Current Affairs

GENERAL STUDIES
For
UPSC Engineering Services Examination, GATE,
State Engineering Services Examination & Public Sector Examination.
(BHEL, NTPC, NHPC, DRDO, SAIL, HAL, BSNL, BPCL, NPCL, etc.)
CURRENT AFFAIRS - 1
(FROM APRIL 2012 TO DEC. 2012)
I.E.S MASTER
Institute for Engineers
IES/GATE/PSUs
Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016
Phone: 011-41013406, 7838813406, 9711853908
Website: www.iesmaster.org, E-mail: ies_master@yahoo.co.in
IES Master
Phone: 011-41013406, 7838813406, 9711853908
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Table of Contents
Chapters Page No.
1. Master Articles ............................................................. 001 to 010
2. National Updates ......................................................... 011 to 040
3. International & Bilateral Updates ............................. 041 to 063
4. Environment & Ecology Updates ................................ 064 to 075
5. Science & Technology Updates .................................... 076 to 098
6. Defence Updates ........................................................... 099 to 111
7. Committee, Commission & Reports ........................... 112 to 120
8. Conferences & Summits ............................................... 121 to 129
9. Games & Sports ........................................................... 130 to 138
10. Awards & Recognition ................................................. 139 to 152
11. Persons & Places in News ........................................... 153 to 162
12. Books & Authors ........................................................... 163 to 167

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National Updates
2.1 GENERAL ISSUES 13
2.2 ECONOMY AND ENERGY ISSUES 19
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2.3 SOCIAL, HEALTH & EDUCATIONAL ISSUES
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2.1. General Issues
Meghalaya, Manipur & Tripura to get High Courts

The North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) and Other Related Laws (Amendment)
Bill, 2012, passed recently, will pave the way for creation of the High Courts in Meghalaya,
Manipur and Tripura by amending the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971.
Presently, all seven northeastern States come under the jurisdiction of the Guwahati High Court,
with Benches in Tripura, Meghalaya (Bench at Shillong), Manipur (Bench at Imphal), Mizoram
(Bench at Aizawl), Nagaland(Bench at Kohima) and Arunachal Pradesh (Bench at Itanagar).
Master Tips
Once the three courts are established, the number of High Courts in the country will go up from
21 to 24. The total approved strength of judges in the 21 High Courts was 895, and 260 post
were vacant. This meant there was less than one judge for every one million people.
The Madras High Court in Chennai, Bombay High Court in Mumbai, Calcutta High Court in
Kolkatta are the first three High Courts in India, established in 1862 by High Courts Act,
1861.
Allahabad High Court was also established by High Courts Act, 1861 but in 1866.
60 New Police Stations Set Up In Five Riot-hit Assam Districts

After wanton ethnic violence left nearly 100 dead and thousands of Bodos and Muslims in
Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) areas displaced, the government has
finally decided to set up 60 more police stations in the five riot-hit districts (Kokrajhar, Chirang,
Udalguri, Baksa and Dhubri) of lower Assam to ensure close vigil and better policing.
Master Tips
The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is a territorial privilege established
according to the Memorandum of Settlement of February 10, 2003. BTC came into
existence immediately after surrender of BLTF (Bodoland Liberation Tiger Force)
cadres. The BTC has 12 electorate members each looking after a specific area of
control called somisthi. The area under the BTC jurisdiction is called the Bodo
Territorial Autonomous District (BTAD) which is to consist of four contiguous
districts — Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang — carved out of seven
existing districts — Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang
and Sonitpur. The BTAD is created under the sixth schedule of the Constitution of
India.
Janamaithri Scheme in 100 More Police Stations

The Janamaithri Suraksha project, the community policing scheme of the Kerala police,
will be extended to 100 more police stations, 50 of them tribal stations.
 As many as 148 stations have been implementing the scheme, launched at 20 stations in 2007
on a pilot basis.
 In phase two of the scheme, 21 more police stations started implementing it in 2009. Thereafter,
following the good response, the other stations introduced it.
14 National Updates Study Material
SC Directs Karnataka to Release Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu

Supreme Court directed Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day its
neighbouring state and asked the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) to hold its meeting
to decide the amount of water required by the states.
A bench of Justices D K Jain and Madan B Lokur said its interim order will continue till CMC
files its report. The Bench said that its immediate concern is to save the crops which are allegedly
dying because of lack of water and it would decide other issues later on.
CUSEC : Cusec is a measure of flow rate of water and is abbreviation for cubic feet per second (which
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is equivalent to a flow of 28.317 litres per second) and 11,000 cusecs flow for a day amounts to 1 TMC
(thousand million cubic feet) water.
Master Tips
Kaveri River water dispute: The sharing of waters of the Kaveri has been the source of a
serious conflict between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The genesis of this conflict rests in two controversial agreements—one signed in 1892 and
another in 1924—between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Princely State of
Mysore. ST
The 802 km long Kaveri river has 34,273 sq km basin area in Karnataka (42%), 44,016
sq km basin area in Tamil Nadu(54%) and 2,866 sq km in Kerala(3.5%) and 148 sq
km in Puducherry.
Constitutional Provision and The Interstate River Water Disputes Act – 1956 (IRWD
Act):
Under article 262, Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute
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with respect to the use, distribution or control of the water of Inter-State River or river
valley. Parliament by law may exclude such jurisdiction of Supreme Court or any other
court.
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act,1956 (IRWD Act,1956) was first enacted on
28 August 1956 by the Indian parliament under Article 262 on the eve of reorganization of
states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes that would arise in the use, control
and distribution of an interstate river or river valley.
IRWD Act, 1956 Provide for an ad hoc tribunal for adjudication of any dispute arising
between two or more States with regard to the water of any Inter-State river or river Valley.
The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal:
The Government of India constituted a three man tribunal, headed by Justice Chittatosh
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Mookerjee in 1990 to look into the matter. After hearing arguments of all the parties involved
for the next 16 years, the tribunal delivered its final verdict on 5 February 2007.
In its verdict, the tribunal allocated 419 billion ft³ (12 km³) of water annually to Tamil
Nadu and 270 billion ft³ (7.6 km³) to Karnataka; 30 billion ft³ (0.8 km³) of Kaveri river
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water to Kerala and 7 billion ft³ (0.2 km³) to Puducherry. The dispute however, appears not
to have concluded, as all four states deciding to file review petitions seeking clarifications
and possible renegotiation of the order.
India’s Longest Railway Bridge To Be Built Jointly By WRI and HCC
India’s longest railway bridge over the Brahmaputra that would enhance connectivity
between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will be built by jointly by BHEL’s Welding Research
Institute (WRI) and Mumbai-based Hindustan Construction Co Ltd. (HCC).
 The country’s longest rail-cum-road bridge estimated for completion by the end of year 2015
at a cost of Rs. 3,230 crore would be of strategic importance, reducing the time taken for
travelling between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
 The connectivity will also give a thrust to regional tourism, trade and commerce.
IES/GATE/PSUs Phone: 011-41013406, 7838813406, 9711853908
Study Material National Updates 15
Operation X: Kasab Hanged, Buried in Yerwada Jail

In a top secret way “Operation X”, 25-year-old Mohammmed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone
surviving gunman of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack was taken to Pune’s Yerwada Jail and
hanged on November 21,2012.
Police sources said that Kasab was buried in the Jail. His mercy petition was rejected by President
Mr. Pranabh Mukherjee against earlier order of Supreme Court to death penalty.
Master Tips
Pardoning Power of President:Under Judicial Powers, the President has the right to grant
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pardon, to suspend, remit or commute the death sentence of any person.
As mentioned in Article 72 of Indian Constitution, the President is empowered with the powers
to grant pardons in the following situations:
 Punishment is for offence against Union Law
 Punishment is by a Military Court
 Sentence is a death sentence
UN Secretary General Visited India

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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon visited
India in the last week of April 2012. He met the Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh and the then External Minister S.M.
Krishna and discussed measures to counter terrorism.
Mr. Ban Ki-Moon was conferred the degree of ‘Doctor of
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Letters’ (Honoris Causa) by the Chancellor, Lieutenant
General (Retd.) M.A. Zaki of the Jamia Millia University.
Ban Ki-Moon
Master Tips
Ban Ki-Moon: The Korean diplomat is serving his 2nd term as the Secretary-General of
UN, succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. His new five-year term as Secretary-General is
from1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016.
Newly Cleared Copyright Bill Assures Artistes Entitlement to Lifelong Royalty

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Parliament approved amendments to the Copyright Act that entitles artistes to lifelong royalty.
The Copyright Act (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Lok Sabha unanimously, with
members from all parties supporting the measure for creative artistes, whose benefits are cornered
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by producers under the existing law. The Bill, passed by the Rajya Sabha, declares authors
owners of the copyright, which cannot be assigned to producers, as was the practice
till now.
Salient Features of the new Bill:
 Song writers, artistes and performer can now claim royalty for their works.
 The Bill made it mandatory for broadcasters – both radio and television – to pay royalty to the
owners of the copyright each time a work of art was broadcast.
 It bans persons from bringing out cover versions of any literary, dramatic or musical work for
five years from the first recording of the original creation.
 The Bill provides for exemption from copyright for any work prepared for the
physically challenged in special formats such as Braille. It also permits compulsory license
to be granted for a certain number of copies in non-special formats to non-profit organizations
working to help disabled persons.

3rd NIA Centre In Uttar Pradesh

A regional centre of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was opened in Lucknow, the
third, after Hyderabad and Guwahati.
Master Tips
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a federal agency approved by the Indian
Government to combat terror in India. NIA was created after the Nov 2008 Mumbai terror.
The founding Director-General of NIA was Radha Vinod Raju. The current Director-
General is S.C Sinha.
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‘Ayur’ Can’t Be Trademark: Intellectual Property Appellate Board
The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has ruled that ‘Ayur’ cannot be used as
trade mark as being done and directed the removal of the word ‘Ayur’, registered in the name of
Three N-Products (P) Ltd. New Delhi, from the trade marks registry.
In its order the IPAB said: “Ayur is a generic word; to hoard it as ‘mine-own-forever’ is not in
public interest, and such a monopoly was never intended by the Trade Marks Act, 1999.”
Master Tips
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Ayur is a commonly used word derived from ‘Ayush’ (life) and a derivative of the word
Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old system of medicine. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) launched
its line of Ayurvedic health and beauty care products under the trade mark ‘Lever Ayush’ in
2002.
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Buddhist Site Discovered In East Godavari
A Buddhist site was discovered at Porupaka of Routhulapudi mandal of East Godavari

district in AP by a freelance archaeologist Kadiyala Venkateswara Rao, which is believed
to be of third or fourth century A.D. The findings were endorsed by Bangarraju, Assistant
Director, Archaeological Survey of India.
 The newly found Buddhist site, on the hilltop, is spread in 20 acres area from the foot hill to
the lower level of the fields on the western side of the hill. The number of huge brickbats,
red and black polished pot shreds, conical bowls, terracotta toys, white and red
coloured beads, big-size circular ear lobes and number of saddle querns were found at
the site.
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 The bricks that were used for constructing walls were 48 cm long and 26 cm wide and 8 cm
thick. The saddle querns were used to prepare saddle points for prayers and also for preparing
spice powder and herbal medicine.
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Researchers Found Paleo-river Near Narmada

The traces of a Paleo-river are claimed to have been found by a group of researchers in
Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. The researchers are trying to find out whether the ancient
stream has anything to do with the Narmada.
Master Tips
A Paleo-channel or Paleo-river is an inactive river or water stream buried under sediment.
Due to geological activities, the nearly 65 million year-old river might have got covered under
basaltic lava. It flowed in the same direction – East to West – as the Narmada. The current
course of the Narmada is about 10 km from the site of the Paleo-river, parallel to it. Further
exploration may throw light on the origin of the Narmada.

Asia’s Biggest Cattle Fair Sonepur Mela Held

A month-long Sonepur Mela, Aisa’s largest cattle fair which has attracted international
attention was held in November 2012 at Sonepur in Saran district of Bihar state..
 Elephants, horses, dogs, donkeys, ponies, rabbits and goats are sold from the mela, which is also
known as the Harihar Kshetra Mela.
 The mela has its origin in ancient times when Emperor Chandragupta Maurya used to buy
elephants and horses from across Ganga.
 Bihar Tourism Department inaugurated the fair which begins during the full moon of the
Hindu month of Kartik at the confluence of rivers Ganga and Gandak.
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First-ever GTA Elections Held
Election of GTA:
 As per the West Bengal government announcement, the election for the GTA was held on July
29, 2012. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) contested the GTA polls. In the elections
GJM candidates won from all the constituencies. The newly elected members of the GTA were
sworn in on 4 August 2012 at Darjeeling in the presence of home minister Sushil Kumar
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Shinde and West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee.
Bimal Gurung, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), was elected Chief Executive
Officer of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) by the elected and nominated
members of the new regional autonomous body. The members of the GTA, that replaces the
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), was sworn in.
What is GTA?
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 Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) having administrative, executive and financial
powers but no legislative powers, is a semi-autonomous administrative body for the
Darjeeling hills in West Bengal, India. The GTA will replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
(DGHC), which was formed in 1988 and administered the Darjeeling hills for 23 years. GTA
presently has three hill subdivisions Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong and some
areas of Siliguri subdivision under its authority.
 After three years of agitation for a state of Gorkhaland led by GJM, the GJM reached an
agreement with the state government to form a semi-autonomous body to administer the
Darjeeling hills. A bill for the creation of GTA was passed in the West Bengal Legislative
Assembly on 2 September 2011.
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Justice Shyamal Sen Report : The report of the high-power committee headed by retired Justice Mr.
Shyamal Sen on inclusion of additional areas from the Dooars and Terai in the GTA was submitted
to the state government which recommended that five mouzas in the plains be added to the proposed
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new body in the Darjeeling hills. The Gorkha janmukti Morcha (GJM) expressed its anger at the
report, saying that they had expected the figure to be more than 150.
AP-MH Signed Agreement For Water Sharing In Pranahita-Chevella

Agreement has been signed by Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to implement the Rs. 38,500-
crore mega project of Pranahita-Chevella at Delhi in the presence of Chief Ministers of both
States which will provide a new thrust to utilization of water in the Godavari basin.
 Maharashtra’s willingness not only to allow the construction of the project but also to participate
in it comes as a big relief to Andhra Pradesh in the light of its legal battle against “illegal”
construction of Babli and 11 other barrages across the Godavari, which threatens to curtail
inflows to Sriramsagar that lies downstream.

 Andhra Pradesh has so far spent Rs 1,600 crore on various packages of the project, which was
designed by a group of Telangana expert-engineers to utilise 160 tmcft of Pranahita water and
serve 16.4 lakh acres in the most drought-prone areas of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal,
Nizamabad, Medak, Naglonda and Ranga Reddy.
 This huge investment would have been a waste if Maharashtra had opposed it. Maharashtra’s
consent is seen crucial because the mammoth barrage required for the project to divert Pranahita
waters will have to be built in its territory. The water from this barrage will be transferred into
the reservoir of the yellampalli project already constructed across the Godavari, before being
released to the intended areas, including Hyderabad (30 tmcft) for drinking purpose.
 The agreement will provide for constitution of three committees, one of them with Chief Ministers
of the two States to oversee the implementation of the project.
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Demand For Frontier Nagaland And Relared Issues
The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has been demanding creation of
‘Frontier Nagaland’ out of four border districts- Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire and Longleng
districts.
 It submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister in 2010, saying only a separate State would
result in socio-economic development in the border region.
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The then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram reportedly assured Nagaland Chief Minister
Nephiu Rio of assistance for the speedy development of Eastern Nagaland, but ruled out creation
of a separate State – Frontier Nagaland.
 The ENPO has rejected a Rs. 500-crore development package offered by the Nagaland government
in lieu of a separate State sticking to its demand for creation of a Frontier Nagaland and all the
six tribes passed a resolution on June 12 in Tuensang not to accept any development package or
any autonomous or regional council in lieu of a separate State.
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Master Tips
The ENPO, which is the apex organization of six Naga tribes including Konyak,
Khiamniungan, Chang, Yimchunger, Sangtam and Phom inhabiting the four districts,
namely Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire and Longleng.
Cyclone Nilam Severely Affected AP

Andhra Pradesh government estimated the loss of Rs. 1,710 crore caused by NILAM cyclone
in agriculture and horticulture crops along with lives.
Australian Film Festival Begins

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The three-day Australian Film Festival (AFF) got off to a magnificent start with enthusiasts
queuing up to view the films.
 Dehra Dun is the only non-metro city where the screening of the Australian movies will
take place apart from New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. This also happens to be the first
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international film festival in the city.

 ‘Yes, Madam Sir’ is the most anticipated film of the festival. This award-winning documentary
on the first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi has been directed by Megan Doneman.
Pranab Opens Centenary Fete Of Nobel For Tagore

On the threshold of the centenary of the award of Asia’s first Nobel Prize to Rabindranath
Tagore in 1913, President Pranab Mukherjee said that Tagore had “realised the special role of
Asia in the pattern of vibrations between the self and the world.” Mr. Mukherjee inaugurated
the centenary celebrations of the award of the Nobel Prize to Tagore with an international
seminar at Visva-Bharati University, which was jointly organised by the university and
the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi. “This seminar will not merely celebrate the award
of a Nobel Prize to an individual; it will celebrate the potential of the idea of exchange, cooperation
and multiculturalism,” Mr. Mukherjee said.
2.2. Economy and Energy Issues
Govt. Clears Signing Of Pact For Buying Gas From Turkmenistan-TAPI Pipe Line
The Union Cabinet approved the signing of the Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA),
for buying gas from Turkmenistan.
 The rate $0.50 per million metric British thermal unit for allowing passage of gas through their
respective territories has been finalized resolving one of the major contentious issues.
 The delivered price of gas on the Indian border works out to $10-12 per mmBtu as compared to
$4.20 per mmBtu price of domestic gas and $16 per mmBtu rate of gas imported in ships in its
liquid form (LNG).
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 The pipeline would carry 90 million metric standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) of gas. Of
which, 14 mmscmd would be bought by Afghanistan and 38 mmscmd each would be for India
and Pakistan.
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Proposed TAPI Pipe Line

Master Tips
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The 1735 km long pipeline, which is likely to be operational by 2016, will run from
Turkmenistan’s Dauletabad gas field to Herat and Kandhar province of Afghanistan,
before entering Pakistan. In Pakistan, it will reach Multan via Quetta befroe ending at Fazilka
Punjab in India. (See Map for clarity.)
India–Qatar Sign Pact to Boost Oil and Gas Cooperation

A pact to enhance cooperation in the key sector of oil and gas exploration is among the six
agreements inked between India and Qatar, which has the world’s third largest natural
gas reserves after Russia and Iran.
The MoU signed between them, is to establish a cooperative framework to facilitate and to
enhance bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector for mutual benefit.

RBI’s Current Rates And Ratios
Policy Rates* Reserve Ratios*

Bank Rate 8.75% Cash Reserve Ratio 4.00%
(CRR)
Repo Rate 7.75% Statutory Liquidity 23.00%
Reverse Repo 6.75% Ratio (SLR)
Rate
Marginal 8.75% *Note: Rates and ratios are
Standing Facility revised by the RBI from time to
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Rate (MSF) time, so keep updated. Given data
is as on date 29st Jan 2013.
Shome Panel On GAAR

The expert committee on GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules), set up by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh under the chairmanship of Indian Council for Research on
International Economic Relations (ICRIER) chief Parthasarathi Shome, has begun
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the process of consultations with various stakeholders.
Terms of Reference: To fine-tune the controversial provisions and bring in more clarity
and transparency in the draft guidelines announced in Budget 2012 for the introduction of
GAAR for the current fiscal, mainly with the objective of checking tax evasion.
 But, following stiff opposition by foreign and domestic investors and bitter criticism by global
tax advisory firms, its implementation was deferred till the next fiscal beginning April 1,
2013 which is now further extended to 2016.
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 GAAR Panel Terms of Reference Expanded: To have greater clarity on tax liability
issues pertaining to portfolio investors and foreign institutional investors (FIIs).
GAAR Shome Panel’s recommendations in brief:
 GAAR should be deferred by three years i.e GAAR should apply from assessment year 2016-17.
 Abolish Capital Gains tax on listed securities.
 Mauritius treaty to be upheld.
 Tax mitigation be distinguished from tax avoidance before invoking GAAR.
 GAAR not to be applicable on FIIs, capital market transactions, payment of dividends,
buybacks, setting up branch/subsidiary, funding through debt/equity,intra-group transactions
etc.
GAAR applicable only in cases of abusive, contrived, artificial deal and a monetary threshold
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of Rs 3 crore of tax benefit (including tax only, and not interest etc) to a taxpayer in a year
should be used for the applicability of GAAR provisions.
Union Cabinet Clears Spectrum Fee On Telecom Firms

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The Union Cabinet on November 8, 2012 approved the proposal of an Empowered Group of
Ministers (EGOM) to levy a one time spectrum charge of about Rs. 31,000 crore on all existing
telecom operators in the country.
 The EGoM had proposed the GSM based telecom companies pay for all their 2G spectrum
holdings beyond 4.4 MHz, while CDMA players were to pay the Levy beyond 2.5 MHz holding
prospectively for the remaining period of their licenses.
 GSM above 6.2 MHz will be levied one-time fee from July, 2008
Producer Price Index (PPI) For Inflation Mooted by RBI
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D. Subbarao, mooted a proposal for a Producer
Price Index (PPI), which would measure the average change over time in the sale prices
of domestic goods and services.

 In its present structure, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) does not capture the price
movement of services. Also, it is a hybrid of consumer and producer price quotes. For example,
the index captured the price of important commodities such as milk from the retail markets;
not at the producer level.
 In contrast to Consumer Price Index (CPI), PPI measures price changes from the
perspective of the seller. Sellers and purchasers’ prices differ due to government subsidies,
sales and excise taxes, and distribution costs. For these reasons, move towards PPI is
desirable.
AERB Approved The Loading Of Real Fuel In Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant
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The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has given its nod for the removal of
dummy fuel and loading of real fuel (enriched uranium) in the first unit (1000 MW
capacity) of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu. The loading of
real fuel would begin soon and thereafter, a trial run would go on for approximately 20 days
before attaining criticality (commissioning).
 KNPP is constantly in the news because of ongoing protests by local people, rights groups
and environmentalists regarding their concerns of nuclear safety and implications of nuclear
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radiation on health and environment.
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Location : Kudankulam, District : Tirunellveli-Kattabomman, Tamil Nadu State.
Sri Lanka has also voiced opposition over the Kudankulam nuclear plant citing their concerns
over threats to them in case of nuclear disaster such as Fukushima. But, this is largely seen as
the repercussion of India’s vote against Sri Lanka in UNHRC.
Table: Current Status of the Project
Schedule Expected
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Unit Reactor Date of Date of Physical
Number Type Commercial Commercial Progress
Operation Operation
Master Tips
About Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP): Two reactors of the VVER-
1000 model are being constructed by the Nuclear Power corporation of India
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Limited (NPCIL) and Atomstroyexport. Atomstroyexport is the Russian

Federation’s nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly. It be-
lon gs to Atomenergoprom holding with 49.8% of shares owned
by Gazprombank.
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International Airport Status to Five More Domestic Airports

On the proposal of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Union government has granted international
airport status to five more domestic airports in October 2012.
 These newly created international airports are Lucknow (UP), Varanasi (UP), Tiruchirapalli
(Tamil Nadu), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Mangalore (Karnataka).
 With these 5 new international airports, the total number of international airports in the country
has gone to 23.

SBI Opens ATM In Drass- Kargil

State Bank of India, Drass under the Chandigarh Local head Office (LHO) has become
the first bank in the country to install an ATM machine to serve the local dwellers of the town
as well as the soldiers guarding the frontiers in the coldest inhabited place in the hostile
terrain of the Kargil/Drass sector.
Crop Damage From Frost, Cold Comes Under Natural Calamity

The Union Cabinet, at a meeting, approved the recommendation of the Group of Ministers
(GoM) on Drought to consider the damage to crops due to extreme cold or frost as a natural
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calamity.
With this the affected farmers will be eligible for financial relief from the National Disaster
Response Fund (NDRF) or the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Master Tips
Crops damaged in natural calamities such as drought, floods, cyclone, earthquake, fire, flood,
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tsunami, hailstorm, landslip, avalanche, cloud burst and pest attack were eligible for relief under
the NDRF/SDRF. However, since the incidence of damage to crops in extreme cold or frost has
gone up in recent years, the government set up the EGoM. The EGoM, earlier headed by Pranab
Mukherjee, will now be chaired by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
New Service Tax Regime Comes Into Effect

As announced in the Union budget, a new service tax regime, based on a negative list of
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exempted services, will come into effect in which all services — except the 38 activities
put on the negative list – will come under the tax at the increased rate of 12 per cent,
taking a major shift from the levying service tax on 119 services based on a positive list.
The switch-over to a negative list-based approach is aimed at aligning the indirect taxation
system to the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, which is sought to be
introduced to unify the levies of the Centre and the States into a composite system.
Master Tips
The services sector now accounts for 60 per cent of the gross domestic product
(GDP).The Finance Ministry has set a target of Rs. 1.24 lakh crore for service tax collection
during 2012-13 as against the Rs. 97,000 crore mopped up during the previous fiscal.
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‘Contract Farming’ Introduced In Uttarakhand

In an attempt to boost private investment in agriculture and horticulture sectors, the
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Uttarakhand government has announced its policy of introducing contract farming.
Basel III Implementation From January, 2013: RBI Guidelines

As per the final guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Basel III capital
regulation in India would be effective from January 1, 2013, in a phased manner. The Basel
III capital ratios will be fully implemented on March 31, 2018.
Salient points of RBI guidelines regarding BASEL III:
 Banks have to maintain Tier I capital, or core capital, of at least 7 per cent of their risk
weighted assets on an ongoing basis. Under the existing capital adequacy guidelines based
on the Basel II framework, banks are required to maintain Tier I capital of at least 6 per
cent of their risk weighted assets.

 The total capital ratio, including Tier I and Tier II, must be at least 9 per cent, unchanged
from the current requirement, compared with the Basel III minimum requirement of 8
percent.
 For the financial year ending March 31, 2013, banks will have to disclose the capital ratios
computed under the existing guidelines (Basel II) on capital adequacy as well as those
computed under the Basel III capital adequacy framework.
Master Tips
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) issued a comprehensive re-
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form package entitled ‘Basel III: A global regulatory framework for more resilient
banks and banking systems’ in December 2010, with the objective to improve the
banking sector’s ability to absorb shocks arising from financial and economic
stress. A revised version of this document (Basel III) was issued in June 2011.
This will amend certain provisions of existing Basel II framework, in addition
to introducing some new concepts and requirements.
*To know more on BASEL and other banking norms, refer your economy booklet.
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Micro Insurance Product Jeevan Deep Launched By LIC
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a new micro insurance product
named Jeevan Deep. The plan provides for a sum assured (risk cover) ranging from minimum
of Rs. 5,000 to maximum of Rs. 30,000 with an optional accident benefit rider, together providing
for total death benefit equal to double the sum assured, on death due to accident.
NDC Approves 12th Five Year Plan

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India’s apex policy making body National Development Council (NDC) on 27th Dec 2012
approved the strategy to achieve average growth rate of 8% during the 12th Five Year Plan
(2012-17), generating 50 million new jobs and increasing investments in infrastructure sector,
as finalized by Planning Commission of India.
Master Tips
The Planning Commission was established on 15 March 1950, with Prime Minister as the
chairman which formulates India’s Five-Year Plans, among other functions.
The National Development Council (NDC), set up on August 6, 1952, is the apex body for
decision making and deliberations on development matters in India, presided over by the Prime
Minister. The Council comprises the Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers
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of all States or their substitutes, representatives of the union territories and the members of the
Planning Commissions. Its status is advisory to planning commission but not binding but approves
the 5 year Plans.
Both Planning Commission and NDC are extra-constitutional and non-statutory bodies
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but executive bodies.
New Category Of NBFCS, NBFC-Factors Introduced By RBI

A new category of NBFCs, Non-Banking Financial Company-Factors was introduced
by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Factoring is a financial transaction where an
entity sells its receivable to a third-party called a ‘factor’ at discounted prices.
Criteria stipulated by RBI:
 Every company seeking registration as NBFC-Factors would have a minimum net-owned
fund (NOF) of Rs. 5 crore.
 An NBFC-Factor would ensure that its financial assets in the factoring business constitute
at least 75 per cent of its total assets and its income derived from factoring business is not
less than 75 per cent of its gross income.
 Existing companies seeking registration as NBFC-Factor but do not fulfill the NOF criterion
of Rs. 5 crore may approach the RBI for time to comply with the requirement.
 An existing NBFC registered with RBI and conducting factoring business that constitute
less than 75 per cent of total assets/income shall have to submit to the RBI within six months
from the date of this notification, a letter of its intention either to become a Factor or to
unwind the business totally within two years from the date of this notification and a road
map to this effect.
 CoR (Certificate of Registration) as NBFC-Factors will be granted only after they reached
the required asset or income percentage.
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Offshore Wind Energy Projects: Panel Set Up To Give Thrust
The Union Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has constituted an Offshore
Wind Energy Steering Committee (OWESC) under the chairmanship of Secretary, MNRE,
to steer the offshore wind power development in a focused manner, especially in Tamil Nadu,
Maharashtra and Gujarat. The committee will work out a road map for offshore wind power
development in the country tapping the vast potential.
Panel To Probe Grid Failure ST

After a massive grid failure, a 3-member panel headed by Central electricity Authority
(CEA) Chairman A.S. Singh, has been set up by the Power Ministry to probe the grid collapse.
 To make up for the deficit due to the collapse of the northern grid, 8,000 MW was diverted
from the eastern and western grids and power was also imported from Bhutan. A major
collapse of the northern grid took place in 2001-02 also.
Possible Cause of Failure: The normal frequency at which electricity is transmitted through
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
the northern grid ranges from 48.5 to 50.2 Hz. At the time of the collapse around 2.35 a.m., it
was 50.46 Hz, a few notches above normal. This could have tripped the supply.
 Impact of Failure: The grid collapse impacted public transport systems including, the Railways,
water supply, train movement and Delhi Metro and halted the major economic and industrial
activities.
Master Tips
 Northern grid: It caters for about 28 per cent of the country’s population, covers the regions
of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal
Pradesh, J&K and Chandigarh. The western region was under-drawing power whereas
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the northern region was overdrawing it.

 4 out of 5 grids in the country, northern, eastern, northeastern and western are
interconnected except the southern grid.
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 All the grids are being run by the PGCIL, which operates more than 95,000 circuit km of
transmission lines. One circuit km refers to one km of electrical transmission line.
Gandhi Power Plant Commissioned

The second 660-MW unit of the Mahatma Gandhi Super Thermal Power Project
(MGSTPP) at Khanpur Khurd in Jhajjar (Haryana) was synchronised with the grid
raising the total installed generation capacity within the State to 5505 MW.
Largest Uranium Mine Commissioned

The Thummalapalle mine has the world’s largest reserves of 1.50 lakh tons uranium
ore and the most modern underground mine and fully mechanised processing plant in the
country and the world.
 Most of its water requirements are drawn from Chitravathi River.

 It has been commissioned by the then Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman
Srikumar Banerjee on April 20.
 The Rs. 1,106 crore uranium ore mine and processing plant has been set up by Uranium
Corporation of India at Thummalapalle village in Vemula mandal in Kadapa distric
(Andhra Pradesh).
 The Thummalapalle Project would give a fillip to power production from nuclear plants
from 3% in 2011 to over 30% by 2050.
 About 1.10 million tons of ore can be mined annually at Thummalapalle. On processing, the ore
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can yield 250 tons of uranium oxide and, on further processing, can be used as fuel for nuclear
reactors. The uranium processing plant has a capacity to treat 3,000 tons of ore a day.
To Review Taxation Of IT Units, Development Centres: Panel Has Been Set Up

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a panel to bring about clarity on taxation matters
pertaining to development centres and the IT sector.
 A four-member panel headed by former CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) Chairman
N. Rangachary would hold consultations with stakeholders and government departments

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concerned to finalize the approach to taxation of ‘Development Centres’ and suggest appropriate
measures.
Term of reference is to have a fair tax system in line with best international practices which
will promote India’s software industry and promote India as a destination for investment and
for establishment of Development Centres.
2nd Ultra Mega Power Project In Jharkhand

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 Power Finance Corporation Ltd, the modal agency for UMPPs, has incorporated an SPU,
namely, Deoghar Mega Power Limited, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFC for obtaining
various linkages, clearances and approvals and the undertake the bid process for the UMPP.
 PFC is undertaking the work of development of the 2nd Ultra Mega Power Project (4000 MW)
in Jharkhand for which site has been identified at Hussainabad in Deoghar District.
RBI Modified NBFC-MFI Norms

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a notification for all the registered non-banking
financial companies (NBFCs) intending to convert themselves into non-banking financial
company-micro finance institutions (NBFC-MFIs) must seek registration with immediate
effect, and, in any case, not later than October 31.
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Criteria to avail registration of NBFC-MFIs:

 The NBFCs have to maintain net-owned funds (NOF) at Rs. 3 crore by March 31, 2013, and
at Rs. 5 crore by March 31, 2014, “failing which they must ensure that lending to the micro
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finance sector, that is, individuals, SHGs or JLGs, which qualify for loans from MFIs, would
be restricted to 10 percent of the total assets,”.
 The RBI made some modifications in the directions issued on December 2, 2011 to NBFC-MFIs.
In order to provide encouragement to NBFCs operating in the north-eastern region, the
minimum NOF is to be maintained at Rs. 1 crore by March 31, 2012, and at Rs. 2 crore
by March 31, 2014.
 However, all new companies desiring NBFC-MFI registration will need a minimum NOF of Rs.
5 crore except those in the north-eastern region Rs. 2 crore.
Highest Ever Trade Deficit As Crude, Gold Imports Risen

Exports losing steam midway, India ended the 2011-12 fiscal with the highest ever trade deficit
of $185 billion in which crude oil and gold alone contributing for over 44 per cent of
the total import bill of $489 billion.
Nuclear Hurdle in Gujarat

The 6,000 MW Mithivirdi (Gujarat) project of Nuclear Power Corporation of India
(NPCIL), one of the first after the Indo-Us nuclear deal, has run into opposition over land
acquisition and nuclear safety.
About Project:
 Mithivirdi in Gujarat has been chosen as the location of 6,000 MW nuclear power project,
 The project will be spread over 777 hectares and house 6 nuclear reactors manufactured by
US based Westinghouse, which is a subsidiary of Toshiba of Japan, and which has signed
an agreement with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL).
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 The ambitious project aims to supply power not only to Gujarat but also to neighbours
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
ONGC and Chinese Company to Explore Gas Together

Indian flagship explorer ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) on June 19, 2012 signed an
agreement with China National Petroleum Company for jointly pursuing opportunities in
third countries to explore gas. ST
Record Foodgrains Production In India: In The Year 2011-12
India is all set to achieve an all-time high of food grains production at 252.56 million tons in
2011-12 with a record output of wheat, rice and cotton in the third advance estimates as against
the third estimates of 235.88 million tons in 2010-11. The development is good except for some
concerns about storage. Food grains include only wheat, rice, coarse cereals and pulses.
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Table: Annual Output of Indian Main Crops
Main Crops Production in Year 2010-11 Production in Year 2011-12
(Estimated) (Estimated)
Wheat 84.27 million tons 90.23 million tons

Rice 94.11 million tons 103.41 million tons
Coarse Cereals 40.21 million tons 41.91 million tons
Pulses 17.29 million tons 17.02 million tons (slight drop)
Oilseeds 30.25 million tons 30.06 million tons
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Cotton 33.9 million bales 35.2 million bales (of 170 kg each)
Norms Relaxed For Foreign Investement

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To attract foreign capital and stabilize the rupee, the Centre has permitted residents of the Gulf
nations and all EU nations to invest directly in stock markets and individual overseas investors
to bring up to $1 billion to the debt market.
US $ 37 Million Loan For Himachal Pradesh By World Bank

The World Bank has approved additional tranche financing of 37 million dollar for the ongoing
Mid Himalayan Watershed Development Project in Himachal Pradesh to build sustainable
watershed treatment models, an official statement said on September 28, 2012.
The original 60 million dollar Mid Himalayan Watershed Development Project has been aimed
at reversing the process of degradation of the natural resource base, improve productivity, and
raise rural household incomes.

National Dairy Plan Phase-I Launched

The first phase of Rs.17,300 crore National Dairy Plan was inaugurated by Union Agriculture
Minister Sharad Pawar at Anand (Gujarat) on April 19, 2012.
 In a bid to boost milk production in the country, the government will pump in Rs. 2,242 crore as
part of phase-I of the National Dairy Plan.
 The idea is to ensure an annual growth of 4 per cent across multiple states over the next 15
years besides providing access to organised milk-processing to the country’s 70 million rural
milk producers.
Demand for milk in India is expected to be about 200 million tonnes by 2021-22 as against
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
the production of 122.8 million tonnes in 2010-11.
 NDP-1 is a six-year plan to be largely financed through International Development
Association (IDA) of the World Bank and implemented by National Dairy Development
Board (NDDB).
Deep Sea Gas Pipeline Project of SAGE: IOC Seeks nod To Join
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State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has written to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry
seeking permission to join the crucial pipeline project with South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE)
as the authorisation already given to GAIL (India) for pursuing the deep sea natural gas
pipeline project from the Middle East to India,
IOC had signed a ‘principles of co-operation (POC)’ with SAGE, which is pursuing deep sea
natural gas pipeline project from Oman to India, in a consortium with other international
companies. IOC has been a prominent part of all government initiatives in gas pipeline projects.
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Master Tips
SAGE is a project development vehicle set up for the proposed deep sea natural gas pipe-
line project from the Middle East to India. It is a consortium formed by Siddho Mai
Group of India, Intec Engineering of the U.K., Heerema Marine Contractors
Nederland, B.V. of Holland and Corus Tubes of the U.K.
SAGE pipeline is expected to transport 30 million metric cubic metres of gas per
day, the same volume as what Iran has earmarked for India in the proposed Iran-Paki-
stan-India (IPI) pipeline. SAGE would charge a transport fee of around $1 per million
metric British thermal unit.
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Union Cabinet Approves National Electronics Policy 2012

The Union Cabinet has approved the newly finalized National Electronics Policy 2012 which is
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set to incubate a $ 400 billion Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM)
sector and employ over 2.8 crore people over the next 8 years. ESDM is of strategic importance
as well.
 The policy envisages a domestic ESDM industry that is globally competitive. Creating an
ecosystem to harbor this sector will require an investment of $ 100 billion.
 The policy also strategizes setting up a “National Electronics Mission” which will see
participation of the industry.
 Key objectives under the National Policy on Electronics 2012 include growth of the local
chip making sector on a very large scale and building a domestic supply chain of electronic parts
and components.

The salient points of the National Electronics Policy 2012:

 To establish ESDM system at global level.
 To raise the domestic supply of raw material from existing level of 20-25% to 60% by 2020.
 To raise the exports of ESDM sector nearly 15 times from $ 5.5 billion to $ 80 billion by 2020.
 Special focus on increasing post graduate education, 2500 PhDs have been targeted to graduate
on an annual basis by 2020.
 To make India a ‘global leader’ in creating intellectual property in ESDM sector.
 To develop an appropriate technology to meet domestic demands, particularly of rural sector
and also international demand at fair prices.
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New Telecom Policy 2012
The Union Cabinet approved the National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2012.
Salient Features of NTP 2012:
 Consumers who use national roaming can now expect to pay local call charges i.e ‘free roaming’
will be initiated.
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The policy also allows national number portability, but with no visible timelines.
It allows resale of services as a way to increase competition without duplicating infrastructure
or fragmenting the spectrum by allowing mobile companies to set up resellers as such services
resale is universally recognized.
 It mentions cloud computing, next generation networks, IPV6 and Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) as thrust areas – all of which are forward-looking and embrace future technologies.
 It expects to take India’s presently 39% rural teledensity to 70% in the next 5 years with the
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target that every single Indian will have a phone by 2020.

 The policy also gets a formal approval on the new unified licensing regime which allows companies
to provide ISP, fixed line, international long distance, national long distance, and a few other
services through a single license, whose cost has been proposed by the DoT at Rs. 10 crore.
Google Brings ‘Cyber Monday’ To India, Partners E-commerce Sites

Google India said it has partnered with a host of e-commerce players including Flipkart, Snapdeal,
Homeshop18, and Makemytrip to bring to India its own version of ‘Cyber Monday’ on December 12.
Internet users can log on to ‘www.gosf.in’ and get deals for 24 hours on this day from over 50
partners across ecommerce, local and classified, online travel sites and BFSI (banking, financial
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services and insurance) industries.
Cash Transfer Finds Place In Govt Calendar

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The much-talked about Direct Cash Transfer Scheme is the first among the various Government
schemes highlighted in the ‘Government of India- Wall Calendar 2013’ released. The calender
based on the theme ‘Bharat Nirman- Sabka hit, Sabka Haq’, was released by the Department
of Audio Visual Publicity, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Chinese Firm Second Biggest Sim Card Supplier In India

The government-controlled Eastcompeace Technology, a Chinese company has emerged as
the second biggest supplier of SIM cards for mobile phones in India this year.
 It is supplying the phone chips to Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, Airtel and
Vodafone, besides providing SBI with smart cards.
 The company is the biggest player in Pakistan. Its India operation is the largest, with revenue
worth $18 million followed by Pakistan ($9m), Russia ($6m) and South Africa ($4m).

FIPB Nod To Stay For FDI In Domestic Pharma Units

The government has decided that all foreign investments in existing domestic pharma firms
should be allowed only after clearance by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB),
amid mounting concerns over availability of affordable essential drugs in the wake of
multinationals acquiring local companies.
Supervisory College For SBI And ICICI Bank Set Up

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a supervisory college for State Bank of India (SBI)
and ICICI Bank. The move is aimed to deal with supervisory issues revolving around these
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banks, and establish a cooperation mechanism for cross-border supervision.
 “Supervisory colleges have evolved the world over as an important component of effective
supervisory oversight of an international banking group.
 This mechanism was developed with the aim of reducing supervisory overlap, and filling in
supervisory gaps for better supervisory co-operation enunciated in Basel II framework,” said
the RBI.
For SBI, there are nine host country supervisors, while ICICI Bank has seven.

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BSE Launches Carbon-Based Thematic Index
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), has launched BSE Carbonex, the first carbon-based
thematic index in the country, which takes a strategic view of organisational commitment to
climate change mitigation.
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 This index has been launched with the aim of creating a benchmark and increasing awareness
about the risks posed by climate change.
 The British High Commission in India through the British Foreign & Commonwealth
Office’s Prosperity Fund supported the development phase of the index.
 ENDS Carbon, a specialist in environment, social and governance (ESG) ratings and
benchmark services provider, has provided its expertise in assessing the companies with data
sourced from the carbon disclosure project (CDP).
Master Tips
Ends Carbon : It is a not-for-profit organisation which holds the largest and most
continuous set of climate change data in the world.
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BSE ltd : It is the 10th largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalization,
established as “The Native Share & Stock Brokers’ Association” in 1875.
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IRDA Allows Insurance Compnies To Deal In Credit Default Swaps

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has permitted the use of Credit
Default Swap (CDS), a derivative instrument that offers credit protection, for insurance
companies to hedge their risk.
Insurers are allowed only as users (protection buyers) of CDS subject to condition, IRDA said in
a final guideline for investment in CDS.
Master Tips
CDS : The Credit Default Swap (CDS) is a guarantee in which the buyer of a credit swap
receives credit protection, whereas the seller of the swap guarantees the credit worthiness of
the product. By doing this, the risk of default is transferred from the holder of the fixed
income security to the seller of the swap.

Citibank Plans ‘Cyber Monday’ Type E-shopping Sale In India

India may soon have its own version of ‘Cyber Monday’, when billion-dollar worth products
are sold online at heavy discounts within a day, with Citibank planning a similar mega e-
shopping sale in India.
First coined in 2005 as a marketing term by online retailers for the Monday coming after ‘Black
Friday’, which itself is the name for Friday after Thanksgiving in the US, the ‘Cyber Monday’
has become a phenomenon over the years. With rising popularity, the ‘Cyber Mondays’ have
recorded billion-dollar sales during past four years.
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Adani Completes Coal Exploration Work In Australia
Adani Group, an integrated infrastructure player, announced the completion of the single
largest and most comprehensive coal mining exploration programme undertaken in Australia.
A record number of drill rigs were deployed to drastically reduce the exploration time frame at
the Carmichael mine in the Galillee basin of Queensland to nine months.
Saral Money Debit Cards Launched

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Saral Money, an innovative payment product which ensures that everyone with an Aadhar
number automatically has an Aadhar-linked instant account in a bank, was launched by Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit in Delhi.
 People would be able to purchase the Saral Money debit card across the counter from grocery
shops and bank branches.
 It would facilitate instant account opening, simplified documentation and accessibility and reach.
The project has been launched in collaboration by the UIDAI and five banks – Axis Bank,
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HDFC Bank, ICICI, Indian Overseas Bank and the State Bank of India and Visa Card.
 Under the scheme, an Aadhar number holder can purchase a card for a nominal fee to operate
the account.
NBFCS May Need Prior RBI Nod For Ownership Change

Non-banking financial companies (NBFC) would need RBI’s prior approval before making changes
in their ownership control, a draft guideline of the central bank said.
 The draft guidelines, based on the Usha Thorat Committee report, also seek to make mandatory for all
deposit-taking NBFCs to obtain credit rating. Appointment of CEOs of NBFCs with asset size of
Rs.1000 crore and above would require the RBI approval.
Regarding non-performing assets (NPAs), the RBI has proposed that asset classification and
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
provisioning norms should be made similar to that of banks for all registered NBFCs irrespective
of the size.
 At present, the period for classifying loans into NPAs in case of NBFCs is higher at 180/360
days compared to 90 days for banks.
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Prior Approval Must For CICS To Invest In Overseas JVs: RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said core investment companies (CICs) would require
prior approval from the RBI for investing in joint ventures/subsidiaries or offices overseas in
the financial sector.
Master Tips
CICs are those companies that invest primarily in group companies in different sectors of the
economy.

Cabinet Committee Clears New Urea Investment Policy

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a urea investment
policy, which is likely to incentivise fertilizer companies to set up new plants and expand existing
capacity.
 India imports over 30 per cent of its urea requirement and the policy aims at reducing that.
But it is unlikely to have any impact on existing prices.
 The policy, which aims to attract fresh investment of about Rs.35,000 crore to increase domestic
production by eight million tonnes, has been cleared as the previous policy failed to attract the
much needed funds.
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 Under the new policy, the government will give 12-20 per cent post-tax return on fresh
capital infused by the manufacturers for setting up of new plants as well as for expansion and
revamp of the existing ones.
The country produces 22 million tonnes of urea, against the requirement of 32 million
tonnes.
Panel Slashes Base Price By 30 % For Unsold Spectrum
A ministerial panel on telecom decided to lower the base price of spectrum in the 1800 Mhz band
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by 30 per cent in four circles for a fresh auction this fiscal.
This is a suggestion that could fetch the exchequer Rs. 6,200 crore. These four circles Delhi,
Mumbai, Karnataka and Rajasthan were some of the most expensive circles in last 2G spectrum
auction and had attracted no bidders.
ADB Lowers India Growth Forecast To 5.4 Per Cent

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) cut India’s growth forecast to 5.4 per cent in 2012-13,
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barely two months after it had made a projection of 5.6 per cent growth for the Asia’s third
largest economy.
Wipro To Acquire Waxsons For $144 M

Wipro announced that it had signed a ‘definitive agreement’ to acquire the entire stake of the
L.D. Waxsons Group, a Singapore-based fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company,
for a consideration of $144 million.
Waxsons, which is expected to earn revenues of about $68 million in 2012, would account for
about 9 per cent of Wipro’s Consumer Care and Lighting Business. The acquisition is to be
consummated in 60 days.
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ADB Loan In The Offing For Jaipur Metro

The Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation shortly has to obtain loan worth Rs.969 crore from the
Manila-based Asian Development Bank for completion of work on a portion of its corridor
in the Walled City.
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The first phase connecting the Mansarovar residential colony with Chandpole is likely to start
by July, 2013.
Govt. Allows 49% FDI in Insurance and Pension Sectors

After allowing foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail sector and civil aviation sector,
the union government has taken one more step for attracting foreign direct investment in the
economy.
 Government has raised the ceiling of foreign direct investment in insurance sector from existing
26 per cent to 49 per cent.
• Besides, government has also opened the doors of the economy for foreign direct investment in
pension sector with the ceiling of 49 per cent.

Lok Sabha Approved Constitution (118th Amendment) Bill, 2012

Lok Sabha has approved without debate a Constitution amendment Bill that will grant special
status to six backward districts in the Hyderabad Karnataka region, with provision for
reservation in education and jobs for local people.
 The Constitution (118th Amendment) Bill, 2012 seeks to insert a new Article 371-J to provide
special recognition for the six backward districts in north Karnataka: Gulbarga, Yadgir,
Raichur, Bidar, Koppal and Bellary.
 The Bill provides for setting up a separate development board and equitable allocation of
funds for development of the region.
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 Besides, it will provide a quota in public employment through constitution of local cadres and
reservation in education and vocational training institutions for those who belong to the region
by birth or domicile.
 This great move has come 56 years after the Vidharbha and Marathwada regions got
special status in 1956, and later Telangana got special status in 1974.
Rail Wheel Factory For Rae Bareli

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The country’s biggest forged wheel factory will be set up in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh.
With the transition to high-speed trains in the pipeline, the required wheels will be produced at
this specialised unit to be set up by Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) in three years at
an estimated cost of Rs. 1,000 crore.
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2.3 Social, Health and Educational Issues
Road Links To All Tribal And Border Habitations

The Centre has initiated the process to connect all tribal habitations and villages in border
districts with roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The Union
Cabinet also approved a Rs. 8,500-crore special package for connecting 6,000 habitations in 75
left wing extremist-affected districts and entrusted the Union Ministry of Rural
Development with the job of preparing the estimates for the two projects.
Centre Asks States to Adopt AP Fund Model for Mid-day Meals Scheme
With some States defaulting on payment of their share of funds for providing meals to children
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in government schools, adversely affecting the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme,
the Centre has now asked all States to consider adopting Andhra Pradesh’s model ‘Green
Channel Scheme.’ The A.P. model makes funds available throughout the year.
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Master Tips
Mid Day Meal: The Centre spent approximately Rs. 10,000 crore on the programme in 2011-12,
excluding the contribution of the States and subsidy on food grain. The Centre provides 75 per
cent funds, while the States contribute the remaining 25 per cent to implement the
scheme. This helps prevent classroom hunger and also promotes school participation and
retention at the elementary level. It also fosters social and gender equity.

Experts Panel On Poverty Line Review Being Headed By Rangarajan

The government has set up an expert technical group headed by Prime Minister’s Economic
Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C. Rangarajan to review the Tendulkar
Committee Methodology for estimating poverty and overhaul the norms in keeping with
the present-day prices.
Terms of reference:
 To comprehensively review the existing methodology of poverty estimation and examine whether
the poverty line should be fixed solely in terms of a consumption basket or whether other
criteria are also relevant.
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 Also recommend how its estimates of poverty, should be linked to eligibility and entitlements
from the Central government’s for the Central government’s schemes and programmes.
 To examine the issue of divergence between consumption estimates bases on the NSSO (National
Sample Survey Organisation) methodology and those emerging from the National Accounts
aggregates and suggest a methodology for updating consumption poverty lines using the new
consumer price indices launched by the CSO for rural and urban areas State-wise.
Poverty Estimation : According to the Tendulkar Committee formula, besides traditional method of
factored in.
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fixing poverty line on the basis of calorie intake, the expenditure on health and education is also
The data also showed that the number of poor in the entire country during 2009-10 was 35.46 crore
using the Tendulkar Committee formula for fixing the poverty line.
Master Tips
The move follows all-round criticism of the Planning Commission’s estimates on poverty released
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in the March 2012 and the controversy it generated on capping the poverty line at a daily consumption
of Rs. 28.65 per capita in cities and at Rs 22.42 in rural areas.
Based on the Tendulkar panel norms of poverty estimation, the Commission had announced
earlier this year that poverty in the country has come down from 37.2 percent in 2004-05 to 29.8
per cent in 2009-10 and the number of poor stood effectively reduced from 40.7 crore to 35.5
crore during the period.
UP: The Most Poor State: Plan Panel

Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of poor population at 7.37 crore, followed by Bihar and
Maharashtra in 2009-10.
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Bihar and Maharashtra had poor population of 5.43 crore and 2.7 crore respectively in the year
2009-10 based on poverty line fixed using the Tendulakar Committee formula, as per data
provided by the Planning Commission in a written reply to the Rajya Sabh.
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‘UTKARSHA’: Single-Window Project For People With HIV

Swasti, in association with National AIDS Control Organisation and Karnataka State
AIDS Cotrol Society, has launched a single-window project in four districts of Karnataka
called ‘Utkarsha’ to facilitate social protection and deliver social entitlements for people living
with HIV and communities vulnerable to HIV.
 The project will be taken up on a pilot basis in Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Kolar
and Chckballapur districts.
 It is being funded by United Nations Development Programme and supported by the State
Department of Women and Child Development.

47% Of Global Measles Deaths In 2010 Happened In India

“Delayed implementation of accelerated disease control in India” has led the country to account
for “47 per cent of estimated measles mortality in 2010” stated a paper published on April 24,
2012 in The Lancet.
 At 36 per cent, even the World Health Organisation (WHO) African region accounted
for lesser mortality than India.
 The global measles mortality had decreased by 74 per cent in 2010 but India achieved
only 26 per cent reduction in measles mortality between 2000 and 2010, its contribution
to the percentage of global measles deaths increased from 16 per cent in 2000 to 26 per
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cent in 2010.
Master Tips
Measles is a highly contagious viral (virus- a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus)
disease, which affects mostly children.
It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Initial symptoms,
which usually appear 10–12 days after infection, include high fever, runny nose, bloodshot eyes,
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and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. Several days later, a rash develops, starting
on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.
There is no specific treatment for measles and most people recover within 2–3 weeks. However,
particularly in malnourished children and people with reduced immunity, measles can cause
serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and
pneumonia. Measles can be prevented by immunization.
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Pesticide Causing Cancer Banned In Punjab

The Punjab Government has banned the manufacture, import and use of carcinogenic pesticides,
which according to reports, caused cancer among the small farmers in the Malwa region that
consists of Southern districts – Bathinda, Faridkot, Moga, Muktsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur
and Mansa following directions of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
 On the direction of NHRC, the State government called for two reports to confirm the incidents.
 Besides banning the chemicals, the government has also decided to provide medical care, financial
assistance, setting up of super-specialty hospitals for treatment and prevention of the deadly
disease in the affected districts.
Scope Of Activities Under MGNREGS Enhanced And Work Priority To Be
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Decided By Gram Panchayats

To create a stronger synergy between MGNREGS and agriculture, and allied rural livelihoods,
the Centre has unveiled the expanded version of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
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Employment Guarantee Act, allowing over 30 different categories of work related to

agriculture, rural sanitation, drinking water, watersheds, fisheries and livestock, as
productivity-enhancing activity as recommended by the committee.
The Gram Panchayats have been given right to decide on the priority of work to be taken up
keeping the 60:40 ratio of spending on labour and material has been made mandatory at
the Gram Panchayat level.
Master Tips
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is an
Indian job guarantee scheme, enacted by legislation. The scheme provides a legal guarantee for
one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural
household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum
wage.

Tuberculosis To Be Taken Under Notifiable Disease

The Central government has declared tuberculosis a mandatory notifiable disease with immediate
effect as the cases of tuberculosis showing an increase over the years.
 For the purpose of this notification, health care providers will include clinical establishments
run or managed by the government (including local authorities), private or NGO sectors and/or
individual practitioners.
 It is essential to have complete information on all TB cases to ensure proper TB diagnosis and
case management, reduce TB transmission and address the problems of emergence and spread
of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDRTB) which has become a major cause of concern for different
stakeholders.
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Master Tips
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB (short for tubercle bacillus) is a common, and in many cases
lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. Tuberculosis typically attacks the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the
body. It is spread through the air when people who have an active TB infection cough, sneeze, or
otherwise transmit their saliva through the air.
To Hold Consultations On Thorat Report ST

Panel Set Up To Examine NCERT Textbooks Submitted Report And NCERT
A panel of prominent educationists and academicians headed by the former UGC chairman,
S.K. Thorat, set up by the Centre to review the NCERT’s Political Science textbooks for schools
has submitted its report.
 It recommended the removal of 21 cartoons and words from the Social Science and
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Political Science textbooks for Classes IX-XII., which, as per report, are “ambiguous,” negative
or showed politicians and bureaucrats in an ‘incorrect’ way.
 The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) decided to hold
further consultations on the S.K. Thorat Committee report, though the NCERT has left it to the
National Monitoring Committee (NMC) to take the final call on the fate of the review committee’s
report.
Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS): WHO- GOI Partnership
It is for the first time that the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) has been developed
jointly by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI and the WHO Country Office
for India.
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 Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad launched the World
Health Organisation’s New country cooperation strategy with India (2012-17).
 The CCS has identified strategic priorities including promoting access to and utilisation of
affordable, efficiently networked and sustainable quality services by the entire population,
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financial protection and helping to confront the new epidemiological reality of India to contribute
meaningfully to the national health policy and government’s health agenda.
India’s First Food Bank Inaugurated In Delhi
Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister, along with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit
announced the launch of the first Food Bank as part of the India Food Banking Network
(IFBN) with the goal of making India hunger-free by 2020 and by 2020 every district of India
has access to a Food Bank.
Master Tips
IFBN: IFBN is as an effort to bring the government, private sector, and NGOs together to fight
hunger and malnutrition in the country and better hunger relief management. The idea for IFBN
emerged from discussions with the Global Food Banking Network in Chicago. Food banks are
operational in more than 30 countries globally.

New Engineering College/IIT Admission Process In Place

The IIT Council chaired by M.M. Sharma, has approved the recommendations of the Joint
Admission Board (JAB) of the IITs adopting the new formula. As per the new formula, there
will be two stage exams- 1.JEE Main and JEE-Advance.
 JEE-Main will be conducted by CBSE and the score obtained in this along with 40% weightage
of board marks will determine the ranks for admission to NITs, Central Universities and other
state engineering institutes/Private engineering colleges which have consented to use the score
of JEE-Main.
 For admission to IITs, student will be required to clear the common joint entrance examination
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(JEE)-main with a high score to qualify for the advanced examination i.e JEE-Advance, which
will be conducted by IITs for those aspiring to enter the IIT system but among students who
crack the advanced examination, only those who are placed in the top 20 percentile in their
respective Board exams will be admitted to the IITs.
Commercial and Tourism Activities in Andaman and Nicobar Banned by SC
The Supreme Court of India banned all kinds of commercial and tourism activities within a 5
km radius around the Jarawa Tribal Reserve in Andaman and Nicobar Islands to protect
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the Jarawa tribes upholding the notification to declare an area up to five-km radius around
the tribal reserve as a ‘Buffer Zone’ and prohibit entry of any person other than a member of
the aboriginal tribe into it.
 As per pronouncement, “no tourist establishment such as resorts, hotels, restaurants, bars and
paying guest accommodations, except government-run guest houses will be permitted within
the buffer zone.
 No commercial establishments/activities which may employ more than 20 persons or have an
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annual turnover of Rs. one crore or more will be allowed in the buffer zone.”
Cancerous ‘Pan Masala’ Banned
Bihar is the third State, after Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, to impose a ban on the
manufacture, sale, distribution of Gutka, Pan Masala and its variants, utilizing the provisions in
the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sale) Regulation 2011.
Following Kerala’s example, States such as Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, NCT of Delhi
too have now banned pan masala under the Food Safety Act.
Master Tips
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under
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Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have
hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments which came up with
the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.
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Union Govt Clears the Proposal to Replace Word ‘Rape’ with Sexual Assault’
A proposal to replace the word “rape” with the phrase “sexual assault’ has been approved
by the Union Cabinet paving the way for making it a gender-neutral offence and identified
acid attacks as a separate offence punishable by a maximum of ten years. It has also been
decided by the Cabinet that minors will be defined uniformly as a person below 18 years
in both Cr. P.C. and IPC, which is now the legal age for minors.
Master Tips
After horrendous Delhi gang rape incident of 16th Dec 2012 involving one minor as accused, the
age for minority is being debated. So keep a watch over it. Also the minors are treated under
Juvenile Justice Act 2000 and Juvenile Justice Boards hear such cases involving Juve-
niles.

Anti-Ragging Web Portal Launched

A national web portal that will help students follow up on their complaints – part of the
government’s Ragging Prevention Programme – was inaugurated by the then Union Human
Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal.
Ombudsman Made Mandatory In Technical Institutions By HRD

 As part of its grievance redressal mechanism, every technical institution in the country, approved
or recognized by the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), will have to
provide for an ombudsman.
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 The ombudsman, who would be a retired judge, not below the rank of a District Judge, or a
retired professor who has at least 10 years of experience, can also recommend the affiliating
university for withdrawal or affiliation or withdrawal of status as a university of a Technical
university, if established under a State Act.
 The grievance could include those related with the standards of education, irregularity in the
admission process adopted by the institute, refusing admission in accordance with the declared
admission policy, withholding or refusing to return any document, and demanding money in
excess of that specified in the declared admission policy and complaints of alleged discrimination
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by students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBC, women, and minority or disabled
categories.
Harassment and victimization of students, including sexual harassment, will also fall under the
purview of the ombudsman. However, no application for revaluation or remarking of answer
sheets shall be entertained by the ombudsman.
Master Tips
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As per the All-India Council for Technical Education (Establishment of Mechanism for
Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2002, issued by AICTE, each technical university shall
appoint an ombudsman whose order would be mandatory, and failure of compliance could lead to
withdrawal of AICTE approval and withdrawal of grants or financial assistance from the Council.
The regulations have been issued even as two Bills related to curbing malpractices are pending in
Parliament viz. Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical, Medical Educational
charging capitation fee, and overpricing of prospectus a criminal offence – and the
Educational Tribunals Bill for dispute redressal.
16 Central Government Schemes Named After Rajiv Gandhi

More than a quarter of the government schemes named after eminent personalities are in the
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name of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Government-run 58 schemes are named after eminent
people as per the Planning Commission data, then minister of state for planning, Ashwani
Kumar, said in a written reply to the Lok Sbha in May 2012.
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Of these 16 schemes, some of important ones are following:

 Rajiv Awaas Yojana
 Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana
 Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Shashaktikaran Abhiyan
 Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana
 Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowships for ST students
Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi Scheme Launched
The State Health Ministry of Arunachal Pradesh launched Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi scheme
in Itanagar on September 14, 2012 which provides financial assistance up to Rs. 1.5 lakh to
BPL patients suffering from life threatening diseases.

Delhi’s First Solar Water Treatment Plant Open

The city recently got its first solar water purification plant, capable of producing over 5,000
litres of drinking water a day.
Kerosene-Free Delhi Scheme Launched

In an initiative to make the national capital Kerosene free, the Delhi Government launched
Kerosene-free Delhi scheme on August 21, 2012 in capital. With this scheme, Delhi is likely to
become the first kerosene-free city in the country.
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A Blanket Ban On Plastic Bags To Be Imposed
The Delhi government on September 10, 2012 decided to impose a blanket ban on the manufacture,
sale, storage and use of plastic bags in the national capital.
UP to launch new pension scheme: ‘Rani Laksmi Bai Pension Scheme’

The Uttar Pradesh government headed by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has decided to launch
a pension scheme, ‘Rani Laksmi Bai Pension Scheme’ covering 25.57 lakh families which
would be given Rs. 400 per month. ST
The main beneficiaries would be mainly woman head of a family and further those who are not
covered under the BPL list, Antyodaya Scheme and other pension schemes would be
included in the scheme.
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) Launches its E-Passbook Service

Over 50 million provident fund subscribers can now access their account statements online as
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the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has launched its e-Passbook service.
 Active subscribers whose electronic challan-cum-return is already uploaded, can download their
e-Passbook every month under the service launched by the EPFO’s Central Provident Fund
Commissioner RC Mishra.
 The facility shall be available on www.epfindia.gov.in.
 Also, the online downloading of PF account statement is not available as of now for members of
PF trusts which are set up by employers to manage their employees’ retirement benefit. Members
can register themselves on the portal by using photo identification number.
Maila Mukti Yatra Launched

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Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh launched a programme “Maila Mukti
Yatra” under Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan.
 He informed that the Centre has earmarked Rs 1,500 crore to convert dry toilets into flush
toilets under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.
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 Sikkim is the first state in the country where the practice of open-area defecation has been
eradicated and states like Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh also have done well.
Hindustan Zinc To Adopt 92 Schools In Rajasthan

Udaipur-based Hindustan Zinc has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the
Rajasthan Government for adopting 92 Government schools in phases in Chittorgarh and
Bhilwara districts.
The group will improve facilities in these schools under the public-private partnership model.

Children Of Illegally Wedded Wife Entitled To Pension: Govt

Children born to illegally wedded wife of a central government employee are entitled to get
family pension, according to a new order.
 The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, in an order issued, decided that
pensionary benefits will be granted to children of a government servant or pensioner from
“void or voidable” marriages.
 Earlier, children born out of such wedlock of a government servant had no claim on family
pension and the legally wedded wife was the sole recipient of the post-retirement benefit.
However, the matter was re-examined in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice and
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
Ministry of Finance and it was decided to amend the Central Civil Services (Pension)
Rules, 1972.
 The share of children from illegally wedded wife in the family pension shall be payable to them
along with the legally wedded wife.
Schools To Be Chosen For PISA ’15
After India’s dismal performance in PISA 2009, the government is planning to choose its
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participating schools carefully for PISA 2015.
While the test is carried out every three years, India did not participate in PISA 2012. India,
which made its debut in PISA 2009 with schools from Tamil Nadu and Himachal, was ranked
among the bottom countries.
China, which also debuted in 2009, emerged as a star performer, having selected students from
schools in Shanghai province which are considered among the best.
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Master Tips
PISA : The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), introduced by the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), tests the learning levels of 15-year-olds.
New Act Will Provide Food Security To 90% Of Chhattisgarh Population

The Chhattisgarh State government’s Food Security Act passed goes further than the UPA’s
bill by extending food security to nearly 90% of the State’s population.
 Further, the Chhattisgarh Act clearly states that the entitlements shall be on household basis
with a family size of 4.47 in rural and 4.79 in urban areas.
 This is opposed to the central government limiting provision of food grains for the Public
Distribution System to per person rather than per household.
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 Chhattisgarh government has declared as “Antyodaya households” all families of “vulnerable

social groups” including tribal groups, widows or single women, terminally ill persons, physically
challenged persons, elderly-headed households with no assured means of subsistence and persons
freed from bonded labour.
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 Pregnant women, lactating mothers, malnourished children, children between six months and
14 years and all students in hostels or ashrams will get mandatory subsidised food grains.
 The State has 78 per cent rural and 22 per cent urban population.
Aadhaar Card, Bank Account Mandatory For Direct Cash Transfer

Set to roll out the direct cash transfer programme from January 1,2013 the Central government
has made it clear that money will be transferred to beneficiaries only when they provide an
Aadhaar card and a bank account number by the cut-off date in the respective districts.
 While LPG subsidy is being rolled out separately as per a separate timeline of February 1, 2013,
food, fertilizer and kerosene are not included at the moment.
 For rural development schemes, the postal system has said it will be ready by June 1, 2013 in all
43 districts. The scheme will cover 18 States by April 2013.
Four More Scheduled Tribes

The government has decided to add four tribes to the list of Scheduled Tribes.
 The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to add
Abuj Maria, Korba, Hill Korba and Kodaku tribes in the list.
 These tribes are located in Chhattisgarh and Kerala.
‘One Billion Rising’ Campaign Launched In Rajasthan

The ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign was launched in Rajasthan on December 10, the
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International Human Rights Day.
 The campaign is a global movement launched to stop violence against women.
 According to the data released by the United Nations showed that globally one out of every
three women was beaten up or raped or both.
 Statistically, that meant more than a billion women were victims of violence, sexual or otherwise.
TB Drugs Free At Shops: Govt To Pay

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In a move to curb multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) cases caused mostly because
of irregular medication, the government has decided that relevant medicines will be available
for free at all chemist shops and corporate hospitals.
 The scheme will be rolled out across the country by March 2013. A patient, confirmed positive
for TB by a qualified doctor, simply needs to register with the Revised National Tuberculosis
Control Program (RNTCP).
 The patient will then be issued a unique ID which will have all information on medicines
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prescribed and the dosage.

 The government presently spends about Rs 250 crore on providing free medicines to TB patients.
The new scheme will cost about Rs 100 crore more.
Direct Benefit Transfer System Launched In Delhi

United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi has launched the Delhi government’s
ambitious food security programme, ‘Dilli Annshree Yojana’, a direct benefit transfer system
and described it as a first-of-its kind food security scheme integrated with the UID Aadhar in
the country.
 The scheme, under which a monthly cash subsidy of Rs. 600 will be directly transferred
to the bank account of the senior most female member of 2 lakh poor families, will
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help eradicate hunger from the country.

 Delhi government had decided to provide assistance to 25 lakh people under the first phase.
 The purpose of this scheme is to make sure that the government’s money being disbursed in
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pension, scholarship, MNREGA wage payment and social benefit schemes reached
the beneficiaries directly, without any delay.

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3
International &
Bilateral Updates

3.0 International & Bilateral Updates
New Non-Permanent UNSC Members ELECTED
The General Assembly elected Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo to
serve as non-permanent members of the Security Council for two-year terms from 1 January
2012 to 31 Dec 2013.
P– 5  France USA China The UK Russia

UNSC Non-permanent member country
1 Jan 2012–31 Dec 2013 1 Jan 2013 – 31 Dec 2014
1. Azerbaijan 6. Korea
2. Guatemala 7. Luxembourg
3. Morocco 8. Argentina
4. Pakistan 9. Australia
5. Togo 10. Rwanda
UN Secretary-General
The current Secretary-General is Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, who is serving his 2nd term
 The Presidency of the Security Council is held in turn by the members of the Security Council
in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each President holds office for one calendar
month.
 India’s term of non-permanent membership terminates from Jan 2013.
 The UN General Assembly on October 18, 2012 elected the Republic of Korea (ROK) and
Luxembourg to a two-year term in the UN Security Council (UNSC) and two joined Argentina,
Australia and Rwanda, which were elected earlier, to serve as new non-permanent members
of the powerful UN body, UNSC for the duration from 1 Jan 2013 to 31 Dec 2014.
Master Tips
The UN Security Council (UNSC) is composed of 5 permanent members (P-5) and 10 non-
permanent members elected for 2 years term by General Assembly and not eligible for
immediate re-election.
The number of non-permanent members was increased from six to ten by an amendment of
the Charter which came into force in 1965.
Currently, UN General Assembly has 193 member states. South Sudan became the 193rd
member state. Palestine was recognized as a “non-member state” on 29 November 2012.
Veto Power : Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirmative
vote of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions on substantive matters require nine votes, including
the concurring votes of P-5. This is the rule of “great Power unanimity”, often referred to as the “veto”
power.
U.S. Takes China to WTO on Dumping Row

The U.S. challenges duties that China had imposed to restrict imports on everything from
steel and rare earth minerals to chicken products made in the U.S. in the World Trade
Organisation (WTO).
Study Material International & Bilateral Updates 44
 Most recently, the U.S. automobile industry has been caught in the crossfire.
 As per the U.S. Trade Representative, Washington would be “challenging China’s imposition
of anti dumping and countervailing duties on more than $3 billion in exports of American-
produced automobiles.”
 Once it gains traction at the WTO, this dispute would represent the third instance of the U.S. formally
complaining about alleged misuse of trade remedies by China during the Obama administration’s time in
office.
Master Tips
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize
international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the
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Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT),
which commenced in 1948. Most of the issues that the WTO focuses on derive from previous trade
negotiations, especially from the Uruguay Round (1986–1994).
The organization is attempting to complete negotiations on the Doha Development Round, which
was launched in 2001 with an explicit focus on addressing the needs of developing countries.
International Sericultural Commission to be Shifted to Bangalore

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The headquarters of the International Sericultural Commission (ISC), an apex inter-
governmental body of 13 silk producing countries is being shifted to Banglore, India.
The ISC headquarters, which is presently located in Lyon, France, is being shifted to
India for the first time as the Central Silk Board (CSB) Member-Secretary and
bureaucrat Ishita Roy has been elected ISC Secretary-General.
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Russia Becomes WTO’S 156th Member
With the ratification of agreement by ‘The Federation Council’, Russia’s Upper House of
Parliament, Russia joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as its 156th member
after 18 years of negotiations on August 22, 2012. The world’s ninth largest, $1.9 trillion
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Russian economy was the biggest still outside the WTO.

Master Tips
Procedure to join WTO: Countries joining the body have to agree terms with all existing members
and bring their laws into line with WTO rules. Once they have received the green light for
membership, they must ratify their membership deal. They have to notify the WTO that they have
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done so and membership follows automatically 30 days later.

Other countries that are not WTO members include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Belarus, Algeria,
Bosnia, Serbia, Sudan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
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South Sudan Becomes IMF’s 188th Member

The Republic of South Sudan has joined the Washington headquartered International
Monetary Fund (IMF) after signing IMF’s Articles of Agreement at a ceremony in Washington
D.C.
 The Republic of South Sudan became an independent country in July 2011, and the IMF Board
of Governors subsequently offered it IMF membership.
 South Sudan’s initial quota in the IMF is SDR 123.0 million (about US $ 189.3 million).
With the inclusion of South Sudan, IMF member’s quotas amount to SDR 238.12 billion (about
US $ 366.53 billion).

45 International & Bilateral Updates Study Material
Master Tips
Special drawing rights (SDRs) are supplementary foreign exchange reserve assets defined and
maintained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Not a currency, SDRs instead represent a
claim to currency held by IMF member countries for which they may be exchanged.
It is worth noting that a member’s quota in the IMF determines in capital subscription, its
voting power, its access to IMF financing, and its allocation of SDRs.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization that was created on
July 22, 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference and came into existence on December 27, 1945. It is
an organization of 188 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial
stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth,
and reduce poverty around the world.
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China Allows Indian Basmati Import
China has allowed imports of basmati rice from India. It had banned the import because of
issues of pest control.
SUU KYI’s Debut in Parliment Marks New Phsase in Her Struggle
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Myanmar’s opposition leader and Nobel peace Laureate Aung Suu Kyi made her historic
parliamentary debut on July 9, 2012, marking a new phase in her nearly a quarter century
struggle to bring democracy to her army-dominated homeland.
Suu Kyi will join fellow members of her National League for Democracy (NLD).
The NLD has 37 members in the lower house of parliament.
PM Manmohan Singh’s Visit To Myanmar

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited Myanmarese capital Nay Pyi Taw, towards the
end of May 2012 for 3 days which was aimed at improving economic ties with a country that is
just beginning to emerge from decades of isolation and is seeking to normalise ties with the
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outside world. The visit is significant in order to strengthen Look East Policy of India.
Pacts Signed Between India and Myanmar:
 MoU on the India-Myanmar Border Area Development.
 MoU on Establishment of Rice Bio Park at the Department of Agricultural Research in Nay Pyi Taw.
 MoU towards setting up of Myanmar Institute of Information Technology.
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 MoU on establishing of Border Haats across the border between Myanmar and India.
Sudan and South Sudan Deal on Oil transit Fees

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Sudan and South have reached a deal on oil transit fee which would be implemented only after
the issue of border security had been resolved, dampening hopes of a quick resumption of southern
oil exports through the north.
Oil Crisis and Disputes Between Sudan and South Sudan

The African Union has been mediating talks to resolve disputes between Sudan and South
Sudan ever since the South Sudan became independent in July 2011.
 Post-division, South Sudan took three-quarters of the oil held by the previously united
nation, but the pipelines and processing facilities remained in Sudan,
 The two sides were unable to agree on how much Juba should pay to export its crude, leading
the South to shut production in January.
 Oil generates about 98% of South Sudan’s revenue and the move crippled the economies of
both countries.
 African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki said the parties had until Sept 22 to resolve all
their conflicts.
 The two sides, deeply mistrustful of each other, have often not implemented previous agreements
and still need to mark their 1,800 km border and resolve charges both have made of supporting
rebels in the other’s territory.
Sudan & South Sudan Row Over Oil Rich ABYEI Region
The 2012 South Sudan-Sudan border war was an
armed conflict between the nations of Sudan and the South
Sudan in 2012 over oil-rich regions between the both.
The oil rich region Heglig is well under controlled of the
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Republic of Sudan. Certain areas involved, notably
Abyei, are claimed by both sides as part of their sovereign
territory.
ips Master Tips
South Sudan is newly formed country, UN’s 193rd nation with

capital at Juba after decades of civil war. Sudan has its capi-
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tal at Khartoum where white and Blue Nile, two tributaries
of river Nile meet.
Iran Oil Sector Hit by ‘Cyber Attack’

Iran’s principal oil terminal on Kharg Island in the Gulf has been disconnected from the
Internet along with facilities in other parts of the country after massive virus attack and a
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cyber crisis team has been set up. The Kharg terminal handles 90 per cent of Iran’s oil
exports.
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Iran has already suffered a massive cyber assault in 2010 by a worm called Stuxnet that
reportedly dealt a big blow to the country’s nuclear programme. Stuxnet, homed in on comput-
ers running uranium enrichment centrifuges at Iran’s nuclear facility in Natanz, destroy-
ing thousands of them and setting the atomic programme back months.
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China Builds New city on Disputed ISLE

China’s newest city is a tiny remote island in the South China Sea, barely large enough to host
a single airstrip. Welcome to Sansha, China’s toehold in the world’s most disputed waters,
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portions of which are also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines and other neighbors’.
Japan to Take Islands Disputes With Korea to ICJ

Japan said that it will take the long-running
islands territorial dispute with South Korea,
to the Hague based International Court
of Justice (ICJ), after South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak made surprise
visit to the islands.
The islands known as Takeshima in Japan
and Dokdo in South Korea, lie equidistant
from the two mainlands and are believed to
contain frozen natural gas deposit potentially
worth billions of dollars.
South China Sea Oil Tender Controversy Over Chinese Tender

China’s third biggest oil company, a Chinese
state-r un oil company , Chi na Natio nal
Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) offered
tenders to foreign partners for nine oil blocks
in the South China Sea which has triggered a
protest from Vietnam, amid rising tensions
between China and several of its neighbors over
the disputed region.
Vietnam, which had earlier angered China by
entering into joint exploration projects with India
and Russia, described the offer from the China
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National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) as
“illegal”. Vietnam said the blocks were located
within Vietnam’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive
economic zone.
South China Sea: Disputed Islands
Master Tips
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Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a seazone prescribed by the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) over which a state has special rights over the exploration
and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. It stretches from
the seaward edge of the state’s territorial sea out to 200 nautical miles from its coast.
Chine Japan Tension Over Disputed Islands

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Japan summoned Chinese ambassador in Tokyo and lodged a formal protest with China after
three Chinese patrol boats were spotted in waters of disputed islands in the East China Sea,
over which both countries claim sovereignty.
 The strain emerged as their Foreign Ministers met in Phnom Penh, on the sidelines of the
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Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting, where China’s territorial

disputes with many of its neighbours are in focus.
 Separately, China has come under pressure from ASEAN countries to adopt a code of conduct to
defuse tensions in the disputed South China Sea, in the wake of recent tensions with the
Philippines and Vietnam.
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Diaoyu
(As per China)
Disputed Islands
The disputed island is called as Senkaku Islands by Japanese and Diaoyu Islands by Chinese.

North-South Transport Corridor

The North-South Transport Corridor is a term used to describe the ship, rail, and road route for
moving freight from South Asia to Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia.
 The route primarily involves moving goods from India via ship to Iran. From Iran, the freight
moves by ship across the Caspian Sea or by truck or rail to Southern Russia. From
there, the goods are transported by truck or rail along the Volga River through Moscow
to Northern Europe.
 In 2011, Russia, Iran and India signed an agreement to further develop the route.
 The Government of India had initiated this project
with the view to enhance trade relations between
South Asia and Central Asia. Master Tips
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 The primary step towards trade enhancement,
was signing of MoU between Indian and Iran This “Int ernat io nal Nort h- South
over the development of CHAH BAHAR Transport Corridor” will have its starting
Port and transshipment facility at Bandar point from JNPT Port in Mumbai, and sea
route till Iran, then a railway link will be
Abbas. established between Iran, Turkmenistan,
 If the proposed Railway line is transformed Kazakhstan and it will finally reach Russia.
into reality than trade with Afghanistan may

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also be possible, since there is well established
surface route from Chah Bahar port to Zarang Lake (Border of Afghanistan).
Zarang- Delaram Highway developed by India in Afghanistan will be utilized for
transportation in Afghanistan.
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Tax Info Rules Eased to Tackle Black Money Menace
The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
amended its rules on obtaining classified tax information by partner-countries which would
ease the disclosure norms to help nab tax evaders and stub the black money menace across the
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world.
 Article 26 of the model tax convention, which stands for the international standard on exchange
of information related to financial data, including instances of black money and money laundering,
has been amended.
 The OECD has sought to allow the member countries to obtain information about a group of tax
payers from another country, without verifying their identities separately.
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Master Tips
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OECD: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an

international economic organization of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate
economic progress and world trade.
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human
Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries.
The OECD’s headquarters are at the Château de la Muette in Paris, France.
TA PROHM: ASI Restoring the BUDDHIST Complex in Cambodia

The conservation and restoration of Ta Prohm is a partnership project of the Archeological
Survey of India (ASI) and the APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of
Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap).

 UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most
visited complexes in Cambodia’a Angkor region.
 The sights at the Ta Prohm Buddhist monastic complex, built by Cambodian king
Jayavarman VII around 1181 CE in Siem Reap province can leave visitors benumbed.
Enrica Lexie: Shoot Out

ENRICA LEXIE is an Italian Aframax oil-tanker involved in the shooting of two Indian
fishermen at Indian coast on 15 Feb 2012.
 ICGS Samar, ICGS Lakshmi Bhai, INS Kabra (T76) and one ICG Do-228 maritime surveillance
aircraft were dispatched in pursuit of Enrica Lexie.
 The merchant ship was ordered to the port of Cochin under escort by the Indian Coast Guard.
 Two of the ship’s personnel involved in the shooting incident were arrested. They are being
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charged with IPC Section 302-Homicide.
Syrian Civil War

The Syrian civil war, also referred to as the Syrian uprising, is an ongoing internal armed
political conflict in Syria.
 The conflict began on 15 March 2011 with public demonstrations as part of the wider Arab
Spring and developed into a nationwide uprising and a civil war in 2012.


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Protesters have demanded the end to nearly five decades of Ba’ath Party rule, as well as the
resignation of President Bashar al - Assad.
Arab League, United States, European Union, GCC states & other countries have
condemned use of violence against the protesters.
 China & Russia have opposed attempts to agree to a UN resolution condemning Assad’s actions
and advised against sanctions, saying that such methods could escalate into foreign intervention.
The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership over the government’s response to the crisis,
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
but sent an observer mission in December 2011, as part of its proposal for peaceful resolution of
the crisis. A further attempt to resolve the crisis has been made through the appointment of
former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan as a special envoy.
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 U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had repeatedly stated that the Syrian conflict could emerge
into an “all-out civil war”.
 On 15 July 2012 the International Committee of the Red Cross assessed the Syrian conflict as a
“non-international armed conflict” (the ICRC’s legal term for civil war), thus applying the
international humanitarian law under the Geneva Conventions in Syria.
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Maldives President Forced Out in a Coup

Then President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, head of the Maldives Democratic Party
(MDP), was forced out by the military after a three-week opposition protest and a police mutiny
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in February 2012.
 He was replaced by Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, who sided with the
opposition.
 Nasheed was elected in 2008 with a sweeping majority, in the first multi-party elections in
the country’s history. His election marked the end of 30 years of autocratic rule by former
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, during which Nasheed was arrested and detained
several times and also forced to live abroad for several years.
Master Tips
The Maldives, with a mostly Sunni Muslim population of 330,000, is one of the poorest coun-
tries in the region. It depends mainly on tourism and exporting dried fish. Tourism generates
two-thirds of the county’s GDP of about $1 billion. Many daily needs including food, clothes
and energy have to be imported.

Coup in Guinea-Bissau
On 12 April 2012, following the first round of a presidential election, elements of the armed
forces staged a coup in Guinea-Bissau, just over two weeks before the second round between
Carlos Gomes Junior and Mohamed Iala Embalo. On 15 April, an agreement was reached
to set up an interim National Transitional Council with a majority of opposition parties and the
military.
Tahrir Square: Focul Point of Egyptian Revolution

Recently Tahrir Square was the focal point of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution against former
president Hosni Mubarak and protest against current president Morsi in 2012.
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Master Tips
Tahrir Square is a major public town square in Downtown Cairo, Egypt.
The square was originally called Ismailia Square but after the Egyptian Revolution of 1919
the square became widely known as Tahrir (liberation) Square.
European Fiscal Compact

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The Fiscal Compact (formally, the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the
Economic and Monetary Union; also referred to as TSCG or more plainly the Fiscal Stability
Treaty) is an intergovernmental treaty that was signed by all of the member states of the
European Union (EU) except the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom on 2 March,
2012.
 The treaty will enter into force for all ratifiers, on the first day of the month following its
ratification by the twelfth eurozone member; or provided that the twelfth eurozone member
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only complete its ratification after 1 January 2013 - it will on that time retrospectively enter
into force by 1 January 2013.
 As per its provision, Fiscal Compact would require ratifying member states to enact laws requiring
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national budgets to be in balance or in surplus within the treaty’s definition. These laws must
provide for a self-correcting mechanism to prevent their breach.
 The treaty defines a balanced budget as one which has a general budget deficit less than 3%
of GDP and a structural deficit of less than either 0.5% or 1%, depending on a countries
debt-to-GDP ratio.
 If the structural deficit for the annual account or budget is found to exceed those limits, the
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country will have to correct the issue within the timeline, nature and targeted size deemed as
necessary by the European Commission.
 The treaty also places compliance with its budgetary and other requirements under the
jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. This contrasts with the EU treaties Fiscal Autonomy
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which specifically exclude this jurisdiction.

 If ratified, a state found in breach of its obligations can ultimately be fined up to 0.1% of its
GDP.
IONS Gearing to Tackle Piracy

Sea-faring nations and littoral countries in the Indian Ocean region have decided to work to
address immediate and emerging challenges in the form of: Piracy, Maritime Domain
Awareness (MDA) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
 The recent meeting of the 35-member Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Cape
Town, South Africa, decided to farm out the task of preparing concept papers for three countries
– Australia on anti-piracy, Singapore on MDA and India on HADR.

 The papers are expected to be prepared in six months and after consideration, the IONS will
work towards evolving Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that would be fine-tuned
with table top exercises.
 In the backdrop of the Kochi-incident that led to the killing of two Indian fishermen, the then
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma underscored need to have an SOP in order to
avoid recurrence of such tragic incident san clear guidelines for merchant veessels that transit
through the Exclusive Economic Zones(EEZ).
 At the third edition of the IONS, initiative for which was taken by the Indian Navy in 2008,
there has been a growth in participation, with 23 delegations from including four nations –
Brazil, France, Germany and Italy – led by their Naval Chiefs taking part.
Bid to Restore Peace in Mali, Guinea-Bissau
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West African leaders have decided to send troops to coup-hit Mali and Guinea-Bissau to support
their return to civilian rule and demanded coup leaders “return to barracks” in both countries.
At an extraordinary summit in Ivory Coast, the 15-member Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) also said the two countries must prepare for legislative and
presidential elections within a year.
 Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara, current head of ECOWAS, pledged a firm response
to the instability “to prevent sub-region from giving into terrorism and transnational criminality”.

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The coup in Mali on March 22 allowed Tuareg separatist rebels and armed Islamist groups to
take control of an area roughly the size of France in the remote desert north.
U.N. Sanctions on Ivory Coast

The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to maintain sanctions on Ivory Coast for
another year, including an arms embargo and a ban on the import of rough diamonds from the
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West African nation.
A resolution adopted by the council also renews financial sanctions and travel bans on political
figures for violating human rights on blocking peace, including former President Laurent Gbagbo,
who has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court.The resolution
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adopted extends sanctions until April 30, 2013.
India to Head UN South Asian Regional Commission for Tourism

India has been made Chairman of the United Nations South Asian regional commission for
tourism. This was announced at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO,
HQ: Madrid, Spain) Conference at Gyeongju, South Korea.
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Golan Heights Dispute

The Golan Heights forms a rocky plateau in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains that overlooks
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southern Syria, is internationally recognized as Syrian territory but has been occupied and
administered by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War establishing the Purple Line. The plateau
straddles the boundary between Syria and Israeli-held territory.
 Elevations range from 2,814 metres (9,232 ft) in the north at Mount Hermon, to below sea
level along the Sea of Galilee and the Yarmuk River in the south.
 The region attracts three million tourists a year and supplies Israel with one-third of its water.
Approximately 10% of Syrian Golan Druze has accepted Israeli citizenship.
GCC Cool to Riyadh’s Meet 0n Iran-Threat Plan

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and
the United Arab Emirates led by Saudi Arabia has formally launched the process for a closer

political integration of the six Gulf monarchies as a hedge against the perceived threat from
Iran and to counter any challenge posed by the possible intrusion of the “Arab Spring” into this
energy rich zone.
Quake in Italy
The 5.8 magnitude quake added to the misery being felt in the Emilia Romagna region of
towns north of Bologna, one of Italy’s most agriculturally and industrial protective areas.
A powerful earthquake killed at least 15 people as it rocked a swath of northern Italy. Factories
and churches collapsed, dealing another blow to a region where thousands are still homeless
after a stronger quake just nine days ago.
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U.N. Monitors in Syria Confirm AL-Qubeir Atrocity
The United Nations monitors in Syria have
Master Tips
recorded evidence of an atrocity in a
Syrian hamlet near the embattled city of Al-Qubeir, a small settlement of the Sunni Bedouin
Hama amid a heated international debate community, is surrounded by members of the
over ways to defuse the escalating crisis
Allawite sect, who have been mostly loyal to the
in Syria, which faces the threat of sliding
regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
into a full-scale civil war. ST
Syrian opposition claims that 78 people, a majority of them women and children, were killed in
cold blood by a pro-government militia after troops had shelled the village of Mazraat al-
Qubeir. The Syrian government has denied the charges and attributed the killings to “terrorists”.
Afghan Quake
The 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region, followed by a 5.7-quake. Both
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were felt as far away as the Afghan capital, Kabul, where buildings shook. Baghlan province’s
Burka district, the site of the landslide, is a remote collection of mountain villages.
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Soft Coup in Paraguay: Dwindling State of Democracy in South America

The President Fernando Lugo of Paraguay has been removed in a questionable manner by
the country’s Senate, nine months before the end of his five-year-term in April 2013, raises
doubts about the state of democracy in South America, much as the coup in Honduras
did three years ago for Central America.
This is cause of concern for a region with a recent transition to democracy in 2008 and a country
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like Paraguay, dominated till 2008 by 61 years of uninterrupted rule by the Colorado party of
General Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989).
World Sea Piracy Falls: International Maritime Bureau

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According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), sea piracy worldwide fell by 54
per cent in the first half of 2012, led by a dramatic drop in Somali piracy.
 The international maritime watchdog attributed the sharp drop to “pre-emptive and disruptive
counter piracy tactics” by international navies patrolling in seas off Somalia as well as increased
vigilance by ships including hiring private armed personnel on board.
 The bureau said 177 attacks were reported worldwide from January to June, down from 266 in
the same period last year. It said 20 vessels were hijacked worldwide, with 334 crew members
taken hostage and at least four crew members killed.
EU Stalls Treaty Talks to Allow Copyright Waiver for Print Disabilities

The European Union is holding up a treaty to allow books and other printed works to be converted
into a format accessible to the visually impaired and other print disabled people without seeking
the permission of the copyright holder.
 India, and most other developing countries, strongly supports such a legally binding treaty
currently being negotiated at World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) meeting
in Geneva.
 The treaty would allow organisations working for the blind to import and export accessible
works without seeking the copyright holder’s permission, since very little money is spent in
developing countries on converting books into accessible formats, while they are much more
readily available elsewhere.
Battle of Aleppo (2012)

The Battle of Aleppo is an ongoing military
confrontation in Aleppo, Syria between the Master Tips
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Free Syrian Army a nd the Syrian Aleppo, located in northwestern Syria 310
military. The battle began on 19 July 2012 kilometers from Damascus, is the largest city in
as a part of the Syrian civil war. The scale Syria and holds great strategic and economic
importance. For centuries, Aleppo was Greater
and importance of the battle has led to the Syria's largest city and the Ottoman Empire's third,
battle being referred as “the mother of all after Istanbul and Cairo.
battles”.
Basescu Survives Impeachment Move

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Romanian President Traian Basescu escaped impeachment when a referendum on his removal
from office fell short of the 50 per cent turnout threshold, despite a resounding vote for his
dismissal.
His arch rival, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta had led the efforts to push Mr. Basescu
from office.
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Somalia Draft Constitution Endorsed
Somalia’s Constituent Assembly endorsed a draft constitution billed as a key step to ending
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decades of civil war. The Horn of Africa country’s outgoing government hailed the end of an
eight-year interim period.
 The special assembly – chosen by traditional elders in a U.N. - backed process – took eight days
to debate and votes on the new Constitution, as the graft-riddled government approaches the
end of its mandate on August 20.
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 Key steps in the fragile political process remain, including a new Parliament to be selected by
traditional elders, with that Parliament to subsequently elect a new President.
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World’s Largest Refugee Camp Declared Full

The underfunded and overcrowded world’s largest refugee camp Dadaab complex consists
of three refugee camps – Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagadera - established 20 years ago to house
up to 90,000 people. According to Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF), Dadaab, a desert “city”
in Kenya with a population of 450,000 had run out of space for new arrivals.
 As per MSF’s report, it takes an average of 12 days for new arrivals to receive a first ration of
food and 34 days to receive cooking utensils and blankets from the U.N.’s refugee agency, which
runs the camps.
 The U.N. announced in 2008 that it had no more room for new arrivals, but conflict and the
worst drought in years have forced 44,000 Somalis to seek entry into Dadaab since the start of
the year 2012. An extension to the camps is unfinished and empty following a breakdown in
negotiations between Kenya and the U.N. last year.

Saudi Women Get Voting Right

Saudi King Abdullah in an annual speech before his advisory assembly or Shura Council,
announced that the nations’ women would gain the right to vote and run as candidates in
local elections to be held in 2015 in a major advancement for the rights of women in the
deeply conservative Muslim kingdom.
 The changes announced would also allow women to be appointed to the Shura Council, the
advisory body selected by the King that is currently all-male.
 The order came after consulting the nation’s top religious clerics, whose advice carries great
weight in the kingdom.
 The right to vote is by far the biggest change introduced by King Abdullah, considered a reformer,
since he became the de facto ruler in 1995 during the illness of King Fahd. King Abdullah
formally ascended to the throne upon Fahd’s death in August 2005.
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Tipaimukh Dam: INDO-BANGLADESH Controversy
Tipaimukh Dam is a proposed embankment dam on the river Barak in Manipur state in
India for the purpose of flood control and hydroelectric power generation.
 The project has led to controversy between India and Bangladesh over water rights as well
as controversy with Manipuri people to be relocated by the reservoir.
 Bangladeshi experts have said the massive dam will disrupt the seasonal rhythm of the river
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and have an adverse effect on downstream agriculture and fisheries.
 The government of Bangladesh has decided to send an expert team to the Dam area to examine
the features and likely impact of the dam on the flow of water into the Surma and the Kushiara.
Russia-Norway Arctic Border Issue Resolved Through Pact

Russia and Norway have signed an Arctic
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border pact, ending a 40-year dispute over an
energy-rich area in the Barents Sea. The Treaty
on Maritime Delimitation and Cooperation Eastern
Barents
in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean was
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Sea
signed in the Russian northern seaport of
Murmanks by the Russian and Norwegian Shlokman Naryan-Mar
Foreign Ministers in the presence of their head

gas field
of states. The agreed border

Under the treaty Russia and Norway will equally
divide the long contested 176,000 sq. km. zone Norway’s Preferred
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maritime border
that lies off their Arctic coastlines and is believed
to be rich in oil and gas thus paving the way for Murmanks
joint energy projects between the two countries.

Russia’s Preferred
maritime border Russia
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It is the 2nd most important border pact post-

Soviet Russia signed with its neighbours after the
border delimitation treaty with China.
Hurricane Ernesto
Ernesto, the second hurricane of the Atlantic
season, has made landfall along the southern Master Tips
coast of the Yucatan Peninsula near
Mahahual, Mexico. The Categ ory 1 Cyclones with wind velocity less than 39 mph is not
hurricane was located about 40 miles east named but become named tropical storms when
nor theast of Chetu mal, Mexico, w ith
their winds reach more than 39 mph. They become
hurricanes when winds exceed 74 mph.
maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per
hour (140 km per hour).

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Suspends Syria

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation suspended Syria’s membership at a summit of Muslim
leaders in Mecca, citing President Bashar al-Assad’s violent suppression of the Syrian revolt.
Master Tips
Organisation Of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an international organisation con-
sisting of 57 member states. It tries to be the collective voice of the Muslim world and to
safeguard the interests and ensure the progress and well-being of its member countries in
an atmosphere of international peace. The official languages of the OIC are Arabic, En-
glish and French.
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China Runs on the World’s Fastest Train
The Chinese made CRH380 bullet train recorded a world record speed of 420 km per hour.
 China’s high-speed rail network now stretches over
7,431 km. The government plans to expand the
network to over 16,000 km by 2020.
 Investment in the high-speed rail network has

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gathered pace since the first line, connecting Beijing
with the port city Tianjin, opened in 2008.
China in 2010 unveiled the world’s fastest bullet train,
which will connect two of the country’s industrial hubs
travelling at an average speed of 350 km per hour.
 The high-speed rail link between Shanghai and
Hangzhou, reduced the travelling time from 78
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minutes to 45 minutes to cover the 200-km distance.
 China has also begun the 1,318-km high-speed rail line linking the country’s two most important
cities - Beijing and Shanghai reducing the travel time between the capital and the financial
centre half, to just 5 hours.
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China Successfully Conducts Test Run of High-Speed Train

China has successfully conducted a test run of the world’s longest high-speed railway between
Beijing and Guangzhou, ahead of the launch of the 2,298-km- long line on December 26,
2012.
Running at an average speed of 300 km per hour, it only took two-and-a-half hours for the train
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
to cover the 693 km distance from Beijing to Zhengzhou that links the country’s capital
and the southern economic hub.
 This is the longest high-speed network after China launched the Beijing-Shanghai bullet train
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in 2011 which brought down travel time to around five hours covering over 1,300 km distance
between two of China’s largest cities.
African Leaders Fail to Agree on Congo Force

African leaders failed to agree on the make-up of a proposed neutral force to tackle the insurgency
in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
 Fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese government forces has displaced nearly half
a million people since April.
 Regional leaders last month brokered a deal for a “neutral force” to be set up to take on Congo-
based rebel groups. But the heads of state of east and central African nations meeting to discuss
the eastern Congo crisis were divided over whether the troops for a mission to Congo would be
drawn from regional countries alone, or would be an international force.

 Rwanda and Uganda, under pressure from the West to cut all links to the M23 insurgency,
want a regional force to tackle the rebels. But Congo has in the past resisted such calls, favoring
an expanded role for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo.
 Rwanda has denied accusations by U.N. experts that its military officials have provided equipment
and recruits for the M23 rebellion. Uganda has also rejected similar accusations.
France Clears ROMA Camp in Fresh Wave of Expulsions

French police raided a makeshift Roma camp, evicting 200 people and dozens of police officers
in riot gear descended on the camp near the city of Lille, in northern France, shortly after
dawn to oversee the evacuation of some 200 Roma living in mobile homes near a highway.
The evacuation follows a series of police raids this week in Paris and Lyon during which
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hundreds of undocumented Roma immigrants from Eastern Europe were forced from their
homes.
Master Tips
Roma is a nomadic community of some 12 million living in Eastern Europe, particularly in Romania,
Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary. An estimated 15-20,000 Roma live in France.
While Roma make up a tiny percentage of France’s immigrant population, their nomadic lifestyle and
some resorting to pick-pocketing and aggressive begging have made them the subject of controversy.
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Sarkozy’s government repatriated thousands of Roma to Romania but many took advantage of
porous European Union borders to return to France, having pocketed aid for departure from the
French state of 300 euros ($370) each.
Cayman Islands Proposes Income Tax on Foreign Workers

The Cayman Islands is proposing the never before, a direct tax on expatriates to help fix the
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budget woes of the British territory. The proposed “community enhancement fee” is effectively
a 10% payroll tax on all foreign workers earning income over US $24,000 in the Cayman
Islands. The business community in the Cayman Islands raised voice, with some calling for a
public protest against “taxation without representation”.
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Master Tips
Cayman Islands, a beach-lined group of islands south of Cuba is a British Overseas
Territory located in the western Caribbean Sea. It has long relied on the “no direct
taxation” model as a cornerstone of its lucrative financial industry and known as a tax
haven for the mega rich around the world and home to most of the world’s hedge funds.
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It was in the news in India due to government of India’s efforts on curbing the
black money and tax evasion and also due to the visit of then President of India,
Ms. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil.
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Volcano Erupts in New Zealand

Ash from eruption of Mount Tongariro fell in areas in central North Island. Mt Tongariro is
one of three volcanos inside Tongariro National Park.
Japan aims to Abandon Nuclear Power By 2030

Japan’s government said it intends to stop using nuclear power by the 2030s, marking a major
shift from policy goals set before last year’s Fukushima disaster that sought to increase the
share of atomic energy to more than half of electricity supply.
 Japan joins countries such as Germany and Switzerland in turning away from nuclear power
after last year’s earthquake unleashed a tsunami that swamped the Fukushima Daiichi plant
causing the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.
 Japan was the 3rd biggest user of atomic energy before the disaster.
 In abandoning atomic power Japan aims to triple the share of renewable power to 30 per cent of
its energy mix but will remain a top importer of oil, coal and gas for the foreseeable future.
Sinai’s Recent History of Conflict

The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular
peninsula in Egypt about 60,000 square km
in area. It is the only part of Egyptian
territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa,
effectively serving as a land bridge between
two continents. Egyptians also refer to it
affectionately as the “Land of Fayrouz”.
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 The region has historically been the centre of
conflict between various states, based largely
on its strategic geopolitical location.
 Israel invaded and occupied Sinai during the
Six Day War of 1967.
 On 6 October 1973, Egypt launched the

Egyptian and Israeli forces.
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October War to liberate the peninsula,
which was the site of fierce fighting between
In 1982, after the Israel-Egypt Peace

Treaty of 1979, Israel withdrew from the
entirety of Sinai.
 Today, Sinai has become a tourist destination due to its natural setting, rich coral reefs, and
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biblical history. Mount Sinai is one of the most religiously significant places in Abrahamic
faiths.
Draft Hormuz Closure Bill

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Iran’s parliament has backed a draft law to

block the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to
close the Gulf to oil tankers in retaliation against
European sanctions on Iranian crude. As per
proposed law, if the sanctions continue, the
countries that have imposed sanctions have no
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right to cross the Strait of Hormuz without harm.

Master Tips
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Strait of Hormuz is a strategic geographic location

in the Gulf region through which 40 percent of the
world's seaborne oil exports passes. A heavy
Western naval presence in the Gulf and surrounding
area is a big impediment to any attempt to block the
vital shipping route. (Refer Map)
India & UK Amended Tax Pact

In its continuing drive to check tax evasion and proliferation of black money, India has signed
a protocol with the U.K. for amending the convention between the two countries for avoidance
of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and capital
gains.

Typhoon Bopha lashes Philippines

Typhoon Bopha smashed into the Philippines uprooting trees and power lines and forcing
more than 40,000 people to cram into shelters to escape the strongest storm to hit the country.
Important International Election Held in 2012

 Egyptian presidential election, 2012: A presidential election was held in Egypt on 23 and
24 May 2012. The Muslim Brotherhood declared on 18 June 2012, that its candidate,
Mohammed Morsi, won Egypt’s presidential election, which would be the first victory of an
Islamist as head of state in the Arab world. Morsi won by a narrow margin over Ahmed
Shafik, the last prime minister under deposed leader Hosni Mubarak.
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 Guinea-Bissau Presidential election 2012: An early presidential election was held in Guinea-
Bissau on 18 March 2012 following the death of President Malam Bacai Sanha on 9 January.
A run-off was set to be held on 29 April after being postponed by a week as announced by
electoral commission chief Desejado Lima Dacosta. However, after a military coup, the main
candidate was arrested and any plan for an early election was cancelled.
 Malian parliamentary election 2012: A parliamentary election was planned to be held in
Mali on 1 July and 22 July 2012. However, after the military coup, the election was canceled.
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re-elected as President.
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Taiwan (Republic of China) Presidential election 2012: Incumbent Ma Ying-jeou was
Yemeni Presidential Election 2012: A presidential election was held in Yemen on 21 February
2012. Acting President Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-Hadi was the only candidate in the election.
He was sworn in as president of Yemen on 25 February 2012 in the Presidential Palace.
 Turkmenistan Presidential Election 2012: A presidential election was held in Turkmenistan
on 12 February, 2012. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is the President of Turkmenistan.
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 French Presidential Election 2012: A presidential election was held in France on 22 April
2012. Hollande won the runoff with a vote of 51.63% of the vote to Sarkozy’s 48.37%.
Russian Presidential Election 2012: Vladimir Putin received 63.64% of the vote and elected
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as President. Vladimir Putin on May 7, 2012 took his oath of office to become Russian President
for a historic third mandate at a glittering ceremony inside the Kremlin. Putin already served
as President for two terms between 2000 and 2008.
UN Recognizes State of Palestine

The United Nations General Assembly on November 29, 2012 has recognized Palestine as an
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“Observer State’, largely means a symbolic up gradation in status that drew criticism and
Potential financial Penalties from the US and Israel.
The most significant ramification is that the Palestinians will be able to speak at UN meetings
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and can join United Nations agencies.
Symbolic Win or Birth Certificate for Palestine?

UN General Assembly votes 138/9 to recognize Palestine as a ‘non-member observer’ state.
What does it mean?
 Gives international backing the Palestinian demand for sovereignty over lands Israel occupied in 1856.
 Palestinians will be able to join UN agencies, sign treaties, for going after Israel for alleged war crimes at the International
Criminal Court.
Limited Power:
 Won’t grant independence to 4.3 m Palestinians who live in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza-Strip.
 Palestinian observers can speak as UNGA meets, take part in procedural votes, sponsor and sign resolutions. Cannot
vote on resolutions and other substantive matters.

US Inducted as dialogue partner of IORAC

The US was on November 2, 2012 inducted as a dialogue partner in the 20-nation Indian
Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORAC) grouping, following hectic
back-door diplomacy led by India.
The decision to induct the US as the sixth dialogue partner was taken at the ministerial meeting
of the group. The other five dialogue partners are China, Japan, the UK, France and Egypt.
Japan Sings Pact to Import Rare Earths From India

India and Japan on November 16, 2012 inked two agreements including one that will reduce
Tokyo’s dependence on China for key material that is vital for producing a range of high tech
products.
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The other deal—Social Security Agreement— will benefit about 30,000 citizens of both
countries. About 22,000 Indians are working in Japan and about 8,000 Japanese are working in
India.
Southeast Asian Leaders Signed Human Rights Declaration

Leaders of ASEAN signed a controversial Human Right Pact in their annual summit held in

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia on November 18, 2012.
They had also focused on territorial disputes among nations and Myanmar’s deadly unrest.
Head of the 10-members Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) announced their
declaration on human rights as a landmark agreement that would help to protect the 600 million
people of ASEAN.
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Pakistan Launches Education Plan for Children with Focus on Girls
UN special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown’s call to observe NOVEMBER 10 as
‘Global Action Day For Malala Yousufzai.
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 To show Pakistan’s commitment to Ms. Younsufzai’s dream of educating the 32 million out-of-
school girls across the world, the Pakistani federal government launched the Waseela-e-Taleem
Programme to educate three Million children, especially girls, from the poorest of poor families.
 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has announced that 10th November, 2012,
will be celebrated as Malala Day all over the world.
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Zardari Announces Grant for Girls’ Education Worldwide

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari announced a $10-million donation for a global war chest to
educate all girls by 2015 set up in the name of Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban for
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campaigning for girls’ education.

The “Malala Fund for Girls’ Right to Education” aims at raising billions of dollars to ensure
that all girls go to school by 2015 in line with UN Millennium goals.
India Decides to Adopt Liberal Visa Policy With Bangladesh

India’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran said it has decided to adopt a liberal visa
policy for people of Bangladesh to promote economic engagement, people-to-people contact and
tourism between the two neighbouring nations. However, India did not wait for joint working
group (JWG) to be set up to sort out the issue of liberal visa regime.
India at present gives nearly 500,000 visas to Bangladesh nationals every year. India has already
signed a liberal visa regime with its other neighbour, Pakistan— introducing for the first time
group tourist and pilgrim visas, multi-city and multi-entry visa for businessmen.

Israel Should Open Nuclear Facilities: UN

The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling on Israel to quickly
open its nuclear programme for inspection and backing a high-level conference to ban nuclear
weapons from West Asia which was just cancelled.
 The resolution calls on Israel to join the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) “without further
delay” and open its nuclear facilities to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
 Israel refuses to confirm or deny it has nuclear bombs though it is widely believed to have a
nuclear arsenal.
 It has refused to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), along with three nuclear
weapon states India, Pakistan and North Korea.
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BoJ in Currency Swap Pact with RBI
Japan and India, has signed a Bilateral Swap Agreement (BSA) which enables both countries
to swap their local currencies, that is, either Japanese yen or Indian rupee against the U.S.
dollar for an amount up to $15 billion.
 The Bank of Japan (BOJ), acting as the agent for the Ministry of Finance of Japan, and the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) concluded a Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) between Japan
and India.
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The BSA would be effective for a three-year period. The BSA was signed by Governor Masaaki
Shirakawa of the BOJ and Governor D. Subbarao of the RBI and become effective as of
December 4, 2012.
In the past, both countries had a similar arrangement for an amount up to $3 billion for three
years from June 2008 to June 2011.
Master Tips
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Currency Swap : A currency swap is a foreign-exchange agreement between two institutes to
exchange aspects (namely the principal and/or interest payments) of a loan in one currency for
equivalent aspects of an equal in net present value loan in another currency.
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Polaris Launches ‘Ranger RZR XP 900’

Polaris India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of US-based off-road vehicle maker Polaris Industries,
has launched a new vehicle ‘RANGER RZR XP 900’. Polaris India has recently announced its
tie up with HDFC Bank to provide easy financing solutions to its customers.
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Russia and 5 CIS Countries to Cut Dollar Dependence

Russia and five other ex-Soviet States have
agreed to reduce their dependence on the Master Tips
dollar, and promote payments in national
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currencies. The Commonwealth of Independent

 At a summit of the Commonwealth of States (CIS) is a regional organization
whose participating countries are former
Independent States (CIS) in Ashgabat Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup
(Tu rkmenistan), Russia, Armenia, of the Soviet Union.
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan and
There are 9 member states of the CIS
Tajikistan signed an agreement to set up an namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
integrated currency market for CIS member Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
States. Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
 The agreement is designed to cut the use of There are 2 unofficial members of the CIS:
the dollar and euro and facilitate transactions Turkmenistan and Ukraine. Georgia, a
in national currencies in foreign trade and former member of the CIS withdrew from the
financial services. grouping in 2008-09.
 It will promote the use of the Rouble as a reserve currency given the dominant position of
the Russian economy in the former Soviet Union.
RIL Arm Exits Yemen Oil Block

Reliance Exploration & Production DMCC, the Dubai-based subsidiary of Reliance
Industries Ltd. (RIL), has signed the completion documents for divestment its 25 per cent
working interest in the Yemen’s Block 9 to Medco Yemen Malik Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary
of PT Medco Energi Internasional Tbk of Indonesia.
International Credit Rating Agency to be Set up

An international credit rating agency is proposed to be set up soon by rating organisations from
five countries, including India’s Credit Analysis and Research Limited (CARE).
CARE Ratings Chief General Manager P. N. Satheesh Kumar said that a non-binding MoU
was signed by CARE Ratings with four rating agencies one each from Brazil, South Africa,
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Portugal and Malaysia for the proposed international body.
Maldives Denies China Role in GMR Row

Maldives President Mohamed Waheed has denied the suggestion in the media that China nudged
his country to push out the Male airport operator, Indian multinational company GMR.
• Dr. Waheed said that Maldives was not looking for a foreign investor to develop the Ibrahim
•
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Nasir Airport in Male, rather Maldives was looking at developing a few domestic airports
through Joint Ventures and partnerships.
To drive home his point that no other Indian project had been affected, he said that Maldives
had been discussing projects with other Indian firms, such as the Tatas.
Haryana-Bhutan Agree on 2,000 MW Power Deal

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda announced a new joint venture project in
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Bhutan which will give the State 1,500 to 2,000 MW of additional power within the next five years.
He said Haryana is the first State in the country to have gone beyond national frontiers and
signed a mutually collaborative understanding.
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India-U.S. Collaborate on Solar Energy: SERIIUS

India and the United States have started an initiative to develop solar energy through photovoltaic
(PV) projects and concentrated solar power
(CSP), also known as solar thermal.
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Master Tips
The $50 million project, titled ‘SERIIUS’
Unlike traditional solar panels, CSP projects
(Solar Energy Research Initiative of concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a small
India and the United States), would be area of contained liquid. The liquid heats up, emits
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conducted by the Bangalore-based Indian steam, and a generator converts the steam into
electricity.
Institute of Science and the Washington-
based Na tiona l Renewable Energy
Laboratory.
Ireland to Allow Abortion to Save Mother’s Life

The Irish government has announced that it would bring in legislation to allow for abortion in
cases where the mother’s life was at risk.
 The decision follows widespread outrage over the death of Savita Halappanavar, who died
after being denied abortion by doctors at a government hospital despite repeated requests,
though her life appeared to be at risk.
 At present, abortion is illegal in Ireland except when the mother’s life, as distinct from health,
is at risk. But a lack of clear guidelines has meant that doctors refuse it even in genuine cases.
Nobel Prize Money Will Benefit War-Hit Children, Says EU

The Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee honoured the European Union with Peace Prize
for 2012 in the presence of EU heads of state and government in Oslo.
 The Committee said the organisation had been given the award for transforming Europe from
a continent plagued by war to a continent of peace.
 The prize was collected on behalf of the EU by President of the European Council, President of
Parliament and President of the European Commission.
 The prize money of €930,000 will be given to projects that help children struggling in war zones
by adding €1.07 million, making it €2 million.
Master Tips
ER
The EU: The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member
states which are located primarily in Europe.
Important institutions of the EU include the European Commission, the Council
of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the
European Union, and the European Central Bank.
The European Parliament is elected every five years by EU citizens.
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The EU’s de facto capital is Brussels.
With a combined population of over 500 million inhabitants or 7.3% of the world
population, the EU, in 2011, generated the largest nominal world GDP of 17.6
trillion US dollars, representing approximately 20% of the global GDP when
measured in terms of purchasing power parity.
Important Office Bearers of EU:
President of the European Council: Herman Van Rompuy
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President of the European Commission: Jose Manuel Barroso
President of Parliament: Martin Schulz
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Olivia Culpo: U.S. Beauty is Miss Universe 2012

Olivia Culpo, a 20-year-old Rhode Island native, beat
88 other beauty queens to be crowned as Miss Universe
2012 in a gala ceremony in Las Vegas.
Philippines’ Janine Tugonon was adjudged the first
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
runner-up followed by Venezuela’s Irene Esser.
 Ms. Culpo, has brought the title back to the U.S. after a
decade. Brooke Lee was the last winner in 1997.
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 Ms. Culpo was crowned by 2011 winner Leila Lopez of Angola. India’s Shilpa Singh made
only to the top 16 spot.
Australia Introduces Plain Packaging for Cigarettes

A law forcing tobacco firms to sell cigarettes in plain packets came into effect in Australia in an
effort to strip any glamour from smoking and prevent young people from taking up the habit.
 The new law, the first of its kind anywhere the world, came into force despite a vigorous legal
challenge by big tobacco, which argued that the legislation infringed its intellectual property
rights (IPR) by banning trademarks.
 All cigarettes will now have to be sold in identical, olive-brown packets bearing the same typeface
and largely covered with graphic health warnings.
India-ASEAN Finalise FTA in Services and Investments

India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has finalised the much-awaited
free trade agreement (FTA) in services and investments.
 This move is likely to boost trade to $100 billion by 2015. At present, trade between India and
ASEAN stands at $80 billion.
 Prime Minister said that following the implementation of FTA in goods, trade grew by 41 per
cent in 2011-12.
 The FTA would also pave the way for discussions on a regional comprehensive economic
partnership (RCEP) that ASEAN plans to seal with its six key trade partners, which include
India.
ASEAN and six partners Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand will
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
start first-round talks on the RCEP in 2013, which are expected to form the world’s economic
bloc in 2015.
ASEAN-India Ties to be Elevated to Strategic Partnership

Asean Economic Minister Chair cum senior Commerce Minister of Cambodia Cham Prasidh
has said the Association of South East Asian Nations and India are all set to elevate their ties to
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a strategic partnership.
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India became a sectoral dialogue partner of the grouping in 1992. The relationship was elevated
to full dialogue partnership in 1996.
Since 2002, the two sides have been holding annual summits. The framework of agreement on
comprehensive economic cooperation (CECA) was signed in 2003 and the agreement on trade
in goods in 2009.
After the Commemorative Summit on Dec 20-21, 2012 in Delhi; India has become a strategic
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partner of ASEAN.
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4
Environment &
Ecology Updates

Study Material Environment & Ecology Updates 66
4.0 Environment and Ecology
Five New Tiger Reserves to Come up

The National Tiger Conservation Authority has approved in principle, the creation of 5 new
tiger reserves in the country at following location
S.No. Place State

Master Tips
1. Pilibhit UP
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2. Ratapani MP Currently, there are 42 tiger reserves in
3. Sunabeda Odisha
India which are governed by Project Tiger and
administered by t he Na tiona l Tiger
4. MukundaraHills Rajasthan
Conservation Authority.
5. Satyamangalam TamilNadu
UN Biodiversity Meet (COP 11) At Hyderabad

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Developed countries agreed to double the fund flow to developing countries by 2015 on the
conclusion of the conference on October 20, 2012.
Such funds will help the countries achieve the Aichi Targets, a set of 20 specific goals set
two year ago in Nagoya, Japan, to half the rate of biodiversity loss and implement the
strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 of the CBD.
Master Tips
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About the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Opened for signature at the Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the CBD is an
international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of
biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources.
With 193 Parties, the Convention has near universal participation among countries.
Frog with Blue Eyes Found in Arunachal

A new frog species with blue eyes has been discovered in the Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary
at Sessa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
 Dehradun-based naturalist Sanjay Sondhi, during a survey conducted as part of the Eagle
Nest Biodiversity Project with the support of the State Forest Department, discovered the
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amphibian species early 2011.

 The frog, named Bompu after the locality in the sanctuary where it was found, is native to the
forest streams at an altitude of 2,000 metres and lives under leaf litter and rotting logs.
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A New Frog Species Called Fejervarya Sengupti was Found in Meghalaya

A new frog species was found by researchers in the second week of March 2012 at Mawphlang,
about 25 kilometre from Shilong, capital of Meghalaya.
 The new species was named Fejervarya Sengupti in honour of Saibal Sengupta.
 Sengupta was the head of Aryavidyapeeth College and one of the pioneers of amphibian
research.
 The new species was different from all congeners in terms of body size and all characteristics.
The discovery of new species shows that northeast part of India is quite rich in terms of its
biodiversity, especially in case of amphibians.

67 Environment & Ecology Updates Study Material
Himachal Pradesh Becomes 1st Smoke Free State in Country: Bags WHO
SEAROS Award 2012
The World Health Organization (WHO) has conferred WHO-South East-Asia Regional Office
(SEARO’s) Award -2012 to Himachal Pradesh Government for its outstanding achievement
in Anti Tobacco campaign.
The Race for Green Energy

The US reclaimed the top spot in the world wide clean energy race in 2011. Because of policy
uncertainty, however, its leadership is likely to be short-lived after a variety of clean energy
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programme expired at the end of 2011.
Although, China’s relatively flat year in 2011 cooled the rapid pace of growth in the Asian
region, new opportunities are emerging in the flourishing markets of India, Indonesia, Australia
and Japan.
Clean Energy Investment in India:
 Clean energy investments in India increased 54% in 2011 to $ 10.2 billion.
 The wind sector in India led the way, attracting $ 4.6 billion and spurring deployment of 2.8

GW during the year.
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India’s pursuit of its ‘National Solar Mission’, which aims to deploy 20 GW of solar energy
by 2020, is evident in the increase in investment to $ 4.2 billion.
New Initiative to Protect Oceans Pollution

The UN chief has announced an initiative to protect oceans from pollution and over-fishing and
the combat rising sea levels which threaten hundreds of millions of the world’s people.
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Project Wikiflora
The project Wikiflora aims to provide a platform to the research community such as scientists
and teachers to share knowledge and findings on biological diversity by the model of “citizen
science,” similar to Wikipedia.
In order to digitalize information on Amazonian biodiversity, the Brazilian government
signed a partnership agreement with the U.S. Company IBM.
Western GHATS NEW addition in world heritage list

The Western Ghats has made it to the coveted list of World Heritage Sites.
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 The World Heritage Committee, meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, decided to inscribe 39 serial
sites of the Western Ghats on the World Heritage List.
 The Western Ghats was inscribed under criteria 9 and 10 of the Operational Guidelines of the
World Heritage Convention.
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 Criterion 9 of the guidelines deals with properties which are “outstanding examples representing
significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and
development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems and
communities of plants and animals.”
 Criterion 10 is relevant for “those properties which contain the most important and
significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including
those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of
view of science or conservation.”
Assam RHINO Population Crosses 2,500 Mark

Poachers may have been on the prowl and killing a number of rhinos, especially at Kaziranga
National Park in upper Assam. Kaziranga is famous for the highest concentration of the
one-horned rhinoceros crossing population of 2,500.
Western Ghats Expert Panel Report

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) set up in 2010 was headed by Madhav
Gadgil which submitted its report with following recommendations.
Key recommendations of WGEEP:
 The Expert Panel has suggested for setting up of a statutory authority “Western Ghats
Ecology Authority (WGEA)” to protect the Ghats.
 It recommended for scrapping of two controversial hydro-power projects Karnataks’s Gundia
and Kerala’s Athirapally that had run into difficulty due to opposition from environmentalists.
It also called for gradual phasing out of mining activities in ecologically highly-sensitive areas
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of Goa by 2016.
 WGEA: The Western Ghats Ecology Authority (WGEA), a 24 member body, will have
ecologists, scientists, representatives of civil society, as well as tribal groups, officials from the
Union Environment Ministry, Planning Commission, National Biodiversity Authority, Central
Pollution Control Board, and representatives of the state government as its members.
 It will be a three layered authority having WGEA at national level, the State Western Ghats
Ecology Authorities at state level and District Ecology Committees at district level.
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Function of WGEA: The WGEA would need to function in a networked fashion, with six
constituent State Western Ghats Ecology Authorities, appointed jointly by the State
Governments and the Centre.
 The State Western Ghats Ecology Authorities should interact closely with the State Biodiversity
Boards and Pollution Control Boards, as well as State Planning Departments administering the
Western Ghats Development Programmes, funded through Five-Year Plans by the Planning
Commission. It would be appropriate that all the Western Ghats Development Plan schemes
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are worked out by the State Governments with the Authority.

 WGEEP proposes that District Ecology Master Tips
Committees in all Western Ghats districts The Western Ghats have been identified as an
which would work in collaboration with the extensive region, spanning over six states
district-level Zilla Parishad/ Zilla Panchayat namely Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa,
Biodiversity Management Committees, as Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
which includes 44 districts, and 142 talukas.
well as District Planning Committees.
 WGEA, once created, will have jurisdiction on the location of industry, and land-use planning.
It will also be the final authority in declaring ecologically-sensitive areas, where facilities like
storage dam won’t be permitted.
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A Biodiversity Think-tank Launched

 “The Centre for Biodiversity Policy and Law”, a think-tank for suggesting policy and
legal formulations on biodiversity has been launched in the country which will be jointly operated
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by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in association with Norwegian

Division for Nature.
 Balakrishna Pisupati, Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), charted out
the mandate of the Centre which would be to provide service to the governments, institutions
and stakeholders and would support policies relating to biodiversity at State, Central and
global levels.
Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development at Oxford University

Approved
As a tribute to the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, the government gave an ‘in-principle’
approval for setting up of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development at
Somerville College, University of Oxford. Mrs. Gandhi was a student of Somerville College.
An inter-ministerial committee is already in place to discuss the proposal.
NHRC Summons Chief Secretary Over ENDOSULFAN Issue

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked Kerala Chief Secretary to appear
personally before it, if the State government fails to take action on the compensation recommended
for endosulfan victims in Kasaragod district in Kerala.
 Recently, the State government issued an order taking over the liabilities of the Plantations
Corporation of Kerala in this regard. It was the corporation which undertook aerial spraying
of endosulfan on its estates spreading across or adjoining a dozen villages in Kasaragod district,
disregarding rules.
 The spraying of endosulfan, which started in the late-1970s, had continued till 2001 rendering
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thousands of people disabled and diseased over the years. More than 4,000 people have already
been identified as victims eligible for relief, and four-stage verification is on in case if 1,400
more applicants. The process includes medical examination by experts and confirmation of places
of residence by the Revenue Department.
 The commission has recommended that a panel of doctors may assess the extent of physical
disability to classify the categories of victims. It has also called for a survey of other populations
that may have been affected by the use of endosulfan, including in Palakkad, where there
were reports of similar problems faced by villagers.
Master Tips
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Endosulfan is an off-patent organo-chlorine insecticide and acaricide that has been banned
in some developed countries. Endosulfan became a highly controversial agro-chemical due to its
acute toxicity, potential for bio-accumulation, and role as an endocrine disruptor.
The Supreme Court has banned the manufacture, sale and use of toxic pesticide endosulfan in
India.
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E-Waste Management Rules Come Into Force

The e-waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011, notified in May 2011, will come into effect.
 Aim: To have reduction in the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
by specifying threshold for use of hazardous material including lead, mercury and cadmium.
 Applicability: These will apply to every producer, consumer or bulk consumer, collection centre,
dismantler and recycler of e-waste involved in the manufacture, sale, and purchase and processing
of electrical and electronic equipment or components.
 Sectors like information and telecommunications equipment and consumer electrical and
electronics falling within the specified categories will have to ensure that the products do not
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contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, poly-brominated biphenyls

or poly-brominated di-phenyl ethers above a specified threshold.
 The rules place the main responsibility of e-waste management on the producers of the
electrical and electronic equipment by introducing the concept of “extended producer
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responsibility” (ERP).
Note: These will not apply to lead acid batteries as covered under the Batteries (Management
and Handling) Rules, 2011, micro and small enterprises as defined in the Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (27 of 2006) and radio-active wastes as covered
under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962).
Gas now Rebranded as Green Energy

A €80 bn European Union programme has rebranded energy from gas power stations a green,
low-carbon source of power.
 A large chunk of billions of Euros of funds that are supposed to be devoted to research and
development into renewables such as solar and wave power are likely to be diverted instead to
subsidising the development of the well-established fossil fuel.
 The switch follows after intensive lobbying by the European gas industry, which is attempting
to rebrand itself as a green alternative to nuclear and coal, and as lower cost than renewable
forms of power such as wind and sun.
 But green groups warned that relying on gas would raise energy prices and fail to tackle climate
change, and could fatally stunt the growth of the renewables industry.
Kaziranga Has Over 100 Tigers

 Kaziranga is one of the highest density tiger habitats in the country and has a healthy breeding
source population. It has over 100 tigers, the estimate based on the annual monitoring carried
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out in 2009, 2010 and 2011 using the camera trap method.
 The report, “Tigers of the Kaziranga National Master Tips
Park, Assam, India, 2009-2011,” says 118 Kaziranga in Assam, famous for its one-
tigers were recorded in the reserve over the horned rhinoceros, was declared a tiger
reserve in 2008, covers over 1,000 square
three year-period. The figure includes six kilometers. The major prey for tiger there,
tigers which died during the monitoring according to the report, is hog deer, sambar,
swamp deer, Asiatic wild buffalo and wild
period. pigs.
• The study was a joint initiative of the Assam Forest Department and biodiversity conservation
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group Aaranyak. In 2011, it was carried out in collaboration with the wildlife Institute of
India and WWF India.
Indo-German Biodiva Project

The BioDIVA project to conserve traditional landraces, has been jointly undertaken by
German and Indian researchers in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
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 Aim: It seeks to promote agro-biodiversity, enabling small and marginal communities to preserve
their traditional knowledge, make a living, and protect the environment.
 It is led by Martina Padmanabhan, a German agricultural sociologist based at the Institute
for Environmental Planning of Leibniz University in Hannover. The team is one of 12
junior research groups funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research.
 The main partner in Wayanad district is the
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M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
(MSSRF) based in Chennai. Indigenous tribes of Wayanad district in
• Kerals’s Wayanad district has large areas of Kerala are: Paniyas, Kurumas, Adiyars,
paddy fields, with many rice landraces
Kurichyas, Ooralis, Kattunaikkans.
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cultivated by indigenous tribes, who constitute

a large part of the population.
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Filling up Maheshwar Dam Has Been Stopped by Green Tribunal

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) in an interim order passed recently, asked to stop the
closure of the gates and the partial filling of the Maheshwar dam till the next hearing.
 The NGT also issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of Madhya
Pradesh, project promoters Shree Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation Limited
(SMHPCL) and the Madhya Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited,
restraining them from filling of the dam up to a level of 154 meters.
 The NGT order came in a case challenging the MoEF order of last month which allowed the
filling up of the Maheshwar dam up to a height of 154 meters.
 The MoEF order was challenged on the ground that its implementation would result in the loss
of life and livelihoods of thousands of people living in the river-side villages and impact of
backwaters would cause irreparable damage to the environment and the life and livelihood of
the people.
• The appellants argued the MoEF order was based on false information provided by the district
collector, Khargone, who claimed there would be no submergence of lands and houses at 154
metres.
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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was established under the National Green Tribunal
Act, 2010, for speedy disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of
forests and other natural resources.
The 400 MW Maheshwar dam is India’s first privately financed hydro-electric project and is one of
the 39 big dams being built across the Narmada River.
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Power Generation From Water Hyacinth: A Breakthrough
Kondala Ruthala, a non-resident Indian from Andhra Pradesh proposes use of biogas produced
from water hyacinth to be used for generating electricity, heating and industrial purposes.
The aim is to provide efficient energy solution that is reliable, scalable and cost effective.
 He has submitted the proposal to Krishna district Collector seeking permission to set up a
biogas plant at Nandigamalanka in the district.
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A citizen of USA and equipped with 17 years of experience in crude oil/gas exploration, high-
tech electronics, medical and silk industreis in the US and in India, he proposes to use indigenous
technology developed by VillageVision Biotechnologies, IIT/GBES and National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to set up the gas plant.
 Besides the fact that farmers will benefit from the project, the Irrigation Department which
spends between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 15 lakh every year on removal of water hyacinth, will have
a reason to smile.
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Master Tips
Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes), considered to be one of the world’s most destructive and
unbeatable weeds, clogs up rivers, hydroelectric plants, waterways and entire lakes. Due to its fero-
cious biomass growth rate (up to 17 tonnes per hectare per day, doubling its biomass each week),
water hyacinth colonises water bodies in a matter of days, laying dense carpets of flowers over the
water. One flower produces up to 1,000 new plants in 50 days.
India Received Pat for National Solar Mission From UNEP

The report on renewable energy trends in 2011, launched, by the United Nations
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Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the
21st Century took the note of India’s initiative in the renewable energy sector and praised it.
 India’s National Solar Mission helps the country stimulate an impressive 62 per cent increase
in investments to $12 billion during the year, the fastest investment expansion of any large
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renewables market in the world.

 According to report, Solar generation surged past wind power to become the renewable energy
technology of choice for global investors in 2011. Solar attracted nearly twice as much investment
as wind. Solar photovoltaic capacity moved rapidly into new regions and countries.
 India also finds place in the report at one among the seven countries of the world for
renewable energy capacity, excluding large hydro, accounting for about 70 per cent of
the total non-hydro renewable capacity worldwide. The other countries are China, the United
States, Germany, Spain, Italy and Japan. By region, the European Union was home to
nearly 37 per cent of the global non-hydro renewable capacity by the end of 2011. China, India
and Brazil together accounted for roughly one-quarter.

Rediscovered Tree Still ‘Extinct’ on IUCN Red List

The latest version of the list released, has described Cynometra beddomeii, a large tree,
which has only ever been recorded from “Tambacherry Ghat” as regionally extinct in Kerala.
 A rare tree rediscovered from Kerala during the studies on the Flora of Kerala forests 14 years
ago is still categorised as Extinct on the Red List of International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN). It had also stated that the plant has “not been found since 1870, despite intensive
explorations.”
 It needs to be reclassified as Critically Endangered or Endangered following its rediscovery
that had not happened in this case.
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Labelling of GM Foods Mandatory: Centre
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has made an amendment to make labeling of every package
containing genetically modified food (GM food) mandatory from January 1, 2013. The move
will impact the imported GM foods that are flooding the markets.
Bundelkhand: India’s First River-Lake Link Project Launched
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The Madya Pradesh government launched the country’s first ever river-lake linking project
in the water-scarce Bundelkhand region.
The Harpura irrigation and river-lake link project, launched in the Tikamgarh district,
will be implemented under the Centre’s Rs. 7266 crore Bundelkhand package.
 It will link the perennial Jamni river to the nearby lakes and water bodies built during the
Chandel era.
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 Under the project, an additional 1,980 hectares of land are expected to come under irrigation.
 It is proposed to construct a 44.28 km-long main canal and a 13 km-long branch-canal for
filling up the lakes, besides digging 100 wells on either side of the main canal.
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Country’s first ever river linking project – the Ken-Betwa river link – was expected to be launched
in the Bundelkhand region. However, it was abandoned last year after the Union Ministry of
Environment and Forests refused environmental clearance, citing the probable submergence of
major portions of the Panna Tiger Reserve.
*Ken and Betwa are tributaries of River Yamuna.
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Tiger Conservation Platform IWBC: CII-World Bank Iniative

The new initiative to promote tiger and biodiversity conservation is called the India
Wildlife Business Council (IWBC) is the outcome of an MoU signed between Confederation
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of Indian Industry (CII) and the World Bank.

 It is to improve the dialogue on sustainable development and conservation between business,
conservation stakeholders and decision-makers in policy.
 As an institutionalized platform for collaboration, its objective will be to reverse the massive
dwindling of the tiger population due to rapid industrialisation, habitat fragmentation, poaching
and illegal trade as the new business and policy models could give priority to tiger habitats
while designing land and infrastructure plans, such as Smart Green Infrastructure.
 This way it may be possible to achieve the target of doubling tiger population
worldwide by 2022.

132 Species of Plants, Animals From India in Red List

132 species of plants and animals as Critically Endangered, the most threatened category, from
India figured in the Red list of threatened species, prepared by the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
 Plants seemed to be the most threatened life form, with 60 species being listed as Critically
Endangered, and 141 as Endangered.
 Two plant species were reported to be extinct in the wild, including the Euphorbia
mayuranthanii of Kerala.
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 A leaf frog species and six plants were recorded as extinct, according to the latest assessment.
*Important Indian figures:
 According to the latest figures, 15 species of Indian birds, including the great Indian
bustard, Siberian crane and sociable lapwing are there in the list of Critically
Endangered birds.
 River Tern, a wetland-dependent species found in Kerala, has been moved to Near
Threatened category from Least concern, and Black-bellied Tern to Endangered from Near-

threatened in the latest list.
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Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel which was first sighted in the India in the sea off the Chavakad
beach last year, has also been classified as Near Threatened.
Four fish species from Kerala, including the Pookode Lake Barb and Nilgiri Mystus, are
included in the Critically Endangered fishes of India.
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Uranium/Arsenic in Ground Water: A New Problem in Punjab
The results of ground water sample across Punjab tested positive for presence of uranium.
While most of the water was from the cotton belt in the south-western districts of the
Malwa region of Punjab, Gurdaspur from the Majha belt reported the presence of
arsenic in ground water.
 Cause: Though the exact cause could not be found immediately, the most popular theory doing
the rounds indicated that the heavy metals could have leached into the soil from the excessive
use of phosphate-based fertilizers.
 Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh laid the foundation for a laboratory in
Mohali, for the testing of drinking water.
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 The Rs. 4-crore facility would cater to the needs of the northern States.
 The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre would coordinate with the laboratory to assess the
presence of heavy metals and hazardous materials drinking water. It would analyse the causes,
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besides suggesting remedies and viable alternatives to deal with the situation.
Southern African Region to Get Climate Research Centre

Five countries in southern Africa namely South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Zambia and
Namibia signed a declaration and have joined forces to launch a research centre that will work
on combating climate change in the region.
 The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land
Management (SASSCAL) to be based at the Namibian capital Windhoek is intended to
support cross-border research and land management.
 Germany is providing €50m in aid for the first four years.

Lead Poisoning Linked to Gold Mining in North Nigeria

A deadly lead poisoning outbreak that began two years ago in northern Nigeria continues
to claim young victims even today which already sickened 4,000 children. The outbreak is linked
to gold mining.
Master Tips
The existence of gold deposits in Zamfara along the border of Niger had been long
known. But when gold prices soared in recent years that villagers began heading into the
bush to search for it. Soon the poor herdsmen and farmers could sell gold for more than
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$23 a gram a huge sum in a country where most people live on less than $2 a day.
Locusts: A Threat to Crops in Africa, UN FAO Says

The Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that croplands
in Niger and Mali are at imminent risk from desert locust swarms that are moving southward
from Algeria and Libya.
 Locust-control efforts in the region were being hindered by continued insecurity along both
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sides of the Algerian-Libyan border.
Political insecurity and conflict in Mali could also hamper monitoring and control efforts if the
locusts reach that country.
 Locust infestations were first reported in southwest Libya near Ghat in January 2012 and in
southeast Algeria. Niger last faced desert locust swarms during the 2003-05 plague that affected
farmers in two dozen countries.
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Rare Amur Leopard Couple Spotted in China

A pair of endangered Amur leopards has been spotted in north-eastern China, an indication
that population of the extremely rare cat is recovering in the country.
 In 2007, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) concluded that Amur
leopards were extinct in China and only 19 to 26 survived in Russia.
 It is the first time that field cameras caught two Amur leopards at the same time in north-
eastern Chinese province of Jilin, home to a quarter of all the rarest cats in the world.
 Amur leopards, classified by the IUCN as critically endangered, are in the highest risk category
in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. One of the reasons for the sighting is an improved
habitat for the animals.
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Countries Unhappy With Proposals, Yet Continue With Doha Talks (COP-18)
The climate talks continued at Doha with Conference of Parties (COP)-18 president Abdullah
Bin Hamid Al Hattiyah of Qatar pushing for a conclusion, while accepting that everyone
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was unhappy with the proposals, but at the same time wanting an outcome.
Conference Outcome:
The Conference produced a package of documents collectively titled The Doha Climate Gateway
over objections from Russia and other countries at the session. The documents collectively
contained:
 An eight year extension of the Kyoto Protocol until 2020 limited in scope to only 15% of
the global carbon dioxide emissions due to the lack of participation of Canada, Japan, Russia,
Belarus, Ukraine, New Zealand and the United States and due to the fact that developing
countries like China (the world’s largest emitter), India and Brazil are not subject to any emissions
reductions under the Kyoto Protocol.
 Language on loss and damage, formalized for the first time in the conference documents.
 The conference made little progress towards the funding of the Green Climate Fund.
Forest Area Declines in 14 States of India

The forest cover in the country has decreased by 367 sq kms with the green area decreasing in
14 states.
 According to India State of Forest Report-2011, forest cover has decreased in 14 states including
Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Assam, Kerala,
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and Tripura.
 However, the forest cover has increased in Bihar, Goa, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir,
Karnataka and Andaman & Nicobar.
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 Three states - Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Sikkim have maintained their forest cover.
 In terms of percentage of forest cover in relation to total geographical area, Mizoram tops with
90.68% followed by Lakshadweep with 84.56%.
Category of Forest %age State Forest Cover (Area) Rank (Area wise)
MadhyPradesh 77,700sqkms 1
ExtremelyDense
 7
ArunachalPr adesh 67,410sqkms 2
Dense 36
Moderatelydense

OpenArea
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39
18
STChhattisgarh
Maharashtra
Odisha
55,674sqkms
50,646sqkms
48,903sq
 kms
3
4
5
The Forest Survey of India (FSI), headquartered at Dehradun, Uttarakhand has

been publishing a series of biennial assessment report the forest cover in the country
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since 1987.
The India State of Forest Report 2011 is the twelfth report in the series. It is based on
interpretation of satellite data recorded during October 2008-March 2009 from the
indigenous IRS-P6-LISS III sensor of Resourcesat-1 on a resolution of 23.5m with a
minimum mappable area of one hectare.
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5.1 SPACE ODYSSEY 78
5.2 BIOTECH AND MEDICINE 89
5.3 NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY 94
5.4 COMPUTER, ITES AND MISCELLANEOUS 95

5.1 Space Odyssey
Transiting Venus: A rare Phenomenon

The Transit of Venus is a unique astronomical phenomenon. The second planet of our solar
system was seen as a tiny black dot traversing the face of the sun between sunrise and 10.30
a.m. IST on June 6, 2012.
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Venus is always visible from Earth – it appears either before sunrise (the morning
star) or right after sunset (the evening star). But during transits, Venus, Earth and
the Sun line up in space, causing Venus to appear as a black dot against the disc of
the sun. Transits of Venus are truly rare. A pair of such events occurs every 105.5 or
121.5 years. The last event occurred in June 2004, and the next will occur 105 years
from now, in December 2117.
ISRO’s Ambitious Mars Mission Cleared by Cabinet

The ISRO’s mission to Mars, the launch of which is slated for November 2013 from Sriharikota,
has been cleared by the Union Cabinet. The Space Commission gave its clearance in December
2011.
 The project envisages putting a spacecraft in the red planet’s orbit to study its atmosphere, with
the help of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
 India joins the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and China in undertaking such an
effort.
 The spacecraft will have a scientific payload of 25 kg and is proposed to be placed in an orbit
of 500 × 80,000 km around the planet.
 November was chosen, as the planet would be closest to the earth that time. The next such
opportunity will come only in the summer of 2018.
 The mission is estimated to cost about Rs. 450 crore and an initial provision of Rs. 125 crore
was made in this year’s budget to kick-start the work.
ISRO Scores a Century: Spectular Show in 50 Years

Making history in its space odyssey, India on 9th September 2012 successfully launched its
100th mission with its workhorse PSLV-C21 placing in orbit two foreign satellites in a flawless
flight from the spaceport in Sriharikota.
 The 3rd wholly commercial launch with no Indian satellite was a textbook mission as ISRO’s
PSLV placed in orbit French spacecraft SPOT 6 and Japanese micro satellite
PROITERES.
 The historic mission was described as a “spectacular success” by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, who keenly watched the launch sequence at the mission control centre at Satish
Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 110 km from Chennai.
ISRO’s Mission to Launch 24 Satellites in 2 Years

ISRO’s massive mission to launch 24 satellites will be proceeded in the next 24 months, ISRO
Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said at the 40th year celebrations of the ISRO Satellite Centre
(ISAC).
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GSLV Mark-III to be Launched in 2014

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch Geo-Synchronous Launch
Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk-III) in 2014.
 GSLV Mk-III is intended to launch heavy satellites into geostationary orbit.
 The initial two phases of GLSV-Mk-III — a solid propellant stage with a mass of 200 tonnes (S-
200) and L-110 re-startable liquid stage — have been completed.
 The development of GSLV Mk-III will allow the country to become less dependent on foreign
rockets for heavy lifting.
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Master Tips
The ISRO would launch GSLV-II, which has a cryogenic third stage developed by the
ISRO, by the end of year 2012 or early 2013. GSLV-I had a Russian cryogenic engine.
Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) where GSLV Mark-III is being
developed is P.S. Veeraraghavan.
The United States under MTCR raised objections which prevented the transfer of cryogenic
technology from Russia to India which led to indigenous development of cryogenic engine
by ISRO.
ISRO to Launch GSAT-14 in Early 2013 ST

The Indian Space Research Organisation, which has planned to put 3 satellites into the orbit
with its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle towards the end of year 2012 and early 2013.
 ISRO will send its GSAT-14 with its indigenously developed Geosynchronous Satellite
Launch Vehicle D-5 during early 2013.
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 GSAT-14 satellite would have C-band communication transponders.
 Towards achieving self-reliance in the development of the Mark III engine for GSLV, the S-200
solid propellant motor would be subjected to static test, which would be the repeat of the successful
test that was conducted in January 2010.
 There was a successful launch of Meghatropique satellite, an Indo-French joint venture,
in September 2011.
 ISRO has reputed Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at Mahendra Giri which is now
equipped with one more ultra-modern facility– Thrust Chamber Test Facility – for testing
the GSLV Mark III engine’s cryogenic stage.
ISRO Test Indigenous Cryogenic Engine Successfully

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In a major step, ISRO on May 12, 2012 successfully tested the indigenous engine to be used to
propel the country’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
The test was conducted at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre at Mahendra Giri in
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Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district.
ASTROSAT to be Launched by India Next Year

India is all set to launch ASTROSAT, the country’s first satellite dedicated to astronomy,
which will gaze out at the universe in x-ray, ultraviolet and visible light bands.
 The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai had overall responsibility for
developing three of the spacecraft’s five instruments.
 The Canadian Space Agency and the University Of the Leicester in the U.K. would test
and qualify the detector systems for the ultraviolet and one of the x-ray telescopes.
 The satellite’s soft x-ray telescope proved to be a huge challenge that took 11 years.
 The success of the Indian X-Ray Astronomy Experiment, an instrument carried on a remote
sensing satellite launched in 1996, made it possible to consider a more ambitious effort. In 2004,
the government cleared the Astrosat project with a price tag of Rs. 178 crore. The plan then was
to launch the satellite in about four years.
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Chandrayaan-2 to be Launched in 2013

The Chandrayaan-2 mission, carrying a Russian-built lander and a small Indian rover, could
set off in 2013 to look for water and other volatile substances near the South Pole of the Moon. The
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has to develop both the orbiter and the rover.
 The rover would have a robotic arm as well as 2 instruments to study the chemical composition
and volatiles in the lunar surface material within a kilometer of the landing site.
 Chandrayaan-2 has an orbiter, equipped with cameras and scientific instruments, which will
circle the Moon.
 The lander will go down to the lunar surface, carrying its own suite of instruments as well as the rover.
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 India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark-II will place the
Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter, coupled to the lunar lander and rover, in orbit around the Earth.
Master Tips
Luna-Glob: It is a proposed Russian lunar mission which is likely to take place in
2014. The lander for this mission is similar to the one flying on the Chandrayaan-2
which is called as “Luna-Resource” by the Russians.
New SHAR Mission Control Centre ST

The then President of India Pratibha Patil dedicated the new Mission Control Centre to the
nation at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR) at Sriharikota.
The new centre has been developed with state-of-the-art facilities to meet the requirements for
the launch of the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III and future missions
of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
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ISRO Launched GSAT-10

A 3,400-kg GSAT 10, an Indian communication satellite, has been launched with 30 transponders
aboard by Ariane-5ECA carrier rocket in September 2012.
 It had only C-band transponders, and included a navigation payload to augment GAGAN capacity.
 It is to provide communication services in India. The commercial operations start from February 2013.
ISRO Launched RISAT-1 Sucessfully

India’s first indigenously built all-weather Radar Imaging Satellite, RISAT-1, with
applications ranging from agriculture to natural disaster management, is now in polar orbit
after its carrier, the PSLV-C19, was launched successfully from the Sriharikota spaceport
of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
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 RISAT-1 weighing 1858 kg, the heaviest satellite launched yet by the PSLV, is a state-of-the-art
Active Microwave Remote Sensing Satellite carrying a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
that will operate in the C-band.
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 The RISAT-1 with magical roving eyes of SAR can beam back clearer imaging of the earth
surface features at day and night and under all imagined weather conditions thus making it
superior to the generation of optical remote sensing satellites.
Master Tips
PSLV-C19 is the 21st flight in the PSLV series of satellite launches, the 20th consecutive
successful launch and the third to involve the high-end version (PSLV-XL).
The two earlier flights of the PSLV-XL were used to launch Chandrayaan-1 in October
2008 and the GSAT-12 communication satellite in July 2011.
The rocket is called PSLV-XL (XL stands for extra-large) because it used six more
powerful strap-on motors than those used in the standard PSLV version. If the normal
PSLV version’s six strap-on motors each use 9 tonnes of solid propellants, each of them
in the PSLV-XL use 12 tonnes of propellants.

India-Russia Deal on GLONASS

India and Russia signed an agreement for receiving precision signals from Glonass, Russian
constellation of satellites.
 Glonass still in the making is an alternative to the U.S.-controlled Global Positioning System
(GPS).
 Indian military’s access to Glonass has been mentioned in the joint statements issued after
India-Russia annual summits.
 These signals will allow missiles, including those fired from nuclear submarine Chakra, to
strike within half a metre of distant targets.
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Summer Star ‘Vega’ 200 Million Years Older Than Thought
Vega, a star used by astronomers as a standard to measure other stars’ brightness for thousands
of years, may be more than 200 million years older than previously thought and the mass of the
star to be just over two times the Sun’s.
 Researchers from the University of Michigan estimated Vega’s age by precisely measuring
its spin speed with a tool called the Michigan Infrared Combiner (MIRC).
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MIRC collects the light gathered by six telescopes to make it appear to be coming through one
that’s 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.
Master Tips
Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra is a summer star in the Northern
Hemisphere and is just visible toward the west at sunset at 25 light years away.
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Scientists Discover Mini Nile River on Saturn’s Moon Titan
NASA scientists have spotted the longest extraterrestrial river system ever - on Saturn’s moon
Titan - and it appears to be a miniature version of Earth’s Nile River.
 As per the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the river valley
on Titan stretches more than 400 kilometres from its
“headwaters” to a large sea.
Nil
Lake
e
 Images by NASA’s Cassini mission have revealed for the

Re
Nasser
d
first time a river system this vast and in such high

Se
i le
a
N
resolution anywhere other than Earth. Khartoum
e
Titan is known to have vast seas - the only other body in

Blu
White Nil
 Sudan
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eN
the solar system, apart from Earth, to possess a cycle of

ile
liquids on its surface.

 However, the thick Titan atmosphere is a frigid one,
meaning liquid water couldn’t possibly flow. The liquids
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on Titan are therefore composed of hydrocarbons such as Lake Indian

methane and ethane.
Victoria
Ocean
Master Tips
The Nile, is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa, generally regarded as
the longest river in the world of 6,650 kms. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan,
South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya,
Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major tributaries, the White Nile and
Blue Nile meeting at Khartoum, capital of Sudan. The Nile ends in a large delta that
empties into the Mediterranean Sea.(Refer Map for clarity.)

Sunita Williams Makes 2nd Space Voyage on Soyuz

Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams along with her two colleagues Russian Soyuz
Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency flight
engineer Akihiku Hoshide, took off on her second space odyssey on July 15, 2012 on a Russian
Soyuz TMA-22 spaceship which blasted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
 Williams, who earlier worked on the ISS for six months in 2006-07, will further extend the
record for the longest stay (195 days) in space for a woman.
 Russia’s Federal Space Agency Roscosmos announced that the spacecraft departed successfully
from the carrier rocket and reached intermediate orbit. The Soyuz TMA spacecraft docked with
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the ISS’s Zvezda service module.
Australia Unveils Colossal Telescope

Australia on October 5, 2012 unveiled a colossal radio telescope that will allow astronomers
to detect distant galaxies and explore the depths of the universe with unprecedented precision.
The Australian SKA Pathfinder telescope, at the remote Murchison Radio-astronomy
Observatory in the Western Australian desert, is made up of 36 antennas, each 12 metres
in diameter. ST
Newly Discovered GLIESE 581G Planet May Support Human Life
Astronomers have claimed to have discovered a planet, formally known as GLIESE 581G that
may be capable of supporting human life. The planet is 22 light years away and is known as
‘Super Earth’ due to its ability to hold on to its gassy atmosphere, which increases its chances
of retaining liquid.
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NASA Launches Rocket to Study Sun’s Magnetic FIELDS: SUMI

NASA launched and retrieved a sounding rocket blasted off from a missile test site in New
Mexico, carrying an instrument called the Solar Ultraviolet Magnetograph Investigation,
or SUMI.
 It is designed to snap a quick image of the
Sun’s magnetic fields and to obtain data to
build a more permanent spacecraft.
 SUMI’s short-lived flight of 8 min is important
for NASA because the instrument contained
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an ultraviolet light sensor, allowing scientists

to catch a glimpse of th e Sun’s
chromospheres – an area of the sun’s lower
atmosph ere that is difficu lt for other
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instruments as these can only detect visible

or infrared light, giving them a more limited
view of the solar activity taking place.
China Launched Pakistan’s 1st Communication Satellite

 China launched Pakistan’s first communications satellite, seen as marking a deepening in
technological ties between the 2 countries. The Pakistani Satellite PAKSAT-1R was sent into
orbit from western Sichuan on a Long March-3B carrier rocket.
 It was developed and launched with the help of the government-supported China Great Wall
Industry Corporation (GWIC), which has reached out to developing countries, offering both
technological expertise and financial assistance to help their space programmes.

China Set to Launch Manned Space MISSION: Female Astronaut Liu

Yang in Space
China will launch a manned spacecraft, aimed at giving the country a permanent space station
by 2020. The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and its carrier rocket have already been moved to the
launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre Gobi desert in northwest China,
Xinhua.
 The mission would involve three astronauts manually docking with the Tiangong-1 module
currently orbiting the Earth.
Docking Mission Successful:
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 China’s Shenzhou-9 spacecraft returned to Earth, ending a mission that put the country’s first
woman in space and completed a manned docking test critical to its goal of building a space
station by 2020.
 The spacecraft’s gumdrop-shaped return capsule descended to Earth by parachute and touched
down in China’s northwestern inner Mongolia region with its three-member crew, including
female astronaut Liu Yang.
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China’s Own Version of GPS: ‘COMPASS’ Or ‘BEIDOU’
China has also joined an elite group of nations in launching its own global navigation system,
called Compass or Beidou, which will function similar to the American Global Positioning
System (GPS), and will be used by both the Chinese military and to develop the
telecommunications industry.
China Launches Space Lab Module: Heavenly Palace

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China successfully launched its first space laboratory module, a key first step in its objective
of becoming only the third country, after Russia and the United States, to assemble its
own space station by 2020.
 The 8.5-tonne Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace, laboratory module has a 15 cubic metre space
where 2 or 3 astronauts can work and live.
 The unmanned module, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in north-western
China, will dock with a spacecraft, Shenzhou-8 after orbiting the earth for about a month.
 China has, in recent years, offered its Long March rockets to launch more than 20 satellites for
a number of countries, according to reports in the official media.
China’s Space Dock With Shenzhou-8:
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 China’s mission to achieve a first-ever docking exercise in space, part of plans to build its own
space station, was “a complete success”, as the unmanned Shenzhou-8 aircraft returned to Earth
following a more than month-long docking exercise.
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 Shenzhou-8 rendezvoused and docked with the Tiangong-1, or “Heavenly Palace”, space
laboratory module.
 China is now only the third nation, after the United States and Russia, to achieve a
docking in space, though it trails both nations, which completed this feat more than 3 decades
ago.
 Following Shenzhou-8’s success, China will launch 3 more spacecraft next year, with at least
one of them a manned mission.
 The successful docking, would pave the way for China’s launching of its won manned space
station by 2020.
 That is the same year the International Space Station (ISS) is brought down – a coincidence of
events seen by analysts as reflecting China’s resurgence and the West’s decline in space
programmes.

ENTERPRISE Marked the End of an Era of Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle “Enterprise”- named after the spaceship in Star Trek achieved lift-off
when it was hoisted by a crane onto a floating museum in New York’s Hudson River.
 NASA is wrapping up the shuttle programme, and Enterprise will become part of New York’s
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
 Enterprise was never used in an actual space mission but was a full-scale test vehicle in the air
and on the ground.
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 NASA’s shuttle programme ended last year. Enterprise’s place at the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington has been taken by the shuttle Discovery.
 Shuttle Endeavor is going to Los Angeles, and
 Shuttle Atlanstis is staying at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
 Shuttle Columbia crashed in 2003 resulting into death of all 7 crew members on board including
Indian Kalpana Chawala.
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MACE Telescope to be Set Up at Hanle, Ladakh
MACE (Major Atmospheric Cerenkov Experiment) Telescope, the 21-meter instrument,
the world’s largest telescope at the highest altitude is being established at Hanle, Ladakh
which would enable the study of high energy cosmic gamma-ray bursts from pulsars and stars
to find out more about the secrets of universe.
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 Hyderabad based Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) is executing the entire
project and manufacturing the telescope for Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
 The indigenously-built telescope would be remotely operated and powered by solar energy.
 Its mirrors have an accuracy of 50 nanometers. The telescope would be operational from next
year.
 The telescope is coming up on the campus of Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) at
Hanle.
 Close to the proposed MACE site, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore is
operating Himalayan Chandra Optical Telescope (HCOT).
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 A seven element wave front sampling gamma-ray telescope HAGAR (High Altitude Gamma
Ray Telescope) was also jointly established by IIA and the Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research (TIFR).
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 The close proximity of the telescopes would help in coordinated multi-wavelength studies of the
cosmos.
50 Years Since the Revolutionary Launch of Telstar

Telstar was the first communications satellite, fired into orbit on July 10, 1962.
 Telstar transmitted the first five television images between America and Europe,
launching the era of the global village in which events on the other side of the world could be
experienced in “real time”.
 It was to facilitate transatlantic telecommunications from a height of around 8,000 km having
a weight of 77 kilograms and equipped with 3,600 solar cells, thereby providing an alternative
to the overloaded undersea cables.
The 1st Private Effort: SpaceX Dragon Returns to Earth

The world’s first commercial space cargo carrier returned to Earth ending its revolutionary
voyage to the International Space Station with an old-fashioned splashdown in the Pacific.
 The unmanned SpaceX Dragon capsule parachuted into the ocean about 800 km off Mexico’s
Baja California, bringing back more than a half-tonne of old station equipment.
 It was the first time the U.S. space agency, NASA, received a large load from the orbiting space
station since its space shuttles stopped flying last year.
 The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida,
carrying the unmanned Dragon and over half a tonne of cargo toward the orbiting lab, marked
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the first attempt to send a privately built spacecraft to the research outpost, where it plans
to do a fly-under followed by a berthing.
Master Tips
SpaceX, Space Exploration Technologies is the first of several U.S. competitors to
try sending its own cargo-bearing spacecraft to the ISS with the goal of restoring U.S.
access to space for human travelers by 2015.
some 240 miles above Earth.

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International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion project of 15 nations that flies
Nu-STAR Can Now See Highest Energy X-Rays

The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) successfully launched on 13 June,
2012, is a space-based X-ray telescope that will use a Wolter telescope to focus high energy X-
rays from astrophysical sources, especially for nuclear spectroscopy, and will operate in the
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range of 5 to 80 keV.
 It is the 11th mission of the NASA Small Explorer satellite Programme (SMEX-11) and the
first space-based direct-imaging X-ray telescope at energies beyond those of the Chandra X-
ray Observatory and XMM-Newton.
Primary scientific goals:
 To conduct a deep survey for black holes a billion times more massive than the sun.
 To understand how particles are accelerated to within a fraction of a percent below the speed of
light in active galaxies.
 To understand how the elements are created in the explosions of massive stars by imaging the
remains, which are called supernova remnants.
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Large Solar Gregor Telescope Operational

A powerful solar Gregor telescope supposedly the largest in Europe opened recently on
Spain’s Canary Islands. As per scientists involved, it will allow them to study the sun in
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unprecedented detail.
Key features of the telescope:
 The Gregor telescope will be able to show structures on the sun on scales as small as 70
kilometers with a mirror diameter of 1.5 metres.
 The telescope also features a retractable roof that prevents air turbulence in its optical path,
which allows it to deliver “images of sharpness that up till now no terrestrial solar telescope has
ever obtained.
 Gregor was built mainly to study physical processes on the surface of the sun and to see in
these layers how energy from its interior emerges and is launched into space, and sometimes,
reach the Earth.

World’s Largest Thirty Meter Telescope

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is a proposed ground-based large segmented mirror
reflecting telescope to be built on Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
Key Features of the telescope:
 The telescope is designed for observations from the near-ultraviolet to the mid-infrared (0.31 to
28 µm).
 At wavelengths longer than 0.8 µm, this
correction would enable observations with 10
times the spatial resolution of the Hubble
Space Telescope.
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 The 30 Meter Telescope’s segmented primary
mirror, which will be nearly 100 feet or 30
metres long, will give it 9 times the light-
collecting area of the largest optical telescopes
in use today and its images will also be 3 time
sharper.
 The telescope, known as TMT, will be able to
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observe planets that orbit stars other than
the Sun and enable astronomers to watch new
planets and stars being formed.
Hawaii as Location: The summit of Mauna Kea volcano
Mauna Kea Volcano
 It was selected due to relatively mild weather conditions, favorable wind patterns and skies,
which would allow for more than 300 nights of observation a year.
 Air pollution is very low atop the volcano, which is located far from major populated areas,
allowing scientists to decrease the blurring effect of the Earth’s atmosphere.
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 Low average temperatures and very low humidity allows an exciting new discovery space using
adaptive optics and infrared observations.
Institutions and Partners: Notable Presence of India and China
 The University of California system, the California Institute of Technology and the
Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy founded the telescope,
which is expected to be finished by 2018.
 China joined as an observer in 2009, followed by India. Both are now partners, with
representatives on the TMT board. They will also have a share of the observation time.
 China and India will pay a share of the construction cost, expected to top $1 billion, for the
telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea volcano.
Japan, which has its own large telescope at Mauna Kea, the 8.3-meters Subaru, is also a
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
partner.
NASA’s Kepler Discovered Planet Kepler-16b

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 Kepler-16b is a Saturn-mass planet consisting of half rock and half gas, and it orbits a
binary star, Kepler-16, with a period of 229 days.
 It is formally known as Kepler-16 (AB)-b and unofficially referred to as Tatooine is an extrasolar
planet.
 It is the first confirmed example of a circumbinary planet - a planet orbiting not one, but
two stars.
 The planet was discovered using the space observatory aboard NASA’s Kepler spacecraft.
ROSAT Falls Into Earth

The defunct 2.7-tonne Roentgen Satellite or ROSAT of Germany fell into earth after
languishing in dead orbit for more than a decade.

SOFIA: NASA’s Flying Telescope in Search of Distant Stars

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a new and powerful
telescope being used by NASA astronomers for studying the atmospheres of planets and the
formation of stars. The airborne observatory should be fully operational by 2014.
 SOFIA is not in space rather it flies around mounted on a Boeing 747 jet with a large door cut
on the side for it to see out.
 During its expected 20-year lifetime, SOFIA will be capable of providing “Great Observatory-
class astronomical science,” providing astronomers with access to the visible, infrared and sub-
millimetre spectrum with optimized performance in the mid-infrared to sub-millimetre range.
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‘SpaceX’ Flight Opens Door for U.S. Military Payloads
Dragon’s launch was the third successive flight of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which debuted in
June 2010. Flying three times successfully was among the criteria the company needed to meet
to become eligible to compete for military business under a new program designed to draw
competition into a field now monopolized by United Lunch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing
and Lockheed Martin.
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US Weather Satellite Launched: First-of-its-Kind
The U.S. space agency launched a first-of-its kind satellite that will send back data on weather
and climate to help forecasters predict major storms and other changes in the environment
which will circle the Earth at a height of 820 km in a polar orbit.
 The $1.5-billion National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System
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Preparatory Project (NPP) took off aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force
Base in California.
 It is one of 14 Earth observation missions currently being managed by NASA which will
study temperature and water in the atmosphere, how clouds and aerosols affect temperature,
and how plants on land and in the ocean respond to environmental changes.
 The NPP will help fill in data gaps left by European weather observatories.
GRAIL Lunar Mission

The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) is an American lunar science
mission in NASA’s Discovery Program, which will use high-quality gravitational field mapping
of the Moon to determine its interior structure.
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 The 2 small spacecraft GRAIL A (Ebb) and GRAIL B (Flow) were launched on 10 September
2011 aboard a single launch vehicle, the most-powerful configuration of a Delta II, the 7920H-10.
 GRAIL A separated from the rocket about 9 minutes after launch, GRAIL B followed about 8
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minutes later. They arrived at their orbits around the Moon 24 hours apart.
 The first probe entered orbit on 31 December 2011 and the second followed on 1 January 2012.
ORION: New NASA Spaceship Arrives in Florida for Test Flight

An Orion space capsule being designed to carry a crew of four and to fly astronauts to asteroids,
the moon and eventually to Mars arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a 2014
test flight.
 The spacecraft, built by Lockheed-Martin is targeted for launch aboard an unmanned Delta 4
Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, adjacent to the NASA spaceport.
 It is expected to reach about 3,450 miles above Earth - more than 10 times beyond where the
International Space Station files - then slam back into the planet’s atmosphere with 84 percent
of the force that a spaceship returning from the moon would have.
Voyager Space Probes Farthest Man-Made Object in Space

The Voyager 1 space probe has reached the edge of the solar system, extending its record for
being the most distant man-made object in space. The spacecraft is sending back data to Earth
showing a sharp increase in charged particles that originate from beyond the solar system.
 Voyager 1, along with its sister spacecraft, Voyager 2, was launched in 1977 and is now about 18
billion kilometers from the Sun.
 It is moving at a speed of about 17 km per second and it currently takes 16 hours and 38
minutes for data to reach NASA’s network on Earth. Voyager 2 is about 15 billion kilometers
from the Sun.
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 Between them, the probes have explored all the giant planets of the solar system; Jupiter,
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, as well as 48 of their moons.
Go Ahead for World’s Biggest Optical Telescope

The European extremely large telescope (ELT) a, 1.1 billion-euro project to build the world’s
largest optical telescope will go ahead after getting backing from most of its members of the
European organization, European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) which is overseeing it.
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The European extremely large telescope (ELT) hosted on top of the 3,060-metre Cerro
Armazones Mountain in the Atacama Desert in Chile, will directly image planets outside
the solar system and those orbiting other suns in so-called “habitable zones” to perhaps answer
the question of whether there is life elsewhere in the universe.
Key Features:
 It will use a mirror 39 meters in diameter that will give a more detailed and deeper view of the
universe than ever before. Most large ground-based telescopes currently have mirrors eight to
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10 meters across.
 The large mirror on the ELT, made up from nearly 800 hexagonal segments, will gather 12
times more light than the largest optical telescopes operating today.
Participants and Partners:
The European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) council met at its headquarters in Garching,
Germany, where 10 countries gave the project full or conditional support.
 Representatives from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden
and Switzerland voted to start the program while Belgium, Finaland, Italy, and the United
Kingdom backed the project pending confirmation from their governments. The remaining
four - Denmark, France, Portugal and Spain – said they continue to work towards approval.
Chile, which will play host to the telescope, is also involved.
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
 Brazil plans to join the ESO Council this year.
Solar Plane Completes Maiden Intercontinental Trip

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A solar energy plane piloted by Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard landed in Morocco, completing
the world’s first intercontinental flight powered by the sun to show the potential for pollution-
free air travel and its sustainability.
 The ‘solar impulse’ took off from Madrid (Capital city of Spain) and landed at Rabat’s
(Capital City of Morocco) International airport after a 19-hour flight. Shortly before
Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard landed in Rabat’s airport, the project co-founder and pilot Andre
Borschberg said the aircraft has proved its sustainability.
 The Solar Impulse project began in 2003 with a 10-year budget of 90 million euros ($112.18
million) and has involved engineers from Swiss lift maker Schindler and research aid
from Belgian chemicals group Solvay.
 The plane, which requires 12,000 solar cells, embarked on its first flight in April 2010 and
completed a 26-hour flight, a record flying time for a solar powered aircraft, three months later.

SKA: Giant Telescope to Explore Far Reaches of Cosmos

The world’s biggest and most advanced radio telescope, capable of detecting signs of
extraterrestrial life in the far reaches of the universe, will be located in South Africa, Australia
and New Zealand.
 The $2 billion “Square Kilometre Array” (SKA), when completed in 2024 the telescope will
be made up of 3,000 dishes, each 15 meters (50 feet) wide, together with many more antennae,
that together will give a receiver surface area of a square kilometer.
 The telescope will be 50 times more sensitive and 10,000 times faster than any other telescope
on the planet.
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 The Britain-based consortium behind the project, The United International Consortium
which is funding the $2 billion project includes Canada, China, Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands, the United Kingdom as well as Australia and South Africa.
Science Discover the Source of Water on the Moon

Scientists 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 by researchers from
the University of Michigan imply that ice inside permanently shadowed polar craters on the
5.2
solar wind.
Biotech and Medicine

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Moon, sometimes called cold traps, could contain hydrogen atoms ultimately derived from the
U.S. Approves Anti-HIV Drug TRUVADA

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its first ever nod for an anti-HIV drug,
TRUVADA, to pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences.
 Truvada is tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
 It has been marketed as a treatment for those already infected with HIV since 2004.
 Clinical studies demonstrated that the drug could prevent people from contracting the infection
in the early 2010.
SYNRIAM: Indigenous Anti-Malaria Drug Launched

India joins the elite club of the countries to have developed a new drug SYNRIAM, indigenously
for malaria on the occasion of World Malaria Day, 25th April.
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 The drug, produced by Ranbaxy laboratories in collaboration with the Department of

Science and Technology and supported by the Indian Council for Medical Research,
was formally introduced for marketing.
 New-age anti-malaria drug SYNRIAM will be used to treat uncomplicated “plasmodium falciparum”
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malarial in adults. It provides relief from most malaria-related symptoms, including fever and
has a high cure rate of over 95 per cent.
 The dual-molecule combination drug conforms to the recommendations of World Health
Organisation (WHO) and will be required to be taken only once a day for three days.
 Unlike artemisinin-based drugs, it has a synthetic source, the production of which can be
scaled up whenever required and a consistent supply of the drug can be maintained at low cost.
Master Tips
Malaria claims, half a million lives every year globally and India contributes to 77 per
cent of the 2.5 million cases reported annually from South East Asia.
Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the
bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and
then infect red blood cells.

U.S. Patent for Cancer Treatment Granted to Indian Scientist

The nanotechnology scientist, Rao Papineni, received US Patent. In a path-breaking innovation,
the scientist hailing from Hydrabad and his colleagues have invented a system in which a nano-
particle carries the payload of anti-cancer drug and releases it only in the cancerous cell, thus
protecting healthy cells around.
$10 Million Genome Prize

The ARCHON GENOMICS X prize will award $10 million to the first team that sequences
the complete genomes of 100 people aged 100 or older in 30 days or less, for no more than $1,000
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each, and with an error rate of no more than 0.0001 percent.
Tomato Genome Sequenced

In a major step forward in biotechnology research, a group of 300 scientists from across the
world, including India, have sequenced the genome of tomato.
 The achievement is expected to lower the costs and speed up efforts to improve tomato production
making it better equipped to combat pests and pathogens, and to tolerate droughts.

Master Tips
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The work is also expected to help in efforts to improve the productivity of other crops.
Tomato belongs to a family of vegetables called ‘Solanaceae,’ other members include

potato, pepper and brinjal.
The ‘Tomato Genome Consortium’ was established after a scientific conference
organised in 2003 in the U.S. Its members were drawn from the U.S., the U.K., China,
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France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Netherland, South Korea, Israel, Spain, Argentina,
and Belgium.
Genetic Sleuthing Uncovers Deadly New Virus in Africa

An isolated outbreak of a deadly disease known as acute hemorrhagic fever, which killed two
people and left one gravely ill in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the summer of 2009,
was probably caused by a novel virus scientists have never seen before.
The new microbe has been named Bas-Congo virus (BASV) after the province in the southwest
corner of the Congo where the three people lived.
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Banana Ggenome Sequenced

Scientists have sequenced the complete genome of the banana, an important crop in developing
countries that provides a fruit widely enjoyed the world over and is a staple food in some of the
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poorest parts of the globe.

 The draft sequence provided a crucial stepping-stone for genetic improvement of banana.
 The international team has sequenced the genome of DH-Pahang (Musa acuminata), a banana
popular in south-east Asia and which is able to resist the devastating Panama disease fungus
that has been spreading in Asia.
Master Tips
The completion of the genome sequence was important for India, the world’s largest
producer of bananas. However, most of the country’s production was consumed locally
and exports amounted to only 0.5 per cent of the world trade in the fruit. So, enhanced
productivity could boost the export.

‘Superbug’ NDM-1 Still a Global Concern: WHO

The ‘New Delhi superbug’ remains “a global concern” because of its resistance to all antibiotics
available in the world.
 The ‘New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1’ bacteria carrying these mechanisms is a gene that
includes the possibility of making anti-microbial not effective.
 The WHO launched the Global Infection Prevention Control Network to address the
growing threat from serious infectious epidemics.
Master Tips
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New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) is an enzyme that makes bacteria
resistant to a broad range of beta-lactum antibiotics. These include the antibiotics of the
carbapenem family, which are a mainstay for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant
bacterial infections.
Kinesio Tape
Athletic tape made in every color under the sun seems to be the latest must-have sports injury
treatment at London 2012.
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It is called KINESIO tape and developed by a Japanese doctor more than 30 years ago; the
adhesive strapping is designed to provide muscle and joint support without restricting movement.
Who Endorsed ‘New Test’ to Diagnose Diabetes

Glycated Haemoglobin or HbA1c, a common test in urban Indian pathological labs to detect
diabetes, has finally been endorsed by the World Health Organisation.
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 HbA1c, a type of the red blood cell protein haemoglobin, forms when red cells are exposed to
glucose in the plasma.
 A WHO report recommends the acceptability of HbA1c as an additional test to diagnose this
debilitating disease that affects 220 million people worldwide and kills more than one million
people annually, almost 80% of which occur in low-and middle-income countries. Almost half of
diabetes deaths occur in people aged less than 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women.
Gas-Filled Aspirin Invented to Fight Cancer

A scientist from Iran developed a gas-filled aspirin that can enhance the cancer-fighting ability
of the drug.
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 The new Aspirin was dubbed NOSH, which stands for Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Sulphide.
 The new Aspirin reduces the harmful side effects . Aspirin is effective against Cancer. But it
can also cause bleeding in the gut and ulcers.
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 The gas-filled Aspirin protects the gut from damage by producing nitric oxide and hydrogen
sulphide. NOSH-aspirin was 100000 times more effective than the original drug.
Letrozole Banned in India

The Centre has suspended the manufacture, sale and distribution of ‘Letrozole for induction
of ovulation in an anovulatory infertility’ with immediate effect,
 ‘Letrozole’ is likely to involve risk to human beings and safer alternatives to the drugs are
available.
 The suspension has been ordered under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940
after the government decided that it was necessary and expedient to regulate distribution of the
drug in public interest.

Key Gene Essential for Sperm Development Discovered

A new type of male contraceptive could be created after discovery of a key gene essential for
sperm development. Research, led by the University of Edinburgh, has shown has a gene-
Katnal 1 is critical to enable sperm to mature in the testes.
Scientists Create Artificial Jellyfish Using Biomimicry

Using cells from rat hearts and a seer polymer film, scientists reported they had created an
artificial jellyfish that could one day help save patients with heart disease. The exploit marks
an advance in so-called biomimicry, in which a natural wonder inspires copycat innovation in
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the lab.
 The interest in the jellyfish lies in its remarkable swimming ability, which comes from muscles that
open its bell-like body and then contract it, thus ejecting water and driving the creature along.
 This pump-like design has been honed by more than 500 million years of evolution to be as
simple and energy-efficient as possible. As a result, it offers tempting insights for scientists
hoping to make small, reliable heart pumps for the future.
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NHRC Recommended to Make Silicosis Notifiable Disease
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended that silicosis be made a
notifiable disease taking a note of the increasing silicosis-related deaths in the country.
 Once notified, all government and private health facilities will have to report confirmed as well
as suspected silicosis cases to the government.
Silicosis also known as Potter’s rot is an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling of dust
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
containing free crystalline silica.It is a type of pneumoconiosis.
 Silicosis (particularly the acute from) is characterized by shortness of breath, cough, fever, and
cyanosis (bluish skin).
 It may often be misdiagnosed as pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), pneumonia, or tuberculosis.
 The potential victims of silicosis are poor migrant workers employed in quarries, mines, gem
cutting and other hazardous occupations such as construction sites, a majority of whom are
likely to die for lack of specialized treatment.
“Robot Fish” Take to the Sea

In a test at the northern Spanish port of Gijon, a pollution-hunting ROBOT “FISH” developed
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by European scientists to improve pollution monitoring moved from the lab to the sea.
 The developers hope the new technology, which reduces the time it takes to detect a pollutant
from weeks to seconds, will sell to port authorities, water companies, aquariums and anyone
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with an interest in monitoring water quality.

 It could also have spin-offs for cleaning up oil spills, underwater security, diver monitoring or
search and rescue at sea.
Human Gender IFTIM3 That Turns FLU into A Killer Discovered

Scientists discovered the genetic flaw that explains the reason why flue makes some people
seriously ill. It explains why some people experience mild flue symptoms while others are
hospitalized.
 They found a human gene called IFTIM3 that influences how people respond to flue infections.
 People who carried a particular variant of IFTIM3 and in large quantities had resisted the
viruses in lungs while the others whose IFITM3 levels were lower, the flu virus could replicate
and spread more easily, causing more severe symptoms.
Pigeon Pea Genome Sequenced by ICRISAT Team

The Hyderabad based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid
Tropics (ICRISAT) has led the efforts in cracking Pigeon Pea genome.
 It has resulted in the identification of 48,680 pigeon pea genes. A couple of hundreds of these
genes were found unique to the crop in terms of drought-tolerance, an important trait that can
be transferred to other similar crops like soybean, cowpea or common bean that belong to the
same family.
 It also reveals clues on how the genomic sequence can be useful to crop improvement for
sustainable food production, particularly in the marginal environments of Asia and sub-Saharan
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Africa.
 Pigeon pea is the first “non-industrial crop” and the second food legume (after soybean) with a
completed genome sequence.
Master Tips
Once referred to as an “orphan crop” mainly grown by poor farmers, pigeon pea is also
known as the “poor people’s meat” because of its high protein content, it provides
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as well-balanced diet when accompanied with cereals.
The crop, grown on about 5 million hectares in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and South-
Central America, is a very important food legume for millions of the poor in the semi-
arid regions of the world.
Stephen Quake wins Lemelson-MIT Prize

Stephen Quake, a Stanford genome pioneer and prolific inventor whose creative application
of physics to biology has lead to multiple developments in drug discovery and genome analysis,
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has won the prestigious $500,000 Lemelson-MIT prize for outstanding innovators.
Quake, a professor of bioengineering and applied physics has applied the technological principles
of the Integrated circuit - a chip made of semiconductor material found in almost every modern
electrical device - to biology.
BEES ‘Self-Medicate’ When Infected

Honey bees ‘self-medicate’ when their colony is infected with a harmful fungus, with the help of
antifungal plant resins to ward off the invader.
Hunt Down Superbug Using Real-Time Gene Sequencing

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Scientists have used genome sequencing technology to control an outbreak of the superbug
MRSA in a study that could point to faster and more efficient treatment of a range of diseases.
MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, is a drug-resistant bacterial
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
infection, or superbug, and major public health problem. When outbreaks occur in hospitals it
can lead to the closure of whole wards and lengthy investigations.
 The bug kills an estimated 19,000 people in the United States alone each year, and even when
the infections is successfully treated it can double the average length of a hospital stay and
thereby increases healthcare costs.

5.3 Nuclear Technology
DAE-Rosatom Co-operation MoU Signed

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has signed a memorandum of understanding with
Rosatom Nuclear Energy State Corporation, of Russia, for cooperation in the activities to
be pursued at the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) being set up
by the DAE in Haryana.
The GCNEP would consist of 4 schools studying advanced nuclear energy systems, nuclear
security, radiological safety, and applications of radio-isotopes and radiation technologies.
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Periscope For Fast Breeder Reactor Commissioned
A 10-meter long periscope manufactured by Coimbatore-based Visual Education Aids (VEA)
for Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor was dedicated to Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam,
was developed at a cost of Rs. 3.9 crore in two-and-a-half years.
 The periscope has capabilities of resolution of 0.2 mm line at a spacing of 0.5 mm for a
target distance of 4 meters and could scan the area of interest, zoom the image, relay the image,

focus and rotate the image.
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The periscope has provisions for simultaneous viewing through one eye piece and video recording
through another eye piece.
Russia to Fund 2 More n-Plants in TN

With the Kudankulam nuclear project commissioned, Russia has agreed to extend a $3.4-billion
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credit for setting up 2 more 1,000-MW atomic power plants at the same site in Tamil Nadu.
 The two nations signed a protocol in Moscow for financing units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam
project, under which the Russian Federation will extend export credit amounting up to $3.4
billion for 85 per cent of the value of works, supplies and services provided by the Russian
organisations for the two units.
 The protocol also has provisions for state export credit amounting to $800 million, at 4 per cent
interest, for financing up to 85 per cent nuclear fuel and control assemblies.
 The estimated cost of building units 3 and 4 at Kudarkulam will be Rs. 32,000 crore, out of
which Rs. 17,000 crore is expected to be met through the Russian state credit.
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Another Tritium Leak at Rawatbhata Nuclear Station

Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) at Rawatbhata near Kota reported yet another
leak exposing workers to tritium radiation, and causing concern among the country’s nuclear
energy watchers.
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 Four maintenance workers were exposed to tritium radiation on July, 19, while repairing a
faulty pipe in PHWR (Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor) Unit 4.
 The earlier incident, which took place on June 23, reportedly exposed more than 40 persons,
working on a coolant at Unit 6, to tritium.
 Rawatbhata is getting ready for India’s second-biggest Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) with a
capacity of 500 tonnes a year.

5.4 Computer, ITES and Miscellaneous
Aakash: the World’s Cheapest Tablet PC Launched

As part of the government’s programme to expand education through IT/ITES, the world’s
cheapest tablet PC (Aakash), costing Rs. 2,276, was launched and would be available at around
half this price to students by subsidizing 50 per cent to institutes buying it thus costing around
Rs. 1,100-1,200 to institutes.
 The tablet PC is a 7-inch touch screen device with ARM 11 Processor, 256 MB RAM & Android 2.2 OS.
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 The government has also set an ambitious target of bringing down the cost of such device to as
low as $10 (around Rs. 500).
Master Tips
Aakash is first in a series of Android-based tablet computers produced by British company
DataWind. It is manufactured by the India-based company Quad, at a new production centre
in Hyderabad.
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New Cryptology Research Centre at ISI Kolkata
The Centre has approved establishment of an autonomous research centre on Cryptology and
Security at the Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata. This was announced by Dr. C. Rangarajan,
Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council. This Institute has emerged
as the “nerve centre” of research on cryptology in the country.
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Major Players Met IPV6 Deadline
Major internet service providers (ISPs) in the country met the December 2011 deadline set by
the government for making their networks capable of handling traffic under the new Internet
address protocol IPv6.
 As per the IPv6 Task Force(which officially oversees the country’s transition from the old
IPv4 protocol to the new one), almost all major ISPs had started providing enterprise IPv6
services and were working towards rolling out retail broadband services.
 The task force revealed its findings in its newsletter released on the eve of the World IPv6
Day on June 8, when several organizations and service-providers around the globe tested the
functioning of the new protocol.
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Nexus 7 Tablet LAUNCHED: 1St Tablet PC by Google

In an attempt to replicate its Smartphone success in a tablet market where it faces stiff
competition from Apple Inc, Microsoft and Amazon; Google Inc has unveiled its first tablet PC.
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New National Optical Fibre Network

The Central Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has cleared creation of a ‘National Optical
Fibre Network’ (NOFN) with an investment of Rs. 20,000 crore that would provide broadband
connectivity to all village panchayats in 3 years.
 The project will be funded through the Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund.
 The project will be completed by 2014-15 through a special purpose vehicle (SPV).
 A World Bank study says a 10 percent increase in broadband connectivity helps in pushing the
GDP growth by 1.4 per cent.
 NOFN will enable effective and faster implementation of various mission mode e-governance
projects amounting to Rs. 50,000 crore initiated by the Department of Information Technology
as well as delivery of a whole range of electronic services by the private sector to citizens in
rural areas.”
SARDANA: New technique to Run Ultra-Fast Internet Invented

Researchers in the second week of March 2012 invented fibre-optic technology, under a project
called SARDANA to run ultra-fast internet.
 It demonstrated speed of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) around 2000 times faster than
today’s fastest internet speed.
 The research showed that by using existing fiber infrastructure Internet’s speed could be
increased.
 Within next three years, yearly global internet traffic will be measured in Zettabytes (one trillion
Gigabytes), which is a four-fold increase from today.
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Ultra High Definition Television (UHDTV) Coming up in Big Way
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recommended the standards which
while ensuring great clarity and size could revolutionize television viewing with ‘ultra high-
definition pictures’.
 The latest UHDTV standards that will push picture resolution manifold although the high-
definition TV (HDTV) has been gaining ground over the years, displacing to some extent, the

standard definition TV (SDTV).
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SDTV in use for long delivers pictures of a resolution of 704 or 720 of these pixels across 480
scanning lines.
TV Resolution Approx Picture
Size
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SDTV 704X480 or 720X480 pixels Less than 1 MP
HDTV 1280 × 720 & 1920 × 1080(Full HD) 1-2 mega pixels
pixels
UHDTV 3840 × 2160 pixels 8 mega pixels
7680 × 4320 pixels 32 mega pixels
 High-definition TV (HDTV), comes in two formats – 1280 × 720 pixels and 1920 × 1080 pixels
(full HD) delivers pictures that are about 1-2 mega pixels in size.
 The 1st level of the 2 new standards of UHDTV picture sizes will be of the order of 8 mega pixels
(3840 × 2160 pixels) and at the 2nd level, the pictures will be 32 mega pixels in size (7680 × 4320
pixels), These are called ‘4k’ and ‘8k’ UHDTV systems.
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Master Tips
The ‘founding father’ of UHDTV, the Japanese broadcaster NHK believes that the
most important UHDTV level is ‘8k,’ and hopes to start ‘8k’ broadcasting trials before
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the end of the decade in Japan. But other like Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, JVC,
Dolby are developing ‘4k’ level equipment.
ICANN Criticised For ‘Commercial Land-Grab’ of Internet

More than 1,000 new internet “top level domains” – such as .aap, .kids, .love, .pizza and also,
.amazon and .google – could come online beginning early next year, with the potential to radically
change the face of the web.
 But the move by ICANN, the U.S.-appointed company which decides what new domains can be
added to the web, has been criticized by some as allowing a commercial landgrab of the internet.
 Documents released by ICANN show that Amazon and Google have made dozens of applications
to control hundreds of domains – Including .shop, .book, .love, and .map and .mba.
 The most applied-for domain is .app, which 13 organizations have staked a claim to own, including
both Amazon and Google. Only one entity can own a top-level domain.
India’s Proposal for Government Control of Internet

India has submitted its proposal to the UN General Assembly in New York on October
26,2011 and is pushing for creation of a forum called ‘Committee for Internet Related
Policies’ (CIRP) to develop Internet policies, oversee all Internet standards bodies and policy
organizations, negotiate Internet-related treaties and sit in judgment when Internet-related
disputes come up.
 The catch is that India’s formal proposal is for a CIRP to be funded by the U.N., run by staff
from the UN’s Conference on Trade and Development arm and reporting directly to the
U.N. General Assembly, which means it will be entirely controlled by the U.N. member-states.
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 At persent, the Internet is governed by a voluntary, multi-stakeholder group called Internet
Corporation For Assigned Names And Numbers (ICANN), which keeps the Internet free
and decentralized. ICANN already has Government Advisory Council (GAC), which invites
participation from governments across the world, including India.
 ICANN is headquartered in California, essentially because the Internet was born in the US.
 During President Clinton’s tenure, the control over its governance was eventually handed over
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to non-profits by the U.S. government.
Last year, Viladimir Putin, who was Russian Prime Minister at the time, stated his goal, to
impose ‘international control over the Internet’ through the International Telecom Union, a
treaty based organization under the auspices of the U.N.
INDIA to Phase Out Analogue Cable TV by 2014

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The Union Cabinet approved the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s proposal to promulgate
the Digitalization of Analogue Cable Systems Ordinance which will pave the way for
phasing out of Analogue cable television in 3 years time to make the digitalization of cable
services mandatory by 2014. The government is following through on the recommendations
made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in August 2010.
Features and Targets:
 All customers must have a set top box whether they want to receive free-to-air or pay channels.
They will be able to watch high quality channels of their choice on an ala carte basis, and are
likely to have access to internet and telephone through the same digital cable.
 Broadcasters may be able to generate more revenue directly from subscribers, and thus reduce
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their dependence on TRPs and advertisers.

 The ordinance aims at complete digitalization of cable television in the 4 metros be March 31,
2012, which has been extended till 1st Nov 2012.
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 The next target will be cities with over 10 lakh population and by the end of 2014; the entire
country is expected to have phased out analogue cable TV.
Monsoon Forecast Improvement Mission

A national mission to improve the accuracy of monsoon forecasts, estimated to cost
Rs. 400 crore over five years, is designed to improve the current dynamic numerical
models through better insight of the highly complex phenomenon of monsoon got the nod of
the Union Cabinet’s Committee on Economic Affairs.
Under the project, scientists will work on two models already available from the United
Kingdom’s Met Office and the United Statess National Centres for Environment
Prediction. At present, the IMD makes its forecasts based on a statistical model.

A Solution to Bird-Hits: MAVS

Micro Air Vehicles (MAV) provides a candid solution to the frequent incidence of bird-hit on
aircraft. The Rs. 100-crore National Programme on MAVs will look at deploying these miniature
air vehicles for disaster management in scenarios such as radiation leaks or fires.
 The National Design and Research Forum have started a programme to create MAVs that deter
birds from venturing close to aircraft in flight.
 The MAVs will use 3 forms of deterrents- acoustic, chemical spray & laser and another
spin-off of the MAV technology is the micro underwater vehicle, which could prove useful in
studying underwater minerals and in patrolling safety zones around ocean oil rigs.
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Cabinet Approved NECTAR Centre for Shillong
The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of an autonomous organisation named North
East Centre for Technology Application and Research (NECTAR) at Shillong, under the
Department Of Science And Technology. The total expenditure involved will be Rs 292
crore during the 12th Plan period (2012-17).
NECTAR would promote deployment of carefully selected technologies, emanating from the
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public funded research institutions under the union and state governments, in consultation
with the respective state governments after assessing their application potentials.
Deep-Sea Drilling Record

A Japanese deep-sea drilling probe THE CHIKYU, operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-
Earth Science and Technology has set a world record for depth, reaching 25,400 feet below
the sea surface.
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 It was digging the seabed off Japan’s northern

coast to take fault samples and study last Master Tips
year’s devastating earthquake and tsunami. The U.S. vessel Glomar Challenger had
 As per agency, the probe’s drilling pipe hit set the previous record of 23,130 feet below
the fault zone at 6,883.5 metres (22,600 feet) sea surface in the Marina Trench in 1978
undersea before reaching the target of 7,740 as p er t h e r ec or d s o f M ar it im e
organizations.
meters, nearly 8 km deep.
Higgs Boson Discovery Biggest Scientific Breakthrough of 2012

The capture of the most wanted sub-atomic particle in physics - Higgs boson - has topped the
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chart of the year’s ten biggest scientific breakthroughs.

 Scientists had been chasing the Higgs boson, nicknamed the ‘God particle’ for more than four
decades. In July 2012 the team from the European nuclear research facility at CERN in
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Geneva announced the detection of a particle that fitted the description of the elusive Higgs.
 The boson is believed to give matter mass via an associated ‘Higgs field’ that permeates space.
Without the property of mass, the universe we live in could not exist.
 Scientists used the world’s biggest atom smashing machine, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
on the Swiss-French border, to track down the missing particle.
 Finding the Higgs topped the list of most important discoveries of 2012 released by Science, a
prestigious scientific journal.

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Agni-V
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6.1 Indian Defence 101
6.2 Other Countries Defence 106
6.3 Indian Defence Ties and Deals 107
6.4 Joint Exercises 110
Lakshya Akash
Brahmos
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6.1 Indian Defence Updates
Project Dhruv: DRDO Bunkers to Help Jawans Cope with Stress

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a part of its efforts to provide
troops with “enriched environment” at isolated locations, has started working on ‘Project
Dhruv’ to develop new bunkers to tackle various forms of psychological issues and depression
among them.
 ‘Project Dhruv’ aims at environment enrichment within the shelter. Such measures would
help Jawans cope up with stress induced by their monotonous surroundings and help in
creating a lively atmosphere within the bunkers.
 DRDO has taken a slew of measures to tackle depression among soldiers, which in recent
past had led to various incidents of suicides and fratricides in the armed forces.
 DRDO will equip the bunkers with some of the most modern amenities to ensure a better
living for the jawans.
‘Dhanush’ Successfully Test-fired

India successfully test-fired the nuclear capable Dhanush ballistic missile for its full
range of 350 km from a naval ship off the coast of Odisha on October 5, 2012.
This follows the successful flight-testing of the land-based Prtithvi-II ballistic missile for a
similar range on October 4, 2012.
“Lakshya-1” successful Tested in Odisha

The indigenously developed, micro-light, pilotless target aircraft Lakshaya-1 was successfully
test-flown from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on August 23, 2012 at Chandipur. The
test was carried out to check the validity of its engine and duration enhancement.
Shoorveer: A Military Exercise Held

Military exercise ‘Shoorveer’ the biggest summer war game of Army’s South-Western Command
involving over 50,000 troops, culminated in first week of may 2012 in Hanumangarh
district and nearby areas in Rajasthan.
Stealth Frigate INS SAHYADRI Commissioned

The Indian Navy sharpened its stealth edge on July 21, 2012 with the commissioning of INS
Sahyadri — a 4900-tonne warship that will beep merely as a fishing boat on enemy radars.
 It is the 3rd stealth frigate of the Shivalik class. The first two in the class of the frigate—
INS Shivalik and INS Satpura—were commissioned in April 2010 and August 2011
respectively. These ships had been performing various tasks in the Indian Ocean region.
 The 4,900-tonne INS Sahyadri is equipped with some of the most advanced surface and air-
to-air missiles and can carry two helicopters—a mix of Dhruv, Sea King or Kamov—
onboard for various missions.
Navy Inducts Stealth Frigate INS Teg

With the induction of guided missile stealth frigate INS TEG, the Indian Navy added more
teeth to its war fighting capabilities. The formidable ship has been built to meet the specific
command and control needs of the Navy for coordinated surface, air, and underwater missions.
 Weaponry: The weapons suite of the 125-metre, 4,000-tonne frigate includes the BrahMos
surface-to-surface missile system, a surface-to-air missile system, 100 mm medium range
gun, close-in weapon system (CIWS), torpedo tubes, and anti-submarine rockets.
Study Material Defence Updates 102
 The Indian Navy is slated to take delivery of the remaining ships of the Teg Class –
Tarkash and Trikand by September 2012 and mid-2013.
Navy in Lakshadweep: A Full Fledged Naval Base

The Navy has commissioned a full-scale naval base, INS DWEEPRAKSHAK, at Kavaratti
to augment the security of the strategically significant Lakshadweep archipelago.
The Navy had put in place radar stations and other surveillance measures across the island
chain to monitor shipping traffic and gather operational intelligence.
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INS Vindhyagiri to be Destroyed
The Bombay High Court granted the permission to Navy for the destruction of INS
Vindhyagiri, after the Navy said the warship might explode due to the presence of
ammunition which could not be removed from the vessel.
The ship has been grounded for more than a year since it collided with a merchant vessel,
M.V. NORDLAKE in January 2011.
Akash Missiles Test Fired

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Two surface-to-air Akash missiles were test fired in quick succession from the Integrated
Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, off the Odisha coast with one of them failing to hit the
target and falling into the sea.
Both the post-production tests were carried out as part of regular user exercises by Indian
Air Force personnel in which the missiles were fired from road mobile launchers.
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India Takes Giant leap in Autonomous Sea Vehicle Programme

With the entry of versatile Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) and submadrones
(underwater drones in civil parlance), India’s preparedness for seaward defence has gained
a great momentum.
 The Visakhapatham-based Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL), a
DRDO firm, has fashioned a batch of AUVs from handheld slow-speed ones, to military-
class, free-flooded platforms weighing 1.7 tonnes, with the capability to assist in the entire
gamut of maritime security, straddling coastal and port defence to deep-sea operations.
 The 1.7-tonne reconfigurable platform, with an operational depth of 500 metres, can carry
payloads of up to 500 kg to accomplish a plethora of operations such as surveillance, sensor
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deployment, and mine countermeasure, besides delivery of ammunition. It is slated to undergo

a fresh set of sea trials in September.
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India Having Missile Defence Shield

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed and
successfully tested a missile defence shield, which can be put in place at short notice to
protect at least two cities, bringing the country on a par with an elite group of nations.
As per the test, an incoming ballistic missile with the range of up to 2,000 km can be
destroyed, which will be increased to the range of 5,000 km by 2016.
Interceptor Missile Successfully Hit the Target

When an interceptor missile achieved a direct hit and destroyed an incoming target missile
at an altitude of 15 km over the Bay of Bengal, India has achieved a great feat moving closer
to the deployment of the indigenous Ballistic Missile Defence (BDM) system.
 With this success, India joined a select band of four countries which have ballistic missile
defence capabilities.
103 Defence Updates Study Material
 Soon after the ‘hostile missile,’ a modified surface-to-surface Prtihvi, was launched from the
Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Orissa, the interceptor, AAD-05, was fired from the
Wheeler Island.
 Equipped for the first time with an omni-directional warhead and travelling at a speed
of Mach 5-6, the interceptor homed in on the target and smashed it five minutes later.
 India plans to put in place a two-tiered BMD system in two phases for endo and exo-
atmospheric interception on incoming enemy missiles.
 The first phase seeks to intercept and kill ballistic missiles having a range of less than 2,000
km, the second phase envisages destroying those with ranges of more than 2,000 km.
‘SUDARSHAN SHAKTI’ Poise to Transform Armed Forces
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One of the largest military exercises in recent times ‘Sudarshan Shakti’, conducted in the
deserts near Barmer in Rajasthan aimed at starting the transformation of the forces into a
modern, lean, and agile fighting combination capable of leveraging new-age technologies.
“Sudarshan Shakti” is the outcome of a study undertaken by the Army on how to initiate
transformation and maintain continuous offensive capabilities with a networked headquarters
supported by intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance acting as the nerve-centre of operations.
India Test-Fires Nuclear Capable Agni-IV Missile
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India on September 19, 2012 successfully test-fired the indigenously-developed 4000 km
nuclear capable strategic ballistic missile Agni-IV, from Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast.
Agni-I Launched Successfully

Agni-I, a surface to surface, nuclear capable missile was launched successfully from the
Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the
Indian Army with the missile travelling its full range of 700 km and high degree of accuracy.
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 The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed and developed Agni-I.
 The Army has already deployed this short-range missile which can carry nuclear warheads.
Nirbhay to be Launched
The maiden launch of India’s Nirbhay, a sub-sonic cruise missile, would take place by
2013 which was envisaged to be launched in September 2012.
 DRDO’s Bangalore based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), has designed
Nirbhay which has several technologies derived from Lakshya, a pilotless target aircraft.
 Nirbhay is India’s equivalent of Tomahawk, a long-range sub-sonic cruise missile in the
arsenal of the USA.
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INS BAAZ : Naval Air Station Opened in Campbell Bay

With the formal opening of INS BAAZ, the southernmost naval air station at Campbell Bay
in the Andaman and Nicobar Island, the country has acquired enhanced ability to mount
vigil on the vital maritime channel – the Strait of Malacca.
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Master Tips
Campbell Bay is located
on the island of Great
Nicobar, the largest of the
Nicobar Islands in the
eastern Indian Ocean some
190 km to the north of
Sumatra .(Refer Map for
clarity .)
Strait of Malacca Cambell Bay

INS Kabra Commissioned

Fast Attack Craft (FAC) INS Kabra, propelled by Water jet is the 8th in a series of 10 Car
Nicobar-class FACs designed and built by the Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilder
& Engineers (GRSE) for the Navy, which was commissioned at the Kochi naval base.
Features of INS KABRA:
 INS Kabra has speeds in excess of 35 knots.
 It offers excellent maneuverability and is ideal for high-speed interdiction of fast-moving
targets.
It is known for its speed, agility and quick response.
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
 The low drag also allows the ship to operate in shallow waters close to the coast.
 Its main armament is a 30-mm CRN-91 gun and also fitted with machine guns of various
types and the IGLA shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, the ship has a crew of 3
officers and 39 sailors.
 INS Kabra was comparable with any FAC in the world and a cost-effective and fuel efficient
platform well suited for anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations and also it complies

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with the latest regulations of the International Maritime Organisation on sea pollution
control.
Smaller ships like FACs were important in tackling peacetime challenges to maritime security
such as piracy and low-intensity conflicts, search and rescue operations, anti-smuggling and
anti-poaching operations. INS Kalpeni the water jet-propelled FAC commissioned in October
2010 has extensively participated in anti-piracy operations.
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INS Kamorta
INS Kamotra, 75-meter-long, 1,200-tonne vessel is the first in a series of 4 anti-submarine
corvettes being built by the Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE), a defence shipyard, will be delivered to the Navy in June 2012.
 The shipyard is also constructing 8 inshore patrol vessels for the Coast Guard.
 It has concluded negotiations with the Navy for construction of 8 Landing Craft Utility
(LCU) for which contract will be signed shortly.
INS Kadmatt Launched

The second indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette INS Kadmatt, built by the
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Garden Reach Ship Builders Engineers Ltd. has been launched recently.
Features of INS KADMATT:
 The Vessel is 109 metres long, 12.8 metres wide and can achieve a speed of 25 knots
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and can accommodate 17 officers and 106 sailors.

 This ship’s main role is to protect other ships in the convoy and sea ports against submarine
attack and to neutralize the enemy submarines using her weapons like torpedoes, rocket
launchers and helicopter.
 The approximate cost of building an Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette was Rs. 1,700 crore.
 The first in the series, INS Kamorta, which was launched last year, is expected to be
delivered to the Navy in 2012 followed by INS Kadmatt in 2013.
INS Godavari Damaged as PNS Babur Brushed Past

The naval warships of India and Pakistan involved in a close encounter on the high seas
which caused damage to INS Godavari after PNS Babur brushed past it.

 A helicopter net was damaged when the Pakistani ship coming from behind moved close to
INS Godavari.
 PNS Babur was escorting Egyptian merchant vessel m.v. Suez, which was released several
months after having been held hostage by Somali pirates.
Coast Guard Welcomes Indigenous Pollution Control Vessel Samudra

Paheredar
Samudra Paheredar, the indigenously Master Tips
built 2nd pollution control vessel, specially 'Samudra Prahari' (Ocean Guard) is the
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designed to mitigate any marine oil spill
name of the first dedicated pollution control
received a warm welcome from the Coast
Guard fraternity on its arrival at Chennai vessel built by ABG shipyard at Surat,
Port on August 21, 2012. launched by the Indian Coast Guard in 2007.
The ship has also infrared surveillance system which detects any oil spill even of minor
nature and thereafter dissolves or disintegrates oil.
Prithvi-II Tested Successfully

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The 9 metre tall Prtihvi-II, the first ballistic missile developed under the country’s prestigious
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, was fired from a mobile launcher
from Launch Complex-III at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa
 The nuclear weapons-capable missile was successfully flight-tested for its full range of
350 km by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) personnel of the army as a part of user trial.
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 It has achieved a high degree of accuracy and zeroed-in on the pre-designated target in the
Bay of Bengal with a CEP (Circular Error Probability) of less than 10 metres.
 The single-stage, liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is capable of carrying payloads ranging from
500-1,000 kg of both nuclear and conventional warheads, had been inducted into the armed
forces.
 It could be launched from anywhere with its mobile launcher having user-driven features.
Farewell Given to Navy’s Oldest Ship INS SHARABH

Indian Navy has given a farewell to its oldest commissioned (January 1976 at Gdynia,
Poland) ship ‘Sharabh,’ (a landing ship tanker), with a guard of honour and the naval band
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playing the Last Post in the decommissioning ceremony held at the Naval Jetty.
NAG Series Trials

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With focus on the performance of a modified NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier) in harsh
desert conditions, a series of trials of anti-tank Nag missile, was conducted in the Mahajan
Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.
The induction of the 3rd generation missile that has a ‘top attack and fire-and-forget’
capability and 4-km range was delayed, with the Army seeking several clearances in the
specially-designed NAMICA, which can hold 12 missiles, with eight of them in ready-
to-fire mode.
Air Force Version of Akash Test-Fired

India on June 6, 2012 successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-air ‘Akash’
missile of Air Force Version from the Integrated Test Range of Chandipur, Odisha.

Rustom-1 Test Successfull

Rustom-1 was test flown from the Taneja Aerospace and Aviation airfield at Hosur
near Bangalore. The aircraft took off even in harsh weather conditions for a first flight, flew
for 12 minutes and landed successfully, meeting all its objectives.
• Rustom-1, a medium-altitude and long-
endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Master Tips
dev eloped by the Ban galor e-based
Rustom-1 is the 3rd UAV developed by ADE
Aeronautical Development Establishment besides Lakshya and Nishant.
(ADE).
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Lakshya(a drone) is remotely piloted by a
• Unlike the other UAV’s, which used to have ground control station – provides aerial sub-
a free fall with parachutes after executing targets for live-fire training.
their tasks, Rustom will carry out copybook Nishant is a surveillance aircraft primarily
style landing.The aircraft has many auto tasked with intelligence gathering over enemy
territory.
features such as GPS controlled Way Point
Navigation.
6.2
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Other Countries Defence Updates
Ghauri: Pakistan Tests N-Capable Hatf-V Missile

Pakistan on November 28, 2012 announced the successful launch of the Medium Range
Ballistic Missile, Hatf-V (Ghauri) which can carry both conventional and Nuclear war
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heads to a distance of 1,300 km.
Shaheen-1A: Hatf IV LAUNCHED by Pakistan

Pakistan had successfully conducted the Master Tips
lau nch of th e Intermediate Ra nge
Ballistic Missile Hatf IV Shaheen-1A Advance notice was given to India on the
Weapon System. test, in accordance with the May 2005
The missile, capable of carrying both agreement regarding pre-notification of
nuclear and conventional warheads – flight testing of ballistic missiles. India
is considered as an improved version of had similarly informed Pakistan of its test of
Shaheen-1 (range-750 km) in terms of Agni-V in advance.
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range and technical parameters.
GHAZNAVI: Pakistan Tests Launch Hatf III

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Pakistan announced the successful training launch of HATF III (GHAZNAVI), a short-
range ballistic missile capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads
across 290 km.
Pakistan Test Fired Hatf VII: Babur Cruise Missile

Pakistan successfully test fired an indigenously developed multi-tube cruise missile with a
range of 700 km and capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads on September
17, 2012.
Babur Cruise Missile Haft-VII is a low-flying, terrain-hugging missile, which can
strike targets both at land and sea with pinpoint accuracy.

China Commissions First Aircraft Carrier “Liaoning”

In order to boost China’s increasing maritime ambitions, the country commissioned its first
aircraft carrier on September 25, 2012 in an event hailed by top officials as being of ‘far-
reaching significance’ and coming amid rising regional tensions. China’s first aircraft carrier
started its first journey under the Chinese flag and the vessel set sail from the port of
Dalian, which narrowly escaped tropical storm MUIFA.
 It is a former Soviet Navy aircraft carrier that has been fully refitted for its new role as a
platform for research and training.
 The ship Liaoning, formerly named Varyag, is an Admiral Kuznetsov Class aircraft carrier
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that is 304.5 metres long and 37 metres wide, with a displacement of 58,500 metric tonnes.
 The commissioning of the Liaoning makes China the 10th nation to have an aircraft carrier.
Currently, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Spain, Italy, India, Brazil
and Thailand operate the 21 active-service aircraft carriers.
 The development comes amid rising strains between China and Japan over the disputed
Diaoyu (China Calls) or Senkaku (Japan Calls) islands in East China Sea.
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IRAN Advanced its Short Range Missile Capacity
Iran on August 4, 2012 claimed it had successfully test-fired an upgraded version of short-
range ballistic missile with improved accuracy, increasing the Islamic Republic’s capability to
strike both land and naval targets.
 The solids-fuelled FATEH-110 has a range of 300 km.
 SHAHAB-3 Variant with a range of 2,000 km that can reach Israel and southern Europe.
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6.3 Indian Defence Ties and Deals
INS Vikramaditya Joining Navy Further Delayed

The delivery of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya
from Russia had been further delayed to the
last quarter of 2013, against the envisaged
delivery schedule December 2012. Then, the
Indian Navy will take charge of the much-
awaited aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya
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(Admiral Gorshkov, a Kiev-class aircraft carrier).

 The induction of aircraft carrier will allow the
Navy to have two such platforms for a while; a
third indigenous aircraft carrier is under
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INS Vikramaditya
construction at the Kochi shipyard.
 After induction of INS Vikrmadiya, the Navy will start thinking about the decommissioning
INS Viraat, its lone aircraft carrier since its internal hull is suffering wear and tear.
An MoU Between BEL& IAI on Naval Missiles

A MoU signed between Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries
(IAI) has set the stages for joint development and indigenous production of a set of Long
Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (LR-SAMs) to defend Indian warships from enemy attack.
BEL will be the lead integrator of this set of missiles and produce some of the major sub-
systems.

Russia Delivers 3 Upgraded MiG-29S to India

Russia has delivered the first three of the upgraded MiG-29 fighters to India, more than two
years behind schedule. The modernisation has added punch and versatility to the potent
platform.
 Originally designed as an air superiority fighter, the upgraded planes have been equipped
with air-to-surface missiles to engage ground targets.
 The MiG-29s have been equipped with new avionics, weapons, radar, glass cockpit, helmet
mounted displays and an in flight refuelling system.
As per the contract, the plane’s service life has been extended to 3,500 flight hours and 40
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years.
 Under the contract signed in 2008, Russia is to upgrade the IAF’s fleet of 63 MiG-29s. The
first six planes are to be overhauled in Russia and the rest in India.
India-Ukraine Signed Defence Cooperation Pact

A broad defence cooperation agreement was among five pacts signed following delegation-
level talks between the visiting Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, and Prime
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Minister Manmohan Singh. Instead of dealing with a number of defence enterprises
scattered over Ukraine, India will find it easier to conduct focussed negotiations, which could
help it get a better deal.
Navy Gets First of 8 P-8I Maritime Surveillance Aircraft

The Navy has received the first of the eight P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft it is to
get from Boeing. India had signed a deal worth over $2.1 billion with the American firm in
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January 2009 for procuring the long-range surveillance aircraft, which are equipped with
anti-submarine weaponry.
INS Tarkash Commissioned To Indian NAVY

Russian-built multirole stealth frigate INS TARKASH has been commissioned to Navy.
 Tarkash belongs to the 2 nd of three modified
S.No. INS Status
Krivak-III (Talwar) class frigates and ordered by
India from Russia. 1. INS-TEG Delivered
 The first frigate of this batch, INS TEG, was
delivered in April and the third one, INS TRIKAND 2. INS-Tarkash Delivered
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is undergoing dock trials and is expected to be

handed over next summer after completing sea trials 3. INS-Trikand Under Trial
in the Baltic Sea.
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Russia Modernises India’s Submarine

The INS SINDHURAKSHAK submarine came off the slips to the Zvezdochka shipyard
in Severodvinsk, marking the completion of a mid-life refit programme for the Indian
Navy’s Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines in Russia.
India and Russia to Make Hypersonic Missile Ready by 2017

India and Russia could be one of the first nations to test hypersonic missiles, which fly at
five-seven times the speed of sound (5-7 Mac). The hypersonic version of the BrahMos cruise
missile will be ready for testing in 2017.

MI-17 V5 Inducted Into IAF

The Indian Air Force had added teeth in its medium-lift helicopters with the induction of
upgraded Russian Mi-17 V5 helicopters.
 The first lot of 21 of the 80 helicopters to be procured as per an agreement signed with Russia
four years ago arrived in Feb 2012.
 The armour-plated armed helicopter has effective firepower and powerful engines that enhances
the payload carriage capability at high altitudes.
Key Features of MI-17 V5:
Mi-17 V5, an upgrade of Mi-17, has state-of-the-art avionics and onboard navigation systems.
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
 It is a glass cockpit variant, the first of its kind to get inducted into the IAF.
 It has autopilot that is compatible with the latest generation (Gen-III) night vision goggles.
Frech Rafale Wins Over Eurofighter Typhoon

In a much hyped and the country’s largest defence deal till date, India has chosen the
French Fighter Rafale over the Eurofighter Typhoon in a multi-billion dollar contract
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
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for the supply of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) –
The deal is estimated to be worth $10.2 billion (Rs. 54,000 crore).
As per the plan of deal, it includes acquiring 126 aircraft, 18 of them in fly-away condition
and the rest to be made in India at the Hindustan Aeronautics facility under transfer
of technology.
 It is the 3rd biggest defence contract for France.
In the current financial year, the Government of India cleared the $2.4 billion for upgrade
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of 51 Mirage-2000 aircraft and the $970 million for the supply of MICA fire-and-forget missile
for the same aircraft.
INS Chakra: India Got ‘Nerpa’ Nuclear Submarine From Russia

Indian Navy has been handed over the Russia’s k-152 Nerpa (Indian Name: INS Chakra)
nuclear-powered attack submarine. The Project 971, worth over $900 million, Shchuka-B
(NATO: Akula II) class submarine has been leased to India’s Navy for 10 years with renaming
as the INS Chakra.
 India has become the 6th operator of nuclear submarines in the world, after the US, Russia,
France, Britain and China, though it previously leased another Russian submarine which
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was then returned.

 India had funded the completion of the submarine at Amur Shipyard before the collapse
of the Soviet Union in 1991.
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 20 sailors died on the Nerpa in 2008 after the vessel’s fire-suppression systems were accidentally
triggered during sea trials, releasing toxic gases.
Key features of INS Chakra:
 Its maximum speed is 30 knots, maximum operating depth, 600 m; its endurance is 100 days
with a crew of 73 and is armed with four 533 mm torpedo tubes and four 650 mm torpedo
tubes.
 The Indian version is reportedly expected to be armed with the 300-km Club nuclear-
capable missiles. Although, the Akula-II class submarines are equipped with 28 nuclear-
capable cruise missiles with a striking range of 3,000 km.
 The submarine is capable of remaining underwater for months and it would be for the first
time in more than 2 decades that the Indian navy would have a nuclear attack submarine.

6.4 Joint Exercises
Indo-Russia Joint Naval Exercise: INDRA

INDRA, joint military exercise with Russia, is being held in Mumbai from November 28 to
December 3. Destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, replenishment oiler Irkut and rescue tug
Alatau of the Russian Federation’s Navy Pacific Fleet (PF) Task Unit and India’s INS
Mysore and INS Talwar are participating in the exercise.
 INDRA began in year 2003 and is being conducted every two years.
The main objective of this exercise is to enhance interoperability, which will be useful if both
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
the navies are working against the common threat like the pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
 It will be helpful for wider cooperation and mutual understanding between two navies.
 Both countries have over the past five years conducted five of the INDRA series ground and
naval exercises.
 The joint exercise at the Buryatia military training base in southeast Russia, near the border
with Mongolia was held in Aug 2012.
OP SAMPRITI: INDIA-Bangladesh Joint Exercise

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Indian and Bangladeshi forces have launched a joint exercise in the northeastern Sylhet
as part of efforts to deepen military ties and cooperation in counter-terrorism and counter-
insurgency operations.
 This is the second phase of ‘Op Sampriti’ which is aimed at developing professional expertise
of both the armies and strengthening military to military relationship.
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 The first phase of Op Sampriti’ was held at Jorhat in Assam from November 1 to 4 last year.
Second India-Oman Joint Air Exercises

The Indian Air Force completed its second joint exercise with its counterparts from Oman,
whose northern tip is located at the Straits of Hormuz, entrance to the crucial Gulf.
 The exercise is part of India’s efforts to build strategic ties with Oman, whose ports have been
utilized by Indian Navy frigates for anti-piracy duty off the Gulf of Aden.
 The previous exercise was held in 2009, the first such full-fledged endeavour with a Gulf
State.
 Oman is the first Arab State to have formalized defence ties with India.
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Sahyog-Kaijin-XI: Indo-Japan Joint Exercise

The Indo-Japan Coast Guard Joint Exercise, codenamed Sahyog-Kaijin-XI, which
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alternates between India and Japan every year, was organised off the Bay of Bengal where
fleets headed by the newly-commissioned Indian Coast Guard vessel Vishwast and the
Japanese ship Settsu simulated a range of search-and-rescue, pollution control and anti-
piracy operations.
India–Singapore Conduct Exercise: ‘Bold Kurukshetra 2012’

The Indian Army has conducted a joint bilateral armour exercise, codenamed Exercise Bold
Kurukshetra 2012, with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) at Babina Field Firing Range
in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
The 8 months long bilateral exercise, which commenced on 1 March 2012, involves participation
from more than 750 personnel as well as infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and main battle
tanks (MBTs) from SAF’s 46th armoured regiment and Indian army’s 27th Armoured Brigade.

List of Some Important Joint Exercises
C o de N am e Pa rti ci pa tin g C o u ntr ies A rm y /A ir /Na v al
Ind ra -2 0 12 In d ia a n d R u ss ia N av a l E x erci se
O p S a m p r it i In d ia-B a n gla d esh Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e
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2 nd In d ia- O m a n J oin t In d ia-O m an Air E xer cis e
Ex ercises
S ahy og -K a ijin -XI In d ia-J a pa n Co ast G ua rd s E x e rcise
Eku v erin-20 12 In d ia-M a ld iv e s Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e
Ex ercise M aitr ay ee
STIn d ia-T h aila nd Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e
Ex ercise Va j ra Pra h ar In d ia-U S Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e

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S ha k ti 2 01 1 In d ia-F r an ce Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e
Bol d K ur uk sh etra 2 0 12 In d ia-S in g ap o re Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e
Va ru n In d ia-F r an ce N av a l E x erci se
Y ud h A b h ya s 20 11 -1 2 In d ia-U S Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e
Ex ercise M ala b ar U S -In d ia-Ja p an- N av a l E x erci se

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Aus tr alia - S in g apo re
H an d -in - Han d 2 00 9 In d ia-C h in a Jo in t Ar m y E xe rcis e

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7.1 INTERNATIONAL CCR 114
7.2 NATIONAL CCR 118
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7.1 International CCR
TI Report 2012: India Ranked 94th In Corruption

India has been ranked 94th out of 176 countries in Transparency International’s (TI) 2012
Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
 In 2011, India was ranked 95 out of 183 Master Tips
countries that were studied.
CPI (Corruption Perception Index):
 In 2012, India earned a very low score of 36
on a scale from 0 (most corrupt) to 100 (least The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is a
corrupt). c om po si t e in d ic a t or t h a t m e a su r es
perceptions of corruption in the public sector
 Transparency International India attributed in different countries around the world which
the low score to the recent scams and h as b een d eve lop e d s inc e 1 99 5 by
incidents of corruption in the public sector Transparency International.
involving government officials, private
officials and private companies.
The Berlin (Germany) based Transparency International (TI) founded in 1993 is a non-profit, non-
governmental organisation dedicated to fighting corruption.
It is best known for its Corruption Perceptions Index. The organization is present in more than 100
countries.
India ranks 7th in Global Service Trade

India has been ranked by the Geneva based World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the
seventh largest player in the global services trade, with value of exports and imports
aggregating $ 261 billion in 2011.
 With exports at $ 137 billion and imports at $ 124 billion, India is among the five countries among
the top 10 players, which ended the year 2011 with a surplus of trade in commercial services.
 Indian economy is mainly driven by services sector contributing over 55 per cent of the
country GDP.
 According to the report, the United States continues to retain its reputation of a global power house
of commercial services with exports of $ 581 billion, far exceeding its imports of $ 395 billion.
India Holds 65th Rank in Global Hunger Index 2012

According to the findings of the Global Hunger THE GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX 2012
Index 2012, India’s propor tion of India’s latest score on the global hunger index has
returned to the 1996 level, after showing a minor
undernou rish ed people, underweight deterioration between 1996 and 2011
children and child mortality between 1996 Rank Country Global hunger score 2012*
and 2012 has remained the same, though 2. China 5.1
country has moved to healthy economic 9. South Africa 5.8
growth and heavy social sector spending 18. Thailand 8.1
during the period. The basic theme of the 30. Indonesia 12.0
37. Sri Lanka 14.4
report for the 2012 Global Hunger Index
52. North Korea 19.0
was – “The Cha lleng e of Hung er: 57. Pakistan 19.7
Ensuring Sustainable Food Security 60. Nepal 20.3
under La nd, Water, and Energy 65. India 22.9
Stresses”. 68. Bangladesh 24.0
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International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI,Washington DC), NGOs Welthungerhilfe
& Concern Worldwide released the report on Global Hunger Index for 7th year.
Study Material Committee, Commission & Reports (CCR) 115
India Likely to Miss MDG on Maternal Health: UN

As per latest United Nations report, India is likely to miss the Millennium Development Goal
(MDG) related to maternal health.
 At present, the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of India is 212 per one lakh live births,
whereas the country’s target is 109 per one lakh live births by 2015. While there is an
improvement from maternal death in every six minutes in 2010 to 10 minutes now, the MDG
target in this respect is unlikely to be met.
 India has reduced MMR significantly from 437 per one lakh live births in 1999 to 212 now, but
needs to hasten the pace under the National Rural Health Mission to achieve the related MDG.
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 India has done better on infant health, and is well within reaching the MDG of reducing IMR
to 42 per 1000 live births. As per the latest estimates, India’s IMR stands at 47.
 India’s progress on the MDG of combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB is also
satisfactory.
 India needs to focus on Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,
where the MMR is still high.
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Maternal deaths are defined as the
number of women who die during
pregnancy or within 42 days of the
termination of pregnancy per one lakh live
births. India's MMR is 212 per one lakh
live births and IMR is 47 per 1000 live
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births.
India Ranked 111th in Economic Freedom List

India ranks very low at 111th position in
terms of economic freedom, behind countries Master Tips
like China, Nepal and Bangladesh, a global The index has been prepared by Canada-
study has claimed in a worldwide index of 144 based public policy think-tank, Fraser
nations. Institute, in cooperation with independent
institutes in 90 nations and territories, and
The ann ual r anking, titled ‘Economic claims to measure the degree to which the
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Freedom of the World : 2012’, is topped by policies and institutions of countries

Hong Kong, followed by Singapore, New support economic freedom.
Zealand, Switzerland and Australia in the
top five.
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India 119th ON Economic Freedom Index: Report

As per the report compiled by Heritage Foundation, India has been ranked as the 119th
freest country in the world out of 177 in the 2013 index of economic freedom.
 Among the BRIC economies, China and Russia were ranked below India in the index, while
Brazil was above India.
 India was ranked in the mostly unfree category and was ranked below countries like the
Philippines, Tanzania, Fiji, Oman, Peru among others.
 The top ten countries in the list include Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand,
Switzarland, Canada, Chili, Mauritius, Denmark and US.

116 Committee, Commission & Reports (CCR) Study Material
India Badly Impacted by Terrorism: Global Terrorism Index

India, Pakistan and Afghanistan were among the nations most impacted by terrorism in 2011,
according to a new global study, which said the terror strikes worldwide had increased fourfold
since the start of the Iraq war in 2003.
 The inaugural Global Terrorism Index (GTI) said Pakistan, India and Afghanistan accounted
for 12 per cent, 11 per cent and 10 per cent of global terrorist incidents respectively from 2002
to 2009.
 In 2011, Middle East, India, Pakistan and Russia were the areas most impacted by terrorism.
 The US, Algeria and Colombia had the biggest improvements over the last ten years.
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Master Tips
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is the first index to systematically rank and
compare 158 countries according to the impact of terrorism which is produced by the
Institute for Economics and Peace.
The GTI maps and analyses trends in terrorism over the last 10 years. The index is
based on data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) from the National
Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at
the University of Maryland, US. ST
State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012 Report: Hunger Declining
World Wide
The United Nations says its 2009
announcement that 1 billion people in
Food and Agriculture
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Organization of the
T h e R o me b a s ed U N F oo d a n d
the world were hungry was off-target
Agriculture Organization (FAO), a
and that the number is actually 870
United Nations
specialized UN Agency released State of

million because of flawed methodology
and poor data for the projection Food Insecurity in the World 2012
report.
 As per the FAO’s State of Food
FAO established on 16 October 1945 in
Insecurity in the World 2012
Quebec city, Canada, work under parent
report, the good news is that the
body UN Economic and Social Council.
number of hungry people has actually
been declining steadily over the 16 October is Celebrated as world Food
past two decades, althou gh Day.
progress has slowed since 2007.
The UN Body Says that the “great recession” of 2008-09 resulted in only a mild slowdown in
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GDP growth in many developing countries, and increases in domestic staple food prices were
very small in China, India and Indonesia.
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UNICEF Focus on Treatment of HIV+ Pregnant Mothers to Curb AIDS

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has noted in its latest report that while “new HIV
infections in children are down, reaching the goal of an AIDS-free generation requires that
more HIV positive pregnant women receive anti-retroviral treatment to decrease the risk of
infection for their babies.”
AIDS statistics of India:
 In India over 14,000 children got infected in 2011, with a 13 percent decline from 2009. The
number of estimated deaths among children (0-14 years old) due to AIDS was 10,213 in 2011.
 The total number of people living with HIV in the country has seen a decline from approximately
2.3 million to 2.1 million.
 The drop has been much higher among men (16 per cent) than among women (2.6 per cent).

India Ranked at 115th on Women Empowerment Scale: Survey

India has been ranked at a poor 115 by a global
survey which looked into the level of economical
Economic Empowerment of women
Index Rankings of 128 Countries Score
empowerment of women in 128 countries .
Rank Country Score
 The report prepared by the international consulting and 1. Australia 70.6
management firm Booz & Company ranked countries 2. Norway 70.6
on various parameters like access to work policy, 3. Sweden 69.5
entrepreneurial support, advancement, and equal pay. 4. Finland 69.3
5. New zealand 67.7
 The list was topped by Australia and followed by 6. Nether land 67.2
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three Scandinavian countries— Norway, 7. Canad 67.2
Sweden and Finland. 8. Germany 67.1
9. Belgiuni 66.8
 At the bottom of the list were Yemen, Pakistan,
10. France 65.3
Sudan and Chad.
Environment Performance Index: India Ranks Last

India holds the very last rank among 132 nations in terms of air quality with regard to its effect on
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human health revealed in a new study by Yale and Columbia Universities in its Environment
Performance Index rankings which means India has the most toxic air in the world.
India scored a minuscule 3.73 out of a possible
100 points in the analysis, lagging far behind
the next worst performer, Bangladesh, which
Master Tips
The Yale Center for Environmental
Law and Policy and Columbia's Center
scored 13.66. for Internationa l Earth Science
 In fact, the South Asian region fares badly, with Information Network have brought out the
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Nepal, Pakistan and China taking up the Environment Performance Index
remaining spots in the bottom 5 of the rankings. rankings every 2 years since 2006.
 At the other end of the scale, the European nations of Switzerland, Latvia and Norway
captured the top slots in the index.
Child Development Index: India Ranked 112th

The Child Development Index (CDI), report released by NGO “Save the Children” makes an
aggregate analysis of the Child Development Index in three time periods – 1995-1999, 2000-
2004 and 2005-2010 – of 141 countries across the globe.
 India’s CDI ranking fell by three notches (100 to 103) between 1995 and 1999 and by another
nine ranks (103 to 112) between 2005 and 2010.
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 India reports 1.25 million infant deaths annually; 42 per cent of its children are
underweight; 58 per cent children are stunted by the age of two; and 8.1 million
children are out of school with a huge chunk of them being from the rural areas.
India has slipped by 12 ranks in the global grading on the child development index, which
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denotes health, education and nutrition, between 1995 and 2010.
 Japan is the best place in the world to be a child, while Somalia is the worst, a latest report has
suggested.
Master Tips
The CDI, launched in 2008 as a tool to monitor the progress in child wellbeing, calibrates the
best and worst places for children and improvements in child wellbeing at the global level and
within countries. It enumerates 3 indicators, the number of children in school, infant mor-
tality rates and number of underweight children.

Around 30% Indians With Allergic Diseases: WAO

According to ‘White Book on Allergy’ brought out by the World Allergy Organisation
(WAO), around 20-30 per cent of India’s population was affected with one or more allergic
diseases which were increasing.
 It mentioned that asthma and rhinitis were reported to be 1-10 per cent respectively in 1964 in
India, but recent reports suggest asthma varying from 3-14 per cent and rhinitis as more than
20 per cent.
 As per report, in India, woods and cow’s dung are still used in rural areas as fuel which cause
heavy smoke leading to triggers of allergy and asthma besides other pollutants such as SO2 and
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NO2 aggravating factors.
 Major allergens involved in allergic diseases, including pollens, were also mentioned.
7.2 National CCR
Interim Report of Deepak Parekh Committee on Financing of Infra Sector
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Deepak Parekh panel on financing of infrastructure submitted its interim report to the Prime
Minister, expresses the view that regulatory structure needs to be more responsive to
investment and the needs of the sector.
The panel has projected an investment of 51.46 lakh crore in the 12th Five Year Plan, pegging
the private sector share in this investment at 47% and suggested Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) as the means of achieving it.
 It has also called for increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in telecoms to 100% from
the current 74% and privatization of state-owned monopolies.
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 The panel has recommended PPP initiatives for railways to mobilize private investment.
 The panel has suggested for reinventing the dedicated sector financier— India Infrastructure
Finance Corporation Ltd. (IIFCL).
UPSC Suggests Changes in Civil Services Exams

The Union Public Service Commission has suggested changes in the prestigious Civil Services
examination to make it more relevant in the present day, global as well as internal scenario.
 The UPSC have submitted a proposal to the central government, suggesting certain changes in
the existing scheme of Civil Services (Main) Examination to make it more relevant with the
on the basis of the report of a committee.
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 The committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Prof Arun S Nigavekar, former
chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC).
Justice Verma to Head Inquiry Panel

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In the aftermath of wide protests after gruesome Delhi Gang rape incident on 16th December
2012, the Union Home Ministry has constituted a 3 member Commission of Inquiry, headed by
former Chief Justice J.S. Verma that will suggest ways for improving safety and security of
women, besides looking into the gang-rape incident.
 Justice Lalita Seth and former Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam will be its two
other members.
 The Commission will suggest ways to make stricter rape laws. It will submit its report within 30
days.

Ashok Chawla Comittee Report on Allocation of Natural Resources

With the ensuing issues and criticism of Govt (by CAG and others) for lacking transparency
in allocation of natural resources which include Land, Coal, Petroleum, Water, Spectrum
etc. Union government appointed Ashok Chawla Committee.
Major recommendations:
 Adoption of an open, transparent and competitive mechanism for allocation and greater disclosure
of the existing approval process.
 Competitive bidding for allocation of coal blocks.
 Switching to open acreage licensing for allocation of oil and gas blocks.
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 Making public the minutes of the meeting of the Standing Linkage Committee (Long Term)
pertaining to allocation decisions on coal.
 Putting in public domain the minutes of the managing committee (MC) for oil and gas blocks.
 Making the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) an independent entity.
PANEL FINDS Mullaperiyar Dam Structurally & Hydrologically Safe

The Empowered Committee, headed by the former Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand, has
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said the Mullaperiyar dam is “structurally and hydrologically safe and Tamil Nadu can
raise the water level from 136 to 142 feet after carrying out certain repairs.” Thus, the controversy
over the safety of the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam has been set to rest.
On Kerala’s demand for construction of a new dam, the committee said that in view of the age
of the existing reservoir, building a new one could be considered as an alternative proposal.
If a new dam was constructed, the maximum water level (MWL) should be fixed at 155 ft and a
fresh agreement signed between the two States on water sharing and maintenance.
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Master Tips
The Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in the Kerala state
of India. It is located 881 m (2,890 ft) above mean sea level, on the Cardamom Hills of
the Western Ghats in Thekkady, Idukki District of Kerala.
It was constructed between 1887 and 1895 by the British Government to divert water eastwards to
the Madras Presidency area (present-day Tamil Nadu). It has a height of 53.6 m (176 ft) from the
foundation, and a length of 365.7 m (1,200 ft). The Periyar National Park in Thekkady is located
around the dam’s reservoir. The dam is located in Kerala on the river Periyar, but is con-
trolled and operated under a period lease by neighboring Tamil Nadu state.
Although the Periyar river has a total catchment area of 5398 km2 with 114 km2 in Tamil Nadu,
the catchment area of the Mullaperiyar dam itself lies entirely in Kerala. The control and safety
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of the dam and the validity and fairness of the lease agreement have been points of dispute
between Kerala and Tamil Nadu states.
J&K Interlocutors Report

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The report of the Centres interlocutors on J&K – eminent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar,
academician Radha Kumar, and former information commissioner M. M. Ansari submitted the
final report.
 The final report has ruled out a return to the pre-1953 position.
 They recommended the setting up of a Constitutional Committee (CC), to review all Central
Acts and Articles of the Constitution of India, extended to the State after the signing of
the 1952 Agreement.
 The interlocutors favoured creation of three Regional Councils, one each for Jammu,
Kashmir and Ladakh.
 It suggested that Parliament should make no laws applicable to the State unless it relates to the
country’s internal and external security and its vital economic interests, especially in the areas
of energy and access to water resources.

Educational Development Index Ranking

 Puducherry and Lakshadweep are occupying the first two slots and Punjab has replaced Kerala
as the best in the composite educational development index (EDI), to be among the top
three States.
 The study, conducted in the 35 States and Union Territories by the National University of
Educational Planning and Administration, shows that Punjab jumped four places, from
the seventh last time. Kerala, which stood third, last year, has gone down to fifth, and Tamil
Nadu moved up to the fourth rank.
 The study, ‘Elementary Education in India: Progress towards Universal Elementary
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Education,’ is based on the data received from 1.36 million schools in 637 district. At the
bottom are Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Rangrajan Committee report on Decontrol of Sugar Industry

The committee led by Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council’s (PMEAC) chairman C.
Rangrajan has submitted its report to the Prime Minister on decontrol of sugar industry.
Committee suggested the removal of the concept of a minimum distance of 15 km between any
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two sugar mills, obligating a mill to buy cane from growers within the reservation area.
Instead, mills must enter into contracts with farmers. This would help to phase out the cane
reservation area and bonding.
 According to the panel’s view the State Administered Price (SAP) of sugar cane set by the States
should be done away with, in favour of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) set by the
Centre as the minimum. Mills must share 70 per cent of the value of sugar and each by product,
including bagasse, molasses and press-mud (ex-mill), as cane dues payable to farmers for supplies.
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 The payment to farmers will be made in two steps : the first, the minimum FRP set by the
Centre; and the second, subsequent to the publication of half-yearly ex-mill prices.
 The committee recommended that the system of levy sugar should be done away with. Under
it, the mills are required to sell 10 per cent of their production to the government at
below market price for the poor under TPDS. Instead, the panel said, the States that
wanted to provide sugar under the TPDS might procure from the open market through
competitive bidding, and also fix the issue price.
 Committee also asked the government to rationalize the current issue price for TPDS sugar,
which has not been revised for many years. (Now, the Food Ministry has proposed to double the
issue price to around Rs 23 a kg.).
Disfavoring quantitative or movement restrictions on by-products, the committee said the prices
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of by-products should be market-determined with no earmarked end use allocations.
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8.0 Conferences & Summits
20th ASEAN Summit 2012

The 2-day 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit concluded at
Phnom Penh (Cambodia), during April 3-4 2012, promoting the target of ASEAN Community
Building by 2015 a step forward.
Theme: “ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny”, the summit adopted four outcome
documents, namely:
1. The Phnom Penh Agenda on ASEAN Community Building,
2. The Phnom Penh Agenda on “ASEAN: One Community,
One Destiny”,
3. The ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Drug-Free ASEAN
2015 and
4. The Global Movement of Moderates.
In celebration of the bloc’s 45the anniversary, the summit
also discussed the progress of the implementation of the
ASEAN Charter, roadmap for ASEAN connectivity,
roadmap for an ASEAN Institute for Peace and
Reconciliation, and exchanged views on regional and
international issues.
21st ASEAN Summit 2012

21st ASEAN Summit 2012 was held at Phnom Penh (Cambodia) during November 18-20 2012.
“ASEAN Minus X” Mechanism
The bloc’s “ASEAN Minus X” mechanism Association of Southeast Asian
allows “flexible” implementation of Nation (ASEAN), established in 1967,
commitments, by enabling members to opt havi ng 10 m embe r states Br un ei,
out of economic schemes if they are not ready. Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
This has already been used. Singapore and
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Loas are the only members pushing ahead
with an agreement on education services. Six
Thailand and Vietnam.
countries including Vietnam signed an agreement to link their stock markets by the end of 2011, to
spur electronic cross-border trading, but only Singapore and Malaysia are implementing it.
East Asia Summit 2012

The Seventh East Asia Summitt was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 20 November 2012.
 The ongoing tensions arising from the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the
disputes in the East China Sea (the Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Islands) overshadowed the effort
to advance the trade and economic arrangements between members of the Summit.
 Vladimir Putin did not attend and was represented by the Russian Foreign Minister. The other
members’ leaders attended.
 The Chairman’s statement noted progress in the areas of environment and energy, education,
finance, global health issues and pandemic diseases, natural disaster mitigation and ASEAN
connectivity.
Master Tips
The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries (10
ASEAN countries plus six namely India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and
South Korea) in the East Asian region. Membership expanded to 18 countries including the
United States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011. EAS meetings are held after annual
ASEAN leaders’ meetings. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Decem-
ber 14, 2005.
124 Conferences & Summits Study Material
Iran Hosted The 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit (NAM)

The 16th Non-alignment Movement(NAM) Summit which represents around half the world,
with 120 countries participating in its deliberations concluded in Tehran (Iran) on August
31, 2012. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh represented India and held talk with Iranian
counterpart.
 A host of key issues like the worsening situation in Syria, Iran’s nuclear programme
and other matters of global concern dominated the agenda of the NAM Summit.
 Last Summit (15th) was held at Sharm El Sheik, Egypt in 2009 and next Summit (17th ) will
be held at Caracas, Veneuela in 2015.
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Master Tips
Non-alignment Movement(NAM) Summit which represents around half the world, with
120 member countries (including Palestine) and 17 observers, was founded in the aftermath
of cold war era by the 3rd world and developing countries formally not aligned to or against any
power bloc. The organization was founded in Belgrade in 1961.
It was largely the brainchild of Yugoslavia’s president, Josip Broz Tito; Indonesia’s first
president, Sukarno; Egypt’s second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana’s first
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president president Kwame Nkrumah; and India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal
Nehru.
G-20 Summit At Los Cabos In Mexico

The G-20 Summit of developed and developing countries was held in the third week of June,
2012 at Los Cabos, Mexico in the backdrop of the eurozone crisis.
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 Los Cabos Declaration– G-20 nations concluded a much-awaited meeting at Los Cabos with
a declaration which endorsed Indian stand that investment in infrastructure was critical for
sustained growth, global economic recovery, poverty reduction and job creation.
 This was endorsed by the leaders that included US President Barak Obama, German President
Angela Merkel, Chinese Prime Minster Wen Jiabao and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a
document that is formally called the G-20 leaders’ declaration.
 2011 G-20 Summit was held at Cannes, France and 2013 Summit will be held at Saint
Petersburg, Russia in September 2013.
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G-20 is the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors from 20 major
economies which include 19 countries plus the European Union, which is represented by
the President of the European Council and by the European Central Bank.
The grouping G-20 economies account for more than 80 % of the gross world
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product (GWP), 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade), and two-thirds of the world

population.
India to Host ADB Annual Meet IN the Year 2013

India will be hosting the 46th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Manila-
based Asian Development Bank (ADB) in May 2013.
 Theme of the meeting: “Development through Empowerment”,
 The four-day event will provide an opportunity to policy-makers and official delegations from
67 countries to brainstorm on developmental issues.

Study Material Conferences & Summits 125
Cyber Security Summit

2-Day Cyber Security Summit was held at Bangalore to address the newly emerging trends
in cyber crime and find solutions.
 The summit focused on the theme ‘Empowering security in the digital world’.
 Representatives of the government, law enforcement agencies, legal fraternity, corporate sector,
banking sector, academia and other stakeholders came together at Summit.
RIO+20: Second Earth Summit
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The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, popularly known as RIO+20
or Second Earth Summit was held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which concluded on June 22, 2012.
At the conference Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh articulated the aspirations of the
developing world, saying it cannot be forced or even expected to share equally the burden of
environmental degradation enjoyed by rich nations in the past. (Refer Focus Articles for details.)
38th G-8 Summit Held at Camp David in USA
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Leaders of G-8 countries, the group of developed countries of the world met at Camp David,
Maryland, USA on May 19 in the backdrop of the euro zone crisis.
2011 (37th ) Summit was held at Deauville, France and 2013 (39th ) & 2014 (40th ) Summits will
be held in UK and Russia respectively.
Master Tips
G-8 is the Group of eight governments of larger economies (developed) of the world. The
forum originated with a 1975 summit hosted by France that brought together representatives of
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6 governments: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, thus the name, Group
of Six or G6.
The summit became known as the Group of Seven or G7 the following year with the addition
of Canada.
In 1997, Russia was added to the group which then became known as the G8.
Haryana Hosted World Economic Forum on India Summit 2012

Haryana hosted the three-day World Economic Forum on India Summit in Gurgaon from
November 6 to 8, 2012 in partnership with the World Economic Forum.
Theme of the summit this year was ‘from deliberation to transformation’.
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The Second Aman ki Asha Indo-Pak Economic Conference

The second Indo-Pak Economic Conference was held in Lahore
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on May 7-8, 2012 with Aman ki Asha as its theme. The

conference aimed at exploring ways to further strengthen
Indo-Pak ties, boost trade between the two countries and lay
a solid ground work for regional peace.
Master Tips
Aman ki Asha is a campaign jointly started by the two leading media houses The Jang
Group in Pakistan and The Times of India (Bennet & Coleman, the holding company of
Times Group) in India. It started on 1 January 2010.
The campaign aims for mutual peace and development of the diplomatic and cultural relations
between the two nations in South Asia.

International Conference on Science Communication

International Conference on Science Communication was held at Nancy in France during
3-7 Sept. 2012. The Theme of conference - ‘Science Communication : International
Perspective, Issues & Strategies’
AP to host world meet on prison administration & BD COP-11

The Andhra Pradesh will host the Asia Pacific Conference on Correctional Administration in
October next year and delegates from close to two dozen countries converge here to discuss the
existing processes in prison administration and the scope for reform. The State had been selected
as venue for setting up a National Prison Academy.
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AP has also hosted the prestigious Conference of Parties (COP-11), the global biodiversity
conference this year (2012).
9th E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting: India hosted GLOBAL MEET on

teachers training
India chaired the Ninth E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting on “Inclusive, relevant quality
Education for All” identified as the theme for the two coming years. The meeting assumes
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importance as shortage of teachers has been identified as a major challenge in the successful
implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and universalisation of secondary education and
the Right to Education act (RTE) that came into force in April 2010.
The event started with the meeting of the International Task Force on “Teachers for Education
for All” – which was held for the first time in India–followed by a two day conference on,
“Teachers for Education for All” in India and the E-9 meeting.
Master Tips
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The E-9 Initiative, a consortium of the nine most populous countries of the South was put in
place in 1993, following the World Conference on EFA in Jomtien, Thailand in 1990.
“E” stands for education and “9” for those nine countries which are home to over half of the
world’s population as well as to almost half of the world’s out of school children and two thirds of
the world’s illiterates. These are Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia,
Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan.
19th International AIDS Conference in US

The 19th International Aids Conference was held in Washington, D.C. from 22 to 27
July 2012 at Washington. In addition, the conference included a number of programme
activities, such as the Global Village and the Youth Programme, which are an integral
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aspect of the International AIDS Conference.

• Theme of the conference: “Turning the Tide Together”
• The AIDS 2012 Joint Programme Committee is an international committee of experts and
professionals with exceptional experience in their respective fields. These individuals will work
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together to construct a balanced and representative conference programme. The Joint Programme
Committee met for the first time in May 2011 to begin the programme building process.
• India to Host Alternative International Aids Conference:
India will host a parallel event at Kolkata for those who cannot make it there at Washington to
participate in the International AIDS Conference (IAC).
“E-ASIA” 2011 Conference

The 5th annual e-ASIA 2011 conference and exhibition took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh on
December 1-3, 2011. It is an annual international Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) meet for development.
Around 150 exhibitors took part which would include software and ITES companies providing
business solutions, e-Governance solution providers, communication companies and solution
providers, portals, IT training institutes/Universities, outsourcing companies etc.
India’s Resolution on Mental Healh Adopted at World Health Assembly

India has moved an important resolution at the 65th World Health Assembly held at Geneva
calling upon the member-states and the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop an action
plan for coordinated response to addressing mental disorders from health and social sectors.
The resolution received warm support before being approved.
 India had been separately working on strengthening interventions in the 12th Plan for the
care of people with mental illness, including emphasis on family and community care and
training of health and community workers, and short and long stay homes.
 Indian government has begun a major exercise to develop a mental health policy and also expects
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to shortly introduce new legislation to replace the Mental Health Act, 1987 to bring India into
conformity with international commitments to protect the rights of persons with mental illness.
International Conferences on Afganistan

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A fgh an s ecu rity for ces.
K a b ul 2 9 -n a ti on Th ey t ook de cis ion to es ta b l ish w ork in g

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a nd C hi na O rg a ni sa ti on (C S T O ).
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ren ew ed t hei r firm com m itm ent to a
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A fgh an ista n.
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Pa k is ta n a nd b u si ne ss or ga n iza ti on s to m ob i lize flo w o f
pri va te ca pita l to t h e w ar -t orn cou ntry .

World Congress of Community Based Rehabilitation Ends in Agra

The first world congress of Community based Rehabilitation (CBR) of the disabled
ended in Agra on November 28, 2012, with a call for partnerships development for the promotion
and implementation of CBR across the globe.
Adopting Agra Declaration, the Congress said the CBR should be part of development policies
and programs at the local, national and international levels.
Master Tips
Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a term collectively used for numerous schemes
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and policies aimed at enhancing the quality of life of differently disabled persons and their fami-
lies by ensuring their participation in various social and economic practices.
11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be Held in Kochi

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Kochi on
January 8.
About 1,500 delegates from various countries would attend the three-day programme. Mauritius
President Rajkeswur Purryag would be the chief guest at the official inaugural session and
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will be conferred with Pravasi Bhartiya Samman.
ILO’s SCORE Allows SMEs to Soar Over Industry Benchmarks

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) held a workshop at Chennai to raise awareness
about its global programme aimed at helping small and medium enterprises to help improve
their productivity, competitiveness and working conditions.
 The programme, Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE), is being
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implemented by ILO in association with the Ambattur Industrial Estates Manufacturers

Association Technology Centre (AIEMATC).
It will seek to reduce the vulnerability of SMEs to external shocks and improve their productivity,
working conditions, quality and bottom-line.
Master Tips
The International Labour Organization (ILO), founded in 1919, headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland, is a United Nations agency dealing with labour issues, particularly international
labour standards and decent work for all. Almost all (185 out of 193) UN members are part of the
ILO.
In 1969, the organization received the Nobel Peace Prize for improving peace among classes,
pursuing justice for workers, and providing technical assistance to developing nations.
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Juan Somavía was the ILO’s director-general since 1999 until October 2012, when Guy Ryder
was elected as his replacement.
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UN’s World Conference on Internet and Telecommunications (WCIT)

A group of mainly African nations moved and won a resolution accompanied by a set of binding
treaty-based International Telecom Regulations (ITRs) at the UN’s World Conference
on Internet and Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai.
 The move was supported by China, Russia and mostly Arab states. 89 countries had endorsed
the global treaty on telecom regulations, with nearly 45 nations led by the United States, the
U.K., the European Union, Japan, Australia and even Kenya, either refusing to sign or buying
time to study the proposals.
 India, which initially backed the ITRs and
the accompanying resolution during a sudden Master Tips
vote, later announced that it would sign the Mo hame d N ass er Al Ghanim,
Treaty only after consultation with domestic Director General of the Telecom Regulation
stakeholders. Governments do not have to
Authority of UAE is the chairman of WCIT.
sign immediately and have until January 1,
2015 to ratify the Treaty.
ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2012

To mark the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue
partnership and the 10th anniversary of ASEAN-India
Summit-level partnership, India hosted the ASEAN-India
Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on December 20-21,
2012.
 The theme of the summit was ‘ASEAN-India Partnership
for Peace and Shared Prosperity’.
 The Summit has resulted in the adoption of the Vision
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Statement which will chart the future direction of ASEAN-India relations.
 The ASEAN-India Eminent Persons Group (AIEPG) submitted their recommendations to the
Leaders on future relations between ASEAN and India at the 10th ASEAN-India Summit in
Phnom Penh.
 Two flagship events being organized as part of the commemorative year events are the ASEAN
Shipping Expedition of INS Sudarshini and the 2nd ASEAN-India Car Rally.
10th Bio Asia conference would be Held in Hyderabad
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The 10th edition of Bio Asia 2013, the annual Biotechnology and Life Sciences Conference,
will be held in Hyderabad on January 28-30, 2013.
With the theme of Biologics and Biosimilars, discussions will be focused on drug discovery,
monoclonal antibodies, regenerative medicine, intellectual property rights and financial
ecosystem.
 A parallel event focusing on agricultural biotechnology and food technology with the support of
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Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT) will also be held.
 Bio Asia 2013 will be hosted by the government of Andhra Pradesh with the support of the
Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) and Pharmaceutical Export
Promotion Council (Pharmexcil).
Delhi to Host Film-Makers From South Asian Region

To give a fillip to the cultural ties between India and Pakistan, the first edition of “Delhi
International Film Festival”, to be held from December 21 to 27, 2012 which will screen
Pakistani Films and give away awards in various fields.
Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore will be honoured with the Life Time Achievement Award at
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the festival.
 Kashmiri film-maker Suresh Goswami’s film ‘Ziyarat’ on the displacement of Kashmiri Pandit
families from the Valley will be screened at the festival.
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 Interestingly, the festival to commemorate 100 years of Indian cinema will be presenting
centenarian stage actor Zohra Sehgal, with the ‘Minar e Dilli award’.
 While Polish film ‘80 Million’ will be the opening film, Pakistani production ‘Lamha’ will be
screened as the closing film.
 In all, 178 films from 32 countries would be screened.

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9.1 CRICKET
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9.2 TENNIS 133
9.3 BADMINTON 134
9.4 HOCKEY 134
135
9.5 KABBADI
135
9.6 CHESS
136
9.7 GRAND PRIX
9.8 MISCELLANEOUS 137
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9.9 SPORT RELATED OTHER NEWS
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9.1 Cricket
God of cricket RETIRED from ODI cricket

Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement from One-
day Internationals on Dec 23, 2012, and with it comes to
an end one of the memorable eras in world cricket. The
genius batsman from Mumbai ends his extra-ordinary ODI
career with 49 hundreds, 18,426 runs, 463 appearances,
and 96 half-centuries — all world records earned over a
massive 23-year-long career — but he will value his 2011
World Cup win above all these.
India Wins Under-19 Cricket World Cup

India clinched Under-19 cricket World Cup beating Australia, the defending champion,
by six wickets at the Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, Queensland (Australia) on August
26, 2012. Indian Captain Unmukt Chand played a match winning innings of 111 runs in the
final and led India to the glorious achievement.
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni Appointed as a Brand Ambasador of Nepal

Cricket Association
• Jayawardene Named Captain of ICC World T20 Team
• Malinga Named World Twenty-20 Ambassador
ICC World T-20 Cup 2012 Won By West Indies
The West Indies thrashed Sri Lanka by 36 runs to win the ICC Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup
2012 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 7, 2012. West Indies Marlon Samuels
was chosen ‘Man-of-the-Match’ for his all round performance. Australia’s Shane Watson
was honoured with ‘Player-of-the-Tournament’ award.
ICC Women’s Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup 2012

Australia, the defending champion clinched the ICC Women’s Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup
2012 beating England by 4 runs at the R. Premdasa Stadium in Colombo on October 7, 2012.
East Zone Wins Duleep Trophy

East Zone clinched the prestigious Duleep Trophy beating Central Zone in the final by virtue of 43
runs lead in the first innings as the match ended into a draw on October 25, 2012 in Chennai. It was
the second straight defeat of Central Zone by East zone in the final of Duleep Trophy.
India Wins Women’s T-20 Aisa Cup

The Indian women clinched the inaugural Asian Cricket Council’s Women T-20 Aisa Cup
beating arch-rival Pakistan by 18 runs in the final on October 31, 2012 in Guangzhou.
Kolkata Knight Riders Win Indian Premier League Cricket Title

Manvinder Bisla and Jacques Kallis struck half-centuries to help Kolkata Knight Riders win
the Indian Premier league on May 27, 2012 defeating two-time defending champion Chennai
Super Kings by five wickets in a high-scoring final.
Ricky Pointing RETIRED from Test Cricket

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting announced his retirement from Test cricket after
playing in the third Test against South Africa which begins from November 30, 2012.
Study Material Games & Sports 133
9.2 Tennis
Paes and Stepanek Claim Miami Masters Doubles Title

Seventh seeded Indo-Czech pair of Leander Paes and Radak Stepanek claimed the doubles
title of Miami Masters on March 31, 2012. It was 50th doubles career title for Paes.
Agnieszka Radwanska Clinches Miami Masters Title

Fourth seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, on March 31, 2012, defeated Russian Tennis star
Maria Sharapova to clinch Miami Masters women singles title.
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French Open 2012:
Nadal clinches historic sixth tittle and Sharapova wins completing her career grand slam at
the french open for the first time.
Shanghai Masters Tennis Tournament

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic defeated Britain’s Andy Murrray in the final on October 14, 2012 in
Shanghai to win Shanghai Masters Men’s singles title.
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India’s Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek clinched the Shanghai Masters
men’s doubles title beating Indian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi in the final.
Serena Williams Claims WTA Championships

America’s Serena Williams defeated Russia’s Maria Sharapova in the final to win the season-
ending WTA Championship in Istanbul (Turkey) on October 28, 2012.
Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams crowned ITF world champions

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 Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and US player
Serena Williams were announced as this
year’s International Tennis Federation world
champions, based on their performances in
tournaments throughout 2012.
 The sport’s governing body also said that US
brothers Bob and Mike Bryan were men’s
doubles world champions for the ninth time
in 10 years, while Sara Errani and Roberta
Vinci of Italy were the women’s equivalent.
 Dutch wheelchair tennis legend Esther
Vergeer won the title for the 13th year in Esther Vergeer Stephane Houdet
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succession after she won Paralympic singles gold for the fourth Paralympics in a row
and Stephane Houdet of France won the men’s award in the wheelchair category.
ATP TENNIS TOURNAMENT WINNERS
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Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez win ATP World Tour Doubles Title. Marc Lopez and
Marcel Granollers claimed a victory over Mahesh Bhupati and Rohan Bopanna to win the doubles
title at the ATP World Tour Finals.
Bhupathi-Bopanna Clinch 1st ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Team Crown
Fifth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna won their first ATP World Tour Masters
1000 title together in November 2012 as they defeated seventh seeds Aisam-Ul Haq Qureshi
and Jean-Julien Rojer in the final of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris.
Novak Djokovic Wins ATP World Title

Novak Djokovic put a firm stamp on his position as world number one with a stunning victory
over Roger Federer of Switzerland in the ATP World Tour Finals.

134 Games & Sports Study Material
9.3 Badminton
China Wins Thomas Cup and Uber Cup

China retained the Thomas Cup (Men’s World Team Championships) and Uber Cup
(Women’s World Team Championships) in convincing style by beating archrival South Korea
3-0 at the Wuhan Sports Complex Gymnasium on May 27,2012.
Scottish Open Badminton Title

Continuing with his impressive run this year Anad Pawar, the Mumbai shuttler won the Scottish
International Challenge tournament at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2012.
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Saina Wins her Third Indonesia Open Title.
Olympic-bound Indian Badminton Ace Saina Nehwal displayed nerves of steel to clinch her
third successive Indonesia Open Super Series title after beating China’s Xuerui Li in a seesaw
summit clash in Jakarta in June 2012.
Saina Nehwal Clinches Demark Super Series Badminton Championship

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Saina Nehwal of India thrashed Juliane Schenk of Germany to clinch Denmark Open Super
Series Badminton Championship on October 21, 2012 in Odense.
The 77th Senior National Badminton Championship 2012

The 77th Senior National Badminton Championship 2012 was played in October , 2012
at Srinagar and results are as follows:
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Category Winner Runner
Men’s Singles P. Kashyap Ajay Jayaram
Men’s Singles Sayali Gokhale P.V. Sindhu
Men’s doubles Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Akshay Dewalkar and

Reddy Pranav Chopra
Women’s doubles Aparna Balan and N. Sikki Varsha Belawadi and

Reddy G.M. Nischitha
Mixed doubles Aparna Balan and Arun Vishnu Ashwini Ponappa and
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Tarun Kona
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9.4 Hockey
India’s Chef-de-Mission for the London Olympics 2012 :AJIT PAL SINGH
Three-time Olympian and former Captain of the Indian hockey team Ajit Pal Singh became
the first sportsperson to be named India’s Chef-de-Mission for London Olympic Games 2012
by Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Indian Hockey finished at bottom in London Olympics 2012 without winning a single
game.
New Zealand Wins Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Tournament

New Zealand beat Argentina to win Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Tournament at Ipoh,
Malaysia in June 2012. Andy Hayward scored the only goal for New Zealand in the summit
clash, which prevented Argentina, the 2008 winner, to reclaim the trophy.
9.5 Kabaddi
Pakistan Wins the Asian Kabaddi Championship

Pakistan on November 2012 was declared as champion of the Asian Kabaddi Championship
after Indian team walked out from the field in a protest against the referee’s decision
of penalizing the Indian Coach
Indian Women Clinched Kabaddi World Cup

The Indian women’s team defeated Malaysia to win a one-sided final of the kabaddi World Cup
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held in Ludhiana (Punjab).
India annihilate Pakistan to retain Kabaddi World Cup title

Indian men’s Kabaddi team put in a stellar performance as they literally thrashed archrivals
Pakistan 59-22 in the finals of the 3rd Kabaddi World Cup in Punjab.
 The Indian team got richer by handsome prize money of Rs 2 crore, which was more than
double that they got in the second edition of the Kabbadi World Cup whereas the Pakistani
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team got Rs 1 crore for bagging the runners-up position.
The Canadian team which finished third got Rs 51 lakhs for their feat.
16 nations participation has propelled Kabaddi onto the international map as it won’t be long
that the game might be included in Olympics too.
9.6 Chess
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Anand Wins World Chess Champion Title for 5th Time
Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand retained the World Chess Championship title,
his fifth crown and fourth in a row, after beating Israel’s Boris Gelfand in a tense rapid game
tie-breaker in Moscow on May 30, 2012.
M. Mahalakshmi and R. Vaishali Win Gold at the World Youth Chess

Championship
Sahaj Becomes a Grand Master

India’s Sahaj Grover beat Jorge Cori of Peru in the ninth round of the World Junior Chess
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Championship in Athens and became Grand Master.
G. Akash Wins the Senior-National Chess Championship

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Sixteen-year-old G. Akash of Tamil Nadu clinched the Tata 50th National Premier Chess
Championship on October 14, 2012 in Kolkata by holding GM Deep Sengupta of Petroleum.
World Champion Vishwanathan Anand had also claimed the Senior National Chess
Championship at the age of 16.
9.7 Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso Wins European Grand Prix

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso became the first driver to win two races this season thanks to his
success at the European Grand Prix in Velencia June 24, 2012, despite starting the event 11th
on the grid.

Hamilton Clinches Canadian Grand Prix

The 28-year-old Briton Lewis Hamilton made it a magnificent record as seven different winners
in seven races this year on June 12, 2012 when he drove with flawless speed and control to win
the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal.
Jenson Button Wins Belgian Grand Prix

McLaren’s Jenson Button clinched the Belgian Grand Prix on September 2, 2012 leaving
behind Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel.
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Sebastian Vettel Wins Singapore Grand Prix
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel positioned himself as the main challenger to Fernando
Alonso’s Formula One title chances by earning his second straight Singapore Grand Prix win in
September 2012, jumping up to second place in the driver’s championship.
Vettel Wins the Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull’s double defending Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel won the Japanese
Grand Prix on October 7, 2012 in Suzuka (Japan).
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Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher win Race of Champions
Germany, represented by Formula One world champions Sebastian Vettel and Michael
Schumacher, won the Race of Champions team crown for the sixth successive year in Bangkok.
Vettel Wins Korean Grand Prix

Red Bull’s Sebastain Vettel won Koreon Grand Prix by defeating Marks Webber.
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Vettel Wins Indian Grand Prix

Red Bull’s Sebastain Vettel won the Indian Grand Prix on October 28, 2012 at the Buddha
International Circuit in Greater Noida.
 Vettel finished the race in 1 hour, 31 minutes and 1.744 seconds and extended his lead by 13
points with his nearest rival Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to win the Formula One Championship
for a third year in a row.
 It was the fifth win of Vettel of the season and 26th of the career.
 By winning this race, Vettel came closer for a bid of Formula’s One Championship—2012 having
240 points, 13 more than Alonso.
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 Ferrari’s Alonso secured second place in the race by finishing the race in 10 seconds more than Vettel.
 Red Bull’s Mark Weber finished at third place with 1 : 31 : 23.961 seconds.
Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg came on the eighth place.
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Sebastian Vettel Becomes 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 November 25, 2012 by finishing 6th behind Jenson Button in the
Brazilian Grand Prix.
Hamilton Wins USA Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton upset Sebastian Vettel’s hopes of clinching the drivers World Championship in
his 100th race on November 19, 2012 when he produced a dazzling drive for McLaren to win a
thrilling United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. Fernando Alonso of Ferrari finished third
in the race.

9.8 Miscellaneous
Football
Services Wins Santosh Trophy

Services beat Tamil Nadu to win the 66th Santosh Trophy on May 30, 2012. Services won
the Santosh Trophy for the second time, the earlier one was in 1960.
Squash
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Saurav Ghosal Wins EI Gouna International Squash Open
Top Indian squash player Saurav Ghosal registered a victory over England’s Robbie Temple to
clinch EI Gouna International Open in EI Gouna, Egypt in 2012.
Indian Women Squash Team Wins Maiden Asian Squash Championship

Indian women squash team won its maiden gold at the 16th Asian Squash Championship in
Kuwait on May 5, 2012. The women team created a history by defeating the top seeded
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Hongkong team in the title clash. Indian women 71st seeded Joshna Chinnappa and 14th
seeded Dipika Pallikkal defeated world number sixteen Joey Chan and world number
seven Annie Au respectively.
Dipika Pallikal is first Indian to break into top 10

Squash ace Dipika Pallikal became the first Indian to break into the top 10 of the world
rankings. Pallikal jumped three places to be ranked 10th by Women’s International Squash
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Players Association (WISPA).
Billiards
Pankaj Advani Clinches World Billiards Championship

Golf
Proffessional Golf Player of the Year

Smriti Mehra, India’s most successful golfer on the domestic Women’s Professional Golf
Tour, has been adjudged the Player of the Year for 2011-12 season.
Basketball
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SCOTT FLEMMJING BECOMES THE NEW INDIAN BASKETBALL TEAM

COACH
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Scott Elemming was appointed as the head coach of the men’s National Basketball Team by
the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
Carrom
RASHMI KUMARI WINS WORLD CARROM CHAMPIONSHIP

Rashmi Kumari won the World Carrom Championship held at Colombo, Srilanka in
November 2012 2012. Rashmi won the Carrom Championship for the second time in her career.
 She won the World Carrom Championship earlier in 2000 , the National Championship in January
2012 when she was in her eighth month of pregnancy.
 Rashmi is a Human Resources Executive with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in Delhi .
 The current men’s world champion is a Sri Lankan, Nishantha Fernando.

9.9 Sport Related Other News
IOC suspends Indian Olympic Association

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended the Indian Olympic Association
(IOA) because of government interference, a development which puts a bar on the country’s
Olympic participation.
 Suspension meant that the IOA will stop receiving IOC funding and its officials will be banned
from attending Olympic meetings and events.
 India’s athletes will be barred from competing in Olympic events under their national flag, but
they can participate under the IOC banner.
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 The IOC had repeatedly told the IOA not follow the government’s sports code for the elections
on the ground that it would be a violation of the Olympic Charter and compromise autonomy
but the IOA went ahead saying they were bound by the Delhi High Court order.
AIFF forms probe panel

The All India Football Federation appointed retired Supreme Court judge and chairperson of
the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, A.K Ganguly, as the ‘one-man committee’ to
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probe and decide the fate of the abandoned 10th round I-League match between East Bengal
and Mohun Bagan.
Indian boxing federation suspended by international body

Close on the heels of the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association, India’s boxing body and
its former president Abhay Singh Chautala were handed a knock down when the International
Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) provisionally suspended the Indian Amateur Boxing
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Federation (IABF) at Lausanne, Switzerland. 2013 will see the Asian Boxing Championships,
the venue and dates for which are yet to be decided and the World Championships in October
2013 to be held in Kazakhstan.
HIL signs de Nooijer as brand ambassador

Hockey India League (HIL) has signed legendary Dutchman and three-time FIH World Player
of the Year Teun de Nooijer as its third Brand Ambassador for the tournament starting in
January 2013.
Jeev honoured
Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh won the Asia Pacific Lifetime Achievement award along
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with Jack Nicklaus and Colin Montgomerie.

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Arjuna Award
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10.1 ART, CULTURE & LITERARY AWARDS

141
10.2 SPORT AWARDS

145
10.3 SCIENCE AWARD 146
10.4 GENERAL AWARDS & HONOURS 147
Nobel Prize
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Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
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10.1 Art, Culture & Literary Awards
Man Booker Prize 2012

British novelist Hilary Mantel made literary history by becoming the first woman and the
first British author to be a two-time winner of the Man Booker Prize for fiction.
• Mantel picked up the prize, one of the highest profile awards in English-language literature,
for ‘Bring up the Bodies’, part two of the Thomas Cromwell trilogy, at a ceremony at
London’s Guildhall.
• The 60-year-old first won in 2009 with ‘Wolf Hall’, the first of the historical fiction saga
with King Henry VIII’s Chief Minister as the protagonist.
• Indian writer Jeet Thayil was also in the running for his work ‘Narcopolis’, which explores
heroin addiction in Mumbai.
Master Tips
The Man Booker Prize:
The Man Booker Prize launched in 1969 aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the
best novel of the year written by a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or
the Republic of Ireland. The winner of the Man Booker Prize receives £50,000 and, like all
the shortlisted authors, a cheque for £2,500 and a designer bound copy of their book. The
winner of the Man Booker Prize 2011 was Julian Barnes's The Sense of an Ending.
The Man Booker International Prize:
Launched in 2005, worth £60,000, the prize is awarded every two years to a living author who
has published fiction either originally in English or whose work is generally available in
translation in the English language. The winner is chosen solely at the discretion of the judging
panel and there are no submissions from publishers.
Why it is called Man Booker?
The word ‘Man’ comes from the name of title sponsor company named ‘Man’, founded in
1783, which is a world-leading alternative investment management business. In 2012,
Man managed $60.0 billion .
Pratibha Ray Honoured with Jnanpith Award 2011

Leading Oriya novelist and academician Pratibha Ray, who got Padma Shri in 2007, has
20 novels, 24 short stories, 10 travelogues, two poetry collections and a number of essays to
her credit, was named for the prestigious Jnanpith Award for the year 2011. At a meeting
chaired by writer and Jnanpith award winner Sitakant Mahapatra, it was decided that
Ray, 69, will be the winner of the 2011 Janapith Award. Ray will be the 47th author to be
bestowed with the honour.
Jnanpith 2010 for Kamber

Chandrashekar Kambar, regarded as one of the finest Kannada poets has been honoured
with the Jnanpith Award, the eighth for Kannada.
• Dr. Kambr is among the finest playwrights as well. His plays Jokumaraswamy and Sangya
Balya have seen thousands of performances, not only in Kannada, but several other Indian
languages as well.
• Dr. Kambar is the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, the Sahitya Academy
Award, the Kalidas Samman, The Pampa Award, the Kabir Samman, and the Tagore
Literature Award.
• The versatile writer served as chairman of the National School of Drama and as president
of the Karnataka Nataka Academy.
142 Awards and Recognition Study Material
Master Tips
The Jnanpith Award, a literary award instituted in 1961, along with the Sahitya Akademi
Fellowship, is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country. Any Indian
citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour. It is
presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, a trust founded by the Sahu Jain family, the
publishers of the ‘The Times of India’ newspaper.The award carries a cash prize of Rs.
7 lakh, a citation and a public felicitation.
IFS Officer Abhay Kumar Nominated for Pushcart Prize

An Indian Foreign Service officer, Abhay Kumar, currently posted in Kathmandu has
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been nominated for the prestigious American ‘Pushcart Prize 2013’ by the Sahitya
Akademi. Already having authored eight books, including four poetry collections, Abhay K
has been nominated for his three poems — ‘What’s a Beach’, ‘Masseur’ and ‘Everything has
Secrets’.
Saraswati Samman 2011 to A A Manavalan

The K K Birla Foundation announced on 22 March 2012 its decision to honour Tamil writer
•
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A A Manavalan with the Saraswati Samman 2011 for his book on Ramayana.
Retired professor and head of the department of Tamil in Madras University, Manavalan is
be bestowed w ith the 21st Sar aswati Samman for his work Irama Katha iy um
Iramayakalum (Ramakatha and Ramayanas) published in 2005.
• The award-winning book, Irama Kathaiyum Iramayakalum is a comparative study of 48
Ramayanas in the languages of Pali, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tibetan, Tamil, Old Javenese,
Japanese, Telugu, Assamese, Malayalam, Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Odissi, Persian,
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Malay, Burmese, Phillipines Language, Thai, Laotian and Kashmiri (all in chronological
order).
Master Tips
The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works
in any Indian language listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India. It is considered
to be among the highest literary awards in India. The award consists of Rs 7.5 lakh, a citation
and a plaque. The Saraswati Samman was instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation.
Candidates are selected from literary works published in the previous ten years by a panel
that included scholars and former award winners.
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Vyas Samman 2011 to Ramdarash Mishra

Noted Hindi writer Professor Ramdarash Mishra was selected for the 21st Vyas Samman
for his poet r y collect ion Aam Ke Patte published in 2004.
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Master Tips
The Vyas Samman is a literary award in India, first awarded in 1991. It is awarded
annually by the K.K. Birla Foundation and includes a cash payout of Rs 2.5 lakh. To be
eligible for the award, the literary work must be in the Hindi language and have been
published in the past 10 years.
Naresh Fernandes Wins Shakti Bhatt Prize

Naresh Fernandes has won the 2012 Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize for 'Taj Mahal Foxtrot:
The Story of Bombay’s Jazz Age', which gives the reader an engaging account of the
city’s thriving music scene between the 1930s and 1960s.
• Mr. Fernandes is also the co-author of 'Bombay Then and Mumbai Now' , a historical
narrative, and co-editor of 'Bombay Meri Jaan' .

Study Material Awards and Recognition 143
• The prize will be presented at the British Council Auditorium in New Delhi on December 20.
• Jamil Ahmad was winner of 2011 for 'The Wandering Falcon'.
• The other shortlisted books are: Tamasha in Bandargaon by Navneet Jagannathan,
The Purple Line by Priyamvada Purushottam, The King in Exile by Sudha Shah,
The Inexplicable Unhappiness of Ramu Hajjam by Taj Hassan and Calcutta Exile
by Bunny Suraiya.
Soumitra Chatterjee Conferred Phalke Award

Veteran actor of Bengali cinema Soumitra Chatterjee was honoured with the prestigious
Dadasaheb Phalke Award by Vice-President Hamid Ansari at the 59th National Film
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Awards for 2011 at Vigyan Bhavan for his outstanding contribution to the growth of Indian
cinema.
Pragya Award For Book by Sakhalkar

The Rajasthan Hindi Granth Akademi has selected the book “Adhunik Chitrakala Ka
Itihaas’ (History of modern art), authored by eminent litterateur and artist Ratnakar
Akademi Award Presented to Sanoo

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Vinayak Sakhalkar based in Ajmer, for its prestigious Pragya award.
Renowned scholar and critic M.K. Sanoo was presented with the prestigious Kendra Sahitya
Akademi award for 2011
Pt. Ravi Shankar Conferred First Tagore Cultural Harmonly Award

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Classical sitar maestro Ravi Shankar has been awarded the first Tagore Award for Cultural
Harmony by a jury chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to mark the 150th birth
anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Shyam Bengal Honoured with South Asian Cinema Foundations

Excellence in Cinema Award
Pulitzer Prizes 2012

The prestigious Pulitzer Prizes in the field of journalism were presented on April 16, 2012
in which Public Service category– The philadphia inquirer” for its exploration on pervasive
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violence in the city’s school” and Breaking News Reporting category– The Tuscaloosa News
staff “for its enterprising coverage of a deadly tornado” got the awards.
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T.K. Dayanand and V.Gayatri to Get Counter Media Award

The counter Media Award for Excellence in Development Journalism, instituted
by renowned journalist P. Sainath, has been awarded to freelance reporters T.K.
Dayanand and V. Gayatri. The award comprises purse of Rs. 25,000 and a digital camera.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Announces Tagore Samman: Honours 100 Emi-

nent Artists
To commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Gurdev Rabindranath Tagore, the Sangeet
Natak Akademi, an autonomous body of the Union Minstry of Culture has instituted a one-
time honour to 100 artists called the ‘Tagore Samman’ (50 Tagore Ratna and 50 Tagore
Puraskar) to persons of the age 75 years and above, who have made a significant contribution
in the field of performing arts.

Pandit Ravi Shankar to Receive Lifetime Achievement Grammy award

Legendary sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar would receive the lifetime achievement
Grammy award, organisers of the top music award announced. Shankar would receive the
award posthumously on February 10 at the 55th Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles,
said the Recording Academy, which gives the prestigious Grammy Awards.
Sahitya Akademi Awards for 24 Authors

Booker-nominated Jeet Thayil and Bengali novelist Subrata Mukhopadhyaya were among
the 24 authors selected for Sahitya Akademi Awards 2012.
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• Twelve of the 24 awards have gone to works of poets, who include K. Sachitandandan
(Malayalam – Marannu Vacha Vazhikal ), the late Bal Krishna Bhaura (Dogri – Tim-Tim
Karde Tare ) and Makhan Lal Kanwal (Kashmiri – Yath Aangnaz Manz ).
• Thayil, has been selected for his poetry collection, These Errors are Correct, in the
English category.
International Award for Sudarsan Pattnaik

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Internationally-acclaimed sand artist from odisha Sudarsan Pttnaik has been
congratulated by the then President Pratibha Patil and a host of other dignitaries for winning
the Copenhagen Sand Art Championship 2012.
NTR National Literary Award for Ashokamitran

Noted Tamil writer Ashokamitran, known for his novel “Thanneer” and other works, is the
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recipient of the 6th NTR National Literary Award.
Award for Poet: Kadengodlu Kavya Prashasti

• Poet M.S. Rudreshwara Swamy has bagged “Kadengodlu Kavya Prashasti” (Kadengodlu
poetry award) instituted by Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai Research Centre for his anthology of
poems, “Aa Teerada Moha”, for 2012.
• His first anthology of poems. “Preeti Mathu Neeru”, was appreciated by readers and critics.
He bagged an award for this work.
Orange Prize 2012

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Madeline Miller won the Orange Prize 2012 for her debut novel “The Song Of Achilles”.
The winner of 2011 Orange prize for fiction was Téa Obreht, a first time novelist for her
debut novel, “The Tiger's Wife”. The prize money is £30,000.
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Master Tips
The Women's Prize for Fiction (previously called Orange Prize for Fiction (2008-2012) and
Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (1996-2008)) is one of the United Kingdom's most
prestigious literary prizes, annually awarded to a female author of any nationality for
the best original full-length novel written in English, and published in the United
Kingdom in the preceding year. The prize was originally sponsored by Orange, a
telecommunications company. In May 2012, it was announced Orange would be ending
its sponsorship of the prize. As of October 2012, the award is formally known as the Women's
Prize for Fiction, and is sponsored by "private benefactors" led by Cherie Blair and writers
Joanna Trollope and Elizabeth Buchan.

10.2 Sport Awards
National Sports Award 2012

National Sports Awards ceremony for the year 2012 was held at President house in New
Delhi.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2012
Shooter Vijay Kumar and Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt were bestowed the prestigious Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
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Arjuna Awards 2012
25 sports personalities were conferred with 2012 Arjuna awards including Deepa Mallick
(Athletics -Paralympics) and Ramkaran Singh (Athletics-Paralympics).
Dronacharya Awards 2012
The following were the recipients of the Dronacharya Awards for 2012:
1. Shri Virender Poonia Athletics
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2. Ms. Sunil Dabas
3. Shri Yashvir Singh
4. Shri Harendra Singh

Kabaddi (Women)
Wrestling
Hockey
5. Dr. Satyapal Singh Para Sports (Athletics)

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6. Shri J.S. Bhatia Athletics
7. Shri Bhawani Mukherjee Table Tennis
8. Shri B.I. Fernandez, Cuban Boxing Coach Boxing- for Life Time Achievement
Wisden’s Leading Cricketer of the Year 2011

Kumar Sangakkara is Wisden’s Leading Cricketer of the Year 2011 who also figures in
ICC Cricketers of the Year List 2012.
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ICC Annual Awards 2012

ICC Annual Awards ceremony for the year 2012 was held in Colombo (Sri Lanka) on
September 15, 2012 ahead of the ICC T-20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. India’s batting sensation
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Virat Kohli was honoured with the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award.
ICC Awards 2012: At a Glance

ICC Cricketer of the Year Award Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award Virat Kohli (India)

Usain Bolt & Allyson Felix Named IAAF World Athletes of the Year 2012
Usain Bolt won the IAAF world List of the Awardees
Athlete of the Year Award 2012
for the fourth time and United IAAF male athlete of the year Usain Bolt (Jamaica)
States sprinter Allyson Felix
won women’s World Athlete of IAAF female athlete of the year Allyson Felix (USA)
th e Y ear Aw ar d 2012 on
November 24, 2012 during the IAAF male performance of the year David Rudisha (Kenya)
IAAF’ s 100 th An n iv er s ar y
Celebr ation . Th e Jamaic an IAAF female performance of the year 4× 100 m relay team (USA)
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spr in ter Bolt h ad w on for
defending his gold medals in the IAAF male rising star Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago)
100 and 200 meter races of the
summers’ Olympic Games 2012. IAAF female rising star Antonque Strachan (Bahamas)
10.3 Science Awards
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2012 ST

Eleven scientists have been selected for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize 2012, India’s
premier awards in the field of science and technology.
• Shantanu Chowdhury of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology and Suman Kumar
Dhar of the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine at the Jawaharlal Nehru University
bagged the prize in the field of biological sciences.
• Sandip Basu of the Radiation Medicine Centre at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre bagged
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the prize in the medical sciences category.

• In physical sciences, Arindam Ghosh of IISc got the prize.
Bhatnagar Prizes 2011

Mahan Maharaj gets the award for his “outstanding contribution” in the area of mathematical
sciences.
The other winners are Palash Sarkar of the Indian Statistical Institute; Shiraz Minwalla of
the Indian Institute of Science; Shirshendu De of IIT-Kharagpur; A.P. Sharma of the
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology; R.Shankaranarayan of
the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology; G.N. Sastry of the Indian Institute of Chemical
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Technology and B. Sundaram of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific
Research.
Award for M.S. Swaminathan

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Noted agricultural scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan has been selected for the Nandiyode
Rajan Memorial Award instituted by the Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk
Producers Union (TRCMPU).
Two ICAR Scientists get MS Swaminathan Award

Two agricultural scientists from ICAR institutions – R. Sai Kumar of the Directorate of
Maize Research (DMR) and N. Shobha Rani of the Directorate of Rice Research
(DRR) – were jointly awarded the fourth MS Swaminathan Award for outstanding
agricultural research.
• The award was given to R. Sai Kumar, Director of DMR, for his work as a maize breeder in
the development and release of 14 maize hybrids and varieties.
• N. Shobha Rani, Principal Scientist, DRR, was selected for her contribution to genetic
enhancement of Basmati and other quality rice varieties that lead to higher productivity.
Six Scientists of Indian Origin Elected Fellows of Royal Society

Bangalore-based biologist Krishna Swamy Vijai Raghavan and Professor Tejender
Singh Virdee of Imperial College, London, who was associated with the design and
construction of the Large Hadron Collinder(LHC), are among six internationally renowned
scientists of Indian origin elected to the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Society, Britain’s
premier science academy.
Nobel Prize Winners 2012

Discipline Recipients Citienship Contibution
Kobilka, Brian K. U.S. Studies of G-protein-coupled
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Chemistry
receptors
Lefkowitz, Robert J. U.S. Studies of G-protein-coupled
receptors
Economics Roth, Alvin E. U.S. Work on market design and
matching theory
Shapley, Lloyd S. U.S. Work on market design and
matching theory
Mo Yan China Novelist, short-story writer
Literature
Peace
Physics
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European Union
Haroche, Serge
(founded
1993)
France
Stellar role in restoring peace in
WW-2 ravaged Europe
Development of methods that enable
measuring and manipulation of
individual quantum systems
Wineland, David J. U.S. Development of methods that enable

measuring and manipulation of
individual quantum systems
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Physiology/ Gurdon, Sir John U.K. Discovery that mature cells can be
Medicine Bertrand reprogrammed to become pluripotent
Yamanaka, Shinya Japan Discovery that mature cells can be
reprogrammed to become pluripotent
Isreali Micro-Irrigation Innovator Wins World Food Prize

It was recognition of the importance of efficient water use in agricultural practices that
undergirded the announcement of this year’s winner of World Food Prize (WFP), Israeli
scientist Daniel Hillel. Dr. Hillel was given the prestigious award, established in 1987
by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Green Revolution champion Norman Borlaug,
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for pioneering a “radically innovative way of bringing water to crops in arid and dry-land
regions.” It was especially fitting that the WFP honoured an individual who understood the
critical role water played in agriculture and the importance of “using every last drop
efficiently”.
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10.4 General Awards and Honours
2012 Padma Vibhushan Awardees

Following 5 renowned personalities were given the 2nd highest civilian award of the republic
of India, Padma Vibhushan for the year 2012.
S.No. Name Work Area State
1. Sh. K.G. Subramanyan Art-Painting & Sculpture West Bengal
2. Late Sh. Mario De Miranda Art-Cartoonist Goa
3. Late (Dr.) Bhupen Hazarika Art-Vocal Music Assam
4. Dr. Kantilal Hastimal Sancheti Medicine-Orthopedics Maharashtra
5. Sh. T.V Rajeshwar Civil Service Delhi

Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmement & Developement Announced

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 2010 on
November 22, 2012 at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President of India, Pranab Mukherjee .
• 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 seminal contribution for India-Brazil
partnership.
• Lula is the most renowned Brazilian
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Year Recent Recipients: Indira Gandhi Prize For
President. In 2006, President A.P.J. Peace, Disarmament And Development
Abdu l K alam con fer red h im with
Jaw ah ar lal Ne h r u Aw ar d for
2009 Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh
International Understanding.
• The Government of India has also 2010 Lula de Silva of Brazil
named President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf of Liberia as the recipient
Ela Bhatt of India (Founder of SEWA)
Development.
D isa r mamen t
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of the 2012 Indira Gandhi Prize for
Peac e, an d
2011
2012 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia
Master Tips
The Indira Gandhi Prize or the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize or the Indira Gandhi
Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is the prestigious award accorded
annually by India to individuals or organizations in recognition of creative efforts toward
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promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order; ensuring
that scientific discoveries are used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope
of freedom. The prize carries a cash award of 25 lakh Indian rupees and a citation.
Indira Gandhi Award for Naional Integration Year Recent Recipients: Indira Gandhi
Renowned lyricist, poet and author Gulzar has been Award for National Integration
2009 Balraj Puri
awarded the 27th Indira Gandhi Award for National 2010 A.R. Rahman & Ramakrishna
Integration. He has received this honour in recognition Mission Ashram (jointly)
of his great contribution in promoting and preserving 2011 Mohan Dharia
spirit of national integration. 2012 Gulzar
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Master Tips
The Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration is a prestigious award accorded
by the Indian National Congress, after its former President and Prime Minister of India,
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Indira Gandhi. This Award is given annually starting from 1985 to distinguished persons/
institutions for promoting national integration and understanding and fellowship amongst
religious groups, communities, ethnic groups, cultures, languages and traditions of India
and the strengthening, through thought and action of the nation's sense of solidarity.
Mathura Refinery Bags 13th Annual Green Tech Environment Award

Indian Oil’s Mathura Refinery was awarded the Platinum Award in the 13th Annual Green
Tech Environment Awards.
Autar Kaw Wins US Professor of the Year Award 2012

Indian Born Academic, Autar Kaw, a mechanical engineering professor at University of
South Florida (USF) on Novermber 15, 2012 was declared winner of the prestigious 2012
US Professor of the Year award.
Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Integnational Understanding

Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany will be conferred with Jawaharlal Nehru Award
for International Understanding for the year 2009.
Master Tips
Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International
U nde r s ta nd ing is a n in t erna tio na l aw ard Year Recent Recipients: Jawaharlal Nehru
present ed by th e G overn men t o f Ind ia. I t w as Award for International
founded in 1965 and is administered by the Understanding .
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) 2006 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil
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to people "for their outstanding contribution to the 2007 Olafur Ragnar Grimsson of Iceland
promotion of international understanding, goodwill
2009 Angela Merkel of Germany
and friendship among people of the world". The
money constituent of this award is 1 crore rupees.
Law Day Award Winners

Chief Justice of Nepal Khil Raj Regmi and Justice V. S. Sirpurkar, Chairman of the
Competition Appellate Tribunal, are among the winners of the prestigious International
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Jurists Awards and National Law Day Awards.
The National Law Day Award-2012 was presented to J. Venkatesan. The other winners of
awards are Ashok Aggarwal, Advocate-General of Punjab (Civil Law), Gourab Banerji, Addl
Solicitor-General of India (Jurisprudence), Vijay Aggarwal (Criminal law), Anand Bhushan
Kanade, Senior Advocate (Constitutional law), Janak Raj Jai (Legal writing), Irshad Wali,
IPS (Law & order), C.D. Singh (Advocacy) and M. Antony Selvaraj (Legal aid).
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Aung San SUU KYI Chosen for Bhagwan Mahavir World Peace Award
Aung San Suu Kyi, who claimed victory in Myanmar’s historic by-election for parliamentary
seats, has been chosen for the first international Bhagwan Mahavir World Peace
Award. Suu Kyi has been chosen for her devotion to promote non-violence and peace for
the welfare of the people.
Kaiga Generating Station Chosen for Power Line Award

The Kaiga Generating Station (KGS) units 1 and 2 have been chosen for the Power Line
Award 2012 in the best performing nuclear power station category.
The Power Line Award is based on the past three years’ performance of Kaiga Generating
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Station units 1 and 2.

Master Tips
The Power Line Awards are given to power companies under various categories by Ministry
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of Power, based on judgment of a seven member jury consisting of distinguished and

accomplished power sector personalities and supported by research conducted by Power
Line magazine.
Aung San Suu Kyi Receives 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 September 19, 2012, before her
meeting with the US President Barack Obama.
Other Awards Received by Suu Kyi was Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1991. The government
of India awarded her with Jawharlal Nehru Awards for International Understanding in the
year 1992.

Dalai Lama Awarded Templeton Prize 2012

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, Spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism,
and 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been awarded Templeton Prize 2012.
• The Dalai Lama described India as the “ideal place” for religious co-existence, as he received
the prestigious 1.1 million Templeton Prize for his contribution to “affirming life’s spiritual
dimension.”
• He announced that he was giving away the prize money to charity, most of it to the ‘Save
the Children’ fund in India.
Master Tips
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The Templeton Prize is an annual award presented by the Templeton Foundation.
Established in 1972, it is awarded to a living person who, in the estimation of the judges,
"has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension, whether
through insight, discovery, or practical works". The prize is named after Sir John
Templeton (1912–2008), an American-born British entrepreneur and businessman, who
was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1987 for his philanthropic efforts.
The inaugural winner of the prize, in 1973, was Mother Teresa, six years before she
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received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. Binayak Sen & Bulu Imam Bestowed with Gandhi Peace Award 2011
The Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award 2011 was presented on 12the June,
2012 to Dr. Binayak Sen and Bulu Imam for their humanitarian work and their practice of
non-violence.
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Bharti Foundation and NGO Pratham Get WISE Awards
It was ‘India shining’ at the fourth World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)
organised by the Qatar Foundation in Doha, Qatar. Two prestigious prizes went to India.
• Madhav Chavan, co-founder and CEO of Pratham, was awarded the 2012 WISE Prize
for Education which is known as the ‘Nobel prize for Education’ on November 13, 2012
at the WISE Summit in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
• The award comprises U.S. $ 5,00,000 and a specially minted gold medal.
• Pratham is a non-governmental organisation providing basic literacy and numeracy for
underprivileged children in India which works in 17 States.
• Pratham’s projects address pre-school education, learning support to both in-
school and out-of-school children, computer literacy, vocational training and
special programmes for vulnerable and working children.
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Master Tips
Pratham: Pratham is the largest non-governmental organization in India. It works
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towards the provision of quality education to the underprivileged children in India.

It was established in Mumbai in 1994 to provide pre-school education to children in
slums, it now has activities in 21 states of India and has supporting chapters in the
United States, UK, Germany and UAE.
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is released by Pratham annually since
2005.
Bravery of a Different Kind

On September 27, 2009, 20-year-old Rukhsana Kousar of upper Kalsi, a Class X dropout,
had done ever since the insurgency broke out around her birth in 1989. With an axe, she
hacked to death a Lashkar-e- Taiba terrorist Abu Usama, forcing two other armed intruders
to flee from her home. She became the first National Bravery Award recipient from
Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Named for Pushkin Award

K. Govindan Nair, former Head of the Department of Russian, University of Kerala, has
won the Pushkin Award of the Russian Federation.
• The Pushkin Award is given by the Russian Federation to citizens of India for overall
contribution in popularisation of Russian culture, language, and literature.
• He is the first Keralite to get a PhD in Russian Literature and the first Indian teacher in
the Department of Russian of the Kerala University.
TERI’s Pachauri Gets Mexican Humanitarian Award
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The director general of India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), R.K
Pachauri, has been conferred the Mexican order of the Aztec Eagle by Mexico’s
President Felipe Calderon on the margins of the G-20 Summit in June 2012 in Los Cabos
(Mexico)
• The award is the highest decoration awarded by Mexico to foreigners for their contributions
to humankind.
An official communique said Pachauri, who is also President of the United Nations
•
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), helped Mexico ensure the link
between economic growth and sustainable development.
Sachin Tendulkar Honoured with the Membership of the ‘Order of Australia’

This membership is rarely given to non-Australians personnel and Tendulkar is only the
second Indian to be given this honour after former Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee.
Sorabjee was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for his contribution to India-
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Australia bilateral legal relations.
Magsaysay Award 2011 for Two Indians

Nileema Mishra, who works with the poorest in Maharashtra, and Harish Hande, who
revolutionized the use of solar lights, are among six persons chosen for the Ramon Magsaysay
Award for 2011.
Magsawysay Award 2012 for Tamil Nadu Activist

Kulandei Francis, 65, whose pioneering community initiatives in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu,
empowered thousands of rural women to from micro enterprises and break out of poverty, is
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among six winners of the Magsaysay Award 2012.
Apna Khata: Online Load Records Project Bags International Award

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Apna Khata (our account), a land record computerization project launched in Rajasthan
has bagged an international award in recognition of its significant contribution to rural
development. The project was developed by the State office of the National Informatics
Centre.
NIC-Rajasthan team members received the “public choice award” at the E-world Forum-
2012 organised in New Delhi.
Banga Bibhushan Award Conferred on Suchitra Sen

Eminent actor Suchitra Sen was honoured with East Bengal’s highest award Banga
Bibhusan. Instituted last year to honour eminent people from different walks of life, Banga
BIbhusan includes a citation and a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh.
Suchitra Sen had ruled the silver screen till the 1970s by acting in Hindi and Bengali films
like Saat Paake Bandha, Saptapadi and Bimal Roy’s Devdas.
Some Other Important Awards List
Name of Award R ecent Recipients
Nat ional Communal Harmony Award 201 1 by the Shri Khamliana from Mizoram a nd Shri M d. Abd ul
M inistry of Home Affairs Bar i of Odisha
SHR AM RAT NA AWARD, 20 08 (the country's highes t Na garaja, Senior Technic al Assistant of the Bhar at
award given by the M inistry of La bour and Employment.) Electronics Lim ited (BEL)
200 9 M ohamm ed Abd ul Rahman Sa hib A wa rd (for the N. Ram
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Best M ed ia P er sona lity, ins tituted by the Qa tar-based
Thr issur Jilla Souhrida Vedi)
Ind ira Gandhi P aryavaran P ura skar (instituted by the 2008-Sad guru Jaggi Vasudev (of IS HA
M inistry of Environm ent and F ores ts in 19 87 for F OUNDATION) :P roject Greenhands” 200 9- Neyveli
individuals and orga nisation) L ignite C orpor ation L imited, Neyveli, Tam il N adu
and Ca re Earth, Chennai, T amil Na du along with
two individuals-V ijay Ja rdhari and Prof. C.R. Babu
David Perlman Award for

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Lokmanya Tila k A wa rd for excellence in journa lism
Excellence in Science
H .K. Dua (201 1)
Shra van Garg (201 2)
P allav Bagla( first Ind ian to ge t in 2010)

Journalism ( given annually b y the American Geophysical
Union (AGU))
Pr id e Of India Award , 20 09 Sir M ot a Singh (UK’s first S ikh and Asian Jud ge)
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SAST RA R amanujan Prize 2011-Roman H olowinsky (Ohio Stat e University)

2012-Zhiwei Yun (St anfor d Univers ity)
Orange Prize 2 011 T ea Obreht for “The Tiger’s Wife”
Rab indranath Tagore P eace P rize b y the Indian Institute Anna Haz are(2011 ), Irom Sharmila(2012)
of Planning and M anagement (IIP M)
Lal Ba ha dur Shast ri Award for Excellence in P ublic P rof Ya sh Pal(20 11), Smt. Tess y Thomas(2 012)
Adm inistration, Academics and Management (given by
GOI)
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Legendary Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away
Persons &
Places in News
PERSONS IN NEWS
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PLACES IN NEWS
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World Bank President Jim Yong Kim Chinese Space Woman Liu Yang

aaaaaaa
11.1 A. General
Two Members of First Parliament Honoured

Rishang Keishing and Resham Lal Jangde are the only surviving members of the Lok
Sabha that sat from 1952-57. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha held a special sitting to mark the
60th anniversary of the first session of Parliament, in which two surviving members of
the First Parliament were honoured.
Miss World 2012

China’s Wen Xia Yu was crowned Miss World 2012 title
on Ordos (China). This is the second time China has
bagged Miss World title. Miss World 2011 Ivian Sarcos
handed over Miss World Crown to Wen Xia. The 23-year- Wen Xia Yu
old Miss World Wen is a music teacher.
MIss Universe 2012

Olivia Culpo from USA was crowned 61st Miss Universe
pageant held on December 19, 2012, at the Planet
Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada,
United States.
Czech Beauty is New Miss Earth 2012 Olivia Culpo

Tereza Fajksova of the Czech Republic won the Miss Earth 2012 crown, followed by Stephany
Stefanowitz (Miss Earth Air) of the Philippines and Venezuela’s Osmariel Villalobo (Miss Earth
Water) in second and third places, respectively, at the beauty pageant held in Philippines in
November 2012. Camila Brant of Brazil came in fourth for the title of Miss Earth Fire.
Stunning Spectacle at Olympic Stadium Designed by Indian

There was a touch of Indian flavor at the Olympic stadium in East London as a $22.7 million
towering steel structure, designed by Mumbai-born artist Anish Kapoor and partly funded
by Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, was unveiled amid comparisons with the Eiffel
Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
 The 35-storey Arcelor Mittal Orbit, a tangled web of spiraling red steel in the form of five
Olympic rings and located at the heart of the Olympic Park, provides a panoramic view of
London’s increasingly cluttered skyline.
 Billed as an “Iconic cultural legacy” of the London Games, it is Britain’s tallest structure at 115
metres – and taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Liberia’s TAYLOR gets 50 years in jail for war crimes

A U.N.-backed war crimes court sentenced the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, to 50
years in jail for arming rebels in Sierra Leone in return for “blood diamonds.” Mr. Taylor, 64,
was convicted of all 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for aiding and abetting
Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front during the country’s brutal 1991-2001 civil war.
Liu Yang: 1st Chinese woman into space

33-year-old mother of one Liu Yang alongwith 2 other
astronauts on board Shenzhou-9 spacecraft was
launched from Jinguan Satellite Launch Centre of
the Gobi desert in western China, to perform the
first manned docking mission and lay the ground work
for plans to build a space station. Liu Yang
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Capt. Nivedita Bhasin

Senior Air India Pilot Capt. Nivedita Bhasin has become the first woman to command the new
Boeing 787 Dreamliner which landed in New Delhi on September 19, 2012.
President Lugo Impeached

Paraguay’s Senate removed President Fernando Lugo from office in a rapid impeachment
trial. Vice-President Federico Franco was promptly sworn in as President.
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Sunita begins her second space odyssey
Indian-American record-setting astronaut Sunita Williams, along with her two colleagues, took
off for her second space odyssey on a Russian Soyuz rocket, which blasted off successfully from
a cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Microbiologist Khaleel Chisti can go home

Microbiologist Khaleel Chisti, involved in a 1992 case of murder in Ajmer, was freed by the
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Supreme Court and allowed to go back to Pakistan. A Bench of Justices P. Sathasivam and
Ranjan Gogoi, however, convicted him under Section 324 of the IPC (causing simple injuries).
For this offence, the sentence of one year and four months, already served by Dr. Chisti, sufficed.
Shanti Gandhi
Great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi was elected to a State Assembly in the United States
during the general elections held on November 6, 2012. Shanti Gandhi (72), contesting as
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Republican Party candidate, defeated his Democratic candidate Mr.Ensley.
Bhanu Athaiya returns Oscar fearing theft

Renowned Bollywood costume designer Bhanu Athaiya has returned her Oscar statuette,
the first to be won by an Indian, to its original owner, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts
and Sciences, Los Angeles, for safekeeping fearing it could meet the same fate as Rabindranath
Tagore’s Nobel medal which was stolen. The statuettes were couriered in a special container
and have been received by the Academy.
11.1 B. Obituary
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NKP Salve
Farmer Union Minister and former BCCI President NKP Salve died on April 1, 2012 in Delhi.
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He was 90. Born in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, Salve was associated with cricket
administration for several years and had brought the cricket World Cup to the Indian sub-
continent in 1987. The first time it was organised outside England. The Challenger Trophy was
named after him.
Capt. Lakshmi Sehgal Passes Away

Legendary freedom fighter Captain Lakshmi Sehgal, who was part of Netaji Subhash Chandra
Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) died on July 23, 2012.
When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose arrived in Singapore on July 2, 1943, she joined the INA
and was made head of Rani Jhansi regiment, a one of its kind women army unit.She was awarded
Padma Vibhushan in 1998.

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Noted Rajasthani-Hindi Lyricist-Poet Passes Away

Eminent poet and lyricist Gajanan Verma passed away in his native town Ratangarh in Churu
district of Rajasthan. Mr. Verma was also one of the founder members of the Indian People’s
Theatre Association (IPTA) in Rajasthan.
A.K. Hangal
Padma Bhushan awardee and popular character actor A.K. Hangal who played on screen fathers
and uncles to leading Bollywood actors for more than decades, passed away at a Mumbai hospital
on August 25, 2012. He was 95. The Rahim Chacha of Sholay worked in all genres of films,
ER
worked with debutants as well as superstars, and yet managed to make an impact on each of
them.
Yash Chopra: the King of Romance Passes Away

Veteran Hindi filmmaker and ‘King of Romance’ Yash Chopra passed away at a hospital in
Mumbai on October 21, 2012. He was 80. Chopra was known for land-mark Bollywood films
such as ‘Trishul’, ‘Deewar’, ‘Silsila’, ‘Chandni’, and ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hail’ etc.
Jaspal Bhatti Dies in Road Accident

ST
Popular Satirist and Filmmaker Jaspal Bhatti, the man behind hit comedy shows like Ulta
Pulta and Flop Show was last breathed in a road accident on October 25, 2012. He bacame
popular in his college days for his street plays.
Sunil Gangopadhyay
MA
Noted litterateur and Sahitya Akademi President Sunil Gangopadhyay passed away in Kolkata
on October 23,2012.
Author of over 200 books, Mr. Gangopadhyay declared that poetry was his first love’. He was
the founder editor of Kritibus, a seminal poetry magazine that started publishing in 1953 and
became a platform for a new generation of poets experimenting with new forms.
Abid Hussain Dead

Abid Hussain, passed away after a massive heart attack. He was 85 years old. Dr. Hussain was
one of the key persons who set the ball rolling for India’s economic liberalization. He chaired six
committees of which the ones on trade and small scale industries are still important
reference markers.
S
Ghazal Maestro Mehdi Hassan Passes Away

India- born Ghazal legend Mehdi Hassan, died on June 13, 2012 following multiple organ
IE
failure at the age of 84. Hassan was born into a family of traditional musicians at Luna
Village in India’s Rajasthan state in 1927. His family migrated to Pakistan at the time
of partition in 1947.
I.K. Gujral
Former Prime Minister of India Indra Kumar Gujral passed away in Dec. 2012. He was the
architect of Indian Foreign Policy vis-a-vis our neighboring countries (“called as Gujral
Doctrine”).
Dara Singh
Champion wrestler-turned-actor-politician Dara Singh passed away on July 12, 2012. He was
83.

Rajesh Khanna
Veteran actor Rajesh Khanna passed away on July 18 after prolonged illness. His very name
spelt magic in the 1970s. Kaka, as he was popularly known, was one of the highest paid actors
of his time. His record of consecutive solo super hits are still unbroken.
First US Female Astronaut Dies

Sally Ride, the first US woman to go the space died on July 23, 2012 after a 17-month battle
against cancer. She was 61. Ride joined NASA in 1978 and in 1983 she became the first American
woman in space as a crew member on space Shuttle Challenger for STS-7.
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At 32 years old, she was also the youngest American space traveler at the time.
Neil Armstrong
Legendery American astronaut, who took “One giant step for mankind” as the first human to
set foot on the moon in 1969 during the cold war space died on August 25, 2012. He was 82.
A quiet, private man at heart and an engineer and crack test pilot, Armstrong made history on
July 20, 1969, as the commander of the Apollo II spacecraft.
ST
It had taken Apollo II craft, carrying Armstrong and fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael
Collins, four days to complete the nearly 4,000,00 km journey.
Maurice Sendak
Maurice Sendak, the celebrated author of “Where the Wild Things Are”, widely considered
the most important children’s book artist of the 20th Century died on May 8, 2012 in Connecticut,
USA.
MA
11.1 C. Appointment
Jim Yong Kim

Jim Yong Kim, the Korean- American physician has been selected a new
President of the World Bank.
R.K. Sinha takes over as AEC chairman Jim Yong Kim

Ratan Kumar Sinha, Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay, took
over as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of
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Atomic Energy (DAE), from Srikumar Banerjee, who retired after 45 years of distinguished service.
V.S. Sampath: Chief Election Commisioner of India

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The senior most election commissioner of India V.S Sampath has been appointed the new
Chief Election Commissioner of India.
Antonis Samaras
Pro-bail out conservative New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras was sworn in on
June 20, 2012 as Prime Minster of debt-crippled Greece. He pledged to work hard to give
people tangible hope.
Justice Altamas Kabir : New CJI

Justice Altamas Kabir, a senior judge of the Supreme Court has been appointed the new
Chief Justice of India. He has taken over from the incumbent CJI S.H Kapadia who retired on
Sept. 29, 2012.
Ajay Chadha named ITBP chief

Ajay Chadha, special secretary (Internal Security) in the home ministry, has been appointed
chief of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
Subhash Joshi new BSF chief

Subhash Joshi has been appointed as the new chief of Border Security Force (BSF).
Zuma Re-elected ANC Leader

Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, has been re-elected as the leader of the ruling African
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National Congress (ANC) Party.
Park Elected South Korean President

South Korea elected its first woman President, handing a slim but historic victory to
conservative ruling party candidate Park Geun-hye, daughter of the former military ruler.
S.K. Jain Elected Chairman of International Nuclear Body
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Shreyans Kumar Jain, former chairman and managing director, Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Limited (NPCIL) and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), has been
unanimously elected to the post of Chairman of the Governing Board of the World Association
of Nuclear Operators - Tokyo Centre (WANO-TC), Japan.
Master Tips
MA
WANO, World Association of Nuclear Operators, is an international nuclear organization of
utilities/operators committed to work for enhancement of safety and reliability to next higher
level. All the utilities which operate nuclear power plants are members of WANO.
New chief of Indian Intelligence Agencies

CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) Ranjit Sinha
RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) Alok Joshi
IB (Intelligence Bureau) Syed Asif Ibrahim

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Rahul Khullar appointed TRAI Chief

Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar, 59, has been appointed Chairamn of the Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India (TRAI) for three years. He will succeed J.S. Sarma.
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Justice Swatanter Kumar to be appointed as first NGT chief

Justice Swatanter Kumar, a judge of the Supreme Court, is all set to become the new chairperson
of the National Green Tribunal.
Vahanvati Re-appointed Attorney-General

The then President Pratibha Patil re-appointed Goolam E. Vahanvati Attorney-General for 2
more years with effect from June 8. Mr. Vahanvati, 63, was appointed to the post in 2009 for
three years, and his term ends in the forenoon of June 8.
Nancy Powell
Nancy Powell has been appointed new US ambassador to India.
Justice Bhandari elected to ICJ

India’s nominee Justice Dalveer Bhandari of the Supereme Courth was elected to the post of
Judge of the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the elections held in
New York, United States. He defeated the 84-year-old Justice Florentino Feliciano of the
Philippines in the elections held to fill the casual vacancy following the resignation of Awn
Shawkat Al-Khasawneh from Jordan in October 2011.
Aishwarya Rai Appointed as International Goodwill Ambassador

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has appointed Bollywood actress
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as its International Goodwill Ambassador. Her job will be to raise
global awareness on protecting children from HIV infection and to increase access to
antiretroviral treatment.
Tony Hall is BCC Chief

Tony Hall, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, was appointed as BBC’s Director-General
succeeding George Entwistle who was forced to quit due to controversy of sexual abuse.
ST
India-Born Suma Chakrabarti to Head European Development Bank
India-born Suma Chakrabarti will succeed Germany’s Thomas Mirow as the President of the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Mr. Chakrabarti, a permanent
Secretary in the U.K. Ministry of Justice, has won the race for the leadership of the bank by
prevailing over four other candidates.
MA
First African to Head ICC Team

Gambian lawyer Fatou Bensouda was sworn in as the International Criminal Court’s chief
prosecutor, pledging she was ready to lead the fight against the world’s worst war criminals. The 51-
year-old Bensouda is the first woman and the first African to head the team of prosecutors at the
Tribunal, which is investigating 15 cases in seven countries, all of them African.
Indian-American as Federal Judge

Chandigarh-born Indian-American legal luminary Srikanth ‘Sri’ Srinivasan has been
nominated by United States President Barack Obama, to the U.S. court of Appeals for the
American capital – the nations “second-highest court”.
S
Master Tips
Shivakumar is Satellite Centre Chief ISAC is an ISRO's centre for
Scientist and associate director of ISRO Satellite conceptualization, design, fabrication,
Centre (ISAC) S. K. Shivakumar took over testin g, integrat ion and in-orb it
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as its director. He succeeds T.K. Alex. commissioning of satellite systems involving

various cutting edge technologies.
Mauritius Appoints new President

Rajkeswur Purryag was named Mauritius’ new president, cementing the Labour Party’s
control of the island’s top posts and replacing his predecessor who quit the ceremonial position
to challenge the ruling coalition.
First Woman to head AU Commission

In a historic vote, a woman was elected to head the African Union (AU) Commission. South
Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma won a tightly fought vote to become the new A.U.
Commission head. Ms. Dlamini-Zuma (63) is a veteran of the fight against apartheid. A doctor
by training, she has also served as Health and Foreign Minister.
Marissa Mayer
Yahoo Inc has picked Google Inc’s Marissa Mayer to become its new CEO, turning to an engineer
with established Silicon Valley credentials to turn around the struggling former internet power
house. Mayer, Google’s 20th employee and first female engineer, had led a number of its business,
and was credited for envisioning the clean, simple Google search interface still in use today, a
major selling point for Web surfers.
Hamid Ansari
Hamid Ansari was elected for a second term as the Vice-President of India.
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Brazil’s Graziano Elected FAO Chief
Jose Graziano da Silva of Brazil has been elected Director-General of the Rome-based
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the U.N. agency tasked with reducing world
hunger at a time of record high food prices.
Morsi Elected as Egypt President
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Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has claimed victory for its presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi
who had been pitted against Ahmad Shafiq in a bitterly contested run off that took place in the
midst of an assertion of political power by a military group, marked by the dissolution of an
elected lower House of Parliament and an attack on civil liberties.
Naveen Raheja Heads Real Estate Council

Raheja Developers Limited chairman and managing director Naveen Raheja has been appointed
president of National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO), a regulatory body
MA
under Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation.
Mongolia Gets New PM

Norov Altanhuyag of the Democratic Party (DP) was confirmed as Mongolia’s new prime
minister, ending weeks of political uncertainty after the party failed to win enough seats in a
June election to form a government on its own.
Libyan Assembly Votes Mohammed Magarief as President

Libya’s national assembly picked former opposition leader Mohammed Magarief as its president
as the North African country’s newly elected congress began its rule.
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Algeria’s Brahimi
Veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has agreed to replace Kofi Annan as the
international mediator on Syria, as the conflict slips deeper into full-scale civil war.
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Som Mittal to Continue as NASSCOM President

Som Mittal will remain as the Nasscom President until early 2013.
Master Tips
NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies), estab-
lished in 1988, a non-profit organization is a global trade body with over 1200 mem-
bers, of which over 250 are global companies from the US, UK, EU, Japan and China
and repr esents Ind ian Information Tec hnology (IT) an d Bus iness Proc ess
Outsourcing (BPO) industry. Natarajan Chandrasekaran is current chairman of
NASSCOM.

Raghuram G.Rajan
Raghuram G.Rajan, former IMF chief economist has been appointed as the Chief Economic
Adviser (CEA) in the finance ministry of India.
Prince Salman is Saudi Arabian Crown Prince

Saudi Arabia’s ruling family named Defence Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul-Aziz as the
new crown prince. Prince Salman served for more than four decades in the influential post of
governor of Riyadh and is the patriarch of family businesses that include stakes in the
pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat.
ER
11.2 PLACES IN NEWS
The Daocheng Yading Airport

The world’s highest altitude civilian airport in China started operations recently after a successful
landing test. The Daocheng Yading airport, built at an altitude of 4,411 metres above the
ST
sea level in Sichuan province, is just 130 km from the scenic Yading natural reserve. The
Bangda airport in Tibet, located 4,334 metre above sea level, previously held the record as the
world’s highest altitude airport.
Tongariro Volcano
The Tongariro Volcano in Mount Tongariro at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
MA
erupted on November 2012
Rampura Bhatiyan
Rampura Bhatiyan village near Jodhpur came into news when Commerce and Industry
Minster Anand Sharma and Rajasthan Chief Minster Ashok Gehlot in April 2012 dedicated the
first spice park in this village, built at a cost Rs. 27 crore, to the nation. The spice park,
which is the second such park in the country, has been constructed in Rampura Bhatiyan
village in Mathania near Jodhpur.
Magama Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port

The Magama Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port in Hambantota built with Chinese
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assistance was opened on November 18, 2010. The inauguration function was graced by Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Phase One of the new Hambantota port was constructed
by the China.
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12
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aaa
Books Authors
• A Soldier’s General : An autobiography – Gen. (Retd.) J.J. Singh former
Army Chief of India.
• Between Clay and Dust – Musharraf Ali Farooqi
• Beyond the Lines : An Autobiography – Kuldip Nayar
(Kuldip Nayar’s ‘Beyond the Lines’ is an activist newsman’s autobiography showcased as an ‘inside view’ of India since 1947.)
• Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury

• The Dream of the Celt – Mario Vargas Llosa
• When China Rules the World – Martin Jacques
• Coastal Security : Maritime Dimensions of India’s Homeland Security
– K.R. Singh
• Liberalization, Hindu Nationalism And the State : A Biography of Gujrarat.
– Nikita Sud
• Pax Indica : India and the world of the 21st Century – Shashi Tharoor
• The Meadow – Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-
Clark
• The Presidents Club – Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy
• Leading from Behind : The Reluctant President and the Advisors to Decide for Him
– Richard Miniter
• Tigers in Red Weather – Liza Klaussmann
• Maharani – Ruskin Bond
• The Real Action : Green Growth Development Story of Himachal Pradesh
– Prem Kumar Dhumal, Former
Chief Minister of HP
• India’s Foreign Policy : Coping with the changing World
– Muchkund Dubey
• The Casual Vacancy – J.K. Rowling
• The Free Thinker’s Prayer Book – Khuswant Singh
• India Grows at Night:A Liberal Case for Strong State–Gurucharan Das
• India Becoming – Akash Kapur Penguin Viking
(Akash Kapur uses an immersive approach drawn from anthropology to present an astute picture of a changing India.)
• Bring up the Bodies – Hilary Mantel (2012 Man

Booker Prize)
• The sense of an Ending – Julian Barnes (2011 Man
Booker Prize)
• Taj Mahal Foxtrot : The story of Bombay’s Jazz Age
– Naresh Fernandes (2012
Shakti Bhatt 1st Book Prize)
166 Books and Authors Study Material
• The Wandering Falcon – Jamil Ahmad (2011 Shakti

Bhatt 1st Book Prize)
• Aam Ke Patte – Ramdarash Mishra (Vyas
Samman 2011)
• The song of Achilles – Madeline Miller (Ora nge
Prize 2012)
• The Tiger’s Wife – Tea Obreht (Orange Prize
2011)
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• River of Smoke – Amitav Ghosh
• Narcopolis – Jeet Tha yil (DSC So uth
Asian Literature Prize 2013)
(Indian writer Jeet Thayil’s first novel Narcopolis, described as a compelling tale of Mumbai’s hazy world of
opium addiction has made it to the six-author shortlist for the Man Booker Prize 2012.)
• Walls of Delhi – Uday Prakash

•
• A journey
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A Centenary History of the Indian National Congress
–
– Pranab Mukherjee
Tony Blair
• A tale of two revolts (India 1857 and the American Civil War)
– Rajmohan Gandhi
• A World Without Islam – Gram Fuller
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• Amazon.com : Revolution 2020 : Love. Corruption. Ambition – Chetan Bhagat

• An Inspirational Journey – Pratibha Devisingh Patil
• AR Rahman : The spirit of music – Nasreen Munni Kabir
• CBI and 2G – Joginder Singh
• Competing for the Furture – C.K. Prahalad, Gary Hamel
• Controversially Yours – Shoaib Akhtar
• Convenient Action : Gujrat’s Response to Challenges of Climate Change
– Narendra Modi
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• Conversations with Myself – Nelson Mandela

• Counselling Suicidal Clients – Andrew Reeves
Decision Point – George Bush
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•
• Eclipse : Living in the Shadow of China’s Economic Dominance
– Arvind Subramanian
• Federalism and Fiscal Transfers in India – C. Rangarajan and D.K.
Srivastava
• From Green to Evergreen Revolution – M.S. Swaminathan
• From Unipolar to Tripolar World – Arvind Virmani
• Great Soul : Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India
– Joseph Lelyveld
• Growth and Finance – Dr. C. Rangarajan

Study Material 167
• India for a Billion Reasons – Amit Dasgupta

• Indomitable Spirit – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
• Kashmir and Beyond 1966-84 – Karan Singh
• Keeping The Faith : Memoirs of a Parliamentarian – Somnath Chatterjee
• Makers of Modern India – Ram Chandra Guha
• Matters of Discretion – I.K. Gujral
• Milestone – Gen. Deepak Kapoor
Mumbai Seas – P.C. Dogra
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•
• No Higher Honor – Condoleezza Rice
• Non-Stop India – Mark Tully
• Of a Certain Age : Twenty Life Sketches – Gopalkrishna Gandhi
• Old Delhi Living Traditions – S.Y. Quraishi
• On Top of the World : My Everest Adventure – Arjun Vajpayee
•
•
•
Open (An Autobiography)
Pakistan a Personal History
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Reintegrating India with the world economy
–
–
–
Andre Agassi
Imran Khan
T.N. Srinivasan, Suresh D.
Tendulkar
• Restoring Values – E. Sreedharan
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• Standing My Ground – Mathew Hayden
• Sachin - Genius Unplugged – Suresh Menon
• Science and Sustainable Food Security – M.S. Swaminathan
• Sticky wicket – Malcolm Speed
• The Emperor of all Maladles – Sinddhartha Mukherjee
(Book on Cancer, 2011
Pulitzer Prize)
• The Grand Design – Stephen Hawking
• The Mad tibetan – Deepti Naval
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• The Masque of Africa – V.S. Naipaul

• The Sunset Club – Khushwant Singh
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• The Winning Way – Harsha Bhogle

• Turbaned Tornado – Khushwant Singh
• Understanding reforms : post 1991 India – Suresh D. Tendulkar
• Wake Up Call for Indian Republic – Justice V.R. Krishna
• When Loss is Gain – Pavan K. Varma
• Where China Meets India : Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia
– Thant Myint-U
• Wide Angle – Anil Kumble
• Women’s Cricket World – Anjum Chopra, Sunil Yash
Kalra

GENERAL STUDIES
For
UPSC Engineering Services Examination, GATE,
State Engineering Services Examination & Public Sector Examination.
(BHEL, NTPC, NHPC, DRDO, SAIL, HAL, BSNL, BPCL, NPCL, etc.)
CURRENT AFFAIRS - 2
(FROM JAN 2013 TO MARCH 2013)
I.E.S MASTER
IES/GATE/PSUs
Phone: 011-41013406, 7838813406, 9711853908
IES Master
Phone: 011-41013406, 7838813406, 9711853908
© No part of this booklet may be reproduced, or distributed in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise or stored in a database
or retrieval system without the prior permission of IES MASTER, New Delhi.
Violaters are liable to be legally prosecuted.
Table of Contents
Chapters Page No.
1. Master Highlights ....................................................... 001 to 010
2. National Updates ......................................................... 011 to 030
3. International & Bilateral Updates ............................. 031 to 046
4. Environment & Ecology Updates ................................ 047 to 054
5. Science & Technology Updates .................................... 055 to 066
6. Defence Updates ........................................................... 067 to 076
7. Committee, Commission & Reports ........................... 077 to 082
8. Conferences & Summits ............................................... 083 to 086
9. Games & Sports Updates ............................................. 087 to 096
10. Awards & Recognition ................................................. 097 to 108
11. Persons in News ........................................................... 109 to 116
12. Books & Authors ........................................................... 117 to 119

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1
Master Highlights
1.1 Union Budget-2013 3
1.2 Rail Budget-2013 7
1.3 Economic Survey-2012-13 9
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Master Highlights-1
UNION BUDGET-2013: At a Glance
Subsidies
 2013/14 major subsidies bill estimated at Rs
2.48 trln from Rs 1.82 trillion
 Petroleum subsidy seen at Rs 65000 crore in
2013/14
 Revised petroleum subsidy for 2012/13 at Rs
96,880 crore
 Estimated 900 bln rupees spending on food
subsidies in 2013/14
 Revised food subsidies at 850 bln rupees in
2012/13
 Revised 2012/13 fertiliser subsidy at 659.7 bln
rupees
Tax
 Propose surcharge of 10 pct on rich taxpayers
with annual income of more than 10 mln
rupees a year
 To increase surcharge to 10 pct on domestic
companies with annual income of more than
100 mln rupees
 For foreign companies, who pay the higher rate
of corporate tax, the surcharge will increase
from 2 pct to 5 pct
 To continue 15 pct tax concession on dividend
received by India companies from foreign units
for one more year
Amid high expectations of reversing the sharp  To impose withholding tax of 20 pct on profit
slowdown in the country's economic growth, distribution to shareholders
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram  Amnesty on service tax non-compliance from
presented India's 82nd budget in the Lok 2007
Sabha on 28th feb 2013.  10 bln rupees for first instalment of balance of
GST (Goods and Services Tax) payment
The Key Highlights are as follows:  Propose to reduce securities transaction tax on
equity futures to 0.01 pct from 0.017 pct
Fiscal Deficit  To introduce commodities transaction tax
 Fiscal deficit seen at 5.2% of GDP in 2012/13 (CTT)
 Fiscal deficit seen at 4.8 pct of GDP in  CTT on non-agriculture futures contracts at
2013/14 0.01 pct
Borrowing
 Gross market borrowing seen at Rs 6.29 Growth
trillion in 2013/14
 India faces challenge of getting back to its
 Net market borrowing seen at Rs 4.84 trillion
potential growth rate of 8 pct
in 2013/14
 India must unhesitatingly embrace growth as
 Short-term borrowing seen at Rs 198.44 trillion
highest goal
in 2013/14
 To buy back Rs 50000 crore worth of bonds in Revenue
2013/14
Spending  Expect 133 bln rupees through direct tax
 Total budget expenditure seen at Rs 16.65 proposals in 2013/14
trillion in 2013/14  Expect 47 bln rupees through indirect tax
 Non-plan expenditure estimated at about Rs proposals in 2013/14
11.1 trillion in 2013/14  Target 558.14 bln rupees from stake sales in
 India's 2013/14 plan expenditure seen at Rs state-run firms in 2013/14
5.55 trillion  Expect revenue of 408.5 bln rupees from
 Revised estimate for total expenditure is Rs airwave surcharges, auction of telecom
14.3 trillion in 2012/13, which is 96 pct of spectrum, licence fees in 2013/14
budget estimate
3
 Rs 4,727 crore for medical education, training
Current Account Deficit and research.
 India's greater worry is current account deficit  Rs 150 crore provided for National Programme
 Will need more than $75 bln this year and next for the Health Care of Elderly.
year to fund current account deficit  Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy
Inflation are being mainstreamed. Allocation of Rs 1,069
 Food inflation worrying, will take all steps to crore to Department of AYUSH.
augment supply side  Rs 1,650 crore allocated for six AIIMS-like
Corporate Sector and Markets institutions.
 To issue inflation-indexed bonds  Allocation of Rs 65,867 crore to the Ministry of
 Propose capital allowance of 15 pct to Human Resource Development, an
companies on investments of more than 1 bln increase of 17 perent over the RE of the
rupees current year.
 Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) can use  Rs 27,258 crore provided for Sarva Shiksha
investments in corporate, government bonds as Abhiyaan (SSA).
collateral to meet margin requirements  An increase of 25.6 per cent over RE of the
 Insurance, provident funds can trade directly current year for investments in Rashtriya
in debt segments of stock exchanges Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
 FIIs can hedge forex exposure through  Rs 5,284 crore allocated to
exchange-traded derivatives Ministries/Departments in 2013-14 for
 Investor with less than 10 pct stake in a scholarships to students belonging to SC, ST,
company will be regarded as FII, more than 10 OBC, Minorities and girl children.
pct stake as FDI (foreign direct investor)  Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDM) to be
 Stock exchange regulator will simplify know- provided Rs 13,215 crore.
your-customer norms for foreign portfolio  Government committed to the creation of
investors Nalanda University as a centre of educational
 To implement quickly recommendations of excellence.
financial sector legislative reforms commission Road Construction
 To cut factory gate duty on trucks to 13 pct  A regulatory authority for road sector.
from 14 pct  3000 kms of road projects in Gujarat, Madhya
Power and Energy Sector Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar
 Zero customs duty for electrical plants and Pradesh will be awarded in the first six months
machinery of 2013-14.
 Move to revenue-sharing from profit- Industrial Corridors
sharing policy in oil and gas sector  Plans for seven new cities have been finalised
 To equalise duties on steam and bituminous and work on two new smart industrial cities at
coal to 2 pct customs duty and 2 pct cvd Dholera, Gujarat and Shendra Bidkin,
(countervailing duty) Maharashtra will start during 2013-14
Foreign Trade  Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) to
 To cut duty on exports of precious and semi- be provided additional funds during 2013-14
precious stones to 2 pct from 10 pct within the share of the Government of India in
Banking the overall outlay, if required.
 To provide Rs 14,000 crore capital infusion in  Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor to
state-run banks in 2013/14 be developed.
Defence  Preparatory work has started for Bengaluru
 To allocate Rs 2.03 trillion to defence in Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
2013/14 Oil and Gas
Agriculture & Rural Development  A policy to encourage exploration and
 Rs 80,194 crore to rural development in production of shale gas will be announced.
2013/14  The 5 MMTPA LNG terminal in Dabhol,
 Rs 27,049 crore for agriculture in 2013/14 Maharashtra will be fully operational in 2013-
Health and Education 14.
 Health for all and education to all remains Coal
priority.  In the medium to long term need to reduce our
 Rs 37,330 crore allocated to the Ministry of dependence on imported coal. One way forward
Health & Family Welfare. is to devise a PPP policy framework with Coal
 New National Health Mission will get an India Limited as one of the partners.
allocation of Rs 21,239 crore. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
4
 Benefits or preferences enjoyed by MSME to sanitation workers, rag pickers and mine
continue up to three years after they grow out workers.
of this category.  A comprehensive social security package to be
 Refinancing capacity of SIDBI raised to Rs evolved for unorganised sector by facilitating
10,000 crore. convergence among different schemes.
 Another sum of Rs 100 crore provided to India Capital Market
Microfinance Equity Fund.  Proposal to amend the SEBI Act, to strengthen
 A corpus of Rs 500 crore to SIDBI to set up a the regulator, under consideration.
Credit Guarantee Fund for factoring.  Number of proposal finalised in consultation
 A sum of Rs 2,200 crore during the 12th Plan with SEBI.
period to set up 15 additional Tool  Designatged depository participants,
 Rooms and Technology Development authorised by SEBI, may register different
Centres with World Bank assistance. classes of portfolio investors, subject to
 Ministry of Corporate Affairs to notify that compliance with KYC guidelines.
funds provided to technology incubators located  SEBI will simplify the procedures and
within academic Institutions and approved by prescribe uniform registration and other norms
the Ministry of Science and Technology or for entry for foreign portfolio investors.
Ministry of MSME will qualify as CSR  Rule that, where an investor has a stake of 10
expenditure. per cent or less in a company, it will be treated
Textiles as FII and, where an investor has a stake of
 Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme more than 10 per cent, it will be treated as FDI
(TUFS) to continue in 12th Plan with an will be laid.
investment target of Rs 1,51,000 crore.  FIIs will be permitted to participate in the
 Allocation of Rs 50 crore to Ministry of Textile exchange traded currency derivative segment
to incentivise setting up Apparel Parks to the extent of their Indian rupee exposure in
within the SITPs to house apparel India.
manufacturing units.  FIIs will also be permitted to use their
 A new scheme called the Integrated investment in corporate bonds and
Processing Development Scheme will be Government securities as collateral to meet
implemented in the 12th Plan to address the their margin requirements.
environmental concerns of the textile industry.  SEBI to prescribed requirement for angel
 Working capital and term loans at a investor pools by which they can be recognised
concessional interest of 6 per cent to handloom as Category I AIF venture capital funds.
sector.  Small and medium enterprises, to be permitted
 Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of to list on the SME exchange without being
Traditional Industries (SFURTI) extended required to make an initial public offer (IPO).
to 800 clusters during the 12th Plan.  Stock exchanges to be allowed to introduce a
Foreign Trade dedicated debt segment on the exchange.
 Support to measures to be taken to boost Other proposals
exports of goods and services. Backward Regions Grant Fund
Insurance  New criteria for determining backwardness to
 A multi-pronged approach to increase the be evolved and reflect them in future planning
penetration of insurance, both life and general, and devolution of funds.
in the country. Skill Development
 Number of proposals finalised, in consultation  Target of skilling 50 million people in the
with IRDA such as empowering insurance 12th Plan period, including 9 million in 2013-
companies to open branches in Tier-II cities 14.
and below without prior approval of IRDA, Defence
KYC of banks to be sufficient to acquire  Allocation for Defence increased to `
insurance policies, banks to be permitted to act 2,03,672 crore including Rs 86,741 crore for
as insurance brokers, banking correspondent capital expenditure.
allowed to sell micro-insurance products and  Constraints not to come in the way of providing
achieving the goal of having an office of LIC any addition requirement for the security of
and an office of at least one public sector nation.
general insurance company in towns with Science and Technology
population of 10,000 or more.  Despite constraints substantial enhancements
 Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to be given to Science and Technology, Space and
extended to other categories such as Atomic Energy.
rickshaw, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers,
5
 Rs 200 crore to be set apart to fund • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme to be rolled out
organisations that will scale up S&T throughout the country during the term of UPA Government.
innovations and make these products available
This scheme will help the poor. Under the scheme, a bank
to the people.
Institutions of Excellence account will be opened for each beneficiary; and the bank
 A grant of Rs 100 crore each made to 4 account will be seeded with Aadhaar in due course.
institution of excellence. • 10000 crore Rupees earmarked for National Food Security
Sports towards the incremental cost.
 National Institute of Sports Coaching to be • Drinking water and sanitation will receive 15260 crore
set up at Patiala at a cost of Rs 250 crore over
Rupees. 1400 crore Rupees is being provided for setting up
a period of three years.
water purification plants to cover arsenic and fluoride affected
Broadcasting
 All cities having a population of more than rural areas.
1,00,000 will be covered by private FM radio • Proposal to launch Inflation Indexed Bonds or Inflation
services. Indexed National Security Certificates to protect savings from
Panchayati Raj inflation.
 Augmentation in the Budget allocation of • Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme
Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran
launched for recovering service tax dues.
Abhiyan (RGPSA) to Rs 455 crore in 2013-14.
 An additional Rs 200 crore proposed to be • 9000 crore Rupees earmarked as the first installment of
provided. balance of CST compensations to different States/UTs.
Post Offices • The Interest Subvention Scheme: This scheme for short-
 An ambitious IT driven project to modernise term crop loans is proposed to be continued for loans by public
the postal network at a cost of Rs 4,909 crore. sector banks, RRBs and Cooperative banks, and expanded to
 Post offices to become part of the core banking private scheduled commercial banks. Under the scheme, a
solution and offer real time banking services.
farmer who repays the loan on time is able to get credit at 4
Ghadar Memorial
 Government to fund the conversion of the cent per year.
Ghadar Memorial in San Francisco into a • National Livestock Mission: 307 crore Rupees have been
museum and library. provided for setting up of the National Livestock Mission. This
Central Schemes will attract investment and enhance livestock productivity. A
 Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and sub-mission of this Mission seeks to increase the availability of
Additional Central Assistance (ACA) Schemes feed and fodder.
to be restructured into 70 schemes.
• Assistance of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank
 Central fund for the schemes to be given to the
will be sought to build roads in the North Eastern States
States as part of central plan assistance.
and connect them to Myanmar.
New Plans and Schemes rolled out in the Union • The body of Rural Infrastructure Development Funds
Budget 2013-14: (RIDF) is proposed to be raised to 20000 crore Rupees.
• Plans for seven new cities were finalized for industrial
• Nirbhaya Fund: The Finance Minister announced the corridors and work on two new smart industrial cities at
setting up of a fund called the Nirbhaya Fund - with the Dholera (Gujarat) and Shendra Bidkin (Maharashtra)
Government contributing 1000 crore Rupees for safety and will start during 2013-14.
security of the women in India. The Finance Minister • Two new ports will be established in Sagar (West Bengal)
announced that various initiatives were underway as well and in Andhra Pradesh.
as a lot more were undertaken by Government and NGOs • A power transmission system will be constructed from
for empowering women and providing them safety and Srinagar to Leh and for this 226 crore Rupees were provided
security. in 2013-14.
• 1000 crore Rupees scheme for training youth: A • Apparel Parks are proposed to be set up within the
1000 crore Rupees scheme for training youth for boosting Integrated Textile Parks, to house apparel manufacturing
up their employability and productivity was rolled out in units.
the budget. The National Skill Development Corporation • Standing Council of Experts: Standing Council of Experts
would be required to set up curriculum and standards for is proposed to be constituted in the Ministry of Finance to
training different skills. The trained youth who will pass analyse the international competitiveness of the Indian
the test by the end of the training would get monetary financial sector.
reward of 10000 Rupees on an average. This initiative • A number of proposals relating to capital market have
would motivate 10 lakh youth. been finalized in consultation with SEBI. These include
• Proposal to set up India’s first Women’s Bank as a simplification of procedure and uniforms norms for foreign
public 6sector bank with 1000 crore Rupees as initial portfolio investors, clarity relating to FDI investment, allowing
capital. FIIs to participate in new areas, etc.
Master Highlights-2
RAIL BUDGET-2013: At a Glance
 Complementary passes of freedom fighters to
be renewed every three years instead of
annually
 New forged wheel factory at Rae Bareli in
collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd
 Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple
Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at
Bhilwara along with Rajasthan
government and BHEL
 Coach making unit at Sonepat in
Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar collaboration with Haryana government
Bansal presented the Union Railway Budget  Midlife rehabilitation workshop at Kurnool
for 2013-14 in Lok Sabha on 26 February along with Andhra Pradesh government.
2013. The thrust areas of the Rail Budget  Railway energy management company to be
are: 1. Safety; 2. Consolidation; 3. set up to harness solar and wind energy
Passenger Amenities; 4. Fiscal Discipline  1,000 crossings to be energised by solar power
 1.51 lakh vacancies to be filled up
Key Highlights are as follows:
 No hike in passenger fares  Locomotive cabs to be air-conditioned
 Superfast and Tatkal charges to rise  Azadi Express for travel to places
 Annual plan for 2013-14 set at Rs 63,363 crore associated with freedom struggle
 Losses up from Rs 22,500 crore in 2011-12 to  India in 1 billion tonne freight club
Rs 24,600 crore in 2012-13  By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be
 Accidents per million km down from .41 to .13 awarded for two dedicated rail corridors
 Raised four companies of women RPF  Rs 1 lakh crore target set for public-private-
personnel; another eight to be raised for partnership route
women's safety  Free Wi-Fi to be provided on some trains
 67 new Express and 26 new passenger trains to  Rs 100 crore for improving stations in New
run; 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to Delhi
be introduced; run of 57 trains to be extended;  179 escalators and 400 lifts at A 1 and other
frequency of 24 trains to increase select stations
 22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14  E-ticketing through mobile phones
 New debt service fund to be set up  SMS alerts for passengers on reservation
 Will close fiscal 2012-13 with fund balance status
against previous deficit; need to build fund  Next generation e-ticketing system by end
balance to Rs.30,000 crore by end of 12th Plan of 2013
 Operating ratio of 88.8 percent achieved  Seventeen bridges identified for repair
 Dividend reduced from 5 to 4 percent  Smoke and fire detection system envisaged
 Electrification of 1,200 km to be completed this  Fire extinguishers to be kept in guard vans
year  Making corporate Safety Plan for a 10
 72 additional suburban services in Mumbai year period (2014-24)
and 18 in Kolkata  Introduction of Train Protection Warning
 Rs 6,600 crore increase in earnings from fare System on Automatic Signalling Systems
adjustment in January  Rigorous trials of indigenously developed
 Rs 63,000 crore investment in 2013-14 Train Collision Avoidance System
 1,047 million tonnes freight loading estimated  Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled
during 2013-14 Accident Relief Trains
 Passenger earnings of Rs 42,000 crore  Elimination of 10,797 level crossings during
estimated in 2013-14 the 12th Plan and no addition of such crossings
 Indian Railways Institute of Financial  Six more Rail Neer bottling plants to be set up
Management to be set up at Secunderabad
 Chair at Delhi to promote research in reducing
carbon footprint
 Winners of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and
Dhyan Chand awards to get free first class
passes
 Complementary first class passes for parents of
unmarried posthumous awardees of Maha Vir
Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and
Shaurya Chakra
7
Some of the major Initiative proposed in Railway Budget 2013-14 are as under:
Anubhuti
• Indian Railways will introduce one coach in select trains which will provide an excellent ambience and latest modern facilities
and services responding to the Increased Popularity of Shatabdi and Rajdhani Trains. Such coaches will be named Anubhuti
with commensurate fare structures.
Amenities for Differently-abled Passengers
• To facilitate the boarding of trains and exit from the stations for the differently-abled and the elderly, there is a proposed
provision of 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A- 1 and other major stations, affixing Braille stickers indicating the layout of coaches
including toilets, provision of wheel chairs and battery operated vehicles at more stations and making coaches wheel-chair
friendly.
• In order to provide an employment avenue to the disabled people, there is proposal to reserve a specified number of Jan
Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewak (JTBS) for them, keeping in view the fact that the PCOs at stations have become largely
redundant after the mobile revolution in India.
IT Initiatives for passenger benefits
• There will be now Use of Aadhar scheme by Indian Railways. The database generated, can be extensively and efficiently used
by railways not only to render more user friendly services such as booking of tickets, validation of genuine passengers with GPS
enabled handheld gadgets in trains, but also to provide a better interface with its employees in regard to their salaries, pension,
allowances etc.
Some of the other measures proposed under IT Initiative of Railways are:
• Extending availability of the facility of internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours
• Making e-ticketing possible through mobile phones as a follow up to overwhelming response to IR website and Integrated Train
Enquiry Service under 139, a project of SMS Alerts to passengers providing updates on reservation status is being rolled out
shortly.
• Covering larger number of trains under Real Time Information System (RTIS), whereby rail-users will be able to access
information through nominated websites and mobile phones.
Some measures taken to curb malpractices in reserved tickets including Tatkal are:
• Mandatory carrying of ID cards by passengers with reserved tickets
• Rigorous drive leading to prosecution of more than 1800 touts in the current year
• In case of tatkal, reduction of advance reservation period to one day, issue of tickets only on production of ID proof at PRS
counters, issue of only one tatkal ticket per train per day to web service agents;
• Denial of access to agents to internet booking between 0800 to 1000 hrs.
Other Major Initiatives
• A Centralised Catering Services Monitoring Cell with a Toll free number – 1800 111 321 has started functioning w.e.f. 18th
January, 2013 to facilitate redressal of complaints/suggestions on real-time basis.
• For effective quality control, arrangements are being tied up with food testing laboratories in addition to third party audit.
State-of the- art base kitchens are proposed to be set up in railway premises for better monitoring of quality of meals.
• ISO certification will now be insisted upon for all base-kitchens.
Green Energy Initiatives
Some of the new steps that have been taken or are proposed to be taken include:-
• Setting up of Railway Energy Management Company (REMC) to harness potential of solar and wind energy
• Setting up of 75 MW windmill plants and energizing 1000 level crossings with solar power
• Deployment of new generation energy efficient electric locomotives and electrical multiple units (EMUs) saving about 60 crore
units in 2011-12. Railways have also won the National Energy Conservation Award
• Encourage more usage of agro-based and recycled paper and ban use of plastic in catering.
Some of the New Plans and Schemes proposed in Railway Budget 2013-14 are as under:
• Proposal for setting up of Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority formulated and at inter-ministerial consultation stage.
• Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) linked revision for freight tariff to be implemented from 1 st April 2013 and for
passenger tariff later.
• To provide a memorable experience to the visitors especially the children, a revamp plan will be rolled out for National
Railway Museum in 2013-14.
• To create a corpus for meeting IR’s committed liabilities for debt servicing of JICA and World Bank loans taken for the
DFC Project, it is proposed to set up a new Debt Service Fund.
• In order to meet the growing demand, 72 additional services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata are being introduced. Besides, rake
length is being increased from 9 cars to 12 cars for 80 services in Kolkata and 30 services in Chennai.
• A target to complete 500 km of new lines has been set for 2013-14.
• There is target to convert 450 km of MG/NG lines to broad gauge during 2013-14.
• Announcement of resumption of work on new line projects of Chickmagalur - Sakleshpur and Bengaluru -
Satyamangalam, which were pending for want of resources and other mandatory clearances, after State Government of
Karnataka agreed to give land free of cost and bear 50% of the cost.
8
Master Highlights-3
ECONOMIC SURVEY-2012-13: At a Glance
Following are the major Higlhlights of

the Economic Survey 2012-13
• GDP growth seen at 6.1-6.7 percent in

2013/14
• Government target for fiscal deficit is 4.8
pct of GDP in 2013/14
• Government target for fiscal deficit is 3 pct
of GDP in 2016/17
• Headline WPI inflation may decline to 6.2-
6.6 pct by March2013
• Focus on curbing imports, making oil prices
more market determined to reign in current
account deficit
• Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) flows
need to be targeted towards long-term rupee
instruments
• Prioritisation of expenditure seen as key
ingredient of credible medium-term fiscal
consolidation plan
• Raising tax to GDP ratio to more than 11
percent seen as critical for sustaining
fiscal consolidation
Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram • Room for accommodative monetary policy
on 27 February presented the Economic with expected fiscal consolidation
Survey 2012-13 in the Lok Sabha of the • India likely to meet fiscal deficit target of
Parliament. 5.3 pct of GDP in 2012/13, despite significant
shortfall in revenues
India's Economic Survey for 2012-13 pegs the • Recommends curbing gold imports to
country's growth at 6.1-6.7% and inflation reign in current account deficit
at 6.2-6.6% for the next fiscal 2013-14 and • Room to increase exports in the short run
made a strong call for cutting subsidies. limited
• Industrial output seen growing around 3
Economic Survey is presented every year, just pct in 2012/13
before the Union Budget. It is a flagship • Govt priority to fight inflation by reducing
annual document of the Ministry of Finance, fiscal impetus to demand as well as by
Government of India. Economic Survey focusing on incentivizing food production.
reviews the developments in the Indian • More jobs in low productivity construction
economy over the previous 12 months. It sector
summarizes the performance on major • Balance of Payments under pressure with
development programmes, and highlights the net exports decline
policy initiatives of the government and the • Service sector has shown more resilience
prospects of the economy in the short to despite global slowdown
medium term. • Pitches for hike in price of diesel and LPG to
cut subsidy burden
The economic survey 2012-13 was prepared by • Railway freight grows by 5.1 per cent in
a team of economists led by Chief Economic 2012-13
Advisor Raghuram Rajan, and pitches for • Foreign Exchange reserves remains steady
speeding up economic reforms to activate a at USD 295.6 Billion at December 2012 end.
sluggish economy. It serves as an indicator of
what is likely to be contained in the General
Budget proposals.
9
pppp

 
2
National Updates
2.1 General Issues 13
2.2 Economy and Energy Issues 17
2.3 Social Health & Educational 26

Current Affairs - 2 National Updates 13
2.1 GENERAL ISSUES
Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura High Courts inaugurated

Highcourts in Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura were inaugurated by Chief Justice of India
Altamas Kabir and Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar in March 2013.
• The strength of judges in Tripura HC is 4, Meghalaya HC is 3 and Manipur HC is 3
(including the Chief Justice in each case).
• With the functioning of 3 new high courts, the total number of High Courts in the country
has increased from 21 to 24.
• Prior to this, six north-eastern States functioned with benches of the Guwahati High Court.
• In May, 2012, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) and
Other Related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012, allowing for the creation of three, new
High Courts.
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High Court 1st Chief Justice Seat of HC
Meghalaya High Court Justice T Meena Kumari Shillong
Manipur High Court Justice Ahay Manohar Sapre Imphal
Tripura High Court

ST Justice Deepak Gupta Agartala
Master Tips
Appointment of Judges in a high court:
Chief Justice of a high court is appointed by the President of India after consultation with the
Chief Justice of India and the governor of the concerned state.
A
Other judges of a high court are appointed by the President of India after consultation with the
Chief Justice of India and the governor of the concerned state along with the Chief Justice of
the concerned high court.
M
The salaries and allowances of a high court are charged on the consolidated fund of state.
*But, the pension of a high court judge is charged on the consolidated fund of India, not
the state.
Asia’s Largest Tulip Garden Opened to Visitors

S
Asia’s largest Tulip garden on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar was thrown open to
visitors, marking the beginning of the new tourism season in the Valley. The 15-hectare garden
in the foothills of Zabarwan Range was officially opened to visitors. The state Floriculture
IE
department said a total of over 1.5 million tulips, of over 80 varieties are presently in
bloom at the garden. Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, now called as the Indira Gandhi
Memorial Tulip garden was opened in 2008.
Master Tips
Floriculture or flower farming is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation
of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry.
Government of India has identified floriculture as a sunrise industry and accorded it 100% export
oriented status.
The country has exported 3,09,26,023 MT of floriculture products to the world for the worth of
Rs.365.32 crores in 2011-12
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is
responsible for export promotion and development of floriculture in India.

14 National Updates Current Affairs - 2
SC Directives on Tourism in Jarawa Reserve

The Supreme Court has said tourist activity
in Jarawa reserves in Andaman and Nicobar Master Tips
Islands will be carried out in compliance with
the amended regulations, which prohibit all
commercial and tourism activities in the buffer
zone of 5-km radius of the Jarawa Tribal
Reserve on the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
• Acc ordin g to the r egulation s in the
notification of January 17, 2013, an area up
to 5 km radius adjacent and contiguous to the Shopmen : restricted to the
the Jarawa Tribe Reserve area, starting hinterland of Great Nicobar.
from Constance Bay in South Andaman the Karen tribe (over 2,000 people): in
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to Lewis inlet Bay in Middle Andaman the Mayabunder tehsil of North
has been declared as a buffer zone by the Andaman district, almost all of whom
Andaman and Nicobar Administration. are Christians. Despite their tribal
• The Supreme Court has banned tourists from origins, the Karen of Andamans has
taking the Andaman Nicobar Trunk OBC status in the Andamans .
Road that passes through the area where
the Jarawas live. The road is used to reach
the Limestone Cave.
ST
Assembly Elections Results 2012-13
Different Indian states have undergone elections during 2012-13 and new governments have
been formed as per the summary table given below:
A
INC: Indian National Congress, BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party, CPI (M)/LF: Communist Party
of India (Marxist)/Left Front, NPF: Naga Peoples Front.
Summary of Results: Assembly Elections in States held in 2012-13
M
State Total MLA Seat Election held in Chief Minister Ruling Party
Himachal Pradesh 68 Nov-Dec 2012 Virbhadra Singh INC
Gujrat 182 Dec 2012 Narendra Modi BJP
Tripura 60 Feb 2013 Manik Sarkar CPI(M)/LF
Meghalaya 60 Feb 2013 Mukul Sangma INC
Nagaland 60 Feb 2013 Neiphiu Rio NPF
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Classical Status for Malayalam Master Tips

Malayalam is set to get the status of a Criteria for Classical Languages of
classical Indian language as per announcement India: As per Union Ministry of Culture:
IE
made by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen High antiquity of its early texts/recorded
C ha ndy . U ni o n Mi ni ster fo r C ulture history over a period of 1500-2000 years; A
body of ancient literature/texts, which is
Chandresh Kumari also announced that the
considered a valuable heritage by generations
Ministry had decided to grant the classical of speakers; The literary tradition be original
language status to Malayalam. Spoken by over and not borrowed from another speech
30 million people, Malayalam was the only major community; The classical language and
language in south India that had not been literature being distinct from modern, there
classified as the classical language. Belonging may also be a discontinuity between the
to the family of Dravidian languages, Malayalam classical language and its later forms or its
has a rich heritage of more than 2,300 years. offshoots.
The benchmark set for granting classical Indian Classical Languages declared
language status to Indian languages is so far:
Tamil (in 2004), Sanskrit (in 2005),
1,500-2,000 years.
Kannada and Telugu (in 2008).

Hague Court Upholds India’s Right on Kishanganga Project

The International Court of Arbitration at The Master Tips
Hague upheld India’s right to divert water from
the Kishanganga hydroelectric project The Indus Waters Treaty 1960: The IWT is
a water-sharing treaty between the Republic
(KHEP). Pakistan has been objecting to the of India and Islamic Republic of Pakistan,
construction of the hydroelectric project on the brokered by the World Bank. The treaty was
Kishanganga River (a tributary of river signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960 by
Jhelum) in Kashmir, which is called Neelum Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
and President of Pakistan Mohammad
upon entering Pakistan. Ayub Khan.
• The Kishanganga plant, in Bandipora IWT provides appointment of a neutral
district of north Kashmir, is part of a run- expert by the World Bank as a last option to
resolve water related issues between the two
of-the-river hydroelectric scheme that is countries.
designed to diver t water from the According to this treaty, Ravi, Beas and
Kishanganga River to a power plant in Sutlej, which constitute the eastern rivers,
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the Jhelum River basin. are allocated for exclusive use by India before
they enter Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan has
• In November 2009, Pakistan had proposed exclusive use of the Western Rivers Jhelum,
the establishment of a Court of Arbitration Chenab and Indus but with some
and the appointment of a neutral expert to stipulations for development of projects on
resolve the Kishanganga dam dispute. these rivers in India.
ST
Cabinet Nod to Land Swap with Bangladesh
The Cabinet has approved a Constitutional Amendment Bill that will facilitate the
implementation of the India-Bangladesh boundary agreement signed in 2011. The meeting,
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its nod to the draft of the Constitutional Bill
to amend the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, 1974.
Gonds Converge for Nagoba Jatara
A
The day-long rituals associated with ‘bheting’ or admission of new women members into the
clan marked the start of the famous Nagoba jatara, a five-day annual pilgrimage of the
Mesram clan of Gonds at Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal, Adilabad District, Andhra
M
Pradesh.
Afzal Guru Hanged in Secrecy, Buried in Tihar Jail
The 2001 Parliament attack case convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged on 9th Feb 2013
and buried inside the Tihar jail complex. The President (Pranab Mukherjee) rejected the mercy
petition on February 3. (Refer Current Affairs – 1 for pardoning power of the president).
S
President’s Rule Imposed in Jharkhand

President Pranab Mukherjee has imposed President’s rule in Jharkhand, following its approval
IE
by the Union Cabinet. The former Union Home Secretary, Madhukar Gupta, and the former
Central Reserve Police Force Director General, K. Vijay Kumar, have been appointed advisers
to Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed. The President has proclaimed the imposition of
President’s Rule in Jharkhand under Article 356(1) of the Constitution. Jharkhand has
been placed under President’s rule as the Arjun Munda government fell after being reduced
to a minority following the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s withdrawal of support.
President Promulgates Ordinance on Crime Against Women
President Pranab Mukherjee promulgated an ordinance on sexual violence against women
under which rape that leads to death of the victim can now attract death penalty.
• The President has given his assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2013.
• The ordinance based on the recommendations of the Justice J S Verma Committee(formed
after the horrendous gang rape incident of 16th Dec 2012 in Delhi) and going beyond,
also proposes to replace the word ‘rape’ with ‘sexual assault’ to expand the definition of
all types sexual crimes against women.

• It also proposes enhanced punishment for other crimes against women like stalking,
voyeurism, acid attacks, indecent gestures like words and inappropriate touch.
Master Tips
Ordinance Making Powers of President:
Our constitution under Article 123 gives special legislative powers to President of India by
promulgating ordinance under certain circumstances. Thus if both the houses of parliament is not
in session and it becomes necessary to make laws then president can make laws within the powers
provided by the constitution of India.
Following are the important provisions regarding ordinance making powers of the
President:
• The President gets the powers only when the Parliament is not in session. Even if one house
of Parliament is not in session, the President can pass on ordinance.
• The President has powers to pass ordinance on the matters on which the Parliament has powers.
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• The Councils of Ministers should suggest the passing of an ordinance on such matters.
• The President himself should be satisfied about the need for the ordinance and he cannot be
compelled.
• Once an ordinance is passed, it should be placed before both the Houses of Parliament and
approved by them within six weeks of their respective dates of reassembly.
The ordinance lapses if it is not approved within the aforesaid six weeks or if it is rejected earlier
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or if the President himself withdraws the ordinance.
Kapil Sibal Launches Website for Urdu Poetry Lovers

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Kapil Sibal launched the website
‘www.rekhta.org’ - an initiative by Rekhta Foundation in New Delhi. The website is a gateway
to the world of Urdu poetry and features recitation, a dynamic dictionary, a search engine, rare
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e-books, etc for ardent Urdu lovers.
Private ‘Mantra Airlines’ Launches the 1ST Civil Air Connectivity for Kargil
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First ever civil aviation service between Kargil and Jammu has been launched as the landing of
Mantra Airlines’ 17- seater at Kargil created history as never before has a civil passenger aircraft
been spotted there. Kargil is one the world’s coldest towns, frozen under a minus 20 degree Celsius
temperature. The Indian Air Force has been operating an AN-32 aircraft three times a week in
the Jammu-Kargil sector and once a week between Srinagar and Kargil.
New Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy 2013
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India has unveiled a new science policy that lays greater thrust on innovation, establishing research
institutes and encourages women scientists with an aim to position itself among the top five
scientific powers in the world by 2020.
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• The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy, 2013 also speaks of modifying the intellectual
property regime (IPR) to provide for marching rights for social good when supported by public
funds and co-sharing of patents generated in the public private partnership mode.
• India first unveiled its Scientific Policy Resolution in 1958 which resolved to “foster, promote
and sustain” the cultivation of science and scientific research in all its aspects.
• The Technology Policy Statement of 1983 focused on the need to attain technological
competence and self reliance.
Chandigarh Shatabdi to Have 1st ‘Anubhuti’ Coach
Chandigarh Shatabdi will be the first train to have “Anubhuti” coaches, the special AC luxury
class proposed in this year’s rail budget, providing higher travel comfort to passengers. Anubhuti,
the first of its kind modern LHB coach with ergonomically designed cushioned seats, LCD screens,
modular toilets and world class interiors is estimated to cost about Rs.2.80 crore. The first-ever
locomotive fitted with AC in driver’s cabin is estimated to cost Rs.12 crore and aims to
provide relief to loco pilots on duty.

Centre Notified the Cauvery Final Award

On the direction of Supreme Court, the Centre has notified the final award of the Cauvery
Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) dated February 5, 2007. The court had ordered the
government to notify the final award on or before February 20, 2013. (Refer Current Affairs-
1 for CWDT in detail).
Head of Supreme Court-Appointed Panel for Bhopal Victims Quits
The head of the Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee to oversee the functioning of
hospitals meant for the treatment of Bhopal gas disaster survivors, Dr H H Trivedi, resigned
citing indifference by the Madhya Pradesh government. The SC in August 9, 2012 had directed
the state government to ensure facilities such as office space with furniture and office staff
including a secretary and a doctor (to act as coordinating officer) and a Hindi and English
stenographer-cum-typist along with a peon to the committee.
Master Tips
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The Bhopal gas tragedy:
The Bhopal gas tragedy was a gas leak incident in India, considered the world’s worst industrial
disaster. It occurred on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited
(UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• The leaked gas was methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas (IUPAC name), other names of the gas
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are isocyanatomethane or methyl carbylamine.
• Methyl isocyanate (MIC) is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3NCO.
MIC is an intermediate chemical in the production of carbamate pesticides (such as carbaryl,
carbofuran, methomyl and aldicarb). It has also been used in the production of rubbers and
adhesives. As a highly toxic and irritating material, it is extremely hazardous to human
health.
• UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC).
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• Warren Anderson was the UCC CEO at the time of the disaster.
Dow Chemical Company purchased UCC in 2001.
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2.2 ECONOMY AND ENERGY ISSUES
‘Jeevan Sugam’ Insurance Policy Launched by LIC

The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched ‘Jeevan Sugam’, a new non-
linked single premium plan. The new plan, which is available for a limited period, is a
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conventional close-ended plan with guaranteed returns. The plan provides a risk cover of 10
times the single premium paid for a fixed term of ten years. The latest policy is available
for those between 8 and 45 years. The minimum sum to be invested is Rs60000, while there
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is no upper limit for the investment.

India’s External Debt Rises to $376 Billion
India’s total external debt was USD 376.3 billion as of December end, up 8.9 percent from
March, on account of long-term and short-term components.
• Long-term debt, which accounted for 75.6 percent of total external borrowings, stood at
USD 284.4 billion at end-December 2012, up 6.4 percent over March 2012.
• Within long-term, commercial borrowings accounted for 30 percent of total external
debt, followed by NRI deposits at 18 percent and multilateral debt at 13.7 percent.
• Debt denominated in US dollars was the highest in external debt stock at 56.8 percent as
of December 2012, followed by Indian rupee (23.1 percent), SDR (7.9 percent), Japanese
yen (7.6 percent) and euro (3.2 percent).

RBI Loan Boost for New Power Projects

The new Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) in the pipeline could find it easier to raise
funds now with the RBI allowing banks to treat loans to infra projects as secured loans
without collaterals.
• It is expected to expedite UMPPs in the pipeline in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Orissa, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• These include projects handled by Tatiya Andhra Mega Power in Jharkhand,
Chhattisgarh Sarguja Power, Coastal Maharashtra Mega Power, Coastal Karnataka
Power, Orissa Mega Power and Deoghar Mega Power in Jharkhand.
Cairn Begins Sale of Gas From Barmer Block
Cairn India began commercial sale of natural gas, while also starting production from the
Aishwariya oil field from its RJ-ON-90/1 block in Barmer district, Rajasthan.
• The project will produce initial commercial volumes of about 5 million metric standard
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cubic feet (mmscf) per day.
• ONGC has a 30 per cent stake in the project. The block, at present, produces about 30
mmscf of gas per day from the Raageshwari Deep Gas field and the Mangala and
Bhagyam fields (as associated gas along with crude oil).
No Capital Gains Tax for NIMZs
The Central Government, on March 22 2013, came out with sops for setting up of National
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Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) doling out various benefits, including
exemption from capital gains tax on sale of plant and machinery and eligibility for
viability gap funding (which cannot exceed 20 per cent of the project cost.) as per the
document notified by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
• Developers of NIMZs will be allowed to raise funds through external commercial
borrowings (ECBs) for developing the internal infrastructure.
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• Soft loans from multilateral institutions will be explored for funding infrastructure development
in NIMZ.
• The government has proposed to set up 11 NIMZs to enhance the share of manufacturing
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in gross domestic product (GDP) from 15 to 25 per cent within a decade and creating
100 million jobs.
India Ratings, WB Estimates Economy to Grow Over 6 % & Govt at 6.1 to 6.7%
India Ratings & Research Private Ltd. and World Bank estimate the economy to grow
over 6 per cent in 2013-14 if the government continued with its recent policy initiatives aimed
at attracting more investment and infrastructure development. Government in its budget
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proposal estimated growth rate in 2013-14 to be in the range of 6.1 to 6.7%.

SBI to Open 1,200 Branches, 8 Overseas Offices Next Fiscal
State Bank of India (SBI) plans to open about 1,200 branches in the country and
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another eight branch offices overseas, including China and the UK, in the next fiscal.
With addition to these eight branches, SBI’s offshore network will increase to 59.
• Plans are afoot to open two branches each in Bangladesh and the UK and one each in China,
the Netherlands, South Korea and Sri Lanka.
• In the case of South Korea, the existing representative office of SBI would be upgraded into
a full-fledged branch.
• SBI, India’s largest bank, has 14,677 branches across the country. Under the bank’s domestic
expansion plans, about 100 branches would be opened in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Former Bihar Bureaucrat Navin Kumar to Head GST Network Outfit
Ex Bihar Chief Secretary Navin Kumar, a 1975 batch IAS will head the Goods and
Services Tax Network SPV (GSTN SPV) which was set up to create an enabling environment
for smooth introduction of the new indirect tax regime. GSTN was necessary to implement
GST and it can also be used by the states for improving Value Added Tax (VAT) system.

RBI Cuts Policy Rate by 25 Basis Points

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the indicative policy rate (repo rate) by 25 basis
points from 7.75 to 7.50 per cent. Repo rate is the rate at which banks borrow short-term
funds from the central bank (RBI).
*Policy Rates *Policy Ratios
Bank Rate 8.50% Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4.0%
Repo Rate 7.50% Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 23.0%
Reverse Repo Rate 6.50%
Marginal standing Facility 8.75%
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Rate (MSF) from time to time, so keep updated.
HPCL to set up refinery in Rajasthan

The Rajasthan Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) for setting up a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex
in the Barmer region. The 9-million tonne refinery, to come up in the Barmer-Sanchore
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basin, has been a long-pending demand of Rajasthan. The project is expected to be completed
in four years. At Rs.37,230 crore, it is being hailed as the single largest investment in the
history of the State.
Reliance Power Synchronises First Unit of Sasan
Reliance Power has announced the successful synchronisation of the first 660 MW unit of its
3,960 MW Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) with the grid.
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• The electricity generated from the project would be sold to 14 distribution companies across
seven States.
• The Sasan UMPP and coal mining project attached to it has an estimated investment
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of over Rs.23, 000 crore.

• Coal production has already commenced from the Moher and Moher-Amlohri coal mines.
Chhatrasal coal block has received forest clearance and is under development.
Current Account Deficit Rises to 5.4% in Q2
India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) rose
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to an all-time high of 5.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2012-13 on account of widening
of trade deficit and slower growth in invisibles, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in
its monthly bulletin for March 2013.
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• CAD represents the difference between inflows and outflows of foreign currency.
• High import of gold is adding to the CAD despite efforts by the government to check import
of the precious metal. Gold accounts for second largest import in value terms after
crude oil.
United Bank Ties up With SIDBI
United Bank of India (UBI), which has recently eased loans for the MSME (micro, small
and medium Enterprises ) sector, has now signed a memorandum of understanding with
the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to ensure smooth credit flow to
the MSME sector under the programme Collaboration for facilitating Enterprise Loans
(COFEL). SIDBI, as a facilitator of the small and medium enterprises, will work with
the MSMEs by sponsoring investment-grade proposals to United Bank and the latter will look
at the credit linkage part under its various products.

Final Unit of Mundra UMPP Synchronised

Tata Power, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (CGPL),
announced the synchronisation of 800 MW Unit 5 of its Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP)
at Mundra in Gujarat to the grid.
• This makes the country’s first UMPP 4,000 MW plant fully operational. With this, the
total power generation capacity of Tata Power stands at 8,500 MW.
• The 4,000-MW Mundra UMPP is the first of the UMPPs that heralds the entry of 800 MW
super-critical boiler technology into India, which is environment-friendly and efficient.
Welspun Ties up Funds for Solar Project
Welspun Energy has announced that it had achieved financial closure for its 130 MW solar
project at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh through a consortium of leading financial
institutions. It had secured long-term project funding of Rs.885 crore for the project, and it is
slated to be commissioned by May 2014. Welspun Solar Madhya Pradesh Private Limited
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(WSMPPL) won the project in May 2012, by quoting the second lowest tariff of Rs. 8.05 per
unit.
Wipro: World’s Most Ethical (WME) Company 2013
Wipro Ltd has been recognised by the Ethisphere Institute, a leading business ethics think-
tank, as one of the 2013 World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies, for the second year
in a row. This recognition is for Wipro’s strong commitment to ethical leadership, compliance
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practices, and corporate citizenship. The Ethisphere Institute is a leading international
organisation dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business
ethics, governance, anti-corruption and sustainability.
HPCL to Partner Shapoorji Pallonji Group for LNG Terminal
State-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) and Mumbai-based infrastructure major
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Shapoorji Pallonji plan to set up a terminal for import of liquid gas (LNG) on Gujarat coast
at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore. HPCL and SP Ports Pvt Ltd, a unit of Shapoorji Pallonji Group,
plan to set up the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Chhara in Gujarat’s
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Junagadh district through a 50:50 joint venture. Gujarat already has two functional ports
at Dahej and Hazira. A third one is under planning by Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC)
and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) at Mundra. The Chhara terminal would be the fourth in the
state.
Rs. 1,000-crore Tax-Free Bonds From Ennore Port
Ennore Port Ltd. has launched a public issue of tax-free bonds to raise up to Rs.1000 crore
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from the market to meet its capital investment plans. The tax-free instruments are in the form
of secured redeemable nonconvertible bonds of the face value of Rs.1000 each having tax
benefits under Section 10(15) (iv) (h) of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
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Master Tips
Ennore Port, located on the Coromandel Coast about 24 km north of Chennai Port, Chennai,
it is the 12th major port of India, and the first port in India which is a public company.
The Ennore Port is the only corporatised major port and is registered as a company. The Centre
holds a stake of about 68 per cent in the Ennore Port and the remaining 32 per cent is held
by the Chennai Port Trust.
NASSCOM Sets $300 Billion Target by 2020

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), the apex
body of the Indian business process outsourcing and software services industry,
announced that it is targeting revenues of $300 billion by 2020, 177 per cent more than that
earned in 2012.
India 19th Largest Exporter & 12th Largest Importer in World

India is the 19th largest exporter with a share of 1.7 percent in the worldwide merchandise trade.
On the other hand, the country is the 12th largest importer with a share of 2.5 percent in
2011. In commercial services, the country is the eighth largest exporter in the world with a
share of 3.3 percent and the seventh largest importer with a share of 3.1 percent.
ONGC is No 1 Profit-Making PSU & BSNL Worst Performer
ONGC has retained the top position in the coveted list of 10 most profit-making PSUs, while BSNL
was the biggest loss-making state-run company in 2011-12, according to a government survey.
• ONGC, the country’s largest oil and gas producer, earned a net profit of Rs 25,122
crore in 2011-12. BSNL, on the other hand, suffered losses of Rs 8,850 crore in the same
period, replacing Air India as the biggest loss-making PSU.
• Power major NTPC is the second biggest profit-making state-run company, the same
position as in 2010-11 survey.
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• The world’s largest coal producer Coal India jumped to third position in 2011-12 from
seventh rank in the previous survey, pushing Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) down to the
seventh position. In 2010-11, IOC was at the third position.
• Largest iron-ore producer NMDC was fourth, while Maharatna company BHEL ranked fifth.
Govt to Set up Two Ports in Andhra Pradesh & West Bengal
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The government has said it will set up a port each at Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal
in 2013-14, to effectively handle increased cargo traffic. Ministry of Shipping, in the Maritime
Agenda 2010-20, had proposed setting up of two major ports which handle heavy cargo traffic
in the country.
• It had envisaged developing two new major ports, one each on east and west coasts.
• At present there are 12 major ports in India Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
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(JNPT), Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore,
Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin, Kandla and Visakhapatanam.
Air Asia and Tata Group Join Hands for Budget Airline
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The Tata Group is making yet another bid to enter the aviation space. Malaysia’s no-frills
carrier AirAsia has sought the approval of the Indian Government to join hands with the Tata
Group to enter the aviation sector.
• This would be the first investment in the sector by a foreign airline after the Government
hiked the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in 2012.
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• Tata Sons will hold 30 per cent in the joint venture but will not have any operating
role in the airline.
• AirAsia will hold 49 per cent stake in the JV, while Hindustan Aviation of the Bhatias
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will hold 21 per cent.

• AirAsia, through its operations based in Thailand and Malaysia, flies to Chennai, Bangalore,
Kochi, Tiruchirappalli and Kolkata in addition to 20 countries across Asia.
Tata Group Signs MOU with UKIBC
The Tata Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the U.K. India
Business Council (UKIBC) for skill development and delivery in India. Tata Group said
the MoU will initially include projects in Odisha and Mumbai for replicable skills training
across India.
Centre to revive sick PSUs
The Department of Public Enterprises said that the proposals to revive about half-a-dozen sick
units were in the process. The Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises
(BRPSE) had already recommended the revival of HMT Ltd., Hindustan Cables Ltd. (HCL)
and Hindustan Photo Films Manufacturing Company.

Bihar Fastest Growing State and Gujarat 2nd Fastest

Gujarat stands second after Bihar on the list of fastest growing states during the last seven
years. Between 2005-06 and 2011-12, Gujarat clocked a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)
growth of 9.98% while Bihar registered the highest growth rate of 10.17 per cent, states
the Economic Survey 2012-13.
• Gujarat stood fourth on the list of states as far as GSDP growth for 2011-12 was concerned.
With 8.2 per cent growth, Gujarat was behind states like Bihar (16.71%), Madhya Pradesh
(11.98%) and Maharashtra (8.54%).
• In the category of unemployment rate (per 1,000) for 2009-10, Gujarat has the lowest number
of unemployed in urban areas, while it stands behind Rajasthan, Maharashtra, MP and
Karnataka as far as unemployment in rural areas is concerned.
India Infra Debt Gets First IDF-NBFC Licence
The country’s first Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF) under the NBFC (non banking finance
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company) structure was formally launched with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram handing
over the first IDF-NBFC licence to India Infra Debt Limited (Infradebt) in the presence
of its four promoters ICICI Bank (31%), Bank of Baroda (30%), Citibank (29%) and Life
Insurance Corporation of India (10%).
Dabhol-Bangalore Gas Pipeline of GAIL Goes on Stream
GAIL (India), the newest Maharatna PSU, commenced delivery of gas through its 1,000
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km-long Dabhol-Bangalore pipeline. The first recipient of the gas was Toyota Kirloskar
Auto Parts, which will utilise the fuel for its captive 6.5 MW power plant.
• The company has installed a 73 km pipeline in Bangalore. GAIL also signed a gas transmission
agreement with Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) for the supply of 2.1 million
metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of natural gas for its 700 MW power plant
at Bidadi in 30 months.
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• The pipeline, built at a cost of Rs.4,500 crore, has a total capacity of 16 mmscmd. GAIL
Chairman and Managing Director B. C. Tripathi pointed out that the pipeline traversed
through about 700 km across Karnataka.
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Master Tips
Criteria for Maharatna Status :
• A company qualifying for the Maharatna status should have an average annual turnover of
more than Rs 25,000 crore in the last three years
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•the PSU must have a net worth of over Rs 15,000 crore and net profit of more than Rs 5,000
crore during the last three years
• already among Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)- listed on stocks
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Autonomy after becoming Maharatna CPSE:

Including other operational and financial autonomy in decision-making, a Maharatna firm can
take investment decision of up to Rs 5,000 crore without going to the government. For
Navratna firms, this limit is Rs 1,000 crore.
With the Maharatna Status granted to GAIL and BHEL in Feb 2013, there are now seven
Maharatna companies - ONGC, Indian Oil, GAIL, BHEL, NTPC, SAIL & CIL.
As of Feb 2013: There are 14 Navratna CPSEs, 52 Miniratna Category - I CPSEs &16 Miniratna
Category - II CPSEs..
GAIL’s Dabhol LNG terminal on stream

GAIL (India) has announced the successful commissioning of the Dabhol LNG terminal
located at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, around 340 km south of Mumbai.
• This 5 million tonnes capacity LNG terminal has been set up with an investment of
Rs.4,000 crore. The Dabhol LNG terminal would serve as a gateway for entry of natural gas

to the southern and western parts of the country.

• The terminal is operated by RGPPL, a joint venture of GAIL (India) and NTPC. GAIL
had taken this terminal for a 25-year lease and had announced plans to enhance its capacity
to 10 million tonnes in four years in two phases.
Punjab Govt. inks MoU with Monsanto for centres of excellence
The Punjab Government has inked a memorandum of understanding with Monsanto
Holdings Private Limited to jointly establish three “centres of excellence” for
promotion of cotton, maize and vegetables in the State.
Master Tips
Monsanto Company is a publicly traded American multinational agricultural biotechnology
corporation headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. It is a leading producer of genetically
engineered (GE) seed and of the herbicide glyphosate, which it markets under the Roundup
brand.
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Monsanto has had a controversial history in India, starting with the accusation that Monsanto
used terminator genes in its seeds, causing demonstrations against the company. Later, its
GM cotton seed was the subject of NGO agitation because of its higher cost, sometimes lower
than claimed yield and environmental concerns, sometimes leading to stress and suicide
cases of farmers.
It was in news in India due to controversy regarding field trial of Bt Brinjal & Bt Maize and
About Bt:
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its monopoly over genetically modified (GM) Bt Cotton.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, commonly used as

a biological pesticide; alternatively, the Cry toxin may be extracted and used as a pesticide. B.
thuringiensis also occurs naturally in the gut of caterpillars of various types of moths and
butterflies, as well on leaf surfaces, aquatic environments, animal feces, insect rich environments,
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flour mills and grain storage facilities. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) naturally
produces a chemical harmful only to a small fraction of insects, most notably the larvae of
moths and butterflies, beetles, and flies, and harmless to other forms of life.
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Bihar potato farmer sets new world record

Bihar’s farmers have done it again. A farmer from Sohdih village of Bihar’s Nalanda
district has set a new world record in potato production through organic farming.
• The potato farmer, Rakesh Kumar, has harvested 108.8 tonnes of potato per hectare
and set a new world record in potato production.
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• In 2012, a farmer of Darveshpura village in Nalanda had set a world record in potato
production through organic farming.
• Bihar is the third-largest potato producing state, after Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
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• Last year, five farmers here created a world record, producing 224 quintals of paddy per
hectare.
Country’s first monorail to roll out in Mumbai in August
The 8.8-km-long first phase of the project, which will be open to the public from August, is a
part of the 19.54-km stretch. This will be the world’s second-longest monorail corridor
when completed — the longest being Japan’s Osaka monorail corridor, which is 23.8
km.
• The project work began in 2008 and was expected to continue till the end of 2011. The total
cost of the project has been estimated at Rs.3,000 crore.
• Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is building the
monorail, undertook the trial run of the monorail on the first phase stretch from Central
Mumbai’s Vadala to Chembur, a suburb in eastern Mumbai.

TCS overtakes RIL to become India’s most valued company

TCS has surpassed Reliance Industries to become the country’s most valued company as the
IT major’s market capitalisation soared to over Rs 2.83 lakh crore on the back of a spurt in
its share price. This is about Rs 6,523 crore more than RIL’s market value of Rs 2,76,686 crore.
ONGC with a market value of Rs 2,75,187 crore was at third spot, while ITC (Rs 2,36,855
crore) was at fourth position and Coal India (Rs 2,21,704 crore) at fifth place.
Parle-G becomes India’s first homegrown Rs 5K crore FMCG brand
When Parle Products launched Parle-G in 1939 during the British rule, the firm considered
it a responsibility to sell affordable biscuits to Indians. Today, the same value plank has helped
the glucose biscuit brand become the first Indian FMCG brand to cross the Rs 5,000-crore
mark in retail sales in a year.
ANERT to set up 2-MW solar power plant at Palakkad
The Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) expects to
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start work on a 2-MW solar power plant at Kuzhalmannam in Palakkad in 2013.
• ANERT was launching a State-wide project to equip 10,000 houses with rooftop solar
power plants of 1 kW capacity.
• To be executed with financial assistance from the Union government, the programme would
generate a total of 10 MW and produce about 1 crore units of power every year to bridge the
demand-supply gap in the State’s power sector.
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Govt to sell stake in BALCO & Hindustan Zinc through OFS
The government is considering a proposal to use the offer for sale (OFS) route for selling
its residual stake in Hindustan Zinc (HZL) and BALCO. The move would enable not only
Vedanta Resources, which is the majority stakeholder of the two companies, but also
ordinary investors to bid for shares. The government currently holds 29.5 per cent stake in
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HZL and 49 per cent stake in BALCO, but is planning to exit from both companies. The
government had sold controlling stake in them between 2001 and 2003.
Agriculture exports could cross $42 billion in 2013
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According to a paper written by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
chief Ashok Gulati along with Surbhi Jain and Anwarul Hoda, in 2011-12 agricultural
exports by India were more than $37 billion against an import of commodities worth around
$17 billion.
• India has emerged as the world’s largest exporter of rice, replacing Thailand and
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Vietnam and the country has also become the biggest exporter of buffalo meat beating
traditionally strong countries such as Brazil, Australia and the US.
• CACP discussion paper titled ‘Farm trade: Tapping the hidden potential’ has stated that
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agricultural exports have increased more than 10 fold from $3.5 billion in 1990-91 to
$37.1 billion in 2011-12 and could cross $42 bn in 2013.
Import duty on gold and platinum raised to 6%
The Union Government has raised the import duty on gold and platinum from four per cent
to six per cent with immediate effect in an urgent bid to curb imports of the precious
metals and contain the widening current account deficit (CAD). In 2011-12, gold imports
accounted for a massive $56.5 billion in foreign exchange the second-highest item after
crude oil in the import bill.
LPG portability launched: New IT/web-enabled initiative ‘Lakshya’
The Union government has launched portability of LPG connections. Petroleum and Natural
Gas Minister Veerapa Moily has launched new IT/web-enabled initiative, ‘Lakshya’ to enable
consumers book and track refills online as well on mobile phone. It would enhance transparency
in distribution of cylinders. Under the new initiative, customers can rate their distributors on
service and anybody found wanting could possibly face termination of dealership.
MOU signed for thermal power plant at Chausa Bihar

The Bihar Government has signed a memorandum of understanding for a 1,320-MW coal-based
thermal power project at Chausa in Buxar district.
• The State expects to procure 85 per cent of the total power generated or 1,054 MW from two
units of 660 MW each.
• The MoU for the joint venture was signed by Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd
(BSPHCL), Bihar Power Infrastructure Company Pvt. Ltd (BPIC) and Sutlej Jal
Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVN-a joint venture company of the Union and Himachal Pradesh
govts.)
• The project is slated to be completed by 2016-17 and expected to provide 7,848 million units
of power to Bihar annually.
Cabinet nod for continuation of JNNURM till March 2014
The government has decided on continuing the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
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Mission (JNNURM) to sanction new projects till March 2014. The new projects and
capacity building activities will be under Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG) and
Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT)
components of JNNURM.
• New Urban infrastructure projects and capacity building activities in Urban Local Bodies
(ULBs) in states and Union Territories (UTs) would be approved till March 31, 2014.
•
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The proposal would enable making provisions for creation of urban infrastructure, particularly
in small and medium towns in all states and UTs.
GAAR will come into force from April 2016
The Union government has announced the postponement of the implementation of the
controversial GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) by two years to April 1, 2016. The
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postponement and other modifications in GAAR provisions marks the acceptance of the
recommendations of the Parthasarathi Shome Committee, which was set up by Prime
Minister following concerns expressed by investors on the Budget provision in this regard and
the subsequent withdrawal of portfolio investment by foreign investors.
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IOC loses 50 lakh litres petrol in Hazira depot fire

A major fire broke out at state-owned Indian Oil Corporation’s fuel storage depot at Hazira
in Gujarat. IndianOil chairman R S Butola told the fire broke out in one of the petrol storage
tanks and destroyed about 50 lakh litres of petrol which was in stock at the time. The tank
has a capacity to store about 90-100 lakh litres of fuel. This is the second major fire at an
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IOC storage depot since 2009. On October 29, 2009, a fire broke out at its Jaipur terminal
and raged for 11 days. Some 11 lives were lost and property worth Rs 280 crore was destroyed.
Punjab National Bank acquires 30% stake in Metlife
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Punjab National Bank (PNB) said it has received all regulatory approvals for acquiring 30 per
cent stake in Metlife India Insurance. Following this, the private sector life insurer would be
re-branded as PNB Metlife India Ltd. Both PNB and MetLife India had approached the fair
trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) for approval on December 7,
2012. Currently, MetLife India stakeholders, include Jammu and Kashmir Bank,
Shapoorji Pallonji and other investors, besides MetLife.
Mahindra Reva’s next generation electric car: ‘e2o’
Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles has dubbed its next generation electric car as the
‘Mahindra e2o’. Pronounced as ‘Ee-too-oh’, the electric vehicle has undergone extensive
testing, validation and has been certified as road worthy in India. The car would use next
generation lithium ion batteries and have a range of 100 km per charge, which is adequate
for most daily journeys within the city. It will enable users to charge their vehicle through any
15 ampere plug point at home, or at the workplace.

Special offer for women from LIC Housing: ‘Bhagyalakshmi’

LIC Housing Finance has launched a new home loan product called “Bhagyalakshmi” for
women home seekers. It is offered at an interest rate that begins at 10 per cent for the first
two years, which is 25 basis points lower than current rates and floating rates thereafter.
India’s per capita income rises to Rs 5,729 per month
India’s per capita income, a gauge for measuring living standard, is estimated to have
gone up 11.7 per cent to Rs 5,729 per month in 2012-13 at current prices, compared
with Rs 5,130 in the previous fiscal.
• The estimated rate of growth in per capita income for the current fiscal, however, is lower
than the previous fiscal when it grew by 13.7 per cent.
• The per capita income at current prices during 2012-13 is estimated to be Rs 68,747 as
compared to Rs 61,564 during 2011-12, showing a rise of 11.7 per cent as per data
released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
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• The data also estimated an increase of 13.8 per cent in the government final consumption
expenditure (GFCE) to Rs 11.87 lakh crore at current prices for 2012-13 against Rs 10.43
lakh crore in 2011-12.
2.3 SOCIAL, HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL ISSUES

PSUs required to double minimum CSR contribution from 2013-14
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Top earning Central Public Sector Enterprises will have to double their minimum expenditure
on corporate social responsibility (CSR) from beginning of 2013-14 fiscal, as per the new
norms of the Department of Public Enterprises.
Under the new norms, PSUs with net profit of over Rs. 500 crore in the previous year will have
to earmark 1 per cent of it from the current level of 0.5 per cent for carrying out such activities.
But the upper limit of 2 per cent remains unchanged.
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Centre sanctions Rs. 2,892-crore disaster relief for seven States

The Union government has declared “the highest relief package in recent years” of over Rs.
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2892 crore for seven States including drought-hit Maharashtra to deal with the
impact of calamities.
• It also revised the guidelines for relief under “crop loss” and raised the assistance by 50 per
cent in all categories including rain-fed and irrigated areas and for perennial crops.
• The expenditure for cattle at camps, including the cost of medicines and water supply, was
also raised.
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• The decisions were taken by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on Drought
headed by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
• The relief package, to be released from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), will
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be implemented from March 1.

• The total relief package for Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Gujarat,
Kerala and Uttarakhand is Rs. 2,892.61 crore, excluding the funds allocated for cattle camp
in Maharashtra.
National Institute of Biotic Stress Management for Chhattisgarh
The Union cabinet has approved the proposal of the department of agricultural research and
education under the Ministry of Agriculture for the establishment of the National Institute
of Biotic Stress Management (NIBSM) at Raipur, Chhattisgarh during the 12th Five
Year Plan at a cost of Rs 121.10 crore.
• This will be the first institute to address the impact of biotic stress and harness
potentials of emerging tools of biotechnology in agriculture. The state government has allotted
105 acres of land for the institute in Baronda, about 25 km from Raipur.
• The institute will be under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

19 lakh teachers to be appointed under SSA

The Centre has sanctioned appointment of 19.82 lakh school teachers across the country under
the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme, according to a communiqué issued by the Press
Information Bureau.
• The Centre had requested the State governments to expedite recruitment as well as
redeployment of teachers in order to ensure appropriate pupil-teacher ratio as mandated
under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
• The communiqué also stated that the Centre had sanctioned a Rs. 6,300 crore project to
strengthen teacher education in the country during the 12th plan.
• The National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) had permitted State governments
to train over five lakh teachers through distance education mode.
Bihar Cabinet nod for 50 % quota for women in cooperatives
The State Cabinet has passed a proposal to give effect of 50 per cent reservation for women
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in cooperatives. As per the decision, 50 per cent of the seats in all cooperatives, primary
agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) will be reserved for women. From the quota, two
seats each will be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes
and Economically Backward Classes.
Master Tips
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Bihar was the 1st state to give 50% reservations to women in the Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRIs) which was then followed by various states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttarakhand.
Taking the note, later on, Central Government introduced the Constitution (110th Amendment)
Bill, 2009 to amend Article 243D to enhance the reservation for women from existing 33% to
50% for members as well as chairpersons of PRIs.
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Manipur bans smokeless tobacco products
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Having banned smoking at public places, Manipur has prohibited the manufacture, display,
stocking, sale and consumption of smokeless tobacco products, becoming the second State
in the north-east to do so, after Mizoram. A notification, issued by the Commissioner of
Food Safety, says those who violate the ban, imposed under the Food Safety and Standards
(Prohibition and Regulation on sales) Regulation, 2011, are liable to punishment, including
a fine of up to Rs. 2 lakh. (Refer Current Affairs-1 for FSSAI.)
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Sonia Gandhi inaugurates first all-women medical college

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has used the opportunity of inauguration of the first women’s
Government Medical College of independent India at Khanpur Kalan, Sonepat, Haryana on
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the occasion of International Women’s Day to reiterate the need to take concrete steps to curb
crimes against women and promised a law in this regard soon.
• Spread over 88 acres, the Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women
is the first women college of the country since Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College
was established in 1914.
• The hospital at the college now has 450 beds and 211 doctors.
About 30% people were BPL in 2009-10
About 30 per cent of people in India were below the poverty line in 2009-10 that was based on
the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) of Rs 673 for rural areas
and Rs 860 for urban areas, Parliament was informed. As per the latest available information,
the percentage of people living below poverty line in the country in 2009-10 has been estimated
at 29.8 per cent.

Plan panel secretary appointed mission director of DBT scheme

Planning Commission secretary Sindhushree Khullar was appointed as Mission Director
for the UPA government’s ambitious Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) scheme. Under the
scheme, the government provides welfare subsidies to beneficiaries by transferring the money
directly into their bank accounts but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be covered
in the initial phase. A post of Officer on Special Duty (OSD) has also been created in the
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Hiked MGNREGA wages to be paid starting April 1
MGNREGA workers will get more money with the Centre revising their daily wages from April 1.
• Under the recent wage revision, workers will be paid the maximum daily wage of Rs 214
in Haryana, followed by Rs 210 and Rs 209 in the Union Territories of Andaman &
Nicobar Islands and Chandigarh, respectively.
• On the lower side of the wage payment are states like Sikkim, Tripura, Nagaland, where
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MGNREGA workers will be paid Rs 135 per day. Workers in Bihar and Jharkhand will
get a daily wage of Rs 138.
• The notification regarding revising wage rates is linked to the Consumer Price Index for
Agricultural Labour (CPI-AL) from April 1 every year.
Tamil Nadu ranks 2nd in employing women under MGNREGS
Data put out by the central government in the Economic Survey shows that the Tamil Nadu
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ranks second in employing maximum number of women under the rural job scheme
MGNREGS. In 2011-12, more than 73.3% of women in rural Tamil Nadu were employed
under the MGNREGS, second only to Kerala where 92.7% women were employed.
Delhi becomes first State to ban manual scavenging
Delhi has become the first State in the country to ban manual scavenging and has barred the
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deployment of ‘safai karamcharis’ (cleaning staff) for manual sewer cleaning. Delhi
government is providing all amenities to the safai karamcharis as per service rules and is
taking steps to modernise their working and provide them proper training.
• The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation
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Bill, 2012 is still pending in the Parliament.

• As per this Bill, the district magistrates would be required to make sure that no one in
their jurisdiction was engaged in manual scavenging.
• The Bill made it obligatory for the cantonment boards and municipalities along with
the railway authorities to build adequate sanitary community bathrooms within 3 years
after the Act comes into force.
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MH gives Gram sabhas rights for TENDU leaves

The Maharashtra government becoming 1 st state in the country, has decided to give gram
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sabhas with community forest rights (CFR) in Gadchiroli and Gondia districts in
Vidarbha the right to collect, use, sell, store and process tendu leaves from this season.
• The leaves are mainly used to make ‘beedis’.
• In April 2011, Maharashtra was the first to give the Mendha Lekha gram sabha in
Gadchiroli the rights to collect, transport and sell bamboo.
• The village earned nearly Rs. 1 crore in sales in a year and allotted 50 per cent of the amount
for its development fund. Mendha has community forest rights on 1,800 hectares and
had fought long and hard for the rights to be given to the people of the village.
Pallam Raju lays foundation stone of first NIT in Arunachal
Union HRD Minister M.M. Pallam Raju has laid the foundation stone of the first National
Institute of Technology (NIT) in Arunachal Pradesh at its permanent site in picturesque
Jote village, near Itanagar. The institute, which is being run in a temporary campus at
Yupia since its establishment in July 2010, is offering undergraduate courses in Computer
Science, Electronics & Electrical and Electronics & Computers Engineering.
Habitations with 100 plus tribal population to get roads

All habitations with a population of 100 tribals and above in 82 Naxal-hit districts will
now be connected with all-weather roads under government’s flagship programme PMGSY.
• At present, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), envisages connecting all
habitations with a population of 250 persons and above in tribal areas in Naxal-affected districts.
• The proposal came after Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo pointed out that
bulk of the habitations in tribal areas are below the 250-mark. Government is giving
utmost priority to provide road connectivity to tribal districts in the country as most of these
areas are affected by Naxal violence.
Norms relaxed to speed up road work in Naxal areas
In a bid to speed up road construction in areas affected by Naxal violence, the government has
decided to fund dirt roads — and not just blacktop or metalled roads — under the
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
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• Since it’s harder to bury explosive devices under blacktop roads, Maoists prevent their
construction. “But they are not against katcha sadak [unmetalled road],” points out Rural
Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.
• The scheme will now be split into two phases for the 82 districts affected by left wing
extremism (LWE). The first stage will include levelling, construction of the gravel base and
slope stabilisation.
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Sonia launches universal child health screening service ‘RBSK’
Sonia Gandhi has launched her Government’s new child healthcare initiative, “Rashtriya Bal
Swasthya Karyakram” in the predominantly tribal taluka of Palghar in Thane district
of Maharashtra.
• A child health screening and early intervention service, the new programme is part of the
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). It aims at providing comprehensive healthcare
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for all children up to 18 years of age.
• The new programme which is a package of health services for children - will be extended to
cover all districts of the country in a phased manner.
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• When fully implemented, the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram is expected to benefit
approximately 27 crore children across the country.
• A set of 30 common ailments and health conditions have been identified for screening
and early intervention.
• The identified common ailments include: Birth defects like “down syndrome”, congenital
cataract, deafness and heart defect, while deficiency conditions that have been listed
are: Anaemia, malnutrition and goitre, developmental delays and disabilities like
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hearing impairment and vision impairment.

• The services will be provided through dedicated mobile health teams, comprising two
AYUSH doctors (one male and one female), nurse and a pharmacist, located in
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every block.
Hepatitis C scare in Valley village: 300 test positive
Of the 4,000 inhabitants of Takiya Magam village in south Kashmir, 300 have been found to
be suffering from Hepatitis C. The Hepatitis C victims include people from all age groups —
from a boy of 12 to a 62-year old man. The outbreak of Hepatitis C, a contagious life-
threatening liver disease that primarily spreads by blood-to-blood contact — largely through
intravenous drug use, infected medical equipment or contaminated transfusions —
was discovered by accident.
Re 1/kg rice scheme launched in Malkangiri
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ambitious scheme giving rice at Re 1
a kg for BPL families, in Maoist affected Malkangiri district, giving the first spatula of rice
to a woman from the primitive Bonda tribe. The rice would be available to all BPL families
and even to APL families in KBK (Kalahandi Balangir Koraput Region) at Re 1 per kg.

Enrolment in schools rises 14% to 23 crore: AISES

In a significant leg up to the government’s literacy initiative, a national survey has revealed
that almost 23 crore children are studying in 13 lakh schools across the country with a
13.67% growth in student’s enrolment from Class I to XII. Encouragingly, there is a 19.12 %
increase in girl’s enrolment.
• However, one-fifth of the total primary schools in rural areas still do not have drinking
water facility, three out of 10 are without usable urinal facilities and about half do
not have playgrounds.
• 8th All India Education Survey (AISES) conducted by NCERT covering the school
education system with respect to access, enrolment, retention, teachers and availability of
basic facilities.
• A comparison of enrolment data from 2002 to 2009 for primary schools shows a drop in
enrolment in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, and
Tamil Nadu.
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ASER 2012 finds dwindling state of Education quality
According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012, facilitated by NGO
Pratham, almost half of the Class 5 students in rural schools cannot solve a two-digit
subtraction problem. Less than half of them can read text meant for a Class 2 child.
• Rural school enrolment continues to be high and educational infrastructure may have
improved in the two years since the Right to Education Act came into effect, but the village
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children’s ability to read and do basic arithmetic has been on a sharp decline since then.
• In 2010, 70.9 per cent of Class 5 children were able to solve subtraction problems. Last year,
that fell to 61 per cent. This year, there has been a further drop to 53.5 per cent. In fact,
almost 20 per cent cannot even recognise two-digit numbers.
• Apart from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, which have held steady or improved, every
major State has seen a substantial drop in basic arithmetic levels, according to the survey.
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Tamil Nadu tops in implementation outcomes of NRHM
An evaluation has ranked Tamil Nadu at the top for implementation outcomes of the National
Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and described it as a benchmark for other States.
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• Analysis of data also reveals that in physical infrastructure per 1 lakh population with
respect to Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, and First Reference
Units, Jammu and Kashmir is far ahead of Tamil Nadu and the other States.
• The seven States surveyed are: Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Orissa and Jammu and Kashmir.
• For the utilisation of public health facilities for ante-natal care and post-natal care services,
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Tamil Nadu is the best performing State and Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Assam are the worst.
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J&K dedicates 2013 to daughters: ‘Save the Girl Child Year’

The Jammu & Kashmir Government has decided to dedicate the year 2013 to daughters and
observe it as ‘Save the Girl Child Year’.
‘Jeevandan’ scheme kicks off with first organ donation
The first deceased organ donation and transplantation under the government-run Jeevandan
project took place when relatives of a 62-year-old person, who suffered brain haemorrhage
and was pronounced braindead by doctors at Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG),
Hyderabad decided to donate his organs. The idea behind Jeevandan scheme is to encourage
deceased organ transplantation instead of living organ donation.

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International &
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Current Affairs - 2 International & Bilateral Updates 33
UN passes historic Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)

The UN made history by passing an unprecedented arms trade treaty (ATT) to better regulate
the international sale in weapons. It was passed in the General Assembly with 154 members
voting in favour ; three — Iran, Syria and North Korea — voting against; and 23, including
India, abstaining.
• India opposed the current provisions which favour the arms exporting countries and does not
protect the interests of importers and it falls short of striking an appropriate balance of
interests and obligations among the exporters and importers as well as the affected states.
• Under the ATT, ratifying nations are expected to accept fixed international standards for
conventional weapons sales, linked to the protection of human rights.
Master Tips
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade
in conventional weapons which has been estimated to reach US$70 billion a year. The treaty
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was negotiated at a global conference under the auspices of the United Nations from 2–27
July 2012 in New York, where it was not possible to reach an agreement on a final text at
that time. On 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted the ATT.
The adopted treaty text covers weapons such as tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large-
calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and
missile launchers, and small and light arms. However it does not explicitly cover predator
drones and grenades. Ammunition exports are subject to the same criteria as the other
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included items, although its imports are not covered.
India inks Tax pact with Liechtenstein

India entered into a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with Liechtenstein for
facilitating exchange of information on banking and ownership data based on international
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standards of transparency. The agreement, signed in Bern (Switzerland) is aimed at tracking
black money, checking tax evasion and routing of illicit funds.
Master Tips
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Liechtenstein, officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (as it is a constitutional

monarchy headed by a prince) is a doubly landlocked alpine country (only country to lie
entirely within the Alps) in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and
south and by Austria to the east and north. Its area is just over 160 sq km, and it has
an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan.
Liechtenstein has the highest gross domestic product per person in the world when
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adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP), and has the world’s lowest external debt.
It is a member of the European Free Trade Association and part of the European Economic
Area and the Schengen Area, but not of the European Union.
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It has been identified as a tax haven that is why India entered into TIEA.
Hinduja Group’s lubricant plant commissioned in the UAE

A state-of-the-art lubricant manufacturing plant and grease processing unit, jointly set up by
the Hinduja group and the government in UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah emirate, has been
commissioned with an aim to gain a regional market share of up to 8 per cent in the next four
years.
Japan to grant India Aid & Loan
India and Japan have agreed to promote their bilateral strategic and global partnership especially
in economic and security areas, with Tokyo granting a $2.32 billion aid for infrastructure
building. Along with the aid to India for infrastructure building, a 71-billion-yen loan ($753.17
million) was also granted for the subway project in India’s financial capital Mumbai. The
package consists of four projects, including a freight railway project connecting New
Delhi and Mumbai, and a subway construction project in southern India.

34 International & Bilateral Updates Current Affairs - 2
Malala Yousafzai seals $3 mn deal to publish memoir “I am Malala”,

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head at point-blank range by Taliban
for advocating girls’ education, has become a millionaire by signing a deal for around USD 3
million to publish her memoir.
• The life story of a 15-year Pakistani girl who was shot by the Taliban will be published
later in 2013, in a deal reported to be worth around 2 million pounds (USD 3 million).
• The book, titled “I am Malala”, will be published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson in the
UK and Commonwealth and by Little, Brown in the rest of the world.
BRICS bank & $100 billion contingency fund get nod
The BRICS summit held in Durban Durban, South Africa from 26 to 27 March 2013 endorsed
the setting up of a BRICS Development Bank and creation of a $100 billion contingency
relief arrangement (CRA) in a bid to sow the seeds of an alternate financial structure for
developing countries. China will be the largest contributor with $41 billion while India,
Russia and Brazil will pledge $18 billion each. South Africa will pledge $5billion.
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Iran replaces ONGC with state company in oil field
Iran has awarded the development of an offshore oil field that state-owned Oil and Natural Gas
Corp (ONGC) had abandoned as commercially unviable, to a domestic company.
• ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and its partners Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Oil India Ltd
(OIL) had in 2009 dropped plans to develop the Binaloud oil field in the Farsi offshore
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block as it found one billion barrels of reserves commercially unviable.
• Binaloud holds about 3.5 billion barrels of oil in place, more than three times ONGC’s
estimate of 1 billion barrels of heavy crude with 14-degree API gravity.
• OVL-IOC-OIL joint venture had in 2006 made an oil discovery in the Farsi offshore block,
which was later named Binaloud. The discovery was found to be commercially unviable
primarily due to high sulphur content in the oil.
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Zambian delegation visits Hindustan Zinc Ltd. in Rajasthan
Zambian Vice-President Guy Scott, accompanied by a high-power delegation, arrived in Udaipur
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town of Rajasthan to visit the facilities of Hindustan Zinc Limited, the world’s largest
integrated zinc producer and also the largest lead and silver producer in India.
• Vedanta Resources, which operates HZL in Udaipur, runs copper operations in Zambia
through Konkola Copper Mine (KCM), which is one of the world’s largest copper
producers.
• KCM operates two mines at Nchanga, comprising an underground mine and four open
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pits, the Nchanga smelter, Konkola mine, Nkana refinery and the Nampundwe
pyrite mine.
• KCM is also Zambia’s largest private sector employer with nearly 22,000 permanent
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and contract employees. The Konkola Copper Mines head office is located at Chingola
in Copperbelt province of Zambia. KCM has operations in Chililabombwe, Chingola,
Nampundwe and Kitwe.
China becomes 5 th in Arms exporter and India biggest Importer
China has become the world’s fifth largest weapons exporter on the back of a rapid
increase in sales to Pakistan, which now accounts for more than half of China’s arms
exports and overall 3rd biggest importer in the world after India and china.
• China, accounting for five per cent of global arms sales, replaced Britain in the
exclusive club of five biggest weapons sellers, according to report from the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
• The United States is the biggest exporter, accounting for 30 per cent of global exports.
• Russia with 26 per cent, Germany with seven per cent and France with six per cent
exceed China’s sales.

• India remains the biggest importer(70% of its armament needs met by import
having failed to develop a domestic defence industrial base), accounting for 12 per cent
of the world’s imports and continuing to rely on countries such as Russia for its defence
needs.
• China is the second biggest importer accounting for six per cent, even with its surging
domestic industries supplies to the People’s Liberation Army.
Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project launched ignoring US unease
The long-pending Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project inched closer to reality with the launch
of its final phase under which a 781-km-long pipeline would be laid on the Pakistan side of
the border. To run from Iran’s border to Nawabshah in Sindh, the pipeline’s construction
was inaugurated in the Iranian port city of Chabahar by the Presidents of the two countries.
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A glance at the IP project :

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Source Reserves: South Pars in Iran

Distance upto Iran-Pak Border: 1,150 km
Pakistan Segment Distance: 781 km
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Gas Volume: 750 MMcfd

Optimum Pipeline Configuration: (Pakistan Segment) 42” inch
Targeted Gas Flow 31st Dec 2014
Master Tips
Initially, India was also part of the negotiation of the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI)
Pipeline or Peace Pipeline but in 2009, India withdrew from the project over pricing and
security issues, and after signing a civilian nuclear deal with the United States in 2008.
But, even in future, India, looking into its energy needs, can consider the project.
Iran has the world’s 2nd largest natural gas reserves after Russia. Iran is also planning
to build a gas pipeline up to Iraq and Syria from its Assaluyeh (near the south pars gas
field in southern Iran) to the Iran-Iraq border and from Baghdad to the Syrian border.
Refer route Map for clarity.

China-Pakistan signed deal on 1,000 MW reactor

Chinese companies are reported to be involved in the construction of at least two new reactors
at the Chashma nuclear power complex in Pakistan, where China has already built two
reactors. China and Pakistan reportedly signed another deal for a 1,000 MW reactor at Chashma
by a Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission delegation to China between February 2013.
Panchen Lama on top Chinese panel
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has elevated the role of the 11 th Panchen Lama on a top
political advisory body, in a move that would pave the way for the Chinese-appointed religious
leader to “make greater political contributions”.
The Panchen Lama was chosen as member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a top political advisory body that is in charge of
minority issues.
Master Tips
ER
The 11th Panchen Lama, Gyaincain Norbu, was chosen as a member of the CPPCC in
2010, and has been seen by many Tibetans as a controversial figure. The 23-year-old was
chosen as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama the second most important figure
for the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism after the Dalai Lama in place of
Gendun Choekyi Nyima. Gendun Choekyi Nyima was first chosen as the reincarnation with
the Dalai Lama’s backing, but subsequently disappeared.
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Tata Steel acquires 51 % in Canadian mines company LIM
Tata Steel, through its subsidiary Tata Steel Minerals Canada (TMSC), has acquired majority
stake in Canadian company Labrador Iron Mines (LIM) for Canadian $30 million (Rs.163
crore). This will enable Tata Steel to seamlessly transport raw material from its existing mines
in Canada through rail and a port facility to the U.K. where it has major operations. This is
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possibly the first acquisition by the Tata Group after Cyrus Mistry took over as Chairman.
Falkland Islands vote in referendum with eye on world
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Falkland Islanders hold a referendum to send a message to the world that they want to stay
British, although Argentina has already dismissed the vote as illegal.
Master Tips
Fakland Islands Dispute:Sovereignty over the Falkland Islands or Islas Malvinas in Spanish
is disputed between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The British claim to sovereignty
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dates from 1690, and the United Kingdom has exercised de facto sovereignty over the archipelago
almost continuously since 1833. Argentina has long disputed this claim, having been in
control of the islands for a brief period prior to 1833. The dispute escalated in 1982, when
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Argentina invaded the islands, precipitating the Falklands War.

Contemporary Falkland Islanders prefer to remain British. They gained full British citizenship
with the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983, after the Falklands War.
Ocean forecast services launched for Maldives by Indian Agency INCOIS

Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)
has launched three new products, including ‘Ocean State Forecast’ services for 22 atolls
of Maldives. The forecasts would be routed through Bangkok based Regional Integrated Multi-
Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) and also posted on INCOIS website.
World’s tallest Buddha statue comes up in China

World’s tallest statue of Lord Buddha, built at a cost of $161 million (totally funded by private
donations), was unveiled in east China’s Jiangxi Province. The 48-metre high, bronze statue
of Amitabha Buddha was built at the Donglin Temple in Xingzi County of Jiujiang City.

North Korea conducts 3 rd Nuclear test and UNSC Sanctions imposed

North Korea said it had conducted a “successful” underground nuclear test, a move that brought
condemnation from its neighbours and threatened to heighten regional tensions.
• It said the test the third conducted by the country since 2006 and the first under the new
leader Kim Jong-un was a response to “outrageous” American hostility and the sanctions
imposed on the country for a rocket launch in December 2012.
• The test was reported to have taken place at a site in the North Hamgyeong province,
where the Punggye-ri nuclear complex that conducted tests in 2006 and 2009 is located.
• The 2009 test brought tighter sanctions from the United Nations Security Council and
triggered fresh tensions with South Korea and Japan.
• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approved a new regimen of sanctions against
North Korea for its underground nuclear test, imposing penalties on North Korean
banking, travel and trade in a unanimous vote that reflected the country’s increased
international isolation.
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• The resolution, drafted by the United States and China, was passed 15-0 in a speedy vote
hours after North Korea threatened for the first time to launch a pre-emptive nuclear
strike against the United States and South Korea.
India contemplating widening of visa-on-arrival list to boost Tourism
Ministry for Tourism mooted a proposal to
grant visa-on-arrival (VoA) to touristsST Master Tips
fr om Germany, Russi a, Fra nce and Foreign tourist arrivals to India constitute
South Africa under its active consideration. only 0.64 per cent of the world tourist
The Ministry had also asked the Home arrivals and foreign exchange earnings
Ministry to consider grant of VoA for 16 account for 1.61 per cent of the world
more countries in an attempt to give a big tourism receipts. The VoA facility is now
push to arrivals. Tourism Ministry has available for tourists from countries such as
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S in gapo re , New Zealan d, Japan ,
included Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei,
Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar and
Ukra i ne, Uz beki sta n, Ka z a khsta n, Philippines.
Spain, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Brazil, India is also mulling to extend VoA to
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Trinidad and Tobago in the proposed Pakistani elders aged 65 yrs. & above.
VoA list.
China overtakes US as ‘world’s largest oil importer’

China has overtaken the US as the world’s largest net importer of oil. The US has been the
world’s largest net importer of oil since the mid-1970s. China has already taken a more assertive
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foreign oil policy in countries such as Sudan, Angola and Iraq, where state-owned Chinese
companies have invested billions of dollars.
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China becomes biggest trading nation surging ahead US

China surpassed the US to become the world’s biggest trading nation as measured by the sum
of exports and imports of goods, a milestone in the Asian nation’s challenge to the US
dominance in global commerce that emerged after the end of World War II. US exports and
imports of goods totaled $3.8 trillion in 2012. China’s customs administration reported that
the country’s total trade in goods in 2012 amounted to $3.9 trillion.
Iran building 3,000 advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges
Iran is building about 3,000 advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges, in a development likely
to add to Western concerns about the Islamic state’s disputed nuclear programme. Iran
announced earlier that it would install the new-generation centrifuges at its Natanz uranium
enrichment plant.

Quake off Indonesia causes panic in East Timor

An undersea earthquake rocked eastern Master Tips
Indonesia, causing panic among residents in
neighboring East Timor. There were no Indonesia and East Timor are prone to
immediate reports of injuries or damage. The seismic upheaval due to their location on
U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ an arc of
volcanoes and fault lines encircling the
5.7 quake that struck in the evening was
Pacific Basin.
centred 202 km east of East Timor’s
capital, Dili, at a depth of 35 km.
Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency put the magnitude at 6.2 with a depth of 10 kms.
China operationalises key railway line to connect ASEAN bloc

Amid deepening dispute with Southeast Asian countries over South China Sea, Beijing has
operationalised its 141-km long railway link connecting ASEAN countries to firm up the
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burgeoning trade links with the regional bloc.
• This 141-km long railway link between Yuxi and Mengzi, with a designed maximum
speed of 120 km per hour, is part of the eastern line of the planned Pan-Asia Railway
network. It passes through 35 tunnels and crosses 61 bridges, which together account
for 54.95 per cent of the eastern line’s total length.
• A railway that links China’s southwestern Yunnan Province with the ASEAN countries
•
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became operational after seven years of construction.
China, which has a free trade area arrangement with the bloc, continued to have robust
trade that rose by 23.9 per cent year-on-year to USD 362.85 billion last year.
• This despite its deepening disputes with key ASEAN countries like Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia and Brunei over Beijing’s claims to almost all of South China Sea,
which they bitterly oppose. (Refer Current Affairs - 1 for disputed South China
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Sea Islands)
India finances power project in Mozambique
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India has made USD 250 million available to finance a power project in Maputo region in
southern Mozambique. The project will kick off by June 2013 and end in 2016.
China takes control of Gwadar Port
China has taken control of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port located at the mouth of the Persian
Gulf just outside the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The official transfer of
Concession Agreement from the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) to the China Overseas
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Port Holding Company was carried out recently. Gwadar Deep Sea Port is billed as Pakistan’s
biggest infrastructure project, which has failed as a business venture till date because the
security situation in Balochistan discouraged PSA from investing in the development of the
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port and off-shore infrastructure.

Master Tips
String of Pearls Policy of China: It is a strategic endeavor of China to encircle India and
to have dominant position & multiple accesses in Indian Ocean, primarily for twin
reasons of its energy supply security and advantageous position against India by
having good relation with India’s neighbours and countries around. In furtherance of this
policy, China built & controls ports in Marao, Maldives; Gwadar, Pakistan; Chittagong,
Bangladesh; Sittwe, Burma; Lamu, Kenya; and Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
Remains of poet ‘Pablo Neruda’ to be exhumed

A Chilean judge has ordered the remains of poet and Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda exhumed
as part of an investigation into his death. The leftist poet, who died 12 days after the 1973
military coup that ousted the socialist president Salvador Allende and brought General
Augusto Pinochet to power, was long believed to have died of prostate cancer. He won the
Nobel Prize for literature in 1971.
Abu Dhabi firm makes oil discovery in new Darwin oil field
Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) has discovered oil in the new Darwin oil
field in the Northern North Sea area near the Shetland Islands in Scotland. In February
2012, TAQA acquired a 50 percent interest in the prospective exploration acreage known as
Darwin, located south of the former NW Hutton Field. TAQA had started first oil
production from the Cormorant East field development in the UK North Sea, which is
expected to contain 10-30 million barrels of oil in place.
Nasheed takes refuge in Indian High Commission
The former Maldivian President, Mohamed Nasheed, walked into the Indian High Commission
in Male after an arrest warrant was issued against him for failure to appear in a local court.
After hectic diplomatic negotiation by Indian Mission, Nasheed left the Indian High Commission.
Earlier, Maldives cancelled a contract to an Indian-Malaysian consortium for modernising and
operating the airport at Male.
US complains against India in WTO on Solar Panels
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The United States has launched its complaint against India in the World Trade Organisation
over the Indian government’s ‘domestic content requirement’, for solar modules used in the
projects awarded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.
• Indian manufacturers want protection against the much cheaper products from abroad,
especially from the Chinese crystalline silicon manufacturers and the American
‘thin film’ manufacturers, both of whom often bring in cheap funding for their buyers.
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• In India, the solar power industry is a 3-year-old baby. On the solar power generation
side, the total installed solar power capacity in India in 2010 was 18 MW.
GAIL-EDF Trading sign MoU
GAIL India Ltd said it has signed a preliminary agreement with French energy trader EDF
Trading for jointly acquiring oil and gas assets in North America and trading of US gas/LNG.
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• The MoU may lead to the two firms jointly acquiring shale gas assets in North America
as well as the French firm investing in downstream trading and marketing venture in India.
• GAIL already has a 20 per cent stake in Carrizo Oil’s Eagle Shale gas assets in
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Texas, US and has also signed to import 3.5 million tons of liquid gas, called LNG, from
Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass shale gas project in Louisiana.
Russia sets arms sale record above $15 bn
The world’s number two arms exporter Russia said it had sold a record $15.2 billion in
weaponry in 2012 while expanding its list of clients to more African nations. Russia trails
closely behind the United States in world arms exports and has expanded its sales by 46
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per cent in the past two years. Its contracts reached $13.2 billion in 2011 and $10.4 billion in
2010 figures reliant heavily on military ties with India and China. Russia’s new list of 2012
clients included Ghana and Oman as well as Tanzania.
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Scotland Plans for Independence

The people of Scotland were given a
glimpse of what the future would look like if Master Tips
they decide to vote for independence in a
The UK: The countries of the United
r efer en du m n ex t y ear as th e Sc ottish
Kingdom are England, Northern Ireland,
government unveiled a “transition” plan which
Scotland and Wales: four countries that
w ou ld see th e c ou n tr y bec ome for mally together form the sovereign state of the
independent in March 2016 — severing its United Kingdom.
300-y ea r- o ld uni o n wi th t he Uni ted The Great Britain: Great Britain refers to
Ki ng do m ( U. K. ). Th e “dec la r ation of En glan d, Scotlan d an d Wales in
independence” would be followed by elections to combination, but not Northern Ireland.
Parliament in May, Mand the new independent
Parliament would draw up a written constitution
reflecting “the values of the people of Scotland”, according to a 16-page document published by
the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP).

India presents Dornier aircraft to Seychelles

India handed over a Dornier-228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft manufactured by defence
PSU Hindustan Aeronautics to Seychelles to help the country keep its exclusive economic
zone (EEZ) under better surveillance as well as guard against terrorism and piracy. Earlier,
India had announced $5 million assistance for Seychelles, in keeping with India’s overall
policy to provide economic and military aid to Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries to
counter China’s inroads into the region. Navy has been deploying Dorniers and helicopters in
Seychelles on a regular basis as well as stepping up the visits of its warships to the region to
help in anti-piracy operations.
Master Tips
EEZ: An exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a seazone prescribed by the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) over which a state has special rights over
the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and
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wind. Generally, a state’s EEZ extends to a distance of 200 nautical miles (370 km) out
from its coastal baseline. The exception to this rule occurs when EEZs would overlap; that
is, state coastal baselines are less than 400 nautical miles (740 km) apart. When an overlap
occurs, it is up to the states to delineate the actual maritime boundary. Generally, any point
within an overlapping area defaults to the nearest state.
Territorial Waters: As per UNCLOS, the territorial waters stretch till 12 NM (22 km) from
the coastal baseline. States also have rights to the seabed of what is called the continental
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shelf up to 350 nautical miles (648 km) from the coastal baseline, beyond the EEZ, but
such areas are not part of their EEZ.
*Refer the schematic.(Important for Geography because of Killing of Indian Fishermen
off the Kerala Coast by two Italian Marines (ENRICA LEXIE-Italian Oil Tanker 2012).)
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zones of National Jurisdiction
1982 Law of the sea Convention
B 12 nm 24 nm 200 nm
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Tenitorial Contiguous
water Exclusive Economic zone
zone
Continental shelf
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UNESCO to help protect Mali’s heritage

The Paris-headquartered United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) will do everything possible to safeguard and rebuild Mali’s cultural
heritage, the UN agency’s director-general Irina Bokova said following burning of ancient
manuscripts and destruction of mausoleums by Islamist rebels in the west African
nation. UNESCO said it would spare no effort to help rebuild the mausoleums of Timbuktu
and the tomb of Askia in Gao.
Master Tips
Mali, a French colony until 1960, has been in turmoil since a military coup in March
2012 with Islamists seizing a vast area of northern Mali and trying to impose strict Sharia
law. The rebels have burnt ancient manuscripts and destroyed mausoleums and Sufi shrines
in Timbuktu, calling them blasphemous.
Timbuktu’s three major mosques - Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahi - along with 16
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mausoleums, were first inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage List in 1988. The Askia
Tomb in the city of Gao followed in 2004.
China’s first AP 1000 nuclear power reactor getting ready

China’s first nuclear power reactor using US-based Westinghouse Electric AP 1000
technology is expected to begin operations in October 2014. The AP1000 is a two-loop
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pressurized water reactor sold by Westinghouse Electric Company.
• Construction on the reactor, the No. 1 reactor of the Sanmen Nuclear Power Plant in
east China’s Zhejiang Province, has been underway since 2009.
• The company had previously planned to bring the reactor online in 2013, but construction
slowed after a devastating tsunami crippled a nuclear power plant in Japan in March 2011.
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• China had 15 nuclear power-generating units in operation with a total installed
capacity of 12.54 GW, and another 26 units currently under construction will add
another 29.24 GW, according to a government white paper on energy policy released in
October 2012.
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CCEA approves OVL acquisition in Azerbaijan Oilfield

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved ONGC Videsh Ltd’s
acquisition of stake in an Azerbaijan oilfield for USD 1.001 billion.
• The CCEA headed by PM approved OVL acquiring US energy major Hess Corp’s
2.7213 percent stake in the Azeri, Chirag and the deep water portion of Guneshli
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fields in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea and 2.36 percent interest in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
• ACG, which is located in the south Caspian Sea, about 95 km off the coast of Azerbaijan,
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is the largest oil and gas field complex in Azerbaijan and one of the largest producing
oil fields in the world.
• UK’s BP plc is the operator of the ACG fields with 34.1 percent stake.
India-aided housing project in Sri Lanka makes good progress
It’s been hardly four months since the second phase of the India-assisted housing project got
under way here, but already about a dozen houses of the 43,000 planned have been completed.
“Already about 10 houses are ready under our area itself,” said United Nations Human Settlement
Programme’s National project Manager I.A. Hameed.
• UN-HABITAT is one of the three implementing agencies selected by the Indian authorities.
Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka said work on building more than 5000 houses
had already commenced.
• The project, aiming at construction of 50,000 houses for Sri Lanka’s internally displaced,
is the largest Indian development project abroad.
• The project, worth nearly Rs. 1400-crore, is expected to be completed by October 2015.

BHEL commissions STG unit at Ethiopia plant

State-run BHEL said it has commissioned steam turbine and generator (STG) unit at a
power plant in Ethiopia, the company’s first ever in Africa.
• The steam turbine generator set of 12 MW capacity has been commissioned at the
Finchaa Sugar Factory for the plant’s own use.
• BHEL, which supplies products and systems for thermal, gas and hydro power
plants has presence across 75 countries.
China gives go-ahead for 3 new Brahmaputra dams
China has given the go-ahead for the construction of three new hydropower dams on the
middle reaches of the Brahmaputra River, ending a two-year halt in approving new projects
on the river amid concerns from India and environmental groups.
• The three new dams have been approved by the State Council, or Cabinet, under a new
energy development plan for 2015. China has, so far, only begun construction on one
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major hydropower dam on the main stream of the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra
or Yarlung Zangbo as it is known in China – a 510 MW project in Zangmu in the
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), which began to be built in 2010.
• A 640 MW dam will be built in Dagu, which lies 18 km upstream of Zangmu.
• Another 320 MW dam will be built at Jiacha, also on the middle reaches of the
Brahmaputura downstream of Zangmu.
•
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A third dam will be built at Jiexu, 11 km upstream of Zangmu.
Key China-Myanmar oil & gas pipelines to be completed in May 2013
China is set to operationalise its 1,100-kilometre-long oil and natural gas pipelines with
Myanmar that will give China first ever access to the strategic Bay of Bengal.
• Crude oil will be shipped from the Middle East via the Indian Ocean- instead of the risk-
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prone Strait of Malacca - before reaching Myanmar and entering China via the oil
pipeline.
• The pipelines run from the port of Kyaukpyu on Myanmar’s west coast and enter
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China at Ruili, Yunnan Province.

• The oil pipeline has a designed annual transport capacity of 22 million tonnes,
while the natural gas pipeline has a designed annual transport capacity of 12 billion
cubic meters.
India’s euro route for Iranian imports may close
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India may be forced to end 18-month old arrangement of paying for Iranian crude oil imports
through a Turkish bank as a new set of US sanctions against the Islamic nation comes into
force from February 6.
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• India has been, since July 2011, using euros to clear most of its purchases of Iranian
oil through Ankara-based Turkiye Halk Bankasi.
• As much as 55 per cent of the USD 10 billion oil imports from Iran are settled through
Halk Bank, while the rest of the payments are made in rupees in Kolkata- based
UCO Bank.
• The new US Treasury sanctions, which go into effect from February 6, bar banks from
transferring Iran’s oil revenues from importing nations to Tehran.
China calls for talks with Japan to resolve disputes
After months of high profile military posturing over the disputed islands with Japan, China
said it attaches importance to the ties with Tokyo and called on the Japanese government to
resolve the dispute through dialogue to keep the relations on track. The two countries were
locked in a showdown since September 2012 over the islands in East China Sea, called
Diaoyu by China and Senkakus by Japan.(Refer Current Affairs-1 for details.)

Japan to replace N-plant with world’s largest wind farm

In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan has decided to build the world’s
largest offshore wind farm to replace the crippled nuke plant.
• The country plans to build a total of 143 wind turbines on platforms 16 kilometres
off the coast of Fukushima by 2020, which is home to the stricken Daiichi nuclear
reactor that hit the headlines in March 2011 when it was damaged by a severe earthquake
and tsunami.
• The wind farm will generate 1 gigawatt of power once completed, and is part of a
national plan to increase renewable energy resources following the post-tsunami shutdown
of the country’s 54 nuclear reactors.
• The project is part of Fukushima’s plan to become completely energy self-sufficient by
2040, using renewable sources alone. The prefecture is also set to build the country’s
biggest solar park.
• The wind farm will surpass the 504 megawatts generated by the 140 turbines at the Greater
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Gabbard farm off the coast of Suffolk, UK -currently the world’s largest farm.
OVL’s project wins award in Russia
ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), said
the De-Kastri oil terminal of its Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia has bagged the
best oil terminal award of Russia.
•
•
•
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OVL holds 20 per cent stake in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas fields in far East Russia.
The terminal is used to storage and export the crude oil produced from the Sakhalin-1 fields.
Oil is transported to the terminal from the Sakhalin-1 onshore production facilities at
northeast of Sakhalin island via a 226-kilometer pipeline.
OVL discovers oil in first well at Columbian field
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ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corp, has discovered
oil in the very first well it drilled on an onland block in Colombia.
• OVL’s first well on the Block CPO-5 struck oil at two places and produced 120-300
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barrels per day on testing.

• OVL is the operator of exploration block CPO-5 in Colombia with 70 percent stake.
• The CPO-5 block is located on land in llanos basin of Colombia and is presently
under phase 1 of exploration.
All Boeing 787 Dreamliners grounded over fire risk
Regulators and airlines grounded all Boeing 787 Dreamliners until a fire risk is fixed, which could
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take weeks as problems with the high-tech plane threaten the American maker’s bold strategy.
Authorities in Chile, Ethiopia, Europe, India, Japan and Qatar followed the lead of the
US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by halting all 787 flights after a Japanese
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Dreamliner was forced by a smoke alert to make an emergency landing.

US recognises Somali government
The US has officially recognised the Somali government in Mogadishu after more than two decades.
• For the first time since 1991, the US is recognising the Government of Somalia.
• Washington had not recognised Somalia’s government since dictator Mohamed Siad
Barre was overthrown in 1991.
• Currently, Somalia President is Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
ArcelorMittal to sell $1.1 bn stake in Canada iron ore unit to POSCO
ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steelmaker, will sell a $1.1 billion stake in a Canadian
iron ore mine operator to a consortium that includes South Korean steelmaker POSCO
and Taiwan-listed China Steel Corp. ArcelorMittal, formed in 2006 when India-born
Lakshmi Mittal’s steel business bought European peer Arcelor for $33 billion, is battling
sluggish steel demand and is looking to offload assets to cut debt.
Toyota retakes global auto sales crown from General Motors

Toyota has once again dethroned General Motors as the world’s top-selling automaker.
The Japanese company sold 9.7 million cars and trucks worldwide in 2012, although it’s
still counting. GM sold 9.29 million. Both companies saw higher sales, but Toyota’s growth
was far larger as it rolled out new versions of popular models like the Camry. GM was the
top-selling carmaker for more than seven decades before losing the title to Toyota in
2008. But GM retook the sales crown in 2011 when Toyota’s factories were slowed by
an earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Red Cross head Peter Maurer makes first-ever visit to Myanmar
Peter Maurer, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross has arrived
in Myanmar to meet with President Thein Sein and other officials, the first-ever visit to the
nation by an ICRC president.
• Maurer plans to visit the western state of Rakhine, where the ICRC is carrying out
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aid work among people affected by communal violence.
• The communal unrest in the state has clouded optimism over sweeping political changes
since Myanmar’s widely praised emergence from decades of army rule in early 2011.
• The ICRC said it was also ready to provide aid to people in states such as Kachin and
Kayin, also affected by conflict.
Master Tips
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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian institution
based in Geneva, Switzerland and a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate.
States parties (signatories) to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional
Protocols of 1977 (Protocol I, Protocol II) and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate
to protect victims of international and internal armed conflicts. Such victims include
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war wounded, prisoners, refugees, civilians, and other non-combatants.
Thailand surrendered its crown as the world’s top rice exporter to INDIA
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Thailand starts the new year having surrendered its crown as the world’s top rice exporter,
and saddled with an ever-growing stockpile of the grain as the costs of its subsidy scheme
mount.
• Thailand is estimated to have exported about 6.8 million tonnes of rice in 2012, down
about 35 percent from the prior year, as the costs of the intervention scheme made Thai
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prices uncompetitive.
• India is the new number one rice exporter, taking the title for the first time since
1983, with exports likely to be about 8.5 million tonnes to the end of March 2013.
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• In second spot is Vietnam with 2012 exports of about 7.7 million tonnes. It is no
surprise that Thailand’s rice exports slumped, since its prices are about 37 percent above
those of Vietnam and India.
China constructing new N-plant with 4 th generation reactor
China has launched construction of a new USD 476 million nuclear power plant with a 200 MW
4th generation reactor, claimed to be the first in the world for commercial usage.
• China has broken ground on a 3 billion-yuan (USD 476 million) nuclear power project
that will be the first in the world to put a reactor with fourth-generation features into
commercial use.
• Construction of the project at Shidao Bay in the coastal city of Rongcheng in east
China’s Shandong Province with the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor will start
generating power by the end of 2017.

BRICS countries agree to collaborate on health issues

The health ministers of BRICS countries have agreed to collaborate and cooperate for
development of capacity and infrastructure to deal with the disease ‘multi-drug resistant
tuberculosis (MDR-TB) recognizing it as a major public health problem in BRICS due to its
high prevalence and incidence mostly among the marginalized and vulnerable sections of society.
BRICS nations committed to strengthen cooperation to combat malaria through enhanced
diagnostics, research and development and to facilitate common access to technologies developed
or under development in the BRICS countries.
Master Tips
TB: Tuberculosis (TB) (short for tubercle bacillus) is a common, and in many cases
lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually called as
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Tuberculosis typically attacks the lungs, but can
also affect other parts of the body. It is spread through the air when people who have an
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active TB infection cough, sneeze, or otherwise transmit respiratory fluids through the air.
MDR-TB: Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is defined as tuberculosis that is
resistant to at least ionized (INH) and rifampicin (RMP), the two most powerful first-line
treatment anti-TB drugs. Isolates that are multiply resistant to any other combination of
anti-TB drugs but not to INH and RMP are not classed as MDR-TB.
MDR-TB develops during treatment of fully sensitive TB when the course of antibiotics is
interrupted and the levels of drug in the body are insufficient to kill 100% of bacteria.
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Malaria: Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused
by protists (a type of microorganism) of the genus Plasmodium. It begins with a bite
from an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which introduces the protists through saliva
into the circulatory system. The disease is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions
in a broad band around the equator, including much of Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the
Americas.
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China to give Belarus $16 mn Chernobyl aid
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China is to donate some $16 million to Belarus to support children in areas hit by the 1986
Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
• The money is to be spent on construction of recreational facilities equipped with swimming
pools for children living in the districts contaminated by the world’s worst nuclear accident
at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, located just over the border in neighbouring
Ukraine.
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• The radioactive fallout from the accident contaminated some 23 percent of Belarusian
territory, an area of 45,000 km populated by 2.6 million.
• The radiation also affected an area of around 50,000 sq. km in Ukraine and 60,000 sq.
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km in Russia. The accident is estimated to have caused thousands of premature deaths

in the contaminated areas.
Nepal elected UN-ECOSOC member
The 33rd Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly elected Nepal as a member of the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the term 2013-2015.
The Meeting elected 18 members for the Council from different regions. The other elected
members from the Asia and the pacific group are Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.
Master Tips
About ECOSOC : The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) constitutes
one of the principal organs of the United Nations. It is responsible for coordinating the
economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, their functional
commissions and five regional commissions. ECOSOC has 54 members. India is a member
of ECOSOC.

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Environment &
Ecology Updates
2.1 Un passes Historric Arms
Trade Treaty (ATT) 31
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Current Affairs - 2 Environment & Ecology Updates 49
Earth Hour 2013

Earth Hour 2013 was held on March 23, 2013 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. during participants’
local time. Iconic landmarks and skylines were plunged into darkness as the “Earth Hour”
switch-off of lights around the world got under way to raise awareness of climate change.
While more than 150 countries took part in last year’s event, the movement has spread even
further afield this year, with Palestine, Tunisia, Suriname and Rwanda among a host of
newcomers pledging to take part.
Master Tips
Earth Hour is a worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
and held towards the end of March annually, encouraging households and businesses to turn
off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness about the need to take action on
climate change.
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The event, conceived by WWF and Leo Burnett, first took place in 2007, when 2.2 million
residents of Sydney participated by turning off all non-essential lights.
Tiger population rises to 1,468 at present

Forty years of tiger conservation efforts in the country seem to have borne fruit with the number
of big cats rising. The project tiger was launched from Corbett’s Dhikala range on April 1,
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1973 by the then Union Minister Karan Singh.
(Refer Current Affairs - 1 for more information on Project Tiger, National Tiger
Conservation Authority and 5 New Tiger Reserves recently approved in principle.)
Sparrow survey ‘Citizen Sparrow’ : Now Bihar’s State bird

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Among all major Indian cities, Chennai and Bangalore have the
least number of spots for sparrow sightings, according to a survey
conducted recently by the Bombay Natural History Society
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(BNHS). Surprisingly, Mumbai has the largest number of spots.

The results of the online survey, ‘Citizen Sparrow,’ allow for a
closer evaluation of the widespread impression that sparrow
populations have declined over the years. Sparrow has been
declared Bihar’s State bird in a bid to save the endangered House Sparrow
species.
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CoP-16 Meeting 2013 to CITES held in Bangkok

The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16) to the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
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Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) convened in Bangkok, Thailand

from 3-14 March 2013. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
officially opened the meeting. More than 2000 participants from 170
countries, including more than 200 NGOs and intergovernmental
organizations, attended. CoP16 adopted 55 new listing proposals,
including on sharks, manta rays, turtles and timber. CoP-17 will be
hosted by South Africa in 2016.
Master Tips
CITES was established as a response to growing concerns that over-exploitation of wildlife
through international trade was contributing to the rapid decline of many species of plants
and animals around the world. The Convention was signed by representatives from 80 countries
in Washington, DC, on 3 March 1973, and entered into force on 1 July 1975. There are
currently 178 parties to the Convention. The CITES Secretary-General is John E. Scanlon.

50 Environment & Ecology Updates Current Affairs - 2
Eco-friendly “biodigester” toilets along Ganga

The Ganga Action Parivar (GAP) has taken primary steps towards constructing the first
zero-waste, “biodigester” toilet in Uttar Pradesh along the banks of the Ganga. The initiative
is part of GAP’s drive to build 5,000 eco-friendly toilets in villages along the 2,500-km stretch
of the Ganga and also integrates its “Green Kashi and Green Prayag” campaign.
The model of the toilets has been developed by GAP in partnership with the Federation of
Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Defence Research &
Development Organisation (DRDO).
Master Tips
DRDO’s bio-toilet is based on anaerobic biodegradation of organic waste by unique

microbial consortium and works at a wide temperature range. The consortium has been
made through acclimatisation, enrichment and bioaugumentation of cold—active bacteria
collected from Antarctica and other low temperature areas.
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The innovation degrades and converts the human waste into usable water and gases in an
eco-friendly manner. The generated gas can be utilized for energy/cooking and water for
irrigation purposes. The process involves the bacteria, which feed upon the fecal matter inside
the tank, through anaerobic process which finally degrades the matter and releases methane
gas that can be used for cooking, along with the treated water.
The Bio-digester technology has been developed by Gwalior based Defence Research and
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Development Establishment (DRDE) and Tezpur based Defence Research Laboratory (DRL).
2012 among 10 warmest years in global record

The U.S. space agency NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
jointly issued two reports on 2012 world temperatures. NASA ranked last year the ninth-
warmest since record-keeping began in 1880, while NOAA found year 2012 was the tenth-
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warmest. The 2012 global surface temperature, including land and water, was 1 degree F (.56
degree C) warmer than the 1951-1980 average. That was enough to increase extreme high
temperatures last year.
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Minamata Convention on Mercury

Under the auspices of UN, delegations from some 140 countries agreed to adopt a ground-
breaking treaty limiting the use and emission of health-hazardous mercury.
• The treaty has been named the Minamata Convention on Mercury, in honour of the
Japanese town where inhabitants for decades have suffered the consequences of serious
mercury contamination.
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• The world’s first legally binding treaty on mercury will aim to reduce global emission
levels of the toxic heavy metal, also known as quicksilver, which poses risks to human
health and the environment.
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• Mercury is found in products ranging from electrical switches, thermometers and light-
bulbs, to amalgam dental fillings and even facial creams. Large amounts of the heavy
metal are released from small scale gold mining, coal-burning power plants, metal smelters
and cement production.
MoEF sets deadline to declare ESZs around National Parks, Sanctuaries
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given one last opportunity
to all the States to submit site-specific proposals by February 15, a decade after the National
Board for Wildlife envisaged declaring areas within 10 km of the boundary of national
parks and sanctuaries as eco-sensitive zones (ESZs).
As per the guidelines, commercial mining, setting up of industries causing pollution, commercial
use of firewood, establishment of all hydroelectric projects, use or production of any hazardous
substances, tourism activities like flying over the national park area by any aircraft or hot-air
balloons and discharge of effluents and solid waste in natural water bodies or terrestrial area
are prohibited.
White Pelican spotted in Atapaka Bird Sanctuary

White pelican, also known as American White Pelican, was
spotted in the natural bird habitat at Kolleru Lake in
Atapaka village. White pelican is one among the eight species
in pelican family and is the largest aquatic bird found in North
America. The bird rarely visits the sanctuary.
White Pelican
Master Tips
American white pelicans have large wings with huge bill. These pelicans weigh about 12 to
14 kg., which are double the grey pelicans.
Several species of birds migrate to Kolleru from far off places every year during winter but,
white pelicans have not visited Atapaka Bird Sanctuary in the last few years.
Kolleru Lake is a 2nd largest freshwater lake located in Andhra Pradesh. Kolleru is located
between Krishna and Godavari delta. Kolleru spans into two districts - Krishna and
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West Godavari. The lake serves as a natural flood-balancing reservoir for these two rivers.
Ozone thinning has changed ocean circulation

A hole in the Antarctic ozone layer has changed the way waters in the southern oceans mix,
which scientists say could impact global climate change. The situation has the potential to alter
the amount of CO 2 in the atmosphere.
Master Tips
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CFC-12 was first produced commercially in the 1930s and its concentration in the atmosphere
increased rapidly until the 1990s when it was phased out by the Montreal Protocol on
substances that deplete the ozone layer.
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IRENA launched Global Atlas on renewable energy
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The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has launched the world’s first
atlas on clean energy which will offer open-access information on countries’ renewable energy
potential.
• The Global Atlas is the largest ever initiative to help countries assess their renewable
energy potential, and companies bringing together data and maps from leading technical
institutes and private companies worldwide.
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• The Global Atlas provides a powerful new tool in international efforts to double the
worlds share of renewable energy by 2030.
• Thirty-seven countries, including Israel which has no diplomatic relations with the United
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Arab Emirates, have so far contributed information on their renewable energy potentials
to the atlas.
Master Tips
Established in 2011, Abu Dhabi-based IRENA is mandated by 159 countries and the European
Union to promote the sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy.
Elusive Snow Leopard offers glimpse in Himachal

The rare and elusive snow leopard has been sighted for the first time in Kugti Wildlife
Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh.
• The species is listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and
is classified as ‘endangered’ by the IUCN Red List.

52 Environment & Ecology Updates Current Affairs - 2
• Snow leopards inhabit the nonforested zone above the tree line - around 3,200 metres in
the western Himalayas and around 4,200 metres in the eastern Himalayas, going over the
Greater Himalayan crest into the Trans Himalayan region.
• The snow leopard distribution and population in India is at 400-600 along the Himalayan
region and about 4080 - 6590 across the world, found in 12 countries.
• Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, besides Arunachal Pradesh and
Sikkim, are amongst the five States in the country that are believed to have snow leopards.
Master Tips
The Project Snow Leopard launched in 2009 by MoEF, is an initiative for strengthening
wildlife conservation in the Himalayan high altitudes, covering 5 states Jammu and
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
It aims at promoting a knowledge-based and adaptive conservation framework that fully
involves the local communities, who share the snow leopard’s range, in conservation efforts.
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Project Snow Leopard is at par with other flagship species programmes of the country
such as Project Tiger and Project Elephant.
New Lizard species found in Madagascar

As per France’s National Centre for Scientific Research, a new lizard species has been
discovered in Madagascar and named “Moby Dick” mermaid skink – after the albino sperm
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whale imagined by Herman Melville for its flipper-like forelimbs and unpigmented skin,.
• “Sirenoscincus mobydick” presents a unique combination of anatomical features that
can be found in amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds.
• The discovery was made by French, Malagasy, American and German researchers.
• The centre said the “Moby Dick” lizard was discovered in the dry north-western forests
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of Madagascar.
• Because of its life underground, the animal’s skin has lost pigmentation and its eyes have
almost disappeared. Although the lizard has retained forelimbs, its hindlimbs have
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completely disappeared.
• The centre called it a “morphological organisation” reminiscent of cetaceans, the
carnivorous marine mammals such as whales and dolphins.
New Gas that triggers ozone destruction found
Scientists have found that a gas released from the oceans on Earth may play a significant role
in the destruction of ozone layer.
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• Researchers at the Universities of York and Leeds found that the principal source of iodine
oxide can be explained by emissions of hypoiodous acid (HOI) - a gas not yet considered as
being released from the ocean - along with a contribution from molecular iodine (I2).
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• Since the 1970s when methyl iodide (CH3I) was discovered as ubiquitous in the ocean,
the presence of iodine in the atmosphere has been understood to arise mainly from
emissions of organic compounds from phytoplankton - microscopic marine plants.
• The new research, published in Nature Geoscience, builds on an earlier study which showed that
reactive iodine, along with bromine, in the atmosphere is responsible for the destruction of
vast amounts of ozone around 50 per cent more than predicted by the world’s most advanced
climate models in the lower atmosphere over the tropical Atlantic Ocean.
Tata Power earned Carbon Credits from Gujarat Solar Plant
Tata Power has said its 25 MW solar project in Gujarat has been registered under the
United Nations Clean Development Mechanism, a move that would allow the company to
trade carbon credits from the plant. This allows the company to trade Certified Emission
Reductions (CERs) units it would earn from the renewable energy project.
• It is the company’s second project, after the 50.4MW Khandke wind farm in
Maharashtra, to get registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

• The Mithapur plant would help in reducing an annual average of 37,696 tons of carbon
dioxide, by producing 39,597 MWh per year (average) equivalent amount of clean energy.
• The country’s largest private power producer, Tata Power, has an installed generation
capacity of about 7,700 MW.
Master Tips
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is one of the flexibility mechanisms defined
in the Kyoto Protocol that provides for emissions reduction projects which generate Certified
Emission Reduction (CER) units which may be traded in emissions trading schemes.
Carbon Credit: A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit
representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or the mass of another greenhouse
gas with a carbon dioxide equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide.
1 Certified Emission Reduction (CER) Unit: For trading purposes, one allowance or CER
is considered equivalent to one metric ton of CO 2 emissions.
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Emissions from coal plants causing high mortality and diseases
Emissions from coal-fired power plants are taking a heavy toll on human life across large parts
of India. In 2011-2012, a first-of-its-kind study in the country estimates it resulted in a whopping
80,000 to 1,15,000 premature deaths and more than 20 million asthma cases from exposure to
a total PM10 (particulate matter) pollution.
•
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Titled ‘Coal Kills — An Assessment of
Death and Disease caused by India’s
dirtiest energy source,’ was done by
Master Tips
With approximately 210 gigawatts (GW),
Urban Emissions.info and Greenpeace India is the fifth largest generator of
India, with support from Conservation electricity in the world.
Acti on Trust (CAT) by Sarath K. At present, about 60% of this power
generation capacity is from coal.
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Guttikunda and Puja Jawahar.
The 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017) includes
• The study says emissions from coal-fired an addition of 76 GW and the 13th Five Year
power are responsible for a large mortality Plan (2017-2022) includes 93 GW, most of
and morbidity burden on human health.
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which is coal based.

• The largest impact of emissions is over
Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Indo-Gangetic plain, and
most of central east India.
Power Generation (Fuel Wise) MW %age

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Total Thermal 141713.68 66.91
Coal 121,610.88 57.42

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Gas 18,903.05 8.92
Oil 1,199.75 0.56
Hydro (Renewable) 39,416.40 18.61
Nuclear 4,780.00 2.25
RES** (MNRE) 25,856.14 12.20
Total 2,11,766.22 100.00
Renewable Energy Sources (RES) include SHP, BG, BP, U&I and Wind Energy
SHP= Small Hydro Project, BG= Biomass Gasifier, BP= Biomass Power,
U & I=Urban & Industrial Waste Power, RES=Renewable Energy Sources
MNRE = Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.

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Science &
Technology Updates
5.1 Space Odyssey 57
5.2 Biotech & Medicine 61
5.3 Computer, ITES &Miscellaneous 64
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Current Affairs - 2 Science and Technology 57
5.1 SPACE ODYSSEY

ISRO to set up research centre near Rohtang Pass
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has decided to set up an observatory
at Kothi near the 13,050-feet-high Rohtang Pass to study the impact of global warming
on melting of glaciers and environment in general. Scientists would be studying the behavior
of aerosols, glaciers and back carbon aerosols at the popular mountain tourist spot.
Master Tips
Reasons for melting of Glaciers: With thousands of vehicles passing through Rohtang,
especially during peak tourist season, on a daily basis, the white snow cover turns black due
to carbon emission from vehicles. Increased quantity of black carbon aerosols in the
atmosphere is absorbing more heat, due to which incoming solar radiation is being
absorbed more and not reflected accordingly, resulting into faster melting of glaciers.
Rohtang Pass: Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range
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of the Himalayas around 51 km from Manali. It connects the Kullu Valley (in south
having Hindu Culture) with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys (in north having Buddhist
Culture) of Himachal Pradesh. Manali-Leh Highway, the highest motarable road in India,
a part of NH 21, transverses Rohtang Pass.
On the southern side of this pass, the Beas River emerges from underground and flows
southward and on its northern side, the Chandra River, a source stream of the river Chenab,
flows westward. ST
ISRO’s 1 st navigational satellite IRNSS-1 set to fly & GAGAN by 2014
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the country’s 1 st regional
navigational satellite, IRNSS-1 in June. After all the required satellites were launched,
India would be in a position to provide navigation service through indigenous GPS ‘Gagan’
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probably by 2014.
• The remaining six spacecraft that form the regional navigational constellation may follow
over the next 18 months after tests on the first one. IRNSS-1 is to be flown on the
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domestic PSLV-C22 rocket from Sriharikota.

• The navigational spacecraft are expected to provide a sub-continental system similar to
the GPS and vastly improve location and movement on ground, air or sea when they are
fully in place.
• There would be 12 missions (including both satellites and launchers) in the next 12
months. Apart from IRNSS-1, three satellites were in the final stages of integration —
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the GSAT-7, GSAT-14 and the advanced meteorology satellite INSAT-3D.

• GSAT-7 and INSAT-3D are planned to be flown on the European Ariane rocket around
August and September depending on the schedule of the launch service agency
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Arianespace.
Master Tips
Established in 1969 and Headquartered in Bangalore, ISRO is the primary space agency
of the Indian government. ISRO is amongst the six largest government space agencies
in the world, along with America’s NASA, Russia’s RKA, Europe’s ESA, China’s CNSA
and Japan’s JAXA.The current ISRO Chairman is K. Radhakrishnan.
S Ramakrishnan has assumed charge as Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in
Tiruvananthapuram.
Comet streaks past Earth in closest-ever approach

A recently discovered comet made its closest-ever approach to Earth. The comet, which has
passed through the inner solar system this month, is known officially as comet C/2011 L4
(PanSTARRS). It was discovered in June 2011 by astronomers using the Panoramic
Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System, or PanSTARRS telescope, in Hawaii.
58 Science and Technology Current Affairs - 2
China’s BeiDou navigation system to get full global coverage by 2020

In order to counter America’s Global Positioning System(GPS), China expects that its
home-grown navigation system ‘BeiDou’ will be achieving full-scale global coverage by
around 2020.
The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) will then be able to provide highly accurate
and reliable positioning, navigation and timing service with the aid of a constellation of 35
satellites, said Ye Peijian, chief commander of Chang’e-3, China’s lunar probe mission.
China to Launch 2 nd Manned Space Mission
China will send its second manned mission this year to dock with a space module currently
orbiting the Earth, as the country continues experiments to set up a Spacelab to rival
International Space Station (ISS). (ISS by NASA, JAXA, ESA, RKA, CSA (Canada); is
completing 15.7 orbits/day at altitude between 330km and 435km.)
• Three Chinese astronauts will board the Shenzhou-10, which is expected to dock with
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the orbiting lab module Tiangong-1.
• The Tiangong-1 was sent into space in September 2011. It later docked with the
Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft in November 2011 and with the Shenzhou-9
manned spacecraft in June, 2012.
• In 2012, China sent its first woman astronaut Liu Yang aboard Shenzhou-9.
ISRO’s 101 st Solar Mission ‘PSLV-C20’ launches 7 satellites
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India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C20 rocket carrying seven satellites,
including the Indo-French ‘Satellite with ARgos and ALtika’ (SARAL), blasted off
from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The successful
launch of the satellites will take ISRO’s tally of launching foreign satellites to 35. ISRO
started putting into space third-party satellites for a fee in 1999 on its PSLV-C2 rocket.
• The ISRO-built SARAL is a 410-kg satellite with payloads Argos and Altika from
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French space agency CNES for enhancing the understanding of the ocean.
• The six smaller payloads in the mission launched include two from Canada, two from
Austria and one each from Denmark and UK.
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• NEOSSat (Near-Earth Object Surveillance Satellite) (74 kg) is built by Microsat

Systems Canada Inc (MSCI). The Satellite has a space telescope dedicated for detecting
and tracking asteroids and satellites in Geo-stationary orbit. Canada’s NEOSSat will join
global efforts to discover and track asteroids that might pose a threat to our planet.
• Sapphire (148 Kg), a satellite built by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Association (MDA),
Canada, is a space based optical sensor system aimed at an operationally acceptable space
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based surveillance to contribute to the US Space Surveillance Network (SSN).

• NLS 8.1 (UniBRITE) (14 Kg) and NLS 8.2 (BRITE) (14 Kg) are two scientific satellites
launched and operated by Austria.
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• NLS 8.3 (AAUSAT3) (3Kg) is the third student cubesat from Aalborg University in
Denmark, which has device for feasibility study of receiving AIS signals from ships in
arctic regions and a Phoenix GPS receiver from DLR, Germany.
• The vehicle also carried STRaND-1, the first satellite in the series of Surrey Training,
Research and Nanosatellite Development programme, built by SSTL (Surrey
Training Technology Ltd), UK, to fly state-of-the art technologies and new developments
in low Earth orbit.
Jupiter’s moon ‘Europa’ likely to harbour life
Jupiter’s moon Europa is the most likely candidate in the universe beyond the Earth
that could harbour life.
• Researchers say Europa, the sixth closest moon to Jupiter, is far more likely to be
habitable than the desert covered Mars, which has been the focus of recent exploration.
• Under a new $2-billion exploration project called Clipper, NASA would team up with
physicists of Johns Hopkins University, if the project got permission.
• The mission follows the success of Cassini, a probe that closely explored Titan, a moon
of Saturn. Clipper could be launched by 2021 and would take a further three-six years
to reach Europa.
• Europa was first examined by the Voyager mission in 1979 and by Galileo in the 1990s.
• Scientists believe that Enceladus, the sixth largest moon of Saturn, could also be
habitable.
NASA’s Kepler Mission discovers yet another Earth-like Planet Kepler-37b
NASA has discovered the smallest known planet outside our solar system which is slightly
larger than the Moon and orbits its Sun like host star every 13 days.
• NASA’s Kepler space telescope detected the smallest planet yet found around a star
similar to the Sun in a new planetary system.
• The planets are located in a system called Kepler-37, about 210 light-years from Earth
in the constellation Lyra.
• The smallest planet, Kepler-37b, is slightly larger than our Moon, measuring about one-
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third the size of Earth.
• The Moon-size planet and its two companion planets were found by scientists with NASA’s
Kepler mission to find Earth-sized planets in or near the “habitable zone,” the
region in a planetary system where liquid water might exist on the surface of
an orbiting planet.
• Kepler-37c, the closer neighbouring planet, is slightly smaller than Venus, measuring
of Earth.
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almost three-quarters the size of Earth. Kepler-37d, the farther planet, is twice the size
Meteor hit Chelyabinsk: The largest celestial body to hit Earth in 100 yrs
The meteor, which closely missed the Russian city of Chelyabinsk and Russia’s Urals
region, is likely to go down in history as the largest celestial body to have hit the Earth
over the past hundred years.
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• As per NASA scientists, the object was a tiny asteroid that released 300 to 500 kilotons
of energy when it exploded, which is roughly equivalent to 20 atomic bombs of the type
dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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• This would make the Chelyabinsk meteor the largest since 1908 when a meteor hit
Tunguska in Siberia, a 60-metre cosmic body, levelling an estimated 80 million trees.
• The energy of the Tunguska blast is estimated to have been up to 50 megatons.
• Scientists believe the Chelyabinsk meteor was about 17 metres across and weighed
10,000 tons. Shock waves from its explosion over Chelyabinsk wounded 1,200.
• It was the biggest celestial body ever observed on its flight through the atmosphere and
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there was a good chance of finding its fragments before exposure to the elements
contaminates them.
• Divers searched the bottom of frozen Lake Chebarkul about 80 km from Chelyabinsk
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where a chunk of the meteor is believed to have plunged, but found nothing.
Asteroid named 2012 DA14 makes closest pass to Earth
As per NASA, an asteroid half the size of a football pitch made the closest pass ever
observed from Earth, some 28,000 kilometres above Indonesia.
• The near-Earth object, named 2012 DA14 after it was discovered in 2012 by astronomers
from an observatory in La Sagra in southern Spain, is 45 metres in diameter.
• DA14 is roughly comparable in size to the meteor believed to have caused the 1908
Tunguska event, when a massive blast laid waste to 2,000 square kilometres of uninhabited
Siberian forest.
• DA14 is likely a similar silicate rock as the Tunguska meteor and would probably explode
in the atmosphere if it were bound for Earth.
• DA14 passed within 27,650 kms of Earth and was visible with the aid of binoculars or a
small telescope from much of the eastern hemisphere.

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ST
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Difference among Comet, Asteroid, Meteoroid, Meteor & Meteorite

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Scientists discover youngest black hole in our galaxy

NASA scientists have spotted the youngest black hole yet in the Milky Way galaxy,
which is just 1000-years old and only 26,000 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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• The remnant, called 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.
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NASA’s new mission to estimate impact of asteroids on Earth

NASA plans to launch a new mission in 2016 to find potentially hazardous asteroids and
predict their impact threat to Earth. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission
will arrive at RQ36 in 2018 and orbit the asteroid until 2021. By communicating
continuously with a spacecraft in orbit around RQ36, the team will get a much better idea
of the asteroid’s orbit.
NASA eyes one of the flattest galaxies in universe
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope produced a beautiful image of the spiral
galaxy IC 2233, one of the flattest galaxies known. Lying in the constellation of Lynx,
IC 2233 is located about 40 million light-years away from Earth. This galaxy was earlier
discovered by British astronomer Isaac Roberts in 1894. This object is a prime example of
a super-thin galaxy, where the galaxy’s diameter is at least ten times larger than
the thickness. These galaxies consist of a simple disk of stars when seen edge on.

5.2 BIOTECH AND MEDICINE

Vaccinated Mosquitoes to prevent dengue
Australian scientists were in New Delhi looking for a partnership to help India, which
reported the highest dengue cases 37,000 in 2012, control the menace.
• The scientists have transferred the Wolbachia bacteria from the fruit fly into
mosquitoes and found that when it is present in the mosquitos, it reduces their ability
to transmit the dengue virus thus scientists have vaccinated mosquitoes against dengue,
as a result of which they would not be able to transmit it to humans.
• Wolbachia acts like a vaccine for the mosquito by blocking dengue virus transmission by
mosquitoes and thereby preventing human infection with dengue. Wolbachia bacteria
has the potential to be used against other insect transmitted diseases.
Master Tips
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• The Eliminate Dengue Research Programme is a not-for-profit international collaboration
active in Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Colombia and Brazil. ·
• Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by
the dengue virus.
• Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin
rash that is similar to measles. The disease can develop into the life-threatening dengue
hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma
•
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leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.
Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally
A. aegypti.
Software ‘DDSS’ for rapid diagnosis of dengue

A software tool that can rapidly diagnose dengue fever based on symptoms and clinical
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parameters has been developed and validated by scientists of the CSIR-Indian Institute
of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Hyderabad.
• The Dengue Decision Support System (DDSS) has been developed by U.S N. Murty,
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Chief Scientist and Head of Biology Division and his group.

• The DDSS would help health authorities in finding out the disease within 10-15 minutes,
which was vital in saving the life of the patient.
Awareness walk marks World Kidney Day: 14 th March

A large number of people from different walks of life participated in an awareness walk
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organised on the occasion of World Kidney Day on 14th March at Visakhapatnam.

Pfizer gets rejection from UK cost body for cancer drugs
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Pfizer suffered a second rejection from Britain’s health cost watchdog NICE as its new
kidney cancer drug ‘Inlyta’ was turned down for use on the state health service. As per
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the new treatment
was not a cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. The decision follows a
similar rebuff for Pfizer’s lung cancer drug ‘Xalkori’.
Tech billionaires announce new Life Sciences prize

Some of the world’s best-known technology tycoons, including Google co-founder Sergey
Brin and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, launched a $15-million annual prize
to reward groundbreaking achievements in life sciences. The idea behind the Breakthrough
Prize for Life Sciences is to generate excitement and financial reward for outstanding
scientific achievement. In the inaugural year 2013, prizes of $3 million each were
awarded to 11 scientists in the field of cancer and genetic research.

Maharashtra 1 st to keep tabs on Diclofenac sale

Maharashtra is showing the way for conservation of critically endangered vultures in the country.
• It is the first State to go for real time monitoring of post-surveillance ban on the veterinary
use of diclofenac by the Central Government in 2008, through directive issued by the
State Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to its officials for submission of monthly
reports on its sale and purchase of livestock painkiller.
• Maharashtra has a population of two species of vultures, white backed and long billed
found in the Melghat and Konkan reserves, besides in the Western Ghats.
Master Tips
Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) taken to reduce

inflammation and as an analgesic reducing pain in certain conditions. The name is derived
from its chemical name: 2-(2,6-dichloranilino) phenylacetic acid.
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• Uses: Widely used as cheap painkiller for livestock in Indian Subcontinent.
• There is is ban on the veterinary use of diclofenac by the Central Government
in 2008 under Section 18(a) (iv) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.·
• Ecological Impact: Use of diclofenac in animals has been reported to have led to a
sharp decline in the vulture population in the Indian Subcontinent. ·
• The mechanism is presumed to be renal failure, a known side effect of diclofenac.
Vultures eat the carcasses of livestock that have been administered veterinary diclofenac,
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and are poisoned by the accumulated chemical, as vultures do not have a particular
enzyme to break down diclofenac.
• At a meeting of the National Wildlife Board in March 2005, the Government of India
announced it intended to phase out the veterinary use of diclofenac.·
• Meloxicam is a safer candidate to replace use of diclofenac. It is more expensive than
diclofenac, but the price is coming down as more drug companies begin to manufacture it.
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Scientists find lower arsenic Bangladeshi rice strain

Aromatic rice from Bangladesh’s Sylhet region has a lower arsenic content than many
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other grains – offering a safer alternative in a country with a huge poisoning burden from
rice grown in contaminated water.
• The Sylheti rice also contained higher levels of the essential nutrients selenium and
zinc, according to a study published in the journal Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging.
• Rice is the main staple in Bangladesh,
Master Tips
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where a study published in The Lancet in

2010 found that as many as 77 million Chronic exposure to arsenic is linked to
people out of a population of some 160 cancers of the liver, kidney, bladder
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million may have been exposed to toxic and skin, as well as heart disease.
levels of arsenic in contaminated ground
Rice is highly efficient at absorbing arsenic
water.
from soil and water, and is reported to be the
• The UN’s World Health Organisation has
called the country’s arsenic crisis “the highest arsenic-containing cereal.
largest mass poisoning of a population
in history”.
• Under a 1970’s campaign to provide villagers with clean, germ-free water, millions of wells
were dug unfortunately many of them into soil heavily laced with naturally occurring arsenic.
Wockhardt gets FDA nod to sell anti-epilepsy drug

Wockhardt has received final approval from the United States Food & Drug Administration
(U.S. FDA) to market Lamotrigine, a drug used to treat epilepsy. Wockhardt already markets
other products in the U.S. in the central nervous system (CNS) segment, especially anti-
convulsant drugs.
ICRISAT led the decoding of Genome sequence of 90 chickpea lines

The global research partnership, led by the International Crop Research Institute for
Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in Hyderabad, succeeded in identifying an
estimated 28,269 genes of chickpea after sequencing CDC Frontier, a ‘kabuli’ (large-
seeded) chickpea variety.
Master Tips
• This will help chickpea farmers become
more resilient to emerging challenges Chickpea is the second largest cultivated
brought about by the threat of climate grain food legume in the world, grown in
about 11.5 million hectares mostly by resource
change with improved grain yields and poor farmers in the semi-arid tropics.
quality , gr eater drought and disease The research by ICRISAT will contribute to
resistance. income generation and improved livelihoods
of smallholder farmers in African countries
• The genome map can also be used to harness such as Ethiopia,Tanzania and Kenya, and is
genetic diversity by broadening the genetic crucial to the food security in India.
base of cultivated chickpea gene pool.
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Malaria-causing parasite found in Andamans
Researchers have located a new malaria-causing parasite ‘Plasmodium Knowlesi’ for the
first time in humans in India.
• A team of researchers, consisting of Manoj Kumar Das of the National Institute of Malaria
Research (NIMR), Shiv S. Singh of G.B. Pant Hospital, Port Blair, Rupesh K. Tyagi and
•
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Yagya D. Sharma of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) located the
plasmodium in tribal people in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Mr. Das said monkeys, especially crab-eating ones found in the islands, served as hosts
for this parasite.
• From the infected monkeys, this parasite gets transmitted to humans through the
Leucosphyrus group of Anopheles mosquitoes that serve as vectors.
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• The parasite may have migrated to the islands from the south-east Asian countries.
Poachers from Thailand and Indonesia are said to secretly visit the islands.
• Mr. Das, who has 16 years of research at the malaria research centre in Car Nicobar,
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received the ICMR award for senior bio-medical scientists for the year 2012-13 for
his research.
USFDA approves 1 st new TB drug ‘Sirturo’ in 40 years
The US Food and Drug administration has approved a Johnson & Johnson tuberculosis
drug that is the first new medicine to fight the deadly infection in more than four decades.
• The agency approved J&J’s pill, Sirturo, for use with older drugs to fight a hard-to-treat strain
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of tuberculosis that has not responded to other medications. However, the agency cautioned that
the drug carries risks of potentially deadly
Master Tips
heart problems and should be prescribed
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carefully by doctors. Roughly one-third of the world’s population is

estimated to be infected with the bacteria
• Si rturo , kno wn chemi ca lly a s causing tuberculosis. The disease is rare in the
beda qu i li ne, is th e fir st medic in e US, but kills about 1.4 million people a year
worldwide. Of those, about 150,000 succumb to
specifically designed for treating multi the increasingly common drug-resistant forms
drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). of the disease. About 60% of all cases are
That’s a form of the disease that cannot concentrated in China, India, Russia and
be treated with at least two of the four Eastern Europe.
(Refer International & bilateral updates
primary antibiotics used for tuberculosis. to read more about MDR-TB.)
Indian scientists identify molecule to help cancer treatment

A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian Institute
of Science, Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim will revolutionise the
cure for cancer. The molecule has been named after Sathees as “SCR7” and a detailed
account of it has been carried in the international scientific journal “Cell.”

New varieties of black gram developed

Scientists at the Regional Research Agricultural Station, Lam, Guntur in Andhra
Pradesh, have developed a new variety of disease resistant and high yielding variety
of Black gram seed. The new varieties LBG 787, LBG 791 and LBG 792 have been
developed at RARS and are at advanced testing stage. For years, the Yellow Mosaic
Virus (YMV) has caused havoc, destroying blackgram sown in hundreds of acres in the
rice fallow in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. The YMV renamed as YMD was characterised
by blighting of leaves distinctly visible by the mosaic patterns of the leaves and discolouring
of the pods.
Biocon gets nod to market anti-psoriasis drug
Biocon has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to
market its product ‘Itolizumab’, used in the treatment of psoriasis. The company has
received market authorisation from the DCGI for its novel biologic Itolizumab, anti-CD6
molecule, for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis. This approval paves way for the
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launch of the drug later in 2013 in India.
5.3 COMPUTER, ITES AND MISCELLANEOUS
C-DAC unveils India’s fastest supercomputer ‘Param Yuva II’

Precise weather forecasting, faster tapping of natural resources in the sea and designing
of customized drugs for individuals will now be possible using Param Yuva II, India’s
fastest supercomputer.
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• Developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Param
Yuva II was inaugurated recently.
• The supercomputer has been upgraded to 524 teraflops, about 10 times faster than the
present facility. With an investment of Rs 16 crore, it was developed in a record 3
months.
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World’s largest magnet being designed at BARC
The world’s largest magnet, weighing 50,000 tonnes and slated to be several times bigger
than the one at the Compact Muon Solenoid detector at CERN, Geneva, is being
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designed at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The massive magnet will
play a major role in the Rs 1,500-crore India based Neutrino Observatory coming up
4,300 feet below a cave in a mountain not far from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. It will be
iron-based, weighing 50,000 tonnes while the weight of the one at CERN ranges between
4,000 and 5,000 tonnes.
United Airlines becomes 1 st US carrier to launch Wi-Fi service
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United Airlines has introduced onboard satellite-based Wi-Fi internet connectivity on

selected overseas routes. This has made it the first US-based international carrier to offer
passengers to stay connected with the Wi-Fi on long-haul overseas routes. The aircrafts of
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United Airlines are being outfitted with Panasonic Avionics’ ‘Ku-band’ satellite
technology, offering customer s faster in-flight internet service than air-to-ground
technology (ATG).
Airbus to drop lithium-ion batteries in A350
European planemaker Airbus is dropping lithium-ion batteries from its new A350
airplane because of uncertainty surrounding the technology that has led to the grounding
of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. It has decided to revert to nickel-cadmium batteries for
the A350. The plane is a wide-body jet rival to the Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and is
expected to make its first flight around the middle of the year.
Ancient Continent ‘Mauritia’ found
Researchers have found evidence for a landmass that would have existed between 2,000
and 85 million years ago. The strip of land, which scientists have called Mauritia,
eventually fragmented and vanished beneath the waves as the modern world started to
take shape. The study is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Antarctic drillers reach ‘Lake Whillans’ buried beneath ice

US scientists have successfully drilled into Lake Whillans, a body of water buried almost
one kilometre under the Antarctic ice.
• The Whillans project is one of a number of such ventures trying to investigate Antarctica’s
buried lakes.
• In December 2012, a British team had abandoned its efforts to get into Lake Ellsworth
after encountering technical difficulties.
• Lake Whillans is situated in the west of Antarctica, on the southeastern edge of
the Ross Sea. It is less of a lake and more of a dense system of streams, almost like a
delta, that covers some 60 square kilometre. The liquid body is quite shallow - just a few
metres in depth.
External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid visits Antarctica
External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid has visited Antarctica during his visit to Chile,
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becoming the first Union minister to visit the planet’s southernmost continent after Pranab
Mukherjee, who had travelled to the region as defence minister in 2005. Khurshid’s visit
was facilitated by Chile during what is the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to
Latin America in 13 years. He also visited Argentina. He travelled to Antarctica from
Puenta Arenas in Chile.
Master Tips ST
The Indian Antarctic Program is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional program under
the control of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth
Sciences, Government of India. It was initiated in 1981 with the first Indian expedition
to Antarctica.
The program gained global acceptance with India’s signing of the Antarctic Treaty.India
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has three research stations in Antarctica:
1. India’s first research station in Antarctica was Dakshin Gangotri (1983), which had to
be decommissioned after it got buried under ice, and has now been marked as an historic site.
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2. The second permanent settlement, Maitri, was put up in 1988–89 on the Schirmacher
Oasis and has been conducting experiments in geology, geography and medicine. India built
a freshwater lake around Maitri known as Lake Priyadharshini.
Maitri has been hosting summer team of about 70 members and winter team of 25 members
every year since 1988-89, is the gateway for Indian scientists to venture into interior Antarctic
mountains.
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3. Bharti: India has demarcated an area beside Larsmann Hill at 69°S, 76°E for its third
settlement and second active research station.
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Bi-Fi : New era in Genetic Engineering

Stanford University Researchers are harnessing the key attributes of a virus, called
M13, to develop the first biological Internet, or ‘Bi-Fi’, by creating a mechanism to
send genetic messages from one cell to another. The system greatly increases the
complexity and amout of data that can be communicated between cells and could lead to
greater control of biological functions within cell communities. Stanford University
bioengineering researchers Monica Ortiz and Drew Endy have ‘parasitised’ the parasite
and harnessed the M13’s key attributes — its non-lethality and its ability to package and
broadcast arbitrary DNA strands — to create ‘Bi-Fi’.
Gold producing bacteria ‘Cupriavidus metallidurans’ discovered
Researchers from the Michigan State University have discovered a bacteria that has the
ability to withstand incredible amounts of toxicity and can be the key to creating 24-carat
gold. Scientists have found that the metal-tolerant bacteria ‘Cupriavidus metallidurans’
can grow on massive concentrations of gold chloride or liquid gold, a toxic chemical
compound found in nature.
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6
Defence Updates
6.1 Indian Defence Updates 69
6.2 Other Counteries Defece Updates 72
6.3 Indian Defence Ties & Deals 74
6.4 Joint Exercises 75
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Current Affairs - 2 Defence Updates 69
6.1 INDIAN DEFENCE UPDATES
3 rd Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette ‘Kiltan’ launched in Kolkata

In a major step towards indigenisation and making the Navy self-reliant, the third anti-
submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, designed under the ambitious Project-28 (P-28) by
the Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, was launched in Kolkata.
• Being built by one of India’s leading shipbuilders, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers
Ltd. (GRSE), it has been named after an island ‘Kiltan’ in the Lakshwadweep archipelago
of India.
• The first GRSE-built ASW corvette, Kamorta, is expected to be delivered to the Navy by end
of 2013. It was launched on April 19, 2010 and had suffered a delay of nearly one year.
K-15: Underwater missile takes off successfully
India achieved a major milestone by establishing underwater missile launch capability when
K-15 missile, code-named B05, was successfully test-fired off the Visakhapatnam coast.
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• The 10-metre-high Submarine- Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), lifted off from a pontoon
as it was ejected by a gas generator, rose to an altitude of 20 km and reached its full
range of 700 km before splashing down in the waters of the Bay of Bengal with single-
digit accuracy.
• With the completion of developmental trials, the missile is now ready for integration with
INS Arihant, the indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine.
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• In the coming years, India will have four nuclear-powered submarines. Besides Arihant,
a nuclear-powered submarine is being built at the Visakhapatnam Naval Dock Yard and
the hulls of two other submarines are under fabrication in Vadodara, Gujarat.
• India is the 5th country to have underwater missile capability. The other nations
are the United States, France, Russia and China.
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Pinaka rockets successfully test-fired
Indigenously developed ‘Pinaka’ rockets were successfully test-fired from a multi-barrel rocket
launcher (MBRL) by an armament establishment from a base at Chandipur-on-sea. Pinaka,
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which has undergone several tough tests since 1995, has already been inducted into the armed
forces.
Master Tips
Pinaka is an area weapon system with a range of 40 km. The quick reaction time and high
rate of fire of the system gives an edge to the army during a low-intensity conflict situation.
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The unguided rocket system is meant to neutralise large areas with rapid salvos. Pinaka’
system can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds and the battery of six launchers can
neutralise at a time a target area of 3.9 sq km.
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India plans Missile test ranges in Andhra and Andamans

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up missile test
ranges in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Andhra Pradesh and the process has been
initiated to acquire land. DRDO had proposed to set up a missile test range each at
Rutland Island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Nagayalanka in Krishna
district of Andhra Pradesh.
Wankel Engine indigenously developed to power UAVs
The 55-hp Wankel engine, developed by three national research agencies, has passed
muster to power the unmanned aerial vehicles used by the Army and the Air Force.
Wankel is a major achievement for the defence research establishment.
• It has been certified to be the engine for all future UAV programmes.
• This will be used to power the home-grown UAVs Nishant, Lakshya and Rustom-1
and 2 versions used to observe and survey border areas.

70 Defence Updates Current Affairs - 2
Indian Army Modernising two Firing Ranges

The Army has embarked on modernization of its field firing ranges at Pokhran in
Rajasthan and Babina in Madhya Pradesh, at a cost of Rs. 20 crore each. The Army
has also taken up upgrade of infrastructure and other facilities at its largest field firing
range, “Mahajan,” which spreads over Bikaner and other adjoining districts and
measures 50 km in length and 30 km in breadth.
IAF’s ‘Iron Fist’ sets desert sky ablaze
The skies of Pokhran came alive with the Indian Air Force’s first ever day-night full
combat and fire demonstration, named “Iron Fist.” President Pranab Mukherjee, the
supreme commander of the armed forces, was the chief guest at the event at Chandan
Range near Jaisalmer.
• More than 200 fighter and transport aircraft, including Sukhoi 30, Mirage 2000,
Jaguar, MiG 27, MIG 21, MIG 29, unmanned aerial vehicles and the AWACS, participated
in the demonstration.
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• Indigenous aircraft like Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter
Rudra also proved their calibre at the show.
• The other aircraft displayed were the C130J, the AN-32, the Embraer and the IL-76.
• The chopper fleet included Mi-8, Mi-17 1V, and the newly inducted Mi-17 V5 and Mi-35.
Another new entrant, the Swiss Pilatus PC-7 Mk II basic trainer, also graced the sky.
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New interceptor boat C-154 commissioned in Indian Coast Guard
An interceptor boat (IB), C-154 built by M/s Bharati Shipyard Ltd. at a cost of Rs.
18 crore, with new generation Arneson Surface Drive (ASD), was commissioned in
Mumbai. By mid-2014, the Coast Guard will add 14 more such ships to its fleet.
• ASD, a surface-piercing propeller drive, can turn the boat while in high speed. The 28-
metre-long boat, with 75 tonnes displacement, can achieve a maximum speed of 35 knots.
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• Besides latest navigation and communication equipment, it has medium-range armament.
• It can perform high-speed interception, close coast patrol, low-intensity maritime operations,
search-and-rescue and surveillance.
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• It has two main engines of 1,630 kW each and has a complement of one officer and 12
men.
Indian Army placed orders for 20 HAL ‘Cheetal’ Helicopters
The Army has ordered 20 Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL)-made Cheetal helicopters
worth Rs. 418 crore.
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• The Cheetal is the re-engined, fuel-efficient variant of the older, proven Cheetah helicopter
which HAL has been making for over 40 years.
• It is powered by the Turbomeca TM 333-2M2 turboshaft engine.
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• An important feature is the FADEC (full authority digital engine control) system
for engine control; an electronic backup control box system automatically takes over
engine control if the FADEC fails.
INS Dega airport fully operated by Defence ministry
Defence ministry has agreed to fully operate the Naval airport, INS Dega, from March
1. Defence ministry has given its in-principle nod to run the airport. At present, the
airport which is under Navy, is operational only for 12 hours a day and there is an
increasing demand for extending flying hours in both civil and military spheres.
Govt nods for AWACS project
The Government has given approval to the DRDO to develop an indigenous Airborne
Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) that can help the IAF keep an eye deep
inside enemy territory. After the approval, the DRDO will now work towards finalising
the further details of the programmes and the number of such aircraft that the IAF would
require for giving a complete coverage of India’s boundaries.

India developing Agni-VI ballistic missile: MIRV Capability

India is developing a long-range nuclear-capable Agni-VI ballistic missile that would carry
multiple warheads allowing one weapon system to take out several targets at a time.
Th e for c e mu ltiplier c apability of th e missile w ou ld be bec au se of its multi ple
independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) capability.
• The Agni-5 ballistic missile, which was test-fired in April 2012, has a range of upto 5,500
kms and it is believed that the Agni-6 would have a range of over 6,000 km.
• It will have force multiplier capability by the MIRV approach which would enable us to
deliver many payloads at the same time using only one missile.
• So far, all the strategic missiles developed by the DRDO — Agni-I, II, III, IV and V, and the
submarine-launched K-15 and its land-based version Shourya — can carry only single nuclear
warhead. Agni -VI will carry four or six warheads depending upon their weight.
• Both Agni-V and Agni-VI have three stages, all powered by solid propellants, and their
diameter is two metres.
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• While Agni-V weighs 50 tonnes and is 17.5 metres long, Agni-VI belongs to the 65-70-
tonne class and will be 20 metres long.
DRDO set to develop Anti-radiation Missile in 3-5 years
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to develop a new
state-of-the art, anti-radiation missile that can target enemy radars and communication
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facilities. The government recently gave the go-ahead for the project, and the design work
has already begun at one of the key DRDO laboratories.
• At present there is no such missile in India’s arsenal, while some advanced countries,
including the US, Israel and Russia, have such a weapon.
• The new air-to-surface 100-km range tactical missile picks up radiation or signals
emitted by radars and communication systems, homes on to the target and destroy the
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network.
• The missile’s front-end comprises a sensor to pick up various radio frequencies.
• It will be a single-stage, liquid-propelled system.
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• After a series of developmental trials, it will be integrated with fighter aircraft, including
Sukhoi and Light Combat Aircraft.
Nirbhay tested successfully

The flight trial of India’s first subsonic cruise
missile, Nirbhay by February-end has been done
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successfully by DRDO. The canister-launch V.K. Saraswat is the Scientific Advisor

capability to strategic weapons, Agni-V, Agni-IV to Defence Minister and Director General
and integrating air-to-air Astra missile with of DRDO, has been awarded with
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'Padma Bhushan 2013' by President of

Sukhoi fighter aircraft constitute the major India.
plans of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) this year.
Indian Navy commissioned ‘INS Saryu’ for maritime surveillance

The Indian Navy commissioned its largest offshore patrol vessel INS Saryu for maritime
surveillance around Andaman and Nicobar islands.
• Built at Goa Shipyard Limited, the 105-meter vessel is the first of the four new class
naval off shore patrol vessels (NOPVs) that would be commissioned by the Indian Navy
over next one-and-half year.
• INS Saryu will also be important to provide secured environment for oil installations off
Andaman and Nicobar coast.
• The ship is the Indian Navy’s largest off shore patrol vessel, the first in its class.
PGM: Multiple-target Missiles to redefine Warfare

Scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are set to
complete in a year the technology demonstration of an ambitious project to fire hi-tech
preci sio n-gui ded muni tio ns (PGMs) from a mother missile at v ariou s tar gets
simultaneously.
• PGMs are miniaturised missiles with small seekers, actuators and on-board computers
and will be integrated with tactical missiles having a range of 100-200 km.
• The major advantage of PGMs is that collateral damage could be avoided while attacking
multiple targets in a war scenario with sub-metre accuracy.
• A series of trials using a Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) to simulate the speed of the
mother missile while ejecting the PGMs will be conducted at Balasore, Orissa.
• Initially, the RPV will be tested using two seekers IIR (Imaging Infra-Red) and mmW (
millimetric wave) to track the target.
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FPV ‘Aadesh’ for Coast Guard launched
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has launched the vessel, named Aadesh, the first in a
series of 20 fast patrol vessels (FPV) being built by it for the Coast Guard.
• It is designed to have a maximum speed of 33 knots, the primary role of these ships would
be fisheries protection and monitoring; patrol within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ);
and coastal patrol, anti-smuggling, search, and rescue operations and anti-piracy operations.
•
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The vessels are being built under the dual classification requirements of the American
Bureau of Shipping and the Indian Register of Shipping.
India test-fires manoeuvrable version of BrahMos
India has successfully test-fired a highly manoeuvrable version of the 290-km range
supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from a naval warship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam
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in Bay of Bengal.
• This is the 34th launch of BrahMos after the successful launch in 2012 from INS Teg in
the Arabian Sea.
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• 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, which ensures double redundancy.
Master Tips
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BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships,
aircraft or land.
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It is the world’s fastest cruise missile in operation. The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0.
I t is a j o in t vent ure b et ween Ind ia ’s D RDO a nd Rus s ia n F e d e r at io n’ s N PO
Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
The name BrahMos is a formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India
and the Moskva of Russia.
Currently, chief executive officer of BrahMos Aerospace is A. Sivathanu Pillai.
6.2 OTHER COUNTRIES DEFENCE UPDATES

‘Great Prophet 8’ Military drill: Iran tests Suicide drones
Iran has tested unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) including suicide drones. The Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) started a three-day military drill, code-named Great
Prophet 8 and tested different asymmetric tactics and UAVs during military drills in the
country’s east.

Qaher (Conqueror) F-313: Iran develops fighter jet

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled a futuristic looking fighter jet believed
to be ranked among the most sophisticated aircraft. Code-named the Qaher (Conqueror) F-
313 and shaped similar to stealth bombers, the grey warplane was designed and built
domestically.
Pakistan successfully test fires nuclear-capable Hatf-IX missile: Nasr
Pakistan has successfully tested the nuclear-capable Hatf-IX tactical missile with a
range of 60 km, designed to defeat all known anti-tactical missile defence systems.
• The Hatf-IX or Nasr, which has “inflight maneuver capability”, can carry “nuclear
warheads of appropriate yield with high accuracy”.
• This quick response system, which can fire a four-missile salvo, ensures deterrence against
threats in view of evolving scenarios.
• The first test of the Hatf-IX was conducted in April 2011.
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China successfully conducted Interceptor Missile test
China has successfully carried out its second interceptor missile test as part of its efforts
to build a missile shield to intercept incoming warheads. A similar anti-missile interception
test was successfully conducted on January 11, 2010.
Largest Russian naval exercise in post-Soviet era
Billed as the largest naval manoeuvres since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian
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Navy has begun its biggest war games in the high seas in decades that will include
manoeuvres off the shores of Syria with the purpose to improve coordination among
different naval groups during missions in ‘far-away sea zones’.
• More than two dozen ships drawn from all four fleets as well as long range warplanes,
will conduct nine-day exercises in the Mediterranean and Black seas.
• Experts suggested the exercises would serve to project Russia’s naval power to a highly
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explosive region and render moral support for the embattled regime of Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad.
• Russia leases a naval base at the Syrian port of Tartous. The naval manoeuvres will
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involve training for landing operations on the Syrian shore.

5 th Generation Sukhoi T-50 completes first long-range flight
Russia’s prototype fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50 fighter jet has carried out its first long-
range flight.
• The T-50, also known as project PAK-FA, first flew in January 2010 and was presented
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to the public at the Moscow Air Show in 2011.

• The T-50, which will be the core of Russia’s future fighter fleet, is a fifth-generation
multirole fighter aircraft featuring elements of stealth technology, super-maneuverability,
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super-cruise capability (supersonic flight without use of afterburner), and an

advanced avionics suite including an X-band active phased-array radar.
Iran launches ‘Jamaran-2’ destroyer in Caspian Sea
Iran launched its second domestically-made warship Jamaran-2 destroyer in the Caspian Sea.
• The destroyer, with a displacement of around 1,420 tons, is powered by a 20,000-horsepower
engine with a speed of 30 knots and has the capability to carry helicopters, different
surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, advanced artilleries and torpedo system.
• It is also equipped with electronic war system. Jamaran-2 will officially join the fleet of
Iran’s Navy after the completion of final tests.
• In February 2010, Iran’s navy launched Jamaran-1 destroyer in the Persian Gulf,
which is equipped with modern radars and electronic warfare capabilities.
• The multi-mission Jamaran-1 destroyer, which has a top speed of 30 knots as well, can
carry 120-140 personnel onboard and is also armed with a variety of antiship and surface-
to-air missiles.
6.3 INDIAN DEFENCE TIES AND DEALS

India to tie up with Russia in Naval Ship-building
India is planning to tie up with Russia for enhancing self reliance in capabilities for design
and development of all types of warships, including submarines, for the Navy and the
Coast Guard.
• The Defence Ministry is planning to have a tie-up between the Kerala-based National
Institute of Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding (NIRDESH) and
Russian Krylov Institute for working in this direction.
• The Russian institute, set up in 1890s, has been working in this field for a very long time
and can help NIRDESH to augment its capabilities.
• NIRDESH was launched on January 4, 2011 by Defence Minister A K Antony to help in
developing a robust defence industrial base by providing technology support and promote
ancillary industry participation in the defence shipbuilding sector.
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Airbus A-330 MRTT bags deal to supply re-fuelling aircraft to IAF
European Airbus A 330 MRTT aircraft has emerged as the lowest bidder for the 8,000-
crore contracts for six mid-air refueling tanker aircraft for the IAF edging out its
Russian rival IL-78.
• The Defence Ministry will now start commercial negotiations with the Airbus
manufacturers, this aircraft was the lowest bidder on the basis of life-time cost of operating
over its Russian competitor.
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• The new aircraft will join the fleet of six IL-78 mid-air re-fuellers now in IAF service
and enhance the reach of fighter jets.
Russia buys Radar Computers from HAL
Russia has placed orders worth Rs 65 crore for procuring 34 radar computers for Su-
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30s of its air force. Irkut Corporation of Russia has confirmed purchase of 34 sets each
of Radar Computer-I & Radar Computer-II for Russian Air force requirements from HAL
with delivery schedule commencing from January 2014 onwards.
• Radar computers are integrated into Airborne Radar System in Su-30s and are very
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critical for mission operation of the aircraft.

• Under the Indian programme, more than 190 Su-30MKIs would be produced in Indian
facilities in Nashik, which is the HAL hub for manufacturing Russian-origin aircraft.
Swiss Pilatus: IAF’s first trainer aircraft arrives in India
The first of the 75 Swiss Pilatus trainer aircraft procured by the IAF under a Rs 2,800
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crore deal to train its rookie pilots landed at Jamnagar in Gujarat. The fleet of 75
aircraft will help in replacing the fleet of HPT-32 basic trainers which were grounded after
a fatal crash in 2009.
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• The Government of India had signed a contract with the Swiss firm in May 2012 after
the approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
• According to the contract, Pilatus will also do a transfer of technology to the Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for maintenance of the fleet for the next 30 years.
INS Sindhurakshak: Russia hands over refitted submarine to India
An Indian Navy diesel-electric submarine has been handed back to India following a major
refit at Russia’s Zvezdochka shipyard.
• The contract for the refit and modernization of the INS Sindhurakshak (S63), a Project
877 EKM (NATO Kilo-class) submarine was signed in June 2010.
• Part of the refit involved installation of equipment for Klub-S (3M54E1 anti-ship and
3M14E land attack) cruise missiles and over 10 Indian and foreign-made systems, including
the Ushus hydro-acoustic (SONAR) system and CSS-MK-2 radio communications system.

6.4 JOINT EXERCISES

Multinational Military Exercise in Nepal
Soldiers from 23 nations began military exercises in Nepal to train for UN peacekeeping
missions in areas hit by conflicts.
• Altogether, 871 soldiers are participating from countries including Australia, Britain,
Canada, Japan, Jordan, Philippines, South Korea and Thailand.
• They will train in skills used for peacekeeping operations such as patrolling, checkpoint
controls and convoy operations.
• Nepal has been sending soldiers on U.N. peacekeeping missions since 1958.
‘Key Resolve & Foal Eagle’: US-South Korea Joint Military Exercises
The United States and South Korea announced plans for major annual joint military
exercises as regional tensions run high following North Korea’s third nuclear test.
A joint air, ground and naval field training exercise known as Foal Eagle will be held from
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March 1 to April 30. Separately, the US and South Korean troops will stage a computer-
simulated drill named Key Resolve from March 11-21.
• Foal Eagle will include about 10,000 US forces along with a far bigger number of South
Korean troops.
• Key Resolve involves about 3,500 US and 10,000 South Korean soldiers.
• The United States has based troops in the South since the 1950-53 Korean War and the force
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currently numbers 28,500. Pyongyang is already under international sanctions for conducting
two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, which both came after long-range rocket launches.
‘Cobra Gold 13’
The 11-day military exercise Cobra Gold 2013, an annual, multi-national military training
programme that incorporates jungle survival techniques, taking place in Thailand’s Chon
Buri province, covers amphibious assault, humanitarian relief, and evacuation of friendly
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forces, as well as jungle survival techniques. The U.S. Marines were taking part in Cobra
Gold 13 alongside Thai military personnel and soldiers from five other countries Japan,
South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
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‘Aman-13’: Joint Multi-nation exercise in Pakistan

The multi-national exercise, named “Aman-13” in Pakistan, will begin on March 4 in
the North Arabian Sea.
• The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) 14th Chinese fleet that set sail for the
Gulf of Aden on an anti-piracy escort mission will participate in naval exercises with
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Pakistan and other countries in the waters of the Arabian Sea.

• The fleet, which left the northeastern port of Qingdao, is comprised of missile destroyer
Harbin, frigate Mianyang and a supply ship, in addition to two helicopters and 730
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troops.
• The escort mission marked the first instance of the destroyer and frigate being deployed
on an anti-piracy mission.
• China has organised 14 missions to the Gulf of Aden. The PLAN has, since 2012, also
begun to coordinate schedules of escort mission with India and other countries.
India-China planned for Joint Military Exercises
India and China have agreed to hold their first joint military exercise in five years and
to expand exchanges between their armies, navies and air forces. The decisions were made
at the fifth annual defence dialogue. Defence Secretary Sashi Kant Sharma and Chinese
Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Qi Jianguo reached an agreement. The
two sides also agreed to expand exchanges covering their armies, navies and air forces,
and reviewed the measures in place to maintain peace along the disputed border.

Some Important Joint Exercises @ a Glance

Name Country Force
Bold Kurukshetra India, Singapore in UP Army (Tanks)
Cormorant Strike- India, Srilanka, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and
All 3
III Maldives. (held in Sri Lanka)
Garud Shakti India, Indonesia Army
Indiaex-2012 India, US Navy
Indra India, Russia, bi annual Navy
Iron Fist Only India. In Rajasthan Air Force
Jimex India, Japan Navy
Konkan India, UK Navy
Malabar India, US Navy
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India and 14 other countries: Australia,
Milan Navy
Bangladesh etc.
Passex India, Japan Navy
Pralay India only, in North East Airforce+Army
Red Flag India, US in Nevada Airforce
Shakti
Shatrujeet
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India, France in Uttarakhand
India, US in California
Army
Army (Infantry)
Shoor Veer Only India, Rajasthan border Army
Simbex India, Singapore Navy
TROPEX=Theatre Level Operational Readiness
Tropex Navy
Exercise.India only
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Vajra Prahar India, US in Uttarakhand Army (Special Forces)
Varuna India, France Navy
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Yudh Abhyas India, US in Rajasthan Army (Tanks)

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Committee, commission
& Reports (CCR)
7.1 International CCR 79
7.2 National CCR 80
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Current Affairs - 2 Committee, Commission & Reports (CCR) 79
7.1 INTERNATIONAL CCR
India ranked 136 th in HDI 2013 by UNDP

India has been ranked 136 among 187 countries evaluated for human development index
(HDI), a measure for assessing progress in life expectancy, access to knowledge and a
decent standard of living or gross national income per capita.
• The Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) for 2013 puts India’s HDI value for the last year at 0.554, placing it in the
medium human development category, which it shares with Equatorial Guinea.
• On the positive side, India’s HDI value went up from 0.345 to 0.554 between 1980 and
2012, an increase of 61 per cent or an average annual increase of 1.5 per cent.
• Life expectancy at birth increased by 10.5 years, mean years of schooling by 2.5 years and
expected years of schooling by 4.4 years.
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• Importantly, the gross national income (GNI) per capita went up 273 per cent.
• Despite India’s progress, its HDI of 0.554 is below the average of 0.64 for countries in the
medium human development group, and of 0.558 for countries in South Asia.
• From South Asia, countries which are close to India’s HDI rank and population size are
Bangladesh and Pakistan with HDIs ranked 146 each.
Master Tips
ST
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education,
and income indices to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
It was created by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian economist Amartya
Sen in 1990 and published by the United Nations Development Programme. In Human
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Development Report, the HDI combines three dimensions:
• A long and healthy life: Life expectancy at birth
• Education index: Mean years of schooling and Expected years of schooling
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• A decent standard of living: GNI per capita (PPP US$)
India ranks 132 nd on Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2013

Ev en on th e G en der I n eq u al it y I n de x , i n eq ua l i t i es i n r ep ro d uc ti v e hea lt h,
empowerment and economic activity, India has been ranked 132nd among the 148
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countries for which data is available even lower than Pakistan (123), according to the
United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Report 2013.
• In India, only 10.9 per cent of the parliamentary seats are held by women, and 26.6 per
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cent of adult women have reached a secondary or higher level of education, compared
with 50.4 per cent of their male counterparts.
• For every 100,000 live births, 200 women die of causes related to pregnancy, and female
participation in the labour market is 29 per cent, compared with 80.7 per cent for men.
• The report said all countries in South Asia, with the exception of Afghanistan, were a
better place for women than India, with Sri Lanka (75) topping them all. Nepal ranked
102nd and Bangladesh 111th .
• In United States which ranks 42 nd on the list, 57.5% women and 70.1% men are a part
of the labor force. China fared even better, landing 35 th .
Master Tips
The Gender Inequality Index (GII) is a new index for measurement of gender disparity
that was introduced in the 2010 Human Development Report 20th anniversary edition
by the UNDP. The GII is a composite measure which captures the loss of country’s progress
and human development because of gender inequality, and uses three dimensions:·
(i)Reproductive Health, (ii) Women Empowerment (ii) Labor Market Participation.

80 Committee, Commission & Reports (CCR) Current Affairs - 2
53.7% of Indians are Poor as per MPI

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) which identifies multiple deprivations in the same
household in education, health and living standard, India’s value averages out at 0.283, a
little above Bangladesh’s and Pakistan’s.
• According to MPI, 53.7 per cent of the population lived in multidimensional poverty, while
an additional 16.4 per cent were vulnerable to multiple deprivations.
• The new measure says that that acute poverty prevails in eight Indian states, including
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, together accounting for more poor people than
in the 26 poorest African nations combined.
Master Tips
The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was developed in 2010 by Oxford Poverty &
Human D evelopment Initiative (OPHI) and the Unite d Nations Deve lopment
Programme and uses different factors to determine poverty beyond income-based lists. It
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replaced the previous Human Poverty Index.The index uses the same three dimensions as the
Human Development Index: health, education, and standard of living. These are measured
using ten indicators. Each dimension and each indicator within a dimension is equally
weighted. (i) Education: Years of schooling and child enrollment, (ii) Health: Child
mortality and nutrition and (iii) Standard of living: Electricity, flooring, drinking
water, sanitation, cooking fuel and assets.
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India ranks 28 th in ‘Women on Board 2013’
Women account for nearly 40 percent of the total workforce of India Inc, but their presence is less
than 7% when it comes to board-level positions. India is ranked at 28th in terms of the presence
of women directors, a slight improvement from 30th position of 2013, according to Women On
Board 2013.
• The ranking is better than that of a few major countries like Japan.
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• The survey was conducted on more than 1,400 companies in India and it found that the
women constituted just 6.81 percent of the total number of board members in 2013.
• The female presence on company boards is highest in Norway (37.23 %), followed by Sweden
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(27 %), Finland (24 %), South Africa (17.31 %) and the US (16.67 %).
• The countries having lower women representation on company boards include Italy
(4.23 %) & Japan (1.26 %).
Switzerland best place to be born in 2013: EIU Survey
Switzerland is the best place to be born in 2013 with the best quality of life, as per a study by The
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of The Economist. India occupies a
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66th spot in the last 15, while Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh are at numbers 63, 75 and
77. The violence hit oil-rich African nation of Nigeria was rated as the worst place to be born-in
in the survey of 80 states that saw Nordic countries(Scandinavian countries) like Norway
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(3), Sweden (4) and Denmark (5) notch the top slots, along with Australia(2). The survey used
11 statistically significant indicators, including geography, demography, social and cultural
characteristics, public policy, the state of the world economy and future income per
head to arrive at its rankings.
7.2 NATIONAL CCR

Damodaran panel report to be delayed
The panel headed by former chief of capital market regulator SEBI, M Damodaran, set up to
suggest ways to improve the country’s overall business climate, will take more time to
finalise its report to the Corporate Affairs Ministry and is now expected to submit to the
government by end of April 2013.
Kelkar Panel on Energy security constituted
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry constituted a committee headed by economist
Vijay Kelkar to put in place a policy on energy security and prepare a roadmap for
enhancing domestic oil and gas production to reduce dependence on exports by 2030.
Current Affairs - 2 Committee, Commission & Reports (CCR) 81
Y.V. Reddy to head 14th Finance Commission

The government has announced the constitution of the 14th Finance Commission under the
chairmanship of former RBI Governor Y. V. Reddy, which would look into issues like disinvestment,
GST compensation, sale of non-priority PSUs and subsidies among others.
It would also suggest steps for pricing of public utilities like electricity and water in an independent
manner. The five-member panel is to submit its report by October 31, 2014. Apart from Dr. Reddy
in the chair, other members of the Commission are former Finance Secretary Sushma Nath,
NIPFP Director M. Govinda Rao, Planning Commission Member Abhijit Sen and Former
Acting Chairman of National Statistical Commission Sudipto Mundle.
Master Tips
The Finance Commission of India: The Finance Commission of India came into existence
in 1951. It was established under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution by the President
of India. It was formed to define the financial relations between the centre and the state. As
per the Constitution, the commission is appointed every five years and consists of a chairman
and four other members. Till date, 13 th Finance Commissions headed by Vijay Kelkar,
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have submitted their reports.
Justice D K Jain to be new 20 th Law Commission chief

Justice D K Jain, a Supreme Court judge has become the chairman of the Law Commission.
The 20 th Law Commission was constituted through a Government Order with effect from
1 st September, 2012. It has a three-year term, ending on 31 st August, 2015. It will have
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four full-time members, besides the chairman. The law secretary and the legislative
department secretary are the Commission’s ex-officio members. It was asked to identify
obsolete laws for their repeal and also suggest suitable measures for quick
grievance redressal of citizens grievances in the field of law.
Master Tips
Law Commission of India: Law Commission of India is an executive body established by
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an order of the Government of India. Its major function is to work for legal reform. It
membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government.
The Commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as an advisory body to the
Ministry of Law and Justice.
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The 19 th Law Commission of India’s Chairman was Mr. Justice P. V. Reddi.
Srikrishna Panel proposes Indian Financial Code Bill

The Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC), headed by Justice
B. N. Srikrishna, in its final report, suggested an Indian Financial Code Bill to enable
creation of a super regulator, merging oversight functions of market, commodity, insurance
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and pension regulators, while leaving the banking business regulation under the Reserve
Bank of India.
The Unified Financial Agency (UFA), as suggested by the FSLRC, would subsume the
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functions of key agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), the Pension Fund Regulatory
and Development Authority (PFRDA) and the Forward Markets Commission (FMC).
Vijay Kelkar Committee report on cutting fiscal deficit
The Kelkar Committee, appointed by Finance Ministry to suggest a roadmap for fiscal
consolidation, has suggested immediate hike in fuel prices and complete deregulation of
diesel prices by start of 2014-15 fiscal and to raise kerosene and LPG rates. State-owned oil
companies currently sell diesel at a loss of Rs 10.16 per litre, kerosene at Rs 32.17 a litre
and LPG at Rs 490.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder.
ICMR report found Indians deficient in Vitamin D
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has reported that surveys carried out
in India indicate that despite ample sunlight, people are deficient in Vitamin D, leading to problems
like low bone mineral density, leading to weaker bones and fracture risk among the population.
The synthesis of Vitamin D in the body is dependent on multiple factors like duration and time
of exposure to sunlight, latitude, atmospheric pollution and skin pigmentation.
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Conferences & Summits
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Current Affairs - 2 Conferences & Summits 85
5 th BRICS Summit 2013

The 2013 BRICS summit, the fifth annual BRICS summit, was an international relations
conference attended by the head of states or heads
of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia,
India, China and South Africa. The summit was held in
Durban, South Africa from 26 to 27 March 2013. This
completed the first cycle of BRICS summits.
• The theme of this year summit was: “BRICS and
AFRI CA: Pa rtnershi p fo r Develo pment,
Integration and Industrialization”
• The two main outcomes of this year’s BRICS
summit are the agreement to set up a BRICS
development bank and the building of a forex
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r eser v e po ol (c r eation of a $1 00 billion
contingency relief arrangement (CRA))besides
launching of the BRICS Business Council, the key institution expected to drive private
sector investments among the five members.
• 4th BRICS Summit was held at New Delhi.
Master Tips
ST
BRICS is an acronym for the powerful grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies,
namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The first BRIC Summit took place
in Yekateringburg, Russia in 2009, where the elected leaders of the four countries formally
declared the membership of the BRIC economic bloc. South Africa joined the bloc in 2010,
resulting in BRICS.The acronym BRIC was coined by Jim O’Neill of Goldman Sachs in
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a 2001 paper entitled “Building Better Global Economic BRICs”. BRICS collectively
represent 40% of world population, 30 % of world’s land mass & 25% of world GDP.
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100 th Indian Science Congress

The 100th edition was hosted by the University of Calcutta in the city of Kolkata from 3 to 7
January 2013. It was inaugurated by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee in the presence
of the Prime Minister of India Dr.Manmohan Singh and the Chief Minister of West Bengal
Mamata Banerjee.
• The theme of the Centenary Congress was: “Science for shaping the future of India”
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• The General President of the 100 th Congress: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
• The five-day, 99th edition of the ISCA, from 3 to 7 January 2012 was hosted by KIIT
University and National Institute of Science Education and Research(NISER) in
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Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Master Tips
Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) is a premier scientific organization of India,
started in the year 1914 in Kolkata, with Headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It
meets annually in the first week of January every year. Today, it has membership strength
of more than 30,000 scientists. ISCA owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two
British Chemists, namely, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon.
The first meeting of the congress was held from 15–17 January 1914 at the premises of the
Asiatic Society, Calcutta. Honorable justice Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice Chancellor
of the University of Calcutta presided over the Congress. One hundred and five scientists from
different parts of India and abroad attended it.

86 Conferences & Summits Current Affairs - 2
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with Government of Kerala had organized
the 11th Annual Diaspora conclave- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) from 7-9 January
2013 at Kochi.
• The theme of the 2013 Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was:
“Engaging Diaspora: The Indian Growth Story”.
• President Pranab Mukherjee has given away the
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman to 15 distinguished
persons including Mauritius President Rajkeswur
Purry ag , who wa s the chi ef g uest a t the
inaugural of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013.
• 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012 was held at Jaipur,
Chief Guest of this event was the Prime Minister
of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Kamla Persad-
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Bissessar
Master Tips
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year to mark the
contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India.
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January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it was on this day in 1915
that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led
India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
Established in 2003, it is sponsored by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs of the
government of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Ministry of Development of the
North Eastern Region of India.
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During the event, individuals of exceptional merit are honoured with the prestigious Pravasi
Bharatiya Samman Award to appreciate their role in India’s growth.
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Autism Conference
South Asian countries including India, adopted an official charter of the South Asian Autism
Network (SAAN) at a conference organised on 11th Feb, 2013, at New Delhi.
SAAN was conceptualised in Dhaka in 2011 to combat autism, which is now emerging as a
public health crisis. It will identify common challenges each country is facing and form a
partnership to develop a solution in a collaborative and coordinated fashion.
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India’s Call to Action: Child Survival and Development Summit

India will launch a strategic roadmap with focus on adolescent health at the upcoming
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national meet on “India’s Call to Action: Child Survival and Development Summit” in Tamil
Nadu. Entitled “Strategic Approach to Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and
Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A),” the meet is aimed at accelerating reductions in preventable
child deaths. It will engage with all partners to arrive at actionable goals and commitments for
high-burden States aimed to reduce the deaths of children from preventable causes.
Nuclear Security Summit 2012
The 2012 Nuclear Security Summit was held at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in
Seoul, South Korea, on March 26 and 27, 2012. It was the second edition of the conference
after the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit.
Agenda priorities at the 2012 summit:
• To deepen cooperation and to strengthen the institutions and partnerships which help
prevent nuclear materials from ever falling into the hands of terrorists.
• To strengthen the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
• To take specific and concrete actions to secure the nuclear materials and to prevent illicit
trafficking and smuggling.
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9
Games & Sports Updates
9.1 Cricket 89
9.2 Tennis 90
9.3 Badminaton 91
9.4 Football 92
9.5 Athletics 93
9.6 Grand Prix 93
9.7 Miscellaneous 93
9.8 Sport Related Other News 95
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Current Affairs - 2 Games & Sports Updates 89
9.1 CRICKET
South Africa receives ICC MACE
South Africa captain Graeme Smith received the ICC Test championship mace and prize money
of $450,000 for leading the team to the top spot in ICC Test rankings on the annual cut-off date
of April 1.
Third spot for India in ICC Test Ranking
With the cut-off date as April 1, England finished with the No. 2 ranking while India with
third position. South Africa had already sealed its position as the No.1 ranked Test side,
meaning it not only retained the Test mace but is also assured of $450,000.
India maintain ODI top spot
Team India maintained their top position in the latest ICC ODI ranking list followed by England
and Australia. Since India top the table as per cut-off date, they will receive the shield and will
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collect a cheque of USD 175,000, while England will receive USD 75,000 for finishing second.
Michael Clarke gets Allan Border Medal
Australian captain Michael Clarke won his fourth Allan Border Medal as the nation’s
Cricketer of the Year at a gala ceremony at Melbourne. Clarke and his predecessor as captain,
Ricky Ponting, are the only players to win the medal, considered Australian cricket’s most
prestigious individual prize, four times.
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India clinches 1 st 4-0 Test series win against Aussies
India had sealed a 4-0 series whitewash against Australia in an unprecedented feat for India.
With this India captured the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Dhoni is the most successful Indian Test Captain
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the most successful Indian Test captain, surpassing Ganguly’s
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record of 21 test wins. The 31-year-old Dhoni has also recorded two World Cup wins (2007-
T20, 2011-ODI).
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Delhi lifts Vijay Hazare Trophy

Delhi ended Assam’s dream run with a 75-run win in the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Australia wins the ICC Women’s World Cup
Australia wrapped its hands around the World Cup for the sixth time after defeating first
time finalist West Indies played at the Brabourne stadium Mumbai. India hosted the event.
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Mumbai thrash Saurashtra to clinch Ranji Trophy crown for 40 th time

A dominant Mumbain under skipper Ajit Agarkar lifted their 40th Ranji Trophy title. Mumbai,
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thus, clinched their 40th national title in 44 appearances in the final contest and their first
after two blank seasons.
Kohli is CEAT cricketer of the year
Virat Kohli beat off the challenge of some top cricketers of the world to win the ‘CEAT
international cricketer of the year’ 2011-12 award.
The inaugural ‘CEAT Indian youngster of the year’ went to Unmukt Chand, who led the
Indian team to victory in the under- 19 World Cup. Pakistan bagged the ‘team of the year’
award. Zaheer Abbas was given the ‘lifetime achievement award’.
McGrath inducted into Hall of Fame
Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath was inducted into the International Cricket Council’s
Hall of Fame, making him its 68th male member. McGrath joins fellow 2012-13 inductees
West Indian Brian Lara and England’s Enid Bakewell in being recognised by the ICC and
the living members of the Hall of Fame.

90 Games & Sports Updates Current Affairs - 2
9.2 TENNIS
Australian Open 2013
The 2013 Australian Open tennis tournament was held in Melbourne Park in Melbourne,
Australia, from 14 to 27 January 2013. It was the 101st edition of the Australian Open, and
the first Grand Slam event of the year. Winners were Novak Djokovic (Serbia) in men’s
singles, Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) in women’s singles, Bob and Mike Bryan (USA) in
men’s doubles, and Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci (Italy) in women’s doubles. Australian
Jarmila Gajdošová and Matthew Ebden won their first mixed doubles title.
Rafael Nadal won Indian Wells ATP
Rafael Nadal defeated Juan Martin del Potro to win his third Indian Wells ATP Masters title.
The 11-time Grand Slam champion from Spain claimed his first hard court title since 2010 and
a record 22nd title in an elite Masters event. He had previously shared the record of 21
with Roger Federer.
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Sharapova defeated Wozniacki to win Indian Wells title
Maria Sharapova beat Caroline Wozniacki to win her second Indian Wells WTA title in emphatic style.
Nadal beats Ferrer to win Mexican Open
Rafael Nadal beats David Ferrer to win the Mexican Open as he claimed his second title in
three events since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off to win his 38th clay court title. Nadal
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has won 12 of his 13 matches, finishing as runner-up in Vina del Mar, Chile, before triumphing
in Sao Paulo in January 2013. In the women’s final, Italian top seed Sara Errani breezed past
second seed Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.
Djokovic wins Dubai Open and Bhupathi wins the double
World No.1 Novak Djokovic claimed the Dubai Open title for the fourth time, beating the
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Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych. It was the top seed Djokovic’s 18th win in a row and followed
the successful defence of his Australian Open title.
Mahesh Bhupathi with Frenchman Michael Llodra won the first title of the 2013 season
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by defeating Robert Lindstedt and Nenand Zimonjic in the summit.

Sania & Mattek-Sands duo claims Dubai Duty Free tennis championships
Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands clinched their second doubles title, beating Nadia
Petrova and Katarina Srebotnik in the title clash of the Dubai Duty Free tennis
championships in Dubai. The unseeded Indo-American duo prevailed over the Russian-
Slovenia combination in a tightly-contested final of the hard court event. The pair had won the
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Brisbane International in January 2013 to make a superb start to the 2013 season.
Rafael Nadal returns to win Brazil Open
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Rafael Nadal showed he is back in business by clinching his first title since ending a seven-
month knee injury layoff, winning the Brazil Open. The Spanish former world number one
and currently the world number five, Nadal beat Argentina’s David Nalbandian.
Azarenka beats Serena to retain Qatar title
Victoria Azarenka avenged the loss of her world number one ranking to Serena Williams by
beating the American for only the second time in 13 attempts to successfully defend her Qatar
Open title. She also completed back-to-back title defences after defending the Australian
Open title in Melbourne.
Rafael Nadal wins doubles debut at Brazil Open
Spain’s Rafael Nadal teamed up with Argentina’s David Nalbandian to post a three-set
doubles victory in the Brazil Open. Sao Paulo is the second stop on Nadal’s comeback to the
ATP World Tour. The Spaniard won the Brazil Open in 2005 when it was held in Costa do
Sauipe.

Bryan Brothers win record 13th Grand Slam doubles title

Mike and Bob Bryan have captured their record 13th Grand Slam doubles title, defeating
the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling in the Australian Open final. The Americans
had been level with the Australian legends John Newcombe and Tony Roche with 12 major
titles. The Bryans now have six Australian Open titles to go along with four at the U.S. Open,
two at Wimbledon and one at the French Open.
Djokovic retains No.1 spot & Nadal out of top four
Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic retained his place as men’s world number one
in the ATP rankings released.
• The Serb became the first player in the professional era to win three straight Australian
Open titles with his defeat of Andy Murray.
• Briton’s Murray remains third behind Roger Federer of Switzerland.
• Rafael Nadal of Spain has meanwhile slipped out of the world’s top four for the first time
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in more than seven years. Nadal drops to fifth, with Spain’s David Ferrer moves
up a place to fourth.
Davis Cup award for eight Indians
The cream of Indian tennis, spanning about 60 years, will be presented Davis Cup Commitment
awards instituted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as part of the centenary
celebrations. Ramanathan Krishnan, Jaidip Mukerjea, Premjit Lall, Vijay Amritraj,
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Anand Amritraj, Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi figure in the
ITF honours list among Indians in an overall compilation of 299 players from 80 countries.
WTA Tour prize money hike
The WTA has said total prize money for the 54 events in 2013, not including Grand Slams, will
rise from $53.3 million to $58.7 million.
Sania and Bethanie Mattek-Sands ranked No. 1
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Sania and Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US started off with a doubles victory in the
Brisbane International, is now ranked World No. 1 in the doubles team rankings.
Tipsarevic beats Agut to win ATP Chennai Open
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World number nine Serb Janko Tipsarevic won the ATP Chennai Open with a masterful
fightback to defeat young Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the final.
9.3 BADMINTON
Saina nominated for ‘Female Player of the Year’ Award
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal was nominated for the 2012 ‘Female Player of the Year’
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award of the Badminton World Federation following an impressive performance in the

season which had seen her win a bronze medal in the London Olympics.
• World No. 2 Saina is the only non-Chinese among the five contenders for the top annual
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award among women shuttlers instituted by the BWF.

• The four Chinese are world No. 1 Li Xuerui of China who won eight titles in 2012,
including the London Olympic gold medal, Olympic silver medallist Wang Yihan and
Olympic women’s doubles gold-winning pair Tian Qing & Zhao Yunlei (China).
• Among those nominated for the ‘Male Player of the Year’ for 2012 are two-time Olympic
gold medallist Lin Dan of China and his rival Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, the current
world No. 1 one and two-time Olympic silver medallist.
Shixian Wang wins Swiss Open title
China’s Shixian Wang has defeated Thai sensation Ratchanok Intanon to win the Swiss Open
badminton championship.
Saina remains at 2 nd Position
India’s ace shuttler Saina Nehwal managed to retain the second position in the women’s
singles rankings issued by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). She is placed behind
reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China.
• Among other Indians in the fray, the promising P.V. Sindhu also remained static at a
career-best 16th spot.
• In the rankings for men, Olympic quarterfinalist P. Kashyap also retained his career-
best World No. 9 position.
Master Tips
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the international governing body for the sport of
badminton. Founded in 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member
nations, the BWF has since expanded to 169 member nations around the world. On September
24, 2006, it was decided to adopt the new name Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Its head office was located in Cheltenham, UK since its founding, but on October 1, 2005,
was relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its current president is Kang Young-Joong.
BAI launched IBL from 2013
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Badminton Association of India (BAI) has launched the inaugural season of Indian
Badminton League (IBL) from the year 2013.
• The inaugural edition of the IBL will take place in India from 24th June to 11th July
2013. This will have Indian as well as foreign players.
• The USD one million league, the highest prize money Badminton Tournament in the
world, will see the participation of as many as 50 foreign and Indian players including
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Chinese superstar Lin Dan and world No.1 Lee Chong Wei.
Master Tips
Badminton Association of India (BAI) is the governing body for Badminton in India.
Based in Lucknow, BAI is an association registered under the Societies Registration Act-
1860. It was formed in 1934 and has been holding national-level tournaments in India since
1936.Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta is the current President of BAI.
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9.4 FOOTBALL
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Services won the Santosh Trophy 2013

The 2013 Santosh Trophy was held from 1 February to 3 March 2013 in Uttar Pradesh and
Kerala. Services won the Santhosh Trophy 2013 after defeating Kerala in the final at
Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, Kochi.
Master Tips
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The 2013 Santosh Trophy is the 67th edition of the Santosh Trophy, the main state
competition in Indian football.
The tournament first began in 1941, and was the premier football competition in the country
before the National Football League started in the year 1996. The trophy as named after
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the late Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh, which is now in
Bangladesh, who had been the President of the Indian Football Association, the football
organisation of Bengal and the donators of the trophy.
The first winners were Bengal, who also leads the all-time winners list with 31 titles till date.
India won Nehru Cup 2012

Nehru Cup 2012 was held from August 22 to September 2, 2012. The tournament was hosted
in New Delhi. A total of 5 teams participated in the tournament through being invited by the
All India Football Federation. The final match happened between India and Cameroon B
and India won the match in penalty shoot-out. The 2012 Nehru Cup was the 15th edition
of the Nehru Cup and 3rd Nehru Cup since it was revived in 2007.
David Beckham: The richest footballer
David Beckham has been named the world’s richest footballer with a whopping £175 million
fortune, £60 million more than Lionel Messi.

Bhutia appointed as Chairman AIFF technical committee

Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia has been appointed chairman of the All India
Football Federation’s (AIFF) technical committee, marking the Sikkimese sniper’s foray
into administration. Bhutia, who retired from international football in 2011, was the torchbearer
of Indian football during a career spanning 16 years.
Nigeria wins Africa Cup of Nations
Nigeria returned to the top of African football by beating Burkina Faso in the Cup of Nations
final for its first continental title in nearly two decades.
AIFF lifts suspension of Mohun Bagan
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has lifted the two-year suspension and ‘deemed
withdrawal of Mohun Bagan from the I-League while putting certain conditions for the
Kolkata club’s continued participation in the competition. Mohun Bagan had been suspended
for walking out of its match against East Bengal. The AIFF Executive Committee removed the
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suspension but slapped a Rs. 2 crore fine on the club.
Lionel Messi wins Player of the Year award for fourth time
Argentina’s Lionel Messi was named the world’s best player for an unprecedented
fourth year. The award, officially known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or, came after the Barcelona
player scored a remarkable 91 goals in 2012.
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Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo was second, the third time the
2008 winner has finished runner-up.
Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta was third.
• Spain’s Vicente del Bosque was voted as coach of the year for the first time after his
team won Euro 2012.
9.5 ATHLETICS
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Gurmeet wins bronze in Asian 20km race walking championship
National champion Gurmeet Singh claimed the third spot in the Asian 20km race walking
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championship in Nomi City, Japan. Even as severe cold and rain affected the performances
of the athletes, Gurmeet, a silver winner in 2012, overcame the challenges.
Kipruto wins Lake Biwa marathon
Kenya’s Vincent Kipruto emerged victorious in a shoulder-to-shoulder battle against Tariku
Jufar of Ethiopia in the last 200 metres to win the Lake Biwa marathon in Otsu (Japan).
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Bolt and Fraser-Pryce win awards

Sprint hero Usain Bolt and back-to-back Olympic 100 metre champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-
Pryce collected the top awards at the Jamaican Athletics Administrative Association
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(JAA) awards ceremony. Bolt achieved his legendary status by defending his three gold medals
100m, 200m, 4x100m at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
9.6 GRAND PRIX

Vettel snatches a controversial win in Malaysian Grand Prix
World champion Sebastian Vettel incensed Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber as he pulled
off a risky overtaking move to snatch victory in a pulsating but contentious Malaysian Grand
Prix. It was his 27th race win.
9.7 MISCELLANEOUS
Archery
India wins a gold and bronze in Asian archery Grand Prix
The Indian men’s compound team clinched gold while the recurve trio bagged a bronze
medal in the Asian archery Grand Prix in Bangkok.

• The compound team, comprising Sandeep Kumar, Abhishek Verma and Jignas
Chittibomma emerged a winner over the Vietnam team to clinch the gold.
• The recurve men’s team of Atanu Das, Rahul Banerjee and Binod Swansi defeated
Russia in the bronze medal contest in four sets.
• The Indian women’s recurve team of Dola Banerjee, Rimil Buriuly and L. Bombayla
Devi missed the bronze as it lost to Indonesia.
Squash
Indian girls’ team wins Asian Gold and boys’ team Silver
The Indian squash team returned with a gold and silver medal from the 16th Asian junior
team squash championships in Seoul, Korea. India clinched gold in the girls’ section, where
it beat Hong Kong 2-1 in the final, while settling for silver in the boys’ section after Pakistan
won 2-0.
Golf
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Woods is No.1
Tiger Woods regained golf’s world No. 1 spot as he captured the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer
Invitational with a two-shot victory.
Johnson wins PGA Tour opener
Dustin Johnson ended a windy week with a wild ride that carried him to the first win of the
PGA Tour season. Johnson, who finished at 16-under 203, won for the sixth straight season.
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Only Phil Mickelson with nine straight years has a longer active streak of most consecutive
seasons with a PGA Tour victory.
Handball
Indian women retain title South Asian women’s handball championship
Defending champion India retained the title defeating Pakistan in the final of the fourth
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South Asian women’s handball championship in Lucknow. India remained undefeated
through the tournament that was held at the KD Singh Babu Stadium. Manisha top-scored
with 11 goals and Varuni Negi scored seven goals for India. For Pakistan, Madiha Latif was
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the top scorer with five goals.

Cycling
Mei Yu Hsiao retains title at Asian cycling championship
Chinese Taipei’s Mei Yu Hsiao became the women’s road race champion for the third
consecutive time as she won the event in two hours, 38 minutes and six seconds at the Hero
Cycles Asian cycling championship. Hsiao faced intense competition from the Chinese duo of
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Liu Xiaohui and Zhao Na before posting victory in a close finish.

Chess
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Indian finish 5 th in the world women’s team chess championship

India finished fifth in the world women’s team chess championship at Astana, Kazakhstan.
Ukraine won the title and China finished runner-up while Russia was third. India was
represented by Mary Ann Gomes, Eesha Karvade, Nisha Mohota, Padmini Rout and
Soumya Swaminathan.
Anand finishes second in the Zurich Chess Challenge
World champion Viswanathan Anand capitalised on a blunder by Vladimir Kramnik of
Russia to beat him in the final round and finish 2 nd in the Zurich Chess Challenge.
Wrestling
Las Vegas to host 2015 World wrestling championship
The International Wrestling Federation (FILA) executive board has selected US city Las
Vegas as venue for the 2015 World championship.

No wrestling in 2020 Olympics

Wrestling, an Olympic sport since the first Games in ancient Greece, looks set to be dropped,
after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has voted to remove it from the programme
for 2020. Wrestling first appeared in 708 BC and has so far not appeared in Olympic Games
only in 1900. It has a chance of regaining its berth if some IOC members not on the board vote
against decision.
9.8 SPORT RELATED OTHER NEWS

Prabhat Chaturvedi elected TTFI president
Prabhat Chaturvedi , a retired IAS officer, has replaced the jailed Ajay Singh Chautala as the
Table Tennis Federation of India president at the TTFI’s Annual General Meeting in Lucknow.
National Games for Deaf
The All India Sports Council of the Deaf has announced the 18th National Games for the
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Deaf 2013. The competition will be held at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore, from April
25-29. The event will also be used to select the Indian team for the 22nd Summer Deaflympics
to be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, in July-August 2013.
Asian Grand Prix shifted to Colombo
With the Tamil Nadu Government refusing to host Sri Lankan athletes on political grounds,
the third leg of the Asian Grand Prix scheduled to be held in Chennai on May 16 has now been
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shifted to Colombo. After the Tamil Nadu Government cancelled the prestigious Asian athletics
championship scheduled to be held in Chennai from July 3 to 7, the Asian Athletics Association
has decided to hold the third leg of the Asian GP in Colombo on May 12.
IOC allows Indian Boxers to participate International Events
The Indian boxers have been allowed to participate in international competitions after being
kept out following the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) by the
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International Olympic Committee (IOC). The president of the International Boxing
Federation (AIBA), Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu, communicated the good news to the IOC member
in India, Randhir Singh(a six-time Olympian and Asian Games gold medallist).
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Armstrong tops Forbes list of most disliked athletes

Disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong has topped a new list by Forbes magazine of the most
disliked athletes after confessing of doping to win all seven of his Tour de France titles.
Manti, who got second place in Heisman Trophy voting as last season’s top player which made
him a top National Football League prospect, reportedly faked the death of a fictitious girlfriend
to gain sympathy. Third on the list, at 19 percent appeal, is 14-time major golf champion Tiger
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Woods, following an epic sex scandal that destroyed his marriage and damaged his marketing
image and sponsorship deals.
Jaipur craftsman Amit Pabuwal designs world’s biggest trophy
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The Guinness World Record holder Amit Pabuwal has designed world’s biggest and heaviest
sports trophy which would be given to the winner in the inaugural edition of iGATE CEO Cup
Golf tournament featuring the CEOs of 2000 companies based in North America. It is 21 inch
tall trophy that weighs 8.6 kg and is embellished with diamonds and rubies. It will be the
world’s largest gold sports trophy. It will be larger than the iconic FIFA World Cup trophy.
Vijay Kumar & NRAI get FICCI awards
Olympic silver medallist, rapid-fire pistol shooter Vijay Kumar was presented the ‘best
breakthrough’ award by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) in New Delhi. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was adjudged the
‘best National Sports Federation’ for running the sport in a professional and transparent
manner and on the basis of the excellent performance of the shooters. The president of NRAI,
Raninder Singh, received the trophy at the FICCI auditorium.

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Awards & Recognition
10.1 Art, Culture & Literary Awards 99
10.2 Science Awards 101
10.3 General Awards & Honors 103
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Current Affairs - 2 Awards & Recognition 99
10.1 ART, CULTURE & LITERARY AWARDS
Jeet Thayil wins DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2013
Mr. Thayil is the first Indian to win the prize for ‘Narcopolis’ which is based on the theme of drug
addiction destroying the poor, deranged and marginalised people in Mumbai during 1970s and 80s.
‘Narcopolis’ was also nominated & shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2012.
Master Tips
The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature given at Jaipur Literary Festival, is sponsored
by construction company DSC Limited, which is the principal sponsor of the lit fest. The
prize, carrying a cash award of $ 50,000, is given every year to an international author or shared
with the translator for a work of fiction thematically linked to the South Asian region.
Sri Lankan debut novelist Shehan Karunatilaka for his book ‘Chinaman’ had won the prize
in 2012 and Karachi-based author H.M. Naqvi for his book ‘Home Boy’ got it in 2011.
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Jeet Thayil in Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist
Indian author Jeet Thayil’s debut novel “Narcopolis” is among five other works shortlisted
for the USD 30,000 Man Asian Literary Prize.
Sahitya Akademi award 2012 presented to Jeet Thayil
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Sahitya Akademi president Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari has presented the Sahitya Akademi
Award-2012 to Jeet Thayil in New Delhi. His poetry collection, ‘These errors are correct’,
was given the Sahitya Akademi award for English in 2012.
Saraswati Samman 2012 & 2013
Malayalam poetess Sugathakumari has been selected for the Saraswati Samman 2013 for her
poetry collection Manalezhuthu (Writing on the Sand). For 2012, it was conferred on Rohit
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Gautam for Bang Bhoomi.
Vyas Samman 2012 to Narendra Kohli
Eminent Hindi litterateur Narendra Kohli has been selected for the prestigious Vyas Samman
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for 2012 for his historical novel ‘Na Bhooto Na Bhavishyati’, published in 2004, based on
Swami Vivekananda and the era he belonged to. Instituted by the K. K. Birla Foundation in
1991, the award is given annually for an outstanding literary work in Hindi published during
the past ten years. The award carries a cash purse of Rs 2.5 lakh.
60 th National Award: ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ adjudged best film
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Paan Singh Tomar, for its ‘powerful presentation’ of a true life story which highlights the
urgent need for a ‘social support system for sportspersons especially in rural India, has bagged
the 60th National Award for the best feature film.
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• Shepherds of Paradise , portraying the life of a nomadic shepherd family in Kashmir,

was awarded the best non-feature film.
• Bedabrata Pain’s Hindi film, Chittagong , and the Siddhartha Siva-directed Malayalam
film, 101 Chodiyangal , shared the Indira Gandhi award for the best debut film of a director.
85 th Academy Awards: The Oscar
The 85th Academy Awards ceremony (referred to as The Oscars) was held on February 24,
2013. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) presented its annual Academy
Awards to honor the best films of 2012 that played in the United States.
 ‘Life of Pi’ won four awards (the most), including Best Director for Ang Lee.
 ‘Argo’ won three awards, including Best Picture.
 Daniel Day-Lewis was adjudged best leading actor for the film ‘Lincoln’ and Jennifer
Lawrence was adjudged best leading actress for the film ‘Silver Linings Playbook’.
 Les Misérables also won three awards. Django Unchained, Lincoln and Skyfall won
two awards each.

100 Awards & Recognition Current Affairs - 2
IPI Journalism award for ‘The Tribune’

The International Press Institute (IPI)–India award for excellence in journalism 2012
was awarded to the English daily ‘The Tribune’ for its “outstanding journalistic work done in
2011”. An investigation by the daily’s Prabhjot Singh that exposed “the loot of Punjab’s public
transport by politicians and bureaucrats” was selected for the award.
Alka Dhupkar gets Chameli Devi Jain award
Alka Dhupkar, a journalist with Marathi-language TV news channel IBN-Lokmat, has won
the prestigious Chameli Devi Jain Award for an outstanding woman media person.
Sahitya Bharati Samman-2012 to Patnaik
Noted litterateur, veteran political leader, and incumbent Assam Governor Janaki Ballav
Patnaik will receive the prestigious Sahitya Bharati Samman-2012.
The Hindu Literary Prize 2013 goes to Jerry Pinto
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Journalist-author Jerry Pinto has bagged ‘The Hindu Literary Prize 2013’ for his novel ‘Em
and the Big Hoom’. The book is Mr. Pinto’s first work of fiction and is set in Mahim, Mumbai.
‘Argo’ wins top BAFTA Prize 2013
Iran hostage drama ‘Argo’ continued its journey from awards season outsider to favourite,
winning three prizes, including best picture, at the British Academy Film Awards.
• Ben Affleck was named best director for the based-on-reality story of a long shot plan to
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rescue a group of American diplomats from Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and
the film also took the editing trophy.
• Daniel Day-Lewis won his universally expected best actor trophy for Lincoln the only
prize out of 10 nominations for Steven Spielberg’s historical biopic.
• Emmanuelle Riva was named best actress for Michael Haneke’s poignant old-age portrait ‘Amour’.
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• French revolutionary musical ‘Les Miserables’ won four prizes, including best supporting
actress for Anne Hathaway.
• James Bond adventure ‘Skyfall’ spied some elusive awards recognition, winning trophies
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for music and best British film.

• Kathryn Bigelow’s Osama bin Laden thriller ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ was shut out of the
prizes, despite five nominations.
Indian & Pakistani in the Man Booker International Prize 2013 shortlist
Two of the biggest names in literature from India and Pakistan Kannada writer U.R.
Ananthamurthy and Urdu novelist Intizar Husain are among the 10 writers from around
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the world shortlisted for £60,000 Man Booker International Prize 2013. It is awarded
every two years to a living author in recognition of his or her achievement in fiction.
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National awards for Chennai musicians

Three artistes from Chennai have bagged Sangeet Natak Akademi’s ‘Ustad Bismillah Khan
Yuva Puraskar’ award for 2011 in music.
• Carnatic vocalist Abhishek Raghuram, veena artiste Punya Srinivas and violinist
H.N. Bhaskar are among those who will receive the national honour in the category of
music.
• Bharatanatyam artiste, Meenakshi Srinivasan, also from Chennai, is among the
dancers being honoured with the title.
Samagana Matanga 2012 Award for Pt. Jasraj
Hindustani classical vocalist Pt. Jasraj has been selected for the Samagana Matanga
2012 award instituted by the Bharatiya Samagana Sabha, Bangalore. The award, carrying
a purse of Rs. 1 lakh, will be presented to the Mevathi Gharana fame vocalist on the
concluding day of the five-day music festival on February 17.

Muse India awards 2012 for Pant and Sinha

Writers Meghna Pant and Arunava Sinha will receive the annual Muse India National
Literary Awards for the year 2012 on January 18, coinciding with the three-day Hyderabad
Literary Festival.
• While Ms. Pant’s name was chosen for the Young Writer Award in recognition of her
debut novel ‘One-and-a-Half Wife’,.
• Mr. Sinha’s recognition for the Translation Award was for ‘When the Time is Right’, his
translation of Buddhadeva Bose’s 1949 Bangla novel ‘Tithidore’.
• Recipients of the Muse India Awards 2011, were Anindita Sengupta (Young Writer)
and Ranjit Hoskote (Translation).
ANR National Award for Shyam Benegal
Well-known filmmaker Shyam Benegal will receive the 8th Akkineni Nageswara Rao
National Award.
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• Instituted by Mr. Nageswara Rao in 2005, the first awardee was Dev Anand in 2005 and
followed annually from then on by Shabana Azmi, Anjali Devi, Vyjayantimala Bali, Lata
Mangeshkar, K. Balachander and Hema Malini in 2011.
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh and a citation.
10.2 SCIENCE AWARDS

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Abel Prize: Belgian Mathematician Pierre Deligne
Belgian mathematician Pierre Deligne, who is regarded as one of the most celebrated
mathematicians of the 20th century, has been chosen for this year’s prestigious Abel Prize in
Mathematics. The 69-year-old professor emeritus of the Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton,
is being awarded for his “seminal contributions to algebraic geometry and for their transformative
impact on number theory, representation theory and related fields.
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Master Tips
The Abel Prize is considered equivalent to the Nobel Prize, which is not awarded in the
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field of mathematics. It carries a cash award of 6 million Norwegian krone (about

€800,000 or $1 million). Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters has instituted
this award in 2002.
Japanese architect Toyo Ito wins Pritzker Prize 2013

Japanese architect Toyo Ito has won the 2013 Pritzker Prize,” often called the Nobel
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Prize of architecture. Ito’s buildings, which include libraries, theaters and homes, have been
praised for their fluid beauty and balance between the physical and virtual world.
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Master Tips
Founded in 1979 by Jay A. Pritzker and his wife Cindy, the award is funded by the Pritzker
family and sponsored by the Hyatt Foundation and is considered one of the world’s premier
architecture prizes and is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of architecture. The recipients
receive US$100,000, a citation certificate, and since 1987, a bronze medallion.
DAE’s lifetime achievement award

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Presented the lifetime achievement awards of the Department
of Atomic Energy (DAE) to four of its veteran scientists. He paid special tributes to nuclear
scientist and Principal Scientific Advisor to the government, R. Chidamabaram for “guiding
India’s atomic energy programme with such great distinction”. The scientists who were presented
the lifetime achievement are: R.B. Grover, who played a key role in negotiating the Indo-U.S.
nuclear deal, K. Balaramamoorthy, who developed nondestructive testing techniques,
mathematician R. Balasubramanian, and S.K. Sikka, a key player in the nuclear tests of
1974 and 1998.

G. D. Birla Award for Scientific Research

Prof. Nibir Mandal of Jadavpur University has been selected for the G. D. Birla Award
for Scientific Research for his work in the area of structural geology.
Master Tips
The G. D. Birla Award for Scientific Research set up in 1991 by the K. K. Birla
Foundation for scientists below the age of 50, carries a cash prize of Rs.1.5 lakh. G.D.Birla
Award for Scientific Research is given every year and is available in any branch of science
including medical science, basic as well as applied. The emphasis is particularly on the work
done by the scientist during the last five years.
K. K. Birla Foundation:
The noted industrialist, educationist, philanthropist and parliamentarian Dr. Krishna Kumar
Birla had created the K.K. Birla Foundation during his lifetime in 1991. Passionate about
Indian art, education, culture and literature, K.K. Birla felt the need to recognize contributions
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made by authors and scholars in advancing the literary and cultural traditions of India.
Over the years, the K.K. Birla Foundation has instituted six Awards, four of which are given
in recognition of literary excellence in all the major Indian languages while one for scientific
research and one for philosophical writing as mentioned below:
• the Saraswati Samman- 7.5 lakh for prose/poetry work in any Indian language
• the Vyas Samman- 2.5 lakh for prose/poetry work in Hindi
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• the Bihari Puraskar- 1 lakh for prose/poetry work in Hindi/Rajasthani, only authors
from Rajasthan are eligible
• the Shankar Puraskar- 1.5 lakh for a work in Hindi concerning Indian philosophy,
culture and/or art
• the Vachaspati Puraskar- 1 lakh for any work in Sanskrit
• the G.D. Birla Award for scientific research- 1.5 lakh
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Scientist S. Venkat gets National Bioscience Award for 2012

Senior scientist at the Bioengineering and Environmental Centre (BEEC) of Indian
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Institute of Chemical Technology Hyderabad, Dr. S. Venkat Mohan, has been selected
for the National Bioscience Award for 2012.
Lifetime achievement award for scientist Dr. V. Jayathirtha Rao
The Chief Scientist and Head of Crop Protection Division, Dr. V. Jayathirtha Rao at the
Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, has been awarded the lifetime
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achievement award by the Indian Institute of Oriental Heritage, Kolkata.

National Geo-science Award-2011 Awards for NGRI scientists
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Dr. Prakash Kumar, Principal Scientist, seismology group, CSIR- National Geophysical
Research Institute Hyderabad, was selected for the National Geo-science Award-2011 in
the Applied Geophysics category for his contribution in seismology and geodynamics. He
earlier received the CSIR Young Scientist award.
Dr.V. Vijaya Rao, Chief Scientist of controlled seismic studies group of NGRI received the
‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his significant research contributions in geophysics.
Kakodkar awarded ‘Maharashtra Bhooshan’
Renowned nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar was awarded ‘Maharashtra Bhooshan’ by
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan at the Gateway of India. The award was given
in recognition of Dr. Kakodkar’s contribution to the field of nuclear power.
International award for Psychiatrist Roy Abraham Kallivayalil
Roy Abraham Kallivayalil, national president of Indian Psychiatric Society has been awarded
International Distinguished Fellowship by American Psychiatric Society, the highest honour
instituted by them.
Infosys Prize-2012
Infosys Prize 2012 to seven recipients in six categories, were given away on January 3 by
former Prime Minister of Norway and former Director General of the World Health Organization,
Gro Harlem Brundtland. The award comprises a gold medallion, a citation expounding the
laureate’s work and Rs 50 lakh as prize money.
• Engineering & Computer Science-Dr. Asish Lele , of National Chemical Laboratories, Pune
• Humanities (History)- Prof. Sanjay Subrahmanyam, of University of California
• Humanities (Literary Studies)- Prof. Amit Chaudhuri of University of East Anglia,
Norwich, UK
• Life Sciences- Prof. Satyajit Mayor, of National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore
• Mathematical Sciences-Prof. Manjul Bhargava, of Princeton University
• Phy si ca l Sci ences- D r. Ay yappanpillai Ajay ag osh , of National In stitu te for
Interdisciplinary Science and Technology
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• Social Sciences-Prof. Arunava Sen, of Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi
Aryabhatta Award for Muthunayagam and Saraswat
The former secretary of the Department of Ocean Development, A.E. Muthunayagam, will
receive the prestigious Aryabhatta award, instituted by the Astronautical Society of India
(ASI), for 2010 and V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, will receive the
award for 2011. They have been selected for their achievements in rocketry.
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10.3 GENERAL AWARDS & HONORS
Marimuthu Bharathan gets Dutch Human Rights Tulip 2012
Marimuthu Bharathan, a Dalit activist who was selected for the Dutch Human Rights
Tulip 2012 award from among 66 contenders across the globe, could not attend the function
held on January 9 after being denied a passport. Bharathan’s message was read out before the
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award, which carries a cash prize of 1 lakh Euros, was handed over in absentia.
Dravid amongst Padma Awardees
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Dravid, who served India with distinction both as batsman and captain, retired in 2012, has
been honoured by Padma Bhushan 2013 alongwith yesteryear film actors late Rajesh Khanna
and Sharmila Tagore.
Bangladesh honour for ex-IAS officer Himangshu Mohan Chowdhury
Mr. Himangshu Mohan Chowdhury is now being felicitated by the Government of Bangladesh
in helping with relief operations that were carried for migrants from Dhaka who had sought
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refuge in Sonamura during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation struggle. Mr. Chowdhury, who has
been invited by Dhaka, will be felicitated at a ceremony being held to “honour friends of
Bangladesh”.
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Basu among those honoured by Bangladesh

Jyoti Basu has been awarded ‘Friends of Liberation War Honour’.The highest honour was
awarded to former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in July 25, 2012.
Fatehpur Sikri monuments bag Tourism Award
The Fatehpur Sikri group of monuments in Agra has bagged the prestigious National Tourism
Award 2011-12 for “the best maintained and disabled-friendly monument”. The award was
given away by President Pranab Mukherjee and presided over by Minister of State for Tourism
K. Chiranjeevi.
Vishwakarma Award 2013 for GSL
A modernisation project of Goa Shipyard Ltd. (GSL), the south Goa-based defence shipyard,
has been awarded the prestigious Vishwakarma Award for 2013. The award, instituted by the
Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), was presented to GSL under the
Best Construction Project category.

Padma Vibhushan 2013

The second highest civilian award by Govt. of India announced on the eve of republic day has
been conferred on following persons:
Personality Area State
Raghunath Mohapatra Art Orissa
S. Haider Raza Art Delhi
Prof. Yash Pal Science and Engineering Uttar Pradesh
Prof. Roddam Narasimha Science and Engineering Karnataka
Master Tips
Bharat Ratna:
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian Award of the country, which was instituted in the year
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1954. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in
any field of human endeavour.
The actual award is designed in the shape of a peepul leaf and carries with the words
“Bharat Ratna”, inscribed in Devanagari script along with an image of the Sun. The
reverse side of the medal carries the state emblem and motto.
1st Bharat Ratna awardees were Chakravarti Rajgopalachari, Sir C. V. Raman,
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Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in 1954. Last Bharat Ratna awardee was Hindustani
classical singer Bhimsen Joshi in 2008.
Of the 41 awards so far, there has been two non-Indians, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
(1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990).
Padma Awards:
Padma Awards were instituted in the year 1954. Except for brief interruption(s) during the
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years 1978 and 1979 and 1993 to 1997, these awards have been announced every year on
Republic Day.
The award is given in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and
Padma Shri.
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Padma Shri (4th highest civilian award) is awarded for ‘distinguished service’;
Padma Bhushan (3rd highest civilian award) for ‘distinguished service of a high order’; and
Padma Vibhushan (2nd highest civilian award) for ‘exceptional and distinguished service.
National Sports Awards:
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna- India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports.
• Arjuna Award- Recognizes outstanding achievement in National sports.
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• Dronacharya award- an award presented by the government of India for excellence in

sports coaching.
• Dhyan Chand Award- India’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports and
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games. The award is named after the legendary Indian hockey player Dhyan Chand.
Vir Chakra Valour awards:
• Param Vir Chakra- Highest military award for valour.
• Maha Vir Chakra- the 2 nd highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts
of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air.
• Vir Chakra- It is third in precedence in the war time gallantry.
Peacetime gallantry awards:
• Ashok Chakra Award- an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous
action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peace time equivalent of the
Param Vir Chakra.
• Kirti Chakra- It is second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards.
• Shaurya Chakra- It happens to be third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry
awards and comes after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra.

The national Stree Shakti Puraskar 2012

In the national Stree Shakti Puraskar 2012 award ceremony, Delhi braveheart was honoured
with the ‘Rani Lakshmibai Award’. The award presented by the President Pranab Mukherjee
was received by the deceased victim’s mother on International Women’s Day ( 08 March
2013).
• The Rani Rudramma Devi Award for the year 2012 was awarded to Pranita Talukdar
from Assam for her work for the overall development of women.
• Mata Jijabai Award for 2012 was given to Sonika Agarwal from Delhi in recognition
of her service in the areas of education and promotion of self help groups amongst
women.
• The Kannagi Award for 2012 was given to Guramma H. Sankina from Karnataka
for her service in the areas of educational awareness, promotion of self help groups and
income generating activities amongst women.
• The Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award for 2012 was given to Omana TK from Kerala
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for her service in the areas of rehabilitation of destitute women and victims of violence,
environment protection, empowerment of women and women employment.
• The Devi Ahilyabai Holkar award for 2012 was given to Olga D’mello of
Maharashtra for her work in the areas of health, hygiene awareness and creating
consciousness on women’s issues in the community.
Master Tips ST
The annual National Stree Shakti Puruskars are given by the Ministry of Women and
Child Development to recognise and honour women for outstanding contributions to society
and thereby helped in improving the lives of numerous Indian women.The awards are in the
name of the eminent women personalities namely Devi Ahalya Bai Holkar, Kannagi, Mata
Jajabai, Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Rani Rudramma Devi (which
is open to both men and women). The awards, other than the Rani Rudramma Devi award
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(which was instituted in 2007), were instituted in 1999.The award carries a citation and a
cheque of Rs.3 lakh.
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Outstanding parliamentarian award for 2010, 2011 & 2012

The parliamentary award committee has selected BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress MP Karan
Singh and JD (U) MP Sharad Yadav for the outstanding parliamentarian award for the years
2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Master Tips
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The O ut st a nd ing Pa r liam e nta r ia n Aw ar d is a n a wa rd given b y t he India n

Parliamentary Group to an outstanding sitting Member of the Indian Parliament. It was
instituted in 1992 by Shivraj Patil who was then the Speaker of Lok Sabha from 1991-96.
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Indrajit Gupta was honored with the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 1992.
Pranab Mukherjee receive top award in Bangladesh

The ‘Bangladesh Liberation War Honour Award’ has been conferred on President Pranab
Mukherjee by Bangaldesh government in recognition of his contribution to the struggle that
led to the birth of this nation 42 years ago.
US to give courage award to Delhi braveheart posthumously
United States has selected the 23-year-old Delhi braveheart for the International Women of
Courage Award. The award to the braveheart would be presented posthumously by the First
Lady Michelle Obama and the Secretary of State John Kerry, on March 8. The Secretary of
State’s International Women of Courage Award annually recognises women around the
globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights
and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since inception of the award in 2007, the
Department of State has honoured 67 women from 45 different countries.

Delhi airport wins ‘International Safety Award 2013’

The IGI airport in New Delhi, operated by DIAL, has become the first Indian facility to
bag the ‘International Safety Award’ from British Safety Council. This makes Indira
Gandhi International airport (IGI), as the first and the only airport in India to win this
prestigious award in field of health and safety.
Master Tips
British Safety Council is one of the largest independent occupational health, safety and
environmental organisations in the world.
The International Safety Awards are open to all companies across industries globally and
the applicants are adjudged across 12 parameters related to health and safety management.
The award benchmarks health and safety performance of an organisation on an international
level to recognise the leaders in this field.
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NRI education pioneer Dr Sugata Mitra wins TED prize
Dr Sugata Mitra, a Professor of Educational Technology at the School of Education,
Communication and Language Sciences at Newcastle University, UK, known for his innovative
“hole-in-the-wall” experiment to give computer education to slum children, has been awarded
with the prestigious USD 1 million TED prize.
•
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Mitra developed the concept of the Cloud from his 1999 “hole in the wall” experiment, in
which he carved a hole from his research center into an adjoining Delhi slum.
• After receiving the award, Mitra said he will use prize to launch global initiative for self-
directed learning releases toolkit for schools and families to create self-organised learning
environments.
• TED’s annual prize of USD one million gives an exceptional individual the chance
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to conceive and launch a high-impact project.
Indian-American Scientist Rangaswami Srinivasan Honoured by Obama
US President Barack Obama presented the prestigious National Medal of Technology and
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Innovation to Indian-American scientist Rangaswami Srinivasan for his groundbreaking

work with laser.
Asian Nobel launched in Taiwan: ‘Tang Prize’
Samuel Yin, one of Taiwan’s richest men has launched the Asian equivalent of the
Nobel Prize the ‘Tang Prize’ by donating Tw$3 billion (about $101 million) for it.
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• The prize is named after China’s Tang Dynasty (618-907) which inspired generation
after generation with admiration for its vibrant characteristics of self confidence and
cosmopolitan inclusiveness the qualities that the Tang Prize seeks to promote.
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• Beginning in 2014, prizes will be awarded every two years in four categories: sustainable
development; biopharmaceutical science; sinology; and the ‘rule of law’ to
individuals, regardless of nationality.
• The winner in each category will receive Tw$50 million ($1.7 million), compared to the
eight million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million) that comes with a Nobel Prize.
Mauritius Honours Bihar Folk Singer Nitu Kumari ‘Nutan’
A Bhojpuri folk singer from Bihar was honoured by the Mauritius government on the occasion of
‘Bihar Diwas’ celebrations in the Indian Ocean island nation.
• Nitu Kumari ‘Nutan’ was conferred the prestigious ‘Mauritius Samman’ by President
Rajkeswur Purryag.
• Bihar Diwas was celebrated in the state and in Mauritius by residents of Bihar origin. It
marks the day when the British carved out the state from Bengal Presidency March
22, 1912.

Krishi Karman Award 2011-12

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. The award carries Rs 2 crore and a
citation certificate. The Krishi Karman Award function was organised by department of
agriculture and cooperation, Union Ministry of Agriculture. From the eight awards
winning states, for the first time one male and one female farmer were also awarded for their
outstanding performance.
Awards in different segments

Awards Sates
The Awards for Special Contribution to Total Food Grains Production Madhya Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Manipur and
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Nagaland
Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Rice Bihar
Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Wheat Haryana
Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Pulses Jharkhand
Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Coarse Cereals Uttar Pradesh
President decorates Nepal Army chief

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President Pranab Mukherjee has conferred the honorary rank of ‘Suprabal Jana Sewa Shree
of the Indian Army’ on General Gaurav Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, Chief of the
Army Staff of Nepal, for his “commendable military prowess and immeasurable contribution to
further fostering the long and friendly association with India.”
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Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 to Malala
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani schoolgirl shot by a Taliban gunman in 2012, is to be given
Ireland’s prestigious Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 for her courage and
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determination to speak out in support of equal access to education for every child.
• She was one of the five nominees, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and outgoing
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
• Malala is the second Pakistani to get the award. In 2007, it was given to Benazir
Bhutto.
• Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, has been appointed education attaché at the
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Pakistani consulate in Birmingham, paving the way for her to continue to stay on in
Britain after her medical treatment.
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Sanjiv Bhatt gets Mother Teresa award

Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt was conferred the 5th Mother Teresa Memorial International
Award for Social Justice for 2012.
‘Order of Canada’ honour to scientist Venkatesh Mannar
A Chennai - born scientist of Indian origin, Venkatesh Mannar, President, Micronutrient
Initiative, has been honoured with Canada’s highest civilian award – the ‘Order of Canada’.
Mannar has ben working for almost 40 years to reduce debilitating micronutrient deficiencies
among the the world’s most vulnerable.

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11
Persons in News
11.1 General 111
11.2 Obituaries 112
11.3 Appointments 113
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Current Affairs - 2 Persons in News 111
11.1 GENERAL
Mexican business tycoon Carlos Slim: World’s richest by Forbes
As per the annual ranking published by Forbes on March 4, Mexican business tycoon Carlos
Slim was the wealthiest in the world with a networth of USD 73 billion, followed by Bill
Gates (USD 67 billion), Amancio Ortega (USD 57 billion), Warren Buffett (USD 53.5 billion).
Mukesh Ambani was ranked 22nd, while the second-richest Indian Lakshmi Mittal is
at 41st position with a networth of USD 16.5 billion.
Paris makes Mandela honorary citizen
The city of Paris made anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen but refused
to grant an honour to Venezuela’s late leftist firebrand leader Hugo Chavez.
Ratan Tata elected to National Academy of Engineering
Tata Group Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata along with eight Indian Americans has been
elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, which is the highest
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professional distinction accorded to an engineer in the US.
Lebanese poet Wadi-al-Bustani transalated Ramayana in Arabic
An Arabic version of the ‘Ramayana’ translated by noted Lebanese poet Wadi-al-Bustani was
unveiled at the Jaipur Literature Festival. As per Syed Shahid Mahdi, vice president of the
Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the book, titled ‘Ramayana’, will promote cross-
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cultural understanding and appreciation of each other’s spiritual heritage.
Bhutan King Wangchuck: The chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade
Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was the chief guest at India’s Republic
Day parade 2013. The King and Queen of Bhutan have paid a state visit to India from January
23 to 30.
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Erection of Basaveshwara’s statue in the UK
The UK government has granted permission to install the statue of 12 century social reformer
from Karnataka, Basaveshwara, at the Albert embankment in London.
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U.R. Rao to join Satellite Hall of Fame

The former ISRO chairman, U.R. Rao, is all set to join the prestigious international Satellite
Hall of Fame on March 19. Prof. Rao, who presided over the country’s space programme as
Secretary, Department of Space, and Chairman of the Space Commission for 10 years from
1984, will join some 40 space celebrities who include Arthur Clarke.
Steve Jobs tops list of world’s best chief executives
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Late visionary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has topped a list of the world’s best chief
executives. The global list, compiled by French business school Insead for Harvard Business
Review, ranked the former Apple head first. Jobs was followed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos in
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second and Samsung’s retired boss Yun Jong-Yong in third.

Delhi Boy Suraj Sharma gets BAFTA nomination
Actor Suraj Sharma has been nominated for the Rising Star award for his role in director
Ang Lee’s acclaimed film ‘Life of Pi’ in this year’s prestigious BAFTA awards, which are
regarded as Britain’s equivalent of the Oscars. The film, based on Yann Martel’s Man-
Booker-Prize-winning novel, is in contention for the Best Film with four others, including
Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’ , and Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ , which is based
on the capture of Osama bin Laden.
Postal Stamp released on Sahir Ludhianvi
President Pranab Mukherjee released a commemorative postage stamp in honour of the late
Sahir Ludhianvi on his birth anniversary. Ludhianvi was widely acclaimed as a people’s poet
who wrote on the trials and tribulations of the everyday life of the common man with great
intensity and deep empathy.

112 Persons/Place in News Current Affairs - 2
11.2 OBITUARIES
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dies of cancer at 58

A living legend for millions of poor in his country and a divisive figure in global politics, the
Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez died. He was 58. After battling cancer for two years
during which he underwent multiple rounds of surgeries and chemotherapy in Cuba and at
home, the Venezuelan president breathed his last at a military hospital in the capital Caracas.
With his death, the socialist leader’s 14-year rule of the South American country with the
largest reserves of oil in the world has come to an end.
Pulitzer Prize-winner Anthony Lewis dies
Anthony Lewis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and New York Times
columnist, has died. He was 85. Lewis won the Pulitzer in 1955 for national reporting for the
Washington Daily News and again in 1963 for national reporting for The New York Times.
From 1969 to 2001, he wrote the column “Abroad at Home” for the Times. His books included
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“Portrait of a Decade: The Second American Revolution,” ‘’Gideon’s Trumpet,” and
“Make No Law: The Sullivan Case and the First Amendment.”
Padma Shri recipient S. Sukumari passed away
Veteran South Indian actor and Padma Shri recipient S. Sukumari passed away in Chennai
after battling burns suffered following an accident at her residence. She was 74. Born in 1940
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in then Travancore, Sukumari began her career at the age of 10 with a cameo in Tamil movie
‘Oru Iravu’ in 1951. She acted in over 2,500 films, including in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi,
Telugu, Oriya and Bengali. Wife of famous film director-producer late Bhim Singh, Sukumari
received numerous accolades, including the Tamil Nadu State’s Kalaimani Award in 1991-92,
the Kerala State Award on four occasions, Padma Shri in 2003 and the National Award for the
best supporting actress in 2011.
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Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman passed away
Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman, a veteran ruling party politician and a close aid of the
nation’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, died in a Singapore hospital. He was
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84. Mr. Rahman, who had made his name as an activist who pushed for Bangladesh to break
free from Pakistani rule, was named to the largely ceremonial post in 2009.
Khmer Rouge’s Ieng Sary dead
Ieng Sary, who co-founded Cambodia’s brutal Khmer Rouge movement in 1970s, was its
public face abroad and decades later became one of its few leaders to be put on trial by a joint
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Cambodian-international tribunal along with two other former Khmer Rouge leaders for the
deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people, died.
Ping-pong diplomacy initiator dies
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China’s table tennis legend Zhuang Zedong, who played a key role in initiating the famous
ping-pong diplomacy with the U.S. leading to the then President, Richard Nixon’s ice-
breaking visit to Beijing in 1972, died.
Carnatic vocalist Pinakapani dies
Legendary Carnatic musician and medical practitioner Sripada Pinakapani, 100, passed
away at his residence at Kurnool. He was considered the “healer of malady’’ (as doctor) and
“producer of melody” (as musician). He produced a voluminous treatise on Carnatic music.
Ramankutty Nair: The doyen of Kathakali passes away
Padma Bhushan-winning Kathakali exponent Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, 88, passed
away at his house at Vellinezhi, near Palakkad.
Madanjeet Singh passes away
Former diplomat, artist, writer and freedom fighter, Madanjeet Singh, a UNESCO Goodwill
Ambassador since 2000, passed away in Beaulieu sur Mer in France. Born in Lahore on
April 16, 1924, he was passionate in his commitment to South Asian regional cooperation
and solidarity on a secular, democratic, and progressive basis. This commitment was
backed by an extraordinary financial contribution to the South Asia Foundation (SAF).
Master Tips
South Asia Foundation (SAF) is a regional youth movement that now has chapters in eight
countries. SAF offers scholarships to South Asian students under various disciplines in its 12
UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institutions of Excellence.
These institutions are located in all eight countries of South Asia. Madanjeet Singh sponsored
the bi-annual UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Award for the promotion of tolerance and non-
violence.
11.3 APPOINTMENTS
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Xi Jinping appointed Chinese President
Xi Jinping (59) was named as China’s new President and head of the military succeeding
Hu Jintao, completing a generational transition of power in the world’s most populous
country.
• China’s Parliament formally elected Xi, as President, four months after he took charge
•
of the Communist Party. ST
Xi has been appointed as the Chairman of the Powerful Military Commission, when
he was elected as the new leader of the party in
November 2012.
• The Military Commission supervises 2.3 million-
strong and the world’s largest standing Army
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called People’s Liberation Army (PLA),
incorporating Army, Navy and Air Force.
• His elec tion w as a for mality as th e NPC,
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dominated by the CPC functionaries, completed

the once-in-a-decade power transfer from the
administration headed by Hu, who along with
Xi Jinping
team of leaders including Premier Wen Jiabao
formally retires.
Li Keqiang named as China’s New Premier
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Li Keqiang (57), Communist Party of China’s second ranking

leader, wa s elected a s Pri me Minister by the Parli ament
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succeeding Wen Jiabao who retired after a generational transition

of power in the world’s most populous country.
Li Keqiang
Justice Kuriakose sworn in as the new Chief Justice of Sikkim HC
Justice Pius Chakkalayil Kuriakose has been sworn in as the new Chief Justice of Sikkim
High Court. Sikkim Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh administered the oath to Justice
Kuriakose in Gangtok. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling attended the swearing-in
ceremony.
Karnataka Gets New Lokayukta
The BJP government in Karnataka has put in place a new Lokayukta. Former chief justice of
the Karnataka High Court Justice Y Bhaskar Rao was sworn in by Governor H R Bhardwaj
in what is seen as an attempt ahead of elections by the BJP government to arrest criticism of
systematically undermining the office of the anticorruption ombudsman after investigations
under former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde forced the BJP CM B S Yeddyurappa to
quit in July 2011.
Justice Kothari appointed as Rajasthan Lokayukta

Former judge of the Rajasthan high court Justice Sajjan Singh Kothari was sworn in as
Lokayukta. Governor Margaret Alva administered him oath of office in the presence of chief
minister Ashok Gehlot.
Sudarshan Reddy is new Lokayukta of Goa
Former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudarsan Reddy had been sworn in as Lokayukta of Goa
in March 2013.
Bobby Ghosh: New ‘TIME International editor’
Eminent Indian journalist Bobby Ghosh has been named the new editor of Time International.
Ghosh was appointed as the first non-American world editor in TIME’s history. Bobby joined
TIME in 1998, replaces Jim Frederick, who now becomes a contributing editor.
Bergoglio became the new Pope
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Jorge Mario Bergoglio (76) of Argentina, the first from
Latin America, was elected to be the new leader of the troubled
Roman Catholic Church. He would take the name Francis I.
IITian Pichai named Android chief Pope Francis I
Google appointed Chennai-born Sundar Pichai, an IIT-Kharagpur alumnus, as head of its
Android Division in place of Andy Rubin who has stepped down from the top post to take on
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a new role. Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and
Apps.
Master Tips
Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while Ph.D. students at Stanford
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University in January 1996 as a research project. Together they own about 16 percent of its
stake. They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. An
initial public offering followed on August 19, 2004. Eric Schmidt is the Executive Chairman
and Larry Page is the CEO of the company.
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New Governors for Nagaland, Odisha & Other States

Former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Ashwani Kumar and senior Congress
leader S.C. Jamir were appointed as Governors of Nagaland and Odisha respectively. The
President also transferred Governor of Tripura D.Y. Patil to Bihar and shifted Bihar Governor
S
Devanand Konwar to Tripura. Similarly, former Delhi Police Commissioner Nikhil Kumar,
who was serving as Nagaland Governor, has been shifted to Kerala.
Kenyatta wins Kenya presidency
IE
Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s first Prime Minister and President Jomo Kenyatta, has
won the presidential election.
Tashi Rabstan: First judge from Ladakh
Tashi Rabstan has became the first Buddhist and the first person from Ladakh to become a
judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
Ghose & Joseph: Two Supreme Court judges sworn in
Former Chief Justices of the Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh High Courts Pinaki
Chandra Ghose and Kurian Joseph were sworn in as Supreme Court judges by Chief
Justice of India Altamas Kabir. With their appointment, the strength of Supreme Court judges
has gone up to 28, against the sanctioned strength of 31.
Maduro to be sworn in as acting president of Venezuela
Vice President Nicolas Maduro has been sworn in as acting president of Venezuela after a
state funeral is held for Hugo Chavez, who died after prolong battle with cancer.
Yukiya Amano wins 2 nd term as IAEA chief

Yukiya Amano secured a second four-year term as head of the International Atomic Energy
Agency. The veteran Japanese diplomat was approved by consensus by the IAEA’s 35-nation
governing board.
Master Tips
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that
seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military
purpose, including nuclear weapons.
The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957. Though
established independently of the United Nations through its own international treaty, the
IAEA Statute, the IAEA reports to both the UN General Assembly and Security Council. The
IAEA has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
ER
Takehiko Nakao: Japan nominates vice finance minister to lead ADB
Japan has nominated Takehiko Nakao, its deputy finance minister for international affairs,
to become president of the Asian Development Bank. The Finance Ministry proposed that
Nakao succeed current ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda, who has been nominated to become
Japan’s next central bank governor and resigned as ADB president effective March 18.
ST
USAID chief Raj Shah to travel to India & Myanmar
Dr Rajiv Shah, the Administrator of US Agency for International Development (USAID)
would travel to India and Myanmar, adding in Mumbai he would announce a major programme
to reduce preventable child deaths. 39-year-old Shah is the highest ranking Indian-
American in the Obama Administration.
T.S. Vijayan new Chief of IRDA
A
Former LIC chief T.S. Vijayan, has took over as the Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory
and Development Authority (IRDA). Mr. Vijayan succeeds J. Hari Narayan who completed
his five-year term on Feb. 21. IRDA chairperson’s tenure is for five years or till the age
M
of 65 years.
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan secures second term
Incumbent Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has won Armenia’s presidential election with
over 58 percent of the vote.
Mohan Parasaran appointed as Solicitor-General
S
Mohan Parasaran, the most senior Additional Solicitor- General, has been appointed Solicitor-
General to succeed Rohinton Nariman.
IE
A P Singh & Manbir Singh appointed UPSC members

Former CBI Director Amar Pratap Singh, a 1974-batch IPS officer of Jharkhand cadre, has
been appointed a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Former Indian
Foreign Service officer Manbir Singh, a 1976 batch IFS officer, was administered the oath by
UPSC Chairman Professor D. P. Agrawal.
K. K. Chakravarty: New Chairman for Lalit Kala Akademi
K. K. Chakravarty, a retired bureaucrat, the 1970 batch IAS officer, who had steered the
National Museum and other cultural institutions in the past, was named the new Chairman
of Lalit Kala Akademi.
John Kerry: New US Secretary of State
John Kerry, the veteran American politician and 2004 presidential candidate, has been sworn
in as the US secretary of state, replacing Hillary Clinton. For the last four years he was
Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Vasudeva Rao: New IGCAR chief

Distinguished scientist P.R. Vasudeva
IGCAR, the Indira Gandhi Centre for
Rao took over as the new director of the Indira Atomic Research is involved in designing a
Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) fast breeder reactor (reactor that breeds
from S.C. Chetal who retired on January more fuel than it consumes), is located at
31,2013. Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
Milos Zeman: 1 st directly elected Czech President

Milos Zeman, a former left-leaning Prime
Minister staged a big return to power by winning Czechoslovakia split into Slovakia and
the Czech Republic’s first directly elected the Czech Republic in 1993, since then the
presidential vote, the largely ceremonial post. Czech Republic has had two Presidents
elected by Parliament Vaclav Havel and
Vaclav Klaus.
ER
Joe Biden : US Vice President for second term
US Vice President Joe Biden was sworn for his second term, hours before President Barack
Obama takes his second oath of office at the White House. Obama and Biden are being sworn,
January 20, the Constitutionally-mandated date for the president to be sworn in to office.
Shirani Bandaranayake impeached & Ex-Attorney General made CJ
ST
Sri Lanka’s former Attorney-General Mohan Peiris, who has never been on the Bench, has
been appointed the Chief Justice of Sri Lankan Supreme Court. Parliament had voted to
impeach the country’s first woman Chief Justice Ms. Bandaranayake by a two-thirds
majority, despite Court of Appeal quashing the basis of the impeachment motion.
R. K. Dubey takes over as Canara Bank CMD
A
R.K. Dubey has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of Canara Bank. Mr.
Dubey joined Punjab National Bank in 1977 as a management trainee and moved up to the
ranks of a General Manager in 2008 and was appointed as Executive Director of Central Bank
of India in 2010.
M
Ved Prakash: UGC chairman

Ved Prakash, serving as acting chairman of the UGC, has been appointed as its chairman;
almost two years after the post fell vacant.
Indian American Srikanth Srinivasan re-nominated as federal judge
Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan is among the 33 federal judges re-nominated by the
S
US President Barack Obama for the US Court of Appeals. Srinivasan is the only Indian
American re-nominated by Obama for the District of Columbia Circuit. Srinivasan was
born in Chandigarh, and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas.
IE
Vanitha Narayanan appointed as IBM India MD

IBM has appointed Vanitha Narayanan as managing director of IBM India.
Nepal CJ sworn in as interim Prime Minister
Chief Justice Khila Raj Regmi was sworn in by President on 14th March as the head of
interim government mandated to hold elections for a new Constituent Assembly by June 21.
Suu Kyi re-elected party chief amid calls for new blood
Aung San Suu Kyi was re-elected Myanmar opposition (National League for Democracy
(NLD)) chief at a landmark congress that disappointed some members hoping for new blood
in the wider leadership ahead of a key 2015 election.
Ecuador’s Rafael Correa declares victory in presidential poll
President Rafael Correa declared victory in the first-round of Ecuador’s presidential vote.
About 30 percent of Ecuador’s 15 million people live below the poverty line. Voting
is obligatory for people age 18 to 65, and optional for youths 16 years and older as
well as for people over 65.

 

12
Books & Authors

pppp
Ceneral Science Books and Authors 119
Books Authors
 Walking with Lions: Tales from a - Natwar Singh
Diplomatic Past
 My Beloved World - Sonia Sotomayor (USA)
 Er Ist Wieder Da (He’s Back) - Timur Vermes (Germany)
 Between Clay and Dust - Musharraf Ali Farooqi (Pakistan)
 The Briefcase - Hiromi Kawakami (Japan)
 Silent House - Orhan Pamuk (Nobel

laureate,Turkey)
ER
 The Garden of Evening Mists - Tan Twan Eng (Malaysia)
 Please Look After Mom - Shin-Kyung-sook (South Korea)
 The Extras - Kiran Nagarkar

Difficult Pleasures
Bitter Wormwood
ST - Anjum Hasan
- Easterine Kire
 Em and the Big Hoom - Jerry Pinto

A
 The Good Muslim - Tahmima Anam
 Our Lady of Alice Bhatti - Mohammed Hanif

M
 The Walls of Delhi - Uday Prakash
 *Home Boy - H.M. Naqvi
 *Chinaman - Shehan Karunatilaka

S
 *These errors are correct - Jeet Thayil
 One-and-a-Half Wife - Meghna Pant

IE
 *The Sly Company of People Who Care - Rahul Bhattacharya
 Thin Paths - Julia Blackburn
 Open City - Teju Cole
 To the River - Olivia Laing
 Connemara - Tim Robinson


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GENERAL STUDIES

State Engineering Services Examination & Public Sector Examination.

© No part of this booklet may be reproduced, or distributed in any form or by any

1. Master Articles ............................................................. 001 to 010

2. National Updates ......................................................... 011 to 040

3. International & Bilateral Updates ............................. 041 to 063

4. Environment & Ecology Updates ................................ 064 to 075

5. Science & Technology Updates .................................... 076 to 098

6. Defence Updates ........................................................... 099 to 111

7. Committee, Commission & Reports ........................... 112 to 120

8. Conferences & Summits ............................................... 121 to 129

9. Games & Sports ........................................................... 130 to 138

10. Awards & Recognition ................................................. 139 to 152

11. Persons & Places in News ........................................... 153 to 162

12. Books & Authors ........................................................... 163 to 167

2.2 ECONOMY AND ENERGY ISSUES 19

Meghalaya, Manipur & Tripura to get High Courts

60 New Police Stations Set Up In Five Riot-hit Assam Districts

Janamaithri Scheme in 100 More Police Stations

SC Directs Karnataka to Release Cauvery Water to Tamil Nadu

India’s Longest Railway Bridge To Be Built Jointly By WRI and HCC

Operation X: Kasab Hanged, Buried in Yerwada Jail

UN Secretary General Visited India

Newly Cleared Copyright Bill Assures Artistes Entitlement to Lifelong Royalty

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

3rd NIA Centre In Uttar Pradesh

Buddhist Site Discovered In East Godavari

A Buddhist site was discovered at Porupaka of Routhulapudi mandal of East Godavari

Researchers Found Paleo-river Near Narmada

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

Asia’s Biggest Cattle Fair Sonepur Mela Held

AP-MH Signed Agreement For Water Sharing In Pranahita-Chevella

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

Cyclone Nilam Severely Affected AP

Australian Film Festival Begins

international film festival in the city.

Pranab Opens Centenary Fete Of Nobel For Tagore

2.2. Economy and Energy Issues

Proposed TAPI Pipe Line

India–Qatar Sign Pact to Boost Oil and Gas Cooperation

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

RBI’s Current Rates And Ratios

Policy Rates* Reserve Ratios*

Shome Panel On GAAR

Union Cabinet Clears Spectrum Fee On Telecom Firms

Producer Price Index (PPI) For Inflation Mooted by RBI

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

Limited (NPCIL) and Atomstroyexport. Atomstroyexport is the Russian

International Airport Status to Five More Domestic Airports

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

SBI Opens ATM In Drass- Kargil

Crop Damage From Frost, Cold Comes Under Natural Calamity

New Service Tax Regime Comes Into Effect

‘Contract Farming’ Introduced In Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand government has announced its policy of introducing contract farming.

Basel III Implementation From January, 2013: RBI Guidelines

Office: F-126, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi - 110 016

NDC Approves 12th Five Year Plan

but executive bodies.

New Category Of NBFCS, NBFC-Factors Introduced By RBI

Panel To Probe Grid Failure ST

the northern region was overdrawing it.

Gandhi Power Plant Commissioned

Largest Uranium Mine Commissioned