NAGARJUNA IAS ACADEMY – Current affairs 6

Coast guard adopts pollution control vessel – Samudra Paheredar

Embrael 145 airborne early warning and control aircraft built with Indian technology

Agni IV tested – 4000 km nuclear capable ballistic missile test fired successfully from wheeler island

Prithvi II trial successful – Surface to surface missile, ballistic missile under IGMDP tested successfully at Balasore   

Dhanush – nuclear capable ballistic missile, range 350 km

Brahmos – 290 km range, supersonic cruise missile

Agni I – range 700km, ballistic missile, surface to surface tested from Balasore

Pt Ravisankar , Sitar Maestro passes away, Won Bharataratna and Grammies

K 15 (B05) – submarine launched ballistic missile, range 700 km, demonstrates under water missile capability of India

Rudra – Indigenous chopper, HAL provided it to army

C 154 – interceptor boat        

RTI act states that chief information commissioner and information commissioners must be persons of eminence public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, S & T, social service, management etc Only serving and retired SC & HC CJ of state can head the central and state information commissioner – SC

SC/STs promotion quota bill cleared

SC clears curb on court reporting by publishers  - Lakshmana Rekha set

  • ·         Aggrieved party can move HC, SC for postponement of reporting

  • ·         Postponement to be of short duration, not disturb publication’s content 

  • ·         SC says this will prevent media from possible contempt of court

  • ·         Media free to appeal against orders

India scores century of space launches - PSLV blasts ISRO’s 100th mission

Bills passed

  • ·         Protection of women against sexual harassment at work place bill

  • ·         NE reorganization amendment bill

  • ·         National high way authority bill

Verghese Kurien – father of Indian milk revolution, founder chairman of dairy development board

Ranganath Mishra – former CJI  died

SC – auction is not only route for natural resource allocation

National high way development in NE  

India is poised for giant leap into space by collaboration with – Germany, UK, Russia (Chandrayan II), Australia, Netherlands, US(chandrayan I), France (Megha tropiques)

“ A force most powerful” - Indian short film screened at Bangkok depicts Gandhi’s method of struggle  Ahimsa 

New set of protocol to be used in greeting, addressing president/Governors

  • ·         No “his excellency”

  • ·         Word “honourable” will be used

IK Gujral passes away – EX PM, intellectual, scholar, statesman, known for his famous Gujral doctrine (which stood for good and cooperative relation with neighbours and SE nations)

Japan imports rare earth from India

Yerwada Jail – Pune

Kasab hanging – code named as “operation X”  

China wants to study – Indian Mid day meal, ICDS, Civil services recruitment etc better deliver key social programs to citizens

Money laundering amendment bill – seeks to curb funding of terrorist operations, seeks to remove limit of Rs 5 lakh as fine under the act

India opt to be out of negotiations on WTO Agreements

  • ·         Liberalizing FDI and visa regimes in service sector – Implication - India can’t demand for more Visas

  • ·         Lowering import duty on 357 IT products and – implication – import duties remain on tablets and IPODs

  • ·         Lowering import duty on 54 environment goods(APEC driven and not WTO driven) – no customs duty cut on environmental goods

Augusta westland 12 chopper deal  - scam, Kickbacks worth 51 million pounds

Govt constitutes power advisory panel – to report on problems plaguing sector, raw material insecurity, T & D loss, amending laws to facilitate allocation of coal at pooled prices

PSLV C20 launched Indo French oceanographic study satellite SARAL and 6 mini and micro spacecrafts (uni Brite, Brite from Austria, AAUSAT 3 from Denmark, STRaND from UK, NEOSSat & SAPPHIRE from Canada)  from SHAR, it is 101st Indian space mission take off.

Japan abandons nuclear power by 2030 & creates regulatory body

Sunita Williams – takes commander of International space station  

Pak test – nuclear capable Hatf VII missile, 700 km range

US, Japan deploy missile defence radar system to Japan to counter threat of N Korea

China’s air craft carrier – Liaoning

Iran & N Korea sign technology agreement – in IT, environment, energy, agriculture & food  

China conducted military exercise & sent patrol ships on East china sea, when Japan moved to assert its control in area, to safeguard china’s sovereignty over Senkaku /Diaoyus. China sent marine surveillance plane to monitor disputed islands with Japan forcing Tokyo to scramble 8 F 15 fighter jets

China commands helicopters to be ready for combat operations

Philippines take china to UN over sea row

Norodom Sihanouk – former king of Cambodia passes away

With the establishment of new semi autonomous area Muslim rebellion(Moro Islamic liberation front) end in Mindanao, Philippines

China launches 2 experimental satellites – Practice 9A, Practice 9B by Long March 2C carrier rocket

World meet on disaster management – held in JAPAN      

US allows south korea to raise missile range to cover north Korea, to infuriate Pyongyang, US guarantees nuclear umbrella to S Korea

N Korea successfully launches Unha 3(Milky way 3) a long range missile

South Korea deploys cruise missiles

NOV 10th Malala day by UN – Malala yousufzai, worked for female education in Pak

Factors for Obama’s winning – rainbow coalition, modest economic growth, dip of unemployment, Killing of Bin laden etc

Bulgaria agreed to join the south stream gas pipe line project (16 billion Euros) to deliver Russian gas to large parts of Europe. It supports Russia’s dominance of European market and gaining a jump on rival projects

South east asian leaders sign – human rights declaration in Phnom penh, Cambodia

  • ·         Muslim Vs Buddhist clashes in Rakhine state of Myanmar 

  • ·         Territorial rows over South china sea (overlapping claims)

ASEAN & India – FTA

US joins by making request to IOR ARC as 6th dialogue partner

President of Sierra Leone – Ernest Koroma

Japan, N Korea agree to continue dialogue on abduction of Japanese nationals

UN calls for probe in to N.Korea’s human rights conditions

Ghana president – Mahama

Nepal peace fund to implement peace accord of 2006

US deploys 400 American military personnel and 2 patriot air defence batteries to Turkey as cross border tension with Syria intensified

Shinjo Abe – New Japan’s PM

UN Telecom treaty became Controversial – as US led nations refused to join after claiming it endorses greater govt control over cyber space

South Korean 1st woman president – Park Geun Hye  

China launches Turkish GK 2 satellite (earth observation satellite) from Jiuquan satellite launch centre

US speed up transition process in Afghan -

  • ·         US achieved goal of decapitating Al Qaeda

  • ·         Withdrawal of troops before 2014

  • ·         Now different mission of US(NATO) is -  training and assisting Afghan forces

  • ·         Turkey assumes role to broker Af Taliban peace – blessed by UK & US 

UN to India & Pak – respect ceasefire & deescalate tension in region

1st woman speaker of singapore’s parliament – Halimah Yacob

Russia plans unmanned moon mission in 2015 

China offer 5 yr Visa to attract talented foreigners

Israel PM – Netanyahu

Fair trial bill 2012 passed by Pak Parliament – provides sweeping powers to Pak’s intelligence to conduct surveillance and collect electronic data (tap phone, monitor emails, gather data from SMS)

Peace deal to Congo – Kabila vs rebel March 23 movement

  • ·         Regional countries have to refrain from interfering

  • ·         Reform of institutions

  • ·         Creation of special UN intervention brigade in Congo to combat rebel groups

  • ·         Political efforts

Imp committees

Syamala Gopinadh committee – on small savings – recommended increase in rate of interest on post office savings 

Mukul Mudgal committee – on doping & to review draft national sports development bill 2011

Damodar committee – on customer service in banks

Babu Rajeev committee(1997) – to review Indian ports act 1908, Major ports acts 1963  

SS Khan committee – to report on functioning of central economic intelligence bureau

Bimal jalan – on review of ownership and governance of market infra institutions

Rangarajan – on estimation of savings and investments

Radhakrishna committee – on credit related issues under swarna jayanti swarojgar yojana

Vijay kelkar – to prepare road map on enhancing domestic production of oil and gas

Parthasaradhi shome committee – on GAAR

Adi Godrej committee – for framing national corporate governance policy

Anil Kakodkar commitee – to review long term safety needs of railways

Committee of governors under chairman ship of Shivraj patil – to study productivity, profitability, sustainability and competitiveness  of agriculture

BN Sri krishna committee – on Telangana

Radhakrishna committee – credit related issues under Swarnajayanti gram swarojgar yojana

BN Sri Krishna committee – ways to curb the generation of black money in country

Bimal jalan committee – review of ownership and governance of market infra institutions

Rangarajan committee – high level committee on estimation of savings and investments

Ashok Chawla committee – on open and competitive mechanism for allocation, pricing and utilization of natural resources

Sunglu committee – to look into irregularities in commonwealth games

Generic drug – marketed under non proprietary name or approved name than brand name

Foreign contribution regulation act – to regulate acceptance and use of foreign contribution by individual or association

China opened world’s longest sea Bridge – Qingdao Haiwan bridge

Volcker rules – to restrict size of banks and curb riskier trading

Gini coefficient – measure of inequality derived from Lorenz curve

  • ·         G = area between Lorenz curve & 45 degree line / area above the 45 degree line

Gresham’s law – bad money drives good money out of circulation

Okun’s law – 2.5% increase in GNP leads to 1% decrease in unemployment

New pension system – PAYG – pay as you go

PURA(provision of urban aminities in rural areas  – physical + knowledge + electronic + economic connectivity

Super 301 – trade &  special 301 – IPR

MSME – 25 lakh, 5 cr and 10 cr

Reserved for public sector – atomic energy, minerals and rail transport

Rajendar radar – multi function phased array radar

Sujav – compact communication electronic warfare suit

Noggin gene – required for formation of Nervous system in vertebrates we have cloned

Blue green algae – can fix nitrogen

GURT – genetic use restriction technology /terminator technology – prevents seeds from germinating after 1st generation

Cytomegalovirus – CMV – cause High BP

Afghan Night raid deal – afghan security  bodies will authorize all future night raids

I spore – new biometric technology for long term preservation of DNA

Posted On : May 22,2013 8:34 am

 

 


Current affairs latest

 

Nagarjuna IAS Academy – Current affairs 6

Policy for registering drugs

  • ·         Parliamentary committee had indicted the central drugs standard control organization for approving drugs for approving drugs without holding clinical trials

  • ·         Priority based registration of new drugs for trial

  • ·         First come first served

Agriculture bio security bill introduced

  • ·         Introduction of exotic pests, weeds with potential to cause serious economic losses

  • ·         Climate change has also enabled pests to alter their habitats

  • ·         Spread of transboundary diseases eg avian influenza, Ug 99 wheat stem rust fungus

  • ·         Genetically modified is another challenge – requires proper risk assessment

  • ·         Solution /policy

    • Agriculture biosecurity authority

    • Legislation to protect plant, animal and marine protection

    • Authority will be responsible for prevention, control, eradication and management of pests and diseases – requires policy + technology

Editor is responsible in case of false reporting – SC, because he controls selection of matter

AIR launches services on social media – live streaming of Urdu, FM Gold on youtube and android based mobile phone application for its news service 

Gujarat passes ground water bill

  • ·         License required exceeding 45 m

  • ·         Farmers have to declare their source of irrigation

  • ·         Ground water conservation

  • ·         Canal officers – can detain farmers violating rules

  • ·         Bill prescribes provisions to monitor irrigation schemes, water distribution and maintain water gauge

  • ·         License from canal officer needed to construct a tube well

  • ·         Seeks to charge farmers for irrigation water reaching cultivated land within 200 m from canal

Judicial appointments commission will replace collegium(CJI + 4 senior most judges)  to appoint judges of supreme and high court.  JAC will have – 8 members headed by CJI  -  CJI + 4 senior most judges of SC + law minister + leader of opposition  in LS + jurist

Post retirement jobs for judges

  • ·         Several central and state laws require appointment of retired judges

  • ·         Chairman or member of tribunals

  • ·         People have faith in their impartiality and independence

  • ·         Judicial minds are known for objectivity and in depth analysis

  • ·         Due process the judges adopt promote policy of inclusiveness – though it is criticized as lengthy

Solution

  • ·         Cooling off period for 2 yrs – a special law can also be passed by parliament prohibiting retired judges from taking up appointment for 2 yrs

  • ·         Constitution can be amended to make all tribunals an adjunct of Supreme court  (Green benches have already been functioning in high courts)

Superannuation of judiciary – enhancing retirement age of judges

  • ·         Induce competent to seek appointment as judges of HC

  • ·         Judges may acquire more maturity

  • ·         Judge may be less anxious about looking for employment after retirement

Right to privacy – privacy legislation

  • ·         Setting up privacy commissioners both at centre and state

  • ·         To keep tab on Invasion of people’s privacy

DNA profiling

  • ·         Redress mechanism for individuals whose DNA is illegally used to prevent offences committed by the DNA profiling board

  • ·         Bill plans to legalize collection of DNA samples of offenders, suspects, missing persons etc – for forensic purpose

  • ·         Sharing of DNA profiles of criminals with other countries - in a bid to tackle terrorism

  • ·         Bill seeks to establish standards to labs, staff qualification etc

New marriage law for marriages with NRIs – rising incidence of fraudulent marriages of Indian girls

  • ·         To reclaim their fundamental rights to property, equality in marriage, protection of family, freedom from inhuman treatment

  • ·         Bilateral treaties for automatic enforcement of foreign decrees

  • ·         For compulsory registration of marriages

  • ·         Certificate of NRI marriage issued by state must include security number of foreign home of NRI husband along with passport number and relevant details in brief    

  • ·         Photocopy of passport of NRI husband should be pasted in marriage register maintained with authorities before marriage certificate is issued to parties

  • ·         Pasting  certificate of marriage on wife’s passport provide written evidence of her marriage

  • ·         No NRI marriage should be registered without the presence of bride and bridegroom

  • ·         Involvement of international protocol 

  • ·         Providing legal, financial and other assistance to victims

Coal allocation – centre’s power

  • ·         No power to centre under mines and mineral act 1957 – SC (vested only with states)

Family courts told to refer cases for mediation

Bandhs – unconstitutional - SC

  • ·         Amending Prevention of damage to public property act  to recover cost from bandh organizers  for  damage

NDPS act – Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances act

  • ·         Stern rules against adjournments

  • ·         Accused should be given charge sheets and other documents in electronic form

  • ·         Engaging trained manpower for swift trials

  • ·         Qualitative and quantitative overhaul of forensic labs

MMDR act – miner and minerals development and regulation act amendment 

  • ·         Competitive bidding only in the case of proven reserves – other wise it would be speculation

  • ·         Power to grant concessions proposed to be transferred to states

  • ·         Contribution to district mineral foundation should be reasonable percentage of royalty for all minerals

  • ·         Surface rent has been suggested at rate prescribed by state

  • ·         Levy should have link with land revenue – to prevent arbitrary setting of surface rent

  • ·         State cess up to 10% of royalty

  • ·         It would be better if state taxes and duties were to be adjusted with royalty

  • ·         Making mining data available in public domain – but plan of operation is confidential

Tourist use of trunk road passing through Jarwa area banned

  • ·         Buffer zone of 5 km

  • ·         No activity allowed which may be prejudicial to safety, security and interests of jarwas

Real estate regulation bill 2012

  • ·         Who fail to deliver promises will be jailed

  • ·         Bill proposes setting up of regulatory authority to prevent builders from making false claims, overarching consumers, diverting funds for newer projects leads to delay

Whistle blowers law

  • ·         If whistle blower is innocent, he must be cited as prosecution witness

  • ·         Courts should come forward to his rescue

  • ·         He must disclose the truth, must come up with complete facts before investigating officer

Ethics committee – call for more transparency

  • ·         Register of interest with in 90 days of date on which they take oath – to avoid conflict of interest

RTI & AG

  • ·         Attorney general is not public authority under RTI act so not obliged to answer queries under transparency law

Shadow teacher – specially trained educator who sits with student and helps him acquire necessary skills

To tackle arbitrary transfers – purpose – to make officials acquire knowledge of position, experience of job, for accountability and prevent corruption, to  ensure  administrative continuity & stability  

  • ·         High powered authority at centre and states

  • ·         Authority should be charged with responsibility of fixing tenure for all civil service positions

  • ·         Pre determined minimum tenure for each posting

Indecent representation of women act 1986 - Harsher punishment

Land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation bill –

  • ·         Restricts on amount of irrigated multi crop land

  • ·         Rehabilitation in monetary terms except in irrigation projects

  • ·         Payment of compensation will be one time affair

Child labour prohibition act 1986, to be amended

  • ·         Cognizable offence – if child is recruited in hazardous or non hazardous industry

  • ·         Ban on employing children below 18 yrs in hazardous industries like mining

  • ·         Implementation will be by DM of district, inspection is to be done by labour dept in state

Transgenders / 3rd sex – claims legal recognition, FRs, entitled to vote and contest, national legal service authority sought reservation for transgenders

Rights of persons with disabilities bill

  • ·         Employer with 20 or more employees of whom more than 5% are disabled shall be eligible for tax deductions

  • ·         Inclusive schools

  • ·         Trained teachers and proper infrastructure

No private member bill passed in 43 years

Media reporting on children – Delhi high court approved guidelines

  • ·         Due consideration is given to child’s privacy

  • ·         Child shall be interviewed under supervision of parents

  • ·         Morphing of face in cases where privacy is required  

  • ·         National commission for protection of child rights and state commission for protection of child rights shall submit annual reports to high courts on compliance of laws

Maintenance and welfare of parent and senior citizen act 2007

  • ·         Can claim maintenance from their children

  • ·         Maintenance tribunals

  • ·         Can award up to Rs 10000/-

  • ·         Decide an application for maintenance with in 90 days

  • ·         In case of negligence by child, transfer of property can be declared void

  • ·         District social welfare officer – as maintenance officer

Manual scavengers and their rehabilitation bill 2012

  • ·         Penalty for employing people for cleaning septic tank

  • ·         National commission for safai karmachari will monitor implementation of law

  • ·         Monitoring will be by vigilance committee

  • ·         One time financial assistance for rehabilitation

EC reforms

  • ·         EC Punish corruption by media, Publication of news against money – deterrent against paid news

  • ·         Voter verifiable paper audit trial – tally the figure the EVM gives and printout provides

  • ·         Training returning officers( RO), testing them on conduct of election, model code of conduct, dos and donts on voting and counting days, nomination and rejection of candidature etc. ROs are expected to have each and every aspect of election handbook on their fingertips

National green tribunal has ordered MOEF to make certain it uploads on its website all orders on granting environment clearances with in 7 days of approval and at least for 90 days of approval

Forest to be delinked from environment – SC  - high way development could not start even if there was small stretch on which forest or tree felling clearance was required

Vulture declining due to – effect of drug diclofenac used to treat cattle (vulture conservation program launched by  Asom, Gujarat)

 

 

Sustainable development summit – Delhi

  • ·         Regulatory regime to promote balance between environment & economic agenda

Red dead project

  • ·         Plan to build pipeline to carry water from red sea to shrinking dead sea through Jordan

  • ·         Water goes through hydroelectric plant that would in turn power a desalination plant for fresh water (brine discharged in to dead sea)

  • ·         Limitations

    • If More than 400 million cubic metres  is added to dead sea, it will be afflicted with algal blooms or gypsum crystals

  • Posted On : May 19,2013 6:16 pm

 

 


current affairs latest

India – Bangla

  • ·         Bangla is India’s Largest trading partner

  • ·         Agri exports & textile imports

  • ·         Outstanding issues

    • Ratifying additional protocol to 1974 land boundary pact

    • Agreement on sharing of water of Teesta

    • Killing of people by border guards of 2 countries due to un demarcated front line

  • ·         India is building 125 km long cross border transmission grid – to supply up to 500 MW of electricity every day

  • ·         Joint consultative commission was held in Dacca – trade and investment, security, connectivity, border management, water, power, shipping, renewable energy, people to people exchanges & HRD

  • ·         Establishment  of Indian Bangla foundation – to enhance linkage 

  • ·         Relation has Significance in the context of - Fall in trade with Sri Lanka – due to increase in customs and excise on import of automobiles of India & capture of Indian fisher men by Sri Lankan coast guard

WB continue to assist India

  • ·         Financial & technical assistance for development – eg Clean ganga mission

  • ·         Poverty eradication

India – France (president Hollande) meet

  • ·         Reform of UN especially UNSC

  • ·         Support to India acceding to permanent membership in UNSC

  • ·         Support to India joining NSG

  • ·         Cultural exchange – exchange between artists

  • ·         Cooperation in Railway, education, space

  • ·         France is important for India because – it is member of G 8, OECD, G 20 & trade potential

Maldives

  • ·         Election will be held in sept 2013

  • ·         Maldivian democratic party – Nasheed, Progressive party of Maldives – Abdul Gayoom (Advantage - has more registered cadre)

Kishenganga arbitration

  • ·          Court of arbitration at Hague has allowed India to go ahead with construction of 3600 cr project (in Gurej valley in J & K)

  • ·         Court restrained India from opting to drawdown flushing technique

  • ·         Earlier neutral expert was appointed by world bank to adjudicate on Baghliar dam

  • ·         Dead storage – which is not used for operational purpose

India Uruguay – cooperation in mining, exchange of technical knowhow in iron ore and steel related raw material

India Brazil – cooperation in mineral sector, strengthening supply chain for growth of steel industry in both countries

India – Sweden

  • ·         Amendment to DTAA – for exchange of banking information, enable both to assist in conducting tax examination abroad

  • ·         Double taxation occur mainly due to overlapping tax laws

Indira Gandhi centre for sustainable development will be established at Somerville college, university of oxford  

India opposes new gTLDs (generic top level domain names) – like Indians, Islam, Ram, bible etc (according to Indian trade mark act)

Administration of global web address system is overseen by – internet corporation for assigned names and numbers

Cyber space security dialogue -  Budapest – Theme “with trust and security for freedom and prosperity”

Dialogue focused on 

  • ·         Revitalizing computer emergency response team

  • ·         Creation of professional body that certifies security networks

  • ·         Cyber defence of critical information and infrastructure networks

Cyber security – growing concern

  • ·         Needs multidimensional and multilayered structures

  • ·         Cyber threats are – cyber warfare, cyber crime, cyber terrorism, Cyber espionage

  • ·         2 international sources of cooperation are

    • UN convention against transnational organized crime

    • Europe’s council on cyber crime 

  • ·         India – cyber security – 800 million mobile subscribers, half a billion internet users, IT & BPO business

 

 

India – Sri Lanka

  • ·         Phase II of aid project ie reconstruction of 50000 houses for resettlement and rehabilitation of internally displaced in NE of Sri Lanka

  • ·         India wants Sri Lanka to accept Tamil national alliance – TNA as interlocutor to discuss road map for political devolution of powers – India claims that it will send +ve signals to world

  • ·         CEPA, Oil and gas

  • ·         Fisher men – restraint is needed on the part of coast guards 

  • ·         Katchativu – TN move SC against ceding island to SriLanka without parliament approval (Berubari)

  • ·         UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka war crimes – urged Sri Lanka to investigate abuses of war with Tamil rebels (40000 civilians were killed)

INS sudarshini – sail training ship, good will ambassador, strengthen diplomatic ties among ASEAN, it would help crew to transform into good mariners, ship was reflection of trust & friendship

TRANSED 2012 held at Delhi - 13th conference on “mobility and transport and for elderly and disabled person” held – for the creation of livable cities

WCIT – world conference on international telecommunications – discussed issues

  • ·         Cyber security

  • ·         Data privacy misuse

  • ·         Fraud and spam

  • ·         Solution – censorship through technologies like DNS filter(fragment global internet), review of internet addresses

India – Maldives (when china’s influence is growing in Maldives)

  • ·         To counter threat posed by terrorism and piracy

  • ·         Senahiya – military hospital built in Maldives with Indian assistance inaugurated by defence minister of India

  • ·         India deploys – ALH Dhruv  in Maldives

  • ·         India decided to station a defence attaché in Maldives

J 20 – china’s stealth fighter

R2P (Responsibility to protect) concept and UNSC  - India says western airstrikes on Libya were a complete violation of UNSC concept of R2P

R2P can not be used to address all social evils, it must be only confined to – genocide, war crimes, ethic cleansing, crimes against humanity, response of international community can not be coercive, it can not be seen as pretext for humanitarian intervention. India wanted armed intervention should be a last resort, in a balanced and impartial manner

India – Canada

  • ·         Supply of Ur

  • ·         Canada is 3rd largest producer of natural gas

  • ·         Has 3rd largest proven reserves of oil

  • ·         Liquid natural gas terminal coming up in east coast of Canada is added attraction to India

  • ·         CEPA (Canada and China have already signed foreign investment promotion agreement)

India – UK – trade and investment promotion, linkage in education sector, review of DTAA of 1993

Amochu II – WB hydro power project in Bhutan

India – Ukraine

  • ·         Exchange of nuclear safety related information

  • ·         Modernizing India’s 100 plus fleet of military transport aircraft

  • ·         Providing engines for naval vessel 

  • ·         Support India in bid to join – 4 international export control organizations including NSG

  • ·         Limitations – visa issuance delay and NTBs

India – ASEAN

  • ·         Sectoral dialogue partner in 1992

  • ·         Full dialogue partner in 1995

  • ·         Since 2002 annual summits

  • ·         CECA – 2003

  • ·         Agreement on trade in goods in 2009

  • ·         India – Myanmar – Thailand trilateral highway or Mekong India economic corridor are to  complete for greater economic engagement 

  • ·         Commemorative summit in Delhi saw finalization of negotiations for FTA

  • ·         Prospects

    • Redefine global economic architecture

    • Promote bilateral trade volume

    • Benefits India’s service sector

  • ·         Limitation 

    • Demands comprehensive reform from India

  • ·         Strategic dimension

    • Political & security engagement

    • Maritime security

    • Freedom of navigation

    • Safety of sea lanes

    • International terrorism

  • ·         Need  - Not just to contain china but to have larger role

India – Russia

  • ·         CEPA, OVL new projects in Siberia, Russian direct investment fund and SBI set up $ 2 billion investment consortium for promoting investment between 2 nations 

  • ·         Issues of discard

    • Delay in commissioning aircraft carrier – Gorshakov

    • Stalemate on Clinical trials in Russia

    • Applicability of nuclear limited liability act on 6 new reactors to be put up at Kudankulam

    • Tax on Indian company “imperial energy”

    • Inability of Russian companies Sistema and severstal to move ahead with investment plans in India

UN Budget  - $ 5.4 billion – US share (22%)

India – China border dispute

  • ·         Beijing shows Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai chin as its territories in its new e passports

  • ·         New Delhi has started issuing visas with India’s map stamped on visa stickers including Ar, Pr and Aksai chin (visa stikers with stamp of Indian map on it)

India – Vietnam

  • ·         Vietnam sought India’s expertise in infra, construction of sea pots, production of steel, generation of power, in electronics and oil exploration is seen as strategic move by Vietnam to counter China

  • ·         MOU on cooperation in MSMEs

  • ·         Limitations – lack of awareness in Vietnam of India as business partner, absence of direct flight

Indo Pak agreements 

  • ·         Visa pact – senior citizens

  • ·         Boosting trade

  • ·         Cooperation in customs matters

  • ·         Redressing trade grievances

E 9 summit in Delhi – “education for all”

  • ·         Participants – Bangla, brazil, India, Indonesia, China, Egypt, Mexico, Nigeria, Pak

  • ·         Called for

    • Curriculum reform

    • Making schools inclusive

    • Professionalism in teaching

    • Use of ICT

    • Develop institutional capacities for assessing learning out come

India voted against UN resolution banning death penalty – saying every nation had sovereign right to determine its own legal system

Cyprus bail out package (IMF & EU to release $ 10 b, Laiki / popular bank of Cyprus will be closed and in place of it good bank by EU law, deposits above insured amount will be frozen and used to pay Laiki’s debts, losses of depositors are converted into shares, low rate of interest to small savers) – rejected by its parliament – which will ignite euro zone debt crisis

Tunisia PM – ali Larayedh

Pak – Iran gas pipe line – from south pars of Iran to Nawabshah of Pak (US suggests others - Turkmenistan) - Balochistan presents significant security threat as pipe passes through it

Arctic council (Nordic countries) set up permanent secretariat in Tromsoe, with drector Johannesson

Significance of arctic – oil, gas, melting ice due to global warming making it feasible to exploit oil and gas, makes region tourist destination,

Thai peace deal with Muslim rebels (BRN – Barisan revolusi nasional). Malaysia brokered deal

Iran – P5+1(France, Germany, US, China, Russia, Britain) talks in Kazak

Posted On : May 19,2013 6:14 pm

 

 


Current affairs

Current affairs

UNMOGIP – United nations military observer group in India and Pakistan

The US Congress sent President Barack Obama legislation to stop a recession-threatening "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and spending cuts

US President clears $633 defence bill – to make US strong defence

PA Sangma launched his own national people’s party – with manifesto of giving importance to tribal and women issues 

Cash transfer bill – food, fertilizer and fuel subsidies will not be covered, 26 schemes are ready to roll out like MGNREGP, social security pension etc. Money will be transferred through the direct benefit transfer system using UIDAI platform.

Task force formed to review women’s safety in Delhi                                                   

CJI inaugurated 1st fast track court in Delhi for hearing rape cases

CCTNS inaugurated – crime and criminal tracking network and systems – for real time sharing of crime and criminal information

Law ministry approved 80 cr for recruitment of 2000 more judges across the country for fast track courts (increasing strength of subordinate judiciary)

Foreign tourists are not allowed to work as journalists on Tourist visa

Corporate governance norms – SEBI proposed corporate governance rating by independent rating agencies to monitor level of compliance by companies and proposed to exclude nominee directors from the category of independent directors

To moderate demand for gold – (to reduce CAD) – increase in customs duty

5% expenditure cut in defence - due in view of economic slow down

Union govt doubled(60000 cr) 12th plan out lay for science and Tech ministry – declared in inauguration ceremony of children science congress as part of 100th Indian science congress. Stressed on innovation policy.

World’s largest solar telescope is Mc Math pierce solar telescope at Arizona in US. India is expected to build world’s largest solar telescope on icy heights of Ladakh

India’s Mars exploration mission – plans to use high end PSLV XL to launch   martian space craft from Sriharikota

Siachin is shrinking due to increase in temp

MS Gopalakrishnan – Violonist died

14th Finance commission chairman – YV Reddy (Chairman of 13th FC – Vijay Kelkar)

Asif Ibrahim – chief of intelligence bureau

Alok Joshi – chief of RAW

Urjit Patel – deputy governor of RBI

2nd health minister’s meeting of BRICS held in New Delhi

  • ·        Strengthening cooperation in implementation of affordable, equitable and sustainable solutions for common health challenges.

  • ·        Delhi communiqué called to renew efforts to face challenge posed by AIDS  

Global risks

  • ·        Severe income disparity

  • ·        Chronic fiscal imbalance

  • ·        Rising green house emissions

  • ·        Water supply crisis and food shortage

  • ·        Mismanagement of ageing population

  • ·        Diffusion of WMD

Obama signed into law – the former presidents protection act of 2012 which extends life time (secret service) protection to the former American presidents

Obama nominates Hagel as defence secretary & Brenmann as counter terrorism adviser as CIA director

AP banned – manufacture and sale of Gutkha and Pan masala in state

NEMMP – national electric mobility mission plan 2020 – approved by national council for electric mobility – its objectives -

  • ·        National energy security

  • ·        Mitigation of adverse impact of vehicles on environment and growth of domestic manufacturing capabilities

  • ·        Cleaner transportation

  • ·        Sustainable renewable energy generation

Salma dam project in Afghan – under “aid to Afghan” budget of ministry of external affairs. The project is being executed by WAPCOS ltd. Project caters energy and irrigatin needs in western Afghan and generate good will to India

Union ministry of tourism will organize international tourism mart in Guwahati

Lakhipur  - Bhanga stretch 121 km of Barak river was declared as national water way. Other national water ways – Allahabad – Haldia stretch of Ganga- Bhagirathi-Hooghly, Dhubri-Sadiya stretch of Brahmaputra river, Kottapuram – Kollam stretch of west coast canal, Kakinada- puducherry stretch of canal along designated stretches of Godavari and Krishna rivers, designed stretches of east coast canal, Brahmani river and Mahanadi delta

IAY – rural housing scheme – financial assistance of 70000 in plain areas and  75000 in hilly areas

Silk letter movement - freedom struggle

To promote Film tourism – through films shot in India – “Land of Pi”  campaign to promote puducherry and Munnar as tourist destinations

President inaugurated Celebrations to commemorate 150th Birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda

NALCO – national Aluminum company commenced its 1st wind power project(50 MW) in Gandikota of Kadapa in AP

News broadcasting standards association issued guidelines for reporting of sexual assaults -  reporting of crime can influence the mindset of viewers, thereby also creating significant impact on perception of their minds for such crimes. The news channels were advised to balance the right to privacy of the survivor as well as his/her family with the public interest. Channels were therefore asked to secrete the identity of victims of sexual assault, aggression and violence.

National data centre for UIDAI – will come up in Gurgaon in Haryana (it is being developed as green data centre)

India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, Industrial and Cultural was held in January 2013 in New Delhi.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in  January, approved the disinvestment of 10 percent paid up equity in Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) listed Miniratna company

Project lakshya - web enabled initiatives to make distribution of domestic LPG more customer friendly, better subsidy admn and enhance transparency

Capital infusion program in PSU banks

13th Jan, national immunization day       

WHO removed India from list of polio endemic countries as India has completed 2 yrs without any case of wild polio virus

ICGS Rajkamal (Royal lotus) – Indian coast guard ship- in shore patrol vessel will be based at Chennai

Justice DK Jain – chairman of 20th law commission of India

President putin signed law banning Americans from adopting Russian orphans in retaliation for US Magnitsky act that black lists Russian officials accused of human rights violation

Pak supreme court ordered for arrest of PM Raja Pervez Ashraf for receiving bribes in power projects

Treaty on mercury (quick silver) in Geneva – to limit its emission as it poses risk to human health and environment. Treaty was called “ Minimata convention on Mercury”

12th plan – Education

  • ·        Focus on quality of education  & Increasing girl enrollment

Asia pacific ophthalmology congress in Hyderabad – Shushruta was father of cataract surgeries

SC banned encroachment of roads by construction of religious structures or installation of statues of public figures - order can empower municipal and government bodies to prevent unauthorized constructions being carried out under the garb of religious structures as often local political interests and religious sentiments render authorities helpless.

President rule in Jharkhand – as JMM had withdrawn support to Arjun Munda govt

Indo UK relations - PM of UK – David Cameron

  • -         Ways and means to enhance business relation

  • -         Streamlining visa regime

  • -         Greater coop in the field of science, health and education

  • -         Possibility of opening of legal service sector

India, Vietnam signed MoU to Strengthen Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises

The Apparel Training & Design Centre (ATDC) under the Education & Training Initiatives of Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) is going to set up India’s first ‘Technology Innovation Research Centre’ at the ATDC-Training of Trainers’ Academy, Gurgaon, in collaboration with JUKI India Pvt. Ltd.

Parthasaradhi Shome  committee recommended for deferring of GAAR (general anti avoidance rules)

Green haat – with objective of connecting nature with our lives

“Weather services of IMD on mobile” inaugurated

Krishi Karman awards – issued to states for their better agro productivity

Wie Wie – China’s new ambassador to India (appointed by Chinese president Hu Jintao)

4th meeting of ASEAN and India tourism minister was held in Vientiane, Lao

Russian Naval war games on high seas (Mediterranean and black sea)

Malala Yousafzai – Pak peace activist

Pakistani American Headley was sentenced to 35 yr in prison by US court for his Mumbai terror attack plan

Switzerland will provide banking and other details sought by other countries

Dijsselbloem – will be president of Euro group

The Supreme Court banned tourists from taking the Andaman Nicobar Trunk Road that passes through the area where the Jarawas live.

24th Jan – national girl child day

EC celebrated 3rd voters day on Jan 25th – Theme “inclusion” . NVD is to spread awareness among voters regarding effective participation in electoral process

64th republic day celebration – guest – Bhutan king Jigme Khesar namgyel wangchuk. Army show cased – main battle tank – Arjun, supersonic cruise missile Brahmos, Multi barrel rocket system – Pinaka, ICBM - Agni V etc

Justice verma panel to review laws for sexual crimes submitted its report

  •  

    • There is a need for overall wide spectrum of law for violence against the women. It is important to address even the placid sexual harassment and that every complaint of sexual harassment should be registered.

    • Anyone committing rape shall be given rigorous imprisonment which may range from seven years to life term.

    • Crimes like gang rape shall entail punishment ranging from not less than 20 years to whole life of the convict.

    • Gang-rape causing death of the victim shall amount to life imprisonment for the convict.

    • The panel also mentioned in its report the Khap panchayat mentioning that Khaps were unconstitutional and they had no right to declare the marriage invalid.

    • In order to preserve the rules of law, there is a need for police reforms as well.

    • The Panel suggested that Law enforcement agencies should not work as slaves of the political masters.

    • All the marriages should be registered, while making sure that there was no demand for dowry.

    • Minor children trafficking should be considered as a serious offence.

    • Trafficking should be made punishable with imprisonment ranging from not less than 7 years to 10 years.

    • In case, a police officer or a public servant is involved in child trafficking, it should be dealt with in a stricter manner than usual.

Guidelines for regulating surrogacy in India

  • -         Only those foreign man and woman who are married for at least 2 yrs would be granted the Visa

  • -         Tourist visa is not allowed for the purpose of surrogacy

  • -         Surrogacy permitted only for medical visa

  • -         Assisted reproductive technology bill is coming up – to regulate fertility clinics

SC, ST sub plan act -  provisions of the Act would make available an additional amount of about Rs 3,000 crore every year for SCSP and another Rs 1,200 crore for TSP. There are three salient features of the SC Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) -- Earmarking of funds for the SCs and STs in proportion to their population, giving the funds to a nodal agency and appointing a separate Finance Secretary to release the funds allocated to SCSP and TSP. The recommendation of the Sub-Committee to establish an ombudsman to monitor utilization of funds was not accepted since there is the Lokayukta to handle complaints and the nodal agency, comprising ministers in charge of concerned portfolios, to oversee the implementation.

India will soon send a delegation of experts to Niger for exploring possibilities of cooperation between two countries in the hydrocarbon sector

President of Myanmar U Thein Sein in NayPyiTaw

India – Srilanka – agreed on combating international terrorism and avoidance of double taxation

Government to auction 700 Mhz spectrum for 4G services next year

A lab set up to measure SAR – specific absorption rate for mobile sets

Railways – focus

  • -         Station Cleanliness drive

  • -         Bio toilets - Washing aprons

  • -         Quality catering service

  • -         Accidents at unmanned level crossing

  • -         Collisions

Anti radiation missile will be developed by DRDO -in any war scenario, radar and communication facilities of the enemy would be the first target.The new air-to-surface 100-km range tactical missile picks up radiation or signals emitted by radars and communication systems, homes on to the target and destroys the network. The missile’s front-end comprises a sensor to pick up various radio frequencies

Naval offshore patrol vessel INS Saryu was commissioned into Indian Navy at Goa shipyard ltd in Vasco. It will be based at Andaman and will be tasked with protecting  India’s strategic maritime interests and assets in region

Under water nuclear capable ballistic missile K 5- K-5 is part of the family of underwater missiles being developed by DRDO for the Indian strategic forces' underwater platforms. The missile, which is also known as BO5, has been developed by DRDO's Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).

 

 

 

Posted On : February 04,2013 1:47 am

 

 


Current affairs

Nagarjuna IAS Academy

India, Iran, Afghan discussed options for investment in chabahar port located in SE Iran

Russia became 156th member of WTO – agreed to lower import tariffs to lower than 8%, open trade in several sectors,

Vanuatu – 157th nation to become member of WTO

Pascal lamy – DG of WTO

Wenxia Yu(China) – Miss world 2012

Anti Japanese protests rocked Chinese cities as Japanese landed in Senkaku archipelago in east china sea

Taiwan proposed peace wrt to territorial dispute over island chain in east china sea between China and Japan

China will develop 2 economic zones in North korea

Ecuador granted asylum to Assange

Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi will replace Kofi Annan as peace envoy to Syria 

Sudan and south sudan agreement – on deal over oil –

  • ·         South sudan agreed to pay transit fee of $ 9.48 per barrel to transport its crude through sudan

  • ·         South sudan agreed to pay $ 3 billion to Khartoum, to cover massive financial gap after its independence

  • ·         Mediated by Mbeki

Fresh sanctions of US on Iran – imposed under CISADA – comprehensive Iran sanctions, accountability and divestment act of 2010

  • ·         Punitive regulation on those who continued to maintain ties with Iran

  • ·         Bank of Kunlun(China) and  Elaf Islamic bank(Iraq) faced cut off from sanctions with US institutions

Somalia adopted new constitution – ends civil war

Ebola virus – cause – close personal contact. Symptoms -   fever, headache, vomiting, weakness and impaired kidneys. Spread in Uganda

Bangla govt ordered 3 international charities to stop aid to Rohingya refugees who cross the border to flee violence in Myanmar

Journalists must not cross the line of contempt – SC : freedom of speech and expression is not absolute right  and journalists should understand the lakshmana rekha

Hospi Rimo – communication assistance robot, help bedridden to talk to others via video chat, can deliver medicine to patient

PM announced Decade of innovation – 2010-2020, to develop innovation eco system, to stimulate innovation, created national innovation council(Sam pitroda – chairman), innovation fund and innovation framework. Innovation council will promote sectoral and regional innovation councils 

Tessy Thomas – missile woman, woman director of Indian missile project, heads Agni V project,

Aditya – India’s solar mission – is spacecraft to be sent by ISRO to study solar corona, study phenomenon taking place in Earth’s magnetosphere

JUNO – NASA’s mission to discover secrets about Jupiter

MSL – Mars science lab – robotic space probe mission to Mars launched by NASA, to investigate climate, geology, investigation of role of water, whether Mars could ever have supported life. MSL successfully landed curiosity – a Mars rover to investigate possibility of life on Mars

Dawn mission – robotic NASA spacecraft to explore asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres

Discovery program –to explore solar system

Solar Beta angle – used most notably in space flight, it determines % of time an object in low earth orbit spends n direct sun light and absorbing energy . Amount of sun light received by satellite depends on solar beta angle (angle between orbit plane and vector from sun

Immune privileged sites – certain sites in our body are able to tolerate introduction of antigens without eliciting an immune response eg Eye, uterus, testes, Brain etc so eye transplant has low rejection compared to liver

Devsthal(Nainital) telescope – installed by ARIES(Aryabatta research institute of observational sciences, Nainital. It would be complimentary platform to ISRO’s Astrosat satellite

VVER 1000 – 3rd generation reactor given by Russia to India to set up at Kudamkulam TN (they are PHWR, water is used as coolant and moderator, fuel I slow enriched uranium, can generate 440 MW to 1200 MW  (safety – advanced cooling system)

Antibiotic given along with Antacid because – antibiotics suppress B complex synthesizing bacteria and cause acidity

Ampakines – compounds known to enhance attention span and alertness and facilitate learning and memory

Brain computer interface / mind machine interface / brain machine interface – pathway between brain and an external device. Often directed at repairing cognitive or sensory and motor functions. Can bring sight to the blind and can delay on set of dementia , Alzheimer’s and parkinson’s  disease in elders

fMRI – functional magnetic resonance imaging – measures bran activity by detecting associated changes in blood flow

MRI – magnetic resonance imaging – uses magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body

Neuro informatics – interface between IT and brain research

Invitro meat – cultured meat / test tube meat

Vertical farming – high rise green house – advantages: year round crop production in urban areas, organic, no weather related crop failures, recycle black water, reduces incidence of diseases, adds energy back to grid via methane generation from composting non edible parts of plants and animals, reduces fossil fuel use, convert urban properties into food production centers, create sustainable environment for urban centers,  creates new employment opportunities, reduces incidence of armed conflict over natural resources   such as water land

Prosthesis – artificial substitute for missing part of body

Isolated brain – keeping brain alive in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid

Life extension – anti ageing medicine, experimental gerontology ie slowing down ageing or reversing the process. Ageing is due to free radicals. Ageing can be reduced by rejuvenation of deteriorated cells and enhancement of telomerase enzyme activity

Hibernation – metabolic depression in animals for conservation of food

personalized  medicine – involves identifying genetic, genomic and clinical information that allows accurate predictions to be made about person’s susceptibility of developing disease and its response to treatment

genome sequencing – process that determines complete DNA sequence of an organism’s genome at single time. Enable predictive medicine, preventive medicine and personalized medicine.

Regenerative medicine – helps natural healing processes to work faster and better.

Robotic surgery – surgeon performs surgery using computer that remotely controls very small instruments attached to robot

Stem cell treatment  - introducing adult stem cells into damaged tissue to treat injury

Tissue engineering – use cells, engineering and materials, methods and suitable biochemical and physio chemical factors to improve biological functions

K Max helicopter – can be flown into under fire areas without risk to aircrew (US)

AGRISNET – envisages promotion of e governance by use of  ICT ie IT enabled services to farmers

AGRINDIA – for promotion of R & D in farm sector as well as protect and manage intellectual properties related to govt agencies

Central electronic registry – prevent frauds in loan cases involving multiple lending from different banks on the same immovable property. This company operates under provisions of SARFAESI act 2002

Food safety and standards act 2006 – to ensure improved quality of food for consumers at par with international standards. It subsumes food adulteration act 1954, fruit products order of 1955 and meat products order 1973

NSRA – nuclear safety regulator authority – to oversee and review policies wrt radiation safety, nuclear safety and other related issues

Sleep is fundamental right – SC

National policy on Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances – to strengthen and prevent abuse of drugs, improve management of narcotic drugs and facilitate provisions for treatment and rehabilitation of drug abuse victims.

National data sharing and accessibility policy 2012 – to facilitate access to govt owned shareable data and information

Project “youth to the edge” – to promote adventure activities in NE region (NSS and NYKS volunteers participate)

GSTN SPV – special purpose vehicle to provide IT infrastructure for roll out of proposed new indirect tax regime GST

Multinational design evaluation program – India joins as 11th member. Objectives – enhanced multilateral cooperation, convergence of codes, to facilitate licensing of new reactors. Enable India to participate in review of new reactor designs in various working groups

Atomic energy regulatory board (1983) – It is to ensure that the use of ionizing radiations and nuclear energy does not cause undue risk to health and environment. Functions – develop safety policies, codes, ensure compliance of regulatory requirements prescribed by AERB.

Defence

  • ·         TROPEX – Theatre level readiness and operational exercise by Indian Navy at vizag – aimed to test new platforms, weapon sensors, communication systems and tactics in order to optimize network combat power of the fleet

  • ·         Milan 2012 – Navy’s exercise along with 13 other nations in A & N islands

  • ·         Lakshya – pilot less target air craft

  • ·         National security guard hubs – Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai

  • ·         INS Satpura – stealth warship

  • ·         Shakthi 2011 – Indo French joint military exercise aimed  at enhancing combat skills

  • ·         Rustom I UAV – unmanned aerial vehicle

  • ·         Brahmos – Indo Russian supersonic cruise missile system

  • ·         Rani Abakkara – coast guard ship

  • ·         INS chakra (Akula II) – nuclear powered submarine from Russia

  • ·         Mi 17 V 5 helicopter – inducted from Russia

  • ·         Malabar 2012 – Indo US naval exercise in Bay of Bengal

  • ·         Akash – surface to air missile

  • ·         Prahar (to strike) – supersonic short range(150km), quick reaction, surface to surface missile

  • ·         Rani Rashmoni – patrol vessel

  • ·         C 17 Globe master III – Boeing heavy transport air craft from US through foreign military sales route come to India

  • ·         Agent orange – herbicide used during Vietnam war (orange striped drums of herbicide used to defoliate trees in enemy terrain)Dioxin – cancer provoking substance is by product of its manufacture

  • ·         Ammonium nitrate – used as high nitrogen fertilizer and as oxidizing agent in explosives

  • ·         Alachlor – herbicide

  • ·         Sourya – surface to surface medium range missile

Carbon  fibers -  high strength materials – used in civilian air craft, recreational, industrial, and transportation markets

Smart grid – It is for improved and efficient system of electricity supply. It allows monitoring, analysis and controlling so that maximum output of the electric distribution system is achieved while reducing the energy consumption.

Tummalapalle – one of the largest uranium reserves in the world

SAR – specific absorption rate – measurement for amount of RF enrgy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone

BC – black carbon particles strongly absorb sun light and contribute for climate change next to CO2   

Antimatter particles – anti protons

Blue brain project – attempt to reverse engineer mammalian brain to understand brain function and dysfunction through detailed simulations

Bed map 2 project – map of Antarctica’s rock bed

ASIMO – advanced step in innovation mobility

Aerogel – silica based substance consisting of loose dentritic network of atom silicon. Uses – for insulation to sky light, as thermal insulation, as thickening agent in paints, as drug delivery system (due to its high surface area and  porous nature – drug can be adsorbed to)

Spintronics – form of electronics which uses the spin (magnetic state) of electrons to encode and process data rather than using electric charge. It exploiting quantum effects. It is also known as magneto electronics. It has potential to become ideal memory media for computing

GSAT 12 – launched by PSLV 17- augment INSAT services

CME – coronal mass ejection – it consists of plasma of electrons and protons

Probiotics – they are to mitigate side effects of antibiotics. They are foods that contain live bacteria(Yogurt, curd rice. FOS – fructo Oligosacharides are prebiotics.

Dendritic cell therapy – patients own immune cells are used to fight cancer

Dracula therapy – to fight ageing with one’s own blood(using platelet rich plasma)

NTDs – neglected tropical diseases – Kalaazar, filariasis, leprosy, dengue, rabies

National optical fiber network – for providing broad band connectivity to Panchayats

4G phone – 4th generation cellular wireless which are IP PSN. Features – high connection speed, aesthetic appeal, video calling, quality, better coverage area, multitasking, high battery capacity

Quad core – multi core tech that includes 2 separate dual core dies (dual core means CPU that includes 2 complete execution cores per physical processor, installed together in one 1 CPU package)

DVR – digital video recorder – like VCR but it uses hard drive to record

Sunway blue light MPP – Chinese super computer     

PON – passive optical network – a single optic fiber is able to serve multiple premises

GPON – gigabit passive optical network – high bandwidth and higher efficiency

Project glass – Google to replace our smart phones by glass. It is augmented reality glass which works as phone and can be worn instead of carrying phone (message appear in their field of vision)   

Bio chrome – supercomputing cluster – to aid computational biology research

Electronic cigarette – smoking simulator which is healthy (no tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic)

X Mountain lion – apple’s new desktop – take on additional iOS features

LTE – long term evolution – it is war for achieving speed. 4G networks

Advantages to India being at the head of Indian ocean –

  • ·         Indian ocean is half an ocean so northern half of ocean is important from the point of location

  • ·         Provides quick mobility possible in entire north half of Indian ocean

  • ·         PMNs

  • ·         Lies very close to strait  of Hormuz – which accounts for 40% of oil and natural gas transport of world

  • ·         India is responsible to maintain zone of peace and security in North Indian ocean

  • ·         It gives ocean access to Nepal and Bhutan which are land locked

Tank irrigation

  • ·         Merits – less cost, constructed on rocky bed, fishing also can be done

  • ·         Demerits – silting of tank, cover large areas of cultivable land, do not ensure perennial supply of water

Urbanization is blessing in disguise –

  • ·         Engine for growth, brings with industrialization, fall of fertility rates, bring down mortality rates, improved transportation, communication, education facilities.

  • ·         Problems -  over crowding, inadequate infrastructure

Subsistence farming – agriculture on small land holding using primitive tools

Southern oscillation – pressure tend to be low between pacific and Indian ocean. Intensity of oscillation is measured by difference in sea level pressure of Tahithi and Port Darwin

Doon – longitudinal valley

Choz – slope without forest

Monsoon trough – ITCZ shift to 20 to 25 N latitudes in july

Green field investment – investment in an area where no previous facilities exist

Brown field investment – a site previously used for dirty business like steel mill or oil refinery

 Battery farming – method used to reduce per unit cost. Eg Cattle rearing in cages

Break in bulk point – transfer point on transport route where mode of transport changes

Nainars – Siva Bakthas

National green tribunal act 2010 – for effective disposal of cases relating to environment protection and conservation of forests

Ecologically sensitive zones – areas with environmental resources having incomparable values which require special attention for their conservation

Meghalaya mine project – Lafarge Umiam mining private ltd – beneficial to residents

NMIZ – will not be custom bound where as SEZ is custom bound

National litigation policy – it is to ensure that govt depts and agencies become more responsible in filing and pursuing cases. Relevant  documents will be put with courts, all pending cases involving govt would be reviewed for quick disposal, make govt more sensitized and sensitive

Rangarajan committee on food security – ½ the food allocation for APL category or exclude APL, procurement needs to be stepped up exponentially to provide subsidized food to all or 75%, suggests smart card system, 46% rural and 28% of urban be entitled,

Sanchar sakthi scheme – SHG run solar based mobile charging centers, modem repair centers, mobile repair centers

Implications of merger of OCI and PIO(migrated permanently to foreign countries) cards – encourage investments of PIOs, can make visits easier

Sampark – translation system developed to translate one Indian language into another

Skewflation – Skewed inflation – high food inflation and inflation in non food sector is negligible

Swabhiman – for financial inclusion, to bring deprived sections into banking network

Maharatna status – PSU can invest up to 5000 cr, for operational freedom  (ONGC, Indian oil, NTPC, SAIL, coal India)

Navaratna – PSU can invest up to 1000 cr   

X sat – Singapore satellite launched by ISRO

Julina Barnes – won Booker prize for his book “sense of an ending”

Bundi temple – Siva temple of Gupta time found in Bundi dt of Rajasthan

Priorities of Indian foreign policy – security & development, seeking global order which secures India’s interest, safeguarding autonomy of India, rapid – sustained- inclusive development, commitment to core values with dynamic adaptation to change in the global environment, peaceful ad secured newighbourhood, cordial and balanced relation with major powers, mutually beneficial partnerships, fight against international terrorism, reform of international financial architecture & international organizations, food and energy security and climate change

India – Nepal  - 1950 Indo Nepal treaty demands review, twin pillar policy must be reoriented, strategic activism to minimize influence of China, terminating arms embargo, economic package to bail out Nepal out of its economic crisis, improving relation from secular and non secular point of view, solving border disputes – encroachment issues – Indian embassy’s alleged support to certain groups in Terai region, working out hydro projects

 

 

Steps to counter china at defence –

  • ·         India stationed – Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters at four IAF bases in NE

  • ·         Border airfields have been refurbished

  • ·         Transforming 30 IAF air bases into world class fighter facilities termed as – air field modernization infrastructure plan extended to Nyoma

  • ·         IAF had evaluated several other air bases in Ladakh

Changed stance of India wrt to Afghan

  • ·          India has to see viable political system in Afghan  - for the peace of region

  • ·         It is time to give opportunity to encourage moderate Taliban to be part of govt

  • ·         Financial outlay of US $1.5 billion has been announced & fresh package of US $ 500 million has been announced to build peaceful, prosperous and stable country

Russian share in arms is declining - reasons - Russia has been overtaken by Israel

  • ·         Market is becoming more and more competitive – India can not be dependent on one source

  • ·         India wants not only licence to produce but also wants technology to be transferred as well

  • ·         Israel has produced flexibility in terms of production and technology transfer

  • ·         Russia has continuously revised the price of its product even before its supply – Russia had asked for an additional $ 113 millin for refurbishing Gorshakov

  • ·         Russia,  when plant does not have enough money to produce the spares, they stop production

Indo France civil cooperation

  • ·         Civil nuclear cooperation – agreement in the field of nuclear S & T for peaceful uses

  • ·         Agreement to build 1st 2 of 6 reactors in Jaitapur – Maharashtra

Measures to combat piracy on high seas by Somalis in the context of Pirates have moved out and beyond Gulf of aden and dangerously close to India’s shore line - Five step anti piracy policy

  • ·         Tracking the trail of ransom money to different parts of world

  • ·         Prosecution of beneficiaries of ransom money for abetting piracy

  • ·         Conduct of naval operations under UN

  • ·         Sanitation of Somali coast line through identified corridors and

  • ·         enactment of national laws

Relevance

  • ·         Combined GDP of 4 1.7 trillion

  • Posted On : January 26,2013 11:59 pm

 

 


Current facts

Nagarjuna IAS Academy - Current facts

  • ·         2nd meeting of intergovernmental committee for Nagoya protocol on access and benefit sharing held in New Delhi

  • ·         Israeli scientist who has been awarded the world food prize for pioneering a radically innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry land regions – Daniel Hillel

  • ·         Venue of G 20 summit 2012 held in Los Cabos, Mexico

  • ·         New chief election commissioner – VS Sampath 

  • ·         Jimex 12 – bilateral maritime exercise of India and Japan off Tokyo

  • ·         NECTAR – NE centre for technology application and reach set up in shilling, Meghalaya – to facilitate access to various technologies to the NE

  • ·         Eco friendly vans launched by mother dairy to sell milk in loose form – Kamadhenu vans

  • ·         Theme of 2012 world environment day – Green economy – Does it include you?

  • ·         SEBS – science express biodiversity special

  • ·         Southernmost naval air station in Andaman and Nicobar islands is named – INS Baaz

  • ·         X mountain lion – new operating system launched by apple

  • ·         Russia recently acceded to WTO

  • ·         National institute of open schooling initiated “Mukta vidya vani” a modern interactive, participatory and cost effective program on WWW .

  • ·         In Mysore ISRO hosted event, 39th scientific assembly of committee on space research with the theme space for the benefit of mankind

  • ·         G 20 summit in 2014 will be held in – Brisbane

  • ·         Gutka and panmasala was banned by Maharashtra

  • ·         India and UNESCO have agreed to establish Mahatma Gandhi institute of education for peace and sustainable development in Paris

  • ·         India’s 1st food park came up in Chittoor

  • ·         Afghan was declared major non NATO ally of US

  • ·         Assamese poet  Hiren Battacharya – died

  • ·         Kochi, 1st city to have metro rail in kerala

  • ·         Western Ghats  has been added to UNESCO’s world heritage list for its bio diversity

  • ·         New World bank president – Jim Yong Kim (previous Rober Zoellick )

  • ·         Department of post launched “night post office services” in J and K

  • ·         Parthasaradhi Shome committee was constituted to report on GAAR – General anti avoidance rules (submitted its report recently)

  • ·          VV Giri memorial award was given to Utsa patnaik (JNU professor) for her contribution in labour studies

  • ·         Atomic energy commission discovered uranium deposits in Rohil, Sikar district of Rajasthan

  • ·         Samudra pehredar – pollution control vessel of coast guard has been permanently stationed at vizag

  • ·         16th NAM summit held in Tehran, Iran

  • ·         Northern Railways 1st AC double decker train service will run between Sarai rohilla and Jaipur

  • ·         PJ Kurien – new deputy chairman of RS

  • ·         Miss world for 2012 – Yu Wenxia

  • ·         Beauty with the purpose award won by Vanya Mishra

  • ·         Sparrow is state bird of Delhi – to save the species

  • ·         1st  state in country to issue biometric identity cards to fishermen – Kerala

  • ·         4th Indo Russian joint military exercise held in Siberian republic Buryatia – Indra 2012

  • ·         8th Indo Mongolian joint military exercise held in Belgaum district of KN – named Nomadic elephant 2012

  • ·         Rainstorm – 3 day operation launched by security forces against Maoist camps on Jharkhand – Chattisgarh border

  • ·         Citizens of Pak are permitted to invest in India through govt route

  • ·         Kourou in French Guiana, from where India’s heaviest satellite GSAT 10 was launched aboard European rocket Ariane 5 rocket

  • ·         New chief justice of India – Altamas Kabir

  • ·         In Varanasi – 2nd international Buddhist conclave was held    

  • ·         EC selected Zee news for national media award for its contribution in creating awareness among voters

  • ·         INS Makar – hydrographic survey vessel built by Alcock Ashdown Gujarat ltd

  • ·         Sandhan – search engine launched by DEITY – dept of electronics and IT to help people in searching  tourism related queries across websites in 5 Indian languages

  • ·         2012 saraswati samman has been awarded to – AA Manavalan

  • ·         2nd AIIMS maiden session commenced in Jodhpur

  • ·         Father of  white revolution in India died recently – Verghese Kurien

  • ·         Nuclear power plant proposed in Gorakpur in Fatehbad dt of Haryana

  • ·         Switzerland leads the global competitiveness  report  (rank of India 59)

  • ·         Sandy – storm in east coast of US

  • ·         Sambo – Russian martial art

  • ·         India ex – joint exercise of Navies of US and India in Arabian sea

  • ·         National committee on direct cash transfer to under privileged is headed by PM

  • ·         Periyar tiger reserve was awarded – India biodiversity award (sponsored by ministry of environment and forests and UNDP)

  • ·         4th OECD world forum  meet held in New Delhi

  • ·         Camry and corolla cars recalled by car manufacturer Toyota to inspect faulty power window master switches which could be potential fire hazard

  • ·         Canara bank was awarded gold medal by federation of Indian export organizations

  • ·         IRAN has witnessed public protests as its currency Rial has lost about 1/3rd of its value against dollar

  • ·         2011 Indira Gandhi prize for peace, disarmament and development given to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberian president)

  • ·         Eminent urdu scholar Gopi chand Narang has been awarded Moortidevi award for 2010 for his work in urdu Ghazal aur Hindustani zehan wa Tehjeeb

  • ·         Word of 2012 – ombishambles – chosen by oxford university

  • ·         INS Tarkash – Talwar class stealth frigate commissioned into Indian navy

  • ·         Special woman force to tackle eve teasing “Virangana” was introduced by Asom govt

  • ·         Rail coach factory inaugurated in Rae Barelli

  • ·         10% disinvestment proposed from Hindustan aeronautics ltd

  • ·         Membership of the order of Australia was awarded to Tendulkar (formerly to Soli sorabji in 2006)

  • ·         Samanvay – Indian language festival hosted by India habitat centre in New Delhi

  • ·         US has been inducted as 6th dialogue partner in 20 nation IOR ARC (Indian ocean rim association for regional cooperation) grouping. Other dialogue partners are – China, Japan, France, Egypt and UK

  • ·         INS Mhadei – Indian navy sailing vessel which was flagged off from Mumbai to begin Sagar Parikrama II a solo circumnavigation of the globe with Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy     

  • ·         LED bulbs - Energy saving and eco friendly – Delhi Govt supplying them at discounted rates under scheme “light life”

  • ·         Child development Index – India’s rank – 112th

  • ·         Mobile book keeping project for SHGs in AP – information w r t activity, data on repayments made, loans disbursed will be uploaded to mobile phones by record keepers in about 15 min

  • ·         500 E class rooms across 50 KV schools – hi tech make over

  • ·         Navy to have cadre to combat cyber terror – so recruiting computer science engineers

  • ·         High security number plates in Haryana – would carry unique code and hologram – help in nabbing vehicles easily, in hit and run cases

  • ·         Country’s 1st green prison – Sabarmati jail (minimize environmental hazards and save fuel)

  • ·         Mukta vidya vani – initiative of national institute of open schooling – audio visual education

  • ·         CAG empanelled CAs of each district would audit MGNREGA

  • ·         JEEVIKA – rural livelihood project in Bihar

  • ·         Indonesia may join BRICS by 2014

  • ·         India – China TFP - trade financing program

  • ·         ADB decided to support deals denominated in their local currencies under its TFP as intra regional trade transactions

  • ·         This will reduce use of US $ as settlement currency

  • ·         $72.7 bn stashed in tax havens

  • ·         Valid tax residency certificate (TRC) can get Mauritius based companies exemption from paying capital gains tax on existing Indian investments. TRC is certificate of residency of investor.

  • ·         OECD eases tax information rules

  • ·         MCX – SX – 3rd major stock exchange will come up in a year in India

  • ·         Financial education – to help people manage money more effectively to achieve financial well being   

  • ·         National strategy for financial education – seeks to create financially aware and empowered India and convert savers into investors

 

  • ·         Project clearance board will be set up – for time bound clearances for investment proposals in energy and infrastructure sectors. It will be on lines of FIPB. Chaired by cabinet secretary   

  • ·         Limits of RTI

  • ·         CIC can not look into advice tendered by president to PM and consequently by president to PM

  • ·         RTI act can not have overriding effect over constitution nor can it amend

  • ·         CIC is not entitled to pursue correspondence between PM and president

 

  • ·         Compoundable and non compoundable offence

    • Compoundable offence – can be compromised by parties. For that court permission is not necessary. Eg settling matter paying some money to the victim

    • Non compoundable offence – no compromise is allowed. Eg offences affecting entire society

 

  • ·         Supreme court slammed centre for lethargy in providing proper infrastructure and other facilities to interstate river water dispute tribunal

 

  • IPC Section 376 – punishes rape

  • IPC section 354 – punishes outraging the modesty of woman, molestation

 

  • ·         Alternative dispute redressal mechanism – mediation, arbitration and legal counseling  

  • ·         Mediation – sound mechanism to resolve complex commercial disputes involving pricing of natural resources like gas and oil (because judgments of courts some times hit economy)

  • ·         Facilitative mediation could strike balance between national interest and global economy

  • ·         Govt as owner of resource should select mediators

 

  • ·         Courts in Delhi set to go completely paperless with e filing of documents – e payme

Posted On : January 05,2013 3:54 pm

 

 


Current affairs

Agni V: Ensuring balance of power

  • ·         Agni V has range of 5000 km (Agni III has range of 3500 km)

    • Surface to surface missile

    • ICBM

    • Multiple Independent re entry vehicles – MIRVs

  • ·         Strategic importance  

    • China has its Dong feng and DF 31 A (suspected to have been carrying MIRV)

    • AGNI V gives India the much needed muscle and strong deterrence against its nuclear armed adversaries

    • It is capable of reaching – Australia, China, Eastern Europe and Eastern Africa

    • India has also inducted operational nuclear attack submarine Akula II class and Nepra rechristened INS chakra into Navy 

    • Coupled with INS chakra, Agni V can give knock out punch to enemy

  • ·         Agni V will allow India to possess a credible N deterrence which is what India looking for given its “No first use nuclear doctrine”

  • ·         India is keen to play a larger role on global stage and has long angled for permanent seat on UN security council, launch of Agni V is one of the ways to signal India’s arrival on the global stage and press for its permanent seat in security council 

Long range rocket launched by North Korea

  • ·         UN termed it as violation of UNSC

  • ·         Japan was put into high alert

  • ·         US, South Korea and Japan met in Washington – US preferred UN sanctions

Report of US national intelligence council – Global trends 2030

  • ·         China, India and Brazil are going to have special status

  • ·         Factors for Asian rise – Demographic dividend, GDP, military spending and technological investments

  • ·         China and India gap may reduce

  • ·         World demand for food may increase and agriculture productivity will decline

India - Maldives  

  • ·         GMR was awarded contract for modernization and now Govt of Maldives gives it to Maldives airports company ltd

  • ·         Singapore court of appeal ruled that Maldives govt has authority to take back the air port cancelling air port development contract

  • ·         Maldivian govt may be paying compensation to GMR as may be decided by supreme court of Singapore

  • ·         India is apprehensive of foreign hand in cancellation of this contract

Election

  • ·         61st constitutional amendment to Art 326 lowered voting age from 21 to 18 years

  • ·         Every year 25th Jan is celebrated as national voters day – to bring awareness among voters

  • ·         EC of India launched – systematic voters education and electoral participation program

Warnings on climate change by

  • ·         World metrological organization – declared 2001 to 2010 as hottest decade

  • ·         UNEP – predicting emission rise to 58 billion tones by 2020 from 40 billion tones in 2000

  • ·         WB – increase of temperature by 4 degrees by 2100

  • ·         Consequences of temp rise

    • Threat to bio diversity – 20 to 30% of species will be at the verge of extinction if temp rise by 1.5 to 2.5 degrees

    • 250 million will be subjected to water stress

    • Sea level rise (60 to 100 cm by 2100) and displacement from islands and coastal areas

 18th COP, UNFCC, Doha Qatar

  • ·         UNFCC entered into force in 1994

  • ·         BASIC holds developed countries responsible for steps needed for climate change issues

Egyptian referendum on constitution

  • ·         Decree by president Morsi giving him wide powers has been largely disputed

  • ·         As reaction to it civil disobedience campaign called for

  • ·         New Constitution was criticized because – it is

      • Weak on women rights

      • Putting restriction on freedom of expression

      • Criminalises blasphemy

UN upgrades Palestinian state to non member observer state category

  • ·         Gain – right of 2 state solution strengthened, Palestinians will take access to international forums

    • Vatican also has this status

    • Opponents (US and Israel) – wanted that new state should come out under Oslo accord (between Israel and PLO) of 1993 by negotiations between the countries

Thailand

  • ·         Protests demand resignation of PM yingluck shinwatra and want new PM and govt humnominated by King Bhumibol Adulyadej

  • ·         Shinwatra facing allegations of corruption, mal administration, electoral malpractices   

  • ·          

10th ASEAN – India meet in Phnom Penh, Cambodia – important areas of partnership

    • Security issues

    • Maritime security

    • Counter terrorism

    • Information sharing in disaster management

    • Liberalization of visa regime – facilitate economic and tourism opportunities

    • Car rally and sailing expedition of Indian naval ship sudarshini

    • Trilateral high way – between Myanmar, Thailand and India

    • Agro expo held in Dimapur in Nagaland

South china sea – china claims almost all

    • Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei also have claims

    • Effects

      • Hindrance to formation of regional grouping

      • US adopts soft diplomacy because it does not want to strain relation with china

      • Australia PM Gillard favoured peaceful resolution

      • Closed door discussions between China and Philippines took place

Recent initiatives  

    • FDI bill

    • Pension fund regulatory and development authority bill

    • Companies bill

    • Insurance laws amendment bill

    • Banking law amendment bill

    • Competition amendment bill

    • Land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement bill

    • Mineral development regulation bill  

UN apex court gives Colombia disputed islands – Roncador, Quitasueno, Alburquerque, bajo Nuevo, serrana, serranilla and Cayo Bolivar rejecting claims of Nicaragua. Court also moved borders westward which also gives Nicaragua more sea territory which dissatisfies Cambodia.  

Mission Focus Asia pacific - Obama visits South East Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar)

    • To increase influence in the region

    • To counter china

    • Areas of interest – trade and partnership, energy, security cooperation, democracy and human rights

 

 

Israel’s military action in Gaza strip

    • Targeting leadership of Hamas (Khalil Al Jabari head of military wing of Hamas was killed) and militant sites in Gaza

    • Israel PM Netanyahu wants to be tough on Hamas as elections approaching

    • African union support move of Economic community of west African states to deploy troops in Mali but it needs approval by UNSC   

Posted On : December 25,2012 2:53 am