January 1 1) Union govt.

s ambitious Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) programme was rolled out in how many districts of the country on 1 January 2013? 20 districts (Earlier the programme was to be initiated in 51 districts of the country but due to technical glitches and teething problems the programme was started in 20 districts. Govt. announced on 31 December 2012 that scheme would be extended to 11more districts on 1 February 2013 and to another 12 districts on 1 March 2013) 2) Which state govt. on 1 January 2013 announced a 13-point plan for womens safety, which includes request to centre to amend laws to ensure the maximum punishment of death penalty and chemical castration for those responsible for rapes? Tamil Nadu 3) On 1 January 2013 which anniversary of signing of the Emancipation Proclamation of the United States was celebrated, which eventually ended slavery in the US? 150th anniversary (The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on 1 January 1863 by the then US President Abraham Lincoln) 4) How many extensions have been given to the Nanavati Panel, which has been probing the 2002 Gujarat riots, after another extension was given to the panel on 31 December 2012? 19 5) Who was appointed as Australias new High Commissioner to India on 30 December 2012? Patrick Suckling (He will resume his duties from January 2013 and would replace Peter Varghese who has been appointed as head of Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) 6) Where in India was countrys first BSL 4 (Bio Safety Level IV) laboratory opened recently? in Pune by the Indian Council of Medical Research 7) The ceiling for foreign direct investment (FDI) in asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) was raised by the union govt. from 49 to . per cent recently? 74 8) Which law, which came into effect from 1 January 2013, is expected to sour bilateral relations between the US and Russia? A new law, signed during December 12 by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, which bans adoption of Russian children by US citizens (This law was made in haste by Russia in retaliation to a new US legislation which punishes Russian human rights abusers) 9) Which toll-free number was started from 31 December 2012 in Delhi for registering complaints of woman in distress, which received over four thousand calls in the first 6 hours of its initiation? 181 (establishment of this service was announced by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on 20 December 2012) 10) What crisis was the US facing, which was resolved on 1 January 2013, after the Congress voted in favour of a White House compromise bill? This bill averted Americas longest running fiscal cliff and without this bill every tax-payer in America would have faced tax rises from 1 January 2013. This bill is a short-term, temporary compromise that will impose tax rises on the 2 per cent wealthiest Americans and would spare the working-class and middle-class