Current Affairs July 2014

Current Affairs July 2014

Supreme court asks Centre to submit proposal to expedite criminal justice system

August 1, 2014

The Supreme Court has said that the judiciary cannot fast-track cases against MPs and in fact asked the government to submit a proposal within a month to expedite the Criminal justice system in India. The apex court also observed that the pace of criminal justice system is not satisfactory in the country.

This statement from Supreme Court came because recently, PM Narendra Modi had asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to devise a mechanism to adjudicate criminal and other court cases against politicians within a year.

The Law Ministry has already begun working on the roadmap and one of the options is to pursue the suggestions of the Law Commission made to the apex court in March 2014. As per the law panel, the trial must be expedited and concluded within a one-year period for charges framed against sitting MPs or MLAs. If trial is not concluded within a year then (either) the MP/MLA may be disqualified at the expiry of the one-year period or the MP/MLAs’ right to vote in the House as a member, remuneration shall be suspended at the expiry of the one-year period.

As per a research by the Association for Democratic Reforms, this Parliament has a significant number of legislators facing criminal charges – 186 members or 34% of the Lok Sabha.

Ghana’s proposal of land to Punjab farmers accepted by Punjab Government

July 31, 2014

The Punjab Government has agreed to the Ghana Government’s proposal offering land to Punjab farmers. As per the proposal, the government of Ghana would provide fertile farmland on a long-term lease to Punjab farmers for farm activities. Ghana has made this proposal to promote agriculture as a tool of progress in Ghana and if possible then by Punjab’s expertise in farming.

Punjab Government has assured Ghana that a high-level delegation of officers as well as an expert from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, would be sent to Ghana to study the suitability of the entire project.

Ghana also offered Punjab to export finished goods to Ghana. It has invited Punjabi entrepreneurs to visit Ghana to start manufacturing facilities in the country and take advantage of Ghana’s natural resources like various minerals, timber, oil, cocoa, palm oil fish and cotton.

Excessive healthcare is a problem on the rise in India: World Bank

July 31, 2014

The World Bank has warned that excessive healthcare is emerging as a serious problem in India. As per the bank, people with private health insurance are two to three times more likely to be hospitalized than the national average.

The bank is of the view that many of these medical protection policies result in only marginal benefits and can actually harm the patients, leading to unnecessary suffering, especially among the weak and elderly. The situation may aggravate as many more people will be able to afford healthcare as the government steps up medical coverage for the poor. It suggested India to urgently build in checks against this hazard, especially as it sets aside an increasing share of limited public resources for medical insurance.

The warning from the bank comes amid concern expressed by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan over “corruption” in regulatory institution Medical Council of India (MCI) and the “nexus” of doctors and diagnostic centres, resulting in patients being prescribed unnecessary tests.

S S Mundra assumes office as RBI deputy governor

July 31, 2014

S S Mundra (60) has taken charge as deputy governor Reserve Bank of India. As a deputy governor of the central bank, he will be responsible for banking supervision, currency management, financial stability and rural credit. The government has notified his appointment for a period of 3 years.

The veteran banker had begun his career as a probationary officer, and served for a short time at Union Bank of India, where he was executive director. In a rare move, he returned as the CMD of his parent bank (Bank of Baroda) and was seen as a surprise choice for the prestigous regulatory job. In fact, Mundra would have never been offered this post had it not been for K C Chakrabarty’s decision to resign before the end of his tenure as RBI deputy governor.

Now, RBI has four deputy governors– H R Khan, Urijit Patel, R Gandhi and S S Mundra.

RBI is planning to have one more deputy governor, but this will require a change in the rules of RBI. Till the time the changes in rules are made, the RBI has suggested the Government to appoint an Officer on Special Duty or Chief Operating Officer (COO) with the rank of a deputy governor. Government is yet to take a call on any of these proposals put forward by the RBI. Normally, an RBI deputy governor can be appointed for 5 years or till the age of 62, whichever is earlier. To be eligible for the post, a candidate needs to be less than 60 years of age while assuming charge.

Current Affairs June 2014

Current Affairs June 2014

India successfully launched PSLV C-23 with 5 satellites

June 30, 2014

India’s ANTRIX (ISRO’s commercial arm) successfully launched 5 foreign satellites from four countries on board PSLV-C23 rocket which placed them in orbit.

The rocket was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and was also witnessed by PM Narendra Modi.

ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C23 placed all five satellites into their respective orbits.

The rocket carried with it primary payload of 714 kg French Earth Observation Satellite SPOT-7, 14 kg AISAT of Germany, NLS7.1 (CAN-X4) and NLS7.2 (CAN-X5) of Canada each weighing 15 kg and the 7 kg VELOX-1 of Singapore.

PM Modi extolled the efforts Indian space scientists and asked the space community to develop a SAARC satellite.

He referred to pictures showing rocket components being transported on bicycles.

• SPOT 7: French satellite, it will be part of the existing Earth observation satellite. It has been built by European space technology company Airbus Defence and Space.
• AISAT: German nano-satellite, to focus on the global sea-traffic monitoring system with special emphasis on high traffic zones using AIS signals.
• NLS 7.1 and NLS 7.2: Canadian satellite, they will perform Two-spacecraft precision formation flying using differential GPS with centimetre-level relative position and sub-metre level accurate position control system.
• VELOX-1: Singaporean satellite, it is a technology demonstrator for in-house design of image sensor, MEMS-based attitude determination and control system and inter-satellite RF link.

Saina Nehwal clinches Australian Open Super Series title

June 29, 2014

Star Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal defeated Spain’s Carolina Marin to win the $750,000 Star Australian Super Series title.

The 6^th seeded Indian, who had clinched the India Open Grand Prix Gold earlier this year, dominated the contest throughout.

New Facelock Technology obviates the need to remember complex passwords

June 28, 2014

Researchers at the University of York in the U.K have developed a new technology named Facelock technology which provides an alternative to remembering complicated passwords.

Retaining complicated passwords has always been a difficult job for most people. There is also a risk of hacking if the passwords are kept too simple.

The new Facelock technology attempts to deal with these issues. It is based on human psychological trait of remembering familiar faces with close to 98% accuracy.

Facelock needs users to choose from a selection of faces that are well known to them. Then when they want to log in or get access to a secure system, a series of face grids is created, and users must select the familiar face in each grid.

As per researchers, it’s easy for users to select a familiar face from the crowd — but very difficult for others to hack, since none of the faces will stand out to them.

July 4 is the deadline for implementing Food Security Act

June 28, 2014

Adhering to its earlier decision of a 3-month extension to States and Union Territories to implement the National Food Security Act, the Union government’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is firm that the deadline for implementing the scheme is July 4, 2014. So far only 11 States have implemented the Act. 20 States and 5 Union Territories are yet to implement it.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal has urged the Centre to extend the July 4 deadline.

As per law the National Food Security Act has to be implemented within a year of its coming into force. West Bengal subsidized food grains were distributed among beneficiaries under several categories. But after the National Food Security Act is implemented in a State no such categories would exist.

The Ministry has clarified that if West Bengal does not implement the Act by the deadline, the several schemes in West Bengal under which food grains are distributed at a subsidized rate will not be stopped.

Current Affairs May 2014

Current Affairs May 2014

Google agrees to provide ‘Right to be Forgotten’

May 31, 2014

Google has launched a service to allow Europeans to ask for personal data to be removed from online search results.

It will now be possible for Europeans to request Google for the removal of their personal data from online search results. The move comes after a landmark European Union court judgment in May 2014, which gave people the “Right to be Forgotten“.

What is the ‘Right to be Forgotten’?

Links to “irrelevant” and outdated data should be erased on request. It would assess each request and balance “privacy rights of the individual with the public’s right to know and distribute information“.

It is a latest term which came out of a ruling of a European Court which was adjudicating over a case in which a Spaniard named Mario Costeja Gonzalez had argued that some of his old personal information put up on the internet 16 years back continue to appear in search results even today which, according to him, damages his reputation. Around 16 years ago when he was facing financial difficulties he had put up a property of his for auction – the details of which were covered in a newspaper, which subsequently went online. The auction happened in 1998, and with those troubles now behind him, Mr Gonzalez now wants to move on. But the old details on internet still hound him. Whenever you search for his name, news about the auction still features prominently. He argued that it should be removed from Google’s search results. The Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union agreed with him, and in doing so set a major precedent over what is referred to as the “Right to be Forgotten“.

What next?

Following this ruling Google has made available ‘Right to be Forgotten’ Form which a person in EU can fill to request the search engine to prevent his/her unwanted personal information from appearing in the search results.The EU has been crusading for a new law on data privacy – of which “right to be forgotten” is a key component – since it proposed guidelines in January 2012. It argues that old, inaccurate or even just irrelevant data should be taken out of search results if the person involved requests it.

Does ‘Right to be Forgotten’ allows a person to request any of his information to be removed from the Internet?

No. Decisions on whether information should be removed from search engines depend “on the nature of the information in question and its sensitivity for the data subject’s private life and on the interest of the public in having that information, an interest which may vary, in particular, according to the role played by the data subject in public life”. It means the information would only be removed if the impact on the individual’s privacy is greater than the public’s right to find it.

As per guidelines, removal of information in the current context doesn’t mean deletion of information. They just wouldn’t appear in search results.

“Vitamin E” Beneficial or Harmful depends on its source

May 31, 2014

According to new research, certain forms of Vitamin A can be harmful for the lungs while certain other can be helpful in normal functioning of lungs. The research has found that a form of Vitamin E found in vegetable oils like Corn and Canola can harm lungs, while another form of the same vitamin found in Olive Oil can aid normal functioning of lungs. The scientists claimed that this could be one of the reasons why studies of the health effects of the vitamin have had given conflicting results so far.

Vitamin E exists in various forms called tocopherols and it is found in fats and oils. Supplements of the vitamin may contain a single type of tocopherol, or a mix. The study found that a form of the vitamin called ‘gamma tocophero’, which is found in corn, canola and soybean oils, are harmful for lungs.

The research suggests that consumers who use the vitamin and doctors who prescribe must be careful towards the source and formulation of the vitamin. It is sometimes mentioned on the labels of supplements, but not always.

Peter Mutharika takes oath as President of Malawi

May 31, 2014

After being victorious in the recently held presidential polls in Malawi, Peter Mutharika (74) was sworn in as the new President of the southern African country. He will replace outgoing President Joyce Banda.

Malawi (“The Warm Heart of Africa”)

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It shares its boundaries with Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. Malawi is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa”.

Capital: Lilongwe

President: Joyce Banda

Currency: Malawian kwacha

Official language: English Language

Malawi is amongst the world’s least-developed countries. Malawi’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture, and majority of the population is rural. The government depends heavily on foreign aid to meet its development needs.

Army Chief endorsed as the new leader by Thai king

May 31, 2014

Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej (86) has backed the army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who captured power in a coup, to run Thailand.

Why is Thailand under military rule?

The political situation in Thailand has been restive for past few months. At present, the country is under junta rule (army rule) after army seized power in a recent coup. According to its Army, the military has taken control of the government and suspended the constitution in order to reinstate order and enact political reforms.

There has been agitation in the country with the opposition accusing the current democratically elected government of corruption and demanding its dissolution. The coup comes after months of surging tensions. The cabinet has been directed to report to the military and gatherings of more than five people have been prohibited.

Have there been coups before in Thialand?

Yes, this is the 12^th military coup since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. The last coup was witnessed in 2006, when then PM Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by the army after he was accused of corruption. Many accuse the army of being kind to the cause of his opponents in the current anti-government drive.

What are the roots of the Thailand crisis?

The politics in Thailand is polarized with mostly rural, often poor, supporting Mr Thaksin, whereas, the urban middle class is against him.

Ever since Mr Thaksin’s regime was toppled in 2006, there have been regular protests. But in the past few years the focus has been on the current Thaksin-aligned Pheu Thai government.

The protests began to aggravate into violence in November 2013, after the lower house passed a controversial amnesty bill which, as per critics, could make possible Mr Thaksin’s return from exile without serving time in jail.

As per the anti-government camp, at least 28 people have died since then.

The situation exacerbated further in May 2014, after a controversial court judgment removed Mr Thaksin’s sister Yingluck from her position as Prime Minister, saying she had abused her power by illegally transferring the National Security Chief to another position.

Current Affairs April 2014

Current Affairs April 2014

Rules and Regulations relating to fundings made to political parties in India

May 5, 2014

As per a study done by a CMS,a Delhi based think tank, it has been found that about half of the approximated spend of Rs 1.5 lakh crore on elections over the past 5 years in India has come from unaccounted sources. The bulk of this grey area (unaccounted sources) is from funding done by corporates. To add to anguish, the The clauses of the new Companies Act 2013 also brings in a very minuscule hope to bring in more transparency in corporate funding of political parties.

What are the Regulations and governing laws in India for funding to Political Parties?

Regulations and their respective governing laws for funding Political Parties in India, are as follows:-

PUBLIC FUNDING

Regulation(s):

• No Direct Funding permitted
• Time apportioned to parties for campaigning on state-owned TV (viz. DD National, etc.) and radio networks (viz. All India Radio, etc.) proportional to their performance in yesteryears
• Free provision of electoral rolls and other prescribed materials

Governing Law(s):

• Representation of the People Act, 1951
• Conduct of Election Rules, 1961

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION(S)

Regulation(s):

• No restrictions on donations from individuals

Governing Law(s):

• Companies Act, 2013

CHECKS ON CONTRIBUTIONS

Regulation(s):

• Complete ban on foreign contributions
• Companies may donate up to 7.5% of the average net profits they made during past 3 years. The earlier Companies Act allowed companies to contribute for a political purpose to any person while the new Companies Act, 2013 is silent on contributions for a political purpose.
• Privately-held companies are now expected to reveal the amount contributed to a political party in their profit and loss statement. This was before limited to listed companies only.

Governing Law(s):

• Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976
• Companies Act, 2013

RESTRICTIONS ON A CANDIDATE’S CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURE

Regulation(s):

• Poll expenditure upto Rs 70 Lakhs for each Lok Sabha constituency in bigger states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka, etc.
• Poll expenditure upto Rs 54 Lakhs for each Lok Sabha constituency in smaller states like Goa, hilly and north eastern states, etc.
• Poll expenditure upto Rs 70 Lakhs in Delhi and uniform at Rs at Rs 54 lakh for all other UTs

Governing Law(s):

• Representation of the People’s Act, 1951

DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS

Regulation(s):

• Compulsory filing of Income Tax Returns by the Political parties
• Political Parties have to disclose details of donors who donated Rs 20,000 or more
• Privately-held companies have to disclose the amount contributed to a political party in their profit and loss statement.

Governing Law(s):

• Representation of the People Act, 1951
• Election Commission’s order on March 13, 2003
• Companies Act, 2013

CIVIL PENALTIES

Regulation(s):

• Sanctions include loss of seat, prohibition from contesting elections for a period up to 6 years

Governing Law(s):

• Representation of the People Act, 1951
• Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976

CRIMINAL PENALTIES

Regulation(s):

• Imprisonment up to 5 years for taking foreign contribution(s)
• Any Company violating contribution limits may be fined up to five times the funding and officers of the company responsible may be imprisoned up to 6 months
• Albeit, the penalty for violation has been raised from 3 times the amount of funding to 5 times, the term for imprisonment of company officials in default has been cut down from 3 years to 6 months.

Governing Law(s):

• Representation of the People Act, 1951
• Indian Penal Code,1860
• Companies Act 2013
• Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 1976

UK conducts world’s biggest human organ imaging project

May 4, 2014

The UK has launched world’s biggest scanning project- UK Bio-bank imaging study in which 100,000 British volunteers are participating to undergo a detailed imaging of their brain, heart and vital organs to help researchers study a wide range of common, chronic and life-threatening illnesses like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. DNA has been collected from all the volunteers who will be compared and cross-referenced with the scans.

What is the significance of this UK Bio-bank imaging study project?

The significance of this study lies in its huge size and the methodology being used to study wide range of health conditions in humans. The study will enrich the doctors and scientists with unprecedented level of information on wide range of illnesses, including dementia, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, depression and eye and lung disorders over many years. The aim is to try to improve the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. It will help scientists understand why one person gets a disease and another does not.

Namibia purchases India-made EVMs for its presidential polls

May 4, 2014

The Namibian government has purchased 3,400 India-made Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for its presidential polls. Previously, India-made EVMs have been used by other countries in Asia to conduct smooth and fair elections.

The EVMs have been bought at a cost of Namibian $10 million (approx $948,000) from Bengaluru-based public sector unit, Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL). The South African nation Namibia, which had ordered 1,700 EVMs in 2013, placed another order earlier this year, is the first African country to use such machines in any of its polls.

What prompted Nambia to buy EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) from India?

Namibia is keen on purchasing the Indian made EVMs for its benefits like faster results, reduction in the number of spoilt ballots, low expenses in conducting the polls, and the elimination of manipulation avenues. Other features of attraction include newly introduced ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA), in-built clocks and Braille markings for the visually impaired. The machine eliminates the possibility of vote tempering by displaying the time when the vote was cast along with recording the ballot. It also gives hourly polling updates.

Which countries have purchased Indian EVMs in past?

Earlier, Nepal, Bhutan, Namibia and Kenya bought BEL manufactured EVMs for conducting their polls. India is only supplying the EVMs not its technology with any of the countries.

Current Affairs March 2014

Current Affairs March 2014

“Iwao Hakamada”- World’s longest-serving death row-inmate freed by Japan

March 31, 2014

The Japanese court release of the World’s longest serving death row inmate, Mr. Iwao Hakamada (78), as the evidences used against him were probably made up.

About Mr. Iwao Hakamada

• Nationality: Japanese.
• Japanese former professional boxer.
• Sentenced to death on September 11, 1968 for a mass murder (known as the Hakamada Incident).
• Convicted of killing a company manager and his family and setting fire to their central Japan home, where he was a live-in employee.
• Known for: World’s longest death-row inmate (48 years) certified by Guinness World Records.

Apart from the United States, Japan is the only major industrialized democracy to carry out capital punishment, a practice that has led to repeated protests from European governments and human rights groups. (Japan carries out a handful of executions every year).

Note: The only crimes that can lead to a death sentence in Japan are murder and treason.

President Pranab Mukherjee re-promulgated SEBI ordinance

March 31, 2014

President Pranab Mukherjee cleared the re-promulgation of the SEBI Ordinance that provides powers for SEBI Chairman to authorize Investigating Authority or any other officer of the regulator to conduct search and seizure under the SEBI Act and crack down on Ponzi schemes.

SEBI ordinance – Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2013

• Purpose: To arm the regulator with more stringent powers comes in wake of thousands of duped investors reportedly taking to the streets in Siliguri (West Bengal) protesting the proliferation of chit fund companies there and the Rs 2,000-crore Sardhaa chit fund scam.
• SEBI can regulate any money pooling scheme worth Rs 100 crore or more and attach assets in cases of non-compliance and its Chairman can order “search and seizure operations”.
• Empowers the market watchdog to seek information, such as telephone call data records, from any persons or entities in respect to any securities transaction being investigated by it.

Note: The SEBI ordinance lapsed on January 15, has been re-promulgated for the third time as the Parliament could not pass the Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2013, in the winter session.

India’s forex reserves near $300 billion mark

March 31, 2014

India’s foreign exchange reserves continued their rally for the fourth straight week, increased by $1.35 billion to 298.64 billion dollar on a surge in currency assets even though the reserve position with the IMF slid heavily.

As per the data released by Reserve Bank of India( RBI)

• Gold reserves remained unchanged at $ 20.978 billion.
• Foreign currency assets (FCAs), a major part of the overall reserves, rose $1.58 billion to $ 271.40 billion.
• FCAs expressed in dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation/depreciation of the non-US currencies viz. the euro, pound and yen held in its reserves.
• The special drawing rights were down by $ 16.9 million to % 4.462 billion, while the country’s reserve position with the IMF was down by a whopping $ 214.7 million to $1.801 billion.

MoF: India’s external debt at $426 billion in December, 2013

March 31, 2014

As per the quarterly report of Ministry of Finance (MoF), India’s external debt was at $ 426 billion – including the government’s debt of $ 76.4 billion in December 2013. The total external debt of $ 426 billion showed an increase of $ 21.1 billion over the March-end level.

Reasons for increase of India’s external debt during the period were

• Due to long-term debt particularly NRI deposits.
• A sharp increase in NRI deposits reflected the impact of fresh FCNR(B) deposits mobilised under the swap scheme during September-November 2013.

Excerpts of the quarterly report of Ministry of Finance (MoF) on December 2013 figures

• Long term debt: $333.3 billion showed an increase of 8.1 % over March, 2013 level.
• Short-term debt: Declined by 4.1 % to $92.7 billion.
• Government (Sovereign) external debt: $76.4 billion, (17.9 % of total external debt)
• The share of US dollar denominated debt was the highest in external debt stock and stood at 63.6%, followed by debt denominated in Indian rupee (19.4 %), SDR (7.1 %), Japanese yen (5.0 %) and Euro (3.1 %).
• The debt has remained within manageable limits as indicated by the external debt to GDP ratio of 23.3 %, vis-a-vis 21.8 % at end-March 2013 and debt service ratio of 5.9 % in 2012-13.
• India’s foreign exchange reserves provided 69 % cover to the total external debt as of December end, against 72.1 % as of March-end 2013.
• India’s external debt has remained within manageable limits due to prudent external debt management policy of the Government of India.

Note: The external debt management policy continues to focus on monitoring long and short-term debt, raising sovereign loans on concessional terms with longer maturities, regulating external commercial borrowings through end-use, all-in-cost and maturity restrictions, and rationalizing interest rates on Non-Resident Indian deposits.

Current Affairs February 2014

Current Affairs February 2014

Eminent painter Mr. Prokash Karmakar passed away

March 3, 2014

The veteran Indian painter Mr. Prokash Karmakar (81) passed away in Kolkata due to age related illness. The painter was best known for his landscapes and nudes.

About Mr. Prokash Karmakar

• Born: 1933 in Kolkata.
• Inspired by the works of Picasso and other masters of the 19th century Impressionism.
• Works: Permanent collections of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi and Lucknow Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata.
• Awards: Lalit Kala Akademi National Award, RabindraBharatiUniversity Award, BirlaAcademy of Art and Culture, Calcutta, etc.
• His Official Website: http://www.prokashkarmakar.com/

His paintings reflect his perception and interpretation of nature (both orderly and chaotic), life (both rural and urban), and form (from soft to sharp), without reference to religion.

German Chancellor Ms. Angela Merkel awarded Israel’s highest civilian honor

March 1, 2014

The German Chancellor Ms. Angela Merkel awarded the Presidential Medal of Distinction (Israel’s highest civilian honor) by the President of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres. She was awarded with this medal for her firm commitment to the security of Israel along with her fight against anti-Semitism and racism in particular through education.

About Presidential Medal of Distinction (Israel’s highest civilian honor)

• The medal features the North Star (to symbolize the (“right path”) and a seven-branched menorah or Jewish candelabrum – the symbol of Israel – inscribed with the phrase “From his shoulders and upward,” from the Book of Samuel 9:2.
• Open to Israeli citizens and non-citizens.
• Awarded every year by the President to a person for his/her extraordinary contribution to the country.
• Past recipients of the medal: U.S. President Barack Obama, former U.S. president Bill Clinton, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra director Zubin Mehta, human rights activist Elie Wiesel, etc.

Note: Anti-Semitism is a hostile belief or behavior towards Jews as a religious or racial group and the term was coined in 1879 by the German agitator, Wilhelm Marr to designate the anti-Jewish campaigns underway in central Europe at that time. The person who holds the position of ant-Semitism is known as anti-Semite.

National Lok Adalat to be held in Nagpur on April 12, 2014

March 1, 2014

Due to large number of pending cases, the District Legal Services Authority is organizing a National Lok Adalat at Nagpur on April 12, 2014.

• The National Lok Adalat will be conducted at all levels right from the Supreme Court, High Courts, it benches upto the Taluka Courts.
• The mechanism of Lok Adalats available for disposal and resolution of disputes will be used to clear pending cases at the earliest by sorting out suitable ones.

In the National Lok Adalat, cases viz. criminal compoundable cases, negotiable instrument act Cases U/S 138, motor accident claim petitions, accident information report (AIR), state transport cases and matrimonial and family courts cases will be taken into account.

NTPC to set up Kajra Thermal Project in Bihar

March 1, 2014

NTPC will set up a 1,320 MW thermal power project at Kajra in Lakhisarai district of Bihar. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between NTPC, Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited (BSPGCL) and Lakhisarai Bijlee Company Private Limited (LBCPL) at Patna in Bihar.

• Estimated cost of the project: Approx Rs. 9200 crore.
• The plant would have two units of 660 MW each.

Note: In the joint venture, NTPC would have 74% stake and the rest would be with BSPGCL.

Current Affairs January 2014

Current Affairs January 2014

India’s first monorail inaugurated in Mumbai

February 5, 2014

India’s first monorail service started in Mumbai. The monorail service that would link the city to major stations began its first phase of 8.93 km between Wadala and Chembur in the eastern fringes of the Commercial Capital.

• The first phase of the monorail covered seven stations: Wadala depot, Mysore Colony, BhaktiPark, Bharat Petroleum, V.N. Purav Marg, Fertiliser Colony, and Chembur.
• Will be able to carry about 2,500 passengers (each car will accommodate 568 commuters). The fares will be between Rs. 5 and Rs. 11.
• Average speed: 65 km/hr; Maximum speed: 80 km/hr.
• Expected to reduce the travel time between Wadala and Chembur by almost half. It takes 40 minutes at present but the monorail will take only about 21 minutes.

Second phase – connecting Wadala with Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk in South Mumbai will be completed by mid-2015.

• It will cover a distance of 11.2 km and include the following 11 stations: Chinchpokli, Chembur Naka, Wadala Bridge, Mint Colony, Acharya Atra Nagar, Antop Hill, Wadala, GTB Nagar, Fertilizer Company and Bharat Petroleum.
• Mumbai monorail will display three colours — pink, green and blue.
• The project executed by a consortium of engineering major Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) and Malaysian firm Scomi Engineering and owned and operated by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The overall monorail project covers a 19.17 km stretch in the Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle corridor, which will be the second longest corridor with 17 stations. (The longest one is Japan’s Osaka Monorail).

What is Monorail?

A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles travelling on such a beam or track. The beam in a monorail system is narrower than the vehicle.

Note: After the launch of Mumbai monorail, India joined the elite group of countries viz. the U.S., Germany, China, Japan, Australia and Malaysia that run monorails.

Mahatma Gandhi’s grand daughter Ela Gandhi honored with prestigious South African Award ‘Amadelakupha’

January 31, 2014

Mahatma Gandhi’s grand daughter, Ms. Ela Gandhi honored with the Prestigious South African Award, ‘Amadelakupha’ by the South African Government. This award was also given to Sunny Singh and Mac Maharaj of Indian Decent. The South African Government stated that Ms. Gandhi selected for the award in recognition for her lifetime contribution to the freedom struggle in South Africa.

She formed the trio of Indian-origin South Africans along with Sunny Singh and Mac Maharaj. These three played an active role in the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). The Umkhonto we Sizwe was the armed struggle wing of the African National Congress (ANC).

Former Umkhonto we Sizwe members were incorporated into the South African defence force after the advent of democracy in 1994 following the release of Nelson Mandela to become the first democratically-elected president. Mr. Mandela was the first democratically-elected president of South Africa.

About Ms. Ela Gandhi

• Born: July 1, 1940 in Durban, South Africa.
• Peace activist and was a Member of Parliament in South Africa from 1994-2004
• Awards: Community of Christ International Peace Award, Padma Bhushan award(2007), Pravasi Bhartiya Award (2014) and Umkhonto we Sizwe.
• Developed a 24-hour program against domestic violence, founded the Gandhi Development Trust.
• Chaired the Mahatma Gandhi Salt March Committee and the Mahatma Gandhi Development Trust.
• And also served as the Chancellor of Durban University of Technology for many years.

Note: The award title, ‘Amadelakufa’ means ‘those who are prepared to make sacrifices’ in Zulu language and was hosted by the South African military.

Govt. launched “India Inclusive Innovation Fund (I.I.I.F.)”

January 31, 2014

The National Innovation Council (NIC), in partnership with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), launched the India Inclusive Innovation Fund (IIIF). IIIF is an impact investment fund that will invest in ventures catering to the country’s poor. It is an autonomous Rs. 500-crore fund, with the Union Government contributing 20 %. The balance will come from public sector banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, multilateral/bilateral development agencies, Indian & global corporates.

About India Inclusive Innovation Fund (I.I.I.F.)

• Objective: To expand the corpus to Rs 5,000 crores over the next 24 months and to provide modest financial returns, while ensuring significant social impact to the community.
• Focus on: healthcare, food and nutrition, agriculture, education, energy, financial inclusion, environment, technology as an enable.
• Will be registered under SEBI’s Alternative Investment Fund Category I guidelines with an initial corpus of Rs 500 crore, with the Ministry of MSME committing to 20% (Rs 100 crore) and the balance being given by banks, insurance companies, overseas financial and development institutions.
• Help to create a new class of capital or venture capital to set up and scale entrepreneurial skills and innovation in the firms delivering goods and service to the poorest of the country.
• Combined innovation and the dynamism of enterprise to solve the problems of citizens at the base of the economic pyramid in India.
• The Fund will invest in innovative ventures that are scalable, sustainable and profitable.
• It will address social needs of less privileged citizens in areas viz. healthcare, food, nutrition, agriculture, education / skill development, energy, financial inclusion, water, sanitation, employment generation, etc.

Second Supermoon of 2014 will be visible on Jan 31, 2014

January 31, 2014

The second of the five supermoons of 2014 would be visible on Friday around 3.30 p.m. January 1, 2014 was the year’s first supermoon and January 31, 2014 will be the second.

• January is the only month with two supermoons until January 2018.

As per Space Foundation, an organisation working for popularizing astronomy, the second of the five supermoons of 2014 would be visible on Friday. The other supermoons this year are forecasted to happen on July 12, August 10, and September 9, 2014. The one is August is supposed to be the closet to Earth.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbit, resulting in the largest apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. The technical name is the perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system. It appears as much as 14 % bigger and 30 % brighter.

• The term “Super Moon” was coined by astrologer “Richard Nolle” in 1979. Before supermoons were called supermoons, they were referred to “Perigee Full Moon”, or “Perigee New Moon”.

What is ‘Perigee-Syzygy’?

The term supermoon is not widely accepted or used within the astronomy or scientific community, who prefer the term ‘Perigee-Syzygy’.

• Perigee: the point at which the Moon is closest in its orbit to the Earth.
• Syzygy: a full or new moon, when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned nearly in a straight line.
• Supermoon = Perigee + Syzygy, although they do not perfectly coincide each time.

Thus a Supermoon can be regarded as a combination of the two, although they do not perfectly coincide each time. Syzygy may occur within a maximum of 12 hours from perigee during a supermoon, and 1 hour from perigee during an extreme Supermoon.

How does supermoon occur?

A super full moon occurs when the moon’s closest approach to the Earth (lunar perigee) coincides with the phase of full moon. When this happens the moon may seem bigger and brighter. However, for the ordinary star-gazer there will be no significant difference.

• In other words, the Moon which is a natural satellite of the Earth revolves around it in an elliptical orbit rather than a circular one. While revolving, when it reaches the perigee (closest point to Earth from its orbit) , the Moon is about 356,992 km away, as compared to the 405,696 km away that it is at its furthest distance from the Earth (apogee). This closeness combined with the coincident of a full moon gives it a bigger look from the Earth. Thus, the phenomenon called “Supermoon”.

About Full moon

The full moon is a lunar phase occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun and all three bodies are aligned in a straight line. It appears as an entire circle in the sky. In modern use, when 13 full moons occur in a year, usually one calendar month has 2 full moons; the second one is called a “Blue Moon”.

Current Affairs 2014

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We are publishing current affairs of 2014 and you will be able to find the categorized information about the following major topics of  competitive exams.

• Daily GK Quiz
• Sports Quiz
• Reasoning Quiz
• English Quiz
• Quantitative Aptitude Quiz