO, who has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court. The Security Council examined a report from a panel of experts monitoring implementation of sanctions which reported violations of the arms embargo and diamond smuggling. It reported gun-running into Ivory Coast from Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Senegal from munitions companies and suppliers in countries as far-flung as France, Belarus and Romania up until former leader Gbagbo's ouster last year. * UNSC condemns attack in Congo that killed Indian soldier: The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the killing of an Indian soldier in the attack by rebel groups on UN peacekeepers in Congo and asked the government in Congo to bring the perpetrators to justice. The 15-nation Council expressed its sympathy to the family of the victim and UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) staff, as well as to the government of India. M - 23 REBELS: The M23 rebels--named after the date in March 2009 when the former rebels signed a peace deal with the Congolese government--are dominated by Congolese Tutsis. Their grievances stem from ethnic and political tensions dating back to the early 1990s, in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in neighbouring Rwanda. The rebels accuse the government of reneging on the deal, by subjecting them to poor work conditions as well as denying them promotions and positions both in the army and government. MONUSCO supports the Congo authorities in their stabilization and peace consolidation efforts, including assisting with the holding of elections, the monitoring of human rights violations and support for Government action against armed groups operating in the country's east. * US imposes sanctions on Iran oil industry: The Obama administration announced new sanctions on the Iranian oil industry and on a Chinese and an Iraqi KITE4education.com
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bank, saying defiance by the Iranian government would lead to increasing consequences. The new measures come as Congress is also getting close to approving a new sanctions law, and after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney claimed the White House was not doing enough to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The new sanctions will aim to penalise foreign banks that handle transactions for National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) or its trading subsidiary Naftiran Intertrade Company (NICO). Separately, the Treasury department said it was placing sanctions on Chinas Bank of Kunlun and Iraqs Elaf Islamic Bank, because they had been doing business with Iranian banks which were covered by sanctions. The Obama administration announced new sanctions on the Iranian oil industry and on a Chinese and an Iraqi bank recently, saying defiance by the Iranian government would lead to increasing consequences. The new measures come as Congress is also getting close to approving a new sanctions law, and after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney claimed the White House was not doing enough to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The new sanctions will aim to penalize foreign banks that handle transactions for National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) or its trading subsidiary Naftiran Intertrade Company (NICO). Separately, the Treasury department said it was placing sanctions on Chinas Bank of Kunlun and Iraqs Elaf Islamic Bank, because they had been doing business with Iranian banks which were covered by sanctions. The new sanctions are part of a broader US and international effort to put pressure on Iran to abandon its efforts to build a nuclear weapon. They follow a European ban on oil imports and US legislation passed at the end of last year placing sanctions on Irans central bank, which led Irans main customers in Asia to sharply reduce their imports in the first half of the year. CHINA FACTOR: The order given by Obama also targeted the China's Bank of Kunlun and Iraq's Elaf Islamic Bank for providing services to Iranian banks. On this order, China reacted quite angrily, saying that the effort is being used to put pressure on Iran over its nuclear program. China, a big importer of Iranian oil decided to lodge an official protest with U.S.A after the recent development. The new order provides waiver to countries that have cut the purchases of Iranian oil significantly. Oil and Petrochemical industry account almost eighty percent of Irans revenues. * US Navy says 2nd aircraft carrier in Gulf region part of 'routine' deployment: The U.S. Navy claims that the presence of two U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf region is part of a "routine" deployment, though the unusual movement comes amid rising 25
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tensions with Iran over its nuclear program. The deployment of the nuclear-powered USS ENTERPRISE along the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group marks only the fourth time in the past decade that the Navy has had two aircraft carriers operating at the same time in the region. The last time two carriers were in the region was June 2010. Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost of the 5th fleet said the two carriers now in the region will support the American military operations in Afghanistan and anti-piracy efforts off Somalia's coast and in the Gulf of Aden. The battleships will also patrol the Gulf's strategic oil routes that Iran has threatened to shut down in retaliation for economic sanctions. * US ship, ORIENTAL NICETY, enters Indian waters despite Supreme Court restriction: The controversial US ship reached Bhavnagar in Gujarat on June 30, two days after the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) gave it permission enter Indian waters. While activists say this is in violation of the Supreme court order, GMB officials say the permission is only for bringing in the ship for inspection. Environmentalists are protesting the entry of the ship into the ship-breaking yards of Alang in Bhavnagar district, saying its dismantling here would be a public health hazard since it is made up of toxic materials like asbestos, glasswool and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The Supreme Court had denied entry to the ship, formerly known as Exxon Valdez, in May on a plea by Toxicswatch Alliance, a network of environmental activists. The reason given was that the ship violated the Basel Convention, an international treaty which bans transboundary movement of hazardous material. The Convention and Indian laws require vessels that are to be dismantled be decontaminated and cleaned in the country of origin. *Aung San Suu Kyi to give Nobel talk in Oslo June 16: Aung San Suu Kyi will make a speech in Oslo next month to accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991, as part of her first trip outside Burma. Suu Kyi has long said that she would try to make her first trip abroad to Norway as a sign of gratitude for the support she received from the Scandinavian country during her years in captivity and to accept the Nobel Peace Prize she won 21 years ago for her peaceful struggle for democracy. Her British husband MICHAEL ARIS, who died in 1999 while she remained imprisoned and her two sons accepted the Nobel medal on her behalf in Oslo in 1991. *Australia introduces controversial carbon tax: Australia has introduced its highly controversial carbon tax, after years of bitter political wrangling. The law forces about 300 of the worst-polluting firms to pay a A$23 (15; $24) levy for every tonne KITE4education.com
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of greenhouse gases they produce. The government says the tax is needed to meet climate-change obligations of Australia - the highest emitter per-head in the developed world. Australia currently accounts for 1.5% of the world's emissions, but it is the developed world's highest emitter per head of population thanks to its relatively small population. *Burma considers citizenship for Rohingya Muslims: Burma has acknowledged the persecution of its stateless Rohingya Muslim minority and is considering giving citizenship to thousands of members of the group as a first step to finding a solution to the conflict with local Rakhine Buddhists. The scale of the violence and the suffering of those forced to flee prompted calls for the Burmese government to intervene and warnings from the international community that its recent democratic reforms would be tarnished if it did not stop the attacks *Crisis in Nepal; India must stay neutral: Nepals Maoists split After a protracted internal party struggle, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) finally split with senior vice-chairman Mohan Vaidya Kiran walking away with several other senior leaders to form another party, the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist). The new party has termed the two key decisions of the Prachanda-led Maoist party accepting the democratic republic line in 2005 (which enabled collaboration with democratic parties); and signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2006 as major mistakes. There had been serious divisions within the party ever since the Maoists decided to enter the peace process (and subsequently open politics); and fight for a democratic republic in 2005-06. Mr Kiran and Mr Gajurel were in Indian prisons when the decision was taken, and had reservations about it. They claimed that while democratic republic was a tactical goal, the ultimate aim must remain a peoples federal republic or peoples democracy. This was seen by opponents as a Maoist plank of establishing a one-party state. This tension marked the initial years of the peace process, when the radical faction insisted on the declaration of a monarchy and a fully proportional representation-based electoral system for the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls. Though Mr. Kiran supported Dr. Bhattarais nomination as the PM candidate in August 2011, differences deepened between the establishment and dissident factions soon after. The hardliners opposed the four-point agreement signed between the Maoists and the Madhesi parties leading to government formation. The Maoists then took several steps with regard to the peace process against the wishes of the Kiran faction. This included handing over keys of arms containers, and regrouping fighters into 26
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those who wished to opt for integration and those opting for retirement. On April 10 this year, following tensions among combatants, the government decided to hand over the cantonments to the Nepal Army. Mr Kiran termed the entire process as surrender and disarmament. Another key difference has been the position regarding the role of India. While Mr Prachanda and Dr. Bhattarai termed the Indian role in the peace process as constructive and engaged with New Delhi at different levels, Mr Kiran raised the issue of protecting national independence; accused the Maoist-led government of surrendering; demanded its resignation. The threat of political instability turning violent cannot be taken lightly. India must play its cards judiciously. The split among the Maoists was, actually, long-awaited. Its roots lie in the revolution versus peace and constitution pulls within the Maoists. The split will certainly weaken the Maoists, but even as there are valid criticisms against it, the Baburam Bhattarai-Prachanda faction seems committed to the idea of continuing to adhere to the remarkable transition to democratic politics that the Maoists made after successfully forcing out the monarchy. A situation where the old regime, or monarchists, tries to sneak back into power would be a recipe for intense turmoil. The consensus among the political parties must be maintained. *Deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak gets life term: Mubarak, who was toppled by an uprising, last year after 30 years ruling Egypt, was sentenced for his role in killing protesters after a trial that sets a precedent for holding Middle East autocrats to account. It was the first time an ousted Arab leader had faced an ordinary court in person since a wave of uprisings shook the Arab world last year, sweeping away four entrenched rulers. Mubarak was the only autocrat who was dethroned from his post during the Arab Spring. The former president along with former interior minister Habib al-Adly and six others were charged with the killing of nearly 850 people during the 18-day Egyptian uprising in early 2011. *Dubai International Conference Discusses Maritime Piracy: held in Dubai on 27th & 28th June 2012. Maritime piracy has become an issue of serious concern to countries of our region which are bordered by major international sea lanes. After the February 2012 London conference on Somalia had pledged to boost humanitarian aid to this poverty-ridden African country breeding sea pirates and another moot in Istanbul had sought a political solution to tackle the issue at source, the rulers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have now practically led the voices against maritime piracy by dishing out $1 million to an international fund dedicated to combat this menace that has cost around $12 billion annually to the international shipping. KITE4education.com
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*First village of India to have lands records on satellite: Haryanas Kurbanpur village of district Ambala became the 1st village of the country to put the land records of all its farmers on satellite. The technique is developed by the combined efforts of Haryana Space Application Centre, Hisar and NIC Haryana. Benefit: Now the farmers need not go to Patwari to get copy of their land records, they can download a copy of their land records from the year 1957 to till date. The programme is a part of pilot project running in 6 villages of 6 districts of Haryana and it is expected to be implemented in the entire state. It is being run with the cooperation of Union Ministry of Rural Development. *Global peace index 2012: The world has become more peaceful for the first time since 2009 according to the Global Peace Index 2012, whilst Syria has dropped over 30 places on the rankings. The Global Peace Index produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) ranks 158 nations using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators which gauge ongoing domestic and international conflict, safety and security in society and militarization. Sri Lanka's Global Peace Index (GPI) score has experienced the largest year-on-year improvement of the 158 nations surveyed and it has climbed 27 places to 103rd position overall and 17th in the Asia Pacific region ahead of Indias 142nd position and Pakistans 149th position. Somalia is the least peaceful country at 158th position and with a score of 3.392. Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo make up the bottom five. Iceland is once again ranked the most peaceful peaceful country in the world, followed by Denmark and New Zealand. *Gordon Brown gave UN education role: Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to become a global education envoy for UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon. Since leaving office in 2010, the former UK prime minister has produced a series of reports on education in developing countries. Earlier this year he launched a campaign for an international fund to bring education to all children. *Haiti, the worst hit by Sandy in the Caribbean: Hurricane Sandy destroyed 70 per cent of the crops in southern Haiti and caused heavy deaths of livestock, while in neighbouring Jamaica it left at least $16.5 million worth of damage in its wake, said officials in the Caribbean nations. *India signed Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with Monaco: India signed Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with 27
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Monaco on 31 July 2012 in New Delhi. It will allow the two countries to check tax evasion and money laundering. This was the 9th TIEA signed by India. Key features of this agreement are as following; It is based on international standard of transparency and exchange of information. Information must be foreseeable relevant to the administration and enforcement of the domestic laws of the Contracting Parties concerning taxes and tax matters covered by the agreement. The requesting State has to provide some minimum details about the information requested in order to justify the foreseeable relevance criteria. Information is to be treated as secret and can be disclosed to only specified person or authorities which are tax authorities or the authorities concerned with the determination of tax appeal. Concept of TIEA The TIEA was developed by a Global Forum Working Group on Effective Exchange of Information, under OECD, for promoting international co-operation in tax matters through exchange of information for combating harmful tax practices. Its objective is to promote international cooperation in tax matters through exchange of information. The nature of information shared under a TIEA varies with each agreement. It also provides for disclosure of information to any other person or entity or authority or any other jurisdiction (including foreign Governments) with the written consent of the competent authority of the requested Party. There is a specific provision that the requested Party shall provide upon request the information even though that Party may not need such information for its own tax purposes. There is a specific provision for providing banking and ownership information. There is a specific provision for Tax Examination Abroad where authorities of one State can present in the tax examination of taxpayer in the other State. Upon entry into force, the Agreement allows exchange of information forthwith. The Centre had identified 22 countries/ jurisdictions with which TIEAs could be signed. Of this, India has completed negotiations with 16 countries/ jurisdictions. Indias TIEAs in the recent past India signed a first-of-its-kind agreement with Bermuda for exchange of information, including that on banking and ownership, with a specific provision of sharing of past information in criminal tax matters. Other agreements signed are with the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Isle of Man and Cayman Islands, Liberia, Jersey, Bahrain (8th one, recently signed in June 2012.). The formation of the India-Bahrain Business Council, with the objective of developing economic, trade and technical relations between India and Bahrain, was also announced. KITE4education.com
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An MoU between Bahrain and India to undertake a sustained effort to boost joint ventures and initiatives in ICT, including measures on ecommerce, e-government and information security was also signed. *International Atomic Energy Agency set up Special Task Force for Iran: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the international agency for the monitoring of nuclear energy, on 29 August 2012 set up a special Task Force to handle inspections and other issues related to the Iran's disputed nuclear programme. The Vienna based agency is aiming at handling the sensitive Iran issue by deploying the experts and other resources under one unit. IAEA, which regularly inspects Iran's nuclear sites, has voiced growing concern over the lran's nuclear program. Tehran, however, has argued that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and there is no any military dimension to it. Iran has been at the target of western nations for carrying out its nuclear plan. The western nations including US and European Union have been persuading Iran to stop its nuclear development programme to yield to vital result. Iran has been facing tough economic sanctions imposed by US and European Union. The Islamic state has dubbed the allegations made by US and its allies as ridiculous and maintained that the country has no military ambition behind its nuclear programme. The GREEN CLIMATE FUND, a new global fund on climate change created as part of a deal struck in December 2011 at the 194-nation climate talks in Durban, has selected officials from Australia and South Africa as its leaders at its first meeting. The fund, aims to channel $US100 billion ($A95 billion) a year in aid to poor countries, will be led by Ewen McDonald, deputy head of Australia's international development agency, and Zaheer Fakir, head of international relations for South Africa's environment agency. GUATEMALA, in the second week of September 2012 evacuated tens of thousands of people after the FUEGO VOLCANO started spewing ash and lava. HACGAM The 8th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) will be held in October 2012 in New Delhi. This is the first time the HACGAM meeting is being held in south asian region. HACGAM is an apex level forum facilitating congregation of all the major Coast Guard Agencies of Asian region. This initiative was developed initially in 2004 to discuss cooperation among the member organizations to combat piracy in the region. However, the scope of discussions has been expanded to include law enforcement, maritime security, disaster prevention and relief and capacity building. Presently, there are more than 20 member 28
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organizations from 17 countries that are part of the initiative. *Kerala High Court refused to Stay the Governments Ban on Gutka: The Kerala High Court on 2 August 2012 refused to stay the state government's ban on manufacture, storage and sale of gutka, pan masala and their variants containing tobacco and nicotine. The state government had banned the manufacture, storage and sale of gutka, pan masala and their variants on 22 May 2012. However, the court directed the government to grant more time to remove stocks of the banned products from the state. The order was issued on a batch of petitions by the manufacturers of panmasala and gutka products challenging the government order. *Kofi Annan quit as the UN special envoy to Syria: Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 2 August 2012 stepped down as the UN special envoy to Syria. Annan formally informed UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Nabil El Araby about his decision. His appointment for the high-profile as the UN peace interlocutor was set to expire on 31 August 2012. Annan was appointed the UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria in February 2012. A formidable diplomat Annan was assigned with the task to explore for the peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and secure a peaceful transition of the regime. Kofi Annan right after taking over the charge as the special envoy to Syria came up with a six-point peace plan to stop violent struggle in the Syria. The peace plan which was submitted to UN Security Council comprised of following points: Working with international envoy to secure peaceful political transition in the country by taking into account of the legitimate aspirations and concerns of Syrian people End to violence by all sides; army troops to stop using heavy weapons and withdraw to barracks Permission for humanitarian assistance particularly for the areas worst hit by violence Accelerate the pace of release of detainees who were detained arbitrarily by the present government Ensuring freedom of movement for journalists Permission to the citizens for peaceful demonstrations Kofi Annan, who was named the special envoy to Syria given his extra ordinary credential as a diplomat, starkly failed to restore peace in the wartorn nation. His failure in making Bashar-al-Assad led Syrian regime fall in line caused major disappointment for the peace initiatives in the country. Besides, he also failed miserably in attempt to get all the super powers on one platform as Russia and China two veto-wielding nations in UN Security Council vehemently opposed the western plan of peace in Syria. An estimated 20000 people have already lost their lives in one of the most violent chapter of Arab KITE4education.com
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Spring, which took the entire Arab world by strom in 2011. The unrelenting bloodshed is now on the verge of morphing into a civil war, which could prove to be more troublesome for the global community. *Myanmar Conflict: Rohingya Muslims Persecuted In Myanmar & Bangladesh: The Myanmar government regards Rohingyas mostly as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, even though many of their families have lived in Myanmar for generations. Bangladesh rejects them just as stridently. The clashes between Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists have taken a roughly equal toll on both communities, though each blames the other for the violence. The grudges go back far. Bitterness against the Rohingya in Myanmar has roots in a complex web of issues: the fear that Muslims are encroaching illegally on scarce land in a predominantly
Buddhist country; the fact that the Rohingya look different than other Burmese; an effort by the former junta to portray them as foreigners. Across the border in Bangladesh, civilians not the government are more tolerant. But even there, Rohingyas are largely unwanted because their presence in the overpopulated country only adds to competition for scarce resources and jobs. Myanmar's government has the largest Rohingya population in the world: 800,000, according to the United Nations. Another 250,000 are in Bangladesh, and hundreds of thousands more are scattered around the world, primarily the Middle East. Human Rights Watch and other independent advocacy groups say Rohingyas face discrimination routinely. In Myanmar, they are subjected to forced labor by the army, a humiliation not usually applied to ethnic Rakhine in the same area, Lewa said. Rohingyas must get government permission to travel outside their own villages and to marry. Apparently concerned about population growth, authorities have barred Rohingyas from having more than two children. In 1978, Myanmar's army drove more than 200,000 Rohingyas into Bangladesh, according to rights groups and the U.S. Campaign for Burma. Some 10,000 died in squalid conditions, and the rest returned to Myanmar. The campaign was repeated in 1991-1992, and again a majority returned. In 2009, five boatloads of haggard Rohingya migrants fleeing Myanmar were intercepted by Thai authorities. Rights groups allege they were detained and beaten, then forced back to sea, emaciated and bloodied, in vessels with no engines and little food or water. Hundreds are believed to have drowned. The same year, Myanmar's consul general in Hong 29
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Kong now a U.N. ambassador described the Rohingya as "ugly as ogres" in an open letter to diplomats in which he compared their "dark brown" skin to that of the "fair and soft" ethnic Burmese majority. The latest unrest has focused fresh attention on the Rohingyas' plight, but it has also galvanized a virulent new strain of resentment. Many Burmese have taken to the Internet to denounce the Rohingya as foreign invaders, with some comparing them to al-Qaida and the Taliban. Try this question Assess the implications The Scottish Referendum and the split of UK from Indias perspective?. *Myanmar: New deal to end fighting with Shan rebels: A Myanmar negotiator says ethnic Shan rebels have agreed in a second round of talks that there will be no more fighting between the guerrillas and government troops. It is the latest reported agreement between Myanmar's new reform-minded government and various ethnic rebels. Negotiator AUNG MIN, who is also the country's railway minister, said he discussed enforcing a December cease-fire and eradicating drugs in eastern Myanmar in talks with Yawd Serk, leader of the Shan State Army (South). Myanmar President Thein Sein's government has reached cease-fires with several ethnic rebel groups, but fierce fighting continues with the Kachin minority in northern Myanmar, with whom peace talks have so far failed. Myanmar's ethnic minorities, who are clustered mostly in border areas, have long sought greater autonomy. *Myanmar's Death Railway to be restored: Myanmar has announced plans to restore a 105kilometer section of the notorious "Death Railway" to Thailand built by Japanese-held prisoners of war during World War II. During the war, a large number of Allied prisoners of war and Asian's lost their lives during the construction of the link between Yangon and Bangkok. The railway will provide a much needed economic boost for Myanmar's Three Pagodas Pass area and help attract tourists. The rail link, which connected Myanmar with Thailand and Bangkok, was destroyed by Allied bombers in 1945. The construction of a bridge along the link over the River Kwai was made famous by the novel and film "A Bridge on the River Kwai." *Nepalese Supreme Court Judge Rana Bahadur BAM shot dead in Kathmandu: A Nepalese Supreme Court judge Rana Bahadur Bam was shot dead in the capital, Kathmandu on 31 May 2012. The judge was facing probe for his alleged involvement in corruption. Bam died in hospital, while his bodyguard KITE4education.com
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sustained serious injuries. Bam was accused of accepting bribes from criminals in exchange of awarding them lighter sentences. The Nepals assembly had also been hearing the case for the judge's impeachment. The shocking incident occured just a few days after Nepal's Constituent Assembly was disbanded after it failed to deliver a new constitution. The country is currently being governed by a caretaker government as the president Rambaran Yadav had removed the Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai from his position, as the constituent assembly had repeatedly failed to deliver the constitution of the country. KADUNA Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. Kaduna Blast Near Churches Killed 38. *Pakistan's DANISH KANERIA: is fighting a life ban after the England and Wales Cricket Board found him guilty of a spot-fixing plot. International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent international organisation, which has been set up to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes. The Court is governed by the Rome Statute. The Rome statute was adopted on 17 July 1998 by120 States for establishing the permanent International Criminal Court. The Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002 after ratification by 60 countries. Separate from the United Nations system it is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court established to prosecute the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. The court has its permanant seating at The Hague in the Netherlands. The Courts expenses are funded primarily by its 120 member States. It also receives voluntary contributions from governments, international organisations, individuals, corporations and other entities. TRY THIS QUESTION What is the difference between ICC & ICJ? *Phnom Penh Agenda focuses on ASEAN community building: The Phnom Penh Agenda was adopted at the 20th ASEAN Summit, focusing on speeding up the realization of the ASEAN Community by 2015. With the theme "ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny", the two-day summit gathered heads of state or government from 10 ASEAN member states with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as the chairman. The agenda adopted on the first day of the summit emphasized that building the ASEAN Community and narrowing the development gaps shall remain high on the agenda of ASEAN to ensure the benefits of ASEAN integration are fully realized by its people. The agenda encouraged ASEAN to double efforts to 30
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realize the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 by transforming the bloc into a single market and production base, a highly competitive region with equitable economic development and fully integrated into global economy. *PRI Leader Enrique Pea Nieto elected the New President of Mexico: The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) leader Enrique Pea Nieto was elected the new President of Mexico on 2 July 2012. In the Presidential Election held on 1 July 2012, Enrique Pea Nieto beat Party of the Democratic Revolution candidate Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador. *Raja Pervaiz Ashraf elected new PM of Pakistan -The national assembly rubber stamped Ashraf's appointment by 211 votes in the 342-member lower house of parliament, dominated by the main ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its fractious coalition members. *Rival Sudans agree to AU roadmap: Sudan has endorsed the African Union's (AU) roadmap to avert an all-out war with South Sudan, though it insisted on retaining the right to self-defence. Earlier, South Sudan said it had accepted the AU's seven-point roadmap that called for a cessation of hostilities. Based on the seven-point roadmap, the two countries have to restart stalled negotiations and three months to reach an agreement. The roadmap provides, among other things, for immediate cessation of hostilities including aerial bombardments, unconditional withdrawal of forces from occupied areas, and further makes explicit reference for agreed frameworks to be respected and implemented by both sides. The roadmap has since received the backing of the United Nations (UN). In a unanimously adopted resolution (UNSC Resolution 2046 (2012)), the world body has threatened to make use of sanctions in the event of the failure of the two sides to commit to peace. Generally, the two documents make important concessions in the choice of language and provisions. The AU's roadmap explicitly condemns the aerial bombardments and also enjoins the two sides to desist from dealings with armed groups on both sides. These two issues are important provisions in the sense that they reflect the concerns of both Juba and Khartoum respectively. For a long time, elements in Juba have harboured the feeling that the bombings in their territories were going unnoticed and without condemnation. Khartoum has also persistently expressed concerns and alleged that Juba is arming rebels in its territory. The roadmap therefore presents a significant framework since it does address major security concerns raised by the two sides and therefore has the tendency of appealing to both sides to resume negotiations. *Russia to provide 10200 to 12750 crore towards KITE4education.com
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setup of Nuclear Plant in Bangladesh: Russia has agreed to provide as credit 85 percent of the estimated Tk 12,000-15,000 crore needed for setting up the first-ever nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. It will initially provide $500 million for conducting necessary studies and preparing the design for the 1,000 MW nuke plant. The preliminary agreement on the Rooppur NPP, signed by Rosatom, and the Bangladeshi government in February, provides for design, construction and commissioning of two power blocks with light water (VVER) reactors with an average capacity of 2.000 megawatts, as well as relevant infrastructure. The agreement stipulates that Russia will provide the fuel on a long term basis and take back the spent fuel. Russia and Bangladesh also plan to jointly develop a legal base in the area of nuclear energy and personnel training. Bangladesh is currently building the legislative, regulatory and technological infrastructure necessary for developing its own nuclear energy. *S. Korea urges Japan to drop proposal to refer dispute to int'l court: South Korea renewed its call on Japan to withdraw its proposal to refer their longstanding territorial dispute over a set of islets to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), calling the move "regrettable". *Shanghai Organization's summit: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 2012 concluded in Beijing on 7 June 2012, with member states agreeing to further cooperation in a variety of fields. Chinese President Hu Jin Tao, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and Afghan President Hamid Karzai wer among the top leaders who attended the summit. Leaders and officials from the four SCO observer countries of Mongolia, Iran, Pakistan and India were also present at the summit. Leaders across the participating nations held a broader discussion over the issues like Afghanistan crisis and the Iranian nuclear programme. The member states of the SCO adopted 10 agreements on the concluding day of the summit. The agreement includes the Declaration on Building a Region with Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity, the Strategic Plan for the Medium-Term Development of the SCO, and the SCO Regulations on Political and Diplomatic Measures and Mechanism of Response to Events Jeopardizing Regional Peace, Security and Stability. The SCO also decided to grant Afghanistan observer status and accept Turkey as a dialogue partner. Chinese President Hu Jintao offered a 10 billion U.S. dollars loan to the SCO which will be used be used to promote the development of SCO members. The SCO, an intergovernmental mutual security 31
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organization, was founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The group has six full time members at present namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Central Asian nation Kyrgyzstan will host the 2013 summit of SCO. *Somalia's first parliament since 1991 inaugurated in Mogadishu: The new parliament, to be made up of a lower house with 275 members and an upper house with a maximum of 54 members, is holding its first session. 250 MPs were sworn in by the chief justice in the presence of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and UN special representative Augustine Mahiga. However, the parliament is short of the final target of 275 members. It is hoped that this would mark a new chapter after the civil war and bloodshed that followed the collapse of central government in 1991. *Syrian Defence Minsiter, Dawoud Rajiha Killed in Suicide Bomb attack in Damascus, Syria *U.N. adopts norms against land grabbing': The U.N. has adopted global guidelines to defend the land rights of poor farmers and recognize informal indigenous claims in a move hailed by aid groups as a step against exploitative land grabbing. The new voluntary rules are the result of three years of negotiations following an outcry from campaigners who accuse rich investors and developing world governments of setting up plantations that abuse human rights. Chief among the guidelines is a call on governments to safeguard legitimate tenure rights against threats and infringements and provide effective and accessible means to resolve tenure disputes. Non-state actors including business enterprises have a responsibility to respect human rights and legitimate tenure rights, it said. It also called on governments to provide appropriate recognition and protection of the legitimate tenure rights of indigenous peoples. On the issue of expropriation, which has caused upheaval in China, the text said governments should ensure a fair valuation and prompt compensation for farmers and expropriate only when the land is needed for a public purpose. Rights groups warn that land grabbing is driving up domestic food prices, forcing the eviction of local farmers and fuelling corruption. There has been a sharp rise in such deals since the food crisis of 2008. Experts estimate 494 million acres an area eight times the size of Britain have been bought or leased between 2000 and 2010, particularly in Africa and Asia, often to the detriment of local populations. *UN calls for investigation into Houla killings in Syria: The UN Human Rights Council has called for an investigation into the killing of more than 100 civilians at Houla, and condemned Syria for the KITE4education.com
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massacre. The forum passed the resolution with a big majority and wants investigators to identify the perpetrators. UN high commissioner for human rights, NAVI PILLAY, said the killings in Houla may amount to crimes against humanity. HOULA MASSACRE
Residents of Taldou village in the Houla region say that after an anti-government protest on 25 May, the army began an 18-hour bombardment Some accounts say rebel fighters attacked the military position from where shellfire was coming. Unconfirmed reports say pro-government SHABIHA MILITIA entered Taldou, killing people at home, shooting them in the head or cutting their throats. Those who ordered attacks were "individually criminally liable", she added, and urged the UN Security council to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move opposed by Russia and China. Russia has blocked Security Council action against Syria's government, and the Russian foreign ministry appears to support Damascus over Houla. The 15 nations of the U.N. Security Council unanimously condemned the massacre, with Syrian allies Russia and China agreeing to a resolution on the Syrian conflict for the first time. The other 13 nations jointly expelled Syrian ambassadors and diplomats, a move Syria's state-run media denounced as "unprecedented hysteria." As Syria is not a state party to the ICC the court has no jurisdiction to indict its citizens without a Security Council referral. *US Drone Strike killed Al-Qaida's Second-inCommand Abu Yahya al-Libi: A US drone strike in northwest Pakistan killed al-Qaida's second-incommand Abu Yahya al-Libi on 5 June 2012. The killing of al-Libi is the most significant victory for the US forces since the death of Osama bin Laden. The Libyan-born AL-LIBI was considered charismatic leader with religious credentials who was helping preside over the transformation of a secretive group based in Pakistan and Afghanistan into a global movement.
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*UN envoy calls for support for African Union troops in Somalia: The Security Council has been
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targeting counterfeit goods, generic medicines and copyright infringement on the Internet, and would create a new governing body outside existing forums, such as the World Trade Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, or the United Nations. The agreement was signed in October 2011 by Australia, Canada, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States. In January 2012, the European Union and 22 countries which are member states of the European Union signed as well. No signatory has ratified (formally approved) the agreement, which would come into force after ratification by 6 countries. After entry into force, the treaty would only apply in those countries that ratified it. India has strongly opposed an anticounterfeiting trade agreement by a small group of countries including the US, Switzerland, Canada and Japan recently, which it feels will be used to stop the country's generic drug exports. *US Senate unanimously passed Bill to label Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation: The US Senate on 27 July 2012 unanimously passed a resolution to label the Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist group. The resolution came following the US House of Representatives passed Haqqani Network Terrorist Designation Act of 2012 early July 2012. The bill was already passed in 2011 but had to be passed by the Senate again given the changes made in it by the House. As the final step to become legislation, the bill now moves to the White House for the approval of President Barack Obama. What is Haqqani Network? The Haqqani Network is a group of Islamic fanatics which have been fighting against US-led NATO forces and the government of Afghanistan. The insurgent group, which came into existence during the cold war era, was used by the US as a tool against Soviet Russia. Haqqani Network is widely believed to have the support of Pakistani administration as well as ISI. The Haqqani Network is led by Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin Haqqani. The group, which believed to have its base in Pakistan, operates across the Afghanistan- Pakistan border. The Haqqani Network consistently remains one of the most formidable threats to the US led NATO forces and the Afghan Government given its striking capabilities. The network has drawn extreme reactions from the leaders in US, which clearly see it as the most resilient enemy network. Haqqani Networks alleged link with Taliban militants has added to the anxiety of US administration which wants the group to be banned immediately. To fund its terror operations the group relies on the extortion, kidnapping, smuggling and ties to legitimate businesses. *Israeli settlement plans evoke international fury: There has been a flurry of international disquiet about Israel's decision to press ahead with a major programme of building Jewish settlements in 33
encouraged to support an African Union request to boost its maritime presence in Somalia. According to an A.U. statement, lifting the embargo is necessary to strengthen the Somali security forces in their battle against al-Shabab, an insurgent army linked to al-Qaeda, while maritime support will enable better surveillance of the coastline. The Amisom peacekeeping force was created in January 2007 with an initial six-month mandate that has been successively renewed. In February, the Security Council passed a resolution expanding Amisoms role, and increased the size of the force from 12,000 to 17,731 troops. The next review is scheduled for January 2013. Somalia has been plagued by civil war since the collapse of the dictatorship of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. In September this year, a U.N. monitored transitional government gave way to a permanent Central government headed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected by a nominated Parliament. *Yannis Stournaras took oath as the New Finance Minister of Greece: Yannis Stournaras took oath as the new finance minister of Greece on 5 July 2012. He succeeded Vassilis Rapanos. Yannis took his oath in his office with the two deputy ministers. He was the former Governor of European Investment Banking. *The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), is a multinational treaty for the purpose of establishing international standards for intellectual property rights enforcement. The agreement aims to establish an international legal framework for KITE4education.com
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occupied Palestinian territories. The announcement came shortly after the United Nations voted to upgrade Palestine's status, taking it one step closer to becoming a recognized state. *Internet freedom not to be curbed: UN telecoms head - Hamadoun Toure: While talking to the media on the sidelines of 11-day World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) set off in Dubai to review regulations reached in 1988, Toure said that the reports and rumors of the conference looking to limit Web freedom is 'completely untrue'. However, he predicted some 'light-touch' regulations. The 11-day conference is being held to review codes and highlights the shift from strictly managed telecom networks to the free Internet. However, reports suggest a 123-member U.S. delegation with envoys from tech giants such as Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp is concerned over the possibilities the new UN regulations on Internet security could be used by countries such as China and Russia to vindicate their efforts to control and monitor the Internet. *US extends waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India and 7 others: The United States will grant 180day waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India and seven other countries recently in exchange for those economies cutting purchases of oil from the Islamic Republic. The sanctions aim to choke funding to Iran's nuclear program, which the West suspects is enriching uranium to levels that could be used in weapons. Tehran says the program is for civilian purposes. It will also grant the waivers, known as "exceptions" to South Korea, South Africa, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. Iran's oil exports have fallen 50 percent this year in the face of US and EU sanctions. * Pakistan attacks kill 23 ahead of D8 summit: The attacks were a reminder of the security challenges in a country that has been plagued by Taliban and AlQaeda-linked violence since the 9/11 attacks and comes during the holy month of Muharram, a magnet for sectarian attacks. D8 or Developing 8 is the group of 8 developing nations with large Muslim populations that have formed an economic development alliance. Members: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. Islamabad rarely hosts major international gatherings because of troubles with violence and its reputation as a hub for Islamist extremism in the northwest. *News Corp confirms possible split into two companies: News Corp would undergo a restructure of the top management of the company. The company has decided that the top management would split into the two publically traded firms. The bifurcation would separate newspapers like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and The KITE4education.com
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Times of London from the fast-growing entertainment unit. Thus there would be one publishing company whose CEO would be Dow Jones editor-in-chief as well as the managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, Robert Thomson. The other, named as Fox Group, will be the entertainment and media company. An INDIAN, BEDI AJAY SINGH, who had recently also been at the designation of President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer for MGM Studios would be given the role of Chief Financial Officer at the new publishing company. *AU urges UNSC to deploy international force in Mali: The chairperson of the African Union (A.U.), Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma emphasised the need for rapid deployment of an international force in Mali, in a meeting with representatives of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Members of the UNSC are expected to meet later to debate the deployment of an African-led International Mission in Mali (Afisma) in the troubled northern part of the country where hardline Islamist groups like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) have struck alliances with smugglers and drug traffickers and seized control of an area. Mali has been roiled by political instability since March, when a military junta seized power. The military eventually returned to the barracks under international pressure. Since then, the country has been governed by a transitional all-party government. In October, the Security Council asked the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to draw up a detailed concept of operations for deployment in Mali. Thus far, ECOWAS has committed 3,200 troops to the mission and called upon other African nations to contribute troops and logistics. A stabilization plan drawn up by the African Union envisages a sharp military intervention and free and fair elections as early as the first quarter of 2013. *India makes pitch for SCO full membership: The Indian government told the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that it was ready to join the grouping as a full member. New Delhi has been an observer in the regional grouping that comprises of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The prime ministers of the SCO met in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek on December 4-5. SCO has emerged as an important regional forum focusing on issues of regional importance that are relevant and contemporary. The SCO has played a constructive and valuable role in promoting peace and prosperity in our region. It has made significant contributions both to regional economic development and to regional stability. 34
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The SCO was formed as an inter-governmental, mutual security organization in 2001. Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Mongolia are also observers in the grouping. India was invited to be an observer by Russia, while China invited Pakistan, which has lobbied for full membership since 2003. Russia will hold the chair of the grouping and analysts believe that this bodes well for Indias ambitions. India also spelt out its vision as a potential full member of the organization by outlining its vision for stability in Central Asia and Afghanistan. India also said it wants to help in the rebuilding of war-torn Afghanistan and that the SCO can be a good platform to help develop Afghanistan. Other areas identified for cooperation by India, within the SCO include the Regional Anti Terrorism Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent. YANN MARTEL is the author of the famous novel LIFE OF PI, a fantasy adventure novel by published in 2001. The principal character, Piscine Molitor Pi Patel is an Indian boy from Pondicherry. *UN calls on Israel to open nuclear facilities: The U.N. General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling on Israel to quickly open its nuclear program for inspection and backing a high-level conference to ban nuclear weapons from the Middle East which was just canceled. * 21st ASEAN summit ended in Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh: The 21st ASEAN summit concluded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The summit was presided over by the PM of Cambodia, Hun Sen, as the Chairperson of the summit. The summit was centered on things like progress of the implementation of ASEAN Charter and Roadmap for an ASEAN community. ASEAN Head of States appointed Le Luong Minh as the ASEANs upcoming Secretary General for the next 5 years. The nomination followed alphabetical rotation policy. *China launches Sri Lanka's first Satellite: China successfully launched Sri Lanka's first ever communication satellite which would provide a host of services to the country including Internet. The SUPREME SAT I was launched at 1543 hours local time from Xichang space centre in China's Sichuan province. In 2012, the Great Wall Industry Corporation (GWIC) launched Pakistans first communications satellite PAKSAT-1R satellite. * Vietnam issues stapled visas to Chinese passport holders: Taking a leaf out of Beijing's past practice of issuing stapled visas for residents of Jammu and Kashmir, Vietnam is issuing visas for Chinese passport holders on separate paper, to counter China's map on its new e-passports showing disputed areas as part of its territory. KITE4education.com
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Vietnam's passport control offices are refusing to stamp visa pages in the new passports containing a map showing islands in the South China Sea as part of Chinese territory. To counter this, Vietnamese passport control offices are issuing separate visa sheets to new Chinese passport holders instead of stamping inside the pages. Recently China issued passports with map showing Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of China for which the two countries are holding periodic talks to resolve the border dispute. In reply to this, Indian Embassy started stamping the Chinese passports with official map of India. *Doha talks not coming to terms with science: The Doha round of climate talks were plagued by serious differences between rich and poor nations. After several rounds of drafting and proposing amendments, rich and poor nations could not agree over the state of the long-term cooperative action LCA as it is called a track that was scheduled to close in Doha. The US and EU were apparently insisting on closing the track, but developing countries including India and China have argued that core issues under the negotiating track including finance and technology transfer have not been adequately addressed. India and other developing countries have insisted that for any successful closure of the LCA track, all the unaddressed issues under it need to find ways to be adopted into other mechanisms of the UN framework. TYPHOON BOPHA WAS A TROPICAL CYCLONE which formed unusually close to the equator. Bopha is the strongest tropical cyclone to ever hit the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. JOAQUIM BARBOSA became the only black ever to become Supreme Court Justice of Brazil. The incumbent President of SIERRA LEONE, ERNEST BAI KOROMA, has been re-elected for a second term. Sierra Leone is country in West Africa which has huge iron reserves. BBC appointed Tony Hall to be its new director-general, replacing George Entwistle who resigned due to a scandal over the corporations reporting of sexual abuse. *US Climate Change Procedure Based on UNs Geoengineering Governance and Technology Policy: Use of geoengineering is supported by member of the scientific community that is working in line with the climate change alarmists. These modifications extend to plate tectonics, ocean fertilization, cloud seeding, CO2 sequestration and military weaponry. Solar radiation management (SRM), a technique for blocking the suns light in order to prevent access heat from affecting the Earths surface, has been used in many countries including: The United States Brazil 35
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Costa Rica England Most European countries SRM consists of spraying crystals and toxic chemicals such as sulfate aerosols and barium into the upper atmosphere. Geoengineering aims to tackle climate change by removing CO2 from the air or limiting the sunlight reaching the planet. Almost any activity may affect biodiversity: everything hangs on the degree, and the burden of proof. It might be also be argued that almost all geoengineering options from putting parasols into space, to making clouds or seeding the air with sulphur to shade the Earth would benefit biodiversity by stabilizing the climate. Many in the developing world see the whole idea of geoengineering as a ruse by industrialized nations to excuse them from making serious cuts in emissions of the gases causing climate change. On the other hand, advocates of geoengineering argue that they have a duty to prepare for the possibility of rapid warming that requires a quick fix. *Hamas claims victory following ceasefire: After 8 days of a bloody conflict, cease fire returned to Gaza. This was brought about by negotiated Egypt along with USA. This was the worst cross-border fighting in four years b/w Hamas and the Israel. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group formally claimed victory. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh thanked Egypt, in particular its game-changing President, Mohamed Morsy, for brokering the ceasefire that ascertained that Gaza came out triumphant. * J - 15: successful Landing & Takeoff drill on Chinese: China successfully conducted first landing of a fighter jet on its first aircraft carrier the Liaoning. China purchased the aircraft carrier from Ukraine. The successful flight landing also marked the debut of J-15 as Chinas first generation multi-purpose carrier-borne fighter jet. J-15 can carry multi-type anti-ship, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs. The current advancement comes as China and Japan are embroiled in a dispute over islands they both claim. The dispute over the East China Sea islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, has impacted bilateral relations. China is also confronted in a similar maritime territorial dispute with Vietnam and the Philippines in the resource-rich South China Sea. *UN has declared November 10 as Malala Day in honor of Ms Malala Yousafzai: With the world commemorating November 10 as 'Malala Day' in honour of Pakistani child activist Malala Yousafzai, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon extended his support to the young girl and her fight for education, describing her as the "global symbol" of every girl's KITE4education.com
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right to an education. She was nominated for the International Childrens Peace Prize by Desmond Tutu, and has won Pakistans first National Youth Peace Prize. Yousafzai was recently shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. She is currently in critical condition and is under intensive care at a hospital in the United Kingdom for intensive rehabilitation. *UN panel passes NKorea resolution by consensus for 1st time: The Social, Humanitarian Cultural Affairs Committee (also referred as 3rd Committee of the UN General assembly) of United Nations overseeing human rights issues, passed a resolution on North Korea with consensus. The committee asked North Korea to solve the abduction issue and address human rights abuses. *Ami Bera wins 'close contest', 5 IndianAmericans lose out: Dr Ami Bera was on the cusp of creating history by becoming only the third IndianAmerican ever to be elected to the US House of Representatives, as five others from the community bit the dust in the polls. So far only two Indian-Americans have been elected to the US House of Representatives. Dalip Singh Saund, was the first Indian-American elected to the US Congress in 1950s, while Bobby Jindal, was a House member from 2005 to 2008 before being elected as the Governor of Louisiana. *Nepal elected to UN ECOSOC board: Nepal along with 17 other countries were elected board members of ECOSOC by the UN General Assembly for a threeyear term starting in January 2013. ECOSOC is a 54 member body and is one of the principal organs of the UN. ECOSOC coordinates the economic, social and related work of the UN and its specialized agencies and institutions. ECOSOC has broad responsibility for some 70% of the human and financial resources of the entire UN system, including its 14 specialized agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions. *India to promote investments in Bangladesh: Slashed its sensitive list under SAFTA for less developed countries and granted duty-free access to Bangladesh. Stating that the brutal trade imbalance enjoyed by it over Bangladesh was unacceptable, India said in a bid to deepen the relationship and promote economic engagement, it would promote massive investments into Bangladesh for creating jobs and economic opportunities for the local population and make the country a major hub for exports into India and other parts of the world. *South Africa launches new Nelson Mandela bank notes: South Africa immortalized former president 36
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Nelson Mandela in a set of new banknotes bearing the image of the anti-apartheid leader. Popularly known by his clan name "MADIBA" Mandela has lent his name to roads, buildings and universities, and a giant bronze statue of him in Johannesburg's swanky Sandton City mall is a daily attraction for tourists. The new currency notes also feature South Africas "big five" wild animals Rhino Elephant Lion Buffalo Leopard *Arabs Offer Palestinians $100M A Month Financial Safety Net: Arab states agreed to provide the Palestinian Authority with a $100 million monthly financial safety net to help President Mahmoud Abbass government cope with an economic crisis after the United Nations granted de facto statehood to Palestine. Reacting to the UN approval to Palestine as non-member state Israel has ordered to build 3,000 Jewish settler homes in the occupied West Bank and announced it would arrest payments of customs duties it collects on behalf of the Palestinians to pay an outstanding electricity bill. The crisis situation Palestinian economy is aggravating due to lack of foreign funding and Israel inhibitions on development. Palestine is facing a budget deficit of $1.5 billion for 2012, with donor funds expected to fulfill only $1.14 billion of this shortage. The Palestinian Authority (PA) administers limited self-rule in the West Bank and gets most of its aid from the USA, the European Union and Arab states. But reduction in aid from Arab states over past some years has resulted in the PA being unable to pay salaries to its 153,000 civil servants on time on several occasions. *Egypt judges 'to oversee referendum' despite boycott: The organization representing Egyptian judges has announced that its members will not supervise a referendum on the draft constitution on 15 December. The Judges' Club said its members were protesting against President Muhammad Morsi's recent decree granting him extensive new powers. There has also been a confrontation between Mr Morsi's supporters and the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC), which suspended its work after being prevented from ruling on the legitimacy of the constituent assembly. How did this start? The stand-off began when the president issued a constitutional declaration on 22 November that said his decisions were "final and unchallengeable by any individual or body until a new constitution has been ratified and a new parliament has been elected". KITE4education.com
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The declaration also said the constituent assembly could not be dissolved by the judiciary, pre-empting any ruling by the SCC on its legitimacy. Liberals, Christians and secularists said it was dominated by Islamists. Mr Morsi also replaced the public prosecutor, Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, who was widely criticised for failing to win stronger prison sentences against former President Hosni Mubarak and his associates. The president portrayed his decree as an attempt to protect the transition to a constitutional democracy, but following days of protests he agreed to limit its scope to "SOVEREIGN MATTERS". However, Mr Morsi insisted on keeping his right to protect the constituent assembly. Despite that, members of the constituent assembly began a marathon overnight session of voting on a rushed draft of the draft constitution on 29 November after the SCC announced that it would rule on whether the panel should be dissolved. The panel approved the draft - despite a boycott by secular parties and the Coptic Church - and sent it to Mr Mursi, who called a referendum. On 2 December, SCC judges attempted to meet to reveal their ruling on the constituent assembly, but Islamist supporters of the president prevented them doing so. The judges subsequently announced that they were suspending the court's sessions until they could work without "psychological and physical pressures". A few hours later, leaders of the largest association of judges, the Judges' Club, tried to block the referendum on the new constitution by announcing that its members would refuse to perform their customary roles as election supervisors. What could be the impact of the strike? The last time Egypt's entire judiciary went on strike was in 1919, when judges joined an uprising against British colonial rule. This time, the judges have said they will remain on strike until President Morsi rescinds his decree, which he has so far refused to do. He has said his new powers will remain in place only until the draft constitution is approved and new elections are held. The country's courts are already burdened by a backlog of cases which have arisen from a increased crime following the overthrow of Mubarak. Without a functioning justice system, there could be further turmoil. Mohammed Abdul Aziz, a human rights lawyer, said the strike will have an impact on everything from divorce and theft to financial disputes. What is the significance of the referendum boycott call? The judiciary has historically been a highly-revered state institution and most Egyptians see it as a body that can be trusted to oversee elections. Since 2000, judicial personnel have had to supervise voting at every polling station, although under Mubarak oversight remained with the interior ministry and critics claimed elections were rigged. The parliamentary elections held following the overthrow of Mubarak were organised by the Higher 37
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Election Commission (HEC), which was composed of entirely of judges, chaired by the head of the Cairo Court of Appeal, and overseen by the Supreme Judicial Commission for Elections. The Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC), chaired by the head of the SCC, organised June's presidential vote. A boycott of the constitutional referendum by members of the influential but unofficial Judges' Club would therefore raise questions about the vote's validity and might further undermine the charter's legitimacy. Could this derail the referendum? Legally, the referendum cannot go ahead without judicial supervision. But it is not clear how many of the 12,000 judges reportedly represented by the Judges' Club will abide by its boycott call, which is not binding. The organizations earlier call for a strike in protest at Mr Morsi's November constitutional declaration enjoyed only partial success, with the Court of Cassation and the Court of Appeal ceasing work. Zakaria Abdul Aziz, a leading figure in the campaign for judicial independence and a former head of the Judges' Club, told the Reuters news agency that many judges had told him that they felt duty-bound to supervise the referendum. Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki, himself a former senior judge, meanwhile said he was confident the judges would supervise the referendum. On 3 December, state media reported that the Supreme Judicial Council, which formally oversees judicial affairs, had agreed to delegate judges. Mohammed Gadallah, President Morsi's legal adviser, says about 10,000 members of the judiciary are needed to monitor the referendum. Importantly, they do not all have to be judges and could include officials in state prosecutors' offices. The president could also amend the law so that teachers, lawyers, university lecturers or others could supervise voting. Why is the constituent assembly and draft constitution controversial? The process of drafting a new constitution - to replace the one suspended after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown - began in March, but was slowed by a court ruling in April dissolving the first constituent assembly, amid accusations that it was dominated by Islamists. In June, political parties agreed on the make-up of a new panel, which included a range of politicians, members of the armed forces, police, judiciary and trade unions, as well as Muslim and Christian leaders. However, liberals, secularists and Coptic Christians continued to complain about the distribution of seats. Most of their representatives on the assembly boycotted its sessions over the past few months leaving the majority Islamists with a relatively free hand - and 43 separate legal challenges to its constitutional legitimacy were filed. Mr Morsi's decree of 22 November gave the 100member panel until January to complete the draft KITE4education.com
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constitution. But after the Supreme Constitutional Court said it would soon rule on the lawsuits, supporters of the president on the assembly decided to pass a rushed draft. A large number of members boycotted the vote or had earlier resigned in protest over what they said was the failure of Islamists to compromise on key issues, including the place of religion in affairs of state. Human Rights Watch says the draft provides for basic protections against arbitrary detention and torture, but fails to end military trials of civilians or to protect freedom of expression and religion. Does the draft constitution affect the judiciary? Several articles are reported to have dismayed judges, but the most controversial ones are likely to be those which stipulate the downsizing of the Supreme Constitutional Court and the removal of some of its powers, such as its oversight of the election laws. Instead of a president and 18 other judges, the new SCC line-up will only include a president and 10 other judges. Despite calls to gradually reduce the number of judges when individuals resign or retire, the transitional arrangement stipulates that, once the constitution comes into effect, the eight least senior judges must return to their previous posts. This has been interpreted as taking revenge on the court, which has been the target of criticism from Islamists since it ruled in June that the Islamistdominated lower house of parliament had to be dissolved. It would also appear that the transitional arrangement was framed in a way that ensures the departure of judges who have been singled out for criticism by Islamists. Tahani el-Gebali, the 11th most senior member of the SCC - the first who would be forced off the bench - has made no secret of her concern about the rise of Islamists. Egypt Islamists reject delay to referendum: Egypt's main Islamist parties, including President Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, Recently, rejected opposition demands to delay a referendum on a new constitution, as the military called for dialogue to resolve the crisis plaguing the deeply polarised nation. The 13 parties "insist that the referendum on the constitution take place on the scheduled date (December 15), with no modification or delay".
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The statement rejecting delaying of the referendum was signed by the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Freedom and Justice Party, as well as the Al-Nour party
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military has blasted into orbit. The 5-tonne Skynet-5D platform was sent up on an Ariane rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. The Skynet system, which includes the radio equipment deployed on ships, on vehicles and in the hands of troops, is the UK's single biggest space project. *Turkey lifts veto on NATO-Israel cooperation: Turkey has agreed to lift its veto on cooperation between the Western military alliance of NATO and Israel - which Ankara had been obstructing since 2010. Acknowledging the concession made by Turkey, many NATO allies of Israel agreed to drop a veto against the alliances cooperation with Ankarafriendly countries. Turkeys veto had been imposed over a 2010 attack by Israel in international waters against a Gaza Strip-headed Turkish aid ship, which killed nine Turkish activists. Turkey will agree to Israeli involvement in certain Nato activities but will maintain its ban on joint military manoeuvres, and Ankara reserves the right to bar activities with Israel on its own soil. The agreement comes after Nato agreed early this month to deploy Patriot anti-aircraft missiles along the Turkish border with Syria. Turkish-Israeli relations further deteriorated after the 2011 UN report justifying the Mavi Marmara marine assault, which resulted in Turkey expelling the Israeli ambassador and suspending military cooperation. Turkey has also pledged to block any Israeli participation in Nato activities until theres a formal apology from Tel Aviv. So far Israel has refused to apologise for the incident despite the demands. Israel is to join a 2013 Nato military drill in Turkey in spite of the unresolved diplomatic conflict between the two states. *Pakistan Government Recognized Republic of Kosovo as an Independent State: Government of Pakistan on 24 December 2012 officially recognised Kosovo as an independent state, almost five years after it declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. The decision was made in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kosovo. With this Pakistan became the 98th sovereign state among 193 UN-member states recognising Kosovo. The government of Pakistan has also decided to at the same time to accredit its ambassador to the Republic of Turkey in Ankara as ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Republic of Kosovo. Kosovo declared full independence in September 2012 after the western powers overseeing Kosovo announced the end of their supervision of this Balkan nation. The unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo was seen as an example for resolving ethnic 39
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representing Salafists. hardline
* Park Geun-Hye Elected As the First Woman President of South Korea: Park Geun-hye was elected as the president of South Korea on 19 December 2012, the first woman who acquired this post. Park Geun-hye is the daughter of longest ruling dictator of South Korea. * Ireland to legalise Abortions when the Mothers Life is at Risk: Ireland on 18 December 2012 announced that it will legalise abortions when the mother's life is at risk, weeks after the death of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar who died after being refused an abortion in the European country. Savita Halappanavar asked repeatedly for a termination of pregnancy but was refused and was told the foetal heartbeat was still present and this is a Catholic country. * Queen Elizabeth Became First Peacetime British Ruler to Attend Cabinet Meeting: On 18 December 2012, Queen Elizabeth became first peacetime British ruler ever since 1781, who attended the cabinet meeting. Though she did not take part in any deliberations, but she participated in the cabinet meeting as an observer and a listener. Queen Elizabeth remained seated on the chair which is usually occupied by the prime minister. Historians believed that Queen Elizabeth became the first monarch in the history to attend any cabinet meeting, after George III did that. Factually, George I had abandoned joining the cabinet in 1717. Nevertheless, Queen Elizabeths father George VI had attended the cabinet meeting during World War II. *UK's Skynet military satellite launched: A powerful new telecommunications satellite for the UK KITE4education.com
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conflicts on considerations other than territorial integrity of countries. It was also feared that the Kosovo principle could at a successive stage be applied to other separatist movements. Republic of Kosovo Kosovo is a small south east European state lies between Albania, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. The capital of the Republic is Prishtina, a city of around 500000 people. The population of Kosovo exceeds 2 million. Kosovo is a democratic, multi-ethnic and secular Republic that incorporates into its Constitution the UN Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, Comprehensive Proposal for Kosovo Status Settlement. This plan ensures that the Constitution of the Republic protects and guarantees rights for all of Kosovo citizens. The support of this proposal by Kosovar people shows readiness to move on, forgive and build. Kosovo has historically, culturally and socially been part of Europe. The ancient kingdoms that stood there were at the center of European history well over 3,000 years ago. Later on, as new world powers emerged and the world changed, again the nations of south east Europe forged the future of this continent. In more modern times, Kosovo ended up as the least developed part of Yugoslavia, slowly moving towards high unemployment and unequal opportunities for Kosovar Albanians. This, coupled with nationalistic policies that broke up Yugoslavia, culminated in the Kosovo - Serbia war of 1997-1999. *Taliban can run for the Afghan presidency: The Afghan election commission has said that the Taliban can stand in the country's next presidential elections in 2014; a move that experts say can prove to be a double-edged sword for the war-torn nation. Afghanistan's next presidential elections are scheduled for April 5, 2014 and are seen by most observers as one of the most crucial elections in Afghanistan's history, as they could either put the Afghan nation on the path of stability or plunge it into deeper turmoil. Hamid Karzai, who is serving his second term as Afghanistan's president, is constitutionally barred from running for president for a third time, and there is no prominent or popular candidate in sight. The elections can be detrimental for Afghanistan's future as the NATO-led international forces will withdraw from the country by June 2014 after spending more than a decade in Afghanistan combating Islamist militants, particularly the former Afghan rulers, the Taliban. The Taliban had boycotted the 2009 polls in which President Karzai was re-elected after defeating former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. The 2009 elections were marred by allegations of fraud, for which both national and international monitoring groups had criticized Karzai's government. *Taliban, Afghan factions meet for the first time in KITE4education.com
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France: The ultra-secret talks have been set up by the French government which would like to play a bigger role in Afghanistan. This is the first time that Taliban representatives are in direct talks with other factions that make up the political landscape. The talks have been organised under the auspices of the government-supported think tank, Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS). This is the third meeting of its kind organised with the active support of the French foreign office and the discussions, entitled Afghans speak to Afghans, are shrouded in mystery. The FRS explains that the principal aim of the meeting is to give the parties 48 hours in which to hold candid and free discussions on neutral territory that holds no danger. The talks will focus on the future stability of Afghanistan once NATO forces withdraw in 2014, referred to as the 2020 Horizon for Afghanistan. *Afghan Taliban call for new 'Islamic constitution' for war-torn country: The Afghan Taliban has called for a new Constitution as a pre-condition for joining the country's peace process, according to a declaration issued by representatives of the terror outfit at a meeting in France. The Taliban said in the declaration that Afghanistan's present Constitution has no value for the outfit as it was made under the shadows of B52 bombers of the invaders. It is the first time since a US-led bombing campaign drove the Taliban from power in 2001 those senior representatives met with officials from the government and other opposition groups to discuss the country's future. The meeting was organized by the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS), and was held at an undisclosed location near Paris. The talks come against a background of accelerating efforts to draw the Taliban and other opponents of President Hamid Karzai into negotiations on how Afghanistan will be run after Western troops withdraw at the end of 2014. To date the Taliban has refused to negotiate with the government, which it regards as a puppet of the United States. Discussions with American officials were suspended in March. The Taliban, who ruled in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, were ousted from power by a US-led invasion and have since waged an 11-year insurgency to topple the US-supported government of Hamid Karzai. * Obama appoints John Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton: Barack Obama has nominated Senator John Kerry, a veteran foreign policy hand and former presidential candidate, as his next secretary of state. *33rd GCC Summit issues SAKHIR DECLARATION: Landmark decisions were issued under the "Sakhir Declaration" as the 33rd GCC Summit ended in Bahrain, Capital, KUNA. GCC leaders have agreed to develop and activate the co-operation council, which underlined their support 40
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for the strengthening of defence, economic and social relations. *UN approves new debate on arms treaty opposed by US gun lobby: The United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to restart negotiations on a draft international treaty to regulate the US$70 billion (S$85.4 billon) global trade in conventional arms, a pact the powerful United States National Rifle Association (NRA) has been lobbying hard against. UN delegates and gun control activists have complained that talks collapsed in July largely because US President Barack Obama feared attacks from Republican rival Mitt Romney before the Nov 6 election if his administration was seen as supporting the pact, charge US officials have denied. The NRA, which has come under intense criticism for its reaction to the Dec. 15 shooting massacre of 20 children and six educators at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, opposes the idea of an arms trade treaty and has pressured Mr Obama to reject it. But after his re-election last month, his administration joined other members of a UN committee in supporting the resumption of negotiations on the treaty. Arms Trade Treaty The Arms Trade Treaty is the name of a potential multilateral treaty that would regulate the international trade in conventional weapons. The treaty was to be negotiated at a global conference under the auspices of the United Nations from July 2-27, 2012, in New York. Although the negotiations made substantial progress on a draft Treaty, they ran out of time as the negotiators were unable to reach consensus on the text. *Philippine Law Forbids Abductions by Military: The Philippines has enacted a law aimed at stopping the military and police officers from abducting people suspected of antigovernment activity, one of the ugly legacies of years of dictatorship. The law, which President Benigno S. Aquino III signed recently, makes the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty committed by agents of the state punishable by life in prison. World Food Day World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme. The World Food Day theme for 2012 is "Agricultural cooperatives key to feeding the world". * Italy election campaign begins as parliament dissolved: Italy's parliament has been dissolved by President Giorgio Napolitano following caretaker KITE4education.com
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Prime Minister Mario Monti's resignation. Since taking office in November 2011, Mr Monti and his non-party team of ministers have implemented economic austerity measures in the form of spending cuts and tax hikes. An economist and former European commissioner, Monti was appointed by Napolitano after Berlusconi stepped down under pressure for failing to control Italy's debt and a series of scandals. The election was triggered after Silvio Berlusconi's party withdrew its support from Mr Monti's government, accusing it of following policies that "were too German-centric". The three-times prime minister has said he intends to campaign on an anti-austerity platform, pledging to cut taxes and create jobs. * Egypt approves new constitution drafted by Mursi allies: Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved a constitution drafted by President Mohamed Mursi's allies, results showed, proving that liberals, leftists and Christians have been powerless to halt the march of Islamists in power. Egypt's first constitution since Mubarak's fall offers enough protection for minorities, and adopting it quickly is necessary to end two years of turmoil and political uncertainty that has wrecked the economy. Mursi's opponents say the new constitution could allow clerics to intervene in lawmaking, while offering scant protections to minorities and women. Mursi dismisses those criticisms, and many Egyptians are fed up with street protest movements that have prevented a return to normality. *French panel overturns 75 pc tax on ultra rich: Frances Constitutional Council, which could be roughly compared to the Indian Supreme Court for constitutional matters, recently struck down as unconstitutional French President Francois Hollandes controversial measure to impose a 75 per cent income tax on those earning upwards of a million euros per year. This was meant to be a temporary measure of solidarity at a time of national hardship and austerity when taxes are being raised across the board except for the poorest. BURFI was official entry from India to Oscar Awards 2012. Biocon gets nod to market anti-psoriasis drug ITOLIZUMAB. Private space entrepreneur and billionaire cofounder of PayPal, ELON MUSK is planning to build a small city on Mars for 80,000 space explorers - but only vegetarians are invited. 2,298-kilometre (1,425-mile) long, Worlds longest bullet train service launched in China. India is second largest drug exporter to US. Nearly one quarter of the spices, oils and food colourings used in the US comes from India, the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices globally, the FDA. * Iran wraps up Velayat 91 naval drills in southern 41
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waters: Iranian naval forces have recently wrapped up six-day naval drills in and around the country's southern waters, stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the north of the Indian Ocean. The objectives of the Velayat 91 drill are to display the Islamic Republics power in establishing security in seas and to convey the message of peace and friendship to regional countries * Central African Republic: Seleka rebel coalition seize Kaga-Bandoro town in latest offensive: The Seleka rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) say they will seize the last major town before the capital. There are many mineral resources, including gold and diamonds, in the Central African Republic. However, the countrys population is extremely poor and has faced a series of rebellions and coups since it gained independence in 1960. *Russia's Putin signs anti-U.S. adoption bill: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law - a measure that bans the adoption the Russian children by U.S. families effective January 1. Russia remains the third-most-popular country -after China and Ethiopia -- for U.S. citizens to adopt. The new Russian law was dubbed the Dima Yakovlev Bill after a toddler who died in 2008 when his American adoptive father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours. The law is in response to a measure signed into law by President Barack Obama this month that calls for sanctions against Russians assessed to be human rights violators. The bill has angered Americans and Russians who argue it victimises children to make a political point, cutting off a route out of frequently dismal orphanages for thousands. UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia while about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt a child. The U.S. is the biggest destination for adopted Russian children more than 60,000 of them have been taken in by Americans over the past two decades. * China claims worlds biggest shale gas reserves: China is planning an investment blitz to unlock its vast reserves of shale gas, convinced it can match the energy revolution under way in the US and meet a significant part of its fast-growing fuel needs. * China and Japan step up drone race as tension builds over disputed islands: Drones have taken centre stage in an escalating arms race between China and Japan as they struggle to assert their dominance over disputed islands in the East China Sea. China is rapidly expanding its nascent drone programme, while Japan has begun preparations to purchase an advanced model from the US. Tensions over the islands called the Diaoyu by China and the Senkaku by Japan have ratcheted up KITE4education.com
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in past weeks. Chinese surveillance planes flew near the islands four times in the second half of December, according to Chinese state media, but were chased away each time by Japanese F-15 fighter jets. Neither side has shown any signs of backing down. Japan's new conservative administration of Shinzo Abe has placed a priority on countering the perceived Chinese threat to the Senkakus since it won a landslide victory in last month's general election. Soon after becoming prime minister, Abe ordered a review of Japan's 2011-16 mid-term defence programme, apparently to speed up the acquisition of between one and three US drones. * Mali soldiers fire at Islamist fighters: Malian soldiers fired warning shots at Islamist fighters overnight amid fears that they are planning to advance on the government-controlled south of the impoverished country. The three groups the al-Qaeda-linked ANSAR DINE, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) took control of the north in the wake of a coup last March. Ansar Dine, which insists on strict observance of sharia law, said that it had revoked a pledge to end hostilities, accusing the government of giving nothing in return. The security sources said members of Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist movement blamed for thousands of deaths in northern Nigeria, had joined the rebels in Bambar Maoude. Ansar Dine and another armed group in the north, the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA), are homegrown movements, while the others have infiltrated the vast territory the size of France from the outside. *UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon released UN Millenium Development Goal 2012 Report: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon released United Nations Millenium Development Goal 2012. Report on 2 July 2012. The report noted that three important targets on poverty, slums and water have already been met three years ahead of 2015, the target year. On the front of poverty, the report stated that for the first time since poverty trends began to be monitored, both the number of people living in extreme poverty and the poverty rates have fallen in every developing regionincluding sub-Saharan Africa, where rates are highest. Preliminary estimates indicate that in 2010, the share of people living on less than a 1.25 dollar a day dropped to less than half of its 1990 value. The target of providing clean drinking water to a substantial population of the world also saw a considerable achievement as the proportion of people using improved water sources rose from 76 per cent in 1990 to 89 per cent in 2010, which means more than two billion people across the world today have the access to sources of clean 42
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drinking water. In developing world the share of urban population living in slums came down to 33 per cent in 2000 from 39 per cent in 2000. The millennium development goal asserted that the developing countries have also marked considerable achievements in education as many more of the worlds children are enrolled in school at the primary level, especially since 2000. Girls have benefited the most. On the front of AIDS control, the developing countries have achieved tremendous fate as at the end of 2012 nearly 6.5 million people in the developing countries were receiving the antiretroviral therapy for HIV AIDS. What is UN Millenium Development Goal? The UN Millenium Development Goal Report presents the most comprehensive global assessment of progress to date, based on data provided by a large number of international organizations within and outside the United Nations system. The aggregate figures in the report provide an overview of regional progress under the eight goals and are a convenient way to track advances over time. The report is coordinated and published by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The Millenium Development Goal has its origin in the Millennium Declaration produced by the United Nations following the Millennium Summit in 2000. The Declaration asserts that every individual has the right to dignity, freedom, equality, a basic standard of living that includes freedom from hunger and violence, and encourages tolerance and solidarity. In order to achieve its target of providing every individual a basic standard of living along with freedom, equality, the member nations had adopted the Eight goals which has to be achieved by 2015. The eight areas which comprises the UN Millenium Development Goal are as follows: Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Goal 4: Reduce child mortality Goal 5: Improve maternal health Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development *UNHRC adopted Resolution to protect the Online Human Rights of Global Citizens: United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Geneva based human rights wing of UN, on 5 July 2012, adopted a first ever resolution to protect the online human rights of global citizens. The resolution adopted by consensus, stated that citizens of the world are as much entitled to the human rights online as they are offline. The resolution noted that there can be no double KITE4education.com
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standard with regard to peoples right of fundamental freedom and since internet makes a major part of present worlds communication process, all governments must endeavour to protect the online rights of its citizens. The landmark resolution was sponsored by Sweden and co-sponsored by over 80 countries, that includes United States, Brazil, Turkey, Nigeria, and Tunisia.
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India & World - News
*India offers Qatar stake in strategic petro projects: A pact to enhance cooperation in the key sector of oil and gas exploration is among the six agreements inked between India and Qatar. It envisages cooperation in the areas of upstream and downstream oil and gas activities. It is expected to encourage and promote investment and cooperation between two ministries of oil and gas and through affiliated companies. India has also been facing pressure to reduce its imports of Iranian oil amid nuclear sanctions against Tehran. Qatar has sixth-largest oil reserves in the Middle East and the world's third-largest natural gas reserves after Russia and Iran. India is heavily dependent on Iranian oil imports, but the US and its western partners have been targeting Tehran's oil exports to try to force it to abandon its nuclear programme. The US plans to implement a round of sanctions, starting on 28 June, on banks based in countries that do not cut their oil imports from Iran. Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, which buys 7.5 million tonnes/per year of LNG from it. India wants to have huge additional supply of oil and LNG from Qatar but pricing is an issue.
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WHY JOIN TEST SERIES @ CrackingIAS only? Nobody else PROVIDES such a set of potential questions with proper evaluation. Now with model solutions too. & Many from our class notes. (In total 500+ marks based on our guidance). Few illustrations (The same trend we have been maintaining since 2007 Mains) MAINS 2011 GS QUESTION Bring out the salient features of the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and the Implications of its amendment in 2003. (20 MARKS) Trace the salient sequence of events in the popular revolt that took place in February 1946 in the then Royal Indian Navy and bring out its significance in the freedom struggle. Do you agree with the view that the sailors who took part in this revolt were some of the unsung heroes of the freedom struggle?. (20 MARKS) Mudiyettu (2 MARKS) OUR TEST PAPER QUESTION Cracking IAS IAS EXPRESS May 2011. P.no.12 + Mains 2011 Test no.1 question.no.1 of III + Discussion. Cracking IAS Indian History Book. + Mains 2011 Test no.11 question. No. (b) of I + Discussion.
MAINS GENERAL STUDIES (Each Test will be of three hours duration from 2.00 5.00 p.m.) FOLLOWING THE +VE FEEDBACK FROM THE STUDENTS FOR PRELIMS TEST SERIES. For the First Time in India we have planned to provide complete model solutions also for GS MAINS TEST SERIES... KITE4education.com
Cracking IAS IAS EXPRESS + Test no. 1 question no.12 of III.. Rahim Fahimuddin Cracking IAS IAS Dagar (2 MARKS) EXPRESS October 2011 Mains special + Test no. 10 question no.(b) of 20. SAGA-220 (2 Cracking IAS IAS Express + Test no.1 MARKS) question.no.2 of III In optional Subjects Political Science, Public Administration & Sociology we have 100% coverage.
*India welcomes Serbia, Kosovo's willingness to resume talks: India has welcomed the willingness expressed by Serbia and Kosovo to resume their EUIndia & World - News 44
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facilitated dialogue and hopes that the talks will result in concrete progress on contentious issues between them. THE ISSUE Serbia and Kosovo's prime ministers sparred at the U.N. Security Council over the future of Kosovo, displaying bitter divisions between the rivals despite their support for European Unionbrokered technical talks that are meant to promote cooperation. Serbia's Prime Minister IVICA DACIC said his country "will never, under any circumstances, implicitly or explicitly, recognize the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities." Kosovo's Prime Minister HASHIM THACI countered that Kosovo is a state recognized by nearly half the U.N.'s 193 members and its territorial integrity "will never be put into question." Kosovo came under U.N. and NATO administration after a 1999 NATO-led air war halted former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo, a province of Serbia. But the Security Council resolution that established the interim U.N. administration left Kosovo's final status in question. Kosovo's predominantly ethnic Albanian leadership declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, with strong backing from the United States and major EU nations. But the Serbian government, strongly supported by Russia, insists that Kosovo is still legally bound by the Security Council resolution, and the U.N. - at Moscow's insistence -- still retains overall authority in Kosovo, though many responsibilities were transferred to the EU and a EU peacekeeping force. The EU-led talks reached agreement in seven areas but have been on hold for several months because of Serbia's recent elections, and each side accused the other of failing to implement all provisions. Kosovo's Thaci said Serbia has not signed a protocol on managing the Serbia-Kosovo border and refuses to implement an agreement on regional cooperation. *UAE approves extradition pact with India: The UAE cabinet approved an extradition treaty with India which will facilitate the transfer of convicts to spend the remaining jail term in their home country. The agreement is expected to help around 1,200 Indian prisoners who have been languishing in UAE prisons. KITE4education.com
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As per the extradition agreement, Indian prisoners in the UAE jails, those who have been sentenced, will have a choice to spend the remaining prison term in India. The UAE also ratified a similar agreement with Pakistan. *India plans treaty with Israel, Nepal on criminal matters: India is likely to sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters with Israel and Nepal among other countries to facilitate easy access in investigation of crime and service of Letters Rogatory. India plans to sign MLAT in criminal matters with Israel, Oman, Azerbaijan and Nepal. The MLAT facilitates mutual assistance in prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime, service of summons and other judicial documents, execution of warrants and other judicial commissions and tracing, restraint, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds and instruments of crimes. Currently, India has the treaty in criminal matters with 32 countries including Iran, Kuwait, Mauritius, Switzerland, Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam and Kazakhstan. Besides, there is a mutual legal assistance treaty with Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, France, Mongolia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uzbekistan. * Delhi Investment Summit on Afghanistan: The objective of this Summit, being organized in cooperation with relevant Afghan investment and business organizations, is to attract foreign investment into Afghanistan in the light of new opportunities opening up in various sectors in that country. The meet is being organised in line with India's long- term commitment to assisting the people and government of Afghanistan as they build a peaceful, pluralistic, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan. India has already committed $ 2 billion towards reconstruction and developmental activities in Afghanistan. * First India-CELAC Troika Foreign Ministers Meeting Held in New Delhi: The first meeting of the India-CELAC Troika Foreign Ministers was held on 7 August 2012 in New Delhi. Objective of the meet To discuss the regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, to strengthen the multifaceted India & World - News 45
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bilateral cooperation between India and CELAC. To co ordinate responses to regional issues and address international challenges including the UN reform, the international financial crisis, climate change and international terrorism. To enhance the exchange of visits at all levels including at the Summit level leading towards a 'Strategic Partnership' between India and CELAC. To expand relations between India and countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region and make it possible for them to work together bearing in mind each sides' respective development priorities based on the common shared values of democracy, freedom, equality and justice. Collective Discussions The two nations expressed satisfaction over the growth of commercial, economic and investment relations between India and CELAC that has crossed US$ 25 billion in 2012. The nations agreed to set up an Energy Forum to discuss energy security issues. Both the countries agreed to work towards providing value addition in the exchange of commodities through direct trading and by setting up of manufacturing units. Both sides agreed to work towards providing for food security for their people Both the countries agreed to initiate various projects related to tele-education, e-governance and tele-medicine that would cover the entire Latin America and Caribbean region.
* India votes for resolution on resumption of arms treaty talks: India is among 133 nations that voted in favour of a draft UN General Assembly resolution which seeks resumption of failed negotiations on an international arms treaty aimed at regulating the USD 70 billion global trade in conventional weapons. The passing of the resolution for resumption of the talks, which in the past had seen stiff opposition from the powerful US gun lobby National Rifle Association (NRA), has paved the way for a final round of negotiations to be held here from March 18 to 28 2013. The Final United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty would aim to finalise the elaboration of the Arms Trade Treaty, in an open and transparent manner, utilising the modalities...under which the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty operated. The US was among the 133 nations that voted in favour of the resolution, which was opposed by none. Seventeen countries, including Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen abstained from voting. The arms trade talks had collapsed in July 2012 after the US said it needed more time to consider the proposed treaty. The new round of talks seeks to give impetus to global efforts to come up with a "legally binding instrument" on the highest possible common international
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standards to regulate the USD 70 billion global trade in conventional arms. The call for regulating the arms trade assumes significance against the backdrop of a surge in mass shooting incidents across the US, where private citizens used their assault weapons to kill others. * India, China firm up plan for joint military exercises: India and China have agreed to hold their first joint military exercise in five years and to expand exchanges between their armies, navies and air forces. The decisions were made at the fifth annual defence dialogue which took place recently in Beijing, China. The dialogue had assumed significance as it marked Indias first military engagement with China following the sweeping changes in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) last year. The dialogue also paves the way for the resumption of joint military exercises, which are set to be held later this year, following a gap of five years. The first round was held in 2007 in Kunming, Yunnan and the second in 2008 in Belgaum, Karnataka.
* India, Myanmar ink a dozen agreements: India and Myanmar signed 12 agreements, including on a $500 million credit line, border area development and air services. The agreements were signed after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held wide-ranging talks with President Thein Sein at Myanmars new capital. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on a $500 million credit line between Export-Import Bank of India and the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank. Both countries also signed pacts on IndiaMyanmar border area development and an air services agreement. There were MoUs for setting up the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology and the Advance Centre for Agriculture Research and Education, Yezin Agriculture University. A rice bio park, establishing border haats and setting up a joint trade and investment forum were covered as well. There will also be a cultural exchange programme for 2012-15. India and Myanmar entered into an agreement of cooperation between the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS). Besides, there were pacts between Calcutta University and Dagon University, Yangon, and between the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and MISIS.
* India, Pak exchange list of nuke installations: For the 22ND CONSECUTIVE TIME, India and Pakistan on January 01, 2013 exchanged the list of nuclear
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installations and facilities covered under the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations agreement between the two countries. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991, provides, inter alia, that the two countries inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on the first of January of every calendar year. This is the 22 consecutive exchanges of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.
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* India, Spain sign pact to amend DTAA: India and Spain have signed a protocol for amending the over 19-year old double taxation avoidance pact, a move aimed at checking tax evasion. The two countries had signed the agreement for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion on February 8, 1993 in New Delhi. Amid blackmoney becoming a major issue of concern, India has started negotiating its tax avoidance pacts, popularly known as DTAAs (Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements) with over 75 countries, to get banking related information in line with international norms. The move is aimed at strengthening the exchange of information relating to tax evasion, money laundering and other criminal activities. * Indian ingredient led to cough syrup deaths: Pakistan official: Nisar Ahmad Cheema, the director general of Health of Punjab province, told reporters that DEXTROMETHORPHAN - an active ingredient imported from India - was found to be responsible for the cough syrup-related deaths in Lahore and Gujranwala districts.
* India's French Rafale fighter jet order set for huge spike: India could buy up to 189 of the Rafale fighter jets currently being used by France to bomb Islamist militants in Mali. The possibility of an additional 63 jets being added to an expected order for 126 was raised during a visit by India's Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid to Paris recently. Under the deal on the table, the first 18 Rafales will be built in France but the next 108 will be assembled in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in the southern city of Bangalore. India has insisted that the deal involves significant technology transfer and that Indian suppliers secure work equivalent to around half of the value of the contract. The conclusion of the deal has been repeatedly delayed, with India having initially set a target of the end of last year, which slipped to March 31, 2013, the end of the current fiscal year.
* Obama Appoints Indian-American Smita Singh In Key Post: The Obama administration has appointed yet another Indian-American to a key administrative post, naming Smita Singh as member of the president's Global Development Council. The Council will inform and provide advice to the President and other senior US officials on American global development policies and practices, support new and existing public-private partnerships, and increase awareness and action in support of development by soliciting public input on current and emerging issues in the field of global development. The Global Development Council was established in February through an executive order of the President. From 1998 to 2001, she was a scholar at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. Previously, Singh consulted for the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission on Africa. She was the first Program Officer for Higher Education Innovative Projects at the Commission on National and Community Service, now known as the Corporation for National and Community Service. Before joining the Commission, Singh worked at ABC News' Nightline. *11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: The 11th edition of the three-day annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the NRI conclave, concluded @ KOCHI recently. The conference had for the first time rightly focused on Gulf NRIs, who constitute the lion's share of the 25 million strong Indian diaspora, and account for the 27% of nearly $70 billion dollar remittance that India was receiving. Mauritius President - Rajkeswur Purryag chief guest. This year's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas marks the tenth anniversary of the event which was first held in the year 2003. The theme of the eleventh edition of the convention is 'Engaging Diaspora -- The Indian Growth Story.' Pursuant to the law that was enacted to enable nonresident Indians to vote in our national elections, the Government has issued notifications for registration of overseas Indians under the Representation of People Act, 1950. This constitutes the first major step to enable Indians resident abroad to participate in our election processes. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is implementing the E-MIGRATE PROJECT that will provide end-to-end computerized solutions for all processes in the emigration system. The system India & World - News 47
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will link all key stakeholders on a common platform which will be used by workers, offices of the protector of emigrants, recruitment agencies, immigration officials, employers and the Indian missions abroad. Following the upheaval in Libya last year, the Government undertook Operation Safe Homecoming to evacuate more than 16,000 people from the strife torn areas through special flights, passenger and naval vessels. The scope of our LABOUR MOBILITY PARTNERSHIP Agreements is being expanded to cover not only skilled workers but also students, academics and professionals. Such Human Resource Mobility Partnership agreements are being negotiated with The Netherlands, France, Australia and the European Union *3rd round of Indo-US strategic dialogue: Joint statement - Washington: After holding three rounds of strategic dialogues, India and US said their ties now have entered a phase of maturity in which there is no longer need for dramatic breakthroughs that was seen earlier. One of the key areas where the two countries would partner and cooperate is women entrepreneurship. It called for an expeditious conclusion to negotiations toward a high standard Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) as a key part of the effort to deepen the economic relationship, improve investor confidence, and support economic growth in both countries. The two leaders acknowledged the June 9 launch of the Global Ring Network for Advanced Applications Development (GLORIAD), the first direct US-India advanced science and education network supporting enormous data flows between the US and India. Funded by the US National Science Foundation, and as part of a public-private partnership featuring a $6M contribution by Tata Communications and housed by the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) of the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research in Bangalore, the new link is part of the NSF-funded advanced global GLORIAD network. Designed to support the most advanced big-data research recently - as well as education and healthrelated research, GLORIAD's Indian partners at the ICTS are also launching the first open, sciencedriven, science-managed network exchange in India. The United States announced the launch of a new online philanthropy platform, a natural extension of the deep and vibrant people-to-people ties between the United States and India, providing KITE4education.com
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private donors in the United States with information to help make decisions about contributing to NGOs in India more effectively. Secretary Clinton and Minister Krishna took note of the March release of an open-source web portalthe "Open Government Platform" (OGPL)developed under the India-US Dialogue on Open Government. OGPL allows any nation to download free software and create a site that provides its citizens access to government data for innovation, economic development, and transparency. The next meeting of the Strategic Dialogue is planned in New Delhi in 2013. TESO - Tamil Eelam Supporter Organization. *6th (first economic dialogue, sixth strategic talks) India-Japan strategic dialogue held in New Delhi: The two sides reviewed political and security cooperation and discussed ways to enhance and accelerate their trade and business ties. In the strategic dialogue, the discussions will be focused on the political and strategic ties of the two countries. The two countries said they are preparing for a joint naval exercise off the coast of Japan in June. Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force will take part in the exercise. India and Japan also decided to take forward negotiations on civil nuclear energy cooperation, but Japanese sources later said that there were "certain elements" that needed to be addressed before entering into this partnership. New Delhi and Tokyo will expand cooperation in counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. They also discussed developments in Myanmar, Afghanistan and the Korean Peninsula. Significantly, the Indo-Japan decision to have maritime dialogue mechanism at the level of officials comes barely two months after India and China decided to set up such a dialogue. The two sides also discussed ways of furthering our cooperation in the field of rare earths under which there will be joint ventures between the companies of India and Japan. Presently, many Chinese companies are working in this area. Expressing satisfaction that the IndiaJapan Strategic and Global Partnership is stronger than ever before, the two sides also agreed to maintain and enhance all dialogues and decided to have a pact on social security as early as possible. *6th MekongGanga Cooperation meeting held in New Delhi: The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) India & World - News 48
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was established on November 10, 2000 in Vientiane, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic with a purpose of cooperation amongst India and the five Mekong region countries - Cambodia, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. It was basically established to emphasize on four areas of cooperation, which are tourism, culture, education, and transportation linkage, in order to build strong foundation for future trade and investment cooperation among the region. This is the first time that the Mekong Ganga Cooperation meeting was hosted by India. India had earlier chaired the 5th MGC Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Meetings. *Aman Ki Asha, an Indo-Pak Peace Project: Aman Ki Asha is a brave, new people-to-people initiative by The Times of India and Pakistan's Jang Group to bring the people of two fine nations closer together. *Bangladesh Navy Ship Visits Kochi: BNS (Bangladesh Naval Ship) Bangabandhu entered Kochi on 2nd November. The modern frigate and veritably the Flag Ship of Bangladesh Navy was on en route to Doha to participate in EXERCISE FEROCIOUS FALCON. A host of professional and social interactions were scheduled between the two Navies on the occasion which included sports fixtures and mutual visits. *Brazil and China agree currency swap: Brazil has provided a vote of confidence in Chinas efforts to promote the renminbi as a reserve currency by becoming the biggest economy yet to agree a swap deal with Beijing. China has launched an aggressive campaign of currency swap diplomacy, signing about 20 such agreements over the past four years with countries ranging from Argentina to Australia and the United Arab Emirates. While these have been largely symbolic only Hong Kong so far has had to activate its swap line after a shortage of renminbi in the territory in 2010 they are seen as helping the long march of the internationalisation of the Chinese currency. *China and Bhutan Met on Sidelines of Rio Plus Twenty Summit, seeking to establish Diplomatic Ties: Chinese Premier of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China, Wen Jiabao and his Bhutanese counterpart Jigmi Y Thinley had a meet at Rio de Janeiro on 21 June 2012. The talks were on the sidelines of the Rio plus twenty summit . Both the parties expressed desire to establish diplomatic relations between each other. The meeting between both the Prime Ministers was for the first time. KITE4education.com
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Bhutan has had a strained relation with China sourced in a boundary feud over which both the countries have held nineteen round of talks in the past. Though neighbours for a while, both the countries have not yet established diplomatic relations as Bhutan, a strongly ally of India, remained aloof after China took control of Tibet, which formed borders with Bhutan. INDIA IN SIGNIFICANCE Apparently, any settlement in the Bhutan-China border talk is significant to India. CHUMBI VALLEY, a vital tri-junction between all three countries is almost five hundred km away from the Siliguri Corridor and connects India to the North East states and Nepal to Bhutan. The Valley is of geo-strategic importance to China as it shares its borders with Sikkim and Tibet. Ideally, the development should have been a cause of concern for India, as Bhutan is Indias closest ally, but the development had come with Indias knowledge and approval. It is imperative to understand that India plays a pivotal role in alliance to Bhutan as they share diplomatic ties themselves; however India has nodded in affirmation and has not shown any issue for Bhutan and Chinas diplomatic ties. BACKGROUND Both China and Bhutan share a four seventy kilometers long border. In the past, both the countries have held several rounds of dialogue to resolve their border dispute. The first agreement was signed in the year 1998 and the last round of border talks were held in Thimphu in January 2010. *Chinas tourism plan quells Brahmaputra dam fears: Chinese plans to build a major tourism project and national park in a Tibetan county have dealt a blow to hydropower lobby groups who have proposed the construction of massive dam on the Brahmaputras GREAT BEND, where the river begins its course towards India. The GOLDEN TOURISM project in Nyingchi follows the opening of Tibets first national park in the same county in December in the Grand Canyon of the Yarlung Zangbo River, as the Brahmaputra is known in Tibet. The plans appear to signal the governments moves to develop the region as a tourism hub, amid rising pressure from hydropower groups to tap the enormous potential of the canyon and the Great Bend, where the river spectacularly falls over 1,000 metres. The Nyingchi tourism project, officials said, also will include 22 model villages built over three years at the cost of 100 million yuan ($15.8 India & World - News 49
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million), where residents will provide family hotel services for tourists. *GMR case: Singapore court rules in favour of Maldives: A Singapore court ruled in Maldives' favour in the South Asian island nation's move to cancel a $511 million airport development contract with India's GMR Infrastructure, clearing the way for it to take over the airport. The ruling comes after an order won recently by GMR that had suspended the government's decision to cancel the contract, although the Maldives had still been pressing ahead with plans to take over the airport. The standoff over the project threatens to cloud foreign investor sentiment towards Maldives, which is seeking overseas cash for many of its tourism projects. The country terminated an agreement with GMR last week, rattling its relations with India.
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Lieutenant general Henderson Brooks and brigadier Prem Bhagat compiled the Henderson BrooksBhagat report in 28 volumes in 1963, outlining the reasons for the defeat at the hands of the Chinese in 1962. Habibullah got the go-ahead to access to the report after journalist Kuldip Nayar's appeal under the RTI Act in 2005 to get a copy of the report. *India and Mozambique Signed Agreement on Bilateral Security Cooperation in Maputo, Mozambique: The objective of the agreement was to discuss cooperation and both the countries decided to develop the relationship further in various fields for mutual benefit. There is an estimation of almost twenty five thousand people of Indian origin living in Mozambique for generations. The relations between both the countries have remained warm and friendly. India was amongst the first countries to extend recognition to Mozambique after the later achieved independence in the year 1975. India and Mozambique have mutually rendered and benefited in the fields of industry, trade, mineral resources and culture. *India and Pakistan issued a joint statement at the end of the SM Krishna's Visit: External Affairs of India, SM Krishna visited Pakistan from 7 to 9 September 2012 to review progress in the Dialogue process. During his visit, India and Pakistan issued a joint statement. The highlights of the statement are as following: Cross-LoC travel would be expanded on both sides of LoC to include visits for tourism and religious pilgrimage. Tourist and Pilgrimage sites will be designated on both sides of the LoC and information will be available with the designated authorities. Both sides will extend necessary assistance to valid entry permit holders to cross the LoC in emergency situation on crossing as well as noncrossing days. This will be facilitated by designated authorities. Improvement of roads and bridges for Cross-LoC trade will be facilitated. Transportation links on operational crossing points will be upgraded. Both sides agreed to facilitate the exchange of business delegations. Besides, List of 21 products of permissible items for Cross-LoC trade will be respected by both sides. It was agreed that the JWG (Joint Working Group) on Cross-LoC CBMs will meet on a biannual basis to review existing arrangements and suggest additional CBMs and measures for CrossIndia & World - News 50
*'Incorrect maps given to China led to 1962 war': India presented contradictory maps on the MacMohan Line to China in the fifties and in 1960-61, which ultimately led to the war with China in 1962. This revelation was made by Wajahat Habibullah, former chief information commissioner (CIC), perhaps the only civilian besides defence secretaries to have officially accessed the top secret HENDERSON BROOKES-BHAGAT REPORT. The 890-km-long MacMohan Line, laid down by the British in 1914, demarcates the border between Indian and China - although this is still contested by the latter. KITE4education.com
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LoC travel and trade. India and Pakistan reviewed the status of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction on the holding of meetings on the issues of Counter-Terrorism (including progress on Mumbai trial) and Narcotics Control; Humantarian issues; Commercial & Economic cooperation; Wullar Barrage / Tulbul Navigation Project; Sir Creek; Siachen; Peace & Security including CBMs; Jammu & Kashmir; and promotion of Friendly Exchanges. Both nations held substantive discussions on the whole range of issues within the framework of the Dialogue process and expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved since their last review meeting in July 2011. India and Pakistan reaffirmed the importance of carrying forward the dialogue process with a view to resolving peacefully all outstanding issues through constructive and result oriented engagement, and to establish friendly, cooperative and good neighborly relations between Pakistan and India. The nations agreed that terrorism poses a continuing threat to peace and security. They reaffirmed the strong commitment of the two countries to fight terrorism in an effective and comprehensive manner so as to eliminate the scourge in all its forms and manifestations. Both nations attached importance to promoting Peace and Security, including Confidence Building Measures, between the two countries and agreed to convene separate meetings of the Expert Groups on Nuclear and Conventional CBMs, in New Delhi in the second half of December 2012. The nations held discussions on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and agreed to the need for continued discussions, in a purposeful and forward-looking manner, with a view to finding a peaceful solution. The Ministers reviewed the existing Cross-LoC CBMs and acknowledged that the ceasefire was holding since 2003. They also reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken regarding travel and trade across the Line of Control (LoC) in their last meeting in July 2011. *India and Saudi Arabia held their first talk on defence ties: The Joint Committee on defence cooperation from Saudi Arabia and India met for creation of defence ties on 11 September 2012. Decisions for this establishment of joint committees was decided during the visit of Indian defence minister A.K. Antony to Saudi Arabia and his meet with the Crown Prince and defence minister of Saudi Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in February 2012. KITE4education.com
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The 11 member team from Saudi Arabia was headed by the Chief of the Armed Forces Operations of Saudi Arabia Maj Gen Suleiman Saleh Al-Khalifa. The Indian side was headed by the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence. Both the sides met for formulation of the program that can enhance the areas of cooperation between the defence establishments of two nations. This upswing in the relationship between India and Saudi Arabia has been in existence ever since the visit of King Abdullah to New Delhi in the year 2006. The two nations inked several agreements on certain factors like narcotics, energy, money laundering, counterterrorism and extradition in the 2010. *India and Tajikistan went ahead on strategic partnership and signed six agreements: India and Tajikistan on 3 September 2012 signed six agreements in the field of sports, health, culture, education, labour, textiles and energy. *India Assumes Rotating Presidency of UNSC: India, which assumed the rotating Presidency of the UNSC today, hopes to reach out to other nations in garnering support for expansion of the world body's top decision-making arm besides seeking a comprehensive anti-piracy strategy to tackle the maritime menace. India will have a "very full agenda" as President of the powerful 15-nation UN Security Council this month, with every troubled spot in world, including Yemen, Libya, Syria, Sudan, the Palestinian question and terrorism expected to be discussed at the UNSC in November 2012. India had last held the Council presidency in August 2011. Its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council would end this year. *India China agreed to set up Joint Working Group on Trade and Investments: India and China agreed to set up a joint working group (JWG) to look into issues related to trade and investments. The decision to set up the JWG was taken at the meeting of India-China Joint Group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science and Technology in New Delhi on 27 August 2012. Besides, the two nations also agreed to adopt a five-year plan on economic cooperation. The ministerial level meeting was attended by Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and his Chinese counterpart Chen Deaming. The working group will submit its report within three months. The working group is set up even as India has expressed serious concerns over the widening trade deficit with its neighbour and sought a correction. On its part, China expressed India & World - News 51
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serious concern over the imposition of duty on import of power equipment by New Delhi. The total bilateral trade between India and China for 2011-12, stood at 75457.42 million dollar as compared with 59000.36 million dollar in 201011. During 2011-12, the exports were 17902.98 million dollar while the imports stood at 57554.44 million dollar. The provisional trade deficit for 2011-12 was 39651.46 million dollar. The Joint Group on Economic Relations, Trade, Science & Technology was formed in 1988 when then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Beijing. *India established Diplomatic Relations with Niue: Minister of State for External Affairs of India E Ahamed and Prime Minister of Niue H. E. Toke Talagi signed a Joint Communiqu on the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and Niue, at Cook Islands, on 30 August 2012. NIUE is a Pacific island country, which is a member of regional bodies such as the Pacific Island Forum and the Pacific Community and also of UNESCO, WTO and FAO. It is an island of 1400 inhabitants, which is also known as the worlds first Wi-Fi nation, in which free wireless Internet access is provided throughout the country. NIUE is also known as the Rock of Polynesia, and is situated 2400 km northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest and the Cook Islands to the southeast. Since 2002, India has intensified its cooperative relations with all countries in pacific island region. India always actively participated as a 'Dialogue Partner' of the Pacific Island Forum, a regional group of Pacific Island countries. The country has always been engaged in assisting in the development of the island countries of the Pacific. *India extended a credit of $10 Million aid to Palestine in a gesture of support: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a support of $10 Million to Palestine during a meet with Palestines National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on 11 September 2012. Palestinian president was here in Indian on a three day visit from 10 to 12 September 2012. Mr. Singh also promised his Palestinian counterpart about Indias backing for their full and equal membership of the U.N. the one that is threatened by US for veto. During the meet, both the sides inked three different agreements comprising information and communication technology, education and vocational training. The agreements were inked in presence of the Indian external Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and the member of executive KITE4education.com
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committee of Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Dr. Saeb M.S. Erakat. A MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed up to set up two schools at two districts of Palestine namely Abu Dees and Asera Al Shamalyeh, which will be named on the name of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Indias first Prime Minister. Cost estimated for the construction of the two schools is US$ 1.8 million and will help about eight hundred students of these districts to fetch quality education. The schools at Abu Dees and Asera Al Shamalyeh will be constructed in an area of 1700 and 1900 square meter with 10 and 12 classes respectively. In the second agreement, India will set a state-ofthe-art information and communication technology center in Palestine to create IT experts and generate opportunities of employment. To make the center of Palestine self reliable, some of the IT professionals from Palestine will be trained here in India to a higher level. As per the third agreement, India will participate in providing vocational training to the women and youth of Palestine. The training will include technical and machinery know-how to. Prime Minister Mr. Singh stated that he supported the Palestinian cause to achieve independent, sovereign and united state of Palestine and East Jerusalem as a capital to the state. *India faces Afghan test, as ally calls for military aid: Afghan military commanders and intelligence officials have begun urging India to provide direct military assistance to the countrys fledgling armed forces following a series of skirmishes with Pakistani troops. For India, the Afghan military demands present a strategic dilemma, as well as the first real test of the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Hamid Karzai on October 4. The accord, Afghanistans first with any country, opened up the prospect of significantly expanding military cooperation far beyond training the countrys military and police personnel, Indias main contribution so far. India fears being sucked into a military relationship with Afghanistan that could enrage Pakistan a country which has long worried that its northern neighbor could be used as a base for aggression by its historic eastern adversary. Islamabad has, in the past, alleged that Indias intelligence services are using Afghanistan to back secessionists in Balochistan, as well as jihadists fighting the Pakistani state. Fighting along the Durand Line the 2,640 km frontier drawn by British administrator Mortimer India & World - News 52
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Durand of British India and Afghan Amir Abdur Rahman Khan in 1893, but never ratified by Kabul has erupted periodically since 9/11. In the summer of 2003, the Afghan government claimed Pakistan established bases up to 600 metres inside its territory, along the Yaqubi Kandao pass. Even though the skirmishes that broke out were local, they set a pattern. In 2007, clashes broke out again when the Pakistan army sought to erect fences inside Afghan territory in the Angoor Adda area, along the border with South Waziristan. Like this autumn, both sides exchanged artillery fire. The latest clashes were sparked off by a succession of attacks by jihadist groups operating in the Kunar area, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which are alleged to have the backing of local Pakistan army units. *India for peaceful resolution of South China sea dispute: As a result of increased sparring between China and its neighbours regarding disputed oil blocks in the South China Sea, India reiterated that the region was key to its energy security, and the conflict must be resolved peacefully as per international laws. Indias Ambassador to Vietnam Ranjit Rae also noted that half of Indias export and import go through the South China Sea. China has been opposing resolution of the dispute under international laws, and insisting on resolving the issue through bilateral talks with the respective countries. Fresh tension engulfed the region, after China sent four surveillance naval ships to patrol the sea, in a bid to assert its sovereignty on a host of islands, which are also claimed by a number of states, including Vietnam and Philippines, as part of their exclusive economic zone. The situation deteriorated recently, after Chinas state-owned oil firm, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), called for bids from foreign companies, offering exploration of oil in nine blocks in the South China Sea, sparking off protests in Hanoi. Vietnam said the oil blocks belong to its exclusive economic zone. A part of the oil block number 128, which was contracted to ONGC for oil exploration by Petro Vietnam, also fell under the blocks that CNOOC put up for bidding. ONGC wanted to surrender the oil block number 128, after a study found that oil exploration wouldnt be financially viable. However, it agreed to re-examine the decision, if Petro Vietnam renewed the contract. A final decision by ONGC is expected if Petro Vietnam extends the contract. China has been asking India to refrain from KITE4education.com
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undertaking oil exploration in the Vietnamese blocks, in order to provide peace and stability in the area. Unfazed by Chinese protests, India had inked an agreement with Vietnam in October 2011, to expand and promote oil exploration in the South China Sea. The Chinese claim on the South China Sea has been rejected by both India and Vietnam, saying as per the UN, the blocks belong to Vietnam. India has already made it clear that the entire Indian Ocean region, stretching from the East African coast to the South China Sea, remains crucial to its foreign trade, energy, and national security. The despatching of ships by China came as the Philippines and Vietnam made strong moves to assert their claims on some of the resource-rich islands. Besides the two, BRUNEI, MALAYSIA, AND TAIWAN, too, have made strong claims on the islands, which China claims as its inherent territory. While the Philippines has sent its naval vessels to PANATAG SHOAL, which China calls HUANGYAN ISLAND, the Vietnamese Parliament has passed a new law asserting that XISHA AND NANSHA ISLANDS, as they are called by China, are part of its territory. ONGC was given permission to explore oil in the region by the Vietnamese government in 1988, and these explorations are purely commercial in nature. Seeking maintenance of status quo till the dispute is resolved, he said all the concerned countries should do their best to guarantee peace in the region, and honour the declaration of the code of conduct. Indicating Indias strong resolve to remain engaged in Vietnamese oil blocks, he said the country had a huge requirement of energy, as its growth rates could be sustained with a stable and growing supply of energy. This is a very important year in the bilateral relationship between India and Vietnam. We are celebrating 40 years of establishment of diplomatic relationship, and five years of establishment of strategic partnership.
*India game for US entry in Indian Ocean rim block: In a bid to expand its engagement in the region, the US has stepped up efforts to become a dialogue partner for the 19-member grouping of the Indian Ocean rim countries, known as the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC). India has already welcomed the move, and the two countries have agreed to increase India & World - News 53
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cooperation in the region. However, Iran is set to oppose the move, making it difficult for the US to join because the group states that all matters and issues at all levels should be taken on the basis of consensus. India is hosting the apex body of the IOR-ARC, the council of ministers meet at the foreign ministerlevel, in Gurgaon on November 2. The meet is likely to focus on issues such as maritime security. At present, the dialogue partners of the grouping are China, Japan, UK, France and Egypt. As the grouping is of considerable economic and strategic importance, the US would now like to make its presence felt too. The prominent members of the grouping are India, Australia, South Africa, Oman, UAE, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Kenya, Indonesia, Mauritius and Malaysia. As many of these nations share close security ties with the US, it will be consistent with the greater interest shown by Washington in the region. Indian Ocean is vital for the transportation of oil and conduct of other forms of global trade. As far as India is concerned, over 97% of its international trade by volume and 75% by value pass through it. Though the IOR-ARC is yet to find its bearings, it has great economic potential its combined GDP is likely to cross $9 trillion by 2016. *India joins TAPI project; builder selection via global bid: India gave its last and final assent to join the proposed four nation TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project with the rider that the leader of the builderoperator consortium be selected through a global bidding based on transport tariff. 6 years ago, New Delhi gave an in-principle approval to join the project that would provide 411.173 billion cubic metres of Turkmen gas over 30 years. Since then, all major issues have been resolved except for indexation formula linked to the transit fee. A final round of negotiations will be held to finalise the indexation formula as a trilateral consensus has been arrived for a uniform transit fee rate of 49.5 cents per million British thermal units. The Turkmen gas would cost little less than $11 per mBtu at prevailing crude oil price of $100 per barrel. The pipeline would originate from Turkmenistans Galkynysh gas field to reach Fazilka in Punjab, via the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar and Quetta and Multan in Pakistan. *India lauds United States joining Indian Ocean group: India pitched for more robust "cooperative KITE4education.com
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regionalism" among countries which share the Indian Ocean, a new theatre of maritime competition, and lauded the inclusion of the US as a sixth dialogue partner of the 20-member regional organization. The Union of Comoros, an archipelago of four islands and several islets in the western Indian Ocean, also joined the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) as its 20th member. The 12th meeting of council of ministers of the IORARC unanimously approved the US' inclusion as a dialogue partner, providing greater heft to the 15year-old organisation which was set up in 1997 to foster greater maritime cooperation among littoral states of the Indian Ocean. China, Japan, Egypt, France and Britain are the other dialogue partners in the regional body. The ministers also approved Indonesia as the next vice-chair of the regional body after Australia takes over as the chair of the IOR-ARC next year. A consensus, however, eluded on re-naming the IORARC, which is seen as unwieldy and unpronounceable. The 19 members of the IOR-ARC are Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, the Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the UAE and Yemen. The meeting culminated in "GURGAON COMMUNIQUE", which puts maritime stability and counter-piracy cooperation at the heart of the agenda. *India, Afghanistan and Iran to set up Joint Working Group to spur Trade: Iran, India and Afghanistan discussed options for investment in the Chabahar Port, located in southeast Iran. In a crucial trilateral meeting held on 26 August 2012 ahead of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, the three nations agreed to set up a joint working group to spur trade and transit through the Iranian port of Chabahar. Iran is hosting the 16th Nan-Aligned Movement Summit in capital Tehran from 26 August to 31 August 2012. *India, Australia to begin talks on civil N-pact: India and Australia have decided to begin negotiations for a bilateral civil nuclear agreement. For Australia, such a pact is a prerequisite to selling uranium to other countries. India and Australia, as Chair and Vice Chair respectively of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation, will work closely to strengthen the Association through concrete steps in the six priority areas of maritime security and piracy, fisheries management, disaster risk reduction, tourism and cultural exchanges, academic and S&T cooperation and trade and investment facilitation. *India, Canada Conclude Talks on Uranium Sales: India & World - News 54
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India and Canada developed a mechanism for transport of the Canadian Uranium to India. Thus, India succeeded in clearing the mistrust generated on the Canadian side after the nuclear explosion from India in 1974. Both the sides were successful inking the agreement on the mechanism of shipment of the Canadian Uranium to India for the first time after 1974. The nuclear cooperation agreement was inked b/w the two nations two years ago but their remained hurdles of mistrust on the Canadian side of how would India use the uranium provided by Canada in its nuclear power plants. After crossing over the hurdles its now believed that the shipment of Uranium to India would benefit India as it would bring millions of dollars in the new business and would create quality jobs in India. *India, China discussed Border security and Bilateral Defence ties: For expanding defence cooperation, India and China on September 4, 2012, agreed to resume joint military exercises that were postponed since 2010 due the denial of visa to the then Northern Army Commander Lt Gen BS Jaswal by China in 2010, resulting to which New Delhi had suspended all bilateral defence exchanges with Beijing. This is the first visit after eight years by a Chinese defence minister to India. The last time a Chinese defence minister visited India was in 2004. A growing competition between the two emerging powers was highlighted as they are pushing up for influence and resources across Asia. Both the two sides went ahead on a wide range of issues relating to defence and military. The result of the meeting happened so that the both sides agreed to strengthen border security cooperation between the troops in order to maintain peace in the border areas. *India, Finland sign social security agreement: India and Finland signed a comprehensive social security agreement that will relieve their workers from double taxation while working in each other's country. Under the agreement, India workers on short term contracts of up to five years will not be required to make any social security contribution in Finland provided they continue to make social security payments India. The relief will be available to Indian workers even if an Indian company sends its employees to Finland from a third country. India has already signed similar agreements with Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Hungary, Denmark, Czech Republic, South Korea and Norway. KITE4education.com
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Social security agreements eliminate double payment on social security contribution, exempt detached workers from host country legislation and enable portability of pension and prevent loss of benefits. *India, Israel ink academic research agreement: India and Israel signed an academic research agreement to jointly collaborate in the areas of medicine, technologies, humanities, arts and social sciences. An MoU was signed in this regard between the University Grants Commission and Israel Science Foundation for launching a three-year 'India-Israel Joint Research Program' which would bring together scientists and researchers from two countries to carry forward academic research in these areas. *India, Maldives holding joint military training exercises: Personnel from the Indian Army and Maldives National Defence Force will hold a joint military exercise in Karnataka. This will be the fourth joint military training exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives defence force. 'EKUVERIN 2012' will be held in Belgaum, Karnataka from November 12 to 25. *India, Myanmar and Thailand decided to implement Trilateral Connectivity Project by 2016: India, Myanmar and Thailand today took stock of the eagerly awaited trilateral connectivity project and decided to make all efforts to implement it by 2016. The India-Myanmar-Thailand Joint Task Force meeting on the trilateral highway project was held here in which all sides reviewed the present status of the project and discussed future steps. It was recalled that the idea of a trilateral highway from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand through Myanmar was conceived at the trilateral ministerial meeting on transport linkages in Yangon in April 2002. The trilateral highway represents the most significant step in the establishment of connectivity between India and South East Asian countries. It was also agreed during the meeting that steps be initiated to address issues related to harmonisation of customs and immigration procedures at border check-posts to enable seamless movement of goods and people to realise the full potential of the trilateral highway. *India, Pakistan panels discuss ways to resolve Sir Creek dispute: The experts proposed a joint scientific centre in the area for environmental studies while stressing on the need to resolve the issue bilaterally in line with the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration without any change in the area's status. India & World - News 55
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Besides this, the experts called for the establishment of a joint working group to recommend detailed redeployment and oversee implementation of the process with variability in process likely due to changing weather conditions. They also called for FORCE DISENGAGEMENT during summer besides determination of place(s) to which redeployment will be effected along with the timeframe and mechanism for joint management of the demilitarized zone as recommended by the joint working group. The formula proposed the PRIMARY MONITORING AND VERIFICATION MECHANISMS to be both bilateral and cooperative. "The two essentials will be monitoring and verification during disengagement and thereafter for the demilitarized zone to ensure no reoccupation of the glacier.'' The participants agreed that AN IN-DEPTH KASHMIR CONFERENCE be held to discuss all socio-political, economic aspects on the issue to arrive at major conclusions and practical recommendations. Sir Creek Dispute The creek, which opens up to the Arabian Sea, has been one of the several points of contentions between the neighbours. India has long held that the creek boundary should be in the middle of the estuary, while Pakistan claims that the border should lie on the southeast bank. The 96-kilometre disputed area lies between the Indian state of Gujarat and Pakistans Sindh province. The Sir Creek dispute goes back almost 100 years. The creek is a 100-km long water body that stretches from the marshes at the edge of the Rann of Kutch to the Arabian Sea. In 1913, it came to be contested between the Rao Saheb of Kutch and the chief commissioner of Sindh. There was a difference of perceptions between the Indian princely state and the British province as to the boundary between them. *India, Russia sign pact for SMERCH rockets: India's Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) signed a MoU for a joint venture with Rosoboronexport and Splav SPA to manufacture five versions of Smerch Rockets based on the technology received from Russia. After indigenizing the technology of SMERCH rockets, OFB will attain new heights in manufacturing of the advanced rocket system, it added. At present, the Army's Artillery is equipped with DRDO-developed Pinaka MBRLs, which have a range of about 40 km. This weapon was successfully tried and tested in the Kargil war to KITE4education.com
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evict the Pakistanis. Russia is India's largest defence partner with over 70 percent of Indian armed forces equipment coming from that country. The two nations already have a successful joint venture in the design, development and manufacture of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. They have also tied up for the joint design and development of the fifth generation fighter aircraft and the medium transport aircraft. *India, Russia, China unite on North Korea: Foreign ministers of India, Russia and China asked all parties in the standoff over North Korea to show restraint after Pyongyang's much-heralded rocket plunged into the sea after sparking global concerns. The statement at the end of the trilateral meeting also known as RIC - between Lavrov, S M Krishna and Yang Jiechi came just hours before the UN Security Council was to meet in New York to discuss a possible condemnation of the launch. Now, opposition from veto-wielding China and Russia means new sanctions are highly unlikely. The last trilateral meetings were held in Wuhan, China, in 2010 and Bangalore in 2009. The 12th RIC foreign ministers meeting will be held in India. *India, UK for reforms and increasing funds in IMF: Pitching for quota and governance reforms in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India and Britain said the funds of the multilateral lending agency should be adequately increased to help it play a meaningful role in mitigating global economic problems. The two sides were of the view that the quota and governance reforms of IMF be implemented within the agreed timelines. India & UK during the 5th Ministerial level IndiaUK Economic & Financial Dialogue (EFD), agreed that while the global economy has stabilised in recent months, growth will remain subdued and at risk from a series of threats. The two countries agreed to remain committed to pursuing the financial regulatory reform agenda as per the time table agreed in G-20, in an internationally consistent and non-discriminatory manner. They also recognised the need for countries to sign the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters and engage in automatic exchange of information, where legally required, improving tax compliance and decreasing tax evasion. *India, US to hold joint military exercise at Fort India & World - News 56
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Bragg in 2013: The fort-night long "Yudh Abhyas" from May 3 to 17 is an exchange of combat units between the two countries - with each of them hosting it every alternate year. *India-China row over the Chemical Meta Phenylene Diamine: India started investigation into the dumping of Chinese chemical Phenylene Diamine(C6H8N2) on 15 July 2012. Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGDA) started an investigation regarding this chemical. DGDA identified sufficient evidence for the dumping of Meta Phenylene Diamine from china. They will determine its existence, degree and effect of alleged dumping and if the charges would be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic industry. As soon as their investigation will be over, the Commerce Ministry and the finance Ministry would recommend the duty and impose the restrictive duty respectively. Meta Phenylene Diamine is the chemical that is mainly used in the photography and medical applications. *Indian envoy in South Sudan on oil mission: Responding to the ongoing conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, India has appointed a special envoy to broker peace between the two countries that hold the key to India's pursuit of oil and other hydrocarbon resources in Africa. The foreign ministry's decision to send a special envoy to these countries came three months after China, with whom New Delhi is locked in a fierce geopolitical battle to tap energy resources in Africa, sent its own special envoy to handle the crisis and protect Beijing's oil interests. MEA additional secretary AMARENDRA KHATUA, who handles the passport division, is on a visit to both Juba and Khartoum as India's special envoy to help promote peace and protect India's interests in other African nations as well. The escalating conflict between the two nations, which has led Juba to suspend production and shipment altogether, is threatening to imperil ONGC Videsh Limited's (OVL) investments of close to $3 billion into the undivided country. South Sudan has the largest oil reserve in Africa after Angola. It walked away with 75% of the oil fields of the undivided country after South Sudan was carved out last year. However, in the absence of any processing infrastructure, its authorities are seeking help from OVL to build pipelines, oil stores and refineries. With all not hunky-dory between Beijing and Juba yet, mainly due to China's support to the regime in Khartoum for years against the rebels, South Sudan also offers a rare opportunity for India to get even with China. Officials cited the fact that in KITE4education.com
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February Juba expelled the chief of the Chinese owned biggest oil firm in South Sudan for facilitating "oil theft" by Khartoum. One of the reasons Indian authorities have been forced out of their slumber is that OVL's production this year has gone down considerably (about 4%) because of unrest in countries like Sudan and Syria. It has suffered in Africa because of the differences between Sudan and South Sudan, with Khartoum seeking tariffs for allowing the newly formed nation to use its processing and refining facilities. South Sudan has retaliated by stopping shipment altogether through Sudanese facilities. The differences soon turned into an armed conflict with Sudan even using fighter jets to target South Sudan troops and also its oil fields. Sources said that Khatua is also likely to visit other African nations as India gives shape to its plans to tap energy resources. Seen earlier as playing only catch up to China, India started to be looked upon as serious player in Africa only after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's extended visit to the continent last year. During his visit, Singh announced India's decision to offer $5 billion for the next three years under lines of credit to help Africa achieve its development goals. *Indians worried about changes in labour laws in Saudi Arabia: A new labor law, which came into force in November in Saudi Arabia, has become a talking point for Indian expatriates, who form the largest group of foreign workers here. As of November 15, Saudi employers having a workforce of less than 50 per cent of Saudi nationals must pay a monthly fee of SR200 (US$54) for each extra foreign worker. While workers are worried that their employers will make them pay for the extra expat fee, the employers are concerned about losing their foreign staff. *India-US-Japan trilateral meet: The US' 'pivot-toAsia' policy, Iran, China-Japan maritime dispute and South China Sea will be among the issues to be discussed during the 3rd round of India-US-Japan Trilateral dialogue apart from finding areas of cooperation between the three countries. The USs policy of 'PIVOT TO ASIA', an American move driven by the allure of emerging Asian economies, especially China and India. Another reason includes the draw-down of US forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan, which enables the US military to concentrate more resources on the Asia-Pacific. The US is also expected to talk about Iran's contentious nuclear programme. Japan will be briefing about its maritime dispute with China. Discussion on the increasing Chinese influence in South China Sea is also expected to India & World - News 57
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figure during the trilateral, sources said. The three sides will also explore the possibilities of cooperation in various strategic areas, including piracy and safety of sea lanes in Asia Pacific amidst increasing Chinese influence in the region. *Indo-Afghan partnership pact set in motion: The two countries also set in motion the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, inked last year during Afghan President Hamid Karzai's visit to India, by LAUNCHING THE PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL, co-chaired by external affairs minister SM Krishna and his Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul. The Council is the nodal point to coordinate with various ministries of the two countries as envisaged under the Strategic Partnership Agreement between them. Try answering this question. What does this strategic partnership entail in terms of Indias interest?. It will be discussed in our class. *Indo-Bangla team visits ASHUGANJ PORT: A 20-member joint team of Bangladesh and India visited Ashuganj River Port and the Meghna River to study what infrastructure it would require to transit goods from Paschimbanga to "seven sisters" of India through the port. The two countries have agreed to re-excavate important rivers linked to river transport for making a proper use of the port. *Japan, India ink currency swap accord: Japan and India inked a US$15 billion currency swap agreement, the Bank of Japan, in the latest sign of cooperation between the Asian giants. The deal means the pair can swap each others currency into US dollars with a maximum value of US$15 billion through their central banks as a shield against short-term funding problems and excessive volatility on forex markets. The three-year pact expands a previous currency arrangement between the two countries that lasted from 2008 to 2011 with a maximum value of US$3 billion. *Japan, India sign rare earths pact: India and Japan today inked two strategic agreements including one that will enable Tokyo to import rare earth minerals, a move which will help it to reduce its heavy reliance on China for the key material that is vital for producing a range of high-tech products. Japan is hoping that the deal with India will help reduce its reliance on China for rare earth minerals at a time when it is involved in a conflict with KITE4education.com
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Beijing over the Senkaku islands. The other deal - Social Security Agreement - will immediately benefit about 30,000 citizens of both countries. About 22,000 Indians working in Japan and about 8,000 Japanese are employed in India and their social security contributions won't be deducted in both countries. *Kudankulam: Sri Lanka threatens to go to IAEA: Sri Lanka has threatened to go to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claiming it is threatened by the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. Colombo has said that it is concerned about safety in case of a Fukushima-like disaster that may hurt the Island nation. The official raising of concern with the International Atomic Energy is to be made in September, the power and energy minister of Sri Lanka CHAMPIKA RANAWAKA said. Lanka's move is being seen as an apparent retaliation to India's vote against it at the UN Human Rights Council in March. India had voted in favour of a US-led resolution against war crimes in Sri Lanka at the UNHRC on March 22. The Kudankulam nuclear plant in India's Southern coast is just 250 km from Sri Lanka's northwest coastal town of Mannar. *Moscow Authorities Announced Demolishing Only Hindu Temple by January 2013: The only Hindu temple in Russia, ISKCON was scheduled to be demolished by Moscow authorities by 15 January 2013. The ISKCON monks announced that the Hindu temple was facing closure by Russian government, a year after the country had sought ban of Bhagvad Gita. As Vladimir Putin, the Russian President arrives in India on 24 December 2012 for negotiations with the Government of India; there are hardly any chances that the issue of ISKCON would be discussed because it was followed already by foreign ministry. The Indian ambassador to Russia had requested Moscow authorities for giving extension regarding temporary temple which would expire on 31 December 2012, until the construction of Vedic cultural centre is completed. The temple was scheduled to be demolished on the grounds that it violated the urban building code. Additionally, it did not have any legal grounds for its existence. The ISKCON monk finally also confirmed that the demolition order was not cancelled, which is why the temple would be demolished in January 2013. Moscows Mayor Sergey Sobyanin had also India & World - News 58
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ordered to cut down the permanent temple project, which was included by Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov in the joint declaration back in 2006 for cultural cooperation between these cities. In the year 2004, ISKCON temple in Moscow was demolished and another plot was offered to ISKCON group for building the temple. However, this offer was again withdrawn after the members of Russian Orthodox Church had protested against building plans of the temple. In 2011, ban on Bhagvad Gita by Russia was also discussed in Lok Sabha and Parliament had asked unanimously to Russia for preventing the ban. The issue of demolition would hamper the bilateral relations once more. *Open India film festival: A festival of Indian cinema and culture in Moscow as part of year-long festivities to mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Russia. The Open India programme also includes fashion-shows, photo exhibitions, cooking shows, lectures and masterclasses. Reciprocating Open India, a festival of Russia will be held in India later this year. *Pakistan Delays Decision to Rename Lahore Landmark after Bhagat Singh: Pakistan's decision to rename Lahores Shadman Chowk after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh has been put on hold following protests from hardliners like the Jamaat-ud-Dawah and a section of local residents. The decision to rename Shadman Chowk as Bhagat Singh Chowk, to acknowledge his role in the struggle for Indian independence from the British colonizers before the partition of India to form Pakistan, was announced by the city district government of Lahore Sept. 29. Civil society activists from both India and Pakistan hold candlelight vigils at this location the spot where Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged on March 23, 1931 every year on the anniversary of the execution, often holding signboards proclaiming the place as BHAGAT SINGH CHOWK. However, according to a report in the Express Tribune, 13 people objected to the decision to rename the locality, at a hearing to elicit public opinion, saying Pakistan was a Muslim country and its major roads and squares should be named after the Muslims, not the Hindus or the Sikhs. Only six people supported the move. *President of Russia Vladmir Putin Visited India to attend 13th India-Russia Annual Summit: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the President of Russia visited India on 24 December 2012 at the Invitation of KITE4education.com
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Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India to attend 13th India-Russia Annual Summit. During the visit the Russian President met the Prime Minister of India - Manmohan Singh and the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. During this visit of President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reviewed the progress made in all the important areas of mutual cooperation, comprising sectors like energy, trade, high technology and military-technical cooperation. Both these leaders discussed on extending the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries. Some of the issues of discussion were: Promoting Trade and Investment Deepening Energy Partnership Science and Technology Cooperation Education Cultural and Humanitarian Exchanges Promoting Ties in Space Stepping Up Military-Technical Cooperation Coordination on International and Regional Issues Combating Terrorism Supporting Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Efforts Promoting Cooperation among Emerging Economies Situation in Syria Stabilizing the Afghan Situation Iran's Nuclear Programme Recovery and Strengthening of Global Economy, Reforming the International Financial Architecture Environment/Sustainable Development *President okays Pak-India visa accord: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday confirmed Pakistans ratification of the visa agreement between Pakistan and India, signed between the two countries on September 8, 2012 during the visit of Indian external affairs minister to Pakistan. The cabinet of Pakistan had accorded its approval to this agreement during its meeting held on September 5, 2012 and approved the ratification of the Subject Protocol on October 31, 2012. Under this agreement, besides diplomatic, nondiplomatic and official visas, a visitor visa will be issued to a person visiting the other country to meet relatives or friends or for any other legitimate purpose. This visa will be valid for a maximum of five specified places and shall be for a period not exceeding six months. The visa shall also specify that the duration of stay of the visitor at a time shall not exceed three months. The agreement says that a visitor visa for a maximum of five specified places may be issued for a longer period of up to two years with multiple entries to senior citizens (those above 65 years of age); national India & World - News 59
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of one country, married to a national of the other country; and children below 12 years of age accompanying parent(s). According to the agreement, transit visa valid for up to two entries in the city/port of entry for 36 hours in each case will be issued to persons traveling by air or sea and proceeding to another country through Pakistan/India. Such transit visa will be obtained before undertaking the travel. No visa will be required for a passenger directly transiting through an airport/seaport, but his/her stay shall be confined to the area in the airport/seaport set apart for international transit passengers. The visa agreement also says that group tourist visa may be issued to individual applicants for travel in group, with not less than 10 members and not more than 50 members in each group, organised by approved tour operators/travel agents. Such visas will be valid for upto 30 days and will be non-extendable. The group tourist visa facility will also be available to students of educational institutions of both countries. However, this will be a tourist visa only and not for seeking admission in educational institutions of either country. Such tours should be organised by known and reputed academic institutions with sponsorship from a similar institution, purely for non-religious purpose and prior clearance for the tour should be taken by the approved tour operator from the host country. On business visa, the agreement says that this visa will be issued to bona fide businessmen in the following categories, who intend to travel for business purposes between India and Pakistan; businessmen with an income of half-a-million Pakistani rupees or equivalent per annum, or turnover/gross sale of PKRs3 million or equivalent will be given one year business visa, with five places for up to four entries. Businessmen with an income of at least PKRs5 million or equivalent per annum or turnover of PKRs30 million or equivalent per annum will be given one year multiple entry business visas for up to 10 places, with exemption from police reporting. The visa shall specify that the period of stay of the businessman at a time shall not exceed 30 days. The maximum time taken in processing of a business visa will not exceed more than five weeks. The pilgrim visas will be issued to pilgrims intending to visit religious shrines as per the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, or any future revision to the Protocol. Such visas will need to be applied at least 45 days before the commencement of the intended tour. These visas will be issued for a single entry, restricted to 15 days validity and would be nonextendable. The agreement says that people of more than 65 years of age will be granted single entry visa on arrival at the Attari/Wagha Checkpost for 45 days. This visa will be non-extendable and non-convertible.
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*India Vows to Protect S. China Sea Interests: As KITE4education.com
India vows to protect its interests in the South China Sea, China has reiterated that it has indisputable sovereignty of the islands and the surrounding waters. India is not directly involved in the disputes over the South China Sea, but has begun gas exploration in the waters which China claims. Navy Chief Admiral, D.K. Joshi made the assertion that India will not back off from protecting its maritime and economic interests. Joshi said that although India is not a territorial claimant to the South China Sea, it will deploy naval vessels there as necessary. Indias state-run oil agency, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has a stake in a portion of the sea which Vietnam says is its exclusive economic zone. China, which claims much of the South China Seas waters and islands, has been locked in a series of disputes with East Asian countries like Vietnam and Philippines. Tensions have been escalating centered in, the resource-rich waters, with some analysts expressing fears of conflict. In the past India, had been a largely passive observer to the growing tensions in the South China Sea. Indian officials say that the South China Sea region is key to its energy security. Half of the countrys imports and exports also go through the waters and New Delhi says it wants safety and security for international ships. Some Indian analysts also say that, if China has a right to naval cooperation with neighboring countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, India has a similar right in the South China Sea. INDIAEX 2012 INDIAEX 2012: The U.S. and Indian navies bilateral exercise. First time where the compatibility of a U.S. Navys Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS) with Indian navy submarines will be estimated. The INDIAEX-2012 is dubbed unique since it will demonstrate the rescuing of trapped submariners from deep under the sea. The demonstration of the submarine rescue facilities is crucial to India since it has an ageing fleet of 14 diesel-electric submarines which includes 10 Russian `Kilo' class and four German HDW ones. Apart from these, India has leased the nuclearpowered INS Chakra from Russia earlier this year. India also hopes to make its own nuclear submarine INS Arihant operational next year which will be followed by six French Scorpene submarines, being constructed at Mazagon Docks and slated for delivery in 2015-2020. While the US Navy uses a DEEPSUBMERGENCE RESCUE VESSEL (DSRV), India & World - News 60
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Indian sailors rely upon "submarine escape pressurized suits, or the help of diving support ships like INS Nireekshak which can only be used for shallow depths. As for a DSRV, which India lacks, it is equipped with pressurised chambers, sonars and cameras and can rescue 24 sailors at a time from a depth up to 610 metres. As for the deal for acquiring two DSRVs for the Indian Navy, it has been in a limbo for a decade. However, India managed to ink a contract with the US Navy in 1997 for its "global submarine rescue fly-away kit service, paying an initial $734,443 for it. In case of an emergency, the US rescue system can be transported to India within 72 hours. *Sikh soldier in UK faces colleagues' racial taunts: The British army's first Sikh soldier allowed to wear a turban rather than a bearskin on ceremonial duties has suffered abuse from his colleagues over his headgear and his refusal to cut hair and his beard. Guardsman Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar, 25, who joined the Scots guards this year, has been permitted to wear a turban outside Buckingham Palace, breaking hundreds of years of tradition. The decision by army bosses has proved controversial with Bhullar's fellow soldiers. SAVITA HALAPPANAVAR Besides medical inquiry, Ireland will also order a statutory inquiry into the death of Indian dentist SAVITA HALAPPANAVAR due to pregnancyrelated complications after being denied abortion, in a move seen as an attempt to meet her husbands demand for a full public probe. *US made Visa Application Rules for Indians More Flexible: The United States made the visa application rules for Indians more flexible. Under the new visa application norms Indians who aspire to travel US for business or holiday purpose would not have to pay visa fees again in the case of reapplication. In the cases like pending application or it had been put on hold for any reason, applicants won't be required to pay the visa fee again. The relieved visa application norm also immunes children under seven years of age free from any non-immigrant visa interview after completed visa form is submitted. The US consulate has also upgraded its emergency appointment module for applicants who seek visa for unforeseeable travel to the US. *US reiterate Diaoyu Islands under US-Japan treaty: The United States reiterated that the DIAOYU ISLANDS IN THE EAST CHINA SEA fall within the scope of the Japan-U.S. security treaty in talks with a senior Japanese diplomat. KITE4education.com
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NON-ALIGNMENT 2-0: A Foreign and Strategy Policy for India in the Twentyfirst Century. The document rightly stresses that the core objectives non-alignment were to ensure that India did not define its national interests or approach to world politics in terms of ideologies and goals that had been set elsewhere, that India retained maximum strategic autonomy to pursue its own development goals and that India worked to build national power as the foundation for creating a more just and equitable global order. The document further says that our objective should be to enhance Indias strategic space and capacity for independent policy-making which will create maximum options for our own internal development. *Visually impaired Indian-American Sachin Dev Pavithran to head US agency for the disabled: Obama named a visually impaired Indian-American Sachin Dev Pavithran to head an independent US agency devoted to people with disabilities. Sachin Dev Pavithran will soon become a member of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, the agency which is also known as the Access Board. The Access Board was established in 1973 to ensure design standards across the US to enable access to the physically impaired. India and Russia held joint naval exercise INDRA in Mumbai. The exercise was held in 20003 for the first time and is being conducted every two years. Its objective is to enhance interoperability, will be helpful in tackling threats like the pirates in the Gulf of Aden. It will also build greater cooperation and mutual understanding b/n two navies. *US seeks India's help over Iran nuclear issue: The US sought India's help to influence Iran to join international negotiations to break the logjam over Tehran's suspect nuclear programme and pitched for stronger economic and strategic ties between the two countries. The US pressed India to use its leverage with Tehran to persuade the latter to join the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) talks to resolve issues relating to the Iranian nuclear programme, suspected of developing nuclear weapons. The US and India are opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, but differs on the approaches to realize this objective. The US has imposed sanctions on Iran whereas India feels diplomacy is the best way to resolve the impasse. The prospects of closer collaboration in stabilizing Afghanistan and issues India & World - News 61
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*The Indian Embassy in UAE decided to hold Open Days: The Indian Embassy in UAE decided to hold Open Days on 15 May 2012. The Open days will be on a regular basis on the first Sunday of each month. They aim to addresses the grievances of the local Indian community regarding consular, community and other matters. The Open Days at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi will be held from 3 pm. In addition, the Consulate General of India in Dubai will start from 10 am on the first Sunday of every month. Indian Nationals hoping to meet the Ambassador, Consulate General or Senior Officials regarding their grievances. It will be possible without prior appointment during the Open Day. *Thorny issues in India-Russia engagement: Russia was unhappy with Indias refusal to waive civil liability for units III and IV of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) and failure to secure Russian telecom company Sistemas massive investment in the joint venture, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd (SSTL), while India was concerned over a year-long delay in the delivery of the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier. INDIA has overtaken Singapore to emerge as the largest importer in the Indian Ocean RimAssociation for Regional Cooperation (IORARC) region.
related to the East Asia summit also figured in the discussions. * MoD seeks clear picture of Augusta deal from Italy: Taking a serious note of media reports in Italy about middlemens involvement in defence deals with India, Defence Ministry wrote a letter to the Italian Government seeking details about Augusta Westland VVIP helicopter deal and alleged role of an Indian Army brigadier in the proposed 197 light helicopter deal. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), highest decision making body about procurements and headed by Antony. Incidentally, Augusta Westland helicopter could not qualify during the technical trials and the race is now between Eurocopter and Kamov. The Army will buy 133 light utility helicopters while the remaining will go to the IAF and the government is shortly going to announce the lowest bidder. *SUNITA WILLIAMS, the Indian-American astronaut, set off for her second space mission on 15 July 2012. NASA astronaut Williams was accompanied by Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and Japan's Akihito Hoshide aboard Russian Soyuz Spacecraft.
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Science & Technology Defence & Environment - News
* AKRUTI - KRUTIK - FORCE: BARC has launched DAE Societal Initiative for utilization of Non-Power Applications (NPAs) and Spinoff technologies (Spinoffs) in the area of water, land, agriculture, food processing and urban-rural waste management. Within this framework of societal initiative, structured programme called AKRUTI KRUTIK - FORCE has been formulated and is being implemented by BARC for techno-economic growth of the rural sector, as one of the many schemes for large-scale deployment of NPAs and Spinoffs. This programme will enable to take the fruits of technology to grass-root level to every villager in the remote corner and provide inclusive growth to the rural sector and tap the hidden innovative capability of large rural population. * 100th mission of ISRO - Preparations for the historic 100th mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were on with the space agency planning to launch PSLV C-21, which will carry two foreign satellites in September. ISRO plans to launch 720-kg SPOT-6 remote sensing satellite from France (built by ASTRIUM SAS) and a 15-kg Japanese spacecraft Protiers on board the home-grown Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C21) in September, in what is perceived as a major milestone of sorts. * A satellite that can warn us about solar storms: The Advanced Composition Explorer, or ACE satellite, floating 1.5 million km above the Earth, can warn us up to an hour before a large-magnitude solar storm or CORONAL MASS EJECTION (CME) strikes our technology-dependent world. The largest ever solar storm, known as the Carrington Event, disrupted the telegraph system in 1859. Today, a CME of that magnitude could cause a widespread breakdown of our technologies. CMEs occur when the sun's magnetic field becomes so entangled that it "snaps", releasing an enormous amount of energy. An array of satellites and ground-based observatories stare at the sun 24 hours a day, monitoring the skies for such events. * A triangular 'passenger plane of future' unveiled by NASA - The super plane so far only codenamed 'X-48C' is the brainchild of the US space agency NASA which is developing it in collaboration with aviation major Boeing. The new X-48C is a 'hybridwinged body' plane which offers more internal volume for passengers and cargo and the triangle shaped plane is reminiscent of spy planes, which cuts through the air more efficiently. * Agni-V missile test fired successfully, capable of KITE4education.com
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reaching China: India test-fired a long range missile capable of reaching deep into China and Europe thrusting the emerging Asian power into an elite club of nations with intercontinental nuclear weapons capabilities. The "Agni-V" ballistic missile has a strike range of over 5,000 km. The three stage, solid propellant missile was testfired from a mobile launcher from launch complex4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Wheeler Island off Odisha. Only the United States, Russia, France and China possess the capability to operate an ICBM at present. The surface-to-surface Agni-V is capable of striking a target more than 5,000 km away. It is about 17 meter long and two metre wide with launch weight of around 50 tonnes. The sophisticated missile can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. Agni-V has multiple independently targeted reentry (MIRV) capability. Its range is over 5000 Kms. A missile which has a range of 5500 Kms is termed as ICBM. MIRV enables a missile to hit several targets in an area. * Air pollution in Beijing reaches to dangerous levels: A yellow alert was issued by Chinese meteorological authority indicating dangerous levels of smog in Chinas northern and western regions, including major cities like Beijing and Chengdu. The density of PM2.5 particulates had surpassed 700 micrograms per cubic meter in many parts of the city, much above than the daily safety level of 25 micrograms per cubic meter as considered by the World Health Organization. PM is the short of Particulate Matter which describes condensed phase (solid or liquid) particles suspended in the atmosphere. Their potential for causing health problems is directly associated with the size of the particles. As per WHO standards, PM less than 2.5 m in diameter (PM2.5), are more closely linked to adverse health effects than other metrics such as PM10 (particles with a diameter less than 10 m). * Alfvn Waves in the Corona of the Sun DISCOVERED: For the very first time, powerful Alfvn waves -- magnetic plasma waves -- have been observed in the sun's corona. The plasma in the observed waves moves at speeds of 20 km/s and the waves themselves propagate at high speeds of 200 to 250 km/s. On Earth, these waves would cover the distance between Leuven, Belgium and New York City in approximately 30 seconds. The discovery of these powerful ALFVN WAVES is important because they may explain the high temperatures in the 63
Science & Technology + Defence & Environment - News
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sun's corona and the high speeds of solar wind. The existence of these was predicted by the Swedish scientist Hannes Alfvn in 1942. His prediction was initially received with skepticism but its great significance was later recognised. In 1970, H. Alfvn was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. The discovery of powerful Alfvn waves in the high atmosphere of the sun, which is now being reported in Nature, occurred with telescopes on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory -- a NASA satellite for solar observation. The corona is the outermost layer of the atmosphere of the sun, which we can only see as a ring of light during a total solar eclipse. The gas of the corona is ionised as a result of the high temperatures. Such hot, ionised gas is called plasma and has particular characteristics in the presence of magnetic fields. The whole corona is filled with magnetic fields of various strengths and forms. Plasma is glued to the magnetic field lines of these fields almost perfectly: when the plasma moves, the magnetic field lines move too and vice versa. * Australia clears plan to protect Murray-Darling Basin: Australia approved a plan aimed at saving vital Murray-Darling Basin river water system. The MurrayDarling Basin is a river network sprawling for one million square kilometres (400,000 square miles) across five Australian states (New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland South Australia) in the interior of south-eastern Australia. The two main rivers in this basin are the Murray River and the Darling River. The basin drains around 1/7th of the Australian land mass, and is one of the most important agricultural areas in Australia. The major threat to the basin is overexploitation and draught which has caused increase in concentration of salt and depletion of water. * Bacteria from Antarctica aids the setting up of bio-toilets in India: This humble bacteria known as PSYCHROPHILE holds the potential to solve India's sanitation problem in the years to come. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is using these bacteria for the bio-digester technology it developed for disposal of human waste in an eco-friendly manner. DRDO has already tied up with the Indian Railways for bio-toilets on trains. The toilets developed by DRDO were originally meant for harsh climates. They can function at temperatures ranging from -55 degree Celsius to 60 degree Celsius. DRDO scientists brought the bacteria from Antarctica and started to develop them to suit Indian standards. This bacteria breaks down human waste and produces colourless and odourless inflammable bio gas that comprises 50-70% KITE4education.com
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methane. * Biodiversity, climate change discussed in Buddhist conference: Over 60 representatives from 45 monasteries across the Himalayas and South Asia participated in the event organised by Rangjung Khoryug Sungkyob Tsokpa (RKST), an association of Buddhist monasteries that help protect the Himalayan region from environmental degradation. Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who heads RKST, said the Tibetan Plateau is not only of great importance to the people of Tibet and the Himalayas but to the entire world since it is the main source of water for many Asian countries. RKST consists of thirty-six monasteries across India, Nepal and Bhutan that are working together to help create an environmental awakening in the Himalayas about the importance of forest protection, water conservation, wildlife preservation, climate change adaptation and waste management. * Black Holes are growing faster than previously believed: Astronomers have discovered that supermassive black holes - located at the centres of galaxies are growing faster than previously thought. For years, scientists had believed that super-massive black holes increased their mass in step with the growth of their host galaxy. It was thought that black holes increased their mass in step with the growth of their host galaxy. Both black holes and budding stars competed for the available gas to feed for their growth but the ratio of ratio of black hole mass to galaxy mass was thought remain preserved. It was thought that the star clusters contained a constant 0.2% of the galaxy mass. It has now been discovered that Black holes have been growing much faster than we previously thought. It has been found that in big galaxies each ten-fold increase of a galaxys stellar mass is associated with a much larger 100-fold growth in its black hole mass. However, the opposite behavior exists among the tightly packed clusters of stars that are observed at the centres of smaller galaxies and in disk galaxies like our Milky Way because smaller the galaxy, the greater the fraction of stars in these dense, compact clusters which makes them dominant over black holes. Scientists also claim to have solved long-elusive mystery of Intermediate Mass black holes with masses between that of a single star and one million stars. As per researchers, numerous galaxies already known to contain a black hole albeit of a currently unknown mass should contain these missing `intermediate mass black holes which may be big enough to be seen by new generation of extremely large telescopes. These black holes will also hold the potential to consume planets and stars venturing too close to them. 64
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* BrahMos strikes again: Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos scored once again in its 34th launch recently off Visakhapatnam, hitting a decommissioned vessel with accuracy. BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, is an anti-ship missile that can reach targets 290 km away. It can hit targets both in sea and on land. It has two stages. Its PROPULSION Consists of a solid propellant booster stage and a LIQUID PROPELLANT RAM JET SYSTEM. It can be launched from ships, submarines, fixed and mobile launchers on silos in land and aircraft. * BX 442: the most distant known spiral galaxy: BX 442 has a redshift of 2.18, which corresponds to a time 10.7 billion years, long before the Sun formed, and only 3 billion years after the universe itself came into existence. In a group of more than 300 galaxies of similar age examined by the Hubble Telescope in a new study, only BX 442 shows a spiral structure. Studying BX442 is likely to help astronomers understand how spiral galaxies like the Milky Way form. * Cancer treating herb ANGELICA -is critically endangered: The herb found in some parts of Himalayas, is also found in Europe. In other Asian countries, it is considered as an important medicinal species. 'DECURSIN' the compound that was extracted from Korean Angelica has become an important clue for cancer researchers after they conducted a number of studies to check its efficacy. * Centre favours manufacture of endosulfan: The Agriculture Ministry has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying the stock worth Rs 31.36 lakh should not be disposed of as it can be used for increasing crop production. It has cited the high cost of disposal and the exemption granted under the Stockholm Convention to continue the production of the pesticide till the phase out period ends. The Supreme Court had banned the manufacture, sale, use and export of endosulfan in India on May 13, 2011. The court had later allowed export of the existing endosulfan stocks, but the ban on its use, manufacture and sale within India continued. In April this year, the pesticide manufacturers once again appealed to the apex court that they be allowed to manufacture endosulfan from the stock of raw material, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene (HCCP), available with them and use it within the country. The court ordered the Centre to revert with a disposal plan of the banned pesticide. The Centre was given a three-month deadline. Apart from endosulfan, HCCP is the raw material for pesticides like chlordane, heptachlor, aldrin and KITE4education.com
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endrin. All of these have been banned and cannot be manufactured, sold and used in India. The Court also wanted to know the total quantity of endosulfanHCCP, technical and formulation available in the country and the disposal plan for these stocks. The Centre has recommended that no further exports of HCCP be allowed in the country. It said that endosulfan manufactures should, however, be allowed to manufacture endosulfan, with the available stock of HCCP, and sell it within India except Kerala and Karnataka (where the pesticide is banned). The agriculture ministry said that all the states were willing to use the pesticide, as it was a cheap broadspectrum pesticide which was very popular among farmers. The interim report of the Supreme Court appointed joint committee, submitted in September last year, reported that the pesticide was "safe to pollinators without any ill-effects on human beings, animals and environment". Earlier this year, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh had filed affidavits in the Supreme Court requesting permission to use endosulfan. Specific exemption under Stockholm Convention: The permission to manufacture and sell the pesticide from the live stock will be in accordance with the Stockholm Convention. India is a signatory to the Stockholm Convention and India has been allowed the use of endosulfan under a specific exemption. According to the phase out plan, the country gets five plus one year along with an additional optional five years to phase out its stock. During the phase out, import of raw material is stopped and the available raw material is used to manufacture the end product. INS Vindhyagiri (F42) INS Vindhyagiri (F42) was a Nilgiri class frigate of the Indian Navy. INS Vindhyagiri (F-42), the sixth and the last of the Nilgiri class of frigates, which was damaged in an accident last year, has been decommissioned. CHIKYU (Japan) Deep Sea Drilling Vessel (D/V) CHIKYU is the first riser equipped scientific drilling vessel built for science at the planning stage. It is capable of drilling up to 7,000m deep sea floor and aim to the mantle and seismogenic zone. CHIKYU explores the Earth as the main plat form of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). * Current cleaner: Algae, barnacles and other creatures are a big problem for anchored ships. They grow on the ships hull and corrode it by making it rough and brittle. Protective underwater coatings prevent these organisms from growing on ships, but these are expensive, labour-intensive and ecologically harmful. An eco-friendly coating to keep hulls free of 65
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marine organisms has now been developed. The coating acts as a large electrode and when current is periodically passed through it, pH stress is generated near the surface of the hull. This prevents marine organisms from growing there. The electric current can be supplied to the ship via photovoltaic systems or a land-based power grid. * Corbett eye in the sky nets illegal miners red-
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in India in the 12th five year plan (2012-17) with the Planning Commission increasing the budget for tigers around nine times. This is the second major information technology based tool used by NTCA to protect the tigers. The authority had introduced online monitoring in Sariska in Rajasthan through global positioning system based radio collaring of tigers. * Dario urops: a new fish species from the Western Ghats: Researchers have discovered a new species of badid fish Dario urops' from the Barapole tributary of the Valapattanam River in the Western Ghats. * Deal to protect Antarctic seas fails: Governments meeting in Australia have failed to reach agreement on new marine protected areas for the Antarctic Ocean. They have deferred a decision until July 2013 when all the relevant science will be considered. Environmental groups have expressed deep concern about the lack of consensus on how to develop a network of protected zones. They blame Russia, China and Ukraine for blocking agreement. In the recent past the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has been meeting in Tasmania. Hot target Made up of representatives from 24 governments and the European Union, it has been considering proposals for the establishment of marine reserves in two critical areas of the Southern Ocean. Many parts of Antarctica have been coming under increasing pressure as the growing global demand for sea food means the region's rich resources are increasingly targeted. Climate change and increased acidification of the waters are also likely to affect the food sources and habitats of many species in the region including penguins, seals and whales. At the meeting the United States and New Zealand put forward competing plans to create a marine protected area of 1.6 million square kilometres in the Ross Sea. CCAMLR has established just one Marine Protected Area in the Antarctic so far. They have designated 11 priority areas in the Southern Ocean from which most MPAs will be created. Governments have set a goal of extending protected areas to ten percent of the world's oceans. Another proposal would have created a reserve zone around East Antarctica - At around 1.9 million square kilometres, it would have covered an area almost three times the size of France. Environmental groups had called for public participation via online petitions. The Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) said that 1.2 million people 66
handed: An eye in sky keeping a watch on tigers around the clock in Corbett National Park and sending SMS alert to forest officials in case of danger is set for replication across the country. The system, country's first and based on online monitoring system for marine monitoring in United States, helped the forest officials to catch illegal sand and stone miners at the boundary of the national park recently. The totally unmanned solar energy based systems runs on cameras installed on tall towers and detects any moving object having body weight of 20 kg or more. Some of the many cameras also man the towers and the photovoltaic solar panels. The system automatically emails pictures to a 24 into 7 monitoring centre with an SMS alert to all forest officials. The added advantage of the system is that authorized officials can monitor the wildlife area from anywhere in the world through internet. The government plans to install this online e-system in all high wildlife poaching areas in tiger reserves KITE4education.com
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had supported calls for large scale protection areas. * Designer rice varieties soon to meet future needs: Rice scientists across the world have announced plans to develop designer rice varieties that hold the promise to meet the ever growing need for food. At the forefront of this initiative is International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippinesbased United Nations arm. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has already begun work on designer rice by implanting good resistance attributes in wild rice varieties into the popular varieties. 'GOLDEN RICE' is a new type of rice genetically engineered to contain vitamin A precursors. Rice varieties with desirable nutritional values, or better yield despite increasingly adverse environmental stresses are known as DESIGNER RICE. * 'Dr Love', the scientist exploring what makes people good or evil: Paul Zak, a world expert on oxytocin, or what he calls the 'moral molecule', talks about his research. What drives Zak's hunger for human blood is his interest in the hormone oxytocin, about which he has become one of the world's most prominent experts. Long known as a female reproductive hormone it plays a central role in childbirth and breastfeeding oxytocin emerges from Zak's research as something much more all-embracing: the "MORAL MOLECULE" behind all human virtue, trust, affection and love, "a social glue", as he puts it, "that keeps society together". Brown Tide Blooms - Brown Tide is a bloom (excessive growth) of small marine algae (Aureococcus anophagefferens). Although algae of many types are found in all natural freshwater and marine ecosystems, blooms of the Brown Tide organism literally turn the water deep brown, making it unappealing to swimmers and fishermen alike. While not harmful to humans, the presence of the Brown Tide is a problem for bay scallops and eelgrass, and to a lesser degree other finfish and shellfish. * DRDO to develop futuristic weapons: These include multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), manoeuvrable re-entry vehicles (MARVs), subsonic cruise missiles, quick reaction surface-to-air missiles and anti-radiation missiles. In the next few months, DRDO scientists plan to test-fire NIRBHAY SUBSONIC CRUISE MISSILE, undertake an interceptor missile test in exo-atmosphere for the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system and conduct another trial of the 5,000 km range Agni-V. Also the underwater missile (K-15) would be tested again from a pontoon before its integration with Arihant, India's KITE4education.com
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nuclear-powered submarine. * Electromagnetic interference (EMI): It happens due to the effect of microwave radiations from cellphones. In todays technology dependent world there is no escaping these radiations. There are concerns about the safety of these waves to human health. Researchers from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi have now developed two materials to act as shields against the omnipresent microwaves. Most materials designed to act as EMI shields are metal or carbon based and work by reflecting the waves. These materials, however, are heavy, costly, and difficult to produce in bulk. The new materials developed by the Indian researchers do not have such shortcomings. Made from everyday cotton fabric used in clothes, they absorb 97-99 per cent of microwaves. The researchers mixed polyaniline with barium titanium trioxide or ferrous-ferric oxide nanoparticles. This mixture was then coated on the cotton fabric in presence of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) to make the fabric. Published in the June 21, 2012 issue of the Journal of Physical Chemistry C, the study can help develop microwave absorbers of the future. The materials can be used as a microwave shield in various articles like mobile pouches, heart guards and as shielding curtains for hospital window. Earlier studies had found that mixing nanoparticlebased shielding materials to cement can insulate rooms from interfering signals. * Elinor Ostrom: Elinor Ostrom, who received the 2009 Nobel Prize for the Economic Sciences, is known, first and foremost, for her work on the commons. Her Nobel-winning work "showed that ordinary people are capable of creating rules and institutions that allow for the sustainable and equitable management of shared resources. Her work countered the conventional wisdom that only private ownership or top-down regulation could prevent a 'tragedy of the commons,' in which users would inevitably destroy the resources that they held in common." The only woman to receive the Nobel Prize in economics. Elinor Ostrom's 8 Principles for Managing A Commons Define clear group boundaries. Match rules governing use of common goods to local needs and conditions. Ensure that those affected by the rules can participate in modifying the rules. Make sure the rule-making rights of community 67
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members are respected by outside authorities. Develop a system, carried out by community members, for monitoring members behaviour. Use graduated sanctions for rule violators. Provide accessible, low-cost means for dispute resolution. Build responsibility for governing the common resource in nested tiers from the lowest level up to the entire interconnected system. Ostrom uses the term "COMMON POOL RESOURCES" to denote natural resources used by many individuals in common, such as fisheries, groundwater basins, and irrigation systems. Such resources have long been subject to overexploitation and misuse by individuals acting in their own best interests. Conventional solutions typically involve either centralized governmental regulation or privatization of the resource. But, according to Ostrom, there is a third approach to resolving the problem of the commons: the design of durable cooperative institutions that are organized and governed by the resource users themselves. * Emissions trading in particulate matter takes off: After failing to check air pollution through the usual enforcement methods, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has introduced a market-based mechanism to reduce air pollution. It is called the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The ministry has initiated a pilot ETS in industrial areas of three statesGujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu with the aim of improving overall ambient air quality. These states were chosen because they have maximum number of industries and critically polluted areas. The scheme allows the regulators Central and state pollution control boardsto set a cap on the aggregate level of pollution permitted in an industrial area, and then allows the industries to self-regulate to ensure that pollution does not exceed this cap. Industries that emit excess pollutants can buy points from industries that overachieve targets just like in the carbon trading system. The Emissions Trading Scheme proposed by MoEF for particulate matter would be the first of its kind in the world. How the scheme works? - The scheme comes at a time when compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) that came into force in 2009 has proved to be abysmal across the country. The mean ambient concentration of particulates in India is much higher than the prescribed norms and is about five times that of the United States. Indias national average of 206.7g/m3 of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in 2007 was well above the previous NAAQS norm of 140g/m3 (for residential areas). Most KITE4education.com
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Indian cities exceed the current NAAQS norm of 60g/m3 for respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM). Average annual concentration of RSPM in the national capital is about 120 g/m3, as against 60 g/m3 prescribed by NAAQS and the WHO guidelines of 20 g/m3. What's more, five of the six cities covered in a recent report of CPCB (2011) exceeded the standard in all the years from 2000 to 2006. Keeping this in mind the regulatory bodies are targeting particulate matter emissions under ETS. The scheme allows the regulator to set an overall emission level for a sector and allocate these emissions among units in the form of permits. At the end of each permit period, regulators can check emissions against permit holdings to verify compliance. Whether a trading scheme will prove to be more effective than enforcement of pollution standards by state pollution control boards is something that remains to be seen. The actual trading will kick off once pilot study is completed; it will be based on the results of pilot study. The pilot study is supposed to complete this year. The trading in emissions is expected to start in 2013-2014. Participant clusters
Gujarat Surat, Narol, Ahmedabad, Sachin Industrial Cluster Chandrapur,
Maharashtra Aurangabad, Jalna, Domivali, Kolhapur Tamil Nadu
Chennai Greater Metropolitan Area (Ambattur, Chennai, Marainalai, Sriperumpudur and Tiruvallur)
* Eritherium azzouzorum: A newly discovered fossil reveals that the evolutionary march towards elephants began at least 60m years ago. The three living species of the order Proboscidea, the savanna and forest African and Asian elephants, surely rank among the most bizarre and extraordinarily derived placental mammals. * Exoplanet smaller than Earth discovered: Using NASAs Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers have detected what they believe is a planet two-thirds the size of Earth. The exoplanet candidate, called UCF-1.01, is located a mere 33 light-years away, making it possibly the nearest world to our solar system that is smaller than our home planet. Exoplanets circle stars beyond our sun. Only a handful smaller than Earth planets have been found so far. Spitzer has performed transit studies on known exoplanets, but UCF-1.01 is the first ever identified with the telescope, pointing to a possible role for Spitzer in helping discover 68
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potentially habitable, terrestrial-sized worlds. * Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf under threat from climate change after all: EU-funded climate scientists report: The Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, a major Antarctic ice shelf in the Weddell Sea, may start to melt rapidly and cease to act as a barrier for ice streams draining the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This is the new stark warning from a group of EUfunded climate researchers. The ICE2SEA project brings together researchers from 24 research institutes across Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom. The global aim of the project is to successfully decode the interactions between ice and climate, and in turn facilitate more precise predictions about the effects of melting ice on sea levels. * First ever Green Climate Fund board meeting under way in Geneva: The first meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) board started in Geneva on August 23. The fund, established in December 2011 at the Durban meet on climate change, is meant to be the funding route for the US $100 billion that developed countries have pledged to give poor nations each year by 2020 to address climate mitigation and adaptation measures. Punjab is the 9th state to ban gutkha in the country. The eight states to have banned gutkha are: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and Jharkhand. * Salt-and-water battery could help plug renewables gap: Australian researchers have developed a sodium-ion-based battery which, they say, has the potential to solve one of sustainable energys greatest challenges storing energy cheaply offline after it has been generated. * First of the Eight P-8I Maritime Surveillance Aircraft received by Indian Navy: The Indian Navy on 19 December 2012 received its first P-8I Maritime Surveillance Aircraft at its facility located at Seattle, out of the eight that it would get from Boeing. P-8I would be armed with torpedoes, rockets and deadly missile with abilities to fight against powerful warships and anti-submarine warfare. P-8I, the aircraft is an imitative of the Boeing 737800 long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and an anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Being an Indian variant of the P-8A Poseidon, being developed by Boeing for U.S. Navy the P-8I is expected to replace Indian Navys Russian Tupolev Tu-142M maritime surveillance turboprop. The aircraft would enable Indian Navy to patrol across Indian Ocean to a greater level. KITE4education.com
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* Giant asteroid 'to miss Earth in 2040': A team of astronomers has confirmed that the chance of ASTEROID 2011 AG5 impacting Earth in 2040 is no longer a significant risk, prompting a collective sigh-of-relief. Previously, scientists had estimated that the risk of this 140-meter-diameter asteroid colliding with the Earth was as high as one in 500. If this object were to collide with the Earth it would have released about 100 megatons of energy, several thousand times more powerful than the atomic bombs that ended World-War II. Statistically, a body of this size could impact the Earth on average every 10,000 years. The observations, by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaiis Institute for Astronomy (IfA) using the Gemini North telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, were especially challenging said team-member Richard Wainscoat. * Giant flux ropes observed in Venuss magnetized ionosphere: Scientists have detected a new state of Venuss ionosphere. Observations from NASAs Pioneer Venus orbiter, which reached Venus in 1978, suggested that Venuss ionosphere had two states: a magnetized state with a large- scale horizontal magnetic field and an unmagnetized state with no large-scale magnetic field but with numerous small-scale thin magnetic structures known as FLUX ROPES. Venuss ionosphere was observed to be in the unmagnetized state most of the time, but strong solar wind pressure shifted it to the magnetized state. Now, using magnetic field observations made in 2008 and 2009 from the European Space Agencys Venus Express, Zhang et al. report a third state: a magnetized state with giant flux ropes. The giant flux ropes, which form quite often, have strong magnetic fields and diameters of hundreds of kilometres. They are considerably larger and have stronger magnetic fields than the flux ropes that were seen during the unmagnetized state. Although giant flux ropes have previously been seen in Venuss magnetotail, the authors believe this is the first observation of the phenomenon in Venuss ionosphere. It is not yet known how the giant flux ropes form. * Gigantic new turtle fossil discovered: Paleontologists have discovered a gigantic new species of fossil turtle that lived 60 million years ago in what is now northwestern South America. Named Puentemys mushaisaensis because it was found in La Puente pit in Cerrejon Coal Mine, a place made famous by the discovery of the extinct Titanoboa, the world's biggest snake 69
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and Carbonemys, a freshwater turtle as big as a smart car. * Govt constitutes panel to look into irregularities in drug trials: After a report from a parliamentary standing committee pointed out huge irregularities in the functioning of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO), Health Ministery announced that a three-member committee would examine the issue. The panel comprises Dr V M Katoch, Secretary and DG, ICMR; Dr P N Tandon, president, National Brain Research Centre, Department of Biotechnology, Manesar; and Dr S S Aggarwal, former director, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow. The committee has been asked to examine the validity of the scientific and statutory basis adopted for approval of new drugs without conducting clinical trials, outline appropriate measures to bring about systemic improvements in processing and grant of statutory approvals and suggest steps to institutiona-lise improvements in other procedural aspects of functioning of the CDSCO. * Govt to launch recovery programme for Great Indian Bustard: the Great Indian Bustard was uplisted to 'Critically Endangered' -- the highest level of threat-- by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to the IUCN, hunting, disturbance, habitat loss and fragmentation have all conspired to reduce this magnificent species to perhaps as few as 250 individuals. The grasslands which bustards inhabit have been converted into agricultural land and many have been opened up, to construct roads, resulting in fragmentation. The birds are still hunted for sport and meat though they are protected under Indian law. * Greenland losing 200 million tonnes ice every year: Scientists: Glacier-covered Greenland has had an average net loss of 200 billion tons of ice every year since 2003, confirm scientists who are studying the changing mass of the island using satellite data. The latest analysis backs up the previously reported trend without even including the last two summers of record-breaking ice melts. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) which can detect mass changes on the surface of the Earth over time. GRACE does this by detecting subtle increases and decreases in gravity, which is directly related to the mass below the two orbiting GRACE satellites. Roughly, 200 million tonnes of ice is the amount needed to fill enough railroad coal cars to encircle the Earth. * GSAT-10 to be launched in 2 months: ISRO: India's 3400-kg communication satellite GSAT-10 is KITE4education.com
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now ready to be shipped to the spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana for launch by European space consortium Arianespace in two months. ISRO planned Chandrayaan-II mission in 2014, after successfully conducting two GSLV flights. ISRO proposed to launch the 1500-kg ASTROSAT, a multi- wavelength observatory in space next year. Astrosat is the first dedicated Indian Astronomy mission, which will enable multi-wavelength observations of the celestial bodies, cosmic sources in X-ray, visible and UV spectral bands simultaneously. The 'SARAL' satellite, a joint ISRO-French Space Agency (CNES) mission, is planned to be launched by a PSLV from Sriharikota spaceport by Octoberend this year. * Gujarat set to develop Indias first tidal energy plant: The Gujarat government is all set to develop Indias first tidal energy plant. The state government has approved Rs 25 crore for setting up the 50 MW plant at the Gulf of Kutch. It will produce energy from the ocean tides. The state government signed a MoU with Atlantis Resource Corporation last year to develop the plant. Atlantis Resource Corporation is a UK-based developer of tidal current turbines. * 'Habitable' planet found orbiting star near Earth: A planet that could support life orbits a Sunlike star near the Earth, scientists have revealed. There are five planets thought to be circling TAU CETI - A STAR just 12 light years away - which is almost identical to the sun. One of those five planets, which is five times the Earth's mass, lies in the "habitable" zone where liquid water and life could potentially exist. Astronomers estimate the Tau Ceti planets to be two to six times bigger than Earth. Most planets detected in the Universe so far have had high masses due to the difficulties in finding extra-solar planets. The Tau Ceti planetary family is thought to be the lowest mass solar system yet detected. * Hubble discovers new Pluto moon: The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered a 5th moon circling the dwarf planet Pluto. The new moon, visible as a speck of light in Hubble images, is estimated to be irregular in shape and between 10km and 25km across. Scientists are intrigued that such a small world can have such a complex collection of satellites. The moon - known only as P5 - could help shed light on how the Pluto system formed and evolved. Pluto's largest moon, Charon, was discovered in 1978. Hubble observations in 2006 uncovered two additional small moons, Nix and Hydra. In 2011, another moon, known as P4, was found by 70
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Hubble. Provisionally named S/2012 (134340) 1, or P5, the latest moon was detected in nine separate sets of images taken by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 taken during June and July. * Huge algae blooms discovered beneath Arctic ice: A NASA mission to study the tiny algae vital to the ocean's food chain has turned up a massive amount of phytoplankton where scientists least expected it - under the Arctic ice. Known formally as "Impacts of Climate on Ecosystems and Chemistry of the Arctic Pacific Environment" or ICESCAPE mission scientists went on two expeditions in JuneJuly of 2010 and 2011. Phytoplankton blooms in the Arctic have been observed to peak as many as 50 days earlier than they did a dozen years ago, a development that could have implications for the larger food web, scientists have said. The microscopic organisms are the base of the food chain and drive the food and reproductive cycles of fish, seabirds and polar bears. How larger animals may react to phytoplankton changes remains unknown. Phytoplanktons are also important because through the process of photosynthesis they remove about half of the harmful carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels worldwide. Previous research has shown the microscopic organisms have been disappearing globally at a rate of one percent per year. Since 1950, phytoplankton mass has dropped by about 40 percent, most likely due to the accelerating impact of global warming, said a 2010 study in the journal Nature. * Huge ice island breaks off from Greenland glacier: An ice island twice the size of Manhattan has broken off from Greenlands PETERMANN GLACIER, researchers have revealed. The Petermann Glacier is one of the two largest glaciers left in Greenland connecting the great Greenland ice sheet with the ocean via a floating ice shelf. The discovery was confirmed by reprocessing data taken by MODIS, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard NASAs Terra and Aqua satellites. * Hybrid guide lights for fishermen at night: The Fisheries Department has decided to install 10 hybrid guide lights in fishing hamlets of coastal Tamil Nadu to enable fishermen to reach their destinations at night with ease. The device uses both solar and wind energy and enables fishermen to reach their destination on time and without any difficulty. These solar and wind KITE4education.com
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hybrid guide lights comprising LEDs with 40 watts capacity and 500 watts wind generator, are visible several kilometres from the shore. * Improved cure for TB: Scientists have found a new combination of drugs that has been shown to kill more than 99 per cent of both drug susceptible and drug-resistant TB bacteriaMycobacterium tuberculosiswithin two weeks. Normally, two drugsisoniazid and rifampicinare given to TB patients. The new combination tentatively called PaMZ, consists of PA-824, a new drug discovered in 2008; MOXIFLOXACIN, an improved antibiotic being used as a first-line TB treatment; and an existing TB drug called pyrazinamide. * India is part of Worlds largest optical telescope project: Indian scientists will render significant contribution in developing key components of the worlds largest optical telescope to be set up by a 5nation consortium including India. The Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT), also known as the worlds most advanced ground-based observatory, will be built at the summit of Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii at a cost of $1.2 billion. 5 Partner countries India China Japan Canada United States Peculiar features about TMT 81 times more sensitive than the current telescopes of its kind and resolve objects by a factor of 3 times better than the largest ground-based telescopes that are available at present across the world. Will be the worlds most advanced ground-based observatory that will be operating in optical and mid-infrared wavelengths. Indias contribution In this project 15% of the 492 mirror segments, each 1.44 m in size, will be fabricated in India. The Indian companies will be supplying high-end components such as edge sensors, actuators, segment support assemblies and provide services such as polishing of the mirror segments, and software to control the operations of the telescope, the mirror, and telescope dome. India is making a contribution of 10% 70 % of it in kind and 30% in cash. Currently, India has a status of an observer and it is in the process of becoming a permanent member. * Indian Railway Launched Rail Radar-Track Rail Location in Real Time: Earlier Indian railways introduced a system named 'Spot Your Train' now this rail radar seems to be advanced version. This application helps in locating 6,500 passenger trains of 71
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the Indian Railways. Users can access it through the official site www.railradar.trainenquiry.com. This site can also be accessed through mobile phone by mobile's browser. * Indian researcher to receive Alzheimers drug discovery award: Mahaveer Golechha, a Londonbased Indian researcher will be honored with Alzheimers Drug Discovery Foundations Young Investigator Scholarship Award at the 7th Annual Drug Discovery for Neurodegeneration Conference San Francisco. The award is being given to him to recognize his outstanding research on NARINGIN, a bioflavonoid found in grape fruits and citrus fruits. He has discovered thatnaringin bears significant "anti-Alzheimer activity" and will form the basis of further research to develop as a cure for the degenerative disease related to old age, which worsens as its progresses and eventually leads to death. It is estimated that by 2025 at least 34 million people worldwide will be affected by the disease. * Indian scientists help save 131 trees in Cambodian temple: Indian scientists have been successful in conserving 131 trees at the 800-year-old Ta Prohm temple in Cambodia, better known as 'TEMPLE TREE'. Experts from the Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI) along with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been working on the Conservation and Restoration of Ta Prohm Temple (Cambodia) Project under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) of the external affairs ministry. * Intel to make an interface to help Stephen Hawkins communicate faster: Intel, the worlds largest and most valued chip maker, has revealed that it is working on an interface that will boost the scientists speech to up to 10 words per minute. Currently, Hawkins rate of communication is 1 word per minute. Hawking has a motor neurone disease related to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a condition that has progressed over the years. He is almost entirely paralysed and communicates through a speech generating device. * Internet celebrates its 30th birthday: The Internet, a revolutionary and cheap communications system that has transformed the lives of billions of people across the world, turned 30 on January 1, 2013. The computer network officially began its technological revolution when it fully substituted previous networking systems on January 1 1983. Known as flag day, it was the first time the US Department of Defence (DoD)-commissioned KITE4education.com
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Arpanet network fully switched to use of the Internet protocol suite (IPS) communications system. Using data packet-switching, the new method of linking computers paved the way for the arrival of the World Wide Web. Based on designs by Welsh scientist Donald Davies, the Arpanet network began as a military project in the late 1960s. It was developed at prestigious American universities and research laboratories, such as the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Stanford Research Institute. Starting in 1973, work on the powerful and flexible IPS and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) technology which would change mass communications got under way. The new systems were designed to replace the more vulnerable Network Control Program (NCP) used previously, making sure the network was not exposed to a single point of failure. This meant a single attack could not bring it down, making it safer and more reliable, the report said. By January 1 1983, the substitution of the older system for the new Internet protocol had been completed and the Internet was born. British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee was then able to use it to host the system of interlinked hypertext documents he invented in 1989, known as the World Wide Web. * ISRO lines up SARAL for February, restored GSLV for April: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has slated its first launch of the year ocean study spacecraft SARAL for February 14. It will herald the 8 to 10 missions, including satellites and launch vehicles, which ISRO has planned this year. Along with the 450-kg Indo-French SARAL, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will put into orbit six small experimental satellites built by western universities for a fee. SARAL would be one of the very few such oceancentric satellites and a vital cog in studying sea surface heights and other aspects, the official said. It would be similar to ISROs Oceansat-2, but with an altimeter (named Altika here) to measure heights. In October 2012, NASA relied on Oceansat-2 to get finer details of Hurricane Sandy that wreaked havoc on the eastern U.S. SARAL is short for Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa, the two main devices on it which have been provided by French space agency CNES. Besides building the spacecraft, ISRO will launch and operate it through its life. Around April this year, ISRO expects to resume 72
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flying the GSLV rocket. The GSLV-D5 will lift the communications satellite GSAT-14 into orbit. ISRO had put the GSLV programme on hold after it suffered two successive failures in April and December 2010. The lapses were analyzed and corrections made. May will see the first of the national navigational satellites or navsats the IRNSS-1 which will fly on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. IRNSS or the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System with its seven satellites is tipped to be Indias own regional Global Positioning System. GSAT-7, a dedicated satellite for the Navy, is also set to be launched around May on a European Ariane rocket. Two other larger satellites, INSAT3D and GSAT-10, will also use procured or foreign launches on separate Ariane vehicles in the second half of this year. * Japanese scientists create first swimming robot For a team at the Tokyo University of Technology has created a 'Swumanoid' robot using a 3D scanner to perfectly map a human swimmer's physique, which has perfected the back-stroke and tries freestyle swimming. Apart from life-saving ambitions, the Swumanoid can be useful in helping research into swimming. * Laughing gas may have caused end of Ice Age: Nitrous oxide commonly known as laughing gas may have brought the last great Ice Age to an end, a new research has found. Scientists have found that large quantities of laughing gas which appeared in the atmosphere 14,000 years ago caused the temperatures in Europe to rise by as much as 5 degrees. The gas, used medically for pain relief has gained notoriety in recent years thanks to people using it as a recreational drug. A study by Mirjam Pfieffer of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in Lausanne, found that nitrous oxide which ended the Ice Age came from plants that blossomed as the climate began to warm. The team reconstructed how the ecosystem changed at a Swiss lake during this time by identifying pollen buried in sediment. As temperatures rose, the area was over-run by a shrub called sea buckthorn. Sea buckthorn uses nitrogen from the air to produce nutrients. Trials suggest that its chemical tinkering released a lot of nitrous oxide, perhaps 1.6 mg of extra gas for every square metre of land. * London to test 'smart city' operating system: London has become the trial city to test out a new operating system for smart grid technology. The Urban Operating System (UOS) is the core technology platform that will manage vast amounts of data across cities and urban spaces and thereby KITE4education.com
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facilitate smarter, sustainable and intelligent-living. This, in turn, will lead to more efficient use of energy and other resources, providing the basis for innovative services for residents, businesses and governments as well as new jobs and exports. * Lovely Professional University scientists develop anti-cancer medicine to overcome side effects: The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Lovely Professional University (LPU) has got their patent (PCT) published in 140 countries for the development of Targeted Release Microsphere of 5-FU ( 5fluorouracil). This new technology is useful in overcoming the side effects of the drugs used in treatment of colon cancer and has been developed indigenously by the dean, faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, DR MONICA GULATI and her team at LPU. * Low-lactose milk from worlds first GM dairy calf: Chinese scientists claimed to have bred the world's first genetically-modified calf that would produce low-lactose milk in two years. The CALF, NAMED 'LAKES', was born on April 24 at a lab of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University. * MACE telescope to be set up in Ladakh: To find out more about the secrets of universe, the world's largest telescope at the highest altitude is being established at Hanle, Ladakh with the city-based Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) executing the entire project. Called MACE (Major Atmospheric Cerenkov Experiment) Telescope, the 21-meter instrument would enable the study of high energy cosmic gamma-ray sources in the hitherto unexplored energy range of 20 to 100 GeV ( giga electron volt) and beyond five Tev ( tera electron volt). ECIL is manufacturing the telescope for Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). * 'Magnetic Josephson effect' seen for the first time: In 1962 the British physicist Brian Josephson developed a theory of how superconducting electrons tunnel across a thin insulating layer between two superconductors a structure now called a Josephson junction. This was quickly verified in the lab and Josephson was awarded the 1973 Nobel Prize for Physics. The Josephson junction has become an important technology in its own right. For example, superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) that, depending on their design, use either one or two Josephson junctions are among the most sensitive magnetometers to have been invented. The devices have also shown promise as possible quantum bits (qubits) in quantum computers. * Malawi's food safety threatened by contaminated 73
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groundnuts: Africa once was an important exporter of raw peanuts. In the 1960s, the continent accounted for about 75% of the global trade; by 2005, that had figure had slumped to just 5%. Increased competition from America, Argentina and particularly China was part of the story. But stricter food safety controls from Europe also took their toll. In particular, European countries placed strict limits on the level of aflatoxins a type of mycotoxin fungi in peanuts, hitting countries such as Malawi. AFLATOXINS are a naturally occurring but highly toxic substance caused by fungi that grow on crops such as maize, paprika and peanuts (more commonly referred to as groundnuts in Africa). Contaminations can happen as a result of poor preand post-harvest practices, such as inadequate drying and storage. Poor-quality kernels immature, shrivelled or damaged are prone to contamination by aflatoxins. There have been several reported cases of acute aflatoxicosis where extremely high doses of aflatoxin have been ingested associated with the consumption of contaminated homegrown maize. * Mission gets go-ahead to probe Universe's darkest secrets: The first-ever mission dedicated to looking for dark matter and dark energy, two mysterious entities believed to explain the composition of the universe as we know it, will be launched in 2020, the European Space Agency said. The 800-million-euro ($1-billion) EUCLID PROJECT was given the final go-ahead by the agency's science programme committee, a body composed of ESA member states that decides which missions are flown. DARK ENERGY is a term used to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe, while dark matter is what is believed to hold it all together, exerting a gravitational force. DARK MATTER is believed to comprise 83 percent of matter in the Universe, but it cannot be detected by the naked eye or by existing astronomical techniques. * NASA approves $100,000 for 'Ninja' supersonic plane - A new type of 'Ninja style' aircraft that spins 90 degrees in air for efficient faster-than-sound flight and "virtually zero sonic boom" has been granted USD 100,000 by NASA for further development. The plane is created in a way that will allow it to take off from the ground, and then turn on its side once it reaches supersonic atmospheric levels so that it can continue its flight into the uppermost parts of space. Normal commercial airplanes have such significant wings because they need to use that wingspan to gain enough momentum to get off of the ground. While the large wingspan is needed to take off, it creates too much drag for the plane when it reaches KITE4education.com
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supersonic speeds. As a result, once it reaches the supersonic atmosphere, the plane will then rotate 90 degrees so that it is longer and thinner than when it took off. The new technology pioneered by Dr Gecheng Zha of University of Miami can overcome these problems. * NASA Developed New Next-Gen Spacesuit for Complex Space Ventures: NASA developed new next-gen spacesuit called Z-1 Prototype Spacesuit and Portable Life Support System (PLSS) 2.0 for the sophisticated and complex space ventures, which also include Mars mission. The spacesuit can supply the astronauts with oxygen as well as provide protection to them from the extreme temperatures. The spacesuits used by NASA at present were designed in 1992 and were fabricated especially for the crews that boarded space shuttle task force as well as spent time in International Space Station (ISS). But with the recent retirement of space shuttle task force as well the goal of the country to land on Mars, an asteroid as well as even beyond that, NASA recognized that there was time to design technologically-equipped as well as robust spacesuits for the astronauts. The entry into the spacesuit is from the back and it can perform approximately all those functions that are also performed by the actual spaceship. Basically, the new spacesuits can get rid of the carbon dioxide, supply oxygen as well as provide protection to astronauts from extreme temperatures such as excessive cold or heat. How is the spacesuit designed? The spacesuit is crafted out of various hard elements on the fabric. It also becomes flexible after being inflated. On the rear of the suit, astronauts may find the hatch and life support which would enable them to attach to rover or spacecraft. Apart from all this, it has urethane-coated nylon as well as polyester layers which enable the astronauts to maintain pressure as well as get greater flexibility in torso and limbs. Getting into the spacesuit Astronauts can get in this spacesuit via suitport which is basically a pack of hatch and life support. There is no need of an airlock for seeking entry or getting exit in and out of this suit. This means that it is possible for the astronauts to make a quick entry and exit in and out of spacesuit. This happens because the spacesuit operates at similar pressure like that of spacecraft. The spacesuit packs in itself water membrane evaporation cooler which cools the suit through same method like sweating. It does not use the recent technique that includes sublimator which works only in hard vacuum. 74
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* NASA includes two Indian innovators on waste management: NITIN GUPTA from Attero Recycling and ANSHU GOONJ from Goonj are among nine innovators from across the globe that made it to the NASA conference on waste management. Gupta from Attero Recycling is India's leading provider of end-to-end electronic and electrical goods e-Waste management services; while Goonj is a grassroots NGO focused on transforming and revaluing clothing and textiles waste by working on these issues directly at the community level. The event @ NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is called LAUNCH: Beyond Waste. * NASA now aiming to target electric atmosphere: NASA is set to launch a mission next month to study plasma electrified gas that makes 99 percent of the universe. Beyond Earth's protective atmosphere and extending all the way through interplanetary space, these electrified particles dominate the scene. Understanding this environment so foreign to our own is crucial to understanding the makeup of every star and galaxy in outer space. The new NASA mission called the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), due to launch in August 2012, will improve our understanding of what makes plasma move in and out of these electrified belts wrapped around our planet. * NASA Ruled out Asteroid Collision with Earth in 2040: The Mayan Doomsday predictions about the world ending on 21 December 2012 had failed and additionally NASA ruled out the asteroid collision with Earth in 2040. NASA claimed that the fear of asteroid collision with Earth does not pose a threat to our planet any more. NASA declared that doubt about orbit of this asteroid called 2011 AG5 initially enabled that there were less than 1 percent chances of it hitting the planet in February 2040. Initially the scientists had estimated that risk of 140m-diametre asteroid collision with Earth was just one in 500. In case, this asteroid would have collided with Earth, there would have been a release of around 100 megatonnes of energy, which is a lot more than atom bombs used in World War II. Considering the statistics, it was found that a body as huge as this would have created an impact on Earth every 10000 years on an average. The observations were made while making use of Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. The observations were very challenging for the team. The scientists were especially surprised about the fact that a telescope could recover faint asteroid in the sky. * NASAs Twin Probes Crashed Successfully onto Lunar Mountain: Ebb and Flow, the gravity KITE4education.com
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mapping satellites of NASA ended the successful mission to Moon by crashing on the rim of crater. Lunar surface on which Ebb and Flow crashed will be given a name after Sally Ride, the first woman of America in the space who died earlier in 2012. Ebb and Flow, two spacecrafts of NASA that comprised Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, on 14 December 2012 were commanded for landing in lower orbit of Moon which would create an impact on the mountain near its North Pole. Ebb and Flow were launched in September 2011 and were orbiting Moon since 1 January 2012. Ebb and Flow were deliberately sent on the surface of Moon since there was not enough altitude or fuel remaining for continuing the science operations. * Native Indian Tree to fight Bird Flu: Crude extract of the leaf and bark of native tree Eugenia jambolona has been reported to destroy the deadly avian influenza virus H5N1. The plant-derived extract can be used as an alternative to chemically synthesised antivirals. * Neutrino-based communication is a first: The first ever transmission of information using a beam of neutrinos has be achieved by physicists in the US. The demonstration is highly preliminary it operates at less than 1 bit/s and will require a lot of development before it can have any useful application. Nevertheless, the work proves a concept that physicists have been contemplating for years and that could ultimately be used in situations where other means of communications are not feasible. Electromagnetic radiation particularly at visible, microwave and radio wavelengths is recently carrier of choice for moving information. It is easy to transmit, easy to detect and can carry a lot of information. However, there are some situations where it does not work very well. One example is the transmission of information to nuclear submarines, which can remain submerged almost indefinitely. The problem is that seawater is opaque to electromagnetic radiation at the wavelengths short enough to transmit information at a useful rate. Submarines therefore have to float a wire antenna to the surface, which restricts their speed and depth, making them easier to detect. For ease of transmission through any material including seawater, nothing beats the neutrino. The ghostly particle is affected only by the weak nuclear force and, very faintly, by gravity. As a result, it can pass through almost everything and interacts with virtually nothing. A neutrino could easily pass through 1000 light-years of lead, so an ocean would pose no problem whatsoever. Indeed, some scientists have suggested that advanced extraterrestrial civilizations could communicate across vast distances in space using neutrino beams. 75
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Although neutrino-based systems have been proposed here on Earth since the 1970s, they have all come up against the same problem: how to detect the neutrinos at the receiving end when the vast majority of the particles will pass straight through any detector. To detect enough neutrinos to transmit information at a reasonable rate, either an extremely intense neutrino source or a very large detector (or both) would be needed. * New Dinosaur: First Freshwater Mosasaur Discovered: A new mosasaur species discovered in Hungary is the first known example of this group of scaled reptiles to have lived in freshwater river environments similar to modern freshwater dolphins. The fossils were recovered from an open-pit mine in the Bakony Hills of Western Hungary, which were once flood-plains. According to the study, this is the first known mosasaur that lived in freshwater, and only the second specimen of a mosasaur to have been found in rocks that were not once deposited in the ocean. Mosasaurs basically are the huge marine reptiles which are extinct now. First fossil ruins of mosasaurs were found in 1764 in Maastricht. Mosasaurs evolved from the squamates, semiaquatic species which are quite identical to the monitor lizards found today. * New drug offers hope for diabetes treatment: Type 2 diabetes patients who don't respond to metformin , the most widely used medication for the disease, may get significant benefit from a new second-line drug, a new study has claimed. The new drug, LINAGLIPTIN, results in significantly less weight gain than the most common second-line drugs currently used, and may even carry a smaller risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke, according to the study published in The Lancet. Though METFORMIN is the most commonly prescribed drug to treat diabetes, which affects almost 10% the world's population, it can become ineffective in the long-term for many patients. Those who do not respond to metformin alone are offered an additional drug known as sulphonylureas. However, SULPHONYLUREAS can lead to hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar levels, and weight gain, raising the risk of heart attack and stroke. * New TB drug regime to cure patients in one month: Seven pharmaceutical companies and four research institutions working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have joined hands to speed up the discovery of essential new treatments for tuberculosis (TB). The partnership, known as the TB Drug KITE4education.com
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Accelerator (TBDA), will target the discovery of new TB drugs by collaborating on early-stage research. The long-term goal of the TBDA is to create a TB drug regimen that cures patients in one month. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that attacks the respiratory system and other organs. It is the second leading infectious cause of death worldwide, having killed nearly 1.4 million people in 2010 alone. At any given moment, more than 12 million people around the world are suffering from active TB. The high percentage of patients who fail to complete the current six-month treatment regimen adds significantly to the TB burden. High default rates lead to increased mortality, contribute to TB drug resistance and allow patients to continue to infect others. Shortening treatment regimens to even two months would keep an additional one million people on treatment each year. * One step closer to 'Mad Cow' test - Creutzfeldt Jakob disease: Using newly available genetic sequencing scientists discovered cells infected with prions (the infectious agent responsible for these diseases) release particles which contain easily recognised SIGNATURE GENES. * Online campaign to save dying languages: Google has set out to save the world's dying languages. In an alliance with scholars and linguists, the internet powerhouse introduced an Endangered Languages Project website where people can find, share, and store information about dialects in danger of disappearing. The website at endangeredlanguages .com is designed to let users upload video, audio, or text files and encourages them to memorialize recordings of rare dialects. * Pakistan Successfully test-fired Hatf III Ghaznavi Missile: Pakistan successfully test-fired Hatf III Ghaznavi missile on 10 May 2012. The missile has a range of 290 km and it can hit its target in India. The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The missile was launched at the conclusion of the annual field training exercise of Army Strategic Force Command. * Pakistan's national animal making a comeback: Pakistan's national animal 'Markhor', a majestic wild goat species, has made a remarkable comeback in that country. One of its distinct species, the Kashmir Markhor, is found only in India's Jammu and Kashmir. It is threatened by illegal hunting and habitat destruction. Markhor are important prey species for large carnivores such as wolves and snow leopards. They have been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 76
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1994. Markhor, the world's largest goat, is a Schedule I species in the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Wildlife Protection Act, J&K. * Palm Oil Controversy: As a substitute for transfatty acids, or trans fat, palm oil is now found in thousands of products such as bread, crackers, chips, margarine, cereal, soap and even lipstick. Its natural oil, derived from the palm tree, and serves as a feedstock for biofuel production. Indonesia has the second highest rate of annual forest loss after Brazil, but is the largest source of greenhouse gases from deforestation and land use change due to its carbon-rich forests and peatlands. Deforestation is driven primarily by logging and conversion to industrial oil palm plantations. * PHTHALATE implicated in eczema in children: Phthalates are virtually the gang leaders among chemicals that impair health. They are known to cause reproductive problems and alter hormone functioning. Now these group of chemicals, commonly found in toys, furniture and medical devices like intravenous bags, have been linked to eczema in children. A number of chemicals including phthalates and bisphenol Anow termed as OBESOGENScan trigger obesity at even low-levels. Eczema is a type of persistent skin rash. It accompanies symptoms like dry, itchy red skin on the face, scalp, or extremities. It can be allergic or non-allergic. Researchers from the US have now found that prenatal exposure to a phthalate butylbenzyl phthalate (BbzP)puts a child at risk of developing the skin disease. * Prithvi II, the Nuclear-capable surface to surface Missile Successfully test-fired: India on 20 December 2012 successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable surface-tosurface Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore. The missile launch was conducted as part of operational exercise by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence services. The entire trajectory of the missile was tracked by a battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry observation stations, electro-optic instruments and naval ships. Prithvi is India's first indigenously built ballistic missile and one of the five missile developed under Indias prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). It is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines, uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory. The Prithvi-II missile is equipped with advanced high accuracy navigation system and guided by an innovative guidance scheme. KITE4education.com
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The improved Circular Error Probability (CEP) achieved by the missile is a testimony to specify the efficacy of this missile system. Prithvi uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring capabilities and comes within metres of its target.
* Ramanujans Cryptic Death Bed Theory proved by American Scientist: Mathematicians from a US university have solved a cryptic puzzle that renowned Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan claimed came to him in his dreams on his deathbed. While on his death-bed in 1920, Ramanujan wrote a letter to his mentor, British mathematician G H Hardy, outlining several new mathematical functions never before heard of, along with a hunch about how they worked. Now, researchers say they have proved Ramanujan was right, and that the formula could explain the behaviour of black holes. * Ranbaxy launches new anti-malarial drug: The Indian drug manufacturing company Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited launched a new anti-malarial drug, SYNRIAM on the occasion of World Malaria Day on April 25. The drug, a combination of ARTEROLANE MALEATE 150 MG AND PIPERAQUINE PHOSPHATE 750 MG, is now available in the market. An adult suffering from malaria will need only one tablet a day for three days. In case of other malaria medicines two to four tablets are required, twice daily for three or more days. The new drug regime will lead to better compliance, says Ranbaxy. The drug is also independent of fatty foods or milk restrictions, unlike other anti-malarial therapies. Malaria spreads through the bite of the infected female anopheles mosquito. There are four types of malarial parasites, of which Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most common. Plasmodium falciparum accounts for about 90 per cent of the deaths caused due to malaria. * Ranchos Ladakh to house worlds largest telescope: National large solar telescope (NLST) will be set-up at PANGONG TSO LAKE MERAK in Ladakh region to help the scientific community to study the long term changes in earths climate and environment. Satellites in low earth orbit face greater risk as during periods of heightened solar activity, the earths upper atmosphere swells up slightly in response to the extra heating, which in turn increases the rate of decay of these satellites. So, to avoid these limitations, this telescope is placed on earths terrestrial surface. Sunspots are temporary phenomenon on the photosphere on the photosphere of the sun that 77
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appear visibly as dark spots compared to the surrounding region. They are caused by intense magnetic activity in the sun. they appear once in 11 years. Increased sunspot activity frequently accompanies an increase in the outflow of matter from the Sun in the form of solar wind. LEO is an atmospheric orbit with an altitude of around 1200 kilometres from the earth. * Rare supercomet to outshine Moon in 2013: A rare supercomet is rushing towards the Sun from the outer solar system and at its peak it may outshine the Moon in November, 2013, astronomers claim. First spotted in September this year, the comet is known as C/2012 S1 (ISON), New Scientist reported. Its closest approach to the Sun will be in November, when Timothy Spahr of the Minor Planet Center at Harvard University expects it to put on as good a show as Hale-Bopp did in 1997. Hale Bopp is believed to be the most widely observed comet of the 20th century and one of the brightest seen for many decades. Since this will be ISON's first trip to the inner solar system, it could contain volatile gases that other comets, making their umpteenth lap around the Sun, have lost. Astronomers hope it will provide a pristine glimpse of the material in the outer solar system 4.6 billion years ago, when ISON formed. The year will also herald celestial fireworks of a different flavour, owing to a gas cloud with three times Earth's mass heading towards the usually placid supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy, the report said. The collision won't be visible to the naked eye, but X-ray telescopes will pick up radiation from the shock wave created as the cloud slams into the halo of hot gas around the hole. As the black hole, called Sagittarius A, sits a mere 25,000 light years away - on our cosmic doorstep - the crash should provide an unprecedented view of material ploughing into a black hole. It could even yield important clues about what happened 300 years ago, when the black hole was much brighter than now. * Researchers created natural heart pacemaker from single gene: Researchers of Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute developed pacemaker cells through injection of gene called Tbx18, which could greatly help in repairing the heart. This research would help treating the heart patients with the simple injection of socalled natural pacemaker. The researchers programmed ordinary cells of heart for becoming the exact imitations of specialised biological pacemakers through injection of single gene. KITE4education.com
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The heartbeat begins in sino-atrial node (SAN) of right upper chamber of heart where there are accumulated pacemaker cells. Out of the 10 billion cells of heart, less than 10000 are the pacemaker cells which are also referred as SAN cells. Once these new pacemaker cells are programmed by Tbx18 gene, they had all the important features of the native pacemakers. These pacemaker cells once programmed, also maintained the SAN-like characteristics despite the fact that effects of Tbx18 gene faded away. * Rich countries to hike funding for biodiversity: Rich countries will double their funding of average between 2006 and 2010 to the developing countries by 2015 to conserve biodiversity, a United Nations conference decided. The Convention on Biological Diversity meeting took a decision after a marathon meeting well past with entire developing world African group, China and Brazil - rallying behind the draft decision circulated by India. India took the lead to break the logjam by introducing a new negotiating text proposing a balanced middle path. After the initial opposition by European Union, Japan and Canada, the important agreement was achieved after several rounds of hectic negotiations and diplomatic parleys. Apart from agreement on resource mobilization, the summit also took decisions on ecosystem restoration, national capacity building, conserving marine and wildlife areas, financial mechanism, geo-engineering and protecting rights of indigenous people. In return to financial commitment by the rich nations, three-fourth of the developing countries will be required to place biodiversity in their national development agenda, having a defined mechanism to utilize the funds to be provided and come out with achievable outcomes. The final document, however, does not specify whether the money to be provided will be public or private funded. It kept the option open for the rich nations with the document saying urging all parties to consider all possible sources and means to meet the resources required. 78
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The commitment at Hyderabad will mean that European Union will have to provide four billion Euros every year, just a billion more than its funding for saving biodiversity in 2010. In all, the estimate is that the developing world's funding may be inadequate to protect the fast deteriorating biodiversity. Another success of the conference was that for the first time, developing countries, including India and several African states, pledged additional funds above and beyond their core funding towards the work of the CBD. The conference also launched Hyderabad Call for Biodiversity Champions - a programme to accept pledges from governments and organizations in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. India has already pledged Rs. 250 crore. Important decisions of CoP 11 on Biological Diversity New global effort to protect marine, coastal biodiversity, protected areas and wildlife Guidelines for protection of inland water ways Ways to use of biodiversity for poverty eradication and development Harmonisation of business with biodiversity to ensure the former does not damage the latter Global strategy for plan conservation and to prevent invasion of alien species Global Taxonomy initiative Have policies to reduce impact of biofuels and climate change on biodiversity Monitoring mechanism for strategic plan to achieve Aichi targets 2020 to conserve biodiversity Mechanism to deal with new and emerging areas of concern such as geo-engineering and synthetic biology * Salt-loving wheat could ease food crisis: Plant scientists said they had bred a strain of wheat that thrives in saline soils, boosting the quest to feed Earth's growing population at a time of water stress and climate change. Durum wheat with a salt-loving gene had yields which were up to 25 per cent greater than ordinary counterparts, according to trials carried out in highly saline fields. The gene, called TmHKT1;5-A, helps remove sodium from the water that is transported from the plant's roots to the leaves, said a research team led by Matthew Gilliham of the University of Adelaide, southern Australia. Spotted in a scan of ancestral wheat strains, TmHKT1;5-A was inserted into a commercial strain by traditional cross-breeding, not through genetic engineering, which is contested in many countries. Durum wheat Triticum turgidum is used for making pasta, bulgur and couscous. It is more saltsensitive than bread wheat (Triticum aestivum).
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* Science world commemorates father of computer science: Scientists will gather from Bangalore to Texas in PARIS to honour British mathematician ALAN TURING, a pioneer of the modern computer whose code-cracking is credited with shortening World War II. On the June 23 centenary of his birth in London, several cities will host conferences and exhibitions to celebrate the work of a man hailed as a rare genius today but persecuted for being gay when he was alive. Turing lay the theoretical foundation for the modern-day computer, set the standard for artificial intelligence, unravelled German codes in a war effort some say saved millions of lives, and came close to solving a biological riddle that still confounds scientists today. In 1936, Turing published a paper conceiving of a "universal Turing machine". * Scientists create fluorescent fish to help tackle pollution: Scientists at Exeter University have invented a type of glow in the dark fish. They actually turn flourescent but only if water is polluted. The research could help ensure measures are taken to improve water quality in rivers and lakes and also play an important part in medical research as well. Zebrafish are known for their stripes, but should there be something fishy in the water (so to speak), these particular fish will glow instead. They've had genetic material added to their eggs. The glowing ingredient came from jellyfish. * Scientists decode how flu viruses replicate in cells: Scientists have made a major advance in understanding how flu viruses replicate within infected cells, paving way for development of potent vaccines. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) used cutting-edge molecular biology and electron-microscopy techniques to "see" one of influenza's essential protein complexes in unprecedented detail. The study done by the scientists explained the flu virus replication machinery. Scientists used advance molecular biology and electron-microscopy techniques to see one of influenza's essential protein complexes in detail. They focused on influenzas ribonucleoprotein (RNP). RNPs contained the genetic material of virus and the special enzyme that is required by the virus to replicate itself. Any influenza virus contains eight RNPs in its core. Ribonucleoprotein (RNPs) It is an association of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein. Examples of RNPs: Ribosome 79
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Telomerase enzyme RNase P hnRNP small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs) RNPs are important to the viruss ability to survive and spread in its hosts. Each RNP contains a single protein which is the coding gene of the RNA-based viral genome. The viral RNA segment is coated with protective viral nucleoproteins and its structure resembles a twisted loop of chain. The free ends of this twisted loop are held by a fluvirus polymerase enzyme, which is entrusted with two important tasks of viral reproduction-1) making new viral genomic RNA 2)making the RNA gene-transcripts that will develop into new viral proteins. It would be interesting to know how the flu polymerase and the rest of the RNP interact. The only flu RNPs reproduced in the laboratory, were shortened versions whose structures didnt match those of native flu RNPs. Still, Scientists developed a test-cell expression system which produced all of the protein and RNA components required to make full-length flu RNPs. The discovery enabled Scientists to analyze molecular samples more easily.
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The length of the river bed is around1500 kilometer which runs across the martian landscape. These structures are thought to be formed by the passage of loose debris and ice during the Amazonian period (which continues to this day) due to glacial flow along the channel. The structures were originally carved by liquid water during the Hesperian period, which ended b/w 3.5 billion and 1.8 billion years ago. * Scientists Discover 'Super Jupiter': According to astronomers at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany, the newly discovered gas giant planet has 13 times the mass of Jupiter and orbits the star Kappa Andromedae, which has a mass 2.5 times larger than our Sun. Most exoplanets are discovered through indirect detection such as the so-called transit method, in which a small change in the light emanating from a planets parent star is observed as the planet orbits it. But the Jupiter-like planet was actually photographed directly, using the Subaru telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The direct detection of the massive planet means scientists should be able to use other means to gather further information about it, including performing an in-depth analysis of the planets light, as well as investigating the radiation emitted by Kappa Andromedae, which could provide insight into the planets atmosphere. Scientists hope the discovery will shed light on how planets are formed, because Kappa Andromedae is a very young star--30 million years old--compared to our sun, which is 5 billion years old. This planet probably formed in a similar way to ordinary, lower-mass planets, in a protoplanetary disk of gas and dust. * Scientists now know tomato better: Scientists have successfully sequenced the genomes of tomato, which is expected to lower costs and increase the vegetable's production worldwide. It took seven years for the Tomato Genome Consortium (TGC), a group of over 300 scientists from 14 countries, to sequence the genomes of the domesticated vegetable. Indian scientists also participated in the research. This achievement is expected to lower costs and speed up efforts to improve the worldwide tomato production, making it better equipped to combat the pests, pathogens, drought and diseases that now plague growers. TGC was established as a result of a scientific conference organized in 2003 in Washington, DC. Consortium members include scientists from Argentina, Belgium, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, the Netherlands, 80
* Scientists decode why universe is dominated by matter: Scientists have solved the puzzle of the universe being dominated by matter rather than its close relative anti-matter. Physicists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison made a precise measurement of elusive, nearly massless particles, and obtained a crucial hint as to why the universe is dominated by matter. The particles, called anti-neutrinos, were detected at the underground Daya Bay experiment, located near a nuclear reactor in China. Anti-particles are almost identical twins of subatomic particles (electrons, protons and neutrons) that make up our world. When an electron encounters an anti-electron, for example, both are annihilated in a burst of energy. Failure to see these bursts in the universe tell physicists that anti-matter is vanishingly rare, and that matter rules the roost in today's universe. * Scientists discover Billion Year Old River on Mars: Scientists from the European Space agency have discovered a river like structure on Mars by analyzing the 3D images of the Mars Express stereo camera. As per them, the region REULL VALLIS bears a river-like structure which is believed to be formed when running water flowed in the distant martian past, cutting a steep-sided channel through the Promethei Terra Highlands before running on towards the floor of the vast Hellas basin. KITE4education.com
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the United Kingdom and the United States. * Scientists unveil new 'baby picture' of Universe: Astronomers have released a new "baby picture" of the Universe. The all-sky image draws on nine years' worth of data from a now-retired spacecraft dubbed the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). WMAP launched in 2001 and from its perch a million miles away from Earth (in the direction opposite the Sun) it scanned the heavens, mapping out the afterglow of the hot, young universe with unprecedented accuracy. The image maps the temperature of the radiation left over from the Big Bang, at a time when the Universe was only 375,000 years old. It shows a temperature range of plus-or-minus 200 microKelvin, with fluctuations in the so-called cosmic microwave background radiation appearing here as colour differences. These patterns allow astronomers to predict what could have possibly happened earlier, and what has happened in the billions of year since the Universe's infancy. As such, the spacecraft has been instrumental in pushing forward cosmological theories about the nature and origin of the Universe. Among other revelations, the data from WMAP revealed a much more precise estimate for the age of the Universe, 13.7 billion years and confirmed that about 95 per cent of it is composed of mindboggling stuff called dark matter and dark energy. WMAP data also helped scientists nail down the curvature of space to within 0.4 per cent of "flat," and pinpoint the time when the Universe began to emerge from the cosmic dark ages (about 400 million years after the Big Bang.) The probe retired two years ago, and the WMAP science team is now releasing its final results, based on a full nine years of observations. * Seismic centre to come up at Satara in Maharashtra: India's first state-of-the-art seismic research and monitoring centre will come up @ Satara. The centre is in close proximity to one of the oldest and largest irrigation projects in India, Koyna Dam and Karad in the same district (Satara), which is considered an earthquake prone region. Incidentally, Satara is a neighbouring district of Ratnagiri where the 9,900-MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is coming up amidst fears of heightened seismic activities. 'JOGGOBOT' Joggobot and it is programmed to stay ahead of the jogger to encourage him or her to keep going at it. The robot has a camera, and the jogger has to wear a special t-shirt that can be identified by the camera. Then, the robo companion can continue to keep an KITE4education.com
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eye on the joggers progress.
* Shrink the tumour: Basal cell nevus syndrome is a genetic condition that can cause dozens, even thousands, of skin cancers known as basal-cell carcinomas all over the body. The current treatment is frequent surgery, which can result in scarring. Scientists have now found that a recently approved drug, ERIVEDGE (VISMODEGIB), can keep the cancer at bay. * 'SMART CLOSET' that suggests you what to wear: Researchers are developing a 'smart closet' that has the artificial intelligence to suggest occasionbased and colour-appropriate outfits. The Magic Closet is a computer programme, under development at the National University of Singapore and the Chinese Academy of Science. The motion-controlled programme suggests suitable outfits for different occasions. The closet software makes outfit suggestions for 10 different occasions, including weddings, funerals, work and dates. It can also match clothing to an item the user already knows he or she wants to wear. The software draws clothing suggestions from both the user's own wardrobe and from online shops. * Sopory Committee Report on BNLA106 event: An indigenous Bt cotton variety Bt Bikaneri Narma developed through a collaborative effort can no more be used for cultivation. A probe conducted by a five-member team, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor S.K. Sopory has termed the development of the strain invalid. The indigenous cotton variety was jointly developed by the National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi; the Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur and the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. * Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project: it is a radio telescope in development which will have a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometre. The SKA will be built in the southern hemisphere, in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, where the view of our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is best and radio interference least. * SRL introduces UNIVERSAL GENETIC TEST in India: Super Religare Laboratories (SRL) has brought the Universal Genetic Test to India to help check birth of children with genetic disorders. Invented by scientists from Stanford, Harvard and MIT, the Universal Genetic Test (UGT) is an innovative test based on customised microarray technology, which scans through a combination of serious and disabling genetic disorders such as SMA, 81
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Sickle Cell Anaemia, Beta Thalassemia and TaySachs disease, along with less serious but equally important metabolic genetic disorders such as Fructose Intolerance, MSUDs, Biotinidase deficiency and Ataxias. * Stephen Hawking launches supercomputer: The COSMOS supercomputer is part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council DiRAC High Performance Computing facility, a national service for UK cosmologists, astronomers and particle physicists, as well as non-academic users. * Sunita Williams, fellow astronauts back on Earth: Indian-American Sunita Williams and her two co-astronauts Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide have undocked from the Rassvet module of International Space Station for their journey back to Earth after spending four months in orbit. Ms Williams, will have spent a total of 322 days in space during her two long-duration missions. Aakash 2 is the advanced version of Aakash 1 tablet. Aaskash 2 or commercially called Ubislate 7+. * Supercomputer to simulate brain for disease fight: Scientists say they are building a 'human brain' , using the world's most powerful supercomputer that will simulate the entire mind and thus help fight against brain diseases like Alzheimer's. The 'brain' is intended to combine all the information so far uncovered about its mysterious workings - and replicate them on a screen, right down to the level of individual cells and molecules, says an international team behind the project. The scientists hope to complete it within 12 years. If it works it could be revolutionary for understanding devastating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinsons, and even shedding light into how we think, and make decisions. Switzerland-based Henry Markram is leading the team. Housed at a facility in Dusseldorf in Germany, the 'brain' will feature thousands of three-dimensional images built around a semicircular 'cockpit' so the scientists can virtually 'fly' around different areas and watch how they communicate with each other. * Supreme Court asks Centre to submit endosulfan disposal plan: The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to submit a disposal plan for the raw material used to manufacture endosulfan, HEXACHLOROCYCLOPENTADIENE (HCCP), an organochlorine compound. It is used in several pesticides. * Tata Steel Developed a New Kind of AntiBallistic Steel Super Bainite: Tata Steel's Port Talbot KITE4education.com
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plant in the UK developed a new kind of anti-ballistic steel in the second week of December which could transform safety of soldiers and security forces fighting terrorists and extremists. The steel named as Super Bainite is very lightweight, super-strength anti-ballistic steel with a lattice form. It can be used to armour-plate troop carriers and tanks. * Three pharma units under scanner for exposing workers to polyacrylate hazard: Polyacrylate dust is mainly used as a binding agent but exposure to it can lead to fibrosis and lung failure. The dust also settles in the pulmonary tract which may affect the functioning of the heart. * UK MOD launches new Skynet satellite: Skynet 5D was launched from French Guiana, South America. It is the fourth satellite of the Skynet 5 project to be put into space since 2007 under a 4bn Private Finance Initiative (PFI) programme with Astrium, who built the satellite and service providers Astrium Services. * US regains top spot for fastest supercomputer: An IBM supercomputer developed for US government nuclear simulations and to study climate change and the human genome has been recognized as the world's fastest. The announcement on Monday at the 2012 International Supercomputing Conference in Hamburg, Germany recognized Sequoia, an IBM BlueGene/Q system installed at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The machine delivered 16.32 petaflops a petaflop equating to a thousand trillion operations per second. SEQUOIA is primarily for simulations used to ensure the safety and reliability of US nuclear weapons. It also is used for research into astronomy, human genome science and climate change. Sequoia pips Fujitsu's 'K Computer' installed at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science in Kobe, Japan, which dropped to number two at 10.51 petaflops per second. A new MIRA supercomputer which is also part of the IBM BlueGene/Q series at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois was third fastest. * Voyager space probe reaches edge of solar system: Some 18 billion kilometers away from home, the 35 year old Voyager 1 spacecraft is about to become the first manmade object to leave the Solar System and enter the frigid and lonely interstellar space. Voyager 1 was launched by NASA in 1977 along with its twin Voyager 2, which is about 15 billion kilometers away, in a different direction. The electronics on board Voyager 1 is still functioning 82
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and messages are received from the distant spacecraft after a delay of 16 hours-38 minutes due to the immense distance. The two Voyagers are powered by PLUTONIUM BASED DEVICES which will last till 2025. After that the crafts will continue to hurtle along in space but without any contact with Earth. Voyager 1 carries a Golden Record - a gold-plated copper disc - containing 116 images and a variety of natural sounds, music from different cultures, greetings in 55 languages and nude profiles of a man and a woman. Put together by famous cosmologist Carl Sagan, the Golden Record is meant for any alien life that happens to discover Voyager 1 in the distant future. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California - built and operates the Voyager space probes). * Vulture nemesis returns in new avatar: The painkiller associated with the steep decline in vulture populations across South Asia, diclofenac, seems to have made a comeback, albeit in a new form. The new chemical, ACECLOFENAC, is equally dangerous for vultures as it gets metabolized into diclofenac when administered to cattle and other animals, says a recent research paper. Diclofenac is blamed for the 99 per cent decline of Gyps species of vultureswhite-backed, long billed and slender-billed; the vultures die when they feed on dead cattle previously treated with the drug. NACTUS KUNAN A new species of gecko has been discovered in Papua New Guinea pretty as a bumblebee, and safely settled in the central forests of the island. The genus Nactus includes about a dozen species of lizards known as slender-toed geckos, which inhabit forest floors in west Pacific islands and north-east Australia, and most of which have muted dark brown patterns that make them difficult to spot on the ground. * Vulture Numbers in India rise for the first time in 20 years: The country's vulture population has increased for the first time in two decades, after a catastrophic decline in their numbers by more than 99%. A research paper by scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BHNS) shows that the number of vultures, once found across the country, increased marginally between 2011 and 2012. The vulture population in India started to fall dramatically in the early '90s. Around 95% of the big scavenging birds were wiped out by 2003 and more than 99% by 2008, and their numbers decreased from 4 crore in the early '80s to less than 1 lakh in 2011. The study also warned that while the stabilization in vulture numbers is encouraging, only a small number of the birds remain and they are still extremely vulnerable. KITE4education.com
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DICLOFENAC, a painkilling drug administered to cattle, was the culprit. Vultures, which have a digestive system robust enough to even digest disease-causing pathogens found in rotting meat of dead, do not have a critical enzyme that breaks down diclofenac and die of renal failure after eating carcasses of cattle administered the drug. Environmentalists said the increase in vulture numbers offered signs of hope for the critically endangered species once believed to be close to extinction. A ban on the use of diclofenac across South Asia in 2006 led to a drop-off, between 2007 and 2011, in the numbers of birds being killed by the use of the drug on livestock. The three most common species of vultures in the country are the long-billed vulture (Gyps indicus), also known as the Indian vulture, the white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) and the slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris). * West Bengal to have first synchrotron centre in India: West Bengal is going to have the first synchrotron centre in India after France, Germany, US and Japan. The synchrotron project would produce bright light ranging from infra-red, visible and x-ray which find applications in drug discovery and research, medical imaging and semiconductor materials analysis among others. Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) signed an agreement with Geneva-based CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) for conducting experiments on isotope separator technology. * World`s largest radio telescope may confirm alien life: Humans could make contact with alien life within 12 years, with the aid of the world's largest radio telescope, a leading UFO expert has claimed. One of the key questions whether extra-terrestrial life exists, could be answered by 2024 with the development of a supersized 1.3 billion pounds radio telescope. The development of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) telescope will unleash "new and exciting possibilities". The SKA, to be started in 2016, is set to be the world's largest radio telescope and will answer some of the fundamental unanswered questions of our universe. Made up of thousands of radio wave receptors covering 4,921 square km of the Earth's surface in the Australian outback, scientists have claimed it will provide alternative views of the universe than those seen with optical telescopes. Scientists leading its development have suggested the SKA will be 50 times more sensitive, and will survey the sky 10,000 times faster, than any other 83
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telescope. An invasive grass species, known as CHEATGRASS, has been making wildfires in the western US larger, hotter and more frequent. Astronomers have found possible evidence for 461 new planets outside our solar system, using measurements from NASA's planet-hunting satellite, Kepler. Temperatures in the United States have reached record levels, making 2012 by far the hottest year in the history books. MEMRISTORS are electronic circuits that remember changes in current passing through them by changing the resistance. IIT researchers have developed a bio memristor device primarily based on a silk protein called fibroin, isolated from BOMBYX MORI silkworm. These electronic devices derived from silk protein are inexpensive and have light weight. *"Green bullet" innovations aim to feed world of 9 billion: In flood-hit fields in the Philippines, farmers are testing a hardy new variety of rice that can survive completely submerged for more than two weeks. In Kenya's Kibera slum, poor urban families are turning around their diets and incomes just by learning to grow vegetables in sack gardens outside their doors. And in India, a push to help marginalised rural communities gain title to their land is leading to a significant drop in hunger. These are just a few of the kinds of innovations and initiatives that experts say will be critical if the world is to feed itself over coming decades as the population soars, cities sprawl and climate change takes its toll. Feeding the 9 billion by 2050 will require fundamental changes to unsustainable but wellentrenched policies and practices, from eating so much meat to spending trillions on agriculture and fuel subsidies. 'GREEN BULLETS' Unlike the last century's agricultural "Green Revolution", which dramatically boosted world food production with new high-yielding crop varieties and more irrigation, this revolution must rely on myriad "GREEN BULLETS" to tackle hunger. They range from persuading farmers in Africa's drought zones to switch from water-hungry rice to hardier crops like sorghum or millet, to helping them build pest-proof grain silos that allow food to be stored longer or sold when prices are higher. With 70 percent of the world's people expected to live in cities by 2050, finding ways to help city dwellers grow food in small urban plots or roof gardens, or group together to buy food at cheaper prices, is a major focus. In California's East Palo Alto, for instance, older inner-city residents - who are particularly vulnerable KITE4education.com
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to high food prices - are learning growing techniques for the first time and producing food for themselves and a neighbourhood market. Other urban areas are turning to vertical hydroponic gardens clinging to the edge of skyscrapers. Women - who grow at least 40 percent of food in Africa and Asia - will need improved land rights and better access to information, something being made much easier by the spread of mobile phone technology, experts say. Rural women in India's Andhra Pradesh state now use advance drought warnings, relayed by Internet and mobile phone, to switch to more drought-tolerant crops -- a move that has saved harvests and helped stem the usual wave of migration to cities in drought times. Changing farming practices by adopting more water-conserving drip irrigation or planting crops amid fertilizing trees, as is now happening throughout Africa, will also be key. So will cutting the at least 30 percent of the world's food supply eaten by pests, spoiled on the way to market or thrown away unused from plates and supermarkets. Simply getting supermarkets to stop offering twofor-one specials - which can encourage people to overbuy - would be a start, some anti-hunger activists say, as would improving roads in regions like South Asia and Africa where transport delays mean produce often rots on the way to market. Solutions to the threat of worsening hunger will vary by region, by country, sometimes even from one farm or village or apartment building to the next, experts say. Not all ideas will succeed, and scaling up those that do prove to work, as quickly as possible, will be essential. In a world where an estimated 900 million people are already hungry today, curbing surging consumption in rich nations and those fast getting rich, especially India and China, will be particularly important, experts say. Persuading rich people to eat less meat and fewer milk products, which take a lot of grain to produce, would go a long way toward curbing ever-rising demand for grain. *IPv6 available in India: The new version internet address IPv6 is now available in India. This version will provide advantage over previous IPv4 version as it will accommodate larger number of users each assigned with specific address. IPv4 provides limited space and service providers often assign single IP address to many users, making it difficult to identify the end user. But with IPv6, enormous number of distinct IP addresses will be made available making it easier for the security agencies to identify the user. 84
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In India these addresses will be assigned by Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN). These addresses will be many times cheaper than that of IPv4. *3rd trial of Astra successful: India conducted another trial of its beyond visual range air-to-air missile Astra from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Odisha coast. This test was significant as it successfully destroyed a highly manoeuvring simulated target. The missile was launched from a ground launcher at the launching complex-1 of the ITR. It was third test of the missile in four days. While during 2nd trial an electronic target was used, the missile had destroyed a Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) on Saturday. Flying at Mach 3 speed, three times the speed of sound, the missile zeroed in on the target and intercepted it at an altitude of 4 km. *500-yr-old bags of gunpowder found: Over 1,500kg of gunpowder in five leather bags has been found near the Jain temple in the Sonar fort of Jaisalmer, made famous by Satyajit Ray's film 'Sonar Kella'. The explosive is expected to be 500-years-old. Gunpowder Gunpowder which is also called black powder was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid-1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate (saltpeter). Sulfur and Charcoal act as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer. It is used as propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworks. It was earlier, used as explosives in cannons. *ADITYA-1 is the first space based Solar Coronagraph: intended to study the outermost region of the sun called Corona. ADITYA-1 in the visible and near IR bands will study the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) such as the coronal magnetic field structures and evolution of coronal magnetic field and consequently the crucial physical parameters for space weather. The major scientific objective of the ADITYA-1 is to achieve a fundamental understanding of the physical processes that heat the solar corona (base to the extended), accelerate the solar wind and produce CMEs. *Agni-V: India in elite club: India in April 2012 blasted its way into an elite club of nations by successfully launching its over 5,000 km-range nuclear-capable Long-Range Ballistic Missile Agni-V off the Orissa coast, thereby signaling it has intercontinental ballistic missile capability and giving the country a credible nuclear-capable deterrent vis-aKITE4education.com
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vis China. The government hailed the test as a success and said the designated target had been hit. The Agni-V can reach all of China, including Beijing, and most parts of Europe and Africa are within its range. India has successfully developed its first Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) for the indigenous nuclear submarine 'INS Arihant', joining an elite club of nations possessing such weaponry. (July 2012). The development of the underwater-launched ballistic missile will help India in completing its nuclear triad under which now it will have the option to strike from air, land and under the sea. At present, very few countries including the US, Russia, France, China and the UK have the capability to carry out submarine-based ballistic missile strikes. *An app to detect skin cancer: Scientists have developed a new, free iPhone application which could help you conduct a self exam to detect potential skin cancer, but there is a catch: You will have to fully expose yourself for results. Developed by a team at the University of Michigan in the U.S., the new app, called UMSKINCHECK, aims to make the already existing whole body photographic self-diagnosis a bit simpler and cheaper. Instead of hiring a photographer for full body shots, the app allows one to take multiple shots of different body parts. In other words, one has to take 23 nude photographs in seven different poses that will be stored on an app. As you cannot take all the photos yourself, you will have to enlist a friend to help. *ANUPAM-Adhya Super computer. The latest in the series of ANUPAM systems is the ANUPAMAdhya supercomputer, developed in 2010-11 with a sustained performance of 47 Teraflops. Computer Division, BARC has started development of supercomputers under the ANUPAM project in 1991 and till date, has developed more than 20 different computer systems. ANUPAM supercomputers have been developed as general-purpose parallel computers. *Archaeologists discovered 2000-Year Old Sculpture in Mexico: Mexican archaeologists in the first week of August 2012 discovered a 2000-year-old sculpture of a jaguar in Izapa. The one-tonne piece measures 1.38 meters long by 87 centimeters high and 52 centimeters wide. Izapa, is located about 12 km from the border with Guatemala. It was an important civic religious center built 2500 years ago by a preMayan culture. The sculptures of Izapa were made with stones because there were no metals in that period. 85
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The jaguar sculpture seems to be only partially completed because the other faces of the stone are blank. It indicated that it was possibly in the process of being carved when work was halted on it. World Energy Forum World Energy Forum is an International Not-forProfit Membership Organization which promotes cleaner and safer energy and sustainable development worldwide. The Organization was founded in 2008 by Professor Harold Hyun-Suk Oh, who heads the Organization as President and Chairman. World Energy Forum has selected Dubai, United Arab Emirates as the venue for its 2012 HighLevel International Energy Conference to be held on October 2224 at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. All Heads of States and Energy Ministers of the United Nations Member States as well as Leaders of International Organizations and Private Sector are invited to participate in this global Forum in order to discuss a roadmap towards cleaner, safer, and more sustainable energy that can benefit all nations and people. *Arsenic eyes rice nutrients: ARSENIC accumulation in rice is something that is largely unexplored. A study has now found that the heavy metal can disrupt amino acid synthesis in the grain, a staple diet for many. This can reduce the levels of essential and non-essential amino acids found mainly in rice which are essential for a healthy life. Essential amino acids like lysine, phenylealanine, histidine and methionine not only improve digestion, stimulate hormonal release and enhance memory; they are also the building blocks of all proteins. Deficiency of glutamic acid, a nonessential amino acid, has been linked to Parkinsons disease. *Artificial brain 'Spaun' passes IQ tests: Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada, have built the worlds most sophisticated artificial brain to date. Known as SPAUN, (short for SEMANTIC POINTER ARCHITECTURE UNIFIED NETWORK), the model is able to simulate complex brain behaviour and is capable of thinking remembering, seeing and interacting with its environment using a mechanical arm. Salient Features Runs on supercomputer Digital eye for visual input Robotic arm to draw responses 2.5 million Simulated neurons facilitating it to do 8 KITE4education.com
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different tasks like copy drawing, counting, question answering, fluid reasoning etc. It has some limitations which are simulated like human brain Although Spaun currently exists in the simulated world inside a computer, it is one of the most advanced models ever created by scientists to understand how the human brain functions. Unlike previous brain models, such as the 'million processor computer', which feature large networks of neurons with generally limited functions, Spauns 2.5 million neurons are designed to mimic our own brains structure with a prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and thalamus that allow it to think about its environment and respond to the patterns it encounters.
*Astronomers discover oldest galaxy in Universe: Scientists have discovered the most distant and apparently the oldest galaxy in the known universe using a unique combination of super man-made and natural telescopes. The galaxy, MACS0647-JD has been found 13.3 billion light years away from Earth. Scientists believe they are witnessing the cosmic cluster in its infancy, just 420 million years after the Big Bang which created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago. Cluster Lensing and Supernova Survey with Hubble (CLASH), a joint US-European project, has been credited with the discovery. In order to see the galaxy, astronomers combined the magnifying power of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope and a natural zoom effect called gravitational lensing. *Australian Researchers Found Protein behind Aggressive Breast Cancer: Australian researchers of Sydneys Garvan Institute claimed that they discovered primary factor which made breast cancer aggressive as well as resistant to the treatments. PROTEIN CALLED ELF5 is responsible for making the tumours of breast cancer more aggressive as well as resistant to treatments, revealed the key researcher Chris Ormandy. *Australian Scientists discovered Alzheimer's Treatment: Australian scientists along with US experts claimed that they are a step closer to create a treatment for Alzheimer patients following a study finding a link to abnormalities inside brain cells. In a joint study, researchers at Queensland Brain Institute and Havard medical School team found that when a toxic protein builds up, it starves brain cells of energy, causing them to die.According to ABC online report, in the study of over three years, scientiests tried to unveil the mystery surrounding Alzheimer's disease and a section of the brain cell called the mitochondria, the part responsible for metabolising energy, was analyzed. 86
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This is the first study to directly link toxic levels of Tau, a protein in the brain that is related to dementia, to abnormalities in the mitochondria, which starves them of energy and destroys brain cells. Researchers claimed that the latest development was a promising step towards developing an effective treatment for sufferers. *Ban toxic imports: court: THE Supreme Court has directed the Centre to ban the import of hazardous waste. While hearing a 17-year-old case, the court also asked the government to amend the existing laws pertaining to toxic waste so that they comply with the Basel Convention, an international treaty that prohibits transboundary movement of toxic waste. India ratified the Convention in 1992. The court gave the order on July 6 while disposing of a public interest petition filed by Delhi non-profit Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy against the Union of India in 1995. The petition had requested the court to ensure compliance of international and national laws and ban import of all types of hazardous waste. The court directed the Centre to bring the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules in line with the Convention and Articles 21 (right to life), 47 (public health) and 48A (environmental protection) of the Constitution. *Bat DNA May Hold Clues To Better Health In Humans: Bats are known to have survived for 65 million years against all adversities. They are widespread and one of the most abundant creatures. They have longer lives compared to animals of similar size and are known as natural reservoir for several lethal viruses , such as Hendra, Ebola and SARS, but they often dont succumb to disease from these viruses. They adapt themselves to these odds. A deeper understanding of these evolutionary adaptations in bats may lead to better treatments for human diseases, and may eventually enable us to predict or perhaps even prevent outbreaks of emerging bat viruses. They may also hold clues about immunity and longevity. Bisphenol A Bisphenol A (BPA), widely used in lightweight plastics, can block calcium channels in body cells. These channels facilitate flow of calcium ions that control contraction of heart muscles and enzyme activity. Drugs for high blood pressure and heart diseases have a similar effect on these channels. Exposure to BPA is like giving these drugs to healthy individuals. This could have serious health implications. The chemical exhibits hormone-like properties and has previously been linked to diabetes, obesity and cancer. It is considered harmful for foetuses and kids, in particular. *Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem
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(BOBLME) Project: Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) Project is a regional initiative driven by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and a number of other international organizations. Under the project, eight countries viz., Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand attempt to evolve a common strategy to optimize the use of shared marine resources on a sustainable basis. *Cancer connect: A study on stomach cancer shows the disease occurs when production of a protein, TGFig-h3, is impaired in the body. The protein is released by myofibroblast cells and it inhibits cancer growth. Cells in the body start turning into cancerous tumours when myofibroblasts cells around them decrease the release of this protein. Restoring the function of this protein can help stomach cancer patients recover. *Carbon nanotubes could soon replace silicon in computer chips: Researchers at IBM including one of an Indian origin have developed a new technique to mass produce carbon nanotubes that can replace silicon in computer chips to create smaller, faster circuits. The team revealed they have created a carbon 'chip' with more than ten thousand working transistors made of nano-sized tubes of carbon, which have been precisely placed and tested in a single. Carbon nanotubes are single atomic sheets of carbon rolled up into a tube. The carbon nanotube forms the core of a transistor device that will work in a fashion similar to the current silicon transistor, but will be better performing. They could be used to replace the transistors in chips that power our data-crunching servers, high performing computers and ultra fast smart phones. These carbon devices are poised to replace and outperform silicon technology allowing further miniaturization of computing components and leading the way for future microelectronics, IBM said. Electrons in carbon transistors can move easier than in silicon-based devices allowing for quicker transport of data. The nanotubes are also ideally shaped for transistors at the atomic scale, an advantage over silicon. *Centre makes labelling of GM foods mandatory: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, in an extraordinary gazette notification, has made an amendment to make labelling of every package containing genetically modified food mandatory from 87
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January 1, 2013. The move will impact the imported GM foods that are flooding the markets. The notification published on June 5, 2012 says: Every package containing the genetically modified food shall bear at the top of its principal display panel the words GM. Awareness - With a moratorium on Bt Brinjal, India does not produce any GM food. However, it is suspected that GM foods are imported in several forms. The Rules leave it to the importer to declare that the food commodity entering the country contains GM products or have GM ingredients and several officials confirm that rarely is any voluntary declaration made by the exporter or importer. Also, even if the declaration was made at the borders, there are no credible labs to test for genetically modified ingredients in a food product. While the government maintains its intention is limited to creating consumer awareness, the question of labelling GM foods has been under global discussion for almost two decades with activists pressing for labelling and producers opposing it. The notification is silent on whether the amendment is applicable to primary GM foods or processed foods. *CERN becomes first pure physics voice in UN chorus: The international particle physics laboratory, based near Geneva, Switzerland, has been granted observer status in the General Assembly of the United Nations. The lab joins environmental groups and public health agencies as the first physical sciences research organization in the ranks of UN observers. Observer status grants the right to speak at meetings, participate in procedural votes, and sign and sponsor resolutions, but not to vote on resolutions. The facility was founded in 1954 under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Its initial mission was to provide collaborative projects for researchers from Allied countries and former Axis countries after the Second World War. The lab's most high-profile project, the Large Hadron Collider, made headlines worldwide this year when it revealed detection of a new particle that appears to be the elusive Higgs boson. *CHAMP Missile Could Shut Down the Electronics of the Country Permanently: Boeing: Boeing, the US aircraft manufacturer claimed that a new missile codenamed CHAMP has been tested successfully which makes use of the electromagnetic KITE4education.com
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pulses in order to target the buildings can permanently blackout the electronics of the country without causing any harm to people. The missile project has been code named CounterElectronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP). The missile carries electromagnetic pulse cannon, which uses a super-powerful microwave oven to produce a concentrated beam of energy which causes voltage surges in electronic equipment, leaving them useless before surge protectors react. *CICR initiative: Leading the initiative is the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), which has put together a package that provides farmers its best varieties of DESI COTTON (G arboreum and G herbaceum species) and superior medium and long staple varieties along with an old but discarded technique of cultivation - High-Density Planting System (HDPS) in which cotton plants are packed tightly together at eight to 10 times the normal rate and planted in rows. HDPS, like the varieties, was used traditionally in Vidarbha until hybrids made their entry in the 1970s and gradually took over the market. BIKANERI AND NHH 44 were the only genetically modified varieties of Bt cotton developed through government-funded research to provide cheaper alternatives to farmers, while numerous other privately developed varieties crowd Indias royalty-driven Rs. 2,000-crore cotton seed market. While championing Desi, CICR is also working on compact multi-gene super Bt cotton dwarf varieties for HDPS. It is an ambitious network project involving public research institutions and universities and will build on novel genes that have already been discovered but not commercialized. *Climate change: Cabinet nod for 2nd natcom to UNFCCC: The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved India's Second National Communication to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change listing steps taken by it to tackle the threat of global warming. India is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate (UNFCCC). The Convention, in accordance with its Article 4.1 and 12.1, enjoins all Parties, both developed and developing countries, to furnish information, in the form of a National Communication, regarding implementation of the Convention. This project has been implemented with the financial support of USD 3.5 million provided by Global Environment Facility and matched by a support of USD three million from the Government of India in the nature of co-financing. 88
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*Coca-Cola India and Jain Irrigation Tie-up to adopt UHDP Practice for Mango Cultivation: Coca-Cola India and Jain Irrigation on 14 September 2011 announced the launch of Project Unnati. Unnati will mark a unique partnership with farmers to demonstrate and enable adoption of ultra-high density plantation (UHDP) practice for mango cultivation. The project is to encourage sustainable, modern agricultural practices and help double mango yields. UHDP is a farming practice that leads to mango orchards attaining their full potential in 3-4 years and allows nearly 600 trees to be planted per acre instead of the conventional 40 trees. In the first phase of the project, 200 demo farms of size between one and three acres will use the UHDP technique for mango cultivation while also utilising the benefits of drip irrigation. The process is expected to improve farmer's income by increasing yield/acre and also decrease the water used. The first phase has an investment outlay of more than $2 million and will be shared equally between the two companies. The process will be implemeted first with UHDP farming in some farms in Chittoor and Cudappa districts of Andhra Pradesh, an area renowned for the TOTAPURI MANGO. The demo farms will be used to showcase and train farmers on the technique and adoption of UHDP practice under a joint capability building programme under the aegis of Jain irrigation and Coca-Cola University. The area under mango cultivation is not growing at required pace. UHDP mango plantation is a viable solution to tackle this problem and can be undertaken in all tradition mango growing regions. UHDP process requires mango grafts of commercial varieties planted close to each other. Special techniques lead to the well-rounded growth of mango orchards. This technique has been standardized and commercialized by Jain Irrigation at its R & D farm at Udmalpet, Tamil Nadu where currently 100 acres is under UHDP.
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*Committee moots six more tiger reserves: Indias rising tiger population may get a further boost as the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has suggested creation of six new tiger reserves. This is in addition to five wildlife areas for which in principle approval has been accorded but final notification is still awaited. India as of now has 41 notified tiger
reserves. The proposed tiger reserves range from across country from Uttar Pradesh to Goa to Tamil Nadu. The five reserves for in principle approved has been given are Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh), Sunabeda (Odisha), Mukundara Hills (including Darrah, Jawahar Sagar and Chambal Wildlife Sanctuaries) (Rajasthan) and Satyamangalam (Tamil Nadu). *DARK GALAXIES are small, gas-rich galaxies in the early Universe that are very inefficient at forming stars. They are predicted by theories of galaxy formation and are thought to be the building blocks of todays bright, star-filled galaxies. *Decoding of the Pigeonpea (Arhar) Genome by Indian Scientists: A group of thirty-one Indian scientists from ICAR Institutes, State Agricultural Universities and Banaras Hindu University, led by Prof. Nagendra Kumar Singh from ICARs National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology at New
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Delhi have decoded the genome of Arhar, the second most important pulse crop of India. This is the first plant genome sequenced entirely through a network of Indian institutions and it will provide highly valuable resource for variety improvement of pigeonpea. Pigeonpea or red gram (Arhar or Tur) is an important grain legume (Pulse) crop of India. About 85% of the world pigeonpea is produced and consumed in India where it is a key crop for food and nutritional security of the people. India imports pigeonpea from Myanmar which is the second largest producer. In contrast to soybean, ARHAR has fewer number of genes for oil biosynthesis and larger number of genes for cellulose biosynthesis which make it an oil-free woody plant. Genetically modified (GM) mustard Genetically modified (GM) mustard hybrid DMH-11 developed by Delhi Universitys Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants ran into trouble in March when the Rajasthan government suddenly withdrew permission for the field trials. Developed after 16 years of research by Deepak Pental, director of the centre, the GM mustard is being promoted by the National Dairy Development Board, which supplies cooking oil to the domestic market under the brand Dhara. So far the board, along with the Department of Biotechnology and the European Union among others, has put in around Rs 45 crore in this project which uses the interplay of the barnase and barstar genes to produce high oil yielding mustard (Brassica juncea). These genes come from a soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. *DRDO develops depth detector Tarangini: Scientists from the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) Lab, have developed a device named Tarangini which can fathom underwater depth and can also measure the hardness of the bottom surface. Application: Tarangini can be a handy tool to rescuers as well as paramilitary forces who come across unfamiliar water bodies. *Emission tracker: Arizona State University researchers have developed a new software system capable of estimating greenhouse gas emissions across entire urban landscapes, all the way down to roads and individual buildings. Until now, scientists quantified carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at a much broader level. Arizona State University researchers have developed a new software system capable of estimating greenhouse gas emissions across entire urban landscapes, all the way down to roads and individual buildings. Until now, scientists quantified carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at a much broader KITE4education.com
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level. Dubbed HESTIA after the Greek goddess of the hearth and home, the system combines extensive public database data-mining with traffic simulation and building-by-building energyconsumption modeling. Its high-resolution maps clearly identify CO2 emission sources in a way that policy-makers can utilize and the public can understand. Hestia provides a complete, threedimensional picture of where, when, and how carbon dioxide emissions are occurring. *Explore stars in the US from India using internet telescope: Students from nearly 80 Delhi schools will soon get an opportunity to explore the night skies in the US while sitting in India using internet telescope through a project in collaboration with IASC (International Astronomical Search Collaboration). Students sitting at their desks in India will remotely control telescopes to see and explore the night sky visible in the US and take in-depth pictures of celestial objects such as asteroids, galaxies, nebulae and clusters. The international space science project - 'Internet Telescope' is brought to India by SPACE (Science Popularisation Association of Communicators & Educators), an organisation working for spreading awareness about astronomy in youngsters. Internet Telescope enables school students to control and monitor 10 inch and 16 inch SchmidtCassegrain telescopes located at the Ironwood North Observatory, USA while sitting in New Delhi. The Bompu Litter Frog Leptobrachium bompu, is a frog species that is new to science. The frog was discovered by Sanjay Sondhi at Bompu, EAGLENEST WILDLIFE SANCTUARY in May 2009. The frog was described by Sanjay Sondhi and Dr. Anne-Marie Ohler in Zootaxa in June 2011. Locality: found at Bompu, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, and Arunachal Pradesh, India. Habitat: seen in leaf litter and under rotting logs at forest stream. Key features: entirely greyish-blue eyes *Fish Glow Green after Genetic Engineering: Scientists have created a GREEN-GLOWING ZEBRAFISH to monitor ecological damage caused by pollution in real time. The fluorescent fish makes it easier than ever before to see where in the body environmental chemicals act and how they affect health, particularly chemicals having a bearing on reproductive problems. Numerous studies have linked 'endocrine-disrupting' chemicals, used in a wide range of industrial products and contraceptive pharmaceuticals, to reproductive problems in wildlife and humans, the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reports. 90
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A team led by Tetsuhiro Kudoh and Charles Tyler, professor at Exeter, created the transgenic ZEBRAFISH by placing a genetic system into its body that amplifies the response to estrogens producing the fluorescent green signal. They tested its sensitivity to different chemicals known to affect estrogen hormone signaling, including ETHINYLOESTRADIOL, used in contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy treatments, NONYLPHENOL, used in paints and industrial detergents, and BISPHENOL A, which is found in many plastics. Human exposure to these chemicals, which can alter hormone signaling in the body, has been tied with decreases in sperm count and other health problems, including breast and testicular cancer. *Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) & BIS move to regulate antibiotics in honey: In August 2011, the FSSAIs scientific panel for pesticides and antibiotic residues (in its thirdmeeting) began discussing antibiotics in honey. Taking cognizance of the CSE report, the panel noted that there was enough evidence of antibiotics in honey and that there was a need for a well designed study, uniform risk assessment methods and a study on consumption patterns of honey by the vulnerable age groups. It was also mentioned that while use of the tetracycline class of antibiotics had been allowed under some conditions, the rest of antibiotics that were being used were to be considered merely contaminants. The panel also cautioned that fixing MRLs of antibiotics in honey would actually give the manufacturers a license to openly use antibiotics in honey production. In October 2011, the FSSAI scientific panel decided to follow the EU norms for antibiotic residues; for those antibiotics which were not included under the EU norms, such as ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and ampicillin, their LOQs (Limits of Quantification) were to be identified. It was decided to also set the limits for the other antibiotics that were being used in India in beekeeping. It was decided in principle that antibiotics in honey should not be used at any stage. After a few more meetings in December 2011, the FSSAI scientific panel recommended a list of antibiotics with their LOQs. In October 2011, the FSSAI scientific panel decided to follow the EU norms for antibiotic residues, which says there should be no trace of antibiotics in honey. For those antibiotics which were not included in the EU norms, such as ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and ampicillin, their LoQs were to be identified. The LoQs were identified and the recommendations made in December 2011. KITE4education.com
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*Future NASA Spacecraft Can Possibly Land Like Helicopters: A new rotor landing system is being tested by NASA. The space agency is trying to enable its future space capsule to land like helicopters. The idea behind the new landing system called auto-rotation is to replace parachutes with spinning blades to allow soft and controlled landings of the spacecraft on land instead of the ocean. It has been proven efficient on helicopters, but never been tried on a spacecraft. The rotor re-entry and landing system is designed for capsule-inspired spacecraft like the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle that should fly before the end of the decade. The landing systems process is called autorotation, and while its been proven on helicopters its never been tried on spacecraft. The biggest challenge being faced by design Engineers getting is getting the blades deployed the right way. *Geologists Claimed Hawaiian Islands Would Extinct From Maps in 1.5 M Years: Geologists claimed that the Hawaiian Islands which are situated in North Pacific are dissolving rapidly from inside and sometime in the near future they might completely extinct from the maps. Researchers discovered that mountains which are located at Oahu (Koolau and Waianae), the third largest island on Hawaii, are eroded from the inside by groundwater. Eventually, it was established by the researchers that they would shrink in the years to come and would therefore turn into plains. Erosion is not just the real reason, but the researchers from Brigham Young University declared that mountains of the Oahu were dissolving from inside. Also, it is important to see the plate tectonics for forecasting the future of these Hawaiian Islands. Because Oahu is moving towards Northwest, therefore the island is rising at slow yet steady pace. Researchers announced that this was a case of climbing mountain. Researchers finally pointed out that in a net effect, Oahu would rise for around 1.5 million years. But after that, the groundwater force would be at an edge and the island would start to descent to lowlying topography. EPIBRASSINOLIDE (EBL) A research team from Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar has identified a plant-derived hormone, EPIBRASSINOLIDE (EBL) that can protect rice seeds from the toxic effects of chlorpyrifos, a chlorine-containing pesticide. The hormone is isolated from bael tree (Aegle marmelos) and belongs to brassinosteroids, a class of chemicals known to protect plants against environmental stresses like chill, drought and 91
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toxins. GK-2 satellite China recently "successfully" launched a Turkish earth observation satellite - GK-2 satellite into orbit aboard a Chinese rocket. Turkish satellite is one of several China has launched with financial concessions or as part of its aid to different countries to gain diplomatic goodwill. In the recent past, China launched a communication satellite for Sri Lanka, which has become the second South Asian country to be benefited from China after Pakistan. Also China signed an agreement with Democratic Republic of Congo to launch a satellite for it by 2015. Congo has become second African to country after Nigeria to get a satellite from Beijing. OSART MISSION The first Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) mission of IAEA to India has put forward a number of proposals for improving the operation of Units 3 and 4 at the six-unit Rajasthan nuclear power plant. The OSART mission noted a series of good practices at the plant, which is operated by stateowned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), but said recommendations and suggestions needed to be carried out to reinforce safety practices.
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proposals for the grant at least twice a year and the scheme will be implemented through BIG partner across the country. The partners such as IKP knowledge park, Hyderabad, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, Bangalore and Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer, New Delhi would provide mentoring and hand-holding activities related to mobilising resources, legal and contracts, etc. BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) would invite proposals for Ignition grant at least twice a year. The BIG Scheme would be implemented through BIG Partners across the country. *Guard that itch: Over 15 per cent of children suffer with eczema, an inflammatory skin disease. It occurs when T cells, that provide immunity, invade the skin and secrete factors that produce a lipid, leukotriene B4. This lipid calls in neutrophils and more T cells, that cause severe inflammation of the skin. A study has found that stopping the secretion of leukotriene B4 can be a line of treatment against the disease. This will stop excessive production of neutrophils and Tcells, reducing inflammation. *Gutkha ban may not have long term impact on market: Kerala became the second State after Madhya Pradesh to impose a ban on gutkha and paan masala. According to Food Safety and Standards Act, tobacco or nicotine should not be mixed with food items. In gutkha', tobacco and arecanut are the main ingredients. Gutkha is believed responsible for 90 per cent of oral cancers in India; the industry is worth an estimated Rs 8,000 crore. In a case earlier this year concerning its packaging, the Supreme Court observed that since pan masala, gutkha or supari are eaten for taste and nourishment, they are all food within the meaning of Section 2(v) of the PFA Act. *Ice sheets of West Antarctica are warming fast: The ice sheets of West Antarctica are warming much faster than we thought; suggesting swathes of it could melt and send global sea levels soaring. Climatologists have struggled to work out whether Antarctica is warming, and how quickly, because it has few weather stations and the records from some are incomplete. The temperature record from Byrd Station, a scientific outpost in the center of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), recorded a marked increase of 4.3 degrees Fahrenheit (2.4 degrees Celsius) in average annual temperature since 1958 that is, three times faster than the average temperature rise around the globe. This finding places West Antarctica among the fastest-warming regions on Earth. 92
*Geophysicist Devendra Lal passed away: Devendra Lal who was a geophysicist and visiting professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) of the University of California, San Diego, has passed away. *Giant black hole in tiny galaxy confounds astronomers: Astronomers have spotted an enormous black hole - the second most massive ever - but it resides in a tiny galaxy. The GALAXY NGC 1277, just a quarter the size of our own Milky Way, hosts a black hole 4,000 times larger than the one at the Milky Way's centre. The black hole bears around 14% mass of its host galaxy, compared with the 0.1 % a normal black hole. *Govt launches 'Biotechnology Ignition Grant' (BIG) for Rs 50 l early grant in biotechnology: Government launched a scheme for supporting discoveries in biotechnology sector by providing very early stage grants up to Rs 50 lakh for development and fruition of ideas. The grant will support developing discoveries into marketable product or intellectual property. Entrepreneurs, students, academicians and scientists with industry research experience or researcher from academia are eligible for the grant. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council would invite KITE4education.com
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Its melting currently contributes 0.3 mm to sea level rise each year second to Greenland, whose contribution to sea level rise has been estimated as high as 0.7 mm per year. BYRD STATION is an important scientific outpost in the center of the WAIS which is the indicator of climate change throughout the region. It is located some 700 miles from the South Pole and near the center of the WAIS. *India ready with all-weather imaging satellite: ISRO: India is set to launch an indigenous satellite with the "unique" capability to capture images in allweather conditions that will facilitate agriculture and disaster management. India currently depends on images from a Canadian satellite as domestic remote sensing spacecraft cannot take pictures of the ground during cloud cover. After nearly 10 years of effort, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed -with a lot of participation from Indian industries -- a microwave satellite that has the unique capability of imaging during day and night and in all weather conditions. This (Radar Imaging Satellite or RISAT-1) is about 1,850 kg. So, this will be heaviest satellite lifted by a PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle). The satellite would be particularly useful in Kharif season when cloud-covered atmosphere is frequent. Images taken from the spacecraft of agricultural crops would enable planners with regard to production estimation and forecast. RISAT-1 would be launched into a 536-km orbit by PSLV, which is India's workhorse rocket. The satellite carries a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, operating in a multipolarisation and multi-resolution mode to provide images with coarse, fine and high spatial resolutions. The Indian Rhino Vision (IRV) 2020 is a joint programme of the Assam forest department, World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and International Rhino Foundation (IRF) with the goal of attaining a population of 3,000 wild rhinos in seven protected areas of Assam by the year 2020. *India Receives Second Russia-Built Stealth Missile Frigate: The second of three stealth frigates that Russia builds for India at the Yantar Shipyard in Russias Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad arrived at the port of Mumbai. Russia and India signed a $1.6 billion contract on construction of three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for India in 2006. The first frigate, INS Teg, joined the Indian Navy on April 27. The second frigate, The Tarkash, was commissioned on November 9 and sailed from KITE4education.com
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Baltiysk to India on November 17. The last in the series of three frigates, The Trikand, currently undergoes dock trials and after it completes sea trials in the Baltic Sea will join the Indian Navy in the summer of 2013. The new frigates are each armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. *India Successfully Test Fired Air to Air Interceptor Astra Missile: India on 21 December 2012 test launched its indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air interceptor missile Astra at the interim test range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. The launch was carried out against an electronic target and it destroyed its target - a small pilotless Lakshya aircraft - which was launched from the same base just minutes before the firing of the missile. Astra has the capability to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at a supersonic speed and can be fitted into any fighter aircraft. 3.8 metre long, it is considered as one of the best of its kind in the world as it weighs about 160 kg and can carry explosive loaded conventional warheads up to 15 kg. It is designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds (1.2 to 1.4 Mach) in head-on and tail-chase modes. The missile uses solid propellant and can carry a conventional warhead weighing 15 kg. It can be launched from different altitudes and cover 110 km when fired from an altitude of 15 km, reach 44 km when launched from an altitude of eight km, and 21 km when launched from the sea-level. *India successfully test-fired Nuclear Capable Agni-I Missile: India on 13 July 2012 successfully test-fired domestically built surface-to-surface single stage Agni-I ballistic missile. The missile was launched from a test range at Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The nuclear capable missile with a strike range of 700 km was first test fired on 25 January 2002. Agni-I was developed under the joint work of advanced systems laboratory, the missile development laboratory of the DRDO, Defence Research Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat, while it was integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad. The Agni-I missile belongs to the genre of Short to Intermediate range ballistic missiles developed by India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. The missile was made operational by the Indian Army in March 2010. *India test-fires Prithvi-II missile: India successfully conducted another test of its nuclearcapable missile Prithvi-II missile Aug 25. PRITHVI II (350 km range) is an indigenous missile, with features to counter anti-ballistic 93
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missiles. And it also has an advanced inertial guidance system with thrust vectors and manoeuvering capability to reach its target within a few metres of accuracy. *India to ferry heaviest foreign satellite in August: India will ferry two foreign satellites - French and Japanese - on board its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C21) rocket in August 2012 [French satellite SPOT 6 (800 kg) and a small Japanese satellite weighing around 15 kg. Though the rocket is called PSLV-C21 it will go before PSLV-C20.]. The Thiruvananthapuram based VSCC is part of India's space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix) has entered into a commercial Launch Services Agreement with Astrium SAS, a company under EADS, France for launching SPOT-6, an advanced remote sensing satellite. The 800 kg SPOT-6 built by Astrium SAS will be the heaviest third party payload that ISRO will be carrying after the 350 kg Italian satellite Agile it carried in 2007. As the total luggage will be around 815 kg, ISRO will be using its Core Alone variant of PSLV (rocket without its six strap on motors). The mission will take ISRO's total tally of ferrying foreign satellites to 29. ISRO has been carrying foreign satellites since 1999 initially as an add-on luggage to its own satellite. It was with AGILE satellite that ISRO started flying a full commercial rocket. According to Veeraraghavan, the space agency would launch SARAL satellite - an Indo-French initiative - using PSLV-C20 rocket after the August launch. *India urges WHO to set up mechanism to curb drinking: India has proposed to the World Health Organization (WHO) to set up a framework for control of alcohol consumption on the lines of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). FCTC was the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO that was developed in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic. It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on May 21, 2003, and came into force on February 27, 2005. It has since become one of the most rapidly and widely embraced treaties in the United Nations' history. Upset about "alcohol being let off the hook with the WHO deciding against setting reduction targets on its consumption", India said that it was surprised that countries weren't pushing for a cut down on alcohol even when its clear that 3.2 lakh young KITE4education.com
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people aged between 15 and 29 years die annually from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group. *India`s first PFBR to go critical early 2013: India`s first 500-MW prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR), being set up at Kalpakkam, is likely to go critical early next year and commercial generation of electricity is expected in March 2015. A breeder reactor is one that breeds more material for a nuclear fission reaction than it consumes. The reaction produces energy that is used in the form of electricity. The Indian fast reactors will be fuelled by a blend of plutonium and uranium oxide. While the reactor will break up (fission) plutonium for power production, it will also breed more plutonium than it consumes. The original plutonium comes from natural uranium. The surplus plutonium from each fast reactor can be used to set up more such reactors and grow the nuclear capacity in tune with India`s energy needs. Fast reactors form a key in the India`s three-stage nuclear power programme, which comprises pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) at the first stage, fast breeder reactors (FBRs) at second and thorium-based systems at the third stage. In 1985, India became the sixth country in the world to have such a technology. *Indias Minamata: SINGRAULI, the powerhouse of India with massive coal reserves and many thermal power plants. Mercury is one of the natural, and perhaps the most harmful, components of coal. During combustion at temperature above 1,100C, it vapourises. Given the large quantity of coal burned in thermal plants, considerable amount of mercury is released into the atmosphere. Some of it cools down and condenses while passing through the plants boiler and air pollution control system and enters the environment through soil and water. It also enters the environment through run-off from coal mines. In humans, mercury can cause several chronic diseases and death. *Indian astronomy satellite to study universe at multi-wavelengths: ASTROSAT, the $50 million astronomy satellite India will put in polar circular orbit in 2013, will study the universe at multiwavelengths for the first time. The Astrosat mission will study for the first time the cosmic sources of the vast universe at optical, ultraviolet and X-ray wavebands simultaneously. Orbiting at 650 km from the earth with a five-year lifespan, the satellite will conduct major investigations across visible, UV, soft and hard Xray bands to find out the source of radiation, study 94
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magnetic fields on neutron stars, search for sources of black holes and scan the farthest regions of the universe. *Indian scientist gets U.S. patent for cancer treatment: Nano-particle carries anti-cancer drug and releases it only in the cancerous cell. In what is being considered a path-breaking innovation, a scientist hailing from Hyderabad and his colleagues have invented a system in which a nano-particle carries the payload of anti-cancer drug and releases it only in the cancerous cell, thus protecting healthy cells around. The cutting-edge research done in the United States has been patented recently. The nanotechnology scientist, RAO PAPINENI, told this correspondent on the phone from the U.S. that the patent application received approval (patent no. US 8,202,544 B2) on June 19. Dr. Papineni and Alan Pollack is the chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami. The title of the patent is High Capacity Non-Viral Vectors. The non-viral vectors are nanoparticles. The nano-particles will allow the drug particle to target the diseased site with pinpoint precision. The nano-particles will allow the drug to be released inside the diseased cell. They will enhance the function of the drug. The nano-particles will carry the drug precisely with minimal collateral damage to healthy tissue. *Indian-origin student cracks 350 years' old math puzzles: A 16-year-old Indian origin schoolboy in Germany has managed to crack puzzles that baffled the world of maths for more than 350 years. Ray solved two fundamental particle dynamics theories which physicists have previously been able to calculate only by using powerful computers. His solutions mean that scientists can now calculate the flight path of a thrown ball and then predict how it will hit and bounce off a wall. *India's first OPU-IVF calf born at NDRI: After earning the rare distinction of producing the first buffalo clone three years ago, the scientists at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, have achieved another milestone by producing Indias first cattle calf Holi using ovum pick-up (OPU)-IVF technology. In the OPU technology adopted by the scientists, oocytes are collected from the ovaries of a live Sahiwal cow using an ultrasound-guided needle. The oocytes were matured, fertilised and kept in an incubator for seven days until these are developed to a transferable stage of embryo called blastocyst. The transfer of a blastocyst stage embryo to a surrogate mother led to the birth of a female calf KITE4education.com
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with a normal weight of 23 kg at the time of the birth on March 7, on the eve of Holi, and the female calf was christened as Holi. *India's nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile test-fired: India's nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km was successfully test-fired on August 25, 2012 from the Integrated Test Range near Balasore as part of user trial by the army. Prithvi is the first ballistic missile developed under the country's prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme and has the capability to carry 500 kg of both nuclear and conventional warheads with a strike range of 350 km. The missile uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory. *INS Viraat arrives in Kochi for periodic refit: INS Viraat, the aircraft carrier operated by the Navy, arrived in Kochi for its periodic refit at the Cochin Shipyard (CSL). Commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom as HMS Hermes on November 18, 1959, the Centaur-class vessel became part of the Indian Navy in 1987. India has started working on its second indigenous aircraft carrier even as the construction of the first one has been marred by delay of over two years. The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-II would be the largest ship in terms of the weight and size to have ever been built by the Navy. *ISRO eyes a 6-tonne 'K' band satellite: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to foray into the powerful and high-throughput world of Kband satellites by importing a six-tonne satellite, building one itself, or both. ISRO sent up GSAT-4 with a K band transponder. However, its homegrown GSLV launcher failed. ISRO also built a K-band satellite, called HYLAS-1 (or Highly Advanced Satellite) for a fee for British operator Avanti in a tie-up with Europes Astrium. The K band will allow higher and faster data transmission on the Internet by at least 2-3 times what ISRO satellites offer at present It will suit VSAT operators who support this traffic. K band transponder can accommodate far more users more efficiently than ISROs older Ku band satellites. *ISRO to skip December launch for SARAL:ISRO which had slated to launch IndoFrench spacecraft "SARAL" on 12-12-12 may skip the launch due to technical issues and additional tests proposed to improve reliability. The launch is 95
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now expected in January-February, 2013. SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa) With the launch of SARAL satellite carrying AltiKa and an Argos-3 instrument2 is scheduled to be launched on December 2012 and with this the remote sensing ability of the country will get a boost up. The SARAL-Altika mission is a combined effort of ISRO and the French Space Agency (CLS). CLS, a subsidiary of CNES (French Space Agency Centre National dEtudes Spatiales). The satellite will map the variability of the sea level. It will also provide data to support operational research in marine meteorology and sea state forecast as well as seasonal forecast. The satellite will be carrying the ARGOS system for CLS and that will help in the transmission of data from Argo floats. Altika is an the altimeter and it is the prime payload of the SARAL mission. AltiKa will provide accurate measurements of ocean topography, particularly near coastlines. ARGOS is a satellite-based system which collects processes and disseminates environmental data from fixed and mobile platforms worldwide. What makes Argos unique is the ability to geographically locate the source of the data anywhere on the Earth utilizing the Doppler effect. Altika will be the first spaceborne altimeter to operate at Ka band, operating at 35.75. *'Janitor satellite' made to clean up space junk: Swiss scientists said they plan to launch a "janitor satellite" specially designed to get rid of space junk, the orbiting debris that can do serious and costly damage to valuable satellites or even manned space ships. The 10-million-franc ($10.09m) satellite called CleanSpace One the prototype for a family of such satellites is being built by the Swiss Space Centre at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology in Lausanne, or EPFL. The US space agency NASA says over 500,000 pieces of spent rocket stages, broken satellites and other debris are orbiting Earth. The debris travels at speeds approaching 28,000 kilometers per hour, fast enough to destroy or inflict expensive and timedraining damage on a satellite or spacecraft. Collisions, in turn, generate more fragments floating in space. Space junk has collided with satellites at least twice: In 1996, a French satellite was damaged by a rocket fragment, and in 2009, a satellite owned by US-based Iridium Communications was destroyed in a collision with a derelict Russian satellite. Building the satellite means developing new KITE4education.com
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technology to address three big problems, scientists say. The Kessler Syndrome Kessler Syndrome is a scenario where the amount and size of objects in Earths orbit could eventually become so large that they would continually collide with one another and create even more debris, eventually causing a cascade of collisions which could make low Earth orbit unusable for decades. The first hurdle has to do with trajectory: the satellite has to be able to adjust its path to match that of its target. EPFL said its labs are looking into a new ultra-compact motor that can do this. Next, the satellite has to be able to grab hold of and stabilize the debris at high speeds. Scientists are studying how plants and animals grip things as a model for what would be used. And, finally, CleanSpace One then has to be able to guide the debris, or unwanted satellites, back into Earth's atmosphere, where both the Swiss-made satellite and the floating garbage it collects would burn on re-entry. *Japan clears worlds first healthy cola: It's being called the world's first healthy cola". Japan, that boasts of the world's most stringent food regulatory laws, has approved the world's first cola for being "beneficial to health". The country's food regulatory authority has cleared 'Kirin Mets Cola' for the most sought after Foods for Specified Health Users (FOSHU) label. Japan's Health and Nutrition Food Association (JHNFA) says getting a highly sought after FOSHU certification - that can sometimes take over six months and cost as much as a million yen -- greatly boosts the credibility of approved products. Colas aren't really known for their health benefits. They are usually packed with sugar and have been fuelling the global epidemic of childhood obesity. However, according to JHNFA, this FOSHU labelled cola has zero amount of sugar and contains an indigestible form of Dextrin - a compound used as a fibre supplement, which restricts the body's ability to absorb fat while eating. *Japan firm unveils radiation-gauging smartphone: Mobile phone operator SOFTBANK unveiled a smartphone that can measure radiation as consumers in Japan clamour for reassurance following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster. The latest model in the firm's Pantone series comes complete with a sensor that enables users to see at the touch of a button how much radiation they are being exposed to. *Joseph E. Murray, Transplant Doctor and Nobel Winner: Dr. Joseph E. Murray, who opened a new era of medicine with the first successful human organ 96
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transplant, died RECENTLY in Boston. Dr. Murrays groundbreaking surgical feat came in 1954, when he removed a healthy KIDNEY from a 23-year-old man and implanted it in the mans ailing identical twin. Among other procedures, he performed kidney transplants involving more than two dozen pairs of identical twins. He performed the first successful transplant to a nonidentical recipient, in 1959, and the first using a cadaver kidney, in 1962. And he trained doctors who became leaders in transplantation around the world. He became a co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1990. *Kanha Tiger Reserve: 33 Spotted Deer found Dead: The forest officials of Kanha Tiger Reserve discovered 33 dead spotted deer under the Ghorela ward, under the MUKKI FOREST AREA in the second week of January 2013. Malnutrition, infection and severe cold are predicted to be the reason for the death of these deer. The internal organs (viscera) of these animals were sent to Jabalpur-based Veterinary College laboratory for testing for further postmortem and to identify the actual cause of their death. Kanha Tiger Reserve is considered to be among one of the finest wildlife areas of the world and is one of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries of India that is located in Madhya Pradesh. Geographically, Kanha Tiger reserve is located in the Mekal Range and forms the eastern base of the triangular Satpura Range and the reserve lies between the Balaghat and Mandla districts of Madhya Pradesh. Kanha formally was formed as a part of Gondwana the land of Gonds, and its forests were inhabited by the aboriginal tribes namely Baiga and the Gonds. These tribes were dependant on forest produce for their livelihood and practiced shifting cultivation. *Kepler-47 - Kepler mission has discovered Kepler47b and 47c, the first transiting circumbinary system multiple planets orbiting two suns. The binary star is called Kepler-47. The primary star is about the same mass as the sun, and its companion is an M-dwarf star one-third its size. The inner planet is three times the size of earth and orbits the binary star every 49.5 days, while the outer planet is 4.6 times the size of earth with an orbit of 303.2 days. The outer planet is the first planet found to orbit a binary star within the "habitable zone," where liquid water could exist and thus create a home for life. However, the planet's size (about the same as Uranus) means that it is an icy giant, and not an abode for life. KITE4education.com
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The combination of observations from the NASA mission and McDonald Observatory allowed astronomers to understand the characteristics of Kepler-47's two stars and two planets. *Lack of key enzyme in Asians, Africans weakens malaria fight: Malaria claims over a million lives each year. PRIMAQUINE is the key drug for the eradication of the devastating disease. However, the drug can cause severe complications in patients lacking GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (G6PD) enzyme. A study published in PLOS Medicine on November 13 has found that over 450 million people across the globe are deficient in this enzyme. The enzyme is produced by red blood corpuscles and shields these cells against harmful by-products of certain medicines. Some people, however, suffer from a genetic disorder in which their body does not produce adequate amounts of this enzyme. Such people show a severe reaction to primaquine; the drug can make their red blood corpuscles burst and cause deficiency of blood and oxygen in their body leading to haemolytic anaemia and renal failure. *Lakshya-1 - Lakshya-1, a sub-sonic, re-usable aerial target system, is remote controlled from the ground and designed to impart training to both air borne and air defence pilots. It is launched by a solid propellant rocket motor, and sustained by a turbojet engine in flight. The PTA has been developed by India's aeronautic development establishment, Bangalore to perform discreet aerial reconnaissance of battle field and target acquisition. Lakshya has been inducted into the Indian Air Force since 2000. *Largest cosmic structure in universe discovered: Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe - a group of quasars so large it would take 4 billion years to cross it while traveling at speed of light. The immense scale also challenges Albert Einstein's Cosmological Principle, the assumption that the universe looks the same from every point of view. Quasars are believed to be the brightest objects in the universe, with light emanating from the nuclei of galaxies from the early days of the universe and visible billions of light-years away. Since 1982 it has been known that quasars tend to group together in clumps or 'structures' of surprisingly large sizes, forming LARGE QUASAR GROUPS OR LQGS. The newly, discovered LQG carries a dimension of 500 megaparsecs (Mpc). The elongated structure makes its longest dimension to a size of 1200 Mpc or 4 billion light years, which is 1600 times larger 97
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than the distance between the Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy. Andromeda Galaxy is the nearest neighbour of the Milky Way Galaxy and is separated from eachother by about 0.75 Mpc or 2.5 million light years. The cluster of whole galaxies of the Universe can be up to 2 to 3 Mpc and the LQGs can go up to 200 Mpc and above. *LHC creates new form of matter: It's called a 'color-glass condensate' -- a liquid-like wave of gluons -- and it may explain some odd behavior in the particle collider. Collisions between particles inside the Large Hadron Collider atom smasher have created what looks like a new form of matter. The new kind of matter is called color-glass condensate, and is a liquidlike wave of gluons, which are elementary particles related to the strong force that sticks quarks together inside protons and neutrons (hence they are like "glue"). Scientists didn't expect this kind of matter would result from the type of particle collisions going on at the Large Hadron Collider at the time. However, it may explain some odd behavior seen inside the machine, which is a giant loop where particles race around underneath Switzerland and France. When scientists sped up protons (one of the building blocks of atoms) and lead ions (lead atoms, which contain 82 protons each, stripped of their electrons), and crashed them into each other, the resulting explosions liquefied those particles and gave rise to new particles in their wake. Most of these new particles, as expected, fly off in all directions at close to the speed of light. But recently scientists noticed that some pairs of particles were flying off from the collision point in correlated directions. *MACS0647-JD: possibly the oldest and farthest galaxy ever seen from Earth: Astronomers spotted the furthest galaxy ever, a little cluster named MACS0647-JD b/w the Big and Little Dippers. Probably the most distant, and thus oldest, galaxy ever seen. Distance from Earth: 13.3 billion light years that created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago. Formation: 420 million years after the Big Bang. Gravitational lensing is an effect of Einsteins theory of general relativity (i.e) mass bends light. The astronomers, grouped under the joint American-European CLASH (Cluster Lensing and Supernova survey with Hubble) project, use the orbiting Hubble and Spitzer telescopes as well as employing massive galaxy clusters as cosmic magnifiers to find distant galaxies. Gravitational Lensing, helps astronomers to see galaxies that emit light with brightness weaker than KITE4education.com
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that of a candle on the Moon, thus undetectable straight via telescopes on Earth. *Lonely planet: Astronomers have found a lonely planet drifting through space that does not orbit a star. It is not the first time that such a planet has been found but at 100 light years from Earth, CFBDSIR2149 is the closest that has ever been spotted. Scientists estimate it is between 50 and 120 million years old, has a temperature of around 400C and a mass four to seven times that of Jupiter. *Magnetic ropes discovered in Venus atmosphere: Astronomers have spotted enormous magnetic entities called flux ropes stretching for hundreds of kilometres in Venuss upper atmosphere, above the poles. The European Space Agencys Venus Express spacecraft observed the strange structures in Venus atmosphere which has redrawn scientists perceptions of the planets magnetic environment. Flux ropes have been seen before around other planets, including Earth. They transport superheated plasma gas from one side of the rope to the other. On Earth, flux ropes form near the face of the planet opposite the Sun. The stream of charged particles known as the solar wind flows around the planet and creates a magnetotail of charged particles on the other side. Periodic solar outbursts known as CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS arise from a type of flux rope. The delicate structures sit on top of the Sun and transport matter and superheated gas from one part of the Sun to another. Venus stands apart from most other planets in the solar system, however, because it has no magnetic field. The ionosphere (or upper atmosphere) of Venus acts as an obstacle to the solar wind. When Venus atmosphere has a higher pressure than the incoming solar wind field, the ionosphere is considered unmagnetised, meaning that its free of all but the smallest magnetic field structures. The ionosphere of Venus stays unmagnetised most of the time, until the solar wind reaches a higher pressure than the surrounding atmosphere and magnetises it. In these conditions, relatively small flux ropes can form due to the higher speed of the solar wind rolling over the slower ionosphere, researchers said. The ionosphere is filled with these very small kilometres across flux ropes. Scientists determined that the flux ropes on Venus form from solar particles on the side of the planet facing away from the Sun, in the magnetotail. It seems to be associated with a process known as reconnection, which is magnetic field lines joining up together and forming a new magnetic 98
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configuration. Giant flux ropes were previously found in the atmosphere of Mars but only in the southern hemisphere. Mars, like Venus, does not have a planet-wide magnetic field. *Manipal University won the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2012: Manipal University won the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2012 on 8 July 2012. The main theme of this meet was driving sustainable business through green economy. Golden Peacock Environment Management Award (GPEMA) was introduced by the World Environment Foundation (WEF) in the year 1998. It aims to promote the best strategy and management of environmental issues. This award was presented to those organizations that attain the significant achievements in the field of Environment Management. *Meghalaya limestone quarries closed: French multinational Lafarge's limestone quarries in Meghalaya, which supply raw material to its cement plant across the border in Bangladesh have been shut down by the government. India and Bangladesh signed an agreement for uninterrupted supply of limestone to the Chhatak plant in 2001, following which the company obtained. Environmental clearances from MOEF and other state bodies. But it now appears these clearances were obtained on the basis of misleading descriptions. *Mercury's North Pole has ice, NASA spacecraft discovers: The findings are from Nasa's Mercuryorbiting probe, Messenger. The frozen water is located in regions of Mercury's North Pole that always are in shadows, essentially impact craters. It's believed the South Pole harbors ice as well, though there are no hard data to support it. Messenger orbits much closer to the North Pole than the south. Messenger which was launched in 2004 orbits much closer to the North Pole than the south. As per scientists, the water almost certainly came from impacting comets, or possibly asteroids. Ice is found at the surface, as well as buried beneath a dark material, likely organic. *MoU inked to boost migration of Siberian cranes: Following large number of reported killing of these species enroute their migratory paths especially across Pakistan and Afganisthan, the Ministry has signed MoUs with a number of countries that the birds fly over before reaching India to ensure their safe KITE4education.com
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passage. These countries include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan One of their brief halting points was the Abi-I-Istada Lake in Afghanistan, from there it would take them around eight weeks to reach Bharatpur. *Mystery Of Google's Lost 'Sandy Island' Solved: The phantom land mass in the Coral Sea is shown as Sandy Island on Google Earth and Google Maps and is supposedly midway between Australia and the French-governed New Caledonia. A researcher at Auckland Museum after his
investigations claimed that the island had never existed. Origin of the error: The error first crept in 1879, when Australian maritime directory showed the island. These were reported by the masters of a whaling ship from the year 1876. The landmass in Coral Sea which is shown as the Sandy Island on Google maps as well as Google Earth is apparently somewhere b/w Australia and New Caledonia. The island has now been removed from the maps. *Nail paint could lead to diabetes: Exposure to these chemicals called phthalates is unavoidable. They are used to make plastic flexible and are also used in perfumes as carriers of fragrance. They can also be found in food packaging, furniture, toys, and in medical devices, such as tubing and intravenous bags. The problem with phthalates is that they are used as additives, and can easily escape into air and food. So it is easy to take them in through inhaling, eating and skin contact. Even though these chemicals do not persist in the human body for a long time, previous research has associated them with a number of health problems like impaired reproduction, obesity, asthma, atherosclerosis, and allergies. The study describes the possible mechanism by 99
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which phthalates could be leading to diabetes risk. PPARs (peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptors) are receptors present on cells, helping them to utilise insulin. Phthalates go and bind with these receptors, and interfere with the functioning of glucose metabolism, making it hard for the body to utilise insulin, a hormone that helps cells utilise the sugar we eat and convert it to energy. *Nano arsenic mop: MILLIONS in India and Bangladesh are at risk due to arsenic contaminated groundwater. Drinking such water can result in diseases like high blood pressure, abnormal thickening of skin and liver and prostate cancers. The methods to filter arsenic from drinking water are limited and costly. Commonly, alumina (aluminium oxide)-based materials like activated alumina are used to filter the contaminated water. As water passes through it, alumina adsorbs arsenic. But these materials have a drawback. They form metal hydroxides in water and reduce the efficacy of the adsorbent. An innovation by researchers from University of Calcutta could prove useful in tackling this problem. They have designed a new kind of arsenicadsorbing material by using alumina nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are mixed with a polymer polyacrylamideto which chitosan (an element derived from the skin of crustaceans) is added. During experiments, it was found that the adsorbing power of the material increases with increase in arsenic concentration. To test the efficacy of the material, the researchers put the adsorbent into three different aqueous solutions containing varying concentrations (25, 50 and 80 ppm) of arsenic. The reason behind better adsorption, researchers say, is that since arsenic is negatively charged and alumina is positively charged, they attract each other in water. Further, the polymer makes bonds with the arsenic ions, providing for more adsorption. *Nanomaterial to store future fuel: For the first time, engineers at the University of New South Wales have demonstrated that hydrogen can be released and reabsorbed from a promising storage material, overcoming a major hurdle to its use as an alternative fuel source. Researchers from the Materials Energy Research Laboratory in nanoscale (MERLin) at UNSW have synthesised nanoparticles of a commonly overlooked chemical compound called SODIUM BOROHYDRIDE and encased these inside nickel shells. Their unique "CORE-SHELL" nanostructure has demonstrated remarkable hydrogen storage properties, including the release of energy at much lower temperatures than previously observed. KITE4education.com
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Considered a major a fuel of the future, hydrogen could be used to power buildings, portable electronics and vehicles but this application hinges on practical storage technology. Lightweight compounds known as BOROHYDRIDES (including lithium and sodium compounds) are known to be effective storage materials but it was believed that once the energy was released it could not be reabsorbed a critical limitation. This perceived irreversibility means there has been little focus on sodium borohydride. The freshwater porpoise -- which is known in Chinese as the "RIVER PIG" -- mainly lives in China's Yangtze River and two lakes linked to the waterway, and the deaths have raised concern the rare animal is headed for extinction. The finless porpoise has been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. *Nano-onions from wood shavings can deliver nutrients to plants: ACROSS the globe hundreds of tonnes of wood enters the waste stream daily. Some of it finds use in the renewable energy sector, pulp and paper industry, wood-based boards and animal bedding; the rest goes into landfills. Indian researchers have now found a new use for waste woodas a vehicle for delivering nutrients to plants. A study, published online on October 25 in Nanoscale, shows that a type of nanoparticles, known as CARBON NANO-ONIONS, obtained from wood shavings can promote plant growth. Lead researcher Sabyasachi Sarkar, former head of the chemistry department at IIT Kanpur, says since nano-onions are carbon-based they are non-toxic and safe for living systems. The method involves synthesis of carbon nanoonions from wood without using any toxic metal catalyst. Wood is formed of cellulose, which is mostly carbon and water. When wood shavings are heated in absence of oxygen, a process known as pyrolysis, the water is driven away, leaving extremely thin carbon layers behind. Several such layers can curl up one-inside-the-other, forming multi walled nanotubes. When cut in small pieces, these multi walled nanotubes take the shape of a ball with concentric layers of carbon. Due to a similarity with the layers of an onion, the structure is known as carbon nanoonion. The researchers found that spongy carbon nanoonions, 30 nanometres in size, can trap micronutrients like iron, cobalt, copper and zinc in their peripheral layers. These nutrient-loaded nanoparticles can enter the plants through natural nanoscale openings on the plant surface and slowly release the nutrients as they move inside. The researchers showed that gram plants to which these carbon nano-onions were added showed an overall higher growth, increased flowering and enhanced 100
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fruit productivity in comparison to those grown without the nano-structures. *No ice loss seen in major Himalayan glaciers: For years, experts have debated the state of glaciers that smother nearly 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq. miles) of the KARAKORAM RANGE in the western Himalayas. Straddling parts of China, Pakistan and India, the Karakoram's peaks include K2, Earth's secondhighest mountain. Its glaciers account for nearly three percent of the world's area of ice outside the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. In locations around the planet, mountain glaciers are shrinking in response to higher temperatures, contributing importantly to sea-level rise. Scientists have found it almost impossible to study the glaciers on the ground, for the region lies at great altitude in a border area, and access is hampered by snow avalanches and glacial debris. The study area lies outside the SIACHEN GLACIER, the scene of a military standoff between Pakistan and India, which according to the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Islamabad has shrunk by 10 kilometres (six miles) in the past 35 years. The health of the Himalayan glaciers is closely watched, for they supply water for more than a billion people in South Asia and China. It said past estimates were based on runoff from lower-altitude glaciers -- which are worse hit by warming than higher-altitude ones -- and on drainage figures from the vast plains south of the Himalayas. Much of this drainage came in fact from water that had been pumped from underground aquifers on the plains, not from melt-water from the mountains, the study said. *NASA deploys Global Hawks to study Hurricanes: NASA has begun its latest hurricane science field campaign by flying an unmanned Global Hawk aircraft over Hurricane Leslie in the Atlantic Ocean during a day-long flight from California to Virginia. With the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) MISSION, NASA for the first time will be flying Global Hawks from the U.S. East Coast. The NASA mission targets the processes that underlie hurricane formation and intensity change. The aircraft help scientists decipher the relative roles of the large-scale environment and internal storm processes that shape these systems. Studying hurricanes is a challenge for a field campaign like HS3 because of the small sample of storms available for study and the great variety of scenarios under which they form and evolve. HS3 flights will continue into early October of this year and be KITE4education.com
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repeated from Wallops during the 2013 and 2014 hurricane seasons. This Global Hawk will carry a laser system called the Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL), the Scanning Highresolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS), and the Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS). The CPL will measure cloud structure and aerosols such as dust, sea salt and smoke particles. The SHIS can remotely sense the temperature and water vapor vertical profile along with the sea surface temperature and cloud properties. The AVAPS dropsonde system will eject small sensors tied to parachutes that drift down through the storm, measuring winds, temperature and humidity. *New holey material soaks up CO2: UK researchers have developed a porous material that can preferentially soak up CO2 from the atmosphere. NOTT-202 is a "metal-organic framework" that works like a sponge, absorbing a number of gases at high pressures. But as the pressure is reduced, CO2 is retained as other gases are released. Metal-organic frameworks have been considered promising structures to trap gases for a number of years. They are so named because they comprise atoms of a metallic element at their core, surrounded by scaffolds of longer, carbon-containing chains. These complex molecules can be made to join together in frameworks that leave gaps suitable for capturing gases. *Origin of Human Intelligence --"Linked to a Genetic Accident 500 Million Years Ago": As per scientists, a genetic accident which occurred around 500 million years ago was the origin of intelligence when the genes that enabled humans to think and reason evolved. As per new findings, intelligence in humans developed as the result of an increase in the number of brain genes in our evolutionary ancestors. Scientists also believe that the same genes that improved our mental capacity are also responsible for a number of brain disorders. The findings say that a simple invertebrate animal living in the sea 500 million years ago went through a GENETIC ACCIDENT, which led to formation of extra copies of these genes. These extra genes benefited the descendents of this animal which gave rise to behaviorally sophisticated vertebrates including humans. *NASA plan to 'knock' space junk out of orbit using puffs of gas: More than 500,000 pieces of 'space junk' orbit the Earth - and Nasa has come up with a radical solution to 'clean' the space near Earth. A team from the University of Michigan is investigating a new technology where 'pulses' of gas 101
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providing the foundation for future work, to include prototyping, field experiments and ultimately deployment of a SpaDE system. *NASA's Voyager 1: Enters the 'Magnetic Highway': NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has encountered a new region on the outskirts of our solar system that appears to be a magnetic highway for
The technology would increase 'drag' on orbiting space junk, leaving it to plunge downwards into Earth's atmosphere. They all travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph, fast enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to damage a satellite or a spacecraft. There's also a danger of 'cascading collisions', where space debris impact with each other, creating more, smaller pieces of space junk. Debris belts have already made many orbits unusable. The pulses themselves would leave no trace - and the new method also leaves no solid material in orbit. Many previous proposed 'solutions' to the problem are open to malfunctions which could create even more debris. Other plans include a Swiss janitor satellite designed to 'clean' the space near Earth of space junk. The satellite will 'grab' lumps of orbiting debris and throw them back into Earth's atmosphere, where they will burn up on re-entry. The proposed new system would be known as the Space Debris Elimination (SpaDE) system - and would aim to remove debris from orbit by firing focused pulses of atmospheric gases into the path of targeted debris. The research will produce an academic paper and presentation describing the technical results and KITE4education.com
charged particles. Scientists call this region the magnetic highway because our sun's magnetic field lines are connected to interstellar magnetic field lines. The connection has allowed lower-energy charged particles that originate from inside our heliosphere the bubble of charged particles the sun blows around itself to zoom out, and higher-energy particles from outside to stream in. The Voyager team infers this region is still inside our solar bubble because the direction of the magnetic field lines has not changed. The direction of these magnetic field lines is predicted to change when Voyager breaks through to interstellar space. Voyager 1 may be very close to entering interstellar space and becoming the first manmade object to leave the Solar System. It is predicted to enter the interstellar medium b/w 201215. However, it will take another 40,000 years for it to fly by within 1.6 light years star GLIESE 445, which is at present in the constellation CAMELOPARDALIS. But its battery, nuclear powered with plutonium238, is running out due to which scientists will have to start shutting down its five still functioning devices to let it survive longer. It will be able to send data till 2025. *NBA establishes bio-piracy in Bt brinjal: In its first official confirmation, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA, India's independent regulator on all matters pertaining to biodiversity protection, conservation and use) has stated that it is proceeding with lodging of complaint against the alleged violators of Biological Diversity Act on grounds of biopiracy in promoting B.t. Brinjal, India's first transgenic GMO food. BIOPIRACY Biopiracy is the theft or usurpation of genetic materials especially plants and other biological 102
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materials by the patent process. GM technology, in which a gene is transferred from a different species to imbibe a desirable trait, is touted as a long-term solution to the problems of pests, hunger, drought and even climate change. Brinjal - known as eggplant or aubergine. Research without consent - In response, the national biodiversity authority has announced its plans to prosecute Monsanto for carrying out this research without seeking its permission and the consent of hundreds of thousands of farmers who have cultivated these varieties for generations. Officials at the authority say that, by failing to consult with farmers and the national biodiversity authority, the multinational firm has run foul of India's Biological Diversity Act 2002. The law states that, if companies want to genetically modify indigenous varieties of seeds and plants - for research or commercialisation purposes - they must obtain prior consent of the authority. That never happened, the national biodiversity authority says, so now Monsanto and Mahyco look set to face charges of biopiracy. It will be the first criminal prosecution under the act if it goes ahead. Though brinjal is a vegetable that is now widely eaten and grown around the world, it is native to south Asia with more than 2,500 varieties. Monsanto denies the accusations, claiming that it has not worked in partnership with Mahyco to develop BT brinjal. The US company says the genetically modified variety of the vegetable was developed by Mahyco with a gene previously accessed from Monsanto. Farmers should be consulted and remunerated when companies use indigenous crop and seed varieties that local farming populations have cultivated and protected for generations. This is their right, a right that the United Nations-led global Convention on Biological Diversity recognized almost two decades ago.
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These dinosaurs were herbivores with a few thousand teeth closely packed together to form a grinding surface to chew the vegetation they fed upon. As per the report it was concluded that the environment that Latirhinus inhabited was likely warmer and more humid than it is todays time, with lakes and bays nearby. *OIL POISONING - Alarming sea animal deaths on India's west coast: Two giant Baleen's humpback whale sharks washed up dead on the Mumbai and Thane beaches in separate incidents. This was preceded by a Bryde's whale shark getting washed ashore at a beach in Ratnagiri, around 250 km south of Mumbai. In the past couple of months alone, over a dozen dead dolphins, usually seen frolicking in the calm blue-green Konkan coast waters, washed up on different virgin beaches in the region. Conservationists suspect chemical or oil poisoning. *Pakistan conducted the Test of Nuclear Capable Babur Missile: Pakistan successfully test-fired the indigenously developed Hatf-VII (Babur) cruise missile on 5 June 2012. Hatf-VII is capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads. The missile is highly accurate Pakistani-developed cruise missile with a range of 700 km. *Pigeons' navigation skills linked to special 'GPS neurons': Researchers have spotted a group of 53 cells within pigeons' brains that respond to the direction and strength of the Earth's magnetic field. Prof Dickman and his colleague Le-Qing Wu believed that the 53 neurons were candidates for sensors, so they measured the electrical signals from each one as the field was changed. However, the study, published in journal Science, leaves open the question of how these "GPS neurons" actually help the birds sense the magnetic field. While they adjusted the elevation angles and magnitude of their artificial magnetic field, they simultaneously recorded the activity of the 53 neurons in the pigeons' brain which had already been identified as candidates for such sensors. So, they measured the electrical signals from each one as the field was changed and found that every neuron had its own characteristic response to the magnetic field, each giving a sort of 3D compass reading along the familiar north-south directions as well as pointing directly upward or downward. Recently researchers found that purported compass cells in pigeon beaks were in fact a type of white blood cell. *Planet discovered 'right at Earths front door' could harbour life: Astronomers at the University of 103
*New Dinosaur with Gigantic Nose Discovered in Mexico: Scientists in northern Mexico discovered a new dinosaur with a large prominent nose which lived about 73 million years ago. The duck-billed dinosaur, which was named LATIRHINUS UITSTLANI, lived during the Late Cretaceous period and its wide nasal cavity might have given it incredible smell-detecting ability. As per researchers the giant nose of Dinosaur supported and provided enhanced space for a soft tissue structure, sort of like an inflatable bladder, for display, recognition and communication purposes in general. The dinosaur also possessed sturdy hind limbs ending in three toes, and relatively smaller and thinner forelimbs ending in 4 digits meaning this animal was thumb-less. KITE4education.com
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California, Santa Cruz, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington believe they have discovered a planet right at Earths front door that may be capable of supporting human life. The planet is 22 light years away, previously thought to be 20 light years, and is formally known as Gliese 581g. The planet exists in what is known as the Goldilocks Zone - an area near earth that isnt too hot, or cold but is just right for sustaining life. *Planetary Resources: mining asteroids project launched: Space-faring robots could be extracting gold and platinum from asteroids within 10 years if a new venture backed by two Silicon Valley titans and filmmaker James Cameron goes as planned. Asteroids are made mostly of rock and metal and range from a couple of dozen feet (7 meters) wide to nearly 10 miles (16 kilometres) long. The new venture targets the free-flying asteroids, seeking to extract from them the rare Earth platinum metals that are used in batteries, electronics and medical devices. Larry Page, Eric Schmidt, Ross Perot Jr. and Charles Simonyi are among its investors. Water can be broken down in space to liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for rocket fuel. Water is very expensive to get off the ground so the plan is to take it from an asteroid to a spot in space where it can be converted into fuel. From there, it can easily and cheaply be shipped to Earth orbit for refuelling commercial satellites or spaceships from NASA and other countries. ASTEROID MINING refers to the possibility of exploiting raw materials from asteroids and other minor planets, including near-Earth objects. Minerals and volatiles could be mined from an asteroid or spent comet to provide spaceconstruction materials (e.g., iron, nickel, titanium), to extract water and oxygen to sustain the lives of prospector-astronauts on site, as well as hydrogen and oxygen for use as rocket fuel. In space exploration, these activities are referred to as in-situ resource utilization. *Polar bears losing fur from mystery illness: Polar bears in Alaska have been seen with missing patches of fur, and reports say it may be due to a "mystery illness" related to the nuclear accident at the Fukushima power plant in Japan. *Prostate disorder proteins `discovered`: Scientists have discovered a combination of proteins involved in prostate disorders, a key finding which they claim could pave the way for effective and better treatments. An international team, led by the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and the University of Western Australia, has identified the `G protein-coupled receptors`, a family of KITE4education.com
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"receptors" that enable cells to respond to hormones and neurotransmitters. Scientists found that that these receptors did not work in isolation, but in particular combinations, which they termed as heteromers. They suggested that a number of side effects from drugs may result from not fully understanding which combinations form and their side-effects. Prostate disorders such as benign prostatic hyperplasia affect most of the men at some stage in his life. Better drugs with fewer side effects were required to reduce the need for surgical operation. *Proteins that protect against diabetes and arthritis found: Researchers have discovered that two proteins that work together to kill 'self-reactive' immune cells can protect against diseases such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia have discovered that absence of proteins called Puma and Bim can lead to selfreactive immune cells accumulating and attacking many different body organs, causing illness. Dr Daniel Gray and colleagues from the institute's Molecular Genetics of Cancer division and the University of Ballarat found that the proteins called 'BH3-ONLY' proteins make the selfreactive cells die by a process called apoptosis. Defects in apoptosis proteins have been linked to many human diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders and autoimmune diseases. AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis, develop when immune cells launch an attack on the body's own cells, destroying important body organs or structures. *PSLV launch successful, ISRO notches up century of missions: It was a commercial launch and marked the 100th mission of ISRO, whose journey started with the launch of its first satellite 'Aryabhata' in 1975. PSLV-C21 was India's 38th satellite launch vehicle to lift off from Sriharikota and ISRO has so far launched 62 Indian satellites thus notching up a century of space missions. Significantly, the success of ISRO's 100th mission coincided with the 50th anniversary of the commencement of India's space programme. The successful launch of foreign satellites followed a pact reached between Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of ISRO and Astrium SAS of France, which had built the SPOT-6 SATELLITE. SPOT-6 was the heaviest foreign satellite to be put in orbit by ISRO after the 350 kg Italian satellite Agile in 2007. While Spot-6 was a French earth observation satellite capable of imaging the earth with a resolution of 1.5 m, 104
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Proiteres, built by the students of Osaka Institute of Technology, would study Kansai District in Japan. *Ranbaxy launches malaria drug SYNRIAM: Ranbaxy Laboratories, India's top drugmaker by sales, said it launched a new malaria treatment drug Synriam in the country and was working to introduce it in other Asian countries, Africa and South America. Ranbaxy, majority owned by Japan's Daiichi Sankyo Co, received Indian drug regulator's approval for the product in 2011. The drug is used to treat plasmodium falciparum malaria. Rival Cipla is expected to launch MEFLIAM Plus, also in the same category. *Research Indicated That Anti-Ageing Gene Might Suppress Tumours: Researchers of the University of Michigan Health System and Harvard Medical School in the second week of December 2012 showed that anti-ageing genes might be helpful in curtailing the multiplication of cancer. It was shown that the loss of anti-ageing gene can promote the occurrence of tumours in the human beings. The researchers had shown that the decrease in SIRT6 protein in rats increased the size, aggressiveness as well as number of tumours apart from promotion of tumour growth in the human colon as well as pancreatic cancers. The researchers however admitted that it was difficult to know about the range of genes which can suppress the development of tumours. In the meanwhile, the research suggested that the SIRT6 might play an important role in stopping cancer as well as controlling the cellular metabolism. Researchers decided to work further in this regard in order to understand how the protein could be helpful in suppressing the development of tumours. In the new research the role of SIRT6 in diminishing the growth of cancer by repressing aerobic glycolysis was highlighted. Aerobic glycolysis is said to be the primary feature of the cancer cells which involve conversion of the glucose to lactate. SIRT6 is also responsible for inhibiting the activity of major cancer gene called Myc. The research basically indicates the conservation of the biological mechanisms that occur between humans and the lower organisms. *Russia tests 'fifth generation' missile that can penetrate NATO defence system: Russia has staged the first successful test-launch of a new intercontinental missile designed to penetrate the defence system now being deployed by NATO despite Moscow's fierce complaints. KITE4education.com
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The highly-symbolic launch came just days after alliance formally activated the first stage of a missile defence shield whose deployment Russia has bitterly opposed out of fears that it may target its own vast nuclear arsenal. The rocket still has no formal name but is being billed by the military as a "fifth generation" weapon that substantially upgrades the technology used by its already-feared feared TOPOL-M AND YARS SYSTEMS. The Russian missile "uses a new type of fuel that helps reduce the time required to operate the propellants in the active stage of the rocket's trajectory". *Sarus crane habitat faces threat at Yeshwant Sagar: The increasing number of tourists, intruders, stray animals and farming in the non-migratory crane's safe and vast habitat, Yeshwant Sagar reservoir, has upset their peaceful life besides affecting their breeding due to the destruction of nests and eggs at the reservoir. The rainy season is the breeding season of Saras crane. Renowned ornithologist Dr Asad Rahmani, in his book 'Potential and Existing Ramsar Sites in India,' had claimed that Yeshwantsagar housed about 170 Sarus cranes ( Grus antigone) a few years ago. At present, sources say that its population is reportedly under threat following the destruction of the nests and eggs. *Saturn Moon Has Tropical "Great Salt Lake," Methane Marshes: Titan has equatorial oasis as large as Utah landmark, NASA craft hints. TITAN is the only moon in the solar system to host a significant atmospherea roiling haze of organic molecules, which some scientists think might include the ingredients for life as we know it. It's also the only object in the solar system, other than Earth, to have bodies of liquid on its surface previous data from NASA's Cassini orbiter revealed hundreds of lakes near the frigid moon's poles. With surface temperatures hovering around -297 degrees Fahrenheit (-183 degrees Celsius), Titan is far too cold to have liquid water. Instead, the lakes are filled with liquid hydrocarbons, such as methane and ethane. Now, for the first time, Cassini images show dark regions that appear to be pools of hydrocarbons around the moon's equator. *SC orders states to notify tiger reserve buffer zone in 3 months: The Supreme Court directed the state governments to demarcate and notify buffer zone around each tiger reserves within three months, an order that would regulate commercialization of revenue land around these tiger habitats to help preserve the endangered species. 105
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A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Dipak Misra passed this order after the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) informed that about 15 tiger reserves were yet to have the benefit of buffer zone to be notified by the state governments under the Wild Life (Protection) Act. The Act defines BUFFER ZONE as the area peripheral to the critical tiger habitat or core area providing supplementary habitat for dispersing tigers, besides offering scope for co-existence of human activity. The limits of the buffer/ peripheral areas are to be determined on the basis of scientific and objective criteria in consultation with the Gram Sabha and an Expert Committee constituted for the purpose. Though many states had complied with the core area notification, the buffer zone notification was missing in key tiger reserves of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Bihar. The erring tiger reserves included Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Panna (Madhya Pradesh), Sariska (Rajasthan), Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), Palamau (Jharkhand), Anamalai, Mudumalai and KalakadMudanthurai (Tamil Nadu), Nagarhole (Karnataka), Sahyadri (Maharashtra), Valmiki (Bihar), and Pakke (Arunachal Pradesh). By this order, the states were required to delineate the fringe/buffer area around the core zones of tiger reserves, and submit a tiger conservation plan as required under Section 38V of the Wild Life Protection Amendment Act, 2006, to ensure wildlife conservation while addressing the livelihood issues of local people. The buffer zone constituted of fringe areas of tiger reserve up to a radial distance of 10 km, which had in the past witnessed large scale construction of hotels, mass tourism, and night safaris - all disturbing the roaming of wild animals at night in search of corridors. The National Tiger Conservation Authority had said that the fringe areas had corridor value and their ecological sustainability was important to prevent the area from becoming ecological sinks on account of overuse of resources and unwise land use. *SC panel for ban on field trials of GM crops: In a huge setback to companies involved in genetically modified (GM) crops, the Supreme Court-appointed technical expert committee (TEC) has recommended a ban on all field trials of such crops. In its interim report submitted to the SC bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar on October 15, the TEC further suggested a 10-year moratorium on anything that has the BT field trial, specifically food crops. As far as herbicide tolerant (HT) crops are concerned, the TEC recommended setting up of another committee comprising experts, civil society KITE4education.com
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members and stake holders to look into the acceptability of such crops in India after studying their impact. HT crops are those that are engineered to become tolerant to herbicide a weedkiller - which is sprayed around the crop. While recommending the ban, the committee said the trials should not take place until certain conditions were satisfied. The conditions include designating specific sites for conducting field trials and putting in place sufficient mechanisms for monitoring the trials. A panel of scientists, qualified in evaluation of the biosafety data of GM crops, should be engaged for scrutiny and analysis of the safety data, the report said. It also called for a mandatory requirement for preliminary bio-safety tests prior to the field trials, including sub-chronic toxicity in small animals has been included. The TEC submitted its report after doing widespread consultations with experts and said that the moratorium was necessitated by the potential harm of GM crops to human health. It also recommended long-term and inter-generational studies in rodents to be added to tests. *SC puts cheetah relocation project on hold: With the court already seized with a similar relocation project involving lions from Gujarats Gir forests to Madhya Pradeshs Palpur-Kuno sanctuary, the amicus curiae senior advocate PS Narasimha assisting the judges in an application moved, highlighted the Cheetah relocation project meant to introduce the exotic animal from Namibia to the Palpur-Kuno sanctuary, the same place where the relocated lions from Gir would be introduced. The amicus pointed out to the court that Asiatic cheetahs and African cheetahs are different, both genetically as well as in their characteristics. While its introduction was opposed by officers in MoEF, the amicus questioned the hurry behind introducing the animal into India riding on a huge cost when the Project Tiger only got an allocation of Rs 80 crore for 600 national parks and sanctuaries. 106
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*Science of civil war: One of the best-known projects in this field is SCARE - the Spatio-Cultural Abductive Reasoning Engine, developed at the United States Military Academy at West Point by a team led by Major Paulo Shakarian, a computerscientist-turned-soldier. SCARE operates at the most militarily conventional end of the irregular-conflict spectrum: the point where an army of guerrillas is already in being and is making life hard for a notionally better-armed army of regular troops. That, of course, has been the experience of American forces in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. *Scientists create earthworm-like robot - Scientists have engineered a robot that crawls like an earthworm and can squeeze itself through tight spaces and navigate rough terrain. The robot is named "Meshworm" for the flexible, meshlike tube that makes up its body. Researchers created "artificial muscle" from wire made of nickel and titanium- a shape-memory alloy that stretches and contracts with heat. They wound the wire around the tube, creating segments along its length, much like the segments of an earthworm. They then applied a small current to the segments of wire, squeezing the mesh tube and propelling the robot forward. As an ultimate test of soft robotics, the group subjected the robot to multiple blows with a hammer, even stepping on the robot to check its durability. Despite the violent impacts, the robot survived, crawling away intact. *Scientists Discovered Gene That Restricts Tumours: Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of Biotechnology claimed in the third week of January 2013 that they found the SCO2 gene which has potential qualities of restricting tumours. Scientists claimed that this SCO2 gene can therefore be used for the treatment of various kinds of cancers. As of now, p53 gene was considered as the protein that holds back tumours and therefore prevents occurrence of cancer. But as per the combined research studies which were conducted by the scientists of JNU School of Biotechnology and Ohio State University Medical Centre as well as other universities, p53 gene employs SCO2 gene to imbibe this tumour-suppressing quality to it. In the research study, the scientists injected SCO2 protein which is encoded in SCO2 gene, in the colon as well as breast tumour xenografts in the mice. *Scientists find how ocean stores carbon: A team of British and Australian scientists has discovered how carbon is drawn down from the surface of the Southern Ocean to the deep waters beneath. KITE4education.com
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The Southern Ocean is an important carbon sink in the world around 40 per cent of the annual global CO2 emissions absorbed by the worlds oceans enter through this region. Winds, currents and massive whirlpools that carry warm and cold water around the ocean known as eddies create localized pathways or funnels for carbon to be stored. Due to the size and remote location of the Southern Ocean, scientists have only recently been able to explore the workings of the ocean with the help of small robotic probes known as ARGO FLOATS. In 2002, 80 floats were deployed in the Southern Ocean to collect information on the temperature and salinity. This unique set of observations spanning 10 years has enabled scientists to investigate this remote region of the world for the first time. The floats are just over a metre in length and dive to depths of 2km. Today, there are over 3,000 floats in the oceans worldwide providing detailed information used in oceanic climate models. The team also analysed temperature, salinity and pressure data collected from ship-based observations since the 1990s. The instrument used for this is called a CTD PROFILER which is a cluster of sensors taking measurements as its lowered deep down into the ocean to depths of more than 7km. *Scientists identified First Radio Waves from Middleweight Black Hole HLX-1: A team of scientists at the University of Sydney on 10 July 2012 discovered the first radio emissions from the middleweightblack hole HLX-1, that lies in a galaxy about 300 million light-years away. The research team had used Compact Array radio telescope from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). HLX-1 (hyper-luminous X-ray source 1), lies in a galaxy called ESO 243-49 about 300 million lightyears away. HLX-1 was discovered by chance in 2009, because it stood out as a very bright X-ray source. Before the discovery of HLX-1, scientists had evidence for only supermassive black holes ones a million to a billion times the mass of the Sun and stellar mass ones, three to thirty times the mass of the Sun. As per the new study, the size of HLX-1 is around 20000 times the mass of our sun which makes it an intermediate mass black hole. What is Black Hole? - Black holes are areas where the matter is so densely squeezed into a small space, that it makes gravity pull strongly enough to stop light from escaping. *Scientists uncover phenomenon that may unlock quantum computing's potential: Researchers have 107
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previously believed that QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT where sub-atomic particles become so entwined that they share the same properties even when they have been separated was the only way to realise quantum technologies. Scientists have taken a quantum leap forward towards future computing after discovering that BACKGROUND INTERFERENCE' in quantum-level measurements, may be the very thing they need to unlock the potential of quantum computing. *Secret to loony lunar soils revealed: Glass bubbles in lunar soil are the source of NANOPARTICLES that explain the alien behaviour of the Moon's topsoil, say researchers. Lunar soil particles are very sticky and abrasive. The particles are also electrically charged which means they hover above the surface of the Moon. Not only can these particles coat surfaces of equipment, windows and electrical components, they can also present a potential human health hazard. In addition, lunar soil particles are very good insulators. Even though it can be 160C above the Moon's surface, 2 metres below the surface it can be just -40C. Scientists believe these weird properties of the Moon's soil can be explained by the numerous nanoparticles contained within it. *Shri Kapil Sibal Launches NIOSs Mukta Vidya Vani: Mukta Vidya Vani, a pioneering initiative of the National Institute of Open Schooling, (NIOS) for using Streaming Audio for educational purposes, was inaugurated. The new NIOS website which has been designed in such a way that it not only meets the needs of its learners but is also disabled-friendly, was also launched on the occasion. An MoU was also signed between the NIOS and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) with the objective of developing skill-based courses on web designing in accordance with the guidelines for Indian government websites. This will provide vertical and lateral mobility of learners from the school level in the web designing course. Uwe Linn of Germany, accredited as a personal coach for Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra. *Solar Impulse completes first solar-powered interncontinental flight: Solar Impulse has demonstrated that a solar-powered airplane can fly day and night using no fuel. The Solar Impulse plane, which runs entirely on solar energy as the name implies, has completed its first intercontinental journey between Madrid, Spain, and Morocco. KITE4education.com
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*South African scientists find most complete prehuman skeleton: The Cradle of Humankind, now a World Heritage Site, is the oldest continuous paleontological dig in the world. It contains a complex of limestone caves, including the Sterkfontein Caves, where the 2.3-million year-old fossil Australopithecus africanus (nicknamed "Mrs. Ples") was found in 1947 by Dr. Robert Broom and John T. Robinson. *Soybean savior: A group of genes called Rhg1 has been used to make millions of soybean crops worldwide resistant to the plants most important pest: cyst nematode. Till recently, little was known about how the structure works. A study has now shown that Rhg1 houses three genes that work together to confer nematode resistance. A single copy of Rhg1 does not make the plant resistant; plants with 10 or more copies of this three-gene structure grow well in a field infected with the nematode. The pest causes over $1 billion losses in US soybean yield every year. Till this study it was thought only microbes and fungi possess copies of genes lying next to each other and controlling the same trait. *Spawned in the USA: new fish named after Barack Obama: Obama is one of four presidents to have newly discovered species of fish named after them for their green credentials. The researchers named the five newly discovered species of the darter the smallest member of the perch family after four presidents and one vicepresident. All but one are Democrats, like Obama. Other honourees were also chosen for their environmental credentials: Teddy Roosevelt for setting aside vast areas of wilderness for national monuments and parks; Jimmy Carter, for his energy policy and humanitarian work in his postpresidential career; Bill Clinton, for wilderness preservation; and Al Gore, the sole vice-president on the list, both for his environmental work and his status as a Tennessee native, like the darter. *Stars with heavy metal content not needed to form small 'Earth-like' planets: New ground-based observations, combined with data collected by NASA's Kepler space telescope, have shown that small planets form around stars with a wide range of heavy element content and suggests they may be widespread in our galaxy. Astronomers refer to all chemical elements heavier than hydrogen and helium as metals. They define metallicity is the metal content of heavier elements in a star. Stars with a higher fraction of heavy elements than the sun are considered metal-rich. Stars with a lower fraction of heavy elements are considered metal-poor. Planets are created disks of gas and dust around new 108
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stars. Planets like Earth are composed almost entirely of elements such as iron, oxygen, silicon and magnesium. The metallicity of a star mirrors the metal content of the planet-forming disk. Astronomers have hypothesized that large quantities of heavy elements in the disk would lead to more efficient planet formation. It has long been noted that giant planets with short orbital periods tend to be associated with metal-rich stars. Unlike gas giants, the occurrence of smaller planets is not strongly dependent on the heavy element content of their host stars. Planets up to four times the size of Earth can form around stars with a wide range of heavy element content, including stars with a lower metallicity than the sun. Launched in March 2009, Kepler searches for planets by continuously monitoring more than 150,000 stars, looking for telltale dips in their brightness caused by passing, or transiting, planets. *Stealth warship 'INS Sahyadri' commissioned: Indigenously built stealth warship 'INS Sahyadri' was commissioned in the Indian Navy, adding firepower to its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. INS Sahyadri is the last warship of 'Project-17' undertaken by the Navy. The first two in the class INS Shivalik and INS Satpura - were commissioned in April 2010 and August 2011, respectively. These ships had been performing various tasks in the Indian Ocean Region. The 4,900-tonne INS Sahyadri is equipped with some of the most advance surface and air-to-air missiles and can carry two helicopters - a mix of Dhruv, Sea King or Kamov - onboard for various missions. The frigate will also carry BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles. *Sudarshini Sets Sail on ASEAN Voyage: INS Sudarshini, the sail training ship of Indian Navy, set sail from here Sep 15 on a historical mission to celebrate Indias warm ties with ASEAN countries. An ASEAN car rally is also scheduled later this year to commemorate this mile stone in India- ASEAN relations. *Super disc: Typical compact discs (CDs) store 600700 megabytes (MB) of digital data. A new technology can now help develop CDs that can hold 2 terabytes or 2,000,000 MB of data. Instead of packing more data on the surface, the idea is to make an optical film with 64 data layers. This film would be pasted onto the same plastic base that CDs are built on. A new type of reader would be needed to read data from these layers. The discs would be simple, economic and fast. They would be an alternative to energy-wasting magnetic discs or KITE4education.com
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cumbersome magnetic tapes. The discs are aimed at storing data that is not needed everyday. *Superbug uncovered: ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII, a superbug, is notorious for causing deaths of hundreds of patients each year. It clings to hospital equipment like catheter tubes. Scientists have now identified the mechanism that allows the bacteria to shield themselves from antibiotic. It can help devise ways to combat the superbug. The bacteria protect themselves by covering their surface with molecules knows as glycoproteins. If the proteins are not produced, it becomes less virulent. *Surface-to-air Akash missile test fired successfully: Akash was developed during 1990s under the country's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) after many trials. Akash has a strike range of 25 km and it can carry a warhead of 60 kilograms compared to the American MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system. Akash, an anti-aircraft defence system, can simultaneously engage several targets with "Rajendra" radar developed by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratory in Bangalore. Rajendra conducts the surveillance, tracks the target, acquires it and guides the missile towards it. Rajendra ispassive" phased array radar. It is multifunctioning radar capable of tracking as many as 64 targets and controlling up to 12 missiles simultaneously. Experts claim that similar to the MIM-104, the Akash is capable of neutralising aerial targets such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles. *The Human Connectome Project - the Human Connectome Project aims to create a first-of-its-kind map of the brains complex circuitry, detailing every connection linking thousands of different regions of the brain. The project aims to tap state-ofthe-art brain scanning technologies, including diffusion imaging, various MRI methods, and magnetoencephalography to map not just how messages move through the brain, but how various regions work together via networks and networks of networks to achieve the complexity that is the human mind. The surface of the brain contains about 40 billion nerve cells, each making about 1,000 connections in a pattern that brain researchers have yet to decipher. But a recent study of brain activity using a scanning technique called diffusion spectrum magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers have unravelled an extraordinary simplicity in the pattern of connections that brain cells make while communicating. 109
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The scans revealed that brain signals form a grid, made up of parallel and perpendicular tracts woven together into curved sheets. CLOUD COMPUTING is a model for on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing is an online service model by which hardware and software services are delivered to customers depending upon their requirements and pay as an operating expense without incurring high capital cost. Cloud computing is a set of services that provide Infrastructure resources using Internet media & applications and data storage on a third party server. *The International Day against drug abuse was observed all over the world: The International Day against drug abuse and prohibited trafficking was observed all over the world on 26 June 2012. It aims to increase the awareness about the dangers and problems that prohibited drugs establishes to the society. The main theme of 2012 was Global Action for the Health, Communities without Drugs. This day was decided by the General Assembly in United Nations in the year 1987.Their main aim is to convey a message on this day to create an international society free from drug abuse. *The Solar Transit of Venus presented a Spectacular Show in the Space: In a rare space event, Venus, the second closest planet from the sun, passed in front of the sun on 5 June 2012. The rare planetary display began shortly after 2200 GMT on 5 June 2012 in parts of North America. Subsequently, it was visible in Central America, and the northern part of South America. The view at the time the Venus was crossing though the Sun was incredible, as a tiny black dot appeared on the solar surface. Venus is 100th of the diameter of the sun so while moving across from one side to the other, just a black spot placed over on the disc of the sun. The celestial phenomenon which repeats itself in more than 100 year will now be rewitnessed only in 2117. The space phenomenon is seen when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth. It occurs in intervals of 8, 121, 8 and 105 years. The last Transit of Venus occurred on 8 June 2004 and was visible across India. The transit which took place on 5 June 2012 completes the pair of 2004-12. The latest Venus transit is only the eighth since the invention of the telescope, and the last until 10-11 December 2117. TRANSIT OF VENUS - The Transit of Venus occurs when it comes between the sun and earth. Venus is significantly smaller in size than the sun and hence appears like a small dot on a big plate. *'Time machine' to study faintest galaxies: KITE4education.com
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Researchers have come up with a new scientific instrument, a time machine of sorts, which will allow scientists to study the earliest galaxies in the universe, which could never be studied before. The five-ton instrument, the most advanced and sophisticated of its kind in the world, goes by the name MOSFIRE (Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration) and has been installed in the Keck I Telescope at the W.M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii. MOSFIRE gathers light in infrared wavelengths invisible to the human eye allowing it to penetrate cosmic dust and see distant objects whose light has been stretched or redshifted to the infrared by the expansion of the universe. With MOSFIRE, it will now become much easier to identify faint galaxies, families of galaxies and merging galaxies. The instrument also will enable detailed observations of planets orbiting nearby stars, star formation within our own galaxy, the distribution of dark matter in the universe and much more. *Tourists under lens for SARS-like virus: India is keeping a close watch on inbound travellers, fearing import of a new respiratory virus that is being seen as a potential global threat and belongs to the same family as the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The WHO has instructed member countries, under the international health regulations, against screening this virus at point of entry. The deadline was originally till the end of 2012, which has been extended by a year. The organization encourages all member states to continue their surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) and is currently reviewing the case definition and other guidance related to the novel SARS-coronavirus. India has 25 airports, 12 ports and 7 international land borders catering to international traffic. These can be possible points through which dangerous pathogens can be brought by international passengers. Health units, however, exist only at 21 points most of which were established way back in 1950. The 12th Five Year Plan seeks to establish health surveillance units, isolation wards and quarantine facilities in 23 additional airports, ports and land borders. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) A serious form of pneumonia caused by a member of the coronavirus family of viruses (the same family that can cause the common cold), so it is also called SARS-CoV. It infects both humans and animals (livestock, birds, etc.). It had spread like a pandemic in Hong Kong in March 2003, and from there it transmitted to 110
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several other countries. SARS is a dramatic example of how quickly world travel can spread a disease. SARS spread When someone with SARS coughs or sneezes, infected droplets spray into the air. One can catch the SARS virus if you breathe in or touch these particles. The SARS virus may live on hands, tissues, and other surfaces for up to 6 hours in these droplets and up to 3 hours after the droplets have dried. Live virus has even been found in the stool of people with SARS, where it has been shown to live for up to 4 days. The virus may be able to live for months or years when the temperature is below freezing. Symptoms: It includes flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headaches, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose, malaise, and myalgia (muscle pain), dry cough, shortness of breath, and an upper respiratory tract infection. People with active symptoms of illness are contagious. Treatment: There is no cure or preventive vaccine available currently. The treatment is only supportive. Antibiotics are ineffective, as SARS is a viral disease. If a person is suspected of having SARS, they should be kept isolated in the hospital. Prevention: Reducing contact with people who have SARS Hand hygiene is the most important, thus Wash hands or clean them with an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer. Avoid travel to places where there is an uncontrolled SARS outbreak. Do not share food, drink, or utensils. *Trouble for Thames: River Thames has the highest number of invasive species among all freshwater systems in the world. A study has found that 100 freshwater species not native to the UK, like goldfish, are present in the second largest river of the country. Researchers blame globalisation and shipping activity for the invasions that cost 1.7 billion every year to British economy. They fear this would lead to massive changes in the biodiversity of the river system and seek strict laws to control the invasive species. *Two-Site Solution: South Africa & Australia/New Zealand Awarded New Telescope: The world's largest radiotelescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), will be built in two places at once, planners announced. The Australia/New Zealand array, with its focus in Murchison, Western Australia, will concentrate on low frequencies, below 500 megahertz (MHz). KITE4education.com
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The South African array, centered in the Karoo desert in the Northern Cape, will observe in the middle and high frequencies above 500 MHz. The idea of SKA is to create a radiotelescope with a collecting area of 1 square kilometer. It will involve thousands of dishes and other antennas spread over an area thousands of kilometers across. South Africa has teamed with eight other countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean to get the required reach. Both of the bidders are already building so-called precursor arrays to demonstrate their capabilities and these will now be incorporated into the two SKA arrays. *U.S. approves anti-HIV drug: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration made history this week as it gave its first ever nod for an anti-HIV drug, TRUVADA, to pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences. Yet the move was greeted with scepticism in some quarters, particularly from AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the U.S. largest HIV/AIDS non-profit medical provider, which described the FDA decision as reckless. Truvada is known chemically as a fixed-dose, daily intake combination of emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. Since 2004 it has been marketed as a treatment for those already infected with HIV. However beginning in 2010, clinical studies demonstrated that the drug could prevent people from contracting the infection in the first place. *Union Power Minister Launches PAT Scheme: In line with the energy conservation and efficiency policies of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power, the Honorable Union Minister of Power, Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, today launched the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE). The launch of PAT scheme added another feather in the cap of BEE , along with other ongoing popular schemes. The Government of India notified the targets under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 for 478 industrial units in India on 30th March, 2012. These targets are to be achieved by the units up to 2014-15. The Ministry of Power and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) have been in the vanguard of promoting the efficient use of energy and its conservation. This is further supplemented by the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) which is one of the missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The PAT Mechanism is one of the initiatives under NMEEE programme. It is a market based mechanism to further accelerate as well as incentivize energy efficiency in the large energy111
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intensive industries. The scheme provides the option to trade any additional certified energy savings with other designated consumers to comply with the Specific Energy Consumption reduction targets. The Energy Savings Certificates (ESCerts) so issued will be tradable on special trading platforms to be created in the two power exchanges -- Indian Energy Exchange and Power Exchange India. *Water battery: Lithium batteries are set to become safer, cheaper and environment friendly. Scientists have succeeded in replacing the harmful methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvent, traditionally used in the electrodes, with water. A prerequisite for giving up NMP was changing the binding agent to a water-soluble one. The researchers found that acrylic S020 is not only water-soluble but also chemically, electrochemically and mechanically ideal for the purpose. The discovery also makes it possible to reduce production costs by as much as 5 per cent. As battery use increases rapidly across the globe, improving production methods has become increasingly important. *WHO eases rules on meningitis vaccine: In a breakthrough for the fight against meningitis in poor countries, researchers say the WHO has ruled that a key vaccine can be transported or stored for up to four days without refrigeration. The previously-approved vaccine is aimed at helping in the so-called MENINGITIS BELT, which stretches across the African Sahel from Senegal to Ethiopia, where epidemics of the deadly infection regularly break out. In these countries, where reliable electricity is rare, especially in rural areas, assuring that the low-cost vaccine can be stored safely without refrigeration will vastly improve vaccination campaigns, researchers say. Called MENAFRIVAC and made by the Indian company Serum Institute, the vaccine costs less than 50 cents a dose and, according to the latest research, can be conserved without any refrigeration, even an icepack, at temperatures up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) for four days. Meningitis A is a bacterial infection that affects the membrane of the brain. It can cause brain lesions and has a 50 percent fatality rate when left untreated, according to the WHO. Viral meningitis is generally less severe, with most patients fully recovering on their own within a week or two. *Worlds Most Advanced ATM System in India for Safe Skies: Raytheons next generation air traffic KITE4education.com
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management system, AutoTrac III (AT3), is now operational at three Indian airports run by Airports Authority of India Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai covering three of the four Indian Flight Information Regions. These installations are an important milestone in AAIs plans for the modernization of Indias airspace in order to accommodate projected levels of growth in the regions air traffic. The AT3 SYSTEM is an advanced, cost-effective solution to the challenges facing the ATM community in the 21st Century traffic growth outpacing revenue growth and the drive to increase capacity and productivity in a cost conscious environment. The AT3 system, with its modern open architecture design and high performance characteristics, is fully adaptable and scalable to any ATM environment, ranging from a simple tower automation application to a fully integrated national multi-center system. Raytheons next generation ATM automation system provides a high performance, cost-effective solution for Indias rapidly growing air traffic demands. The system contains the most advanced surveillance and flight data processing systems available today. We are extremely pleased that our partnership with AAI will provide India with the most modern ATM system in the world. Raytheon is also building the ground stations for the GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System, which will provide satellite-based navigation for civil aviation over Indian airspace and adjoining areas in South and East Asia. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and AAI are providing the space segment and additional ground equipment, as well as participating in the integration and operating the system. *World IPv6 Launch Day organized by Internet Society: World IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) Launch Day held globally on 6 June 2012. All the major Internet Service Providers, networking equipment manufacturers and web companies around the world came together on the occasion, to permanently enable IPv6 for their products and services. The day, organized by Internet Society, represents a major milestone in the global deployment of IPv6. Previous year the World IPv6 Day was observed on 8 June wherein , top websites and Internet Service Providers around the world, had joined together for a successful 24-hour global-scale trial of the new Internet Protocol, IPv6.
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World IPv6 Day 2012 was an event sponsored and organized by the Internet Society and several large content providers to test public IPv6 deployment. It was announced on 12 January 2011 with five anchoring companies: Facebook, Google, Yahoo,
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Implant placed in the back of the eye enabled patient to read braille with his eyes rather than
Akamai Technologies, and Limelight Networks. IPv6 - IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is a latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP) which will succeed IPv4, the communications protocol which is currently being used to direct almost all Internet traffic. IPv6 will allow the Internet to support many more devices by greatly increasing the number of possible addresses. *World first as blind man reads braille with his EYES, using revolutionary implant: A blind man has been able to read braille with his eyes rather than by touch using a revolutionary device, say scientists. In a world first, researchers streamed the letter patterns to an implant at the back of the patient's eye. This allowed him to 'see' words that he could interpret in seconds with almost 90 per cent accuracy. The development could revolutionise how degenerative eye diseases are treated and help thousands of patients.
by touch Implant contains electrodes, which when stimulated, represent braille letters New technique allowed man to 'see' and understand words in seconds rather than minutes Could be combined with video glasses and textrecognition software to read street signs or other documents not available in braille It builds on technology already licensed in Britain, which uses a small camera mounted on a pair of glasses along with a retina implant made up of a grid of 60 electrodes. A processor on the glasses translates the camera signal into light patterns that - when sent to the implant - allows the patient to see rough outlines of objects. Although the ARGUS II SYSTEM works to a point, patients have found it impractical for reading, as words need to be in large font and can take minutes to interpret. *Zinc could help in treatment of bacterial infections in kids: Zinc has now been found to be the wonder drug for children suffering from serious bacterial infections. *World's largest shark sanctuary declared in Marshall Islands: The Republic of the Marshall Islands is now home to the worlds largest shark sanctuary, according to nonprofit Pew Environment Group. THE NITIJELA, the Marshallese parliament,
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unanimously passed legislation that ends commercial fishing of sharks in all 768,547 square miles of the central Pacific countrys waters, an ocean area four times the landmass of California. *Young scientist helps identify cause of widespread eye disease: Branch retinal vein occlusion blockage of the blood vessels that channel blood from the retina is a common eye disease. A type of blood clot in the eye, the disease causes reduced vision, and people with the disease also typically have an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes and other serious conditions. A young scientist from the University of Copenhagen has made a significant contribution to finding the cause of the disease. New results indicate that branch retinal vein occlusion is caused by thickening of the arterial wall. This makes it crucial for doctors to treat patients diagnosed with the disease with medicine to lower blood pressure in order to prevent blood clots from forming in the heart and brain. Branch retinal vein occlusion is often a sign of increased risk of blood clots in other parts of the body. Disease prevention and treatment of these patients should be targeted at hypertension, diabetes and atherosclerosis, while doctors can save patients from unnecessary treatment with anticoagulants. India gets its first BIO-Safety Level IV Laboratory India recently opened its first BIO-Safety Level IV Laboratory in PUNE. The lab has been established by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) with support from Department of Science & Technology. The BSL 4 Facility is dubbed to have the highest level of bio-safety lab in the world and will be the first of its kind in Asia and India. Under the aegis of ICMR, there are few Biosafety Laboratories and some of them are being upgraded to Level III and IV. A total of 16 new; 14 BSL-II and 2 BSL-III Laboratories have been set up for working on viral diseases and TB in the country. The lab opening was the climax of diamond jubilee of National Institute of Virology (NIV). NIV has played a flagship role in investigations of the diseases of national and international concern such as SARS and Avian Influenza, besides the Influenza A H1N1 Pandemic. *ZSN and IUCN released data of hundred species fearing extinction: The Zoological Society of London and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released a list of 100 different species to be first in line for extinction from 48 different countries during the World Conservation Congress held in Republic of Korea on 11 September 2012. Tarzans Chameleon, The Spoon-Billed Sandpiper, The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth, The Saola, The KITE4education.com
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Brightly Coloured Willow Blister, Loughshare Tortoise-Angonoka, Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad and Northern Muriqui- Wooly Spider Monkey are some of the most important species fearing extinction. Some of these threatened species from India and South-East Asia are the Great Indian Bustard along with the White-bellied Heron, the Peacock Tarantula as well as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper of India. The report also includes the name of the Sumatran and Javan Rhinos, which are considered to be the extinct species by now. *Greenhouse gases hit record high: Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere hit a new record high in 2011, the World Meteorological Organization has said. As per the survey, the volume of CARBON DIOXIDE, the prime greenhouse gas grew at almost identical rate in previous 10 years (i.e. at an average by 2 ppm) and it touched 390.9 parts per million (ppm) or 40% above the pre-industrial level. The level of METHANE has also risen rapidly in the past 3 years. The Volume of NITROUS OXIDE another greenhouse gas also increased in 2011. Nitrous Oxide has a long-term climatic impact which is 298 times larger than carbon dioxide.
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ECONOMICS - News
* Serious coal crisis ahead for many States if rail lines are not laid: Coal Ministry has predicted serious implications for the southern States of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and many northern and western States if important railway lines connecting coal fields in Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh are not completed in the next three years. Coal Ministry has stated that it would not be possible for the State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) to achieve either the targeted production of 615 million tonnes of coal by 2016-17 or any incremental coal production during the 12 Five Year Plan if the railway tracks in these three coal producing States are not put in place in the next three years. The rail lines include the Tori-Shivpur-Kathotia (Hazaribagh) BG triple line for the North Karanpura coalfield (CCL Jharkhand) likely to carry 167 metric tonnes of coal per annum; the Jharsuguda-Barpali BG double line for IB Valley coalfield (MCL, Orissa) and Bhupdeopur-Korichapar/BroaudDharamjaygarh up to Korba (East Corridor 180 km) and Gevra Road to Pendra Road (West Corridor 122 km) in Mand Raigarh coalfield; and double line BG for Mand-Raigarh coalfield (SECL, Chhattisgarh). The Mand Raigarh coalfield also holds a potential of 100 mt per annum and the Ib and Talcher coal fields hold a potential of about 90 mt per annum. The matter has also been brought to the notice of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), which has already taken note of the situation and a held a meeting to fast track the construction of these railway tracks. The note states that implementation of the above three railway lines could help in enhancing coal production by about 300 mt, which would meet the growing requirements of thermal coal. In addition to this, it states, the Railways will be able to generate about Rs. 10,000 crore per annum as freight revenue from the incremental coal produced from these coalfields and the State governments would get additional revenue to the tune of Rs. 2,000 crore per annum in the form of royalty and VAT. *Authority for Advance Rulings orders can be challenged before HC: Supreme Court: The Supreme Court clarified that the orders of the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) can be challenged before the respective high courts through writ petitions, a move which could have tax implications for firms involved in cross-border deals. Until this ruling, an order passed by the AAR was considered final, with the option to appeal being restricted to Supreme Court, that also to a limited extent. However, there was a school of thought which was of the view that the high courts could take up appeals against AAR orders. At the same time the high courts in the past have refused to admit appeals against AAR's orders, saying that KITE4education.com
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such rulings cannot be appealed against. The Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) was constituted in order to help non-residents and certain categories of residents ascertain their tax liability, and to avoid the timeconsuming and expensive process of litigation. As per Section 245S of the Income-tax Act, the Advance Ruling is binding on the applicant as well as the Revenue authorities, in respect of the transaction for which the ruling is sought. With this order AAR has been reduced to the status of Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). This order paves way for long drawn out litigation. The primary function of AAR is to ascertain tax liabilities arising from cross-border transactions and the AAR order is final and binding to the Income-tax department as well as the party concerned. Though AAR's rulings are binding only to the parties to the dispute Income-tax authorities used to claim that its decision can have persuasive value on cases involving similar transactions. The Supreme Court's proceedings in the case have been closely watched by foreign companies keen on investing in India which has a fully developed tax judicial system. * 25 RRBs merged into 10: Restructuring of RRBs by merging geographically contiguous RRBs sponsored by different banks within a state is in progress in order to consolidate RRBs segment. During the first 9 months of the current fiscal 25 such banks have been merged into 10. Now the number of RRBs stands at 67 till the first week of Jan 2013. RRBs have a network of about 16,000 branches spread across the rural and semi-urban centres of the country. The consolidation of RRBs has been progressing since 2005 following the recommendation of a committee chaired by RBI Deputy Governor K C Chakrabarty which decided to recapitalize 40 selected RRBs in 21 states. These mergers will boost the capital base of RRBs and improving efficiencies as well as optimizing the use of modern technology. States where the mergers took place are Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The Centres shareholding in RRBs is 50%, while 35% and 15% are with the sponsor banks and state governments, respectively. * Basel III norms to start from Jan 1, 2013: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), proposed that the Basell III guidelines is to become effective from January 1, 2013 in a phased manner, its capital ratios will be fully implemented as on March 31, 2018. RBI also said the capital requirements under the guidelines will be lower during the initial periods and higher during the later years. So, banks should keep this in view while taking up the capital planning exercise. ECONOMICS - News 115
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For starters, under Basell III norms the minimum common equity Tier I (CET1) capital for all banks must be at least 3.5 per cent of risk-weighted assets (RWAs) and Tier I capital must be at least 4.5 per cent of RWAs while the total capital must be at least 8 per cent of RWAs from January 1, 2013. On January 1, 2014, the minimum CET1 capital must be 4.0 per cent and Tier 1 capital at 5.5 per cent while minimum total capital at 8.0 per cent. Similarly, on January 1, 2015, the minimum CET1 prescribed is 4.5 per cent and minimum Tier 1 capital at 6.0 per cent while minimum total capital at 8.0 per cent. The final guidelines have also proposed a capital conservation buffer in the form of common equity of 2.5 per cent of RWAs. At the same time, RBI said banks will have to disclose the capital ratios for the financial year ending March 31, 2013, computed under the existing guidelines (Basel II) on capital adequacy as well as those computed under the Basel III capital adequacy framework. In effect, this also means that banks should get the capital adequacy computation as on January 1, 2013 verified by their external auditors and keep the verification report on record. RBI is working on operational aspects of implementation of the Counter-cyclical Capital Buffer and a guidance to banks on this will be issued in due course. * Cyrus Pallonji Mistry Appointed as Chairman of Tata Sons: Cyrus Pallonji Mistry was appointed as the chairman of Tata Sons, the firm that holds more than 100 billion dollar Tata Group, on 18 December 2012. Cyrus Pallonji Mistry would take on the role of chairman of Tata Sons with effect from 28 December 2012, after Rata Tata retires as the current Chairman of the company * Deepak Parekh to head committee on financing infrastructure: The government has appointed eminent banker Deepak Parekh as the new chairman of the High Level Committee on Financing Infrastructure. [HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh]. The committee was first set up in November 2010 under the chairmanship of Rakesh Mohan, former deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India. The committee was mandated to review existing policies and suggest necessary changes in the investment framework in the high-priority infrastructure sector. Parekh is also a part of the sub-committee of the Prime Ministers council on Trade & Industry for promoting financial inclusion, besides being a member of the expert group on restructuring of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). Among other things, the committee would make recommendations relating to financing of the projected investment of Rs. 40, 99, 240 crore during the 12th five year plan period (2012-17). * ECB window to widen: The government is set to KITE4education.com
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broaden the ambit of external commercial borrowings (ECB) by including sectors incorporated in the new definition of infrastructure, approved by the Cabinet committee on infrastructure. The move will allow companies involved in several sectors, including education and health, access ECB to raise debt and avail themselves of the benefits of relaxations in ECB norms. A high-level committee on ECB, headed by Economic Affairs Secretary ARVIND MAYARAM will meet on November 30 to clear the proposal, following which the RBI would issue the relevant notification. The Cabinet committee approved a harmonized list of sectors in March to be identified as infrastructure. The list has outlined five main sectors and 29 infra sub-sectors. The five sectors are transport, energy, water sanitation, communication and social and commercial infrastructure. The infra tag allows companies to claim benefits such as access to easier borrowing overseas, raising funds through tax-free bonds, tax concessions, and access to dedicated institutional lenders and debt funds. Educational institutions, hospitals (including medical colleges, paramedical training institutes and diagnostic centres), three-star or higher category hotels located outside cities with a population of more than a million, common infrastructure for industrial parks, SEZs, tourism facilities and agriculture markets, capital investment in fertilizers, post-harvest storage infrastructure for agriculture and horticultural produce, including cold storage, terminal markets and soil-testing labs, are now included under social and commercial infrastructure. The communications head covers telecom towers along with telecommunications networks. Indian companies are looking at the ECB route to lower the cost of borrowing. Currently, companies in India pay 11-12.5 per cent interest on bank loans. A similar loan through an ECB is available at under 4% interest rate. The government liberalised ECB norms in the Budget this year for sectors including power, roads, civil aviation and affordable housing. While the relaxations have already been made operational in the case of power, roads and civil aviation, the relevant notification in the case of affordable housing is expected to be issued by the RBI. Under the liberalised regime, companies have been allowed to use ECB to part-finance rupee debt for existing power projects. Further, to provide low-cost funds to stressed infrastructure sectors, the rate of withholding tax on interest payments on ECB has been reduced from 20 per cent to five per cent. The sectors are power, airlines, roads and bridges, ports and shipyards, affordable housing, fertilisers and dams. Govt okays PPP policy in railways, Kolkata airport revamp. ECONOMICS - News 116
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* FaceBook Changed the Domain Address by @facebook.com: The social networking site Facebook on 26 June 2012 announced to replace the email address which is displayed on profile page while signing up with @facebook.com domain address. Facebook ranked third in terms of the users with around 46 million active users in India. The users who had the domain address from Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail would likely to expose @facebook.com domain address on 2 July 2012. The users profile will show @facebook.com domain address. There will be an option to return back to other email address domain by changing the profile information of display settings. Users can also hide the facebook domain @facebook.com address as well. Facebook is a social networking site. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg and launched in February 2004. Its first Initial Public Offering (IPO) offered on May 2012 due to which facebook share price dropped from 38 dollar to 28 dollar. * Germany remains India's top trading partner within Europe: Germany has emerged as the top trading partner of India within Europe with around $23.8 billion or 18.3 billion euro turnover during 2011-12, according to the latest figures of the Commerce and Industry Ministry. Germany has been pushing for an early conclusion of the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) saying it will be mutually beneficial and in line with the current reforms of the Union Government. * GoM accepts Chawla committee report: The group of ministers (GoM) has accepted the Ashok Chawla committee's recommendation suggesting distancing the administrative ministry from the appointment and removal of regulators in eight natural resources segments. These are coal, minerals, petroleum, natural gas, spectrum, forests, land and water. The committee has recommended an independent cadre for the regulator with appropriate remuneration and service conditions and provision for a stable budget. Appropriate support for the staffing of the regulator is essential to create conditions for ensuring that the regulators possesses substantial technical capacity and has the ability to access specialised technical knowledge and use it effectively, the committee has stated. It has also suggested the power to issue policy directives to the regulator needs to be appropriately defined, accompanied by suitable justification and approved by the minister concerned. Chawla said that objective of the recommendation was to make the minister accountable for the directive and to ensure that no frivolous directives are issued to the regulator to affect his functioning. The committee has enumerated measures required to enhancing transparency, effectiveness and KITE4education.com
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sustainability in utilisation of natural resources. It has also gone into the efficacy and suitability of existing legal and regulatory framework, and rules being employed in the allocation processes. * Gopalakrishnan to head cloud computing panel: The government has set up a committee to recommend the framework for cloud computing services under the chairmanship of Infosys Executive co-Chairman S (Kris) Gopalakrishnan. In cloud computing, end users are not required to buy software or devices as they are provided by service providers on a rental basis. Cloud computing is one of the thrust areas of the proposed National IT Policy that envisages to increase revenues of IT and ITES Industry from USD 100 billion at present to USD 300 billion by 2020. * Government has postponed implementation of controversial GAAR provisions by two years to April 1, 2016: Having considered all the circumstances and relevant factors, the government has ...decided that provisions of Chapter 10A of the Income Tax Act (dealing with GAAR) will come into force from April 1, 2016 as against April 1, 2014. The General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) provisions, introduced by the then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Budget 2012-13, were aimed at checking tax avoidance by overseas investors. The proposal, however, generated controversy, with investors expressing apprehensions that it would result in unnecessary harassment by tax authorities. The decision to postpone the implementation follows the recommendations of the SHOME COMMITTEE which was set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July last year to look into investor concerns. * Govt forms seven-member panel to frame model Central GST legislation: After introducing the negative list for services, a crucial step for the implementation of proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST), the government has now started moving towards preparing a law that will govern Central GST. The finance ministry has formed a committee of seven members under the chairmanship of YOGENDRA GARG, commissioner export, Mumbai, to frame a model legislation of GST for the Centre. The model legislation may later be used for framing the state GST legislation as well. Earlier, the finance ministry had formed a core group of tax officials to expedite work on the new indirect tax regime, which will replace existing taxes like service tax, excise duty and local levies. The task force was headed by former director general of audit Gautam Ray for drafting papers and finalising rules and concepts for GST. The group has succeeded in framing concepts for the new indirect tax regime. ECONOMICS - News 117
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GST has already missed two deadlines for implementation and the government is hoping to re-energise and mobilise the opinion of stakeholders. * Govt imposes 2.5% duty on import of crude edible oils: In a move aimed at protecting domestic oilseed farmers, the government imposed 2.5% import duty on crude edible oils without any hike in duties on refined cooking oil fearing rise in retail prices. The decision, however, was not supported by the Industry which said that such a move will adversely affect the sector as well as farmers. Currently there is no duty on crude edible oil while it is 7.5% on refined edible oil. The domestic edible oil refining industry is already facing tough time due to inverted duty structure of Malaysia and Indonesia, major suppliers of crude and refined palm oil. The industry had requested the government to increase import duty on crude palm oil to 10 % and refined palm oil to 20% to protect soyabean and mustard farmers who are facing a tough time in fetching good prices due to heavy oil imports. India imports about half of its total domestic requirement of cooking oil. The total imports of vegetables oils (edible and nonedible oil) in 2011-12 oil year were at all-time high of 10.19 million tonnes. The Agriculture Ministry had suggested raising the duty on crude edible oil to defend the interest of palm growers, particularly from Andhra Pradesh. * Govt sets up SPV to give IT support for GST rollout: The government decided to set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to provide information technology support to various stakeholders under the proposed goods and services tax (GST). The proposed SPV, called GSTN, would be incorporated as a notfor-profit private limited company, in which the Centre and states would have equal stakes of 24.5% each, while non-government institutions would hold 51% equity. No single institution would hold more that 10% equity, with the possibility of one private institution holding a maximum of 21% equity. The GSTN will have an equity capital of R10 crore, an official release said. FE had reported in its January 5 edition that private players will have 51% stake in the proposed SPV. After the introduction of GST, the IT infrastructure will be a common portal for returns, registration, payments and for monthly income scheme (MIS). Indirect taxes like customs, service tax, excise and VAT, will be using the same taxpayer identification. * IMF lowers India's growth forecast to 6.9% on investment slowdown: The IMF lowered India's growth projection to 6.9 per cent for 2012 cautioning that governance concerns have weakened business sentiment in the country. In its World Economic Outlook (WEO), released ahead of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, the IMF said that world economic growth rate would KITE4education.com
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slump to 3.5 per cent from 3.9 per cent in 2011. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in January pegged Indian economic growth to expand 7 per cent for this year. IMF called for renewed efforts to revive the "flagging" structural reform agenda. Apart from some financial reforms and measures to broaden the use of public-private partnerships announced in the 2012-13 budget, the implementation of reforms related to infrastructure is likely to proceed slowly, it noted. IMF's Asia-Pacific Regional Economic Outlook released recently also pointed out that domestic factors too have played a role in India's growth slowdown over the second half of 2011. However, the multilateral agency has retained India's growth estimate at 7.3 per cent for 2013. As per the IMF, the national economy grew by 7.1 per cent last year. The WEO said that "fiscal consolidation remains a priority in India, to anchor confidence and rebuild room to meet future challenges". MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) is the bottom line on all checks. It is printed using a special font. IFSC Code (Indian Financial System Code) is an eleven character code assigned by RBI to identify every bank branches uniquely, that are participating in NEFT system in India. This code is used by electronic payment system applications such as RTGS, National Electronic Fund Transfer and CFMS. * India and ASEAN Finalised FTA in Investments and Services: The awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in investments and services was finalised between India and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 20 December 2012. The actions would be beneficial in enhancing the trade to around 100 billion dollar by 2015. Also, it will help in enhancing the economic ties. FTA in the goods was operationalised in 2011 and since then both the sides were busy in widening the pact by also including investments and services. Trade between the two sides is at present 80 billion dollar. Indias Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh declared that after implementation of FTA in the goods, the trade between the two sides increased by 41 percent in the year 2011-2012. Manmohan Singh announced at the summit that two-way flows in terms of investment grew rapidly and reached the mark of 43 billion dollar over last 10 years. Because the investments through ASEAN in India grew, therefore the ASEAN countries also emerged as lucrative destination for the Indian companies. India was demanding from ASEAN to open the services sector even more which would also include the steps to cover contractual service suppliers along with independent professional services at all its levels. But following difficult rounds of talks and discussions on 19 December 2012, India decided to drop the demand of independent professional services. As trade-off, ASEAN on the other hand ECONOMICS - News 118
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dropped the demand for prudential measures in context with financial services. Impact of the agreement The agreement would create new pathways for greater economic integration. Post, FTA in investments and services, India was also planning to hold market opening negotiations like these with other members of the group. FTA was already implemented with Malaysia and Singapore. Negotiations with Thailand and Indonesia were still on its way. This FTA would also create pathways for discussions on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which ASEAN planned sealing with its six crucial trade partners, including India. ASEAN along with the six partners, India, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea would begin first negotiation rounds on RCEP in 2013. This would form the economic alliance of the world in 2015. Final legal paper work on investment and services pact would be given a concrete shape by February 2013. Signing of the agreement would take place in August 2013. * India registered Highest Ever Trade Deficit of $184.9 billion in 2011-12: Commerce Secretary on 19 April 2012 announced that India surpassed the export target of $300 billion for 2011-12. India was able to surpass the trade target of $300 billion despite slowdown in demand in its traditional markets of the U.S. and Europe. Exports increased by 21 per cent to $303.7 billion in 2011-12 powered by a strong growth in petroleum, pharmaceuticals and engineering products. However, imports surged by 32.1 per cent to $488.6 billion thereby leaving the highest-ever trade deficit of $184.9 billion. Engineering exports grew by 16.9 per cent to $58.2 billion. Exports of petroleum and oil products surged by 38.5 per cent to $57.5 billion and gems and jewellery exports increased to $45.9 billion. * India to allow Pakistani investment: India has decided to allow foreign direct investment from Pakistan, in the latest concrete step towards greater engagement between the two nuclear-armed states. India said it would lift visa restrictions for Pakistanis on business trips. Mr Sharma and Makhdoom Amin Fahim, his Pakistani counterpart, opened a freight handling centre at Wagah, the two countries main border crossing. Cross-border banking is also planned to support greater trade across the Line of Control in Kashmir. The expanded border centre will handle about 600 trucks a day, allowing trade to grow to as much as $8bn annually. * India to pump in Rs 2 lakh cr in 12th Plan to save climate: The fight against climate change will take a strategic jump in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-2017) with the government intending to plough in almost Rs 2 lakh crore through the various KITE4education.com
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missions, the working group on climate of the 12th Five-Year Plan has said. The report seeks setting up of a dedicated structure of governance to oversee the different programmes under the 12th Plan with such large funds to be invested. The agriculture mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change alone is to spend upwards of Rs 1 lakh crore over five years to make the primary sector more resilient to inevitable changes in climate change. The report pointed out that the government already spends 2.8% of its GDP on programmes that bring adaptation benefits to people. But the expert group, headed by K Kasturirangan, which wrote the report, has warned that government should not make any further commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions without holding the widest possible consultations with ministries concerned and other stakeholders. It has asked for an inter-ministerial group to be set up to draw up strategy as the issue envelops large investment as well as strategic concerns. The government had earlier committed internationally to reduce energy intensity of the country's economy by 20-25% below 2005 levels by 2020, which the panel noted would entail huge costs for the country. The report said the total funding requirements could add up to several billion dollars and unless funds were provided by the international community, these actions were likely to have adverse impact on the country's growth and poverty eradication measures because of demands of expenditure on health, education, livelihood, security and diversion of resources from core issues to climate change. But the existing commitments made under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, such as the Solar Mission and the Green India Mission, already need substantial funding over the 12th Plan. The Green India Mission will require Rs 46,000 crore in 12th and 13th Plans. The National Mission for Himalayas requires Rs 1,500 crore and the National Water Mission requires Rs 8,900 crore by the end of the 12th Plan. The report has recommended that a separate national authority be set up for implementing the mitigation actions that would implement the domestic and international commitments made to reduce emissions and find adequate funds through all routes. The report of the sub-group, submitted at the end of 2011, has been with the Planning Commission for long with the environment ministry - the nodal agency for climate change within the government also in the dark about the final version of recommendations that the plan panel is preparing. * India, China, U.S. to lead global urban growth: U.N.: The UN's '2011 Revision of the World Urbanisation Prospects' said Africa and Asia will lead the global urban population growth in the next four decades with the largest increases expected in India, ECONOMICS - News 119
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China, Nigeria, US and Indonesia. India will add another 497 million to its urban population between 2010 to 2050, while China will see 341 million people moving into urban cities followed by Nigeria (200 million), the US (103 million) and Indonesia (92 million). The projected increase in urban population in India and Nigeria between 2010 and 2050 will be higher than that of the past 40 years. This trend is particularly prominent in Nigeria, where its urban population grew by only 65 million between 1970 and 2010, but is projected to increase by 200 million between 2010 and 2050 the third largest increase in urban population of all countries of the world. Africa's urban population will increase from 414 million to over 1.2 billion by 2050 while that of Asia will soar from 1.9 billion to 3.3 billion. The UN said both regions would together account for 86 per cent of all increase in the world's urban population. This unprecedented increase in urban population will provide new opportunities to improve education and public services in Africa and Asia. However the UN warned that the trend would also pose new challenges of providing urban jobs, housing, energy and infrastructure to mitigate urban poverty, expansion of slums and deterioration of the urban environment. * KG-D6, Gas Producing Fields Reached Lowest Gas Output Level Since Inception : The biggest gas producing fields of India in Krishna Godavari basin (KG-D6), which are controlled by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) as well as UKs BP, reached the lowest level of output ever since it was incepted. After the production level of gas producing fields touched peak levels of 60 million standard cubic metres of gas per day (mmscmd), the output remained 22.77 mmscmd in second week of December 2012. * Lok Sabha passed Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010: The Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament, passed the Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010 on 22 May 2012. The bill seeks to provide royalty to the lyricists and remove operational difficulties. The Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 24 December 2009, and introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 19 April, 2010. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 17 May 2012. Major provisions of the Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010 are presented below: The amendment bill provides lyricists and artists a level playing field with the music companies and producers to negotiate the terms of royalty for their artistic creations. According to the new legislation it is mandatory for radio and television broadcasters to pay royalty to the owners of the copyright each time a work of art is broadcast. The bill exempts work, prepared for the physically challenged in special formats such as Braille, from copyright. KITE4education.com
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It also permits compulsory licence to be granted for a certain number of copies in non-special formats to non-profit organisations working to help disabled persons The bill provides exmptions to the students from the copyright laws who use artistic works for research purposes. It seeks to impose a fine and two years' imprisonment on persons indulging in piracy. The bill seeks ban on bringing out cover versions of any literary, dramatic or musical work for five years from the first recording of the original creation. * New public procurement policy offers good opportunity for micro and small enterprises: According to the policy, the Central Government departments and public sector undertakings need to establish an annual goal for buying from the MSE (micro and small enterprises) at the starting of the year. The aim is to attain an overall procurement goal of minimum 20% of the overall annual purchases of the products or services produced or rendered by MSEs in a time span of three years. The 20% aim of annual procurement from MSEs consists of 4% of procurement from MSEs owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs. For boosting participation of SCs/STs in the government procurement, the central government departments and PSUs will be adopting necessary steps, consisting of organising special vendor development programmes, buyerseller meets. * Norms for issue of commercial paper eased: In a bid to make commercial papers (CPs) attractive, the Reserve Bank of India has allowed issuers to buyback these instruments before maturity. The central bank, in its directions on CP, has also diluted by a notch the minimum credit rating requirement for CPs so that more companies can tap this route to meet their short-term funding requirements for their operations. A CP is an unsecured money market instrument issued in the form of a promissory note. These instruments are issued by corporate borrowers to diversify their sources of short-term borrowings and to provide and additional instrument to investors. In its directions on CPs, the RBI said the buyback of CP should be through the secondary market and at prevailing market price. MINIMUM RATING DILUTED - To enable more companies to tap the CP route for raising short-term resources, the RBI has diluted the minimum rating requirement. The minimum rating shall be A-3 as against A-2 earlier. As per Crisils rating methodology, short-term debt instruments with A-2 rating are considered to have strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such instruments carry low credit risk. Instruments with A-3 rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such instruments carry ECONOMICS - News 120
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higher credit risk as compared to instruments rated in the two higher categories. IPA - The issuing and paying agents (IPAs) for a CP issue have been assigned the responsibility to report full particulars of defaults in repayment of CP to the RBI. Further, they also have to report all instances of buyback of CPs undertaken by the issuer. Banks act as IPAs to CP issuances. FCNR ACCOUNT With the rupee continuing to remain volatile, the Foreign Currency Non Resident (FCNR) account can be a good option for Non Resident Indians (NRIs) looking to invest in India without worrying about currency risks. Let us look at the key aspects of the FCNR account. What is an FCNR account? An FCNR account is a term deposit account that can be maintained by NRIs and PIOs in foreign currency. Thus, FCNRs are not savings accounts but fixed deposit accounts. What foreign currencies can one maintain in FCNR accounts?. Prior to 2011, FCNR deposits were allowed to be maintained in six currencies: US dollar, Pound Sterling (GBP), Euro, Japanese Yen, Australian dollar and Canadian dollar. However, in October 2011, the RBI decided that authorised dealer banks in India may be permitted to accept FCNR deposits in any permitted currency. 'Permitted currency' for this purpose would mean a foreign currency which is freely convertible and popularly include Danish Krone, Swiss Frank and Swedish Krona among others. * NYSE Agreed Selling Itself as a Part of 8.2 Billion Dollar Takeover by Intercontinental Exchange Inc.: The New York Stock Exchange which is said to be the foundation of American capitalism for 220 years now, agreed to sell itself as part of the 8.2 billion dollar takeover by IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (ICE). According to the deal which was announced on 20 December 2012, ICE would be paying 33.12 dollar per share for NYSE Euronext, which is higher by 38 percent than the closing price on 19 December 2012. ICE is an Atlanta-based company and laid its foundation just 12 years ago. It operates derivatives as well as commodities markets across the world. ICE is not very well known among general public but it still has huger market value in comparison to NYSE Euronext. This is so because the derivatives as well as options market have more value than stock trading markets. When NYSE had merger with Euronext in 2006, it was declared as the merger of the equals. But the deal which took place on 20 December 2012 is said to be the independence loss for NYSE which is 220 years old. It also indicates the big takeover for a company like ICE. New company would have dual headquarters in Atlanta as well as New York. ICE has the intention of spinning off a lot of European operations through its Euronext IPO KITE4education.com
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(Initial Public Offering), considering that European policy makers as well as market conditions would support such an action. But such an action would keep NYSE Liffe market in London. NYSE Liffe market is said to be the leading market for the derivative products. However, the deal remains subject to regulatory and shareholders approval. But it was unanimously agreed upon by the boards of NYSE Euronext and ICE. * On FDI, Supreme Court asks government how it will protect small traders: Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the FDI notification by the Centre, the top court said some regulatory measures are needed. FDI in multi-brand retail will allow global retail giants such as Wal-Mart to set up shop in the country's $450 billion (Rs. 2,500 crore) retail sector, and is aimed at drawing more overseas investment and taming inflation. * Panel's report on defence pay anomalies: The government had formed the AJIT SETH-led committee on pay anomalies of the defence forces on July 13. The government had tasked the committee to look into issues of defence personnel such as common pay-scale for in-service junior commissioned officers and other ranks; initial pay-fixation of lieutenant colonels, colonels, and brigadiers of the army and their equivalents in the other two armed forces; review and enhancement of grade pay; placing all lieutenant generals in the higher administrative grade plus pay scale; and grant of non-functional upgradation (NFU) to armed forces personnel. The panel was to also look into the ex-servicemen issues such as one rank, one pension, enhancement of family pension, dual family pension, and family pension for mentally and physically challenged children of armed forces personnel on marriage. * Panel's report on defence pay anomalies: The government had formed the AJIT SETH-led committee on pay anomalies of the defence forces on July 13. The government had tasked the committee to look into issues of defence personnel such as common pay-scale for in-service junior commissioned officers and other ranks; initial pay-fixation of lieutenant colonels, colonels, and brigadiers of the army and their equivalents in the other two armed forces; review and enhancement of grade pay; placing all lieutenant generals in the higher administrative grade plus pay scale; and grant of non-functional upgradation (NFU) to armed forces personnel. The panel was to also look into the ex-servicemen issues such as one rank, one pension, enhancement of family pension, dual family pension, and family pension for mentally and physically challenged children of armed forces personnel on marriage. ECONOMICS - News 121
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* RBI gives infrastructure lending status to host of sub-sectors: The Reserve Bank of India or RBI has come up with a new definition of infrastructure for the purpose of banks' lending. With this move, the apex bank has decided to harmonize its definition of infrastructure lending for the purpose of financing of infrastructure by the banks and financial institutions with that of the master list of infrastructure sector/sub-sectors notified by the Central Government in March 27 this year. For projects coming under sub-sectors which were included under RBI's previous definition of infrastructure, but not included under the revised definition, banks' will continue to get the benefits under 'infrastructure lending' for such exposures till the completion of the projects. However, any fresh lending to those sub-sectors from November 20 will not qualify as 'infrastructure lending', the apex bank added. RBI had now made it clear that certain kinds of infrastructure, such as diagnostic centres and medical colleges would be considered as part of definition of 'Hospitals' and hence eligible for bank funding. Also, three star or higher category hotels located outside cities with population of more than 1 million will be eligible for bank funding under this window. * RBI hikes overseas investment limit in government bonds: In a bid to prop up the battered rupee, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked the limit of overseas investments in government bonds and announced a few other measures to improve market sentiments. The limit of overseas investment in government bonds has been raised by $5 billion to $20 billion and that of external commercial borrowings to $10 billion. Certain manufacturing and infrastructure companies that earn foreign exchange can now borrow from overseas markets to repay rupee loans for capital expenditure. The measures are aimed at attracting more foreign investments that would help revive the battered currency, which hit a record low of 57.33 to the dollar recently. * RBI may tighten shadow banking rules: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is looking at shadow banking activities closely and will tighten regulations if needed. According to RBI, the unprecedented increase in shadow banking was a reason for the global financial crisis of 2008. SHADOW BANKING A global financial system including investment banks, securitisation, SPVs, CDOs and monoline insurers that provides a similar borrowing-andlending function to banks, but is not regulated like banks. Prior to the financial crisis, the shadow banking system had grown to play as big a role as the banks in providing loans. However, much of shadow banking system collapsed during the credit KITE4education.com
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crunch that began in 2007, and in the 2008 financial crisis. The shadow banking system makes up 25 to 30 percent of the total financial system, according to the Financial Stability Board (FSB), a regulatory task force for the world's group of top 20 economies (G20). * RBI revises CDS norms for corporate bonds: A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial swap agreement that the seller of the CDS will compensate the buyer in the event of a loan default or other credit event. As per recent RBI guidelines, CDS shall be permitted on unlisted but rated corporate bonds even for issues other than infrastructure companies. In order to better the manage credit risk by the fund managers, the RBI has allowed Credit Default Swaps (CDS) for unlisted rated corporate bonds in addition to listed ones. CDS shall be permitted on securities with original maturity up to one year like Commercial Papers, Certificates of Deposit and Non Convertible Debentures with original maturity less than one year, it said. * RBI says Basel III norms to become effective from Jan 1, 2013: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the final guidelines for implementation of Basel III capital regulation in India, which would be effective from January 1, 2013, in a phased manner. The Basel III capital ratios will be fully implemented on March 31, 2018. Banks have to maintain Tier I capital, or core capital, of at least 7 per cent of their risk weighted assets on an ongoing basis. Under the existing capital adequacy guidelines based on the Basel II framework, banks are required to maintain Tier I capital of at least 6 per cent of their risk weighted assets. The total capital ratio, including Tier I and Tier II, must be at least 9 per cent, unchanged from the current requirement, the RBI said in a statement, compared with the Basel III minimum requirement of 8 per cent. BASEL III is a global regulatory standard on bank capital adequacy, stress testing and market liquidity risk. It strengthens bank capital requirements and introduces new regulatory requirements on bank liquidity and bank leverage. For the financial year ending March 31, 2013, banks will have to disclose the capital ratios computed under the existing guidelines (Basel II) on capital adequacy as well as those computed under the Basel III capital adequacy framework. * RBI to set up $2 billion swap facility for SAARC nations: In a bid to beef up regional co-operation in economic and financial spheres, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up a $2 billion swap facility for SAARC (South-Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) member-nations. This facility ECONOMICS - News 122
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will be available in foreign currency and Indian rupee. The swap will be offered in U.S. dollar, euro or Indian rupee against the domestic currency or domestic currency-denominated government securities of the requesting country. The swap amount available to various membercentral banks is arrived at broadly based on two months import cover, subject to a floor of $100 million and a maximum of $400 million per country. Under the facility, the requesting membercountries can make drawals in dollar, euro or Indian rupee in multiple tranches. Each drawal is of three months tenor and can be rolled over twice. The first roll-over will be at the normal rate of interest. The second one, however, will attract 50 basis points more than the normal interest rate. For this purpose, the normal interest rate agreed upon is the LIBOR (for three months) plus 200 basis points. The normal interest rate for Indian rupee swap is RBI Repo Rate minus 200 basis points, says an RBI release. For availing of the facility, the central banks of requesting countries will need to enter bilateral swap agreements, which need final approval from the Government of India, the release says. The Reserve Bank's proposal to offer swap facility to SAARC member-countries had already been approved by the Union Cabinet. The swap arrangement is intended to provide a back stop line of funding for the SAARC membercountries to meet any balance of payments and liquidity crises, till longer-term arrangements are made or if there is a need for short-term liquidity due to market turbulence. The move for a SAARC swap facility follows a decision taken by the SAARC Finance Ministers at the Ministerial Meeting on Global Financial Crisis held on February 28, 2009. The swap facility is expected to deepen economic co-operation within the SAARC region and pave the way for an increased intraregional trade. * Retail inflation rises to 10.4% on higher prices of vegetables; weaker rupee may worsen scenario: Pricier vegetables pushed up retail inflation into double digits in April, but core inflation remained steady, in line with the trend in wholesale inflation. Driven by higher prices of vegetable, edible oil and milk products, retail inflation rose to 10.4% in April, from 9.4% in March. Reading for March was revised down to 9.38%, from 9.47% estimated initially. Core inflation, a measure of demand in the economy, moderated to 10.6% in April, from 10.8% in March. Core inflation excludes volatile fuel and food elements. Consumer Price Index (CPI), a national measure of retail inflation, was launched in January last year. The lack of historical series for CPI leaves wholesale price inflation as the most widely followed measure of inflation. KITE4education.com
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* RuPay: With this RBI initiative, India gets ready for a cashless revolution: The Reserve Bank of India deserves to be commended for the initiative it has taken to launch RuPay, an indigenous, cheaper alternative to the card-based payment systems such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express. It got local banks to promote a not-for-profit National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the author of RuPay, which offers the same services offered by Visa and MasterCard, but at a much cheaper cost. RuPay will compete with Visa and MasterCard in terms of cost and quality of service, and it is only natural to expect the incumbents also to reduce their rates. It is imperative for India to create a low-cost electronic payment system if the ongoing endeavour to overhaul the existing system of welfare payments and subsidies is to succeed. The unique identity project will deliver a unique numerical tag for every Indian resident, which can then be used to create unique electronic bank accounts. Transferring welfare and other payments from government treasuries directly to beneficiary accounts would be possible. Thereafter, if the beneficiary can use electronic cards to spend the money in his account, it would remove one more layer of administrative mediation with its potential for corruption and leakage. But, for tens of millions of rural people to swipe electronic cards in rural shopping outlets, ubiquitous telecom connectivity and an ultra low-cost payments' system are essential. The ongoing broadband rollout, optical fibre connecting 250,000 panchayats and wireless broadband taking on the last mile challenge, will provide connectivity. Now, RuPay is poised to provide the payments' system as well. India could well soon see a cashless revolution unimagined even a year ago, which would lower costs and enhance security and transparency, all leading to better governance. It only now remains for the RBI to accept fullfledged mobile banking to achieve financial inclusion. RuPay, apart from offering lower costs, also offers greater security to the extent data does not travel outside the country. It should be marketed to other countries in the neighbourhood and beyond, as well. * SBI to set up by-invitation-only branches to serve Super-rich and NRIs: Indias largest public sector bank, State Bank of India (SBI), along with its associates, plans to set up by-invitation-only branches under the Kohinoor brand in 20 cities to serve uber-rich customers and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). These branches will be operational 24X7 and have amenities like lounges, conference rooms, personal business centres and cafeterias. The branches will offer all the banking products and services of SBI and its subsidiaries. The bank will assign personal banker to each client. Clients can either visit the branch or interact with staff over video chat for their banking needs. SBI ECONOMICS - News 123
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had launched first such branch Kohinoor Banjara in Hyderabad in 2010. While the bank has not specified any minimum deposit requirement, it expects customers to have at least Rs 1 crore of deposits in the branch. SBI had launched first such branch Kohinoor Banjara in Hyderabad in 2010. * SEBI allows trading of liquid index ETFs in SLB segment: Traders participating in the stock lending and borrowing (SLB) mechanism on stock exchanges will now be able to extend the tenure of borrowing and lending, thanks to capital markets regulator Sebi allowing a rollover facility on the SLB segment. Lenders and borrowers can now roll over their positions for three months. However, the rollover cannot be used for netting off counter positions. The move is expected to remove bottlenecks and give a boost to the SLB segment, which has not taken off since its launch in 2008. SEBI has also said that an Index ETF would be considered liquid, if: The Index ETF has traded on at least 80% of the days over the past 6 months. Index ETFs impact cost over the past 6 months is less than or equal to 1%. Roll-over facility for lenders and borrowers in the SLB segment: This concern with the short selling in the market. In general, short selling pertains to selling of a stock that is not owned by the seller at the trading time. The short selling can be done by retail and institutional investors. As per SEBI, any lender or borrower who wants to extend an existing lent or borrow position shall be permitted to roll-over such positions. Thus, now a lender who is due to receive securities in the pay out of an SLB session can extend the period of lending. Likewise, a borrower can extend the period of borrowing. The roll-over shall be conducted as part of the SLB session. Rollover would not be permitted for netting of counter positions. Rollover shall be available for a period of three months i.e. the original contract plus two rollover contracts. Sebi has asked stock exchanges to take necessary steps for implementing the circular. * SEBI to re-introduce entry load: Concerned over the thumbs down to mutual funds by investors in the recent past, the finance ministry is looking at measures to boost the industry. The ministry, which is scheduled to hold talks with stakeholders, is considering a proposal to re-introduce entry load on the once popular investment instrument, mutual funds. Entry Load are those charges which is levied on investor when he buy any mutual fund from distributor companys and Exit Load charges are those when investor surrender their mutual fund to distributor co's. KITE4education.com
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The entry load, typically a commission of 2.25 per cent that was paid to distributors of mutual funds was banned in 2009 by former Sebi chief CB Bhave, who held that investors were being taken for a ride by distributors who encouraged investors to churn their portfolios. However, inflows into mutual funds dried up after the ban. Industry insiders confirm that the entry load was the main incentive for distributers to push such instruments. * SEBI tweaks norms for OFS, IPP: To smoothen the process of disinvestment, capital market regulator Sebi today tweaked norms governing offer for sale (OFS) and institutional placement programme (IPP). IPP and OFS are the two new share sale tools introduced by the regulator in January this year, especially to help corporates increase their public float. The regulator has decided to relax the mandatory 12-week time gap requirement between two consecutive Offer for Sale (OFS) or Institutional Placement Programme (IPP). However, a gap of two weeks between two successive OFS or IPP should be maintained, it said, adding, this would also be applicable on promoters who have already offloaded their shares through OFS or IPP. The reduction in the time gap will help companies to offload shares in more than one tranches depending on market conditions. The board also decided that indicative price should be displayed during the last 60 minutes of the close of bidding session irrespective of the book being built. However, as per the existing provision, bids were invited without disclosing indicative price during the trading hour. The display of indicative price could also lead to bidding happening at the last one hour of trade. After these changes in the norms, modification or cancellation of bids can be done in the last 60 minutes instead of last 30 minutes of the trade. The minimum size of the offer should be Rs 25 crore. However, the size of offer can be less than Rs 25 crore so as to accomplish minimum public shareholding in a single tranche. Such alterations have been made to enable the companies achieve the minimum 25% public holding guideline by June 2013.By June 2013, all listed companies are required to have at least 25% public holding, while in case of state-owned company the limit is 10% to be achieved by August 2013. Around12-13 PSU companies which have to meet the public holding guidelines can gain from the alterations in norms. Institutional investors will have the choice of applying with 100% upfront margin in cash or with an ad hoc margin of certain lower percentage to be determined by the exchanges. The government will be able to promptly offload its stake in PSUs and generate funds for reaching the ECONOMICS - News 124
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disinvestment target of Rs 30,000 crore for the fiscal 2012-13. ONGC, Wipro, Godrej Properties and DB Corp are some major companies to have conducted share sales through these two new routes. * SPECIAL 301 REPORT - US puts India, China, Pakistan on IPR watch list: The US government has put India, China and Pakistan along with 10 other countries on the "intellectual property watch list" for failing to prevent the theft of copyrighted property. Other nations on the watch list are Canada, Argentina, Algeria, Chile, Indonesia, Israel, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine and Venezuela. The SPECIAL 301 REPORT is prepared annually by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under Section 301 as amended of the Trade Act of 1974. The reports identify trade barriers to US companies and products due to the intellectual property laws, such as copyright, patents and trademarks, in other countries. These countries will be the subject of particularly intense bilateral engagement during the coming year, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement, releasing the annual "Special 301" Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners' protection and enforcement of IPR. The report said India made limited progress on IPR protection and enforcement in 2011, and its legal framework and enforcement system remain weak. The report added, however, the US recognises India's recent efforts to address its patent application backlog, and urges India to take additional steps in this regard. Meanwhile, on India, the report said the challenge of piracy over the Internet continues to grow, but the Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010, which proposed partial implementation of the WIPO Internet Treaties and other reforms appears to have stalled. The US also urged India to continue to work to streamline its patent opposition proceedings, it said. The US would closely monitor developments concerning compulsory licensing of patents in India following the broad interpretation of Indian law in a recent decision by the Controller General of Patents, also bearing in mind the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health found in the Intellectual Property and Health Policy section of this Report, it added. The US urges India to provide an effective system for protecting against unfair commercial use, as well as unauthorised disclosure, of test or other data generated to obtain marketing approval for pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products, the report said. * Study team to evolve common tax code: The government has set up a Study Team', headed by M. KITE4education.com
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K. Gupta, former Vice-Chairman of the Customs and Central Excise Settlement Commission, to look into the possibility of evolving a common tax code for service tax and Central excise duty, which could be adopted to harmonise the two legislations under the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST). The team is to submit its report to the Finance Minister by September 30. As per the announcement by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his budget speech, the Study Team will examine the feasibility and also suggest a draft common tax code for service tax and Central excise that can be implemented under the present Constitutional scheme, keeping in view the challenges in the context of impending Goods and Service Tax (GST). The Study Team has also been directed to address issues relating to input tax credits so as to simplify the existing scheme and mitigate the cascading impact of levies to the extent possible. At the same time, another prime objective is to harmonise the existing procedures and processes and make them more trade-friendly. The Study Team may also suggest any other measure that will help in reducing the cost of compliance for business or transition towards a comprehensive GST. * The European Central Bank - DRAGHIS PLAN: On August 2nd Mario Draghi, the ECBs president, made another attempt to soothe markets by outlining a new framework for buying bonds in the secondary market. Investors were initially unimpressed: they had hoped for actions, not plans. But the mood since then has been cheerier, as appreciation of his ingenuity has deepened. The ECB has bought bonds beforeto bring down Spanish and Italian bond yields last summer, for example. But future purchases will differ from previous ones. They will be directed at shorterduration bonds rather than those with longer maturities. And they will be made only if countries needing support first apply for help to the euro areas rescue funds. Unlike the ECB, these funds are allowed to buy bonds when they are first issued, but they are unlocked only if the countries in question comply with strict terms. The ECB plan makes the most of the bail-out funds limited resourcestheir new lending capacity is 500 billion ($620 billion)by getting covering fire from the ECB in secondary markets. Central-bank purchases will not alleviate the pressure on backsliding governments if countries have to meet specific conditions. Intervening at shorter maturities is another way of maintaining pressure: countries prefer to borrow for longer to avoid having to roll over debt too often. Mr Draghis plan has not won over Jens Weidmann, the president of Germanys Bundesbank. Draghi said the ultimate goals that the euro was founded on were stability, prosperity and peace. * Trade Policy: Niryat Bandhu' concept introduced: The Director General of Foreign Trade ECONOMICS - News 125
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(DGFT) announced that it had become India's first digital signature enabled department. It also announced introduction of a new Niryat Bandhu' scheme for international business mentoring for young turks in international business enterprises. According to the new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) unveiled here, the DGFT said it had introduced a higher level of encrypted 2048 bit Digital Signature. Digital certificate provides a high level of security for online communication such that only intended recipient can read it. It provides authentication, privacy, non-repudiation and integrity in the virtual world. The new policy also announced introduction of a new Niryat Bandhu' scheme for mentoring first generation entrepreneurs. The officer (Niryat Bandhu) would function in the mentoring' arena and would be a handholding' experiment for the young turks in international business enterprises. Under the scheme, officers of DGFT will be investing time and knowledge to mentor the interested individuals who want to conduct the business in a legal way. * Union Cabinet of India approved Proposal by Oman to hike the Gas Price: The Union Cabinet of India on 28 April 2012 approved the proposal by Oman to hike the gas price for an Indian fertilizer plant in the Gulf nation to 1.5 per million dollar metric British thermal unit (mmBtu), a move that will ensure uninterrupted supply of urea to the Indian market. The proposal was moved by the Fertilizer Ministry as it required Cabinet's approval for a change in the agreement between the two countries. Oman, as per a contract signed between India and Oman in 2005, supplies gas to the Indian fertilizer plant Oman India Fertilizer Company (OMIFCO). Oman, according to the contract, was to provide gas to the Indian plant at 0.77 dollar per mm Btu for 15 years beginning 2005. The gulf nation, however, in the midway decided to increase gas rates to 3 dollar per mm Btu from 1 January 2012 giving global price hike as the reason. Oman India Fertilizer Company (OMIFCO) Oman India Fertilizer Company (OMIFCO), a joint venture of Oman's state-owned Oman Oil Co (OCC) and Indian co-operative firms KRIBHCO and IFFCO, produces about 2 million tonnes of urea a year at Sur for exports to India. IFFCO and KRIBHCO hold 25 per cent stake each in OMIFCO, while the balance is with Oman Oil Company. * Union Government decided on 1 million Cap on External Commercial Borrowing for Aviation Sector: The Union government on 19 April 2012 permitted companies engaged in the aviation sector to raise working capital resources through the external commercial borrowings (ECBs) route to the tune of $1 billion. The limit for individual airline companies was set at $300 million. This limit can be availed themselves of either in a lump sum or in tranches, depending on the utilisation of the limit during the one year when the facility is available. So far airlines KITE4education.com
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were allowed to raise foreign capital only for import of capital equipment such as aircraft. The policy decision in this respect will provide an additional source of low-cost capital to the airline industry and help them tide over its present financial crunch. To increase access to ECBs, the RBI is likely to relax the average maturity period for ECBs above $20 million from five to three years. The RBI is also expected to notify within a week guidelines for the proposal, which was part of the budget 2012-13. ECBs, a financial instrument used by the government to facilitate the access to foreign funds by Indian corporations and public sector undertakings totalled $35.90 billion in 2011-12. They are easier and more attractive way to raise the loan than domestic borrowings. The government also allowed the airlines to directly import jet fuel as actual end users thereby enabling them to escape the state value added tax (VAT), which ranges from three to 33 percent. * Vijay Kelkar Panel submits fiscal report: The panel set up by finance minister P Chidambaram to present a fiscal plan submitted its report on recently marking the beginning of the review of government's spending, revenue and borrowings proposed in the budget for 2012-13. Public finance expert Indira Rajraman and former expenditure secretary Sanjeev Mishra are the other members of the committee. Vijay Kelkar has focused extensively on subsidies, pitching it as the all important element of fiscal reform. The committee has suggested ways for increasing non-tax revenue and cutting non-Plan expenditure. The committee has asked for special emphasis on revenue generation though disinvestment and spectrum auction. The government has exhausted most of the Rs 44,000 crore set aside for petroleum subsidy in clearing dues for the last financial year, leaving it short of funds to meet the rising losses of petroleum companies. Fiscal consolidation measures suggestions The RBI has sent out a warning, saying wide fiscal and current account deficits are symptomatic of macroeconomic deterioration. But raising tax revenues in the short run is tough when the economy is slowing down. CUTTING EXPENDITURE is feasible and part of securing macroeconomic stability. Markets and investors will take it as a good sign, provided there is real reform. Not just a random cut in spending. The government should END WASTEFUL SUBSIDIES that wear down its spending power and create fiscal space for investments to revive growth. The country's subsidy bill has nearly doubled to 2.4% of GDP over the last seven years. And a large part of this increase is due to the SUBSIDY ON REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS. Therefore, freeing up diesel prices and allowing COMPETITION IN FUEL ECONOMICS - News 126
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RETAILING should be a top priority. So should be shedding the enormous wastage in food subsidy and dismantling fertiliser subsidy. Storage and distribution of food grain must be opened up to private trade and subsidy transferred directly to people. This will bring down the huge cost that the FCI incurs to procure, store and distribute food grain. * With an annual package of Rs 49 crore, Genpact's Tiger Tyagarajan is the Lion of salary circuit: With a pay package totalling $8.8 million, or Rs 49 crore, the boss of Genpact was the highest-paid chief executive in India's IT services and BPO industry in 2011. The total compensation of 50-year-old NV Tyagarajan, popularly known as 'Tiger', increased nearly four-fold after he was promoted from chief operating officer nearly a year ago. WITFOR - World Information Technology Forum. SCARE - The Spatio-Cultural Abductive Reasoning Engine. Developed at the United States Military Academy at West Point by a team led by Major Paulo Shakarian, a computerscientist-turned-soldier. SCARE operates at the most militarily conventional end of the irregular-conflict spectrum: the point where an army of guerrillas is already in being and is making life hard for a notionally better-armed army of regular troops. That, of course, has been the experience of American forces in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. *19 rural banks merged into eight 71 left: The government seems to be preparing the ground for the merger of public sector banks (PSBs). After asking small banks to coordinate with large ones on key areas, it has now merged 19 regional rural banks (RRBs) into eight entities, despite reservations by the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI). It plans to merge more rural banks by the end of this financial year. RBI was not happy with this decision as the Finance Ministry didnt take RBI into loop while making this decision. At present the numbers are as follows: RRBs = 71 PSBs = 26 *345% hike in Delhi airport charges: Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) approved a 345 per cent hike in airport charges in Delhi for the next two years, and also acceded to the request of GMR-promoted DIAL, Delhis airport operator, to levy a user development fee (UDF) on all passengers including, for the first time, those who arrive at the airport. Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) approved a 345 per cent hike in airport charges in Delhi for the next two years, and also acceded to the request of GMR-promoted DIAL, Delhis airport KITE4education.com
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operator, to levy a user development fee (UDF) on all passengers including, for the first time, those who arrive at the airport. The UDF levy is in addition to the development fee. While the UDF is levied to meet the revenue shortfall, development fee is charged to meet the funding gap. On April 18, the AERA had approved development fee of Rs 100 and Rs 600 on departing domestic and international passengers from the Mumbai airport, from May 1 till April 2014, to meet a funding gap of Rs 800 crore. The latest hike in the airport charges, have made Delhi Airport the most expensive airport in the world. *Abolish Haj subsidy in 10 years: Supreme Court: The Supreme Court directed the Union government to gradually reduce and abolish Haj subsidy in 10 years and invest the amount - averaging over Rs 650 crore a year for last five years - in education and other measures for social development of the minority community. The HAJ SUBSIDY is a subsidy provided to Indian Muslim Hajj pilgrims by the Union Government of India through a heavy concession in airfare. Pilgrims who apply through the Haj Committee of India are entitled to the reduced fare. The Government of India reimburses the subsidy to Air India. *Agriculture Dept sets up new company called AGRI INDIA: The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) for setting up of a new company, called AGRlNDIA. The AGRlNDIA will be a registered company under the Companies Act, fully owned by Government of India in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) with a share capital of Rs. 100 crore and initial paid up capital of Rs. 50 crore. The company would be made functional within four months. AGRlNDIA would promote spread of R&D outcomes through IPR protection, commercialisation and forging partnerships both in the country and without. *All KCCs to be converted to ATMs by March, 2014: State-owned banks have been asked to strictly adhere to the March, 2014 time-line for converting all Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) to ATM cards. State-owned lenders were asked to convert more than 11.39 crore KCCs to ATM cards within two years starting from April 1, 2012. As per NABARD, as on March 31, 2012, the banking system has issued 11.39 crore KCCs and sanctioned loans to the tune of Rs 5,21,617 crore since the inception of the scheme in 1998-99. *AP mulls exclusive Budget for Agriculture: After Karnataka, it is Andhra Pradeshs turn to have an exclusive Budget for Agriculture. *Australian billionaire Clive Palmer to build ECONOMICS - News 127
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Titanic II: Clive Palmer, one of Australia's richest men, has commissioned a Chinese state-owned company to build a 21st Century version of the Titanic. The vessel, the largest luxury ship in its time, struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. It went down on 15 April 1912, leaving more than 1,500 people dead. *Axis Bank ties up with Bahrain's bank for remittance: The third largest private sector lender Axis Bank tied up with Bahrain's Ahli United Bank for inward remittances. Under the tie-up, any person having an account with Ahli United Bank would be able to wire money to a bank account holder in India using the Internet banking platform, Axis Bank said in a release. If the beneficiary account holder is an Axis customer, the amount will be credited the same day but if the account is in any other bank branch covered under the NEFT network, it can take up to two days, it said. Customers can initiate transactions of up to BHD 5,000 a day using the service at present, it added. *Banks to usher in cheque standardization: Banks across the country are in the process of issuing newlook cheques with more security and standardised features to all its customers by December 31, 2012. From January 1, 2013, cheques which do not conform to CTS-2010 standards would not be entertained by banks. Cheque Truncation System (CTS)-2010 standard is a set of benchmarks towards achieving standardisation of cheques issued by banks across the country. These include provision of mandatory minimum security features on cheque forms such as quality of paper, watermark, banks logo in invisible ink, void pantograph and standardisation of field placements on cheques. The benchmark prescriptions known as CTS-2010 standard are to be implemented by December 31, 2012. Adherence to CTS-2010 Standards has inherent ADVANTAGES as the security features in cheque forms help the presenting banks to identify the genuineness of the drawee banks instruments while handling them in the image-based scenario. The homogeneity in security features act as deterrent against frauds, and the fixed field placement specifications facilitate straightthrough-processing at drawee banks end through the use of optical/image character recognition technology. Indian Banks Association (IBA) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) are coordinating with the banks on implementation of the new standard. There are TWO MODES in which banks may participate in CTS: Direct membership: Banks may participate as KITE4education.com
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direct member provided they have a settlement account with the settlement bank and have put in place necessary infrastructure for participating in CTS. Indirect / Sub-membership: Banks may become sub-members / indirect members of the direct members by using the infrastructure and / or settlement services of the direct members. The settlement for such indirect / sub-member could be done either directly (if such banks have settlement accounts with the settlement bank) or through the direct member through whom they are participating. *BSE launches first-of-its-kind carbon index, Carbonex: Premier bourse BSE, in collaboration with the UK government, recently launched BSE Carbonex, the first-of-its-kind index in India or any emerging market that would track the performance of companies in terms of their commitment to reduce emission of green house gases. This index is introduced with an aim providing a benchmark, and increasing awareness about the dangers posed by climate change. It will enable investors to gauge the performance of the constituent companies of BSE-100 index regarding their commitment to greenhouse gases emission reduction. Constituents of BSE Carbonex are over or underweighted compared to the benchmark based on their performance in the assessment process. The assessment will be based on the carbon emission and carbon efficiency of companies. The index will encourage people to invest in companies performing well on the index thus promoting low carbon growth. The Index has been developed with the help of expertise from U.K. *BSE to exclude Deccan Chronicle from BSE-500: The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has already decided to suspend the trading in shares of DCHL from 23 January, as the company failed to submit financial results and shareholding pattern data. The NSE said in a circular that the reasons for suspension include non-compliance with certain provisions of listing agreement such as nonsubmission of shareholding pattern, corporate governance report, financial results and reconciliation of share capital audit report for JulySeptember 2012 quarter. Market Circuit Breakers Stock exchanges attempt to ease panic selling by taking certain steps to halt trading. These moves are called MARKET CIRCUIT BREAKERSOR COLLARS. This is when a major stock or commodities exchange stops trading temporarily because an index, or even an individual stock, has fallen a certain percentage during a trading day. The purpose is to prevent a market or stock price free-fall by trying to rebalance buy and sell orders. For example, if the Dow Jones Industrial Average falls by 10 percent, the New York Stock Exchange ECONOMICS - News 128
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(NYSE) might halt market trading for one hour. There are other circuit breakers for 20 percent and 30 percent declines. In addition to market-wide circuit breakers,the Securities and Exchange Commission approved market rules on a trial basis in 2010 allowing circuit-breaker pauses for certain individual securities whose prices move 10 percent or more in a five-minute period. These circuit-breaker pauses apply to stocks in the S&P 500 Index, the Russell 1000 Index, and several hundred exchanges traded products. They halt trading in the applicable security in all U.S. markets for five minutes. Several lenders, who had in all lent at least Rs 5,000 crore to the media house, had dragged the DCHL promoters to various legal forums on payment defaults pertaining to media, cricket and aviation businesses of the promoters. Some lenders also moved the courts against the DCHL promoters after the cheques issued by the management were not honoured and obtained orders restraining the management from disposing off assets charged to them. Meanwhile, the two-member panel appointed by the union finance ministry to probe into alleged irregularities by the lenders in extending loans to DCHL, has found some irregularities by certain bankers and is in the process of finalizing its probe report. *Cheque books only in new format: With the implementation of Cheque Truncation System (CTS2010). Only new cheques with more security and standardized features will be acceptable. The new cheques will obviate the need of physical movement of cheques for clearing. This will be possible just by electronic images of the cheque through which key information will be captured and transmitted. It will make the clearing process more efficient, secure and quicker. Changes have been made in new cheques The features which are new: Bank logo printed with invisible ink (ultra voilet) VOID pantograph Chequer printer details/CTS-2010 New Rupee symbol Signature space indicator *Chinas economic crisis: China's manufacturing activity fell to its lowest level in more than three years in August as the global economic slowdown continues to weigh on the world's largest exporter. Factors Huge imbalances and policy errors. Non-performing loans & bad banks. Inefficient state-owned enterprises and real estate bubbles. China has slashed interest rates twice since the start of June, relaxed tax rules on foreign companies' profits taken out of the country to encourage foreign investment, and stepped up support for seven emerging industries in bid to boost growth. KITE4education.com
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Hurricane Isaac A slow-moving tropical cyclone that caused severe damage along the northern Gulf Coast of the United States in late-August 2012. *Committee set up for corporate governance: The Corporate Affairs Ministry has set up a committee under the leadership of ADI GODREJ, chairman Godrej Group, with members from industry chambers and corporate houses to bring out a formal policy document that will try to enlist diverse elements of corporate governance under one umbrella document national corporate governance policy. The Committee is expected to make its recommendations on 'National Corporate Governance Policy' within six months from the date of its first meeting. Other members of the committee are: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Biocon Ltd), Sidharth Birla (FICCI), M K Chauhan (Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability) and R S Sharma (former MD, ONGC). *Companies cant trade in ESOS, ESPS shares: SEBI: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has amended its Employee Stock Option Scheme (ESOS) and Employee Stock Purchase Scheme (ESPS) Guidelines, 1999, by prohibiting companies from dealing in their own shares in the secondary market under these schemes, with immediate effect. To address the concerns over acquisition of shares by employee welfare trusts from secondary market *Competition panel sets up eminent persons advisory group: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) formed an Eminent Persons Advisory Group (EPAG) on 7 May 2012. The group is constituted to provide CCI inputs and advice on issues impacting markets and competition, among others. The group comprise Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, former Comptroller and Auditor General V.N. Kaul, former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India Rakesh Mohan, Biocon Chairman and MD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, former Director, of IIM-Ahmedabad Bakul Dholakia, former Chairman of CERC S.L Rao, former ViceChancellor of NLSIU, Bangalore N.L Mitra. The group will hold its maiden meeting on July 2012. The Group will have interaction/meetings with the Commission two to three times a year. *Cyrus Mistry, Mallika Srinivasan join Tata Steel board: Cyrus Mistry, who is set to succeed Ratan Tata as chairman of Tata Sons in December, has been appointed as an additional director on the Board of Tata Steel. The company has also appointed Mallika Srinivasan, Chairperson of Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), on its Board as an additional director. Mallika Srinivasan, considered as one of the most successful women CEOs in the country, has ECONOMICS - News 129
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steered TAFE to the USD 1 billon league in 2010. The company, under her leadership, is now among the three largest tractor manufacturers in the world with USD 1.6 billion revenues in the last fiscal. *DGH drafts new policy on exploitation of shale gas: In the wake of the CAGs strictures against the DGH and the Petroleum Ministry on violations in the KG-D6 contract the DGH has now drafted a safe but encouraging policy on exploitation of shale gas. The draft policy, submitted to the ministry, does not permit cost recovery and hence profit sharing the two features that came under criticism by the CAG in its audit report. Instead, it banks on ProductionLinked Payment (PLP) as the Centres share from the discovery. PLP would be a fixed percentage of revenue receipts from the shale gas or shale oil sold from the contract area, net of royalty on a monthly basis, the revised draft says. Royalty would be in line with what has been prescribed in the Oilfields (Regulation & Development) act, it adds. The PLP quoted at the time of the bidding for blocks assumes significance as it would carry the maximum 60 per cent weight for deciding the award of the block. The total investment quoted for completing the promised minimum work programme would get 40 per cent weightage. As a fiscal incentive, the contractor will be exempt from PLP payment for the first five years from the start of commercial production or from the date of entering the development and production phase, whichever is earlier. It implies that the maximum period of PLP exemption would be 10 years from the date of signing of the contract and will not be extended under any circumstance since it is an incentive for faster development, says the draft policy which was submitted to the ministry. A study by US Energy International Agency estimates Indias shale gas reserves at about 290 trillion cubic feet (TCF), of which 63 TCF could be recovered. This volume would help bridge the domestic gas demand, tagged at 391 million standard cubic metres per day by 2025-26. The policy advocates that the explorer be given the freedom to market shale gas within India on an arms length basis, with shale oil marketing following the prevailing norms of the New Exploration Licensing Policy. The other incentive proposed is customs duty exemption on the import of goods and materials for exploration and exploitation of shale gas or oil. The blocks would be awarded through open international competitive bidding with up to 100 per cent equity participation by foreign companies. The operating firm in a consortium would be the one which has minimum 25 per cent equity. The contract would be for 30 years with the first five years kept for exploration, appraisal and evaluation of the prospect and its feasibility. Contractor will be allowed to retain only the development area, as approved by the Steering Committee, at the end of KITE4education.com
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Phase I. Relinquishment of contract area was another concern that was raised in the CAG report. Phase II will be the development and production phase for a duration of 25 years plus the time saved in Phase I, if any, says the draft, which introduces a government-contractor Steering Committee headed by government nominee to decide on project issues. Addressing environment concerns, the policy insists that the used water with dissolved solids, contaminants and chemical residue must be treated before discharge. The B. K. CHATURVEDI COMMITTEE headed by Planning Commission member (Energy) has been set up to suggest measures to increase coal production and increase its availability to meet the growing needs of the power sector. The Chaturvedi Committee has suggested exempting imported coal from the 5 per cent customs and 5 per cent countervailing duty (CVD). The committee noted that sudden changes in the Australian and Indonesian coal block policies had impacted the ultra mega power projects and other plants to the extent of 15,000 MW. The changes made the power purchase agreements (PPAs) unworkable for the power producers who had signed agreements with the State governments. *Economic reforms boost P-Note investments: The P-Notes, mostly used by overseas HNIs (High Networth Individuals), hedge funds and other foreign institutions, allow them to invest into Indian markets through already registered FIIs, while saving on time and costs associated with direct registrations. Besides, value of P-Notes issued with derivatives as underlying, was at a Rs 64,221 crore as on September end. Participatory Notes - or P-Notes - are instruments issued by registered foreign institutional investors to overseas investors, who wish to invest in the Indian stock markets without registering themselves with the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Why P-Notes? Since international access to the Indian capital market is limited to FIIs. The market has found a way to circumvent this by creating the device called participatory notes, which are said to account for half the $80 billion that stands to the credit of FIIs. Investing through P-Notes is very simple and hence very popular. What are hedge funds? Hedge funds, which invest through participatory notes, borrow money cheaply from Western markets and invest these funds into stocks in emerging markets. This gives them double benefit: a chance to make a killing in a stock market where stocks are on the rise; and a chance to make the most of the rising value of the local currency. Who gets P-Notes? P-Notes are issued to the real investors on the basis of stocks purchased by the FII. The registered FII looks after all the transactions, which appear as ECONOMICS - News 130
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proprietary trades in its books. It is not obligatory for the FIIs to disclose their client details to the Sebi, unless asked specifically. What is an FII? An FII, or a foreign institutional investor, is an entity established to make investments in India. However, these FIIs need to get registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Entities or funds that are eligible to get registered as FII include pension funds; mutual funds; insurance companies / reinsurance companies; investment trusts; banks; international or multilateral organization or an agency thereof or a foreign government agency or a foreign central bank; university funds; endowments (serving broader social objectives); foundations (serving broader social objectives); and charitable trusts / charitable societies. The following entities proposing to invest on behalf of broad based funds, are also eligible to be registered as FIIs: Asset Management Companies Investment Manager/Advisor Institutional Portfolio Managers Trustees Until a few years ago, the P-Notes used to account for more than 50 per cent of total FII investments, but their share has fallen after Sebi tightened its disclosure and other regulations for such investments. *EU promotes potato to replace rice in Asia: It requires less amount of water compared to other basic food products, without compromising the nutrition value. Potato, therefore, is increasingly being promoted, in the genetically modified organism-free European Union (EU), as the foremost solution for meeting the increased food demand for an estimated 6 billion world population by 2030. Dutch researchers from the famous Wageningen University dedicated to bio-based economy in food, feed and chemicals produced from renewable resources told a visiting press delegation that if prepared in a healthy manner and consumed in the right proportion (balanced reduction of calories), consumers can benefit from the many nutrients and dietary fibres in the tuber. The diverse advantage of potato the fourth largest consumed food in the world after maize, rice and wheat is emphasised by studies that have shown potato containing less calories than pasta, rice and bread. The tuber consumes about 30 per cent less water to grow than rice and is being projected as a crop that can contribute to weight loss if prepared and consumed healthily. Researchers and scientists are working towards facilitating higher and sustainable crop yields per hectare that are free from disease and pests. *Eurozone, International Monetary Fund Agreed to New Greek Debt Deal: Eurozone finance ministers signed a deal on 27 November 2012 with International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce over 40 KITE4education.com
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billion Euros or 52 billion US Dollar massive debt burden of Greece by 2020, thus freeing long-blocked loans. Eurozone is also known as the Euro Area. It is the EMU or Economic and Monetary Union of total 17 European Union (EU) states which have mutually agreed to espouse Euro as the common currency as well as legal tender. The nations which come under Eurozone include Greece, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Cyprus, Estonia, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Italy. This decision would help in reducing the lack of confidence in Europe as well as Greece, thus strengthening buoyancy in the economy. Major elements of the agreement are as follows: Greece is responsible for reaching the surplus target of 4.55 percent GDP in 2016 only, instead of 2014 so that the economy could be given a better chance of growth once again. Greece would be organising debt buy-back of the bonds which are held by its private investors. This buy-back should be held by 12 December 2012. The amount was not announced but 35 cents a euro might be under consideration. Once this buy-back amount yielded positive results, IMF would come into the picture to join program. Eurozone thereafter would consider following:a) There will be a cut in the interest rate on the loans to Greece by 100 basis points under first bailout, thus bringing down this rate to 50 basis points over Euribor or the financing costs. Portugal and Ireland would not cut interest because they too receive the aid. b) Temporary bailout fund of Eurozone- the EFSF will bring down the fees to Greece by 10 basis points which is charged on loans. c) Maturities of the loan which are given to Greece by EFSF and bilateral would be extended by a time period of 15 years. d) Greece need not pay the interest on loans received from EFSF for a time period of 10 years. e) Profits coming from the Greek bond portfolio of European Central Bank which were acquired during the Securities Market Programme (SMP) of the bank would be passed on to Greece for debt servicing from 2013 budget year onwards. f) Eurozone countries need to keep in mind the measures as well as aids, which include reducing the interest rate further on bilateral loans to Greece in order to help Athens achieve debt sustainability. This would be done when Greece achieves primary surplus and fulfills the conditions of the reform program. g) The debt-to-GDP ratio of Greece should fall to 175 percent in 2016 till 124 percent in 2020. Thereafter the target is 110 percent in 2022. h) Eurozone countries would keep financing Greece till it achieves market access, provided that Greece remains firm to the agreed reform program. i) Greece will be receiving aid of 34.4 billion Euros ECONOMICS - News 131
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in December 2012. 10.6 billion Euros out of this would be used for budget financing. 23.8 billion Euros would go for recapitalization of banks. Furthermore, 9.3 billion Euros would be given out to Greece in 3 sub-tranches in first quarter of 2013, provided Athens meet reform landmarks as set by the lenders. Formal decision regarding the disbursement of this money would be taken on 13 December 2012 provided that the national procedures in Eurozone nations are accomplished. *Existing players can hold 2.5 Mhz in prime band spectrum: The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), allowed the existing players to retain a maximum of 2.5 MHz in prime band spectrum when their current licences expired, provided they paid a price which would be determined later through auction. The EGoM also decided that companies would have to pay a market price if they merged or acquired another company which was allocated spectrum at the old price of Rs.1,658 crore. Telecom companies will be allowed to retain 2.5 Mhz of spectrum in 900 Mhz band but they will have to pay market-determined price decided through auction. The auction for 900 Mhz band will be conducted 18 months in advance from the date the licence of telecom companies expires, sources said. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended that the existing operators give up all their spectrum holdings in prime 900 Mhz band when their permits come up for renewal starting November, 2014. The government has, in-principle, approved the TRAI recommendations. The Telecom Commission had earlier recommended that the existing operators give up all airwaves in 900 MHz. On mergers and acquisitions, the EGoM decided that companies would have to pay the market price if they acquired spectrum from another company which was allocated spectrum at the old price. *FDI in pharma companies to be cleared by FIPB; stocks up: Shares of domestic pharmaceutical companies were in action after the government said all foreign investments in existing pharmaceutical companies would be cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) in a bid to ensure availability of medicines at affordable prices. Domestic manufacturers had raised concerns that sales of generic products might get affected as foreign companies would prefer selling patented drugs. These apprehensions were raised following the takeover of companies such as Ranbaxy and Piramal Healthcare's health units. According to reports, every proposal for foreign investment in existing Indian pharmaceutical companies will go to FIPB till the time the Competition Act is amended. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is in talks with Indian carrier Jet Airways for the possible buyout of the latter. KITE4education.com
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Leading bourse National Stock Exchange (NSE) announced Ms Chitra Ramakrishna as its new MD and CEO with effect from 1 April, 2013. At present only two of the top 20 bourses globally (South Africas Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Chinas Shenzhen Stock Exchange) have women CEOs. Star Alliance is the worlds first and largest global airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. PAUL OTELLINII who has worked with Intel for nearly 40 years and became CEO in 2005. Otellini will retire in May at the age of 62 years. *Fifth Software Technology Park in North-East India: The STP in Agartala would be the fifth information technology centre in northeast India after the Guwahati, Imphal, Gangtok and Aizawl STPs, which have either started functioning or are under construction. STP facility will cater to the developmental needs of the northeastern region of the country. With its technological support the facility will help the authorities to reach out to citizens with more efficient and productive government services. The facility would also generate the employment opportunities for a large portion of the educated unemployed in the region. STP, a perfect example of the public private partnership in India, is a project being run under the banner of STPI. The STPI authority is setting up STPs in the country since 1991 to encourage, promote and boost software exports from India besides expansion of the information technology infrastructure and software industry. *Flipora set to hit the stratosphere: Flipora, a web service that is attempting to rewrite the rules of engagement on the way we discover content on the web moving away from the now standard social graph to an interest graph has gained some critical momentum in recent months. The web discovery engine constantly analyses its users preferences through algorithms that study signals people send out while skimming through content. Using those, the engine pushes suggested reading and thus differs from the pull paradigm of other search engines where the users key in their queries to pull up information. The premise is that the web is just too big to just browse based on keywords or what ones friends recommend. It is founded by two Indian graduates from Stanford University - Jonathan Siddharth and Vijay Krishnan, students from the class of 200708, who are seeing their Silicon Valley start-up gather steam. Discovery engine - Flipora started out as Infoaxe in late 2008, a service that in its initial stages came across as a complete registry of a users online activities. Using a web browser plugin, the entire history of ones browsing would be ranked and stored, just to answer the question What was ECONOMICS - News 132
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that site I fleetingly looked at when I was browsing two months back?. Negative aspect of Flipora In order to promote itself, Flipora utilizes spam and phishing techniques to gather email addresses. When one signs up (s)he inadvertently gives Flipora an access to his/her email address book and Flipora uses that information to send all of their friends, family and co-workers junk mail inviting them to also use Flip, Flipora and Infoaxe. It is held that Flipora might also be selling email address book information to third party spammers. *FM clears advance pricing scheme: Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) scheme, pertains to transfer pricing regulations. The APA scheme, proposed in Budget 2012-13, is seen as one of the major industry-friendly measures. The industry has been keenly waiting for the notification of its provisions. APA is an ahead-of-time agreement between a taxpayer and the taxing authority on an appropriate transfer pricing methodology. What is APA? Advance Pricing Agreement is signed between a taxpayer and a taxing authority on an appropriate transfer pricing methodology for a set of transactions over a fixed period of time in future. The APAs offer better assurance on transfer pricing methods and are conducive in providing certainty and unanimity of approach. The Budget inserted new sections in the I-T Act to provide a framework for APA. It empowers CBDT to enter into an advance pricing agreement with any person undertaking an international transaction. *Forum of Regulators (FOR) draws up RPO Trajectory for States: The Forum of Regulators (FOR), a statutory body of Electricity Regulators with CERC Chairperson as Chair and SERC Chairpersons as Members, has completed a detailed study drawing up possible Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) trajectory for States with due regard to availability of renewable energy sources in the country during the 12th plan period and its impact on retail tariff. RPO which casts an obligation on the distribution companies, open access consumers and captive power producers to procure/meet part of their energy needs from green energy, is one of the important instruments for promotion of renewable energy sources. The study has projected likely capacity addition during the 12th Plan period and suggested RPO trajectory for States after considering the impact on power purchase cost. Incremental impact on power purchase cost as a result of increasing level of RPO is not significant, the study has concluded. *GAAR should be deferred by three years: Shome panel: Parthasarathi Shome committee, set up by the Prime Minister to review the controversial general anti-avoidance rules (GAAR), has recommended that KITE4education.com
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its implementation be deferred by three years. The committee, which was set up in July after concerns expressed by foreign investors, also suggested that only those arrangements which have the main purpose (and not one of the main purposes as suggested by the first draft released by the finance ministry in July) of obtaining tax benefit should be covered under GAAR. The committee recommended the deferment of GAAR till the fiscal 2016-17 on administrative grounds. The committee wants the approving panel for GAAR to have five memberstwo from the tax department and three, including the chairman, from outside the government. GAAR provisions should distinguish tax mitigation from tax avoidance before invoking GAAR, provide a clear illustrative list of when it can be used and should be invoked only when the tax benefit to a tax payer is more than Rs3 crore. It should not be invoked in intra-group transactions. Making a case for protecting existing investments, the committee said, All investments (though not arrangements) made by a resident or non-resident and existing as on the date of commencement of the GAAR provisions should not be taxed as per GAAR provisions. It also sought to protect investments made from Mauritius, which is considered a tax haven due to its near zero capital gains tax. Where Circular No. 789 of 2000 with respect to Mauritius is applicable, GAAR provisions shall not apply to examine the genuineness of the residency of an entity set up in Mauritius, the committee said. The first draft of GAAR had said that companies which benefit from double taxation avoidance treaties that India has with other countries could come under the GAAR scanner. *GAIL India inks TAPI natural gas sale, purchase pact with Turkmenistan: India's largest natural gas transmission and marketing company GAIL India Ltd has signed a Gas Sales & Purchase Agreement (GSPA) with Turkmenistan for the TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan- India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline, to be built at an investment of approximately $7.6 billion. The gas pipeline will carry 90 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) of gas, of which 14 mmscmd would be consumed by Afghanistan, while India and Pakistan will get 38 mmscmd each. The deal will help energy-starved India offset the fall in natural gas production amid high demand from power and fertilizer companies, which are facing crunch due to rapid decline in gas output at the Krishna-Godavari basin and dwindling coal supplies. TAPI project, expected to be operational by 2018, will carry 1 trillion cubic metres of gas for a period of 30 years. India is the Asia's third largest oil consumer and imports 80% of its oil needs, and a sharp decline in domestic gas output has forced it to buy costly ECONOMICS - News 133
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liquefied natural gas (LNG). The idea of the TAPI pipeline project, backed by multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank, was first mooted in mid 1990s. Talks on the projects started in 2002 and the Indian Cabinet approved India's participation on May 18, 2006. In 2010, the project received the Cabinet approval for signing of the Inter-Governmental Agreement and Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement. According to the findings of a handset survey conducted by research firm Gartner the Korean mobile giant Samsung surpassed the Finland based mobile manufacturer Nokia as the worlds number one mobile company. Nokia remained the number one phone brand since 1998. Chinese computer major Lenovo on 29 May 2012 roped in Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor as the brand ambassador for its range of products in India. The companys move aims at becoming the preferred brand amongst the youth of India. Founded in Beijing in 1984, Lenovo is the world's second-largest PC vendor by 2011 market share after Hewlett-Packard. *Goa topped the List of States with Highest Per Capita Income: Goa topped the list of the states with highest per capita income in the country with a total per capita income of 192652 rupees. Delhi with a total per capita income of 1.75 lakh rupees in 2011-12 secured second spot in the list, followed by Haryana with per capita income of 109227 rupees. The national average was estimated at 38005 rupees in 2011-12 against 35993 rupees in 2010-11. The estimates WERE prepared as per methodology prescribed by the Central Statistical Organisation on the basis of provisional data provided by it and other government sources. *Government announces 7-point strategy to boost exports: While retaining its focus on boosting exports to non-traditional markets in Latin America and Africa, commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma sought to provide a fillip to labour intensive sectors, particularly textiles, to beat the impact of a slowdown in Europe and the US. As part of the seven-point strategy to boost exports, government has accepted the key demand of the industry to extend the 2% interest subsidy till March 2013. To encourage exports, the government had come out with an interest subvention scheme, which ended on March 31, 2012. New guidelines to revamp Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Export Oriented Unit (EOU) schemes to further boost the shipments. A slew of measures, including extension of 2% interest subsidy by one year, as part of 7-point strategy to achieve 20% increase in exports to $360 billion in the current fiscal. Under the zero duty EPCG scheme, a domestic KITE4education.com
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manufacturer can import capital goods at zero duty, but subject to some export obligations. At present, benefits under the scheme are not available to units which are availing benefits under Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) and Status Holder Incentive Scheme (SHIS). "However, now benefits under the scheme will be allowed to be taken by companies for another line of business for which TUFS benefits have not been availed. Alternately, if benefits under TUFS or SHIS have been availed and were subsequently surrendered or remain unused, the facility of the scheme will be available. In order to give a thrust to labour intensive exports, the government is doing away with the condition of maintaining average level of exports for sectors like carpets, coir, and jute. *Government proposes to build low-cost airports in Tier I and Tier II cities: Connectivity to small towns has been one of the major demands by MPs cutting across party lines as well as the need to increase the number of flights and setting up of new airports there. The Civil Aviation Ministry has proposed to build more low-cost airports across the country identifying the low-cost business model of Indian carriers in domestic aviation as a key trend. Allowing foreign carriers to pick up 49 per cent stake in Indian carriers and allowing Indian carriers to import aviation turbine fuel. Simplification of procedures for sanction of buildings around airports by doing away the system of taking NOC from Airports Authority of India, except in cases when the buildings are to be higher than the prescribed height. *Govt accepts Oman's proposal of hike in gas prices: The government has accepted the proposal seeking hike in prices of gas supplied by Oman to an Indian fertilizer plant in the Gulf nation to $ 1.5 per mmBtu for this year, a move that will ensure uninterrupted supply of urea to the Indian market. The government's approving the hike in gas prices means that it has dropped the earlier proposal of challenging the move by Oman at the International Tribunal in London. Oman had contracted to sell gas to the plant at $ 0.77 per million British thermal unit for 15 years beginning 2005 but mid-way decided to hike rates to $ 3 per mmBtu (million British thermal units) from January 1, 2012 citing firming up of prices in global market. Oman India Fertiliser Company (OMIFCO), a joint venture firm between Oman's state-owned Oman Oil Co (OCC) and Indian co-operative firms KRIBHCO and IFFCO, produces about 2 million tonne urea a year at Sur for exports to India. IFFCO and KRIBHCO holds a stake of 25 per cent each in OMIFCO, while the rest is with Oman Oil Company. *Govt Allows LICs investment cap in firms to ECONOMICS - News 134
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30%:The Finance Ministry has relaxed the investment norm for Life Insurance Corporation of India. LIC can now invest up to 30% of a companys paid-up capital. Earlier it could invest up to 10%. This can be seen as an effort to meet the disinvestment target of Rs 30,000 crore this fiscal. LIC on March, 1, 2012 had bailed out the governments disinvestment process by picking up ONGC shares. Thus, the fresh norms will enable the cash-rich LIC, which invests around Rs 50,000-60,000 crore in equity yearly, to pick up higher equity in state-owned companies during the disinvestment process. The government aims to sell equity in various state-owned companies like Nalco, Hindustan Copper, SAIL, BHEL, MMTC and Oil India Limited (OIL). Govt also aims to sell its remainder equity in companies which were privatized earlier. The insurance regulator IRDA was against LIC picking up more than 10% equity in a company. It wanted LIC to stick to the norms applicable to private insurers. However, the investment norms for LIC are mandated by the Finance Ministry and NOT IRDA. There is however, no change in the investment norms of other government-owned companies. Before the ONGC disinvestment, the government had collected a merely Rs 1,145 crore (mostly from the sale of shares in Power Finance Corp) against a target of Rs 40,000 crore. That has been increased by about Rs 12,600 crore via the sale of 5% of ONGC in an auction that scraped through thanks to a last-minute intervention by the LIC. *Govt constitutes panel to maximize gas returns: The government has formally constituted an InterMinisterial Group (IMG) for developing a coordinated approach for optimal exploitation of coal bed methane (CBM), underground coal gasification and shale gas. The IMG to be headed by Planning Commission Member B K CHATURVEDI includes petroleum secretary GC Chaturvedi, coal secretary Alok Perti, ONGC CMD Sudhir Vasudeva, Coal India chairman S Narsing Rao and Reliance Industries CEO P M S Prasad. The move to appoint the committee has come amid reports that oil ministry has found a wide variation in CBM prices offered by Reliance Industries and Essar. Essar has discovered the price for its Raniganj (East) CBM at $4.2 per mmBtu, while RIL has pegged it in the range of over $11 a mmBtu for its two blocks in Madhya Pradesh. The oil rich states get 10 per cent royalty and 13 per cent value added tax from CBM while the Centre nets 12.5 per cent production-linked payment and 2 per cent central sales tax. *Govt ups FDI cap in ARCs to 74%: In the backdrop of rising bad loans in the banking system KITE4education.com
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due to the economic slowdown, the government has given a boost to the asset reconstruction sector by increasing the ceiling on foreign investment in the sector to 74%, from 49%. To spur investments in the sector expected to play a key role in reducing bad debts, the government has also removed several regulatory restrictions including the bar on FII investment in Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs). ARCs function is to create separate trusts to acquire individual (bad) assets, which in turn issue SRs against the assets. Banks and other investors then buy the SRs. As per new guidelines, the 74% foreign investment limit would be a composite one, including FDI and FII. There are 13 ARCs in the country, but only Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Ltd (or Arcil) has been able to take over huge bad assets from banks. Severe shortage of funds has troubled the rest of ARCs. Hike in the foreign investment limit is expected to help strengthen the sector. Typically, ARCs buy out bad assets of companies and retain them in the hope of them appreciating over a period of time. However, if they take the management control of a company and wants to turn it around, then it may need huge capital investment. It is here that the relaxation of norms would help. The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2011, proposes to enable ARC convert any part of the debt into equity of the defaulting company. *HARSHA VIJI appointed as new MD of Sundaram Mutual from 1 July 2012: Fourth generation of TVS family, Harsha Viji appointed as new Managing Director (MD) of Sundaram Mutual on 26 June 2012 after T.P. Raman. T.P. Raman is retired on 30 June 2012. He is working with the company from 16 years and will serve the company as its Non-Executive Director. Harsha will take the responsibility of MD of Sundaram Mutual from 1 July 2012. *Hotel menus to carry info on salt, fat content: With neutraceutical firms and other energy food firms making tall claims and misleading public, the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) will notify additional norms in a month to keep tabs on advertisements by such firms. Mr B Sesikeran - Chairman of Scientific Panel on food Labelling and Director of the National Institute of Nutrition. *India emerged as the Largest Trading Partner of Dubai in the First Quarter of 2012-13: India emerged as the largest trading partner of Dubai in the first quarter of 2012-13. The latest data of Dubai foreign trade released by the Dubai Customs in the third week of June 2012 shows the trade volume in the first quarter between India and Dubai to be worth 13 billion US Dollars. India was the number one exporting country with a volume worth 7 billion ECONOMICS - News 135
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dollars. *India among top 5 countries in creating inclusive wealth: Report: Inclusive Wealth Report 2012, published recently by the United Nations and prepared under the supervision of Sir Partha Dasgupta of Cambridge University, finds India among the top 5 countries in creating inclusive wealth.
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*India drags US to WTO over 'wrongful' imposition of penal duties on steel exports: India has dragged the US to the WTO over 'wrongful' imposition of penal duties on its steel exports that have affected a number of companies including Essar, Tata, Jindal and Sail. It has sought consultations with the US under the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism on the countervailing duties (CVD) imposed on steel. The US has been imposing CVD, a levy to neutralise government subsidies, on steel for the last decade. Duties on Indian companies range from about 18% on Essar to over 500% for companies such as Tata and Jindal. It has also imposed antidumping duties, a penal levy on imports that are sold at higher prices in the home market of the exporter, of over 20%. India wants to challenge the US Department of Commerce's assumption that the iron ore sourced by Indian steel makers from NMDC is supplied at subsidised rate because it is a public body. India has argued that this is a wrong assumption as NMDC always sells at the prevailing market prices which is determined by their exports to Japan and South Korea. If the consultations fail, India will ask for the setting up of a dispute settlement panel which will hear the arguments made by both sides and give its judgement. *India set to join talks for largest trade bloc: India KITE4education.com
is set to join talks for creating the world's largest trade bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP, comprising Asean members and three manufacturing giants - China, Japan and South Korea - after a committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh endorsed the move. The 16 members who will launch talks in Phnom Penh later this month account for over a quarter of the world economy. Later decision by the Trade & Economic Relations Committee (TERC) signals the government's intent to drive down import duties further in the coming years, a proposal that may not get too much support from the domestic industry, although it is being sold as an attempt to increase competitiveness of local players. In return, the government is hoping to get a sweeter deal for Indian nurses, teachers and auditors who want to work in any of the 16 initial members of the proposed RCEP, which will also have Australia and New Zealand. Of course, this will come with the promise of allowing overseas companies easier access by giving them more flexibility in FDI rules. The biggest concern, however, is the China factor as the Indian government has so far hesitated in entering into any sort of a trade arrangement with Beijing, fearing that the market would be flooded with cheap imports and makes the trade deficit look even grimmer. But TERC is learnt to have taken the view that it would be imprudent to ignore RCEP as India was taking a 'Look East' view of the world. Besides, it is seen as the trading region of the future, with trade expanding rapidly. The fear in government circles is that entering the bloc late would entail higher commitments, including a steeper reduction in import tariffs. The industry, however, believes that the government needs to set its house in order before engaging in a negotiation like RCEP. RCEP is seen as a counter to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which had Asean members such as Singapore and Malaysia apart from New Zealand as a founding member, but the agenda is now largely driven by the US, backed by Canada and Mexico. " Although India is keen on entering the RCEP talks, it is likely to pursue a defensive agenda in order to buy time for the local industry to become more competitive, sources familiar with the thinking in the government said. Similarly, New Delhi is not in favour of including intellectual property rights as one of the issues given that it wants Trips, a multilateral agreement under WTO, as the guiding principle to ensure that access to cheap medicines are not stopped. Industry, however, believes that it may be tough to slow down the talks, as the government intends to do, given the presence of at least 15 other countries. In any case, a deadline of 2015 is being proposed to clinch a deal. But the government decision to join the talks, for ECONOMICS - News 136
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which the "guiding principles and objectives" will be discussed by the leaders at the East Asia Summit this month, signals a significant shift from multilateralism to bilateralism, a strategy that India has been pursuing since the collapse of the WTO talks in Cancun in 2003. *India to Export 2.1 million tonnes (mt) of Iron Ore to Steel Mills of Japan & South Korea: India on 30 April 2012 announced its decision to export 2.1 million tonnes (mt) of iron ore to steel mills of Japan and South Korea under a long-term agreement due to be signed in May 2012. The iron ore will be supplied to leading steel mills of Japan and Korea, including Posco, Kobe and Nippon Steel. As approved by the cabinet in March 2012, the iron ore, having 64 per cent Fe content, or high grade lumps is to be sourced from NMDC's Chhattisgarh mines and will be exported through MMTC. The supplies are slated to begin from July and the agreements are to be signed for three years. Prices are to be decided on a quarterly basis and the export quantity is to increase in the 2012-13 fiscal. It is expected that the supply of iron ore, although in smaller quantities, had been a core element of India's bilateral ties with Japan and South Korea and would further strengthen the relations. MMTC's earlier contract to supply iron ore for five years to Japanese and Korean steel mills had expired on 31 March 2011. Following the expiry, further contracts was put on hold as price negotiations had not taken place. As a result of the expiry of the contract, NMDC had managed to export only 1.6 lakh tonnes in the 2011-12 fiscal, too, to the Chinese firms on an ad-hoc basis. *India topples Thailand as worlds largest rice exporter: USDA: India has emerged as the worlds largest rice exporter in 2012 beating its Asian counterpart Thailand with shipment of 9.75 million tonnes, according to USDAs latest report. Thailand was the top rice exporter with exports of 10.65 million tonnes in 2011. However, its volume slipped to 6.5 million tonnes in 2012. India is followed by Vietnam, which shipped 7 million tonnes of rice, Thailand (6.5 million tonnes), Pakistan (3.75 million tonnes) and the US (3.5 million tonnes), it added. India moved to the top slot from the third place in 2011 buoyed by record production of 104.32 million tonnes on the back of good monsoon rains. * 'Project Lakshya' streamlines LPG supply: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has launched Project Lakshya to reduce waiting time for delivery of LPG cylinders and track duplicate connections, by enrolling the assistance of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the Pune-based Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) through a new software. The results of this drive have been outstanding with the three oil marketing companies (OMCs) KITE4education.com
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Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) reporting a fall in consumption of domestic LPG cylinders. *India, Japan ink pact on rare earths export: With China tightening control over the export of rare earth mineral used in mobile phones, hybrid cars and missile guidance systems, Japan inked a trade pact to import over 4,000 tonnes of the rare earths from India - second largest producer in the world. As Sino-Japanese relations are undergoing strain over the islands in the East China Sea, Japan is looking for diversification of the suppliers of the rare earth minerals. India has huge reserves of the minerals in Odisha. India remains a distant second to China in terms of rare earths mining. As per the US Geological survey in 2010, China produced 1.3 lakh tonnes while Indias output was 2,700 tonnes. India is in talks with Japan to invest in the Odisha plant but there has been no consensus so far. *India, UK amend pact on avoidance of double taxation: India and the UK have signed a Protocol amending the Convention on avoidance of double taxation to streamline the provisions on partnerships and dividends as well as information flow between tax authorities of the two countries. The norms pertain to the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital Gains. The Protocol amends the Convention that was assigned in New Delhi on January 25, 1993. The Convention, as amended by this Protocol, will provide tax stability to the residents of India and the UK and will facilitate economic cooperation between the two nations. It will also stimulate the flow of investment, technology and services between India and the UK. Now, benefits of the Convention would also be available to partners of the UK partnerships. Further, the withholding taxes on the dividends would be 10% or 15% and would be equally applicable in the UK and in India. The Protocol incorporates provisions for effective exchange of information between tax authorities of the two countries in line with latest international standards including exchange of banking information and supplying of information irrespective of domestic interest. It now also provides for sharing of information to other agencies with the consent of the supplying state. There would now be a new article in the Convention on assistance in collection of taxes. It includes provision for taking measures of conservancy. The Protocol also incorporates into the Convention anti- abuse (limitation of benefits) provisions to ensure that the benefits of the Convention are not misused. Both the countries would further enter into MoUs to ECONOMICS - News 137
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expedite exchange of information and assistance in collection of taxes. *Indian government to setup centralized communication monitor system: Post 26/11, Government is planning to setup a centralized system to automatically monitor communications on mobiles, landline phones and Internet. A pilot project of the central monitoring system (CMS) is likely to be launched by June, 2010 subject to clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Minister of State for Telecom and IT Gurudas Kamat said in Rajya Sabha. The centralized monitoring system will be implemented by DoT and will reduce the manual intervention in the current system. Interception through CMS will be instant as compared to the existing system which takes a very long time. The envisaged SALIENT FEATURES OF CMS are as follows: Central and regional database which will help Central and State level Law Enforcement Agencies in Interception and Monitoring. Direct Electronic Provisioning of target numbers by Government agencies without any manual intervention from Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). Filters and Alert creation on the target numbers. Call Data Records (CDR) analysis and data mining on CDRs to identify call details, location details etc. of the target numbers. The government earlier approved the Amended IT Act, showering power to CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) to block any website for rules violation. *Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited Offers Tax Free Bonds: Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited (IRFC), the financing arm of Indian Railways, is proposing to issue Tax Free, Secured, Redeemable, Non-Convertible Bonds of face value of Rs. 1,000 each in the nature of Debentures, having benefits under Section 10(15)(iv)(h) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, as amended (Bonds) aggregating to Rs.3,000 crore with an option to retain oversubscription of upto the shelf limit of` Rs. 6,300 crore (Issue). The Bonds have been rated CRISIL AAA/Stable by CRISIL, [ICRA] AAA by ICRA and CARE AAA by CARE, indicating highest degree of safety for timely servicing of financial obligations. Investors will have an option to hold the bonds either in physical or in demat form. The Bonds will be secured by way of a pari passu charge on the movable assets of the Company comprising of rolling stock such as wagons, locomotives and coaches. SBI Capital Markets Limited, A. K. Capital Services Limited and ICICI Securities Limited are the Lead Managers to the Issue. Indian Bank shall be the Trustee to the Issue. The Company intends to utilize the Issue proceeds for financing the acquisition of rolling stock and KITE4education.com
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financing the capacity enhancement works in the Indian Railways. IRFC is the financing arm of the Indian Railways. 100% shareholding in IRFC is held by the President of India acting through Ministry of Railways. The Company has been notified as a Public Financial Institution under Section 4A of the Companies Act, 1956 and registered as a NonBanking Finance Company without accepting public deposits (Infrastructure Finance Company) with the Reserve Bank of India. The Companys principal business is borrowing funds from the commercial markets to finance the acquisition of new rolling stock which is then leased to the Indian Railways. IRFC is a consistently profit making Public Sector Undertaking. *Industry Leader Deepak Parekh Nominated to Competition Commission of India: The Union government of India on 31 August 2012 nominated industry leader Deepak Parekh to Competition Commissions Eminent Persons Advisory Group (EPAG). The group advises the anti-trust regulator on good global practices and other issues. The group was constituted in a way that CCI could avail from the advice of eminent persons representing a wide arena from the Corporate Sector. Along with HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, eminent authors Gurcharan Das and Rama Bijapurkar were also nominated as members of the EPAG of the Commission. Others on the tenmember panel comprises former, Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CAG V N Kaul, NGO activist Rohini Nilekani and former RBI Deputy Governor Rakesh Mohan. *Information and Broadcasting Ministry notified Cable Television Networks Rules, 2012: The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry of India on 28 April 2012 notified the much awaited Cable Television Networks Rules, 2012, which paves the way for digitalisation of the sector. The I&B ministry has set 30 June 2012 as the date for digitalisation of the cable sector in the four metros and these cable rules would provide the framework on which the digitalised cable networks would provide services. As per the new rules, cable operators and multisector operators (MSOs) will now have to ensure that they have the capacity to carry minimum number of channels as specified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). MSOs, under the new rules, will have to buy back set top boxes from subscribers in case they are leaving the area. A provision to surrender Set Top Box back has also been provided under the new rule. *Infosys to transfer ADS from NASDAQ to NYSE Euronext: Infosys, India's second-largest information technology services company would be transferring the listing of its American Depository Shares (ADS) to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) from the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq). ECONOMICS - News 138
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Infosys ADS will begin trading on the NYSE Euronext markets in the US under the ticker symbol INFY starting December 12, the company said. In 1999, Infosys became the first Indian company to be listed on the Nasdaq. ADS refer to US dollar denominated share of any foreign company trading on an American stock exchange. Infosys has chosen NYSE Euronext because: NYSE Euronexts equities markets represent nearly 40% of the worlds equities trading and are considered the most liquid of any global exchange group. Its tie-ups with exchanges in Europe will allow Infosys to expand its market base by making its stock more visible and accessible to investors in countries such as Germany and France. Till the transfer is complete, Infosys ADS will continue to trade in the US under the ticker symbol INFY on the Nasdaq. Once the separate Euronext listing process is complete, Infosys ADS will begin trading on the NYSE Euronext markets in Paris and London. *Infra sector grows 5.1% in Sept: The infrastructure output for eight sectors coal, crude oil, oil refinery, natural gas, steel, cement, electricity and fertilisers have more than doubled to seven-month high of 5.1 per cent in September. Showing signs of further pick-up in the economy, the eight core industries had shown marked improvement, both year-on-year as well on sequential basis. With better sequential performance of these key eight segments, the overall industrial production measured on IIP for September is likely to be better. These eight industries account for about 40 per cent in the IIP [Index of industrial production]. Expansion in steel production slowed to 2 per cent and growth in cement output was 13.4 per cent during the month under review. There was healthy improvement in the fertilizer production also. Its production grew by 5.7 per cent in September as against a decline of 2.1 per cent. *Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti resigned ahead of Elections: Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on 21 December 2012 resigned after 13 months in office with handing over his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano after parliament gave final approval to the 2013 budget law. With the resignation of Mario Monti the President is expected to call early national elections within 70 days of the parliament dissolution, possibly on 24 February 2013. *Lamy names panel to identify 21st century trade challenges: With an aim to address the global trade challenges and find long-term solutions, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has set up a panel, consisting experts from all over the world including India. The panel will hold its first meeting next month in Geneva. KITE4education.com
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The 'WTO Panel on Defining the Future of Trade' will meet regularly to discuss issues that come in the way of rapidly-growing world. The 12-member panel with representatives from nations like the US, Brazil, China, India and Japan will "meet on 16 May in Geneva". "This panel encompasses experts from all corners of the world and nearly every field of endeavour. Their analysis will spark debate and open new channels of thinking on how we can best confront the stumbling blocks that today's rapidly evolving world has strewn in our collective path," said WTO Director General Pascal Lamy. The secretary general of Consumer Unity and Trust Society International, Pradeep Singh Mehta, will be the member from India, to debate on the best ways to tackle trade challenges. *LIC becomes NPS Lites agent: The Union Budget has not extended the Swavalamban scheme this time, which may mean that it hasnt continued with its aim to popularize the National Pension System (NPS) for small investors. However, it did mention that the pension regulator, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), had appointed Life Insurance Corp. of India (LIC) and all PSU banks as aggregators of NPS LITE, a pension scheme meant for the poor. An aggregator for NPS Lite is like an agent, who works as an intermediary and distributor. By having LIC as an aggregator which has over 3,000 offices and 1.3 million agents, the government hopes that the SWAVALAMBAN SCHEME will get a boost. The remuneration of the aggregator depends on the number of subscribers the entity is able to gather. An aggregator gets Rs. 50 per account plus other added incentives as subscriber volumes go up. When NPS was opened to the public in 2009, LIC was appointed as one of the 22 Points Of Presence (PoP). Unlike an aggregator, a PoP only facilitates investment in NPS. But citing regulatory overlap between the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority and PFRDA, LIC was removed as a PoP. *Life insurers not allowed participating in repo transactions: IRDA: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) said that life insurance companies are not allowed to take part in repo transactions. In a circular IRDA clarified that: In case of reverse repo (lending) transactions in government securities and corporate debt securities, the exposure should not exceed 10% of all funds taken together. Even at segregated fund level, exposure should not exceed 10% of the fund size. For non-life insurers, the exposure to reverse repo and repo transactions in government securities and corporate debt securities should not exceed 10% of investment assets of the insurer. The tenure of repo transactions shall not exceed a period of six months. All companies would have to take prior sanction ECONOMICS - News 139
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from investment committee before participating in repo transactions. The underlying debt security would have to be listed and have a minimum rating of AA or equivalent. Reverse repo and repo transactions in corporate debt securities would not be allowed b/w insurer and its promoter group entities In terms of matters like accounting methodology and reporting of trades for reverse repo and repo transactions, companies would have to follow the January 2010 directions of RBI. *Marissa Mayer appointed as the New President and CEO of Yahoo *MCX-SX gets commencement certificate from SEBI: Moving closure to the launch of the country's newest stock exchange platform, MCX-SX has got the 'commencement certificate' from market regulator Sebi to go live with its trading operations as a fullfledged bourse. The much-talked about trading launch of MCX-SX, the third equity exchange in the country, is likely to begin in January 2013. MCX-SX is currently providing trading platform for only currency derivatives segment and would become a full-fledged stock exchange after launch of other segments like equity, equity derivatives, bonds and interest rate derivatives. After going live, MCX-SX would compete with other full-fledged nationwide stock exchanges like the NSE and BSE. MCX-SX Managing Director - Joseph Massey. *Money Laundering and Banking Bills 2012 turned into Law with Presidents Assent: The President of India Pranab Mukherjee in second week of January gave his assent to the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to make it a law of the land. The Parliament in its winter session approved the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill 2012 that needed to enlarge its definition of money laundering offences so that it can curb the practice of funding the terrorists operations. The Bill sought removal of 5 lakh rupees as fine in existence under the act and proposed a provision of taking away of the profits of the crime even under situation, where the conviction was not proved but the offence of money laundering happened and the property in question that is involved in the offence. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session on 29 November 2012. The Parliament improved the law from the year of its making in 2002 in the years 2005, 2009 and 2012. The Amendment Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the December 2011 and was further sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance. KITE4education.com
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Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 would be shaping the way ahead to corporate houses to enter the field of Banking this is one of the key reform legislation. The Banking Bill was passed in the Indian Parliament once the government dropped its clause of controversies that allowed banks to trade in commodity in future. The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill 2011 was introduced and passed by both the Houses of Indian Parliament during its winter session of 2012 for amendment of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970/1980. To strengthen the provisions of bad debts by the financial institutions and banks the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill 2012 was passed. The Union Cabinet on 13 October 2011 approved the introduction of the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2011 in the next session of Parliament. This bill was further passed by the Lok Sabha on 10 December 2012. *MTS Slashed Internet Charges in Delhi-NCR by 60 percent: MTS slashed its internet charges for Delhi-NCR customers on 26 June 2012 by 60 percent. The net surfing for the customer is reduced up to 1/3 of the previous rate. MTS is operated by Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL). MTS India is a Russian Mobile Tele Systems telecommunication company in India. It provides wireless voice, broadband internet services in India. It won National Telecom Award for the fastest growth in data operation in India. *National Investment Fund gets nod to buy PSU shares: Aimed at taking the disinvestment exercise forward at a faster clip, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), on Thursday, authorised the National Investment Fund (NIF) to buy shares of public sector undertakings (PSUs), including banks and insurance companies. As per the string of approvals given by the CCEA at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to align the NIF operation to enhance the disinvestment policy, the NIF will also be used to recapitalise public sector banks (PSBs) and stateowned insurance companies. Set up in 2005, the NIF is being hitherto managed by three fund managers UTI Asset Management Company, SBI Funds Management Company and LIC Mutual Fund Asset Management Company. Essentially, while about 75 per cent of the income from NIF is being used to fund select social sector programmes, the balance amount is utilised to meet the capital investment requirements of profitable PSUs and revival of sick state-owned units. However, following the global meltdown and its impact on the domestic economy, the government, in November, 2009, decided to utilise the disinvestment proceeds only for social sector ECONOMICS - News 140
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spending. *National Telecom Policy 2012 - Highlights: The NTP 2012 gives importance to provide secure, reliable, affordable and high quality telecom services for accelerated inclusive socio-economic development. Thrust Areas of NTP 2012 1. Rural Teledensity To improve rural teledensity from the current level of around 39 to 70 by the year 2017 and 100 by the year 2020 2. Broadband Broadband For All at a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps. 3. Domestic Manufacturing - Making India a global hub. 4. Convergence of Network, Services and Devices. 5. Liberalization of Spectrum - any Service in any Technology. 6. Simplification of Licensing regime - Unified Licensing, delinking of Spectrum from License, Online real time submission and processing. 7. Consumer Focus - Achieve One Nation Full Mobile Number Portability and work towards One Nation Free Roaming. 8. Resale of Services 9. VOIP Voice over Internet Protocol. Cloud Computing Next Generation Network including IPV6. *Navis Capital Partners buys Kuckreja's stake in Nirula's: Malaysiaian private equity company Navis Capital Partners acquired the stake of Samir Kuckreja the co-owner of Nirulas to gain complete control over homegrown fast food chain. Navis had bought Nirulas in a 90 crore rupees deal in 2006. Postacquisition, it invested 30 crore rupees directly, while another 20 crore was infused by the franchisees for store rollouts, equipment and kitchens. Nirulas was among the first fast-food chains in the country which made big boy burgers and hot chocolate fudge famous. It also pioneered the concept of family-style restaurant when it opened its first outlet in Delhi in 1934. The organised restaurant industry is estimated at 7000-8500 crore rupees, according to a white paper by the National Restaurant Association of India, with organised players accounting for a meagre 2-3% of the overall business. *Overseas borrowing norms eased: The government and RBI eased overseas borrowing norms for Indian companies by allowing those in the infrastructure and manufacturing space to refinance a higher level of their rupee loans using external loans. While the government had earlier decided to allow these companies to borrow up to 50% of the forex earnings of the last three years, the cap has now been hiked to 75%. In addition, special purpose vehicles of these companies set up over a year ago will also be eligible to tap this route to raise resources at a lower cost. The rule relaxation is in line with the finance KITE4education.com
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ministry's thrust to prop up manufacturing activity and boost infrastructure construction. To lower the cost of funds for the small scale sector too, SIDBI has been allowed to raise ECB (external commercial borrowings) that can be then lent to the segment that accounts for a large chunk of manufacturing as well as exports. Similarly, National Housing Bank and housing finance companies have been allowed to use the ECB route to raise funds for low-cost housing projects. While these steps were announced after a meeting of the high-level committee on ECBs, which met here, a move has also been initiated to get foreign institutional investors (FIIs) to invest up to $5 billion in rupee bonds, which will be within the overall corporate bond limit of $45 billion. Refinancing of buyer's credit for import of capital goods in the infrastructure sector will be placed under automatic route. In addition, the high-level committee decided to increase the maturity period of buyer's credit to maximum of five years, giving companies more time to repay. ECBs are considered attractive as cost of raising the loan is lower than that of domestic borrowings. Besides, they provide an additional avenue to access large amounts of funds from international financial markets. The decision taken by the high-level committee on 22 August 2012 includes the following: Foreign institutional investors were permitted to invest in these bonds upto US$5 billion within the overall corporate bond limit of US$45 billion. The minimum maturity period for rupee bonds was reduced to three years Credit enhancement to provide an enabling mechanism for Indian companies to raise foreign debt Costly credit observed to be one of the key issue impeding investments. The panel also decided to increase the maturity of such buyers credit to maximum five years thereby allowing companies flexibility in payment. Extending refinance facility to SPVs will ease debt financing for infra projects. Advantages for Lower-rated Companies The guarantee for domestic companies from offshore entities effectively lifts the credit ratings of the bonds thereby benefitting lower-rated borrowers. Indian companies have always been constrained in their funding options due to high domestic interest rates and difficulties in tapping markets overseas. The actions targeting credit guarantees will benefit sectors such as telecoms and energy, where foreign companies often operate via Indian units, but whose domestic borrowing get constrained if they had lower ratings than their parent companies. Infrastructure and manufacturing companies can re-finance a higher proportion of their rupee borrowings via cheaper overseas debt. These infrastructure and manufacturing companies can now tap overseas loans up to 75% of their average forex earnings over the previous three financial years from ECONOMICS - News 141
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50% previously. *OVL to get 8.4% stake in Kashagan field: The overseas unit of Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC) will buy ConocoPhillips Co.s 8.4% stake in Kazakhstans Kashagan oil field for about $5 billion (Rs.27,500 crore). ONGC is trying to secure overseas assets as Indias energy demand gallops. Indias energy requirements are expected to more than double by 2035 to around 1,500 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe) from less than 700 mtoe today, according to Indias oil ministry estimates. *Panel set up to implement Dharmadhikari report: Government announced the setting up of a panel to implement the Dharmadhikari Committee Report on issues relating integration of erstwhile Air India and Indian Airlines employees including pay, allowances and career progression structure. The Dharmadhikari report on integration of about 27,000 employees of unified Air India, including pilots, cabin crew and engineers, was submitted in January this year almost five years after the merger of two state-run airlines. Major recommendations of Dharmadhikari committee: Air India should continue to maintain two separate lines of seniority for pilots belonging to the premerger Indian Airlines and Air India Pilots of both erstwhile carriers must be allowed to fly aircraft of all types A 10-15 per cent salary cut for pilots and engineers to bring their salaries on par with industry standards Uniform salaries for both sets of pilots Cross-utilisation of pilots, which means Indian Airlines pilots can fly Dreamliners, and Air India pilots can fly Airbus aircraft after obtaining requisite endorsements and training. *Panel to review production sharing contracts: The Government has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of DR C. RANGARAJAN, Chairman, Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, to review the existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSC). The Government awards oil and gas exploration blocks based on a PSC. The review would be in respect to current profit sharing mechanism with the Pre-Tax Investment Multiple (PTIM), and exploring various contract models. Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) An agreement between Contractor and Government whereby Contractor bears all exploration risks, production and development costs in return for its stipulated share of production resulting from this effort. These costs are recoverable in case of commercial discovery. Salient FEATURES of a PSC KITE4education.com
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The Contractor is required to submit the work programs commitments and budgets for scrutiny and approval of the State Company The contract is based on a production sharing and not on profit sharing basis The Contractor provides all financing and technology required for the operations and bears the risks. During the term of the contract, after allowance for up to a specified percentage of annual production for recovery of costs, the remaining production is split between the contractor and State. Equipment purchased and imported by the contractor becomes the property of the state. With the service company equipment and leased equipment being exempt. The committee will also look into a suitable mechanism for managing the contract implementation and governmental mechanisms to monitor and audit the Government's share of profit petroleum. It will also structure the guidelines for determining the formula for the price of domestically produced gas, and for monitoring actual price fixation. *Panel to review service tax refund for exports: The finance ministry has formed a committee to review the scheme for electronic refund of service tax paid on taxable services used for export of goods. This follows a two percentage points increase in service tax and introduction of a negative list for taxation in the sector. The committee is to suggest a scientific approach for fixing the schedule of rates for service tax refund and propose a revised schedule of rates for refunds, taking into account the recent revision from 10 per cent to 12 per cent and movement towards a negative list approach. The panel is to be headed by the director general of service tax, Sanghamitra Panda. *Panel to review service tax refund scheme: The Finance Ministry has constituted a committee to review the scheme for electronic refund of service tax paid on services used in export of goods. The committee, headed by Director General of Service Tax, Ms Sanghamitra Panda, would evolve a scientific approach for the fixation of the rates schedule for service tax refund. It would propose a revised schedule of rates for service tax refund, taking into account the revision of service tax rate from 10 per cent to 12 per cent. The movement towards negative list approach for taxation of services would also be factored for this purpose. The committee has been asked to submit its report to the CBEC Chairman before June 20. Other members of the committee are Mr Sushil Solanki, Commissioner of Service Tax and Mr J.M.Kennedy, Director, Tax Research Unit.
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*Plan panel for audit of spectrum usage, refarming of airwaves: The government needs to audit spectrum usage and refarming of airwaves to ensure efficient utilisation of the natural resource, the 12th Five Year Plan document has said. The 12th Plan (2012-17) said a "significant amount of additional spectrum" would be needed with the introduction of new technologies, high bandwidth applications and increasing user base. "While effective spectrum planning in this regard needs to be carried out, the requirement of spectrum in 60 GHz and above bands for all backhaul purposes, audit of spectrum usage and refarming of spectrum to ensure the efficient utilisation should also be taken into account during the 12th Plan Period," it added. Under refarming of spectrum, telecom operators with 900 MHz airwaves will have to give these up and bid for the less efficient 1800 MHz at current prices. These telcos will be allowed to retain 2.5 MHz spectrum in the 900 mhz band, but that will also have to happen at auction determined prices. The 12th Plan targets provision of 1,200 million connections, mobile access to all villages and increase rural teledensity to 70 percent, broadband connections of 175 million by 2017. It also envisages making available additional 300 MHz of spectrum for IMT services and making India a hub for telecom equipment manufacturing by incentivizing domestic manufacturers with thrust on IPR, product development and commercialization. "The 12th Plan Programmes for telecom sector are guided by the National Telecom Policy 2012. The thrust of NTP 2012 is on raising the competitiveness of Indian telecom sector, to make it a world leader," the document said. The 12th Plan suggests that Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund needs to be leveraged for providing incentives for pilot projects, fixed wireline/wireless phones, use of renewable energy sources, telecom infrastructure and for wireline broadband in rural difficult terrain and Left wing extremist (LWE) areas. On financing of telecom sector, the document said the sector should be allowed to access funding from Indian Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFCL). "Telecom Finance Corporation may be created as a vehicle to access funds at competitive rates to facilitate the funding needs of this sector on requirement," it said. Rationalisation of levies and taxes in the sector may also be reviewed from time to time to ensure affordable delivery of services to consumers, it added. Further, it added that development of new applications, VAS and devices would be triggered by e-Governance projects and growth of broadband in rural areas. *Pranab Mukherjee elected Chair of ADB Governors' Board: India will host the 46th annual KITE4education.com
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meeting of the Asian Development Bank in New Delhi next year. While India was the founding member of the ADB in 1966, its lending operations in India began two decades later. As a major multilateral lending organization, the Manila-headquartered ADB has 67 members, of which 48 are from Asia. The US and Japan are the largest shareholders of the bank while India is the fifth largest. The lending support will go to key areas like transport, energy, urban development, agriculture natural resource management, finance and education. *Proposal for 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail and 49 percent in Aviation passed: The Union Cabinet on 14 September 2012 cleared the proposal of foreign direct investment (FDI) for 51 percent in the multi-brand retail chains and 49 percent in Aviation power exchanges industry. Passing of the proposal have cleared the floor for welcoming the multi-brand retail chains like Wall mart and Tesco and Carrefour in the country for setting up of their shops and retail outlets. Similarly, the 49 percent of FDI allowed in aviation and Power exchanges will bring in funds for the domestic carriers on a verge of death and will help in enhancement of power availability and distribution management, respectively. Conditions put forward for investors in the proposal for the multi-brand retails 1. The proposal makes a clear stand that investors looking ahead for investments will have to take the permission in form of approvals from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board 2. Investment of minimum $100 million is a must for any foreign investor planning to invest in India, out of which 50% of the investment should be made in creation of back-end infrastructure. Back-end investment means investments that is made in quality control, warehouse creation, cold storage, design improvement, manufacturing, processing and packaging 3. The investors will have to get 30% of the production of their total products by the small-scale industries 4. The proposal also clears that the agricultural produce like pulses, flowers, fruits, vegetables, poultry item, fishery, meat and others can be unbranded 5. Investors can invest in the 51 cities with a minimum population of 10 lakh people as per the census presented in the year 2011 For making investment in the aviation sector, the proposals have 1. This will help in making equity invasion for the aviation companies seeking financial support at the time when maximum of the domestic airlines are passing through a phase of losses. 2. Investors who are not functional in airline business can own equity of 49 percent directly or indirectly in the Indian Aviation Companies. ECONOMICS - News 143
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FDI in Power Exchanges will be guided via 1. 49 percent of FDI in power trading exchanges will be taken care of as per the regulation laid down by SEBI and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Power Market) Regulations) 2010 2. The commerce minister stated that Foreign Institutional Investors cannot exceed a limit of 26 percent investment and the paid-up capital will be restricted to 23 percent 3. FII can be permitted under automatic routes whereas; the FDI will be scrutinized under the route approved by the government 4. The generation of electricity, power transmission and distribution along with trading will be done in accordance to the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003 5. The current policy allows FDI up to 100 percent in power sector (atomic energy is an exception) What does it mean for different economic sections of India? 1. Economy: Help in reversal of the economic slowdown, attract the investment of billions of dollars from foreign market and spin jobs to a greater extent 2. Kirana Stores: Will lower down the selling price, because they will purchase the supplies from deep down retailers 3. Retailers: Can sell their equity up to 51% to the global leaders 4. Farmers: They can sell their produce directly at higher prices and the presence of middle man will end 5. States: Decision to allow the retail giants or prohibit lies in the hands of states 6. Common Man: A chance to gain big discount with many options to shop 7. UPA government: Got a chance to wash away the blames of policy paralysis *PVR to buy 69% stake in Cinemax: PVR would acquire 69.3% stake in Cinemax India for an amount of Rs 395 crore in order to expand its business in India. Cinemax is owned by Kanakia Group. The acquisition would make PVR the largest multiplex chain in India. ABOUT PVR Priya Village Roadshow (PVR) Cinemas Began as a joint venture agreement b/w Priya Exhibitors Private Limited and Village Roadshow Limited in 1995 with 60:40 ratio Commenced its commercial operations in June 1997 with the launch of PVR Anupam in Saket PVR Anupam in Saket, South Delhi, was Indias first multiplex Introduced the multiplex concept in India *Rangarajan panel may suggest raising fuel prices, duty cuts: The Committee has recommended shifting to a trade parity model from the current import parity model for pricing petrol and diesel, reduction in custom duties on petrol and diesel from 10 per cent to 7.5 per cent and shifting excise duty from an advalorem levy to a specific levy. While the Committee acknowledged the need for subsidizing kerosene, it called for the subsidy to be restricted to poor families KITE4education.com
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only. The Committee, however, saw no merit in subsidizing LPG which it felt is overwhelmingly used by the non-poor segment of the society. The Committee recommended an increase of Rs. 75 per cylinder of LPG. The Committees recommendations broadly cab be put in three groups: (a) Pricing of petrol and diesel, (b) Pricing of domestic LPG and PDS kerosene. (c) Restructuring of excise duties on petrol and diesel *Rangarajan Panel moots sugar industry decontrol; asks government to scrap regulations in local market: The Rangarajan committee, set up to examine issues related to sugar decontrol, has recommended complete decontrol of the sugar industry. In its report, the committee has asked the government to remove levy sugar obligation (sugar for ration shops) and to do away with the regulated release mechanism besides freeing up the commodity's export and import. *RBI announces new guidelines for rehabilitation of sick MSEs: Revising definition of sickness in micro and small enterprises (MSEs), the Reserve Bank asked banks for timely and adequate assistance to them as soon as the signs of sickness are detected. As per the new guidelines, a MSE would be considered sick if any of the borrowal account of the enterprise remains non-performing assets (NPA) for three months or more. Earlier a unit was considered sick if its borrowal account remained sub-standard for more than six months. However, RBI asked the banks not to classify units as sick if they reach such a situation on account of "willful mismanagement, willful default, unauthorized diversion of funds, disputes among partners." Also, the unit needs not to be in commercial production for at least two years to be declared sick, it added. The new guidelines should be applicable for the year ending March ending 2013. RBI asked the banks to take a sympathetic attitude and strive for rehabilitation of MSE units when the sickness is on account of circumstances beyond control. It asked for timely action by banks if there is a delay in commencement of commercial production by more than six months for reasons beyond the control of promoters. Also, if company incurs losses for two years or cash loss for one year beyond the accepted time frame and if capacity utilization is less than 50 per cent of the projected level in terms of value during a year. RBI said the revised guidelines would help the banks to take timely action in identification of sick units for their revival. *RBI establishes supervisory colleges for SBI, ICICI: This is the first time RBI has established ECONOMICS - News 144
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supervisory colleges for the banks. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up the supervisory college for cross border cooperation for the supervision of State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI Bank. Both the banks have substantial cross border presence and thus were chosen for the supervisory college. While SBI is the largest bank in the country with maximum foreign officers among Indian banks, ICICI Bank is the largest private sector lender, which also has a significant presence abroad. SBI will have nine host country supervisors while ICICI Bank will have seven host country supervisors. The concept of supervisory college was put forward in the Basel Committee for Banking Supervision (BCBS) October 2010 document named good practice principles on supervisory colleges. Supervisory colleges have evolved the world over as an important component of effective supervisory oversight of an international banking group. This mechanism was developed with the aim of reducing supervisory overlap and filling in supervisory gaps for better supervisory cooperation enunciated in Basel-2 framework, the banking regulator said. India doesnt have any systemically important banks (SIBs), we decided to benchmark India with the best practices across the globe and establish two supervisory colleges for SBI and ICICI Bank, the RBI said. NH4 Bank In banking circles, Ratnakar Bank is often referred to as the NH4 Bank since a majority of its business comes from cities in and around the 1,235-km-long National Highway 4 that connects four of the 10 most populous cities in India. While the Kolhapur-based private lender will continue to serve the local community of traders, small businessmen and farmers, it now aspires to become a pan-India player. The new management aims to keep the plan simple: build on legacy, achieve scale and enter new regions. *RBI issues guidelines to set up White Label ATMs: In an effort to extend the reach of banking services, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued final guidelines to set up white label ATMs (automated teller machines). With a net worth of at least Rs 100 crore, any non-bank entity can set up, own and operate these ATMs to provide services to customers of Indian banks. White label means, an ATM that does not have any label of any bank. Here, there are three inherent parties: the non-bank corporate entity, authorized ATM network operators/ card payment network operators like RuPay, Visa or MasterCard and a sponsor bank for cash management, funds settlement as well as customer grievance redressal. *RBI may hike NPA provision ratio if needed: RBI KITE4education.com
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Deputy Governor KC Chakrabarty has come down heavily on banks showing higher profits without providing adequately for bad loans , and said if need be, the central bank may hike provision coverage ratio (PCR) levels. The apex bank had increased the PCR to 70 per cent after the Lehman crisis in 2008 and this was applicable till September, 2011. While almost all private banks have higher PCR, majority of the state-run lenders could not meet this deadline. PROVISION COVERAGE RATIO PROVISION COVERAGE RATIO refers to the percentage of the loan amount that the bank has set aside as provisions to meet an eventuality where the loan might have to be written off it become irrecoverable. (i.e) it can be explained as bad debts which becomes a loss to the bank. It is a measure that indicates the extent to which the bank has provided (set aside money to bear the loss) against the troubled part of its loan portfolio. Provision coverage ratio = Cumulative provisions / Gross NPAs - Non Performing Assets. A number of public sector banks, especially the smaller ones, have shown a drop in PCR in the second quarter earnings and posted a good jump in profits as a result. *RBI raises borrowing limit of SCBs under the MSF from 1 per cent to 2 per cent of their NDTL: Marginal Standing Facility In order to provide greater liquidity cushion, it has been decided to Raise the borrowing limit of scheduled commercial banks under the marginal standing facility (MSF) from 1 per cent to 2 per cent of their net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) outstanding at the end of second preceding fortnight with immediate effect. Banks can continue to access the MSF even if they have excess statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) holdings, as hitherto. The MSF rate, determined with a spread of 100 basis points above the repo rate, stands adjusted to 9.0 per cent with immediate effect. Marginal Standing Facility Rate Under this scheme, Banks will be able to borrow upto 1% of their respective Net Demand and Time Liabilities". The rate of interest on the amount accessed from this facility will be 100 basis points (i.e. 1%) above the repo rate. This scheme is likely to reduce volatility in the overnight rates and improve monetary transmission. In the policy statement RBI has also declared "The stance of monetary policy is, among other things, to manage liquidity to ensure that it remains broadly in balance, with neither a large surplus diluting monetary transmission nor a large deficit choking off fund flows." Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) NDTL is basically the sum of demand and time liabilities of banks with both public and other banks.. As banks also have assets with other banks, we subtract the assets with the banking system to ECONOMICS - News 145
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adjust for liabilities to other banks. As we net the assets with other banks, we call the item as Net Demand and Time Liabilities. However, as per section 42 of RBI Act NDTL is calculated as: NDTL = Liabilities to Others + (Liabilities to the Banking System - Assets with the Banking System only when Liabilities to banking system > Assets to the banking system). Demand liabilities include all liabilities which are payable on demand, mainly the balances in savings and current account come under these categories. Time liabilities are those which are payable otherwise on demand. Mainly deposits of different maturity duration come under this category. *Recommendations of Shilbhadra Banerjee Committee (Constituted in in December 2009) Report: Shilbhadra Banerjee Committee was formed to suggest the measures To Increase the security features for currency notes (i.e. make it harder for Pakistanis to print fake Indian Currency) To Prepare a roadmap for progressive indigenization of various inputs. (i.e. start printing currency using desi equipment and technology instead of relying on foreign countries such as Switzerland etc. for the printing press, paper and ink). Recommendations Create a Directorate of Currency under Finance Ministry to coordinate & oversee acquisition and R&D efforts of security features for currency notes and other security products. Under this Directorate of Currency, set up a National level research and Development unit for raw material, security features and currency printing machinery. Government should try indigenisation of manufacture of bank note paper, security inks, security features, related equipments and coin plating. Set up a Single national level coordinating agency for intelligence, law enforcement and investigation to tackle the menace of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN). RBI should launch a big multimedia campaign for educating the public to distinguish genuine bank note from the fake notes. The action taken so far includes setting- up of DIRECTORATE OF CURRENCY in the Ministry of Finance under the charge of Additional Secretary & Director General; initiation of the acquisition process following eight-stage process recommended by the Banerjee Committee; revision of Procurement Manuals by SPMCIL and BRBNMPL. In addition, several initiatives/steps for augmenting the indigenous capacity of various products like banknote paper and security ink etc., in the country have been taken. Action has also been initiated to install three new banknote paper production lines in the country. KITE4education.com
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Similarly, modernization and augmentation of the Ink Factory at Dewas has also been taken-up. Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) is making coins and currency not only for India but also for other countries. The expertise gained by the company over the years should be harnessed further by developing products for other countries and assuming a leadership position in this domain. A nodal group namely FCORD (FICN Coordination Cell) has also been setup to coordinate/share available information/intelligence and analysis on circulation/smuggling of FICN in the world. The review of demand and supply of currency notes is a continuous and dynamic process undertaken in coordination with relevant stakeholders including RBI and various security agencies. *Regulator SEBI permitted seven Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to start Operation in India: Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in August 2012 permitted seven Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to start operation in India under a newly formulated route that enable pooling of funds for investments in areas such as real estate, private equity and hedge funds. Six AIFs registered with the regulator in August 2012, while one was granted registration back on 23 July 2012. SEBI had published its guidelines with regard to AIF in May 2012. The seven AIFs that registered with SEBI include IFCI Syncamore India Infrastructure Fund, Utthishta Yekum Fund, Indiaquotient Investment Trust, Forefront Alternate Investment Trust, Excedo Realty Fund, Sabre Partners Trust and KKR India Alternate Credit Opportunities Fund. Funds established or incorporated in India for the purpose of pooling in of capital from Indian and foreign investors for investing would have to follow a pre-decided policy. SEBI decided to allow promoters of listed companies can offload 10 per cent of equity to AIFs such as such as SME Funds, Infrastructure Funds, PE funds and Venture Capital Funds registered with the market regulator to attain minimum 25 per cent public holding. AIFs, as per SEBI guidelines can operate broadly in three categories and it is mandatory for them to get registered with the regulator. The SEBI rules apply to all AIFs, including those operating as private equity funds, real estate funds and hedge funds, among others. AIF Categories The Category I AIFs are those where funds stand a chance of getting certain incentives or concessions from the government, SEBI or other regulators in India and include Social Venture Funds, Infrastructure Funds, Venture Capital Funds and SME Funds. The Category II AIFs are those funds which can invest anywhere in any combination but are prohibited from raising debt, except for meeting their day-to-day operational requirements. These ECONOMICS - News 146
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AIFs include PE funds, debt funds or fund of funds, as also all others falling outside the ambit of Category I and Category III. The Category III AIFs are those trading with an objective to make short term returns and include hedge funds, among others. *Resolve investors' concerns at the earliest: Plan panel: A decision on the recommendations to allay investors concerns on the tax front should be taken at the earliest to boost investments, said the draft XII Plan document. Projecting an annual growth rate of 8.2 per cent for the five years till 2016-17, the document also called for removal of bottlenecks to boost investment in infrastructure. The document to be placed before the National Development Council (NDC), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 27 for approval, said that an immediate policy objective in the very first year (2012-13) of the Plan must be to revive animal spirits, which have suffered for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons for a downturn in investor sentiment can be easily corrected. For example, the perception among investors that some of the tax changes introduced in the Budget are anti-investor need to be allayed as quickly as possible, it said. The Finance Ministry had appointed two expert committees to look into investors concerns on GAAR and retrospective tax amendments in the Budget 2012-13. The committees have already given recommendations on the two issues. Policy challenge The document further said the outcome on the growth front is subject to many policy actions. The policy challenge in the XII Plan is, therefore, two-fold and the immediate challenge is to reverse the deceleration in growth by reviving investment as quickly as possible, said the document. This calls for urgent action to tackle implementation constraints in infrastructure which are holding up large projects, combined with action to deal with tax-related issues, which have created uncertainty in the investment climate, it said. The growth projection is lower than the 9 per cent average GDP expansion forecast in the Approach Paper to the XII Plan approved by the NDC in 2011. *Roaming charge to be scrapped - new telecom policy: The new policy called National Telecom Policy-2012 will replace more than a decade old legislation. The new Telecom Policy also simplifies the licensing policy. The new policy also seeks to provide a predictable and stable policy regime for a period of nearly 10 years. The policy aims at providing secure, reliable, affordable and high quality converged telecommunication services anytime, anywhere for an accelerated inclusive socio-economic development. The policy emphasized on the multiplier effect and transformational impact of such services on the overall economy. Detailed guidelines, as may be considered appropriate are to KITE4education.com
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be introduced from t from time to time for operational purposes. National Telecom Policy is expected to enable smooth implementation of the policies for providing an efficient telecommunication infrastructure taking into account the primary objective of maximizing public good by empowering the people of India. Also the policy will enable taking of facilitatory measures to encourage existing service providers to rapidly migrate to the new regime in a uniformly liberalized environment with a level playing field. New Telecom Policy-2012 Highlights Increase rural teledensity from the current level of around 39 to 70 by the year 2017 and 100 by the year 2020 Repositioning of Mobile phone as an instrument of empowerment Broadband -"'Broadband For All" at a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps Domestic Manufacturing - Making India a global hub The policy also provides for national number portability However in this respect too no timeline was provided. The New Telecom Policy also mentioned that cloud computing, next generation networks, IPV6 and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to be thrust. The union cabinet also approved introduction of unified licence and authorised the Department of Telecommunications to finalise the new unified licensing regime with the approval of minister of communications and IT. *Russia formally became a Member of the World Trade Organization: Russia formally became a member of the World Trade Organisation(WTO) on 22 August 2012 after 18 years of negotiations. Russia agreed to reduce import tariffs on goods, including food and cars and to relax controls on overseas companies entering its financial and telecom sectors. Russia will be the 156th member of the WTO. WTO requires that any country that seeks to benefit from it must apply the same trade rules to all member countries. Russia negotiated for membership for 18 years, beginning when the WTO was called the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. *Sahara inks deal to build Notun Dhaka in Bangladesh: Sahara India Pariwar has signed an agreement with the Bangladesh government to design and develop a new city near Dhaka Notun Dhaka (New Dhaka). Sahara Matribhumi Unnayan Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bangladesh government to build affordable housing for low income groups with housing finance support and also design- and planintegrated satellite townships under the ministry of housing & public works (MOHPW) of the Bangladesh government. Sahara India Pariwar managing worker and ECONOMICS - News 147
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Chairman Subrata Roy, who met Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, has sought easing of norms on home finance and also suggested changes in tax rules. *Sahil Lavingia: 19-year old Indian college dropout gets Rs 5.8 crore for his startup Gumroad: Sahil is the designer/founder/CEO of Gumroad. He was previously on the founding team of Pinterest, where he did all things design and mobile, and made turntable.fms iPhone app. *Samsung Electronics named Kwon Oh-hyun as its New Chief Executive Officer: Electronic Equipments major Samsung Electronics on 7 June 2012 named Kwon Oh-hyun as its new chief executive officer. The head of the Samsungs components business at present, he will replace Choi Gee-sung, at the top-notch position. In addition to his previous works, Kwon as the CEO, will now also look into the corporate affairs of the company. *SBI, Russian sovereign wealth fund to set up $2B joint investment fund: The State Bank of India (SBI) and the Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), a Russian sovereign wealth fund, will set up a $2 billion co-investment consortium to explore growth opportunities and asset acquisitions in both countries. Each side will invest up to $1 billion into the fund. The proposed Indo-Russia Joint Investment Fund will tap the opportunities in the Indian infrastructure space, believed to be more than $1 trillion, and also in the Russian disinvestment programme to further strengthen the bilateral ties. The fund is expected to operate as an ideal vehicle to route and manage strategic investments by Indian companies with interest in hydro-carbon assets, diamond and other mineral assets in Russia, should they decide to form consortia for acquiring stakes in the federal assets being privatised. RDIF is a $10 billion fund, established by the Russian government to make equity investments primarily in the Russian economy. The Russian Direct Investment Fund was created in 2011 by President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and is managed by Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive officer of the RDIF, since inception. Earlier this year, RDIF entered into a similar partnership with China Investment Corporation, a $500 billion sovereign wealth fund and Chinas largest SWF, for setting up a $10 billion PE fund. SBI is one of the leading project finance providers in India and brings its local infrastructure market expertise to the joint venture. This is the third PE fund initiative undertaken by the SBI and the bank will pursue similar ventures in the near future. In a similar development in 2010, SBI and the State General Reserve Fund of Oman (SGRF) signed an agreement to form a joint investment fund during a visit from an Oman minister. The Oman-India Joint Investment Fund reportedly had a corpus of $100 KITE4education.com
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million, to be contributed equally by the SGRF and the SBI. The fund aims to explore opportunities across all sectors, without any specific preference. Earlier in 2008, SBI set up another fund called Macquarie SBI Infrastructure Fund (MSIF), which is an unlisted PE-style infrastructure fund with approximately $910 million of committed capital. MSIF provides its investors (located outside India) access to the growing number of investment opportunities available in Indias infrastructure and infrastructure-like assets. MSIF is managed by a joint venture between Macquarie Capital Group, the State Bank of India and the International Finance Corporation. *Sensex, Nifty hit two-year high on inflation, GAAR: The BSE Sensex and Nifty rose more than 1 per cent on January 14, 2013 to two-year highs after a slower-than-expected rise in inflation cemented hopes the RBI will cut interest rates later this month, boosting banks and property shares such as DLF. Sentiment was also supported after India delayed the implementation of controversial rules on tax avoidance to 2016, helping remove uncertainty about whether foreign investors would continue their strong buying of domestic equities. *SHERYL SANDBERG - First Female and Eighth Member on Facebooks Board: Chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg is the first female and eighth member on the Facebook Board of Directors announced by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on 26 June 2012. Sandberg joined Facebook as a Chief Operating Officer after Google Inc. in 2008. She is ranked no. 12 on the Fortune Most Powerful Women list. She was also named in 25 Most Influential People on the Web by Business Week. *Short notes on Windfall Tax:- A windfall tax is a tax assessed on a company or industry when usually high profits are made. The obvious benefit to a windfall tax is that it increases government revenues, allowing governments to more comprehensively provide social services and other benefits to citizens, ranging from improving roads to increasing military strength. Having additional funds can also allow a government to address its debt and may strengthen the economy. However, windfall taxes can also act as a disincentive for companies. If companies operate in awareness that windfall profits will be taxed specially, there is no particular reason to seek out such profits with innovative inventions and business practices. *SIDBI Bill tabled, to enable tourism, film sectors get loans: According to the SIDBI (Amendment) Bill, SIDBI has been empowered to confiscate the mortgaged property or right to transfer by way of lease or sale in case enterprise makes a default in repayment of any loan or advances. The bill envisages ECONOMICS - News 148
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not only widening of the scope of industrial concerns, it also aims at conferring more powers upon the board of directors of bank to decide investment limit for these industrial concerns. According to the statement of objectives and reasons of the bill, an amendment will replace definition and expression of industrial concern in small sector with industrial concern or micro enterprise or small enterprise or medium enterprise in the SIDBI Act 1989. Further, the board of directors may unanimously resolve to decide the investment limit for the purpose of industrial concern. By the change in definition, businesses such as convention centres, travel and transport, tourist service agencies, guidance and counselling services to tourists, financial assistance by way of venture capital, risk capital factoring and discounting , construction and development of roads will now be able to take loans and advances from the bank. Micro Finance Institutions (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2012 The Micro Finance Institutions (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2012, also introduced in the Lok Sabha, aims to bring microfinancelenders under the regulatory ambit of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which will be empowered to specify the maximum limit of the margin and the interest rate that can be charged by any MFI. The Micro Finance Institutions (Development and Regulation) Bill provides for regulation of activities like micro credit, thrift, pension or insurance services and remittance of funds by micro finance institutions (MFIs). The bill, which was drafted in the backdrop of problems faced by borrowers of MFIs in Andhra Pradesh and other states, seeks for compulsory registration of MFIs with the RBI. They should have minimum net-owned funds of Rs 5 lakh. According to the Bill, all MFIs will now have to get registered with the RBI. The Bill introduced comes with modifications to the earlier Bill introduced in March 2007. *Sistemas ties with India will continue: In spite of the setback in the telecom sector, Russian business conglomerate Sistemas relationship with India will continue. Sistema has already signed an MoU with ONGC Videsh. Though Sistema has offered an opportunity in Bashkortostan in partnership with another subsidiary Bashneft, ONGC is keener on SakhalinIII and Trebs and Titov oilfields in the Timan Pechora region. To protect the interests of its shareholders, including the Russian government, which holds 17.14 per cent stake in the company, Sistema Shyam TeleServices has already filed a CURATIVE PETITION before the Supreme Court. What is Curative Petition? The concept of Curative petition was evolved by KITE4education.com
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the Hon'ble Supreme court in the matter of Rupa Ashok Hurra vs.Ashok Hurra(2002) where the question was whether an aggrieved person is entitled to any relief against the final judgment/order of the Supreme Court, after dismissal of a review petition. The Supreme Court in the said case held that in order to prevent abuse of its process and to cure gross miscarriage of justice, it may reconsider its judgments in exercise of its inherent powers. For this purpose the Court has devised what has been termed as a "curative" petition. In the Curative petition, the petitioner is required to aver specifically that the grounds mentioned therein had been taken in the review petition filed earlier and that it was dismissed by circulation. This has to be certified by a senior advocate. The Curative petition is then circulated to the three senior most judges and the judges who delivered the impugned judgment, if available. The company has already invoked its right under the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between India and Russia the right to go for international arbitration and seek damages from the Indian government. *Tata Consultancy Services bags Rs 103 crore contract for MGNREGS in West Bengal: Leading IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Recently signed an agreement for Rs 103 crore endto-end ICT solution for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in West Bengal. The TCS MGNREGS solution has been successfully implemented in 1,098 mandals of 22 districts in Andhra Pradesh and we will replicate the same here in Bengal. TCS would provide a 5-year support to the system after implementation. *Tata Consultancy Services bags Rs 103 crore contract for MGNREGS in West Bengal: Leading IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) today signed an agreement for Rs 103 crore end-toend ICT solution for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in West Bengal. The TCS MGNREGS solution has been successfully implemented in 1,098 mandals of 22 districts in Andhra Pradesh and we will replicate the same here in Bengal. TCS would provide a 5-year support to the system after implementation. *Tax information exchange pact signed with Argentina: India has signed a tax information exchange agreement with Argentina. This is the tenth such pact in the past three years. This pact with Argentina would enable Indian tax authorities to obtain specific information, including banking related, on tax evasion cases. The other such pacts signed by India are with the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman ECONOMICS - News 149
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Islands, Jersey, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Liberia and Macau. India has also entered into new double taxation avoidance agreements with Colombia, Ethiopia, Lithuania, Uruguay and Estonia. These, too, have not yet entered into force. India had renegotiated double taxation avoidance pacts with Australia, Nepal and Norway, but all these had not come into force. *The Rural Electrification Corporation signed MoU with Genco: The Rural Electrification Corporation(REC) on 23 August 2012 signed MoU with Genco under which the former will provide the latter a loan of 10873 crore rupees to set up three power projects with a combined capacity of 2560 MW in Andhra Pradesh. These are Vijayawada and Kothagudem thermal power stations expansion projections of 800 MW each, and the hydro-electric project of Polavaram dam (960 MW). The expansion projects of the Vijayawada and Kothagudem thermal stations will require 5286 crore rupees and 5291 crore rupees respectively and that of Polavaram will require 3014 crore rupees. The REC loan will cover a major part of the cost of these projects while the remaining expenditure will be carried out by Genco. *Trafigura picked up 24 Percent Equity in Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Ltd: Trafigura Pvt. Ltd. picked up 24 percent equity in Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Ltd (NOCL) by investing around 650 crore rupees. TRAFIGURA IS A COMMODITY TRADER IN THE GLOBAL SPHERE. NOCL is carrying out six million tone oil refinery project at Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. The total estimate of the project is 7610 crore rupees. Trafigura has also planned to invest 600 crore rupees into the construction of storage facilities. This will be done through another joint venture between Trafigura and NOCL called Portoil Ltd. *TRAI issues tariff order for cable TV: The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in its much-awaited tariff order issued on 30 April 2012, ordained the TV channels to carry a minimum of 100 free-to-air channels on their networks. As per the TRAI order, the basic service tier (BST) will comprise at least five channels of news and current affairs, infotainment, sports, kids, music, lifestyle, movies and general entertainment in Hindi, English and regional language of the concerned region. While multi-system operators (MSO) have to offer the BST, it is not mandatory to subscribe to it. The subscriber is free to subscribe to his own package of a maximum of 100 FTA channels, but in either case, the MSO cant charge the subscriber more than 100 rupees a month. Besides having to carry a minimum of 500 channels KITE4education.com
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from next year, Trai have mandated that every MSO will have a minimum capacity to carry 200 channels from1 July, 2012. The Trai's order came following the I&B ministry's Cable Television Networks Rules 2012 notification issued on 29 April 2012. Broadcasters shall not provide their channels to MSOs who have channel carrying capacity of less than 200 channels immediately and less than 500 channels from 2013. Trai also gave the responsibility of fixing Carriage Fee to the MSO in a uniform and transparent manner. MSOs can fix the retail tariff, and package and price offerings. But, the sum of the a-la-carte rates of channels part of a bouquet shall not exceed 1.5 times the rate of the bouquet. *TRAI Specifies Access Facilitation Charges for Submarine Cable Landing Stations: Access Facilitation Charges (AFC) are the charges, which are payable by International Long Distance Operators (ILDO)/ Internet Service Providers (ISP) to the owner of the cable landing station to access the acquired international bandwidth in a submarine cable. Submarine cables provide vital international telecommunication links between countries across the world. Submarine cables terminate in the country through cable landing stations. *U.S. slaps hefty duties onto Chinese solar panels: The United States has slapped hefty tariffs onto Chinese solar panels after concluding that China has engaged in unfair trading practices to the detriment of U.S. manufacturers. Chinese companies have called for the U.S. to advert a SOLAR TRADE WAR. The tariffs were set at about 31 per cent for 61 named Chinese suppliers, including Suntech and Trina Solar, and about 250 per cent for all other imports from China, effective immediately. The decision follows a collapse in prices for solar components caused by global manufacturing overcapacity following aggressive expansion, particularly in China. The decision also increases the likelihood that China might take retaliatory action against the multibillion-dollar US solar export industry, which includes goods such as polysilicon, a key ingredient in solar panels that the US exports to China, as well as the expensive machinery used to make solar panels. *Union Commerce Ministry unveiled New Trade Policy to boost India's Export: The Union Government of India on 5 June 2012 announced a new trade policy aimed at achieving 20 per cent increase in exports to 360 billion dollar in the fiscal year 2012-13. India's exports grew by 21 per cent and touched 303.7 billion dollar in 2011-12, while the trade deficit during the same period expanded to 185 billion dollar. The government also announced to come out with new guidelines to restore Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Export Oriented Unit (EOU) schemes to further boost the shipments. ECONOMICS - News 150
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As the part of the new trade policy, the Union Commerce Ministry had added seven new markets to the focus market scheme (FMS) and an equal number of new markets to the special FMS. Countries like Algeria, Aruba, Austria, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Netherland Antilles and Ukraine have been added to FMS; while countries including Belize, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Morocco and Uruguay have been added to special FMS. The FMS and SFMS scheme will help India to explore new markets and promote the product diversification. The highlights of the new trade policy are as follows: Government set the export target for 2012-13 at 20 per cent 2 per cent interest subsidy scheme extended till March 2013 Government to announce new guidelines to promote SEZs Incentives for exports from north-eastern states Shipments from Delhi, Mumbai through post, courier or e-commerce to get export benefits Foreign Trade Policy document to be more user friendly 13 shows abroad to promote Brand India Single revolving bank guarantee for different export deals. Seven new markets added to Focus Market Scheme. Market linked focus product scheme extended till March'13 for apparel export to USA and EU. *Walt Disney banned Junk Food Advertisements on Kids Programmes: The Walt Disney Company on 6 June 2012 announced to ban the junk food advertisements on kids programmes. The decision taken by the senior management of the company made it the first media company to ban junk-food ads on programmes made for children. Junk foods are considered to be one of the most vital reasons of obesity among the people across the world. In USA more than two-thirds of the entire population are overweight and 30 per cent suffer from obesity, in addition to that there has also been a dramatic increase in childhood obesity. In the United States, the percentage of overweight or obese children has doubled over the past 30 years to 25 per cent of the under-19 population. Junk food is a term used for food that contains high level of calories and little nutritional components. The term Junk Food was coined by MICHAEL JACOBSON, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in 1972. *Wealthy industries can now start institutes of their own: The governing body for technical institutes, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has now decided to allow industries and businesses with a Rs. 100 crore turnover to set up technical institutions of their own. The council has already received applications from companies such as BHEL, BSNL and Bharat Forge, KITE4education.com
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and it expects the list to grow in the next few days. Such institutions will be allowed to admit double the number of students allowed at regular institutions, and will be able to start a single branch or a theme institute of their choice, according to the AICTEs notification inviting applications to start new institutes for the 2013-14 academic year. The measure is an attempt is to bridge the gap between technical education institutes and the expectations of those who employ their graduates. Many agri-based companies have also come forward to set up institutions. Such institutions can teach any technical discipline, including engineering, pharmacy, architecture and town planning, applied arts and crafts, and hotel management and catering technology. They can offer undergraduate or postgraduate or even diploma courses. Companies would be allowed to set up training centers only in the areas of their specialization. For instance, BSNL will be able to train students on the telecom sector and then employ them. The fee structure will be decided by the company and they might be allowed to take in around 600 students a year. While most company heads have welcomed the move since it attempts to reduce training costs at their end and customize entry-level training as per their needs, heads of engineering institutions have a very different take on this. Some experts say that with this measure, engineering colleges are now likely to face a lot of competition. *WPI revision: Govt extends tenure of committee: The government has extended the tenure of the Saumitra Chaudhuri committee on the revision of the Wholesale Price Index by six months to June 30. Originally, the committee was to submit its final report by December 31. Chaudhuri is a Planning Commission Member. Faced with criticism over its WPI series, which was released about two years ago, the government had in April set up the committee to revise the index to take into account structural changes in the economy since 2004-05 to present a better picture of price situation. There were reports of error in the updated series. Economists as well as RBI have been critical of the WPI data. The 31-member group will suggest improvements for enhancing the reliability of the official series of WPI/PPI/ BSPI. It will also suggest ways to ensure smooth flow of data and also to look into the possibility of having a single agency for collecting data for WPI and index of industrial production (IIP). Besides, it will look into issues such as selecting the most appropriate base year for the preparation of a new official series of index numbers of WPI, producers price index (PPI) and business service price index (BSPI) in India. The working group will review commodity basket ECONOMICS - News 151
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of the current series of WPI, PPI and BSPI, the official said, adding that it would evolve a suitable system for allocation weight to the various commodities to be included in the index basket. The new series of the WPI, the government's main tool for monitoring the priceline, was launched in September 2010 to give a more accurate picture of inflation. The new WPI, with 2004-05 base, comprised 676 items as against 435 items in the old index. The number of price quotations for the new series was 5,482 as against 1,918 in the old series. *Zee TV became the First Indian Channel to get Landing Right in China: Zee TV on 27 March 2012 became the first Indian channel to get a landing right in China. Chinas State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) granted the landing rights to the Indian channel after a long six years of wait. Zee TV had already been selling to Chinese television channels its popular Mandarin-dubbed Indian programmes which had garnered a considerable viewership in the country. Zee TV Asia Pacific inked a landing agreement with the CTV-STVP, only Chinese agent allowed to distribute foreign channels. *Raghuram Rajan took over as the Chief Economic Advisor of in Union Finance Ministry: With a pay package totalling $8.8 million, or Rs 49 crore, the boss of Genpact was the highest-paid chief executive in India's IT services and BPO industry in 2011. Raghuram Rajan, former chief economist of International Monetary Fund (IMF) took over as the Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry on 29 August 2012. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet had cleared the appointment of Rajan as the new CEA on 10 August 2012. The position was lying vacant since Kaushik Basu demitted the office on 31 July 2012. Raghuram Rajan has already been serving as the Honorary Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, the position he was given in November 2008. He also headed High Level Committee on Financial Sector Reforms in 2007. What is Carbon price? A carbon price is a cost applied to carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas they emit into the atmosphere. Economists widely agree that introducing a carbon price is the single most effective way for countries to reduce their emissions. What is Pigovian tax? What is its significance?. 'Pigovian Tax' - A special tax that is often levied on companies that pollute the environment or create excess social costs, called negative externalities, through business practices. The significance of pigovian taxes is to discourage activity that has negative externalities, or we believe is otherwise economically/socially harmful. A type of a Pigovian tax is a "sin tax", which is a special tax on tobacco products and alcohol. KITE4education.com
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What do the numbers on bottom of plastic bottles indicate?. What is its significance?. The number informs the user about the chemical makeup of the plastic. 1) Polyethylene terephalate (PET) 2) High density polyethylene (HDPE) 3) Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) or Plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PPVC) 4) Low density polyethylene LDPE 5) Polypropylene (PP) 6) Polystyrene (PS) or Expandable polystyrene (EPS) 7) Other, including nylon and acrylic The worst ones are Nos: 3, 6, and 7. They appear to have the Bisphenol - A in them. One will ingest this poison Bisphenol- A, which leaks into the contents of the bottle. Why it is a good idea to mandate corporate social responsibility? The corporate world embraced CSR with companies like Shell adopting the 'people, profit, planet' approach to sustainable growth. Ever since, some companies have been disclosing social and environmental performance with financial results which was alien to Indian business. Our business houses and entrepreneurs have practised philanthropy for centuries. Whether through building temples or setting up dharamshalas, a social connect was always established by the wealthy. The principle of giving or daan has an interesting insight: the donor must detach himself from the donation and his attachment to the subject and, so, is not expected to monitor its outcome. In the West, the donor remains attached to his donation, seeking satisfaction from the outcome. It should be mandatory for the first three to five years. Thereafter, the momentum will be self-sustaining. The draft of the Companies Bill, 2009, had linked CSR expenditure to net profit. While there will be tax breaks, there will also be an impact on profit. India is not new to corporate philanthropy. Sir Ratan Tata Trust, established in 1919, is one of India's oldest philanthropic organisations. Recently, the Azim Premji foundation received $2 billion from its founder, the single-largest philanthropic gift in India. Institutionalised philanthropy will not depend on individual preferences and a prescriptive model will be better than a voluntary one. A report says that Indian listed companies had a combined net profit of Rs 4,37,167 crore last year. At 2 per cent, this will yield slightly less than $2 billion a year as the CSR kitty of India Inc. Such a large sum generated every year can alleviate many of our social and environmental issues. Three countries stand out in terms of CSR regulations. The first is DENMARK, the first western country to mandate CSR information in companies' annual financial reports. The second is INDONESIA that has taken a global lead by passing a law requiring all public companies to issue CSR reports and, third, perhaps the biggest impetus for CSR reporting, came in January 2010, when US' Securities Exchange Commission asked all US-based public companies to regularly disclose climate-related risks in their annual reports.
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* India Voted Against UN General Assemblys Resolution to Ban Death Penalties: India was one among the 39 other countries that voted on 20 November 2012 against the non-binding draft resolution of UN General Assembly that proposed for putting an end to death penalty. India voted on the grounds that each and every nation has its own sovereign right in order to determine the legal system. 110 nations voted in the favour, while 36 members withdrew. The non-binding UN resolution called for suspension on the capital punishment with a view to put an end to the death penalty. This was adopted at Third Committee of the General Assembly on 20 November 2012 along with the deals with humanitarian as well as social issues. The resolution of the draft expressed deep concerns over continued applications of death penalties, which is why it calls for establishment of cessation on capital punishment, viewing that the practice would be abolished completely. The resolution called the nations to gradually hamper the use of death penalty and not to impose them for offences which are committed by pregnant women or people below 18 years of age. The nations were also called to decrease the offences for which capital punishment is imposed. In the explanation of the non-agreeing vote, India said that every state has its autonomous right for determination of the legal system. Apart from India, other nations that voted against the resolution include China, Korea, Bangladesh, Japan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Kuwait and US. Over 2/3rd countries of the world have completely abolished death penalty. 97 countries of the world have abolished death penalty for all the crimes. * MPs form forum to help improve child survival: With India reporting one-fifth of global deaths caused by pneumonia and diarrhea among children, a group of parliamentarians announced forming of a forum to improve child survival in India. The forum has Champaran MP Sanjay Jaiswal and Jamshedpur MP Ajoy Kumar as conveners while many other parliamentarians have given support to it. The forum will also spearhead campaigns within the constituencies of the MPs in Bihar and Jharkhand to increase access and demand for comprehensive child survival interventions for diseases that kill a large percentage of children in the country. * NACP-IV aims at zero infection, zero death: KITE4education.com
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National AIDS Control Programme-IV (NACP-IV) has targeted to reach zero infection, zero stigma and zero deaths. India has registered 56% decline in new infections. National AIDS Control Programme-I (1992-1999): The main objective of the project was to slow the spread of HIV to reduce future morbidity, mortality, and the impact of AIDS by initiating a major effort in the prevention of HIV transmission. National AIDS Control Programme Phase II (19992004) had the main objectives to reduce the spread of HIV infection in India; and Strengthen Indias capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS on a long-term basis. NACP-III, launched in 2007, had set the goals of Halting and Reversing the epidemic by 2012. * National Initiative for Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS): The report highlights the lack of a uniform approach in defining Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), largely known as paramedic in India and calls for correcting this perception by standardizing a comprehensive definition for AHPs, along with a defined career pathway, salary structure and cadre formation to ensure their growth prospects. Pointing to a considerable regulatory gap in the allied health space, the report reasons that this is attributed to the lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework and absence of centers for excellence or apex bodies for professional development and training of AHPs. It points out that a number of councils such as the Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI) to name a few, have already been established by Government of India for regulating the standards of education and training, as well as the registration of practitioners in respective fields. While such bodies aim to prevent unqualified people from practicing and also for maintain the standards of these professions, the fact however remains that there is no central regulatory mechanism for AHPs. The PHFI team putting together this report studied over 1000 institutes and carried out literature review which reveals a plethora of institutions across the country all offering a wide variety of courses varying in quality and output on allied subjects. The teams findings that make up the report are particularly scathing of the lack of planned courses and institutions, non-uniform nomenclature for the existing courses, diverse standards of practice and lack of qualified faculty pose a threat to the quality of education and skills of the AHP. It calls for standardized course duration, curricula, training methodologies and other such components pertaining to the education and training of allied health professionals. Pointing to a cross-country shortage of 6.4 million AHPs, the findings of the PHFI team are based on a 153
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supply-demand analysis undertaken using an accessefficiency factor for urban and rural population based on best practices of human resource management norms. The highest gaps in the shortage of AHPs were reported from the states of UP, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. The Indian public health care system has limited options for employment for AHPs that is far from being rational in its approach. The reports authors have analysed that given the fast-paced growth in the healthcare sector, there is a potential for developing cadres of several new and emerging fields of AHPs. Augmenting the capacity of public sector through provision of employment opportunities by sanctioning new posts for the allied health cadre in the healthcare delivery system will address the gap. In the aftermath of horrific Gang Rape incident in New Delhi, on 23rd December 2012 MR. JUSTICE VERMA was appointed Chairperson of Three Member Commission to suggest Legal Changes required in existing Laws to provide better security to Women in India. The other two members are Mr. Gopal Subramanian and Mr. Leela Seth. The ODISHA STATE GOVERNMENT will b launching Annaprasana an innovative programme devised to promote early initiation of breast feeding and providing complementary feeding to the infant after six months from next month. According to WCD department, under the new programme, mothers would be encouraged to provide breast-feeding to infant and informed about complementary food which is important for childrens overall growth. * National Plan of Action to Improve the Child Sex Ratio: Child Sex Ratio (CSR), in its present nature and scale, is a cause of urgency and concern. She stated that child sex ratio is a powerful indicator of the social response and attitude towards the girl child. While certain States have consistently shown low number of women population like Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. There are as many as 119 districts with CSR lower than the already low average on 914. The districts with lowest CSR are mainly located in Northern and Western States of the country. What is even more alarming was that the practice of prenatal sex selection spreads; the sex ratio at birth in urban areas remains far worse 898 for than for rural areas where it was 907 in 2008-10. The spread of declining CSR in the rural areas is mainly due to easy availability of cheap sex determination machines in these areas and poor implementation of the PCPNDT Act. * Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, KITE4education.com
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2012 comes into force: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 was passed by Parliament in May, 2012 to address the evil of child sexual abuse. The Act is gender-neutral and defines a child as any person below the age of eighteen years. In keeping with the best international child protection standards, the Act provides for mandatory reporting of sexual offences. It also prescribes punishment for a person if he provides false information with the intention to defame any person, including a child. Most importantly, the Act provides for child-friendly procedures for reporting of offences, recording of evidence, investigation and trial. Under Section 45 of the Act, the power to make rules rests with the Central Government. The rules framed under the Act provide for qualifications and experience of interpreters, translators, special educators, and experts; arrangements for care and protection and emergency medical treatment of the child; compensation payable to a child who has been the victim of a sexual offence; and the manner of periodic monitoring of the provisions of the Act by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights. The rules rely on the structures established under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, such as Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Units, to make arrangements for the care and protection of the child and to ensure that the child is not re-victimised in the course of investigation and trial. They also provide that where a child is taken to a medical facility for emergency medical care, no magisterial requisition or other documentation may be demanded by such facility prior to rendering medical care. The rules also lay down criteria for award of compensation by the Special Court, which includes the gravity of the offence; loss of educational opportunity or employment as a result of the offence; and disability, disease or pregnancy suffered as a consequence of the offence. The compensation may be awarded at the interim stage as well as upon completion of trial. * Religion-neutral registration of marriages gets Cabinet nod: In a measure that will give relief to couples having inter-religion wedlocks, the Government approved a proposal to enable registration of religion-neutral marriages to meet the demands of minorities. The proposal, approved by the Union Cabinet, has been brought in the form of amendment to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 and a bill in this regard will be introduced in the second half of Budget Session starting on April 24. The Cabinet also gave approval to another bill under which Sikhs would be able to register marriages under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, meeting a 154
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long-standing demand of the community for a separate provision for them instead of being included under the Hindu Marriage Act. The Anand Marriage Act was passed by the British but was annulled after partition. Since then the Sikh marriages are registered under the Hindu Marriage Act. The proposed bill to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act will save women in case of inter-religion marriages from unnecessary harassment in matrimonial and maintenance cases, an official release said. It will also provide evidentiary value in the matters of custody of children, right of children born from the wedlock and the age of the persons married, it said. There have been demands by minorities, including Sikhs, for such a provision as weddings are currently registered under Hindu Marriage Act and they are shown as Hindus in official documents. Besides Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists are also issued certificates under this Act. According to Law Ministry officials, making registration of marriages religion neutral would help couples who face social and community pressures for having married according to their wishes. The present system of issuing religion-based certificates will continue
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According to the report, the number of crimes against STs drastically increased in 2010 to 5,885 cases and murder cases of STs alone totalled 142. PAKISTAN is among the three remaining polio endemic countries in the world along with Afghanistan and Nigeria.
* Report on Status of Implementation of SCs & STs [Prevention of Atrocities] Act 1989 released Increase in violence against SCs and STs, reveals report: Released by Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, the first Dalit Chief Justice of India, the report highlights loopholes in the implementation of the Act and argues that it has not been able to check atrocities against Dalits and Adivasis in an effective manner. The report which explains in details the trends and nature of discrimination and atrocities against SCs/STs over the years, recommends that "a highlevel committee should be appointed to review implementation of the Act and the Rules in all the States". While expressing disappointment over the States' failure to check crimes against Dalits and Adivasis, Justice Balakrishnan favoured the reports' recommendation that "exclusive special courts with powers to take cognizance of the offences under the Act should be set up and special public prosecutors for speedy trials of cases registered under the Act should be appointed". According to the report crime rate against SCs has increased from 2.6 per cent in 2007 to 2.8 per cent in 2010. In 2010, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 19.2 per cent of the total crimes against SCs (6,272 out of 32,712) in the country. In the same year, Rajasthan reported the highest rate of crimes (7.4 per cent) against SCs compared to the national average of 2.9 per cent. KITE4education.com
* Rs 8500-crore project for 78 naxalite-affected areas: The Union government on 17 May 2012 cleared a Rs 8500-crore project under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) with an objective to connect 6000 habitations in the 78 naxalite-affected districts of nine states. Under the project money will be utilised for new connectivity and upgradation of habitations, which will be an addition to the core network, approved in 2002 by the Union Ministry of Rural Development. Norms of PMGSY were relaxed for the first time to provide road connectivity to these habitations, in view of the naxalite problem. Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa will be the biggest beneficiary of this package. There are some 1000 unconnected habitations in nine Naxal-hit districts of Bihar and another 2500 in 17 districts of Jharkhand. The remaining habitations are spread over 18 districts in Orissa, 16 in Chhattisgarh, eight each in MP and AP, three each in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and two in Maharashtra. PMGSY is the single-most important rural development intervention that is believed to significantly transform the ground-level situation in Maoist-hit areas. Roads are the prime targets of the Naxals, the reason why PMGSY works are severely lagging in Maoisthit areas. The problem is most acute in 20 districts, and has the worst record in implementation in Bijapur and Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh, Rohtas, Hazaribagh and Gaya in Bihar and Deogarh in Orissa are among them. Major relaxations in norms have been made in the rural roads programme to improve connectivity in Maoist-hit districts. The population norm for a habitation to be connected has been reduced from 500 to 250 in these districts. The tender package for road construction was kept at Rs 50 lakh, as against Rs 1 crore earlier, to stimulate local contractors. The move to boost road connectivity is aimed at preventing tribals and backwards from falling for the Naxal campaign revolving around government neglect and under-development. The roads will also increase government interaction with these villages thereby providing better security besides being a key indicator of development. Cement-concrete roads have been pushed in Naxal areas because of the plea of security agencies that they were better insurance against Naxal landmines. The Centre bears 90% of the cost of these roads. * Some of the major highlights of the Food 155
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Security Bill are: Proposed National Food Security Bill marks a paradigm shift in addressing the problem of food security from it being viewed as a welfare approach to a right-based approach. The Act seeks to address the issue of food security in the country in a holistic manner by adopting a life cycle approach. Up to 75% of the rural population (with at least 46% from priority category) and up to 50% of urban population (with at least 28% from priority category) are to be covered under Targeted Public Distribution System. 7 kg of food-grains per person per month to be given to priority category households which include rice, wheat and coarse grains at Rs. 3, 2, and 1 per kg, respectively. At least 3 kg of food-grains per person per month to be given to general category households, at prices not exceeding 50% of Minimum Support Price. Women to be made head of the household for the purpose of issue of ration cards. Maternity benefit to pregnant women and lactating mothers. End-to-end computerisation of Targeted Public Distribution System. Three-tier independent grievance redressal mechanism. Social audit by local bodies such as Gram Panchayats, Village Councils etc. Meals for special groups such as destitute, homeless persons, emergency/disaster affected persons and persons on the verge of starvation. Food Security Allowance in case of non-supply of food-grains or meals. * UP Government launched the Samajwadi Swasthya Seva in the State: Uttar Pradesh state government on 14 September 2012 launched the Samajwadi Swasthya Seva, the biggest emergency medical transport service in the country. The ambitious service was launched in 13 districts Mainpuri, Etawah, Lucknow, Kannauj, Saharanpur, Meerut, Rampur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Sambhal, Shamli, Baghpat and Ambedkarnagar - in the first phase.The facility can be availed free of cost by dialling 108. The ambulance service was launched with the help of a private service provider. The government aims to reach people in need within 20 minutes of the SOS call. A call centre that will be manned by 100 people has been set up here to support the emergency service. It will be functional 24x7. *Prayas-like hostels for tribal students in 4 districts: Buoyed by the encouraging examination results of tribal students of Prayas residential schools set up under Mukyamantri Bal Bhavishya Sukraksha Yojana (Chief Minister Child Future Security Scheme), in Raipur, the Chhattisgarh State Government has decided to develop hostels on similar lines in Surguja, Raigarh, Korba and Jagdalpur KITE4education.com
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districts. *Aapka Paisa, Aapke Haath: Direct Cash Transfer to beneficiaries of various welfare schemes by Govt. Objective: To remove the middlemen from the system To check leakages from the system Elimination of falsification and duplication with regard to subsidies Give power of choice to beneficiaries, especially BPL No delay in transfer of money to beneficiaries Beneficiaries can access it themselves or via banking correspondents who are being set up in all the areas As per Finance Minister, P.Chidambaram, it costs the government Rs 3 to transfer 1 rupee to the pockets of beneficiaries. The rest goes on administrative expenses, waste and corruption. Cash transfers will do away with mediators of all sorts, thus reducing corruption and administrative burdens. At present, beneficiaries have to furnish various paperwork for availing benefit. CTS has the potential to merge all paperwork, thus reducing red tape and improving efficiency. Modus operandi of the scheme: Banks would be the distribution point for cash subsidy initially Subsidies would directly be electronically transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries The electronic cash transfers will be based on Aadhaar platform Stages planned: By January 1, 2013, 51 districts with high Aadhar penetration will be covered. By December 2013, the entire nation will be covered Challenges before Govt. Since, the government is basing the entire exercise on banks and using technology transfer to directly benefit the people using Aadhaar platform. But the issues are: Most BPL families dont have bank accounts Several villages dont even have bank branches At present, only about 10% of population has Aadhar cards Politically difficult to withdraw benefits from oncepoor folk who become better off. *SAMARTH FESTIVAL: The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Disability Affairs is organising for the first time, a National Festival of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), titled Samarth, from 15th to 17th November, 2012 at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi, with the following objectives: To showcase the abilities and potential of PwDs; To create awareness about their rights and entitlements; 156
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To provide PwDs and those working for them an opportunity for an interface with Policy makers, Parliamentarians, captains of industry, etc.
*27% Reservation for OBCs in Allotment of Retail Outlets (Petrol Pumps): The selection process of Retail Outlet (RO) i.e. Petrol Pump dealership has been revised. The major changes proposed pertain to application of the reservation policy as per constitutional provisions. It has now been decided to give 27% reservation to OBC candidates in allotment of RO dealership. Further, with a view to improve transparency and remove discretion in the selection process, the allotment of RO dealership will henceforth be made by draw of lots. These changes are expected to make the RO allotment in tune with our social objectives and higher standards of transparency. *ANTARCHAKSHU The Eye Within: According to Census 2001, there were 2.19 crore Persons with Disabilities in India who constitute 2.13 per cent of the total population. This includes persons with visual, hearing, speech, locomotor and mental disabilities. The Visuallly impaired constitute about 49% of the disabled population, with a population of 1.06 crores. `Antarchakshu` is a mass scale disability sensitization and awareness generating event. The event involves simulation of various disability conditions, more specifically blindness and low vision. The participants are made to do a series of tasks and activities whilst they are in different disability roles. The simulation process is followed by an exhibition on assistive tools, technologies and aids used by persons with disabilities. The last section of the process is a sharing and debriefing zone where participants who have just experienced the world of the disabled are engaged with persons with disabilities. This gives them a chance to share their impressions and raise key issues with the disability experts. This provides the participants a platform which allows them to understand how they can incorporate the learning of their experience in their daily life and develop insights to overcome odds through innovation and determination. It also helps to demystify the myths and prejudices that exist regarding disabilities. It`s an experience that promises widening of our intellectual, emotional and spiritual horizons. *Ashok Gulati panel cautions govt on Food Bill: An expert panel led by Ashok Gulati, chairman of the Commission of Agricultural Costs (CACP), has come up with an outlook on challenges and options in the implementation of the bill, which promises food for all. The panel said Addressing food security would be a great challenge as the central pivot of the bill is large-scale subsidised grain distribution to almost two-thirds of KITE4education.com
the country's population of 1.2 billion. According to the paper, the large-scale subsidised grain distribution implies massive procurement of food grains and a large distribution network entailing a huge financial burden on the already burdened fiscal system. The food subsidy alone will cost the exchequer about Rs 95,000 crore to start with. If one counts the other parts of the bill, and associated set up to get this moving through the existing channel of public distribution system (PDS), it may touch an expenditure of anywhere between Rs 1,25,000 crore to Rs 1,50,000 crore. The existing food security complex of procurement, stocking and distribution would further expand and increase the operational expenditure of the scheme given its creaking infrastructure, leakages (which amount to about 40% as per our calculations) and inefficient governance.
*Commission to suggest measures for Safety of Women: The Union Government of India on 23 December 2012 constituted a three-member Commission to be headed by the Former Chief Justice of India J.S. Verma for reviewing the laws in existence and the lapses of the police to suggest measures for ensuring safety of women in Delhi as well as across the nation. It would also look into the matter of the gang rape incident. Former Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramaniam and Justice Lalitha Seth are the two other members of the constituted inquiry commission. The commission would submit its report and findings within 30 days to the Government. Senior High Court lawyer Dyan Krishnan was appointed as the Special Prosecutor to ensure speedy trial and enhancement of the punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault. *Definition of a CHILD???????: Ten years ago, in 2002, the International Labour Organisation launched the first World Day against Child Labour observed on June 12 every year. Earlier, in 1992, India became a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Encouraging as these two watershed events in ensuring universal child rights may sound, the very definition of the word child' according to Indian laws remains ambiguous. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years. In India, different laws define the words child' and minor' differently. At the receiving end of this ambiguity are children between the ages of 15-18. The clamour from child rights activists to include individuals belonging to the aforementioned age group under the category of children and preventing people from employing them is growing louder. For instance as per the Child Labour (Prohibition 157
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and Regulation) Act, 1986 a child is defined as a person who has not completed 14 years of age. The act also prohibits employing children in 65 processes and 18 occupations that it views as hazardous, including beedi-making, tanning and brick kilns. Other laws around child rights such as trafficking, marriage and juvenile justice have variable definitions of minimum age. The Plantation Labour Act 1951 has separate definitions for child, adolescent and adult. According to it child' means a person who has not completed his 14th year. Adolescent' means a person who has completed his fourteenth year but has not completed his eighteenth year where as adult' means a person who has completed his eighteenth year. The Motor Transport Workers Act 1961, and the Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act 1966, both define a child as a person who has not completed 14 years of age. Matrimonial laws such as Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 add to the confusion. It states that a male cannot attain majority until he is 21 years of age and the corresponding age for a female is 18.The recent ruling by the Delhi High Court that a Muslim girl can marry without the consent of her parents when she attains the age of puberty has done little to address such complications. Due to lack of a clear cut definition, the unorganised nature of work and cases not being reported, it's easier for the employers to employ a large number of children without worrying about the consequences.
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*Draft National Youth Policy 2012: Draft NYP 2012 is first of its kind as it recognizes that Youth is not a homogenous group and has numerous differentials based on habitat, environment, socioeconomic status of their families and their own life styles. In addition, the Draft Policy proposes to change the target age group from the existing 13-35 years to 16-30 years. In a first, Youth Development Index (YDI) that would serve as the baseline and ready reckoner for evaluators and policy makers has been incorporated as a part of the policy. The Draft Youth policy, for the first time, has also been under pinned by the guiding principle of providing targeted employable skills to different youth segments in line with Prime Ministers Skill Development Mission, apart from identifying varied segments based on socio-economic, gender and geographical parameters as specific targets. Key Features of Draft NYP 2012: The Draft NYP 2012 recognizes that youth is not a homogenous group and there are numerous differentials based on their habitat, environment in which they live, socio-economic status of the KITE4education.com
families they belong to and their own life style. The target groups identified are (i) Student Youth (ii) Migrant Youth (iii) Rural Youth (iv) Tribal Youth (v) Youth At Risk (vi) Youth in violent conflicts (vii) out of school/dropouts (viii) groups with social /moral stigma (ix) Youth in Institutional Care. Young women, Youth belonging to socially and economically disadvantaged communities /groups, and differently abled youth form the three priority groups among the target age group. The Draft NYP 2012 proposes to change the target age group from the existing 13-35 years to 16-30 years.This change is proposed mainly to realign the definition of Youth with the prevailing international definitions. The definition of Youth as per UN is 1524 years and as per Commonwealth, it is 15- 29 years. The concerns of target groups and the priority groups therein, shall be addressed through a subsequent action plan based on policy interventions mentioned in the thrust areas of this policy. Draft NYP 2012 plans to divide broad age bracket of 16-30 years into three groups- the first sub-group will be 16-20 years covering mostly youth who require educational facilities. The second sub-group is 20-25 years who require access to employable skills. The third sub-group 25-30 who require access to self employment and enterprenuerial skills. The draft NYP 2012 aims at empowering youth through skill development for enhancing employability and providing entrepreneurship opportunities through convergence with other Ministries/Departments. The thrust areas are promotion of National values, social harmony, national unity, and empowering youth through employable skills, education, health, sports and recreation, gender justice, participation in community service, environment and local governance. The Draft NYP 2012 has monitorable indicators under five domains. Accordingly, Youth Development Index will include the indices viz. Youth Health Index, Youth Education Index, Youth Work Index, Youth Amenities Index, Youth Participation Index. The Draft NYP 2012 advocates establishment of strong coordination mechanism at the Centre and State Levels. The NYP 2012 proposes that Youth Policy be reviewed after every National Census.
*Give farmers the highest market value for land acquired, rules SC: Farmers whose land is acquired for a public purpose are entitled to the highest market value as compensation, the Supreme Court held. The Bench held that bona fide sale transactions proximate to the point of acquisition of the land are the real basis to determine the market value. It was 158
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not desirable to take an average of [amounts entered in] various sale deeds placed before the authority/court for fixing fair compensation. The person entitled to the compensation awarded is also entitled to get interest on solatium and additional market value. Land Acquisition Land acquisition has always been an issue of contention between the governments and the land owners. With the dawn of industrial economy in the country post economic reforms, the problem has got even worsened as the farmers in most of the cases were forced to sacrifice their land at lower price. Recent years have witnessed a string of cases when farmers have raised their voice against the forced acquisition of their land. The land acquisition muddle of present India has its origin in an old bill, the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 where prices per-acre of land has been fairly low. The law was made by British colonial rulers to facilitate the land acquisition from the farmers at the cheapest price. Post independence, the political parties in the country enjoyed a wider control over the land acquisition process in India. The bill is under the consideration of the parliament to bring out required amendments into it.
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better implementation of government schemes and proposals for betterment of disabled people, the Ministry officials said. As per the 2001 Census, there are 2.19 crore disabled people in the country which is around 2.13 per cent of the total population. According to the NSSO Survey of 2002, 75 per cent of persons with disabilities live in rural areas. While 49 per cent of disabled population is literate, only 34 per cent are employed.
*Government approved a Complete Ban on Employment of Children: The Union Government on 28 August 2012 cleared a proposal to put a complete ban on employment of children up to the age of 14 both in hazardous and non-hazardous work by amending an anti-child labour Act. The Union Cabinet approved bringing amendment to the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, which has also penal provisions for non compliance. As per the existing Act, children below 14 years of age are allowed to work in industries not considered to be hazardous. Children between 14-18 years will also be defined as adolescents in the amended Act. The amendment will also fulfill the mandate of Right to Education to free and compulsory education for children in the age group of 6-15 years. It will also bring labour laws in the country in line with International Labour Organization norms *Govt working on creating separate dept for disability affairs: The 11th Five Year Plan is ending on a high note for the disability sector! In her address to the Parliament at the beginning of the Budget Session, Her Excellency, the President of India announced the setting up of a separate Department of Disability Affairs. This will mean upgrading the current Disability Division of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (M.S.J.E.) to the status of a full-fledged Department. The Department of Disability Affairs is proposed to be set up for greater focus on addressing issues confronting persons with disabilities. The formation of a separate department will ensure KITE4education.com
*In case of divorce, wives could get half share of husbands' residential property: The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, approved by the cabinet, will give the woman, in case of divorce, half a share in her husband's residential property, regardless of whether the property was acquired before or during the marriage. This is the first time that the woman's share in marital property has been made part of the marriage legislation. Under current laws, property remains with the spouse, usually the husband, in whose name it has been registered. As a result, the divorced woman hardly has any financial support, besides the nominal "maintenance" granted by the courts. The new amendments will now change the two key legislations -Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and Special Marriage Act, 1954. How will these amendments empower women? First, the decision to make the woman a stakeholder in her husband's residential pro-perty as well as assets will remove a severe financial impediment that, at present, prevents many women from leaving abusive marriages. More often than not, the lack or absence of financial support forces them to continue in violent and abusive relationships. Activists have demanded for long that the woman be given the right to reside in her marital home, which would ensure a roof over her head, in case of matrimonial disputes, pending court judgments. Mention can be made here of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 which has given the victim the right to reside in a shared household, besides providing for the payment of compensation to meet the expenses of the victim. There's no doubt that by changing old-fashioned marriage laws to empower women, the government has taken a step in the right direction. *India has the highest premature baby deaths: report: According to a report published recently, India has the highest number of deaths due to premature births, and ranks 36th in the list of pre-term births globally. The ranking included 199 countries. Of the 27 million babies born in India annually (2010 figure), 3.6 million are born prematurely, of which 303,600 don't survive due to complications. Nearly half of all child mortality is due to pre-term births, a new report by Save the Children, titled Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Pre159
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term Birth' has revealed. The deaths due to pre-term births are second only to pneumonia, it notes. In terms of deaths due to pre-term birth, India is at the top (indicating it fares the worst), while in terms of the rate of pre-term births, it is ranked 36th, after Malawi (ranked first), Pakistan (ranked eighth), Nepal (20th), and Bangladesh (24th), says the report. For the report, pre-term was defined as 37 weeks of completed gestation or less, which is the standard WHO definition. Many factors, according to Save the Children - India CEO Thomas Chandy, contributed to the problem such as early marriage and pregnancy, inadequate nutritional intake by pregnant women, and want of adequate health interventions were among the reasons that contributed to such a high rate of preterm pregnancy, exposing both the mother and the baby to risk.
Mortality Estimates Report 2012 published on 12 September 2012, by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), India was placed at the top position in the chart of 10 countries that topped on the chart. The other countries with their names on the chart are Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, China, Pakistan, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The identified cause for the mortality is: 14 percent due to pre-term birth complications 18 percent due to Pneumonia 11 percent due to Diarrohea 9 percent due to Intrapartum related complications 7 percent of the total deaths happen The report also cleared that approx 40 percent of the total deaths were reported within 28 days (neonatal period) of birth which counts to be three million deaths in total. *Indias first multi-lateral Social Science research collaboration with four European Nations: India has managed to enter into its first multi-lateral Social Science research collaboration with four European Nations by the approval of projects for networking and social science research cooperation in between the researchers of these nations on 5 September 2012. The French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), the Deutsche Forschungs gemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) are the four bodies with which India has been successful in created tie-ups. *Jal Satyagraha came to an end after 17 days demonstration on a victory note: Jal Satyagraha is a type of Satyagraha in which 51 farmers from Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh stood in the neck dip water of Omkareshwar Dam for 17 days continuously asking for their rehabilitation. In this unique way of demonstration by the agitators of Khandwa region of Madhya Pradesh against the state government demanding for their rehabilitation after their lands and homes were flooded off by the Omkareshwar Dam water. The Satyagrahis demanded for the compensation as per the ruling of the Supreme Court. The agitators termed as Jal Satyagrahis made a decision to stand in neck deep water of the dam, all wet and damp. OMKARESHWAR DAM PROJECT is a 520 MW project constructed by the Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation in joint venture with Madhya Pradesh Government and NHPC is among the biggest dam on Narmada River. The Omkareshwar project area, lies in between the banks of the two important rivers of India, Narmada and Kaveri (its a tributary to Narmada). It was conceived as an irrigation and power dam to be built in the state of Madhya Pradesh in the year 1965. The project is one of the fasted completed hydroelectric projects of the 160
*India Human Development Report 2011: The report which was prepared by the Planning Commission, Government of India. gives the latest data and statistics about Human Development Indicators (HDI) in India and has Mr Santosh Mehrotra, director-general of the Indian Applied Manpower Research as the reports lead author. As per the report, the human development index (HDI) for India has improved through the last decade but malnourishment levels continue to remain high in some states. The HDI is a composite index, consisting of three indicators consumption expenditure (as a proxy for income), education and health. India Human Development Report 2011: Towards Social Inclusion (HDR 2011) estimates the HDI for the beginning of the decade, and for the latest year for which data permits. The top five ranks in both years go to the states of Kerala, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Punjab. States that perform better on health and education outcomes are also the states with higher HDI and thus higher per capita income. At the other end of the spectrum are mostly the northern and eastern states Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Assam that have an HDI below the national average. The seven north eastern states (excluding Assam) have done remarkably well in human development outcomes to climb up three rungs from 1999-2000 and 2007-08. *India intends to learn from BISP experiences: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is a commendable initiative aiming at poverty alleviation and womens empowerment, said Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Indian province. India can learn from Paks poverty alleviation scheme. *India topped the chart of registered largest number of under five deaths in 2011: In the Child KITE4education.com
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country in between 2004 and 2006. The project has benefitted about 529 villages with irrigation facilities and has helped in raising the yield to .725 million tons of grains along with .835 million ton of other crops in the region. *Make mothers first guardians: Panel: In a move to empower women, a government panel wants that a mother should be listed as the first guardian for all official purposes instead of a father, arguing that she primarily looks after the children. "Since normally it is the mother who primarily looks after the children, she should be listed as the first guardian," the Planning Commission's Working Group said in its report. The panel has recommended a review of all laws to make mothers equal guardians of their children. Currently, there is a practice of mentioning the father as the first guardian in all official documents such as school admission forms, birth certificates etc. The group has suggested that all existing regulations and rules ought to be revisited to ensure that the mother's signature as a guardian is universally accepted in all official records. The recommendation is part of a slew of measures suggested by the group to make laws more gender sensitive. It also asked the government to revisit laws related to maintenance and guardianship to ensure separated women get adequate maintenance and custody rights over their children. The suggestion, if accepted, would ensure women's first right over a child whether she is married or divorced. The group, headed by the women and child development secretary, wants to relook at all the laws that do not treat guardianship rights of mother on a par with those of the father. The panel, which argued that family law reform has been neglected, said the laws need to recognize a woman as an equal partner with her husband and her contribution to the household or the productive nature of work that fairer sex do. The path-breaking recommendations would ensure that mothers have an equal right in care-giving as well as in crucial decision-making processes, financial or otherwise, affecting children's lives. The law commission in its 83rd report submitted in 1980 had suggested amendment in guardianship laws. The Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 was enacted 90 years ago. At the time, women had scarcely any rights: for them there was only social and legal degradation, material insecurity and other manifestations of dominance and false superiority of men," it had said. The commission also recommended amending Section 6 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956, to allow the mother the custody of a minor till it is 12 years old. "It is necessary to allow KITE4education.com
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the mother the custody of a child till it attains the age of 12 to prevent the father from using the child as a pawn for securing complete submission of his wife," the report added. Try this question To what extent do you think that amendment in Guardians and Wards Act to make mothers first guardians, would ensure gender equality?. (100 words). *Mission Poorna Shakti launched in Pali: n a major step towards upliftment of women, Mission Poorna Shakti was launched in Rajasthans Pali district on September 16 by the National Mission for Empowerment of Women. The launch of the programme at Pali was jointly executed by the National Mission for Empowerment of Women and the Department of Women & Child Development, Government of Rajasthan. *NCPCR Asked for Shiksha Samvad: National Commission for Protection of Child Right (NCPCR) on 9 January 2012 directed the state governments to propose a system called Shiksha Samvad for holding regular dialogues between government officials and civil society on the implementation of the Right to Education Act. In a letter, the commission, which is monitoring the Act, asked the state governments to institutionalize the system for regular reviews of the act. This will enable the local administration to keep a close watch on how the implementation of the Act is proceeding at the ground level. It will also allow the people to seek speedy redressal by raising the issues directly with the government officials. *New Department of Disability Affairs Created under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment: The Central Government has recently created a new Department of Disability Affairs which was earlier a part of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. On the initiative of the Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Mukul Wasnik, the proposal was moved for the creation of new Disability Department, considering the need of the large population of Persons with Disabilities which, as per 2001 census is 2.1 crore. Now the Government has created two Departments under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment vide notification dated 12th May 2012, namely: Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. Department of Disability Affairs. The subject of Disability figures in the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. It also figures in the illustrative list of items for devolution to Panchayati Raj and Municipal bodies (in accordance with relevant State laws) as given in the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules of the Constitution. Notwithstanding this, the Govt. of India has always 161
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been proactive in the disability sector. *New Law for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: The Committee appointed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, to draft a New Legislation replacing the existing Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, presented the final draft of the new law, The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2011, to Shri Mukul Wasnik, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment. The proposed law seeks to repeal the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995 and to replace it with a comprehensive rights based law in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 was proposed to be replaced by a new legislation by the Ministry in the light of the experience gained in the implementation of the Act, developments that have taken place in the disability sector over the years, and also the commitments under the UNCRPD. A COMMITTEE UNDER THE CHAIRPERSONSHIP OF DR.(MRS) SUDHA KAUL, Vice Chairperson, Indian Institute for Cerebral Palsy, Kolkata, and consisting of experts and representatives of stakeholders including Central Ministries, State Governments, Civil Society Organisations and experts, including persons with disabilities, was therefore, set up by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 30.4.2010 to consider various suggestions and views and to draft a comprehensive law. *New, improved NREGA 2.0: The revamped MNREGA is based on the MIHIR SHAH-LED COMMITTEE report and also on demands raised by various state governments, including Bihar, Kerala, Sikkim and Madhya Pradesh. A list of 30 works has been incorporated in the schedules of MNREGA, which are intended to asset creation and improving livelihoods of the poor in the rural areas. Among the works, which have been included are watershed development, agricultural productivity, livestock, fisheries and sanitation. The MNREGA 2.0 has accepted the demands of the Bihar government to include works on flood control in the ambit of the flagship scheme, including traditional chaur renovation, which helps in soaking water in the rural areas. It has also incorporated demands of the Sikkim government for springshed development, which is likely to ensure that MNREGA creates demands for jobs in the Himalayan region. The works have been divided into 10 broad categories, which include watershed, irrigation and flood management, agricultural and livestock related works, fisheries and works in coastal areas, which KITE4education.com
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was sought by the Kerala government, and the rural drinking water and Sanitation related works. Also, as sought out by the Bihar government that the priority of the works would be decided by panchayats in meetings of gram sabhas and ward sabhas. *Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) or Total Sanitation Campaign (programme of CAPART): would attempt to banish open defecation within a decade *Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) aims at development and maintenance of playfields in village and block panchayats across the country and organizing annual sports competitions from block to national levels is implemented through the State Government/UTs. Under the PYKKA, which was introduced in 200809, playfields are developed and maintained in villages and block panchayats across the country in a phased manner and competitions are conducted annually at block, district, state and national level. *Parl Panel [headed by senior Congress leader Vilasrao Muttemwar] recommends entitlement of food for 67% population: In contrast to the proposal of the Food Security Bill, the Parliamentary standing committee headed by senior Congress leader Vilasrao Muttemwar has recommended entitlement of 5 kg of foodgrains each person a month for 67 per cent population under one category. The bill in contrast has proposed 7 kg of foodgrains each person a month and seeks to create two categories Priority Households and General Households. The government in its legislative proposal had also sought to cover 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population under the priority households category. However, the Parliamentary standing committee has claimed that the legislative proposal for 7 kg of foodgrains each person a month is beyond the realm of feasibility. Explaining the 5 kg cap, Mr Muttemwar said: Except for 2010-11 and 2011-12, procurement of rice and wheat in recent years has been less than 60 million tonne (required to support the provision of the Food Security Bill). Similarly, average wheat production was 60.24 million tonnes in last five years. He added that the government would require about 48 million tons of foodgrains if the entitlement is made 5 kg a person a month. It may be recalled that the Congress had promised during 2009 Lok Sabha elections to bring in a legal entitlement for 7 kg a person a month for the poor. The 31-member Parliamentary panel has also assessed that the subsidy burden to implement the Food Security Bill if its recommendations were accepted would be `92499.48 crore against `1,29,499.28 crore if the government proposals were 162
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to be implemented. There should be single category of beneficiary with uniform entitlement of 5 kg per person per month. The scheme will benefit an estimated 67 per cent of countrys population (about 82-83 crores). The standing committee also recommended like the legislative proposal to give rice, wheat and coarse grains (millet) at `3, 2 and 1 per kg respectively. Further, the Parliamentary panel has also recommended that state governments can be given flexibility to extend the coverage beyond the numbers prescribed. Parliamentary Committees The Parliamentary committees are constituted to take care of the legislative businesses of the Parliament and it comprises of several committees. Among these the two main committees are: The Ad hoc Committee The Standing Committee AD HOC COMMITTEE these are appointed for specific purpose and they are dissolved after the task assigned to them is completed and the final report is submitted. These committees are the joint and select committees over the Bills and are appointed for specific purposes like Committees on the Draft Five Year Plans, Railway Convention Committee, Hindi Equivalents Committee and more. THE STANDING COMMITTEE Each house of the Indian Parliament are supported by standing committees, which includes the Committee on Petitions, the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee, the Committee of Privileges and more. *PM to launch Aadhaar-based delivery system: The much awaited Aadhaar-enabled system for direct cash transfer to beneficiaries under social schemes such as MNREGA and pension was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Dudu, Rajasthan. The payment mechanism is aimed at checking corruption and pilferage in the social sector schemes that seek to promote financial inclusion. The launch of the scheme by the Prime Minister coincides with the second anniversary of Aadhaar project, which is being implemented by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Use of Aadhaar-based delivery mechanism will improve compliance management; reduce leakages and increase efficiency and accountability of the government's social sector schemes. It will be used for making pension payments, MNREGA payments, PDS distribution, scholarship payments etc. Aadhaar is an online identity platform that can be accessed in real-time for authenticating beneficiaries and adapted by various user agencies. Of the six states where the new services will be launched, Tripura was the first to enrol over 90% of its 3.7-million population in Aadhaar. TRIPURA GRAMIN BANK too is the first KITE4education.com
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regional rural bank in the country to provide services based on Aadhaar. *'Resident Identity Cards'- Union home minister P Chidambaram launched the first batch of 'Resident Identity Cards' under the coastal National Population Register (NPR) project at Porthrapur village in South Andaman district of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The RIC is a smart card with a 64-KB micro processor chip. The National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, has finalized the visual layout of the card. It incorporates several physical security features like guilloche patterns, hot stamped hologram and micro text. *SC upholds 25% seats for poor under Right to Education: The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the right to education (RTE) act that mandates unaided private schools to keep 25 percent seats for students from economically and socially weaker sections of society. However, the court made it clear that this quota would not be applicable to unaided minority institutions. The SC said the RTE Act will not apply to those institutions run by minority organizations and which do not receive a single penny as aid either from the government or local bodies. The apex court also said that the RTE Act would not apply to boarding schools. HAMARI BETI EXPRESS campaign to save the girl child To confront the issue of skewed sex ratio, the Rajasthan government has adopted a rather innovative way to reach out to the people to save girls vans. HAMARI BETI EXPRESS', a mobile unit, will travel across the State to disseminate the messages on the girl child in villages and hamlets. The initiative aims to increase the participation of common people and panchayat representatives on the issue. *Senior Citizen's Commission in MP: The Madhya Pradesh Government on 21 December 2012 set up a Senior Citizen Commission to look into problems of the elderly in the State. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Senior Citizen Commission would comprise one Chairman and four members. The commission will try to solve the problems of the senior people of the State and providing an ideal platform for old persons policy for the welfare and solution of their problems. *Set up committees to deal with sexual harassment at workplace: SC - The Supreme Court directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) and Bar Council of India (BCI) to constitute committees for redressal of allegations of harassment of women at workplace. The apex court has issued directions in terms of its 163
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1997 judgement directing the Centre and all states to constitute Central, state-level and district level committees for protection of women against harassment and sexual assault on women at places of work. The directions were issued by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Justice J S Verma in Vishakha case. The apex court in 1997 had framed guidelines to handle cases of sexual harassment at the workplace in government departments and PSUs. According to the guidelines, it was the duty of the employer or other responsible persons in work places and other institutions to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide procedures for resolution, settlement or prosecution of acts, of sexual harassment by taking all steps required. The guidelines also said that rules prohibiting sexual harassment at the workplace should be notified published and circulated and should also provide for penalties against the offenders. Even private employers were asked to include the express prohibition of sexual harassment in their standing orders. The guidelines also said that the victims or witnesses are not victimized or discriminated against while dealing with complaints of sexual harassment. The guidelines recommended setting up of a Complaint Committee, to be headed by a woman and half of its members should comprise of women, to deal with sexual harassment cases. It also recommended that the committee should involve a third party, either NGO or other body who is familiar with the issue of sexual harassment, in order to prevent possibility of any undue pressure or influence from senior levels. *Sikhs can register marriages under Anand Act: Meeting a long-standing demand of the Sikh community, Parliament passed a law allowing them to register their marriages under the Anand Marriage Act instead of the Hindu Marriage Act. The Sikhs will be able to register their marriages under the Anand Marriage Act. Although the Anand Marriage law was enacted in 1909, there was no provision for registration of marriages which were were registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Sikh groups have maintained that members of the community face problems abroad as their certificates are issued under the Hindu Marriage Act. Besides Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists are issued certificates under the Hindu laws. Sikh marriage ceremonies are known as 'Anand Karaj' (blissful event). According to the amendment bill, couples whose marriages have been registered under this Act, will not be required to get their marriage registered under the Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths KITE4education.com
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Act, 1969 or any other law for the time being in force. *Student enrollment up, dip in pupil-teacher ratio: All India Education Survey by NCERT: It may be too early to ascertain the impact of Right to Education (RTE) Act on the school education system but the provisional data of the 8th All India Education Survey released by NCERT points to new trends in the sector. During the survey period 2002-09, the overall student enrollment levels have gone up along with a dip in pupil-teacher ratio (PTR). But on the flip side, the dropout rate of girls from higher classes and the poor state of rural schools continue to be causes of concern. The survey covered 13 lakh recognized schools across the country, of which more than 84.14 per cent were from rural areas. It attributes the fall in PTR across primary, upper primary and secondary levels from 42:1 to 32:1 to the overall 30-per cent increase in number of teachers. This rise, the survey said, is fuelled by a 50 per cent increase in number of teachers at the higher secondary level in rural areas. The student enrollment from Class I to XII witnessed a rise of 13.67 per cent while the total number of schools increased by an overall 26.77 per cent. With 49.15 per cent, the upper primary schools witnessed the maximum growth. Private unaided primary schools too continued to grow at fast pace registering 37.32 per cent increase from 49,667 in the seventh survey to 68,203. While there is an overall increase of 19.2 per cent in girls enrollment, the survey points out that the share of girls enrollment to the total enrollment in higher classes has decreased. While at the primary stage, girls enrollment percentage is 48.13, at the higher secondary level it has fallen to 42.56 per cent. This indicates that a considerable number of girls dropout from formal schooling as they move to higher classes. The trend is the same in rural areas too. The survey revealed that schools in rural areas are not equipped with basic amenities like drinking water, playgrounds and usable toilets. While onefifth of the total rural primary schools do not have drinking water, three out of 10 schools do not have a usable toilet. Half of them have no playgrounds for children. *The Child Rights Index (CRI) published by NGO HAQ: Centre for Child Rights has placed Kerala and Karnataka at the top and Arunachal Pradesh at the bottom in protecting rights of children. The countrys first national child rights index is based on government data, both central and state. In the overall CRI, Kerala is on top followed by Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Delhi ranks 12 in the country when it comes to ensuring well-being of 164
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children assessed using the 10 indicators of sex ratio, early childhood care, education, health, birth registration, child marriage, child labour, incidence of crime against children, victims of crime against children, and crimes by children. The mission aims to provide a common platform to facilitate convergence of benefits under the programmes of the various ministries and departments of the Central government. The mission will also facilitate synergy in implementation of these programmes through their convergence at the state, district and sub-district levels. Moreover, the mission will deliver its services to the women at grassroots through its various centers at the village level, to be called Poorna Shakti Kendra. *Union Cabinet approved Higher Funds for Indira Awaas Yojana: The Union Cabinet on 10 January 2013 approved the Ministry of Rural Developments proposal to increase the unit cost under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), keeping under consideration the sharp increase in the cost of materials. As per the approved cost, unit assistance under the scheme in plain areas had been increased from 45000 to 70000 rupees and for the hilly and difficult areas it had been increase from 48500 to 75000 rupees. The enhancement of unit assistance provided for homestead site to rural below poverty line (BPL) had been increased from 10000 rupees to 20000 rupees. The unit assistance is provided to those households who have neither agricultural land nor a house site. INDIRA AWAS YOJANA is a major scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development which directly aims at addressing rural housing issues by providing grant for construction and upgradation of dwelling units of BPL families. The priority is especially given to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and physically challenged persons with financial assistance. *Union Government Constituted a National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has constituted a highpowered National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers. The committee is expected to facilitate introduction of direct cash transfers to individuals eligible for benefits flowing out of the governments many welfare programmes. The Prime Minister will be the chairman of the national committee which will include 11 Cabinet Ministers, two MoS with independent charge, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, the Chairman of the UIDAI and the Cabinet Secretary as members. *Urban health initiative ready for Cabinet KITE4education.com
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clearance: The proposal for an urban health initiative with focus on primary health care for the urban poor has been cleared by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) and will soon be placed before the Cabinet. There has been an on-going tussle between the Health Ministry and the Planning Commission, with the latter approving a National Health Mission which would subsume the NRHM under it, while the former has been pushing for a separate urban health mission for the urban poor. The Ministry had agreed that the two would be combined subsequently, but the 12th Plan has approved the National Health Mission. Another important step in the 12th Plan was the move to simplify and rationalize funding to States and to provide them with the much needed flexibility to prioritize and devise strategies that meet their needs. It was planned to provide the same flexibility under the Disease Control Programmes as existed in the Reproductive and Child Health Flexipool and Mission Flexi-pool. Under the NRHM several thrust areas had been identified for implementation in the 12th Plan. These included strengthening Health Sub Centres to develop them as first ports of call for health care, strengthening District Hospitals to provide advanced level of secondary health care within the district itself and developing District Hospitals as knowledge centres. *Singur Land Act Held Unconstitutional by Calcutta HC - The land at Singur, which the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act 2011 sought to reclaim, was one of Banerjee's first major move after she became chief minister last year empowering her government to take back 400 acres of land from Tata Motors for the Nano small car project. A division bench comprising Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Mrinal Kanti Chaudhury, on an appeal by Tata Motors Ltd, observed that President's assent had not been taken for the Act and as such it was void and unconstitutional. The Bench said the Act is a law relating to acquisition, a subject mentioned on the Concurrent List of the Constitution. It held that some sections of the Act were in conflict with the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. SINGUR LAND DISPUTE Singur land dispute surfaced in May 2006, following the left front governments decision to lease 997 acre land for 99 years, at Singur in Hooghly district, about 40 km from Kolkata, for The Tata Motors Nano car project. The move was fiercely opposed by the Trinamool Congress, the then principal opposition party of the state. The party demanded the return of 400 acre of land to farmers reluctant to give land for the project. Following the dispute and the political hindrances occurring in the project the Tata Motors 165
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decided to move to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008 to keep its ambitious Nano project going. The company, however, kept possession of the leased land at Singur. When the Trinmool Congress swept to the power in May 2011, throwing long standing left front government out of power, the Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee passed the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, which enabled the government to reclaim the Singur land from the Tata Motors. Tata Motors moved to the Calcutta High Court against the legislation. The single judge bench of Calcutta High Court upheld her decision in its ruling held on 28 June 2011. Perturbed of the ruling, Tata Motors challenged the verdict before the Division Bench of Calcutta High Court comprising Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on 1 November 2011. * Aadhaar-linked DBT hits roadblock in East Godavari: The popular tagline for the Aadhaar-linked Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) is Aam aadmi ka paisa, aam aadmi ke haath (Peoples money in their own hands). The DBT pilot project was launched in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh earlier January 2013. Only 75% of MGNREGS workers have been enrolled; many without Aadhaar number denied access to benefits And yet the pilot project, with a claimed 95 per cent penetration of DBT, has itself been full of problems. This highlights the pitfalls of extending the programme nationwide without adequate preparation. East Godavari district has won the National Aadhaar Governance Award for achieving a near total coverage of DBT. Yet, only 75 per cent of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers had been enrolled as on January 6, when the project was launched in the Gollaprolu block.
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It recommended that payments under the Indira Gandhi National Age Old Pension scheme be raised to Rs 300 per month from Rs 200. This would cost the exchequer an additional Rs 2,346 crore per year. This increase is in line with the suggestions made by the Pension Parishad headed by Aruna Roy, member of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council and Baba Adhav. Ramesh, too, had supported this demand. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the minister had described the monthly pension of Rs 200 as "an insult to the dignity of an individual". The committee has suggested increasing the ambit of the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme to include women between the ages of 40 and 59 years who have never been married, those within the age of 20-59 years who are separated or divorced, as well as widows above the age of 20 years. At present, only widows above the age of 40 years are eligible. This will increase the number of beneficiaries by 16.92 lakh at a cost of Rs 609 crore per year. It suggested liberalising the eligibility requirement for the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension, as well as doubling the pension to Rs 1,000 a month. It said poor people with 40% disability should be given a pension. At present, persons with severe disability - i.e., people with 80% disability or multiple disabilities are eligible to receive a pension of Rs 200 per month. It has suggested including persons with autism and cerebral palsy in the ambit, as well as doing away with the age requirement. It argued that limiting the pension to only those above the age of 18 years doesn't seem "rational" considering the "extreme level of dependency of disabled people more so when they are young." The recommendations would include an additional 47.20 lakh people. The cost of a universal disability pension scheme would be Rs 13,026 crore per year. * Health Ministrys healing touch to non-BPL poor: There is something to cheer about for poor people who do not fall under the Below the Poverty Line (BPL) category as the eligibility criterion of annual income to avail themselves of the Health Ministers Discretionary Grant (HMDG) has been raised from Rs. 75,000 to 1, 00,000, as also an increase in the financial limit for treatment. Income criterion liberalized, higher assistance for treatment, more diseases covered The Union Ministry has also expanded the list of diseases for treatment of which financial help is given. Under the HMDG scheme, a maximum assistance of Rs. 50,000 was given to the poor and needy as part of the expenditure incurred on hospitalisation for major surgical interventions and treatment of major diseases including heart ailments, kidney transplant, 166
* Govt working on Rs 21,100-crore plan to raise pensions: The government is considering a Rs 21,100-crore plan to raise pensions under social schemes to people below the poverty line, as the ruling party seeks to reach out to the common man. It also aims to reach out to an additional 64.12 lakh persons and is considering widening eligibility norms for pensions. It also proposes to include widows above the age of 20 years; single, abandoned, separated and divorced women; persons with 40% disability; persons with autism and cerebral palsy. The recommendations were made by a committee set up by rural development minister Jairam Ramesh in June. Headed by additional secretary in the rural development ministry SM VIJAYANAND, the panel reviewed the criteria for granting benefits under the Centre's National Social Assistance Programme. KITE4education.com
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hip and knee replacement, cancer, AIDS, hepatitis and tumour. As per the existing guidelines, assistance is granted up to Rs. 20,000 if the cost of treatment is Rs. 50,000; up to Rs. 40,000 if the cost is above Rs. 50,000 and up to Rs. 50,000 if it is above Rs. 1,00,000. As per the new guidelines, approved by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad last week, the entitlement will now be Rs. 50,000 if the estimated cost of treatment is Rs. 1,00,000; Rs. 75,000 (above Rs. 1,00,000 and up to 1,50,000) and Rs 1,00,000 (above Rs 1,50,000). The new areas covered under the scheme are urology, nephrology, gastroenterology, liver transplant and surgery for portal hypertension, cases of complicated diabetes which require one-time treatment such as amputation or renal transplant. BPL families are covered under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), where financial assistance is provided for treating life-threatening diseases and medical aid is received in government hospitals. The financial assistance is released in the form of a onetime grant. * Income Ceiling for EWS and LIG housing raised by Govt: Government has settled to raise the bar on yearly income needed to qualify for benefits under its existing housing schemes for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Lower Income Groups (LIG). The move will benefit 20 lakh (2 million) people as more people will now qualify for taking benefits under Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY) and EWS Housing Schemes. Now, Income criteria to qualify for EWS housing category: Rs 1 Lakh Income criteria to qualify for LIG housings category: Rs 2 Lakh Accordingly, the decision will be communicated to banks and state governments for effective implementation. * MGNREGA post office accounts ready for cash transfers scheme: Now the 3.5 crore post office accounts of the workers under MGNREGA will be used to make Aadhar-linked direct transfer of benefits such as pensions, scholarships and social welfare payments. Earlier, the post office accounts could not be used to make any deposit other than NREGA wage. Under the new cash or direct benefit transfer initiative, the Aadhaar number will be used to authenticate the identities of beneficiaries, who will then receive their government benefits directly into their accounts. This requires all beneficiaries to open bank or post office accounts, which will then have to be seeded with their Aadhaar numbers. * Mid-day meals: Centre asks States to adopt A.P. fund model: With some States defaulting on payment KITE4education.com
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of their share of funds for providing meals to children in government schools, adversely affecting the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the Centre has now asked all States to consider adopting Andhra Pradesh's model Green Channel Scheme.' The A.P. model makes funds available throughout the year. * Minorities Rights Day: National Commission for Minorities celebrated Minorities Rights Day on 18 December 2012. Minorities Rights Day is celebrated on 18th December every year. The day is celebrated to protect rights of the minorities communities as well as bringing the better understanding among religious minorities in India. The participants of the Minorities Rights Day included the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities as well as Vice Chairman and other Members of the Commission. The day is celebrated because on 18th December 1992, United Nations adopted as well as broadcasted Declaration on Rights of Persons who belong to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. The United Nations had declared that cultural, religious, linguistic and national identity of the minorities shall be protected by the states. The rights of these minorities shall be respected within the individual territories. The states shall also encourage the conditions for promotion of cultural, religious, linguistic and national identity. On Minorities Rights Day, i.e. on 18 December 2012, the National Commission for Minorities also released the special issue of publication called Minorities India. This publication highlights activities as well as functions of the Third Statutory Commission of the National Commission for Minorities. * MP is worst place to be born in country: The number of infants (below age of one year) succumbing in state has gone down by three for every 1000 children born in the course of last year. Good news, but with a rider. The state continues to retain the infamous tag of being the worst place to be born in the country as it still records the highest infant mortality rate (IMR) among the 29 states and six union territories in India. IMR is the number of infants (per 1000 births) succumbing before attaining the age of one year and is a major health and development indicator for a state. High IMR reflects gaps in the health care and nutrition services. The latest data of Sample Registration System (SRS) for the year 2011, released by the office of Registrar General of India (RGI) on October 19 shows that the IMR in the state has dipped to 59. It is still two points higher than the second worst 167
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performers Odisha and Uttar Pradesh that have recorded IMR of 57. The scenario is worst in rural MP, where 63 out of every 1000 children born continue to die before the age of one year. Comparatively, the average IMR for the country is 44 per thousand live births, a three-point drop again from the IMR of 2010 (57). The IMR for rural India is 48. The best performers in the country are the small states of Goa and Manipur, where the IMR is just 11 per 1000 live births. MP has been carrying the dubious distinction of having the worst IMR in the country from the past eight years, ever since Odisha managed to lower its mortality rates in 2004. In 2003, Odisha has IMR of 83 against 82 of MP. *47% of all deaths due to measles in India: As per a recent WHO study, the death rates from measles went down by 74 percent between 2000 and 2010, below the targeted 90%, due to deaths in India and Africa where the virus kills thousands a year. Regular measles outbreaks in Africa and very slow implementation of disease control in India were responsible for missing the target. MEASLES IS A VIRAL DISEASE and transmitted when an infected person breaths, coughs or sneezes. There is no specific treatment for it and a persons natural immunity allows them to recover in 2-3 weeks. It can lead to severe complications in particularly indigent demographics like malnourished children and people with weak immunity and can cause serious complications including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infections and pneumonia. The disease can be prevented by immunization and experts say increasing vaccination rates to above 95 percent worldwide and keeping them up is the only way to eradicate measles. The researchers, led by WHO immunization expert Peter Strebel, suggested Indias relatively low measles vaccine coverage 74 percent is the reason why the disease is still a major cause of death there. It lags behind Africa on 76 percent. The study found that India accounted for 47 percent of measles deaths in 2010, while Africa had 36 percent. The Americas and Europe accounted for less than 1 percent each, but fears about a measles comeback have been growing in these regions too. In 2008, all members of the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed a target of reducing measles mortality by 90 per cent by 2010 compared to levels in 2000. *Adivasi Shiksha Rrinn Yojana of NSTFDC: Under the scheme National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) would provide loan at concessional rate of interest to the eligible Scheduled Tribes for pursuing higher KITE4education.com
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professional and technical education including PhD. in India. conducted by colleges/universities approved by UGC/Govt./AICTE/ICMR etc. *Annual Health Survey (AHS): was conceived during a meeting of the National Commission of Population held in 2005 under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister wherein it was decided that there should be an Annual Health Survey of all districts which could be published/monitored and compared against benchmarks. The objective of the AHS is to yield a comprehensive, representative and reliable dataset on core vital indicators including composite ones like Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Ratio and Total Fertility Rate along with their covariates (process and outcome indicators) at the district level and map the changes therein on an annual basis. These benchmarks would help in better and holistic understanding and timely monitoring of various determinants on well-being and health of population particularly Reproductive and Child Health. Annual Health Survey (AHS) is implemented by the Office of Registrar General, India in all the 284 districts (as per 2001 Census) in 8 Empowered Action Group (EAG) States (Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Rajasthan) and Assam for a three year period (i.e., a Base-line Survey followed by two updation surveys) spread over 2010-11 to 2012-13.
IAS 2013 PRELIMS
JET FAST
100 hrs classroom sessions. Current Affairs Class with study material support. Limited Number of seats only (on first come first serve basis).
CLASSES PAPER 1 & 2
April 10th to May 10th 2013.

Short cuts & Strategies Potential questions discussion Score Maximizing Strategies
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Aadhar, A Few Basic Issues
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POLITICAL ISSUES, HUMAN RIGHTS & GOVERNANCE - News
*UN Issues First Report On Human Rights Of Gay And Lesbian People: The report, released recently by the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, outlines a pattern of human rights violations that demands a response, and says governments have too often overlooked violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Homophobic and transphobic violence has been recorded in every region of the world, the report finds, and ranges from murder, kidnappings, assaults and rapes to psychological threats and arbitrary deprivations of liberty. LGBT people are often targets of organized abuse from religious extremists, paramilitary groups, neoNazis, extreme nationalists and others, as well as family and community violence, with lesbians and transgender women at particular risk. In the report, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, calls on countries to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality, abolish the death penalty for offences involving consensual sexual relations, harmonize the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual conduct, and enact comprehensive anti-discrimination laws. In 76 countries it remains illegal to engage in samesex conduct and in at least five countries Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen the death penalty prevails. Ms. Pillay recommends that Member States also promptly investigate all killings or serious violent incidents perpetrated because of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, and to establish systems to record such incidents. The High Commissioner also calls on countries to ensure that no one fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is returned to a territory where their life or freedom is at threat, and that asylum laws recognize that sexual orientation or gender identity is a valid basis for claiming persecution. Public information campaigns should be introduced, especially in schools, to counter homophobia, and police and law enforcement officials should also receive training to ensure LGBT people are treated appropriately and fairly. *CMC Asks Karnataka to Release 4 tmc of Water to TN: The Cauvery Monitoring Committee recently directed Karnataka to release four tmc of water to Tamil Nadu over the next fortnight even as it asked the latter to make a written submission before the panel on issues it wants to be addressed. KITE4education.com
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At a meeting of the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) here, Karnataka was asked to release four thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water to Tamil Nadu between November 1 and 15. The Monitoring Committee consists of Union Water Resources Secretary as Chairperson, Chief Secretaries and Chief Engineers of the basin states and Chairman, Central Water Commission as members.
*T statehood could go the Gorkhaland way: Fearful that the splitting of Andhra Pradesh could create a cascading effect in other states, the government is considering the creation of a Telangana Territorial Administration on the lines of Gorkhaland. Like Gorkhaland, the Telangana Territorial Administration, which could be formed without actually bifurcating Andhra Pradesh, might be an autonomous body with more financial and administrative powers and will be administered by an elected chief executive and members of the council. By considering the Gorkhaland model for Andhra Pradesh, the Centre may unwittingly be able to douse the Gorkhaland demand for a separate State. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in West Bengal has already warned the Centre of renewing its stir for a separate State. And the Centre believes that a separate state for Telangana may only add strength to the Gorkhaland agitation. *Changes planned to quickly resolve water disputes: The Centre has proposed crucial changes in the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to quickly resolve water sharing disputes between basin States and to give a tribunals award the force of an order/decree of the Supreme Court. It has proposed to appoint an agency to maintain a data bank at the national level for each river basin. For the first time, the Union Water Resources Ministry unfolded its draft amendments to the Act that provides for a single tribunal in place of multiple tribunals to adjudicate on inter-State water disputes in a fixed time-frame of two years, which may be extended by one year. The draft, which was discussed at a meeting of State Irrigation Secretaries here, threw up some concerns, which Water Resources Secretary D.V. Singh, who chaired the meeting, said would be taken on board. Tamil Nadu, for instance, said that in case the current tribunals cease to exist, as is proposed, then the present Cauvery River Water Disputes Tribunal must not be dissolved. The State had reservations about the proposed amendment that suggested that the current disputes would stand transferred to the new tribunal after the 170
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amendments are notified. Separate benches However, it was clarified that there would be an enabling clause to provide two separate benches to look after the balance work of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Ravi Beas Water Tribunal. It is proposed that the single tribunal shall have eight members, including a chairperson and vicechairperson, and initially the members of the existing tribunals who are below (the new upper age limit of) 70 years would constitute the tribunal. The tribunal shall comprise three benches and once a dispute is referred to it, the chairman shall assign it to a Bench. If there is a vacancy on a Bench then, a member of another shall hear the matter till the vacancy is filled. In other words, disputes shall not be kept pending and allowed to go unresolved on account of a vacancy. *The Union Cabinet Sanctioned Appointment of 2000 Judges for the Fast-Track Courts: The Union Cabinet, in its letter sent on 9 January 2013, to the high courts as well as the state governments asked them to enhance strength of the subordinate judiciary from 18000 at present to 20000. The Law Ministry approved 80 crore Rupees for recruiting these 2000 additional judges in the country for the fast track courts. The Law Ministry asked for an approval from the cabinet in the last week of December 2012 which was granted to it. This happened in light of the gang rape of the 23-year-old Para-medical student on 16 December 2012, after which lawyers, officials as well as jurists discussed how long trials put the victims at a disadvantage. The government additionally was also working upon the proposals to enable states for using the funds which were available for morning as well as evening courts, in order to increase the number of fast track courts even more. The morning as well as evening courts were set up by the law ministry in 2010. However, the scheme was not successful because only a few states availed it, which resulted in unused funds. The government now proposed to divert these funds for setting up the fast track courts. Inspite of all such efforts, there are over 3.20 crore cases pending in the various courts of the country. Out of these, a total of 2.76 crore cases were pending in the subordinate courts and 44 lakh were pending in the high courts, as per the Law Ministry. * Supreme Court: A non-member can also move Speaker for disqualification of defectors: Not only an MLA but any interested person is entitled to bring to the notice of the Speaker the fact that a member has incurred disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of KITE4education.com
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the Constitution (anti-defection law) and the presiding officer is bound to take action on the complaint, the Supreme Court held. ISSUE The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Utkar Keshari Parida, who is not an MLA, had filed an application to the Speaker seeking disqualification of all 4 MLAs who defected the party and joined Biju Janata Dal (BJD). However. The Speaker took no action. Parida moved the Orissa High Court which held that the writ petition was maintainable. The Supreme Court dismissed the Speakers appeal against the ruling which said Although disqualified under paragraph 2(1) (a) of the Tenth Schedule, in the absence of any application for disqualification to the Speaker, they [the four MLAs] would continue to function as members of the Assembly, which was not the object sought to be achieved by the 52nd Amendment, by which the Tenth Schedule was introduced in the Constitution. It held that the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, which finally became the Constitution 52nd Amendment Act, 1985, indicated that the evil of political defection had become a serious problem and if it was not curbed, it could very well undermine the very foundation of our democracy and the principles which sustain the same. In such an event, if the provisions of the Tenth Schedule are interpreted to exclude the right of any person interested to bring to the notice of the Speaker of the House the fact that any or some of its members had incurred disqualification on any of the eventualities indicated in paragraphs 2 and 4 therein, it would render the inclusion of the Tenth Schedule in the Constitution otiose and defeat the objects and intent of the 52nd Amendment. * EC mulls over asking Centre to defer cash transfer scheme: The opposition BJP has complained that the announcement of the direct cash transfer scheme violates the model code of conduct, which kicks in as soon as elections are announced and forbids parties and candidates from sharing decisions or policies that could influence voters in their favour. The government has reportedly reiterated that the scheme is an old one that was announced months ago when then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented this year's union budget. Gujarat votes on December 13 and 17. The direct cash transfer scheme, a major reform measure, is meant to be implemented from January 1. Starting with 51 districts, including four in Gujarat, the government plans to replace subsidized items with direct deposits in the bank accounts of beneficiaries, most of them low-income families. The cash transfers will change the way millions of Indians access entitlement programmes, though for 171
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now, the manner in which subsidized food is distributed to families will remain unaffected. The main advantages in paying cash directly are that corruption can be reduced by removing government middlemen who often demand bribes to dispense subsidized products or services, while the poor can be better targeted. However, only those with a Unique ID (UID) number and a bank account will be eligible for the cash transfers. Under the Aadhar scheme headed by Infosys' co-founder Nandan Nilekani, every citizen is to be assigned a unique biometric identity number. The poor banking infrastructure in many rural areas will be a major challenge for the government as it tries to roll out the direct cash transfer scheme. Rs. 2,490 cr: Tax-exempted income of parties in 5 years - In the last 5 years the tax-exempted income of the 10 main political parties has reached Rs. 2,490 crore. Section 13A of IT Act 1961 exempts political parties from tax on their income. However, they have to maintain a book of account for donations or income above Rs. 20,000. SHREYA SINGHAL filed public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court calling Section 66(A) of the Information Technology (IT) Act unconstitutional. She filed the petition after the two girls were arrested in Palghar, Maharashtra for posting on Facebook remarks about Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackerays funeral bringing Mumbai to a halt. The girls were arrested under the IT Act. The Constitutional amendment bill, Article 371(J), was passed in the Lok Sabha. It is to give special status to the backward HyderabadKarnatak region. *AP Assembly passes enactment for sub-plan for SCs, STs: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has adopted a bill to earmark a fourth of the States annual plan budget for Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes. With the passage of the Bill, the State becomes first in the country to pass such an enactment to accord legal status to the sub-plan. The Planning Commission and National Development Council have been asking for such an enactment. The legislation would convert the Sub-Plans a right of the SCs and STs, mandatory to successive Chief Ministers. There was no constitutional provision to prevent lapsing of SC/ST funds, as the Assembly was empowered to adopt annual budget merely for one year. *States free to keep Chief Ministers out of KITE4education.com
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Lokayukta: RS Select Committee: The Select Committees report on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 was tabled in Rajya Sabha recently. The report: Makes it compulsory for States to enact a Lokayukta law within a year of the notification of the Central Act. Gives states the freedom to decide the contours of their legislation. Enables the States to use the choice of not including Chief Ministers or legislators within the scope of the Lokayuktas. A key recommendation of the panel is the setting up of a Directorate of Prosecution under the CBI which will be headed by a Director. The CBI Director will be appointed by a collegium comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. The Prosecution Director will be appointed on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission and will have a two-year tenure. The power of superintendence over the CBI in Lokpal cases will vest in the Lokpal. * Civil society & industry oppose India's plans to modify ITRs: Indias proposal on International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs), submitted last month to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the U.N. agency responsible for information and communication technologies, has drawn opposition from, and fears of content control among, civil society and the industry alike. The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), which represents the $100-billion IT and BPO industry, has strong views against the Internet governance model of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Numbers and Names (ICANN), but favours self-regulation. Its president Som Mittal says: NASSCOM does not favour oversight by an existing U.N. organisation like ITU. Internet and infrastructure have to be in the hands of expert organisations with proven experience. NASSCOM has also expressed discomfort with the inclusion of ICTs along with processing in Section 21E of Indias proposal, since this would subject IT and BPO industries to inter-governmental regulation through the ITRs. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents Indias largest mobile operators with nearly 700 million subscribers, has also opposed any role for ITU in the areas of international roaming and Internet governance, fearing a direct impact on domestic network architecture, costs and technology choices. Several prominent civil society groups and members of academia involved in Internet governance also have apprehensions about expanding the ITUs reach to Internet regulation through the ITRs. 172
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On the issue of cyber security, industry associations and several civil society groups are unanimously against any role for ITU, pointing out that including ill-defined terms such as spam and network fraud in a binding treaty is a terrible idea. Further, cyber security commitments can force India to cooperate with countries whose military and strategic interests are against it. *YV Reddy to head 14th Finance Commission: 14th Finance Commission will be headed by former Reserve Bank of India governor YV Reddy. The panel will devise a formula for sharing of taxes and grants between the Centre and the states for a five year period from April 1, 2015. A special reference has also been made regarding debt-stressed states such as Punjab, Kerala and West Bengal to the panel. The commission will also take into account the taxation efforts and the potential for increasing taxGDP ratio by such states. The finance commission will have three full-time members former finance secretary Sushma Nath, member of the PMs Economic Advisory Council and director, NIPFP, M Govinda Rao and acting chairman of the National Statistical Commission Sudipto Mundle. Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen will serve as an additional member to the panel. With the Centre looking at an over 5 per cent fiscal deficit, the commission has also been entrusted the responsibility of recommending measures to generate revenue surpluses for capital investment as well as potential for additional resource mobilisation to improve the tax to GDP ratio. The new panel will also look into the impact of the proposed goods and services tax and suggest a mechanism to compensate for any revenue loss. It has been asked to submit its report by October 1, 2014. *New IT Guidelines by Union Government to stop misuse: The Union government of India issued new guidelines to stop misuse of a particular section of the Information Technology Act. Under the revised guidelines, the cases dealing with spreading messages of reported hatred by electronic medium will be decided by a senior police officer not below the rank of DCP in rural and urban areas. An IGP rank officer will have to give prior approval for registration of cases relating to section 66(a) of IT Act in metro-politan cities. Communication and IT Ministry sent an advisory to this effect has been sent to the states. The section 66[a] of IT Act provides for a jail term of up to three years making it an offense to send by means of computer resource or communication device any information which is grossly offensive, KITE4education.com
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menacing and causes annoyance or hatred. * Group of Ministers finalises draft of Land Acquisition Bill: There will be a Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package for private purchase of land wherever private purchase of land for private parties is taking place. But the threshold beyond which it will apply is left to the state government. It is a major shift from the earlier proposal in the bill which had said that the R&R on private purchases was to apply to all acquisitions above 100 acres in rural and 50 acres in urban areas. The draft of the long-delayed bill was finalised at the third meeting of the ministerial panel on October 16. According to the final draft, approval of gram sabha and other such institutions like panchayat will be required for acquiring land in Scheduled Areas.
*Cabinet withdraws draft amendments to RTI Act: The Union Cabinet decided to withdraw controversial draft amendments to the Right to Information Act that had sought to restrict disclosure of file notings only to social and developmental issues. After this, all file notings can be made public except those explicitly exempted, such as the ones related to national security, privacy and protection of commercial interest. In 2006, the Cabinet had approved the amendments but they did not make it to the Parliament because of the stiff opposition. *Constitution of India and Provisions for Mercy Pleas: The ARTICLES 72 AND 161 endow the President and the Governor with the power to view 173
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the mercy applications of convicts with kindness. They can review the applications without having to view it from a legal angle like that of legal experts who base their opinion solely on the basis of available evidence and the testimony of witnesses. The powers of the President and the Governor are applicable in these cases: Where the punishment or sentence is by a court martial. The offence is against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the union extends. Where the sentence is a sentence of death. Constitution of India on Mercy Plea: Time Frame for Acceptance While these two articles of the Constitution of India provide the President and the Governors to have clemency powers, no time limit is given. The articles have no binding effect on the President and the Governors of State to accept all the mercy petitions. Each application is examined and a decision regarding the grant of mercy is taken after considering the facts of each case, the gravity of the offence and the observations made by the court. Other factors like the background of the convict and the reasons for seeking mercy are also considered before taking a final decision. The President is, however, bound by the advice of the Union council of ministers while deciding mercy petitions. Constitution of India on Mercy Plea: Procedure for Filing Anyone including foreign nationals can send a mercy petition on behalf of a convict on a death row to the Presidents Office or the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). These pleas can also be sent to the governors who send them to the MHA. A convict can also file a mercy petition from jail through the authorities or his family. These petitions can also be sent through email to the Presidents office or the Secretariat. * Bill gets nod to extend time for OBC quota implementation: Parliament has passed a Bill that seeks to exempt some Central institutions from implementing the Other Backward Classes quota where it exceeds the 50 per cent reservation limit stipulated by the Supreme Court. The Bill seeks to extend the time frame for full implementation of the Act keeping in mind the time taken to create additional facilities in institutions. As per the amendment, if seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in a Central institution exceed 50 per cent of the annual strength permitted, it need not make any reservation for the OBCs. Where the institutions are located in the tribal areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam, the percentage of seats reserved for the SC/STs will KITE4education.com
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not be reduced from the level that obtained on the day immediately preceding the commencement of the Act. In November 1998, the Delhi High Court struck down a discretionary quota for Ministers and MPs in admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas, saying it was violative of the Constitution. *CMC Asks Karnataka to Release 4 tmc of Water to TN: The Cauvery Monitoring Committee today directed Karnataka to release four tmc of water to Tamil Nadu over the next fortnight even as it asked the latter to make a written submission before the panel on issues it wants to be addressed. At a meeting of the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) here, Karnataka was asked to release four thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water to Tamil Nadu between November 1 and 15. The Monitoring Committee consists of Union Water Resources Secretary as Chairperson, Chief Secretaries and Chief Engineers of the basin states and Chairman, Central Water Commission as members. *Parliament nod to Copyright Act amendments: Song writers, artistes and performers, deprived of their dues so far, can now claim royalty for their creations with Parliament approving a law to provide much-delayed justice to them. The Copyright Act (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Lok Sabha, which witnessed unusual unanimity on the matter with members from all parties supporting the measure for creative artistes whose benefits are cornered by producers. The bill declares authors as owners of the copyright, which cannot be assigned to producers as was the practice till now. The bill makes it mandatory for broadcasters - both radio and television - to pay royalty to the owners of the copyright each time a work of art is broadcast. It bans persons from bringing out cover versions of any literary, dramatic or musical work for five years from the first recording of the original creation. *Parliament nod to Copyright Act amendments: Song writers, artistes and performers, deprived of their dues so far, can now claim royalty for their creations with Parliament approving a law to provide much-delayed justice to them. The Copyright Act (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Lok Sabha, which witnessed unusual unanimity on the matter with members from all parties supporting the measure for creative artistes whose benefits are cornered by producers. The bill declares authors as owners of the copyright, which cannot be assigned to producers as was the practice till now. 174
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The bill makes it mandatory for broadcasters - both radio and television - to pay royalty to the owners of the copyright each time a work of art is broadcast. It bans persons from bringing out cover versions of any literary, dramatic or musical work for five years from the first recording of the original creation. * ECIL develops tamper-proof EVMs for local body polls: A modified multi-post, multi-vote Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) with enhanced security and tamper-resistance features for local body elections has been developed by the public sector Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). Around 25,000 new EVMs with improved features have been successfully used on a pilot basis in the recently held municipal elections in Maharashtra. Maharashtra's State Election Commissioner (SEC) was pleased with the functioning of the EVMs and wrote a letter complimenting ECIL's efforts, according to sources in the public sector company. Although almost indistinguishable from the older EVMs, the improved version leverages technological advances to strengthen security and verifiability. The extra security features incorporated in the EVM include embedded identity tags on critical sub-systems, laser marked serial numbers, tamper-resistant and tamper detection facets. If any person tries to meddle with the machine, it would give an indication that it was tampered. The EVMs have been designed with adequate capacity to meet the requirements of local body elections with a maximum of eight posts and multiple contestants for each post. Prototype of VVPAT - Meanwhile, ECIL also developed a prototype of a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Unit' (VVPAT) for EVMs. The VVPAT would be connected to the EVM at the time of voting. After the casting of vote, it would display for a few seconds the candidate's serial number and the corresponding party symbol on the LCD panel of the printer unit. It is basically meant for verification of the vote of an individual, the sources added. It was also proposed to incorporate additional security features in the EVMs used for election of a single candidate in Parliamentary and Assembly elections based on the suggestions of an expert committee constituted by the Election Commission. * Mungekar Committee Report on Administration in Scheduled Areas: The Mungekar Committee Report on Standards of Administration and Governance in the Scheduled Areas submitted by the Standing Committee on Inter-Sectoral Issues relating to Tribal Development under the chairmanship of Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar contains recommendations on a variety of issues. These include inter-alia reviving institutions of self governance, effective delivery mechanism, creation KITE4education.com
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of critical infrastructure, Tribal Sub-plan, implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and Governors Report. The report also contains recommendations on the role of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and State Tribal Welfare Departments, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and SCs & STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Mungekar Committee report is under examination in the Ministry. * MHA red-flags HIV Bill: cant take infected in paramilitary: A clause in the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill 2012 that HIV testing cannot be a precondition for employment has raised some practical roadblocks in the recruitment process of the paramilitary forces and police, and become a bone of contention between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the department of AIDS control. The MHA holds that it is not possible to recruit HIV-positive people in the paramilitary forces because of the high physical requirement standards and also because community living in such forces could spread the infection through cuts and bruises ironically, a notion the governments own AIDS awareness programmes try hard to dispel. The long-pending Bill, which seeks to stop discrimination against people suffering from HIV/AIDS by making it a penal offence, is going to be taken up by the Cabinet soon. It provides for imprisonment of three months to two years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh or both for HIV-related discriminatory propaganda. There are two major points of disagreement between MHA and the AIDS control department. MHA has said that the confidentiality clause on HIV status cannot be honoured for men in the forces or personnel living a community life often in enclosed quarters with common barbers and paramedics because not making HIV status of a person known would make others sharing the place with him/her susceptible. They have also demanded that the clause banning mandatory testing for employment should not apply to the forces and police. It has also raised concerns about the risk of infection to all those around an HIV-positive person and in case of injuries which are a common occurrence because of the nature of the job. It also raised concerns on paramedical and medical staff tending to the person, particularly in a remote area where it is not possible to undertake HIV testing. The AIDS control department has tried to dispel MHA doubts with laborious explanations about how the spread of the disease through common cuts and bruises is minimal and countries like Canada, Belgium and Ukraine and also the United Nations have rejected discriminatory practices in 175
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their armed forces and instead focussed on HIV prevention information among the forces. MHA also holds that the clause that no person can be denied job on the basis of their HIV status is not acceptable because in the paramilitary forces and police, there is a very high physical standard set and even a squint or a flat foot could render a person ineligible. How would a person suffering from HIV/AIDS, who is already immuno deficient, then undergo such rigorous training and duties in difficult positions. The department of AIDS control counters this, saying medical evidence shows persons living with HIV can remain physically fit for up to 15-20 years while on antiretroviral therapy during which they are good enough for any work. The final call on the debate will have to be taken by the Cabinet when it takes the Bill up for consideration. *Gorkha Janmukti Morcha rejects biased Sen report on GTA: Unhappy with the recommendations of the Shyamal Sen committee on inclusion of additional areas of Dooars and Terai in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) is planning to launch an agitation. On the other hand, the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad (ABAVP) was relieved that nothing much from Dooars and Terai would be added to the GTA. The state government set up a three-member fact verification committee to examine the factual aspects of the Justice Shyamal Sen Committee report that has offered five mouzas to be incorporated in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). *The Union cabinet on 19 July 2012 approved a proposal that seek to make rape a gender-neutral offence. With the cabinet giving its nod to the proposal, now, the word rape will be replaced with sexual assault. Under the current definition of rape (Section 375 of Indian Penal Code) a man is said to commit rape when he has sexual intercourse with a woman against her will. The amendment will expand the definition to cover male victims of sexual assault. *Derek O'Brien becomes first Anglo-Indian to vote in Prez poll: Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien recently perhaps became the first AngloIndian to vote in the Presidential poll as members of his community are mostly nominated to Parliament and Assemblies and have no right to participate in balloting for the top Constitutional post. In Rajya Sabha, there are twelve members, who are nominated by the President and can not vote in Presidential election. Under Article 331 of Indian constitution the President is also empowred to KITE4education.com
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nominate not more than two members to the Lok Sabha from the Anglo-Indian community, if he is of the opinion that Anglo-Indian community is not adequately represented in the Lok Sabha. Under article 80 (1) of the Indian constitution twelve members are nominated by the President from persons having special knowledge or practical experience in matters like literature, science, art and social service. Article 84 (b) stipulates that a person shall be of not less than 30 (Thirty) years of age. O'Brien could vote as he is not a nominated member and has been elected to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal. * RTI deprived of diversity: Though stepping into its seventh year since its passage in Parliament on May 15, 2005, the Right to Information (RTI) Act is yet to realize its full potential, feel activists and organizations working on the Act. The RTI Act was supposed to empower people not only by ensuring their access to information but also by greater democratization and public participation in the internal functioning and constitution of the commissions, says a study by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). The study argues that on several indices, like selection of Information Commissioners, presence of women in Information Commissions (ICs) and over all transparency in the ICs, the picture is not very positive. The research, which examined both the RTI Act 2005 and the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Act 2010, shows how retired government babus dominate Information Commissions as they are mostly appointed as ICs and Chief Information Commissioners (CICs). In 2006-07, a little more than half of the Information Commissioners (52 per cent) were retired civil servants. In 2012, this number went up by 14 per cent and till May, twothirds (66 per cent) of the 83 Information Commissioners (including CICs) at the Central and State level are retired civil servants. As much as 90 per cent of the serving CICs are retired civil servants. It has been found that nowhere across the country have eminent citizens with expertise and experience in the fields of management, science and technology, mass media, journalism and social science been appointed as CICs. The RTI Act was intended to provide a diversity of life experience to such bodies from the fields of science, technology, law, management, social service and mass media whereas practice has turned them into PARKING LOTS FOR RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS who are sympathetic to the political establishment. Recommending the Government to access the pendency of cases before the ICs, the study asks the Government to determine the size of the body 176
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required to dispose them off. It also wants the Government to develop objective criteria for determining the suitability of the candidates including the gender dimension, for the vacant posts of ICs, and urges it to ensure that the selection of ICs and CICs be based on the the very principles underlying the RTI Act, like transparency, public participation and accountability. The study also wants the Parliament and the State legislatures to scrutinize the annual reports of the ICs and thereby scrutinize actions of the Government, public authorities and the respective Information Commissions in implementing the RTI Acts. * Justice Madan Bhimarao Lokur took Oath as the Supreme Court Judge: JUSTICE MADAN BHIMARAO LOKUR took the oath as the Supreme Court judge on 4 June 2012. Prior to his elevation to the apex court he was serving as the chief justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The joining of Justice Lokur has taken the total number of the apex court judge to 26, which is still five short of the total strength of 31 judges. Supreme Court Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia administered the oath to Justice Lokur. This is the first time in the history of the apex court that a judge has sworn in during the summer vacation. *Changes recommended by the Standing Committee on Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011: The Standing Committee Report on the Land Acquisition and R&R Bill, 2011 was tabled in the Lok Sabha on May 17, 2012. The major changes to the Bill recommended by the Committee include: Land may not be acquired for use by private companies and PPPs. The role of the local governments should be expanded and made more participatory in the acquisition and R&R process. The role of Gram Sabhas should not be limited to consultation, but their consent should be obtained at different stages. The Clause giving wide discretion to the government in notifying any project as infrastructure project should be deleted. Threshold for R&R provisions should be fixed by the states and not the central government since sale and purchase of land is a state subject in the Constitution (Item 18, State List). There should be a restriction on the acquisition of agricultural land. The limit on the acquisition of such land should be fixed by the state governments. *The Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010: The Bill was introduced on April 19, 2010 in the Rajya Sabha and referred to the Standing Committee on HRD, which tabled its report on November 23, 2010. The KITE4education.com
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government had attempted to pass it in the Winter session twice. However, the Opposition raised the issue of conflict of interest. The Rules of the Ethics Committee state that a MP has to declare his personal or pecuniary interest in a matter, which is under discussion in the Rajya Sabha. The MPs contended that the HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal, could not pilot the Bill without declaring his interest. They argued that his son was the lawyer for a music company which is party to a legal dispute with TV broadcasters to which the amendment would apply (see here for debate on the issue in Parliament). The Copyright Act, 1957 defines the rights of authors of creative works such as books, plays, music, and films. Two key amendments proposed in the Bill are: Copyright in a film currently rests with the producer for 60 years. The Bill vests copyright in a director as well. The Bill makes special provisions for those whose work is used in films or sound recordings (e.g. lyricists or composers). Rights to royalties from such works, when used in media other than films or sound recordings, shall rest with the creator of the work. Key recommendations of the Standing Committee: (a) Drop the provision that makes the principal director the author of a film along with the producer; and (b) Keep the provisions for compulsory licensing in line with the terms of international agreements. * Govt to enact US-style False Claims Law: CEC: The government is working towards enacting a USstyle legislation--False Claims Law--that will enable citizens to sue contractors working on public projects who inflate prices and deliver inferior quality services. The move follows a recommendation by the Central Vigilance Commission to empower citizens to fight corruption. Under this, any citizen can seek punishment and recovery of money from any contractor who charges extra money from the Government and delivers less than the contracted quality or quantity of goods and services. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011 An interim Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) was set up in 2003. The New Pension System (NPS), which was implemented in January 2004, shifted the pension schemes from the defined benefit system to the defined contribution system. The PFRDA Bill, 2011, seeks to give statutory status to the interim PFRDA, define its powers and duties, and set the broad contours of the NPS. Highlights of the Bill 177
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The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011 seeks to give statutory powers to the interim authority set up in 2003. It also alters the name of the New Pension System to National Pension System (NPS). NPS is a defined contribution scheme for all central government employees who joined after January 2004. It is implemented through a combination of retailers, pension fund managers, and a record keeper. This scheme is different from the earlier defined benefit scheme. Under the NPS, every subscriber will have an individual pension account, which will be portable across job changes. The subscribers will choose fund managers and schemes to manage their pension wealth. They will also have the option of switching schemes and fund managers. The NPS was extended to all general citizens through central government notification in May 2009. Key Issues and Analysis The Bill provides a structure (NPS) to plan for old age income security. However, it is optional for those in the unorganised sector. This differs from the system in countries such as the United States, which have a mandatory system to ensure that all persons have old age income security. The NPS is a defined contribution scheme. It is different from existing pension schemes in the organised sector such as the EPS, and the GPF. Both the EPS and GPF are defined benefit schemes. In the NPS, the investment risk is entirely borne by the employees. They are no longer exposed to the risk of default by the government as was the case under the defined benefit system. There will be no explicit or implicit guarantee on the pension wealth, except in cases where the subscriber purchases market based guarantees. This rule is different from the case of bank deposits, where deposits up to Rs 1 lakh are guaranteed. The total corpus and number of enrolments to the NPS have been lower than expected. Recommendations have been made by different committees to the government to make efforts to popularise the scheme. * Rajya Sabha passes RTE Amendment Bill: The amendment will widen the beneficiary net for disabled children and provide those with severe disability the option of receiving education at home. It will also give school management committees an advisory role in minority schools, both aided and unaided, and will put madarsas and vedic schools and other institutions providing primarily religious instruction outside the mandate of the right to education Act. The amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2010, popularly called KITE4education.com
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right to education bill, was pending in the House for two-and-a-half years. The original bill was passed in August 2009. As of 2011, six Indian states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh have a Legislative Council. The Legislative Council cannot have members more than one third of the state assembly. The number, however, also should not be less than 40. *Rajya Sabha passes amended Central Educational Institutions Act: The Rajya Sabha passed amendments to the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006, exempting some central institutions from implementing the other backward castes (OBC) quota. The amendment is applicable to institutions where implementation of the Act exceeds the 50 percent reservation limit fixed by the Supreme Court. The move seeks to balance state and central reservation policies. The amendment says that if seats reserved for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes in a central educational institution exceed 50 percent of the annual strength permitted, the institution need not make any reservation for OBCs. According to the amendment, if such an institution is located in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam's tribal areas, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will not be reduced from the level obtaining on the date immediately preceding the date of the Act's commencement. In case the institution is in any other area, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will be reduced to 50. * SC upholds denial of common symbol to small parties: Political parties that have been denied recognition and poll symbols by the Election Commission have suffered a major setback with the Supreme Court upholding the Commissions poll symbol rules. According to the EC rules, parties seeking recognition should secure not less than 6% of the total valid votes polled in a state and should have returned at least two members to the assembly. In a 2:1 verdict, the court dismissed a batch of petitions which challenged the poll symbols order as discriminatory and which had been framed by the poll body without power. The majority ruling by justices Altamas Kabir and Surinder Singh Nijjar accepted the contentions made by ECs lawyer Meenakshi Arora that the poll symbol order doesnt defy Articles 14,19 and 21 of the Constitution. The symbol order, she had argued, though creates distinction between candidates of recognised parties and other candidates, is not unconstitutional. 178
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The judges also agreed with her contention that the right to vote or to stand as a candidate and contest an election is not a fundamental right or even civil right, but a purely a statutory right. Election commission of India amended the Election Symbols Order, 1968 in December 2000(inserting clause 6 B) to set the benchmarks for a political party to get Election Commissions recognition as political party. However, in his dissenting verdict, justice J Chelameswar held that the Symbols Order, insofar as it denies reservation of a symbol for exclusive allotment of the candidates set up by a political party with insignificant poll performance, is against Article 14 of the Constitution. Referring to the earlier verdicts on poll symbols, he said the court had failed to appreciate that in a democratic set up while the majorities rule, minorities are entitled to protection. Otherwise, the mandate of Article 14 would be meaningless, he said. If democracies are all about only numbers, Hitler was a great democrat, he remarked. *SC refers Lyngdoh Committee report to Five Judge Bench: The Supreme Court referred to a five judge constitution bench implementation of the JM Lyngdoh committee report on electoral reforms in university and college students union elections. A bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Justice AK Ganguly noted that appointment of such committees amounted to judicial legislation which is not the job of the courts and it is only for the Parliament to legislate. A bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat (since retired) had ordered the implementation of the recommendations of Lyngdoh committee report on electoral reforms in university and college union elections. The committee headed by former Chief Election Commissioner had also fixed Rs 10,000 as the maximum expenditure limit for a candidate contesting Students Union Election. Justice Pasayat had also ordered the implementation of the recommendations of RK Raghavan committee report to check the menace of ragging in educational institutions across the country. *India's first e- Toll plaza rolled out in Haryana: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) rolled out the countrys first electronic toll collection (ETC) system in Haryana. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of a wireless non-contact system that uses radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from a tag attached to an object, for the purposes of automatic identification and tracking. The technology will help users to make payment without stopping at toll plazas and reduce traffic KITE4education.com
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congestion and commuting time, the official said, adding that toll statements could be made available online to the road users and they don't need to stop for collecting receipt. Under the system a chip-embedded sticker will be stuck on a vehicle, and the driver will not have to stop at toll plazas to pay the required sum. This is because money will be automatically collected from the chip and will pooled at one place electronically and then distributed to the toll plaza operators. *CAG: 24/7 watch on Central flagship projects' spend:- The Controller General of Accounts (CGA) will soon monitor the expenditure on the flagship programmes of Central Ministries on a 24x7 basis. The CAG has successfully completed pilot projects in four States so far. Such a monitoring initiative, named Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS), could bring the Government an approximate benefit of Rs 35,400 crore by cutting down idle' time for funds and speedier settlements through e-payments, etc. BETTER TRACKING - Besides this, such a system will enhance transparency and accountability in public expenditure. The Government is expected to formally launch this programme soon. The scheme will capture COMPONENT-WISE EXPENDITURE to improve quality of expenditure. The scheme will also monitor flow of funds to the lowest level of implementation. This scheme is based on software installed on a portal of the CGA. The pilot project was conducted in Bihar, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The pilot project includes flagship programmes such as Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. *Excessive quotas violate equality mandate: SC: Noting that excessive reservation violates the constitutional mandate of equality, the Supreme Court has said that interests of certain sections of the society cannot be favoured over the interests of every citizen of the entire society. In a judgment delivered, the Supreme Court said: Article 16(4) which protects the interests of certain sections of the society has to be balanced against Article 16(1) which protects the interests of every citizen of the entire society. They should be harmonised because they are restatements of the principle of equality under Article 14. The judgment dealt with two amendments brought by the Uttar Pradesh government to enable reservation and accelerated promotion for SC/STs and OBCs in the UP public services. Both Rule 8A, which dealt with accelerated promotion in the UP Government Servants Seniority Rules, 1991, and Section 3(7), which prescribed 179
CrackingIAS.com
quota during promotion in the UP Public Servants (Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes) Act, 1994, were quashed as ultra vires the Constitution. The UP government had moved the SC after the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court quashed the two provisions in 2011. The Supreme Court Bench said the state governments amendments were not backed by any quantifiable data. * PAISA 2011 Highlights: The PAISA survey is conducted annually through the Annual Survey of Education Rural. This is the second PAISA report. In 2009, the survey covered a total of 14231 Primary and Upper Primary Schools in rural India. The 2010 survey covered 14240 schools and the PAISA 2011 survey covered 14,283 schools across rural India. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey is a citizen led survey conducted through students, district education institutes, community organizations and non-governmental organizations. PAISA is thus the first and only national level, citizen led effort to track public expenditures. PAISAs specific point of investigation is the school grants in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). SSA is currently the Government of Indias primary vehicle for implementing the Right to Education Act (RTE). SSA is thus the most crucial vehicle for the overall provision of elementary education in the country today. The latest PAISA 2011 report on tracking public expenditure on schools, brought out by Accountability Initiative, suggests India's SSA budget (Centre and State share) has more than doubled between 2009-10 and 2011-12, up from Rs.26,169 crore to Rs.55,746 crore, as has the per child allocation, from Rs.2,004 in 2009-2011 to Rs.4,269 in 2011-12. *Granting of Voting Rights for NRIs Opposed by Parliamentary Standing Committee: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has raised objections regarding the Central governments move to grant voting franchise to NonResidential Indians. The committee consisting of 26 MPs has sought clarifications from the Secretary of External Affairs before any decision is taken in this regard. The committee is being led by Ananth Kumar, BJP MP, Bangalore. At the meeting held on 12 April, members pointed out that the move will lead to NRIs asking for contesting in elections, even as they remain unrelated with the land, its local issues and voters. Committee members also raised the concern of the Election Commission facing the strain of setting up its infrastructure in other countries in order to facilitate the voting of NRIs. The process they feel, will entail large amount of money and will be KITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
impossible to be implemented logistically.`` * Doorstep delivery service in PDS in Bihar: Bihar government will be the first state to deliver ration to the doorsteps of 1.45 crore BPL families. The state government, which introduced ration coupons in 2007 and made it bar-coded last year to avoid duplicity, will have a mix of conventional methods and modern technology to further cut down corruption in PDS. The new "Doorstep delivery service" is expected to commence by August 15, 2012. * HRW seeks ban on degrading search of women in Kabul prison: The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Afghanistan government to immediately ban the degrading, abusive and unnecessary invasive vaginal searches of women visiting prisoners in the largest prison for men Pul-i-Charkhi in Kabul. * Malaysia: Sexual Diversity Festival Ban Needs Court Review: The sexual diversity festival, which has been held since 2008 without incident or interference from government authorities, was scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from November 9 to 13, 2011. The festival was to consist of talks, workshops, literary events, stage performances, and an art exhibition focusing on the human rights of people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. The police announced on November 3 that it constituted a threat to public order. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the declaration, without distinction of any kind, including the rights to freedom of expression and association. The Malaysian governments unjustified banning of the festival violates the principle of nondiscrimination and freedom of expression and association, Human Rights Watch said. * Rajasthan enacts law on right to hearing: Rajasthan Assembly passed by voice vote the Rajasthan Right To Hearing Bill-2012 that provides right to hearing to the people within stipulated time. The Bill aims to provide for a mechanism to ensure that the grievances of the citizens are heard effectively in a time bound manner at their nearest places and it is being done by provision for appointing public hearing officers and prescribing maximum time limit for disposal of complaints made by the people. provisions are also being made for appeal against the orders of the public hearing officers and/or for inaction/neglect on their part in addressing the complaint. 180
CrackingIAS.com
The provisions had also been made for appointment of second appellate authority that would be empowered to impose penalty on delinquent public hearing officers and/or first appellate authority and even recommend disciplinary action against them in case they failed to discharge their duties effectively within time frame under the Bill. The desert state had become the first state in the country to adopt such a forward looking Bill. *Sikkim wins top rural development award: Sikkim has won the 'best state' award for strengthening its panchayati raj institutions. Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh and Union minister of panchayati raj and tribal development V Kishore Chandra Deo presented the 2011-12 Panchayat Empowerment & Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS) award to Sikkim's rural management and development minister CB Karki on a Panchayat Raj Day function, said a statement by the state government. The Panchayat Empowerment & Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS) is a Central Sector Plan Scheme which is being implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj since 2005-06. The scheme had an allocation of 5 crore for 2005-06, which was raised to 10 crore rupees for the subsequent years. RIGHT TO PUBLIC SERVICES LEGISLATION Recently, many Indian states have enacted their respective Public Service Guarantee Acts, also known as the Right to Service Act, as a key administrative reform initiative. These Public Service Guarantee Acts build on the idea of the Citizen Charter - while Citizen Charters define the quality of public services, these Acts take it a step further by making a citizens right to public service within the stipulated time legally binding, failing which the concerned officials can be penalized. Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to enact Right to Service Act on 18 August, 2010. Several other states like Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand have introduced similar legislation for effectuating the right to service to the citizen. Although the legislative framework for these Acts has been established, the objectives of the Act can be achieved only by enhancing the actual delivery of services. This is contingent on several factors. Foremost among which is the need to strengthen the capacities of service providers by creating adequate and efficient supporting infrastructure along with an attitudinal change. Furthermore, for strengthening the theory and practice of public service guarantee laws across the country there is a need to create awareness among citizens about their right to a timely service. Such awareness will make the Act binding on the serviceKITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
providers warning them against taking a laid back attitude towards service-provision. Also, the use of PPP-based business models for providing services and use of ICT-based tools for tracking and monitoring service delivery can bring about transparency, accountability and efficiency which will make it easier to deliver services on time as well as help in quick identification of faulty individuals/departments. While the above recommendations will certainly smoothen the implementation of the Right to Public Service, it must be emphasized that the legislation is a relatively new one and bottlenecks and solutions will keep arising as we go along. Nevertheless, the Act represents a dedicated effort on the part of the government to facilitate accountable, efficient and citizen-centric governance. Its effective implementation now depends upon complementary governance reform initiatives. * Rajya Sabha passes RTE Amendment Bill: The amendment will widen the beneficiary net for disabled children and provide those with severe disability the option of receiving education at home. It will also give school management committees an advisory role in minority schools, both aided and unaided, and will put madarsas and vedic schools and other institutions providing primarily religious instruction outside the mandate of the right to education Act. The amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2010, popularly called right to education bill, was pending in the House for two-and-a-half years. The original bill was passed in August 2009. As of 2011, six Indian states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh have a Legislative Council. The Legislative Council cannot have members more than one third of the state assembly. The number, however, also should not be less than 40. *Rajya Sabha passes amended Central Educational Institutions Act: The Rajya Sabha passed amendments to the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006, exempting some central institutions from implementing the other backward castes (OBC) quota. The amendment is applicable to institutions where implementation of the Act exceeds the 50 percent reservation limit fixed by the Supreme Court. The move seeks to balance state and central reservation policies. The amendment says that if seats reserved for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes in a central educational institution exceed 50 percent of the annual strength permitted, the institution need not make any reservation for OBCs. According to the amendment, if such an institution 181
CrackingIAS.com
is located in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam's tribal areas, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will not be reduced from the level obtaining on the date immediately preceding the date of the Act's commencement. In case the institution is in any other area, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will be reduced to 50. *SC upholds denial of common symbol to small parties: Political parties that have been denied recognition and poll symbols by the Election Commission have suffered a major setback with the Supreme Court upholding the Commissions poll symbol rules. According to the EC rules, parties seeking recognition should secure not less than 6% of the total valid votes polled in a state and should have returned at least two members to the assembly. In a 2:1 verdict, the court dismissed a batch of petitions which challenged the poll symbols order as discriminatory and which had been framed by the poll body without power. The majority ruling by justices Altamas Kabir and Surinder Singh Nijjar accepted the contentions made by ECs lawyer Meenakshi Arora that the poll symbol order doesnt defy Articles 14,19 and 21 of the Constitution. The symbol order, she had argued, though creates distinction between candidates of recognised parties and other candidates, is not unconstitutional. The judges also agreed with her contention that the right to vote or to stand as a candidate and contest an election is not a fundamental right or even civil right, but a purely a statutory right. Election commission of India amended the Election Symbols Order, 1968 in December 2000(inserting clause 6 B) to set the benchmarks for a political party to get Election Commissions recognition as political party. However, in his dissenting verdict, justice J Chelameswar held that the Symbols Order, insofar as it denies reservation of a symbol for exclusive allotment of the candidates set up by a political party with insignificant poll performance, is against Article 14 of the Constitution. Referring to the earlier verdicts on poll symbols, he said the court had failed to appreciate that in a democratic set up while the majorities rule, minorities are entitled to protection. Otherwise, the mandate of Article 14 would be meaningless, he said. If democracies are all about only numbers, Hitler was a great democrat, he remarked. *UN Issues First Report On Human Rights Of Gay And Lesbian People: The report, released recently by the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, outlines a pattern of KITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
human rights violations that demands a response, and says governments have too often overlooked violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Homophobic and transphobic violence has been recorded in every region of the world, the report finds, and ranges from murder, kidnappings, assaults and rapes to psychological threats and arbitrary deprivations of liberty. LGBT people are often targets of organized abuse from religious extremists, paramilitary groups, neoNazis, extreme nationalists and others, as well as family and community violence, with lesbians and transgender women at particular risk. In the report, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, calls on countries to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality, abolish the death penalty for offences involving consensual sexual relations, harmonize the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual conduct, and enact comprehensive anti-discrimination laws. In 76 countries it remains illegal to engage in samesex conduct and in at least five countries Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen the death penalty prevails. Ms. Pillay recommends that Member States also promptly investigate all killings or serious violent incidents perpetrated because of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, and to establish systems to record such incidents. The High Commissioner also calls on countries to ensure that no one fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is returned to a territory where their life or freedom is at threat, and that asylum laws recognize that sexual orientation or gender identity is a valid basis for claiming persecution. Public information campaigns should be introduced, especially in schools, to counter homophobia, and police and law enforcement officials should also receive training to ensure LGBT people are treated appropriately and fairly. *SC refers Lyngdoh Committee report to Five Judge Bench: The Supreme Court referred to a five judge constitution bench implementation of the JM Lyngdoh committee report on electoral reforms in university and college students union elections. A bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Justice AK Ganguly noted that appointment of such committees amounted to judicial legislation which is not the job of the courts and it is only for the Parliament to legislate. A bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat (since retired) had ordered the implementation of the recommendations of Lyngdoh committee report on electoral reforms in university and college union elections. The committee headed by former Chief 182
CrackingIAS.com
Election Commissioner had also fixed Rs 10,000 as the maximum expenditure limit for a candidate contesting Students Union Election. Justice Pasayat had also ordered the implementation of the recommendations of RK Raghavan committee report to check the menace of ragging in educational institutions across the country. *India's first e- Toll plaza rolled out in Haryana: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) rolled out the countrys first electronic toll collection (ETC) system in Haryana. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of a wireless non-contact system that uses radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from a tag attached to an object, for the purposes of automatic identification and tracking. The technology will help users to make payment without stopping at toll plazas and reduce traffic congestion and commuting time, the official said, adding that toll statements could be made available online to the road users and they don't need to stop for collecting receipt. Under the system a chip-embedded sticker will be stuck on a vehicle, and the driver will not have to stop at toll plazas to pay the required sum. This is because money will be automatically collected from the chip and will pooled at one place electronically and then distributed to the toll plaza operators. *CAG: 24/7 watch on Central flagship projects' spend:- The Controller General of Accounts (CGA) will soon monitor the expenditure on the flagship programmes of Central Ministries on a 24x7 basis. The CAG has successfully completed pilot projects in four States so far. Such a monitoring initiative, named Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS), could bring the Government an approximate benefit of Rs 35,400 crore by cutting down idle' time for funds and speedier settlements through e-payments, etc. BETTER TRACKING - Besides this, such a system will enhance transparency and accountability in public expenditure. The Government is expected to formally launch this programme soon. The scheme will capture COMPONENT-WISE EXPENDITURE to improve quality of expenditure. The scheme will also monitor flow of funds to the lowest level of implementation. This scheme is based on software installed on a portal of the CGA. The pilot project was conducted in Bihar, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The pilot project includes flagship programmes such as Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, National Rural Health Mission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. * Excessive quotas violate equality mandate: SC: KITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
Noting that excessive reservation violates the constitutional mandate of equality, the Supreme Court has said that interests of certain sections of the society cannot be favoured over the interests of every citizen of the entire society. In a judgment delivered, the Supreme Court said: Article 16(4) which protects the interests of certain sections of the society has to be balanced against Article 16(1) which protects the interests of every citizen of the entire society. They should be harmonised because they are restatements of the principle of equality under Article 14. The judgment dealt with two amendments brought by the Uttar Pradesh government to enable reservation and accelerated promotion for SC/STs and OBCs in the UP public services. Both Rule 8A, which dealt with accelerated promotion in the UP Government Servants Seniority Rules, 1991, and Section 3(7), which prescribed quota during promotion in the UP Public Servants (Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes) Act, 1994, were quashed as ultra vires the Constitution. The UP government had moved the SC after the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court quashed the two provisions in 2011. The Supreme Court Bench said the state governments amendments were not backed by any quantifiable data. * PAISA 2011 Highlights: The PAISA survey is conducted annually through the Annual Survey of Education Rural. This is the second PAISA report. In 2009, the survey covered a total of 14231 Primary and Upper Primary Schools in rural India. The 2010 survey covered 14240 schools and the PAISA 2011 survey covered 14,283 schools across rural India. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey is a citizen led survey conducted through students, district education institutes, community organizations and non-governmental organizations. PAISA is thus the first and only national level, citizen led effort to track public expenditures. PAISAs specific point of investigation is the school grants in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). SSA is currently the Government of Indias primary vehicle for implementing the Right to Education Act (RTE). SSA is thus the most crucial vehicle for the overall provision of elementary education in the country today. The latest PAISA 2011 report on tracking public expenditure on schools, brought out by Accountability Initiative, suggests India's SSA budget (Centre and State share) has more than doubled between 2009-10 and 2011-12, up from Rs.26,169 crore to Rs.55,746 crore, as has the per child allocation, from Rs.2,004 in 2009-2011 to Rs.4,269 in 2011-12. 183
CrackingIAS.com
*Granting of Voting Rights for NRIs Opposed by Parliamentary Standing Committee: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has raised objections regarding the Central governments move to grant voting franchise to NonResidential Indians. The committee consisting of 26 MPs has sought clarifications from the Secretary of External Affairs before any decision is taken in this regard. The committee is being led by Ananth Kumar, BJP MP, Bangalore. At the meeting held on 12 April, members pointed out that the move will lead to NRIs asking for contesting in elections, even as they remain unrelated with the land, its local issues and voters. Committee members also raised the concern of the Election Commission facing the strain of setting up its infrastructure in other countries in order to facilitate the voting of NRIs. The process they feel, will entail large amount of money and will be impossible to be implemented logistically.`` * Doorstep delivery service in PDS in Bihar: Bihar government will be the first state to deliver ration to the doorsteps of 1.45 crore BPL families. The state government, which introduced ration coupons in 2007 and made it bar-coded last year to avoid duplicity, will have a mix of conventional methods and modern technology to further cut down corruption in PDS. The new "Doorstep delivery service" is expected to commence by August 15, 2012. * HRW seeks ban on degrading search of women in Kabul prison: The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Afghanistan government to immediately ban the degrading, abusive and unnecessary invasive vaginal searches of women visiting prisoners in the largest prison for men Pul-i-Charkhi in Kabul. * Malaysia: Sexual Diversity Festival Ban Needs Court Review: The sexual diversity festival, which has been held since 2008 without incident or interference from government authorities, was scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from November 9 to 13, 2011. The festival was to consist of talks, workshops, literary events, stage performances, and an art exhibition focusing on the human rights of people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. The police announced on November 3 that it constituted a threat to public order. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the declaration, without distinction of any kind, including the rights to freedom of expression and association. The KITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
Malaysian governments unjustified banning of the festival violates the principle of nondiscrimination and freedom of expression and association, Human Rights Watch said. * Rajasthan enacts law on right to hearing: Rajasthan Assembly passed by voice vote the Rajasthan Right To Hearing Bill-2012 that provides right to hearing to the people within stipulated time. The Bill aims to provide for a mechanism to ensure that the grievances of the citizens are heard effectively in a time bound manner at their nearest places and it is being done by provision for appointing public hearing officers and prescribing maximum time limit for disposal of complaints made by the people. provisions are also being made for appeal against the orders of the public hearing officers and/or for inaction/neglect on their part in addressing the complaint. The provisions had also been made for appointment of second appellate authority that would be empowered to impose penalty on delinquent public hearing officers and/or first appellate authority and even recommend disciplinary action against them in case they failed to discharge their duties effectively within time frame under the Bill. The desert state had become the first state in the country to adopt such a forward looking Bill. *Sikkim wins top rural development award: Sikkim has won the 'best state' award for strengthening its panchayati raj institutions. Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh and Union minister of panchayati raj and tribal development V Kishore Chandra Deo presented the 2011-12 Panchayat Empowerment & Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS) award to Sikkim's rural management and development minister CB Karki on a Panchayat Raj Day function, said a statement by the state government. The Panchayat Empowerment & Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS) is a Central Sector Plan Scheme which is being implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj since 2005-06. The scheme had an allocation of 5 crore for 2005-06, which was raised to 10 crore rupees for the subsequent years. RIGHT TO PUBLIC SERVICES LEGISLATION Recently, many Indian states have enacted their respective Public Service Guarantee Acts, also known as the Right to Service Act, as a key administrative reform initiative. These Public Service Guarantee Acts build on the idea of the Citizen Charter - while Citizen Charters define the quality of public services, these Acts take it a step further by making a citizens right to public service within the stipulated time legally binding, failing which the concerned officials can be penalized. 184
CrackingIAS.com
Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to enact Right to Service Act on 18 August, 2010. Several other states like Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand have introduced similar legislation for effectuating the right to service to the citizen. Although the legislative framework for these Acts has been established, the objectives of the Act can be achieved only by enhancing the actual delivery of services. This is contingent on several factors. Foremost among which is the need to strengthen the capacities of service providers by creating adequate and efficient supporting infrastructure along with an attitudinal change. Furthermore, for strengthening the theory and practice of public service guarantee laws across the country there is a need to create awareness among citizens about their right to a timely service. Such awareness will make the Act binding on the serviceproviders warning them against taking a laid back attitude towards service-provision. Also, the use of PPP-based business models for providing services and use of ICT-based tools for tracking and monitoring service delivery can bring about transparency, accountability and efficiency which will make it easier to deliver services on time as well as help in quick identification of faulty individuals/departments. While the above recommendations will certainly smoothen the implementation of the Right to Public Service, it must be emphasized that the legislation is a relatively new one and bottlenecks and solutions will keep arising as we go along. Nevertheless, the Act represents a dedicated effort on the part of the government to facilitate accountable, efficient and citizen-centric governance. Its effective implementation now depends upon complementary governance reform initiatives. * Rajya Sabha passes RTE Amendment Bill: The amendment will widen the beneficiary net for disabled children and provide those with severe disability the option of receiving education at home. It will also give school management committees an advisory role in minority schools, both aided and unaided, and will put madarsas and vedic schools and other institutions providing primarily religious instruction outside the mandate of the right to education Act. The amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2010, popularly called right to education bill, was pending in the House for two-and-a-half years. The original bill was passed in August 2009. As of 2011, six Indian states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh have a Legislative Council. The Legislative Council cannot have KITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
members more than one third of the state assembly. The number, however, also should not be less than 40. *Rajya Sabha passes amended Central Educational Institutions Act: The Rajya Sabha passed amendments to the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006, exempting some central institutions from implementing the other backward castes (OBC) quota. The amendment is applicable to institutions where implementation of the Act exceeds the 50 percent reservation limit fixed by the Supreme Court. The move seeks to balance state and central reservation policies. The amendment says that if seats reserved for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes in a central educational institution exceed 50 percent of the annual strength permitted, the institution need not make any reservation for OBCs. According to the amendment, if such an institution is located in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam's tribal areas, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will not be reduced from the level obtaining on the date immediately preceding the date of the Act's commencement. In case the institution is in any other area, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will be reduced to 50. * SC upholds denial of common symbol to small parties: Political parties that have been denied recognition and poll symbols by the Election Commission have suffered a major setback with the Supreme Court upholding the Commissions poll symbol rules. According to the EC rules, parties seeking recognition should secure not less than 6% of the total valid votes polled in a state and should have returned at least two members to the assembly. In a 2:1 verdict, the court dismissed a batch of petitions which challenged the poll symbols order as discriminatory and which had been framed by the poll body without power. The majority ruling by justices Altamas Kabir and Surinder Singh Nijjar accepted the contentions made by ECs lawyer Meenakshi Arora that the poll symbol order doesnt defy Articles 14,19 and 21 of the Constitution. The symbol order, she had argued, though creates distinction between candidates of recognised parties and other candidates, is not unconstitutional. The judges also agreed with her contention that the right to vote or to stand as a candidate and contest an election is not a fundamental right or even civil right, but a purely a statutory right. Election commission of India amended the Election Symbols Order, 1968 in December 2000(inserting clause 6 B) to set the benchmarks 185
CrackingIAS.com
for a political party to get Election Commissions recognition as political party. However, in his dissenting verdict, justice J Chelameswar held that the Symbols Order, insofar as it denies reservation of a symbol for exclusive allotment of the candidates set up by a political party with insignificant poll performance, is against Article 14 of the Constitution. Referring to the earlier verdicts on poll symbols, he said the court had failed to appreciate that in a democratic set up while the majorities rule, minorities are entitled to protection. Otherwise, the mandate of Article 14 would be meaningless, he said. If democracies are all about only numbers, Hitler was a great democrat, he remarked. *UN Issues First Report On Human Rights Of Gay And Lesbian People: The report, released recently by the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, outlines a pattern of human rights violations that demands a response, and says governments have too often overlooked violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Homophobic and transphobic violence has been recorded in every region of the world, the report finds, and ranges from murder, kidnappings, assaults and rapes to psychological threats and arbitrary deprivations of liberty. LGBT people are often targets of organized abuse from religious extremists, paramilitary groups, neoNazis, extreme nationalists and others, as well as family and community violence, with lesbians and transgender women at particular risk. In the report, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, calls on countries to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality, abolish the death penalty for offences involving consensual sexual relations, harmonize the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual conduct, and enact comprehensive anti-discrimination laws. In 76 countries it remains illegal to engage in samesex conduct and in at least five countries Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen the death penalty prevails. Ms. Pillay recommends that Member States also promptly investigate all killings or serious violent incidents perpetrated because of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, and to establish systems to record such incidents. The High Commissioner also calls on countries to ensure that no one fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is returned to a territory where their life or freedom is at threat, and that asylum laws recognize that sexual orientation or gender identity is a valid basis for claiming persecution. Public information campaigns should be introduced, KITE4education.com
IAS EXPRESS
especially in schools, to counter homophobia, and police and law enforcement officials should also receive training to ensure LGBT people are treated appropriately and fairly. *SC refers Lyngdoh Committee report to Five Judge Bench: The Supreme Court referred to a five judge constitution bench implementation of the JM Lyngdoh committee report on electoral reforms in university and college students union elections. A bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Justice AK Ganguly noted that appointment of such committees amounted to judicial legislation which is not the job of the courts and it is only for the Parliament to legislate. A bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat (since retired) had ordered the implementation of the recommendations of Lyngdoh committee report on electoral reforms in university and college union elections. The committee headed by former Chief Election Commissioner had also fixed Rs 10,000 as the maximum expenditure limit for a candidate contesting Students Union Election. Justice Pasayat had also ordered the implementation of the recommendations of RK Raghavan committee report to check the menace of ragging in educational institutions across the country. * HRW seeks ban on degrading search of women in Kabul prison: The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Afghanistan government to immediately ban the degrading, abusive and unnecessary invasive vaginal searches of women visiting prisoners in the largest prison for men Pul-i-Charkhi in Kabul.
IAS 2013 PRELIMS
JET FAST
CLASSES PAPER 1 & 2

Short cuts & Strategies Potential questions discussion Score Maximizing Strategies
186
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SPORTS & AWARDS - News
* Malala Yousafzai Honoured with France's Simone de Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom: Malala Yousafzai, 15, the schoolgirl from Pakistan shot by Taliban for campaigning girls education, on 9 January 2013 received France's Simone de Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom in Paris. Malalas father Ziaudin Yousafzai received the honour on her behalf. The award is accompanied with 2.5 million Rupees honorarium. In the first week of January 2013, Malala Yousafzai got released from the British hospital. She is waiting for the reconstructive surgery to be performed on the skull. Malala was shot by the Taliban in her head after her school bus drove through Mingora town of Swat Valley of Pakistan. The United Nations declared November 10 as Malala Day in honour of Pakistani teeenage rights activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in October 2012 for advocating girls education. Malala Yousafzai, on 19 November 2012 awarded by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation for her bravery and commitment to education for girls in adverse conditions in Swat, Pakistan. *Indian women lift Asian Squash title: Indian women squash team won its maiden gold at the 16th Asian Squash Championship in Kuwait on 5 May 2012. The women team created a history by defeating the top seeded Hongkong team in the title clash. Indian women 71st seeded ed Joshna Chinnappa and 14th seeded Dipika Pallikkal defeated world number sixteen Joey Chan and world number seven Annie Au respectively. Prior to this, the best performance of Indian women squash team had come in 2010 at the last championship held in 2010 in Chennai, when the team had managed to clinch the silver. The Indian men's team, however, suffered a 0-2 defeat against Pakistan in the conclusive contest. Indias national champion Saurav Ghosal and Siddharth Suchde lost to Pakistan's first ranked Farhan Mehboob and Farhan Zaman respectively. Asian Squash Championship had started off in 1981. The inaugural edition of the championship was held in Karachi in Pakistan. * IAAF world athletes of the year: Jamaican runner Usain Bolt was declared the winner of the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award for 2012 for the 4th time. US sprinter Allyson Felix bagged the womens World Athlete of the Year award. KITE4education.com
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*Kamal Nath Elected As the Leader of Indian Delegation for World Economic Forum 2013: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh elected Kamal Nath, the Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, as a leader of Indian delegation for annual meetings for World Economic Forum which will be held in Davos from 23 to 27 January 2013. There will be other three members in the delegation and these involve Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Heavy Industry Minister Praful Patel and Commerce & Industry Minister Anand Sharma. Indian cricket star VIRAT KOHLI became the fastest Indian to score 4000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Virat Kohli played 96 ODI matches and 93 innings to reach this milestone. Before Sourav Ganguly was the fastest Indian to score 4000 runs in ODI who had played 105 inning. Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal once again attained world no.2 position in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings. Previously, she had achieved this feat in 2010. Kamal Nath being chosen as the leader of the delegation surprised the government because this is the first time when someone not from the ministries of finance or commerce is leading the delegation. Choice of Kamal Nath as the leader reflected his importance in the UPA. Back in 2006 as well, when the economy was at its boom, Kamal Nath launched India Everywhere campaign, depicting India as a lucrative destination for the investment purpose and for placing it in the top most table at the global level. However, now Indian delegation has the challenge of convincing business tycoons at the global level that India is among the most lucrative investment destinations. Prime Ministers Office on 26 December 2012 reconstituted the Planning Commission and appointed the Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister - Kamal Nath as its new exofficio member, replacing Jairam Ramesh. * U.R.Ananthamurthy in race for the International Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2013: Indian Kannada author U.R.Ananthamurthy is one among the ten authors shortlisted for the prestigious International Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2013. Ananthamurthy became famous with his novel Samskara launched in 1966. The International Man Booker Prize is presented by UK to a living author of any nationality for a body of work published in English or generally available in English translation. It is a biennial event which 187
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awards an author for his lifetime work. * U.R. Rao to be inducted in Satellite Hall of Fame: The former ISRO chairman, Prof. U.R. Rao, will be inducted the prestigious international Satellite Hall of Fame. The US based Society of Satellite Professionals International (SSPI) is honoring him for his contribution to the field of satellite-related aerospace scientific research. Prof. Rao, who served as Secretary, Department of Space, and Chairman of the Space Commission for 10 years from 1984, will join the club of some 40 space personalities who include Arthur Clarke. Currently, Rao is the chairman of the governing council of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. * Zhao Jiang is Chinas first Tamil author: Zhao Jiang or Kalaimakal has become first Chinese author to write a book in Tamil. She has authored a book titled Chinas Travel Attractions which introduces the reader with the history and culture of Beijing, Shanghai and Tibet. Currently, Jiang is the director of the government-run China Radio Internationals (CRI) Tamil station, which commands an significant number of audience in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Europe. * Indias Dipika Pallikal Lost in Pre-Quarters of Womens World Open Squash Championship 2012: Dipika Pallikal of India who ranked 10th in the world and 13th seed in tournament lost in the pre quarters of Womens World Open Squash Championship. Pallikal lost to second seed Weleily in the 38-minute match at South Sound squash club on 20 December 2012. * P. Chidambaram awarded with Best Administrator in India Award: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on 20 December 2012 awarded with the Best Administrator in India Award instituted by K. Karunakaran Foundation. The award was presented to him by Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari. The award is given to him for his role in evolving indian economy as Finance Minister in the late 1990s when he presented what was widely called a dream budget which gave a road map for economic reforms in India and lowered income and corporate tax rates. P. Chidambaram is second recipient of the Best Administrator in India Award. Earlier in year 2011 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the Best Administrator in India Award 2011 of the K Karunakaran Foundation to former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on 21 December 2011. KITE4education.com
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* Miss USA Olivia Culpo is crowned Miss Universe: An American had not won the right to be called Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997. Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, came in second, while Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third. * AIFF appointed a Probe Panel with Retired Judge A.K. Ganguly as its One-man Committee: The All India Football Federation in the third week of December 2012 appointed A.K. Ganguly, the retired Judge of Supreme Court and Chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, as the one-man committee for probing into and make a decision about the fate of the abandoned 10th round I-League match between the Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. *Stephen Hawking wins $3M Milner Prize: Stephen Hawking was awarded the Special Fundamental Physics Prize in recognition for his lifelong contribution to science. The Milner Prize is the most lucrative academic prize currently awarded, with the substantial 1.8 million prize fund being roughly 3 times more than that which is awarded to the Nobel Prize winners. The prize is awarded by the Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation which was founded by Yuri Milner, who dropped out of his PhD in Physics to invest in social media websites, who has described himself as a failed physicist. Unlike the Nobel Prizes these awards can be given to teams of people, with the second of the two prizes this year being awarded to seven scientists at CERN who have been working on discovering the Higgs Boson. Hawking won the prize in recognition of his considerable contribution to physics over the years. Perhaps most important was his 1974 discovery that black holes radiate energy, evaporate, and eventually disappear a discovery which had considerable impact on our modern understanding of both space and matter. Other prominent areas of his research have included work on quantum gravity and the early universe. * Aryabhata award for top defence scientist Saraswat: V.K. Saraswat, scientific advisor to defence minister and director-general of the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been selected for the Astronautical Society of India (ASI)'s prestigious Aryabhata Award 2011 in recognition of his outstanding contributions and lifetime achievements. Besides Saraswat, former noted space scientist A.E. Muthunayagam has been named for 2010 Aryabhata Award. 188
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Muthunagayam was former director of the staterun Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Liquid Propulsions Systems Centre at Mahendragiri in south Tamil Nadu and former secretary of the ocean development department in New Delhi. *92 Year Old Archaeologist and French Scholar Conferred Classical Tamil Awards by President: 92 years old Prof. C. Govindarajanar was conferred Tolkappiyar Award for outstanding contribution in the field of Tamil studies. Prof. Govindarajanar is an eminent archeologist who did fieldwork for 17 years in the historically important region from Pumpukar to Vanci which led to the identification of the Kannaki temple. The award carries a certificate of honour, a memento and a one-time cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh. Prof. Francois Gros, a French National received Kural Pitam Award for the year 2008-09. Prof. Gros has translated many Tamil Classics into French and was Vice President of the International Association of Tamil Research. It includes a certificate of honour, a memento and a one-time cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh. Young Scholar Awards for year 2008-09 were also conferred on to Dr. A. Lakshmi Duttai, Dr. S. Madhavan, Dr. M. Ramakrishnan and Dr. S. Sentamizhpavai for showing excellence in Tamil studies. It includes a certificate of honour, a memento and a one-time cash award of Rs.1 lakh. Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil are instituted by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, to give due recognition and honour to distinguished scholars who have made outstanding contribution to Classical Tamil language and literature. * Novak Djokovic won World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi: Novak Djokovic on 29 December 2012 won World Tennis Championship final against Spanish tennis player Nicolas Almagro. Novak Djokovic beat Nicolas Almagro to clinch the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament held in Dubai. *RPSC (Rajasthan Public Service Commission) Became Tech Savvy Public Service Commission: Once treated as the most traditional Public Service Commission of the country RPSC has transformed themselves as a most IT friendly organization comparing other state PCS. RPSC keeps informing the candidates on SMS about the result examination date and several other things. Admit cards are not sent through the mail however it is uploaded only on web site of the RPSC and KITE4education.com
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personalized SMS are also sent to the candidate by telling them about their roll no and centre. A candidate who appeared in RAS 2012 examination said that the innovative idea adopted by RPSC is quite helpful for the candidates. RPSC has got e-India 2012 award for best Government to Citizen Initiative on 15.11.2012 at Hyderabad, earlier it was also selected for eGovernance Champion Award-2010. *Mr. Cricket Mike Hussey to retire from Test cricket: Australian batsman Mike Hussey will retire from Test cricket after the final match of the series against Sri Lanka at Sydney starting on January 3, 2013. It will be his 79th & final Test. He will however play the ODI tri-series involving Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka which will be his last international assignment. Hussy who is also called as Mr Cricket for his consistency, has till now has played 78 Tests scoring 6183 runs including 19 centuries and 29 half centuries at an average of 51.52. *World Womens chess crown goes to Ukrainian: Ukrainian ANNA USHENINA has claimed the World Women`s Chess Championships, beating Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria in the four-game finals. *Indian Origin Autar Kaw is U.S. Professor of the Year: Autar Kaw, an Indian born professor of mechanical engineering at the University of South Florida, is among the four recipients of the 2012 US Professor of the Year award. * President releases commemorative postage stamp on Shri Ramgopal Ji Maheshwari: The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee released a remembrance postage stamp on late Shri Ramgopal Ji Maheshwari, on the eve of the start of his birth centenary year. He was a freedom fighter, doyen of journalism, a committed social worker and a person who left no stone unturned for the cause of promotion of Hindi language. He started biweekly paper Nava Bharat from Nagpur and was known as "Bhishma Pitamaha" of journalism in Central and Western India. *Professor Gayatri Spivak Selected as 2012 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Arts and Philosophy: Professor Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak has been selected to receive the 28th annual Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy in the field of thought and ethics. An Indian intellectual, activist and University Professor, Spivak is also a founder of the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society. Known as the Nobel of the arts, the Kyoto Prize is 189
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an international award presented annually to individuals who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural and spiritual betterment of mankind in categories of advanced technology, basic sciences and arts and philosophy. *BB Nimbalkar, Indias Highest Scorer in First class cricket passed away: Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar, a giant of Indian domestic cricket who came close to breaking Sir Don Bradman's first-class score in the Ranji Trophy, passed away due to age related ailments. Sunset National Park is not actually a park but an over 3000 square miles Australian bush which is a home to poisonous snakes as well as insects. Renowned Indian sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away in San Diego city of California. *Passport Seva Project won CSI-Nihilent eGovernance Award for Excellence: The Computer Society of India (CSI) on 22 November 2012 adjudged Ministry of External Affairs Passport Seva Project as the most significant e-Governance initiative of the Government of India undertaken during 201112. The final selection for the award was done after a multi-stage evaluation, which included field visits to Passport Seva Kendras. The Computer Society of India is the largest association of IT professionals in India. It joined hands with Nihilent Technologies in the year 2002 to institute CSI-Nihilent eGovernance Awards for recognizing successful efforts in application of ICT for good governance. The Ministry of External Affairs is improving governance in Passport Offices by focusing on citizen-centricity, service orientation and transparency. The intended benefits to common man are service provisioning in a transparent manner within defined service levels, closer and larger number of access points for services, easy availability of a portfolio of on-line services with real-time status tracking and enquiry, availability of good public facilities at PSKs and an effective system of grievance redressal. The award is a clear recognition that enhanced usage of ICT as envisioned in the Passport Seva Project has brought about transformation in the functioning of the Passport Offices and delivery of public service to citizens. BCCI honored former India captain and legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar with esteemed Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award. Ms. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu clinched 3 bronze medals for India on the opening day of the 19th Junior Women Asian Weightlifting KITE4education.com
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Championships at Yangon (Myanmar). Rashmi Kumari is an International Carrom Champion from Bihar, India. She won the World Carrom Championship held at Colombo, Srilanka. * Anil Dev Singh new Chairperson of IOA: Anil Dev Singh, the former Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court appointed as the new Chairperson of the Election Commission of The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) after S.Y. Quraishi resigned from his post on November 17, 2012. The other members of the panel are Justice V.K. Bali (retd.) and Justice J.D. Kapur (retd.). *Bollywood Actress Hema Malini Selected for Bharat Muni Samman: Famous Bollywood actress and Bharatanatyam exponent Hema Malini had been selected for the prestigious Bharat Muni Samman of year 2012 for her outstanding contribution to the field of art and culture. Bharat Muni Samman is named after the author of Natyashastra Bharat Muni and has been instituted by Bhubaneswar-based organisation Kalingayana Touryatrikam. *European Union Receives Nobel Peace Prize 2012: The EU received the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting peace and human rights in Europe following the devastation of World War II, and the bloc was urged to use that unity in its battle with an economic crisis that is causing suffering for many of its citizens. *Ravindra Jadeja becomes first Indian to hit 3 first-class triple centuries: Left-handed batsman Ravidra Jadeja who plays for Saurashtra (first class cricket), created history as he scored 320 not out against Railways at Rajkot and became the first Indian to smash three first-class triple hundreds. With this Jadeja has also joined the club of Don Bradman, Brian Lara, Bill Ponsford, Wally Hammond, WG Grace, Graeme Hick and Mike Hussey as he became only the eighth man in history to have three 300-plus scores in first-class cricket. *Life of Pi receives National Tourism Awards: Recently released feature film Life of Pi, directed by Ang Lee based on Yann Martel book titled the same, has been given two National Tourism Awards by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India recognizing the impact it has had in promoting India as a tourism destination, especially Puducherry and Munnar (Kerala). These Awards would be given to Mr. Ang Lee, Director of the film Life of Pi and Mr. Yann Martel. The award has been given to encourage 190
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more and more Film producers from abroad to shoot their films in India. * Czech Republic beat Spain in Davis Cup 2012 finals: The Czech Republic defeated Spain 3-2 in the 2012 Davis Cup Finals. This is the countrys second Davis Cup title and first since 1980, when it was Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic victory in this 100th edition of the Davis Cup was the first as an independent nation. *Lionel Messi creates record for most goals in a year: Argentinean footballer Lionel Messi, popularly known as "The Flea", broke German great Gerd Muellers 40-year-old record for most goals in a year by scoring for the 86thgoal in 2012. *Sachin Tendulkar conferred with the membership of the Order of Australia: Sachin Tendulkar conferred with the membership of the Order of Australia. Sachin was conferred with this membership for his service to India-Australia relations by promoting goodwill, friendship and sportsmanship via Cricket. Sachin Tendulkar became only the 2nd Indian after former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee to get the honour. * Dr. Madhav Chavan wins 2012 WISE Prize for Education: Dr Chavan has won the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Prize, which has been likened to a Nobel prize for education. The award, announced at the WISE summit in Qatar, recognises his work in the slums of Mumbai and the low-cost education support he has provided to millions of impoverished families in India. His NGO PRATHAM is the largest NGO working to provide quality education to the underprivileged children of India. *Gandhi's Great Grandson in Kansas State Assembly: Shanti Gandhi, 72, contesting as a Republican Party candidate, defeated his Democratic rival Theodore "Ted" Ensley by nine percentage point for the Kansas's 52nd Assembly District. He is son of late Saraswati Gandhi, wife of Mahatma Gandhi's grandson the late Kanti Lal. * 2012 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development: was conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development on H.E. Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, former President of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The Prize has been awarded to His Excellency President Lula of Brazil for his outstanding contribution to the cause of eliminating hunger and promoting inclusive growth in Brazil, for his KITE4education.com
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advocacy of stronger ties among the developing economies and for his signal contribution to the cause of the India-Brazil partnership. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian president and Nobel laureate, will get this year's Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for being an "inspiration" to women and ensuring return of peace and democracy in her country. Ms Sirleaf is the first elected female head of state in Africa. Ms Sirleaf was awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, jointly with Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakel Karman of Yemen. 2010 - Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - Ex-President of Brazil 2011 - Ela Bhatt - India Founder of SEWA 2012 - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - President of Liberia *UK to honour Indian 'spy princess' Noor Inayat Khan: A bronze bust of Indian-origin British 'spy princess' Noor Inayat Khan, who worked in France during World War II before being tortured and shot by the Germans, is being unveiled in Gordon Square Gardens in London, near the house where she lived as a child. It is said to be the first such memorial in Britain dedicated to a Muslim and the first in honor of an Asian woman. Noor Inayat Khan was a secret agent in the Second World War. She was the first woman radio operator to be infiltrated into occupied France and did crucial work for the Allies. She was eventually betrayed, captured and killed in the Dachau Concentration Camp. Her last word was Liberte. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross by Britain and France awarded her the Croix de Guerre. * Sydney Sixers Win CLT20: Sydney Sixers produced an all-round clinical display to clinch the Champions League Twenty20 title with a dominating 10-wicket victory over Highveld Lions in a lop-sided summit clash. Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) is an initiative of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa that brings together the best domestic clubs from across the world in a battle for Twenty20 honours. The inaugural competition featured 12 sides from seven nations and was held in October 2009 in India. Participants in 2012: Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers from Australia, Highveld Lions and Titans from South Africa, as well as the top three sides from the 2011 IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils. Mumbai Indians have been given a chance to defend their title. 191
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* Vettel Captures the Indian Grand Prix Again: For the second successive year, Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull wowed the spectators as he registered a stupendous victory in the Indian Grand Prix. Vettels fifth victory of the season and 26th of his six-year-old career meant that the Red Bull driver has almost got his foot in the door in his bid to win the 2012 World Championship. *Englands test team captain Andrew Strauss retired from International Cricket: Englands test team captain Andrew Strauss announced his retirement from international cricket on 29 August 2012. Under Strauss captaincy the England team witnessed back-to-back Ashes wins over Australia and reached to the top of the test rankings. *Vandana Shiva to receive Fukuoka Prize in Japan this year: Veteran environmental philosopher and activist Vandana Shiva has been chosen for this year's Fukuoka Prize, a prestigious award being bestowed by Fukuoka city government in Japan on people who contribute to academia, arts, and culture in Asia. Shiva is the seventh Indian to receive the award after personalities like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Padma Subrahmanyam, Romila Thapar and Ashis Nandy. Accepting the award, the activist accused governments of forcing people to commit suicide as they follow an economy based on greed. *Padamshree Dr. AN Purohit awarded with Shiksha Ratna Award by Petroleum University: The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies on 5 September 2012, on the occasion of teachers day felicitated Dr. AN Purohit with siksha ratna award. Dr. Purohit is a former vice-chancellor of HNB Garhwal University. He was born in 1940 in Kimni village of chamoli district, Uttrakhand and did his schooling from Nanital and had his doctorate from Punjab University. Dr Purohit has widely worked in the Himalayan belt, particularly in Uttarakhand, on specific subject of plant physiology, ecophysiology of trees and the environment. He was awarded Padmashree in 1997 by the President. *4 Indian-American scientists receive US presidential award: US President Barack Obama has named four Indian-American scientists among 96 researchers as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The awards bestowed on SRIDEVI VEDULA SARMA, PAWAN SINHA, PARAG A PATHAK AND BIJU PAREKKADAN is the highest honour KITE4education.com
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given by the US Government to science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. An associate professor of computational and visual neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SINHA received his undergraduate degree in computer science from the IIT-New Delhi and his Masters and doctoral degrees from MIT. SARMA is assistant professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Computational Medicine at the John Hopkins University. PAREKKADAN is associated with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, whereas PARAG A PATHAK is from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Saudi Arabia ended its status as the last Olympic nation to refuse to send women athletes to the Olympics. The concession by Saudi Arabia, one of the worlds most religiously conservative nations, followed a campaign by human-rights groups to have the kingdoms male athletes banned from the games over its refusal to allow women to compete. The move means that television viewers in Saudi Arabiawhere girls sports and gym are effectively banned in public schoolswill see Saudi women openly competing in sports at the London Olympics before mixed audiences of men and women. * Doping scandal hangs over Indian athletics: Athletics was hit by the steroid doping scandal that involved six top quartermilers, including Asian Games double gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji, and her three 4X400m relay quartet members -- Sini Jose, Mandeep Kaur and Manjeet Kaur -- who were banned for one year by the NADA. Their ban ended just before the Olympic qualification period but the faint hopes of appearing in the London Games were dashed after the IAAF appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland to increase their sanction to two years. *SMILING ARMADILLO to be the official Mascot of 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil: A Smiling Armadillo is declared to be the official mascot for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil on 12 September 2012. The reports state that FIFA has registered the patent for this rare animal with the European Patent Office as a symbol to this extreme sporting event. Officials declared that internet poll will help in deciding the name of this mascot. Brazuca the name of the ball for the world cup 2014 to was finalized by the opinion poll on internet. The armadillo in Brazil is known by the name of 192
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'tatu-bola' and is known for its abilities of rolling itself in form of a ball to with a leathery shell as a symbol of self defence. *Aditi Mukherjee won the prestigious Norman Borlaug Award: Aditi Mukherjee, a Delhi based scientist, won the prestigious Norman Borlaug Award in Field Research and Application. Mukherjee was picked for the award for her work in transforming access to water for thousands of farmers in West Bengal. The award will be formally presented to Mukherji on 17 October 2012 in Des Moines, Iowa, US. The international award is conferred by the World Food Prize Foundation, which was started by Norman Borlogue, the father of Green Revolution in India. The award carries 10000 dollar cash prize. The Borlaug Award is restricted to scientists under 40. *Tintu Luka won Greenko 52nd National InterState Senior Althletic Championship: Athletic Tintu Luka won Greenko 52nd National Inter-State Senior Althletic Championship on 24 June 2012 by defeating her competitor Sinimole Paulose. She won the championship in womens 800 meters. She is Indias best athletic in the two-lap race. Athlete Tintu Luka is the National Record Holder in 800 meter race. She is trained by P.T.Usha at Usha School of Athletics which is holded by Olympics Gold Quest. * Tiger Woods claimed Memorial Tournament, won his 73rd PGA Tour Title: Former world no. 1 golfer Tiger Woods defeated Spencer Levin and Rory Sabbatini to win his 73rd PGA Tour title by two shots at the Memorial tournament on 4 June 2012. The Memorial tournament victory is Woods second PGA Tour victory in the current season. Now the ace golfer will be seen competing in the US Open from 14-17 June 2012. * Israeli wins World Food Prize: Dr. Daniel Hillel was given the prestigious award, established in 1987 by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Green Revolution champion Norman Borlaug, for pioneering a radically innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry-land regions. Fatou Bensouda Fatou Bensouda took office as chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on June 16. She is the court's second prosecutor and the first African woman to assume the top job at an international tribunal. Phillip Tobias Renowned palaeoanthropologist died KITE4education.com
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For half a century Tobias led excavations at the Sterkfontein caves in South Africa, the world's oldest continuous paleontological dig, now a world heritage site known as the Cradle of Humankind. Sterkfontein has produced more than a third of the world's early hominid fossil finds, including Little Foot, an almost complete skull and skeleton which had opposable big toes. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali Former Tunisian president A military court has sentenced former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to life in prison in connection with the killing of 23 demonstrators by police during the revolt that sparked the Arab spring. B.K.Roy Burman B.K.Roy Burman passed away on 26 June 2012. He was anthropologist and social scientist. B.K. Roy was born in Bangladesh in the year 1922. He served as Director of the Tribal Research Institute. Prof. Burman firmly opposed the imposition of the Armed Forces Act in Manipur and Operation Green Hunt. He had written several letters to Dr. Manmohan Singh. Leela Dube Noted anthropologist Leela Dube recently passed away. Known for her work on kinship and in women's studies, the distinguished anthropologist wrote several books including 'Matriliny and Islam: Religion and Society in the Laccadives' on sociological studies and tribal affairs. * Malaysia defeated Pakistan to clinch Junior Hockey World Cup 2012 Title: Malaysia defeated Pakistan to win the Junior Hockey World Cup 2012. The Malaysian team had earlier defeted Iran, Japan, South Korea and India to make to the final. The Junior Hockey world cup was started in 1987. Prior to Malaysia only three countries have claimed the title. Pakistan has won the title for the maximum number of three times, India for two times and South Korea for 1. *Ace England Batsman KEVIN PIETERSEN announced to retire from limited-overs edition of International cricket. He, however, will continue to play test cricket for the country. * New Zealand Win Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: New Zealand beat Argentina in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup men's hockey tournament at Ipoh, Malaysia on 3rd June 2012. In a clash for the third spot and bronze medal, India defeated Great Britain. From Indian side 193
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SHIVENDRA SINGH, SANDEEP SINGH AND TUSHAR KHANDEKAR scored goals. World Chess Champion VISWANATHAN ANAND won his FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2012 in Moscow by beating his Challenger Boris Gelfand. Anand has done the nation proud with his fifth World Title in Chess. Former world no. 1 golfer Tiger Woods defeated Spencer Levin and Rory Sabbatini to win his 73rd PGA Tour title by two shots at the Memorial tournament on 4 June 2012. * China's Xiao Jia Chen defeated Saina Nehwal in the Asian Badminton Championship: China's Xiao Jia Chen defetaed ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal, in the second round of the Asian Badminton Championship on 20 April 2012. The 40th ranked Chen outplayed the Fifth seeded Nehwal in a closely contested match. The South Gyeongsang Province city of Changwon won the right to stage the 2018 World Shooting Championships at the International Shooting Sport. The first world shooting championships was held in 1897 in Lyons, France, following the 1896 Olympics. Since 1953, the ISSF World Championships has been held every four years, two years after each Olympics. The last event was held in Munich in 2010, and Spain is preparing to host the 2014 event in Granada. Saina in the first round of the championship had defetaed Kaori Imabeppu of Japan. With regard to Olympic qualification, the significant loss was that of the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju. They lost to Koreas Sa Rang Kim and Hye In Choi. Jwala and Diju are currently ranked No.16 in the world and will have to maintain or improve their ranking in order to make the cut for the London Games.Championships *Kalpana Chawla Excellence Award: Yesteryear actress Sushma Seth and Miss India World Vinya Mishra were awarded with Kalpana Chawla excellence award on 6 May 2012 at Mavlankar Auditorium, New Delhi. The other awardees included Padmabhushan kuchipudi and bharatnatyam dancer Swapnasundari, IPS Officer Shalini Singh, who had won the police medal for meritorious service in 2012 and jewellery designer Puneeta Trikha. The award instituted by PECOBA (Punjab Engineering College Chandigarh Old Boys Association was conferred by late astronaut's father Banarsi Lal Chawla Chawla. The awards are being given every year in the memory of Kalpana, KITE4education.com
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who died in Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February 2003. *Hungarian mathematician Endre Szemerdi received the Abel Prize - 2012 for his "fundamental contributions to discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science." The result is now known as SZEMERDI'S THEOREM and it involves something very similar to times tables. A times table is a sequence of numbers. The table for 2 is 2, 4, 6, 8, ..., the one for 3 is 3, 6, 9, 12, ..., and the one for 27 is 27, 54, 81, 108 ... . One thing all times tables have in common, by virtue of being times tables, is that the distance between two subsequent numbers is always the same. For the 2 times table it's 2, for the 3 times table it's 3 and for the 27 table it's 27. A number sequence with this property is called an arithmetic progression. You also get an arithmetic progression if you shift a times table along. For example, you can shift the 2 times table along by 5 to get 7, 9, 11, 13, .., or you could shift the 3 times table by 11 to get 14, 17, 20, 23,... . These are examples of infinitely long arithmetic progressions, but you can also chop them off at some point to get finite ones like 15, 20, 25, 30. This is a progression of length 4. *59th National Film Awards: Best Feature Film: Shared by Deool (Marathi) and Byari (Byari) Deool Producer: Abhijeet Gholap Director : Umesh VinayakKulkarni Byari (Byari) Producer: TH AlthafHussain Director :Suveeran Indira Gandhi Award For Best Debut Film of a Director: Aaranyakandam (Tamil) Producer:S.P.Charan Director :Kumararaja Thiagarajan Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment:AzhagarsamiyinKuthirai (Tamil) Producer: P. Madan Director :Suseentharan Best Childrens Film: Chillar Party(Hindi) Producer: UTV Software Communications Ltd Director : VikasBahl & Nitesh Tiwari Best Direction: GurvinderSingh for Anhe Ghorey Da Daan (Punjabi) Best Actor: Girish Kulkarni for Deool (Marathi) Rajat Kamal: Rs. 50,000/Best Actress: Vidya Balan for The Dirty Picture (Hindi) Best Supporting Actor: Appu Kutty for Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai (Tamil) Best Supporting Actress: Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi for Phijigee Mani(Manipuri) Best Male Playback Singer: Anand Bhate for 194
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Balgandharva(Marathi) Best Female Playback Singer: RoopaGanguly for Abosheyshey (Bengali) Best Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya for Agar Zindagi in I AM (Hindi) Special Jury Award: Anjan Dutt for Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbo Na (Bengali) Best Special Effects: Harry Hingorani and Keitan Yadav for Ra. One (Hindi) Best Choreography: Bosco and Caeser for Senorita from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Hindi) Best Anthropological/ Ethnographic Film: Bom (Hindi & English) Producer: Anirban Datta Director: Amlan Datta Best Biographical/ Historical Reconstruction: Vishnupant Damle: BolpatanchaMook Nayak (Marathi) Producer: Anil Anant Damle Director :Virendra Valsangkar Best Arts /Cultural Film (Jointly Being given to two Films): Fried Fish, Chicken Soup and a Premiere Show (Manipuri & English) Producer: Madhusree Dutta Director: Mamta Murthy Lasya Kavvya the World ofAlarmel Valli (English) Producer: Sankalp Meshram Director: SankalpMeshram Best Promotional Film: The Dream Fulfilled Memories of the Engineering Challenges (English) Producer: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Director: Satish Pande Best Environment Film: Tiger Dynasty (English) Producer: S.Nallamuthu Director: S. Nallamuthu Best Film On Social Issues (Jointly Being given to two Films): Mindscapes of Love and Longing (Hindi & English) Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust Director: Arun Chadha Inshallah, Football (Kashmiri, Urdu & English) Producer: Ashvin Kumar Director: Ashvin Kuma Best Educational Film: A Drop of Sunshine (English) Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust Director: Aparna Sanyal Best Exploration/ Adventure Film (Including sports): The Finish Line (English) Producer: Syed Sultan Ahmed & Tabassum Modi Director: Akshay Roy Best Investigative Film: Cotton for My Shroud (English) Producer: Kavita Bahl Director: Nandan Saxena and Kavita Bahl Special Jury Award: Anand Patwardhan for Jai KITE4education.com
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BhimComrade (Marathi) Best Film Critic: Manoj Barpujari (Assamese and English) Best Book on Cinema: R.D. Burman The Man, The Music (English) Publisher: Harper Collins India Author: Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal *2012 Journalism Pulitzer Winners: The judges declined to award a prize for editorial writing. The Pulitzer Prize board has failed to select a winner of the award for fiction for the first time in 35 years. The Pulitzers are given out annually by Columbia University on the recommendation of a board of journalists and others. Each award carries a $10,000 prize except for the public service award, which is a gold medal. The Ondaatje Prize is an annual award for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry evoking the spirit of a place. It is awarded by Britain's Royal Society of Literature, the society said. Bhattacharya's first work of fiction last year won the Hindu Literary Prize for best fiction. It was also shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2011 and Commonwealth Book Prize 2012. The shortlist for the Ondaatje Prize included Julia Blackburn's "Thin Paths", Teju Cole's "Open City", Paul Farley and Michael Symmons Roberts' "Edgelands", Olivia Laing's "To the River" and Tim Robinson's "Connemara". Bhattacharya's book is a diaspora novel that follows a young Indian journalist's adventures when he quits his job to take a year off in Guyana *Ondaatje prize 2012 goes to debut novel by Rahul Bhattacharya: Debut novelist Rahul Bhattacharya has won the 10,000 Ondaatje award for his "brilliant" evocation of the history, inhabitants and landscape of Guyana, The Sly Company of People Who Care. *Israeli wins World Food Prize: Dr. Daniel Hillel was given the prestigious award, established in 1987 by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Green Revolution champion Norman Borlaug, for pioneering a radically innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry-land regions. *Six Top Sporting Coaches to receive Dronacharya Award for 2012: The names of six sporting coaches were recommended for the Dronacharya Awards for the year 2012. Wrestling coach Yashvir Singh, Boxing Coach BI Fernandez, Athletics Coach Virender Poonia, Kabaddi Coach Sunil Davas, Parathletics Coach Dr. Satyapaul and Hockey Coach Harinder Singh are the six coaches 195
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who have been selected for the coveted award, given to the coach of different sports, for their excellent contribution to the sports. Boxing Coach BI Fernandez, who is a Cuban national, became the first foreign coach to be recommended for the Dronacharya Award. Fernandez has been instrumental in Indias impressive performances in Boxing in the international tournaments. The Dronacharya Awards committee was headed by former Indian hockey captain Aslam Sher Khan. The Dronacharya Award was instituted by the government of India in 1985. The award has been given to 72 people until 2011. *Indian chef, Pak author win prestigious US' literary prize: US-based Indian chef Vikas Khanna's cookbook is among the winners of America's prestigious Benjamin Franklin Awards that also include Pakistani civil servant Irfan Husain's work. "Flavors First: An Indian Chef's Culinary Journey", published by Lake Isle Press, Inc. And in India by Om Books, has been selected in the 'Cookbooks' section. Husain's "Fatal Faultlines: Pakistan, Islam and the West" was selected in the 'Politics and Current Affairs' category. *South Africa replaced England as the Worlds Number One Cricket Team: South Africa replaced England as the Worlds Number One Test Cricket team. The feat was achieved after its 2-0 victory over England in the three Test-match series, which ended at Lords Cricket Ground in London on 21 August 2012. England had been the top team in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table since August 2011 when it dethroned India while South Africa has assumed the number one spot for the first time since November 2009. The latest ICC Test Championship table is given below: South Africa 120 points England 117 points Australia 116 points Pakistan 109 INDIA 104 Sri Lanka 98 West Indies 90 New Zealand 80 Bangladesh 0 Zimbabwe is presently unranked, as it has played insufficient matches. *Gandhi award for Binayak Sen, Bulu Imam: Two Indian human rights activists - - Binayak Sen and Bulu Imam -- will be honoured with the International KITE4education.com
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Peace Award given by the Gandhi Foundation at the House of Lords. The award was created in 1998 by Surur Hoda and Diana Schumacher with the support of the foundation's president, Lord Attenborough. The intention is to honour individuals and groups who have advocated and practised Gandhian nonviolence but who have received little recognition for doing so. *Sushil to be Indias flag-bearer at Olympics: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced that wrestler Sushil Kumar, a bronze medallist at the Beijing Games, will be the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent at the upcoming London Olympics. *Nandini creates history: Nandini Parmar of Madhya Pradesh became the first Indian to win a medal in the Asian championship in the history of Indian karate. Nandini won a bronze in the junior category in the Asian senior, junior and cadet championship. *Millennium Technology Prize awarded to Linus Torvalds and Shinya Yamanaka: The Millennium Technology Prize, an esteemed science and technology award, has been split between Linus Torvalds for creating the Linux kernel and Dr. Shinya Yamanaka for his work on induced pluripotent stem cells. Linus Torvalds created the open-source Linux operating system for computers. Dr Shinya Yamanaka has been awarded the Millennium Technology Prize. His award is for discovering how to reprogram human cells to mimic embryonic stem cells, which can become any cell in the body. Called induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells, these now aid research into regenerative medicine. *WILLIAM RASPBERRY, who became the second black columnist to win a Pulitzer Prize for his widely read syndicated commentaries in The Washington Post. * Pakistan Government honoured Gopi Chand Narang with Sitara-i-Imtiaz: Pakistan government on 14 August 2012 honoured Urdu author, Gopi Chand Narang with sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third highest civilian honour given by the nation. In the past, former Prime Minister Morarji Desai and matinee idol Dilip Kumar were bestowed Pakistan's highest civilian honour, Nishan-i-Imtiaz. The award will be given to Gopi Chand Narang in Pakistan on 23 March, 2013, Pakistan's Republic Day. Gopi Chand Narang was born on 11 February, 1931, in Dukki, Pakistan. He is an Indian scholar of Urdu 196
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language and literature, an eminent Urdu writer, scholar, critic and linguist. He is author of many books in Urdu, Hindi and English. *Celebrations of birth centenary of late brigadier Mohammed Usman: Brig Usman was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously for his role in the 1947-48 (died in 1947 fighting for India against Pakistan) operations. Brig Mohammad Usman was the highest rank officer of Indian Army killed in the Indo-Pak War of 1947, who as a Muslim became a 'Symbol of India's Inclusive Secularism'. *Vijay Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt chosen for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2012: London Olympics silver medalist Vijay Kumar and Bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt will be conferred with the countrys highest sporting honour Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for the year 2012. Besides, 25 sportspersons will be presented the Arjuna Awards, the second highest sports award in the country. The awards were announced by the Union Sports Ministry on 19 August 2012. Usually the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is given to only one sportsperson in one calendar year but the rule can be relaxed in special circumstances such as an Olympic medal. Pistol shooter Vijay Kumar bagged a silver in the 25m rapid fire event at the London Olympics, while wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt claimed a bronze in 60kg free style event. * BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) won British Safety Award: BSES Yamuna Power limited (BPYL) won the prestigious 54th British International Safety Award. BYPL has been selected for this award given the steps taken by it for the safety of its over 11 lakh consumers and safety and health of its employees. *Madhya Pradesh is India's new grain bowl as food production jumps by 19% : Madhya Pradesh is making giant strides to emerge as one of India's fastest developing states, and its achievement has been particularly noteworthy in the agriculture sector.
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This year, the state has even surpassed India's "grain bowl" Punjab by taking its food-grain production up by 19 per cent, the biggest jump of any Indian state.
7-time World snooker champion STEPHEN
HENDRY (Scottish) announced his retirement 1 May 2012 after losing in the quarterfinals at the World Championships.
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Zac Vawter - A man who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident has made history by using a thought-controlled bionic leg to reach the top of one of the world's tallest skyscrapers. By simply thinking 'climb stairs' - Zac Vawter, made his way up 103 flights of stairs to the top of Willis Tower in Chicago on the revolutionary prosthetic leg. The ROBOTIC LEG responds to electrical impulses from muscles in his hamstring, with his thoughts triggering motors, belts and chains to synchronise the movements of the prosthetic ankle and knee. Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko - A new trial of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, already serving a seven-year prison term on abuse-of-office charges, is set to open. The jailing last October of Tymoshenko, the fiercest foe of President Viktor Yanukovich, has soured Ukraine's ties with the European Union and the United States, which saw the case as an example of "selective justice". Yu Wenxia - CHINA'S YU WENXIA won the Miss World 2012 beauty pageant at the Ordos Stadium Arena in inner Mongolia, China on 18 August 2012. Wales' Sophie Moulds was adjudged the first runner-up, while Australia's Jessica Kahawaty was the second runner-up. INDIA'S VANYA MISHRA made it to the top seven spot but failed to win the competition. However, She, bagged the titles of Miss Social Media and Miss Beauty with a Purpose. Venezuela's Ivian Sarcos had won the Miss World pageant in 2011. Yoshihiko Noda - Japan's parliament has backed Yoshihiko Noda as the country's sixth prime minister in five years. The vote came after the 54year-old former finance minister secured the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party in an election. Abdel Basset Sayda - Syrian National Council chief Abdel Basset Sayda who has lived in exile in Sweden for two decades, is seen as a consensus candidate capable of reconciling the rival factions within the SNC and of broadening its appeal among Syrias myriad of ethnic and confessional groups. He is a Kurdish activist. Abdurrahim al-Keib - Libya's interim authorities have named Tripoli academic Abdurrahim al-Keib as the new prime minister. The National Transitional Council (NTC) made the KITE4education.com
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announcement days after declaring the country "liberated" following the death of Colonel Gaddafi. It also coincides with the official end of the Nato air campaign that helped overthrow the long-time leader. Achala Sachdev - Yesteryear actress Achala Sachdev, who featured in the popular song 'Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen' from the film " Waqt", has died. Achla Sachdev - Bollywood actress Achla Sachdev died in Pune on 29 April 2012. Born in Peshawar, Sachdev made her film debut with Fashionable Wife (1938). Her most memorable role was as Balraj Sahani's wife in the 1965 blockbuster Waqt, where she was part of the legendary song Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen. Aditya Mehta - India's top-seeded snooker player Aditya Mehta defeated compatriot and seven-time world champion Pankaj Advani to win 28th Asian snooker title concluded in Doha, on 29 April 2012. Mehta is only the third Indian to clinch the Asian Snooker Championship. Ahsan Raza Khan - Historian Ahsan Raza Khan, whose students include Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, has passed away after a brief illness here. A member of Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) for a long period, Khan also served at the Central University of Hyderabad for a brief period. Alexander Kumar - A young doctor, son of Indian immigrants, is set to become the first foreigner of Indian origin to walk across Antarctica carrying the Indian Tricolour to what he ecstatically describes as The uttermost end of the world the South Pole and back again. Dr. Kumar, who has been selected as the Chief Medic and Chief Scientist for the expedition, is among a team of six who will make the crossing retracing the steps of two famous British explorers Sir Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton. They will spend nearly two years training for the expedition scheduled for 2014 with trips to Arctic Norway, Greenland and Canada. Amadou Toumani Toure - Malian president deposed by army coup. Toure, a former army officer, seized power in a coup that toppled long-time military ruler Moussa Traore, who had himself seized power in a 1968 coup, after Traore ordered the shootings of prodemocracy demonstrators in Mali's capital, Bamako, who had called for an end to one-party rule. Ami Bera - Indian-American congressman from 198
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California Ami Bera has been appointed to two key congressional committees that would help him play key role shaping America's foreign and science policies. Bera, only the third Indian-Amrican in the Congress said he is honoured to have been named to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Andy Murray - The 76 year old tennis history for Britain was re-written after Andy Murray won the US Open Grand Slam Singles Championship by defeating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (12-10), 7-5, 2-6, 36, 6-2 on 11 September 2012. Before this, Fred Perry was the British player to win a grand slam in US Championship in the year 1936. Murray also broke an eight match loss streak, by his fellow citizen at Grand Slam Finals. With this win Andy Murray marched ahead on the ranking sheet to be at number three just after Roger Federer and Djokovic. Anil Dhawan - An Indian-origin professor in UK will head the world's first trial using liver stem cells that could avoid transplant surgery. Paediatric liver consultant Professor Anil Dhawan, who will head the trial at King's College hospital, has described the use of stem cells to treat liver disease as an "exciting breakthrough". Anjani Jain - Indian-American professor Anjani Jain has been appointed the senior associate dean for the full-time MBA programme at Yale School of Management (SOM). Annapurna Maharana - Veteran freedom fighter Annapurna Maharana died. Maharana was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and had accompanied him in the Harijan Padayatra from Puri to Bhadrak. She was also a trustee of the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust. Later, she joined the Bhoodan Movement led by Acharya Vinoba Bhave and was very active in her efforts to mainstream the dreaded dacoits of the Chambal valley. Antonin Holy - Czech scientist Antonin Holy, who played an important role in creating drugs to treat HIV and AIDS, has died. Truvada includes Viread, a drug used to treat HIV, which Holy created with virologist Erik De Clercq. Holy, who won a number of prestigious awards including the European Union's Descartes Prize for science in 2001, also helped develop the drug Vestide, used for the treatment of retinitis in AIDS patients, and Hepsera to treat hepatitis B. Anu Aga - Anu Aga the former Chairwoman of Thermax India has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha as a member of the Indian Parliament. Arsalan Rahmani Daulat - Arsalan Rahmani Daulat, the Key Afghan peace mediator, was KITE4education.com
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assassinated 13 May 2012. The assassination of Daulat has raised the fears of disruption in the already fragile peace talk. Arun Prakash - Hindi novelist and short story writer Arun Prakash died. Arvind Saxena - German car maker Volkswagen appointed Arvind Saxena as the Managing Director of Volkswagen passengers car in India. In this new role Saxena will be heading the Volkswagen brand with responsibility for sales, after sales and marketing. Prior to joining Volkswagen, Saxena was heading the sales and marketing operations at Hyundai Motor India Limited. Ashish Kumar Chauhan - Ashishkumar Chauhan was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Asias oldest stock exchange. Ashok Mehta - Veteran Cinematographer Ashok Mehta passed away in Mumbai on 15 August 2012. During his long career in Bollywood Mehta worked with prominent filmmakers like Subhash Ghai, Rajiv Rai and MF Husain. Assem Trivedi - The cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was released from the Arthur Road Jail on 12 September 2012. Aseem Trivedi, who was arrested on the charges of sedition and insulting the national symbol and emblem, was released from jail after Bombay High Court granted him bail on the personal bond of Rs 5000. This supporter of Anna Hazares Anti Corruption campaign was arrested for depiction of wolves in place of lions and providing a quote Bhrastameva Jayate as a replacement of Satyameva Jayate on the National Emblem. Avtar Kav - Indian origin professor Avtar Kav has been chosen as 'Us Professor of the Year' on November 21, 2012.He is currently working in South Florida University. The award has been given by Carneggie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching and Council for Education and Sport of Education. B.K.Roy Burman - B.K.Roy Burman passed away on 26 June 2012. He was anthropologist and social scientist. B.K. Roy was born in Bangladesh in the year 1922. He served as Director of the Tribal Research Institute. Prof. Burman firmly opposed the imposition of the Armed Forces Act in Manipur and Operation Green Hunt. He had written several letters to Dr. Manmohan Singh. Bharat Chettri - Goalkeeper Bharat Chetri will continue to lead the Indian hockey team in the 199
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London Olympics, starting July 27, while Sardar Singh will be his deputy. Bingu wa Mutharika - Malawi's President died Malawi's new President Joyce Banda BOOKS & AUTHORS The Unquiet American; Richard Holbrooke in the World,'' - Co-editors Derek Chollet and Samantha Power A Shot at History - Abhinav Bindra Non-Stop India - Mark Tully Turbaned Tornado - Khushwant Singh has penned Turbaned Tornado", which is the biography of over 100-year-old UK-based marathon runner Fauja Singh and captured his zest for life and invincible spirit to motivate readers. He is also getting invites from various marathon organizers, from different countries, to flag off marathons and talk to participants. BV Vanchoo - BV Vanchoo was appointed the Governor of Goa on 28 April 2012. A 1976-batch IPS officer from West Bengal cadre, Wanchoo retired as the head of the Special Protection Group on 31 October 2011 after leading the elite unit for more than seven years. Charles L Bennett - Charles L Bennett, a professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, US, was awarded with the Gruber Cosmology Prize 2012 in Beijing at the opening ceremony of the 28th Conference of the International Astronomical Union on 22 August 2012. The 500000 dollar award was given to him acknowledging his immense contribution to the world of physics. Bennett, a prominent physicist, led a 26-member team that worked on NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. The findings of the study helped astronomers refine their understanding of the age, shape and makeup of the universe. The Gruber Prize is the second for Bennett, who also was a member of a NASA team that won the prize in 2006. As the member of the COBE Team he conducted a groundbreaking studies confirming that our universe was born in a hot Big Bang. Chen Guangcheng - Chen Guangcheng is a Chinese civil rights activist who works on human rights issues in rural areas of the People's Republic of China. Blind from an early age and self-taught in the law, Chen is frequently described as a "barefoot lawyer" who advocates women's rights and the welfare of the poor. Colonel Ashok Tara - Colonel (Retd.) Ashok Tara, who rescued the Bangabandhu family from confinement during the 1971 Liberation, will be given the Friends of Bangladesh Award. Tara, then KITE4education.com
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a Major of the Indian Army, risked his life and freed Bangabandhus wife Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, his daughters Hasina and Rehana, and his youngest son Seikh Russel. Dioncounda Traore - Dioncounda Traor is a Malian politician who has been President of Mali in an interim capacity since April 2012. He has been President of the National Assembly of Mali since September 2007, and President of the Alliance for Democracy in Mali-African Party for Solidarity and Justice (ADEMA-PASJ) since 2000. Dr Ratan Kumar Sinha - Dr Ratan Kumar Sinha, currently the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), took over as the new Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Dr Vijayalakshmi Appareddy - An Indian-origin doctor from Andhra Pradesh, has been elected as chairperson of the American Medical Associations (AMAs) International Medical Graduates (IMG) section that promotes the interests of physicians who passed out their medical courses from outside US and Canada. Dr. Rajvardhan Azad - Prof. Rajvardhan Azad, chief of the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, has been elected president of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO), defeating his Chinese counterpart in a recently held conference of APAO in Busan, South Korea. Azad was handed over the APAO flag at the Busan conference for its next annual meet in Hyderabad in January 2013. Azad is the first Indian to get this prestigious global post in eyecare sector. He is the son of late Bihar Chief Minister Bhagwat Jha Azad. Dr. Vijay Bhatkar - Best known as the architect of Indias first supercomputer and as the founder Executive Director of C-DAC, Indias national initiative in supercomputing, he is credited with the creation of several national institutions, notably amongst them being C-DAC, ER&DC, IIITM-K, I2IT, ETH Research Lab, MKCL and India International Multiversity. Father Of Indian Supercomputers. Earlier: Qaboos bin Said al Said - India has decided to invite the Sultan of Oman; Qaboos bin Said Al Said, as the chief guest for the Republic Day parade 2013. New Development: Bhutans King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was the Chief Guest at the 64th Republic Day Celebrations becoming the third emperor from the tiny kingdom to grace the event, signifying the importance that India attaches 200
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to its neighbour. Fatou Bensouda - Fatou Bensouda took office as chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on June 16. She is the court's second prosecutor and the first African woman to assume the top job at an international tribunal. Fazl Say - Turkish pianist and composer appeared in court to defend himself against charges of offending Muslims and insulting Islam in comments he made on Twitter. G K Kumaravel - G K Kuamaravel, a senior scientist involved in the development of arjun main battle tank,died in an accident in Rajastahan on June 11, 2012. Kumaravel was head of the Arjun Main battle Tank (MBT) Mark 1 and 2 programmes at the cambat vehicles Research Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi. He was on his way to Pokhran to participate in user trials of Arjun MBT Mark-2 when the accident occurred. Gajanan Verma - Rajasthani -Hindi lyricist, musician and poet Gajanan Verma died on 17 May 2012 during his visit to his native town Rattangarh in Churu district of Rajasthan. He was honoured by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi for his longstanding service to the music world in 2001. Gaurav Shumsher Rana - Gaurav Shumsher Rana an India-educated lieutenant general took over the position of Nepals Army Chief, on 6 September 2012. He has served Nepals army for 39 years ever since his recruitment in 1970. Ranas appointment is a result of cabinet decision following a proposal made by the ex-army chief Gen Chhatra Man Singh Gurung to the President Ram Baran Yadav, as a successor to him. Geeta Kumari - Geeta Kumari, the woman wrestler, won a gold in 55kg category at the ongoing Asian qualifying tournament in Astana, Kazakhastan. Geeta with this victory also made a history, as she became the first Indian woman wrestler to have ever qualified for the Olympics. Women's wrestling was first introduced at the Olympics during the 2004 Athens Olympics. Geir Hilmar Haarde - Iceland's former Prime Minister Geir Haarde has become the first politician to be found guilty over accusations that he did not do enough to protect his country from the financial crisis. General Bikram Singh - General Bikram Singh, a veteran infantry officer, assumed the charge as the 25th Chief of the Indian Army. He succeeded General V K Singh whose 26-month tenure came to KITE4education.com
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end on 31 May 2012. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner - Austrian mountaineer. In August 2011, she became the second woman to climb the fourteen eight-thousanders, and the first woman to do so without the use of supplementary oxygen. Ghazala Javed - Popular Pakistani singer has been shot dead. Ghazala Javed was forced to record her songs in Dubai after being threatened by the Taliban, has been shot dead in an apparent honour killing. Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda - HIGH JUMPER Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda, India won a silver medal (F42 single leg, amputations minimal disability category) at London Paralympic Games. To make this happen, he cleared his career best 1.74 m high jump. He managed to secure the first medal for the country in this category of game. Girisha won eighth Paralympic medal for India and is the first to do so in the high jump category and third Indian to claim silver in the event. He is a man with polio impaired left leg. To win the medal he used the scissor kick technique. Goolam E. Vahanvati - President Pratibha Patil on 30 April 2012 re-appointed Goolam E. Vahanvati Attorney-General for two more years with effect from 8 June 2012. Vahanvati was appointed to the post of Attorney-General in 2009 for three years. His term was due to end on 8 June 2012. Goolam E. Vahanvati is the first Muslim to hold the top law officer's post in the past six decades. Goutam Ghose - The 43rd International FILM Festival of India 2012 has announced its International Jury to select films which will be screened as a part of the International Screenings at the festival. Headed by eminent Indian Film-Maker, Actor, Writer, and Producer Goutam Ghose. Gnter Grass - The celebrated German author Gnter Grass has been declared persona non grata in Israel following the publication of his poem warning that the Jewish state's nuclear programme was a threat to an "already fragile world peace". Hassan Sheikh Mohamud - Hassan Sheikh Mohamud won the presidential elections of Somalia on 10 September 2012. He won the election by gaining 190 votes to 79 in the second round of competition. Alliances were formed between the Prime Minister Abdiweli Ali and Hassan Sheikh. Helle Thorning-Schmidt - Current Prime Minister of Denmark. She has been the Leader of the Social Democrats since 12 April 2005 and Prime Minister since 3 October 2011. 201
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Hilary Mantel - Bring Up the Bodies is first sequel to triumph in prize's 43-year history, and author is first woman and first Briton to win twice. Himangini Singh Yadu - Indore girl Himangini Singh Yadu crowned the Miss India Asia Pacific. Himangini is the first girl to win the title in 12 years. Hiren Bhattacharyya / 'Hiru Da' - Noted Assamese poet and Sahitya Akademi award winner Hiren Bhattacharyya passed away. He also penned nursery rhymes for children and many songs and had a number of books to his credit. Hyon Yong-chol - North Korea has appointed a new vice-marshal, Hyon Yong-chol. Ishita Roy - Ms. Ishita Roy, a 1991 Kerala Cadre I.A.S. Officer, currently serving as the Member Secretary, Central Silk Board has been elected as the Secretary General of International Sericultural Commission (ISC) in a special Conference of ISC held at Cluj Napoca, Romania on 14th June 2012. The ISC is an inter-governmental organization of silk producing countries, stationed at Lyon, France. India is one amongst the founding members of ISC.. At present, 13 countries are the members of ISC viz., Brazil, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Romania, Thailand and Tunisia. The primary aim and objective of the ISC is to encourage and promote the development and promotion of sericulture, globally. ISC has been supporting the development of silk industry in India in the areas of strengthening the R&D activities and acting as a facilitator for sourcing funds from international funding agencies for taking up developmental projects by the Central Silk Board and State sericulture departments. Ivan Ljubicic - Croatias Ivan Ljubicic announced retirement from tennis on 15 April 2012 after he suffered a 6-0,6-3 defeat to Ivan Dodig at the Monte Carlo Masters. Ivans career high ATP ranking was number 3. He won his first ATP singles title at Lyon in 2001. He entered professional tennis in 1998. Jaspal Bhatti - Actor and satirist Jaspal Bhatti died in a road accident near Punjab's Nakodar town, 40 km from Jalandhar. Jean-Marc Ayrault - Jean-Marc Ayrault a moderate Socialist took over as the Frances new Prime Minister on 16 May 2012. His predecessor Francois Fillon welcomed him at the 18th century mansion in central Paris that serves as the prime ministers office. The 62-year-old has led the countrys Socialists in the lower house of Parliament for more than a decade. KITE4education.com
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Jeannine Compton-Antoine - On 6th July 2012, in Panama City, Panama, at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Mrs. Jeannine Compton-Antoine was nominated by consensus to serve as Chairperson of the IWC. Mrs. Compton-Antoine is the first woman to hold this position and only the second from the OECS member states. Jeff Zaslow - Jeffrey Zaslow, best-selling author was killed in an automobile accident. His latest book The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters. Jim Marshall, Guitar Amp Guru - Jim Marshall, inventor of one of rock & roll's most important innovations the Marshall amplifier has died. Jim Yong Kim - Jim Yong Kim was chosen to be president of the World Bank, becoming the first physician and Asian-American to head the lender after emerging markets failed to rally around a challenger to the U.S. monopoly on the job. The World Bank board of directors it chose Dartmouth College President Kim to succeed Robert Zoellick, whose term ends June 30. A specialist in HIV/AIDS with a Ph.D. in anthropology, Kim, 52, faced rival bids from Nigeria and Colombia. John Atta Mills - Ghana's President John Atta Mills has died. Mr Atta Mills had ruled the West African country since 2009. Jordan Romero - An American teenager has become the youngest person to climb to the summit of the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. Jordan Romero, 15, reached the 4,897m (16,067ft) summit of Vinson Massif in Antarctica, the final peak in a quest he began six years ago. Joyce Banda - Malawi President Mrs Joyce Banda has been ranked the most powerful woman in Africa ahead of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf according to Forbes magazines annual survey. Justice Altamas Kabir - Justice Altamas Kabir has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of India on 13 September 2012. He will take oath as 39th Chief Justice of India and assume his office on 29 September 2012 as a Successor of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia. S.H. Kapadia will relinquish from his office on 28 September 2012. K G Suresh - KG Suresh, director and chief editor of Global Foundation for Civilizational Harmony (India), will be part of the international jury for the fourth edition of Plural+International Youth Video Festival. Suresh is the first Indian to be nominated as a jury since the inception of the 2009 and the 202
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only South Asian to be part of this years seven member international jury. The festival is organised annually by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organisation for Migration. K.K. Manoj - A fish farmer, supported by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) of the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), has won the Innovative Farmer award of Indian Agricultural Research Institute for 2012. He has developed a low-cost fish culture cage with used plastic bottles as floats. He has also designed a fish trap using PVC net for prawn filtration field and also for collecting pearl spot' fingerlings. In another initiative, he has successfully bred and reared scampi', the giant freshwater prawn locally known as Aatu konchu', in his backyard hatchery with technical support from the scientists of KVK. Karl Mehta - Indian-American entrepreneur Karl Mehta was selected among the 18 Presidential Innovation Fellows who would work on five highimpact projects in the US capital Washington DC. Kaushik Basu - On 5 September 2012, The World Bank appointed Kaushik Basu, as its chief economist and senior vice president. Basu, an Indian national and a Cornell University professor most recently served as chief economic adviser of the India's Union Ministry of Finance. He has to take over as the chief economist at the World Bank on October 1. Keith Vaz - Indian-origin Labour Parliamentarian, Keith Vaz has completed 25 years as an MP in British Parliament. Since that day in 1987 he has been re-elected to the same seat 6 times. Since 2007 he has held the influential position of Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, tackling issues as wide-ranging as phone-hacking and forced marriage. Kumud Srinivasan - Global chip-maker Intel has appointed Kumud Srinivasan as President of its India operations. Kunal Shah - The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) announced that it has selected a new class of Managing Directors, effective from January 1, 2013. Shah remains the youngest managing director at Goldman Sachs. Shah is one of the young stars on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Finance list. Laisenia Qarase - Fiji's last democratically elected KITE4education.com
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leader was sentenced to one year in prison after being convicted on corruption charges. Qarase served six years as prime minister before being ousted by Fiji's current leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Bainimarama has promised to hold free elections in 2014, and Fiji is drafting a new constitution ahead of the polls. The new constitution is expected to include provisions to prevent convicted criminals from running for office, meaning the convictions will likely end Qarase's political career. Leela Dube - Noted anthropologist Leela Dube recently passed away. Known for her work on kinship and in women's studies, the distinguished anthropologist wrote several books including 'Matriliny and Islam: Religion and Society in the Laccadives' on sociological studies and tribal affairs. Leonid Tibilov - A former head of the KGB in South Ossetia, Leonid Tibilov, has won the Georgian breakaway region's presidential election. KGB is commonly used acronym for the Russian (Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti or Committee for State Security). It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time. Lesley Brown - The woman who gave birth to the world's first test tube baby has died. Lesley Brown, 64, who lived in Whitchurch, Bristol, made history in July 1978 when her daughter Louise was born at Oldham General Hospital. M S Gopalakrishnan - Renowned violin exponent M S Gopalakrishnan, hailed for his deep knowledge of both Carnatic and Hindustani music, died. Mae Jemison - NASA and DARPA announced a joint-venture soliciting ideas for the next step in human space exploration. The 100-Year Starship study collected entries until July from various experts in the field, resulting in a ton of ideas for a one-way manned mission into space. And now, the best idea has been chosen, and it was written by a true pioneer in space travel: Mae Jemison, former astronaut and the first black woman in space, submitted the winning proposal, entitled An Inclusive Audacious Journey Transforms Life Here on Earth & Beyond. Malala Yousafzai - Taliban shooting victim Malala, 15, is set to make Britain her permanent home after having a bullet removed from her spine. Manu Raju - Indian American journalist Manu Raju was among the White House Correspondents 203
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journalism award. Margaret Chan - The World Health Assembly appointed Dr Margaret Chan for a second five-year term as Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). Mario Miranda - Mario Miranda, the world renowned cartoonist who famously captured vignettes of Goan life on canvas in his trademark style for over two decades, breathed his last in his ancestral home at Loutolim, Goa. Miranda was the recipient of the Padma Bhushan (2002) and Padma Shri (1988) awards. Mark Rutte - He has been the Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of General Affairs since 14 October 2010 as head of the cabinet. He resigned on 23 April 2012 after his government fell due to an impasse in talks on an austerity budget. Maximilian Ghose - In an extraordinary recognition from one of the world's renowned art galleries, the Royal Academy of Arts here began exhibiting the works of nine-year-old Maximilian Ghose along with those of two other young talents. Ghose, of half Indian origin, is the youngest, and his paintings will hang alongside contemporary greats. Meles Zenavi - Meles Zenavi, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, passed away on 20 August 2012. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz - Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, president of the West African nation of Mauritania, was shot. Abdel Aziz came to power after he toppled then president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in a military coup in 2008. He won the presidential elections in 2009 held under an agreement with coup opponents. Moncef Marzouki - Tunisia has installed as its new president a former dissident who was imprisoned and then exiled in France for opposing the former president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. N. Valarmathi - N. Valarmathi, ISRO's Bangalorebased Project Director for the space mission RISAT 1. Ms. Valarmathi is the second woman to be the satellite project director at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after T. K. Anuradha, who headed the communication satellite GSAT-12 programme, but she is the first woman to head a remote sensing satellite project. Nandagopal Bhattacharya - CPI veteran Nanda Gopal Bhattacharya died.
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Nandini Parmar - Nandini Parmar has become the first Indian to win a medal at the Asian Karate Championships, bagging a bronze in the junior category of the event in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Navodaya Appachan (DIED) - Octogenarian Navodaya Appachan is a master innovator in Malayalam film industry and was the producer of CinemaScope and 3-D films in this south Indian language. He is credited with producing the first 3-D movie in India, 'My Dear Kuttichathan'. Nik Wallenda - Nik Wallenda, became first person in the world to walk on a tightrope across the roaring Niagara Falls, separating U.S. and Canada. NKP Salve - NKP Salve, who had been the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) when India won the World Cup in 1983, has died aged 91 in New Delhi. It was during his tenure that we won the World Cup for the first time, in 1983. It was also due to his initiative that the World Cup was co-hosted by India and Pakistan, in 1987. Norman Schwarzkopf - The retired US General Norman Schwarzkopf who led the U.S. Forces for a victory in the first Gulf War in Operation Desert Strom in 1991 died. OPERATION DESERT STORM is the codename of the Gulf War fought in 1991 by a U.N.authorized Coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq during the regime of President Saddam Hussein in response to Iraqs invasion and annexation of Kuwait. The Coalition forces drove out the forces of Iraq from the country and gained the victory in the war. Ollanta Humala - Former army officer Ollanta Humala has been sworn in as Peru's new president, vowing to eradicate poverty and social exclusion. Mr Humala defeated right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori. Omkar Nath Sharma - A man on a mission to help the poor and the needy with medicines doesn't hesitate to call himself a beggar. Rightly so, he has launched a door-to-door campaign, asking the people of Delhi to donate their unused medicines. Philippe Divry - Philippe Divry was appointed as the new Managing Director of Volvo India and Senior Vice-President of Truck Joint Ventures India, the Indian subsidiary of the Swedish heavy vehicles manufacturer Volvo. Phillip Tobias - Renowned palaeoanthropologist died For half a century Tobias led excavations at the 204
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Sterkfontein caves in South Africa, the world's oldest continuous paleontological dig, now a world heritage site known as the Cradle of Humankind. Sterkfontein has produced more than a third of the world's early hominid fossil finds, including Little Foot, an almost complete skull and skeleton which had opposable big toes. PJ Kurien - PJ Kurien - elected the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. The Deputy Chairman is elected in the meeting of the Rajya Sabha as decided by Chairman of the Rajya Sabha from amongst the members of the Rajya Sabha. He is supposed to resign from his original party because as a Deputy Speaker, he has to remain impartial. Deputy Chaiman of Rajya Sabha acts as the Presiding Officer in case of leave or absence of the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Vice-President of India. Pradeep Mehta - The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has announced that Pradeep Mehta of Jaipur-based Consumers Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) has been included in the high level panel formed to identify 21st century trade challenges. The first meeting of the panel took place in Geneva on May 16. Pradeep Singh Mehta - Pradeep Singh Mehta, Secretary-General of CI Consumer International member organization CUTS International, India, has been appointed to the 'WTO Panel on Defining the Future of Trade'. This is the first time a CI member organization has sat on a WTO panel looking at trade issues. Pradeep's appointment ensures that consumer protection will be part of the panel's discussions. The panel was set up in response to the global economic crisis and the profound changes it precipitated in the world economy. Pratibha Ray - Pratibha Ray who is a famous Oriya novelist has been chosen for the prestigious Jnanpith award for the year 2011 in recognition to her contribution to the field of Indian literature. She will be the fourth Oriya author to get the award. Previously, the honor was conferred on Gopinath Mohanty (1973), Sachidananda Routray (1986) and Sitakant Mohapatra (1993). Prince Nayef - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has died. Prince Norodom Sihanouk - Cambodia's Prince Norodom Sihanouk died of heart failure. He served as puppet head of state for the Khmer Rouge government in 19751976. Prof. Andre Brete - Head of the new education committee set up to give recommendations on how KITE4education.com
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to design a new education policy. Prof. Wahab Ashrafi - Renowned Urdu author and critic Prof. Dr. Wahab Ashrafi passed away. Dr. Wahab Ashrafi wrote more than 3 dozen books, some ran to five to ten editions. One of his major literary achievements is History of world literature in 8 volumes. Rahul Khullar - New chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for a threeyear term from 13 May 2012. Rajkeshwar Purryag - Rajkeshwar Purryag has become the 5th President of Mauritius. Rakesh Mohan - Former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Rakesh Mohan has taken over as executive director on the board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In addition to India, Mohan will also represent three other countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan on the IMF board. Ranganath Misra - Ranganath Misra, the former chief justice of India died on 13 September 2012. He chaired the famous Ranganath Misra Commission that was constituted by his name on 29 October 2004 by the Government of India to deal and look after the issues related to Linguistic and Religious minorities in India. The report was submitted by the commission on 21 May 2007 and important findings like, 1. To reserve 8.4 percent of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota of the 27 percent of the minorities 2. Scheduled caste reservation for Dalit converts 3. 15 percent seats for minorities in educational institutions and government services Ranganath Misra was the head of the judicial commission that was appointed for the probe in the anti-Sikh riots of New Delhi after the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Rangaswamy Srinivasan - Indian-American Rangaswamy Srinivasan, a renowned inventor at IBM, has been nominated by the US President Barack Obama for the prestigious National Medal of Technology for Innovation. In 1981, Srinivasan discovered that an ultraviolet excimer laser could etch living tissue in a precise manner with no thermal damage to the surrounding area. He named the phenomenon Ablative Photodecomposition (APD). Ray Douglas Bradbury (Died) - Author of more than 27 novels and story collectionsmost famously "The Martian Chronicles," "Fahrenheit 451," "Dandelion Wine" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes"and more than 600 short 205
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stories, Bradbury has frequently been credited with elevating the often-maligned reputation of science fiction. Renu Khator - University of Houston System Chancellor and UH President Renu Khator has won the Light of India Award that honors excellence and the exemplary achievement of Indians living abroad. She was the only honoree to receive awards in both categories for which she was nominated the Jury Award and the Popular Choice Award among the 19 recipients. Rick Santorum - An American author, attorney, and Republican Party politician. He served as a United States Senator representing Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007, and was a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination Riyad Hijab - Agriculture Minister Riad Hijab was named as new prime minister of Syria by President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government suffered a significant blow recently when Prime Minister Riyad Hijab fled with his family to Jordan, two months after taking the top post. Syrian state media said Hijab had been "relieved of his duties" and that his deputy, OMAR GHALAWANJI, was replacing him in a "caretaker" capacity. Robert Bales - He is accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians. Robert Mood - The United Nations has named Major General Robert Mood to head the Syria ceasefire observer mission that is struggling to get monitors into the country. Rogelio Sierra Diaz - Rogelio Sierra Diaz, vice foreign minister of Cuba visited India on 7 August 2012 to participate in the First India-CELAC foreign ministers Troika meeting in New Delhi. On the sidelines of the meeting, he met SM Krishna, Minister of External Affairs of India. During this meeting, both nations discussed ways to improve bilateral relations encompassing the areas dealing with political, commercial and economic; energy; sports; science and technology; education and culture. India and Cuba agreed on the need for the reform of the United Nations Organisation. The Indian side appreciated Cubas expression of support to Indias candidature for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. Ruchir Sharma - Banker and New York basedauthor Ruchir Sharma was awarded the Tata Literature Live! First Book Award for his Breakout Nations: In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles at the Mumbai Litfest. KITE4education.com
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S Narsing Rao - S Narsing Rao, former chairman of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of Coal India Limited (CIL) on 24 April 2012. S R Hashim - Ministry Of Statistics And Programme Implementation (MOSPI) has constituted an expert group under the chairmanship of Prof. S.R. Hashim for conducting an 'all India time use surveys' to look into the matter of evaluation of the unpaid labour of women in India, and to mainstream time use surveys in the national statistical system. Salman Bashir - Pakistan formally announced the appointment of former foreign secretary Salman Bashir as the countrys new high commissioner to India. The former Pakistan foreign secretary has been part of the Indo-Pak dialogue process following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He also travelled to New Delhi when President Zardari visited India on April 8. Saurav Ghosal - A professional squash player Awarded the Arjuna Award by the President of India in August 2007. He won a 3-2 victory over Robbie Temple of England at the $120,000 El Gouna International Open in El Gouna, Egypt on 9 April 2012. Sekhar Basu - A nuclear submarine propulsion and nuclear reprocessing and waste management expert, Sekhar Basu will be the new director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai. Basu has functioned as project director of the Plutonium Recycling Project at Kalpakkam, which led to the construction of India's first indigenous pressurised water reactor, fuelled by enriched uranium. Shakeel Afridi - A Pakistani physician accused of assisting the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in obtaining DNA samples of Osama Bin Laden through a fake vaccination campaign was convicted for involvement in anti-state activities by a tribal court. The court was headed by a deputy administrator responsible for Bara region. Afridi was charged under the British-time Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) that unlike the Pakistan Criminal Code (CPRC), does not carry death penalty for high treason. A judicial commission investigating the circumstances leading to the death of Al Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden in a US navy seal raid in the northern city of Abbottabad in May, 2011, had recommended in October last that Afridi be charged with high treason. 206
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Shamim Ahmed Khan - Sitar maestro Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan, one of the finest exponents of Hindustani instrumental music, passed away. Khan was one of the leading exponents of the famous Senia-Maihar Gharana. Shaurya Roy - Shaurya Ray, A 16 year old Indian boy solved almost 350 years old mathematics puzzle, this puzzle was put by one of the greatest scientist of all time Isac Newton. The first problem is to calculate the trajectory path or behavior of a body when it is thrown at an angle in the Earths gravitational field and Newtonian flow resistance. The second problem is the objective description of a particle-wall collision under Hertzian collision force and linear damping. The collision energy was derived in 1858 by Hertz, a linear damping force has been known since Stokes (1850). Sheryl Kumar - Sheryl Kumar was crowned Miss India Fiji 2012 at a glittering ceremony in Suva on 8 September 2012. Sheryl beat nine other contestants to win the title. She is now preparing for the Miss India Worldwide pageant to be held in Kuala Lumpur in March 2013. Shiv RamKrishna Rajan - Indian Scientist, Shiv Ram kirshna Rajan, has been appointed as member of the United Nations Commission on limits of the Continental Shelf(CLCS). He was the representative of India for CLCS elections. His tenure ends in 2017. Shiva Keshavan - Shiva Keshavan, the top luge athlete of India won the gold medal for second time successively and set the Asian record of 49.590 seconds in the Asian Championship. Shri N Saibaba - Shri N SAIBABA, Distinguished Scientist has taken over as Chief Executive, Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) on 01.04.2012. Shyam Benegal - The South Asian Cinema Foundation (SACF) in association with British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank and The Nehru Centre decided to honour the work of veteran Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal with the South Asian Cinema Foundation's 'Excellence in Cinema Award' on 9 June 2012. He is to be presented the award in recognition of his contribution to new wave Indian cinema. Benegal who is also a recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award, will be sixth filmmaker to be honoured by SACF. Previous recipients of the award include M S Sathyu (2004), Adoor Gopalakrishnan (2006), Saeed Akhtar Mirza (2008), Girish Kasaravalli (2009) and poet and Oscar winning lyricist of Slumdog Millionaire fame, Gulzar (2010). Director and screenwriter Shyam Benegal is considered the father KITE4education.com
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of the New Wave in Indian cinema. Smita Shah - Smita Shah a close supporter of US President Barack Obama became the first person from Indian-American origin to serve as a parliamentarian for Democratic National Convention on 6 September 2012. As per the publically available documents, Smita has been an applauded donor to the campaign of the Democratic Party and Obama. Sockalingam Kannappan - A prominent IndianAmerican community leader here has been appointed to a key body of engineering professionals in Texas. Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Sockalingam "Sam" Kannappan and Edward Summers to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers for terms to expire on September 26, 2017. He is one of the co-founders of Sri Meenakshi Temple in Houston. Srinath Reddy - Dr. Srinath Reddy has been elected as president of the World Heart Federation (WHF), an over-arching, global, non-governmental organization and the worlds only body dedicated to the global prevention of heart disease and stroke, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. Dr. Srinath Reddy is the first Indian ever to be conferred this honour. Sucheta Kadethankar - 33-year-old Sucheta Kadethankar from Pune becomes first Indian women who has successfully crossed Asias largest and worlds fifth largest Desert, Gobi Desert. Sucheta crossed 1623 km of the Gobi desert in a multi-national expedition consist of members from Australia, England, Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore and India. Sudha Singh - Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh has qualified for the upcoming London Olympics in the 3000m steeplechase event. Sunil Janah - Sunil Janah, the photographer whose searing coverage of the Bengal Famine and vivid political portraiture of the 1940s and 1950s helped chronicle a tumultuous era in the life of India, passed away. Surendra Poonia - Maj. Poonia, who is currently with the Presidents Body Guards (PBG). But for the doctor who has also been an athlete during his college days, the 31st World Medical and Health Games at Croatia has been a dream run. The Major has won three glittering medals: a gold for power lifting, a silver for discus throw and a bronze for javelin throw. Surendra Varma - For a key body of medical professionals in Texas, a well-known Indian207
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American doctor has been appointed recently. Surendra Varma of Lubbock, Texas and Robert Hootkins of Austin have been appointed by Texas governor Rick Perry to the Texas Medical Board District Review Committees three and four. Sushil Kumar - Ace Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar won the 66kg freestyle title at the World Qualifying Tournament in Taiyuan, China on 27 April 2012. The wrestler with this victory got his berth secured for the London Olympics 2012. Sushil overpowered Georgia's Otar Tushishvilli 3-0 in the final showdown. Tamae Watanabe - 73-year-old Tamae Watanabe bettered her own record of being the worlds oldest women to climb the Mount Everest the world's highest mountain peak. The Japanese woman scaled Everest's 8850-meter-high (29035-foot-high) peak from the northern side of the mountain in Tibet on 19 May 2012 with four other team members. Tessy Thomas "Missile Woman" - Tessy Thomas can take a bow as 'AGNI PUTRI', or the daughter of fire, proving as she has her mettle as the project director of the 3,500-km new-generation Agni-IV missile that was successfully tested recently. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo - The International Criminal Court (ICC) has found the Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga guilty of recruiting and using child soldiers between 2002 and 2003. It is the court's first verdict since it was set up 10 years ago. He headed a rebel group during an interethnic conflict in a gold-rich region of Democratic Republic of Congo. The prosecution accused him of using children as young as nine as bodyguards and fighters. Timothy Ray Brown - Timothy Ray Brown, also known as the "Berlin patient," says doctors have told him he's "cured of AIDS and will remain cured." Tony Greig - Former England captain and cricket commentator Anthony William "Tony" Greig (66) passed away. Upendra Chivukula - Deputy Speaker of New Jersey State Assembly and prominent IndianAmerican politician, Upendra Chivukula is all set to run for the US House of Representatives in the ensuing national elections slated for November. Upendra holds the proud distinction of being the first Indian-American elected to the New Jersey Legislature, and only the fourth Indian-American to be elected to a state legislature. V K Bahuguna - V K Bahuguna, director general, Indian Council Forestry Research and Education KITE4education.com
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(ICFRE), Dehradun, has been elected as the vicechairman of Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institution (APAFRI). APAFRI is an independent non-profit body aimed at enhancing research and technology development capabilities in support of conservation and management of forest resources in the Asia-Pacific region. The APAFRI was established to provide a viable framework for research collaboration in the region. Venkatesh Mannar - A Chennai-born scientist of Indian origin, Venkatesh Mannar, president, Micronutrient Initiative, has been felicitated with Canadas highest civilian award the Order of Canada. For the past four decades, Mannar has been working to reduce debilitating micronutrient deficiencies among the worlds most vulnerable. Vikram Singh - Vikram Singh is the new deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia (SSEA). Since October 2011, Singh served in the Pentagon policy shop as a senior advisor for Asian and Pacific security affairs, where he led an internal review on the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan Virender Singh - India's Virender Singh won the bronze medal in the Men's 84 kgs free style category in the third World Deaf Championship at Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The Indian team ended up at the 7th place in the championship overall. Vishakha Desai - India-born Vishakha Desai, a leading expert on Asian art, has been appointed by the OBAMA ADMINISTRATION as member of the National Museum and Library Services Board, a key administrative post. The name of the prominent Indian American, who is also president of global non-profit organization Asia Society. YC Deveshwar - ITC Ltd chairman YC Deveshwar has been ranked as the seventh best performing CEO in the world in a global study on the 100 best performing global CEOs by the Harvard Business Review in its January-February 2013 edition. Deveshwar ranks first amongst the Indian CEOs. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali - Former Tunisian president A military court has sentenced former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to life in prison in connection with the killing of 23 demonstrators by police during the revolt that sparked the Arab spring.
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The area illuminated by a tube light is directly proportional to its wattage as well as to its length. A tube light 0.1m long having wattage 60w can illuminate 216sq.mts. What will be the length of a 40watt tube light that illuminates 576 sq. mts.?. (a) 20 cm (b) 36 cm (c) 40 cm (d) 15 cm Let A area illuminated, 216 = k 0.1 60 W wattage, x length of tube k = 36. A W, A x Now, A = 36 40 x A = k.W.x, where k is a constant x = 40 cms When x = 0.1, W = 60, A = 216 a1 = 1 and an+1 = 2an + 5, for n being a natural number. The value of a100 is (a) 5x299 + 6 (b) 5x299 - 6 (c) 6x299 + 5 (d) 6x299 5 Solution:a1 = 1 and an+1 = 2an + 5, for n being a natural nth term = 6x2n-1 5 number. The value of a100 is Put n=2 a2 = 6x22-1 - 5 =6x2a2 = 2a1 +5 = 2x1+5=7 5 =7 a3 =2a2+5 = 2x7+5= 19 Put n=3 a3= 6x23-1 - 5 =24-5 = 19 it is a4=2a3 +5 = 2x19+5=38+5 = 43 value of a3so that Option (d). now a1 =1 and options give a rough idea that option D is most appropriate answer, convert it into nth term and check a2 a3 a4 after putting n=1,2,3,4 A point P moves in a plane such that its distance from another point Q is always 7 cm. If the point P moves from its starting position in the plane, say P1, a distance of 44 cms and halts at point P2, what is the distance between P1 and P2?. (a) 22/7 (b) 7/22 (c) 21 (d) None of these Solution:A point P moves in a plane such that its distance from another point Q is always 7 cm. Here P moves in a circle keeping a distance of 7 cm .from point Q If the point P moves from its starting position in the plane, say P1, a distance of 44 cms and halts at point P2. Here radius of this Circle is 7 cm, circumference of this circle is 2 x 7x22 /7 = 44 cm. Now p moves as P1 a distance of 44 cm and reaches to P2. It is nothing but it covers circumference of this circle and reaches again to original position so distance between P1P2 is 0. What is the missing number? (a) 6 (b) 8 (c) 7 (d) 9 Solution: Count the number of lines in each.
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A jogging park has two identical circular tracks touching each other, and a rectangular track enclosing the two circles. The edges of the rectangles are tangential to the circles. Two friends, Ajay and Bijoy, start jogging simultaneously from the point where one of the circular tracks touches the smaller side of the rectangular track. Ajay jog along the rectangular track, while Bijoy jogs along the two circular tracks in a figure of eight. Approximately, how much faster than Ajay does Bijoy have to run, so that they take the same time to return to their starting point?.
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(a) 4.4% (b) 4.7% (c) 3.4% (d) 3.7% Let r be the radius of the circular tracks. Length and breadth of the rectangular track are 4r and 2r respectively. Length (perimeter) of the rectangular track = 12r Length of the two circular tracks (figure of eight) = 4r
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If A and B have to reach their starting points at the same time, (12r/a)=(4r/b) where a and b are the speeds of Ajay and Bijoy respectively. (b-a)(100/a)=0.047x100=4.7%
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A train traveled the first d km of its journey it an average speed of 60 kmph, the next d km of its journey at an average speed of y kmph, and the final d km of its journey at an average speed of 160 kmph. If the trains average speed over the total dista nce was 96 kmph, what is the value of y? (a) 60 (b) 120 (c) 180 (d) 72 Let us choose the distance which will evenly divide by both 60 and 160, in order to only deal with integers. (i.e) d = 480. For the first d km we travel at 60 kmph. Distance divided by rate is time, therefore 480/60 = 8 hours. For the final d km we travel at 160 kmph. ; 480/160 = 3 hours. For the middle d hours, we travel at y kmph, so we can express the time as 480/y. Our total distance will be 3 x 480, which equals 1440. Therefore total distance divided by total time is 1440/(8 + 3 + 480/y), which we are told must equal 96. From here you are doing algebra, and this can be simplified in the following manner: 1440/(11 + 480/y) = 96 => y = 120
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Six friends have booked 6 adjacent seats in a cinema hall. Two of them, Ashok and Anjali are lovers and had a small on the way to the cinema, and refuse to sit together. In how many ways could the six friends be seated?. (a) 240 (b) 480 (c) 360 (d) 720 Had there been no seating restrictions, Then the 6 friends could have been seated on 6 seats in 6P6 = 6! = 720 ways. However, Ashok and Anjali cannot be seated together. Let us find out in how many seating arrangements would Ashok and Anjali have been together. If Ashok and Anjali are together, treat them as one unit. .'. We have to arrange 1 2 3 4 amongst themselves. This can be done in 5! ways = 120 ways. In each such arrangement, Ashok and Anjali can in turn arrange themselves in2! = 2 ways ( or ) .'. They are together in 120 2 = 240 arrangements. Since they should not be together, Total arrangements possible = 720 - 240 = 480. A tank has a leak at its bottom which empties it at 6 liters/min. It also has a filling tap which can fill the tank in 6 hours. The tank takes 18 hours to become full. What is the full capacity of the tank? (a) 3240 (b) 1620 (c) 6480 (d) None of these Solution: How much tap fill in 1 hour =L/6 Tank much tank is filled in hour =L/18 How much empty in 1 hour =6*60=360 So:: L/6 -360= L/18 -> Solving we get L=3240. If (x/y)=(z/a) then (xm+ym+zm+am)/ (x-m+y-m+z-m+a-m) is equal to (a) 1 (b) 0 (c) (xyza)m (d) (xyza)m/2 Let (x/y)=(z/a) = k => Substitute x=ky; z=ka in the equation and simplify.
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In how many ways can a football team of 11 players be chosen out of 13 short-listed players such that the captain of the team, who is among the shortlisted players, is always selected?. (a) 56 (b) 120 (c) 32 (d) None of these.
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Number of available players = 13 We now have to choose 10 players (11 - 1) out of Number of players to be selected = 11 12 players (13 - 1) As the captain of the team should always be .'. n = 12, r =10 present, select him in advance. .'. Number of combinations =12C10=12C2=66 On Friday, Rakesh withdraws 22% of the balance in his account and on Saturday, deposits Rs. 240, as a result of which his bank balance is now up 8% as compared to Friday's opening balance. Assuming no other transaction in this period, what was Rakesh's opening balance on Friday?. (a) 760 (b) 800 (c) 600 (d) 640 Let opening balance on Friday be 'x' .'. New balance = 1.08x [ since it is x + 0.08x] He withdraws 22% or 0.22x .'. 0.78x + 240 = 1.08x .'. Balance remaining = 0.78x .'. 0.3x = 240 .'. x = 800. He now puts in Rs. 240 and balance increases by 8% of original Friday balance (i.e.) 0.08x Ten points are marked on a straight line and eleven points are marked on another straight line. How many triangles can be constructed with vertices from among the above points?. (a) 595 (b) 455 (c) 1045 (d) None of these Number of triangles when all (11+10) 21 points are non-collinear = 21C3 Number of triangles with 11 and 10 non-collinear points = 11C3 + 10C3 Thus number of triangles when 11 points collinear and 10 points collinear = 21C3 10C3 11C3 = 1045. Alternately To form a triangle, you have to choose one point from first set and two points from the second set. So, total number of triangles possible: (10C1)*(11C2) + (10C2)*(11C1) = 1045. A and S are the area and sum of the lengths of diagonals of a rectangle with length 1 unit and breadth unit, then (a) A and S are rational (b) A and S are irrational (c) A is irrational and S is rational (d) A is rational and S is irrational Find A and S. A=(1/2) a rational number. S=sqrt.5 an irrational number. A few numbers of four-letter words are formed by using 17 consonants and 5 vowels. How many words out of them will have 2 different vowels in the middle and a consonant at each end? (a) 5780 ways (b) 5880 ways (c) 5680 ways (d) 5580 ways Solution: Vowel can be arranged in 5c2 * 2! = 20 ways Consonant can be same or different so 17^2 = 289 So in total 5780 ways When 99 is divided by the positive integer 8, the remainder is .......... (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 7 Solution:To 9 9 add and subtract 1 99 -1+1 = (99-1) +1. If xn-1 then x-1 satisfy the polynomial xn-1 =0 (i.e.) 9-1 also satisfy the polynomial 99-1 = (9-1)(98+,,,,,,,,)+1=> First part is fully divisible by 8 so the remainder is 1 In how many ways 8100 can be resolved into product of two factors?. (a) 30 ways (b) 27 ways (c) 20 ways (d) 23 ways Solution: 8100 = 22 34 52 Number of ways = [(2 + 1) (4 + 1) (2 + 1) + 1] = 23 Note: Let N = pa. qb. rc...... where p, q, r...... are distinct primes & a, b, c..... are natural numbers then : (a) The total numbers of divisors of N including 1 & N is = (a + 1) (b + 1) (c + 1)........ (b) The sum of these divisors is = (p0 + p1 + p2 +.... + pa) (q0 + q1 + q2 +.... + qb) (r0 + r1 + r2 +.... + rc)........ Number of ways in which N can be resolved as a product of two factors is [(a + 1) (b + 1) (c + 1) + 1] (if N is a perfect square).
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[(a + 1) (b + 1) (c + 1)] (if N is not a perfect square). Number of ways in which a composite number N can be resolved into two factors which are relatively prime (or coprime) to each other is equal to 2n1 where n is the number of different prime factors in N. Sanjana wants to buy oranges from a vendor who has 7 oranges available. In how many ways can she select the oranges if she selects at least one orange?. (a) 128 (b) 127 (c) 125 (d) 124 She can choose no orange at all in nC0 Total number of selections possible out of 7 elements OR 7C0+7C1+7C7=27= 27 = 128 ways she can select any one orange in nC1 This also includes one way of selecting none of the oranges OR 7C0 she can select any two oranges in .'. If she selects at least one orange, she can do so in 128 1 nC2etc. = 127 ways Amans regular hourly wage is 1.5 times Barkas regular hourly wage, but Barka gets paid at twice his regular wage for any hours he works on Saturday. Both men work an integer number of hours on any given day. If Aman and Barka worked the same total number of hours last week, and earned the same total in wages, which of the following must be true? I. Aman worked fewer hours Monday through Friday than did Barka. II. Barka worked at least one hour on Saturday. III. Barka made more money on Saturday than did Aman. (a) I and II (b) II and III (c) I,II and III (d) Only II. Assume daily working hours = 5 (Monday-Friday) for both Aman and Barka. Assume Per hour Wage for Barka = Rs.10. Therefore Per hour wage for Aman = Rs.15. Let Aman work for x number of hours on Saturday,so that the Weekly total wages for Aman and Barka are equal. (i.e) 15 * 6 * 5 hrs (Aman 's weekly wage Mon - Sat ) = (10 * 5 (days) * 5 hrs) + (10 * 2 * x) => x = 10hrs. Hence 1. Aman could not have worked fewers on weekdays than did Barka, because Barka earns twice the normal hourly wage on Saturdays and they earned the same total in wages. 2. Barka has to work at-least an Hour on Saturday for the wages to be 'closer numerically but not equal'. 3. Barka made more money on Saturday than did Aman ' - that will be clearly case sensitive as it will depend upon the numerical difference between the wages till Friday. There are 6 boxes numbered 1, 2, 6. Each box is to be filled up either with a red or a green ball in such a way that at least 1 box contains a green ball and the boxes containing green balls are consecutively numbered. The total number of ways in which this can be done is (a) 21 (b) 5 (c) 33 (d) 65 GRRRRR, RGRRRR, RRGRRR, RRRGRR, RRRRGR, RRRRRG GGRRRR, RGGRRR, RRGGRR, RRRGGR, RRRRGG GGGRRR, RGGGRR, RRGGGR, RRRGGG GGGGRR, RGGGGR, RRGGGG GGGGGR, RGGGGG GGGGGG Hence 21 ways. N = 1421 x 1423 x 1425 what is the remainder when N is divided by 12 (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 3 (d) 9 Solution:N = 1421 x 1423 x 1425 what is the remainder 1425 gives remainder 9 when N is divided by 12 Multiplying all these remainders Divide only 1421 by 12 gives remainder 5 5x7x9 and divide by 12 again 315 /12 . Here we 1423 gives remainder 7 get remainder of 3
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20 men, 24 women and 40 boys can do a piece of work in 12 days by working 8 hrs per day. Then how many men are required to complete the same work in 12 days with 6 women and 2 boys by working 5 hrs a day?. (a) 32 (b) 30 (c) 26 (d) 28 Solution: LCM (20, 24, 40) = 480. (Total units of work). For the New Task Total Working Hours = 12*8 = 96. => x*(1/4) + 6*(5/24) + 2*(1/8) = 480/60 => 480/96 = 5 units per working hour. => x/4 = 8 - (1/4 + 5/4) = 8 - 3/2 = 13/2 So, 5/20, 5/24 and 5/40 for Man, Woman and Boy. => x = 26 Men.
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Of the two-digit numbers (those from 11 to 99, both inclusive) how many have a Second digit greater than the first digit?. (a) 38 (b) 46 (c) 36 (d) 44 12 to 19 -- > 8 67 to 69 -- > 3 23 to 29 -- > 7 78 to 79 -- > 2 34 to 39 -- > 6 89 -- > 1 45 to 49 -- > 5 Total=36. 56 to 59 -- > 4 3 innocent prisoners were sitting in a jail. One day, the cruel jailer takes them out and places them in a line on three chairs, in such a way that man C can see both man A and man B, man B can see only man A, and man A can see none of the other men. The jailer shows them 5 hats, 2 of which are black and 3 of which are white. After this, he blindfolds the men, places one hat on each of their heads, and removes the blindfolds again. The jailer tells his three prisoners that if one of them is able to determine the color of his hat within one minute, all of them are released. Otherwise, they will all be executed. None of the prisoners can see his own hat, and all are intelligent. After 59 seconds, man A shouts out the (correct) color of his hat! What is the color of man A's hat?. (a)Black (b)White (c)Can be either Black or White (d)Cannot be said with certainty as probably A would have guessed. If it is BB for A&B then Cs hat must be White. C didnt speak as A&B can have either WW or WB or BW. Now A & B are left with below choices. A B W W W B B W IF A is holding Black hat then Bs hat must be White. B Didnt speak since A is holding White hat and B may have either White or black. Now the choice left is A having White hat. Spherical shaped marbles of diameter 1.4 cm each are dropped into a cylindrical beaker of diameter 7 cm containing some water. What would be the number of marbles that should be dropped into the beaker so that the water level rises by 5.6 cm?. (a) 150 (b) 160 km/hr (c) 140 km/hr (d) None of these Volume of water raised = Volume of n marbles r2h=n(4/3)r3 n =150 2 couples and one single person are seated at random in a row of five chairs. What is the probability that neither of the couples sits together in adjacent chairs?. (a) 1/5 (b) 2/5 (c) 3/5 (d) 4/5 Let the couples 'a' 'a1' and 'b' 'b1' and the single 2) If 'c' occupies second seat person as 'c'. _c___ The position of 'c' will determine the 4 * 1 * 2 * 1 * 1 = 8 ways permutations 3) If 'c' occupies third seat __c__ 1) If 'c' occupies the first seat: C____ 4 * 2 * 1 * 2 * 1 = 16 ways
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The second seat can be filled in 4 ways (a, a1, b, 4) If 'c' occupies fourth seat b1) ___c_ The third seat can bee filled in 2 ways (for eg. if 4 * 2 * 1 * 1 * 1 = 8 ways 'a' filled the second seat, 'b' or 'b1' could be seated 5) If 'c' occupies fifth seat in the 3rd) ____c The fourth seat can be filled in 1 way (a1) 4 * 2 * 1 * 1 * 1 = 8 ways The fifth seat can be filled in 1 way (b1) So total ways in which they can be seated This way none of the couples sit next to each without any couple sitting next to each other = 8 other. + 8 + 16 + 8 + 8 = 48 Thus total permutations = 1 * 4 * 2 * 1 * 1 = Total ways in which they can be arranged = 5! 8ways Thus the required probability = 48/120 = 2/5 Now apply the same logic to the remaining 4 cases Two identical circles intersect so that their centres, and the points at which they intersect, form a square of side 1 cm. The area in sq. cm of the portion that is common to the two circles is (a) (b) -1 (c) /2 (d) (/2) 1 Clearly radius is 1.
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Let the two circles with centres P and Q intersect at M and N. Quadrilateral PQMN is a square. m< MPN = m< MQN = 90 The area common to both the circles = 2(Area of sector P-MN Area of PMN) => Area = 2(Area of sector - area of rt. angle triangle) = (/2) - 1 A spherical ball, when immersed in a cylinder of base radius 7 cms, raises the level of water in the cylinder by 28/3 cms. What is the circumference of the ball?. (a) 22 cm (b) 44 cm (c) 22/3 cm (d) None of these
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Volume of sphere = Volume of water displaced i.e. Volume of risen water Let 'r' be radius of the spherical ball
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Two friends Madan and Narang start travelling a distance of 36 kms. The sum of their speeds is 21 km/hr and the sum of the times taken by them is 7 hours. What is the difference in their speeds (faster - slower)?. (a) 3 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) None of these. Let ' Madan 's' speed be 'm' km/hr .'. m (21 m) = 108 .'. ' Narang 's' speed = (21 - m) km/hr [ Since sum .'. 21m m2 = 108 of speeds is 21 km/hr ] .'. m2 12m 9m + 108 = 0
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.'. Time taken by ' Madan' = 36/m hours .'. Time taken by ' Narang ' = 36/(21 - m) hours Total time taken = 7 hours .'. ..'.
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.'. m(m 12) -9 (m 12) = 0 .'. (m 12) (m 9) = 0 .'. m = 9 or m = 12 .'. If m = 9, n = 12; If m = 12, n = 9 .'. m n = 12 9 = 3
Last Sunday Sood store sold copies of Newspaper Daily Times for Rs.1.00 each and copies of Newspaper Daily Mail for Rs 1.25 each, and the store sold no other newspapers that day. If r percent of the stores revenues from newspaper sales was from Newspaper Daily Times and if p percent of the newspapers that the store sold were copie s of Newspaper Daily Mail, which of the following expresses r in terms of p?. (a) 500p / (400 p) (b) 400p / (500 p) (c) (500 p)p / 400 (d) (400 p)p / 500 r (Dt + 1.25Dm) = 100 Dt .(1) Divide both sides by Dt: p (Dt + Dm) = 100Dt .(2) r (1 + 125/p - 1.25) = 100 We can solve for Dm: r (125/p - 0.25) = 100 (3) Dm = (100A/p) - Dt r = 100 / (125/p - 0.25) Substituting (3) into (1) and simplify: Multiply the right side by 4p / 4p: r (Dt + 1.25 [(100 Dt/p) - Dt]) = 100 Dt r = 400p / (500 - p) r (A + 125 Dt /p - 1.25 Dt) = 100 Dt Ricky purchased p kg of rice at the rate of Rs.x per kg and q kg of rice at the rate of Rs.y per kg. He sold the mixture at the rate of [(x+y)/2] per kg. What is the condition so that Ricky earns profit?. (a) p>q,x>y (b) p=q,x>y (c) p<q,x>y (d) p=q,x<y px+qy=[(p+q)(x+y)]/2 On simplifying we get (p-q)(x-y)=0 Ricky earns profit when p=q and x>y. A cube and a spherical ball are available such that the radius of the ball is equal to half the side of the cube. Which of the following statements will be true?. I The sphere exactly fits into the cube. II The cube exactly fits into the sphere. (a) Only I (b) Only II (c) Both I and II (d) Neither I nor II I The sphere exactly fits into the cube. If the radius of the ball = r, then the side of the II The cube exactly fits into the sphere. cube will be 2r. Therefore, it is evident that the sphere will fit into the cube, as shown below :
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The image of a tree on the film of a camera is of length 35 mm, the distance from the lens to the film is 42 mm and the distance from the lens to the tree is 6 m. How tall is the portion of the tree being photographed?. (a) 3.5 m (b) 5.5 m (c) 2.5 m (d) 5 m Solution: Let AB and EF be the Heights of the portion of the tree and its image on the film respectively. Let the point C denote the lens. <ECF =<ACB ( vertically opposite angles) Let CG and CH be ACB ~ ECF ( AA criterion) altitudes of Hence, (AB/ EF) = (CG/CH) ACB and FEC. AB = (CG/CH) EF = (6 x 0 035) / 0 042 = 5. Clearly AB || FE. Hence the height of the tree photographed is 5 m. In ACB and FEC <BAC =<FEC
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A certain type of microorganism is able to split itself up into 32 microorganisms. Each of these microorganisms are further able to split themselves up into 32 microorganism and so on. However, only 12.5% of the microorganisms are able to do so while the rest die. If the numbers of microorganism after the fifth such split are 2048, how many microorganisms were there at the beginning?. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 8 (d) None of these. 1 microorganism becomes 32 microorganism. .'. After 1st split = 4x However only 12.5% or (1/8)th of them are able After 2nd split = 4 4x = 42x to do so After 3rd split = 4 4 4x = 43x 5 .'. If we start with 'x' microorganism, then of .'. After 5th split = 4 x 5 .'. x 4 = 2048 them can split into 32 microorganism each .'. 1024x = 2048 .'. 32= 4x microorganism .'. x = 2 This means the population of the microorganism quadruples (become 4 times old population) after each split. A car covers three seventh of the distance between points 'M' and 'N' at a speed of 3m kmph, and the remaining distance at 4n kmph. In the time it took to cover the distance from 'M' to 'N', it could have covered twice the distance had its speed been 7p kmph. Which of the following will be true? (a) (2/p)=(1/m)+(1/n) (b) (2/p)=(1/m)-(1/n) (c) (1/p) =(1/m) - (1/n) (d) (1/p)=(1/n) + (1/m) Let the distance be 'd' kms. between 'M' and 'N' .'. Time taken to cover three-seventh of the distance at speed 3m = Time taken to cover the remaining four-seventh of distance at speed 4n = Time taken to cover twice the distance at '7p' = .'. .'.
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a>b>c and all three belong to natural numbers, what is the value of a, If (a+1)(b+1)(c+1)1=1000?. (a) 12 (b) 13 (c) 6 (d) 7 Solution:(a+1)(b+1)(c+1)-1=1000 (a+1)(b+1)(c+1) =1000+1 =1001 = 7x11x13 =(12+1)(10+1)(6+1) a=12 ,b=10 ,c=6 12>10>6 a>b>c If log2=.3010, what is log5? (a) 0.4771 (b) 0.6990 (c) Cannot be determined using the information given. (d) None of these log5=log(10/2)=log10-log2=1-.3010=.6990. A question paper consists of 10 questions divided into two parts A and B. Each part contains five questions. Giri is required to attempt six questions in all of which at least 2 should be from part A and at least 2 from part B. In how many ways can Giri select the questions if he can answer all questions equally well?. (a) 300 ways (b) 100 ways (c) 200 ways (d) None of these Solution: Giri has to select six questions in all of which at If Giri follows choice (i), the number of ways in least two should be from Part A and two should which he can do so is be from Part B. He can select questions in any of 5C2 x 5C4 = 50 ways. the following ways : If Giri follows choice (ii), the number of ways in which he can do so is Part - A Part - B (i ) 2 4 5C3 x 5C3 = 100 ways. (ii ) 3 3 Similarly, if Giri follows choice (iii), then the (iii ) 4 2 number of ways in which he can do so is
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5C4 x 5C2 = 50 ways. Therefore, Giri can select the question in 50 + 100 + 50 = 200 ways. If a, b, c, d are in continued proportion then what is the value of "n' such that (a / d) = (an +bn + cn)/ (bn + cn +dn)? (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 5 (d) 4 Solution:Where a b c d are in continued proportion i.e RHS = kn a/b=b/c=c/d k3 = kn 2 Let a/b=b/c=c/d =k c=dk b=ck=dk n=3 [OR] assume a continued proportion a=bk2=dk3 series 8, 4, 2, 1 in place of a b c d and check. LHS a/d = dk3/d =k3 81 m3 of water is poured in a tank having e square base. The water reaches a height that is three times the length of the base. What is the area of the base? (a) 18 m^2 (b) 27 m^2 (c) 9 m^2 (d) 16 m^2 Let the base of the tank have length = 'a' .'. 3a3 = 81 .'. a3 = 27 .'. a = 3 2 3 Area of base = a = 9 m2 .'. Volume filled by water = a a 3a = 3a
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This is 81 m3 The height of a certain greased flag pole is 30 feet. A monkey attempts to climb the pole. It climbs 3 feet every second but slips down 2 ft in the next second. When will the monkey reach the top of the flag pole?. (a) 55 seconds (b) 45 seconds (c) 65 seconds (d) None of these. Every two seconds the monkey gains 1 ft. Climbs 3 feet in the first second and slips 2 feet in the next. However, when it reaches 27ft, in the next jump (3ft upwards) it will reach the top. It will take 27*2 = 54 seconds to reach 27ft & then 1 sec to reach the top. => 55 seconds. If x + y + z = 1, then xy + yz + zx is (a) <1/2 (b) 1/2 (c) >1/2 (d) None of these Solution:(x+y+z )2 =1 x2+y2+z2 +2xy+2yz+2zx =1 x2+y2+z2 It must be +ve 2xy+2yz+2zx <1 xy+yz+zx <1 /2 An NGO plans to plant saplings in 25 streets in a town in such a way that one sapling for the first street, two for the second, four for the third, eight for the fourth street and so on. How many saplings are needed to complete the work?. (a) 224 1 (b) 225 1 (c) 225 + 1 (d) 224 + 1 Sn = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 +g to 25 terms. a = 1, r = 2, n = 25 Sn = a[rn 1]/[r 1] S64 = 225 1 A cricketer has a certain average score for 10 innings. In the 11th innings, he scores 60 runs and thereby his average increases by 3 runs. What is his new average?. (a) 26 (b) 27 (c) 36 (d) None of these Let the average score for 10 innings be n. 11(n+3)=10n+60 => n=27. Four slip of papers with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 written on them are put in a box. They are drawn one by one (without replacement) at random. In how many ways it can happen that the ordinal number of at least one slip coincides with its own number.
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(a) 17 ways (b) 27 ways (c) 15 ways (d) 23 ways Solution: Total number of ways = 4 ! = 24. The number of ways in which ordinal number of any slip does not coincide with its own number is the number of dearrangements of 4 objects = 4! [(1/2!) - (1/3!) + (1/4!)] = 9. Thus the required number of ways. = 24 9 = 15 'Ajay' and 'Vijay' start from the same point in the same direction on a circular track 180 m long. If 'Ajay', the faster of the two meets 'Vijay' again for the first time after a minute, how much more is 'Ajay's' speed as compared to that of 'Vijay'? (a) 14.2 kmph (b) 12.2 kmph (c) 10.8 kmph (d) None of these ' Ajay ' gains 180 m in 60 seconds .'. He gains 180 / 60 = 3 m/s. Since he gains 3 m/s. over ' Vijay ', it means he travels at a speed 3 m/s. more than that of ' Vijay '. Converting, 3m/s. = 3 18/5 = 10.8 kmph A test has 50 questions. A student scores 1 mark for a correct answer, -1/3 for a wrong answer, and 1/6 for not attempting a question. If the net score of a student is 32, the number of questions answered wrongly by that student cannot be less than (a) 3 (b) 5 (c) 4 (d) 2 Let the number of correct answers be x, number of wrong answers be y and number of questions not attempted be z. Thus, x + y + z = 50 (i) And xy/3z/6 = 32 The second equation can be written as, 6x 2y z = 192 (ii) Adding the two equations we get, 7 x y = 242 or x= 242/7 + y Since, x and y are both integers, y cannot be 1 or 2. The minimum value that y can have is 3. In a 180 question CSAT having four options, a correct answer fetches one mark and an incorrect answer penalizes a candidate by a quarter of a mark. Ramesh has so far attempted 136 questions, of which 100 have been answered correctly. Since there is not much time left, he decides to guess and mark all the remaining answers as 'Option 3'. What is his score likely to be? (a) 103 (b) 89 (c) 109 (d) 93 Ramesh has answered 100 questions correctly. These fetch him 100 1 = 100 marks. Since he has attempted 136 questions, the remaining 136 - 100 = 36 are wrongly answered. This penalizes him by 36 x 1/4 = 9 marks. .'. Score so far is 100 - 9 = 91 marks. All remaining questions are guessed as 'Option 3', Number of questions guessed = 180 - 136 = 44. Since there are 4 options, only 1 out of 4 options is the right answer, or the probability of getting an answer right merely by guessing is 1/4. Therefore, of the 44 questions guessed, expected number of correct guesses is 44 1/4 = 11. These fetch 11 1 = 11 marks. The remaining 44 11 = 33 guesses are incorrect. This penalizes him by 33 1/4 8 marks .'. Net result is 91 + 11 8 = 93 . Two rollers of same length are available to flatten a stretch of land. The radii of the rollers are in the ratio 4:9. If the larger roller takes 12 minutes to flatten the stretch of land, how much time will the smaller roller take?. (a) 27 (b) 18 (c) 45 (d) 54 Let radius of smaller roller be 4r => Radius of =>Ratio of area covered = = 4:9 bigger roller = 9r; =>Ratio of time taken to cover a given area Both have the same length = l; The rollers are in = 9 :4 [ time taken is inversely proportional to
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the shape of a cylinder distance ] =>Area covered per roll will be equal to their =>If bigger roller takes 12 minutes smaller roller surface area will take = 27 minutes =>For smaller roller = For bigger roller = Five farmers have 7, 9, 11, 13 & 14 apple trees, respectively in their orchards. Last year, each of them discovered that every tree in their own orchard bore exactly the same number of apples. Further, if the third farmer gives one apple to the first, and the fifth gives three to each of the second and the fourth, they would all have exactly the same number of apples. What were the yields per tree in the orchards of the third and fourth farmers?. (a) 9,11 (b) 12,14 (c) 11,9 (d) 14,12 Let a, b, c, d & e be the total number of apples Since the number of trees in Cs orchard is 11 bored per year in A, B, C, D & E s orchard. and that of Ds orchard is 13. Given that a + 1 = b + 3 = c 1 = d + 3 = e 6 Let x and y be the number of apples bored per But the question is to find the number of apples tree in C & D s orchard respectively. bored per tree in C and D s orchard. Therefore 11x 1 = 13y + 3 If is enough to consider c 1 = d + 3. By trial and error, the values for x and y as 11 and 9. The 290th term of the series a, b, b, c, c, c, d, d, d, d, e, e, e, e, e, f, f, f, f, f, f. is (a) w (b) x (c) y (d) z The number of terms of the series forms the sum of first n natural numbers = n(n + 1)/2. Thus the first 23 letters will account for the first (23 x 24)/2 = 276 terms of the series. The 290th term will be the 24th letter viz. x.
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Raja sir, Joining Cracking IAS for General Studies Mains turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life till date. Personal attention and knack to predict questions is simply unparalleled. IAS Express is better than anything else in the market and highly recommended to any serious civil services THAVASEELAN, IAS aspirant.
NITIKA PAWAR AIR 18 FIRST ATTEMPT OUR STUDENT
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STRATEGY FOR GS - PRELIMS EXAM

One should always keep in mind that Prelims is the toughest part in the whole process of Civil Services Preparation. This is so because you need to memorize a lot of information with the pressure of negative marking system. The preparation for General Studies is in fact a tiresome process. The syllabus of GS is like ocean. We have herein prioritized the topics for General Studies based on the analysis of last five years Question Papers. 1. Current Affairs. 2. Indian history and Indian Polity. 3. Mental Ability. 4. Science and Technology. 5. Geography and Economy. 6. Miscellaneous General Knowledge Firstly Current Affairs is very vital as nowadays almost 1/3rd of the questions are being asked from this section. It is really a tedious job to keep a track of current developments and memorize it. But one has to do that. Secondly as far as Indian History is concerned nowadays the maximum emphasis is on Modern India. There have been only few [or even in some papers there were no questions at all] questions from Medieval India and Ancient India. However we dont advise you to skip these portions. What we wish to emphasis is that give weightage to modern India. In Indian polity try to correlate various articles and provisions and constitutional amendments. It is in fact very difficult to remember these. At least one should have a broad idea of eliminating the options. Thirdly When you prepare Geography and Economy be clear in basic concepts. Try to understand the chapter on Universe along with basic facts like albedo value of planets, their distances from the sun etc. Give emphasis on Indian Geography and Economy. Fourthly be applicative in Science and Technology. For example every one of us read newspapers daily. In The Hindu for instance we find at the bottom something written CMYK in different colours. Most of us never bother to know what it is. You may wonder, in Prelims- 2006 there was a question related to CMYK. Similarly whenever we take any branded Curd like Nestle Dahi we never bother to see what is written there on the pack. It is written over that it contains probiotics. For your kind information there was a question related to Probiotics in Prelims 2008. Be scientifically aware of what is around you. Have a clear understanding of basic facts and study in relation to application aspects and current relevance. Fifthly the questions from International affairs and World Politics are not as traditional as they were before 5 or 6 years. One needs to be updated in this section. Sixthly focus on Miscellaneous General Knowledge like Noble Prizes One can take the notes & guidance of reputed coaching institutes like CrackingIAS.com. Before one week of Prelims- Exam dont try to study anything new. Be relaxed but focused on revision. Dont do night study before the day of exam. While answering the questions be careful not to answer a question which is very much blind to you as it may cost your final score. However you can take some calculated risks in case of logical guess and answers which you know with more than 60% confidence level.
Once again we blasted PRELIMS 2012. Congrats to all our members. NONE COULD BEAT US!!! WE CHALLENGE!!!. Anyone can verify the same from our students!!!
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STRATEGY FOR GS - MAINS EXAM

The real race starts with the Mains Exam only. This is so because every mark you lose or gain makes you either climb down the ladder or climb up the ladder of ranking. We strongly suggest you not to waste the time gap of about 75 days between Prelims Examination and announcement of Prelims Results. After Prelims Examination relax yourself and if possible go for some trips and be away from books for about one week. This will help you to rejuvenate yourself. After energizing yourself start preparing for mains. Never have a dilemma whether you would clear prelims or not. We also suggest you not to verify answers of prelims examination. This may demotivate you. The results are based on relative performance and hence it is almost impossible for you to judge the relative performance of the candidates who are spread all over India. Thinking that you would clear prelims, concentrate on mains. In case you dont clear prelims whatever you have studied wont go waste. The knowledge you have gained will help you in the next attempt. Civil Services Exam demands a never say die spirit from you. The preparation for General Studies - Mains should be an intensive one. Unlike Prelims the Syllabus for GS-MAINS is well defined. Based on the allocation of marks in the previous 5 year question papers and scoring nature we have prioritized the various topics as below. Firstly concentrate on scoring parts like short answers and statistics. Secondly concentrate on Indian History and Indian polity which carry around 130 marks. Thirdly concentrate on Science and Technology. Fourthly concentrate on Current events - both national and international. Fifthly concentrate on Geography and Economy. Sixthly concentrate on Socio-Economic issues. While answering the questions stick to the word limit. Dont get carried way by the impression that more you write more you score. Try to concentrate on giving more points with fewer words. While writing answers wherever it is essential you need to substantiate with the basic facts and information which you had studied for Preliminary exam. Answer writing skill in mains exam is very much essential. Your score in mains Exam decides your fate of being in the toppers club or in the safe zone or in the exclusion zone. There are many students whom we had come across, have despite scoring reasonably well in the interview did not come either in the toppers club or even in the safe zone (owing to their less score in the mains exam). Even we have seen the students who had come in the toppers club despite their low score in the interview (owing to their higher score in the mains exam). As far as the optionals are concerned one should keep in mind the weightage it carries. Optional papers carry 1200 marks. One should have a thorough knowledge of his/her optional subject with good answer writing skills. There is no other way for it. For essay paper which carries 200 marks one should regularly practice writing essays on topics of their convenience. We advise you to shortlist two or three areas like Politics or Science and technology or Social issues and decide which area you are likely to choose in the essay paper and concentrate on those particular areas. Before 15 days of the exam prepare a list of about 4 or 5 topics and fine tune your presentations on those topics. Before one week of Mains- Exam dont try to study anything new. Be relaxed but focused on revision. The most important thing is to have a good sleep on the day before your examination because you have to write two papers for six hours next day. Dont do night study before the day of exam. We advise you to study the study materials supplied to you in a systematic and dedicated manner. You can always clarify your doubts through e-mail to us. We suggest you to go through our Prelims Study material wherever you need it. We suggest you to participate in our Practice Test Series (MPDPT) and evaluate your level of preparedness and assess your plus minus so that you can tackle the questions in the examination with maximum level of confidence. Revision and Practice form an essential part of your preparation for Civil Service Exam. We also provide you a Practice Work Book to fine tune your preparation. Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. IAS Express a monthly current affairs booklet 84 questions in Prelims 2012 CSAT -1 Study materials Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT 221
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General Studies Mains 2012 Question Paper -1

1. Answer any five of the following in about 250 words each: 25X5 = 125 (a) What do you understand by the term Innovation? Discuss the need for launching a national innovation policy in India. (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (b) Keeping in view the informal sectors share in the total workforce of the country, critically examine the relevant inclusive measures initiated by the Government of India and their effectiveness. (GS MAINS CLASS). (c) Examine the causes and the extent of desertification in India and suggest remedial measures. (d) In the context of the growing demands for the ban of Endosulfan in the country, critically examine the issues involved. What, in your view, should be done in the matter? (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (e) "The Indian independence movement was a massbased movement that encompassed various sections of society. It also underwent the process of constant ideological evolution. Critically examine. (GS MAINS HISTORY CLASS). (f) The issue of tourism in core areas of tiger reserve forests in the country is a subject matter of debate. Critically examine various aspects of this issue, keeping in view relevant recent judicial pronouncements. (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS). 2. Answer any seven of the following in about 150 words each: 15X7=105 (a) There is an urgent need for the Planning Commission to revise the chapter on health in the 12th Plan document." Comment. (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. + TEST QUESTION SIMILAR + STRESSED IN ESSAY CLASS). (b) The Union Cabinet recently cleared the proposal to rename and amend the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. What are the salient features of the proposed amendments? (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + TEST QUESTION SIMILAR). (c) Domestic resource mobilization, though central to the process of Indian economic growth, is characterized by several constraints? Explain. (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + TEST QUESTION SIMILAR). (d) The flute-playing Krishna theme is very popular in Indian art. Discuss. (e) What are the salient features of the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2011 introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011? (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (f) What do you understand by the term Mu1ti-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis" {MDR-TB)? What measures would you advocate for its containment and what are the implications of its spread in the community? (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (g) Given the accelerated pace of development and demand for energy, would you consider renewable energy as a viable option for Indias future? (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (h) Many food items contain trans fats". What do you understand by this term? Which Indian food items contain trans fats? What are the implications of trans fats on human health? (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). 3. Answer the following in about 50 words each: 5X11=55 (a) What is the Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalat?. (b) List the main objectives of the National Manufacturing Policy (NMP), 2011. . (GS MAINS TEST NO 1, Q.NO.14 L. ALSO WE DISCUSSED IN THE CLASS). (c) Comment on the significance of Rasarnava in studying the history of Indian Chemistry. (d) What are the Rights within the ambit of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution?. (GS MAINS POLITY CLASS. ALSO STRESSED AGAIN AND AGAIN). (e) Comment on the significance of the Preamble contained in the Right to Information Act.
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(f) To implement one key recommendation of the Mohini Giri Committee, the Government has recently announced the constitution of a National Council. Highlight the composition and the mandate of this Nationa1 Council. (GS MAINS TEST NO 7, Q.NO.34 NCSrC. ALSO WE DISCUSSED IN THE CLASS). (g) Comment on the recent launching of the National Mission on Libraries (NML). (DISCUSSED IN THE CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS). (h) What are the groups into which musical instruments in India have traditionally been classified? (i) Comment on the significance of fire in Zoroastrianism. (j) Why is Laurie Baker called the conscience keeper of Indian architecture? (k) You are stationed in a small district town in the plains of Northern India, The summer has been severe. Suddenly, a colleague, who had been out since morning, returns to the office complaining of head ache, restlessness and confusion. Shortly, he becomes unconscious. His body temperature is 10C. What first aid steps would you take to revive him? 4. Comment on each of the following in about 20 words each: 2X5=10 (a) The significance of Patharughat in the Indian freedom struggle (b) Bagurumba folk dance (c) Determining the value assigned to the vote of a Member of a State Legislative Assembly and of a Member of Parliament in the Indian Presidential elections. (GS MAINS POLITY CLASS. ALSO STRESSED AGAIN AND AGAIN EVEN IN OUR IAS EXPRESS JULY ISSUE). (d) Significance of the SPOT-6 rocket launch for ISRO (DISCUSSED IN THE CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS + IAS EXPRESS). (e) Issues highlighted through the work of Palagumrni Sainath (DISCUSSED IN THE CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS + IAS EXPRESS). 5. Why have the following been in the news recently?. (Answer to be in one sentence only). 1X5=5 (a) P.V. Sindhu (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS.). (b) Aditya Kumar Mandi (DISCUSSED IN THE CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS + IAS EXPRESS). (c) Cyrus Mistry (DISCUSSED IN THE CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS + IAS EXPRESS). (d) Ashoke Sen. (GS MAINS FINAL FULL TEST NO Q.NO.3 K. ALSO WE DISCUSSED IN THE CLASS). (e) Mario de Miranda. (DISCUSSED IN THE CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS + IAS EXPRESS).
General Studies Paper II Mains 2012 Question Paper

1. Answer any four of the following in about 250 words each: 25 X 4 = 100 (a) Do you think that Chinas emergence as one of the largest trading partners of India has adversely affected the settlement of the outstanding border problem?. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (b) Discuss the globalization of R&D and its impact on Indias development. Provide an illustration from at least one sector such as Information Technology or Health. (c) Discuss the contentious issues that have caused the prolonged constitutional logjam in Nepal. (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (d) The human population is slated to grow to 9 billion by 2050. In this context, many scientists predict that plant genomics would play a critical role in keeping out hunger and preserving the environment. Explain. (GS MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (e) "The situation today is far different to that prevalent fifty years back when the Indus Water Treaty was signed." Highlight the complexity of the current challenges on both sides of the border in this regard. Do you think that a review of the Treaty is in Indias best interests?. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). IAS Express a monthly current affairs booklet 84 questions in Prelims 2012 CSAT -1 Study materials Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT 223
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2. Answer any five of the following in about 150 words each: 15X5=75 (a) Write a short analytical note on Indian Diaspora. How is the New Diaspora different from the "Old Diaspora"?. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (b) Why have the resource rich African and South Asian countries remained poor for decades? Explain. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (c) Does Putins return as President of Russia mark a shift to a confrontationist stance in international diplomacy towards the West? (d) Analyse critically the inter linkages between the Convention on Biological Diversity and FAO Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. (e) Critically review the international concern in achieving the targets set for the Millennium Development Goals. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (f) Discuss the likely negative impact of the protectionist measures proposed by the US on Indias software industry. 3. Answer any six of the following in not more than 100 words each: 10X6=60 (a) In the context of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, India has emerged as a hub of commercial surrogacy. What key biological, legal and ethical issues merit consideration while framing the regulation to govern surrogacy in India? (GS MAINS S & T CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS ). (b) Why is international trade perceived to have failed to act as an engine of growth in many developing countries including India? (c) Despite strict prohibitory regulations, doping" has become increasingly common amongst athletes. Name five commonly used performance enhancing drugs. What are the risks associated with their use? (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (d) Compare the significance of IBSA and BRICS in the context of Indias multilateral diplomacy. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (e) The safe landing of the "Curiosity" Rover under NASAs space programme has sparked many possibilities. What are those and how could humankind benefit from them? (GS MAINS S & T CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (f) How have the US sanctions against Iran affected Indias bilateral relations with Iran?. (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS + STRESSED DURING TEST QUESTIONS). (g) What is Permaculture? Give at least three common examples where permaculture concepts are being put to use. 4. Answer the following in not more than 50 words each: 5X6=30 (a) The Sequoia supercomputer was launched this year. What are its specific features and what is its purpose? (GS MAINS S & T CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (b) What is meant by the G8 + 5 group? (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (c) The Human Papilloma Virus vaccine has been making the headlines in the recent months. Who make the ideal candidates for receiving this vaccine and what are its benefits? (GS MAINS S & T CLASS. BOOK ). (d) What are Indias stakes in the South China Sea? (GS MAINS WORLD POLITICS CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). (e) Explain the concepts Environmental Sustainability and Sustainable Development of People".(GS MAINS S & T CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS).
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(f) Explain briefly the Clean Development Mechanism" as provided under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). (GS MAINS S & T CLASS. ALSO IN IAS EXPRESS). Statistics all the models have been solved in the class. 5. (a) The following table gives the number of mistakes made by 16 data entry clerks who enter medical data from case report forms. The column Entered indicates the number of values entered, and the column Errors gives the number of coding errors that were detected among these. Entered Errors 4,434 35 4,841 42 6,280 15 1,958 28 7,749 36 2,829 42 4,239 18 3,303 54 5,706 34 3,770 40 3,363 36 1,740 23 3,404 27 1,640 26 3,803 56 1,529 20 (i) Make a scatter plot of these data. Which do you choose for the response and which for the explanatory variables? Describe any patterns. (ii) Does the scatterplot indicate any relation between the two variables? (iii) One analyst concluded, The clerks who enter more values make more mistakes. Evidently they become tired as they enter more values. Is this an appropriate conclusion? 9 (b) The following table provides the Rural and Urban population of West Bengal according to the Censuses of 1921 1951: Census Year Population (in lakhs) Rural Urban 1921 139.94 24.32 1931 147.92 28.97 1941 171.97 46.79 1951 200.25 62.82 (i) Construct a suitable diagram to compare the population figures. (ii) Comment on the changes in populations. 6 (c) Suppose milk is being sold at the rates of 18, 20, 22 and 25 rupees per litre in four different months. Assuming that equal amounts of money are spent on milk by a family in the four months, using a suitable measure, determine the average price in rupees per litre. 2 6. (a) (i) Determine the median and mode for the following distribution of monthly income for 580 middleclass people of a country: Monthly Income Frequency (in R thousands) 25 30 53 30 35 81 35 40 114 40 45 195 45 50 63 IAS Express a monthly current affairs booklet 84 questions in Prelims 2012 CSAT -1 Study materials Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT 225
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50 55 32 55 60 20 60 65 11 65 70 8 70 75 3 (ii) Also obtain an approximate value of the mean income from the values of median and mode. (iii) Comment on the nature of the income distribution. 8 (b) From the frequency distribution of height for 177 Indian adults given below, draw the more than type ogive:Height (cm) Frequency Class Interval 144.55 149.55 1 149.55 154.55 3 154.55 159.55 24 159.55 164.55 58 164.55 169.55 60 169.55 174.55 27 174.55 179.55 2 179.55 184.55 2 Also locate the position of the median. 3 (c) A survey of 1000 large U.S. companies conducted by a Research Organisation asked their plans for outsourcing high-level white-collar jobs to countries outside the U.S. The following table shows the percentage that indicated a certain action. The data for 2003 are real, the data for 2008 are speculative. Plan to 2003 (%) 2008 (%) Do virtually no 63 46 white collar offshoring Offshore white 33 44 collar work to some extent Offshore any white 4 10 collar work possible The following Bar chart with side by side columns summarizes the data: (i) Does the Bar chart compare the impression of any anticipated trend in outsourcing of white-collar jobs? (ii) Does the mode differ from the median for the distribution of percentages in 2003 and 2008? 7
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STRATEGY FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE - MAINS EXAM

We feel proud to share our joy with all of you that our Student Nitika Pawar (WITH POLITICAL SCIENCE AS AN OPTIONAL SUUBJECT UNDER OUR GUIDANCE) has secured AIR -18 (IAS 2011) in her very first ATTEMPT. We strive to serve the Student Community with more joy and dedication. Best Wishes to all our members who had come out successful. (Also many students have scored 320+ in POLITICAL SCIENCE in the previous years using our Study Materials & Class). (AIR - 2 in POL.SCI. PAPER 2 in 2007 (190) as per our known records). POLITICAL SCIENCE A POTENTIAL SUBJECT FOR MAINS (By Raja. Director. CrackingIAS.com) AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN Civil Services Chronicle). Political Science a dynamic subject is one of the most popular optional subjects among civil service aspirants. The advantages of picking political science as a favourite optional are diverse. It helps candidates in updating their knowledge of the current events and provides a fresh perspective on the burning domestic and foreign policy issues. More than half of the general studies paper is vitally related to the two papers of political science for the main examination. For example in GS PAPER 2 - Mains 2011 there was a question on contemporary relevance of Balance of Power in International Politics which is purely a Political Science concept. Last year candidates who wrote Mains with political science as an optional have fared better. The rate of success is scaling higher and higher. Good conceptual clarity & fine Answer writing skills are a must to score comfortably in Political Science. Especially in Paper 1 Section A, lack of conceptual clarity mar your chances of scoring high marks. There are certain grey areas in Political Thinkers where students fail to concentrate well. For example Political thought of Hannah Arendt, Aurobindo, Buddhism and Dharmasatsras. It is suicidal to leave topics like this. A student who aims for a single digit rank should be in a position to write at least 200 words on any topic of the syllabus. Moreover in recent times the trend of UPSC Questions reveals that there is nothing that you can skip as students tend to do 6-7 years before. Nowadays there is no weightage for single 60 mark question. Questions are split into sub divisions with different split up of marks like 12 x 5, 30 x 2, and 20x3 and so on. Hence chances of attempting full paper satisfactorily are getting almost difficult. Dont leave any topic. A well prepared student can comfortably score in the range of 360 380. Please ensure that your answers are pregnant with the orientation towards current issues wherever essential. Do not write what is relevant to the question. Write exactly to what the question demands. In mains 2011 there was a very simple and straight forward questi on Hobbes as an Individualist. Many students (I would call them Superficially Prepared Students) whom I had interacted had explained Hobbes Absolutist nature and did not substantiate the essence of the question. The central idea of the statement is that Hobbes gave absolute powers to the King only to protect the individual interests and Hobbes very much stated that the individual has right to revolt if the king fails to protect his life. Students should address this demand of the question. For example consider the question: Arendt is so critical of the rise of the "social sphere" in modernity. Why?. Students generally tend to answer the above question by explaining what modernity is. This is not the right approach. The correct answer could be like this:In her book On Revolution, Hannah Arendt makes the following claim, every attempt to solve the social question by political means leads to terror. By the social question Arendt meant issues of material destitution and inequality. The claim was itself one of the central planks by which Arendt distinguished the American and French revolutions and the constitutions settlements that followed them. For her the singular calamity of the French Revolution, on account of which it lead to terror and constitutional instability, was that it attempted to address questions of destitution and social inequality within a political framework. In contrast, in the American case, by substantially IAS Express a monthly current affairs booklet 84 questions in Prelims 2012 CSAT -1 Study materials Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT 227
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ignoring the social questions of the day, the constitution was able to limit the ambit of political power, and hence secure the domain of public freedom. Arendt admitted and was well aware that the question of slavery, the material plight of slaves and the treatment of Native Americans were also largely ignored at that founding moment. For her these were judicious choices that the founders made. The fact that mass poverty was substantially absent in late eighteenth century America was just the singular good fortune of the Americans, in contrast with the French, who faced a more dire situation. It is a central feature of Arendts political vision that for power to be chastened and public freedom secured, political institutions must be exempt, and must exempt themselves, from shouldering the burden of redressing material and social inequities. In questions on SECTION-B of Paper 2 which is in fact highly score fetching if a student is balanced in answer writing, Here Balance in Answer writing essentially means that you should interlink various other dimensions which the question actually demand. In mains 2011 there was a question Do you think India should sign a water treaty with China...........?. Many students (I would call them Ultra Smart Students) whom I had interacted had explained the projects that China is constructing on Brahmaputra with facts like so and so watts of power, geography of Brahmaputra etc (especially students with Geography and Political Science as optional subjects). They overdid everything and lost the game. In Civil Services Exam while one segment of students lose their chances of selection by not doing what is needed there is equally good number of students who lose their chances of selection by overdoing. Just do what is needed. Do not overdo and show your academic skills. Especially in subjects like Political Science you should not show your academic skills rather you should show your balanced attitude. Last but not the least Update with current affairs related to Political affairs. As far as Paper 2 is concerned though it is not mentioned in the syllabus it is vital to study the foreign policy doctrine of major powers USA, China, Russia & Japan.
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STRATEGY FOR SOCIOLOGY - MAINS EXAM

SOCIOLOGY - A Sociable optional for UPSC Civil Services Candidates Sociology is a very popular subject among Civil Services aspirants. Over the years, it has gained so much popularity due to the following factors:Compact Syllabus Only limited books to study Easy to grasp Can be prepared within a short span of time say 2 months Even candidates with Science or Engineering background can study the subject easily. Once conceptual clarity is achieved, it is easy to tackle the questions with commonsense and logic. Not withstanding such features, the strategical focus on the subject and approach towards the concepts is very vital to gain mastery over the subject. Firstly be thorough with Sociology Paper-I of mains which form the fundamentals of sociology. It will hardly take 2 months to do so with our strategy based notes. The reason why we emphasize this is that atleast 45% of questions will be based on sociological concepts and thinkers. Once you do this your half of the work load is over. Then focus on Indian Society. You can cover the same in about one and a half month. Once your preparation of Mains portion is over, your 70% of work load is over. APPROACH TO STUDY SOCIOLOGY MAINS PREPARATION PAPER-I & II (In Sociology preparation for Paper-I and Paper-II should go together simultaneously side by side). Firstly study Sociological thinkers + Indian Social Thinkers [ Give more weightage for this] Secondly Study the following:Emergence of Sociology, Positivism, Sociology as Science. Indian Village studies. Social Mobility and Stratification + Caste System. Politics and Society + Indian Politics. Religion and Society + Problems of Religious minorities. Social Change + Visions of Social Change in India. Indian Social structure. Agrarian society in India Issues and concerns. Thirdly focus on other areas. Last but not the least Update yourself with current affairs related to Social issues. Irrespective of the amount of hardwork and efforts you had put so far, your ultimate success depends on how well you perform in the Examination hall. Because when you are inside the examination hall, you are most likely to get psychological stress. With this stress, you are most likely to get confused or forget even the best known/simple concepts and facts. Hence work smartly when you are inside the examination hall. Dont get stressed. Remember you can play well with the scores in your optional paper as the sphere is clearly demarcated unlike General studies wherein there is no clear cut demarcation, covering anything under the sun.
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THINK BEFORE YOU INK ESSAY ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME (EEP)

Scoring good marks in Essay is one of the major determine factors for your ranking in the final list. Writing a well structured essay is something which does not develop overnight . It is a continual improvement process. Continual Improvement is a process intended to have a stable and consistent development of all the dimensions of essay writing. Continual improvement is recognized as the most effective way to improve efficiency and improve quality. We at crackingIAS.com believe in continual improvement. Candidates must regularly practice to analyze, conceptualize, synthesize and organize their thoughts to express coherently while writing. Writing well is something which you can acquire with adequate practice. A good essay as many of us think is not about sermon. On the other hand it is about simple mindedness and selfexpression. As long as the focus is on structure, conciseness, simplicity and precision it is quite likely that you will end up writing a better essay. The starting point of a good essay is the design; the design is what gives an essay structure and consistency. A knee-jerk approach to writing often results in erratic and totally disordered paragraphs but not a well organized essay. Design your approach towards the topic rationally and put it on paper in a cogent order. Unless you have an exhaustive understanding of the topic given, you will not be able to design your essay in a lucid manner. Hence always choose a topic on which you can express your thoughts lucidly. Spend first 15 minutes to analyze the topic given and choose the most appropriate one as per your understanding of the subject. The organization of your essay--how it begins, develops, and endsshould be designed to present to the examiner, your arguments clearly and persuasively. The prelude to your essay [(i.e) First paragraph of your essay] should essentially reflect your line of thought towards the topic. Remember that First impression is the best impression which you can give to your examiner. You never get a second chance to create a First Impression. So the first few lines of your essay should essentially convey that you have a clear understanding of the topic. Starting an essay with a quotation is not very much essential. Dont give any quotation (just for the sake) which may not be in tune with either your thoughts or the topic. This will definitely cost your marks dearly. Until and unless you get a perfectly apt quote, avoid giving any quotation. The body of the essay should contain arguments in support of your views. Your views and arguments on the subject should be listed in a coherent and convincing order. Avoid flowery languages while writing essay. Let your essay be simple and lucid. Relevant data will add power to your exposition. In the body of your essay if essential, you can refer one or two (essentially not more than two) examples relevant to the topic. The body of your essay should essentially reflect that your thoughts are sensible and are not superfluous. Keep in mind that the intention of the essay paper is not to test your literary skills but to judge your mental caliber and analyzing skills. Hence see that your sentences are as simple as possible. If there is a five letter word, say lucid, why use twelve letter synonym (i.e) crystal clear. Next important thing is organizing your thoughts. Every paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. This is the sentence which conveys to the examiner what the paragraph is about. In a paragraph dont discuss more than one issue. Discussing more than one issue will defeat the very purpose of the paragraph. A conclusion serves to bring your discussion to a logical end. An ending that flows gracefully and sensibly from what has come before it, reinforces your thoughts and enriches your essay. Your conclusion will show to the examiner that what he/she has read something worth. Offer an effective and skillfully rendered conclusion, and you will score reasonably good marks . Concluding an essay with an apt quotation (if it suits the subject perfectly) is commendable in fact. To write a well structured and convincing essay, always write a rough draft by jotting down the main points. Write the rough draft on the last three pages and strike off after you complete your fair draft of the essay. Never think that the number of pages decide the quality of your essay and the
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marks you get. It is better if you limit your essay to a maximum word limit of about 2000 words. A simple, short and lucid essay helps you to score good marks. For example if the topic is say EVALUATE THE ROLE OF PANCHAYTI RAJ SYSTEM IN THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT you need not give the historical background, all the constitutional provisions, various reports like Balwant Rai Committee report so on and waste three to four pages giving all these details. Well, you can give a brief gist in a paragraph of about say 7 to 8 lines regarding the historical background and constitutional provisions. If the recommendations made by the committee are in tune with your line of thoughts, wherever essential you can very well quote that (instead of wasting time and space by presenting the full recommendations of the committee in a separate paragraph) and hence it will merge with your flow of thought. Your focus should be on assessing the various issues involved in it and coming to a logical and rationale conclusion. This is what is expected as far as this topic is concerned. If you concentrate on providing unwanted details, it shows your lack of analyzing skill. You are not being asked to collect facts, but to develop and display your reasoning capabilities. We hope by now you might have got a fair idea of how to write a good essay. Essay writing needs a regular practice and constant updating of events. Practice makes a man perfect. Join our ESSAY ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME and develop your essay writing skills. GOOD LUCK!
IAS GENERAL STUDIES - HOW TO SAIL THROUGH? By Thavaseelan, IAS

The recent trend of questions in IAS PRELIMS/MAINS Exam suggests that GS is something which in its own terms highly unique. It needs a SPECIALIST TRETAMENT. GS should not stress you, rather it should be a relaxing experience. It should be joyful. In GS one may feel that anything under the sun is asked. The student gets confused about what to study and what not to study. To be honest, as GS is an ocean there cannot be a totally comprehensive list of preparation material. However, if there is a focussed approach to the preparation, one can easily manage the stress of GS. There is not strict demarcation between Conventional Topics and Current section. You should update your notes with new information as and when you come across them in the news. Approach for PRELIMS As far as Preliminary exam is concerned FLASH MEMORY RETENTION (FMR) is very much vital. This FLASH MEMORY RETENTION is possible only with the approach of the concerned faculties. Thats what exactly is the strength of CrackingIAS. Studying NCERT Books is though good not sufficient in recent times as the questions are highly current oriented. Attempting many tests is essential to expose yourself to the kind of psychological pressure and variety of questions. You need to use your judgement not only to predict the answer but also to eliminate the wrong options. Most of the questions can be answered if know the art of eliminating the wrong options. Approach for MAINS If there is one flaw in the strategy of majority of the Mains candidates of IAS aspirants, it has to be the neglect of General Studies in favor of the optional subjects. For one, GS is highly scoring if you prepare the right way. More importantly, it is a tie breaker in case two or more candidates end up on the same score. So, not giving GS its due can prove to be detrimental. But how do you go about preparing for a paper in which technically anything under the sun could be asked?. The key is in knowing what not to read more than what to read. The newspaper is an absolute must. There are no two ways about it. Make it two newspapers a day if possible and take notes so that you can quickly revise them a day before the mains. Remember that reading the IAS Express a monthly current affairs booklet 84 questions in Prelims 2012 CSAT -1 Study materials Political Science, Sociology, General Studies, Essay & CSAT 231
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paper without making notes might turn out to be completely useless since it is not humanly possible to remember everything that you read. Paper I of GS MAINS is mostly static. However paper II of GS MAINS is dynamic and there is a huge scope to score well if you keep yourself updated. As far as Mains exam is concerned INTERLINKING OF CONCEPTS (IOC) is very much vital. IOC essentially means that suppose when you study a topic on Environment you should develop the curiosity to know the following:1. Constitutional provision related to Environment. 2. Environmental Regulations. 3. The Science of the concerned issue. 4. Contemporary developments related to the issue. 5. Treaties and Protocols related to the issue if any. Raja sir, Joining Cracking IAS for General Studies Mains turned out to be one
of the best decisions in my life till date. Personal attention and knack to predict questions is simply unparalleled. IAS Express is better than anything else in the market and highly recommended to any serious THAVASEELAN, IAS civil services aspirant.
What not to do for GS? Do not prepare for PRELIMS GS and MAINS GS separately. GS preparation is holistic and composite which demands a MINDFUL STRATEGY to be blended with exam orientation.
SUCCESS TIPS By Soumya, IFS
Name: Soumya C (Indian Foreign Service Officer).
Date of Birth: 06-06-1981
Qualification and Specialization of study in College: B E in Computer Science. Roll: No: 077631. OPTIONAL SUBJECTS Political Science & Intl. Relations & Kannada Literature. No. of attempts made Score in your Previous Attempts if any (If you wish to disclose). 4 Total of 1189
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Your Hobbies
Swimming, classical dance(Bharatnatyam) and Reading kannada short stories.
Why do you choose Civil Services as The factors which motivated me to choose civil services as a career is the social recognition, responsibility and the immense your career? amount of satisfaction involved in it. A hope that I can make a difference was one of the main driving forces which encouraged me to opt for it. Any Special achievements Inter college pre-university essay competition, Ist prize and was part of School Relay team
Your Strategy For Prelims (i) One needs to focus more on facts and should be able to read in between lines. (ii) The more the number of revisions you are able to do of your optional the higher is your score. For Mains (i) Here optional has to be given more priority. (ii) Practicing to write answers to the point and within the stipulated time is very crucial. (iii) Do not neglect practicing essays because they give you an edge in the final score.
How did you prepare for your Essay paper? Which topic did you choose and how did you design your essay? A nice introduction and Conclusion play a very crucial role in an essay. In the body parts of the essay try to cover all the socio-political, economic and cultural ramifications of the topic. If you can incorporate quotations it will certainly add value to the essay, but be careful that it is not inserted for the sake of it. The essay topic I chose was Role of media in good governance. What is the rationale for the selection of your optional subjects? What are the factors which you considered while zeroing in on your subjects? I chose my optionals based on the vicinity of the coaching center and availability of study material. Interested towards the subject was the sole criteria for choosing both my optional. Your message for future aspirants Be clear with your intentions before opting civil services as a career. Fake it before making it-Feel and behave like an officer from the day one of your preparation because it brings in a kind of inherent responsibility and encourages you to strive harder at the most depressing times as well.

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