Last Six Months Current Affairs

Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
INTERNATIONAL
Palestinian Authority to be Named State of Palestine
On 7 January Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has signed a
decree changing the name of the Palestinian Authority to the State of
Palestine," according to the organizations official news agency.
Pakistani Supreme Court Orders Arrest of Prime Minister On 15 January
2013 Pakistans Supreme Court ordered the arrest of the prime minister in
connection with a corruption case linked to power projects. The Supreme
Court gave authorities 24 hours to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf
and 16 others.This is the first in the history of Pakistan to arrest a Prime
Minister. The orders of the Court came following the allegations in connection
with a corruption case linked to power projects, done during his office of the
Water and Power Minister.
Obama Signed 23 Executive Orders on Gun Safety
On 16 January President Barack Obama announced 23 executive actions on
gun control laws, making them stricter,which would come into effect
immediately after his signatures. One of these measures include requiring the
target shooters to keep their guns locked and also to ban military-style assault
weapons, high capacity magazine as well as to make the background check
mandatory.Obama announced that this was his attempt to keep children safe,
keeping in view the massacre of Newtown where 20 first grade children along
with six adults were killed.
140 Nations Agreed On Global Mercury Limits
On 19 January , More than 140 nations have agreed on the first legally binding
treaty to curb mercury pollution.Delegates at UN discussed in Geneva
approved measures to control the use of the highly toxic metal, which is
widely used in chemical production and small-scale mining, in order to limit
mercury emissions.The governments agreed to ban the production, export
and import of a range of products containing mercury by 2020.The treaty has
been discussed for four years, but it is only now that the negotiators agreed
over the final version of the document. The treaty, known as the Minamata
Convention on Mercury, provides controls and reductions across a range of
products and processes where mercury is used, released and emitted.
Milos Zeman Elected as Czech Republic new President
On 25 January A leftist candidate Milos Zeman won the Czech Republics first
presidential election decided by direct vote.Milos Zeman, a former prime
minister and head of the Citizens Rights Party, won with 54.8% of the vote.He
defeated Karel Schwarzenberg, an aristocratic foreign minister with the
TOP09 party, who garnered 45.2%.Zeman replaces Vaclav Klaus, who must
step down after serving the maximum of two terms.
INDIA & WORLD
India Pakistan Exchanged Nuclear Units Lists
On 1 January India and Pakistan exchanged their nuclear units lists , as it is
customary since 20 years. The list which contains the names of nuclear units
of two countries, are exchanged between India and Pakistan as a custom and
part of an agreement which prevents them from aiming the nuclear
installations of each others nations.
Thousands of illegal Indian Migrants in UK
According to a 2012 UK Home Office report, India has been named along with
Pakistan, China, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Brazil
and Iran as the main sources of illegal immigration to Britain.What the report
does not mention is how many of the 863,000 illegal migrants that it says are
living in the UK are students. This is a contentious area because critics of the
coalition government claim it is counting students among overall immigrants.
World Economic Forums Global Risks Report
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) report , India ranks lowest
among the worlds major economies for its preparedness to tackle global
environmental risks and second-lowest for economic risks. Switzerland is best
placed among the worlds 10 major economies for adapting to or recovering
from global economic and environmental risks.While India is ranked 9th in
terms of its ability to tackle global economic risks, it comes last at 10th
position for environmental risks.However, India fared relatively better at 6th
position in terms of the governments risk management effectiveness.The US
and China were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
Indians Top the List of Working in Dream Jobs
According to survey conducted by networking website LinkedIn,Indians have
emerged at the top of the list of people working in their dream job.The dream
job league table:1. India 44 percent 2. Indonesia 42 percent 3. United Arab
Emirates 35.7 percent 4. Germany 33 percent 5. Brazil 32 percent 6.
Austria 31 percent 7. Switzerland 30 percent 8. USA 29 percent 9. France,
Canada, Sweden, South Africa 28 percent 13. Singapore, Hong Kong 27
percent 15. Australia 26 percent 16. New Zealand 25 percent 17. UK 21
percent
India Vietnam Signed on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
On 15 January India and Vietnam signed an MoU aimed at building capacity
for developing institutional framework and identifying thrust areas and
opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises in this country.The
MoU was signed here between the Ministry of Planning and Investments of
Vietnam and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of
India .
India and Sri Lanka signed Anti-terror, Tax evasion Agreements
On 22nd January India and Sri Lanka signed two separate agreements on
combating international terrorism and avoidance of double taxation, eyeing
elevation of robust bilateral ties to building of a special economic
partnership.The two key accords were signed after the 8th India-Sri Lanka
Joint Commission meeting held at New Delhi , both countries discussed
enhanced cooperation in a range of areas including civil nuclear energy.At the
meeting, the Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid
while the Lankans were led by his counterpart G.L. Peiris.During the meet,
both the parties also decided setting up of the Special Economic Zone at
Trincomali and a textile and pharmaceutical cluster in Sri Lanka.
International Tea Producers Forum formed
On 22 January India, along with five other tea producing countries, has formed
the International Tea Producers Forum (ITPF) at Colombo.Union Minister of
State for Commerce and Industry D Purandesari signed the joint communique
on behalf of India along with representatives of Kenya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia,
Rwanda and Malawi in Colombo.The ITPF will initially be an independent
body but in future may get affiliated to Food & Agriculture Organisation of
United Nations.
India , Bangladesh Signed Extradition and Visa Agreements
On 28 January Bangladesh and India signed an extradition treaty and struck a
deal to relax business visa restrictions between the neighbouring countries.
However, refusal provisions were incorporated into the extradition
treaty.Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde signed the agreement with his
Bangladeshi counterpart Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir at the end of their bilateral
talks.
India Dropped to 140th Rank in Press Freedom
According to the report Reporters Without Borders India has dropped nine
places to the 140th rank in the list of 179 countries in the latest World Press
Freedom Index.China (173rd, +1) shows no sign of improving. Its prisons still
hold many journalists and netizens, while increasingly unpopular Internet
censorship continues to be a major obstacle to access information.As last year,
the list is topped by three European countries Finland, Netherlands and
Norway.Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea continue to be at the bottom
of the list as has been in the last three years.
NATIONAL
Govt Launched Direct Cash Transfer Scheme in 20 Districts
On 1 January 2013 The government launched its scaled down Cash Transfer
Benefit (CBT) in 20 districts,but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be
covered in the initial phase. All 26 schemes are ready for rollout. On 1 January
2013 the seven schemes in which payout is due in the (20 selected) districts,
the money will be transferred through the direct benefit transfer system using
the UIDAI platform.The scheme is going to be rolled out in 43 districts by 1
March 2013, 20 districts from January 1, 11 districts from February 1 and 12
districts from March 1. By end of 2013, the direct cash benefit transfer will be
rolled out in all the districts of the country.
PA Sangma launched National Peoples Party
PA Sangma, who broke away with the NCP in 2012 to contest the presidential
elections, though unsuccessfully, on 05 January 2013 launched National
Peoples Party (NPP), and chosen a book as its symbol. Sangma has chosen to
align his party with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
President Released Stamps on Swami Vivekananda
On 12 January The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee released the
Commemorative Postage Stamps, at the Commemoration of the 150th Birth
Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi .
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012
On 17 January According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)
2012 report has found that learning levels have dipped to an all-time low. So,
almost half the 6-7 year-olds (Class I) in India cannot read even one letter in
any language, over 57% cannot read any English while almost 40% cannot
recognize numbers between 1 and 9.The 12.8% children between Class I and
V could not read a single letter while 10.7% could not recognize numbers 1 to
9. The number of children in Class V who could read Class II text fell from
53.7% in 2010 to 46.8% in 2012. In 2010, seven out of 10 children could solve
a two-digit subtraction problem with borrowing. This has come down to five
out of 10 in 2012.
STATES
Odisha Launched Public Service Delivery System
On 2 January The Odisha government launched the much-sought after Public
Service Delivery System for citizens under the Odisha Right to Public Service
Act, 2012.Under the new act, people will get services like issue of driving
license, birth and death certificates, passport and trade license within a
stipulated time.Odisha is among the 12th state to implement the law.
Haryana Government announced Kanyadan Scheme for Bride
participants of Mass Marriages
The Government of Haryana on 3 January 2012 announced its plan of
launching a Kanyadan Scheme in the state for brides participating in the mass
marriage ceremony, which would be organised by any of the registered NGO
or the Red Cross Society. The scheme would carry an incentive amount of
11000 rupees and would come into effect from 1 April 2012. The incentive
amount of 11000 rupees would be given to brides from all castes, creeds, race,
religion and the income category to which the girl belongs.
Arunachal Pradesh Collaborated with NSDL for Adoption of National
Pension Scheme
On 9 January The state of Arunachal Pradesh entered into an agreement with
signing of MoU with National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), permitting it
to work as a Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) for adoption of the
National Pension System (NPS).National Pension Scheme NPS is an initiative
of the Union Government of India and Arunachal Pradesh is the 26th State to
adopt it.
Gujarat Tops List of Indian States on Economic Freedom Policy
According to the Economic Freedom of States in India report which was
released by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor and present Rajya
Sabha Member Bimal Jalan.The top state in India in (terms of) economic
freedom in 2011 was western Indian state Gujarat. It displaced southern
Indian state Tamil Nadu which had been at the top in 2009.Gujarat freedom
index has been rising fast and estimated at 0.64 points. The biggest
improvement has been registered by Madhya Pradesh with freedom index
score rose from 0.42 in 2009 to 0.56 in 2011 enabling it to move up from sixth
to third position.
Assembly polls in Tripura,Meghalaya and Nagaland on Febrauary
Assembly elections in Tripura will be held on February 14 and in Meghalaya
and Nagaland on February 23 and their results will be out on February 28, the
Election Commission announced on 10 January 2013.The EC also announced
byelections to nine assembly constituencies in Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal and Punjab on February 23 and in Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra on
February 24, but their results will be out together on February 28.
Presidents Rule Imposed on Jharkhand
On 18 January Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India imposed Presidents
Rule in Jharkhand under Article 356(1) of the Constitution.The Presidents
Rule for the third time since its formation 12 years ago.The decision came as a
follow up of the recommendation made by the Union Cabinet of India and fall
of the state machinery in form of Government on 8 January after the
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha the supporting party to BJP led Coalition
Government withdrew its support from it. The state was placed under
Presidents Rule in 2009 and 2010.
Three New High Courts for North East
The Centre has constituted three new High Courts in the northeast Meghalaya,
Manipur and Tripura taking the total number of High Courts in the country
from 21 to 24.According to Law Ministry sources, the strength of judges in
each High Court will be as follows: Tripura 4 (including the Chief Justice), and
Meghalaya and Manipur: three each (including the Chief Justice).
CONFERENCES
100th Indian Science Congress held in Kolkata
The 100th Indian Science Congress was held from 3 to 7 January in Kolkata
(West Bengal) .The theme of the session is Science for Shaping the Future of
India .The session was inaugurated by Pranab Mukherjee the President of
India .In the session Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released The Science,
Technology and Innovation Policy(STI) 2013 .On 4 January Former President
Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam inaugurated a Children Science Congress as part of the
100th Indian Science Congress .The 100th Indian Science Congress (ISC 2013)
is also organized a special programme Women empowerment for the
development of the country to showcase the contribution of women in
science and technology.This is the 13th time the Indian Science Congress is
being hosted by Kolkata
11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Kochi
11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) was held from 7- 9 January at Kochi
(Kerala).Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag was the chief guest of this
official inaugural session.2000 delegates from 40 countries attended the
convention.The theme for this years Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is Engaging
Diaspora the Indian Growth Story.On 7th January in the event they
discussed on problems that people from Kerala face in the region.Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurated the annual flagship event and
released the postage stamp on Ghadar Movement on 8 January and President
Pranab Mukherjee will delivered the valedictory address on January 9 and
also presented the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards.Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
(PBD) is celebrated on January 9 every year to mark the contribution of
overseas Indian community in the development of India.The Pravasi Bharatiya
Divas, the first of its kind involving the Indian Diaspora, was held in 2003 at
New Delhi.
Fourth Meeting of ASEAN and India Tourism Ministers held in Vientiane
The Fourth meeting of ASEAN and India Tourism Minister (4th M-ATM+
India) was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR from 21 to January in conjunction with
the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2013 (ATF2013).The Meeting was jointly co-
chaired by H.E. Prof. Dr. Bosengkham Vongdara, Minister of Information,
Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR, and H.E. Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, Minister for
Tourism, Government of India.In the meeting Both the Ministers have signed
the Protocol to amend the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN
and India on Strengthening Tourism Cooperation.
World Economic Forum Summit Held in Davos
The 43rd World Economic Forum Annual Meeting held from 23 27 January
at Davos-Klosters in Switzerland.The annual forum, which has been running
for over 40 years, provides a platform for decision-makers in politics, non-
governmental organisations and businesses to gather and to exchange views
on the worlds most pressing problems.The World Economic Forum (WEF)
unites international political leaders, business leaders and journalists from
across the globe to discussed and shape global, regional and industrial
agendas with regards to economics, health and the environment.The WEF was
founded in 1971 as a non-profit organization by the German Klaus Schwab, a
business professor at the University of Geneva.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Malala won 2012 Tipperary International Peace Award
On 3 January Malala Yousafzai, the teenaged Pakistani school girl shot by a
Taliban gunman last year , has been awarded the 2012 Tipperary
International Peace Award from Ireland for her courage and determination
to speak out in support of equal access to education for children.Malala is the
second Pakistani to get the award. In 2007, it was given to late Benazir Bhutto.
Malala honored with the French Simone de Beauvoir Prize
On 9 January Malala Yousafzai (15), the schoolgirl from Pakistan shot by
Taliban for campaigning girls education, received Frances Simone de
Beauvoir Prize for Womens Freedom in Paris. Malalas father Ziaudin
Yousafzai received the honour on her behalf. he award is accompanied with
2.5 million RupeTes honorarium.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2013
On 9 January Pranab Mukherjee President of India presented the Pravasi
Bharatiya Samman (Awards) 2013 to 14 people, included Overseas Indian
Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag, He was also
the Chief Guest of 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013. In accordance to
Tradition, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Awards) 2013 have been given to
notable Indians living abroad. The other awardees are Prof Dr Gurusharan
Singh Chhatwal of Germany for science, Dr Rasik Vihari Joshi (Mexico) for
Literature, Gilbert Canabady Moutien (Reunion Island) and Mohammed
Rabeeh Karuvanthodi (Saudi Arabia) for business, Patricia Maria Rozario(UK)
for Music, Dr Narendra Ramakrishna Kumar (USA) for Healthcare, Subash
Razdan (USA) and Islmail Ebrahim (South Afrcia) for Public service. Dr
Satendra Kumar Singh (New Zealand), Australia India Society of Victoria
(Australia) and Bava Pandalingal (UAE), Ashok Shambhomal Vaswani
(Guinea), Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait for community service, Tan Sri
Ravindran Menon from Malaysia for Community service, are among others on
the list of awardees.
Mamata Banerjee gets gift from PCB
Overwhelmed by the hospitality at the Eden Gardens during India-Pakistan
second ODI in Kolkata, the PCB sent the gift as a silver-coated Quran to the
Cricket Association of Bengal who handed it over to the CM during a function
at the Netaji Indoor in Kolkata on 10 January 2013.
Mahaveer Golechha Bags Award for Alzheimers Drug On 17 January The
London-based Indian researcher Mahaveer Golechha, was selected to be
felicitated for an award that includes his work on a drug that can be a
potential cure of Alzheimers disease.In the study conducted by Golechha, he
found discovered that naringin has essential anti-Alzheimer activity.
70th Golden Globe Awards 2013
On January 13 The 70th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and
television of 2012, was presented in California .
Best Film : Argo
Best Actor : Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Best Actress : Jessica Chastain
(Zero Dark Thirty) Best Director - Ben Affleck (Argo)
Best Musical or Comedy -: Les Miserables
Best Foreign Language Film : Amour
Best Animated Feature Film -: Brave
Krishi Karman Awards 2011- 2012
On 15 January President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Krishi Karman
awards for the year 2011-12 at an award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The awards were presented to the State Governments for their excellent
performance in increasing the production of food grains in their respective
states.
Awards in Different Segments :-
The Awards for Special Contribution to Total Food Grains Production -
Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Rice Bihar - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Wheat - Haryana - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Pulses - Jharkhand - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Coarse Cereals Uttar Pradesh
58th Filmfare Awards
The 58th Filmfare Awards were held honoring the best films of 2012 from the
Hindi-language film industry (commonly known as Bollywood). The ceremony
was held on January 20, 2013 at Mumbai.
Best Movie :- Barfi!
Best Actor :- Ranbir Kapoor (Film -Barfi!)
Best Actress :- Vidya Balan (Film Kahaani )
Best Director :- Sujoy Ghosh (Film Kahaani )
Lifetime Achievement Award :- Yash Chopra (After Death)
Prof C N R Rao awarded by Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences was awarded Prof C N R Rao, National
Research Professor and Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for
Advanced Scientific Research (JNCAR), the prestigious International
Scientific Cooperation Award 2012. The award is designed to acknowledge
outstanding scientists for their contribution to science and for promoting
global networking of international science cooperation.
Padma Awards 2013
President of India Approved the Conferment of 108 Padma Awards
On 25 January Pranab Mukherjee, the President of Union of India approved
conferment of 108 Padma Awards. Four people have been conferred with
Padma Vibhusan, twenty four are conferred with Padma Bhushan and 80
people would be receiving Padma Shree Awards. Out of all the awardees
twenty-four are ladies and 11 people belong to categories like NRIs, PIOs,
Foreigners and Posthumous awardees.
Padma Vibhushan
Raghunath Mohapatra, Art, Orissa
S Haider Raza, Art, Delhi Prof Yash Pal, Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh
Prof Roddam Narasimha, Science and Engineering, Karnataka
Padma Bhushan
Sharmila Tagore, Art, Delhi
Dr (Smt) Saroja Vaidyanathan, Art, Delhi
Late Rajesh Khanna, Art, Maharashtra
Late Jaspal Singh Bhatti, Art, Punjab Adi Burjor Godrej, Trade and Industry,
Maharashtra Prof Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Literature & Education USA
Rahul Dravid, Sports, Karnataka
H Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, Sports, Manipur
Padma Shri
Hosanagara Nagarajegowda Girisha, Sports, Karnataka , Subedar Major Vijay
Kumar, Sports, Himachal Pradesh Yogeshwar Dutt, Sports, Haryana B
Jayashree, Art, Karnataka Sridevi Kapoor, Art, Maharashtra Ramesh Gopaldas
Sippy, Art, Maharashtra
359 Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced
On 26 January President Pranab Mukherjee has approved awards of 359
Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and
others on the eve of the 64th Republic Day Celebrations .This includes 01 Kirti
Chakra, 11 Shaurya Chakra, 56 Sena Medal (Gallantry), 01 Bar to Nao Sena
Medal (Gallantry), 03 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 03 Vayu Sena Medal
(Gallantry), 28 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 03 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 06 Bar
to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 44 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 12 Yudh Seva Medal, 02
Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 37 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 01
Bar to Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 07 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to
Duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 04 Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal
and 116 Vishisht Seva Medal..Major Abup J Manjali of the Rashtriya Rifles was
selected for the award of Kirti Chakra for his extraordinary bravery efforts in
counter- terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taiwan Business Magnate Launched Tang Prize (Asian Noble Prize)
On 28 January Samuel Yin , A business magnate tycoon from Taiwan has
launched the Tang Prize(Asian Noble prize) for outstanding achievements in
natural and social sciences.He announced that he would establish Tang Prize
Foundation which would have an initial donation of 103 million dollar.Tang
Prize Foundation was decided that the prizes under the Tang Prize
Foundation will be awarded every alternate year to the international leaders
in sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, the rule of law as well
as the study of China.
SPORTS & GAMES
Kohli is CEAT International Cricketer of the Year
On 4 January Vice-captain of Indian Cricket team Virat Kohli was named the
International Cricketer of the Year while Pakistan cricket team was named as
the Best International Cricket Team in the 2011-2012 season at the CEAT
cricket awards in New Delhi. Unmukt Chand, who led India to the U-19 World
Cup win last year, got the inaugural Indian Youngster of the Year award.The
Former Pakistan cricket captain Zaheer Abbas received the Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Uttarakhand won 63rd National Basketball Championship
On 4 January Uttarakhand won 63rd National basketball championship mens
title after defeated Punjab in the final at Ludhiana (Punjab).In the womens
section, Railways won the title against by first-time finalist Tamil Nadu in the
final.
Tipsarevic won Chennai Open Tennis Title
On 6 January Second-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia has won the ATP
Chennai Open Title after defeated Roberto Bautista-Agut of Spain in the final
at Chennai.Tipsarevic won the chennai open title for the first time in his
career.
Nicol David won World Series Squash Title
On 6 January Nicol David won the World Series Squash Finals womens title
after defeated Englands Laura Massaro in the final at London.In the mens
final, Egypts Amr Shabana came from behind to beat Englands Nick Matthew
.
AustraliaWon Test Against Sri Lanka
Australia secured a five-wicket won in the third and final Test match against
Sri Lanka on 6 January at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) .
Brisbane International Tennis Winners 2013 Womens Singles :
Serena Williams (USA) won the WTA Brisbane International womens singles
title on 5 January with a straight sets demolition of Russian Anastasia
Pavlyuchenkova.
Mens Singles : In the Mens singles Category Andy Murray from scotland
won the title after defeated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov .
Womens Doubles : Sania Mirza and her partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands won
the womens doubles trophy by winning against Kveta Peschke and Anna-
Lena Groenefeld Mens Doubles : Marcelo Melo Tommy Robredo won the
doubles title after defeated Eric Butorac Paul Hanley .
Pakistan won the Three Match Series
On 6 January Pakistan won the three-match series by 2-1 against India.With
this win over Pakistan, India lost the three matches one day series .Nasir
Jamshed of Paksitan was declared as the Player of the tournament.MS Dhoni
was once again chosen as the Player of the match.
Lionel Messi, the man of the four Golden Balls
Lionel Messi became the first four-time winner of the FIFA Player of the Year
award after shattering the world record with 91 goals last year(2012) for
Barcelona and Argentina.His 91 goals topped Gerd Muellers mark of 85 for
Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972.
Bangar quits first-class cricket
Former India player and Railways captain Sanjay Bangar announced his
retirement from first-class cricket after guiding his team to a 122-run victory
over Bengal in the final league game of the Ranji Trophy on 01 January 2013
in Kolkata.He played 165 first class matches amassing 8342 runs at an
average of 33.35 and has 300 wickets to his credit.
National Table Tennis Championship Winners
On 11 January Soumyajit Ghosh became the youngest national champion after
he defeated six-time winner Achanta Sharath Kamal in the summit clash of the
74th National Table Tennis Championship mens singles final at
Raipur.Shamini Kumaresan won the womens singles title.Sourav Chakraborty
and Ganeshan Sathiyan won the doubles title.In the Women doubles category
K. Spoorthy and Nikhat Banu (AP) defeated Madhurika Patkar and Pooja
Sahasrabudhe in the final and got the title.
Haryana girls retain U-20 hockey title
Haryana defeated Uttar Pradesh 1-0 to retain their under-20 women hockey
national championship at the Gachibowli Stadium on 16 January 2013.
Kerala won 61st National Volleyball Championship Title
On 16 January Kerala defeated Tamilnadu to retain the mens title in the 61st
Senior National Volleyball Championship at the Sawai Man Singh Indoor
Stadium in Jaipur.In the womens section, Railways defeated Kerala and won
the title in the final.
Malaysian Open Badminton Championship Winners
Mens Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Indonesia) won the Mens singles title after
defeated Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final at Kuala Lumpur on 20 January.
Mens Doubles: Mohd Ahsan (Indonesia) -Hendra Setiawan (China) defeated
Ko Sung-hyun-Lee Yong-dae (Malaysia) in the final.
Womens Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Thailand) won the womens singles title
after defeated Yao Xue (Korea)
Womens Doubles: In the event Bao Yixin-Tian Qing (China) won the title
after defeated Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)
Lalith Babu takes top honours
Lalith Babu defeated Swapnil Dhopade in the final round to clinch the Chennai
Super Kings International Grandmaster chess tournament that concluded at
the Nehru Stadium in Chennai on 23 January 2013.Lalith Babu won
Rs.200,000 and the trophy after becoming the first Indian player to claim the
Chennai Open
Australian Open Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners
Womens Singles :- Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the Womens Singles
title of the Australian Open Tennis tournament after defeated Li Na of China in
the final at Melbourne on 26 January .
Mens Singles:- Novak Djokovic (Serbia) has won the mens singles title after
defeating Andy Murray (Britain) in four sets. This is Djokovics fourth
Australian Open and over all six Grand Slam single title.
WomensDoubles:- Top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci won the title,
defeating wild cards Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the final.
Mens Doubles : Top seeded American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the
mens doubles title. Americans Mike and Bob Bryan won their record 13th
Grand Slam doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor
Sijsling .
Magnus Carlsen Won Tata Steel Chess Championship
Magnus Carlsen won Tata Steel 2013 Chess tournament title in the final at
Netherlands on 27 January .In the final round tournament, he scored 10 points
, winning clear first ahead of second-place finisher Aronian (Armenia).World
champion Viswanathan Anand at third position.
Mumbai won 40th Ranji Trophy Title
On 29 January Mumbai won its 40th Ranji Trophy title against Saurashtra by
an inning and 125 runs in the final at Wankhede at Mumbai .Wasim Jaffar was
declared Man of the Match. Ajit Agarkar was the captain of the winning team.
ECONOMY
Philippines introduced sin tax
A sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol was introduced in the Philippines on 01
January 2013, as part of a government bid to boost finances.Many stores
started selling tobacco and drink at inflated prices before midnight , ahead of
the official implementation of the tax hikes on January 01, hitting partygoers
in the pocket.Tax on cigarettes will gradually be raised to 30 pesos ($0.72) per
pack by 2017, roughly doubling the current price to around 52 pesos.Duty on
alcohol will also increase gradually until 2017, increasing the price of a bottle
of beer by 23.50 pesos, with varying levels for other drinks including wine and
spirits.
LIC Launched New Jeewan Nidhi & Flexi Plus Policies
The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India launched two new Insurence
policies New Jeevan Nidhi, a pension scheme, and Flexi Plus on 3 January .New
Jeewan Nidhi provides the facility of insurance coverage of full amount while
the insured person keeps depositing premiums.The Flexi policy is a unit
linked insurance product. The plan not only provides a lump sum benefit on
death but also maturity benefit irrespective of survival of the policy holder
Mukesh Ambani 18th richest man in world
Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani is the 18th richest person in the
world with a personal wealth of $24.7 billion in 2012, according to the
Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the worlds 100 wealthiest
individuals. Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim remained the
worlds richest person last year holding a personal fortune of more than $70
billion.Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the founder of fashion retailer Zara,
Amancio Ortega, got a second and third places respectively.
Indian Companies Top Globally in R&D Investment
According to the European Commission report Indian companies have come
on the top globally when it comes to growth in their research and
development (R&D) investments, leaving their counterparts in the US and
Europe far behind.Indian firms rank far below when it comes to absolute R&D
investments made by them and the top-ranked company from the
country.These are the only 14 Indian companies present in a list of top-1500
entities worldwide in terms of their annual R&D investments.The top-ranked
Indian company is Infosys at 329th place and Japanese company Toyota
Motor appears at the top of the ranking in the 2012 Scoreboard.
IMF forecasted Indian Economic Growth Rate to be 5.9 percent in 2013
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 23 January 2013 pegged Indias
economic growth rate in 2013 at 5.9 per cent and projected a higher growth of
6.4 per cent next year in line with the gradual strengthening of global
expansion.
World Banks Global Economic Prospects 2013 Report
According to the World Bank Global Economic Prospects 2013 report ,
Indias growth is expected to inch closer to that of China in near future, in
which the economies of developing countries like India, China and Brazil are
projected to be recovering and higher growth rate.The World Bank expects
that by 2015, the growth rate of China would be 7.9% and that of India
7%.While the growth of the world economy growth is projected to inch up
from 2.3% in 2012 to 2.4% in 2013, with the high-income countries remaining
at the same level of growth of 1.3% in both 2012 and 2013, it is the emerging
markets like India, China and Brazil that would show significant signs of
recovery.They are expecting a recovery in India from 5.1% growth in 2012 to
6.1% growth in 2013.
India 119th on Economic Freedom Index
According to the Heritage Foundation 2013 Index of Economic Freedom
survey report , India has been ranked as the 119th freest country in the world
and Indias economic freedom score stood at 55.2, as its institutional
shortcomings continue to undermine the foundations for long-term economic
development.The top ten countries in the list include Hong Kong, Singapore,
Australia, New Zealand, Switzarland, canada, Chili, Mauritius, Denmark and
US.
India second in steel production globally
India is second only to China in terms of steel production. In the last 5 years
Indias production grew by 33 percent, thus making it behind China among the
top 5 steel producing nation. World Steel Association (WSA) data has revealed
that Chinas production grew by 39 per cent during 2008-2012, Indias by 33
percent and Indias production grew constantly in the last five years from 57.8
MT in 2008 to 63.5 MT in 2009, 69 MT in 2010, 73.6 MT in 2011 and 76.7 MT
in 2012
RBI cuts CRR, Repo Rates
On 29 January The Reserve Bank of India slashed its key interest rates by 0.25
per cent and released 18000 crore rupees additional liquidity into the system
to perk up growth through reduced cost of borrowing. RBI in its third quarter
monetary policy review surprised the market by cutting short-term lending
rate called repo, by 0.25 per cent to 7.75 per cent and Cash Reserve Ratio
(CRR) by similar margin to 4 per cent.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
US approved First new Tuberculosis Drug
On 1 January The US Food and Drug administration approved a Johnson &
Johnson tuberculosis drug in 40 years .This is the first new medicine to fight
the deadly infection in more than four decades.The disease is rare in the US,
but kills about 1.4 million people a year worldwide.
Spiral galaxy IC 2233
Astronomers had captured one of the flattest galaxies known in the universe,
sitting like a silver needle in the haystack of space. The NASA/ESA Hubble
Space Telescope produced a beautiful image of the spiral galaxy IC 2233, one
of the flattest galaxies. The IC 2233 is located about 40 million light-years
away from Earth. This galaxy was earlier discovered by British astronomer
Isaac Roberts in 1894.
Immune system booster may hit cancer
Japanese research where stem cells were used to clone and produce large
numbers of a specialized type of white blood cell. These cells, known as
cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), are produced by the immune system and are
able to recognize specific markers on the surface of various tumour cells,
causing them to launch an attack to kill the tumour cells.The researchers are
succeeded in using stem cells to mass-produce CTLs in laboratory
conditions.
Chinese Biologists Discovered Antibiotic In Panda Blood
Chinese biologists have discovered that the blood of the endangered giant
panda includes a compound called Cathelicidin-AM which acts as a natural
antibiotic. The nature of the blood compound makes it an attractive treatment
for so-called superbugs, those strains of disease that have become immune or
resistant to traditional antibiotics.
India to make worlds largest solar telescope
India is likely to begin construction of the worlds largest solar telescope on
the foothills of the Himalayas in Ladakh to understand the fundamental
processes taking place on the Sun by year-end.A 2-metre class, state-of-the-art
National Large Solar Telescope (NLST), built by Bangalore-based Indian
Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), will permit Indian scientists to carry out
cutting edge research aimed to study Suns atmosphere.
Internet emits 830 mt of carbon dioxide annually
According to Researchers from the Centre for Energy-Efficient
Telecommunications (CEET) and Bell Labs, Internet and other components of
information communication and technology (ICT) industry annually produces
more than 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse
gas, and is expected to double by 2020
Lakshya Missile Successfully Tested
Indias indigenously developed, Lakshya was sucessfully tested on 7 January
.It was launched from the Integrated Test Range ITR, at Odisha .25 meters in
length, 100 km away from the target to the missile .
17 billion Earth-sized planets in Milky Way
The Milky Way contains at least 17 billion planets the size of
Earth.Astronomers using NASAs Kepler spacecraft found that about 17
percent of stars in our galaxy have a planet about the size of Earth in a close
orbit.The Milky Way is known to host about 100 billion stars, meaning that
about one of every six has an Earth-sized planet around it.
Brahmos cruise missile test fired in successfully
Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos scored once again in its 34th launch on 09
January 2013 off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal, hitting a
decommissioned vessel with accuracy.As it took off vertically from a naval
warship, reached an altitude of 14 km, levelled out and started cruising at
three times the speed of sound, it performed a double manoeuvre in S-form
and hit the decommissioned ship, about 290 km away.
Astronomers Found NGC 6872 Largest known Spiral Galaxy
A team of astronomers from the United States, Chile and Brazil has crowned it
the largest-known spiral galaxy, a spectacular behemoth five times bigger
than our own Milky Way, based on archival data from NASAs Galaxy
Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission.The title-holder is now NGC 6872, a
barred spiral found 212 million light-years away in the southern constellation
Pavo. The distance between NGC 6872s two huge spiral arms is 522,000 light-
years, compared to about 100,000 light-years for the Milky Way.
Indian Scientists Discovered Molecule for Cancer Treatment
A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian
Institute of Science at Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim
will revolutionise the cure for cancer.The molecule has been named after
Sathees as SCR7 and a detailed account of it has been carried in the
international scientific journal Cell".Scientists world over believe that the
double strand break (DSB) of DNA is one of the most lethal form of DNA
damage, resulting in drastic consequences such as genome instability, and
cancer.
Largest Space structure in the Universe:
Large Quasar Group
An international team lead by astronomer Roger Clowes of the University of
Central Lancashire in England discovered the largest known structure in the
universe, a clump of active galactic cores that stretches 4 billion light-years
from end to end.This is the largest Space structure in the Universe.This
structure is known as a Large Quasar Group(LQG).
Indian Scientists Discovered Molecule for Cancer Treatment
A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian
Institute of Science at Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim
will revolutionise the cure for cancer.The molecule has been named after
Sathees as SCR7 and a detailed account of it has been carried in the
international scientific journal Cell".Scientists world over believe that the
double strand break (DSB) of DNA is one of the most lethal form of DNA
damage, resulting in drastic consequences such as genome instability, and
cancer.
Worlds First Global Renewable Energy Atlas Launched
On 13 January Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) launched the worlds first clean energy atlas at IRENAS General
Assembly , currently offers open-access information on solar and wind power
throughout the world and the creators plan to expand to other renewable
energy resources over the next two years.The atlas includes information on
clean energy resources in 37 countries, including those which have no
diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.The International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is working in partnership with the
Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) to build a
qualitative and quantitative data framework for renewable energy in
developing countries.
Ancient River Found on Mars
On 17 January The European Space Agency scientists have revealed a 1500
km long and 7 kilometre wide river that once ran across Mars.The images
which were captured by the ESAs Mars Express showed Reull Vallis, the river-
like structure, which is believed to have formed when water ran from the
surface of Mars in distant past. The structure which surprised the
astronomers stretches for around 900 miles or 1500 km across the Martian
surface and also shows various tributaries. These structures, it is believed,
were formed somewhere around 3.5 billion years ago.
India Increased Rafale Fighter Jets Order
India could buy up to 189 of the Rafale fighter jets currently being used by
France to bomb Islamist militants in Mali, sources close to negotiations on the
multi-billion dollar deal .The possibility of an additional 63 jets being added to
an expected order for 126 was raised by India .The Indian press has estimated
the value of the deal for 126 Rafales at $12 billion (nine billion euros).A 50 per
cent increase in the number of planes ordered would take it to around $18
billion, in a huge boost for the French defence industry.
Japan to replace Fukushima plant with worlds largest wind farm
In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan had decided to
build the worlds largest offshore wind farm to replace the crippled nuke
plant.The country plans to build a total of 143 wind turbines on platforms 16
kilometres off the coast of Fukushima by 2020, which is home to the stricken
Daiichi nuclear reactor that hit the headlines in March 2011 when it was
damaged by a severe earthquake and tsunami.The wind farm will generate 1
gigawatt of power once completed, and is part of a national plan to increase
renewable energy resources following the post-tsunami shutdown of the
countrys 54 nuclear reactors.The wind farm will surpass the 504 megawatts
generated by the 140 turbines at the Greater Gabbard farm off the coast of
Suffolk, UK currently the worlds largest farm.
India, US finalise Rs 3,000 crore deal for jet engines
India and the US have finalised a Rs 3000-crore deal for supplying 99 jet
engines to be used in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas being
developed by the DRDO.Around two years ago, India had selected the
American company General Electric over its rival European Eurojet 2000 for
the LCA Mark II programme expected to be ready around 2014-15.The deal
worth Rs 3,000 crore has been finalised with the US for procuring 99 engines
for the LCA Tejas MkII.As per the contract, the order could be for 99 engines
initially but India will have the option of ordering another 100 engines in the
future.
INS Saryu Inducted into Indian Navy
On 21 January Air Marshal PK Roy, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and
Nicobar Command, commissioned INS Saryu into the Indian Navy at Goa .INS
Saryu is the lead ship of the indigenous Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV)
Project designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited, the ship aptly
demonstrates the immense potential of the countrys indigenous designing
and ship building capabilities.Capable of carrying a helicopter (ALH) onboard,
the ships weapon and sensor outfit includes a SRGM 76.2 mm gun with an
electro-optic fire control system, two 30mm guns as close in weapon systems,
latest navigational and early warning radars, chaff launchers for self
protection and an integrated ESM system to undertake all assigned missions.
MIT researchers Created Moisture Powered Polymer
MIT ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) researchers have created a new
polymer film that can generate electricity by drawing on a ubiquitous source:
water vapor.The new material changes its shape after absorbing tiny amounts
of evaporated water, allowing it to repeatedly curl up and down. Harnessing
this continuous motion could drive robotic limbs or generate enough
electricity to power micro- and nanoelectronic devices, such as environmental
sensors.
India Sucessfully Test Fired K-5 Ballistic Missile
On 27 January India successfully test fired medium range K-5 ballistic missile
,with a strike range of around 1500 kilometres, from an underwater platform
in Bay of Bengal.K-5 is part of the family of underwater missiles being
developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for
the Indian strategic forces underwater platforms.
Iran successfully sent monkey into space
Iran on 28 January 2013 announced that it had successfully send a monkey to
the space.It also declared that the monkey come back to the Earth
successfully.The rocket called Pishgam (meaning Pioneer) reached at a height
of 120 km (75 miles) for a sub-orbital flight before returning its shipment
intact. The first country to launch the primate into space was US.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Asif Ibrahim appointed as chief Intelligence Bureau
Indian Police Service officer SA Ibrahim appointed as chief of the Intelligence
Bureau on 01 January 2013 and he becoming the first from the countrys main
minority community(Muslim Community) to hold the post. Ibrahim, an IPS
officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has taken over as from Nehchal Sandhu
who retired December 31. He will hold the post for two years.
Urjit Patel appointed as RBI deputy governor
On 02 January 2013 Urjit Patel, a consultant at Boston Consulting Group, had
been appointed a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India, succeeding
Subir Gokarn who was aiding the governor in shaping the monetary policy.
YV Reddy to head 14th Finance Commission
On 02 January 2013 former RBI governor YV Reddy was appointed chairman
of the 14th finance commission to suggest principles of sharing of revenues
between the Centre and the states and insulate pricing of public utilities like
electricity, water and public transport from policy fluctuations.
Ami Bera and Tulsi Gabbard Sworn In As US Lawmakers
On 4 January Indian American physician from California, Ami Bera, and the
young Iraq war veteran from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard, created history after
being sworn in as new members of the US House of Representatives.Bera is
only the third Indian American have ever been elected to the House of
Representatives.Tulsi Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to won the
Congressional election.
Malalas Father Appointed as Education Attache in Birmingham
On 3 January Malalas father Ziauddin Yousafzai has been appointed as the
education attache at the Pakistan consulate in Birmingham, England.The job is
believed to be for up to three years.
Indian American Srinivasan re-nominated as Federal Judge
On 4 January Srikanth Srinivasan a brilliant Indian American legal mind has
been re-nominated by US President Barack Obama to serve as Federal Judge
for the District of Columbia Circuit.In June 2012 he was nominated by Obama
to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Justice D K Jain appointed new Law Commission chief
The Union Cabinet of India on 7 January 2013 appointed Justice D K Jain as
Chairman of 20th Law Commission of India. He gives advice to the
government on complex legal issues. Justice Jain, 64, will take over as the chief
of the law panel on January 24 after retiring from the Supreme Court on the
same day.
John Brennan as a CIA director
U.S. President Barack Obama announced on )7 January 2013 John Brennan
wasnominated as director of the American Intelligence Agency(CIA) and
Chuck Hagel as a Defense secretary. John Brennan played a key role in
encounter the Osama Bin Laden.
Indian-origin politician to be Singapores first womanspeaker
Indian-origin politician Halimah Yacob elected as the first woman Speaker of
Singapores Parliament on 08 Janauary 2013.She take charges from 14
January 2013.Halimah, a former labour lawyer, is a member of Parliament
from the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP).
Kulwant Singh Gill Took charge as new Commandant of NDA
On 8 January Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill took charge as the new
commandant of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla,
Pune.The NDA provides three-year training in defence and academics to its
cadets before they move on to their respective officers training academies for
another one-year course and get commissioned into the armed forces.
R.K. Dubey Took Charge as Canara Banks new CMD
On 11 January R.K. Dubey has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing
Director of Canara Bank .Mr. Dubey was previously worked as a Punjab
National Bank General Manager in 2008 and was appointed as Executive
Director of Central Bank of India in 2010.
Rajkumar Goyal Took Charge as Central Bank of India new ED
On 11 January Rajkumar Goyal has took charge as Executive Director (ED) of
Central Bank of India (CBI).He was previously with the bank of India as the
General Manager of Human Resources Department
Obama nominated Jack Lew as new Treasury Chief
On 11 January President Barack Obama nominated his chief of staff, Jack Lew,
to become the next Treasury secretary and succeed Timothy Geithner.Last
year, Lew was named Obamas chief of staff, and before that he had served as
the White House budget director.
First Gujarati in UK cabinet
Lord Dolar Popat has appointed a minister in the UK cabinet .He become the
first Gujarati taking his place in the UK cabinet .Popat was appointed minister
for business, innovation & skills and transport.
Mohan Pieris assumes duties as 44th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
On 15 January 2013 ,Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed his
cabinets legal advisor as the countrys new Chief Justice to succeed Shirani
Bandaranayake. Rajapaksa sworn in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace
Sri Lankas first woman chief justice who was impeached by the parliament in
a controversial move.Peiris, a British qualified solicitor who retired in 2011 as
the Attorney General was serving as the legal advisor to the Cabinet.
Ved Prakash is UGC chairman
Ved Prakash, serving as acting chairman of the University Grants Commission,
had been appointed as its chairman on 18 January 2013.The chairmans post
remained vacant ever since S. Thorat retired in February 2011. Since then Mr.
Prakash had been the acting chairman.
Obama Sworn in as the US President for Second Term
On 20 January US President Barack Obama Barack Obama was sworn in as the
President of the country for a second four-year term.Obama as the 44th
president of the United States and also he is the third consecutive president to
win two terms, after Bush and Clinton. Joe Biden sworn-in for second term as
US vice-president.
Suchitra Ella, Founding Chairwoman of CIIs women wing
Suchitra K. Ella, Joint Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International, had
been nominated as the Founding Chairwoman of the Indian Women Network
of CII. The network aims to provide a platform for working women to come
together and discuss issues and opportunities and share best practices. She is
currently the Chairperson of CII Andhra Pradesh State Council for 2012-13.
She had earlier been elected to the CII Andhra Pradesh State Council. She has
been awarded the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge award
2007 by the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, the Manhattan Chamber of
Commerce and the FLO GR8 Women Achievers Award 2008 for
entrepreneurial excellence.
B)RESIGNS
Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda resigned
Political uncertainty deepened in Jharkhand on 08 January 2013, with Chief
Minister Arjun Munda submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ahmed. On
07 January 2013, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced the
withdrawal of its support to the BJP-led government.
Rajapaksa Dismissed First Woman Chief Justice of the Country
On 13 January Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka dismissed the
first woman chief justice of the country, Shirani Bandarnayake after endorsing
her impeachment by the Parliament that caught her guilty on the corruption
charges.She appointed as a chief Justice on May 2011.
C)DEATHS
Violin maestro MSG passes away
M.S. Gopalakrishnan legendary violinist known for his mastery of both the
Carnatic and Hindustani systems of classical music passed away on 03
January 2013 in Chennai.In his career spanning 75 years, he not only broke
new ground as an accompanist, but also rose to become one of the best solo
violinists in the country, along with Lalgudi G. Jayaraman and T.N. Krishnan.
The three are considered the violin trinity of south Indian classical
music.Despite enviable success and accolades that came in the form of
national honours such as the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, and
innumerable titles, including the Sangita Kalanidhi title awarded by The
Music Academy, Chennai.
Pakistani singer Mehnaz Begum is no more
Renowned Pakistani singer Mehnaz Begum died on 19 January 2013.Mehnaz
specialized in ghazal, thumri, dadra, khayal, drupad and reciting salam, noha
and marsiya.Mehnaz was the daughter of popular sub-continental singer
Kajjan Begum.She sang over 2,500 songs for radio television and films in a
variety of genres like ghazal, thumri, dadra, khayal and drupad.
D)VISITORS
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag Visited India
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag visited India from 3 10 January
.During the visit Purryag met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pranab
Mukherjee on 4 January in New Delhi. In Bihar , he visited his ancestral village
, Bojeetpore near Patna.President Purryag also the chief guest of Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas .He attended the 3 days event 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
held in Kochi (Kerala).
Vice President Hamid Ansari Visited Vietnam
Vice President Hamid Ansari visited Vietnam from 14 to 17 January.During
the visit Ansari met Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh and
discussed the both countries bilateral issues , signed several agreements
.Ansari attended the closing ceremony of the celebrations to mark the 40th
anniversary of the India-Vietnam diplomatic ties.
Bhutan King Wangchuck Visited India
The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited India from 23-
30 January.During the visit he attended the Indias Republic Day celebrations
as a Chief Guest.Wangchuck met President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, and the United Progressive Alliances Chairperson, Sonia
Gandhi.This is the fourth time since 1954 that a Bhutanese King will be a Chief
Guest at Indias Republic Day celebrations.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Ex-Haryana CM Chautala, son get 10 years jail
Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay had
been sentenced to 10 years in jail in connection with a teachers recruitment
scam.Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar sentenced the Chautalas and seven
others to 10 years in jail while one convict was given five years in jail and 45
others four years in jail.
Swaminarayan sect opens $100-million quake-proof temple near
Hollywood
One of the biggest Hindu temples in the US, built at a whopping cost of $100
million near the Hollywood city in Los Angeles .The 68th Swaminarayan
temple of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha
(BAPS) had been built using 35,000 pieces of meticulously hand carved Italian
Carrara marble and Indian Pink Sandstone.
Premlata Conquers Summit of Mt Vinson in Antarctica
On 17 January Premlata Agrawal, the oldest woman in India to have climbed
Mt. Everest, has conquered Mt. Vinson in Antarctica in pursuit of the
Mountaineering Challenge of climbing the Seven Summits.She completed her
Mt. Vinson expedition on January .The person successful in conquering all the
seven summits is considered a member of the Hall of Fame for
mountaineers.Premlata will become the first Indian woman and one of the
oldest in the world to conquer all seven summits.
Ex-ISRO chairman Inducted in to Satellite Hall of Fame
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced its former
chairman and Department of Space secretary Prof U R Rao by inducting him as
the member of the prestigious Satellite Hall of Fame , Washington.Since
1987, the SSPI Hall of Fame has been recognising the invaluable contribution
of the visionaries who have transformed life on planet earth for the better
through satellite technology. Members of the Hall of Fame are recognised
pioneers in communications, satellite related aerospace scientific research or
development and delivery of applications for business, institutions and
government via satellite.
David Headley sentenced for 35 years for 26/ 11 role(Mumbai attacks)
Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley was on 24
January 2013 sentenced to 35 years in jail by a Chicago court for his
unquestionable role in the massacre of 166 people in the 2008 Mumbai
attacks.
Forbes India Celebrity 100 List
According to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 List The Bollywood
superstar Shah Rukh Khan, topped the inaugural Forbes India Celebrity 100
list.Forbes India estimates, the total earning of Shah Rukh from October 2011
and September 2012 was 202.8 crore Rupees.The ranking was given based on
the popularity as well as income of the biggest entertainers of India. Second
on the list was Salman Khan and MS Dhoni followed in the third position.The
special edition of Forbes India judged in eight different categories directors,
film actors, TV personailities, models, comedians, sports stars, authors and
singers/musicians.The youngest celebrity in the list of Forbes India was Saina
Nehwal, aged 23 years.
Switzerland best place to be born, India 66th
Switzerland has been called the best place in the world to be born in 2013
according to the The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of
The Economist. The worst place for a baby to start life was violence-hit
African country Nigeria. The survey included 80 nations and Australia ranked
second followed by Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Singapore, Netherlands,
Hong Kong, Canada and New Zealand were also ranked among top 10. India
was ranked 66th place.The survey included significant parameters to judge
the best country to be born and these factors included demography,
geography, cultural and social characteristics, state of economy, future income
per head as well as public policy.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Quake in Indonesia
On 22nd January A strong, shallow earthquake rocked parts of western
Indonesia early killed 30 persons and panicking residents and ruining homes.
Several other people were injured.Indonesias meteorology and geophysics
agency put the preliminary magnitude at 6.0 and said the inland quake caused
no tsunami. It was centered southwest of the city of Banda Aceh and 10 miles
(6 kilometers) beneath the earths crust, according to the U.S. Geological
Survey..
233 People Killed in Brazil Night Club Fire Accident
On 27 January The blaze in the university town of Santa Maria nightclub fire
killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil .Most of those who died were
suffocated by toxic fumes that rapidly filled the crowded club after sparks
from pyrotechnics used by the band for visual effects set fire to soundproofing
on the ceiling.
ABBREVIATIONS
CBT-Cash Transfer Benefit
EIUEconomist Intelligence Unit
CBSCentral Bureau of Statistics
NLST-National Large Solar Telescope
CEET-Centre for Energy-Efficient Telecommunications
CIAAmerican Intelligence Agency
WEF-World Economic Forum
PBSPravasi Bhartiya Divas
MSMEMinistry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
BWFBadminton World Federation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Swami Vivekananda The Monk as Man Book Released
The renowned Bengali writer Shankar wrote a The Monk as Man book on
Swami Vivekananda ,who spread the message of Indias spiritual heritage
across the world.In the book Shankar described Vivekananda used to
emphasise greatly on physical strength and is known for the shocking
statement Better to play football than read the Gita.
McChrystal My Share of the Task: A Memoir Book Released
General Stanley McChrystal, the former American commander in Afghanistan,
wrote a My Share of the Task: A Memoir, book which was released on 7
January .In the book Chrystal explained that tensions between the White
House and the Pentagon were evident in the Obama administration from its
opening months in office.This book is not just for aficionados of military
history or for students of American foreign policy .
COMMITTEES
Vijay Kelkar Committee for Fiscal Consolidation
The Vijay Kelkar Committee, which was appointed by Finance Ministry to
suggest a roadmap for fiscal consolidation, has suggested immediate hike in
fuel prices and complete deregulation of diesel prices by start of 2014-15
fiscal.It also suggested raising kerosene and LPG rates.Now the Kelkar
committee recommendation is still at proposal stage.
Justice Verma Committee Submitted Report
On 23 January The three-member committee included former Chief Justice of
India, J S Verma, who headed the committee, Justice (Retd.) Leila Seth, former
Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court and Gopal Subramanian, former
Solicitor General of India , set up to suggest ways to make rape laws stronger
in the country, has submitted its report with recommendations to enhance
and amend existing laws dealing with cases of sexual crime.The Justice Verma
panel recognised failure of governance as primary cause of sexual crimes.The
Panel suggested Trafficking should be made punishable with imprisonment
ranging from not less than 7 years to 10 years .There was a need for the
separate Bill of Rights for women that will make sure that women would have
their own rights for having sexual autonomy.
INTERNATIONAL
UK, Afghan, Pakistan Leaders Hold Talks in Britain
On 4 February The leaders of Britain, Afghanistan and Pakistan pushed for the
Taliban to come to the table for peace talks to end Afghanistans protracted
conflict and gave themselves a six-month deadline to get a deal.British Prime
Minister David Cameron hosted Afghanistans President Hamid Karzai and
Pakistans President Asif Zardari for trilateral talks on Afghanistans
floundering peace and reconciliation process.
UNICEF Syria Crisis Humanitarian Situation Report
On 8 February According to the UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Fund
)Syria Crisis Humanitarian Situation Report, The vaccination effort in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health is well underway, with over 53,000
children receiving measles vaccinations, over 44,000 receiving vitamin A
supplements, and over 10,000 polio doses administered.
Pakistan to Renamed Sindh Province to Sind
On 12 February 2013, the Sindh Assembly approved a bill to rename the
southern Pakistani province as Sind.The assembly approved the Sindh Laws
Amendment Bill of 2012, whereby the letter h will be removed from the
name of the province.
Russia Rejected U.S. Nuclear Warheads Proposals
On 14 February Russia rejected U.S. president Barack Obama proposals ,
which deployed nuclear warhead delivery systems including bombers, missile
launchers and nuclear submarines a cut of about 60%.In 2010 Russia and
the United States signed on New START agreement.The New Start treaty
limits each side to no more than 800 deployed nuclear warhead delivery
systems including bombers, missile launchers and nuclear submarines a cut
of about 50%.
Rafael Correa Re-elected for 3rd term as Ecuadors President
On 17 February Ecuadoreans president Rafael Correa has been re-elected for
a third term with more than 50 percent of votes in his favour.As per the
results, Rafael Correa got 56.7 percent while his closest competitor Guillermo
could secure only 23.3 percent.Correa is a socialist leader who was first
elected in 2006 December and he was sworn in on 15 January 2007 as the
56th president of Ecuador.Correa was re-elected to a second term in 2009.
Pakistan Hands Over Strategic Gwadar Port To China
On 18 February Pakistan and China signed an agreement to hand over control
of the strategic Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea to a Chinese company.Under
the agreement for transfer of concession rights, the deep sea port will remain
the property of Pakistan while the Chinese company will share profits from its
operation. China Overseas Port Holdings Limited will fully assume
responsibility for Gwadar port in Balochistan province.
Israels Netanyahu Announced Coalition Deal with Tzipi Livni
On 19 Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has announced a coalition deal with
former Foreign Minister and the rival centrist Hatnua Party Chairwomen Tzipi
Livni, at Jerusalem. Under the deal agreement, Livni will serve as the new
Justice Minister and will oversee the peace efforts with the Palestinians.Tzipi
Livni is an Israeli Politician and the first women to be the leader of opposition
in Israel. She is the leader of the new centrist party, Hatnuah. She served Israel
as its Foreign Minister from 2006 to 2009.
Russia and Brazil Signed on Defence Cooperation Agreements
On 20 February Russia and Brazil signed a Defence, Energy and Agricultural
agreements .Brazil agreed to negotiate the purchase of Russian anti-aircraft
missile batteries on the condition that Russia transfer the technology to
Brazilian defense companies without restrictions.The agreements are signed
by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Brazilian President Dilma
Rousseff .
Nicos Anastasiades Elected as Cyprus New President
On 24 February the centre-right DISY (the Democratic Rally) party leader
Nicos Anastasiades, has won the presidential elections of Cyprus with 57.5
percent votes.Nicos Anastasiades had a very easy going victory over
Communist-backed Stavros Malas who secured 42.5 percent votes in the
election.
Raul Castro re-elected for Second Term as Cubas President
On 25 February Raul Castro has been re-elected as Cubas president officially
to his last five-year term.The National Assembly of Peoples Power approved,
in the capital Havana, Army General Raul Castro Ruz as president of the
Council of State, and elected Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, as its first vice
president.Raul Castro became interim president when his brother, revolution
icon Fidel, took ill in 2006. He then formally became president in 2008.
INDIA & WORLD
India-Malaysia Double Taxation Agreement in Force
On 2 February India and Malaysia signed on double-taxation avoidance
agreement (DTAA). Dividends paid by Indian companies to Malaysian
investors or entities will attract a lower withholding tax of 5 percent against
10 per cent earlier. The new agreement has also, in line with international
practice, introduced a new article for taxing capital gains from alienation of
property.
India Failed To Curb Sexual Violence Against Women
According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2013 India has
been accused of failure to curb incidents of sexual violence against women
and for restrictions on right to free speech, India has a thriving civil society,
free media, and an independent judiciary, the city-based rights group said in
its assessment of rights abuses in India.
Six Indian Institutes in Global 150 Top Think-Tanks
On 3 February Six Indian research institutes, including Centre for Civil Society
(CCS), are among top 150 global think tanks in the annual list released by
the University of Pennsylvania for the year 2012.The list was topped by
Brookings Institution (United States) followed by Chatham House (United
Kingdom) and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (United
States).Other Indian think-tanks featured in the list are:- Institute for Defence
Studies and Analysis , Indian Council for Research on International Economic
Relations , The Energy and Resources Institute , Observer Research
Foundation and Development Alternatives.
India and Austria Signed a Social Security Agreement
On 5 February India and Austria signed a social security agreement at Vienna,
under which the Indian professionals working in Austria would be exempted
from paying the social security contribution of the country, if such payments
are already made in India. Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and
Austrian Minister for Labour and Social Security, Rudoulf Hundstorfer signed
on the agreement.
India Pledges $100m For Mali Reconstruction
On 5 February India pledges $100m for Mali reconstruction .India has
committed to giving $1 million for the upgrade of the Malian army with a
pledge to ramp up contributions for reconstruction to $100 million after the
situation stabilizes.
India and China Tourists Triple Australian Visits
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics report , Chinese and Indian
visitors, with tourist numbers from those countries tripled in the past
decade.630,000 visits from Chinese tourists in 2012 compared with 190,000
in 2002. Indian visits went from 45,000 to 160,000 in the same period.Despite
a high Australian dollar, Australias short-term visitor numbers were up by
nearly five percent since 2011 with 6.1 million short trips made to Australia
270,000 more than in 2011.
Special Purpose Vehicle Formed for TAPI Pipeline Project
On 7 February The Union Cabinet gave its approval for formation of the
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-
India (TAPI) Pipeline Project and to permit GAIL India Ltd. to join the SPV. The
four countries involved in the TAPI Gas pipeline project, signed an Inter-
Governmental Agreement along with a Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement
(GPFA).Turkmenistan and Pakistan agreed to the formation of TAPl Ltd. The
1,680 km pipeline will carry 90 million metric standard cubic metres a day
(mmscmd) of gas, and is scheduled to become operational in 2018.
India and Japan to Strengthen Cooperation in Tourism Sector
India and Japan have resolved to strengthen cooperation in tourism sector.
This was decided at a meeting between the visiting Japanese Senior Vice-
Minister of Tourism, Mr. Hiroshi Kajiyama and Union Tourism Minister Shri K
Chiranjeevi in New Delhi on 12 February 2013.
India and France Signed 22 Agreements
On 14 February France and India have signed on 22 agreements after French
President Francois Hollandes meetings with the Indian president and the
prime minister in New Delhi.Both nations exchanged views on a number of bi-
lateral, regional and multilateral issues and signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in order to facilitate technical cooperation in Railways
to each other.Chairman, Railway Board, India and Chairman and CEO SNCF
from the French side signed this MoU.Both the nations also concluded
negotiations on the short range surface to Air missile to be co-produced in
India. They also agreed on the need to reinvigorate economic engagement
between the two countrie
India and Bangladesh Signed Land Boundary Agreement
On 16 February India and Bangladesh held the second Joint Consultative
Commission meeting in Dhaka .After the meeting , both countries exchanged
one strip map as part of the process of the implementation of the agreement
signed to resolve land boundary issues between them.In addition, two MOUs
were also signed for the construction of a rail link to connect Akhaura in
Bangladesh to Agartala in India and for setting up a thinktank to be called
Bangladesh-India Foundation.The India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative
Commission is an interministerial body of the two countries headed by the
Minister of External Affairs of India and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.
CBI probe Ordered into Rs 3700 crore Italian Chopper Deal Scam
In February 2010, India had inked the deal with Italain Finmeccanica to
acquire the 12 three-engine AW-101 helicopters from AgustaWestland for
IAFs elite Communication Squadron ,which ferries around the President, PM
and other VVIPs.The deal came under the scanner of Italian agencies after
allegations of kickback given in India surfaced.The agencies arrested Giuseppe
Orsi, the head of Italian defence and aerospace giant Finmeccanica as part of
their probe related to international corruption.Around 50 million euros ,
about 10 per cent of the deal, were alleged to have been given as bribes to
ensure that the company won the contract.On February The Defence Ministry
has ordered CBI probe into alleged scam in a Rs 3600 crore defence helicopter
deal after arrest of head of Italian firm Finmeccanica on charges of bribery.
India and Britain Discussed on Nuclear Cooperation
On 19 February Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Britain Prime
Minister David Cameron discussed on regional and global issues ,which
included key issues of nuclear energy cooperation, security, terrorism and
trade .The two sides have also decided to commence negotiations on a
bilateral Civil Nuclear Agreement.Britain has assured that it will extend all
cooperation to any Indian probe into the multi-million-dollar helicopter scam
which involves Italian defense giant Finmeccanicas UK-based subsidiary
AgustaWestland.David Cameron announced that his country is going to
introduce sameday visa service for Indian businessmen in a bid to accelerate
the bilateral trade between the two sides.
India won Kishanganga Case Against Pakistan
On 18 February the Court of Arbitration at the Hague allowed India to go
ahead with the Construction of the Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Gurez
valley near Bandipura in North Kashmir, the court rejected the plea of
Pakistan that the construction was a violation of 1960 Indus Water Treaty.The
Court of Arbitration, chaired by Stephen M. Schwebel in its orders stated that
India can move ahead with the diversion of water plans of Kishanganga that is
a tributary of Jhelum, for generation of hydro-electric power. But it restrained
India from adoption of the drawdown technique of flushing for clearing the
sedimentation of the run-of-the river project that had been designed and
asked it to adopt a different technique for generation of 330 MW power
facilities.
NATIONAL
President Gave Assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance,
2013
On 3 February President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Criminal
Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 which provides for, amongst other things,
stricter punishment for crimes against women. The Ordinance was to be
largely based on the recommendations of the Justice Verma
Committee.However, the Ordinance will have to be passed by Parliament
within six months otherwise the same shall lapse.
All Juvenile Crimes 64% by 16-18 yr Old Age Group
On 4 February According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data
shows that most juvenile crimes are committed by those in the age group of
16-18 years.In 2011 the growth in rape by juveniles (34%) over 2010 was
again among the highest.In 2011, 64% of all juvenile criminals fall in the age
group of 16-18. In 2011, 33,887 juveniles were arrested for 25,178 instances
of crime.All together make for over 50% of all rape cases by juveniles.
Aero India 2013 Held in Bangalore
The Asias biggest airshow Aero India 2013, a biennial air show and
aviation exhibition held from 6 10th February at the Yelehanka Air Force
Station in Bangalore .In the event displays magnificent aerobatic skills and
belongings that created a chance of winning potential business tieups and
networking. Defence Minister of India, A K Antony inaugurated the Air Show
on 6 February .In the event 53 civil and military aircraft and 27 countries
participated and 78 delegations attended from US, Israel and Russia.The first
Edition of the show was organised for the first time in 1996.The next Aero
India show is scheduled to be held from 18 February to 22 February 2015 at
Bangalore.
Cabinet Approved Rs.38500 cr Rural Road Development Plan
On 7 February The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 38,500 crore rupees for road
connectivity under the Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).The
schemes approved were mainly for connectivity to villages in tribal areas,
desert and hilly areas, with a population of at least 250 each.In 82 areas hit by
Naxalite violence, villages with less than 250 people are also to be connected
under the scheme.
Parliament Attack Case Convict Afzal Guru Hanged
On 9 February in a top secret operation , the 2001 Parliament attack case
convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged in Delhis Tihar jail.Afzal Guru was
given the death sentence by the Supreme Court in 2004.The President
rejected the Afzal Gurus mercy petition on 23 January 2013.The code name of
the secret operation was Operation Three Star .
Centre Notified Cauvery Dispute Tribunal Award
After six years,on the directions of the Supreme Court, the Central
Government of India has notified the final award of the Cauvery Water
Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on sharing the waters of the Cauvery system
among the basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and Union
territory of Puducherry on 20 February.The Tribunal, comprising chairman
Justice N.P. Singh and members N.S. Rao and Sudhir Narain, in a unanimous
award in February, 2007 had determined the total availability of water in the
Cauvery basin at 740 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet at the Lower Coleroon
Anicut site.In, what was then described as a balancing act, the Tribunal gave
Tamil Nadu 419 TMC of water (as against the demand of 562 TMC); Karnataka
270 TMC (as against its demand of 465 TMC); Kerala 30 TMC and Puducherry
7 TMC.After the issuance of the notification, institutions like the Cauvery River
Authority (CRA) chaired by the Prime Minister and the CMC will cease to exist.
STATES
Sonia Gandhi Launched Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram Scheme
On 6 February Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi
launched Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), a new children
health care project initiative in Palghar, a tribal block in Thane district of
Maharashtra.The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, is a part of the National
Rural Health Mission of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The
scheme is aimed at improving overall quality of life of children through early
detection of birth defects, diseases and deficiencies, which are among key
factors for child mortality.
Maharashtra Promulgates Ordinance To Amend Cooperative Societies
Act
On 15 February the Maharashtra Government promulgated an ordinance to
amend the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, which aims to promote
voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and
professional management of co-operative societies.The ordinance is to amend
the Act to make it in consonance with the 97th constitutional amendment by
Parliament last year.
Indias First Geothermal Plant in Chhattisgarh
On 17 February Chhattisgarh has signed an agreement with the National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to set up the countrys first geothermal
power plant in its newlyformed Balrampur district.A memorandum of
understanding (MoU) for the project was signed between the NTPC and the
Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA). The plant will
come up at Tata Pani in Balrampur, a district located in extreme northern
region of the state.
Rajasthan Constituted a Task Force to Check the Spread of Swine Flu in
State
On 19 February the State Government of Rajasthan decided to constitute a
task force to control Swine Flu effectively. Chief Secretary of the State, CK
Matthew was appointed as the head of the task force constituted.The state had
witnessed 148 cases of death and 834 positive cases since April 2012. A
central team that constitutes of five doctors and microbiologist is on the state
visit and would pay a visit to Jodhpur, Ajmer and Bikaner, areas worst affected
from the disease.
Cabinet Approved NTPC Power Project in Jharkhand
On 20 February the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) approved the
setting up of the 1,980 MW North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Plant in
Jharkhand by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).The Cabinet
committee of investment also agreed for restoring the original coal linkage for
the project and declared that the project will be based on environment
friendly super-critical technology. This supply will be made available in the
13th Five Year Plan.
Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly Elections Results
Northeastern states of Tripura ,Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly election
was released on 28 February .The Assembly elections in the three states,
having 60 seats each, were held February 14 and February 23.In Tripura the
CPI-M on its own won 49 seats out of the total 60 seats and stormed back to
power in Tripura for the fifth straight term.Chief Minister Manik Sarkar won
from Dhanpur by a margin of around 5,000 votes. It was Sarkars sixth
win.Meghalaya The Indian National Congress here has won 29 seats in the
election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly with Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma, winning with huge margins.Nagaland Ruling Naga Peoples Front
combine returned to power with an absolute majority in Nagaland winning 39
seats in the 60-member Assembly.The ruling NPF-led Democratic Alliance of
Nagaland (DAN) alliance will form government for a third consecutive
term.Congress managed to win eight seats. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu
Rio won from Northern Angami II seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival
Kevise Sogotsu of Congress by 12,671 votes.
Desalination Plant in Tamil Nadu Commissioned
On 22 February J. Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu inaugurated a
desalination plant at Nemmeli in Kanchipuram district of the state.The plant
which will benefit over 15 lakh residents in Velachery, Pallipattu and
Tiruvanmiyur areas of south Chennai has been set up with an investment of
Rs 871 crore. About 265 million ltrs of water will be drawn from the sea to
realise 100 million ltrs per day of drinking water through the plant spread
over 40 acre.
CONFERENCES
13th Delhi Sustainable DevelopmentSummit (DSDS)
The 13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) concluded on 2
February at NewDelhi.The theme of the summit is The Global Challenge of
Resource Efficient Growth and Development.Among from 30 countries
Heads of Governments , research institutions, policy-makers, NGOs and
corporates attended the summit.The Summit organized annually since 2001
by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), is an international platform for
exchange of knowledge on all nuances of sustainable development.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Malala Yousafzai nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Malala Yousafzai, who was shoot by the Talibans against the girl education
was nominated for this years Nobel Peace Prize, as the deadline expired on 01
February 2013. French, Canadian and Norwegian MPs have all separately
nominated Malala.This years award will be announced in early October, but
speculation was already underway as the deadline for nominations ran out on
1 February .
L. N. Tallur won Skoda Art Prize 2012
On 1 February Karnataka artist L. N. Tallur, whose works depict majorly the
underbelly of India, has won the Rs 1 million Skoda Prize 2012 for
contemporary art, from among a shortlist of four artists including an artist
collective.
13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) Awards
Sustainable Development Leadership Award :- The Seychelles President, Mr
James Michel has been awarded the Sustainable Development Leadership
Award at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit . Georgescu roegen
Award : The award is Kozo Mayumi (Professor at Faculty of Integrated Arts
and Sciences, The University of Tokushima). The co-winners of the Georgescu-
Roegen Award (bioeconomic practice) are Accion Ecologica and Oilwatch.
South Sudan Bishop Taban won UN Peace Award
On 9 February A South Sudans Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban has won a
coveted 2013 UN peace prize ( Sergio Viera de Mello Prize ) in recognition of
his efforts to build trust among warring communities in the conflict-torn
region.Vieira de Mello, the UNs former human rights chief, was killed in a
bombing in Iraq in 2003. The annual prize in his honour is awarded to a
person, community or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to
reconciliation of communities or groups in conflict, and whose example can be
duplicated elsewhere.
Pandit Ravi Shankar honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy
award S
itar legend Pandit Ravi Shankar was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
Grammy award, which was jointly accepted by his daughters Anoushka
Shankar and Norah Jones on 9 February 2013.He was posthumously awarded
the best world music album trophy at the 55th Grammys, a day after being
honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award by The Recording Academy.He
got 55 Grammy award for his album The Living Room Sessions Part 1 .
National e-Governance award for Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh had been conferred upon the prestigious National e-
Governance Gold Award for 2012-13, for its Sparsh Abhiyan aimed towards
the disabled and the aged.
Amartya Sen honoured with Frances highest civilian award
The French president Mr Francois Hollande honoured the Amartya Sen with
the Frances highest civilian award, Commandeur de la Legion dHonneur
(Legion of Honour) after delivering the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture
in New Delhi on 15 February 2013.The prestigious honour is the reason for
his enormous contribution to the field of economics and for his exchanges
with French academic institutions would also be recognised.
Paul Hansen Won 2012 World Press Photo Award
On 15 February Swedish photographer Paul Hansen has won the 2012
World Press Photo award with a picture of two Palestinian children killed in
an Israeli missile strike being carried to their funeral.The picture shows a
group of men marching the dead bodies through a narrow street in Gaza
City.World Press Photo, one of photojournalisms most prestigious contests,
issued awards in nine categories to 54 photographers of 32 nationalities.
63rd Berlin Film Festival Awards
The awarding ceremony of the 63rd Berlinale ended on 16 February in
Berlin.Romanian film Childs Pose won the Golden Bear, the top jury prize
awarded to the best film in the Berlin International Film Festival. Best Film :-
Childs Pose ( Romania ) Best Actor :- Nazif Mujic in Life of an Iron Picker
(Bosnia/France/Slovenia) Best Actress :- Paulina Garcia in Gloria
(Chile/Spain) Best Director :- David Gordon Green for Prince Avalanche
(US) Best ScreenPlay :- Jafar Panahi for Parde (Closed Curtain) Iran.
Ela Bhatt honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize
Ela Bhatt, founder of the Self Employed Womens Association (SEWA), was
presented with the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and
Development for the year 2011 by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at
Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 18 February 2013.Ela Bhatt was
honoured for her life time achievements in empowering women, promoting
grassroot level entrepreneurship and for her contribution towards promoting
equitable development and peace.
Ratan Tata receives E&Y lifetime award
Former Tata Group head Ratan Tata is this years recipient of the life time
achievement award instituted by Ernst & Young, for asserting a greater role
for Indian entrepreneurs on the global business landscape.The entrepreneur
of the year (2012) award went to Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej.The
entrepreneur of the year is the only business award to be based on self-
nomination.
Oscars Awards-2013
85th Oscar awards presentation ceremony held in Los Angels on 25 February
2013.In this ceremoney Life of Pi cinema got a 4 Oscar awards.
Best Picture: Argo
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)
Best Supporting Actress:Anne Hathaway (Les Misrables)
Best Directing: Ang Lee(Life of Pi)
Best Adapted Screenplay:Chris Terrio( Argo)
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man Best Original
Song:Skyfall from Skyfall, music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul
Epworth
Best Original Score: Life of Pi
Best Animated Feature: Brave Best Cinematography:Life of Pi
Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina
Best Documentary Short Subject:Inocente
Best Film Editing:Argo
Best Foreign Language Film:Amour (Austria)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Misrables
Best Production Design:Lincoln
Best Short Film (Animated): Paperman
Best Short Film (Live Action): CurfewBest Sound Editing: Skyfall (TIE), Zero
Dark Thirty (TIE),
Best Sound Mixing: Les Misrables
Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi
SPORTS & GAMES
Leander Paes, Jaideep Mukherjee Received Davis Cup Commitment
Award
On 2 February Indian tennis legends Leander Paes and Jaideep Mukherjee
were felicitated by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) at the RK Khanna
Tennis Stadium , when they were presented with the Davis Cup Commitment
Trophy.Mukherjee made his Davis Cup debut in 1960 against Thailand and
had a 62-35 win-loss record while Paes is currently playing his 49th Davis Cup
tie here against South Korea.
Graeme Smith Captains his 100th Test
On 4 February South African test cricket team captain Graeme Smith has
created a unique record by leading the side in 100th test.As the South African
captain Graeme Smith stepped on the field against Pakistan, he became the
only captain in the world to have led the team in 100 test matches.Earlier, the
record for captaining in most number of test matches was held by former
Australian skipper Allan Border. Allan Border led the Australian test cricket
team in 93 test matches. Sourav Ganguly holds the record of captaining Indian
test team in most number of test matches. Sourav played as skipper in 49 test
matches. Now, Graeme Smith is the only cricketer to play as captain in 100
test matches.
India Won Record 46 Medals in Special Olympics
On 6 February Indias differently-abled athletes returned with the largest haul
of medals in the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games at Pyeong Chang,
South Korea.The Indians won 46 medals 13 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze
from among mentally-challenged 2200 athletes from over 120 nations in the
Games .India doubled its medal tally from the World Winter Games 2009.The
Games are being competed in eight sports .
Sachin Equaled Sunil Gavaskars First Class Cricket Record
On 8 February Sachin Tendulkar equaled the record of Sunil Gavaskar of 81
first class hundreds in first class cricket at Mumbai. He managed to equal
Gavaskars record after scoring an unbeaten 140 runs in Irani Trophy against
Rest of India in the first innings of the tournament of Mumbai team.When he
reached 106, Tendulkar also completed 25,000 runs in first class cricket.
Wrestling Dropped From 2020 Olympic Games List
On 12 February the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leaders dropped
wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Games.Wrestling will be included at the
2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26
sports on the current Olympic program. Eliminating one sport allows the IOC
to add a new sport to the program later this year.Wrestling will now join
seven other sports in applying for inclusion in 2020. The others are a
combined bid from baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport
climbing, wakeboarding and wushu. They will be vying for a single opening in
2020.The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball,
voted out by the IOC in 2005 and off the program since the 2008 Beijing
Games. Golf and Rugby will be joining the program at the 2016 Games in Rio
de Janeiro.
Victoria Azarenka won Qatar Open Tennis Title
On 18 February Defending champion Victoria Azarenka from Belarus defeated
Serena Williams (America) to won the Qatar Open tennis title in the final at
Doha.
Sania Mirza won Dubai Tennis Championship Title
On 23 February Indias Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie-
Mattek Sands won the Dubai Tennis Championship title. The Indo-American
duo defeated the second seeded Russian-Slovenian combination of Nadia
Petrova and Katarina Srebotnik. Sania bagged her second Doubles title of the
season.
ECONOMY
BHEL and GAIL Granted Maharatna Status
On 1 February The Union Government of India granted Maharatna status to
BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd ) and GAIL (Gas Authority of India
Limited), a development which will provide them greater financial and
functional autonomy and also ensure better valuation for shares of the two
public sector undertakings.Ideally any Maharatna firm has a capacity to take
investment decision of around 5000 crore Rupees without taking assistance
from the government. On the other hand, forms with Navratna status have the
capability of 1000 crore Rupees.For any company to qualify for Maharatna
status, the annual turnover should be over 25000 crore Rupees in past three
years, as per the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises.
Per capita Monthly Income Growth Eases to 14% in 2011-12
On 1 February According to the the revised data of national accounts the per
capita monthly income, a measure to assess standard of living, grew at a
slower rate of 13.7 per cent to Rs 5,130 in 2011-12 at current prices
compared to Rs 4,513 in 2010-11.On the Gross Domestic Saving (GDS) front,
the data revealed that the growth at current prices in 2011-12 slowed to 30.8
per cent of GDP at market prices against 34 per cent in the previous year.The
gross domestic capital formation has increased from Rs 28,71,649 crore in
2010-11 to Rs 31,41,465 crore in 2011- 12 at current prices.It further
revealed that the per capita private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) at
current prices in 2011-12 is estimated at Rs 42,065 as against Rs 36,677 in the
year 2010-11, showing an increase of 14.7 per cent against an increase of 15.7
per cent in the previous year.
Argentina Censured by the IMF for Economic Data
On 3 February The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has censured
Argentina for the quality of its official inflation and GDP data.Inflation in
Argentina is estimated by private economists to be at 25% a year and rising
but the government reported it at 11% or less for last year.Argentina became
the first country to be censured by the International Monetary Fund for not
providing accurate data on inflation and economic growth under a procedure
that can end in expulsion.
Mumbai Is Worlds Cheapest City
Mumbai shares the title of the worlds cheapest city with Karachi, in Pakistan,
according to the Worldwide Cost of Living 2013 survey by the Economist
Groups Economic Intelligence Unit.After Mumbai and Pakistan comes Delhi
,Algiers, Bucharest, Colombo and Panama City.According to the report, the five
most expensive cities in the world are Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Sydney, Oslo
and Melbourne.
Railway Budget 2013-14
On 26 February Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal presented the 2013-
14 Railway Budget in the Loksabha . Railway Budget 2013-14
Highlights :- 2013-14 Railway Budget Estimates Rs.42,210 crores
Highest ever plan outlay of Rs.63,363 crores in 2013-14
Good Earnings Rs.93,554 crores
Good Traffic Receipts Rs.1,43,742 crores
Total Revenue Receipts Rs.1,46,626 crores
Ordinary Working Expenses Rs.96,500 crores
Operating Ratio to be 87.8%. -
A new Forged Wheel Factory at Rae Bareli, Coach Manufacturing Unit in
Sonepat District (Haryana) ,Midlife Rehabilitation Workshop at Kurnool
(Andhra Pradesh), new wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi (Odisha).
Highest ever plan outlay of Rs.63,363 crores
5.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic expected in 2013-14 Freight loading
of 1047 MT, 40 MT more than 2012-13. 67 new Express trains to be
introduced.26 new passenger services, 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services
to be introduced. Run of 57 trains to be extended. Frequency of 24 trains to be
increased.22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14
Proposal for setting up of Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority formulated and
at inter-ministerial consultation stage. Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC)
linked revision for freight tariff to be implemented from 1st April 2013. 72
additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata An independent
Rail Tariff Authority has been formalised ndian Railways Institute of Financial
Management to be set up at Secunderabad Recruitment to RPF with 10%
vacancies reserved for women.Seek to fill 1.52 lakh vacancies in railways this
year. 47000 vacancies for weaker sections and physically challenged to be
filled up soon By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two
dedicated rail corridors Economic Survey of contracts to be awarded for two
dedicated rail corridors.
Union Budget 2013-14
On 28 February Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram Presented the
Rs.16,65 279 Crore(Planed Expenditure Rs. 5,55,322 crore , Non Planed
Expenditure Rs 11,09,975 crore) Union budget in the Lok Sabha for the
financial year 2013-14.This is the 82nd Budget for India and 8th Budget for
the Finance Minister P Chidambaram.In the past, former Prime Minister
Morarji Desai presented the Union Budget 8 times as Finance Minister. The
Highlights of Union Budget 2013-14: Total budget expenditure seen at 16.65
trillion rupees in 2013-14. on-plan expenditure estimated at about 11.1
trillion rupees in 2013-14. Indias 2013-14 plan expenditure seen at 5.55
trillion rupees Revised estimate for total expenditure is 14.3 trillion rupees in
2012-13, which is 96 point of budget estimate Expect 133 billion rupees
through direct tax proposals in 2013-14 Expect 47 billion rupees through
indirect tax proposals in 2013-14 Target 558.14 billion rupees from stake
sales in state-run firms in 2013-14 Expect revenue of 408.5 bln rupees from
airwave surcharges, auction of telecom spectrum, licence fees in 2013-14 But
will give some tax relief of Rs. 2000 for every person who has an annual
income of up to Rs. 5 lakh RBI expected GDP growth of 5.5% for Financial Year
2013-14 Rs.1000-crore Nirbhaya Fund announced for the empowerment of
women Rs.6,000 crore to be allocated for rural housing fund Defence
allocation increased to Rs. 2.03 lakh crore Rs. 6,275 crore to ministry of
science and technology, Rs. 5,880 crore to Department of Atomic Energy
Rs.27,049 crore allocation to the Agriculture Ministry Rs. 37,330 crore
allocated for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Rs.110 crore to be allocated
to the department of disability affairs Rs.37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare Rs.14000 crore will be provided for PSB
recapitalization. He will constitute a panel on transaction costs, and financial
policies. Rs.6,5867 crore for Education , an increase of 17 percent over RE for
2012- 13.
Rs 6275 crore to Ministry of Technology
Rs.2 trillion for defence sector Rs.15,260 crore to be allocated to Ministry of
Drinking Water and Sanitation. Rs.14,873 crore for JNNURM for urban
transportation Rs.80,194 crore allocation for Ministry of Rural Development
Rs.33,000 crore for MGNREGA Rs.37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of Health
& Family Welfare.
Rs.13215 crore for mid-day meal programme
Rs.41,561 crore for SC plan and Rs 24,598 crore for tribal plan. 3511 crore
allocation to minorities which is 12 per cent hike over budget estimates, 110
crore rupees allotted for welfare of disabled. 65867 crore rupees have been
allocated to the Ministry of Human resources development which is 17 per
cent hike over the revised estimates. A surcharge of 10 percent on persons
(other than companies) whose taxable income exceeds Rs.1 crore have been
levied. Relief of Rs. 2000 for the tax payers in the first bracket of 2 to 5 lakhs.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Iran launches new fighter jet
Iran had unveiled a new home-made combat aircraft on 02 February
2013.Iran announced that this is the most Sophisticated aircraft in the
world.The name of this aircraft was Qaher F313 (Dominant F313).Qaher F313
was designed using the Advanced Electro-Aviation System.
Worlds Largest Prime Number Discovered with 17,425,170 digits
Researchers from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg
discovered the largest prime number of the world, Contains 17 Million Digits.
This is the 48th Mersenne prime found so far. However there are certain rare
kinds of prime numbers called Mersenne primes which have the form 2
multiplied by itself p times minus 1, where p denotes a prime number. The
new largest prime is 2 multiplied by itself 57885161 times minus 1.
First Complete Bionic Man Unveiled in U.K
On 7 February The worlds first complete Bionic Man named Rex was
unveiled at Londons Science Museum. The bionic man was created using 1
million US dollar limbs as well as organs.Rex has a human face with brown
eyes and a height of 6.5 feet. It was designed jointly with assistance from 18
universities and companies.
Rudra Inducted into the Army
On 8 February The first indigenously built Weapon System Integrated
Advanced Light Helicopter, Rudra was handed over to the Indian Army by
the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) .Rudra is the Mk-IV variant of the
Advanced Light Helicopter designed and manufactured by HAL. The
helicopter is fitted with weapons, targeting systems, warning and counter-
measure systems and survivability features.This is the first of the 60 armed
helicopters provided to the army by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
after the Defence Ministry handed over the control of all attack helicopters to
the land force.
Indian Coast Guard Ship Rajratan Commissioned
On 11 February Indian Coast Guard ship Rajratan , the fifth in a series of
eight Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs), was commissioned by Indian Coast
Guard.The vessel has been indigenously built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders
and Engineers, Kolkata.The 50m long IPV can achieve a maximum speed of 34
knots, with an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles at an economical speed of 16
knots.
North Korea conducted third nuclear test
On 12 February 2013,North Korea successfully conducted a third
underground nuclear test with the violation of United Nations sanctions.In the
past North Korea two times conducted nuclear tests but this is most powerful
than those tests.North Korea announced that,a miniaturised nuclear device
had been detonated successfully at the test site.The test was reported to have
taken place at a test site in the North Hamgyeong province, where the
Punggye-ri nuclear complex that conducted tests in 2006 and 2009 is located.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 Passed Very Near To Earth
The small Asteroid named 2012 DA14 with an estimated diameter of 50
meters (160 ft) and an estimated mass of 190,000 metric tons passed within
about 3.5 Earth radii of the Earths surface on February 15.During its 2013
close passage, the asteroid passed 27,700 km (17,200 mi) from the surface of
Earth. Scientists at NASA estimated that an asteroid the size of 2012 DA14
flies this close to Earth about once every 40 years. A 2012 DA14-size asteroid
impacts Earth once every 1,200 years, on average.
PSLV-C20 Successfully Launched SARAL and 6 Other Satellites
On 25 February ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish
Dawan Space centre at SPSR Nellore in Sriharikota , launched the Indo-French
satellite SARAL along with six commercial payloads from Austria, Britain,
Canada and Denmark into a 785-km polar sunsynchronous orbit.It was the
23rd mission of PSLV, which has an impeccable record of 21 consecutive
successful flights. About SARAL:- The Saral mission results from the
common interest of both ISRO and CNES in studying the ocean from space. For
instance, it can provide information on seasonal forecasting, study on animal
migration, locating buoys and fishing vessels, collecting environmental data
such as ocean temperature profiles and currents.
Besides Saral, the PSLV-C20 has put into orbit two micro-satellites UniBRITE
and BRITE (both from Austria), AAUSAT3 from Denmark and STRaND from
UK. It also carried one micro-satellite (NEOSSat) and one mini-satellite
(SAPPHIRE) from Canada.With a lift-off mass of 407 kg, Saral is the 56th
satellite to be launched by PSLV.The six commercial payloads from abroad
together have a lift-off mass of 259.5 km.PSLV-C20 is the ninth PSLV in core
alone configuration (without solid strap-on motors).
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Mo Yan and Jackie Chan Selected As Members of Chinese Parliament
On 3 February Mo Yan, the winner of Nobel Prize for literature, 2012 and
Jackie Chan, the movie star were given a political role in China by being
selected as members of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference,
one of the houses of Chinese parliament.
Prachanda elected as Maoist president of ruling UCPN-Maoist party
Prachanda, the powerful Maoist leader who became prime minister after
toppling the 239-year-old monarchy in Nepal, was elected as the president of
the ruling UCPNMaoist party on 08 February 2013.58-yearold Prachanda,
whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
Indian American Subra Suresh Appointed as President of Carnegie
Mellon
On 9 February US President Obamas top science official and Indian American
Padma Shri awardee Dr Subra Suresh has been appointed as the new
president of Carnegie Mellon University. He will succeed Dr. Jared L. Cohon,
who led the university to unprecedented growth during his 16-year tenure. Dr
Suresh will assume office on July 1 after Dr Cohon would step down on June
30, this year.
Ratan Tata Elected To National Academy of Engineering
On 9 February Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, has been
elected as a member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering of
the US along with 10 new foreign members.This is the highest professional
distinction accorded to an engineer in the US.Ratan Tata has been selected for
his outstanding contributions to industrial development in India and the
world.
B)RESIGNS
D.C.Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi To Resign
Indian American, Natwar M. Gandhi, Chief Financial officer (CFO) of
Washington DC ,announced his resignation on 1 February.He will resign on 1
June 2013.Gandhi has held the office since 2000 and was appointed to a new,
five-year term last year.
Solicitor-General Rohinton Nariman resigns
Solicitor-General of India Rohinton Nariman resigned 04 February 2013.Mr.
Nariman was appointed as the second most senior law official of the country
on July 23, 2011 following the resignation of Gopal Subramanium on July 14,
2011.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
Obamas Top Science Official Suresh Resigned
On 6 February US President Barack Obamas top science official and Padma
Shri awardee Subra Suresh has resigned from his current position to join the
prestigious Carnegie Mellon University as its chief.As director of National
Science Foundation (NSF) since 2010, Suresh was responsible for driving
scientific research of the country.Suresh has co-authored more than 240
journal articles, registered 21 patents and written three widely used materials
science books.
Nagaland Home Minister resigns
Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L. Imchen was resigned from the ruling Naga
Peoples Front (NPF) government on 19 February 2013.Mr. Imchen put in his
papers after the Election Commission authorities seized cash amounting to
more than Rs.1 crore and weapons from his vehicle on 18 February by
troopers of Assam Rifles at Sathupang area in Wokha district.
Pope Benedict XVI Resigned
On 28 February Pope Benedict XVI a position in which he serves dual roles as
Sovereign of the Vatican City State and leader of the Catholic Church resigned
his post.Pope Benedict XVIs birth name is Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger.Benedict
XVI was elected on 19 April 2005 in a papal conclave, celebrated his Papal
Inauguration Mass on 24 April 2005, and took possession of his cathedral, the
Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, on 7 May 2005. A native of Bavaria, he has
both German and Vatican citizenship.
C)DEATHS
Former Puducherry CM Shanmugam passes away
Former Chief Minister of Puducherry P. Shanmugam passed away at the
Karaikal Government Hospital on 02 February 2013.A bachelor, Shanmugam
was the chief minister of Puducherry from March 22, 2000 to Oct 27, 2001
and represented the union territory in the Lok Sabha between 1980-1991.
Chinas Table Tennis Legend Zhuang Zedong Died
On 10 February the chinas table tennis legend , Zhuang Zedong died in Beijing
.Zhuang Zedong is a three-time world table tennis champion.Zhuang Zedong
remained a crucial figure in ping-pong diplomacy of 1971 and is popularly
also called the Architect of Ping-Pong Diplomacy. Pingpong diplomacy means
exchange of the table tennis (ping-pong) players between China and US
American Philosopher and Legal Scholar Dworkin Died
Ronald Dworkin a renowned American philosopher and a Constitutional Law
expert died on 14 February at London .He wrote books named A Matter of
Principle, Laws Empire and Justice for Hedgehogs.
Radhakishan Malviya former Union Minister died
Former Union Minister and senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader
Radhakishan Malviya died on 19 February 2013 in Indore.Malviya was elected
MLA from Sanver in Indore district in 1972. A three-time Rajya Sabha MP, he
was Labour Minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government in mid-1980s. Malviya
was Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president during 1998-2003 when
Digvijay Singh was the chief minister.
D)VISITORS
Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley Visited India
Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Y Thinley visited India from 7 9
February.During his three-days visit he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
at NewDelhi and discussed on developmental issues of his country with the
Indian leadership, and sought financial assistance for the 11th five year plan
of his country.
Frances President Francois Hollande Visited India
Frances President Francois Hollande Visited India from 14th and 15th
February.During the 2 day visit he met manmohan singh at NewDelhi and
discussed the sale of Rafale fighter jets , bilateral issues , after signed the both
nations on several agreements .
Britains PM David Cameron Visited India
David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland , visited India from 18 20 February.During the visit on 18
February he attended India Britain delegations meeting in Mumbai .On 19
February Cameron met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and
discussed bilateral and global issues.The British Prime Minister last visited
India in July 2010.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Three Year Old Girl Joins Mensa After Taking IQ Test in Russian
A brainy 3 year old girl Clever Alice Amos has been unveiled as the youngest
new member of Mensa with a higher IQ than Stephen Hawking.Amos has been
granted full membership of the brain box society after scoring an incredible
162 on an IQ test she took in Russian.Her IQ of 162 ranks her higher than a
list of the worlds greatest luminaries dead and living.Former US presidents
Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin and Bill Clinton could only muster 128,
160 and 137 respectively.
Mohamed Nasheed Took Refuge In Indian High Commission
On 13 February the former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed took
refuge in the Indian High Commission in Capital Male to evade arrest, a year
after he was toppled.He turned up at the single-storey Indian mission around
noon to evade arrest warrant issued by a court in a case concerning the
detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court during his Presidency in
January last year.The Indian government has permitted him to stay in Mission.
Queen Elizabeth II named Britains Most Powerful
According to the BBC power list of Britains most influential women, Queen
Elizabeth II has been named the most powerful woman in Britain, while two
Indian-origin women also found a place in the list of UKs 100 most powerful
women. Two Indian-origin women who featured among the 100 most
powerful British women were Kolkata-born Pinki Lilani, founder of the Asian
Women of Achievement Awards in the UK, and human rights champion and
director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti.
Worlds oldest woman is Misao Ookawa
Misao Ookawa,the oldest woman in the world receives a Guinness World
Records certificate in Osaka, Japan,on 27 February 2013.She will ready to
celebrate its 115th birth anniversary on 5 March 2013. The oldest man in the
world,Jiroemon Kimura(115) also belongs to Japan.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong 6.6 Magnitude Quake Hits Solomon Islands
On 6 February a strong 6.6-magnitude tremor struck the Solomon Islands , the
latest in a series of aftershocks from a powerful earthquake that triggered a
tsunami The quake hit 36 kilometres south-southwest of Lata, the main town
on the remote island of Ndende.At least six people were confirmed dead and
some 3,000 left homeless but the national disaster management office has
been struggling to get a clear picture of the scale of destruction on the island,
more than 600 kilometres from the capital Honiara.The Solomons are part of
the Ring of Fire, a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific that is subject
to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Snow Storm Nemo Hits US and Canada
On 8 February Seven people have been killed in the United States and Canada
as the massive blizzard Winter Storm Nemo dumped nearly two feet of snow
in New England and knocked out power to more than a half a million
homes.Throughout the Northeast, more than 600,000 homes and businesses
lost electricity. Airlines cancelled more than 5,300 flights today, and New York
Citys three major airports and Bostons Logan Airport closed.
Huge Meteorite Hits The Russia
On 15 February A huge meteor hits the Russia, injuring more than 1000
people, many hurt by broken glass, and causing explosions.Fragments of the
meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region.The meteorite,
which weighed about 10 metric tons and may have been made of iron, entered
Earths atmosphere and broke apart 30-50 km (19-31 miles) above
ground.The meteorite explosion, a very rare spectacle, also unleashed a sonic
boom.The energy released when it entered the Earths atmosphere was
equivalent to a few kilotonnes, the power of a small atomic weapon exploding.
ABBREVIATIONS
DSDS Delhi Sustainable Development Summit
BHEL Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd
GAIL Gas Authority of India Limited
TERI The Energy and Resources Institute
EIU Economist Intelligence Unit
NSF National Science Foundation
TAPI TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia
POTA Prevention of Terrorism Act
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency CAIR Centre for Artificial
Intelligence and Robotics
CITU Centre of Indian Trade Unions
FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation
HDI Human Development Index
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees WIPO World
Intellectual Property Organisation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Khushwantnama: The Lessons of My Life Book Released
On 2 February The indomitable Khushwant Singh has released a new book
named Khushwantnama: The Lessons of My Life on his 98th birthday in
which he writes about his life, lessons it has taught him, politics, future of
India and what religion means to him.The book, published by Penguin Books
India, is dedicated to Kaur who is a close friend of the author.Khushwant
Singh was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986. He was awarded the
Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned the decoration in 1984 in protest
against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Indian Army. In
2007, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Germany Book Released
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose new book named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
and Germany released on 6 February.The First copy of the book by Professor
Anita B. Pfaff was given to the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at
Rashtrapati Bhavan at NewDelhi. The book was brought out by the Federation
of Indo-German Societies in India.The book is a collection of the records
shared by Professor Anita Pfaff as well as other known biographers and
writers.The book portrayed some interesting facets of the life of Netaji and his
extraordinary contribution to Indias freedom struggle.
COMMITTEES
Padmanabhan Committee To Help Boost Bank Finance For Exports
On 3 February The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a technical
advisory committee to iron out existing issues and boost bank finance for
exports.The committee will be headed by RBI Executive Director G
Padmanabhan.The committee look into the issues related to exporters, we
have decided to constitute a technical working group which will also look non-
cost issues like transaction costs, accounting norms, documentation required,
procedural difficulties.
INTERNATIONAL
China, Russia, Pakistan discuss Afghanistan situation
Officials from China, Russia and Pakistan on 3 April 2013 held talks on the
issue of coordination between their positions on Afghanistan.The officials
from three nations backed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that
is grouping to play a great role in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO
Forces in 2014. These talks were held to enhance coordination. The talks
followed a similar meeting India, China and Russia held in Moscow recently,
reflecting the delicate balancing act and increasingly complicated regional
dynamics as different countries look to push their interests in the lead up
to 2014.
Malaysia PM Dissolves Parliament
On 3 April Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dissolved the Parliament
ahead of a general election.This dissolution will pave the way for the 13th
general election.The elections have to be held before June 2.The Barisan
Nasional coalition that has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957 is
expected to face a stiff challenge in the polls from the opposition three-party
Pakatan Rakyat (People s Pact).
Tammam Salam named as Lebanon new Prime Minister
On 6 April well-known Sunni lawmaker Tammam Salam has been named
Lebanon s new prime minister , after receiving overwhelming parliamentary
support.His appointment comes after previous prime minister Najib Mikati
resigned and effectively brought down his Hezbollah-dominated government.
China, Australia Signed Direct Currency Exchange
Agreement
On 10 China and Australia have signed a currency swap agreement in a bid to
promote bilateral trade and investment.The agreement makes the Australian
dollar the third major currency to directly trade in China s mainland foreign
exchange market, after the US dollar and the Japanese yen.Australian Prime
Minister Julia Gillard discussed bilateral security issues with China s President
Hu Jintao.
China Pledges $548 million Aid To Cambodia
On 10 April China has pledged $548 million in aid to Cambodia for
infrastructure and irrigation systems.Agreements covering $500 million in
soft loans and $48 million in grants were signed during Cambodian Prime
Minister Hun Sen .
Nepal Peace Process Ends
On 13 April Nepal s much delayed peace process with end of the decade long
civil war has finally reached conclusion.Though the peace process had started
on 2006, the Special Committee was formed in 2008 to oversee the army
integration process.The last meeting of the cross-party Special Committee
decided to accept application of 47 Maoist combatants to quit the Nepal Army
training.
Nicolas Maduro Wins Venezuelan Presidential Election
Nicolas Maduro,Socilist Party member who became Hugo Chavez s protege,
was declared the winner of Venezuela s presidential election on 14 April
2013.Maduro secured 50.8% of votes while opposition candidate Henrique
Capriles Radonski won 49.0%.Maduro got 3 lakhs votes of majority than
Henrique.
New Zealand Approved Gay-Marriage Bill
On 17 April New Zealand s parliament has approved the bill to legalise same-
sex marriage.New Zealand has become the first country in the Asia-Pacific
egion to do so. No other country in the Asia-Pacific region allows gay
marriage.Cheers and applause ring out in parliament building after 77 of 121
members vote to allow gay couples to wed.New Zealand is now the 13th
country to legalise gay marriage.
U.S Senate Rejects Gun Control Bill
On 18 April The US Senate has rejected a strong gun control bill.US Senators
supported the measure with just 54-46 votes , falling short of the 60 votes
required to pass the amendment.The legislation was considered the best hope
for gun control sought by President Obama in the wake of the mass shooting
at Newtown Elementary School last year.Among them, a vote to ban assault
weapons was rejected by 40 votes to 60, while a measure to limit the size of
gun clips received just 46 votes in its favor.
US House of Representatives Passed CISPA
On 18 April The US House of Representatives has passed the controversial
Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protect Act (CISPA).The aim of CISPA is to fight
with the cyber threats, by enabling the law enforcers to get access to the web
data.This is the second time Cispa has been passed by the House.Senators
threw out the first draft, saying it did not do enough to protect
privacy.Senators had earlier rejected the first draft of this bill on the grounds
that it wasn t providing enough for protecting the privacy.
Napolitano Re-elected as Italys President
On 21 April Italy s Parliament re-elected Giorgio Napolitano as the Italy s
President for second 7-year term .Giorgio Napolitano will be the first Italian
president to be re-elected to serve a second term.He got 738 votes, far more
than the 504 needed for victory.More than 1,000 national and regional
lawmakers had convened to elect the next Italian president, with the
overwhelming majority of them ultimately backing Napolitano.The People of
Freedom party of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi got second place in
Italy elections.He is the first President of Italy to have been a member of the
Italian Communist Party and the first to be elected to a second term as
President.Giorgio Napolitano is the 11th President of the Italian Republic
since 2006.
Horacio Cartes Elected as Paraguays new President
On 22 April Businessman Horacio Cartes of the Colorado Party has been
declared Paraguay s new president.The electoral board announced that Cartes
had 46.1 percent of the vote and his main rival Senator Efrain Alegre of the
ruling Liberal Party 36.9 percent.The conservative Colorados held Paraguay s
presidency for 60 years until leftist former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo
was elected in 2008.
French Parliament Approved Gay Marriage Law
On 23 April France parliament approved a new law to allow gay marriage.
Parliament passed the bill by 331 votes for and 225 against.France has
become the 14th country to allow gay marriage..
UK Approved Caste Discrimination Bill
On 25 April Britain has outlawed caste discrimination, after the House of
Lords voted for legal protection to be given to the most vulnerable, mainly in
the Indian and Sikh communities.The UK now looks set to become the first
country in Europe to outlaw discrimination based on caste.
Cuba and Venezuela Signed 51 Cooperation Projects
On 28 April Cuba and Venezuela have signed at Havana accords for 51 joint
projects worth two billion U.S. dollars.At the close of 13th Cuba-Venezuela
Intergovernmental Meeting , Cuban President Raul Castro and Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro announced the deals for projects in such areas as
education, health, sports, cultur, food production, construction, transport,
communications, energy and support of social missions.Havana and Caracas
agreed to jointly invest two billion dollars to develop these projects and also
signed a memorandum to establish a bilateral medium- and long-term
economic agenda.The investment also covers joint ventures in vital and
strategic economic areas in both countries.
Pakistan court bans Musharraf from contesting polls for life
A four-judge bench of the Peshawar high court headed by chief justice Dost
Muhammad Khan imposed the life ban while dismissing Musharraf s appeal
challenging the rejection of his nomination papers for May 11 general
election.The lifetime ban was imposed because Musharraf had abrogated the
Constitution twice and detained judges during the 2007 emergency.
INDIA & WORLD
India and Singapore Signed MoU on Air Services
On 2 April India and Singapore signed a new Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on bilateral air services arrangement in the presence of Civil Aviation
Minister, Shri Ajit Singh and Minister of Transport of Singapore, Mr Lui Tuck
Yew in Singapore.
India, Azerbaijan ink 3 key pacts
Aimed at creating the necessary legal framework in areas of extradition, India
and Azerbaijan on 04 April 2013 inked three key pacts which also included
treaties for mutual legal assistance in criminal and civil matters.Visiting
Justice Minister of Azerbaijan Fikrat Mammadov held a meeting with Home
Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde where the extradition treaty was signed.
India and Tanzania Signed Agreement To Explore Mineral
Wealth
On 6 April India and Tanzania have signed an agreement for forging an
alliance to explore mineral wealth in the African nation.The agreement was
signed by the Union Minister of Steel, Beni Prasad Verma and Sospeter
Muhongo, the Minister of Energy and Minerals, United Republic of Tanzania at
Der es Salaam.
India and Russia signed Regulation of Co-operation
Agreement
On 10 April India and Russia signed a Regulation defining the structure,
functions and procedure of the Joint Commission at Moscow.The agreement
was signed by Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil
Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters
and Sushil kumar Shinde, the Union Minister of Home Affairs.
Two Day India-China Counter-Terrorism Dialogue on
Afghanistan ended
The two-day India-China counter-terrorism dialogue ended on 12 April 2013
in Beijing China. The two nations discussed upon the ways to step up
cooperation to counter terror in Afghanistan as a follow up plan after the
withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2014.
India Mauritius Signed MoU on Electoral Cooperation
On 12 April India and Mauritius signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) in New Delhi on cooperation in the field of Election Management and
Administration. The MoU was signed by Chief Election Commissioner of India,
V.S. Sampath and the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mohammad Irfan
Abdool Rahman.
India Mauritius Signed MoU on Electoral Cooperation
On 12 April India and Mauritius signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) in New Delhi on cooperation in the field of Election Management and
Administration. The MoU was signed by Chief Election Commissioner of India,
V.S. Sampath and the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mohammad Irfan
Abdool Rahman.
Bangladesh Inks $1.6 Billion Power Deal with India
On 20 April India and Bangladesh signed its biggest-ever joint venture
agreement with India involving investment of $1.6 billion for 1,320 MW coal-
fired power plant which is expected to be operational in the next five
years.The two country s signed three deals under a pact to run the plant at
Rampal of Bagerhat while the two others were Power Purchase Agreement
and Implementation Agreement.A supplementary joint venture agreement
floating the company was signed by Bangladesh Power Development Board
(BPDB) chairman Abdual Wahab Khan and NTPC Chairman and Managing
Director Arup Roy Choudhury while the two others agreements were signed
by officials concerned of the two countries.
Indian origin boy won spelling championship
12 years old Indian origin boy won the very popular spelling competition
beating another 30 competitors, held at Singapore. The name of the
competition was R.B.H- The Straight Times National Spelling Championship.
The name of the boy is Ashwin Shiv Kumar, who won the top place in this
championship on 27 April 2013 . He is the student of 6th grade at Anglo-
Chinese school. He was awarded by 5000 Singapore Dollars, as a prize he got.
He passed through 10 stages and won the competition.
NATIONAL
Prez Pranab Mukherjee clears anti-rape bill
President Pranab Mukherjee had given his assent to the anti-rape bill which
provides for life term and even death sentence for rape convicts besides
stringent punishment for offences like acid attacks, stalking and
voyeurism.Mukherjee accorded his assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment)
Bill-2013 on 03 April 2013.This is called as the Criminal Law (Amendment)
Act, 2013.The law, passed by Lok Sabha on March 19 and by Rajya Sabha on
March 21.
Union Government Approved Project for NOFN Creation in
Gram Panchayats
On 12 April The Government of India approved the project for creation of
National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) connecting all the 250000 Gram
Panchayats (GPs) in the country through Optical Cable (OFC). The Union
Government decided to fund the project through Universal Service Obligation
Fund (USOF).
Government Approved For 13 Power Projects
On 22 April The Cabinet Committee on Investment cleared 13 power projects
that involves investment of 33000 crore rupees. The projects on which the
investments will be made include one hydro and two thermal project as well
as ten transmission projects. 25 oil and gas blocks with investment
commitment of about seven billion US dollars also got approval during the
same meet. Of these 16 blocks were given conditional clearances, while nine
blocks were approved without any condition. Approval of these projects was
pending due to the objections raised by the Ministry of Defence over national
security.
Mukherjee Gives Assent To Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace Bill
On 25 April President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to the Sexual
Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal)
Bill, 2013.Sexual harassment at workplace is a violation of women s right to
gender equality, life and liberty.It creates an insecure and hostile work
environment, which discourages women s participation in work, thereby
adversely affecting their economic empowerment and the goal of inclusive
growth. (ANI)
STATES
Andhra Pradesh Government launched Online Services
named Parishkaram for Entrepreneurs Andhra Pradesh Government on 1
April 2013 launched the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation s online
services for entrepreneurs and grievance redressal system. The platform is
proposed to be a link between the APIIC and entrepreneurs which would
make the process of application and registration of land for setting up
industries a paperless one.
EC issues notification for Karnataka assembly polls
The Election Commission on April 10 issued the notification for the Karnataka
Assembly polls.The nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 18. The last
day for withdrawing the nominations is April 20. The votes polled on May 5
will be counted on May 8.
Himachal Govt To Connect All Gram Panchayats With
Broadband
On 12 April Himachal Pradesh government signed memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with Department of Telecommunication, Govt of India
(GOI) and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) for providing
broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats of the state by establishing of
an optical fiber network.
Himachal celebrates 66th anniversary
On 15 April 2013 Himachal Pradesh celebrated 66th Himachal Day.Himachal
Pradesh came into existence on 15 April 1948 with the merger of 30 princely
states.During the function, the Chief Minister announced many schemes for
the state which are under development phase like Mukhyamantri Adarsh
Krishi Gaon Yojana, Skill Development Allowance. In the skill development
Allowance, the government would provide 1000 rupees per month to
educated unemployed youths and 1500 rupees to persons with disabilities of
the state.
Indias first automatic toll collection system launched in
Maharashtra
The country s first interoperable RIFD(Radio Frequency Identification Device
)-based electronic toll system was rolled out on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai
National Highway and the system would allow vehicles fitted with electronic
tags to sail through six toll plazas automatically.
Tamilnadu Planned Rs.7000 crore Underground Hydel Power
Station
On 25 April Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa announced the
government planned a Rs 7,000 crore underground hydel power station in
Nilgiris district besides the ongoing related schemes,which in all will cost over
Rs 20,000 crore.The first unit of North Chennai Thermal Power plant, third
unit of Vallur project and 2x 500 MW each of Tuticorin Power project would
start generating power between March 2014.The first unit of North Chennai
Thermal Power plant, third unit of Vallur project and 2x 500 MW each of
Tuticorin Power project would start generating power between this year May
and March 2014
CONFERENCES
PM inaugurated CII national conference
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the two-day national
conference and annual general meeting of the Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII) in New Delhi on 03 March 2013.Around 1,500 industrialists
from across the country will attended the meeting. The theme for this year s
deliberations is India tomorrow: Imperatives of growth, security and
governance.
Conference of CMs of States & Chief Justices of High Courts held at New
Delhi
Conference of Chief Ministers of States & Chief Justices of High Courts held at
New Delhi on 7 April.The conference presided over by Chief Justice of India
Altamas Kabir, aims to address pressing issues related to the country s justice
delivery system that s often criticised for being tardy.Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh inaugurated the joint conference.Prime Minister, Dr.
Manmohan Singh has called upon the judiciary and executive to work together
to make the Indian judicial system an arrear free.
Hyderabad will host ICSE conference in 2014
The 36th International Conference on Software Engineering, ICSE2014, will be
held in Hyderabad, India from 1 June 2013 to 7 June 2013. India is home to
some of the largest software companies in the world, and Hyderabad is one of
the main centers for software development in India.This conference is going
to be a premier software engineering conference that is going to provide a
forum for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the
most recent innovations, trends, experiences and concerns in the field of
software engineering.This is the first time conducted in India.
UNWTO Conference Held in Hyderabad
United Nations World Tourism Organisation ( UNWTO) Commission s
Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development and 25th Joint Meeting of
the UNWTO Commission for East Asia, Pacific and South Asia will be held at
Hyderabad from 12th to 14th of this month.The conference attended by
dignitaries belonging to 29 countries spread across in East Asia & Pacific and
South Asia, eight UNWTO affiliate members, two regional organizations as
well as industry organizations. The UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai
along with his team of senior delegates presented at the meeting .The
delegates discussed the market trends of the region in the year 2012 and
tourism prospects for the year 2013.The next Joint Meeting would be held in
Philippines and the 21st Session of General Assembly of UNWTO will be held
in Cambodia.
AWARDS & HONOURS
National Awards for State Industries
On April 1st ,the state of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
(MSME) got the National Awards .In the Research &
Development Efforts in MSMEs category includes three Awards (First, Second
and Third) for Micro and Small Enterprises and have gone to entrepreneurs
from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana respectively.Three National
Awards (First, Second and
Third) for Micro Enterprises in Outstanding Efforts in
Entrepreneurship category Haryana , West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh got
first,second and third respectively.Three National Awards (First, Second and
Third) for Small Enterprises. First Award has gone to an entrepreneur from
Himachal Pradesh. Second Award has been given jointly to four entrepreneurs
from Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Third Award
has been given jointly to three entrepreneurs from Madhya Pradesh, Odisha
and Karnataka.This awards will be presented by the President Pranab
Mukherjee.
Desmond Tutu Won Prestigious 2013 Templeton Prize
On 4 South Africa s Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has won 2013
Templeton Prize for his life-long work in promoting love and
forgiveness.The prize was announced at the foundation s headquarters in
West Conshohocken in Pennsylvania and is valued at $1.7-million (about
Rs.15.6-million).Last year s prize was awarded to the exiled Tibetan Buddhist
spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
ICSI National Awards for Excellence in Corporate
Governance 2012
Chairman of the Awards Jury of the ICSI (Institute of Company Secretaries of
India) and former Chief Justice of India Shri Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah in
New Delhi on 05 April 2013 presented the ICSI National Awards for
Excellence in Corporate Governance -2012 to two Best Governed Companies
: 1. Indian Oil Corporation Limited; and 2. HCL Technologies Limited. The
Awards were presented during the ongoing 2nd CSIA International Corporate
Governance Conference. ICSI Life Time Achievement Award for the year 2012
was presented to Shri Deepak S. Parekh, Chairman, Housing Development
Finance Corporation Ltd. for translating excellence in Corporate Governance
into reality.Certificates of Recognition were presented to the Top Five
Companies. These are : 1. CMC Limited 2. Engineers India Limited 3. ONGC
Limited 4. Persistent Systems Ltd. 5. Powergrid Corporation of India Limited
Barfi! wins top honours at The Times of India Film Awards
Barfi movie was the top winner at the maiden edition of The Times of India
Film Awards, bagging the Best Film, Best Director (Anurag Basu), Best Actor
(Ranbir Kapoor), Best Actress (Priyanka Chopra) and Best Debut Female
(Ileana D Cruz) trophies. The award for the Best Debut Male went to
Ayushmann Khurrana for Vicky Donor, which also won the Best Supporting
Actor award for Annu Kapoor and the Best Supporting Actress trophy for
Dolly Ahluwalia. Anurag Kashyap s Gangs of Wasseypur got the Critics Choice
award for Best Film. Abhishek Bachchan, who won the Best Actor in a Comic
Role award for Bol Bachchan, dedicated the honour to his wife Aishwarya.
Pran gets Phalke Award
On 12 April 2013,Hindi film actor Pran Krishan Sikand will be conferred with
the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2012. The 93-year-old actor,
popularly known as Pran, will be the 44th recipient of the top-most film
award in the country.Pran, who has acted in over 400 films in his six-decade-
long career.The award, named after the father of Indian cinema Dada Saheb
Phalke, will be conferred on Pran on May 3, which will also mark the 100
years of cinema this year.
New York Times won four Pulitzer Prizes
The New York Times won four Pulitzer Prizes on 15 April 2013, including the
award for investigative reporting for stories that detailed how Wal-Mart used
bribery to expand in Mexico.The Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was
awarded the public service Pulitzer for its reporting on off-duty police officers
reckless driving.The Pulitzer in breaking news photography went to The
Associated Press for its coverage of the civil war in Syria.The Pulitzers,
journalisms highest honour, are given out each year 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.
Raj Chetty won John Bates Clark young economist award
Delhi-born Raj Chetty, the professor in the Department of Economy at the
Harvard University won John Bates Clark medal for 2013, also called Baby
Nobel.John Bates Clark medal is conferred upon the American economist
whose age is below 40 years and the one who has made crucial contribution
to economic knowledge and thought.Baby Nobel is one of the most prestigious
awards of economy. Infact, it is second only after Nobel Prize in economic
science.Raj Chetty, 33, is the first Indian-origin person to win this high honour.
His areas of work include social insurance, tax policy as well as education
policy.
Telugu writer Ravuri Bharadwaja honoured with Jnanpith
award
Telugu writer Dr Ravuri Bharadwaja got the country s prestigious Jnanpith
award for 2012 for his contributions to Telugu literature over 60 years.He got
this award for his novel Pakudurallu.He is the third recipient of the country
s highest literary award from Andhra Pradesh, after Dr Viswanatha
Satyanarayana in 1970 for his Srimad Ramayana Kalpavriksham and Dr C.
Narayana Reddy in 1988 for his book Viswambhara. Eighty six-year-old Dr
Bharadwaja was chosen for the award by a selection Board chaired by poet
Sitakant Mahapatra, said a statement of the Jnanpith award committee.
RGIA is Named the Best Airport in India
On 17 April The GMR Group operated and managed Rajiv Gandhi International
Airport (RGIA) has been rated as the No.1 airport in India, the fifth best
regional airport in Asia and also as the eighth best airport in the 5 to 10 mppa
capacity.The ratings were given at the recently concluded Skytrax-World
Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Geneva.
Manmohan Singh, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi Named Among
Top 5 Most Influential Asians
On 17 April Congress president Sonia Gandhi (2nd Rank), Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh (4th Rank) and AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi (5th
Rank) have been named among top 5 in the world s 100 most influential list of
Asians topped by China s new President Xi Jinping.Among the other key
Indians to make the grade included Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani
for owning Indias most valuable company in ninth place, followed by
President Pranab Mukherjee at 19th place and steel magnate Lakshmi N Mittal
at 20th position.Indian entries dominated the Top 100 with 39 names,
followed by 15 from China and six from the Philippines.While Infosys co-
founder Narayan Murthy was named Philanthropist of the Year, industrialist
Adi Godrej bagged Entrepreneur of the Year award for his contribution to
Indian industry and Ravi Ruia, vice-chairman of the Essar Group, won in the
Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability category, for his company s high
sustainability ratings
NRI Kartar Lalvani Received Queens Award
On 20 April Vitabiotics, a company founded by NRI entrepreneur Kartar
Lalvani, has received the coveted Queen s Award for Enterprise in Innovation
for its research on vitamins. Vitabiotics , UK s largest supplier of minerals and
vitamin supplements to the retail trade, won the award for the development
of its Pregnacare range and in recognition of its successful Pregnacare clinic
research.
Saina Nehwal Selected for Yudhvir Award
Yudhvir Foundation has selected ace badminton player Saina Nehwal for the
22nd Yudhvir Memorial Foundation Award for the year 2013, which was
being given every year to honor the individuals who excel in some field of
human endeavor. The award was established in the name of late Yudhvir,
founder editor of the Hindi Milap daily in 1991 after his demise.Saina Nehwal
was selected for the Award as she won a medal in Olympics in badminton and
also the first to win the Asian Satellite Badminton tournament (India Chapter)
twice keeping the country s image high abroad.The previous Yudhvir
awardees include Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Classical maestro
Pandit Jasraj, Space Scientist Prof. UR Rao, Amar Chitra Katha founder late
Anant Pai and eminent film maker Shyam Benegal and others.
Asha Bhosle, Mala Sinha to get Phalke Academy awards
The Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards will be bestowed on singer Asha
Bhosle, actress Mala Sinha, late filmmaker Yash Chopra, and late superstar
Rajesh Khanna among several others at a ceremony in Mumbai on April
30.Asha, who has regaled music lovers with her melodious voice in her over
six decades old career, will receive the Phalke Ratna Award from the academy,
while Mala Sinha, who has acted in Pyaasa", Maryada" and Hariyali
Aur Rasta" will get the Golden Era Award.
Major Anup Joseph awarded Kirti Chakra, 12 others get
Shaurya Chakra
Major Anup Joseph Manjali was on Saturday awarded the second-highest
peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra by President Pranab Mukherjee for
killing three foreign militants in Jammu and Kashmir. 12 defence personnel
were awarded the Shaurya Charkra for their acts of bravery including Captain
A Rahul Ramesh and Naik Krishna Kumar who were given the honour
posthumously.
Seven South African Indians get National Orders
The awards(National Orders)are presented on the Freedom Day of South
Africa that is celebrated on April 27 to mark the day on which Nelson Mandela
took over as the country s first democratically-elected President in 1994.
Among the recipients of the order was veteran Indian diplomat Enuga
Sreenivasula Reddy who had led the fight against apartheid at the UN since
1963 received the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo(Silver).The second
highest award called the Order of the Baobab was presented to Lenasia-based
community worker Suraya Khan, popularly known to all as Aunty Bibi,
while the same order in Silver went to journalist and community activist
Yusuf Abramjee and pioneering skin cloning plastic surgeon Dr Ridwan Mia.
Prof Quarraisha Abdool Karim received the Order of Mapungubwe in Bronze
for her internationally acclaimed research into HIV Aids.
SPORTS & GAMES
Rahi Sarnobat won a Gold medal in 25-M Pistol Event
Rahi Sarnobat clinched the first gold for India in International Shooting Sport
Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Korea on 5 April 2013. She defeated Kyeongae
Kim 8-6 in 25m pistol final. She is the first pistol shooter from India who won
the Gold in World Cup.
Indian Womens Cricket Team Won the Twenty20
International Series against Bangladesh
The Indian women s cricket team finished the Twenty20 International series
against Bangladesh Women with 3-0 clean sweep in Vadodara in the final
match on 5 April 2013. India won the final match by 10 runs against
Bangladesh. The T-20 International series against Bangladesh began on 2
April 2013.
Nanjappa wins bronze in mens 10m air pistol at World Cup
India s Prakash Nanjappa won a bronze medal in the men s 10mair pistol
event at the ISSF World Cup at Changwon, Korea on 06 April 2013.This is
Nanjappa s first ever medal in an ISSF competition. He had also finished eighth
at the men s 50 metre pistol final. He scored 180.2 points.The gold was won by
Vietnams Xuan Vinh Hoang, the 2012 Asian champion, with a total score of
200.8 points while the silver went to China s Wang Zhiwei, the 2012 Olympic
bronze medallist, who shot 200.1.
Narayanan Srinath Won Asian Junior Chess Title
On 6 April India s International Master Narayanan Srinath won Asian Junior
chess title that concluded at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.Sahaj Grover
of Delhi was second, as he also remained undefeated just like Srinath.Top seed
Grandmaster Salem Saleh of UAE finished third losing to Srinath and to a
Vietnamese.Vo Thi Kim Phung (Vietnam) won the Asian Junior girls blitz
championship title.
Rupesh Shah Won ONGC 12th Asian Billiards championship
On April 7 the world champion Rupesh Shah won the 12th Asian Billiards
championship at Indore Tennis Club,Indore.He defeated Alok Kumar .It is is
the 10th Asian Billiards title for Rupesh
Shah.Rupesh Shah already qualified for 2013 World
Championship as the defending champion.
Serena Williams Won Family Circle Cup Tennis Title
On 7 April The top-ranked Serena Williams (USA) won the Family Circle Cup
Tennis title after defeated Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) in the final at Charleston
(South Carolina).Williams successfully defended her title by claiming her third
overall Charleston crown.She earned her 49th career singles title.
India got Silver in World Youth Weightlifting Championships
2013
Jamjang Deru gave India the first medal in the World Youth Weightlifting
Championships as he won a silver in the 50kg boys category at Tashkent,
Uzbekistan. Deru won the silver in clean and jerk with an effort of 110 kg and
finished fourth in the total lift with 195kg. He lifted 85kg in snatch.In the same
category, Deepak Lather finished 12th in total lift with an effort of 174kg
(80+94).
India Women Complete Clean Sweep Over Bangladesh
India Women completed a 3-0 One-Day International series clean sweep over
Bangladesh Women with a 58-run victory in the final match in
Ahmedabad.India batted first in the third match and posted 154.
Pakistan bans two umpires over spot-fixing
Pakistan cricket authorities on 13 April 2013 banned two umpires.The
allegations against the umpires first came up after a television sting operation
last year. The PCB set up an inquiry committee led by PCB Chairman Zaka
Ashraf soon after and passed on its findings to the board s integrity committee
to determine the punishments.Nadeem Ghauri, the Pakistan umpire, has been
handed a four-year ban by the PCB after its integrity committee found him
guilty of being willing to accept money for favourable umpiring decisions. His
colleague Anis Siddiqi was banned for three years.
FerrarisFernando Alonso wins Chinese Grand Prix 2013
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso won the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix on
14 April 2013.Lotus Kimi Raikkonen and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton got
second and third positions respectively.Red Bull s Sebastian Vettel got a 4th
position.But Force India s Paul di Resta got 8th Position.
Adam Scott Won Augusta Masters Golf Tournament
Australia s Adam Scott won the 77th Masters (2013 Masters Tournament),
become the first Australian golfer to capture the green jacket.It was Scott s
first major championship and the first time an Australian has won the
Masters.
Chandigarh win Hockey India sub-junior mens national
championship
Chandigarh defeated Punjab 2-1 to lift the 3rd Hockey India Sub- Junior Men
National Championship (North Zone) title at Sonepat on 15 April
2013.Meanwhile, Haryana won the 3rd Hockey India Sub-Junior Women s
National Championship (North Zone) after getting the better of Chandigarh, 3-
1 in the final.
Amit won gold, three other Indians bag a bronze each
Amit Kumar clinched a gold medal in men`s 55kg category while three other
grapplers bagged a bronze medal each for India in the Senior Asian Wrestling
Championship in New Delhi on 20 April 2013.In the women`s category, Vinesh
(51kg) and Babita Kumari (55kg) won their bronze medal bouts while Bajrang
(men`s 60kg) pocketed a bronze, to end the day three of the championships on
a high after two medal-less days.
Sebastian Vettel Won Bahrain Grand Prix Title
On 21 April The Red Bull s Sebastian Vettel from Germany won the Bahrain
Grand Prix 2013 by defeating Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain
Grosjean. Kimi Raikkonen got second postion.Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes
took fifth position and Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was successful in grabbing
the eighth position in the listings
Novak Djokovic Won Monte Carlo Masters Title
On 21 April World Number One Novak Djokovic won his first Monte Carlo
Masters title.Djokovic defeated Spain s Rafael Nadal in the final.The Serbian
inflicted Nadal s first defeat in Monte Carlo in 47 matches and avenged last
year s final defeat to lift his first Masters title.
Amit Kumar Dhankar won Gold
Amit Kumar Dhankar won India s second gold medal of the championships in
Men s 66kg Freestyle at KD Jadhav Stadium in New Delhi on 22 April 2013.
India topped the medals tally in Freestyle division with 2 gold and 2 bronze
medals.India finished top of the Men s freestyle rankings with 2 golds and 2
bronze medals. India got 48 points to br crowned champion for the first time
in the history of the Asian Wrestling Championships.India finished with nine
medals 2 gold, 1 silver and 6 bronze.
Chris Gayle Hits Crickets Fastest-ever Century in IPL Match
On 23 April Chris Gayle, the West Indies opener, hit the fastest ever century in
the history of cricket by reaching 100 in merely 30 balls during Royal
Challengers Bangalore-Pune Warriors IPL match.Gayle scored a total run of
175 runs in merely 66 balls, which included 17 sixes and 13 boundaries. It is
important to note that this is the most number of runs scored in any T20
innings. This was also his fourth century in the IPL career.
Lancashires Jordan Clark hits 6 sixes in 1 over
Lancashire all-rounder Jordan Clark had become only the fifth professional
player to hit six sixes in one over, achieving the feat in a second XI match
against Yorkshire on 25 April 2013. Clark joins an illustrious list that contains
former West Indies allrounder Garfield Sobers (1968), India s Ravi Shastri
(1985), South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs and India all-rounder Yuvraj
Singh (both 2007).
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championship in Patiala
Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championship in Patiala on 25 April 2013.
Men: 4x100M relay: Andhra Pradesh (K Pavan Kumar, E Gopi, Md Baba, M
Manikanand Raj) 41.06 seconds, 1; Tamil Nadu A (Silambarasan, Al Ameen,
Vijayakumar, Balamurugan) 41.10, 2; Kerala A (Anuroop John, Jeris Jose,
Rahul G Pillai, Renjith KG) 41.39, 3. Women: 4x100M relay: Chhattisgarh
(Niksy Joseph, Shilpa, Priya PK, Sini S) 47.40 seconds, 1; ONGC A (Mounika
Gaddam, Meghna Shetty, Purnima Hembram, Duteechand) 47.78, 2; Kerala A
(Merlin K Joseph, Neethu Mathew, Neethu Rajan, Rengitha C) 48.24, 3.
Dhoni fined for slow over rate
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was fined $20,000 for his
teams slow over rate in their 14-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a
Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter in Chennai on 28 April 2013.
India Open Super Series Badminton Tournament Winners
Men s Singles:-On 28 April World number one Lee Chong (Malaysia) won the
men s singles title at India Open Super Series badminton tournament at
NewDelhi.In the final Lee Chong defeated Kenichi Tago of Japan and got the
title. Women s Singles:-Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand won the women`s
singles title after defeated Juliane Schenk of Germany in the final .
Rafael Nadal Won Barcelona Open Tennis Title
On 28 April Rafael Nadal from Spain won the Barcelona Open Tennis title for
the eighth time.In the final at Barcelona ,Nadal defeated Nicolas Almagro from
Spain.It was Nadal s 54th career title and fourth this year
Maria Sharapova Won Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Title
On 28 April Maria Sharapova from Russia won Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
Title.She defeated China s Li Na in the final at Porsche Arena in Stuttgart,
Germany.It was her 16th consecutive clay court title.
ECONOMY
India Joins The Madrid Protocol System
On 8 April India joined the International Registration of Marks at the World
Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) by depositing the instrument of
accession to the Madrid Protocol.India is the 90th member to join the
international trademark system.India is the 90th member to join the
international trademark system and the treaty will enter into force with
respect to India on 8 July 2013.The Madrid Protocol system provides for the
international registration of trade marks by way of one application that can
cover more than one country. The opportunity of having a single registration
to cover a wide range of countries gives advantages, both in terms of portfolio
management and cost savings, as opposed to a portfolio of independent
national registrations.
Yamaha to Develop Cheapest Bike of the World in India
Yamaha, the Japanese two-wheeler company on 9 April 2013 announced that
it will soon roll out the cheapest motorcycle of the world in India. The price of
this bike would be around 500 US dollar or 27000 Rupees approximately.
WTO cuts 2013 global trade growth forecast to 3.3%
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) on 10 April 2013 cut its forecast for
global trade growth in 2013 to 3.3 percent, from the previous prediction of 4.5
percent.
Gujarat Tops in Attracting Private Investment
According to the Composition of Outstanding Private Investments Across
States report released by Assocham ,Gujarat has ranked on top for
attracting investment across the country cornering about 14 per cent of
total outstanding private sector investment worth over Rs 75 lakh crore as of
December 2012.Odisha ranks second with private investment commitments
worth over Rs 8 lakh crore.With a share of about 9.4 per cent and 9.3 per cent,
Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra both have attracted private investments
worth over Rs 7 lakh crore respectively.The private sector accounts for over
62 per cent of total outstanding investments worth about Rs 122 lakh crore
attracted by India as of December 2012.Of the total investments from private
sources worth over Rs 75 lakh crore, the domestic private sector accounts for
a majority share of about 58 per cent.Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
Uttarakhand and Assam account for a share of less than even one per cent in
the total private investment commitments attracted by India.
IMF slashed Economic Growth Rate of India to 5.7 percent
from 5.9 percent for 2013
IMF(International Monetary Fund) in its latest release on 16 April 2013 of the
World Economic Outlook (WEO) slashed the growth projection of India from
its earlier prediction of 5.9 percent to 5.7 percent for the calendar year 2013.
Ambani Brothers 20th Richest in World
Mukesh and Anil Ambani, India s leading industrialist brothers, have been
together listed as 20th richest in the world in the Sunday Times Rich List
2013.The Walton family of the US, who own Supermarkets (Walmart), are the
richest in the world with a 90 billion pounds fortune in 2013 as against 51
billion pounds last year.The Hinduja brothers, Srichand and Gopichand
Hinduja, Chairman and Co-Chairman respectively of the Hinduja Group, are
47th richest in the world with a fortune worth 11 billion pounds in 2013 as
against 9 billion pounds last year.
Spain Unemployment Rate Hits New Record
On 24 April According to the National Statistics Institute data ,Spain s
unemployment rate soared to a new record of 27.2% of the workforce in the
first quarter of 2013.The total number of unemployed people in Spain has
now passed the six million figure, although the rate of the increase has
slowed.The jobless rate, which stood at 7.9% in mid-2007, has risen
relentlessly since the collapse in 2008 of a Spain s labour-intensive property
boom.
India became the worlds eighth most powerful nation
According to Delhi-based Foundation for National Security Research (FSNR),
the world s 10 most powerful countries, India had been ranked 8th. India is
ranked eighth in 27 countries. Professor Satish Kumar says that we study
about the selection of powerful countries on several grounds. Some of these
countries had to fulfill the necessary criteria. For instance, were the countries,
whose population was more than 5 million. The level of
GDP was over U.S. $ 500 billion. India is one of such
countries.Study states that the United States is the world s most powerful
country and China stood in 2nd position.
Indias GDP likely to improve to 5.7% in 2013: IMF
According to International Monetary Fund s(IMF) Regional Economic
Outlook: Asia and Pacific report ,the GDP of India in 2013 is 5.7% and in 2014
it is 6.2%.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Cicadas Insect Wings Kills Bacteria
Human eye cells have been grown on cicadas wings after it was found that the
wings surface kills bacteria and boosts cell growth.Dr Greg Watson, a
researcher at James Cook University in Cairns, began looking more closely at
cicadas after noticing, while out on a walk more than a decade ago, that their
wings took much longer to decompose than their bodies.It is the first time
scientists have found that tiny features found on a natural surface, rather than
chemicals, kill bacteria.
Supreme Court of India Rejected Novartis Patent Plea for
Cancer Drug Called Glivec
The Supreme Court of India on 1 April 2013 rejected the plea of Novartis, the
Swiss drug maker, to patent the updated version of cancer drug called Glivec.
A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai dismissed the
patent plea to Novartis on the basis that there was no inventiveness or novelty
in the new version of the drug. In its ruling, the Supreme Court of India
declared that because the application for patent on betacrystalline salt did not
meet any inventiveness or novelty standard, therefore the company s plea for
patent was dismissed.
Worlds first solar plane to fly across US
A first of its kind ultra-lightweight plane powered completely by the sun is set
to fly coast-to-coast this spring.The Solar Impulse plane will stop in Dallas city
in Texas during its historic cross-country journey that begins on May 1.The
plane, which requires zero fuel and relies solely on solar panels and battery
power, would be the world s first plane powered purely by solar energy.
Obama Announced $100 Million Brain Initiative Project
On 2 April US President Barack Obama has announced the BRAIN Initiative
a $100 million brain-mapping project.The BRAIN initiative will attempt to find
ways to treat Alzheimer s disease and strokes while also aiding in job growth.
Carbon aerogel worlds lightest material
Chinese scientists have developed the world s lightest substance carbon
aerogel with a density only one sixth of that of the air.Scientists at Zhejiang
University produced the solid material which has a density of only 0.16
mg/cubic centimetre, breaking the previous record of the world s lightest
material held by graphite aerogel.The graphite aerogel was developed by
German scientists last year with a density of 0.18 mg/cubic centimetre.
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Detected Evidence of Dark
Matter
On 3 April NASA scientists announced the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
(AMS) placed on the International Space Station (ISS) may have detected the
elusive dark matter. The scientists made the announcement after they
observed an excess of positrons in the Cosmic Ray Flux, which can be the
reason of the presence of elusive dark matter.
100 billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy
Scientists have proposed a new method for finding Earth-like planets in our
Milky Way galaxy and they anticipate that their number may be up to a
whopping 100 billion.The strategy devised by researchers at The University of
Auckland uses a technique called gravitational microlensing, currently used
by a Japan-New Zealand collaboration called MOA (Microlensing Observations
in Astrophysics) at New Zealand s Mt John Observatory.
German Shipyard Launches Worlds Largest Private Yacht
On 5 April A German shipyard has launched Azzam" , the world s largest
private yacht at 590-feet long, which also happens to be among the fastest
vessels, costing a whopping USD 609 million.The luxury private vessel Azzam
with a beam 68-feet high overshadows previous longest superyacht, The
Eclipse, by 57-feet. Designed by Nauta Yachts in Italy and constructed by
German company Lurssen Yachts, Azzam is almost two football fields long and
rivals the size of some cruise ships.It took four years to complete the
superyacht from concept to construction.With 94,000 horsepower generated
from two gas turbines and two diesel engines, the Azzam can reach speeds of
over 55.5kph, which makes it one of the fastest yachts in the world.
New Camera System That Can Captured Images From 1 km
Away
In the month of April the team of researchers from Heriot-Watt University in
Edinburgh , developed a New Laser powered Camera System that can take
image of any object from a distance of about one kilometer by creating high-
resolution 3D images.The technique on which the camera is based is called
Time-of-Flight (ToF) navigation systems for autonomous vehicles. In this
principle of photography, to capture the image of the far away object, a laser
beam is bounced on the object and measure the time that is taken by the beam
of light to be back to the detector.
India test-fires nuclear capable Agni-II missile
The medium-range, nuclear capable Agni-II missile was successfully test-fired
with a strike range of more than 2,000 kms from the Wheeler Island off
Odisha coast on 07 April 2013.The trial of the surface-to-surface missile was
conducted from a mobile launcher from the Launch Complex-4 of Integrated
Test Range (ITR).The 20-metre-long Agni-II is a two-stage, solidpropelled
ballistic missile. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can carry a payload of
1,000 kgs over a distance of 2,000 kms.The state-of-the-art Agni-II missile was
developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and integrated by the
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in Hyderabad.Agni-II is part of the Agni series
of missiles developed by DRDO which includes Agni-I with a 700 km range,
Agni-III with a 3,000 km range, Agni-IV with 4,000 km range and Agni-V with
a more than 5,000 km range.
NASA Approved TESSProject
NASA has approved a The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a
$200 million mission to search for Earth-size planets orbiting the nearby
stars.Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with seed funding
from Google, TESS was one of 11 proposals selected for NASA funding in
September 2011, down from the original 22 submitted in February of that
year.TESS, along with the Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR
(NICER), had been selected for launch in 2017. The project will come into full
swing within the next four years.
Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Hatf-IV Missile
Pakistan successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Hatf-IV ballistic missile on
10 April 2013. The missile has a range of 900 km and it can also hit targets in
India. Hatf- IV ballistic missile is also called Shaheen-1.
Indian Astronomer Discovered Blue Super-Giant Star
An Indian scientist Dr. duo Ananda Hota and his Taiwanese colleague Dr.
Youichi Ohyama have discovered a blue supergiant star located in the
constellation Virgo, far beyond our Milky Way Galaxy. Over 55 million years
ago, the star emerged in an extremely wild environment, surrounded by
intensely hot plasma (a million degrees centigrade) and amidst raging cyclone
winds blowing at four million kilometres per hour.This star is in small IC 3418
Milky Way Galaxy and it is about 5.5 billion light-years away from Earth.
Astronomers find most Earth-like planets yet
NASA scientists announced on 19 April 2013 that they discovered two earths
like plants which are 1200 light years far from earth. NASA discovered the five
plants which are rotating around Kepler 62 star using the Kepler Space
Telescope. Two of the five planets orbiting a sun-like star called Kepler-62 are
squarely in what astronomers call the habitable zone not too hot, not too
cold and possibly bearing water. These two plants are named as a Kepler-63e
and Kepler 62f.
China Tested Self Developed Biofuel Flight
On 24 April China successfully conducted a first test flight powered by self-
developed biofuel made mainly from palm oil and recycled cooking oil.An
Airbus A320 operated by China Eastern Airlines landed at Shanghai Hongqiao
International Airport ,after completing an 85-minute journey using aviation
biofuel produced by Sinopec, the country s top oil refiner.The success made
China the fourth country after the United States, France and Finland to boast
independent production of bio-jet-fuel.
PERSONSIN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Jonty Rhodes named South African tourism ambassador in
India
Former cricketer Jonty Rhodes was named as the brand ambassador of South
African Tourism in India.
Chitra Ramkrishna Took Over as NSE chief
On 1 April Chitra Ramkrishna took over as National Stock Exchange (NSE)
new Managing Director and CEO .As MD and CEO of the NSE, Ramkrishna
succeeds Ravi Narain who would assume the role of non-executive Vice
Chairman .She is the first female head of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in
its nearly 20-year history of operations as a bourse.
Rakesh Bhatia is Catholic Syrian Banks new MD & CEO
Rakesh Bhatia had taken over as the new Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer of Catholic Syrian Bank.He was previously the Global Head of
HSBC s Trade and Receivables Finance Division.
2 Indians selected for Yale fellowship programme
Abhik Sen, Managing Editor, The Economist Group, and Prodyut Bora, State
General Secretary of BJP in Assam, have been selected as the two Indian
representatives for 2013 Yale World Fellows Program.About 16 people have
been selected for the programme.Since 2002, the university has welcomed a
group of exemplary mid-career professionals from a wide range of fields and
countries for an intensive four-month period of academic enrichment and
leadership training.With the selection of Sen and Bora, the total number of
Indian fellows stands at 13.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
Infosys S Gopalakrishnan is the new CII President
S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris), co-founder and executive co-chairman, Infosys
Technologies Limited, had been elected as the President of CII for the year
2013-14. He succeeds Mr Adi Godrej as the new President.
S.C. Sinha Appointed as NHRC Member
On 5 April National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief S.C. Sinha has been
appointed as a member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) .S C
Sinha, a 1975 batch Haryana cadre officer.He will now get a five year term at
NHRC.
Krishna Kumar Natrajan appointed as theNew Chief of
NASSCOM
Krishnakumar Natarajan, CEO and Director of Mindtree on 8 April 2013 was
appointed as the Chairman of Nasscom for the year 2013-14. He succeeded N
Chandrasekaran, MD and CEO of TCS, who was the Chairman for the year
2012-13.
FirstWoman director for IICT
On April 8,Dr. Mannepalli Lakshmi Kantam, had been appointed as Director of
the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), the first woman scientist
to head any of the 37 laboratories belonging to Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR) in the country.
Kenyatta sworn in as Kenyas president
Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in as Kenya s fourth president on 09 April 2013,
becoming the second sitting president in the world to be indicted for crimes
against humanity and creating a challenge for western governments keen to
sustain links with a strategic east African ally.
PJ Kurien elected Chairman of Asian forum of
Parliamentarians
On April 11 Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, PJ Kurien was unanimously
elected as the Chairman of the prestigious Asian Forum of Parliamentarians
on Population and Development (AFPPD) during the during the 73rd
Executive Committee Meeting of AFPPD at Bangkok. He replaced Yasuo
Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan as the Chairman of AFPPD. PJ Kurien
at present is also the Chairman of the Indian Association of Parliamentarians
on Population and Development.
Five new judges sworn-in
Five new judges to the Andhra Pradesh High Court were sworn-in by acting
Chief Justice N.V. Ramana in Hyderabad on 12 April 2013.The new judges who
were administered the oath of office and secrecy are: Challa Kodanda Ram, A.
Rajasekhar Reddy, P. Naveen Rao, A.V. Sesha Sai and S.V. Bhatt.
Two Judges Sworn in Supreme Court
On 12 April with two more judges sworn in the strength of the Supreme Court
has risen to 30.Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde
were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of India
Altamas Kabir.While Justice Sikri was the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana
High Court, Justice Bobde was the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The sanctioned strength of the apex court is 31 judges including the CJI.
Sunil Kumar Takes over as Managing Director of CRIS
On 16 April 2013,Sunil Kumar took over as the Managing Director of Centre
for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).
Shri Asoke Kumar Mukerji appointed as the Permanent
Representative of India to the UN
On April 17,Shri Asoke Kumar Mukerji, took charges as the
Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations at New
York.
CRPF gets first woman Special DG
On April 18, Senior IPS officer Aruna Bahuguna appointed as the Special
Director General of the country s largest paramilitary force CRPF. This is the
first time a woman officer is occupying the second top post in the hierarchy of
the force. She is a 1979-batch IPS officer. She was till now serving as the
Chairman of the AP police housing corporation. Bahuguna is expected to take
charge at the force headquarters in New Delhi within 15 days.
Abdul Hamid elected Bangladesh President uncontested
Abdul Hamid is to be Bangladesh s 20th president after no other candidate
was nominated in the poll to replace President Zilliur Rahman who died on 20
March 2013. Abdul Hamid was elected uncontested as the 20th President of
Bangladesh.
Sunil Bharti Mittal Appointed as Vice Chairman of ICC
On 22 April Sunil Bharti Mittal , the Chairman and Group CEO of Bharti
Enterprises appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the International Chamber of
Commerce (ICC),which is one of the world s oldest global business
organisations.With the appointment as the Vice Chairman of ICC, Mittal
became the third business person from India in the history of ICC to be
appointed on the ICC Executive Board.
Ajay Devgn, Runa Laila named SAARC ambassadors for
HIV/ AIDS
Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila and Oscar-
winning Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have been named as
SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV/AIDS.A meeting of the selection
committee was held recently at the SAARC Secretariat and of the 10
nominations received from the member states, the three celebrities were
nominated.
Takehiko Nakao is new ADB President
On 27 April Takehiko Nakao has been unanimously elected president of the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) by the Board of Governors at New Delhi.He
succeeds Haruhiko Kuroda, who resigned in March to take up his assignment
as Bank of Japan governor.Nakao assumed office as ADB s ninth president on
28 April.
Gulzars appointment as chancellor elates Assam University
Lyricist-writer and Padma Bhushan awardee, Gulzar has been appointed the
new chancellor of Assam University.Established in 1994, the Assam University
campus is situated in Dargakona, about 20 km from Silchar.
B)RESIGNS
Kerala minister resigned following domestic violence complaint by wife
Kerala Forest minister K.B.Ganesh Kumar resigned his post on 02 April 2013
due to domestic violence complaint by wife in the local police station.He is
only one Congress person in the Congress- UPF Coalition Alliance government
in Kerala.
Cyprus Finance Minister Michalis Sarris Resigns
On 3 April Cyprus Finance Minister Michalis Sarris has resigned citing his role
as chairman of Laiki Bank, whose failure was a major contributor to the island
s near financial meltdown, as one of the reasons behind his decision.
UP Goverment suspends cabinet minister Raja Ram Pandey
The Uttar Pradesh government on 13 April 2013 removed cabinet minister of
Khadi and Gramudyog, Raja Ram Pandey for making sexist comments.Pandey
had promised to build roads as smooth as Hema Malini s and Madhuri Dixit s
cheeks besides giving the state s roads a facial while addressing a function
in Pratapgarh on 12 April 2013.UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, who is now in charge
of 63 ministries, has taken charge of Pandey s ministry.
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Resigned
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad resigned on 13 April 2013 after
falling out with president Mahmud Abbas. Salam Fayyad was tasked with the
role of caretaker for the current government until a new prime minister is
appointed.
Supreme Court bids farewell to Justice Aftab Alam
On April 19,the Supreme Court bid farewell to Justice Aftab Alam marking the
end of his five and a half year tenure at the Supreme Court. Justice Alam
enrolled as an Advocate on March 27, 1973. He practised in the Patna High
Court and was designated as Senior Advocate by the Patna High Court on
February 1, 1984. He was appointed as Judge of the Patna High Court on July
27, 1990 and was later transferred to the Jammu & Kashmir High Court,
where he was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice on June 06, 2007. He
assumed office as Supreme Court judge on November 12, 2007.
C)DEATHS
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Oscar winner and novelist, died
Oscar, the Booker Prize winner novelist and screenwriter Ruth Prawer
Jhabvala, author of Heat and Dust and many other books set in India, died
on 03 April 2013.Jhabvala also worked on several movie adaptations with
filmmakers James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, winning two Academy Awards
for her screenplays for 1985 movie A Room With a View and Howards
End in 1992.Jhabvala was born in Germany but emigrated with her family to
Britain during the Nazi regime. She later married an Indian architect and
moved to India, where she began to write about her life there.Jhabvala
collaborated with Merchant and Ivory on more than 20 movies including
The Remains of the Day and Mr. And Mrs. Bridge.
Bratindra Nath Mukherjee passes away
A Padmashri winner, Professor Bratindra Nath Mukherjee, renowned
historian and an expert in epigraphy who deciphered several ancient scripts,
died in Kolkata on 04 April 2013.
Britains First Female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Died
Margaret Thatcher, Britain s first and still only female prime minister has died
on 8 April at London.Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1979 to
1990 from Conservative party of
Britain and was the first lady to hold the post of Prime
Minister.She was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th
century and is the only woman to have held the office. A Soviet journalist
called her the Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her
uncompromising politics and leadership style. This first volume of Margaret
Thatcher s memoirs book(1993), which encompasses the entirety of her
career as Prime Minister.
Test-tube baby pioneer dies
British scientist Robert Edwards, 87, who won the Nobel Prize for his
pioneering work in in vitro fertilisation, leading to the birth of the first test-
tube baby, died in London on 10 April 2013.He born in Yarkfire in North
England on 27 September 1925.Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe both
proceeded to achieve in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), resulting in the birth of
Louise Brown, the first test-tube baby, on 25 July 1978..
Polio Vaccine Developer Koprowski Died
On 11 April Dr Hilary Koprowski , a Polish researcher who developed the first
successful oral vaccination for polio died in Philadelphia. He was 96 years of
age.He was a Polish virologist and immunologist and was known for
developing the first effective polio vaccine. In 2006, he was conferred with the
record 50th grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Justice Chinnappa Reddy dead
Justice O Chinnappa Reddy, one of the highly respected members of the Indian
judiciary, died at his jubilee hills residence in Hyderabad on 13 April 2013. He
was born at Gooty in Anantapur district on September 25, 1922.Justice Reddy
was appointed as judge of the Supreme Court from January 17, 1978 and
continued in the post for about 10 years.He retired on 24 September
1987.After his retirement he became chairman of the Karnataka BC
commission.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
Playback singer PB Srinivas passes away
Veteran playback singer PB Srinivas who rendered more than 3,000 songs in
eight languages died in Chennai on 14 April 2013.He debuted as a singer with
Hindi film Mr. Sampath in 1952. His last song was from the 2010 Tamil film
Aayirathil Oruvan.
Ex-CEC, governor VS Rama Devi dead
Former Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh Governor V S Ramadevi, the only
woman to head the Election Commission, died in Bangalore on 17 April
2013.Born on March 15, 1934, Ramadevi was the Chief Election Commissioner
of India from November 26, 1990 to December 11, 1990. She was the only
woman who became the CEC. She was succeeded by T N Seshan.She had
served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh from July 26, 1997 to December
1, 1999 and as the Governor of Karnataka from December 2, 1999 to May 20,
2002.
Dina Thanthi MD Sivanthi Adithan dead
Veteran journalist and managing director of Tamil daily Dina Thanthi B
Sivanthi Adithan died in Chennai on 19 April 2013.He was also head of the
Indian Olympic Association before Suresh Kalmadi took over and is the former
vice president of Olympic Council of Asia. At the time of his death, Sivanthi
Adithan was the life president of IOC and president of the Volleyball
Federation of India.Sivanthi Adithan was honoured with Padmashree in 2008.
Mathematical Genius Shakuntala Devi Died
On 21 April The human computer mental calculator , mathematics whizard
Shakuntala Devi died at Bangalore.Her name was recorded in Guinness Book
of World Records for her ability of making calculations at lightning-speed.In
the year 1977, she calculated the 23rd root of digit number 201 in just 50
seconds.Some of her books were Puzzles to Puzzle You, Mathablit, Astrology
for You, Fun with Numbers and Awaken the Genius in Your Child.
Former England Captain Mike Denness Died
On 19 April Michael Henry Denness, popularly known as Mike Denness, the
former England captain died in London.Mike Denness played county cricket
for Essex and Kent. He scored over 25000 runs in the first-class career.He was
the captain of Kent to six domestic trophies between 1972 and 1976.He was
among first few inductees into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.He was also
named as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1975.
Former Chief Justice of India J S Verma dead
Former Chief Justice of India J S Verma, who headed the government-
appointed committee to frame a tough law to tackle crime against women in
the wake of the December Delhi gangrape incident, died in Gurgaon on
22April 2013.Justice Verma was the 27th Chief Justice of India and served
from March 25, 1997 until his retirement on January 18, 1998.He began his
legal career in 1955 and became a Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court in
June-1973. He became Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court in
June,1986 and also served as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court from
September, 1986 to mid- 1989.Justice Verma was also a former Chairman of
National Human Rights Commission.He was also the first Chairperson of News
Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Veteran violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman died
Celebrated violinist and composer Lalgudi Jayaraman, who carved out a niche
for himself in the Carnatic music with his unique style, died in Chennai on 22
April 2013. Jayaraman, who began his music career at the age of 12 as an
accompanying artist, later achieved fame as a solo violinist and also had
success as a composer in four languages Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and
Sanskrit.Considering his contribution to the field of music, he was conferred
with several awards including Padma Shri in 1972 and Padma Bhushan in
2001.He was also feted with state Vidhwan of Tamil Nadu and also fellow of
Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Legendary Singer Shamshad Begum Died
On 23 April Legendary singer Shamshad Begum died in Mumbai . She was 94
years of age. She was one of the first few playback singers of the Hindi film
industry. She was conferred with the O P Nayyar award for contribution to
Hindi film music, in the year 2009.In 2009 again, she was conferred with the
third-highest civilian honour of India, Padma Bhushan.
Sripathi Rajeswara Rao dead
Former Telugu Desam Minister Sripathi Rajeswara Rao who founded the All
India NTR Fans Association several decades ago, died of kidney ailment at
NIMS in Hydearabad on 28 April 2013.
Sailendra Nath Roy died In Zip-Line Ponytail Stunt
Sailendra Nath Roy, a 49-year-old police officer, was attempting to cross the
River Teesta in the state of West Bengal on 28 April 2013 on a 180m(594ft)
wire above the water.After attaching his shoulder-length hair to a pulley on
the wire, Mr Roy had completed around half the distance but then became
entangled and found himself unable to move.After sometime he dead. Mr Roy
achieved the Guinness World Record after covering 82.5m (271ft) on a zip-
line while attached by his hair in 2011 at the Neemrana Fort, a heritage hotel
in the desert state of Rajasthan.
Nuthakki Bhanu Prasad Passes away
On 29 April 2013 the Scientist, Padma Shri award recipient died in
Hyderabad.He got Padma shri award in 1959 for his Contribution in field of
India s Atomic reactor.The Petrotech 2003 Lifetime Achievement award was
presented to Padmashri Dr. Nuthakki Bhanu Prasad for his contribution to
India s Upstream Petroleum Industry.He is also worked as a Chairman of
ONGC.
D)VISITORS
Indian PM schedules UAE visit in August
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay a stand Alone visit to the United
Arab Emirates in early August, the first by an Indian prime minister to the Gulf
nation since Indira Gandhi visited nearly three decades ago.
PM Manmohan Singh leaves for Germany on a three-day visit
On April 10, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had left India on a three-day
official visit to Germany, where he will co-chair inter governmental
consultations and witness the signing of a series of agreements on education,
science and technology and renewable energy.The PM is leading a high-level
delegation to Berlin that includes five cabinet ministers: Salman Khurshid
(external affairs), Anand Sharma (commerce), Farooq Abdullah (renewable
energy), MM Pallam Raju (human resource development) and S Jaipal Reddy
(science and technology).
Prime Minister of India Visited Germany: Important
Documents Signed
Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh visited Germany from 10 April 2013
to 12 April 2013 for participating in second round of Inter Governmental
Consultations with Germany. During his visit, certain documents were signed.
These documents are as follows:
1.Joint Declaration of Intent regarding promotion of German as a foreign
language in India
2.Intergovernmental MoU between India & Germany on
Cooperation in the field of Higher Education
3.Joint Declaration of Intent on Indo-German cooperation in the area of Civil
Security Research
4.Joint Declaration for the bilateral Kooperations Program of the German
Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and the
National Seeds Association of India and the
German Association of Plant Breeders
5.Joint Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of an Indo- German
Working Group on Quality Infrastructure for Cooperation in Standardisation,
Conformity Assessment and Product Safety 6.Joint Declaration of Intent on
Indo-German Development Cooperation regarding the Establishment of Green
Energy Corridors
Vice President Hamid Ansari Visited Tajakistan
The Vice-President of India, Hamid Ansari visited Tajikistan from 14 April to
17 April 2013.During the visit he was accompanied by a high-level delegation
that included Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries
and four Members of Parliament.On 15 April , the Vice President met the
President Emomalii Rahmon and Oqil Oqilov the Prime Minister of Tajikistan.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Downs syndrome boy sets Everest record
A 15-YEAR-OLD American had become the first teenager with Down s
syndrome to reach Everest Base Camp, according to his father, in an attempt
to inspire different attitudes towards disabilities.Eli Reimer, from Oregon,
reached the 5364-metres high camp in Nepal s Himalayan mountains in mid-
March after 10 days of trekking.Tom Whittaker, a British mountaineer,
became the first person with a disability to summit the peak in 1998 after a
car crash almost two decades earlier had forced him to have his foot
amputated.
Abhilash Tomy Becomes First Indian To Sail Round The
World
Indian Navy s Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy became the first Indian to circumnavigate
the globe, solo and non-stop, over a 150-day voyage.He was addressed a
function after welcoming Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy whose boat INSV Mhadei
reached the Gateway of India after commencing its historic journey from the
same spot on November 1 last year.He has sailed around 23,100 nautical
miles, crossing the Indian, Southern, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.Lt Cmdr
Abhilash Tomy is the first Indian and the second Asian to do so. Lt Cdr Tomy, a
maritime pilot, switched off his boat s engine soon after leaving Mumbai
harbour and switched it on again on 6 April to get the boat alongside the
Gateway of India.
K Vishwanath Name in Limca Book Of Records
Legendary director K.Vishwanath is the only Telugu person in the Person of
the year 2013 announced by the famous Limca books of Records. This list
which contained several other prominent names like Mani Ratnam, Kamal
Haasan, Santosh Sivan, Prabhu Deva, Sreekar Prasad and Naseeruddin Shah
was released on the occasion of Indian cinema completing 100 years. Tabu,
Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi, Kajol and Ranbir Kapoor are also on this list.
Nepali TV Anchor Made Guinness(World) Record for Longest
Talk Show
A TV anchor in Nepal set a world record of longest television talk show by
staying on air for 62 hours and 12 minutes.The 36 years old Rabi Lamichhane
lived in America and came back to Nepal after hosting the program Lord
Buddha Was Born in Nepal .Lamichhane broke the world record of Pavlo
Kuzheyew and Tetiana Danylenko of 22 hours. They made that record in 2011
at the Independence Day anniversary of Ukraine. According to the rules of
Guinness World Record Lamichhane got the break of five minutes after every
hour.
Mahatma Gandhi figured among the Top Three Leaders of the World
As per the 16th Annual Global CEO survey, Mahatma Gandhi figured among
the top three most admired leaders of the world.In this list Winston Churchill ,
Steve Jobs(Co-founder of Apple) and
Mahatma Gandhi got the first,second and third places
respectively .
Egypt PM sentenced to one-year jail
On April 17,Egypt s Misdemeanor Dokki Court sentenced Prime Minister
Hesham Qandil to one year in prison and ordered his removal from job,
accusing him of failing to implement a verdict to return a privatised company
to the state.
Chidambaram, Aamir in Times 100 most influential global list
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and actor Aamir Khan have been named by
Time magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world in its
annual list of global achievers that also includes teenaged Pakistani activist
Malala Yousafzai and US President Barack Obama.
pakistan former president musharraf arrested
The Islamabad High Court on 18 April 2013 ordered Musharraf s arrest for
detaining senior judges when he imposed emergency rule in 2007.So,
Pakistani police arrested Musharraf on 19 April 2013.
Gates foundation to put $1.8bn to eradicate polio
Bill Gates announced in Abu Dhabi on 25 April 2013 his foundation will
contribute $1.8 billion to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a third of the
total funds needed. He announced this contribution in Global Vaccine summit
in Abu Dhabi.
8 killed as bomb targets Syrias prime minister
Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halki survived a bomb attack on his convoy in
Damascus on 29 April 2013.8 members(including PMs car driver and
Personal security) are killed in the blast.
PLACES IN NEWS
7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia
A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Papua province in Indonesia on
06 April 2013.But there was no damage or injuries. It occurred in a north east
to Capital of Papua province, about 75 kilometers (46 miles) in depth.
A Powerful earthquake in Iran
On April 9, A powerful earthquake was strucked close to Iran s only nuclear
power station, killing at least 37 people and injuring 850 as it destroyed
homes and devastated two small villages.Its epicentre was 89 km south-east
of the port of Bushehr.The magnitude of the earthquake on Richter scale is 6.3.
Strong earthquake hits Japan
A strong earthquake estimated at magnitude 6.3 strucked the western Japan,
on 13 April 2013.In this event 23 people were injured in that 7 are serious.The
earthquake was centered on Awaji Island, just south of Kobe, at a depth of 15
kilometres.The quake was in the area where a magnitude-7.2 temblor killed
more than 6,400 people in 1995.
Musharraf disqualified from parliamentary polls
Courts in Pakistan have disqualified former president Pervez Musharraf for
contesting parliamentary elections for suspending the constitution and
imposing emergency in 2007 during his rule.
Earthquake of Magnitude 7.8 Jolted Iran and Pakistan
Earthquake that measured 7.8 on the Richter scale struck on 16 April 2013 in
Iran killed more than 40 people leaving behind several injured. Epicenter of
the quake was near Pakistan-Iran Border in the southeastern city of Khash.
The tremors of the quake were felt across India, Middle East and Pakistan.
Fertiliser plant explosion in the US
On April 18, massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in the Town of West, in
Central Texas. It is 120km far from Dallas town in the Texas state. In this
explosion 15 were died and 200 people were injured
Delhi gets Dildaar Delhi tagline
Delhi got its own tagline Dildaar Delhi. Penned by Amit Anand, a cashier in
a small confectionery shop in Keshavpuram, the tagline was selected out of
12,000 entries of a competition organized by Delhi government and Delhi
Tourism department.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
German Bakery blast: Himayat Beg sentenced to death
On April 18, a Pune court sentenced Indian Mujahideen operative Mirza
Himayat Inayat Baig to death in the German Bakery bomb blast case.The
terror attack on the popular pune joint had killed 17 people and injured 64 in
February 2010. On 15 April 2013, Pune sessions court special judge NP Dhote
had held Baig guilty in the case.
China hit by strong earthquake
On 20 April ,China was hit by strong earthquake and killed at least 157 people
and injured more than 5,700.The magnitude 7.0 quake hit a remote
mountainous area of southwestern China s Sichuan province at 8:02 a.m.
(0002 GMT), close to where an earthquake killed almost 70,000 people in
2008.The quake struck in Lushan county, near the city of Ya an, at a depth of
12 km (7.5 miles)
ABBREVIATIONS
CII - Confederation of Indian Industry
MSME - Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
SCO - Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
AMS - Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
ICSI - Institute of Company Secretaries of India
TESS - Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organisation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President Released Book titled Religion, Law & Society-
Across the Globe
On 12 April 2013,The Vice President of India, Hamid Ansari released a book
titled Religion, Law & Society Across the Globe. The book is authored by
Prof. Tahir Mahmood.
COMMITTEES
Uday Kumar Committee To Act as Single Window Clearance
for Film Projects
On 15 April the Government of India announced creation of an inter-
ministerial panel that will work as a single window clearance system for
international and domestic film projects.The committee will be headed by I&B
Secretary Uday Kumar Varma .The constitution of the committee is expected
to mainstream a proactive mechanism and coordination process of granting
permissions through a single window provision. Apart from the I&B secretary,
the committee will have joint secretaries from the ministries of I&B, Home
Affairs, Tourism, External Affairs, Culture, Railways, Aviation and Defence on
board.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
World Health Day was Celebrated on 7th April
World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship
of the World Health Organization (WHO).
National Safe Motherhood Day Observed across the Country
National Safe Motherhood day was observed across India on 11 April 2013 to
create awareness on proper healthcare and maternity facilities to pregnant
and lactating women.
INTERNATIONAL
UN Imposed New Sanctions on North Korea
On 7 March The UN Security Council approved a new regimen of sanctions
against North Korea for conducting an underground nuclear test recently,
imposing penalties on North Korean banking, travel and trade in a unanimous
vote that reflected the country s increased international isolation. The
resolution, which was drafted by the United States and China, was passed in a
speedy vote hours after North Korea threatened for the first time to launch a
pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States and South Korea.
Obama Signed Violence Against Women Reauthorization
Act 2013
On 8 March the US President, Barack Obama signed the reauthorization of the
Violence Against Women Act 2013 on the eve of International Women s Day.
The Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994. Reauthorised since
then, the new Act offers support to the organisations which serve to the
victims of domestic violence.
Uhuru Kenyatta Won Kenya Presidential Election
On 9 March In Kenya, Deputy Prime Minister Kenyatta has won presidential
election with a slim margin of 50.03 percent of votes. He defeated his rival
Raila Odinga.
Japan & Ten EU Countries Exempted from US Iran Sanctions
Act
On 13 March The US has renewed the exemptions for Japan and ten European
Union countries from tough American sanctions imposed on nations buying
oil from Iran.The third six-monthly exemption to Japan, under the Iran
Sanctions Act.The 10 European Union countries, Belgium, the Czech Republic,
France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the UK, have
also qualified for a renewal of the exemption from sanctions because they
have not purchased Iranian oil since July , 2012.
Pakistan Parliament Completes Full 5 Year Term
On 16 March Pakistan s Parliament has made history by becoming the first
National Assembly in the country s history to complete a full term of five
years, with the conclusion of the House s 50th session, setting the stage for the
holding of elections.Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced that
general elections would be held on 11 May 2013.
Cyprus Gets New Bailout Deal
Cyprus secured a 10 billion ($16.2 billion) bailout from its international
creditors on 24 March 2013.Eurozone finance ministers had also approved a
new bailout plan for Cyprus, putting an end to uncertainties over the fate of
the Mediterranean island country in the euro area.The new bailout program
includes deep restructuring of the country s two biggest banks, Bank of
Cyprus and Popular Bank of Cyprus.Under the new agreement, all bank
deposits under 100,000 will be secured and guaranteed by the state.
South Africa, China Sign Deals To Boost Cooperation
On 26 March South African President Jacob Zuma and his Chinese counterpart
Xi Jinping met in Pretoria ahead of the fifth BRICS Summit.The two leaders
signed a number of agreements, focusing on trade, tourism, education and
social cooperation.The two sides agreed on future collaboration on research
and development initiatives, manufacturing, marketing and the construction
of cross-border infrastructure throughout the continent.
North Korea Declares State of War with South Korea
On 29 March North Korea declared that it had formally entered a state of
war with South Korea.The announcement was made in a joint statement
attributed to all government bodies and institutions.The two Koreas have thus
technically remained at war for decades.
INDIA & WORLD
India, South Korea Hold Security Talks
On 1 March 2013 India and South Korea hold discussions over emerging
dynamics of global and regional security, cooperation in cyber security,
defense and space sectors and reviewing bilateral ties. Arvind Gupta,Director
General of IDSA, led the Indian side while Lt.G (retd.) Bang, Hyo-Bok president
of KIDA and former vice army chief,represented the Korean side in the talks.
India,UK Signed MOU To Strenghen Cooperation In Earth
Sciences
On March 1, India and UK signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their cooperation in Earth Sciences and
environmental research by sharing information on meteorology,hydrology
and climate variability.The MoU between the Earth System Science
Organisation of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and UK s Natural Environment
Research Council was inked in New Delhi in the presence of Science and
Technology Minister S Jaipal Reddy .
India and Bhutan signed Double Taxation Avoidance
Agreement
On 4 March India and Bhutan signed the double taxation avoidance agreement
(DTAA), a move that will facilitate exchange of information on banking
between the two nations and help check tax evasion.This is the first ever
DTAA for Bhutan with any country. The treaty was signed by Finance Minister
P Chidambaram and his Bhutanese counterpart Lyonpo Wangdi Norbum, on
behalf of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
India and Republic of Portugal Signed a Social Security
Agreement
On 4 March A Social Security Agreement (SSA) was signed between India and
Republic of Portugal ,after the both countries meeting end at NewDelhi.The
agreement was signed by Vayalar Ravi, the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs
and Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of
Portugal.
India Worlds Third Largest Spam Spewing Nation
On 6 March According to statistics from SophosLabs ,India has been placed
third on the list of the countries distributing spam across the world.US is still
firmly on the top, distributing more spam than any other country in the
world.China took the second spot and India the third, with 8.2 percent and 4.2
percent of the world s spam.
Indias Tourism Industry Competitiveness 65th in World
According to the fifth Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report by the
WEF, India has moved up by three notches to 65th out of 140 countries in
terms of the competitiveness of the travel and tourism industry.India has been
ranked in the 11th place in the region and 65th overall, gaining three
positions since the last edition.
India and Romania Signed Two Agreements
On 8 March India and Romania signed on Avoidance of Double Taxation and
the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income.The
agreement was signed after External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid held
talks with his Romanian Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean on the entire gamut
of bilateral relations, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
India and Bhutan Signed $100m Currency Swap Agreement
On 8 March India and Bhutan signed a currency swap agreement for up to
$100 million to further economic co-operation between the two countries.The
currency swap arrangement was signed between the Reserve Bank of India
and the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMAB).
Iran and Pakistan Launched Gas Pipeline Project
On 11 March Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani
counterpart Asif Ali Zardari was officially inaugurated the final construction
phase of the multi-billiondollar Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.The 1,244-
mile pipeline would each day transport more than 750 million cubic feet of
natural gas to Pakistan from Iran s South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf.This
Project was started from Chabahar city in Iran to Karachi in Pakistan with
$7.5 Billion. Initially they have an idea to extend this project to New Delhi in
India but India was dropped from this project in 2009.
Britain & India Signed Agreement To Support R&D Projects
On 13 March Britain and India have signed an agreement to launch a joint
programme to encourage industry and business in the two countries to work
together towards commercialisation of research leads in a range of key areas,
including energy and health care.As part of the deal, Global Innovation and
Technology Alliance (GITA) sponsored by the Indian government s
Department of Science and Technology and UK s Technology Strategy Board
(TSB) will support UK and Indian businesses and academics in joint R&D and
innovation projects over a three-year period.
India Ranks 136 in Human Development Index
On 14 March According to the Human Development Report 2013 released by
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ,India has been ranked
136 among 187 countries evaluated for human development index
(HDI).Norway (1st rank), Australia (2nd rank) and the Netherlands (3rd rank)
lead the Human Development Index (HDI).The other countries ranks are:-
Netherlands (4th rank) , Japan (10th rank), Denmark (15th rank) , South
Korea (12th rank).
China Unveils 5-Point Formula To Improve Ties With India
On 18 March China s new President Xi Jinping has unveiled a five-point
formula to improve relations with India, and that the resolution of the
boundary dispute between the two nations won t be easy and pending its final
settlement peace and tranquility should be maintained on the border without
affecting the overall ties. The Xi Jinping 5 Points are :- 1. First,to maintain
strategic communication and keep bilateral relations on the right track. 2.
Second, we should harness each other s comparative strength and expand win
winwin cooperation in infrastructure, mutual investment and other areas. 3.
Third, we should strengthen cultural ties and constantly increase mutual
understanding and friendship between our peoples. 4. Fourth, we should
expand coordination and collaboration in multilateral affairs to jointly
safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and
tackle global challenges. 5. Fifth, we should accommodate each other s core
concerns and properly handle problems and differences existing between the
two countries.
India Egypt Signed Seven Agreements
On 19 March In a bid to deepen ties and strengthen economic bonds, India and
Egypt signed 7 agreements after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy held bilateral talks in New Delhi.The
seven agreements included a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the
field of cyber security, cooperation in the field of protection of intellectual
property rights and prevention of illicit traffic of antiquities besides
others.The two leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation in Defence and in
international forums like UN.
India Signed Social Security Agreements With 18 Countries
On 20 March India has signed Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with
Belgium,France, Germany (social insurance for posted workers only),
Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, the Czech
Republic, Republic of Korea, Norway, Germany, Finland, Canada, Japan,
Sweden, Austria and Portugal.Bilateral labour Memorandum of
Understandings (MoUs) have also been signed with United Arab Emirates
(UAE), Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Malaysia and Bahrain for ensuring
protection and welfare of overseas Indian workers.
India Votes Against Sri Lanka at UNHRC
On 21 March India has voted for the resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN
Human Rights Council session in Geneva.The UN Human Rights Council
adopted a US-sponsored resolution on human rights violation in Sri Lanka.The
47-member Geneva forum adopted the resolution with 25 countries in favour,
including India.13countries opposed it, including Pakistan. 8 abstained and
one delegation was absent.The US-backed resolution that addresses alleged
war crimes by Lankan forces during the country s civil war with the Tamil
Tigers.The 26-year civil war that ensued, which ended with the LTTE s
military defeat in 2009.
Japan Grants India $2.32 Billion Aid For Infrastructure
Building
On 27 March India and Japan have agreed to promote their bilateral strategic
and global partnership especially in economic and security areas, with Tokyo
granting a $2.32 billion aid for infrastructure building. Japanese Foreign
Minister Fumio Kishida ,External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid discussed
about both countries bilateral issues the meeting held at Tokyo .During the
meeting Kishida unveiled a 220 billion yen (USD 2.32 billion) aid to India for
infrastructure building and a 71-billion-yen loan ($753.17 million) for the
subway project in India s financial capital Mumbai.
NATIONAL
Cabinet Approves Bill for Time-Bound Services to Citizens
On 7 March the government gave its nod to a Bill aimed at providing time-
bound delivery of services like passports, pensions and birth and death
certificates, among others, to the citizens.The Right of Citizens for Time-
Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill,
2011, was approved by the Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh .
President Released the Commemorative Postage Stamp on
Sahir Ludhianvi
On 8 March the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee released the
Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi on occasion of his birth
anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.Sahir Ludhianvi died on 25
October 1980 and was a renowned Urdu poet.He fought for recognition of
lyric writers through the Film Writers Association.
Indias First All-Women Post Office
After announcing India s all women public bank, the central government on 08
March 2013 started an all women post office in New Delhi on the occasion of
the International Women s Day. Communications & Information Technology
Minister Kapil Sibal inaugurated the post office at Shastri Bhawan the hub of
central government offices in central Delhi. All the employees in these post
office are women only.
Cabinet Approved Electronic Delivery of Services Bill
On 18 March the Union Cabinet approved a bill that aims to provide access to
all central and state government services such as passport, ration card and
driving licences electronically.The Bill requires public authorities to deliver all
public services electronically within a maximum period of 8 years.
Cabinet Approved Food Security Bill
On 19 March the union cabinet has approved the National Food Security Bill
which aims to give the right to food to around 67% of India s 1.2 billion
people.The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011 and had
been sent to a parliamentary standing committee for further consideration.In
the bill, the government had proposed 7 kg of grain per month per person to
priority
households and at least 3 kg of foodgrain at half the price for general
households.
Rajya Sabha Passed Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013
On 21 March the Rajya Sabha passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill
2013 that provides for capital punishment in cases of brutal rape, and also
deals with several other crimes against women.On 19 March Lok Sabha
passed the Bill with an aim of providing a strong deterrent against rapes and
gang rapes, the Bill states that an offender can be sentenced to rigourous
imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but which may
extend to life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that person s
natural life and with a fine.
Supreme Court upholds Death for Yakub Memon
On 21 March the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul
Razak Memon in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case that had claimed 257 lives and
left 713 injured.The Supreme Court also upheld the conviction of actor Sanjay
Dutt under the Arms Act in the terror attack and sent him to five years in
prison.The capital punishment of the other 10 death row convicts was
commuted to life sentence by a bench of justices P Sathasivam and B S
Chauhan which also upheld the life term awarded to 16 out of 18 convicts.
68 million Indians Living in Slums
On 21 March According to the first such census report on slum households
prepared by the Registrar General of India, approximately 68 million Indians
are living in slums. In all 1.73 crore census houses have been reported in
houselisting blocks, categorised as slums in India, comprising 1.37 crore slum
households.The report also noted that in 19 cities with million-plus
population, 25 per cent of households live in slums.A majority-71 per cent- of
these are located in six states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
west Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.90 per cent of slum
households use electricity, 70 per cent slum households have television, 72.7
per cent have telephone facility while 10.4 per cent households have
computer or laptop in their house.
STATES
HPCL signed MoUfor Rajasthan Refinery
On 14 March Min of Petroleum & Natural Gas Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Rajasthan
Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Jaipur for
setting up a Rs 37,320cr refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Barmer,
Rajasthan. The project will be a joint venture between HPCL and Rajasthan
State Refinery Limited, apart from other equity partners.The MoU was signed
by Subhash Pant, Secretary Mines and Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan
and K.Murli, Director (Refineries) of HPCL.
Madhya Pradesh Spice Park Inaugurated in Guna
On 16 March In Madhya Pradesh, Union power ministry inaugurated a Spice
Park in Mawan area of Guna district. This spice park has been built at a cost of
fifty five crore rupees.
Delhi Launched a Comprehensive Five-In-One Vaccine
On 12 March the Chief Minister of Delhi,Sheila Dikshit launched a
comprehensive five-in-one vaccine in order to provide protection to children
against certain diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and pertusis.The CM
announced that instead of three injections, now there will be a requirement of
only one injection for providing protection against the diseases.
Karnataka State Assembly Elections Schedule Released
On March 20 The Election Commission of India has announced the dates for
Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013.The elections will be a single-phase
election and counting would take place on May 8.The Polls would be held on
May 5.
Three High Courts Opened in Tripura, Manipur and
Meghalaya
Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on 23 March 2013 got their own
High Courts. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, Judge of
Chhattisgarh High Court took oath as the first Chief Justice of Manipur High
Court on 23 March 2013. Justice Deepak Gupta along with three other judges
would be administered the oath to the High Court of Tripura .Justice Meena
Kumari took oath as the first Chief Justice of Meghalaya. With the opening of
the three high Courts in the North Eastern states of India, the total number of
high Courts in India has gone up to 24 from previous 21.
Arunachal Pradesh Became the First State to Introduce e-
GPF
Arunachal Pradesh became the first state to introduce e-GPF or electronic
GPF.The state Finance Department facilitated the online access to 34000 GPF
accounts through its redesigned Web site, which was launched by Chief
Minister of Arunachal Pardesh Nabam Tuki.
Housing stock, Amenities and Assets in Slums Report
On 29 March Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
released the report on Housing stock, Amenities and Assets in slums based on
Houselisting & House Census, 2011.Registrar General presented the important
features of the report and outlined its importance.In all 1.73 Crore Census
houses have been reported in the House listing Blocks categorized as Slums in
India, comprising 1.37 Crore slum households.There are 19 cities with million
plus population where more than 25% households live in slums.A majority
(71%) of these are located in six States namely, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.Out of these 19
cities, five cities namely, Vishakhapatnam, Jabalpur, Mumbai, Vijayawada and
Meerut have more than 40% slum households.Out of total slum houses, 92.7%
are occupied and 7.3% are vacant.84.9% Census Houses are used for
residence/residence-cum-other use.58.4% residential census houses are in
good condition, 37.5% are livable and rest 4.0% are in dilapidated
condition.70.2% Slum households are owned.
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi Top in Well Being Index
According to the Tata Strategic Management Group Survey report , Punjab,
Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have been ranked at the top of the Well
Being Index,while southern states, Gujarat and most of the north-eastern
states emerged as the most secure ones for women in the Female Security
Index.The states of Punjab, Delhi, HP, Haryana and Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh were ranked at the top of the Well Being Index. On the
Female Security Index, Chennai and Bangalore were at the top.
CONFERENCES
24th Arab League Summit Held in Doha The 24th summit was held in Doha
(Qatar) from 21 to 26 March 2013.A total of 15 heads of state of Arab
countries attended the summit.The Arab League currently consist of 21
countries, after Syria was suspended form the league due to excessive
violence during the Arab Spring. However, the Syrian opposition umbrella
organization, the Syrian National Coalition, will attend this year s summit and
will be offered a seat formerly occupied by Damascus.The Arab League
summit called for an international conference in the framework of the United
Nations for Syria s reconstruction. The Qatari leader meanwhile proposed a
mini- Arab summit, led by Egypt and leaders of Fatah and Hamas, in Cairo as
soon as possible to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation. He also called
for Arab countries to establish a fund of 1 billion U.S.dollars to support the
Palestinians, pledging that his country will offer a quarter of the amount. The
Arab League was formed in 1945.
5th BRICS Summit Held in Durban
The 5th BRICS Summit was held in Durban, South Africa from 26 to 27 March
2013. The summit an international relations conference attended by the head
of states or heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa.Theme of the summit was , BRICS and Africa:
Partnership for Development, Integration and
Industrialisation.BRICS Leaders President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff ,Russian
president Vladimir Putin,Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhm,Chinese
president Ji Xinping, South Africa s president Jacob Zuma also discussed swap
arrangements among the national currencies as well as reserve pooling. BRICS
nations have decided to establish a new development bank to finance
infrastructure projects and to create a USD 100 bn contingency fund to tackle
any financial crisis in emerging economies, in what is seen as a major win for
India s campaign to reform global financial architecture. BRICS Summit took
place in South Africa for the first time. BRICS, originally BRIC before the
inclusion of South Africa in 2010, is the title of an association of emerging
national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS).
AWARDS & HONOURS
Indian-Origin Writer Anil Ananthaswamy Won British
Physics Journalism Prize
On 1 March Anil Ananthaswamy, a London based Indian origin writer, has
won the inaugural Physics Journalism Prize sponsored by the Institute of
Physics (IOP) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The
Edge of Physics, has won the prize for his article Hip Hip Array, which
focuses on the Square Kilometre Array, an international project to design and
build the largest radio telescope ever conceived.
Pranab Mukherjee Honoured with the Bangladesh Liberation
War Award
On 4 March The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee was conferred with the
Liberation War Honour Award by the President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman.
The award was given away to Pranab Mukherjee for contributions to the
Liberation War.
Indian Women Selected For State Dept Award For
Environment Awareness
On 5 March Dr Shubhalaxmi Vaylure has been selected for the US State
Department s International Exchange Alumni Member of the Month for March
for her dedication to build greater environmental awareness in India.
Shubhalaxmi first came to the US in 2003 as part of the Fulbright Indo-
American Environmental Leadership Programme which took her to the
University of Montana to study educational nature centers.Upon eturning
from this programme, she drew inspiration from her Fulbright programme as
she implemented innovative educational programs at the Mumbai
Conservation Education Center.
Arun Jaitley, Karan Singh, Sharad Yadav Best
Parliamentarians
On 6 March Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress veteran Karan Singh and
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav have been selected for the Outstanding
Parliamentarian Award .Jaitley, who is Leader of the Opposition in Rajya
Sabha, gets the award for the year 2010, Karan Singh for 2011 and Sharad
Yadav for 2012. The Indian Parliamentary Group had instituted the award in
1994 which is conferred each year.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
Tagore Award For Ravi Shankar
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the first annual Tagore Award for
Cultural Harmony to late Pandit Ravi Shankar at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 07
Marchi 2013.Sukanya Shankar, wife of Ravi Shankar, received the award.
Stree Shakti Award For Nirbhaya
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Stree Shakti award on
International Women s Day( 08 March 2013) for Nirbhaya . Stree Shakti
award as a tribute to her courage and strength.The award was recevied by her
family members.As a measure of recognition of achievements in individual
women in the field of social development, the government had instituted of 6
national awards which are called Stree Shakti Puraskar . The awards are in
the name of the eminent women personalities namely Devi Ahalya Bai Holkar,
Kannagi, Mata Jajabai, Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Rani
Rudramma Devi (which is open to both men and women). Nirbhaya was
honoured with the Sree Shakti award of Rani Lakshmi Bai.The Rani
Rudramma Devi Award for the year 2012 was awarded to Smt. Pranita
Talukdar from Assam. She was honoured for her commendable work for the
overall development of women.
US Bravery Awardfor Nirbhaya
The Delhi gang-rape victim, Nirbhaya was honoured by the US government
with an International Women of Courage Award for 2013.In this year this
award was given to 10 women in Washington on March 8, which is also
International Women s Day.
National Tourism Award Winners 2011-12
National Annual Tourism Awards for 2011-12 was announced by Tourism
Ministry on 12 March 2013. The Ministry announced 86 awards in 36
Categories. The awards presented by President of India on 18th March.
Winners of National Tourism Awards for
2011-12 :-
Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India):
Andhra Pradesh (First Prize) Rajasthan (Second Prize) Gujarat (Third
Prize) Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (North
East, Jammu and Kashmir) Jammu & Kashmir
Best Civic Management of a Destination Category B City Municipal Council
of Mandav (Mandu),District Dhar, Madhya
Pradesh
Best Heritage City Warangal City, Andhra Pradesh Best Airport ( Class X
Cities) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport,
Hyderabad
Best Airport (Rest of India) VishakhapatnamAirport, Vishakhapatnam The
special National Tourism Awards for Yann Martel, author of the book, Life of
Pi, for promoting the county (Puducherry and Munnar) through the film as
well.
Tan Twan Eng Declared Winner of 2012 Man Asian Literary
Prize
Tan Twan Eng on 14 March 2013 was announced as a winner of the 2012 Man
Asian Literary Prize. With this, he became the first Malaysian author to win
the most prestigious literary prize of Asia.Tan Twan Eng won the 2012 Man
Asian Literary Prize for his novel The Garden of Evening Mists.
Poetess Sugathakumari Selected For Saraswati Samman
Award
On 17 March Sugathakumari, the Malayalam poetess was selected for the
Saraswati Samman 2012 for the poetry collection Manalezhuthu, which means
The Writing on the Sand in English. The Saraswati Samman is constituted by
K. K. Birla Foundation.
60th National Film Awards
On 18 March The prestigious 60th National Film Awards for the year 2012
were announced in New Delhi.Irrfan has won the Best Actor award for his
powerful performance in Tigmanshu Dhulia s Paan Singh Tomar and Marathi
actress Usha Jadhav has won the Best Actress award for Dhag . The List of
Award Winners :- Best Feature Film: Paan Singh Tomar Best Actor: Irrfan for
Paan Singh Tomar and Vikram Gokhale for Anumati (Marathi)
Best Actress: Usha Jadhav for Marathi film Dhag
Best Child Artist: Virendra Pratap for Dekh Indian Circus (Hindi) and Minon
for 101 Chodiyangal (Malayalam) Best Popular Film for wholesome
entertainment: Vicky Donor (Hindi), Ustad (Malayalam) Best Animation Film:
Delhi Safari Best Children s Film: Dekh Indian Circus Best Film on Social
Issues: Spirit (Malayalam) Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film On
National Integration: ThanichallaNjan (Malyalam) Indira Gandhi Award for
Best Debut Film of a Director: Chittagong (Hindi) and 101 Chodiyangal
(Malayalam) Best Special Effects: Eega (Telugu) Best Hindi Film: Filmistan
Best Telugu Film: Eega
Reliance Industries Bags Refiner of the Year Award
On 23 March Reliance Industries has been awarded the prestigious
International Refiner of the Year 2013 at HART Energy s 27th World Refining
& Fuel Conference at San Antonio, Texas, USA.This is the second time that RIL
has received this Award for its Jamnagar Refinery, the first being in 2005.
Indian Manish Kumar Among 28 Naturalised at White House
Ceremony
Manish Kapoor from India was one among the lucky 28 to be granted the
American citizenship at the White House in the presence of the US President,
Barack Obama.List of 28 service members, who were naturalised at the White
House ceremony included three from South Asia Manish Kapoor, Nazo Raoufi
from Afghanistan and Mohammed Hossain from Bangladesh.
Paris Honours Nelson Mandela
On 26 March the city of Paris made antiapartheid hero Nelson Mandela an
honorary citizen, but refused to grant an honour to Venezuela s late leftist
firebrand leader Hugo Chavez.
2013 Abel Prize To Belgian Pierre Deligne
Belgian mathematician Pierre Deligne who is regarded as one of the most
celebrated mathematicians of the 20th century, has been chosen for this year s
prestigious Abel Prize in Mathematics.Award is given to him for his seminal
contributions to algebraic geometry and for their transformative impact on
number theory, representation theory and related fields.
Veteran Lensman Pranlal Patel Honoured with Lifetime
Achievement Award
On 28 March The 2nd National Photo Awards- 2011-12 were conferred by the
Speaker, Lok Sabha, Ms. Meira Kumar to eminent photojournalists at a
function held in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.The Life-Time Achievement
Awards were given to eminent photographers Shri Pranlal Patel, Shri T.S.
Nagarajan and Shri T.N.A. Perumal.In the Professional Category, the Best
Professional Photographer of the Year 2011-12 has been given to Shri Salil
Bera.
SPORTS & GAMES
Duty Free Dubai Tennis Championship-2013
Men s Singles: On 2 March Serbian Novak Djokovic won the ATP Dubai Open
Tennis Men s singles title after defeated the Czech Republican Tomas Berdych
in the final at Dubai . Women s Singles : This title was won by Petra Kvitova
(Czech Republic). In final she defeated the Sara Errani(Italy).
ATP Mexican Open 2013 Tennis Tournament Winners
Men s Singles: Rafael Nadal won ATP Mexican Open 2013 Tennis Title after he
defeated the top seed and defending champion David Ferrer on 2 March 2013
in the final. This is the 38th clay court title of Nadal. Women s singles : In the
women s singles Italy s Sara Errani won the title after defeated Carla Suarez-
Navarro (Spain) in the final.
Services Won Santosh Trophy Title
On 3 March Services team won the final of the 67th Santosh Trophy in Kochi
at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium by beating hosts Kerala .The Man of the
Match title was clinched by Services striker Lalian Mawia. The Services team
bagged their third Santosh Trophy title
Delhi Won Vijay Hazare Trophy
On 3 March Delhi team won Vijay Hazare Trophy after defeated Assam in the
final at the ACA-VDCA stadium.
All England Open Badminton Championship Winners
Women s Single s : On 10 March Tine Baun (Denmark) won the women s
singles title after defeated Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the All England
Open Badminton Championship at Birmingham. Men s Singles : Chen Long
won the singles title after defeating Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia at Men s
singles final.
Laureus World Sports Awards 2013
On 11 March Laureus World Sports Awards 2013 were organised in Rio de
Janeiro.The Prestigious awards were claimed by sports stars- Jessica Ennis,
Usain Bolt , Andy Murray and Sebastian Coe. The List of the Awardees :-
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year -Usain Bolt Laureus World
Sportswoman of the Year Jessica Ennis Laureus World Team of the Year
European Ryder Cup Team Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Andy
Murray Laureus World Comeback of the Year Feliz Sanchez Laureus World
Action Sportsperson of the Year Felix Baumgartner Laureus World
Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Daniel Dias
Ukrainian Women Won World Chess Championship
On 13 March Women s chess team of Ukraine won the World Chess Team
Championship. The second place went to team from China, and the third to the
Russian , Fifth place to India.
India Won Eight Medals in Asian Grand Prix Archery
Championship
On 14 March India won a total of eight medals in the inaugural Asian Grand
Prix Archery Championship at Bangkok . India won two gold, two Silver and
four bronze.
Australia Won Azlan Shah Trophy
On 17 March Australia, the World Champions won the Sultan Azlan Shah
Hockey Tournament title for the seventh time after defeated defeated
Malaysia in the final.
Kimi Raikkonen Won Australian Grand Prix
On 17 March Finland s Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Formula One
Grand Prix in Melbourne.It was the 20th Grand Prix win for Raikkonen, the
2007 world champion.
Indian Wells Tennis Tournament Winners
Mens Singles : On 18 March Rafael Nadal of spain won the Mens singles title
after defeated Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in the final at California .This
is Nadal s third Indian Wells ATP Masters title and first hard court title since
2010. Women s Singles :- Maria Sharapova defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the
women s final in straight sets to win her second Indian Wells ATP Masters
title.
S
wiss Open Badminton 2013 Winners
Men s Singles :- On 18 March Wang Zhengming from china won the Swiss
Open Badminton Men s singles title after defeated Du Pengyu in the final at
basel. Women s Singles:- In the Women s singles Wang Shixian from china got
the title after defeating Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand) in the final.
West Zone Won Deodhar Trophy
On 13 March Defending champion West Zone won the Prof. D.B. Deodhar
Trophy for the 12th time after defeated North Zone s challenge in the final at
the Nehru Stadium.
NehaTripathi Won Sixth Leg of Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour
2013 Kolkata s Neha Tripathi won sixth leg of Hero Women s Pro Golf Tour
2013 in Panchkula on 21 March 2013. This is the third victory of Neha
Tripathi in 2013 season. With this victory, Neha Tripathi overtook Smriti
Mehra in the Hero Order of Merit 2013.
Sebastian Vettel Won F1s Malaysian Grand Prix
On 24 March Three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian
Grand Prix 2013 at the Sepang International Circuit.
ECONOMY
Nine Indian Women in Forbes Asia Power Business Women
List
On 1 March ICICI Bank CEO and MD Chanda Kochchar, Biocon founder Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw and film producer Ekta Kapoor are among the nine Indian
women named in Forbes magazine s inaugural Asia Power Businesswomen
list .The list also includes Britannia Industries Managing Director Vinita Bali ;
HT Media Chairman and Editorial Director Shobhana Bhartia ; AZB & Partners
Founder and Senior Partner Zia Mody ; Axis Bank CEO and Managing Director
Shikha Sharma ; and Tractors & Farm Equipment Chairman Mallika Srinivasa;
Kapoor, TV and movie producer.
Mukesh Ambani Is Richest Indian on Forbes list
As per an annual ranking published on 4 March 2013 by business magazine
Forbes,Mukesh Ambani has retained his title as India s richest person for sixth
year in a row,with networth of $ 21.5 billion.In the overall rich list of world s
billionaires, Mukesh Ambani is ranked 22nd, while the second-richest Indian
Lakshmi Mittal is at 41st position with a networth of USD 16.5 billion.Mexican
business tycoon Carlos Slim has topped the rankings with a networth of USD
73 billion, followed by Bill Gates (USD 67 billion), Spain s Amancio Ortega
(USD 57 billion), Warren Buffett (USD 53.5 billion) and Larry Ellison (USD 43
billion) in top five.
Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad Airports Among Top 5 in the
World
Airports of Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad are among the top five airports in
the world providing international standard services.Airports Council
International (ACI),a global body of airports, has adjudged Delhi s Indira
Gandhi International (IGI) airport as second best after Seoul s Incheon airport
in the category of airports handling 25-40 million passengers per annum
(MPPA) for their service quality for the year 2012.Mumbai s Chhatrapati
Shivaji International airport was adjudged the third best in this
category.Hyderabad s Rajiv Gandhi International airport (RGI) has bagged the
second position for their service quality in the category of five to 15 MPPA.
Japan s Nagoya airport was adjudged the best in this category. Seoul s Incheon
ranked first, Singapore s Changi second and Beijing was placed at the third
spot.
RBI to Launch Plastic Currency Notes in 5 Cities
On 12 March The Union Government and RBI decided to introduce one billion
pieces of 10 Rupees bank notes made of plastic on a field trial basis in five
cities.A 10 Rupees note in polymer/plastic on a field trial basis will be
introduced first; Minister of State for Finance .The field trail is supposed to be
conducted in five cities of Kochi, Mysore, Jaipur, Bhubhaneswar and Shimla
with varied geographical locations and climatic conditions.As per the RBI, the
primary objective of introduction of polymer notes is to increase its life, it
could also help in combating counterfeiting.
Gujarat Tops in FMCG Consumption
On 12 March According to the Evolution of Indian Rural MarketsDuring 2004-
05 to 2009-10 report released by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of India (Assocham) , Gujarat has garnered maximum growth in per
capita food and non-food consumption expenditure across the country
between FY05 and FY10 with growth rate of about 28% and 33% respectively.
Besides registering a growth of about 24.69%, Gujarat has also topped in
terms of household consumption of fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs)
during the fiveyear period.West Bengal has seen least growth of just about
1.6% and about 8% in per-capita food and non-food consumption
expenditure, respectively.The per capita food and non-food consumption
expenditure across India has increased at over 14% and 17%, respectively,
between FY05 and FY10.
India Top Rice Exporter in FY 2011-12
On 13 March As the export price of Indian rice was more competitive than the
Thai rice, India has displaced Thailand from the position of top exporter of
rice during 2011-12, Minister of State Commerce and Industry was informed
to Rajya Sabha.In 2010-11, the rice exports stood at 24.71 lakh tonnes from
21.56 lakh tonnes in the previous fiscal.Rice exports were at 74.67 lakh tonnes
during April-December 2012 against 71.75 lakh tonnes in the full fiscal year of
2011-12.
India 5th in World Billionaire Rich List
According to the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013, India stands 5th
among the top 10 countries with the largest number of billionaires with 122
and the number is expected double by 2022.Mumbai has secured the 7th spot
in the list of top global cities with a High Net Worth Individual HNWI
population.Presently, the city has 2,105 HNWIs and is expected to touch 4,988
with a 137 per cent rise by 2022. Delhi is not too far behind Mumbai; it ranks
11th with a current HNWI population of 1,945 which is likely to grow by 120
per cent and reach 4,278 by 2022. In the cities that that matter to HNWI s ,
New York and London are the first two places in the list.
India May Become 5th Largest Manufacturing Nation
According to the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) report titled
People productivity-Key to Indian manufacturing
competitiveness , India may become the 5th largest manufacturing nation
from 9th position at present, if the country is able to increase the share of
manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent.The National Manufacturing Policy
envisages that India s manufacturing sector should increase its share of GDP
from 15 percent at present to 25 percent by 2022, in line with global peers.It
will help India become the fifth-largest manufacturing nation.
Hindujas are Britains Richest Asians
Leading NRI businessmen Srichand Hinduja and Gopi Hinduja, Chairman and
Co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group, have emerged as the richest Asians in
Britain in 2013.After playing second fiddle for years to steel tycoon Lakshmi
Mittal, the Londonbased Hinduja brothers have come out top this year with
net wealth assessed at 12.5 billion pounds up 3 billion pounds on the 2012
figure.
Mumbai Falls to 66th Rank Among Leading Global Financial
Hubs
According to the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), Mumbai which
is India s financial capital has slipped to 66th rank in the list of leading
financial centres around the world, with New Delhi failing to even make a
mark.GFCI offers profiles,ratings and rankings for 79 financial centres around
the world positioned Mumbai at the 66th place, which is down three places
from last year when it was ranked 63rd on the much coveted list.Mumbai is
the only Indian city on the list. London topped the list, followed by New York
ranking second in the list. Hong Kong and Singapore in the third and fourth
place respectively.
RBI Cuts Repo Rate by 25 Base Points
On 19 March The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 25 basis
points to 7.5 per cent from 7.75 percent in its midquarter review of the
monetary policy. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands
adjusted to 6.5 per cent from the earlier 6.75 per cent and the marginal
standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 8.5 per cent with immediate
effect.The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has been retained at 4 per cent.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Spinning Black Hole Observed for the First Time
The Spinning black holes are first identified by Paranal Observatory
astronomers in Chile.The enormous black hole at the center of the spiral
galaxy NGC 1365 is spinning about 84 percent as fast as Einstein s general
theory of relativity allows it to, researchers determined. NGC 1365, located
about 56 million light-years from Earth.
Pinaka Rockets Successfully Test-Fired
On 1 March Indigenously developed Pinaka rockets were successfully test-
fired by Indian army from a multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) by an
armament establishment from a base at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from
Balasore. Pinaka is an area weapon system with a range of 40 km. Pinaka
system can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds ,adding that the battery of
six launchers can neutralise at a time a target area of 3.9 sq km.
Large Meteorite Found in Antarctica
On 1 March the international group of researchers has discovered the18-kg
meteorite in eastern Antarctica, the largest found in that area in 25 years.
Astronomer Measured Exact Distance to Our Closest
Neighbouring Galaxy
On 7 March Astronomers have for the first time accurately measured the
distance to one of the Milky Way s neighbouring galaxy and it is just 163,000
light-years away.
Japan Pioneers Gas Extraction From Seafloor Methane
Hydrate
On 12 March Japan has become the first country in the world to extract
natural gas from frozen methane hydrate successfully off the central coast.
According to the Japanese study, it was estimated that around 1.1tn cubic
metres of methane hydrate existed in the offshore deposits. This is equal to
the gas consumption of Japan in more than 10 years.
Worlds Largest Telescope Inaugurated in Chile
On 13 March The world s largest radio telescope has been inaugurated in
Chile on a mountain high above the Atacama Desert, wielding unprecedented
power to peer into the remotest regions of the universe.The ceremony
attended by President Sebastian Pinera and other dignitaries.The ALMA space
observatory consists of 66 antennae creating a telescope array 16 kilometres
in diameter.
UAE Inaugurated Worlds Largest CSP Solar Power Plant
On 17 March United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed
Al-Nahyan inaugurated the 100-megawatt solar plant Shams 1 in the
desert of Abu Dhabi,the world s largest concentrated solar power plant in
operation.Covering an area of 2.5 square km, the 600-million-U.S. dollars
project incorporates the latest in parabolic trough technology and features
more than 258,000 mirrors mounted on 768 tracking parabolic trough
collectors, capable of delivering green electricity to 20,000 homes.
India Successfully Test Fired Worlds First Underwater
Supersonic Cruise Missile
On 20 March India has successfully test fired its submarinelaunched version
of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile of the over 290 km-range in the Bay of
Bengal off the coast of the southern port city of Visakhapatnam (Andhra
Pradesh).The launch of Missile is counted as the first test-firing of an
underwater supersonic cruise missile anywhere in the world. The missile
travelled its complete range of over 290 km.
Big Bang Radiation Map Unveiled
On 21 March The European Space Agency (ESA) has unveiled the most
detailed map yet of relic radiation from the Big Bang,revealing new data it
hopes will shed light on the creation and expansion of our Universe.The map
results suggest the universe is expanding more slowly than scientists thought,
and is 13.8 billion years old, 100 million years older than previous estimates.
India and US Agreed for Future Cooperation in Moon and
Mars Missions
On 23 March India and the US agreed for cooperation on future missions to
the Moon and Mars after successful collaboration in
Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission. The highly successful
Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission which was launched by the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) in October 2008 led to strong evidence of the
presence of lunar water.
Crew Reaches Space Station in Less than 6 Hours
On 29 March An astronaut from the U. S.with three Russian cosmonauts took a
short cut to reach space station and saved around 45 hours of journey. The
crew took only 5 hours and 45 minutes to reach the space station from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.This is for the first time that any crew has
used this express route to reach space station in the minimum possible
time.Three members on this Russian Soyuz are Chris Cassidy from NASA,
Alexander Misurkin and Pavel Vinogradov from Russia.
NTPC Commissioned New Solar Power Project in Andaman&
Nicobar
On March 30,NTPC Ltd has commissioned a 5-MW solar photovoltaic power
project at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.It is the first grid-
connected solar photo-voltaic project in these islands and also the first
greenfield renewable solar PV project of NTPC.
New Indian Ship ASWC Kiltan Launched in Kolkata
INS Kiltan is an anti-submarine warfare corvette of the Indian Navy built
under Project-28. It is the third of four Kamorta class corvettes under various
stages of induction with the Indian Navy. The ship was built by the Garden
Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata and launched on 26 March.The
ship takes its name from the Kiltan island, a coral island that is part of India s
archipelagic Union Territory of Lakshadweep.The Kiltan is to be armed with a
range of indigenously developed cutting edge weapons and sensors including
a medium range gun, torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and a close-in
weapon system.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Nagaland , Tripura , Meghalaya new CMs
On 5 March Neiphiu Rio of Naga People s Front (NPF) party was sworn in as
Chief Minister of Nagaland for the third straight term. On 5 March Mukul
Manda Sangma of Congress party was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of
Meghalaya for the second term. On 6 March ManikSarkar of CPM party was
sworn in as chief minister of Tripura for the fourth consecutive time .
Panabaka Lakshmi Assumes Additional Charge of Textiles
On 5 March Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka
Lakshmi assumed additional charge as Union Minister of State for
Textiles.Lakshmi was minister of state for textiles until she was shifted to
petroleum and natural gas ministry in the same rank after the reshuffle in end
October 2012.
IAEA Chief Amano Wins Second Term
The UN atomic agency s board of governors on 06 March 2013 approved
giving Japanese director general Yukiya Amano a new four-year term without
even resorting to a vote.
Nicolas Maduro sworn in as Venezuelas Interim President
On 8 March Venezuelan Vice- President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as
Venezuela s acting president, despite the Opposition resistance as it is being
considered to the violation of the country s constitution.
New Governors For 5 States
On 9 March President Pranab Mukherjee appointed new Governors for 5
states Former CBI Director, Ashwani Kumar appointed as Governor of
Nagaland. Congress veteran SC Jamir appointed as Governor of Odhisa .
Governor of Tripura DY Patil transferred to Bihar Bihar Governor Devanand
Konwar shifted to Tripura Nikhil Kumar, who was serving as Governor of
Nagaland, has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Kerala .
Aung Suu Kyi Re-elected As Opposition NLD Leader
On 10 March Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been re-
elected head of the new executive board of the National League for Democracy
at a landmark maiden party congress.
Jorge Bergoglio Elected As 266th Pope
On 13 March Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is selected as the new leader
for 120 crore Catholics across the world.George was the Buenos Aires
Archbishop and he was chosen as the new Pope by 115 qcardinals.He changed
his name as Francis- 1.He is the 266th Pope (head of the Roman Catholic
Church).Francis-1 is the first Pope from the Jesuit community. He is also the
first pope from Latin America. He is also the first pope to be selected from a
non European country in the modern history.There are five Indian also among
the cardinal electors.
Xi Jinping Took Over As Chinas New President
On 14 March Xi was elected as President by 3000-strong National People s
Congress, which also endorsed his appointment as the Chairman of the
Military Commission. China s parliament formally elected Xi Jinping as
president, four months after he took charge of the Communist Party.
Khil Raj Regmi Sworn as Nepal PM
On 14 March Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn-in as the new Prime
Minister of Nepal .Khil Raj Regmi will be the head of interim government
which will have its elections by 21 June 2013. This is the first time in Nepalese
political history that a sitting Chief Justice is being named as the Head of the
Government.
Sundar Pichai To Take Over as Googles Android Chief
Google on 13 March 2013 , announced that Andy Rubin, who was heading the
company s Android division, is stepping down. He will be replaced by
SundarPichai, an IITian, who also heads Google s Chrome division.
Li Keqiang Appointed as Chinas new Prime Minister
On 14 March Li Keqiang was appointed prime minister at the annual session
of China s National People s Congress.Mr. Li is the latest Communist Party
leader. He succeeds Wen Jiabao in a position that entails steering the economy
and government operations through the State Council, or cabinet.
Bobby Ghosh is Time International Editor
Eminent Indian journalist Bobby Ghosh had been named the new editor of
Time International. Ghosh was appointed on 15 March 2013 as the first non-
American world editor in TIME s history.
Indian American Appointed Vice Chairman of Illinois
Innovation Council
On 18 March Indian-American politician Raja Krishnamurthy has been
appointed vice chair of the Illinois Innovation Council by the Illinois Governor
Pat Quinn. Krishnamurthyis currently the president of Sivanathan
Laboratories.
Mir Hazar Khan Khoso Sworn in as aretaker Prime Minister of
Pakistan
On 25 March Justice Retd. Mir Hazar Khan Khoso took oath as the sixth
caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan on 25 March 2013 in Islamabad.
Renee Ramaswamy Nominated to the National Council of the
Arts
On 22 March Renee Ramaswamy, founder of the Ragamala Music and Dance
Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been nominated by President Barack
Obama to the National Council of the Arts for a fiveyear term.
Obama Appoints First Woman Secret Service Director
On 26 March President Barack Obama chose veteran agent Julia Pierson as
Secret Service director, the first woman to lead the male-dominated agency.
Ralph Waters new World Cup 2015 Chairman
Ralph Waters has been named new chairman of the local organizing
committee for the 2015 World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Waters was previously the deputy chairman of the committee and succeeds
James Strong, the previous chairman.
B)RESIGNS
UP minister Raja Bhaiya Resigned
UP s food and civil supplies minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya,
who is an accused in the murder of a deputy superintendent of police, on 04
March 2013 met chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and tendered his resignation.
Odisha Law Minister Raghunath Mohanty Resigned
A senior Odisha minister, Raghunath Mohanty, resigned on 16 Marchi 2013,
after his daughter-in-law accused him of torturing her for dowry.
Mukesh Ambani To Exit Board of Bank of America
Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani will
step down as the board of director of Bank of America He has served on the
Bank of America board since March 2011 and became a director prior to the
establishment of the global advisory council.
Five Cabinet Ministers Resigned
On 20 March the 5 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party Cabinet
ministers resigned from the Union Council of Ministers, which were accepted
by the Pranab Mukherjee President of India. Pranab Mukherjee, also allocated
the charge of Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry to Srikant Jena who is
Minister of State in the same ministry.The five cabinet ministers are :- (i) M K
Alagiri ( Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers) (ii) S S Palanimanickam
(Minister of State (Finance) ) (iii) S. Gandhiselvan (Minister of state for Health
and Family Welfare) (iv) S. Jagathrakshakan (Minister of State for Commerce
& Industry) (v) D. Napoleon (Minister of State for Social Justice and
Empowerment).
Italy Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi Resigned
Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned on 26 March, over his
government s decision to return two marines to India to face trial for the
murder of local fishermen while on anti-piracy duty.
C)DEATHS
Venezuelan President Chavez Died
On 5 March Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died at Caracas .Hugo Chavez
was the President of Venezuela from 1999 till his death in 2013. He Served as
the President of Venezuela for three times.A coup attempt was made in
Venezuela in April 2002 to overthrow Hugo Chavez from his office.
Former West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah passed away in
Jordan
On March 9th,the former West Bengal Governor and industrialist Viren J Shah
died in Jordan. He was also member of the Rajya Sabha twice from 1975 to
1981 and from 1990 to 1996. He was the Governor of West Bengal from 1999
to 2004.
Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman Died
On 20 March Bangladesh President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, died at
Singapore .Rahman, was made the ceremonial head of the state in 2009 after
Awami League was elected in the landmark December, 2008, general
elections.
Pietro Mennea, the Italian Athlete Died
Pietro Mennea, the Italian athletics died in Rome on 21 March 2013. Pietro
Mennea was the gold medal winner in the 200m at the 1980 Moscow
Olympics.
Nigerian Author Chinua Achebe Died
On 22 March Renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe has died at the age of
82 .One of Africa s best known authors, his 1958 debut novel Things Fall
Apart, which dealt with the impact of colonialism in Africa, has sold more than
10 million copies.
Two Time Pulitzer Winner Anthony Lewis Dies
On 25 March Anthony Lewis, who has died aged 85, was a New York Times
columnist and author who twice won a Pulitzer Prize, the highest award in
American journalism.Anthony Lewis was a prominent public intellectual, who
wrote for The New York Times op-ed page and The New York Review of
Books, among other publications.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation
Grammy Award Winning Producer and Engineer Phil Ramone Died
On 30 March Phil Ramone, the Grammy Award-winning engineer and
producer who applied his platinum touch to recordings with Ray Charles, Billy
Joel and Paul Simon, has died at the age of 72.Ramone won 14 Grammy
awards and worked with Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder
and Paul McCartney, Elton John and Tony Bennett.
D)VISITORS
President of India Visited Bangladesh
President of India, Pranab Mukherjee visited Bangladesh from 3 5 March
.During the visit he met with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina
and discussed the Teesta and land border issues.
President Mukherjee Visited Mauritius
The President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, visited Mauritius from 11 to 13
March .During the visit he attended the Mauritius 45th Independence
anniversary celebrations as a Chief Guest. He met the President of the
Republic of Mauritius, Mr Rajkeswur Purryag , Prime Minister, Dr.
Navinchandra Ramgoolam and discussed the bilateral double taxation
avoidance convention.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim Visited India
Jim Yong Kim the President of World Bank, visited India from 11th to 13th
March.During the visit Jim Yong Kim met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and Finance Minister P.Chidambaram and discussed India s major initiatives
aimed at fostering equitable growth. This is the Kims first visit to India after
taking over as President of the World Bank Group 2012 July.
Egypts President Mohamed Morsi Visited India
Egypt s President Mohamed Morsi visited India from 18 to 20 March .During
the visit Morsi met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in NewDelhi and
discussed the forge closer cooperation in economic and other fields.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited South Africa
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited South Africa from 25 to 28
March.During the visit he attended the BRICS Summit and met Russian
president Vladimir Putin and discussed about the substantive progress being
made on the other remaining phases of the joint nuclear energy programme
between India and Russia at Kudankulam. Manmohan Singh also met China
new president Xi Jinping and discussed the issue of Beijing s proposal to
construct three dams across the Brahmaputra river on its side.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
SalmanRushdie Named in Al-Qaidas Most-Wanted List
Indian-origin British author Salman Rushdie had been named in the most-
wanted list of Islam critics to kill released by al-Qaida in the new issue of its
English online magazine. A fatwa was issued against Rushdie by Iran s late
leader Ayotollah Khomeini in 1989 over passages in his book The Satanic
Verses.
Maldives Ex-President Nasheed Arrested
On March 5,Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed had been arrested,
to face charges of abuse of power during his tenure, after he failed to appear
for a hearing and evaded two arrest warrants. He is charged with illegally
ordering the arrest of a senior judge, a move that led to his fall from power in
2012.
Czech Senate Accuses President Vaclav Klaus of High
Treason
On 5 March Czech President Vaclav Klaus dismissed a decision by lawmakers
to press high treason charges against him as politically motivated.The Senate s
actions were prompted by an amnesty granted by President Klaus , which will
free over 6,000 prison inmates and halt the prosecution of prominent
business executives and officials charged with asset stripping, bribes and
fraud.
12 Year Old Neha Ramuhas IQ Higher than Albert Einstein
On 5 March Neha Ramu, 12-year-old Indianorigin girl in UK has stunned
everyone after she scored an incredible 162 on her IQ test even higher than
Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.The score puts the tween in the top one
per cent of brightest people in the UK and means she is more intelligent than
physicist Hawking, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and scientist Albert Einstein,
who are all thought to have an IQ of 160.
Navneet Kaur Dhillon Crowned Femina Miss India 2013
On 24 March Navneet Kaur Dhillon was crowned Femina Miss India 2013 in a
star studded grand finale of the 50th edition of the beauty pageant.The first
and second runners-up were Sobhita Dhulipala and Zoya Afroz respectively.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Earthquake in Taiwan
On 27 March a strong earthquake struck central Taiwan , killing at one person
and injuring 19 as it damaged buildings on the quakeprone island.The Central
Weather Bureau said the magnitude-6.1 earthquake was felt throughout the
island.The U.S. Geological Survey placed the magnitude at 6.0.Nantou is a rural
county about 250 kilometres south of Taipei.
ABBREVIATIONS
BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
NABARD - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
AWACS - Airborne Warning And Control System
CMIE - Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy
OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development
AICTE - All India Council for Technical Education
NDMA - National Disaster Management Authority
DTC - Direct Taxes Code
AAPSO - Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization
TIEA - Tax Information and Exchange Agreement
DTAA - Double taxation Avoidance Agreement
AFSPA - Armed Forces Special Powers Act
NOIDA - New Okhla Industrial Development Authority IAAI - International
Airports Authority of India. FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President of India Released Walking With Lions: Tales from a
Diplomatic Past
The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari released a book titled Walking
with Lions: Tales from a Diplomatic Past, written by K. Natwar Singh, the
former Union Minister for External Affairs on 1 March 2013. This was
Published by Harper Collins India.
Yuvraj Singh The Test of My Life Book Released
On 19 March Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh launched his new memories Auto
biography book The Test of My Life . The Test of My Life is a book that talks
about Yuvraj Singh s battle with cancer and his love for cricket. The book was
launched in Mumbai where all his fellow cricketers came to show their
support.
Taliban Shooting Victim Is Publishing A Memoir : I Am
Malala
Malala Yousafzai, the teenage girl shot by the Taliban for promoting girls
education, is to tell her life story in a book due out later this year.In a deal
reportedly worth around $3 million. The book will be entitled I Am Malala.
COMMITTEES
Govt Appoints Mukul Mudgal Committee To Probe Wal-Mart
Lobbying Activities
On 5 March The union government has appointed a one-man Inquiry
Committee, headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court
Justice Mukul Mudgal, to inquire into reports on the US lobbying activities of
Wal-Mart for access to India market. The Committee has to submit its report
within three months and it is being provided administrative and functional
support by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in its probe.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
May 1 International Labour Day
May 3 World Press Freedom Day May 3 International Energy Day May 3
World Asthma Day May 4 Anti Tobacco Day May 4 World Athletics Day
May 8 World Red Cross Day May 11 National Technology Day May 13
National Solidarity Day May 17 World Telecommunication Day May 20
World Metrology Day May 21 Anti Terrorism Day May 24
Commonwealth Day May 31 World No Tobacco Day May, 2013
Highlights of Indian Union Budget 2013-2014
Tax credit of Rs. 2,000 for income upto Rs. 5 lakh
Surcharge of 10 per cent for taxable incomes above Rs. 1 crore, No review of
tax slabs
Excise duty on SUVs to be increased to 30 per cent from 27 per cent, SUVs
registered as taxis exempted
Commodities transaction tax levied on nonagriculture commodities futures
contracts at 0.01 per cent
Rs 532 crore to make post offices part of core banking
Direct Taxes Code (DTC) bill to be introduced in current Parliament session
Duty-free limits raised to Rs 50000 for men and Rs 1 lakh for women
18% rise in excise duty on Cigarattes, cigars and cheerots
Service tax on all A/C restaurants
Royalty tax hiked from 10% to 25%
Tax Deducted at Source to be fixed at 1% on land deals over Rs 50 lakh
No change in peak custom, excise rates.
5 to 10 per cent surcharge on domestic companies whose taxable income
exceeds Rs 10 crore
11 lakh beneficiaries have received benefit under Direct Benefit Transfer
scheme. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme to be rolled out throughout the
country during the term of UPA Government.
Modified GAAR norms to be introduced from April 1, 2016.
Administration reform commission proposed
Rs 5,87,082 crore to be transferred to states under share of taxes and non
plan grants in 201314
"To the women of India - we have a collective responsibility to ensure the
dignity and safety of women. Recent incidents have cast a long dark shadow
on our credentials. As more women enter public spaces...there are more
reports of violence against them. We stand in solidarity with our girl children.
We pledge to everything possible to keep them swcure. A number of measures
are in the works and they will be taken up Government and Non-government
sourcesI will set up a fund of Rs 1000 crore to achieve this end. Minstry of
Women will come up with a plan on how to use these funds."
Rs. 1,000 crore each for women, youth funds
Rs. 1,000 crore for Nirbhaya fund
Promise to women, youth and senior citizens
289 more cities to get private radio FM stations
Grant of Rs 100 crore each to AMU (Aligarh), BHU (Varanasi) and TISS
(Guwahati) and INTACH
"Rs 6275 crore to Ministry of Technology, Rs 5216 crore to Department of
Space, Rs 5280 crore to Department of Energy. These amounts are substantial
increases."
Rs. 2 trillion for defence sector
First home loan from a bank or housing finance corporation upto Rs. 25 lakh
entitled to additional deduction of interest upto Rs. 1 lakh.
Proposal to launch Inflation Indexed Bonds or Inflation Indexed National
Security Certificates to protect savings from inflation.
On oil and gas exploration policy, the Budget proposes to move from the
present profit sharing mechanism to revenue sharing. Natural gas pricing
policy will be reviewed.
Insurance companies can now open branches in Tier 2 cities and below
without prior approval. All towns of India with a population of 10000 or more
will have an LIC branch and one other public sector insurance company.
Income limit for the tax-saving Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme is raised
to Rs. 12 lakh from Rs. 10 lakh
All public-sector banks have assured the Finance Minister that they will all
have ATMs in their branch areas by 2014
India's first women's bank as a PSU proposed, Rs. 1,000 crore working capital
announced
India Infrastructure Finance Corporation (IIFC), in partnership with ADB will
help infrastructure companies to access bond market to tap long term funds.
Regulatory authority to be set up for road sector
Four Infrastructure debt funds have been registered
Rs 7 lakh crore target fixed for agri credit for 201314 compared to Rs 5.75
lakh crore in the current year.
Eastern Indian states to get Rs 1,000 crore allocation for improving
agricultural production.
Green revolution in east India significant. Rice output increased in Assam,
Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal;
Rs 500 crore allocated for programme on crop diversification
ICDS gets Rs. 17,700 crore.
Average annual growth rate of agriculture and allied services estimated at 3.6
per cent in 201213 when 250 MT foodgrains was produced
Rs 27,049 crore allocation to the Agriculture Ministry in 201314
The target for farm credit for 2013-14 has been set at Rs. 7,00,000 crore
against Rs. 5,75,000 crore during the current year.
Rs 14,873 crore for JNNURM for urban transportation in 201314 against Rs
7,880 crore in the current fiscal
Foodgrain production in 201213 will be over 250 million tons
Rs 15,260 crore to be allocated to Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Rs 80,194 crore allocation for Ministry of Rural Development in 201314.
About Rs 33,000 crore for MGNREGA
Rs. 5,000 crore for NABARD for agri storage facilities
Godowns to be constructed with help of panchayats. Food grain productions
have been raised drastically and only increase with each year.
Rs 17,700 crore to be allocated for Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS): FM.
National Food security bill is a promise of the UPA government. I hope the
bill be passed as soon as possible. I have set apart Rs 10,000 crore to the
expected cost of the act.
An Institute for agricultural biotechnology will be set up in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Rs 1069 crore allocated to Department of Aryush: FM
Rs 4,727 crore to be allocated for medical education and research. Rs 1,069
crore to be given to Department of Ayush.
Medical colleges in six more AIIMSlike institutions to start functioning this
year; Rs 1650 crore allocated for the purpose.
Rs 37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Rs 110 crore to be allocated to the department of disability affairs, says FM.
Additional sum of Rs 200 crore to Women and Child Welfare Ministry to
address issues of vulnerable women.
Rs 3511 crore allocated to Minority Affairs Ministry which is 60 per cent of
the revised estimates.
Rs 13215 crore for mid-day meal programme: Chidambaram
The idea of setting up a PNGSY-2 causes uproar in the Parliament. The
minister is interrupted the round of shouting, who clarifies that states that
have completed PNGSY -1 will get the second version, the rest will continue
under the first version
The Right to Education Act is firmly in place, says Chidambaram, while
announcing Rs. 27,250 crore to Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyaan in FY14.
The Human Resources Development ministry meanwhile gets Rs. 65,867
crore, a rise of 17% from revised estimates.
"Government committed to reconstruction of Nalanda University" - But no
specific funds for the project was announced.
Chidambaram announces additional fund allocation of Rs 200 crore to the
Women and Child Development Ministry. He says women 'belonging to the
most vulnerable groups must be able to live with self-esteem and dignity'.
169 crore given for development of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani (Natural
medicine) and homeopathy
Rs 41,561 crore for SC plan and Rs 24,598 crore for tribal plan. The move
comes with a strong statement
Plan Expenditure placed at Rs. 5,55,322 crore. It is 33.3 percent of the total
expenditure while Non Plan Expenditure is estimated at Rs. 11,09,975 crore.
The plan expenditure in 2013-14 will be 29.4 percent more than the RE of the
year 2012-13.
Fiscal Deficit for 2013-14 is pegged at 4.8 percent of GDP. The Revenue Deficit
will be 3.3 percent for the same period.
On oil and gas exploration policy, the Budget proposes to move from the
present profit sharing mechanism to revenue sharing. Natural gas pricing
policy will be reviewed.
On coal, the Budget proposes adoption of a policy of pooled pricing.
Benefits or preferences enjoyed by MSME to continue upto three years after
they grow out of this category.
Refinancing capacity of SIDBI raised to Rs. 10,000 crore.
Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) for textile to continue in 12th
Plan with an investment target of Rs. 1,51,000 crore.
Rs. 14,000 crore will be provided to public sector banks for capital infusion in
2013-14.
A grant of Rs. 100 crore each has been made to 4 institutions of excellence
including Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Tata Institute
of Social Sciences, Guwahati and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural
Heritage (INTACH).
A surcharge of 10 pe rcent on persons (other than companies) whose taxable
income exceeds Rs.1 crore have been levied.
Generation based incentives to wind energy projects reintroduced, Rs 800
crore provided for the purpose to Ministry of New & Renewable Energy
Rs 14,000 crore capital infusion into public sector banks in 201314
Standing Council of Experts in Ministry of Finance to examine transaction cost
of doing business in India
Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) to submit its report
next month
Incubators set up by companies in academic institutions will qualify for
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities
Rs 500 crore would be allocated for addressing environmental issues faced by
textile industry
Concessional six per cent interest on loans to weavers.
SEBI will simplify procedures for entry of foreign portfolio investors
SIDBIs refinancing facility to MSMEs to be doubled to Rs 10,000 crore
5 million tons Dabhol LNG import terminal to be operated at full capacity in
201314
Coal imports during AprDec 2012 crossed 100 million tonnes and expected
to go up to 185 million tonnes in 201617,
Government will provide Rs 14000-crore capital infusion in state-run (public-
sector) banks in 2013/14
Oil and gas exploration policy will be reviewed and moved from profit sharing
to revenue sharing
Policy on exploration of shale gas on the anvil; natural gas pricing policy will
be reviewed and uncertainty removed
Rs. 9,000 crore earmarked as the first installment of balance of CST
compensations to different States/UTs.
Govt to construct power transmission system from Srinagar to Leh at the cost
of Rs 1,840 crore, Rs 226 crore provided
Rs 2400 crore for textile technology upgradation
Two new ports in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh
Many manufacturing projects stalled due to regulatory process
A company investing Rs 100 crore or more in plant and machinery in April 1,
2013 to March 31, 2015 will be allowed 15 per cent investment deduction
allowance apart from depreciation
To provide appropriate incentives for semiconductors industry including zero
customs duty on plants and machineries.
Fresh push for Bangalore-Chennai industrial corridor. Minister says the
corridor to be developed in co-operation with the Japanese.
DIPP and Japans JICA preparing plan for ChennaiBengaluru Industrial
corridor
Power sector gets a nod - States encouraged to restructure financial systems
to improve sector as a whole and sign MoUs for the same effect.
Rs 25,000 cr to be raised through tax free bonds: Chidambaram
"Doing business in India must be seen as easy, friendly and mutually
beneficial" - Second reference to increasing FDI in India. Government seems to
betting heavily on a large FDI influx to help with the deficient
"We will use innovative and new financial methods to increase investment in
infrastructure," says the Minister.
Like Us : https://www.facebook.com/BankingMaterialsUpdates?fref=ts
Join : https://www.facebook.com/groups/298138593650264/?fref=ts
Start your Preparation For SBI : https://www.facebook.com/StateBankOfIndiaPreparation