Comprehensive Current Affairs 1 PDF

Comprehensive Current Affairs
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COMPREHENSIVE CURRENT
AFFAIRS
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CONTENTS
UNIT 1
Chapter 1: National ............................................................................................................. 59
BCCC Sought Reviewing Rules for Tv Licensing ........................................................................... 59
Pranab Mukherjee Imposed Presidents Rule on Jharkhand ...................................................... 59
India for the Second Consecutive Year Reported No Fresh Polio Cases ..................................... 59
Cochin Shipyard Launched Aadesh, The First Fast Patrol Vessel For Coast Guard ..................... 60
Railway Fares to Be Hiked From 21 January 2013: Railway Minister ......................................... 60
Aadhaar Card to Be Accepted As Proof to Get Passport: Ministry Of External Affairs ............... 61
News Broadcasting Standards Association Issued Guidelines For Reporting Of Sexual Crimes . 61
Indias First Successful Intestinal Transplant Performed on A Software Engineer ..................... 61
Foreign Tourists Not Allowed to Work as Journalists On Tourist Visa: Mha .............................. 62
Union Government Withdrew Z-Plus Security Cover For Ex-Army Chief, Gen V K Singh ........... 62
Union Government Decided Setting Up 5-Year Project For Cyber Security Of Critical Sectors.. 62
New Cases of HIV Decreased By 57 Percent in India: Union Health Minister ............................ 63
Govt. of India to set up Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Stations along River Ganga ........ 63
India Developed Indigenous Japanese Encephalitis (Je) Vaccine................................................ 63
Union Government of India Extended Ban On Ulfa And Ndfb .................................................... 64
Union Government Introduced Bill to Amend Competition Act ................................................. 64
Union Government of India Cleared Decks For Ambedkar Memorial ........................................ 64
Global Terrorism Index Revealed: India Ranked Among Top Five Terror-Hit Nations ............... 65
Supreme Court Issued Guidelines to Curb Eve Teasing At The Public Places ............................. 65
Nuclear Waste would not be Dumped at Kolar Gold Mine: Govt. to Sc ..................................... 65
Union Cabinet Cleared Setting Up Of 21 Textile Parks ............................................................... 66
Trai Issued A Cap Of 100 Smss On Concession Rates .................................................................. 66
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Government Nod to Grant Ex-Serviceman Status to The Retired Paramilitary Staffs ................ 66
Union Government Constituted A National Committee On Direct Cash Transfers .................... 67
Union Cabinet Approved Setting Up Of National Automotive Board ......................................... 67
Union Cabinet Cleared 4000 Crore Rupees Plan To Tackle Japanese Encephalitis .................... 68
Sc: All States and Uts To Conduct Fresh Surveys To Identify Bonded Labour Problems ............ 68
Supreme Court Worried About the Status Of Growing Pollution In Yamuna ............................. 68
SC: Refused to restrain Center from providing training to Sri Lankan armed Forces ................. 69
Supreme Court Directed Government To Provide Basic Infrastructure In School ...................... 69
India and World Bank Signed 500 Million Dollar Deal for Shiksha Abhyan ................................ 70
Ministry of Rural Development Launched Nirmal Bharat Yatra ................................................. 70
Supreme Court Of India Ordered Better Healthcare For Bhopal Gas Tragedy Victims .............. 71
Bccc Asked Tv Channels to Be Extra-Cautious While Showing Violence Against Women .......... 71
Delhi High Court Approved The Guidelines For Media Reporting On Children .......................... 71
Bimal Gurung Sworn In As The Head Of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration ........................ 72
Special Tribunal Approved Mha Move To Declare Simi As An Unlawful Organisation ............... 72
Power Tripped In Northern, Eastern And North Eastern Grids: Indias Biggest Power Blackout 73
UK Lifted Travel Advisory on Jammu and Kashmir ...................................................................... 73
Nasscom signed Pact with NIIT to Train One Lakh Students in next Three years ....................... 73
Indira Gandhi International Airport got International Certification ........................................... 74
BHEL Deployed Solar Panel on GSAT 10 Satellite ........................................................................ 74
DGCA Suspended the License of Kingfisher Airlines ................................................................... 75
NDTV filed Lawsuit against Audience Measurement Company TAM India ................................ 75
GAIL and RSPCL signed an Agreement of Joint Venture on Gas Supply Pipeline Project ........... 76
CVC instructed CBI to expand the scope of investigation on Coalgate ....................................... 76
Jal Satyagraha came to an end after 17 days demonstration on a victory note ........................ 76
Number of Supreme Court Judges increased to 28 after 3 Judges Sworn In ............................. 77
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Cyber Security get Revamped with Government Five Year Plan ................................................ 78
Broadcasting Content Complaint Council told Channels to Abstain From Vulgar Comedy ........ 79
SM Krishna resigned from the Post of External Affairs Minister ................................................ 79
Union Cabinet approved Proposals to procure Brahmos and Invar Missiles ............................. 79
Justice Altamas Kabir appointed as the New Chief Justice of India ............................................ 79
DCGI directed Drug Companies to submit Safety Reports of New Drugs to It ........................... 80
No Mobile Connection to any Foreign Tourist for more than Three Months ............................ 80
The CII held the Eleventh Energy Efficiency Summit in Hyderabad ............................................ 80
Parthasarathi Shome Appointed As the Adviser to Finance Minister of India ........................... 81
The 2nd Meeting on India-China Border Affairs held in New Delhi ............................................ 81
Halimah Yacob Became First Woman Speaker of the Singapore Parliament ............................. 81
Chapter 2: International ...................................................................................................... 83
India and USA inaugurated the First Triangular India-US-Africa Partnership at Hyderabad ...... 83
India and Bangladesh signed Agreements on Extradition and Visa Regime ............................... 83
Milos Zeman won the Czech Republic Presidential Election 2013 ............................................. 84
China Successfully Carried Out Interceptor Missile Test ............................................................ 84
IMF: World Economic Growth Rate would be 3.5 percent in 2013 ............................................ 84
War Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh pronounced its First Verdict of Death Sentence ............... 85
Barack Obama Sworn In As the US President for Second Term.................................................. 86
Chinas Economy Grew 7.8 Percent In 2012, Hits 13-Year Low .................................................. 86
Obama Proposed Stricter Gun Control Laws: 23 Executive Actions Announced ........................ 86
India, Vietnam signed MoU to Strengthen Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises ....................... 87
South Korea Became First Country in Asia to Order Chemical Castration of Child Rapist ......... 88
The United States evacuated its Embassy in the Central African Republic ................................ 88
President Mohamed Morsi signed Egypt's Controversial Constitution ...................................... 88
Pakistan Government Recognised Republic of Kosovo as an Independent State ...................... 89
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United Nation Approved New Debate on Arm Treaty opposed by U.S. Gun Lobby ................... 89
India and Russia signed pacts on Economic Ties for 2 billion dollar Investment Fund............... 90
Moscow Authorities Announced Demolishing Only Hindu Temple by January 2013 ................ 91
European Union imposed Stiff Sanctions on Trade with Iran ..................................................... 91
US House of Representatives passed the Defence Bill 2013 ...................................................... 91
David Cameroon announced that Britain would Pull Half of its Troops from Afghanistan ........ 92
Park Geun-Hye Elected As the First Woman President of South Korea...................................... 92
Ireland to legalise Abortions when the Mothers Life is at Risk .................................................. 92
WHO approved Vaccine Manufacturing Practices adopted by Indian Pharmaceutical
Companies ................................................................................................................................... 92
UK Planned to Replace Paper Money with Plastic Banknotes .................................................... 93
Global Telecom Treaty without Net Control Signed by Eighty Nine Nations.............................. 94
Vinod Rai Re-Elected As Chairman of UN Panel of External Auditors......................................... 95
Maldives took over Charge of Male Airport scrapping Agreement with GMR ........................... 95
China Held largest Air Force Drill involving 100 Fighter planes .................................................. 95
Iran Declared Extracting Complete Data from the Captured US Drone ..................................... 96
UN (United Nations) Panel passed N Korea Resolution by Consensus ....................................... 96
Eurozone, International Monetary Fund Agreed to New Greek Debt Deal ................................ 96
India Voted Against UN General Assemblys Resolution to Ban Death Penalties ...................... 96
Death of Savita Halappanavar Ignited Strong Reactions for Change in Irish Abortion Law ....... 97
US Lifted the Ban Imposed on Imports from Myanmar, before President Obamas Visit to the
Nati .............................................................................................................................................. 97
IEA: US would become worlds largest oil producer by 2017 ..................................................... 98
Nepal Elected as a Board Member of the ECOSOC ..................................................................... 98
The Review Meeting of the E-9 Countries concluded in New Delhi ........................................... 98
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director David Petraeus Resigned ......................................... 99
Australian Schools would Teach Hindi ........................................................................................ 99
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Japan Lifted Travel Advisory on Jammu and Kashmir ................................................................. 99

Colombian Government and FARC Launched Peace Talk ........................................................... 99
Israeli Authorities released Red Line Report for Gaza Strip ...................................................... 100
Five New Non-Permanent Member Countries Elected to UN Security Council ....................... 101
South Asian University made Introduction to South Asia a Compulsory Subject ..................... 101
UK and Scotland signed an Agreement to hold a Referendum on Scottish Independence ..... 101
UN warned of price hike in food products and a decline in global cereal production ............. 102
Arabic made its debut as official language at Vatican .............................................................. 102
Maldivian Court issued an arrest warrant against ex-President Mohamed Nasheed .............. 103
New Nuclear Safety Agency launched in Japan ........................................................................ 103
India Topped the Chart of Registered Largest Number of Under Five Deaths in 2011 ............ 103
US Diplomat to Libya killed in Benghazi Attack......................................................................... 104
India, Myanmar and Thailand decided to implement Trilateral Connectivity Project by 2016 104
US uplifted terrorist designation from Nepali Maoists ........................................................... 105
Sixth MekongGanga Cooperation meeting held in New Delhi ............................................... 105
The 16th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Summit was held in Tehran .................................... 105
US imposed Fresh Sanctions on Belligerent Iran ...................................................................... 106
US Senate passed Bill to label Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation ............. 107
Spice Jet to Launch Flights to Guangzhou in South China......................................................... 107
South African Government Rolled Out Nelson Mandela Bank Notes ....................................... 108
China inaugurated Worlds Longest High-Speed Rail Route linking Beijing with Guangzhou .. 108
President of Russia Vladmir Putin Visited India to attend 13th India-Russia Annual Summit . 108
Shinzo Abe Elected As Prime Minister of Japan by Lower House of the Parliament ................ 109
Somalia got its new President in form of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ........................................ 110
Tensions grew over Senkaku Islands in between Japan and China .......................................... 110
Vice president of India M. Hamid Ansari released a book ........................................................ 110
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India ranked to be 59th in the report released by World Economic Forum ............................. 111
Tehran hosted the 16th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Summit............................................ 111
Prime Minister of Fiji, Laisenia Qarase was punished for One year Prison .............................. 111
The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders visited India ........................................... 111
Rogelio Sierra Diaz, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba visited India ............................... 112
Chapter 3: Bilateral Relations ............................................................................................ 113
Two Pakistani Diplomats Denied Permission to Attend Jaipur Literature Festival 2013 .......... 113
India and Asean Finalised Fta In Investments And Services...................................................... 113
India to Sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty In Criminal Matters With Four Other Nations... 114
India and China agreed to boost the Defence Ties ................................................................... 114
India and Austria Signed An Mou To Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation On Rail And Road ..... 114
Sc: There Are Alternative Ways For Allocation Of Natural Resources ...................................... 115
Farmers Moved To Supreme Court Challenging the Release of Water .................................... 115
India Pledged Humanitarian Assistance of 2.5 Million US Dollars to Syria ............................... 116
India and Australia agreed to Concentrate on Energy and Food Security ................................ 116
India and Pakistan agreed not to allow Tension along LoC to Escalate .................................... 117
China appointed Wei Wei, a Career Diplomat as Ambasador to India ..................................... 117
India and Bangladesh Decided Increasing Rail Link Projects .................................................... 117
India and Pakistan Exchanged Nuclear Units List as a Part of the Agreement ......................... 118
India and Pakistan Jointly operaionalized New Visa Agreement .............................................. 118
North Korea Launched Long Range Unha-3 Rocket amid International Opposition ................ 119
Eleventh Meeting of India-Canada JWG on Counter Terrorism held in New Delhi .................. 119
India and Pakistan Discussed Methods for Solving Sir Creek Issue .......................................... 119
India and Japan Signed Two Agreements in Tokyo ................................................................... 120
India and Sweden Signed Social Security Agreement in New Delhi ......................................... 120
The 8th Meeting of the India-UK JWG on Counter Terrorism held in New Delhi ..................... 121
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The 2nd India-China Strategic economic Dialogue held in New Delhi ...................................... 122
Tenth ASEAN-India Summit Concluded at Peace Palace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia .................. 124
Twenty first ASEAN Summit concluded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia ......................................... 124
The Seventh East Asia Summit concluded in Phnom Penh, Cambodia..................................... 125
India Added 22 New Items to promote Indo-Myanmar Border Trade ..................................... 125
India and Afghanistan Signed Four Cooperation Pacts ............................................................. 126
India, Britain decided to enhance Cooperation in Cyber Security ............................................ 126
India-Canada finalised a Mechanism for Shipping of Canadian Uranium to India ................... 127
India-Japan-US Trilateral Dialogue held in New Delhi .............................................................. 127
Pakistan Cabinet Ratified the Landmark Visa Pact with India................................................... 127
India and UK Amended pact on Avoidance of Double Taxation ............................................... 128
India, US and Japan held Trilateral meet and Talked on Cooperation...................................... 128
India, Spain Signed Agreement on Defence Cooperation ......................................................... 129
The 2nd India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue held in Tokyo...................................................................... 129
India-Australia Announced Nuclear Deal Negotiation .............................................................. 130
India and New Zealand signed Five MoUs to cooperate in Education ..................................... 130
India and Pakistan Discussed TAPI Gas Project ......................................................................... 130
Japan and India Launched Research Project to Study LNG Pricing ........................................... 131
India and France signed an Agreement in the Field of Urban Development............................ 131
India and Austria tied up for development of Smart Cities in India ......................................... 132
US, India and Afghanistan held its First Trilateral Discussion ................................................... 132
India Malaysia to Achieve a Target Trade of USD 15 Billion ..................................................... 133
India and Nepal signed MoU for Constructing School Building ................................................ 133
India and Burundi signed 3 Major Agreements and Issued a Joint Statement ......................... 133
India signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt ...................................................... 134
India Offered Telecom Support to Turkmenistan ..................................................................... 134
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Differences grew in between China and Japan over the disputed Diayo Islands ..................... 135
India and Saudi Arabia held their first talk on defence ties ...................................................... 135
India extended a credit of $10 Million aid to Palestine in a gesture of support ...................... 136
India and Pakistan issued a joint statement at the end of the SM Krishna's Visit .................... 137
India and Tajikistan went ahead on strategic partnership and signed six agreements ............ 137
India established Diplomatic Relations with Niue .................................................................... 138
India, China discussed Border security and Bilateral Defence Ties........................................... 138
India and Iran decided to Expand Trade and Economic Cooperation....................................... 139
India China agreed to set up Joint Working Group on Trade and Investments ........................ 139
India to cut Import Duties on 234 Items from Pakistan ............................................................ 139
Joint Statement on the First India-CELAC Troika Foreign Ministers Meeting Held in New Delhi
................................................................................................................................................... 140
India and Belgium signed Agreement for the Modernisation of Indian Railways .................... 141
India and Israel signed Collaborative Academic Research Programme Agreement ................. 141
India allowed FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) from Pakistan .................................................. 141
Election Commissions of India and South Korea signed MoU to Strengthen Democracy ........ 142
India signed Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with Monaco ................................ 142
China signed Economic Agreements with North Korea which includes the Development of SEZs
................................................................................................................................................... 143
U.S. Treasury Secretary Discussed Economy and Trade Barriers with India............................. 143
India-Maldives Joint Military Training Exercise EKUVERIN 2012 held in Belgaum ................... 143
President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai Visited India and discussed on various Issues ............ 144
The President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon visited India ...................................................... 144
Chapter 4: Science and Technology .................................................................................... 145
First Space Weather Reading Centre of India Scheduled To Be Opened By Mid 2013 ............ 145
Costal Chain of Static Sensors Positioned Along the Coast Of Andhra Pradesh ....................... 145
Controversy over Clean Chit Given To Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant by Iaea ........................ 145
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President Pranab Mukherjee Launched Low Cost Aakash Tablet 2 .......................................... 146
Union Cabinet approved the Launch of Satellite to study Mars ............................................... 147
Researchers Found Mechanism behind Origin of Life on Early Earth ....................................... 147
Huge Dust Storm Observed On Mars by NASA Rover ............................................................... 148
New Drug discovered that can Halt Cancer from Multiplying .................................................. 148
Makemake, the Massive Dwarf Planet of Solar System Has No Atmosphere .......................... 148
Scientists decoded how flu viruses replicate within Infected Cells .......................................... 149
Researchers Developed New Tool for Keeping Your Email Spam-Free .................................... 149
Algorithm Developed for Controlling Computer Cursors with the Thoughts ........................... 150
Gene Discovered That Identifies Your Time of Death ............................................................... 150
Bionetwork of Bacteria Live in Belly Button .............................................................................. 151
Scientist Decoded a Gene that Gives Humans an Edge over Apes ........................................... 151
Researchers Created a Paper-Thin Fabric to Stop Bullets ......................................................... 152
Scientists discovered Bacteria that can Line up to Create Live Wire ........................................ 152
NASA launched Space Station Alert Service to Make People Aware about the ISS.................. 152
A Humanoid Robot called Baxter designed in USA ................................................................... 153
New Earth Sized Planet Discovered in Neighboring Solar System ............................................ 153
Scientist Developed a Superhero Mice that sniff out Explosives .............................................. 154
Scientist Discovered Source of Water on Moon ....................................................................... 154
Australian Scientists unveiled the Colossal Radio Telescope .................................................... 154
Sunita Williams became the Second Woman in History to take Command of ISS ................... 155
Researchers discovered Two Proteins that can Protect against Diabetes ................................ 155
Indias first multi-lateral Social Science research collaboration with four European Nations . 156
Scientists developed a Gene Therapy which can restore the Sense of Smell ........................... 156
A New Strain of Rice developed by the Scientists that could boost Crop Yields ...................... 157
Scientists developed a New Technique to reduce the Side Effects of Chemotherapy ............. 157
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Ring-Planet Saturn and Red Planet Mars paired in the Sky ...................................................... 157
NASAs New Robot Rover Curiosity touched the Surface of Mars............................................ 158
Google Launched Dead Sea Scrolls Online Library in Partnership with Israel Antiquities
Authority.................................................................................................................................... 158
Tata Steel Developed a New Kind of Anti-Ballistic Steel Super Bainite .................................... 159
Apple Launched i pad mini and fourth-generation iPad in India .............................................. 159
Iran Announced Sending a Monkey Successfully Into Space .................................................... 159
154 Sonnets of Shakespeare encoded and stored in strands of DNA ...................................... 160
Scientists Discovered Gene That Restricts Tumours ................................................................. 160
Black Holes Growing At Faster Pace Than Expected: Astronomers .......................................... 161
Sensors to Detect Plants Distress Worked Upon By the Researchers ...................................... 161
Researchers Developed New Technology That Helps Surgeon Detect Cancer Spread ............ 161
Astronomers discovered Largest Cosmic Structure in the Universe......................................... 162
Scientists Developed a Drug to Reverse Permanent Deafness ................................................. 162
Scientists Developed a Drug That Help Paralysed Walk Again ................................................. 162
Mars Curiosity Rover captured a Flower like formation on Martian Rocks .............................. 163
2 Billion Year Old Martian Rock Is a Meteorite with 10 Times More Water than Normal:
Scientists .................................................................................................................................... 163
Researchers Discovered Protein behind Scaly and Dry Skin in Eczema .................................... 164
Two New-Born Giant Planets Observed Around the Star ......................................................... 164
Astronomers Claimed Rare Supercomet Would Outshine Moon in 2013 ................................ 164
Spaceplane Successfully Completed Flight Test; Moved a Step Closer to Space Tourism ....... 165
Life supporting Planet Found Orbiting Star near Earth ............................................................. 165
NASAs Twin Probes Crashed Successfully onto Lunar Mountain............................................. 165
Researchers created natural heart pacemaker from single gene ............................................. 166
Permian Mass Extinction Was Led By a Microbe: Research ..................................................... 166
Brain-Removal Tool Discovered in 2400-Year Old Mummy...................................................... 167
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Scientists Developed a Headset That Give Humans 360 Degree Vision ................................... 167
Scientist Decoded genetic code of Honey Bees revealing its sensitivity to Environmental
Change ....................................................................................................................................... 167
Research Indicated That Anti-Ageing Gene Might Suppress Tumours ..................................... 168
First 100 Percent Ultrasound Toothbrush of the World Developed ......................................... 168
NASA Announced to send New Rover to Mars in 2020 ............................................................ 168
Anti Collision Device for Railways developed by Hyderabad Based Firm ................................. 169
Mystery that Surrounded the Missing Sandy Island Solved ..................................................... 170
CHAMP Missile Could Shut Down the Electronics of the Country Permanently: Boeing ......... 170
Scientists created most complex and realistic artificial brain which can pass IQ as well ......... 170
NASAs Mercury-orbiting probe discovered ice on the planet ................................................. 171
New Kind of Matter Might Be Produced In Large Hadron Collider ........................................... 171
India Successfully Test Fired Air to Air Interceptor Astra Missile ............................................. 172
Prithvi II, the Nuclear-capable surface to surface Missile Successfully test-fired .................... 172
Ramanujans Cryptic Death Bed Theory proved by American Scientist ................................... 172
Super-Jupiter, the Largest Planet of Our Solar System Discovered .......................................... 173
Microsoft Corp Organised Wowzapp 2012 for Students Interested in App Development ...... 173
Nuclear Capable Prithvi II Missile Sucessfully Test Fired .......................................................... 174
India successfully launched its Heaviest Satellite GSAT-10....................................................... 174
CSIR announced Fellowship program for Scientists aged above 70 ......................................... 175
Air Force Version of Pilot-less Target Aircraft Lakshya-1 was successfully Test-flown ............ 175
NASAs Curiosity Rover took its First Drive on the Surface of Mars ......................................... 175
India successfully test-fired Medium Range Ballistic Missile Agni II ...................................... 176
India Successfully test-fired manoeuvrable version of BrahMos Supersonic Missile ............... 176
Astronomers measured the Process how Universe cooled on lines of Big Bang Theory ......... 177
CHAPTER 5: Polity and Governance .................................................................................... 179
India Celebrated Its 64th Republic Day; Showcased Military Prowess and Cultural Heritage . 179
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Supreme Court Of India Banned Construction of Religious Structures and Statues on Public
Land ........................................................................................................................................... 179
The Union Cabinet Sanctioned Appointment Of 2000 Judges For The Fast-Track Courts ....... 179
Election Commission Announced Date Of Election And By-Elections In 10 States .................. 179
Money Laundering and Banking Bills 2012 Turned Into Law with Presidents Assent .............. 180
Cji Altamas Kabir Constituted Special Bench To Hear Crimes Against Women ........................ 180
Supreme Court Judges Number Increased To 28 Against The Sanctioned Strength Of 31 ...... 180
Delhi High Court Dismissed The Pil That Challenged Tendulkars Nomination To Rajya Sabha 181
Sc Dismissed Purno Sangma Petition That Challenged Pranab Mukherjee's Election As
President.................................................................................................................................... 181
Lok Sabha Passed The Companies Bill 2011 Aimed At Improving Corporate Governance ...... 182
Supreme Court Asked Judge Of Sc And Hc To Inform Government About Details Of Foreign
Visits .......................................................................................................................................... 183
Union Cabinet of India Approved the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy ........................ 183
The Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences Act, 2012 Came Into Force ........................ 183
Sc: Criminal Case Cant Be Dismissed Because Of Delay ........................................................... 184
Union Cabinet Approved Amendment Of Indecent Representation Of Women Act ............... 185
Commission Issued Stricter Guidelines To Curb The Practice Of Paid News ............................ 185
Rail Radar, Website launched by the Railways to track the position of train ........................... 186
Mos Was Signed To Provide Autonomy For The Hills Council In Assam ................................... 186
Supreme Court Lifted The Gag Order On Media Reporting Of Troop Movement .................... 186
Supreme Court: Media Can Be Restrained From Pressing Trials During Proceedings .............. 186
Constitution Amendment Bill passed by Huge Majority in Rajya Sabha .................................. 187
Chapter 6: Social Issues ..................................................................................................... 188
Justice Js Verma Panel Report Submitted To the Government: Recommendations on the Sexual
Crimes ........................................................................................................................................ 188
India and Sri Lanka Signed Two Agreements on Terrorism And Drug Trafficking .................... 189
Supreme Court Banned Tourists Entry In Jarawa Tribe Habitat Of Andamans ....................... 190
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Government of India Declared Use Of Mgnrega Linked Post Office Accounts For Direct Cash
Transfer ..................................................................................................................................... 190
Supreme Court Asked Union Government to Set Up A Special Court To Try Italian Marines .. 191
Union Home Ministry Issued Strict Guidelines for Regulating Surrogacy In India .................... 191
Parliamentary Standing Committee Recommended Entitlement Of Food For 67 Percent
Population ................................................................................................................................. 192
Supreme Court: Khap Panchayats Diktat On Dress Code For Women Unlawful ..................... 193
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde Launched Pilot Project of Crime And Criminal
Tracking System ......................................................................................................................... 193
Union Government Launched Government Calendar Featuring Flagship Schemes ................ 194
Union Government Approved An Anti-Piracy Scheme In Audio-Visual Sector ......................... 194
Igmri and Cwc Signed Mou for Post Harvest Management of Foodgrains ............................... 194
Prime Minister Launched Aadhar Based Transfer System ........................................................ 195
Passive Euthanasia Supported By the Law Panel ...................................................................... 195
Sc: Land Belonging To Scheduled Castes Or Tribes Cannot Be Bought By Non-Dalits.............. 196
New Measures Announced For the Welfare of Overseas Indians ............................................ 196
Jal Satyagraha Came To an End after 17 Days Demonstration on A Victory Note ................... 197
The Government Approved A Complete Ban On Employment Of Children ............................. 197
The Union Government Issued An Ultimatum To Social Networking Site Twitter ................... 198
Government of India Enacted Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 .................................... 198
Chapter 7: Economy .......................................................................................................... 199
Union Government Approved 14 Fdi Proposals Worth Over 1300 Cr Rupees ......................... 199
Union Cabinet Approved Higher Funds For Indira Awaas Yojana ............................................. 199
National Data Centre For Uidai To Come Up In Gurgaon ......................................................... 200
Empowered Group of Ministers Decided To Auction Four Telecom Circles In 1800 Mhz Band
................................................................................................................................................... 200
Union Government Doubled 12th Plan Outlay For Science And Technology Ministry ............ 200
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Union Government Constituted the 14th Finance Commission under Former Rbi Governor Yv
Reddy ......................................................................................................................................... 201
Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram Unveiled Cash Transfer Rollout Plan ........................ 202
Bihar Became the Fastest Growing Indian State between 2006 And 2010 .............................. 202
Union Government Approved Selling 12.5 Percent Stake In Rashtriya Chemicals And Fertilizers
................................................................................................................................................... 202
Bhatinda Srinagar Gas Pipeline Project To Be Completed By July 2014 ................................... 203
Union Government Exempted Service Tax for Janashree and Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana ......... 203
India to Sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty In Criminal Matters With Four Other Nations... 204
Union Minister Of Finance P Chidambaram Finalised Gaar Amendment ................................. 204
Union Government Body Ccea Lifted Export Ban on Some Milk Products ............................... 205
Indian Sovereign Rating is Stable-Moody ................................................................................. 205
Service Tax on High-End Class Travel, Freight and Auxiliary Service Rail Fares ........................ 205
Government Reduced Interest Rates On Rescheduled Crop Loans From 12 To 7 Percent ...... 206
Supreme Court Refused To Lift Ban On Mining Activities In Karnataka ................................... 206
The Government Extended the Ban On Import Of Milk And Milk Products From China ......... 206
FDI Inflow in China Decreased 3.7 Percent, First Time in 3 Years ............................................. 206
RBI and the State Bank of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding ....................... 207
Deutsche Bank Appointed As the Depository Bank for GDR of IIPL.......................................... 207
Spice Global Entered Healthcare Sector in India; Announced Investing Over 1400 Crore Rupees
................................................................................................................................................... 207
Reliance Industries Shut 8th Well in KG-D6; Gas Output Fell to All-Time Low ......................... 208
Hindalco finalized Arrangements to acquire Bauxite Mines and Alumina Refirnery from Novelis
................................................................................................................................................... 208
Union Government approved the Partial De-notification of RIL SEZ ........................................ 209
GAIL India Commissioned Dabhol Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal .......................................... 209
PR Fonroche inaugurated First Solar Plant under National Solar Mission Batch II ................... 210
Supreme Court rejected Sahara Petition on Refund of 24000 crore Rupees ........................... 210
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Allahabad Bank Signed MoU with Chamber of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises 211
Union Government Decided to disinvest Stakes in Oil India, NTPC .......................................... 211
National Aluminium Co Ltd (Nalco) Commissioned its First Wind Power Project .................... 212
KG-D6, Gas Producing Fields Reached Lowest Gas Output Level since Inception .................... 212
ICICI Bank Opened 101 Gramin Branches across Villages in Six States..................................... 212
Infosys Shares started Trading on New York Stock Exchange ................................................... 213
Telecom Commission approved 1500 crore Rupees subsidy for BSNL ..................................... 213
Lobby Bill of Wal-Mart Hit Around 125 Crore Rupees to Seek Entry into India ....................... 213
Sahara Companies Got Two Months Time to Repay Investors Money ................................... 213
SBI Announced Expectation of 4000 crore Rupees Equity from the Government ................... 214
Tea Board of India Joined Hand with European Tea Committee to Protect Darjeeling Tea .... 214
SEBI Asked Government to set up Special Court for Speedy Trial ............................................ 214
Petroleum Ministrys Non Approval to RILs Investment Plans ................................................ 215
ICICI Bank Signed an Agreement with Eco Bank of Africa ......................................................... 215
HDFC Bank and Indian Oil came together to Provide Banking Services in Rural Areas ............ 216
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation won work in Jakarta Metro Rail Project .................................... 216
Indigo Airlines emerged to be the top ranked carrier for consecutive second month ............ 216
Supreme Court asked Essar Oil to pay the sales tax dues in phases......................................... 217
Sales percentage of car declined in India .................................................................................. 217
GAIL signed pact with French Energy Giant GDF Suez to import LNG ...................................... 217
Geojit BNP launched Android OS Flip Me; first mobile trading solution on NSE & BSE ........... 218
SBI reduced the interest rate on the deposits of more than 5 years........................................ 218
SBI reduced Interest Rate on Home and Car Loans by Up to 0.5 Percent ................................ 218
Union Ministry for Commerce launched e Biz Portal to Provide one Stop Shop for all
Investment................................................................................................................................. 219
Reserve Bank of India slashed Repo Rate to 7.75 Percent and CRR to 4 Percent .................... 220
Securities and Exchange Board of India revised the Mechanism of Offer for Sale ................... 220
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Union Commerce Ministry claimed that India has crossed One Billion Mark in Tea Production
................................................................................................................................................... 221
FDI Inflow Decreased to Two-Year Low in November 2012 ..................................................... 221
IMF forecasted Indian Economic Growth Rate to be 5.9 percent in 2013 ............................... 221
Union Cabinet Approved 50 Percent Reduction in the Reserve Prices for CDMA Spectrum ... 222
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Continuation of JNNURM.................. 222
CCEA approved Defreeze in the Tariff Value of Edible Oils as per International Market ......... 222
Union Government of India raised the cap on Subsidized LPG Cylinders from 6 to 9 .............. 223
Union Government Imposed 2.5 Percent Import Duty on Crude Edible Oil ............................. 223
World Bank slashed the Global Growth Forecast to 2.4 Percent ............................................. 223
The Implementation of GAAR deferred by 2 Years, to Come into Force from 1April 2016 ..... 224
Sensex Crossed Crucial 20000 Mark after Two Years ............................................................... 224
Union Government approved Ten Percent Stake Sale in Engineers India Ltd (EIL) .................. 224
Union Government Announced More Incentives to Exporters Hit By Global Meltdown ........ 225
Union Government of India lowered the Growth Projection for Current Fiscal to 5.7 Percent226
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Setting up of CCI................................ 226
Retail Inflation Increased to 9.90 Percent in November 2012 .................................................. 226
Indian Economy Would Dominate the Economy of the World by 2030: US Intelligence
Community Report .................................................................................................................... 226
Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed 12 more Alternative Investment Funds 227
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed Currency Swap Agreement with Bank of Japan ................ 228
National Cancer Institute and a National Cardio Care Centre to be developed at Jhajjar ....... 228
India signed 70 million US Dollar loan agreement with World Bank ........................................ 229
Reserve Bank of India asked Banks not to Provide Loans for Purchase of Gold ....................... 229
Income Ceiling for LIG raised by Union Government of India .................................................. 230
Union Cabinet of India cleared Proposal for Spectrum Sharing ............................................... 230
Civil Aviation Ministry approved New Traffic Rights to Indian Carriers .................................... 231
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Government decided to digitize Cable TV Network in Thirty Eight Cities ................................ 231
Government of India announced Minimum Support Price for Cotton ..................................... 231
Northern Railways introduced Pink Coloured Tatkal Forms ..................................................... 232
RBI Expanded the Lending Norms on Priority Sectors .............................................................. 232
Civil Aviation Ministry announced omission of Airport Development Fee from January 2013 233
Pilot Projects for development of People Friendly Roads approved ........................................ 233
Website for SMS alerts and Rail passenger enquiry launched by Railways .............................. 234
CCEA approved 1.90 crore lakh package on debt restructuring for the SEBs ........................... 234
Foreign Investment cap hiked to 74 percent for Broadcasting Services .................................. 234
GAAR Report submitted by the Shome Committee to the Finance Ministry ........................... 235
Cash Reserve Ratio Slashed to Inject Rs 17000 crore, Repo Rates remained Unchanged ....... 236
Shimla Municipal Corporation introduced Green Tax on vehicles entering Shimla ................. 236
IRCTC introduced Interbank Mobile Payment System .............................................................. 237
Proposal for 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail and 49 percent in Aviation passed ............. 237
Report: Indian external debts are within manageable limits.................................................... 238
Government approved 14000 Crore Rupees Fund to spur Production of Hybrid and Electrical
Vehicle ....................................................................................................................................... 238
SEBI allowed Partial Flexibility in IDRs for Investors ................................................................. 239
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) transferred a Surplus of Rs 16010 crore to the Union Government
................................................................................................................................................... 239
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) called for Deterrent Penal Provisions against Units in SEZs
................................................................................................................................................... 240
India eased External Overseas Borrowing Rules to enable Easier Access to Cheap Dollar Funds
................................................................................................................................................... 240
Union Finance Ministry approved 49 Percent FDI in Insurance and Pension Sector ................ 241
Air India losses pegged at 28046 Crore Rupees ........................................................................ 242
RBI stipulated the Norms for Securitisation of Loans by NBFCs ............................................... 242
India's Marine Exports to grow by over 28% to USD 4.5 billion in 2012-13 Fiscal ................... 242
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Regulator SEBI permitted seven Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to start Operation in India
................................................................................................................................................... 243
CAG pegged Public Exchequers Loss at 1.86 Lakh Crore in Coal Blocks Allocation Scam ........ 244
Inter-ministerial group recommended Linking Patented Drug Prices to Per-capita Income ... 244
Indias NSE became the Worlds Largest Bourse in Equity Segment as per WFEs Global Ranking
................................................................................................................................................... 245
Union Cabinet sets Base Price for Auction of 2G Spectrum at 14000 Crore Rupees ................ 245
RBI directed NBFCs to maintain Net-owned Funds (NOF) at Rs 3 crore by 31 March 2013 ..... 246
RBI signed MOU with Financial Regulators of 9 Countries to promote Sharing of Information
................................................................................................................................................... 246
Chapter 8: Personalities ..................................................................................................... 248
Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia retired................................................................................. 248
Jaideep Sarkar appointed as the new envoy to Israel ............................................................... 248
Former Navy Chief Nirmal Verma Appointed As Indian Envoy to Canada ............................... 248
Queen Elizabeth Became First Peacetime British Ruler to Attend Cabinet Meeting ............... 248
Menon First Top Ranking Indian Official to Visit China after Changes in Communist Party of
China .......................................................................................................................................... 249
Board Members of Tata Sons conferred the Title of Chairman Emeritus on Ratan Tata ......... 249
Cyrus Pallonji Mistry Appointed as Chairman of Tata Sons ...................................................... 250
Industry Leader Deepak Parekh Nominated to Competition Commission of India .................. 250
Keshub Mahindra stepped down as the Chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra ......................... 250
US President Barack Obama named Person of the year 2012 by TIME Magazine ................... 251
Leslie Claudius the Legendary Hockey Player from India Died ................................................. 251
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti resigned ahead of Elections ............................................. 252
Virbhadra Singh took oath as Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh for the Sixth time ............. 253
Narendra Modi was Sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat ................................................ 253
Delhi Gangrape Victim Passed Away at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore...................... 253
Tony Greig, Former Captain of England Cricket Team and Commentator Died ....................... 253
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Patrick Suckling appointed as Australia's Next High Commissioner to India ............................ 253
IK Gujral, Former Prime Minister of India Died At 92 ............................................................... 254
BS Yeddyyurappa resigned from BJP and Karnataka Legislative Assembly .............................. 254
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar visited India ...................................................................... 254
Dr. Joseph Edward Murray, the Man behind First Kidney Transplant Died At 93 .................... 255
Oriya Novelist and Academician Pratibha Ray selected for 2011 Jnanpith Award ................... 255
Alok Joshi to be RAW Head, Asif Ibrahim to Head IB ................................................................ 255
Arvind Kejriwal named his Political Party as Aam Admi Party .................................................. 255
Ernest Bai Koroma re-elected as the President of Sierra Leone ............................................... 256
Joaquim Barbosa sworn-in as Brazils Supreme Courts First non-White President ................. 256
Senior IPS Officer Ranjit Sinha Appointed as CBI Director for Two Years ................................. 256
Anil Dev Singh became the new Chairperson of IOA Election Panel ........................................ 256
Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray died in Mumbai ............................................................. 257
Ami Bera became 3rd Indian-American to win US Congressional Election .............................. 257
Former Union Minister of India and ex-Defence Minister K.C. Pant Died ................................ 257
Xi Jinping elected as the New General Secretary of the Communist Party of China ................ 258
BBC Director General George Entwistle Resigned Over covering Sexual Abuse ...................... 258
President Barack Obama Re-elected President of United States of America ........................... 258
Irom Sharmila, the Iron Lady of Manipur completed 12 Years of Fast ..................................... 259
Chinese-British Writer Han Suyin died at the age of 95 in Lausanne ....................................... 259
Veteran BJP Leader Kailashpati Misra Died at the age of 90 in Bihar ....................................... 259
Pioneer of Pocket Cartoons in India Cartoonist, T. Samuel Died .............................................. 260
Anand Kumar of Super 30 Fame Declared Peoples Hero ......................................................... 260
The King of Romance and the Famous Filmmaker, Yash Chopra Died ..................................... 260
Former King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk Died in China .................................................. 260
Libyas National Congress elected Ali Zidan as the New Prime Minister .................................. 261
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Felix Baumgartner became the First Skydiver to go Faster than the Speed of Sound ............. 261
S.Vishwanathan Elected as New Managing Director of State bank of India ............................. 261
Huge Chavez Re-elected as President of Venezuela ................................................................. 261
Ajit Saran Appointed as Secretary in National Commission for Women .................................. 262
India's first National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra died ...................................................... 262
Professor Banwarilal Sharma, the Mathematician and a Gandhian Activist Died .................... 262
R Lakshmipathy elected as chairman of the Press Trust of India.............................................. 262
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Resigned .......................................................................... 263
Ramesh Abhishek appointed as FMC chairman ........................................................................ 263
Aishwarya Rai appointed as International Goodwill Ambassador ............................................ 263
C.P. Joshi appointed as the new Railway Minister .................................................................... 263
Bill Gates still the richest person in America............................................................................. 263
Aung San Suu Kyi received US Congress Highest Honour ......................................................... 264
Supreme Court refused to Review the petitions challenging Right to Education Act, 2009 .... 264
Salman Rushdie released his Book Joseph Anton ..................................................................... 264
World Bank appointed Onno Ruhl as the country director for India ........................................ 264
Rajiv Mehta appointed as Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau ................................ 265
Former Sarsanghchalak of RSS KS Sudarshan died at Nagpur .................................................. 265
Former Chief Justice of India Ranganath Misra Died ................................................................ 265
Cartoonist Assem Trivedi granted bail by Mumbai High Court................................................. 265
Verghese Kurien the White Revolutionary and the Milkman of India Died ............................. 265
Dr. KC Abraham awarded with Business Excellence Award ...................................................... 266
Gaurav Shumsher Rana became Nepals Army Chief ............................................................... 266
Smita Shah turned up to be the First Indian American at DNC parliamentarian ...................... 266
Sachin Pilot commissioned as a Lieutenant in Territorial Army................................................ 266
Kaushik Basu appointed as World Bank Chief Economist ......................................................... 266
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Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi took over as the new Indian Navy Chief ................................. 267
Raghuram Rajan took over as the Chief Economic Advisor of in Union Finance Ministry ....... 267
Indian American Karl Mehta was selected to Work on Five High-Impact Projects .................. 267
Veteran Actor AK Hangal passed away in Mumbai ................................................................... 267
PM Nair appointed the Director General of National Disaster Response Force & Civil Defence
................................................................................................................................................... 267
G Ashok Kumar took over as the Southern Naval Command Chief .......................................... 268
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenavi passed away ............................................................... 268
PJ Kurien elected the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha ........................................................... 268
Lakhdar Brahimi was appointed the New UN Arab League Envoy for Syria ............................. 268
Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange would be Granted Political Asylum by Ecuador ................. 268
Pakistan Government honoured Gopi Chand Narang with Sitara-i-Imtiaz ............................... 269
Union Minister for Science and Technology Vilasrao Deshmukh passed away ........................ 269
Raghuram Rajan appointed the New Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry ........... 269
Syed Nasim Ahmed Zaidi appointed New Election Commissioner ........................................... 269
Kofi Annan quit as the UN special envoy to Syria ..................................................................... 269
Kaushik Basu Ended Tenure as the Chief Economic Advisor in New Delhi ............................... 269
Dave Brubeck, the Renowned Jazz Pianist and Composer Died At 91 ...................................... 270
Oldest Person of the World, Besse Cooper Died At 116 ........................................................... 270
S. Ramakrishnan took over as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ............................... 270
Syed Asif Ibrahim Took Over as the Director of Intelligence Bureau ........................................ 270
Urjit Patel Was Appointed As the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India .................. 271
Mukesh Ambani Declared 18th Richest Man in the World; Retains Position as Richest Indian
................................................................................................................................................... 271
Freedom fighter Pandit Ram Sanehi Shukla died ...................................................................... 271
Violin Maestro M.S. Gopalakrishnan died at the age of 82 ...................................................... 271
PM Manmohan Singh Became the 19th Most Followed Leader on Twitter............................. 271
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Gerda Lerner, the Womens History Pioneer Died at 92 .......................................................... 271

US President Barack Obama re nominated Indian American Srikanth Srinivasan as Federal
Judge.......................................................................................................................................... 272
Former South African Bowler Neil Adcock died at the age of 81.............................................. 272
Ravindra Dholkia to Head five-member committee of Air India .............................................. 272
Justice D.K. Jain appointed as the Chairman of Law Commission ............................................ 272
Chief Minister of Jharkhand Arjun Munda Resigned ................................................................ 273
Akbaruddin Owaisi Arrested For Delivering Hate Speech; Faces Several Other Charges ......... 273
Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi inaugurated 6th Vibrant Gujarat summit ............... 273
Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill took over as the Commandant of NDA ................................... 273
Rajiv Takru appointed Secretary of Financial Services in the Finance Ministry ........................ 274
Brij Bihari Lal Butail Elected As the Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly ......... 274
Internet Activist and Co-founder of Reditt, Aaron Swarth committed Suicide ........................ 274
Rusi Framroze Surti, Former Test Cricketer Died At 76 ............................................................ 274
Kamal Nath Elected As the Leader of Indian Delegation for World Economic Forum 2013 .... 274
Tahawwur Rana sentenced 14 years in Jail by the Federal Court............................................. 275
SSPI to honour Prof. U R Rao by inducting him as a Member to the Satellite Hall of Fame..... 275
Rahul Gandhi appointed as the Vice-President of Indian National Congress ........................... 276
Bhutan King to be the Chief Guest at Indias Republic Day for the Year 2013 ......................... 277
JBT Teachers Recruitment Scam: Chautala and Son sentenced 10 years in Prison ................. 277
Rajnath Singh elected as the new National President of Bhartiya Janata Party ....................... 277
Uddhav Thackeray appointed as the Party President of Shiv Sena .......................................... 277
U.S. Federal Court sentenced 35 years in Prison for David Coleman Headley ......................... 277
US Astronaut Neil Alden Armstrong passed away .................................................................... 278
Chapter 9: INSTITUTION and Agencies ............................................................................... 279
Special Consultative Status With Uno Accorded To Six Indian Ngos ........................................ 279
Broadband Network Pact Signed With 16 States and Ut Government .................................... 279
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Union Government Approved 492 Crore Rupees To Set Up Central Academy For Police Training
In Bhopal .................................................................................................................................... 280
Union Government decided to launch Saksham to Educate Adolescent Boys ......................... 280
Women and Child Development Ministry launched a Web Portal named Track Child ............ 280
Chapter 10: Awards/Honours ............................................................................................ 282
The Bhilai Steel Plant won the Prime Ministers Trophy for the 10th Time ............................. 282
Jammu and Kashmir Bank was Awarded Best Banker Prize ..................................................... 282
Krishi Karman Awards for the year 2011-2012 presented by the President of India ............... 282
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Akademi Awards for the Year 2012 Announced ..... 283
Lula da Silva awarded Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development .......... 284
Autar Kaw, a professor of Indian Origin won US Professor of the Year Award-2012 ............... 284
Three Indian Writers Shortlisted for DSC South Asian Literature Prize 2013 ........................... 285
Gavaskar conferred with Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award ................................. 285
Malala Yousafzai awarded with Bravery Award by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation . 285
President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf chosen for Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2012 ............ 286
Chinese Film, 11 Flowers won NETPAC Award at Kolkata Film Festival ................................... 286
Urdu Scholar Gopi Chand Narang Awarded Moortidevi Award for 2010 ................................. 286
Katherine Boo won US National Book Award for Mumbai Book .............................................. 287
Madhav Chavan Awarded the Education Nobel Prize .............................................................. 287
Literary Critic and Educator Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak Got Kyoto Prize ................................ 287
Sunita Williams Ventured on 7th Space Walk: Set New Record ............................................... 288
Mathura Refinery Bagged 13th Annual Greentech Environment Award ................................. 288
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Conferred with French Award the Knight of the Order of Arts and
Letter ......................................................................................................................................... 288
Lyricist Gulzar Conferred with Indira Gandhi National Award .................................................. 289
Amitabh Bachchan Got Best TV Host Award for KBC ................................................................ 289
Strategic Thinker and Analyst Brahma Chellaney won Bernard Schwartz Award .................... 289
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Edinburgh Napier University honoured Sharmila Tagore with Honorary Doctorate of Arts .... 290
Gov. of Bangladesh Awarded Babu Jagjivan Ram with Friends of Liberation War Honour ...... 290
V Narayan Murthy honoured with 2012 Hoover Medal in Washington................................... 290
Books that won 11th Economist Crossword Book Award Declared ......................................... 291
First Ever India Biodiversity Award Presented in Hyderabad ................................................... 291
British Writer Hilary Mantel won Booker Prize for Second Time ............................................. 291
Reliance Industry Limited's Jamnagar refinery bagged British Safety Council Award .............. 291
Lloyd Shapley and Alvin Roth of America won Nobel Prize in Economics ................................ 292
Nobel Peace Prize 2012 awarded to European Union .............................................................. 292
Mo Yan a Chinese writer won the 2012 Nobel Prize for literature ........................................... 293
Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka Won Nobel Prize 2012 for Chemistry .............................. 293
Serge Haroche and David Wineland won Nobel Prize 2012 for Physics ................................... 294
John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka won Nobel Prize-2012 for Medicine ............................... 294
Fortis Escorts won FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award 2012 ................................................... 294
Sheryl Kumar was Crowned as Miss India Fiji 2012 .................................................................. 294
Jeet Thayil shortlisted for the Man Booker for his debut novel Narcopolis ............................. 295
Pieta the South Korean Film won Golden Lion Venice Top Prize .............................................. 295
Aditi Mukherjee won the prestigious Norman Borlaug Award ................................................. 295
Delhi Government presented Lifetime Achievement Awards .................................................. 295
Six Top Sporting Coaches to receive Dronacharya Award for 2012.......................................... 295
Charles L Bennett received the Gruber Cosmology Prize 2012 ................................................ 296
Prime Minister Shram Awards for year 2011 announced ......................................................... 296
Indian Scientist Ashoke Sen was honoured with Fundamental Physics Prize .......................... 296
9 physicists worldwide received the Fundamental Physics Prize ............................................. 296
Muthunayagam and Saraswat to be awarded with Aryabhatta Award by the ASI .................. 297
Scientist Venkatesh Mannar honoured with Order of Canada Award ..................................... 297
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Irelands prestigious Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 awarded to Malala .......... 298
Sunmeet Kaur became the first woman to win 5 Crore Rupees on Kaun Banega Crorepati Game
Show .......................................................................................................................................... 298
Life of Pi Nominated For BAFTA 2013 with Nine Nominations, Lincoln Leads Way with 10 Nods
................................................................................................................................................... 298
Renault Duster Awarded Car of the Year Award 2013.............................................................. 299
Malala Yousafzai Honoured with France's Simone de Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom 299
19th Colors Screen Awards: Ranbir Kapoor and Irfan Khan declared Best Actors ................... 299
Golden Globe Awards 2013: Argo Won Best Picture and Best Director Awards ...................... 299
President Pranab Mukherjee honoured 18 States with Krishi Karman Awards ....................... 299
58th Idea Filmfare Awards: Barfi! Bags Seven Awards, Kahaani Scripts Five ........................... 300
Thirty-Seven Officers of Customs & Central Excise and ED Selected for Presidential Awards . 301
Major Abup J Manjali Selected For Second- Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award Kirti Chakra 301
Indian writer shortlisted for the prestigious International Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2013 301
President of India approved the conferment of 108 Padma Awards ....................................... 302
Taiwanese Business Magnate Launches Asias Nobel-Type Prizes ........................................... 302
Chapter 11: Reports and Committees ................................................................................ 304
RTE Report revealed the Low Percentage of Enrolment of SC and ST Students in Schools ..... 304
Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report Released ............................ 304
Agewell Foundation Report on Condition of Elderly People in Delhi-NCR Released................ 305
The World Development Report 2013-Jobs Released by World Bank...................................... 306
Children in India 2012 - A Statistical Appraisal Report released ............................................... 307
Naresh Chandra Committee submitted its Report on National Security .................................. 308
Chapter 12: Programs and Policy ....................................................................................... 309
Union Government Approved Relaxation In Policies Related To Transfer Of Government Land
................................................................................................................................................... 309
Health Ministers of BRICS decided to set up Technical Working Group (TWG) ....................... 309
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World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) Held in Dubai ............... 309

National Girl Child Day Celebrated In India on 24 January ....................................................... 310
Chapter 13: Sports ............................................................................................................. 312
Union Hrd Minister Kapil Sibal Launched Hockey and Cricket League ..................................... 312
Scott Flemming Became the New Indian Basketball Team Coach ............................................ 312
Six Top Sporting Coaches to receive Dronacharya Award for 2012.......................................... 312
Roelant Oltmans is the High Performance Director for Indian Hockey Team .......................... 313
Former Cricketer Anil Kumble Appointed Chairman of ICC Cricket Committee ....................... 313
Monisha Kaltenborn Became the First Woman Team Principal in Formula one ...................... 313
Indian Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar won Macau Open .................................................................. 313
Novak Djokovic won Shanghai Masters by Defeating Andy Murray......................................... 314
Deccan Chargers now out of Indian Premium League .............................................................. 314
Martin Guptill won New Zealand Top Cricket Award ............................................................... 314
Olympic Shooter Vijay Kumar Named Services Best Sportsman .............................................. 314
Saina Nehwal won Denmark Open Badminton Title ................................................................. 314
Lance Armstrong Stripped of from Seven Tour de France Titles .............................................. 314
Sun TV Network Acquired Hyderabad IPL Franchise ................................................................ 315
Sebastian Vettel won F1 Second Indian Grand Prix .................................................................. 315
Pankaj Advani won World Billiards Championship Title ........................................................... 315
Lionel Messi won Golden Boot Award as Europes top Scorer ................................................. 315
Union Government of India Approved Indo-Pak Cricket Series ................................................ 316
Virat Kohli Selected for BCCI Polly Umrigar Award ................................................................... 316
Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna won First ATP Tour Masters Title ............................... 316
Sachin Tendulkar received the Honorary Membership of the Order of Australia .................... 316
Mahendra Singh Dhoni Renamed his Super Bike Team and Signed Two New Members ........ 317
Gaganjeet Bhullar Declared Youngest Indian on Golfer List ..................................................... 317
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DGP of Andhra Pradesh V. Dinesh Reddy appointed as the President of IHF .......................... 317
Life Ban on Mohammad Azharuddin Lifted by Andhra Pradesh High Court ............................ 317
Marcel Granollers & Marc Lopez won the ATP World Tour Final 2012 .................................... 318
Daimler Purchased full control of Mercedes One Motor Racing Team .................................... 318
Davis Cup 2012: Czech Republic defeated Spain in the Finals .................................................. 318
Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix named IAAF World Athletes of the Year 2012 ............................. 319
Sebastian Vettel became Youngest Triple Champion in Formula One History ......................... 319
Former Australian Cricketer Glenn McGrath to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
................................................................................................................................................... 319
Novak Djokovic won World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi ............................................ 319
Australian Cricketer Michael Hussey Announced Retirement from Test Cricket ..................... 320
Sachin Tendulkar announced Retirement from One Day Cricket ............................................. 320
Roger Federer Named Swiss Male Athlete of the Year 2012 .................................................... 320
Sardar Singh Commanded the Best Price in Hockey India League Auction .............................. 320
India Lost the Test Series by 1-2 after Nagpur Test ended as a Draw ...................................... 321
Junior World TT Championship: China Claimed All Titles ......................................................... 321
India won the World Cup Kabaddi Tournament 2012 .............................................................. 321
India Beat Pakistan to Lift Inaugural SBI T20 World Cup for the Blind 2012 ............................ 322
BB Nimbalkar, Indias Highest Scorer in First class cricket Passed away .................................. 323
Lionel Messi set the Record for most Goals in a Calendar Year ............................................... 323
Hockey Champions Trophy: Australia Won for the Fifth Consecutive Year, India Lost Bronze to
Pakistan ..................................................................................................................................... 323
Athens Olympics Athletes Lose Medals over Doping After 8 Years .......................................... 324
England Cricket Captain Alastair Cook became the youngest Batsman to score 7000 Runs ... 324
Air India won Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament against Bharat Petroleum .................. 324
IOC suspended IOA; India facing ban from Olympics ................................................................ 325
Ricky Ponting announced his Retirement from International Test Cricket .............................. 325
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Ravindra Jadeja Became Only Indian to Score Three Triple Tons in First-Class Cricket ........... 325
Anna Ushenina of Ukraine won the Womens World Championship Crown of Chess ............. 326
Tiger Woods won his 75th PGA Tour Title in the Farmers Insurance Open ............................. 326
India won the ODI series against England 3-2; England won the Fifth ODI .............................. 326
Mumbai won its 40th Ranji Trophy after defeating Saurashtra in Final ................................... 327
Novak Djokovic won Australian Open 2013, defeated Andy Murray in Final ........................... 327
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won Australian Open 2013 in the Womens Category ............... 327
Fauja Singh, the Oldest Marathon Runner of the World Announced Retirement ................... 327
Kohli became the Quickest Indian and Second at World Level to complete 4000 ODI Runs ... 328
IOC asked Armstrong to return back the Sydney Olympic Bronze Medal ................................ 328
Saina Nehwal clinched Second Position in the Badminton World Federation Rankings .......... 328
International Paralympic Committee Decided to Launch International GP Circuit for Disabled
................................................................................................................................................... 329
Simon Taufel to be the First Umpire to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture 2013
................................................................................................................................................... 329
Usain Bolt and Fraser-Pryce Won Athlete of the Year Award At JAAA Golden Cleats Awards
Ceremony .................................................................................................................................. 329
Lionel Messi won the FIFA Ballon dOr Award for fourth time ................................................. 330
Andy Murray defeated Grigor Dimitrov to retain his Brisbane International Tennis Title ....... 330
India Lost the Series against Pakistan by 2-1 after it won the last match by 10 runs .............. 331
Virat Kohli named CEAT International Cricketer of the Year .................................................... 331
Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands claimed Ladies Doubles final at the Brisbane
International .............................................................................................................................. 332
Chapter 14: State News ..................................................................................................... 333
Madras High Court Upheld Ban on Vishwaroopam in Tamil Nadu ........................................... 333
Karnataka To Provide Tamil Nadu With 12 Tmc Feet Of Cauvery Water: Cmc ........................ 333
Union Government Ruled Out the Decision Of Cauvery River Authority ................................. 334
Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi Scheme Was Launched In Arunachal Pradesh .................................. 334
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Supreme Courts Notice to Tamil Nadu On The Petition That Challenged 69% Quota In The State
................................................................................................................................................... 334
Rajasthan HC stayed States Decision for Giving 4% Additional Reservation to Gurjar ........... 335
Leprosy Eliminated from Delhi as Per WHO Guidelines: Delhi Health Minister ....................... 335
Madras High Court ordered that Police Permission is not required to stage Plays in the State
................................................................................................................................................... 335
Ghat Ki Guni Tunnel, Jaipur inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ....................... 336
Delhi witnessed the Highest Number of Rape Cases in a Decades Time ................................. 337
Patiala House Became First District Court to Use Complete E-Stamping Facility ..................... 337
Om Prakash Chautala and his Son held guilty in Teachers Recruitment Scam ......................... 337
Punjabs First Shariat Panchayat to be inaugurated in March 2013 ......................................... 338
Supreme Court of India gave its nod to conduct Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu ................................ 338
37 Year Old Woman Became First Complete Body Donor of AIIMS ......................................... 338
Arunachal Pradesh Collaborated with NSDL for Adoption of National Pension Scheme ......... 339
JMM withdrew support from BJP in Jharkhand and Reduced It to Minority ........................... 340
Mantra Airlines to start Civil Airlines Services from Jammu to Kargil....................................... 340
Rape Victims Free to Choose Lawyers at the Expense of State: Maharashtra Government .... 340
Haryana Government announced Kanyadan Scheme for Bride participants of Mass Marriages
................................................................................................................................................... 341
Chief Justice of India Inaugurated First Fast-Track Court in Delhi for Hearing Rape Cases ...... 341
Maharashtra Government to set up 25 Fast track Courts to Deal with Crime against Women
................................................................................................................................................... 342
Maharashtra Government decided to Implement National Commission on Food Processing 342
Delhi Government Decided Drafting New Bill for Amendments in Law on Rape, Sexual Assault
................................................................................................................................................... 342
Congress won the State Assembly Elections 2012 in Himachal Pradesh, claimed 36 Seats ..... 343
BJP won in Gujarat State Assembly Elections 2012, Claimed 115 Seats ................................... 343
Government of Maharashtra ordered SIT Probe into Multi-Crore Irrigation Scam ................. 344
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Bihar State Government approved the New Jail Manual ......................................................... 344
Bihar received the Silver Icon Web Ratna Award 2012 ............................................................ 345
AP HC stayed ED Order attaching 822cr Rupees deposit in Money Laundering Scam ............. 345
BS Yeddyurappa, former Chief Minister of Karnataka launched KJP ........................................ 345
Haryana to buy 2000 MW Hydel Power from Bhutan .............................................................. 345
Uttar Pradesh Government decided to issue Golden Cards to Industrialists ........................... 346
Andhra Pradesh SC, ST Sub-Plans Bill 2012 was passed by State Assembly ............................. 346
Delhi High Court Launched e-court Fee System making Justice Delivery System Paperless .... 347
NTPC to impart Skill Development Programme for Jammu and Kashmir Youth ...................... 347
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Inaugurated New Helpline Service for Women ..................... 348
Delhi and Moscow Government Signed MoU to Facilitate Cooperation .................................. 348
DMRC would Execute the Kochi Metro Rail Project in Association with E. Sreedharan........... 349
High Court of Madhya Pradesh dismissed the Plea of Dow Chemicals .................................... 349
Delhi HC: Child Witness cannot be Rejected Out rightly .......................................................... 349
Union Power Ministry gave its Nod to Implement Islanding Scheme in Delhi ......................... 350
Chhattisgarh Government set up a Livelihood College in Dantewada ..................................... 350
Five Tamil Nadu Places Included in UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List ............................ 351
Tamil Nadu Government filed a contempt of court plea against Karnataka Government in SC
................................................................................................................................................... 351
Social Activist Arvind Kejriwal Launched Bijli Paani Satyagrah ................................................. 352
Construction of Tunnel across Jojila Pass on Srinagar-Leh highway Started ............................ 352
Haryana Government Signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ................................... 352
UP Government launched the Samajwadi Swasthya Seva in the State .................................... 352
Punjab Government amended Canal and Drainage Act ........................................................... 352
Delhi Government decided to impose a Blanket Ban on Plastic Bags ...................................... 353
Goa Government ordered Temporary Suspension of Mining Operations ............................... 353
West Bengal signed an agreement with TCS to monitor MGNREGA Fund ............................... 353
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Sikkim Lokayukta Bill received Presidential Assent................................................................... 354

The Rural Electrification Corporation signed MoU with Genco ................................................ 354
EGoM decided to invest Rs. 425 crore for Gujarat Drought Relief ........................................... 354
Orissa is the first state to commence e-payment facility for government employees ............ 355
Welspun finds the lenders for its 50 MW solar Project in Rajasthan ....................................... 355
The NCR Planning Board approved the Controversial Greater Noida Master Plan 2021 ......... 355
Chapter 15: History............................................................................................................ 356
Noor Inayat Khans Bust to be Unveiled at London by Princess Anne ...................................... 356
France officially recognised the killings of 1961 Paris Massacre .............................................. 356
Maharaj Loonkaran Singhs Era Gunpowder Found in Sonar Fort ............................................ 357
750 Year Old Explicit Stone Tablet Discovered in Vasai ............................................................ 357
Tipu Sultans Era Cannon Discovered at Bangalore Metro Site ................................................ 357
Commemorative Postage Stamp on Silk Letter Movement released by President .................. 358
Study: Indians Migrated to Australia 4000 Years ago ............................................................... 358
Chapter 16: Environment ................................................................................................... 359
Supreme Court Directed Centre to Present Fresh Guidelines on Tiger Reserves Within A Week
................................................................................................................................................... 359
Election Commission Prohibited Use Of Animals In Election Campaigns ................................. 359
Environment Clearance of 99 Mines In Goa Suspended ........................................................... 359
Day campaign observed in Uttar Pradesh to Save Gangetic Dolphins...................................... 360
5 October observed as Dolphin Day in Bihar ............................................................................ 360
The House Sparrow was declared as State Bird of Delhi .......................................................... 360
India and Japan Signed Earths Pact on Rare Earth Minerals ..................................................... 360
US Drillers Reached Lake Whillans Hidden Beneath Antarctic Ice ............................................ 361
Vulture Population Estimation-2013 Conducted in Panna Tiger Reserve ................................ 361
Gas That Causes Ozone Destruction Discovered By the Researchers....................................... 362
Beijing Air Pollution Crossed Toxic Levels: Yellow Alert Issued By Meteorological Authority . 362
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Internet Emit 830 Million Tonnes of CO2 in Environment Annually: Researchers ................... 362
Researchers: Siachen Glacier Shrinking Due to Increasing Temperatures ............................... 363
Environmental Changes led to Encouragement of Human Evolution ...................................... 363
Typhoon Bopha: Death Toll Rises in Philippines ....................................................................... 364
Scientists Studying Himalayan Geologic Features Warned Against Major Earthquakes in the
Region ........................................................................................................................................ 364
Newly Discovered Colourful Species of Fish Named After US President Obama ..................... 365
Ocean Acidification Dissolving Shells of Sea Creatures Causing Disaster in Food Chain .......... 365
Report Suggested That Developed Nations Deprived Poor Countries of 30 Billion US Dollar
Climate Fund.............................................................................................................................. 366
Tongariro Volcano erupted in the North Island region of New Zealand .................................. 367
Greenhouse Gases Level Reached Record High in 2011: WMO Survey Revealed .................... 367
Greenland Continuously Lost 200 Million Tonnes Ice Every Year Since 2003 .......................... 367
Bombay Natural History Society released a Report indicating Growth in Vulture Population 368
World Rarest Whale Species found in Pacific Ocean ................................................................ 368
Supreme Court of India Expressed its Concern over the Growing Smog Cover on New Delhi. 369
Uttarakhand Named best Performing States in terms of Environmental standards ................ 369
Forty Whales Died in Mass Stranding on Andaman and Nicobar Islands ................................. 370
COP 11 held in Hyderabad: Emphasised on the Well Being of Biodiversities ........................... 370
Frightening Level of Mercury Content in the Environment of Sonbhdra District: CSE ............. 372
TEC recommended a 10-Year Moratorium on all Field Trials of GM Food Crops ..................... 372
Centre of Science and Environment and HSBC Bank came together to Impart Environment
Training ...................................................................................................................................... 373
Supreme Court Lifted Ban on Tourism in Core tiger Reserve Areas ......................................... 373
The Government notified Fresh Guidelines on Tiger Conservation.......................................... 374
India to get Warmer by 2 Degree Celsius by 2030: Scientist of IISc and IIT .............................. 374
Supreme Court directed Government to notify Fresh Guidelines on Tiger Conservation ....... 374
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Dolphin Day observed in Bihar to create awareness about Gangetic Dolphins ....................... 375
Save Ganga, Save Dolphin campaign initiated in Uttar Pradesh ............................................... 375
Navys Proposal to set up Missile Testing Site in Andaman & Nicobar Islands Rejected ......... 376
Supreme Court of India Banned Mining Activities in Goa......................................................... 376
100 elite forces assigned the task of saving Rhinos from Poachers ......................................... 376
Minister of Water Resources Released Atlas named Aquifer System of India ......................... 377
SC: If Safety measures are not met, commissioning of the Kundakulam Plant can be stopped
................................................................................................................................................... 377
Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican got Shonkaliya region to breed ............................... 378
18th International Day for preservation of the Ozone Layer celebrated worldwide ............... 379
Supreme Court asked the Centre to prepare revised Guidelines for Tourist Activities ........... 379
Ministry of Environment and Forest issued Advisory to reduce the Impact of Communication
Towers ....................................................................................................................................... 379
Parliamentary Panel on Agriculture recommended ban of GM Food Crops ............................ 380
NASAs Scientists warned Earth might face More Heat Waves ................................................ 380
Hurricane Sandy a Category 2 Cyclone Struck US, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba ............................. 381
Chapter 17: Miscellaneous ................................................................................................. 382
Google India Partnered With E-Commerce Sites to Bring Cyber Monday to India .................. 382
Nokia India Introduced Rebranded Map Service named HERE................................................. 382
Airtel Completed Largest Network Transformation in Africa ................................................... 383
Bharti Airtel Became Worlds Fourth Largest Mobile Operator ............................................... 383
Gangnam Style Named among Collins Dictionarys Word of the Year 2012 ............................ 384
NAK Browne released a book Victory India-A Key to Quality Military Leadership ................... 384
Yuvi - Book on Cricketer Yuvraj Singh authored by Makarand Waingankar Released ............. 384
President of India released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on late Ramgopal Maheshwari
................................................................................................................................................... 385
Omnishambles selected as the UK Word of the Year by Oxford English Dictionary ................ 385
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India International Trade Fair started in Delhi with its theme Skilling India ............................ 385
United Nation Declared November 10 as Malala day ............................................................... 386
Newsweek Decided to Stop its Print Run and Go All-Digital..................................................... 386
Indian Navy Successfully Test Fired BrahMos Missile ............................................................... 386
Former UP Governor and Freedom Fighter Satyanarayan Reddy Passed Away ...................... 387
Global James Bond Day was celebrated on 5 October 2012 .................................................... 387
Niryat Shree and Niryat Bandhu Awards Presented By President of India ............................... 387
ISRO Scientist Tessy Thomas Conferred with Lal Bahadur Shastri Award ................................ 388
The Book Challenged Official Story of Osama bin Laden Killing ............................................... 388
Adolf Hitler Based Novel Titled Er Ist Wieder Da Became Germanys Bestseller ..................... 388
The Election Commission of India celebrated the 3rd National voters Day ............................ 389
UNIT - 2
Chapter 1: National ........................................................................................................... 392
SC directed Government to notify Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal Award .......................... 392
Expert Committee constituted to Review Functioning of Prasar Bharti ................................... 392
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram launched in Thane, Maharashtra ...................................... 393
Headcounts in Areas to be covered under PMGSY lowered ..................................................... 393
SC Ordered Karnataka to Release 2.44 TMC Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu ............................ 394
I&B Ministry launched My India Initiative-A Digital Volunteer Programme to reach Citizens . 394
First Ever Live Twitter Conference Arranged By Ministry of I&B on Community Radio ........... 394
The Union Government directed all States to Review Cases of Under-Trial ............................ 395
Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to Minorities Crossed 15 Percent Mark in 2012-2013 ............... 395
Prime Ministers New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities .................................... 396
SC ordered Seizure of operations of Unsuccessful Bidders 2G Spectrum ................................ 396
NACO signed MoU with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to Highlight Issues related to
AIDS ........................................................................................................................................... 397
CBI Registered Case against Airtel and Tata Communications for Violating DoT Norms ......... 398
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Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill approved by Rajya Sabha ............................ 398
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sanctioned Remote Village Electrification for 6033
Villages....................................................................................................................................... 399
UPSC Changed the Scheme of Civil Services MAIN Examination 2013 ..................................... 400
Cabinet Committee on Security approved Flexible Use of Airspace ........................................ 401
Union Cabinet cleared Bill to Tackle Crimes against Women ................................................... 402
2G Prosecutor removed for his alleged involvement in leaking Agency's Trial Strategy ......... 403
Afzal Guru, the convict of Parliament Attack 2001 hanged after rejection of Mercy Plea ...... 403
Afzal Gurus Secret Hanging Was Called Operation Three Star ................................................ 404
The Union Government of India approved setting up of NPCA ................................................ 404
Union Cabinet approved DRDO for developing AWACS for IAF................................................ 404
Chapter 2: International .................................................................................................... 406
United States of America filed a Civil Lawsuit against Standard and Poor's............................. 406
Ahmadinejad is sfirst Iranian President to visit Egypt since 1979 Islamic Revolution .............. 406
North Korea conducted its third Nuclear Test and defied UN Regulations for World Peace ... 406
India and France agreed to Strengthen Cooperation on Counter Terrorism ........................... 407
Court of Arbitration, The Hague gave its go ahead to India on Kishanganga Project .............. 408
India and UAE agreed to Carry Forward the Trade Relations to another Level........................ 410
Worlds First Mercury Treaty adopted by 140 Countries at Geneva ........................................ 410
India and Sri Lanka Signed Agreements On Combating Terrorism and Avoiding Double-Taxation
................................................................................................................................................... 411
African Leaders signed UN-Brokered Accord in DR Congo ....................................................... 411
Barack Obama Signed Into Law the Violence against Women Act Reauthorization 2013 ....... 412
Kenya Election: Uhuru Kenyatta won the Election ................................................................... 413
China Unveiled Government Restructuring Plan ...................................................................... 413
Khil Raj Regmi Sworn-In As the Prime Minister of Nepal .......................................................... 414
India and Britain signed Pact to Support Research and Development Projects ....................... 414
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Eurozone and IMF Agreed For Cyprus Bailout Deal .................................................................. 415
Tzipi Livni entered into a Coalition Deal with Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel. 416
Ecuadors President Rafael Correa Re-elected for Third Term ................................................. 416
International Conference on Traditional Medicine for South-East Asian Countries Ended ..... 416
Delhi Declaration of the SAAN for Autism Spectrum Disorders Conference concluded .......... 417
Barack Obama Nominated Sally Jewell as U.S. Interior Secretary ............................................ 418
John Kerry Sworn-In As the 68th Secretary of State of the United States ................................ 419
Nicolas Maduro sworn in as the Interim President of Venezuela ............................................. 419
Chapter 3: Bilateral Relations ............................................................................................ 420
India and Austria signed a Social Security Pact ......................................................................... 420
Pakistan approved the Deal that Handed over Gwadar Port to China ..................................... 420
India and Bangladesh signed MOU on Health........................................................................... 421
India and Japan held talks to Strengthen Cooperation in Tourism Sector ............................... 421
First India-Japan Maritime Affairs Dialogue was held in New Delhi ......................................... 422
India-US Joint Working Group held its 10th Meeting in Washington ....................................... 422
India-United Kingdom Summit 2013: Discussions and Agreements ......................................... 422
India and Portugal Signed Social Security Agreement .............................................................. 424
India and Bhutan signed Currency Swap Agreement................................................................ 424
Iran and Pakistan launched Gas Pipeline Project ...................................................................... 425
Silk Route Car Rally from Kolkata to Kunming organised by CII Flagged Off ............................ 426
Indias External Affairs Minister visited Bangladesh to Co-Chair the 2nd Meeting of JCC ....... 426
Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley, Prime Minister of Bhutan visited India ........................................ 426
Giuseppe Orsi held on Bribe Charges in Indian Defence Helicopter Deal ................................ 426
King of Bhutan visited India as Republic Day function Chief Guest .......................................... 427
Rajkeswur Purryag, President of Mauritius Visited India .......................................................... 427
David Cameron, Prime Minister of United Kingdom was on an Official Visit to India .............. 428
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Foreign Msinister of Portugal, Paulo de Sacadura Cabral Portas Visited India ........................ 428
5th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2013: Tapas Kumar Lahiry won Achievement Award for Public
Officer ........................................................................................................................................ 429
Chapter 4: Science and Technology .................................................................................... 430
NASA marked 10th Anniversary of Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster ...................................... 430
NASA Scientists Discovered a 10-M-Year Old Star that still produces Giant Planets ............... 430
Worlds First Digital Atlas of Brain Created ............................................................................... 431
Japanese Scientists Filmed Thoughts of a Fish .......................................................................... 431
First Complete Bionic Man of the World Unveiled ................................................................... 432
NASAs Mars Rover, Curiosity Drilled into First Martian Rock .................................................. 432
NASA Satellite Data Found Freshwater Losses in Middle East.................................................. 433
Researchers Discovered Water on the Oldest Rocks of Moon ................................................. 433
New Zealand Declared Worst-Ever Drought in 30 Years in North Island ................................. 434
Okhla Compost Plant Became First In India to Receive Carbon Credits Worth 25 Lakh Rupees
................................................................................................................................................... 435
Half of Africas Lions Facing Extinction Threat: Study ............................................................... 435
NASA Scientists spotted Youngest Black Hole W49B in Milky Way Galaxy .............................. 435
Pakistan Successfully Test-Fired Nuclear-Capable Hatf-II Ballistic Missile ............................... 436
Human Resource Development Ministry Launched Sanskrit Caravan ..................................... 436
Meteorite exploded over Skies of Russia left more than 500 injured ...................................... 437
Asteroid 2012 DA14 to Pass through Earth poses no threat .................................................... 437
Pakistan Successfully Test Fired Short Range Surface-To-Surface Missile Hatf IX (NASR) ....... 437
First Direct Presidential Elections were held in Czech Republic ............................................... 438
NASA launched a New Communication Satellite called TDRS .................................................. 438
Astronomers Discovered Six Speeding Stars Racing Through Milky Way ................................. 438
NASAs Chandra X-Ray Observatory Revealed Formation of Youngest Black Hole in Milky Way
................................................................................................................................................... 439
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Cosmic Rays Originate as a Result of Star Explosion: Astronomers .......................................... 440

Scientists discovered Deepest Hydrothermal Vents in World .................................................. 441
Researchers Discovered Water on the Oldest Rocks of Moon ................................................. 441
ISRO's PSLV-C20 Rocket Successfully Launched SARAL and Six Other Satellites ...................... 442
Researchers Calculated Exact Distance to Our Closest Neighbouring Galaxy .......................... 442
Japan Became First Country in the World to Extract Natural Gas from Methane Hydrate ...... 443
Arneson Surface Drive Based Interceptor Boat C-154 Commissioned ..................................... 444
CHAPTER 5: Polity and Governance .................................................................................... 445
President of India Gave Assent to Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 .................... 445
Panel to Examine issues of Certification under Cinematograph Act 1952 Constituted ........... 446
Chapter 6: Social Issues ..................................................................................................... 448
Committee Constituted to Check Harassment Allegations Made By AIR News Presenters ..... 448
Justice Usha Mehra Commission Submitted its Report to the Union Government of India .... 448
Chapter 7: Economy .......................................................................................................... 450
Indias Proposal for Hydrocarbon Pipeline from Kazakhstan.................................................... 450
RBI announced Guidelines for Licensing of New Banks in Private Sector................................. 450
Akhilesh Yadav Presented Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-14 ....................................................... 452
BHEL & GAIL Granted Maharatna Status by Union Government ............................................. 452
Economic Growth of India Estimated to Fall to 5 Percent ........................................................ 453
TRAI: Teledensity Declined By 25.97 Million To 895.51 Million ............................................... 454
CCEA Gave its Nod to Price Pooling Mechanism on Coal .......................................................... 454
MSP of Copra for 2013 season increased by 150 Rupees per Quintal ...................................... 454
Railway Revenue Earnings increased by 20.38 Percent during April 2012-January 2013 ........ 455
Comfort Letter issued by Finance Ministry for sanction of 25000 crore Subsidy ..................... 455
SEBI ordered Freezing of Accounts and attachment of properties of two companies of Sahara
................................................................................................................................................... 456
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India's Trade Deficit for April - January, 2012-13 was estimated at 167168.12 Million US Dollars
................................................................................................................................................... 456
Net Direct Tax Collection Grew 12 Percent in April-January in FY 2012-2013 ......................... 457
MOU signed for Setting up of Memu Coaches Manufacturing Facility at Bhilwara ................. 458
Union Government of India approved Export of Additional 5 Million Tonnes of Wheat ......... 458
Indian Financial Regulators signed pact to Monitor Conglomerates ........................................ 459
World Bank estimated a growth of over 6 percent for the Indian Economy during 2013-14 .. 459
Union Government granted an aid of 41 Crore Rupees to protect Pashmina Goats ............... 460
HPCL and Government of Rajasthan Signed a MoU for Setting up Refinery ............................ 460
Chapter 8: Personalities ..................................................................................................... 462
Patiala House Court framed Charges against Irom Sharmila for Attempting Suicide .............. 462
Mo Yan and Jackie Chan Selected As Members of Chinese Parliament ................................... 463
Nicos Anastasiades Won Cyprus Presidential Elections With 57.5 Percent Votes ................... 463
Hamadi Jebali, Resigned from the Post of Prime Minister of Tunisia ....................................... 464
T. S. Vijayan, appointed as the Chairman of IRDA..................................................................... 465
Radhakishan Malviya former Union Minister died at the age of 68 ......................................... 465
Ronald Dworkin, the Constitutional Law Expert and Philosopher of America died at 81 ........ 465
AK Mukerji is the Next Permanent Representative of India to UN ........................................... 465
Oscar Pistorius charged for Shooting Dead his Girlfriend ......................................................... 466
Mohan Parasaran Appointed As the Solicitor General of India ................................................ 466
Aero India 2013 ended after displaying magnificent Aerobatic Skills ...................................... 466
Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty Appointed As the Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi ........................ 467
Pope Benedict XVI announced his Resignation ......................................................................... 467
US Marine Joseph Dunford took over the Command of ISAF in Afghanistan ........................... 467
Education Minister of Germany Annette Schavan Stripped of Doctorate for plagarism ......... 468
Rohinton F Nariman Solicitor-General of India resigned from his office .................................. 468
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P.R. Vasudeva Rao Appointed As the Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research
................................................................................................................................................... 469
Raghuraj Pratap Singh resigned from the State Cabinet of Uttar Pradesh ............................... 469
Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal is the New Director General of Indian Coast Guard ............. 469
Italian musician and composer Armando Trovajoli died aged 95 ............................................. 469
Rajeev Shahare Appointed As the New High Commissioner of India to Maldives ................... 469
Mukesh Ambani Became Richest Person of India for Sixth Consecutive Year ......................... 470
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died at 58 due to Cancer ................................................. 470
Former CBI Director Ashwani Kumar appointed Nagaland Governor ...................................... 470
C J George elected as the Chairman of CII Kerala State Council ............................................... 471
Swedish Princess Lilian Davies Died At the Age of 97 Years ..................................................... 471
Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra, the Noted Environmentalist Died At 75 .......................................... 471
Xi Jinping Took Over As the New President of China ................................................................ 471
Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi Sworn-In As the Prime Minister of Nepal..................................... 471
Soumitra Bhattacharya elected as the Chairman of CII Karnataka ........................................... 472
Jorge Bergoglio Elected as the New Pope; Chose Francis as his Papal Name .......................... 472
Chapter 9: Awards/Honours .............................................................................................. 474
Silver Linings Playbook won Four Awards at the Independent Spirit Awards .......................... 474
Ela Bhatt Conferred 2011 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development Award
................................................................................................................................................... 474
YES Bank Awarded Financial Institutions Syndicated Deal of the Year 2012 ............................ 474
Ratan Tata Awarded Life Time Achievement Award 2012 by Ernst & Young ........................... 475
Romanian Film Childs Pose bagged the Golden Bear Prize...................................................... 475
Pandit Ravi Shankar Honoured With Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award ..... 475
B Surender Mohan Conferred With CEO with HR Orientation Award ...................................... 476
Hariram Meena Selected For the Bihari Puraskar For 2012 ..................................................... 476
US State Department Awarded Women of Courage Award to Delhi Gangrape Victim ........... 476
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President of India Conferred With the Liberation War Honour Award by Bangladesh ............ 477
Five Writers honoured with SAARC Literature Award 2013 ..................................................... 477
India Tourism Film, Find What You Seek claimed First Prize at 11th Golden City Gate Awards
................................................................................................................................................... 477
5th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2013: Tapas Kumar Lahiry Won Achievement Award for Public
Officer ........................................................................................................................................ 478
Laureus World Sports Awards 2013: Jessica Ennis named Laureus World Sportswoman of the
Year ............................................................................................................................................ 478
Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Awards for the Year 2011 Announced ...................................... 479
Tan Twan Eng Declared Winner of 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize........................................... 480
Five Writers honoured with SAARC Literature Award 2013 ..................................................... 481
Chapter 10: Reports and Committees ................................................................................ 483
India dropped to 140th Rank in Latest World Press Freedom Index ........................................ 483
Black Money Generated In India Would Exceed 10 Percent of GDP: NIPFP ............................. 483
Retd. Justice Bhatt to Conduct Judicial Probe in Allahabad Railway Station Stampede .......... 484
Report: India accounts to 86 percent Oral Cancer Figure across the World ............................ 484
India Ranked Third on the List of Spam Spewing Nation in the World ..................................... 485
Entertainment and Media Sector to Double by 2017: FICCI-KPMG Report.............................. 485
India Ranked Low on Gender Inequality Index: UN Human Development Report 2013 .......... 486
Delhi Counted Among Five Indian Hotspots of Illegal Trade of Tigers: Report ........................ 486
Chapter 11: Programs and Policy ....................................................................................... 488
Union Government Approved Relaxation In Policies Related To Transfer Of Government Land
................................................................................................................................................... 488
Health Ministers of BRICS decided to set up Technical Working Group (TWG) ....................... 488
World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) Held in Dubai ............... 488
National Girl Child Day Celebrated In India on 24 January ....................................................... 489
Chapter 12: Sports ............................................................................................................. 491
ED Slapped 98.5 Crore Rupees Penalty on Rajasthan Royals.................................................... 491
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Allan Border Medal 2013: Michael Clarke Won the Medal Fourth Time ................................. 491
MS Dhoni named as the Vice-President of India Cements ....................................................... 492
Glenn McGrath and Charlie Turner Joined Australian Cricket Hall of Fame ............................. 492
South Africa achieved top Spot in latest ICC Test Rankings ...................................................... 492
Rebecca Adlington, Announced Retirement ............................................................................. 493
Marussia F1 Team Unveiled Their New Formula 1 Car, MR02 ................................................. 493
Luis Razia appointed as second Driver for F1 team Marussia................................................... 493
India won 46 Medals in 2013 Pyeongchang Special Olympics World Winter Games .............. 493
CCI slapped a penalty of 52.24 crore on BCCI for abuse of position ........................................ 494
Sachin Tendulkar equaled Sunil Gavaskars record of 81 Centuries in First Class Cricket ........ 494
Ranchi Rhinos Beat Delhi Waveriders to Win Inaugural Hockey India League ......................... 494
Lydia Ko Became Youngest Winner Of European Tour Golf Event, New Zealand Women's Open
................................................................................................................................................... 494
Indian Tennis Players Association formed to address the concerns of Tennis Players ............ 495
Horacio Zeballos won Tennis Tournament VTR OPEN 2013 ..................................................... 495
Angelo Mathews appointed Captain of Sri Lankan Test and One-Day Cricket Team ............... 496
Girisha Hosanagara Appointed Brand Ambassador of Herbalife .............................................. 496
England won Twenty20 Cricket Series against New Zealand .................................................... 496
Serena Williams Became the New World Number One Womens Tennis Player ..................... 497
Australia won ICC Womens World Cup after defeating West Indies ....................................... 497
Viswanathan Anand won Grenke Chess Classic Trophy............................................................ 497
FIFA confirmed use of Goal-Line Technology at the 2014 World Cup ...................................... 498
Rafael Nadal defeated David Nalbandian to Win Brazil Open 2013 ......................................... 498
Milos Raonic Won Third Consecutive SAP Open 2013 Singles Titles Beating Tommy Haas ..... 498
Virat Kohli appointed Captain for Royal Challengers Bangalore ............................................... 499
Sania Mirza and Bethanie-Mattek Sands won the Dubai Tennis Championship 2013 ............. 499
Marina Erakovic Won Her First WTA Title In US National Indoor Tennis Championship 2013 499
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Vijitha Bandara of Sri Lanka Won Eighth NCR Cup Golf Tournament ....................................... 499
World Number one Novak Djokovic won the ATP Dubai Open Tennis title 2013 .................... 499
Sahmim Khan won the PGTI Players Championship Title 2013 ................................................ 500
Rafael Nadal Defeated David Ferrer to Win ATP Mexican Open 2013 Tennis Tournament .... 500
Deborah Won a Bronze Medal in Asian Cycling Championship 2013 ....................................... 500
Smriti Mehra Won Second Title in Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour 2013 ................................... 500
Tine Baun Won Women's Singles Title in the All England Open Badminton Championships 2013
................................................................................................................................................... 501
Neha Tripathi Won BT Pro Am of Champions Golf Tournament 2013 ..................................... 501
Manorama and Deborah won Bronze for India in Hero Asian Cycling Championships ............ 501
David Beckham Named Richest Footballer of the World.......................................................... 502
Shrinivas Won 42nd Senior National and Inter-State Carrom Championship Mens Title ....... 502
India Clinched Gold and a Bronze Medal in Asian Archery Grand Prix ..................................... 502
India Won Eight Medals in Inaugural Asian Grand Prix Archery Championship ....................... 502
Neha Tripathi Won Second Title in Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour 2013 ................................... 503
Chapter 13: State News ..................................................................................................... 504
Judicial Probe in Allahabad Railway Station Stampede ............................................................ 504
Immediate Medical Treatment to be given to Criminal Offence Victims: Delhi High Court .... 504
Asian Development Bank Gave 100 Million US Dollar Loan to Uttarakhand ............................ 504
India and World Bank signed a Deal for Karnataka Watershed Development Project II ......... 505
HC of Gujarat ordered State Government to Implement Minority Scholarship Scheme ......... 506
Pre-matriculation Scholarship Scheme for Minority Communities .......................................... 507
CCI approved proposal for North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Plant in Jharkhand ......... 507
Kerala Government Raised Age Limit for Buying and Selling of Liquor from 18 to 21 ............. 507
Assam became First Indian State to produce over 500 million kg Tea for 2 Years in a Row .... 508
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Projects Receive a Nod ................................................. 508
State Cabinet of Manipur to issue Ban on Sale and Consumption of Tobacco Product ........... 509
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Government of Rajasthan announced Relief Package for Farmers .......................................... 509

State Budget of Haryana 2013-14: Highlights ........................................................................... 509
State Budget of Haryana 2013-14: New Initiatives ................................................................... 510
State Budget of Haryana 2013-14: Sector wise Allocations ...................................................... 511
President of India appointed Judges in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir ...................... 514
UK opened Mobile Visa Application Facility in Goa .................................................................. 514
Chief Minister of Delhi Launched a Comprehensive Five-In-One Vaccine................................ 515
Congress Government won the No-Confidence Motion Initiated against it in Andhra Pradesh
................................................................................................................................................... 515
Mukul Manda Sangma Sworn-In As the Chief Minister of Meghalaya ..................................... 515
Neiphiu Rio sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Nagaland .......................................................... 516
Chapter 14: Environment ................................................................................................... 517
India and UK Signed MOU to strengthen Co-Operation in Earth Sciences ............................... 517
First Wildlife Skywalk of India to Come Up in Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim ................. 517
Indian Reptiles face severe Extinction Threat: Study ................................................................ 517
NASA Study Revealed Alarming Loss of Water in Middle East ................................................. 518
Environment Ministry Constituted Committee to Examine Legal Cover for Elephant Habitats
................................................................................................................................................... 519
Hydro Projects worth 2500 MW cleared by the Ministry of Environment & Forest ................ 520
Shells of Snails Could Give Information about Ancient Climate: Study .................................... 520
New Zealand Declared Worst-Ever Drought in 30 Years in North Island ................................. 521
Half of Africas Lions Facing Extinction Threat: Study ............................................................... 521
Okhla Compost Plant Became First In India to Receive Carbon Credits Worth 25 Lakh Rupees
................................................................................................................................................... 522
Earthquake of magnitude 8.0 struck the Solomon Islands ....................................................... 522
Chapter 15: Miscellaneous ................................................................................................. 523
Inaugural Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) 2013 ........................................................................... 523
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Kai Po Che, Chetan Bhagats Novel-Based Movie Premiered ................................................... 523

Twenty-Seventh edition of Surajkund Mela ended on 15 February 2013 ................................ 523
One Billion Rising Campaign launched to end Violence against Women ................................. 524
Seventeenth Convocation of NIMHANS held ............................................................................ 524
12 February 2013: World Radio Day was observed to increase awareness about the importance
of radio ...................................................................................................................................... 525
Worlds Largest Prime Number Discovered; Contains 17 Million Digits ................................... 525
Book Titled Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Germany Presented to President of India ...... 526
World Cancer Day observed across the world .......................................................................... 526
Vice President of India Released Walking With Lions: Tales from a Diplomatic Past ............... 527
Union Minister for Steel Released Coffee Table Book Titled Indian Saga of Steel ................... 527
ACI Placed Three Indian Airports among the Top Five of the World ........................................ 527
World Consumer Rights Day Observed Across the World for Creating Awareness among
Consumers ................................................................................................................................. 528
President of India Released Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi ................... 528
UNIT - 3
Chapter 1: Agriculture ....................................................................................................... 531
Major Programmes Of Department Of Agriculture .................................................................. 531
Crop Science .............................................................................................................................. 534
Natural Resource Management ................................................................................................ 534
Agriculture Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology............................................................. 535
Chapter 2: Culture and Tourism ......................................................................................... 538
Intangible Cultural Heritage ...................................................................................................... 538
Tourism ...................................................................................................................................... 542
Chapter 3: Basic Economic Data ......................................................................................... 545
Central Statistical Office (Cso) ................................................................................................... 545
National Sample Survey Organisation (Nsso) ............................................................................ 545
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Economic Census ....................................................................................................................... 545

Infrastructure Statistics-2010 .................................................................................................... 546
Infractructure and Project Monitoring ...................................................................................... 546
Twenty Point Programme ......................................................................................................... 546
Chapter 4: Commerce ........................................................................................................ 547
Trade Scenario ........................................................................................................................... 547
Export Promotion Measures ..................................................................................................... 547
India's Engagement in Free Trade Agreements (Ftas) .............................................................. 548
B. Ptas already concluded ......................................................................................................... 549
India's Initiatives for Developing Countries .............................................................................. 549
Special Economic Zones (Sezs) .................................................................................................. 549
Focus Africa Programme ........................................................................................................... 550
MMTC Limited ........................................................................................................................... 550
The state trading corporation of India ltd. ................................................................................ 550
Chapter 5: Communication and Information Technology .................................................... 551
Mail Network Optimization Project .......................................................................................... 551
My Stamp .................................................................................................................................. 551
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy (RAKNPA) at Ghaziabad: ................................... 551
Draft National Telecom Policy (NTP) ......................................................................................... 551
Draft National Policy on Electronics (NPE) ................................................................................ 552
Draft National Policy on Information Technology-2011 ........................................................... 552
Common Services Centres (CSCS) ............................................................................................. 553
e-District .................................................................................................................................... 553
Electronic Delivery of Services (EDS) Bill ................................................................................... 553
India Development Gateway ..................................................................................................... 553
e-Govemance Conformity Assessment Centers (eGCAs) .......................................................... 554
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Electronics e-Newsletter ........................................................................................................... 554

National Knowledge Network (NKN) ......................................................................................... 554
Technology Development for Indian Languages (TDIL) ............................................................ 554
Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) ................... 554
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) ...................................................... 555
Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) ........................................................ 555
Education & Research Network (ERNET) India.......................................................................... 556
Media Lab Asia .......................................................................................................................... 556
National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)................................................................................ 556
Chapter 6: Defence ............................................................................................................ 557
Sainik Schools ............................................................................................................................ 557
Rashtriya Military Schools ......................................................................................................... 557
National Defence Academy ....................................................................................................... 557
Rashtriya Indian Military College .............................................................................................. 557
Indian Military Academy, Dehradun ......................................................................................... 557
National Defence College .......................................................................................................... 557
National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding (NIRDESH) .......... 558
Chapter 7. Education ......................................................................................................... 559
Elementary Education ............................................................................................................... 559
Mahila Samakhya Scheme ......................................................................................................... 562
National Bal Bhavan .................................................................................................................. 562
Right to Education ..................................................................................................................... 562
Secondary Education ................................................................................................................. 563
National Population Education Project ..................................................................................... 564
Environmental Orientation to School Education ...................................................................... 564
Kendriya Vidayalaya Sangathan ................................................................................................ 564
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Navodaya Vidyalaya Samitl ....................................................................................................... 564

Adult Education ......................................................................................................................... 565
Chapter 8. Energy .............................................................................................................. 567
50,000 MW Hydro Electric Initiative ......................................................................................... 567
Central Electricity Authority ...................................................................................................... 567
Accelerated Power Development And Reforms Programme ................................................... 568
Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana ............................................................................. 568
Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) ................................................................................ 569
Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.................................................................................. 569
The "Development of Solar Cities" ............................................................................................ 569
Chapter 9. Environment ..................................................................................................... 570
All India Coordinated Project on Capacity Building in Taxonomy (AICOPTAX) ......................... 570
Intensification of Forest Management Scheme (IFMS) ............................................................ 570
Project Tiger (National Tiger Conservation Authority).............................................................. 570
E-waste Management ............................................................................................................... 571
Municipal Solid Waste Management ........................................................................................ 571
Bio-Medical Waste Management.............................................................................................. 572
National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) ........................................................................ 572
Institutions related to Environment .......................................................................................... 573
Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar (IGPP) ................................................................................ 574
Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra (IPVM) Awards .................................................................... 574
Pitamber Pant National Environment Fellowship ..................................................................... 574
B.P. Pal National Environment Fellowship for Bio-diversity ..................................................... 574
National Awards for Prevention of Pollution and Rajiv Gandhi Environment Award for Clean
Technology ................................................................................................................................ 574
Amrita Devi Bishnoi Wildlife Protection Award ........................................................................ 575
Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Award ............................................................................... 575
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Medini Puraskar ........................................................................................................................ 575

Environmental Information system (ENVIS) ............................................................................. 575
Chapter 10. Finance ........................................................................................................... 576
Social Sector Programmes ......................................................................................................... 576
SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012 ........................................................... 576
Revised Guidelines for Exit Policy of Stock Exchanges .............................................................. 576
Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme ......................................................................................... 576
India's Sovereign Debt Rating.................................................................................................... 577
Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) ................................................................ 577
Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) ....................................................... 577
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ............................................................................................ 577
Financial Stability Board (FSB) ................................................................................................... 578
Financial Transactions Plan (FTP) .............................................................................................. 578
World Bank Projects Approved In Fy 2011-12 .......................................................................... 578
Following new loans have been negotiated/signed with ADB: ................................................ 579
Indo-Japan Bilateral Relations ................................................................................................... 579
GoI-UNDP Country Programme Document (2013-2017) .......................................................... 579
Finance Act, 2011 ...................................................................................................................... 580
Chapter 11. Corporate Affairs ............................................................................................ 581
National Foundation for Corporate Governance ...................................................................... 581
Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IleA)................................................................................ 581
MCA21 E-Govemance Project ................................................................................................... 581
Competition Commission of India (CCl) .................................................................................... 581
Chapter 12. Food and Civil Supplies ................................................................................... 583
Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) ..................................................................................... 583
Other Welfare Schemes ............................................................................................................ 583
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World Food Programme ............................................................................................................ 584

Food and Agricultural Organisation (Fao) ................................................................................. 585
International Grains Council (Igc) .............................................................................................. 585
Essential Commodities Act, 1955 .............................................................................................. 585
Forward Markets Commission .................................................................................................. 586
Commodity Exchanges .............................................................................................................. 586
Consumer Protection ................................................................................................................ 587
Bureau of Indian Standards ....................................................................................................... 588
Vision 2015 on Food Processing Industries ............................................................................... 588
Integrated Food Law.................................................................................................................. 589
Chapter 13. Health and Family Welfare .............................................................................. 590
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) ..................................................................................... 590
National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) ................................................................................... 590
Family Welfare........................................................................................................................... 590
Schemes and Initiatives ............................................................................................................. 590
National Institutes ..................................................................................................................... 593
Chapter 14. Housing .......................................................................................................... 595
National Policy on Urban Street Vendors (2009) ...................................................................... 595
Model Bill on Street Vending: 'The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of
Street Vending) Bill, 2009-......................................................................................................... 596
Rajly Awas Yojana (RAY) ............................................................................................................ 596
Chapter 15. INDIA and the World ....................................................................................... 598
Technical and Economic Cooperation and Development Partnership (ITEC) ........................... 598
Development Partnership Administration (DPA) ...................................................................... 598
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (lCCR) .............................................................................. 598
Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) ..................................................................................... 599
Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) .......................................... 599
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Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) ........................................................................................... 599

Know India Programme (KIP) .................................................................................................... 599
Bilateral Social Security Agreements (Ssa) ................................................................................ 599
Indian Council of Overseas Employment (ICOE) ....................................................................... 600
Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) .................................................................................. 601
Prime Minister's Global Advisory Council (PMGAC) ................................................................. 601
Chapter 16. Industry .......................................................................................................... 602
Industrial Policy ......................................................................................................................... 602
Factors affecting industrial growth ........................................................................................... 602
National Manufacturing Policy .................................................................................................. 603
Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Project..................................................................... 603
Trade Mark (Amendment) Bill, 2010 ......................................................................................... 604
National Design Policy ............................................................................................................... 604
Mega Cluster ............................................................................................................................. 604
Silk Mark Organization of India (SMOI) ..................................................................................... 605
Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS)............................................................................ 605
Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (Pmegp) ............................................. 606
Fertilizers: Public Sector Undertakings...................................................................................... 607
Chemical Sector: Public Sector Undertakings ........................................................................... 607
National Policy on Petrochemicals ............................................................................................ 607
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)................................................................... 608
Important Features of National Mineral Policy, 2008............................................................... 608
Chapter 17. Justice and Law ............................................................................................... 610
Legal Aid to the Poor ................................................................................................................. 610
Functioning of Nalsa .................................................................................................................. 610
Lok Adalats ................................................................................................................................ 610
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Legal Aid Counsel Scheme ......................................................................................................... 610

Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADR) ......................................................................................... 610
Advocates Welfare Fund ........................................................................................................... 611
National Commission to Review the Working of Constitution ................................................. 611
Paramilitary Forces of India ....................................................................................................... 612
The Administration-General (Amendment) Act, 2012 (Act 33 of 2012) ................................... 614
The anand marriage (amendment) act, 2012 (act no. 29 of 2012) ........................................... 614
Chapter 18. Labour ............................................................................................................ 615
Labour Reforms ......................................................................................................................... 615
Child Labour............................................................................................................................... 615
Unorganised Sector ................................................................................................................... 616
Awards ....................................................................................................................................... 617
Skill Development Initiative....................................................................................................... 618
Chapter 19. Mass Communication ..................................................................................... 620
Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards .......................................................................................... 620
Chapter 20. Planning ......................................................................................................... 620
National Coastal Management Programme.............................................................................. 620
Issue that require focused attention during the Twelfth plan are: .......................................... 620
Climate Change.......................................................................................................................... 621
National Action Plan for Climate Change .................................................................................. 621
Green India Mission................................................................................................................... 622
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) ..................................................................................................... 622
Education of Girls ...................................................................................................................... 622
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009............................................... 623
New Initiatives ........................................................................................................................... 624
Chapter 21. Rural and Urban Development ........................................................................ 628
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Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (Mgnrega)............................... 628

Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana ................................................................................................... 629
Indira Awas Yojana (lAY)............................................................................................................ 629
Swamajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana/National Livelihoods Mission NRLM ........................... 629
Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) ..................................................................... 630
Mahila Kissan Shasaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)....................................................................... 630
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) ......................................................................... 630
Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) .................................................................... 631
CAPART ...................................................................................................................................... 631
Integrated Watershed Management Programmes (IWMP) ..................................................... 631
Rural Drinking Water Supply ..................................................................................................... 632
Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) ............................................................................................... 635
Nirmal Gram Puraskar ............................................................................................................... 635
BRGF (only significantly funded scheme of MoPR) ................................................................... 635
Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Shashaktikaran Abhiyam (RGPSA) ...................................................... 636
Peer Experience and eflective Learning (PEARL) ....................................................................... 636
Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns ............................ 636
Capacity Building Scheme for Urban Local Bodies (CBULB) ...................................................... 637
Scheme for Urban Infrastructure Development in Satellite Towns/Counter Magnets of Million
Plus Cities................................................................................................................................... 637
Chapter 22. Scientific and Technological Developments ..................................................... 638
Nano Science & Technology (Nano Mission) ............................................................................ 638
Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure in Universities and Higher Educational Institutions
(FIST) .......................................................................................................................................... 638
Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana ......................................................................................... 638
Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) ................................................. 638
Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) ................................... 638
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Mission REACH .......................................................................................................................... 639

The Technology Development Board (IDB) ............................................................................... 639
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) ..................................................................... 639
New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI):........................................ 641
Nuclear Power Programme ....................................................................................................... 641
Fuel Reprocessing ...................................................................................................................... 641
Nuclear Waste Management .................................................................................................... 642
Thorium Based Reactors ........................................................................................................... 642
Safety & Environment ............................................................................................................... 643
Industrial Applications of Radioisotopes ................................................................................... 644
Basic Research ........................................................................................................................... 644
Overview of India's Space Programme ..................................................................................... 644
Earth Sciences............................................................................................................................ 647
Ocean Technology ..................................................................................................................... 648
Earth Day Celebration-2012 ...................................................................................................... 650
Industry Schemes ...................................................................................................................... 650
Autonomous Institutions........................................................................................................... 651
Bio-clusters ................................................................................................................................ 651
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi ......................... 652
Chapter 23. Transport ........................................................................................................ 653
Central Road Fund ..................................................................................................................... 653
National Maritime Development Erogramme .......................................................................... 653
Maritime Agenda for the decade 2010-2020 ............................................................................ 653
Indian Maritime University........................................................................................................ 653
Inland Water Transport ............................................................................................................. 654
Cruise Shipping .......................................................................................................................... 654
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Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project ...................................................................................... 654

Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) ........................................................................ 655
Central Water Commission ....................................................................................................... 655
Chapter 24. Welfare .......................................................................................................... 656
Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana ..................................................................................... 656
Dr. Ambedkar Foundation ......................................................................................................... 656
National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation ........................................ 656
Welfare of Backward Classes .................................................................................................... 656
National Policy for Empowerment of Women .......................................................................... 657
Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls - (RGSEAG) - SABLA................... 657
Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) - CMB Scheme ............................................... 657
Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) .................................... 658
Swadhar ..................................................................................................................................... 658
Ujjawala ..................................................................................................................................... 658
National Mission for Empowerment of Women ....................................................................... 659
Award ........................................................................................................................................ 659
Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for the Children of Working Mothers .......................... 660
Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award ............................................................................................... 660
Beijing Platform for Action ........................................................................................................ 660
Chapter 25. Youth Affairs and Sports ................................................................................. 661
National Youth Policy, 2003 ...................................................................................................... 661
Draft National Youth Policy (NYP) 2012: ................................................................................... 661
National Service Scheme (NSS) ................................................................................................. 662
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute Of Youth Development (RGNIYD) ........................................... 662
Nehru Yuva Kendrasangathan (NYKS) ....................................................................................... 662
National Youth Corps (NYC)....................................................................................................... 663
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Commonwealth Youth Programmes (CYP) ............................................................................... 663

Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) ..................................................................... 663
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) .............................................................................. 663
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award ................................................................................................. 664
Arjuna Awards ........................................................................................................................... 664
Dhyan Chand Award For Lifetime Achievements in Sports and Games ................................... 664
Dronacharya Award ................................................................................................................... 664
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (Maka) Trophy ................................................................................ 664
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar ........................................................................................... 664
UNIT - 4
Chapter- 1 State of the Economy and Prospects ................................................................. 667
Chapter2 State of the Economy and Prospects ................................................................. 674
Chapter3 Public Finance................................................................................................... 682
Chapter-4 Prices and Monetary Management .................................................................... 685
Chapter-5 Financial Intermediation.................................................................................... 687
Chapter-6 Balance of Payments ......................................................................................... 692
Chapter- 7 International Trade........................................................................................... 697
Chapter- 8 Agriculture and Food Managemen .................................................................... 703
Chapter 9 Industrial Performance ................................................................................... 706
Chapter 10 Services Sector .............................................................................................. 708
Chapter 11 Energy, Infrastructure and Communications .................................................. 709
Chapter 12 Sustainable Development and Climate Change .............................................. 711
Chapter 13 Human Development .................................................................................... 718
Annexure A Population Census 2011 ............................................................................... 724
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Current Affairs Part A
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CHAPTER 1: NATIONAL
BCCC SOUGHT REVIEWING
RULES FOR TV LICENSING
The Broadcasting Content Complaints
Council (BCCC), the television body sought
assessment of the guidelines issued by the
Information and Broadcasting (I&B)
Ministry for renewing television licenses.
BCCC termed the present rules of I&B as
violation of freedom of speech.
BCCC cited certain shortcomings of the
provision of I&B, in which the Ministry
demanded that renewal of licenses for the
television channels should be denied in case
they are found breaching the advertising
and program on 5 different occasions or
more than that.
BCCC, which is led by Justice (retired) A P
Shah, instead sought that the violations by
the television channels should in turn be
handled with the financial penalties. BCCC
argued that the provisions had questions of
constitutionality. The body described that
the clauses 10.2 and 8.2 (which ban
renewing broadcasting licenses) of the
guidelines which were issued by the
Ministry in order to handle the renewal of
licenses of broadcasters were not in
alignment with the Article 19(1) of the
Constitution of India.
Page 59
follow up of the recommendation made by

the Union Cabinet of India on 17 January
2013 and fall of the state machinery in form
of Government on 8 January 2013 after the
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha the supporting
party to BJP led Coalition Government
withdrew its support from it. The President
imposed the Rule on the state following the
provisions of imposition of Presidents Rule
on a state mentioned under Article 356 (1)
of the Constitution of India.
INDIA FOR THE SECOND

CONSECUTIVE YEAR
REPORTED NO FRESH POLIO
CASES
India for the continuous second year
reported no fresh cases of Polio. One more
year of success with zero fresh cases of
polio, would win India a status of polio free
nation, in 2014.
In 2009, India shared about a half of the
polio cases witnessed by the world. But the
success achieved since then, can be termed
as the biggest public health success story of
the century. Continuous three years
absence of Polio that is caused due to the
Wild Polio Virus (WPV) coupled with the
intense surveillance would help India in
being declared the Polio-free Nation in
2014.
PRANAB MUKHERJEE
IMPOSED PRESIDENTS RULE
ON JHARKHAND
Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India
on 18 January 2013 imposed Presidents
Rule in Jharkhand. The decision came as a
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The ship was designed by the Kochi-based

SEDS and this is the first association
between CSL and a local design house. The
yard also launched two other platform
supply vessels for PSV Holdings Inc, Cyprus.
Surveillance Program and System

In 1995, a Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI)
Program was initiated in India with the aim
of eradicating it completely from the
country. The program started under the
World Health Organization's (WHO) Global
Polio Eradication Initiative. Under this
program, every child below five years in age
is given two doses of Oral Polio Vaccine
(OPV), in the month of January and
December every year and it needs to be
continued till Polio is eradicated completely.
To achieve 100 percent success and meet
the requirements of unreached children
programs like social mobilization and
planned
mop-up
operations,
were
undertaken.
Specification of Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV)

It has a designed speed of 33 knots
with propelled water jets to attain
the speed.
Its primary role includes fisheries
protection and monitoring, patrol
within exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) and coastal patrol, anti
smuggling, search and rescue
operations and for anti piracy
operations.
The secondary role of vessel is to
provide communication link and
escort convoys during hostilities and
war time.
Although it is small in size and
complex but is technologically very
challenging.
COCHIN SHIPYARD LAUNCHED

AADESH, THE FIRST FAST
PATROL VESSEL FOR COAST
GUARD
Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) on 8 January 2013
launched the first fast patrol vessel (FPV),
built for the Indian Coast Guard.
The vessel which is named Aadesh was
launched by Jayasree Muralidharan, in the
presence of M.P. Muralidharan, Director
General of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and K.
Subramaniam, Chairman and Managing
Director of the Coast Guard.
The vessel is the first in a series of 20
numbers fast patrol vessel (FPVs)
contracted by CSL for the Indian Coast
Guard. The contract was signed in year
2010 with of which the delivery the last
vessel scheduled for 2017.
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RAILWAY FARES TO BE HIKED

FROM 21 JANUARY 2013:
RAILWAY MINISTER
Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on 9
January 2013 announced that the rail fares
would be hiked for all passengers from 21
January 2013 including the AC-1 and AC-2
tier passengers, who were affected in early
2012.
The hike announced will be of 2 paise per
km to 10 paise per km across classes. All
fares are supposed to be rounded off to 5
rupees and there will be no fare hike in the
Railway Budget. The fare hikes are higher
than what was proposed in the Rail Budget
2012.

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Fares of Ordinary Second Class

(suburban) trains will go up by 2
paise per km while for nonsuburban travel it will be 3 paise.
Travel by Second Class Mail and
Express trains will be costlier by 4
paise per km, while it will be 6
paise in Sleeper Class.
Travellers by AC Chair Car and AC
Three Tier will have to shell out 10
paise more per km, First Class by 3
paise, AC Two Tier by 6 paise and
AC First Class by 10 paise.
The fares for First Class, AC Two
Tier and AC First/ Executive Class
were already raised by 10 paise per
km, 15 and 30 paise respectively in
the current year's budget.
As per the railway minister the slowdown

has further impacted railways' earnings,
adding that the fare hike will help raise an
additional 1200-1300 crore rupees in the
remaining period of current fiscal.
AADHAAR CARD TO BE
ACCEPTED AS PROOF TO GET
PASSPORT: MINISTRY OF
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
The Ministry of External Affairs on 8 January
2013 decided and consequently advised all
Passport Issuing Authorities to accept
Aadhaar letter as Proof of Address and
Photo identity in conjunction with any other
prescribed documents for proof of
address/identity for the purpose of
passport application.
Presently, it is being seen that the
authorities accept passport applications
based on about 14 documents such as
voter ID card or electoral photo identity
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card (EPIC), ration card, PAN, driving

license, birth certificates among others.
NEWS BROADCASTING
STANDARDS ASSOCIATION
ISSUED GUIDELINES FOR
REPORTING OF SEXUAL
CRIMES
The
News
Broadcasting
Standards
Association (NBSA) on 7 January 2013
issued certain guidelines for the television
channels to exercise discretion and
sensitivity, while reporting the sexual
assault cases. Keeping in view, the Section
228A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), NBSA
directed television channels to keep the
identity of the victims involved in sexual
assault, hideous.
The guidelines were a result of the Zee
News television interview of the friend of
Delhi gang rape victim. The name of victim
was also disclosed in one international
publication.
INDIAS FIRST SUCCESSFUL

INTESTINAL TRANSPLANT
PERFORMED ON A SOFTWARE
ENGINEER
The first successful and healthy intestinal
transplant surgery in India was given to a
software engineer on 24 November 2012 at
Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon. Because
around 60 percent intestinal transplants are
not successful due to jettison and higher
degree of infection of transplanted organ,
therefore the hospital authorities waited for
announcing the results till patient
recovered completely. The earlier attempts

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of intestinal transplant in India have always
failed.
FOREIGN TOURISTS NOT

ALLOWED TO WORK AS
JOURNALISTS ON TOURIST
VISA: MHA
Ministry of Home Affairs on 2 January 2013
ordered foreign tourists not to indulge in
the journalistic activities on their tourist
visas. The order was issued by the Ministry
after observing that a lot of foreigners
visiting India on their tourist visa are also
involved in covering the events as well as
journalistic activities in India.
UNION GOVERNMENT
WITHDREW Z-PLUS SECURITY
COVER FOR EX-ARMY CHIEF,
GEN V K SINGH
The union government of India withdrew Zplus security provided to ex-army chief
General V K Singh. The Ex-Army chief had
remained in limelight over the issue of his
age, and currently for sharing stages with
critics of the central government such as
Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev.
The decision to withdraw Z-plus security
cover from 1 December 2012 was taken
after home ministry reviewed that there
wasnt any threat against the ex-Army chief.
Usually, all the retiring Army chiefs are
given Z-plus security for a period of six
months. The security is continued only in
case there is a high threat perception to
the chief.
What is Z-Plus Security?
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Page 62
In India, depending upon the threat

perception, high-risk people are provided
securities by local government and the
police. There are mainly four categories of
security and these are Z-Plus, Z, Y and X. ZPlus security cover is the highest level of
security. Anyone provided with the Z-Plus
security, gets a security cover of 36
personnel.
Individuals in India who are provided with
various categories of securities include
cabinet ministers, chief ministers, Supreme
Court and High Court judges, senior
bureaucrats as well as leading politicians.
NSG or National Security guards are usually
used for providing security to individuals
under Z-Plus security cover.
UNION GOVERNMENT
DECIDED SETTING UP 5-YEAR
PROJECT FOR CYBER
SECURITY OF CRITICAL
SECTORS
The union government decided to set up
five-year project for restoring the overall
cyber security structure of critical sectors of
India. This was decided in light of increasing
number of cyber attacks as well as security
threats that the Internet offers. In 2011,
India suffered 13000 cyber incidents.
National Critical Information Infrastructure
Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is responsible
for the project. It is the nodal agency which
is responsible for coordinating the cyber
security operations related to critical
infrastructures in India. NCIIPC prepared its
5-year plan for refurbishing as well as
integrating the structure of cyber security in
all critical structures like defence,

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telecommunication, transportation, power
and water.
NCIIPC will be notified for plans in order to
set up sectoral Computer Emergency
Response Teams (CERTs) which will be
associated to it. Sensors will be installed on
critical systems for giving real-time
information to the command as well as
control centre regarding cyber attack of any
kind for formulating quick response.
While NCIIPC would be responsible for
checking the very critical sectors which have
higher threat along with higher dependence
on computer and information technology
(CIT), CERT-IN on the other hand would
undertake other sectors. Sectors falling
under NCIIPC are energy (natural gas, coal,
oil and power), finance and banking,
transportation (civil aviation and railways),
space, law enforcement, security, telecom
and defence.
NEW CASES OF HIV

DECREASED BY 57 PERCENT
IN INDIA: UNION HEALTH
MINISTER
Addressing the India Health Summit which
was organised by CII in New Delhi, the
Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on
18 December 2012 declared that India was
witnessing a steep decline in fresh cases of
HIV. The health minister announced that
the fresh cases of HIV have dropped down
to 57 percent.
GOVT. OF INDIA TO SET UP

REAL TIME WATER QUALITY
MONITORING STATIONS
ALONG RIVER GANGA
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Page 63
The Government of India on 17 December

decided to set up 113 Real Time Water
Quality Monitoring Stations along the river
Ganga.
The Environment and Forests Minister
Jayanti Natarajan in a written reply in the
Lok Sabha on 17 December 2012 asserted
that the Real Time Water Quality
Monitoring Stations stations is going to be
set up in the next five years which includes
eight in Uttarakhand, 57 in Uttar Pradesh,
13 in Bihar and 35 in West Bengal to
monitor the water quality in the river.
INDIA DEVELOPED
INDIGENOUS JAPANESE
ENCEPHALITIS (JE) VACCINE
First vaccine of the world was developed
against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) using the
Indian strain of virus. National Institute of
Virology (NIV), Pune offered the strain of JE
virus to Bharat Biotech. This JE virus was
gathered from Kolar in Karnataka. Bharat
Biotech had submitted results from final
human trials to Drug Controller General of
India (DCGI) so that it could have marketing
clearance. The vaccine is an injectable one
and offers protection rate of more than 90
percent. It can be used for age group of 115 years. Currently, India imports the stock
of JE vaccine from National Biotech Group
of China.
What is Japanese Encephalitis (JE)?
JE is the mosquito-borne virus which mainly
affects the CNS or Central Nervous System. It
can be transmitted to human beings if
infected mosquito bites. Mosquitoes in turn
are affected when they feed on domestic pigs
that carry this virus. JE usually affects children
who are below 15 years of age.

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operated in Bhutanese territory by ULFA

and NDFB.
UNION GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA EXTENDED BAN ON
ULFA AND NDFB
The Union home ministry in Month of
December extended the ban on United
Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and
National Democratic Front of Bodoland
(NDFB) under the Unlawful Prevention Act.
About United Liberation Front of Assam
United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is a
separatist group from Assam along with
many other such groups in North-East India.
The motto of the group is to establish a
sovereign Assam through an armed struggle
in the Assam conflict. The government of
India banned the organisation in 1990 citing
it as a terrorist organisation, while the United
States Department of State lists it under
other groups of concern.
About National
Bodoland
Democratic
Front
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of
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland

(NDFB) is an extremist outfit whose motto is
to obtain a sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo
people in Assam, India. NDFB fights to get a
sovereign
Bodoland
north
of
the
Brahmaputra River. It was very active during
the 1990s. The NDFB is allied with the
National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM) and
illegally occupies terrorist training camps in
the South of Bhutan.
In December 2003, the government of
Bhutan and the Indian Army launched joint
operations to destroy the terrorist camps
www.jagranjosh.com
UNION GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCED BILL TO AMEND
COMPETITION ACT
The Union Government of India on 10
December 2012 introduced a bill in
Parliament to amend the Competition Act
which, among other things, will require the
Competition Commission to decide on
corporate mergers within 180 days.
The
bill
is
named
Competition
(Amendment) Bill, 2012 bill and was
introduced by Corporate Affairs Minister
Sachin Pilot in the Lok Sabha to amend the
Competition Act 2002.
The bill would also confer powers on fair
trade regulator Competition Commission
of India (CCI) to vet all M&A deals and also
authorise its Director General to carry out
search and seizure activities.
UNION GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA CLEARED DECKS FOR
AMBEDKAR MEMORIAL
Union Government of India on 5 December
2012 cleared the decks for transferring the
prime India 12.5 acre United Mill land in
Mumbai to the Maharashtra government
for building a state-of-the-art memorial to
B.R. Ambedkar.
The Maharashtra State government is going
to bear the entire cost of the memorial
project and will henceforth take care of the
land. The Union Cabinet will take further
decisions on the process. A Bill will have to

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be passed in Parliament for transfer of the
land for the memorial project.
The memorial is to be modeled on the basis
of Mahatma Gandhis SAMADHI at Rajghat.
GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX

REVEALED: INDIA RANKED
AMONG TOP FIVE TERRORHIT NATIONS
New index called Global Terrorism Index

(GTI) prepared by Australian think tank
released by Australia-based Institute for
Economics & Peace ranked various
countries based on the data collected from
Global Terrorism Database, which in turn is
operated by a group at University of
Maryland.
GTI revealed that India, Afghanistan and
Pakistan accounted for 11 percent, 10
percent and 12 percent of global terrorist
events respectively from time period 2002
to 2009.
The major points of the report are as
follows:
The figures revealed that there were
529 terrorist incidents in 2011 and they
had tolled lives of 402 people, injuring
687 people.
The numbers were higher in 2006 to
2010 time period when the number of
casulties averaged greater than 600
people per year, rising to 735 people in
2009 and 772 in 2010.
In the year 2011, India, Pakistan, Russia
as well as Middle East were most
affected by terrorism.
Out of 159 countries that were
surveyed, India ranked number 4. Iraq
was at the first position followed by
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Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Yemen

respectively.
The GTI showed that terrorism in the
world started escalating after an
increase in Iraq war. Consequently, it
was followed by increasing terrorism in
Afghanistan and later in Pakistan after
18 months.
The index also revealed that merely 31
countries out of surveyed 159 did not
experience a single terrorist attack
since 2001.
SUPREME COURT ISSUED

GUIDELINES TO CURB EVE
TEASING AT THE PUBLIC
PLACES
Supreme Court on 30 November 2012
issued certain guidelines in order to put a
halt to eve-teasing. SC termed eve-teasing
consequences disastrous and also directed
the government that women cops in plain
clothes should be deputed at the public
places. The state governments as well as
the union territories are ordered by the
Supreme Court to depute female police
officers in plain clothes at the public places
such as metro stations, bus stands, railway
stations, shopping malls, beaches, parks,
worship places, cinemas as well as public
service vehicles. This has been done to
monitor as well as supervise the incidents
of eve-teasing.
NUCLEAR WASTE WOULD

NOT BE DUMPED AT KOLAR
GOLD MINE: GOVT. TO SC
November 2012 cleared its intention in

Page 65

front of the Supreme Court about dumping
the Uranium waste in useless gold mines at
the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Karnataka
from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd
(NPCIL) in its supplementary affidavit made
clear before the court that there was
nothing mentioned in earlier affidavit which
indicated that the union government
identified Kolar Gold Mine as the storage
for nuclear waste.
UNION CABINET CLEARED

SETTING UP OF 21 TEXTILE
PARKS
The Union Government on 8 November
2012 approved the release of funds for the
establishment of 21 integrated textile parks
which was sanctioned in the 11th Five Year
Plan.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs
(CCEA), in a meeting held in New Delhi also
had committed the government to provide
for liability beyond 200 crore Rupees.
It was in October 2010 that the CCEA had
approved a proposal for setting up
additional 21 integrated textile parks
utilising the Rs.200 crore left in the 11th
plan.
The parks were to be implemented during
the 11th Five Year plan (2007-2012).
Scheme of Integrated Textile Parks (SITP)
aims at providing private sector
investment, generating employment and
create a need-based and product-based
world class infrastructure for the industry.
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Page 66
Now the establishment will extend up to

12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) and envisages
a total investment of 819 crore rupees.
TRAI ISSUED A CAP OF 100

SMSS ON CONCESSION RATES
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) on 5 November 2012 issued a cap of
100 SMSs per day at concession rate. It also
fixed a rate of 50 paise per SMS beyond the
decided cap. TRAI also ordered the service
providers and operators to place a
technology to make sure that the
unregistered telemarketers are not able to
send more than 200 SMSs per hour, from
their phone or computer.
About TRAI
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) is an independent regulator of the
telecommunications business in India. It
came into existence by the Act of the
Parliament on 20 February 1997 and the act
was named as Telecom Regulatory Authority
of India Act 1997. Its constitution came into
effect in 1994, when the Government
constituted the National Telecom Policy
(NTP) to attract domestic and Foreign Direct
Investment in the telecommunication sector.
The flooding of investors from domestic
market and the international market players
resulted in the development of the
regulatory body. As a result of this demand,
the formation of the Telecom Regulatory
Body came up.
GOVERNMENT NOD TO
GRANT EX-SERVICEMAN

Page 66
STATUS TO THE RETIRED

PARAMILITARY STAFFS
The Union Cabinet of India on 1 November
2012 gave its nod to grant retired personnel
of central police and paramilitary forces the
status of ex-Servicemen. The Home
Minister of India Sushil Kumar Shinde at an
event of paramilitary CISF in Delhi made this
announcement making it clear that the
hounour was given to the paramilitary
forces as they put their life at risk in the line
of duty.
This announcement would enable more
than four lakh retired personnel to avail the
welfare benefits available for the exservicemen till date. Retired personnel from
CRPF, CISF, BSF, ITBP and SSB would be
counted among the ex-central police
personnel equivalent to the ex-servicemen
recognition of the retirees of the defence
forces. The retired personnel of these
forces would be reckoned as ex-central
police personnel.
The ex-servicemen status to the retired
personnel of these forces would bring
them the benefits in form of canteens and
hospital facilities that is run by
Government. These personnel would also
be recognised while applying for the jobs
in Private Sectors as trained and suitable
talent.
UNION GOVERNMENT
CONSTITUTED A NATIONAL
COMMITTEE ON DIRECT CASH
TRANSFERS
The Union Government on 25 October 2012
constituted a National Committee on
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Page 67
Direct Cash Transfers. The committee

would be responsible to coordinate in
development of the process for making the
transfer of the cash directly to the
individuals, being provided under different
types of government schemes and
programs.
The Prime Minister of India, Manmohan
Singh would be the Chairperson of the
committee and the group of members
would include eleven Cabinet Ministers,
two Ministers of State with independent
charge, the Deputy Chairman Planning
Commission, the Chairman UIDAI, the
Cabinet Secretary with the Principal
Secretary to the PM as the convenor. The
Prime Minister can invite some more
officers, minister or any expert for the
committees meet.
An Executive Committee for Direct Cash
Transfer under the chairmanship of Prime
Ministers' Principal Secretary is constituted
along with the Secretaries of the concerned
Ministries and the DG UIDAI. Convenor for
this committee would be the Secretary of
the Planning Commission.
UNION CABINET APPROVED

SETTING UP OF NATIONAL
AUTOMOTIVE BOARD
The Union Cabinet on 18 October 2012 gave
its nod for setting up of the National
Automotive Board (NAB). The body will be
responsible for promoting the research and
development activities of the industry and
act as a facilitator in between the industry
and the government.
NAB would also be responsible as a
specialized body to promote sustainable
development of the Nations Auto Sector

Page 67

along with skill development for the
automobile sector.

4000 CRORE RUPEES PLAN TO
TACKLE JAPANESE
ENCEPHALITIS
The Union Cabinet of India on 18 October
2012 approved a 4038-crore Rupees
comprehensive multi-pronged plan for
prevention and control of Japanese
Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis
Syndrome (AES) in the country.
The plan will implemented in Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Assam
within five years from 2012-13 to 2016-17.
The Plan is going to be jointly implemented
by the Ministries of Health and Family
Welfare, Drinking Water and Sanitation,
Social Justice and Empowerment, Housing
and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Women
and Child Development.
The proposal for Prevention and Control of
Japanese Encephalitis came after the
recommendation of Group of ministers
(GoM) to Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare.
SC: ALL STATES AND UTS TO

CONDUCT FRESH SURVEYS TO
IDENTIFY BONDED LABOUR
PROBLEMS
The Supreme Court of India on 15 October
2012 directed all states and Union
Territories to conduct fresh surveys to
identify bonded labour problems in the
country and regretted that a large number
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Page 68
of children continue to work as domestic

help even after the enactment of the Right
to Education Act (RTE act).
A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and
Dipak Misra ruled in a judgment that it
shall be the duty of the local bodies and
panchayats to identify such children and
ensure that they get proper education.
Referring to bonded labour practice, the
apex court noted that after the perusal of
the NHRC (National Human Rights
Commission) and other reports it is clear
that the practice is rampant. The court
passed the directions while dealing with a
1985 PIL filed by Public Union for Civil
Liberties, highlighting bonded labour
practice in the country.
SUPREME COURT WORRIED

ABOUT THE STATUS OF
GROWING POLLUTION IN
YAMUNA
Supreme Court on 10 October 2012
expressed its serious concerns over Yamuna
and the growing rate of pollution in its
water although a huge sum of about 1800
crore rupees had been spent on containing
pollution in the river.
The Supreme Court of India on issues of
pollution in River Yamuna criticized to the
Centre and Governments of Haryana, Uttar
Pradesh and Delhi. The Bench of Justices
Swatanter Kumar and Madan B. Lokur in its
statement said it an unfortunate event that
without showing any improvement in the
quality of water such a huge public fund has
been invested.
The bench considering the report issued by
the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),

Page 68

which points out the growing concentration
of pollutants along the stretch of river,
directed the Secretary of Union Urban
Development Minister and chief secretaries
of the three state along with civic bodies
and concerned ministries to file a report in
detail, about the works undertaken by them
from Hathnikund to Agra, so far. The report
measured coli content to be 17 billion per
100 ml in Delhi, since March 2012.
President of India Approved New Protocol
for Addressing the Dignitaries
Pranab Mukherjee, the Honble President of
India approved new set of Protocols for
addressing, the dignitaries inside and
outside the country. Mukherjee also asked
the authorities to organise government
functions within the premises of Rastrapati
Bhawan, this came out of his concern to the
inconvenience caused to the public and
police during his movement.
Words of colonial era like his Excellency will
be replaced by Shree or Smt. before the
name of the President or the Governor, in
the functions being organised within the
country and between the Indian dignitaries.
His Excellency can only be used to greet the
President during his interaction with foreign
dignitaries.
The Hindi word, Mahamahin would be
replaced by Rastrapati Mahoday. In official
notings
in
President
Secretariat,
Mahamahim will be replaced with the word
Rastrapati ji. Honble word would be used
before the names of the President and the
Governor.
For further action to be taken on the
protocol, the changed Protocol was
conveyed to the Home Ministry. The
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Page 69
protocol will be implemented and brought

in practice with immediate effect.
SC: REFUSED TO RESTRAIN

CENTER FROM PROVIDING
TRAINING TO SRI LANKAN
ARMED FORCES
The Supreme Court on 8 October 2012
denied from restraining the centre from
offering training the armed forces of Sri
Lanka. Supreme Court Bench headed by
Justice Aftab Alam including Ms. Ranjana
Desai stated that it was the government
policy and the court cannot interfere in the
government policy decisions.
The court in its verdict declared the petition
as misconceived, dismissed the petition.
The decision came in response to the
petition filed by N Raja Raman against nine
Lankan defence personnels, who are being
trained in the Indian Air Force base at
Karnataka.
SUPREME COURT DIRECTED

GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE
BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN
SCHOOL
2012 directed the Union government of
India and state governments to provide
basic infrastructure, including drinking
water and toilets, in all schools within six
months. A bench headed by justice K S
Radhakrishnan fixed the time limit and
directed the governments to take steps to
provide the basic facilities in schools across
the country.

Page 69
Page 70
go through Indore, Kota, Gwalior, and

Gorakhpur and end up in Bettiah district of
Bihar on November 17, covering about 2000
km of distance.
INDIA AND WORLD BANK

SIGNED 500 MILLION DOLLAR
DEAL FOR SHIKSHA ABHYAN
World Bank and the Government of India
on 5 October 2012 signed a loan agreement
of 500 Million US Dollar for Secondary
Education Project named Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
The project is going to help in achieving
What is and
Rashtriya
Shiksha
increased
good Madhyamik
quality secondary
Abhiyan? as directed in the framework of
education
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, the
Like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the
flagship government of India program for
Department of School Education and Literacy
gradual Universalisation of secondary
of the Ministry of Human Resource
education.
Development (MHRD) under Government of
India is launching Rastriya Madhyamic
Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) with an aim to
achieve Universal Access and Quality
Secondary Education.
Under Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan,
the responsibility to develop SecondaryEducation Management Information system
(SE-MIS) is given to the Department of
Educational Planning, National University of
Educational Planning and Administration
(NUEPA), New Delhi.
MINISTRY OF RURAL
DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHED
NIRMAL BHARAT YATRA
The Indian Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is

the brand ambassador of the campaign.
The campaign is being promoted by several
NGOs and private companies and it is going
to be completed at a cost of over Rs 12
crore and is going to target over 9 crore
people to spread awareness about
sanitation.
The well known NGOs that are participating
in the programme are Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation and Water Supply and
Sanitation Collaborative Council.
UNION CABINET OF INDIA APPROVED THE
DEMANDS OF EX-SERVICEMEN FOR ONE
RANK ONE PENSION
The Union Cabinet of India, under the
Chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on 24 September 2012 approved the
long awaited demand for One Rank One
Pension (OROP) and other benefits of exservicemen. The cabinet also gave a nod for
enhancement of pension for family and
dual family pension. The approved demand
will cost the government about Rs 2300
crore per year. The cabinet also approved
family pension grants for mentally or
physically challenged children of personnel
from armed forces.
Ministry of rural development on3 October

2012 started a campaign named Nirmal
Bharat Yatra which focuses on making the
country free from open defecation.
The Yatra will begin from Wardha District of
Maharashtra from 3 October 2012 and will
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Page 70

Panel report
The approval of the Union Cabinet came on the
OROP after the six member committee formed
by the Prime Minister submitted its report. Ajit
Seth was the head of this committee
Issue
The ex-servicemen association and defence
forces demanded payment of uniform pension
to the defence personnel retiring at same rank
with same length of service period irrespective
of their date of retirement. The OROP also
demanded passing of future enhancements to
the past pensioners.
Page 71
also ensure that health booklets and

smart cards are provided to each victim
irrespective of where such victim is being
treated.
BCCC ASKED TV CHANNELS TO

BE EXTRA-CAUTIOUS WHILE
SHOWING VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN
The Broadcasting Content Complaints
Council (BCCC) in its report submitted to
the Information and Broadcasting Ministry,
asked TV channels to be extra-cautious
while showing violence against women.
BCCC received almost half of the complaints
related to obscene scenes during its first
year of functioning.
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

ORDERED BETTER
HEALTHCARE FOR BHOPAL
GAS TRAGEDY VICTIMS
In an order passed on 9 August 2012, the
Supreme Court of India directed the
government to make all the medical
records
of
Bhopal
Gas
victims
computerised and issue health booklets
and smart cards to each victim. The courts
directive came as it seek to ensure better
healthcare and proper implementation of
relief and rehabilitation programme for
thousands of victims of worlds worst
industrial disaster.
The Apex Court Bench of Chief Justice SH
Kapadia and Justices AK Patnaik and
Swatanter Kumar passed the order on a
petition filed by the Bhopal Gas Peedith
Mahila Udyog Sanghathan.
An Empowered Monitoring Committee will
be set up to carry out the courts order. The
committee will undertake the tasks such as
making medical surveillance operational,
computerisation of medical information,
publication of health booklets, etc. It will
www.jagranjosh.com
The BCCC directed some channels that since

these programmes were not suitable for
telecast during general viewing hours; they
should suitably modify the content and air
such programmes during restricted viewing
hours. The main concern was use of vulgar
language by participants and the alleged
obscene acts performed by them during the
shows.
BCCC is the non-news television industrys
self-regulatory body. It was formed in July
2011.
DELHI HIGH COURT

APPROVED THE GUIDELINES
FOR MEDIA REPORTING ON
CHILDREN
The Delhi High Court approved the
guidelines for media reporting on children,

Page 71

which stipulates various curbs including
that the identity of kids should not be
revealed under any circumstances while
covering stories of sexual offences,
elopement and drug abuse.
A committee, appointed by the court in
February 2012, had submitted the
guidelines before a bench of Acting Chief
Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai
Endlaw. The Committee set the guidelines
that the media shall ensure that a child's
identity is not revealed in any manner,
including but not limited to, disclosure of
personal information, photographs, school
or locality and information of the family
including their residential or official
address.
BIMAL GURUNG SWORN IN

AS THE HEAD OF
GORKHALAND TERRITORIAL
ADMINISTRATION
The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
(GTA), a semi-autonomous body for
trouble-torn Darjeeling hills in West Bengal,
sworn in on 4 August 2012. The 50-member
body was administered oath by West
Bengal Governor MK Narayanan in presence
of Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde,
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee and Railway Minister Mukul Roy.
Bimal Gurung, President of Gorkha
Janmukti Morcha (GJM), will head the first
elected body of the GTA. The 50-member
body will consists of 45 elected candidates
and 5 nominated candidates. Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration is the successor
of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which
came into existence in 1988. Gorkhaland
Territorial Administration was the result of
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Page 72
three-year long agitation by Bimal Gurung

led Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for separate
Gorkhaland state. The agitation which
kicked off in 2007 culminated with the
formation of GTA in 2011. In 2011, when
Mamta Banerjee led Trinmool Congress
stormed to power in West Bengal, three
sides viz. Union Government, West Bengal
Government and GJM inked a tripartite
agreement with respect to the formation of
GTA.
SPECIAL TRIBUNAL APPROVED

MHA MOVE TO DECLARE SIMI
AS AN UNLAWFUL
ORGANISATION
A Special Tribunal in its decision
pronounced on 1 August 2012 approved the
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) move to
declare Students Islamic Movement of
India (SIMI) as an unlawful association. The
tribunal headed by sitting Delhi High Court
Judge Justice VK Shali submitted its report
to the Union Home Ministry. The tribunal
was constituted to decide whether there
was sufficient cause for declaring the
association unlawful.
SIMI was founded by Mohammad
Ahmadullah Siddiqi on 25 April 1977, in
Aligadh, Uttar Pradesh. The organization was
banned under the provisions of the Unlawful
Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. SIMI
appealed against the ban in various courts
including
Special
Unlawful
Activities
(Prevention) Act tribunals, but it was not
given any respite. Though a special tribunal in
August 2008 had lifted the ban on SIMI, but
the ban was soon restored by the then Chief
Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, on 6 August,
2008.

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The lifting of Travel Advisory came just

before British foreign secretary William
Hagues visit to India.
POWER TRIPPED IN
NORTHERN, EASTERN AND
NORTH EASTERN GRIDS:
INDIAS BIGGEST POWER
BLACKOUT
India witnessed its biggest ever power
blackout on 31 July 2012. Post the collapse
of the northern power grid twenty states in
India were left with no electricity till late
evening. This is the second time that the
country saw a power failure of a huge
margin; interestingly both the failures
happened in a time frame of over twenty
four hours.
The collapse happened at around one o
clock in the noon, when the northern grid
tripped, which then immediately led to a
similar effect on the eastern and northeastern grids, as the two are connected as a
common grid.
POWER GRID
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
(POWERGRID) is the Central Transmission
Utility (CTU) of the country. It is under
Ministry of Power and is one of the largest
Power Transmission utilities in the world.
UK LIFTED TRAVEL ADVISORY

ON JAMMU AND KASHMIR
The United Kingdom on 6 November 2012
lifted its around twenty years old travel
advisory for its nationals against travel to
Srinagar, Jammu and Ladakh, referring
improvements of the security situation in
the State.
www.jagranjosh.com
The lifting of Advisory is going to encourage

more UK tourists to visit and provide a
platform for businesses, which in turn
would benefit the local economy of Jammu
and Kashmir.
UK is the third country to lift its ban on
travel to these places in the state after
Germany and Japan. Earlier, Japan on 19
October 2012 lifted the advisory while
Germany in July 2011 had relaxed travel
restriction to Jammu and Kashmir for its
National.
The travel Advisories were imposed as a
result of the outbreak of militancy in the
state of Jammu and Kashmir after 1989
and with the abduction of some foreign
tourists.
NASSCOM SIGNED PACT WITH

NIIT TO TRAIN ONE LAKH
STUDENTS IN NEXT THREE
YEARS
The Nasscom Sector Skills Council (SSC) on
4 January 2013 signed a memorandum of
understanding with NIIT to train one lakh
students over the next three years for
business/ knowledge process outsourcing
and legal process outsourcing jobs.
Both the organization had jointly
introduced two new courses Foundation
Skills in IT (FSIT) for engineering graduates
and Global Business Foundation Skills
(GBFS) for graduates of all streams which
directly aims to train 30000 students in the
first year.

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The courses had been specifically designed

and developed by the IT-ITeS SSC of
Nasscom and the achievement levels are
certified through the Nasscom Assessment
of Competence -Technology.
IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) of Delhi

International Airport (P) Limited consists of
13 processes, which are used in ITSMS to
ensure cost effectiveness, availability, zero
tolerance and customer satisfaction.
Major Indian multinational information

technology (IT) services, business solutions
company like those of Tata Consultancy
Services, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies,
Accenture, Genpact, IBM, Dell, Cognizant,
Convergys and Microsoft are all part of the
Nasscom Skills Council.
Also in June 2012, DIAL had attained ISO

27001 Continuity, which was an IT
information security framework that
certifies the company demonstrating and
following best of the world IT information
security
principles,
processes
and
procedures.
NIITs training expertise together with

Nasscoms industry insights will empower
college students across India.
The continuity of the ISO 27001

certification was assessed and adjudged by
British Standards Institution (BSI) during
their annual audit.
INDIRA GANDHI
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
GOT INTERNATIONAL
CERTIFICATION
BHEL DEPLOYED SOLAR

PANEL ON GSAT 10 SATELLITE
The Indira Gandhi International Airport

operator, Delhi International Airport (P)
Limited (DIAL) on 22 October 2012 got an
ISO 20000 international certification for
eliminating and controlling information
technology-related threats.
With receiving of this ISO certification, Delhi
International Airport (P) Limited (DIAL)
became the sixth airport operator to
receive the ISO 20000 certification in IT
Service Management System (ITSMS) after
Dubai, Munich, Abu Dhabi, Incheon and
Hyderabad.
ISO 20000-1:2011 is a service management
system (SMS) standard which specifies
requirements for the service provider to
plan, establish, implement, operate,
monitor, review, maintain and improve an
SMS.
www.jagranjosh.com
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in

the Month of October had successfully
deployed space grade solar panels on the
GSAT-10 Satellite of the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO).
BHEL had supplied four solar panels for
GSAT-10, that have an area of 5.36 square
metre each and comprise multi-junction
solar cells in series and parallel
combinations, with a total power capacity
of 4000 watts.
The GSAT-10 satellite was launched from
the Kourou launch base in French Guyana,
and it is the heaviest Indian satellite built
by ISRO and caters to the countrys
telecommunications
and
television
broadcasting requirements.
Prior to its supply, the space grade solar
panels and batteries were manufactured
and tested to strict space quality standards

Page 74

at the BHEL facility by highly skilled
manpower.
BHEL, in collaboration with ISRO, also had
established state-of-the-art 10,000 class
clean room facilities at its Electronics
Systems Division in Bangalore for the
assembly and testing of Space Grade Solar
Panels using high efficiency solar cells.
Till date, BHEL had supplied 55 solar panels
totaling to 250 square metres of area and
40 batteries for various satellites of ISRO.
DGCA SUSPENDED THE

LICENSE OF KINGFISHER
AIRLINES
Page 75
The Civil Aviation Ministry cleared that the

cancellation of license and permit to fly was
done under Civil Aviation Rules and
Provisions of the Aircraft Act.
NDTV FILED LAWSUIT

AGAINST AUDIENCE
MEASUREMENT COMPANY
TAM INDIA
India's national news broadcasting channel
NDTV sued the countrys only television
audience measurement company TAM
India and its global parent firms Nielsen
and Kantar on 31 July 2012. The channel
accused officials at TAM of being indulged
in fraudulent and manipulating TV ratings.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation

(DGCA) on 20 October 2012 suspended the
license of the debt-ridden aircraft carrier
Kingfisher Airlines. The decision came up
after the airlines failed to address the
concerns of the regulatory body about its
operation that came up after the airlines
was directed to stop-bookings till further
notifications.
NDTV, which filed the lawsuit in Supreme

Court of New York, demanded damages of
at least 810 million dollar for its losses over
the last eight years. Besides, it also claimed
the 580 million dollar compensation for
losses due to negligence over the last three
years.
The notification issued by the Directorate

General of Civil Aviation on 20 October
asked Kingfisher to submit a concrete and
reliable revival plan. The Airlines is suffering
from a loss of 8000 crore rupees and a debt
burden of 7524 crore rupees and right now
out of 66 aircraft that was operational last
year by the company have only 10 aircraft
operational.
TAM (Television Audience Measurement)

the media research company installs People
Meters in over 8000 sample homes to
monitor viewership patterns. The findings
of TAM are instrumental in making the
corporate decisions. In its lawsuit, NDTV
accused TAM of fraudulent and claimed
that the small sample size gave rise to the
rampant corruption in Media industry.
Losses Suffered by the Airlines

2008-2009:1609 crore rupees
2009-2010:1647 crore rupees
2010-2011: 1027 crore rupees
2011-2012: 734 crore rupees
NDTV
What is TAM?
NDTV is one of the Indias top broadcasters

which has its presence in both English and
Hindi media. The company also runs a
business channel with name NDTV Profit. It
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Page 75

was founded by Prannoy Roy, an eminent
journalist and current chairman and
director of NDTV Group in 1988.
GAIL AND RSPCL SIGNED AN

AGREEMENT OF JOINT
VENTURE ON GAS SUPPLY
PIPELINE PROJECT
The GAIL Gas Limited and the Rajasthan
State Petroleum Corporation Limited
(RSPCL) signed an agreement of Joint
Venture on 5 November 2012 to lay down
the natural gas supply pipeline in the state.
Both the bodies will together formulate a
long-term plan on commercial, domestic as
well as industrial consumption of the gas.
The joint venture would help in supply of
pollution free LPG, CNG and LNG to
consumers of different categories and
would also be responsible for development
of the CNG stations on the road sides of the
state and national highways. The project
would also supply the gas required by the
industrial units that is coming up on the
Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor.
The transport, supply and distribution of
gas would be carried after getting
approvals from the Petroleum & Natural
Gas Regulatory Board.
CVC INSTRUCTED CBI TO

EXPAND THE SCOPE OF
INVESTIGATION ON
COALGATE
The Central Vigilance Commission on 24
September 2012 instructed the Central
Bureau of Investigation to expand its
investigation scope on Coal Block Allocation
www.jagranjosh.com
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to private firms in between 1993 to 2004.

The decision was made after CVC received a
letter from the Coal Minister, Shriprakash
Jaiswal seeking a probe from CBI on
allocations made, since 1993.
Widening of the scope of investigation will
bring into scanner the allocation done to
private companies during the reign of P.V.
Narasimha Rao led congress government
after 1993, including United Front
Government from 1996 to 1998 and BJP-led
NDA government from 1996 to 1998.
Report of Comptroller and Auditor General
of India (CAG) - Vinod Rai on coal block
allocations tabled in the parliament states
1. Due to arbitrary allotment of the coal
blocks the Indian exchequer suffered a
loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore equivalents to
$ 37 billion
2. Up to 31 March 2011 total 194 coal
blocks were allotted to different
private and government parties with an
aggregate quantity of 44,440 million
tonnes of coal
3. The beneficiary of these allotments as
per CAG report were 25 major
companies of India including Essar
Power, Jindal Steel and Power,
Hindalco and Tata Power
4. To bring out transparency in the
process,
the
CAG
suggested
competitive bidding as a better
solution
JAL SATYAGRAHA CAME TO

AN END AFTER 17 DAYS
DEMONSTRATION ON A
VICTORY NOTE

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The most outstanding demonstrations of its

own kind in Khandawa district of Madhya
Pradesh named Jal Satyagraha continued
for 17 days at Omkareshwar Dam Project
came to an end on 10 September 2012.
Across 1000 acres of cultivatable land has
been submerged into water with at least 60
odd villages that will not be visible in the
map of India any more. The Satygrahis
demanded land for the land compensation
following the ruling of Supreme Court.
The oustees in the satyagraha remained
standing in the neck deep water with
demands like lowering down the level of
water stored in the dam to 189 meters and
to provide land for land compensation,
ended the battle on the victory note.
the banks of the two important rivers of

India, Narmada and Kaveri (its a tributary
to Narmada). It was conceived as an
irrigation and power dam to be built in the
state of Madhya Pradesh in the year 1965.
The project is one of the fasted completed
hydroelectric projects of the country in
between 2004 and 2006. The project has
benefitted about 529 villages with irrigation
facilities and has helped in raising the yield
to .725 million tons of grains along with
.835 million ton of other crops in the region.
A high level committee was constituted to

hear the grievances of the dam effected
people.
M.Y. Eqbal-Chief Justice of Madras High

Court, V. Gopala Gowda-Chief Justice of
Orissa High Court and Vikramajit Sen-Chief
Justice of Karnataka High Court sworn in as
the Judges of Supreme Court of India on 24
December 2012 by the Chief Justice of India
Altamas Kabir. With this, the number of
judges in Supreme Court of India rose to
twenty-seven, with four more vacancies
remaining.
Jal Satyagraha
Jal Satyagraha was a type of Satyagraha, in
which 51 farmers from Khandwa district of
Madhya Pradesh stood in the neck dip
water of Omkareshwar Dam for 17 days
continuously
asking
for
their
rehabilitation.
The Satyagrahis demanded for the
compensation as per the ruling of the
Supreme Court. The agitators termed as Jal
Satyagrahis made a decision to stand in
neck deep water of the dam, all wet and
damp.
Omkareshwar Dam Project
Omkareshwar Dam Project is a 520 MW
project constructed by the Narmada
Hydroelectric Development Corporation in
joint venture with Madhya Pradesh
Government and NHPC is among the
biggest dam on Narmada River. The
Omkareshwar project area, lies in between
www.jagranjosh.com
NUMBER OF SUPREME COURT

JUDGES INCREASED TO 28
AFTER 3 JUDGES SWORN IN
The three judges were appointed by the

President of India Pranab Mukherhjee for
the post on 21 December 2012.
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India was
established by Part V, Chapter IV of the
Constitution of India and is the highest
judicial forum and the final court of
appeal. Establishment of the Supreme
Court of India, its Composition and
Jurisdiction has been laid down in Articles
124 to 147 of the Indian Constitution.
Initially during 1950s the Supreme Court
consisted of a Chief Justice and seven low

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ranked judges and a full bench of the court

sat together to hear the cases and pass on
the judgments. In 1956 the number rose to
eleven and it kept rising to fourteen,
eighteen, twenty six and thirty one
including the Chief Justice in 1960, 1978,
1986 and 2008 respectively.
It is part of the step to first create

awareness and ensure setting up of a
robust security system in all critical
government agencies at their own level.
Once agencies set up their security
infrastructure, it will be connected to
NCIIPC.
Appointment
NCIIPC had prepared a five-year plan to

completely revamp and integrate the cyber
security
apparatus
of
all
critical
infrastructures
such
as
power,
transportation, water, telecommunication
and defence.
The Constitution of India under Article 124

(2) provides powers to the President of
India to appoint the judges of the Supreme
Court with consultation with the Chief
Justice of India and such judges of Supreme
Court and High Court if necessary.
With the three appointments, the number
of Judges including the Chief Justice of India
increased to 28 including Chief Justice of
India against 31 provided by the
constitution.
CYBER SECURITY GET

REVAMPED WITH
GOVERNMENT FIVE YEAR
PLAN
Union government of India in its bid to
meet the challenge of cyber attacks and
security in the virtual world in month of
December set in motion a five-year project
to revamp the entire cyber security
apparatus of critical sectors in the country.
In the past one year, India has suffered
13,000 cyber incidents.
National Critical Information Infrastructure
Protection Centre (NCIIPC) had taken the
responsibility to coordinate cyber security
operations for critical infrastructures across
the country.
www.jagranjosh.com
The government has also defined clear

mandates for NCIIPC and CERT-IN, which is
also engaged in cyber security of national
infrastructure.
Tasks that NCCIIPC is going to Perform
NCIIPC will only look after absolutely
critical sectors that have high threat
perception coupled with greater
dependence
on
computer
and
information technology (CIT), while
other sectors will be with CERTIN.
These sectors (with NCIIPC) have been
identified as energy (power, coal, oil
and natural gas), transportation
(railways and civil aviation), banking and
finance, telecom, defence, space, law
enforcement and security.
NCIIPC also plans to set up a sectoral
Computer Emergency Response Team
(CERTs) that would be connected to it,
and will install censors on all critical
systems
to
provide
real-time
information to its command and control
(C&C) center about any cyber attack to
formulate a quick response.
Under a newly defined mandate, NCIIPC
will look after critical sectors with high
dependency
on
computer
and
information technology (IT), while other

Page 78

sectors will be under India's CERT, CERTIN.
India's critical infrastructure agencies are no
stranger to cyber attacks. Just in month of
December a hacker group leaked Indian
telco BSNL's passwords and database,
calling for the withdrawal of a controversial
legislation which allegedly suppresses
freedom of speech and expression.
In April 2012 Chinese hackers allegedly
planted a bug via flash drives on India's
navy computers, which relayed sensitive
data to China IP addresses.
BROADCASTING CONTENT
COMPLAINT COUNCIL TOLD
CHANNELS TO ABSTAIN FROM
VULGAR COMEDY
The Broadcasting Content Complaint
Council (BCCC) on 28 December 2012 asked
all the entertainment channels not to
televise abusive, crass, vulgar as well as
double-meaning language that has sexual
overtones in comedys name.
The BCCC issued an advisory in which it
mentioned that channels need not cross
their limits in the name of comedy. The
council also declared that a lot of
complaints were received by it against
dialogues which had double-meaning sense
of humour.
SM KRISHNA RESIGNED FROM

THE POST OF EXTERNAL
AFFAIRS MINISTER
Page 79
He submitted his resignation to the Prime

Minister Manmohan Singh, who accepted it
and forwarded to the President of India. SM
Krishna, before being inducted as the
External Affairs Minister in 2009, served
Maharasthtra as its nineteenth Governor
from 2004 to 2008. He served as a Member
of Parliament from the Mandya district of
Karnataka in its 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th Lok
Sabha starting from 1968.

PROPOSALS TO PROCURE
BRAHMOS AND INVAR
MISSILES
The Cabinet Committee on security on 18
October 2012 approved proposals worth
over 8000 crore rupees for procuring
around 10000 Invar missiles from Russia
for the Army's T-90 tanks and over 200 airlaunched versions of the BrahMos
supersonic cruise missiles for the Indian Air
Force. Also, the Union Cabinet approved
the waiver of the outstanding loan along
with interest for the 370 tsunami affected
fishermen and to reimburse the same to
concerned banks.
The Union Cabinet also approved setting up
of a National Automotive Board, NAB a
body which would act as a facilitator
between the government and the industry
and promote Research and Development
activities in the sector.
JUSTICE ALTAMAS KABIR

APPOINTED AS THE NEW
CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
SM Krishna on 26 October 2012 resigned

from his post of External Affairs Minister.
www.jagranjosh.com
Justice Altamas Kabir was appointed as the

new Chief Justice of India on 13 September

Page 79

2012. He will take oath as 39th Chief Justice
of India and assume his office on 29
September 2012 as a Successor of Chief
Justice S.H. Kapadia. S.H. Kapadia will
relinquish from his office on 28 September
2012. Altamas Kabir at present is the seniormost Judge of the Supreme Court.
DCGI DIRECTED DRUG

COMPANIES TO SUBMIT
SAFETY REPORTS OF NEW
DRUGS TO IT
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)
on 3 September 2012 directed drug
companies to submit mandatory safety
reports of new drugs to it every six months.
The country's drug regulator, in its order,
threatened to cancel drug licenses in case
they fail to do so.
The Directive came after DCGI found that
some companies are not submitting the
required mandatory safety reports every six
months during the first two years.
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The move comes in the wake of instances

where mobile connections used by
foreigners were misused by some people
even after the departure of the foreign
nationals from the country
THE CII HELD THE ELEVENTH

ENERGY EFFICIENCY SUMMIT
IN HYDERABAD
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
held the eleventh Energy Efficient Summit
in HICC, Novotel Hyderabad. The summit
was held from 22 August 2012 to 25 August
2012.
The objective of the summit was to
facilitate the Indian industry to improve
energy efficiency on a continuous basis and
help them in achieving the target set as part
of Perform Achieve and Trade under the
National Mission on Enhanced Energy
Efficiency.
Securities and Exchange Board of India
inaugurated their local office in Jaipur
NO MOBILE CONNECTION TO
ANY FOREIGN TOURIST FOR
MORE THAN THREE MONTHS
Jaipur: Securities and Exchange Board of

India (SEBI) inaugurated their local office
here. Jaipur is known as the Pink City. It is
the largest city in Rajasthan State.
The Government in the first week of

September 2012 asked telecom service
providers not to give mobile connection for
more than three months to any foreign
tourist visiting India. New guidelines issued
by Department of Telecom, DoT, recently
stated that the proof for a mobile
connection to any foreigner will be a
passport with a valid visa. DoT ruled that
any mobile connection issued to a foreigner
should not have validity beyond the validity
of the visa.
Securities and Exchange Board of India

(SEBI) inaugurated their local office in
Jaipur on 4 August 2012. It was inaugurated
by Rajeev Kumar Agarwal, the member of
SEBI. The office will be responsible to look
after all the regulatory aspects of investor
protection, investor education and all the
other responsibilities within Rajasthan
state.
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India Pakistan Flag Meeting was held at

Chakan-Da- Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir
PARTHASARATHI SHOME
APPOINTED AS THE ADVISER
TO FINANCE MINISTER OF
INDIA
Chakan-Da-Bagh: India and Pakistan held

flag meeting here on 14 January 2013
The Union government of India appointed

Parthasarathi Shome, the tax expert, as the
adviser to finance minister P Chidambaram.
Shome was appointed with a rank of
minister of state and this also indicated his
comeback to the Secretariat building after
almost 5 years.
THE 2ND MEETING ON INDIACHINA BORDER AFFAIRS HELD

IN NEW DELHI
New Delhi: The 2nd meeting of the
Working Mechanism for Consultation and
Coordination on India-China Border Affairs
was held here
The 2nd meeting of the Working
Mechanism
for
Consultation
and
Coordination on India-China Border Affairs
was held in New Delhi on 29-30 November,
2012. The discussions took place in a
cordial, constructive and cooperative
atmosphere. The two delegations reviewed
developments in the India-China border
areas since the 1st meeting of the
Mechanism and acknowledged with
satisfaction that peace and tranquility
continued to be maintained due to the
efforts of both sides. The two delegations
also exchanged ideas on additional
measures for maintaining peace and
tranquility as well as further steps to build
greater trust and confidence between the
two sides.
www.jagranjosh.com
The Indian and Pakistani armies held

Brigade Commander-level flag meeting at
Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district in
Jammu and Kashmir on 14 January 2013.
The objective of the meeting was to deescalate tension along the Line of Control
and border. Beheading of Indian soldier at
the LoC was taken up strongly by India in
the meeting apart from repeated cease fire
violations.
The Indian Army reportedly voiced its
concern over the violation of the ceasefire
by Pakistani Army and the mutilation of the
bodies of two Indian soldiers killed in
Pakistani firing on 8 December 2012.
HALIMAH YACOB BECAME

FIRST WOMAN SPEAKER OF
THE SINGAPORE PARLIAMENT
Halimah Yacob (58) became the first
woman and the 9th Speaker of the
Singapore Parliament on 14 January 2013.
She replaced Michael Palmer, the former
People's Action Party MP. Palmer got down
from the post of Speaker of the Parliament
and as an MP on 12 December 2012. Prime
Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong
nominated her for the designation of
speaker.
Halimah Yacob came down from her post of
Minister of State (Social and Family
Development) and was elected as the
Speaker by Members of Parliament. In her

Page 81

role, she is expected to play an independent
role during all the parliamentary debates,
but she stressed the fact that she would
remain ahead for the Singaporeans'
concerns and would also share the views on
various policies.
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Page 82
Various MPs stood up in favour of the

appointment of Halimah Yacob in the
Parliament, which also highlighted the
importance to women as well as the MalayMuslim community.

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The training includes classroom sessions,

group work, field trips, and interaction with
industry experts. After the training, these
professionals will go home with new
knowledge, skills and potential innovations
to address their domestic challenges in food
and nutrition security.
CHAPTER 2:
INTERNATIONAL
INDIA AND USA
INAUGURATED THE FIRST
TRIANGULAR INDIA-USAFRICA PARTNERSHIP AT
HYDERABAD
India and the United States inaugurated
the
first
triangular
India-US-Africa
partnership in agricultural training at the
National Institute of Agricultural Extension
Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad in
January 2013 for 30 trainees from three
African countries Kenya, Liberia and
Malawi.
The three-year triangular partnership
program aims to improve agricultural
productivity, strengthen agricultural value
chains, and support market institutions in
Kenya, Liberia, and Malawi. Supported by
the U.S. Government through the United
States
Agency
for
International
Development (USAID), by the Ministry of
External Affairs and the Ministry of
Agriculture of India, and implemented by
two of Indias leading agricultural training
institutes - National Institute of Agricultural
Extension
Management
(MANAGE),
Hyderabad, and the Chaudhary Charan
Singh National Institute of Agricultural
Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur, the program will
train 180 mid-level African Government and
private sector agriculture professionals
from Kenya, Malawi, and Liberia in
agricultural extension practices, agribusiness, and agricultural marketing.
www.jagranjosh.com
INDIA AND BANGLADESH

SIGNED AGREEMENTS ON
EXTRADITION AND VISA
REGIME
India and Bangladesh in January 2013
signed two landmark agreements on
Extradition of Criminals and Terrorists and
Liberalising the Visa Regime. However,
refusal provisions were incorporated into
the Extradition Treaty. If extradition of
someone poses a threat to national
security, a nation has the right to refuse the
deportation request. Moreover, no political
detainee will be brought under the purview
of the extradition treaty. In case of a
controversy during an extradition process,
the matter will be resolved according to the
laws of the country concerned.
The other agreement has provision for a
friendlier visa regime for citizens of
Bangladesh. Businessmen will be provided a
five-year, multiple-entry visa. Those
travelling on medical grounds will be
eligible for a two-year, multiple-entry visa,
which could be extended for one more
year. Three attendants of a patient will also
be given visa. Until now, India was granting
Bangladeshi tourists visas for up to six
months and had allowed one person to
accompany a patient.

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the economic activities have seen a positive

note with the start of the year.
MILOS ZEMAN WON THE

CZECH REPUBLIC
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2013
Reasons that may be beneficial in

betterment of the economic growth
As per the Czech Republic Presidential

election results declared on 25 January
2013, Milos Zeman won and thus became
the countrys first elected President
through direct elections. Zeman succeeds
Vaclav Klaus.
CHINA SUCCESSFULLY
CARRIED OUT INTERCEPTOR
MISSILE TEST
China on 27 January 2013 successfully

performed the second Interceptor Missile
Test. The test was said to be of the
defensive nature without targeting any
other country.
This is for the second time that China
announced test of such a missile. Likewise,
the anti-missile interception test was
conducted successfully on 11 January 2010
earlier. No detailed information was
revealed.
IMF: WORLD ECONOMIC

GROWTH RATE WOULD BE 3.5
PERCENT IN 2013
International Monetary Fund (IMF) in an
update to World Economic Outlook (WEO)
on 23 January 2013, projected that the
global economic growth rate would be 3.5
percent in 2013. The update mentioned
that the global economic growth would
strengthen gradually as the limitations of
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The actions taken in policy making

have been responsible in reducing
the risk of the acute crisis situation
faced in the area and the United
States.
Actions in terms of plans taken by
Japan would also be beneficial in
pulling it out from a short-lived
recession kind of condition.
The policies made by the emerging
economies of the world in terms of
policy making is has also shown
positive outcomes with a good start
in the year
Major projections of IMF
Global growth would reach 3.5

percent in 2013, from 3.2 percent in
2012
Crisis risks would narrow down but
the downside risks will remain crucial
Main sources of growth would be the
emerging
markets,
developing
countries and the United States
The report also described that if the risks of

crisis doesnt materialize, then the expected
targets of growth may be crossed and can
be stronger then that is projected.
Situations
that
hinted
towards
improvement in economic conditions
The economic conditions of the world had
shown a positive movement in the third

Page 84

quarter of the 2012 and this was change
brought by the performance displayed on
the economic front by the emerging
economies of the world as well as United
States. The borrowing cost of the countries
in Euro Zone was marginally better than
expected but it also identified some of the
weaknesses in the core Euro area. Japan
was under the effect of recession in the
second half of 2012, which had shown
positive signs of improvement in the
running year.
Forecasts and the Expected Changes
In terms of Euro Zone, IMF managed to

downgrade its forecast as this economic
situation of the region may contract a bit
n 2013.
The report also observed slight
improvement in the financial conditions
of the banks and governments of the
Periphery economies, occurred due to
the policy actions undertaken by them
but these economies has yet not
improved in terms of the borrowing
conditions in private sector.
In terms of United States, the forecast
remained broadly unchanged to that of
the of October 2012 WEO to 2 percent,
but predicted that the support offered to
the financial market would support the
growth in consumption in the country
In terms of Japan, the near-term outlook
has also remained unchanged regardless
of the recession witnessed by the country
in recent past and its expected that the
monetary easing and incentive package
would boost the growth in the country
The report projected that the developing
economies and the emerging market of
the world would grow by 5.5 percent in
2013 and it will remain almost same as it
was predicted in October 2012 WEO.
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In case of China, the IMF has forecasted a

growth rate of 7.8 percent, 8.2 percent
and 8.5 percent in 2012, 2013 and 2014
respectively. In 2011, it witnessed a
growth rate of 9.3
Things that can show an impact, the growth

or result into the downfall
Fiscal tightening, if crosses an excessive

limit in United States it may have an
adverse impact on the economic growth
Long-term stagnation of the euro-area
would also have an adverse impact
WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL OF

BANGLADESH PRONOUNCED
ITS FIRST VERDICT OF DEATH
SENTENCE
The War Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh
constituted for conducting trials against
those, who committed atrocities during the
Bangladesh Liberation War 1971 on 21
January 2013 pronounced its first verdict
and ordered death sentence against
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the Jamaat-eIslami leader.
Bangladesh Liberation War 1971
Bangladesh, the then East Pakistan entered
into an armed conflict against the West
Pakistan on 26 March 1971, the war that
lasted for about nine months.
Background of the War
On 7 December 1970 the Awami League
under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman won 160 seats out of the 162 in

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East Pakistan and became the leader of the
majority party of the Pakistan National
Assembly. Awami League was refused from
forming the Government by the military
rules of Pakistan. On behalf of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, Major General Ziaur
Rahman, declared independence of the
state and started a full-scale noncooperation to the Military Government on
26 March 1971, this day is observed as the
Independence Day every year. Following
this declaration, Bangladesh got itself
indulged into a civil war that ended on 16
December 1971 after India intervened into
it on 3 December 1971.
BARACK OBAMA SWORN IN

AS THE US PRESIDENT FOR
SECOND TERM
Barack Obama, the first mixed race
President of the United States, was sworn in
as the President of the country for the
second term on 20 January 2013. The oathtaking ceremony was quiet as well as brief
in the White House East Room by Justice
John Roberts.
The brief oath-taking ceremony was held to
meet the constitutional deadline, i.e., 20
January, under which term of both
President as well as the Vice-President
finishes at the noon. The formality of
repeating this ceremony publically took
place on 21 January 2013 because public
institutions and the courts, which record as
well as endorse swearing-in officially were
closed on 20 January 2013 as it was Sunday.
Therefore, in the brief ceremony, only
President, his family along with a closed
group that viewed Justice Roberts swear-in
Barack Obama in private ceremony.
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Obama took oath as the President of the

country on the family Bible. On 21 January
2013, Obama repeated oath-taking process
on those Bibles which were used by Martin
Luther King and Abraham Lincoln because
20 January 2013 was an official holiday in
the US.
Apart from Obama, in yet another
ceremony, Vice-president Joseph Biden
administered this oath-taking by associate
Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
CHINAS ECONOMY GREW 7.8

PERCENT IN 2012, HITS 13YEAR LOW
According to the National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS), Chinas economy which is
said to be the second largest economy of
the world grew just 7.8 percent in 2012,
which is the 13-year low. In the year 2010,
the economy of China increased 10.4
percent.
NBS announced that there was not any
crucial improvement in the economy of
China. The figures by NBS came when Xi
Jinping will soon be taking over as the new
President of the country. Initially the
economy was in a slow pace when the GDP
grew 7.6 percent in 1999. The NBS however
announced that the economy of the
country was expected to grow at a stable
pace in 2013.
OBAMA PROPOSED STRICTER

GUN CONTROL LAWS: 23
EXECUTIVE ACTIONS
ANNOUNCED

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Barrack Obama, the US President on 16
January 2013 proposed Extensive Gun
Control Laws, making them stricter. Obama
announced a total of 23 executive
measures, 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 within the range once they
are done, instead of carrying it home, since
it can fall into the wrong hands. The US
President also additionally asked the
lawmakers to ban military-style assault
weapons, high capacity magazine as well as
to make the background check mandatory.
Obamas Proposal
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MICRO, SMALL & MEDIUM

ENTERPRISES
India and Vietnam on 15 January 2013
signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU), which is directly meant for building
capacity and developing institutional
framework, and identifying thrust areas and
opportunities for micro, small and medium
enterprises in Vietnam.
The MoU is part of Indias efforts to further
strengthen economic ties with Vietnam. The
two countries have set a trade and
investment target of 7 billion dollars by
2015.
Significance of the MoU
According to the White House, as an

immediate action, Obama signed 23
Executive Actions that would keep
children safe from violence arising from
gun.
Apart from this, Obama called the
lawmakers for eliminating the loopholes
as well as conducting the background
check on anyone who would buy the
gun.
Additionally, Obama wanted the
legislators to restore ban on the
military-style assault weapons, apart
from creating the tougher penalties for
people who buy guns for selling them to
the criminals.
The proposals on stringent gun control laws

came in light of the Sandy Hook School
shootings that took place on 14 December
2012 in Newtown, Conn.
INDIA, VIETNAM SIGNED

MOU TO STRENGTHEN
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The MoU signed would be focusing on

building capacity for developing policy
and institutional framework through
exchange of experts for the development
of MSMEs, and conducting industrial
surveys and feasibility studies to identify
thrust areas and opportunities for
development of MSMEs in Vietnam.
It ideates the promotion of partnership
projects and institutional cooperation
between the two countries, organising
exhibitions and trade fairs for marketing
the products of MSMEs, exchange of
business missions to initiate transfer of
technology and business alliance, and
providing training for improvement of
managerial and technical skills for
MSMEs.
A
Joint
Committee
comprising
representatives from the Ministry of
Planning and Investment (Vietnam) and
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (India) is going to monitor the
implementation of the MoU.

Page 87
Page 88
The rebels started their campaign in

November 2012 and have captured several
towns in their advance towards the capital.
SOUTH KOREA BECAME FIRST

COUNTRY IN ASIA TO ORDER
CHEMICAL CASTRATION OF
CHILD RAPIST
South Korean court in landmark ruling on 3
January 2013 ordered the first-ever
chemical castration of the country. The
sentence of chemical castration was given
to 31-year old pedophile (a person who is
sexually-attracted to children) along with 15
years of jail term.
The order was the first-ever since South
Korea passed the law in 2011 allowing
chemical castration or hormonal treatment
for offenders who are at the risk of
repeating crimes.
THE UNITED STATES

EVACUATED ITS EMBASSY IN
THE CENTRAL AFRICAN
REPUBLIC
PRESIDENT MOHAMED MORSI

SIGNED EGYPT'S
CONTROVERSIAL
CONSTITUTION
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on 25
December 2012 signed into law a new
Islamist-drafted constitution, which will
help end political disorder and allow him to
focus on fixing the weak economy.
Mohamed Morsi signed a declaration
enforcing the charter late after the official
announcement of the result of a
referendum approving the basic law,
Egypt's first constitution since Hosni
Mubarak's overthrow.
The passing of the constitution meant Egypt
could now move to a new stage that should
bring security and stability for the people.
The United States of America evacuated its

embassy in the Central African Republic,
reflecting growing fears that the capital,
Bangui, may fall to rebel forces called
Saleka. The country's President Francois
Bozize sought French and American help
against the insurgents, who have been
making rapid territorial gains. France,
however, rejected any intervention.
Seleka consists of breakaway factions from
three former armed groups. It accuses
Bozize of failing to honour a 2007 peace
deal, under which fighters were meant to
be paid who laid down their arms. The
rebels want to depose Bozize in case he fails
to negotiate with them.
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The body, known as the Shura council, will

temporarily be able to pass laws until a new
parliament has been elected within the next
few months, after the adoption of an
election law.
Two-thirds of the members of the 270-seat
council were elected earlier this year in a
vote in which only 12 per cent of registered
voters participated. The remaining 90 were
appointed by Mohamed Morsi, the Islamist
president.
It was expected to draft a law for legislative
elections for the dissolved lower house that
have to be held by the end of February
2013.

Page 88

The National Salvation Front opposition
coalition said it would vie for seats in the
parliament, which has powers under the
new charter that could hamper Morsis
ability to govern.
PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT
RECOGNISED REPUBLIC OF
KOSOVO AS AN INDEPENDENT
STATE
Government of Pakistan on 24 December
2012 officially recognised Kosovo as an
independent state, almost five years after it
declared independence from Serbia on 17
February 2008.
The decision was made in accordance with
the aspirations of the people of Kosovo.
With this Pakistan became the 98th
sovereign state among 193 UN-member
states recognising Kosovo.
The government of Pakistan has also
decided to at the same time to accredit its
ambassador to the Republic of Turkey in
Ankara as ambassador of the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan to the Republic of
Kosovo.
Kosovo declared full independence in
September 2012 after the western powers
overseeing Kosovo announced the end of
their supervision of this Balkan nation.
In more modern times, Kosovo ended up as
the least developed part of Yugoslavia,
slowly moving towards high unemployment
and unequal opportunities for Kosovar
Albanians. This, coupled with nationalistic
policies that broke up Yugoslavia,
culminated in the Kosovo - Serbia war of
1997-1999.
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Page 89
About Republic of Kosovo

Kosovo is a small south east European
state lies between Albania, Macedonia,
Serbia and Montenegro. The capital of
the Republic is Prishtina, a city of around
500000 people. The population of Kosovo
exceeds 2 million.
Kosovo is a democratic, multi-ethnic and
secular Republic that incorporates into its
Constitution the UN Special Envoy, Martti
Ahtisaari, Comprehensive Proposal for
Kosovo Status Settlement. This plan
ensures that the Constitution of the
Republic protects and guarantees rights
for all of Kosovo citizens. The support of
this proposal by Kosovar people shows
readiness to move on, forgive and build.
Kosovo has historically, culturally and
socially been part of Europe. The ancient
kingdoms that stood there were at the
center of European history well over
3,000 years ago.
UNITED NATION APPROVED

NEW DEBATE ON ARM
TREATY OPPOSED BY U.S.
GUN LOBBY
The U.N. General Assembly on 24
December 2012 voted overpoweringly to
restart negotiations on a draft international
treaty to regulate the 70 billion dollar
global trade in conventional arms, a pact
the powerful U.S. National Rifle
Association has been lobbying hard against.
U.N. delegates and gun control activists
have complained that earlier in July 2012

Page 89

talks collapsed largely because U.S.
President Barack Obama feared attacks
from Republican rival Mitt Romney before
the 6 November 2012 election if his
administration was seen as supporting the
pact, charge U.S. officials have denied.
But after Obama's re-election in November
2012, his administration joined other
members of a U.N. committee in supporting
the resumption of negotiations on the
treaty.
There were 133 votes in favour, none
against and 17 abstentions. A number of
countries did not attend, which U.N.
diplomats said was due to the Christmas
Eve holiday.
Among the top six arms-exporting nations,
Russia cast the only abstention in last
month's vote. Britain, France and Germany
joined China and the United States in the
disarmament committee in support of the
same resolution approved by the General
Assembly.
Page 90
About Arms Trade Treaty

The Arms Trade Treaty is the name of a
potential multilateral treaty that would
regulate the international trade in
conventional weapons. The treaty was
negotiated at a global conference under the
support of the United Nations from 2 July 27
July 2012 in New York.
Arms Trade Treaty is part of a larger universal
effort that began in 2001 with the adoption
of a non-legally binding program of action at
the United Nations Conference on the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All
Its Aspects in 2001. This program was
formally called the Programme of Action to
Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in
All Its Aspects (PoA).
The main reason the arms trade talks are

taking place at all is that the United States the world's biggest arms trader, which
accounts for more than 40 percent of global
transfers in conventional arms - reversed
U.S. policy on the issue after Obama was
first elected and decided in 2009 to support
a treaty.
Obama administration officials have tried to
explain to U.S. opponents of the arms trade
pact that the treaty under discussion would
have no effect on gun sales and ownership
inside the United States because it would
apply only to exports.
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INDIA AND RUSSIA SIGNED

PACTS ON ECONOMIC TIES
FOR 2 BILLION DOLLAR
INVESTMENT FUND
India and Russia on 24 December 2012
signed a pact for strengthening their
economic ties with a Kremlin-backed 2
billion dollar investment fund. Both the
parties also agreed to talk about a
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement involving Kazakhastan and
Belarus. During the twelfth straight annual
summit, the leaders of both the nations
Vladimir Putin - President of Russia and
Manmohan Singh - Prime Minister of India
finalised 10 agreements including two
military contracts of 20000 crore rupees,
which was under process for past some
time.

Page 90

The two nations were not successful in
making a substantial progress on issues
related to delay in commissioning of
Gorshkov-the aircraft carrier, applicability
of the Nuclear Limited Liability Act at
Kudankulams six new reactors developed
by Russia. Plans of Sistema and Severstalthe two Russian companies investment
plans in India and the tax imposed on the
Indian company operating in Russia named
Imperial Energy.
Sistema, whose 2G licenses were cancelled
by the Supreme Court of India signed two
agreements in the satellite segment with
India through its sister concern company
named Glonass. India has signed military
side contracts with Glonass - the
constellation of 34 satellites in 2011 for
receiving precision signals.
Both the nations would be extending their
partnership in energy sector moving beyond
the investments made in Sakhalin-I and
direct trade of Gazprom-Gail and are
planning to boost joint investment in
upstream and downstream sectors. India
also managed to discuss on its areas of
interest for equity participation via ONGCOVL in the projects of Siberia, Arctic Shelf
and Far East of Russia either in the existing
ones or the new ones. India also put on
table the interests of acquiring equity
stakes in the proposed liquefied natural gas
(LNG) projects in Russia.
MOSCOW AUTHORITIES
ANNOUNCED DEMOLISHING
ONLY HINDU TEMPLE BY
JANUARY 2013
The only Hindu temple in Russia, ISKCON
was scheduled to be demolished by
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Page 91
Moscow authorities by 15 January 2013.

The ISKCON monks announced that the
Hindu temple was facing closure by Russian
government, a year after the country had
sought ban of Bhagvad Gita.
As Vladimir Putin, the Russian President
arrives in India on 24 December 2012 for
negotiations with the Government of India;
there are hardly any chances that the issue
of ISKCON would be discussed because it
was followed already by foreign ministry.
EUROPEAN UNION IMPOSED

STIFF SANCTIONS ON TRADE
WITH IRAN
European Union (EU) imposed stiff
sanctions on trade with Iran in a move
aimed at further isolating it over the
controversial nuclear program. The fresh
sanctions directed against Iran's banking,
shipping and industrial sectors came into
effect from 22 December 2012.
These are considered to be the toughest EU
measures and include bans on financial
transactions, sales to Iran of shipping
equipment and steel, and imports of Iranian
natural gas in addition to the existing ban
on import of Iranian crude oil.
US HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES PASSED
THE DEFENCE BILL 2013
US
(United
States)
House
of
Representatives on 20 December 2012
passed the Defence Authorization Act of
2013. The bill was passed with a 315-107
vote amid chaos over the fiscal cliff

Page 91

negotiations and the threat of drastic
defense spending cuts.
The Defence Authorization Act of 2013

covers the cost of ships, aircraft,
weapons and military personnel as well
as the war effort in Afghanistan.
It consists of 528 billion dollars for the
Defense Department's base budget, 17
billion dollars for defense and nuclear
programmes in the Energy Department
and 88 billion dollars for the war in
Afghanistan.
The bill tightens sanctions on Iran and
increases security for U.S. diplomatic
missions after the attack on U.S.
Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
It also requests the Pentagon to report
to Congress regarding the conflict in
Syria on possible military options.
DAVID CAMEROON
ANNOUNCED THAT BRITAIN
WOULD PULL HALF OF ITS
TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN
The Prime Minister of Britain, David
Cameroon on 19 December 2012
announced that Britain has planned to
withdraw more than half of its troops back
from Afghanistan by 2013 and all-foreign
forces of the country would be pulled out
by 2014. The Prime Minister informed to
the commons that 3800 troops, who were
deployed at Helmand Province would be
back by end of the year 2013 leaving 5200
troops behind.
PARK GEUN-HYE ELECTED AS

THE FIRST WOMAN
PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA
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Page 92
Park Geun-hye was elected as the

President of South Korea on 19 December
2012, the first woman who acquired this
post. Park Geun-hye is the daughter of
longest ruling dictator of South Korea.
Election of Park Geun-hye, 60, is said to be
the milestone for South Korean society,
which has remained mainly maledominated. Dictator Park Chung-hee, the
father of Park Geun-hye ruled the country
from 1961 to 1979 and left behind political
repression, something that is still dividing
the country.
IRELAND TO LEGALISE
ABORTIONS WHEN THE
MOTHERS LIFE IS AT RISK
Ireland on 18 December 2012 announced
that it will legalise abortions when the
mother's life is at risk, weeks after the
death
of
Indian
dentist
Savita
Halappanavar who died after being refused
an abortion in the European country. The
decision comes after a huge public outcry
over the death of 31-year-old Savita, who
died on 28 October 2012 at Galway
University Hospital. She had been 17-week
pregnant and was found to be miscarrying.
Savita Halappanavar asked repeatedly for a
termination of pregnancy but was refused
and was told the foetal heartbeat was still
present and this is a Catholic country.
WHO APPROVED VACCINE

MANUFACTURING PRACTICES
ADOPTED BY INDIAN
PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANIES

Page 92

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in
December
2012
approved
the
manufacturing practices being adopted by
the
private
vaccine
manufacturing
pharmaceutical companies of India. This
approval
was
given
to
Indian
Pharmaceutical companies after an
intensive four days audit of the vaccine
manufacturing facilities across the country
was concluded by a 16-member multination team that was headed by WHO
officials. The team comprised officials from
China, EU, the US FDA, Thailand, Sweden
and France.
WHO gave its clearance to the

procedures adopted by the Indian
National Regulatory Authority (NRA) or
the Drug Controller Generals Office
(DCGO).
The audit team also cleared that the
procedures adopted by the Central
Drugs Standard Control Organisation
(CDSCO) and institutions affiliated to it
meet the prescribed international
standards
and
the
procedures
inculcated in production were stringent
enough to ensure that the vaccines
produced by Indian companies were
safe, high in quality and efficacious.
With this approval India became the first

country in 2012 to pass the stringent levels
of seven indicators that is put forward by
the WHO that is made much more stringent
every time conducted by a team of 12
international experts headed by a member
of WHO.
Page 93
In case of measles every second child of

the world is vaccinated using the
vaccine produced in India.
At present India manufactures 30
different types of vaccines that include
Hepatitis, measles and polio.
This approval from WHO had made the
12 manufacturing units of India eligible
for supplying the vaccines to
international bodies like UNICEF, WHO,
World Bank, Gates Foundation, Clinton
Foundation, and GAVI.
UK PLANNED TO REPLACE
PAPER MONEY WITH PLASTIC
BANKNOTES
Britain planned to replace the paper money
with plastic banknotes, which are said to be
more durable as well as waterproof.
Another advantage of these plastic
banknotes is that they are difficult to be
forged. Paper money has been used in
Britain for over 300 years. The radical
renovation in Britain might see polymer
sterling currency in circulation in just three
years time.
However, the cost of producing these notes
is a bit higher than the paper currency. Also,
the initial cost needs to be invested so that
the vending machines as well as ATMs can
adapt to them.
India at present is a major vaccine

producing country with 12 major vaccine
manufacturing facilities and the vaccines
formulated and manufactured in India are
used in national and international markets
of nearly 150 countries of the world.
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Page 93

Why plastic notes can be beneficial than
Paper Currency?
Plastic notes are more durable than the
paper notes.
Also, these polymer notes prove to be
more hygienic because they attract fewer
bacteria and do not form crease or tear.
Apart from being waterproof, the plastic
notes are also easier to be used for
vending machines.
The primary feature of plastic notes is
that they offer clear window which also
contains optical variable device through
which light can be split easily into the
component colours. This makes it very
difficult for anyone to counterfeit the
currency.
These notes are eco-friendly as well as
recyclable.
GLOBAL TELECOM TREATY

WITHOUT NET CONTROL
SIGNED BY EIGHTY NINE
NATIONS
A controversial New Global Treaty on
Telecom Regulations was signed on 14
December 2012 by 89 International
Telecommunication Union member states
out of a possible 144 Countries regardless
of US objections to prospective regulation
of the Internet.
Over 150 nations met in Dubai, under the
support
of
the
International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) to update
a set of telecom rules of 1988, before the
Internet and mobile phones transformed
communications. But they failed to draw a
conclusion which will lead to a new fight
over cyberspace.
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Page 94
Fifty-five countries did not sign the treaty

that enters into effect in January 2015. A
US-led bloc advocated a tolerant approach
to the Internet, while Russia, China and
much of Africa and the Middle East wanted
greater
governmental
oversight
of
cyberspace.
The treaty that is the first update to the
International
Telecommunication
Regulations (ITRs) agreed in 1988,
stimulated
controversy
as
Internet
operators, activists and countries led by the
United States objected to reference to the
Internet deemed to be paving the way for
government control.
The United States on 13 December 2012
opposed the treaty saying that the
proposed text opened the door to
government regulation of the Internet.
As per the treaty, the non-binding
resolution on the Internet recognises,
among other things, that all governments
should have an equal role and responsibility
for international Internet governance and
for ensuring the stability, security and
continuity of the existing Internet and its
future development and of the future
Internet.
As in a previous version, the International
Telecom Regulations spell out guidelines on
technical issues such as how carriers charge
each other for incoming international
phone calls, as well as taxation and
accounting.
Countries that sign the treaty are supposed
to be guided by its principles, although
these have no force of law.

Page 94
Page 95
VINOD RAI RE-ELECTED AS

CHAIRMAN OF UN PANEL OF
EXTERNAL AUDITORS
New York held discussions about the

business transformations, which were at
present underway in United Nations with
secretary general.
United Nations gave Vinod Rai, the

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of
India a second term as the designation of
chairman of UN Panel of External Auditors
for 2013. CAG of the UK, Amyas Morse was
re-elected as the vice-chairman.
MALDIVES TOOK OVER

CHARGE OF MALE AIRPORT
SCRAPPING AGREEMENT
WITH GMR
Panel of the United Nations is the deciding

body of the course as well as subject of
audit of the different UN organisations
which also include International Atomic
Energy Agency.
The UN Panel of External Auditors for 2013
includes apex auditors of various countries
such as Switzerland, Tanzaniam, Canada,
China, India, Italy, Philippines, UK, France
and Pakistan as the members.
Composition of UN Panel of External
Auditors
UN Panel of External Auditors comprises of
Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), which
are always engaged in auditing the United
Nations as well as the specialised agencies
and International Atomic Energy Agency.
Role of UN Panel of External Auditors
The UN Panel of External Auditors has a
crucial role to play in promotion of
accountability as well as strengthening of
the governance mechanisms in various
organisations of UN. The Secretary General
of UN, Ban-ki-Moon appreciated this panel
of the auditors which was headed by Vinod
Rai.
In the meeting held on 11 December 2012,
the panel of auditors at UN headquarters in
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Maldives took charge of Male airport from

GMR. Maldives government had scrapped
the agreement with GMR on first December
2012, saying that the agreement was not in
the interest of the country. Singapore
Supreme Court had upheld the right of
Maldives to terminate the 25 year contract.
CHINA HELD LARGEST AIR

FORCE DRILL INVOLVING 100
FIGHTER PLANES
China held one of its largest- ever Air Force
drill involving about 100 multi-types fighter
planes, amid heightened tensions with
Japan over territorial dispute in the East
China Sea.
The air combat exercises were held under
information conditions at an airport in
Southwest China for 11 days in the month
of November 2012, which involved over 100
fighters of over 10 different types and
support staff.
Aircrafts, which took part in the drill came
from 14 separate units and included Chinas
most modern jet fighters, the J-10 and J-11,
along with older models and two-seater
Sukhoi Su-30s which was purchased from
Russia.

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Chinas navy also for the first time launched
and recovered aircraft from the countrys
first aircraft carrier, a refurbished Ukrainian
craft that will be armed with J-15 fighterbombers, a Chinese adaptation of the
Russian Sukhoi Su-33.
IRAN DECLARED EXTRACTING

COMPLETE DATA FROM THE
CAPTURED US DRONE
Iran declared on 5 December 2012 that it
had extracted data from the US intelligence
drone, which was caught spying on its
Military Sites as well as Oil Terminals. Iran
had declared on 4 December 2012 that the
US Spying Drone was captured.
Iran had announced that it had captured
the US ScanEagle drone, which was found
flying over the Gulf waters. The Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared
that they had extracted the information
from the drone completely. IRGC further
also mentioned that this drone was spying
and gathering the military information on
transfer of oil from the petroleum terminals
of Iran. The primary expert terminal of Iran
is located at Kharg Island.
UN (UNITED NATIONS) PANEL

PASSED N KOREA
RESOLUTION BY CONSENSUS
The Social, Humanitarian Cultural Affairs
Committee (Commonly referred as third
committee of the UN General assembly) of
United Nations on 27 November 2012,
overseeing
human
rights
issues,
unanimously passed a resolution on North
Korea. The committee asked North Korea to
solve the abduction issue and address
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human rights abuses. The resolution came

before the Third Committee of the General
Assembly for the eighth year in a row, but
the first time no vote was taken.
EUROZONE, INTERNATIONAL
MONETARY FUND AGREED TO
NEW GREEK DEBT DEAL
Eurozone Finance Ministers signed a deal
on 27 November 2012 with International
Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce over 40
billion Euros or 52 billion US Dollar massive
debt burden of Greece by 2020, thus
freeing long-blocked loans. The decision
would help in reducing the lack of
confidence in Europe as well as Greece,
thus strengthening buoyancy in the
economy.
Eurozone Nations
Eurozone is also known as the Euro Area. It is
the EMU or Economic and Monetary Union of
total 17 European Union (EU) states which
have mutually agreed to espouse Euro as the
common currency as well as legal tender. The
nations which come under Eurozone include
Greece, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, France,
Germany, Cyprus, Estonia, Luxembourg, Malta,
Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Slovakia, Spain and Italy.
INDIA VOTED AGAINST UN

GENERAL ASSEMBLYS
RESOLUTION TO BAN DEATH
PENALTIES
India was one among the 39 countries that
voted in November 2012 against the nonbinding draft resolution of UN General

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Assembly that proposed for putting an end
to death penalty. India voted on the
grounds that each and every nation has its
own sovereign right in order to determine
the legal system. 110 nations voted in the
favour, while 36 members withdrew.
The non-binding UN resolution called for
suspension on the capital punishment with
a view to put an end to the death penalty.
This was adopted at Third Committee of
the General Assembly on 20 November
2012 along with the deals with
humanitarian as well as social issues.
The resolution called the nations to
gradually hamper the use of death penalty
and not to impose them for offences, which
are committed by pregnant women or
people below 18 years of age. The nations
were also called to decrease the offences
for which capital punishment is imposed.
In the explanation of the non-agreeing vote,
India said that every state has its
autonomous right for determination of the
legal system. Apart from India, other
nations that voted against the resolution
include China, Korea, Bangladesh, Japan,
Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Kuwait and US.
Over 2/3rd countries of the world have
completely abolished death penalty. 97
countries of the world have abolished
death penalty for all the crimes.
DEATH OF SAVITA
HALAPPANAVAR IGNITED
STRONG REACTIONS FOR
CHANGE IN IRISH ABORTION
LAW
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Indian origin dentist Savita Halappanavar

died in Ireland on 28 October 2012 at the
University College Hospital Galway after the
doctors refused her abortion despite hers
body being sick and weak due to 17 weeks
of pregnancy. The doctors had refused her
abortion on the basis of catholic tenets.
Eventually it led to septicemia or blood
poisoning that led to her death.Savita
suffered miscarriage, when she went to
University College Hospital Galway; and was
refused abortion saying that there was still
the fetal heartbeat.
The Irish Law on Abortion
Under the Offences against the Person Act
1861, abortion in Ireland has been made as a
criminal offense. The laws that govern
abortion are under section 58 and 59 of
Offences against the Person Act 1861.
However a person is free to travel to another
state to abort the unborn child in case there
is harm to the life of a mother. Abortions
abroad are also subject to stern conditions.
Abortion laws in India
As per the laws in India, abortion can only
be performed by the qualified physician
under stipulated conditions. These laws are
categorized under Medical Termination of
Pregnancy (MTP) Act that was enacted in
1971 by Indian Parliament. MTP was
effective from 1972 and was amended once
in 1975. The act clearly states conditions
under which termination of pregnancy is
possible and this includes performing
abortion on women if life is endangered
due to pregnancy. Sex-selective abortions
where males are favoured is illegal.
US LIFTED THE BAN IMPOSED

ON IMPORTS FROM
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hydraulic fracturing of underground shale

formations.
MYANMAR, BEFORE
PRESIDENT OBAMAS VISIT TO
THE NATI
The decade old ban on most of the imports
from Myanmar in the third week of
November was scrapped by the United
States. The step of scrapping the ban on
import of most of the products from
Myanmar came ahead of the landmark visit
of the U.S. President Barack Obama
scheduled on 20 November 2012 to the
long isolated nation. With this visit to
Myanmar, Obama would turn-up to be the
first sitting President of U.S. to visit the
country.
The ban would still be in existence, on the
import of Gems from the country as gems
remained a cause for the long race of
violence and corruption in Myanmar.
Before this step of U.S. nations like Canada,
Australia and the European Union had
already suspended virtually all types of
sanctions from Myanmar. Japan has
forgiven a 3.8 billion dollar debt waiver on
the country.
IEA: US WOULD BECOME

WORLDS LARGEST OIL
PRODUCER BY 2017
The International Energy Agency (IEA) in
the second week of November 2012
announced that United States would
takeover Saudi Arabia as worlds biggest oil
producing nation by 2017. The forecast
came up by the Paris based energy agency
because U.S. has been drilling more crude
oil by using the technology based on
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This drilling activity would make U.S. in

times to come as an economy that is selfsufficient in terms of energy within next five
years, but down the line by 2023. North
America would become a net oil exporter in
the world. This forecast from the
International Energy Agency is a change on
its previous prediction in which the agency
stated that Saudis would be the worlds
leader in oil production up to 2035. At
present U.S. imports about 20 percent of
oil to meet its energy needs.
NEPAL ELECTED AS A BOARD

MEMBER OF THE ECOSOC
Nepal was elected on 8 November 2012 as
a board member of the United Nations
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for
a three year term starting from January
2013. Nepal along with seventeen other
countries was elected as board members.
Nepal was elected with 131 votes out of the
total 194 in the UN General Assembly.
The fifty-four member ESOSOC is one of the
principal organs of the UN which
coordinates the economic, social and
related work of the UN and its specialized
agencies and institutions.
THE REVIEW MEETING OF THE

E-9 COUNTRIES CONCLUDED
IN NEW DELHI
The three-day review meeting of Ministers
of Education and heads of delegation of the
E-9 countries comprising India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, China, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia,
Nigeria and Mexico ended in New Delhi on

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10 November 2012 with the adoption of the
New Delhi Commitment.
The E-9 nations decided to expand

their cooperation in Inclusive,
Relevant Quality Education for All.
It took stock of the progress towards
the Education for All goals and to
renew cooperation in consolidating
the gains and addressing remaining
challenges.
The member-states re-affirmed the
central role of education in all
development endeavours and in
promoting peace and social
cohesion.
They recognised relevance and
equity as key dimensions of quality
in their future efforts and resolved
to address the same by making their
education systems more flexible and
responsive.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
AGENCY (CIA) DIRECTOR
DAVID PETRAEUS RESIGNED
CIA Director David Petraeus on 9
November 2012 resigned as head of the
leading US Spy Agency, shocking the
intelligence community.
His resignation came on his personal choice
after he had engaged in an extramarital
affair and acknowledged that he showed
extremely poor judgment.
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS
WOULD TEACH HINDI
Australia on 28 October 2012 revealed that
the country was planning to include Hindi
and Mandarin as languages to be taught in
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its schools. This was a step forward to be

taken by the county to establish deeper and
strengthened links with India and other
nations with booming economies, of the
world.
Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard
announced the plans of the nation at the
release ceremony of the sweeping policy
blueprint with its title Asian Century White
Paper. The white paper was released with
an aim of link maximisation with Asia; this
would help Australia to be among the top
10 most powerful economies of the world
by 2025.
JAPAN LIFTED TRAVEL

ADVISORY ON JAMMU AND
KASHMIR
Japan in October 2012 in a step to
testimony the fact that security situation in
Jammu and Kashmir is improved; relaxed
the travel restriction to the state for its
nationals. The move to ease restrictions is
valid for Srinagar and adjoining areas like
Gulmarg.
With lifting of Travel Advisory Japan

became the second country among
G8 nations to take this step.
Earlier Germany in July 2011 had
relaxed travel restriction to Jammu
and Kashmir for its National.
The decision of lifting travel advisory came

after the Japanese embassy officials met
the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT
AND FARC LAUNCHED PEACE
TALK
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Government of Colombia and Leftist FARC
Rebels formally launched peace talks in
Norway on 17 October 2012 which aimed at
ending nearly five decades of conflict that
has claimed an estimated 600000 lives.
The peace talk was officially launched by
Government and the rebels in a hotel in
Hurdal, a small town in North of Oslo.
The core area of discussion focused on five
main areas
Land reforms
The rebels' future role in political
life,
A definitive end of hostilities
Fighting the illegal drug trade and
The situation of the victims
FARC is Latin America's largest rebel group,

founded in 1964 with 9,200 armed fighters
is known by Revolutionary Armed Forces
of Colombia. In the past several years FARC
suffered the capture and killings of some of
its top leaders, and its rank had been
depleted to half of Militants what they were
at their peak in the 1990s.
It was also earlier found that Colombias
leftist FARC rebels smuggle U.S.-bound
cocaine via Venezuela, Panama and the
Pacific. The FARC is on both the U.S. and EU
lists of terrorist groups. Drug trafficking,
extortion and kidnapping-for-ransom are
the FARCs main means of financing its
operations.
ISRAELI AUTHORITIES
RELEASED RED LINE REPORT
FOR GAZA STRIP
The Israeli Authority on 18 October 2012
released documents describing the red line
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100
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for minimum food needs of people at Gaza

Strip to avoid, the issue of Malnutrition.
Referring to the Defence Ministry
documents dated 2008 obtained under
Freedom of Information, an Israeli NGO,
Gisha that campaigns for the cause of
Palestinian Freedom of Movement and
Trade stated that 2279 calorie per person
per day was sufficient to avoid malnutrition
on the Gaza strip.
A blockade was imposed by Israel in June
2006 after a militant snatched one of its
soldiers and tightened it in September 2007
after seizure of the Islamists Hamas
Movement and the soldiers of the Western
Backed President Mahmud Abbas were sent
on exile.
Gisha report also cleared that this was an
official goal of this barrier lied behind the
economic warfare policy of creating a
paralysis in Gazas economy to create
pressure on the Hamas Government. It was
officially cleared by the COGAT Defence
Ministry Department spokesperson that the
report entitling - Food Consumption in the
Gaza Strip - Red Lines was never
implemented to set the levels of food that
was allowed to people in Gaza as it was just
a draft.
By 2010 restrictions in Gaza was eased
followed by the international outcry of
killing of nine Turkish nationals by Israel
during a navy raid on a ship in a trial to
break the blockage.
The Red Lines File was made available to
Gisha after fighting and three-and-a-half
year legal battle and the documents of the
file mentioned in its recommendations that
a minimum of 106 food trucks per working
day was to be sent in the Gaza strip,

whereas sending of 67 trucks on an average
remained in practice.
FIVE NEW NON-PERMANENT

MEMBER COUNTRIES
ELECTED TO UN SECURITY
COUNCIL
The UN General Assembly on 18 October
2012 elected five new non-permanent
members to the Security Council. The New
Members are South Korea, Luxembourg,
Argentina, Australia and Rwanda.
The newly elected member countries are
going to serve a two-year term in the
powerful UN body that will begin on 1
January 2013.
The country of Republic of Korea and
Luxembourg were elected to a two-year
term in the UN Security Council in the
second round of voting. Argentina, Australia
and Rwanda were elected earlier to serve as
new non-permanent members of the
powerful UN body.
The five new members are going to replace
Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and
South Africa, whose term ends on 31
December 2012.
Under the UN Charter, the 15-member
Security Council has the primary
responsibility for the maintenance of
international peace and security.
To be elected to the UN Security Council, a
country must win support from two thirds
of the General Assembly members, or 129
votes.
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SOUTH ASIAN UNIVERSITY

MADE INTRODUCTION TO
SOUTH ASIA A COMPULSORY
SUBJECT
South Asian University (SAU) made
Introduction to South Asia a compulsory
course for every student in the University.
The University made it mandatory to pass
this non-credit course for gaining a degree
from the University. The decision came
during the second meet of the Universitys
Academic Council in October 2012.
The taken step will help the students taking
admissions in the University from different
South Asian Nations to know some facts
and relevant importance of the region. A
PhD program will also be launched by the
University in the next academic year. The
University also declared that it would also
institute Gold Medal by the name of the
University for all the eight different PostGraduate Programmes that it offers at
present. These medals will be awarded to
one student from each section at the end of
the program after reviewing their academic
record and achievement.
UK AND SCOTLAND SIGNED

AN AGREEMENT TO HOLD A
REFERENDUM ON SCOTTISH
INDEPENDENCE
UK and Scotland signed an agreement on 15
October 2012 to hold a referendum in 2014
on Scottish Independence.
The referendum agreement has

been signed following talks in
Edinburgh
between
David
Cameron, UK Prime Minister and

Alex Salmond, who leads the proindependence Scottish National
Party.
The referendum could lead to the
United Kingdom breaking up after
300 years, leaving only England,
Wales and Northern Ireland in the
Union.
The British Government wants Scotland to

stay in its political union with England. The
Scottish Government led by Alex Salmond
favours independence. After months of
negotiations, the deal is expected to give
Scotland's Administration, the power to
hold a vote in the final quarter of 2014,
which will offer Scotland a choice on leaving
the United Kingdom.
UN WARNED OF PRICE HIKE

IN FOOD PRODUCTS AND A
DECLINE IN GLOBAL CEREAL
PRODUCTION
United Nations on 4 October 2012 issued a
warning of price rise for meat and dairy
products in response to the extreme
weather conditions suffered by Europe and
associated centers of food production. Food
and Agricultural Organization (FAO) with
its headquarters in Rome indicated that the
global wheat production saw an expected
fall of 5.2 percent and other crops meant
for feeding the animals could drop down by
10 percent in the year 2012 to that on the
available data of year 2011.
With rise in density of population there has
been a fall in the production to manage the
demand of consumption and this is a reason
that products like wheat have seen 25
percent growth in the price in the year
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102
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2012. Whereas, Maize and dairy products

have witnessed a price hike of 13 and 7
percent within a months time, respectively.
The world at present is facing tight
conditions in food supply because of
decreased cereal production and decline in
world reserves. This has turned up to be a
reason for hike in prices across the world.
This price hike is the reason for decline in
demand of these products.
Maplecroft, the Risk Analysis Company has
brought forward the data of identified
countries that are the suspects of societal
unrest and famine, which may steam up the
food storage and price fluctuations. These
countries have been divided into two
categories of Extreme Risk and High Risk
Zones.
Countries listed in the group of High Risk
include Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South
Sudan and Somalia. The countries named in
the list of High Risk include India, Pakistan,
Yemen, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. US that is
the worlds largest grower and exporter of
grain (includes Wheat, Maize and Barley) is
also expected to be effected by the harsh
weather conditions.
ARABIC MADE ITS DEBUT AS

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE AT
VATICAN
Arabic on 10 October 2012 made its official
debut among one of the Languages at Pope
Benedicts weekly general audiences. This is
an exercise and attempt of Vatican to
expand its reach to Christians and Muslims
in Middle East.
This came out of the growing concerns of
the Vatican in relation to the mass
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departure of the Christians from Middle

East fearing to their safety over there. The
community that comprised about 20
percent of the total population a century
ago has fallen down to a percentage level of
five. Some of the estimates also states that
the 12 million of Christians leaving in
Middle East may drop down to its half by
2020.
the Chief Criminal Judge. This is a case that

is related to his order of dispatching the
military for arresting the senior judge. This
action led to his resignation after viewing
protests.
The Priest, while addressing thousands of

people at St. Peter's Square, read the
summary of popes Italian language weekly
address in Arabic for the very first time in
the history along with other briefs in
different languages including English,
Polish, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovak,
German, Czech, Russian and Hungarian.
Japan launched a new Nuclear Safety

Agency on 18 September 2012. The
formation of this five-member Nuclear
Regulation Authority was done after the
country was hit by Tsunami in the year 2011
resulting in major breakdown and leakage
of the Nuclear Power Plants in the tsunamistricken-area of Fukushima Dai-Ichi Plant.
Headed by the nuclear Physicist, Shunichi
Tanaka, this agency is responsible for
reviewing of the nuclear policies of the
country.
On occasion of the 50th anniversary of the

second Vatican Council, Pope for the first
time addressed people in Arabic.
MALDIVIAN COURT ISSUED

AN ARREST WARRANT
AGAINST EX-PRESIDENT
MOHAMED NASHEED
An arrest warrant was issued by the
Maldivian Court on 7 October 2012 against
Mohamed
Nasheed
countrys
first
democratically elected President. The
warrant was issued in reference to
Nasheeds questioning the authority of the
special court for initiating a trail against him
for the alleged charges of power abuse,
when he was in the office.
Ordering the police to produce the former
President in the court, the Magistrate Court
of Hulhumale also asked the police to keep
Nasheed in Custody to face the charges of
arresting and detaining Abdulla Mohamed,
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NEW NUCLEAR SAFETY

AGENCY LAUNCHED IN JAPAN
Before the incident, Japan relied on nuclear

power for at least one-third of its energy
requirements but now its planning to
increase it to a level of 50 percent of its
total energy requirements. The framed
policies framed aims to phase out the issues
related to nuclear power of the country for
next three decades.
INDIA TOPPED THE CHART OF

REGISTERED LARGEST
NUMBER OF UNDER FIVE
DEATHS IN 2011
In the Child Mortality Estimates Report
2012 published on 12 September 2012, by
United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF),
India was placed at the top position in the
chart of 10 countries that topped on the
chart. The other countries with their names

on the chart are Nigeria, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, China, Pakistan,
Indonesia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and
Afghanistan.
As per the report, Nigeria, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, China, Pakistan along
with India are the countries with more
than fifty percent of the total deaths. The
countries with worlds lowest mortality rate
are Singapore, the Nordic Countries, Japan
and some of the European Countries. But
the good news of the report is the decrease
in the number of the under five mortality to
6.9 million from that if the 12 million in
1990. This fall measures to 51 per thousand
in 2011 from that of 87 per thousand in
1990.
Identified cause for the Mortality Are
14 percent due to pre-term birth
complications
18 percent due to Pneumonia
11 percent due to Diarrhea
9 percent due to Intrapartum
related complications
7 percent of the total deaths happen
The report also cleared that approx 40
percent of the total deaths were reported
within 28 days (neonatal period) of birth
which counts to be three million deaths in
total.
Page 104
Mohammed, attacked Consulate building in

Benghazi city of Libya.
The said event happened on the day which
is also marked as the 11th anniversary of
9/11.
The US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens
was the man who had helped Libyan
opposition to overthrow the Gaddafi
regime.
The protest came after 14 minute trailer of
the film posted on You Tube. The film
named as Innocence of Muslims, was
directed and produced by an IsraeliAmerican real estate developer. It depicts
the Prophet in poor light.
In response to the incident, US President
Barack Obama ordered increased security
for US diplomatic posts across the world
and in his White House appearance he
declared that the U.S. would "work with the
Libyan government to bring to justice those
who killed Ambassador Chris Stevens.
Chris Stevens is the second U.S. ambassador
who had been killed during an outstation
posting since the death of Adolph Dubs in
1979 during his tenure in Afghanistan.
US DIPLOMAT TO LIBYA
KILLED IN BENGHAZI ATTACK
INDIA, MYANMAR AND

THAILAND DECIDED TO
IMPLEMENT TRILATERAL
CONNECTIVITY PROJECT BY
2016
United States Ambassador to Libya, Chris

Stevens with three other embassy staff
were killed on 9 September 2012 after
some fundamentalist mobs fumed and
protesting over a film mocking Prophet
India, Myanmar and Thailand on 10

September 2012 reviewed the eagerly
awaited trilateral connectivity project and
decided to make all efforts to implement
this by 2016. This was done at the meeting
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104

of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Joint Task
Force, which met in New Delhi.
It was also agreed during the meeting that
steps be initiated to address issues related
to harmonisation of customs and
immigration procedures at border checkposts to enable seamless movement of
goods and people to realise the full
potential of the trilateral highway.
US UPLIFTED TERRORIST
DESIGNATION FROM NEPALI
MAOISTS
The title of terrorists assigned to
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) by
United States has been uplifted on 6
September 2012. Maoist part was Specially
Designated with the title of Terrorist Entity
under Executive Order 13224. US also
withdrew its status as terrorist organisation
from the Terrorist Exclusion List (TEL) under
the Immigration and Nationality Act. This
decision came in favor of the party after six
years long wait, since the time it signed
peace treaty to make its entry to open
politics.
US declared its decision on the day, when
final phase of rehabilitation and integration
process of former Maoists combatants
started. The state department stated that
the party is no longer involved in the
activities that threaten the security of U.S.
Foreign Policy and its nationals and now
they are directly involved in governance of
the Nation.
SIXTH MEKONGGANGA
COOPERATION MEETING
HELD IN NEW DELHI
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MekongGanga sixth Cooperation meet

was held in New Delhi on 3-4 September
2012. Senior officials meeting were held on
September 3 whereas the Foreign Ministers
meet was held on September 4 2012.
The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC)
was established on November 10, 2000 in
Vientiane, Lao Peoples Democratic
Republic with a purpose of cooperation
amongst India and the five Mekong region
countries - Cambodia, Lao Peoples
Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Vietnam
and Thailand.
It was basically established to emphasize on
four areas of cooperation, tourism, culture,
education, and transportation linkage, in
order to build strong foundation for future
trade and investment cooperation among
the region.
This is the first time that the Mekong
Ganga Cooperation meeting was hosted by
India. India had earlier chaired the 5th MGC
Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the
ASEAN-India Meetings.
Five
Mekong
Ganga
Cooperation
ministerial meetings has held so far
In
Vientiane,
Lao
Peoples
Democratic Republic on November
10, 2000
In Hanoi, Vietnam on July 28, 2001
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia June 20,
2003
In Cebu, Philippines on January 12,
2007
In Manila, Philippines on August 1,
2007
THE 16TH NAM (NONALIGNED MOVEMENT)
Page
105
SUMMIT WAS HELD IN

TEHRAN
India's stance at Tehran Summit
The 16th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement)

summit was held at Tehran, Iran on 30-31
August 2012. The theme of the summit was
Lasting Peace through Joint Global
Governance.
At the Tehran Summit, the

Chairmanship of NAM was passed
on from Egypt to Iran in accordance
with the NAMs practice of regional
rotation.
The NAM meeting in Tehran was held in

three phases: Preparatory Senior Officials
Meeting on 26-27 August, Ministerial Level
Meeting on 28-29 August and the Summit
on 30-31 August.
At the end of the summit, the outcome
documents were adopted which put
emphasis on peace. Participants called for
fundamental changes in global governance
and collective management of the world as
the precondition of establishing peace, and
all of them expressed the call for avoiding
conflicts in the world.
Venezuela was selected the host for

the 17th NAM Summit in 2015
Two nations, namely Azerbaijan
Republic and Fiji, were accepted as
the new members of the
organization.
The NAM was founded in the former

Yugoslavia in 1961. It represents almost
two-thirds of the UN members and about
55 percent of the world population.
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106
India expressed support for popular

aspirations for a democratic order in Syria
while
cautioning
against
external
intervention. India urged NAM to take a clear
stand on Syria.
US IMPOSED FRESH
SANCTIONS ON BELLIGERENT
IRAN
In pursuit of its goal to debilitate Irans oil
exporting economy, the US Government on
2 August 2012 announced to impose some
fresh sanctions on Iran. Sanctions, imposed
under Comprehensive Iran Sanctions,
Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010
(CISADA), put punitive regulation on those
who continued to maintain ties with Iran.
Under the sanction Bank of Kunlun in China
and Elaf Islamic Bank in Iraq faced cut off
from transactions with US Institutions. The
two banks were punished for facilitating
transactions worth millions of dollars on
behalf of sanctioned Iranian banks. The new
sanctions categorically target the Iranian
energy and petrochemical sectors.
The sanctions are aimed at preventing Iran
from establishing payment mechanisms for
the purchase of Iranian oil to circumvent
existing sanctions, and utilises the existing
structure of our sanctions law, including
exceptions for significant reductions in the
purchase of Iranian oil.
Earlier this year India, China and a host of
other nations had opposed US dictate to
cut down their oil imports from Iran. US and
European Union have come down heavily
on Irans nuclear programme seeking all

possible diplomatic methods to stop the
belligerent nation to carry on its nuclear
programme. Though the heavy sanctions
imposed by the US and EU over Iran have
not yielded them the desired result as Iran
has thus far not gave up its plan to build
nuclear armaments.
US SENATE PASSED BILL TO

LABEL HAQQANI NETWORK
AS A FOREIGN TERRORIST
ORGANISATION
The US Senate on 27 July 2012 unanimously
passed a resolution to label the Haqqani
Network as a foreign terrorist group. The
resolution came following the US House of
Representatives passed Haqqani Network
Terrorist Designation Act of 2012 early July
2012.
The bill was already passed in 2011 but had
to be passed by the Senate again given the
changes made in it by the House. As the
final step to become legislation, the bill now
moves to the White House for the approval
of President Barack Obama.
What is Haqqani Network?
The Haqqani Network is a group of Islamic
fanatics which have been fighting against
US-led NATO forces and the government of
Afghanistan to reacquire control over the
trouble-torn nation. The insurgent group,
which came into existence in mid 1970s,
was largely used by the US as a tool against
Soviet Russia during the cold war days.
Haqqani Network is widely believed to have
the support of Pakistani administration as
well as the ISI, Pakistan's top spy agency.
The Network is led by Maulvi Jalaluddin
Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin Haqqani.
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The group, which believed to have its base

in
Pakistan,
operates
across
the
Afghanistan- Pakistan border. The dreaded
terror group consistently remains one of
the most formidable threats to the US led
NATO forces and the Afghan Government
given its striking capabilities and the
influence it enjoys among the conservative
Islamic groups existing across the border.
The network has drawn extreme reactions
from the leaders in US and western
countries, which consider it as the most
resilient enemy network.
Haqqani Networks alleged link with Taliban
militants has added to the anxiety of US
administration which wants the group to be
banned immediately. To fund its terror
operations the group relies on the
extortion, kidnapping and smuggling.
SPICE JET TO LAUNCH

FLIGHTS TO GUANGZHOU IN
SOUTH CHINA
SpiceJet decided to launch its flights to
Guangzhou in the first week of February
2013. With this launch, the low-cost carrier,
SpiceJet will become the only Indian private
airline to fly China. It has decided to launch
the four weekly flights starting from New
Delhi to Guangzhou.
The duration of the flight will be 4 hours
and 35 minutes with the Boeing 737
aircraft.
As of now, Shanghai remains the only
southern mainland city which is connected
to India via airlines such as Air China and Air
India.
With the launch of this flight, SpiceJet looks
towards targeting the business community.

It will also direct its attention towards the
southern part of the country. Furthermore,
SpiceJet has plans to launch its flights to
other Chinese cities such as Macau, Zhuhai
and Hong Kong.
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CHINA INAUGURATED
WORLDS LONGEST HIGHSPEED RAIL ROUTE LINKING
BEIJING WITH GUANGZHOU
First Indian carrier flying to China

Jet Airways was the first Indian carrier that
flew to China. It launched flight from
Mumbai to Shanghai and thereafter
towards San Francisco in 2008. However,
the flight was later discontinued.
SOUTH AFRICAN
GOVERNMENT ROLLED OUT
NELSON MANDELA BANK
NOTES
The South African Reserve Bank on 6
November 2012 rolled out new bank notes
bearing the face of the countrys first black
President Nelson Mandela marking it as a
tribute to him.
The Note issued by the South African
Reserve Bank, displayed the 94-year-old
anti-apartheid icons smiling face.
Also, the earlier images of one of the five
big animals featured on the old bank notes
lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant
will be retained on the reverse of the
note.
Nelson Mandela is currently living out his
retirement in his childhood rural village of
Qunu in the Eastern Cape Province.
Nelson Mandela held office between 1994
and 1999 and he is the first black face to
appear on South African Currency.
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China on 26 December 2012 inaugurated

world's longest high-speed rail route linking
its capital Beijing with the southern
metropolis of Guangzhou, covering a
distance of 2298 kms. It runs at an average
speed of 300 km per hour and it will save
nearly 12 hours by bringing down the travel
time between Beijing and Guangzhou from
more than 20 hours to around eight. The
route connects five provinces and has 35
stops in major cities, including Shijiazhuang,
Zhengzhou, Wuhan and Changsha.
With the opening of the Beijing-Guangzhou
high-speed railroad, China now has a
network of more than 9300 km of operating
high-speed railways. This is the longest high
speed network China launched after the
Beijing-Shanghai Bullet train in 2010, which
brought down travel time to around five
hours, covering over 1300 km distance
between two of China's largest cities.
The new train covers Beijing with China's
most industrialised province Guangdong
where most developed cities like
Guangzhou close to Hong Kong and Maccau
are located. The line is expected to be
extended to Hong Kong by 2015.
PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA
VLADMIR PUTIN VISITED
INDIA TO ATTEND 13TH
INDIA-RUSSIA ANNUAL
SUMMIT

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the President
of Russia visited India on 24 December
2012 at the Invitation of Manmohan Singh,
the Prime Minister of India to attend 13th
India-Russia Annual Summit. During the
visit the Russian President met the Prime
Minister of India - Manmohan Singh and the
President of India Pranab Mukherjee.
During this visit of President Vladimir Putin
and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
reviewed the progress made in all the
important areas of mutual cooperation,
comprising sectors like energy, trade, high
technology
and
military-technical
cooperation. Both these leaders discussed
on extending the special and privileged
strategic partnership between the two
countries.
Some of the issues of discussion were
Promoting Trade and Investment
Deepening Energy Partnership
Science and Technology Cooperation
Education
Cultural
and
Humanitarian
Exchanges
Promoting Ties in Space
Stepping Up Military-Technical
Cooperation
Coordination on International and
Regional Issues
Combating Terrorism
Supporting Disarmament and NonProliferation Efforts
Promoting Cooperation among
Emerging Economies
Situation in Syria
Stabilizing the Afghan Situation
Iran's Nuclear Programme
Recovery and Strengthening of
Global Economy, Reforming the
International Financial Architecture
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Environment/Sustainable
Development
SHINZO ABE ELECTED AS

PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN
BY LOWER HOUSE OF THE
PARLIAMENT
Shinzo Abe, the conservative leader of
Japan was elected as the prime minister of
the country by lower house of the
Parliament
called
the
House
of
Representatives, on 26 December 2012.
Shinzo Abe took oath to rebuild Japanese
economy as well as mend the coalition with
US.
The lower house of the parliament in Japan,
which is said to be very powerful, picked
58-year old Shinzo Abe as the new leader of
the country. All this came after the loud
victory of Liberal Democratic Party which is
headed by Abe, in national election earlier
in December 2012. The Liberal Democratic
Party had won over Democratic Party of
Japan (DPJ).
The lawmakers in Japan voted in favour of
Abe by 328 votes. Opponent Banri Kaieda,
the newly chosen leader of DPJ received
merely 57 votes.
As the seventh prime minister of Japan in
not even 7 years, Abe replaced Yoshihiko
Noda, who belonged to DPJ and whose
party suffered deep defeat at the elections.
DPJ had come into power in 2009 and it lost
on grounds of failing policies as well as
mishandling of atomic disaster at
Fukushima in 2011.
The cabinet of Yoshihiko Noda resigned as
a whole before LDP-powered lower house

of the Parliament named Abe as the next
Prime Minister.
Abe had initially served as the Prime
Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007. He
would form the new cabinet in order to
rush the extra budget for encouraging
flagging economy of the country. Most
probably, Abe would choose close
associates as well as senior members of the
party for crucial posts in the cabinet.
It is expected that Taro Aso, the former
prime minister of Japan would be chosen as
the deputy of Abe as well as the finance
minister. Fumio Kishida would be the
foreign minister. He was the state minister
of Okinawan affairs in previous tenure of
Abe.
Defence ministry might go to Itsunori
Onodera. He served as the deputy foreign
minister during Abes tenure in Japan.
Justice Minister of Japan might be Sadakazu
Tanigaki.
SOMALIA GOT ITS NEW

PRESIDENT IN FORM OF
HASSAN SHEIKH MOHAMUD
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud won the
presidential elections of Somalia on 10
September 2012. He won the election by
gaining 190 votes to 79 in the second round
of competition. Alliances were formed
between the Prime Minister Abdiweli Ali
and Hassan Sheikh.
TENSIONS GREW OVER

SENKAKU ISLANDS IN
BETWEEN JAPAN AND CHINA
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The uninhabited group of Islands Senkaku

or Diaoyu turned up to be the cause for
mounting tensions in between China and
Japan. Japan on 11 September 2012
announced that they have purchased three
islands of this group of islands from its
identified Tokyo based Kurihara family
(owner of the island) at $25b million. In
response to this declaration, china sent two
Marine Surveillance Ships for patrol and
resettling Chinese claim on the islands.
Chinese foreign ministry also warned Japan
that necessary steps will be taken to protect
Chinese interests to the issue.
Following the study conducted by experts in
1968, the Island group that has been under
the control of Japan, since 1895 holds oil
reserves under the sea. China claims that
the islands were discovered and controlled
by them ever since fourteenth century and
considers it to be a part of Taiwan (Republic
of China).
VICE PRESIDENT OF INDIA M.

HAMID ANSARI RELEASED A
BOOK
Vice president of India Hamid Ansari
released the book Muslim in Indian cities
on 10 September 2012. The book is edited
by Laurent Gayer and Christopher Jafferlot.
On the occasion of book release, VicePresident denoted Indian Muslim as Sui
generic
that
means
unique
in
characteristics.
The book speaks about Muslim life in India.
Numbering more than 150 million, Muslims
constitute the largest minority in India, yet
they suffer the most politically and
socioeconomically.
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INDIA RANKED TO BE 59TH IN

THE REPORT RELEASED BY
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
India slipped down with 3 ranks to 59th
position from its previous year ranking in
the Global Competitiveness Report 20122013 released on 5 September 2012 by the
World Economic Forum. The identified
reason for this downfall is Indias
disappointing performance in satisfying
competitiveness for the basic factors.
Previously, India was far ahead to the
nations like South Africa and Brazil has
trailed down by 10 ranks and is 30 ranks
behind the China. As per the details
released by the forum, India still is strong in
term of competitiveness on many other
sections of comparison.
Switzerland managed to be on top of the
list for consecutive four years followed by
Singapore that ranked second and Finland
was placed at third position. Among the
members of BRICKS Nations, Russia was
placed at 67th Position, South Africa got
52nd position and Brazil remained to be the
48th Nation.
TEHRAN HOSTED THE 16TH

NAM (NON-ALIGNED
MOVEMENT) SUMMIT
The 16th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement)
summit was held at Tehran, Iran on 30-31
August 2012.The theme of the summit was
Lasting Peace through Joint Global
Governance. At the Tehran Summit, the
Chairmanship of NAM was passed on from
Egypt to Iran in accordance with the NAMs
practice of regional rotation.The NAM
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meeting in Tehran was held in three phases:

preparatory senior officials meeting on 2627 August, ministerial level meeting on 2829 August, and the summit on 30-31
August. Heads of the government from over
100 countries participated in the Tehran
Summit to discuss the new global
challenges.
Venezuela was selected the host for the
17th NAM Summit in 2015. India expressed
support for popular aspirations for a
democratic order in Syria while cautioning
against external intervention. India urged
NAM to take a clear stand on Syria.
PRIME MINISTER OF FIJI,

LAISENIA QARASE WAS
PUNISHED FOR ONE YEAR
PRISON
Prime Minister of Fiji, Laisenia Qarase was
punished for One year Prison on 3 August
2012 by the Supreme Court of Fiji. He found
guilty on corruption charges. He was unable
to answer the Government about his
private investment in three companies to
whom he was helping financially from past
20 years. He is not allowed to take part in
the Prime Ministers elections of Fiji in the
year 2014.
THE BELGIAN DEPUTY PRIME

MINISTER DIDIER REYNDERS
VISITED INDIA
The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and
minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade
and European Affairs Didier Reynders
visited India from 1-5 August and 8-12
August 2012. During his visit, he discussed

bilateral, regional and international issues
of mutual interest.
Besides that, A MoU was signed between
Ministry of Railways, Government of India
and the Ministry of Mobility of Kingdom of
Belgium on 2 August 2012.
ROGELIO SIERRA DIAZ, VICE

MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS OF CUBA VISITED
INDIA
Rogelio Sierra Diaz, vice foreign minister of
Cuba visited India on 7 August 2012 to
participate in the First India-CELAC foreign
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ministers Troika meeting in New Delhi. On

the sidelines of the meeting, he met SM
Krishna, Minister of External Affairs of India.
During this meeting, both nations discussed
ways to improve bilateral relations
encompassing the areas dealing with
political, commercial and economic; energy;
sports; science and technology; education
and culture. India and Cuba agreed on the
need for the reform of the United Nations
Organisation.
The Indian side appreciated Cubas
expression of support to Indias candidature
for permanent membership of the United
Nations Security Council.
CHAPTER 3: BILATERAL
RELATIONS
TWO PAKISTANI DIPLOMATS
DENIED PERMISSION TO
ATTEND JAIPUR LITERATURE
FESTIVAL 2013
The Government of India banned two
Pakistani diplomats from participating in
the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) 2013,
which began on 24 January 2013. Two
Pakistani diplomats Naeem Anwar and
Manzoor Memon were prevented from
visiting Jaipur on 24 January 2013 because
Ministry of External Affairs did not provide
them with the approval. One of the
Pakistani diplomats asked for the
permission to visit Ajmer Sharif, while the
other wanted to visit Agra from Jaipur in
order to attend his business meeting.
INDIA AND ASEAN FINALISED

FTA IN INVESTMENTS AND
SERVICES
Indias Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

declared that after implementation of FTA
in the goods, the trade between the two
sides increased by 41 percent in the year
2011-2012. Manmohan Singh announced at
the summit that two-way flows in terms of
investment grew rapidly and reached the
mark of 43 billion dollar over last 10 years.
Because the investments through ASEAN in
India grew, therefore the ASEAN countries
also emerged as lucrative destination for
the Indian companies.
India was demanding from ASEAN to open
the services sector even more, which would
also include the steps to cover contractual
service suppliers along with independent
professional services at all its levels. But
following difficult rounds of talks and
discussions on 19 December 2012, India
decided to drop the demand of
independent professional services. As
trade-off, ASEAN on the other hand
dropped the demand for prudential
measures in context with financial services.
Impact of the agreement
The awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in

investments and services was finalised
between India and Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 20
December 2012. The actions would be
beneficial in enhancing the trade to around
100 billion dollar by 2015. Also, it will help
in enhancing the economic ties.
FTA in the goods was operationalised in
2011 and since then both the sides were
busy in widening the pact by also including
investments and services. Trade between
the two sides is at present 80 billion dollar.
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The agreement would create new pathways

for greater economic integration. Post, FTA
in investments and services, India was also
planning to hold market opening
negotiations like these with other members
of the group. FTA was already implemented
with Malaysia and Singapore. Negotiations
with Thailand and Indonesia were still on its
way.
This FTA would also create pathways for
discussions on the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) which ASEAN
planned sealing with its six crucial trade
partners, including India. ASEAN along with
the six partners, India, China, Australia,

New Zealand, Japan and South Korea
would begin first negotiation rounds on
RCEP in 2013. This would form the
economic alliance of the world in 2015.
Final legal paper work on investment and
services pact would be given a concrete
shape by February 2013. Signing of the
agreement would take place in August
2013.
INDIA TO SIGN MUTUAL

LEGAL ASSISTANCE TREATY IN
CRIMINAL MATTERS WITH
FOUR OTHER NATIONS
Discussions on treaty were initiated already

with four countries namely Azerbaijan,
Israel, Nepal and Oman.
As of now, India has signed the treaty with
32 countries which include Russia, Egypt,
US, South Africa, France, Switzerland, UK,
Canada, UAE and Iran.
The agreement is important because

it helps in fighting back the transnational organised crimes such as
money
laundering,
terrorism,
counterfeit currency, smuggling of
explosives and arms, drug trafficking
and much more.
INDIA AND CHINA AGREED TO

BOOST THE DEFENCE TIES
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India and China on 4 September 2012

agreed to boost defence ties. The
agreement was made during the visit of
Chinese Defense Minister Gen Liang
Guanglie to India and his meet with his
Indian Counterpart, AK Antony. Last time
the defence minister of China visited India
in the year 2004.
India would sign Mutual Legal Assistance

Treaty in the criminal matters with four
other countries in 2013. The treaty in
general helps in mutual assistance
between two nations for preventing,
investigating as well as prosecuting crime.
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The two nations have agreed on

improving the friendly, strategic and
co-operative
partnership
and
exchange of young officers and high
level visits.
An inter-collegiate exchange that
includes non-traditional security
fields is also a part of the
agreement.
During the joint Naval Practice in Shanghai,

the two nations agreed on increasing the
process of military exchange that includes
maritime operations and navy.
Last joint exercise that took place

between the two nations was at
Kunming in the year 2007 and at
Belgaum in the year 2008.
The third joint exercise scheduled for 2010

was cancelled because China disagreed to
provide VISA to Lieutenant General BS
Jaiswal of the Northern Command and since
then India cancelled all collateral ties
related to defence activities with China.
INDIA AND AUSTRIA SIGNED

AN MOU TO STRENGTHEN
BILATERAL COOPERATION ON
RAIL AND ROAD
A memorandum of understanding (MoU)
was signed on 1 October 2012 between
Indian and Austria to strengthen the long-
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114

term bilateral cooperation and relationship
on rail and road infrastructure. The MoU
was signed in between C.P. Joshi- the
Minister of Railways and Road Transport of
India and Highways and the Doris Burse-the
Federal Minister of Transport, Innovation
and Technology of Austria during her visit to
India.
The identified areas of cooperation as
declared are
Tunneling technology enhancement,

training and skill up gradation like
locomotive drivers psychological
qualification test, track monitoring
as well as maintenance.
Provisions of mechanised track
laying, traction and rolling stock and
telecom and signaling.
Establishing
and
encouraging
relationship for communication and
cooperation that is effective and
continues for a long term.
Exchange of information related to
infrastructural development for
roads,
their
management,
administration, road safety and
different areas of mutual interests
that includes intelligent Transport
Systems related to road transport
technologies.
SC: THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE

WAYS FOR ALLOCATION OF
NATURAL RESOURCES
The Supreme Court in its verdict for routing
of the allocation of Natural Resources on 27
September 2012 directed that the Auction
being a preferable method for allotment of
the natural resources cant be turned up to
be a Constitutional Limitation or
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requirement. The Supreme Court passed

the statement in relation to the 2 G
Presidential Reference in form of its
advisory opinion.
FARMERS MOVED TO
SUPREME COURT
CHALLENGING THE RELEASE
OF WATER
Farmers of Karnataka moved to the
Supreme Court on 25 September 2012
challenging the direction given to the state
by the Union Prime Minister, Manmohan
Singh, who is the head of Cauvery River
Authority (CRA) to release 9000 cusecs of
water to Tamil Nadu from September 20October 15.
The reason was drastically failure of
monsoon in the last year which has affected
the agriculture of Karnataka severely.
The farmers gave a writ petition mentioning
that due to failure of monsoon to the
extent of 40 percent, drought had severely
affected almost half of the agricultural
activities in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka.
The petitioner mentioned that the demand
of Tamil Nadu seeking water from
Karnataka was uncalled for because
Farmers in Tamil Nadu are going to get
enough water during the North-East
monsoon beginning in October and ending
in December.
They had also mentioned that the crops can
be grown with the help of rain received
during the North-East monsoon. As also the
storage in Mettur Dam was 45 tmcft, Tamil
Nadu farmers are not in need of water as it
is going to be sufficient for them till
November.
INDIA PLEDGED
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
OF 2.5 MILLION US DOLLARS
TO SYRIA
India announced an assistance of 2.5 million
US dollars to Syria on 30 January 2013 at
the High-level International Humanitarian
Pledging Conference for Syria held in
Kuwait. Syria continues to face acute crisis
as the impasse has become explosive and
could engulf the region. India has strongly
expressed its concern on the steep
escalation of violence and has called upon
all sides in Syria particularly; the Syrian
leadership to abjure violence and resolve all
issues peacefully through discussions taking
into accounts the aspirations of the people
of Syria.
INDIA AND AUSTRALIA

AGREED TO CONCENTRATE
ON ENERGY AND FOOD
SECURITY
India and Australia on 28 January 2013
agreed to concentrate on priority areas like
energy and food security for mutual benefit
of the two countries. At the 14th Session of
the India - Australia Joint Ministerial
Commission held in New Delhi, the two
sides underlined the importance of a solid
institutional framework to facilitate future
growth in bilateral trade and investment.
India and Australia welcomed the positive
momentum
in
the
India-Australia
relationship, based on shared values,
converging interests and growth in
economic links. The successful state visit to
India by Australian Prime Minister Julia
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Gillard in October 2012 underlined both

countries deep commitment to advance the
Strategic Partnership agreed in November
2009. The Minister for External Affairs,
Salman Khurshid, and the Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, held the
8th Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue
on the 21 January 2013, to review the
bilateral relations and build on the
momentum achieved by Prime Minister
Gillards visit.
The two countries also met at

Ministerial level to advance
Agriculture, Energy, Education and
Science & Technology links.
India and Australia emphasised the
importance of closer trade and
investment relations as a critical
component
of
the
strategic
partnership.
Both nations underlined the importance

of a solid institutional framework to
facilitate future growth in bilateral trade
and investment. In this context, they
highlighted the priority they placed on
the conclusion of a mutually beneficial
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation
Agreement (CECA). The countries
welcomed progress through four rounds
of negotiations to date, including the
exchange of goods offers. They looked
forward to a future exchange offers on
services. Ministers reiterated that a
comprehensive, high quality equitable
agreement would broaden the base of
merchandise trade, remove non-tariff
barriers that impede trade in services,
and
facilitate
and
encourage
investment.
India and Australia recognized the critical
role played by industry in driving trade and
investment between the two countries. In

this regard, they expressed their strong
support for the initiatives of the India
Australia CEO Forum. Both nations
welcomed the outcomes from the second
forum meeting on 16 October 2012 held in
New Delhi including agreement to promote
skills training, increased mutual cooperation
on infrastructure development, promotion
of services trade, and the creation of
investment
champions
to
identify
opportunities and navigate government
processes. The nations commended the
important work under way in the Forum.
The nations welcomed the third meeting of
the Forum to be held in Australia in March
2013.
Other areas of mutual interests are as
following
The nations discussed Australia and India`s
mutual interests in the effectiveness of
global and regional economic institutions.
The nations welcomed the launch of the
Regional
Comprehensive
Economic
Partnership (RCEP) negotiations towards a
modern, comprehensive, high quality, and
mutually beneficial regional Economic
Partnership Agreement. They discussed
their mutual commitment to strengthening
the East Asia Summit (EAS) as a forum that
incorporated all the major economies in the
India-Pacific region.
observe ceasefire strictly and exercise

restraint.
The ways to defuse the tension on the LoC
in Jammu and Kashmir, which was triggered
by the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers
by the Pakistan Army, were discussed
during a telephonic conversation between
the Director Generals of Military Operations
(DGMOs) of the two sides. The Pakistan
Army DGMO conveyed that orders have
been passed to troops to strictly observe
the ceasefire and exercise restraint.
CHINA APPOINTED WEI WEI,

A CAREER DIPLOMAT AS
AMBASADOR TO INDIA
Chinese President Hu Jintao on 16 January
2013 appointed the career diplomat and its
current envoy to Singapore Wei Wei as its
new Ambassador to India. Wei Wei would
be the successor of Zhang Yan in India.
Wei Wei appointment as the Ambassador
to India was confirmed by the President
following the decision made by the
Standing Committee of the Chinese Top
Legislature, the National People's Congress
(NPC). He has served as a diplomat of China
in countries like, Ethopia, Brunei, Zimbabwe
and Kenya.

DECIDED INCREASING RAIL
LINK PROJECTS
INDIA AND PAKISTAN AGREED

NOT TO ALLOW TENSION
ALONG LOC TO ESCALATE
DGMOs (Director Generals of Military
Operations) of India and Pakistan on 16
January 2013 agreed not to allow escalation
of tensions along the Line of Control (LoC)
with the Pakistan Army asking its troops to
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India and Bangladesh decided in the third

week of January 2013, to speed up its rail
link projects in order to increase the contact
among the people of two neighbouring
nations. As of now, there are four ongoing

rail link projects and these are Chilahati
(Bangladesh)-Haldibari
(India),
Birol
(Bangladesh)-Radhikapur (India), Akhaura
(Bangladesh)-Agartala
(India)
and
Shahbazpur (Bangladesh)- Mahishashan
(India).
The senior railway officials from the two
countries decided in the joint meeting to
also examine feasibility of establishment of
rail link between Feni (Bangladesh) and
Belonia (India). Railway delegations from
India and Bangladesh discussed about the
operational, technical as well as financial
matters as well. Discussions on reforming
inter-country freight train operations,
improving functioning of Maitree Express,
upgrading the infrastructure as well as
establishment of even more rail
connectivity points, were held.
Delegations from India and Bangladesh also
agreed in the meanwhile to increase
frequency of the Maitree Express as well as
introduction of the system of return tickets.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN

EXCHANGED NUCLEAR UNITS
LIST AS A PART OF THE
AGREEMENT
India and Pakistan exchanged their nuclear
units lists on 1 January 2013, 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.
The exchange of the list of nuclear units
has been going on, on 1 January every year
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since 1992. This is a customary action as a

part of Agreement on Prohibition of
Attacks against Nuclear Installations and
Facilities which was signed in December
1988.
Apart from this list, the two nations, as a
part of another bilateral agreement signed
back in 2008, share the list of each others
prisoners in the jails of two countries. The
bilateral agreement was signed between
India and Pakistan in May 2008, according
to which a complete list of the citizens of
both the countries living in the jails of other
country should be exchanged two times
every year on 1 January and in July.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN JOINTLY

OPERAIONALIZED NEW VISA
AGREEMENT
India and Pakistan jointly operationalized
the new Visa Agreement on 14 December
2012 in New Delhi during the visit of
Pakistan interior minister A. Rehman Malik
to India. However, the Visa-on-Arrival will
come into effect from 15 January 2013 and
the Group Tourist Visa from 15 March
2013.
Government of the Republic of India and
the Government of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan signed on 8 September 2012, a
new Visa Agreement to facilitate travel for
the citizens of both countries desirous of
travelling to the other country and to
promote people to people contact.
Main features of the India-Pakistan new
Visa Agreement are as following
Visitor Visa
Places of visit allowable increased
from three to five places
In exceptional cases visitor visa for

one year could be issued in the past.
Now provision made for issue of visa
up to two years in following cases:
a) Persons above 65 years of age
b) National of one country married to
national of the other country.
c) Children
below
12
years
accompanying parents in (b) above
Visa on Arrival can be granted at
Attari/Wagah check-post to persons more
than 65 years of age for 45 days with single
entry (effective from 15 January 2013).
Business Visa
Exemption from Police Reporting for
Business visa granted to businessmen with
an annual income above Pak Rs. 5 million or
equivalent or annual turnover above Pak 30
million rupees or equivalent.
Group Tourist Visa
Group Tourist Visa for 30 days may
be issued for travel in groups, with
not less than 10 members and not
more than 50 members in each
group, organized by approved tour
operators/travel agents (effective
from 15 March 2013).
Entry and Exit
Now entry and exit from different
designated Immigration Check Posts
can be allowed, if indicated in
application.
However, exit from Wagha/Attari on
foot cannot be accepted unless the
entry was also on foot via
Attari/Wagah.
Later after the incident of beheading of the
Indian solder on the LoC, the visa-of-arrival
policy for the senior citizens of Pakistan was
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put on hold citing technical reasons from

the Indian officials.
NORTH KOREA LAUNCHED

LONG RANGE UNHA-3
ROCKET AMID
INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION
North Korea launched a long-range rocket
Unha-3 on 12 December 2012 despite
international opposition and growing
tensions in the region successfully
delivering
a
scientific
satellite
Kwangmyongsong-3 into orbit.
Unha-3 is the second version of satellite
Kwangmyongsong-3 was successfully lifted
off from the Sohae Space Center by carrier
rocket.
ELEVENTH MEETING OF
INDIA-CANADA JWG ON
COUNTER TERRORISM HELD
IN NEW DELHI
The 11th meeting of the India-Canada Joint
Working Group (JWG) on Counter
Terrorism was held in New Delhi on 29
November 2012. The meeting took place
within the framework of the enhanced
interaction in bilateral relations between
India and Canada, and in keeping with the
desire of the governments of India and
Canada towards greater cooperation in
counter terrorism matters.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN

DISCUSSED METHODS FOR
SOLVING SIR CREEK ISSUE

A meeting of the India and Pakistan former
diplomats, peace activists, army and navy
officers concluded on 3 December 2012
with an agenda that Sir Creek dispute will
be resolved. Apart from this, Siachen and
Kashmir are other territorial troubles that
sit amidst the India-Pakistan relationship.
The strategic seminar called Aman Ki Asha
concluded with the fact that even after a lot
of deadlock after the bilateral meetings, the
issue of Sir Creek was not difficult to
handle.
There were certain proposals on which both
India as well as Pakistan agreed and this
included
De-linking maritime boundaries

from land.
It was agreed that there would be
marking from seaward to the point,
where both these sides agree.
Additionally, it was agreed that the
non-defined area (Sir Creek and the
approaches) would be declared as
free zone or the maritime sensitive
zone, or, it was agreed upon that
such an area be turned into a jointly
administered maritime park.
The experts in the meanwhile also

highlighted that in case the shore points are
accepted by both the sides mutually, the
boundary line marked using angular
bisection would only undergo a few
changes when final baseline would be
established.
What is Sir Creek?
Sir Creek is the 96 km narrow piece of
water that is a subject of dispute between
India and Pakistan. Sir Creek sits in the
Rann of Kutch marshlands. Creek opens
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into the Arabian Sea and divides the region

of Kutch of Indias Gujarat with Sindh of
Pakistan.
The major dispute over Sir Creek is about
understanding of the maritime boundary
between the Kutch and the Sindh. Before
Indias independence, the region remained
a part of the British India. After the partition
of 1947, Sindh entered Pakistan and Kutch
remained with India.
INDIA AND JAPAN SIGNED

TWO AGREEMENTS IN TOKYO
The Governments of India and Japan signed
the two agreements on 16 November 2012
in Tokyo.
The agreements are as following
1) Agreement between India and Japan on
Social Security
2) Memorandum between the Department
of Atomic Energy of India and the Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan on
Cooperation in the Rare Earths Industry in
India.
The conclusion and signing of these
agreements will further enhance and
strengthen the India-Japan Strategic and
Global Partnership.
INDIA AND SWEDEN SIGNED

SOCIAL SECURITY
AGREEMENT IN NEW DELHI
India and Sweden signed a Social Security
Agreement in New Delhi on 26 November
2012. This agreement will help both the
countries in more investment and work
opportunities for nationals of India and

Sweden. It will also encourage more and
more Indians to go to Sweden for
employment opportunities and vice versa.
Approximately, 156 Swedish companies are
operating in India and expressed the hope
that this agreement will encourage Swedish
people to come in large numbers to India.
In fact, India is the first Asian country with
which Sweden has signed this type of
agreement.
The Social Security Agreement will enhance
cooperation on social security between the
two countries.
The Agreement will provide following
benefits to Indian nationals working in
Sweden
a) For short term contract up to two years,
no social contribution would need to be paid
under the Swedish law by the detached
workers provided they continue to make
social security payment in India.
b) The above benefits shall be available even
when the Indian company sends its
employees to Sweden from a third country.
c) Indian workers shall be entitled to the
export of the social security benefit if they
relocate to India after the completion of their
service in Sweden.
d) The self-employed Indians in Sweden
would also be entitled to export of social
security benefit of their relocation to India.
e) The period of contribution in one
contracting state will be added to the period
of contribution in the second contracting
state for determining the eligibility of social
security benefits.
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There are about 18000 Overseas Indians in

Sweden, most of who are working as
professional and self-employed. However,
there is a huge potential for Indian workers
to take employment in Sweden owing to
the huge labour supply gap in the market.
As such, a bilateral Social Security
Agreement with Sweden is a significant
requirement from the futuristic point of
view to take advantage of the emerging
employment
opportunities
and
to
strengthen the trade and investment
between the two countries. India has singed
similar agreements with Belgium, Germany,
France,
Switzerland,
Netherlands,
Luxembourg, Hungary, Denmark, Czech
Republic, the Republic of Korea, Norway,
Finland, Canada and Japan.
THE 8TH MEETING OF THE

INDIA-UK JWG ON COUNTER
TERRORISM HELD IN NEW
DELHI
The 8th meeting of the India-UK Joint
Working Group (JWG) on Counter
Terrorism was held on November 20, 2012
in New Delhi. The discussions of the JWG
were held in an atmosphere of trust and
mutual understanding. The two countries
shared their respective threat assessments
and informed each other of the measures
taken by their governments to strengthen
counter terrorism policies and structures.
They also discussed the follow up on the
Mumbai terror attacks of 26/11. The two
countries also exchanged views on
international developments, coordination in
international forum and their bilateral
cooperation in the area.
The first meeting of the India-UK Joint
Working Group (JWG) took place in 2004.
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The next and the 9th meeting of the JWG
will be held in the UK in 2013 on mutually
convenient dates.
THE 2ND INDIA-CHINA

STRATEGIC ECONOMIC
DIALOGUE HELD IN NEW
DELHI
The 2nd India-China Strategic Economic
Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 26
November, 2012. During the 2nd meeting of
the Dialogue, India and China discussed a
wide range of topics including greater
cooperation
at
the
global
level,
strengthening communication on macroeconomic
policies,
deepening
and
expanding trade and investment and
promoting bilateral cooperation in the
financial and infrastructure sectors. The
proposals and recommendations made by
the five Working Groups were considered
during the 2nd Dialogue and directions
were given for their future activities.
India and China agreed that in the current
global economic situation it was important
to raise the level of economic engagement
between India and China.
The agreements are as following
(i) Cooperation at the Global Level: The
reform of international monetary and
financial systems, stabilizing the volatility in
global commodity markets, working
towards sustainable development and
climate change goals, and ensuring food
and energy security.
(ii) Strengthening Communication on
Macroeconomic Policies: Both sides seek to
maintain continued economic growth while
adjusting manufacturing and services,
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upgrading levels of technologies and skills,

while developing the hard and soft
infrastructure for encouraging economic
growth. The two countries agreed that they
would regularly conduct joint studies on
issues of mutual interest, focusing on
benefits of best practices and information
exchanges.
(iii) Deepening and Expanding Trade and
Investment: With a view to promoting
greater
economic
and
commercial
engagement, both sides recognized the
need to explore potential synergies in areas
where the two sides have mutual
complementarities, improve trade and
investment environments, work towards
removing market barriers, enhance
cooperation in project contracting, deepen
business to business exchanges, improve
transportation links, encourage greater
bilateral investment and work towards
achieving a more balanced and sustainable
bilateral trade.
(iv) Expanding Cooperation in the Financial
and Infrastructure Sectors: Both sides have
agreed to intensify the cooperation in the
financial sector by encouraging financial
institutions of the two countries to set up
operations in either country to support
enterprises of the two countries to establish
/ expand commercial operations. The two
sides also agreed to undertake studies in
related areas including innovative financial
methods to support the requirements of
priority
sectors
particularly
the
infrastructure sector having significant
scope
for
furthering
economic
development.
The main outcomes of the five Working
Groups are as follows

(a) In the Policy Coordination Working
Group, both countries discussed plan
priorities and ways and means of achieving
plan targets recently unveiled in their 12th
Five Year Plans. They exchanged views on
skills development and industrial park
development. The two nations also
submitted assessment reports on the
investment environments in each others
country based on the experiences of the
enterprises of the two countries and
discussed possible solutions to improve the
investment environment. India and China
also agreed to carry out joint studies on
planning
cooperation
and
skills
development for employability, and
entered into related MoUs.
(b) In the Infrastructure Working Group,
with its focus on enhancing railway
cooperation, both countries exchanged
views on the broad policies and plans for
railway development in each others
country. The two countries also discussed
high-speed rail development programme,
heavy haul and station development and
entered into a MoU to exchange views and
other related information in these areas.
(c) In the Energy Working Group, India and
China briefed each other on the
development of the power sector in the
two countries, the ongoing cooperation in
the power equipment sector, opportunities
and challenges in the wind energy sector,
the possibility of Chinese power equipment
manufacturers setting up service centres in
India and relevant policy environment to
support the ongoing cooperation, and
reviewed the small hydro power workshop
that was successfully held in Beijing in
October 2012.
(d) In the Environmental Protection
Working Group, the two nations agreed to
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enhance cooperation in the implementation

of energy efficiency projects through
Energy Service Companies (ESCOs),
encouraging visits to industrial and
manufacturing centres excelling in energy
efficient initiatives cooperate and jointly
develop testing protocols and standards
and have entered into a related MoU. The
two sides also exchanged views on
enhancing cooperation in water-saving
technologies covering the areas of waste
water recycling and water-efficient
irrigation systems.
(e) In the Hi-Technology Working Group,
the two countries agreed to enhance
cooperation in the Information Technology
and Information Technology Enabled
Services (IT/ITES). Both sides also agreed to
carry out / support joint studies to better
understand the IT/ITES markets of each
country and have entered into a related
MoU in this area. The two sides also
reached a consensus to explore the
possibility of working together for
developing common standards for digital
TV, audio and video codec standards and
mobile communication technology.
What is India-China Strategic Economic
Dialogue?
Established during the visit to India of Wen
Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the
Peoples Republic of China in December
2010, the India-China Strategic Economic
Dialogue is aimed at improving macroeconomic policy coordination, promoting
exchanges on economic issues and
enhancing
India-China
economic
cooperation. The 1st Dialogue had been
successfully held at Beijing in September
2011 where the two countries agreed to
constitute five Working Groups on policy
coordination,
infrastructure,
energy,

environment
protection
and
hightechnology. A working level delegation from
China visited New Delhi in March 2012
following which the five Working Groups
met in Beijing in the months of August and
September 2012. This preparatory work has
contributed immensely to the successful
deliberations in and outcomes of the 2nd
Dialogue.
TENTH ASEAN-INDIA SUMMIT

CONCLUDED AT PEACE
PALACE, PHNOM PENH,
CAMBODIA
The tenth ASEAN-India Summit that was
held at Peace Palace, Phnom Penh,
Cambodia concluded on 19 November
2012. The summit was chaired by the Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of CambodiaSamdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN
Sen and attended by the leaders of the ten
Member states of ASEAN and the Indian
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
During the summit the discussions were
held on identifying the future course of
action on the ASEAN-India relations.
Success was achieved in deciding the
convening
of
the
ASEAN-India
Commemorative Summit scheduled to be
held on 20 December to 21 December 2012
at New Delhi, India, the summit will be held
to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of
the ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.
During the 10th Anniversary of the ASEANIndia summit, 20th Anniversary of ASEANIndia Dialogue Relations was also observed
at the same venue of Peach Place, Phnom
Penh. The ASEAN-India Summit for the first
time was observed in the year 2002 at
Phnom Penh.
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Some other commemorative activities on

which discussions were held included 2nd
ASEAN-India Business Fair and Business
Conclave, and the ASEAN-India Car Rally,
these would be held during the ASEANIndia Commemorative Summit.
Decisions were also made on implementing
the Plan of Action and the ASEAN-India
Partnership for Progress, Peace and shared
Prosperity
(2010-2015).
These
implementations would be followed by the
ministers of the ASEAN members and India
to contribute in deepening the dialogue
relations between the two sides.
Marked Commemorative Activities
1. The meeting between Heads of Space
Agencies
2. Ministerial level meetings in tourism,
environment, agriculture, new and
renewable energy,
3. The sending of the Sail Training Ship
Sudarshini on an expedition to
ASEAN countries
TWENTY FIRST ASEAN

SUMMIT CONCLUDED IN
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
The 21st ASEAN Summit Phnom Penh was
held on 18 November 2012 at Peace Palace,
Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Prime Minister
of the Kingdom of Cambodia- Samdech
Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen was
the Chairperson for the 21st ASEAN Summit
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The head of states
of the ASEAN members and the SecretaryGeneral of ASEAN participated in the 21st
ASEAN Summit and discussed about things

like progress of the Implementation of
ASEAN Charter and Roadmap for an ASEAN
community.
New Secretary General for ASEAN
Le Luong Minh- the candidate from the
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam was
appointed as the upcoming Secretary
General for ASEAN for the next five year
term by the ASEAN Head of States. The
nomination was done on the basis of
alphabetical rotation plan for next five year
that would start from January 2013 and end
in December 2018.
ASEAN
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) was created on 8 August 1967 at
Bangkok, Thailand after ASEAN Declaration
(also called Bangkok Declaration) was
signed between the Founding Fathers of
ASEAN, namely Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Philippines and Thailand. With
time 5 more South Asian countries joined
the group namely Brunei Darussalam
joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28
July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23
July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999.
Today, ASEAN is a 10-member group by
now. The group was formed with a basic
idea of promoting social progress,
economic
growth
and
cultural
development between the member nations
and talk on the differences in a peaceful
manner.
The seventh East Asia Summit (EAS) was

held at Peace Palace, Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, on 19 November 2012. Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia,
Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun
Sen chaired the meeting. The Leaders of
East Asia Summit adopted a joint
declaration for the 7th East Asia Summit
following the regional responses to control
Malaria and address the resistance to antimalarial medicines.
The Phnom Penh Declaration of the East
Asia Summit Development Initiative was
also taken on this occasion. Discussions and
exchange of views on different regional and
international issues was also done between
the leaders of the member-nations.
Apart from the 10 members of the ASEAN
representatives from eight different
countries namely Australia, China, India,
Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea,
Russia and United States of America also
participated in the summit.
INDIA ADDED 22 NEW ITEMS

TO PROMOTE INDOMYANMAR BORDER TRADE
Indian Government in the month of
November added 22 commodities such as
agricultural tools, bicycle, coal and
garments in the list of items for border
trade with Myanmar to boost the two-way
commerce.
The new items added and revised in the list
of 40 tradable items was confirmed in a
public notice by Director General of Foreign
Trade which now make the list of 62
Consolidated items.
THE SEVENTH EAST ASIA

SUMMIT CONCLUDED IN
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
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125

The other new items included are edible oil,
electrical appliances, steel products,
medicines, tea, beverages, motor cycles
and spare parts, semi precious stone,
sewing machines and three wheelers/cars
below 100 cc.
INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN

SIGNED FOUR COOPERATION
PACTS
India and Afghanistan on 12 November
2012 signed four agreements to cooperate
in areas of social welfare, fertilizer, coal
mining and youth affairs.
President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai was
in India on a four day visit from 9 November
2012 to12 November 2012.
During his visit a Memorandum of
Understanding was signed by External Affair
Minister Salman Khurshid and Afghanistan
Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul under
which India will provide grants to
Afghanistan
to
implement
small
development projects through local bodies,
community organisations, charitable trusts
and educational institutions.
The three other Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) signed can be listed
as
The second MoU relates to fertilizer

sector and was signed by Salman
Khurshid and Afghanistans Minister
of Mines Wahidullah Shahrani.
The third MoU aims at cooperation

in youth affairs which was signed by
India's external affairs minister and
Afghanistans
Minister
of
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Information and Culture

Makhdoom Raheenis.
Sayed
The fourth MoU was on the

development of coal resources and
was signed by India's Coal Minister
Prakash Jaiswal and Afghanistans
Minister of Mines Wahidullah
Shahrani.
Both the countries also decided to intensify

the cooperation with a special focus by
deepening their economic engagement in
areas ranging from agriculture and small
businesses to mining and infrastructure.
INDIA, BRITAIN DECIDED TO

ENHANCE COOPERATION IN
CYBER SECURITY
India and Britain on 8 November 2012
decided to step-up cooperation in Cyber
Security during the Foreign Minister level
talks of both the nations. Before, this during
the Foreign Secretary level talks, the issues
discussed was nuclear energy and counterterrorism.
The representatives of both the nations,
William Hague the British Foreign Secretary
and Salman Khurshid India's External Affairs
Minister after agreeing on the issues of
cooperation on cyber crimes, which
included cooperation in defining the ways
of tackling the cyber crime, bilaterally
issued a joint statement on the issues
discussed.
William Hague, during the bilateral
discussions, also supported Indian bid to
the membership in four export control
regimes looking forward to the time, when
India would turn-up to be a permanent seat
in the UN Security Council. The Foreign

Minister and the Foreign Secretary also
discussed Syria Issue.
The London Conference on Cyberspace of
2011 was attended at Ministerial level from
the Indian side and following the results of
the conference, both the countries started
its first dialogue on cooperation in October
2012.
India & Britain upgraded the relationship of
strategic partnership in the year 2004 and
since then the foreign ministers of both the
nations have been working on the areas of
common interest in the cyber domain.
Britain also allowed its citizens to visit
Srinagar and Jammu by lifting the ban
because of the changed ground realities of
the Himalayan State.
Core principles based on Transparency,
Freedom and Liberty
The officials from both the nations tried to
create and define the core principles
through interactions to carry on the
cooperation on the principles of liberty,
freedom of expression, transparency and
the rule of law that is applied to the cyber
space. To tackle cybercrimes of all types
and to boost the confidence of cooperation,
the dialogue tried to find the facts of
reducing risk of threats from cyberspace to
international security.
INDIA-CANADA FINALISED A
MECHANISM FOR SHIPPING
OF CANADIAN URANIUM TO
INDIA
India and Canada on 6 November 2012
succeeded in creating a mechanism for
shipping Canadian Uranium to India
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clearing the mistrust generated on the

Canadian side after the nuclear explosion
from India in 1974.
Both the sides were successful in inking the
agreement on the mechanism of shipment
of the Canadian Uranium to India for the
first time after 1974. The nuclear trade
relations between the two nations were
affected, when India used the plutonium
that was allegedly abstracted from the
Canadian test reactor to carry on a nuclear
explosion in the year 1974.
INDIA-JAPAN-US TRILATERAL
DIALOGUE HELD IN NEW
DELHI
Senior officials of the India, Japan and USA
held their third trilateral dialogue in New
Delhi on 29 October 2012 to enhance
cooperation on combating maritime
security, combating piracy and leveraging
their strengths to shape the Asia-Pacific
architecture. The trilateral meeting was the
third of its kind.
The first round of talks was held in
Washington in 2011 and the second round
was held in Tokyo.
PAKISTAN CABINET RATIFIED

THE LANDMARK VISA PACT
WITH INDIA
Pakistans Cabinet on 31 October 2012
ratified four recent agreements with India.
The major of which is landmark visa pact
aimed at facilitating restrictions on several
categories of travelers, including senior
citizens and businessmen. The meeting was
chaired by Prime Minister of Pakistan M
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Raja Pervez Ashraf, who also ratified three

other agreements that is going to promote
trade between the Pakistan and India.
Also, the withholding taxes on the dividends

would be 10 per cent or 15 per cent and is
equally applicable in the UK and in India.
The agreement introduced new categories

for group tourist visas and pilgrim visas and
relaxes restrictions on travel by senior
citizens, businessmen and persons of one
country married to a citizen of the other.
The two countries are also discussing other
measures aimed at boosting bilateral trade
and cooperation in new areas like opening
of bank branches and cross-border
investments.
The Protocol integrates provisions for

effective exchange of information between
tax authorities of the two countries in line
with latest international standards including
exchange of banking information and
supplying of information irrespective of
domestic interest.
Both the countries asserted they intend to

increase bilateral trade to six billion dollars
by 2014.
INDIA AND UK AMENDED

PACT ON AVOIDANCE OF
DOUBLE TAXATION
India and the United Kingdom on 30
October 2012 signed a protocol amending
the 1993 bilateral convention on avoidance
of double taxation and prevention of fiscal
evasion related to taxes on income and
capital gains.
The Protocol amends the pact or
Convention that was originally assigned on
25 January 1993 in New Delhi
The protocol was signed by Indias High
Commissioner Jaimini Bhagwati and
Exchequer Secretary to the U.K. Treasury,
David Gauke.
The amended protocol is going to provide
tax stability to the residents of both the
countries and also facilitate mutual
economic cooperation with stimulating flow
of investment, technology and services.
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With the amendment, now there will be a

new article in the Convention on
assistance in collection of taxes. It includes
provision for taking measures of
conservancy.
The Protocol also constitutes the
Convention anti- abuse (limitation of
benefits) provisions, which ensure that the
benefits of the Convention are not misused.
INDIA, US AND JAPAN HELD

TRILATERAL MEET AND
TALKED ON COOPERATION
India, U.S. and Japan on its third trilateral
meet on 29 October 2012 discussed
trilateral cooperation in maritime security
and a route through middle or north of
Myanmar leading up to Hanoi.
The other major area of discussion was on
exchanging of proposals for doing projects
together in Africa as well as cooperating on
the economic side in Afghanistan.
The three countries were on cycle of talk
which they completed following this meet.
The talk began with their first meeting in
Washington in December 2011 which was
followed by next meeting in Tokyo in April
2012.

Talking of maritime security the three
countries discussed some specific areas of
cooperation which will be productive in the
next cycle of talks that is going to begin
after the U.S. Presidential elections and
with the settling down of next US
administration.
Each side gave a strategic overview of the
Asia Pacific. While Japans Briefing was
primarily focused on dispute with China
over the Senkaku islands.
India with discussing issues on Myanmar
had taken up a trilateral connectivity
initiative with Myanmar and Thailand that
touched on a route through upper
Myanmar that would lead into Vietnam.
Also, US briefing was about its much-talked
about policy of 'Pivot to Asia', which is a
move driven by the allure of emerging Asian
economies, especially China and India.
INDIA, SPAIN SIGNED

AGREEMENT ON DEFENCE
COOPERATION
it plans to procure six large conventional

submarines at a cost of more than 50000
crore of Rupees.
The MoU on defence was among the five
pacts signed after comprehensive talks
between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and the visiting King Juan Carlos I on
bilateral, regional and international issues.
Other pacts signed are included as under
A protocol for amending the over 19year-old double taxation avoidance
pact to check tax evasion,
A MoU in the roads and road
transport sector, aimed at promoting
efficient
and
environmentally
sustainable transport systems.
A pact to promote and facilitate coproduction of films which includes
feature films, documentary and
animation films.
THE 2ND INDIA-JAPAN 2+2

DIALOGUE HELD IN TOKYO
India and Spain on 26 October 2012 signed

a memorandum of understanding under
which they are going to encourage
collaboration between their defence
industries and exchange of personnel.
Both the Countries agreed to exchange
defence-related
experience
and
information, and will encourage visits of
personnel and collaboration in the defence
industry and similar areas of cooperation.
Also in another gesture of Cooperation
Spanish firm Navantia is planning to offer its
S-80 diesel electric submarine for the
Indian Navy's Project 75-India, under which
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The 2nd India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue was held

in Tokyo on 22 October, 2012. These 2+2
consultations at Senior Official level are
mandated by the Action Plan to Advance
Security Cooperation concluded between
India and Japan in December 2009. The first
India - Japan 2+2 Dialogue was held at New
Delhi in June 2010. The two countries
briefed the other on their respective
defence and security policies in the
background of each countrys security
environment.
In this context, both nations reviewed
bilateral security and defence cooperation
and discussed ways of further expansion of

such ties. The two sides also exchanged
views on maritime, cyber and outer space
security. They agreed to an early meeting of
the new India Japan Cyber Security
Dialogue. They also discussed the regional
and international security situation.
The next and the 3rd round of the India
Japan 2+2 Dialogue will be held at New
Delhi at a mutually convenient date.
INDIA-AUSTRALIA
ANNOUNCED NUCLEAR DEAL
NEGOTIATION
India and Australia on 17 October 2012
announced the launch of nuclear
negotiations for a civil nuclear deal that
will enable the sale of uranium from
Australian Capital city Canberra to New
Delhi.
The deal was announced by Australian
Prime Minister Julia Gillard on her visit to
India. The deal is going to provide stretch in
India's civilian nuclear ambitions and will
also strengthen bilateral ties between both
the Countries.
Earlier in 2011, the Australian Prime
Minister Julia Gillard, Australian Labour
Party refused to sell uranium to India by
specifying that India had not signed the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Both the Countries also signed four
memorandum, the most important of which
is agreement on Student mobility and
welfare in which they agreed to hold annual
meetings at the summit level either
bilaterally or during multilateral events.
India and Australia also agreed to launch a
Ministerial-level Dialogue on Energy
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Security, establish a Water Technology

Partnership and start negotiations for an
Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced
Persons.
Other Memorandums Are
Memorandum on Military and
Security Initiative committed to
enhance maritime cooperation
Memorandum
to
develop
a
comprehensive economic cooperation
agreement
INDIA AND NEW ZEALAND

SIGNED FIVE MOUS TO
COOPERATE IN EDUCATION
India and New Zealand on 19 October 2012
signed
five
Memorandums
of
Understandings (MoUs) in different fields
of education. The MoUs were signed in
New Delhi during the first meeting of IndiaNew Zealand Education Council.
The education institutions of New Zealand
especially higher education maintain global
standards. India and New Zealand share
strong people to people links through
increasing migration, tourism, education
and sporting ties. The education can play a
vital role in strengthening links between the
two countries.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN

DISCUSSED TAPI GAS PROJECT
Pakistans Minister of Petroleum and
Natural Resources Asim Hussain met
Cabinet Minister of Petroleum and Natural
gas of India, Jaipal Reddy in New Delhi on
17 October 2012 in an event PETROTECH
2012 and discussed avenues for energy

cooperation, including the trans-regional
project TAPI.
About TAPI Gas Project
The TAPI is the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline
project which is also known as
TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia
Pipeline, TAP or TAPI. It is basically a
proposed natural gas pipeline that is
developed by the Asian Development Bank.
The project was started on 15 March 1995 by
signing a memorandum of understanding
between the governments of Turkmenistan
and Pakistan for a pipeline project. Under the
Proposed plan, the pipeline will transport
Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan
through Afghanistan into Pakistan and finally
to India.
North America is determined on the basis of

supply and demand.
India's expanding economy also demand
more and more energy keeping this in view
both the countries agreed for a research
project to study price structure.
About LNG
LNG is gas that is temporarily liquefied for
easier storage and transportation. Liquefied
natural gas or LNG is natural gas
predominantly in the form of methane, CH4
that has been converted to liquid form for
ease of storage or transport.
Liquefied natural gas takes up about
1/600th the volume of natural gas in the
gaseous state. It is odorless, colorless, nontoxic and non- corrosive. Hazards include
flammability, freezing and asphyxia.
INDIA AND FRANCE SIGNED

AN AGREEMENT IN THE FIELD
OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT
JAPAN AND INDIA LAUNCHED

RESEARCH PROJECT TO STUDY
LNG PRICING
Japan and India on 10 October 2012
launched a joint research project into
pricing structures in LNG markets.
Resource-poor Japan is on the hunt for
cheaper energy, with the situation further
worsened by the shuttering of all but two of
its nuclear reactors amid public distrust
following tsunami-sparked meltdowns at
Fukushima.
Japan is the worlds top importer of
liquefied natural gas. Asian buyers pay far
more than those in North America because
the price is index-linked to oil on the
continent. Under the present pricing
structures in LNG markets, the price in
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India and France on 7 October 2012 signed

an agreement in the field of sustainable
Urban Development.
Both India and France would benefit from
the agreement as it would provide an
enabling platform for the officials,
professionals, business leaders and local
self-governing bodies to meet and share
knowledge and best practices in the urban
sector. It would also lead to enhanced
cooperation and deepen the engagement
between the two countries. India and
France also discussed ways to enhance
economic and commercial relations
between the countries.
Austrian Institute of Technology and the

National Institute of Urban Affairs that is a
research, information and training wing
under the Urban Development Ministry,
would be the partners in the project.
INDIA AND AUSTRIA TIED UP

FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
SMART CITIES IN INDIA
India and Austria on 2 October 2012 tied up
to develop smart cities that would include
fine planning of the city including the
transport system and services of internet.
The plans of developing the new cities will
be implemented under the second phase of
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM II). As per the plans
initially two model smart cities will be
developed in every state of the country that
will include the mid-sized cities with a
minimum population of half a million to one
million.
Every State to have two smart-cities
Austrian Institute of Technology will assist
the country in planning and development of
the smart cities that will include things that it
needs to cover, broadband facilities to its
maintenance to carbon levels. As per the
plans of the Central Government under
JNNURM II every state will have two model
towns initially.
70 cities with over a million population
graph are in plan
Plans are on the paper to convert at least 70
cities with million plus population in India
into smart cities. Austria that has been into
different types of trade-relations for a long
time with India will be offering the potential
technical support.
Organizations
involved
implementation
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project
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132
US, INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN

HELD ITS FIRST TRILATERAL
DISCUSSION
US, India and Afghanistan held its first ever
trilateral meeting on 25 September 2012.
The major point of discussion was on the
situation in Afghanistan along with the issue
of terrorism.
The discussion marks the strengthening of
Afghanistan relation with India and US who
are totally behind the vision of a secure,
peaceful, democratic and prosperous
Afghanistan living in peace, security,
friendship and cooperation with its region
and the wider world.
The meeting was held at the Afghan
Mission in New York and was attended by
Joint Secretary (Pakistan/Afghanistan/Iran)
Y K Sinha and Joint Secretary (America)
Jawed Ashraf from the Indian side, Afghan
Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin, US
Special Representative for Afghanistan and
Pakistan Ambassador Marc Grossman and
Assistant Secretary for South and Central
Asian Affairs Robert Blake.
The discussions also mark the beginning of
a series of consultations among the three
governments, who share common interests
across South and Central Asia and who have
pledged to work together on common
challenges and opportunities including
combating terrorism and violent extremism,
reviewing cultural exchanges and increasing

regional trade, investment and economic
integration.
INDIA MALAYSIA TO ACHIEVE

A TARGET TRADE OF USD 15
BILLION
India is going to expand bilateral trade with
Malaysia to $15 billion by 2013 from $13
billion in 2011-12 as per the discussion in
India- Malaysia CEO Forum.
It was informed by Union Minister of
Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand
Shrama that Indias bilateral trade with
Malaysia stood at nearly $13 billion in 201112 registering a growth of 34% over the
previous year.
In his visit to Malaysia in July 2010 and
February 2011 Anand Sharma analysed that
it was required an investment from
Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Government of
Malaysia`s strategic investment fund) into
Indian infrastructure sector through a
collaborative venture with IDFC.
The Union minister, Anand Sharma has
identified priority sectors of engagement
including Roads & highways, Railways,
Airports, IT &ITES, Biotechnology, Tourism,
Health Services and JV projects in third
countries. Subsequently, the two countries
have entered into a Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation Agreement which
was signed in February 2011. The signing of
this Agreement has provided considerable
momentum to trade and investment on
both sides.
INDIA AND NEPAL SIGNED

MOU FOR CONSTRUCTING
SCHOOL BUILDING
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Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and Nepalese

authorities signed a MoU on 19 September
2012 for granting the amount to Shri
Mahendra Higher Secondary School in
Achham district under Indian-Nepal
Economic Cooperation Programme.
The proposed building will provide better
educational opportunity to over 1300
students, about half of whom are girls.
Besides, India has gifted two ambulances to
health care facilities in the district.
INDIA AND BURUNDI SIGNED

3 MAJOR AGREEMENTS AND
ISSUED A JOINT STATEMENT
President of the Republic of Burundi visited
India from 17 to 19 September 2012. During
this visit, India and Burundi signed three
agreements
(i) Exchange Programme for Cooperation in
the field of Education
(ii) Memorandum of Understanding on
Cooperation in the field of Rural
Development and
(iii) Memorandum of Understanding on
Cooperation in the field of Health and
Medicine. Besides, India also announced a
Line of Credit of 42.38 million US dollars for
Farm Mechanisation and Integrated Food
Processing Complex in Burundi.
India and Burundi issued a joint statement
on that occasion.
The major highlights of the joint statement
are as following
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India and Burundi agreed to further

enhance the bilateral cooperation in
view of the considerable untapped

potential.
Burundi thanked India for approval
of a concessional line of credit of 80
million US dollars for the Kabu 16
Hydro-electric projects.
Both nations agreed to continue
strengthening cooperation in the
areas of economy, trade and
investment,
finance,
human
resource development, culture, etc.
while striving to expand cooperation
into other potential areas such as
agriculture, food processing, ICT,
science & technology, health, mining
etc.
Burundi conveyed its support for
Indias candidature for Permanent
Membership in an expanded United
Nations Security Council.
INDIA SIGNED A
MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING WITH
EGYPT
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Major
aims
of
Memorandum
of
Understanding (MOU)
a. Promotion of exchanges of knowledge
and experience in the field of
organizational
and
technical
development, with a view to
strengthening the administration of
electoral processes.
b. Exchange of information, material,
expertise and technical knowhow
relating to electoral processes and
systems; training of personnel and
development of human resources.
c. Organizational development and
capacity building.
MoU is an extremely suitable mechanism
for strengthening and carrying forward
mutual
collaboration
in
electoral
management and administration.
Election Commission of India has so far
signed thirteen MOUs with Election
Management Bodies and international
organizations across the world.
India and Egypt on 18 September 2012

signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) in New Delhi to establish an
institutional framework for their ongoing
cooperation in the field of election
management and administration.
India and Egypt are already collaborating in

the areas of Electronic Voting, Voters
Education
and
Election
Tracking
Technology.
INDIA OFFERED TELECOM

SUPPORT TO TURKMENISTAN
The MOU was signed by the Chief Election

Commissioner of India, V.S. Sampath and
the Secretary General of the Supreme
Presidential Election Committee of Egypt,
Justice Hatem Bagato.
India has assured Turkmenistan of all

cooperation
in
Information
and
Communication technology (ICT) for the
mutual benefit of both the countries.
MoU was made to facilitate sharing of best

practices, skills and experiences between
the two institutions for mutual benefit.
It was decided in the inaugural session of

TurkmenTEL 2012 at the Turkmenistan
capital Ashgabat on 17 September 2012 by
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the Minister for Communications & IT and
HRD, Kapil Sibal.
Recalling the historical ties between India
and Turkmenistan, it was emphasized that
the need for regional cooperation to uplift
the social and economic status of the
people in the region is uttermost important.
Kapil Sibal shared the success story of
Indian Telecom Sector and gave an
overview of the spectrum of policy
initiatives in Indias National Telecom
Policy 2012.
India could extend cooperation to
Turkmenistan in the fields of e-health, eeducation and e-governance services.
Turkmenistan can be connected to Indian
Universities through National Knowledge
Network
and
students
sitting
in
Turkmenistan can directly be part of
academic sessions in various disciplines in
India.
Turkmenistan Minister and his delegation
was invited to participate in India Telecom
2012 in Delhi, from 13 to 15 December
2012, as the event could be an excellent
platform for further strengthening mutual
cooperation and for promoting ICT and its
eco system in the region.
DIFFERENCES GREW IN
BETWEEN CHINA AND JAPAN
OVER THE DISPUTED DIAYO
ISLANDS
Japan on 11 September 2012, announced
that it has purchased the three uninhabited
islands in the Diayo Islands from its owner
family based in Tokyo. Amidst, the growing
tensions in relation to the disputed East
China Sea, China issued a warning to Japan
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on that it will take care of its interests by

taking necessary steps in relation to the
three islands purchased by Japan in the
Diaoyo Islands.
Two Marine Surveillance Ships were sent on
patrol by China to the inhabited islands for
enforcement of Chinese control that
heightened
the
possibilities
of
confrontation with Japanese coastguards.
What is the Dispute all about?
Senkaku or Diaoyu Islands are the
uninhabited group of Islands in the East
China Sea controlled by Japan since 1895.
These Islands lie in between the mainland
of China, West of Okinawa Island,
Northeastern Taiwan and north of the
South-western end of Ryukyu Islands. As
per a study conducted by the experts in the
year 1968, it was discovered that these
islands may have oil reserves. After Japans
surrender in the World War II, the control
of the Islands went in the hands of USA and
controlled by them from 1945 to 1971. US
returned these islands to Japan after the
Okinawa Reversion Treaty inked in between
US and Japan in 1972. Whereas after the
reversal treaty, Peoples Republic of China
(PRC) and the Republic of China, Taiwan
(ROC) claims the discovery of the islands
and their control over these from 14th
Century. Amidst the complexity, ROC and
PRC consider these Islands as the part of
Taiwan as part of Yilan Countries, Toucheng
Township. Japan does not consider Taiwan
as a sovereign state and hence does not
regard the claims of Taiwan over the group
of Islands.
INDIA AND SAUDI ARABIA

HELD THEIR FIRST TALK ON
DEFENCE TIES

The Joint Committee on defence
cooperation from Saudi Arabia and India
met for creation of defence ties on 11
September 2012. Decisions for this
establishment of joint committees was
decided during the visit of Indian defence
minister A.K. Antony to Saudi Arabia and his
meet with the Crown Prince and defence
minister of Saudi Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al
Saud in February 2012.
The 11 member team from Saudi Arabia
was headed by the Chief of the Armed
Forces Operations of Saudi Arabia Maj Gen
Suleiman Saleh Al-Khalifa. The Indian side
was headed by the Joint Secretary, Ministry
of Defence. Both the sides met for
formulation of the program that can
enhance the areas of cooperation between
the defence establishments of two nations.
This upswing in the relationship between
India and Saudi Arabia has been in
existence ever since the visit of King
Abdullah to New Delhi in the year 2006. The
two nations inked several agreements on
certain factors like narcotics, energy, money
laundering,
counter
terrorism
and
extradition in the 2010.
INDIA EXTENDED A CREDIT OF

$10 MILLION AID TO
PALESTINE IN A GESTURE OF
SUPPORT
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
announced a support of 10 Million $ to
Palestine during a meet with Palestines
National Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas on 11 September 2012. Palestinian
President was here in Indian on a three day
visit from 10 to 12 September 2012. Mr.
Singh also promised his Palestinian
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counterpart about Indias backing for their

full and equal membership of the U.N. the
one that is threatened by US for veto.
During the meet, both the sides inked three
different
agreements
comprising
information
and
communication
technology, education and vocational
training.
A MoU (Memorandum of Understanding)
has been signed up to set up two schools at
two districts of Palestine namely Abu Dees
and Asera Al Shamalyeh, which will be
named on the name of Pt. Jawaharlal
Nehru, Indias first Prime Minister. Cost
estimated for the construction of the two
schools is US$ 1.8 million and will help
about eight hundred students of these
districts to fetch quality education. The
schools at Abu Dees and Asera Al
Shamalyeh will be constructed in an area of
1700 and 1900 square meter with 10 and 12
classes respectively.
In the second agreement, India will set a
state-of-the-art
information
and
communication technology center in
Palestine to create IT experts and generate
opportunities of employment. To make the
center of Palestine self reliable, some of the
IT professionals from Palestine will be
trained here in India to a higher level.
As per the third agreement, India will
participate in providing vocational training
to the women and youth of Palestine. The
training will include technical and
machinery know-how to.
Prime Minister Singh stated that he
supported the Palestinian cause to achieve
independent, sovereign and united state of
Palestine and East Jerusalem as a capital to
the state.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN ISSUED

A JOINT STATEMENT AT THE
END OF THE SM KRISHNA'S
VISIT
External Affairs of India, SM Krishna visited

Pakistan from 7 to 9 September 2012 to
review progress in the Dialogue process.
During his visit, India and Pakistan issued a
joint statement.
The Highlights of the Statement are as
Following
Cross-LoC travel would be expanded
on both sides of LoC to include visits
for tourism and religious pilgrimage.
Tourist and Pilgrimage sites will be
designated on both sides of the LoC
and information will be available
with the designated authorities.
Both sides will extend necessary
assistance to valid entry permit
holders to cross the LoC in
emergency situation on crossing as
well as non-crossing days. This will
be facilitated by designated
authorities.
Improvement of roads and bridges
for Cross-LoC trade will be
facilitated.
Transportation links on operational
crossing points will be upgraded.
Both sides agreed to facilitate the
exchange of business delegations.
Besides, List of 21 products of
permissible items for Cross-LoC
trade will be respected by both
sides. It was agreed that the JWG
(Joint Working Group) on Cross-LoC
CBMs will meet on a bi-annual basis
to review existing arrangements and
suggest additional CBMs and
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measures for Cross-LoC travel and

trade.
India and Pakistan reviewed the
status of bilateral relations and
expressed satisfaction on the
holding of meetings on the issues of
Counter-Terrorism
(including
progress on Mumbai trial) and
Narcotics Control; Humantarian
issues; Commercial & Economic
cooperation; Wullar Barrage / Tulbul
Navigation Project; Sir Creek;
Siachen; Peace & Security including
CBMs; Jammu & Kashmir; and
promotion of Friendly Exchanges.
INDIA AND TAJIKISTAN WENT

AHEAD ON STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIP AND SIGNED
SIX AGREEMENTS
India and Tajikistan on 3 September 2012
signed six agreements in the field of sports,
health, culture, education, labour, textiles
and energy.
India and the central Asian country of
Tajikistan agreed to advance their ties to a
strategic partnership in order to impart
greater strength to the relationship through
all-round co-operation and engagement.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan,
Mr. Emomali Rahmon, was on a State Visit
to India from 1 to 4 September 2012 at the
invitation of the President of the Republic
of India. This was the fifth visit to India by
President Mr. Emomali Rahmon.
The visiting dignitary also attended a
business meeting organized jointly by
ASSOCHAM, CII and FICCI.

Both the countries identified information
technology,
bio-technology,
mining,
tourism, pharmaceuticals among other
sectors as high potential area.
After the agreements it was decided that
India will increase training slots for
Tajikistan from 100 to 150 under India
Technology and Eco Training Programme.
INDIA ESTABLISHED
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
WITH NIUE
Minister of State for External Affairs of India
E Ahamed and Prime Minister of Niue H. E.
Toke Talagi signed a Joint Communiqu on
the establishment of Diplomatic Relations
between India and Niue, at Cook Islands,
on 30 August 2012.
Niue is a Pacific island country, which is a
member of regional bodies such as the
Pacific Island Forum and the Pacific
Community and also of UNESCO, WTO and
FAO. It is an island of 1400 inhabitants,
which is also known as the worlds first WiFi nation, in which free wireless Internet
access is provided throughout the country.
Niue is also known as the Rock of
Polynesia, and is situated 2400 km
northeast of New Zealand in a triangle
between Tonga to the southwest, the
Samoas to the northwest and the Cook
Islands to the southeast.
Since 2002, India has intensified its
cooperative relations with all countries in
pacific island region.
India always actively participated as a
'Dialogue Partner' of the Pacific Island
Forum, a regional group of Pacific Island
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countries. The country has always been

engaged in assisting in the development of
the island countries of the Pacific.
INDIA, CHINA DISCUSSED

BORDER SECURITY AND
BILATERAL DEFENCE TIES
For expanding defence cooperation, India
and China on September 4 2012, agreed to
resume Joint Military Exercises that were
postponed since 2010 due the denial of visa
to the then Northern Army Commander Lt
Gen BS Jaswal by China in 2010, resulting to
which New Delhi had suspended all bilateral
defence exchanges with Beijing.
Chinese Defence Minister General Liang
Guanglie and his delegation, including highranking members of the defence and
military establishment met Indian Defence
Minister A. K. Antony on 4 September 2012
to discuss measures to help avoid flares
along the border between the nucleararmed Asian giants. Both the two sides
reached on an agreement on a wide range
of issues relating to defence and military.
This is the first visit after eight years by a
Chinese defence minister to India. The last
time a Chinese defence minister visited
India was in 2004. A growing competition
between the two emerging powers was
highlighted as they are pushing up for
influence and resources across Asia.
Both the two sides went ahead on a wide
range of issues relating to defence and
military. The result of the meeting
happened so that the both sides agreed to
strengthen border security cooperation
between the troops in order to maintain
peace in the border areas.

The Chinese delegation has also invited
Antony to visit China, which he accepted
and he will be visiting China next year.
INDIA AND IRAN DECIDED TO

EXPAND TRADE AND
ECONOMIC COOPERATION
India and Iran 28 August 2012 decided to
expand Trade and Economic Cooperation
through the Chahbahar port. The port will
act as an important trade and transit point
for Afghanistan and Central Asia. On the
nuclear issue, India expressed hope that
progress will be on the P5 plus one
dialogue in the interest of peace and
stability in the region. Both the nations
agreed to set up an Indian cultural centre in
Tehran.
India also discussed the issue of global
governance confronting the developing
world.
INDIA CHINA AGREED TO SET

UP JOINT WORKING GROUP
ON TRADE AND INVESTMENTS
India and China agreed to set up a Joint
Working Group (JWG) to look into issues
related to trade and investments. The
decision to set up the JWG was taken at the
meeting of India-China Joint Group on
Economic Relations, Trade, Science and
Technology in New Delhi on 27 August
2012. Besides, the two nations also agreed
to adopt a five-year plan on economic
cooperation.
The working group will submit its report
within three months. The working group is
set up even as India has expressed serious
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concerns over the widening trade deficit

with its neighbour and sought a correction.
On its part, China expressed serious
concern over the imposition of duty on
import of power equipment by New Delhi.
The total bilateral trade between India and
China for 2011-12, stood at 75457.42
million dollar as compared with 59000.36
million dollar in 2010-11. During 2011-12,
the exports were 17902.98 million dollar
while the imports stood at 57554.44 million
dollar. The provisional trade deficit for
2011-12 was 39651.46 million dollar.
The Joint Group on Economic Relations,
Trade, Science & Technology was formed in
1988, when then Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi visited Beijing.
INDIA TO CUT IMPORT

DUTIES ON 234 ITEMS FROM
PAKISTAN
The Union Cabinet on 17 August 2012
approved the Commerce Ministrys
proposal to cut down the list of sensitive
items under South Asian Free Trade
Agreement (SAFTA) for Pakistan by 30
percent. Besides, India will also cut import
duties on about 234 items from Pakistan
under the bilateral trade normalisation
programme. The cabinet, however, made it
clear that the India will follow these
measures only when Pakistan reciprocates
with the same gesture and allows goods to
be traded through the land routes
Pakistan permits only 137 items to be
imported through the Attari land route,
while the rest goods are imported through
sea route, making exports largely unviable
for Indian traders. Indian authorities have
been consistently demanding Pakistan to

allow all goods to be traded through land,
but the demand has not received any
positive response as yet.
India and Pakistan initiated the trade
normalisation programme in early 2011
which subsequently paved the way for fast
paced liberalisation of trade and
investments.
JOINT STATEMENT ON THE

FIRST INDIA-CELAC TROIKA
FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING HELD IN NEW DELHI
The first meeting of the India-CELAC Troika

Foreign Ministers was held on 7 August
2012 in New Delhi. The Indian delegation
was led by the External Affairs Minister of
India, Shri S.M Krishna, whilst the CELAC
Troika was led by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Chile Mr. Alfredo Moreno
Charme, the pro-tempore President of
CELAC. Apart from both the nations, the
Foreign Minister of Venezuela Mr. Nicolas
Maduro and the Vice Foreign Minister of
Cuba, Mr. Rogelio Sierra participated in the
meeting as members of the Troika.
The Foreign Ministers of India and the
CELAC Troika ended the First Meeting of the
India-CELAC Troika Foreign Ministerial
Dialogue at a good note after the
commencement of CELAC in December
2011.
Collective Discussions
The two nations expressed

satisfaction over the growth of
commercial,
economic
and
investment relations between
India and CELAC that has crossed
US$ 25 billion in 2012.
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The nations agreed to set up an

Energy Forum to discuss energy
security issues.
Both the countries agreed to work
towards providing value addition
in the exchange of commodities
through direct trading and by
setting up of manufacturing units.
Both sides agreed to work towards
providing for food security for
their people
Both the countries agreed to
initiate various projects related to
tele-education, e-governance and
tele-medicine that would cover
the entire Latin America and
Caribbean region.
Objective of the Meet
To discuss the regional and

multilateral issues of mutual
interest, to
strengthen
the
multifaceted bilateral cooperation
between India and CELAC.
To co ordinate responses to
regional issues and address
international challenges including
the UN reform, the international
financial crisis, climate change and
international terrorism.
To enhance the exchange of visits

at all levels including at the Summit
level leading towards a 'Strategic
Partnership' between India and
CELAC.
To expand relation between India

and countries in the Latin America
and the Caribbean region and make
it possible for them to work
together bearing in mind each
sides' respective development
priorities based on the common
shared values of democracy,
freedom, equality and justice.
work in areas such as medical, information

technology, social sciences, humanities
and arts.
INDIA AND BELGIUM SIGNED

AGREEMENT FOR THE
MODERNISATION OF INDIAN
RAILWAYS
India on 1 August 2012 signed an
agreement with Belgium for the
modernisation of the Indian Railways and
make some of the major railway stations in
the country of global standard. Under the
agreement, the two countries would share
design and current practices in railway
infrastructure and deputation of experts in
areas of mutual interest. The countries will
also explore the new avenues of cooperation in the Railway sector.
Belgian state run companies such as Euro
Station and Euro Immostar have vast
experience in developing stations. The
companies have extensive expertise in
transforming historical railway stations into
the modern international terminals.
Numerous Belgium or Belgium-based
companies are already operating in India
and have been involved in activities such as
fastening and coating of rails to delivery of
parts for train construction and software for
safety and network management.
INDIA AND ISRAEL SIGNED

COLLABORATIVE ACADEMIC
RESEARCH PROGRAMME
AGREEMENT
India and Israel signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) on 2 August 2012 for
starting a collaborative academic research
programme.
Under
the
Research
programme both the countries will together
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141
The MoU was signed by Professor Benjamin

Geiger, Chairman of the Israel Science
Foundation and Ved Prakash, Chairman of
University Grants Commission. The
agreement will exist for next five years,
providing support up to 100000 dollar a
research project for three years
The idea of collaborative academic research
programme came into being during a recent
visit of Minister for Human Resource
Development Kapil Sibal to Israel. Sibal
during the course of her visit had conducted
dialogue with Israels Finance Minister Yuval
Steinitz, Education Minister Gideon Saar
and Chairman of Planning and Budgeting
Committee Manuel Trajtenberg.
INDIA ALLOWED FDI

(FOREIGN DIRECT
INVESTMENT) FROM
PAKISTAN
Indian government on 1 August 2012
decided to allow investment from Pakistan
with the objective of boosting bilateral
economic relations. However, India kept
out strategic sectors of defence, space and
atomic energy from Pakistan. Pakistan can
explore sectors like cement, textiles and
sports for investments in India. Besides, the
FDI proposals from Pakistan need to be
cleared from the Foreign Investment
Promotion Board (FIPB).
It is important to note that India had
granted the MFN status to Pakistan in
1996. Although Pakistan had notified

granting the MFN status to India in March
2012, it is yet to implement it fully.
However, Pakistan had partially liberalised

its trade regime with India in March 2012 by
shifting from positive list rules to negative.
It means that barring 1209 items Pakistan
will allow import of all other Indian goods
can explore sectors like cement, textiles and
sports for investments in the country.
ELECTION COMMISSIONS OF
INDIA AND SOUTH KOREA
SIGNED MOU TO
STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY
The Election Commission of India and

South Korean Election Commission on 1
August 2012 signed a MoU (Memorandum
of
Understanding)
to
strengthen
institutions and processes for democracy.
This was 13th MoU that India signed with
Electoral Bodies. It will also strengthen
India-South Korea bilateral cooperation.
Both the nations will work together for the
cause of the Asian electoral community and
the larger global electoral fraternity.
INDIA SIGNED TAX

INFORMATION EXCHANGE
AGREEMENT (TIEA) WITH
MONACO
India signed Tax Information Exchange

Agreement (TIEA) with Monaco on 31 July
2012 in New Delhi. It will allow the two
countries to check tax evasion and money
laundering. This was the ninth TIEA signed
by India.
Key features of this agreement are
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It is based on international standard

of transparency and exchange of
information.
Information must be foreseeably
relevant to the administration and
enforcement of the domestic laws of
the Contracting Parties concerning
taxes and tax matters covered by
the agreement.
The requesting State has to provide
some minimum details about the
information requested in order to
justify the foreseeably relevance
criteria.
Information is to be treated as
secret and can be disclosed to only
specified person or authorities, who
are tax authorities or the authorities
concerned with the determination
of tax appeal.
It also provides for disclosure of
information to any other person or
entity or authority or any other
jurisdiction
(including
foreign
Governments) with the written
consent of the competent authority
of the requested Party.
There is a specific provision that the
requested Party shall provide upon
request the information even
though that Party may not need
such information for its own tax
purposes.
There is a specific provision for
providing banking and ownership
information.
There is a specific provision for Tax
Examination
Abroad
where
authorities of one State can present
in the tax examination of taxpayer in
the other State.
Upon entry into force, the
Agreement allows exchange of
information forthwith.
CHINA SIGNED ECONOMIC

AGREEMENTS WITH NORTH
KOREA WHICH INCLUDES THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SEZS
China in the second week of August 2012
signed agreements with North Korea to
increase the bilateral economic cooperation. The agreements were signed
during a visit of senior North Korean official.
The agreements included the development
of two special economic zones in North
Korea. One is in Rason, on North Koreas
east coast and the other is in
Hwanggumphyong on the border with
China. Moreover, China and North Korea
also signed agreements on agricultural cooperation and electricity supply.
U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY

DISCUSSED ECONOMY AND
TRADE BARRIERS WITH INDIA
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner
and
Indian
Finance
Minister
P.
Chidambaram for the third annual meeting
of the India-U.S. Economic and Financial
Partnership on 9 October 2012 discussed
lowering trade barriers and extending ways
to expand capital markets.
Both the countries agreed to deepen
cooperation at various multilateral forums,
including the G20 and discussed ways to
remove trade and investment barriers.
Timothy F. Geithner welcomed the
economic reform measures announced by
the Indian government recently by saying
that it would help in boosting private
investment.
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He also asserted that India and US have

agreed on the importance improving
coordination on bilateral tax matters
including with respect to the tax treaty and
Implementation of the Foreign Account tax
Compliance Act (FATCA) to address
offshore tax evasion.
Both the countries US and India recognize
the great potential benefit from working
together to meet the challenges of a shared
future to generate jobs, sustain growth, and
help ensure macroeconomic stability. The
growing trade and investment between two
countries across a wide range of products,
services, and technology is a sign of
commitment to build relationship on a solid
foundation that utilizes mutual strengths
INDIA-MALDIVES JOINT
MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISE
EKUVERIN 2012 HELD IN
BELGAUM
EKUVERIN 2012- The fourth joint military
training exercise between India and
Maldives held in Belgaum.
The fourth Joint Military Training Exercises
between the Indian Army and the Maldives
National Defence Force (MNDF) EKUVERIN 2012 - was held in Belgaum,
India from 12 to 25 November 2012. A total
of 45 personnel from the MNDF are taking
part in the exercises along with the
personnel from the Indian Army. The
bilateral
annual
exercises,
which
commenced in 2009 in Belgaum, are
alternately held in India and Maldives. The
aim of the exercises is to enhance the close
military cooperation between the two
countries.

In April 2012, both countries, along with Sri
Lanka, held joint Coast Guard/Naval
exercises DOSTI XI - off the coast of Male
(Maldives) to strengthen the bonds of
friendship and enhance mutual operational
capability and cooperation in the region.
PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN
HAMID KARZAI VISITED INDIA
AND DISCUSSED ON VARIOUS
ISSUES
Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan
paid a state visit to India from 9 November
to 13 November 2012 following the
invitation of the President of the Republic
of India Pranab Mukherjee. On his visit to
India he was accompanied by a high-level
delegation to India. The Afghani President
held delegate level bilateral discussions on
various regional and international issues
that are relevant for both the nations with
the Prime Minister of India.
During his India Visit the Afghanistans
President attended a business meet at
Mumbai on 10 November 2012 participated
by the business leaders of India. On 12
November 2012, he delivered a Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad Memorial lecture that was
organised by the Indian Council of Cultural
Relations (ICCR) in New Delhi.
The geographical conditions of both the
countries make them natural strategic
partners of each other to create a common
platform for the virtue of peace and
cooperation in all fields. The good relations
started between the two nations after the
two signed a Strategic Partnership
Agreement in October 2011 for creation of
strong ties between both the nations.
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About President Hamid Karzai

Hamid Karzai was elected as the 12th
President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan on 7 December 2004 after
playing a dominant role as a political figure
after Taliban regime came to an end in the
year 2001 in the nation. He was re-elected
to the chair of the President in the elections
of 2009. Karzai as a dominant political
figure from Afghanistan was elected as a
chairperson of the Interim Administration
for a term of six months, during
International Conference on Afghanistan in
Germany in December 2012.
THE PRESIDENT OF
TAJIKISTAN EMOMALI
RAHMON VISITED INDIA
The President of Tajikistan, Emomali
Rahmon visited India from 1 to 4
September 2012.This was the fifth visit to
India by President Emomali Rahmon.
During this visit, India and Tajikistan signed
six agreements in the field of sports,
health, culture, education, labour, textiles
and energy. It was also decided that India
would increase training slots for Tajikistan
from 100 to 150 under India Technology
and Eco Training Programme.
In the course of his visit, President of
Tajikistan also addressed a business
meeting jointly organised by ASSOCHAM,
CII and FICCI.
the solar system. This information can

eventually be passed on to the civil aviation
department, which in turn can inform the
airlines regarding the adverse effects of
flying in Polar Regions or high altitudes.
CHAPTER 4: SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
FIRST SPACE WEATHER
READING CENTRE OF INDIA
SCHEDULED TO BE OPENED
BY MID 2013
COSTAL CHAIN OF STATIC

SENSORS POSITIONED ALONG
THE COAST OF ANDHRA
PRADESH
The centre of excellence which specialises

in reading the weather conditions of the
space and helps the air traffic on their polar
routes is scheduled to come up in Kolkata
by the middle of 2013. The space weather
reading centre in Kolkata will be first of its
kind and is approved by Union HRD
Ministry. This centre would be coming up at
Indian Institute of Science, Education and
Research (IISER) campus. The Union HRD
Ministry sanctioned 4 crore Rupees for the
centre.
The coordinator of the centre explained
that the centre of excellence in space
sciences shall focus on areas of the space
weather, primarily the weather conditions
in the solar system as well as the
gravitational physics.
The coordinator also explained that solar
flares and the coronal mass ejections (CME)
were the kinds of storms that originated
from the Sun and exposed various flights to
huge amount of radiations on the Polar
Regions. Various commercial flights from
North America, Europe and South Asia fly
from the Polar Regions to shorten the
distance as well as save time.
With the help of this centre, there will be an
availability of the prior information about
these storms which originate in the space or
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A coastal chain of static sensors positioned

along the coast of Andhra Pradesh was
inaugurated by Ministry of Defence in a
ceremony held at Coast Guard District
Headquarters in Visakhapatnam on 23
November 2012. The event signified the
operationalisation of the network on the
East coast.
A complete surveillance mechanism along
the coast was needed post 26/11 incident.
A chain of static sensors were planned to
monitor the high sensitive traffic density
areas along the coast of India. The coastal
surveillance network will provide an
integrated picture of all the vessels
traversing along the coast. As part of this
project, a chain of radar stations along the
coast line of Andhra Pradesh were installed
by the Ministry of Defence. The Chain of
Static Sensors project being steered by the
Indian Coast Guard, envisages fitment of
high end surveillance gadgets on
lighthouses and masts at various locations.
CONTROVERSY OVER CLEAN

CHIT GIVEN TO RAJASTHAN
ATOMIC POWER PLANT BY
IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) gave clean chit to Rajasthan Atomic
Power Plant (RAPP) in Rawatbhata. IAEA
reviewed the RAPP and gave conclusion of
the review on 14 November 2012 after
visiting unit 3 and unit 4, leaving the
controversial unit 6 of RAPP, Rawatbhata.
Over 40 people working at this
controversial unit 6 of RAPP were exposed
to hazardous tritium on 23 June 2012. 4
maintenance workers exposed themselves
to the risks of tritium radiations when they
were repairing the faulty pipe in pressurised
heavy water reactor (PHWR) of unit 4 on 19
July 2012. It was the same unit that IAEA
members paid visit to during their in-depth
safety review which took place from 29
October 2012 to 14 November 2012.
The Operational Safety Review Team,
assembled by IAEA which was alleged by
antinuclear activists, ignored the fact that
heavy tritium leak took place in unit 6 of
RAPP plant in 2012. An Operational Safety
Review Team (OSART) was led by Division
of Nuclear Installation Safety of IAEA. This
team included experts from various
countries such as Belgium, Finland, Canada,
Slovakia, Sweden, Germany, Romania and
Slovenia.
Antinuclear activists expressed their doubts
about safety review of IAEA. These activists
also included general secretary of People's
Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). The issues
of risks of nuclear safety as well as absence
of autonomous regulation of atomic power
production in India were raised.
The activists also said that this jeopardized
workers to risks of cancer, leukaemia as
well as certain other health issues.
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PRESIDENT PRANAB
MUKHERJEE LAUNCHED LOW
COST AAKASH TABLET 2
The Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on
11 November 2012 in New Delhi launched
the new tablet Aakash -2 which is an
improved version of India's super- cheap
tablet computer on the occasion of the
National Education Day which is observed
on 11 November 2012 ever year.
The new version Aakash 2 come at a price
of 1130 Rupees for students, and the first
one lakh devices is going to be made
available to students of engineering
colleges and universities.
Preceding its previous version it is now
powered by a processor running at 1 GHz,
512 MB Ram, 7 Inch capacitative Touch
Screen and battery which have atleast three
hour of working operation.
The new Aakash-2 Tablet was developed
under the expertise guidance of IIT Bombay
with the active support of C-DAC.
The company that is rolling out the new
Aakash 2 is Datawind and is selling it to
government at a price of 2263 Rupees and
In turn, the government is subsidizing it by
50 per cent and is going to distribute to
students at a price of mere 1130 rupees.
The Union Government is also extending its
effort to encourage the state governments
to chip in by subsidising it further so that
the device can eventually be available to
students free of cost.
It is expected that around 22 crore students
are going to get the device across the
country in the next five to six years.
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Some of the new technology-enabled

educational applications that can run on
Aakash Version 2.0 tablet include
Ten Thousand Teachers Training
Programme - a live video interaction
with participants,
Clicker applications for real time
feedback in country-wide classroom,
Daisy Books for differently-abled
students,
NCERT content , GNU Khata- an
accounting package for barefoot
accountants in rural areas
Scholarship Portal integrated with
Aadhar.
next year, other opportunities are available

in 2016 and 2018.

THE LAUNCH OF SATELLITE
TO STUDY MARS
Researchers in the fourth week of

November 2012 discovered a molecular
network with a capability of self
perpetuation that could have triggered
mechanism through which life developed
on early Earth. The mathessmatical
research shows the possible mechanism
through which it was possible for life to get
a foothold in chemical soup which existed
on early Earth.
The Union Cabinet on 3 August 2012 gave

its consent to the launch of satellite to the
Mars proposed in 2013. The Cabinet
decision came following a meeting chaired
by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Department of Space had sent a
proposal to the Union Cabinet, in which it
had sought governments permission to
launch a satellite to study Mars, also called
Red Planet. The Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) is expected to launch a
Mars Orbiter in November 2013 with a 25kg
scientific payload.
The Mars mission will be launched by ISROs
advanced Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
(PSLV). The objective of the mission is to
study the climate, geology, origin, evolution
and sustainability of life on the planet. If
the ISRO fails to launch the Mars Mission
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India has undertaken the massive space

project with the help of United States,
Russia, Europe, Japan and China. The
mission is estimated to cost the
government exchequer about 450 crore
rupees. An initial allocation of 125 crore
rupees was already made in the budget
2012-13.
RESEARCHERS FOUND
MECHANISM BEHIND ORIGIN
OF LIFE ON EARLY EARTH
The researchers suggested about various

competing theories regarding the starting
of life on earth much before first genes or
the living cells developed. There are certain
differences in these suggested scenarios but
one thing that is common is the network of
molecules. These molecules have a
capability of working together as well as
pacing their replication. These are the two
important things for starting life.
Researchers from the University Of
Canterbury, New Zealand made use of the
mathematical model for easy chemical
reactions in order to demonstrate that
these networks could be formed easily than
what other researchers thought.

On looking at the structure of these
networks of molecules it was found that
they are actually composed of the smaller
subsets of these molecules. When
combined, split or recombined using their
own sub-units, these subsets of the
molecules could possibly lead to large as
well as complex chemical reactions or
maybe even life.
The result of the research could have a
huge impact on how people thought life
originated from the pure chemistry.
HUGE DUST STORM

OBSERVED ON MARS BY NASA
ROVER
NASA spacecraft tracked huge dust storm
on the Red Planet- Mars and this storm in
turn has led to changes in Martian
atmosphere. This was observed by Curiosity
rover on surface of the planet. First this
dust storm was spotted by the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) of NASA on
10 November 2012 and since then it is
being tracked.
With the help of Mars Colour Imager of the
orbiter, Malin Space Science Systems
started observing this dust storm and also
reported it to the Mars Exploration RoverOpportunity of NASA.
The storm did not come closer than around
1347 kilometres from the Opportunity
which resulted in meager dip in the clarity
of atmosphere over the rover that lacks
weather station. Halfway from the planet
from the Opportunity, the weather station
of Mars rover of NASA- Curiosity detected
certain atmospheric changes which were
linked to the storm.
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Sensors
on
Rover
Environmental
Monitoring Station (REMS), provided by
Spain for the Curiosity measured a dip in
the air pressure and also an increase in the
temperature overnight.
The Mars Climate Sounder instrument
found on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
detected a bit rise in temperature at around
25 kilometres above this storm. Since that
time, there has been an increase in the
atmospheric temperature by around 25
degrees Celsius. This has happened because
the dust is absorbing all the sunlight at the
height. This also indicated that the dust is
striking above surface and winds are
creating dust haze over wider region.
NEW DRUG DISCOVERED

THAT CAN HALT CANCER
FROM MULTIPLYING
Scientists in the last week of November
2012 developed a new drug called
Aflibercept for stopping the cancerous cells
from multiplying. The new drug compels
the cancerous cells to sleep which in turn
stops them in multiplying. The drug is said
to trick the tumours for becoming inactive
by swapping the molecular switches in
cancer structure so that there is no
multiplication of the cancerous cells.
MAKEMAKE, THE MASSIVE

DWARF PLANET OF SOLAR
SYSTEM HAS NO
ATMOSPHERE
Astronomers from Instituto de Astrofisica
de Andalucia, CSIC, Spain in the third week
of November 2012 discovered that the
distant drawf planet called Makemake,

which is 2/3rd that of Pluto in size does not
have atmosphere. Planet makemake
revolves around sun in its distant route
which lies away from Pluto. This distance is
closer to sun than Eris, the massive dwarf
planet in entire solar system.
In the previous observations it was found
that Makemake was quite like the fellow
dwarf planets which compelled some
astronomers to believe that it had
atmosphere, maybe like that of Pluto. But in
the new study it was discovered that
Makemake does not have significant
atmosphere.
SCIENTISTS DECODED HOW

FLU VIRUSES REPLICATE
WITHIN INFECTED CELLS
Scientists in the fourth week of November
2012 decoded how flu viruses replicate
within infected cells, which could be used
in the development of potent vaccines. The
study done by the scientists explained the
flu virus replication machinery.
Scientists used advance molecular biology
and electron-microscopy techniques to see
one of influenza's essential protein
complexes in detail. They focused on
influenzas ribonucleoprotein (RNP). RNPs
contained the genetic material of virus and
the special enzyme that is required by the
virus to replicate itself.
Any influenza virus contains eight RNPs in
its core. RNPs are important to the viruss
ability to survive and spread in its hosts.
Each RNP contains a single protein which is
the coding gene of the RNA-based viral
genome. The viral RNA segment is coated
with protective viral nucleoproteins and its
structure resembles a twisted loop of chain.
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The free ends of this twisted loop are held

by a flu-virus polymerase enzyme, which is
entrusted with two important tasks of viral
reproduction-1) making new viral genomic
RNA 2)making the RNA gene-transcripts
that will develop into new viral proteins. It
would be interesting to know how the flu
polymerase and the rest of the RNP
interact.
The only flu RNPs reproduced in the
laboratory, were shortened versions whose
structures didnt match those of native flu
RNPs. Still, Scientists developed a test-cell
expression system which produced all of
the protein and RNA components required
to make full-length flu RNPs. The discovery
enabled Scientists to analyse molecular
samples more easily.
RESEARCHERS DEVELOPED
NEW TOOL FOR KEEPING
YOUR EMAIL SPAM-FREE
Researchers from the Concordia University
in the third week of November 2012
proposed statistical structure for filtering
the spam, which can efficiently and swiftly
block the unnecessary messages in the
inbox of your email account. Researchers
had conducted a full-fledged study for
various spam filters while preparing the
efficient and new one.
According to researcher Ola Amayri, the
new approaches of the spam filtering can
adapt to active nature of the spams. It can
also handle the tricks of spammers
accurately by knowing the informative
patterns which are extracted automatically
from content, both images as well as text of
spams. As of now, the only focus of email
spam filteration was that on the text

content
and
not
on
the
images.
When the tricks are being used in combined

format, spam filters become helpless to
curtail these messages since they focus on
one of the content- either images or text
but hardly on both of them.
Majority of the previous researches had
their focus on textual content associated
with the spams. According to Amayri, by
keeping into consideration the patterns
from the images as well as text, a new
filtering method for spams was discovered.
ALGORITHM DEVELOPED FOR

CONTROLLING COMPUTER
CURSORS WITH THE
THOUGHTS
Researchers from Stanford who were led by
the scientists of Indian origin, in the third
week of November 2012 claimed the
development of fastest as well as most
reliable mathematical algorithm which can
help the disabled trick the computer cursors
with the thoughts.
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is responsible for recording the action

potentials in the neural activity from the
range of electrode sensors. It then sends
the data to the computer.
GENE DISCOVERED THAT

IDENTIFIES YOUR TIME OF
DEATH
Researchers at the Division of Neurology,
University of Toronto in third week of
November discovered the common gene
alternate which can influence the time you
wake up every morning as well as the time
of the day when you are most likely to die.
In the research, the scientists identified that
variant of the gene which can virtually
affect the whole population. The discovery
identifies the variant which can determine
when a person will die.
The research is said to be surprising and is
going to help in planning the medical
treatments. This research will also help in
analyzing the medical condition of the weak
patients.
The speed, accuracy as well as natural

movements of the algorithm are those like
the real arm. Researchers have developed
the system for ReFIT, the algorithm for the
brain-implantable prosthetic systems. This
can help in greatly improving the accuracy
as well as speed of the neural prosthetics
which can control cursors of the computers.
According to the researchers, there is a

biological clock within us which can help in
regulating various aspects of the human
biology as well as behavioral patterns and
these include times when a person can
perform brilliantly, their preferred sleeping
patterns as well as timing of the
psychological processes. This biological
clock can also influence timings of the
medical events such as heart attack and
stroke.
The findings will help in improving the

prosthetic system performance as well as
robustness in the paralysed. The system
works by relying on the sensor which is
actually implanted in the brain. This sensor
It has been found that earliness or lateness

of the biological clock within the body can
be inherited. Experiments on animals
suggest that this earliness or lateness can
also be influenced by certain kinds of genes.
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150

In the research, wake-sleep patterns of
people were compared along with their
genotypes. The researchers found out
single
nucleotide
(nucleotides
are
responsible for making the basic units of
RNA and DNA molecules) near the gene
known as Period 1. At this site, around 60
percent people have nucleotide base A or
Adenine and 40 percent have G or Guanine.
There are two pairs of chromosomes in the
individuals, which is why there are around
36 percent chances of two As, 16 percent
having two Gs and 48 percent having both
As and Gs at the site. It is this genotype
which affects the pattern of each person.
For example, people with A-A genotype
usually wake up one hour earlier than the
people with genotype G-G. Those with A-Gs
genotypes wake up in middle.
Expression of Period 1 gene remained lower
in brains as well as white blood cells of
individuals with G-G genotype than with AA genotype, but only in day.
Virtually, all the physiological processes
include a circadian rhythm which means
that these occur in the certain parts of a
day. There is a circadian rhythm of the
death as well and it has been found that
people will most likely die in morning hours,
especially around 11 am on an average.
BIONETWORK OF BACTERIA
LIVE IN BELLY BUTTON
US researchers from North Carolina State
University in the second week of November
found that the navel, also known as belly
button can harbour the bionetwork of
bacteria which is quite similar in
biodiversity to the rainforests of the world.
2368 such species of the bacteria were
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found out of which 1458 are absolutely new

for science.
Among the 60 individuals who were
studied, merely eight of the species were
frequent in around 70 percent people.
These eight species are called oligarchs.
Nevertheless what remains doubtful is what
factors determine about the kind of species
found in the people. Researchers have
looked at various factors such as ethnicity,
age and sex and none of these can predict
as to which species of bacteria will live in a
person.
The project was launched by the
researchers in part in order to investigate
claims made over recent years about
collection of the organisms on human skin
which makes the first line of protection
against the pathogens. Researchers are
aware of the fact that the immune system
will not function properly in the absence of
these microorganisms.
SCIENTIST DECODED A GENE

THAT GIVES HUMANS AN
EDGE OVER APES
Researchers of University of Edinburgh
discovered a new gene known as miR-941,
which explains the evolution of humans
from the chimpanzees. The gene is found
only in human beings. It appeared in
humans after they evolved from apes. This
gene played a very important role in the
development of a human brain. The gene
could be used for knowing how humans
learnt the usage of languages as well as
tools.
falling of an apple from one metre, but with

much less force.
RESEARCHERS CREATED A
PAPER-THIN FABRIC TO STOP
BULLETS
Researchers in the second week of
November fabricated an all-new paperthin
bullet-proof super material, which has the
capability to self-assemble into alternating
rubbery as well as glassy layers. The nanomaterial has the ability to translate into the
safety
beyond
the
vests.
These
technological advancements could be used
for protective coating for the jet engine
turbine blades as well as the satellites.
Scientists from Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) as well as Rice University
created the special textures which had the
ability to stop bullets from lab. This special
texture known as structured polymer
composite can reassemble into rubbery
layers and alternating glassy layers.
According to the Rice University, while the
ballistic tests were performed, on this
material at MIT's Institute for Soldier
Nanotechnologies, a 9 millimetre bullet
could be stopped by the 20 -nanometrethick layers. Nevertheless, the most
challenging task was to test the material
effectively in lab.
An innovative testing methodology was also
introduced by the MIT-Rice, where tiny
glass beads were shot at this material.
Despite being too small in size (millionth of
a meter), they projected the bullet impacts.
If the layers of materials are looked under
the scanning electron microscope, they
appear like the corduroy. The researchers
also assumed that projectile hit the target
at least 2000 times more rapidly than the
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SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED
BACTERIA THAT CAN LINE UP
TO CREATE LIVE WIRE
Scientists on 8 November 2012 revealed
about the discovery of a special type of
bacteria in the Ocean with abilities of
combining together for the formation of the
long conducting nano wire cable for
transportation of electrons and capturing
the oxygen available at the surface for
carrying out the metabolic activities.
The live wire is made of the living biological
cells, not from any type of metal or alloy
that is generally used in making of the wire.
A group of scientists along with Christain
Pfeiffer reported about the discovery of this
special type of bacteria with abilities of
cooperate and multiply at times of threats
to overcome the problems.
NASA LAUNCHED SPACE

STATION ALERT SERVICE TO
MAKE PEOPLE AWARE ABOUT
THE ISS
The US Space Agency, NASA on 2 November
2012 launched a new service in which
people can receive text messages on their
phones, whenever the International Space
Station would come over their house. The
service was launched during the celebration
of 12th anniversary of astronauts living and
working on the orbiting lab.
The message would make people aware in
finding out the International Space Station

(ISS) as people yet are unaware about the
location of ISS in the sky also about the fact
that after sun and moon, it is the third
brightest object present in the sky. The Spot
the Station facility would be available across
the world as the trajectory of the station
carries more than 90 percent population on
earth.
The Spot the Station Service would provide
people information about the location of
the ISS in the sky.
About International Space Station (ISS)

International Space Station (ISS) that looks
similar to Venus is mainly visible in the sky
during dusk and dawn at the time, when only
moon is visible in the sky. It is a habitable
satellite made and placed on the lower earth
orbit by the Scientists, and can be seen in the
sky with naked eyes without using telescope
or any other device. The International Space
Station Acts as a platform and environment
for scientists to conduct research in the
space, which cannot be performed by any
other means.
The ISS provides a platform to conduct
scientific research that cannot be performed
in any other way. While small unmanned
spacecraft can provide platforms for zero
gravity and exposure to space, space stations
offer a long term environment where studies
can be performed potentially for decades,
combined with ready access by human
researchers over periods that exceed the
capabilities of manned spacecraft.
A humanoid robot with common sense,

designed to work safely alongside its human
co-workers on factory production lines, was
unveiled in the US.
Baxter could apply common sense, adapt to
its environment and be trained in less than
30 minutes to complete specific tasks. It is
capable of superhuman speed and
precision.
To teach Baxter a new job, a human guides
its arms to simulate the desired task, and
presses a button to program in the pattern,
the report said. The robot responds with a
confused expression, if it does not
understand.
NEW EARTH SIZED PLANET

DISCOVERED IN
NEIGHBORING SOLAR SYSTEM
Astronomers have discovered a new earth
sized planet in October 2012 which is
closest to but outside our solar system. The
planet is said to be astronomical stones
throw away at four light years.
The discovery of planet was announced in
Science Journal, Nature by Stephane Urdy
and Xavier Dumusque at Geneva
Observatory.
The planet is very close to its sun that it is
difficult to support life there. The planet is
of very low mass and have a surface
temperature of about 1200 degree Celsius
(2192 Farenheit).The Planet orbits one of
the suns in Alpha Centauri, roughly 25
trillion miles away.
Also according to the previous study by
different scientist if one planet is discovered
A HUMANOID ROBOT CALLED

BAXTER DESIGNED IN USA
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orbiting a sun there is usually other planet
in the same solar system.
Almost 800 exoplanets are discovered in
the recent past that is outside our solar
system since early 1990s. But this Planet is
very close to earth.
It was also asserted that getting to the
planet is nearly impossible because it would
take about 40000 years to travel to new
planet even with current Propulsion
Technology
SCIENTIST DEVELOPED A
SUPERHERO MICE THAT SNIFF
OUT EXPLOSIVES
Scientists of the City University of New York
in month of October had genetically
engineered mice that have up to 500 times
more of nose cells to detect explosives and
TNT-like chemicals, using the Genetically
Modified technology.
The mice are named as 'super-hero' sniffer
mice and have the ability to smell out landmines and explosives. The mice can be used
by armed forces and can be deployed in
future, to countries affected by war for
rapidly sniffing out of landmines.
The project was funded by the US
government's health research arm.
Using of rats and mice is not common
phenomenon as it is evident from the fact
that a Belgian charity already uses giant
African rats to sniff out TNT and has
deployed them in Mozambique and
Tanzania and on the Thai-Burmese border.
In this research project mice was used
because they are cheaper to manage and
house and easier to breed.
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SCIENTIST DISCOVERED
SOURCE OF WATER ON
MOON
Scientists in third week of October have
discovered that the most likely source of
water on Moon is the constant stream of
charged particles from the Sun known as
the solar wind.
The findings came by researchers from the
University of Michigan who imply that ice
inside permanently shadowed polar craters
on the Moon, sometimes called cold traps,
could contain hydrogen atoms ultimately
derived from the solar wind.
Also, The Theoretical models of lunar water
stability dating to the late 1970s suggest
that hydrogen ions (protons) from the solar
wind can combine with oxygen on the
Moons surface to form water and related
compounds called hydroxyls, which consist
of one atom of hydrogen and one of oxygen
and are known as OH.
The researchers have found that the 'water'
component, the hydroxyl, in the lunar
regolith is mostly from solar wind
implantation of protons, which locally
combined with oxygen to form hydroxyls
that moved into the interior of glasses by
impact melting. With this research it is also
clear that water likely exists on Mercury
and on asteroids such as Vesta or Eros
further within our solar system.
The study findings are published in the
journal 'Nature Geoscience'.
AUSTRALIAN SCIENTISTS
UNVEILED THE COLOSSAL
RADIO TELESCOPE

Australian Scientists on 5 October 2012
unveiled a colossal radio telescope with
abilities of exploring the depths of
universe with unparalleled precision. The
telescope will increase the abilities of
astronomers in mapping black holes, survey
the universe, and cracking the new light
across the galaxies to an exponential level.
At present the Australian SKA Pathfinder
telescope having 36 antennas with
diameter of 12 meters each is placed at the
remote
Murchison
Radio-Astronomy
observatory in the deserts of West
Australia. Designed and developed by
making investments of Australian $ 140
million has facilities of surveying the sky at a
much faster speed than any other telescope
available in the world. The sensitive
antennas of the telescope are quite
sensitive to the faint radiations of Milky
Way hence is able to detect the galaxies far
away. The radio waves generated from this
telescope can provide details of the cosmos
far away and the gases that resulted in the
formation of any particular star.
Pulsars and quasars can also be identified
by the telescope with an ease pushing
forward the boundaries of knowledge of
the mankind ahead of the physical laws of
nature. The principle of radio-astronomy
can provide the details of the beginning of
the universe. Basically the antennas of the
telescope spread across the rocky terrain
would be used for collection of the radio
signals of the cosmic phenomenon. Being
50 times more powerful, when compared to
other radio devices, it can easily detect the
exploding stars. Hence can be of a great use
in establishing the facts related to the
formation of the universe that happened
about 14 billion years ago.
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SUNITA WILLIAMS BECAME

THE SECOND WOMAN IN
HISTORY TO TAKE COMMAND
OF ISS
Sunita Williams, the astronaut of Indian
American origin, took over the command
of International Space Station on 15
September 2012. As per the reports
released by NASA, in the traditional
ceremony
of
change-of-command,
Expedition 33 Sunita Williams took over the
command from Expedition 32 Commander
Gennady Padalka in the Destiny Laboratory.
Before this on 6 September 2012, Sunita
Williams booked a record for total
cumulative spacewalk time of 44 hours and
2 minutes by a woman astronaut with her
sixth walk in the space for repairing a faulty
unit of power distribution. In the spacewalk
of 6 hours and 28 minutes, she used a wire
brush made using a spare cable and a
toothbrush for repairing the unit.
Sunita Williams is accompanied with Japans
Akihiko Hoshide and Russias Yury
Malenchenko on the International Space
Station.
RESEARCHERS DISCOVERED
TWO PROTEINS THAT CAN
PROTECT AGAINST DIABETES
Researchers discovered that two proteins
that work together to kill self-reactive
immune cells can protect against diseases
such as type1 diabetes and rheumatoid
arthritis.

Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall
Institute in Australia discovered that
absence of proteins called Puma and Bim
can result in to self-reactive immune cells
accumulating and attacking many different
body organs, causing illness. The proteins
are called BH3-only. They make the selfreactive cells die by a process called
apoptosis. Defects in apoptosis proteins
were linked to many human diseases,
including cancer and neurodegenerative
disorders and autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune diseases, such as type 1
diabetes,
rheumatoid
arthritis,
inflammatory bowel disease and multiple
sclerosis, develop when immune cells
launch an attack on the body's own cells,
destroying important body organs or
structures.
INDIAS FIRST MULTI-LATERAL

SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
COLLABORATION WITH FOUR
EUROPEAN NATIONS
India has managed to enter into its first
multi-lateral Social Science research
collaboration with four European Nations
by the approval of projects for networking
and social science research cooperation in
between the researchers of these nations
on 5 September 2012.
The French Agence Nationale de la
Recherche
(ANR),
the
Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German
Research Foundation), the UK Economic
and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific
Research (NWO) are the four bodies with
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which India has been successful in created

tie-ups.
The social scientists will get national funds
for creating collaborations with European
Partners via a scheme. This is help in
eradication of bureaucratic restrictions and
obstacles. Its expected to economise and
rationalize the efforts of Europe towards
production of high impact and quality
research on social science that can address
to the challenges forwarded by the global
arena in terms of growth, economy,
development, climate change, well being
and health. As per the scheme the proposal
can be made on any hemisphere of social
science that can be of a help in
understanding the social and individual
behavior of a person and influence the
policies beyond the boundaries.
The targeted six proposals that have been
awarded with the funds after being mapped
in the month of May 2011, will deal in the
aspects of wellbeing, ageing, bullying,
mapping the cultural authority of science,
globally accessible medicine, climate
governance and pupil-safety.
SCIENTISTS DEVELOPED A
GENE THERAPY WHICH CAN
RESTORE THE SENSE OF
SMELL
Scientists of the University of Michigan
developed a gene therapy which they
claimed could restore the sense of smell in
human beings who lost the ability to sniff
odours from birth. The scientists used gene
therapy to regrow cilia, cell structures that
are important for olfactory function.

These results could result in to one of the
first therapeutic options for treating people
with congenital anosmia. They also set the
stage for therapeutic approaches to
treating diseases which involve cilia
dysfunction in other organ systems. Many
of these diseases can be dangerous if left
untreated.
Olfactory dysfunction can be a symptom of
a class of genetic disorders, known as
ciliopathies. It includes diseases as diverse
as polycystic kidney disease and retinitis
pigmentosa--an inherited, degenerative eye
disease- that causes severe vision
impairment and blindness.
A NEW STRAIN OF RICE

DEVELOPED BY THE
SCIENTISTS THAT COULD
BOOST CROP YIELDS
Scientists developed a new strain of rice
that could increase crop yields by a fifth for
small farmers. It grows well in soils lacking
the nutrient phosphorus. The gene will be
now transferred to modern varieties of rice
using classic methods of cross-breeding, not
genetic engineering.
Many soil types bond tightly to phosphorus,
allowing only a small quantity of the
precious mineral to plant roots.To solve this
problems, farmers seek help of phosphorus
fertilisers. But in poor countries, this option
costs too much, which means the plant is
left undernourished. Ultimately, this
meagre growth affects yields.
In October 2011, the UN Population Fund
(UNFPA) said the global population of seven
billion could rise to at least 10 billion by
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2100. Therefore, we need more yields.

Phosphate fertilisers are typically extracted
from layers of rock which were ocean
sediments millions of years ago.
NEW TECHNIQUE TO REDUCE
THE SIDE EFFECTS OF
CHEMOTHERAPY
Scientists developed a new technique to
reduce the harmful side effects of
chemotherapy. The new technique blocks
an
oxygen-sensitive
enzyme
and
streamlines the blood flow by combining
the specific PHD2 inhibitors with the
chemotherapy. Inhibiting PHD2 results in
the production of anti-oxidant enzymes
were able to neutralise the harmful side
effects of chemotherapy. The better formed
blood vessels ensure that the anticancer
drugs are distributed throughout the
tumour, which increases their impact.
In Chemotherapy, anticancer drugs are not
easily delivered to the actual tumour
because leaking blood vessels prevent anticancer drugs from reaching tumourb cells
while promoting metastasis. Moreover,
chemotherapy can adversely affect healthy
organs, resulting into heart and kidney
failure.
RING-PLANET SATURN AND

RED PLANET MARS PAIRED IN
THE SKY
The Ring-planet Saturn and Red planet Mars
came together in Western Sky after sunset
on 15 August 2012. While the two planets
appeared to be pairing in the sky, they were

in actual quite far apart and different from
each other.
Saturn, the sixth planet from sun, is the

second-largest planet in the solar system.
The planet is composed almost entirely of
gas, mostly hydrogen, with smaller amounts
of other gases. It has no solid surface in our
sense of the word, but it may have a small
rocky core that is surrounded by thousands
of miles of highly compressed gas due to
the enormous gravitational effects of
Saturn's large mass, which is 95 times that
of the Earth.
Mars, which is also called the Red Planet, is

fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar
System. The planet is made of Iron-oxide
gas that gives the planet reddish
appearance.
NASAS NEW ROBOT ROVER

CURIOSITY TOUCHED THE
SURFACE OF MARS
The US space agency NASA landed Curiosity,

a huge new robot rover on Mars on 5
August 2012. The one-tonne vehicle
touched the surface of Mars after a 345million-mile expedition. The robot rover will
now conduct a study to find out whether
the planet was ever hospitable to life. The
robot rover, which epitomizes the
technological wizardry of mankind, is set to
spend nearly two years for the mission.
NASA undertook the mission with an
objective to determine whether Mars has
ever had the conditions to support life. The
ambitious project cost the US government
about 2.5 billion dollar.
Specific Technological Features of Curiosity
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The 900 kg rover has the top speed

of about 4cm/s
Plutonium generators installed on
the rover will deliver heat and
electricity for at least 14 years
75kg science payload more than 10
times as massive as those of earlier
US Mars rovers
Equipped with tools to brush and
drill into rocks, to scoop up, sort and
sieve samples
Variety of analytical techniques to
discern chemistry in rocks, soil and
atmosphere
Even carries a laser to zap rocks;
beam will identify atomic elements
in rocks
Equipped with 17 cameras, which
will identify particular targets, and a
laser will zap those rocks to probe
their chemistry
Findings of the mission will be
delivered to Earth through antennas
on the rover deck
GOOGLE LAUNCHED DEAD

SEA SCROLLS ONLINE LIBRARY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ISRAEL
ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY
Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), in
partnership with Google on 18 December
2012 put 5000 images of the ancient biblical
artifacts online in form of Digital library.
The online availability of Dead Sea scrolls
came after more than six decades since the
discovery of it and thousands of years after
they were written.
The digital library comprises Book of
Deuteronomy, which basically includes the
second listing of the Ten Commandments,

and a portion of the first chapter of the
Book of Genesis, dated to the first century
B.C.
What is Dead Sea Scrolls?
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collected works of
972 texts discovered between 1946 and 1956
that mainly comprises biblical manuscripts
known as the Hebrew Bible and also the
extra-biblical documents which was found on
the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from
which they obtained the name Dead Sea
Scrolls.
The texts had great historical and religious
importance and include the earliest known
surviving copies of biblical and extra-biblical
documents, as well as preserving evidence of
great diversity in late Second Temple
Judaism. They are written in Hebrew,
Aramaic, Greek, and Nabataean, mostly on
parchment and also on papyrus and bronze.
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APPLE LAUNCHED I PAD MINI

AND FOURTH-GENERATION
IPAD IN INDIA
Apple, on 7 December 2012 launched iPad
mini and fourth-generation iPad in India.
This comes less than a week after the
company rolled out iTunes Store in the
country.
The i Pad mini with its 7.9-inch touchscreen,
display, FaceTime HD, and iSight cameras
came to India at starting price of 21900
rupees for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only version. The
32 and 64GB Wi-Fi-only versions of the
device cost 27900 and 33900 rupees
respectively in Indian market.
The 16, 32 and 64GB Wi-Fi +4G iterations of
Apple's mini-tablet have been priced at
29900, 35500 and 41900 rupees
respectively.
IRAN ANNOUNCED SENDING

A MONKEY SUCCESSFULLY
INTO SPACE
TATA STEEL DEVELOPED A

NEW KIND OF ANTI-BALLISTIC
STEEL SUPER BAINITE
Corporate/Bussiness
Current
Affairs
2012.Tata Steel's Port Talbot plant in the UK
developed a new kind of anti-ballistic steel
in the second week of December which
could transform safety of soldiers and
security forces fighting terrorists and
extremists.
The steel named as Super Bainite is very
lightweight, super-strength anti-ballistic
steel with a lattice form. It can be used to
armour-plate troop carriers and tanks.
Iran on 28 January 2013 announced that it

had successfully sent into space a monkey.
While declaring the sending of a monkey
into space, Iran also declared that it was yet
another step towards the space flight goal
of Tehran.
The rocket called Pishgam (meaning
Pioneer) reached at a height of 120 km.
Though the details about timing or the
location were not disclosed, but Iran
declared that the monkey had come back to
the Earth successfully.
Since a long time, Iran wanted to send an
astronaut in space as its aerospace
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programme in 2012. In 2010, Iran declared

that it had launched the Explorer rocket
into space which carried worms, turtle and
mouse. Irans effort to launch a monkey
into the space had earlier failed in 2011.
allows storage of 100 million hours of high

definition video in a cup of DNA.
Researchers claim that into a speck of DNA
a huge amount of information can be
written for being stored for tens of
thousands of years.
Early Monkeys sent into Space

The first country to launch the primate
into space was US. It sent a rhesus
monkey known as Albert into a subspace altitude of 39 miles in the V2
rocket in 1948. However, Albert died
because of suffocation in the flight.
Another monkey called Albert II was
sent into space achieving the altitude of
83 miles in the V2 rocket in 1949.
Though Albert II survived but it died
because of parachute failure.
In late 1949, other two monkeys called
Albert III and Albert IV were sent but
again did not survive.
In 1951, Albert V died because of
parachute failure.
In 1951, Albert VI, also called Yorick
survived the flight but only reached the
height of 45 miles. The boundary of
outer space is considered beyond 62
miles.
The landmark was achieved by the US
in 1959 when two primates were
recovered alive after their spaceflight.
These primates were a rhesus monkey
called Able and a squirrel monkey
called Baker. These primates were
aboard a rocket called Jupiter.
The scientists in Cambridge downloaded all

the 154 sonnets of Shakespeare on the
strands of the synthetic DNA, a genetic
storage device have been used. A part of
Martin Luther Kings 1963 speech I have a
dream, in its audio format have also been
stored by the scientists on strands of DNA
and this describes the double helical nature
of DNA.
This is a breakthrough, carrying possibilities
of solve the problems to store the evergrowing mountain of Data. Scientists were
successful in decoding the information and
reproduction of the Brads words with
complete accuracy.
One sonnet from Shakespeare weighs 0.3
millionths of a millionth of a gram when
written on the DNA and thus a gram of the
DNA can easily store information that more
than one million of compact disks (CDs) can
store.
Scientists claimed that the DNA can be used
as the robust way to store information as
the information once stored in it can be
extracted from the mammoth bones, even
after tens of thousands of years.
154 SONNETS OF
SHAKESPEARE ENCODED AND
STORED IN STRANDS OF DNA
GENE THAT RESTRICTS
TUMOURS
The researchers from EMBL- European

Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) in
January 2013 developed a new method that
Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru

University's School of Biotechnology
claimed in the third week of January 2013
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that they found the SCO2 gene which has
potential qualities of restricting tumours.
Scientists claimed that this SCO2 gene can
therefore be used for the treatment of
various kinds of cancers.
As of now, p53 gene was considered as the
protein that holds back tumours and
therefore prevents occurrence of cancer.
But as per the combined research studies
which were conducted by the scientists of
JNU School of Biotechnology and Ohio State
University Medical Centre as well as other
universities, p53 gene employs SCO2 gene
to imbibe this tumour-suppressing quality
to it.
BLACK HOLES GROWING AT

FASTER PACE THAN
EXPECTED: ASTRONOMERS
Astronomers had already discovered that
the super-massive black holes which sit in
the centres of various galaxies were
growing faster. But as per the new
observations conducted by Swinburne
University of Technology, astronomers
revealed that these black holes were
growing at much faster pace than expected.
Professor Alister Graham from Swinburne's
Technology's Centre for Astrophysics and
Supercomputing explained that different
galaxies competed with each other for
available gases, for either creating new
stars or for the purpose of feeding central
black hole. For over 10 years, the leading
theories as well as the models facilitated
fixed fraction of gas to each of this process,
thereby safeguarding the ratio of black hole
mass to galaxy mass.
Professor Graham explained that every time
there is a ten times increase in the stellar
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mass of the galaxy, it leads to around 100

times increase in the mass of black hole.
SENSORS TO DETECT PLANTS

DISTRESS WORKED UPON BY
THE RESEARCHERS
Researchers from the University of Georgia
revealed in the third week of January 2013
that they were creating the technology
which helps in identifying the plants that
are in pain. The technology or the sensors
were being worked upon.
These sensors detect the compounds called
green leaf volatiles, which are emitted by
the diseased plants into the devices which
would be field-ready.
This technology will be useful for the
farmers because it could lower the use of
the pesticides and save a lot of money.
Green leaf volatiles are actually invisible to
the human eyes. These compounds are also
odourless and they are released by the
plants much before the signs of any harm.
The use of this technology could help in
detecting the problems of the plants early,
thereby reducing the disease transmission
or crop loss.
This technology can be used in the grid
pattern to the quarantine pathogens in a
sector of the field, eventually reducing and
localising the use of crop treatment. The
technology will also be useful for catching
the unhealthy vegetables and fruits. The
research will soon enter the testing phase.
RESEARCHERS DEVELOPED
NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT
HELPS SURGEON DETECT

CANCER SPREAD
Researchers at the University of California,
San Diego, in the third week of January
2013 developed a fresh technique that
enables surgeons to find out about the
reach of tumours and helps them to decide
which tissues should be removed for saving
the healthy cells in cancer patients.
In the new technique known as moleculartargeted imaging, surgeons are able to get
rid of unnecessarily removing the healthy
lymph nodes, which are required for
patients in the long term. The technique
allows enhancing the range of visual field of
the surgeons through molecular tool, which
allows them to achieve accurate surgical
margins as well as detection of the
metastases so that there are no tumours
left.
ASTRONOMERS DISCOVERED
LARGEST COSMIC STRUCTURE
IN THE UNIVERSE
Astronomers in the first week of January
2013 discovered the largest known
structure in the Universe called Large
Quasar Group (LQG) that is powered by
super massive black holes clump together.
This cluster of galaxies spans across four
billion light years.
Quasars are considered to be the nuclei of
galaxies of the universe, which undergoes
brief period of extremely high brightness
making them visible in the sky from
extreme distant positions.
The LQG was identified by a research team
from the University of Central Lancashire
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(UCLan) that is led by Dr. Roger Clowes and

the significant size of the same is
challenging the Albert Einsteins Principle of
Cosmology. The principle states the
Universe when viewed at a large scale, it
seems to be the same; it doesnt matters
that from where it is being observed from.
The Einsteins principle is just an
assumption but was never demonstrated
after observations so its beyond
reasonable doubts.
The newly, discovered LQG carries a
dimension of 500 megaparsecs (Mpc). The
elongated structure makes its longest
dimension to a size of 1200 Mpc or 4 billion
light years, which is 1600 times larger than
the distance between the Milky Way Galaxy
and the Andromeda Galaxy.
DRUG TO REVERSE
PERMANENT DEAFNESS
Scientists in the second week of January
2013, at the Harvard Medical School, US
developed a drug codenamed LY411575,
which is claimed to be a cure of the
permanent deafness. The drug works by
exciting the inner ear. It actually triggers the
restoration of sensory hair cells.
As of now, it was not possible to refurbish
the cells which were lost because of various
factors such as toxic drugs, infection and
loud exposure of noise. This kind of
deafness, which usually occurred to DJs and
rock musicians, was assumed as irrevocable.
DRUG THAT HELP PARALYSED
WALK AGAIN

Scientists at the Stanford University in the
second week of January 2013, California
developed an experimental drug called
LM11A-31 which is claimed to help
paralysed people reclaim their movements.
The new drug enabled the mice which had
no movements in lower limbs, to walk again
with the coordinated steps. The mice were
even able to imitate the swimming motions.
In a 42-days long experiment, the scientists
gave three doses of the drug to different
groups of the mice starting at four hours
post injury and later twice every day. In the
tests, it was also observed that the
medication did not cause any pain in mice.
Also, there were no toxic effects on them.
Blood brain barrier, which is responsible for
protecting the Central Nervous System
(CNS) from harmful chemicals carried in the
bloodstream, was also crossed efficiently.
This is for the very first time that the oral
drug was observed to provide effective
therapy like this. This is therefore said to be
the first drug that if taken orally, produced
functional improvement leading to no
toxicity in rodent model.
Apart from this, the scientists tested the
small molecule for the ability to avoid death
of cells known as oligodendrocytes.
Oligodendrocytes actually are the cells
which surround as well as provide
protection to the axons, which are long
projections of the nerve cells. Protection is
provided to axons by wrapping them in
myelin sheath which provides protection to
the fibres.
MARS CURIOSITY ROVER

CAPTURED A FLOWER LIKE
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FORMATION ON MARTIAN
ROCKS
NASA in the first week of January 2013
unveiled that Mars Curiosity Rover has
captured an image of a flower like object
embedded on the rocks of Mars. It has also
photographed a snake-like rock formation
on the Martian Rocks. The picture of flower
was captured by the microscope Mars Hand
Lens Imager held by the robotic arm of
Rover on 19 December 2012.
The 2.5 billion dollar Curiosity Rover landed
on Mars on 5 August 2012 with a mission to
identify that was the planet in its past was
habitable or had primitive microbial life.
The mission would end after 2 years from
the day it landed on the Glenelg, the
Martian Peak base named MountSharp by
the Scientists.
2 BILLION YEAR OLD

MARTIAN ROCK IS A
METEORITE WITH 10 TIMES
MORE WATER THAN
NORMAL: SCIENTISTS
Scientists claimed that the 2-billion year old
dark black rock, called Northwest Africa
(NWA) 7034 or Black Beauty, which landed
into Sahara desert in 2011 is actually new
kind of Martian meteorite which contains
10 times excess water than the normal.
Black Beauty weighs around 320 g. After
studying it intensively for over a year, the
team of US scientists finally determined
that the meteorite was formed 2.1 billion
years ago and that too during the starting of
most recent geologic period called
Amazonian, on Mars.

Programme scientist for the Mars
Exploration
Programme
at
NASA
headquarters, Washington explained that
the age of Black Beauty was important
because it is majorly older than the other
Martian meteorites.
PROTEIN BEHIND SCALY AND
DRY SKIN IN ECZEMA
A team of researchers including that of an
Indian-origin, at Oregon State University
discovered in the first week of January
2013, one malfunctioning protein which
leads to itchy, dry as well as inflamed skin
wounds in a kind of eczema. The protein is
called Ctip2 and it actually causes certain
skin conditions by controlling body fat
which keeps the skin hydrated and healthy.
Eczema actually causes major loss of certain
fluids through the skin which in turn leads
to penetration of certain allergens. In the
study conducted by the researchers, it was
found that insufficient Ctip2 leads to
reduction in the lipids in skin which are
required for staying healthy and performing
its function. Additionally, this leads to
unwanted creation of proteins which can
cause inflammation.
TWO NEW-BORN GIANT

PLANETS OBSERVED AROUND
THE STAR
Astronomers studying about the newborn
star called HD 142527, observed glimpses of
the planets which were forming around it,
depicting the stage of planetary evolution
which was never seen before. The newborn planets were observed using the
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largest radio telescope on Earth, Atacama

Large Millimetre /submillimeter Array in
the Atacama Desert of Chile.
It was observed that streams of gases were
flowing through the gap found in the disc of
the material that was surrounding the
young star supported theories, about how
these planets grew. The European Southern
Observatory (ESO) described the vast
stream of gases was flowing through the
gap in disc.
ASTRONOMERS CLAIMED
RARE SUPERCOMET WOULD
OUTSHINE MOON IN 2013
Astronomers claimed that a rare
supercomet called C/2012 S1 (ISON) was
moving towards the Sun from outer solar
system. This supercomet would outshine
Moon in November 2013. C/2012 S1 (ISON)
was first noticed in September 2012.
The comet would be closest to the Sun in
November 2013. The comet would be as
good as Hale-Bopp, a comet which
appeared in 1997. Hale-Bopp is the most
widely noticed comet of 20th century. It is
also the brightest comet observed in
various decades.
ISON on the other hand would be making its
first voyage in the solar system.
Astronomers believe that this comet might
also contain certain volatile gases which are
not found in other comets. Astronomers
also hope that this would help them get a
peep into the materials of the outer solar
system.
Additionally, the year would also witness
celestial fireworks having various flavours
because of the gas cloud which has three
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times the mass of Earth, heading in the

direction of calm supermassive black hole
which sits in the heart of our galaxy. This
collision would not be visible with naked
eyes. However, the X-ray telescopes will be
able to catch the radiations from shock
wave which would be created as the cloud
hits into aura of hot gases which surround
the hole.
Scientist in the month of December

revealed a planet that could support life,
orbits a Sun-like star near the Earth.
Because this black hole called Sagittarius A

is just 25000 light years far from Earth,
therefore the crash would offer a unique
view of various materials getting into the
black hole. This might also provide a hint
about what had happened 300 years back
when this black hole was brighter than
present.
Out of the five planets found one of the

planets, which is five times the mass of
earth support life and lies in the "habitable"
zone where liquid water and life could
potentially exist.
SPACEPLANE SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETED FLIGHT TEST;
MOVED A STEP CLOSER TO
SPACE TOURISM
Most planets detected in the Universe so

far had high masses due to the difficulties in
finding extra-solar planets.
The spaceplane constructed by Richard

Branson's spaceflight company called Virgin
Galactic successfully completed the
important flight test which would be able to
carry the people to space.
SpaceShipTwo, the spaceplane was piloted
to soft runway touchdown after highaltitude release from WhiteKnightTwo
mothership, which eventually enabled it to
score successful test drop. It additionally
also checked off various milestones at
Mojave Air and Space Port in California.
LIFE SUPPORTING PLANET

FOUND ORBITING STAR NEAR
EARTH
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There are five planets found to be circling

Tau Ceti - a star just 12 light years away which is almost identical to the sun, a
journal set to appear in Astronomy &
Astrophysics says.
As per the Astronomers estimate the Tau

Ceti planets is two to six times bigger than
Earth.
The Tau Ceti planetary family is thought to

be the lowest mass solar system yet
detected. More than 800 planets have been
discovered so far orbiting stars beyond the
sun since the 1990s.
NASAS TWIN PROBES

CRASHED SUCCESSFULLY
ONTO LUNAR MOUNTAIN
Ebb and Flow, the gravity mapping
satellites of NASA ended the successful
mission to Moon by crashing on the rim of
crater. Lunar surface on which Ebb and
Flow crashed will be given a name after
Sally Ride, the first woman of America in
the space who died earlier in 2012.
Ebb and Flow, two spacecrafts of NASA that
comprised Gravity Recovery and Interior
Laboratory (GRAIL) Mission, on 14
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December 2012 were commanded for
landing in lower orbit of Moon which would
create an impact on the mountain near its
North Pole. Ebb and Flow were launched in
September 2011 and were orbiting Moon
since 1 January 2012. After a year of their
arrival on Moon, the twin spacecrafts of
NASA hit the lunar surface as it was planned
at 5:28:51 pm EST and 5:29:21 pm EST
respectively. The speed of the two was 1.7
kilometres per second.
The location of site is on southern face of
around 2.5 kilometre tall Lunar Mountain
near the crater called Goldschmidt. The
principal investigator of GRAIL, Maria Zuber
of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge declared that the
lunar mission was complete and that they
were proud to honour the contributions of
Sally Ride after naming that corner of
Moons surface after her.
The impact indicated that the GRAIL mission
was complete. This was the first planetary
mission of NASA which carried cameras that
were completely dedicated to public
outreach as well as education. Apart from
the basic science instrument, the
spacecrafts carried MoonKAM, the camera
which captured over 115000 images of
Moons surface.
RESEARCHERS CREATED
NATURAL HEART PACEMAKER
FROM SINGLE GENE
Researchers of Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute
developed pacemaker cells through
injection of gene called Tbx18, which could
greatly help in repairing the heart. This
research would help treating the heart
patients with the simple injection of so-
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called natural pacemaker. The researchers

programmed ordinary cells of heart for
becoming the exact imitations of specialised
biological pacemakers through injection of
single gene.
The heartbeat begins in sino-atrial node
(SAN) of right upper chamber of heart where
there are accumulated pacemaker cells. Out
of the 10 billion cells of heart, less than
10000 are the pacemaker cells which are also
referred as SAN cells. Once these new
pacemaker cells are programmed by Tbx18
gene, they had all the important features of
the native pacemakers. These pacemaker
cells once programmed, also maintained the
SAN-like characteristics despite the fact that
effects of Tbx18 gene faded away.
PERMIAN MASS EXTINCTION

WAS LED BY A MICROBE:
RESEARCH
A microbe led to extinction of more than 90
species on Earths surface around 251
million years ago, the researchers found out
in the second week of December 2012. The
mass extinction did not take place due to
catastrophic volcano or meteorite, but
because of a microbe.
According to the current theory, mass
extinction by end of Permian period was
started because of volcanic eruptions on a
large area, now called Siberia. This in turn
led to a dramatic increase in the emission of
greenhouse gases. But a researcher from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
believes that the scenario doesnt align with
the facts. An analysis of the end-Permian
sediment sample from China was

conducted and it was found that carbon
levels had rushed too fast for geological
processes to begin. Microbes could
generate equally fast carbon compounds.
When the group of researchers analysed
genome
of
Methanosarcina
a
methanogen which is accountable for most
of the biogenic methane on Earth today, it
was discovered that microbe acquired this
ability some 231 million years ago. This date
matched closer to the time when mass
extinction took place. However, the link
could still not be suggested.
Methanosarcina needs huge amount of
nickel for producing methane fast. On going
back to sediment cores, the researchers
discovered that the level of nickel prickled
exactly 251 million years. This might have
happened because the Siberian lavas had
nickel in large quantities. This in turn
reinforced the fact that Methanosarcina
triggered mass extinction.
It is important to note that the mass
extinction of biodiversity of todays time is
quite identical since it is mainly determined
by our species.
BRAIN-REMOVAL TOOL
DISCOVERED IN 2400-YEAR
OLD MUMMY
Brain-removal tool, which was used by the
ancient
Egyptian
embalmers,
was
discovered by the researchers of Zagreb
Croatia in the third week of December
2012. This brain-removal tool was lodged in
skull of the female mummy which dated
back to approximately 2400 years. This was
the 3-inch object which was found in body
of the 40-year old woman. The researchers
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who discovered this tool were surprised by

the breakthrough.
Brain
removal
was
the
Egyptian
mummification procedure which was quite
popular around 3500 years ago. It was also
used extensively in later periods. It is
important to note here that identification of
the ancient tools which were used by the
embalmers for brain removal was very
difficult. Researchers also noted that this
was the 2nd time when this kind of a tool
was found in the skull of a mummy.
HEADSET THAT GIVE HUMANS
360 DEGREE VISION
French scientists claimed that they
developed a new system called FlyVIZ
which enables humans to get 360 degree
vision. The headset in the system is said to
capture the images from different
directions and thereafter transform these
into the matter which is possible for the
human vision system to comprehend.
The device basically makes use of a video
camera which is mounted on the top of the
helmet with special mirrors that can be
used for capturing scenes all around a user.
It then displays the results in real-time on
modified 3D Viewer headset. The entire
system takes around 15 minutes for a user
to get used to.
SCIENTIST DECODED GENETIC

CODE OF HONEY BEES
REVEALING ITS SENSITIVITY
TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Scientists unlocked the genetic secrets
behind honey bees' high sensitivity to
environmental change which will help show
links between nutrition, environment and
the insects' development.
The decoded gene could offer an insight
into problems like Colony Collapse Disorder,
a mysterious cause of mass bee deaths
globally. Honey bees live in complex
societies comprising tens of thousands of
individuals.
Most of these are female 'worker'
honeybees that are unable to reproduce
and instead devote their short lives to
finding food in flowers and other tasks such
as nursing larvae inside the hive. However,
the hive has a queen as well - the much
longer-lived, reproductive head of the hive.
As per the Researchers the change occurs
as a result of a histone code - a process that
sees genetic changes made to proteins
called histones within cells' nuclei. Rather
than "genetic" changes that are locked into
DNA, these are known as "epigenetic"
changes.
The study findings appeared in Insect
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
RESEARCH INDICATED THAT

ANTI-AGEING GENE MIGHT
SUPPRESS TUMOURS
Researchers of the University of Michigan
Health System and Harvard Medical School
in the second week of December 2012
showed that anti-ageing genes might be
helpful in curtailing the multiplication of
cancer. It was shown that the loss of antiageing gene can promote the occurrence of
tumours in the human beings.
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The researchers had shown that the

decrease in SIRT6 protein in rats increased
the size, aggressiveness as well as number
of tumours apart from promotion of
tumour growth in the human colon as well
as pancreatic cancers.
FIRST 100 PERCENT

ULTRASOUND TOOTHBRUSH
OF THE WORLD DEVELOPED
British scientists in the first week of
December 2012 claimed that they
developed, the first toothbrush of the world
called Emmident toothbrush which makes
use of the ultrasound waves for cleaning
teeth, which means that there is no need
of abrasive brushing.
Even though the manual toothbrushes have
been replaced long back with whizzyelectric
versions of the brushes which have superfast vibrations along with costly whitening
heads, but the high-tech toothbrushes
launched in UK in first week of December
2012 is the first 100 percent ultrasound
toothbrush of the world.
Ultrasound technology was also included in
electric designs earlier but this time it is the
first of its kind toothbrush which has
independent ultrasound technology and it
does not require movement of brush.
NASA ANNOUNCED TO SEND

NEW ROVER TO MARS IN
2020
The US space agency NASA, on 4 December
2012 announced plans to send a new
robotic explorer to the Red Planet, Mars in
2020.

The announcement came a day after NASA
released the results of the first soil tested
by the Curiosity rover, which found traces
of compounds like water and oxygen that
are necessary for life.
Some basic guidelines for the mission are
already planned. The 2020 rover is going to
help NASA in preparing for its eventual goal
of bringing samples from Mars back to
Earth an effort most scientists regard as
the best way to look for signs of life on the
Red Planet.
The unmanned rover's chassis and landing
system will be based heavily on NASA's 2.5
billion dollar Curiosity rover, which was
send on Mars in August 2012. The Curiosity
Rover landed on Mars 5 August 2012 and
dropped onto the surface by a rocketpowered sky crane.
It's now four months into a two-year prime
mission to determine if the Red Planet can,
or ever could, support microbial life. The 1ton rover carries 10 different science
instruments to aid this quest.
The 2020 Curiosity Rover launch would
allow NASA to keep contributing to two
European-led Mars missions the Trace
Gas Orbiter and the ExoMars rover, which
is scheduled to lift off in 2016 and 2018,
respectively.
NASA also plans to send a craft dubbed
InSight to dig the planet's depths in 2016 to
determine whether the planet's core is solid
or liquid like Earth's. The 2020 mission is
just another step toward being responsive
to high-priority science goals and challenge
of sending humans to Mars orbit in the
2030s.
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ANTI COLLISION DEVICE FOR

RAILWAYS DEVELOPED BY
HYDERABAD BASED FIRM
Hyderabad Based Company, Hyderabad
Batteries Limited (HBL) developed a new
anti collision safety device which is path
breaking technology in ensuring safe
travelling and fewer accidents.
The device is based on a combination of
railway signaling data with radio
communications, global position, radio
frequency identification devices, software
and logic.
It was HBL Power Systems which reacted
first to the expression of interest floated by
the Research, Design and Standards
Organization of the Indian Railways to
develop an anti-collision device in August
2008.
The system is designed to automatically
bring trains to a halt when collision-like
situations arise or when the red signal is
violated, for whatever reason.
In the Month of September 2012, a train
collision avoidance system (TCAS), tested
in real time on a track near Tandur, in the
South Central Railway demonstrated the
viability of the system. During the trials, the
effectiveness was demonstrated for
prevention of head-on collisions; rear-end
collisions, over-speeding of trains and
disregard for red signal.
The new anti collision device had essential
features of both automatic train protection
and collision prevention in one solution.
HBL Power Systems had also developed
electronic interlocking system, audio
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frequency track circuits
management systems.
and
train
MYSTERY THAT SURROUNDED

THE MISSING SANDY ISLAND
SOLVED
A researcher from New Zealand claimed
that he had solved the mystery of the
missing South Pacific Island which was
shown on the world maps as well as Google
Earth but did not actually exist. The blame
of the missing island went to the whaling
ship from the year 1876.
The landmass in Coral Sea which is shown
as the Sandy Island on Google maps as well
as Google Earth is apparently somewhere
between Australia and New Caledonia.
Times Atlas of the World, on the other
hand identifies it as the Sable Island, but
the Australian scientists who went on a
research in November 2012 could not
locate it exactly, which is why they claimed
that the island did not exist actually. A
researcher at Auckland Museum after his
investigations claimed that the island had
never existed.
Google in the meanwhile welcomed this
feedback and explained that suggestions
from the users on maps enabled integration
of new information into Google Maps.
Apparently, now the Sandy Island has been
removed from the maps.
CHAMP MISSILE COULD SHUT

DOWN THE ELECTRONICS OF
THE COUNTRY
PERMANENTLY: BOEING
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Boeing, the US aircraft manufacturer

claimed that a new missile codenamed
CHAMP has been tested successfully which
makes use of the electromagnetic pulses in
order to target the buildings can
permanently blackout the electronics of the
country without causing any harm to
people.
Boeing claimed that it has successfully
tested this weapon on their one-hour flight.
During the flight, the missile made all the
computers of the military in Utah dead. It is
also thought that this missile could possibly
break through the caves as well as bunkers
which allegedly are hiding the nuclear
facilities of Iran. However, it was also
warned that in case the missile is acquired
by the wrong people, it would knock down
the Western cities as well.
In the experiment of Boeing, the missile
went flying over Utah Test and Training
Range, and it discharged electromagnetic
pulses on seven targets. Eventually, it shut
down all the electronics of the area
permanently. Boeing claimed that this test
remained highly successful; so much that it
also disabled the camera recording.
CHAMP or Counter-Electronics High Power
Microwave Advanced Missile Project is the
first of its kind missile test with the
capability of electromagnetic pulse. Boeing
Report mentioned that the stealth aircraft
deployed the missile which emitted radio
waves from the undercarriage and knocked
down the computers in the building below
the missile.
SCIENTISTS CREATED MOST

COMPLEX AND REALISTIC
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170
from the Mercury-orbiting probe of NASA,

Messenger.
ARTIFICIAL BRAIN WHICH CAN

PASS IQ AS WELL
Software
engineers
as
well
as
neuroscientists at University of Waterloo,
Canada claimed that they have developed a
closest model of the functioning human
brain, known as Spaun which is advanced
enough for passing the basic IQ tests. This
is the virtual brain which functions on the
supercomputer and comprises of a digital
eye, which can be used for visual input. It
also has the robotic arm which can be used
for drawing the response.
The engineers as well as neuroscientists
claimed that this was the most complex
model of the world of human brain. Spaun
or Semantic Pointer Architecture Unified
Network comprises of 2.5 million simulated
neurons which enables this brain to
perform multiple tasks.
The tasks which this artificial brain can
perform range from answering the
questions to copy drawing as well as fluid
reasoning. The tests were conducted in
which the engineers and neuroscientists
showed various letters as well as numbers,
which were read in the memory by Spaun.
Later, the other symbol or letter behaved
like the command which tells Spaun what
needs to be done with the memory.
NASAS MERCURY-ORBITING
PROBE DISCOVERED ICE ON
THE PLANET
Frozen water is found in the North Pole

regions of Mercury which are always found
in shadows and mainly affects the craters. It
is supposed that the south pole of mercury
also has ice but there is no hard and fast
data which supports this. Messenger orbits
closer to the North Pole than South Pole.
About Messenger
Messenger was launched back in 2004. It is a
NASA spacecraft orbiting around Mercury.
The observations through NASAs Messenger
will continue in the next year as well.
NEW KIND OF MATTER MIGHT

BE PRODUCED IN LARGE
HADRON COLLIDER
Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) believed that collisions
taking place in Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
might have formed new matters which are
known
as
colour-glass
condensate.
Collisions taking place between the lead
ions and protons at LHC near Geneva,
Switzerland have caused a different kind of
behaviour in certain particles which were
created due to collisions.
What is Large Hadron Collider?
Scientists of NASA have discovered a huge

mass of ice at Mercurys North Pole on 29
November 2012. Mercury is the planet
closest to the Sun. These findings come
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Large Hadron Collider is the huge scientific

instrument which is found near Geneva. It is
basically the particle accelerator which is
used by the physicists for observing and
studying about the smallest particles which
form the basis of all the things in the world.
The instrument apparently helps the
physicists understand everything ranging
from minute world within the atoms to the
giganticComprehensive
universe.
Current Affairs
missile with a strike range of 350 km from a

test range at Chandipur near Balasore.
INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TEST

FIRED AIR TO AIR
INTERCEPTOR ASTRA MISSILE
India on 21 December 2012 test launched
its indigenously developed beyond visual
range (BVR) air-to-air interceptor missile
Astra at the interim test range (ITR) at
Chandipur in Odisha.
Missile Specification
Astra has the capability to intercept
and destroy enemy aircraft at a
supersonic speed and can be fitted
into any fighter aircraft.
3.8 metre long, it is considered as
one of the best of its kind in the
world as it weighs about 160 kg and
can
carry
explosive
loaded
conventional warheads up to 15 kg.
It is designed to intercept and
destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic
speeds (1.2 to 1.4 Mach) in head-on
and tail-chase modes.
The missile uses solid propellant and
can carry a conventional warhead
weighing 15 kg.
It can be launched from different
altitudes and cover 110 km when
fired from an altitude of 15 km,
reach 44 km when launched from an
altitude of eight km, and 21 km
when launched from the sea-level.
PRITHVI II, THE NUCLEARCAPABLE SURFACE TO

SURFACE MISSILE
SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED
India on 20 December 2012 successfully
test-fired its indigenously developed
nuclear capable surface-to-surface Prithvi-II
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172
The missile was test fired from a mobile

launcher in salvo mode from launch
complex-3 of Integrated Test Range at
about 9:20 am.
Missile Specification
Prithvi is India's first indigenously
built ballistic missile and one of the
five missile developed under Indias
prestigious
Integrated
Guided
Missile Development Programme
(IGMDP).
It is capable of carrying 500 kg to
1000 kg of warheads and thrusted
by liquid propulsion twine engines,
uses advanced inertial guidance
system with manoeuvring trajectory.
The Prithvi-II missile is equipped
with advanced high accuracy
navigation system and guided by an
innovative guidance scheme.
The improved Circular Error
Probability (CEP) achieved by the
missile is a testimony to specify the
efficacy of this missile system.
Prithvi uses an advanced inertial
guidance system with manoeuvring
capabilities and comes within
metres of its target.
RAMANUJANS CRYPTIC
DEATH BED THEORY PROVED
BY AMERICAN SCIENTIST
Indian maths genius Srinivasa Ramanujans
Cryptic Deathbed Theory, which he claimed
was conceived in his dreams, was finally
proved by American scientist in the month
of November.

It was in year 1920, when while on his
death-bed, Ramanujan wrote a letter to his
mentor, English mathematician G.H. Hardy,
demarcating several new mathematical
functions never before heard of, along with
an instinct about how they worked.
As per the Researchers study the theory is
now proved to be right and that the
formula derived from the theory is capable
of explaining the behaviour of black holes.
Researcher proved that Ramanujan was
right and found the formula explaining one
of the visions that he believed came from
his goddess Researchers were also stunned
to find the function could be used even
today.
The problem was solved from the last
mysterious letters of the theory. The
problem has been open for 90 years for
people who work in this area of math.
Ramanujan
was
a
self-taught
mathematician who was in born in a rural
village in South India and had spent so
much time thinking about mathematics that
he flunked out of college twice.
The maths geniuss letter described several
new functions that behaved differently
from known theta functions, or modular
forms, and yet closely mimicked them.
Functions are equations that can be drawn
as graphs on an axis, like a sine wave, and
produce an output when computed for any
chosen input or value.
The findings were presented in November
at a Ramanujan conference held at the
University of Florida, ahead of the 125th
anniversary of the Ramanujans birth on 22
December.
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SUPER-JUPITER, THE LARGEST

PLANET OF OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM DISCOVERED
Astrophysicists at the University of
Toronto in the third week of November
2012 discovered a new planet called SuperJupiter, which is thirteen times enormous
than Jupiter. This is the largest planet
discovered in the solar system.
Super-Jupiter orbits around the star known
as Kappa Andromedae which is 2.5 times
greater than the Suns mass and is situated
at 170 light years farther than the Earth.
The star is quite young, 30 million years old,
while the sun is 5 billion years old.
The planet is called Super-Jupiter because it
is larger than the Jupiter planet. According
to the astrophysicists, Super-Jupiter could
represent first newly discovered exo-planet
system in the time duration of 4 years and it
has mass which is at least thirteen times
more than Jupiter. The orbit of the planet is
a bit larger than that of Neptune.
Kappa Andromedae, which is said to be the
host star of this newly discovered planet, is
the highest mass star to host a planet which
was directly observed.
MICROSOFT CORP
ORGANISED WOWZAPP 2012
FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED
IN APP DEVELOPMENT
Thousands of youths from the world came
together from 9 November 2012 to 11
November 2012 to exhibit their technical
and creative skills at Microsoft Corporganised Wowzapp 2012 (Worldwide

Hackathon for Windows). Wowzapp 2012
was organized for students who are
interested in development of applications
for mobiles, PCs as well as tablets in more
than 100 places in the world.
In Wowzapp 2012, around 16500 students
from the world, including 3500 from 14
cities of India registered themselves.
Wowzapp 2012 was organised in over 100
locations in the world. Participants made
use of languages like JavaScript, C++ and C
for development of applications on
Windows 8. The applications approved will
also be available on Windows Store apps.
In the event, Microsoft facilitated the
participants with the free software for
application creation, Windows Store
registration code as well as trainer and
expert assistance at hackathon location.
NUCLEAR CAPABLE PRITHVI II

MISSILE SUCESSFULLY TEST
FIRED
India on 4 October 2012 successfully test
fired its indigenously developed, nuclearcapable ballistic missile Prithvi-II from a
test range in Odisha.
The missile was test fired by the Strategic
Forces Command (SFC) from the Integrated
Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.
All the radars and electro-optical systems
along the coast have monitored the missile
throughout its flight path.
The Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) have developed
Prithvi-II for the Indian Air Force for deep
interdiction and the missile can be armed
with a nuclear warhead weighing 500 kg. In
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174
this flight,
explosives.
it
carried
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conventional
Prithvi-II is a user-friendly missile which has

a completely guided trajectory. The SFC had
earlier launched it on August 25, 2012 and
the flight was successful. The Indian Army is
already armed with the single-stage PrithviII, which uses liquid propellants.
From July 2012 onwards the Strategic
Forces Command had launched a series of
strategic missiles including Agni-I, Agni-II
and Agni-III.
It is one of the five missiles that were
developed under the country's Integrated
Guided Missile Development Programme.
INDIA SUCCESSFULLY
LAUNCHED ITS HEAVIEST
SATELLITE GSAT-10
The advanced communication satellite
GSAT-10 of India was successfully launched
on 28 September 2012 on board Ariane-5
rocket from European spaceport in French
Guiana. The rocket placed GSAT-10 in the
elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
(GTO) within 30 minutes and 45 seconds of
its launch from the French station just after
injecting the European co-passenger ASTRA2F in the orbit.
IGSAT-10 is the 101st space mission for
ISRO is a Rs 750 crore project that includes
development of the satellite along with its
launch from the European launching
station. The 3400 kg lift-off is the heaviest
satellite built by the Indian Space Research
Organization headquartered at Bangalore.
Designed with a life span of 15 years the
satellite will expand Indian radio-navigation,
direct-to-home
broadcasting
and

telecommunication services to the next
level.
Soon after successful injection of the
satellite in the space, the command of
control was taken by the ISRO's Master
Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in
Karnataka. K Radhakrishnan, chairman of
ISRO declared that the satellite will come
into operation from November 2012 for
being used by the general community.
CSIR ANNOUNCED
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR
SCIENTISTS AGED ABOVE 70
Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) on its 70th Foundation Day
celebration on 26 September 2012 greeted
the scientists aged above 70 years with
research fellowships.
The fellowship will offer a sum of Rs 20 lakh
per year for continuous 5 years to scientists
who will guide students and publish
research papers. A scientist who has won
the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award is
eligible for the fellowship program.
Samir Brahmachari the Director-General of
CSIR said that advantage of the services of
scientists, who remain active even after the
age of 70 years, should be taken. At present
there are about 10 scientists who are
eligible for the fellowship program.
The Air Force version of micro-light pilotless target aircraft Lakshya-1 was
successfully test-flown from the launch
complex-2 of the Integrated Test Range
(ITR) at Chandipur, Orissa on 23 August
2012. The test was carried out with an
objective to test the validity of its engine
and duration enhancement. Lakshya has
been inducted into the Indian Air Force
since 2000.
The aircraft is remote-controlled from the
ground and designed to provide training to
both airborne and air defence pilots.
Lakshya-1 fitted with an advanced digitally
controlled engine and is a sub-sonic, reusable aerial target system. It is launched by
a solid propellant rocket motor, and
sustained by a turbojet engine in flight. The
flight duration of the six-foot-long aircraft is
30 to 35 minutes.
NASAS CURIOSITY ROVER

TOOK ITS FIRST DRIVE ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS
NASAs Curiosity rover took its first drive on
the surface of Mars on 23 August 2012. The
rover in its first drive moved around six
metres from its original landing site. After
more tests on its systems, NASA intends to
move the Curiosity rover some 400 metres
to the southeast to continue its exploration
of the red planet.
NASA also released images of the tracks left
by the rover, to show the success of the
mission. The space agency also announced
that the original landing site of the Curiosity
rover would be named after the late science
fiction author Ray Bradbury who died on 5
June 2012. The site will be known as the
Bradbury Landing.
AIR FORCE VERSION OF

PILOT-LESS TARGET AIRCRAFT
LAKSHYA-1 WAS
SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FLOWN
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India on 9 January 2013 successfully testfired a highly manoeuvrable version of the

290-km range supersonic cruise missile
BrahMos from a naval warship off the coast
of Vishakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal.
INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TESTFIRED MEDIUM RANGE

BALLISTIC MISSILE AGNI II
India on 9 August 2012 successfully testfired domestically built surface-to-surface
two stage Agni-II ballistic missile. The
missile was launched from a test range at
Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The
nuclear capable missile with a strike range
of 2000 km was first test fired on 11 April
1999. The missile was inducted in the Army
on 17 May 2010.
The missile was launched by the strategic
force command of Indian Army as a routine
users trial. The objective of the launch was
to train the user team to launch the missile.
Agni-II is 20 metres long and capable of
carrying a nuclear warhead weighing one
ton.
Agni-II was developed under the joint work
of advanced systems laboratory, the missile
development laboratory of the DRDO,
Defence Research Development Laboratory
and Research Centre Imarat, while it was
integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited,
Hyderabad.
The Agni-II missile belongs to the genre of
medium range ballistic missiles developed
by India under the Integrated Guided
Missile Development Program. The missile
was made operational by the Indian Army in
March 2010.
INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TESTFIRED MANOEUVRABLE

VERSION OF BRAHMOS
SUPERSONIC MISSILE
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176
The missile blasted off in a pre-designated

war scenario taking a double manoeuvre
in S-form hitting the designated target ship
just one meter above water line. The sheer
velocity and power of hit made the missile
rip through the ships hull.
The present test firing is considered to be
the 34th launch of BrahMos after the
successful October 2012 launch from INS
Teg in the Arabian Sea.
About BrahMos Missile
BRAHMOS is a two-stage missile with a
solid propellant booster engine as its first
stage which brings it to supersonic speed
and then gets separated. The liquid ramjet
or the second stage then takes the missile
closer to 3 Mach speed in cruise phase.
Stealth technology and guidance system
with advanced embedded software
provides the missile with special features.
The BrahMos missile system was
inducted into the Indian Navy in
2005 when it began arming the
Rajput-class
guided
missile
destroyers
and
inducted
subsequently in many warships.
BrahMos is capable of acquiring data
not only from the American GPS but
also from Russian GLONASS satellite
systems also, which ensures double
redundancy.
The
missile
has
identical
configuration for land, sea and subsea platforms and uses a Transport
Launch
Canister
(TLC)
for
transportation, storage and launch.
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ASTRONOMERS MEASURED
THE PROCESS HOW UNIVERSE
COOLED ON LINES OF BIG
BANG THEORY
A statement released from the CSIRO

Astronomy and Space Science described
that the study has been able to find out the
most precise measurement to identify the
fact that how the Universe has cooled over
a time of 13.77 billion years.
Astronomers in the fourth week of January

2013 revealed that they have made the
most precise measurement of the fact that
how the Universe has cooled down in a
period of 13.77 billion years history
following the prediction made in the Big
Bang Theory.
The scientists looked back halfway across

the Universe to look back halfway into the
Universe history and the basic reason to do
so is to identify the time, when the light left
the galaxies. Astronomers studied gas at a
distance of 7.2 billion light years away in an
unnamed galaxy and identified that the
cosmic background radiation was the only
thing that kept it warm left over by the big
bang. Behind this unnamed galaxy PKS
1830-211 quasar is also in existence.
To find out the fact and to carry on the

study, the astronomers studied molecules
in the gas cloud at a distance of 7.2 billion
light years from us somewhere in the
universe a distance so far that the light
emitted from it took half the age of the
Universe to reach us. A team of
Astronomers from France, Germany,
Sweden and Australia used the Australian
Telescope Compact Array to measure the
heat of Universe at the time when it was
half of its current age.
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Apart from the religious structures, the

Apex Courts order was also applicable on
the installation of statues.
CHAPTER 5: POLITY
AND GOVERNANCE
THE UNION CABINET

SANCTIONED APPOINTMENT
OF 2000 JUDGES FOR THE
FAST-TRACK COURTS
INDIA CELEBRATED ITS 64TH

REPUBLIC DAY; SHOWCASED
MILITARY PROWESS AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE
India celebrated its 64th Republic Day on 26
January 2013. President Pranab Mukherjee,
the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces,
took salute for the first time after assuming
office in July 2012. The impressive marchpast was watched by Chief Guest, King of
Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk.
The Union Cabinet, in its letter sent on 9

January 2013, to the High Court as well as
the State Governments asked them to
enhance strength of the subordinate
judiciary from 18000 at present to 20000.
The Law Ministry approved 80 crore Rupees
for recruiting these 2000 additional judges
in the country for the fast track courts.
The government additionally was also
working upon the proposals to enable
states for using the funds which were
available for morning as well as evening
courts, in order to increase the number of
fast track courts even more.

BANNED CONSTRUCTION OF
RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES AND
STATUES ON PUBLIC LAND
The Supreme Court of India on 15 January
2013 passed an order that constructing
religious structures such as the temples and
shrines on the public land was banned. The
bench of Justices R M Lodha and S J
Mukhopadhaya, in its order declared that
henceforth no state should grant
permission for installation of any statue or
erection of structures on the public utility
places, pavements, public roads as well as
the sideways.
The order passed by the Supreme Court will
now grant power to the government bodies
and the municipal bodies from preventing
unauthorised constructions.
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179
The morning as well as evening courts were

set up by the law ministry in 2010.
However, the scheme was not successful
because only a few states availed it, which
resulted in unused funds. The government
now proposed to divert these funds for
setting up the fast track courts.
In spite of all such efforts, there are over
3.20 crore cases pending in the various
courts of the country. Out of these, a total
of 2.76 crore cases were pending in the
subordinate courts and 44 lakh were
pending in the high courts, as per the Law
Ministry.
ELECTION COMMISSION
ANNOUNCED DATE OF
ELECTION AND BY-ELECTIONS

IN 10 STATES
The Election Commission of India on 11
January 2012 announced the dates for
elections and by-elections in the Legislative
Assemblies of 10 states. The elections/byelections would be held in Meghalaya,
Nagaland,
Tripura,
Assam,
Bihar,
Maharashtra, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal and Punjab.
The states of Tripura, Meghalaya and
Nagaland would go for the regular polls for
60 members in each state. The by-polls in
Tripura are scheduled for 14 February 2013
and for Meghalaya and Nagaland the
decided date of 23 February 2013 and the
results would be announced on 28 February
2013.
MONEY LAUNDERING AND

BANKING BILLS 2012 TURNED
INTO LAW WITH PRESIDENTS
ASSENT
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee in
second week of January gave his assent to
the Prevention of Money Laundering
(Amendment) Bill, the Enforcement of
Security Interest and Recovery of Debts
Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and Banking
Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to make it a
law of the land.
The Parliament in its winter session
approved the Prevention of Money
Laundering (Amendment) Bill 2012 that
1. Needed to enlarge its definition of
money laundering offences so that it
can curb the practice of funding the
terrorists operations.
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2. The Bill sought removal of 5 lakh

rupees as fine in existence under the
act and proposed a provision of
taking away of the profits of the
crime even under situation, where
the conviction was not proved but
the offence of money laundering
happened and the property in
question that is involved in the
offence.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha during
the winter session on 29 November 2012.
CJI ALTAMAS KABIR

CONSTITUTED SPECIAL BENCH
TO HEAR CRIMES AGAINST
WOMEN
Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir on 10
January 2013 set up a Special Bench of
Justices of A.K. Patnaik and Gyan Sudha
Misra to hear cases of crime against
women.
The Bench is going to start its hearing from
14 January2013 onwards and already a total
of 526 cases relating to rape, dowry and
other sexual offences from year 2002 had
been listed before the Bench which is
anticipated to take up the matters on dayto-day basis.
SUPREME COURT JUDGES

NUMBER INCREASED TO 28
AGAINST THE SANCTIONED
STRENGTH OF 31
Chief Justices of three High Courts were on
22 December 2012 elevated as judges of
the Supreme Court of India, increasing the
strength of the apex court to 28.Chief
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Justice of Madras High Court, Justice M

Yusuf Eqbal, Chief Justice of Orissa High
Court Justice Venkategowda and Chief
Justice of Karnataka High Court Justice
Vikramjit Sen were appointed as judges of
the Supreme Court, in that order of
seniority.
The division bench also spotted Article 80

(3) of the words that in context of the
matter of such type literature, science, art
and social service has remained illustrative
and not exhaustive.
The appointment of judges will come into

effect from the date they assume charge of
their respective office. At present, including
the Chief Justice of India, the Supreme
Court has 25 judges against the sanctioned
strength of 31.
Ram Gopal Singh Sisodia, the former MLA

from Delhi filed a petition that seeking
nullification of the cricketers appointment
to Upper House as the cricketer didnt
possess the qualifications mentioned in
Article 80(3) of the Indian Constitution,
which allows him to be nominated to the
Upper House of the nation.
DELHI HIGH COURT

DISMISSED THE PIL THAT
CHALLENGED TENDULKARS
NOMINATION TO RAJYA
SABHA
Article 80 (3)
The High Court of Delhi on 19 December

2012 dismissed the PIL (Public Interest
Litigation) that challenged Indian Cricketer
Sachin Tendulkars nomination to the
Rajya Sabha under the category of person
with special knowledge or practical
experience in any form of science, art,
literature and social service.
The High Courts Division Bench comprising
Chief Justice Darmar Murugesan and Justice
Rajiv Sahai Endlaw admitted sports as a
form of art and it justified the argument of
Union Government that Sachin Tendulkar as
a person with special knowledge and
practical experience in art. The Court also
stated that Art holds no satisfactory
definition for itself in Indian Constitution.
The decision to define sports as a form of
art was reached by the Court after referring
to experts, dictionaries, jurists and other
sources.
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The Petition and Petitioner
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181
The Article 80 (3) of the Constitution of India

states that the person - The members to be
nominated by the President under sub-clause
(a) of clause (1) shall consist of persons
having special knowledge or practical
experience in respect of such matters as the
following, namely:- Literature, science, art
and social service.
SC DISMISSED PURNO
SANGMA PETITION THAT
CHALLENGED PRANAB
MUKHERJEE'S ELECTION AS
PRESIDENT
The Supreme Court of India on 5 December
2012 dismissed the petition of Purno
Sangma
that
challenged
Pranab
Mukherjees election to the office of the
President.
The Constitution bench of Supreme Court
comprising five-judges namely Chief Justice

Altamas Kabir and Justices P. Sathasivam, J.
Chelameswar, S.S. Nijjar and Ranjan Gogoi
decided by a 3:2 majority announced the
decision that the petition didnt deserved
any short of detailed trail and the court was
convinced that Pranab Mukherjee was not
holding any office of Profit.
Article 58 of the Constitution of India
The Article states that no person is eligible
to be the President of India until and
unless:
He/She is the citizen of India and
must have attended 35 years of age
and qualifies for election as the
member of the House of the
people.
The person would not be eligible for
being a President of India if he/she
holds any office of profit managed
by Government of India or any state
or a local authority or any other
body may be a subject of control to
any of the government. Holding any
office of profit disqualifies a person
from being President of India.
LOK SABHA PASSED THE

COMPANIES BILL 2011 AIMED
AT IMPROVING CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
Lok Sabha on 18 December 2012 passed the
COMPANIES BILL 2011. The Bill is aimed at
improving corporate governance.
1. It contains provisions to strengthen
regulations for corporate as well as
auditing firms. Once enacted as law, it
will replace THE COMPANIES ACT
1956.
2. The Companies Bill makes it
mandatory
for
profit-making
companies to spend two percent of
their profit for community welfare as
part of their Corporate Social
Responsibility.
3. In case, a company fails to meet its
social obligations, it will have to
explain the reasons for the shortfall.
4. The Bill will protect small investors
from corporate frauds.
5. Under the proposed legislation, more
powers will be conferred upon
Serious Fraud Investigation Office
(SFIO) to deal with corporate frauds.
6. There will be better co-ordination
now between the investigation
agencies at the centre and the states.
To hold an Office of Profit in context of the

constitution means - the office should hold
or yield various financial benefits like
chauffeur driven car with an official
accommodation.
Sangmas Claim
Purno Sangma challenged the appointment
of Pranab Mukherjee as the President of
India in the Supreme Court of India on the
ground that Mukherjee was holding the
office of Council of Indian Statistical
Institute an office of profit as its chairman
and thus was ineligible for being elected as
the President of India.
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182
In the year 1956, there were only 30000

registered companies in India. In 2012 there
are more than 850000 companies.
Therefore a modern company bill was
needed to check the corporate fraud.

2012 passed the National Pharmaceutical
Pricing Policy (NPPA). As per the new
pricing policy declared by the Union
Government, 348 essential drugs would
come under price control policy of the
nation, which would lead to price reduction
of the same.
SUPREME COURT ASKED

JUDGE OF SC AND HC TO
INFORM GOVERNMENT
ABOUT DETAILS OF FOREIGN
VISITS
On 10 December 2012, the Supreme Court
partially stayed the order of Delhi high
court in which it had cancelled three paras
of Centre's 2010 circular which made it
compulsory for the judges to take foreign
visits only with approval of chief justice of
the high court concerned or Chief Justice of
India (CJI).
The judges of Supreme Court as well as high
court needed to inform the Government of
India about the foreign visits which include
the purpose of their visit, duration as well
as the funding source.
Foreign visits could be taken after traveling
details were submitted to the Government
of India. The high court had called these
conditions offending for autonomy of
higher judiciary, which is why it cancelled
them on 25 May 2012. The high court had
cancelled the paragraph which mentioned
that travel details need to be submitted,
but it clarified that the judged still needed
to give information regarding their duration
of the trip as well as city in which they
intended to stay. These details need to be
submitted to the chief justice of the HC
concerned or CJI.
UNION CABINET OF INDIA

APPROVED THE NATIONAL
PHARMACEUTICAL PRICING
POLICY
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The policy was approved by the Union

Cabinet with an objective to bring in a
regulatory framework to make sure that the
pricing of essential drugs remains under
control and are made available in the
market at reasonable prices.
The approval came in as a response to the
deadline of 27 November 2012 set by the
Supreme Court of India for finalization of a
policy that to without altering or hampering
the mechanism for cost-based drug pricing
policy in existence. The move would bring
down the cost of the drugs to an average of
30 percent as the pricing now would be
fixed following the simple average of the
rates of all the brands that have more than
one percent of market share in the
pharmaceutical industry. Following the
rules of the policy, the companies will have
to take a clearance by NPPA to increase the
prices beyond 10 percent on all the 348
drugs enlisted in the new National
Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy.
THE PROTECTION OF
CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL
OFFENCES ACT, 2012 CAME
INTO FORCE
The PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM
SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT, 2012 came into
force on 14 November 2012. The Act was
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183

passed in the Indian Parliament in May
2012.
1. The Act under its ambit defines child
as a person below the age-group of
18 and is gender neutral and have a
clear definition for all types of sexual
abuses like sexual harassment,
penetrative or non-penetrative
sexual abuse, and pornography.
2. The Protection of Children from
Sexual Offences Act, 2012 has
defined the ways to provide a child
friendly process of offence reporting
to evidence recording, trial and
investigations.
3. Section 45 of the Act allows the
Union Government to make the
necessary changes in the Act,
whenever and wherever applicable.
4. The Act has also defined the facts
like qualification and experience of
the translators, interpreters, special
educators, experts, arrangement for
protection and care at times of
emergencies
and
emergency
treatment of child.
5. The Compensation amount that is
payable to any victim of sexual
abuse.
6. This Act has also cleared that the
provisions of this Act would be
monitored
by
the
National
Commission for Protection of Child
Rights and the State Commission for
Protection
of
Child
Rights,
periodically.
7. All the rules have been structured
and framed relying upon the
Juvenile Act, 2000 for making
arrangements in regards to the care
and protection of the child, the
devised rules of the act also would
pay attention to the fact that the
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child is not re-victimised at time of

investigation as well as trial.
8. The Act has also made it clear that
under situations in which the child
who is being taken for the medical
facility on an emergency factor no
documentation
or
magisterial
requisition would be demanded
before the treatment.
SC: CRIMINAL CASE CANT BE

DISMISSED BECAUSE OF
DELAY
The Supreme Court of India on 2nd
November 2012 ruled that a criminal case
cannot be dismissed merely because of
delay in lodging a complaint if the delay has
been reasonably explained. A bench of
Justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi
noted, the prosecution case cannot be
rejected merely on the ground of delay
since the complainant has reasonably
explained the reasons for the delay.
The Supreme Court bench made the
observation while upholding the conviction
and the life sentence given to two male and
two female members of a Tamil Nadubased Ashram (hermitage) for beating a
woman member to death. The murder had
taken place on April 8, 2000 when the
accused members of the Ashram had
gathered together and had beaten the
victim to death and later cremated her
body.
Prosecution had said the woman was
murdered as she had threatened to disclose
the alleged love affair between two senior
members of the Ashram, affiliated to Sri
Devi Maha Sannathi Temple at Govardhan
Garden in Trichy. The complainant who had

witnessed the beating and had also heard
the victim's cries for help had lodged a
complaint with the police nine days after
the crime had taken place. The complainant
had submitted that there was a delay on his
part in reporting the incident as he himself
had not seen the murder taking place and
had to verify whether such an incident had
taken place.

AMENDMENT OF INDECENT
REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN
ACT
The Union Cabinet on 11 October 2012
approved the introduction of Amendments
to the Indecent Representation of Women
(Prohibition) Act, 1986 in Parliament under
the chairmanship of Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh.
The amendments proposed are
(a) Broaden the scope of the law to cover
the audio-visual media and material in
electronic form which includes Internet,
satellite-based communication, multi-media
messaging and cable television, among
others.
(b) Penalties to be enhanced to a maximum
of three years of imprisonment and fine of
between 50000 to 100000 Rupees for first
conviction, and imprisonment of not less
than two years, but which may extend to
seven years, and a fine between 100000
Rupees to 500000 Rupees for second
conviction.
(c) Police officers not below the rank of
Inspectors authorized to carry out search
and seizure, in addition to State and Central
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Government officers authorized by the

State or Central Government.
The Act was enacted in 1986 to prohibit the
indecent representation of women through
advertisement, publication, writing, and
painting or in any other manner. With the
increased use of advanced technology and
communication devices in everyday life, the
Government felt the scope of the Act
should be amended. The amendments were
introduced after consultations with
stakeholders, including lawyers and civil
society organisations, on the draft Bill.
COMMISSION ISSUED
STRICTER GUIDELINES TO
CURB THE PRACTICE OF PAID
NEWS
The Election Commission of India on 9
October 2012 issued stricter guidelines to
curb the practice of Paid News. It asked
candidates to reply within 48 hours to
notices sent to them regarding Paid News.
The Commission also asked the Media
Certification and Monitoring Committees,
MCMC at the districts and state levels to
decide such cases within the 48 hours of
getting the reply from a candidate.
Election
Commission
Issued
fresh
instructions to Chief Electoral Officers of all
states, including the poll-bound states of
Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. In case the
candidate did not reply within the specified
time, the MCMC decision will be considered
final. Returning officers were till now
required to send notices within 96 hours of
the publication or telecast of the paid news
on references from the MCMC.

The guidelines issued by the Election
Commission will cover cinema halls, besides
TV channels, cable networks and radio
including private FM channels
RAIL RADAR, WEBSITE

LAUNCHED BY THE RAILWAYS
TO TRACK THE POSITION OF
TRAIN
Page 186
and resorted to peace for getting into the

mainstream of development.
Under the MoS, a committee will be
constituted to deal with the matters
relating to the 6th schedule councils. Under
the agreement, the DHD will dissolve as an
organization within a reasonable timeframe
as a precursor to the government initiating
further process to implement the agreed
decisions.
Rail Radar, the new online application was

launched by the Indian Railways on 10
October 2012, to find out the location of
6500 trains on real-time basis on Google
Map. It can be accessed from the website
trainenquiry.com.
SUPREME COURT LIFTED THE

GAG ORDER ON MEDIA
REPORTING OF TROOP
MOVEMENT
To identify the train running status that

whether the train is running on-time or late
from its schedule, color codes have been
created. Blue color is a code for trains
running on time and red markers are the
symbol of trains running behind schedule.
On clicking upon the name of the train, the
map will show the route along with
stoppages and running status of the train
on real time-basis.
The Supreme Court of India on 14

September 2012 lifted the gag order on
media reporting of troop movement
ordered by the Allahabad High Court. The
SC pronounced the order while hearing the
petition filed through PCI Chairman and
former Apex Court judge Markandeya
Katju's office which submitted that the HC
order was in violation of the fundamental
right under Article 19(1) (a) of the
Constitution, granted to the media and
every citizen of the country.
MOS WAS SIGNED TO

PROVIDE AUTONOMY FOR
THE HILLS COUNCIL IN ASSAM
Tripartite Memorandum of Settlement
(MoS) was signed on 9 October 2012 for
providing autonomy for the North Cachar
Hills Autonomous Council in Assam and a
special package for speedier socioeconomic development of the area. It was
signed between Centre, Assam government
and both factions of Dima Halam Daogah
(DHD). DHD used to be a group with violent
activities in the state but gave up violence
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SUPREME COURT: MEDIA CAN

BE RESTRAINED FROM
PRESSING TRIALS DURING
PROCEEDINGS
Supreme Court refused to frame any
guideline for pressing up of the court
proceedings of the sub-judicial matters, on
11 September 2012. It just put forward a
constitutional provision for postponement

of the publications of the report or court
hearing if the involved parties want so.
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT
BILL PASSED BY HUGE
MAJORITY IN RAJYA SABHA
Page 187
be forwarded to the Lok Sabha for further

consideration and passing on 19 December
2012.
Article 335
It claims of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes to services and posts.
The Constitution Amendment Bill that

provides quotas for SCs and STs in
Government Job Promotions was approved
in Rajya Sabha on 17 December 2012 by an
overwhelming majority.
The new amendment demands retaining of
Article 335 and deletes the words or in the
article to make sure that condition of
efficiency as mentioned in the Article
continues to be the part of Indian
Constitution and not wiped out. The bill
would also ensure that the provision of the
Article 335 and its effects are retained and
allows related standards for promotion
against reserved vacancies to candidates
belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
The reservation in Promotion had been in
existence for Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes since 1955 but has
suffered attacks in different cases by the
decisions of Supreme Court of India in cases
like Indra Sawhney, Veer Pal Singh Chauhan
and S. Vinod Kumar. The Indian
Government
has
passed
several
amendments namely 77th, 81st, 82nd and
85th amendments to overcome these
effects.
Part XVI of the article states Special

Provisions Relating to Certain Classes
The article claims that the members of the
Scheduled Castes and Tribes should be
taken into consideration, consistently with
the maintenance of efficiency of the
administration while making appointments
to services and posts in connection with the
affairs of the union or the state. The 289B
segment provided in the article prevents
making on any provision to favour the
members of Scheduled Castes and Tribes by
relaxing the qualifying marks in the
examination, or the standards of evaluation
for reservation in promotion matters of any
class of services and classes and posts
connected to the affairs of state or of the
union.
The Judgment of the Supreme Court in case

of M Nagaraj mentioned few of the prerequisite conditions to provide reservation
in promotion and the laid condition was
assessing the quantum of representation of
SCs, STs and their backwardness along with
the effect on the efficiency. The bill would
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CHAPTER 6: SOCIAL
ISSUES
JUSTICE JS VERMA PANEL

REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE
GOVERNMENT:
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE
SEXUAL CRIMES
The Justice Verma panel, which is a 3member commission created to review the
laws for sexual crimes submitted the report
to the Government of India on 23 January
2013. Justice Verma panel was created after
the brutal gang rape of the Para-medical
student on 16 December 2012. Former
Chief Justice of India, Justice JS Verma
headed the commission and reviewed the
laws on sexual crimes which exist already.
The report was prepared by the panel in its
30-day deadline. The former CJI described
that there were more than 80000
suggestions from the length and breadth of
India as well as abroad after 5 January 2013
was declared as the deadline for receiving
comments from common man in order to
refurbish the present legislation that deals
with the sex offenders.
The Justice Verma panel recognised failure
of governance as primary cause of sexual
crimes. The panel additionally criticised the
police, government and also the public for
the lack of interest and also recommended
changes in the entire society.
Some of the changes described by the
Justice Verma panel as follows:
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There is a need for overall wide

spectrum of law for violence against
the women.
It is important to address even the
placid sexual harassment and that
each and every complaint of sexual
harassment should be registered.
Anyone committing rape shall be
given rigorous imprisonment which
may range from seven years to life
term.
Punishment for rape that leads to
death or vegetative state should be
given
rigorous
imprisonment
ranging from not less than 20 years
to the remaining life of a convict.
The crimes such as voyeurism and
stalking, even-teasing as well as
insensitivity of the police for dealing
with the rape cases shall also be
punished.
Voyeurism will lead to a punishment
of up to 7 years.
Stalking or attempting to contact a
woman repeatedly via any means
shall land the person in jail for up to
3 years.
The panel also suggested that there
was a need of provisions for
addressing the sexual assault on the
homosexuals.
The panel also mentioned in its
report
the
Khap
Panchayat
mentioning that Khaps were
unconstitutional and they had no
right to declare the marriage invalid.
In order to preserve the rules of law,
there is a need for police reforms as
well.
There was a need to bring sexual
violence by the personnel on duty
under one common law.
The panel suggested the need to

take into consideration, the
continuance of Armed Forces
Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the
areas at the earliest.
No delay should be there in
imparting the necessary medical aid
to the victims, even in case of the
private practitioners.
All the marriages should be
registered, while making sure that
there was no demand for dowry.
There was a need for amendment of
Criminal law amendment bill 2012.
Trafficking
should
be
made
punishable
with
imprisonment
ranging from not less than 7 years to
10 years.
In case, a police officer or a public
servant is involved in child
trafficking, it should be dealt with in
a stricter manner than usual.
INDIA AND SRI LANKA SIGNED

TWO AGREEMENTS ON
TERRORISM AND DRUG
TRAFFICKING
India and Sri Lanka after the 8th round
meet of the Joint India-Sri Lanka
Commission on 22 January 2013 at New
Delhi inked two agreements.
The signed agreements are:
I. Agreement on Combating International
Terrorism and Illicit Drug Trafficking; and
II.
Revised Double Taxation Avoidance
Agreement.
The External Affairs Ministers of India,
Salman Khurshid and Sri Lanka, G L Peiris
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signed the following Agreements. The Joint

Commission Meeting (JCM) was preceded
by the Senior Officials Meeting at the level
of the Foreign Secretaries of the two
countries on 21 January 2013.
During the Joint Commission meet both the
sides discussed bilateral relations that
included development cooperation, trade,
investment, power, science and technology,
health, agriculture, connectivity, people to
people contacts, culture and education.
Major discussions decisions made during
India-Sri Lanka 8th Joint Commission Meet
Both the nations recognized the
need of creating a special economic
partnership framework to achieve
the shared goals of poverty
alleviation, job creation and
economic development for the
people of the two countries, the
two sides decided to take several
steps to further deepen trade,
tourism and investment relations.
In relation to the same, an
agreement
was
reached
to
encourage closer economic and
trade
linkages
between
all
stakeholders with a view to double
the bilateral trade to 10 billion US
dollar, in next three years.
Both sides noted the impressive
growth of tourism traffic between
the two countries both ways. India
currently contributed the largest
number of tourist arrivals in Sri
Lanka and over 250,000 Sri Lankans
visited India in 2011-2012.
Sri Lanka and India made decisions
to enhance bilateral cooperation in
the areas of New and Renewable
energy, and in this context agreed
to conclude a MoU on Cooperation

in New and Renewable Energy.
The Joint Commission noted that
both sides are committed to
decrease incidents pertaining to
fishing on the International
Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
Both countries agreed that the use
of force could not be justified under
any circumstances and reiterated in
this regard the importance of
continuing to extend humane
treatment to all fishermen.
Both sides agreed to enhance
cooperation in the energy sector
and to promote dialogue on
security and defence issues of
relevance
to
the
bilateral
relationship.
Both the sides, Sri Lanka and India also

expressed satisfaction at the substantive
developments in bilateral relations between
the two countries in existence after the 7th
session of the Joint Commission held at
Colombo on 26 November 2010.
SUPREME COURT BANNED

TOURISTS ENTRY IN JARAWA
TRIBE HABITAT OF
ANDAMANS
2013 banned the tourists to pass from

Andaman Nicobar Trunk Road which
passes through an area which is Jarawas
habitat. The Andaman Nicobar Trunk Road
leads to the Limestone Cave. A bench of
Justices G.S. Singhvi and H.L. Gokhale
ordered that the directives of the court
which were issued in 2012 should be
followed strictly.
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Earlier, the Apex court had banned the

tourism or commercial activities in 5-km
radius of Jarawa Tribal Reserve which lies
in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The
Supreme Court in its 2007 notification had
declared the area up to 5-km radius of
Jarawa Tribal Reserve as the Buffer Zone
and had prohibited any person from
entering into this Zone unless and until that
person is a member of aboriginal tribe.
Who are the Jarawas?
The Jarawas are basically the indigenous
tribes or adivasis of Andaman Islands, India.
The present population of Jarawas is merely
250-400 people. It is said that the Jarawas
have remained the inhabitants of the
Andamans for thousands of years. Jarawa
ancestors were thought to be the first
successful migration of humans from Africa.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DECLARED USE OF MGNREGA
LINKED POST OFFICE
ACCOUNTS FOR DIRECT CASH
TRANSFER
The Union Government of India in the third
week of January 2013 amended the August
2008 notification to allow MGNREGA
beneficiaries to receive other Government
benefits and deposits in their post office
saving account.
With this order of the Union Finance
Ministry more than 3.5 crore post office
accounts in existence has turned up to be
ready for the Aadhaar-linked Cash Transfer
Scheme of Government of India. Earlier,
the accounts linked with the MGNREGA
workers of the country were used for

receiving the wages under the rural
employment guarantee scheme.
The Aadhaar number would be used for
authentication of the identities of the
beneficiaries under the new Direct Cash
Transfer initiative.
SUPREME COURT ASKED

UNION GOVERNMENT TO SET
UP A SPECIAL COURT TO TRY
ITALIAN MARINES
2013 decided that Kerala had no jurisdiction
to investigate into the matter of Italian
Marines shooting incident in which two
fishermen were killed on 15 February 2012.
The Union Government was directed by the
Supreme Court bench of two Judges
comprising Chief Justice Altamas Kabir and
J. Chelameswar for setting up of a special
court for proceeding ahead with the trials
of the two Italian Marines namely
Massimilano Latorre and Salvatore Girone,
accused of shooting the two fishermen.
The highest judiciary body of India
described that the Union Government of
India had the jurisdiction to move ahead
with the process of investigation and trial
on the two Italian Marines.
Reasons for which Kerala has no rights to
carry on the Jurisdiction
Kerala Police has no Jurisdiction to carry on
the investigation because it is one of the
Federal Units of the Union of India and
hence has no authority for continuing the
trial on the two accused marines. They are
outside the Jurisdiction limit of the State
Unit.
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As per the Seventh Schedule of the (Article

246) List I - Union List the centre has the
rights to exercise the defence related issues
in India.
Italys Stand on the Issue
The Republic of Italy is also carrying
proceedings as per the penal
provisions of available in the
country against the two accused
marines. The available panel
provisions of Italy can result into
the sentence of 21 years of
imprisonment to the marines.
Italy has also been declaring its
right in carrying out the prosecution
of the two marines, since very
beginning.
UNION HOME MINISTRY

ISSUED STRICT GUIDELINES
FOR REGULATING
SURROGACY IN INDIA
The Union Home Ministry in India issued
stricter guidelines for those visas which are
used by the foreign nationals interested in
surrogacy. This is said to be the archetypical
step by the Home Ministry to regulate
surrogacy in India. The new guidelines
indicated that single foreigners as well as
the gay couples would not be eligible for
having the Indian surrogate. Only those
foreign man and woman, who are married
for at least two years, would be granted the
visas.
The Union Home Ministry stated that they
had noticed a few foreign nationals visiting
India for the purpose of surrogacy on their
tourist visa, which is not appropriate. Back
in July 2012, the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs had decided in the circular sent to

foreign embassies that the foreigners were
entitled to enter India for surrogacy only on
their medical visas and no other kind of
visas. Also, it was mandatory for the foreign
nationals to fulfill a few criterions. The
circular was notified on 17 December 2012
by the Foreign Regional Registration Office
in Mumbai and was also sent to the fertility
clinics.
The guidelines are issued when the
legislation for regulating the fertility clinics
is waiting for tabling in the Parliament. This
legislation
is
called
the
Assisted
Reproductive Technology (ART) Regulation
Bill 2010.
Conditions laid down by home ministry
1. Foreign couples who intended to
have an Indian surrogate should
provide a letter from the Foreign
Ministry of their country or the
embassy in India, certifying that the
home country recognises surrogacy.
This is important because a lot of
countries such as Norway, Italy,
France and Germany do not
recognise surrogacy.
2. The letter which would be certified
also needs to have an assurance that
children or a child born from Indian
surrogate would have the rights to
enter the home country as a
biological child. This was mainly
essential because in the recent past,
a lot of babies born from crossborder surrogacy were refused to be
accepted as the biological child.
Norms of Home Ministry compatible with
ICMR guidelines
3. The norms laid down by the Home
Ministry are also compatible with
the guidelines of Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR).
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4. ICMR only recognised man-woman

marriages and not gay marriages.
Additionally,
the
ICMR
had
encouraged various fertility clinics to
get registered.
5. The guidelines of Home Ministry
made it obligatory for the foreign
nationals
to
undertake
the
treatment from registered ART
clinics which are recognised by
ICMR.
PARLIAMENTARY STANDING
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
ENTITLEMENT OF FOOD FOR
67 PERCENT POPULATION
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on
Food and Consumer Affairs in January 2013
suggested the entitlement of the food
under the National Food Security Act to the
67 percent population leaving behind the
33 percent people who are tax-payers and
have pucca houses of their own.
The Priority (BPL-below poverty line) and
general (APL-above poverty line) are to be
replaced with the exclusion and inclusion
categories. The beneficiaries would be
identified by the state government for the
public distribution system of the subsidized
rice and wheat.
As per the plans of the standing committee
the Union Government would be
distributing the subsidized food grains to
the 67 percent population that includes 75
percent rural and 50 percent urban
population. This act was sent to the
Parliamentary Panel for its reference in
December 2011 after it was tabled in the
Lok Sabha and was followed by the
demands of the Food Security Bill.

Parliamentary Committees
The
Parliamentary
committees
are
constituted to take care of the legislative
businesses of the Parliament and it comprises
of several committees.
Among these the two main committees are:
The Ad hoc Committee
The Standing Committee
Ad hoc Committee these are appointed for
specific purpose and they are dissolved after
the task assigned to them is completed and
the final report is submitted. These
committees are the joint and select
committees over the Bills and are appointed
for specific purposes like Committees on the
Draft Five Year Plans, Railway Convention
Committee, Hindi Equivalents Committee
and more.
The Standing Committee Each house of the
Indian Parliament are supported by standing
committees, which includes the Committee
on Petitions, the Business Advisory
Committee, the Rules Committee, the
Committee of Privileges and more.
SUPREME COURT: KHAP

PANCHAYATS DIKTAT ON
DRESS CODE FOR WOMEN
UNLAWFUL
2013 ruled that Khap Panchayats' diktat on
dress code for women and asking them not
to carry mobile is unlawful. A bench of
justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash
Desai ruled that such diktats are against the
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fundamental right to life and asked Khap

Panchayats, which are caste-based councils,
to file their replies on the issue. Right to life
is guaranteed to all the citizens of India
under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
Article 21 in the Constitution of India 1949
Protection of life and personal liberty No
person shall be deprived of his life or
personal liberty except according to
procedure established by law.
UNION HOME MINISTER

SUSHIL KUMAR SHINDE
LAUNCHED PILOT PROJECT OF
CRIME AND CRIMINAL
TRACKING SYSTEM
Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
on 4 January 2013 launched Pilot Project of
Crime and Criminal Tracking Systems.
The Government launched the project to
make use of technology in bringing greater
transparency and accountability into
government functioning, as Crime and
Criminal Tracking Network and Systems
(CCTNS) is supposed to be an important
step forward in this direction which
requires a significant change management
effort.
The pilot launch of the Crime and Criminal
Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS)
Project would create a nation-wide
environment for the real-time sharing of
crime and criminal information and connect
approximately 14000 police stations
throughout the country apart from higher
offices in police hierarchy.
About Crime and Criminal Tracking Network

and Systems (CCTNS)
The CCTNS is a mission mode project
under the National e-Governance
Plan of Government of India.
It aims at creating a comprehensive
and integrated system for enhancing
the efficiency and effectiveness of
policing through adopting the
principle of e-Governance.
The project also includes the creation
of
a
nationwide
networking
infrastructure for evolution of ITenabled-state-of-the-art
tracking
system around Investigation of crime
and detection of criminals.
The credit for the pilot launch goes to the
State police forces and the relentless support
and guidance provided by MHA (Ministry of
Home Affairs) and National Crime Records
Bureau (NCRB) officials.
CCTNS is 2000 rupees crore project,
approved in 2009 and spans across all the 35
states and Union Territories. It will be
connected to a total of more than 21,000
locations. At present, 2000 police stations
and other higher offices (mainly immigration
check posts) in the country have been
connected under the system.
UNION GOVERNMENT
LAUNCHED GOVERNMENT
CALENDAR FEATURING
FLAGSHIP SCHEMES
The Government of Indias Wall Calendar
for 2013 was launched on 14 December
2012 featuring various flagship programmes
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of the Government, which includes Aadhaar

based Direct Cash Transfer Scheme to be
implemented in 51 districts from January
2013 among others.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED AN ANTI-PIRACY
SCHEME IN AUDIO-VISUAL
SECTOR
November 2012 approved a scheme under
the 12th Five Year Plan for carrying out an
anti-piracy initiative in the audio-visual
sector with an allocation of two crore
rupees. The new scheme of Information and
Broadcasting Ministry aims to put special
focus on piracy on the internet. Under the
scheme, the campaign on piracy through
audio-visual, internet and print media will
be launched.
The piracy continues to be a key challenge
for the Indian film sector and has been a
prime reason for the decline of the home
video market in the country. The emerging
threat to legitimate exhibition of films is
illegal download of films available on
websites.
IGMRI AND CWC SIGNED

MOU FOR POST HARVEST
MANAGEMENT OF
FOODGRAINS
Department of Food & Public Distribution
under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, and
Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) on
25 October 2012 signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) for creating a Centre
of Excellence focusing on capacity building
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in the areas of post harvest management

of food grain by providing training on
latest developments to the aspirants
internationally.
With this launch of delivery system the

government is going to start out Aadhaar
Enabled Service Delivery initiatives in 51
districts across the country
The MOU was signed by S. Gupta, Director

of Indian Grain Storage Management and
Research Institute (IGMRI), Hapur on behalf
of Department of Food & Public Distribution
and G. Mathialagan, Director of CWC.
Now, the services will be linked to various

government schemes such as MNREGA
wage payments, PDS distribution, payment
of social security benefits such as old-age
payments, distribution of LPG cylinders, etc.
As per the Memorandum of Understanding,

CWC is going to take over the management
of training functions and related facilities of
IGMRI, and develop it as a centre of
excellence for the purpose of training in
post harvest management of food grains
and other agricultural commodities.
A number of state governments are coming

ahead to roll out for these initiatives.
Currently 23 crore residents have enrolled
for an Aadhaar number, of which 21 crore
Aadhaar numbers have already issued.
The MOU was signed for a period of five

years which is effective from 25th October,
2012. The MOU ideates that CWC will
develop IGMRI, Hapur as an institution of
excellence to attract overseas participants
from
SAARC
nations,
neighbouring
countries for training on post harvest
management of food grain.
PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHED

AADHAR BASED TRANSFER
SYSTEM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 20
October 2012 launched Aadhaar Enabled
Service Delivery in Dudu district of
Rajasthan to mark the 2nd anniversary of
Aadhaar.
Also marking the second anniversary, the
21st crore Aadhaar number was given to a
local resident of Kurawar, district of
Udaipur.
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Aadhaar, is a 12-digit number, which serves

as a proof of identity and address anywhere
in the country. It is an online identity
platform that can be accessed in real-time
for authenticating beneficiaries and can be
adapted by various user agencies.
PASSIVE EUTHANASIA
SUPPORTED BY THE LAW
PANEL
The Law Commission which advice
government on legal issues made a
recommendation to the government to
initiate
measures
to
enact
a
comprehensive law on passive euthanasia,
subject to certain safeguards.
According to the Commission, Passive
Euthanasia is not objectionable from a legal
and constitutional point of view.
It was in April 2011 that the UPA
government had asked the law commission
to study the feasibility of framing a law for
euthanasia after the legalization of Passive
Euthanasia in Aruna Shanbaug case after

the Supreme Court verdict. The verdict was
just law of the land till it will enacted by
Parliament.
In its report on PASSIVE EUTHANASIA the
law commission recommended that a
competent adult patient, who can take an
informed decision, has the right to insist
that there should be no invasive medical
treatment by way of artificial life sustaining
measures.
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SC: LAND BELONGING TO

SCHEDULED CASTES OR
TRIBES CANNOT BE BOUGHT
BY NON-DALITS
It was also suggested by the commission

that if patients cannot take a decision on
their own, then the decision of the doctors
or relatives to withhold or withdraw the
medical treatment will not be final.

September 2012 ruled that the land
belonging to scheduled castes or tribes
cannot be bought by non-dalits, including
companies as such transactions are
unconstitutional. A bench of justices KS
Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra gave the
verdict on an appeal by the Rajasthan
government against the state High Court's
order holding such a sale to be valid in law.
Also, the same rule will apply to a minor

above 16 years of age who has expressed
his or her wish not to have such treatment
provided the consent has been given by the
major spouse and one of the parents of
such patient.
The Rajasthan High Court had passed its

order on an appeal by a private firm against
the refusal by the state authorities to
recognise or grant mutation to the purchase
of a plot by the company from a person
belonging to scheduled caste.
Active euthanasia still remain a crime

under Section 302(murder) or 304
(culpable homicide not amounting to
murder) of the IPC, along with the
physician assisted suicide under section
306 IPC (abetment of suicide).
What is Euthanasia?
Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally
ending a life in order to relieve pain and
suffering.
Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of
common treatments, such as antibiotics,
necessary for the continuance of life.
Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal
substances or forces, such as administering a
lethal injection, to kill and is the most
controversial means.
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NEW MEASURES ANNOUNCED

FOR THE WELFARE OF
OVERSEAS INDIANS
Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian
Affairs inaugurated the 7th Heads of Indian
Missions (HoMs) conference on 17
September 2012.
He announced revised Indian Community
Welfare Fund (ICWF) scheme, which
includes:
a) Assistance
towards
boarding
expenses per head by HOMs is
enhanced from 15 to 30 days.
b) Payment of penalties in respect of
Indian nationals for illegal stay in the
host country where prima facie the
worker is not at fault.

c) Payment of small fines/penalties for
the release of Indian nationals in
jail/detention centre.
d) Providing support to local Overseas
Indian Associations to establish
Overseas Indian Community Centres
in countries that have populations of
Overseas
Indians
exceeding
1,00,000.
e) Providing support to start and run
Overseas Indian Community-based
student welfare centres in Countries
that have more than 20,000 Indian
students presence.
The Minister also mentioned that
Government has given the voting rights to
NRIs. The Government is also getting the
PIO and OCI Card Scheme merged into one
Scheme.
The conference was attended by Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as well
as Jordan, Yemen, Malaysia, Maldives,
Angola, Thailand, Nigeria, Iraq and Libya.
The conference is organized by the Minister
of Overseas Indian Affairs every year to
discuss the issues related to protection and
welfare of Overseas Indian workers.
There are approximately 7.5 million semiskilled and unskilled overseas Indian
workers in the GCC countries and Malaysia
on temporary employment/ contract visas,
predominantly
in
the
construction,
healthcare and household services sectors.
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DEMONSTRATION ON A
VICTORY NOTE
The most outstanding demonstrations of its
own kind in Khandawa district of Madhya
Pradesh named Jal Satyagraha continued
for 17 days at Omkareshwar Dam Project
came to an end on 10 September 2012.
Across 1000 acres of cultivatable land has
been submerged into water with at least 60
odd villages that will not be visible in the
map of India any more. The Satygrahis
demanded land for the land compensation
following the ruling of Supreme Court.
The oustees in the Satyagraha remained
standing in the neck deep water with
demands like lowering down the level of
water stored in the dam to 189 meters and
to provide land for land compensation
ended the battle on the victory note.
A high level committee has been
constituted to hear the grievances of the
dam effected people. The constituted
committee will comprise of Minister of
State for Narmada Valley Development K.L.
Agrawal, SC-ST Welfare Minister Kunwar
Vijay Shah, Commerce and Industries
Minister Kailash Vijaywargiya, Principal
Secretary, Narmada Valley Development
Rajneesh Vaish and the Indore Divisional
Commissioner.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

(MOIA) is the nodal Ministry for protection
and welfare of Overseas Indian workers.
THE GOVERNMENT
APPROVED A COMPLETE BAN
ON EMPLOYMENT OF
CHILDREN
JAL SATYAGRAHA CAME TO

AN END AFTER 17 DAYS
The Union Government on 28 August 2012

cleared a proposal to put a complete ban
on employment of children up to the age
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of 14 both in hazardous and nonhazardous work by amending an anti-child

labour Act. The Union Cabinet approved
bringing amendment to the Child Labour
(Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986,
which has also penal provisions for non
compliance.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Karnataka and

Maharashtra.
As per the existing Act, children below 14

years of age are allowed to work in
industries not considered to be hazardous.
Children between 14-18 years will also be
defined as adolescents in the amended Act.
The amendment will also fulfill the mandate
of Right to Education to free and
compulsory education for children in the
age group of 6-15 years. It will also bring
labour laws in the country in line with
International Labour Organisation norms.
The Government of India enacted the

Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA)
2006, which will have under its ambit all the
States and Union Territories of India except
the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The Act also
applies to all citizens of India without and
beyond India.
THE UNION GOVERNMENT

ISSUED AN ULTIMATUM TO
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE
TWITTER
The DEIT (Department of Electronics and
Information Technology) on 21 August
2012 issued an ultimatum to social
networking site Twitter to block nearly 30
of its WebPages, which continue to host
morphed and inflammatory content or face
punitive action. The government served the
ultimatum on Twitter as it failed to comply
with the government order to block 28
web-pages on its site.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
ENACTED PROHIBITION OF
CHILD MARRIAGE ACT 2006
Under the PCMA 2006, every child marriage

is voidable at the option of the contracting
party who was a child at the time of the
marriage, within two years of the child
attaining majority.
PCMA 2006 replaced Child Marriage
Restraint Act (CMRA) of 1929. PCMA was
notified in the Gazette of India on 11
January, 2007 and has been enforced 1
November, 2007.
Government had already ordered blocking

of 310 web pages, which showed morphed
and inflammatory contents which allegedly
incited Muslims in India against people of
the Northeastern region resulting in to the
mass exodus of the latter from places in
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198
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board,

headed by Economic Affairs Secretary
Arvind Mayaram.
CHAPTER 7: ECONOMY
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED 14 FDI PROPOSALS
WORTH OVER 1300 CR
RUPEES

HIGHER FUNDS FOR INDIRA
AWAAS YOJANA
The Government of India on 11 January

2013 approved 14 FDI proposals which is
said to be about 1311 crore rupees
including that of Hindustan Port Ltd.
The approval of proposals was based on the
recommendations of Foreign Investment
Promotion Board (FIPB) in its meeting held
on 21 December 2012.
The proposal of Mumbai-based Hindustan
Port Ltd to induct foreign funds worth 440
crore rupees for investment in downstream
companies was also included among those
cleared by FIPB.
Foreign Investment Promotion Board
The Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB) is a government body that is
constituted for providing a single window
clearance to proposals on Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in India which are not
allowed access through the automatic
route. It comprises of Secretaries who are
drawn from different ministries with
Secretary of Department of Economic
Affairs, MoF in the chair. As an interministerial body it examines the proposals
of foreign investments in the country
insectors with caps, sources and
instruments that require approval under
the extant FDI Policy (prescribed vide
Circular 1 of 2012) on a regular basis.
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199
The Union Cabinet on 10 January 2013

approved
the
Ministry
of
Rural
Developments proposal to increase the
unit cost under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY),
keeping under consideration the sharp
increase in the cost of materials.
As per the approved cost, unit assistance
under the scheme in plain areas had been
increased from 45000 to 70000 rupees and
for the hilly and difficult areas it had been
increase from 48500 to 75000 rupees.
The enhancement of unit assistance
provided for homestead site to rural below
poverty line (BPL) had been increased from
10000 rupees to 20000 rupees. The unit
assistance is provided to those households
who have neither agricultural land nor a
house site.
Indira Awas Yojana is a major scheme of the
Ministry of Rural Development which directly
aims at addressing rural housing issues by
providing grant for construction and up
gradation of dwelling units of BPL families.
The priority is especially given to Scheduled
Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded
labourers and physically challenged persons
with financial assistance.
provisions of getting an extra topping of

3.75 MHz as was in November 2012.
NATIONAL DATA CENTRE FOR

UIDAI TO COME UP IN
GURGAON
The Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder
Singh Hooda on 7 January 2013 laid the
foundation stone of the state-of-the-art
National Data Centre of Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at
Maneshar, Gurgaon in Haryana.
The centre that will spread in an area of
five-acres would serve as the respiratory
system for the UIDAI and would store all
the basic biometric and demographic
information of the residents, before the 12digit Aadhaar Number is issued. The
development work of the UIDAI center
would be completed by mid 2014 and is
being developed as a green data centre and
abides to all the global standards and
guidelines.
EMPOWERED GROUP OF
MINISTERS DECIDED TO
AUCTION FOUR TELECOM
CIRCLES IN 1800 MHZ BAND
The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM)
on 7 January 2013 decided to auction the
four telecom circles in 1800 MHz band,
which failed to win bidders in the
November 2012 auction. The EGoM also
decided to reduce the reserve price fixed in
November by 30 percent. The auction is
planned in March 2013.
Of the 1800 MHz Band the quantum of
spectrum that would be put forward for
auction in different states and cities are 15
MHz in Mumbai and Delhi and 10 MHz in
Rajasthan and Karnataka. There also are
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200
UNION GOVERNMENT
DOUBLED 12TH PLAN OUTLAY
FOR SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY MINISTRY
Union Science and Technology Minister S.
Jaipal Reddy on 4 January 2013 declared
that the Centres allocation for the science
and technology and earth sciences ministry
had been doubled for the 12th Plan period.
The declaration came in the inauguration
ceremony of Children Science Congress as
part of the 100th Indian Science Congress
where Jaipal Reddy announced that in the
12th Five-Year Plan, the combined planned
allocation for science and technology and
earth sciences had been nearly doubled
from 33000 crore rupees in the previous
Plan period to around 60000 crore rupees in
the present 12th plan period.
The Minister S. Jaipal Reddy also stressed
on the newly announced Science,
Technology and Innovation Policy, and
recommended that the policy would
emphasise on the importance of greater
innovation and suggested that there is a
need for integrating science, research and
innovation
to
develop
valuable
technologies.
A PM Doctoral Research Fellowship in
partnership with industry had also been
initiated where already 30 (such)
fellowships have been awarded to doctoral
students. The Minister invited the students
of the country to avail such opportunities
like the Prime Minister's Research

Fellowship scheme being offered by the
Government of India.
UNION GOVERNMENT
CONSTITUTED THE 14TH
FINANCE COMMISSION
UNDER FORMER RBI
GOVERNOR YV REDDY
Union Government on 2 January 2013

constituted the 14th Finance Commission
under former Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
governor Yaga Venugopal Reddy.
The commission under YV Reddy is going to
primarily
review
finances
of
the
governments keeping in mind the fiscal
consolidation road map that was laid out by
his predecessor Vijay Kelkar, the head of
13th finance Commission.
The Commission would have three full-time
members Sushma Nath, Former Finance
Secretary
M. Govind Rao, Director, NIPFP and
Sudipto Mundle, Former Acting
Chairman of National Statistical
The Commission would also have Abhijit
Sen, the Member of Planning Commission
as its part-time member. Also, Ajay Narayan
Jha had been appointed Secretary to the
Commission.s
The commission has to give its report by
October
next
year
and
the
recommendations will come into effect
from April, 2015 for a five-year period.
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Among the new areas of

recommendations on public sector
units (PSUs), the commission will
suggest how to list these units on
the bourses and will also give its
prescriptions on the disinvestment
process.
The commission has also been asked
to recommend how non-priority
PSUs be relinquished.
The commission will recommend
measures for segregating the pricing
of public utility services such as
drinking water, irrigation, power and
public transport from policy
fluctuations
through
statutory
provisions.
It will also suggest measures for
maintaining a stable and sustainable
fiscal environment consistent with
equitable
growth
including
suggestions to amend the Fiscal
Responsibility Budget Management
Act.
About Finance Commission

The Finance commission is set up every five
years. Article 280 of the Constitution
provides for setting up of a finance
commission to recommend how net earnings
of taxes are to be divided between the Union
and states and subsequently among the
states.
The Finance Commission Act of 1951 states
the terms of qualification, appointment and
disqualification, the term, eligibility and
powers of the Finance Commission.
Functions 14th Finance Commission will

perform
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201
UNION FINANCE MINISTER P

CHIDAMBARAM UNVEILED
CASH TRANSFER ROLLOUT
PLAN
The government is going to roll out its
ambitious scheme of transferring cash to
beneficiaries of select schemes in 20
districts on 1 January 2013, but food,
fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be
covered in the initial phase.
As per the roll-out plan, more and more
districts and schemes would be covered
under the scheme during the course of
2013.
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.
BIHAR BECAME THE FASTEST

GROWING INDIAN STATE
BETWEEN 2006 AND 2010
As per the data released by the Planning
Commission of India, Bihar became the
fastest growing state in India at 10.9 per
cent between 2006 and 2010 while
Gujarats growth rate declined to 9.3 per
cent and it lagged behind Bihar and other
four states- Orissa, Maharashtra, Haryana,
Chhattisgarh in terms of growth rate. Bihar
was the slowest growing state during 200105 periods with GDP figure of 2.9 percent
whereas Gujarat was the fastest growing
state between 2001 and 2005 with figure of
11 percent.
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Chhattisgarh grew from 7.7 per cent in

2001-05 to 10 per cent growth between
2006 and 2010 while Haryana grew from
8.4 per cent to 9.7 per cent, Maharashtra
from 8.2 per cent to 9.6 per cent and Orissa
from 7.8 per cent to 9.4 per cent between
2006 and 2010.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED SELLING 12.5
PERCENT STAKE IN
RASHTRIYA CHEMICALS AND
FERTILIZERS
The union government of India approved
selling 12.5 percent stake in Rashtriya
Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) on 26
December 2012. This is said to be the 11th
public sector undertaking which is approved
for the action.
Finance
minister
P.
Chidambaram
announced that the Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA) agreed to disinvest
12.5 per cent paid-up equity capital of RCF.
The government would make an effort to
wind up the entire process in 2012-2013
financial year, which would end on 31
March 2013.
As of now, government held 92.5 percent
stake in RCF. The paid-up capital of RCF was
551.7 crore Rupees. Considering the
present market price of 57.8 Rupees per
share, the stake of 12.5 percent would bring
in 360 crore Rupees to exchequer.
The finance minister also announced that it
was decided to make use of the offer for
sale via the auction or stock exchanges, but
it might be altered to follow-on public offer.
Disinvestment would help RCF meet its

minimum public shareholding of 10
percent, which was prescribed to it by SEBI.
BHATINDA SRINAGAR GAS

PIPELINE PROJECT TO BE
COMPLETED BY JULY 2014
The Jammu and Kashmir Government on 10
December 2012 informed that the 328-kmlong Bhatinda-Jammu-Srinagar gas pipeline
project is scheduled to be completed by July
2014 to draw gas from Gujarat to the State.
UNION GOVERNMENT
EXEMPTED SERVICE TAX FOR
JANASHREE AND AAM AADMI
BIMA YOJANA
Union Government of India in the month of
December granted service tax exemption
on the services of life insurance business
provided under the Aam Aadmi Bima
Yojana (AABY) and Janashree Bima Yojana
(JBY).
Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) was
launched in August 2007 and it basically
covers death and disability insurance for the
benefit of rural landless households.
The Granting of Tax Exemption is going to
save some money of the government as the
central contribution towards premium in
the two schemes is 50% and the rest is
contributed by state governments.
The Centre has created a fund that is being
operated by LIC for meeting the liability of
the Central Government towards premium
payment.
Page 203
studying from 9 to 12 Standard as an

extended benefit. A separate fund has been
created for providing scholarship to the
children of beneficiaries.
About Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY)

AABY provides for insurance of the
head of the family or earning member
of the family of rural landless
households between the age of 18
and 59 years against natural death or
accidental
death
and
partial/permanent disability.
The annual premium payable is 200
rupees of which 50 per cent shall be
payable by the Union Government
and the remaining 50 per cent by the
State Government.
About Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY)

Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY) was
launched in August 2000 and it
provides life insurance protection to
people who are below poverty line or
marginally above poverty line.
Persons aged between 18 years and
59 years and who are members of the
identified 45 occupational groups are
eligible to be covered under the
scheme.
The premium for the JBY is 200
rupees per member. While 50 per
cent premium under the scheme is
met out of Social Security Fund
maintained by LIC, the balance 50 per
cent premium is borne by the
member and/or nodal agency.
AABY also provides for educational

assistance to the beneficiaries children
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203
INDIA TO SIGN MUTUAL

LEGAL ASSISTANCE TREATY IN
CRIMINAL MATTERS WITH
FOUR OTHER NATIONS
UNION MINISTER OF FINANCE

P CHIDAMBARAM FINALISED
GAAR AMENDMENT
India would sign Mutual Legal Assistance

Treaty in the criminal matters with four
other countries in 2013. The treaty in
general helps in mutual assistance between
two nations for preventing, investigating as
well as prosecuting crime.
Discussions on treaty were initiated already
with four countries namely Azerbaijan,
Israel, Nepal and Oman. Ministry of Home
Affairs announced that formal signing of
this treaty will take place in 2013.
As of now, India has signed the treaty with
32 countries which include Russia, Egypt,
US, South Africa, France, Switzerland, UK,
Canada, UAE and Iran. The agreement is
important because it helps in fighting back
the trans-national organised crimes such as
money laundering, terrorism, counterfeit
currency, smuggling of explosives and arms,
drug trafficking and much more.
CST, a tax imposed on the inter-state

movement of goods, was reduced from 4
per cent to 3 per cent in 2007-08 and
further to 2 per cent in 2008-09 after the
introduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT).
The committee set up by Finance Minister
P Chidambaram to resolve the CST issue
had suggested that the payment of 34000
crore rupees be made to the states
towards losses on account of phasing out
of CST.
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Page 204
Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on

18 November 2012 disclosed that the
Amendments to GAAR, the controversial
law against tax avoidance through foreign
investments, had been finalised.
Supporting the fact P. Chidambaram
asserted that the amendments to the
Chapter 10A of the Income Tax Act which
deals with taxation of investments were
finalized and it will be sent to the Prime
Ministers Office (PMO).
GAAR (General Anti-Avoidance Rules),
which was proposed in 2012-13 budgets
with a view to preventing tax evasion,
generated sharp reactions from foreign as
well as domestic investors who feared that
ungoverned powers to taxmen is going to
result in harassment of investors.
To look into the concerns a committee was
appointed then by the government which
was headed by tax expert Parthasarthi
Shome.
Issue relating to retrospective tax
amendment on which the Shome
Committee had submitted its report, is also
under consideration with the drafting going
on and it will go to the PMO and then to the
Cabinet.
The government is keen to get the
investment engine ongoing and measures
were being taken by the government to
create a better climate.
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204
UNION GOVERNMENT BODY

CCEA LIFTED EXPORT BAN ON
SOME MILK PRODUCTS
The Union Government body, Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 1
November 2012 lifted the export ban on
milk products, especially on whole milk
powder (WMP), dairy whitener, infant milk
foods and other milk products till March
2013.
In February 2011 to meet the domestic
supply of Milk Products the Union
government had imposed ban on export of
all kinds of milk products that is skimmed
milk powder (SMP), whole milk powder
(WMP), dairy whitener, infant milk foods,
casein and casein products.
However the ban was withdrawn in for
Casein in April 2012 and for Skimmed Milk
Powder (SMP) in June 2012.
As per the Government Statistics, there is a
stock of 1.12 lakh tonnes of milk powder in
the country. As much as 300 lakh kilos of
milk per day were procured in the country
in September 2012 while sales were to the
tune of only 260 lakh kilos per day.
INDIAN SOVEREIGN RATING IS

STABLE-MOODY
The rating agency, Moody's Investors
Services on 26 September 2012 in its
Outlook for India expected stability due to
the newly announced reforms (FDI & hike in
petrol rates). It believed that these reforms
will help India in pairing up of the fiscal
deficits. Indian sovereign credit rating
outlook was kept by the agency at Baa3 for
the medium term.
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Whereas, the outlook to India by the rating

agencies Fitch and Standard & Poors was
negative, where the two agencies showed
concerns towards the pace of reforms going
on in India along with the economic
downfall.
SERVICE TAX ON HIGH-END

CLASS TRAVEL, FREIGHT AND
AUXILIARY SERVICE RAIL
FARES
The new Railway Minister C.P. Joshi and the
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in their
meeting held on 26 September 2012 came
up with the decision to regulate service
taxes on high-end passenger classes like AC
along with freight and auxiliary services
provided by the railways. The taxation will
be in effect from 1 October 2012.
Implementation of the taxes will help the
exchequer in generating estimated revenue
of Rs 3100 Crore annually.
Percentage increase in the fair chart for
different segments is as follows:
First Class - 7 percent
Air-conditioned - 3.708 percent
Freight charges - 3.708 per cent
Auxiliary services at stations 12.36
percent
The fair for high-end passengers
have been increased by 30 percent
Busy route surcharge during busy season of
maximum 10 percent varying from
commodity to commodity on freight will
also come on effect from 1 October 2012.
This step will help in winning an additional
sum of Rs 826 crore in upcoming six months
for the railways.

Senior
advocate
appeared for NGO.
GOVERNMENT REDUCED
INTEREST RATES ON
RESCHEDULED CROP LOANS
FROM 12 TO 7 PERCENT
Government on 11 September 2012
reduced interest rates on rescheduled crop
loans from 12 to 7 per cent in droughtaffected areas for this fiscal. It also
increased the number of guaranteed work
days under the MGNREGA to 150 days
from 100 days. Four Indian states namely
Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and
Rajasthan have declared drought in more
than 390 taluks.
During agrarian crisis, crop loans get
converted into term loans for a longer
period of three years but at a higher
interest rate of 12 per cent.
The Empowered Group of Ministers also
approved 846 crore rupees to Karnataka,
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana under
the National Rural Drinking Water
Programme, and relaxed some norms.
SUPREME COURT REFUSED

TO LIFT BAN ON MINING
ACTIVITIES IN KARNATAKA
The Supreme Court of India on 17 August
2012 ruled that it would not allow
resumption of mining activities of iron ore
in Karnataka unless there is a statutory
compliance and full implementation of
reclamation and rehabilitation measures.
The Supreme Court was hearing to a
petition filed by an NGO Samaj Parivartana
Samudaya, against the illegal mining and
encroachment of forest areas in the state.
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206
Prashant
Page 206
Bhushan
An alleged 35 lakh metric tons of iron ore

have been illegally exported by private
firms in Karnataka. Accepting the
recommendations of CEC, the Supreme
Court on 13 April 2012 had suspended new
mining leases in Bellary, Tumkur and
Chitradurga districts of Karnataka unless
rehabilitation plans for the existing leases
were executed.
THE GOVERNMENT EXTENDED

THE BAN ON IMPORT OF MILK
AND MILK PRODUCTS FROM
CHINA
The Food Safety and Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI) recommended the
extension of the ban till 23 June 2012 or
until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The notification for ban was issued on 4 July
2012 by the Directorate General of Foreign
Trade. The banned milk products include
chocolate, chocolate products, candies,
confectionery, food preparations with milk
or milk solids as ingredient.
The prohibition on import of milk and its
products from China was imposed on 24
September, 2008 because the milk products
imported from China contained melamine.
Melamine is a banned substance injurious
to health.
FDI INFLOW IN CHINA

DECREASED 3.7 PERCENT,
FIRST TIME IN 3 YEARS
The FDI inflow of China dipped in for the
first time in 3 years. There was a decline of

3.7 percent in the FDI inflow of China over
2012, as per the data revealed by the
Ministry of Commerce in Beijing.
However, China still holds its position as the
most lucrative FDI destination in the world.
It drew 111.7 billion dollar FDI in 2012 in
comparison to 116 billion dollar in 2011. FDI
flows nevertheless sink in for 7th month in
a row in December 2012 with a fall of 4.5
percent in comparison to November 2012.
Analysts are of the view that the foreign
players were restricting their investments
keeping in mind the taking over of new
President of China, Xi Jinping in March
2013, who is expected to liberalise the
Chinese economy more. This might lead to
relaxation of capital account controls.
Page 207
DEUTSCHE BANK APPOINTED

AS THE DEPOSITORY BANK
FOR GDR OF IIPL
Deutsche Bank was appointed as the
depository bank for Global Depository
Receipt (GDR) of Indiabulls Infrastructure
and Power Limited (IIPL). Global Depository
Receipt (GDR) of Indiabulls Infrastructure
and Power Limited (IIPL) is listed in the
Luxemborg Stock Exchange.
Indiabulls Infrastructure and Power Limited
is the part of Indiabulls Group. It facilitates
various companies that venture in power
generation, distribution and transmission,
with the consultancy services.
RBI AND THE STATE BANK OF

VIETNAM SIGNED A
MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING
Indiabulls Infrastructure and Power Limited

were also involved in the power generation,
distribution and transmission business
through its partner Indiabulls Power
Limited. IIPL holds 44.48 percent interest in
the Indiabulls Power Limited.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 16

November 2012 signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank
of Vietnam (SBV) for promoting greater cooperation and sharing supervisory
information, between the two supervisors.
SPICE GLOBAL ENTERED

HEALTHCARE SECTOR IN
INDIA; ANNOUNCED
INVESTING OVER 1400 CRORE
RUPEES
The MoU between the two banks was

signed at Hanoi, Vietnam in the
Headquarters of State Bank of Vietnam and
by the Chief General Manager-In-Charge,
Department of Banking Supervision, RBI- G.
Jaganmohan Rao and Chief Inspector,
Banking Supervision Agency, SBV- Nguyen
Huu Nghia. The Deputy Governor, SBVDang Thanh Binh, and Indian Ambassador
to Hanoi- Ranjit Rae graced this occasion of
signing the MoU.
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207
Spice Global, the diversified company on 22

January 2013 entered into the healthcare
sector and also announced its plans to
invest more than 1400 crore Rupees by
2016 in order to establish its 1st hospital.
The hospital called Saket City Hospital
would have 1000 beds at first.
Global Founder and Chairman B K Modi
announced that the company had already
committed 400 crore Rupees for first phase

of its hospital project in which there will be
230 beds by June 2013.
Spice Global is a Singapore-based company
that has left its presence in various sectors
such as finance, entertainment and
mobility. The Chairman of the company
additionally also announced that 150 crore
Rupees were invested already in the project
and remaining investment was in process.
The investment would be funded through
the internal accruals.
The Saket City Hospital by Spice Global was
inaugurated on 22 January 2013 and it
would be expanded to the capacity of 1000
beds by mid 2016.
Spice Global is a 2 billion US dollar firm with
its mark in various locations of the world. It
employs more than 9000 employees across
its different locations.
RELIANCE INDUSTRIES SHUT

8TH WELL IN KG-D6; GAS
OUTPUT FELL TO ALL-TIME
LOW
Reliance Industries shut down its eighth
well on the main gas-producing field in KGD6 block, which compelled the output to
drop down to an all-time low at 20.88
million metric standard cubic metre per day
(mmscmd).
As per the status report of Directorate
General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), RIL shut
down the well B6 on 9 January 2013 on the
Dhiburbhai-1 and 3 (D1&D3) in Krishna
Godavari basin KG-D6 block because of
water loading. Earlier on 29 November
2012, RIL had shut B4, which was the
seventh well on D1&D3 field.
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However, shutting of B6 well dropped down

the output from D1&D3 to 16.98 million
standard cubic meters per day during the
week which ended on 13 January 2013.
With the 4.37 mmsmcd sourcing from the
MA oilfield in the same block, overall
output equaled 21.35 mmscmd in the week.
However, production fell down even more
to 20.88 mmscmd in the fourth week of
January 2013, which is the lowest since
April 2009.
So far, Reliance Industries drilled 22 wells in
all on the D1&D3 fields. However, only 18
out of these are on production till now.
D1&D3 started production of gas in April
2009 and had mounted to 55 mmscmd in
August 2010. Later, there was an ingression
of water as well as sand in the wells.
HINDALCO FINALIZED
ARRANGEMENTS TO ACQUIRE
BAUXITE MINES AND
ALUMINA REFIRNERY FROM
NOVELIS
The metals flagship of Aditya Birla Group,
Hindalco Industries on 18 January 2013
announced that as a part of its corporate
reorganization plan, it has finalized
arrangements with Novelis Do Brasil, its
wholly owned subsidiary Novelis for
acquiring the bauxite mines and alumina
refinery in Brazil.
Execution of the agreement was done
between Novelis Do Brasil, Novelis and AV
Minerals the wholly owned subsidiaries of
Hindalco Industries.
The 145 KTPA, alumina refinery is located
in Ouro Preto, State of Minas Gerias, Brazil
and have a right of carrying on mining
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activities over 50 million tonnes of bauxite

reserves. The alumina assets of the Novelis
Do Brasil would be transferred to the new
company being developed in Brazil and the
shares of the company would be acquired
by the MV Minerals.
The developer has applied for partial denotification so as to implement a number of

new projects in the domestic tariff area in
Jamnagar near the SEZ. The proposed
projects will mainly cater to the significant
existing domestic demand.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED THE PARTIAL DENOTIFICATION OF RIL SEZ
SEZ is going to retain its multi-product

status as the total area would remain higher
than the minimum required area of 1000
hectares. Even though the SEZ mainly
comprises refineries, retaining the multiproduct status will allow the company to
invest in value-added products later, if it
wants to.
The Union Government in the month of

January 2013 had given its approval to
Reliance Industries plans of de-notifying
more than 40 per cent of its multi-product
Special Economic Zone in Jamnagar subject
to refund of all tax benefits it received for
developing the area.
The company has also been asked to obtain
a no-objection-certificate from the State
Government of Gujarat.
It was in the second week of January that
Reliance Industries (RIL) had applied for denotification of over 40 per cent of its Special
Economic Zone in Gujarat as it plans an
investment of 45000 crore rupees in that
area to cater to the domestic market.
RILs multi product SEZ is spread over
1764.14 hectares. The company wanted
partial de-notification of an area of 728.43
hectares, leaving 1035.72 hectares of plan
for the multi-product special economic
zone.
Now, the clearance is subject to the
company getting an NOC from the State
Government and refunding all tax benefits
it received for developing the de-notified
area.
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209
It had been seen in the past that a number

of SEZs have sought de-notification and
cancellation of approval following the
Governments decision to impose the
minimum alternate tax and dividend
distribution tax on SEZ investors.
GAIL INDIA COMMISSIONED

DABHOL LIQUEFIED NATURAL
GAS TERMINAL
GAIL
India
announced
successful
commissioning of 5 million tonne capacity
Dabhol liquefied natural gas (LNG)
terminal on 10 January 2013 at Ratnagiri in
Maharashtra. This is the third LNG terminal.
The remaining two are set up at Dahej and
Hazira in Gujarat.
With the commissioning of 5 million tonnes
(MT) capacity Dabhol LNG terminal, the
overall capacity of India to manage the
imported LNG reached approximately 20
MT per annum. The Dabhol LNG terminal
was set up at a cost of 4000 crore Rupees.
This terminal would play a crucial role in
meeting the demands of the industries in
Maharashtra.

State-owned GAIL India planned to expand
its terminal to 7.5 MT by 2015 and
thereafter increasing its capacity to 10 MT
by 2017. The Dabhol LNG terminal would
act as entry for natural gas to western as
well as southern parts of India including
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and
Maharashtra.
Ratnagiri Gas and Power Private limited
(RGPPL) operates the Dabhol LNG terminal.
RGPPL is the joint venture of NTPC and GAIL
India as the prime shareholders along with
the rest of the equity held by Maharashtra
State Electricity Board and financial
institutions. GAIL however is the
commercial operator of this terminal and
had started commissioning cargo for it back
in December 2012.
At present, the LNG demand of India is
satisfied only by Dahej and Hazira. In light of
the decrease in home gas production, the
present gas capabilities operate at their
maximum rates. Commissioning of Dabhol
LNG terminal will help in facilitating the
higher volumes of LNG imports.
PR FONROCHE INAUGURATED
FIRST SOLAR PLANT UNDER
NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION
BATCH II
PR Fonroche on 10 January 2013
inaugurated a 5 MW Solar Plant at Gajner
near Bikaner in Rajasthan. The project is a
part of the 20 MW project of PR Fonroche
that was won by the company through the
process of independent bidding in the
National Solar Mission, Phase I Batch II. The
next 15 MW plant would be commissioned
officially on 15 January 2013 but the
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electricity production at the site at present

is in process.
The project is the first of the 340 MW
projects, which are being developed under
the Phase I Batch II of the Mission.
PR Fonroche
It is a Joint Venture of the French company
Fonroche and the Indian company PR Clean
Energy. The two companies are working as
partners for setting up a 200 MW of SolarVoltaic Plants in India. PR Fonroche was
successful in winning the project with the
bidding tariff of 9.1 rupees per kWhr. The
company expects a total production of 38
million units of electricity per year or 1.9
million units in total per year and it uses
Film Modules developed by a US Company,
First Solar.
SUPREME COURT REJECTED

SAHARA PETITION ON
REFUND OF 24000 CRORE
RUPEES
The Supreme Court on 9 January 2013
dismissed Sahara group's petition for
review of its verdict directing its two firms
Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIREC)
and
Sahara
Housing
Investment
Corporation (SHIC) to refund around 24000
crore rupees to their investors with 15
percent interest per annum.
A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and J
S Khehar, declaring an order stated that all
the records placed before them were
meticulously examined and dealt with.
Review petitions are, therefore, not
entertained
and
accordingly
stand
dismissed.

The bench asserted that all the contentions
raised by the companies were considered
by it while passing its August 2012 verdict
and there is no need to review the same.
The verdict on the review plea assumes
significant as the firms have again filed a
fresh application for extension of time for
paying back to their investors.
Although the 31 August 2012 verdict was
passed by a bench of justices
Radhakrishnan and Khehar but another
bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas
Kabir on 5 December 2012 had modified
the judgment granting the group nine more
weeks to pay back 24000 crore rupees with
interest to over three crore investors.
ALLAHABAD BANK SIGNED

MOU WITH CHAMBER OF
INDIAN MICRO, SMALL AND
MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Allahabad bank signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Chamber of
Indian Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (CIMSME) in Kolkata on 4
January 2013. The MoU was signed to
support the priority sector lending.
CIMSME is basically a body that represents
interest of the companies in the Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
sector, with the financial institutions, banks,
concerned ministries as well as other
organisations.
According to the agreement, CIMSME
would help in activating the proposals from
the members for the due consideration of
the bank. Once the bank sanctions the loan,
CIMSME would help the bank in followingup as well as recovering the dues. CIMSME
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would also help in providing the early signs

of warning, if they exist.
MoU signed between the two will basically
help in accelerating the process of faster
clearance of loan proposals which lie under
MSME. It would additionally, also enable
the bank in acquiring quality proposals as
well as boosting up the credit flow to this
sector.
MoU signed between CIMSME and
Allahabad Bank was executed by General
Manager (SME & Retail Credit) as well as
the President of CIMSME in the presence of
CMD of Allahabad Bank.
UNION GOVERNMENT
DECIDED TO DISINVEST
STAKES IN OIL INDIA, NTPC
The Union government in month of January
2013 decided to divest 10 percent stake in
Oil India in the second fortnight of January
and follow this up by disposing of 9.5
percent holding in NTPC in February 2013.
As per the Disinvestment Secretary D.K.
Mittal the 10 percent stake in Oil India
could fetch around 2700 crore rupees at
current market prices also the 9.5 percent
stake sale in National Thermal Power
Corporation (NTPC) could yield over 12000
crore rupees for the exchequer.
The government proposes to divest in NTPC
through the Offer for Sale (auction) route.
Post-disinvestment, the government stake
would come down to 75 percent. NTPC
went public with an initial public offer (IPO)
in 2004.
The government has set a 30000 crore
rupees disinvestment target for the current

fiscal. So far, it has managed to raise
over.6900 crore rupees through minority
stake sales in PSUs. The National Mineral
Development Corporation (NMDC) issue
had fetched 6000 crore rupees. Hindustan
Copper divestment brought in 808 crore
rupees for the government.
The government had identified 10
companies, including Oil India, SAIL and
Hindustan Aeronautics, and plans to sell 10
percent stake each in Rashtriya Ispat Nigam
Ltd. and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
Also in the pipeline are 12.15 percent stake
sale in aluminium producer Nalco, 10.82
percent in steel giant SAIL and 9.33 percent
in Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation.
MW, and will be situated in Jaisalmer

district of Rajasthan. The cost of this project
is estimated to be around 190 crore rupees.
Nalco, a large thermal power consumer for
its aluminium smelting in Odisha, is
appreciative to generate renewable energy
under electricity regulations.
As per the Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy, the Indian Wind Turbine
Manufactures Association (WTMA) had
reported that public sector units have so far
established around 1135 MW of wind
power projects in the country, besides solar
power projects of 27 MW.
KG-D6, GAS PRODUCING

FIELDS REACHED LOWEST GAS
OUTPUT LEVEL SINCE
INCEPTION
NATIONAL ALUMINIUM CO
LTD (NALCO) COMMISSIONED
ITS FIRST WIND POWER
PROJECT
National Aluminium Co Ltd (Nalco) in the
Month of January 2013 commissioned its
first wind power project at Gandikota in
Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.
Nalco which is the Government-owned
manufacturer and distributor of aluminum
products had invested around 275 crore
rupees for the 50-MW Suzlon-erected
project.
Nalco signed a power purchase agreement
with the States power transmission utility
Transco and has begun inoculation of
power to the State grid. The windmill
project had received clearance from the
Ministry of Forests and Environment.
Also, setting up of the second wind power is
on the line which is supposed to be of 50
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212
The biggest gas producing fields of India in

Krishna Godavari basin (KG-D6), which are
controlled by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) as
well as UKs BP, reached the lowest level of
output ever since it was incepted. After the
production level of gas producing fields
touched peak levels of 60 million standard
cubic metres of gas per day (mmscmd), the
output remained 22.77 mmscmd in second
week of December 2012.
ICICI BANK OPENED 101

GRAMIN BRANCHES ACROSS
VILLAGES IN SIX STATES
ICICI Bank, the largest private sector bank of
India on 13 December 2012 opened 101
distinct Gramin branches or rural branches
as the part of its financial enclosure plan.

These branches were opened in villages
which lack the banking facilities, across six
states of India.
All these Gramin Branches of the ICICI Bank
would remain open for 4 hours per day and
6 days per week. These branches would
offer banking services like fixed and
recurring deposits, saving bank accounts,
remittances, tractor loans as well as Kisan
credit cards. Just like their current rural
branches, ICICI will have at least 3
employees at the bank. Depending upon
the business of the bank, ICICI might also
make an addition of ATMs to a few of these
rural branches.
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An American Depositary Shares (ADS) is a

US dollar-denominated equity share of a
foreign-based company available for
purchase on an American stock exchange.
TELECOM COMMISSION
APPROVED 1500 CRORE
RUPEES SUBSIDY FOR BSNL
The Inter Ministerial body Telecom
Commission of India on 12 December 2012
gave its nod to a 1500 crore Rupees subsidy
to state owned BSNL for supporting its
landline operations in rural areas.
The approval came in line with the TRAI
recommendation which had suggested that
2700 crore rupees should be given to BSNL
as operations in rural areas dont generate
enough revenues.
INFOSYS SHARES STARTED

TRADING ON NEW YORK
STOCK EXCHANGE
Infosys Ltd, Indias second-largest IT
services provider on 12 December 2012
announced that its American Depositary
Shares (ADS) have started trading on the
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the
ticker symbol INFY.
LOBBY BILL OF WAL-MART

HIT AROUND 125 CRORE
RUPEES TO SEEK ENTRY INTO
INDIA
Earlier in the month of December the

company had announced transfer of its
NASDAQ-listed ADS to NYSE, which basically
aimed to give its European investors better
access to its stock.
Wal-Mart had filed the lobbying disclosure

report with US Senate and it was found
that the retail giant had incurred around 25
million dollar or approximately 125 crore
Rupees in the lobbying activities. These
lobbying activities also included issues
which were associated with increased
access to the Indian markets for
investments.
At the end of September quarter, Infosys

had 6.67 crore ADS representing 11.62 per
cent of its total number of shares, according
to BSE data.
SAHARA COMPANIES GOT

TWO MONTHS TIME TO
REPAY INVESTORS MONEY
The company is also in the process of listing

its ADS on the Paris and London exchanges
of NYSE Euronext.
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213

The Supreme Court of India on 5 December
2012 provided a relief to two Sahara
companies when it gave them the time of
two months till first week of February 2012.
The two Sahara companies- Sahara India
Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL) and
Sahara Housing Investment Corporation
(SHICL) are required to deposit 24000 crore
Rupees to the investors. The Apex Court
provided breather to the Sahara Companies
when it declared that the companies can
deposit 24000 crore Rupees, which was
collected from the investors, in two
installments with SEBI.
SBI ANNOUNCED
EXPECTATION OF 4000 CRORE
RUPEES EQUITY FROM THE
GOVERNMENT
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT
DARJEELING TEA
Tea Board of India signed a joint
Communiqu
with
European
tea
Committee on 17 October 2012.
It was agreed with signing of communiqu
that both the oraganisation will cooperate
and work together in distributing
information
about
the
Protected
Geographical Indication (PGI) registration
and its implications in Germany and other
tea consuming countries within the
European Union.
Now with the implementation of PGI, tea
produced only in Darjeeling can be labelled
and sold as Darjeeling Tea within the
territory of European Union.
State Bank of India (SBI), the largest lender

of India on 5 December 2012 announced
about its expectation of infusion of
approximately 4000 crore Rupees from the
government in 2012-2013 fiscal year. SBI
declared that this move would help it in
ramping up the capital to more than 13
percent.
The Managing Director and Chief Financial
Officer of SBI declared that they were
expecting the government to infuse a
capital of around 4000 crore Rupees. What
will be the mode of infusion was still under
discussion. It was declared that various
options for mode of infusion were given to
the government but the final decision
would be that of the government itself.
TEA BOARD OF INDIA JOINED

HAND WITH EUROPEAN TEA
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SEBI ASKED GOVERNMENT TO

SET UP SPECIAL COURT FOR
SPEEDY TRIAL
Security Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on
22 October 2012 asked the government to
set up special courts to fast-track the
process of bringing the guilty to book.
The grievances came into light with SEBI
Worried over delays in prosecution of those
found to be involved in frauds and other
offences with some cases pended for
several years.
Keeping it into light SEBI Chairman U K
Sinha, made grievances to government for
special courts to expedite the process and
had also asked the government to facilitate
the same with immediate effect.
In India, there is a provision for setting up
special courts to deal with certain class of
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214

offences under the Special Courts Act of
1979. There are special courts for
corruption and other cases, including some
that are handled by CBI.
The Supreme Court earlier had also
asserted that the government should
constitute more designated courts to
dispense with the cases expeditiously. The
government in 1992 had enacted the
Special Court (Trial of Offences relating to
Transactions in Securities) Act after the
Harshad Mehta scam.
PETROLEUM MINISTRYS NON

APPROVAL TO RILS
INVESTMENT PLANS
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry on
17 October 2012 escalating the troubles of
Reliance India Limited informed the Prime
Minister office that it would not approve
the investments of the company on its KGD6 fields. The ministry came to its decision
after the company refused to allow the CAG
(Comptroller and Auditor General of India)
the federal body that would scrutinize
spending made by the company during
2008-09 and 2011-2012 in the block.
The Petroleum Secretary, G.C. Chaturvedi at
a meeting in the Prime Ministers Office
informed Pulok Chatterjee, the Principal
Secretary to the Prime Minister about the
issues related to KG-D6 fields and the
production fall in the KG-DWN-98/3 Block
by 26 mcmd (million cubic metres per day),
which was less than half of the target
investments approved by the Government.
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ICICI BANK SIGNED AN

AGREEMENT WITH ECO BANK
OF AFRICA
ICICI Bank on 15 October 2012 signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated of
Africa in order to extend their banking
services across their combined footprint in
India and Africa.
The MoU was signed in Tokyo by Vijay
Chandok, President - International Banking
Group of ICICI Bank Ltd and Arnold Ekpe,
Group CEO of Ecobank.
Indias trade with Africa has doubled in the
past four years. Stronger investment ties
are complementing this steady growth in
trade with Indian investments in Africa
across a range of sectors including oil & gas,
pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, fertilizers,
IT and infrastructure.
About Eco Bank
Eco Bank is a pan-African banking
conglomerate, with banking operations in
35 African countries. It is the leading
independent regional banking group in
West Africa and Central Africa, serving
wholesale and retail customers. Ecobank
was incorporated in Lome, Togo. Ecobank
Transnational Incorporated is the parent
company of the leading independent panAfrican banking group.
About ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank Limited is India's largest private
sector bank and the second largest bank in
India, with consolidated total assets of US $
111 billion as on June 30, 2012.
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It is the second largest bank in India by

assets and third largest by market
capitalization.
IN JAKARTA METRO RAIL

PROJECT
HDFC BANK AND INDIAN OIL

CAME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE
BANKING SERVICES IN RURAL
AREAS
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on 23

September 2012 was awarded with the
work of Management Consulting Services
by Jakarta Metro Rail Project. Before this,
DMRC assisted them in preparation of SAPI
(Special
Assistance
on
Project
Implementation). The work in its first phase
will be done in a distance of 15.7 kilometer.
DMRC will be working in a joint-venture
with eight international companies.
HDFC Bank on 4 October 2012 tied up with

Indian Oil Corporation where rural Petrol
Pump Outlets of Indian Oil will act as HDFC
Bank Business Correspondent (BCs).
It is unique and first kind of tie-up, where
an oil distribution company is coming up
with the bank to make available modern
banking services to the people of remote
areas.
The Indian oil is going to make it possible
through Kisan Seva Kendra which is an retail
outlet model pioneered by Indian Oil to
cater to the needs of customers in the rural
segment.
HDFC Bank planned to cover 1000 Kisan
Seva Kendras in a phased manner and each
of these outlets will be able to serve around
1,500 customers. The Kisan Seva Kendra
outlets will offer banking services such as
preliminary processing of loan applications,
disbursal and collection of small value
deposits, sale of micro-insurance, mutual
funds and other investment instruments.
HDFC plan is to bring 10 million families into
its banking Fold.
DELHI METRO RAIL

CORPORATION WON WORK
As per the contract, DMRC is responsible for

creation
and
finalisation
of
the
organisational structure along with
development
of
training
facilities,
recruitment of personnel and their training
in different segments that will be required
for starting the operations of the project.
DMRC is also acting as a consultant to other
metro projects of the nation that includes
Chennai, Bangaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and
Jaipur (here DMRC is also looking after the
construction work).
INDIGO AIRLINES EMERGED

TO BE THE TOP RANKED
CARRIER FOR CONSECUTIVE
SECOND MONTH
The data presented by the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 18
September 2012 claimed that the low cost
airlines Indigo emerged as the leading
carrier in the month of August by carrying
12.05 lakh domestic passengers out of
43.69 lakh passengers. Indigo shared a total
of 27.6 percent of the market share.
Share of other airlines are as follows
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216

1. Jet Airways-18.7 percent
2. Spice Jet- 18.5 Percent
3. Air India- 18.2 percent
The report also reported that there was a
fall of 8.6 percent passengers in total as
compared to the previous year record for
the month.
The next disappointing part is that the

export of cars is also declined to a figure of
26.83 percent in the August month which
has affected overall production of
companies in India. It is the highest decline
in 11 years of time. The automobile industry
has entered into a desperate situation.
The excise duty on automobiles, which was
increased in this years Budget, needs to be
reduced, particularly for the commercial
vehicles segment to regain the sale in
momentum.
SUPREME COURT ASKED

ESSAR OIL TO PAY THE SALES
TAX DUES IN PHASES
Supreme Court passed a judgment on 13
September 2012 for Gujarat Sales Tax case
allowing Essar Oil to pay back the sales tax
dues in phases. The dues amount of Rs
5,165 crore can be paid back in eight
different installments of two years
beginning from 17 January 2012. Supreme
Court also dismissed the demand of Rs 1800
crore interest made by the Government of
Gujarat.
The court also directed the oil company to
make the payment at the interest rate of 10
percent on the payment due of 17 January
2012 instead of 18 percent demanded by
the state Government. In its statement, the
oil company cleared that it has already
cleared a due payment of Rs 1004 crore of
the total dues amount of Rs 6169 crore.
SALES PERCENTAGE OF CAR

DECLINED IN INDIA
The sales of cars in India declined in the
month of August 2012 by an overall 19
percent. It is counted among the biggest
drop in one year timeline, resulting to
which Society of Indian automobile
Manufacturer
(SIAM)
asked
the
government to cut the excise duty.
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217
In contrary to that, Chinese market saw a

robust sale of car in the month of august.
GAIL SIGNED PACT WITH

FRENCH ENERGY GIANT GDF
SUEZ TO IMPORT LNG
State-owned gas utility GAIL India on 26
August 2012 signed a contract with French
energy giant GDF Suez to import 0.8
million tonnes of liquefied natural gas
(LNG) from 2013 to 2014. GDF would supply
six cargoes of LNG in 2013 beginning
January and an equal number in 2014. It will
supply one cargo once in two months, most
probably from its Yemen portfolio.
As per the agreement, GDF will supply six
cargoes of LNG in 2013 and an equal
number in 2014. The LNG could be
imported at Dahej terminal of Petronet LNG
Ltd in Gujarat or Kochi import facility in
Kerala. The gas in its liquid form could be
shipped to the Dabhol terminal in
Maharashtra.
GDF holds a 10-per cent stake in Petronet
LNG Ltd. It had in November 2011 agreed to
supply 9 cargoes of LNG to Petronet LNG
Ltd. GAIL owns and operates over 9,500-km
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of natural gas pipeline network in India and

can manage 175 mmscmd of gas.
Paribas. Also, the application can be

downloaded for free from Google Play.
GEOJIT BNP LAUNCHED

ANDROID OS FLIP ME; FIRST
MOBILE TRADING SOLUTION
ON NSE & BSE
SBI REDUCED THE INTEREST

RATE ON THE DEPOSITS OF
MORE THAN 5 YEARS
Geojit BNP Paribas on 3 August 2012

launched its new version for Android
Operating System (OS) Flip Me. It is the
first mobile trading solution which offered
customers the facility to place orders on
National Stoke Exchange (NSE) as well as on
Bombay Stoke Exchange (BSE). The mobile
trading was created by Geonit BNP Paribas
in the year 2010.
The customers with an Android OS in
mobiles or tablets can download Flip Me
Android application for multiple market
watch views, real time updates, active real
time charts, arrange and place orders for all
cash and copied segments of the stock
exchanges and view the order and trade
book in a security environment. It also has
the facility to place orders beyond market
hours.
It has also added many new features to the
previous application that use the improved
capabilities of the phone hardware and the
Android OS like customers can take calls to
the tele-trading centre of Geojit BNP
Paribas while watching the market. Flip Me
also providing views and themes, trading
ideas to make good trading decisions and
multi-view market watch like graph, MBP
and security info in single screen.
Flip Me Android OS is available free of cost
in all registered customers of Geojit BNP
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218
Indias leading bank State Bank of India (SBI)

on 2 August 2012 reduced the interest rate
on the deposits of five year and above to
8.5 percents. The new interest rate will be
effective from 7 August 2012.
Currently, SBI is providing 8.75 percent
interest on the deposits of 15 lakh or below
and 9 percent on the deposits from 15 lakh
to 1 crore. Recently, SBI on 1 August 2012
announced 0.50 percent reduced interest
rate on home and car loans.
However, Indias third largest bank Punjab
National Bank (PNB) raised the interest rate
on single deposit by 0.25 percent against
8.75 percent for the maturity of less than 1
crore rupees for one year
SBI REDUCED INTEREST RATE

ON HOME AND CAR LOANS BY
UP TO 0.5 PERCENT
Indias leading bank State Bank of India (SBI)
on 1 August 2012 reduced its interest rate
on home and car loans by up to 0.5 percent.
The new interest rate will be effective from
7 August 2012.
It has reduced the interest rate on home
loans of up to 30 lakh rupees from 10.50
percent to 10.25 percent. The loan more
than 30 lakh to 75 lakh, the interest rate is
10.40 percent against 10.75 percent.

SBI new car loans are likely to be available
at an interest rate of 10.75 percent against
previous rate of 11.25 percent for 7 years.
It makes customers to pay 1699 rupees EMI
for every 1 lakh rupees against 1725 rupees
EMI per month earlier. The reduction is
likely to save 312 rupees per year on every
one lakh.
UNION MINISTRY FOR

COMMERCE LAUNCHED E BIZ
PORTAL TO PROVIDE ONE
STOP SHOP FOR ALL
INVESTMENT
The Union Minister for Commerce on 28
January 2013 launched an eBiz portal at the
CII Partnership Summit in Agra. The portal
is Indias Government-to-Business (G2B)
portal developed by Infosys in a Public
Private Partnership (PPP) Model. This
Mission Mode Project will mark a paradigm
shift in the Governments approach to
providing Government-to-Business (G2B)
services for Indias investor and business
communities.
In order to enable businesses and investors
to save time and costs and in order to
improve the business environment in the
country, an online single window was
conceptualised in the form of the eBiz
Mission Mode Project under the National eGovernance Plan. The project aims to
create a business and investor friendly
ecosystem in India by making all business
and investment related regulatory services
across Central, State and local governments
available on a single portal, thereby
obviating the need for an investor or a
business to visit multiple offices or a
plethora of websites.
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The core value of the transformational

project lies in a shift in the Governments
service delivery approach from being
department-centric to customer-centric. EBiz will create a 24x7 facility for information
and services and will also offer joined-up
services where a single application
submitted by a customer, for a number of
permissions, clearances, approvals and
registrations will be routed automatically
across multiple governmental agencies in a
logical manner. An inbuilt payment gateway
will also add value by allowing all payments
to be collected at one point and then
apportioned, split and routed to the
respective heads of account of Central and
State agencies along with generation of
challans and MIS reports. This payment
gateway is the first of its kind designed in
India and can become a universal payment
gateway for all e-Governance applications.
The Department of Industrial Promotion &
Policy, Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
Government of India, is the Nodal
Government Agency responsible for the
implementation of the eBiz Project. Infosys
Technologies Ltd. has been selected as the
Concessionaire/ Project Implementation
Partner and is responsible for the design,
development,
implementation
and
maintenance of the eBiz Solution. The
Indian government is firmly committed to
wide-ranging initiatives aimed at fostering
the business environment in the country in
a holistic manner. Its approach includes
leveraging
technology
to
bring
transparency, improve efficiency and
promote convenience.
eBiz is an important step in this direction and
working in partnership with Infosys on this
project will become a benchmark for
successful Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)
in the country.
The eBiz Project is the first of its kind ever

implemented in the country. It marks the
highest level of maturity in web-based
eGovernance applications as it strives to
achieve horizontal integration across
various verticals of Central government,
State
governments
and
Para-statal
agencies.
The first phase of the project, which was
being launched, provides an interactive tool
that helps investors assess the Licenses and
Permits requirements while setting up and
operating a business in India. The License &
Permit Information wizard will provide
authentic information 24X7 to investors and
businesses by providing answers to
questions in an interview style format.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA

SLASHED REPO RATE TO 7.75
PERCENT AND CRR TO 4
PERCENT
funds. Unveiling the policy review in

Mumbai, RBI stated that the stance of
monetary policy in this review is intended
to provide an appropriate interest rate
environment to support growth as inflation
risks moderate. CRR cut will have impact on
long term interest rates.
The RBI, however, has reduced the growth
projections for the current financial year to
5.5 per cent from its earlier estimate of 5.8
per cent.
On inflation, it moderated the rate to 6.8
per cent for March-end from earlier
projection of 7.5 per cent. The repo rate,
which was cut last in April 2012, stands
revised at 7.75 per cent with immediate
effect, while the liquidity infusing CRR
stands at 4 per cent effective 9 February
2013.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

BOARD OF INDIA REVISED
THE MECHANISM OF OFFER
FOR SALE
The Reserve Bank of India on 29 January

2013 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.
The repo rate cut will reduce the cost of
borrowing for individuals and corporate,
whereas the reduction in CRR, which is the
portion of deposits that banks have to park
with RBI, would improve the availability of
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220
The Securities and Exchange Board of India

(SEBI) on 25 January 2013 revised the
mechanism of the Offer for Sale (OFS). The
board took the decision of revising the
norms because the deadline for the
promoters of the listed companies to
offload their stake for meeting the
minimum public shareholding norm of 25
percent by June 2013 is approaching.
These revisions would make the norms
much more efficient, transparent and
economical. The quantity for cumulative
bidding would be made available online for
the market across the trading session at
different intervals to take care of the orders

that carries 100 percent upfront margin and
also of the orders which have been placed
without the upfront margin. The indicative
price of the market would be disclosed for
the market across the trading session and is
calculated on the basis of bids and orders.
UNION COMMERCE MINISTRY

CLAIMED THAT INDIA HAS
CROSSED ONE BILLION MARK
IN TEA PRODUCTION
consensus on FDI-associated issues is the

main causes of decline in FDI inflow.
During 2012-2013, the sectors which
remained on the positive side of the FDI
inflows included services, hotel and
tourism, metallurgical, construction and
automobile.
In India, maximum FDI inflow came from
Mauritius (USD 7.2 billion), Japan (USD 1.56
billion), Singapore (USD 1.5 billion) the
Netherlands (USD 1.09 billion) and the UK
(USD 615 million).
The Union Commerce Ministry of India in

the third week of January 2013 released
figures and it mentioned that tea-industry
in India had passed the one billion kilogram
mark production. This target has been
crossed by the participation of the small
tea-growers.
FDI INFLOW DECREASED TO

TWO-YEAR LOW IN
NOVEMBER 2012
The inflow of foreign direct investment
(FDI) in India decreased to around 2-year
low at 1.05 billion US dollar in November
2012 because of uncertainties of the global
economies. Back in November 2011, the FDI
was worth 2.53 billion US dollar.
The Department of Industrial Policy and
Promotion (DIPP) announced that from
April-November period 2012-13, inflows of
FDI decreased by around 31 percent to
15.84 billion US dollar from 22.83 billion US
dollar in 2011-12.
The reason why inflow of FDI decreased
was because of the issues arising in the
global economic scenario. Economic
slowdown as well as absence of political
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221
IMF FORECASTED INDIAN

ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE TO
BE 5.9 PERCENT IN 2013
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on
23 January 2013 projected that the
economic growth rate of India in 2013
would be 5.9 percent. The IMF also
projected an increased growth rate of 6.4
percent for 2014 looking forward towards
the gradual strengthening of the global
expansion in Indias context.
In its update at the World Economic Forum
(WEO), the IMF also forecasted that the
global economic growth rate would be 3.5
percent, little higher than the 3.2 percent
estimated earlier. As per the report of IMF,
uncertainty in policy making and supply
bottlenecks were one of the most visible
causes that hampered the growth aspects
of the economies like India and Brazil. It
also stated that the scopes of easing the
policy to any further extent have also gone
down in these countries.

About International Monetary Fund (IMF)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an
organization of 188 countries that works for
fostering the global monetary cooperation,
promote high employment and sustainable
economic growth, facilitate international
trade, secure financial stability and reduce
poverty around the world. Since the end of
World War II, the IMF had been playing a
major role in shaping the global economy.
The IMF has played a part in shaping the
global economy.

50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN
THE RESERVE PRICES FOR
CDMA SPECTRUM
The Union Government on 17 January 2013
approved a 50 per cent reduction in the
reserve price of spectrum used by CDMA
mobile operators.
Spectrum auction, for both GSM and CDMA,
is supposed to be completed by 31 March
2013 and thereafter the markets will decide
how much revenue the government will
get.
With the reduction of reserve price to 50
percent pan-India 5MHz of 800 MHz
spectrum (CDMA radio waves) will now cost
9100 crore rupees.
CABINET COMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
APPROVED THE
CONTINUATION OF JNNURM
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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

on 17 January 2013 approved the
continuation of the Jawaharlal Nehru
National
Urban
Renewal
Mission
(JNNURM) to sanction new projects and
capacity building activities till 31st March,
2014 under Urban Infrastructure and
Governance (UIG) and Urban Infrastructure
Development Scheme for Small and
Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) components of
JNNURM.
New Urban infrastructure projects in
States/UTs would be approved till 31st
March, 2014, and taking up new capacity
building activities in Urban Local Bodies
(ULBs) and States has also been approved.
The proposal would enable provisioning of
creation of urban infrastructure, particularly
in small and medium towns, in all States
and UTs. These projects would be
subsumed in the next phase of the JNNURM
for the 12th Five Year Plan.
CCEA APPROVED DEFREEZE IN

THE TARIFF VALUE OF EDIBLE
OILS AS PER INTERNATIONAL
MARKET
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs
on 17 January 2013 approved the defreezing of the tariff values of the all types
of edible oils and notified that the tariffs of
these oils would be decided on the basis of
the existing international prices in the
market.
Oils that would suffer the effect of this
decision are Soyabean Oil Crude Palm Oil RBD (Refined Bleached Deoderized), Palm
Oil Crude, Palmolein Crude, Palm Oil
others and Palmolein others.
Page
222

The decision would bring an advantage to
the domestic refining industry because of
the impact that the imports of the edible
oils will do on the collected duty.
The tariff value of the edible oils
Under Section 14 (2) of the Customs Act
1962 the tariff value is fixed on the edible
oils mentioned would be notified fortnightly.
The tariff value of the edible oils remained
unchanged since 31 July 2006 as a result of
fiscal measures to control inflation. This halt
in increase in the tariff value have created a
great difference between the notified tariff
and the computed landed prices following
the price of edible oils in the international
market. This halt had an adverse impact on
the domestic refining industry as well as the
revenue collection.
onwards people would be entitled for nine

cylinders per annum.
Subsidized rates of LPG for 14.2 kg cylinder
in the market is 410.50 rupees and further
requirement of any household beyond the
cap of 6 cylinders costs 895.50 rupees per
cylinder. As per the reports from Oil
Ministry, it suffered a total subsidy loss of
about 37411 crore rupees on cooking gas in
2012-2013 at 520.50 rupees per cylinder.
UNION GOVERNMENT
IMPOSED 2.5 PERCENT
IMPORT DUTY ON CRUDE
EDIBLE OIL
Union government on 17 January 2013
imposed a 2.5 per cent import duty on
crude edible oil with keeping the duties
unchanged on refined cooking oil fearing a
hike in retail prices.
UNION GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA RAISED THE CAP ON
SUBSIDIZED LPG CYLINDERS
FROM 6 TO 9
January 2013 hiked a cap on the subsidized
LPG Cylinders from 6 to 9 and offered a
partial relief to the consumers of LPG
cylinders. This move of the Union
Government would come into effect from
April 2013.
As per the orders of the Government and
the decisions made by the Cabinet
Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) the
rate of the kerosene and LPG would remain
unchanged and the quota on the five
subsidized cylinders from September 2012
to March 2013 would be given to the
consumers. Further, from 1 April 2013
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223
The decision was taken at the meeting of

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
(CCEA) in New Delhi with a view to protect
domestic farmers. The Agriculture Ministry
had proposed an increase in the duty on
crude edible oil to protect the interest of
palm growers, particularly from Andhra
Pradesh.
WORLD BANK SLASHED THE

GLOBAL GROWTH FORECAST
TO 2.4 PERCENT
The World Bank on 15 January 2013
projected that the world economy would
expand 2.4 percent in 2013, little higher
than the 2.3 percent achieved in 2012. In
June 2012, the Bank forecasted the growth
up to 3 percent, but due to the slow growth

rate, high unemployment rate and less
confidence in businesses across the
developing nations it managed to revise the
forecast earlier made.
The World Bank has reduced the projected
growth rate of different countries. It has
slashed the growth rate of Japan to its half
from the one projected earlier and in case
of US the growth rate has been slashed by
0.5 percent points. The bank also projected
narrowing in the growth rate of the Euro
Region. For emerging markets of Mexico,
Brazil and India also the projection was
lowered.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
GAAR DEFERRED BY 2 YEARS,
TO COME INTO FORCE FROM
1APRIL 2016
The implementation of General Anti
Avoidance Rules (GAAR) was deferred by
two years by the government of India. It will
now come into force from 1 April 2016.
Earlier, the provisions of GAAR were to be
implemented from 1 April 2014. GAAR will
not apply to those Foreign Institutions
Investors, FIIs who are not taking any
benefit under an agreement under the
Income Tax Act. Besides, it will also not
apply to non-resident investors in FIIs.
The Parthasarathi Shome Committee in its
final report submitted to Finance ministry
on 30 September 2012 had suggested that
GAAR should be deferred by three years.
The report was made public on 14 January
2013. Union Government accepted major
recommendations of the Shome Committee
with some modifications.
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Shome Committee was set up by Prime

Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2012 to
address the issue of GAAR.
SENSEX CROSSED CRUCIAL

20000 MARK AFTER TWO
YEARS
The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex for
second time in a row on 15 January 2013
touched 2-years high. The shares remained
supported inspite of governments delayed
implementation of the controversial rules
related to tax avoidance.
However, till the time the RBI reviews the
policy on 29 January 2013, analysts are
expecting that the earnings would remain
crucial catalysts for the Indian shares, as the
investors would look for the signs of profit
improvement in 2013. Analysts predicted
that in the fiscal year 2013-14, the Sensex
EPS would grow by 13-14 percent.
The BSE Sensex closed at 0.4 percent or
80.41 points at 19986.82 on 15 January
2013, which is the highest since 6 January
2011. Earlier it had touched the crucial
20000 level as well.
The Nifty, on the other hand, increased to
0.54 percent or 32.55 points, ending at
6056.60, closing more than 6000 for the
second consecutive day.
Shares of the important companies such as
ITC, Axis Bank, TCS and Bharti Airtel also
increased.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED TEN PERCENT
STAKE SALE IN ENGINEERS
INDIA LTD (EIL)

The Union Government on 10 January 2013
approved 10 per cent stake sale in
Engineers India Ltd (EIL), which is supposed
to bring back a sum of around 800 crore
Rupees to the government.
The stake is going to take place this fiscal,
April 2012 to March 2013 and is approved
by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
(CCEA).
At present 80.40 Percent of Stake in EIL is
held by the Government. Earlier in 2010
Government divested 10 per cent stake
through an FPO in EIL, a leader in
engineering consultancy.
About Foreign Institutional Investors
Foreign Institutional investors are those
organizations which sum up huge amount of
money and invest that amount in securities,
real property and other investment assets.
Some Foreign Institutional investors are also
operating companies that decide to invest
their profits to some degree in these types of
assets.
The most common types of typical investors
includes banks, insurance companies,
retirement or pension funds, hedge funds,
investment advisors and mutual funds. They
act as highly specialized investors on behalf
of others which are considered as their
economic role.
UNION GOVERNMENT
ANNOUNCED MORE
INCENTIVES TO EXPORTERS
HIT BY GLOBAL MELTDOWN
Page 225
The union government on 26 December

2012 announced more incentives for the
exporters who were hit hard because of
global meltdown. An extension of 2 percent
interest subsidiary would be provided for
another year till March 2014.
Additionally, the Commerce and Industry
Minister Anand Sharma decided an
introduction of pilot scheme of 2 percent
interest subsidiary for those project exports
that took place through Exim Bank.
Any incremental export which would be
done in the time duration of January to
March 2013 would also be granted
incentive. The ministry announced that the
incentives would enable to push the exports
in last quarter of 2012-2013 fiscal year.
The objective of these incentives was
stabilisation of the situation as well as shift
from the negative territory to the positive
one. Another objective of the incentives
was keeping trade deficit under the control.
Exports during the period of AprilNovember 2012, shrunk by 5.95 percent to
189.2 billion. If the situation continues, it
would be very difficult for India to achieve
export target of 360 billion dollar in 20122013 fiscal year.
What are P-Notes or PNs?
P-Notes or PNs or Participatory Notes are
used by the HNIs or High Networth
Individuals, foreign institutions as well as
hedge funds. P-Notes allow them to invest
their money in Indian markets via registered
FIIs or Foreign Institutional Investors. This
saves them cost as well as time related to
direct registrations.
So basically, PNs are the tools or
instruments which are issued by the
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225

registered FIIs to the overseas investors
who are willing to invest in stock market of
India without registering with market
regulator SEBI.
UNION GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA LOWERED THE
GROWTH PROJECTION FOR
CURRENT FISCAL TO 5.7
PERCENT
December 2012 lowered down the growth
projection for the current financial year
2012-13 from 7.6 percent that was
estimated earlier to 5.7-5.9 percent. It also
pitched for the supportive monetary and
fiscal policies for improving the confidence
of the investors. The projection was
showcased in the Mid-Year Economic
Analysis tabled in Indian Parliament.
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
APPROVED THE SETTING UP
OF CCI
The Union government of India on 13
December 2012 approved the setting up of
a Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI),
to fast track investment clearances for
mega projects. The decision was taken in
the Union Cabinet meeting held under the
chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh. Prime Minister will head the CCI and
he will also nominate the members of the
committee. The CCI will expedite projects
offering single window clearance for
projects costing 1000 crore rupees or more
by setting timelines for the concerned
ministries.
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The Union Cabinet also cleared the Land

Acquisition Bill. Under the new bill consent
of 80 percent land owners is mandatory for
private acquisition of land where as for
Public-Private-Partnership 70 per cent
consent is required. The award of
compensation will also be as per the new
bill. The Cabinet also approved cutting the
1800-MHz band 2G spectrum auction
reserve base price by 30 per cent for four
circles that did not attract bidders in
November. The circles are Delhi, Mumbai,
Karnataka and Rajasthan. The Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs also cleared
a new urea investment policy.
RETAIL INFLATION INCREASED

TO 9.90 PERCENT IN
NOVEMBER 2012
Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released
on 12 December 2012 showed that the
retail inflation increased for the second
successive month to 9.90 percent in
November 2012 mainly because of the
increase in price of food products like edible
oil, sugar, vegetables as well as clothing. In
October 2012, the retail inflation was 9.75
percent and in September 2012, it was 9.73
percent.
Maximum increase in the price in the
month of November 2012 was in oil as well
as fats segment, amounting to the annual
inflation of 17.67 percent. Apart from oil,
the price of sugar also increased by 16.97
percent and pulses on the other hand
because costlier by 14.19 percent on yearly
basis.
INDIAN ECONOMY WOULD

DOMINATE THE ECONOMY OF
THE WORLD BY 2030: US

INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
REPORT
US intelligence community in its report

called Global Trends 2030: Alternative
Worlds which was released on 10
December 2012 declared that India would
straddle international commerce and will
also dominate the economy of the whole
world by 2030. This would happen with
decelerating Chinese economy as well as
declining West.
Key Points of the Report
Indias chance of powering would
begin only after 2015 as Chinas
fortunes would start diminishing.
By the year 2030, Asia (mainly India)
would return back to its position of
being the powerhouse of the world,
like it was before 1500.
Pakistan might not exist at all.
India will rush forward after 2020 as
China would begin decelerating,
primarily on certain demographic
trends.
China is indeed ahead of India, but
the gap between India and China
would start zeroing in by 2030. The
economic growth rate of India will
surge while that of China will slow
down.
In 2030, India might be rising as the
economic powerhouse just like
China is today. The current
economic growth rate of China, 8-10
percent would become just a
memory for the country.
Overall size of the working-age
population in China would increase
in 2016 and decrease from 994
million to 961 million in 2030.
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Contrarily, working age population

of India would most probably rise
until around 2050.
The demographic opportunities of
India will rise from 2015 to 2050.
Chinas opportunities window is
from 1990 to 2025. Contrarily, USs
opportunity was best from 1970 to
2015.
Median age of India which is at
present 26 will increase to 32 by
2030, which would still be the least
among top 10 economies of world.
The report also mentioned that
anytime after 2030, India instead of
China would be having the largest
middle-class consumption, which
would be even larger than US and
Europe combined. However, India
might face trapping in the status of
middle-income group in case the
resources constraint, especially
food, water and energy are not
resolved. More investment would be
required in science and technology
sector in order to keep the pace of
economy in the value chain.
It was however made clear that the journey

of economic development of both India as
well as China will not be smooth. But if the
difficulties were handled well, India as well
as China would be dominating the world in
2030.
SECURITY AND EXCHANGE

BOARD OF INDIA (SEBI)
ALLOWED 12 MORE
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT
FUNDS

Indian Market regulator Security and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed 12
entities to set up Alternative Investment
Funds (AIFs), a newly created class of
pooled-in investment vehicles for real
estate, private equity and hedge funds, in
the last two months of October and
November 2012.
The 12 Alternative Investment Funds AIFs
that were registered with SEBI since
October 2010 included India Realty Fund,
Dar Mentorcap Film Fund, Capaleph Indian
Millennium Small & Medium Enterprises
Fund and Capaleph Indian Millennium
Private Equity Fund.
SEBI in last few years had already allowed
nine AIFs to set up shops in the country. As
on 31 August 2012, a total of 20
applications were pending with SEBI for
registration as AIFs.
As per the new SEBI guidelines, AIFs can
operate broadly in three categories. The
SEBI rules is applicable to all AIFs which also
includes those operating as private equity
funds, real estate funds and hedge funds.
The Category-I AIFs are those funds that

get incentives from the government,
SEBI or other regulators. It includes
Social Venture Funds, Infrastructure
Funds, Venture Capital Funds and SME
Funds.
The Category-II AIFs are those funds
which can invest anywhere in any
combination but are prohibited from
raising debt, except for meeting their
day-to-day operational requirements.
These AIFs include PE funds, debt funds
or fund of funds.
The Category-III AIFs are those trading
with a view to make short-term returns
and include hedge funds, among
others.
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RESERVE BANK OF INDIA (RBI)

SIGNED CURRENCY SWAP
AGREEMENT WITH BANK OF
JAPAN
The Reserve Bank of India on 4 December
2012 signed a three year Bilateral Swap
Arrangement (BSA) with the Bank of Japan
for swapping of the local currencies to
address short-term liquidity problems. The
BSA will be effective from 5 December
2012.
The main idea behind the arrangement is to
address short-term liquidity difficulties and
supplement the existing international
financial arrangements, as one of the
efforts in strengthening mutual cooperation
between Japan and India.
The Bilateral Swap Agreement (BSA) is
going to enable both the countries to swap
their local currencies either Japanese yen or
Indian rupee against US dollar for an
amount up to 15 billion dollars.
Earlier for a period of three years from June
2008 to June 2011 both the countries
signed a similar agreement for an amount
of 3 billion dollar.
The enhancement of the BSA is going to
strengthen
economic
and
financial
cooperation between the two countries and
accordingly to financial market stability. The
BSA is activated when an IMF-support
programme already exists or is expected to
be established in the near future.
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

AND A NATIONAL CARDIO
CARE CENTRE TO BE
DEVELOPED AT JHAJJAR
November 2012 announced to set up a
National Cancer Institute (NCI) and a
National Cardio Care Centre (NCCC) at the
second campus of All-India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Badhsa village
of Jhajjar, Haryana during the inauguration
of the Outreach OPD of the AIIMS-II campus
spread over 300 acres. This outreach OPD is
well equipped with all the facilities and has
a capacity of 1000 beds and the first OPD in
the nation to provide free medicines to the
patients.
On this occasion, the Union Health Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad also declared that the
AIIMS-II, with a total capacity of 2,100 beds,
would be developed as a world-class
institute. International bids in form of the
Expression of Interest for drafting the
master plan was already called on by the
ministry. The Proposed National Cancer
Institute would be the countrys largest
cancer institute with a capacity of 600 beds
and facilities of treating almost every form
of cancer.
INDIA SIGNED 70 MILLION US

DOLLAR LOAN AGREEMENT
WITH WORLD BANK
Government of India on 22 November 2012
signed a 70-million US Dollar loan
agreement with World Bank for financing
the Karnataka Health Systems Development
as well as Reform Project.
Primary objective of this project is
improvisation
of
public-private
collaboration, health services delivery and
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financial aid for vulnerable groups and

underserved in Karnataka. The agreement
was signed by the Joint Secretary,
Department of Economic Affairs and India
Operations Advisor of World Bank in New
Delhi.
The components of the project include

Strengthening
present
health
programs of the Government of India
Innovations in the health financing as
well as service delivery
Project management, evaluation as
well as monitoring
Additional financing of this project is
scheduled to be implemented till 31 March
2016.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA

ASKED BANKS NOT TO
PROVIDE LOANS FOR
PURCHASE OF GOLD
The Reserve Bank of India, in its notification
released on 19 November 2012 directed
banks not to provide loans to its customers
for purchase of all types of gold, which
includes primary gold, jewellery, bullion,
gold coins, units of Gold Exchange Traded
Funds (ETF) and units of gold mutual funds.
The order was directed for discouraging
people from getting involved in speculative
activities.
The notification from the Reserve Bank of
India also directed the banks not to grant
advances against gold bullion to traders or
dealers, as such advances would be utilised
with the purpose of offering finance for
gold purchase at auctions and speculative

holding of stocks and bullion. This
notification allowed the banks to provide
finances to the jewelers for their general
working capital requirements.
The decision of RBI came up in response to
the suggestion of the working Group
constituted after the announcement if the
Monetary Policy Statement of April 2012.
The working group suggested that the
banks are not permitted to finance
purchase of any type of gold other than the
working capital.
This decision of RBI came up in response to
the significant growth in the imports of the
gold in past few years that has created
pressure on the current account deficit. The
Gold imports of India in 2011-12 stood up at
60 billion dollar.
INCOME CEILING FOR LIG

RAISED BY UNION
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
November 2012 decided to raise cap on the
annual income which is required for
qualification for the benefits under the
present housing schemes for the Low
Income Groups (LIG) as well as
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). This
step on the part of the government will
provide benefit to 20 lakh people.
The Ministry for Housing and Urban Poverty
Alleviation (HUPA) raised the income
criterion for EWS housings from 60000
Rupees per year initially to 1 Lakh Rupees
now. This clearly indicates that people with
household income below 1 Lakh Rupees will
be able to avail benefits of EWS housing
scheme. Likewise, the income bar for LIG
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category has been raised to 2 lakh Rupees

now.
This decision will be implemented during
the 12th Five Year Plan. Instructions have
been given to the state governments as well
as the banks so that the decision could be
implemented effectively.
People will now be able to get benefits
under the Rajiv Awas Yogna (RAY) and EWS
Housing Schemes. Additionally, the Union
Minister added that they have the target of
including 20 lakh people under this plan. It
is the big step because more people would
qualify for the home loans now.
Definition of Economically Weaker Sections
(EWS)
People falling within the income limit set by
the Ministry of Urban Development fall
under the category of Economically Weaker
Sections (EWS). Ministry of Urban
Development revised this income ceiling
from Rs. 3,300 to Rs. 5,000. This income
ceiling has been made applicable to loans for
Interest Subsidy for Housing the Urban Poor
Scheme (ISHUP) as well as Housing and
Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO).
UNION CABINET OF INDIA

CLEARED PROPOSAL FOR
SPECTRUM SHARING
2012 approved levy of about 31000 crore
rupees as one-time spectrum charge to be
implemented on all incumbent telecom
operators like Bharati Airtel, Vodafone, Idea
and others. The proposed charges had been
implemented to create a level ground

between the old players and the new
players of the telecom sector.
The Finance Minister of India P
Chidambaram
declared
that
the
recommendations
of
the
EGoM
(Empowered Group of Ministers) was
cleared and the GSM operators would have
to pay for the airwaves that they hold
beyond the 4.4 Mega-Hertz, the price
determined at the auction and the
operators holding more than 6.2 mega
hertz airwaves would have to pay a
retroactive fee from July 2008 onwards. The
CDMA operators would have to pay for the
airwaves that they hold beyond 2.5 MegaHertz as per the validity of the permits
offered to them.
CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY

APPROVED NEW TRAFFIC
RIGHTS TO INDIAN CARRIERS
The Civil Aviation Ministry in the first week
of November 2012 approved new traffic
rights to Indian carriers for the next three
seasons to expand international air travel
out of the country. The new cities include
Rome,
Madrid,
Barcelona,
Sydney,
Melbourne, Nairobi, Al Najaf in Iraq,
Moscow, Zurich, Macau, Tashkent and Ho
Chi Minh City.
Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express
got their number of weekly flights
enhanced. Air India has also got the rights
for the first time to fly on sectors like DelhiRome-Madrid/Barcelona,
Delhi-Moscow,
Delhi-Sydney/Melbourne, Mumbai-Nairobi
and Mumbai-Al Najaf.
The allocation of flight traffic rights is
expected to give a major boost to Indian
carriers and spur growth in the civil aviation
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sector. The move will also enhance

connectivity from various Indian cities to
international destinations. It will also
enhance competitiveness among airlines
and is expected to bring down fares.
Opening of several new international
sectors and progressive increase in number
of flights will also give a fillip to the
domestic tourism sector which will result in
overall economic growth of the country.
GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO
DIGITIZE CABLE TV NETWORK
IN THIRTY EIGHT CITIES
November 2012 decided to digitise Cable TV
network in thirty eight cities, spread over 15
States, by 31 March 2013 in the second
phase of digitisation.
Earlier, the digitization was completed in
Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata on the
31October 2012, while in Chennai the
deadline was extended till the 9 November
2012 by the Madras High Court.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
ANNOUNCED MINIMUM
SUPPORT PRICE FOR COTTON
The Union Government on 2 October 2012
announced a revised Minimum Support
Price (MSP) for cotton and this would help
in inducing stabilisation in cotton price.
Cotton has witnessed a sharp decline in the
past and remained operational round about
its minimum support price.
After the review meet conducted on 2
October 2012, by the Union Textiles
Minister, Anand Sharma the revisions were

done. The decided minimum support price
of medium staple cotton has gone up to
3600 rupees per quintal from initial rate of
2800 rupees. Similarly, the MSP for long
staple cotton has gone up to 3900 per
quintal from 3300 rupees. This rate is fixed
for the fiscal year 2012-13.
NORTHERN RAILWAYS
INTRODUCED PINK
COLOURED TATKAL FORMS
The Northern Railways on 18 October 2012
introduced Pink coloured forms for Tatkal
reservation. These forms would be made
available with a printed warning column at
the booking counters itself and would have
enough space to fill in the details like
names, contact number, address and
others.
This step of Railways would help in getting
away from the menace created by touts and
unauthorized ticket agents. If the passenger
is caught for buying the tickets from any of
these touts or unauthorized agents, he will
be responsible for the consequences that
may be a fine in form of penalty or
imprisonment following the provisions
available in the Railway Act 1989. In case
address or phone number provided in the
ticket is found false, the passenger would
be de-boarded from the train on the very
next station.
Tatkal being a special service offered by the
Railways requires special documents to be
presented and hence the form would serve
to the requirements.
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RBI EXPANDED THE LENDING

NORMS ON PRIORITY
SECTORS
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 18
October 2012 extended the lendings on the
Priority sectors like housing, agriculture,
small and medium enterprises, and
expanded the scope of bank loans for these
sectors up to 2 crore Rupees. These
amendments would be in effect from 20
July 2012.
The decision came after discussions were
held with the CMDs/CEOs of selected banks
as well as the heads of Priority Sectors of
selected banks and based on the same the
new guidelines and amendments were
made.
The banks were permitted by the central
bank to offer loans up to an aggregate limit
of 2 crore Rupees, to corporate that
includes farmers producer companies, cooperatives and partnership firms of famers
indulged in agricultural and allied activities
including animal husbandry, bee-keeping,
dairy, fishery and sericulture. The Priority
loan would also be made available for preharvest and post-harvest activities like
weeding, spraying, grading, harvesting and
sorting. Export Credit loans for exporting
ones own farm produce would also be
made available. The lending scheme fulfills
the criterion mentioned under the MSMED
Act-2006.
Bank loans to Micro and Small Enterprises
(MSEs) those are engaged in providing
services would be eligible for the direct
finance of up to 2 crore Rupees per
borrower per unit under priority sector. In
case the loan amount per borrower

increases the limit of 2 crore rupees, than it
can be considered as the indirect finance
for agriculture.
Loans under priority sector would also
include loans provided to Government
agencies for development of dwelling units
or slum clearance and rehabilitation up to
10 lakh rupees. This provision also spreads
for low income group and the economically
weaker sections of the society in form of
housing finance, construction and reconstruction, purchase and more up to
ceiling.
The Central Bank also guided the banks to
keep a check on the loans, which are
offered for the approved purposes. Thus
the banks engaged in issuing loans would
have to put forward a fine and channeled
internal system and control in this regard.
The apex court decision came to ensure
that credit needs of people who dont have
access to institutional finance.
CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY

ANNOUNCED OMISSION OF
AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT FEE
FROM JANUARY 2013
The Civil Aviation Ministry on 16 October
2012 announced to abolish the airport
development fee on Delhi and Mumbai
Airports, from 1 January 2013. The ministry
directed the operators of the two airports
to stop levying the charges for Airport
Development Fee from the travellers from
next year and also asked the Airport
Authority of India to infuse equity in form of
joint venture firms that operates the two
largest airports of the nation.
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The Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh asked

the DIAL (Dial International Airport Ltd)
and MIAL (Mumbai International Airport
Ltd) to submit proposals for stopping the
Airport Development Fee, to the Airports
Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA).
Charges paid by domestic fliers in Delhi and
Mumbai are 200 rupees and 100 rupees and
for international fliers it is 1300 rupees and
600 rupees respectively.
PILOT PROJECTS FOR

DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE
FRIENDLY ROADS APPROVED
C.P. Joshi, the Union Minister of Road
Transport and Highways on 11 October
2012, approved two pilot projects for
development of People Friendly Roads.
This project will involve construction of
National
highways
on
corridor
redevelopment and spot improvement
concepts. This will help in reducing the
financial burden from the government
making it public friendly.
The pilot projects in this regard will be
experimented at the Hero Honda chowk on
the Delhi Gurgaon Expressway for its spot
improvement concept and Delhi-Dasna
Section of NH-24 will be used for
implementation of corridor redevelopment
concept. Additional features like premium
cluster, higher education cluster, business
cluster, Social Economic Zone (SEZ) and
specialty cluster will be provided in the
corridor redevelopment concept at DelhiDasna section of NH-24.
The concept just not focus upon,
development of the Highways but also have
a prime objective of developing livelihood

spaces and residential complexes, for
people whose lands will be acquired.
WEBSITE FOR SMS ALERTS

AND RAIL PASSENGER
ENQUIRY LAUNCHED BY
RAILWAYS
Indian Railways on 4 October 2012
introduced a brand new website and SMS
service to provide real-time details of
running trains. To avail the facilities of the
website
one
can
log
in
to
www.trainenquiry.com or send an sms via
phone by typing SPOT <Space><Train
Number> and sending it to 139. The facility
in form of website and SMS service is
created for providing the passengers
information related to the running time and
location of different trains.
The railways have obtained permission
from ISRO in relation to the project and its
operation thorough satellite and allocated a
sum of Rs 121 crore in making of this
project.
The website has replaced the previous one
named www.simran.in from where the
details of running trains location were
made available and the mobile number
used before for SMS generation was
9415139139. The service of the SIMRAN
(satellite imaging for rail navigation) was
closed because it was confined to 36 pairs
of selected train.
CCEA APPROVED 1.90 CRORE

LAKH PACKAGE ON DEBT
RESTRUCTURING FOR THE
SEBS
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(CCEA) on 24 September 2012 approved a
1.90 lakh crore package on debt
restructuring for the state-electricity
boards. The taken step will allow the statedistribution companies (DISCOMS) to
facilitate their turnaround. The committee
met under the leadership of Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and gave its nod to the
package forcing the red marked distribution
companies to start the fresh round of tariff
increase.
The note of the cabinet states that all this
has been done to maintain a balance in
between the average cost of supply to that
of the average of the revenue released. To
avail the package the discoms and the state
government will have to keep revising the
tariffs on a regular basis.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT CAP

HIKED TO 74 PERCENT FOR
BROADCASTING SERVICES
The Government of India on 20 September
2012 hiked the foreign investment cap for
the broadcasting service providers to 74
percent. The registered hike in foreign
investment cap is for service providers of
Direct to Home (DTH), modernized cable
network and mobile television. This move
of the government will allow the global
players in acquiring major stakes in the
broadcasting companies. Before his
decision was passed, the eligibility of DTH
and multi-system cable operators to make
foreign investment was limited to 49
percent only.
In its decision last week, the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs cleared its
stand on the companies of broadcast
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content that the TV news Channels and FM
radio channels can have a foreign
investment cap of 26 percent. This decision
was made to make sure that majority of
control remains back in the hands of Indian
Partner.
GAAR REPORT SUBMITTED BY

THE SHOME COMMITTEE TO
THE FINANCE MINISTRY
The GAAR report was submitted on 1

September 2012 to the finance minister of
India by the Shome Committee constituted
by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, after
the approval of Prime Minister of India. The
committee in its report has tried to create a
balance in between the investors being
invited to the country and protection of the
tax base from tax avoidance and evasion,
using aggressive tax planning.
The committee in its findings has stated
that the GAAR guidelines should be
introduced in the country at the time of
economic stability. Hence, it has
recommended the postponement of its
implementation by 3 years. Committees
recommendation also states about the
implementation of the findings with
complete spirit and has laid emphasis on
transition period of the taxpayers and
preparedness of the administrators.
To provide clarity on GAARs applicability
provisions in different situations 27
illustrations were made and are mentioned
under different conditions like
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Tax Mitigation- GAAR cant be

invoked
Tax Avoidance- SAAR is applicable
hence GAAR is not invoked
Court Approved Amalgamations or
demergers
Tax Avoidance- GAAR invoked
Tax Evasion can directly be dealt of
law without invoking the GAAR
The major findings of the GAARs

committee to create a balance in between
the investors and chances of tax avoidance
and evasion includes
Tax Evasion, Tax Mitigation and Tax
Avoidance
Overcharging Principle Applicability
of GAAR
Monetary Threshold
Arms Length Test
Test to Misuse or Abuse the
Provisions of Act
Factors for determination of
Commercial Substance
Grandfathering
of
existing
Investments
GAAR will not override the CBDT
circular 789 of 2000 with respect to
the tax-treaty in between India and
Mauritius
GAAR will not be applicable at
places where so ever anti-avoidance
provisions are in existence in the
treaty of tax and any type of antiavoidance rule exists in the Act
Impermissible
Avoidance
arrangements
Tax abolition in cases of gains that
rises out by the transfer of listed
securities
Foreign Institutional Investors
Corresponding adjustments
Implementation of the Onus on the
revenue authority
Tax Withholding
Definition of the term Connected
Person
Constitution of approval panel
Time limit for GAAR provisions
AAR to pass ruling within 6 months
Prescription of Statutory forms
Implementation issue
Reporting requirements
CASH RESERVE RATIO

SLASHED TO INJECT RS 17000
CRORE, REPO RATES
REMAINED UNCHANGED
Reserve Bank of India on 18 September
2012 injected a liquidity of around Rs 17000
crore by slashing down the Cash Reserve
Ratio (CRR) by 25 basis points to 4.50
percent from 4.75 percent. The indicative
policy rates were remained at its original
level. The repo rate, state-term policy rate
and reverse repo rate remained unchanged
with 8 and 7 percent respectively.
The RBI stated following its mid-term
review of the monetary policy that with
increased risks of growth and inflation. In
the situation, where there is a persistent
inflammatory pressure of fiscal and current
deficits constraints, there exists a need of a
stronger policy targeting growth risks. The
monetary policies are of great use in
reviving the growth rate as per the
expectations of the market.
The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) will come into
effect from 22 September 2012. So far in
2012, RBI has slashed the CRR by 150 basis
points. Cash Reserve Ratio, basically is a
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portion of deposits that the banks are

supposed to keep with the central bank
(RBI), these deposits doesnt earn any
interest the depositing bank. Repo Rate is a
rate at which the central bank offer funds to
the borrowing banks, whereas the reverse
repo rate is the rate of parking the funds
available by the banks with the central
bank.
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) have been
moving around 7.5 percent across the
financial year, without much changes and so
is the condition of Consumer Price Index (CPI)
that has been rotating around 10 percent in
spite of price hike in food items.
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) means the price
fixed as a representative for a wholesale
grain. In India, WPI is used for monitoring
inflation. Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a
statistical
estimate
that
helps
in
measurement of price change of services and
consumer goods purchased by the
households.
SHIMLA MUNICIPAL
CORPORATION INTRODUCED
GREEN TAX ON VEHICLES
ENTERING SHIMLA
Shimla Municipal Corporation on 15
September 2012 introduced Green Tax on
Shimla entry of vehicles not registered in
Himachal Pradesh. The Corporation
Commissioner M.P. Sood stated that the
vehicles crossing the entry points of the
town will have to pay the imposed tax. The
tax will be imposed on automobiles on both
commercial and non-commercial category.

By imposing the tax, the corporation will
increase its revenue by Rs 6 crore per year.
The taxes will be charged on the four entry
points of the city namely, Totu, Tara Devi,
Dhalli and Mahali.
Tax imposed as per the category of vehicles

1. Twowheelers-Rs100perentry
2. Car-Rs200perentry
3. UtilityVehicles-Rs300perentry
4. Bus/truck- Rs 500 per entry
IRCTC INTRODUCED
INTERBANK MOBILE
PAYMENT SYSTEM
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism
Corporation Limited introduced the
Interbank Mobile Payment System (IMPS)
for making the payment of the bookings
via mobile phones. On use of IMPS system,
the user will be charged with Rs 5 for
transactions of up to Rs 5000 and Rs 10 for
transactions more than that.
The facility of booking via IMPS will be
available to those with their phone number
registered in the respective bank accounts
as the M-Pin and the MMID (Mobile money
identifier) will be required for furnishing the
details required. This facility will ensure
smooth and functioning of the booking
criteria via SMSs.
PROPOSAL FOR 51 PERCENT

FDI IN MULTI-BRAND RETAIL
AND 49 PERCENT IN
AVIATION PASSED
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The Union Cabinet on 14 September 2012

cleared the proposal of foreign direct
investment (FDI) for 51 percent in the
multi-brand retail chains and 49 percent in
Aviation power exchanges industry.
Passing of the proposal have cleared the
floor for welcoming the multi-brand retail
chains like Wall mart and Tesco and
Carrefour in the country for setting up of
their shops and retail outlets. Similarly, the
49 percent of FDI allowed in aviation and
Power exchanges will bring in funds for the
domestic carriers on a verge of death and
will help in enhancement of power
availability and distribution management,
respectively.
Conditions put forward for investors in the
proposal for the multi-brand retails
1. The proposal makes a clear stand
that investors looking ahead for
investments will have to take the
permission in form of approvals
from the Foreign Investment
Promotion Board
2. Investment of minimum $100
million is a must for any foreign
investor planning to invest in India,
out of which 50% of the investment
should be made in creation of backend
infrastructure.
Back-end
investment means investments that
is made in quality control,
warehouse creation, cold storage,
design
improvement,
manufacturing, processing and
packaging
3. The investors will have to get 30% of
the production of their total
products
by
the
small-scale
industries
4. The proposal also clears that the
agricultural produce like pulses,

flowers, fruits, vegetables, poultry
item, fishery, meat and others can
be unbranded
5. Investors can invest in the 51 cities
with a minimum population of 10
lakh people as per the census
presented in the year 2011
What does it mean for different economic
sections of India
1. Economy: Help in reversal of the
economic slowdown, attract the
investment of billions of dollars from
foreign market and spin jobs to a
greater extent
2. Kirana Stores: Will lower down the
selling price, because they will
purchase the supplies from deep
down retailers
3. Retailers: Can sell their equity up to
51% to the global leaders
4. Farmers: They can sell their produce
directly at higher prices and the
presence of middle man will end
5. States: Decision to allow the retail
giants or prohibit lies in the hands of
states
6. Common Man: A chance to gain big
discount with many options to shop
7. UPA government: Got a chance to
wash away the blames of policy
paralysis
REPORT: INDIAN EXTERNAL

DEBTS ARE WITHIN
MANAGEABLE LIMITS
The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA)
published its annual publication- Indias
external debt: a status report 2011-12. As
per the published report, Indias external
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debt in the end of March 2012 was $345.8

billion, which is 13% high than the previous
years debt or $ 39.9 billion from where
India stood at the end of March 2011. The
publication points out about the upward
movement of the stress that is put on the
current account deficit (CAD) of the nation
because of the risks thrown on it, from the
external sectors that comprises Fall in the
reserve cover for imports and external debt,
depreciation in the exchange rate of rupee,
rise in the level of external debts and the
increased share of the short term
commercial borrowing in the complete
external debt quantum.
Know about Cauvery River Water Dispute
The dispute is related to the sharing of water
of Cauvery River in between the two states
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the place of
origin to this dispute goes back to the two
controversial agreements signed in 1892 and
1924 between the two states, and that two
at the time when the two were the parts of
the Princely State of Mysore and erstwhile
Madras Presidency.
GOVERNMENT APPROVED
14000 CRORE RUPEES FUND
TO SPUR PRODUCTION OF
HYBRID AND ELECTRICAL
VEHICLE
The government of India on 29 August 2012
approved a 14000 crore rupees fund to spur
the production of hybrid and electrical
vehicles in the country. According to a new
policy approved, Automobile companies
and the government plan to put six million
electric vehicles on road by 2020. The

government under the new policy will fund
research and development, infrastructure
and subsidies.
With an aim at reducing the burden on
fossil fuels, the Union government in
national budget 2011 had proposed a plan
to develop electric and hybrid vehicles.
Later, the government set up a National
Council for Electric Mobility led by heavy
industries minister Praful Patel, and a
National Board for Electric Mobility to
ensure uniform rules in all the states.
According to an estimate about 130000
electric vehicles were sold in India in 201112. Electric scooters cost between 26000
rupees and 43000 rupees in Indian market,
while countrys only indigenously built
electric car Reva starts at 3.5 lakh rupees.
Japan-based Nissan Motor Co. Ltds electric
car, Leaf, is the largest-selling car in the
world that runs on battery. It costs 33000
dollar (around 18 lakh rupees) in the US and
its battery cost is at least half the cars
price.
The
government
has
long
been
contemplating a policy to reduce its
dependence on oil which makes up a
substantial part of Indias huge import
basket. The hybrid and electric vehicles
have emerged as a better alternative of
traditional oil-based vehicles over the years.
SEBI ALLOWED PARTIAL

FLEXIBILITY IN IDRS FOR
INVESTORS
Indias market regulator Security and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 28 August
2012 allowed partial flexibility in the
conversion of Indian Depository Receipts
(IDRs) into equity shares by investors. The
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SEBI move is aimed at retaining domestic

liquidity besides; it is also expected to
attract foreign entities to enroll their IDRs
on India stock exchanges.
In another circular released by the RBI, the
central bank put an overall cap of 5 billion
dollar for raising of capital through IDRs by
foreign companies in Indian markets. The
RBI measure will help Indian investors to
convert their depository receipts into equity
shares of the issuer company and vice
versa.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA (RBI)

TRANSFERRED A SURPLUS OF
RS 16010 CRORE TO THE
UNION GOVERNMENT
The Reserve Bank of India in its annual
report released on 23 August 2012
mentioned that it transferred a surplus of
Rs 16010 crore to the union government
during 2011-12 which is 6.7% more than Rs
15,009 crore transferred in 2010-11.The
central banks gross income increased by
43.4% to Rs 53176 crore in 2011-12. Its
expenditure however rose by 17.1% to Rs
10137 core. After transfers to the
contingency reserve, the asset development
reserve and the four statutory funds, Rs
16010 crore was allocated for transfer to
the centre.
The Reserve Bank recorded a sharp rise in
its income from domestic resources as it
aggressively bought bonds through its open
market operations. However, the lower
interest rates in the advanced markets led
to a dip in income from foreign currency
assets for the third consecutive year.
fuel economic growth, PAC recommended

revisiting the scheme.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
COMMITTEE (PAC) CALLED
FOR DETERRENT PENAL
PROVISIONS AGAINST UNITS
IN SEZS
Parliament's Public Accounts Committee
on 23 August 2012 decided to bring the
three latest CAG reports on coal
allocations, GMR-run Delhi airport and
Reliance Power, onto its agenda for the
year 2012.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in its
meeting on 23 August 2012 called for
deterrent penal provisions against units in
Special Economic Zones which default duty
payments to the exchequer. PAC in a report
adopted in the meeting recommended an
oversight mechanism which would ensure
no misuse of the SEZ policy.
The PAC panel based its findings on a
sample of 22 SEZ units. The panel found
that out of an overall export of 7149.23
crore rupees made by 22 SEZ units, the
actual export content was only 1999.27
crore rupees (28%) and the remaining
5149.96 crores rupees (72%) related to
Domestic Tariff Area earnings.
Panel Findings & Recommendations
The report stated that low figures of actual
physical export of goods were typical of
most SEZ units. The aim of SEZ Act was to
boost exports and earning of foreign
exchange by giving these units certain duty
waivers and incentives. PAC however
observed that there is no mandatory
requirement of undertaking exports in the
SEZ legislation. Since the units located in
SEZs enjoy tax benefits and are expected to
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The committee recommended that all SEZs

undertake physical export of at least 51% of
their product, and even import tax waivers
raw material for goods falling under the
Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) is to be
considered on the credit account of the SEZ
firms.
It was noted that SEZ units could sell their
goods, including by products, and services
in DTA on payment of applicable duty
including at nil rate with no requirement to
payback the duty foregone on inputs used
in the clearance of products. This policy will
put SEZ units at a distinctly advantageous
position compared to similar units in the
DTA.
INDIA EASED EXTERNAL

OVERSEAS BORROWING
RULES TO ENABLE EASIER
ACCESS TO CHEAP DOLLAR
FUNDS
The high-level committee on external
commercial borrowings (ECB),chaired by
secretary, department of economic affairs
Arvind Mayaram on 22 August 2012
decided to further liberalise the foreign
borrowing norms.
India eased overseas borrowing rules to
enable easier access to cheap dollar funds
to housing finance companies such as
HDFC, small industry financier SIDBI. It was
decided to permit non-resident entities to
provide rating enhancement facility to
Indian borrower. Indias measure to ease
overseas borrowing is expected to boost
capital inflows by permitting lower rated

companies to raise dollar funds. Even a
company with low credit rating will be able
to raise foreign funds using credit
enhancement facility that states that third
party is to assure the lender that he will be
compensated if the borrower defaulted.
The government permitted foreign entities
to provide credit enhancement to rupee
bonds of Indian companies which will
improve their appeal to investors. The
minimum maturity period of such rupee
bonds was reduced from seven years to
three years.
Manufacturing sector too now will enjoy
access to cheap dollar funds and they will
be thus able to revive investments plans
stuck on account of high costs. Earlier, only
infrastructure and infrastructure finance
companies could issue rupee-denominated
bonds with guarantees from multilateral or
regional financial institutions.
The decision taken by the high-level
committee on 22 August 2012 includes
Foreign institutional investors were
permitted to invest in these bonds
upto US$5 billion within the overall
corporate bond limit of US$45 billion.
The minimum maturity period for
rupee bonds was reduced to three
years
Credit enhancement to provide an
enabling mechanism for Indian
companies to raise foreign debt
Costly credit observed to be one of
the key issue impeding investments.
The panel also decided to increase the
maturity of such buyers credit to
maximum five years thereby allowing
companies flexibility in payment.
Extending refinance facility to SPVs
will ease debt financing for infra
projects.
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Advantages for Lower-rated Companies

The guarantee for domestic companies
from offshore entities effectively lifts the
credit ratings of the bonds thereby
benefitting lower-rated borrowers. Indian
companies have always been constrained in
their funding options due to high domestic
interest rates and difficulties in tapping
markets overseas.
The actions targeting credit guarantees will
benefit sectors such as telecoms and
energy, where foreign companies often
operate via Indian units, but whose
domestic borrowing get constrained, if they
had lower ratings than their parent
companies.
Infrastructure
and
manufacturing
companies can re-finance a higher
proportion of their rupee borrowings via
cheaper overseas debt. These infrastructure
and manufacturing companies can now tap
overseas loans up to 75% of their average
forex earnings over the previous three
financial years from 50% previously.
UNION FINANCE MINISTRY

APPROVED 49 PERCENT FDI
IN INSURANCE AND PENSION
SECTOR
In a move aimed at encouraging investment
sentiment in the country, the Union Finance
Ministry on 22 August 2012 approved 49
percent foreign direct investment in
insurance and pension sector. Earlier the
permitted level of FDI in the insurance and
pension sector was 26 percent.
The proposal for 49 percent FDI in
insurance and pension sector was made
during Pranab Mukherjees tenure at the

finance minister office. However, the
decision on the same was delayed because
of resistance from the cronies.
AIR INDIA LOSSES PEGGED AT

28046 CRORE RUPEES
Despite all the efforts made by the
government to revive ailing Air India, the
losses of the company have been constantly
mounting. Since the five-year-old merger of
Air India with Indian Airlines the collective
losses of the company from 2007-08 to
2011-12 pegged at 28046 crore rupees. The
data holds great significance as it was
revealed by none other than the Union
Aviation Ministry itself in the Parliament.
The company had registered 2226 crore
rupees loss in 2007-08. In year 2008-09 the
figure shot up to 5548 crore rupees. The
loss figure kept rising as in 2009-10, 201011 and 2011-12 it stood at 5552 crore
rupees, 6865 crore rupees and 7854 crore
rupees.
Air India and Indian Airlines were merged in
2007 and subsequently a new entity
National Aviation Company was formed.
The merger which was aimed at reducing
the financial losses and improve the quality
of service of both the carriers did not work
out rather it created more trouble for the
already ailing companies. With the merger
several new administrative and managerial
issues surface which were not taken into
account
while
government
was
contemplating merger. Instead of the loss
figure coming down it climbed up
significantly over the past five years making
all the government attempts to revive the
airline futile.
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RBI STIPULATED THE NORMS

FOR SECURITISATION OF
LOANS BY NBFCS
Extending the guidelines of securitisation of
loan from banks to non-banking finance
companies (NBFC), Indias Central Bank
Reserve Bank of India on 21 August 2012
tightened the securitisation norms for
NBFCs. The RBI instructed that a nonbanking finance company will have to retain
at least 5 per cent of the loan being sold to
another entity.
The RBI in its revised guidelines also
stipulated that NBFC cannot sell or
securitise a loan unless three monthly
installments have been paid by the
borrower. The latest directives from the RBI
are aimed at checking unhealthy practices
and distributing risk to a wide spectrum of
investors.
These guidelines are to be implemented by
NBFCs in two phases by the end of October
2012. Earlier, the RBI had issued similar
guidelines with regards to securitisation of
loans by banks.
INDIA'S MARINE EXPORTS TO

GROW BY OVER 28% TO USD
4.5 BILLION IN 2012-13
FISCAL
According to the data provided by the
Marine Products Export Development
Authority (MPEDA) in August 2012, India's
marine exports are likely to grow by over 28
per cent year-on-year to USD 4.5 billion in
2012-13 fiscal. The growth is expected to
rise as a result of the increase in demand in
western markets like the US and Europe.

During 2011-12, seafood exports had stood
at USD 3.5 billion. The US and the Europe
together account for over 45 per cent of the
country's total seafood exports.
The increase in demand, mainly for
Litopenaeus Vannamei shrimp and Black
Tiger shrimp, in the US and European
markets are likely to raise the Indias
marine exports by over 28 per cent.
Litopenaeus Vannamei shrimp and Black
Tiger shrimp are favourite seafood items in
countries like Europe, American, Japan and
China.
REGULATOR SEBI PERMITTED

SEVEN ALTERNATIVE
INVESTMENT FUNDS (AIFS)
TO START OPERATION IN
INDIA
Funds established or incorporated in India

for the purpose of pooling in of capital from
Indian and foreign investors for investing
would have to follow a pre-decided policy.
SEBI decided to allow promoters of listed
companies can offload 10 per cent of equity
to AIFs such as such as SME Funds,
Infrastructure Funds, PE funds and Venture
Capital Funds registered with the market
regulator to attain minimum 25 per cent
public holding.
AIFs, as per SEBI guidelines can operate
broadly in three categories and it is
mandatory for them to get registered with
the regulator. The SEBI rules apply to all
AIFs, including those operating as private
equity funds, real estate funds and hedge
funds, among others.
AIF Categories
Market regulator Securities and Exchange

Board of India (SEBI) in August 2012
permitted seven Alternative Investment
Funds (AIFs) to start operation in India
under a newly formulated route that enable
pooling of funds for investments in areas
such as real estate, private equity and
hedge funds. Six AIFs registered with the
regulator in August 2012, while one was
granted registration back on 23 July 2012.
SEBI had published its guidelines with
regard to AIF in May 2012.
The seven AIFs that registered with SEBI
include IFCI Syncamore India Infrastructure
Fund, Utthishta Yekum Fund, Indiaquotient
Investment Trust, Forefront Alternate
Investment Trust, Excedo Realty Fund,
Sabre Partners Trust and KKR India
Alternate Credit Opportunities Fund.
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The Category I AIFs are those where funds

stand a chance of getting certain incentives
or concessions from the government, SEBI or
other regulators in India and include Social
Venture Funds, Infrastructure Funds, Venture
Capital Funds and SME Funds.
The Category II AIFs are those funds which
can invest anywhere in any combination but
are prohibited from raising debt, except for
meeting their day-to-day operational
requirements. These AIFs include PE funds,
debt funds or fund of funds, as also all others
falling outside the ambit of Category I and
Category III.
The Category III AIFs are those trading with
an objective to make short term returns and
include hedge funds, among others.
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CAG PEGGED PUBLIC

EXCHEQUERS LOSS AT 1.86
LAKH CRORE IN COAL BLOCKS
ALLOCATION SCAM
INTER-MINISTERIAL GROUP
RECOMMENDED LINKING
PATENTED DRUG PRICES TO
PER-CAPITA INCOME
The Comptroller and Auditor General

(CAG) of India in its incisive audit report
noted that Indias exchequer suffered a
massive loss of 1.86 lakh crore due to the
distribution of coal blocks without bidding.
The CAG report was tabled in the
parliament on 17 August 2012.
An inter-ministerial group formed in 2007

and entrusted with the responsibility of
regulating prices of patented medicines
recommended using a per capita incomelinked reference pricing mechanism. The
proposal by the group is expected to reduce
prices of several patented dugs by up to
one-third. However it will hit the
profitability of foreign companies.
The CAG in its report stated that 57 coal

blocks that were allocated to private
companies during 2004-2009, extended
them a windfall gain of 1.86 lakh crore
rupees. The CAG report has also brought
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh under
scrutiny as he was holding the charge of
Coal Ministry from 2006 to 2009. Besides,
the CAG report also raised serious
allegations against the PMO which delayed
the fair bidding process for coal blocks
despite the clearance from Law and Justice
Ministry.
Tata Group, Reliance Power, Jindal Power
and Steel, Abhijit Group, Bhushan Group,
Electro Steel, OP Jindal Group were some of
the major beneficiaries of the coal blocks
distribution.
The government has distributed about 150
coal blocks over the past eight years. During
this period Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, Shibu Soren and Prakash Jaiswal has
been at the helm of the Coal Ministry. The
1.86 lakh rupees scam is the biggest in the
history of India as it surpassed the 1.7 lakh
crore 2G spectrum scam.
The committee suggested fixing the price of

patented drugs by comparing the price at
which these drugs are procured by
governments in the UK, Canada, France,
Australia and New Zealand. The committee
recommended that the retail price is to be
fixed by adjusting it to the per capita
income of the country. The new mechanism
is to be applicable for patented drugs that
dont have any therapeutic equivalents in
the market.
For patented drugs that have similar
alternatives in the market, the price is to be
fixed in such a manner that it should not
lead to an overall increase in the treatment
cost. If the global launch of the patented
drug takes place in India, the retail price will
have to be based on the cost of developing
the drugs and other factors. Prices of
patented drugs are currently unregulated.
Patented drugs account for 1% of the $13billion domestic market. This share is
expected to grow to 5% of the estimated
$50-60 billion drug market by 2020.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, the
representative body of big Indian drug
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244

makers, supported the reference-based
system. The Organisation of Pharmaceutical
Producers of India (OPPI), the lobby body of
multinationals however stated that the
cross-country per capita income-linked
proposal is fundamentally flawed.
The Indian government is of the opinion
that if patented drugs are not regulated,
these would remain unaffordable for most
Indians. A WHO study stated that as many
as 79% of Indian patients pay for their
healthcare expenditure from their own
pockets. However it must also be noted that
if the government fixes the prices of these
drugs at excessively low levels, companies
may stop selling drugs in the market.
Historical Backdrop
India had adopted a new product patent
regime in 2005 after it became a signatory
to TRIPS, an international intellectual
property protection agreement, providing
20 years of marketing exclusivity to the
patent holder. Global innovator companies
such as GSK, Bayer AG, Novartis, Merck &
Co and Bristol Myers Squibb who started
launching their drugs in India continue to
remain jittery about the governments
policies aimed at reducing healthcare costs.
They complain that Indias implementation
of intellectual property rights has been
unsatisfactory.
INDIAS NSE BECAME THE

WORLDS LARGEST BOURSE
IN EQUITY SEGMENT AS PER
WFES GLOBAL RANKING
As per the latest global ranking compiled
and published by the World Federation of
Exchanges (WFE) in August 2012, the
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National Stock Exchange of India (NSE)

become the worlds largest bourse in
terms of the number of trades in equity
segment for the first six months of 2012. A
total of 735474 trades took place in the
equity segment of NSE in the January-June
period of 2012, making it the worlds largest
exchange on this parameter. NSE was
followed by NYSE Euronext and Nasdaq
OMX at the second and the third positions.
Industry experts attributed the recent
position of NSE acquired by the bourse to
growing investor base, use of latest
technology and new products. NSE's
platform is connected to two lakh trading
terminals in more than 2000 towns and
cities across the country.
NSE is the second largest exchange globally
after Korea Exchange for index options.
Eurex was the third largest exchange
worldwide in terms of total number of
index options traded during the first six
months of 2012.
BSE recorded a total of 187824 trades
during this period in its equity segment. The
total number of listed companies is much
larger in case of the BSE, the exchange
however lags behind NSE significantly in
terms of volume and value of trades.
The latest data published by WFE indicated
that investors from tier-three cities
contributed more than 45 per cent of total
cash market retail turnover in the financial
year 2011- 12. The tier-three cities account
for more than half of the total retail
investor base on NSE platform.
UNION CABINET SETS BASE

PRICE FOR AUCTION OF 2G
SPECTRUM AT 14000 CRORE

RUPEES
The Union Cabinet on 4 August 2012
approved the reserve price for auction of
2G spectrum as well as spectrum usage
charges (SUC). The Cabinet set the reserve
price of 14000 crore rupees for the 5
megahertz pan-India spectrum in the 1800
megahertz band. The price is 22 percent
lower than the telecom regulator's
suggestion. An auctioneer will be soon
appointed to conduct a fresh auction.
The Cabinet also endorsed the EGoM's
recommendation that the reserve price for
the 800 megahertz band, which is used by
CDMA operators, be fixed at 1.3 times the
price for 1800 megahertz band.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) had recommended the base price at
18000 crore rupees, which drew a heavy
criticism from telecom companies, who
argued that the base price suggested by
TRAI is irrational.
The fresh auction of 2G spectrum was
necessitated after the Supreme Court
scrapped 122 telecom licenses on 2
February 2012 as it found the process of
spectrum allocation cramped with flaws.
RBI DIRECTED NBFCS TO

MAINTAIN NET-OWNED
FUNDS (NOF) AT RS 3 CRORE
BY 31 MARCH 2013
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in a
notification issued on 3 August 2012 stated
that all registered non-banking financial
companies (NBFCs) which who intend to
convert themselves into non-banking
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financial
company-micro
finance
institutions (NBFC-MFIs) would have to seek
registration with immediate effect, not later
than 31 October 2012.
The central bank also mentioned that the
NBFCs have to maintain net-owned funds
(NOF) at Rs 3 crore by 31 March 2013, and
at Rs.5 crore by 31 March 31 2014. If the
NBFCs fail maintain the NOF they will have
to ensure that lending to the micro finance
sector, that is, individuals, SHGs or JLGs,
which qualify for loans from MFIs to be
restricted to 10 per cent of the total assets.
RBI SIGNED MOU WITH

FINANCIAL REGULATORS OF 9
COUNTRIES TO PROMOTE
SHARING OF INFORMATION
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed three
memoranda of understanding with Jersey
Financial Services Commission (JFSC),
Financial Services Authority of UK and
Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
was signed with regulators of other
countries to promote greater co-operation
and sharing of supervisory information
between the regulators. RBI signed nine
MoUs thus far with financial regulators of
different countries.
The MoU with the Jersey Financial Services
authority was signed on 16 July 2012.
Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC)
is an independent statutory body. The
main function of JFC is the regulation,
licensing and supervision of financial
services providers for compliance with
prudential norms and conduct of business
requirements in Jersey.
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The MOU with the Financial Services

Authority (FSA), UK was signed on 17 July
2012 at FSA, UK Headquarters, London. The
FSA is the United Kingdoms principal
national financial services and markets
regulator and administers the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000(FSMA) that
provides for the supervision of firms,
financial services and financial products as
well the financial markets.
The MoU with the Financial Supervisory
Authority of Norway (Finanstilsynet) was
signed on 19 July 2012 at FSA, Norway
headquarters. Finanstilsynet as the
supervisory authority is entrusted with
supervision of banks (insurance companies
and investment firms, etc.) in Norway as
per the Financial Supervision Act of 1956.
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Singh and a joint secretary of external

affairs ministry, has replaced Navtej Sarna,
the former ministry spokesperson.
CHAPTER 8:
PERSONALITIES
FORMER NAVY CHIEF NIRMAL

VERMA APPOINTED AS
INDIAN ENVOY TO CANADA
CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA S.H.

KAPADIA RETIRED
The Chief Justice of India Sarosh Homi
Kapadia, retired on 28 September 2012
from the post after serving the Supreme
Court for two and a half years. Justice
Kapadia, who turned up to be 65 years in
age sworn in as the thirty-eighth CJI and
served the Supreme Court from 12 May
2010 and retired, on 28 September 2012.
While holding the office as a judge for a
period of 22 years, Justice Kapadia never
took a leave.
After his retirement, Justice Altamas Kabir
took over the job as the Chief Justice of
India from 29 September 2012. The Chief
Justice of India sworn-in to the post by the
name of God by the president of India. His
appointment to the position is mentioned
in article 124 of the Indian Constitution.
The chief Justice of India also acts as the
acting President of the nation in case the
office of the President falls vacant due to
any reason like his death, resignation or
removal via impeachment and the VicePresident is not available to take on the
charge of the acting president.
JAIDEEP SARKAR APPOINTED

AS THE NEW ENVOY TO
ISRAEL
Jaideep Sarkar on 27 September 2012 was
appointed as the new Indian Ambassador to
Israel. The IITian and diplomat, is a private
secretary to Prime Minister Manmohan
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248
Nirmal Verma, the former navy chief on 27

September 2012 was appointed as Indias
high commissioner to Canada. His
appointment to the post happened on the
recommendation of the PMO to the
president, who cleared his name for the
vacancy.
Admiral Verma, will soon leave for Ottawa
to join the office because Canadian Prime
Minister Stephen Harpers visit is scheduled
to India in the near future.
QUEEN ELIZABETH BECAME

FIRST PEACETIME BRITISH
RULER TO ATTEND CABINET
MEETING
On 18 December 2012, Queen Elizabeth
became first peacetime British ruler ever
since 1781, who attended the cabinet
meeting. Though she did not take part in
any deliberations, but she participated in
the cabinet meeting as an observer and a
listener. Queen Elizabeth remained seated
on the chair which is usually occupied by
the prime minister.
Historians believed that Queen Elizabeth
became the first monarch in the history to
attend any cabinet meeting, after George III
did that. Factually, George I had abandoned
joining the cabinet in 1717. Nevertheless,
Queen Elizabeths father George VI had
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attended the cabinet meeting during World

War II.
map on those areas which are controlled as

well as claimed by them on the passports.
The first agenda of the meeting was about

law amendment on the succession to royal
chair. The agenda was basically allowing the
first born girl to be head of the state, even if
she had younger brother.
China as well as India were working over to

explore the positive signal in order to rise
above the criticism that both these nations
have already had 15 rounds of negotiations
over border but all in vain without any
significant
improvements.
In
the
meanwhile, the passport row by China has
vitiated this situation.
Though Queen Elizabeth had attended the

cabinet meeting, but academics were of
different viewpoints on whether Queen
should have attended the meeting or not.
At present, Britain has a tradition of
monarch allowing a weekly audience to PM
in order to receive private as well as
confidential briefing. But actually, the
Queen just rubber stamps the ministerial
decisions, maybe sometimes in presence of
the Privy Council.
MENON FIRST TOP RANKING

INDIAN OFFICIAL TO VISIT
CHINA AFTER CHANGES IN
COMMUNIST PARTY OF
CHINA
Shiv Shankar Menon, the national security
advisor as well as negotiator in the border
talks with China paid the visit here on 2
December 2012. This was the first visit by
any top ranking Indian official post changes
announcement in Communist Party of
China. Menon would meet the next premier
of China- Li Keqiang.
China might look for diplomatic indicator
from the Indian official suggesting that India
would not join its forces with Philippines
and Vietnam in the passport row which is
started by China. Three countries protested
against China when it embossed Chinas
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The visit by Menon is very important,

especially because China is preparing itself
for change of guard with the premier as
well as president being replaced in March
2013.
BOARD MEMBERS OF TATA

SONS CONFERRED THE TITLE
OF CHAIRMAN EMERITUS ON
RATAN TATA
Ratan Tata, the outgoing Chairman of Tata
Group was conferred with the honorary
title of Chairman Emeritus- by the board of
Tata Sons, the holding company of the 100
billion dollar Tata Group on 18 December
2012. Ratan Tata will retire from his office
on 28 December 2012 and Cyrus Mistry
would be taking over the chair of the group
after him on the same day.
Ratan Tata as an honorary chairman will not
attend any of the board meetings of Tata
Group and would also not have any
responsibility towards the company. JRD
Tata was conferred with this title honour
before Ratan Tata by the Tata Sons. Ratan
Tata would continue to be the Chairman of
Tata group trusts, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and
Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which together have
66 per cent stake in Tata Sons.
In November 2012, Ratan Tata also bowed

out from Tata Global Beverages as the
chairman, which paved way for Mistry.
CYRUS PALLONJI MISTRY

APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF
TATA SONS
Cyrus Pallonji Mistry was appointed as the
chairman of Tata Sons, the firm that holds
more than 100 billion dollar Tata Group, on
18 December 2012. Cyrus Pallonji Mistry
would take on the role of chairman of Tata
Sons with effect from 28 December 2012,
after Rata Tata retires as the current
Chairman of the company.
Ratan Tata who will also celebrate his 75th
birthday on 28 December 2012 was
conferred the honorary title of chairman
emeritus. Tata Sons Board gave the title to
Ratan Tata.
About Cyrus Pallonji Mistry
Cyrus Pallonji Mistry, 43, is billionaire Pallonji
Shapoorji Mistrys son. Cyrus Mistry has
already remained the director of Tata Sons
since 2006.
He was appointed as the deputy chairman of
Tata Sons in November 2011.
Pallonji Mistry, along with the sons, Cyrus
Mistry and Shapoor Mistry are the owners of
18.5 percent stake in the company. This
makes the Mistrys the largest shareholders
on individual basis of this company.
Earlier in December 2012, Cyrus Mistry was
also appointed as chairman of Tata Motors.
He would commence playing his role from 28
December 2012. He was also appointed as
chairman of two other Tata companies- Tata
Chemicals and Tata Steel.
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INDUSTRY LEADER DEEPAK

PAREKH NOMINATED TO
COMPETITION COMMISSION
OF INDIA
August 2012 nominated industry leader
Deepak
Parekh
to
Competition
Commissions Eminent Persons Advisory
Group (EPAG). The group advises the antitrust regulator on good global practices and
other issues. The group was constituted in a
way that CCI could avail from the advice of
eminent persons representing a wide arena
from the Corporate Sector.
Along with HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh,
eminent authors Gurcharan Das and Rama
Bijapurkar were also nominated as
members of the EPAG of the Commission.
Others on the ten-member panel comprises
former, Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw,
CAG V N Kaul, NGO activist Rohini Nilekani
and former RBI Deputy Governor Rakesh
Mohan.
KESHUB MAHINDRA STEPPED

DOWN AS THE CHAIRMAN OF
MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA
Keshub Mahindra stepped down as the
Chairman of 15.4 billion dollar business
conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra on 8
August 2012. His nephew and ViceChairman and Managing Director of the
company Anand Mahindra elevated to the
position of Chairman, the position Keshub
held for nearly 48 years. He would,

however, continue to be Chairman Emeritus
of the group.
During the 48 years of his chairmanship, the
Mahindra Group made its presence felt in
various sectors including automobile, IT,
real estate, financial services and
hospitality.
He was instrumental in establishing
business ties with global business giants like
Willys
Corporation,
Mitsubishi,
International
Harvester,
United
Technologies, British Telecom and many
others.
The founder Chairman of HUDCO, he served
on many corporate boards, including SAIL,
Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels,
IFC, ICICI and HDFC. He also held the
position of President of Employers'
Federation of India and the Bombay
Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He
was a member of the Sachar Commission
on Company Law and Reforms.
US PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA NAMED PERSON OF
THE YEAR 2012 BY TIME
MAGAZINE
US President Barack Obama was named
TIME's Person of the Year for 2012,
because of his historic win over the reelection in November 2012, which is being
considered as symbol of the nation's
changing demographics amid the backdrop
of high unemployment and other
challenges.
His name was announced by TIME editor
Rick Stengel on NBC's Today program on 19
December 2012.
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It is the second time Barack Obama is being

accorded with this honour. He had also
received the honour in 2008, when he was
first elected as president.
Obama had won re-election despite a
higher unemployment rate than anybody's
had to face in basically in 70 years. He's the
first Democrat to actually win two
consecutive terms with over 50 percent of
the vote.
LESLIE CLAUDIUS THE

LEGENDARY HOCKEY PLAYER
FROM INDIA DIED
The legendary hockey player Leslie
Claudius, Indias triple Olympic Gold
Medallist died after a prolonged illness on
20 December 2012. Cirrhosis of the liver
became the region of his death and is now
survived by a wife and three sons.
Leslie Claudius
Claudius was a legendary Hockey player
from the Indian side, who won three
Olympic Gold Medals in the year 1948
London Olympics, 1952 Helsinki Olympics
and 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He also won
a silver medal at 1960 Rome Olympics.
Udham Singh along with him is the only two
Indians who share a tally of 4 Olympic
Medals in the history of Hockey. The 85
year old was a part of legendary trio of the
Indian Hockey team and shared the berth
with Dhyan Chand and Roop Singh. During
the Bangkok Asian Games of 1978, Claudius
was appointed as the manager for the
Indian Team.
Claudius was the First Indian Hockey Player
to play more than 100 games for the
country.

Jeet Thayil along with 23 Others Chosen as
Sahitya Akademi Award Winners
Jeet Thayil - nominated to Booker Prize
2012, Subrata Mukhopadhyay - the Bengali
novelist, K Satchidanandan - the Malayalam
poet and HS Shivaprakash - the noted
Kannada writer are among the 24 authors,
who were chosen for the Prestigious
Sahitya Akademi Awards 2012 on 20
December 2012 by the Sahitya Akademi Indias National Academy for Letters.
Six short stories, twelve books of poetry,
four novels along with an autobiography
and criticism have been chosen for being
awarded. The works were chosen after the
recommendation of the Jury members who
represented from 24 Indian languages and
then the Executive Board of the Akademi
approved the selected candidates for the
award to be presented this year. The
nominations were done in the chairmanship
of Dr. Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, who also is
the acting President of the Sahitya
Akademi.
Page 252
like 5000 rupees since inception which was

enhanced to 10000 rupees from 1983,
25000 rupees from 1988, 40000 from 2001
rupees, 50000 rupees from 2003 and is now
100000 rupees from 2009
Languages included in Indian Constitution
As per the eighth schedule of Indian
Constitution 22 languages are recognized
by the Indian Constitution and they are
Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi,
Kannada, Kashmiri, Manipuri, Malayalam,
Konkani, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi,
Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu,
Santhali, Bodo, Maithili and Dogri. Sindhi
was added in 1967 by 21 Amendment.
Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were added
in 1992 by 71 Amendment Santhali,
Maithili, Bodo and Dogri were added in
2003 by 92 Amendment.
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER

MARIO MONTI RESIGNED
AHEAD OF ELECTIONS
Sahitya Akademi Award

Sahitya Akademi Award the literary honour
in India is annually conferred to the writers
for their outstanding works in the field of
literature by Sahitya Akademi, the National
Academy of Letters in India. The award is
conferred for the works done in 24 major
languages of India including English as
quoted in Sahitya Akademi.
The Sahitya Akademi Award had been into
existence since the year of its inception in
1954 and was conferred for the first time
for meritorious literature published in India
in the year 1955. Since day of inception the
prize amount of the Sahitya Akademi has
been changed constantly and it followed
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252
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on 21

December 2012 resigned after 13 months in
office with handing over his resignation to
President
Giorgio
Napolitano
after
parliament gave final approval to the 2013
budget law.
With the resignation of Mario Monti the
President is expected to call early national
elections within 70 days of the parliament
dissolution, possibly on 24 February 2013.
69-year-old Mario Monti is an economist
and former European commissioner and
was appointed by the President Napolitano
to fill former premier Silvio Berlusconi's
place after he resigned in 2011 under
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pressure for failing to control Italy's debt

and a series of scandals.
Ministers and nine Ministers of State also

took oath.
Monti's term was originally set to expire in

mid-2013, but his earlier departure is
expected to bring elections forward. Former
Prime Minister Berlusconi had announced
that he intends to run for re-election in the
New Year.
DELHI GANGRAPE VICTIM

PASSED AWAY AT MOUNT
ELIZABETH HOSPITAL IN
SINGAPORE
VIRBHADRA SINGH TOOK

OATH AS CHIEF MINISTER OF
HIMACHAL PRADESH FOR THE
SIXTH TIME
Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore: The
Former Union Minister of India and Veteran

Congress leader Virbhadra Singh on 25
December 2012 was sworn-in as Chief
Minister of Himachal for a record sixth term
in Shimla.
78 years old Virbhadra Singh was
administered the oath of office by Governor
of Himachal Pradesh Urmila Singh. Oath of
office and secrecy to the chief
parliamentary secretaries was administered
by the Chief Minister. Besides Virbhadra
Singh, nine Cabinet members and three
chief Parliamentary secretaries were also
sworn-in.
The 23-year old Delhi gangrape victim

passed away on 29 December 2012 at
Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore at
2:15am (IST). The victim died due to
multiple organ failure and severe injuries to
her brain and body.
TONY GREIG, FORMER

CAPTAIN OF ENGLAND
CRICKET TEAM AND
COMMENTATOR DIED
Tony Greig, 66, the former captain of
England cricket team and renowned
commentator passed away in Sydney on 29
December 2012 following lung cancer. Greig
was diagnosed with the ailment in October
2012.
NARENDRA MODI WAS

SWORN-IN AS THE CHIEF
MINISTER OF GUJARAT
Narendra Modi on 26 December 2012 was
sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for
the fourth consecutive term. Governor
Kamla Beniwal administered the oath of
office and secrecy to him at Sardar Patel
Stadium at Ahmedabad. Seven cabinet
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23-year old para-medical student who was

gangraped in New Delhi on 16 December
2012 passed away in Mount Elizabeth
Hospital in Singapore on 29 December
2012.
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253
PATRICK SUCKLING
APPOINTED AS AUSTRALIA'S
NEXT HIGH COMMISSIONER
TO INDIA

Career diplomat Patrick Suckling on 30
December 2012 had been appointed as
Australias next High Commissioner to India.
Patrick Suckling who is a career diplomat
and had been previously posted to New
Delhi and Washington is going to take up
the position in New Delhi in January 2013.
Suckling is replacing Peter Varghese, who is
returning to Australia to head the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
IK GUJRAL, FORMER PRIME

MINISTER OF INDIA DIED AT
92
Inder Kumar Gujral, who served as the

Prime Minister in United Front government
in 1990s, died at the age of 92 on 30
November 2012. Following the resignation
of HD Deve Gowda, he became the 13th
Prime Minister of India on 21 April 1997 and
held that post till 19 March 1998 in United
Front government.
IK Gujral's Major Contribution to Indian
Politics
During his tenure as the Prime

Minister, IK Gujral resisted
signing CTBT (Comprehensive
Test Ban Treaty) paving the way
for
next
government
conducting the Pokhran nuclear
tests.
He provided a five-point
roadmap to build trust between
India and its neighbouring
countries known as Gujral
Doctrine.
Five Principles of Gujrals Doctrine
With neighbors like Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri
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254
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Lanka, India does not ask for

reciprocity,
but
gives
and
accommodates what it can in good
faith and trust.
No South Asian country should allow
its territory to be used against the
interest of another country of the
region.
No country should interfere in the
internal affairs of another.
All South Asian countries must
respect each other's territorial
integrity and sovereignty.
They should settle all their disputes
through
peaceful
bilateral
negotiations.
BS YEDDYYURAPPA RESIGNED
FROM BJP AND KARNATAKA
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
B.S. Yeddyurappa former Chief Minister of
Karnataka on 30 November 2012
announced his resignation from Legislative
Assembly and from primary membership of
BJP party. Yeddyurappa submitted his
resignation to the Speaker of the Assembly,
KG Bopaiah. Yeddyurappa represented
Shikaripura in his home district Shimoga,
which is about 280 km north of Bangalore.
DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI OF

MYANMAR VISITED INDIA
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Chairperson of the
National League of Democracy of
Myanmar visited India from 13 November
2012 to 18 November 2012. Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi spent several years in India during
her early days when her mother Daw Khin
Yi was Ambassador to India. She also spent
Page 255
some time as a Fellow at the Institute of

Advanced Study in Shimla in 1987.
2011 for her contribution to the field of

Indian literature.
Besides her engagements in Delhi, travelled

to Bangalore where she visited the Indian
Institute of Science and the Infosys Campus.
She also toured rural areas in Andhra
Pradesh to gain a firsthand impression of
the rural development and womens
empowerment
programmes
being
undertaken in India.
Pratibha Ray is the first Oriya woman and

fourth Oriya writer to get the coveted
award. Earlier Gopinath Mohanty (1973),
Sachidananda Routray (1986) and Sitakant
Mohapatra (1993) were conferred the
honour.
DR. JOSEPH EDWARD

MURRAY, THE MAN BEHIND
FIRST KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
DIED AT 93
ALOK JOSHI TO BE RAW

HEAD, ASIF IBRAHIM TO
HEAD IB
Dr. Joseph Edward Murray, the first doctor

to perform kidney transplant successfully
died on 26 November 2012. The 93 year old
doctor had received a Nobel Prize for the
work. Murray had stroke at the suburban
home in Boston on 22 November 2012 and
eventually he died at Brigham and Women's
Hospital.
After he performed the first kidney
transplant on the identical twins, various
other transplants on different organs of the
body were performed. Murray also shared
Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1990 along with
Dr. E. Donnall Thomas, who performed
various bone marrow transplants.
ORIYA NOVELIST AND

ACADEMICIAN PRATIBHA RAY
SELECTED FOR 2011
JNANPITH AWARD
Renowned Oriya novelist, Pratibha Ray on
27 December 2012 selected for the
prestigious Jnanpith award for the year
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The award carries a cash prize of 7 lakh

rupees, a citation and a bronze statuette of
Godess Saraswati.
Page
255
Alok Joshi, senior IPS officer of 1976 batch

from Haryana cadre is scheduled to be
appointed as the new Research and
Analysis Wing (RAW) chief and Syed Asif
Ibrahim is cleared to be the next
Intelligence Bureau director. Appointments
Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) cleared
Alok Joshis name as the RAW chief to
succeed Sajeev Tripathi, the 1973-batch UP
cadre IPS officer.
ARVIND KEJRIWAL NAMED

HIS POLITICAL PARTY AS AAM
ADMI PARTY
Arvind Kejriwal on 24 November 2012
announced the name of his newly formed
Political Party as Aam Admi Party after two
months of its split from Anna Hazare and his
movement of India Against Corruption at
the Constitution Club, New Delhi. The Party
on the same day also adopted its
Constitution that foresee establishment of
Swaraj in the country. All this happened in

presence of about 320 people. The name
would be publicly accepted on 26
November at Jantar Mantar.
ERNEST BAI KOROMA REELECTED AS THE PRESIDENT

OF SIERRA LEONE
Sierra Leone, the incumbent President
Ernest Bai Koroma, leader of the All
People's Congress was re-elected as the
President of the nation on 23 November
2012 after the electoral body declared
results of the elections that took place in
the country in third week of November. He
had sworn in as the President of Sierra
Leone on the same day, when the results
were declared. He won the Presidential
elections by securing 58.7 percent votes in
his favour.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a mineral resource rich West
African Nation, with massive iron ore
deposits. The estimates of International
Monetary Fund had predicted that use of the
mineral resources available in the nation
would increase the 2.2-billion dollar Gross
Domestic Product by 21 percent.
JOAQUIM BARBOSA SWORNIN AS BRAZILS SUPREME

COURTS FIRST NON-WHITE
PRESIDENT
Joaquim Barbosa was sworn-in as Brazil's
Supreme Court's first non-White President
on 23 November 2012 at a packed
ceremony in the capital Brazilia. Barbosa
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256
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became famous in Brazil after overseeing

one of the country's biggest corruption
trials involving key members of the former
President Lula Da Silva's government.
Barbosa is famous for his tough stand
against political corruption. Brazil has the
second largest non-White population in the
world after Nigeria, but few of them
achieve high office.
SENIOR IPS OFFICER RANJIT

SINHA APPOINTED AS CBI
DIRECTOR FOR TWO YEARS
Ranjit Sinha, the Bihar Cadre Senior IPS
Officer of 1974 batch was appointed as next
director of Central Bureau of Investigation
on 22 November 2012 for two years. In the
official order, it was declared that Sinha
would serve as the CBI director for two
years starting from the date when he joins
the office. Sinha will be taking over the
office from AP Singh, the IPS of 1974
Jharkhand Cadre, who is retiring on 30
November 2012.
ANIL DEV SINGH BECAME THE

NEW CHAIRPERSON OF IOA
ELECTION PANEL
Anil Dev Singh, the former Chief Justice of
Rajasthan High Court on 19 November 2012
was appointed as the new Chairperson of
the Election Commission of The Indian
Olympic Association (IOA) after S.Y.
Quraishi resigned from his post on 17
November 2012. This appointment was
done by Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the Acting
President of IOA at present.
SHIV SENA CHIEF BALASAHEB

THACKERAY DIED IN MUMBAI
The Shiv Sena Supremo Balasaheb Keshav
Thackeray died on 17 November 2012 at
the age of 86. He died of the cardiorespiratory arrest after suffering a long
illness at his residence Matoshree, in
Mumbai.
About Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray
Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray was an Indian
Politician, who founded Shiv Sena a Political
Party based in Mumbai, Maharashtra in the
year 19 June 1966. Before turning up to
politics, he was a cartoonist by profession
with an English daily newspaper in Mumbai,
named the Free Press Journal. His cartoons
were also published in the Times of India.
He resigned from the Free Press Journal in
1960 and founded his own political weekly,
named Marmik. He also founded Samana,
the Marathi language newspaper and the
Dophar ka Samna a Hindi newspaper.
His house at Bandra, Mumbai is famous
with the name Matoshree.
Balasaheb was a leading face in the fight
named Samyukta Maharashtra movement
(United Maharashtra movement); to make
Mumbai a place for Maharastrians that was
witnessing the influence of South Indians,
Gujaratis and Marwaris.
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena is a Political Party that strongly
supports the thought of Maharashtra for
Maharashtrians. Shiv Sena has been a
member in different Governments of the
State in Maharashtra and was a member in
the national cabinet as a coalition partner in
the
National
Democratic
Alliance
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257
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government from 1998 to 2004. The party

came up as a political force after it won a
Mumbai Civic Body Elections in the year
1973. In late 1980s and early 1990s, Shiv
Sena adopted the hard-line Hindu Ideology
and joined hands with Bhartiya Janata Party
(BJP), the coalition won the assembly
elections of 1995 and came to power in
Maharashtra. In 1999 the coalition failed to
win the majority.
AMI BERA BECAME 3RD

INDIAN-AMERICAN TO WIN
US CONGRESSIONAL
ELECTION
Ami Bera, 47, California-based, IndianAmerican has become the only 3rd of the
community to win Congressional election,
making it to US House of Representatives
on 6 November, 2012 by defeating
Republican Dan Lungren.
On 6 November 2012, Bera had neck to
neck competition with the opponent
Lungren with just 184 votes lead. The lead
increased to 3800 votes on 13 November
2012. Later, on 15 November 2012, it was
announced by The Sacramento County
Registrar of Voters that the lead of Bera had
increased by 5696 votes or 2.2 percent.
Gradually the lead widened and Bera won
the seat to the House of Representatives.
FORMER UNION MINISTER OF

INDIA AND EX-DEFENCE
MINISTER K.C. PANT DIED
K.C. Pant, the ex-Defence Minister of India
and former Planning Commission Deputy
Chairman died on 15 November 2012. The
81 years old is now survived by his wife Ila

Pant, who was a former Member of
Parliament and two sons.
XI JINPING ELECTED AS THE

NEW GENERAL SECRETARY OF
THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF
CHINA
The Communist Party of China (CPC) on 15
November 2012 declared Xi Jinping as the
new General Secretary of the Partys
seven-member
Politburo
standing
committee. The 59 years old, Xi Jinping is
the son of the former politburo and vice
premier. Xis selection as the new leader,
the Communist Party of China has marked
the end of Hu Jintaos ten year term as the
General Secretary of the Party, but he will
continue as the President till March 2013,
the month when the Chinese Parliament
would meet.
Li Keqiang, the second-ranked member of
the Politburo standing committee would
take over as Premier in March 2013 after
Wen Jiabao will step down from his
position.
The size of the inner circle of elites has been
reduced from nine to seven by the
Communist Party of China. This step of
reducing the members in the elite circle was
done to ensure efficiency in policy and
decision making by the top body of the
nation. The other five members of the elite
circle are Zhang Dejiang as the Chongqing
Party Secretary, Yu Zhengsheng as the
Shanghai Party Secretary, Liu Yunshan as a
senior propaganda official, Wang Qishan as
the Vice Premier in charge of economic
affairs and Zhang Gaoli as the Party
Secretary in Tianjin.
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258
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The once in a five year meet of the partys

National Congress concluded at the Great
Hall of the People on 14th November 2012.
A total of 2300 delegates casted there
secret ballots to choose the members of the
18th Central Committee, the 376 member
policy making body.
A new PBSC has also been created that
include four princelings out of the seven
leaders. Princeling means the family of any
of the former leaders. The newly framed
PBSC would be functional for the next five
years till 2017 and after this Xi and Li would
only continue in the office and rest of the
PBSC members would step down from their
posts.
BBC DIRECTOR GENERAL

GEORGE ENTWISTLE
RESIGNED OVER COVERING
SEXUAL ABUSE
BBC Director General George Entwistle on
10 November 2012 resigned from the job
after the broadcaster put out a program
which was denounced by the corporation's
chairman as shoddy journalism as a British
politician was depicted in child sex abuse.
George Entwistle in a statement asserted
that he had decided that the honourable
thing to do is to step down as director
general after just eight weeks in the job. He
also asserted the fact that the directorgeneral is also the editor-in-chief and
ultimately responsible for all content.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Page 259
President Barack Obama won re-election on

6 November 2012 overthrowing a severe
challenge from Republican Mitt Romney
resisting concerns over his handling of
economy and anxiety over the future.
arrested and charged with attempt of

committing suicide. To keep her alive, she is
fed forcefully at a Government hospital at
Porompat and the ward where she is
admitted is converted into a jail.
The President Barack Obama had secured

over 270 votes in the Electoral College
which was needed to win the race.
About Irom Sharmila
He was re-elected for a second term in the

White House securing another four years in
which he will try to fulfil the promise that
greeted his election in 2008.
IROM SHARMILA, THE IRON

LADY OF MANIPUR
COMPLETED 12 YEARS OF
FAST
CHINESE-BRITISH WRITER
HAN SUYIN DIED AT THE AGE
OF 95 IN LAUSANNE
Iron Lady from Manipur, Irom Sharmila on

5 November 2012 completed 12 years of
her fast demanding cancellation of the
Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
(AFSPA). She blames AFPSA as the main
cause for violence in the state of Manipur
and other parts of Northeastern India.
Irom Sharmila started her fast till death on
5 November 2000, after 10 people that
included a boy who received National
Bravery Award was shot dead by the Assam
Rifles personnel at Malom near Imphal
Airport on 2 November 2012 in an alleged
encounter.
Sharmila began her fast till death after ten
persons, including a boy who received the
National Bravery Award, were shot dead in
an alleged encounter with Assam Rifles
personnel at Malom near Imphal Airport on
November 2, 2000. She has been force-fed
through the nose to keep her alive since
then. On the second day of her fast she was
www.jagranjosh.com
Irom Sharmila nicknamed as the Iron Lady

of Manipur is a civil rights activist, political
activist, and poet and holds the record of
longest hunger strike of the world after
refusing food and water for more than 500
weeks.
Page
259
Chinese-British writer and physician

Elizabeth Comber, who was known by her
pen name Han Suyin, died at the age of 95
on 2 November 2012 at her home in
Lausanne, Switzerland.
Han Suyin was a Chinese-Belgian British
writer. She emerged as among the most
powerful voices that served as a bridge
between China and the West in the 20th
century. She later became an ambassador
for China-India relations after her marriage
to an Indian colonel, Vincent Ratnaswamy.
VETERAN BJP LEADER

KAILASHPATI MISRA DIED AT
THE AGE OF 90 IN BIHAR
Veteran BJP leader, former governor of
Gujarat and Rajasthan and former finance
minister of Bihar, Kailashpati Mishra,
passed away in Bihar on 3 November 2012.

Kailashpati Misra was of 90 years of age and
was suffering from prolonged illness.
Kailashpati Misra who was born at
Dudharchak village in Buxar district in 1923
served as governor of Gujarat from 7 May
2003 to 7 July 2004 and for a brief period of
Rajasthan too during the same duration.
He was a bachelor and popularly known as
the "Bhishmapitamah" of State BJP.
PIONEER OF POCKET
CARTOONS IN INDIA
CARTOONIST, T. SAMUEL
DIED
residential coaching to students from

economically backward families for IIT-JEE
exams, named 'People's Hero' by People
magazine of American Time Magazine
Group.
It is itself an uncommon occasion where the
people magazine which usually profiles
celebrities from films and other fields onto
their magazine had chosen a person who is
a teacher by profession.
THE KING OF ROMANCE AND

THE FAMOUS FILMMAKER,
YASH CHOPRA DIED
Veteran Cartoonist and the pioneer of

pocket cartoons in India, T Samuel died on
2 October 2012 at the age of 86. Samuel is
now survived by his wife, two daughters
and a son.
About T. Samuel
Samuel started his journey as a professional
cartoonist before Independence from
Lahore with a Military Gazette. After
partition he came to Delhi as a refugee and
joined Shankars weekly, where he
contributed the Kalu and Meena, the silent
strip cartoon and some more related to
social life. As a staff cartoonist, he served
Delhi edition of Times of India, where he
became famous as the creator of the pocket
cartoon named Babuji.
ANAND KUMAR OF SUPER 30

FAME DECLARED PEOPLES
HERO
Anand Kumar, teacher and founder of
Super 30 institute, which provides free
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260
The Indian Filmmaker Yash Chopra died on

21 October 2012, nine days after being
diagnosed with Dengue. He passed away at
the age of 80 at Lilavati Hospital at Bandra
due to dengue and multiple organ failure.
Also termed as the King of Romance, Yash
Chopra had by his name Six National Film
Awards, Eleven Filmfare Awards out of
which four was Filmfare Award for Best
Director.
FORMER KING OF CAMBODIA,

NORODOM SIHANOUK DIED
IN CHINA
Former
Cambodian
king
Norodom
Sihanouk died on 15 October 2012 in
Beijing. He was 89 Years old. Norodom
Sihanouk was receiving medical treatment
for many years in Beijing for cancer and
other ailments.
Norodom had dominated politics in
Cambodia for nearly 60 years. He was the
King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and
again from 1993 until 2004. He was the

effective ruler of Cambodia from 1953 until
1970. After his second abdication in 2004,
he was known as The King-Father of
Cambodia a position in which he retained
many of his former responsibilities as
Constitutional monarch.
Sihanouk held so many positions since 1941
that the he was identifies as the politician
who has served the world's greatest variety
of political offices. These included two
terms as king, two as sovereign prince, one
as president, two as prime minister, as well
as numerous positions as leader of various
governments-in-exile.
He was succeeded in 2004 by his son, King
Norodom Sihamon
LIBYAS NATIONAL CONGRESS

ELECTED ALI ZIDAN AS THE
NEW PRIME MINISTER
Libya's 200-member General National
Congress on 14 October 2012 elected Ali
Zidan as the new Prime Minister. Ali Zidan,
an independent, won 93 votes, a majority
among those present. He beat a candidate
favoured by the Justice and Construction
party which is linked to the Muslim
Brotherhood. Announcing his victory,
President of the National Assembly asked
Mr Zidan to propose a cabinet within two
weeks. Ali Zidan is a human rights lawyer.
The previous Prime Minister, Mustafa Abu
Shagur, was dismissed a week ago after
failing to form a government.
Page 261
TO GO FASTER THAN THE

SPEED OF SOUND
Austrian Felix Baumgartner became the
first skydiver on 14 October 2012 to go
faster than the speed of sound, reaching a
maximum velocity of 1,342 kilometers per
hour. In jumping out of a balloon 39
kilometers above New Mexico, the 43-yearold also smashed the record for the highest
ever freefall. It took just under 10 minutes
for him to descend. Only the last few
thousand feet were negotiated by
parachute.
The previous highest, farthest, and longest
freefall was made by Kittinger, who leapt
from a helium envelope in 1960. His
altitude was 31 kilometers.
S.VISHWANATHAN ELECTED
AS NEW MANAGING
DIRECTOR OF STATE BANK OF
INDIA
S. Viswanathan on 8 October 2012 was
appointed as a managing director of State
Bank of India. His appointed came by the
Central Government of India.
Following the appointment, SBI has now
four managing directors, including Diwakar
Gupta, who the chief financial officer,
Hemant Contractor, who is in charge of
international operations and A. Krishna
Kumar, who looks after national banking.
HUGE CHAVEZ RE-ELECTED AS

PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA
FELIX BAUMGARTNER
BECAME THE FIRST SKYDIVER
Huge Chavez re-elected as President of

Venezuela on 9 October 2012 Venezuela. It
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261

his third election victory in 14 years of
Office. With this he will be spending 6 more
years in Office.
Huge Chavez had won with 54% of the vote
defeating his challenger Henrique Capriles
who managed to get only 45% of vote in
presidential election held on 7 October
2012.
Among the 19 million registered voters the
turnout was a record of 80.4% voters.
Later, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
died on 5 March 2013 at a military hospital
in Caracas at the age of 58 due to Cancer.
He died after battling from cancer for two
years during which he underwent several
surgeries and chemotherapy in Cuba.
With his death his 14 year rule of Venezuela
came to an end and bringing a challenge of
electing a new President for the country
within 30 days as per Constitution of
Venezuela. Till then the Presidency will be
assumed by the Vice-President of the
country, Nicolas Maduro.
AJIT SARAN APPOINTED AS

SECRETARY IN NATIONAL
COMMISSION FOR WOMEN
Senior IAS officer Ajit M Sharan was
appointed as Member Secretary in National
Commission for Women (NCW) on 3
October 2012.
Ajit Sharan is a 1979 batch officer of
Haryana cadre. He is going to be in the rank
and pay of Additional Secretary.
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INDIA'S FIRST NATIONAL

SECURITY ADVISOR BRAJESH
MISHRA DIED
The first National Security Advisor of India,
Brajesh Mishra died on 28 September 2012
at New Delhi after suffering from a heart
ailment. Mishra (84) played a pivotal role in
making of the foreign policies during the
NDA regime of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was
a trouble shooter to him.
PROFESSOR BANWARILAL
SHARMA, THE
MATHEMATICIAN AND A
GANDHIAN ACTIVIST DIED
Professor
Banwarilal
Sharma,
the
mathematician and a Gandhian activist died
on 26 September 2012 at Chandigarh. He
served Allahabad University as former HOD
of
Mathematics
department.
Prof.
Banwarilal Sharma also served International
Council of Mathematicians in developing
countries for 6 years in between 1986 to
1992, as its chairman. He was trained under
Prof Henri Cartan to obtain DSc degree at
University of Paris.
Banwari Lal Sharma was a convenor of the
movement named Azadi Bachao Andolan
that was led as peoples movement in
different part of the nation against nuclear
energy.
R LAKSHMIPATHY ELECTED AS
CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESS
TRUST OF INDIA
R Lakshmipathy, the publisher of Tamil daily
Dinamalar, was elected as the Chairman of
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262

the Board of Directors of Press Trust of
India (PTI) on 24 September 2012 after the
company's Annual General Meeting (AGM).
MAHARASHTRA DEPUTY
CHIEF MINISTER RESIGNED
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit
Pawar resigned on 25 September 2012 after
the alleged corruption charges on him in
awarding irrigation projects when he was
state's water resource minister. It was
alleged that there were discrepancy
committed in granting administrative
approvals to projects involving several crore
of rupees during his tenure as an Irrigation
Minister between 1999 and 2009.
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AISHWARYA RAI APPOINTED

AS INTERNATIONAL
GOODWILL AMBASSADOR
The United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS)
has
appointed
Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
as its International Goodwill Ambassador.
Her job will be now is to raise global
awareness on protecting children from HIV
infection and to increase access to
antiretroviral treatment.
C.P. JOSHI APPOINTED AS THE

NEW RAILWAY MINISTER
RAMESH ABHISHEK
APPOINTED AS FMC
CHAIRMAN
C.P. Joshi, the Union Road Transport and

Highways Minister on 24 September 2012
took an additional charge of the Railway
Ministry after the exit of Mukul Roy.
An IAS Officer of 1982 Batch Bihar Cadre,

Ramesh Abhishek on 24 September 2012
was appointed to be the Chairman of
Forward Markets Commission (FMC). His
pay-scale and rank has been elevated to
that of the additional secretary and FMC
Chief respectively.
With this responsibility in the hands of C.P.

joshi, the railway ministry has landed down
in the hands of Congress after 17 years. The
last railway minister from congress was C.K.
Jaffer Sharief (1991-95).
Forward Markets Commission (FMC)

With its headquarters at Mumbai, Forward
Markets Commission (FMC) is a regulatory
authority established under the Forward
Contracts (Regulation) Act 1952. The body
is responsible for taking care of forward and
future markets of India and is a part of
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and
Public Distribution.
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BILL GATES STILL THE

RICHEST PERSON IN AMERICA
Microsoft Co-Founder, Bill Gates remained
at the top position in the list of 400 richest
Americans released by Forbes Annual
Ranking on 19 September 2012. Gates,
succeeded in winning the top position for
19th time in a row with his net worth of $
66 billion.
Bill Gates at present is the chairman of
Microsoft and co-chair for Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI RECEIVED

US CONGRESS HIGHEST
HONOUR
The Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
received, the US Congress highest Civilian
Honour at a ceremony organized in the
Capitol Rotunda on 19 September 2012,
before her meet with the US president
Barack Obama. Before her, the recipient of
this award includes George Washington,
Pope John Paul II and Dalai Lama-the
Tibetan Buddhist Leader. During her 15 year
long house arrest against the military rule in
Myanmar, she received the Congressional
Gold Medal in 2008.
SUPREME COURT REFUSED

TO REVIEW THE PETITIONS
CHALLENGING RIGHT TO
EDUCATION ACT, 2009
September 2012 refused to review the
petitions challenging the constitutional
validity of the Right to Education to Free
and Compulsory Education Act 2009. The
Independent Schools Federation of India,
the Society for Unaided Private Schools of
Rajasthan, the Catholic Bishops Conference
of India with two other institutions filed PIL
(Public-interest litigation) against the Act,
for a review.
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education Act, 2009
The Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education Act makes it
mandatory for the government, aided and
non-minority unaided schools to reserve a
minimum of 25 percent seats to provide
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free and compulsory education to children

in the age group of 6 to 14 years. The right
to education is included to the right to life
in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and
in case any child is derived from his right of
education is also deprived from his right to
live with dignity, exercise freedom of
expression and speech included in Article
19(1) (a).
SALMAN RUSHDIE RELEASED

HIS BOOK JOSEPH ANTON
Joseph Anton the 633 page book depicts a
memoir of Salman Rushdie during his 10
years long run to protect himself from the
Fatwa issued by his name was released on
18 September 2012.
Salman Rushdies new book reveals his life,
at the time when he was issued an Iranian
fatwa that ordered his death for the
publication of The Satanic Verses in 1988. In
the book, Salman Rushdie has characterized
himself as Joseph Anton and the name is
the combination of the first names of his
favourite writers Joseph Conrad and Anton
Chekhov.
WORLD BANK APPOINTED

ONNO RUHL AS THE
COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR
INDIA
World Bank appointed Onno Ruhl a Dutch
National to be the country director for India
on 10 September 2012. He will replace the
retiring N Roberto Zagha in October 2012.
His appointment at this post will help the
bank to formulate and implement
developmental programs and steps in the
nation.
RAJIV MEHTA APPOINTED AS

DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
NARCOTICS CONTROL
BUREAU
CARTOONIST ASSEM TRIVEDI

GRANTED BAIL BY MUMBAI
HIGH COURT
Rajiv Mehta was appointed as a Director

General of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
on 18 September 2012. His appointment
will be on deputation basis for a period of
five years from the date of assumption of
charge of the post or till the date of his
superannuation or until further orders.
FORMER SARSANGHCHALAK
OF RSS KS SUDARSHAN DIED
AT NAGPUR
KS
Sudarshan,
the
former
RSS
Sarsanghchalak died on 15 September
2012. He suffered a heart attack at the
Nagpur headquarters of RSS. He was in
Nagpur for release of a book written by
Gopal Vyas a Rajya Sabha MP from
Chhattisgarh that was held on 14
September 2012.
FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF

INDIA RANGANATH MISRA
DIED
Ranganath Misra, the former Chief Justice
of India died on 13 September 2012. He
died at the age of 86 and is survived by his
wife Sumitra Misra. Ranganath Misra was
appointed to be the 21st Chief Justice of
India from 25 September 1990 to 24
November 1991 during the reign of former
Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and former
President of India, R. Venkataraman.
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265
The cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was released

from the Arthur Road Jail on 12 September
2012. Aseem Trivedi, who was arrested on
the charges of sedition and insulting the
national symbol and emblem, was released
from jail after Bombay High Court granted
him bail on the personal bond of Rs 5000.
This supporter of Anna Hazares Anti
Corruption campaign was arrested for
depiction of wolves in place of lions and
providing a quote Bhrastameva Jayate as a
replacement of Satyameva Jayate on the
National Emblem.
Aseem Trivedi the cartoonist is renowned
for portraying politics in India and
appreciated for his campaign Cartoons
against Corruption. He is the winner of
Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award for
2012 that is conducted by Cartoonists
Rights
Network
International.
The
cartoonist has been a founding member of
a body named movement against internet
censorship in India, Save Your Voice.
VERGHESE KURIEN THE

WHITE REVOLUTIONARY AND
THE MILKMAN OF INDIA DIED
The man responsible for bringing white
revolution in India and founder of worlds
largest dairy company Amul, Verghese
Kurien (90) took his last breath in a hospital
at Nadiad, on 9 September 2012. The body
of Kurien was cremated in the ultramodern
crematorium at Kailash Bhumi in the milk
capital of India- Anand, Gujarat in presence

of his admirers and staff members of milk
cooperatives.
DR. KC ABRAHAM AWARDED

WITH BUSINESS EXCELLENCE
AWARD
Managing
Director
of
Kunnath
Pharmaceuticals and the producer of world
famous Musli Power X-tra won Switzerland
Business Excellence Award 2012 on 8
September 2012 at Zurich, Switzerland. He
got shortlisted for the award because of his
visionary leadership skill, hard working
nature and dedication. The award has
helped Kunnath Pharmaceutical to become
a name of rapport across the nation.
GAURAV SHUMSHER RANA

BECAME NEPALS ARMY
CHIEF
Gaurav Shumsher Rana an India-educated
lieutenant general took over the position of
Nepals Army Chief, on 6 September 2012.
He has served Nepals army for 39 years
ever since his recruitment in 1970. Ranas
appointment is a result of cabinet decision
following a proposal made by the ex-army
chief Gen Chhatra Man Singh Gurung to the
President Ram Baran Yadav, as a successor
to him.
SMITA SHAH TURNED UP TO

BE THE FIRST INDIAN
AMERICAN AT DNC
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Page 266
serve as a parliamentarian for Democratic

National Convention on 6 September 2012.
As per the publically available documents,
Smita has been an applauded donor to the
campaign of the Democratic Party and
Obama.
SACHIN PILOT
COMMISSIONED AS A
LIEUTENANT IN TERRITORIAL
ARMY
Indian Union Minister of state for
Telecommunication
and
Information
Technology is commissioned to be a
Lieutenant in Territorial Army on 6
September 2012. He was pipped by the
Army Chief Bikram Singh at the
commissioning ceremony organized in
South Block, at the Integrated Headquarters
of the Ministry of Defence (Army). With this
he has turned up to be a part of 124 TA
(Sikh) Battalion the one also known by the
name of Urban Concept battalion. Along
with commissioning, he will have to attend
"14 camp and 22 parade days'' in a year.
KAUSHIK BASU APPOINTED AS

WORLD BANK CHIEF
ECONOMIST
On 5 September 2012, The World Bank
appointed Kaushik Basu, as its chief
economist and senior vice president. Basu,
an Indian national and a Cornell University
professor most recently served as chief
economic adviser of the India's Union
Ministry of Finance.
Smita Shah a close supporter of US

President Barack Obama became the first
person from Indian-American origin to
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266
ADMIRAL DEVENDRA KUMAR

JOSHI TOOK OVER AS THE
NEW INDIAN NAVY CHIEF
Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi (DK Joshi)
took over as the new Indian Navy chief on
31 August 2012. He is the 21st Chief of
Naval Staff of Independent India and the
19th Indian to command the Indian Navy.
He succeeded Admiral Nirmal Verma.
DK Joshi has commanded several naval
ships which includes aircraft carrier INS
Virat. He was also the chief of Eastern Fleet.
He specializes in anti-submarine warfare.
During his tenure, the Navy will start 13000
crore rupees phase II expansion of Project
Seabird, the naval harbour under
construction near Goa.
RAGHURAM RAJAN TOOK

OVER AS THE CHIEF
ECONOMIC ADVISOR OF IN
UNION FINANCE MINISTRY
INDIAN AMERICAN KARL

MEHTA WAS SELECTED TO
WORK ON FIVE HIGH-IMPACT
PROJECTS
Indian-American entrepreneur Karl Mehta
was selected among the 18Presidential
Innovation Fellows who would work on five
high-impact projects in the US capital
Washington DC.
Selected from an applicant pool of nearly
700 innovators from across the country, the
Fellows would spend six months in
Washington DC to work on five high-impact
projects
aimed
at
supporting
entrepreneurs, small businesses and the
economy, while significantly improving how
the Federal Government serves the
American people.
VETERAN ACTOR AK HANGAL

PASSED AWAY IN MUMBAI
Raghuram Rajan, former chief economist

of International Monetary Fund (IMF) took
over as the Chief Economic Advisor in the
Finance Ministry on 29 August 2012. The
Appointments Committee of Cabinet had
cleared the appointment of Rajan as the
new CEA on 10 August 2012. The position
was lying vacant since Kaushik Basu
demitted the office on 31 July 2012.
Raghuram Rajan has already been serving
as the Honorary Economic Advisor to the
Prime Minister, the position he was given
in November 2008. He also headed High
Level Committee on Financial Sector
Reforms in 2007.
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267
Veteran actor Avatar Krishan Hangal,

popularly called AK Hangal, passed away in
Mumbai on 26 August 2012 after prolonged
illness. He was 97. In a career spanning
nearly 40 years Hangal worked in around
225 films. A devoted artist, he also worked
in numerous theatre plays and TV Series.
PM NAIR APPOINTED THE

DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
NATIONAL DISASTER
RESPONSE FORCE & CIVIL
DEFENCE
The Ministry of Home Affairs on 27 August
2012 appointed P M Nair as the Director

General, National Disaster Response Force
& Civil Defence (NDRF & CD). The
appointment will be effective from the date
of his taking over the charge of the post and
until his superannuation on 31 May 2013 or
until further orders, whichever is earlier.
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Kurien has been the member of national

parliament for the last three decades
representing Idukki, and Mavelikkara Lok
Sabha constituencies. Since 2005 he is a
member of the Rajya Sabha.
G ASHOK KUMAR TOOK OVER

AS THE SOUTHERN NAVAL
COMMAND CHIEF
LAKHDAR BRAHIMI WAS

APPOINTED THE NEW UN
ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY FOR
SYRIA
Rear Admiral G Ashok Kumar assumed the

charge as the Southern Naval Command
Chief, Kochi on 28 August 2012. Prior to this
this, Kumar was serving as the Flag Officer
at Sea Training, Kochi, where he was
responsible for preparing all major warships
for combat readiness. A specialist in
navigation and direction, he commanded
INS Kulish and INS Ranvir.
Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi was

appointed the new UN-Arab League envoy
for Syria on 17 August 2012. He will succeed
Kofi Annan, who resigned earlier this month
after his six-point peace plan failed to
achieve a meaningful cease-fire. Lakhdar
Brahimi will be known as the Joint Special
Representative for Syria.
ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER

MELES ZENAVI PASSED AWAY
Meles Zenavi, the Ethiopian Prime Minister,
passed away on 20 August 2012 following
prolonged illness. He was 57. Deputy Prime
Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who is also
Ethiopia's foreign minister, will assume the
charge as the acting Prime Minister of the
country.
PJ KURIEN ELECTED THE

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF RAJYA
SABHA
Congress leader PJ Kurien was unanimously
elected the Deputy Chairman of Rajya
Sabha. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
moved the motion for the election of
Kurien.
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268
WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN

ASSANGE WOULD BE
GRANTED POLITICAL ASYLUM
BY ECUADOR
The foreign ministry of Ecuador announced
that Ecuador would be granting Wikileaks
co-founder Julian Assange a political asylum
on 16 August 2012.
Assange shot to fame in the year 2010 after
he leaked a number of US diplomatic cables
and videos regarding the war in Iraq and
Afghanistan through Wikileaks. Following
the incident, USA and other countries
whose secrets were divulged jumped into
considerable action. Assange and his team
argue that the alleged sex crimes
allegations and these accusations are
untrue and falsely built up.
August 2012. The position was lying vacant

since Kaushik Basu demitted the office on
31 July 2012.
PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT
HONOURED GOPI CHAND
NARANG WITH SITARA-IIMTIAZ
Pakistan government on 14 August 2012
honoured Urdu author, Gopi Chand Narang
with sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third highest civilian
honour given by the nation. In the past,
former Prime Minister Morarji Desai and
matinee idol Dilip Kumar were bestowed
Pakistan's highest civilian honour, Nishan-iImtiaz. The award will be given to Gopi
Chand Narang in Pakistan on 23 March,
2013, Pakistan's Republic Day.
UNION MINISTER FOR

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
VILASRAO DESHMUKH
PASSED AWAY
Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh, the Union
Minister for Science and Technology and
Earth Sciences died of multiple organ failure
at the Global Health City Hospital in
Chennai on 14 August 2012. He was 67. He
was admitted to hospital on 6 August after
his kidney and lever stopped to work.
RAGHURAM RAJAN
APPOINTED THE NEW CHIEF
ECONOMIC ADVISOR IN THE
FINANCE MINISTRY
Raghuram Rajan, former chief economist of
International Monetary Fund (IMF) was
appointed as the Chief Economic Advisor in
the Finance Ministry. The Appointments
Committee of Cabinet cleared the
appointment of Rajan as the new CEA on 10
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269
SYED NASIM AHMED ZAIDI

APPOINTED NEW ELECTION
COMMISSIONER
Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi, a 1976 batch IAS
officer of UP cadre, was appointed as an
Election Commissioner on 7 August 2012.
His appointment was approved by President
Pranab Mukherjee. Zaidi had retired as Civil
Aviation Secretary on 31 July 2012.
KOFI ANNAN QUIT AS THE UN

SPECIAL ENVOY TO SYRIA
Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
on 2 August 2012 stepped down as the UN
special envoy to Syria. Annan formally
informed UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon and the Secretary-General of the
League of Arab States, Nabil El Araby about
his decision. His appointment for the highprofile as the UN peace interlocutor was set
to expire on 31 August 2012.
KAUSHIK BASU ENDED

TENURE AS THE CHIEF
ECONOMIC ADVISOR IN NEW
DELHI
Kaushik Basu ended his tenure as Indias
Chief Economic Advisor on 31 July 2012. A
professor from Cornell University, he held
the position for two and a half years at the
North-Block, New Delhi.
Prior to his stint as the economic advisor,
Basu was the Chairman of the Department

of Economics in the year 2009 and between
2006-09. He was the Director of the Center
for Analytic Economics at Cornell. He at
present is the fourth President of the
Human Development and Capabilities
Association, which was founded by Amartya
Sen.
DAVE BRUBECK, THE

RENOWNED JAZZ PIANIST
AND COMPOSER DIED AT 91
Dave Brubeck, the renowned Jazz pianist
died on 5 December 2012 due to heart
failure. He was 91 when he died and just a
day away from the 92nd birthday.
His experiments in style as well as rhythm
won him a million jazz fans. Dave Brubeck
died at a hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut
while visiting cardiologist. He had also won
various awards during his career which
spanned over six decades.
The Library of Congress designated him as
the Living Legend. The 1959 album called
Time Out was the first million-selling Jazz
album of the modern times.
OLDEST PERSON OF THE

WORLD, BESSE COOPER DIED
AT 116
Besse Cooper, the woman listed as the
oldest person of the world died on 4
December 2012 in Georgia nursing home at
116 years of age. Besse Cooper had died
peacefully in Monroe. Besse was recently
taken ill with the stomach virus.
Besse Cooper was declared as the oldest
person of the world in January 2011 by the
Guinness World Records.
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270
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She was also the first Georgian who had

world record with her. The birth place of
Besse was Tennessee and she had moved
during the First World War to Georgia.
Guinness World Records declared that as of
now, merely 8 people have reached the age
of 116. Besse Cooper held this title of oldest
person of the world since 2011. She
explained her secret of living for such a long
time, to Guinness World Records. She
explained that she didnt eat junk food.
Who is the worlds oldest person now?
After the death of Besse Cooper, the title of
oldest person of the world now goes to
Dina Manfredini of Johnston who is aged
115 years of age.
S. RAMAKRISHNAN TOOK
OVER AS DIRECTOR OF
VIKRAM SARABHAI SPACE
CENTRE
A senior Scientist from ISRO, S.
Ramakrishnan took over as the Director of
the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC),
Thiruvananthapuram in the first week of
January 2013. Ramakrishnan carries a four
decades of experience in rocketry and
headed the Liquid Propulsion Systems
Centre (LPSC) at ISRO. He replaced P S
Veeraraghavan.
SYED ASIF IBRAHIM TOOK

OVER AS THE DIRECTOR OF
INTELLIGENCE BUREAU
Syed Asif Ibrahim, the 1977 Madhya
Pradesh cadre IPS officer took over the
office of Intelligence Bureau as a director on

1 January 2013 from Nehchal Sandhu. Alok
Joshi, the Haryana cadre IPS officer on the
other hand took over the office of RAW as
the director on 31 December 2012.
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freedom fighter were performed at the

Manikarnika Ghat of Varanashi with full
state honour.
VIOLIN MAESTRO M.S.

GOPALAKRISHNAN DIED AT
THE AGE OF 82
URJIT PATEL WAS APPOINTED

AS THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR
OF THE RESERVE BANK OF
INDIA
Urjit Patel was appointed as the Deputy
Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on 3
January 2013. Urjit Patel succeeds Subir
Gokarn, who handled Monetary Policy in
RBI. The three-year term of Subir Gokarn
terminated in November 2012 but he was
given an extension which ended finally on
31 December 2012.
Padma Bhushan M.S. Gopalakrishnan, the

Violin maestro died on 3 January 2012 at
the age of 82. He died with the complaints
of breathlessness and a brief illness. The
violinist was an expert in Hindustani and
Carnatic systems of classical music. He is
now survived by his wife and a violinist son
and daughter M Narmada and Suresh
Respectively and another daughter Latha.
MUKESH AMBANI DECLARED

18TH RICHEST MAN IN THE
WORLD; RETAINS POSITION
AS RICHEST INDIAN
PM MANMOHAN SINGH
BECAME THE 19TH MOST
FOLLOWED LEADER ON
TWITTER
Mukesh Ambani, the Indian business tycoon

is the 18th richest person of the world
having personal wealth of 24.7 billion dollar
in 2012, as per the Bloomberg Billionaires
Index, which is the daily ranking that
describes 100 wealthiest individuals of the
world.
As per Digital Policy Council (DPC), PM

Manmohan Singh became the 19th most
followed leader of the world on Twitter. PM
Manmohan Singh is ahead of David
Cameron and Julia Gillard, both of who
were left behind in less than 12 months
time.
FREEDOM FIGHTER PANDIT

RAM SANEHI SHUKLA DIED
GERDA LERNER, THE

WOMENS HISTORY PIONEER
DIED AT 92
Pandit Ram Sanehi Shukla, the veteran

freedom fighter died at the age of 98 at
Sahebpur Village under Madiyahon tehsil
on 3 January 2013. Shukla, who was a
disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, died after
surviving a long illness. The last rites of the
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271
Gerda Lerner, the leader in womens history

as well as the founding member of National
Organization for Woman died on 2 January
2013 at Wisconsin. She was aged 92 years.
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Lerner died in peace at the assisted-living

facility in the city of Madison. She founded
the doctoral programme in the womens
history in Madison at the University of
Wisconsin.
to look into and suggest the measures that

can be taken for cost cutting as well as
optimal utilization of resources in Air India.
The committee would be headed by
Ravindra Dholkia of IIM, Ahmedabad.
US PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA RE NOMINATED
INDIAN AMERICAN SRIKANTH
SRINIVASAN AS FEDERAL
JUDGE
The Ministry has provided a two months

time to Dholkia and the committee to
submit its report along with interim
recommendations,
for
immediate
implementation.
Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan on 4th

January 2013 re-nominated by US President
Barack Obama as Federal Judge for the
District of Columbia Circuit.
Srikanth Srinivasan is among the 33 federal
judges re-nominated by the President
Barack Obama for the US Court of Appeals
and the only Indian American re-nominated
by Obama for the District of Columbia
Circuit.
FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN

BOWLER NEIL ADCOCK DIED
AT THE AGE OF 81
Former South Africa fast bowler, Neil
Adcock died on 6 January 2013 at the age of
81 in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal province of
South Africa. He had pneumonia and was
also suffering from cancer for a long period
of time.
RAVINDRA DHOLKIA TO HEAD

FIVE-MEMBER COMMITTEE
OF AIR INDIA
The Ministry of Civil Aviation on 3 January
2013 constituted a five-member committee
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272
JUSTICE D.K. JAIN APPOINTED

AS THE CHAIRMAN OF LAW
COMMISSION
Union Government of India on 7 January
2012 appointed Justice D.K. Jain as
Chairman of the 20th Law Commission of
India. Justice Jain would take on the chair of
the Chairman of the Law Commission on 24
January 2012 after he retires of a Judge of
Supreme Court on the same day. The Law
Commission is responsible for offering
advices on complex issues to the
Government. He would be heading the
commission as its chief for a period of
three-years from the date of being in the
office.
20th Law Commission of India
The 20th Law Commission of India was
constituted with the Order of the
Government of India with effect from 1
September 2012. The functioning of the
commission would end on 31 August 2012.
The commission would be responsible for
identification of obsolete laws and suggest
measures suitable for quick grievance
handling and redressal of the citizens. It
would also be examining the laws that
effects poor and suggest measures which
would help in harnessing the law and the

legal process for the economically weaker
and poor section of the society.
CHIEF MINISTER OF
JHARKHAND ARJUN MUNDA
RESIGNED
The Arjun Munda Ministry in Jharkhand on
8 January 2013 resigned and recommended
dissolution of the two-year-old Assembly to
the governor in Ranchi.
The decision of his resignation came after
his coalition partner, the Jharkhand Mukti
Morcha (JMM), decided to withdraw its
support from the 28-month-long BJP-led
coalition government.
AKBARUDDIN OWAISI
ARRESTED FOR DELIVERING
HATE SPEECH; FACES
SEVERAL OTHER CHARGES
Akbaruddin Owaisi, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul
Muslimeen (MIM) MLA who was indicted of
making hate speech was arrested on 8
January 2013 after going through the
medical tests in government hospital in
Hyderabad. The MLA on 7 January 2013
sought time of four days for appearing in
front of the police on certain medical
grounds.
The MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi is facing
charges which range from sedition to
waging a war against the state. He was
booked on 3 January 2013 under two
different sections of the Indian Penal Code
(IPC) by the police in Nirmal Town, 200 km
away from Hyderabad.
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CHIEF MINISTER OF GUJARAT

NARENDRA MODI
INAUGURATED 6TH VIBRANT
GUJARAT SUMMIT
Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi on
8 January 2013 inaugurated the biennial
(held every second year) Vibrant Gujarat
Global Investors meet by throwing open a
mega trade exhibition that has over one
thousand firms from as many as 16
countries displaying their products.
About Vibrant Gujarat summit
Vibrant Gujarat is the name given to a
biennial investors' summit held by the
government of Gujarat. The Global Trade
Show is an integral component of Vibrant
Gujarat Summit. This platform offers a
unique opportunity to corporate houses,
institutions and industrial giants to
showcase their innovations, products and
services to a large gathering of Indian and
global summit delegates and also allows
having meaningful business-to-business
interactions resulting in serious business
and trade opportunities.
AIR MARSHAL KULWANT

SINGH GILL TOOK OVER AS
THE COMMANDANT OF NDA
Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill on 8 January
2013 took over the charge of National
Defence Academy, Khadakwasla as its new
Commandant. Kulwant Singh replaced
outgoing Lt. Gen Ashok Singh to take over
this post.
RAJIV TAKRU APPOINTED

SECRETARY OF FINANCIAL
SERVICES IN THE FINANCE
MINISTRY
Rajiv Takru, the Senior IAS officer on 9
January 2013 promoted and appointed as
Secretary of Financial Services in the
Finance Ministry.
Rajiv Takru was promoted from his present
post of Additional Secretary and Financial
Adviser in the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare. The job of Rajiv Takru is that of
looking after the functioning of banks,
insurance companies and other financial
institutions.
BRIJ BIHARI LAL BUTAIL

ELECTED AS THE SPEAKER OF
HIMACHAL PRADESH
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Brij Bihari Lal Butail was unanimously
elected as the new speaker of Himachal
Pradesh Legislative Assembly on 9 January
2013. Brij Bihari Lal Butail is the five-time
MLA as well as Senior Congress leader.
Butail was elected as the speaker
unananimously after the BJP decided that
none of its candidate should field for this
designation, leaving him as the only choice.
INTERNET ACTIVIST AND COFOUNDER OF REDITT, AARON

SWARTH COMMITTED
SUICIDE
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Aaron Swarth, the internet activist and cofounder of Reditt committed suicide by
hanging himself on 11 January 2013. The 26
years old computer genius was the
developer of the early version of the RSS
(Rich Site Summary) web feed system was
facing federal criminal charges in cases of a
controversial fraud and hacking allegations.
He was largely credited as the co-author of
the specifications of the RSS 1.0 web feed
format at the age of 14. RSS feed generally
is a format that supports the users to find
out content from the sites, where updates
keeps on changing regularly like a news
website or a blog.
RUSI FRAMROZE SURTI,

FORMER TEST CRICKETER
DIED AT 76
Rusi Framroze Surti, the former all-rounder
of India from Surat died on 13 January 2013
in Mumbai. Surti was aged 76 years. Surti
was often also called poor man's Garry
Sobers and played 26 Test matches for India
from the time period of 1960 to 1969. He
played for Rajasthan as well as Gujarat in
Ranji Trophy. In Sheffield Shield, he
represented Queensland 35 times.
KAMAL NATH ELECTED AS

THE LEADER OF INDIAN
DELEGATION FOR WORLD
ECONOMIC FORUM 2013
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh elected
Kamal Nath, the Union Minister for Urban
Development and Parliamentary Affairs, as
a leader of Indian delegation for annual
meetings for World Economic Forum which
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274

will be held in Davos from 23 to 27 January
2013.
There will be other three members in the
delegation and these involve Power
Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Heavy
Industry Minister Praful Patel and
Commerce & Industry Minister Anand
Sharma.
TAHAWWUR RANA
SENTENCED 14 YEARS IN JAIL
BY THE FEDERAL COURT
claimed that the crime in the newspaper

building at Copenhagen and the act of
beheading the hostages and throwing the
heads out of the windows to create a
situation of panic was very serious. Rana
being aware about Headleys involvement
in the Mumbai Attack was the proof of the
murderous potential of him. The Federal
Court Judge also added post-prison
supervision for five years of Rana in his
sentence.
Tahawwur Rana
Tahawwur Rana, the Chicago based

businessman and immigration consultant
was sentenced for 14 years in Jail by the
Federal Judge of US. He was sentenced by
the court for his alleged involvement in
supporting the terrorist group from
Pakistan, which worked with the
intelligence service of Pakistan and carried
out the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks in 2008. He
was also a convict for a Denmark strike in a
Jyllands-Posten a Danish newspaper that
published cartoons of the Prophet
Mohammed.
The court described Rana as a partner in
crime of Mumbai Attacks, when 166 people
were killed and among them six were
Americans. The trails undertaken in the
year 2011 identified string evidences
against the Spy Agency of Pakistan the
Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI)
of playing a direct role in the operations
that was planned and designed to kill
people from west and the US.
The sentence was pronounced by U.S.
District Judge Harry Leinenweber and he
chose a punishment that was higher than
the minimum 11 years in prison under the
guidelines of federal sentencing. The Judge
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275
He is a Pakistani Canadian resident in

Chicago and a business man who dealt in
immigration services. He was arrested in
October 2009 on the issue of his alleged
involvement in Mumbai Attack in 2008 and
in 2011 was convicted for providing support
to the militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba
in its plot against the Danish News Paper
Jyllands-Posten.
SSPI TO HONOUR PROF. U R

RAO BY INDUCTING HIM AS A
MEMBER TO THE SATELLITE
HALL OF FAME
The Society of Satellite Professionals
International (SSPI) would honour, the
Former Chairman of ISRO and Secretary
Department of Space, Professor U R Rao by
inducting him as the member of the
prestigious Satellite Hall of Fame,
Washington.
His induction to the Satellite Hall of Fame is
scheduled for 19 March 2013 in a gala
function that is to be organised at
Washington, D.C. USA. After being inducted
into the hall of fame, Prof. Rao would be
joining the list of illustrious space scientists

like Dr. James A. Van Allen, Dr. William
Pritchard, Dr. Harold Rosen, Dr. Joseph V.
Charyk, Arthur C Clarke, Santiago Astrain
and others.
SSPI Hall of Fame
The Society of Satellite Professionals
International (SSPI), since 1987 has been in
the process of recognizing the invaluable
contributions of the people involved in
transforming the life on earth and upgraded
it via satellite technology. The pioneers of
communication as well as satellite based
aerospace
scientific
research
and
development for delivery of business
related applications for government and
institutions via satellite are selected as
members of the Satellite Hall of Fame.
RAHUL GANDHI APPOINTED

AS THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Kalyan Singh merged his Jan Kranti Party

with BJP, restrained himself from Joining
Kalyan Singh, the former Chief Minister of
Uttar Pradesh on 21 January 2013 merged
his Jan Kranti Party with Bhartiya Janta
Party. Singh merged his party with BJP
during the Atal Shankhnaad Rally of BJP in
Lucknows Jhelum Park.
His resignation from the Parliament would
have created a space for by-elections for
the Etah Seat. Kalyan Singh left BJP before
the Lok Sabha Elections of 2009 due to the
differences with the senior leaders of BJP.
Anti-Defection Law
The
Constitution
(Fifty-Second
Amendment) Act, 1985 Tenth Schedule, of
the Defection Laws Articles 102(2) and
191(2)].
The provisions as to disqualification on
ground of defection includes
Rahul Gandhi on 19 January 2013 was

formally elevated and was appointed at the
position of party Vice-President of Congress
at the Chintan Shivir organised at Jaipur in
January 2013. With this appointment, Rahul
Gandhi took over the second highest chair
of the oldest political party of the nation,
just after the party-president and her
mother Sonia Gandhi. His appointment to
the post came up following the decision
made by the Congress Working Committee,
the party's highest decision making body.
Congress Vice Presidents in the Post
Independent India
Arjun Singh in 1986 was designated
as the first Vice-President of the
party
Jitendra Prasada was appointed as
the party Vice-President in 1997
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276
Disqualification on ground of defection (1) Subject to the provisions of

paragraphs 3, 4 and 5, a member of a House
belonging to any political party shall be
disqualified for being a member of the
House(a) If he has voluntarily given up his
membership of such political party; or
(b) If he votes or abstains from voting in
such House contrary to any direction issued
by the political party to which he belongs or
by any person or authority authorised by
it in this behalf, without obtaining, in
either case, the prior permission of such
political party, person or authority and
such voting or abstention has not been
condoned by such political party, person or

authority within fifteen days from the date
of such voting or abstention.
BHUTAN KING TO BE THE

CHIEF GUEST AT INDIAS
REPUBLIC DAY FOR THE YEAR
2013
Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel
Wangchuck is to be the chief guest at the
Republic Day parade for the year 2013. The
Bhutan King is also to be the chief guest at
the Confederation of Indian Industry
Partnership Summit-2013 to be held at Agra
from 27th to 29 January 2013.
JBT TEACHERS RECRUITMENT

SCAM: CHAUTALA AND SON
SENTENCED 10 YEARS IN
PRISON
The Delhi Court on 22 January 2013
sentenced 10 years in prison for the former
Chief Minister of Haryana and the leader of
the National Lok Dal (INLD) Om Prakash
Chautala and his Son Ajay Singh Chautala,
who is an MLA from Dabwali constituency.
The two along with 53 others have been
sentenced for their alleged involvement in
the Junior Basic Trained (JBT) teachers
recruitment scam in which 3,206 JBT
teachers were recruited illegally in the state
in the year 2000.
RAJNATH SINGH ELECTED AS

THE NEW NATIONAL
PRESIDENT OF BHARTIYA
JANATA PARTY
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Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on 23 January

2013 elected Rajnath Singh as its new
President. His appointment to the post was
announced by Thawar Chand Gehlot, the
Central Election Officer at the headquarters
of the party, at New Delhi.
Rajnath Singh replaced Nitin Gadkari, who
served the party as its President for a
period of three years from December 2009
to January 2013.
UDDHAV THACKERAY
APPOINTED AS THE PARTY
PRESIDENT OF SHIV SENA
Uddhav Thackeray on 23 January 2013 was
elected as the Party President for Shiv Sena
during the National Executive Meet of the
party held at Sena Bhawan, partys
headquarters at Dadar in Central Mumbai.
He was elected to the post of the President
of the Party on the day of birth anniversary
of the party supremo and his father, Bal
Thackeray.
U.S. FEDERAL COURT

SENTENCED 35 YEARS IN
PRISON FOR DAVID COLEMAN
HEADLEY
David Coleman Headley, the PakistaniAmerican and the mastermind of the 26/11
Mumbai Terror Attack 2008 was sentenced
to 35 years in Prison on 24 January 2013 by
a U.S. Court. The Court sentence would be
followed by a five years of supervised
release.
The sentence was pronounced by the U.S.
Federal District Court Judge Harry
Leinenweber, who said that Headley was a
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277

terrorist and numerous crimes were
committed by Headley but his confessions
turned up to be the reason that lenient
sentences were issued for him.
It was admitted by the U.S. Government
that the nature of role played by Headley in
26/11 attacks were deplorable and the
prosecution pressed for a sentence of 30 to
35 years for him. The death penalty and
extradition options were dropped because
of the cooperation shown by him. Headley,
under a deal with U.S. Government supplied
major information about the terror
suspects, which was really helpful in
carrying on the investigation and bring
defendants like Ilyas Kashmiri, Tahawwur
Rana and other Pakistan-based operatives
under criminal charges.
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became the first human to land on the

moon on 20 July 1969. Right after he
stepped on the surface of moon, Armstrong
uttered that famous sentence "That's one
small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind."
David Coleman Headley

David Coleman Headley is a Chicago based
Pakistani-American, who was involved as a
mastermind in Mumbai Terror Attack and
many other terrorist activities.
He is
accused of carrying on the spying mission
during the terror attacks of Mumbai in
which 166 people died. In 2009 he was the
mastermind to plan the attack on the
Danish Newspaper, Jyllands-Posten.
US ASTRONAUT NEIL ALDEN

ARMSTRONG PASSED AWAY
Neil Alden Armstrong, the US Astronaut,
who got his name written in the history of
mankind after he became the first person
on the Earth to walk on the surface of
moon, passed away on 25 August 2012. He
was 82.
At the age of 38, Armstrong, as the
commander of the Apollo 11 mission,
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278
CHAPTER 9:
INSTITUTION AND
AGENCIES
Page 279
Social & Healthy Action for Rural

Empowerment
is
the
national
organisation
working
towards
betterment of disadvantaged and
underprivileged sections of remote hilly
areas of India was given the status with
UN as well.
India and International Services
Association, whose main concern is the
development
of
vulnerable
communities as well as the sustainable
health.
SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE
STATUS WITH UNO
ACCORDED TO SIX INDIAN
NGOS
Six Indian NGOs or non-governmental

organisations working towards upliftment of
poor, Dalits as well as women were approved
by the Committee on Non-Governmental
Organizations for consultative status with the
UN. The committee is a part of Economic and
Social Council of the United Nations. The
consultative status was given during the annual
ongoing session of the world body panel in the
week dated 21 January 2013 to 27 January
2013.
ABOUT THE COMMITTEE ON

GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
NGO THAT ENJOY SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE

STATUS
Action of Human Movement (AHM) that

works towards improving the living
conditions of the poor in rural Tamil
Nadu.
Centre for Community Economics &
Development Consultants Society that
works towards empowering the partner
communities, small and marginal
farmers, Dalits, landless people, castes
and tribes and the deprived children
and women.
Chaithanya
Samskarika
Vedi
Chennayangaloor P.O. that helps in
promotion of development through
financial as well as other aid to poor.
Ekta Welfare Society which is a national
organisation
for
socio-economic
development, world unity and peace
was also accorded with this status.
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NON-
The Committee on Non-Governmental

Organizations, has as of now, accorded this
special status to ove3500 NGOs from the
world. This committee includes 19
members, all of which are chosen on the
grounds
of
equitable
geographical
representation. The committee is chaired
by Bulgaria and at present, its members for
the time period of 2011-2014 include
Venezuela, US, Turkey, Sudan, Russia,
Senegal, Morocco, Mozambique, Belgium,
Burundi, India, Israel, China, Cuba,
Pakistan, Peru, Kyrgyzstan and Nicaragua.
The committee has two-week session
which began on 21 January 2013 and will
conclude on 8 February 2013. In 2013, the
committee received application for the
special status from 600 NGOs which is a
record in itself.
BROADBAND NETWORK PACT

SIGNED WITH 16 STATES AND
UT GOVERNMENT

The central government on 26 October
2012 signed a tripartite pact with 16 state
and UT governments for laying digital
highway and also formed a special purpose
vehicle BBNL for facilitating connection to
every gram Panchayat with broadband
network.
The states which signed the pact include
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerela, Madhya Pradesh,
Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Also, the
three union territories Dadar and Nagar
Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry also
signed the agreement.
The Memorandum of Understanding was
signed for around 140000 gram panchayats.
It is Rs 20000 crore projects and entire fund
is going to be provided by central
government. State Governments will have
to provide approvals for laying of the optic
fibre network and facilitate other measures
for expeditious rollout of the network.
By December 2013, broadband network
across the country will be completed. The
states which signed the pact constitute 60
per cent gram panchayats in the country.
Bharat Broadband Network Ltd will be
unveiling the project, which will be
executed by BSNL, RailTel and Power Grid.
Bhopal at a cost of 492 crore rupees. The

government also approved the creation of
one post of Director, CAPT in the rank of
Inspector General of Police.
The Madhya Pradesh government will
provide about 400 acres of land in Bhopal
for setting up the academy.
UNION GOVERNMENT
DECIDED TO LAUNCH
SAKSHAM TO EDUCATE
ADOLESCENT BOYS
The Union Ministry of Women and Child
Development on 18 September 2012
decided to launch a scheme called Saksham
to empower adolescent boys by educating
them on gender sensitivity and moral
behaviour. Saksham aims to target young
boys in the age group 10-18 years for their
holistic development by giving lessons in
gender sensitivity and inculcating in them
respect for women.
WOMEN AND CHILD

DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY
LAUNCHED A WEB PORTAL
NAMED TRACK CHILD
Track Child: The Union Women and Child
Development Ministry launched the portal
to serve as a central database of all those
children who have gone missing in
different parts of the country.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED 492 CRORE
RUPEES TO SET UP CENTRAL
ACADEMY FOR POLICE
TRAINING IN BHOPAL
The Union Government on 3 August 2012
approved the setting up of Central
Academy for Police Training (CAPT) in
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280
The Union Women and Child Development

Ministry on 18 September 2012 decided to
launch a web portal named Track Child,
which will serve as a central database of all
those children who have gone missing in
different parts of the country. The portal
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will act as a coordination mechanism

between child homes, police departments
and state governments.
As soon as a child is enlisted in a home, or
whenever a missing FIR is registered in a
police station, the details will be put on the
portal. The ministry will coordinate with
police heads, social welfare departments of
various states and other agencies to create
this mechanism. The ministry is also
considering a proposal to create a National
Institute of Women Affairs, which will serve
as a think tank for women-related matters.
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281
to conduct a survey and find out Indias

best bankers.
CHAPTER 10:
AWARDS/HONOURS
The surveyors highlighted the J&K Banks

contribution in facilitating the workings of
the economy and contributing to its growth
by
promoting
entrepreneurs
and
innovation.
THE BHILAI STEEL PLANT

WON THE PRIME MINISTERS
TROPHY FOR THE 10TH TIME
The Bhilai Steel Plant, on 24 August 2012
won the prestigious Prime Minister's
Trophy for the 10th time. Bhilai Steel plant
is the flagship unit of Indias largest public
sector steel maker, Steel Authority of India
Ltd (SAIL). It has an annual production
capacity of over 5 million tonnes.
The award includes a cash element of Rs.2
crore, is given to integrated steel plants
(ISPs) on the basis of an evaluation by a
panel of judges appointed every year. The
Prime Minister's Trophy is awarded to an
ISP based on customer satisfaction index, its
overall performance, and observations by
the panel of judges based on plant visits.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR BANK

WAS AWARDED BEST BANKER
PRIZE
Jammu and Kashmir Bank on 20 August
2012 won four national awards-The Sunday
Standard FINWIZ-2012 Best Bankers
Awards. The Bank was awarded Best Banker
in Financial Inclusion and Customer
Friendliness and declared runner up for
Best Banker in Priority Sector Growth and
Agricultural Credit.
The Sunday Standard is a part of the New
Indian Express Group which is based in
Chennai. It had engaged Indicus AnalyticsIndias premier economic research agencywww.jagranjosh.com
Page 282
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282
KRISHI KARMAN AWARDS

FOR THE YEAR 2011-2012
PRESENTED BY THE
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee
on 15 January 2013 presented the Krishi
Karman Awards for the year 2011-2012 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
Awards
Sates
The Awards for

Special Contribution
to Total Food Grains
Production
Madhya Pradesh,
Tamil
Nadu,
Manipur
and
Nagaland
Award
for Bihar
Contribution
to
Production
and
Productivity of Rice
Award
Contribution
Production
Productivity
Wheat
for Haryana
to
and
of

Award
Contribution
Production
Productivity
Pulses
for Jharkhand
to
and
of
Award
Contribution
Production
Productivity
Coarse Cereals
for Uttar Pradesh

to
and
of
SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI

FELLOWSHIPS AND AKADEMI
AWARDS FOR THE YEAR 2012
ANNOUNCED
Krishi Karman Awards

The award was instituted in the year 201011 for recognizing the meritorious efforts
made by the states in production of food
grains. The Awards include a trophy, a
citation and a cash reward of 2 crore rupees
for total food grain production and 1 crore
rupees for each of the four individual crops.
For commendation award winner the cash
prize declared is of 25 lakh rupees and for
individual farmers the prize amount is 1
lakh rupees, with a citation and a trophy.
The awards are presented in two different
sets and they are one for the total food
grain production and second for the
production of individual food grains that
includes rice, wheat, pulses and coarse
cereals.
The awards were finalized and the states
were selected by a selection committee
that was headed by the secretary of
agriculture and cooperation that accessed
the performance of states following certain
fixed criteria, which took into account the
outcomes of production, implementation of
programmes for crop production as well as
the innovative approach adopted for
delivery of effective services.
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283
The General Council of Sangeet Natak

Akademi, the National Academy of Music,
Dance and Drama, New Delhi on 21
December 2012 in a meet elected and
declared N. Rajam, T.H. Vinayakram and
Ratan Thiyam as the three eminent
personalities in the field of Arts, as Sangeet
Natak Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna).
This fellowship is the rare and most
prestigious honour, restricted to a limited
number of people at a given pint of time. At
present, there exist only 40 fellows of the
Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Thirty Six persons from field of Music,
Theater, Puppetry and Dance were also
elected by the General Council of the
Akademi for the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Awards (Akademi Puraskar) 2012. Nine
eminent artists are from the field of Music
and they are Mysore M. Nagaraja, (Violin)
and K.V. Prasad (Mridangam) for Carnatic
Instrumental Music, Sabir Khan (Tabla) and
Bahauddin Dagar (Rudra Veena) for
Hindustani Instrumental Music, O.S.
Thyagarajan for Carnatic Vocal Music,
Rajashekhar Mansur and Ajay Pohankar for
Hindustani Vocal Music, Illayaraja for
Creative and Experimental Music and Bhai
Balbir Singh Ragi (Gurbani) for other major
traditions of music.
The Akademi Award has been conferred on
people since 1952 and the Akademi Fellow
honour has been conferred since 1954. The
honour and the award is the symbol of
highest standards of excellence and
achievements on national level and also

recognises sustained work of the individual
and his/her contribution to the practice and
appreciation of arts via scholarship,
teaching and performance. Akademi
Fellowship carries a prize amount of three
lakh rupees and the Akademi Awards carry
a prize amount of one lakh rupees, besides
Tamrapatra and Angavastram.
LULA DA SILVA AWARDED

INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR
PEACE, DISARMAMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT
The former President of the Federative
Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
was awarded with Indira Gandhi Prize for
Peace, Disarmament and Development on
22 November 2012 at Rashtrapati Bhavan
by President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.
Lula was awarded for
Lula was conferred with the award for his
contribution towards elimination of hunger.
He has also brought inclusive growth in his
country. He was awarded for advocating
stronger ties among the developing
economies as well as for the signal
contribution for India-Brazil partnership.
About the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace,
Disarmament and Development
Every year, Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace,
Disarmament and Development is awarded
to person or an organisation that works
towards enlargement of scope of freedom
as well as enrichment of human spirit. The
award is conferred upon the person or an
organisation irrespective of race, religion,
nationality or other aspects. It consists of
award worth 2.5 million Rupees as well as
trophy along with citation.
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AUTAR KAW, A PROFESSOR

OF INDIAN ORIGIN WON US
PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR
AWARD-2012
Indian Born Academic, Autar Kaw, a
mechanical engineering professor at
University of South Florida (USF) on 15
November 2012 was declared winner of the
prestigious 2012 US Professor of the Year
award. Autar Kaw was conferred with the
award in the category of Outstanding
Doctoral
and
Research
Universities
Professor of the Year- for his abilities of
providing
solutions
of
complex
mathematical equations to students making
it simple by providing logical solutions to it
beyond the classroom through his website,
twitter account and lectures available on
You Tube Video.
He is also known as Methods Guy. He was
conferred with the award in the National
Press Club and the Folger Shakespeare
Library in Washington, DC along with other
three lecturers nominated from the list of
300 nominees.
About the Award
The award is given by the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching and the Council for Advancement
and Support of Education and is conferred
on the academicians with abilities of
engaging and influencing students in an
exceptional manner. This award is
considered to be the nations highest
honor for undergraduate teaching.
Page 285
Awards
Function
2011-12.
Sachin
Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and V.V.S. Laxman
were also felicitated at the award
ceremony.
THREE INDIAN WRITERS

SHORTLISTED FOR DSC SOUTH
ASIAN LITERATURE PRIZE
2013
Three Indian writers- Uday Prakash, Amitav
Ghosh and Jeet Thayil were shortlisted for
the US Dollar 50,000 DSC South Asian
Literature Prize 2013. The names of
shortlisted candidates were announced on
21 November 2012 in London. Others who
were shortlisted for the prize include
Pakistani novelists Jamil Ahmad and
Mohammed Hanif as well as Tahmina Anam
of Bangladesh. Only contender from beyond
the boundaries of Indian Subcontinent is
Jason Grunebaum who is the American
Writer, academic and translator.
Amitav Ghosh has been chosen for River of
Smoke, Jeet Thayil for the debut novel
Narcopolis and Uday Prakash for The Walls
of Delhi.
About DSC Prize for South Asian Literature
The prize was introduced in 2010 and was
described by sponsors as the first of its kind
initiative for promotion of best works in
English language fiction on South Asian
theme.
GAVASKAR CONFERRED WITH

COL. CK NAYUDU LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Lifetime Achievement Award given to

Gavaskar carried a citation, trophy and a
cheque for 25 lakh Rupees and he received
this award from the BCCI president N.
Srinivasan.
Sachin Tendulkar was honoured at the
occasion with a gold-plated bat for scoring
the century of centuries in international
cricket. Kohli was chosen as the Best Indian
International Player of the year at the
award ceremony.
MALALA YOUSAFZAI
AWARDED WITH BRAVERY
AWARD BY WORLD PEACE
AND PROSPERITY
FOUNDATION
Malala Yousafzai, on 19 November 2012
awarded by World Peace and Prosperity
Foundation
for
her
bravery
and
commitment to education for girls in
adverse conditions in Swat, Pakistan.
She was shot in the head by Taliban, and
had become the face of Pakistans struggle
against the Taliban. She is now being
treated and on the road to recovery at a
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, England.
Sunil Gavaskar, the Former Captain and

legendary opener of Indian Cricket Team on
21 November 2012 was conferred with
BCCIs prestigious Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime
Achievement Award at the BCCI Annual
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About Col. CK Nayudu and the Lifetime
Achievement Award
Col. CK Nayudu or Cottari Kanakaiya
Nayudu was the first captain of Indian
Cricket Team in Test Matches, and he
played the first class cricket for India till
1958. The ruler of Holkar in 1923 conferred
him with the honour of Colonel in Holkars
Army at Indore. Nayudu was appointed as
the first captain of Indian team for its first
test tour of England in 1932 after the
previously appointed captain and vicecaptain of the team, Maharaja of
Porbandar and Ghanshyamsinhji of Limbdi
respectively were out of the series due to
health problems.
PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA ELLEN

Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement
JOHNSON
CHOSEN
Award is the SIRLEAF
highest-revered
award for
captaincy
and lifetime
achievement
FOR
INDIRA
GANDHI
PEACE in
Indian
Cricket.
PRIZE 2012
Liberian President and Nobel laureate Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf on 19 November 2012 was
chosen for 2012 Indira Gandhi Prize for
Peace, Disarmament and Development for
being an inspiration to women and ensuring
return of peace and democracy in her
country.
The award is set up by Indira Gandhi
Memorial Trust with an international jury
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh.
The Indira Gandhi Prize is being awarded to
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for serving as an
example and inspiration to women in Africa
and beyond and for ensuring the return of
peace, democracy, development, security
and order in Liberia.
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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is the 24th

President of Liberia was commended by the
jury for her strong interest in consolidation
and improvement of Liberia's relations with
India. She was raised to the Presidency
becoming the first elected female head of
state of the African continent.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took over office as the
President of Liberia in 2006 acquiring a
legacy of distrust, disharmony and
mismanagement. She had successfully
restored financial health her country which
was on the verge of fiscal breakdown.
CHINESE FILM, 11 FLOWERS

WON NETPAC AWARD AT
KOLKATA FILM FESTIVAL
The Chinese film, 11 Flowers on 17
November 2012 won the Network for the
Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC)
Award at 18th Kolkata International Film
Festival. The film won the best film award in
Asian Select category-the only competitive
category in Kolkata International Film
Festival. A total of 13 films from 12 12 Asian
Countries were selected to compete for the
award of this category.
The film directed by the acclaimed
filmmaker Wang Xiaoshuai describes the
backdrop of the Cultural Revolution in form
of a semi-autobiographical story of the rural
Guizhou Province. Wang Jinchun and
Wenqing Liu are the lead stars of the film.
The NETPAC award is now a part of 44 film
festivals of 28 different countries across five
continents.
URDU SCHOLAR GOPI CHAND

NARANG AWARDED
inequality and the perseverance of families

striving for something better.
MOORTIDEVI AWARD FOR

2010
The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari
on 16 November 2012 presented the
Moortidevi Award for 2010 to eminent
Urdu scholar Gopi Chand Narang for his
outstanding work on Urdu Ghazal aur
Hindustani Zehan wa Tehzeeb at a function
organized by Bhartiya Jnanpith.
Gopi Chand Narang revived Urdu language
in India through his writings and he is one
of the foremost theorist, literary critic and
Urdu scholar of our country. His perceptive
writings have helped Urdu criticism
becoming more contemporary.
It is befitting that his long academic life of
excellence has been felicitated by
conferring the Moortidevi award on him.
KATHERINE BOO WON US

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR
MUMBAI BOOK
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and writer
Katherine Boo on 14 November 2012won
the national book award for nonfiction for
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death,
and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, which
sheds light on the lives of India's poor as
well as government corruption.
Behind the beautiful forever is a story of an
ambitious woman who has set her sights on
being slumlord in Annawadi, a large slum
close to Sahar International Airport in
Mumbai the story also revolves around a
boy and the harsh and illuminating after
effects of crime or perceived crime. More
broadly, the book explores themes of
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The National Book Foundation, which

administers the awards, nominated five
writers in each of four categories: fiction,
nonfiction, poetry and young people's
literature.
MADHAV CHAVAN AWARDED

THE EDUCATION NOBEL PRIZE
Dr Madhav Chavan was awarded the WISE
prize, which is known as the Nobel prize for
Education. He was felicitated on 13
November 2012 at the WISE summit in
Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The international award not only felicitated
the person himself, but also recognized his
efforts to provide lessons in literacy and
numeracy for less fortunate and
disadvantaged children and adults in India.
LITERARY CRITIC AND

EDUCATOR GAYATRI
CHAKRAVORTY SPIVAK GOT
KYOTO PRIZE
Renowned literary critic and educator
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak on 10 November
2012 was awarded the prestigious Kyoto
Prize in Kyoto.
Kyoto Prize was instituted by the Inamori
Foundation. It honours those personalities
who had significantly contributed to the
scientific, cultural and spiritual betterment
of mankind.
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, is professor at
Columbia University in the U.S. She won the
award in the Arts and Philosophy category

for her deep thinking on humanities
against intellectual colonialism in relation
to globalisation.
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak shifted the
critical theory of deconstruction into
political and social dimensions, and had
applied a sharp scalpel to intellectual
colonialism which is being reproduced in
our heavily globalised modern world, said
the Foundation.
Also, U.S. computer scientist Ivan
Sutherland, regarded as a father of
computer graphics, won the Advanced
Technology Prize while Japanese molecular
biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded
the Basic Sciences Prize.
Each laureate received a diploma, a 20K
gold Kyoto Prize medal and a cash gift of
50 million ($630,000).
SUNITA WILLIAMS VENTURED

ON 7TH SPACE WALK: SET
NEW RECORD
Indian American astronaut Sunita Williams
along with a fellow astronaut moved out of
the International Space Station on 1
November 2012.
The Expedition Commander Williams and
Aki Hoshide, Flight Engineer switched their
space suits to batter power showing the
start of the planned 6.5 hours excursion
outside the Space Station.
The NASA statement mentioned that while
the astronauts took their walk they
ventured out to the port side of the
station's truss to configure the 2B solar
array power channel's Photovoltaic
Thermal Control System (PVTCS) to support
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ground-based
ammonia leak.
troubleshooting
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of
an
Over the period of time, flight controllers at

Mission Control Houston will check
periodically if the leak continues.
This was the seventh spacewalk for Indian
astronaut Sunita Williams who holds the
record for spacewalking time with over
forty four hours during six previous
excursions.
This was the third spacewalk for Hoshide,
who holds the equivalent record for
Japanese astronauts. This is the 166th
spacewalk in support of International Space
Station assembly and maintenance and also
the 138th spacewalk from the station.
MATHURA REFINERY BAGGED

13TH ANNUAL GREENTECH
ENVIRONMENT AWARD
Indian Oil's Mathura Refinery was awarded
the Platinum Award in the 13th Annual
Greentech Environment Awards. The award
was felicitated on 31 October 2012.
Mathura Refinery was awarded in regard to
the company's outstanding achievements
and contribution to apt implementation of
environmental friendly technologies and
methodologies.
Greentech Awards is a key component that
values the need of environmental
management in business sustainability.
AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN

CONFERRED WITH FRENCH
AWARD THE KNIGHT OF THE
ORDER OF ARTS AND LETTER

The Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on 1
November 2012 was conferred with the
Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters
(Chevalier dans lOrdre des Arts et des
Lettres) by the French Ambassador to India
Franois Richier. She was awarded on
behalf of the French Authorities.
She was conferred with the award for the
contributions made by her to Indian and
World Cinema and the developments in
Indo-French cooperation in art, culture and
the most important one, Cinema.
Late Habib Tanvir, Nandita Das, Raghu Rai,
Shahrukh Khan, and Upamanyu Chatterjee
are few more Indians who had been
conferred with this prestigious French
award.
LYRICIST GULZAR CONFERRED

WITH INDIRA GANDHI
NATIONAL AWARD
Lyricist and well known poet Gulzar on 31
October 2012 awarded with Indira Gandhi
National Integration Award by congress
President Sonia Gandhi.
The award was given on the eve of 28th
death anniversary of the late Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi who was assassinated on 31
October 1984.
Marking the event, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh congratulated the poet
for the award and asserted the fact that
Gulzar Sahab is real talent and a great
personality who is spreading the message of
peace and brotherhood in the country.
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AMITABH BACHCHAN GOT

BEST TV HOST AWARD FOR
KBC
Amitabh Bachchan was rewarded as the
Best Television Host for the popular game
show Kaun Banega Crorepati by Peoples
Choice Award of Colour Television channel.
Amitabh is presently hosting Season 6 of
Kaun Banega Crorepati, which is being aired
on Sony channel. He had earlier hosted 5
seasons of KBC except for the third one,
which was hosted by Bollywood actor
Shahrukh Khan.
The first appearance of Amitabh Bachchan
on Indian television is marked with Kaun
Banega Crorepati, (KBC) which first aired in
the year 2000.
STRATEGIC THINKER AND

ANALYST BRAHMA
CHELLANEY WON BERNARD
SCHWARTZ AWARD
India's leading strategic thinker and analyst,
Brahma Chellaney on 25 October 2012 won
the 2012 Asia Society Bernard Schwartz
Book Award for his recently published book
Water: Asia's New Battleground.
Brahma Chellaney is going to be honoured
with $20,000 prize money at a special event
to be held at Asia Society's headquarters in
New York City on 23 January 2012.
The book Water: Asia's New Battleground"
by Brahma Chellaney was selected from
nearly 90 nominations submitted by US and
Asia-based publishers for books published
in 2011.

Asia Society Bernard Schwartz Book Award
was established in 2009 and is the only
award that recognizes non-fiction books for
their outstanding contributions to the
understanding of contemporary Asia or USAsia relations.
EDINBURGH NAPIER
UNIVERSITY HONOURED
SHARMILA TAGORE WITH
HONORARY DOCTORATE OF
ARTS
Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore on 25
October 2012 was awarded with
anHonorary Doctorate of Arts for her
outstanding contribution to Indian cinema
by the Edinburgh Napier University. The
Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the
University Dame Joan Stringer called her as
an excellent ambassador for the Indian
Culture.
Sharmila Tagore whose films are
appreciated and enjoyed all over the world
is also a strong advocate of educational
rights of Indian children. At present, she is a
Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF that is
working for literacy, maternal health and
AIDS-related issues and is also an active
spokesperson for Indian Children Child
Rights and YOU (CRY).
GOV. OF BANGLADESH
AWARDED BABU JAGJIVAN
RAM WITH FRIENDS OF
LIBERATION WAR HONOUR
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Liberation War Honourby the Government

of Bangladesh for his contribution in the
1971 War.
The award was received by Babuji's
grandson, Anshul Avijit at the Bangabandhu
International Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Anshul Avijit is a journalist and academician
and also the son of Speaker of the Lok
Sabha, Meira Kumar.
Babu Jagjivan Ram as the Defence Minister
of India in 1971, helped in liberation of
Bangladesh. He assured that the war for
liberation of Bangladesh ended in the
remarkably short time of 13 days.
V NARAYAN MURTHY
HONOURED WITH 2012
HOOVER MEDAL IN
WASHINGTON
V. Narayan Murthy was honoured with
2012 Hoover Medal at the Global
Humanitarian Technology Conference in
Seattle in Washington on 22 October 2012.
Murthy, who is the 70th recipient since the
medal's inception, was recognized for
establishing a foundation that forges
outstanding improvements in healthcare,
social rehabilitation, rural uplift and
education. Previous awardees include
former US presidents Herbert Hoover,
Dwight D. Eisenhower and James Earl
Carter.
Narayan Murthy co-founded Infosys limited
in 1981. He contributed significantly in
India's success in information technology
outsourcing.
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Defence

Minister of India, Babu Jagjivan Ram was
posthumously awarded with the Friends of
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BOOKS THAT WON 11TH

ECONOMIST CROSSWORD
BOOK AWARD DECLARED
Maharashtra
in
the
category
of
decentralised management, Van Utthan
Sansthan from Rajasthan in the category of
co-management and Periyar Tiger Reserve
in the protected areas category.
The Folded Earth written by Anuradha Roy

and A Free Man by Aman Sethi won the
11th Economist Crossword Book Award
that was declared on 18 October 2012 at
Mumbai.
BRITISH WRITER HILARY

MANTEL WON BOOKER PRIZE
FOR SECOND TIME
The Folded Earth was successful in securing

its position in the English Indian Fiction
Category, whereas, A Free Man by Aman
Sethi was successful in the category of
Indian Non-Fiction books.
British Writer Hilary Mantel on 16 October

2012 won the prestigious literary prize, the
Booker Prize for her novel Bring up the
Bodies, the second in a historical trilogy set
during the reign of King Henry VIII.
A Bengali short-story collection Bengali

written by Anita Agnihotri named 17 and
translated in English by Arunava Sinha and a
Malyalam Novel, The Araya Woman that
was written by Narayan and translated in
English by Catherine Thankamma were
declared as the winners of the award for
Indian Language Translation jointly. Ravi
Subramanians creation The Incredible
Banker fetched the Popular Award by its
name.
Hilary Mantel had earlier won the Booker

prize in 2009 for "Wolf Hall," the first novel
in the trilogy.
FIRST EVER INDIA

BIODIVERSITY AWARD
PRESENTED IN HYDERABAD
The Government of India in collaboration
with
United
Nation
Development
Programme
(UNDP)
announced
Biodiversity award 2012 in Hyderabad on
17 October 2012.
The winners of the awards were: Pir Jahania
Jungle Suraksha Samiti from Odisha in the
community
stewardship
category,
Shankarpur Village Gram Panchayat from
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Hilary Mantel is the third author to win the

prize twice, alongside South-African-born
J.M. Coetzee and Australian Peter Carey.
With this she also became the first British
author, and the first woman, to achieve a
double Booker Prize.
RELIANCE INDUSTRY
LIMITED'S JAMNAGAR
REFINERY BAGGED BRITISH
SAFETY COUNCIL AWARD
Reliance Industries Ltds (RIL) Jamnagar
Refinery on 15 October 2012 won the
British Safety Council's Globe of Honor
Award for excellence in Environmental
management. The award would be
presented on 23 November 2012 at
Mansion House in London.
RIL's Jamnagar SEZ Refinery is the only
Indian organisation which had made it to

the list and it is for the first time that a
Reliance Industries' manufacturing site has
grabbed this very well known award.
LLOYD SHAPLEY AND ALVIN

ROTH OF AMERICA WON
NOBEL PRIZE IN ECONOMICS
Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley of America
were awarded the Nobel economics prize
on 15 October 2012 for their work in
market design and matching theory.
The research work helps in explaining the
market processes at work, say, when
doctors are assigned to hospitals, students
to schools and human organs for transplant
to recipients.
The award was cited to the economist by
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for
the theory of stable allocations and the
practice of market design. The Royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences, which
awards the 8 million crown ($1.2 million)
prize, called their work an outstanding
example of economic engineering.
The two economists were working
independently on the same research
project. Lloyd Shapley used game theory to
study matching models, and Alvin Roth built
on them to make real-world changes to
existing markets, including school choice
and organ transplants,
Alvin Roth is a professor at Harvard and
Lloyd Shapley teaches at the University of
California in Los Angeles
The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic
Sciences was the last of the 2012 Nobel
awards to be announced.
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The economics award is not among the

original prizes created in 1895 by Swedish
industrialist Alfred Nobel to honor work in
physics, medicine, chemistry, literature and
peace. It was added as a category in 1969
by the Swedish central bank in memory of
the industrialist.
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2012

AWARDED TO EUROPEAN
UNION
The European Union (EU) won Nobel Peace
Prize 2012 on 12 October 2012 for its effort
to promote peace and democracy in
Europe. The award was announced by
Norwegian Nobel Committee.
The award was given to European Union
even though the Union is struggling with its
biggest crisis since it was created in the
1950s.
Practically, the EU was being honored for
six decades of contributions to the
advancement of peace and reconciliation,
democracy and human rights in Europe.
Different Social media exploded with strong
reactions both for and against, awarding
the prize to European Union worth 8
million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million)
The EU grew out of the tremendous
devastation created by World War II,
fuelled by the conviction that ever-closer
economic ties would make sure that
century-old enemies never turned on each
other again. The European Union is now
made up of 500 million people in 27
nations, with other nations lined up, waiting
to join.

The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in
1901 to Frdric Passy and Henry Dunant.
The 2011 Nobel peace Prize was awarded
to Leymah Gbowee of Liberia for their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women
and for women's rights to full participation
in peace-building work.
About Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually
by the Norwegian Nobel Committee to the
person who shall have done the most or
the best work for fraternity between
nations, for the abolition or reduction of
standing armies and for the holding and
promotion of peace congresses. It is one of
the five Nobel Prizes established by the
1895 will of Alfred Nobel (who died in
1896),
awarded
for
outstanding
contributions in chemistry, physics,
literature, peace, and physiology or
medicine. The recipient of Nobel Peace
Prize receives a medal, a diploma, and a
monetary award prize that has varied
throughout the years.
And, the 2010 Nobel peace Prize was
awarded to Liu Xiaobo of China for his his
long and non-violent struggle for
fundamental human rights in China.
MO YAN A CHINESE WRITER

WON THE 2012 NOBEL PRIZE
FOR LITERATURE
Mo Yan, the Chinese writer won 2012
Nobel Prize for Literature on 11 October
2012. The Swedish Academy of Stockholm
praised the Chinese writer for the writer
called his hallucinatory realism. The writer
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combines the folk stories, modern events

and the history in his works. He is the first
Chinese writer in the 111 years of Nobel
history to become a Nobel Prize winner.
Before him, Gao Xingjiana a French citizen
born in China won a Nobel in literature in
2000.
The Swedish Academy compared him with
two writers of twentieth century namely
William Faulkner from America and Gabriel
Garcia Marquez from Colombia. Mo Yan will
receive the prize medal and the prize
amount of more than 1 million $ on 10
December 2012, the death anniversary of
the prize founder, Alfred Nobel.
Mo Yan means Dont Speak. The original
name of Mo is Guan Moye. The writer
changed his name to be Mo Yan, to remind
himself of talking less to avoid the trouble
that follows. Nobel Prize for Peace 2012
would be declared on 12 October 2012.
ROBERT LEFKOWITZ AND

BRIAN KOBILKA WON NOBEL
PRIZE 2012 FOR CHEMISTRY
Robert Lefkowitz (69) and Brian Kobilka
(57), the two Americans won the Nobel
Prize 2012 for Chemistry on 10 October
2012. They won the award for their study
and research on Protein Receptors, which
allows the body to respond the signals from
outside world. The study is a key and would
pave the path for developing better drugs
to different ailments.
Lefkowitz and Kobilka from Duke University
Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina
and Stanford University School of Medicine
in Palo Alto, California respectively will be
sharing the prize amount of 8 million-krona
($1.2 million).
helped in understanding the theory of cell

and organism development.
SERGE HAROCHE AND DAVID

WINELAND WON NOBEL
PRIZE 2012 FOR PHYSICS
Serge Haroche and David Wineland of
France and US respectively, won the Nobel
Physics Prize on 9 October 2012. They
received Nobel for their work on quantum
physics, which would open a gate for
supercomputers in future. The two physics
have developed the technology for
examining
the intimate relationship
between matter and light.
This research by the duo would help in
development of precise clocks, which will
be hundred-times precise than the caesium
clocks of present-time.
The eight million Swedish Krona (1.2
millions $) would be divided in between the
two and the award was received by them
on 10 December 2012 on the death
ceremony of the Prize Founder, Alfred
Nobel.
JOHN GURDON AND SHINYA

YAMANAKA WON NOBEL
PRIZE-2012 FOR MEDICINE
John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka, the
British
and
Japanese
researchers
respectively on 8 October 2012 won the
Nobel Prize-2012 in Medicine. They were
awarded with the prize for the discovery of
reprogramming the specialised and
matured cells of the body into blank slate
and this may one day this can start
repairing the damaged organs. The Prize
committee based in Karnolinska Institute at
Stockholm stated that this discovery has
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294
The discovery has turned up to be a tool for

the scientists round the world allowing
them to make remarkable progress in
different areas of medicine and can help in
tissue transplantation for treatment of
diseases like Diabetes and Parkinson.
The Nobel Prize in Medicine sector is the
first announcement made for the year. The
declared prize was handed out to their
respective winners on the death
anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel
on 10 December 2012.
FORTIS ESCORTS WON FICCI

HEALTHCARE EXCELLENCE
AWARD 2012
FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award-2012
went to the Jaipur based Fortis Escorts
hospital for its operational excellence in the
category of private hospital with multispecialty hundred beds. The Federation of
Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
has instituted this award for felicitation of
the individuals and institutions for their
contribution in increasing the efficiency of
health care by imparting innovative steps.
The laid norms were specified by the
Quality Council of India.
SHERYL KUMAR WAS

CROWNED AS MISS INDIA FIJI
2012
Sheryl Kumar was crowned Miss India Fiji
2012 at a glittering ceremony in Suva on 8
September 2012. Sheryl beat nine other
contestants to win the title. She is now

preparing for the Miss India Worldwide
pageant to be held in Kuala Lumpur in
March 2013.
Sheryl also won the Pure Fiji Beautiful Skin
award at the event.
JEET THAYIL SHORTLISTED

FOR THE MAN BOOKER FOR
HIS DEBUT NOVEL
NARCOPOLIS
Mukherjee was picked for the award for her

work in transforming access to water for
thousands of farmers in West Bengal. The
award will be formally presented to
Mukherji on 17 October 2012 in Des
Moines, Iowa, US.
DELHI GOVERNMENT
PRESENTED LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Jeet Thayil, 53 years has been shortlisted

for 50,000 the Man Booker Prize for the
year 2012 on 11 September 2012. The
Kerela born novelist and poet was chosen
for the prize for his debut novel Narcopolis.
Before this in the year 2008, Arvind Adiga
won the booker prize for his debut novel
The White Tiger.
PIETA THE SOUTH KOREAN

FILM WON GOLDEN LION
VENICE TOP PRIZE
The Golden Lion Prize for best movie was
given to the South Korean Movie, Pieta
directed by Kim Ki-duk at the 69th Venice
Film Festival on 8 September 2012. The
Master by Paul Thomas Anderson walked
off with two major awards namely, Special
Jury Award and Best Actor for Joaquin
Phoenix.
ADITI MUKHERJEE WON THE

PRESTIGIOUS NORMAN
BORLAUG AWARD
Aditi Mukherjee, a Delhi based scientist,
won the prestigious Norman Borlaug Award
in Field Research and Application.
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295
Celebrated Sarod exponent Amjad Ali

Khan, vocalist Girija Devi and famous
writer Ruskin Bond were conferred the
Delhi government's Lifetime Achievement
Awards on 24 August 2012. Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit presented the award
acknowledging
the
outstanding
contribution of the awardees to their
respective fields at the national and
international level. The award was
consisted of a cash prize of 11 lakh rupees
and a citation.
The award was instituted by the Delhi
government's Sahitya Kala Parishad in 2004
to felicitate on eminent personalities for
their outstanding contributions to the fields
of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, sports
and literature.
Bhimsen Joshi, MS Subbulakshmi, Zohra
Sehgal, Kapila Vatsayan, Rahim Fahimuddin
Dagar, Ebrahim Alkazi, Habib Tanvir,
Vishwanathan Anand and Ram Kumar are
some of the noted recipients of the award.
SIX TOP SPORTING COACHES

TO RECEIVE DRONACHARYA
AWARD FOR 2012

The names of six sporting coaches were
recommended for the Dronacharya Awards
for the year 2012. Wrestling Coach Yashvir
Singh, Boxing Coach BI Fernandez, Athletics
Coach Virender Poonia, Kabaddi Coach Sunil
Davas, Parathletics Coach Dr. Satyapaul and
Hockey Coach Harinder Singh are the six
coaches who have been selected for the
coveted award, given to the coach of
different sports, for their excellent
contribution to the sports.
CHARLES L BENNETT
RECEIVED THE GRUBER
COSMOLOGY PRIZE 2012
Charles L Bennett, a professor of physics
and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University,
US, was awarded with the Gruber
Cosmology Prize 2012 in Beijing at the
opening ceremony of the 28th Conference
of the International Astronomical Union on
22 August 2012. The 500000 dollar award
was given to him acknowledging his
immense contribution to the world of
physics.
Bennett, a prominent physicist, led a 26member team that worked on NASA's
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe.
The findings of the study helped
astronomers refine their understanding of
the age, shape and makeup of the universe.
The Gruber Prize is the second for Bennett,
who also was a member of a NASA team
that won the prize in 2006. As the member
of the COBE Team he conducted a groundbreaking studies confirming that our
universe was born in a hot Big Bang.
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PRIME MINISTER SHRAM

AWARDS FOR YEAR 2011
ANNOUNCED
Union Ministry of Labour and Employment
announced the Prime Minister Shram
Awards for year 2011 on 15 August 2012.
This year, no nomination was found suitable
for the presitigious Shram Ratna Award. Six
nominations for the Shram Bhushan Award,
Thirty Three nominations for Shram
Vir/Shram Veerangana and twenty nine
nominations for Shram Shree/Shram Devi
Awards have been selected.
INDIAN SCIENTIST ASHOKE

SEN WAS HONOURED WITH
FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
PRIZE
Indian Scientist Ashoke Sen was honoured
with Fundamental Physics Prize (FPP) 2012
on 31 July 2012. He is 56 years old. Ashoke
will get the cash prize of three million dollar
which is double the cash prize of Nobel
Prize. He is the only Indian who was
honored with this award.
He was the Professor of Physics in Harish
Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad. In
the year 1988, he had joined Tata Institute
of Fundamental Research in Mumbai.
9 PHYSICISTS WORLDWIDE
RECEIVED THE
FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
PRIZE
9 physicists worldwide were given the
Fundamental Physics Prize on 31 July 2012.
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296

The prizes were given to the physicists for
their remarkable contribution to the field of
fundamental physics. Fundamental Physics
Prize has been established by Russian
Businessman Yuri Milner and the most
money-spinning academic prize in the
world.
Winners of the award include, Ashoke Sen,
N J Nima, Arkani-Hamed, Juan Maldacena,
Nathan Seiberg, Edward Witten, Andrei
Linde, Alexei Kitaev, Maxim Kontsevich,
Ashoke Sen
The winners will receive 3 million dollar as
the prize amount. The Nobel Prize currently
comes with an award of 1.2 million dollar,
which is generally divided between two or
three people.
MUTHUNAYAGAM AND
SARASWAT TO BE AWARDED
WITH ARYABHATTA AWARD
BY THE ASI
The Astronautical Society of India (ASI) in
the last week of December 2012 announced
names of former secretary of the
Department of Ocean Development, Dr.
A.E. Muthunayagam and Dr. V.K. Saraswat,
Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister
for prestigious Aryabhatta Award for the
year 2010 and 2011 respectively. The two
have been selected for the achievement in
rocketry.
Micronutrient Initiative, Canada was

awarded with Canadas Highest Civilian
Award the Order of Canada in the last
week of December 2012. Mannar, a
Graduate from Indian Institute of
Technology, Madras and a post graduate in
chemical engineering from Northwestern
University, US, was honoured with the
award for his forty years long contribution
working towards reduction of debilitating
micronutrient deficiencies among the
worlds most vulnerable.
Micronutrient Initiative
The
not-for-profit
organization,
Micronutrient Initiative is dedicated
towards ensuring the worlds most
vulnerable, the children and the women
mainly in the developing countries get a
proper amount of minerals and vitamins
(supplements) that they require for survival
and it tries to thrive the same through food
fortification programme. The organization
works for identifying, development,
implementation and monitoring the cost
effective solutions for hidden hunger. The
Support offered by Canada to the
organization allows it to improve lives of
more than 500 million people in 70
different countries, annually. All this is
being done through different programs of
the organization and they are child health,
child survival, growth and development,
and womens and newborn survival and
health programs.
Order of Canada Award
SCIENTIST VENKATESH
MANNAR HONOURED WITH
ORDER OF CANADA AWARD
Venkatesh Mannar a Channai-born Scientist
of
Indian
Origin
and
President,
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297
The Order of Canada instituted by Queen

Elizabeth II in the year 1967 is a Canadian
National Order and is the second highest
honour of merit in the Country. It is placed
next to Order of Merit. The order is given to
people
with
lifetime
outstanding

achievements and their dedication towards
the community and service to the nation
and people in Canadian Society in all the
sectors.
IRELANDS PRESTIGIOUS
TIPPERARY INTERNATIONAL
PEACE PRIZE FOR 2012
AWARDED TO MALALA
Irelands
prestigious
Tipperary
International Peace Prize for 2012 was
awarded on 3 January 2013 to Malala
Yousafzai the teenage schoolgirl from
Pakistan, who was shot by Talibans
Gunman in October 2012.
Malala would be conferred with the award
for her bravery, courage and determination
to speak and support the cause of access to
equal education for every child. With this
award, Malala became the second Pakistani
National to win the award. Before this, Lt.
Benazir Bhutto was awarded with the same
award in 2007.
SUNMEET KAUR BECAME THE

FIRST WOMAN TO WIN 5
CRORE RUPEES ON KAUN
BANEGA CROREPATI GAME
SHOW
Sunmeet Kaur Sawhney, a housewife from
the state of Punjab in January 2013
emerged as the first woman to win 5 crore
rupees on the TV game show Kaun Banega
Crorepati 6 (KBC).
Sawhney who had studied till class XII only
is a home tutor and she presently resides in
the city of Mumbai. She used to give
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tuitions to young children in suburban

Mumbai to add to the family income.
LIFE OF PI NOMINATED FOR

BAFTA 2013 WITH NINE
NOMINATIONS, LINCOLN
LEADS WAY WITH 10 NODS
Life of Pi and The Best Exotic Marigold
Hotel, the Hollywood films which had their
shooting in India were chosen for the major
BAFTA Awards 2013. The political drama of
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln is leading its way
with ten nominations.
Suraj Sharma, the Indian actor was already
nominated for the BAFTA Awards 2013 for
the category of Rising Star. He acted as the
Pi in Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee.
Life of Pi and Les Miserables earned nine
nominations respectively. These movies are
competing with Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty
and Argo in the category of Best Film.
Daniel Day-Lewis was nominated for the
category of Best Actor for his portrayal as
US President in the movie Lincoln. Others
who are nominated in this category include
Ben Affleck for Argo, Joaquin Phoenix for
The Master, Bradley Cooper for Silver
Linings Playbook and Hugh Jackman for Les
Miserables.
Ang Lee was nominated for Best Director
category in BAFTA for Life of Pi along with
Ben Affleck (Argo), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero
Dark Thirty), Michael Haneke (Amour) and
Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained).
Life of Pi is running for the categories
original music, cinematography; best
adapted screenplay, production design,
special visual effects, Sound and editing.

Argo is running for categories best adapted
screenplay, editing, sound and original
music.
Lincoln is running for best cinematography,
costume design, makeup and hair, original
music and production design.
The British Academy Film Awards 2013 was
held at Royal Opera House on 10 February
2013.
RENAULT DUSTER AWARDED

CAR OF THE YEAR AWARD
2013
Renault Duster was awarded the Car of the
Year Award 2013 by the automotive
magazine Autocar India at the annual
awards night on 9 January 2013 in Mumbai.
In the gala event, there was a strong
competition for the award among some of
the most renowned and reputed names in
auto industry. Autocar India gave away 22
awards in all, in the two-wheeler as well as
four-wheeler segment.
MALALA YOUSAFZAI
HONOURED WITH FRANCE'S
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR PRIZE
FOR WOMEN'S FREEDOM
Malala Yousafzai, 15, the schoolgirl from
Pakistan shot by Taliban for campaigning
girls education, on 9 January 2013 received
France's Simone de Beauvoir Prize for
Women's Freedom in Paris. Malalas father
Ziaudin Yousafzai received the honour on
her behalf. The award is accompanied with
2.5 million Rupees honorarium.
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19TH COLORS SCREEN

AWARDS: RANBIR KAPOOR
AND IRFAN KHAN DECLARED
BEST ACTORS
The 19th Colors Screen Awards were
announced on 12 January 2013 in a function
at Mumbais Bandra Kurla Complex. From
the list of 119 films released in 2012, 27
films were green signaled in the Screen
Academy Selection singled for consideration
by the Jury. The screen jury comprised the
eminent members of the Indian Film
Industry. These panelists after several
rounds of discussions and debates were
able to finalise the nominations.
GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

2013: ARGO WON BEST
PICTURE AND BEST DIRECTOR
AWARDS
In the prestigious Golden Globe Awards
2013, the hostage-crisis movie Argo
thrashed Lincoln to bag best picture as well
as best director awards on 13 January 2013.
Les Miserables, on the other hand won the
awards in best musical or comedy category
with the actors Anne Hathaway and Hugh
Jackman winning one trophy each.
The award-winning movie Argo is actually
inspired by 1979 crisis US diplomats in Iran.
In the category of Best Drama, other
nominees were Django Unchained, Zero
Dark Thirty as well as Life of Pi.
PRESIDENT PRANAB
MUKHERJEE HONOURED 18
but scored relatively lesser marks on other

criteria compared to the top awardees.
STATES WITH KRISHI KARMAN

AWARDS
President Pranab Mukherjee on 15 January
2013 presented Krishi Karman awards for
2011-12 to eight states, which includes the
state of UP and Bihar for improving the
food grain production and commendation
awards to 10 other states.
Highlights of the Awards
The states of Madhya Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland were
awarded with amount of 2 crore
rupees each, for their special
contribution in increasing foodgrain
production.
In an individual crop category Bihar,
Haryana, Jharkhand and Uttar
Pradesh were awarded 1 crore
rupees each, for increasing output.
Punjab, Assam, Uttarakhand, West
Bengal, Tripura, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and
Himachal Pradesh were presented
with Commendation awards.
For the first time one female farmer
and one male farmer from the eight
awards winning states were
awarded for their outstanding
performance in enhancing foodgrain
production.
Awards were received by Chief
Ministers on behalf of their states,
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister
Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Haryana
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh
Hooda received awards on behalf of
their states.
The awarded were based on their record
production and productivity levels in total
foodgrains or in any of the individual crops
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300
As per President Pranab Mukherjee, India

can achieve the targeted 4 per cent growth
in farm sector during the 12th Plan period
with help of better seeds, improved water
management and balanced use of fertilisers
and pesticides, among others.
President also gave award to Shanti Devi of
Naran village in Nokha block of Rohtas
district for creating a record in production
of a certain variety of paddy named MPU7029. As per deputy director of agriculture
department A C Jain, scientists had
predicted production of 55 quintal per
hectare of MTU-7029. But astonishingly
Shanti Devi had grown 95 quintal per
hectare paddy of this variety through SRI
method in financial year 2011-12.
About Krishi Karman Award
Krishi Karman awards were instituted in
2010-11. It recognise the effort made by
states in foodgrain production. The awards
are given to best performing states in two
broad categories, one for the total
foodgrain production and the other for the
individual foodgrain crops of rice, wheat,
pulses and coarse cereals.
States in foodgrains category are divided
into three categories based on total
foodgrain production capacity of the state.
58TH IDEA FILMFARE

AWARDS: BARFI! BAGS SEVEN
AWARDS, KAHAANI SCRIPTS
FIVE
58th Idea Filmfare Awards were given away
on 20 January 2013 at YRF Studio, Andheri.

At the 58th Idea Filmfare Awards, Barfi!, the
much-acclaimed film grabbed seven Black
Lady awards while, Kahaani bagged five
awards. The award for the Best Actor was
given to Ranbir Kapoor for his deaf-mute
performance in Barfi!
Vidya Balan, on the other hand was
adjudged as the Best Actress for Kahaani.
Barfi! was awarded with the Best Film
award, while Kahaanis director Sujoy
Ghosh won the Black Lady for the Best
Director. The lifetime achievement award
was given away to Yash Chopra
posthumously. Yash Chopras wife Pamela
collected this award on his behalf.
THIRTY-SEVEN OFFICERS OF
CUSTOMS & CENTRAL EXCISE
AND ED SELECTED FOR
PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS
37 officials of the Customs & Central Excise
and Enforcement Directorate were
selected for Presidential Award of
Appreciation Certificate for especially
distinguished record of service for 2013.
Every year, certain officers from Customs &
Central Excise and Enforcement Directorate
departments are kept into consideration to
be granted the Presidential Award of
Appreciation Certificate which is announced
on 26 January, i.e., Republic Day every year.
The award is given away for the especially
distinguished record of service to the
officials for maintaining their excellence in
discharging their duties. 37 officials from
the departments were selected on the
grounds of exemplary and perfect
performances in their services.
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The officials selected for the Presidential

Award of Appreciation Certificate in 2013
represent different cadres such as
Commissioner , Directors, Superintendents,
Inspectors and Drivers working in different
fields like seizing the smuggled goods,
prevention of smuggling of goods and
Narcotics Drugs, detection of Foreign
Exchange Violations, detecting tax evasion
and money laundering cases by booking /
arresting the offenders.
MAJOR ABUP J MANJALI

SELECTED FOR SECONDHIGHEST PEACETIME
GALLANTRY AWARD KIRTI
CHAKRA
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. Major Manjali will be awarded on
26 January 2013.
Major Manjali is the only soldier to receive
this secondhighest peacetime gallantry
award Kirti Chakra on the Republic Day.
Apart from him, eight other jawans as well
as officers were selected to be awarded
with the Shaurya Chakra.
INDIAN WRITER SHORTLISTED

FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS
INTERNATIONAL MAN
BOOKER PRIZE FOR FICTION
2013
UR Ananthamurthy, the Kannada author
was shortlisted among other ten authors for
prestigious International Man Booker Prize

for Fiction 2013. UR Ananthamurthy, 80, is
an only Indian who was shortlisted in the
final list of this prestigious award. The list of
the awardees was announced at the Jaipur
Literature Festival on 24 January 2013.
These awards are announced on the eve of

Republic Day celebration and are conferred
by the President of India at a function
organised at Rastrapati Bhawan.
TAIWANESE BUSINESS
MAGNATE LAUNCHES ASIAS
NOBEL-TYPE PRIZES
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
APPROVED THE CONFERMENT
OF 108 PADMA AWARDS
Pranab Mukherjee, the President of Union
of India on 25 January 2013 approved
conferment of 108 Padma Awards. Four
people have been conferred with Padma
Vibhusan, twenty four are conferred with
Padma Bhusha n 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 Awards
Padma Awards are the highest Civilian
Awards and are conferred to people in
three different categories namely, Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma
Shri. These Awards are conferred on people
for the work done by them in different
categories including art, social work, public
affairs, science and engineering, trade and
industry,
medicine,
literature
and
education, sports, civil service, and many
more.
Padma Vibhusan is conferred on
the people for the exceptional and
distinguished services done by
them
Padma Bhushan for distinguished
service of high order
Padma Shri is given to a person for
his/her distinguished service in any
field
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302
A business tycoon from Taiwan with

interests mainly in China declared on 28
January 2013 that he was funding the Asia's
Nobel Prizes for outstanding achievements
in natural and social sciences. Samuel Yin,
the head of Ruentex Group announced that
he would establish Tang Prize Foundation
which would have an initial donation of 103
million dollar.
Tang Prize Foundation, which uses the
name of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), is
valued by the Chinese for cultural as well as
scientific achievements. It 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.
Samuel Yin declared that these categories
were kept in the new awards because the
Nobels, which are 118 years old, did not
include these fields. He also opined that
these categories had high importance for
the humanity.
About the Tang Prize Foundation
The prizes under the Tang Prize Foundation
will commence from 2014. The winners of
the prize would be entitled to receive 1.7
million US dollar. Nobel prizes award 1.2
million US dollar to the awardees.
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The winners of the Tang Prize will be

nominated as well as screened by the
special committees which in turn would be
established by the Academia Sinica, the
highly prestigious research organisation of
Taiwan.
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The report also indicates inconsistency in

admissions at primary school level that is
turning up to be a concern for the gender
disparity index as in the past two years it
accounts to 0.94; this means 94 girls for
every 100 boys.
CHAPTER 11: REPORTS

AND COMMITTEES
RTE REPORT REVEALED THE
LOW PERCENTAGE OF
ENROLMENT OF SC AND ST
STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS
This is a complete failure of the three-year

timeframe of the road-map drafted for
achieving the status Education to All, which
would be ending on 31 March 2013.
A Report on Right to Education (RTE) by the

Union Ministry of Human Development
Resource revealed that the percentage
enrolment of the Castes (SCs) and
Scheduled Tribes (STs) as students in
primary and upper primary is low to an
unacceptable level in India.
The report also threw light on the fact that
about 20 percent of the teachers teaching
in different schools of the nation are not
professionally qualified for teaching,
following the revised guidelines issued by
the National Council of Teacher Education
(NCTC).
As per the report the percentage enrolment
of SC and ST students in primary schools of
West Bengal in past two years, was
recorded as 27 and 7 percent respectively.
The figure at all-India level was worse even
to the status of West Bengal in terms of
percentage enrollment for SC students,
which stood at 19 percent in the year 201011. Citing example of the government-run
schools of West Bengal the report also
stated that 75 percent of the schools in the
state had more than 35 students in one
classroom. Apart from this 66 percent
schools running were without playground
and 67 percent were without boundaries in
the state.
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CIGARETTE PACKAGE HEALTH

WARNINGS: INTERNATIONAL
STATUS REPORT RELEASED
Cigarette Package Health Warnings:
International Status Report released in the
second week of November ranked India at
123rd Position in the list of 198 countries
surveyed on fulfillment of picture based
health warnings and warning size issued on
the Cigarette Packets.
The released report has ranked the
countries on the success that they achieved
in issuing pictorial health warnings on
tobacco packets. Pictorial Health Warnings
is considered to be the proven strategy to
discourage people from chewing or smoking
tobacco.
India signed and ratified an International
Treaty under the Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and as per the
treaty the signing party is responsible for
carrying health warnings on the packets of
all type of tobacco product with a
description of its harmful effect on human.
The issued warning should include a
pictorial warning and cover about 50
percent of the principle display area but at
no instance less than 30 percent of the
display area.

The situation of India as per a NGO that
works on tobacco control Voluntary Health
Association of India is regretful because of
its position at 123rd place in the ranking. At
the time of negotiations for issue of picturebased health warnings on the packets of
tobacco products, in the year 2003, India
was at forefront, but its positioning in the
released report was a situation of regret.
India in the year 2004 approved the WHOFCTC that makes the Government
committed towards implementation of
pictorial warnings related to health on
tobacco products of all types. As per Article
11 of FCTC the pictorial health warnings are
treated as an effective and proven strategy
of reducing the demand of tobacco.
A survey report published in the year 2006
by the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)
about 14.1 percent children, who are in the
age group of 13 to 15 years are tobacco
users in one or the other form and out of
this recorded population 11.9 percent use
tobacco products and the rest 4.2 percent
smoke cigarettes.
Another report published in 2009-10 by the
Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) India
described that about 34.6 percent of the
adults, who are 15 plus years in age use
tobacco in India. A total population of about
206 million people that accounts to 25.9
percent use smokeless tobacco in the
nation and of these 15 percent users are
from urban society and 30.7 percent belong
to rural India. Among the women tobacco
users that constitutes to 20.3 percent, 18.4
percent use smokeless tobacco.
World Report
Australia was ranked at first position in the
list of countries in the issued report as it
recorded the largest warnings in the world.
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About 63 countries and territories of the

world that covers about 40 percent of the
worlds population have been successful in
issuing picture warning messages. The
Picture Warning have been into stress by
the FCTC because of its belief in the fact
that a picture says thousand words and can
easily convey the message to tobacco users
in the low and middle income countries and
high illiteracy rates. It also considers the
picture warnings as the cost effective
measure to curb the use of tobacco even in
countries with fewer resources to spread
awareness.
Guidelines
The guideline issued by FCTC recommends
that the pictorial warnings should be in a
representation of the graphical picture in a
rotating series on both the front and back
side of the packages and it should be as
large as it can be.
AGEWELL FOUNDATION
REPORT ON CONDITION OF
ELDERLY PEOPLE IN DELHINCR RELEASED
Agewell Foundation released its report on
the status of older persons in and around
Delhi in the month of November 2012. The
report in its finding based on the interviews
conducted with 15000 senior citizens
reached to a conclusion that, isolation of
the elderly people has emerged as a red
flag, in this changing world with fast
changing demographic as well as socioeconomic status along with the change in
traditional values of the modern man.
As per the report and its finding in form of
conclusion, more than 80 percent of the

olds in Delhi experience loneliness in their
present lives and carried a feeling of
isolation. This isolation and loneliness is a
cause of zero interaction with family as well
as the other members of the society.
Agewell Foundation, while conducting this
study dealt with variety of issues connected
with the old age people to identify their
status and condition in a around the Delhi
and the National Capital Region (NCR).
The total population of old aged people
(people above 60 years) in Delhi-NCR region
is more than 12 lakhs, which is about 8
percent of its total population of more than
2 crore people and they faced different kind
of critical situations in their life.
Identified problems of the old-aged people
Feel of marginalization
Little or no access to medicines and
healthcare
No work opportunities
Concerns related to safety and
security of their property and life
Financial problems
Restricted mobility
Psychological
problems
that
occurred due to loneliness
The study also cited the bitter truth of

emotional and social isolation of people in
different areas of Delhi-NCR region. A total
of 36 percent old persons in the villages of
Delhi, were reported to be isolated
emotionally as well as socially, whereas in
the rural areas a total of 20.8 percent of
these people were found to be socially
isolated and 19 percent accounted to
emotional isolation. A total of 44 percent
old persons in the urban areas of Delhi-NCR
were isolated on both social and emotional
ends. Emotional isolation, which accounted
to be 26 percent as a whole was, identified
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the greater phenomenon of isolation than

that of the social isolation that accounts to
25 percent.
Impacts of the Isolation
Adverse health effects: 43 percent
of the surveyed people claimed to
be depressed
Less or zero interaction of people
lead them to the stage of poor
health conditions: 36 percent of the
surveyed
people
claimed
deterioration
of
the
health
conditions, ever since they left their
homes
Feel of insecurity in their lives:
isolation created a feel of insecurity
to the lives of around 16.2 percent
of the total population interviewed
THE WORLD DEVELOPMENT

REPORT 2013-JOBS RELEASED
BY WORLD BANK
The World Development Report 2013: Jobs
released by the World Bank stressed upon
the role of strong private sector in creation
of jobs, outlining the facts that how can the
jobs encourage development and incite an
honest cycle. The report in its finding also
indicated that when people work, there is
an intense fall in poverty as people work
out from their hardship and empowerment
of women through jobs ensures better
investments in children. The non-productive
mass turns up to be productive and
increase in jobs helps in making of
flourished
societies
proving
better
alternatives of conflict by fostering
diversities.
Part-time work has seen a rise in India
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The World Development Report also

emphasised on the fact that the mediumsize businesses whereas the share of parttime work has seen a rise in India. The
report also stated that the share of informal
workers in organised sectors and firms have
also witnessed a steep rise from 32 percent
in 2000 to 68 percent by 2010.
Neegle and Jesko Hentschel with five more

members in the core team and eight
members in the Research team.
Skilled Labour Shortage in India
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme

Implementation released on 9 October
2012 a report named Children in India 2012
- A Statistical Appraisal, showcased the
griming status of children in India. The
report in its finding pointed out a growth of
population by 181 million people, between
1991 to 2011 and at the same time also a
huge reduction of 5.05 million of child in
the age group of 0 to 6 years. And among
this the decline in female population
reportedly was 2.99 million and of male
population was 2.06 million.
The report targeted firm dynamics

associated lacks accounted for the growth
of such trends. The World Bank surveyed
54000 firms across 102 developing nations
and went to a conclusion that large firms
with over a hundred workers were
innovative and engaged mainly in export
and had higher productivity combined with
good wages, whereas the small firms with
an employee base of about 20 people were
less innovative.
The report also cleared that majority of the
firm across the world starts up as a small
unit but in case of India these firms remains
to be small by doubling the profits after
being productive for a period of about 35
years and slashing down the headcount by
one-fourth. The report also forecasted for
India the missing middle of the medium
sized firms.
Emphasis on Strong Urbanization Policy
In context of India the published report also
emphasised on strong urbanization policy in
India to create better jobs and betterment
of the labour policies, which were too
stringent in India. To arrive at findings the
authors of the report also surveyed over
800 households and processed censuses to
arrive at their findings.
The published report was created by a team
led by Martin Rama along with Kathleene
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CHILDREN IN INDIA 2012 - A

STATISTICAL APPRAISAL
REPORT RELEASED
The report indicates a huge dip in the sex

ratios of child, increased crime and troubles
against the girl child and continued child
labour that is constitutionally believed to be
a social crime.
As per the report there was a 24 percent
increase in reported crime against children
in the year 2011. In this list of crime against
children Uttar Pradesh took the first
position with 16.6 percent share followed
by states like Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. 47
percent kidnapping cases were reported in
Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, where as 44.5
percent of child rape cases were reported in
the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
and Uttar Pradesh.
The report also presented a dip of child sex
ratio from 945 to 914 in a period of two
decades in between 1991 to 2011, when
the graph of over-all sex ratio showcasing

improvement climbed from 927 to 940. In
this report the identified states with lowest
sex ratio were Haryana (830), Punjab (846),
Jammu and Kashmir (859), Delhi (866) and
Chandigarh (867) in a chronological order.
North-eastern states, like Meghalaya and
Mizoram remained at top position with
maximum (970).
This report is prepared by making the
comparisons on different standards like
rural vs urban, north vs south and northeast
vs rest of India. The findings of the report
presents a shocking data of no Northern
state except Himachal Pradesh had its
presence in the sex-ration chart above 900.
It also presents an indicator of the birthration of a girl child as compared to that of
the male births per 1000 to be 832 in
Punjab and 848 in Haryana due to the
impacts of female foeticide prevalent in the
region.
Uttar Pradesh with 15.22 percent share in
the chart of child labour stood at top
position and is followed by Andhra Pradesh.
Youthful crimes of children have also been
raised as the issue of serious concern in the
report, and Tamil Nadu with 672 cases per
1000, took the lead in the chart with its
share of 23.7 percent as a whole.
NARESH CHANDRA
COMMITTEE SUBMITTED ITS
REPORT ON NATIONAL
SECURITY
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suggest ways to revamp of defence

management in the country.
Naresh Chandra, a former bureaucrat,
headed the committee which members
included
former
military
officers,
intelligence chiefs, diplomats and strategic
analysts. Air Chief Marshal (retired) S.
Krishnaswamy, General (retired) VR
Raghavan, the former Department of
Atomic Energy chief Anil Kakodkar, Admiral
(retired) Arun Prakash, the former R&AW
head KC Verma, the former Union Home
Secretary V.K. Duggal, G Parthasarathy,
former diplomat, and senior journalist
Manoj Joshi were the other members in the
committee.
The main objective behind the constitution
of the committee was to contemporarise
the
Kargil
Review
Committees
recommendations, which was tabled in the
Parliament on 23 February 2000. Besides,
the task force was also asked to examine
the state of country's border management
and restructuring system.
Kargil Review Committee
The Kargil Review Committee (KRC),
headed by the late K. Subrahmanyam, had
submitted its report a decade back. The
recommendations made by the committee
had paved the way for the setting up of a
Group of Ministers which had suggested
massive reforms in the country's security
management system. The KRC is considered
to be the first major attempt at revamping
the country's security after Independence.
Naresh Chandra Committee, a 14-member

task force on national security, submitted
its report to the government on 8 August
2012. The committee was set up by the
Union government on 21 June 2012 to
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HEALTH MINISTERS OF BRICS

DECIDED TO SET UP
TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP
(TWG)
CHAPTER 12:
PROGRAMS AND
POLICY
TWG (Technical Working Group): The

group set up by the BRICS nation to
exchange information regarding the
prevailing systems and institutional
mechanisms through meetings.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED RELAXATION IN
POLICIES RELATED TO
TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT
LAND
The Union Government of India on 2 August
2012 approved relaxation in policies
relating to transfer of government land.
The objective of the policy is to speed up
private-public partnership in the country
and to fast-track pending infrastructure
projects. The decision will ensure that
infrastructure projects are not held up for
procedural delays.
A ban was imposed in 2011 on transfer of
government-owned land to any entity
except in cases where land was to be
transferred
from
one
government
department to another. This ban however
excluded the cases where the land was to
be transferred from one government
department to another. The policy has also
been relaxed for all land transfers from
ministries to statutory authorities or PSUs
(Public Sector Units).
Besides, the government allowed use and
development of railway land by Rail Land
Development Authority (RLDA), as per the
provisions of Railways Amendment Act,
2005.
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The Health Ministers of Brazil, Russia,

India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in the
second week of January 2013 decided to set
up a Technical Working Group (TWG). As
per the Agreed Action Plan released by the
Health and Family Welfare Ministry,
member countries will nominate their
respective Nodal Officers to work jointly for
the Working Group.
The group will exchange information
regarding the prevailing systems and
institutional mechanisms through meetings.
WORLD CONFERENCE ON
INTERNATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
(WCIT-12) HELD IN DUBAI
International telecommunication Union
(ITU) summoned the World Conference on
International Telecommunications (WCIT)
in Dubai, United Arab Emirates which was
held from 3 to14 December 2012. In the
landmark conference, it was decided that
the
current
International
Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs)
shall be reviewed.
After negotiating for two weeks, the
delegates from the length and breadth of

the world agreed to a fresh international
treaty called New Global Telecoms Treaty,
which will welcome the power of
information
and
communication
technologies (ICTs) to everyone in the
world. More than 2000 delegates from
across the world were registered for this
conference.
The main points of the treaty were as
follows
The treaty basically embarks general
principles for making sure that there
is free flow of the information across
the world.
New provisions ensured that there
was special emphasis on the future
efforts for helping the developing
countries,
on
promotion
of
accessibility to the disabled as well
as on emphasising the right to
freedom of expression of people
over all the ICT networks.
In another provision, there was an
inclusion of a Resolution for creating
one, globally-harmonised number
for access to various emergency
services, improving the energy
efficiency of the ICT networks, new
text making it mandatory for the
prices set for mobile roaming as well
as fighting against the e-waste.
Issues that provoked debate at the World
Conference
on
International
Telecommunications
There were certain tough issues which led
to debate at this conference.
These issues were
Network security
Unwanted bulk content like spam emails
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Definition of the entities which

provided services under terms of the
treaty,
Whether the language on freedom
of expression in the Preamble text of
the treaty should be included or not
The principle of non-discriminatory
access of the networks of each
others countries
ITUs Gold Medal:

In WCIT-12, the ITUs Gold Medal, which is
the highest honour of the organisation, was
awarded by ITU Secretary-General Dr
Hamadoun Tour to Chairmanship of Al
Ghanim.
About WCIT-12
WCIT-12 was among the most open treatymaking conferences of the world which had
live as well as archived webcasting. There
was English-language captioning of the
meetings of substantive working committee
(Committee 5 Review) as well as the
conference plenary sessions.
There were in all, 1275 proposals to this
conference from the member States. WCIT12 included around 1600 delegates onsite
from 151 Member States. This also included
around 70 Ministers, Ambassadors and
Deputy Ministers.
NATIONAL GIRL CHILD DAY

CELEBRATED IN INDIA ON 24
JANUARY
24 January, National Girl Child Day: This
day is celebrated as the National Girl Child
Day every year by the Government of India
with an objective to raise consciousness of
Indian society towards the girl children.
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The Women and Child Development

Ministry observed National Girl Child Day
on 24 January 2013. 24 January is
celebrated as the National Girl Child Day
every year since 2008 by the Government
of India.
Objective of the National Girl Child Day
The primary objective of the National Girl
Child Day is raising awareness and
consciousness of the society towards the
girl child. The primary aim is to ensure that
every girl is respected and valued in Indian
society.
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qualify through a zonal competition.

Similarly the University Hockey League
would be played among the top 8 teams
selected through the zonal competitions.
CHAPTER 13: SPORTS

UNION HRD MINISTER KAPIL
SIBAL LAUNCHED HOCKEY
AND CRICKET LEAGUE
In order to give encouragement to the
talented sportsmen of the University
system and promote sports in Universities,
the Union Minister of Human Resource
Development Kapil Sibal on 5 October 2012
launched hockey and cricket league under
the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Association of Indian Universities has been
organising the Rohinton Baria Cricket
Trophy, the Inter University Hockey
Tournament and other events for
promotion of sports in the Universities
throughout the country.
It was after an offer made by the NDTV
Group for assisting in sponsoring sports
events, it was decided to organise every
year, a National Level University Cricket
League (UCL) and University Hockey
League (UHL).
So For this purpose an Organising
Committee chaired by the Minister of
Human
Resource
Development,
Communication and IT has been
constituted,
composed
of
senior
representatives of University Grants
Commission (UGC), AIU, NDTV, Vice
Chancellors of several Universities, NDMC,
DDCA Hockey India and eminent persons in
the field of sports.
SCOTT FLEMMING BECAME

THE NEW INDIAN
BASKETBALL TEAM COACH
Scott Flemming was appointed as the head
coach of the mens National Basketball
Team in the third week of November 2012
by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
Flemming has served as the assistant coach
in NBA Development League of Texas
Legends, often working as the head coach
for present as well as future NBA players.
He was also designated as coach and
athletic director at Mount Vernon Nazarene
University in Ohio. Flemming has a total
record of 397226 with the Cougars.
SIX TOP SPORTING COACHES

TO RECEIVE DRONACHARYA
AWARD FOR 2012
The names of six sporting coaches were
recommended for the Dronacharya Awards
for the year 2012. Wrestling Coach Yashvir
Singh, Boxing Coach BI Fernandez, Athletics
Coach Virender Poonia, Kabaddi Coach Sunil
Davas, Parathletics Coach Dr. Satyapaul and
Hockey Coach Harinder Singh are the six
coaches who have been selected for the
coveted award, given to the coach of
different sports, for their excellent
contribution to the sports.
The University Cricket League would be

played among 8 top University teams in the
T 20 format, from amongst those who
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ROELANT OLTMANS IS THE

HIGH PERFORMANCE
DIRECTOR FOR INDIAN
HOCKEY TEAM
Hockey India on 17 January announced that
Roelant Oltmans, the Dutch Coach would
serve the Indian Hockey Team as Director High Performance and would look forward
towards the sports in India till 2016 Rio
Olympics.
Oltmans would be responsible for the
planning the training program as well as
calendar for both the junior and the senior
Players in Men and Women sections.
India-born, Monisha Kaltenborn became

the First Woman Team Principal in Formula
one on 11 October 2012 after taking the
control of team Sauber, a Swiss Formula
one team with the stepping down of team
founder Peter Sauber from day to day
management.
The news of Monisha Kaltenborn
appointment came after Peter Sauber made
it clear that he did not wish to run the
team, which he built more than forty years
ago.
INDIAN GOLFER GAGANJEET

BHULLAR WON MACAU OPEN
Indian Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar on 14
October 2012 fired a three-under 68 to
complete a start to-finish win in the
Venetian Macau Open Golf.
FORMER CRICKETER ANIL

KUMBLE APPOINTED
CHAIRMAN OF ICC CRICKET
COMMITTEE
Former India cricketer and captain Anil
Kumble on 11 October 2012 was named the
new head of the International Cricket
Council's (ICC) cricket committee, replacing
former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd.
The International Cricket Council's (ICC)
cricket committee is a 16-member
committee which meets twice a year to
consult on playing matters and offer
recommendations to the ICC on technical
aspects and rules of the sport.
Gaganjeet Bhullar finished with 16-under

268 for a two-shot win and bag his second
title on Asian Tour within a month. With
this he took over his fourth title of his
career, keeping aside the inaugural Gujarat
Challenge Tour win in 2011.
American Jonathan Moore finished two
shots back in second place after a 65 and
Thai youngster Thitiphun Chuayprakong
closed with a 70 to share third place with
Bangladeshi Siddikur (66).
About Macau Open
The Macau Open is a men's professional
golf tournament on the Asian Tour which
take place in Macau ever year. It was
founded in 1998. The venue is the Macau
Golf & Country Club at Coloane. The best
known golfer who won the tournament is
eight-time European Tour Order of Merit
champion Colin Montgomerie.
MONISHA KALTENBORN
BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN
TEAM PRINCIPAL IN
FORMULA ONE
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NOVAK DJOKOVIC WON

SHANGHAI MASTERS BY
DEFEATING ANDY MURRAY
OLYMPIC SHOOTER VIJAY

KUMAR NAMED SERVICES
BEST SPORTSMAN
Novak Djokovic beated British Tennis

Player Andy Murray on 14 October 2012
and saved five match points to seal a
stunning 5- 7, 7- 6 (13/ 11), 6- 3 victory in
the Shanghai Rolex Masters final.
London Olympic Shooter and silver medalist

Vijay Kumar on 19 October 2012 was
honoured with the Services Best Sportsman
award for 2012 at the Army Headquarters
in New Delhi
With the winning of match Novak Djokovic

became the first player to win seven of the
nine ATP World Tour 1000 Masters events.
The award which include trophy and cash

award of one lakh rupees is generally given
to the best sportsman from the three
defence forces of Army, Air Force and Navy.
Also in the Doubles Category, Leander Paes

and Radek Stepanek won the Shanghai
Rolex Double title by defeating Mahesh
Bhupati and Rohan Bopanna.
DECCAN CHARGERS NOW

OUT OF INDIAN PREMIUM
LEAGUE
2012 rejected the plea of Deccan Chargers
to put a stay order on the decision of
Mumbai High Court that supported the
decision of BCCI to terminate the franchise
from being in Indian Premier League (IPL).
MARTIN GUPTILL WON NEW

ZEALAND TOP CRICKET
AWARD
Opening batsman of New Zealand Cricket
team Martin Guptill on 18 October 2012
claimed the top honour at the New Zealand
Cricket Awards in Auckland, winning the Sir
Richard Hadlee Medal for 2011-12.
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314
SAINA NEHWAL WON

DENMARK OPEN BADMINTON
TITLE
The World No. 4 badminton player Saina
Nehwal on 21 October 2012 won the
Denmark Open Super Series Premier
tournament by defeating the German
badminton player Juliane Schenk by 21-17
21-8.
She was competing in the women's single
final category badminton match in Odense,
Denmark and was Playing without the chief
national coach and her mentor Pullela Gopi
Chand,
This title is counted to be her sixth Super
Series title and the first title outside Asia.
Her previous titles came in Indonesia (2009,
2010, 2012), Singapore (2010) and Hong
Kong (2010).
LANCE ARMSTRONG
STRIPPED OF FROM SEVEN
TOUR DE FRANCE TITLES

Lance Armstrong on 22 October 2012 was
stripped of from his seven Tour de France
Titles and banned for life from cycling. This
event occurred as a follow up of the 202
page report from the U.S. Anti-Doping
Agency (USADA) that accused Armstrong of
leading a doping programme on his team.
President of International Cycling Union
(UCI) Pat McQuaid cleared on 22 October
2012 that the report from the anti-doping
agency, USADA was accepted and no
appeals would be made in the Court of
Arbitration for Sports.
Organisers of Tour de France would now
officially remove the name of Armstrong
from all its record books that will include
omission of his consecutive victories from
1999 to 2005. Christian Prudhomme the
Tour Director announced that no official
winners of these years would be declared
and the race would follow the decisions
made by the UCI.
SUN TV NETWORK ACQUIRED

HYDERABAD IPL FRANCHISE
Chennai based SUN TV Network acquired
the Indian Premier League (IPL) Hyderabad
franchise on 25 October 2012 for an
enormous amount of 85.05 crore Rupees
per year.
The Hyderabad franchise of the Indian
Premier League was fell vacant after the
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
dropped Deccan Chargers in October 2012
for its failure to give a bank guarantee and
other issues.
The deal was made by Sun TV Network,
who bought the (IPL) Hyderabad franchise
for 425 crore Rupees (approx $80m) which
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is payable in the next five years at 85.5

crore Rupees per year. The bid made by
SUN TV Network was substantially higher
than the second bid of 69.03 crore Rupees
made by PVP Ventures of Hyderabad.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL WON F1

SECOND INDIAN GRAND PRIX
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the
Indian Grand Prix 2012 on 28 October 2012
at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) for
the second time in a row extending his
Formula One championship lead.
The rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari kept
the pressure on with finishing up for a
second-place. The win put Vettel (240
points) 13 points clear of his rolling Ferrari
rival Fernando Alonso.
PANKAJ ADVANI WON WORLD

BILLIARDS CHAMPIONSHIP
TITLE
Indian Billiards Player Pankaj Advani on 29
October 2012 won seventh World Billiards
Championship title after comprehensively
beating defending champion and seasoned
Englishman Mike Russell in the finals of
World Billiards Championship 2012.
The event was scheduled at the Northern
Snooker Centre in Leeds, England where
Pankaj scored 1895 points and Russell
managed to score only 1216 points losing to
Pankaj Advani.
LIONEL MESSI WON GOLDEN

BOOT AWARD AS EUROPES
TOP SCORER

Lionel Messi, the Barcelonean forward
footballer on 29 October 2012 won Golden
Boot Award. Messi won the award in
recognition to his record 50 goals scored in
the Europes domestic football league in the
last session. To win the award he scored 4
more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo, the
Spanish league star.
This is the second Golden Boot award for
Messi, as he won his first Golden Boot
Award in the year 2010 after scoring 34
goals during Argentina International to help
Barcelona win the league title. He is also in
the list of the favorites to win the 2012
Ballon dOr for the Worlds best player.
UNION GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA APPROVED INDO-PAK
CRICKET SERIES
The Union Home Ministry on 30 October
2012 mentioned that it had cleared the
Pakistan cricket teams India visit later this
year after detailed discussions with the
officials on issues related to security and
visas for fans who will be visiting for the
limited-over series.
VIRAT KOHLI SELECTED FOR

BCCI POLLY UMRIGAR AWARD
Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli was chosen for
the Board of Control for Cricket in India's
(BCCI) Polly Umrigar award for being India's
top international cricketer in 2011-12.
With this Virat Kohli is going to be honoured
with a trophy and cheque of 5 lakh Rupees
at the Annual BCCI Awards Ceremony in
Mumbai on 21 November 2012.ss
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The other previous winners of this

prestigious award are Sachin Tendulkar in
year 2006-07 and 2009-10, Virender
Sehwag in year 2007-08, with Gautam
Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in year 2008-09
and 2010-11 respectively.
MAHESH BHUPATHI AND

ROHAN BOPANNA WON FIRST
ATP TOUR MASTERS TITLE
Indian Tennis Player Mahesh Bhupathi and
Rohan Bopanna on 4 November 2012 won
their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000
title together defeating Pakistan's AisamUl- Haq Qureshi and Netherlands' JeanJulien Rojer by 7-6(6), 6-3 in the final of the
BNP Paribas Masters in Paris.
The pair Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan
Bopanna won 142500 in prize money and
had also claimed 1000 ATP Doubles Team
Rankings points, while their opponent and
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals qualifiers
Aisam-Ul- Qureshi and Jean- Julien Rojer
claimed 69780 prize money and 600.
SACHIN TENDULKAR
RECEIVED THE HONORARY
MEMBERSHIP OF THE ORDER
OF AUSTRALIA
Sachin Tendulkar the Indian Cricketer on 6
November 2012 received the honorary
membership of the Order of Australia by
Simon Crean, Minister for Regional
Australia, Regional Development and Local
Government and Minister for the Arts at a
function organised at Taj Lands End at
Mumbai, India. On this occasion Sachin
received a medal and a stump painted by an
Australian. Tendulkar was honoured with

AM award, one of the six different grades of
the Order of Australia honour.
With this honour Sachin has now joined the
list of non-Australian cricketers to be
honoured with the membership of Order of
Australia along with Brian Lara, Clive Lloyd
and Gary Sobers.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on
her visit to India on 16 October 2012
announced that Sachin Tendulkar would be
conferred with the membership of the
Order of Australia. This is the honor that is
rarely bestowed on any non-Australian. The
Prime Minister announced the special
honour for Sachin said that he deserves the
award because he was a special cricketer.
Sachin is the Second Indian after Soli
Sorabjee, the former Attorney General of
India to be conferred with this award.
Before Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara the
cricketer from West Indies was conferred
with this honour in the year 2009.
GAGANJEET BHULLAR
DECLARED YOUNGEST INDIAN
ON GOLFER LIST
Indian Golf Player Gaganjeet Bhullar
became the First Indian who made it to the
elite group of the worlds top-100 players
in the latest ranking.
The title was previously held by Jeev Milkha
Singh, who broke the record in 2006 at the
age of 34 with Jyoti Randhawa following
him in the same year when he was also
aged 34.
As per the latest Official World Golf
Ranking (OWGR), Bhullar had jumped 10
ranks on the back of a tied-18 finish in the
$7 million WGC-HSBC Champions in China
to take the 98th position in the world. Only
Jeev Milkha Singh is ahead of Bhullar
currently, and is placed at 95 in the OWGR.
The next best placed Indian is Anirban Lahiri
ranking 234 on the list.
DGP OF ANDHRA PRADESH V.

DINESH REDDY APPOINTED AS
THE PRESIDENT OF IHF
MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI

RENAMED HIS SUPER BIKE
TEAM AND SIGNED TWO NEW
MEMBERS
Indian cricket team Captain M.S. Dhonis
Superbike championship team on 7
November 2012 changed its name from
MSD R-N Racing Team India to Mahi
Racing Team India and had signed two new
members.
The two new members that had been
signed up are world champion Kenan
Sofouglu and former world champion
Fabien Foret.
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V. Dinesh Reddy, the Director-General of

Police for Andhra Pradesh has been
appointed as the New President of the
Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on 7
November 2012. Dinesh Reddy replaced
R.K. Shetty after he resigned from the post.
LIFE BAN ON MOHAMMAD

AZHARUDDIN LIFTED BY
ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH
COURT

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on 8
November 2012 lifted the life ban from
playing Cricket on Mohammad Azharuddin
which was imposed by Board of Control for
Cricket in India (BCCI) in Year 2000.
The life ban on Mohammad Azharuddin
came after he was found involved in the
betting scandal and the match-fixing
episode as per the BCCI three-member
committee, comprising its erstwhile
president A C Muthaiah and two vicepresidents Kamal Morarka and K M Ram
Prasad.
MARCEL GRANOLLERS &

MARC LOPEZ WON THE ATP
WORLD TOUR FINAL 2012
The Spanish pair of Marcel Granollers and
Marc Lopez on 12 November 2012 defeated
the Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and
Rohan Bopanna in the Men's Doubles title
clash of the ATP World Tour Finals in
London. In the final match, the fifth seeded
Indian duo went down fighting in a tight
three-set game, 5-7, 6-3, 3-10.
Meanwhile, Serbia's World Number One
Novak Djokovic has bagged the Men's
Singles trophy. Djokovic defeated World
Number Two Roger Federer of Switzerland
in straight sets, 7-6, 7-5, in the final match
played early this morning.
DAIMLER PURCHASED FULL

CONTROL OF MERCEDES ONE
MOTOR RACING TEAM
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Team owned by the Abu Dhabi sovereign

wealth fund Aabar Investments in the third
week of November 2012. With this
purchase the teams full control went into
the hands of Daimler. The amount of
purchase of the 40 percent stake remained
undisclosed.
The deal of selling out the stakes of the
formula 1 team now awaits regulatory
approval.
DAVIS CUP 2012: CZECH

REPUBLIC DEFEATED SPAIN IN
THE FINALS
The Czech Republic on 18 November 2012
won the 100th Davis Cup 2012 finals, after
defeating Spain by 3-2 in the finals. Radek
Stepanek of Czech Republic outclassed
Nicolas Almagro of Spain with 6-4, 7-6 (0),
3-6, 6-3 in the 3 hours and 52 minutes
game, on the hard court of Pragues O2
Arena, during the final fifth rubber of the
Davis Cup.
Radek Stepanek has created a history by his
name after winning the Davis Cup final as
he became the first man ever aged 30 or
above to win the decisive rubber in 100
years.
With this win, the Czech Republic lifted the
Davis Cup for the first time after winning
independence in 1993. Before this in the
year 1980 it lifted the trophy under
Czechoslovakia flag by the team led by Ivan
Lendl. With this win the Czech Republic
turned-up to be the first nation that won
the Hopman Cup, Fed Cup and Davis Cup in
one year.
Daimler, the German Luxury Carmaker

purchased 40 percent stakes of the
Mercedes Formula One Motor Racing
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Manuel Fangio. The Red Bull team of Vettel

took the third constructors' championship
in the sequence on 18 November 2012 in
Texas and finished with 281 points while
Alonso with 278 points.
USAIN BOLT AND ALLYSON

FELIX NAMED IAAF WORLD
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR 2012
Usain Bolt won the IAAF World Athlete of
the Year Award 2012 for the fourth time
and United States sprinter Allyson Felix won
women's World Athlete of the Year Award
2012 on 24 November 2012 during the
IAAF's 100th Anniversary Celebration. The
Jamaican sprinter Bolt had won for
defending his gold medals in the 100 and
200 meter races of the summers Olympic
Games, he also won the same award
previously in 2008, 2009 and 2011. Bolt
managed to be ahead of United States
hurdler Aries Merritt and Kenyan runner
David Rudisha to win the award.
SEBASTIAN VETTEL BECAME

YOUNGEST TRIPLE CHAMPION
IN FORMULA ONE HISTORY
Sebastian Vettel of Germany, the Red Bull
driver became youngest triple champion in
the history of Formula One on 25
November 2012 by finishing 6th behind
Jenson Button in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Vettel, 25 got himself involved in opening
lap collision and made very little damage to
his Red Bull car in the run in rain-swept
conditions at Interlagos circuit. The only
title rival of Vettel was two-time champion
Spaniard Fernnando Alonso who finished in
the second position in his Ferrari. However
he had pre-race 13 points deficit while
Vettel won the title by merely three points.
Vettel was the third driver in the history of
Formula One to win three consecutive
titles. Others who have done this before are
Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan
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319
FORMER AUSTRALIAN
CRICKETER GLENN MCGRATH
TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE
ICC CRICKET HALL OF FAME
Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath was
inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
during the third Test between Australia and
Sri Lanka starting from 4 January2013 in
Sydney.
McGrath became the third inductee of the
year 2012-13 to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
and will join Enid Bakewell and Brian Lara to
the list and also became the 68th male
member of the Hall of Fame.
Lara and Bakewell were inducted in
September 2012 at the ICC Awards;
McGrath was inducted at his home ground
of the SCG. A fourth and final inductee of
2012-13 would be announced next summer.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC WON

WORLD TENNIS
CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ABU
DHABI
Novak Djokovic on 29 December 2012 won
World Tennis Championship final against
Spanish tennis player Nicolas Almagro.
Novak Djokovic beat Nicolas Almagro to
clinch the Mubadala World Tennis
Championship exhibition tournament held
in Dubai.

Novak Djokovic, the world number one
from Serbia beat Nicolas Almagro the
Spaniard by 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-4 to get his
season off to the perfect start.
AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER
MICHAEL HUSSEY
ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT
FROM TEST CRICKET
Australian veteran Michael Hussey on 29
December 2012 announced that he would
retire from Test cricket after playing the
final match of the series against Sri Lanka at
Sydney starting on 3 January 2013.
Sydney Test match is going to be the 79th
and final Test in 37-year-old Husseys career
having made his debut at 30.
However Hussey will continue playing the
ODI tri-series involving Australia, West
Indies and Sri Lanka which will be his last
international assignment.
SACHIN TENDULKAR
FROM ONE DAY CRICKET
Sachin Tendulkar on 23 December 2012
announced retirement form one day cricket
which put an end to his 23- year old
glorious career.
ROGER FEDERER NAMED

SWISS MALE ATHLETE OF THE
YEAR 2012
Roger Federer, 31, the No. 2 of the world
and 17 times Grand Slam champion, was
named Swiss Male Athlete of the Year on
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16 December 2012. Federer received the

honour for the fifth time.
Earlier in 2012, Federer had grabbed the
17th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon
Championships, London, while also
reclaiming his No. 1 ranking in the month of
July 2012. He also acquired top most
position by the end of the season.
SARDAR SINGH COMMANDED

THE BEST PRICE IN HOCKEY
INDIA LEAGUE AUCTION
In the Hockey India League Auction held at
New Delhi on 16 December 2012 the Indian
Skipper Sardar Singh became the highest
marquee player after commanding for the
best price of 78000 dollar. Sardar Singh was
bought by the Delhi Franchisee.
The five marquee players for the league
were drawn by Delhi Wave Riders, Jaypee
Punjab Warriors, Mumbai Magicians,
Ranchi Rhinos and Uttar Pradesh Wizards.
The marquee players would be offered with
15 percent more price than the
commanded best price by the player by
their respective teams. The price quoted for
the players would be same for next three
years and the teams are allowed to buy the
players from other teams.
Few more players who commanded best
prices were V. Raghunath bought by Uttar
Pradesh Wizards for 76,000 dollar, Moritz
Fuertse bought by Ranchi Rhinos for 75500
dollar, Teun de Nooijer brought by Uttar
Pradesh Wizards for 66000 dollar and Jamie
Dwyer bought by Jaypee Punjab Warriors
for 60000 dollar and Sandeep Singh moved
to Mumbai Magicians with a base price of
27800 dollar. The Hockey League will
comprise of 33 matches in all and would be

played in India from 16 January 2013
onwards.
INDIA LOST THE TEST SERIES

BY 1-2 AFTER NAGPUR TEST
ENDED AS A DRAW
The last test match between India and
England of the Tournament England Tour to
India ended up as a draw and with this India
lost the four-test match cricket series
against England by 1-2 on 17 December
2012. With this win England succeeded in
ending a 28 year long wait of winning a test
series on Indian Soil. Before this the English
side under the captaincy of David Gower
won the test series in India 1984-85.
The Series
The first Test was played at

Ahmedabad from 15 November
to 19 November 2012 in which
India won the match by 9
wickets.
The second was played at

Mumbai from 23 November to
26 November 2012 in which
England won the match by 10
wickets
In the third test match played at

Kolkata from 5 December to 9
December 2012 England won
the match by 7 wickets
The last test resulted in a draw

and was played at Nagpur from
13 December to 17 December
2012
JUNIOR WORLD TT
CHAMPIONSHIP: CHINA
CLAIMED ALL TITLES
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China got the clean sweep of titles at

Volkswagen 2012 World Junior Table
Tennis Championship after it won girls as
well as boys trophies on 16 December 2012.
In the second week of December 2012,
China had won girls and boys team titles.
Petrissa Solja of Germany who was the only
non-Chinese, lost in the semifinal to
Chinese top seed Zhu Yuling who finished
by turning over Gu Yuting 4-0 for the title of
girls. Her top speed, superior technique as
well as great attitude helped her win the
title.
Thereafter, Fan Zhendong also overcame to
beat Lin Gaoyuan 4-2 and thus claimed
boys singles title. Initially, he was also the
winner of mixed doubles title.
Second-seeded team of Liu Gaoyang and
Fan Zhendong recovered fast to beat topseeded competitors Gu Ruochen and Lin
Gaoyuan 4-3 to claim their gold in boys
doubles.
Gu Yuting and Zhu Yuling defeated Gu
Ruochen and Liu Gaoyang with a score of 43 to claim girls double gold. The mixed
doubles gold was claimed by Fan Zhendong
and Liu Gaoyang who defeated Lin Gaoyuan
and Gu Ruochen combine 4-3.
INDIA WON THE WORLD CUP

KABADDI TOURNAMENT 2012
India on 15 December 2012 won the 3rd
World Cup Kabaddi Tournament for the
third consecutive time in the Mens
category and second consecutive time in
the Womens category. Indian men
defeated arch rival Pakistan with a decisive
margin of 37 points whereas, Indian women
thrashed Malaysia 72-12. Both the finals

were played at the Guru Nanak Dev
Stadium in Ludhiana. The Kabaddi world
cup was a 15-day tournament. In men's
category, third prize went to Canada and in
women's category, it was given to Denmark.
Indian men registered a hat trick by
outclassing Pakistan in every aspect of
game. At the end of the first half, Indian
men squad was leading with a point
difference of 34-9. Indias raider and
stoppers showed an extraordinary sport in
collecting points for their country. Womens
final was virtually a one sided show as
Malaysian team was no match against
Indian eves.
INDIA BEAT PAKISTAN TO LIFT

INAUGURAL SBI T20 WORLD
CUP FOR THE BLIND 2012
India won the inaugural SBI T20 World Cup
for the Blind on 13 December 2012 after
beating Pakistan in the finals at Central
College grounds in Bangalore.
A total of 5000 crowd cheered as India
shattered Pakistan from 29 runs and the
Indian captain Shekhar Naik lifted the
trophy. India decided to bat first and scored
119 for 4 in 10 overs. India put up a
competitive score of 258 runs in 20 overs.
Rescuer of the team India was middle-order
batsman Ketan Patel who scored 98 runs off
43 balls and is completely blind.
Pakistan entered into finals unbeaten.
Pakistan is the only team that entered the
finals of all the four international blind
cricket tournaments till now. At the break
of the innings, Pakistan might have thought
of winning the match on the grounds of
excellent batting skills of the team
throughout this tournament. The opener
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Mohammad Akram who had the highest

score in the history of international blind
cricket (264 against West Indies) was sent
back to the pavilion for 32 runs only.
Eventually, India won the T20 World Cup for
the Blind and the team was later crowned
as the world champions. It is also worth
noticing that Men-of-the-Series were all
Indians. These were Ketan Patel, Fully blind
category (B1); Prakash Jayaramaiah,
Partially blind category (B2) and Ajay Kumar
Reddy, Partially sighted category (B3).
About T20 World Cup for the Blind 2012
T20 World Cup for the Blind was a 12-day
tournament which comprised of nine
teams. The T20 World Cup for the Blind
2012 was hosted by India. The tournament
ran from 1 December 2012 to 13 December
2012 in Bangalore. The competing teams
included Bangladesh, Australia, India,
Nepal, England, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West
Indies and South Africa. The tournament
was played on league-cum-knockout basis.
Cricketer Saurav Ganguly is the Brand
Ambassador of T20 World Cup for the Blind.
The Cricket Association for the Blind (CABI)
is main body which organises as well as
conducts cricket for visually impaired in
India. CABI is registered NPO which is
affiliated to World Blind Cricket Council
(WBCC).
About World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC)
World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) laid its
foundation in 1996. The founding chairman
of WBCC was George Abraham of India.
The primary purpose of WBCC is promotion
as well as administration of the game of
blind cricket in the world.

About Cricket Association for the Blind
(CABI)
CABI is a non-profit organisation affiliated
to World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC).
Pakistan, South Africa and England Blind
Cricket bodies receive sponsorship from
their mainstream cricket bodies but CABI
does not receive any such sponsorship from
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
CABI survives with the support from
corporate houses as well as a few public
sector organisations.
Other Blind Cricket Tournaments
First two Blind Cricket Tournaments were
World Cup held in 1998 as well as 2002 in
New Delhi and Chennai respectively. Third
Blind World Cup was held at Islamabad,
Pakistan in 2006. Apart from this, local,
state, zonal as well as national tournaments
for the blind are organised from past 15
years in India.
BB NIMBALKAR, INDIAS
HIGHEST SCORER IN FIRST
CLASS CRICKET PASSED AWAY
Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar, a giant
of Indian domestic cricket who came close
to breaking Sir Don Bradman's first-class
score in the Ranji Trophy, passed away due
to age related ailments in his residence in
Kolhapur on11 December 2012 just one day
shy of his 93rd birthday.
Nimbalkar holds the record for the highest
individual first-class score by an Indian - 443
not out for Maharashtra against Kathiawar
at Poona Club in December 1948.
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LIONEL MESSI SET THE

RECORD FOR MOST GOALS IN
A CALENDAR YEAR
Lionel Messi, the soccer player on 9
December 2012 set the record for most
goals in a calendar year by scoring his 86th
goal of 2012. He set the record while
scoring the winning goal against Real Betis.
Messi's record included 12 for Argentina
and 74 goals for Barcelona in 66 games. The
earlier record was made by Gerd Mueller,
who had scored 85 goals in 1972 which
included 72 goals for his club Bayern
Munich and 13 for his country West
Germany.
The record breaking performance has made
Messi favourite to claim his fourth FIFA
World Player of the Year award. Lionel
Andrs Leo Messi is a footballer who plays
for La Liga club FC Barcelona and as the
captain of the Argentina national team.
HOCKEY CHAMPIONS
TROPHY: AUSTRALIA WON
FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE
YEAR, INDIA LOST BRONZE TO
PAKISTAN
At the Champions Trophy 2012, Australia
won once again, adding to fifth victory
consecutively after it earned a 2-1 win in a
match against Netherlands in Melbourne.
The fifth consecutive victory of Australia at
this event re-established it as the hockey
team (mens) to beat, after Australia had
missed on gold at Olympics.
For the Netherlands, it was silver medal
with the silver lining. Netherlands upgraded
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itself from bronze which they acquired last

two years.
years ago by IOC with the help of modern

methods.
The bronze was claimed by Pakistan after

they beat India 3-2 on a match on 9
December 2012. India missed the chance to
win bronze, which would have been its
second Champions trophy medal as well as
the first since 1982.
IOC has a procedure of storing the samples

for eight years in order to enable re-testing
of newly found substances or those
substances for which no tests were
available at that time.
For the fifth place, Belgium won the match

against Germany, the Olympic champion.
New Zealand, in the meanwhile stood at
seventh position over England.
ATHENS OLYMPICS ATHLETES

LOSE MEDALS OVER DOPING
AFTER 8 YEARS
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
announced on 5 December 2012 that four
2004 Athens Olympic medalists had their
medals taken away because the re-tested
samples, which were stored for 8 years,
proved positive. The four medalists
included shot put champion of Ukraine
Yuriy Bilonog, women's shot putter of
Russia Svetlana Krivelyova, discus thrower
Irina Yatchenko of Belarus and Belarussian
hammer thrower Ivan Tsikhan.
3-times world champion Tsikhan also had to
give away his bronze medal from the 2008
Beijing Games. However, this decision was
reversed at Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) on the grounds that there were errors
in laboratory procedures.
IOC declared that the case which involved
fifth athlete from Athens Games was
pending. The four athletes who had to give
their medals had tested positive for the
anabolic steroids. Around 100 samples from
Athens Games were target tested eight
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324
Athens Olympics doping cases tally now

stands at 31 after 26 positive tests as of
now. This is the maximum in any game. IOC
declared that it would like the extension of
law of limitation from current 8 years. It
was added by IOC that World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA) was considering this law of
limitation to extend to 10 years.
ENGLAND CRICKET CAPTAIN

ALASTAIR COOK BECAME THE
YOUNGEST BATSMAN TO
SCORE 7000 RUNS
England Cricket team captain Alastair Cook
on 6 December 2012 claimed his place
among the cricketing greats, when he set an
England record for the most Test centuries
and became the youngest player in the
long history of the game to pass 7000 runs.
The 27 years old Alastair Cook scored his
23rd Test hundred to leave England closing
in on a rare series win in India.
AIR INDIA WON LAL

BAHADUR SHASTRI HOCKEY
TOURNAMENT AGAINST
BHARAT PETROLEUM
Air India emerged champion against Bharat
Petroleum in the 23rd Lal Bahadur Shastri

hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium
on 4 December 2012.
This was second title of this season for Air
India. Air India had already shared the MCCMurugappa Cup with Indian Oil. Air India
had an edge over Bharat Petroleum
because the team was full of experienced
players. Besides, there was also an
advantage because Bharat Petroleum did
not give its 100 percent which was evident
when it wasted a lot of opportunities. For
Bharat Petroleum this was another runnerup in the second event consecutively.
IOC SUSPENDED IOA; INDIA

FACING BAN FROM OLYMPICS
The International Olympic Committee
(IOC) suspended the India Olympic
Association (IOA) on 4 December 2012 and
eventually this might also lead to IOA ban
from Olympic movement.
IOA ban from Olympic would result in

consequences such as
No funding from IOC
No officials from India would be

invited by IOC to any events such
as Paralympics and Olympics
No India athlete would be

allowed competing under Indias
flag; but could be permitted
competing under IOC flag
Commonwealth
Games
Federation as well as The
Olympic Council of Asia might
also go with the trend which
would lead to similar sanctions
in case of Commonwealth
Games as well as the Asian
games
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IOC suspended IOA because India was

following the Sports Code of government in
the IOA elections, which is against the
Olympic Charter. IOC declared that
following of Sports Code of government is
actually the interference of the government
in the Olympic Movement.
RICKY PONTING ANNOUNCED

HIS RETIREMENT FROM
INTERNATIONAL TEST
CRICKET
The Cricketer and Former Captain of the
Australian Cricket team, Ricky Ponting on 3
December 2012 announced his retirement
from International Test Cricket. The
decision of retirement came after Australia
lost the third test match against South
Africa by 309 runs on 3 December 2012 at
Perth. The first and second test matches at
Brisbane and Adelaide resulted in a draw
during the South Africa Tour to Australia
2012.
Ponting will continue playing for Tasmania
and in the Australian Domestic T20
Tournament the Big Bash League, where he
would represent the Hobart Hurricanes this
season.
RAVINDRA JADEJA BECAME

ONLY INDIAN TO SCORE
THREE TRIPLE TONS IN FIRSTCLASS CRICKET
Ravindra Jadeja became first Indian and
only eighth batsman in the first-class
cricket history of world to score three
triple-centuries in the unbeaten 320 runs

against Railways in the Ranji Trophy Group
A match on 2 December 2012 in Rajkot.
With the help of Jadejas innings,
Saurashtra reached the giant score of 534
for six in their first innings on second day of
4-day combat.
Jadeja had scored 303 against Gujarat in his
first match of this season and eventually the
second triple century and third as well to
become the only Indian batsman to reach
this podium.
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Brandt Snedeker and Nick Watney.

Although, he was far from his fluent best
and he dropped four strokes in three holes
from the 15th, it did not stop his progress
to victory and he finished on 14 under par
.He parred his first five holes without any
problem before birdying the 13th after two
putting from 52 feet.
Woods dropped another shot on the 17th
and missed a 15ft birdie putt on the last;
however, his level-par 72 was enough to
secure him victory.
ANNA USHENINA OF UKRAINE

WON THE WOMENS WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN OF
CHESS
INDIA WON THE ODI SERIES

AGAINST ENGLAND 3-2;
ENGLAND WON THE FIFTH
ODI
Anna Ushenina of Ukraine on 1 December

2012
won
the
Womens
World
Championship Crown of Chess at KhantyMansiysk, Russia after defeating Antoaneta
Stefanova of Bulgaria in first set of tiebreak game. Anna won the title along with
60000 US dollar for the efforts made by her
to win the Chess championship.
England defeated India by seven wickets in

the fifth and the last ODI played at
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association
Stadium, Dharamshala on 27 January 2013.
Despite Englands win in this match, India
won the series against England by 3-2. India
batted first in the match and scored 226 in
49.4 overs. In reply, England easily reached
the target with seven wickets remaining.
The details of the remaining matches are as
following:
In 2013 Anna would be playing the next

world championship against Chinese Yifan
Hou, which is a part of new cycle in
Womens World Championship.
TIGER WOODS WON HIS 75TH

PGA TOUR TITLE IN THE
FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN
Second ODI-Played at Nehru Stadium, Kochi

on 15 Jan 2013. India won by 127 runs.
Tiger Woods on 29 January 2013 won his

75th PGA Tour title in the Farmers
Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Woods
entered into the fifth day of play with a sixshot lead over his closest competitors,
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First ODI-Played at Saurashtra Cricket

Association Stadium, Rajkot on 11 January
2013. England won by 9 runs.
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326
Third ODI-Played at JSCA International

Stadium Complex, Ranchi on 19 January
2013. India won by 7 wickets.
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Fourth ODI-Played at Punjab Cricket

Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh on
23 Jan 2013. India won by 5 wickets.
53-minute five-set win over Rafael Nadal at

the Australian Open, the longest Grand
Slam final.
Suresh Kumar Raina of India was declared

player of the series. Alastair Cook was the
skipper of England ODI team while Indian
ODI team was led by Mahender Singh
Dhoni.
Djokovic won his first major title in 2008

Australian Open. He now has six Grand Slam
titles altogether. Federer has won four of
his 17 majors at Melbourne, and Agassi is
the only other player to have won that
many in Australia since 1968.
MUMBAI WON ITS 40TH

RANJI TROPHY AFTER
DEFEATING SAURASHTRA IN
FINAL
VICTORIA AZARENKA OF
BELARUS WON AUSTRALIAN
OPEN 2013 IN THE WOMENS
CATEGORY
Mumbai won its 40th Ranji trophy at

Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 28 Jan
2013. Mumbai won the final match against
Saurashtra by an inning and 125 runs on the
third day of Ranji Trophy final. The Mumbai
team so far has played in 44 finals of Ranji
Trophy.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC WON

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2013,
DEFEATED ANDY MURRAY IN
FINAL
The match lasted for 2-hour and 40-minutes

which featured 16 service breaks, with Li
losing her service nine times.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia defeated Andy

Murray of UK in four sets to win Australian
Open 2013 final. The tournament was held
in Melbourne. It was Djokoviks third
consecutive Australian Open title and
fourth overall. Nine other tennis players
had won consecutive Australian open
tournament, but none three straight years.
Djokovic had five break-point chances in the
opening set, including four after having
Murray at 0-40 in the seventh game, but
couldnt convert any of them. In 2012,
Djokovic had started with an epic 5-hour,
www.jagranjosh.com
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus on 26 January

2013 won the Womens Singles title of the
Australian Open Tennis tournament at
Melbourne. The World Number One
defeated Li Na of China, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the
final to win the title for the second
successive time.
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327
Top seeded American brothers Bob and

Mike Bryan won the men's 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 6-3, 6-4.
FAUJA SINGH, THE OLDEST

MARATHON RUNNER OF THE
WORLD ANNOUNCED
RETIREMENT
Fauja Singh, 101, the oldest marathon
runner of the world decided to stop

running in the competitions after Hong
Kong marathon which will be held in
February 2013. However, before the Hong
Kong marathon, Singh will be running in the
Australia marathon as well.
Fauja Singh is also popularly known as the
Turbaned Tornado in all the international
events. Though Fauja Singh announced his
retirement from marathon, but he admitted
that he would keep running for inspiring the
masses.
Fauja Singh was born on 1 April 1911. Fauja
was also felicitated at the Buckingham
Palace by the queen in London on
December 7, 2005.
KOHLI BECAME THE QUICKEST

INDIAN AND SECOND AT
WORLD LEVEL TO COMPLETE
4000 ODI RUNS
IOC ASKED ARMSTRONG TO

RETURN BACK THE SYDNEY
OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDAL
The International Olympics Committee
(IOC) on 17 January 2013 asked the all time
popular Cyclist Lance Armstrong facing the
charges of doping to return the Olympic
Bronze Medal and Certificate of 2000
Sydney Games.
The IOC wrote a letter to the defamed
Cyclist and the winner of seven times Tour
de France and asked him to return back the
bronze medal and the certificate that
accompanied it for the mens time trial
event.
The dominoes continue to fall for Lance
Armstrong, with the International Olympic
Committee formally requesting that the
disgraced cyclist return his Olympic bauble
from the 2000 Sydney Games.
The Indian Cricketer and the right handed

batsman Virat Kohli on 19 January 2013
completed his 4000 runs in One day
International cricket tournament.
He is the 12th Indian batsman and 84th at
world level to reach this milestone. By
scoring these runs in just 93 innings, he
became the first quickest from India and
second at world level to accomplish this
milestone. Viv Richards, the West Indies
player reached this milestone in 88 innings
in the year 1985 and is placed at the 1st
position in the list of crickets to touch the
mark of 4000 runs in less number of
innings. Both Richards and Kohli played in
96 matches to reach the score. Before Kohli,
the former Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly
had this record of scoring the fastest 4000
runs in ODI in 110 matches and 105 innings.
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328
Lance Armstrong
He was stripped off from the seven
Tour de France titles that he won
from 1999 to 2005 on 22 October
2012 and was banned from cycling
for life.
U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)
accused Armstrong of leading a
doping programme with his team
and submitted a 202 page report
Lance Armstrong is a cyclist, who
used performance enhancing drugs
and banned substances.
SAINA NEHWAL CLINCHED

SECOND POSITION IN THE
BADMINTON WORLD
FEDERATION RANKINGS

Saina Nehwal, the Olympics bronze
medalist on 17 January 2013 clinched her
career best second rank in the latest
rankings released by the Badminton World
Federation (BWF). To clinch the second
position in the latest rankings released,
Saina scored 80091.7444 points and is
leaded by the Chinese Li Xuerui, who has
94626.7153 points by her name.
INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC
COMMITTEE DECIDED TO
LAUNCH INTERNATIONAL GP
CIRCUIT FOR DISABLED
International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
decided to launch the international grand
prix circuit especially for the elite athletes
who are disabled. This international grand
prix circuit is scheduled to be launched in
April 2013.
The version of IPC of the strong Diamond
League shall comprise of eight meetings in
all, at various venues across the world. Two
of these venues which also include the final
one shall be held in Britain.
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The lecture of 2013 would be the 13th

lecture, ever since its inception and Taufel
would be the third Australian after Adam
Gilchrist (2009) and Richie Benaud (2001
the first lecture) to deliver this lecture.
MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture
MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture first
began in the year 2001 in the memory of
the former Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)
president Colin Cowdrey. He played an
important role in enshrinement of the
Spirit of Cricket in the preamble of the
Code of the Laws of Cricket in the year
2000.
USAIN BOLT AND FRASERPRYCE WON ATHLETE OF THE

YEAR AWARD AT JAAA
GOLDEN CLEATS AWARDS
CEREMONY
SIMON TAUFEL TO BE THE

FIRST UMPIRE TO DELIVER
THE MCC SPIRIT OF CRICKET
COWDREY LECTURE 2013
Usain Bolt, the fastest man of the world

and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the women's
100m Olympic champion won the male and
female Athlete of the Year awards
respectively on 8 January 2013 at Jamaica
Athletics
Administrative
Association
(JAAA) Golden Cleats Awards ceremony
which took place at Terra Nova Hotel in St
Andrew.
Simon Taufel, the umpire who has been the

five-time ICC Umpire of the Year from 2004
to 2008 would be the first umpire to deliver
the prestigious MCC Spirit of Cricket
Cowdrey Lecture that would take place on
24 July 2013. This announcement was made
by the England and Wales Cricket Board
(ECB) on 11 January 2013.
Glen Mills, the Racers Track Club head

coach won the Coach of the Year Award for
the second time in a row, bringing his total
of winnings to 3. It was Mills who
conditioned Bolt and Yohan Blake, which in
turn helped them in grabbing gold and
silver respectively in 100m and 200m at the
London Olympics.
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In the meanwhile, the Howard Aris Award
was won by Fedrick Dacres, the 2012 World
Junior discus champion and Jeneive Russell,
the 2012 World Junior 400m hurdles
champion. Howard Aris Award was
established in 2012 to commemorate late
former JAAA president. The award
recognises the athletes who represent their
county with the distinction in nontraditional events. The athletes additionally,
also won the scholarships worth 250000
dollar, acceptable at the University of
Technology, the University of the West
Indies or GC Foster College.
Usain Bolt acclaimed the renowned status
by defending three gold medals, which are
100m, 200m and 4x100m at 2012 Olympic
Games in London.
LIONEL MESSI WON THE FIFA

BALLON DOR AWARD FOR
FOURTH TIME
Lionel Messi, the Argentine footballer won
FIFA BallondOr Award on 7 January 2013
as a reward to his 91-goal in a year for
Barcelona and Argentina, in the year 2012.
Messi voted to be the best player for the
fourth year in a row managed to beat his
close competitors, Cristiano Ronaldo of
Spanish champion Real Madrid and
Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta.
To win this award, Messi won 41.60 percent
votes and was followed by Ronaldo, who
won 23.68 percent votes and Andres
Iniesta, who won 10.91 percent votes of all
the votes casted. The votes were casted by
National Team Coaches and Captains as
well as journalists invited. All these people,
helped in selecting the top three from a
huge list of 23 nominated players. With this
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win for the fourth time, Messi has left

behind the three time FIFA winners namely
Zinedine Zidane of France and Ronaldo of
Brazil.
FIFA Ballon dOr Award
FIFA Ballon dOr Award was started in the
year 2010 after merging the two, France
Football's Ballon d'Or and the men's FIFA
World Player of the Year Award. It is the
associations football award that is
awarded to the years best performer. The
player is selected via voting process and
the votes are casted by the captains and
coaches of the International Teams as well
as the journalists from across the world.
ANDY MURRAY DEFEATED

GRIGOR DIMITROV TO RETAIN
HIS BRISBANE
INTERNATIONAL TENNIS TITLE
Andy Murray, the third seeded Scottish
tennis player retained his Brisbane
International Tennis Title after defeating
the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on 6 January
2013. Murray defeated Dimitrov by 7-6 and
6-4 in straight sets. This is the first title won
by Murray in the year 2013 and twenty-fifth
title of his career.
With this win, Murray was successful in
winning 78800 dollar and 250 Emirates ATP
Ranking Point and Dimitrov ended up with
150 Emirates ATP Ranking Point and 41540
dollar.
2nd Match Report: In the second match

played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 3
January 2013 (day/night format) Pakistan
gave a target of 251 runs for India to win
but India was able to score 165 in 48 over
with no wicket remaining in hand. Nasir
Jamshed was elected as the Player of the
match.
Brisbane International Tennis Title

Brisbane International Tennis Title is an
internationally
acclaimed
Tennis
Tournament that is organised every year in
the month of January at Queensland Tennis
Centre in Brisbane, Queensland in
Australia. The tournament is played on the
outdoor hard courts and is a part of ATP
World Tour 250 series of the World Tour of
the Association of Tennis Professionals
(ATP) as well as the WTA Premier
tournaments of the Women's Tennis
Association (WTA) Tour. The tournament is
held before the Australian Open, the first
Grand Slam tournament of the season.
3rd Match Report: India playing first at

Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi on 6 January 2013
(day/night format) scored 167 runs in 43.4
over and Pakistan was all out at 157 runs in
48.5 over. India won the match by 10 runs
and MS Dhoni was once again chosen as the
Player of the match.
VIRAT KOHLI NAMED CEAT

INTERNATIONAL CRICKETER
OF THE YEAR
INDIA LOST THE SERIES

AGAINST PAKISTAN BY 2-1
AFTER IT WON THE LAST
MATCH BY 10 RUNS
India won the last match of the Pakistan in
India ODI Series on 6 January 2013 against
Pakistan by 10 Runs. With this win over
Pakistan, India lost the three matches one
day series by 1-2.
At the end of the series, Nasir Jamshed of
Paksitan was declared as the Player of the
tournament.
Series Report
1st Match Report: The first match was
played at MA Chidambaram Stadium,
Chepauk, at Chennai on 30 December 2012.
India scored 228 runs at a loss of 6 wickets
and Pakistan managed to achieve the target
to win the match by 6 wickets (with 11 balls
remaining). At the end of the match Dhoni
was chosen as the player of the match.
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331
Vice-captain of Indian Cricket team Virat

Kohli on 4 January 2013 was named the
International Cricketer of the Year, while
Pakistan cricket team bagged the top
honours for the best team at the CEAT
Cricket Awards 2011-12 in New Delhi.
Virat Kohli had deafeated Hashim Amla,
Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke to
bag the prestigious award.
Kohli was the top run-getter for India in
both Tests and ODIs in 2012 with his careerbest 183 which came against Pakistan in the
Asia Cup in March 2012 only.
The Former Pakistan cricket captain Zaheer
Abbas was honoured with the lifetime
award while Saeed Anwar got the best
audience choice awards.
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SANIA MIRZA AND BETHANIE

MATTEK-SANDS CLAIMED
LADIES DOUBLES FINAL AT
THE BRISBANE
INTERNATIONAL
Indian Tennis player Sania Mirza and her
American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands
on 5 January 2013 lifted the WTA Brisbane
International Trophy with a win against
Kveta Peschke and Anna-Lena Groenefeld.
The second seeded Indo-American pair
Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands
defeated fourth seed Anna-Lena Grnefeld
of Germany and Czech Keveta Peschke with
4-6 6-4 10-7 in the summit face-off of the
1000000 US dollar event.
The win is supposed to be Sania's first
doubles title of the season and 15th of her
career.
Sania and Mattek earned 470 ranking points
each and shared 51022 US Dollar as prize
money.
On the other hand, In the same tournament
World no. 3 Serena Williams claimed her
first ever single Brisbane International Title
with 6-2, 6-1 victory over Russian tennis
player
Anastasia
Sergeyevna
Pavlyuchenkova.
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CHAPTER 14: STATE

NEWS
MADRAS HIGH COURT

UPHELD BAN ON
VISHWAROOPAM IN TAMIL
NADU
Madras High Court on 30 January 2013, in the
evening upheld the ban on Kamal Haasans
Vishwaroopam in Tamil Nadu till 6 February
2013. An order passed on by Justice K.
Venkataraman to lift the ban was later nullified
by the two-member bench comprising of Acting
chief justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Aruna
Jagadeesan.
CAUSE FOR THE BAN ON VISHWAROOPAM
Certain
Islamic
organisations
demanded that film should be
screened to them before the release
on the grounds that the Muslim
community was depicted in a
negative light in the movie.
Kamaal Hassan had also organised
special screening for them.
However, the film screening was
curtailed for 15 days by Tamil Nadu
government under Section 144 of
the Indian Criminal Procedure Code
because of allegations by certain
Islamic organisations.
Eventually the matter was brought
to the Madras High Court seeking
rollback of the ban on the grounds
that Vishwaroopam was approved
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by the Central Board of Film

Certification.
The ban was rolled back by the
Madras High Court on 29 January
2013.
On 30 January 2013, however, the
ban was upheld by the High Court
once again.
KARNATAKA TO PROVIDE
TAMIL NADU WITH 12 TMC
FEET OF CAUVERY WATER:
CMC
The Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC)
on 7 December 2012 asked Karnataka to
provide Tamil Nadu with 12 TMC feet of
Cauvery water during December even as it
asked both the states to be more efficient
in using available water. The meeting of the
CMC came after the Supreme Court of India
on 5 December 2012 asked the multi-state
panel to meet within the next two days to
decide on water requirement of Tamil Nadu
and Karnataka. The states sharing the
disputed Cauvery River waters were
informed that the final award of the
Cauvery Waters Dispute Tribunal will be
notified by the end of December 2012.
In 1997, the Union Government of India had
proposed the setting up of a Cauvery River
Authority. Under this new proposal, the
Government set up two new bodiesCauvery River Authority and Cauvery
Monitoring Committee. The Cauvery River
Authority consisted of the Prime Minister
and the Chief Ministers of all four
states(Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Pondicherry,
Kerala) and its headquarter is in New Delhi.
The Cauvery Monitoring Committee is an

expert body which consists of engineers,
technocrats and other officers. This body
takes stock of the ground realities and
report to the government.
UNION GOVERNMENT RULED

OUT THE DECISION OF
CAUVERY RIVER AUTHORITY
Decision of the Cauvery River Authority was
ruled out by the Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on 8 October 2012. The Prime
Minister ordered Karnataka to release 9000
cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu every day, till
20 October 2012.
The Cauvery River Authority (CRA)
comprises of the Chief Ministers of basin
states namely Puducherry, Kerela, Tamil
Nadu and Karnataka and is chaired by the
Prime Minister itself.
The Prime Minister in response to his meet
with the Congress Union Ministers namely
S.M. Krishna, M. Mallikarjun Kharge and
K.H. Muniyappa along with 16 members of
Parliament from BJP came to a conclusion
that the decision will be made following the
findings of the ground reality from the
Cauvery Monitoring Committee. The
committee is going to meet in the third
week of October. As the decision making
lies in the hands of the CRA, so the Prime
Minister due to lack of mechanism cannot
make any changes in the award.
RASHTRIYA AAROGYA NIDHI

SCHEME WAS LAUNCHED IN
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
The State Health Ministry of Arunachal
Pradesh launched Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi
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scheme in Itanagar on 14 September 2012.

The scheme which is under the Union
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
provides financial assistance upto 1.5 lakh
rupees to BPL patients suffering from life
threatening diseases in the form of a
onetime grant. In the event of the
treatment cost exceeding 1.5 lakh rupees,
the patients can avail the assistance from
the Central Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi
scheme.
The
Central
governments
contribution to the scheme for Arunachal
Pradesh, will be two crore rupees.
SUPREME COURTS NOTICE TO

TAMIL NADU ON THE
PETITION THAT CHALLENGED
69% QUOTA IN THE STATE
In a petition filed against 69 per cent quota
in educational and employment institutions
of Tamil Nadu by ten meritorious students,
Supreme Court of India issued a notice on
10 September 2012 as the granted quota
exceeds the limits decided by the
judgement issued by Mandal Commission.
After hearing from the senior council
Rakesh Diwedi, the notice was issued by the
bench of Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and
Dipak Misra seeking clarification and
response from the state for directing the
ways to provide admission to the
petitioners in the running session of the
Medical Colleges, by increasing the number
of seats as it has been doing for past sixteen
years.
As per the petitioners, the Supreme Court
directed the backward class commission in
2010 to measure the justifiability of the 69
percent quota with the objective criteria
report. The body filed a report to the state

government on 8 July 2011, without any
objective criteria just by confirming the 69
percent reservation on basis of Amba
Shankar Commission Report made in 1985,
without taking any objective criteria related
to the terms of Nagaraja case that does not
permits the power to exceed the restriction
beyond 50 percent reservation.
RAJASTHAN HC STAYED
STATES DECISION FOR
GIVING 4% ADDITIONAL
RESERVATION TO GURJAR
The Rajasthan High Court on 29 January
2013 stayed the state government's
decision for giving 4 per cent additional
reservation to Gurjar, Raika-Rebari, Gadia
Luhar and Banjara communities. The
division bench of the Rajasthan High Court
presided by Justice N.K. Jain stayed this
order. Final hearing of this case will be on
19 February 2013. Earlier on 28 November
2012,
the
Rajasthan
Government
announced to provide 4% more reservation
in government jobs to Gurjar and 4 other
communities under Special Backward
Category.
This decision was taken on the basis of the
report of Rajasthan OBC Commission. This
commission
studied
and
examined
quantifiable data with regard to Gurjar and
other communities representation in the
state services and made its opinion
accordingly. This decision was challenged by
a petitioner Manoj Solanki that it will
provide 54 per cent reservation which is
violation of Supreme Courts order.
LEPROSY ELIMINATED FROM

DELHI AS PER WHO
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GUIDELINES: DELHI HEALTH

MINISTER
Delhi Health Minister A.K. Walia announced
on 24 January 2013 that leprosy was
eliminated from the state as public health
problem, as per the World Health
Organisation (WHO) guidelines. There was a
huge decline in the rate of this disease. The
rate declined from 4.5 cases per 10000
population in 2001 to 0.8 cases per 10000
population in 2013.
According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO) guidelines, leprosy is said to be
eliminated as the public health problem
when its number of patients drop down
below 1 case per 10000 population.
Leprosy is caused because of the bacteria

mycobacterium leprae. It affects primarily
skin and the nerves. The symptoms of leprosy
appear gradually and may also take 2-5 years
of time to be evident.
MADRAS HIGH COURT

ORDERED THAT POLICE
PERMISSION IS NOT
REQUIRED TO STAGE PLAYS
IN THE STATE
The High Court of Madras on 23 January
2013 ordered that staging plays in Tamil
Nadu doesnt require any sort of Police
Permission and it also explained that some
provisions of the Tamil Nadu Dramatic
Performances
Act,
1954
were
unconstitutional.

The bench of Madras High Court led by
Justice K. Chandru in its verdict stated that
the definition to the objectionable
performance mentioned in the law was
quite unclear and thus it cant be brought
within the restrictions allowed in the Article
19 (2) of Constitution of India. The Bench
also found that Under Section 3 and Section
4 of the Constitution of India, the power
conferred on the State government and the
Police Commissioner/District Collectors
respectively are wide and discretionary and
thus it violates the provisions mentioned
under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
The decision of the High Court came in
context of the petition filed by a Journalist,
N. V. Sankaran alias Gnani, who runs a
theater group Pareeksha. Dramatic
Performance Act 1876 was passed to
regulate theatre during colonial rule.
Different Articles of Constitution of India
and provisions mentioned under it
Part iii, Fundamental Rights: Right to
Equality Right to Freedom
Article 14 - Equality before law - The State
shall not deny to any person equality before
the law or the equal protection of the laws
within the territory of India.
Part iii, Fundamental Rights: Right to
Freedom
Article 19 - Protection of certain rights
regarding freedom of speech, etc. (1) All
citizens shall have the right- (a) to freedom
of speech and expression
Article 19 (2) of Constitution of India Nothing in sub clause (a) of clause ( 1 ) shall
affect the operation of any existing law, or
prevent the State from making any law, in
so far as such law imposes reasonable
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restrictions on the exercise of the right

conferred by the said sub clause in the
interests of the sovereignty and integrity of
India, the security of the State, friendly
relations with foreign States, public order,
decency or morality or in relation to
contempt of court, defamation or
incitement to an offence.
GHAT KI GUNI TUNNEL,

JAIPUR INAUGURATED BY
PRIME MINISTER
MANMOHAN SINGH
The Ghat Ki Guni Tunnel that links the
Jaipur with the National Highway No. 11 to
Agra was inaugurated by the Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and Chairperson
of United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi.
This 150 crore rupees twin-tube tunnel was
created by grilling out the Aravalli hills on
the eastern side of the Pink City. The
combined length of the tunnel is 2.80
kilometer and would provide a safe
alternative to the narrow passage at Ghat Ki
Guni, which connects Jaipur to Bharatpur
and Agra.
With a combined length of 2.80 km, the
tunnel will provide a safe alternative to the
narrow passage at Ghat Ki Guni connecting
Jaipur to Bharatpur and Agra. The walls of
the tunnel have been washed with pink
colour to present the craftsmanship of
Jaipur and it also have sensors to control air
pollution, cameras for speed control of the
vehicles, display boards, fans for ventilation,
fine illumination, pedestrian footpath, fireextinguishing facilities and many more.
DELHI WITNESSED THE

HIGHEST NUMBER OF RAPE
CASES IN A DECADES TIME
The Delhi Police Annual Report released on
19 January 2013 reported that Delhi
witnessed the record number of highest
rape cases, attempts to murder, robbery,
rioting in the complete decade. The report
claimed that the year 2012 witnessed 706
registered rape cases out of which 40
occurred at midnight including the brutal
gang rape in the bus.
PATIALA HOUSE BECAME

FIRST DISTRICT COURT TO
USE COMPLETE E-STAMPING
FACILITY
Patiala House court complex in New Delhi
on 16 January 2013 completely switched
over to the e-stamping facility. Patiala
House court complex is one of the six
district courts in New Delhi.
E-stamping arrangement in Patiala House
court complex was inaugurated by the
district judge of Patiala House court, I S
Mehta. With the complete e-stamping
facility at the Patiala House, it became the
first ever district court to make use of this
facility completely, while doing away with
the stamp papers. This action will help in
making sure hassle-free transactions as well
as keeping fraudulent practices under
check.
E-stamping was first introduced in April
2008 and is now also accessible in all the
denominations. The city government, on an
average collects 200 crore Rupees revenue
in a month through this facility.
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OM PRAKASH CHAUTALA AND

HIS SON HELD GUILTY IN
TEACHERS RECRUITMENT
SCAM
The Special CBI Court on 16 January 2013
convicted former Chief Minister of Haryana
and President of Indian National Lok Dal Om
Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Chautala
along with 53 others for illegal selection of
3000 junior basic trained teachers.
The process of recruitment started in 1999
to deal with the issue of acute shortage of
teachers in the state. 3206 vacancies were
advertised for recruitment of the junior
basic trained teachers from 18 districts of
Haryana. All the accused of the case were
arrested and sent to Tihar Central Jail and
the orders on the quantum of sentence is
awaited to be pronounced on 22 January
2013. The arrested includes 16 women.
The Special CBI Judge termed Om Prakash
Chautala to be the main conspirator and
convicted the others involved in the case of
charges related to criminal misconduct of a
public servant, criminal conspiracy, forgery,
abuse of official position, cheating with a
knowledge that the illegal loss that would
result to person whose interest all the
convicted were supposed to protect.
How the Scam Surfaced
The scam surfaced after the Director of
Primary Education (DPE), Sanjiv Kumar in the
year 2003 approached the Supreme Court
and submitted a writ petition and claimed
that Om Prakash Chautala created a pressure
to replace the original lists with the fake
ones.
PUNJABS FIRST SHARIAT

PANCHAYAT TO BE
INAUGURATED IN MARCH
2013
The first Shariat panchayat of Punjab
scheduled to be inaugurated on 3 March
2013 will be first of its kind in the state. This
will allow the Muslim community to deal
with the cases. The first Shariat panchayat
of the state would be inaugurated in
Malerkotla, which is the Muslim town in
Sangrur district.
The panchayat would deal with three main
types of the disputes and these are
inheritance, marriage and divorce.

GAVE ITS NOD TO CONDUCT
JALLIKATTU IN TAMIL NADU
2013 gave its nod to the Tamil Nadu
Government to conduct Jallikattu from 15
January 2013. The Court gave its permission
and asked the state to conduct it in
accordance to the law passed by it and
follow the rules and regulations of the
event, framed.
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month before from the date fixed for the

event to start. The Act has also mentioned
180 locations in the state that has been
identified and notified in the gazette, where
the events can be organised. The locations
of the event are subject to be added and
deleted at the discretion of the state. Its
the responsibility of the District Collector to
make sure that every animal participating in
the event is registered and the event
organizers and the owners of the animals
registered need to follow the conditions
imposed for the exhibition.
The collector is also responsible for
notifying the Chennai Chapter of the
Animal Welfare Board of India about the
event, so that they can depute the
volunteers/representatives/animal
inspectors at the locations of event, as
observers. The rules mentioned also make it
mandatory that the barricades that prohibit
the spectators to enter the area where the
bulls are tamed by the bull tamers should
be eight feet high. The spectators are also
not allowed to enter the same area.
The state Government would appoint a
complete veterinary team at the venue to
test and certify the bulls for participation in
the event. The team would also be
responsible for treating the bulls which get
injured during the event.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices K.S.

Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra permitting
the state also passed orders making it clear
that the event should be conducted, with
strict adherence to the orders passed by it.
37 YEAR OLD WOMAN

BECAME FIRST COMPLETE
BODY DONOR OF AIIMS
The provisions of the 2009 Act passed by

the State states that to organize the
Jallikattu event, a written permission from
the District Collector needs to be taken and
the permission should be availed at least a
Chandrakanta Rawat, the 37-year-old

Uttrakhand woman became the first
complete body donor in January 2013 at the
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New
Delhi. Chandrakanta Rawat was admitted to
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the hospital on 2 January 2013 and was
declared brain-dead. Rawats husband
permitted the doctors to retrieve her
organs.
Heart, two kidneys as well as liver of the
woman were used for the patients in need
while other organs such as bones and
cornea were kept to be used in the future.
While the heart of the woman was used for
the purpose of transplant at AIIMS, her
kidneys were transported to Sir Ganga Ram
Hospital and liver was utilised at the
Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences,
Vasant Kunj for the purpose of transplant.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
COLLABORATED WITH NSDL
FOR ADOPTION OF NATIONAL
PENSION SCHEME
The state of Arunachal Pradesh on 9

January 2013 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. Around 44 lakh subscribers across
the
Central
Government,
State
Government, central and State autonomous
bodies, a few corporates and other citizens
are associated with NPS.
The NPS scheme will be benefitting more
than 6160 employees who had joined the
services of the State Government on or
after1 January 2008.
About National Pension System
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NPS is a system wherein eligible

Government subscribers contribute
a fixed portion of their salaries and
an equivalent contribution is made
by
the
respective
State
Governments every month.
These amounts are transferred to
empanel Pension Fund Managers
(PFMs) for subsequent contribution
in instruments such as Government
securities, corporate and equities.
The National Pension Scheme is
under effect from 1 January 2004.
As on date 11.043 crore rupees has
been deposited in the State
Government exchequer.
The complete NPS activity is
regulated by the Pension Fund
Regulatory Development Authority
which has been created especially
for this purpose by the Centre.
About National Securities Depository Ltd

(NSDL)
NSDL is the first and largest depository in
India which was established in August 1996.
It is promoted by institutions of national
stature
responsible
for
economic
development of the country. It had
established a national infrastructure of
international standards that handles most of
the securities held and settled in
dematerialised form in the Indian capital
market.
NSDL is promoted by Industrial Development
Bank of India (IDBI) - the largest development
bank of India, Unit Trust of India (UTI) - the
largest mutual fund in India and National
Stock Exchange (NSE) - the largest stock
exchange in India. Some of the prominent
banks in the country have taken a stake in
NSDL.
Since its formation in the year 2000, there

have been eight Chief Ministers in the
Jharkhand and the state had seen President
Rule twice.
JMM WITHDREW SUPPORT

FROM BJP IN JHARKHAND
AND REDUCED IT TO
MINORITY
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on 7
January 2013 announced withdrawal of
support from the existing Bhartiya Janta
Party (BJP) led coalition Government in
Jharkhand. The support withdraw by JMM
has reduced BJP to a minority party in the
State Assembly.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha gave two
reasons for the withdrawal of its support
from the BJP and they were, Chief Minister
Arjun Mundas refusal from recognizing the
JMMs claim on the agreement to hold the
Chief Ministers office for 28 months each
party and also because of the derogatory
remarks against Shibu Soren by Nishikant
Dubey, MP from Godda.
Status of Seats of different Political Parties

in 81-member Assembly
JMM 18 seats
BJP 18 seats
All Jharkhand Students Union 6

seats
Janta Dal United 2 seats
Congress 13 seats
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha 11 seats
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MANTRA AIRLINES TO START

CIVIL AIRLINES SERVICES
FROM JAMMU TO KARGIL
The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir,
Omar Abdullah on 7 January 2013 launched
the first civil aviation service from Kargil to
Jammu. Mantra Airlines would be the
company that will be operating the civil
airline services, from Jammu to Kargil.
The landing of the 17-seater aircraft at
Kargil marked a history in itself, as before
this there has been no occasion, when a
civil passenger aircraft has been spotted or
landed at Kargil. Mantra Airlines conducted
a trial run between Jammu and Kargil on 3
November 2012.
Before this, AN-32 aircraft an Indian Air
Force aircraft had been offering the services
between Jammu-Kargil Sector and SrinagarKargil Sector thrice and once a week
respectively. AN-32 aircraft takes 40 to 45
passengers at a time. It charges 1450
rupees for Jammu-Kargil route and 1100
rupees for Srinagar-Jammu route.
RAPE VICTIMS FREE TO

CHOOSE LAWYERS AT THE
EXPENSE OF STATE:
MAHARASHTRA
GOVERNMENT
The Maharashtra Government decided
facilitating each sexual assault victim with
the lawyer of their choice at its own
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340

expense. The government declared that this
would ensure putting behind the bars, each
and every rapist who walked free because
of prosecution inexpertness.
Home Minister of Maharashtra, R R Patil
declared on 7 January 2013 that the choice
of lawyers would not be limited to just the
government attorneys but also the private
lawyers. The Home Minister declared that
this decision would help in securing higher
rate of conviction in the rape cases.
Ineffectual prosecution is a cause of poor
rate of conviction in sexual assault cases
against the women. As per the National
Crime Records Bureau, in 2011, 20576 men
went through the trial in Maharashtra but
merely 268 out of these were convicted by
the end of 2011. This decision of the
government could alter these figures.
However, it was believed that this decision
would demand the best attorney from the
system, thereby putting a lot of pressure on
state treasury.
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.
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Launch of the scheme was planned to check

the social evils like dowry in the state and
the mass marriages would bring down the
expenditure done on any of the wedding
eves. 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.
CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA

INAUGURATED FIRST FASTTRACK COURT IN DELHI FOR
HEARING RAPE CASES
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Altamas Kabir
inaugurated the first fast-track court in
Delhi on 2 January 2013 for dealing with the
crimes against females. The first fast-track
court is one among other four fast-track
courts which would deal with the cases of
crime against the women. This court is set
up in the Saket Court Complex and the first
case to be heard here is that of the Delhi
gang rape, which took place on 16
December 2012.
Other fast track courts would function from

3 January 2013 at Rohini, Tis Hazari and
Dwarka in New Delhi. In the first rape case
which would be heard in the fast-track
court, the Delhi Police decided to submit a
1000-page charge sheet in the magistrate
court in Saket on 3 January 2013 after
which it would move to fast-track court
where hearing will take place on daily trial
basis.
In December 2012, the Chief Justice of the
Delhi High Court announced that all the
cases of crime against women in Delhi
would be dealt in the fast-track courts.
handhold the units in building capacity. It

will also undertake skill upgradation
through institutional training, which is
meant to ensure sustainable employment
opportunities to the people.
MAHARASHTRA
GOVERNMENT TO SET UP 25
FAST TRACK COURTS TO DEAL
WITH CRIME AGAINST
WOMEN
Maharashtra government on 27 December
2012 announced setting up s
The principle consent to the proposal was
given by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan
and with this government will approach the
Bombay High Court to seek its nod.
The shift by the government to set up such
courts comes in the wake of a rise in
incidents of rape and harassment of girls in
various parts of the state.
In Maharashtra, there are 100 fast track
courts for speedy disposal of criminal cases
and the government is going to approach
the Bombay High Court to allocate 25 of
these courts completely for serious crimes
against women.
MAHARASHTRA
IMPLEMENT NATIONAL
COMMISSION ON FOOD
PROCESSING
The Maharashtra Government in the month
of December decided to implement the
National Mission on Food Processing which
is directed to enhance the standard of small
food processing units in the State.
The mission is a Centrally-sponsored
programme and it is going to provide micro
credit, facilitate technology transfer and
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342
The basic purpose of the programme is

decentralisation of implementation of
schemes through participation by State
governments which also aims to reduce the
gap in requirement and availability of skilled
manpower in the food processing sector.
The State Cabinet on 27 December 2012
approved the programme and appointed
Maharashtra Agro Industries Development
Corporation as the nodal body for
implementing it.
Under the scheme, the Centre provides 75
per cent while state's share is 25 per cent.
For the current fiscal, the State Government
made a provision of 5.5 crore rupees for the
mission, while the Centre would be
providing 16.5 crore Rupees.
Sectors in food processing such as fruits and
vegetables, milk products, meat, poultry,
fishery, oilseeds products, rice milling, pulse
processing and other agri-horticultural
sectors such as food flavours and colours,
oleoresins (plant extracts) and spices would
be covered under the programme.
The chief secretary of Maharashtra is going
to oversee the programme implantation in
the state.
DELHI GOVERNMENT
DECIDED DRAFTING NEW BILL
FOR AMENDMENTS IN LAW
ON RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT

In context with the Vasant Vihar gang rape
which took place on 16 December 2012,
Delhi Government decided drafting new bill
for making amendments in the law against
rape and sexual assault. It was decided that
amendments would be made so that the
law against rape and sexual assault were
more stringent. The new bill would be
prepared by Additional Solicitor General
Indira Jaising and it would later be moved
to Home Ministry via Delhi CM Sheila
Dikshit.
The new bill would aim at filling gaps in
present law on rape and sexual assault. At
present, the laws on rape and sexual assault
have various gaps in justice delivery system.
Decision to draft new bill was taken by CM
Sheila Dikshit after negotiations with social
workers, professors and experts.
Additionally, the Delhi government also
decided setting up full-time control room
for women who needed help by end of
December 2012. The control room would
become functional at Delhi Secretariat in
CMs office with committed phone
numbers.
Before the draft bill is finalised, there would
be a consultation with the stakeholders.
Also, the Delhi Commission for Women was
asked to use all possible modes of media for
inculcating awareness among different
sections of society. GRCs, RWAs, Mahila
Panchayats, corporate houses as well as
Citizen Groups would be involved as well.
CONGRESS WON THE STATE

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2012
IN HIMACHAL PRADESH,
CLAIMED 36 SEATS
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As per the election results declared by the

Election Commission of India on 20
December 2012, Indian National Congress
was declared winner in the Vidhan Sabha
elections of Himachal Pradesh under the
leadership of its veteran leader Virbhadra
Singh. Congress was successful in securing
36 out of 68 seats in the state elections. BJP
that won 41 seats in the 2007 Vidhan Sabha
Elections dropped down and was able to
win just 26 seats. Six independents
including the rebels of BJP also won in the
state elections in Himachal Pradesh.
The Congress Leader Virbhadra Singh won
from Shimla (Rural) constituency and
defeated the rival from BJP Ishwar Rohal by
19033 Votes. The BJP Leader, Prem Kumar
Dhumal won from Hamirpur defeating his
congress rival Narinder Thakur by 9500
votes.
BJP WON IN GUJARAT STATE

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2012,
CLAIMED 115 SEATS
s per the election results declared by the
Election Commission of India on 20
December 2012, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)
under the leadership of Chief Minister
Narendra Modi on 20 December 2012 won
the Vidhan Sabha Elections in Gujarat
leaving behind the opposition Congress and
Gujarat Parivartan Party. BJP was successful
in capturing 115 seats out of the 182
member assembly in the state, with this win
BJP is back to power in the state for the
fifth time and for the third time under the
leadership of Narendra Modi.
The 115 seats secured by BJP in the State
Elections was two less than the seats that it
won in the 2007 state elections, where as
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343

Congress was successful in winning 61 seats
which marked a growth by 2 seats on its
part as compared to the 2007 results. The
newly formed political party of Keshubhai
Patel, the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP)
was successful in winning 3 seats.
BJP was successful in winning 35 seats out
of 54 seats in the Saurastra-Kutch region
where it secured 38 votes in the 2007
elections. In Southern Gujarat the party
won 28 seats out of 25 and 20 out of 40 in
the central Gujarat region. Narendra Modi
was successful in beating her closet rival
Seweta Bhatt by a margin of 86000 votes in
Maninagar and is the wife of the suspended
IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. Sanjeev Bhatt was
suspended for accusing Narendra Modi for
orchestrating the 2002 Gujarat Riots as a
Chief Minister of the state.
GOVERNMENT OF
MAHARASHTRA ORDERED SIT
PROBE INTO MULTI-CRORE
IRRIGATION SCAM
Government of Maharashtra on 17
December 2012 ordered a Special
Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the
matter of multi-crore irrigation scam. The
announcement was made in both the
legislative houses of the state.
The SIT would be headed by the Dr.
Madhavrao Chitale and comprise experts
from law and judiciary and finance
departments. Its deadline would be
finalized by 31 December 2012. Dr. Chitale
is a water expert and has worked for
different commissions and at different
capacities and served the Union Water
Resource Ministry as its Secretary.
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BIHAR STATE GOVERNMENT

APPROVED THE NEW JAIL
MANUAL
The Bihar government on 11 December
2012 approved new jail manual that has
provision for elaborate computer generated
record of inmates including their voice
samples, replacing the existing 88-year-old
prison guidelines formulated in 1924.
The new guidelines are as following
The new guideline has provisions for
computerization of records including
the works done by inmates.
Under the new manual, visitors to
the jails would be registered
through computer.
Visitors
complex
would
be
established in all the jails where
visitors' photographs would be
taken on computer along with their
fingerprints.
The jails would have elaborate
computer generated details of
inmates including their voice
recordings.
Separate wards would be created in
jails for inmates aged between 18 to
21 years to keep them away from
hardcore criminals.
Close circuit cameras would be set
up in jails to keep a tab over affairs
inside including standard of food
served to the inmates.
Bihar has 56 jails at present that includes 8
central jails, 31 district jails and 17 sub-jails.
These jails have capacity to house 33119
prisoners.
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BIHAR RECEIVED THE SILVER

ICON WEB RATNA AWARD
2012
BS YEDDYURAPPA, FORMER
CHIEF MINISTER OF
KARNATAKA LAUNCHED KJP
Bihar's public grievance redressal website

received the Silver Icon Web Ratna Award
2012 on 10 December 2012.
Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, B S

Yeddyurappa formally launched Karnataka
Janatha Party (KJP) on 9 December 2012.
KJP was launched in Haveri, 350 kms from
Bangalore.
The public grievance redressal website -http://bpgrs.in has been developed by the
State Government as an e-governance
initiative and has various features for quick
and transparent disposal of complaints. The
complainant is also intimated on his/her email about the action taken.
AP HC STAYED ED ORDER
ATTACHING 822CR RUPEES
DEPOSIT IN MONEY
LAUNDERING SCAM
HARYANA TO BUY 2000 MW

HYDEL POWER FROM
BHUTAN
Andhra Pradesh High Court on 11

December 2012 stayed a provisional order
of Enforcement Directorate(ED) attaching
822 crore rupee deposits belonging to
Mahindra Satyam in a moneylaundering
case involving former Satyam Chairman B
Ramalinga Raju and others.
Justice P V Sanjay Kumar also stayed the
notice issued by the adjudicating authority
to Mahindra Satyam, Satyam Computer
Services Ltd, asking company officials to
appear before it with regard to the case.
The Enforcement Directorate had on 18
October 2012 issued a provisional
attachment order of the company's fixed
deposits of 822 crore rupee in the money
laundering case related to the previous
management.
www.jagranjosh.com
Besides Yeddyurappa, Ramkrishna Hegde,

HD Deve Gowda, SR Bommai, D Devaraj Urs,
S Bangarappa and S Nijalingappa had
formed their own parties after serving as
the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
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The Government of Haryana approached

Bhutan to provide hydel-powerto resolve
the power crisis in the state.
The Haryana Government is supposed to
purchase 2000 MW power from the country
for which they have alreday finalised
modalities regarding the purchase at the
administrative level.
The Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder
Singh Hooda is going to lead a high-level
delegation to Bhutan from 14 December
2012 to 16 December 2012 calling for a
significant step to make the state free of
any power shortage in the coming
days.Senior officers of power utilities
department would be part of this high-level
delegation to Bhutan.
Hydel-power is available at cheaper rates as
compared to coal-based power plants.

However, Haryana has already started
working in this direction as senior officers of
power utilities department had visited
Bhutan and interacted with their officials
.The rates of the power would be as per the
MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) that
would be signed between the two
countries.
Four coal-based thermal power stations are
already operating at full capacity in the
state of Haryana. Also, a nuclear power
plant of 2800 MW was being set up at
Gorakhpur village in Fatehabad district. The
government is also planning to start a new
scheme, under which, 22-hour power
supply will be given to consumers who pay
their bills on time.
If the MoU is successfully signed then it
would help to ensure uninterrupted power
supply of 14 to 20 hours to the rural
consumers in the state.
Besides, Haryana government is also
exploring the possibilities of purchasing
hydel-power from Arunachal Pradesh in the
future.
UTTAR PRADESH
ISSUE GOLDEN CARDS TO
INDUSTRIALISTS
The Uttar Pradesh government on 4
December 2012 decided to issue Golden
Cards to industrialists and industrial
associations for easy access to its offices.
The Golden Card facility is part of the larger
effort of creating an industry-friendly
environment in Uttar Pradesh.
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A Golden Card will be like an identity (ID)

card with the holder's photo. It will allow
entry of industrialists to the state
secretariat and government departments
on priority basis without hurdles. The right
to visit card will be treated at par with ID
cards issued by the secretariat.
ANDHRA PRADESH SC, ST

SUB-PLANS BILL 2012 WAS
PASSED BY STATE ASSEMBLY
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on 2
December 2012 passed Andhra Pradesh SC,
ST Sub-Plans Bill 2012 providing statutory
status for implementation of the sub-plans
for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The legislation will ensure fund allocation
proportionate to the SC and ST population
and is expected to prevent diversion of subplan funds for other activities and not
allowing them unspent. There is also a
mandatory provision for allocation of
almost a fourth of the States annual plan of
the budget for SC, ST. The bill was
introduced on the recommendations of the
Cabinet Sub-Committee.
The demand for according legal status to
the Sub-Plans was made on states for a long
time by the Planning Commission of India
and National Development Council (NDC).
With this, Andhra Pradesh has become the
first state in India to enact such legislation.
The Opposition endorsed the legislation
except the Telugu Desam. The party sought
an amendment by inserting a provision in
the legislation to provide proportionate
allocations to ABCD groups within the SCs
based on their populations and socioeconomic conditions. The proposal was

defeated by 22 votes when it was subjected
to voting.
Since the state assembly had the power to
adopt annual budget only for one year,
there was no constitutional provision to
prevent lapsing of SC/ST funds.
DELHI HIGH COURT

LAUNCHED E-COURT FEE
SYSTEM MAKING JUSTICE
DELIVERY SYSTEM PAPERLESS
The Delhi High Court on 20 November 2012
launched the e-court feesystem at its
premises to cut off the difficulty and delay
in filing cases and to make the justice
delivery system paperless and hassle-free.
The new system launched is a joint initiative
of Delhi Government and the Computer
Committee of the High Court which is
headed by Justice B. D. Ahmed and it is
going to allow litigants to buy stamp
papers--used to file court cases online
instead of having to physically stand in
queue to do so. Also, the new system is fully
secure as it could not be tampered with or
counterfeited.
Further, litigants or lawyers can make
payment for court fees in cash or through
cheque or pay order or draft. They could
also use RTGS facility to make payment
once the system goes online.
The litigants and lawyers would get a great
relief as earlier at times they had to wait for
several days or pay extra money to get
court fee stamps of the required
denominations due to their unavailability.
The court fee stamps would be available
24x7 so that filing of cases becomes easy.
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This is a historic step which is going to bring

transparency in the administration of
justice.
NTPC TO IMPART SKILL

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
FOR JAMMU AND KASHMIR
YOUTH
NTPC, the State-run power producer is
going to start a skill development
programme for 144 youngsters from Jammu
& Kashmir, under the central government's
UDAAN initiative in last week of November.
The programme named UDAAN is an
initiative of central government and it is
intended at imparting skills to youth from
Jammu & Kashmir to help them in
establishing their careers.
As per the Programme module NTPC is
going to train 200 youths from J&K every
year for a period of five years and the
company would also help the student in
getting placed. The programme is meant for
both graduates and post-graduates from
the J&K region.
The Programme is 36-week training
programme in thermal power plant
engineering. Giving an equal opportunity to
students of both the region of state the
company had chosen half of the 144 from
Jammu and rest half are from Srinagar. The
trainees would also be getting a monthly
stipend of 2500 Rupees.
The power producer would be the first
public sector undertaking to implement
UDAAN.
As per NTPC, after the induction
programme, the participants will be sent to

four
locations
Rihand,
Singrauli,
Vindhyachal and Talcher NTPC, the
country's largest power generator, has an
installed capacity of 39674 MW.
About UDAAN
UDAAN aims to help the youth of Jammu and
Kashmir, who are seeking to enhance and
grow their careers. Udaan will provide skills
and consequently employment to 8000 youth
from Jammu and Kashmir per annum over a 5
year period in key high growth sectors. The
programme is targeted at providing wellpaying jobs to the trained manpower. It calls
for organizations from across the country to
select deserving candidates from the state,
provide for training and place them either
within their organization or outside or enable
them to become entrepreneurs.
Keeping in touch with the latest Technology

trend a digital cage is also built for the
offenders; once helpline officials confirm
that the offender was not paying attention
to counseling, police would act to ensure
that the person is not able to get a
character certificate, passport or driving
licence.
The New helpline Service is going to
operate from the administrative block 2 of
Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Pariwartan
Sthal, the sprawling park built by Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati near
Jiamau crossing on Lohia Path in Lucknow.
DELHI AND MOSCOW

GOVERNMENT SIGNED MOU
TO FACILITATE COOPERATION
Delhi and Russian capital Moscow on 26
October 2012 signed a memorandum of
understanding to strengthen cooperation
in 11 key areas including culture,
healthcare,
education,
transport
management, trade and housing.
CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTAR

PRADESH INAUGURATED NEW
HELPLINE SERVICE FOR
WOMEN
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh
Yadav on 15 November 2012 at his official
residence in Lucknow inaugurated the New
Helpline service 1090 for women.
The much-hyped Women's Power phone
helpline '1090' is basically a pilot project of
Uttar Pradesh Police as it was stewarded by
Navneet Sikera, the Lucknow deputy
inspector general of police (DIG). The
helpline is largely aimed at counseling firsttime offenders and if the offences
continued, police would initiate legal
measures against repeat offenders.
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348
The MoU was signed by Sergey Cheremin,

Minister in charge of the International
Economic
Relations
of
Moscow
government, and Urban Development
Minister of Delhi Government Arvinder
Singh Lovely.
The signing of the MoU between the two
capital cities also commemorated the
beginning of a three-day cultural
celebration Days of Moscow in Delhi
under which a series of cultural, academic
and business events took place in the city.
The MoU signed is going to facilitate
cooperation between the Delhi government
and Government of Moscow for next three

years. The delegation from both cities will
visit each other with aim to establish direct
contact between the two cities in various
areas.
The collaboration is also going to help in
addressing major issues related to urban
development such as sewage management,
transport
management
and
most
importantly in the area of affordable
housing for urban poor in which Moscow
has extensive experience and expertise.
DMRC WOULD EXECUTE THE

KOCHI METRO RAIL PROJECT
IN ASSOCIATION WITH E.
SREEDHARAN
The Chief Minister of Kerela, Oommen
Chandy on 24 October 2012 declared that
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
would execute the Kochi Metro Rail Project
in association with E. Sreedharan in next
three years.
Oommedn Chandy also declared that for
timely completion of the rail project,
Sreedharan and DMRC were the best bet
for the state and to avoid complications
created during the meet of the Director
Board of Kochi Metro Rail Project, he would
be writing a letter to Sheila Dixit, the Chief
Minister of Delhi or would meet him
personally (if required). The Chief Minister
also promised extension of all sorts of
facilities to Sreedharan for easy and timely
completion of work.
HIGH COURT OF MADHYA

PRADESH DISMISSED THE
PLEA OF DOW CHEMICALS
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The High Court of Madhya Pradesh on 19

October 2012 dismissed the petition filed
by Dow Chemicals that challenged the
orders of the trial court pronounced in 2005
in form of a show-cause notice against the
1984 Bhopal Gas Leak Tragedy.
The show-cause notice was issued to the
Dow Chemical International Private Limited
by a Court of Bhopal in relation to the
petition filed by an NGO that has been
fighting for the rights of the Gas Victims
that moved in the year 2005. The petition
of the Dow Chemicals was dismissed by the
Bench of Justice G.S. Solanki.
DELHI HC: CHILD WITNESS

CANNOT BE REJECTED OUT
RIGHTLY
Delhi High Court in the month of October
ruled that the evidence of a child witness
cannot be rejected outright while upholding
a case in which life sentence awarded to a
man for kidnapping and then raping a minor
girl in 2009.
A bench of justices comprising Sanjiv
Khanna and S P Garg gave the ruling
dismissing Delhi resident Amrit Sharma
appeal against his conviction and sentence
of life imprisonment that was awarded by
the trial court on 27 September 2010 on
basis of the testimonies of the victim and
her friend.
As per the judge, the law on the issue is that
the evidence of a child witness cannot be
rejected outright. It must be evaluated
more
carefully
and
with
greater
circumspection because a child is
susceptible to be swayed by others and can
be tutored.

The judge also asserted that Small children
can make false identification not because
they want to depose and state false facts
but because they may not be guided and be
fully aware and conscious of the adverse
consequence and the effect of making false
positive identification.
The bench accepted the statements of
victim, a 4-year-old girl at the time of
incident in April 2009, and also of her
friend, who is also of same age group that
the accused had offered them biscuit and
Rs 10 to go with him.
UNION POWER MINISTRY

GAVE ITS NOD TO
IMPLEMENT ISLANDING
SCHEME IN DELHI
The Union Power Minister Veerapa Moily
on 17 October 2012 announced the
implementation of Islanding Scheme for
Delhi by January 2013 to protect it from
massive disruptions caused due to grid
failures in power supply. The scheme of
Delhi is different to that of the existing ones
in cities like Mumbai and Kolkata because
the transmission lines of different states is
routed through Delhi.
This scheme is being implemented as a
solution against the problems like the
massive blackout that occurred in July 2012
after the failure of Northern Grid, affecting
the power supplies of different states
including Delhi. Implementation of this
scheme would help in assuring an
unaffected flow of electricity to the VVIP
areas, Indian Railways, airport, hospitals,
Metro Rail, water treatment plants and
other essential places during the issues of
Northern Grid failure. These facilities overall
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requires 930 MW of power for being

operational.
To control the power supplies, the Delhi
Government would implement the islanding
facilities within next three months. The
move aims towards prevention of electric
supply disruptions under situations of grid
disturbances or failures.
This project is being developed at an
investment of 25 Crore Rupees and will
have a capacity of 3400 mega watt. Four
islands have been shortlisted for providing
electricity for this scheme and they include
Bawana CCGT (600 MW), BTPS-Pragati (500
MW), Dadri-Jajjhar-Pragati (2315 MW) and
Rithala CCGT (20 MW) and Delhi State Load
Dispatch Center (SLDC) would be
responsible for the operations of the island
system being developed.
Working Process of the Project

To make the installation operational the
mechanism to be followed includes
disconnecting Delhi from the national grid at
times of disturbances to secure the state
against power failures. After disconnecting,
the power generated within the state will be
supplied for meeting the demand of
electricity within the state.
CHHATTISGARH
GOVERNMENT SET UP A
LIVELIHOOD COLLEGE IN
DANTEWADA
The Chhattisgarh government in the first
week of October 2012 established a
Livelihood College in Dantewada to fight

unemployment in the Naxal affected areas
of the state. Dantewada district has always
been ridden with Maoist violence but
nowadays this district is in news for its
innovative initiative to fight unemployment.
District administration recently started a
unique livelihood college where educated
and even illiterate youth are being given
skill enhancement training so that they
could earn livelihood.
Livelihood College runs a course in repair
and maintenance of solar energy
equipment, hand pumps, carpentry,
plumbing, office management, hospitality,
sales and marketing. More than 1000 local
youth have been trained from this college
and were successfully employed in different
places.
FIVE TAMIL NADU PLACES

INCLUDED IN UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE TENTATIVE LIST
Union Culture Minister Kumari Selja
declared on 14 October 2012 that the five
sites in Tamil Nadu, including famous Lord
Sri Ranganathar temple in Srirangam, have
been included in the tentative list by the
Union Culture ministry for UNESCO's world
heritage status
The 17th century Fort St George in Chennai,
Chettinad, Kazhugumalai rock sculptures
and Pulikat Lake were the other sites in the
list.
About UNESCO World Heritage Site
UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place such
as a forest, mountain, lake, desert,
monument, building, complex, or city that is
listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural
or physical significance. The list is
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maintained by the international World

Heritage Programme administered by the
UNESCO World Heritage Committee,
composed of 21 states parties which are
elected by their General Assembly
As of 2012, 962 sites are listed: 745 cultural,
188 natural, and 29 mixed properties, in
157 states parties. By sites ranked by
country Italy is home to the greatest
number of World Heritage Sites with 47
sites, followed by Spain with 44 and China
with 43.
TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT

FILED A CONTEMPT OF
COURT PLEA AGAINST
KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT IN
SC
The Government of Tamil Nadu on 10
October 2012 moved to the Supreme Court
(SC) against the Chief Minister of Karnataka,
Jagadish Shivappa Shettar and six others for
initiation of content of court for disobeying
the courts order, given on 28 September
2012 for releasing 9000 cusecs of water
from the Cauvery to Tamil Nadu till 15
October 2012.
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J
Jayalalithaa after chairing a meet with the
senior members of the cabinet and
identifying the situation, directed them to
file a plea in form of courts contempt
against the Counterpart at Karnataka, as an
immediate action plan. This came up after
Karnataka stopped the release of water
from Krishna Raja Sagar Dam citing
depletion of stored water.
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Out of four, two projects is going to

commissioned soon.
SOCIAL ACTIVIST ARVIND

KEJRIWAL LAUNCHED BIJLI
PAANI SATYAGRAH
Indian Social activist Arvind Kejriwal on 6
October 2012 launched a Bijli-Paani
Satyagraha in New Delhi to protest against
inflated power and water bills and hike in
tariffs by restoring electricity connection to
the household of a labourer which was
disconnected for non-payment of bills.
CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNEL
ACROSS JOJILA PASS ON
SRINAGAR-LEH HIGHWAY
STARTED
In Jammu and Kashmir, an ambitious
project of constructing 6.5 kilometre long
tunnel across Jojila Pass on Srinagar- Leh
highway started on 4 October 2012. The
project on its completion will make Srinagar
- Leh road an all weather road and fulfill the
long pending demand of the people of
Laddakh region.
The tunnel project fulfills the long term
demand of people in Laddakh region.
Haryana is among the leading states in

implementing
energy
conservation
programmes.
The memorandum was basically signed to
tackle with the prevailing power crisis in the
state.
UP GOVERNMENT LAUNCHED
THE SAMAJWADI SWASTHYA
SEVA IN THE STATE
Uttar Pradesh state government on 14
September 2012 launched the Samajwadi
Swasthya Seva, the biggest emergency
medical transport service in the country.
The ambitious service was launched in 13
districts - Mainpuri, Etawah, Lucknow,
Kannauj, Saharanpur, Meerut, Rampur,
Moradabad,
Muzaffarnagar,
Sambhal,
Shamli, Baghpat and Ambedkarnagar - in
the first phase.The facility can be availed
free of cost by dialling 108. The ambulance
service was launched with the help of a
private service provider.
HARYANA GOVERNMENT
SIGNED MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING (MOU)
The government aims to reach people in

need within 20 minutes of the SOS call. A
call centre that will be manned by 100
people has been set up here to support the
emergency service. It will be functional
24x7.
Haryana government had signed a

Memorandum of Understanding with four
independent power producers for setting
five bio-mass power projects.
PUNJAB GOVERNMENT
AMENDED CANAL AND
DRAINAGE ACT
The capacity of power projects is of 51 MW

and required an investment of 230 crore.
Punjab state government on 11 September

2012 amended the section 70 of Canal and
Drainage Act, 1873 to punish the offence of
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352

canal water theft. As per the amendment,
those who puncture a canal to irrigate their
fields will face a fine of 5000 rupees,
imprisonment or both. For the second
offence of canal water theft, water supply
would be ceased for full term during the
crop season.
In case any person still continues to use
water in an unauthorised manner, they
would be excluded from the command area
of the canal for a period of two years.
Before this amendment, there was a
provision of Rs 1,000 fine or 1 month
imprisonment or both.
DELHI GOVERNMENT
DECIDED TO IMPOSE A
BLANKET BAN ON PLASTIC
BAGS
The Delhi government on 10 September
2012 decided to impose a blanket ban on
the manufacture, sale, storage and use of
plastic bags in the national capital. The use
of plastic cover pouches to pack magazines
and invitation and greeting cards will also
be prohibited. Following a Delhi High Court
order, the government had in January 2009
imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in
various markets, shopping malls, hotels and
hospitals but it has not produced any
desired result.
The government now decided to impose
the ban as per provision of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 under which the
violators could face imprisonment up to five
years and fine of up to 1 lakh rupees or
both.
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GOA GOVERNMENT ORDERED

TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF
MINING OPERATIONS
The Goa Government on 10 September
2012 ordered temporary suspension of all
mining operations in the state. An order to
this effect was issued by the Principal
Secretary, Department of Mines and
Geology. The suspension came into effect
from 11 September 2012.
The decision comes in view of the serious
illegalities and irregularities mentioned in
the report of the Justice M.B. Shah
commission of inquiry constituted by the
Union Government of India to look into the
aspect of illegal mining in various states
including Goa.
However, the suspension of mining
operations will have no effect on trade and
transportation of ore already mined and
existing in the lease-hold area, in transit or
stored or stocked on the jetties.
WEST BENGAL SIGNED AN

AGREEMENT WITH TCS TO
MONITOR MGNREGA FUND
The West Bengal government on 8
September 2012 signed an agreement with
a leading IT firm TCS (Tata Consultancy
Services) to monitor management of the
MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act) fund.
The agreement will facilitate in plugging
wastage and leakage of funds under the
scheme in the state. The 100-day
employment programme will also get a
boost
with
modernization
and
transparency. The pilot project of

technology
enabled
monitoring
of
MGNREGA will start from south 24 Pragana
district and gradually will be extended to all
other 18 districts of the state.
TCS will provide a 5-year support to the
system after implementation. TCS said it
would offer extensive experience in egovernance.
SIKKIM LOKAYUKTA BILL

RECEIVED PRESIDENTIAL
ASSENT
The Sikkim Lokayukta Bill, an act seeking to
check corruption in the state, got the
approval of the President of India on 28
August 2012. The bill was passed by the
Sikkim Assembly on 29 December 2010,
subsequently it was sent to the state
governor who forwarded it for presidential
nod on 13 January 2011.
The
Sikkim
Lokayukta
Act
sets
accountability on government authorities
and aims at checking corruption in the
state. The principal objective of the Act is
citizens grievances redressal, especially
those related to corruption in the
functioning of public bodies or authorities
including that of favouritism.
As per the Act the Lokayukta is to be
appointed by the Governor and be given
the responsibility to conduct enquiry and
investigations after consultations with the
Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, the
Speaker of the Assembly and the Leader of
Opposition. It also provides that the
Lokayukta initiate enquiry on the receipt of
complaints and after the approval of a
Minister, Chief Secretary or Secretary.
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THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

CORPORATION SIGNED MOU
WITH GENCO
The Rural Electrification Corporation (REC)
on 23 August 2012 signed MoU with Genco
under which the former will provide the
latter a loan of 10873 crore rupees to set up
three power projects with a combined
capacity of 2560 MW in Andhra Pradesh.
These are Vijayawada and Kothagudem
thermal
power
stations
expansion
projections of 800 MW each, and the hydroelectric project of Polavaram dam (960
MW).
The expansion projects of the Vijayawada
and Kothagudem thermal stations will
require 5286 crore rupees and 5291 crore
rupees respectively and that of Polavaram
will require 3014 crore rupees. The REC
loan will cover a major part of the cost of
these projects while the remaining
expenditure will be carried out by Genco.
EGOM DECIDED TO INVEST

RS. 425 CRORE FOR GUJARAT
DROUGHT RELIEF
The Union Government decided to invest
Rs. 425 crore for Gujarat Drought Relief on
3 August 2012. The decision took in the
meeting with the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
It was headed by the Union Agriculture
Minister and Rural Development Minister.
The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM)
was also agreed to consider the demand of
the state to extend the employment
opportunities for the state under Mahatma

Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MNREGA), 2005.
The Chief Minister of Gujarat decided to
leave 30 percent draught relief funds spent
by State government.
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Welspun Energy is a sister concern of the

US $ 3.5 billion Welspun Group. The
company mainly deals with creation of
environment-friendly power plants and is
aimed to establish its plants across India.
THE NCR PLANNING BOARD

APPROVED THE
CONTROVERSIAL GREATER
NOIDA MASTER PLAN 2021
ORISSA IS THE FIRST STATE

TO COMMENCE E-PAYMENT
FACILITY FOR GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES
Orissa became the First Indian state to
commence
e-payment
facility
for
government employees from 1 August
2012.
Now, the government employees in the
state will receive their salaries and pensions
through the online Portal of Reserve Bank
of India. Employees received their salaries
and pensions directly to their bank account.
Reserve Bank of India took an initiative for
e-payment facilities.
The NCR (National Capital Region) Planning

Board on 24 August 2012 approved the
controversial Greater Noida Master Plan
2021. This will allow builders to restart
construction of around 200000 apartments
in various projects in the Noida Extension
area of Greater Noida.
NCR planning board comes under the
ministry
of
urban
development,
Government of India. The board was
constituted in 1985.
WELSPUN FINDS THE

LENDERS FOR ITS 50 MW
SOLAR PROJECT IN
RAJASTHAN
Welspun Energy declared that it was
successful in finding the funds of Rs 355
crore for its 50 MW Solar Power Project in
Rajasthan on 10 September 2012. Three
public sector banks along with an
infrastructure finance company came
together to issue the loan for this long term
project to the company. The project is
expected to be commissioned by the first
quarter of 2013.
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355
FRANCE OFFICIALLY
RECOGNISED THE KILLINGS
OF 1961 PARIS MASSACRE
CHAPTER 15: HISTORY

NOOR INAYAT KHANS BUST
TO BE UNVEILED AT LONDON
BY PRINCESS ANNE
Britain's Princess Anne unveiled the Bronze
Bust of Noor Inayat Khan in London,
reckoned to be a heroine of the World War
II on 8 November 2012 for the role that she
played as a secret agent in the secret
mission against the Nazis. The Bronze Bust
was unveiled at Gordon Square the place,
where Noor Inayat lived at the time.
Noor Inayat Khan was worlds first lady
radio operator, who was infiltrated in the
then occupied France and pass on the
information of the allies. She was caught at
Dachau Concentration Camp and killed. The
decision came up giving an end to the
several years of campaign that was run by
the Noor Inayat Memorial Trust and also by
Shrabani Basu, her biographer, for reviving
the memory of the War heroine, who by
now was almost forgotten.
This campaign of winning recognition to the
forgotten heroine of the World War II was
also supported by several Parliamentarians,
the British Prime Minister David Cameron
and John Bercow, the Speaker of the House
of Commons. The rights activist Shami
Chakrabarti and filmmaker Gurinder
Chadha also supported this campaign.
Karen Newman, a London based Artist has
sculptured the bust. The Noor Inayat
Memorial Trust was successful in raising
60,000 as funds from the Public.
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356
France on 17 October 2012 for the first time

officially acknowledged the killings of
hundreds of unarmed Algerians in the 1961
Paris Massacre. In a communiqu
(communication) that was published by the
Elysee Palace, a statement by the President
Francois Hollande stated about the killing of
the Algerians protestors, protesting for
their Independence on 17 October 2012 in a
bloody repression. He also paid homage to
the victims after 51 years of the incident.
Algeria, the North African Country, won its
independence in 1962, after fighting 8 years
long brutal war in which about a million
people died. The official declaration in
relation to the acknowledgement of the
killings came a week before Mr. Hollandes
visit to Algeria.
About the Incident
Maurice Papon, the French Nazi sympathizer
and the then Prefect of Paris imposed a
curfew on Algerians living in France. The
Leaders of Algeria tried to challenge the
curfew with a protest that was to be done in
a peaceful manner. The Protestors on 17
October 1961 were rounded up in Paris on
the order of Papon and tortured and beaten
up brutally. Many of them were thrown alive
in River Seine with their hands tied at their
back.
The 1961 Massacre of Paris can be compared
to Jalianwala Bagh Masscare in which
General Dyer ordered killing of unarmed
civilians protesting against colonial presence
in the India.
symbol for keeping the trespassers at a

distance or to make sure that the tax
collectors regularly deposited the revenue.
MAHARAJ LOONKARAN
SINGHS ERA GUNPOWDER
FOUND IN SONAR FORT
More than 1500 kg of 500-year old
gunpowder was found on 20 December
2012 in five leather bags near Jain Temple
in
Sonar
Fort,
Jaisalmer.
District
administration decided to seek help from
Army for destroying the gunpowder.
The secretary of Jaisalmer Vikas Samiti
explained that gunpowder was lying in
closed burj (tower) and was discovered by
the labourers who were engrossed in
repairing work. This burj had remained
closed for several years, possibly centuries.
Historian Nand Kishore Sharma believed
that gunpowder could possibly be from
Maharaj Loonkaran Singhs time when the
cannon use was just started in 1550.
Till today, five huge cannons were kept in
Sonar Fort, Jaisalmer. Usually the explosives
were kept in proximity to the cannons. It
was possible that explosives were kept in
burj near cannons which were placed near
Jain temple.
750 YEAR OLD EXPLICIT

STONE TABLET DISCOVERED
IN VASAI
Early in December 2012, a team of the
historians in Vasai recovered the 750 year
old stone tablet which has sexually explicit
inscription. The historians explained that
the bygone king of that area (identity of
whom is yet to be discovered) might have
had custom-made the carvings as warning
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357
The stone tablet bears the inscription of a

donkey copulating with the female, which
might be an indication that women of
trespassers would face a similar fate. In the
olden times, the property owners in Vasai
area used to place the carved stones at
entrances of their properties. This practice
is followed even today in Vasai. Trespassers
were given a warning using the abusive
words but historians believe that such a
pictorial abuse was not common.
The stone tablet dates back to 1268 AD and
was recovered from the Kiravali village. The
measurements of the stone are 126 cm, 56
cm and 22 cm in length, width and breadth
respectively. The stone is from the era of
Shilahara kings who were the rulers of Vasai
around 1000 years back. Shilahara kings had
ruled over the Vasai region before
Portuguese in 1536.
It is important to note that this stone tablet
was, at some point of the time, acclaimed
artifact in village. It was kept in Chankai
Devi Mandir and villagers broke coconuts
on it on new moon day. Later, this stone
was kept near the pond. The historians
eventually removed this stone tablet and
were surprised at the historical value.
TIPU SULTANS ERA CANNON

DISCOVERED AT BANGALORE
METRO SITE
Workers digging the underground section of
the Bangalore Metro rail were surprised to
discover a 12 feet 18th century cannon as
well as a 10 kg cannonball which is believed
to be from the era of Tipu Sultan. The site

of construction in Bangalore lies between
the summer palace of Tipu Sultan and
Bangalore Fort. This is the rarest discovery
in the capital of Karnataka linked to that
time period.
COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE
STAMP ON SILK LETTER
MOVEMENT RELEASED BY
PRESIDENT
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now. It was a time, when the Island

Continent was not even in contact with the
Europeans. The study also described that
there are evidence of Indian gene flow from
India to Australia at the time of the
Holocene that happened about 4230 years
ago.

on 11 January 2013 released a
Commemorative Postage Stamp on Silk
Letter Movement at Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi.
The Silk Letter Movement
The Silk Letter Movement refers to the
golden history of Indias freedom struggle in
which, the Deobandi leaders tried to
generate a pan-Islamic revolt in British-India
against the British Empire by gaining
support of Afghanistan and Turkey
Governments. Obaidullah Sindhui and
Maulana Mahmood Hasan were the two
main leaders of the movement. In 1916 few
letters, which were written on Silk, were
caught by the British.
STUDY: INDIANS MIGRATED

TO AUSTRALIA 4000 YEARS
AGO
The new study from the scientists and
researchers of the Max Planck Institute for
Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany
published on 15 January 2013 revealed the
fact that the Ancient Indians migrated to
Australia and mixed itself with the
aborigines about 4000 years back from
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to the animal including violation of any law

as well as cruelty towards the creature.
CHAPTER 16:
ENVIRONMENT
CENTRE TO PRESENT FRESH
GUIDELINES ON TIGER
RESERVES WITHIN A WEEK
Supreme Court of India on 9 October 2012
asked the center to present fresh guidelines
on tiger conservation within a week. The
court in its verdict also said that the
guidelines issued by the court on banning
all types of tourists activities in Tiger
reserves given on 24 July, may be modified.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices A K
Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar in its
statement also stated that the court will not
allow the given directives on tiger-reserves
to be open ended and in case the state
government is not happy with the issued
guidelines, they can challenge the decision
in the court. The bench also cleared that
ultra vires will not be declared in case the
states challenged the guidelines issued by
the apex court.
ELECTION COMMISSION
PROHIBITED USE OF ANIMALS
IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS
The Election commission on 27 September
2012 directed the Political Parties and
candidates not to use birds and animals in
the campaigns. The commission also
directed that in case the use of animal is
unavoidable then the party or candidate
will have to ensure that no harm is caused
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359
To justify the decision the commission

pointed towards Article 51(g) of the Indian
Constitution that states compassion for all
living creature as well as Prevention of
Cruelty of Animals Act, 1960. The
commission also pointed towards the
Wildlife Protection Act 1972 that prohibits
overloading and torturing of the animals.
The Election Commission has also sent
letters to the political parties as well as the
Chief Electoral Officers of every state and
union territories.
The decision was made following the
representations received by the election
commission by some organization and
individual stating the cruelty that animals
suffered during the election campaign of
the political parties.
ENVIRONMENT CLEARANCE
OF 99 MINES IN GOA
SUSPENDED
The environment clearance of 99 Mines of
Goa was suspended with respect to the
report presented by the Justice M B Shah
Commission on 12 September 2012. Report
claims that the organizations involved in the
mining work taunted with the forest laws
and environment norms & guidelines. This
report also suggests the involvement of
state directorate of mines, the union
ministry for environment and forests
(MoEF), Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the
state forest department and the Goa State
Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in this act
of illegal mining.
Dolphin Watch Center at places where

these rare aquatic species are seen.
DAY CAMPAIGN OBSERVED IN

UTTAR PRADESH TO SAVE
GANGETIC DOLPHINS
A three day campaign named Save Ganga,
Save Dolphin started on 5 October 2012 in
Uttar Pradesh. 18 boats were flagged off by
the Transport Minister of the State Raja
Mahendra Aridaman Singh on this day to
have a check on the population of the
dolphins in the Gangetic River System in the
state.
The World Wild Life Fund (WWF) in
association with the Uttar Pradesh Forest
Department and some of the local
volunteers including 16 NGOs started the
campaign in the 2800 kilometer long Ganga
and its tributaries. Save Ganga Save Dolhpin
was initiated with an aim of spreading
awareness about the Riverine species the
Gangetic Dolphins and its protection. This
campaign was called off on 7 October 2012
by the Chief Minister of the state Akhilesh
Yadav.
5 OCTOBER OBSERVED AS
DOLPHIN DAY IN BIHAR
Bihar on 5 October 2012 observed Dolphin
Day. This day was observed in wake of
spreading awareness for conservation of
the Gangetic Dolphins the rare and
endangered species that is found only in the
Gangetic River System and its Tributaries.
Bihar that observed the World Wildlife
Week from 2 to 8 October 2012, decided to
observe 5 October as Dolphin Day every
year. Sushil Kumar Modi, the Deputy Chief
Minister of the state on this occasion
declared that the state will come up with a
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360
THE HOUSE SPARROW WAS

DECLARED AS STATE BIRD OF
DELHI
The House Sparrow was on 14 August 2012
declared as state bird of Delhi by the state
government. The new status of the bird is
likely to help in its conservation. State
government announced the decision after
launching a campaign Rise for the
Sparrows. The campaign is aimed at
conserving the species. The campaign will
try to reach out to people across the Indian
subcontinent.
INDIA AND JAPAN SIGNED

EARTHS PACT ON RARE
EARTH MINERALS
India and Japan signed an Earths Pact on 16
November 2012 that will enable the latter
to import the rare Earth minerals from
India. These rare minerals are very
important for the Tech-savvy industries of
Japan. The pact came as a conclusion
despite postponement of India-Japan
annual summit.
As per the signed pact, Japan will be able to
import 4000 tonnes rare Earth minerals for
a year from India. By signing the pact, Japan
has branched out its supply from China for
metals which are used in their industries.
Japan now hopes that the pact will reduce
its dependency on China for these rare
minerals. It is important to note here that
Japan is in tiff on the issue of Senkaku
islands with China.

Apart from this, India-Japan also signed a
social security pact. These two pacts which
were destined to come into force on the
now-cancelled Indian PMs trip were
reinforced in Japan.
US DRILLERS REACHED LAKE

WHILLANS HIDDEN BENEATH
ANTARCTIC ICE
southeastern edge of the Ross Sea. As a

matter of fact, it is not exactly a lake, but a
dense system of the streams, which in turn
look like a delta which spreads over around
60 square kilometers. The liquid in the lake
is a bit shallow, merely a few metres in
terms of depth.
As of now, over 300 large water bodies
have been discovered under the Antarctic.
Scientists from the US in the last week of

January 2013 successfully drilled into the
lake called Lake Whillans, which was buried
around 1 kilometre beneath the Antarctic
Ice. Scientists described that the sensors
which were there on the drill system
detected a change in the pressure, which
hinted towards the fact that it had made
some contact with the undiscovered lake.
After detecting a change in the pressure,
the scientists sent down the camera in
order to verify this breakthrough. The
Whillans project is one among various
projects started by the scientists to
investigate about the buried lakes of
Antarctica. The Whillans project researchers
now want to comprehend the water flow
beneath the glaciers into the Southern
Ocean as well as the rate at which the
Antarctic ice is melting.
Back in December 2012, a team of British
scientists had abandoned their efforts to
explore the Lake Ellsworth after they faced
certain technical difficulties. The Russian
scientists too took note of the water
samples from the Lake Vostok, but they do
not have any big discovery about it yet.
About Lake Whillans
Lake Whillans lies towards the west of
Antarctica. It is situated on the
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VULTURE POPULATION
ESTIMATION-2013
CONDUCTED IN PANNA TIGER
RESERVE
Vulture Population Estimation-2013 was
conducted in Panna Tiger Reserve in
Madhya Pradesh by the State Government.
The Vulture Population Estimation-2013
started from 16 January 2013. It was found
that there are 867 vultures in the Panna
Tiger Reserve which include 160 migratory
birds as well as 48 unidentified birds. The
Technical report of Vulture Population
Estimation-2013 would be submitted by
February end 2013. Around 102 live nests
were present in this tiger reserve.
Reasons for Decline in Vulture Population

Over the past few years, there has been a
sudden decline in the vulture population.
Post mortem as well as the diagnostic tests of
the vultures revealed that there was a
decrease in their population because of
consumption of veterinary drug Diclofenac.
Diclofenac was consumed by the vultures
who fed on the carcasses of livestock.
Diclofenac led to deposition of uric acid in
the visceral organs of vultures which caused
their sudden death.
China. The cities which were under the

blanket of yellow alert included major ones
such as Chengdu and Beijing. The alert
mentioned that China was reeling under the
effects of worst ever pollution record.
GAS THAT CAUSES OZONE

DESTRUCTION DISCOVERED
BY THE RESEARCHERS
Researchers at the Universities of York and
Leeds in the third week of January 2013
identified a gas from the earlier unknown
marine source which led to destruction of
ozone over the oceans.
The researchers discovered that most of the
ozone-depleting iodine oxide which is
observed on the oceans came from earlier
unknown marine source. The researchers
found out that the source of iodine oxide
could be explained by emissions of
hypoiodous acid (HOI) together with
molecular iodine (I2).
Since 1970s, when the gas called methyl
iodide (CH3I) was discovered to be present
everywhere in the ocean, it was understood
that the presence of the iodine in
atmosphere used to crop up primarily from
the emissions of organic compounds from
the microscopic marine plants called
phytoplankton.
BEIJING AIR POLLUTION

CROSSED TOXIC LEVELS:
YELLOW ALERT ISSUED BY
METEOROLOGICAL
AUTHORITY
The meteorological authority of China
issued yellow alert in various cities. Yellow
alert indicated the presence of fog that
shows dangerous smog levels in the
northern as well as western regions of
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362
INTERNET EMIT 830 MILLION

TONNES OF CO2 IN
ENVIRONMENT ANNUALLY:
RESEARCHERS
The researchers from the Centre for EnergyEfficient Telecommunications (CEET) and
Bell Labs in the first week of January 2013
claimed that internet video and associated
cloud services including Information
Communication and Technology, discharge
more than 830 million tonnes of Carbon
Dioxide per year. This emission of the CO2
(one of the major green house gas) from
the information and communication
industry includes about 2 percent of the
global CO2 emission annually and its
expected to double nearly by 2020. Same is
the amount shared by the aviation industry
in form of emissions.
To control this emission, the researchers
have suggested measures like development
of accurate and feasible model taking into
account the energy use, data traffic and
CO2 production in the networks as well as
use of other elements in the ICT industry.
The researchers from the CEET and Bell
Labs following their new models of
emissions and energy consumption have
suggested three key factors that would help
in reduction of the CO2 emissions from the
ICT industry and these are efficient usage of
facilities, use of energy efficient equipment
and use of renewable energy sources.

Centre
for
Energy-Efficient
Telecommunications (CEET): Partnership
between the Victorian State Government
and Alcatel-Lucent, the University of
Melbourne is responsible for the formation
of CEET.
Bell Laboratories: It is a R&D subsidiary of
Alcatel-Lucent in Berkeley Heights, United
State and is owned by France. Initially, it
was a division of American Telephone &
Telegraph Company (AT&T Corporation)
and was half-owned by its Western Electric
manufacturing subsidiary.
RESEARCHERS: SIACHEN
GLACIER SHRINKING DUE TO
INCREASING TEMPERATURES
The researchers claimed that the Siachen
Glacier reduced to 5.9 km in its longitudinal
extent from the time period of 1989 to
2009. This happened because of increasing
temperatures. The researchers additionally
also believed that presence of humans on
Siachen would affect other neighbouring
glaciers such as Milan, Janapa, Miyar and
Gangotri which are a source to Chenab,
Sutlej and Ganges river.
Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalaya
actually form the largest mountain chain on
this planet. They are also keepers of the
third-largest ice reserves only after Polar
Regions. The glaciers found in these
mountains feed a population of 1.7 billion
via seven huge Asian river systems which
also include Brahmaputra, Mekong,
Yangtze, Ganges and Indus.
Siachen is largest mountain glacier of the
world, which is 70 km in length and 5-10 km
in width. The satellite pictures revealed that
the glacier was shrinking. It is even worse
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that the satellite images displayed

increasing numbers as well as sizes of blue
lakes in glacier.
The main cause of Siachen shrinking is
construction of the helipads as well as
frequent flights of helicopters which loosen
packed snows leading to avalanches. Snow
scooters also cause the same. Most of the
experts believe the fact that saving these
glaciers is actually the scientific challenge
which needs attention immediately.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES
LED TO ENCOURAGEMENT OF
HUMAN EVOLUTION
Researchers from the Penn State University
in the last week of December declared that
the cause of encouragement of human
evolution might have been the swift
environmental changes in areas like East
Africa around two million years ago. The
landscape, in which early humans lived,
changed speedily between the closed
woodland and open grassland around 5-6
times during time duration of 200000 years.
The researchers declared that the changes
took place abruptly. The co-researcher of
the study found that the present leading
hypothesis suggested that evolutionary
transitions which took place among the
human beings during that period were
linked with long as well as fixed
environmental changes, or maybe a single
climate change. A lot of researchers as well
as
anthropologists
believed
that
unpredictability of the experience could
lead to cognitive development.
American
Scientist
Suggested
That
Refreezing Arctic Could Help Deal With
Climate Crisis

An American scientist David Keith, who is
the professor of applied physics at Harvard
University offered solution to global
warming when he suggested that refreezing
Arctic using certain modified jets could help
in dealing with the climate crisis.
The scientist used climate models for
suggesting that by injecting the reflective
particles in atmosphere, there could be a
reduced amount of sunlight which reached
the Earth. This in turn could help in tricking
the regional effect which might bring back
ice to Arctic.
He claimed that penetration of sunlight
could be reduced by merely 0.5 percent for
restoring the sea-ice surrounding North
Pole. The research conducted by the
scientist suggested that this entire
operation was possible to accomplish with
certain modified Gulfstream jets which
could cost approximately 8 billion dollar
annually.
It is important to note that overall amount
of the ice in Arctic Ocean had reached alltime lowest in September 2012. However,
while this scientist believed that action
should definitely be taken for dealing with
the pollution that was discharged in the
atmosphere, he still doesnt advocate
action which his study suggested.
TYPHOON BOPHA: DEATH

TOLL RISES IN PHILIPPINES
Typhoon Bopha is the strongest ever
tropical cyclone which hit Philippines. With
the central winds at a speed of 120 kmph
and gusts of around 150 kmph Typhoon
Bopha swept away the dive spots as well as
beach resorts on Palawan Island on 5
December 2012.
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SCIENTISTS STUDYING
HIMALAYAN GEOLOGIC
FEATURES WARNED AGAINST
MAJOR EARTHQUAKES IN THE
REGION
Scientists who study the Himalayan geologic
features and activities warned that the
mountain range which separates Indian
subcontinent plains from Tibetan Plateau is
prime focus of the major earthquakes.
Stanford geophysicists announced that the
range of Himalayas was formed and it
remained active currently because of the
collision activities in Indian and Asian
continental plates.
For quite some time, it has been known to
the scientists that subduction is going on in
India under Asia. Subduction is a geological
process during which an edge of the crustal
plate forces below the edge of the other
plate. Scientists had recently started
studying difficulties involved in the volatile
collision zone like this in detail, especially
the fault which is separating the two plates,
Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) declared.
In the previous observations it was found
that comparatively uniform fault plane had
sunk a few degrees towards North. In order
the get a clear picture about this fault, the
geophysics researchers at Stanford analysed
data from 20 seismometers which were
deployed for around 2 years across
Himalayas.
NEWLY DISCOVERED
COLOURFUL SPECIES OF FISH
NAMED AFTER US PRESIDENT
OBAMA
A recently discovered colourful, freshwater
species of fish known as Darters, was
named after the re-elected US President
Barack Obama in the first week of
December 2012. The species of fish was
named so because of Obamas global vision
towards environment conservation as well
as protection.
Five new colourful, freshwater fish species
was discovered in the eastern North
America in river drainages and they were
named after 4 US presidents and vicepresident. This species of fish has bright
blue and orange colours. Darters are known
as the tiniest members belonging to the
family of perch. They have the ability to
move under, into or around the rocks as
well as sediments on beds of fast-moving
and clean waterways.
Around 200 species of Darter have been
discovered as of now and most of these live
in rivers as well as creeks of eastern
Tennessee and northern Alabama. They are
known as the most assorted species of
native fishes of North America.
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
DISSOLVING SHELLS OF SEA
CREATURES CAUSING
DISASTER IN FOOD CHAIN
A new research in the fourth week of
November 2012 found that the sea snails
shells are dissolved due to global warming,
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which is leaving them defenceless against

their predators. The research found that the
waters around Antarctica have become
acidic because of the rising carbon dioxide
levels. The rising carbon dioxide levels were
corroding protective layer or shells of the
swimming snails.
This situation was even worse in Polar
Regions since the gas becomes soluble in
the cold water. Scientists predicted that
average acidity of these oceans will be triple
all over the world and this will be the first
time in around 20 million years.
In the research, scientists checked the shells
which were collected from molluscs from
Southern Ocean surface, with the help of
microscope. They found that the ones from
acidic regions had their shells dissolved
across the whole length. What caused this
was the fact that deep water which was
already rich in carbon dioxide was mixed
with the surface that was affected by the
greenhouse gas.
British Antarctic Survey revealed that the
effect of ocean acidification was happening
in the oceanic populace already. Decline in
the pteropod populations might occur much
sooner than the projected date in Southern
Ocean surface waters. Destruction of this
crucial group of mollusks called pteropods
could lead to disaster in the food chain.
Even if pteropods are smaller in size but
they are still important sources of food for
the predators at various tiers of food chain
which include herring, salmon, zooplankton,
sea birds as well as whales. Without their
shells, pteropods will become defenceless
against predation leading to decrease in
their population.

Lab tests suggested that the shell molluscs
also include conchs, whelks and clams
which are also at higher risk level. Ocean
acidification would impair the ability of
clams, urchins, corals as well as calcareous
algae for building their protective shells.
What is ocean acidification?
Ocean acidification is one of the biggest
carbon dioxide challenges. It means that the
pH level of the oceans on earths surface has
decreased because of an increase in the
carbon dioxide level in atmosphere. Ocean
acidification is taking place rapidly, posing a
serious threat to marine life as well as
biodiversity.
REPORT SUGGESTED THAT

DEVELOPED NATIONS
DEPRIVED POOR COUNTRIES
OF 30 BILLION US DOLLAR
CLIMATE FUND
loan, but was a compensation

contribution to climate change.
for
These funds were supposed to be given to

the poorest nations so that they could
adapt to climate change. These funds
should have been new as well as addition to
already-existing overseas development aid
(ODA) money. The funds were supposed to
be used for adaptation as well as flexibility
for poor countries according to their own
priorities.
What did the Oxfam report find?
It was found that merely 1/3rd of total
amount till now is the new money and just
24 percent of this amount was in addition
to the existing commitments of aid. The
developed nations spent just 21 percent of
this amount on adaptation to the change in
climate. Developed nations need to make
the solid financial commitments for 20132020 time period.
The Doha talks- what to expect?
Oxfam Report released in the fourth week

of November 2012 ahead of negotiations in
Doha, Qatar suggested that the developing
nations were deprived of 30 billion US
Dollar funds by the rich countries which
they had committed to transfer between
2010 and 2012.
Developed nations committed funding for
climate change
In 2009 at the Copenhagan talks, developed
world had promised to fasttrack funding of
30 billion US dollar between 2010 and 2012
and had also promised annual transfer of
100 billion US Dollar starting from 2020.
The money, known as climate funding, was
not to be offered as financial assistance or
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366
The Doha talks which will commence on 26

November 2012 will expect developing
nations to demand accountability as well as
clarity on the promised funds by the
developed nations.
The rich countries would find private
investments as the solution but the
developing countries, on the other hand
want public funds as their central source for
clean energy as well as adaptation.
However, developed countries use ill health
of their economy as an excuse to escape
the obligations.
What is Oxfam?
Oxfam is the international confederation
comprising of 17 organisations which

network together in over 90 countries.
Oxfam works with the communities directly
and functions towards elimination of
poverty. The primary aim of Oxfam is to put
an end to the injustice and poverty
prevailing in various countries.
TONGARIRO VOLCANO
ERUPTED IN THE NORTH
ISLAND REGION OF NEW
ZEALAND
The Tongariro Volcano in Mount Tongariro
at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
erupted on 21 November 2012. This
volcano left behind massive plume of ash
billows up to 3 kilometers in the skies of
Tongariro National Park in the North Island
of New Zealand.
The volcano erupted with a grumble at 1:25
pm about 300 kilometers away from
Wellington City of New Zealand. The
volcano was used as the backdrop in many
scenes and sequences of the Hollywood
movie, Lord of the Rings film Trilogy.
GREENHOUSE GASES LEVEL

REACHED RECORD HIGH IN
2011: WMO SURVEY
REVEALED
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
on 20 November 2012 in the annual
Greenhouse Gas Bulletin revealed that the
atmospheric volume of the greenhouse
gases, which are often blamed for the
change in atmosphere, had hit the record in
2011.
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The volume of the main greenhouse gascarbon dioxide grew at almost identical rate
in previous 10 years and it touched 390.9
parts per million (ppm) or 40 percent above
the pre-industrial level, as per the survey.
There had been an increase on an average
by 2 ppm for last decade. Since the
beginning of the industrial era from 1750,
the fossil fuels had remained the main
source of around 375 billion tonnes carbon
which was released in atmosphere.
GREENLAND CONTINUOUSLY
LOST 200 MILLION TONNES
ICE EVERY YEAR SINCE 2003
Scientists at the University of California
(UCI) in the third week of November 2012
confirmed that Greenland was losing 200
million tonnes ice every year ever since
2003 and this in turn will have a huge
impact on the sea levels.
According to the latest analysis, scientists
who study the changing mass of this island
with the help of satellite data, support the
trends which were reported initially without
including the record-breaking melting of ice
of previous two summers.
According to the researcher Isabella
Velicogna of UCI, Greenland is one place
where ice melting is taking place rapidly and
this in turn is contributing to the rising sea
levels. Velicogna analyses the data which is
being used in the recent studies from the
GRACE or Gravity Recovery and Climate
Experiment that detects major changes on
Earths surface. This is done by GRACE by
checking the increase of decrease in gravity
level, something which is directly associated
with the mass below two GRACE satellites.

Approximately, 200 million tonnes ice is
required for filling the railroad coal cars in
order to encircle Earth. Princeton
University, on the other hand applied
another approach for analysing GRACE
data. It was established that during 2003 as
well as 2004, this low mass remained
centred along Eastern coast of Greenland.
In the year 2005 till 2006, the mass loss
became less in northeast but increased in
southeast. Also, there was more mass loss
along northwest coast from 2007-2010.
The scientists were aware of this but the
recent study has confirmed what they
knew.
number of this bird is encouraged but this

increase in number and stabilization is yet a
weak figure.
Sudden fall in the number of vultures that
flies in the high sky, was the use of
diclofenac, the painkiller drug that is used
for administering cattle. Actually, the
digestive system of vultures is capable
enough to digest disease causing pathogens
that is found in the rotten meat, but it also
lacks the critical enzyme, that can easily
break-down the diclofenac. This diclofenac
causes a sudden renal failure in vultures
just after eating the remains of cattles,
treated with diclofenac as drug.
In the year 2006, a ban was created on the
use of diclofenac in the South-Asian region
and this ban resulted in the fall in the
number of deaths reported in case of these
vultures.
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY

SOCIETY RELEASED A REPORT
INDICATING GROWTH IN
VULTURE POPULATION
The research paper published by the
scientists of the Bombay Natural History
Society (BNHS) presents a positive report
about the change in the number of vultures,
which resulted in a catastrophic decline in
its number by more than 99 percent in past
two decades. The study reveals that there
has been a marginal rise in the population
of Vultures between 2011 and 2012.
The population of vulture during early
nineties saw a dramatic fall and by 2003, its
population saw a record fall of 95 percent,
which by 2008 reached to an alarming mark
of more 99 percent. In 1980s there
population ranged to about 4 crore but by
2011 there was a dramatic fall recorded in
its population and it reached to a mark of
about 1 lakh. The Study also issued a
warning that the stabilization on the
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WORLD RAREST WHALE

SPECIES FOUND IN PACIFIC
OCEAN
The world's rarest whale species - the
spade-toothed beaked whale was spotted
for the first time by scientists of New
Zealand in the Pacific Ocean.
The Spade-toothed beaked whales were
first discovered in 1872 when bone
fragments of rarest whale species were
found on a remote Pacific island.
Till date the rarest species had remained
entirely hidden from human view. This is
the first time that the species was ever seen
as a complete specimen.
The discovered species was found on 31
December 2010 in a form of a female whale

(5.3 metres) and male calf (3.5 metres)
which were stranded and later died on
Opape Beach in the Bay of Plenty, New
Zealand.
It was after their death that they were
measured, photographed and tissue
samples were taken by the Department of
Conservation. A DNA typing was done on
them and with further investigation a
report on 6 November 2012 was published
in the journal Current Biology.

EXPRESSED ITS CONCERN
OVER THE GROWING SMOG
COVER ON NEW DELHI
2012 expressed its concerns on the growing
smog cover over the National Capital, which
is caused due to the pollution created due
to the increase in the number of vehicles in
the Capital. The Apex Court made a decision
to take a call on examining the problems
and then further suggest and identify the
remedial measures.
Smog and its harmful effects
Smog in itself is the mixture of smoke and
fog, which is the combination of pollutants
created from industries and vehicles. At
present, it is generally visible over the big
cities in form of yellow cloud covering the
horizon during sunrise and sun-set. One can
see the smog cover in the sky even during
the hot summer days when the wind
density is low and weak. Because of its
toxicity, the smog umbrella in the sky is also
harmful for human health because of the
toxicity level present in its atmosphere. The
smog also forms ground level ozone that
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can be termed as bad-ozone, but is harmful

for old age people, children, and people
suffering
from
asthma,
bronchitis,
emphysema and other diseases related to
heart and lungs.
Photochemical Smog
Photochemical Smog is basically formed by
the chemical reaction of nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds in presence of
sunlight and the term was first time used and
described during 1950s. The mixture of air
pollutants may include aldehydes, peroxyacyl
nitrates, nitrogen oxides, like nitrogen
dioxide, troposphere ozone and other
volatile organic compounds.
UTTARAKHAND NAMED BEST

PERFORMING STATES IN
TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
STANDARDS
The state of Uttarakhand on 29 October
2012 tops the Environmental Performance
Index (EPI) list of being best-performing
States and Union territories in terms of
environmental well-being released by
Planning Commission.
Uttarakhand is followed by Himachal
Pradesh, Chandigarh, Sikkim, and Andhra
Pradesh on the Planning Commissions
Environmental Performance Index (EPI) list.
Environmental well-being is one of the
considerations for decentralization of funds
to the States under the Gadgil formula.
The State of Uttarakhand was given a
cumulative score point of 0.8123 which is
followed by Himachal Pradesh with score
point of 0.7316, Chandigarh with 0.7270,

Sikkim (0.7149), and Andhra Pradesh with
0.7147 of Score point.
Mizoram, Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Tripura,
Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar,
with an average score of 1, were ranked as
the best States in terms of air quality.
Amazingly, except for Uttarakhand, all the
States met the prescribed national ambient
air quality standard in respect of the
sulphur dioxide which is of 20 micrograms
per cubic metre.
In terms of Nitrogen oxide, the national
standard set of 30 microgram per cubic
metre was not met by more than 10 states.
Also, in term of suspended particles no
states met the 60 microgram per cubic
metre national standard except state of
Goa, Kerala, and Mizoram.
Water quality standards, of all the states
indicated a very pathetic standard except
for Himachal Pradesh, which has set up 100
per cent treatment capacity for sewage, the
treatment capacity in the remaining States
ranges from 0 (13 States) to less than 20 per
cent (8 States) and more than 50 per cent in
four States.
Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Daman and Diu,
and Puducherry extract more water than
they recharge, but Himachal Pradesh, Goa,
Maharashtra,
Andhra
Pradesh
and
Puducherry are the only States which show
a semblance of adherence to river water
quality. Talking about forest conservation,
Chandigarh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh are
among the five best-performing States that
have preserved forests as well as increased
cover.
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FORTY WHALES DIED IN MASS

STRANDING ON ANDAMAN
AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
Approximately 40 whales died in a mass
stranding on 25 October 2012 on the west
coast of remote North Andaman Island in
the Bay of Bengal.
About Whale Stranding
A Stranded whale is a whale that has
stranded itself on land, usually on a beach.
The reason of their death is dehydration,
collapsing of body under their own weight or
drowning when high tide covers the
blowhole. The stranded whale is also referred
as beached whale.
There are also many other reasons for whale
stranding the major of which are natural and
environmental factors, such as rough
weather, weakness due to old age or
infection, difficulty giving birth, hunting too
close to shore and navigation errors. Some
stranding is also caused by larger cetaceans
following dolphins and porpoises into shallow
coastal waters.
COP 11 HELD IN HYDERABAD:

The other reason for stranding is SONAR
EMPHASISED
WELLthere is
(Sound, NavigationON
and THE
Resonance)
evidence OF
that BIODIVERSITIES
active sonar leads to beaching.
BEING
On some occasions whales have stranded
shortly
militaryofsonar
was active
the
The
XIthafter
Conference
the Parties
(COPin11)
-area.
Convention on Biological Diversity was
organised by the Ministry of Environment &
Forests, Government of India from 8
October to 19 October 2012. Eleventh
meeting of the COP 11 was held at
Hyderabad
International
Convention
Centre, and the conference included a high-

level ministerial segment meet that was
organised by India in consultation with the
Bureau and Secretariat and it took place
from 17 October to 19 October 2012.
Mobilisation of financial resources was the
theme for the COP 11 summit. The next
round of the conference is scheduled to
take place in Korea after 2 years. Finding
out the commendable solution by
discussions over the issues of the Earths
bio-diversity is the main agenda of the
conference. The conference was attended
by more than 5000 delegates from 180
countries. Enrollment of about 14,400
participants in the convention made it the
largest biodiversity gathering of its time.
Demands of Developing and Developed
Countries
African countries like Namibia
demanded developed nations to
stand by their promise fund
allocation for saving the biodiversity, made in the 2010 protocol
The developed nations stood by
their demand of creating a baseline
of the investments made by now
and how much more was needed
Discussions on Identified Targets of
Nagoya Protocol
Discussion over the 20 identified
targets at 2010 Nagoya Protocol
was also done to find out the
problems that it faced for
implementation.
Indias Stand
India also demanded steps to be taken for
ecosystem restoration and establishment of
a relationship between biodiversity and
climate
change,
identification
of
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371
ecologically and biologically

areas in marine ecosystems.
Page 371
significant
India to Chair the Conference for Next Two

Years as its President: India will be Chairing
the Conference as its President for next two
years. The Union Environment and Forests
Minister Jayanthi Natarajan took over the
charge of COP-11 as its President for next
two years.
The Union Environment and Forests
Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, who
took over the charge of COP-11 as
its President for next two years
emphasised on the issue of
resource
mobilization
that
remained an unfinished agenda of
COP-10 at Nagoya in Japan
Manmohan Singh the Prime
Minister of India announced a grant
of $50 million for strengthening the
institutional
mechanism
of
biodiversity conservation in India
and other developing countries by
the name of Hyderabad Pledge
The Prime Minister also launched
the high level segment of the 11th
conference of parties during the UN
Convention on Biodiversity meeting
at Hyderabad. This conference was
the first conference after the launch
of Decade of Biodiversity by United
Nations in 2011.
The high level meet took place during the
United Nations Decade on Biodiversity
(UNBD) that was declared by the United
Nations General Assembly following its
resolution 65/161. This plan was designed
to find out the solutions for the objectives
like Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the
Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Across the UNBD,
a trial to encourage government and
representatives of different countries to

develop, implement and communicate the
results established by their national
strategies designed for fine implementation
of the strategic plan over biodiversity.
Plan and Programmes Launched during
COP11 Conference
BirdLife International on 16
October 2012 launched an e-Atlas
of Marine-Important Bird Areas
during COP11. The e-Atlas would
act as an inventory and carry data
of around 3000 important bird
areas from across the world and
can play a major role in conserving
the Convention on Biological
Diversity
(CBD)
target
for
protection of 10 percent coastal
and marine Areas by 2020
The
NTCA
(National
Tiger
Conservation
Authority)
also
declared its plan to create a
national database for tigers, the
flagship species of India proving a
unique identification code and
number to each one of these big
cats in India. This was declared by
the member secretary of NTCA,
Rajesh Gopal during an event
organized with a theme Have We
Turned the Corner in Tiger
Conservation
FRIGHTENING LEVEL OF
MERCURY CONTENT IN THE
ENVIRONMENT OF
SONBHDRA DISTRICT: CSE
Director-General of Centre for Science &
Environment (CSE) Sunita Narain on 19
October 2012 released the report of the
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study that was conducted in Sonbhadra

District in the year 2011-12 and revealed
the fact that the Sonbhadra that is a part of
resource-rich Singrauli Area that acts as a
industrial powerhouse for the country
presents a tale of sorrow in relation to
pollution, non-compliance of environmental
norms, poverty, disease and official
indifference.
The report released by a Delhi-based Centre
for Science & Environment (CSE) declared
Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh as the
critically-polluted area that is also an
environmental disaster, due to the
presence of high levels of Mercury in the
bodies of the local residents and the
environment of the region. Mercury acts as
a neurotoxin in the body and affects the
central nervous system leading to damages
in the renal system.
TEC RECOMMENDED A 10YEAR MORATORIUM ON ALL

FIELD TRIALS OF GM FOOD
CROPS
TEC (Technical Expert Committee), in its
interim report recommended a 10-year
moratorium on all field trials of Genetically
Modified (GM) food crops, including Bt
Cotton. In its interim report, it suggested
that the present regulatory system and
protocol for conducting the field trials were
unsatisfactory and inadequate, requiring
major
changes,
restructuring
and
strengthening.
TEC Committees recommendation is based

on the current overall status of food safety
evaluation of Bt transgenic including the

data on Bt Cotton and Bt Brinjal examined
by the TEC and in accordance with the
precautionary principle.
TECs suggestion for a moratorium on field
trial was welcomed by environmentalists. In
fact, the moratorium is necessitated by the
potential harm of GM crops to human
health, that of livestock and biodiversity
and the possibility of field trials to
contaminate regular crops and food supply.
Five-member TEC was appointed by the
Supreme Court of India.
CENTRE OF SCIENCE AND

ENVIRONMENT AND HSBC
BANK CAME TOGETHER TO
IMPART ENVIRONMENT
TRAINING
Centre of Science and Environment (CSE) on
17 October 2012 announced Partnership
with Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corpoartion Ltd (HSBC) to set up modern
Environment Training Institute in Alwar
district of Rajasthan.
The Institute that will set up will be offering
short and long term courses on
Environmental governance for regulators
and decision makers.
Both the organization will
environmental governance
building
capacity
of
regulators, non-government
and industry.
be improving
in India by
environment
organizations
The institute will cover the multiple

research disciplines such as air pollution,
water and waste water management,
climate change, sustainable industrialisation
and urbanisation, renewable energy, public
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transport and mobility and environment

impact assessment.
The Institute is going to be developed as an
incubation,
development
and
demonstration
centre
for
green
technologies.
About Centre of Science and Environment

(CSE)
The Centre for Science and Environment
(CSE) is a public interest research and
advocacy organisation based in New Delhi. It
was founded in 1980. CSE researches into,
lobbies for and communicates the urgency of
development that is both sustainable and
equitable.
Centre of Science
knowledge-based
awareness about
problems and helps
solution.
and Environment uses

activism
to
create
environment related
in proposing sustainable
SUPREME COURT LIFTED BAN

ON TOURISM IN CORE TIGER
RESERVE AREAS
The Supreme Court on 16 October 2012 had
lifted its interim ban on tourism in core
areas of tiger reserves across the country.
The ban came into consideration a day after
the National Tiger Conservation Authority
(NTCA) notified fresh guidelines.
As per the new Guidelines, a maximum of
20 per cent of the core area is going to be
outlined for regulated tourism. Also, the

state governments will put in place sitespecific frameworks for each tiger reserve.
It was in 24 July 2012 that the Supreme
Court had imposed an absolute ban on
tourism in core areas of 41 tiger reserves
across the country.
The Supreme Court Citing the National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA) guideline
directed that the state governments are
required to prepare their own tiger
conservation plans under the Wildlife
Protection Act. It directed them to prepare
the plans within six months and submit it to
the NTCA for approval.
INDIA TO GET WARMER BY 2

DEGREE CELSIUS BY 2030:
SCIENTIST OF IISC AND IIT
Scientist of Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore and Indian Institute of
Technology, Mumbai together made a
Projection that India may warm up by 1.7
to 2 C by 2030s and up to 4.8 degree
Celsius by 2080s.
The Scientist had pointed out more
warming over the northern areas, especially
the Himalayas and Kashmir.
The projections were made for the period
of 1860 to 2099 which is based on new
climate data, models and new emission
scenarios termed as Representative
concentration pathways.
THE GOVERNMENT NOTIFIED

FRESH GUIDELINES ON TIGER
CONSERVATION
The Union Ministry of Environment and
Forests on 15 October 2012 notified fresh
guidelines on tiger conservation allowing
regulated low impact tourism in the core
and critical tiger habitat. Since, tourism has
been happening in core and critical tiger
habitats, regulated low impact tourism
visitation would be allowed in such areas
subject to site-specific carrying capacity.
The guidelines, however, say no new
tourism infrastructure should be permitted
in such core and critical tiger habitats.
Recently, the Supreme Court of India had
allowed the government to notify within a
week its fresh guidelines on tiger
conservation and indicated that it may
modify its 24July 2012 order staying all
tourism activities in the reserved areas
across the country.
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Also as per the scientist Rainfall is predicted

to increase from four per cent to five per
cent by 2030s and from six per cent to 14
per cent towards the end of the century in
2080s compared to the 1961- 1990
baseline.
All these new projections should be used in
future assessment of impact of climate
change and adaptation planning.
However, also contradicting analysis was
presented which has indicated that limiting
warming to roughly 2 C by the end of this
century is unlikely since it requires an
immediate ramp down of emissions.

GOVERNMENT TO NOTIFY
FRESH GUIDELINES ON TIGER
CONSERVATION

2012 asked the Union government to notify
within a week its fresh guidelines on tiger
conservation. A division bench of the apex
court indicated it may modify its July order
issued on 24 July 2012 which stayed all
tourism activities in the reserved areas
across the country. The bench, however,
made it clear that the states, if aggrieved by
the guidelines, are free to challenge it
before the court.
The apex court on 24 July 2012 had banned
all tourist activities in the core areas of tiger
reserves and had extended the ban till 27
September 2012.
Delhi Government tied up with INTACH for
Conservation of Monuments
The Delhi Cabinet on 9 October 2012
agreed for an agreement with INTACH for
conservation and refurbishment work of 16
monuments in New Delhi.
About INTACH
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural
Heritage (INTACH) is an autonomous nongovernmental Indian NGO which was
founded in 1984 by Rajiv Gandhi that seeks
to preserve Indian Art and Cultural heritage.
In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH
a special consultative status with United
Nations Economic and Social Council
Its headquarters are in New Delhi and today
it has chapters in 117 Indian cities, as well as
chapters in Belgium, the UK and the United
States. INTACH is the only non-governmental
Indian non-profit society working for the
awareness and conservation of Indian culture
and heritage.
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DOLPHIN DAY OBSERVED IN

BIHAR TO CREATE
AWARENESS ABOUT
GANGETIC DOLPHINS
Dolphin Day was observed on 5 October
2012 in Bihar. The state government
declared to observe 5 October as the
Dolphin Day in the state every year. This
came as a part of world wild life week that
was being observed by the state from
second to eight October.
This was an act to increase awareness
about conservation of one of the rarest and
critically endangered Gangetic Species. The
Gangetic Dolphin that is scientifically known
as Platanista Gangetica is also the National
Aquatic animal of India. To conserve the
aquatic species the Deputy Chief Minister of
the State Sushil Kumar Modi declared that a
Dolphin watch center would be developed
at places where these Dolphins are still
visible. To raise the awareness this center
will also be used as a site for tourists
attraction. During the day long observation
of Dolphin Day, films and documentaries
related to dolphins were screened in the
state.
SAVE GANGA, SAVE DOLPHIN

CAMPAIGN INITIATED IN
UTTAR PRADESH
Save Ganga, Save Dolphin, the three day
campaign was initiated on 5 October 2012
by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department in
association with the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF). The team also included local
volunteers and 14 NGOs. The campaign was
a state-initiative to create awareness to
conserve the Gangetic Dolphins one of the

critically endangered species of the
Gangetic River System. These dolphins are
scientifically
named
as
Platanista
Gangetica.
NAVYS PROPOSAL TO SET UP

MISSILE TESTING SITE IN
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR
ISLANDS REJECTED
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mine head or stockyard, would

transported until further orders.
be
The failure of the State government of Goa

to control illegal mining has led to largescale destruction of both forest land and
non-forest land and had adversely affected
the livelihood of local people, especially the
rural poor.
The Union Ministry of Environment and

Ecology on 4 October 2012 rejected the
Navy's proposal to set up a missile-testing
site in Andaman and Nicobar islands, on the
basis that the firing range would destroy
the habitat of endangered birds in Nicobar
Megapode, unique to the isles.
The Goa Foundation pointed out that the

Justice M.B. Shah commission, appointed in
November 2010, said illegal activities in
mining had been going on in the State since
2000. All 90 mines were functioning
without the mandatory permission from the
National Board for Wildlife and 33 of them
were located within 1.5 km of wildlife
sanctuaries.
The megapode actually does not exist

anywhere and it is a very unique species. It
is too sensitive to withstand any such
installation over there.
100 ELITE FORCES ASSIGNED

THE TASK OF SAVING RHINOS
FROM POACHERS

BANNED MINING ACTIVITIES
IN GOA
The Assam Government has deployed a

100-member team of Elite Forest Protection
Force at the Kaziranga National Park on 2
October 2012. The decision came in
concern to the recent killings of the one
horned Rhinos in the flood-affected areas of
Karbi Anglong Hills, the area outside the
protected region of the Park. The park is
also a UNESCO Heritage Site. The forest
department of the state dispatched a team
of armed forces to the park for offering
protection to the one-horned animal
against the Poachers.
The Supreme Court on 5 October 2012

banned until further orders on all mining
operations, in all 90 mines which also
includes transportation of mined iron ore
and manganese in leases, in Goa.
The Forest Bench comprising Justices Aftab
Alam, K.S. Radhakrishnan and Swatanter
Kumar granted the stay on a writ petition
filed by the Goa Foundation, an
environmental action group, and asked the
Central Empowered Committee to give its
response in four weeks. The court made it
clear that no mineral, whether lying at a
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As per the available data the park has lost

39 Rhinos within 10 months bringing down
the population to a total of 2,251. Out of
these 28 died after being drowned in the
floods of the state and the remaining 11 felt
a pray to the poachers. In a hunt to stop the

poachers from being successful, the forest
guards till date have been successful in
arresting 14 poachers and killed 3 of them.
MINISTER OF WATER
RESOURCES RELEASED ATLAS
NAMED AQUIFER SYSTEM OF
INDIA
Minister of water resources and
parliamentary affairs Pawan Kumar Bansal
on 28 September 2012 in New Delhi had
released Atlas for six states namely- Kerala,
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Chattisgarh,
Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
The atlas comprises data on various aspect
of ground water since its inception that was
compiled and integrated by the Central
Ground Water Board. The atlas was named
as Aquifer System of India.
The atlas provides a country wide overview
and summary of the most important
information available for each principal and
major aquifer systems and depicts aquifer
wise ground water scenario. It also deals
with major issues and challenges which
need immediate attention for sustainable
management of ground water resources.
In this process, a baseline data on GIS
platform was created for initiating National
Aquifer
Mapping
Programme
and
demarcating priority areas for aquifer wise
management of ground water resources on
scientific and sustainable basis. Attempt
was also made to represent the correlations
of various thematic layers such as climate,
topographic settings on the occurrence,
movement, and chemical quality of ground
water in map forms.
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The Atlas is going to be of immense use for

Regional and National ground water
resources planning by the policy makers
and anyone who needs to understand
ground water scenario in the country.
SC: IF SAFETY MEASURES ARE

NOT MET, COMMISSIONING
OF THE KUNDAKULAM PLANT
CAN BE STOPPED
The Supreme Court on 27 September 2012
directed to the center that if the safety
measures are not found satisfactory than it
would not hesitate from stopping the
commissioning of the Kudankulam project
in spite of the huge investments made on
its installation.
The bench of Justices K. S. Radhakrishnan
and Deepak Misra stated that safety of the
people residing around the plant is a serious
concern and in case any of the safety
measures have not been followed during
the execution of the plant.
Earlier the central Government formed a
special task force that recommended 17
measures in relation to the safety concerns
of the power plant but they have not been
taken care of nor fully implemented. The
installation of the plant also suffered
several changes ever since 1989, when the
environment clearance was offered to the
plant.
Concerns
and
Issues
related
Kundakulam Nuclear Power Plant
to
The petition submitted by G Sundarrajan

declares that the environment clearances
made during the 1989 Environment Impact
Assessment was not done because the site
for installation was not decided by then.

Government even failed to conduct the
public hearing, which is a mandatory thing
to be done under law.
The critical changes done in the plant are
1. The previous plan was to store the
spent fuel in Russia, but now it will
be stored within the plant
2. The water for being used in the
nuclear plant was to be taken from
the local dam, but now the decisions
have been made to take the fuel
from the sea
3. Then the Ministry of Environment
and Forests stated that the sea
temperature will suffer a change of
5 degrees but now it has been raised
to 7 degrees
Affidavit submitted by The Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Ltd.
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd
submitted an affidavit to the Madras High
Court on 18 August 2012 and 22 August
2012 in relation to the safety measures
followed by the plant and its abilities to
withstand the natural events like
earthquake, cyclones and all. The same
affidavit was submitted to the Supreme
Court on 26 September 2012.
The provided Affidavit States
1. The plant has been designed to be
safe at times with the washing away
of the safety units which may be
caused due to floods, Fukushima
incident of washing away has been
cited for an example.
2. The nuclear plant is a generation 3+
power plant and is designed taking
care of the ultra-modern safety
measures
like
auto-prevention
against the general causes of failure
of the safety system and is reliable
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and complies to the standards of

redundancy available at present
3. The power plant can survive against
the natural events such as tsunami,
earthquakes of high reactor scale,
shock waves, fire, cyclones and
others. The main building of the
plant is also safe against the air-craft
impact. Security arrangements
against the terrorists attack and
sabotages
have
also
been
implemented.
4. The structural design can prevent
the release of the radioactive
material in the public even in cases
of physical attacks
5. The affidavit also cleared that the 17
recommendations of the AERB
(Atomic Energy Regulatory Board)
will be taken care at times to come.
This affidavit also made clear that 7
out of 17 recommendations were
compiled but the power plant was
safe even without the use of the 17
recommendations made by AERB.
GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD AND

LESSER FLORICAN GOT
SHONKALIYA REGION TO
BREED
The endangered birds, Great Indian Bustard
and Lesser Florican have got a dedicated
land for breeding in the Shonkaliya Region
of Ajmer District, Rajasthan. The villagers of
Ajmer District have agreed to conserve 30
hectares of land for the breeding activity of
these endangered birds.
Population of the Great Indian Bustard (the
state bird of Rajasthan) is reportedly not
sizeable with six males, present in the area.
The Great Indian Bustard needs to lure at

least three to four females in number for
making of the family. Nests of the Great
Indian Bustard have been noticed in the
crop fields of the area.
The Lesser Floricans are available in a large
number as compared to the Great Indian
Bustards in the region. Nest of lesser
Floricans have also seen around the crop
lands of the area. Floricans make a visit to
this north-western region of the country
during their breeding season of advancing
monsoons.
This move of conservation of the Lesser
Floricans and the Great Indian Bustard is an
initiative to use MNREGA, the job guarantee
scheme of the central government as a
conservative tool. At the time of Manju
Rajpal, the former collector of Ajmer
district, the villagers of Shonkaliya agreed to
earmark a dedicated zone in 30 hectare of
land for breeding of the birds from their
total of 100 hectares. From 1st May to 30th
September entry of cattle as well as people
will be restricted in the protected land.
18TH INTERNATIONAL DAY

FOR PRESERVATION OF THE
OZONE LAYER CELEBRATED
WORLDWIDE
On 16 September every year, from 1995
onwards the International Day for the
Preservation of the Ozone Layer is
celebrated. This date was designated by the
United Nations General Assembly in its
resolution 49/114, to memorialize the
signing of the Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
With this, The Montreal Protocol is
celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
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The theme for this years celebration was

Protecting our Atmosphere for Generations
to come.
SUPREME COURT ASKED THE

CENTRE TO PREPARE REVISED
GUIDELINES FOR TOURIST
ACTIVITIES
The Supreme Court of India on 29 August
2012 directed the Centre to prepare revised
guidelines for tourist activities in core areas
of tiger reserves. A bench including justices
AK Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar ruled that
the fresh guidelines should be evolved
within four weeks after consultations with
States, all stake-holders, hotel associations
affected by the ban, guides and tour
operators. The apex court's decision came
after the Attorney General GE Vahanvati
sought permission to revise the existing
guidelines to ensure that tigers are
protected even while tourism is promoted.
The Supreme Court once again extended
the ban imposed by the court on tourist
activities in the core areas of tiger reserves
till the 27th of September 2012. On 24 July
2012, the apex court had banned all
tourism activities in the core areas of tiger
reserves.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT
AND FOREST ISSUED
ADVISORY TO REDUCE THE
IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION
TOWERS
The Ministry of Environment and Forest
(MoEF) on 14 August 2012 issued an
advisory to reduce the negative impact of

Electro Magnetic Radiations emanating
from the communication towers. Acting on
the recommendations made by an expert
panel, constituted to Study the possible
Impacts of Communication Towers on
Wildlife including Birds and Bees, the
ministry issued numerous guidelines.
Some of the major directives issued by the
MoEF are as follows:
1. Regular Electro Magnetic Radiation
(EMR) to be conducted in urban
localities and ecologically sensitive
regions.
2. New mobile towers not to be set
up within the 1 km radius of
existing towers.
3. Any study conducted on impact of
EMR radiation on wildlife needs to
be shared with Forest Department
andDepartment
of
Telecommunications to facilitate
appropriate policy formulations.
4. The location and frequencies of cell
phone towers and other towers
emitting
EMR,
should
be
madeavailable in public domain.
5. State governments are urged to
spread awareness among the
people about the negative impacts
of EMR using different media.
PARLIAMENTARY PANEL ON
AGRICULTURE
RECOMMENDED BAN OF GM
FOOD CROPS
In a major setback to the production of
genetically modified (GM) foods in the
country, a parliamentary panel on
agriculture asked the government to ban all
field trials of GM crops until it develops
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until it develops a better system of

monitoring and oversight.
In the 389-page report submitted in the
parliament on 9 August 2012, the panel also
demanded a complete probe into how
permission was granted in 2009 for the
commercialisation of Bt brinjal (also known
as aubergine, or eggplant). Bt Brinjal was
developed
by
Pune-based
Mahyco
(Maharashtra Hybrid Company) in a joint
venture with US seed giant Monsanto.
The
Genetic Engeneering Appraisal
Committee
had
cleared
the
commercialization of Bt Brinjal on 14
October 2009, though soon after its
clearance it was caught amidst bitter
controversies
ranging
from
its
environmental impacts to ethical concerns
such as corporate control of the food supply
and intellectual property rights. Bt cotton
was the only GM crop before Bt Brinjal
which
had
got
clearance
for
commercialization.
NASAS SCIENTISTS WARNED

EARTH MIGHT FACE MORE
HEAT WAVES
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for
Space Studies (GISS) warned that most of
Earth's land areas might face an extreme
summer heat wave than they did from 1951
to 1980. Scientists revealed that over the
past 30 years the northern hemisphere has
witnessed more "hot" (orange), "very hot"
(red) and "extremely hot" (brown)
summers.
Scientists noted that Earth's northern
hemisphere, which comprises of 90 percent
of the planet's land, has become much
more likely to experience an extreme

summer heat wave compared to a base
period from 1951 to 1980.
The researchers described how "extremely
hot" summers has become a routine over
the past 30 years. Since 2006, about 10
percent of land area across the Northern
Hemisphere has experienced these
temperatures each summer. Study show
how heat waves in Texas, Oklahoma and
Mexico in 2011 and in the Middle East,
Western Asia and Eastern Europe in 2010
fall into the new "extremely hot" category.
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maintains a list of names for naming the

Hurricanes that occurs round the year. This
list keeps on rotating on the yearly basis.
HURRICANE SANDY A
CATEGORY 2 CYCLONE
STRUCK US, JAMAICA, HAITI
AND CUBA
Sandy: is the name given to the category 2
Cyclone that struck US, Jamaica, Haiti and
Cuba, and was formed in the late Hurricane
season of 2012. Sandy was created from the
elongated tropical wave that occurred in
the Western Caribbean Sea on 22 October
2012.
Hurricane Sandy is one of the fiercest
storms to hit the East Coast of
Massachusetts on 29 October 2012 and it
gave a devastating look to the city leaving
behind the torrential rains, with widespread
flood and howling winds. The dangerous
high rise in the sea along with the flooded
coastal areas saw a huge power cut in
385000 homes.
The name Sandy has been provided to the
hurricane following the nomenclature set in
an alphabetical order by the US authority
National Hurricane Center for naming the
hurricanes that arises in the North Atlantic
Ocean. World Meteorological Organization
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381
to the first-time buyers. The festival would

allow people to shop for travel packages,
jewellery, kids wear, gadgets, books,
computer accessories, home decoration
products, watches and also on real estate
deals.
CHAPTER 17:
MISCELLANEOUS
GOOGLE INDIA PARTNERED
WITH E-COMMERCE SITES TO
BRING CYBER MONDAY TO
INDIA
In order to develop the concept of online
shopping in India, Google India decided on 4
December 2012 to partner with leading ecommerce websites to introduce the
concept of Cyber Monday in the country.
Titled as the Great Online Shopping Festival,
it is slated for 12 December 2012. Some of
the e-commerce websites that would
partner with Google India include Snapdeal,
Flipkart, Homeshop 18 as well as
Makemytrip.
India has more than 137 million Internet
users. Significant growth is being observed
in online activity. It is the first time that
there will be an industry-wide program of
such a scale. It would enable the entire
country to benefit from the unbeatable
deals which would be offered on the
Internet.
It is expected that The Great Online
Shopping Festival would have participants
from more than 50 partners, which include
e-commerce, classified as well as local,
online traveling sites as well as banking,
financial services and insurance companies.
All such companies will offer some of the
best deals to Indian customers for 24 hours.
This is an initiative for encouraging the
shoppers to go for online shopping. The
primary focus of the festival is reaching out
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382
Google India declared that the industry of

online shopping is already more than 1.5
billion US dollar and this initiative would
help in further promotion of the online
shopping.
What is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is actually the marketing term
for Monday after the Black Friday. Cyber
Monday was the term which was created by
certain marketing companies in order to
attract people towards the concept of online
shopping. The term was first debuted on 28
November 2005. In the year 2010, it was
declared by comScore that the consumers
spent a total of 1.028 billion US dollar on this
Cyber Monday.
NOKIA INDIA INTRODUCED

REBRANDED MAP SERVICE
NAMED HERE
Nokia India on 20 November 2012 launched
its re-branded mobile map services in the
Indian market.
The new cloud computing-based map
service is called as HERE and offers maps
and location-based services across multiple
devices and operating systems. The main
aim of the service is to inspire a new
generation of location services and devices
that make the mobile experience more

personally
everywhere.
significant
for
people
AIRTEL COMPLETED LARGEST

NETWORK TRANSFORMATION
IN AFRICA
Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications
services provider with operations in 20
countries across Asia and Africa, in the
month of November completed a network
transformation programme across its
mobile operations in 16 African countries in
partnership with Ericsson.
The programme involved upgradation and
expansion of network elements on all of
Airtel's African operations, including
switching, radio, network management,
data, charging, and consumer-services
platforms and systems, the company said in
a statement.
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across the world, over one hundred

resources worked onsite to ensure
successful delivery of this complex project
which is the largest network modernization
program in Africas telecom history.
The transformation programme follows the
2011 announcement of an ongoing five year
multi-country managed services agreement,
wherein Ericsson would manage and
optimise Airtel's mobile networks across
Africa.
BHARTI AIRTEL BECAME

WORLDS FOURTH LARGEST
MOBILE OPERATOR
Indian Telecom Service Company Bharti
Airtel became the fourth largest telecom
operator in the world in terms of
subscribers, according to the Wireless
Intelligence Scoreboard report.
Ericsson
had
deployed
wireless
technologies under the programme, and it
is going enhance Airtel's network capacity
and robustness and would also help deliver
services to customers at affordable rates.
At the end of the quarter ended June 2012,

the Company had over 250 million mobile
subscribers
across
its
operations,
representing 13 percent Year-over-Year
growth.
It makes Airtel's networks fully ready for

next generation services that include high
speed data and value added services.
China Mobile is on the top position with

683.08 million connections, which is
followed by Vodafone Group with 386.88
million Connections and American Movil
Group with 251.83 million connections.
The company had implemented a full

upgrade of the charging platforms across all
operations using Ericsson's Charging
System, which will enable it to offer services
like mobile wallets to the subscribers.
The project will result in Airtels 60+ million
customers having a better experience on
their networks.
The project was backed by 12000 consulting
and systems integration professionals
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383
The other Indian telecom operators in the

report are Reliance Communications at
eighth position, Idea Cellular at fourteenth
position and BSNL at twentieth position.
Reliance Communications had maintained
its global ranking, Idea Cellular has moved
up to three places and State-owned and run
telecommunication giant BSNL's ranking
dropped by two places.
GANGNAM STYLE NAMED

AMONG COLLINS
DICTIONARYS WORD OF THE
YEAR 2012
Gangnam Style, the most-watched video
ever on Youtube now booked a place in
popular culture with becoming Collins
dictionarys word for November 2012.
Gangnam Style is pop sensation with a
horse dance video by his South Korean
singer Psy. It became the first video in the
history of the Internet to be viewed more
than a billion times.
Gangnam Style was named among the
Collins dictionarys words of the year along
with mummy porn, fiscal cliff and
Romneyshambles.
Mummy Porn became Aprils word of the
year as the erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey
was published during that month and
became an instant bestseller.
Defeated presidential candidate Mitt
Romney became word of the year for July
after critics recognized his visit to London a
Romneyshambles.
Jubilympics was Junes word, while Games
Makers was Augusts due to the volunteers
who made the Olympic event in UK a
success.
NAK BROWNE RELEASED A

BOOK VICTORY INDIA-A KEY
TO QUALITY MILITARY
LEADERSHIP
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The Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne on 20

November 2012 released a book titled
Victory India - A Key to Quality Military
Leadership authored by Colonel Vinay B
Dalvi (Retd) at the Air Headquarters. The
book has tried to present the process of
identification, selection and training of the
youths for moulding them into effective and
inspiring military leaders of the nation.
The book is a compilation of well written
contributory articles by military experts that
includes Admiral Arun Prakash, Lieutenant
General Arun Chopra, Lieutenant General
Gautam Banerjee, Air Marshal TS Randhawa
and different technologists, professors,
sports
medicine
specialists
and
psychologists.
Colonel Vinay B Dalvi (Retd)
In the 37 years of his distinguished service
of the Indian Army, Colonel Vinay B Dalvi
has served almost every sector and
commands of the Indian Army which also
includes National Defence Academy,
Instructional Training at Indian Military
Academy and Officers Training Academy.
YUVI - BOOK ON CRICKETER

YUVRAJ SINGH AUTHORED BY
MAKARAND WAINGANKAR
RELEASED
The book on Indian Cricketer Yuvraj Singh
named Yuvi was released in third week of
November 2012. Kapil Dev and Dilip
Vengsarkar, the former cricketing legends
were invited at the launch ceremony to
offer insight on the cricketing star.
Yuvi, the book on Yuvraj Singh is published
by Harper Sport and written by Makarand
Waingankar. The book illustrates the
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384

brilliance of cricket shown by Yuvraj Singh
in his career as a cricketer and the way he
recovered from Cancer.
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
RELEASED A
COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE
STAMP ON LATE RAMGOPAL
MAHESHWARI
word was compounded using the Latin

prefix omni- that means the entire/all and a
word shambles that mean a situation of
complete disorder.
INDIA INTERNATIONAL TRADE

FAIR STARTED IN DELHI WITH
ITS THEME SKILLING INDIA
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee on

20
November
2012
released
a
Commemorative Postage Stamp on late
Ramgopal Maheshwari. The stamp was
released in the Rastrapati Bhavan on the
occasion of Maheshwaris birth centenary
year celebration.
Ramgopal Maheshwari
Ramgopal Maheshwari was a freedom
fighter and a social worker is also regarded
as a doyen of Journalism in India. He was a
person who worked for promotion of Hindi
Language.
OMNISHAMBLES SELECTED AS
THE UK WORD OF THE YEAR
BY OXFORD ENGLISH
DICTIONARY
The 32nd season of Indian International

Trade Fair started on 14 November 2012 at
Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The annual
fair that would conclude after 14 days on 27
November 2012 was inaugurated by the
President of India Pranab Mukherjee.
Mikhail V Myasnikovich, the Prime Minister
of Belarus was the Guest of Honour to the
inauguration ceremony and he also
inaugurated the Belarusian pavilion at the
fair.
Belarus has been selected as the partner
country to the event, whereas South Africa
is selected as the Focus Country for the
32nd edition of the International Trade Fair.
In the state category, Uttarakhand has been
opted as the Partner State and Andaman
and Nicobar Islands was opted as the Focus
State for the event.
Theme
The Oxford English Dictionary has chosen

Omnishambles as the UK Word of the Year
2012. The neologism was first time used in
the BBC TVs political satire The Thick of Itto describe the badly mismanaged situation
and gaffes.
The word exactly is defined as the situation
that
has
been
mismanaged
comprehensively and is characterized by a
string of blunders and miscalculations. The
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The theme selected for the 32nd edition of

the India International Trade Fair is Skilling
India and the event would focus on the
initiatives undertaken by different agencies,
government departments and other private
participants for development of skills
among the youths. To make the event
successful and pass on the idea behind the
theme, several seminars and workshops
were also organized.
publication and move on the online

platform completely.
UNITED NATION DECLARED

NOVEMBER 10 AS MALALA
DAY
The United Nations declared November 10
as Malala Day in honour of Pakistani
teeenage rights activist Malala Yousafzai,
who was shot in the head by the Taliban in
October 2012 for advocating girls
education.
The day 10 November marks the 30-day
anniversary of the Taliban attack on the 15year-old Malala Yousafzai, the education
campaigner from Pakistan.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban KiMoon asserted that Malala Yousafzai is an
inspiration for girls education the world
over.
As per the UN Secretary General Ban KiMoon, observing Malala day is going to
build on the momentum of UN's Education
First initiative and show that education is a
right of everyone, and not a privilege for a
few.
NEWSWEEK DECIDED TO
STOP ITS PRINT RUN AND GO
ALL-DIGITAL
The Digital Publication of the magazine will

be a single issue worldwide and a
compilation of world events in a
sophisticated context targeting on the
opinion leading audience.
INDIAN NAVY SUCCESSFULLY

TEST FIRED BRAHMOS
MISSILE
The Indian Navy on 7 October 2012
successfully test-fired the 290-km range
BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which is
capable of carrying a conventional warhead
of 300 kg, from a warship off the Goa coast.
The cruise missile was test-fired from
guided missile frigate INS Teg--the Indian
Navy's latest induction from Russia off the
coast of Goa.
The INS Teg, which has been built at the
Yantar shipyard in Russia, had fired the
missile successfully during pre-induction
trials in Russiain 2011.
ABOUT BrahMoS MISSILE
Newsweek, the eighty year old print

magazine on 18 October 2012 announced
that it would shut down its print operations
completely and go all-digital.
The Editor-in-Chief of the Magazine and
founder of the online Newsweek Daily
Beast Company, Tina Brown posted a
statement on the website that being
affected by the harsh media environment,
the magazine had planned to stop its print
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BrahMos is a stealth supersonic cruise

missile that can be launched from
submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a
joint venture between Republic of India's
Defence Research and Development
Organisation
(DRDO)
and
Russian
Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia who
have together formed BrahMos Aerospace
Private Limited
It is the world's fastest cruise missile in
operation. The missile travels at speeds of
Mach 2.8 to 3.0. and have the capability of

attacking surface targets by flying as low as
10 metres in altitude
NIRYAT SHREE AND NIRYAT

BANDHU AWARDS
PRESENTED BY PRESIDENT OF
INDIA
FORMER UP GOVERNOR AND

FREEDOM FIGHTER
SATYANARAYAN REDDY
PASSED AWAY
Former Governor of UP and Odisha and a
renowned freedom fighter B Satyanarayan
Reddy died on 7 October 2012 folowing
age-related illness in a private Hospital in
Hyderabad.
86 years old Satyanarayan Reddy, was a
bachelor who had dedicated his life for
public service. He was a strong follower of
JayPrakash Narayan and Ram Manohar
Lohiya.
Satyanarayan Reddy was a patriot and
freedom Fighter who during quit India
movement in 1942 also faced arrest for
leading a procession of protest against the
arrest of Mahatma Gandhi.
GLOBAL JAMES BOND DAY

WAS CELEBRATED ON 5
OCTOBER 2012
Global James Bond Day was celebrated on 5
October 2012 to mark 50 years since the
world premiere of Dr. No which introduced
author Ian Fleming's sophisticated secret
agent to the people.
The franchise went on to produce best
selling Agent 007 films. It is making legends
out of actors over the last 50 years and the
James Bond movie franchise has made
heart-stopping thrillers.
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President of India Pranab Mukherjee with

Union Minister for Commerce, Industry and
Textiles Anand Sharma on 5 October 2012
presented awards to exporters on the
occasion of the presentation of Federation
of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Niryat
Shree and Niryat Bandhu awards at Vigyan
Bhavan in New Delhi.
The President gave away 52 awards 46
Niryat Shree Awards was given to exporters
for their performance in 12 different
categories, which includes agriculture,
plantation products; chemicals, drugs,
pharmacy and allied products; engineering;
gems and jewellery, handicrafts, carpets;
textiles, leather, service providers; and 6
Niryat Bandhu Awards were given to Export
Promotion Councils and Banks for their
support to the exporting community.
Among the Niryat Shree awardees that
were presented a gold trophy was MIOT
Hospitals Limited for being the highest
foreign exchange earner in the country
among all service providers.
The award was received by company
chairperson Mallika Mohandas. Reliance
Industries was also awarded a gold trophy
for earning the highest foreign exchange.
PC Jewellers was awarded a silver trophy in
the Gems and Jewellery category. In the
Niryat Bandhu category for banks, the
winners were Canara Bank which got gold
trophy followed by Bank of India and

Punjab National Bank getting silver and
Bronze trophy respectively.
ISRO SCIENTIST TESSY

THOMAS CONFERRED WITH
LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI
AWARD
President Pranab Mukherjee on 1 October
2012 conferred the prestigious Lal Bahadur
Shastri National Award 2012 to ISRO
scientist Tessy Thomas at an award function
in Rashtrapati Bhawan. The award was
given on the eve of Birth anniversary of
Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur
Shashtri.
Tessy Thomas 48 years old is the Key
Scientist for Agni-V in Defence Research and
Development Organisation Hyderabad. She
is the first woman scientist to head a missile
project in India.
Tessy Thomas was an associate Project
director (mission) for Agni-I, II and III
systems. She was associated with the Agni
Programme since their developmental
stages.
The US government after the raid in May,

2011 claimed that the SEALs shot Osama
bin Laden only after they entered his
bedroom.
ADOLF HITLER BASED NOVEL

TITLED ER IST WIEDER DA
BECAME GERMANYS
BESTSELLER
New novel about Adolf Hitler, called Er Ist
Wieder Da (Hes Back) authored by Timur
Vermes became the bestseller in Germany,
replacing Winter Of The World by Ken
Follet. Er Ist Wieder Da is the novel that
makes use of the proactive approach with a
tinge of comedy and satire. The book was
released in September 2012.
The book has a different plot in which
Hitler, instead of dying by the end of
Second World War, goes to sleep in 1945
and wakes up in modern Berlin in 2011. The
novel with a different approach climbed up
to the Germanys bestseller list with over
250000 copies sold. 75000 audio books
have also been sold.
The German press plans to publish the book
in English as well. There have been mix
reviews about the book, where some
literary critics applauded the book, while
some called it a marketing machine in the
name of Hitler to earn money.
THE BOOK CHALLENGED

OFFICIAL STORY OF OSAMA
BIN LADEN KILLING
The book No Easy Day: The Firsthand
Account of the Mission That Killed Osama
bin Laden written by a former Navy SEAL
claimed that Osama bin Laden was shot in
the head by a SEAL bullet when he looked
out of his bedroom door into the hallway
and not killed inside the room. The book
was written under the pseudonym Mark
Owen.
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388
About the author

Timur Vermes who authored the book is a
former journalist. He described his book as
something that makes use of the comic
theme to put forward the authenticity of
Hitler.
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THE ELECTION COMMISSION

OF INDIA CELEBRATED THE
3RD NATIONAL VOTERS DAY
25 January: National voters' day celebrated
by Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India
celebrated the 3rd National Voters Day
across the country on 25 January 2013. The
theme for the 3rd NVD is Inclusion. NVD
functions were held at more than 6.5 lakh
locations across the country covering nearly
all 8.5 lakh Polling Stations. Around 46000
Educational Institutions also celebrated
National Voters Day. Around 4867 Youth
Voter Festivals have been held across the
states to engage youth in the registration
process. The National Function to mark the
3rd National Voters Day was held at
Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
25th January is also the foundation day of
the Commission, which came into being on
this day in 1950. The Commissions
objective through NVD is to increase
enrolment of voters, especially of the newly
eligible ones, to make universal adult
suffrage a complete reality. The National
Voters Day is also utilized to spread
awareness among voters regarding
effective participation in the electoral
process.
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Current Affairs Part B
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Current Affairs Comprehensive
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UNIT I
Current Affairs
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CHAPTER 1: NATIONAL
SC DIRECTED GOVERNMENT
TO NOTIFY CAUVERY WATER
DISPUTES TRIBUNAL AWARD
The Supreme Court of India on 4 February
2013 directed the Union Government of
India to notify the six-year-old final award
of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by
20 February 2013. A bench headed by
Justice RM Lodha expressed displeasure
over the government for not notifying the
award even after the warring Tamil Nadu
and Karnataka had agreed before it on 4
January 2013 that they had no objection if
the award was notified. The Centre had
earlier assured the apex court that it would
notify the tribunals award by 31 December
2013.
The apex court also directed Karnataka to
release 2 Thousand Million Cubic feet, of
Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and directed
the Central Water Commission to file a
report on the water requirement of the two
states. It asked the Commission to form a
three-member expert body which will visit
the states and directed it to file report
within two days. The Court posted the
matter for further hearing on 7 February
2013. The Court was hearing Tamil Nadu's
petition seeking the immediate release of
12 TMC of water.
EXPERT COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTED TO REVIEW
FUNCTIONING OF PRASAR
BHARTI
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

on 29 January 2013 constituted an Expert
Committee to review the institutional
frame work of Prasar Bharati as well as its
relationship with Government, its role in
continuance as a public broadcaster and the
measures that needs to be taken to ensure
technical upgradation of the organization.
Sam Pitroda is the Chairperson of the
committee.
Roles and Responsibilities
Committee are as follows
of
the
To suggest measures to sustain, strengthen

and amplify Prasar Bharati`s role as a Public
Broadcaster with special reference to its
relationship with Government in the
emerging context.
The committee is responsible for

reviewing
the
status
of
implementation
of
the
recommendations, which were
made by different committees
after undertaking the study of
Prasar Bharati, mainly, the
Sengupta committee, the Bakshi
Committee
and
the
Narayanamurthy committee. It is
also responsible to suggest a
road map ahead to enhance the
reach and potential of Prasar
Bharati.
The committee is responsible for

identifying
the
ways
for
digitization of the archived
material
available
with
Doordarshan (DD) and All India
Radio (AIR), which includes
digitization of the materials of
the Independence Movement.
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As well suggest the measures for

development of infrastructure
data centre, digitalization system
and networks
The committee is responsible to
find the ways offer suggestions
to use the new media for
delivering digital content; both
in broadcast mode (DTH) and in
a demand-based mode (Free on
social media like You-Tube and
on payment through IPTV).
Identify the ways and develop
strategy to create a network of
domestic and overseas business
partners to ensure wider reach
to a worldwide audience that
includes creation of an exclusive
overseas service.
Any other statutory issue that
the Committee may like to
consider.
RASHTRIYA BAL SWASTHYA

KARYAKRAM LAUNCHED IN
THANE, MAHARASHTRA
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Main Features of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya

Karyakram are
The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya
Karyakram 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.
The new initiative would assure a
package of health services for all
children up to 18 years of age.
The programme will also prove
economical
for
poor
and
marginalized.
The services will be provided
through dedicated mobile health
teams placed in every block. The
scheme,
which
will
be
implemented in a phased
manner, is expected to benefit
approximately 27 crore children
across the country.
HEADCOUNTS IN AREAS TO
BE COVERED UNDER PMGSY
LOWERED
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on 6

February 2013 launched a new health
initiative called Rashtriya Bal Sawsthya
Karyakram at Palghar town 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.
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is an
Indian health program for improving health
care delivery across rural India. It was
launched on 12 April 2005 for a period of 7
years.
The Union Cabinet of India on 6 February

2013 gave its nod to the proposal of
decreasing the headcounts of residents to
100 in habitations under the government's
flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Gram
Sadak Yojana, PMGSY. Under this program
(PMGSY), habitations with population of
100 tribals and more in eighty-two naxal-hit
areas would be connected via all weather
roads.
Earlier, under the PMGSY program the tribal
areas with a population graph of more than
250 people in the naxal-affected reasons
were covered. The decision of decreasing
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the head counts in different area came after
it was pointed out by Kishore Chandra Deo,
the Tribal Affairs Minister that maximum
habitations in these areas had a population
graph of less than 250 people.
SC ORDERED KARNATAKA TO
RELEASE 2.44 TMC CAUVERY
WATER TO TAMIL NADU
The Supreme Court of India on 7 February
2013 directed Karnataka to release 2.44
thousand million cubic feet of Cauvery
water to the state of Tamil Nadu with
immediate effect.
The bench of Justices R M Lodha, J
Chelameswar and Madan B Lokur gave the
order on the basis of report submitted by
the committee of Central Water
Commission that was appointed on the
orders of the Apex Court.
Sharing Cauvery waters has remained a
source of disagreement between the states
of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka since 1892.
The dispute is based on the agreements
which were signed in 1892 and 1924
between former Madras Presidency and
Princely State of Mysore.
In the development of the dispute that took
place in recent past, i.e., on 6 December
2012, the Apex Court had directed
Karnataka to release 10000 cusecs water to
Tamil Nadu. The decision came in order to
save the standing crops of both Tamil Nadu
and Karnataka.
I&B MINISTRY LAUNCHED MY

INDIA INITIATIVE-A DIGITAL
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VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME TO
REACH CITIZENS
The Information and Broadcasting Minister,
Manish Tewari on 7 February 2013
launched the MyIndia Initiative-A Digital
Volunteer Programme to reach out the
people in the social media space.
The initiative from I&B Ministry is aimed
towards disseminating and delivering the
messages of development to the citizens
by registering them as volunteers them on
the social media platforms. The initiative is
an effort to allow the citizens to contribute
positively towards nation building and this
would initiate a principle of participative
governance across the nation.
The I&B Ministry on 8 February 2013 also
tried to reach out the citizens for the first
time via Live Twitter Conference on the
eve of 3rd Community Radio Conference.
This was the first ever conference of such
type by any of the Ministrys of Government
of India. Community Radio: Road Travelled
& way forward was the topic for
community radio conference and it lasted
for a period of 30 minutes from 4 pm to
4:30 pm.
FIRST EVER LIVE TWITTER

CONFERENCE ARRANGED BY
MINISTRY OF I&B ON
COMMUNITY RADIO
The Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting on 8 February 2013 arranged
the first of its kind Live Twitter Conference
based on the theme- Community Radio:
Road Travelled & Way Forward. The first
ever Live Twitter Conference was chaired by
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the Secretary of Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, Uday Kumar Varma. Other
senior officials of I&B were present as well.
The Live Twitter Conference was scheduled
for half an hour but continued for around
more than 1 hour. During the Live Twitter
Conference, over 200 questions were asked
on various topics of Community Radio
programme. The Secretary of Ministry of
I&B gave answers to around 45 questions.
These questions were associated to topics
such as sustainability, licensing, waiver and
spectrum fee of Community Radio Model as
well as career prospects.
I&B announced that the first Live Twitter
Conference enabled it to understand the
mindset of people in terms of social media
space. The intervention, in the meanwhile,
also provided a good platform to the
citizens for making them aware about the
important policies as well as programmes of
the Government of India. It was also
ensured that awareness in terms of key
policy interventions like Community Radio
reached people in a way that it was
understood by them.
THE UNION GOVERNMENT

DIRECTED ALL STATES TO
REVIEW CASES OF UNDERTRIAL
February 2013 directed all states to review
the cases of under-trials lodged in jails for
longer duration. The Home Ministry asked
the States and Union Territories that an
under-trial prisoner completing half of the
maximum period of imprisonment should
be released by the Court on his personal
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bond with or without sureties except for

those involved in heinous crimes.
The Advisory issued by the Home Ministry
stated that although the percentage of
overcrowding in jails is decreasing slowly,
even then 67 per cent of the inmates in
various prisons are under-trials. The
ministry elaborated that except those who
are charged with offences punishable with
the death sentence, no person can be
detained in prison as an under-trial for a
period exceeding the maximum possible
sentence.
PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING

(PSL) TO MINORITIES
CROSSED 15 PERCENT MARK
IN 2012-2013
Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to minorities
increased considerably from 10.60 percent
of total PSL in 2007-2008 to 15.01 percent
in 2012-2013. Priority Sector Lending (PSL)
to minorities belongs to one of the
schemes, which are covered under the
Prime Ministers new 15 Point Programme
for Welfare of Minorities.
An increase was observed because of
lending of 171960.71 crore Rupees as on
September 2012 to the minorities. Selfemployment initiatives were created and
sustained because of bank credit. The
increase was observed because of sustained
efforts of government of India.
In order to increase credit flow to the
minorities, various steps were undertaken
by the Government. These included
Reserve Bank of India issued
directions on Priority Sector Lending
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in order to improve credit facilities

to the minorities.
From 2007-2008 to 2011-2012, 5954
branches of bank were opened in
those areas where there was
substantial minority population.
Regular monitoring of Public Sector
Banks was done for checking
disposal of loan applications for the
minorities.
14244 awareness campaigns were
organised by Public Sector Banks in
15466 towns and blocks which
covered minority population.
Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to Minorities in

the absolute terms increased from
58662.67 crore Rupees in 2007-2008 to
171960.71crore Rupees as of September
2012.
PRIME MINISTERS NEW 15

POINT PROGRAMME FOR
WELFARE OF MINORITIES
The President on 25 February 2005
announced that Government of India would
recast the 15 Point Programme for the
Welfare of Minorities for including certain
programme specific interventions.
The Objectives of this Programme were as
follows
Enhancing
opportunities
for
education.
Ensuring an equitable share for
minorities in economic activities and
employment, through existing and
new schemes, enhanced credit
support for self-employment, and
recruitment to State and Central
Government jobs.
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Improving the conditions of living of

minorities
by
ensuring
an
appropriate share for them in
infrastructure
development
schemes.
Prevention and control of communal
disharmony and violence.
SC ORDERED SEIZURE OF
OPERATIONS OF
UNSUCCESSFUL BIDDERS 2G
SPECTRUM
The Supreme Court (SC) of India on 15
February 2013 directed the telecom
companies that failed to win bidding in the
fresh 2G Spectrum Auction or didnt
participated into it to cease their operations
immediately. The fresh auction took place
after the licenses issued earlier were
scrapped by the Court.
The Supreme Court also cleared that the
Court would soon order the companies,
which were successful in winning their
biddings in the actions those were held on
12 November and 14 November 2012 to
start operations in their respective circles
immediately.
The Supreme Court bench of two Judges
that comprised Justices G S Singhvi and K S
Radhakrishnan directed the telecom
companies, whose licenses were scrapped
on 2 February 2012 but allowed to function
were supposed to pay back the reserved
price fixed for the licenses during the first
round of November 2012 auction.
The Court in its declaration cleared that the
Judgment pronounced in February 2012
was not applicable for the telecom
companies that holds spectrum in 900 MHz
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band as the orders of February 2012 helds
no bearing on litigations related to 900 MHz
band.
The Court also ordered to put on immediate

and fresh auction the entire 2G Spectrum,
whose licenses were cancelled by it.
NACO SIGNED MOU WITH

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE TO
HIGHLIGHT ISSUES RELATED
TO AIDS
National AIDS Control Organisation

(NACO), Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare signed the first MoU with the
Ministry of Shipping on 14 February 2013 as
a part of its efforts to highlight issues
relating to HIV/AIDS.
According to the MoU, NACO will provide

HIV/AIDS/STI preventive, care support and
treatment services to port workers as well
as community around major ports including
fishermen, seafarers, truckers, single male
migrants and other vulnerable population
etc. It also aims to provide stigma free
environment
and
promote
greater
involvement of people living with HIV in all
major port areas.
Under the MoU, Ministry of Shipping
commits itself to the following points
Make available health infrastructure
and human resources for prevention
and management of HIV/AIDS/STI.
Designate
responsibility
to
personnel at suitable level to plan,
implement
and
monitor
HIV/AIDS/STI services.
Ensure identified health personnel
from the facilities are provided
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capacity building by State AIDS

Control Societies.
Promote safe sexual practices
among vulnerable population in port
setting with necessary support from
State AIDS Control Societies.
Ensure dissemination/display of IEC
material pertaining to HIV/AIDS/STI
at ports/health facilities and
outreach activities.
Ensure ICTC/PPTCT/ and STI services
and ensure availability of rapid HIV
diagnostic
kits
(3
different
antigens/principles) as per NACO
guidelines and specifications.
Set up designated STI/ICTC Clinics at
major
ports
for
vulnerable
population including truckers and
transport workers and ensure
availability of STI drug kits as per
NACO guidelines and specifications.
Coordinate and strengthen referral
linkages with State AIDS Control
societies and implementing partners
like targeted interventions TI
NGOs/drop in centre/community
care centres and network of HIV
Positive persons.
Ensure record keeping and reporting
to SACS as per prescribed format.
Commit
resource
(Manpower,
material
and
money)
for
HIV/AIDS/STI in budgets/or CSR
component for sustainability to his
endeavor.
The NACO commits itself to the following

points
Share
nationally
approved
treatment protocols, guidelines and
standards
pertaining
to
STI/HIV/AIDS.
Providing technical support and
build capacity of ports health
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personnel to facilitate integration of

HIVIAIDS in the Health Services.
Providing training to major port
health personnel (Doctors, nurses,
laboratory technicians on syndromic
case management of ST1, which
could be direct training or training of
trainers as per the number of
personnel.
Providing training to major port
health personnel (Doctors, nurses,
laboratory
technicians)
on
integrated counseling and testing
services for HIV, which could be
direct training or training of trainers
as per the number of personnel.
Provide technical support for
implementation
of
IEC
and
awareness activities around major
ports with support of ports
authorities.
Sharing reporting formats and
monitoring mechanisms.
NACO/SACS will coordinate and
provide necessary technical support
to Ministry of Shipping major ports
to integrate STI/HIV/AIDS services.
CBI REGISTERED CASE

AGAINST AIRTEL AND TATA
COMMUNICATIONS FOR
VIOLATING DOT NORMS
The Central Bureau of Investigation
registered a case on 22 February 2013
against Bharti Airtel Ltd and Tata
Communications Ltd, the giant telecom
companies for having link up with the
Singapore Telecom for the purpose of
international calls, thereby violating norms
of Department of Telecom (DoT).
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CBI on 24 February 2013 announced that

the two companies were charged for
causing a loss of around 48 crore Rupees to
the Union Government of India since 2004
because of their illegal arrangement. CBI
filed an FIR in the local court in Delhi after
complaints of Communications and IT
Ministry.
CBI accused these operators on charges of
cheating and criminal conspiracy. Actually,
Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Tata Communications
Ltd had entered into an agreement with the
Singapore Telecom for the purpose of
international calls, which violates the norms
that are laid down by the Department of
Telecommunications.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF
WOMEN AT WORKPLACE BILL
APPROVED BY RAJYA SABHA
Rajya Sabha on 25 February 2013 approved
the Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal) Bill. The bill seeks protection for
women in all type of organised,
unorganized as well as Private Sectors,
including the sexual harassment of
domestic help as well as agricultural
workers.
The bill had made it mandatory for every
organization with 10 or more employees to
form an internal complaint committee to
deal with the complaints of sexual offences.
The committees should be disposed of
within 90 days and organizations that fails
to follow the guidelines, would be penalized
with 50000 rupees. Organisations that
repeatedly violate the provisions of the bill
would be penalized to a greater level and
the offence may lead to the cancellation of
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the licenses or registration of the business
conduct.
Under its list of offences, the bill covers
sexual remarks, sexual favour demands, any
act of unwelcome touch and physical
advance and showing pornography.
The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha, the lower
house of the Parliament in September 2012.
MINISTRY OF NEW AND

RENEWABLE ENERGY
SANCTIONED REMOTE
VILLAGE ELECTRIFICATION
FOR 6033 VILLAGES
Page 399
purpose of final closure of the project, it is

important that the third party, i.e., agency
appointed by the concerned state notified
implementing agency monitors the project.
Also, it is important that the implementing
agencies make sure that the system
functions properly after installation.
At present, the RVE programme was
sanctioned to be continued up to 31 March
2013. However, a new scheme called Rural
Area Energy Access Programme I would be
developed after modification of the existing
RVE scheme.
Electronics Project Proposal System e-PPS
launched by Kapil Sibal
Remote Village Electrification (RVE) for a

total of 6033 villages as well as hamlets was
sanctioned during 11th Plan by the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Additionally, work on 5211 villages as well
as hamlets, was in its completion stage in
various states such as Odisha and Tamil
Nadu.
Two proposals of 61 hamlets as well as 161
hamlets of UP along with one proposal of
14 villages of Rajasthan and one proposal of
24 villages and 274 hamlets of Jammu &
Kashmir, were in all received and were
under initial stage of appraisal. It is
important to note that the Remote Village
Electrification (RVE) programme as well as
projects is usually sanctioned on the caseto-case basis after these proposals are
submitted
by
the
state
notified
implementing agencies according to the
guidelines of this scheme.
The respective state notified implementing
agencies carry out the monitoring of
implementation of RVE projects. For the
Union Minister Kapil Sibal on 6 March 2013

launched the Electronics Project Proposal
System (e-PPS), developed by the
Department of Electronics and Information
Technology, through the Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) during a round table discussion with
Academia, Industry and R&D Organisation.
The e-PPS system will initially start as a pilot
project.
What is Electronic Project Proposal System
(e-PPS)?
It is a web based system in form of solution
to fund the R&D projects, which will start
from online submission of the project
proposal for funds and will monitor as well
as manage the funded projects.
Processes Supported by the e-PPS System
Online submission of project
proposals
Evaluation of proposals by experts
Project recommendations
Project Monitoring
Impact of the e-PPS System
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It will replace existing manual

system of project funding in which
the project investigators submit
hard copies of R&D proposals, which
are presented to a Working Group
and based on the recommendations
of the Working Group the proposals
are further processed
The system would create a One-GoDash-Board to monitor the projects
from its initiation to completion
Will ease the processing time of the
proposal and dissemination of the
project information
Union Public Service Commission in its

latest notification released on 6 March 2013
changed the Scheme of Civil Services
{MAIN
(Written+Interview/Personality
Test)} Examination, 2013. The commission
had also made some changes in the choice
of language medium in the Civil Services
(Main) Examination.
For the first time in the history of Civil
Services the candidates planning to apply
for the Civil Services Examination or Indian
Forest Service Examination or both will
have to fill in this common Application
Form.
Comparison of changes implemented in
the syllabus of the examination
Present
Essay 200 Marks
Essay 200 Marks

English 100 marks
General Studies Paper General Studies Paper

I and II
I, II, III and IV
Marks carried by Marks carried by
General Studies was General Studies was
2*300=600
4*250=1000
Optional A Paper I - Optional A Paper I 300 Marks, Paper II - 250 Marks, Paper II 300 Marks
250 Marks
Optional B Paper I - Optional B (No more
300 Marks, Paper II - in existence)
300 Marks
Interview/Personality Interview/Personality
Test - 300
Test 275 marks
UPSC CHANGED THE SCHEME

OF CIVIL SERVICES MAIN
EXAMINATION 2013
Previous
Page 400
New topics added to the syllabus include

In Paper I Section 2 - English Prcis
of Matriculation or 10th standard
level had been added
In Paper II General Studies I part
the History and Geography of the
World and Society had been added
In Paper IV General Studies III
Disaster Management had been
added along with Technology,
Economic
Development,
Biodiversity, Environment and Security
In Paper-V General Studies IV
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude has
been added
Analysis
The weightage of marks of the interview
have been kept at the same standard of 13
percent, i.e.
Previously the Interview Carried:
300/2300*100=13 percent approx
At
Present
275/2075*100=13
percent approx
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Similarly the weightage of the Optional
Paper had been reduced from 52 percent
to 24 percent, i.e.
Previously
it
was
1200/2300*100=52%approx
And
now
it
is
500/2075*100=24%approx
In case of the General Studies Paper,
weightage of marks have gone up to 48
percent from 26 percent, i.e.
Previously
it
was
600/2300*100=26%;
And now it is 1000/2075*100=48%
Later following the protests across the
country, the Union Government of India put
on hold the declared notification.
SECURITY APPROVED
FLEXIBLE USE OF AIRSPACE
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)
on 8 March 2013 cleared Flexible Use of
Airspace (FUA) by civil and military users,
which was unsettled for last few years.
There was a necessity to fulfill the demand
of national security, where the requirement
of airspace by the military was to be fulfilled
in the fast changing environment of air
warfare. Therefore, sharing of airspace on a
need basis, by civil and military users was
an urgent national requisite.
Ajit Singh with taking over the charge as
Union Civil Aviation Minister implemented
the Flexible Use of Airspace, which will
result in fuel saving of 202380 kg per
annum and reduction of carbon dioxide
emission by 6393600 kg per annum by
direct routing between seven city pairs of
Delhi-Mumbai,
Delhi-Kolkata,
Delhi
Page 401
Chennai, Delhi-Hyderabad, Delhi- Begaluru,

Kolkata-Chennai and Chennai-Mumbai for
which the information is available.
Objective of Flexible use of Airspace (FUA)
The primary objective of FUA is to
enhance airspace Capacity, minimize
delays, fuel conservation, emission
reduction and ultimate benefits to
travelling public.
Implementation of FUA through
efficient
civilian
military coordination
is
an
essential
requirement to foster the traffic
growth with ultimate benefit to the
nations economy.
FUA permits both military and civil
user to efficiently and effectively
utilize the available airspace on
sharing basis to gain optimum
usage, thereby enhancing its
capacity, which results into efficient
operations.
In this model a coordinated
procedure between the civil and the
military and vice versa, as per need
and on a real time basis if it is not
being used by the user assigned with
the responsibility for its control.
Working mechanism of Flexible use of
Airspace (FUA)
As a first step for implementation of
the FUA in India, a National High
Level
Airspace
Policy
Body
(NHLAPB) for airspace use is set up,
to take up the job of strategic
planning and assess/reassess the
national airspace requirements of
various stakeholders.
It will establish flexible airspace use
structure/committees
and
introduce procedures for allocation
of these airspace structures.
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The NHLAPB will be chaired by

Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation
with representation from Ministry of
Defence, Indian Air force, Indian
Navy, Indian Space Research
Organization, Airport Authority of
India and Directorate General of
Civil Aviation. It can co-opt new
members in future depending upon
requirement.
The Ministry of Defence has agreed with

the proposal for implementation of FUA,
subject to ensuring adequate safeguards in
the system to prevent inadvertent leak of
Military information and dissemination of
any information on Military Aviation
activities strictly on need to know basis.
Indias First All Women
Inaugurated by Kapil Sibal
Post
Office
Union Minister of Communications & IT,

Kapil Sibal on 8 March 2013 inaugurated
the First All Women Employees Post Office
of India at Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi.
The Post Office is called Project Arrow
Office and consists of three counters. Two
of the three counters offer Multi Purpose
services such as registration, booking of
money orders, booking of speed post as
well as sale of IPOs. Other counter is meant
to facilitate the sale of stamps. All the three
counters will have only women employees.
Overall, there are 1003 women employees

at operative level in Delhi circle. The
percentage of these women in overall
workforce is around 14 percent. In
administrative cadres, percentage of
women employees is 22 percent.
Page 402
It is also important to note that the Junior

Engineer [Civil] - the in-charge of
maintenance of the post office building, as
well as the Assistant Superintendent of Post
Offices of the Postal Sub Division and Senior
Superintendent of Post Offices of Delhi
Central division of this Post Office is also
women.

BILL TO TACKLE CRIMES
AGAINST WOMEN
The Union Cabinet of India on 14 March
2013 cleared a Bill providing for severe
punishment for rape, acid attack, stalking
and voyeurism more to the point reducing
the age of consent for sex to 16 years.
The bill which was named the Criminal Law
(Amendment) Bill, 2013 lowers the age of
consent for sex from 18 to 16 years with
making of rape as a gender-specific offence
under which men only can be charged for it.
The Bill is brought in line with the Indian
Penal Code, but at variance with the Child
Protection Act, 2012, which raised it to 18.
The bill brought against the milieu of the 16
December 2012 Delhi gangrape, provides
for minimum jail term of 20 years for rape
which may be extended to natural life of
the convict in jail. There is also provision for
death sentence if the victim dies or is left in
a 'persistent vegetative state'. Stalking,
voyeurisms have been defined as criminal
offences in the bill. Sustained stalking will
be a non-bailable offence.
As per the bill there is replacement in more
general expression sexual assault used in
the ordinance. It also provides for the death
sentence if the rape victim dies or ends up
in a vegetative state.
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The approval of the Cabinet paves the way
for introduction of the Criminal Law
(Amendment) Bill, 2013 in Parliament
before it goes into recess on 22 March
2013.
The bill also proposes a punishment of not
less than 10 years to a maximum of life
imprisonment Defining acid attack as a
separate IPC offence. Repeat offences of
voyeurism, inappropriate touch, gesture
and remarks have been recommended as
non-bailable offences.
2G PROSECUTOR REMOVED
FOR HIS ALLEGED
INVOLVEMENT IN LEAKING
AGENCY'S TRIAL STRATEGY
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
on 11 February 2013 removed the public
prosecutor AK Singh from the 2G Spectrum
Case. The decision of removal came after
the alleged public prosecutor was caught
discussing the strategy of prosecution with
one of the prime accused of the 2G
Spectrum Allocation Case in a taped
conversation.
The 2G Spectrum Case is under trial in a
Court of Special Judge at New Delhi and the
court was informed about the alleged
involvement if the Public Prosecutor by the
CBI. AK Singh was the part of the 2G scam
legal team of the CBI that was headed by
the senior lawyer UU Lalit (the special
public prosecutor in the case).
2G Spectrum Case
The 2G Spectrum Scam of India is a scam
that involved Government Officials, Political
Leaders and Industrialists within its
circumference. The Government officials
Page 403
and politicians were accused for their

alleged involvement in undercharging the
frequency allocation licenses to the mobile
telephony companies, resulting in a total
loss of about 176,645 crore rupees as
valued by the Comptroller and Auditor
General of India (CAG).
AFZAL GURU, THE CONVICT

OF PARLIAMENT ATTACK
2001 HANGED AFTER
REJECTION OF MERCY PLEA
Mohamammed Afzal Guru, the convict of
2001 Parliament attack was hanged on 9
February 2013 at 8 AM in Tihar Jail, New
Delhi. The Supreme Court of India
pronounced the death Sentence for Afzal
Guru in 2004 for masterminding the
terrorist attack on Indian Parliament on 13
December 2001.
The decision of hanging him came after the
mercy petition filed was cancelled by the
President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on 23
January 2013.
The 2001 Parliament Attack
The terrorist of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaishe-Mohammad managed to attack on the
Parliament of India, leading to the death of
about a dozen of people including the
security persons as well as civilians.
More mercy pleas rejected by the
President, Pranab Mukherjee
Before rejection of Afzal Gurus mercy plea,
two more mercy pleas were rejected by the
President in the recent past and they
include the mercy pleas of 26/11 Mumbai
Terror Attacks convict, Ajmal Kasab and
Saibanna Ningappa Natikar, the person
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Page 403

convicted for murdering his daughter and
wife and was sentenced to death.
Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist caught during the
26/11 attacks in Mumbai, was hanged in a
Yerwada Jail, Pune in a top-secret operation
on 21 November 2012. Saibanna Ningappa
Natikar currently lodged in the Central
Operation Three Star: Code name given to
secret plan for executing Jaish-eMohammad terrorist Afzal Guru in Tihar Jail
on 9 February 2013.
Operation Three Star started on 4 February
2013, just a day after the President of India
Pranab Mukherjee rejected mercy plea of
Afzal Guru. A few top officials of Home
Ministry were aware about secret
Operation Three Star.
Page 404
Prison at Hindalga, Belgaum, Karnataka and

his plea was rejected by the President on 4
January 2013
AFZAL GURUS SECRET

HANGING WAS CALLED
OPERATION THREE STAR
Afzal Guru was hanged on 9 February 2013
at 8 AM in Tihar Jail, New Delhi. Afzal Guru
was guilty of conspiring as well as providing
shelter to terrorists who attacked Indian
Parliament on 13 December 2001. Hanging
of Mumbai terror attack militant Ajmal
Kasab was called Operation X. he was
hanged at Yerwada Central Jail on 21
November 2012.
National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic
Eco-systems (NPCA)
THE UNION GOVERNMENT OF

INDIA APPROVED SETTING UP
OF NPCA
NPCA: National Plan for Conservation of
Aquatic Eco-systems
on 7 February 2013 approved the proposal
for the merger of National Lake
Conservation Plan (NLCP) and National
Wetlands
Conservation
Programme
(NWCP) to develop a new scheme named
Eco-systems (NPCA).
The estimated cost to bring this plan into
operations during the 12th Plan Period is
900 crore rupees. The Government of India
and the State Governments would be
sharing the costs in a ratio of 70:30 and in
case of the North-Eastern states the ratio is
90:10.
The Union Government of India merged

Eco-systems (NPCA) to develop a new
program named National Plan for
Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems
(NPCA). The formation of the NPCA was
done with the objective of conserving
aquatic ecosystems (lakes and wetlands) by
implementing sustainable conservation
plans. To govern the implementation
uniform policy and guidelines will be
framed.

DRDO FOR DEVELOPING
AWACS FOR IAF
2013 gave approval to Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO) for
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developing an indigenous Airborne Early

Warning and Control System (AWACS) for
IAF.
AWACS allows IAF to keep a close watch on
the enemy territory. The government
granted an in-principal approval to the
proposal for developing an indigenous
AWACS. The approval was granted in the
meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security.
DRDO officials announced that DRDO would
work for finalisation of further details of the
programmes as well as the number of
aircrafts that IAF would need for giving
overall coverage to Indias boundaries. At
present, India has a fleet of three AWACS
aircraft.
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CHAPTER 2: INTERNATIONAL
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FILED A CIVIL LAWSUIT
AGAINST STANDARD AND
POOR'S
The United States of America on 5 February
2013 filed a civil lawsuit against Standard
and Poor's (S&P) the credit rating agency
alleging that the agency lied about the
nations objectivity and independence by
the way it rated the mortgage bonds.
The lawsuit have claimed that as a result of
the ratings issued by the S&P, which
misrepresented the securities true credit
risks the investors, even those who were
federally insured financial institution lost
billions of dollars on collateralized Debt
Obligations.
Mohamed Morsi. The Presidents of the two

nations discussed on the ways to improve
relations between them and to resolve the
Syrian crisis without resorting to military
intervention. During his visit to the al-Azhar,
an ancient mosque, a shoe was thrown on
Ahmadinejad by a Syrian protestor after
which he managed to flee from the site.
Tehran's 1979 Islamic revolution
The Islamic Revolution of 1979 was the
series of events that took place for
overthrowing the Pahlavi dynasty under
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, which was
then replaced by the Islamic republic under
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of
the revolution.
Reason for tensions between Iran and
Egypt
AHMADINEJAD IS SFIRST
IRANIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT
EGYPT SINCE 1979 ISLAMIC
REVOLUTION
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of
Iran on 5 February 2013 became the first
Iranian leader to visit Egypt after Tehran's
1979 Islamic revolution. He flew into the
Egyptian capital city Cairo for attending the
summit of the Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) that started on 6 Feb
2013. Ahmadinejads visit to Egypt was
scheduled to improve the ties between the
two countries.
During this historic visit to Egypt,
Ahmadinejad received a red carpet
welcome by the President of Egypt,
The relations between the two countries

went sour since late 1970s, when Anwar
Sadat (Egypt), the predecessor of Hosni
Mubarak concluded a peace treaty with
Israel in 1979 to became an ally with the
Western Powers, namely Europe and
United States. This was the time, when Iran
stood against the influence of Western
Power in the Middle East. The other reason
for the tension is naming of a street in
Tehran by the name of the Islamist, who
was responsible for the assassination of
Anwar Sadat in 1981.
NORTH KOREA CONDUCTED

ITS THIRD NUCLEAR TEST AND
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DEFIED UN REGULATIONS
FOR WORLD PEACE
COOPERATION ON COUNTER
TERRORISM
North Korea on 12 February 2013

announced success of its underground
Nuclear Test. The country cleared that the
miniaturized nuclear device was detonated
successfully and it also announced that the
test was an act of self-defence from the US
Hostility and also threatened stronger steps
in future.
India and France on 14 February 2013

agreed to strengthen counter terrorism and
intelligence cooperation between the two
countries during the visit of French
President Francois Holllande to India. Both
nations exchanged views on a number of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues.
This was the third test conducted by the

country since 2006 that had defied the UN
regulations in existence. The test is
reported to have conducted in the North
Hamgyeong Province nearby the Punggye-ri
nuclear complex, the place where the tests
of 2006 and 2009 were conducted. Due to
the past two nuclear tests of 2006 and
2009, North Korea is already facing many
sanctions over it imposed by the United
Nations Security Council. This is the first
test conducted in North Korea under the
leadership of Kim Jong-un.
World Response
The Western Nations termed this act to be
highly provocative act of North Korea and
claimed it to be a threat to the stability of
the region. Whereas Asian countries like,
China, Japan and Russia criticized the test
and announced it to be a threat beyond
tolerance. The international bodies like UN
and NATO claimed this test as irresponsible
and threat to the world peace.
INDIA AND FRANCE AGREED

TO STRENGTHEN
India and France also reviewed progress on

the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project and
reiterated our commitment to its early
implementation as soon as the commercial
and technical negotiations, which have
made good progress, are completed.
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
countries. Moreover, they had in-depth
discussion on the defence cooperation issue
including submarines and missiles.
Other Important India-France Agreements
Both the nations agreed to
strengthen cooperation in the fields
of the modernisation of the railway,
high speed corridors and network
upgradation of railway stations.
Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) and France's CNES under the
space cooperation programme,
jointly identified the means to
pursue further cooperation.
A pact was changed to increase
exchanges
between
the
sportspersons, artists, architects,
researchers, teachers, students to
improve people-to-people contacts.
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The cooperation between various

Indian and French educational
institutions was finalised.
MoU was signed between Indian
Institute of Science, Bangalore and
France's CNRS (Centre National de la
Recherche Scientifique)
CFA(Credit Facility Agreement) was
signed for the Bangalore Metro Rail
Project,
Phase-1
between
Department of Economic Affairs,
Ministry of Finance and the French
Development Agency(AFD)
COURT OF ARBITRATION, THE

HAGUE GAVE ITS GO AHEAD
TO INDIA ON KISHANGANGA
PROJECT
Page 408
Bhaswati Mukherjee, Indian Ambassador

and her Pakistani counterpart Fauzia
Mazhar Sana received the Judgment of the
Court at The Hague.
Pakistan initiated the arbitration against
India with a charge that India violated the
provisions of the Water Treaty between the
two countries. But India denied the charges
forced on to it by explain that the country
reserved its rights to divert the water from
one of the tributaries of Jhelum to another.
Issues for Pakistan from its Perspective
Pakistan on 17 May 2010 raised objections
on the making of the Kishanganga Hydropower project for which it demanded
setting up of the Court of Arbitration.
The Court of Arbitration at The Hague on

18 February 2013 allowed India to go ahead
with the Construction of the Kishanganga
hydro-electric 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. The
Court
had
also
demanded
the
environmental flows statistics of the
project.
The issues raised by Pakistan in the Court

of Arbitration
The project is being developed at
the downstreams of Kishanganga
River that is known by the name
Neelam in Pakistan and is a tributary
of Jhelum. India is diverting the
waters of the river from the dam
site to Bonar Madmati Nallah that is
another tributary of Jhelum.
India planned to use modern
drawdown flushing technique for
sedimentation management in the
dam. The technique requires waters
to be brought below the dead
storage level (as per the treaty the
water can be reduced below the
dead storage level only in cases of
unforeseen emergency) and was this
plan was accepted by the neutral
expert during the Bahlihar dispute
with Pakistan.
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In June 2011, the members from the Court

of Arbitration, The Hague visited India as
well as Pakistan for inspection of the site.
obstruct the flow of these rivers

creating a material damage at the
end of any of the two parties.
Brief Provisions of Indus Waters Treaty

1960
As per Pakistan, the diversion of the water

of Kishanganga as well as implementation
of the drawdown flushing technique at
Kishanganga project as well as other hydroelectric plants were the violation of the
Treat signed in 1960, named Indus Water
Treaty.
i. The Indus system of rivers comprises

three Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej
and their tributaries) and threes Western
Rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab and their
tributaries).
ii. The Indus Waters Treaty 1960 was signed
on 19.09.1960 between India and Pakistan.
It is however effective from 01.04.1960.
iii. Under the Treaty, the waters of Eastern
Rivers are allocated to India. India is under
obligation to let flow the waters of the
Western Rivers except for the following
uses:
a) Domestic Use
b) Non-consumptive use
c) Agricultural use as specified
d) Generation of hydro-electric power
as specified
ix. The Commissioners of the Indus Waters
may discuss the questions arising under the
Treaty under Article IX of the Treaty related
to Settlement of Differences and Disputes
and in the case of non-resolution, take
further action under this Article for
resolution through a Neutral Expert,
negotiators or Court of Arbitration.
Articles under Consideration
Article III (2): Let flow all waters of
the Western Rivers and not permit
any interference with the water
Article IV (6): Both the countries
require use of the best endeavors at
each others end for maintenance of
natural channels of the rivers and
should avoid all the steps that may
Kishanganga Project
Kishanganga hydro-electric power project is
a 330 MW project under its construction
phase on the Kishanganga River and is
developed by the National Power
Corporation in Gurez Valley, near
Bandipura in North Kashmir. The work on
the project started in the year 1992. The
Kishanganga hydro-electric project is a
3600 crore project. Kishanganga is called
Neelam in Pakistan.
Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
was established during the First Hague
Peace Conference 1899 by a treaty. It is an
intergovernmental organization (IGO) that
provides a variety of dispute resolution
services to the international community. It
provides resolution to the disputes related
to intergovernmental organizations, states,
state entities and private parties. PCA is
located in The Hague, Netherland.
PCA provides services for the resolution of
disputes involving various combinations of
states, state entities, intergovernmental
organisations, and private parties. The PCA
can assist in the selection of arbitrators, and
may be called upon to designate or act as
appointing authority.
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mercury was adopted by 140 nations in the

third week of January 2013 at Geneva.
INDIA AND UAE AGREED TO

CARRY FORWARD THE TRADE
RELATIONS TO ANOTHER
LEVEL
India and the UAE agreed to improve their
trade and investment relations during the
first meeting of India-UAE High Level Task
Force on Investment in Abu Dhabi on 18
February 2013. UAE decided to invest 2
billion dollars in Infrastructure sector
projects in India and the two countries
decided to work for and support Strategic
Oil Reserve in India. The meeting was cochaired by the Union Minister of
Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand
Sharma and Sheikh Hamid Bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown
Prince Court.
As a part of the bilateral agreement, Five
high level sub committees will be set up to
promote investment in infrastructure and
energy,
trade
and
investment,
manufacturing and technology, Information
and communications technology and
aviation sectors. India and UAE also decided
to work together for third country projects,
including Africa aimed at collaborating in
the infrastructure sector and oil and gas
exploration. The two countries also agreed
to put in place Bilateral Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreement
(BIPA).
WORLDS FIRST MERCURY

TREATY ADOPTED BY 140
COUNTRIES AT GENEVA
An international treaty that legally binds the
nation to limit the use of health hazardous
The treaty would be signed in Minamata,

Japan, in October 2013 to honour the
inhabitants of town who have suffered the
consequences
of
serious
mercury
contamination for decades
The treaty that was reached after four
years of difficult negotiations will aim at
Reduction of global emission levels
of the toxic heavy metal or the quick
silver
Reduce the production and the use
of mercury in industrial processes
and product production
To cut mercury pollution from utility
plants, mining, a host of products
and industrial processes, and set
enforceable limits as well as to
encourage
alternatives
where
mercury in not used or released
Making of the treaty
Switzerland and Norway pushed forward for
making of an International Treaty to limit
the emission of Mercury in the atmosphere.
The two nations came up with the plans of
reducing the emission of mercury decades
ago and it was finalized after a long
conference in Geneva held in February
2013.
Impact of Mercury on Human Being
The natural element Mercury cannot be
created or destroyed, but is released in air,
water and land from different activities like
coal powder plants, gold mining activities as
well as electrical goods and other consumer
products. Mercury enters the food-chain via
fish and poses a threat to the living being
more likely to pregnant women and
children. As per the data released by the
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World Health Organisation intake of
mercury or any of its compounds to any
limit is not safe and it may lead to memory
loss, language impairment and kidney
damage.
Page 411
Development of Sri Lanka would be

initiated to progress the framework for
special economic partnership between
these two nations.
AFRICAN LEADERS SIGNED

UN-BROKERED ACCORD IN DR
CONGO
INDIA AND SRI LANKA SIGNED

AGREEMENTS ON
COMBATING TERRORISM AND
AVOIDING DOUBLE-TAXATION
India and Sri Lanka on 22 January 2013
signed two agreements for fighting against
international terrorism as well as avoiding
double taxation. The agreements were
signed after 8th India-Sri Lanka Joint
Commission meeting, which was held in
New Delhi.
Discussions held during 8th India-Sri Lanka
Joint Commission meeting
The agreements were signed after
discussions on cooperation on
various areas such as civil nuclear
energy and many more. External
Affairs Minister led the Indian side in
the meeting, while the Sri Lankan
side was led by G L Peiris.
Issue of the fishermen as well as
rehabilitation process of the Tamils
in Sri Lanka was also discussed
during the meeting.
Apart from this, 13th Amendment of
the Lankan constitution which
provides autonomy to the provinces
was also discussed.
It is important to note that India and Sri
Lanka are the largest trade partners of each
other in South Asia. After the meet, it was
agreed that a dialogue between the
Commerce Secretary of India and Secretary
of the Ministry of Finance and Economic
Regional African leaders from Mozambique,

Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Congo Republic and
South Sudan signed UN-brokered Accord,
which aims to bring peace to the troubled
eastern region of the Democratic Republic
of Congo. The deal was signed in the
presence of UN Secretary General Ban Kimoon in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia.
As many as 800000 people were displaced
since rebel group M23 revolted against the
DR Congo government in May 2012.The
agreement, signed by leaders of the Great
Lakes region, will result in setting up of
special UN intervention brigade in eastern
Congo.
M23 Rebels
The M23 rebels want to create better
conditions for the people of eastern DR
Cong. However UN that is supported by
Rwanda is responsible for the country's
genocide in 1994.
Bosco Ntaganda set up M23. He was an
officer in the Rwandan army earlier.
Afterwards, he left to join a rebel
movement in DR Congo. He is accused of
using child soldiers and he controls several
mines in the east of the country. The M23
group briefly seized control of the city of
Goma in November 2012 after carving out
an area for themselves in North Kivu
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province. Congo's government and rebels
are holding talks in Uganda aimed at
reaching an agreement on a range of issues.
In January 2013, the rebels declared a
unilateral ceasefire.
An earlier attempt to reach a deal ended up

in failure in December 2012 after the rebels
accused President Joseph Kabila of failing to
honour a deal to integrate rebels into the
army.
The region's mineral resources have been
exploited by numerous groups and
countries over the past 15 years and little
has been aimed at improving DR Congo's
infrastructure.
BARACK OBAMA SIGNED INTO

LAW THE VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN ACT
REAUTHORIZATION 2013
Under the original Violence against

Women Act, following issues are dealt
with
Acid throwing
Breast ironing
Bride burning
Dating abuse
Domestic violence
Domestic violence and pregnancy
Dowry death
Honor killing
Female genital mutilation
Gishiri cutting
Infibulation
Foot binding
Forced abortion
Forced pregnancy
Forced prostitution
Human trafficking
Marital rape
Murder of pregnant women
Rape Pregnancy
Sexual slavery
Sexual violence
Violence against prostitutes
Violence against Women Act of 1994

The Violence against Women Act of
1994 is primarily a US Federal Law
which was signed in 1994 by
President Bill Clinton.
The Act established the Office on
Violence against Women in the
Department of Justice.
The US President, Barack Obama on 7

March 2013 signed into law, the Violence
against Women Act Reauthorization 2013
in Washington.
The Violence against Women Act was first
passed in 1994. Re-authorised since then,
the new Act offers support to the
organisations which serve to the victims of
domestic violence. Usually, the local
authorities are responsible for criminal
prosecutions of abusers, but now the Act
made a stricter sentence for stalking under
the federal law.
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Signing of Violence against Women Act

Reauthorization 2013
The Violence against Women Act
Reauthorization 2013 was passed on the
vote of 286 to 138. 199 Democrats joined
87 Republicans in the support of this
reauthorization act of 1994 law.
Changes incorporated
The new Act creates as well as
expands the federal programs for
helping local communities for the
purpose of law enforcement as well
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as helping the victims of sexual

abuse and domestic violence.
The most important feature was
offering
protection
to
the
transgender, bisexual and gay
victims of the domestic abuse.
KENYA ELECTION: UHURU

KENYATTA WON THE
ELECTION
Uhuru Kenyatta, the Deputy Prime Minister
who faces trial for alleged crimes against
humanity, clinched victory in a tightly
fought race for Kenya's presidency, on 9
March 2013.
Uhuru Kenyatta needed over 50% of the
National vote to avoid a run-off. He
received 50.07% to win the elections but
the victory is being disputed by his main
rival, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who has
now unsuccessfully sought the presidency
three times.
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is a
controversial figure as he is wanted by the
International Criminal Court (ICC) on
charges of crimes against humanity for his
alleged role in the country's 2007-2008
election.
Kenya would become the second African
country after Sudan to have a sitting
president indicted by the ICC. With the win
Uhuru Kenyatta will become the fourth
president of Kenya.
CHINA UNVEILED
GOVERNMENT
RESTRUCTURING PLAN
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China on 10 March 2013 unveiled its

Government Restructuring Plan, according
to which the most powerful Railways
Ministry will be dissolved, while the
National Family Planning Commission will
be merged with the Ministry of Health. It is
said to be the biggest reduction in the
cabinet-level entities since 1998.
The major changes that will be seen in the
Chinese Government after restructuring are
The Ministry of Railways will be
dissolved. The commercial functions
of the Ministry of Railways will be
taken over by the China Railway
Corporation. The Ministry of
Transport will be the in-charge of
development and planning of the
Chinese railways.
The National Family Planning
Commission will be merged with the
Ministry of Health. It is important to
note that National Family Planning
Commission is that agency of China
which controls the one-child policy.
The new Government Restructuring
Plan of China will have focus on
boosting the food and drug safety by
combining the responsibilities and
duties of various agencies into the
General Administration of Food and
Drug. Newly formed administration
will have the responsibility of taking
over the duties of Food Safety Office
of the State Council, State Food and
Drug
Administration,
food
supervision branch of the General
Administration
of
Quality
Supervision,
Inspection
and
Quarantine as well as the State
Administration for Industry and
Commerce.
There will be a merger of two main
media watchdogs- the State
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Administration of Radio, Film and

Television as well as the General
Administration of Press and
Publication.
There will also be a reorganisation of
the
National
Oceanic
Administration. It will come under
Ministry of Land and Resources.
Management over the maritime
enforcement efforts which were
performed by various agencies such
as coastguard forces and customs
will be consolidated within the
Public Security Ministry. Fisheries
enforcement will come under
Agriculture Ministry.
Apart from the Ministry of Railways,
the State Electricity Regulatory
Commission will also be dissolved.
The responsibility of State Electricity
Regulatory Commission will be taken
over by the reorganised National
Energy Administration. National
Energy Administration will in turn
remain under National Development
and Reform Commission.
KHIL RAJ REGMI SWORN-IN

AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF
NEPAL
Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn-in
as the new Prime Minister of Nepal on 14
March 2013. Khil Raj Regmi will be the head
of interim government which will have its
elections by 21 June 2013. He took over the
office from Baburam Bhattarai.
Regmi will be the head of 11-member
electoral government. Khil Raj Regmi, 63,
took oath of the office and secrecy from the
President Ram Baran Yadav after the top
leaders of four main parties- the United
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Democratic Madhesi Front, Nepali

Congress, Communist Party of Nepal
(Unified Marxist Leninist) and United
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists),
reached the 11-point understanding.
In the meanwhile, Madhav Ghimire was
chosen as the Home Minister as well as the
External Affairs Minister. Hari Prasad
Neupane was chosen as the Law and Justice
and Labour Minister. The other eight
ministers would be nominated by the
aforementioned political parties. As per the
agreement, all ministers need to be retired
civil servants from special class. No active
politician would be included in cabinet.
It is for the first time in the political history
of Nepal that any sitting Chief Justice was
named as Head of the Government.
INDIA AND BRITAIN SIGNED

PACT TO SUPPORT RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS
India and Britain in the month of March
2013
signed
a multi-million-pound
agreement to support industry and
businesses by working together on the
commercialization of research in key areas
like energy and healthcare.
The deal is supposed to help build and
strengthen links between countries and to
build the international partnerships
between businesses so vital in todays
global economy.
Highlights of the Deal
As part of the deal, Global
Innovation and Technology Alliance
(GITA) sponsored by the Indian
governments
Department
of
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Science and Technology and UKs

Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
will support UK and Indian
businesses and academics in joint
R&D and innovation projects over a
three-year period.
The deal is meant for strengthening
the
UK-India
research
and
innovation partnership.
The latest agreement is the firstever international partnership the
Technology Strategy Board (TSB),
Britains
government-sponsored
innovation agency, has signed
outside Europe.
About GITA
GITA, a not-for-profit PPP Company, is
promoted jointly by the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII) and the Technology
Development Board of the Indian
governments Department of Science and
Technology.
EUROZONE AND IMF AGREED

FOR CYPRUS BAILOUT DEAL
The Eurozone finance ministers and the
International Monetary Fund signed a deal
on 16 March 2013 in Brussels to aid Cyprus
with a bailout worth 10 billion Euros. It is
important to note that Cyprus is the fifth
country to go to Eurozone for the financial
aid because of sovereign debt crisis that
kicked off in 2010.
Other countries that reached Eurozone for
financial aid before Cyprus are Greece,
Ireland, Portugal and Spain. However, the
Eurozone agreed for the bailout agreement
of up to 10 billion Euros, while Cyprus in
2012 had asked for around 17 billion Euros.
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The Eurozone Central Bank and the

International Monetary Fund agreed on the
terms which included one-time tax of 9.9
percent on Cypriot bank deposits of over
130000 Dollars or 100000 Euros as well as
the tax of 6.75 percent on smaller deposits.
Other elements of this deal demanded that
Cyprus should raise the low corporate tax
rate to 12.5 percent from its previous 10
percent apart from privatizing state assets
as well as refurbishing the banks for making
sure that money laundering is not done
there.
Major points of the deal are as follows
Under the deal, Cyprus agreed for
increasing the nominal corporate tax
rate to 12.5 percent, thus increasing
it by 2.5 percent.
An imposition of 9.9 percent onetime tax on the bank deposits above
100000 Euros in the banks will be
done apart from the 6.75 percent
tax on the smaller deposits.
The tax on interest which will be
generated by the deposits will also
be levied.
The tax measures taken will help in
boosting the revenues of Cyprus
apart from limiting the loan size
which is required from Eurozone.
Originally, Cyprus had estimated its
requirement for 17 billion Euros, which was
the amount that it required for restoration
of its economy. Of this, 10 billion Euros was
required for recapitalizing the banks while 7
billion Euros was required for the servicing
debt as well as the operations of the
government.
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Page 416
competitor Guillermo could secure only

23.3 percent.
TZIPI LIVNI ENTERED INTO A

COALITION DEAL WITH
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU,
PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of
Israel on 19 February 2013 announced a
coalition deal with the rival centrist Hatnua
Party Chairwomen and the former Israeli
Foreign Minister, 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.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel
and the leader of the Right Wing bloc of
Israel. His party won the hard fought
general elections on 23 January 2013 but
felled shot of majority.
Tzipi Livni
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.
ECUADORS PRESIDENT
RAFAEL CORREA RE-ELECTED
FOR THIRD TERM
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa was reelected for a third term with more than 50
percent of the vote according to the
election results declared in the third week
of February 2013. As per the results, Rafael
Correa got 56.7 percent while his closest
Correa is a socialist leader who was first

elected in 2007. He is credited with bringing
political stability to a nation that
experienced several protests and coups. He
is known for his citizen revolution which
made him popular among people of
Ecuador. He is 49 years old.
INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE ON
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOR
SOUTH-EAST ASIAN
COUNTRIES ENDED
The two-day International Conference on
Traditional Medicine for South-East Asian
Countries concluded with the Adoption of
Delhi Declaration in New Delhi on 13
February 2013. The Delhi Declaration was
made for fostering the development of
Traditional Medicine of the region.
Agendas of Delhi Declaration on
Traditional Medicine for the South-East
Asian Countries
For appropriate use of traditional
medicines in the health care delivery
system impartial development and
promotion of national policies,
strategies and interventions
Development of institutionalized
mechanism for exchange of
information,
expertise
and
knowledge with active cooperation
with WHO on traditional medicine
through workshops, symposia, visit
of experts, exchange of literature
and more
To pursue harmonized approach for
the
education,
research,
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Page 416
documentation,
practice
and
regulation of traditional medicine
along with the involvement of
practitioners of health services of
the traditional medicine
Identification of the possible ways
for promotion of mutual recognition
of educational qualifications that is
awarded by recognized Universities,
monographs, pharmacopoeias and
relevant databases of traditional
medicine
The
declaration
included
development
of
a
common
document
for
reference
on
traditional medicines for the south
East Asian nations
To identify and develop the scopes
of regional cooperation for training
and capacity building of traditional
medicine experts
To
encourage
sustainable
development
and
resource
augmentation of medicinal plants in
the South East Asian regional
countries
To establish regional centers as
required for capacity building and
networking in the areas of
traditional medicine and medicinal
plants
To exchange views, experiences and
experts for integration of traditional
medicine into national health
systems in accordance with national
policies and regulations
The conference was attended by the

representatives of South-East Asian
countries namely Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, DPR
Korea, Indonesia, Myanmar, Maldives and
Thailand.
Page 417
DELHI DECLARATION OF THE

SAAN FOR AUTISM
SPECTRUM DISORDERS
CONFERENCE CONCLUDED
The Delhi Declaration of the first South
Asian Autism Network (SAAN) for Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASD) conference
concluded in New Delhi on 11 February
2013.
The Delhi Declaration is as follows
The members of South Asian Autism
Network (SAAN), during New Delhi
Declaration took into consideration facts
like
To reiterate the commitment of
nations to the concept of all human
beings being born free and equal in
rights and dignity as enshrined in
a) The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights 1948,
b) The Convention on the Rights of the
Child 1989,
c) The Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities 2007,
d) The Declaration of 2nd April as
World Autism Awareness Day by the
United Nations General Assembly
2007
e) The Dhaka Declaration on Autism
Spectrum
Disorders
and
Developmental Disabilities of July
2011
They
reiterated
towards
its
commitment for safeguarding every
citizen from discrimination and
social exclusion ensuring their
inclusion in all spheres of life
They noted down their concerns
related to the increased occurrence
of autism and disorders related to it
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Page 417
as well as the absence of population

based mechanisms to detect the
accessible interventions on time
To develop a community based
model
for
early
detection,
intervention and care for Autism
which can surely improve the
outcome and become a model for
different types of developmental
disabilities
The concern for making the
appropriate services accessible to
children and their families, making it
affordable, and increase the human
and material costs for communities,
families and nations because the
scientific evidences for early
intervention of the children with
autism have increased at a large
scale
To
consider
the
stigma,
discrimination as well as social
exclusion that children and their
families can face on a daily basis
Participant Nations Undertook

A commitment to themselves to
include ASD in all mainstream
policies and programmes of their
nations for addressing the issues
related
to
early
childhood
development in all spheres of
community life
To develop measures for early
detection and surveillance services
at every level
Evaluation and implementation of
the efficacious and effective
programs for addressing the life
cycle needs of person with ASD
The member countries agreed to
undertake collaborative research on
all aspects of autism
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To strive to improve Awareness,

develop collaborative networks for
Advocacy and Legislation/Policy
changes if required, on ASD which
will also provide a platform for the
voices of persons with ASD and their
families
Implementation of the Dhaka
Declaration on Autism Spectrum
Disorders
and
Developmental
Disabilities of 2011, in both letter
and spirit
BARACK OBAMA NOMINATED

SALLY JEWELL AS U.S.
INTERIOR SECRETARY
US President Barack Obama nominated
Sally Jewell, a retail executive and outdoor
enthusiast on 6 February 2013 as the U.S.
interior secretary for looking after the
huge energy reserves as well as the
national parks. Obama while nominating
Jewell described her as an expert on climate
issues and energy issues.
It is important to note that Jewell is the first
woman who is nominated to join second
term of Obama.
About Sally Jewell
Jewell who is 56 years of age has
remained a leader in land
conservation
in
the
Pacific
Northwest.
She has also worked in banking and
energy sector in early days of her
career.
Role of the U.S. interior secretary
Apart from managing the U.S.
National Park Service, the U.S.
interior secretary also looks after
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Page 418
one fifth of the land mass of the

country as well as offshore oil fields.
The interior secretary also strongly
voices out the opinions in rules
which
govern
the
hydraulic
fracturing or fracking on the public
lands and drilling for oil and gas in
the Arctic.
JOHN KERRY SWORN-IN AS

THE 68TH SECRETARY OF
STATE OF THE UNITED STATES
John Kerry was sworn-in as the 68th
Secretary of State of the United States on 1
February 2013. With the consent of the
Senate, John Kerry was appointed as the
Chief Foreign Affairs Adviser of the
President. John Kerry succeeded Hillary
Rodham Clinton.
The Secretary of State has the role of
carrying out the foreign policies of the
President through the State Department
that encompasses Civil Service, Foreign
Service and U.S. Agency for International
Development.
Under the Article II of US Constitution, the
President has an authority to nominate any
candidate for the Cabinet posts. The Senate
thereafter, accepts or rejects the candidate.
John Kerry was appointed with the consent
of the Senate.
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Venezuelan Vice- President Nicolas

Maduro on 8 March 2013 was sworn in as
Venezuelas acting president, despite the
Opposition resistance as it is being
considered to the violation of the countrys
constitution.
Late President Hugo Chavez who died on 5
March 2013 after two year long fight
against cancer named Maduro as his
successor before undergoing the latest
surgery in December 2012. He picked
Nicolas Maduro as the presidential
candidate of Chavezs socialist party.
As per the country's 1999 constitution, the
National Assembly speaker becomes
interim president in the event of a
president-elect's death or inability to be
sworn in. The constitution also says new
elections should be called within 30 days.
Leader of opposition Angel Medina
boycotted the swearing-in ceremony, with
the vast majority of opposition legislators
who havent attended the ceremony.
The earlier interim president of Venezuela
was Ramn Jos Velsquez who served as
acting president of Venezuela between
1993 and 1994 as a result of the crisis
produced by the impeachment of President
Carlos Andrs Prez.
NICOLAS MADURO SWORN IN

AS THE INTERIM PRESIDENT
OF VENEZUELA
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CHAPTER 3: BILATERAL RELATIONS

INDIA AND AUSTRIA SIGNED
A SOCIAL SECURITY PACT
India and Austria on 5 February 2013 inked
a social security pact 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
the pact.
The pact of social security between the two
countries would also boost cooperation of
the labour market expansion in Austria, the
country that is a home for more than 17000
Indian professionals.
Provisions of the Agreement
Indians working in the country on

short-term contracts of up to five
years are exempted from making
social security contribution in
Austria if they continue making the
payments in India.
If any Indian worker is sent to

Austria by an Indian company from
a third country then also he can
avail the relief.
Export of the benefits of social

security would be offered to the
Indian worker, who relocates to
India once his/her service term in
Austria ends. The self employed
Indians can also carry on the same
benefits on relocation to India
India already have inked similar types of
agreements with countries like Czech
Republic, Belgium, Germany, France, The

Netherlands,
Switzerland,
Hungary,
Luxembourg, Denmark, South Korea,
Finland, Canada, Norway and Japan.
As per the Indian Labour Law, every
employer and employee, who falls under
the umbrella of Employees Provident Fund
Act 1952 needs to make contribution
towards provident fund. Similarly the
mandatory contribution fund in Austria is
known as Social Security. Before signing of
these agreements, the Indian professionals
posted in foreign countries paid social
security tax in the countries of their stay
although they contributed there part in
India.
PAKISTAN APPROVED THE

DEAL THAT HANDED OVER
GWADAR PORT TO CHINA
Pakistan in the last week of January 2013
approved the deal which transferred
operational control of Gwadar port from
Singapores PSA International to Chinese
Overseas Port Holdings Ltd. Gwadar port is
situated at a strategic location of the
Arabian Sea and the mouth of the Persian
Gulf. It is only 400 kilometres away from the
Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil supply
route.
Pakistan decision to hand over Gwadar
port to China is a serious concern for India.
It can be an attempt by China to encircle
India. In addition to funding ports in Sri
Lanka, China has also plans to build a port in
Bangladesh.
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SIGNED MOU ON HEALTH
The Health Ministers of India and

Bangladesh signed a MoU on Health in New
Delhi on 12 February 2013.
The main areas of cooperation between
the two Governments include
Exchange of medical doctors, other
health professionals and experts:
Development of human resources.
Exchange of information on health.
Medical and health research
development.
Regulations of pharmaceuticals,
medical devices and cosmetics.
Health promotion and disease
prevention.
Fostering cooperation for the
development of culturally sensitive
and effective public and professional
awareness
campaign
including
clinical are practices
and best
practices guidelines for healthcare
providers and caretakers to benefit
individuals and families touched by
Autism Spectrum Disorders and
Developmental Disabilities
Any other area of cooperation as
may be mutually decided upon.
Moreover, the cooperation between India
and Bangladesh in the fields of health and
medical sciences will be promoted through
the following means
Exchange of scientific materials and
information.
Joint collaboration in the area of
research in medical science.
Institution level cooperation in the
field of medical treatment, scientific
research and training.
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Exchange of health specialists and

professionals.
Participation of specialists /
professionals
in
seminars,
workshops,
conferences
and
meetings to be organized by both
the parties.
Training for doctors and health
workers by both the parties in the
areas where they have relevant
expertise and excellence.
Other areas of cooperation in the
fields of health and medical sciences
as mutually agreed upon.
INDIA AND JAPAN HELD

TALKS TO STRENGTHEN
COOPERATION IN TOURISM
SECTOR
India and Japan on 12 February 2013
decided to strengthen cooperation in
tourism sector and explore the new areas
and opportunities in the sector by working
together in different fields like the field of
human resource development, investment
in the tourism sector, exchange of tour
operators and exchange of information
related to tourism.
The decision was made during a meet of the
Japanese Senior Vice-Minister of Tourism,
Hiroshi Kajiyama with the Union Tourism
Minister K Chiranjeevi in India. The two also
discussed issues related to singing of an
agreement/MoU.
India and Japan had been an important
tourism market for each other in the recent
past and Japan accounts to be among the
top ten inbound tourist generating market
for India.
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FIRST INDIA-JAPAN MARITIME

AFFAIRS DIALOGUE WAS
HELD IN NEW DELHI
The first India-Japan Maritime Affairs
Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 29
January 2013. Issues of mutual interest
were discussed, inter alia, maritime
security including non-traditional threats,
cooperation in shipping, marine sciences
and technology, marine biodiversity and
cooperation at various multilateral forums.
The Indian delegation was led by DB
Venkatesh
Varma,
Joint
Secretary
(Disarmament and International Security
Affairs), in the Ministry of External Affairs
and the Japanese delegation by Mr.
Kazuyuki Yamazaki, Deputy Director
General (Ambassador), Foreign Policy
Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
INDIA-US JOINT WORKING

GROUP HELD ITS 10TH
MEETING IN WASHINGTON
The India-U.S. Joint Working Group on UN
Peacekeeping held its 10th meeting in
Washington on 13 February 2013. At the
meeting, India and the United States
advanced a number of goals laid out in the
Declaration of Principles the Joint Working
Group agreed upon in 2011. The Joint
Working Group also continued in-depth
consultations on UN peacekeeping issues,
and explored an agreement on a set of
Principles of India-U.S. Cooperation in the
Area of Training UN Peacekeepers and
institutional arrangements between their
peacekeeping institutions.
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India and USA, welcomed the open and

comprehensive nature of the discussions,
and agreed the talks helped advance their
shared commitment to supporting and
strengthening United Nations peacekeeping
operations, and their mutual interest in
assuring the success of UN peacekeeping
missions. Both nations agreed that the 11th
meeting of the Working Group will be held
in New Delhi in 2014.
INDIA-UNITED KINGDOM
SUMMIT 2013: DISCUSSIONS
AND AGREEMENTS
The India-UK Summit talks took place on 19
February 2013 in New Delhi during the
official visit of British Prime Minister, David
Cameron to India. The British Prime
Minister was accompanied with his
Ministerial colleagues as well as delegation
that included largest British trade
delegation ever to visit India, i.e., the
university Vice Chancellors, leaders of the
UK-India CEO Forum and members of
Parliament.
In the official visit, the progress which was
made between the two countries since
previous Summit in 2010, was reviewed and
discussed.
The issues which were discussed included
Economic Growth and Cooperation
It was found that the trade between India

and UK grew at a positive pace since last
Summit in 2010. The average growth of the
trade in 2010 and 2011 was 23 percent.
However, in 2012, the economic climate
remained tougher. It was decided that trade
and investment between the two countries
would be increased.
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Two-way investment between India and UK
since 2010 Summit was also reviewed. It
was found that UK was 3rd largest investor
in India now and India, on the other hand,
was 5th largest investor in UK.
It was also additionally found that signature
of an Amending Protocol of their Double
Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) in
October 2012 provided tax stability to
residents of the two countries. It also led to
flow of investment, services as well as
technology.
During the visit, the leaders also had a
meeting with the members of the UK-India
CEO forum. During the meeting,
recommendations in context with advance
manufacturing and R&D, education and
skills, healthcare, and infrastructure and
energy were taken.
The EU-India negotiations were discussed as
well. It was found that Free Trade
Agreement would help in generation of
jobs as well as growth of the two countries.
UK extended co-operation with India

for development of a new
Bengaluru-Mumbai
Economic
Corridor (BMEC)
During the visit, it was also found that coinvestment made by both countries in
supporting
joint
research
activities
increased from 1 million pounds in 2009 to
more than 100 million pounds in 2013.
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decided that the two countries would

promote joint cooperation through
activities where exchanging technology and
knowledge would lead to fuel conservation.
It was agreed to encourage Indian Public
Sector Undertakings and UK oil and gas
companies for exploring possibilities of
upstream oil and gas sector investment in
India, the UK and in third countries. The
issue of cyber security was also discussed.
The two nations also agreed to work
towards security of nuclear weapons. It was
agreed that regular consultations on
disarmament and non-proliferation issues
would be held.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron
committed to facilitate India with cutting
edge British technology, civil and military, in
accordance
with
the
international
obligations.
International security matters such as
conflict in Syria and Irans nuclear
programme were also discussed during the
visit. Both the nations agreed to deepen the
existing India-UK strategic consultations on
developments in West Asia / Middle East.
Establishing a new Joint Working Group
was also agreed upon. This was done for
regular bilateral dialogue on peace, security
and development in Afghanistan.
Other discussions and dialogues
It was agreed by the leaders of both the

nations that energy security challenge
would be faced in a co-operative manner.
The two nations considered the results of

India-UK Education Forum meeting which
took place on 30 January 2013 in London.
India and UK during the visit of the UK PM

agreed to discuss between relevant
agencies working in the field of petroleum
conservation in the two countries. It was
India welcomed the British Councils

programme for providing digital English
language materials for Indian learners. Both
India and UK affirmed welcoming legitimate
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travellers, including students, tourists,
visitors, business people or qualified
workers.
INDIA AND PORTUGAL

SIGNED SOCIAL SECURITY
AGREEMENT
A Social Security Agreement (SSA) was

signed between India and Republic of
Portugal on 4 March 2013 at New Delhi. 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.
The bilateral social security agreement
would help in taking advantage of the
emerging employment opportunities and
strengthening the trade and investments
between the two countries. At present
about 75000 Indians are living in Portugal
and it includes self-employed people as well
as working professionals.
Benefits that Indian nationals working in
Portugal will get with the Social Security
Agreement
For short term contract of up to 5
year, no social security contribution
should be paid under the
Portuguese law by the detached
workers, in case they are making
their contribution of the social
security payment in India.
In case an employee is sent to
Republic of Portugal by an Indian
Company from a third company
then also the benefits of the
agreement will be available to the
Indian worker.
Indian workers shall be entitled to
the export of the social security
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benefit if they relocate to India after

the completion of their service in
Republic of Portugal.
The self-employed Indians in
Republic of Portugal would also be
entitled to export of social security
benefit on their relocation to India.
The period of contribution in one
contracting state will be added to
the period of contribution in the
second contracting state for
determining the eligibility for social
security benefits.
India has signed the Social Security

Agreement with 17 countries of the world
and they are Belgium, Germany (Social
Insurance), Hungary, Switzerland, France,
The Czech Republic, Republic of Korea,
Germany (Comprehensive SSA), Luxemburg,
The Netherlands, Japan, Denmark, Norway,
Finland, Canada, Sweden and Austria.
INDIA AND BHUTAN SIGNED

CURRENCY SWAP
AGREEMENT
India and Bhutan on 8 March 2013 signed a
currency swap agreement for up to 100
million US dollars to strengthen economic
co-operation between both the countries.
The currency swap arrangement was signed
between the Reserve Bank of India and the
Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan
(RMAB).
Effects of the Agreement Signed
It enables RMAB (Royal Monetary
Authority of Bhutan to make
withdrawals of US dollar, euro or
Indian rupee in multiple tranches up
to a maximum of 100 million dollars
or its equivalent.
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The swap agreement is intended to

provide a precaution line of funding
for SAARC member countries to
meet any balance of payments and
liquidity crisis till longer term
arrangements are made or if there is
need for short-term liquidity due to
market turbulence.
The arrangement would be for a
three-year period and would help
bring financial stability in the region.
Earlier, In May 2012, RBI had announced it

would offer swap facilities aggregating 2
billion dollars, both in foreign currency and
Indian rupee, to SAARC member countries
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
IRAN AND PAKISTAN

LAUNCHED GAS PIPELINE
PROJECT
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari
on 11 March 2013 launched a 7.5 billion
dollar gas pipeline project which will link
Iran's gas pipeline to that of Pakistan.
The inauguration ceremony of gas pipeline
project was held in Iran's Chabahar city and
attended by ministers and senior officials
from Iran and Pakistan. With the launch of
pipeline Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad asserted that west has no
right to obstruct Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline
project that has nothing to do with Iran's
nuclear issue.
Both the president mentioned that the
completion of the pipeline is in the interests
of peace, security and progress of the two
countries and is supposed to consolidate
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the economic, political and security ties of

the two nations.
About the Gas Pipeline
Iran has constructed 900 km of the
1600-km pipeline on its soil.
Both Iranian and Pakistani firms
have undertaken the construction of
the remaining part in Pakistan.
The project is completed by mid2014, as scheduled; Iran will export
21.5 million cubic metres of natural
gas to Pakistan on daily basis.
The work on the Iranian side is
almost complete and on 11 March
2013 saw the construction work
start on the Pakistani side.
A total of 780km of pipeline is to be
built in Pakistan by December 2014.
Tehran has agreed to lend
Islamabad 500 million, dollar a third
of the estimated 1.5 billion dollar
cost of the Pakistani section of the
pipeline.
Controversy with the project
The project provoked several warnings of
sanctions from the US. Washington stated
that the pipeline would enable Tehran to
sell more gas, undermining efforts to step
up pressure over its nuclear activities.
As per US, if this deal is finalized for a
proposed Iran-Pakistan pipeline, it would
raise serious concerns under our Iran
Sanctions Act.
US State Department's advise saying
Pakistan to better look for other energy
options instead of the Iran gas project.
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SILK ROUTE CAR RALLY FROM

KOLKATA TO KUNMING
ORGANISED BY CII FLAGGED
OFF
The Silk Route Car rally from Kolkata to
Kunming organised by the Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII) and supported by the
Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Forum
for Regional Cooperation (BCIM) was
flagged off on 22 February 2013 from
Helipad Ground in Salt Lake Stadium, West
Bengal.
In its 3000 kilometer long journey the car
rally will pass from North-East of India to
Bangladesh than will enter back to NorthEast and then to Myanmar to head towards
China. The rally will end on 5 March 2013 at
Kunming, China.
A total of eighty participants from India,
China, Bangladesh and Myanmar in 20 SUVs
will rally on the ancient trade route that
have remained closed for more than six
decades, post World War II. Success of the
rally may help in redefining the ancient
trade route and bring out the trade
potential of the region.
INDIAS EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

MINISTER VISITED
BANGLADESH TO CO-CHAIR
THE 2ND MEETING OF JCC
External Affairs Minister of India, Salman
Khurshid paid an official visit to Bangladesh
on 16-17 February 2013 to co-chair the
second meeting of the India-Bangladesh
Joint Consultative Commission (JCC). Both
nations reviewed the progress of initiatives
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taken under the Framework Agreement

since the last meeting and hold discussions
on the entire gamut of bilateral relations
including power, water resources, security,
border management, people-to-people
exchanges, trade, connectivity, culture,
development cooperation, environment
and education.
The JCC was constituted under the
Framework Agreement on Cooperation for
Development signed during the visit of
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to
Bangladesh in September 2011. The first
meeting of the JCC was held in New Delhi in
May 2012.
LYONCHHEN JIGMI Y.
THINLEY, PRIME MINISTER OF
BHUTAN VISITED INDIA
Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Jigmi
Y. Thinley was on the home visit to India
from 7 February to 9 February 2013. During
his visit to India he met with President of
Indian
Union-Pranab
Mukherjee
at
Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vice-President of IndiaHamid Ansari, Prime Minister-Manmohan
Singh, Minister of Finance-P Chidambaram
and Foreign Secretary-Ranjan Mathai. His
visit was aimed at improving India-Bhutan
bilateral relationship.
GIUSEPPE ORSI HELD ON

BRIBE CHARGES IN INDIAN
DEFENCE HELICOPTER DEAL
Giuseppe Orsi, head of an Italian defence
and aerospace giant Finmeccanica was
arrested in Milan on 11 February 2013 on
the charges of his alleged involvement in
the bribery activity to secure an Indian
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defence helicopter deal of 3600 crore
rupees. He was arrested in relation to the
probe of the international corruption.
The Deal
The contract signed with Italian defence
giant Finmeccanica in February 2010
involved supply of 12 VVIP three-engine
AW-101 choppers from AgustaWestland for
the Indian Air Forces elite Communication
Sqadron. By now, three choppers have
already been delivered to India. As per the
reports on the bribe scam, its expected
that about 362 crore rupees that is
equivalent to about 10 percent of the final
deal was given back to help the Italian firm
in winning the contract.
About Finmeccanica
The Finmeccanica is an Italian defence
Giant company that entered into a deal to
supply 12 three-engine AW-101 helicopters
to India in February 2010.
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Helicopter Unit was arrested on the charges

of the bribe scandal that surfaced.
KING OF BHUTAN VISITED

INDIA AS REPUBLIC DAY
FUNCTION CHIEF GUEST
The King and Queen of Bhutan, Jigme
Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun
Pema respectively visited India from 23
January to 30 January 2013. King of Bhutan,
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was
invited by the Indian President to be the
Chief Guest for the Republic Day
Celebrations of India.
The visit of the King of Bhutan and his
acceptance to be the chief guest for the
Republic Day celebration would contribute
to further strengthening and expansion of
the bilateral relation and ties between
Bhutan and India.
AgustaWestland
RAJKESWUR PURRYAG,
PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS
VISITED INDIA
AgustaWestland is an Anglo-Italian
helicopter company that is owned by Italys
Finmeccanica. The company is a total
capability provider in the vertical lift
market.
Giuseppe Orsi, now the CEO of
Finmeccanica and the then head of its
Rajkeswur Purryag, President of Republic

of Mauritius visited India from 3 January
2013 to 10 January 2013. He was
accompanied by Aneetah Purryag as well as
the Ministers of Arts & Culture and of Social
Integration and Economic Empowerment,
and
senior
officials
Key highlights of Presidents visit

Rajkeswur Purryag was the Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013 from 8
January 2013 to 9 January 2013.
President Purryag was honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.
President Purryag met President Pranab Mukherjee and also held talks with PM
Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on 4 January 2013.
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President Purryag also visited Patna, Tirupati as well as Kochi during the visit. He visited
ancestral village, Bojeetpore near Patna in Bihar.
DAVID CAMERON, PRIME

MINISTER OF UNITED
KINGDOM WAS ON AN
OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA
David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland was on a visit to India
from 18 February to 20 February 2013.
During his three day visit to India, the Prime
Minister met the President of India Pranab
Mukherjee as well as the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh.
Major
Agreements
Reached
and
Announced
Agreement on more cooperation to
combat with the cyber attacks,
which included police training
exchanges and research into online
security, was reached between the
two nations
Agreement on doubling the overall
trade to 23 billion Euros by 2015
was reached
David Cameron promised that his
country will respond to any request
for information in relation to the
corruption allegations over India's
procurement of helicopters from the
Anglo-Italian
company
AgustaWestland
Cameron outlined a same-day visa
scheme to make the process easier
for India's business community in his
country
Cameron invited the Indian students
to come up the United Kingdom to
pursue higher studies in the country
During his stay in India, David Cameron

visited the Golden Temple, Amritsar and the
Jallianwala Bagh Public Gardens. He
described the shootings as a Deeply
Shameful event, but defended to deliver a
formal British apology for the event, where
more than 379 innocent Indians were killed
at the orders of the then Brigadier-General
Reginald E.H. Dyer. He is the first serving
British prime minister to visit the site of
1919 Jallianwala Bagh shootings.
FOREIGN MSINISTER OF
PORTUGAL, PAULO DE
SACADURA CABRAL PORTAS
VISITED INDIA
The Foreign Minister of Portugal, Paulo de
Sacadura Cabral Portas visited India from 3
March 2013 to 8 March 2013. This was his
first official visit.
Paulo de Sacadura Cabral Portas was
accompanied by Minister of State for
Culture of Portugal and a business
delegation. The minister visited Goa and
Mumbai with the delegation.
During his visit, the Foreign Minister of
Portugal held discussions with the Indias
External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid.
India and Portugal discussed bilateral,
regional and global issues during the visit.
It is important to note that Portugal is home
to the third largest population of Indian
origin people in Europe. The visit held
importance because it would strengthen
the friendly ties between India and
Portugal.
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5TH CIDC VISHWAKARMA

AWARD 2013: TAPAS KUMAR
LAHIRY WON ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD FOR PUBLIC OFFICER
At the 5th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2013,
Tapas Kumar Lahiry- the chairman-cummanaging director (CMD) of Northern
Coalfields Limited (NCL) and Bharat
Cooking Coal Limited (BCCL) won the
Achievement award for Public Officer on 7
March 2013 in New Delhi.
At the function organised by Construction
Industry Development Council (CIDC),
Lahiry received this award. Lahiry is a
mining engineer as well as administrator
with leadership qualities. BCCLs turnover is
6952 crore Rupees with a profitability of
1093.69 crore Rupees in 2010-11. Lahiry has
also remained associated with mining
industry of America, China and Australia.
CIDC Vishwakarma Awards are held
annually for recognising the achievements
as well as work of the organisations and
individuals.
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CHAPTER 4: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

NASA MARKED 10TH
ANNIVERSARY OF SPACE
SHUTTLE COLUMBIA
DISASTER
NASA SCIENTISTS
DISCOVERED A 10-M-YEAR
OLD STAR THAT STILL
PRODUCES GIANT PLANETS
NASA on 1 February 2013 marks 10th

anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia
that perished into the atmosphere of the
Earth upon its re-entry. Seven astronauts
were aboard Columbia, which disintegrated
across southern United States. The debris of
Columbia spread across 200-mile stretch
from Texas to Louisiana.
NASA decided to mark the anniversary in
just the low-key ceremonies in Texas as well
as Florida in order to honour the crew
members of Columbia along with those who
died in the Challenger shuttle explosion on
28 January 1986.
Participants of the ceremony include family
members of the crew who waited at
Kennedy on 1 February 2003 when
Columbia was about to land. The seven
crew
members
on-board
included
Commander Rick Husband; co-pilot William
McCool, specialists Kalpana Chawla, Laurel
Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown and
Ilan Ramon an Israeli fighter pilot.
Columbia broke into pieces on re-entering
the atmosphere of the Earth. The cause for
its explosion was attributed towards the
piece of foam which dropped from external
rocket tank on launch, which eventually
created a hole in the shuttle wing.
Scientists from NASA in the last week of

January 2013 discovered an old star called
TW Hydrae, which they believe could create
new planets even now. TW Hydrae is 176
light years away from the Earth.
NASA announced that the disk of material
which surrounds TW Hydrae could be huge
enough for creating the planets in a number
which could be larger than our solar system.
The findings were created using the
Herschel Space Telescope of European
Space Agency in the mission where NASA is
also a participant.
TW Hydrae is around 10 million years old
and 176 light years away from Earth, which
means that it is relatively closer to the Earth
as per the astronomical standards.
Relatively this star is young theoretically but
it has already crossed the age at which it
can create the giant planets.
The scientists explained that the stars of
this age usually have cleared the
surrounding material, but this particular
star had mass which could create as many
as 50 Jupiters. Apart from describing the
state of this star, the findings of NASA also
demonstrated a precise and new method
for measuring the weight of the planetforming disks. This new method can help in
directly investigating the gas which is
typically used for making the new planets.
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WORLDS FIRST DIGITAL

ATLAS OF BRAIN CREATED
Scientists at the Berkeley Lab in their first
major breakthrough made possible to get
the close view of how a brain develops as
well as functions. The scientists would also
be able to find out which part of brain is an
absentee during the neurological disorders
such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia.
In their major breakthrough, the scientists
created the first of its kind genome-wide
digital atlas of gene enhancers that are
found in the brain.
Genomes, as described by the scientists are
the switches which help a gene in getting
information about when and where they
should be switched on or off. The worlds
first atlas of this kind documents the
cerebrum, motor functions as well as
emotion identifies and also find out various
gene-regulating elements that form the
basic causes of neurological disorders.
A geneticist with Berkeley Lab's genomics
division, Axel Visel described that the most
challenging tasks of the contemporary
science is to understand the functioning or
malfunctioning of the brain. Therefore, they
created the digital atlas of gene enhancers
in the human brain. This atlas enabled the
scientists to get a detailed study about how
the individual genes can be regulated
during the development of a brain and also
how the genetic mutations can create an
impact on the human neurological
disorders.
The gene enhancers in reality are the short
pieces of DNA in human genome, rather
than the actual genes. Therefore these
enhancers do not give rise to the proteins.
Actually, they are the switches which are
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used to inform actual genes when they

should become active and create a protein.
Every cell type of human body composes of
different sets of enhancers which are
switched on or off. Together, these can help
in coordination of activities of 20000 genes
in every single cell.
JAPANESE SCIENTISTS FILMED

THOUGHTS OF A FISH
The Japanese scientists from the Saitama
University in the first week of February
2013 filmed for the first time, the thoughts
of a fish while it tracks the prey, revealing
about the precision of the brain activity
that governs its hunting behaviour. The
study is a first of its kind and it led to realtime recording of the precise brain
processes in the animal.
In the similar studies conducted earlier, the
patterns of the brain activities while making
use of MRI scans were studied. These MRI
scans were used to find out when the
different regions of a brain switched on and
off. However, this new study used a very
different approach for recording which
individual cells were being used at a
particular moment.
The filmed thoughts are very important
because this technology can be used for
understanding the thought process of the
animals as well as the humans. Also, it
could be used for learning about the
abnormalities which lead to increase in
diseases of a brain.
In the study, the scientists demonstrated
the map in a brain of the Zebra fish. This
map was also present in human brain. This
could greatly help in interpreting the
behaviour of an animal which includes
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understanding their anger, joy, memory,
learning and much more.
In their study, the scientists modified the
larvae of the Zebra Fish genetically so that
the neurons in their optic tectum emitted a
fluorescent green light when being used.
The larvae of Zebra Fish have transparent
bodies which meant that the activities of
brain cells could be easily filmed in a realtime with the help of a microscope and a
high-resolution camera.
FIRST COMPLETE BIONIC MAN

OF THE WORLD UNVEILED
First bionic man of the world called Rex
was unveiled on 7 February 2013 at
London's Science Museum. The bionic man
was created using 1 million US dollar limbs
as well as organs.
Prosthetic legs and ankle came from MIT,
synthetic blood from Sheffield University,
spleens, pancreas and artificial kidneys
from University College London, retinas
from Oxford University and artificial lungs
came from Swansea.
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. Rex gave a hope that it was
possible to replace the body parts with the
artificial alternatives, for the very first time.
The internal organs of Rex such as artificial
lungs, bladder and pancreas were in line of
development. It is important to note that it
is not possible for certain technology to
function without the help of human input.
For example bionic hands require signals
from brain and muscles to work properly.
Other parts however, such as pancreas and
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heart can be designed to work

automatically. Rex would remain in display
at London's Science Museum from 7
February 201 to 11 March 2013.
NASAS MARS ROVER,

CURIOSITY DRILLED INTO
FIRST MARTIAN ROCK
NASA on 9 February 2013 announced that
its Mars rover Curiosity drilled into the
surface of the planet for first time. The
drilling was a part of endeavor to learn
whether the Martian surface, which has
solar system like that of Earth, supports
microbial life or not. The drilling into
Martian surface took place for the first time
on 8 February 2013.
As an outcome of the drilling, the pictures
were sent by Curiosity which depicted a
hole of around 0.63 inches wide and 2.5
inches deep in the fine-grained sedimentary
bedrock. The drilling fetched out small heap
of powder which will be fed in onboard
laboratory instruments so that the chemical
makeup of the rock can be determined.
Earlier in the second week of February
2013, engineers spent a few days in order
to make use of the Curiositys drill which
also included boring practice holes. The first
drill target of Curiosity was a Martian rock
which was laced with the veins which
appeared like water-deposited minerals.
Curiosity is on a two-year mission on Mars
for finding out the chemical and geologic
conditions on Mars which are required for
supporting as well as preserving the
microbial life.
Engineers are not clear yet whether the
powder was produced in what quantity but
it is enough for laboratory analysis. NASA
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announced that using drill was the biggest

achievement for the team of Curiosity ever
since the rover landed on Mars in August
2012.
strong the local gravitational attraction is.

By periodically measuring gravity regionally,
GRACE tells us how much each region's
water storage changes over time.
The final target of Curiosity is 3-mile- (5km) high mound of layered sediment
which rises from floor of Gale Crater
landing site.
The team calculated about one-fifth of the

observed water losses resulted from soil
drying up and snowpack shrinking, partly in
response to the 2007 drought. Loss of
surface water from lakes and reservoirs
accounted for about another fifth of the
losses. The majority of the water lost
approximately 73 million acre feet (90 cubic
kilometers) was due to reductions in
groundwater.
NASA SATELLITE DATA FOUND

FRESHWATER LOSSES IN
MIDDLE EAST
A new study using data from a pair of
gravity-measuring NASA satellites found on
12 February 2013 that large parts of the
arid Middle East region lost freshwater
reserves rapidly during the past decade.
Scientists at the University of California at
Irvine found that during a seven-year period
beginning in 2003, parts of Turkey, Syria,
Iraq and Iran along the Tigris and
Euphrates river basins lost 117 million acre
feet (144 cubic kilometers) of its total
stored freshwater. That is almost the
amount of water in the Dead Sea. The
researchers attribute about 60 percent of
the loss to pumping of groundwater from
underground reservoirs.
Since obtaining ground-based data in the
area is difficult, satellite data, such as that
from NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and
Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, are
essential. GRACE is providing a global
picture of water storage trends and is
invaluable when hydrologic observations
are not routinely collected or shared
beyond political boundaries.
GRACE is like having a giant scale in the sky.
Within a given region, rising or falling water
reserves alter Earth's mass, influencing how
When a drought reduces an available

surface water supply, irrigators and other
water users turn to groundwater supplies.
For example, the Iraqi government drilled
about 1000 wells in response to the 2007
drought, a number that does not include
the numerous private wells landowners also
very likely drilled.
Water management is a complex issue in
the Middle East, an area that already is
dealing with limited water resources and
competing stakeholders said Kate Voss, lead
author of the study and a water policy
fellow with the University of California's
Center for Hydrological Modeling in Irvine,
which Famiglietti directs. GRACE is a joint
mission with the German Aerospace
Center and the German Research Center
for Geosciences, in partnership with the
University of Texas at Austin.
WATER ON THE OLDEST
ROCKS OF MOON
Researchers in the third week of February
2013 detected water traces inside the
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crystalline structure of one of the oldest
lunar rocks, which were obtained through
Apollo missions on Moon. As per the study
conducted by University of Michigan, the
lunar highlands represent original crust
which is actually crystallised from Magma
Ocean that was found mainly on the molten
early Moon.
Researchers made use of the Infrared
spectroscopy for analysing water content
in a part of plagioclase feldspar from lunar
anorthosites. Plagioclase feldspar from
lunar anorthosites is basically the lunar
rocks which are formed of over 90 percent
plagioclase.
It is believed that these bright-coloured
highlands rocks formed early in the history
of the moon when plagioclase crystallised
from the magma ocean and came up to the
surface. The infrared spectroscopy work
found out about the presence of 6 parts per
million of water in lunar anorthosites.
The water content that was measured is not
actually liquid water but hydroxyl groups
which were distributed in mineral grain.
These hydroxyl groups that were detected
are evident that the interior of the Moon
contained water during the early molten
state of it. Later the crust was solidified and
played a crucial role in lunar basalts
developments.
Because there are some oldest rocks from
the Moon, therefore it is believed that
water would have been there in the Moon
when it was formed. Earlier theories
revealed that Moon was formed when the
Mars-sized body bumped into the young
Earth. Eventually the debris broke off and
combined into new body. It was believed
that a lot of water would have been
evaporated in the space, leaving Moon arid.
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NEW ZEALAND DECLARED

WORST-EVER DROUGHT IN 30
YEARS IN NORTH ISLAND
The New Zealand Government in the third
week of March 2013 declared the worstever drought in 30 years in the entire
North Island of the country.
The worst-hit section of the society is the
farmer. Losses from agriculture will put
pressure on the economy, which in turn
would cut off 1 percent of the economic
growth of New Zealand. Farmers of New
Zealand, who are said to be a crucial factor
of the economy of the country, estimated
that drought had cost them earnings of 1
billion New Zealand Dollars already.
The capital of NZ, Wellington is left with just
18 days of water. Drought will hit parts of
the South Island soon.
However, it was forecasted that first rainfall
in the duration of two months would come
by 16-17 March 2013. The drought
conditions in New Zealand were apparent
through the satellite images from space.
Drought hinting towards climate change
According to a few scientists, dry climatic
conditions hint towards an overall climate
change. Climate scientists from Victoria
University of Wellington forecasted that
more summers and drought conditions like
these were on their way in New Zealand
because of global warming.
The scientists explained that dry subtropical
weather, which leads to the formation of
deserts in countries like Australia and
Africa, was inching closer towards the poles
of the world.
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There were increasing risks of drought in
the country, leading to stretching of water
resources.
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them. One carbon credits equals to the

saving of one tonne of carbon dioxide.
HALF OF AFRICAS LIONS

FACING EXTINCTION THREAT:
STUDY
OKHLA COMPOST PLANT

BECAME FIRST IN INDIA TO
RECEIVE CARBON CREDITS
WORTH 25 LAKH RUPEES
The composting plant of South Delhi
Municipal Corporation in Okhla, New Delhi
became the first in India to receive the
carbon credits from the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change. The civic body was given 25 lakh
Rupees as an advance against the Carbon
Emission Reduction (CER) earnings from
this plant.
The Okhla plant became operational in
2008. Since 2008, around two lakh tonnes
of the waste has already been processed. In
the future, the amount of waste processed
everyday would be increased. The South
Delhi Municipal Corporation has outsourced
this operation to IL&FS (Infrastructure
Leasing & Financial Services Ltd), which in
turn is also working on the programme for
upgradation of this plant.
What are carbon credits?
Carbon credits can be like the certificates
which represent a decrease of greenhouse
gases in environment. Projects which help
in preventing the generation of these
greenhouses gases are eligible for earning
these credits.
The projects in turn can also sell these
carbon credits to the other organisations,
businesses or individuals in order to offset
the emissions which are generated by
The study conducted by a team of Lion

Biologists of University of Minnesota in the
first week of March 2013 found that around
half of the wild lion population of Africa
would decline to almost extinction over
the period of 20-40 years if conservation
measures were not taken.
It was estimated that at present, less than
30000 lions remain in Africa in around 25
percent of natural habitat. The study led by
Professor Craig Packer as well as coauthored by a whole team of lion biologists
made use of the field data from 11 different
African countries. In the study, the cost for
managing the fenced as well as unfenced
habitats was examined. Also, in the study,
the lion population densities along with the
trends were studied.
NASA SCIENTISTS SPOTTED

YOUNGEST BLACK HOLE
W49B IN MILKY WAY GALAXY
Scientists from NASA spotted the youngest
Black Hole in the Milky Way galaxy called
W49B, which is just 1000-years-old and
only 26000 light-years away from Earth.
New data from NASA's Chandra X-ray
Observatory suggested a highly distorted
supernova remnant may contain the most
recent black hole formed in the Milky Way
galaxy.
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NASA explained that W49B appears to be
the product of a rare explosion in which
matter is ejected at high speeds along the
poles of a rotating star. Laura Lopez, who
led the study at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, said that W49B is the first of
its kind to be discovered in the galaxy.
Usually, when a massive star runs out of
fuel than the central region of the star
collapses, triggering a chain of events that
quickly culminate in a supernova explosion.
Most of these explosions are generally
symmetrical, with the stellar material
blasting away more or less evenly in all
directions. However, in the W49B
supernova, material near the poles of the
doomed rotating star was ejected at a much
higher speed than material emanating from
its equator. The remnant now glows
brightly in X-rays and other wavelengths,
offering the evidence for a peculiar
explosion. By tracing the distribution and
amounts of different elements in the stellar
debris field, researchers were able to
compare the Chandra data to theoretical
models of how a star explodes.
A careful search of the Chandra data
revealed no evidence for a neutron star.
The lack of such evidence implies a black
hole may have formed.
PAKISTAN SUCCESSFULLY
TEST-FIRED NUCLEARCAPABLE HATF-II BALLISTIC
MISSILE
Pakistan successfully tested the nuclearcapable Hatf-II ballistic missile on 15
February 2013. This was the second test of
missile system in just four days by Pakistan.
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The test was conducted in order to evaluate

the capabilities of Strategic Forces.
Main features related to Hatf-II Ballistic
Missile
Hatf-II ballistic missile is also known
as Abdali short range surface-tosurface ballistic missile.
Hatf-II is capable of carrying nuclear
or conventional warheads with
precision and high accuracy.
Hatf-II has a range of 180 km.
It is important to note that earlier on 11
February 2013; Pakistan had tested the
Hatf-IX tactical missile that had a range of
60 km and was nuclear-capable. Hatf-IX
missile, according to the analysts, is aimed
at preventing the Cold Start military
doctrine of India.
HUMAN RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY
LAUNCHED SANSKRIT
CARAVAN
Sanskrit Caravan was launched in New
Delhi on 14 February 2013 by the Minister
of State for Human Resource Development
Shashi Tharoor for promoting, preserving as
well as propagating Indian languages such
as Sanskrit and Urdu.
Sanskrit Caravan was launched as a part of
Indian Heritage Caravan, which is actually
an initiative of Press Council of India
chairman and former Supreme Court Judge
Justice
Markandey
Katju.
Idea
Communication was the sponsor of the
event.
Earlier in February 2013, Justice Markandey
Katju had also inaugurated Urdu Caravan
from Delhi to Bhopal as well as Mumbai.
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METEORITE EXPLODED OVER

SKIES OF RUSSIA LEFT MORE
THAN 500 INJURED
The meteorite that weighed around 10
tonnes entered the earths atmosphere
over Siberia above the skies of Ural
Mountains on 15 February 2013. The
meteorite that travelled at a speed of 15 to
20 kilometer per second created a panic
kind of situation and resulted into
shockwaves that blasted windows and
rocked buildings. Russian Emergency
Situations Ministry declared that the
shockwaves injured around 500 people out
of which 84 were children.
The meteorite exploded itself into small
fragments at a distance of about 50
kilometers from earth surface. Fragments of
the meteorite effected several regions of
Siberia and Kazakhstan, with Chelyabinsk,
the industrial city of Russia. Three areas
that suffered effects of meteorite and
among them one included a crater of six
meters near Lake Chebarkul. The meteorite
was preceded the Asteroid 2012 DA14 that
crossed over the skies of Indonesia and
other parts of Asia.
ASTEROID 2012 DA14 TO

PASS THROUGH EARTH POSES
NO THREAT
The Asteroid 2012 DA14, a 150-foot
asteroid flew above the earth at a distance
of about 17000 miles on 15 February 2013,
inside the ring of geosynchronous weather
and communications satellites. The
asteroid would be visible across Asia
including India and can be seen with the
help of a binocular or telescope.
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This would be the first encounter of the

scientists with an object so close to earth.
This encounter will bring chances of
studying the closet near earth object.
NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office
that have predicted the path of the asteroid
had cleared that there exist no chances of
asteroid collision with earth.
PAKISTAN SUCCESSFULLY
TEST FIRED SHORT RANGE
SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
MISSILE HATF IX (NASR)
Pakistan on 11 February 2013 successfully
test fired short range surface-to-surface
missile Hatf IX (NASR). The test fire took
place with consecutive launches of two
missiles from multi-tube launcher. NASR
has 60 km range with the capability of inflight manoeuvring. It also has the capability
of carrying nuclear warheads having apt
yields, with higher efficiency.
Important facts related to Hatf IX (NASR)
NASR is designed specifically to
defeat Anti-Tactical Missile Defence
Systems of all kinds.
The test firing of short range
surface-to-surface missile Hatf IX
(NASR) was a part of medium-range
ballistic missiles [MRBM] and shortrange surface-to-surface ballistic
missile [SRBMs] exercise which will
be completed in three cycles by July
2013.
The missile has the capability to
carry nuclear weapons.
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be launched by NASA. The space agency

uses the orbiting network to communicate
with astronauts living on the International
Space Station. The first TDRS spacecraft
flew in 1983.
FIRST DIRECT PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTIONS WERE HELD IN
CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech Republic: First Direct Presidential
Elections were held here.
The result of first direct Presidential
elections held in Czech Republic was
declared on 25 January 2013. Milos Zeman
emerged as winner. He won 55 percent as
compared with 45 percent of Karel
Schwarzenberg. Milos Zeman is the former
Prime Minister of Czech Republic and head
of the Party of Civic Rights-Zemanovci
(SPOZ) while Karel Schwarzenberg is foreign
minister in the present centre-right
coalition government. Zeman succeeded
Vaclav Klaus as the President of Czech
Republic.
The Czech Republic is a land-locked country
in central Europe. Until 2012, the
Parliament elected the President for a fiveyear term. After a long discussion, fueled by
allegations of corruption in the voting
process, the constitution was amended in
2012 to provide for direct Presidential
elections.
NASA LAUNCHED A NEW

COMMUNICATION SATELLITE
CALLED TDRS
NASA on 31 January 2013 launched a new
communication satellite to stay in touch
with its space station astronauts and relay
more Hubble telescope images. An
unmanned Atlas V rocket blasted into the
starry night sky carrying the Tracking and
Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) from Cape
Canaveral. This is the 11th TDRS satellite to
This newest third-generation TDRS carries

the letter K designation. Once it begins
working, it will become TDRS-11. It will take
two weeks for the satellite to reach its
intended 22300-mile-high orbit. Testing will
last a few months. NASA estimates the
satellite costs between 350 and 400 million
US Dollars. Another TDRS spacecraft, L in
the series, will be launched in 2014.
ASTRONOMERS DISCOVERED
SIX SPEEDING STARS RACING
THROUGH MILKY WAY
Astronomers in the third week of February
2013 discovered six speeding stars which
were racing through the space at a speed
of 3.2 million kilometres per hour. These
stars were ejected from the huge black hole
which sits in the middle of Earths galaxy,
Milky Way.
These stars represented the first-known
hypervelocity stars that have mass just like
that of Earths Sun. The discovery is said to
be very important because it would reveal
how stars were formed in the dust-cloaked
core of Milky Way.
The core of Milky Way is actually cloaked in
dust which makes all stars unclear from
telescopes of the astronomers, except the
brightest stars. But these hypervelocity
stars were useful in providing a peep into
how star formation took place in the depths
of Milky Way.
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This is so because it is believed that the
hypervelocity stars form when the black
holes in the centre of Milky Way consume
one star in binary system and ejects other
(its twin), throwing it through the space at
extremely high speed.
The astronomers explained that these stars
were highly fast-moving objects which were
gravitationally unbound to Earths galaxy.
Even though these stars were in proximity
to black holes, but they were not cloaked by
dust and so they could be identified using
telescopes easily. Identifying these stars
could help in revealing the kind of star
formation that took place in galactic centre.
Astronomers at University of Hawaii in their
study made use of the data from Palomar 5metre telescope in California. In their study
they discovered 130 stars in Milky Way
which were traveling at a fast pace. Then
the astronomers narrowed down the group
of stars which were traveling at extremely
fast speed with ejection from centre of
Milky Way galaxy. Six of the stars met this
criterion.
NASAS CHANDRA X-RAY

OBSERVATORY REVEALED
FORMATION OF YOUNGEST
BLACK HOLE IN MILKY WAY
NASA scientists discovered the youngest
black hole in our galaxy, Milky Way in
February 2013. This youngest black hole is
merely 1000 years old and just 26000 light
years away from our planet. According to
the new data revealed by Chandra X-ray
Observatory of NASA, the distorted
remains of supernova could contain most
recent or the youngest black hole formed in
our galaxy. The remains known as W49B are
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a result of rare explosion due to which

matter ejects at very high speed along poles
of rotating star.
Scientists described that W49B is the first
one that was discovered in Milky Way. It
was observed that the parent star of W49B
died in such a way like most of the other
stars dont. Most often, when the massive
star does not have fuel, its central region
collapses which leads to certain events
which quickly lead to supernova explosion.
Most of the explosions are symmetrical due
to which stellar material blasts away almost
evenly in all the directions. However in case
of W49B supernova, material in proximity
with the doomed rotating star was cast out
at a higher speed than the material
originating from the equator. Jets which
shoot from the poles of the star are the
main cause for shaping the supernova
explosion as well as its results.
The trace or the remains are now glowing
brightly in certain wavelengths and X-rays
which offer a confirmation of the explosion.
The scientists compared the data from
Chandra with theoretical models of the
process of star explosion by tracing
distribution as well as amounts of various
elements in stellar debris field.
The scientists explained that apart from
having unusual elements, W49B is also
elliptical and elongated than the other
traces. In the study, it was also examined
about the kind of compact objects the
supernova explosion left. Usually, the
massive stars which collapse into
supernovas leave behind dense and
spinning core which is called neutron star.
These neutron stars can be detected using
the X-rays or radio pulses.
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However, data from Chandra did not reveal
any evidence of a neutron star. Absence of
evidence like this indicated towards the
formation of a black hole.
COSMIC RAYS ORIGINATE AS

A RESULT OF STAR
EXPLOSION: ASTRONOMERS
The astronomers in the second week of
February 2013 discovered the proof that
cosmic rays originate as the results of
explosions of stars or supernova, these are
termed as the most energetic event in the
galaxy. Cosmic Rays were first discovered
in 1912 by Victor Hess and it was believed
that these highly energetic particles that
keep on hitting the atmosphere of earth
from all directions originate with the
explosion of stars, but till now no direct
evidence for the same conclusion was
available to the mankind.
The astronomers were successful in
reaching to the conclusion as the findings of
two experiments one ground-based and the
other one that was space-based, provided
the same evidence, after looking on
different Supernova Remnants (SNRs) in
the sky. The observations were made on
different perspectives and in different parts
of the sky.
The first study is based on the observations
made by the astronomers from Max-Planck
Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg of the
remnants of a 1000 year old supernova
SN1006 from the European Southern
Observatorys (ESO) Very Large Telescope
(VLT) based in Chile.
The second study was based on the years of
data collected from the 10000 year old
SNRs IC443 that is located in Gemini
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Constellation at a distance of about 5000

light years from earth and W44 that is
located in Aquila Constellation at a distance
of 10000 light years. The data of the two
SNRs were collected by the scientists of
Kavli Institute for Particle Physics and
Cosmology at the SLAC National Accelerator
laboratory by using NASAs Fermi Gamma
Ray Telescope that was launched in June
2008.
A supernova occurs twice or thrice in a
century and it happens with the massive
explosion of a star. The core of the
exploded star remains as a neutron star or a
black hole, whereas the parts ejected due
to explosion flows in the space in form of
debris by a powerful shockwave. The
remnants of the explosion remains in the
sky for thousands of years and are used by
the scientists and astronomers to study the
facts about the cosmic rays.
Cosmic rays consist of about 90 percent
proton, a nuclei and electrons. The two
experiments done in space and ground
claimed that evidence were found that
protons that the protons accelerated to the
speed of light after being ejected due to
shockwaves of the supernova. The
mechanism was proposed by Enrico Fermi
in 1949 and it stated that the protons,
which are trapped in the fast moving shock
region due to magnetic fields travelling
through the shock front boosts itself to high
speeds after repeatedly being reflected in
the magnetic field.
The protons gain energy of about one
percent with every round trip and after
making several hundreds of such trips; it
travels at the speed of light and finally
releases itself from the shockwave front.
These charged protons, get it drifted due to
the magnetic field that it experiences on its
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way to earth resulting in distortion of its

path. This is a reason that one cant
decidedly say that the SNRs produce cosmic
rays.
WATER ON THE OLDEST
ROCKS OF MOON
DEEPEST HYDROTHERMAL
VENTS IN WORLD
Researchers in the third week of February

2013 detected water traces inside the
crystalline structure of one of the oldest
lunar rocks, which were obtained through
Apollo missions on Moon. As per the study
conducted by University of Michigan, the
lunar highlands represent original crust
which is actually crystallised from Magma
Ocean that was found mainly on the molten
early Moon.
UK scientists in the third week of January

2013 discovered a set of hydrothermal
vents, the deepest anywhere in the world
while exploring the ocean floor in the
Caribbean islands. Scientists used ROV
(Remotely operated vehicle) in the Cayman
Trough to make this discovery. They
stumbled across a previously-unknown site
nearly 5000m below the surface.
In the huge pressure of the sea three miles
down, the ROV, which is also known as ISIS,
was gently steered around the vents, to
take pictures and gather samples.
Hydrothermal vents are among the
strangest features of the deep ocean and
their existence was hidden until the 1970s.
Since then they have been discovered at
about 200 sites across the globe which
includes the Southern Ocean and the
Atlantic.
However it was in 2010 that vents were first
detected in the Cayman Trough, a deep
trench formed by the boundary between
two tectonic plates. One set of vents,
known as Beebe, was considered as the
deepest on record prior to the recent
discovery made in the Ocean floor of
Caribbean islands.
Researchers made use of the Infrared

spectroscopy for analysing water content in
a part of plagioclase feldspar from lunar
anorthosites. Plagioclase feldspar from
lunar anorthosites is basically the lunar
rocks which are formed of over 90 percent
plagioclase.
It is believed that these bright-coloured
highlands rocks formed early in the history
of the moon when plagioclase crystallised
from the magma ocean and came up to the
surface. The infrared spectroscopy work
found out about the presence of 6 parts per
million of water in lunar anorthosites.
The water content that was measured is not
actually liquid water but hydroxyl groups
which were distributed in mineral grain.
These hydroxyl groups that were detected
are evident that the interior of the Moon
contained water during the early molten
state of it. Later the crust was solidified and
played a crucial role in lunar basalts
developments.
Because there are some oldest rocks from
the Moon, therefore it is believed that
water would have been there in the Moon
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Page 441

when it was formed. Earlier theories
revealed that Moon was formed when the
Mars-sized body bumped into the young
Earth. Eventually the debris broke off and
combined into new body. It was believed
that a lot of water would have been
evaporated in the space, leaving Moon arid.
ISRO'S PSLV-C20 ROCKET

SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED
SARAL AND SIX OTHER
SATELLITES
Six foreign micro and mini spacecrafts as
well as the Indo-French oceanographic
study satellite, SARAL (Satellite for Argos-3
and Altika) were launched successfully by
ISRO's PSLV-C20 rocket on 25 February
2013 from the spaceport at Sriharikota.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) of
Indian Space Research Organizations
(ISRO) flew from first launch pad of Satish
Dhawan Space Centre and was successfully
put into the orbit. The President of India,
Pranab Mukherjee witnessed this launch
from mission control centre at Sriharikota.
Satellites launched by PSLV-C20 Rocket
410-kg SARAL with payloads - Argos
and Altika
Two micro-satellites UniBRITE and
BRITE from Austria
AAUSAT3 from Denmark
STRaND from United Kingdom
Micro-satellite (NEOSSat)
Mini-satellite
(SAPPHIRE)
from
Canada
These seven satellites were launched
successfully by PSLV which depicted its
versatility and recorded 22nd successful
flight consecutive. ISRO also has plans to
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launch the Geo-Synchronous Satellite

Launch Vehicle that has indigenous
cryogenic engine, along with the Indias
mission to Mars, both of which are
scheduled for 2013.
SARAL, the unique Satellite
SARAL is said to be a very unique
satellite which serves the research
community.
This satellite will assist the
researchers
in
oceanographic
studies.
SARAL will study the sea surface
heights and ocean currents.
ARGOS-2 will help in collecting the
data, while Altikameter will be
responsible for measuring the height
of sea surface.
SARAL will also assist researchers in
studying
about
the
climatic
developments.
Its practical applications include
study of migration of the marine
animals, continental ice studies,
protection of biodiversity and
coastal erosion.
RESEARCHERS CALCULATED
EXACT DISTANCE TO OUR
CLOSEST NEIGHBOURING
GALAXY
Researchers working on the accurate
calculation of the distance of Milky Way to
the nearest galaxy, led by Grzegorz
Pietrzynski of the Universidad de
Concepcion in Chile and Warsaw University
Observatory in Poland, found the exact
distance to our nearest galaxy. The nearest
galaxy to Milky Way is called Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and it was found
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that it lies at a distance of 163000 light
years away or exactly 49.97 kiloparsecs.
Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)
Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the
dwarf galaxy which floats in the
space around our galaxy, Milky Way.
It floats in a similar trend like that
between the Earth and the Moon.
Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)
encompasses huge clouds of gas in
Importance of the findings
The findings about the distance of LMC
from Milky Way are crucial because they
can help in determining the scale of our
universe, which has remained a mystery
ever since its inception. These findings
could also be used for determining the rate
of expansion of the universe. This rate of
expansion of the universe is called Hubble
Constant, which is named after an
astronomer Edwin P Hubble who
discovered in 1929 that the Universe was
growing continuously.
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it, which gradually collapse, thereby

forming new stars. These new stars
are brightened in the colours which
are actually visible in the images
that are taken by Hubble Space
Telescope.
LMC also includes Tarantula Nebula
which is the brightest stellar nursery
in the cosmic neighbourhood.
official from Economy, Trade and Industry

Ministry announced that this was the first
offshore experiment of producing natural
gas from methane hydrate in the world.
Methane Hydrate, also known as clathrates
are a kind of frozen confinements of
molecules of water and methane. The gas
field where the natural gas was extracted
from methane hydrate is situated 50 km
away from the main island of Japan in
Nankai Trough.
Determination of the Hubble Constant is

highly important for finding out the age as
well as size of the universe. Exact distance
of Milky Way to LMC has always remained
one of the hugest uncertainties which
affected the past measurements.
Also, apart from Japan, certain other

countries such as China, US and Canada
have been searching for the ways to exploit
the methane hydrate deposits. Certain pilot
experiments were conducted in the past
few years, which depicted that it was
possible to extract methane from deposits
by making use of the methane hydrate
which was found under the land ice.
JAPAN BECAME FIRST

COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO
EXTRACT NATURAL GAS
FROM METHANE HYDRATE
Offshore deposits have a huge source of

methane but they also raise environmental
concerns because underwater geology
which encompasses them is unstable at
various places.
Japan on 12 March 2013 announced that it

had extracted the natural gas from frozen
methane hydrate successfully off the
central coast. With this, Japan became the
first country to do so in the world. A Japan
Now, the survey of gas field is being

conducted by Japan Oil, Gas and Metals
National Corporation (JOGMEC).
How was the natural gas from methane
hydrate extracted?
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The engineers made use of the

depressurisation method which converts
the methane hydrate into the methane gas.
The production tests will continue till the
end of March 2013.
by the Chief Secretary to Government of

Maharashtra. Representatives of the State
Government departments, Air Force, Navy
and Army were also present in the
ceremony.
The government officials of Japan

announced that now their aim was
establishment
of
methane
hydrate
production technologies for the purpose of
practical use by 2018.
About Interceptor Boat C-154

Interceptor Boat C-154 is 28 metres
in
length
with
75
tonnes
displacement has the capability of
achieving a maximum speed of 35
knots.
The vessel has state-of-the-art
navigation as well as communication
equipment along with medium
range armament.
The purpose of designing the
Interceptor Boat C-154 was for
achieving close-coast patrol, high
speed interception, Search and
Rescue, low-intensity maritime
operations as well as maritime
surveillance.
This IB also has the capability of
operating in the shallow water along
with the deep sea.
IB is also fitted with the 02 main
engines of 1630 KW each and ASD
system.
IB is facilitated with communication
equipment along with advanced
navigational equipment.
Interceptor Boat ICGS C-154 is
Mumbai-based
under
the
Administrative and Operational
Control of the Commander, No 2
Coast Guard District HQ.
How will this extraction benefit Japan?

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.
According to the researchers, this
extraction can prove to be very beneficial
because it could facilitate as an alternative
source of energy for Japan. It is important
to note that Japan as of now imports all the
energy needs.
Japan has limited natural resources. After
the nuclear disaster of Fukushima plant in
2011, cost of importing the fuel has also
increased. The extraction of natural gas
from methane hydrate will therefore help
Japan in reducing the pressure on natural
resources as well as bringing down the cost
of import of fuel.
ARNESON SURFACE DRIVE

BASED INTERCEPTOR BOAT C154 COMMISSIONED
At the ceremony held in Mumbai on 22
February 2013, the Indian Coast Guard
Interceptor Boat C-154 was commissioned
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CHAPTER 5: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

PRESIDENT OF INDIA GAVE
ASSENT TO CRIMINAL LAW
(AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE,
2013

on 3 February 2013 agreed to the Criminal
Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 for
sharpening the laws against sexual assault.
The
President
mandated
harsher
punishment such as death penalty for the
offenders in such cases where the victim
either dies or lands into the vegetative
state. The amended law would come into
force almost immediately.
Features of the Criminal Law (Amendment)

Ordinance, 2013
This Ordinance may be called the Criminal
Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013. It shall
come into force at once.
Insertion of new section 166A to

the Indian Penal Code: Public
servant disobeying direction
under law.
Insertion of new sections 326A

and 326B to the Indian Penal
Code:
Voluntarily
causing
grievous hurt by use of acid,
voluntarily
throwing
or
attempting to throw acid.
Insertion of new sections 354A,

354B, 354C and 354D to the
Indian Penal Code: Sexual
harassment and punishment for
sexual harassment, Assault or
use of criminal force to woman
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with
intent
to
disrobe,
voyeurism, stalking.
Substitution of new sections
370 and 370A for section 370 to
the
Indian
Penal
Code:
Trafficking of person, employing
of a trafficked person.
Substitution of new sections for
sections 375, 376, 376A, 376B,
376C and 376D to the Indian
Penal Code: Sexual assault,
punishment for sexual assault,
punishment for causing death or
resulting in persistent vegetative
state of the victim, sexual assault
by husband upon his wife during
separation, sexual intercourse by
a person in authority, sexual
assault by gang and punishment
for repeat offenders.
Insertion of new section 198B of
the Code of Criminal Procedure:
Cognizance of offence
Insertion of new section 53A of
the Indian Evidence Act, 1872:
Evidence of character or
previous sexual experience not
relevant in certain cases.
Substitution of new section for
section 114A of the Indian
Evidence
Act,
1872:
Presumption as to absence of
consent in certain prosecution
for sexual assault.
Substitution of new section for
section 119 of the Indian
Evidence Act, 1872: Witness
unable to communicate verbally.

Page 445

What does the Criminal Law (Amendment)
Ordinance, 2013 include?
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance,
2013 was given assent by the President and
it includes stalking, voyeurism, acid attacks
as well as disrobing of women. These
crimes were given the status of specific
offences under the Indian Penal Code. The
ordinance was approved by Union Cabinet
of India on 1 February 2013.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance,
2013
comprises
of
various
recommendations from the JS Verma
committee as well.
The ordinance is an impact of the Delhi
gangrape which took place on 16 December
2012 in a moving bus. The ordinance
brought changes to the clauses of alreadyexisting
criminal
law
by
making
amendments in Code of Criminal Procedure
(CrPC), Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the
Evidence Act.
Part V the Union CHAPTER III of the
Constitution of India grants legislative
powers to the president to pass the
ordinance. Article 123 includes power of
president to promulgate ordinances
during recess of parliament.
Page 446
(2) An Ordinance promulgated under this

article shall have the same force and effect
as an Act of Parliament, but every such
Ordinancea) Shall be laid before both Houses of
Parliament and shall cease to
operate at the expiration of six
weeks from the reassembly of
Parliament, or, if before the
expiration of that period resolutions
disapproving it are passed by both
Houses, upon the passing of the
second of those resolutions; and
b) May be withdrawn at any time by
the President. Explanation - Where
the Houses of Parliament are
summoned to reassemble on
different dates, the period of six
weeks shall be reckoned from the
later of those dates for the purposes
of this clause.
(3) If and so far as an Ordinance under this
article makes any provision which
Parliament would not under this
Constitution be competent to enact, it shall
be void.
Duration of the ordinance
An ordinance once passed by the President
of India remains into force for a time period
of six months. Within this period, the
Parliament needs to pass the ordinance.

(1) If at any time, except when both Houses
of Parliament are in session, the President is
satisfied that circumstances exist which
render it necessary for him to take
immediate action, he may promulgate such
Ordinances as the circumstances appear to
him to require.
PANEL TO EXAMINE ISSUES

OF CERTIFICATION UNDER
CINEMATOGRAPH ACT 1952
CONSTITUTED
The Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting on 4 February 2013
constituted a panel for examining the issues
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Page 446

of certification under Cinematographer Act
1952. Shri Mukul Mudgal, the retired Chief
Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court
was appointed the Chairman of the Panel.
Role and Responsibilities of the Panel
I) The Panel would be responsible for
reviewing the mandate and functioning of
CBFC and recommend measures that
includes constitutional changes for enabling
CBFC to deal with contemporary
requirements of certification with increased
transparency/efficiency. The issues, inter
alia, may include:
a) The process of certification under
the Act and Rules, including the
mechanism followed by Examining
and Revising Committees
b) Categories of certification, existing
and
proposed,
under
the
Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill,
2013
c) Requirement of special categories of
certification for the purposes of
broadcasting on television channels
and radio stations
Page 447
sanctioning of cinematograph films for

exhibition under Entry 60, List I of the
Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of
India with reference to Entry 33, List II of
the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution
of India
IV) The Panel will also be responsible to
suggest measures for carrying on more
effective legal remedies and penal
provisions in the Act, particularly with
reference to making of the unlawful copies,
cam
cording
in
cinema
halls,
interpolation/insertion of clips after
certification and such similar issues
V) It will be responsible for the issues that
the Panel may find fit to deliberate upon
The constituted Panel is responsible for
submission of report within two months
period from the day of its constitution.
II) It will be responsible for reviewing the

mandate and functioning of Film
Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in
order to make it a more efficacious
appellate body
III) It will be responsible towards examining
the role of Central Government regarding
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Page 448
CHAPTER 6: SOCIAL ISSUES

Women. AIRBPA also planned to file the
complaint with the National Commission
for Women (NCW).
COMMITTEE CONSTITUTED
TO CHECK HARASSMENT
ALLEGATIONS MADE BY AIR
NEWS PRESENTERS
A committee was constituted by the
Ministry for Information & Broadcasting to
check the sexual harassment allegations
made by the news presenters, represented
by
AIR
Broadcasting
Professionals
Association (AIRBPA) at FM Gold AIR.
The committee was constituted on the
grounds of the report which appeared in
certain sections of the Press alleging sexual
harassment of women presenters at FM
Gold AIR. The head of this committee will
be the officer of level of Joint Secretary
apart from senior lady officers.
Role of the Committee
The committee will look into the
matter of certain allegations made
by women Radio Presenters of FM
Gold, AIR, represented by AIRBPA.
The committee will also look into
the matter of issues associated with
safety of women at workplace in FM
Gold, AIR.
The committee will submit the
report within three days of the
constitution.
Allegations made by Radio Presenters
Radio presenters at Prasar Bharati had
complained about sexual harassment at the
workplace.
The
All
India
Radio
Broadcasting Professionals Association
(AIRBPA) filed its complaint on 4 March
2013 with the Delhi Commission for
JUSTICE USHA MEHRA

COMMISSION SUBMITTED ITS
REPORT TO THE UNION
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Justice Usha Mehra Commission on 22
February 2013 submitted its report on the
16 December 2012 Delhi gang-rape
incident to the Union Government of India.
The report was received by the Union
Minister of Law and Justice Ashwani Kumar
and the Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh.
Major findings
Commission
of
the
Usha
Mehra
Lack of Coordination between the

Police and the transport department
Lack of cooperation between the

police of National Capital Territory
and National Capital Region plays a
great role in escape of the criminals
from one place to another
Lack of PCR vans and public

transport facility in Delhi
Usha Mehra Commission

The Usha Mehra Commission was
constituted by the Union Government on 26
December 2012 to inquire into the different
aspects of the brutal rape and assault
incident of the girl on 16 December 2012 on
the streets of Delhi. The commission was
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asked to submit the report within three months. Retired Delhi High Court Judge, Usha Mehra
was the head of this commission.
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Page 450
CHAPTER 7: ECONOMY
INDIAS PROPOSAL FOR
HYDROCARBON PIPELINE
FROM KAZAKHSTAN
India in the month of March 2013 proposed
the idea of a hydrocarbon pipeline with
Kazakhstan that is intended to bring fuel
through a five-nation route.
The concept of the pipeline, unveiled could
be in future extended to Russia. Officials
said currently most hydrocarbon pipelines
from Central Asia are on an east-west axis.
This pipeline will, like TAPI, be on a northsouth axis, providing a new route to South
Asia for hydrocarbons extracted from
Central Asia.
Significance of the Proposed Pipeline
The proposed pipeline would cover
about 1500 kms (no study has yet
been done), thus making it longer
than the planned TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI)
pipeline, which will serve as the role
model.
It will head from the former Silk
Road caravanserai city of Shymkent,
known today for oil refining, and
enter Uzbekistan.
From there it will go to Afghanistan
and then follow the route to be
taken by the TAPI pipeline into India
via Pakistan.
It has the potential to be extended
to Russia resolving the headache of
transportation that has vexed Indian
energy security managers when they
scout for hydrocarbon collaboration
with Moscow.
India and Kazakhstan also plan to cooperate

closely in Afghanistan where New Delhis
aid model has been appreciated by the
Central Asian countries all of whom have a
vital stake in stabilising the country.
RBI ANNOUNCED GUIDELINES

FOR LICENSING OF NEW
BANKS IN PRIVATE SECTOR
The Reserve Bank of India on 22 February
2013 released the Guidelines for Licensing
of New Banks in the Private Sector. The
guidelines issued by the Apex Bank have
opened gates for private players as well as
the finance firms to enter into the strictly
regulated banking sector of India.
Key Features of the issued Guidelines
(i) Eligible Promoters: Entities / groups in
the private sector, entities in public sector
and Non-Banking Financial Companies
(NBFCs) shall be eligible to set up a bank
through a wholly-owned Non-Operative
Financial Holding Company (NOFHC).
(ii) Fit and Proper criteria: Entities / groups
should have a past record of sound
credentials and integrity, be financially
sound with a successful track record of 10
years. For this purpose, RBI may seek
feedback from other regulators and
enforcement and investigative agencies.
(iii) Corporate structure of the NOFHC: The
NOFHC shall be wholly owned by the
Promoter / Promoter Group. The NOFHC
shall hold the bank as well as all the other
financial services entities of the group.
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Page 450

(iv) Minimum voting equity capital
requirements for banks and shareholding
by NOFHC: The initial minimum paid-up
voting equity capital for a bank shall be `5
billion. The NOFHC shall initially hold a
minimum of 40 per cent of the paid-up
voting equity capital of the bank which shall
be locked in for a period of five years and
which shall be brought down to 15 per cent
within 12 years. The bank shall get its
shares listed on the stock exchanges within
three years of the commencement of
business by the bank.
(v) Regulatory framework: The bank will be
governed by the provisions of the relevant
Acts, relevant Statutes and the Directives,
Prudential
regulations
and
other
Guidelines/Instructions issued by RBI and
other regulators. The NOFHC shall be
registered as a non-banking finance
company (NBFC) with the RBI and will be
governed by a separate set of directions
issued by RBI.
(vi) Foreign shareholding in the bank: The
aggregate non-resident shareholding in the
new bank shall not exceed 49% for the first
5 years after which it will be as per the
extant policy.
(vii) Corporate governance of NOFHC: At
least 50% of the Directors of the NOFHC
should be independent directors. The
corporate structure should not impede
effective supervision of the bank and the
NOFHC on a consolidated basis by RBI.
(viii) Prudential norms for the NOFHC: The
prudential norms will be applied to NOFHC
both on stand-alone as well as on a
consolidated basis and the norms would be
on similar lines as that of the bank.
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Page 451
(ix) Exposure norms: The NOFHC and the

bank shall not have any exposure to the
Promoter Group. The bank shall not invest
in the equity / debt capital instruments of
any financial entities held by the NOFHC.
(x) Business Plan for the bank: The business
plan should be realistic and viable and
should address how the bank proposes to
achieve financial inclusion.
(xi) Other conditions for the bank: The
Board of the bank should have a majority of
independent Directors.
The bank shall open at least 25 per
cent of its branches in unbanked
rural centres (population up to
9,999 as per the latest census)
The bank shall comply with the
priority sector lending targets and
sub-targets as applicable to the
existing domestic banks.
Banks promoted by groups having
40 per cent or more assets/income
from non-financial business will
require RBIs prior approval for
raising paid-up voting equity capital
beyond `10 billion for every block of
`5 billion.
Any non-compliance of terms and
conditions will attract penal
measures including cancellation of
licence of the bank.
(xii) Additional conditions for NBFCs
promoting / converting into a bank:
Existing NBFCs, if considered eligible, may
be permitted to promote a new bank or
convert themselves into banks.
Background
Guidelines for the Licensing of New Banks
in the PrivateCurrent
SectorAffairs
were Comprehensive
finalized after
amending the Banking Regulation Act,
Page 451
1949 in December 2012.
AKHILESH YADAV PRESENTED

BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR
2013-14
Uttar Pradesh Budget 2013-14: 221201.19
crore rupees Budget Planned
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 19
February 2013 presented a budget of
221201.19 crore rupees for the fiscal year
2013-2014 in the Vidhan Sabha. The budget
presented for the upcoming fiscal year is
10.5 percent more than the budget
presented in the 2012-13 fiscal year. The
budget has not presented any new tax.
The State Finance Ministry of Uttar Pradesh
is led by the Chief Minister of the State
Akhilesh Yadav himself.
The new budget had levied no new taxes
but estimated a deficit of 2.94 percent in
the new financial year.
Important points of the State Budget 201314
People with annual income less than
36000 rupees will be provided free
houses in the state
Free education for girls in degree
colleges, both in government and
government aided colleges
750 crore rupees was allocated for a
loan waiver for farmers.
Page 452
Budgetary Allocation of Money

32886 crore rupees for Education
20292 crore rupees for Social
Welfare Schemes
10,654 crore rupees for Health
26,641 crore rupees for developing
Infrastructure and Value-Addition on
Bridges,
Roads,
Flyovers,
Expressways, this is 25 percent more
than the allocation made in 2012-13
budget
17,774 crore rupees for Agriculture
1,200
crore
rupees
for
unemployment allowance
100
crore
rupees for
the
development of Poorvanchal
The state Government have allotted
a sum of 350 crore rupees for its
scheme Hamari Beti Ushka Kal
20292.92 crore rupees have been
allocated for uplifting of SCs, STs,
OBCs,
physically
handicapped,
Minority groups as well as BPL
families of general category
The budget has displayed a revenue loss of
3 percent (24000 crore rupees) in the GDP.
The budget has assured construction of 313
junior schools and 1200 primary schools in
the 2013-14 fiscal year.
BHEL & GAIL GRANTED

MAHARATNA STATUS BY
UNION GOVERNMENT
The Union Government of India gave the
Maharatna status to PSUs- BHEL and GAIL
on 1 February 2013. Granting Maharatna
status to BHEL and GAIL will provide them
with better functional and financial
freedom and will also guarantee them with
better valuation of the shares.
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Page 452

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.
However, both BHEL and GAIL do not have
enough non-official directors on the board,
which is why they cannot exercise their
Maharatna powers. Even though all other
conditions of Maharatna status were met
by both these PSUs but their boards do not
have requisite number of board members.
While GAIL is short of 4 independent
directors, BHEL, on the other hand is short
of 6 non-official directors.
In terms of turnover, net worth as well as
net profit, both these companies meet all
the eligibility criterions.
Eligibility of a company to get a Maharatna
Status
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.
The net worth of the PSU should

be more than 15000 crore
Rupees in past three years.
The net profit should be over

5000 crore Rupees during past
three years.
At present, there are seven Maharatna
companies, after inclusion of BHEL and GAIL
and these companies are - ONGC, Indian
Oil, SAIL, NTPC and CIL. Also, there are 14
Navratna companies, including Rashtriya
Ispat Nigam Limited and NMDC.
Page 453
ECONOMIC GROWTH OF
INDIA ESTIMATED TO FALL TO
5 PERCENT
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 7
February 2013 revealed that the economic
growth of India is estimated to fall to 5
percent in 2012-2013 financial year, which
is the lowest figure in 10 years. A fall in the
economic growth is because of the poor
performance of the services, agriculture
and manufacturing sectors.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) in its
advance forecast of the national income
chopped off the gross domestic product
(GDP) growth estimate to 5 percent for
financial year which will end on 31 March
2013. This is much less than the GDP of 6.2
percent in 2011-2012 financial year. This is
said to be the worst performance of
economy of India since 2002-2003 when
the economic growth was 4 percent.
The major share of Indias GDP comes from
the services sector. The services sector is
estimated to record a growth of 5.2 percent
in 2012-2013 fiscal year against 7 percent of
2011-2012 fiscal year. As far as the industry
sector is concerned, it is expected that the
growth would decrease to 1.9 percent in
2012-2013 FY. The farm sector growth will
fall down to 1.8 percent.
It is important to note that the official
projection of the economic growth of India
is much lower than budgetary estimate as
well as projections of the central bank of
India and other organisations. In the union
budget for financial year 2012-2013 which
was presented in March 2012, the
government pegged Indias economic
growth at 7.6 percent.
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Page 453

Also in the quarterly monetary policy
review which took place in the first week of
February 2013, the Reserve Bank of India
projected the growth of 5.5 percent for
2012-2013 financial year. In the meanwhile,
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had
projected the economic growth of 5.7
percent.
In first half of 2012-2013 FY, the economy
of India grew by 5.4 percent. However, as
per the latest estimate, the growth would
be around 4.6 percent in second half of
2012-2013. Industry bodies in the
meanwhile asked the government to press
for the reform process in order to revive the
economic growth.
TRAI: TELEDENSITY DECLINED

BY 25.97 MILLION TO 895.51
MILLION
As
cellphone
operators
continued
disconnecting inactive SIM cards, India's
total telecom subscriber base declined by
25.97 million to 895.51 million in
December. In November, the country had
921.47 million telecom subscribers.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) stated that total wireless subscriber
base decreased from 890.60 million in
November 2012 to 864.72 million at the
end of December 2012. TRAI reasoned that
this decline is majorly due to large scale
disconnections of inactive SIMs by some of
the service providers. With this, the overall
teledensity in India decreased to 73.34 per
cent at the end of December, 2012 from
75.55 per cent in the previous month.
Page 454
CCEA GAVE ITS NOD TO PRICE

POOLING MECHANISM ON
COAL
The Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs (CCEA) on 5 February 2013 gave its
principle approval for the price pooling
mechanism of coal. The mechanism
includes cost blending of the domestic coal
with the imported one to counterbalance
price hike. Basic principles and parameters
of the price pooling mechanism have been
identified and a specific data on the same
would be created by the Power and Coal
Ministries.
The mechanism has been created before
government decided to put on sale the 9.5
percent stake of the National Thermal
Power Corporation (NTPC) from its present
holding of 84.50 percent. The sale of the
stake was approved by the Empowered
Group of Ministers on disinvestment
chaired by Finance Minister P Chidambaram
on 5 February 2013. This disinvestment of
NTPC would fetch about 12000 crore
rupees for the exchequer.
MSP OF COPRA FOR 2013

SEASON INCREASED BY 150
RUPEES PER QUINTAL
on 6 February 2013 approved increase in
the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 2013
season of both Milling and Ball Copra by
150 rupees per quintal over the MSP that
was regulated in 2012.
The MSP for the Fair Average Quality (FAQ)
of Milling Copra is fixed at 5250 rupees per
quintal, and for the Ball Copra it is 5500
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Page 454

rupees per quintal. The decision from
government of India may ignite the
interests of the farmers to invest in
cultivation of coconut to increase its
productivity.
Government also cleared that National
Agricultural
Cooperative
Marketing
Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) is the
body that will act as the nodal agency for
undertaking the price support operation at
the minimum support prices in the coconut
growing states.
Authorized Capital of NABARD raised from
5000 crore rupees to 20000 crore rupees
2013 approved raise in the authorized
capital of National Bank for Agriculture and
Rural Development, Nabard to 20000 crore
rupees from 5000 crore rupees.
The authorized capital was increased with
the aim to enlarge the operations and
broadening the activities of NABARD.
RAILWAY REVENUE EARNINGS

INCREASED BY 20.38
PERCENT DURING APRIL
2012-JANUARY 2013
The total approximate earnings of Indian
Railways on originating basis during 1 April
2012 to 31 January 2013 were 101223.95
crore rupees compared to 84083.74 crore
rupees during the same period last year,
registering an increase of 20.38 per cent, as
per the data released by Ministry of
Railways.
The total goods earnings have gone up
from 56163.30 crore rupees during 1 April
2011 31st January 2012 to 70067.36 crore
Page 455
rupees during 1 April 2012 31 January

2013, registering an increase of 24.76 per
cent.
The total passenger revenue earnings
during 1 April 2012 31 January 2013 were
25924.29 crore rupees compared to
23344.42 crore rupees during the same
period last year, registering an increase of
11.05 per cent.
The revenue earnings from other coaching
amounted to 2617.19 crore rupees during
April 2012 - January 2013 compared to
2353.54 crore rupees during the same
period last year, an increase of 11.20 per
cent.
The total approximate numbers of
passengers booked during 1st April 2012
31st January 2013 were 7150.60 million
compared to 6910.00 million during the
same period last year, showing an increase
of 3.48 per cent. In the suburban and nonsuburban sectors, the numbers of
passengers booked during April 2012 January 2013 were 3753.32 million and
3397.28 million compared to 3651.70
million and 3258.30 million during the same
period last year, showing an increase of
2.78 per cent 3.48 per cent respectively.
COMFORT LETTER ISSUED BY

FINANCE MINISTRY FOR
SANCTION OF 25000 CRORE
SUBSIDY
The Union Finance Ministry in second week
of February 2013 decided to pay an
additional cash subsidy of 25000 crore
rupees for the state owned fuel retailers.
The subsidy package is being given to help
the retailers in making up of the revenue
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Page 455

that they lost while selling cooking and auto
fuel below cost in the current fiscal year of
April to December 2012.
A comfort letter was issued on 7 February
2013 by the Union Finance Ministry to the
Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOC), Bharat Petroleum
Corp. Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum
Corp. Ltd (HPCL) that sanctioned
sanctioning 25,000 crore rupees as the part
of the revenue lost by them on selling
diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene below
cost or at subsidized cost. The sanctioned
subsidy meets about 44 percent of the
revenue lost by the three firms of 124854
crore rupees together on the Sale of
cooking and auto fuels in a period of April
to December in 2012.
As per the latest sanctions reveled IOC,
BPCL and HPCL would get 13474.56 crore
rupees, 5987.25 crore rupees and 5538.19
crore rupees respectively.
SEBI ORDERED FREEZING OF

ACCOUNTS AND
ATTACHMENT OF PROPERTIES
OF TWO COMPANIES OF
SAHARA
Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
the stock market regulator of India on 13
February 2013 ordered freezing of bank
accounts and attachment of properties of
two Sahara group firms Sahara India Real
Estate Corporation Ltd., and Sahara
Housing Investment Corporation Ltd. and
its Chairman Subrata Roy as well as top
executives Vandana Bhargava, Ravi Shanker
Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary after it
failed to refund more than 24,000 crore
rupees to investors.
Page 456
The decision from the market regulator

came after the Supreme Court of India
granted it the freedom to freeze the
accounts of the two companies and attach
the properties of the defaulting groups.
The market regulator gave 21 days time to
Sahara Firms to submit the details of the
investments done and not listed in an
order. SEBIs orders restricted the Sahara
India Estate Corporation from operating its
DEMAT accounts and redeeming the mutual
fund units held by it as well as from
transferring the shares controlled by it to
any other body or company.
Sahara Housing was asked to furnish details
related to the development rights along
with the special purpose vehicles as well as
stakes. The orders to submit the details of
movable and immovable properties to
Subrata Roy and the three executives have
restrained them from alienating, disposing
or encumbering the properties on their
names.
INDIA'S TRADE DEFICIT FOR

APRIL - JANUARY, 2012-13
WAS ESTIMATED AT
167168.12 MILLION US
DOLLARS
As per the data released by Union Ministry
of Commerce and Industry on 13 February
2013, Indias performance in export and
import are as following:
Exports
Exports during January, 2013 were valued
at 25587.24 million US dollars. (138981.70
crore rupees) which was 0.82 per cent
higher in Dollar terms (6.67 per cent higher
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Page 456

in Rupee terms) than the level of 25379.05
million US dollars (130294.02 crore rupees)
during January 2012. Cumulative value of
exports for the period April-January 2012 13 was 239687.01 million US dollars
(1305420.39 rupees) as against 251930.14
million US dollars (1196962.33 crore
rupees) registering a negative growth of
4.86 per cent in Dollar terms and growth of
9.06 per cent in Rupee terms over the same
period 2011-12.
Imports
Imports during January, 2013 were valued
at 45583.25 million US dollars (247593.63
crore rupees) representing a growth of 6.12
per cent in Dollar terms and 12.28 per cent
in Rupee terms over the level of imports
valued at 42952.47 million US Dollars (
220514.54 crore rupees) in January 2012.
Cumulative value of imports for the period
April-January 2012-13 was 406855.13
million US dollars (2215115.46 crore
rupees) as against 406820.28 million US
dollars
(1934946.96
crore
rupees)
registering a positive growth of 0.01 per
cent in Dollar terms and growth of 14.48
per cent in Rupee terms over the same
period 2011-12.
Crude Oil and Non-Oil Imports
Oil imports during January, 2013 were
valued at 15899.3 million US dollars which
was 6.91 per cent higher than oil imports
valued at 14871.2 million US Dollars in the
corresponding period last year. Oil imports
during April-January, 2012-13 were valued
at 140420.1 million US dollars which was
11.56 per cent higher than the oil imports
of 125874.2 million US dollars in the
corresponding period last year.Non-oil
imports during January 2013 were
estimated at 29684.0 million US dollars
Page 457
which was 5.71 per cent higher than non-oil

imports of US 28081.3 million in January
2012. Non-oil imports during April January
2012-13 were valued at 266435.0 million US
dollars which was 5.17 per cent lower than
the level of such imports valued at
280946.1 million US dollars in April January 2011-12.
Trade Balance
The trade deficit for April - January 2012-13
was estimated at 167168.12 million US
dollars which was higher than the deficit of
154890.14 million US dollars during April January 2011-12.
NET DIRECT TAX COLLECTION

GREW 12 PERCENT IN APRILJANUARY IN FY 2012-2013
Gross Direct Tax collection from the period
of April to January in fiscal year 2012-2013
increased by 7.02 percent at 455125 crore
Rupees against 425274 crore Rupees in
same period in 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Gross collection of the corporate taxes
increased 3.71 percent, i.e., 296451 crore
Rupees in 2012-2013 fiscal year against
285837 crore Rupees in 2011-2012. Gross
collection of personal income tax increased
by 13.81 percent, i.e., 157913 crore Rupees
in 2012-2013 fiscal year against 138746
crore in 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Net Direct Tax collections registered a
growth of 12.49 percent, i.e., 390310 crore
Rupees in 2012-2013 fiscal year against
346959 crore Rupees in 2011-2012 fiscal
year.
2.85 percent growth was recorded in
Wealth Tax. It increased to 685 crore
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Rupees in 2012-2013 financial year in
comparison to 666 crore Rupees in 20112012 financial year. Growth in Securities
Transaction Tax was on negative side. It
recorded a fall of 9.99 percent. It decreased
to 3731 crore in 2012-2013 in comparison
to 4145 crore Rupees from 2011-2012.
MOU SIGNED FOR SETTING

UP OF MEMU COACHES
MANUFACTURING FACILITY
AT BHILWARA
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was
signed on 25 February 2013 between Indian
Railways and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd
(BHEL) for setting up of Greenfield MEMU
coaches manufacturing facility by BHEL at
Bhilwara in Rajasthan.
Main Line Electric Multiple Unit Trains,
popularly known as MEMU trains were first
introduced in Indian Railways in the Year
1994-95, as a mode of rapid transit system,
to cater to non-suburban passengers,
residing in small towns and villages
surrounding urban and industrial centres.
MEMU trains have higher passenger
carrying capacity and higher average speed
as compared to conventional loco hauled
passenger trains due to faster acceleration
and braking characteristics. These rakes are
now being manufactured with toilet
facilities to take care of passenger needs.
MEMU trains increase the line capacity
utilisation, and therefore are more suitable
for running on high traffic density routes.
Currently, there are about 160 MEMU
services running. There are demands
coming from all over the country for
running more and more MEMU trains. The
demand for these coaches will further
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increase as Indian Railways have plans to

Electrify approximately 15000 route
kilometre during the next 10 years, in
addition to the existing 22000 route
kilometre of electrified track. There was a
shortfall in acquisition of 800 MEMU
coaches during XIth Plan Period due to
capacity constraints at Rail Coach Factory,
Kapurthala, where these MEMU coaches
are produced. Overall it is expected that the
requirement of MEMU coaches will grow to
nearly 9000 coaches during the next 10 year
period. Setting up of factory for
conventional MEMU coaches will go a long
way in meeting this demand.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is a
Maharatna Central Public Sector Unit
(CPSU) company, which is a partner of
Indian Railways for a period spanning more
than 40 years. It has been manufacturing
and supplying electric rolling stock including
EMUs and MEMUs; as well as sub-assembly
and equipment for rolling stock being
manufactured at IRs own production units.
The proposed facility for production of
MEMU coaches will be set up by Bharat
Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) at Bhilwara
in the State of Rajasthan. The entire cost
will be borne by BHEL. Government of
Rajasthan will provide land to Railways, for
setting up the project. In order to make the
project viable, Ministry of Railways will give
Assured off- Take orders to BHEL.
UNION GOVERNMENT OF
INDIA APPROVED EXPORT OF
ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION
TONNES OF WHEAT
The Union Government of India on 7 March
2013 approved export of extra five million
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tonnes of Wheat from its Godowns. The

group of ministers in its meeting also
decided that the added quantity of 5 million
tonnes of wheat shall be exported by the
private traders. It also cleared that the
public sector trading firms will not be a
participant in export of the additional
quantity of wheat.
The FSDC (Financial Stability and

Development Council) meeting, chaired by
RBI Governor D Subbarao also approved
formulating a national strategy for financial
education by incorporating the feedback
received from public consultations and from
a global peer review, RBI said without
providing details.
The GoM (Group of Ministers) have also

decided that bidding process would be used
by the Private traders to export the 2011-12
crop and the floor price decided for per
quintal is 1480 rupees.
RBI had on 22 February 2013 released rules

on allowing companies to start banks in
India and such coordination among
regulators is needed for effective
supervision.
For the present fiscal, the permitted export

of wheat from the godowns of the Food
Corporation of India now stands at 9.5
million tonnes.
WORLD BANK ESTIMATED A

GROWTH OF OVER 6 PERCENT
FOR THE INDIAN ECONOMY
DURING 2013-14
INDIAN FINANCIAL
REGULATORS SIGNED PACT
TO MONITOR
CONGLOMERATES
The World Bank in the month of March

2013 forecasted that the Indian economy is
estimated to grow over 6 per cent during
2013-14.
The country's top four financial regulators

on 8 March 2013 signed an agreement
among each other for co-operation on
consolidated supervision and monitoring of
financial groups identified as financial
conglomerates- large banks and other key
players.
The decisiveness was taken at a subcommittee meeting of the Financial
Stability and Development Council (FSDC)
held in the Reserve Bank.
The regulators who signed the pact were
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI),
Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority and Pension Fund Regulatory
and Development Authority.
World Bank Chief Jim Young Kim, who is on

a three-day visit to India asserted that India
is estimated to have grown 5 percent in the
current fiscal and the growth rate is likely to
improve to 6.1-6.7 percent in 2013-14.
The Indian economy, like any other
economy, is subject to global slowdown. It
has effect here and at the same time, the
export market has started doing better. On
the positive node, it also had be seen that
share of India in global economy almost
doubled in five years between 2005 and
2010. Kim is on his first visit to India after
taking over as President of World Bank
Group in July 2012.
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UNION GOVERNMENT
GRANTED AN AID OF 41
CRORE RUPEES TO PROTECT
PASHMINA GOATS
The Union Government on 12 March 2013
decided to provide a financial assistance of
41.21 crore rupees to protect Pashmina
goat, which produces world-famous fine
luxury fibre.
The idea of providing assistance came in
light of concern over the recent deaths of
thousands of Pashmina goats in the Ladakh
region. As per the assistance, there is plan
which ideates a new Pashmina Wool
Development Scheme with a special
package and a financial allocation of 41.21
crore rupees.
Main Components of the Scheme
It includes assistance for foundation
stock in new areas for Pashmina
rearing activities.
Inclusion of Health coverage and
feed supplement.
Strengthening of existing fodder
bank and pashmina goat breeding
farm.
It will also include establishment of
multipurpose extension centre and
pasture farm on migratory routes.
Development of Breeder orientation
training camp for research and
development.
HPCL AND GOVERNMENT OF

RAJASTHAN SIGNED A MOU
FOR SETTING UP REFINERY
Page 460
14 March 2013 signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) at Jaipur for setting
up a 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.
About the refinery-cum-petrochemical
complex project in Barmer, Rajasthan
The
refinery-cum-petrochemical
complex in Barmer will be set up at
an estimated capital investment of
37230 crore Rupees.
The project will be completed in 4
years time duration.
9
MMTPA
refinery-cum
petrochemicals will be a state-ofthe-art complex and will bring
benefit to the state of Rajasthan and
its people.
The purpose of the refinery will be
to process the locally available crude
apart from other crudes.
The
refinery-cum-petrochemical
complex is designed for production
of motor fuels with latest
environmental specifications as well
as wide range of petrochemicals.
The proposed complex will be the
first of its kind to be specifically
designed to produce petrochemicals
from the indigenous crude oil.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited

(HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan on
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Page 461
Page 462
CHAPTER 8: PERSONALITIES
personnel at Malom near Imphal Airport on
2 November 2000.
PATIALA HOUSE COURT

FRAMED CHARGES AGAINST
IROM SHARMILA FOR
ATTEMPTING SUICIDE
She is force fed, through her nose with a

food pipe for more than a decade.
Armed Forces Special Powers Act, AFSPA
The Patiala House Court, New Delhi on 4

March 2013 framed charges of allegedly
attempting to commit suicide during her
fast until death in the Capital in 2006
against Irom Sharmila Chanu, the Iron Lady
from Manipur.
The Court framed charges against the Iron
Lady for her attempt to commit suicide. The
Court also issued a show cause notice to
Irom Sharmila after she refused to plead
guilty. She appeared before the court under
Indian Penal Code 309 (attempt to commit
suicide) for fasting at Jantar Mantar in
Delhi.
Irom Sharmila Chanu
Irom Sharmila had been fasting for more
than 12 years for repealing of the Armed
Forces Special Powers Actb 1958, AFSPA.
Sharmila began her fast till death after ten
persons, including a boy who received the
National Bravery Award, were shot dead in
an alleged encounter with Assam Rifles
Violence became the way of life in northeastern States of India. State administration
became incapable to maintain its internal
disturbance. Armed Forces (Assam and
Manipur) Special Powers Ordinance was
promulgated by the President on 22 May
1958. In which some special powers have
been given to the members of the armed
forces in disturbed areas in the State of
Assam and Union Territory of Manipur.
Later the Ordinance was replaced by the
Armed Forces Special Powers Bill.
Iron Sharmila had been fasting for repealing
of the armed forces Special Power Act from
the North Eastern States. Her fast till death
is a process of silent protest that had been
in existence in the nation from the preindependence
era
to
the
post
independence era. From Mahatma Gandhi,
the father of the nation to Anna Hazare had
carried on with their protests alongwith
their demands by Fasting.
Article 19 of the Constitution of India deals with the right of expression and speech and as
fasting is a process of expressing the thoughts against the government thus it can be considered
as a part of Article 19. This right cannot be denied until and unless there exists an illegality in
the process. In fact, none of the Indian Courts till date have banned fasts in India and every
individual have the right to go on fast to protest against the government.
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Under IPC 309 her indefinite fasting is

regarded as the attempt to commit
suicide.
IPC 309 Attempt to commit suicide-Whoever attempts to commit suicide and
does any act towards the commission of
such offence, shall be punished with simple
imprisonment for a term which may extend
to one year 1 (or with fine, or with both.)
MO YAN AND JACKIE CHAN

SELECTED AS MEMBERS OF
CHINESE PARLIAMENT
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
People's Political Consultative Conference,
one of the houses of Chinese parliament.
Mo Yan and Jackie Chan were among 2237
people selected by China's new leaders led
by Xi Jinping as the members of CPPCC
National Committee. Out of 2237 people,
399 are women. Xi Jinping is the new
general secretary of the Communist Party.
He will become the President of China after
two Houses of Parliament have meeting in
March 2013.
Apart from Mo Yan and Jackie Chan, other
known face to be given a seat in this
political party includes former NBA star and
popular basket ball player Yao Ming.
CPPCC comprises of the members from
different fields and they were selected
without any election process. The party
includes 893 members of the Communist
Party. The chosen officials include members
of non-Communist parties, military officers,
Page 463
officials,
representatives
from
environmental, social, cultural, political and
economic fields.
NICOS ANASTASIADES WON

CYPRUS PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS WITH 57.5
PERCENT VOTES
Nicos Anastasiades, the centre-right DISY
(the Democratic Rally) party leader won
the presidential elections of Cyprus on 24
February 2013 with 57.5 percent votes. The
term of his office starts from 28 February
2013.
Nicos Anastasiades had a very easy-going
victory over Communist-backed Stavros
Malas who secured 42.5 percent votes in
the election.
Major challenges to be faced by Nicos
Anastasiades
The major challenge that would be faced by
Nicos Anastasiades is that Cyprus is
standing on the verge of bankruptcy
because of knock-on effect of the economic
despair of Greece. Nicos Anastasiades after
winning therefore declared that his first
priority would be to reinstate the credibility
of Cyprus. For this, he would favour deals
with the foreign lenders.
The economy of Cyprus is in recession. Back
in July 2012, Cyprus had also asked
European Union for bailout in order to
shore up the banks. As a result of the
bailout deal for Greece as well as
restructuring of debts, private bondholders
had to suffer losses, resulting in Cypruss
banks losing 75 percent of the investments.
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New president Nicos Anastasiades would be
required to finalise the deal with 16
countries which use Euro as the currency as
well as with International Monetary Fund
(IMF).
The aim of the newly elected president
would also be to exploit the immense
natural gas, which in turn would bring
energy as well as income.
About Nicos Anastasiades
Nicos Anastasiades is a 66-year old
lawyer and a member of the
Cypruss parliament since 1981.
He is the leader of centre-right DISY
(the Democratic Rally) party since
1997.
Nicos Anastasiades would be
replacing the former President of
Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias who
served the office from 28 February
2008 and will remain into the
designation till the end of his term
on 28 February 2013. Dimitris
Christofias
belonged
to
the
Progressive Party of Working
People.
Important Facts
Presidential elections took place in
the Republic of Cyprus on 17
February 2013. None of the
candidates received 50 percent of
the overall votes from first round.
Eventually, a runoff took place on 24
February
2013
where
Nicos
Anastasiades emerged as the
winner.
The President of the Republic of
Cyprus is also known as the head of
the state as well as the head of the
government of Cyprus.
The office of the President of Cyprus
was formed in 1960 after the
Page 464
country achieved its freedom from

the UK.
HAMADI JEBALI, RESIGNED

FROM THE POST OF PRIME
MINISTER OF TUNISIA
Hamadi Jebali resigned from the office of
the Prime Minister of Tunisia on 19
February 2013 after his attempt to end a
political standoff by formation of a
Government of Technocrats failed. Hamadi
Jebali was trying to create coalition because
of the political crisis which took birth by
killing of Chokri Belaid, the opposition
leader.
A cabinet of apolitical technocrats was
proposed by Jebali to suppress the disorder
created after the assassination of the
secular opposition politician Chokri Belaid
on 6 February 2013. Belaid, an outspoken
critic of the government and a leaning
lawyer was shot dead and his death created
a situation of mass protests across the
nation.
Assassination of Chokri Belaid on 6
February 2013 led to mass protests as well
as resignations from the coalition
government of Tunisia.
About Hamadi Jebali
Hamadi Jebali is the Tunisian Islamist
politician, who remained in office as the PM
from December 2011 to 19 February 2013.
He was also the Secretary-General of the
Ennahda Movement which is the Islamist
party in Tunisia. He belonged to the
Ennahda Movement political party of
Tunisia. He is a member of the Islamist
Ennahda party.
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should be founded on moral integrity died

at the age of 81 suffering from leukemia.
T. S. VIJAYAN, APPOINTED AS
THE CHAIRMAN OF IRDA
T. S. Vijayan, the former LIC Chief took over
as the Chairman of the Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority
(IRDA) on 21 February 2013. Vijayan will
succeed J. Hari Narayan. J. Hari Narayan
completed the five-year term on 20
February 2013.
He is now survived by his wife, Irene

Brendel Dworkin, two children Anthony
Dworkin and Jennifer Dworkin and two
grandchildren.
Ronald Dworkin
Dworkin was a professor of law at
New York University and was an
emeritus professor at University
College London
He was one of the best known and
most quoted legal scholars in the
U.S. and also an expert on British
law
He wrote books named A Matter of
Principle, Law's Empire and Justice
for Hedgehogs
He graduated in Law from Harvard
Law School in 1957
He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford
University in England
The tenure for IRDA chairman is five years

or till 65 years.
T. S. Vijayan will take over as the Chairman
of IRDA when the entire industry is facing
meltdown. The challenges which will be
faced by him include taking the insurance
industry to rural areas as well as simplifying
the insurance products.
RADHAKISHAN MALVIYA
FORMER UNION MINISTER
DIED AT THE AGE OF 68
Radhakishan Malviya, the former Union
Minister and Rajya Sabha Member from
Madhya Pradesh died on 19 February 2013
at a private hospital in Indore after suffering
from a brief illness. He died at the age of 68.
RONALD DWORKIN, THE

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
EXPERT AND PHILOSOPHER
OF AMERICA DIED AT 81
American philosopher and Constitutional
law expert, Ronald Dworkin died in a
hospital at London on 14 February 2013.
The liberal scholar who argued that the law
AK MUKERJI IS THE NEXT

PERMANENT
REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIA
TO UN
Asoke Kumar Mukerji was appointed as the
next Permanent Representative of India to
the United Nations on 13 February 2013.
Mukerji replaced Hardeep Singh Puri who
retired in February 2013 after the tenure of
two years.
Asoke Kumar Mukerji was chosen by the
Ministry of External Affairs of the Union
Government of India. At present, Mukerji is
Special Secretary in the External Affairs
Ministry. He also served as the Consul
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General in Dubai as well as the Deputy High

Commissioner in London.
after senior advocate Rohinton Nariman

resigned from his designation.
Asoke Kumar Mukerji was the private

secretary to External Affairs Minister
Salman Khurshid.
Mohan Parasaran will serve as the Solicitor

General of India for a term of three years.
The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet (ACC) cleared his name for Solicitor
General of India. Rohinton Nariman
resigned from his post in Early February
2013.
OSCAR PISTORIUS CHARGED

FOR SHOOTING DEAD HIS
GIRLFRIEND
Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee Blade
Runner from South Africa was charged on
14 February 2013 for allegedly shooting
dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at
his home in Pretoria.
Mohan Parasaran is a senior advocate of

the Supreme Court. He was appointed by
first UPA Government as Additional
Solicitor General (ASG) in July 2004.
Solicitor General of India
The Solicitor General of India is the second
highest law officer of India and a
subordinate to the Attorney General for
India, who is the Indian government's chief
legal advisor.
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius is a South African
sprint runner, who turned up to
be the first double-leg-amputee,
who lined up in the starting
blocks with the able bodied
competitors in the men's 400
metres race during the London
Olympics 2012.
He won gold medals in the men's
400 metre race in a Paralympic
and set a record time of 46.68
seconds as well as he managed to
create a world record in the 4
100 metres relay in 41.78
seconds
AERO INDIA 2013 ENDED

AFTER DISPLAYING
MAGNIFICENT AEROBATIC
SKILLS
The 9th edition of Aero India 2013, a fiveday aviation show organised by the Defence
Exhibition Organization of the Ministry of
Defence ended at the Air Force Station,
Yelahanka, Bangalore on 10 February 2013
after displaying its magnificent aerobatic
skills and belongings that created a chance
of winning potential business tie-ups and
networking. Defence Minister of India, A K
Antony inaugurated the Air Show on 6
February 2013.
MOHAN PARASARAN
APPOINTED AS THE
SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA
Mohan Parasaran, the Additional Solicitor
General was on 13 February 2013
appointed as the Solicitor General of India
During the inauguration ceremony of the

9th Edition of Aero India show, Aero Space
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Policy of Karnataka state was unveiled by
the Defence Minister of India, A K Antony.
The Show was opened for general public on
9 February 2013.
Aero India Show
Aero India is a show and exhibition of
aviation organized by the Defence
Exhibition Organisation of the Ministry of
Defence at the Yelahanka Air Force Station
in Bangalore. To make the show the largest
Air Show of Asia different bodies namely
Defence Ministry of India, Indian Air Force,
Organization (DRDO), Department of Space,
the Union Civil Aviation Ministry and few
more comes together to organize the same.
The first Edition of the show was organised
for the first time in 1996. In the previous
2011 edition of the show Boeings F/A-18
Super Hornet, Jaguars, Sukhoi Su-30MKIs,
Saab Gripen and Dassault Rafale were the
main highlights of Aero India 2011. The next
Aero India show is scheduled to be held
from 18 February to 22 February 2015 at
Bangalore.
KALYAN KUMAR
CHAKRAVARTY APPOINTED AS
THE CHAIRMAN OF LALIT
KALA AKADEMI
appointed Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty as the
chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi on 12
February 2013. Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty is
the IAS officer of 1970 batch and retired
from the designation of Secretary to
Page 467
Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty will retain his

position till 31 December 2017. Chakravarty
also
served
in
Madhya
Pradesh
government. He had also remained
member-secretary of Indira Gandhi
National Centre for the Arts and director
general of the National Museum, New Delhi
apart from vice chancellor of the National
Museum Institute.
Lalit Kala Akademi
Lalit Kala Akademi or the National Academy
of Fine Art is fine art institution of
Government of India with an objective to
promote, develop as well as spread the
culture of Indian fine art. It receives funds
from Ministry of Culture.
POPE BENEDICT XVI

ANNOUNCED HIS
RESIGNATION
Pope Benedict XVI on 11 February 2013
announced that he would resign at the end
of the month. He reasoned that he was too
infirm to carry on. He is the first pontiff to
do so in nearly 600 years. The decision set
the stage for the election of a new Pope
before the end of March 2013.
Pope Benedict XVI is 85 years old. He had
become the Pope in 2005. The last Pope to
resign was Pope Gregory XII, who took this
step in 1415 to put an end to the Great
Western Split among competing papal
claimants.
US MARINE JOSEPH
DUNFORD TOOK OVER THE
COMMAND OF ISAF IN
AFGHANISTAN
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US Marine General Joseph Dunford took
over the command of the NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) in Afghanistan at a change over
ceremony in Kabul on 10 February 2013. He
succeeded US Marine General John Allen
who became the longest-serving ISAF
commander in the eleven year old war
against terror in Afghanistan by completing
19 months at the office. General Dunford
previously served in various capacities in
the U.S. Marine Corps including as its
Assistant Commandant.
Joseph Dunford will head the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the final
two years of the war, and may to be the
last commander to serve in Afghanistan, as
Afghan soldiers take over from coalition
forces in time for a full withdrawal in 2014.
Dunford will be the fifth top allied
commander to lead in Afghanistan in five
years.
EDUCATION MINISTER OF
GERMANY ANNETTE
SCHAVAN STRIPPED OF
DOCTORATE FOR PLAGARISM
Annette Schavan the Education Minister of
Germany on 6 February 2013 was stripped
of her doctorate degree by the committee
of academics at Duesseldorfs Heinrich
Heine University. The University took the
action after the committee considered the
allegations of plagiarism done by Schavan in
different parts of the thesis submitted to
the University.
Page 468
Schavan failed to cite the passages properly

of the thesis in philosophy submitted to the
University in 1980.
Before this, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg,
the former Defence Minister of Germany
resigned from his office in 2011 after it was
confirmed that a major portion of doctoral
thesis submitted by him to avail the
doctorate was copied.
ROHINTON F NARIMAN
SOLICITOR-GENERAL OF
INDIA RESIGNED FROM HIS
OFFICE
Rohinton F Nariman, the Solicitor-General
of India resigned from his office on 4
February 2013. He was appointed at the
second highest law official of India on 23
July 2011 after Gopal Subramanium
resigned from his office on 14 July 2011
following the issues with Government in
context to the 2G Spectrum Allocation
Scam.
Nariman was designated as a senior
advocate at the age of 37, when M.N.
Venkatachaliah, the Chief Justice of India
amended the rules and reduced the age
from 45 years for designating a lawyer as a
senior advocate.
In the history of last four decades, only
three Solicitor Generals have been
successful in completing his five year term
in the office and they are - L N Sinha from
1972-77, Dipankar Gupta from 1992-97 and
G E Vahanvati from 2004-09.
The allegations were made against the

Education Minister by an anonymous
blogger in 2012 claiming the Annette
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Raja Bhaiya at the Kunda Police Station,

where DSP Zia-ul-Haq was posted.
P.R. VASUDEVA RAO

APPOINTED AS THE DIRECTOR
OF THE INDIRA GANDHI
CENTRE FOR ATOMIC
RESEARCH
P.R. Vasudeva Rao became the Director of
the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam on 31
January 2013. He succeeded S.C Chetal,
who has now retired.
Dr. Rao was earlier the Director, Chemistry
Group in IGCAR and is also a specialist in the
field of actinide chemistry as well as a few
areas of chemistry of nuclear fuel cycle. In
IGCAR, Dr. Rao led various R&D
programmes related to the field of
chemistry.
RAGHURAJ PRATAP SINGH

RESIGNED FROM THE STATE
CABINET OF UTTAR PRADESH
Uttar Pradesh Minister Raghuraj Pratap
Singh alias Raja Bhaiya resigned from the
State Cabinet on 4 March 2013 in the wake
of the killing of the DSP in Pratapgarh
district. He submitted his resignation to the
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh
Yadav at Lucknow and Governor of the
state, B.L. Joshi accepted his resignation.
Issue that led to Resignation
DSP Zia-ul-Haq was killed by a mob in
Pratapgarh on 2 March 2013 when he
rushed there after a village head was shot
dead over a land dispute. Raja Bhaiya was
accused for the attack on the DSP by his
slain wife. The complaint was filed against
VICE ADMIRAL ANURAG G

THAPLIYAL IS THE NEW
DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
INDIAN COAST GUARD
Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal on 28
February 2013 took over as the twentieth
Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.
He is the successor of the outgoing Vice
Admiral MP Muralidharan.
ITALIAN MUSICIAN AND

COMPOSER ARMANDO
TROVAJOLI DIED AGED 95
Italian musician and composer Armando
Trovajoli died aged 95. He wrote the scores
for 300 films. During his long stint; he
worked with some of the world's great jazz
musicians, including Duke Ellington, Louis
Armstrong and Miles Davis. His most
famous song was a romantic serenade to
Rome earned so much popularity with the
tourists that it was regarded as the city's
theme tune. Mayor Gianni Alemanno paid
tribute to Trovajoli as the voice of Rome.
RAJEEV SHAHARE APPOINTED

AS THE NEW HIGH
COMMISSIONER OF INDIA TO
MALDIVES
Rajeev Shahare was appointed as the new
High Commissioner to Maldives on 28
February 2013, replacing D M Mulay.
At present, Shahare is a Joint Secretary in
the West Asia North Africa division of
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Page 469

Ministry of External Affairs. D M Mulay, on
the other hand, has now been appointed as
the Indias Consul General in New York. He
would take up office in March 2013.
The appointment of Rajeev Shahare came
at a time when bilateral relations between
India and Maldives are suffering because of
termination of contract to GMR for Male
International Airport modernisation.
MUKESH AMBANI BECAME

RICHEST PERSON OF INDIA
FOR SIXTH CONSECUTIVE
YEAR
Mukesh Ambani retained his title as the
richest person of India for the sixth
consecutive year with the net worth of 21.5
billion US Dollars, according to the annual
rankings published by Forbes on 4 March
2013. The richest man in the world for
fourth time in a row was Mexican business
tycoon Carlos Slim with the net worth of 73
billion US Dollars.
In the overall list of the billionaires of the
world, Mukesh Ambani was ranked at
number 22. Lakshmi Mittal, on the other
hand was ranked at 41st position with the
net worth of 16.5 billion US Dollars.
The first in the list was Carlos Slim, followed
by Bill Gates with the net worth of 67 billion
US Dollars, Spain's Amancio Ortega with net
worth of 57 billion US Dollars, Warren
Buffett with the net worth of 53.5 billion US
Dollars and Larry Ellison with the net worth
of 43 billion US Dollars.
Page 470
VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT
HUGO CHAVEZ DIED AT 58
DUE TO CANCER
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died on
5 March 2013 at a military hospital in
Caracas at the age of 58 due to Cancer. He
died after battling from cancer for two
years during which he underwent several
surgeries and chemotherapy in Cuba.
With his death his 14 year rule of Venezuela
came to an end and bringing a challenge of
electing a new President for the country
within 30 days as per Constitution of
Venezuela. Till then the Presidency will be
assumed by the Vice-President of the
country, Nicolas Maduro. The Foreign
Minister of Venezuela Elias Jose Jaua
Milano announced seven days mourning for
the country.
FORMER CBI DIRECTOR

ASHWANI KUMAR APPOINTED
NAGALAND GOVERNOR
62 year old Former CBI Director, Ashwani
Kumar on 9 March 2013 appointed as
Governor of Nagaland.
Ashwani Kumar was the Director of the
agency from August 2008 to November
2010. He will be the first head of the agency
to be appointed as a Governor.
With the appointment of Ashwani Kumar
Former Delhi Police Commissioner Nikhil
Kumar, who was serving as Governor of
Nagaland, has been transferred and
appointed as Governor of Kerala for the
remainder of his tenure. 72-year-old Nikhil
Kumar is a 1963-batch IPS officer, who was
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appointed as Governor of Nagaland on 15

October 2009.
Banaras Hindu University on 13 March

2013. He was aged 75 years.
C J GEORGE ELECTED AS THE

CHAIRMAN OF CII KERALA
STATE COUNCIL
XI JINPING TOOK OVER AS

THE NEW PRESIDENT OF
CHINA
C J George the Managing Director of Geojit

BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd, on 9
March 2013 elected chairman, CII Kerala
State Council for 2013-14.
The new leader of the Communist Party of

China (CPC), Xi Jinping on 14 March 2013
was appointed as the President of China. It
is important to note that Xi Jinping, 59, was
also chosen as the General Secretary of CPC
in November 2012. He overtook the office
from Hu Jintao.
SWEDISH PRINCESS LILIAN

DAVIES DIED AT THE AGE OF
97 YEARS
Swedish Princess Lilian Davies died in
Stockholm on 10 March 2013. She was aged
97 years. Swedish Princess Lilian was
married to Prince Bertil.
The Swedish Princess Lilian Davies was born
in Swansea, Wales in August 1915 in a
working class family. The cause of her death
is unknown, but she suffered from
Alzheimer's disease.
Lilian Davies became the princess of
Sweden in 1976 as well as the duchess of
the southern province of Halland at
Drottningholm Palace Chapel in Stockholm.
On 14 March 2013, Xi Jinping was approved

by National Peoples Congress (NPC), the
Parliament of China, in the comprehensive
election process at Great Hall of the People.
Out of 2963 delegates of NPC, there were
2956 delegates present. Out of the present
delegates, 2952 voted for Xi Jinping. Only
one vote was cast against him, while three
representatives did not vote.
Politburo member Li Yuanchao (63) was
also chosen as the Vice President of Xi
Jinping on the same day with 2839 votes in
favour of him.
Li Keqiang, 57, was appointed as the Prime
Minister of China. He replaced Wen Jiabao.
PROF VEER BHADRA MISHRA,

THE NOTED
ENVIRONMENTALIST DIED AT
75
Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra, the noted

environmentalist as well as the acclaimed
Hero of the Planet of TIME Magazine in
1999, died at Sir Sundarlal Hospital of
President of China: Xi Jinping

Vice President of China: Li
Yuanchao
Prime Minister of China: Li
Keqiang
CHIEF JUSTICE KHIL RAJ

REGMI SWORN-IN AS THE
PRIME MINISTER OF NEPAL
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Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn-in as
the new Prime Minister of Nepal on 14
March 2013. Khil Raj Regmi will be the head
of interim government which will have its
elections by 21 June 2013. He took over the
office from Baburam Bhattarai.
Khil Raj Regmi, 63, took oath of the office
and secrecy from the President Ram Baran
Yadav. In the meanwhile, Madhav Ghimire
was chosen as the Home Minister as well as
the External Affairs Minister. Hari Prasad
Neupane was chosen as the Law Minister as
well as Labour Minister. Regmi will head the
11-member interim government.
It is for the first time in the political history
of Nepal that any sitting Chief Justice was
named as Head of the Government.
SOUMITRA BHATTACHARYA
ELECTED AS THE CHAIRMAN
OF CII KARNATAKA
Soumitra Bhattacharya, the Joint Managing
Director, Bosch Ltd, and Sandeep Kumar
Maini, the director of Maini Precision
Products Pvt Ltd, in the third week of
March 2013 elected as the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of CII Karnataka for 2013-14.
JORGE BERGOGLIO ELECTED

AS THE NEW POPE; CHOSE
FRANCIS AS HIS PAPAL NAME
Jorge Bergoglio: He is the 266th Pope
(head of the Roman Catholic Church)
The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church
chose Argentine Jorge Bergoglio on 13
March 2013 as the new Pope. The new
pope chose Francis as his Papal Name. He is
the first non-European pope in almost 1300
Page 472
years and first pontiff from the Americas. A

Pope sits in the Vatican City.
Before Jorge Bergoglio, no other Pope took
the Papal Name Francis after Saint Francis
of Assisi. Saint Francis of Assisi was the
reformer of 13th Century, who lived in
extreme poverty and preached his followers
to preach the Gospel always, if necessary
use words.
After being elected as the Pope, Pope
Francis waved his hands to the huge crowd
gathered at St. Peters Square. The cardinals
elected Jorge Bergoglio as the new pope
after completion of the fifth ballot, but in all
these ballots there existed no clear frontrunner into the vote. For being elected to
the position of the Pope, a winner must
secure 77 votes or two-thirds of the 115
votes.
Before this in the year 2005, Pope Benedict
XVI was the front-runner in the fourth
ballot. In 1978 Pope John Paul II was elected
after eighth ballot and was the first nonItalian Pope in 455 years.
Pope Benedict XVI, who was appointed
pope in the year 2005 resigned from his
position in February 2013 claiming that he
was infirm to carry. He was the first pope in
past 600 years to resign after Pope Gregory
XII, who resigned from the position in 1415
to put an end to the Great Western Split
among competing papal claimants.
Importance of the Chimney Smoke in
completion of the election process
The colour of the smoke from chimney
plays a vital role in indicating the
completion of election process of a Pope.
When the process of election of a Pope is
completed and he accepts his position, the
ballots are burnt immediately.
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Traditionally, these ballots are burnt dry or
with the help of chemical additives. When a
pope is elected, white smoke appears from
the chimney. On the other hand,
appearance of the black smoke indicates
that voting has remained inconclusive.
After the election of the Pope, white smoke
appeared from Sistine Chapel chimney on
13 March 2013, which indicated that a Pope
was elected and he also accepted his
position.
Page 473
the Cardinals are locked inside the Sistine

Chapel in the Apostolic Palace. The
Conclave is initiated after 15 days and
before 20 days of Popes death or
resignation. During this complete process
the cardinals are made to stay in the
hospital inside the Vatican called as St.
Marthas House that has 130 rooms. All the
arrangements are made to make sure that
no one from the outside world is able to get
in touch with any of the cardinals or viceversa, when they are transported from the
St. Martha's and the Sistine Chapel.
What is Papal Name?

Papal Name is the name used by the
Popes at the time, when they are in
the office. This activity of choosing a
name first started in sixth century
and became a custom in the 10th
Century. Since 16th Century every
pope had been choosing the papal
name.
Election Process of the Pope
The process of electing a new pope is called
conclave and a college of cardinals is
responsible for his election. Conclave is the
process of seizing the members of the
college in the Vatican City, authorized to
vote, leaving them in no-contact with the
outside world. During the voting process
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Rules laid down for election of a new Pope

The number of electors from the College of
Cardinals is 120 may be whatever is the
number of Cardinals in the college.
A Cardnal, who had attended the age of 80
years before the Papacy day is not allowed
to participate in the Conclave.
Any contestant, who is able to win more
than two-third of the votes is elected as the
Pope
The ballot is conducted twice in morning and
afternoon continuously for four days, before
declaring the result
In case, the cardinals fail to elect a Pope with
12 or 13 days, they can impose a majority
vote and select the new Pope with simple
majority

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CHAPTER 9: AWARDS/HONOURS
PEACE, DISARMAMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT AWARD
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

WON FOUR AWARDS AT THE
INDEPENDENT SPIRIT
AWARDS
Silver Linings Playbook won four awards at
the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa
Monica on 24 February 2013. The movie
won best film, best screenplay, best
director for David O Russell and best actress
for Jennifer Lawrence at the film awards.
The awards were presented by Daniel
Radcliffe, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Renner.
John Hawkes got best actor award for
portraying the late disabled journalist in The
Sessions. Hawkes hoped that the movie
would help change perceptions of disability.
Major highlights of the award function
were
Best foreign film went to Oscar
favourite Amour, directed by
Michael Haneke.
Best documentary award was
won by The Invisible War, which
addresses rape and sexual abuse
in the US military.
The best first feature prize went
to Perks of Being a Wallflower,
which stars Emma Watson.
ELA BHATT CONFERRED 2011

INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee on

18 February 2013 conferred 2011 Indira
Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and
Development Award to Ela Ramesh Bhatt,
a renowned Women social worker. The
award was given away at Rashtrapati
Bhavan, New Delhi.
Ela Bhatt was given away the award for life
time
achievements
in
women
empowerment, promotion of grassroot
level entrepreneurship as well as
contribution towards promotion of
equitable development and peace. Ela
Bhatt has her organisation SEWA (SelfEmployed Womens Association). President
Pranab Mukherjee while giving away the
award announced that SEWA was a vehicle
of self employment and self reliance for the
Indian women, while at the same time
being synonymous with the rural
inclusiveness.
YES BANK AWARDED

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
SYNDICATED DEAL OF THE
YEAR 2012
YES Bank, the fourth largest private sector
Bank of India was awarded the Financial
Institutions Syndicated Deal of the Year
2012 in its Asia Pacific Region. The award
was given for 155 million US dollar
syndicated loan.
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The award was given away by Asia Pacific
Loan Market Association (APLMA), which is
a leading trade association for syndicated
loan market in this region. The award
ceremony was held in Hong Kong.
The 155 million US dollar loan which was
syndicated by YES bank was distributed
across 9 different countries from 14 banks.
RATAN TATA AWARDED LIFE

TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
2012 BY ERNST & YOUNG
The Romanian film Child's Pose on 16

February 2013 bagged the coveted Golden
Bear prize for best film at the 63rd Berlin
film festival. The Romanian drama is about
a dominating mother using her social
position to try to save her son from jail.
The awards ceremony brought to a close
the 11-day cinema showcase, where
hundreds of movies were screened across
Berlin.
US independent director David Gordon
Green won the Silver Bear best director
award for his movie Prince Avalanche.
Ratan Tata, the former head of Tata Group

was awarded the Life Time Achievement
Award 2012 by Ernst & Young on 21
February 2013. He was given away the
award for displaying great role for the
Indian businessmen on global business
level.
The Entrepreneur of the Year (2012) Award
was given away to Adi Godrej, Godrej
Group Chairman. It is important to note
that entrepreneur of the year award is an
only business award which is based on selfnomination.
Also, Ernst & Young announced names of
successful entrepreneurs in various
categories and these awards were given
away to TT Jagannathan, Chairman, TTK
Group; Francisco DSouza, Chief Executive
Officer, Cognizant Technology Solutions;
Cyrus S Poonawalla, Managing Director,
Serum Institute of India and Onkar S
Kanwar, Chairman and Managing Director,
Apollo Tyres.
ROMANIAN FILM CHILDS

POSE BAGGED THE GOLDEN
BEAR PRIZE
Page 475
The movie, the only comedy movie among

the 19 contenders at the festival, features
Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch in the lead roles
as highway maintenance workers in Texas
at a crossroads in their lives.
The Silver Bear for best actress was won by
Chiles Paulina Garcia for her role in Gloria.
The movie is a feel-good movie about a
middle-aged divorcee who refuses to give
up her search for happiness. Best
screenplay was picked up by Closed Curtain.
It was directed by Iranian dissident director
Jafar Panahi and his longtime collaborator
Kambuzia Partovi, a film made in defiance
of a ban by authorities in Tehran.
PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR

HONOURED WITH
POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT GRAMMY
AWARD
Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar legend was
honoured with the posthumous Lifetime
Achievement Grammy award. His daughter
sitarist Anoushka Shankar accepted the
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Page 475

award on his behalf on 9 February 2013
ahead of the Grammys show that took
place in Los Angeles on 10 February 2013.
Anoushka Shankar and Norah Jones
attended the pre-Grammy ceremony at the
Wilshire Ebell Theatre for accepting the
honour which was given to their deceased
father. Pandit Ravi Shankar died on 11
December 2012 at 92 years of age.
Pandit Ravi Shankar was in the list of seven
other artistes named for Lifetime
Achievement Award honourees and this
also included Carole King and the
Temptations. The Indian sitar legend also
won best world music album Grammy for
The Living Room Sessions Part 1. Pandit Ravi
Shankars daughter Anoushka Shankar was
also nominated in this category for album
Traveller.
B SURENDER MOHAN
CONFERRED WITH CEO WITH
HR ORIENTATION AWARD
B Surender Mohan, CMD, NLC (Neyveli
Lignite Corporation) was conferred with the
CEO with HR Orientation Award on 17
February 2013 at the World HRD Congress
2013 in Mumbai. Neyveli Lignite
Corporation Limited is a Navratna
Government of India Enterprise.
World HRD Congress is actually the largest
meeting of the HR professionals from the
world which brings together global
personalities. World HRD Congress is held
annually and the purpose of the meeting is
to honour best CEOs who implement as well
as innovate the new techniques in HR
arena. The World HRD Congress 2013 was
held at Hotel Taj Lands End, Mumbai.
Page 476
HARIRAM MEENA SELECTED

FOR THE BIHARI PURASKAR
FOR 2012
Rajasthani author Hariram Meena was
selected for the Bihari Puraskar for 2012
for Hindi novel Dhooni Tape Teer. The novel
was published in 2008.
Dhooni Tape Teer is a novel based on the
deaths of tribal people in Banswara in
Rajasthan on 17 November 1913. The Bihari
Puraskar is selected annually by a panel,
which at present is headed by Nand Kishore
Acharya.
US STATE DEPARTMENT
AWARDED WOMEN OF
COURAGE AWARD TO DELHI
GANGRAPE VICTIM
The US State Department awarded one of
the 2013 International Women of Courage
Awards to 23-year-old paramedical
student who was gangraped in a moving
bus in New Delhi on 16 December 2012.
She died after just two weeks in Singapore
after being raped in the capital. The award
would be given away posthumously on 8
March 2013. Popularly the paramedical
student is also called Nirbhaya. The
Secretary of State John Kerry will give away
the US awards. The ceremony will also be
attended by the First Lady Michelle Obama.
www.jagranjosh.com
The other women who receive the same

award are:
Tsering Woeser, the Tibetan
blogger and activist
Elena Milashina and Razan
Zeitunah, the Russian journalist
and rights activists
Page 476
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
CONFERRED WITH THE
LIBERATION WAR HONOUR
AWARD BY BANGLADESH

was on 4 March 2013 conferred with the
Liberation War Honour Award by the
President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman. The
award was conferred upon him for his
contribution to 1971 war.
The award was given away to Pranab
Mukherjee for contributions to the
Liberation War. Earlier, the top most
honour of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh
Freedom Honour was conferred upon
former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
posthumously in 2011 for contributing
towards creation of Bangladesh. Liberation
War Honour Awards is the second highest
honour of Bangladesh.
FIVE WRITERS HONOURED

WITH SAARC LITERATURE
AWARD 2013
SAARC Literature Award was presented to
five writers at Agra during the two days
SAARC Festival of Literature on 10 March
2013. A poet-diplomat from India Abhay K
About Golden city Gate Awards
The Golden City Gate is an
international film, print and media
contest for the tourism industry.
The Awards ceremony is held every
year at ITB Berlin, the worlds
leading travel trade show.
The competition provides all tourism
advertisers to participate in the
Page 477
contest for presenting their new

creatives.
All entries are assessed by 45
independent international expert
jurors
with
strong
industry
background.
was among the five writers to be honoured

with the prestigious Literature Award.
Other writers to be honoured with this
award were Farheen Chaudhary (Pakistan),
Abdul Khaliq Rashid (Afghanistan), Suman
Pokhrel (Nepal) and novelist Daya
Dissanayake (Sri Lanka).
SAARC Literature Award
The award is annually presented to the
eminent writers of the South Asian region
for their contribution in the promotion of
literature through their writings as well as
literary initiatives. The SAARC Literature
Festival 2013 focused on environment,
literature and cultural connectivity. The
First-Ever SAARC Writers Conference was
organized in April 2000.
INDIA TOURISM FILM, FIND

WHAT YOU SEEK CLAIMED
FIRST PRIZE AT 11TH GOLDEN
CITY GATE AWARDS
Ministry of Tourisms new film Find What
You Seek received first prize at the 11th
Golden City Gate Tourism Media Awards
Ceremony held in Berlin on 8 March 2013.
About the campaign find What You Seek
Union Minister for Tourism K
Chiranjeevi had launched the new
campaign Find What You Seek, the
second phase of Incredible India
Campaign at WTM 2012 in
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Page 477
November 2012 along with the new

Domestic Campaign Go Beyond.
By launching new campaign, the
Ministry of Tourism has made a
paradigm shift by shifting the focus
from destinations and products to
consumers (travellers).
The new campaign emphasizes that
there is something for every
traveller in India and every traveller
can find what he or she is seeking
while travelling in our incredible
country.
Domestic campaign Go Beyond
urges travellers to travel beyond the
obvious, the known destinations to
the lesser known destinations.
5TH CIDC VISHWAKARMA

AWARD 2013: TAPAS KUMAR
LAHIRY WON ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD FOR PUBLIC OFFICER
At the 5th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2013,
Tapas Kumar Lahiry- the chairman-cummanaging director (CMD) of Northern
Coalfields Limited (NCL) and Bharat Cooking
Coal Limited (BCCL) won the Achievement
award for Public Officer on 7 March 2013 in
New Delhi.
At the function organised by Construction
Industry Development Council (CIDC), Lahiry
received this award. Lahiry is a mining
engineer as well as administrator with
leadership qualities. BCCLs turnover is 6952
crore Rupees with a profitability of 1093.69
crore Rupees in 2010-11. Lahiry has also
remained associated with mining industry
of America, China and Australia.
CIDC Vishwakarma Awards are held
annually for recognising the achievements
Page 478
as well as work of the organisations and

individuals.
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS

AWARDS 2013: JESSICA ENNIS
NAMED LAUREUS WORLD
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Laureus World Sports Awards 2013 were
organised in Rio de Janeiro on 11 March
2013. Prestigious awards were claimed by
sports stars- Jessica Ennis, Andy Murray and
Sebastian Coe.
Jessica Ennis who won heptathlon gold in
London 2012 Olympics was awarded the
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year
award at the Theatro Municipal. Andy
Murray
won
the
Laureus
World
Breakthrough of the Year award. Andy
Murray had won Olympic gold in the singles
as well as silver in mixed doubles before
winning grand slam title at the US Open in
2012.
Sebastian Coe, the Chairman of the London
2012 organising committee acclaimed
Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award.
Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter won the
World Sportsman of the Year award for
third time.
Feliz Sanchez, the Dominican athlete won
the World Comeback of the Year Award.
Daniel Dias, the multiple Paralympic
champion swimmer of Brazil was awarded
with the title of World Sportsperson of the
Year with a Disability. This was the second
time he won the award.
Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian skydiver
was named as the World Action
Sportsperson of the Year Award. Michael
Phelps, the American swimmer won the
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Laureus
Academy
Exceptional
Achievement Award. The Laureus World
Team of the Year title was acclaimed by
the European Ryder Cup Team which
featured 7 UK golfers.
The Minister of State for Consumer Affairs,

Food and Public Distribution, Prof. K.V.
Thomas on 14 March 2013 announced Rajiv
Gandhi National Quality Awards for the
year 2011.
About the Laureus World Sports Awards

Laureus World Sports Awards are
the global sports awards which
honour
the
sportsmen
and
sportswomen for all kinds of sports
every year.
The Laureus Media Selection Panel
gives away the awards in six
different categories: Laureus World
Sportsman of the Year, Laureus
World Sportswoman of the Year,
Laureus World Team of the Year,
Laureus World Breakthrough of the
Year, Laureus World Comeback of
the Year and Laureus World Action
Sportsperson of the Year.
The Laureus Specialist Panel gives
the award in the categories: Laureus
World Sportsperson of the Year with
a Disability. This award is overseen
by Executive Committee of the
International
Paralympic
Committee.
Laureus is basically the Latin word
for laurel, which means universal
symbol for victory in sport.
The winner of the Laureus World
Sports Awards receives Laureus
statuette, which is 30 cms high as
well as 2.5 kg in weight. Every
Laureus statuette consists of 670g of
solid silver as well as 650g of gold
finish base.
The Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Awards

are given every year by Bureau of Indian
Standards for encouraging the service as
well as manufacturing organisations so that
they strive for excellence. These awards
give recognition to those who are
considered as the leaders of quality
movement in the country.
RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL

QUALITY AWARDS FOR THE
YEAR 2011 ANNOUNCED
The Best of All Award was given to DAV ACC

Senior Secondary Public School, Bilaspur,
Himachal Pradesh for excellence service
standards.
In a category called Large Scale
Manufacturing Industry, Nokia Siemens
Networks Private Limited, Kanchipuram,
Tamil Nadu was given the award for
excellence in quality standards. In the Large
Scale Service Industry category, R Systems
International Limited, Noida, and Uttar
Pradesh won the award. In the Small Scale
Manufacturing Industry category, the award
was bagged by Technocrat Connectivity
Systems (Private) Limited, Rudrapur,
Uttarakhand.
Apart from these awards, ten other
organisations
were
chosen
for
commendation certificates under various
categories. The awardees of the
commendation certificates were chosen
from 55 applicants from different sectors
after evaluation by the group of qualified
professionals from various spheres of
intellectual activities.
Best Of All Award
DAV ACC Senior
Secondary
Public
School,
Bilaspur,
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Page 479

Himachal Pradesh
Category Awards
Name
of
the
Organisation
Large
Scale Nokia
Siemens
Manufacturing
Networks
Private
Industry
Limited,
Kanchipuram, Tamil
Nadu
Large Scale Service R
Systems
Industry
International
Limited, Noida, Uttar
Pradesh
Small
Scale Technocrat
Manufacturing
Connectivity Systems
Industry
(Private)
Limited,
Rudrapur,
Uttarakhand
Commendation
Name
of
the
Certificates
Organisation
Large
Scale Ultra Tech Cement
Manufacturing
Limited,
Gujarat
Industry Chemical
Cement
Works,
Kovaya, Gujarat
Large
Scale Sanmina-SCI
India
Manufacturing
Private
Limited,
Industry Electrical & Kancheepuram, Tamil
Electronic
Nadu
Large
Scale Tata
International
Manufacturing
Limited
(Finished
Industry Engineering Leather
Business),
& Others
Dewas,
Madhya
Pradesh
Large
Scale Banaskantha District
Manufacturing
Cooperative
Milk
Industry Food & Drug Producers
Union
Limited,
Palanpur,
Gujarat
Large
Scale Durgapur Steel Plant,
Manufacturing
Durgapur,
West
Page 480
Industry Metallurgical Bengal

Large Scale Service Jehangir
Hospital,
Industry Health care Pune, Maharashtra
Large Scale Service L&T
Construction,
Industry Others
Mumbai,
Maharashtra
Small
Scale Hi
Media
Manufacturing
Laboratories Private
Industry
Bio- Limited,
Nasik,
technology
Maharashtra
Small
Scale Bangalore
Biotech
Manufacturing
Labs Private Limited
Industry Engineering Biozeen, Bangalore,
& Others
Karnataka
Small
Scale Pharma
Synth
Manufacturing
Formulations Limited,
Industry Food & Drug Haridwar,
Uttarakhand
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. This is only a second time
that the prize has been given to the novel
written originally in English. The previous
winners had won the award as English
translations.
The Garden of Evening Mists set during
aftermath of the Japanese occupation of
Malaya won 30000 US Dollars from the
shortlist of five novels which spanned over
the Asian continent.
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The five shortlisted novels from longlist of
15 were as follows
Between Clay and Dust - Musharraf

Ali Farooqi (Pakistan)
The Briefcase Hiromi Kawakami
(Japan)
Silent House - Orhan Pamuk (Turkey)
The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan
Twan Eng (Malaysia)
Narcopolis - Jeet Thayil (India)
The judging panel of the 2012 Man Asian

Literary Prize was award-winning literary
critic and journalist Dr. Maya Jaggi, novelist
Vikram Chandra and Vietnamese-American
novelist Monique Truong.
About The Garden of Evening Mists
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan
Eng is a novel about traumatic aftermath of
the Japanese occupation of Malaya. It also
covers the post-war insurgency against
British rule. The novel covers themes such
as love and atonement, disturbing coexistence of cultural refinement, barbarism
and personal and national honour.
About Man Asian Literary Prize
The Man Asian Literary Prize laid its
foundation in 2007. The literary award is
given annually to best novel by an Asian
writer. The novel can be written in English
or translated into English. It should have
been published in previous year.
For selecting the winner, the judges select
the longlist of 10 to 15 titles announced in
Page 481
December, which is then followed by the

shortlist of 5 to 6 titles. The winner of the
award is declared in March every year. The
winner is given 30000 US Dollars. The
translator, if exists, is given 5000 US Dollars.
The submissions for the best novels are
invited by the jury through publishers in any
country.
FIVE WRITERS HONOURED

WITH SAARC LITERATURE
AWARD 2013
SAARC Literature Award was presented to
five writers at Agra during the two days
SAARC Festival of Literature on 10 March
2013. A poet-diplomat from India Abhay K
was among the five writers to be honoured
with the prestigious Literature Award.
Other writers to be honoured with this
award were Farheen Chaudhary (Pakistan),
Abdul Khaliq Rashid (Afghanistan), Suman
Pokhrel (Nepal) and novelist Daya
Dissanayake (Sri Lanka).
SAARC Literature Award
The award is annually presented to the
eminent writers of the South Asian region
for their contribution in the promotion of
literature through their writings as well as
literary initiatives. The SAARC Literature
Festival 2013 focused on environment,
literature and cultural connectivity. The
First-Ever SAARC Writers Conference was
organized in April 2000.
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CHAPTER 10: REPORTS AND COMMITTEES

are not protected by authorities in case
they face violence against them.
INDIA DROPPED TO 140TH

RANK IN LATEST WORLD
PRESS FREEDOM INDEX
India dropped nine places to 140th rank in
the list of 179 countries in the latest World
Press Freedom Index 2013, which is the
lowest since 2002. India got this lowly rank
because of increasing impunity for violence
against journalists and internet censorship.
Netherlands, Norway and Finland topped
the list. The Press Freedom Index was
released by world Press Freedom index for
the year 2013. China got 173rd rank.
Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea
were placed at the bottom of the list as has
been in the last three years.
As per the Press index report, there has
been a decline in freedom of information in
South Asia and the Indian subcontinent
among Asia witnessed the sharpest
deterioration in providing freedom and
security for those involved in news
reporting in 2012. In India considered as the
world's biggest democracy, the authorities
insist on censoring the Web and impose
numerous kinds of restrictions, while
violence against journalists was not
punished and the regions like Kashmir and
Chhattisgarh are getting increasingly
isolated.
The Maldives crashed to 103rd place (-30)
because of violence and threats against
journalists in state television and private
media regarded as Nasheed supporters by
the coup leaders. Bangladesh more or less
faces the same situation. Its journalists are
targets of police violence frequently. They
Pakistan, which ranked 159th is one of the

worlds most dangerous nations for
reporters. Nepal ranked 118th position.
Reporters without Borders also published
an annual global indicator of worldwide
media freedom which coincided with the
release of its 2013 Press Freedom Index.
This new analytic tool is helpful in
measuring the overall level of freedom of
information in the world and the
performance of the world's governments in
their response to Press freedom.
BLACK MONEY GENERATED IN

INDIA WOULD EXCEED 10
PERCENT OF GDP: NIPFP
A 1000 page report submitted by the
National Institute of Public Finance and
Policy (NIPFP) to the finance ministry
estimated that unlawful wealth would
exceed 10 percent or more of Indias GDP,
i.e., above 10 lakh crore Rupees as per the
size of the economy. The study was
commissioned by NIPFP in last week of
December 2012 in order to quantify the
black money that was generated in India.
The study conducted by NIPFP was headed
by the head of NIPFP's tax policy and
research and also included former director
general of income tax investigation. The
report presented a sector-wise division of
the scope of black money in India, for
example, telecom sector, mining sector and
real estate sector.
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A similar study like this was conducted last
time by NIPFP in 1984 where it was
estimated that black money generated in
India was 19 percent to 21 percent of GDP,
i.e., up to 36000 crore Rupees.
The government, in order to combat this
had also selected three thinking tanks in
March 2011 in order to estimate the
quantum of black money. These three
thinking tanks were - National Institute of
Financial Management (NIFM), National
Council for Applied Economic Research
(NCEAR) and National Institute of Public
Finance and Policy (NIPFP).
Before this, NIPFP had also carried out the
studies in 1976 and 1981 where it was
estimated that black money in India was
around 15-18 percent of GDP and 18-21
percent of GDP respectively.
About National Institute of Public
Finance and Policy (NIPFP)
National Institute of Public
Finance and Policy (NIPFP) is the
centre for research in public
finance and public policy. It was
established in 1976.
Primary aim of NIPFP is
contributing to policy making in
areas which are related to public
economics.
The annual grant-in-aid is
received by NIPFP from Ministry
of Finance, Government of India
and
from
various
State
Governments.
Page 484
RETD. JUSTICE BHATT TO

CONDUCT JUDICIAL PROBE IN
ALLAHABAD RAILWAY
STATION STAMPEDE
The State Government of Uttar Pradesh on
18 February 2013 appointed Onkareshwar
Bhatt, the retired Justice of Allahabad High
Court to conduct Judicial Probe into the
Allahabad Railway Station Stampede that
occurred during Kumbh Mela. The
constituted committee that will probe into
the matter is a one-man committee and
was directed to submit its report in two
months.
The State Government ordered a Judicial
Probe into the incident that occurred on the
day of Mauni Amawasya 10 February 2013
at the Allahabad Railway Station during
Kumbh Mela.
REPORT: INDIA ACCOUNTS TO

86 PERCENT ORAL CANCER
FIGURE ACROSS THE WORLD
Experts of National Institute of Health and
Family Welfare (NIHFW) in first week of
February released a report on the harmful
effects of gutka. It reported that 86 percent
of the total oral cancer figure across the
world accounted to India. A total of 75000
to 80000 new cases of cancer were
diagnosed in India itself.
In case of India the maximum number of
cancer was a result of tobacco chewing,
because Indians chew tobacco more than
smoking. India consists of 14 percent
smoking tobacco users and 26 percent
chewing tobacco users.
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As per the report tobacco is responsible for
creating 1.5 lakh cancer patients, 4.2 million
heart diseases and 3.7 million lung diseases
in India every year, making India an oral
cancer capital. The statistics released by the
Health Ministry 65 percent cancers in India
are caused due to the use of tobacco. Other
data released reveled that a third of the
annual 5.6 million cancer deaths in India
occurs due to the excessive use of tobacco.
The rate of oral cancer reported in India is
about twice the global average.
In 2008 cancer was the cause of 7.6 million
deaths worldwide. In case of men from
South-East Asia Region, oral and lung
cancers are the most prevalent ones and
breast and cervical cancers are mainly
found in women.
The Government of India invests a sum of
300 billion rupees per year approximately
on treatment of tobacco related illness via
both private and public spending. It
accounts to one-fourth of the total
spending on health issues in the country.
About 2500 persons die every day in India
due to diseases related to tobacco.
Page 485
overall in the world. In last few months of

2012, India topped the spam spewing
nations list, but eventually fell back to the
third position. Second position was held by
China.
In the study, the spam sent from December
2012 to February 2013 was tracked. China
and India took second and third positions
respectively with 8.2 percent and 4.2
percent of the spam of the world.
Other countries which ranked high included
South Korea, France, Italy and Peru. Peru
was ranked at fourth position with 4.0
percent of the spam. With 3.4 percent each,
France, South Korea and Italy ranked fifth.
Russia and Taiwan shared eighth position
with 2.9 percent. At tenth, eleventh and
twelfth position were Spain (2.8 percent),
Germany (2.7 percent) and Iran (2.6
percent).
In order to prevent spamming, the PC users
can keep the anti-virus software updated
and regularly run the malware checks.
Apart from this, updating passwords
regularly can also help.
INDIA RANKED THIRD ON THE

LIST OF SPAM SPEWING
NATION IN THE WORLD
ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA

SECTOR TO DOUBLE BY 2017:
FICCI-KPMG REPORT
India ranked third on list of countries, which

distribute spam all over the world, after US
and China, as per the new report of
SophosLabs. SophosLabs is the Sophoss
global network of threat analysis centres.
The entertainment and media industry of

India will become twice of its present size
by 2017, as per the report released by
FICCI-KPMG
(Federation
of
Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry) on
12 March 2013 in Mumbai. An inaugural
ceremony of FICCI Frames 2013 was
organised in Mumbai. It was announced
that entertainment and media industry has
a current size of 91700 crore Rupees, which
In the study, US was single highest ranking

country, but Asia ranked at number 1
position in the list of the continents with
36.6 percent of overall spam of the world.
US sent 18.3 percent of the junk emails
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Page 485

would increase to 166000 crore Rupees by
2017.
FICCI additionally declared that the
dominant part of this industry was
television. By 2017, newer media segments
such as digital advertising, gaming,
animation and visual effects will post
double-digit growth.
INDIA RANKED LOW ON

GENDER INEQUALITY INDEX:
UN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
REPORT 2013
Page 486
India ranks badly on the Maternal Mortality

Ratio as well. Maternal Mortality Ratio
measures the ratio of the number of
maternal deaths to the number of live
births in a given year. It is expressed per
100000 live births. In India, for every
100000 births, 200 women die during the
childbirth or due to complications in
childbearing. The only countries to have
higher Maternal Mortality Ratio than India
are Bangladesh (240), Pakistan (260) and
Afghanistan (460). The countries with
lowest Maternal Mortality Ratio are Sri
Lanka (35) and Iran (21).
What is Human Development Index (HDI)?
The UN Human Development Report 2013

was released on 14 March 2013, according
to which India has poor Gender Inequality
Index, apart from the overall poor Human
Development Index (HDI).
Apart from Afghanistan that got a rank of
147 in comparison to 132 of India, all the
countries in the region of South Asia were
ranked higher on Gender Inequality Index.
China was also ranked very high on Gender
Inequality Index. This Gender Inequality
Index measures the inequality in terms of
achievements between males and females
in three main aspects namely, labour
market,
reproductive
health
and
empowerment.
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a

combined index which measures the
average achievements of the countries in
three
main
human
development
dimensions. These dimensions are decent
standard of living, knowledge and long and
healthy life.
In the 2013 Human Development Index
(HDI) report, analysis of the 40 developing
countries in South Asia was done.
DELHI COUNTED AMONG FIVE

INDIAN HOTSPOTS OF
ILLEGAL TRADE OF TIGERS:
REPORT
Women Representation in Parliament

Women representation in Parliament in
India is only 10.9 percent. The only worse
country than India is Iran with 3.1 percent.
The country that has best representation of
women in Parliament is Nepal with 33.2
percent.
Maternal Mortality Ratio
As per the joint report by Global wildlife

trade monitoring Network TRAFFIC and
WWF Tigers Alive Initiative, titled Reduced
to Skin and Bones Revisited, Delhi,
Sunderbans and the Western Ghats
emerged as the hotspots of illegal trade of
tigers their parts and products.
The report which was released in Bangkok
in Second week of March 2013 laid claim
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Page 486

that tigers were being poached in most of
the 13 tiger range countries including China,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Based on the information with regard to

India, five hotspot locations have been
identified. The other four hotspots were
close to protected areas in different parts of
the country Ramnagar in Uttar Pradesh
which lies along to the entrance of Corbett
National Park, the towns of Balgahat and
Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh where the
Kanha and Pench National Park is located,
Kolkata and areas spanning south to the
edge of the Sunderbans in Bengal and
Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in the
Western Ghats.
Also as per the report, the National Capital

Region is an exception among the hot spots
as it is not located in or near to any tiger
landscapes.
The shocking part of the report concluded
after an examination on trade of leopard
parts and products is that Delhi accounts for
more than 26 per cent of all leopards
seized, making it the most important hub of
illegal trade in the country.
The Other major outcome of the Reports
On Sundarbans hotspot, the report
says that seizures on the
Bangladeshi side have been at a
much lower rate in comparison to
India, the most recent seizure there
was in 2011 when a suspect was
found in possession of three tiger
heads, four tiger skins, and 24 kg of
bones.
As per the report Corbett and the
adjacent Ramnagar Forest division
have healthy tiger populations, they
remain a prime target for poachers
and in 2012 a poaching group was
Page 487
found hiding out in the protected

zone of the park with traps.
As per the latest analysis of
arrogations, which includes new
data for 2010-2012, it aws revealed
that parts of more than 1400 tigers
have been seized across Asia in the
past 13 years.
The report has also arrived at a
conclusion with its finding that parts
of at least 1425 tigers had been
seized from twelve of 13 tiger range
countries between 2000 and 2012.
Cambodia was the only exception
from where no seizures were
recorded at all during the period.
A Prominent finding in the report
was the high rate of seizures of live
tigers. 61 individuals were seized in
the three-year period since the last
full CITES meeting took place in
2010, representing 50 per cent of
overall numbers (123) recorded
since 2000, it says.
Thailand was the most significant
location for interdiction of live tiger
trade (30), followed by Lao PDR (11)
and Indonesia (9) and Vietnam (4).
A total of 654 seizures of tiger parts ranging

from skin to bones, to teeth, claws and
skulls took place during this period, an
average of 110 tigers killed for trade per
year or just over two per week.
The report was launched on 8 March 2013
at the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) in Bangkok.
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CHAPTER 11: PROGRAMS AND POLICY

TWG (Technical Working Group): The
group set up by the BRICS nation to
exchange information regarding the
prevailing systems and institutional
mechanisms through meetings.
UNION GOVERNMENT
APPROVED RELAXATION IN
POLICIES RELATED TO
TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT
LAND
The Union Government of India on 2 August
2012 approved relaxation in policies
relating to transfer of government land.
The objective of the policy is to speed up
private-public partnership in the country
and to bring on fast-track the pending
infrastructure projects. The decision will
ensure that infrastructure projects are not
held up for procedural delays.
A ban was imposed in 2011 on transfer of
government-owned land to any entity
except in cases where land was to be
transferred
from
one
government
department to another. This ban however
excluded the cases where the land was to
be transferred from one government
department to another. The policy has also
been relaxed for all land transfers from
ministries to statutory authorities or PSUs
(Public Sector Units).
Besides, the government allowed use and
development of railway land by Rail Land
Development Authority (RLDA), as per the
provisions of Railways Amendment Act,
2005.
HEALTH MINISTERS OF BRICS

DECIDED TO SET UP
TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP
(TWG)
The Health Ministers of Brazil, Russia,

India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in the
second week of January 2013 decided to set
up a Technical Working Group (TWG). As
per the Agreed Action Plan released by the
Health and Family Welfare Ministry,
member countries will nominate their
respective Nodal Officers to work jointly for
the Working Group.
The group will exchange information
regarding the prevailing systems and
institutional mechanisms through meetings.
WORLD CONFERENCE ON
INTERNATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
(WCIT-12) HELD IN DUBAI
International telecommunication Union
(ITU) summoned the World Conference on
International Telecommunications (WCIT)
in Dubai, United Arab Emirates which was
held from 3 to14 December 2012. In the
landmark conference, it was decided that
the
current
International
Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs)
shall be reviewed.
After negotiating for two weeks, the
delegates from the length and breadth of
the world agreed to a fresh international
treaty called New Global Telecoms Treaty,
which will welcome the power of
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Page 488

information
and
communication
technologies (ICTs) to everyone in the
world. More than 2000 delegates from
across the world were registered for this
conference.
The main points of the treaty were as
follows
The treaty basically embarks general
principles for making sure that there
is free flow of the information across
the world.
New provisions ensured that there
was special emphasis on the future
efforts for helping the developing
countries,
on
promotion
of
accessibility to the disabled as well
as on emphasising the right to
freedom of expression of people
over all the ICT networks.
In another provision, there was an
inclusion of a Resolution for creating
one, globally-harmonised number
for access to various emergency
services, improving the energy
efficiency of the ICT networks, new
text making it mandatory for the
prices set for mobile roaming as well
as fighting against the e-waste.
Issues that provoked debate at the World
Conference
on
International
Telecommunications
There were certain tough issues which led
to debate at this conference.
These issues were
Network security
Unwanted bulk content like spam emails
Definition of the entities which
provided services under terms of the
treaty,
Page 489
Whether the language on freedom

of expression in the Preamble text of
the treaty should be included or not
The principle of non-discriminatory
access of the networks of each
others countries
ITUs Gold Medal:

In WCIT-12, the ITUs Gold Medal, which is
the highest honour of the organisation, was
awarded by ITU Secretary-General Dr
Hamadoun Tour to Chairmanship of Al
Ghanim.
About WCIT-12
WCIT-12 was among the most open treatymaking conferences of the world which had
live as well as archived webcasting. There
was English-language captioning of the
meetings of substantive working committee
(Committee 5 Review) as well as the
conference plenary sessions.
There were in all, 1275 proposals to this
conference from the member States. WCIT12 included around 1600 delegates onsite
from 151 Member States. This also included
around 70 Ministers, Ambassadors and
Deputy Ministers.
NATIONAL GIRL CHILD DAY

CELEBRATED IN INDIA ON 24
JANUARY
24 January, National Girl Child Day: This
day is celebrated as the National Girl Child
Day every year by the Government of India
with an objective to raise consciousness of
Indian society towards the girl children.
The Women and Child Development
Ministry observed National Girl Child Day
on 24 January 2013. 24 January is
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celebrated as the National Girl Child Day
every year since 2008 by the Government
of India.
Objective of the National Girl Child Day
Page 490
The primary objective of the National Girl

Child Day is raising awareness and
consciousness of the society towards the
girl child. The primary aim is to ensure that
every girl is respected and valued in Indian
society.
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CHAPTER 12: SPORTS

Delhi in order to examine investigations in
the case.
ED SLAPPED 98.5 CRORE

RUPEES PENALTY ON
RAJASTHAN ROYALS
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) slapped
the IPL team Rajasthan Royals with a
penalty notice of around 100 crore Rupees
for violating the Forex laws. ED issued this
penalty notice after investigating the matter
for 2 years under the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA). Three notices in
all were sent across to the IPL franchise
which totaled to 98.5 crore Rupees.
The Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited (JIPL)
as well as its directors was sent a penalty
notice of 50 crore Rupees. Apart from this,
34 crore Rupees penalty notice was issued
against EM Sporting Holding, Mauritius and
its directors for evading the Forex duties. A
notice of 14.5 crore Rupees was also issued
additionally against the Ms ND Investments,
United Kingdom and its directors.
All these three parties are free to appeal
against the penalty order in appellate
authority of FEMA. According to the order,
IPL team needs to make the payment in 45
days. This is said to be the first biggest
order against any team issued by the ED.
According to the penalty order, it was found
that the foreign investment in JIPL was
conducted in flagrant contravention of
FEMA.
The first penalty order was issued by ED
against the Rajasthan Royals in mid-2011.
Now, it issued the final orders after it
moved to FEMA Adjudicating Authority in
ALLAN BORDER MEDAL 2013:

MICHAEL CLARKE WON THE
MEDAL FOURTH TIME
Michael Clarke, the Australian cricket
captain won the fourth Allan Border Medal
in Melbourne on 4 February 2013. 31-year
old Clarke had won the medal earlier in
2005, 2009 and 2012. Apart from Clarke,
the only other player to win this medal
four times is Captain Ricky Ponting.
Michael Clarke also won the Test cricketer
of the year award for the second
consecutive time after he scored 1080 runs
in nine tests from 25 February 2012 to
January 28 2013.
List of Awardees of Allan Border Medal in
different categories
Domestic Player of the Year: Phil
Hughes
Bradman Young Cricketer of the
Year: Joe Burns
T20 Player of the Year: Shane
Watson
ODI Player of the Year: Clint McKay
Test Player of the Year: Michael
Clarke
Women's International Player of
the Year: Jessica Cameron
Allan Border Medal: Michael Clarke
About Allan Border Medal
Allan Border Medal is a prestigious award
given away in the Australian cricket. It was
first awarded in 2000. The Allan Border
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Medal is named after the former captain of
Australia, Allan Border.
MS DHONI NAMED AS THE

VICE-PRESIDENT OF INDIA
CEMENTS
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of the
Indian cricket team was appointed as the
vice-president of India Cements on 1
February 2013. India Cements is headed by
BCCI President N Srinivasan.
It is important to note that Dhoni resigned
from Air India team recently and now is
expected to play for India Cements in the
BCCI Corporate Trophy, which started on 1
February 2013. India Cements owns IPL
franchise Chennai Super Kings, the
captaincy of which lies in the hands of
Dhoni since 2008. The Managing Directorcum-vice-chairman of India Cements is
Srinivasan.
Including MS Dhonis name in the India
Cements team for Corporate Trophy
starting from 1 February 2013 to 8 February
2013 was actually a surprise, especially
because the captain had declared to take
rest for some time.
Earlier, Dhoni played in the Corporate
Trophy for the team of Air India, but later
he resigned. The Corporate Trophy will be
taking place in four main cities - Nagpur,
Raipur, Indore and Pune.
GLENN MCGRATH AND

CHARLIE TURNER JOINED
AUSTRALIAN CRICKET HALL
OF FAME
Page 492
Glenn McGrath and Charlie Turner, the

renowned fast bowlers were unanimously
chosen to be inducted into the Australian
Cricket Hall of Fame on 3 February 2013.
Hall of fame chairman David Crow declared
that these two pace bowlers were inducted
officially at Allan Border Medal ceremonies
on 4 February 2013.
McGrath has a test career spanning 14
years over 124 matches. The highest tally of
McGrath is 563 wickets at 21.64. This is the
fourth highest tally of all times. McGrath
was also the winner of Allan Border Medal
in 2000. He was inducted in ICC Hall of
Fame in December 2012.
Charlie Turner, on the other hand, took 615 on test debut at Sydney in 1887. He died
in 1944. Turner took 101 wickets at 16.53 in
17 test matches between the time period of
1887 and 1895.
Other Hall of Fame Inductees
The other Hall of Fame inductees include
Keith Miller, Arthur Morris, Bill O'Reilly, Bill
Ponsford,
Bob
Simpson,
Warwick
Armstrong, Richie Benaud, Lindsay Hassett,
Ian Healy, Hugh Trumble, Victor Trumper,
Bill Woodfull, Rod Marsh, Stan McCabe,
Allan Border, Sir Donald Bradman, John
Blackham, Charles Macartney, Shane
Warne, Steve Waugh, Doug Walters, Glenn
McGrath, Graham McKenzie, Greg Chappell,
Ian Chappell, Neil Harvey, Clem Hill, Ray
Lindwall, Fred Spofforth, Mark Taylor, Alan
Davidson, George Giffen, Dennis Lillee,
Clarrie Grimmett, Monty Noble and Bill
Lawry.
SOUTH AFRICA ACHIEVED TOP

SPOT IN LATEST ICC TEST
RANKINGS
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International Cricket Council, ICC rankings
for test cricket was released on 4 February
2013 in Dubai. South Africa emerged as the
world number one team in the category and
is followed by England, Australia, Pakistan
and India.
In the latest rankings released by the ICC
Hashim Amla, the South African batsman
has emerged as the best batsman in the
category and with this he became the first
batsman to hold the number one dice in
both Test and One-day format of the game
since 2007, before this Ricky Pointing was
the cricketer to hold this position. Michael
Clarke, the Australian batsman was racked
at second position in the ranking.
Dale Steyn, the South African bowler holds
the top position in the bowling ranking and
is followed by his teammate, Vernan
Philander. South African, Jacques Kallis has
retained his position as the number one
test all-rounder with versatile performance.
Pragyan Ojha is the only Indian to feature
among the top ten bowlers in the test
rankings released.
REBECCA ADLINGTON,
Britain-based Rebecca Adlington, the
Olympic champion announced retirement
from all forms of competitive swimming on
4 February 2013. Adlington, 23 is from
Mansfield.
MARUSSIA F1 TEAM
UNVEILED THEIR NEW
FORMULA 1 CAR, MR02
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Marussia F1 team unveiled their new

Formula 1 car called MR02 on 5 February
2013. The specialty of this car is that it is
equipped with the KERS (the kinetic energy
recovery system) power-boost system
which is not found in any other existing
teams. KERS was legalised since 2011. The
benefit of KERS is that enables 0.3 seconds
per lap.
New driver of the Marussia F1 team, Max
Chilton drove this car on first day of the F1
pre-season testing at Jerez in Spain ON 5
February 2013.
Marussia F1 team described this car as an
all-inclusive evolution of older 2012 model.
MR02 is first of its kind car that is designed
using the technique of CFD complementing
wind tunnel.
LUIS RAZIA APPOINTED AS

SECOND DRIVER FOR F1
TEAM MARUSSIA
Russian Formula1 (F1) team Marussia
announced on 6 February 2013 that
Brazilian Luis Razia is the second driver for
the 2013 Formula One Season going to start
in Melbourne (Australian Grand Prix) on 17
March 2013. Razia, the runner up of the
2012 GP2 Series would race alongside Max
Chilton, the British teammate.
INDIA WON 46 MEDALS IN

2013 PYEONGCHANG SPECIAL
OLYMPICS WORLD WINTER
GAMES
The 2013 Pyeongchang Special Olympics
World Winter Games finished on 5
February 2013 after a week of competition
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among differently-abled athletes. The
games took place from 29 January 2013 to 5
February 2013. Almost 200000 spectators
witnessed the games in venuesPyeongchang and Gangneung. India
returned with 46 medals in 2013 Special
Olympics World Winter Games at Pyeong
Chang, South Korea.
The differently-abled athletes of India won
46 medals in all - 13 gold, 17 silver and 16
bronze from mentally-challenged 2200
athletes participating from more than 120
nations in the games. The medal tally of
India doubled from World Winter Games
2009.
These games were completed in eight
categories of sports- alpine skiing, crosscountry skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing,
figure skating, short track speed skating,
floor hockey and floorball.
CCI SLAPPED A PENALTY OF

52.24 CRORE ON BCCI FOR
ABUSE OF POSITION
on 8 February 2013 was slapped a penalty
of 52.24 crore rupees by the Competition
Commission of India (CCI) for being
indulged in anti-competitive practices. The
CCI ordered BCCI to deposit the penalty
within 90 days from the date of issue of
orders.
The CCI in its verdict claimed that BCCI
abused its dominant position and directed it
to cease its all practices of denying market
access to the potential competitors. The
regulator also stated that the stance of BCCI
was of serious concern and quantum of
penalty which should be levied that is
proportional to the seriousness of violation.
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SACHIN TENDULKAR
EQUALED SUNIL GAVASKARS
RECORD OF 81 CENTURIES IN
FIRST CLASS CRICKET
Sachin Tendulkar on 8 February 2013
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.
RANCHI RHINOS BEAT DELHI

WAVERIDERS TO WIN
INAUGURAL HOCKEY INDIA
LEAGUE
Ranchi Rhinos beat Delhi Waveriders 2-1 to
win the inaugural Hockey India League
(HIL) in the match at Astroturf Hockey
Stadium on 10 February 2013. Apart from
winning the trophy, Ranchi Rhinos took
away 2.5 crore Rupees. Runners-up Delhi
Waveriders on the other hand, pocketed
1.25 crore Rupees.
Uttar Pradesh Wizards that completed in
the third place took away 75 lakh Rupees.
Uttar Pradesh Wizards defeated Punjab
Warriors 4-3 to claim third position.
Mumbai Magicians player Sandeep Singh hit
maximum goals (11) in the tournament.
LYDIA KO BECAME YOUNGEST

WINNER OF EUROPEAN TOUR
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Page 495
structure in tennis to represent or address

the issues of the tennis players in India.
GOLF EVENT, NEW ZEALAND

WOMEN'S OPEN
Lydia Ko, the teenager became youngest
winner of a women's European Tour golf
event by winning at New Zealand Women's
Open in Christchurch on 10 February 2013.
This is her third victory of the professional
title. She is aged just 15 years, eight months
and 17 days.
Lydia Ko in the meanwhile, also became the
third amateur, who won on women's
European Tour. First and second amateurs
were Gillian Stewart and Yang respectively.
Ko at present is at number 38 on
professional rankings of the world. She will
go for Australian Open in Canberra that
would kick off on 14 February 2013.
Her first victory was in pro tour event which
took place at ALPG's Bing Lee Samsung
Women's NSW Open in early 2012 when
Lydia Ko was just 14 years of age. Her
second victory came at 2012s Canadian
Women's Open.
INDIAN TENNIS PLAYERS

ASSOCIATION FORMED TO
ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF
TENNIS PLAYERS
ITPA- Indian Tennis Players Association
Indian Tennis Players Association (ITPA), a
collective body of Indian Tennis players was
designed on 11 February 2013. The ITPA
would be responsible to represent the
concerns and professional interests of its
members. The association is being
constituted as there exist no particular
The modeling of the ITPA is done on the

basis
of
(Association
of
Tennis
Professionals) ATP and will operate on the
basic principle of self governance and
consultative dialogue, to arrive at decisions
that impact the professional tennis of the
country.
ITPA - Indian Tennis Players Association
The ITPA is being constituted under section
25 company and the membership is opened
for all former and current, national and
international tennis players. The association
is being constituted as a non-profit body
and the founding members include Davis
Cup winners Jaidip Mukerjea, Mahesh
Bhupathi, Somdev Devvarman, Prahlad
Srinath and Mustafa Ghouse, Enrico
Piperno,
Rohan
Bopanna,
Manisha
Malhotra, AITA vice-president Karti P.
Chidambaram and Aditya Sachdeva (High
Performance Coaching Director).
Every member of the body has equal voting
rights for election of a general body to
identify ITPAs operations. Jaidip Mukerjea
is elected as the interim President of the
body and will be on the post till the
formative period of ITPA and until the
general body and general council meets
formally
HORACIO ZEBALLOS WON

TENNIS TOURNAMENT VTR
OPEN 2013
World No. 73 Horacio Zeballos defeated
Rafael Nadal 6-7 (2) 7-6 (6) 6-4 to win his
first ATP World Tour trophy in VTR OPEN
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2013 on 10 February 2013 in Vina del Mar,

Chile in Mens Singles.
Jayawardene, who announced to quit

captaincy after Sri Lankas tour of Australia.
Horacio Zeballos became the second firsttime winner in ATP World Tour 2013. The
first one was Australian Bernard Tomic who
won at Apia International Sydney. 27-yearold Horacio Zeballos knocked all the four
seeded opponents to grab the title. Apart
from Nadal, he defeated fourth seed Pablo
Andujar, fifth seed Albert Ramos and eighth
seed Carlos Berlocq. Rafael Nadal,
additionally also lost in Mens Doubles after
he and Juan Monaco of Argentina lost to
Italians Paolo Lorenzi and Potito Starace (62, 6-4).
Dinesh Chandimal, the wicket-keeper

batsman was appointed as the vice-captain
in the test and one-day format of the game
and will lead the country as a captain in the
T20 format of the game. Lasith Malinga was
appointed as the vice-captain for the T20
team.
Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda, the

London paralympics silver-medallist and
Padma Shri awardee was appointed as the
brand ambassador of nutrition company
Herbalife on 15 February 2013.
About VTR OPEN 2013
GIRISHA HOSANAGARA
APPOINTED BRAND
AMBASSADOR OF HERBALIFE
VTR OPEN 2013 was played on the

clay courts. It is a tennis tournament.
This was the 20th edition of VTR
OPEN and also a part of ATP World
Tour 250 series of the 2013 ATP
World Tour.
VTR OPEN 2013 took place in Via del
Mar, Chile.
It took place from 2 February 2013 to
10 February 2013.
Herbalife is a global nutrition company that

appointed Girisha as the brand personality.
As per the agreement, Girisha will endorse
Herbalife products such as Afresh Energy
Drink Mix and Formula 1 Nutritional Shake.
ENGLAND WON TWENTY20

CRICKET SERIES AGAINST
NEW ZEALAND
ANGELO MATHEWS
APPOINTED CAPTAIN OF SRI
LANKAN TEST AND ONE-DAY
CRICKET TEAM
Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lankan all-rounder
cricketer was appointed the Captain of the
test and one-day cricket team of Sri Lanka
on 14 February 2013 for a period of one
year.
Mathews
replaced
Mahela
England defeated host New Zealand in the

third and last Twenty20 Cricket match
played at Wellington on 15 Feb 2013 to win
the series 2-1. England bowled first and
they restricted the Kiwis to 139-8 and later
achieved the winning target with 44 balls
remaining. The Second Twenty20 was
played at Hamilton on 12 February 2013 in
which New Zealand defeated England by 55
runs to level the three match Twenty20
international series at 1-1.
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The First Twenty20 was played at Auckland
on 9 February 2013 which was won by
England. It defeated New Zealand by 40
runs.
SERENA WILLIAMS BECAME

THE NEW WORLD NUMBER
ONE WOMENS TENNIS
PLAYER
Page 497
womens cricket World Cup it last won the

title in 2005.
Australia scored 259 runs (this is the highest
score in Womens World Cup Final) at the
loss of 7 wickets in 50 overs and West
Indies lost all its wickets at the score of 145.
Captains
Australian Captain: Jodie Fields
West Indies Captain: Merissa
Aguilleira
Serena Williams became the new World

number one womens tennis player.
Serena Williams who is aged 31 years
thrashed Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic 63,3-6,7-5 and reached Semifinals of Qatar
Open Tennis Championship in Doha.
On entering the semi-finals, she achieved
the top position after a period of two and a
half years.
Serena Williams will compete against Maria
Sharapova in the Semifinals on 16 February
2013. Maria Sharapova reached semi-finals
after defeating Samantha Stosur 6-2,6-4.
Serena Williams (31 years, 4 months, 24
days) is now the oldest woman tennis
player to hold number 1 ranking. She
broke the record of Chris Evert (30 years,
11 months, 3 days) of USA.
AUSTRALIA WON ICC

WOMENS WORLD CUP AFTER
DEFEATING WEST INDIES
Australia won the ICC Womens World Cup
Trophy after defeating West-Indies by 114runs on 17 February 2013 at Brabourne
Stadium in Mumbai. Australia clinched the
title for the sixth time in the history of
Tournament Report
Player of the tournament - New
Zealands Suzie Bates for scoring 407
runs with three half-centuries and a
ton at an average of 67.83 in the
series.
The Australian, all-rounder Lisa
Sthalekar announced her retirement
from International cricket after the
Australian womens cricket team
won the world cup title 2013. She
made her debut in the international
cricket in 2001 in an ODI match
against England till her retirement
she managed to play 125 one day
internationals, 8 tests and 54
women T20 international matches.
VISWANATHAN ANAND WON

GRENKE CHESS CLASSIC
TROPHY
Viswanathan Anand, the World Champion
in Chess from India won the Grenke Chess
Classic trophy of 2013 after defeating
Arkadij Naiditsch from Germany on 17
February 2013. To secure his win in the
Grenke Chess Classic, Anand also defeated
Fabiano Caruana from Italy. This was his
first title of the year.
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The 43 years old Anand, managed to take a
49 move win against Arkadij with his black
pieces to claim the title for his all-play-all
tournament title in five years. Anand last
won a title in March 2008 at Linares, when
he topped the field with 8.5 points in the
eight player field. In January 2013, Anand
finished at third position in the Tata Steel at
Wijk aan Zee in although he lost the first
round to Wang Hao from China.
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Goal-Line Technology (GLT)

Goal-line Technology is a technology
that is used to determine the fact that
has the ball passed the goal-line or not
with the support of an electronic-device
to help the referee decided to take a call
that either it was a goal or not.
RAFAEL NADAL DEFEATED

DAVID NALBANDIAN TO WIN
BRAZIL OPEN 2013
FIFA CONFIRMED USE OF

GOAL-LINE TECHNOLOGY AT
THE 2014 WORLD CUP
Fdration Internationale de Football
Association (FIFA) on 19 February 2013
confirmed the use of goal-line technology
during the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be
organised in Brazil. It also stated that the
technology could be introduced in the next
seasons Premier league.
FIFA had invited tenders from more service
providers of the technology to conduct an
official bidding ahead of the Confederations
Cup to be held in June 2013.
Introduction of the technology in football is
being insisted to provide a high-tech aid to
the World Cup referees to rule on the
disputed incidents. IFAB, the rule making
panel of FIFA in July 2012 decided to
approve the goal-line technology for the
competitive matches after it passed an
extensive test conducted by the body.
The decision by FIFA was expected once its
rule-making panel, known as IFAB, decided
last July to approve goal-line technology at
competitive matches after two systems
passed extensive tests.
Rafael Nadal on 17 February 2013 won the

finals of Brazil Open 2013 by defeating
Argentinean David Nalbandian in straight
sets by 6-2, 6-3 in Sao Paolo. He won the
tournament for the second time; he won it
for the first time in 2005.
This was the second tournament for the
former world number 1 Spanish tennis star
after returning back from to the game after
seven months. He was absent from the
game due to the knee injury that he
suffered from.
MILOS RAONIC WON THIRD

CONSECUTIVE SAP OPEN
2013 SINGLES TITLES
BEATING TOMMY HAAS
Milos Raonic on 17 February 2013 won SAP
Open 2013 at San Jose defeating Tommy
Haas in the championship match. Milos
Raonic completed the tournament with 6-4,
6-3 victory over Haas.
Raonic won third straight SAP Open singles
titles. With this victory, he became first
player to grab the trophy for three years
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consecutively, since Tony Trabert in 195355.
On the other hand, in SAP Open 2013
doubles final, Xavier Malisse and Frank
Moser beat Lleyton Hewitt and Marinko
Matosevic 6-0, 6-7(5), 10-4 to lift the
trophy.
VIRAT KOHLI APPOINTED

CAPTAIN FOR ROYAL
CHALLENGERS BANGALORE
Virat Kohli on 20 February 2013 was
appointed as he Captain of the IPL
Franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore
(RCB) for the sixth edition of the Indian
Premier League. Kohli will be the successor
of Daniel Vettori as the new captain of the
team.
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MARINA ERAKOVIC WON HER

FIRST WTA TITLE IN US
NATIONAL INDOOR TENNIS
CHAMPIONSHIP 2013
Marina Erakovic won her first Women's
Tennis Association title, US National Indoor
Tennis Championship 2013 after beating
Germany's Sabine Lisicki in Memphis on 23
February 2013.
The match merely took place for one set
with Marina Erakovic winning 6-1 and
Sabine Lisicki unable to begin due to illness.
VIJITHA BANDARA OF SRI

LANKA WON EIGHTH NCR CUP
GOLF TOURNAMENT
Vijitha Bandara of Sri Lanka won Eighth NCR
Cup Golf Tournament at Delhi Golf Club on
1 March 2013. Vijitha Bandara shot fourover 76 for a total of 293 in order to win the
tournament.
SANIA MIRZA AND BETHANIEMATTEK SANDS WON THE

DUBAI TENNIS
CHAMPIONSHIP 2013
India's Sania Mirza and her American
partner Bethanie-Mattek Sands won the
Dubai Tennis Championship on 23 February
2013. The Indo-American duo defeated the
second
seeded
Russian-Slovenian
combination of Nadia Petrova and Katarina
Srebotnik, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7. Sania bagged her
second Doubles title of the season.
Meanwhile, Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova
yesterday clinched the Women's Singles
trophy. In the finals, she defeated Sara
Errani of Italy, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 to win her
career's 10th title.
With the victory of this tournament,

Bandara became the second Sri Lankan to
clinch this title. The first one to win this title
was N Thangaraja in 2012.
WORLD NUMBER ONE NOVAK

DJOKOVIC WON THE ATP
DUBAI OPEN TENNIS TITLE
2013
World Number one Novak Djokovic on 2
March 2013 won the ATP Dubai Open
Tennis title 2013. He defeated third seed
Czech Republics Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-3 in
the finals in Dubai.
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Indias Mahesh Bhupathi and his French
partner Michael Lloldra bagged the doubles
crown defeating Serbian-Swedish duo of
Nenad Zimonjic and Robert Lindstedt 7-6, 76 in straight sets.
Page 500
Spanish compatriot Nadal. On the other

hand, in the womens final, Italy's Sara
Errani defeated Carla Suarez-Navarro of
Spain 6--0, 6-4.
DEBORAH WON A BRONZE

MEDAL IN ASIAN CYCLING
CHAMPIONSHIP 2013
SAHMIM KHAN WON THE

PGTI PLAYERS
CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE 2013
Shamim Khan of Delhi on 1 March 2013
defeated Mukesh Kumar of Mhow in the
playoff to win the PGTI Players
Championship title at the Classic Golf
Resort. S Chikkarangappa of Bangalore
came third with an aggregate of 11-under277.
Both Shamim and Mukesh finished the
regulation 72 holes with matching totals of
12-under-276. Shamim (66-70-70-70) was in
third position earlier. However, he placed
three strokes behind Mukesh and made a
solid start to the day with pars on the first
eight holes and followed that up with a
birdie on the ninth.
RAFAEL NADAL DEFEATED

DAVID FERRER TO WIN ATP
MEXICAN OPEN 2013 TENNIS
TOURNAMENT
Rafael Nadal defeated top seed and
defending champion David Ferrer 6-0, 6-2
on 2 March 2013 in the final match of the
ATP Mexican
Open
2013 tennis
tournament.
David Ferrer was the 3-time defending
champion, who had also won 19 straight
matches in the event. But eventually in the
final of ATP Mexican Open 2013, he lost to
Deborah from India won a Bronze medal in

the final of women's juniors of 500m cycle
event in Asian Cycling Championship on 7
March 2013 in New Delhi. 19-year-old
Deborah helped India claim its second
medal in the Asian Cycling Championship
2013 which is ongoing.
Deborah finished 500 meter time trial finals
in 37.841 seconds. Gold medal was won by
Korea's Jang Yeonhee and Yu Shiou Cheng
of Chinese Taipei won the silver medal. The
two remained ahead of Deborah with
37.159 and 37.834 seconds respectively.
Earlier, Indias Jashanjit Kaur qualified for
bronze medal match of the 2km-Individual
Pursuit, thereby giving a good start to India
in the ongoing Asian Cycling Championship
2013.
SMRITI MEHRA WON SECOND

TITLE IN HERO WOMENS PRO
GOLF TOUR 2013
Smriti Mehra, the veteran golfer, on 6
March 2013 won her second title in the
fourth leg of Hero Women`s pro golf tour
2013 in Mumbai.
Smriti played a round of one under 64 and
finished with an overall score of 194 at the
Willingdon Sports Club. At the second
position was Neha Tripathi who completed
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with the final round score of one over 66
and an overall score of 200. Sharmila
Nicollet achieved third position with lowly
six over 71 and a total score of 202.
Pallavi Jain came at the fourth position with
par 65 and an overall score of 205. At the
fifth position were Vani Kapoor and Saaniya
Sharma who tied at a total score of 209.
TINE BAUN WON WOMEN'S

SINGLES TITLE IN THE ALL
ENGLAND OPEN BADMINTON
CHAMPIONSHIPS 2013
Tine Baun won the womens singles title in
the All England Open Badminton
Championships 2013 at the National
Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England on 10
March 2013. With this victory, the 33-yearold Baun became the oldest All-England
womens singles champion of Open Era. She
defeated three-time world junior champion
Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-14, 1621, 21-10.
This was the last tournament of Tine Bauns
career. Earlier, she had won the same title
in 2008 and 2010.
NEHA TRIPATHI WON BT PRO

AM OF CHAMPIONS GOLF
TOURNAMENT 2013
Neha Tripathi defeated Thailand's Pennapa
Pulsawath to win BT Pro Am of Champions
golf tournament 2013 in Manesar on 10
March 2013. After initially tying up at a
score of 141, Neha won the match in
second playoff on 18th hole.
Page 501
At the third position was golfer Smriti

Mehra from India who got the total score of
142. Thai golfer Tiranan Yoopan finished at
the fourth position with a score of 143.
Tang Ni Nhung of Vietnam came at the fifth
position with an overall score of 148.
It is important to note that Neha Tripathi
had won the first tournament of Hero
Women Professional Golf Tour on 31
January 2013. This is her third title in the
Women Tour.
MANORAMA AND DEBORAH

WON BRONZE FOR INDIA IN
HERO ASIAN CYCLING
CHAMPIONSHIPS
India's Deborah and Manorama Devi on 10
March 2013 won a bronze in the team
sprint on the second to last day of the Hero
Asian Cycling Championships in New Delhi.
The pair came just 0.148 secs ahead by
defeating Malaysia's Faihah Shahwati Mohd
Adnan and Nurul Alissa Mohamad Azman.
Manorama, was little slow as she
completed the first lap in 22.243 secs as
compared to Malaysia's rider (21.527). In
contrary Deborah, wrested back the
advantage and completed the race with an
aggregate of 38.645 secs to bag a podium
finish in the junior category while the
Malaysian duo took 38.793 secs to finsh the
two-lap race. Earlier in the day, Faihah and
Nurul had qualified with better timings
(38.848 secs) as compared to the Indian
pair (39.245 secs). Deborah is from
Andaman and Nicobar.
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DAVID BECKHAM NAMED

RICHEST FOOTBALLER OF THE
WORLD
INDIA CLINCHED GOLD AND A

BRONZE MEDAL IN ASIAN
ARCHERY GRAND PRIX
David Beckham was named as the richest

footballer of the world, according to the
Goal Rich List 2013. David Beckham has a
total income of 175 million pound. 37-yearold Beckham is the biggest brand in the
world now, leaving behind Cristiano
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
In the Asian Archery Grand Prix, the mens

compound team of India won a gold medal
while mens recurve trio won a bronze in
Bangkok on 12 March 2013.
In 2012, Beckham earned more than 20

million pound from wages as well as
endorsement. The Goal Rich List 2013
revealed that the worth of Beckham is 60
million pound more than Messi. At the third
position is Ronaldo, aged 28 years. He
earned a total of 112 million pound in his
career. Wayne Rooney, the Manchester
United and England striker made it to the
list of Top Ten with a total of 50 million
pound.
SHRINIVAS WON 42ND

SENIOR NATIONAL AND
INTER-STATE CARROM
CHAMPIONSHIP MENS TITLE
The mens compound team comprised of

Jignas Chittibomma, Sandeep Kumar and
Abhishek Verma. It defeated Vietnam team
226-218 to clinch gold. The recurve trio
mens team comprised of Binod Swansi,
Rahul Banerjee and Atanu Das. It defeated
Russia 217-201 to win the bronze medal.
India won 55-51, 53-47, 55-53, 54-50.
In the meanwhile, the womens recurve
team of India comprising of L Bombayla
Devi, Dola Banerjee and Rimil Buriuly
missed their bronze after losing 202-203 to
Indonesia. India lost 48-52, 52-52, 53-51,
49-48.
INDIA WON EIGHT MEDALS IN

INAUGURAL ASIAN GRAND
PRIX ARCHERY
CHAMPIONSHIP
Shrinivas won 42nd Senior National and

Inter-State Carrom Championship at Akola.
He defeated world no. 3 Yogesh Pardeshi in
the mens final 8-25, 25-18, 25-4.
In the womens final, Rashmi Kumari
defeated I Ilavazhaki 25-9, 25-18 to win the
womens title. This was the fifth title of her
career. The nationals ended on 10 March
2013. These nationals were organised at the
Desai Stadium by Vidarbha Carrom
Association and All India Carrom
Federation.
India won a total of eight medals in the

inaugural Asian Grand Prix Archery
Championship at Bangkok on 14 March
2013. India won two gold, two Silver and
four bronze.
In the category of compound Men's
individual, Ch. Jignas clinched the Gold after
he defeated China's He Ying 145-142. In the
Compound Men's trio category, Ch. Jignas,
Abhishek Verma and Ritul Chatterjee won
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the Gold, registering a victory over Vietnam,

226-218.
Silver was won by Rahul Banerjee in
Recurve Men and Anjali Kumari in
Compound Women in the individual
categories. In the Recurve Men's event,
Atanu Das clinched the Bronze. Recurve
Women's team of Bombayala Devi, Dola
Banerjee and Rimil Biruli defeated
Indonesia to win a Bronze. In the same
section, Bombayla Devi won a Bronze in
individual category. Atanu and Bombayala
also defeated opponent team in Mixed
team event to win fourth Bronze for India.
NEHA TRIPATHI WON SECOND

TITLE IN HERO WOMEN'S PRO
GOLF TOUR 2013
Neha Tripathi won her second title in Hero
Women's Pro Golf Tour 2013 on 15 March
2013 when she finished with three over 75
in the final round of the fifth leg. She
defeated Smriti Mehra with an aggregate of
224.
This is her second title of the season.
Earlier, Neha Tripathi had won in the Hero
Women's Pro Golf Tour 2013 on 31 January
2013.
Preetinder Kaur finished at the third
position with the final round score of five
over 77. Her total score was 234. Delhi's
Vani Kapoor stood at fourth position with
nine over 81 and total score of 236. At the
fifth position was Ankita Tiwana with an
overall score of 241. Saaniya Sharma
followed her at the sixth position with an
overall score of 244.
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CHAPTER 13: STATE NEWS

JUDICIAL PROBE IN
ALLAHABAD RAILWAY
STATION STAMPEDE
The State Government of Uttar Pradesh on
18 February 2013 appointed Onkareshwar
Bhatt, the retired Justice of Allahabad High
Court to conduct Judicial Probe into the
Allahabad Railway Station Stampede that
occurred during Kumbh Mela. The
constituted committee that will probe into
the matter is a one-man committee and
was directed to submit its report in two
months.
The State Government ordered a Judicial
Probe into the incident that occurred on the
day of Mauni Amawasya 10 February 2013
at the Allahabad Railway Station during
Kumbh Mela.
Other Two Committees conducting Inquiry
on the Case
Earlier, the state Government
appointed
Jagan
Mathuews,
Chairman of the UP Board of
Revenue to conduct an inquiry and
submit its report within one month.
Railways have also appointed an
Inquiry Committee being headed by
the Additional member traffic
Railway Board, to look into the
matter
An inquiry committee that was constituted
by the Railways to look into the matter; the
committee is being headed by the
Additional member traffic Railway Board.
IMMEDIATE MEDICAL
TREATMENT TO BE GIVEN TO
CRIMINAL OFFENCE VICTIMS:
DELHI HIGH COURT
The Delhi High Court on 31 January 2013
ordered the Government of Delhi to issue
guidelines to all hospitals, including the
private hospitals in the capital not to refuse
treatment to the victims of criminal
offences, mainly those of road accidents
and rapes.
A bench which was headed by Chief Justice
D
Murugesan
ordered
the
Delhi
government that victims of gangrape and
other crimes, including road accidents
should immediately be given first aid
treatment, as per the condition of the
victim.
The directions of Delhi High Court were a
result of the Delhi gangrape which took
place on 16 December 2012 in a moving
bus. The court also said that Police
Commissioner of Delhi will issue directions
with immediate effect after the order is
passed by the Government of Delhi to abide
by the orders of the Delhi High Court.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

GAVE 100 MILLION US
DOLLAR LOAN TO
UTTARAKHAND
January 2013 signed an agreement with the
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Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 100
million US dollar loan as second tranche of
urban sector development investment
programme of Uttarakhand.
The loan will provide support in terms of
rehabilitation as well as expansion of the
basic urban infrastructure in five main
urban towns of Uttarakhand. The loan will
also guarantee sustainable municipal
service delivery.
The loan will help the urban infrastructure
programme which was already started
under first tranche in Nanital, Haridwar and
Dehra Dun. Apart from this, the loan will
also be extended to include the towns like
Ramnagar, Roorkee and Haldwani. This will
help primarily in improving water supply
infrastructure which will provide benefit to
around 800000 residents.
The agreement was signed by Department
of Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Anup
Wadhawan who acted on behalf of the
Union
Government,
as
well
as
Uttarakhands
Urban
Development
Secretary M.H. Khan.
In the second tranche of loan from ADB,
there is a 25 year term which also includes
the grace period of 5 years along with the
commitment charges of 0.15 per cent. It
also additionally carries interest rate which
will be determined along with the Manilabased multilateral agencys LIBOR-based
lending facility.
Apart from this, the complementary funds
of 42.86 million US dollar will be provided
by the Centre for the total second tranche
project investment cost amounting to
142.86 million US dollar.
Page 505
INDIA AND WORLD BANK

SIGNED A DEAL FOR
KARNATAKA WATERSHED
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II
The Government of India and the World
Bank on 11 February 2013 signed a 60
million US dollars credit agreement for the
Karnataka
Watershed
Development
Project II (KWDP II) to further improve
watershed planning and management in
project areas. The Project will improve
government watershed operations in 930
micro-watersheds covering 465000 ha
across 7 districts of Karnataka.
This project builds on the successful
experience of earlier Bank-supported
Karnataka
Watershed
Development
Project I, also known as Sujala, which
helped improve the lives of 230000 farmers
by increasing crop yields by about 25
percent, and raising household incomes of
small and marginal farmers by 40 percent.
KWDP II will focus on improving the
performance and results of IWMP by
introducing new tools and approaches for
integrated
watershed
planning,
incorporating more information about
water resources into the planning process,
facilitating better convergence of IWMP
with other government programs such as
NREGS, and helping farmers increase
agricultural productivity. The project will
cover about 465000 ha and 160000 farmer
households in 7 districts.
Consequently, a primary focus of the
project is on supporting the implementation
of IWMP in the 7-selected districts of
Karnataka through better planning, capacity
building, monitoring and evaluation, and
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post-harvest value addition. Focus will also
be on understanding local needs, like
locationspecific
soilcropwater
interactions; expanding the scope of
rainwater harvesting and groundwater
recharge, by partly converging the NREGS
with
the
IWMP
and
developing
agroclimatic zone specific technology to
enable rural communities to better adapt to
the effects of climate change.
Among the other components of the
project, horticulture is expected to play a
major role in raising income of farmers even
in dry tracks. The Project will support
activities for promoting dry land production
for annual and perennial crops; crop
diversification; help farmers in carrying out
soil, water and leaf analysis to identify
nutrient deficiencies; create facilities for
testing, training and demonstrations;
facilitate farmers in availing quality seed
and planting material; and support farmers
to improve post-harvest handling and
marketing of the produce among others.
Karnatakas dry regions are among the
states poorest, have low agricultural
productivity, and are susceptible to drought
and deepening environmental stress and
degradation. The project area has 39400
landless families. Annual normal rainfall
varies from 600 to 800 mm with 43 rainy
days in a year. Rain fed agriculture in
278000 ha of project area, experiences at
least two water deficit years in a five year
cycle due to prolonged dry spells during
crop season and/or delayed onset of
monsoon rains. The project will be financed
by a credit from the International
Development Association (IDA) the
World Banks concessionary lending arm
which provides interest-free loans with 25
years to maturity and a grace period of five
Page 506
years. The Closing Date of the Project is 31

December 2018.
HC OF GUJARAT ORDERED
STATE GOVERNMENT TO
IMPLEMENT MINORITY
SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME
The High Court of Gujarat on 15 February
2013 ordered the state Government to
implement the Centre's Pre-matriculation
Scholarship Scheme for students of
minority community in the state. The court
rejected the contention of Narendra Modi,
the Chief Minister of the state of in
implementation of the Centre's prematriculation scholarship scheme by stating
it discriminatory.
From the High Court Bench of five judges,
three namely Justices V M Sahai, D H
Vaghela and Akil Kureshi supported the
implementation of the scheme upholding
its constitutional validity and declared that
equating it with any particular type of
reservation was not possible, whereas two
judges namely Justice R R Tripathi and J B
Pardiwala ruled against the scheme.
The orders of the court came after hearing
of the PILs launched against the State
Governments decision to hold on the
implementation of the Centre's prematriculation scholarship scheme since
2008, when the scheme was launched
across the country. The Court in its majority
verdict established that the scheme doesnt
violate the provisions mentioned in the
Article 15 (1) of the Constitution of India.
Whereas the minority verdict identified that
the scheme violated the provisions of the
section.
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PRE-MATRICULATION
SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME FOR
MINORITY COMMUNITIES
The Cabinet Committee on Investment

(CCI) on 20 February 2013 cleared the
proposal of the Power Ministry to set up
the North Karanpura Super Thermal Power
Plant (NKSTPP) (3 x 660 MW) near Tandwa
town in Chatra district of Jharkhand by the
National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC.
The Centre's pre-matriculation scholarship

scheme is a scheme run by the Central
Government of India and it covers students,
who belong to five religious minorities
including Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist
and Parsi with annual income below 1 lakh
rupees.
The CCI 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.
Under the provisions of the scheme, the

central government provides 75 percent
scholarship to students covered under the
scheme and the rest 25 percent is the
responsibility of the State Government.
The Scholarship is provided to

students
from
minority
community up to tenth class,
who are studying in private as
well as Government schools.
The main objective of the

scholarship is to empower the
country through education and
create a potential of upliftment
of the socio economic conditions
of minority community
Monetary benefits are also

provided to the deserving
candidates to help the families
of these students and to
encourage other families of the
minority community to send
their children to schools
CCI APPROVED PROPOSAL

FOR NORTH KARANPURA
SUPER THERMAL POWER
PLANT IN JHARKHAND
The safeguards of the project was

recommended
by
the
Chaturvedi
Committee were accepted by the Group of
Ministers that was chaired by the Finance
Minister of Indian Union.
The power project is being developed for
generation of 1980 MW power. The Plant is
expected to generate electricity for a period
of about 35 years.
KERALA GOVERNMENT
RAISED AGE LIMIT FOR
BUYING AND SELLING OF
LIQUOR FROM 18 TO 21
The State Government of Kerala on 20
February 2013 approved Kerala Abkari Act
Amendment
Ordinance
2013
that
envisaged raising age limit for buying or
selling liquor from 18 years to 21 years.
The new policy was announced in 2012,
according to which Congress had
committed to raise liquor buying and selling
age from 18 to 21 years. This was aimed at
bringing down the consumption of liquor in
Kerala.
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Page 507

Apart from this, the Kerala Abkari Act
Amendment Ordinance 2013 would
obligate showing statutory warnings for
movies and television, against the
consumption of liquor.
ASSAM BECAME FIRST INDIAN

STATE TO PRODUCE OVER
500 MILLION KG TEA FOR 2
YEARS IN A ROW
Assam became the first state in India to
produce over 500 million kilogram tea for
two years in a row. Assam produced five
hundred 88 million kilogram of tea in 2012,
which is 53 percent of the countrys total
tea production. Earlier in 2011, 5 hundred
89 million kilogram tea was produced in the
state.
According to an estimate, over seven
thousand five hundred crore rupee turnover was recorded in Assam tea sector in
2012. It may be recalled that around seven
lakh workers are engaged in the tea sector.
Fifty percent of them are women.
TRANSIT-ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT (TOD)
PROJECTS RECEIVE A NOD
Page 508
UTTIPEC is the division of Delhi

Development Authority. It has plans for
conducting around 25 workshops in coming
months which would focus on metro
corridors between Chattarpur to Arjangarh
and Peeragarhi to Teekri Kalan. The aim of
these workshops is to create awareness
about TOD policy. Also, the workshops will
include concerns raised by stakeholders
such as NGOs, RWAs, DTC, DMRC, private
transporters, DTC as well as other experts.
UTTIPEC planners on 21 February 2013
emphasised on the fact that TOD system
would help in making the transport system
friendly to women, cyclists and walkers.
Aim of TOD
The aim of TOD is building mass-rapid
transport hubs which will have inner zone
of 300 metres radius that would be called
intense-zone. This intense-zone will give
preference to non-motorised transport,
pedestrians as well as high-density mixed
use development. Two other concentric
zones of 800 metres and 2 km will be built
with equal road-space distribution and
high-density street network.
Nine themes
The UTTIPEC (Unified Traffic and

Transportation Infrastructure Planning and
Engineering Centre) on 21 February 2013
started efforts for developing vision as well
as strategy for successful implementation of
the plans for mass-rapid transport system in
Delhi. Already, pilot projects along the four
metro corridors as well as Karkardooma
have got in-principal approval for first phase
of transit-oriented development (TOD).
The workshops would create strategies as

well as plans which would have nine
themes
Visualising of the TOD-based

development
Economic feasibility and market

testing
Strategy
for
sustainable
infrastructure
Transferring development rights

as well as its implementation
Strategy
for
incentivising
redevelopment
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Strategy
for
sustainable
transport infrastructure
Strategy for effective parking
Strategy for rolling out the TOD
In order to select the models for

retrofitting, green-field development and
redevelopment, design competitions will be
held.
STATE CABINET OF MANIPUR

TO ISSUE BAN ON SALE AND
CONSUMPTION OF TOBACCO
PRODUCT
The State Cabinet of Manipur decided to
issue ban on the use of tobacco products in
the state on 15 February 2013. The
cabinets decision to ban the sale and
consumption of tobacco products like
gutka, cigarette, zarda, khaini and others
would be implemented with immediate
effect.
The State Cabinet meeting that issued
complete ban on use of tobacco product in
the state was chaired by the Chief Minister
of the state, Okram Ibobi Singh at Imphal.
Page 509
The State Government announced that

agricultural input-grant (that is limited to its
maximum up to two hectares) to the small,
marginal and other farmers who have
suffered losses of 50 percent or more crop
damage.
Entitlement of benefits in the relief
package announced
3000 rupees per hectare for nonirrigated fields
6000 rupees per hectare for fields
irrigated by canals and wells
For fields irrigated by diesel pumps,
the decided amount is 8000 rupees
per hectare
Farmers who have suffered more
than 50 percent crop damage would
be exempted from paying electricity
bills for four months
The farmers engaged in contractual or
partnership based farming and not listed in
the revenue records needs to get a fiverupee stamp paper signed by their land
owners to get the benefits of the package. A
Committee constituted at the Gram
Panchayat level is made responsible to take
care of all sorts of problems.
STATE BUDGET OF HARYANA

2013-14: HIGHLIGHTS
GOVERNMENT OF RAJASTHAN
ANNOUNCED RELIEF
PACKAGE FOR FARMERS
The Government of Rajasthan on 17
February 2013 announced a relief package
for farmers, whose crops were destroyed
due to the rains and hailstorm that
happened in the second week of February.
The package includes waiver from paying
electricity bills for months.
Finance Minister of Haryana on 1 March

2013 presented his second budget as the
Finance Minister of the State.
Highlights of the Budget
An outlay plan of 27071.32 crore
rupees was proposed for Annual
Plan 2013-14 with a growth of 18%
from RE 2012-13. A growth of 17.26
% was expected in VAT to yield
19288.61 crore rupees.
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Haryana has outperformed the

major States in the country in
mobilizing financial resources during
the 11th Five Year Plan.
The State will achieve the target of
its revenue collections of 19962
crore rupees under VAT Act, CST Act,
Entertainment Duty Act, Passenger
and Goods Taxation Act and Excise
Act for the current year.
Expected revenue receipts for 201314 is at 43780.33 crore constituting
growth of 15.75% over RE 2012-13
Excise Policy already announced by
the government will yield 4000 crore
rupees in Financial Year 2013-14
Revenue deficit as a percentage to
GSDP will further reduce to 0.59

2013-14: NEW INITIATIVES
Finance Minister of Haryana Harmohindar
Singh Chatha on 1 March 2013 presented
the Budget of State.
Some of the new initiatives undertaken by
the Government of Haryana as under the
Budget
The State Government proposes to
launch an ambitious housing scheme
name Priyadarshini Awaas Yojna
(PAY) in the budget for the year
2013-14 to facilitate the housing
delivery in rural areas.
Each of the beneficiaries, under the
scheme (PAY), will be given financial
assistance of 81000 rupees by the
State as grant for the construction of
a new house.
In order to cater to the requirement
of affordable housing for the weaker
sections residing in the Urban Areas,
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during BE 2013-14 as against 0.90 in

RE 2012-13.
The ratio of salary and pension to
total revenue receipts is also
proposed to reduce from 38.68%
during RE 2012-13 to 37.94% in BE
2013-14.
The debt-GSDP ratio also declines
favourably from 16.50% in RE 201213 to 16.47% during BE 2013-14,
much within the target of 22.8%
prescribed by the 13th Finance
Commission.
The capital expenditure net of
expenditure on food procurement is
proposed to increase to 6936.99
crore in Financial Year 2013-14 as
against 5509.24 crore during RE
2012-13.
the Government proposes to
construct 1.50 lakh houses during
the next financial years 2013-14 and
2014-15 through Housing Board
Haryana, Urban Local Bodies and
Town
&
Country
Planning
Department.
Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) is
being started during 2013-14 for
which 37 crore are being provided.
In order to cater to the requirement
of affordable housing for the weaker
sections residing in the Urban Areas,
the Government proposes to
construct 1.50 lakh houses during
the next financial years 2013-14 and
2014-15 through Housing Board
Haryana, Urban Local Bodies and
Town
&
Country
Planning
Department.
For
effective
and
efficient
implementation of the District Plan
Scheme, the Government has
constituted
the
District
Development
and
Monitoring
Page 510
Committee in each district under the

chairmanship of the Minister incharge of the District Grievances
Redressal Committee.
State Government has set up four
permanent Commissions in this
financial year in public interest.
State
Government
has
also
approved the constitution of 21 Fast
Track Courts, one in each district, to
expedite the trial in crime against
women.
Rajiv
Gandhi
Panchayat
Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) is a
new umbrella scheme which is being
started during 2013-14 and will
strengthen the Panchayati Raj
System across the State and address
critical gaps that constrain it. 85
crore of rupees have been allotted
to this scheme.
For
investment
in
Sports
Infrastructure and promotion of
sports through a multi-pronged
approach, an outlay of 100 crore
rupees was allocated under Plan
side giving an increase of 100% from
last year.
Under
the
National
River
Conservation
Programme,
two
projects for augmentation of
sewerage facilities and construction
of Sewage Treatment Plants for

2013-14: SECTOR WISE
ALLOCATIONS
Page 511
Sonepat and Panipat towns have

been approved at a cost of 88.36
crore and 129.51 crore rupees
respectively to be completed by
2015-16.
The State Government has approved
NABARD assisted project of 68 crore
for construction of 6095 separate
toilets for girls along with 2910 hand
pumps for water in 2910
Government High/Higher Secondary
Schools in rural areas of the State.
State Livestock Mission is being set
up with a provision of 1 crore during
2013-14 to provide support for
conservation of genetic resource,
improvement of valuable native
breeds, their health and nutrition
etc. To set up Gau-Sewa Ayog, 1
crore has been provided in 2013-14.
Extension of Delhi Metro to YMCA
Chowk Faridabad with the corridor
length of 13.875 KMs is being
executed at a cost of `2494 crore.
For this, Government of Haryana is
contributing 1557.40 crore.
Cashless medical facility will be
implemented from the year 201314, for the employees of the
Government of Haryana, its PSUs,
Local
Bodies,
Cooperative
Institutions, Autonomous Bodies,
etc. to fulfill their expectation
Finance Minister of Haryana Harmohindar
Singh Chatha on 1 March 2013 presented
his second budget as the Finance Minister
of the State. Allocation to different sectors
at a Glance
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Agricultural and Allied Sector
The target for 2013-14 is to set up
600 hi-tech and mini units, produce
71.15 lakh tonnes of milk, 43000
lakh eggs and 13.80 lakh kg of wool
with plan outlay of 125 crore
rupees.
142 crore rupees is provided to the
Haryana
State
Cooperative
Agriculture and Rural Development
Bank (HSCARDB) to enable the
sustenance of the long term
cooperative structure. During the
year 2013-14, it was intend to
provide a sum of 107 crore for the
same purpose.
Allocation for Education sector

For encouraging brilliant students,
stipend of 750 rupees under Rajiv
Gandhi Scholarship for Excellence in
Education Scheme is being given
benefiting 12,000 students. Likewise
monthly stipends to 7.47 lakh
BPL/BCA students and 8.45 lakh SC
students are being provided.
During the financial year 2012-13,
45 crore of rupees is being spent to
purchase dual desks and 100 crore
are provided for 2013-14 to enable
the department to replace and
provide new furniture for students.
Innovative 4 year integrated
B.Sc./B.Com./
B.A.cum-B.Ed.
course is being started from the year
2013-14. A number of higher
professional courses and research
activities would be added on the
completion of infrastructure.
State Government is implementing
two flagship national programmes,
viz., Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan and
Page 512
Rashtriya
Madhyamik
Shiksha
Abhiyan on a sharing pattern
between the Centre and the State.
Both these programmes, interalia,
provide for various inputs for
ensuring education of reasonable
quality.
2491.83 crore rupees was allocated
on Plan side for School Education
during 2013-14 which is 50% higher
than the allocation for the current
financial year.
400 crore rupees was allocated for
Higher Education sector for the next
financial year which is 72% higher
than the allocation of current
financial year on plan side.
National Institute of Design (NID), a
premier institute of the Government
of India, is being established in Umri
(on NH-1) in District Kurukshetra.
Land measuring 20.5 acre has been
provided by the Gram Panchayat
Umri for this institute of national
importance.
Extension Campus of IIT Delhi is
being established at Rajiv Gandhi
Education City, Kundli, and District
Sonepat for which HUDA has
allotted a site measuring 50 acres.
Sports and Youth Affairs

The Government is constructing 227
Sports Stadia called Rajiv Gandhi
Gramin Khel Parisar in different
blocks of the State. Out of these,
158 such stadia have already been
completed.
The Government has implemented
Fair Play Scholarship Scheme to
provide equal opportunity in sports
to those belonging to the weaker
section of the society.
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Page 512
The new Excise Policy, the amount

assigned for promotion of sports has
been increased from 0.50 rupeeto 1
rupee per bottle on the sale of
country liquor, IMFL and Beer. This
will mobilize an additional amount
of 20 crore for the sector.
Women and Child Development

The State has spent128 crore for the
construction of 3147 Anganwadi
buildings. The State has also
augmented the resources for the
construction of Anganwadi buildings
by taking the NABARD assisted
projects RIDF XVI and XVIIworth 164
crore for the construction of 1930
Anganwadi buildings.
891.99 crore rupees was allocated
for this sector during 2013-14 which
is 214.30 crore (32%) higher than
the allocation for the current year.
This includes 780.96 crore on Plan
side and 111.03 crore on Non Plan
side.
Social Justice and Empowerment
Government has taken a series of
effective steps to provide social
security to the Aged, Widows,
Destitute Women, Handicapped
Persons, Eunuchs, Dwarfs, Persons
belonging to Minority Communities
and Families having only Girl Child.
Under
the
existing
scheme
Scholarship
to
Physically
Handicapped Students, scholarship
is given to physically handicapped
students of 400 rupees to 1000
rupees per month.
Training and Research for Mentally
Retarded Persons (SIRTAR) has been
set up at Rohtak with an investment
of 2.18 crore rupees.
Page 513
Urban Local Bodies

Various initiatives are being taken by
the Department to improve the civic
amenities in urban areas in the State
The State Government had launched
the
Rajiv
Gandhi
Urban
Development Mission (RGUDMH)
for
urban
infrastructure
development programme on a
mission mode approach, in all the
urban local bodies of the State.
A total sum of 16.86 crore has been
approved by Government of India
for the State to make the 9 cities
slum free (Gurgaon, Faridabad,
Karnal, Panchkula, Rohtak, Panipat,
Ambala, Yamunanagar and Hisar)
under Rajiv Awas Yojana.
Roads
During the year 2012-13, 1853 Kms.
roads with an expenditure 1165.00
crore under various schemes have
been repaired inspite of poor
availability of aggregates due to ban
on quarrying in Haryana.
The Govt. of Haryana has approved
following five roads stretches to be
improved under PPP mode
i. Meerut-Sonepat upto
Bahalagarh
Chowk
(Length 11.58 km).
ii. Panipat-Sanoli road
SH-16 (Length 18.31
km)
iii. Kond-Munak-SalwanAssandh road MDR
114
(Length
37.85km).
iv. Palwal-Aligarh upto
border (Length 15.41
km).
v. Karnal-Meerut Road
(Length 15.40 km).
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Page 514
Power
The establishment of 2800 MW
(4x700 MW) Nuclear Power Plantat
village Gorakhpur in district
Fatehabad has been approved.
For up-gradation of the transmission
network in the State, about ` 1800
crore is planned to be spent in the
years 2012-13 and 2013-14.
To assist the beleaguered Power
Distribution
Companies,
the
government has given its inprinciple concurrence for joining the
Government of India in its new
Scheme titled as Scheme for
Financial
Restructuring
of
Distribution Power Utilities.
A total of 5232.97 crore rupees was
allocated for this sector during 201314. Which includes 965.09 crore on
Plan side and ` 4267.88 crore on Non
Plan side.
Court, in their order of seniority. All these

additional judges will serve the Court for a
period of two years and from the day when
they will assume the charge of their
respective offices.
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
APPOINTED JUDGES IN THE
HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND
KASHMIR
The UK Government on 12 March 2013

opened its first ever Mobile Biometric Clinic
(MBC) in Goa.
President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on 11

March 2013 appointed Ali Mohd. Magrey
and Dhiraj Singh Thakur as the Judges of the
Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The
appointment of judges by the President
took place in confirmation to the powers
conferred in Article 95 of the Constitution
of Jammu and Kashmir.
Exercising his powers provided under SubSection (1) of Section 100-A of the
Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, the
President also appointed Rabstan, Bansi Lal
Bhat and Janak Raj Kotwal as the Additional
Judges of the Jammu and Kashmir High
Article 370 of Constitution of India grants

temporary provisions with respect to the
State of Jammu and Kashmir.
(1) Notwithstanding anything in this
Constitution,
a) the provisions of article 238 shall not
apply in relation to the State of
Jammu and Kashmir;
b) the power of Parliament to make
laws for the said State shall be
limited
UK OPENED MOBILE VISA

APPLICATION FACILITY IN
GOA
The Mobile Biometric Clinic is meant to save

the time of locals from travelling to distant
places like Mumbai to apply for visa to the
country. Mobile Biometric Clinic is an
initiative by the UK Border Agency providing
convenience to the citizens of Goa with the
localised option of applying for a UK visa.
About Mobile Biometric Clinic (MBC)
MBC is a new and optional service,
which for an additional fee allows
applicants who are residing in Goa
to submit their UK visa application
and biometric data using a mobile
facility in the state.
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Page 514
The new MBC service offers the

option to do things closer from
home.
The MBC uses the UK Border
Agencys
mobile
Biometric
Enrolment System (BES) equipment
to take biometric data (finger scans
and digital photograph).
The service is delivered by the UK Border

Agencys commercial partner, VFS Global.
Earlier in the month of February, the UK
prime minister had announced a new same
day visa service for businessmen.
CHIEF MINISTER OF DELHI

LAUNCHED A
COMPREHENSIVE FIVE-INONE VACCINE
The Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit
launched a comprehensive five-in-one
vaccine on 12 March 2013 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. The
injection for vaccine will be available for the
general public in 650 primary healthcare
units as well as 32 Delhi Government
Hospitals.
The life-saving injection would provide
immunity to children against five
threatening diseases. It would also decrease
the infant mortality rate. It is important to
note that in 1998-99; merely 58 percent
infants received complete immunization.
Page 515
But in 2011-12, this number increased to 89

percent.
CONGRESS GOVERNMENT
WON THE NO-CONFIDENCE
MOTION INITIATED AGAINST
IT IN ANDHRA PRADESH
Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh
that is led by Chief Minister Kiran Kumar
Reddy on 15 March 2013 won the No
Confidence Motion by 142 to 58 votes,
passed against it in the Assembly by the
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and
supported by YSR Congress Party and
others.
Result of the No Confidence Motion
142 Legislators Voted against the
motion
58 Legislators voted in support of
the motion
64 Legislators abstained from the
motion
27 remained absent during the
motion
A total of nine legislators from Congress
voted for the motion against the party.
Speaker N Manohar declared that the No
Confidence Motion moved by TRS
legislature party leader E Rajender was
defeated.
MUKUL MANDA SANGMA

SWORN-IN AS THE CHIEF
MINISTER OF MEGHALAYA
Mukul Manda Sangma of Congress was
sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya
for the second term on 5 March 2013. He
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took oath for the second term as 26th Chief
Minister of the state.
The
Governor,
R.S.
Mooshahary
administered him the oath of office and
secrecy at the Raj Bhavan premises in
Shillong. 47-year old Mukul Sangma led the
Congress with 29 seats, merely two seats
short of the majority in a house of 60. He
was sworn-in without the Council of
Ministers. Announcement of the list of
Council of Ministers will be made by Mukul
Manda Sangma in the second week of
March 2013.
NEIPHIU RIO SWORN-IN AS

THE CHIEF MINISTER OF
NAGALAND
Neiphiu Rio 63, of Naga Peoples Front
(NPF) party was sworn in as Chief Minister
of Nagaland for the third straight term on 5
March 2013 along with 11 ministers by the
Governor Nikhil Kumar at the Raj Bhavan in
Kohima.
Page 516
The other eleven ministers who had taken

oath for the office were from his own party,
the Naga Peoples Front (NPF), which had
won 38 seats in the 60-member house.
The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), is supported
by two alliance partners, BJP and JD(U) with
one MLA each, also with an unconditional
support of 7 Independents.
The other 11 ministers who took oath are,
Noke Konyak, T. R. Zeliang, G. Kaito Aye,
Imkong L. Imchen, Kuzholuzo Nienu,
Kiyaneilie Peseyie, Yanthungo Patton, C M
Chang, E E Pangteang, S Pangyuh Phom and
R Merentoshi Jamir.
Neiphiu Rio is the only leader to have led
the regional party to victory in the assembly
elections for the third time in the 50-year
history of Nagaland statehood. Neiphiu Rio
was Chief Minister from 6 March 2003 to 3
January 2008, and has been Chief Minister
again since 12 March 2008.
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CHAPTER 14: ENVIRONMENT

INDIA AND UK SIGNED MOU
TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION IN EARTH
SCIENCES
capability of various weather and climaterelated phenomena by sharing the

expertise and knowledge. This advance
forecasting will help people associated with
the agriculture sector, which is the main
sector of the Indias economy.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

was signed between India and UK to
strengthen their cooperation in Earth
Sciences and environmental research on 1
March 2013 in New Delhi. The MOU will
allow the two countries to share
information on meteorology, hydrology and
climate variability.
FIRST WILDLIFE SKYWALK OF

INDIA TO COME UP IN
MAENAM WILDLIFE
SANCTUARY, SIKKIM
Major points of the MOU signed

The MOU inked between India
and UK will allow the two to
share
information
on
meteorology, hydrology and
climate variability.
The MOU will also help in
promoting exchange of scientific
and technical capabilities.
The MOU will facilitate India and
UK to identify new opportunities
for collaborative activities as well
as co-funding new environmental
research.
The MOU was signed between
the Earth System Science
Organisation of the Ministry of
Earth Sciences and Natural
Environment Research Council of
UK. Science and Technology
Minister of India, S Jaipal Reddy
was also present.
The first wildlife skywalk of India will be

coming up in Maenam wildlife sanctuary,
Sikkim. The State Government of Sikkim
proposed to construct 22 km rope-way
from Maenam sanctuary to skywalk which
would be built on edge of Bhalleydhunga
steep face.
This will also have rain shelter as well as
public conveniences. Maenam wildlife
sanctuary in Sikkim is 65 km south from
Gangtok, the capital of the state. It is a
popular tourist destination as well.
The environment ministry too has approved
the proposal of Sikkim government for the
first wildlife skywalk of India proposal that
would cost 500 crore Rupees. This skywalk
would be like the one in Grand Canyon in
North America. The skywalk in Grand
Canyon in North America gets more than
300000 visitors every year, inspite of
opposition from the wild-lifers.
The Memorandum of Understanding will

help India in improving the forecasting
INDIAN REPTILES FACE

SEVERE EXTINCTION THREAT:
STUDY
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Zoological Society of London along with
IUCN species survival commission in their
largest-ever analysis found out that 19
percent of turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodiles
and other reptiles were facing severe threat
of extinction.
One out of every five out of 10000 species
of reptiles in the world, many of which are
from India, is facing a threat of extinction.
Out of the endangered species are the King
cobra, Indian crocodile (mugger), South
Andaman krait and four kinds of turtles
namely, Red-crowned Roofed Turtle, Bengal
Roof Turtle, Jaggedshelled turtle and
Hawksbill turtle. These species were
identified to be extinct forever.
The conversationalists worry about the fact
that at present, there is no information
about conservation status of around one in
every three reptiles in India.
The study conducted found out that 30
percent of the freshwater reptiles were
almost close to extinction. The figure
increases to 50 percent when just the
freshwater turtles are considered. These
reptiles are affected by international as well
as national trade.
Also, 15 percent reptiles in Indo-Malayan
region were threatened. Our of 1500
species samples in the study, it was found
that 112 were from India. Out of these 1500
species, 12.2 percent had threat of
extinction.
NASA STUDY REVEALED

ALARMING LOSS OF WATER
IN MIDDLE EAST
A recent NASA study revealed that Middle
East lost quantity of freshwater which is
Page 518
almost the size of Dead Sea because of poor

management, increasing demand of
groundwater as well as the after-effects of
2007 drought.
The NASA study researched on the data
over a time period of seven years since
2003 with the help of gravity-measuring
satellites, which are a part of NASA's Gravity
Recovery and Climate Experiment or
GRACE. Researchers discovered that
freshwater reserves in areas in countries
like Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran along
Euphrates and Tigris river basins lost 117
million acre feet or 144 cubic kilometers of
total stored freshwater, which is said to be
the second-fastest loss.
Cause of Loss of Water
60 percent of loss was a result of

pumping
of
underground
reservoirs for ground water.
1000 wells in Iraq were pumped
for groundwater.
One-fifth loss occurred because

of impacts of drought which
included decreasing snow packs
as well as drying up of soil.
Another one-fifth loss happened

because of loss of surface water
from reservoirs and lakes.
The rate at which water loss

occurred is the largest liquid
freshwater
loss
on
the
continents.
Worsening water-crisis in Middle
East
The latest NASA study revealed
about the worsening of water crisis
in Middle East. The demand for
water in Middle East is increasing
because of increasing population,
war as well as climatic changes. It
also depicts that certain countries
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Page 518
would face acute shortage of water

in near future.
When the report was released
during U.N. climate talks in Qatar,
World Bank had concluded that
water shortage was one among the
critical problems in North Africa and
Middle East. This region particularly
had lowest quantity of freshwater in
the entire world.
Climatic changes would result in
more droughts in these regions with
extreme situations. Water runoff
would decrease 10 percent by 2050
and the demand for water would
increase 60 percent by 2045.
Fulfilling the increasing demand of
water is the biggest challenge for
improving the water conservation in
Tigris and Euphrates river basins.
Need for coordinated water management

between Turkey, Syria and Iraq
Tigris and Euphrates headwaters are
controlled by Turkey. Also the reservoirs
and the infrastructure of Turkey's Greater
Anatolia Project which dictates the quantity
of downstream of water flow into Iraq and
Syria are controlled by Turkey.
There is a need for coordinated water
management, which at present does not
exist among Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Also, the
tensions intensified since the drought of
2007 because Turkey diverts water to
irrigate farmland. As a result, decline in the
stream flow puts pressure on northern Iraq.
UN as well as anecdotal reports from area
residents made it clear in the report that
because of a decline in the stream flow, the
northern Iraq had to turn up to
groundwater.
Page 519
ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY
CONSTITUTED COMMITTEE
TO EXAMINE LEGAL COVER
FOR ELEPHANT HABITATS
The Environment Ministry in the third week
of February 2013 constituted a committee
that will review better legal protection to
elephant reserves as well as the corridors
in India under the green laws which are
already present. The committee was
constituted after National Board for
Wildlife raised concerns about absence of
any legal cover for the elephant corridors
and reserves.
The Central Government has already
identified two-third elephant reserves,
which cover 69582 sq km of area. The size
of these reserves varies from 450-6724 sq
km. These reserves not just include the
forest patches of various kinds but also the
tea plantations, revenue land, agricultural
land, villages and townships.
As of now, these elephant reserves are
identified as the programme of the
Environment Ministry for facilitating more
funds under Project Elephant central
scheme. However, it does not facilitate
better legal protection against the changes
to demarcated landscape like that is case of
tiger reserves. The government does not
face many difficulties in safeguarding the
tiger reserves, national parks and
sanctuaries, but in case of elephant
reserves, there are certain difficulties faced
by the government.
This is so because the elephants travel
hundreds of kilometer in a year and they
run through the forest and, cities and
villages as well.
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Page 519

Members of the committee
The committee which was set up

by the environment ministry will
be headed over by retired senior
forest officer, Vinod Rishi.
The director of Project Tiger will

be the member convener of the
committee.
Other members will include

Member of National Board for
Wildlife M D Madhusudan,
elephant conservation expert
Ajay Desai, chief wildlife warden
of Odisha J D Sharma and
Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay
Upadhayaya.
Purpose of the committee
The committee will have a one year
time for examining the existing
networks of elephant corridors and
reserves. The committee will inspect
whether these reserves and
corridors sufficiently cover the
habitat of elephants and that what
other legal cover can be provided to
these reserves and corridors under
the green laws recommended by
Elephant Task Force.
The committee will also assess
impact of wildlife protection
regulations on the population that
lives on or uses the land that falls
inside elephant corridors and
reserves.
HYDRO PROJECTS WORTH

2500 MW CLEARED BY THE
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT
& FOREST
Page 520
The Hydro Projects worth 2500 MW across

various states were accorded clearance by
the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of
Ministry of Environment & Forest (MoEF)
on 5 February 2013. The projects include
Tawang-II H.E. Project (800 MW) in
Arunachal Pradesh, Teesta-IV H.E. Project
(520 MW) in Sikkim to be executed by NHPC
Limited and Luhri H.E. Project (775 MW) in
Himachal Pradesh to be executed by Satluj
Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Limited. The
National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) has
accorded wild life clearance to Vishnugad
Pipalkoti H.E. Project (444 MW) in
Uttarakhand to be executed by THDC India
Limited subject to clearance by the State
Board of Wild Life.
The clearances were pending for a long
time. The way is straight clear in tapping the
hydro potential of the country to meet the
countrys power needs. Separately, the
MoEF has recently granted Stage-I forest
clearance to eight transmission projects and
Stage-II
forest
clearance
to
two
transmission projects of the Power Grid
Corporation of India Ltd.
The MoEF, through an order exempted
certain
linear
projects
including
transmission lines from the requirement of
obtaining consent of the concerned Gram
Sabha(s) unless recognised rights of
Primitive Tribal Groups/Pre-Agricultural
Communities are being affected. However,
all other conditions as prescribed in the
MoEF`s earlier order would apply. This
would help transmission projects obtain
clearances faster.
SHELLS OF SNAILS COULD

GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT
ANCIENT CLIMATE: STUDY
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Page 520

Researchers from the University of York in
the last week of January 2013 revealed that
the snails could help in predicting the
weather
conditions,
which
existed
thousands of years ago. The researchers
described that a lot of information could be
extracted about weather conditions that
were there 1000s of years ago, through the
snails.
In their study, the researchers studied the
chemistry behind shells of snail that dated
back to 9000 to 2500 years ago, which were
recovered from the Mediterranean caves.
The study was conducted by looking at the
different phases in past.
A team of researchers which was led by
Andre Carlo Colonese from York's
department of Archaeology believed that
the land snails held plethora of
information
about
not
just
the
palaeoclimatic conditions but also the
human behaviour.
Andre Carlo Colonese described that when
the research on snails was put together
from various sites such as Italy and Spain, a
large scale regional picture of the weather
conditions that existed over western
Mediterranean area was produced.
NEW ZEALAND DECLARED

WORST-EVER DROUGHT IN 30
YEARS IN NORTH ISLAND
Page 521
would cut off 1 percent of the economic

growth of New Zealand. Farmers of New
Zealand, who are said to be a crucial factor
of the economy of the country, estimated
that drought had cost them earnings of 1
billion New Zealand Dollars already.
The capital of NZ, Wellington is left with just
18 days of water. Drought will hit parts of
the South Island soon.
However, it was forecasted that first rainfall
in the duration of two months would come
by 16-17 March 2013. The drought
conditions in New Zealand were apparent
through the satellite images from space.
Drought hinting towards climate change
According to a few scientists, dry climatic
conditions hint towards an overall climate
change. Climate scientists from Victoria
University of Wellington forecasted that
more summers and drought conditions like
these were on their way in New Zealand
because of global warming.
The scientists explained that dry subtropical
weather, which leads to the formation of
deserts in countries like Australia and
Africa, was inching closer towards the poles
of the world.
There were increasing risks of drought in
the country, leading to stretching of water
resources.
The New Zealand Government in the third

week of March 2013 declared the worstever drought in 30 years in the entire North
Island of the country.
The worst-hit section of the society is the
farmers. Losses from agriculture will put
pressure on the economy, which in turn
HALF OF AFRICAS LIONS

FACING EXTINCTION THREAT:
STUDY
The study conducted by a team of Lion
Biologists of University of Minnesota in the
first week of March 2013 found that around
half of the wild lion population of Africa
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Page 521

would decline to almost extinction over the
period of 20-40 years if conservation
measures were not taken.
It was estimated that at present, less than
30000 lions remain in Africa in around 25
percent of natural habitat. The study led by
Professor Craig Packer as well as coauthored by a whole team of lion biologists
made use of the field data from 11 different
African countries. In the study, the cost for
managing the fenced as well as unfenced
habitats was examined. Also, in the study,
the lion population densities along with the
trends were studied.
OKHLA COMPOST PLANT

BECAME FIRST IN INDIA TO
RECEIVE CARBON CREDITS
WORTH 25 LAKH RUPEES
Page 522
EARTHQUAKE OF MAGNITUDE
8.0 STRUCK THE SOLOMON
ISLANDS
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 8.0
has struck off the Solomon Islands in the
Pacific Ocean on 6 February 2013 and
generated a potentially destructive
tsunami.
The earthquake struck the Santa Cruz
Islands a part of the Solomon Islands Nation
at 01:12 GMT as per the reports from the
US Geological Survey. The quake struck 81
kilometres west of Lata, at a depth of 5.8
kilometres. The Tsunami warning was raised
for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands,
Nauru, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tuvalu,
Fiji, Kosrae, and Wallis and Futuna and
Kiribati islands.
The composting plant of South Delhi

Municipal Corporation in Okhla, New Delhi
became the first in India to receive the
carbon credits from the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The civic body was given 25 lakh Rupees as
an advance against the Carbon Emission
Reduction (CER) earnings from this plant.
The Okhla plant became operational in
2008. Since 2008, around two lakh tonnes
of the waste has already been processed. In
the future, the amount of waste processed
everyday would be increased. The South
Delhi Municipal Corporation has outsourced
this operation to IL&FS (Infrastructure
Leasing & Financial Services Ltd), which in
turn is also working on the programme for
upgradation of this plant.
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CHAPTER 15: MISCELLANEOUS

movie attracted many at Berlin Film
Festival.
INAUGURAL LAHORE
LITERARY FESTIVAL (LLF) 2013
Meaning of the phrase Kai Po Che

The two-day inaugural Lahore Literary
Festival (LLF) 2013 which was aimed to
revive creativity and art of Lahore, the
cultural capital of Pakistan, concluded on 24
February 2013. The LLF 2013 ended with
the discussions on literature, celebration of
the international and local writers as well as
social discourse of past, present and future
of the literature.
The first-ever LLF was meant to reclaim and
celebrate essence of Pakistani culture.
In the event, people got an opportunity to
meet, hear and interact with some of the
eminent journalists, artists, intellectuals,
authors and many more, at both local and
global level. Indian authors who took part in
the LLF 2013 were Pran Nevile, Urvashi
Butalia and Jeet Thayil.
KAI PO CHE, CHETAN

BHAGATS NOVEL-BASED
MOVIE PREMIERED
Abhishek Kapoor's Kai Po Che based on the
novel of Chetan Bhagat- 3 Mistakes of My
Life was premiered on 18 February 2013.
Kai Po Che is the Bollywood debut of
Sushant Singh Rajput as well as Amit Sadh.
The plot of the movie revolves around three
friends, whose characters were played by
Sushant, Amit and Rajkumar Yadav.
Kai Po Che will release on 22 February 2013.
In the third week of February 2013, the
Kai Po Che is actually a Gujarati phrase

which means I have cut. It relates to the kite
competition where a competitor after
cutting others kite shouts Kai Po Che.
TWENTY-SEVENTH EDITION
OF SURAJKUND MELA ENDED
ON 15 FEBRUARY 2013
The twenty seventh edition of the
Surajkund International Crafts Mela ended
on 15 February 2013 at Surajkund in
Faridabad (Haryana). The mela lasted for
fifteen days from 1 February to 15 February
2013, presented a kaleidoscopic perspective
of the rich Indian culture.
Facts related to the 27th edition of the
meal are
The 27th edition of the mela carried
Karnataka as its main theme and
the theme was selected after a gap
of 18 years.
Craftsmen from SAARC nations
participated for the first time under
one roof in the history of mela
Craftsmen from Eurasian countries
like Tajikistan, Uzbekistan &
Kyrgystan also displayed their
handicrafts and handicrafts during
About Surajkund
the mela Mela
Surajkund Mela, for the first time was held
in 1987 and since then the colorful
traditional craft festival is held from 1
February to 15 February every year on the
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Page 523

onset of spring season. The annual fair
helps in showcasing the finest handlooms,
handicrafts, authentic fragrances and
flavours of rich Indian cuisines. State as well
as National awardees artisans from every
corner of India participate in the mela.
Every year the mela is organised based on
the theme of a particular state of India that
is chosen as the state of the year. Complete
mela carries the look of the selected state
Surajkund and its Significance
The name Surajkund means Lake of the Sun
and the area lies in the backdrop of Aravalli
hills. The area was built by the ruler of
Tomar Dynasty, Suraj Pal in tenth century.
The place holds a historic sun temple of
tenth century. Surajkund being a historical
place is also included in the list of Haryana
Tourism department.
ONE BILLION RISING

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO
END VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN
The entire world came together on one
platform to raise the voice for the violence
against women across the globe by
participating in One Billion Rising
Campaign. This is a global campaign to rise
against violence and take a stand for the
one billion women. Almost 200 hundred
countries are taking part in this campaign.
UN in its message stated that by standing
together the world can end the violence
against women and girls and build a world
where all live free from harassment and
fear.
Page 524
In fact, the governments across the globe

should make a concrete commitment of
action to end the violence against women
and girls.
SEVENTEENTH CONVOCATION
OF NIMHANS HELD
Seventeenth Convocation of the National
Institute of Mental Health and Neuro
Sciences (NIMHANS) was held on 14
February 2013 in Bangalore. Chief Guest of
the convocation was the Union Minister of
Health & Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi
Azad.
Initiatives taken during the Convocation
Ghulam Nabi Azad declared that
address and telephone based
Mother and Child Tracking System
were available for reaching out to
the
pregnant
women
for
appropriate care during pregnancy
as well as for every child for
vaccination.
New initiative called Rashtriya Bal
Swasthya Karyakram was launched
on 6 February 2013 in Maharashtra
for Universal Screening of Children
for Disorders, Diseases, Deficiencies
and Disabilities since birth to 18
years. This programme will include
270 million children in India.
The Health Ministers of India and
Bangladesh signed a MoU on Health
in New Delhi on 12 February 2013.
The MoU was signed so that the two
nations can cooperate in terms of
health sector.
India and Bangladesh also facilitated
setting up South Asian Autism
Network (SAAN). The meeting
between two nations was concluded
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Page 524
on 11 February 2013 where both

nations had Adoption of Delhi
Declaration.
National review in mental health
was conducted in which it was
observed that around one out of
two patients needed to travel over 5
km for care and 40 percent patients
had to travel over 10 km. National
Mental Health Programmes in
context with this, were restrategised for upgrading all Mental
Hospitals in India.
Apart from this, psychiatry wings of
about 90 medical colleges were
upgraded and District Hospitals
were strengthened for facilitating
medical care to patients who are
mentally ill.
It was decided that 18 Ambulance
services would be started for
transporting the patients to District
Hospitals in case of emergency.
The Health Ministry also drew plan
for scaling up the programme to
around 300 districts and eventually
to all the districts in a properly
phased manner during 12th Five
Year Plan.
The programme would be evaluated
by NIMHANS. Also, NIMHANS would
facilitate a blue print for expanding
these mental health services in
India.
12 FEBRUARY 2013: WORLD

RADIO DAY WAS OBSERVED
TO INCREASE AWARENESS
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
RADIO
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World Radio Day was observed on 12

February 2013 to raise awareness about the
importance of radio, facilitate access to
information through it and enhance
networking among broadcasters. On the
18th of December, 2012, the United
Nations General Assembly endorsed the
2011 resolution adopted by the UNESCO
General Conference, proclaiming the 13th
of February as World Radio Day, the day
United Nations Radio was established in
1946.
Since its invention more than a century ago,
the radio serves as a channel for
information and entertainment. The multipurpose medium is an important source of
information in those areas which are
sometimes too remote to get a newspaper
delivered.
Across the world, the number of radio
stations is increasing and the cost of
broadcasting is decreasing. More than ever,
the radio remains an effective means to
bring social change, by sharing knowledge
and providing a platform for inclusive
debate.
WORLDS LARGEST PRIME

NUMBER DISCOVERED;
CONTAINS 17 MILLION DIGITS
Researchers from the University of Central
Missouri in Warrensburg in the second
week of February 2013 discovered the
largest prime number of the world, beating
an earlier record of largest prime number
by more than 4 million digits. The findings
of the researchers were a part of Great
Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS).
GIMPS is a distributed computing project
which was specifically formulated for
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finding out a certain kind of prime number
which was first identified in 17th century.
All the prime numbers in the world can be
divided by themselves and 1 only. 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 number now shot to 2 multiplied
by itself 57885161 times minus 1 and this
broke the record of finding the new and
even larger primes.
The new largest prime number discovered
by the researchers has more than 17 million
digits and is an only 48th Mersenne prime
found so far. It is the 14th discovery by
GIMPS. The earlier record of 2 multiplied by
itself 43112609 times minus 1 was also
discovered by GIMPS back in 2008 and it
had just a few less than 13 million digits.
GIMPS discovered all the top ten largest
Mersenne primes.
There are infinite numbers of primes and
there is not any specific formula for
generating the primes like these. Therefore
discovering numbers like these involves
intensive computation.
The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search
(GIMPS) software functions on almost 1000
university computers. One of the computers
out of these spent 39 days in proving that
number discovered was actually prime and
later it was verified by other researchers as
well.
BOOK TITLED NETAJI

SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE
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AND GERMANY PRESENTED

TO PRESIDENT OF INDIA
First copy of the book titled Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose and Germany by Professor
Anita B. Pfaff was given to the President of
India Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati
Bhavan on 6 February 2013. The book was
brought out by the Federation of IndoGerman 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 depicts interesting facts about the life
of Netaji and his contribution to freedom
struggle of India. The President described
the book as a tribute to Netaji.
WORLD CANCER DAY

OBSERVED ACROSS THE
WORLD
4 February: World Cancer Day
World cancer day was observed on 4
February 2013 in order to raise awareness
about this illness as well as to promote the
measures, early detection, prevention and
treatment of the disease. The theme for
World Cancer Day, 2013 was Cancer - Did
you know? The theme focused on dispelling
the misconceptions associated with the
disease.
Various functions on the day were
organised by Union for International Cancer
Control, which is the leading organisation
for cancer fighting.
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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.
In the book, experiences of Natwar Singh have been described in interesting approach. The
book will enlighten the readers. In the book, K. Natwar Singh has put together 50 episodes
which will entertain and inform the readers.
officials from Ministry of Steel were also
present.
UNION MINISTER FOR STEEL
RELEASED COFFEE TABLE

BOOK TITLED INDIAN SAGA
OF STEEL
ACI PLACED THREE INDIAN

AIRPORTS AMONG THE TOP
FIVE OF THE WORLD
The Union Minister for Steel, Beni Prasad

Verma released a Coffee Table Book titled
Indian Saga of Steel in New Delhi on 4
March 2013. The book which is brought out
by the Ministry of Steel depicts about the
progress of the Indian Steel Industry as
well as its milestones from initial years to
the present.
The book - Indian Saga of Steel includes
nine chapters. Apart from the milestones
and development of the steel industry,
names as well as brief profiles of some of
the major steel companies in India can also
be found. Areas of R&D, New Technologies,
Environment and CSR can also be found in
the book. Other details of the book include
photos of various units of plants. On the
release occasion of the book, a film based
on Indian Steel Industry was screened as
well.
On the occasion of release of the book,
Member of Parliament and Chairman, JSPL
Naveen Jindal; the Secretary, Ministry of
Steel, D.R.S. Chaudhary and certain senior
Airports Council International (ACI), the

global body of Airports on 12 March 2013
declared Delhi's Indira Gandhi International
(IGI) airport as second best airport of the
world in the category of airports that
handles 25 to 40 million passengers per
year (MPPA). The Council placed Seoul's
Incheon airport as the best airport of the
world in the same category. Mumbai's
Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport was
placed at the third position in the same
category.
For service quality in the category of five to
fifteen MPPA, the Council ranked
Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International
airport (RGI) at second position placing
Japan's Nagoya airport at the best position
in the ranking.
Rankings of Airports in the Asia-Pacific
Region (with less than two million
passengers per year)
1. Seouls Incheon
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2. Singapores Changi
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The Consumer Protection Act was enacted

by the Parliament for the first time in 1986.
It led to the establishment of consumer
councils to settle consumer disputes and
related matters.
3. Bejing Airport
4. Delhi Airport
Now, the Department of Consumer Affairs

looks for the possibilities of producing teleserials for empowering and educating
consumers
for
their
rights
and
responsibilities. Campaigns such as Jago
Grahak Jago have been started in India with
success in creation of consumer awareness.
Airports Council International (ACI)

ACI is an autonomous and independent
body that conducts the service quality
passenger
survey
annually
and
measures
the
feedbacks
from
customers on different parameters of
service delivery. The body tracks the
experiences of the customers from the
time of their arrival at the airport till
the time of leaving the departure gate.
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
RELEASED COMMEMORATIVE
POSTAGE STAMP ON SAHIR
LUDHIANVI
on 8 March 2013 released the
Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir
Ludhianvi on occasion of his birth
anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New
Delhi.
WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS

DAY OBSERVED ACROSS THE
WORLD FOR CREATING
AWARENESS AMONG
CONSUMERS
15 March- World Consumer Rights Day
World Consumer Rights Day was observed
on 15 March 2013 for creating awareness in
terms of consumer protection measures as
well as consumer rights. The theme for
2013 World Consumer Rights Day was
Consumer Justice Now.
Sahir Ludhianvi died on 25 October 1980

and was a renowned Urdu poet. He was
known among the young for his poetry on
beauty and love. Sahir Ludhianvi had
converged Urdu poetry into the film songs
as well. Also, he fought for recognition of
lyric writers through the Film Writers
Association.
This day was first observed on 15 March

1983. In 1962, the former US President John
F. Kennedy, declared four basic consumer
rights- right to choose, right to be heard,
right to safety and right to be informed.
Consumer Protection Act, 1986
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UNIT II INDIAN YEAR BOOK
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CHAPTER 1: AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE is the principal source of
livelihood for more than 58% of the
population of this country.
MAJOR PROGRAMMES OF
DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE
RASHTRIYA KRISHI VIKAS
YOJANA
This Scheme, launched in 2007-08 RKVY has
succeeded in incentivizing States to allocate
more funds to agriculture and allied sectors.
Allocation to agriculture and allied sectors
was Rs. 8770.16 crore (4.88% of total State
Plan Expenditure) in 2006-07. This has gone
up to Rs. 22158.46 crore (6.04% of
aggregate State Plan Expenditure) in 201011 (RE). RKVY is projectised.
NATIONAL BAMBOO MISSION

In Order to harness the potential of
bamboo crop, Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture has
launched a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
called 'National Bamboo Mission' in 200607 with a total outlay of Rs. 568.23 crores.
This scheme is being implemented in
twenty-seven States of the country.
Important activities being supported for
increasing productivity and quality of
bamboo under the Mission are: increasing
area under bamboo cultivation, mass
production of quality planting material of
recommended species, improvement of
existing
stock,
pest
and
disease
management,
improved
post-harvest
management, development of human
resource and of marketing facilities.
AGRICULTURE CREDIT
NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY

MISSION
The National Food Security Mission (NFSM),
a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is in
operation in 480 districts of 18 important
Rice, Wheat and Pulses growing states to
increase production of rice by 10 million
tonnes, of wheat by 8 million tonnes and of
pulses by 2 million tonnes by the end of
Eleventh Five Year Plan. The salient aspect
of the Mission is that it has been
conceptualized to target those districts
which have lower productivity than the
State average but have the potential to
augment the productivity and production of
three crops, i.e. Rice, Wheat and Pulses.
The target of doubling of the flow of

agricultural credit in three years with base
year as 2003-04 has been achieved in two
years and agricultural credit flow reached
Rs. 384514 crores during 2009-10 forming
118% of the target. India's export of
agriculture produce has grown from the
level of 4% of agriculture GDP in 1990-91 to
average of 9% of agricultural GDP during
2007-2011.
KISAN CREDIT CARD

To provide adequate and timely support
from the banking system to the farmers for
their cultivation needs including purchase
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of inputs in a flexible and cost effective
manner, a model Kisan Credit Card Scheme
(KCC) was introduced in August, 1998 for
short and medium term loan and was
extended further w.e.f. 31.1.2006 covering
all types of loan requirement of borrowers
of State Cooperative Agriculture Rural
Development Bank.
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marketing under its administrative control,

namely, the Directorate of Marketing &
Inspection (DMI) Faridabad. Ch. Char an
Singh National Institute of Agricultural
Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur and Small Farmers
Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), New
Delhi.
DIRECTORATE OF MARKETING
AND INSPECTION
SPECIAL REHABILITATION
PACKAGE FOR DISTRESSED
FARMERS
Government of India has implemented a
Special Rehabilitation Package of Rs.
16978.69 crores for 31 suicide prone
Districts in the four States, namely, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and
Kerala. The Implementation period of the
package has ended on 30.09.2011.
AGRICULTURE INSURANCE
National Agricultural Insurance Scheme
(NAIS) with increased coverage of crops,
risk and farmers is being implemented for
establishing 3 Centres of Excellence at
Directorate
of
Sorghum
Research,
Hyderabad for Sorghum, CCAHAU, Hisar for
pearl millet and CIPHET, Ludhiana for small
millets.
The
scheme
is
under
implementation in 16 States namely;
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhandand and West
Bengal.
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation
has three organizations dealing with
The Directorate of Marketing and

Inspection (DMI) is an attached Office of
Ministry of Agriculture. It was set up in the
year 1935 to implement agricultural
marketing policies and programmes of the
Central Government. Since its very
inception, the Directorate continues to be
responsible for bringing about an integrated
development of marketing of agricultural
and allied produce in the country with a
view to safeguard interests of producersellers as well as consumers.
STANDARDIZATION AND
GRADING
The Agricultural Produce (Grading &
Marketing) Act, 1937 provides for grading
and marking of agricultural and other
produce. The Act empowers Central
Government to make Rules for (a) fixing
grade designation to indicate quality of any
scheduled article (b) defining quality
indicated by every grade designation and (c)
specifying grade designation marks to
represent particular grade designations.
Standards notified as per provisions of the
Act are popularly called AGMARK
Standards.
HORTICULTURE
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Horticulture includes a wide range of crops

such as fruits, vegetables, root and tuber
crops, flowers, aromatic and medicinal
plants, spices and plantation crops, and
facilitates diversification in agriculture.
There is a growing realization that
horticulture is now an option to improve
livelihood security, enhance employment
generation, attain food and nutritional
security and increase incomes through
value addition.
vagaries of monsoon result in wide

variation and instability in yields. These
areas, if managed properly have
tremendous potential to contribute larger
share in food production and faster
agricultural growth compared to irrigated
areas which have reached a plateau.
NATIONAL HORTICULTURE
MISSION
This was launched in 1990-91 in 28 States

and 2 Union Territories based on twin
concepts
of
integrated
watershed
management and sustainable farming
systems. NWDPRA scheme has been
subsumed in Macro Management of
Agriculture scheme since 2000-2001. This
programme specifically focuses on:
This Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched

in 2005-06 aims at the holistic development
of horticulture sector by ensuring forward
and backward linkages through a cluster
approach, with the active participation of all
stake-holders. This mission covers all States
and three Union Territories of Andaman
Nicobar Islands, - Lakshadweep and
Puducherry, except the North Eastern and
Himalayan States, which are covered under
the Horticulture Mission for North East &
Himalayan States (HMNEH). NHM promotes
horticulture through area based, regionally
differentiated strategies.
NATIONAL WATERSHED
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR
RAINFED AREAS (NWDPRA)
RAINFED AREA SYSTEMS

Rainfed area assumes special significance in
terms of ecology, agricultural productivity
and livelihood for millions of rural
households in India. These areas not only
constitute about three fourth of land mass
under arid semi-arid and dry humid zones,
but also account for nearly 55% of
agricultural land spread across large parts
of the country. Rainfed agriculture is
complex, diverse and risk prone. It is
characterized by low level of productivity
and input usage which coupled with
conservation,
development
and
sustainable management of natural
resources;
enhancement of agricultural production
and productivity in a sustainable
manner;
restoration of ecological balance in
degraded and fragile rainfed ecosystems
by greening these areas through and
appropriate mix of trees, shrubs and
grasses;
reduction in regional disparity between
irrigated and rainfed areas; and
creation of sustained employment
opportunities for rural community
including landless
MILK PRODUCTION
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India continues to be the largest producer
of milk in world. The estimate of the milk
production in 2010-11 was 121.8 million
tonnes as compared to 116.42 million tonne
in 2009-10 indicating growth of 4.66%.
EGG PRODUCTION
Poultry development in the country has
shown steady progress over the years. The
estimate of the egg production in 2010-11
was 63.0 billion.
WOOL PRODUCTION
Wool production at the end of Tenth Plan
(2006-07) was 45.1 million kgs. 42.99
million kgs. in 2010-11 indicating.
NATIONAL DAIRY PLAN

To improve productivity of milch animals
this Department and National Dairy
Development
Board
envisages
implementation of the National Dairy Plan-I
(NDP-I) to meet the projected national
demand of 150 million tonnes of milk by
2016-17 with assistance of the World Bank.
The objectives of the proposed scheme are:
(a) To launch a focused scientifically
planned multi state initiative to lay the path
for new processes, supported by
appropriate policy and regulatory measures
leading to increasing the productivity of
milch animals and thereby increase milk
production to meet the rapidly growing
demand for milk.
(b) Provide rural milk producers with
greater access to the organised milk
processing sector.
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Economic Affairs on 16-02-2012. NDP-I is

prepared to be implemented during the
period 2011-12 to 2016-17.
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH,
EDUCATION AND EXTENSION
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR) provided the critical technological
inputs for various processes of agriculture
that led the highest ever food production of
all components of cereals, pulses, fruits and
vegetables, meat, milk, fish and eggs during
2011-12. The ICAR is embarking on two
missions, 'Farmer First" and 'Student
Ready', for bringing greater partnerships.
Two major projects, viz. National
Agricultural Education Project and National
Agricultural Entrepreneurship Project, have
been formulated. The production of major
crops salient achievements of the Council
are:
CROP SCIENCE
GENETIC RESOURCES:
Decoding of pigeonpea genome, a first time
accomplishment by an entire Indian group
of scientists has received appreciation and
wide acclaim from peer group world
around.
CROP IMPROVEMENT:
Along-duration rice hybrid, CR Dhan 701
was developed for the irrigated and shallow
lowlands.
NATURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
The National Dairy Plan Phase-I has been

approved by the Cabinet Committee on
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SOIL AND WATER

PRODUCTIVITY:
now available under the brand name

'Getude'.
Soil fertility maps were prepared for 62

major districts of the country. At the
individual farms in rainfed production
systems, biochar (fine-grained carbonized
materials), developed from the crop
residues, has shown the potential to
sequester carbon and increase crop
productivity and sustainability of the soil
systems.
POST-HARVEST MANAGEMENT
AND VALUE-ADDITION:
CLIMATE CHANGE
In Odisha, CARl model of backyard poultry

farming proved beneficial in providing
household
nutritional
security
and
supplementary income.
The ICAR has launched 'National Initiative

on Climate Resilient Agriculture' with the
objective of undertaking strategic research
on climate change adaptation and
mitigation, technology demonstration on
farmers' field to cope with the current
climate viability and capacity building of
different stockholders on climate change
awareness. The ICAR has set up the stateof-the-art 'National Institute on Abiotic
Stress Management'. The 'National Mission
for Sustainable Agriculture', which is one of
the eight Missions under our National.
Action Plan on Climate Change also seeks to
devise
appropriate
adaptation
and
mitigation strategies for ensuring food
security, enhancing livelihood opportunities
and contributing to economic stability at
the national level.
AGRICULTURE ENGINEERING
AND POST-HARVEST
TECHNOLOGY
A twin-row engine-operated weeder for rice
intensification performed well under all soil
conditions and its commercial model are
CIRCOT Minicard, a novel silver making

machine having a production capacity of 1-2
kg/hr was developed for production of
cotton yarn showing optimum strength for
the given count.
Livestock Management:
AGRICULTURE EDUCATION
The ICAR promotes research, education and
extension in 52 State Agricultural
Universities, five Deemed Universities, and
four Central Universities with Agricultural
faculty by giving financial assistance in
different forms; and DARE promotes one
Central Agricultural University for the
North-Eastern Hills Region.
AGRICULTURE EXTENSION
About 1.10 lakh short text messages (SMSs)
were delivered to 13.40 lakh farmers for
timely actions through Kisan Mobile
Advisory
functional
at
310KVKs.
Technological information was provided to
about 10.741akh farmers through print and
electronic media and 2.68 lakh farmers
were given quality technological products.
INFORMATION,
COMMUNICATION AND
PUBLICITY SERVICES
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The Directorate of Knowledge Management
in Agriculture is committed to promote
Information, Communication Technology
and information dissemination system for
quick, effectual and cost-effective delivery
of messages to all the stakeholders in
agriculture. Keeping pace with the current
knowledge diffusion trends, Directorate is
delivering
and
showcasing
ICAR
technologies, policies and other activities
through print, electronic and web mode.
The Knowledge Information Repository in
Agriculture for North-East (KIRAN) and Rice
Knowledge Management Portal were
launched.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL
INNOVATION PROJECT
In order to foster an ecosystem for
technology innovation and successful
commercialization of technologies, the
project is supporting a number of policy and
institutional
changes
and
financing
investments in 185 sub-projects under the
four components. Three sub-projects under
the Component-3 are being funded by
additional financing grant from the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund of the
World Bank.
IP PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
The ICAR now has a corporate platform,
'Agri-Innovate India Limited' for technology
commercialization and consultancy at home
and abroad. Forty-three patent applications
were filed and one international and three
national patents were granted during the
year.
'Weather Cock' software package, capable
of
agro-meteorological
analysis
to
understand possible impacts of climate
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change on crop performance, was

developed and registered. Trademark 'IISR'
was granted to the Indian Institute for
Spices Research, Kozhikode.
FUTURE THRUST AREAS

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
apart from developing Vision 2030
documents for all its constituent
institutions, also undertook a series of
consultations with stakeholders to prioritize
the programmes in the XII Five-Year Plan.
The emphasis would be on research and
development
for
enhancing
both
productivity and profitability of farming in
all its dimensions, including climate resilient
agriculture and secondary agriculture and
also quality human resource development,
through greater synergy and partnerships.
Anovel research approach being adopted
for XII Five-Year Plan includes interdisciplinary, interinstitutional and interdepartmental research consortia on AgriBiodiversity management; Cenomics; Seed
(Planting material, propagules, semen);
Hybrids;
Climate
Change.
(Rainfed
Agriculture/Dryland Farming); Conservation
Agriculture; Water; Waste (Agro-waste,
Municipal waste, Residues) Management;
Health Foods and High value compounds;
Feed and Fodder; Fibre; Biofortification;
Diagnostics and vaccines; Precision Farming
and Farm mechanization; Agri-Energy;
Nanotechnology; Agri- Incubators and eExtension.
The Twelfth Plan contains all measures that
are required to accelerate our agricultural
growth rate. India needs a Second Green
Revolution that is more broad- based, more
inclusive and more sustainable; India
currently spends about 0.6% of its
agricultural gross domestic products (COP)
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on agricultural Research and Development.
This needs to be enhanced at least 2-to 3fold by 2020, since a substantial portion of
our agricultural growth would come
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through
the
application
of
new
technologies and new knowledge to
production processes.
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CHAPTER 2: CULTURE AND TOURISM

Culture Ministry works on the protection,
development and promotion of Heritage,
(Tangible, Intangible, Knowledge and
Culture). In addition, the Ministry also
nurtures Gandhian Heritage and is
responsible for commemoration of
important historical events and centenaries
of great personalities.
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL
HERITAGE
LALIT KALA AKADEMI
To promote and propagate understanding
of Indian art, both within and outside the
country, the Government of India
established Lalit Kala Akademi (National
Akademi of Arts) at New Delhi on 5 August
1954. The Akademi has regional centres
called Rashtriya Lalit Kala Kendras at
Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Garhi in New
Delhi, Shimla and Bhubaneswar with
workshop facilities in painting, sculpture,
print-making and ceramics.
Exchange Programmes and Agreements of

the Government.
The Lalit Kala Akademi accords recognition
to art institutions/ associations and extends
financial assistance to these bodies as well
as State Academies.
Under its publication programme, the
Akademi brings out monographs on the
works of Indian contemporary artists in
Hindi and English and books on
contemporary, traditional, folk and tribal
arts authored by eminent writers and art
critics. The Akademi also brings out biannual art journals, Lalit Kala Contemporary
(English), Lalit Kala Ancient (English) and
Samkaleen Kala (Hindi).
Scholars are given financial assistance to
undertake projects in contemporary
projects on various aspects of Indian society
and culture.
SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI
Once Every three years, the Akademi also

organises Triennial India, an International
exhibition of contemporary art in New
Delhi.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National

Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, may
be regarded as a pioneer in the process of
creation of modern India that led politically
to India's freedom in 1947.
The Akademi honours eminent artists and

art historians every year by electing them as
Fellows of the Akademi.
On 28 January 1953, Sangeet Natak

Akademi was inaugurated by the then
President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad.
To foster contracts with artists from

outside, it sponsors exchange of artists with
other countries under the various Cultural
The festivals of music, dance and drama

presented or promoted by the Akademi are
held all over India. The great masters of the
performing arts have been elected as
Fellows of the Akademi. The Sangeet Natak
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Akademi Awards conferred annually on
eminent artists and scholars are considered
the most coveted honours in the field of
performing arts. Thousands of institutions
across the country, including many in the
remote areas, engaged in teaching or
promotion of music, dance and theatre
have received financial assistance for their
work, from the Akademi, as do researchers,
authors and publishers in relevant
disciplines.
The Akademi's Gallery of Musical
Instruments has a collection of more than
600 instruments of prominence and has
been the source of a great deal of published
documentation over the years.
The Akademi also establishes and looks
after institutions and projects of national
importance in the field of performing arts.
Chronologically, the Jawaharlal Nehru
Manipuri Dance Academy in Imphal, the
premier institution in Manipuri dance and
music established in 1954, is the first of
these institutions. In 1959 the Akademi
established the National School of drama
and in 1964 the Kathak Kendra, both being
based in Delhi. The Akademi's other
projects of national importance are in
Kutiyattam theatre of Kerala, which
commenced in 1991 and received
recognition from UNESCO as a Master piece
of oral and intangible heritage of humanity
in 2001. The project on Chhau dance of
Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal began in
1994. The project support to Sattriya music,
dance, theatre and allied arts of Assam was
started in 2002.
The Akademi also renders advice and
assistance to the Government of India in
the task of formulating and implementing
policies and projects in the field. The
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Akademi has held exhibitions and major

festivals in foreign countries.
SAHITYA AKADEMI
Sahitya Akademi is the Indian National
Academy of Letters, meant to promote the
cause of Indian literature through
publications,
translations,
seminars,
workshops, cultural exchange programmes
and literary meets organised all over the
country. The Akademi was founded in
March 1954 as an autonomous body fully
funded by the Department of Culture.
The three fellowships by Sahitya Akademi
are:1. Sahitya Akademi Honorary Fellowhip
2. Anand Fellowship
3. Premchand Fellowship
Sahitya Akademi Honorary Fellowship is the
highest honour conferred by the Akademi
on a writer, by electing him as its Fellow.
This honour is reserved for the 'immortals
of literature' and limited to only twenty-one
at any given time. Anand Fellowship,
instituted in 1996 in the name of the great
scholar and aesthete Dr. Ananda
Coomaraswamy, is offered to scholars from
Asian countries to pursue literary projects
of their choice. Sahitya Adademi also
instituted a Fellowship named after
Premchand during his 125th Birth
Anniversary in 2005. This Fellowship is given
to scholars doing research on Indian
literature or to creative writers from the
countries of the SAARC region other than
India.
It has three journals, Indian Literature (bimonthly in English), Samkaleena Bharatiya
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Sahitya (bi-monthly in Hindi) and Samskrita
Pratibha (half-yearly in Sanskrit).
Sahitya Akademi holds a number of
regional, national and international
seminars every year on various topics in
literature, literary history and aesthetics.
The Akademi holds an annual week-long
'Festival of Letters', usually in February with
an Award-giving ceremony, Samvatsar
Lecture and a National Seminar. The
Akademi also introduced a new series of
programmes entitled Sur Sahitya as part of
the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2004-05.
NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA

The National School of Drama (NSD)-one of
the foremost theatre institutions in the
world and the only one of its kind in India
was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi in
1959. Later in 1975, it became an
autonomous organisation, totally financed
by Department of Culture. The objective of
NSD is to train students in all aspects of
theatre,
including
theatre
history,
production, scene design, costume design,
lighting, make-up, etc. The training course
at NSD is of three years duration. Each year,
20 students are admitted to the course. The
eligible applicants for admission to the
course are screened through two stages.
The Diploma of NSD is recognised by the
Association of Indian Universities as
equivalent to M.A. Degree for appointment
as teachers in colleges/universities and for
purposes of registration for Ph.D.
The School has a performing wing, a
Repertory Company which was set up in
1964 with the dual purpose of establishing
professional theatre on one hand and
continuing with the regular experimental
work on the other. The NSD has made a
Page 540
significant contribution in promoting

children's theatre. The Theatre-ill-Education
Company (renamed as Sanskar Rang Toli)
was founded in 1989 and has been actively
involved in production of plays for children,
organising summer theatre workshops in
the schools of Delhi and also promoting
children's theatre through Saturday Club.
Since 1998, the School has organised
National Theatre Festival for Children
christened 'Jashne Bachpan' every year. The
first ever National Theatre Festival
christened Bharat Rang Mahotsav was held
from 18 March to 14 April 1999 to
commemorate the 50th year of India's
Independence. Encouraged by the success
of the first Bharat Rang Mahotsav, it has
been made an annual feature.
INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL

CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the
Arts (IGNCA) is a premier national
institution engaged in the pursuit of
knowledge on arts and culture and in the
exploration of relationships of arts and
culture with various disciplines of learning
and diverse aspects of life. Established in
1987 in the memory of the Late Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi, it is involved in
multifarious activities such as research,
publication,
training,
documentation,
dissemination and networking and is poised
to grow into a large repository of
information pertaining to the arts in India.
IGNCA
promotes
interaction
and
understanding
between
diverse
communities, regions, social strata, and
between India and other parts of the world.
The IGNCA has six functional Units-Kala
Nidhi, the multi-form library; Kala Kosa,
devoted mainly to the study and publication
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of fundamental texts in Indian Languages;
Janapada Sampada, engaged in lifestyle
studies; Kaladarsana, the executive unit
which transforms researches and studies
emanating from the IGNCA into visible
forms through exhibitions; Cultural
Informatics Lab, which applies technology
tools for cultural preservation and
propagation;
and
Sutaradhara,
the
administrative section that acts as a spine
supporting and coordinating all the
activities.
CENTRE FOR CULTURAL

RESOURCES AND TRAINING
The Centre for Cultural Resources and
Training (CCRT) is one of the premier
institutions working in the field of linking
education with culture. The Centre was set
up in May 1979 as an autonomous
organisation by the Government of India.
Today it operates under the administrative
control of Ministry of Culture, Government
of India. With headquarters in New Delhi, it
has three regional centres at Udaipur,
Hyderabad and Guwahati.
The broad objectives of CCRT have been to
revitalise the education system by creating
an understanding and awareness among
students about the plurality of the regional
cultures of India and integrating this
knowledge with education. The main thrust
is on linking education with culture and
making students aware of the importance
of culture in all development programmes.
One of the CCRT's main functions is to
conduct a variety of training programmes
for in-service teachers drawn from all parts
of the country.
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The CCRT organises academic programmes

on Indian art and culture for foreign
teachers and students on special request.
The CCRT organises various educational
activities for school students, teachers and
children belonging to governmental and
non-governmental organisations under its
extension and community feedback
programmes which includes educational
tours to monuments, museums, art
galleries, craft centres, zoological parks and
gardens, camps on conservation of natural
and cultural heritage, camps on learning
crafts using low cost locally available
resources, lectures and demonstrations by
artists and experts on various art forms,
demonstrations by artists and craft persons
in schools.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was
established in 1861. It functions as an
attached office of the Department of
Culture.
The major activities of the Archaeological
Survey of India are:
i) Survey of archaeological remains and
excavations;
ii) Maintenance and conservation of
centrally protected monuments, sites
and remains;
iii) Chemical preservation of monuments
and antiquarian remains;
iv) Architectural survey of monuments;
v) Development of epigraphical research
and numismatic studies;
vi) Setting up and re-organisation of site
museums;
vii) Expeditions abroad;
viii) Training in Archaeology;
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ix) Publication of technical reports and
research works.
NATIONAL MISSION ON
MONUMENTS AND ANTIQUITIES
(NMMA)
The National Mission on Monuments and
Antiquities was launched on 19 March,
2007 with a budgetary out lay of Rs. 90
crore. Its mandate includes preparation of a
ational Register for Built Heritage, Sites and
Antiques and setting up of a State level
database on Built Heritage, Sites and
Antiquarian wealth for information and
dissemination to planners, researchers etc.
and better management of such cultural
resources. The time frame prescribed for
the NMMA to accomplish its mandate is five
years.
NATIONAL MISSION FOR

MANUSCRIPTS (NMM)
The National Mission for Manuscripts was
launched by the Government in 2003 with
the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts
(IGNCA) as the nodal agency. Its primary
objective is to reclaim India's inheritance of
knowledge contained in the vast treasure of
manuscripts. The Mission functions through
different categories of centres established
throughout the country. Major activities of
the NMM are : documentation of
manuscripts through survey, preventive and
curative conservation, conducting training
courses and workshops on conservation,
manuscriptology
and
paleography,
documentation
through
digitization,
research and publication and public
outreach programmes to create public
consciousness
for
preserving
and
dissemination of manuscripts.
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NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF INDIA

The National Archives of India (NAI), New
Delhi known until Independence as Imperial
Record
Department,
was
originally
established in Kolkata on 11 March 1891. It
is the official custodian of all non-current
record of permanent value to the
Government of India and its predecessor
bodies. It has a Regional Office at Bhopal
and three Record Centres at Bhubaneswar,
Jaipur and Puducherry.
Major activities of the Archives include: (i)
making public records accessible to various
Government agencies and research
scholars; (ii) preparation of reference
material; (iii) preservation and maintenance
of records and conducting of scientific
investigations for the said purpose; (iv)
evolving records management programmes;
(v) rendering technical assistance to
individuals and institutions in the field of
conservation of records; (vi) imparting
training in the field of archives
administration,
records
management,
reprography, repair and conservation of
records, books and manuscripts at
professional and sub-professional levels;
and (vii) creation and promotion of archival
consciousness in the country by organising
thematic exhibitions.
The Ministry of Culture has come up with
an enlarged and revised version of 'Seminar
Grant Scheme' which is now called the
"Cultural Functions Grant Scheme".
Formally, however, it goes under the title
"Scheme of Financial Assistance for
Seminars, Festivals and Exhibitions on
Cultural
Subjects
by
Not-for-Profit
Organisations".
TOURISM
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Tourism plays an important role in

economic development and creation of jobs
in India. The Approach Paper of the 12th
Five Year Plan prepared by the Planning
Commission highlights the need to adopt
"pro-poor tourism" for increasing net
benefits to the poor and ensuring that
tourism growth contributes to poverty
reduction.
advertising in print & electronic media,

participation in fairs & exhibitions, and
organizing
road
shows,
seminars,
workshops and India evenings.
The Planning Commission has identified

tourism as the second largest sector in the
country
in
providing
employment
opportunities for low-skilled workers.
In a major initiative to promote the

'Incredible India Campaign', and 'Cinemas of
India' as a sub brand of Incredible India, at
various international film festivals and
markets overseas, the Ministry of Tourism
and the Ministry of Information &
Broadcasting entered into a Memorandum
of Understanding on 16th February 2012.
IMPORTANT INITIATIVES DURING

2011-12
The Ministry reinforced its efforts to bridge
the skill gap obtaining in the hospitality
sector through a multi pronged strategy.
This include expanding and strengthening
institutional infrastructure by creating new
Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs) and
Food Craft Institutes (FCIs), starting craft
courses in IHMs and broadcasting of
hospitality education/training through ITIs,
Polytechnic
Institutes,
Government
Collages, Universities & Schools and public
sector undertakings. Under its 'Hunar Se
Rozgar' programme, new courses in
Housekeeping, Utility, Bakery, etc. were
introduced in addition to the existing
courses on Food & Beverages Services and
Food Production.
The Scheme of 'Visa-on-Arrival" (VOA) had
been introduced for 5 countries w.e.f.
January 2010. It was extended for another 6
countries in January 2011.
The promotional efforts undertaken in
foreign markets, including through the
Ministry's 14 overseas offices, include
In the Geneva Festival, a 90 minute cultural

performance by India was presented which
was watched, admired and applauded by
more than 5000 people.
INDIA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

CORPORATION (ITDC)
India Tourism Development Corporation
(ITDC) is a Public Sector Undertaking under
the administrative control of the Ministry of
Tourism. Incorporated on October 1,1966,
the ITDC played a key role in the
development of tourism infrastructure in
the country. Apart from developing the
largest hotel chain in India, the ITDC offered
tourism related facilities like transport, duty
free shopping, entertainment, production
of tourist publicity literature, consultancy
etc.
HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT
AND PROMOTION BOARD (HDPB)
FOR HOTEL PROJECTS
Construction of hotels is primarily a private
sector activity which is capital intensive and
has a long gestation period. A constraint
being faced by the hotel industry, in
addition to the high cost and limited
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availability of land, is the procurement of
multiple clearances/approvals required
from the Central and State Government
agencies for hotel projects. In some cases,
as many as 65 or more clearances/
approvals are required by hotel projects,
although this number varies from State to
State. This often results in delay in the
implementation of the project, cost
escalation, etc. To obviate the above
mentioned difficulties faced by the
hospitality industry, Ministry of Tourism has
set up a Hospitality Development and
Promotion Board (HDPB).
The HDPB would be operational at three
levels:
Clearances that are exclusively the

responsibility of Central Ministries/
Authorities.
Central clearance incumbent upon State
Government clearances and
Clearances that are the responsibility of
State, or other levels of, State
Government.
Page 544
The functions will result in expeditious

clearances and enable completion of
hotel projects in time leading to
enhancement of room availability for
the tourists.
HERITAGE HOTELS
The popular concept of Heritage Hotels was
introduced to convert the old palaces,
havelis, castles, forts and residences built
prior to 1950, into accommodation units so
that they can reproduce the ambience and
life-style of the bygone era. Such hotels are
categorized under three categories viz.
Heritage, Heritage Classic and Heritage
Grand, based on the standard of facilities
and services as per the applicable
guidelines.
The HDPB will assist in the following

manner:
HDPB will implement a transparent

system for effective monitoring of hotel
projects.
Ensure timely accrual of approvals/
clearances/No Objection Certificates
(NOCs) by the multiple agencies and
facilitate the implementation of hotel
Projects.
Act as a watch guard and facilitator for
obtaining necessary clearances for
setting up of hotels.
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CHAPTER 3: BASIC ECONOMIC DATA

CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE
(CSO)
The Central Statistical Office is responsible
for' coordination of Statistical activities in
the country, and evolving and maintaining
statistical data. Its activities mainly include
National Income accounting, conduct of
Economic Census and its follow up surveys,
processing of data preparation of Reports,
collected through Annual Survey of
Industries and compilation of Index of
Industrial Production, as well as Consumer
price Indices, Gender Statistics, and
imparting training on Official Statistics.
NATIONAL SAMPLE SURVEY

ORGANISATION (NSSO)
Set up in 1950 and reorganized in 1970, the
NSSO functions under the overall direction
of a Steering Committee with requisite
independence and autonomy in the matter
of collection, processing and publication of
NSS data.
The National Sample Survey Organisation
(NSSO) carries out socio-economic surveys,
undertakes data collection for Annual
Survey of Industries, sample checks on area
enumeration and crop estimation surveys
and prepares the urban frames useful in
drawing of urban samples, besides
collection of price data from rural and
urban sectors. The major activities of the
NSSO pertain to Survey Design, Field
Operations, Processing of NSSO data and
Publication of NSSO Reports.
The subjects taken up under socioeconomic surveys are-surveys on Consumer

Expenditure, Employment-Unemployment,
Social Consumption (Health, Education,
etc.) Manufacturing Enterprises and Service
Sector Enterprises in the Unorganized
Sector covered once in five years, while
subjects like Land and Livestock Holding,
Debt and Investment are covered once in
10 years.
It regularly collects rural price data on
monthly basis from shops / outlets in
selected markets located in a sample of 603
villages for compilation of Consumer Price
Index (Agricultural Labour/Rural Labour).
For urban area, price data is being collected
from compilation of new series of
Consumer Price Index (Urban) from 310
towns spread over all the States/UTs.
The CSO brings out an annual publication
"Energy Statistics" incorporating data on
reserves, installed capacity, potential for
generation, production, consumption,
import, export and wholesale price of
different energy commodities as available
from the concerned Ministries of
ECONOMIC CENSUS
The CSO undertook a countrywide
Economic Census, for the first time in 1977
to provide a better frame for conducting
follow-up surveys for collection of detailed
information particularloy from unorganized
establisments. The basic information,
relating to the distribution of nonagricultural establishments by activity, type
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of ownership, rural/urban break up and by
employment size, needed for preparation of
a frame for conducting detailed surveys, is
collected in the periodic Economic Census.
The Fifth Economic Census was conducted
in 2005 in all the States/UTs again in
collaboration with State/UT Directorates of
Economics and Statistics.
The final results of Economic Census 2005
were released on 29th May, 2008.
INFRASTRUCTURE
STATISTICS-2010
The first issue of Infrastructure Statistics
2010 has been finalized and uploaded in
MOSPI Web-site by the Economic Statistics
Division, Ministry of Statisties and
Programme Implementation (MoS&PI).
Presently,
six
broad
sectors
of
Infrastructure viz. Transport, Energy,
Irrigation, Communication, Sanitation &
Water Supply and Storage with a total of 17
sub sectors are covered in the publication.
For these sectors / sub sectors effort has
been made to compile data on major
indicators such as accessibility, affordability,
quality and fiscal cost.
Page 546
Cement, Petroleum & Roads and Civil

Aviation.
TWENTY POINT PROGRAMME

The Twenty Point Programme (TPP) was
conceived with the objective of improving
the quality of life of the people, especially
those living below the poverty line. It is
meant to give a thrust to schemes relating
to poverty alleviation, employment
generation in rural areas, housing,
education, family welfare & health,
protection of environment and many other
schemes having a bearing on the quality of
life, especially in the rural areas. The
programme, initiated in 1975 was
restructured in 1982, 1986 and 2006.
India has also been affected by the global
changes and accordingly the growth of
Indian economy too has moderated. India's
GDP growth has come down from 8.4% in
2009-10 to 6.9% in 2011-12, with 6.5% as
revised estimate of GDP growth. Although
the primary reason for moderation in GDP
growth is weakening of industrial growth in
2011-12, the effect of retrenchment in
overseas demand on India's exports cannot
be ignored.
INFRACTRUCTURE AND
PROJECT MONITORING
The Infrastructure and Project Monitoring
Division (IPMD) in the Ministry of Statistics
and
Programme
Implementation
is
monitoring the performance of the
country's eleven key infrastructure sectors,
namely, Power, Coal, Railways, Shipping
and Ports, Telecommunications, Fertilizers,
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CHAPTER 4: COMMERCE
TRADE SCENARIO
India's total external trade (exports plus
imports including re-export) in the year
1991-92 stood at Rs. 91893 crore. Since
then, this has witnessed continuous
increase with occasional slowdown. During
2010-11, the value of India's external trade
reached Rs. 2826389 crore.
India's exports during 2010-11 reached a
level of Rs. 1142922 crore registering a
growth of 35.17 per cent in rupee terms. In
US $ terms, exports reached a level of US $
251.1 billion.
During 2010-11, imports increased to Rs.
1683467 crore with a positive growth of
23.45 per cent from the previous year.
During the period 2011-12, the share of
Asia and ASEAN region comprising East
Asia, ASEAN, West Asia & North Africa
(WANA), NE Asia and South Asia accounted
for 51.66 per cent of India's total exports.
The share of Europe in India's total exports
stood at 18.95 per cent of which EU
Countries (27) comprises of 17.25 per cent.
Both North and South America stand third
together as a region with a share of 16.41
per cent in India's total exports. During the
same period, in the top destinations (Table
2) United Arab Emirates (11.78 per cent)
has been the most important country of
export destination followed by USA (11.27
per cent), China (5.93 per cent), Singapore
(5.49 per cent) and Hong Kong (4.24 per
cent).
As far as the direction of trade in terms of

imports is concerned during the period
2011-12, Asia and ASEAN account for the
highest percentage share in India's total
imports with the share of 62.37 per cent,
followed by Europe (18.70 per cent) and
America (9.11 per cent). Among the
individual countries, the share of China was
the highest (11.78 per cent) followed by
United Arab Emirates (7.28 per cent),
Switzerland (6.59 per cent). Saudi Arabia
(6.35 per cent) and USA (4.78 per cent).
EXPORT PROMOTION
MEASURES
The underlying philosophy of the latest
Annual Supplement to Foreign Trade Policy
(2009-2014) announced on 5th June, 2012
is based on seven broad principles: Giving a
focused thrust to employment intensive
industry,
encouraging
domestic
manufacturing for inputs to export industry
and reducing the dependence on imports,
promoting technological up gradation of
exports, persisting with a strong market
diversification, encouraging exports from
the North Eastern Region given its special
place in India's economy, endeavouring to
reduce transaction cost through procedural
simplification and reduction of human
interface. In accordance with these
principles, it provides for a number of
measures to boost India's exports, some of
which include extension of 2% Interest
Subvention Scheme and Zero Duty EPCG
Scheme up-to 31.03.2013; increase in
coverage of 2% Interest Subvention Scheme
to labour intensive sectors; support for
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export of green Technology Products;
measures for Market and Product
Diversification; duty free import of
embellishments for exports of synthetic
made- ups, "e-BRC Initiative" launched by
DGFT, etc.
INDIA'S ENGAGEMENT IN
FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
(FTAS)
As a result, so far India has concluded 10
Free Trade Agreements,S Limited scope
Preferential Trade Agreements and is in the
process of negotiating / expanding 17 more
Agreements. At least 9 more proposals for
FTAs are under consideration. When
completed, these Agreements would cover
over 100 countries spread across 5
continents.
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (FTA)

TERMINOLOGY
PTA
(preferential Tariff liberalization
Trading Agreement):
on
a
limited
humber of lines
e.g.
IndiaMERCOSUR PTA.
FTA
(Free
Agreement)
Trade Elimination
of
Tariffs on items
'covering
substantial
bilateral
trade
between
the
partner countries
e.g. India - Sri
Lanka FTA
Economic
Cooperation
Agreement)
Page 548
BTIA terms are

used to describe
Agreements which
consist
of
an
integrated package
CEPA (Comprehensive of Agreement on

Economic Partnership Goods,
Services,
Agreement)
Investment,
Mutual
Recognition,
Intellectual
Property etc. e.g.
India Korea CEPA.
BTIA (Broad based
Trade and Investment
Agreement)
A. FTAS ALREADY CONCLUDED

1. India - Sri Lanka FfA
2. Agreement on SAFfA (India, Pakistan,
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan
and the Maldives)
3. Revised Agreement of Cooperation
between Government of India and
Nepal to control unauthorized trade
4. India- Bhutan Agreement on Trade
Commerce and Transit
5. India - Thailand FrA - Early Harvest
Scheme (EHS)
6. India - Singapore CECA
7. India - ASEAN - CECA - Trade in Goods
Agreement
8. India - South Korea (CEPA
9. India - Japan CEPA
10. India - Malaysia CECA
CECA (Comprehensive CECA or CEPA or
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B. PTAS ALREADY
CONCLUDED
1. Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)
2. Global System of Trade Preferences
(GSTP)
3. India - Afghanistan
4. India - MERCOSUR
5. India Chile
C. FTAS/PTAS UNDER
NEGOTIATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
India-EU BTIA
India-ASEAN CECA
India-Sri Lanka CEPA
India-Thailand CECA
India-Mauritius CECPA
India EFTA BTIA (Iceland, Norway,
Liechtenstein and Switzerland)
7. India- ew Zealand FTA/CECA
8. India-Isreal FTA
9. India-Singapore CECA
10. India-SACU PTA
11. India-Mercosur PTA
12. India-Chile PTA
13. BIMSTEC CECA
14. India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
15. India-Canada FTA
16. India-Indonesia
Comprehensive
Economic
17. India-Austraila
INDIA'S INITIATIVES FOR

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
India became the first developing country
to extend Duty Free Quota Free (DFQF)
Page 549
access in all LDCs in line with the WTO's

Hong Kong Ministerial mandate. India's
Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme
for LDCs came into effect in August, 2008
with tariff reductions spread over five years.
This Scheme provides duty free and
preferential tariff access on 94% of India's
tariff lines.
SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES

(SEZS)
SEZs, the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005
has been enacted in February 2006
supported by SEZ Rules, 2006.
The main objectives of the SEZ Act are:
(a) generation of additional economic
activity
(b) promoting of exports of goods and
services
(c) promotion of investment from domestic
and foreign sources
(d) creation of employment opportunities
(e) development of infrastructure facilities.
IMPACT OF THE SCHEME

The overwhelming response to the SEZ
scheme is evident from the flow of
investment and creation of additional
employment. The SEZ scheme has
generated tremendous response amongst
the investors, both in India and abroad. In
addition to earning of foreign exchange and
development of infrastructure, SEZs have
also created a significant local area impact
in terms of direct as well as indirect
employment, emergence of new activities,
changes in consumption pattern and social
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life, human development facilities such as
education, healthcare etc.
Number of Formal 589
approvals
Number of notified 389 (out of 589) + (7
SEZs
Central Govt. + 12
State/Pvt. SEZs)
FOCUS AFRICA PROGRAMME

The "Focus Africa" Programme was initially
launched with focus on seven countries of
Sub-Saharan African (SSA) Region, viz.,
South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Tanzania,
Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia. With a view to
further widen and deepen India's trade with
Africa, the scope of this programme was
further extended to include Angola.
Botswana,
Ivory-Coast,
Madagascar,
Mozambique, Senegal, Seychelles, Uganda,
Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe, alongwith
the six countries of North Africa, viz., Egypt,
Libya, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco and Algeria.
Under this Programme, the Government
extends assistance to exporters and Export
Promotion Councils etc. to visit countries in
Africa and to organize trade fairs and also
sponsors African trade delegations to visit
India.
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coal and Hydrocarbons and Non-Ferrous

Metals imports by the country and one of
India's largest buyers of Finished Fertilizers
and Fertilizer Raw Materials.
THE STATE TRADING

CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD.
The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd.
(STC) is a premier International Trading
Company of the Government of India
engaged in exports, imports and domestic
trading activities in a large basket of items.
Traditionally, STC had been undertaking
export/import of agricultural commodities.
Today, STC exports items ranging from
agricultural commodities such as rice,
wheat, maize, castor oil, sugar, molasses,
tea, cashew etc. to manufactured products
such as iron ore, steel, textiles, garments,
engineering goods, consumer products etc.,
from India to all parts of the world. STC
imports bulk agricultural items like wheat,
edible oils, sugar and pulses for Indian
consumers in case of scarcity in the
domestic market.
MMTC LIMITED
MMTC Limited is India's largest trading
company with a present annual business
turnover of about US $11 billion. It is the
largest exporter of Minerals and Ores from
India, leading exporter /importer of Agro
commodities, single largest importer /
supplier of Bullion, a major player in the
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CHAPTER 5: COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY
MAIL NETWORK
OPTIMIZATION PROJECT
Department of Posts had initiated Mail
Network Optimization Project in March
2010 with a view to streamline mail
operations and to improve the quality of
mail related services offered to the people.
It involved optimization of the erstwhile
mail network, standardization of processes
and development of an effective
performance monitoring system.
INDIPEX-2011. The personalisation is

achieved by printing a thumbnail
photograph of the customer images and
logos of institutions, or images of artwork,
heritage buildings, famous tourist places,
historical cities, wildlife, other animals and
birds etc., alongside the selected
Commemorative Postage Stamp.
RAFI AHMED KIDWAI

NATIONAL POSTAL ACADEMY
(RAKNPA) AT GHAZIABAD:
a. Meghdoot Millennium for post office

for front and back office operations.
This consists of modules like Point of
Sale, Postman, Sub Accounts, Treasury,
Accountant Schedules, Despatches and
Pension Schedules.
b. eMO for transmitting money orders
electronically.
c. ePayment For Bill collection and
settlement.
d. Speed Net For processing of speed post
articles with end to end tracking.
e. RNet for processing registered articles
with end to end tracking.
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy

(RAKNPA) is the apex training institute in
the Department of Posts for meeting the
training needs of the higher managerial
cadres of India Post. It is one of the Central
Training Institutions recognized by the
DOPT. The main objective of the Academy is
to impart induction and in-service training
to the officers of Indian Postal Service
Officers, Postal Service Group 'B' Officers
and all Accounts Officers working in the
Department.
MY STAMP
Was released on 10 October 2011 for

consultations with various stakeholders. It
has following objectives:
'My Stamp' is the brand name for

personalised sheets of Commemorative
Postage Stamps brought out by Department
of Posts. My Stamp was first introduced
during the World Philatelic Exhibition,
DRAFT NATIONAL TELECOM

POLICY (NTP)
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To provide affordable voice telephony

and high speed broadband services to
every citizen in India

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To make India a global hub of

manufacturing for all electronic
products including telecom equipment
with substantial value addition within
the country and safeguard security
concerns of the nation.
Simplification and rationalisation of
licensing regime, transparent system for
allocation of spectrum and enable
efficient usage of spectrum.
Find of spectrum through market
related processes.
To achieve One Nation-Full Mobile
Number Portability.
To enable free roaming throughout the
country.
To harness full potential of mobile
phones for provision of citizen centric
services related to education, health,
employment,
agriculture,
entertainment, banking & insurance
services, skill upgradation, vocational
training etc.
To encourage indigenous manufacture
of cost effective mobile devices.
The faster roll out of high speed and
reliable broadband in rural and urban
areas
will
enable
decentralised
governance, participative democracy
and delivery of basic services such as
health and education to every citizen of
the country.
The new policy regime will be beneficial
to end consumers / citizens, Telecom
Service Providers, Value Added Service
Providers,
Government
and
Manufacturers.
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DRAFT NATIONAL POLICY ON

ELECTRONICS (NPE)
The draft National Policy on Electronics was
released on 03.10.2011. The Policy provides
a clear road map for the development of
electronics sector in the country for the
coming decade.
As part of the vision to make India a leading
destination for the ESDM sector, the draft
Policy proposes to achieve a domestic
production of about USD 400 Billion with an
investment of around 100 Billion by 2020.
This inter-alia includes achieving a turnover
of USD 55 Billion in the chip design and
embedded software industry and USD 80
Billion of exports in the sector. Moreover,
the policy proposes setting up of over 200
Electronic Manufacturing clusters. It
proposes to set up two semiconductor
wafer manufacturing facilities and to create
and sustain a vibrant research and
development and innovation eco-system in
the ESDM sector. Another important
objective of the policy is to significantly
upscale high-end human resource creation
to 2500 PhDs annually by 2020 in the
sector. The renaming of the Department, as
Deity and combining of Electronics with IT,
is reaffirmation of the thrust that this sector
deserves.
DRAFT NATIONAL POLICY ON

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY2011
Draft National Policy on Information
Technology, 2011 was released on
7.10.2011. The Policy focuses on application
of technology-enabled approaches to
overcome developmental challenges in
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education, health, skill development,
financial inclusion, employment generation,
governance etc., to greatly enhance
efficiency across the board in the economy.
The policy seeks to achieve the twin goals of
bringing the full power of ICT within the
reach of the whole of India and harnessing
the capability and human resources of the
country to enable India to emerge as the
global hub and destination for IT-ITeS
Services by 2020.
COMMON SERVICES CENTRES

(CSCS)
The Goverrunent approved the CSC Scheme
in September 2006 for establishing
100,000+ (one lakh) internet enabled
centres in rural areas to be implemented in
a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
The Common Services Centres (CSC) are
proposed to be the delivery points for
Govenunent, private and social sector
services to rural citizens in the country at
their doorstep. The CSC scheme is
envisaged to be a bottom-up model for
delivery of content, services, information
and knowledge that can allow like-minded
public and private enterprises - through a
collaborative framework - to integrate their
goals of profit as well as social objectives,
into a sustainable business model for
achieving rapid socio-economic change in
rural India.
E-DISTRICT
e-District is a Mission Mode Project under
the National e-Goverance Plan. It aims at
electronic delivery of identified high volume
citizen centric services, at the District and
Sub-District levels.
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ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF
SERVICES (EDS) BILL
To Speed up the process of enabling
electronic delivery of public services to the
citizens and for overcoming issues like
resistance to change, systemic inertia,
procedural hurdles, lack of transparency
and legal impediments which hinder
electronic delivery of services, it is proposed
to enact the Electronic Delivery of Services
(EDS) Bill
which
would
mandate
provisioning of all public services
compulsorily through electronic means
from a specified date. The Bill seeks to
mandate provisioning of all public services
compulsorily through electronic mode, from
a specified date, by the public authorities in
the Central and State Governments.
INDIA DEVELOPMENT
GATEWAY
India Development Gateway (INOG) is a
Deity initiative for providing e-knowledge
and using ICT-based applications for rural
empowerment. The multilingual knowledge
platform/portal (ww.indg.in) launched in
2008 provides information in 10 languages
(Hindi, English, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati,
Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil,
Telugu) across 6 domains of social
development at present i.e. Education,
Health, Social Welfare, Agriculture, eCovernance, and Rural Energy. The portal
also provides value added products/services
such as online marketing platform, expert
solutions, dynamic market information,
employment news, online courses, weather
forecasts, etc. It also offers offline
knowledge CDs in agriculture, health &
nutrition, and education.
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over a period of 10 years. The objective of

the National Knowledge Network is to
interconnect Institutions of higher learning
with a high speed data communication
network.
E-GOVEMANCE CONFORMITY
ASSESSMENT CENTERS
(EGCAS)
To ensure trust and confidence of the
citizens and all stakeholders involved, it is
important to provide the necessary 3rd
party audit and testing services for
compliance and certification to various
mission mode projects.
Through this project, the Department has
established
seven
'e-Governance
conformity Assessment Centres (eGCA)
across the country (i.e. Chennai, Bengaluru,
Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune/Mumbai,
Guwahati) to provide the requisite facilities
for testing, audit and certification. Kolkata
and Bengaluru centers are accredited
internationally by A2La, USA for software
testing. The eGCA centres are also providing
services to various e-Governance projects.
ELECTRONICS E-NEWSLETTER
Electronics e-Newsletter was initiated in
November 2011 with the objective to
inform various stakeholders, including
component/product
manufacturers,
industry associations, apex chambers,
Academics, Research Institutions, Media,
Trade Bodies, Concerned Ministries and
Govt. Bodies, etc., about Govt. policy and
activities.
NATIONAL KNOWLEDGE
NETWORK (NKN)
In March 2010 the Government approved
the establishment of the National
Knowledge Network (NKN) at an outlay of
Rs. 5990 crore, to be implemented by NIC
The network will consist of an ultra-high

speed Core (multiples of 10Gbps and
upwards), and over 1500 nodes. It is
scalable to higher speed and more nodes
also. The participating institutions can
directly or through distribution layer
connect to the NKN at speeds of 100
Mbps/1Gbps. The application areas
envisaged under the NKN cover Agriculture,
Education, Health, e-governance, Grid
Computing (High Performance Computing).
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
FOR INDIAN LANGUAGES
(TDIL)
Technology Development for Indian
Languages (TDIL) programme under
Department of IT has taken a major
initiative, to make available fonts and basic
information processing software tools like
open office. e-mail client, internet browser,
dictionary, conversion utilities, etc.
SOCIETY FOR APPLIED

MICROWAVE ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH
(SAMEER)
SAMEER is an autonomous R&D Laboratory
under Deity with a broad mandate to carry
out
applied
research
leading
to
technologies and products in the areas of
RF microwaves and millimeter waves and
provide test, measurement and design
services in EMI/EMC and antennas.
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number of academic institutions across

India. These include electronic nose, vision,
smell and tongue technologies for quality
monitoring of agricultural products such as
turmeric, chillies, rice, etc.
CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT

OF ADVANCED COMPUTING
(C-DAC)
The Centre for Development of Advanced
computing (C-DAC) is a premier Research &
Development (R&D) organization of the
nation
in
ICT&E
(Information
Communication
Technologies
and
Electronics).
C-DAC's high performance computing
programs are focused towards building
capabilities,
systems,
facilities
and
applications for India's high performance
computing requirements.
CDAC has been working on power
optimisation in computing environments.
The Open Source Drug Discovery (OSDD)
community has been the largest user of
GARUDA grid - India's national grid
infrastructure setup and managed by CDAC.
CDAC has initiated a major program in cloud
computing for building a powerful cloud
computing infrastructure with a number of
important applications.
C-DACs Language Technology products and
solutions span a wide range of applications
including publishing and printing, word
processing in Indian languages, machine
translation, information retrieval, speech
technologies, newsroom automation and
mobile devices.
Professional electronics continues to be an
active area within CDAC. A major project,
eAgriEn-applications of electronics in
agriculture and environment-is aimed at
development of a number of solutions for
various problems in agriculture and
environment, in collaboration with a
Cyber Security is one of the priority areas

aimed to deliver multilevel/multilayered
security solutions against various types of
threats. These demand constant work in
research relating to next generation
technologies & products to ensure
protection and effective deployment.
Bharatiya
Automated
Fingerprint
Identification System (Bharatiya AFIS) Suite
TM is a family of software development
kits/systems, resulting from CDACs work in
the area of biometrics, which offers highperformance fingerprint identification for
Government agencies.
CDACs e-Nayana software enables Regional
Institute of Ophthalmology to conduct
medical camps at remote rural and tribal
areas, examine patients and communicate
via Video Conferencing, transfer the
Electronic Health Record (EHR) of patients
and
provide
expert
consultation
immediately.
CENTRE FOR MATERIALS FOR

ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY
(C-MET)
Centre for Materials for Electronics
Technology (C -MET) has been set up as a
society under the Department of
Information Technology as a unique
concept for development of viable
technologies mainly in the area of
electronics materials. C- Met, Mission is to
develop knowledge base in electronics
materials and their processing technology
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for Indian industries and to become a
source of critical electronic materials, knowhow and technical services for the industry
and other sectors of economy.
EDUCATION & RESEARCH

NETWORK (ERNET) INDIA
Education & Research Network (ERNET),
India is an autonomous Scientific Society
under the administrative control of the
Department of Information Technology. ER
ET India has been serving institutions in
various sectors namely, health, agriculture,
higher education, schools and science &
technology and thus, understands the
needs of these knowledge institutions.
ERNET India is helping to create a truly
globaJ
research
community
where
advanced resources and new learning can
be effectively shared by connecting the
research network in Europe with ERNET.
ERNET network is a judicial mix of terrestrial
and satellite based wide area network.
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NATIONAL INTERNET
EXCHANGE OF INDIA (NIXI)
The National Internet Exchange of India
(NIXI) is a not-for-profit organization under
Section 25 of Companies Act to facilitate
handing over of domestic Internet traffic
between the peering ISP members. This will
enable more efficient use of international
bandwidth, save foreign exchange. It will
further improve the quality of services for
the customers of member ISPs, by being
able to avoid multiple international hops
and thus lowering delays. Five additional
Internet Exchanges Nodes have been
operationalized at Ahmedabad (Gujarat),
Bengaluru (Karnataka), Hyderabad (Andhra
Pradesh), Mohali (Chandigarh) and Lucknow
(Uttar Pradesh) to add to the existing hubs
at Noida (Delhi), Mumbai, Chennai and
Kolkata.
MEDIA LAB ASIA

The Media Lab Asia has been set up as a
not-for-profit organization under Section 25
of Companies Act with an aim to bring the
benefits of the most advanced information
and communication technologies to the
common man and the needy people. Media
Lab Asia works on the paradigm of
collaborative research in the task of
developing relevant and sustainable
technologies and bringing them to the daily
lives of people. Media Lab Asia works with
academic and R&D institutions, industry,
GOs and Gov rnments in this endeavor. It
has reached 1500 villages/ remote sites in
the country in almost all the states of the
country.
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CHAPTER 6: DEFENCE
SAINIK SCHOOLS
before being commissioned as officers in

the Armed Forces.
The Sainik Schools were established as a

joint venture of the Central and State
Governments. These are under the overall
governance of Sainik Schools Society. At
present, there are 24 Sainik Schools located
in various parts of the country. Sainik
Schools at Rewari (Haryana) is the latest
one started in March 2009. The objectives
of Sainik Schools include bringing quality
public school education within the reach of
the common man, all round development
of a child's personality and to remove
regional imbalance in the officer's cadre of
the Armed Forces.
RASHTRIYA INDIAN MILITARY

COLLEGE
RASHTRIYA MILITARY
SCHOOLS
The five Rashtriya Military Schools affiliated
to CBSE are functioning at Chail, Ajmer,
Belgaum, Bangalore and Dholpur. The
Military Schools admit boys in Class VI,
based on the results of an all India Common
Entrance Test.
NATIONAL DEFENCE
ACADEMY
The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the
country's premier Armed Forces Training
Institution (AFTI). The three years course at
the NDA is covered in six semesters and
cadets are awarded with BA/ BSe. Degree.
Thereafter, on conclusion of this training,
the cadets proceed to their respective
Service Academies for further training
The Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC)

was founded on March 13, 1922, with the
objective of providing the necessary
preliminary training for boys of Indian birth
or domicile, wishing to become officers in
the Armed Forces of India. The institution
now serves as a feeder institute to the
National Defence Academy.
INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY,

DEHRADUN
Indian Military Academy is a premier
training establishment imparting Precommissioned training to the Gentlemen
Cadets (GC). The training is aimed to make
the Gentlemen Cadet an effective Platoon
Commander once he passes out. Interaction
with foreign military academies through
cadets exchange programme has been the
highlight of the training year wherein
selected Gentlemen Cadets visited France,
Australia, UK and Singapore military
academies.
NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE

The National Defence College has
established a name for itself as a centre of
excellence on matters pertaining to
National Security and Strategic Studies.
Selected Armed Forces officers of the rank
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of Brigadier / equivalent and Civil Services
officers of equivalent status of Director and
above are nominated for training at the
college. The officers undergo an eleven
months programme with focus on National
Security, covering all dimensions of
domestic, regional and international issues
to equip future policy makers with
background necessary to get a broad
understanding
of
the
multifarious
economic, political, military, scientific and
organizational aspects that are essential for
planning of National Strategy.
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Modern Naval platforms are complex and

technology intensive and hence it is
imperative that the country has the
technological base and skill sets within, to
design and develop them. The Government
has, therefore, set up the National Institute
for Research and Development in Defence
Shipbuilding (NIRDESH) to take the country
towards self-reliance in this crucial area of
defence technology.
Raksha Mantri laid the foundation stone on
January 4,2011 for NIRDESH at Chaliyam,
near Kozhikode (Calicut), Kerala.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR

RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT IN DEFENCE
SHIPBUILDING (NIRDESH)
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CHAPTER 7. EDUCATION
Before 1976, education was the exclusive
responsibility
of
the
States.
The
Constitutional Amendment of 1976, which
included education in the Concurrent List,
was a far-reaching step. The substantive,
financial and administrative implication
required a new sharing of responsibility
between the Union Government and the
States. While the role and responsibility of
the States in education remained largely
unchanged, the Union Government
accepted a larger responsibility of
reinforcing the national and integrated
character of education, maintaining quality
and standard including those of the
teaching profession at all levels, and the
study and monitoring of the educational
requirements of the country.
Central Government plays a leading role in
the evolution and monitoring of educational
policies and programmes, the most notable
of which are the national Policy on
Education (PE), 1986 and the Programme of
Action (POA), 1986 as updated in i992. The
modified policy envisages a National System
of education to bring about uniformity in
education,
making
adult
education
programmes a mass movement, providing
universal access, retention and quality in
elementary education, special emphasis on
education of girls, establishment of pacesetting schools like Navodaya Vidyalayas in
each district, vocationalisation of secondary
education, synthesis of knowledge and
inter-disciplinary research in higher
education, starting more Open Universities
in the States, strengthening of the All India
Council of Technical Education, encouraging
sports, physical education, Yoga and
adoption of an effective evaluation method,

etc.
The Government has taken a number of
major initiatives during the 11th Five Year
Plan. Some of the new initiatives in the
School and literacy sector and Higher and
Technical Education sector include:
Enactment of Right to Education, Launching
of Saakshar Bharat, Evolving a National
Curriculum Framework for Teacher
Education, introducing a System for
replacement of marks by grades at the
Secondary stage in schools affiliated to
CBSE based on recommendations of Yash
Pal Committee and National Knowledge
Commission,
Establishment
of
14
Innovation Universities aiming at World
Class Standards, Setting up 10 new National
Institutes of Technology; Launching of new
Scheme of Interest subsidy on education
loans taken for professional courses by the
Economically Weaker Students, Academic
Reforms (Semester system, choice based
credit system, regular revision of syllabi,
impetus to research), etc.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
Launched in 2001 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
(SSA) is one of India's major flagship
programmes for universalisation of
elementary education. Its overall goals
include universal access and retention,
bridging of gender and social category gaps
in elementary education, and achieving
significant enhancement in learning levels
of children.
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SSA Goals are:
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wise planning is undertaken for each out-ofschool child.
a. Enrolment of all children in school,

Education
Guarantee
Centres,
Alternative school.
b. Retention of all children till the upper
primary stage.
c. Bridging of gender and social category
gaps in enrolment, retention and
learning; and
d. Ensuring that there is significant
enhancement
in
the
learning
achievement levels of children at the
primary and upper primary stage.
Central Government has approved an
outlay of Rs. 2,31,233 crore for
implementation of the combined RTE-SSA
programme for the five year period of 201011 to 2014-15.
Under SSA India has not only been able to
improve access to 99 per cent of primary
level but has also been able to reduce out
of school children to 3-4 per cent of the age
cohort of 6-14 years. Under this
programme, special focus is on girls,
children belonging to SC/ST Communities,
other weaker Sections, Minorities and
urban deprived children.
EDUCATION GUARANTEE
SCHEME AND ALTERNATIVE AND
INNOVATIVE EDUCATION
Education
Guarantee
Scheme
and
Alternative and Innovative Education (EGS
and AIE) are important components of
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to bring out-ofschool children in the fold of Elementary
Education. The scheme envisages that child-
Under EGS, educational facilities are set up

in habitations that do not have a primary
School within a distance of 1 km. Any
habitation with 25 out-of-school children in
the 6-14 age group (15 in the case of hilly
and desert areas and tribal hamlets) is
eligible to have an EGS Centre. It is a
transitory facility till Primary School
replaces it within a period of two years.
Alternative Education interventions for
specific categories of very deprived children
e.g., child labour, street children, migrating
children, working children, children living in
difficult circumstances and older children in
the 9+age group especially adolescent girls
are being supported under EGS and AlE all
over the country.
THE NPEGEL SCHEME

National Programme for Education of Girls
at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) Scheme is a
holistic effort to address obstacles to girl's
education at the micro level through
flexible, decentralized processes and
decision making. It is implemented in
educationally backward
blocks and
addresses the needs of girls who are
enrolled in school, but do not attend school
regularly.
The scheme emphasizes the responsibility
of teachers to recognize such girls and pay
special attention to bring them out of their
state of vulnerability and prevent them
from dropping out.
The scheme works through village level
women's and community groups to follow
up girls' enrolment, attendance and
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achievement. The community is engaged in
recommending village specific action based
on their understanding of local issues.
KASTURBA GANDHI BALIKA

VIDYALAYA SCHEME
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme
provides for setting up of residential upper
primary schools for girls of SC, ST, OBC and
Miority communities. This scheme targets
areas of scattered habitations.
The Scheme provides for a minimum
reservation of 75% seats for girls from
SC/ST /OBC and minority communities and
25% to girls from families that are below
the poverty line.
MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME

With a view to enhancing enrollment,
retention
and
attendance
and
simultaneously improving nutritional levels
among children, the National Programme of
nutritional Support to Primary Education
(NP-NSPE) was launched as a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme on 15 August 1995.
it covers all children studying in Classes IVIII in government, government aided, local
body. Central Assistance under the scheme
consisted of free supply of food grains @
100 grams per child per school day, and
subsidy for transportation of food grains up
to a maximum of Rs. 50 per quintal.
The objective of the mid day meal scheme
is to address two of the pressing problems
for majority of children in India, viz. hunger
and education:
(i) Improving the nutritional status of
children in classes I-VIII in Government,
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Local Body and Government aided

schools, and EGS and AlE centres.
(ii) Encouraging poor children, belonging to
disadvantaged sections, to attend
school more regularly and help them
concentrate on classroom activities.
(iii) Providing nutritional support to children
of primary stage in drought affected
areas during summer vacation.
THE SCHEME HAS THE

FOLLOWING COMPONENTS:
(i) Borne entirely by Central Government
(a) Supply of free food grains
(b) Assistance for transportation of
foodgrains from FCI god owns to the
schools.
(c) For North Eastern States and Jammu &
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and
Uttarakhand at the rate prevalent under
the public distribution system
(d) For all other states and UTs @ Rs. 75 per
quintal.
(e) Assistance for Monitoring Management
& Evaluation, (MME) at the rate of 2 per
cent of total cost of: (a) food grains, (b)
transport cost and (c) cooking cost.
(ii) Shared with the states /UTs.
(a) Cooking cost Rs. 2.69 per child per day
for primary classes and Rs. 4.03 per
child per day for upper Primary Classes
w.e.f. 1 April 2010. This cost has been
revised from 1.4.2011.
(b) Payment of honorarium of Rs. 1000 per
month to cook-cum-helper.
(c) Assistance for the cost of construction
of kitchen cum store to be determined
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on the basis of plinth area norm and
State Schedule.
(d) The cooking cost, honorarium for cookscum-help and the cost of construction
of kitchen-cum-stores will be shared
between the Centre and the NER States
on 90:10 basis and with other
States/UTs on 75:25 basis.
MAHILA SAMAKHYA SCHEME

Pursuant to the objectives of the NPE, 1986,
the Mahila Samakhya Scheme was started
in 1989 to translate the goals enshrined in
the NPE into a concrete programme for the
education and empowerment of women in
rural areas particularly those from socially
and economically marginalized groups. The
MS scheme recognizes importance of
education in empowering women to
achieve equality. The Mahila Sang has or
women's forums at the village level provide
the women a space to meet, reflect ask
questions and articulate their thoughts and
needs and make informed choices.
NATIONAL BAL BHAVAN

The National Bal Bhavan is an autonomous
organisation fully funded by the Ministry of
Human
Resources
Development,
Department of School Education and
Literacy. Since its inception in 1956, it is a
creativity resource centre for children in the
age group of 5-16 years.
National Bal Bhavan is engaged in pursuits
for the integrated growth of the child by
involving them in various activities In a
tension free environment irrespective of
their gender, caste, creed, colour etc. To
mention a few, the activities are clay
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modelling, papier mache, music, dance,

drama, painting, crafts, museum activities,
photography, videography, indoor &
outdoor games, home management,
traditional art & craft, educational &
innovative games/chess, science is fun etc.
Since 1995 National Bal Bhavan has also
launched a scheme to identify, honour and
nurture the creative children of India
irrespective of their socio-economic status.
The rationale behind this scheme-The Bal
Shree Scheme'-is that creativity is a human
potential that directly relates to selfexpression and self-development. This
scheme seeks to identify creative children
within the age group of 5-16 years in four
identified areas of creativity, i.e. creative
art, creative performance, creative scientific
innovations, and creative writing.
RIGHT TO EDUCATION
By the 86th Amendment of the Constitution
in 2002, Article 21A was inserted in the
Constitution which provides for free and
compulsory education for all children in the
age group of six to fourteen years as a
Fundamental Right. In order to put in place
a suitable legisl tion as envisaged under
Article 21A, the Right of Children to Free
and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009
was passed by the Parliament on 4 August
2009 and the RTE was published in the
Gazette of India on 27 August 2009. The
RTE Act, inter alia, seeks to provide that
every child has a right to full time
elementary education of satisfactory and
equitable quality in formal school which
satisfies certain essential norms and
standards.
It has considerable implications for the
implementation strategies of SSA. Steps
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have been taken to harmonise the vision,
strategy and norms under SSA with the RTE
mandate. As per roadmap of RTE (i)
neighbourhood schools are to be
established by 31.3.2013, (ii) provisions of
school infrastructure and teachers are to be
made by 31.3.2013.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK
SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
Launched in March, 2009, this Scheme with
the objective to enhance access to'
secondary education and improve its
quality. It envisages to achieve an
enrolment rate of 75 per cent (from 52.26
per cent in 2005-06) in secondary stage
within five years by providing a secondary
school within a reasonable distance of any
habitation. The other objectives include
improving quality of education imparted at
secondary level through making all
secondary schools conform to prescribed
norms, removing gender, socio-economic
and disability barriers, providing universal
access to secondary level education by 2017
and achieving universal retention by 2020.
SCHEME FOR CONSTRUCTION

AND RUNNING OF GIRL'S HOSTEL
FOR SECONDARY AND HIGHER
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
This is a new centrally sponsored scheme
launched
in
2008-09
and
being
implemented from 2009-10 to set up Girl's
Hostels with 100 seats in about 35000
educationally backward blocks. The Scheme
has replaced the earlier NGO driven Scheme
for construction and running of Girls'
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Hostels for students of Secondary and

Higher Secondary Schools, under which
assistance was provided to voluntary
organizations for running Girl' Hostels. The
main objective of the revised Scheme is to
retain girl child in secondary school so that
the girl students are not denied the
opportunity to continue their study due to
distance to school, parents' financial
affordability and other connected societal
factors.
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR

DISABLED AT SECONDARY STAGE
The cherne of Inclusive Education for
Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) has
been launched from the year 2009-10. This
Scheme replaces the earlier scheme of
Integrated Education for Disabled Children
(IEDC) and would provide assistance for the
inclusive education of the disabled children
in classes IX-XII.
The aim of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme
of IEDSS is to enable all students with
disabilities, after completing eight years of
elementary schooling, to pursue further
four years of secondary schooling (classes IX
to XII) in an inclusive and enabling
environment.
The scheme will cover all children passing
out of elementary schools and studying at
secondary stage in Government, local body
and Government-aided schools, with one or
more disabilities as defined under the
Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the
national Trust Act (1999) in the age group
14+ to 18+.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN
SCHOOLS
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During the 10th Five Year Plan, "Quality
Improvement in Schools" was introduced as
a composite centrally sponsored scheme
having the following components: i)
National Population Education Project, (ii)
Environmental Orientation to School
Education, (iii) Improvement of Science
Education in Schools, (iv) Introduction of
Yoga in Schools, and (v) International
Science Olympiads.
NATIONAL POPULATION
EDUCATION PROJECT
The National Population Education Project
was launched in April 1980 with the over
reaching objective of institutionalizing
population education in the school
education and teacher education systems
to contribute to the attainment of
population and development goals of the
country. Up to 2002, this was implemented
as externally aided Project which was fully
funded by the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA). It was being implemented in
the University education and adult
education sector as well.
ENVIRONMENTAL
ORIENTATION TO SCHOOL
EDUCATION
The national Policy on Education ( PE)-1986
provides
that
the
protection
of
environment is a value which, along with
certain other values, must form an integral
part of curriculum at all stages of education.
To this end, a Centrally-sponsored Scheme
"Environment Orientation to School
Education" was initiated in 1988-89. The
scheme envisages assistance to voluntary
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agencies for conduct of experimental and

innovative programmes aimed at promoting
integration of educational programmes in
schools
with
local
environmental
conditions.
KENDRIYA VIDAYALAYA
SANGATHAN
The Scheme of Kendriya Vidayalaya
Sangathan (KVS) was approved by
Government of India in November 1962 to
provide uninterrupted education to the
wards of the transferable central
government employees. Initially, 20
regimental schools were taken over as
central schools during the academic session
1963-64.
The salient features of the KVs are:
primarily cater to the educational needs of
the wards of transferable central
government employees; all KVs are coeducational; all KVs are affiliated to CBSE; in
case of girl students, tuition fee is not
charged; tuition fee is also not charged for
boys up to class VIII, the wards of KVs staff
and SC/ST students upto class XII.
31 KVs have been identified to be
developed as Smart Schools. All the 31 KVs
have been sanctioned Rs. 25 lakh each to
enrich their infrastructure and enhance the
quality of education through the optimum
use of IT and Multimedia.
The KVs are fully funded by the
Government of India. KVs also provide
hostel facility to their boys and girls who
need it. There are 9 KVs having this facility.
NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA
SAMITL
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The National Policy on Education-1986
envisaged setting up of model schools, one
in each district of the country. Accordingly,
a scheme was formulated under which it
was decided to set up co-educational
residential schools (now called Jawahar
Navodaya Vidyalayas).
The Vidyalayas envisaged a new style of
growth with identification and development
of talented, bright and gifted children
predominantly from rural areas who may
otherwise be denied good educational
opportunities. Efforts are made to ensure
that at least 33 per cent of the students
enrolled are girls.
Migration is a unique feature of Navodaya
Vidyalaya scheme whereby 30 per cent ot
students of Class IX from a Vidyalaya
located in Hindi speaking area spend one
academic year in a Vidyalaya located in onHindi speaking area and viceversa to
promote national integration through
understanding of the diversity and plurality
of the country's people, their language and
culture.
ADULT EDUCATION
Adult Education aims at extending
educational options to those adults, who
have lost the opportunity and have crossed
the age of formal education, but now feel a
need for learning of any type, including,
basic education (literacy), skill development
(Vocational Education) etc. With the
objective of promoting literacy and adult
education, a series of programmes have
been introduced since the First Five Year
Plan period, the most prominent being the
national Literacy Mission (NLM) that was
launched in 1988 to impart functional
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literacy to non literates in the age group of

15-35 years in a time bound manner.
LAUNCH OF SAAKSHAR BHARAT

In the context of government's overall
policy aimed at empowerment of women
and in recognition of the fact that literacy is
a
pre-requisite
for
socio-economic
development, the National Literacy Mission
has been recast as "SAAKSHA BHARA T"
with prime focus on female literacy. The
flagship programme of the Government will
cover all adults in the age group of 15 and
beyond though its primary focus will be on
worn n. The scheme has not only been
relieved of the shortcomings noted in its
preceding editions, but also, several new
features added to it. Basic Literacy, Post
literacy
and
continuing
Education
programmes will now form a continuum,
rather than sequential segments. Lok
Shiksha Kendras (Adult Education Centres),
will be set up to coordinate and manage all
programmes, within their territorial
jurisdiction. State Governments, as against
the districts in the earlier versions, and
Panchayati Raj institutions, along with
communities, will be valued stakeholders.
The Mission has four broad objectives,
namely:
i.
ii.
iii.
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Impact functional literacy and numeracy

to non-literate and non- numerate
adults.
Enable the neo-literate adults specially
younger adults to continue their
learning beyond basic literacy and
acquire
equivalency
to
formal
educational system.
Impart non and neo-literates relevant
skill development programmes to
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iv.
improve their earning and living

conditions.
Promote a learning society by providing
opportunities to neo literate adults and
other potential learners for continuing
education.
The principal target of the mission is to

impart functional literacy to 70 million
adults in the age group of 15 years and
beyond. Auxiliary target of the mission is to
cover 1.5 million adults under basic
education programme and equal number
under vocational (skill development)
programme. Within these targets, the
Mission will primarily focus on, but not
limited to, women. Scheduled Castes (SCs),
Scheduled Tribes (STs), Minorities, other
disadvantaged groups and adolescents in
rural areas in low literacy States will be
other focused groups. For each focused
group and area, there will be a specific
target and for each target, an explicit
approach and strategy.
JAN SHIKSHAN SANSTHANS

Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSSs) are
established to provide vocational training to
non- literate, neo-literate, as well as school
dropouts by identifying skills as would have
a market in the region of their
establishment.
The Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda

Vidya Prathisthan, Ujjain
Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi
Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati
Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya
Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi
Page 566
Administering the Copyright Act, 1957, one

of the several legislations in India in the
area of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), is
the responsibility of the Union Ministry of
Human
Resource
Development,
Department of Secondary and Higher
Education. The Copyright Office was
established in January 1958 to register
copyright of works under different
categories. As per Section 33 of the
Copyright Act, the Central Government also
registers copyright societies for doing
copyright business. he Indian Copyright Act,
1957 was comprehensively amended in
1994 taking into account the technological
developments.
Copyright Enforcement in India: The Indian
Copyright Act, 1957, provides penalties for
the offences committed under the
Copyright Act and empowers the police to
take necessary action. The actual
enforcement of the law is the concern of
the State Governments. However, during
the last few years, the Central Government
has taken various steps to improve the
enforcement of the Copyright Act to curb
piracy. These measures include the setting
up of a Copyright Enforcement Advisory
Council (CEAC), which has members from all
concerned
departments
and
representatives of industry to regularly
review the implementation of the Copyright
Act including the provisions regarding antipiracy.
Cooperation with WIPO: India is a member
of the World Intellectual Property
Organisation (WIPO) since 1976, a
specialised agency of the United Nations
which deals with copyright and other
intellectual property rights and plays an
important role in all its deliberations.
COPYRIGHT
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Page 567
CHAPTER 8. ENERGY
50,000 MW HYDRO ELECTRIC
INITIATIVE
Under the 50,000 MW Initiative launched
by the Government in 2003-04,162 hydroelectric projects spread in 16 states for the
purpose of preparation of Preliminary
Feasibility Reports (PFRs) were taken up by
CEA as nodal agency. The PFRs were
completed in September 2004 for all these
projects with an installation of 47,930 MW.
CENTRAL ELECTRICITY
AUTHORITY
Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a
statutory organisation constituted under
Section 3(1) of the Electricity Supply Act,
1948 which has been superseded by Section
70 (1) of Electricity Act, 2003, plays an
important role in formulating policies and
programmes for power development in the
country and in planning and coordinating
various development activities in the Power
Sector. The CEA advises the Central
Government on matters relating to the
ational Electricity Policy, formulates shortterm
and
perspective
plans
for
development of the electricity system and
coordinates the activities of the planning
agencies for optimal utilisation of resources
to subserve the interests of national
economy and to provide reliable and
affordable electricity to all consumers.
Under the Electricity Act, 2003, the CEA
makes regulations/standards on matters
such as construction of electrical plants,
electric lines and connectivity to the grid,
installation and operation of meters,

concurrence of hydro-electric schemes,
safety and grid standards. It also specifies
measures relating to safety with respect to
electricity supply. This will inculcate higher
efficiency in all fields of the power sector.
The CEA is responsible for the concurrence
of hydro power development schemes of
the Central, State and Private ectors taking
into consideration the best ultimate
development of the river or its tributaries
for power generation, consistent with the
requirement of drinking water, irrigation,
navigation, flood control or for other public
purposes. It also makes studies for the
optimum location of dams and other river
works keeping in view the norms regarding
dam design and safety.
It promotes and assists in the timely
completion of schemes and projects for
improving and augmenting the electricity
system by carrying out a close monitoring of
the
construction,
generation
and
transmission projects to ensure their timely
completion by identifying bottlenecks and
problem areas and initiating remedial
measures/actions.
The CEA advises Central Government, State
governments and Regulatory Commissions
on all technical matters relating to
generation, transmission and distribution of
electricity.
The CEA plays a lead role in promoting an
integrated operation of Regional Grid
systems and the evolution of a National
Grid.
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It promotes research in matters affecting
the generation, transmission, distribution
and trading of electricity; carries out, or
causes to be carried out, any investigation
for the purposes of generating or
transmitting or distributing electricity and
promotes measures for advancing the skills
of persons engaged in the electricity
industry.

(CCEA) approved the 'Restructured APDRE
for Xl Plan as a Central Sector Scheme.
RAJIV GANDHI GRAMEEN

VIDYUTIKARAN YOJANA
Creation of Village Electrification

Infrastructure (VEl)
Electrification of non-electrified
villages.
habitations with a population of
above 100.
Provision
of
distribution
transformers of appropriate capacity
in electrified villages / habitation(s).
Decentralized Distributed Generation
(DOG) and Supply
Decentralized distribution-cum-generation
from conventional or renewable or nonconventional sources for villages where grid
connectivity is either not feasible or not
cost effective.
"RGGVY - scheme of Rural Electricity

Infrastructure
and
Household
Electrification" was launched in March 2005
with approved capital subsidy of Rs. 5000 cr
during the LO" plan for implementation of
Phase I of the scheme. The scheme was
further continued in 11th Plan for attaining
the goal of providing access to electricity to
all households.
Rural Electricity Distribution Backbone

(REDB)
Provision of 33/11 KV (or 66/11 KV) substations of adequate capacity and lines in
blocks where these do not exist.
ACCELERATED POWER
DEVELOPMENT AND
REFORMS PROGRAMME
The main objective of the programme is

creation of reliable and sustainable data
base, demonstrable performance in terms
of AT&C loss reduction to below 15% at
town level on sustained basis and improved
services.
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Under the scheme, projects could be

financed with capital subsidy for provision
of:-
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Remote villages covered for financing

under M RE not included.
Rural Household Electrification of
Below Poverty Line Households:
Below Poverty Line (BPL) households
would be financed with 100% capital
subsidy as per norms of Kutir Jyoti
Programme in all rural habitations.
Households above poverty line
would be paying for their
connections
at
prescribed
connection charges and no subsidy
would be available for this purpose.
Page 568
POWER FINANCE
CORPORATION LIMITED (PFC)
The Power Finance Corporation Limited
(PFC) is a leading Power Sector Financial
Institution and a Non-Banking Financial
Company, providing fund and non-fund
based support for the development of the
Indian Power Sector. Occupying a Key
position in the Government of India's plan
for the power sector, PFC performs a major
role in channelizing investment into the
power sector and functions as a dedicated
agency for its development.
POWER LENDERS CLUB

PFC has also established the Power
Lenders Club which consists of 18 banks
and includes major financial institutions like
HUDCO and LIC.
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
NATIONAL SOLAR MISSION
India has planned harnessing solar energy
potential in a big way. In January 2010, as
one of the mission under the National
Action Plan on Climate Change, the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission
(JNNSM) was launched. This Mission is
named after India's first and visionary Prime
Page 569
Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru who dreamt of

an India equipped with scientific temper
and mastery in cutting-edge technologies.
Broadly, the Mission aims, to install 20 GW
grid-connected and 2GW off-grid solar
power, 20 million sqm of solar thermal
collector area; and 20 million rural
households to have solar home lighting by
year. The Mission support research,
development and innovation to achieve
grid-parity in the shortest time frame. The
Mission will be implemented in three
phases. The first phase is up to March,
2013, the second till March 2017 and the
third phase will continue till March, 2022.
THE "DEVELOPMENT OF
SOLAR CITIES"
The Ministry assists Municipal Corporations
and Urban Local Bodies in preparation of a
Master Plan for increasing energy efficiency
and renewable energy supply in the city.
During 2011-12 sanction has been accorded
for developing 5 cities as Solar City. With
this a total of 38 solar city projects have
been sanctioned under the programme.
Three Cities namely Nagpur, Chandigarh
and Gandhinagar are being developed as
Model Solar Cities.
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CHAPTER 9. ENVIRONMENT
ALL INDIA COORDINATED
PROJECT ON CAPACITY
BUILDING IN TAXONOMY
(AICOPTAX)
The AICOPTAX has a sole mission "Enhancement of country's capabilities for
inventorying, monitoring, conserving and
utilizing biodiversity as well as for
establishing leadership in the field of
taxonomy at regional and global level.
AICOPTAX,
an
active
programme
channelized at the National level to address
the problems of inadequate taxonomic
knowledge due to limited number of
taxonomists available in the country, is fully
funded by the Ministry.
INTENSIFICATION OF FOREST
MANAGEMENT SCHEME
(IFMS)
While aiming to expand forest cover in the
country, it is equally important to improve
the state of existing forests and protect
them against various threats. This centrally
sponsored 'Intensification of Forest
Management
Scheme'
aims
at
strengthening
forest
management
interventions. The financial assistance is
provided on cost share basis. All the NorthEastern States including Sikkim and special
category States, namely, Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand share
10% of the cost, while the rest of the
States/UTs share 25% of the cost of the
annual plans of operations.
The major components of the scheme

include,
Forest
fire
control
and
management,
Strengthening
of
Infrastructure, Survey, Demarcation and
Working Plan preparation, Protection and
Conservation
of
Sacred
Groves,
Conservation and Restoration of Unique
Vegetation & Ecosystems, Control and
Eradication of Forest Invasive Species and
Preparedness for Meeting Challenges of
Bamboo
Flowering
and
Improving
Management of Bamboo Forests.
PROJECT TIGER (NATIONAL

TIGER CONSERVATION
AUTHORITY)
The Centrally Sponsored Scheme "Project
Tiger" was launched in April, 1973 with the
objective "to ensure maintenance of a
viable population of Tigers in India for
scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and
ecological values, and to preserve for all
times, areas of biological importance as a
national heritage for the benefit, education
and enjoyment of the people".
In-principle approval has been accorded for
creation of five more tiger reserves are as
under:SI.
No
Name
of
Reserve
1.
Ratapani
Madhya
Pradesh
2.
Sunabeda
Orissa
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3.
Pilibhit
Uttar Pradesh
4.
Biligiri Ranganatha Karnataka

Temple
5.
Mukundara Hills
Rajasthan
Further, the following areas have been

suggested, by the National Tiger
Conservation Authority to States, for
creation as tiger reserves are as follows:
S.No
Name
State
1.
Satyamangalam
Tamil Nadu
2.
Nagzira-Navegaon
Maharashtra
3.
Bor
Maharashtra
4.
Suhelwa
Uttar Pradesh
Implementing
"e-Eye"-a
tool
of
electronic surveillance at the Corbett
Tiger Reserve as a pilot project.
Steps were taken for modernizing the
infrastructure and field protection
systems, besides launching 'M-STRIPES'
- (Monitoring System for Tigers'
Intensive Protection and Ecological
Status) towards effective field patrolling
and monitoring.
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According to CPCB, the e-waste

inventory in India for the year 2005 was
estimated to be 1.46 lakh tonnes, which
is expected to exceed 8.0 lakh tonnes by
2012.
At present, the management of e-waste
is regulated under the Hazardous
Wastes (Management, Handling &
transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008.
The draft notification of e-waste
(Management and Handling) Rules,
2010 was published by the Ministry of
Environment & Forests in May 2010 for
seeking
comments
from
all
stakeholders.
The concept of Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) has been enshrined
in these draft rules to make EPR a
mandatory activity associated with the
production of electronic and electrical
equipments. The Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) is an environment
protection strategy that makes the
producer responsible for the entire life
cycle of the product, especially for take
back, recycling and final disposal of the
product.
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT
E-WASTE MANAGEMENT
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The draft Plastics (Manufacture, Usage

and Waste Management) Rules, 2009
was notified for comments.
Financial assistance has been provided
to various State Pollution Control
Boards/Committees for conducting
awareness and training programmes on
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management of Municipal Solid Waste

and Plastic Waste.
A
draft
Hazardous
Substances
(Classification, Packaging and Labelling)
Rules, 2010 has been finalized.
MoEF has reviewed the prescribed
limits for non-paper recyclable material
in waste paper consignments being
imported from other countries.
The United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) agreed to the
elaboration of a legally binding
instrument on mercury and asked the
UNEP to convene an Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee (INC) with the
mandate to prepare the instrument.
The project on "Inventorisation of Lead,
Cadmium, Mercury and Arsenic in
Paints, Distempers and Pigments" has
been initiated.
A Master Plan Study on Mercury
relating to Environmentally Sound
Management of Mercury in Florescent
Lamps has been initiated.
BIO-MEDICAL WASTE
MANAGEMENT
For treatment and disposal of biomedical waste generated in the country,

there are 177 Common Treatment and
Disposal Facilities in operation which
were
developed
by
private
entrepreneurs.
The Ministry of Environment and
Forests has prepared draft new Rules on
Bio-Medical Waste Management to
replace the existing Bio-Medical Waste
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(Management and Handling) Rules 1998

and the Amendments. The new Rules
are expected to be comprehensive in all
respects.
It is proposed in the new Rules to cover
all the health care establishments,
including all veterinary institutions
generating
bio-medical
waste,
irrespective of the number of patients
serviced per month, for obtaining
authorization from the Prescribed
Authority.
The Ministry of Environment and
Forests is implementing a UNDP-GEF
project
on
'Demonstrating
and
Promoting Best Techniques and
Practices for Reducing Health-care
Waste to Avoid Environmental Releases
of Dioxins and Mercury', with the aim to
protect human health and the global
environment from the impacts of
dioxins and mercury releases.
NATIONAL GANGA RIVER

BASIN AUTHORITY (NGRBA)
National Ganga River Basin Authority
(NGRBA) was constituted on 20th February,
2009, under the Chairmanship of the Prime
Minister as an empowered planning,
financing, monitoring and coordinating
authority for the Ganga River, in exercise of
the powers conferred under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
In its first meeting on 5th October, 2009,
the Authority decided that under Mission
Clean Ganga it will be ensured that by 2020
no untreated municipal sewage and
industrial effluents flow into Ganga and the
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investments required to create the
necessary treatment and sewerage
infrastructure will be shared suitably
between the Centre and the State
Governments.
An Action Plan was approved by the NGRBA
in its first meeting, to achiev the aforesaid
Mission objective.
The following steps have been taken by the
Ministry of Environment & Forests to
implement the Action Plan:
Preparation of Basin Management

Plan: A comprehensive River Basin
Management Plan for Ganga is being
prepared. This work has been entrusted
to a consortium of seven IITs.
Revision of Guidelines for preparation
of DPRs: The guidelines prepared in
2002 for DPR preparation have been
revised and placed on the web site of
the Ministry. The new guidelines
requires that city sanitation plan shall
be prepared for cities and on that basis
schemes will be selected for abatement
of pollution alongwith priority for
implementation.
Stake holder consultation at project
formulation stage included.
A pre-feasibility report will be prepared
for the scheme selected before
preparation of DPR.
Catchment area treatment has also
been included in the guidelines.
Funding of NGRBA Projects: The
existing NRCP funding pattern i.e. 70:30
between the Centre and States is being
followed for NGRBA projects. Planning
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Commission has agreed to the proposal

that the O&M costs of the assets
created under NGRBA will be shared by
the Central and State Governments on
70:30 basis for three years.
Measures
for
improving
implementation: The following are
among the measures taken to improve
implementation of projects under
NGRBA:
State River Conservation Authorities:
To
facilitate
coordination
and
implementation of the conservation
activities at the State level, Empowered
State River Conservation Authorities
(SRCAs) have been notified under
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for
all the five Ganga States.
Memorandum of Agreements (MoA):
Tripartite MoAs are being signed with
the State Governments/Urban Local
Bodies in respect of sanctioned projects.
Independent appraisal of Detailed
Project Reports
INSTITUTIONS RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENT
G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan
Environment and Development, KosiKatarmal, Almora
Indian Council of Forestry Research and
Education (ICFRE), Dehradun
Centres of Excellence
(i) Centre for Environment Education (CEE),
Ahmedabad
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(ii) CPR Environmental Education Centre
(CPREEC), Chennai
(iii) Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES),
Indian Institute of Science (IISe),
Bengaluru
(iv) Centre of Mining Environment (CME),
Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad
(v) Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and
Natural History (SACON), Coirnbatore
(vi) Centre for Environment Management of
Degraded
Ecosystem
(CEMDE),
University of Delhi, Delhi
(vii) Madras School of Economics (MSE),
Chennai
(viii) Foundation for Revitalization of
Local Health Traditions (FRLHT),
Bengaluru
(ix) The Tropical Botanic Garden and
Research
Institute
(TBGRI),
Thiruvanthapurarn
(x) Centre for Animals and Environment,
CARTMAN, Bengaluru.
Page 574
recognize the pioneering and innovative

contribution made by individuals and
institutions
in
the
field
of
afforestation/wasteland development every
year. These awards are given annually.
PITAMBER PANT NATIONAL

ENVIRONMENT FELLOWSHIP
Pitamber Pant National Environment
Fellowship instituted in 1978 is awarded
every year to encourage and recognize
excellence in any branch of research related
to the environmental sciences.
B.P. PAL NATIONAL

ENVIRONMENT FELLOWSHIP
FOR BIO-DIVERSITY
INDIRA GANDHI PARYAVARAN

PURASKAR (IGPP)
B.P. Pal National Environment Fellowship

Award for Bio-diversity was instituted
during 1993 and is awarded annually with a
view to further develop, deepen and
strengthen the expertise on Bio-diversity
available in the country. So far, ten
Fellowship Awards have been awarded to
various scientists throughout the country.
For IGPP-2008, only one awardee i.e. under

organization category was selected by the
Prize committee under the Chairmanship of
Hon'ble Vice President of India and no one
was found suitable for award under
individual category.
NATIONAL AWARDS FOR

PREVENTION OF POLLUTION
AND RAJIV GANDHI
ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY
INDIRA PRIYADARSHINI
VRIKSHA MITRA (IPVM)
AWARDS
The Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra
(IPVM) Awards were instituted in 1986 to
Rajiv Gandhi Environment Award for Clean

Technology for the year 2008-2009 were
awarded to Mis Reliance Infrastructure
Limited, Dahanu. National Awards for
Prevention of Pollution for the year 20082009 were awarded to MI s Indian Rayon.
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AMRITA DEVI BISHNOI

WILDLIFE PROTECTION
AWARD
The Amrita Devi Bishnoi Wildlife Protection
Award is a national award instituted by the
Ministry for protecting wildlife, which
carries a cash award of Rs. one lakh, apart
from citation and medallion. This annual
award is given to an individual! institution
pertaining to rural communities for
significant contribution in the field of
wildlife protection.
RAJIV GANDHI WILDLIFE

CONSERVATION AWARD
The Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation
Award is given for significant contribution in
the field of wildlife which is recognized as
having made or has the potential to make
measurable and major impact on the
protection and conservation of wildlife in
the country.
MEDINI PURASKAR
The Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent
Charge) honours writers under Medini
Puraskar Scheme with a view to encourage
writing of original books in Hindi, on the
subject related to the environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION SYSTEM
(ENVIS)
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Environmental
information
plays
a
paramount role not only in formulating
environmental management policies, but
also in the decision-making process aiming
at environmental protection towards
sustaining good quality' of life for the living
beings. Realizing this need the Ministry set
up an Environmental Information System
(ENVIS) in 1983 as a plan programme with a
comprehensive network in environmental
information collection, collation, storage,
retrieval and dissemination to varying users,
which include decision-makers, researchers,
academicians, policy planners, research
scientists, etc.
The ENVIS network under ENVIS Scheme
continued its information related activities,
database development, publication of
requisite information packages through
newsletters, abstracting services, etc. and
also the query-response services during the
year. This was done by updating and
maintaining an information base that
includes both descriptive information as
well as numerical data. Descriptive .
information in the form of publications,
reports, reprints and abstracts on related
subjects is stored for dissemination.
Numerical data on the same subject are
collected, compiled, processed and
analyzed for the purpose of dissemination.
Documentation in the form of publications
and reports are brought out. All the
information thus compiled are made
available on the wrbsite of the respective
Centres.
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Page 576
CHAPTER 10. FINANCE

SOCIAL SECTOR
PROGRAMMES
The eight flagship programmes continue to
receive high priority, viz. Sarva Siksha
Abhiyan; Mid-Day Meal Scheme; Rajiv
Gandhi Drinking Water Mission; Rural
Sanitation; National Rural Health Mission;
Integrated Child Development Programme;
Mahatma
Gandhi
National
Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme and
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission. Total allocation under these eight
flagship schemes were enhanced from Rs.
123017 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 133686
crore in 2012-13.
SEBI (ALTERNATIVE
INVESTMENT FUNDS)
REGULATIONS, 2012
The new Regulation seeks to cover all types
of Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs)
broadly under 3 categories:
i.
ii.
Category 1 AIF : AIFs with positive spill

over effects on the economy, for which
certain incentives or concessions might
be considered by SEBI or Govt. of India
or other regulators in India; and which
shall include Venture Capital Funds,
SME Funds, Social Venture Funds and
Infrastructure Funds.
Category 2 AIF : AIFs for which no
specific incentives or concessions are
given by the Government or any other
regulator. These IAFs shall not
iii.
undertake leverage other than to meet

day-to-day operational requirements as
permitted in these regulations.
Category 3 AIF : AIFs including hedge
funds that are considered to have
negative externalities.
REVISED GUIDELINES FOR

EXIT POLICY OF STOCK
EXCHANGES
The exit policy of stock exchanges was
revised in April, 2012 facilitating voluntary
derecognition
and
compulsory
derecognition of non-performing stock
exchanges as per the guidelines laid out by
SEBI in this regard. SEBI has come out with a
Circular on the Exit Policy for Derecognized/Non-operational
Stock
Exchanges on 30th May 2012. This is
expected to reduce the unproductive
regulatory burden caused on account of
continued existence of non-functional
exchanges.
RAJIV GANDHI EQUITY

SAVINGS SCHEME
To encourage flow of savings in financial
instruments and to encourage financial
literacy among first time investors, a new
scheme called Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings
Scheme has been announced in the Union
Budget 2012-13. The scheme would allow
for income tax deduction of 50 per cent to
new retail investors, who invest up to Rs.
50,000 directly in equities and whose
annual income is below Rs. 10 lakh. The
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Page 576

scheme is envisaged to have a lock-in
period of 3 years. This initiative is expected
to widen the retail investor base by
encouraging new retail investors to enter
the market, while promoting financial
inclusion and depth of the capital market.
INDIA'S SOVEREIGN DEBT

RATING
Presently, India's sovereign debt is rated by
six international credit rating agencies
namely, Standard and Poor's (S&P),
Moody's Investor Services, FITCH, Dominion
Bond Rating Service (DBRS), Japanese Credit
Rating Agency OCRA) and Rating and
Investment Information Inc., Tokyo (R&I).
Information flow to these credit rating
agencies has been streamlined and the
interaction process has been made more
structured.
FINANCIAL STABILITY AND

DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
(FSDC)
Page 577
FINANCIAL SECTOR
LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
COMMISSION (FSLRC)
Today we have over 60 Acts and multiple
Rules/Regulations that govern the financial
sector. Many of them have been written
several decades back. Large number of
amendments to these Acts made at
different points of time have increased
ambiguity and complexity. Financial sector
regulations are as a consequence,
fragmented.
It was therefore proposed to set up the
Financial Sector Legislative Reforms
Commission (PSLRC), which would, interalia, evolve a common set of principles for
governance of financial sector regulatory
institutions. The Commission would also
examine the case for greater convergence
of regulations and streamline regulatory
architecture of financial markets.
FINANCIAL ACTION TASK

FORCE (FATF)
With a view to strengthening and

institutionalizing the mechanism for
maintaining financial stability, enhancing
inter-regulatory
coordination
and
promotion financial sector development,
Government setup an apex-level Financial
Stability and Development Council (FSDC) in
December 2010. The Chairman of the
Council is the Finance Minister of India and
its members include the heads of financial
sector regulatory authorities, Finance
Secretary and/ or Secretary, Department of
Economic Affairs, Secretary, Department of
Financial Services, and Chief Economic
Adviser. The Council will also invite experts
to its meeting if required.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body

whose purpose is the development and
promotion of policies, both at national and
international levels, to combat money
laundering and terrorist financing. It has
established global standards and measures
for countering money laundering and
terrorist financing and it regularly fosters
and monitors implementation of the
standards by countries.
In 1990, FATF issued 40 recommendations
providing a comprehensive plan of action to
prevent abuse of financial systems for
money laundering. Subsequently it issued 9
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Page 577
Page 578
special recommendations to set out the

basic framework to detect, prevent and
suppress the financing of terrorism and
terrorist acts. Presently, there are 49
recommendations of FATF, commonly
known as 40+9.
on the IMF's own holdings of SDRs in the

General Resources Account.
FINANCIAL STABILITY BOARD

(FSB)
PROJECT NAME
The Financial Stability Forum (FSF) was

established by the G7 Finance Ministers and
Central Bank Governors in 1999 to promote
international financial stability through
enhanced information exchange and
international cooperation in financial
market supervision and surveillance. It
decided at its plenary meeting in London on
11-12 March, 2009 to broaden its
membership and to invite as new members
the G20 countries that were not initially in
the FSF.
FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
PLAN (FTP)
The Financial Transactions Plan of the
International Monetary Fund is the
mechanism through which the Fund
finances its lending and repayment
operations, to its members, in the General
Resources Account. The members of the
Fund can take loans from IMFwith limits
corresponding to their quota. IMF lends to
its members in both foreign exchange and
SDRs. Credit extended in foreign exchange
is financed from the quota resources made
available to the IMF by members. The
creditor gets benefited as their position
gets increased. When extending credit in
SDRs, the IMF transfers reserve assets
directly to borrowing members by drawing
WORLD BANK PROJECTS

APPROVED IN FY 2011-12
1. Rajasthan Agricultural Competitiveness

Project
2. Secondary Education Project
3. National Dairy Support Project
4. Assam State Roads Project
5. Assam Agricultural Competitiveness
Project
6. Uttar
Pradesh
Health
Systems
Strengthing Project
7. North East Rural Livelihoods Project
8. Second Kerala Rural Water Supply and
Sanitation Project
9. West Bengal Accelerated Development
of Minor Irrigation
10. Capacity Building for Urban Local
Bodies-NURM
11. National Rural Livelihoods Project
12. Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric
Project
13. National Ganga River Basin Project
14. Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor-I
15. Biodiversity Conservation and Rural
Livelihoods Improvement Project
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Page 579
FOLLOWING NEW LOANS

HAVE BEEN
NEGOTIATED/SIGNED WITH
ADB:
17. Second India Infrastructure

Financing Facility
Project
Project Name
LIST OF PROJECTS SELECTED UNDER FY

2011 PACKAGE
INDO-JAPAN BILATERAL
RELATIONS
1. Agribusiness
Infrastructure
Development Investment Program
2. Madhya
Pradesh
Power
Sector
Investment program
3. Himachal
Pradesh clean
Energy
Transmission Investment Program
4. Gujarat Solar Power Transmission
Project
5. Assam Power Sector Enhancement
Investment program
6. Madhya Pradesh Energy Efficiency
Improvement Investment program
7. Madhya Pradesh Energy Efficiency
Improvement Investment program
8. National Power Grid Development
Investment program
9. North Eastern State Road Investment
program
10. Railway Sector Investment program
11. National Power Grid Improvement
Project
12. Assam
Urban
Infrastructure
Development Investment program
13. North Eastern Region Capital Cities
Development Investment program
14. Uttarakhand Urban Sector Development
Investment Program
15. Bihar Urban Sector Development
Investment Program
16. Infrastructure Development Investment
Program forTourism
1. Delhi Mass Rapid Transport System

Project Phase 3
2. West Bengal Forest And Biodiversity
Conservation Project
JICA has appraised the following five
projects under the second batch of FY 2011
ODA package:
1. Delhi Water Supply Improvement
Project
2. Rajasthan Rural Water Supply and
Flurosis Mitagation Project Phase-II
(Nagaur)
3. Guwahati Sewerage Project
4. Tamil Nadu Transmission System Project
5. Campus Development Project of lIT,
Hyderabad
GOI-UNDP COUNTRY
PROGRAMME DOCUMENT
(2013-2017)
The new Country Programme Document
(2013-2017) formulated by the Government
in partnership with the UNDP Country
Office, flows out of India UN Development
Assistance Framework 2013-2017 (UNDAF)
which encapsulates the entire UN System's
Development interaction with Government
of India for the period. The new Country
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Page 579

Programme (CP) would concentrate on the
four UNDAF outcomes' namely Inclusive
growth,
Governance,
Sustainable
Development and Gender Equality.
The new CP will focus on nine states with
the highest level of deprivations and
concentration of poor people states namely
Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Assam.
FINANCE ACT, 2011

Finance Act, 2011 brings various changes in
the tax structure for different classes of
individual tax payers (for the income of
financial year 2011-2012) The changes
made are as under.
(i) Basic exemption limit in the cases of
resident individual, not being a woman,
and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) has
been increased to Rs. 1.80 lakhs from
Rs. 1.60 lakhs.
Page 580
(ii) The qualifying age for senior citizens for

the purposes of claiming higher basic
exemption limit has been reduced to 60
years from 65 years.
(iii) Basic exemption limit in the cases of
such senior citizen of the age above 60
years but less than 80 years has been
increased to Rs. 2.50 lakhs from Rs. 2.40
lakhs.
(iv) A special category for the resident
individual tax payers above 80 years of
age has been created having the basic
exemption limit of Rs. 5 lakhs. The tax
slabs have not been altered and income
up to Rs. 5,00,000 will attract tax@ 10%.
Income between Rs. 5,00,000 and Rs.
8,00,000 will be taxed @ 20% and
income above Rs. 8,00,000 will be taxed
@ 30%.
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Page 581
CHAPTER 11. CORPORATE AFFAIRS

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Ministry of Corporate Affairs has set up
National
Foundation
for
Corporate
Governance (NFCG) as a not-for-profit Trust
to provide a platform to deliberate on
issues relating to good corporate
governance and to sensitize corporate
leaders on the importance of good
corporate governance practices, to facilitate
exchange of experiences and ideas between
corporate
leaders,
policy
makers,
regulators, law enforcing agencies and nongovernment organizations.
The FCG has a three-tier structure for its
management, viz, the Governing Council
under the Chairmanship of Minister of
Corporate Affairs, the Board of Trustees and
the Executive Directorate.
The NFCG has been sponsoring orientation
programmes for Directors through the
various Institutes of Excellence and has
been organizing seminars and conferences
to propagate the need for following good
corporate governance practices.
NFCG also functions as a platform to
harmonize various initiatives on corporate
governance at the national level and
remains
in
contact
with
similar
organizations across the world.
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF
CORPORATE AFFAIRS (ILEA)
The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs
(IlCA) has been set up to serve as a holistic
think-tank, a Capacity Building and Service

Delivery institution to help corporate
growth, reforms through synergized
knowledge
management,
global
partnerships and real-time solutions. The
hallmark of the I1CAis its flexibility of
learning modules. The I1CA supports the
Ministry in evolving policy and legislative
responses to meet the requirements of a
dynamic economic environment and
extends support in organizational reforms
initiatives.
MCA21 E-GOVEMANCE
PROJECT
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs launched
its pioneering e-Governance initiative
'MCA21' in January 2007. It is one of the
Mission Mode Project of the Government of
India under the ational e-Governance Plan.
The Project envisages easy and secure online access to all registry related services
provided by the MCA, including registration
and filling of documents, throughout the
country for all the corporates and other
stakeholders at any time and in a manner
that best suits them.
COMPETITION COMMISSION
OF INDIA (CCL)
India witnessed a paradigm shift in its
economic policies in early nineties moving
from a command and control economy to a
more free market economy. The results are
visible in many sectors of the economy
besides acceleration of economic growth.
Sustenance of the growth momentum,
however, calls for more investment and
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Page 581

innovation, prompted by vibrant, dynamic
and consumer-friendly markets. Keeping
these objectives in mind, the Competition
Act, 2002 was enacted paving way for the
establishment
of
the
Competition
Commission of India (CCI), the institutional
framework to support healthy and fair
competition in markets. This Act moved
away from the earlier emphasis of MRTP on
curbing monopolies to a more particular
and directed approach towards promoting
competition and thereby increasing
efficiency, innovation and competitiveness.
Section 49(3) of the Competition Act lays
responsibility on the Commission to take
suitable measures for the promotion of
competition advocacy, creating awareness
and imparting training about competition
issues. In pursuance of these objectives, the
Commission
has
organized
various
workshops,
seminars
conferences,
interactive meetings with various stake
holders viz, students, industry associations,
Page 582
public sector enterprises, consumer

organizations, professional institutes etc.
The Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT) is
comprised of a Chariperson and two
members. The CAT is vested with following
powers:(i) To hear and dispose of appeals filed
against any direction issued or decision
made or order passed by the CCl
established under the Competition Act,
2002.
(ii) To
adjudicate
on
claim
for
compensation that may arise from the
findings of the Commission or the
orders of the Appellate Tribunal in an
appeal against any finding of the
Commission and pass orders for the
recovery of compensation under that
Act.
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CHAPTER 12. FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES

OPEN MARKET SALE SCHEME
(DOMESTIC)
In addition to maintaining buffer stocks and
for making a provision for meeting the
requirement of the TPDS and other Welfare
Schemes, FCI on the instructions from the
Government sells wheat at predetermined
prices in the open market from time to time
to enhance the supply of wheat especially
during the lean season and thereby
moderate the open market prices especially
in the deficit regions.
The Ministry of Women and Child

Development administers the scheme at
the central level and State/UT Governments
implement the scheme. The SABLA Scheme
was launched on 19.11.2010 by merging
two schemes namely Nutrition Programme
for adolescent Girls (NPAG) and Kishori
Shakti Yojana (KSY) into a single scheme.
OTHER WELFARE SCHEMES
The Scheme aims at empowering

adolescent girls of 11-18 years by
improvement of their nutritional and health
status. The requirement of food grains
under the scheme for nutrition is @ 100
grams of grains per beneficiary per day for
300 days in a year.
MID DAY MEAL SCHEME

(DISCUSSED EARLIER)
EMERGENCY FEEDING
PROGRAMME (EFP)
WHEAT BASED NUTRITION

PROGRAMME (WBNP):
This Scheme is implemented by the Ministry
of Women & Child Development. The
foodgrains allotted under this Scheme are
utilized by the States/UTs under the
Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS) for providing nutritious/ energy food
to children below 6 years of age and
expectant/lactating
women
from
disadvantaged sections.
RAJIV GANDHI SCHEME FOR

EMPOWERMENT OF
ADOLESCENT GIRLS (RGSEAG)
'SABLA'
Emergency Feeding Programme is a foodbased intervention targetted towards old,

infirm and destitute persons belonging to
BPL households to provide them food
security in their distress conditions. This
programme was introduced in 1995- 96
covering initially 5 KBCJr Districts of Odisha
with 45,141 beneficiaries. The Scheme is
now being implemented by Government of
Odisha in eight KBK Districts namely
Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri,
Nawarangpur, Naupada, Rayagada and
Sonepur of Odisha covering around 2lakh
beneficiaries.
VILLAGE GRAIN BANK SCHEME

Village Grain Bank Scheme was earlier
implemented by the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs in 11 States. However, since
November, 2004, the scheme has been
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transferred to the Department of Food &
Public Distribution.
The main objective of the scheme presently
being implemented is to provide safeguard
against starvation during the period of
natural calamity or during lean season
when the marginalized food insecure
households do not have sufficient resources
to purchase rations. Such people in need of
foodgrains will be able to borrow food
grains from the village grain Bank. The grain
banks are to be set up in food scarce areas
like the drought prone areas, the hot and
cold desert areas, tribal areas and the
inaccessible hilly areas which remain cut off
because of natural calamities like floods,
etc.
SUGARCANE PRICING POLICY

With the amendment of the sugarcane
(Control) under, 1966 on 22.10.2009 the
concept of Statutory Minimum Price (SMP)
of sugarcane was replaced with the Fair and
Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcanes for
2009-10 and subsequent sugar season.
The FRP now give margins on account of
profit and risk payable to the farmer up
front which was not available earlier under
SMP regime. Unlike the system payment
under the SMP where there was a provision
of sharing of profits of sugar mills at 50:50
with the farmers after the end of the sugar
season, the FRP now being determined by
the central Government ensures margins on
account of profit and risk to sugarcane
farmers on cost of production and
transportation of sugarcanes and are paid
up front.
Under the FRP system, the farmers will not
be required to wait for the end of the
season or for any announcement of the
Page 584
profits by the sugar mills or the

Government. The new system also assures
the margin on accounts of profits and risk
to farmer in all the years, irrespective of the
fact whether the sugar mills generate profit
or not and is not dependent on the
performances of any individual sugar mill.
ETHANOL BLENDING
PROGRAMME
Ethanol is an agro-based product, basically
produced from the by product of the sugar
industry, viz molasses. In the years of
surplus production of sugarcane, when the
sugar prices are depressed, the sugar
industry is unable to pay cane price to the
farmers. This is mainly due to surplus
production of sugar. Diversions of surplus
cane juice into production of is expected to
control the falling sugar prices.
It is the considered opinion of the experts
that in the years of surplus availability of
sugarcane, diversion of surplus sugarcane
juice into ethanol will not only control the
sugar price but timely and adequate
payments to farmers which will go a long
way in controlling the cyclicity of sugarcane
and sugar production in India.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

Government of India allocates food grains
at BPL issue prices for the development
schemes administered by United Nations
World Food Programme. A Country
Programme Action Plan (PCAP) 2008-12 has
been signed between the Government of
India and the world Food Programme
(WFP).
Under
this
Programme,
Departments of Food & Public Distribution
has committed to allocate following
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quantity of foodgrains for utilization of WFP
assisted project in India.
Through the Country programme of WFP,
Government of India is inching forward to
attain the Millennium Development Goals
through improved implementation of
existing food-security programmes by
focusing on developing institutional
capacity to manage them. The WEP's
projects involving food delivery are
currently under implementations in states
of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh
Jharkhand,
Rajasthan.
Capacity
Development Programmes for food security
are being implemented by WFP in these
states and also in Gujarat, Utarakhand Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL

ORGANISATION (FAO)
FAO is one of the largest specialized
agencies in the UN system founded in 1945
with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition
and standard of living by improving
agricultural
productivity
and
living
conditions of rural population. The
Committed on World Food Security (CFS)
serves as a forum in the United Nations
system for review and follow-up of policies
concerning world food security including
food production, physical and economic
access to food. India is a member of both
FAO and CFS. Committee on World Food
Security (CFS) monitors the progress of
implementations of the WFS plan of Action.
INTERNATIONAL GRAINS
COUNCIL (IGC)
India is a Member of the International
Grains Council (IGC) which was previously
Page 585
known as international Wheat Council up to

1996 and is an intergovermental forum of
exporting and importing countries for cooperation in wheat and coarse grain
matters. It administers the Trade
convention 1995. The IGC Secretariat based
in London since 1949, also services the Food
Aid Committee, established under the Food
aid Convention International Crains
Agreement comprises of Grains Trade
Convention (GTC) and Food Aid Convention
(FAC).
ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES
ACT, 1955
The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 was
enacted to ensure the easy availability of
essential commodities to consumers and to
protect them from exploitation by
unscrupulous traders. The Act provides for
the regulation and of production,
distribution and pricing of commodities
which are declared as essential for
maintaining or increasing supplies or for
securing their equitable distribution and
availability at fair prices.
The enforcement implementation of the
provisions of the Essential commodities Act,
1955 lies with the State governments and
UT
Administrations.
The
Central
Government has also empowered to add,
remove and modify any essential
commodity in the public interest in
consultation with State Governments.
The list of essential commodities has been
reviewed from time to time with reference
to the production and supply of these
commodities and in the light of economic
liberalization in consultation with the
concerned
ministries/Departments
administering these commodities. The
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number of essentials commodities has been
brought down to seven at present through
such periodic reviews.
In conformity with the policy of the
Government
towards
economic
liberalization, Department of consumer
Affairs is committed to the development of
agriculture and trade by removing
unnecessary controls and restrictions to
achieve a single Indian Common Market
across the country, for both manufactured
and agricultural produce and to encourage
linkage between agriculture and industry.
FORWARD MARKETS
COMMISSION
Forward Markets Commission (FMC)
headquartered at Mumbai, is regulatory
authority for commodity futures market in
ndia.It is a statutory body set up under
forward Contracts (Regulation) Act 1952.
The Commission functions under the
administrative control of the Ministry of
Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution, Department of Consumer
Affairs, Government of India.
The functions of the Forward Markets
Commission:
(a) To advise the Central Government in
respect of the recognition or the with
drawal of recognition from any
association or in of any other matter
arising out of the administration of the
Forward Contracts (Regulation) Act
1952.
(b) To keep forward markets under
observation and to take such action in
relation to them, as it may consider
Page 586
necessary, in exercise of the powers

assigned to it by or under the Act.
(c) To collect and whenever the
commission thinks it necessary, to
publish information regarding the
trading conditions in respect of goods to
which any of the provisions of the Act is
made applicable, including information
regarding supply demand and prices,
and to submit to the Central
Government, periodical reports on the
working of forward markets relating to
such goods;
(d) To make recomendations generally with
a view to improving the organization
and working of forward markets;
(e) To undertake the inspection of the
accounts and other documents of any
recognized association or registered
association or any member of such
association whenever it considers it
necessary.
COMMODITY EXCHANGES
Currently 5 national exchanges, viz. Multi
Commodity Exchange, Mumbai; National
Commodity and Derivatives Exchange,
Mumbai and national Multi Commodity
Exchange, Ahmedabad Indian Commodity
Exchange Ltd., Mumbai and ACE Derivatives
and Commodity Exchange, regulate forward
trading in 113 commodities. Besides, there
are 16 Commodity specific exchanges
recognized for regulating trading in various
commodities approved by the Commission
under the Forward Contracts (Regulation)
Act, 1952.
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Page 587
the country has been the enactment of the

Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
BENEFITS TO FARMERS AND

OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
Fanners and growers benefit through the
price signals emitted by the futures markets
even though they may not directly
participate in the futures market. The
futures markets lead to reduction in the
amplitude of seasonal price variation and
help the farmer realize a better price at the
time of harvest. This also helps the farmer
in planning his cultivation in advance as well
as to determine the kind of crop which he
would prefer to raise, by takings advantage
of the advance information of the future
price trends, and probable supply and
demand of various commodities in advance.
By providing the manufacturers and the
bulk consumers a mechanism for covering
price-risks, the futures markets induces
them to pay higher price to the producers,
as the need to pass on the price-risk to
farmers is obviated. The manufacturer are
able to hedge their requirement of the raw
materials and as also their finished
products.
This
results
in
greater
competition in the market and ensure
viability of the manufacturing units.
The Salient Features of the Act are as

under:
CONSUMER PROTECTION
A separate Department of Consumer Affairs

was created in the Central Government in
the year 1998 to act as the nodal
Department to exclusively focus on
protecting the rights of consumers including
redressal of consumer grievances as well as
to promote standards of goods and
services, etc.
The Act provides for establishing a

three-tier consumer dispute redressal
machinery at the national, state and
district levels commonly known as
National Commission, State Commission
and District Forum respectively. As on
date 631 District Fora,35 State
Commissions
and
one
National
Commission have been established in
the country.
It is an umbrella legislation covering all
goods & services, excluding only
commercial transactions from the
purview of the Act,
A consumer can seek redressal against
any manufacturer and trader of goods /
service provider whether it is an
individual or public/private enterprise
or a cooperative society etc. so long as
the purchased or service availed of was
for a considerations.
The Act also provides for setting up of a
Consumer Protection Councils at the
Central, State and District levels, which
is an advisory body to promote and
protect the rights of the consumers.
The provisions of the Act are in addition
to and not in derogation of the
provisions of any other law for the time
being in force.
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT,

1986:- One of the most important
milestones in the consumer movement in
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COMPUTERIZATION AND
COMPUTER NETWORKING OF
CONSUMER FORA IN THE
COUNTRY (CONFONET)
A scheme of Computerization and
Computer Networking of Consumer Fora in
the country (CONFONET) was launched
during the 10th Plan period in March, 2005
at a cost of Rs. 48.54 crore. Under the
scheme, the Consumer Fora at the three
tiers throughout the country are being fully
computerized & connected through
network for exchange of information which
would enable them to have access on
information faster, facilitating quicker
disposal of cases. The project is being
implemented by the National Informatics
centre (NIC) on a turnkey basis.
BUREAU OF INDIAN
STANDARDS
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) came into
existence on 1 April 1987 through an Act of
Parliament dated 25 ovember 1986. It took
over the staff, assets, liabilities and
functions of the erstwhile Indian Standards
Institution (ISI) with an enlarged scope and
enhanced
powers
for
harmonious
development
of
activities
of
standardization, marking and quality
certification of goods and for matters
connected there with of incidental there to.
In order to attain this, the Bureau would
strive:
a) To provide efficient timely service for
harmonious development of standards.
b) To satisfy the customer's need for
quality and safety of goods and services
Page 588
through operation of Certification

Schemes of BIS.
c) To generate awareness on standards,
standard mark, and safety & quality of
products through Seminars, Awareness
Programmes and Publicity Campaigns.
Standards formulation
Product certification Scheme
Laboratories
Hallmarking
Management Systems certification
Enforcement activity
International Activities
Consumer protection
Consumer Awareness Programmes
Educational Utilization of Standards
Programmes (EUS)
Industry Awareness Programmes
Information and SSI Facilitation Cell
Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award
VISION 2015 ON FOOD

PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
A vision, strategy and action plan has also
been finalized for giving boost to growth of
food processing sector. The objective is to
increase level of processing of perishable
food from 6 per cent to 20 per cent, value
addition from 20 per cent to 35 per cent
and share in global food trade from 1.6 per
cent to 3 per cent. The level of processing
for fruits and vegetables is envisaged to
increase from the present 2.2 per cent to 10
per cent and 15 per cent in 2010 and 2015
respectively. The Cabinet has approved the
integrated strategy for promotion of agri
business and vision, strategy and action
plan for the Food Processing Sector, based
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on the recommendations made by the
Group of Ministers (GOM).
INTEGRATED FOOD LAW

An Integrated Food Law, i.e., Food Safety
and Standards Act, 2006 was notified on 24
August 2006. The Act enables in removing
Page 589
multiplicity of food laws and regulatory

agencies and provide single window to food
processing sector. Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare has been designated as the
nodal Ministry for administration and
implementation of the Act.
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Page 590
CHAPTER 13. HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH
MISSION (NRHM)
NATIONAL URBAN HEALTH

MISSION (NUHM)
The National Rural Health Mission was

launched on 12th April 2005, to provide
accessible, affordable and accountable
quality health services to the poorest
households in the remotest rural regions.
The proposed National Urban Health

Mission (NUHM) aims to address the public
health care needs of urban population.
Addressing the needs of public health care
services for urban population would involve
revamping/
creation/upgradation
of
primary, secondary and tertiary health care
service delivery system in urban areas. This
will be done by investing in health
professionals, appropriate technology,
creating new & upgradation and utilization
of existing infrastructure and strengthening
the extant health care service delivery
system. Recognizing the seriousness of the
problem, urban health will be taken up as a
thrust area for the 12th Five Year Plan.
The thrust of the Mission is on establishing

a fully functional, community owned,
decentralized health delivery system with
inter sectorial convergence at all levels, to
ensure simultaneous action on a wide range
of determinants of health like water,
sanitation, education, nutrition, social and
gender equality.
The architectural correction envisaged
under NRHM is organized around five
pillars, each of which is made up of a
number of overlapping core strategies.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Increasing Participation and Ownership

by the Community
Improved Management Capacity
Flexible Financing: The central strategy
of this pillar is the provision of untied
funds to every Village Health and
Sanitation Committee, to the subcenter, to the PHC, to the CHC including
District Hospital
Innovations in human resources
development for the health sector
Setting of standards and norms with
monitoring
FAMILY WELFARE
In 1952, India launched the world's first
national program emphasising family
planning to the extent necessary for
reducing birth rates "to stabilize the
population at a level consistent with the
requirement of national economy".
SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES

FAMILY PLANNING SCHEMES
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Delivery of contraceptives at doorstep

of beneficiaries
Compensation scheme for sterilization
acceptors
'National Family Planning Insurance
Scheme' (NFPIS) under which clients are
Page 590
insured in the eventualities of deaths,

complications and failures following
sterilization and the providers I
accredited institutions are indemnified
against litigations in those eventualities.
Promoting spacing between births-The
Govt. has launched a new scheme to
promote spacing between births under
which incentives would be paid to
ASHA. ASHA would be paid following
incentives under the scheme:
Rs. 5001- to ASHA for ensuring
spacing of 2 years after marriage.
Rs. 5001- to ASHA for ensuring
spacing of 3 years after the birth of
1st child
Rs. 10001- in case of couple opts for
a permanent limiting method up to
2 children only.
MATERNAL HEALTH
PROGRAMMES
Janani Suraksha Yojana : Janani Suraksha
Yojana (JSY), a safe motherhood
intervention under the National Rural
Health Mission (NRHM), was launched on
12th April 2005 to promote institutional
delivery among the poor pregnant women.
The Yojana is being implemented in all
States and Union Territories. JSY is a 100%
centrally sponsored scheme.
The scheme focuses on the poor pregnant
women with special dispensation for States
having Low institutional delivery rates,
namely, the States of Uttar Pradesh,
Uttrakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan,
Orisha and Jammu & Kashmir. While these
states have been classified as Low
Page 591
Performing Status (LPS) the remaining

States have been named as High Performing
States (HPS).
Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK):
Government of India has launched Janani
Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) on 1st
June, 2011. The initiative entitles all
pregnant women delivering in public health
institutions to absolutely free and no
expense delivery, including caesarean
section. The entitlements include free drugs
and consumables, free diet up to 3 days
during normal delivery and up to 7 days for
C-section, free diagnostics, and free blood
wherever required. This initiative also
provides for free transport from home to
institution.
CHILD HEALTH PROGRAMMES

Navjat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (NSSK):
NSSK is a programme aimed to train health
personnel in basic newborn care and
resuscitation, has been launched to address
care at birth issues i.e. Prevention of
Hypothermia, Prevention of Infection, Early
initiation of Breast feeding and Basic
Newborn Resuscitation. Newborn care and
resuscitation is an important starting-point
for any neonatal program and is required to
ensure the best possible start in life. The
objective of this new initiative is to have a
trained health personnel in Basic newborn
care and resuscitation at every delivery
point.
Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS):
Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) is
another ambitious e-Governance initiative
of the Ministry. This is a web based system
for collecting information on some key
indicators related to the pregnant women
and new-born. When fully functional, MCTS
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would help to track each beneficiaries for
ensuring full ante-natal check up of the
pregnant mothers and immunization of the
children. This is expected to reduce the
Infant Mortality. 'Rate and Maternal
Mortality Ratio, as mandated by Goals 4
and 5 oif the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). Last year MCTS has been
included as a Mission Mode Project under
the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP).
"2012: Year of Intensification of Routine
Immunizatoin" India has declared year 2012
as the year of intensification of routine
immunization.
The
present
full
immunization coverage of children is 61%.
The key objective of this campaign is to
improve full immunization coverage and
rech all children, particularly in remote,
inaccessible and backward areas as well as
in urban slums.
Pulse Polio Immunization: In pursuance of
the World Health Assembly resolution of
1988, the Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI)
Programme was started nation-wide from
1995 to eradicate polio in India covering
children in the age group 0-3 years.
OTHER NATIONAL PROGRAMMES

UNDER NRHM
National Vector Borne Diseases Control
Programme (NVBDCP): The National Vector
Borne Disease Control Programme is a
comprehensive programe for prevention
and control of vector borne diseases
namely Malaria, Filaria, Kala-azar, Japanese
Encephalitis GE), Dengue and Chikungunya
which is covered under the overall umbrella
of NRHM.
National Leprosy Eradication Programme
(NLEP): The National Leprosy Control
Page 592
Programme was launched by the Govt. of

India in 1955. Multi Drug Therapy came into
wide use from 1982 and the ational Leprosy
Eradication Programme was introduced in
1983.
Revised National Tuberculosis Control
Programme (RNTCP) : The Revised National
TB Control Programme (RNTCP), based on
the internationally recommended Directly
Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS)
strategy, was launched in 1997 expanded
across the country in a phased manner with
support from World Bank and other
development partners.
National Programme for Control of
Blindness (NPCD) : National Programme for
Control of Blindness (NPCB) was launched in
the year 1976 as a 100% centrally
sponsored scheme with the goal of reducing
the prevalence of blindness to 0.3% by
2020.
National Iodine Deficiency Disorders
Control Programme (NIDDCP): Iodine is an
essential micronutrient required daily at
100-150 micrograms for normal human
growth and development. Deficiency of
iodine can cause physical and mental
retardation, cretinism, abortions, stillbirth,
deaf mutism, squint & various types of
goitre. Thus NIDDCP aims to assess the
magnitude of the Iodine Deficiency
Disorders in districts and propagate Supply
of iodated salt in plae of common salt.
OTHER NATIONAL HEALTH

PROGRAMMES
National Programme for Prevention and
Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular
Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS): National
Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) :
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Launch of the dedicated National Tobacco
Control Programme in the 11 th Five Year
Plan has been the major milestone to
facilitate the implementation of the tobacco
control laws to bring about greater
awareness about the harmful effects of
Tobacco and to fulfil the obligation(s) under
the WHO-FCTC (Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control).
Health Insurance Scheme: Ministry of
Labour and Employment launched the
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) to
cover the unorganized sector BPL workers.
The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)
provides for smart card based cashless
health insurance cover of f 30,000 per
annum to BPL families [a unit of five} in the
unorganized sector. The scheme is
presently being implemented in 25
States/UTs by State Nodal Agencies.
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
(PMSSY): Government of India has
approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya
Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) in March, 2006
with the objective of correcting regional
imbalance in the availability of affordability
of affordable/reliable tertiary healthcare
services and also to augment facilities for
quality medical education in the country.
PMSSY has two component in its first
phase: (i) setting up of six AIIMS-like
institutions and (ii) upgradation of 13
existing Government Medical College
institutions.
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) : Rashtriya
Arogya Nidhi was set up under Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare in 1997 to provide
financial assistance to patients, living below
poverty line, who are suffering from major
life threatening diseases to receive medical
treatment in Government Hospitals. Under
the scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi,
Page 593
grants-in- aid is also provided to State

Governments for setting up State Illness
Assistance Funds. Such funds have been set
up by the Governments of Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal
Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka,
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand,
Maharashtra, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Sikkim,
Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal,
Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar
Pradesh, Manipur and NCT of Delhi and
Puducherry.
Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund
(HMCPF) Health Minister's Cancer Patient
Fund (HMCPF) within the Rashtriya Arogya
Nidhi (Ran) has also been set up in 2009.
National Pharmacovigilance Programme:
The
National
Pharmacovigilance
Programme
by
the
name
of
Pharmacovigilance of India (PvPI) was
launched on 14.07.2010 to capture Adverse
Drug Reactions data in Indian population in
a systematic way. The programme is being
coordinated by the Indian Pharmacopeia
Commission, Ghaziabad.
NATIONAL INSTITUTES
National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur,
National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH),
Kolkatta, National Institute of Naturopathy
(NIN), Pune, National Institute of Unani
Medicine (NIUM), Bangalore, Institute of
Post Graduate Teaching and Research in
Ayurveda (IPGTRA), Jarnnagar, Morarji
Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY),
New Delhi, National Institute of Siddha
(NIS),
Chennai,
Rashtriya
Ayurveda
Vidyapeeth (RA V), New Delhi. All India
Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi (under
Construction), North Eastern Institute of
Ayurveda and Homoeopathy, Shillong
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(under construction), and North Eastern
Institute of Folk Medicine, Passighat (under
Page 594
construction).
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Page 595
CHAPTER 14. HOUSING

Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty
Alleviation has recently comprehensively
revised the National Policy on Urban Street
Vendors (2004), taking into account the
views of States/UTs and other stake
holders.
NATIONAL POLICY ON URBAN

STREET VENDORS (2009)
Salient Features:
A Town Vending Committee (TVC)

consisting of Municipal Commissioner /
Chief Executive Officer of the urban
local body as Chairperson and members
representing local authority; planning
authority, police authority, associations
of street vendors, resident welfare
associations,
Community
Based
Organisations (CBOs), other civil society
organisations
such
as
NGOs,
representatives of trade and commerce,
representatives of scheduled banks and
eminent citizens, is to be constituted by
the appropriate Covernment in all
cities/towns and wards.
Functions of TVC clearly specified with
reference to :
Undertaking periodic surveys of street
vendors,
Registration and issuance of Identity
Cards,
Assessing and determining maximum
holding capacity of each vending zone,
Monitoring of vending activities.
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To prevent the extortion of street

vendors, the collection of revenue
through TVC introduced.
TVC to be responsible for redressal of
grievances and resolution of disputes
arising amongst street vendors or
between street vendors and third
parties-as the first point of intervention.
Demarcation of 'Restriction Free
Vending Zones', 'Restricted Vending
Zones' and 'Novending Zones' to be
made city /town specific; Mobile
vending to be permitted in all areas
unless designated as 'Novending Zone'.
Master/zonal/local development plans
to address the requirements of space
for street vending as an important
urban activity through "norms" for
reservation of space for street vendors
in accordance with their current
population and projected growth of
street vendors.
Reservation of space for street vending
to be made in all new local area plans
and implemented.
There should not be any cut-off date for
registration or limit imposed on the
number of vendors to be permitted in
any city /town, subject to registration of
vending and regulation through TVC.
Registration and issuance of Identity
Cards to street vendors with details
such as vendor's code number, vendor's
name, vendor's nominee, category
GIS Mapping of vending zones/vendors'
markets etc. envisaged.
Page 595
Concept of roster-based time-sharing

model of space introduced where
demand for space exceeds supply.
Provision for reservation for SCs/STs
and priority to differently-abled persons
in the alloca tion of vending stalls /
spaces.
A time limit for stationary vendors-1 0
years with a further extension of
another 10 years introduced.
The Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for
Small Industries (CGFSI), designed by
the SIDBI and similar schemes to be
extended to the street vendors.
MODEL BILL ON STREET

VENDING: 'THE STREET
VENDORS (PROTECTION OF
LIVELIHOOD AND
REGULATION OF STREET
VENDING) BILL, 2009-
Salient Features
It would be obligatory for appropriate

Government to constitute a Town
Vending Committee in each local
authority. Ward Vending Committees
may be constituted, if so needed.
Office space and employees to the TVC
would be provided by the local
authority.
There would be a fixed tenure of three
years for the non-official members of
the TVe. The appropriate Government
may terminate their nomination earlier.
The TVC would be responsible for
identifying spaces for 'Restriction Free
Page 596
Vending Zone', Restricted Vending

Zone', or 'No-vending Zone', assessing
holding capacity of particular areas for
vending, granting registration and
issuing Identity card to vendors,
monitoring vending activities etc.
Every street vendor would be required
to get registered with the TVC on
prescribed fee. A person would be
entitled for registration for one vending
spot only. Registration would be
renewed periodically.
The Local Authority would frame
necessary bye-laws for street vending
apart from supervising and monitoring
activities of the TVe. They would
provide civic amenities in the vending
zones. Fees/levies to be charged from
street vendors would be fixed by the
Local Authority in consultation with the
TVe.
It would be the responsibility of the
Planning Authority to earmark adequate
space for vending zones in the master
plan/ development plan, zonal plan, etc.
Appropriate penalties, ranging from ~
Two hundred to five hundred, would be
imposed on the vendors by the TVC for
offences relating to violation of the
terms and conditions of vending.
RAJLY AWAS YOJANA (RAY)

In pursuance of the Government's vision of
creating a Slum-free India, a new scheme
'Rajiv Awas Yoj ana , (RAY) has been
launched on 02.06.2011. The Phase-I of
Rajiv Awas Yojana is for a period of two
years from the date of approval of the
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Page 596

scheme with a budget of ~ 5,000 crores.
The Scheme will provide financial assistance
to States that the willing to assign property
rights to slum dewellers for provision of
decent shelter and basic civic and social
services for slum redevelopment, and for
creation of affordable housing stock. Fifty
percent (50%) of the cost of provision of
basic civic and social infrastructure and
amenities and of housing, rental housing,
and
transit
housing
for
in-situ
redevelopment-e-in slums would be borne
by the Centre, including operation &
maintenance of assets created under this
scheme. For the North Eastern and Special
Category States the share of the Centre
would be 90% including the cost of land
acquisition, if required.
Page 597
reforms required here are directly linked to

the objectives of the scheme, and necessary
for the scheme to be successful. The
overarching aim of RAY is to drive a
fundamental change in policy and reform in
the existing urban development systems to
make cities inclusive and equitable. Release
of funds under RAY would be predicated
upon the acceptance and implementation
of the following necessary policy actions by
the states.
The commitment and willingness to assign
property rights to slum dwellers, preferably
in the name of the wife or in the name of
both wife and husband, and enactment of
legislation within one year of the first
project sanctioned.
The central assistance under RAY is

conditional to reforms by the States. The
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Page 598
CHAPTER 15. INDIA AND THE WORLD

INDIA'S foreign policy is integrated with the
national priority of sustained, rapid, and
inclusive socio-economic development. It is
aimed at garnering an appropriate role for
India in the changing international
environment; to maintain an atmosphere of
peace, security and stability in the extended
neighborhood, that is conducive for
national growth and development and by
the need to enhance India's economic and
technological development. Its foreign
policy has demonstrated dynamism in
responding to the shifting international
strategic and political environment, and
addressing the global challenges of
terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, energy security, threats to
space and cyber security, maritime security,
reform of international organizations and
environmental degradation, etc.
Given its location in an extremely complex
neighborhood, India considers, as 'its
foremost priority, the promotion of a
politically stable and economically secure
periphery. Her relations with the
neighboring countries are anchored in this
conviction. Its neighbourhood policy
emphasizes the benefits of fostering
networks of inter-connectivity, trade and
investment, and sharing the dividends of
India's rapid economic growth with her
neighbours, to the benefit of the subContinent.
India's stead fast support to Bhutan in its
economic and social development and for
the strengthening of its democratic
institutions continued to underpin the
bilateral relations.
TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC

COOPERATION AND
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
(ITEC)
The Indian Technical and Economic
Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, the Special
Commonwealth Assistance for Africa
Programme (SCAAP) and the Technical
Cooperation Scheme (TCs) under the
Colombo Plan, are aimed at capacity
building, skills development, transfer of
technology and sharing of experiences,
form an integral part of India's
development partnership and cooperation
with the developing world.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
ADMINISTRATION (DPA)
In January 2012, a Development
partnership Administration (DPA) was set
up in the MEA with the principal
responsibility of ensuring speedy and
efficient implementation of India's external
economic assistance programme inclose
cooperation with developing countries for
capacity-buildi g. The DPA will also be
responsible for projects being executed
under Indian grant assistance or lines of
credit through the stages of concept,
launch, execution and completion.
INDIAN COUNCIL FOR

CULTURAL RELATIONS (LCCR)
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR),
implements a wide range of programmes
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pertaining to India's existing cultural
relations with a view to deepening India's
cultural ties with other countries.
INDIAN COUNCIL OF WORLD

AFFAIRS (ICWA)
The ICWA organized more than forty events
during the year including lectures, seminars
and book launches. The notable events,
iner-alia, include organization of an
Academic Conference in Addis Ababa on
"India Africa Academic Forum: Partnership
for Enhancing Development and Growth";
another international conference on
"Reinvigorating
Indian
Ocean
RimAssociation for Regional Cooperation (IORARC)", and an Address by the Prime
Minister of Japan, Mr. Yoshihiko Noda. The
ICWA was one of the partners in organizing
the Delhi-Dialogue IV in February 2012. It
also hosted several foreign dignitaries in the
year.
RESEARCH AND
INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
(RIS)
Research and Information System for
Developing Countries (RIS) is a New Delhibased autonomous think tank under the
Ministry of External Affairs specialising ill.
international economic relations and
development cooperation. RIS has the
mandate to function as an advisory body to
the Government on matters pertaining to
multilateral economic and social issues.
OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP OF
INDIA (OCI)
Page 599
Keeping in view the Government's deep

commitment in engaging People of Indian
Origin (PIOs) with the land of their
ancestors in a mutually beneficial
relationship, the OCI Scheme was launched
in August 2005 by amending the Citizenship
Act, 1955. The OCI Scheme is operated by
the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Scheme
provides for registration of all PIOs as
'Overseas Citizens of India', providing they
were citizens of India on or after January
26,1950 or were eligible to become citizens
of India on January 26,1950 and who are
citizens of other countries, except Pakistan
and Bangladesh.
The Scheme provides for the issue of OCI
documents, consisting of an OCI registration
certificate and a Universal Visa Sticker to
PIOs.
KNOW INDIA PROGRAMME

(KIP)
The objective of the Ministry's Know India
Programme is to help familiarise Indian
Diaspora youth, in the age group of 18-26
years,
with
developments
and
achievements made by the country and
bringing them closer to the land of their
ancestors. KIP provides a unique forum for
students and young professionals of Indian
Origin tovisit India, share their views,
expectations and experiences and to
develop
closer
bonds
with
the
contemporary India. The Ministry has
conducted 19 KIPs so far and a total of 591
Overseas Indian youth have participated in
these programmes.
BILATERAL SOCIAL SECURITY

AGREEMENTS (SSA)
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Most countries have an umbrella social
security system mandated by law. It is
funded through a mandatory social security
tax collected from all workers and their
employers (in a prescribed ratio). The
system provides for multiple benefits like
old-age pension, disability insurance, health
insurance and unemployment insurance.
INDIAN COUNCIL OF
OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT
(ICOE)
(iv) Adapting training material developed by

ILO 110M for specific States I country
and gender.
The Ministry, therefore, established the
'Indian Council of Overseas Employment', as
a Society under the Societies Registration
Act of 1860. The Council is a two-tier body
comprising a governing Council and an
Executive Directorate.
The Council
functions:
The
rapidly
globalising
world
is
characterised by competition amongst the
labour sending countries for optimising
benefits from the international labour
migration. There is, therefore, a need to
bring a strategic dimension to the process
of emigration of Indians in search of
employment and to forge partnerships that
will best serve India as a supplier of skilled
and trained manpower and to meet the
expectations of the Overseas Indian
Workers (OIW) as a significant constituency
across the world. In order to make Indian
workers globally competitive, an urgent
need was felt for a proactive national body
to leased the following key interventions:
(i) Commission studies on the international
labour markets and identify emerging
overseas employment opportunities for
Indian youth.
(ii) Positioning of Potential OIWs as
'consumers' of employment services
provided by the private recruitment
industry.
(iii) Projecting India as a supplier of skilled,
trained and qualified workers.
Page 600
performs
the
following
(i) Build and maintain a database on

emerging country I sector specific
employment opportunities Abroad.
(ii) Identify labour supply gaps in overseas
labour markets and the skill sets
required by Indian workers to fill those
gaps;
(iii) Initiate
programmes
for
skills
development and skills upgrade in
consultation with professional bodies
and the private sector and promote
employment opportunities abroad;
(iv) Initiate
pre-departure
orientation
programmes for various categories of
workers;
(v) Coordinate with other employment
promotion agencies, including state
manpower development corporations,
project manpower suppliers and foreign
employers;
(vi) Initiate and support the study,
monitoring and analysis of the trends
and dynamics of the international
labour market, problems faced by
emigrant Indian workers in India and
abroad, benchmark the best practices of
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other labour sending countries, and
recommend policy initiatives/strategies.
INDIAN COMMUNITY
WELFARE FUND (ICWF)
Overseas Indian workers are estimated at
over 6 million, with a net outflow of about a
million each year, excluding returnees. A
significant number of them are women. The
vast majority of these workers are
temporary migrants and 90 percent of them
work in the Gulf. The framework for their
protection and welfare needs to be
institutionalised with emphasis on delivery
of innovative, financially sustainable social
security and support services to vulnerable
emigrant workers and those in distress.
PRIME MINISTER'S GLOBAL

ADVISORY COUNCIL (PMGAC)
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the Prime Minister. The functions of the

Council are:
(i) Serve as a platform for the Prime
Minister to draw upon the experience,
knowledge and wisdom of the best
Indian minds wherever they may be
based;
(ii) Develop an inclusive agenda far a twoway engagement between India and
Overseas Indians;
(iii) Consider ways and means for accessing
the skills and knowledge of the Indian
Diaspora
for
meeting
India's
development goals and facilitating
investments by Overseas Indians into
India; and,
(iv) Institution and capacity building in India
to respond to the economic, social and
cultural needs of the Overseas Indian
community.
The Ministry has constituted the Prime

Minister's Global Advisory Council of People
of Indian Origin (PMGAC-01) to draw upon
the experience and knowledge of eminent
people of Indian origin in diverse fields from
across the world. The Council is chaired by
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CHAPTER 16. INDUSTRY

INDUSTRIAL POLICY
Industrial policy since 1991 has been more
of facilitating the industrial development
rather than anchoring it through permits
and controls. Industrial licensing has,
therefore, been abolished for most of the
industries and there are only 5 industries
related to security, strategic and
environmental concerns where an industrial
license is currently required:
(i) Distillation and brewing of alcoholic
drinks;
(ii) Cigars and cigarettes of tobacco and
manufactured tobacco substitutes;
(iii) Electronic aerospace and defence
equipment; all types;
(iv) Industrial
explosives
including
detonating
fuses,
safety
fuses,
gunpowder, nitrocellulose and matches;
(v) Specified hazardous chemicals i.e. (i)
Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives, (ii)
Phosgene and its derivatives and (iii)
Isocyanates and disocyanates of
hydrocarbon, not elsewhere specified
(example Methyl isocyanate) For all
other industries, a non-SSI entrepreneur
is to file an Industrial Entrepreneurs'
Memorandum (rEM) to the Secretariat
for
Industrial
Assistance
(SIA),
Department of Industrial Policy &
Promotion (DIPP).
Along with the removal of the industrial
licensing, reform has also been initiated in
areas of reservation of products for
exclusive production in the small scale
sector. With the reduction in the tariff rates

and removal of quantitative restrictions on
imports, product reservation for small scale
sector created an anomalous situation since
entry of a domestic large scale player was
not permitted though the product could still
be imported from outside.
FACTORS AFFECTING
INDUSTRIAL GROWTH
The deceleration in industrial growth in the
past few months has largely been attributed
to both domestic and external economic
environment. On the domestic front,
subdued business sentiments has affected
the growth of Industrial Sector in the
current
year.
Investment
growth
moderated substantially in 2011-12, largely
due to policy hurdles in infrastructure
sectors, dampened investor sentiments and
higher interest rate environment. Besides,
uncertainty in the Euro Zone, fragile global
economic recovery has resulted in
slackening of external demand and
increased volatility in capital flows. The
parameters that drive growth have also
witnessed moderation in the last three
years.
The under performance of the construction
sector, which is the lead indicator of capital
formation, also contributed to the
moderation of GFCF. A decline in the rate of
growth of capital formation and
consumption expenditure has affected the
demand for both capital goods and
consumer goods. Industry outlook and
business perception parameters also
indicate moderate expectations.
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There has been hardening of interest rates.
This increase considerably raised the
interest cost of financing new projects.
Further since the inflation is expected to be
moderated in next six months, with a likely
moderation in interest rates, there has
been a significant postponement of
investment.
NATIONAL MANUFACTURING
POLICY
The Government of India has notified a
National Manufacturing Policy vide a press
note dated 4th November, 2011 with the
objective of enhancing the share of
manufacturing in GDP to 25% within a
decade and creating 100 million jobs. It also
seeks to empower rural youth by imparting
necessary skill sets to make them
employable. Sustainable development is
integral to the policy and technological
value addition in manufacturing has
received special focus. The policy is based
on the principle of industrial growth in
partnership with States. The Central
Government will create the enabling policy
frame work, provide incentives for
infrastructure development on a Public
Private Partnership (PPP) basis through
appropriate financing instruments, and
State Governments will be encouraged to
adopt the instrumentalities provided in the
policy.
One of the instruments in the NMP, is the
creation of National Investment and
Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) as planned
integrated industrial townships. Nine NIMZs
have been announced, eight of which are
along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor
(DMIC).
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DELHI MUMBAI INDUSTRIAL

CORRIDOR (DMIC) PROJECT
During the visit of the Hon'ble Prime
Minister to Japan in 2006, a MoU was
signed by Minister of Commerce and
Industry. India and Minister of Economy,
Trade and Industry, Japan for establishment
of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
(DMIC) project. This was also indicated in
the Joint Statement issued by both the PMs
at the conclusion of their visit as an
important project in the "Japan India
Special Economic Partnership Initiative".
DMIC project is conceptualized to take
benefit of the high quality rail and road
connectivity offered by Delhi Mumbai
Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor (DFC),
existing rail passenger-cum-freight corridor
and National Highways. The region already
has several industrial clusters. Based upon
the stock of industrial clusters and the
transport infrastructure, existing and
planned, it is proposed to develop an
industrial corridor on both the side of DFC.
The vision of DMIC is to create strong
economic base on both the sides of the
1483 km long Dedicated Freight Corridor
with globally competitive environment and
state-of-the-art infrastructure to activate
local
commerce,
enhance
foreign
investments and
attain
sustainable
development.
Looking at the magnitude and diversity, the
entire project has been planned to be
implemented in phases. Initially, the
following industria 1 cities have been taken
up for development as industrial cities:
i.
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Ahmedabad-Dholera
Region, Gujarat;
Investment

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ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
Shendra-Bidkin Industrial Park city near

Aurangabad, Maharashtra;
Manesar-Bawal Investment Region,
Haryana;
Khushkhera-Bhiwadi-Neernrana
Investment Region, Rajasthan;
Jodhpur-Pali-Marwar Industrial Area,
Rajasthan;
Pith.ampur-Dhar-Mhow
Investment
Region, Madhya Pradesh;
Dadar-Noida-Chaziabad
Investment
Region, Uttar Pradesh;
Dighi Port Industrial Area, Maharashtra.
TRADE MARK (AMENDMENT)

BILL, 2010
The Trade Mark (Amendment) Bill, was
passed by the Parliament and assented to
by the President on 21.9.2010 and become
the Trade Mark (Amendment) Act, 2010.
The Amendment enables India to accede to
the Madrid Protocol. The Madrid Protocol is
a simple, facilitative and cost effective
system for registration of international
trade marks. India's membership of the
protocol will enable Indian companies to
register their trade marks in Member
Countries of the Protocol through filing a
single application in one language and by
paying one time fee in one currency.
NATIONAL DESIGN POLICY

Announced for the first time on 8th
February 2007, the policy envisages a
design enabled Indian industry which could
impact both the National economy and the
quality of life in a positive manner. India
Design Council (IDC) was constituted on
2.03.2009 as a mandate of the Policy inter
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alia to undertake design awareness and

effectiveness programmes within India, act
as a platform for interaction with all
stakeholders for the purpose of accrediting
design
institutions, developing and
standardizing design syllabi, as also
coordination with government to facilitate
simplification of procedures and systems for
registration of new designs. One of the
major agendas the IDC has undertaken is to
recognize good design practices in the
country through launching 'I-Mark' (India
Design Mark), The IDC, now a Society under
the aegis of Department of Industrial Policy
& Promotion (DIPP), has already launched
the I-Mark (India Design Mark) and started
awarding the same from 2012. India Design
Mark is for everyone. Anyone, from global
enterprises, micro, small and medium-sized
enterprise or cottage industry, can apply for
India Design Mark for their product. Till now
30 product entries have been granted India
Design.
MEGA CLUSTER
The schemes for mega cluster support
weavers/ artisans, both in and outside the
cooperative fold, including those in Self
Help Groups (SHGs), etc. The schemes
provide for development of all the facets of
selected clusters like raw material support,
design inputs, up-gradation of technology,
infrastructure development, marketing
support, welfare of weaves etc.
The development of 6 Mega Clusters in
Handloom, Handicrafts and Powerlooms
were first announced by the Finance
Minister in his Budget Speech 2008-09.
Consequently, following three Central
Sector Plan Schemes were approved by the
(CCEA) in the meeting held on 20.11.2008:
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(i) Comprehensive Powerloom
Development Scheme
(ii) Comprehensive
Handloom
Development Scheme
(iii) Comprehensive Handicrafts
Development Scheme.
Cluster
Handloom
s
Powerloom
s
Handicra
fts
Erode
(Tamil
Nadu)
Bhiwandi
(Maharasth
ra)
Narasapu
r (A.P.)
Moradab
ad (U.P.)
200 Virudhuna Bhilwara

9-10 gar (T.N.) (Rajasthan)
Murshidab
ad (W.B.)
Srinagar
(J&K)
BhdohiMirzapur
(U.P.)
201
1-12
Jodhpur
(Rajastha
n)
200 Varanasi
8-09 (UP.)
Sivsagar
(Assam)
201 Prakasam
Chalakranj
2-13 & Guntur (Mah)
(A.P)
Gudda
&
Distt.
(jharkhand
)
Cluster
Megacluster Project Announced till March,

2012
Year
neighbouri
ng
Cluster
Based on Budget Announcement made in

2008-09, 2012-13 the following 15 centres
are being developed as mega clusters on a
Public Private Partnership (PPP).
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SILK MARK ORGANIZATION

OF INDIA (SMOI)
The Silk Mark Scheme was launched in India
primarily to protect the silk consumers'
interest, as silk in India has been facing
unfair competition from man-made
substitutes like viscose, polyester, nylon,
ete. which is passed on to the unsuspecting
consumers as pure natural silk, depriving
them and the stakeholders like farmers,
reeler, ete. the real value. This has been a
serious problem in the Indian silk industry
leading to lack of trust among consumers
while buying silk. Such unfair practices have
also been affecting the Indian sericulture
farmers, rearers, reelers, graineurs and
other stake holders who do not seem to get
real value for their produce since these
substitutes take the market share. The
Govt. of India realising the seriousness of
the issue, launched Silk Mark Scheme in
June 2004 to help the consumers in
identifying pure silk products. The Scheme
is being implemented by the Silk Mark
Organisation of India presently functioning
under the Central Silk Board, Ministry of
Textiles, Govt. of India.
INTEGRATED SKILL
DEVELOPMENT SCHEME
(ISDS)
Objectives of the
Development Scheme
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Integrated
Skill

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1. To address the trained manpower needs
of textiles and related segments by
developing a cohesive and integrated
framework of training based on the
industry needs. Addressing this need is
critical
for
enhancing
the
competitiveness of the industry in the
globalized economy.
2. To increase the employability of
residents of the target areas through
imparting of skills in the above
segments.
3. To ensure that the scheme is so
designed as to cater to the wide range
of skill sets required in various segments
as listed above, while simultaneously
ensuring sufficient flexibility to meet the
dynamic needs of these segments over
a period of the next five years.
4. To create a trainers' pool by conducting
the advance training programmes at a
cluster level.
5. To
ensure
training
in
design
development programmes. This is
critical
for
handloom
weavers/handicraft
artisans/jute
artisans, to help them produce
diversified products with innovative
uses and improved quality to meet
changing market trends.
PRIME MINISTER'S
EMPLOYMENT GENERATION
PROGRAMME (PMEGP)
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with the merging of the erstwhile Prime

Minister Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) and Rural
Employment
Generation
Programme
(REGP) schemes of this Ministry with a total
plan outlay of Rs. 4735 crore including Rs.
250 crore for backward and forward
linkages.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the PMEGP are:
To generate employment opportunities

in rural as well as urban areas;
To bring together widely dispersed
traditional artisans/rural and urban
unemployed youth and give them selfemployment opportunities to the extent
possible, at their place; To provide
continuous
and
sustainable
employment to a large segment of
traditional and prospective artisans and
rural & urban unemployed youth; and
To increase the wage earning capacity
of artisans.
SALIENT FEATURES
The salient features of the scheme are as
follows:
A new scheme titled 'Prime Minister's

Employment
Generation
Programme
(PMEGP), has been launched in 2008-09
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Any individual, above 18 years of age, is

eligible.
No income ceiling has been prescribed
for assistance.
For setting up of project costing above
Rs. 10 lakh in the manufacturing sector
and above Rs. 5 lakh in the
business/service
sector,
the
beneficiaries should possess educational

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qualification of having passed at least

VIII standard.
Assistance under the Scheme is
available only for new projects
sanctioned.
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Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited

(HOCL) was incorported in December, 1960.
HINDUSTAN INSECTICIDES LIMITED
National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) has, at

present, five operating units producing
Urea, viz. Nangal,Bhatinda, Panipat and
Vijaipur I & II (two units).
Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) was

incorporated in 1954 and set up its factory
in Delhi for manufacturing DDT to meet the
demand of National Malaria Eradication
Programme (NMEP) presently known as
National Vector Borne Disease Control
Programme (NVBDCP) launched by
Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited

(RCF) is operating five fertilizer plants at
Trombay.
NATIONAL POLICY ON
PETROCHEMICALS
Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation

Limited (BVFCL) has been constituted into a
new company from 1 April 2002 after hiving
off the amrup units from HFCL.
The Government approved the National

Policy on Petrochemicals on 12 April 2007.
The National Policy on Petrochemicals aims
to:
FCI-Aravali Gypsum and Mineral India

Limited (FAGMIL) (Jodhpur) has been
incorporated as a PSU on 14th February,
2003.
a) Increase investments in the sector (both

upstream and downstream) and capture
a slice of the resurgent Asian demand in
polymers and downstream processing
through additions in capacity and
production by ensuring availability of
raw materials at internationally
competitive prices, creating quality
infrastructure and other facilitation to
ensure value addition and increase
exports;
b) Increase the domestic demand and per
capita consumption of plastics and
synthetic fibres from the present level
of 4 kgs and 1.6 kgs, increase the
competitiveness, polymer absorption
capacity and value addition in the
FERTILIZERS: PUBLIC SECTOR

UNDERTAKINGS
The Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore

Limited (FACT)-Udyogmandal (Kerala) has
three
operating
units,
two
at
Udyogamandal and one at Cochin.
Madras Fertilizers Limited-(MFL) is a joint
venture between the Government of India
and the National Iranian Oil Company with
the rest as public equity holding.
CHEMICAL SECTOR: PUBLIC

SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS
Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited
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domestic downstream plastic processing
industry
through
modernization,
research and development measure and
freeing it from structural constraints;
c) Facilitate investment in the emerging
areas of petrochemicals;
d) Achieve environmentally sustainable
growth in the petrochemical sector
through innovative methods of plastic
waste management, recycling and
development of bio-photogradable
polymers and plastics; and
e) Promote Research and Development in
Petrochemicals and promote Human
Resource Development.
NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL
PRICING AUTHORITY (NPPA)
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing
Authority (NPPA) was established as an
independent body of experts under the
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers by
Gazette notification dated 29.08.1997. The
Authority is entrusted with the task of price
fixation/revision of the 74 scheduled bulk
drugs and formulation containing any of the
scheduled drugs under the Drugs (Prices
Control) Order, 1995 as well as monitoring
and enforcement of prices. The functions of
the National Pharmaceutical Pricing
Authority (NPPA) are:
1. To implement and enforce the
provisions of the Drugs (Price Control)
Orders (DPCO), 1995 in accordance with
the power delegated to it.
2. To undertake and/ or sponsor relevant
studies in respect of pricing of drugs/
formulations.
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3. To monitor the availability of drugs,

identify sortages, if any, and to take
remedial steps.
4. To collect/maintain data on production,
exports and imports, market share of
individual companies, profitability of
companies etc. for bulk drugs and
formulations.
5. To deal with all legal matters arising out
of the decisions of the Authority.
6. To render advice to the Central
Government of changes/revisions in the
drug policy.
7. To render assistance to the Central
Government in parliamentary matters
relating to drug pricing.
IMPORTANT FEATURES OF
NATIONAL MINERAL POLICY,
2008
As a sequel to the recommendations of the
Hoda Committee which was constituted by
the Planning Commission to review the
National Mineral Policy, a ew National
Mineral Policy, 2008 was approved by the
Government. The policy advocates:(i) use of State-of-the-art technology for
exploration;
(ii) zero waste mining;
(iii) development
of
capital
market
structures to attract risk investment into
survey and prospecting;
(iv) Transparency
in
allocation
of
concessions;
(v) auction of ore bodies prospected at
public expense;
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(vi) Independent Mining Administrative

Tribunal;
(vii) A
framework of sustainable
development to take care of biodiversity
issues etc.
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CHAPTER 17. JUSTICE AND LAW

LEGAL AID TO THE POOR
binding on all parties and no appeal lies

against thereto before any court.
Article 39A of the Constitution of India

provides for free legal aid to the poor and
weaker sections of the society and ensures
justice for all. Article 14 and 22(1) of the
constitution also make it obligatory for the
State to ensure equality before law and a
legal system which promotes justice on the
basis of equal opportunity to all.
With a view to providing compulsory prelitigative mechanism for conciliation and

settlement of disputes relating to 'Public
Utility Services', the Parliament has
amended the Legal Services Authorities Act,
1987. The amended Act stipulates the
establishment of Permanent Lok Adalat for
exercising jurisdiction in respect of disputes
relating to Public Utility Services, such as
transport service, postal, communication,
supply of power, service in hospital!
dispensary, insurance service, etc. A party
to a dispute with such public utility service
has to make an application to the
Permanent Lok Adalat established under
Section 22B of the Legal Services
(Amendment) Act, 2002 which has been
vested with jurisdiction to decide the
matter.
FUNCTIONING OF NALSA
The NALSA issues guidelines for the State
Legal Services Authorities to implement the
Legal Aid Programmes and schemes
Primarily, the State Legal Services
Authorities,
District
Legal
Services
Authorities,
Taluka
Legal
Services
Committees, etc. have been asked to
discharge the following two main functions
on regular basis:1. To Provide Free Legal Services to the
eligible persons; and
2. To oganize Lok Adalats for amicable
settlement of disputes.
LOK ADALATS
Lok Adalat is a forum where the disputes/
cases pending in the court of law or at prelitigation stage are settled/compromised
amicably. The Lok Adalat has been given
statutory status under the Legal Services
Authorities Act, 1987. Under this Act, an
award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to
be a decree of a civil court and is final and
LEGAL AID COUNSEL SCHEME

NALSA has initiated Legal Aid Counsel
Scheme to provide meaningful legal
assistance to undertrial prisoners, on
account of lack of resources or other
disabilities who cannot engage counsels to
defend them. Now, Legal Aid Counsels have
been attached to each Magisterial Court
who provide assistance and defend a
person who is not able to engage a counsel,
right from the stage he/she is produced in
the court by the police.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE
REDRESSAL (ADR)
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With the steep growth in the number of
laws and the number of cases, the Court
system is under great pressure. In order to
reduce the heavy demand on Court time,
efforts need to be made to resolve the
disputes by resorting to Alternative Dispute
Resolution Methods before they enter the
portals of the court. The Arbitration,
Mediation and Conciliation are tools of
Alternative Dispute Redressal System.
ARBITRATION
Arbitration is a process in which a neutral
third party or parties render a decision
based on the merits of the case. In the
Indian context, the scope of the rules for
the arbitration process are set out broadly
by the provisions of the Arbitration and
Conciliation Act 1998, and in the areas
uncovered by the Statute the parties are
free to design an arbitration process
appropriate and relevant to their disputes.
MEDIATION
The process of mediation aims to facilitate
the development of a consensual solution
by the disputing parties. The mediation
process is overseen by a non-partisan third
party - the Mediator. The authority of the
mediator vests on the consent of the
parties that he should facilitate their
negotiations.
CONCILIATION
This is a process by which resolution of
disputes is achieved by compromise or
voluntary agreement. In contrast to
arbitration, the conciliator does not render
a binding award. The parties are free to
accept or reject the recommendations of
the conciliator. The conciliator is in the
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Indian context, often a Government official

whose report contains recommendations.
So far as Department of Legal Affairs is
concerned, this Department provides
annual recurring Grants-in-aid to National
Legal Services Authority (NALSA) which is a
statutory body.
ADVOCATES WELFARE FUND

Social security in the form of financial
assistance to junior lawyers and welfare
schemes for indigent or disabled advocates
has always been a matter of concern for the
legal fraternity. Certain States enacted
thereon legislation on the subject. The
Parliament enacted "Advocates Welfare
Fund Act, 2001" applicable to the Union
Territories and the States which do not
have their own enactments on the subject,
for consideration of "Advocates Welfare
Fund" by the appropriate Government.
NATIONAL COMMISSION TO
REVIEW THE WORKING OF
CONSTITUTION
The National Commission to Review the
Working of the Constitution was set up on
22 February 2000. The terms of reference
stated that the Commission shall examine,
in the light of the experience of the past 50
years, as to how best the Constitution can
respond to the changing needs of efficient,
smooth and effective system of governance
and socio-economic development of
modem India within the framework of
Parliamentary
democracy,
and
to
recommend changes, if any, that are
required in the provisions of the
Constitution without interfering with its
basic structure or features.
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The Central Government maintains Central
Police forces, Intelligence Bureau (IB),
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),
Institutions for training of police officers
and forensic science institutions to assist
the States in gathering intelligence, in
maintaining law and order, in investigating
special crime cases and in providing training
to the senior police officers of the State
governments.
PARAMILITARY FORCES OF
INDIA
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Battalions on 01 Dee 1965, as against the

present size of 166 Battalions.
ASSAM RIFLES
The Assam Rifles raised as Catchar Levy in
1835 is the oldest Central Para Military
Force in India. The force was raised mainly
to guard the alluvial plains of Assam from
the wild and unruly tribes inhabiting the
surrounding hill tracts.
NATIONAL SECURITY GUARD
INDO-TIBETAN BORDER POLICE

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police was
conceived on October 24,1962 in the wake
of Chinese aggression for re-organizing the
frontier intelligence and security setup
along the Indo-Tibetan border covering
2115 kms from Karakoram pass to Lipulekh
pass.
BORDER SECURITY FORCE

International borders of India with Pakistan
both East and West were being manned
by the respective state police forces till
Indo-Pak war in Sept 1965. Certain inherent
shortcomings of this arrangement came to
light during the war and it was decided
by the Govt. of India to have one single
force under the Union of India for guarding
the International Borders of India with
Pakistan.
Based on above premise, BSF came into
existence on 1st Dee, 1965 by
amalgamation of various State Police
Battalions into B.S.F. The Force was thus
raised with a meager strength of 25
Terrorism, both National and International

raised its head in the West during the
seventies. It manifested in many forms
including hijacking of aircraft, taking of
hostages, assassination of dignitaries and
others. The normal law and order
machinery and the defence forces of the
West were found wanting to deal with this
menace. Specially equipped and trained
Forces like SASof UK, Delta Force of USA
and GSG-9 of West Germany were raised
abroad.
The need for creating a Special Forces for
executing surgical operations based on
tactical intelligence was felt in India when
Operation Blue Star was carried out by the
army at the Golden Temple, Amritsar in
1984. This operation not only caused
extensive damage to the Golden Temple
but also occasioned a large number of
casualties, and above all the Sikh psyche
was badly hurt. NSG was conceptualised
and created after studying and ana lysing
Special Force like SAS in the United
Kingdom, GIG in France, GSG-9 in Germany.
Shar-et-matkal in Israel and Delta Force in
the USA. Accordingly, NSG was raised on 16
Oct 1985.
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additional responsibility of guarding IndoBhutan border in 2004.
CENTRAL RESERVE POLICE FORCE

The history of CRPF is a saga of sacrifice and
sustained
dedication
for
national
integration, unity and maintenance of
peace in the country. Whether it is external
danger, insurgency, Left-Wing Extremism,
communal clashes or natural calamities,
CRPF is always there to protect the lives of
the citizens. The Central Reserve Police
Force was formed 71 years ago on 27th
July, 1939 at Neemuch as the Crown
Representative's Police.
RAPID ACTION FORCE

Presidental colour to RAF was Presented by
the then Sh. L.K. Advani, Hon'ble Dy. PM on
7th Oct. 2003. CRPF being the first Central
Armed Police force who have two
Presidential colours. RAF was raised to deal
with communal problem and continues to
deal with militancy in J&K & Punjab,
Insurgency
in
North-East,
overseas
deployment for UN Peace Keeping in Haiti,
Bosnia & Kosovo, Rescue and Relief.
CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY

FORCE
Raised in the year 1969, CISF is providing
security cover to 303 units including 58
domestic and international airports and fire
protection cover to 81 Industrial
Undertakings.
SASHASTRA SEEMA BAL

SSB, the 'Sashastra Seema Bal" is newest
Border Guarding Force of Union of India
entrusted with the guarding of Indo- epal
and Indo-Bhutan borders. "Sashastra Seema
Bal" is guarding Indo-Nepal border since
2001, and later on was also given the
CIVIL DEFENCE
Civil Defence includes any measures not
amounting to actual combat, for affording
protection to any person, property, place or
thing in India or any part of the territory
thereof against any hostile attack whether
from air, land, sea or other places or for
depriving any such attack of the whole or
part of its effect, whether such measures
are taken before, during or after the time of
such attack, or any measures taken for the
purpose of disaster management, before
during, at or after any disaster. The
amendment bill to the Civil Defence Act
1968 has been passed by the parliament.
HOME GUARDS
Home Guards is a voluntary force, first
raised in India in December 1946, to assist
the police in controlling civil disturbances
and communal riots. Subsequently, the
concept of the voluntary citizens force was
adopted by several States. In the wake of
Chinese aggression in 1962, the Centre
advised the States and Union Territories to
merge their existing voluntary organisations
into one uniform vohmtary force known as
Home Guards. The role of Home Guards is
to serve as an auxiliary to the police in
maintenance of internal security, help the
community in any kind of emergency such
as an air-raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake,
epidemic, etc., help in maintenance of
essential services, promote communal
harmony and assist the administration in
protecting weaker sections, participate in
socio-economic and welfare activities and
perform Civil Defence duties.
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THE ADMINISTRATIONGENERAL (AMENDMENT) ACT,

2012 (ACT 33 OF 2012)
THE ANAND MARRIAGE

(AMENDMENT) ACT, 2012
(ACT NO. 29 OF 2012)
The Administrators-General Act, 1963 is an

Act to consolidate and amend the law
relating to the office and duties of
Administrator-General. In the Act originally
enacted in 1963, the monetary limit
specified in section 29 was only Rs. 5000/-.
On account of considerable decrease in
money value and escalation in the value of
assets and also for protection of the
interests of poor persons and legal heirs of
the deceased persons especially widows,
minor children and other dependents from
protracted and expensive litigation in civil
courts, the monetary limit in the said
section was enhanced to Rs. 15,000 in 1972
vide the Administrators-General Act, 1972,
to 50,000 in 1983 vide the AdministratorsGeneral Act, 1983 and to Rs. 2,00,000/- in
1999 vide the Administrators General Act,
1999. Vide the said Act, this monetary limit
provided
in
section
29 of
the
Administrators-General Act, 1963 from Rs.
2,00,000/ - (Rs. Two lakhs only) to be
enhanced to Rs. 10,00,000/- (Rs. Ten lakhs
only) on account of the decrease in money
value escalation of prices of properties.
The Anand Marriage Act, 1909 (7 of 1909)

was enacted to remove doubts as to the
validity of the marriage rights of the Sikh
called II Anand" and it does not provide for
the provisions of registration of marriages.
The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 applies to all
Hindus, Buddhists, [ains or Sikhs by religion.
It also applies to all other persons who are
not Muslims, Christians, Parsis or Jews
unless they establish that they were not
governed by Hindu law, custom or us age
prior to the Act. Section 8 of the Hindu
Marriage Act, 1955 provides for registration
of Hindu marriages and as Sikhs were
included in the definition of Hindu, under
Section 2 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, a
Sikh marriage performed according to the
Sikh marriage ceremony called" Anand" or
other customary ceremonies could be
registered here her to under the provisions
of Section 8 of the Hindu Marriage Act,
1955.
However, vide the Anand Marriage
(Amendment), Act, 2012 (Act No. 29 of
2012), the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 was
amended to provide for registration of
Anand marriages which commonly known
as Anand Karaj.
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CHAPTER 18. LABOUR

LABOUR REFORMS
THE MINIMUM WAGES ACT, 1948
NATIONAL FLOOR LEVEL MINIMUM WAGE
(NFLMW)
THE PAYMENT OF WAGES ACT, 1936
THE PAYMENT OF WAGES (NOMINATION)
RULES, 2009
THE
MINIMUM
WAGES
ADVISORY BOARD) RULES, 2011
(CENTRAL
THE PAYMENT OF BONUS ACT, 1965
CHILD LABOUR
Constitutional Provisions
Government of India stands committed to
the elimination of child labour in the
country. Our Constitution provides for the
protection of children from involvement in
economic activities and vocations unsuited
to their age. Directive Principles of State
Policy in the Constitution strongly reiterate
this commitment and this is also provided
for in the Fundamental Rights.
Policy
As per the Child Labour (Prohibition &
Regulation) Act, employment of children
below the age of 14 years is prohibited in
notified hazardous occupations and
processes. The Act also regulates
employment of children in non-hazardous
occupations and processes. There are at
present 16 hazardous occupations and 65
processes, where employment of children is
prohibited. Some of the important

prohibited occupations and processes are
carpet weaving, building and construction
work, brick kilns, production of hosiery
goods, work as domestic servants, and in
tea-shops, road side eateries, etc. On the
advice of the Technical Advisory Committee
on Child Labour the Centre in September,
2008, notified inclusion of one Occupation
and eight Processes in the list of Hazardous
Occupations/Processes which include Diving
as an Occupation and Exposure to excessive
heat (e.g. working near furnace) and cold,
mechanized fishing, Food processing,
Beverage Industry, Timber handling and
load in Mechanical Lumbering, Ware
housing, xposure to free silica such as slate,
pencil industry, stone grinding, slate stone
mining, stone quarries, agate industry as
Processes.
Further,
on
the
recommendations of the Technical Advisory
Committee on Child Labour, the
Government has shown its intention; vide
notification dated 7th June, 2010, to add
two more occupations, viz. Circus and
Caring of Elephants to the Schedule listing
to the occupations where employment of
children is prohibited.
Programmes
Government had initiated the National
Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme in 1988
to rehabilitate working children in 12 child
labour endemic districts of the country.
Enforcement
Government is also laying down lot of stress
on the enforcement of the Child Labour Act.
State governments are the appropriate
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Page 615

authority for implementation of the Act for
areas under their jurisdiction.
Convergence
As poverty is the primary cause of such a
social evil, the educational rehabilitation of
such children is further complemented by
the economic rehabilitation of the families
of child labour through the convergence
approach so that the child labour and their
families are covered under the benefits of
the
schemes
of
various
Ministries/Departments of the Government
of
India,
like
Human
Resource
Development,
Women
&
Child
Development, Urban Housing & Rural
Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development as
well as Panchayati Raj Institutions.
International Cooperation
A new Project named "Converging Against
Child Labour: Support For India's Model"
with funding from the Department of
Labour, Government of USA, has been
approved by the Government of India for
development of convergence based model,
wherein ILO is working with the Ministry for
developing these models in ten identified
districts in five Sta tes of Bihar, Jharkhand,
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. The
Project was formally launched by Shri
Malikarjun Kharge, the Union Minister of
Labour & Employment on 31'1 July, 2010
for child labour elimination in association
with ILO, one in Karnataka, funded by
Government of Italy and another in Andhra
Pradesh, funded by DFID.
UNORGANISED SECTOR
As per the Unorganised Workers' Social
Security Act, 2008, "unorganised worker"
means a home based worker, self-employed
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worker or a wage worker in the

unorganised sector and includes a worker in
the organised sector who is not covered by
any of the Acts mentioned in Schedule-Il of
ASt. The "unorganised sector" means an
enterprise owned by individuals or self
employed workers and engaged in the
production or sale of goods or providing
service of any kind whatsoever, and where
the enterprise employs workers and the
number of such workers is less than ten.
In order to take care of the social security
and welfare of unorganized workers, twopronged strategy i.e. legislative measure
and implementation of welfare schemes
and programmes has been followed so far.
The legislative measures include the
Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Workmen's
Compensation Act, 1923; the Maternity
Benefit Act, 1961, the Bonded Labour
System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the Contract
labour (Abolition and Prohibition) Act,
1970; the Inter-State Migrant Workmen
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions
of Service) Act, 1979, the Building and other
Construction Workers (Regulation of
Employment & Conditions of Service) Act,
1996, and the Building and Other
Construction Workers Welfare (Cess) Act,
1996, etc.
The Government enacted the Unorganised
Workers' Social Security Act, 2008. The Act
provides for constitution of National Social
Security Board at the central level and State
Social Security Boards at the State level
which shall recommend formulation of
social security schemes for unorganised
workers. The National Board shall
recommend social security schemes viz. life
and disability cover, health and maternity
benefits; old age protection, and any other
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Page 616

benefit as may be determined by the
Central Government.
The salient features of the Act are as under:
Section (2) provides for the definitions,

including those relating to unorganised
worker, self-employed and wage
worker.
Section 3 (1) provides for formulation of
schemes by the Central Government for
different sections of unorganised
workers on matters relating to (a) life
and disability cover, (b) health and
maternity benefits; (c) old age
protection (d) any other benefit as may
be determined by the Central
Government.
Section 3 (4) provides formulation of
schemes relating to provident fund,
employment injury benefits, housing,
educational schemes for children, skill
up gradation, funeral assistance and old
age homes by the State Governments.
Section 4 relates to the funding of the
schemes formulated by Central
Government.
Section 5 envisages constitution of
National Social Security Board under the
chairmanship of &ion Minister for
Labour & Employment with Member
Secretary and 34 nominated members
representing Members of Parliament,
unorganised workers, employers of
unorganised workers, civil society,
Central
Ministries
and
State
Governments.
Provision for adequate representation
to persons belonging to the Scheduled
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Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the

Minorities and Women.
The functions of National Board, interalia, are to recommend to the Central
Government suitable schemes for
different sections of unorganised
workers; monitor the implementation of
schemes and advise the Central
Government on matters arising out of
the administration of the Act.
Section 6 has provision for constitution
of similar Boards at the State level.
Section 7 relates to funding pattern of
the schemes formulated by the State
Governments.
Section 8 prescribes record keeping
functions by the District Administration.
Section 9 provides for setting up of
constitution of Workers' Facilitation
Centre to (a) disseminate information
on social security schemes available to
them (ii) facilitate the workers to obtain
registrati.on from district administration
and enrollment of unorganised workers.
Section 10 provides for eligibility criteria
for registration as also the procedure
for registration under the Act.
AWARDS
PRIME MINISTER'S SHRAM
AWARDS
The Prime Minister's Shram Awards (PMSA)
Scheme was instituted in 1985, for the
workers (as defined in industrial Dispute
Act, 1947) in recognition of outstanding
contribution in organization both in public
sector and private sector and who have
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Page 617

distinguished record of performance,
devotion to duty of a high order, specific
contribution in the field of productivity,
proven innovative abilities, presence of
mind and exceptional courage and also to
the workmen who have made supreme
sacrifice of laying down their lives in the
conscientious discharge of their duties.
Public and private sector organizations
employing 500 or more workers are' eligible
to participate in this scheme.
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SKILL DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE
A new scheme- "Skill Development
Initiative" for imparting vocational training/
testing of competencies to one million
persons over a period of five years by
imparting short term training courses with
an outlay of < 550 crore has been initiated.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME

ARE:
NATIONAL SAFETY AWARDS

National Safety Awards are given in
recognition of good safety performance on
the part of the industrial establishments
registered under the Factories Act, 1948,
the employers covered under the Dock
Worker (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act,
1986 and Building and Other Construction
Workers (Regulation of Employment and
Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and
installations under the Atomic Energy
Regulatory Board (AFRB) Shields and
Citation Certificates are awarded to
Winners and Runners up.
VISHWARKARMA RASHTRIYA
PURASKAR
To provide vocational training to

schoolleavers, existing workers, ITI
graduates, etc. To improve their
employability by optimally utilizing the
infrastructure available in Govt., Private
institutions and the Industry. Existing
skills of people can also be tested and
certified under this scheme.
To build capacity in the area of
development of competency standards,
course curricula, learning material and
assessment standards in the country.
KEY FEATURES OF THE SCHEME
It is designed to give recognition at the

national level to outstanding suggestions
resulting in (i) higher productivity, (ii)
improvement in safety and working
conditions, (iii) savings in foreign exchange
(import) substitution as well as quality and
safety of products, (iv) improvement in
overall efficiency of the establishments. It
covers workers employed in factories,
docks, construction sites and Nuclear
installations.
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Demand driven short term training

courses based on Modular Employable
Skills (MES) decided in consultation with
Industry. MES is the 'minimum skills set'
which is sufficient for gainful
employment.
Central government facilitates and
promotes training while industry,
private sector and State Governments
train the persons.

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Optimum
utilization
of
existing
infrastructure to make training cost
effective.
Flexible delivery mechanism (part time,
weekends, full time, onsite/ offsite) to
suit needs of various target groups.
Different
levels
of
programmes
(Foundation level as well as skill
upgradation) to meet the demands of
various target groups.
The services of existing or retired faculty
or guest faculty to be utilized.
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Testing & certification of skills to be

acquired informally.
Testing of skills of trainees by
independent assessing bodies, which
are not involved in training delivery, to
ensure that itis done impartially.
The essence of the scheme is in the
certification that is nationally and
internationally recognized.

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CHAPTER 19. MASS COMMUNICATION

BHARATENDU
HARISHCHANDRA AWARDS
In order to promote original writing in
Hindi, the Division instituted the
Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards 29 years

back. These prestigious awards are given
annually in four categories namely
Journalism and Mass Communication,
Women's Issues, Children's Literature and
National Integration.
CHAPTER 20. PLANNING

To stimulate the growth of IT-ITes and
Electronic
Hardware
Manufacturing
industry in the country, five key initiatives
as given below have been identified.
1. To set up a National Electronics Mission
(NEM).
2. To set up Semiconductor Wafer Fabs.
3. To introduce Modified Special Incentive
Package (M-SIPS) Scheme by providing
capital grant and setting up ofElectronics Manufacturin Clusters.
4. To set up a dedicated "Electronic
Development Fund" for promotion of
innovation, R&D, Indian Intellectual
Property (IP) and Development of Indian
Micro processor.
5. To provide preferential access to "Indian
Electronics Products/ Manufactured-inIndia Electronics Products" for all
Government
procurements
and
procurement
by
Government
Licensees,PSUs, etc.
NATIONAL COASTAL
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME
selected States in developing and

implementing
an
improved
coastal
anagement approach for India's coastal
zones to preserve the long-term
productivity of this highly populated region
for continued sustainable development and
economic growth and poverty reduction.
The project consists of two components:
National Component and State Component.
MoU has been signed with the World Bank
and hazard mapping as a national
component has already been started by the
Survey of India during 2011-12. Activities
include mapping ecological sanative areas,
coastal sediment cell mapping, setting up of
Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
at Chennai capacity building of Ministry of
Environment
and
Forests
and
implementation
of
Coastal
Zone
Management Project. The project is aided
(Rs. 267.60 crore) by External Agency with a
State share of Rs. 24.50 crore and general
Grant-in- aid of Rs. 48.17 crore.
ISSUE THAT REQUIRE

FOCUSED ATTENTION DURING
THE TWELFTH PLAN ARE:
The overall objectives of the Project is to

support the Government of India and
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Securing ecology of watershed and

catchments,

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Cumulative
Environmental
Impact
Assessments (CEIAs) for vulnerable
regions,
Carrying capacity studies in selected
river-basins,
Maintaining acceptable water quality
and quantity through pollution control
of water resources,
Restoration of wet lands/lakes, and
Management of waste water discharge
from industrial and commercial
establishments into major water bodies
is necessary.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The Prime Ministers Advisory Council on

Climate. Change has outlined a National
ActionPlan for Climate Change (NAPCC). The
Action Plan was released by the Prime
Minister in June 2008 and consists of eight
Missions that are listed.
NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR

CLIMATE CHANGE
National Solar Mission seeks to deploy

20,000MW of solar electricity capacity
in the country by 2020. The first phase,
(2010-12) is currently underway during
which 1,000 MW are planned to be
installed.
National Mission for Enhanced Energy
Efficiency creates new institutional
mechanisms to enable the.development
and-strengthening of energy efficiency
markets. Various programmes have
been initiafed, including the Perform,
Achieve and Trade (PAT) mechanism to
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promote efficiency in large industries,

and the Super-Efficient Equipment
Programme (SEEP) to accelerate the
introduction of deployment of superefficient appliances.
National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
promotes
the
introduction
of
sustainable transport, energy-efficient
buildings, and sustainable waste
management in cities.
National Water Mission promotes the
integrated management of water
resources and increase water use
efficiency by 20 per cent.
National Mission for Sustaining tIle
Himalayan Ecosystem establishes an
observational and monitoring network
for the Himalayan environment so as to
assess climate impacts on the
Himalayan glacier and promote
community- based managernent of
these ecosystems.
National Mission for a "Green India"
seeks to afforest an additional 10
million hectare of forest lands, waste
lands-and community lands.
National Mission for Sustainable
Agriculture focuses on enhancing
productivity and resilience of agriculture
so as to reduce vulnerability to
extremes-of- weather, long dry spells,
flooding, and variable
moisture
availability.
National
Mission
on
Strategic
Knowledge for Climate Change identifies
challenges arising from climate change,
promotes the development and
diffusion of knowledge on responses to

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these challenges in the areas of health,
demography, migration and livelihood
of coastal communities.
GREEN INDIA MISSION

Green India Mission (GIM) is one of the
eight mission announced by Hon'ble Prime
Minister under National Action Plan for
Climate Change in june 2008. The Mission
Document is a roadmap for sectoral efforts
in tandem with other sectors for improving
green cover of the country both
qualitatively and quantitatively. It is also a
trans-disciplinary approach, andincludes
recognizing ecosystem services, carbon
sequestration potential, livelihood of forest
dwellers, food security, hydrological
security, bio-diversity conservation, local
self-governance, institutionalization etc.
Mission objectives
Increased Green cover -10m. ha. (On

public/private/forest lands).
Improved Eco-system Services over
areas of 10 m. ha. under greening.
Increased forest based livelihood
income of 3 million households.
Enhanced annual CO2 sequestration by
50 to 60 million tonnesm2020.
4. Agro-Forestry and Social Forestry of

3.00 m. ha.
5. Restoration of Wetlands of 0.10 m. ha.
SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

(SSA)
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is one of
India's major social sector flagship
programmes, addressing the national
resolve of Universalizing of Elementary
Education (UEE). Its aim is to provide useful
and relevant elementary education for all
children in the age group of 6-14 years. The
Other goals are to bridge social, regional
and gender gaps with active participation of
the community in the management of
schools. The reducation in drop out ana
repetitiorrrate, enhancement in the
achievement levels and making learning
joyful are some of the key elements of SSA.
Objectives of SSA
Sub Mission: GIM has 5 sub-missions:

1. Enhancing quality of forest cover and
improving eco-system services of 4.90
m. ha.
2. Eco-System Restoration and increase in
forest cover of 1.80 m. ha.
3. Enhancing tree cover in urban and &
Peri-urban areas of 0.20 m. ha.
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Provide useful and relevant elementary

education for all children in the 6 to 14
age group.
Bridge social, regional and gender gaps
with the active participation of the
comrnunity in the management of
schools.
Encourage enrolment of girls and
teacher training.
Achieve significant enhancement in
learning levels of children.
EDUCATION OF GIRLS
SSA focuses on girls, education through the
National Programme for Education of Girls
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Page 622

at-Elementary level (NPEGEL) and the
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.
RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO FREE

AND COMPULSORY
EDUCATION ACT, 2009
The Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education (RTE) Act,2009,
represents the consequential legislation to
Article 21A inserted in the Constitution of
In'dia through the Constitution (86th
Amendment) Act, 2002. The RTE Act has
become operative with effect from 1st April
2010.
SSA has been harmonized with RTE
mandate. The salient features of the RTE
Act, 2009 include:
(a) The right of children to free and
compulsory education till completion of
elementary
education
in
a
neighborhood school.
(b) It clarifies that 'compulsory education'
means obligation of the appropriate
government to provide free elementary
education and ensure compulsory
admission, attendance and completion
of elementary education to every child
in the six to fourteen age group. 'Free
means that no child shall be liable to
pay any kind of fee or charges or
expenses which may prevent him or her
from
pursuing
and
completing
elementaryeducation.
(c) It makes provisions for a non-admitted
child to be admitted to an age
appropriate class.
Page 623
(d) It
specifies
the
duties
and
responsibilities
oLappropriate
Governments, local uthority and parents
in providing free and compulsory
education, and sharing of financial and
other responsibilities between the
Central and State Governments.
(e) It lays down the norms and standards
relating inter alia to Pupil Teacher Ratios
(PTRs), buildings and infrastructure,
school working days, teacher working
hours.
(f) It provides for rational deployment
ofteachers by ensuring that the
specified pupil teacher ratio is
maintained for each school, rather than
just as an average for the State or
District or Block, thus ensuring-that
there-isno urban-rural imbalance in
teacher postings.It also provides for
prohibition of deployment of teachers
for non-educational work, other than
decennial census, elections to local
authority, state legislatures and
parliament, and disaster relief.
(g) It provides for appointment of
appropriately trained teachers, i.e.)
teachers with the requisite entry and
academic qualificatians.
(h) It prohibits:
(i) physical punishment and mental
harassment,
(ii) Screening procedures for admission
ofchildren, capitation fees,
(iii) private tuition by teachers,
(iv) running of schools without recognition.
(j) It provides for development of
curriculum in consonance with the
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Page 623

values enshrined in the Constitution,
and which wauld ensure the all-round
development of the child, building an
the child's knowledge, potentiality and
talent and making the child free of fear,
trauma and anxiety through a system of
child friend1y and child centered
learning.
(k) It provides for protection and
monitoring of the child's right to. free
and compulsory education and redressal
of grievances by the National and State
Commissions far protection of Child
Rights, which shall have the pawers of a
civil court.
Some areas of concern
Issues such as teacher absenteeism, single
teacher schools and multigrade teaching
are being resolved. While the access has
Improved significantly dropout rates remain
high and this may be part due to. quality.
About 81 million children are aut of school
system. While high GERs aver 100% in
several states indicate delayed provisioning
of access and consequently, enrolment of a
significant proportion of aver-aged children,
retention of girls in school gets exacerbated
with aver 63 percent rural schools having
no. usable toilet facilities for them (ASER,
2010). This has to be addressed in
convergence
with
Total
Sanitation
Campaign. Besides, there are equity
concerns of disadvantaged, vulnerable
social groups and urban-deprived groups
with regard to access and retention;
decentralization of teachers recruitment
and decision-making. All these issues need
to be addresse in the Twelfth Plan in
accordance with RTE mandate.
Page 624
Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) primarily cater to

tfie educational needs of the wards of
transferable
Central
Government
employees including efence personnel. Ther
are 981 KVs with 10.34 lakh students as on
date. The total sanctioned strength of
teachers in 81 Kendriya Vidyalayas is 40,552
and the student teacher ratio is 25:1.
Performance of the students in Board
Examinations in Class X and XII has been
above the Central Board of Secondary
Education (CBSE) average. Planning
Commission has supported the proposal of
setting up of new KVs in metros, extremism
affected and defence areas and also in
Bundelkhan region.
The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs)
schools are fully residential coeducational
institutions from Class VI upto senior
secondary stage providing free boarding,
lodging, textbooks and uniforms to all
students. There are 561 JNVs with 2.06 lakh
students, of which SCs and STs constitute 24
per cent and 17 percent, respectively.
Twenty JNVs have been recently sanctioned
in SCs ana STs concentrated districts. The
performance of JNV students has been
excellent in Class X and XII examinations of
the CBS . Additional JNVs are required in
highly populated districts Iik Midnapore
(West Bengalj.several districts of Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh and also in some tribal
districts like Bastar (Chhattisgarh).
NEW INITIATIVES
RASHTRIYA MADHYARNIK
SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
(RMSA) is a major scheme launched in
March, 2009 with the objectives of making
secondary education of good quality
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Page 624

available, accessible and affordable to all
young persons in the age group 15-16 years,
removing gender, socio-economic and
disability barriers, making all secondary
schools conform to prescribed norms,
achieving a GER of 75 percent in secondary
education in a period of 5 years, providing
universal access to secondary level
education by 2017 and universal retention
by 2020. The fund-sharing arrangement
between the Centre and the States is 75:25
in the XI Plan and 50:50 in the Ian. For
North-East States, the fund sharing ratio is
90:10 in both Plan periods.
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL

URBAN RENEWAL MISSION
(JNNURM)
It is a 7 year mission-mode programme
which is being implemented since
December 2005. It has an overal1budgetary
outlay of about Rs. 66,000 crore the central
objective of JNNURM is to create urban
infrastructure and civic amenities and to
incentives reforms. Key reforms include
devolution of powers to ULBs, levy of
reasonable user charges by ULBs,
rationalization of stamp duty to 5% or
below, earmarking of developed land for
housing for EWS, reform in rent Control Act,
repeal 01 Urban Land Ceiling & Regulation
Act and encouraging PPP. Assistance under
the programme is provided to the States
after approval of City Development Plan
and DPRs and signing of Memorandum of
Agreements for essential urban reforms.
The programme a fo c mponents as given
below. Progress achie ed therein is briefly
enumerated:
Page 625
sewerage and solid waste management in

the urban areas for 65 Mission cities and is
being implemented with a 7 year budgetary
allocation of Rs. 31, 500 crore For covering
smaller towns and cities, another
component, namely Urban Infrastructure
Development Scheme for Small & Medium
Towns (UIDSSMT) has been launched with
budgetary outlay of Rs. 11,400 crore.
Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP)
being implemented by the Ministry of
Housing and urban Poverty Alleviation
(MoHDPA) with an overall 7 year budgetary
outlay of Rs. 16,356 crore primarily aims to
target rehabilitation of slum in Mission
cities. For non-Mission cities another
component, namely Integrated Hou ing &
Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) has
been launched.
RAJIV AWAS YOJANA (RAY)

Residential vulnerability is perhaps one of
the most defining aspects of urban poverty.
To address it in the current year, 1st phase
of Rajiv Awas ojana has been launched with
a budgetary outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore the
scheme adopts 'whole city all slum'
approach and recommends 'in-situ'
rehabilitation' and mandates enactment of
legislation for providing tenurial rights to
slum dwellers and for reserving 20-25
percent of land in new residential projects
for economically weaker sections (EWS) and
poor. To increase supply of affordable
housing, RAY also mandates review of Rent
Control Act. Another novel feature has been
creation of a credi mortgage fund to
channelize the flow of institutional credit to
urban poor.
Urban Infrastructure & Governance (UIG)

covers provision of wafer suppl , sanitation,
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Page 625

IMPLEMENTATION OF E-OFFICE
PROJECT
With a view towards improving the
organizational efficiency by providing a onestop access point to various pplications and
ease
of
monitoring
wifuinPlanning
Commission, a flexible Platform for
Document
Management,
Content
Management, Collaboration/ Messaging
Services, Electromc File movement was
required.
Various features of the e-Office Portal
1. e-File
e-File is the salient feature of e-Office to
enable paperless office by scanning,
registering
and
routing
in
ward
correspondences along with creation of
files, Noting, draft for approval and finally
movement of files and recei ts etc.
2. Payslip: All employees generate Payslip
of current as wen as that of previous
months through the portal.
3. GPF Statements: All employees
generate GPF statement of current and
last two financial years through this
portal.
4. e-Leave: The portal has a link to the
leave management system from which
employees can apply for leaves and has
been successfully implemented for all
employees of the Planning Commission.
5. Library: The portal has a link to the
Planning Commission Library database
which helps employees to search books
from the portal.
Page 626
6. Knowledge Management System: The

Knowledge Management System which
is an integra part of the portal, he ps
various divisions to manage their
information independently on the
porta.
MIS ON INTEGRATED ACTION

PLAN FOR SELECTED TRIBAL AND
BACKWARD DISTRICTS (IAPMIS)
The MIS on Ifitegrated Action Plan (IAP) for
60 Selected Tribal and Backward Districts is
a web-based application to facilitate online
onitoring of various programmes. It may be
mentioned that a Task Force on Left Wing
Extremism (LWE) was constituted under the
Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary on 12th
February, 2008 to promote coordinated
efforts across a range of development and
security
activities-to..tackle-thenaxalproblems in a more comprehensive
manner.
NATIONAL LAND RECORDS

MODERNIZATION PROGRAMME
The Departmentof Land.Reforms (LR) was
implementing two centrally Sponsored
Schemes, viz. Computerization of Land
Records (CLR) & Strengthening of Revenue
Administration and Updating of Land
Records (SRA&UrR). Later on 21.8.2008, the
Cabinet approved merger of these schemes
into a modified scheme name National Land
records
Modernization
Programme
(NLRMP). The main aims of LRMP are to
usher in a system of updated land records,
automated and automatic mutation,
integration between textual and spatial
records,
inter-connectivity-between
revenue and ergistration, to replace the
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Page 626
Page 627
present deeds registration and presumptive

title guarantee. The NLRMP has 3 major
components - (a) Computerization of land
record; (b) Survey / resurvey; (c)
Computerization of Registration. The
district has been taken as the unit of
implementation, where all programme
activities are to converge. It is hoped that
all districts in the country wou a be covered
by the end of the 12th Plan period except
where eadastral surveys are being done for
the first time.
A Special Programme for Development of

Roads in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)
affected areas" as been taken up on
priority. A proposal for de-velopment of
abou 1,126 km. of national highways and
4,351 km. state roads in areas affected by
Left Wing Extremism (LWE) nasbeen a
proved.
A major focus of the Programme is on

citizen services, sue as providing record of
rights (RoRs) with maps; other land-based
certificates such as caste certificates,
income certificates (particularly in rural
areas), domicile certificates; information for
eligibility for development programmes;
Iand passbooks, etc.
1. Enhancing implementation capacity

through
Restructuring of National Highways
Authority of India (NHAI).
Training.
2. Flexibility in restructuring of projects to
be in synchronization with traffic
requirement, safety concerns and
availability of resources.
3. There is a need to build up expressway
network for meeting the long term road
transport traffic requirements.
4. There is a need to expedite the work on
SARDP-NE. The capacity for evolving and
implementation of rojects in the NorthEast needs to be built up.
5. Preparation of work and financing plan.
It may indicate road length to be
constructed to achieve the target of
PMGSY, requirement of funds and
identify the sources of funding.
6. Provision of adequate funds for the
maintenance of existing rural roads.
Socially
Disadvantaged
Groups
Scheduled Castes (SCs)
Scheduled Tribes (STs)
Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
Minorities
Persons with Disabilities
Older Persons
Substance (Drug) Abuse
Special Accelerated Road Development

Programme for North East (SARDPNE)" has
been taken up. The programme is to e
implemented m two phases i.e, Phase-A &
Phase-B. Phase-A includes improving 6418 k
of roads (including 2319 km of roads under
Arunachal Package).
Some of the issues that need to 15 resolved

to taKe road development programme at
higher level are:
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Page 627
Page 628
CHAPTER 21. RURAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

MAHATMA GANDHI
NATIONAL RURAL
EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE
ACT (MGNREGA)
Evolving the design of the wage

employment
programmes
to
more
effectively fight poverty, the Central
Government formulated the Mahatma
Gandhi
National-Rural
Employment
Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005. With its
legal framework and rights-based aeproach,
MGNREGA provides employment to those
who demand it and is a paradigm shift from
earlier rogrammes. Notified on September
7, 2005, MGNREGA aims at enhancing
livelihood security by providing at least one
hundred days of guaranteed wage
employment in a financial year to every
rural household whose adult members
volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Salient features of the Act
Right based Framework: For adult

members of a rural household willing to
do unskilled manual work.
Time bound GuararrteeiIf days for
provision
0
employment,
else
unemployment allowance
Guaranteed Employment: Upto 100
days of guaranteed wage employment
in a financial year per household,
depending on the actual demand.
Labour Intensive Works: 60:40 wage
and.material ratio for permissible works
at
the
Gram
Panchayat;
no
contractors/machinery.
Decentralized Planning
Gram Sabhas to recommend works
At least 50% of works by Gram
Panchayats for execution
Principal role of PRls in planning,
monitoring and implementation
Work site facilities: Creche, drinking
water, first aid and shade provided at
worksites
Women empowerment: Priority shan be
given to women in such a way that
at1east one third of the beneficiaries
shall be women who ave registered and
requested for work under this Act.
Transparency
&
Accountability:
Proactive disclosure through Social
Audits,
Guievance
Redressal
Mechanism,
Funding: 90% borne by Central
Government and 10% by, State
Government
Implementation
The Gram Panchayat is the single most
important implementation agency for
executing works as the Act mandates
earmarking a minimum of 50 per cent of
the works in terms of costs to be executed
by the Gram Panchayat. This statutory
minimum, upto hundred per cent of the
work maybe allotted to the gram Panc ayat
(GP) in the annual Shelf of Projects (SoP).
Important instrument to monitor and
ensure transparency in implementation of
the Act
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Page 628

Management Information System (MIS)
Page 629
the case of UTs, entire funds of lAY are

provided by the Centre. In case of NE
States, the funding ratio between the
Centre & States is 90:10. The ceiling on
construction assistance under lAY is Rs.
45,000 per unit in the plain areas and r
48,500 in hilly / difficult areas/ lAP districts.
For upgradation of kutcha house, the
financial assistance of Rs. 15,000 per unit. In
addition to the unit assistance availe un er
lAY, a beneficiary can also borrow a to -up
loan u to Rs. 80,000/- from any nationalized
Bank at 4% interest per annum under
Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) Scheme.
Social Audits
District Level Ombudsman
Transparency in Execution of Works
Proactive Disclosure
Payment through Bank and Post Offices
PRADHAN MANTRI SADAK

YOJANA
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
(PMGSY) was launched on 25th December,
2000 with the objective of providing Allweather roads (with necessary culverts and
cross-drainage structures, which is operable
throughout the year), to the eligible
unconnected habitations in the rural areas.
The Programme envisages connecting all
habitations having population of 500
persons and above (as per 2001 census) in
plain areas and in respect of the Hill States
(North-East, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand), Desert
Areas (as identified in the Desert
Development Programme) the Triba
(Schedule V) areas and in the Selected
Tribal and Backward Districts under
Integrated Action Plan (lAP) as identified by
Ministry of Home Affairs /Planning
Commission, having population of 250
persons and above (as per 2001 census). In
addition, it also has an element of
upgradation, though it is not central to the
Programme.
INDIRA AWAS YOJANA (LAY)

The funding of lAY is shared between the
Centre and States in the ratio of 75:25. In
SWAMAJAYANTI GRAM
SWAROJGAR
YOJANA/NATIONAL
LIVELIHOODS MISSION NRLM
Minisfry of Rural Development with the
mandate of poverty alleviation in rural india
is implementing various poverty alleviation
and rural India is implementing various
poverty alleviation and rural development
schemes. One such scheme, the
Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana
(SGSY), under implementation since April,
1999, is designed as a holistic self
employment scheme aimed at providing
sustainable income to rural BPL families
through income generating assets/
economic activities so as to bring them out
of the poverty line. It is a process oriented
scheme
involving
processes
like
organization capacity building & training,
provision of revolving fund, making
available credit and subsidy, technology,
infrastructure & marketing.
The SGSY has been restructured as National
Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), now
renamed as 'Aajeevika' to implement it in a
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Page 629

mission mode in a phased manner for
targeted and time bound delivery of results.
The main features of NRLM are as follows:
Mission: 'To reduce poverty by enabling the
poor households to access gainful self
employment and skilled wage employment
opportunities resulting in appreciable
improvement in their livelihoods on a
sustainable basis, through building strong
and sustainable grassroots institutions of
the poor.
NRLM Goal: Every family in the rural areas
should be out of abject poverty and enjoy a
decent quality of life.
NRLM Guiding Principle
Social mobilization and building strong
institufions of the poor is critical for
unleashing the innate capabilities of the
poor.
An external dedicated and sensitive
support structure is required to induce
the social mobilization, institution
building and empowerment process.
Facilitating knowledge dissemination,
skill building, access to credit, access to
marketing, and access to other
livelihoods services enables them to
enjoy a portfolio of sustainable
livelihoods.
Task under NRLM is to reach out to 7.0
crore rural poor houseolds (35 crore
population) an stay engaged with them
till they come out of abject poverty.
Building strong, self manage a and self
reliant institutions the poor, through:
1. Dedicated su ort structures
2. Financial inclusion
Page 630
3. Sustainaf e ivelihoods promotion

4. Partnerships: N.G.Os, banks, private
sector, training institutions
RURAL SELF EMPLOYMENT

TRAINING INSTITUTE (RSETI)
The Ministry has also taken a new initiative
of setting up Rural Self Employment
Training Institute one in each district of the
country for basic and skill development
training of the Rural BPL youth to enable
them to undertake micro enterprises and
wage employment. These will be bank led
institutions i.e. will be managed and run by
the Public Sector /Private Sector Banks with
active co-operation from the State
Governments.
MAHILA KISSAN
SHASAKTIKARAN PARIYOJANA
(MKSP)
A new scheme Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran
Pariyojana (MKSP) has been initiate as a sub
component of the National Rural
Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) to meet the
specific needs of women farmers,
predominantly small and marginal farmers.
In order to operationalize this scheme, the
Ministry of Rural Development has
formulated Guidelines, projects template
and appraisal sheet for MKSP.
NATIONAL SOCIAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
(NSAP)
directs the State to provide public
assistance to its citizens in case of
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Page 630

unemployment, old age, sickness and
disablement and in other cases of
undeserved want within the limit of its
economic capacity and developme t. In
accordance with the directive principles of
State Policy, the Government of India
introduced in 1995 the National Social
Assistance Programme (NSAP).
At present, NSAP comprises the following
schemes:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension

Scheme (IGNOAPS)
Indira Gandhi National Widows Pension
Scheme (IGNWPS)
Indira Gandhi National Disability
Pension Scheme (IGNDPS)
National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS)
Annapurna
PROVIDING URBAN
AMENITIES IN RURAL AREAS
(PURA)
This Scheme was implemented on a pilot
basis from 2004-05 for three years in seven
lusters, one each in the State of Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The restructured scheme has been approve
or implementation during 11th Plan on a
pilot basis. The objectives of the scheme are
to provide livelihood opportunities and
urban amenities in rural areas for bridging
rural-urban divide and improving the
quality of life. The scheme will be
implemented under the framework of
Public Private Partnership (PPP) between
Gram Panchayats and Private Sector
Partners. Under the pilot phase of the
Page 631
restructured PURA, two projects have been

launched in Malappuram and Thirssur
districts of Kerala in February, 2012.
CAPART
The Council for Advancement of People's
Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) is an
autonomous organisation under the
Ministry of Rural Development. It was set
up in September 1986, as a supporting and
funding agency for the voluntary
organisations. Its primary objective is to
promote
voluntary
action
through
community participation and to propagate
appropriate rural technologies for the
benefit of downtrodden people (SC/ST IOBC
and others) living in rural areas.
INTEGRATED WATERSHED
MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMMES (IWMP)
About 60% of cultivated area in the country
is rainfed. Rainfed areas are usually
perparations of poverty, water scarcity, low
productivity, malnutrition and are prone to
severe land degradation. Watershed
development programme is considered and
adopted as an effective tool to address
problems of rainfed/ degraded areas in the
country.
Under the aegies of the Planning
Commission, National Rainfed Area
Authority (NRAA), in consultation with.the
concerned Ministries, framed Common
Guidelines, for watershed programmes
based on the Parthasarathy Committee
Report Accordingly, a single modified
programme called Integrated Watershed
Management Programme (IWMP) was
launched in 2009-10. This programme is
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Page 631

being implemented as per the Common
Guidelines for Watershed Development
Projects, 2008. The main features of the
Programme are as given below:
i.
ii.
iii.
The activities to be taken up under

IWMP are spread over three phases.
The reparatory Phase (1 to 2 years)
mainly.i volves preparation of DPR,
Entry Point Activities and Institution &
Capacity Building. The Watershed
Works Phase (2 to 3 years) involves the
Watershed
Development
Works,
Livelihood Activities for the assetless
ersons and Production System & Micro
Enterprises. The Consolidation and
withdrawal Phase (1 to 2 years) involves
consolidation and completion of various
works.
The cost norm for IWMP is Rs. 15000/per ha for hilly & difficult area, Rs.
12000/ - per ha for other areas and upto
Rs. 15000 per ha for IWMP projects in
lntegrated Action E an (lAP) Districts.
The funding pattern under the scheme
is ill the ratio of 90:10oetween the
Centre and States. Th projects under
IWMP undertake a cluster of microwatersheds of area about 5000 ha in
rainfed/ degrade areas having 0 assured
irrigation.
Livelihood orientation: 900 of the
project cost is earmarked for
development of sustainable livelihood
options for assetless people whereas 10
% of the project cost is dedicated fOJ
roductivity
enhancement
and
development 0 microenterprises fo
small & marginal farmers.
iv.
Page 632
Scientific inputs: The Programme

emphasizes utilizing the information
technology, remote sensing techniques,
GIS facilities, with spatial & non-spatial
data, into planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of the
projects.
RURAL DRINKING WATER

SUPPLY
Provision of safe drinking water is a basic
necessity. Rural drinking water supply is a
State subject and has been included in the
Ele enth Schedule of the Constitution
among the subjects that may be entrusted
to Panchayats by the States. The Ministry of
Drinking water an anitation ismandated to
provide safe drinking water in all rura
habitations. To achieve this Objective, the
Ministry is implementing the flagship
programme of National Rural Drinking
Water Programme (NRDWP) to assist States
in provision of drinking water supply-to all
rural habitations.
The Accelerated Rural Water Supply
Program (ARWSP) was started in 1972- 73
to assist States and UTs with 100 per cent
grants-in-aid to implement drinking water
supply schemes in roblem villages. Mission
approach was given to the entire
programme when a Technology Mission on
Drinking Water Management, named as the
National Drinking Water Mission (NDWM)
was introduced in 1986. The NDWM was
renamed as Rajiv Gandhi ational Drinking
Mission (RGNDWM) in 1991 ana the
Department of Drinking Water and
Sanitation came into existenc during August
2011.
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Page 632
NATIONAL RURAL DRINKING

WATER PROGRAMME (NRDWP)
The Govt. of India is implementing the
ationaTRuralDrinking Water Programme
(NRDWP) to support States and UTs with
financial and technical assistance to
implement drinking water supply schemes
in all rural habitations. The Vision and
objectives of NRDWP are:
Vision
Safe drinking water 0 all, at all times, in

ural India.
Objectives
To ensure provision of safe and

adequate drinking water supply to all
uncovered, partially covered and quality
affected habitations in the rural areas of
the country;
To ensure that all schools and
anganwadis have access to safe drinking
water;
To enable GPs/VWSCs to plan, manage,
operate and maintain local water
sources and water supply; to provide
enabling support and environment for
PRls and local communities for this
purpose;
Enable rural communities to monitor
and keep surveillance on their drinking
water sources, water supply and initiate
corrective action to have contaminants
free water;
Ensure
equity-high
priority
in
coverage/investment habitations with
high, SCs/STs and minority population;
Page 633
Promote participatory integrated water

resources management with a view to
ensure drinking water security-water
availability, supply and consumption till
be measured;
Provide access to information through
online
reporting
system
with
information in public domain to bring in
transparency and informed decision
making;
Ensuring householdlevel drinking water
security tKrough water budgeting and
preparation of village water security
plans;
Consciously move away from high cost
treatment technologies for tackling
arsenic and fluoride contamination to
development of alternative sources in
respect of arsenic and alternate
sources/ dilution of aquifers through
rainwater harvesting for tackling
fluoride contamination;
Encourage
'handing
over
of
management of rural drinkin water
schemes (RWS) to the Panchayati Raj
Institution;
To provide access to information
through online reporting mechanism
with information placed in public
domain to bring in transparency,
accountability and informed decision
making.
QUALITY-AFFECTED
HABITATIONS
Arsenic and Fluoride: Out of 2.171akh
quality affected habitations in the country
as an 1.4.2011, there are 5339 habitatians
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Page 633
Page 634
reported to. be affected with Arsenic

contamination and 23107 habitations with
Eluroide. contamination of which 2832 and
5070 were covered with completed
schemes upto 31/3/2011.
JALMANI - INSTALLATION OF
STANDALONE WATER
PURIFICATION SYSTEMS IN
RURAL SCHOOLS
Iron: At the start of Bhart Nirman, 1,18,088

habitations were reported to have Iron
contamination, These have been planned to
be tackled by law-cast solutions since it is
easy to address Iron contamination by
dilution and stand alone filter plants. Iron
contamintion through use of Terracatta
filters (Terafil water filter systems)
With the objective of providing safe and

clean drinking water to the children
studying in water deficient rural schools,
under Ialmani Programme, 100 per cent
financial assistance is provided to states to
install stand alone water purification
systems in rural schools. Keeping in view
the average. cost of Rs. 20,000/- per school,
Rs. 200 crores provided for the purpose
have been allocated and released to 28
States, with target to cover 1,00,000 rural
school under the programme during 200809 and 2009-10.
Salinity: Similarly, 28,398 habitations have

salinity problems which are mostly located
in coastal areas.
Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research
Institute (CSMCRI), Bhavnagar - a CSIR
laboratory has been identified as the nodal
agency for the dissemination of simple /
cost effective technologies for tackling the
salinity problem.
National Rural Drinking water Quality

Monitoring and Surveillance Programme
(NRDWQM&SP) was launched in February
2006.
The
Programme
aimed
at
erqpowering rural communities by:
i.
Nitrate: In the country, 13,958 habitations

were reported to be affected with Nitrate
contamination. Out of these, 386
habitations as on 1.4.2011 are yet to be
tackled. This can be tackled by improving
sanitation conditions and in some places by
changes in the use of fertilizers etc.
Besides the above problems, of late,
problems of polution of drinking water
sources from insecticides and pesticides
also have emerged. Uranium contamination
is traced in water in 4 districts of Punjab.
Efforts need to be made to carry out
laboratory tests and find solutions to these
new emergent issues.
ii.
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Bringing
awareness
through
Information,
Education
and
Communication (IEC) activities to
address ownership of the systems,
health hazards due to poor drinking
water quality, hygiene, sanitary survey,
importance of environmental sanitation,
etc.;
Training 5 grassroot level workers in
each Gram Panchayat, Which may be
ASHA worker, Anganwadi worker,
science teacher, high school girl child,
panchayat member, retired army
officials, etc.; 2 persons at the State
level, 4 persons at the district and 5
persons at the Block level;

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iii.
Provision for water quality field testing

kits for each Gram Panchayat.
TOTAL SANITATION
CAMPAIGN (TSC)
Rural sanitation came into focus in the

Government of ndia in the World Water
Decade of 1980s. The Central Rural
Sanitation Programme was started in 1986
to provide sanitation facilities in rural areas.
It was a supply driven, high subsidy and
infrastructure oriented programme. As a
result of these deficiencies and low financial
allocations, the CRSP had little impact on
the gargantuan problem. The experience of
community-driven, awareness-generating
campaign based rogrammes in some states
and the results of evaluatio of CRSp, led to
the formulation of the Total Sanitation
Campaign (TSC) approach in 1999.
Objectives
The main objectives of the TSC are as
under:
Bring about an improvement in the

general quality of life in the rural areas.
Accelerate sanitation coverage in rural
areas.
Generate felt demand for sanitation
facilities through awareness creation
and health education.
Cover schools/ Anganwadis in rural
areas with sanitation facilities an
promote hygiene education and
sanitary habits among students.
Encourage cost effective an appropriate
technologies in sanitation.
Page 635
Eliminate open defecation to minimize

risk of contamination of drinking water
sources an food.
Convert dry latrines to pour flush
latrines,
and
eliminate
manual
scavenging practice, wherever in
existence in rural areas.
NIRMAL GRAM PURASKAR

The incentive award scheme of irmal Gram
Puruskar (NGP) has been aunched to
encourage the anchayati Raj Institutions to
take up sanitation promotion. The award is
given to those PRIs whic attain 100 per cent
open defecation free environment.
BRGF (ONLY SIGNIFICANTLY

FUNDED SCHEME OF MOPR)
The BRGF-programme is designed toredress
regional
imbalances
in
development. The fund provides financial
resources
for
supplementing
and
converging existing developmental inflows
into 272 identified districts so as to:-
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i) Bridge critical gaps in local

infrastructur not being adequately
net through existing inflows:
ii) Strengthen Panchayat and Municipal
level governance with more
appropriate capacity building to
reflect local felt needs;
iii) Provide professional support to local
bodies are responsible for the
planning,
implementation
and
monitoring of the works taken up
under BRGF. Each district under
BRGF can access up to an average of

Page 635

Rs. 14.00 Rs. 28.00 crores per
annum.
RAJIV GANDHI PANCHAYAT

SHASHAKTIKARAN ABHIYAM
(RGPSA)
It has been decided in principle to launch a
new Umbrella Scheme, namely Rajiv Gandhi
Panchayat Shashaktikaran Abhiyam (RGPSA)
during the 12th Five Year Plan Period by
subsuming certain scheme of this Ministry
therein. RGPSA seeks to:
Enhance capacities and effectiveness of

Panchayats and ram Sabhas;
Enable democratic decision-making and
accountability in Panchayats and
promote people's participafion;
Strengthen the institutional structure
for knowledge creation and capacity
building of Panc ayats;
Promote devolution of powers an
responsibilities to Panc ayats according
to the spirit of the Constitution and
PESA Act;
Strengthen Gram Sabhas to function
effectively as the basic forum of
people's participation, transparency and
accountability within the PRl system;
Create and strengthen democratic local
self government in areas where
Panchayats do not exist;
Strengthen
the
constitutionally
mandated framework on which
Panchayats are founded.
PEER EXPERIENCE AND

EFLECTIVE LEARNING (PEARL)
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The 'Peer Experience and Reflective

Learning"
(PEARL)
programme
was
launched to foster cross learning and
knowledge sharing through networking
between the Mission cities. To achieve this
objective, the Mission supported formation
of groups/networks amongst JNNURM cities
having similar socio-economic profile and
urban issues, along with natural affinity to
peer pair. The National Institute of Urban
Affairs (NIUA) has been appointed as the
National Coordinator for the PEARL
program for coordinating the overall
functioning of the networks, with an
appreciation of the independent self driven
nature of the networks, and assisting the
Mission Directorate in supporting and
monitoring the programme.
Under the programme, network of heritage
cities have organized knowledg sharing
workshops. A website has been made
operational providing tools to support
networking and knowledage sharing NUIA
has brought out three newsletter called
"PEARL Update".
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT SCHEME FOR
SMALL AND MEDIUM TOWNS
Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme
for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT),
one of the sub-components of JNNURM was
launched in December, 2005 by subsuming
the erstwhile scheme of Integrated
Development of Small and Medium Towns
(IDSMT) and Accelerated Urban Water
Supply
Programme
(AUWSP).
The
Objectives of the Scheme are to:
a) Improve Infrastructure facilities and
help create durable public assets and
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Page 636

quality oriented services in cities and
towns;
b) Enhance public-private partnership in
infrastructural development; and
c) Promote
planned
integrated
development of towns/cities.
Ministry of Urban Development has

formulated
a
Scheme
for
Urban
Infrastructure Development in Satellite
Towns /Counter Magnets of Million Plus
Cities. The objectives of this scheme are as
under:
CAPACITY BUILDING SCHEME

FOR URBAN LOCAL BODIES
(CBULB)
The Capacity Building Scheme for Urban
Local Bodies (CBULB) brought out by this
Ministry is aimed at strengthening urban
local governments through capacity
building for better governance and financial
management as articulated in the 11th
Plan. The scheme covers a wide range of
activities with respect to Capacity Building
like setting up of Centres of Excellence,
addressing specific gaps in Urban Planning,
DPRs, Implementation of Property Tax
reforms, e-governance, accounting reforms,
socio-economic
and
environmental
planning, project implementation and
managemenf, sewerage and sanitation,
solid
waste
management,
financial
anagement, urban transport, cost recovery
and user charges.
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SCHEME FOR URBAN

INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT IN SATELLITE
TOWNS/COUNTER MAGNETS
OF MILLION PLUS CITIES
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To develop urban infrastructure

facilities such as drinking water,
sewerage, drainage and solid waste
management etc. at satellite towns/
counter magnets around the seven
mega-cities and to channelize their
future growth so a to reduce pressure
on the mag a cities;
To implement reforms such as EGovernance, property tax, double entry
accounting, creation of barrier free
environment, structural safety norms in
compliance with the National Building
Code, water and energy audit of water
and
wastewater
utilities
ana
implementation of service level
benchmarks;
Strengthening
implementation
of
reforms such as levy of reasonable user
charges, earmarking of budgets for basic
services and at least 10-15% of housing
sites for the urban poor, formulation of
bye-laws to incorporate provisions for
disaster management, water harvesting
and reuse and recycle of waste water
and implementation of Public Private
partnership (PPP) projects.

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Page 638
CHAPTER 22. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL

DEVELOPMENTS
NANO SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY (NANO
MISSION)
KISHORE VAIGYANIK
PROTSAHAN YOJANA
It was launched in 2007. The main

objectives of the Nano Mission are basic
research
promotion,
infrastructure
development for carrying out front-ranking
research,
development
of
nano
technologies and their applications, human
resource
development
and
international
collaboration.
In order to motivate bright young minds at

their secondary school/college levels, and
to encourage them to stick on to a career in
science, a scheme called Kishore Vaigyanik
Protsahan Yojana was initiated in 1999.
Talent is scouted through a competitive
mechanism at school level and scholars are
selected for an attractive fellowship /
scholarship until they pass their Masters
Degree in Science.
INNOVATION IN SCIENCE
PURSUIT FOR INSPIRED
RESEARCH (INSPIRE)
FUND FOR IMPROVEMENT OF

S&T INFRASTRUCTURE IN
UNIVERSITIES AND HIGHER
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
(FIST)
It was initiated during the 9th Five Year
Plan. Under this programme support is
provided for up-gradation of laboratories by
providing
equipment,
computer
networking, library facilities etc. The
programme identifies active university /
academic department for support through a
peer review mechanism including on-site
visits. In appreciation of the R&D
contributions
of
the
performing
universities, Promotion of University
Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE)
programme has been initiated. The PURSE
scheme provides substantive research grant
to cover manpower-cost, augmentation of
equipment, computational facilities etc.
Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired

Research (INSPIRE) programme has been
launched to attract talent to the study of
science at an early stage and help to build
the required critical human resource pool
for strengthening and expanding the
Science & Technology system and R&D
base.
TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION,
FORECASTING AND
ASSESSMENT COUNCIL
(TIFAC)
Technology Information, Forecasting and
Assessment Council (TIFAC) is an
autonomous society set up under the
Department of Science and Technology in
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Page 638

1988. The primary objective of TIFAC is to
assess the state-of-the-art technology and
help set directions and priorities for future
technological developments in India, in key
socio-economic sectors. IFAC also helps in
ensuring
timely
a
availability
of
technologies by up-scaling successful results
from
R&D
laboratories
towards
commercialization, and facilitates and
promotes
early
stage
technology
development.
MISSION REACH
Mission REACH (Relevance & Excellence in
Achieving new heights in educational
institutions) seeks to address the industryoriented problems of technical manpower
by creating TIFAC-COREs (Centre of
Relevance and Excellence), in educational
institutions through a public-private
partnership model. With a view to
overcoming the constraints in technical
education and to address the issues of
quality, new approaches, such as
technology enhanced learning, are being
attempted.
THE TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Page 639
COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC &

INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR)
CSIR is an autonomous, non-profit publicity
funded
R&D
organization
under
Department of Scientific & Industrial
Research, Ministry of Science and
Technology,
Government
of
India,
established in 1942 with the objective to
provide scientific and industrial R&D that
maximizes the economic, environmental
and societal benefits for the people of India.
CSIR has a network of 37 national
laboratories and 39 outreach centres
attached to them, with pan-India footprint.
Since its inception, it has been a source of
indigenous technologies for industrial
competitiveness, S& T base for strategic
sector, technology for common mass and
science for advancement of knowledge.
CSIR as regrouped and repositioned its key
sectors of knowledge and technology
generation in five clusters which are:
Biological Sciences; Chemical Sciences;
Engineering Sciences; Physical Sciences;
Information Sciences, and CSIR 800.
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
The Technology Development Board (IDB)

was constituted in September 1996. The
Board provides financial assistance to
industrial concerns and other agencies for
attempting development and commercial
application of indigenous technology or
adapting imported technology for wider
domestic application. Gluten with the brand
name Suryamin Cefixime an orally active
fourth generation Cephalosporin antibiotic.
A indigenously drug formulation against

tuberculosis called Risorine' has been
developed by CSIR in public private
partnership mode which could drastically
cut short the duration of TB treatment.
Recombinant streptokinase-a clot bluster
from E.coli developed by CSIR has been
launched for Indian market under the brand
name 'Lupifio' and 'Klotbuster". CSIR has
developed a unique single plant based
natural memory enhancer formulationBESEB ("Bacosides Enriched Standardized
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Page 639

Extract of Bacopa") from the herb Bacopa
monniera.
The product under the brand name 'Memory Sure' has been launched in. India.
A new bacterial genus named 'Indibacter'
has been isolated from a water sample
which could be used as potential source for
enzyme required for hydrolysis of starch
under extreme conditions of salinity and
pH.
CHEMICAL SCIENCES
CSI has developed an improved process for
Propane Deasphalting (PDA) technology for
producing high viscosity lube base stock
from vacuum residues. It has designed and
developed microprocessor- based rotary
Viscosity transmitter (VISCOTRAN) which
helps control parameters to obtain better
sugar quality and to reduce sugar losses in
molasses.
ENGINEERING SCIENCES:
To extend the life of opencast mines
without disturbing the surface dwellings
and maintaining economy and productivity,
CSIR has developed a technology on
Highwall Mining. First indigenous Wankel
Engine powered unmanned Air Vehicle
'NISHANT' developed by CSIR has
performed its maiden flight successfully
meeting all the requirements of Air Vehicle.
Besides this, solid film lubricant coatings as an alternate material to be used for
BRAMOHS missile a special variety of nonphotonic crystal fibre made of pure silica
useful in various applications, head up
display-for LCA, Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG)
sensor, portable analog seismic recorder to
monitor field seismic data, a Mobile
Teleclock, an innovative system for
Page 640
transmission of digital time data via

telephone line which is simple to use and
can be implemented in any country with a
very low investment, probabilistic seismic
hazard map of India etc. have also been
developed by CSIR.
PHYSICAL SCIENCES:
CSIR provides space weather information/
alerts (solar flares, solar winds, radiations
etc.) to the users. Besides this, some
medical
instruments
for
various
applications have also been developed and
the technology has been transferred to
industries by CSIR.
INFORMATION SCIENCES:
CSIR has been playing a major role in
protecting the traditional knowledge base
of the country, through unique programme
on Traditional Know edge base Protection in
which CSIR has digitized the archives of
Indian Traditional Knowledge by creating a
Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
(TKDL); TKDL contains information in 5
international languages. Government of
India has granted the patent examiners of
the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) access to a new digital
database containing a compilation of
traditional Indian knowledge.
CSIR-800
CSIR recognizes that S&T inputs significantly
contribute to improve the quality of life of
masses. It launched an ambitious and
socially relevant programme named 'CSIR800'. This programme will have an impact
on the lives of 800 million Indians and will
give the opportunity to small .scale
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Page 640

enterprises. Some of the achievements that
can be recognized under the programme
are: design and development of Terafil
water filters for safe drinking water. Potable
Instant Water- filter which serves as a
disaster management tool for drinking
water supply under flood affected
situations. An economically viable, green
technology for the production of stevioside
from Stevia rebaudiana has increased the
production and generated employment.
NEW MILLENNIUM INDIAN

TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
INITIATIVE (NMITLI):
NMITLI Programme is being operated in
diverse-areas of technologies to yield (a)
new cutting edge technologies that are
globally competitive and/or (b) establish,
globally new technology paradigms for
industry that are sustainable and ecofriendly.
NUCLEAR POWER
PROGRAMME
DAE has been pursuing the following 3stage Nuclear Power Programme:
The first stage comprises setting up of

Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors
(PHWRs) and associated fuel cycle
facilities. PHWRs use natural uranium a
fuel and heavy water as moderator and
coolant.
The second stage envisages setting up
of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) backed
by reprocessing plants and plutoniumbased fuel fabrication plants. Plutonium
Page 641
is produced by irradiation of uranium238.

The third stage is based on the thoriumuranium-233 cycle. Uranium-233 is
obtained by irradiation of thorium.
The first stage of Nuclear Power

Programme is already in commercial
domain. The Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Ltd. (NPCIL), a::public sector
undertaking of DAE, is responsible for the
design, construction and operation of
nuclear power reactors.
The "Fast Breeder Programme is in the
technology demonstration stage. To gain
experience in the second stage, the Indira
Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)
has been engaged in the design and
development of liquid sodium cooled fast
breeder reactors. IGCAR has successfully
developed the Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR)
technology.
The third stage of the Nuclear Power
Programme is in technology development
stage. The ongoing development of 300
MWe Advanced Heavy Water Reactor
(AHWR) at BARC aims at developing
expertise for thorium utilization and
demonstrating advanced safety concepts.
Thorium-based systems such as AHWR can
Fe set up on commercial scale only after a
large capacity based on fast breeder
reactors, is built up.
FUEL REPROCESSING
The Indian nuclear power generation
programme is based on closed -cycle
approach that involves reprocessing of
spent fuel and recycle of Plutonium and
Uranium-233 for power generation. From
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Page 641
Page 642
the inception of its nuclear power

programme,
DAE
had
commenced
development
of
fue1
reprocessing
technology. It has a Pilot 'Plant for fuel
reprocessing at Trombay and industrial
scale plants at Tarapur and Kalpakkam. The
plant at Trombay processes spent fuel from
research reactors while the other two
plants process spent fuel from power
reactors.
reprocessing of spent fuel and waste

management, commenced at Kalpakkam.
BARC has constructed an Advanced
Vitrification System at Tarapur for high level
waste immobilisation based on Joule Melter
Technology. India has become one of the six
countries who have developed the Joule
Heated Ceramic Mixer (JHCM) and set up
such facilities for vitrification of high level
waste.
The recycling and optimal utilization of

uranium is essential to meet India's current
and future energy security needs. A
significant milestone towards this end was
the commissioning of the second Power
Reactor Reprocessing Plant by BSRC at
Tarapur.
Vitrified waste is stored in a specially

designed Solid Storage Surveillance Facility
(SSSF) for about 30 years prior to its
disposal in deep geological formation. The
first such facility has been in operation at
Tarapur since 1999. One more such - facility
is under design and development at
Kalpakkam.
NUCLEAR WASTE
MANAGEMENT
THORIUM BASED REACTORS
The radioactive wastes generated at various

stages of nuclear fuel cycle are categorised
as low, intermediate and high level wastes.
The plants for management of all types of
radioactive wastes have been in operation
at many nuclear facilities.
Thorium utilisation is the long term core

objective of the Indian. Nuclear Power
Programme for providing energy security
for the country on a sustainable basis. The
third stage of the Indian Nuclear Power
Programme is based on the thoriumuranium-233 cycle.
The high level wastes, generated in very

small quantities, are fixed in a glass matrix.
Vitrification,
a
complex
technology
possessed by a few nations only, has been
successfully developed at Trombay. Based
on
this
technology,
two
Waste
lmmobilisation Plants (WIPs) have been
operating at Tarapur and Trombay. A facility
for the immobilisation of waste in a cement
matrix has been commissioned at
Kalpakkam. Here, the trials on the second
ceramic melter are underway. Recently,
work on setting up of an integrated Nuclear
Recycle Plant with facilities for both
A beginning has already been made by

introducing thorium, in a limited way, in
research reactors and in pressurised heavy
water reactors.
The research reactor KAMINI operating up
to a nominal power of 30kW or neutron
radiography of various materials, at
Kalpakkam, uses uranium-233 fuel derived
from thorium. This fuel is bred, reprocessed
and fabricated indigenously. BARC is
engaged in developing 300MWe advanced
Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR).
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SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT

The safety operations through the entire
nuclear fuel cycle, from prospecting an
mining of ores to management of waste,
encompass all the aspects of safety, viz.
radiological safety, industrial safety,
occupational health, fire safety and
environmental protection.
An independent body, the Atomic Energy
Regulatory; Board (AERB) monitors safety.
The safety standards formulated by AERB
are at par- with those recommended by the
international organisations such as the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
and the International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICRP).
NPCIL is a member of the World Association
of Nuclear Operators (WANO). The
Association has conducted peer reviews of
the atomic power stations at Kakrapar and
Narora. Also, from time to time, Indian
experts have participated in peer reviews in
a number of countries including USA, Japan
and South 'Korea' As a result of consistent
efforts, the nuclear power plants have
achieved about 260 reactor year of safe
operation.
Safety surveillance inspections are regularly
carried out and comprehensive Emergency
Preparedness and Response Plans to handle
postulated emergency scenarios are in
action at the DAE facilities.
BARC and the laboratories accredited by it
conduct countrywide personnel monitoring
in about 3000 industrial, medical, research
and DAE organisations which benefit over
30,000 radiation workers annually.
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Environmental radiation monitoring and

environmental surveillance are the regular
features of the environmental protection
programme of DAE.
At different sites, the Environment Survey
Labs (ESLs) of BARC continuously monitor
environment, and collect site-related
meteorological data. Sophisticated weather
monitoring SODAR systems are operational
at Kaiga, Kalpakkam, Tarapur and Trombay.
IREMON, a nationwide network of
environmental
radiation
monitoring
stations
detects
radiation
releases.
Interfaced with global postitioning system,
a Compact Aerial Radiation Monitoring
System (CARMS) for estimation of large
area contamination using unmanned aerial
vehicle, is also in operation at Trombay.
To educate the public living around nuclear
power
plants,
public
awareness
programmes by DAE organisations are
organised on a regular basis.
The Nisarga-Runa technology developed at
BARC converts biodegradable solid waste
into useful manure and methane. So far
about 125 such plants have been set up at
various places in the country.
BARC has successfully developed green
manure-crop - Sesbania rostrata that is
proving highly cost-effective for small
farmers.
KRUSHAK (Krishi Utpadan Sanrakshan
Kendra), set up by BARC at Lasalgaon near
Nashik, for low Bose applications of
radiation for food preservation This plant
processes onion, pulses, rawa and turmeric.
BRIT has been operating radiation
sterilization plant ISOMED, now ISO-9002
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Page 643

accredited, at Trombay. The plant provides
radiation sterilization services to several
users. This plant processes more than
14000 cubic metres of medical product
annually.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
OF RADIOISOTOPES
Detection and re-charge conditions of
ground water bodies. Some of-these
include evaluation of the groundwater
recharge conditions in the Delang-Puri
sector of coastal Orissa, determination of
the origin of thermal waters in the
geothermal areas in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh and Himalayas, and establishement
of the ancient course of the legendary
'Saraswati' river in Western Rajasthan.
Origin of groundwater along paleo channels
in Jaisalmer disrict, Western Rajasthan, and
seepage and source of salinity in the Indira
Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana Command Area,
Hanumangarh, Rajasthan.
The studies conducted by BARC on
sediment transport at almost all the major
ports have resulted in increasing the
intervals between de-silting campaigns,
which saved huge cost of de-silting
operations.
A
nucleonic
suspended
sediment
concentration gauge developed at Trombay
has proved to be a useful tool of the
dredging operation in ports.
BARC's expertise in gamma scanning is
being used by the major petrochemical
industries for troubleshooting in process
equipment, detecting leaks in buried
pipelines, industrial process controls etc.
Page 644
The radiation technology equipment

manufactured by BRIT for use in industry
include radiography camera for ascertaining
internal defects of we ding, casting etc.,
Gamma chamber, a compact self- shielded
Cobalt-60 research irradiator for irradiating
samples, and Blood Irradiator for radiation
processing of blood and blood products by
gamma rays to eliminate the risk of post
transfusion graft versus host disease.
A new Stainless Steel based ROLI-1 camera
was introducted and 70 radiography
exposure devices were supplied by BRIT.
BASIC RESEARCH
The Harish Chandra Research Institute,

Allahabad
Institute of Mathematical Sciences at
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
The Institute of Physics, Bhubaneshwar
Harish Chandra Research Institute
National Centre for Biological Sciences
of TIER at Bangalore
The Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics,
Kolkata
National Institute of Science Education
and Research, Bhubaneswar
OVERVIEW OF INDIA'S SPACE

PROGRAMME
Over the years, India has established two
major space systems viz., Indian National
Satellite (INSAT) system for communication,
television broadcasting and meteorological
services, and Indian Remote Sensing (IRS)
satellites system for natural resources
monitoring and management. In recent
times, specific initiatives are also taken
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towards realisation of Navigation facilities
through space based systems. ISRO has
developed and operationalised two satellite
launch vehicles, Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), to place IRS
and INSAT satellites respectively in the
required orbits.
A landmark achievement in the area of
space science/planetary exploration has
been the India's first Mission to MoonChanrayaan-1-which made remarkable
contributions in understanding the Moon's
surface including the detection of water.
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
AND NAVIGATION
Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system,
established in 1983, is the largest domestic
communication satellite system in the Asia
Pacific Region with nine satellites in
operation viz., INSAT-2E, INSAT-3A, NSAT3C, INSAT-3E, GSAT-2, INSAT-4A, INSAT-4B,
INSAT-4CR and GSAT-8, GSAT-12, was
launched on July 15, 2011. The overall
coordination and management of INSAT
system rests with INSAT Coordination
Committee. INSAT system currently has 187
Transponders in different bands such as Cband, extended C-band, Ku-band and Sband
which
are
used
for
telecommunication, TV broadcasting, OTH
services, business communications, rural
'area connectivity, Tele-education, Telemedicine, Village Resource Centres, Search
and Rescue operations and Emergency
Communications.
The Indian Remote Sensing satellite system
(IRS) is one of the largest constellations of
remote sensing satellites in operation in the
world today. Currently, ten operational
Page 645
satellites are in orbit - TES, RESOURCESAT-1,

CARTOSAT-1, CARTOSAT-2, CARTOSAT-2A,
CARTOSAT-2B, IMS-1, RISAT-2, OCEANSAT-2
and the recently launched RESOURCESAT-2
IRS series of satellites provide data in a
variety of spatial, spectral and temporal
resolutions (better than 1 m). With these inorbit satellites and the planned ones, such
as SAT-, Megha Tropiques, SARAL and
INSAT-30, The Indian EO system will
continue to provide high quality data
products and services, enabling a host of applications
relevant
to
national
development. IRS data is marketed globally
through a network of International ground
stations.
RESOURCESAT-2 was successfully launched
on-board PSLV-C16 on 20th April 2011.
RESOURCESAT-2 is built with enhanced
capabilities for crop applications, vegetation
dynamics and natural resource census
'besides providing continuity of services and
data for RESOURCESAT-1.
Realisation of Radar Imaging Satellite
(RISAT-l) is in the advanced stages. RISAT-1
carries a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar
(SAR) payload, and has the unique
capability of imaging during day and night,
all weather conditions including fog and
haze.
SPACE TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEMS
In India, the launch vehicles development
programme began in the early 1970s. The
first experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle
(SLV-3) was developed in 1980. An
Augmented version of this, ASLV, was
launched successfully in 1992. India has
made tremendous strides in launch vehicle
technology to achieve self-reliance in
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Satellite launch vehicle programme with the
operationalisation of Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
POLAR SATELLITE LAUNCH

VEHICLE (PSLV)
PSLV is the first operational launch vehicle
of ISRO. PSLV is capable of launching 1600
kg satellites into 620 km sun-synchronous
polar orbit and 1050 kg. satellite in geosynchronous transfer orbit. In the standard
configuration, it measures 44.4 m tall, with
a lift off weight of 295 tonnes. PSLV has four
stages using solid and liquid propulsion
systems alternately. The first stage is one of
the largest solid propellant boosters in the
world and carries 139 tonnes of propellant.
A cluster of six strap-on's attached to the
first stage motor, four of which are ignited
on the ground and two are air-lit. With its
variant configurations, PSLV has proved its
multi-payload, multi-mission capability in a
single launch and its geosynchronous
launch
capability.
In
the
recent
Chandrayaan-1 mission, another variant of
PSLV with an extended version of strap-on
motors, the payload haul was enhanced to
1750 kg in 620Km SSPO. PLSV has become
the workhorse launch-vehicle of ISRO.
Page 646
liquid engine and the third stage (GS3) is a

cryo stage.
GSLY MK-III: INDIA'S NEXT

GENERATION LAUNCH VEHICLE
GSLV-Mk III is envisaged to launch four
tonne class of satellite into Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit. GSLV-Mk III is a three-stage
vehicle with a 110 tonne core liquid
propellant stage (L-110) and a strap-on
stage with two solid propellant motors,
each with 200 tonne propellant (5-200) The
upper:, stage will be cryogenic with
propellant loading of 25 tonne (C-25). GSLV
Mk-III will have a lift-off weight of about
629 tonne and will be 42.4 m tall. The
payload fairing will have a diameter of 5
metre and a payload volume of 100 cubic
metre.
ASTROSAT
GEOSYNCHRONOUS SATELLITE
LAUNCH VEHICLE (GSLV)
ASTROSAT is multi-wavelength space brone

astronomy observator, which would enable
simultaneous observations of the celestial
bodies, cosmic sources in X-ray and UV
spectral bands. The uniqueness of
ASTROSAT lies in its wide spectral coverage
extending over visible (3500-6000A), UV
(1300-3000A), soft X and hard X- ray regions
(0.5-8 keV, 3-80 keV). Activities for
realisation of the satellite are progressing
well.
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle

(GSLV), is capable of placing INSAT-II class of
satellites
(2000-2,500
kg)
into
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSLV
is a three stage vehicle. First stage
comprises S125 solid booster with four
liquid (L40) strap-ons. Second stage (GS2) is
Government have approved, in November

2009, Aditya-1 project. Aditya-1 will be
India's first space based solar coronagraph
mission for research in the field of solar
astronomy. The work on development of
spacecraft and scientific instruments has
been initiated.
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EARTH SCIENCES
India Meteorological Department (IMD)

New Delhi,
Indian Institute of tropical Meteorology
(IITM), Pune,
National Centre for medium Range
Weather
forecasting
(NCMRWF),
NOIDA,
National Institute of Ocean Technology
(NIOT), Chennai,
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean
Research (NCAOR), Goa,
Indian National Centre for Ocean and
information
Services
(INCOIS),
Hyderabad,
Integrated coastal and marine area
management (ICMAM), Chennai and
Centre for marine living resources and
Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi.
MONSOON MISSION
The ESSO has launched the Monsoon
Mission for improving the predictability of
the Indian Monsoon. Better Monsoon
prediction will help the Nation in taking
advance action in preparing for the
agricultural and other impacts of the
monsoon. It consists of two sub-themesSeasonal and Intra-seasonal Monsoon
Forecast and Medium Range- Forecast. The
mission will support focused research by
national and international research groups
with definitive objectives and deliverables
to improve models in the medium range as
well as in the extended and seasonal range
scales through setting up of a framework
for generating dynamical forecasts and
improving skill of forecasts. The Mission will
Page 647
also support observational programs that

will result in better understanding of the
processes. Under the Mission, Indian
Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) will
coordinate and lead the effort for
improving the forecasts on seasonal and
intra seasonal sc le. National Centre for
Medium Range Weather Forecasting
(NCMRWF) will lead and coordinate the
effort for improving the forecasts in the
medium range scale. These will be made
operational by the India Meteorological
Department (IMD). In a bid to improve the
skill of the forecasts in various temporal and
spatial ranges, proposals will be invited
from national as well as international
Institutes on very specific projects and
deliverables, provisions for funding the
national as well as the international
partners will be provided. These partner will
be allowed to use the HPC facility at IITM
and NCMRWF which will be suitably
enhanced for the purpose. A National
Steering group is being put in place to steer
the program and review the progress of the
mission.
OCEAN STATE FORECAST (OSF)

The Indian ocean forecast system
(INDOFOS) was upgraded with regional
ocean modelling system set up at 1/8th
degree. This up gradation has significantly
improved the quality of the forecasts
particularly in the vertical temperature
profiles and surface and subsurface
currents.
SIBER
In order to understand the geographical
setting of Indian ocean Ministry of Earth
Sciences launched on June 2010 National
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Page 647

programme entitled 'Sustained Indian
Ocean Biogeochemical, Ecological research'
and Geotraces during 11th Plan period
which will continue during Part of the 12th
Plan Period. This understanding will be
required in order to predict the impacts of
climate change, eutrophication and
harvesting on the global oceans and the
Earth System. The SIBER Programme seeks J
to
understand
biogeochemical
and
ecological processes in Bay of "Bengal and
Arabian Sea by putting time series Stations.
This is multi-institutional and multidisciplinary research programme of the
MoES.
GEOTRACES
Page 648
international workshop on scientific drilling

in the Indian Ocean under IODP was
organized by NCAOR, Australia IODP and
IODP-MI in Goa on 17-18 October, 2011.
The workshop provided a unique platform
for scientists from countries like India, USA,
Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand,
Indonesia, etc. to interact and prioritize
existing ideas as well as to explore new
research frontiers having larger societal
relevance such as climate change,
earthquake hazards, biotechnology and
natural resource potential etc. A total of
150 scientists participated in the workshop
to deliberate on different aspects of the
scientific drilling in the India Ocean.
Gas Hydrates Exploration
Similarly GEOTRACES Programme seeks to

determine global ocean distributions of
selected trace elements of isotopes to
evaluate the sources, sinks and internal
cycling of these species to characterize
more completely the physical, chemical and
biological processes regulating their
distributions and to understand the
response of these cycles to global change
and their impact on carbon cycles and
climate. It also aims to understand the
process that control the concentrations of
geochemical species used for proxies of the
past environment, both in the water
column and in the substrates that reflect
the water column.
INDIA OCEAN DEEP-DRILLING

PROGRAM (IODP)
Under this program, Indian scientists
participated in three IODP expeditions and
attended the Science planning Committee
(SPC) meeting and the International
Working Group (IWG+) meeting. An
The programme on gas hydrates is being

implemented with a view to explore the gas
hydrates and for this purpose the
programme was divided into two
components, viz. science component and
technology component. While, the details
of science component are enumerated
below, information about the technology
developments for gas hydrate exploration is
provided in the chapter on Ocean
Technology. Under the Science component,
the data collected under the continental
shelf programme was utilized for identifying
the possible locations towards undertaking
a detail survey. Accordingly, the KrishnaGodavari and the Mahanadi Basins have
been identified, where detailed seismic
survey was carried out.
OCEAN TECHNOLOGY
REMOTELY OPERABLE IN-SITU
SOIL TESTER
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In order to harness deep sea resources,
development of various equipments such as
Remotely Operable Submersible (ROSUB) to
assess environmental conditions and
Remotely Operable Subsea In-situ Soil
Tester (ROSIS) to test mechanical properties
of sea-bed has been undertaken. The
information provided by these equipments
will be utilized to develop mining
equipments. ROSUB has already been
developed and tested beyond 5000 m. A
Remotely Operable Subsea In-Situ Soil
Tester (ROSIS) has been developed and was
tested at a water depth of 5462 m in the
Central India Ocean Basin (CIOB).
LOW TEMPERATURE THERMAL

DESALINATION (LTTD) PLANTS
The desalination plant based on Low
Temperature
Thermal
Desalination
technology plant utilizing the temperature
difference between the sea surface water
and deep sea water with a capacity of
producing 1 lakh litre of fresh water was
successfully commissioned at Minicoy in
March 2011. The plant is continuously
producing fresh water and it is being
distributed to island community by the local
authorities. The plant performance, in
terms of various parameters, is being
monitored.
COASTAL OCEAN MONITORING

AND PREDICTION SYSTEMS
(COMAPS)
Monitoring the health of coastal seas is
highly essential to find suitability for
fisheries and other human related uses.
Data on 25 environmental parameters
including physical, chemical, biological and
microbiological characteristics of water and
Page 649
sediment at twenty locations are being

collected with the help of seven academic
and research institutions upto 5 km from
the coastline of the country.
Marine Living Resource Programe (MLRP)
Marine Living Resource Programme is
multy-disciplinary and Multy-institutional in
nature with focus on studying the marine
ecosystems and correIating the living
resources with their physical environment
with a view to develop predictive
capabilities.
OCEAN BIOGEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION SYSTEM, OR OBIS
The Ocean Biogeographic Information
System, or OBIS, is an international
information system focused on marine
biodiversity. It provides expert georeferenced data on marine species an as of
early 2011 contained more than 30 million
georeferenced, accurately identified
species records from more than 800
databases. OBIS provides spatial query tools
for visualizing relationships among species
and their environment. This information is
readily and freely accessible by the Internet
and requires no special software to use.
IndOBIS
&
CoML:
Indian
Ocean
Biogeographic Information System (IndOBIS
and Census of Marine Life (CoML) activities
were initiated. Under IndoBIS, a web
module has been developed for query and
display. Additional 1400 records were
added to the IndoBIS holdings. Voucher
specimens of IndoBIS are maintained at the
Referral Centre.
ESSO
participated
exhibitions:
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in
the-following

Page 649

1. International Exhibitions: 'INMEX
INDIA2011' at Mumbai, International
Conclave on 'Climate Change (ICCC-l) 2011'
at Hyderabad, 7th International Conference
on Asian Marine Geology (ICAMG-7), at 10,
Goa.
2. Indian Exhibitions: '9th Infra Educa 2011'
at Patna, Bihar, New Delhi and Agra,
'Science and Technology Expo- 2010' at
Dharmshala, HP in June 2011, 'Bharat
Utsav', at Hyderabad, '17th All India
National Science Exhibition' on the theme
of 'Evolution of India as a Great National in
the Twenty first Century' at Kolkata, 'India R
& D 2011' at New Delhi, 'MTNL Health Mela'
at New Delhi, Exhibition during Ministry's
foundation Day at Vigyan Bhawan, New
Delhi.
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION2012

Earth Day is the largest, most widely
celebrated international event. 'Earth Day'
was celebrated across the country on 22nd
April 2012 and the event was organized at
32 locations across the country including
schools, college and universities.
A biopesticide formulation, Bollcure which
is economically friendly and suitable for
both organic and IMP practices was
developed from eucalyptus and the
technology was transferred to two
industries. Central insecticide board has
approved the registration of "TERI-DBT
Bollcure" for commercialisation across
India.
An immune-chromatographic, rapid visual
test named "Crystal TB confirm" was
developed by scientists at University of
Delhi South campus for detection of
Page 650
tubercle bacilli in culture. This test confirms

NTM versus MTB and provides results
within twenty minutes. The kit has been
launched and is being manufactured by M/
s Span Diagnostics Ltd, Surat.
INDUSTRY SCHEMES
Small Business
Initiative (SBIRI)
Innovation
Research
Small Business Innovation Research

Initiative (SBIRI) is the pioneering
programme of the department that
supports R&D, process and product
development in industry. SBIRI has helped
many small and medium enterprises to
establish proof of concept and to work on
innovation R&D through phase-I funding
wherein industries are primarily supported
in the form of grants-in-aid.
BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME
(BIPP) AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY RESEARCH
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
(BIRAP)
BlRAP has initiated an electronic journal
consortium with the help of DELCON to
facilitate access to over 900 journals to the
scientific community and industry, BlRAP
also has mentoring programme for
supporting travel and other expenses of
experts to facilitate access to important
workshops, meetings and conference. The
Cabinet has given approval for setting up of
"Biotechnology
Industry
Research
Assistance Council (BIRAC)" under the BlPP
scheme to support high risk futuristic
technology and process development to
make India globally competitive in biotech
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Page 650
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innovation and entrepreneurship and to

create affordable products and services.
Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable

Development, Imphal
BIOTECHNOLOGICAL
APPROACHES FOR FOOD AND
NUTRITIONAL SECURITY
Rajiv Gandi Institute for Biotechnology
A major initiative was undertaken to

address rehabilitation of children suffering
from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)by
forming an alliance among Departments of
Health Research (DHR), Department of
Biotechnology (DBT) and Ministry of Health
and Family welfare. The major aim of the
SAM programme was to generate evidence
for development of practical and scalable
regimens to medically rehabilitate children
suffering from SAM without serious
complications at home/community level
and/ or at peripheral facilities and also to
develop indigenous products suitable for
rehabilitation of SAM children.
AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS
National Institute of Immunology (NII),

New Delhi
National Center for Cell Science (NCCS),
Pune
National Brain Research Centre (NBRC),
Manesar, Haryana
National Institute of Plant

Research, New Delhi (NIPGR)
Institute
of
Bhubaneshwar
Life
Sciences
Institute of
Regenerative
Bengaluru
stem cell
Medicine
Science and
(In
Stem),
Translational
Health
Science
and
Technology lnstitute (THSTI), Faridabad
National Institute of Biomedical genomics
(NIGMG), Kalyani, West Bengal
Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB),
Gurgaon
National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute
(NABI), Mohalli, Punjab
National Institute of Animal Biotechnology
(NIAB), a new autonomous institution of
DBT, is being established within the
campus of University of Hyderabad
National Institute of Immunology
Centre for DNA Fingerprinting

Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad
RGCB-HINDUSTAN Life Care Limited (HLL)

Joint technology development Incubator
for Diagnostics
and
Genome
(ILS),
BIO-CLUSTERS
The department has established a Biotech
Science cluster at the NCR region of Delhi.
The heads of four founding institutions
namely, the National Institute of
Immunology, the Regional Centre for
Biotechnology the Translational Health
Science and Technology Institute and the
National Institute for Plant Genome
Research signed a MoU to create a new
entity called the Cluster Board.
The Cluster Board is enabling mechanisms
by which these institutions, while
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maintaining their own autonomy can

address not only administrative issues but
also synergize their complementary
intellectual strengths and facilities to create
a seamless campus. This Cluster will
coordinate the development of the new
campus at Faridabad' Efforts are being
made to create this Cluster as a legal entity.
A "Centre for Molecular Medicine" has been
established at this Cluster. The Focus of this
Centre is on infectious diseases, cancer, cell
therapy and drug design.
multiple disciplines that would be an

autonomous body under statute of
parliament as an institution of international
importance and research. Anew 13 ill has
been introduced for the establishment of
an institution of national importance to be
known as the Regional Centre for
Biotechnology, Training and auspices of
UNESCO to undertake research in the field
of biotechnology and to provide for matters
connected therewith of incidentally
thereto.
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR

GENETIC ENGINEERING AND
BIOTECHNOLOGY, NEW DELHI
Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India

(BRAI) is proposed as an independent,
autonomous, statutory agency to be
established through the Act of Parliament
by the Government of India to safeguard
the health and safety of the people of India
and to protect the environment by
identifying biotechnology and managing
those risks through regulating the safe
development
and
deployment
of
biotechnology products and processes. The
Authority will be responsible for regulating
the
research,
transport,
import,
manufacture and use of organisms and
products in health care, agriculture,
veterinary and environment. The BRAl Bill
after cabinet approval has been sent to the
Lok Sabha for introduction.
Human DNA profiling bill has been

formulated by the department in
consultation with CDFD, Hyderabad, to
regulate of the use of DNA analysis of body
substance profiles; making provision for
establishment of DNA profiling board to lay
down standards for laboratories, collection
of body substances; to establish a National
and/or state DNA data bank/banks; to
create policies for use and access to
information from data bank, etc. and for
matters connected herewith or thereto. The
draft bill was circulated to the ministries
concerned and departments of the central
government to obtain their comments and
has been revised, whereas.
Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCE) Bill
is for an international nodal point for
biotechnological sciences at the interface of
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CHAPTER 23. TRANSPORT

CENTRAL ROAD FUND
The Central Government has created a
dedicated fund, called Central Road Fund
(CRF) for collection of cess on petrol and
high speed diesel Oil. Presently, Rs. 2/ - per
litre is collected as cess on petrol and High
Speed Diesel (HSD) Oil. The fund is
distributed
for
development
and
maintenance of National Highways, state
roads, rural roads and for railway over
bridges / under bridges and other safety
features as provided in Central Road Fund
Act, 2000.
NATIONAL MARITIME
DEVELOPMENT EROGRAMME
The National Maritime Development
Programme has been formulated envisaging
an investment of Rs. 1, 00,390 crore,
comprising 276 projects covering all major
ports
entailing
activities
like
construction/upgradation
of
berths,
deepening of channels, rail/ road
connectivity projects, etc. at a cost of Rs.
55,804 crore and 111 projects covering
tonnage acquisition, maritime training,
coastal shipping, aids to navigation,
shipbuilding and building up of IWT
infrastructure at a cost of Rs. 44,535 crore.
Ministry of Shipp ling has prepared a

Maritime agenda for the decade 2010-20 to
give a vision and road map for
comprehensive development of shipping.
The agenda envisages to create, build and
sustain the maritime infrastructural needs
of the country of the next decade. The
overall vision of the Ministry as per the
Maritime agenda aims towards navigating
and steering the Indian Maritime sector
realistically into the premier maritime
nations of the world. This ten year period
agenda of the Ministry of Shipping covers
the last two years of the 11th Five Year Plan,
the entire period of 12th Five Year Plan and
the first three years of the 13th Five Year
Plan. This document basically presents an
agenda in the Shipping sector for
consideration within overall objective to
increase efficiency of the delivery system
and overall pace of growth in the sector.
Indeed, this is a pathbreaking document
which will serve as road map for all ports
(major as well as non-major ports) and
shipping sector during the decade 20102020, which includes maritime sector
development by maritime states.
INDIAN MARITIME
UNIVERSITY
The objective is to upgrade and modernize

the infrastructure in India considering
global standards as the benchmark.
The Ministry of Shipping have set up an

Indian Maritime University (IMU) on 14.11.
2008 in Chennai with campuses at Chennai,
Kolkata, Mumbai and Visakhapatnam as a
Central University through IMU Act, 2008.
MARITIME AGENDA FOR THE

DECADE 2010-2020
Objective
To facilitate and promote maritime studies.
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To promote advanced
providing institutional
facilities.
knowledge by
and research
To take appropriate measure for promoting

innovations in the teaching learning process
in inter-disciplinary studies and research.
INLAND WATER TRANSPORT

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAl)
was set up in 1986 for regulation and
development of inland waterways for the
purpose of shipping and navigation. IWAI is
primarily responsible for development,
maintenance and regulation of national
waterways. Following five waterways have
so far been declared as national
waterways:Allahabad - Haldia stretch (1620km) of the
Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system
(NW-l) in 1986.
Sadiya - Dhubri stretch (891 km) of
Brahmaputra river (NW-2) in 1988.
Kottapuram-Kollam stretch of West Coast
Canal along with Champakara Canal and
Udyogmandal Canal (205 km) (I'Jw:3) in
1993.
Kakinada-Puducherry stretch of Canal and
Kalurelly Tank, stretches of river Godavari
and Krishna (1028 km) in 2008.
Talcher-Dhamra stretch of river Brahmani,
Geonkhali Charbatia stretch of East Coast
Canel, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai
river along with Mahanadi delta river
system (585Km.) in 2008.
In addition, declaration of Barak River-from
Lakhpur to Bhanga (121 km) as sixth
Page 654
National Waterway is under consideration

of the Government.
CRUISE SHIPPING
To promote the growth of Cruise Shipping,
an inter-Ministerial Steering Committee
with Secretary (Shipping) as Chairman has
been constituted in June, 2010 to address
the issues relating to development of cruise
shipping. The Steering Committee has
identified five ports, namely, Mumbai, Goa,
Chennai, Mangalore and Cochin for
development of Cruise tourism. In its
second meeting held on 6.6.2011, it has
been decided to:
Include Chairman Mangalore Port Trust as a
member of the Steering Committee on
cruise tourism.
Ministry of Tourism to consider imparting
training to the frontline officers coming in
direct contract with visitors under the
scheme 'capacity building for service
providers'.
The
respective
ports-to
communicate the requirement of such
training programmes.
Ministry of Tourism to initiate the joint
participation of high level delegation
consisting of representatives of Ministry of
Tourism, Ministry of Shipping, Chairman of
various ports in the sea trade in cruise
shipping convention to be held in
Singapore, Miami, Dubai and India.
SETHUSAMUDRAM SHIP
CHANNEL PROJECT
To ensure that vessels moving between
eastern and western coasts of India could
have a continuous navigable route within
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India's own territorial waters; the
implementation of Sethusamudram Ship
Channel Project envisaging cutting of a
channel to connect the Gulf of Mannar and
Bay of Bengal through Palk Strait and Palk
Bay is under way.
AIRPORT ECONOMIC
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
(AERA)
AERA was established on 12.05.2009 with
the prime objective to create a level playing
fie and foster healthy competition among
all major airports (Government owned,
Public
Partnership
based,
Private),
encourage investment in airport facilities,
regulate tariffs of aeronautical services,
protection of reasonable interest of users,
operate efficient, economic and viable
airports at notified airports. The AERA is in
the process of formulating approach,
philosophy in economic regulation of
airports and air navigation services for
regulation of tariff in consultation with
stakeholders.
CENTRAL WATER
COMMISSION
Page 655
The Central Water Commission (CWC) is a

premier technical organisation in the
country in the field of water resources since
1945. The Commission is entrusted with the
responsibilities of initiating, co-ordinating
and furthering schemes for control,
conservation and utilisation of water
resources throughout the country in
consultation with the State governments
concerned for purposes of flood control,
irrigation, drinking water supply and hydro
power development. CWC also undertakes
investigation, construction and execution of
any such schemes as required.
The implementation of the inter-basin
water transfer link schemes can be taken up
in a phased manner depending on the
priorities of the Government and availability
of funds.
The links namely (i) Ken-Betwa link; (ii)
Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal
link:
(iii)
Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijaywada)
link; (iv) Damanganga-Pinjallink; and (v) ParTapi-Narmada Link have been identified as
priority links for consensus building
amongst concerned States for taking up
preparation of Detailed Project Report
(DPR).
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CHAPTER 24. WELFARE

Welfare of Scheduled Castes
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989
BABU JAGJIVAN RAM

CHHATRAWAS YOJANA
The object of the Scheme is to provide
hostel facilities to SC boys and girls studying
in middle schools, higher secondary schools,
colleges and universities. The State
Governments/Union
Territory
Administrations and the Central and State
universities/ institutions are eligible for
Central assistance, both for fresh
construction of hostel buildings and for
expansion of the existing hostel facilities
while NGOs and deemed universities in the
private sector can avail the benefit only for
expansion of their existing hostel facilities.
In addition to the admissible Central
assistance under the Scheme, one-time
grant of Rs. 2500 per student would also be
provided for making provisions of a cot, a
table and a chair for each student.
DR. AMBEDKAR FOUNDATION

The main objective of the Foundation inter
alia include implementation of programmes
and activities for furthering the ideology
and message of Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao
Ramji Ambedkar among the masses in India
as well as abroad. The foundation has been
entrusted with the responsibility of
managing, administering and carrying on
the important and long-term schemes and
programmes
identified
during
the
Centenary Celebrations of Bharat Ratna Dr.

B.R. Ambedkar. The General Body is the
Supreme
Body
of
Dr.
Ambedkar
Foundation. It is headed by the Minister of
Social Justice and Empowerment. There are
11 ex-officio members representing various
disciplines of Education, Social Justice and
Empowerment from amongst the eminent
social workers, educationists, journalists
etc.
NATIONAL SCHEDULED
CASTES FINANCE AND
DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION
The National Scheduled Castes Finance and
Development Corporation (NSFDC) was set
up by the Government of India in February,
1989 under Section 25 of the Companies
Act, 1958. The broad objective of NSFDC is
to provide financial assistance in the form
of concessional loans to all the Scheduled
Castes families living below Double the
Poverty Line [presently Rs. 40,000 per
annum for rural areas and Rs. 55,000 per
annum for urban areas] for their economic
development,
uplift
and
economic
empowerment through the various
schemes.
WELFARE OF BACKWARD
CLASSES
National Commission for Backward
Classes: In pursuance of the Supreme Court
Judgement popularly known as the Mandal
Judgement
(1992),
the
National
Commission for Backward Classes was set
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up in 1993 as a permanent body for
entertaining, examining and advising the
Government on requests for inclusion and
complaints of over-inclusion and under
inclusion in the lists of Other Backward
Classes (OBCs) of citizens.
NATIONAL POLICY FOR

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
In 2001, the National Policy for
Empowerment of Women (NPRW) was
formulated as the blueprint for the future,
with the express goal of bringing about the
advancement,
development
and
empowerment of women. The NPEW laid
down detailed prescriptions to address
discrimination against women, strengthen
existing institutions which includes the legal
system, provide better access to health care
and other services, equal opportunities for
women's participation in decision- making,
and mainstreaming gender concerns in the
development process, to name a few.
RAJIV GANDHI SCHEME FOR

EMPOWERMENT OF
ADOLESCENT GIRLS (RGSEAG) - SABLA
A new Centrally Sponsored Scheme
introduced in the year 2010 on a plot basis
in 200 districts across the country. The
scheme focuses on all out-of-school
Adolescent Girls in the age group of 11 to
18 years under all ICDS projects in selected
200 districts. It also covers school going girls
in the same age group.
The scheme has two major componentsNutrition and Non- Nutrition Component.
Nutrition is provided in the form of Take
Page 657
Home Ration or Hot Cooked meal for 11-14

years out of school girls and 14-18 years all
AGs (out of school and in school girls). In
the Non-Nutrition Component, the out of
school Adolescent Girls 11-18 years are
being provided IFA supplementation, health
check-up and referral services, nutrition and
health education, counselling/ guidance on
family welfare, adolescent reproductive
sexual ealt (ARSH), child care practices and
life skill education, and accessing public
services. Under te scheme, 16-18 year old
AGs are also being given Vocational
Training.
It
also
aims
towards
mainstreaming out of school AGs into
formal/non-formal education. Anganwadi
Centre (AWC) in the village is the focal point
for implementation of the scheme SABLA.
INDIRA GANDHI MATRITVA

SAHYOG YOJANA (IGMSY) CMB SCHEME
A new Scheme for Pregnant and Lactating
women has been introduced by the
Government of India for implementation on
a pilot basis in 52 districts in 2010-11. It is a
Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme under
which cash incentive of Rs. 4000 in 3
installments is provided to pregnant women
of 19 years and above, for their first two
live births, between the second trimester of
pregnancy till the infant completes six
months of age, subject to fulfillment of
specific maternal and child health
conditions. The scheme aims to provide
part compensation for wage loss so that the
women are not under economic compulsion
to work upto the last days of pregnancy and
immediately after delivery.
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SUPPORT TO TRAINING AND

EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME
FOR WOMEN (STEP)
The STEP Scheme was launched as a Central
Sector Scheme in 1986-87. The scheme
aims to make a significant impact on
women by upgrading skills for employment
on a self- sustainable basis by mobilizing
women in viable groups, arranging for
marketing linkages, support services and
access to credit. The scheme covers 1.0
traditional sectors of employment i.e.,
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairying,
Fisheries, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Khadi
and Village Industries and Sericulture and
Waste Land Development and Social
Forestry for enhancing their productivity
and income generation. The objective of
the scheme is as follows:
1. Mobilizing women in small viable groups
and making facilities available through
training, access to credit and other
inputs;
2. Providng training for skill upgradation;
3. Enabling groups of women to take up
employment-cum-income
generation
programmes of their own or to access
wage employment.
4. Provide support services for improving
and employment conditions of women
and for access to health care, literacy,
and other information.
Women Emprowerment and Livelihood
Programme in Mid-Gangetic Plains "Priyadarshini:
The
Ministry
is
administering this IFAD assisted pilot
project in 13 blocks spread over four
districts viz, Shravasti, Bahraich, Rae Bareli,
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Amethi and Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh and

two districts viz, Madhubani and Sitamarthi
in Bihar. The Programme aims at holistic
empowerment (economic and social) of
vulnerable groups of women and
adolescent girls in the project area through
formation of women's Self Help Groups
(SHGs) and promotion of improved
livelihood opportunities.
SWADHAR
The Swadhar Scheme was launched by the
Ministry during the year 2001-2002 as a
Central Sector Scheme for providing holistic
and integrated services to women in
difficult circumstances such as destitute
widows, deserted by their families in
religious places like Vrindavan and Kashi,
women prisoners released from jails and
without family support, women survivors of
natural disasters who have been rendered
homeless and are without any social and
economic support, trafficked women/girls
rescued or runaway from brothels, women
victims of terrorist violence who are
without any family support and without any
economic means for survival, mentally
challenged women who are without any
support of family or relatives and women
with HIV / AIDS deserted by their family and
without social/economic support etc.
UJJAWALA
'Ujjawala' is a Comprehensive Scheme for
Prevention of trafficking, with five specific
components
Prevention,
Rescue,
Rehabilitation,
Reintegration
and
Repatriation of victims of Trafficking. It was
launched on 04th December, 2007,
comprises of five components:
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Prevention
Page 659
Directorate and a National Resource Centre

for Women (NRCW) have been set up which
are working towards achieving the objective
of convergence of multiple women centric
schemes and programmes for effective
implementation.
Rescue
Rehabilitation
Reintegration
Repatriation
NATIONAL MISSION FOR

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
Drawing strength from the constitutional
commitments, Government of India has
been engaged in continuous endeavours
towards ensuring all round well being,
development and empowerment of
women. Announced on 8th March 2010 on
International Women's Day, the National
Mission for Empowerment of Women
(NMEW) is the result of a strategic step
taken by Government of India towards
realisation of the dream of empowering the
women
of
the
country
through
convergence.
Conceived as an umbrella mission, NMEW
has the mandate to strengthen inter
sectoral convergence across various
Ministries and Departments to address
structural and institutional biases that
impact women. It has a mandate to forge
partnerships and inter sectoral convergence
between 14 major Ministries, Departments,
State & DT Governments with the Ministry
of Women and Child Development working
as the nodal ministry. The Mission
addresses cross-cutting issues affecting the
women of India, varying from education,
poverty alleviation, health, legal rights,
socio-economic empowerment and gender
mainstreaming of Policies, Programmes and
Institutional arrangements. The Mission
The Mission began a unique initiative in

2011-a new model of 'convergence centres'
for women, called 'Poorna Shakti Kendras'.
These are centres dedicated to helping
women access the benefits made available
to them through various government
programmes, in select districts of the
country. Still in its nascent stage, NMEW
has been making steady progress.
AWARD
Stree Shakti Puraskar: As a measure of
recogonition of achievements of individual
women in the field of social development,
the Government of India has instituted six
national awards known as 'Stree Shakti
Puraskar'. These awards will be in the name
of the following eminent women
personalities from Indian history, who are
famous for their personal courage and
integrity:
Devi Ahilya Bai FIolkar

Kannagi
Mata Jijabai
Rani Gaidenliou Zeliang
Rani Lakshmi Bai
Rani Rudramma Devi
The Award under category Rani Rudramma

Devi has been added from the year 2007
which is awarded to individual women for
their outstanding administrative skill,
leadership quality and courage.
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CRECHE SCHEME FOR THE
CHILDREN OF WORKING
MOTHERS
Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme
provides day care facilities to the children in
the age group of 0-6 years from families
with monthly income of less than Rs.
12,000-. In addition to being a safe space
for the children, the creches provide
services as supplementary nutrition, preschool education and emergency health
care, etc. The scheme is presently being
implemented through the Central Social
Welfare Board (CSWB), Indian Council for
Child Welfare (ICCW).
RAJIV GANDHI MANAV SEVA

AWARD
The Award was instituted in 1994 to honour
individuals
who
make
outstanding
contribution towards service for children.
The Award is given to three individuals who
have done outstanding work in the field of
child development, child welfare and child
Page 660
protection. The Award carries a cash prize

of Rs. 1.00 lakh, a silver plaque and citation.
The awards for the year 2010 were
presented by Hon'ble Minister of State
(Independent Charge) for Ministry of
Women and Child Development at Vigyan
Bhawan, New Delhi on 14th November,
2011.
BEIJING PLATFORM FOR

ACTION
The Fourth World Conference on Women,
held in Beijing in 1995 was a landmark
event that set the pace for women's
empowerment when a Declaration and
Platform for Action (BPFA) were adopted.
BPFA has identified 12 critical areas of
concern for women. India adopted both
without any reservations. The Committee
on Status of Women reviews progress made
by member countries in the critical areas.
The 56th session of CSW was held on 2729th February, 2012 and was attended by
representatives from MWCD.
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CHAPTER 25. YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY,
2003
The first National Youth Policy (NYP), 2003
recognizes training and employment, health
and family welfare and education as key
sectors of concern for the youth.
DRAFT NATIONAL YOUTH

POLICY (NYP) 2012:
The Draft NYP 2012 is first of its kind as it
recognizes that Youth is not a homogenous
group and has numerous differentials based
on habitat, environment, socio- economic
status of their families and their own life
styles. In addition, the Draft Policy proposes
to change the target age group from the
existing 13-35 years to 16-30 years.
The Draft Policy not only spells out the
objectives but also elaborates the details of
the policy interventions required and
identified partners responsible for achieving
the objectives. In a first, Youth
Development Index (YDI), that would serve
as the baseline and ready reckoner for
evaluators and policy makers, has also been
incorporated as a part of the policy.
Key Features of Draft NYP 2012
1. Draft NYP 2012 recognizes that youth is
not a homogenous group and there are
numerous differentials based on their
habitat, environment in which they live,
socio-economic status of the families
they belong to and their own life style.
2. The target groups identified are: (i)

Student Youth (ii) Migrant Youth (ill)
Rural Youth (iv) Tribal Youth (v) Youth At
Risk (vi) Youth in violent conflicts (vii)
out of school / dropouts (viii) groups
with social-moral stigma (ix) Youth in
Institutional Care. Young women, Youth
belonging to socially and economically
disadvantaged
communities/groups,
and differently abled youth form the
three priority groups among the target
age group.
3. The Draft NYP 2012 proposes to change
the target age group from the existing
13-35 years to 16-30 years. This change
is proposed mainly to realign the
definition of Youth with the prevailing
international definitions. The definition
of Youth as per UN is 15-24 years and as
per Commonwealth, it is 15-29 years.
4. The concerns of target groups and the
priority groups therein, shall be
addressed through a subsequent action
plan based on policy interventions
mentioned in the thrust areas of this
policy.
5. Draft NYP 2012 plans to divide broad
age bracket of 16-30 years into three
groups-the first sub-group will be 16-20
years covering mostly youth who
require educational facilities. The
second sub-group is 20-25 years who
require access to employable skills. The
third sub-group 25-30 who require
access to self employment and
enterprenuerial skills.
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6. The draft NYP 2012 aims at empowering
youth through skill development for
enhancing employability and providing
entrepreneurship opportunities through
convergence
with
other
Ministries/Departments.
7. The thrust areas are promotion of
National values, social harmony,
national unity, empowering youth
through employable skills, education,
health, sports and recreation, gender
justice, participation in community
service,
environment
and
local
governance.
8. The Draft NYP 2012 has monitorable
indicators
under
five
domains.
Accordingly, Youth Development Index
will include the indices viz. Youth Health
Index, Youth Education Index, Youth
Work Index, Youth Amenities Index,
Youth Participation Index.
9. The Draft NYP 2012 advocates
establishment of strong coordination
mechanism at the Centre and State
Levels.
10. The NYP 2012 proposes that Youth
Policy be reviewed after every National
Census.
NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME

(NSS)
National Service Scheme (NSS) is a centrally
sponsored scheme with the objective
develops character and personality of
student youth in schools and colleges.
National Service Scheme was launched
during the birth centenary celebration of
Page 662
Mahatma Gandhi in 1969 in 37 Universities

involving 40,000 students.

INSTITUTE OF YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT (RGNIYD)
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth
Development (RGNIYD) was established in
1993 as an autonomous organisation under
the Department of Youth Affairs as a society
under the Registration of Societies Act,
XXVII of 1975 S. No. 67 of 1993. It was
meant to be a National Think Tank for
training, higher education and research in
youth related studies. It was accorded the
status of deemed University by the Ministry
of HRD on 23rd October, 2008. This
Institute has launched five post graduate
programme
viz.
M.A.
In
Youth
Empowerment, M.A. in Career Counseling.
M.A. in Gender Studies, M.A. in Local
Governance and M.A. in Life Education.
Students from various states have joined
these courses.
NEHRU YUVA
KENDRASANGATHAN (NYKS)
The Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs) have been
established since 1972 with the objective of
providing rural youth avenues to take part
in the process of nation building and
opportunities for the development of their
personality and skills. NYKS has 623
Kendras, 28 zonal offices and over one lakh
village based youth clubs with enrollment of
about 08 million volunteers. The aim is to
form village level voluntary action groups of
youth at the grass root level so that they
come together with the concern for the
poorest of the poor.
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Page 663
NATIONAL YOUTH CORPS

(NYC)
At present, there are three major strategic

areas on which Commonwealth Youth
Programme is concentrating:
The Government has launched a new

Scheme "National Youth Corps" during the
financial year 2010-11 to tap the potential
of the youth and channeling their energy
towards nation building. This is in
pursuance of the President's Address to
both Houses of Parliament in June 2009 and
also the Prime Minister's announcement in
October 2009 for Jammu & Kashmir. The
Scheme, called "National Youth Corps"
(NYC) has been launched, amalgamating the
existing two volunteer schemes namely
National Service Volunteer (NSV) and
Rashtriya Sadbhawana Yojana (RSY). The
objective is to set up a group of disciplined
and dedicated youth who have the
inclination and spirit to engage in the task
of nation building who will facilitate the
realization of inclusive growth (both social
and economic) act as points for
dissemination of information, basic
knowledge in the community and act as
group modulators and peer group
educators.
National Youth Policy;
COMMONWEALTH YOUTH
PROGRAMMES (CYP)
This programme came into being in 1974
with the overall purpose of promoting the
development
of
youth
in
the
Commonwealth Countries. This programme
encourages and supports the youth in the
process of national development and
provides opportunities for increasing
international understanding.
Human Resource Development, and

Youth Empowerment.
PANCHAYAT YUVA KRIDA AUR

KHEL ABHIYAN (PYKKA)
With the objective of broad-basing sports,
the Government has in March 2008
approved the introduction of a centrally
sponsored scheme titled Panchayat Yuva
Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA), which aims
at providing basic sports infrastructure at
the panchayat level over a period of 10
years through concerted efforts of all
stakeholders,
particularly
the
state
governments, panchayats, educational
institutes, sports promotion bodies and
youth clubs. All the 2,50,000 village and
block panchayats and equivalent units will
be covered during this period. Apart from
contributing to publish health, social
inclusiveness, the promotion of indigenous
games, and the expansion of the talent pool
through the identification and nurturing of
rural sports talent, PYKKA is also expected
to stumulate the economic activities within
the sports sector, as it would lead to an
exponential growth in the demand for
sports
instructors,
coaches,
sports
equipment and consumable and sports
events and related support services.
NATIONAL SPORTS
DEVELOPMENT FUND (NSDF)
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This was instituted by the Central
Government with a view to mobilizeresources from the Government as well as
non-governmental sources, including the
private/ corporate sector and non-resident
Indians, for promotion of sports and games
in the country. In order to make
contributions to the Fund, attractive 100%
exemption from income tax is available on
all contributions.
Page 664
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime

Achievement in Sports and games instituted
in the year 2002. This award is given to
honour those sportspersons who have
contributed to sports by their performance
and continue to contribute to promotion of
sports even after their retirement from
active sporting career. The awardee is given
a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress
and a cash award of ~ 5.00 lakhs. Not more
than three awards are given every year.
RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA

AWARD
DRONACHARYA AWARD
The scheme was launched in the year 199192 with the objective of honouring
sportspersons to enhance their general
status and to give them greater dignity and
place of honour in society. Under this
scheme an amount of Rs. 7.5 lakhs is given
as award for the most spectacular and
outstanding performance by a sportsperson
in the preceeding year.
Was instituted in 1985 to honour eminent

Coaches who have successfully trained
sportspersons or teams and enabled them
to achieve outstanding results in
international competitions. The awardee is
given a statuette of Guru Dronacharya, a
certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash
prize of Rs. 5.00 lakhs. Not more than 5
awards are given every year.
ARJUNA AWARDS
MAULANA ABUL KALAM AZAD

(MAKA) TROPHY
Was instituted in 1961. To be eligible for

the Award, a sports person should have had
not only good performance consistently for
the previous three years at the
international level, with excellence for the
year for which the Award is recommended
but should have also shown qualities of
leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of
discipline. The awardee is given a statuette,
a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash
award of Rs. 5 lakhs. Not more than 15
awards are given every year.
DHYAN CHAND AWARD FOR

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS IN
SPORTS AND GAMES
Was instituted in 195 - 57. The top overall

performing university in the Inter-University
Tournaments is given the Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy, which is a
rolling-trophy. A small replica of the MAKA
Trophy is also awarded for retention by the
University. In addition, the University also
gets a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs. The second
and third best universities also receive cash
awards amounting to Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 3
lakh respectively.
RASHTRIYA KHEL PROTSAHAN

PURUSKAR
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With a view to recognize the contribution
made to sports development by entities
other than sportspersons and coaches,
Government has instituted a new award
entitled Rashtriya Khel Protsahan, Puruskar
from the year 2009, which has four
categories, namely, community sports
development,
promotion
of
sports
Page 665
academies of excellence, support to elite

sportspersons
and
employment
to
sportspersons. The awards consist of a
citation and a trophy in each of the above
mentioned categories. There is no cash
award.
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Page 666
UNIT - 3
Economic Survey 2012-13
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Page 667
CHAPTER- 1 STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND

PROSPECTS
Following the slowdown induced by the
global financial crisis in 2008-09, the Indian
economy responded strongly to fiscal and
monetary stimulus and achieved a growth
rate of 8.6 per cent and 9.3 per cent
respectively in 2009-10 and 2010-11 (Table
1.1). However, with the economy exhibiting
inflationary tendencies, the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) started raising policy rates in
March 2010. High rates as well as policy
constraints adversely impacted investment,
and in the subsequent two years viz. 201112 and 2012-13, the growth rate slowed to
6.2 per cent and 5.0 per cent respectively.
Nevertheless, despite this slowdown, the
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for
gross domestic product (GDP) at factor cost,
over the decade ending 2012-13 is 7.9 per
cent.
The moderation in growth is primarily
attributable to weakness in industry
(comprising the mining and quarrying,
manufacturing, electricity, gas and water
supply, and construction sectors), which
registered a growth rate of only 3.5 per cent
and 3.1 per cent in 2011-12 and 2012-13
respectively. The rate of growth of the
manufacturing sector was even lower at 2.7
per cent and 1.9 per cent for these two
years respectively. Growth in agriculture
has also been weak in 2012-13, following
lower-than-normal rainfall, especially in the
initial phases.
Why has the economy slowed down so
rapidly despite recovering strongly from the
global financial crisis? A number of factors
are responsible. First, the boost to demand
given by monetary and fiscal stimulus
following the crisis was large. Final

consumption grew at an average of over 8
per cent annually between 2009-10 and
2011-12. The result was strong inflation and
a powerful monetary response that also
slowed consumption demand. Second,
starting in 2011-12, corporate and
infrastructure investment started slowing
both as a result of investment bottlenecks
as well as the tighter monetary policy.
Thirdly, even as the economy slowed, it was
hit by two additional shocks: a slowing
global economy, weighed down by the crisis
in the Euro area and uncertainties about
fiscal policy in the United States, and a
weak monsoon, at least in its initial phase.
GDP at factor cost is GDP at market prices
less indirect taxes plus subsidies. Part of the
reason for the differences in growth at
factor costs and at market prices lies in the
fact that the growth of indirect taxes tends
to fall in a slowdown while the expenditure
on subsidies often increases. This reduces
the growth of net indirect taxes, which is
the difference between the two items, in a
slowdown.
Part of the reason for the general slowdown
in consumption could be that higher
inflation tends to reduce real disposable
incomes of households. Growth of durable
goods consumption (under the assumption
that growth of consumption for these items
would not be significantly different from
the growth in production) may have slowed
even further recently, because high interest
rates and resulting high monthly
instalments restrained purchases. At the
same time, the seasonally adjusted
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Page 667

consumer non-durable index of industrial
production (IIP), which is typically a
smoother series than durable goods
production, has been picking up since
August 2012.
The growth rate of the economy since
2003-04 has been strongly correlated with
investment rate. The investment rate
averaged 34.5 per cent between 2003-04
and 2011-12, much higher rate than before.
Private sector is the major source of
investment in the country. Within the
private sector there are two categories of
investors, viz. the private corporate sector
and household sector.
The share of public investment in total
investment (excluding valuables) has
remained fairly stable at around 24 per cent
for all the years, except in 2008-09 and
2009-10 when it was 27.6 per cent and 26.5
per cent respectively. The increase in these
years could be attributed to the fiscal
stimulus provided by the government in
order to overcome the slowdown in the
economy in 2008-09 following the global
slowdown.
Gross capital formation (investment)
35.0
Public sector
Page 668
the increase in policy rates. Another reason

for lower private investment could be lower
demand for Indian exports from the rest of
the world.
Growth in net exports can be an important
source of demand. Unfortunately for India,
net exports growth has been low because
of global weakness.
The net invisibles balance (in which net
service exports and remittances are
prominent) usually offsets the trade deficit.
However, it also declined in dollar terms in
H1 of 2012-13.
Current Account Balance
Items
2011-12
H1 2012-13
H1
(April
- (April
September
September
2011)
2012)
US$ billion
Exports
158.2
146.5
Imports
247.7
237.2
Trade
deficit
89.5
90.7
Net
invisibles
53.1
51.7
CAD
36.4
39.0
7.9
Private sector
24.9
Corporate sector
10.6
Memo items as per cent of GDP
Household sector
14.3
The reduction in private investment could
be attributed to a number of factors. First is
Trade
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9.9
10.8

Page 668
the rural areas. The rising demand for gold

is only a "symptom" of more fundamental
problems in the economy. Curbing inflation,
expanding financial inclusion, offering new
products such as inflation indexed bonds,
and improving saver access to financial
products are all of paramount importance.
deficit
Net
invisibles
5.9
6.2
CAD
4.0
4.6
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The fiscal deficit of the centre widened to

5.7 per cent of GDP in 2011-12.
The Gold Rush
1. Demand for gold has been rising
worldwide: The global financial crisis,
turned debt crisis, has seen a steep rise in
commodity prices, especially gold. This,
now in hindsight, rather unsurprising fact,
has mostly been driven by the meteorically
increasing demand for safe havens to park
the world's savings. Global gold prices, as
denominated in US$, have doubled since
2008, and increased three times as
denominated in Indian rupees.
2. Gold imports are positively correlated
with inflation: High inflation reduces the
return on other financial instruments. This
is reflected in the negative correlation
between rising imports and falling real
rates.
3. Reduce Gold Purchases to curb CAD:
Given soaring energy and transportation
needs, since there seems to be little we can
do to temper oil imports, gold is the
component that needs to be contained to
bring the CAD back to a comfort zone.
4. The longer term way to address the rising
demand for gold: The overarching motive
underlying the gold rush is high inflation
and the lack of financial instruments
available to the average citizen, especially in
Fiscal Consolidation
Government appointed a committee
headed by Dr Vijay Kelkar to chalk out a
roadmap for fiscal consolidation.
Following its recommendations, the
government unveiled a revised fiscal
consolidation roadmap in October 2012. It
targeted a fiscal deficit of 4.8 per cent of
GDP for 2013-14 and through a correction
of 0.6 percentage point each year
thereafter, a fiscal deficit of 3.0 per cent of
GDP
in
2016-17. Controlling
the
expenditure on subsidies will be crucial.
Domestic prices of petroleum products,
particularly diesel and liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) need to be raised in line with the
prices prevailing in international markets.
The number of subsidized gas cylinders has
also been capped at nine. Efforts will also
have to be made to contain subsidies
through better targeting limit other
expenditures, and raise revenues over time
so as to take the revenue to GDP ratio to
2007-08 levels. The disinvestment process
has also been speeded up.
Gross tax revenue was budgeted at 10,
77,612 crore for 2012-13. As a proportion of
BE, gross tax revenue in April-December
2012 was 63.2 per cent, lower than the last
five-years' average of 69.0 per cent.
It is better to achive fiscal consolidation
partly through a higher tax-GDP ratio than
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Page 669

merely through reduction in the
expenditure to GDP ratio, in view of large
unmet development needs.
Savings
Savings come from three sources, viz.
households, the private corporate sector,
and the public sector. On average,
households accounted for nearly threefourths of gross domestic savings during the
period 1980-81 to 2011-12.
Within households, the share of financial
savings vis--vis physical savings has been
declining in recent years. Financial savings
take the form of bank deposits, life
insurance funds, pension and provident
funds, shares and debentures, etc. Financial
savings accounted for around 55 per cent of
total household savings during the 1990s.
Their share declined to 47 per cent in the
2000-10 decade and it was 36 per cent in
2011-12.
The share of public savings in total savings
progressively declined from over 20 per
cent in the 1980s to 7.3 per cent in the
1990s and further to 3.3 per cent in the
2000s.
Household savings will also have to be
raised. The financial savings of the
household sector are likely to improve with
lower inflation, especially as the real rate of
return on financial savings rises.
Inflation
From the government's perspective, a
major contribution to the fight against
inflation will be to reduce the fiscal impetus
to demand. Also a focus on incentivizing
food production through measures other
than price supports, while facilitating
Page 670
storage and distribution, can help contain

food inflation, which is hard for the RBI to
control. Policy on price and procurement
supports should be calibrated so as to not
encourage more production of crops that
are already abundantly supplied. Other
measures to increase investment more
broadly, and therefore supply, can also help
over the medium term.
Foreign Exchange Reserve
In the current fiscal, foreign exchange
reserves have fluctuated between US$
286.0 billion and US$ 295.6 billion.
External Debt
India's external debt stock stood at US$
365.3 billion at end-September 2012,
recording an increase of about US$ 20.0
billion.
The strong post-financial-crisis fiscal and
monetary stimulus in India led to
spectacular growth in the immediate
aftermath of the crisis. But with corporate
and infrastructural investment not keeping
pace, and food production constrained, the
boost to consumption eventually led to
higher inflation. And falling savings, partly
as a result of government spending and
partly as a result of high inflation, have led
to a widening CAD. Monetary policy has
been tightened, even as global headwinds
to growth have increased. India has been
caught in a vicious circle of falling growth
and stimulus withdrawal that could well
exacerbate the decline. Of some concern is
India's increased dependence on foreign
borrowing even as growth has slowed.
NPA
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Because of the slowdown and high levels of
leverage, some industry and infrastructure
sectors are experiencing an increase in nonperforming assets (NPAs).
Some of the reasons for the increase in
NPAs are technical (a switch to systembased identification by public-sector banks),
but stress also stems from slow growth and
project delays. A revival of growth will help
contain NPAs, but going forward, more
attention will have to be paid to whether
projects are adequately capitalized up front
given the risks, and to whether distress
resolution systems work effectively in
recapitalizing distressed assets and putting
them back to work, while excising
ineffective promoters from management
and imposing losses on those who
contracted to take the risk.
The way out, and the hope for starting a
virtuous circle, lies in shifting national
spending from consumption to investment,
removing the bottlenecks to investment,
growth, and job creation, in part through
structural reforms, combating inflation both
through
monetary
and
supply-side
measures, reducing the costs for borrowers
of raising financing, and increasing the
opportunities for savers to get strong real
investment returns.
In practical terms for government policy,
this translates into containing the fiscal
deficit especially by shrinking wasteful and
distortionary subsidies. It means working on
reducing the impediments to investment
such as delays in getting permissions,
clarifying difficult and non-transparent
processes for land acquisition, and
increasing access to good infrastructure
such as power and roads. It warrants
reworking the regulatory and incentive
Page 671
structure that keeps small businesses tiny

and prevents them from creating good
productive jobs. It calls for reducing the
barriers to entry in various areas of business
and allowing FDI, even while ensuring
domestic companies are not disadvantaged.
It entails providing the incentives and
means for the farmer to increase
production, even while improving the
management and the logistics of food
procurement and distribution. And it
necessitates continuing financial sector
reform to increase the entry of new
institutions, reduce transactions costs for
investors, increase access for borrowers
and savers to one another, and improve the
quality of regulation.
The government has already taken some
important steps in this direction, some of
which we have already alluded to. In
addition,
two
helpful
potential
developments are in sight, one on the
revenue side and the other on the
expenditure side. The goods and services
tax (GST), if approved, would replace a
number of state and central taxes, make
India more of a national integrated market,
and bring more producers into the tax net.
By improving efficiency as well as revenues,
it can add substantially to growth as well as
helping government finances. On the
expenditure side, the direct benefit transfer
scheme that will allow the transfer of
government benefits directly to targeted
recipient bank accounts can help reduce
transactions costs, prevent duplication,
leakage, and fraud, and improve choices for
the poor.
The government has also taken a number of
steps to revive investment and growth.
These comprise setting up the CCI headed
by the Prime Minister to fast-track mega
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Page 671

projects of over ` 1,000 crore; a scheme for
restructuring the debts of state power
distribution companies, which includes
incentives for them to charge reasonable
tariffs so that they do not get over-indebted
again; movement towards a land acquisition
bill that will clarify and make the process of
land acquisition fairer; permitting FDI in a
number of areas including multibrand retail,
power exchanges, and civil aviation;
increasing investment in irrigation, storage
and cold storage networks; and undertaking
programmes to improve the production of
protein foods.
Steps have also been taken on financialsector reform. The Banking Laws
(Amendment) Act 2012 strengthens the
regulatory powers of the RBI and paves the
way for grant of new bank licences by the
RBI. The Financial Sector Legislative
Reforms Commission is examining the laws
governing the financial sector with a remit
to suggest ways of modernizing them.
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD MANAGEMENT
India does not fare well, however, in terms
of agricultural yields or productivity.
Improvement in yields holds the key for
India to remain self-sufficient in foodgrains.
Another challenge is how to maximize
agricultural income while adopting a more
sustainable agricultural strategy. The
concerns here are land and water
degradation due to soil erosion, soil salinity,
waterlogging, excessive application of
nutrients, and overexploitation of water
resources in some parts of the country.
Better
management
practices
for
rehabilitation of degraded land and water
resources hold the key. Expenditure on
agricultural research also needs to be raised
in the Twelfth Five Year Plan.
Page 672
Another critical issue is supply-chain

management in agricultural marketing in
India. It is necessary to evolve mechanisms
for linking wholesale processing, logistics,
and retailing with farm-production activities
so as to generate enhanced efficiency,
better farm prices, etc. Recently the
government allowed FDI in retail, which can
pave the way for investment in new
technology and marketing of agricultural
produce in India.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Expenditure on social services by the
general government (centre and states
combined) has increased in recent years
reflecting the higher priority given to this
sector. Expenditure on social services
increased considerably in the Twelfth Plan,
with the education sector accounting for
the largest share, followed by health. As a
proportion of GDP, expenditure on social
services increased from 5.9 per cent in
2007-08 to 6.8 per cent in 2010-11 and
further to 7.1 per cent in 2012-13(BE).
In the last few years public expenditure on
social programmes increased dramatically.
In the Eleventh Plan period nearly Rs. 7 lakh
crore has been spent on the 15 major
flagship programmes.
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
CLIMATE CHANGE
AND
Though multilateral efforts on sustainable

development and climate change have led
to several positive outcomes, there are still
areas of concern where further work is
needed to safeguard the interests of
developing countries. The key question to
be addressed is equity in the evolving
arrangements. It has to be ensured that
domestic goals continue to be nationally
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Page 672

determined even as we contribute to the
global efforts according to the principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities
(CBDR). More importantly, equity, fair
burden sharing, and equitable access to
global atmospheric resources have to be
protected and addressed more adequately.
Page 673
enablers of growth be it infrastructure,

the transportation sector, housing, or
sustainable agriculture grow sustainably.
With the Twelfth Plan's focus on

'environmental sustainability', India is on
the right track. However, the challenge for
India is to make the key drivers and
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Page 673
Page 674
CHAPTER2 STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND

PROSPECTS
Growth optimists are confident in India's
demographic dividend--the fact that India's
dependency ratio, as measured by the
share of the young and the elderly as a
fraction of the population, will come down
more sharply in the coming decades (see
Figure 2.1). More working age people will
mean more workers, especially in the
productive age groups, more incomes, more
savings, more capital per worker, and more
growth. Also, because demographic change
is associated with fertility declines, the
transition period may be accompanied by
greater female participation in the labour
force (Bailey, 2006).
Growth optimists point to another reason
for cheer. Cross-country evidence suggests
that productivity is an increasing function of
age, with the age group 40-49 being the
most productive because of work
experience (Feyrer 2007). Nearly half the
additions to the Indian labour force over
the period 2011-30 will be in the age group
30-49, even while the share of this group in
China, Korea, and the United States will be
declining. That India will be expanding its
most productive cohorts even while most
developed countries and some developing
countries like China will be contracting
theirs in the coming decades can be
another source of advantage.
Growth pessimists are not convinced. A
larger workforce translates into more
workers only if there are productive jobs for
it. Will there be enough productive jobs?
One way to make progress in answering this
question
is
to
understand
the
commonalities as well as the differences
between
India's growth path and that of other
populous fast-growing Asian economies. By
comparing where India is today, with where
those countries were at similar stages in
their development, as well as by looking at
what they did next, we might get a better
perspective on what India might need to do.
Of course, any such analysis has to be
accompanied by two important caveats.
First, countries differ and do not necessarily
follow similar trajectories. Second, the
global environment has changed. The
opportunities India faces now are different
from those that previous fast growers faced
when they were at a similar stage of
development. Blindly replicating their
trajectory may be unwise.
The increase in the fraction of people
working is probably not the main
consequence of the demographic dividend.
Instead, the effects of the demographic
dividend are channelled through the
increase in labour productivity, which
comes from more physical capital employed
per worker (in turn resulting from greater
saving and investment), more human
capital per worker (which comes from more
education as smaller families lead to greater
spending on education per child), and
greater total factor productivity (TFP). TFP
measures how productive the job
intrinsically is, capturing aspects such as the
technology used, efficiency with which the
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Page 674

work is carried out, and use of hard-tomeasure aspects of work such as tacit
knowledge, organizational capabilities, and
trust.
It is therefore useful to see how much each
of these factors contributed to labour
productivity. As Figure 2.6 suggests, better
human capital accounts for only a small part
of the growth in labour productivity for
Asian fast growers. Instead, the two biggest
contributors are the growth in capital
deployed per worker and growth in TFP.
WHY IS BUSINESS NOT CREATING MORE
PRODUCTIVE JOBS?
In India, too many small firms stay small
and unproductive and are not allowed to
die gracefully. Too many large profitable
firms prefer relying on temporary contract
labour and machines than on training
workers for longer-term jobs.
Impediments to the
growth of business
emergence
building/occupancy permits and utility

connections. These require separate visits
to various authorities whose employees
often inspect the site. It takes as long as 1.5
months to obtain an electricity connection
in 7 out of the 17 benchmarked Indian
cities. Many processes especially at state
level remain complex, forcing companies to
hire a consultant, thereby adding to the
costs.
The MSME ecosystem needs an easier
process of exit, where the claims of workers
and financiers are quickly resolved and the
assets of the failed firm put to better use.
SCHEME
DESCRIPTION
National
Manufact.
Competitiveness
Programme
and
Too many firms in India stay small,

unregistered,
unincorporated,
largely
informal, or in the unorganized sector
because they can avoid regulations and
taxes. These firms have little incentive to
invest in upgrading skills of largely
temporary workers or in investing in capital
equipment that could bring them into the
tax net, so their productivity stays low. Low
productivity gives them little incentive to
grow, completing the vicious circle.
The regulatory environment plays an
important role in the lifecycle--birth,
growth, and deathof MSMEs.
After getting done with the initial
procedures, entrepreneurs have to obtain a
number of clearances when applying for
Page 675
Government
Purchase
And
Price Preference
Policy for MSEs
Credit
Linked
Capital
Subsidy
Scheme
for
Technology
Upgrade
Credit Guarantee
Fund Scheme for
www.jagranjosh.com
Assistance
aimed
at
improving
processes,
designs,
technology
358
items
reserved
for
exclusive
purchase from
MSEs. 20% of
annual value of
goods
and
services
purchased to
be
procured
from MSEs.
15%
capital
subsidy
for
Tech. Upgrade
on term loan
from approved
inst.
Credit
guarantee
for

Page 675

MSE
MSE-Cluster
Development
Programme
Quality
Upgradation
in
MSEs Incentives
for Certification
Micro
Finance
Programme
collateral free
loan for loans
upto Rs. 1 Cr.
Training, tech,
etc.: grant of
75% of project
cost
Tangible assets
and
infrastructure:
grant of 80% of
project cost
Reimburse 75%
of
ISO
certification
expenses (max.
Rs. 75K one
time)
SLDBI
supporting
NGOs/Micro
Finance
institution
in
providing loans
Getting funding
Banks and other financial institutions are
wary of lending to MSMEs because they
lack adequate credit histories or collateral.
A cluster-centric approach is one way of
addressing this because it reduces
transactions costs for the lender, while
repeated interactions for a lender with
cluster members increases the scope for
building trust.
Angel investors, venture capital funds, and
impact investors are still at a nascent stage
and small compared to global peers.
Getting access to quality infrastructure
The absence of quality infrastructure
roads, utilities, real estate, logistics
Page 676
increases
transaction
costs
disproportionately for MSMEs which
typically
cannot
create
customized
alternatives such as access roads and
captive power plants which larger firms can.
Lack of this supporting infrastructure causes
greater cash burn and distraction of
management
from
core
business
operations.
The DMIC: An Integrated Approach to
Industrial Growth and Development*
The DMIC is being developed by the
Government of India with a view to using
the high-capacity western Dedicated Freight
Corridor as a backbone for creating a global
manufacturing and investment destination.
The project seeks to develop a series of
futuristic infrastructure-endowed smart
industrial cities that can compete with the
best international manufacturing and
industrial regions. The master plan has a
vision for 24 manufacturing cities.
Possible socio-economic impact: The DMIC
Project Influence Area of 436,486 sq. km is
about 13.8 per cent of Indias geographical
area. It extends over seven states and two
union territories, viz. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh,
Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Daman and Diu, and
Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Around 17 per cent
of the countrys total population will be
affected. The project goals are to double
employment potential in 7 years, triple
industrial output in 9 years, quadruple
exports from the region in 8-9 years, and
target 13-14 per cent growth per annum for
the manufacturing sector on a sustained
basis over next three years.
Urban governance: The innovative urban
governance framework corporatizes the
urbanization
process.
The
central
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Page 676

government will create a corpus fund, the
DMIC Project Implementation Revolving
Fund, as a trust administered by a board of
trustees. The fund will contribute debt and
equity to the special purpose vehicles
(SPVs) on a case-by-case basis. The state
government will make land available. The
city SPVs will be vested with the
responsibilities
of
planning
and
development and the power to levy user
fees.
Financing: The basic provision of trunk
infrastructure is unlikely to be commercially
viable. This would require government
funding. Such internal infrastructure
projects include land improvement, road
works, earthworks, sewerage, storm water
drainage, flood management, and solid
waste
management.
Once
such
infrastructure is in place, the subsequent
additions to the cities will be commercially
viable and can be implemented through
public private partnerships (PPPs).
Physical infrastructure: At the heart of the
infrastructure is the Multi-modal High Axle
Load Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), a
high-capacity railway system. It will cover
1483 km and will have nine junction
stations along which other railroad
networks will connect allowing the system
to extend its reach across a wide swathe.
Industrial infrastructure: The project seeks
to upgrade existing industrial clusters and
also develop new industrial facilities. These
will be developed on the concept of nodebased development based on Investment
Regions (IRs) and Industrial Areas (IAs).
Skill development: The skill-building
strategy underlying the DMIC is based on a
hub-and-spoke model. There will be one
Skill Development Centre in every state
Page 677
with subsidiary institutions linked to it.

Curricula will be based on the types of
industries located in the region and
identified regional strengths.
Labour Practices as Possible Impediments
to Growth
Thus far we have not examined labour
practices directly. India has a number of
labour practices that, economists have
argued, further impede the creation of
productive jobs in the large-scale organized
sector. There exists considerable variation
in hiring practices across firms of different
sizes in India.
The Nuts and Bolts of Improving Business
Climate for Small Businesses*
There are several regulatory changes that
can be made to improve the business
climate for MSMEs.
Formulate a common policy on business
development and regulation:
Help business facilitation: Establish
independent facilitation and coordination
agencies as PPP service companies with
mandate from the state government,
staffed with specialists and responsible for
getting work done through various
departments for starting up and running of
businesses.
Simplify registrations for starting up:
Ease burden of compliance as the firm
grows: Enable compliance ratings of MSMEs
(through ISO-like common standards) and
allow easier compliance norms to firms with
higher ratings.
Allow for easy exits:
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Transform employment exchanges
enable effective job matching:
to
Improve value/benefits from statutory

pre-emptions: Currently for low wage
workers in formal employment, the
plethora of statutory pre-emptions,
especially for provident fund and health
insurance, can lead to very low net salary
and act as disincentive to formal
employment. The value and benefits
received from these pre-emptions can be
improved by encouraging competition
between different pension and health
schemes.
Page 678
and from workers or firms voluntarily

opting out of formal employment. The
exclusion view of informality emphasizes
the dual nature of labour markets, in which
a highly productive formal sector coexists
with a subsistence informal sector, which
absorbs excess labour. Constraints to the
expansion of the formal sector (such as
insufficient capital accumulation and
natural resources as in the Lewis [1954]
model, or overly burdensome costs of
registering as in De Soto [1989] lead to
persistent informal employment.
Informality of Employment in India:

Stylized Facts and Policy Implications*
According to the voluntary view, firms and

workers decide on whether to become
formal by comparing the perceived costs of
being formal with its perceived benefits. In
this setting, labour institutions, taxation,
and regulations primarily explain the
prevalence of informal employment, by
effectively increasing the costs of formality.
At a cross-country level, countries with
more burdensome entry regulations have
larger informal sectors (Djankov et al.
2002). Indias labour laws may also lead
firms to resort to informal arrangements,
rely more on capital instead of labour, or
limit their scale in order to remain outside
of the formal sector altogether (see Box 2.4
on labour regulations in India).
Extent of Informality
Consequences of Informality
Despite impressive economic growth over

the past 20 years, the vast majority of
Indian workers continue to toil in informal
employment. Roughly 85 per cent of the
workforce is engaged in the informal
sector.1
Indias high rate of informality is a drag on

its economic development and a source of
considerable
inequity.
Productivity
differences between workers in the formal
and informal sectors are large (Figure 5,
Panel A), suggesting that moving a worker
from an informal to a formal firm would
bring about sizeable gains from improved
allocation of resources.
Reduce attractiveness of staying small:

Indias labour regulations have been
criticized on many grounds including sheer
size and scope , their complexity, and
inconsistencies across regulations. There
are 45 different national- and state-level
labour legislations in India (Panagariya
2008). The labour laws apply only to the
organized sector. As the size of a factory
grows, it increasingly becomes subject to
more legislation. A few specific pieces of
the legislation are particularly constraining.
Causes of Informality
Informal employment results both from
workers being excluded from formal jobs
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estimates suggest that an informal job in
the formal sector has double the value
added than an informal job in the informal
sector. And importantly, the value added
per worker in a formal job within the formal
sector is almost ten times that in an
informal job in the formal sector (Figure 5,
Panel B). Therefore, loosely speaking, the
benefits of moving into contracts within the
formal sector are likely to be substantial
and significantly higher than the gains from
moving an informal-sector worker into an
informal job within the formal sector.4
Besides earning less, informal workers are
also more vulnerable to violations of basic
human rights such as reasonable working
conditions and safety at work. With little
job security and limited access to safety
nets, most of the informally employed
remain extremely vulnerable to shocks such
as illnesses and loss of income. Not
surprisingly, a strong correlation exists
between informality and poverty in India
(NCEUS 2009).
From the point of view of firms, informal
work arrangements bring benefits: lower
price and greater flexibility in adjusting the
quantity of labour in response to fluctuating
demand. Yet, these benefits are partly
offset by costs, such as low worker loyalty
and inadequate incentive to invest in
worker skill building. Moreover, any net
benefits need to be weighed against the
social costs to the workers and the
economy as a whole.
Finally, persistently high levels of
informality come at a significant fiscal cost
in terms of forgone fiscal revenue
Formal Apprenticeships: An Idea Whose
Time Has Come*
Page 679
Why is Apprenticeship important?

Equipping the labor force with productive
skills lies at the heart of tapping the
demographic dividend. Apprenticeships are
an effective way of ensuring that entry-level
workers have the skills required to join the
formal workforce by learning on the job
and even earning while learning. It has
been amongst the oldest social institutions
in India. However, it needs to be formalized
and scaled up.
In the current environment, Indias
educational system is overburdened by
sheer demand for quality education.
According to Team Lease (2012), 80 per
cent of Indias higher education system of
2030 is yet to be built and is grappling with
the threefold problem of cost, quality, and
scale. This is compounded by the inability of
much of the current education system to
produce work-ready labour. In fact, the
disconnect between the formal educational
system and requirements of the employers
becomes even more acute in times of rapid
structural and technological change.
In
this
environment,
company-led
apprenticeship programmes, that place
employers at the heart of education, can
play a powerful role in imparting jobrelevant skills and also repairing, preparing,
and upgrading the labour force. They can
aid five important transitions that the
labour force is currently making--from
agriculture to non-agriculture, from rural to
urban, from the unorganized sector to the
organized, from school to work, and from
subsistence self-employment to wage
employment. Several countries have
benefited
greatly
from
focused
programmes on skilling the workforce on
the job, including Japan, US, UK, and
Germany. Germany, in particular, has a
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Page 679

well-known dual education system that
combines classroom/online courses at a
vocational
school
with
workplace
experience at a company.
2.
What does India already have?

Apprenticeship programmes in India are
governed by The Apprentice Act 1961 and
the Apprenticeship Rules 1992. The
organizational structure and rules and
regulations overseeing it are complex and
burdensome. The Ministry of Labour and
Employment oversees trade apprentices
through six regional offices.
3.
How can it be made to work?

The rules and regulations overseeing
apprenticeships need to be changed such
that employers and prospective apprentices
can choose each other freely by just
requiring information on what will be learnt
on the job and a minimum wage. Some
recommendations including those from the
2009 Planning Commission taskforce are
described below:
1. Simpler regulation: A single window
mechanism is needed to clear
company applications for pan-India
apprenticeship
programmes.
Currently, companies need to
approach each state apprenticeship
adviser separately. Partnerships
between companies and industry
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4.
5.
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federations should be facilitated by

giving timely permissions.
Wider reach: Apprentices are only
allowed in specified trades. Majority
of graduates are not currently
covered
under
formal
Apprenticeships.
Flexibility to companies: Currently
many schemes are required to be
unnecessarily long (up to four
years), and have rigid requirements
on worker to apprentice ratio.
Moreover, the penal provisions for
companies, even for small violations
of the rules, are very severe.
Dual system of training: Partnerships
between companies and educational
institutions should be encouraged.
Like the German model, corporates
can be allowed to outsource
theoretical training, and educational
institutions can be allowed to
outsource practical training.
Active exchanges: There should be
active exchanges and portals,
matching prospective apprentices to
employers.

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CHAPTER3 PUBLIC FINANCE

The Budget for 2012-13 introduced
amendments to the FRBM Act as part of the
Finance Bill. These amendments contained
two important features of expenditure
reforms. First is the introduction of the
concept of effective revenue deficit, which
excludes from the conventional revenue
deficit, grants for the creation of capital
assets.
The second important feature is the
introduction of the provision for 'Medium
Term Expenditure Framework Statement in
the FRBM Act. This medium-term
framework provides for rolling targets for
expenditure, imparting greater certainty,
and
encourages
prioritization
of
expenditure.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
The DBT plan was introduced on 1 January
2013 with seven schemes in 20 districts.
India has embarked on a DBT scheme in
selected districts wherein it has been
envisaged
that
benefits
such
as
scholarships, pensions, and MGNREGA
(Mahatma
Gandhi
National
Rural
Employment Guarantee Act) wages will be
directly credited to the bank or post office
accounts of identified beneficiaries. The
DBT scheme will not substitute entirely for
delivery of public services for now. It will
replace neither food and kerosene subsidies
under the TPDS nor fertilizer subsidies. The
DBT is designed to improve targeting,
reduce corruption, eliminate waste, control
expenditure, and facilitate reforms.
Electronic transfer of benefits is a simple
design change and transfers that are
already taking place through paper and cash
mode will now be done through electronic

transfers. This has been enabled by rapid
roll out of Aadhar (Unique Identity) now
covering 200 million people and rapidly
growing to cover 600 million (nearly half of
our population), with the National
Population Register covering the other half
of the populace. The DBT in tandem with
such unique identification will ensure that
the benefits reach the target groups faster
and minimize inclusion and exclusion errors
as well as corruption that are associated
with manual processes.
Terms of Reference of 14th Finance
Commission
The following are the broad Terms of
Reference and the matters to be taken into
consideration by the 14th Finance
Commission
in
making
the
recommendations:
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1.
(i) the distribution between the
union and states of the net
proceeds of taxes which are to
be, or may be, divided between
them under Chapter I, Part XII of
the Constitution and the
allocation between the states of
the respective shares of such
proceeds;
(ii) the principles which should
govern the grants-in-aid of the
revenues of the states out of the
Consolidated Fund of India and
the sums to be paid to the states
which are in need of assistance
Page 682

by way of grants-in-aid of their
revenues under article 275 of
the Constitution for purposes
other than those specified in the
provisos to clause (1) of that
article; and
(iii) measures needed to augment
the Consolidated Fund of a state
to supplement the resources of
the
panchayats
and
municipalities in the state on the
basis of the recommendations
made
by
the
Finance
Commission of the state.
2. The Commission has been mandated
to review the state of finances,
deficit, and debt levels of the union
and states and suggest measures for
maintaining a stable and sustainable
fiscal environment consistent with
equitable
growth
including
suggestions to amend the FRBMAs
currently in force. The Commission
has been asked to consider and
recommend
incentives
and
disincentives for states for observing
the obligations laid down in the
FRBMAs.
3. In making its recommendations, the
Commission inter alia is required to
consider: the resources of the
central government and the
demands on the resources of the
central government; the resources
of the state governments and
demands on such resources under
different heads, including the impact
of debt levels on resource
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availability in debt-stressed states;

the objective of not only balancing
the receipts and expenditure on
revenue account of all the states
and the union but also generating
surpluses for capital investment; the
taxation efforts of the central
government
and
each
state
government and the potential for
additional resource mobilization; the
level of subsidies required for
sustainable and inclusive growth and
equitable sharing of subsidies
between the central and state
governments; the expenditure on
the non-salary component of
maintenance and upkeep of capital
assets and the non-wage-related
maintenance expenditure on Plan
schemes to be completed by 31
March 2015 and the norms on the
basis of which specific amounts are
recommended for the maintenance
of capital assets and the manner of
monitoring such expenditure; the
need for insulating the pricing of
public utility services like drinking
water, irrigation, power ,and public
transport from policy fluctuations
through statutory provisions; the
need for making public-sector
enterprises competitive and market
oriented; listing and disinvestment;
relinquishing
of
non-priority
enterprises; the need to balance
management
of
ecology,
environment, and climate change
consistent
with
sustainable

Page 683
4.
5.
6.
7.
economic development; and the

impact of the proposed goods and
services tax on the finances of the
centre and states and the
mechanism for compensation in
case of any revenue loss.
The Commission is required to
generally take the base of
population figures as of 1971 in all
cases where population is a factor
for determination of devolution of
taxes and duties and grants-in-aid;
however, the Commission may also
take into account the demographic
changes that have taken place
subsequent to 1971.
The Commission is to review the
present
public
expenditure
management systems in place
including budgeting and accounting
standards and practices; the existing
system of classification of receipts
and expenditure; linking outlays to
outputs and outcomes; best
practices within the country and
internationally and to make
appropriate
recommendations
thereon.
The Commission is to review the
present arrangements as regards
financing of Disaster Management
with reference to the funds
constituted under the Disaster
Management Act 2005(53 of 2005)
and
make
appropriate
recommendations thereon.
The Commission is to indicate the
basis on which it has arrived at its
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findings and make available the

state-wise estimates of receipts and
expenditure.

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CHAPTER-4 PRICES AND MONETARY MANAGEMENT

Why has inflation persisted?
Inflation in protein foods, particularly eggs,
meat and fish, and in fruits & vegetables
has persisted because of changes in dietary
habits and supply constraints. Long time
series data from National Accounts on
private final consumption expenditure
(PFCE) indicate a structural shift in per
capita consumption. The share of food
consumption in total consumption has
declined over time, from an average of
51.34 per cent during 1950- 60 to an
average of 27.17 per cent during 20072012.
A secular decline in expenditure on food
relative to that in other commodities and
services as expected has been associated
with rising income levels
The input costs for producers in both the
food and non-food segments, as reflected in
the prices of feed, fodder and other inputs
also increased.
Inflation in India, as in other countries
stems from a traditional mismatch between
demand and supply. The relative magnitude
of the imbalance, which varies across
sectors, leads to relatively high or low
inflation. Also, a change in controlled
prices,as with diesel, can lead to inflation.
Prices of vegetables have remained volatile

in the recent past. Apart from a demand
and
supply
mismatch,
inefficient
intermediation and the loss in the value of
vegetables at different stages of their
movement from farm to mouth have
contributed to an increase in prices, high
volatility, and significant dispersion across
locations. All these could be reduced
considerably with improvements in the
supply chain.
There was an upsurge in sugar prices in first
half of the current year with domestic and
global= prices showing a divergent trend.
The Rangarajan Committee, after studying
the problems of the sugar industry, has
recommended deregulation of the sugar
industry and dismantling of the regulated
release mechanism together with the levy
obligations. These recommendations are
under consideration of the Department of
Food and Public Distribution.
Residex, an index to capture changes in the
prices of residential buildings at the
national level. Residex, launched in July
2007, covers 20 cities and has been
released with a quarterly frequency from
2011-12.
Two factors contributed to an increase in

inflation in cereals. Besides an increase in
the MSP for wheat and rice, there has been
a mismatch between open market
availability and demand, particularly for
wheat.
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Page 686
Reserve Money (M0)

Broad money (M3)
money multiplier (ratio of M3 to M0)
LIQUIDITY MANAGEMENT
One of the objectives of the monetary
policy is to provide adequate liquidity to the
economy. A liquidity deficit, however, is
considered necessary for quicker and
correct signaling of the monetary policy
stance.
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CHAPTER-5 FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION

Priority-sector Lending
In view of the need to ensure adequate
institutional credit flow to the vulnerable
sectors, the RBI has mandated that banks
should lend a minimum of 40 per cent of
their advances to the priority sectors.
Priority sector broadly includes advances to
agriculture, small scale industries, weaker
section, exports, education, SHGs, etc.
Revised guidelines issued by the RBI on
priority sector lending (PSL) on 20 July 2012,
mandates commercial banks and foreign
banks with 20 or more branches to allocate
40 per cent of their adjusted net bank credit
(ANBC) or credit equivalent amount of offbalance sheet exposures (OBE), whichever
is higher, to the priority sector. Within this,
sub-targets of 18 per cent and 10 per cent
of ANBC or credit equivalent amount of OBE
have been mandated for lending to
agriculture and the weaker sections
respectively. For foreign banks with less
than 20 branches, the target PSL is 32 per
cent of ANBC or credit equivalent amount
of OBE, whichever is higher. Foreign banks
have been given a period of 5 years
beginning April 2013 to achieve their PSL
target.
RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT FUND
completion of ongoing projects relating to

medium and minor irrigation, soil
conservation, watershed management, and
other forms of rural infrastructure.
Allocation to the RIDF is made from the
shortfall in meeting PSL targets by the
banks.
Setting up of Ultra Small Branches
Considering the need for close supervision
and
mentoring
of
the
business
correspondent agents (BCAs) by the
respective banks and in order to ensure
that a range of banking services are
available to the residents of such villages,
ultra small branches (USBs) are being set up
in all villages covered through BCAs under
financial inclusion. These USBs will comprise
a small area of 100-200 sq. feet where the
officer designated by the bank will be
available with a laptop on pre-determined
days. While cash services will be offered by
the BCAs, the bank officer will offer other
services, undertake field verification, and
follow up banking transactions.
Interest Subvention Scheme 2012-13
The Interest Subvention Scheme 2012-13
for short-term crop loans up to ` 3 lakh is
being made available during 2012-13 with
the following stipulations:
The Rural Infrastructure Development Fund

(RIDF) was instituted in the National Bank
for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD) through an announcement in
Union Budget 1995-6 with the objective of
giving low cost fund support to states and
state-owned corporations for quick
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(i) Interest subvention of 2 per cent per

annum to PSBs, cooperative banks,
and RRBs on their own funds used
for short-term crop loans up to `
3,00,000 per farmer provided the
lending institutions make available

Page 687

short-term credit at the ground level
at 7 per cent per annum. Interest
subvention is calculated on the crop
loan amount from the date of its
disbursement/drawal up to the date
of actual repayment, subject to a
maximum period of one year.
(ii) An additional interest subvention of
3 per cent is available to the
prompt-paying farmers from the
date of disbursement of the crop
loan up to the actual date of
repayment or up to the due date
fixed by bank for repayment of crop
loan, whichever is earlier, subject to
a maximum period of one year from
the date of disbursement.
(iii) Further, in order to discourage
distress sales, post-harvest benefit
of interest subvention was made
available in the year 2011-12 to
small and marginal farmers holding
KCCs for a further period of up to six
months on the same rates as
available to crop loans against
negotiable warehouse receipts for
keeping
their
produce
in
warehouses.
This
has
been
continued in 2012-13 as well.
(iv) In order to provide relief to farmers,
it was also decided that in cases
where crop loans were restructured
due to drought during 2012-13, the
interest subvention of 2 per cent per
annum which is already available for
short-term crop loans to PSBs, RRBs,
and rural cooperative credit
institutions will continue to be
Page 688
available for the current financial

year on the full restructured loan
amount. However, the restructured
loans will attract normal rate of
interest from the next financial year
onwards.
The Interest Subvention Scheme is being
implemented by the Government of India
since 2006- 7 to make short-term crop loans
up to ` 3 lakh for a period of one year
available to farmers at the interest rate of 7
per cent per annum.
The High Level Committee to assess the
capitalization of PSBs in the next 10 years,
headed by the Finance Secretary has inter
alia recommended various options for
funding of PSBs. Given the budgetary
constraints, it may not be feasible for the
government to infuse huge sums into the
PSBs. The High level Committee has,
therefore, recommended the formation of a
non-operating financial holding company
(HoldCo) under a special act of Parliament
with the following key objectives:
to act as an investment company for

the Government of India;
to hold a major portion of the
Government of India's holdings in all
PSBs;
to raise long-term debt from
domestic and international markets
to infuse equity into PSBs; and
to service the debt from within its
sources.
Recapitalisation of RRBs to improve their

CRAR
With a view to bringing the CRAR of RRBs
up to at least 9 per cent, Dr K.C.
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Page 689
Chakrabarty
Committee
inter
alia
recommended recapitalization support to
the extent of ` 2,200 crore to 40 RRBs in 21
States.
factor has been fixed at a minimum of ` 5

crore.
NON-BANKING FINANCIAL
Primary Market
INSTITUTIONS (NBFIS)
SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds)

Regulations 2012: With a view to extending
the reach of regulation to unregulated
funds,
ensuring
systemic
stability,
increasing market efficiency, encouraging
new capital formation, and providing
investor protection, SEBI has notified new
regulations covering alternate investment
funds (AIFs) under three broad categories:
The NBFCs as a whole account for 12.7 per

cent of the assets of the total financial
system. With the growing importance
assigned to financial inclusion, NBFCs are
being regarded as important financial
intermediaries particularly for the smallscale and retail sectors. There are two
broad categories of NBFCs based on
whether they accept public deposits, viz.
deposit-taking NBFCs (NBFCs-D) and nondeposit-taking NBFCs (NBFCs-ND).
The Non-Banking Financial CompanyFactors (Reserve Bank) Directions 2012:
Factoring business refers to the acquisition
of receivables by way of assignment of such
receivables or financing, there against
either by way of loans or advances or by
creation of security interest over such
receivables but does not include normal
lending by a bank against the security of
receivables etc. A new category of NBFCs,
viz. non-banking financial company-factors,
has been introduced and separate
directions have been issued in this regard
by the RBI. These directions include a
mention that every company intending to
undertake factoring business shall make an
application for grant of CoR as NBFC-factor
to the RBI. Existing NBFCs that satisfy all the
conditions enumerated in these directions
can also apply for change in their
classification. An NBFC-factor, will need to
commence business within six months from
the date of grant of CoR. NOF for every
company seeking registration as NBFC-
MAJOR POLICY INITIATIVES
Category 1: AIFs with positive

spillover effects on the economy, for
which
certain
incentives
or
concessions might be considered by
SEBI or the Government of India or
other regulators in India; and which
shall include venture capital funds,
small and medium enterprises (SME)
funds, social venture funds, and
infrastructure funds.
Category 2: AIFs for which no
specific incentives or concessions
are given by the government or any
other regulator; which shall not
undertake leverage other than to
meet
day-to-day
operational
requirements as permitted in these
regulations
Category 3: AIFs with funds
(including hedge funds) that are
considered to have negative
externalities.
Financial Literacy: With the objective of

promoting financial education in a
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Page 689

synergistic manner, under the aegis of the
Financial Stability and Development Council
(FSDC) Sub-Committee a draft National
Strategy on Financial Education has been
formulated and public consultation on the
same has been undertaken. The document
is in the stage of finalization.
Secondary Market
Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme
New tax saving scheme called the Rajiv
Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS),
exclusively for first-time retail investors in
the securities market. This scheme provides
50 per cent deduction of the amount
invested from taxable income for that year
to new investors who invest up to Rs.
50,000 and whose annual income is below
Rs. 10 lakh.
Liberalization in External Commercial
Borrowings Policy during 2012-13
The important steps taken in the arena of
external commercial borrowings (ECB)
policy liberalization include:
Enhancing the limit for refinancing

rupee loans through ECB from 25
per cent to 40 per cent for Indian
companies in the power sector
Allowing ECB for capital expenditure
on the maintenance and operation
of toll systems for roads and
highways so long as they are a part
of the original project subject to
certain conditions, and also for low
cost housing projects
Reducing the withholding tax from
20 per cent to 5 per cent for a
period of three years (July 2012-
Page 690
June 2015) on interest payments on

ECBs
Introducing a new ECB scheme of US
$10 billion for companies in the
manufacturing and infrastructure
sectors
Permitting the Small Industries
Development Bank (SIDBI) as an
eligible borrower for accessing ECB
for on-lending to the micro, small,
and medium enterprises (MSME)
sector subject to certain conditions
Permitting the National Housing
Bank (NHB)/ Housing Finance
Companies to avail themselves of
ECBs for financing prospective
owners of low cost / affordable
housing units
Insurance Penetration
The growth in the insurance sector is
internationally measured based on the
standard of insurance penetration defined
as the ratio of premium underwritten in a
given year to the gross domestic product
(GDP). Insurance density is another well
recognized benchmark and is defined as the
ratio of premium underwritten in a given
year to total population (measured in US
dollars for convenience of comparison).
NPS Lite is a model specifically designed to
bring NPS within easy reach of the
economically disadvantaged sections of the
society. NPS Lite is extremely affordable
and viable due to its optimized
functionalities available at reduced charges.
Under the Swavalamban scheme, the
government provides subsidy to each NPS
account holder and the scheme has been
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extended until 2016-17.
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CHAPTER-6 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS

Item
2012-13 H1 (AprilSept. 2012)p
Current
Balance
Account -38,973
Capital
Balance
Account 39,989
Overall Balance
363
Reserves change
-363
Impact of Euro Zone Crisis on Current

Account
The unfolding of euro zone crisis, the
austerity measures in advanced economies,
recession in many euro zone countries, risk
on/ risk off behaviour of investors and the
uncertainty surrounding the future of euro
zone have adversely affected the global
economy.
The fallout for the Indian economy has been
a sharp deceleration in exports and a
slowdown in GDP growth. Import demand
however has remained resilient because of
the continued high international oil prices
that did not decline, unlike what happened
after the Lehman meltdown of September,
2008. The high value of gold imports, driven
mainly by the 'safe haven' demand for gold
that has led to a sharp rise in prices,
contributed to the high import bill and
widening of the trade deficit.
The trade deficit, as a result, increased to

US$ 189.8 billion in 2011-12, which was
10.2 per cent of the GDP. With invisible
surplus of US$ 111.6 billion (6.0 per cent of
GDP), the current account deficit widened
to record 4.2 per cent of GDP. This is unlike
the situation during the 2008 crisis, when
the high trade deficit of 9.8 per cent of GDP
in 2008-09, was partly offset by an invisible
surplus of 7.5 per cent, lowering CAD to 2.3
per cent of GDP.
The signs of strain on BoP continued in the
first half of 2012-13 (April-September 2012)
with the trade deficit of US$ 90.7 billion
increasing to 10.8 per cent of GDP and CAD
of US$ 39.0 billion at 4.6 per cent of GDP.
The high CAD has had implications for rupee
volatility and business confidence in the
economy. A positive development is that
high CAD has lately been financed by capital
inflows, which explains why the downhill
movement of rupee, witnessed till July
2012, has been largely arrested. There has
however been high dependence on volatile
portfolio flows and external commercial
borrowings. This makes capital account
vulnerable to a 'reversal' and 'sudden stop'
of capital, especially in times of stress.
Liberalization of FDI norms
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is preferred
to the foreign portfolio investments
primarily because FDI is expected to bring
modern technology, managerial practices
and is long term in nature investment. The
Government has liberalized FDI norms
overtime. As a result, only a handful of
sensitive sectors now fall in the prohibited
zone and FDI is allowed fully or partially in
the rest of the sectors.
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Despite successive moves to liberalize the
FDI regime, India is ranked fourth on the
basis of FDI Restrictiveness Index (FRI)
compiled by OECD. FRI gauges the
restrictiveness of a country's FDI rules by
looking at the four main types of
restrictions viz. foreign equity limitations;
screening
or
approval
mechanism;
restrictions on the employment of
foreigners as key personnel; and
operational restrictions.
As there is moderation in FDI inflows to
India in the current fiscal vis--vis last year
it is imperative therefore to rationalize FDI
norms further.
At present, defence sector is open to FDI
subject to 26 per cent cap. It also requires
FIPB approval and is subject to licensing
under
Industries
(Development
&
Regulation) Act, 1951 and guidelines on FDI
in production of arms & ammunition.
There is a strong case for a hike in the 26
per cent FDI limit in the defence production
sector. By beginning to produce defence
goods that advanced countries currently
produce, there is scope for productivity
improvement,
strengthening
of
manufacturing, generation of employment
and lowering of imports in the country.
There is need to review increasing of FDI
cap in insurance and public sector banks. By
raising cap to 49 per cent in the insurance
sector, there is scope for substantial growth
in the coming years.
EXCHANGE RATE
The exchange rate policy is guided by the
broad principles of careful monitoring and
management of exchange rates with
flexibility, while allowing the underlying
demand and supply conditions to
Page 693
determine the exchange rate movements

over a period in an orderly manner. Subject
to this predominant objective, intervention
by the RBI in the foreign exchange market is
guided by the objectives of reducing excess
volatility, preventing the emergence of
destabilizing
speculative
activities,
maintaining adequate level of reserves, and
developing an orderly foreign exchange
market.
Reasons for High Volatility in Rupee
Exchange Rate
The rupee has experienced unusually high
volatility in the past few months. The
currency touched the low of ` 57.22 per US
dollar on 27th June, 2012, before
appreciated to ` 51.62 per US dollar on
October 05, 2012. It again began declining
thereafter and has since been in the range
of ` 53-54 per US dollar. Such volatility has
introduced a measure of uncertainty in the
domestic market and has impacted business
confidence.
The rupee has been under pressure since
August 2011, when US sovereign rating was
downgraded and the euro zone crisis
escalated. The currency went steadily
downhill till the end of July, 2012, except
for intermitted respite and appreciation in
January-February 2012, mainly due to
European Central Banks Long Term
Refinancing Operation (LTRO) that injected
more than euro 1 trillion in three-year loans
to banks and created a risk-on
environment.
The rupee fell due to decline in exports on
account of euro-zone crisis and widening of
trade deficit, as imports remained resilient
due to high oil prices and gold imports. The
widening of trade deficit to 10.2 per cent of
GDP in 2011-12 had upset the supply-
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Page 693

demand balance in the domestic foreign
exchange market, placing downward
pressure on the currency. The trade deficit
has remained high at 10.8 per cent of GDP
in the first six months of the current
financial year (April-September 2012), with
current account deficit at 4.6 per cent of
GDP.
Improved capital flows in recent months,
particularly FII flows, however have
dampened the downward pressure on the
rupee. Such an increase in portfolio flows is
partly due to the risk-on behaviour of
investors, following series of policy
initiatives in the euro zone that lowered the
'tail risk' of euro zone disintegration. The
launch of quantitative easing (QE3) by the
US Federal Reserve further helped the
process. Capital flows have also been
attracted by the confidence -inducing
effects of major policy reforms that have
been announced recently. The resulting
increase in capital flows has more than
balanced the widening current account
deficit in recent months, curbing the rupee
slide. Volatility however remains high
because of high share of FII flows in total
capital flows, and the week-to-week
variation in such flows.
Another contributory factor is the
fluctuation in the dollar exchange rate vis-avis other international currencies. Since
bulk of global trade is invoiced and settled
in US$ and most capital flows are
denominated in US dollar, the volatility in
the value of US dollar exchange rate in the
international market has an immediate
impact on rupee-US dollar exchange rate.
Thus, the fall in the US dollar exchange rate
in the international market leads to rupee
appreciation, unless offset by widening
Page 694
trade deficit/ changes in the volume of

capital flows and vice-versa.
Nominal Effective Exchange Rate and Real
Effective Exchange Rate
The nominal effective exchange rate (NEER)
and real effective exchange rate (REER)
indices are used as indicators of external
competitiveness of the country over a
period of time. NEER is the weighted
average of bilateral nominal exchange rates
of the home currency in terms of foreign
currencies, while REER is defined as a
weighted average of nominal exchange
rates, adjusted for home and foreign
country relative price differentials. REER
captures movements in cross-currency
exchange rates as well as inflation
differentials between India and its major
trading partners and reflects the degree of
external
competitiveness
of
Indian
products.
Risks in Foreign Currency Borrowings
Corporate borrowers in India and other
emerging economies are keen to borrow in
foreign currency to benefit from lower
interest and longer terms of credit. Such
borrowings however, are not always
helpful, especially in times of high currency
volatility. During good times, domestic
borrowers could enjoy triple benefits of (i)
lower interest rates, (ii) longer maturity and
(iii) capital gains due to domestic currency
appreciation. This would happen when the
local currency is appreciating due to surge
in capital flows and the debt service liability
is falling in domestic currency terms. The
opposite would happen when the domestic
currency is depreciating due to reversal of
capital flows during crisis situations, as
happened during the 2008 global crisis.
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Page 694

A sharp depreciation in local currency
would mean corresponding increase in debt
service liability, as more domestic currency
would be required to buy the same amount
of foreign exchange for debt service
payments. This would lead to erosion in
profit margin and have mark-to-market
implications for the corporate. There would
also be 'debt overhang' problem, as the
volume of debt would rise in local currency
terms. Together, these factors could create
corporate distress, especially because the
rupee tends to depreciate precisely when
the Indian economy is also under stress,
and corporate revenues and margins are
under pressure.
In this context, it is felt that one of the
factors contributing to faster recovery of
Indian economy after the 2008 global crisis
was the low level of corporate external
debt. As a result, the significant decline in
the value of rupee did not have major
fallout for the corporate balance-sheets.
Foreign currency borrowings, therefore,
have to be contracted carefully, especially
when no 'natural hedge' is available. Such
natural hedge would happen when a
foreign currency borrower also has an
export market for its products. As a result,
export receivables would offset, at least to
some extent, the currency risk inherent in
debt service payments. This happens
because fall in the value of the rupee that
leads to higher debt service payments is
partly compensated by the increase in the
value of rupee receivables through exports.
When export receivables and the currency
of borrowings is different, the prudent
approach is for corporations to enter
currency swaps to re-denominate asset and
liability in the same currency to create
natural hedge. Unfortunately, too many
Indian corporations with little foreign
Page 695
currency earnings leave foreign currency

borrowings unhedged, so as to profit from
low international interest rates. This is a
dangerous gamble for reasons described
above and should be avoided.
Table 6.10 : International Comparison of
Top Twenty Developing Debtor Countries,
2011
countri
Sl. es
N
o.
Total
exter
nal
debt
stock
(US$
millio
n)
Tot
al
de
bt
to
GN
I
(pe
r
cen
t)
Short
-term
to
total
exter
nal
debt
(per
cent)
Foreig
n
excha
nge
reserv
es to
total
debt
(per
cent)
China
685,4
18
9.4
39.6
467.3
Russian
Federat
ion
542,9
77
31.
1
12.9
83.6
Brazil
404,3
17
16.
6
10.4
86.7
India
334,3
31
18.
3
23.3
81.1
Turkey
307,0
07
40.
1
27.3
25.5
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Page 695

6
287,0
37
25.
2
17.9
Indones 213,5
ia
41
26.
0
17.9
Ukraine 134,4
81
83.
3
24.3
22.6
Romani
a
129,4
37
72.
3
22.9
33.1
10 Kazakhs 124,4
tan
37
77.
9
7.2
20.2
11 Argenti
na
114,7
04
26.
3
14.5
37.7
12 South
Africa
113,5
12
28.
4
16.6
37.5
13 Chile
96,24
5
41.
0
17.8
43.6
14 Malaysi
a
94,46
8
34.
8
46.3
139.5
15 Thailan
d
80,03
9
24.
0
56.2
209.1
16 Colomb
ia
76,91
8
24.
3
14.1
40.8
17 Philippi
nes
76,04
3
33.
6
9.2
88.5
18 Venezu
67,90
21.
24.6
14.6
Mexico
ela
19 Pakista
n
60,18
2
27.
3
4.2
24.1
20 vietna
m
57,84
1
49.
1
17.2
23.4
50.2
49.9
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Page 697
CHAPTER- 7 INTERNATIONAL TRADE

12, and South Africa (11.5 per cent). The
rise in gold imports is due to many factors.
Trends in growth in trade volumes
The love of Indians for the yellow metal is

well known. India is one of the largest
consumers of gold in the world with
consumption increasing from 721.9 tonnes
in 2006 to 933.4 tonnes in 2011 and 612
tonnes in the first three quarters of 2012,
accounting for around 27 per cent of world
gold consumption in 2011, and 26.4 per
cent in 2012 (total of first three quarters).
India is one of the largest importers of gold
in the world, with import growth of 11.2 per
cent in terms of quantity and 39.0 per cent
in terms of value during 2011-12. Gold is
the second major import item of India after
POL and constitutes 11.3 of its imports in
2011-12 in value terms. The rise in imports
of gold is one of the factors contributing to
India's high trade deficit and CAD in 201112, forming 30 per cent of its trade deficit.
The RBI in its draft report of the Working
Group to Study 'Issues Related to Gold
Imports and Gold Loans by NBFCs in India'
has stated that if gold imports in India had
grown by 24 per cent (an average of growth
in world gold demand during past three
years) instead of 39 per cent in 2011-12, the
CAD would have been lower by
approximately US$ 6 billion and the CADGDP ratio would have been 3.9 per cent
instead of 4.2 per cent. Globally, the
demand for gold is rising, mainly due to
demand from emerging economies like
China and India. The major source countries
for import of gold include Switzerland,
responsible for 52 per cent of the total
imports by India of raw gold during 2011-
This has inevitably led to its import. Gold is

also used for trading/investment. Net retail
investment constitutes 39.2 per cent of the
India's total gold consumption in 2011 and
32.5 per cent during the first three quarters
of 2012 in terms of quantity. Rising gold
prices in recent years have not deterred the
acquisition of gold in India, implying that
investment in gold is becoming price
inelastic. India also imports gold for
manufacturing purposes and exports a
portion of it as jewellery. In the case of
export of gold jewellery, the major export
destinations include the UAE (57.9 per
cent), Hong Kong (14.1 per cent), and the
USA (12.0 per cent).
International gold price movements which
have been volatile in recent years also have
a bearing on the value of the country's gold
imports. The worsening global situation has
also led to a rise in purchase of gold as a
safety metal and a further rise in its price.
Fluctuations in international gold prices get
automatically reflected in India's gold prices
along with the markup due to duties and
taxes.
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To restrict the rising trend in gold imports
which is adversely affecting India's balance
of payments, measures were and are being
taken by the government. In Budget 201213, import duty on standard gold and
platinum was raised from 2 per cent to 4
per cent and non standard gold from 5 per
cent to 10 per cent. On 21 January 2013,
the Import duty on gold and platinum was
increased from 4 per cent to 6 per cent. It
has also been proposed to provide a link
between the Gold ETF (Exchange Traded
Fund) and Gold Deposit Scheme with the
objective of unfreezing or releasing a part
of the gold physically held by mutual funds
under Gold ETFs and enabling them to
deposit the gold with banks under the Gold
Deposit Scheme.
While the supply of gold through organized
channels can be constricted, there is need
to be vigilant regarding gold inflows
through unauthorized channels. Ultimately,
the best way to reduce gold imports in a
sustainable way will be to offer the public
financial investment opportunities that
generate attractive returns. This means
bringing down inflation as well as expanding
the range of investments investors have
easy access to.
Trade Composition
Export composition
While the share of primary products in
India's exports fell over the years from 16
per cent in 2000-1, in 2012- 13 (AprilNovember) it regained the share of 16 per
cent mainly due to the export of agricultural
items like rice and guar gum meal. The
share of manufacturing exports fell
drastically from 78.8 per cent in 2000-1 to
66.1 per cent in 2011-12 and further to 64.5
Page 698
per cent in 2012-13 mainly due to the fall in

shares of traditional items like textiles and
leather and leather manufactures even
though the share of engineering goods and
chemicals and related products increased.
Share of gems and jewellery fell marginally.
Share of petroleum, crude & products
exports, which also include refined items,
increased from 4.3 per cent in 2000-1 to
18.3 per cent in 2011-12 and 18.6 per cent
in 2012-13.
Import composition
The share of POL imports increased from
28.7 per cent in 2010-11 to 31.7 per cent in
2011-12 (with a very high growth rate) and
34.6 per cent in 2012-13 (April-November).
The share of gold and silver imports
12.6 per cent in 2011-12 with a high import
growth rate of 44.5 per cent.
Another important development is related
to the share of capital goods imports which
13.6 per cent in 2010- 11 and further to
14.1 per cent in 2011-12, declining
thereafter to 11.9 per cent in 2012-13.
The share of electronic goods, which
includes both consumer electronics and
capital goods, also fell in 2012-13 (AprilNovember).
Commodity Composition of Indias Imports
Commodity Group
201112
I. Food and allied products, of 3.1

which
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1. Cereals
0.0
2. Pulses
0.4
3. Edible oils
2.1
II. Fuel, of which
37.4
4. POL
31.7
III. Fertilizers
2.4
IV. Capital goods, of which
14.1
5. Machinery except electrical & 7.2

machine tool
6. Electrical machinery
7. Transport equipment
V. Others, of which
8. Chemicals
India's services export growth has been

faster than that of merchandise exports
with the export of services growing at a
CAGR of 23.6 per cent during 2001-2 to
2011-12, while merchandise exports grew
at a CAGR of 21.4 per cent during the same
period.
Indias Export of Services
Commodity Group
2011-12
Travel
13.0
Transportation
12.8
Insurance
1.8
GNIE
0.3
Miscellaneous
72.0
Software Services
43.7
1.0
3.0
49.0
5.1
9. Pearls, precious, semi-precious 6.1

stones
10. Gold & silver
Page 699
Non-Software
of which:
Services 28.3
Business Services
18.2
Financial services
4.2
12.6
Communication Services 1.1
11.Electronic goods
India's Services Exports
7.1
India's Regional Trading Arrangements:
Recent Developments
Agreement on South Asia Free Trade Area
(SAFTA): The SAFTA Agreement was signed
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Page 700
on 6 January 2004 and came into force on 1

January 2006. Under SAFTA, India has
granted zero basic custom duty to all LDCs,
viz. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and
Maldives, on all items except 25 items
relating to alcohol and tobacco.
States and ASEAN's FTA partners. The RCEP

will cover trade in goods, trade in services,
investment, economic and technical
cooperation,
intellectual
property,
competition, dispute settlement, and other
issues.
India-Thailand FTA, Early Harvest Scheme

(EHS) under the Framework Agreement for
establishing India-
India - EU Broad Based Trade and

Investment Agreement (BTIA): Fifteen
rounds of negotiations and a number of
intersessional and Chief Negotiator level
meetings have been held till date.
Thailand FTA: On 9th October 2003, India

and Thailand signed a Framework
Agreement for establishing an IndiaThailand FTA, which includes trade in
goods, trade in services, investment, and
other areas of economic cooperation, to be
concluded as a single undertaking.
India-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic
Cooperation Agreement (CECA): Services
and Investment Agreements. The Trade in
Goods Agreement, which was signed on 13
August 2009 under the broader framework
of the CECA between India and ASEAN has
already come into force. Conclusions of
negotiations for the Services Agreement
and Investment Agreement have been
announced during the ASEAN-India
Commemorative Summit held on 20
December 2012 in New Delhi.
Regional
Comprehensive
Economic
Partnership (RCEP) Agreement among
ASEAN + 6 (Australia, China, India,
Japan, Korea, and New Zealand): During
the 20th ASEAN Summit held in Cambodia
in April 2012, ASEAN States agreed to move
towards establishing an RCEP involving
ASEAN and its FTA partners. The objective
of launching RCEP negotiations is to achieve
a modern, comprehensive, high-quality, and
mutually beneficial economic partnership
agreement among the ASEAN member
Global System of Trade Preferences

(GSTP): The Agreement establishing the
GSTP among developing countries was
signed on 13 April 1988 at Belgrade
following the conclusion of the First Round
of Negotiations. Forty-three countries have
ratified the Agreement and become
participants. India has offered tariff
concessions on 70.08 per cent of dutiable
tariff lines with an across-the-board margin
of preference (MoP) of 20 per cent on the
applied tariffs prevailing on the date of
import.
Diversifying Technology-intensive Export
Products through the Regional Process
Tradable products can be classified into five
different groups based on the technology
intensity. (1) Primary products have very
little technology basis for retaining
comparative advantage, (2) resource-based
products having competitive advantages,
generally arising from local availability of
natural resources and using simple and
labour-intensive technology, (3) low
technology
products
having
simple
technologies mainly embodied in capital
equipment, with labour constituting a
major element of cost in competitiveness
and operating under low-scale economies
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Page 700

with low entry barriers, (4) medium
technology products comprising skill- and
scale-intensive technologies in capital and
intermediate products where product
development takes place with complex
technologies, involving high level of
research
and
development
(R&D)
expenditure and which require lengthy
learning periods and are subject to high
entry barriers, and (5) high technology
products having advanced and fast
changing technologies with emphasis on
product design requiring high R&D
investment, sophisticated infrastructures,
high levels of specialized technical skills,
and close interactions between firms and
universities/research institutions. Trends in
global trade indicate that there has been a
proliferation of trade in technologyintensive manufacturing products. Among
the globally dynamic products of trade, a
significant proportion of items are high and
medium technology-intensive items. India
has been diversifying into technology
intensive products with a fair amount of
success with exports of high technology and
medium technology products growing
faster than the total exports of India during
2004-2011 (Table 1). Further, diversifying
India's exports to include more technologyintensive product groups is of vital
importance.
Reviving and Accelerating India's Trade:
Micro, Sector- and Port-specific issues
Some trade-related issues and suggested
policies at the micro, sector-specific and
port-specific levels are as follows:
Infrastructure Related: Even the best of
Indian ports do not have state-of-the-art
technology as in Singapore, Rotterdam, and
Shanghai. Port Infrastructure issues include
Page 701
poor road conditions and port connectivity,

congestions, vessel berthing delays, poor
cargo handling techniques and equipment.,
resulting in multiple handlings, increased
lead time, high transaction costs and thus
loss of market competitiveness.
Trade Facilitation Measures: While India is
ranked 132 in the 'ease of doing business',
on 'trading across borders' India is ranked
127 with Singapore at first rank and China
at 68th as per the World Bank and IFC
'Doing Business 2013'. India requires 9
export documents to be cleared, while
China needs 8, with good practice
economies like France needing 2. Time to
export is 16 days for India and five for
Denmark. Cost to export is $1120 per
container, compared to $580 in China and
$435 in Malaysia. Number of import
documents that need clearance is 11 in
India, 5 in China, and 2 in France. Time to
import is 20 days in India and 4 in
Singapore. Cost to import is $1200 per
container in India, $615 in China, and $439
in Singapore. There are many trade
facilitation measures that can help the
export sector without any cost to the
government exchequer.
Tax and Customs Duty Related: These
include fixing a time limit for disbursal of
duty drawback, service tax refunds, and
central excise rebate claims to the
exporters as delays in the release of these
claims adversely affect working capital,
making them less competitive; crediting
payment of central excise rebate claims
directly to the bank account of the
exporter; introducing value added tax (VAT)
refund system for purchases in India by
foreigners which can increase purchases in
India by foreign tourists; and reviewing
inverted duty structure under the India-
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Page 702
Thailand FTA as finished jewellery imports

from Thailand are cheaper than primary
gold (raw material) available in India. These
include simplification of the multiple
documentation procedures as on an
average an Indian exporter is required to
sign at about 130 places to complete an
export transaction (from pre-shipment till
receiving export related benefits) as per the
Federation of Indian Export Organisations
(FIEO).
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Page 703
CHAPTER- 8 AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

MANAGEMEN
Agriculture Sector: Key Indicators
S.No. Item
2011-12 1st
Revision
Growth in GDP in 3.6

Agriculture & Allied
Sector
Share of Agriculture 14.1

& allied sectors in
total GDP
Agriculture
12.0
Forestry and logging
1.4
Fishing
0.7
on account of the levy as sugar mills are

under a transition, some level of central
support to help states meet the cost to be
incurred on this account may be provided
for a transitory period; d) dispensing with
the regulated release mechanism (of nonlevy) sugar; e) stable trade policy; no
quantitative or movement restrictions on
byproducts like molasses and ethanol and
dispensing with compulsory jute packing. A
stable, predictable, and consistent policy
reforms have to be brought about in a
fiscally neutral manner and issues
considered for implementation in a phased
manner.
AGRICULTURAL INPUTS
A report on 'Regulation of the Sugar Sector

in India: The way forward' has been
submitted by the Committee under the
chairmanship of Dr C. Rangarajan, Chairman
of the Economic Advisory Council to the
Prime Minister. The ways forward
suggested include: a) phasing out cane
reservation area; b) dispensing with
minimum distance criteria; c) dispensing
with the levy sugar system; states that want
to provide sugar under the PDS may
procure it from the market according to
their requirement, fix the issue price and
subsidize from their own budgets.
Currently, there is an implicit cross-subsidy
Improvement in yield, which is the key to

the long-term growth, depends on efficient
use of quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides,
micronutrients, and irrigation. Each of these
plays a role in determining yield level and in
turn augmentation in level of production.
Seeds
Seeds are a critical input for agricultural
crops. Farmers typically rely on farm-saved
seeds, over use of which leads to a low seed
replacement rate and poor yield. An Indian
Seed Programme for encouraging the
development of new varieties and
protecting the rights of farmers and plant
breeders has been put in place with the
participation of central and state
governments, the Indian Council of
Agricultural
Research
(ICAR),
state
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Page 703

agricultural universities, seed cooperatives,
and private sectors. A central-sector
Scheme
for
Development
and
Strengthening of Infrastructure Facilities for
Production and Distribution of Quality
Seeds with the aim of making quality seeds
of various crops available to farmers at
affordable price is under implementation
since 2005-6. As a result of this initiative,
availability of certified quality seeds has
increased from 140.5 lakh quintals in 20056 to 328.6 lakh quintals in 2012-13; For
achieving timely availability of seeds at
affordable price to farmers in hilly/remote
areas of north-eastern states, a Transport
Subsidy on Movement of Seeds scheme is in
operation whereby grants-in-aid of Rs. 12.6
crore was reimbursed to A Sub-Mission on
Seed and Planting Material under the
National Mission for Agricultural Extension
and Technology with an allocation of Rs.
2088 crore is under consideration for the
Twelfth Five Year Plan.
Mechanization and Technology
Tractors are the main power source for
various farm operations and India is the
world leader in tractor production with over
5 lakh tractors produced annually. Studies
reveal that adoption of appropriate
mechanization of farm operations can
increase production and farm productivity
by 10-15 per cent, cropping intensity by 520 per cent and effect savings in seeds
fertilizer and chemicals and time and labour
Progress in farm mechanization at present
is hindered by the low and erratic
availability of farm power and shrinking
holding sizes. Shrinking landholding size
with majority of the farmers being small
and marginal is also making individual
ownership of agricultural machinery
progressively uneconomical. This requires
Page 704
steps for the setting up of custom-hiring

centres/high-tech machinery banks so that
small and marginal farmers can reap the
benefits of farm mechanization. The
government has initiated a Sub-Mission on
Agriculture Mechanization in the Twelfth
Five year Plan, with a focus on custom
hiring.
Integrated Nutrient Management
India meets 80 per cent of its urea
requirement
through
indigenous
production but is largely import dependent
for meeting its requirements of the potassic
(K)
and
phosphatic
(P)
fertilizer
requirements.
The
consumption
of
fertilizers in nutrient terms has shown
improvement, indicating that the policies
for increasing availability and consumption
of fertilizers at affordable prices in the
country have been successful. However
over-use of nitrogenous and limited use of
P and K fertilizers are matters of great
concern and need appropriate price
incentives by reducing fertilizer subsidies so
that sustainable practices are encouraged.
Irrigation
India has made considerable progress in
developing
irrigation
infrastructure.
However irrigation efficiency is low for both
surface and ground waters. In order to help
the rainfed farmers improve productivity
and profitability, in situ soil and water
conservation practices are developed for
different agro-climatic regions with special
emphasis
on
effective
rainwater
management along with a suite of locationspecific technologies. Substantial irrigation
potential has been created through major
and medium irrigation schemes. The central
government initiated the Accelerated
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Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) in

1996-7 for extending assistance for the
completion of incomplete irrigation
schemes.
MAJOR SCHEMES / PROGRAMMES FOR
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
National Food Security Mission
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
National
Mission
Agriculture
for
Sustainable
Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India

Rainfed Area Development Programme
Macro Management of Agriculture
Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil
Palm, and Maize
National Horticulture Mission
Agricultural Credit
Major crop insurance schemes
National Agricultural Insurance Scheme
Pilot Weather Based Crop Insurance
Scheme
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Page 706
CHAPTER 9 INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE

Why has growth moderated?
The moderation in industrial growth,
particularly in the manufacturing sector, is
largely attributed to sluggish growth of
investment, squeezed margins of the
corporate sector, deceleration in the rate of
growth of credit flows and the fragile global
economic recovery.
Government's key initiatives to Boost
Manufacturing
Twelfth Five Year Plan policy framework is

guided by the recommendations of these
key committees. The Plan covers various
aspects of the MSME sector and its key
recommendations fall under six broad
verticals, viz. 1) finance and credit (ii)
technology (iii) infrastructure (iv) marketing
and procurement (v) skill development and
training, and (vi) institutional structure. In
order to boost the MSME sector, several
schemes are under operation including the
following ones.
Apart from the government's recent steps

to uplift overall business sentiment and
boost investment, several specific initiatives
have been initiated to strengthen industry
and in particular the manufacturing sector
in the country. The Twelfth Five Year Plan
document lays down broad strategies for
spurring industrial growth and recommends
sector specific measures covering micro,
small, medium and large industries in the
formal as well as informal sector. Some of
major initiatives that can change the
manufacturing landscape of the country are
announcement of National Manufacturing
Policy (NMP), implementation of the Delhi
Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Project
(see Chapter 2) and policy reforms to
promote foreign direct investment (FDI)
and an e-Biz project.
MICRO,
SMALL
AND
ENTERPRISES (MSME) SECTOR
MEDIUM
In the recent past the Prime Minister's Task

Force on MSMEs and the Twelfth Plan
Working Group on MSMEs have discussed
issues related to the MSME sector. The
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1. Procurement
Policy:
The
government has notified a Public
Procurement Policy for Goods
Produced and Services rendered by
Micro & Small Enterprises (MSE)
order, 2012 effective from 1st April,
2012.
2. MSECluster
Development
Programme (MSECDP): The Ministry
of MSME has adopted a cluster
approach for holistic development
of MSE in a cost effective manner.
To build capacity of MSMEs for
common supportive actions, soft
interventions are undertaken in the
existing clusters/new industrial
areas/ estates or existing industrial
areas/estates.
3. Credit Guarantee Scheme: The
Government is implementing the
Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for
MSEs with the objective of
facilitating flow of credit to the

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Page 707
MSEs,
particularly
to
micro
enterprises by providing guarantee
cover for loans upto Rs. 100 lakh
without collateral / third party
guarantees.
4. Credit Linked Capital Subsidy
Scheme for Micro and Small
Enterprises (CLCSS) for MSEs: The
scheme
aims
at
facilitating
technology upgradation of MSEs by
providing 15 per cent capital subsidy
(limited to maximum Rs. 15 lakh) for
purchase of plant & machinery.
Maximum limit of eligible loan for
calculation of subsidy under the
scheme is R.s 100 lakh.
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CHAPTER 10 SERVICES SECTOR

Growing competition to Indias IT and ITeS
Services
The IT and ITeS sector has started facing
competition from many developing
countries. While the EU has the highest
share in computer and information services
exports, followed by India and the USA,
many new competitors like China, Israel and
the Philippines have emerged in recent
years. Between 2005 and 2011, the annual
average growth of computer services was
69 per cent in the Philippines, 28 per cent in
Sri Lanka, 59 per cent in Ukraine, 27 per
cent in the Russian Federation, 37 per cent
in Argentina and 35 per cent in Costa Rica.
Even if in some cases the export values are
relatively low, the average annual growth of
computer services in these economies is
well above the average of the top
exporters. In the BPO sector, countries such
as the Philippines, Malaysia and China in
the Asian continent; Egypt and Morocco in
North Africa; Brazil, Mexico, Chile and
Columbia in Latin America; and Poland and
Ireland in Europe are emerging as attractive
destinations for voice contracts, posing a
significant threat to Indian firms. According
to NASSCOM, in the last five years, India has
lost about 10 per cent market share to the
rest of the world in the world BPO space,
most of which is in the voice contract
segment.
destination for outsourcing, is currently

facing the challenge of appreciating
currency, it is a serious competitor having
developed both the hardware and software
segments of IT. Outsourcing has also
become a national issue in several
developed countries, like the USA and the
UK, who are supporting the local BPO
industry through various means. According
to industry sources, the BPO industry in the
UK employs 800,000 British workers and is
emerging as a vital part of the economy.
In such a situation, the Indian BPO industry
needs to gear up to address the challenges.
Information campaigns to dispel the myths
and fears about outsourcing needs to be
undertaken by the industry in the
developed economies. India should also
move up the value chain in software
services. Equally important is the need to
focus on the large domestic sector where
there is a huge opportunity which, if tapped
could also lead to lower costs due to scale
economies. To address the rising wages in
the urban BPO space, there is a need to
move more towards rural areas, for which
skill development, and English language
training with American and different
European accents is necessary.
Though China faces challenges, such as

language proficiency, the country is
spending large amounts in mission mode to
increase English proficiency, and thus may
eventually emerge as a threat to India.
Though the Philippines, the second largest
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Page 709
CHAPTER 11 ENERGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND

COMMUNICATIONS
New Initiatives by Indian Railways
Kisan Vision Project: To encourage

setting up of cold storage and
temperature-controlled perishable
cargo centres through PPP mode,
logistics based PSUs including the
Container Corporation of India
Limited,
Central
Warehousing
Corporation, and Central Rail-side
Warehouse Company Limited have
been asked to provide infrastructure
at six Indian Railways locations
under a pilot project--the Kisan
Vision Project.
High-speed passenger trains: Indian
Railways is adopting a multi-pronged
strategy to provide safer, faster,
cleaner, and more comfortable
passenger trains. Seven corridors
have been identified for conducting
pre-feasibility studies for running
high-speed trains (popularly referred
to as bullet trains) at speeds above
350 kmph. These corridors will be
set up through PPP route.
Induction of LHB Coaches: Linke
Holfmann Busch (LHB) coaches are
being inducted in train services
including existing and certain
important
Rajdhani
and
mail/express trains. LHB coaches
have higher carrying capacity, better
riding
comfort,
higher-speed
potential, longer life, upgraded
amenities, provision of control
discharge toilet system, lower
maintenance
requirement,
enhanced safety features, and
aesthetic interiors. A rail coach
factory at Palakkad has been
sanctioned in PPP mode for
production of such coaches.
Introduction of bio-toilets: With a
commitment to providing hygienic
environment to its passengers and
staff, Indian Railways along with the
Organization (DRDO) has developed
environment-friendly bio-toilets for
its passenger coaches.
Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan for

J&K
The Hon'ble Prime Minister announced a
Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) for Jammu and
Kashmir during his visit to the state on 17
and 18 November 2004. Construction of
Mughal Road, widening of Domel-Katra
road (NH-1C), double-laning of BatoteKishtwar-Sinthanpass-Anantnag Road (NH1B), upgrading of Srinagar-Uri Road (NH1A), construction of Khanabal--Pahalgam
Road, construction of Narbal-Aangmarg
Road and doublelaning of Srinagar-KargilLeh Road (NH-1D) are the seven works
under this project amounting to ` 3,300
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Page 710
crore. An expenditure of around ` 2,708

crore has already been incurred.
NTP-2012
The Government approved National
Telecom Policy (NTP) 2012, which addresses
the vision, strategic direction, and the
various medium- and long-term issues
related to the telecom sector, on 31 May
2012. NTP-2012 is aimed at maximizing
public good by making affordable, reliable,
and secure telecommunication and
broadband services available across the
country. The objectives of NTP-2012 include
the following:
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Page 711
CHAPTER 12 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND

CLIMATE CHANGE
Twelfth Five Year Plan Approaches for
Sustainable Development and Lower
Carbon Strategies
The Twelfth Plan strategy suggests that
there are significant 'co-benefits' for climate
action with inclusive and sustainable
growth. India as a large responsible player
with very low income has also to ensure
that these efforts are matched by equitable
and fair burden sharing among countries,
taking into account the historical
responsibilities for emissions. These issues
are being discussed in the UNFCCC.
India's approach to a lower-carbon growth
strategy explicitly recognizes that policies
have to be inclusive and differentiated
across sectors according to national
priorities, so as to lower the transaction
costs of implementing the policy, and
conform with a nationally fair burdensharing mechanism. An Expert Group on
Low Carbon Strategies appointed by the
Planning Commission has outlined the
lower carbon strategies for major potential
carbon mitigation sectors:
(i) Power: On the supply side, adopt
super-critical technologies in coalbased thermal power plants; use gas
in combined heat and power
systems; invest in renewable
technologies;
and
develop
hydropower in a sustainable
manner. On the demand side,
accelerate adoption of superwww.jagranjosh.com
efficient
electrical
appliances
through market and regulatory
mechanisms; enhance efficiency of
agricultural pump sets and industrial
equipment with better technology;
modernize
transmission
and
distribution to bring technical and
commercial losses down to world
average levels; universalize access to
electricity; and accelerate powersector reforms.
(ii) Transport: Increase the share of rail
in overall freight transport; improve
the efficiency of rail freight
transport; make it price competitive
by bringing down the levels of crosssubsidization between freight and
passenger transport; complete
dedicated rail corridor; improve
share and efficiency of public
transport system; and improve fuel
efficiency of vehicles through both
market-based
and
regulatory
mechanisms.
(iii) Industry: Greenfield plants in the
iron and steel and cement sectors
adopt best available technology;
existing plants, particularly small
and medium ones, modernize and
adopt green technology at an
accelerated pace, with transparent
financing mechanisms.

Page 711

(iv) Buildings: Evolve and institutionalize
green building codes at all levels of
government.
(v) Forestry: 'Green India Mission' to
regenerate at least 4 million ha of
degraded forest; increase density of
forest cover on 2 million ha of
moderately dense forest; and overall
increase the density of forest and
tree cover on 10 million ha of forest,
waste, and community lands.
SAPCC
Since the launch of the NAPCC, there have
been serious efforts to dovetail national
programmes of action to regional and local
levels consistent with varying socioeconomic and ecological conditions. At the
Conference of State Environment Ministers
held on 18 August 2009, the Prime Minister
of India requested all state governments to
prepare SAPCCs. The State Action Plans
took their lead from National Mission
documents while formulating mitigation/
adaptation strategies. So far, 21 states have
prepared documents on the SAPCC focused
on approaches that are sectoral but with
regional ramifications. The State Action
Plans include strategies and a list of possible
sectoral actions that would help the states
achieve their adaptation and mitigation
objectives. The common threads that bind
these State Plans together are the principles
of territorial approach to climate change,
sub-national planning, building capacities
for vulnerability assessment, and identifying
investment opportunities based on state
priorities. This framework provides a broad,
systematic, and step-wise process for the
preparation of SAPCCs and advocates a
participatory approach so that states have
Page 712
enough ownership of the process and final

plan. The major sectors for which
adaptation strategies envisaged are
agriculture, water, forests, coastal zone,
and health.
Together with efforts to incorporate
sustainability in the rural development
process, India is increasingly making efforts
to integrate the three pillars of sustainable
development into its national policy space.
In fact, environment protection is enshrined
in our Constitution (Articles 48 A and 51 A
[g]). Various policy measures are being
implemented across the domains of
forestry,
pollution
control,
water
management, clean energy, and marine and
coastal environment. Some of these are
policies like Joint Forest Management,
Green Rating for Integrated Habitat
Assessment, Coastal Zone Regulation Zone,
eco labelling and energy efficiency labelling,
fuel efficiency standards etc .
Rio + 20
The United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development (UNCSD), was
held in June 2012 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
(also known as Rio+20) and was attended at
the heads of states level.
The objective of the Rio+20 Conference was
to secure renewed political commitment for
sustainable development, review progress
made and identify implementation gaps,
and assess new and emerging challenges
since the UNCSD held 20 years ago in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992. Towards this end, the
Conference had two themes, viz. (a) green
economy in the context of sustainable
development & poverty eradication; and (b)
institutional framework for sustainable
development.
The
most
significant
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Page 712

outcomes of the Rio Summit have been the
restoration of the principles of equity and
of
common
but
differentiated
responsibilities (CBDR) in the global
environmental discourse and placing
poverty eradication at the centre of the
global development agenda. The outcome
also ensures the required domestic policy
space to countries on a green economy and
launched four processes/ mechanisms, i.e.
developing SDGs, financing strategy,
technology transfer, and defining the
format and organizational aspects of the
proposed high level political forum to follow
up on the implementation of sustainable
development.
'Fairness' as an issue received attention. It is
a matter of satisfaction and achievement
for India that the Rio outcome document
reaffirms equity and the principle of CBDR
among other Rio principles. India together
with other developing countries played an
instrumental role in this. CBDR is especially
important for developing countries, as it
implies that while all countries should take
sustainable development actions, the
developed countries have to take the
leading role in environmental protection, as
they have contributed the most to
environmental problems.
On the issue of Green economy, the
outcome document affirms that there are
different approaches, visions, models, and
tools available to each country, in
accordance with its national circumstances
and priorities, for achieving sustainable
development. It identifies green economy in
the context of sustainable development and
poverty eradication as one of the important
tools for achieving sustainable development
but specifies that while it could provide
Page 713
options for policy-making it should not be a

rigid set of rules.
The Rio+20 Conference will also be
remembered for kick-starting the process
on developing SDGs. The SDGs would
address and incorporate in a balanced way,
all the three dimensions of sustainable
development and their inter-linkages.
The Rio Summit did not lead to any specific
commitments on the finance and
technology front. The developed countries,
having obligations and responsibilities, need
to commit to provision of adequate public
funds including for transfer of technology
and capacity building to developing
countries. There has been no mention of
provision of new and additional financial
resources
by
developed
countries,
something that India would have wanted to
see.
While developing countries remain
disappointed with the outcome document
on means of implementation, they
managed to secure many of their key
positions and demands in the negotiations.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Global concerns about biodiversity found
expression in the CBD adopted in 1992. The
objectives of the Convention are:
conservation of biodiversity, sustainable
use of its components, and the fair and
equitable sharing of benefits arising from
the use of genetic resources. The
Convention has near universal membership
with 193 countries. The USA is the only
major country that is not a Party. Following
the ratification of the CBD, India also
enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002
and notified the Rules in 2004 to give effect
to the provisions of the CBD.
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Page 713

Being committed to the cause, India
successfully hosted the COP 11 to the CBD,
and the sixth Conference of the Parties
serving as Meeting of the Parties
(CoP/MoP-6) to the CBD's Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety in Hyderabad from 819 October 2012. The event provided India
an opportunity to consolidate, scale up, and
showcase its initiatives and strengths on
biodiversity. One of the most important
outcomes is the commitment of the Parties
to doubling the total biodiversity-related
international financial resource flows to
developing countries by 2015 and at least
maintaining this level until 2020. This will
translate into additional financial flows to
the developing countries to the tune of
about US $ 30 billion over the next eight
years.
The Prime Minister of India, during COP 11
announced India's ratification of the Nagoya
Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing
under the CBD and also launched the
'Hyderabad Pledge' of US $ 50 million
during India's Presidency to strengthen
institutional mechanisms and capacity
building in developing countries. The Prime
Minister unveiled a commemorative pylon
in Hyderabad to mark COP-11. It has been
decided to establish a biodiversity museum
and a garden on this site. At national level,
efforts will be made to strengthen the
implementation of the Biological Diversity
Act and provide support to the State
Biodiversity Boards and at local level
prepare Peoples Biodiversity Registers.
Doha Climate Change Conference 2012
The 18th session of the COP to the UNFCCC,
that started on 26 November and
concluded on 8 December 2012 in Doha,
Qatar has resulted in a set of decisions
Page 714
(clubbed together as 'Doha Climate

Gateway') aimed at advancing the
implementation of the UNFCCC and its
Kyoto Protocol (KP).
The key issues for the Doha conference
were: amending the KP to implement the
second commitment period under the
Protocol; successfully concluding the work
of the Bali Action Plan (BAP) within which
there was urgent need for a clear path to
climate finance; and planning the work
under the Durban Platform (DP) for
enhanced
action.
The
Conference
addressed all three issues and came out
with a package which balanced the interests
and obligations of various countries
At the Doha Conference, the three issues of
equity, technology-related IPRs, and
unilateral measures raised by India
resounded in the decisions. These
outstanding or unresolved issues under the
BAP are now part of the planned or
continuing work of various bodies of the
Convention. At Doha, India also ensured
that no hasty decision is taken on aspects
related to mitigation in agricultural sector
at global level as agriculture is a sensitive
sector for developing countries. The
Conference has explicitly recognized that
the action of Parties will be based on equity
and CBDR including the need for equitable
access to sustainable development. The
Conference also recognized that issues
relating to global peaking that could place a
cap on emissions of developing countries
and restrict their development space were
controversial and best avoided at this stage
of development.
At the same time, in an effort to cater to
the interest of all countries and come up
with a balanced package, some elements of
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Page 714

the package required compromise or
deferral. In many cases, ambitious and
strong demands were collectively made by
developing countries, but in the act of
balancing, countries were made to accept
the mellowed down and subtle versions of
their demands.
Key Doha Outcomes
It has been agreed that the KP, as

the only existing and binding
agreement under which developed
countries commit to cutting
emissions of GHGs, will enter a
second commitment period that will
run for eight years.
Governments have agreed to
speedily work toward a climate
change agreement under DP
applicable to all countries from
2020, to be adopted by 2015.
Further governments have decided
to find ways to scale up efforts
before 2020 to meet the gap in
global ambition for emissions
reduction.
Governments have launched a
robust process to review the longterm temperature goal. This will
start in 2013 and conclude by 2015
and is a reality check on the advance
of the climate change threat and the
possible need to mobilize further
action.
The Work Programme on Long term
Finance launched last year has been
extended for another year to
contribute to the ongoing efforts to
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Page 715
scale up mobilization of climate

finance. Developed countries have
reiterated their commitment to
deliver on promises of mobilizing
US$100 billion both for adaptation
and mitigation by 2020.
Decision also encourages developed
countries to increase efforts for
providing finance between 2013 and
2015, and at least to the average
annual level provided during the
2010-2012 fast-start finance period.
Finance pledges of about $ 6 billion
for period upto 2015 announced by
Germany, the UK, France, Denmark,
Sweden and the EU Commission.
The selection of the Republic of
Korea by the Board of the Green
Climate Fund (GCF) to host the GCF
has been endorsed.
The
unresolved
issues
of
Technology-related
Intellectual
Property Rights (IPRs) and the
Unilateral Measures under the BAP
are now part of the planned or
continuing work of various bodies of
the Convention. Based on the
decisions, the Technology Executive
Committee (TEC) will initiate
exploration of issues relating to
enabling environments and barriers,
including IPRs in its future workplan. The TEC has already identified
IPRs as one of the key messages on
which further work is necessary.
Similarly, a decision has been taken
for facilitating discussion on the
issue of unilateral measures under
Page 715

the
existing
implementation
measures.
forum
on
of
response
A Look at CO2 Emissions of the G 20

Countries
As CO2 is the predominant GHG, an analysis
of its emissions across countries in per
capita terms in 2009, compared to 2005
presents an interesting picture. Although
the G20 is referred to as a group, there are
stark disparities on the ground between
member countries in terms of incomes,
stages of development as well as respective
per capita CO2 emissions. In 2005, the USA
had the highest CO2 emissions in metric
tons per capita at 19.7, followed by
Australia (18.0). The lowest per capita
emitters in 2005 were Brazil (1.9), Indonesia
(1.5), and India (1.2) who continued to be
the bottom three in 2009 as well. In 2009,
Australia ranked first within the G20,
followed by the USA
Domestic Resources and Mechanisms
The assessment and quantification of the
costs of adaptation and mitigation is a
difficult task. However, it is clear that these
costs are significant and will likely be higher
in the future as initiatives are taken in line
with the goals outlined in the NAPCC. The
preliminary estimates indicate a sum of `
230,000 crore to fulfill the mission
objectives under the NAPCC alone, let alone
other lower carbon strategies and
environment policies and programmes of
the government.
The most obvious source of financing for
climate change action is government
budgetary support. Most of it would come
as sectoral finance since some of the
Page 716
resources for adaptation and mitigation are

built into the ongoing schemes and
programmes. The Finance Bill 2010-11
created a corpus called the National Clean
Energy Fund (NCEF) out of a cess at the rate
of Rs. 50 per tonne of coal to invest in
entrepreneurial ventures and research in
the field of clean energy technologies. The
government expects to collect Rs. 10,000
crore under the NCEF by 2015.
Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) and
Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) are
examples of cap and trade market
mechanisms promoting energy efficiency
and the use of renewable energy
respectively in India.
PAT and RPO
PAT is a scheme for trading energyefficiency certificates in large energyintensive industries under the National
Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency.
Identified industries are required to
improve their specific energy consumption
(SEC) within the specified period of three
years or face penalty provisions. At the
same time this mechanism facilitates
efficient industries to trade their additional
certified energy savings (that go beyond the
assigned target) with other designated
consumers who could use these certificates
to comply with their SEC-reduction targets.
In the Twelfth Five Year Plan, the PAT
scheme is likely to achieve about 15 million
tonnes oil equivalent of annual savings in
coal, oil, gas, and electricity
Similarly, the RPO is creating domestic
markets for renewable energy through
regulatory interventions at state level. The
RPO is the minimum level of renewable
energy (out of total consumption) the
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Page 716

obligated entities (DISCOMs, Captive Power
Plants, and Open Access Consumers) are
entitled to purchase in the area of a
distribution licensee. The obligation is
mandated by the State Electricity
Regulatory Commission (SERC). Since the
renewable energy sources are not evenly
spread across India, SERCs cannot specify a
Page 717
linear level of RPOs for all states.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) under
the RPO mechanism is an instrument that
enables the obligated entities to meet their
Renewable Purchase Obligation by trading
surplus or deficit RECs among themselves
with the owner of the REC being able to
claim to have purchased renewable energy.
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Page 717
Page 718
CHAPTER 13 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT
This section and the one that follows
examine the major dimensions of inclusive
development like poverty alleviation,
employment generation, health, education,
women's empowerment, and social welfare
besides reviewing the progress of important
government programmes in these sectors.
Inclusive development includes social
inclusion along with financial inclusion and
in most cases the socially excluded are also
financially excluded. Many segments of the
population like landless agricultural
labourers, marginal farmers, scheduled
castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs), and
other backward classes (OBCs) continue to
suffer social and financial exclusion.
ratio, which is a measure of average income

of the richest 20 per cent of the population
to that of poorest 20 per cent. The quintile
income ratio for India was 5.6 in 2010-11.
Countries like Australia (7.0), the USA (8.5),
New Zealand (6.8), Singapore (9.8), the UK
(7.8), Argentina (12.3), Mexico (14.4),
Malaysia (11.4), Philippines (9.0), Vietnam
(6.2) had higher ratios.
Human
Development:
comparisons
Narrowing inter-state and inter-regional

disparities is also one of the objectives of
inclusive development.
Population Related:
INEQUALITY
HDR measures inequality in terms of two
indicators. The first indicator is the income
Gini coefficient which measures the
deviation of distribution of income (or
consumption) among the individuals within
a country from a perfectly equal
distribution. For India, the income Gini
coefficient was 36.8 in 2010-11. In this
respect, inequality in India is lower than
many other developing countries e.g. South
Africa (57.8), Brazil (53.9), Thailand (53.6),
Turkey (40.8), China (41.5), Sri Lanka (40.3),
Malaysia (46.2), Vietnam (37.6), as well as
countries like USA (40.8), Hong Kong (43.4),
Argentina (45.8), Israel (39.2), Bulgaria
(45.3) etc., which are otherwise ranked very
high in terms of human development index.
The second indicator is the quintile income
Inter-state
Bihar has the highest decadal (200111) growth rate of population (25.07
per cent), while Kerala has the
lowest rate (4.86 per cent). Some
big states like Gujarat, Haryana,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and
Uttar Pradesh also have high
decadal growth of population.
In 2011, Kerala has the highest sex
ratio with 1084 females per 1000
males, followed by Tamil Nadu
(995), while Haryana is at the
bottom (877). Interestingly, the sexratios in some of the developed
states like Gujarat and Maharashtra
are also low at 918 and 925
respectively.
Growth Related:
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Page 718
The best performers in terms of

growth during 2011-12 are Bihar
(16.71 per cent) followed by
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The growth of these states is much
above the all India average. The
worst performers are Rajasthan
(5.41 per cent) followed by Punjab
and Uttar Pradesh. States with the
highest growth rate for the period
2005-6 to 2011-12 are Bihar (10.17
per cent) followed by Gujarat and
Maharashtra.
In terms of growth in per capita
income, the best performer is Bihar
(15.44 per cent) followed by
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
due to high growth in gross state
domestic product (GSDP) in 2011-12
and despite their high decadal
growth in population. Per capita
income growth is the lowest in
Rajasthan (3.72 per cent), followed
by Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and
Odisha which are all below the all
India per capita income growth.
per cent) followed by Kerala (12 per

cent).
Rural-Urban Disparity:
Bihar has the lowest MPCE both in

rural and urban areas at ` 780 (with
65 per cent food share) and `1238
(with 53 per cent food share)
respectively. In comparison, Kerala
has the highest in both rural and
urban areas at `1835 (with 46 per
cent food share) and ` 2413 (with 40
per cent food share) respectively. It
is obvious that poorer states spend a
greater proportion of income on
food
in
total
consumption
expenditure.
Unemployment:
Poverty:
Page 719
The poverty estimates indicate that

the highest poverty headcount ratio
(HCR) exists in Bihar at 53.5 per cent
as against the national average of
29.8 per cent. In 2009-10 compared
to 2004-5, Bihar has displaced
Odisha as the poorest state, with
Odisha's
situation
improving
considerably in 2009-10. Lowest
poverty is in Himachal Pradesh (9.5
www.jagranjosh.com
As per usual status (adjusted) NSS

66th
round
2009-10,
the
unemployment rate (per 1000)
among the major states is the
lowest in Gujarat(18) and highest in
Kerala(73) and Bihar(73) in urban
areas and the lowest in Rajasthan (4)
and again highest in Kerala (75) in
rural areas. The low unemployment
rate in rural areas in Rajasthan may
partly be due to high absorption of
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment
Guarantee
Act
(MGNREGA) funds in the state.
Kerala, which has performed well in
terms of most indicators, performs
less well in terms of unemployment
(both rural and urban). This may be

Page 719

due to the higher level of education
in Kerala resulting in people not
opting for manual jobs as observed
by some studies.
Bihar the lowest (14.4 per cent).

Even a north-eastern state like
Assam (16.5 per cent) is better
placed than Bihar. Himachal Pradesh
(89.1 per cent) has the highest
percentage households availing of
banking services while Assam (44.1
per cent) is the lowest followed by
Bihar (44.4 per cent). Thus in terms
of both these financial inclusion
indicators, Bihar's performance is
among the worst.
Health:
Kerala is the best performer in terms

of life expectancy at birth for both
males (71.5 years) and females (76.9
years) whereas Assam is the worst
performer for both males (61 years)
and females (63.2 years) during
2006-10. Infant mortality rate (IMR)
in 2011 is the lowest in Kerala (12)
and highest in Madhya Pradesh (59)
against the national average of 44.
Birth rate is lowest in Kerala (15.2)
and highest in Uttar Pradesh (27.8)
against the national average of 21.8.
Death rate is lowest in West Bengal
(6.2) and highest in Odisha (8.5)
against the national average of 7.1.
Key Social-sector Programmes:
Education:
Madhya Pradesh has the highest

gross enrolment ratio (GER) (6-13
years) in 2010-11 while Assam has
the lowest. Pupil-teacher ratios in
primary and middle/basic schools
are the lowest in Himachal Pradesh
and high in states like Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar.
Financial Inclusion:
Page 720
In terms of decadal growth rate in

bank branches, Haryana (59.5 per
cent) has the highest growth and
www.jagranjosh.com
While there are state-wise indicators

for some social-sector programmes,
it is not possible to evaluate the
performance of states based just on
numbers. The average person days
per household under the MGNREGA
in 2011-12 is the highest in Andhra
Pradesh (58 days) followed by
Himachal Pradesh (53 days) and
lowest in Assam and Punjab (both
26 days) against the national
average of 43 days. While the share
of women's employment under the
MGNREGA is the highest in Kerala
(92.76 per cent) followed by Tamil
Nadu (73.36 per cent), it is the
lowest in Uttar Pradesh (16.98 per
cent). While the stipulation of onethird women's participation has
been maintained at the all India
level, in states like Uttar Pradesh,
Assam, and Bihar, it has been below
the stipulated level.

Page 720
Progress in terms of 24x7 primary

health centres (PHCs), additional
PHCs, CHCs and other sub districts
health facilities under the NRHM is
the highest in Tamil Nadu and
lowest in Himachal Pradesh. Under
the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), Bihar
has the highest share followed by
Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh
whereas Himachal Pradesh has the
lowest.
Rural
SanitationTotal
Campaign (TSC)
Page 721
Sanitation
URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, AND

SANITATION
Jawahar Lal Nehru Urabn Renewal Mission
(JNNURM)
Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY)
Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme
(ILCS)
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Some important poverty alleviation and

employment generation programmes are
as follows:
UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION AUTHORITY OF

INDIA (UIDAI)
Mahatma Gandhi NREGA
EDUCATION
National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)Aajeevika
Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan

Education (RTE)
Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana

(SJSRY)
Mid-day Meals (MDM)
SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMMES
Rashtriya
(RMSA)
Aam Admi Bima Yojana (AABY)
Model Schools Scheme
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY)
Saakshar Bharat (SB)/ Adult Education
The Unorganized Workers Social Security

Act 2008 and National Social Security Fund
HEALTH
Social Security Agreements (SSAs)

RURAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT
AND
Abhiyan
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
National Vector Borne Disease Control

Programme
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
(PMSSY)
Indira Awas Yojana (IAY)

Gram
Shiksha
to
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
Bharat Nirman
Pradhan Mantri
(PMGSY)
Madhyamik
(SSA)/Right
Sadak
Yoyana
Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani,

Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
Rural Drinking Water
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Page 721

India Selected health indicators
Urban
Sl.
No
.
Parameter
1981
1991
Curren
t level
1.
Crude Birth 33.9

Rate (CBR)
(per 1000
population
)
29.5
21.8
(2011*
)
Crude
12.5
Death Rate
(CDR)(per
1000
population
)
9.8
Total
Fertility
Rate
(TFR)(per
woman)
4.5
3.6
Maternal
Mortality
Rate
(MMR)
(per
100,000
live births)
NA
2.
3.
4.
5.
29
6.
Child (0-4 41.2

years)
Mortality
Rate ( per
1000
children)
13.3
26.5
(2010*
)
7.
Life
(1981
Expectancy -85)
at Birth:
(1989
-93)
(200610)**
Total
55.4
59.4
66.1
Male
55.4
59.0
64.6
Female
55.7
59.7
67.7
7.1
(2011*
)
2.5
(2010*
)
Page 722
WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) Scheme
IMR (per 110

1000 live
births):
Rural
NA
212
(20079*)
Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of

Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)-Sabla
Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana
(IGMSY)
National Mission for Empowerment of
Women (NMEW)
80
44
(2011*
)
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK)
48
Special Central Assistance (SCA) to the

Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP)
WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCS, STS,

OBCS, AND OTHER WEAKER SECTIONS
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Page 722
Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme for

SC Students
Under the Rajiv Gandhi National
Fellowship Scheme
Under the National Overseas
Scholarship Scheme
Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Tribal

Sub-Plan (TSP).
Page 723
Scheme of Assistance to Disabled

Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/
Appliances (ADIP)
Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation
Scheme (DDRS)
Incentives to Employers in the
Private
Sector
for
Providing
Employment to Persons with
Disabilities
Persons with Disabilities
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Page 723
Page 724
ANNEXURE A POPULATION CENSUS 2011

CENSUS 2011
Census 2011 is the 15th Census of India since 1872

Census 2011 was held in two phases:
Houselisting & Housing Census (April to September 2010)
Population Enumeration (9th to 28th February 2011)
Reference Date: 0:00 Hours of 1st March 2011
In Snow Bound areas the Population Enumeration was conducted from 11th to 30th
September 2010
Reference Date: 0:00 Hours of 1st October 2010
Number of Administrative Units in Census 2011
35
States/UTs
640
Districts
5,924
Sub-districts
7,936
Towns
6.41 lakh
Villages
Some Facts about Census 2011

Rs. 22000 Mn
Cost
Rs. 18.19
Cost per person
2.7 Mn
No. of Census Functionaries

No. of Languages in which Schedules were
canvassed
16
18
No. of Languages in which Training

Manuals prepared
340 Mn
No. of Schedules Printed
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Page 724
Page 725
5.4 Mn
No. of Training Manuals Printed
8,000 MTs
Paper Utilised
10,500 MTs
Material Moved
Population
Census 2011 (Provisional)
Population
1210.2 million
Persons
623.7 million
Males
586.5 million
Females
Males include Males and Others

Population 2001-2011
2001
Persons
Males
Females
2011
Difference
% Growth
2001-2011
1,02,87,37,436
1,21,01,93,422
18,14,55,986
17.64
53,22,23,090
62,37,24,248
9,15,01,158
17.19
49,65,14,346
58,64,69,174
8,99,54,828
18.12
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Page 725
Page 726
INDIA compared to 9 other most populous countries in the world
Population Highlights
The population of India has increased by more than 181 million during the decade 20012011
The absolute addition is slightly lower than the population of Brazil, the fifth most
populous 10 country in the world!
The population of India, at 1210.2 million, is almost equal to the combined population of
U.S.A., Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan put together (1214.3 million)!
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Page 726
Page 727
Share of different States in Indias population
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Page 727
Page 728
Population
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Page 728
Page 729
2001-2011 is the first decade (with the exception of 1911- 1921) which has actually
added lesser population compared to the previous decade.
The percentage decadal growth during 2001-2011 has registered the sharpest decline
since Independence - a decrease of 3.90 percentage points from 21.54 to 17.64 percent
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Page 729
Page 730
Uttar Pradesh (200 million) is the most populous State in the country - population is
more than the population of Brazil.
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra (312 million), is greater than the population of USA
Largest and the Smallest States/UTs
Top 5 States/UTs
Bottom 5 States/UTs
Uttar Pradesh
Lakshadweep
Maharashtra
Daman & Diu
Bihar
D. & N. Haveli
West Bengal
A. & N. Islands
Andhra Pradesh
Sikkim
Districts Ranked as per Population 2011

Top 2 Districts
Bottom 2 Districts
Thane
1,10,54,131 Dibang Valley
North Twenty Four

Parganas
1,00,82,852 Anjaw
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7,948
21,089

Page 730
Page 731
Growth of population
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Page 731
Page 732
States/UTs ranked as per % Growth of Population 2011

Top 2 States/UTs
States/UTs
Bottom 2 States/UTs
% Growth
States/UTs
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
55.50 Nagaland
Daman & Diu
53.54 Kerala
www.jagranjosh.com
% Growth
-0.47
4.86

Page 732
Page 733
Districts ranked as per % Growth of Population 2011

Top 2 Districts
District
Bottom 2 Districts
% Growth
District
% Growth
Kurung Kumey
(Arunachal Pradesh)
111.01 Longleng (Nagaland)
-58.39
Yanam (Puducherry)
77.15 Kiphire (Nagaland)
-30.54
Population (0-6 years) 2001-2011

2011
Persons
2011
Difference
% Growth
16,38,37,395
15,87,89,287
-50,48,108
-3.08
Males
8,50,08,267
8,29,52,135
-20,56,132
-2.42
Females
7,88,29,128
7,58,37,152
-29,91,976
-3.80
Population (0-6 years) Highlights
The total number of children in the age-group 0-6 is 158.8 million (-5 million since 2001)
Twenty States and Union Territories now have over one million children in the age
group 0-6 years. On the other extreme, there are five States and Union Territories in the
country that are yet to reach the one hundred thousand mark.
Uttar Pradesh (29.7 million), Bihar (18.6 million), Maharashtra (12.8 million), Madhya
Pradesh (10.5 million) and Rajasthan (10.5 million) constitute 52% Children in the age
group of 0-6 years.
Population (0-6 years) Highlights
The proportion of Child Population in the age group of 0-6 years to total Population is
13.1 percent while the corresponding figure in 2001 was 15.9 percent. The decline has
been to the extent of 2.8 points.
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Page 733
Page 734
The share of children in the EAG States, at 53.2% in 2011 has increased by about 1.3
percent compared to 2001.
The proportion of Child Population in the age group of 0-6 years to total Population is
indicative of fall/rise in fertility
Proportion of child population in age group 0-6
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Page 734
Page 735
Districts ranked as per Proportion of Population (0-6 years) 2011

Top 2 Districts
District
Bottom 2 Districts
Proportion (0-6
)years
District
Proportion (0-6
)years
Kupwara (Jammu &

Kashmir)
22.50 Kolkata (West Bengal)
6.69
West Khasi Hills

(Meghalaya)
22.47 Pathanamthitta
(Kerala)
7.65
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Page 735
Page 736
Gender Composition of Population 2011

2001
Population (in
mn)
2011
Proportion (in
%)
Population (in
mn)
Proportion (in
%)
Males
532.2
51.74
623.7
51.54
Females
496.5
48.26
586.4
48.46
Sex Ratio
933
940
Gender Composition of Population 2011
Overall Sex ratio at the National vlevel has increased by 7 points since Census 2001 to
reach 940 at Census 2011
This is the highest Sex Ratio recorded since Census 1971 and a shade lower than 1961
Increase in Sex Ratio is observed in 29 States/UTs
Three major States (J&K, Bihar & Gujarat) have shown decline in Sex Ratio as compared
to Census 2001.
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Page 736
Page 737
Sex Ratio
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Page 737
Page 738
States/UTs ranked as per Sex Ratio 2011

Top 2 States/UTs
States/UTs
Bottom 2 States/UTs
Sex Ratio States/UTs
Sex Ratio
Kerala
1,084 Daman & Diu
618
Puducherry
1,038 Dadra & Nagar Haveli
775
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Page 738
Page 739
Districts ranked as per Sex Ratio 2011

Top 2 Districts
District
Bottom 2 Districts
Sex Ratio
District
Sex Ratio
Mahe (Puducherry)
1,176 Daman (Daman &

Diu)
533
Almora (Uttarakhand)
1,142 Leh (Ladakh) (Jammu

& Kashmir)
583
Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years)

2001
2011
Population (0-6)
(in mn)
Proportion (0-6)
(in %)
Males
85.0
51.89
82.9
52.24
Females
78.8
48.11
75.8
47.76
Sex Ratio
Population
Proportion (0-6)
(in %)
(0-6) (in mn)
927
914
The Child Sex Ratio at India level (914) is lowest since Independence
Whereas overall Sex Ratio has shown improvement since 1991, decline in Child Sex Ratio (0-6)
has been unabated since 1961 census
Sex Ratio (0-6 years) Highlights
Increasing trend in the Child Sex Ratio (0-6) seen in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and A & N Islands
In all remaining 27 States/UTs, the Child Sex Ratio show decline over Census 2001
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Page 739
Page 740
Child Sex Ratio in Age Group 0-6
www.jagranjosh.com

Page 740
Page 741
States/UTs ranked as per Sex Ratio (0-6 years) 2011

Top 2 States/UTs
States/UTs
Mizoram
Bottom 2 States/UTs
(0-6 years) Sex Ratio States/UTs

971 Haryana
www.jagranjosh.com
(0-6 years) Sex Ratio

830

Page 741

Meghalaya
Page 742
970 Punjab
846
Districts ranked as per Sex Ratio (0-6) 2011

Top 2 Districts
District
Bottom 2 Districts
Sex Ratio (0-6)
District
Sex Ratio (0-6)
Lahul & Spiti

(Himachal Pradesh)
1,013 Jhajjar (Haryana)
774
Tawang (Arunachal
Pradesh)
1,005 Mahendragarh
(Haryana)
778
Literates 2001-2011
2001
2011
Difference
% Growth
Persons
56,07,53,179
77,84,54,120
21,77,00,941
38.82
Males
33,65,71,822
44,42,03,762
10,76,31,940
31.98
Females
22,41,81,357
33,42,50,358
11,00,69,001
49.10
Effective Literacy Rate 2001-2011

2001
2011
Difference
Persons
64.83
74.04
9.2
Males
75.26
82.14
6.9
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Page 742

Females
53.67
65.46
Page 743
11.8
Literacy Status: Highlights

As per provisional population totals of Census 2011, literates constitute 74 per cent of the
total population aged seven and above and illiterates form 26 per cent.
Literacy rate has gone up from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent in 2011 showing an
increase of 9.21 percentage points.
The literacy rate for males and females works out to 82.14 per cent and 65.46 per cent
respectively. The increase in literacy rate in males and females during 2001-2011 is in the order
of 6.88 and 11.79 percentage points respectively.
It is encouraging to note that out of total of 217,700,941 literates added during the decade,
female 110,069,001 outnumber male 107,631,940.
A significant milestone reached in Census 2011 is that a decline of 31,196,847 among
illiterates is noted.
Out of total decrease of 31,196,847 in number of illiterates, the female 17,122,197
outnumber males 14,074,650.
Ten States and Union Territories viz., Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Tripura, Goa, Daman &
Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, NCT of Delhi and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have achieved
literacy rate of above 85 per cent, the target set by the Planning Commission to be achieved by
2011- 2012.
The gap of 21.59 percentage points recorded between male and female literacy rates in 2001
Census has reduced to 16.68 percentage points in 2011. Planning Commission has set up target
of reducing this gap to 10 percentage points by the year 2011-2012.
The States/Union Territories which have achieved male female gap in literacy rate of 10
percentage points or less are Chandigarh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya,
Lakshadweep, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
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Page 743
Page 744
Effective Literacy
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Page 744
Page 745
Ranking of States/UTs-Literacy Rate-2011

Top 2 States/UTs
States/UTs
Literacy
Bottom 2 States/UTs
States/UTs
Rate
Literacy
Rate
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Page 745

Kerala
93.91
Bihar
63.82
Lakshadweep
92.28
Arunachal Pradesh
66.95
Page 746
Districts ranked as per Literacy Rate 2011

Top 2 Districts
Bottom 2 Districts
District
Literacy Rate
District
Literacy Rate
Serchhip
98.76
Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh)
37.22
98.50
Bijapur (Chhattisgarh)
41.58
(Mizoram)
Aizawl
(Mizoram)
Density of Population 2001-2011
Density
2001
2011
Difference
% Difference
325
382
57
17.5
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Page 746
Page 747
Density of Population
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Page 747
Page 748
Ranking of States/UTs as per Population Density-2011

Top 2 States/UTs
Bottom 2 States/UTs
States/UTs
Density
States/UTs
Density
NCT of Delhi
11,297
Arunachal Pradesh
17
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Page 748

Chandigarh
9,252
A. & N. Islands
Page 749
46
Districts ranked as per Population Density 2011

Top 2 Districts
Bottom 5 Districts
District
Density
District
Density
North East (NCT of Delhi)
37,346
Dibang Valley (Arunachal Pradesh)
Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
26,903
Samba (Jammu & Kashmir)
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Page 749

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