CUREERNT AFFAIRS 2012 -AWARDS AND PRIZES

CUREERNT AFFAIRS 2012  -AWARDS AND PRIZES

DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD FOR 2012

Legendary versatile Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee was on 21 March 2012 selected for India’s highest film honour - the
Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2012. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India‘s highest award in film industry which is give for
lifetime achievement in Indian cinema by the Central government. Born in Krishnanagar in West Bengal, 100 Kms from Calcutta, in 1935 completed his graduation and Masters in Bengali literature fromthe University of Calcutta.

SARASWATI SAMMAN 2011

The K K Birla Foundation announced on 22 March 2012 its decision to honour Tamil writer 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 with the 21st Saraswati Samman for workIrama Kathaiyum Iramayakalum

(Ramakatha and Ramayanas) published in 2005. Special areas of interest of Manavalan who is a scholar in Tamil, English, Hindi and Telugu are translation and comparative literature.

TEMPLETON PRIZE FOR 2012

The John Templeton Foundation on 29 March 2012decided to honour Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama with one of the world’s leading religion prizes, Templeton Prize for 2012. The Buddhist leader who lives in exile in India had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for advocating nonviolent liberation for Tibet.

The Dalai Lama was named the winner of the 2012 Templeton Prize in recognition of his work on science and religion. The Templeton Prize to be presented to him on 14 May 2012 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is a $1.7 million award. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama is the highest profile winner of the award which was earlier presented to likes of

Billy Graham and the late Mother Teresa. The Dalai Lama is founder of the Mind & Life institute for research on science and Buddhism.

BRITISH SAFETY AWARD

BSES Yamuna Power limited (BPYL) won the prestigious 54th British International Safety Award. BYPL has been selected for this award given the steps taken by it for the safety of its over 11 lakh consumers and safety and health of its employees. The list of award winners was announced in London in the last week of March 2012. The award will be presented in May 2012. BPYL is the first Indian discom to be selected for this award. BYPL distributes power to an area spread over 200 sq kms with a population density of 5953 per sq km. It’s 11.9lakh customers are spread over 14

districts across Central and East areas of Delhi including Chandni Chowk, Daryaganj, Shankar Road, Patel Nagar, G T

Road,Paharganj, Karkardooma, Krishna Nagar, Mayur Vihar,Yamuna Vihar, Laxmi Nagar, Nand Nagri and Karawal B Nagar.

PULITZER PRIZES 2012

The 2012 Pulitzer Prize was announced on 16 April 2012. The Associated Press won a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for documenting the New York Police Department’s spying on Muslims. The Philadelphia Inquirer was on the other hand honoured in the public service category for its examination of violence in the city’s schools. A second Pulitzer for investigative reporting was given to The Seattle Times for a series about accidental methadone overdoses among
patients with chronic pain. The New York Times won two Pulitzers, for explanatory and international reporting.

CURRENT GK Q&A

CURRENT GK Q&A
1- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) data for 150 countries over 40 years showed which two countries as the only two countries in the world where female infant mortality is higher than male infant mortality in the 2000s?
1. Venezuela & Combodia
2. Nigeria & Ghana
3. China & India
4. Indonesia & China
2- Kamla Persad Bissessar visited India from 5 January 2012 to 14 January 2012.
Consider the following statements on her.
(i) She is the seventh Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
(ii) She is the country’s first female Prime Minister.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
1. Both (i) and (ii) are correct
2. Only (i) is correct
3. Only (ii) is correct
4. Neither I nor II is correct
3- What is SHADE which was in news in January 2012?
1. A new pact among the naval forces of India, Japan and China
2. A new pact among the armed forces of India, Japan and China
3. A new pact among the naval forces of India, Japan and Russia
4. A new pact among the armed forces of India, Japan and Russia
4- The Union Cabinet of India on 24 January 2012 renamed the Mana Airport at Raipur as the ___ Airport, Raipur.
1. Swami Vivekananda
2. Ramakrishna Paramhamsa
3. Mahatma Gandhi
4. Jawaharlal Nehru
5- Which noted film critic who reviewed films for the Times of India died of cancer on 20 January 2012?
1. Nikhat Kazmi
2. Raja Sen
3. Subhash K. Jha
4. Pauline Kael
6- The Planning Commission of India on 18 January 2012 approved the Rudrasagar development scheme which is related to which of the following states of India?
1. Tripura
2. Bihar
3. Uttar Pradesh
4. Assam
7- Pavan K. Verma’s new book set in contemporary India and in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, was launched in the New Delhi by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the Queen Mother of Bhutan in January 2012. Which is the book in reference here?
1. When Loss is Gain
2. Ghalib: The Man
3. The Great Indian Middle Class
4. The Times
8- Which of the following statements regarding Homai Vyarawalla, who passed away on January 15, 2012, is/are correct?
A. She was India’s first woman photo-journalist and was the only professional woman photo journalism between 1939 and 1970.
B. She was commonly known by her pseudonym Dalda 13.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
1. Only A
2. Both A and B
3. Only B
4. Neither A nor B
9- Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on 11 January 2012 launched the signature tune of the Indian Customs Pragati ki Dhadkan in New Delhi. Who is the composer?
1. Jatin Lalit
2. A. R. Rahman
3. Aadesh Shrivastava
4. Pritam

10- Who among the following diplomats was conferred with the first S K Singh Award for excellence in the Indian Foreign Service on 6 January 2012?
1. Ashwin Shastri
2. Ranjan Mathai
3. Shivshankar Menon
4. D Bala Venkatesh Verma

Events; Appointments; Etc.: February 2011

FOR RAS PRE EXAM 2012

Events; Appointments; Etc.: February 2011

APPOINTED; ELECTED Etc. Jhalanath Khanal: He has been elected as the Prime Minister of Nepal. U.K. Sinha: He has taken over as the chief of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). DISTINGUISHED VISITOR Hamid Karzai: President of Afghanistan. DIED Anant Pai: Creator of Amar Chitra Katha comics in India. Satinder Singh Noor, Dr: Internationally acclaimed multi-lingual scholar and eminent Punjabi litterateur. He was 70. EVENTS FEBRUARY 10—The United Liberation Front of Assam, a separatist group from Assam, holds the first round of peace talks with the Union and Assam government in New Delhi. 11—Hosni Mubarak steps down as President of Egypt, following 18 days of mammoth protests in Cairo, ending three decades of autocratic rule. 17—Cricket World Cup opening ceremony is held at Bangabandhu stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As part of the ceremony, the captains from the 14 competing teams parade through the stadium in colourfully draped rickshaws. 17—The Union government annuls the deal between ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix and Bangalore firm Davos Multimedia Private Limited. The agreement hasd been signed in 2005 for handing over 70 MHz of S-band Spectrum to the private firm for Rs 1000 crore. The agreement has been annulled following CAG’s findings that the deal had resulted in a loss of Rs 2 lakh crore to the nation. 22—More than 65 people are killed as a 6.3-magnitude eathquake strikes New Zealand’s southern city of Christchurch. MILESTONES Lt Gen J.D.S. Rawat: He is the first officer of the Corps of military Intelligence (MI) to be elevated to the rank of Lt. General. Till now, the senior-most rank that officers of MI could attain was major general. MI is responsible for counter-intelligence, field security and information gathering. Major Mitali Madhumita: She is the first woman officer of Indian army to get decorated with a gallantry medal. She has been honoured for her act of bravery during the attack on guest house of Indian officials in Kabul, Afghanistan Dilip Sanghvi: Chairman and Managing Director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, he has been named as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011.

FOR RAS PRE EXAM 2012

Events; Appointments; Etc.: March 2012

APPOINTED; ELECTED; Etc. Vladimir Putin: He has been elected as the President of Russia. Joachim Gauck: He has been elected as the President of Germany, marking the first time a candidate from former communist east will be the head of State. Mukul Roy: He has been appointed as the Union Minister of Railways. Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh: He has been appointed as the next Chief of Indian Army. He will take over on May 31, 2012. Parkash Singh Badal: He has been re-elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab. Manohar Parrikar: He has been elected as the Chief Minister of Goa. Vijay Bahuguna: He has been elected as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Okram Ibobi Singh: He has been re-elected as the Chief Minister of Manipur. Akhilesh Yadav: He has been elected as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He is the youngest ever Chief Minister of the State. Nancy Powell: She has been appointed as the Ambassador of USA to India. RESIGNED Dinesh Trivedi: Union Railways Minister. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Hu Jintao: President of China. Dilma Rouseff: President of Brazil. Dmitry Medvedev: President of Russia. Jacob Zuma: President of South Africa. DIED Joy Mukherjee: Hindi film actor. He was 73. Among his hit films were: “Humsaya”, “Shagird”, “Love in Tokyo”, and “Ek Musafi, Ek Hasina”. Ravi: Noted music director. He was 86. Untrained in classical music, he borrowed liberally from north Indian folk music forms. With few instruments he could belt out mellifluous hits such as: “Aye meri zohara jabeen” (Waqt), “Baar Baar Dekho” (China Town) and “Chaudvin kaa chand ho” (Chaudvin kaa chand). EVENTS March 2—Iran votes to elect a new Parliament 3—Around 81 per cent voters exercise their franchise in the Goa Assembly polls, beating all previous records. 4—China announces hike in its defence budget by 11.2c per cent to whopping $106.4 billion, pushing its military spending for the first time to the triple digit. 22—India votes in favour of a US-initiated resolution  at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, urging Sri Lanka to ‘credibly investigate’ allegations of rights violations during the prolonged conflict against Tamil Tigers, a move which could have a bearing on relations between the two South Asian nations. 22—Soldiers seize power in West African State of Mali, in protest the government’s failure to quell a nomad-led rebellion in the north. MILESTONES James Cameron: Director of “Titanic” and “Avatar”, he has completed the world’s first solo dive to the deepest-known point of earth, reaching the bottom of the Pacific Ocean’s Marina Trench, south-west of Guam, in a specially designed submarine named “Challenger Deep”. He reached a depth of 10,898 metres beneath the Ocean’s surface. His first words on reaching the bottom, following a descent that took two hours and 36 minutes, were: “All systems OK”. Rochelle Maria Rao: A TV anchor from Chennai, she has been crowned Pantaloons-Femina Miss India International, 2012. Vanya Mishra, a 19-year-old from Chandigarh has been crowned Miss India World.  Prachi Mishra, , 24-year-old investment adviser from Allahabad, has been crowned Miss India Earth.

Events; Appointments; Etc: April 2012

APPOINTED; ELECTED: Etc. B.V. Wanchoo: He has been appointed as the Governor of Goa. Dr Aziz Qureshi: He has been appointed as the Governor of Uttarkhand. Margaret Alva: She has been appointed as the Governor of Rajasthan. Jim Yong Kong: He has been selected to be the President of the World Bank. He is the first physician and Asian-American to head World Bank. 52-year-old Kim is a specialist in HIV/AIDS with a Ph.D in anthropology. He was born in Korea and grew up in USA. Salman Bashir: Former foreign secretary of Pakistan, he has been appointed as High Commissioner of Pakistan to India. RESIGNED Pal Schmitt: President of Hungary (after he was stripped of his 1992 doctorate title following claims he plagiarised most of his 200-page thesis. Mark Rutte: Prime Minister of Denmark. He resigned following crisis over budget cuts. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Asif Ali Zardari: President of Pakistan. Ban Ki-moon: Secretary General of United Nations. During his four-day visit he held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other leaders on a range of issues, including UN reforms and the situation in the region. He was also conferred honorary doctorate by Jamia Millia University. Abdul Samad Abdulla: Foreign Minister of Maldives. Koichiro Gemba: Foreign Minister of Japan. During his meetings with Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, the two countries decided to move ahead with their negotiations to wrap up a civil nuclear accord and to kick-start maritime and cyber security dialogues and hold joint naval exercises off the coast of Japan in June 2012. They also decided to move ahead with collaboration in the development of rare earths, as also committed themselves to concluding a bilateral social security agreement soon. DIED N.K.P. Salve: Veteran leader of the Congress party, former Union Minister and ex-BCCI President. He was 90. EVENTS APRIL 1—Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi wins a parliamentary seat in a landmark election, setting the stage for her to take public office for the first time. 3—Indian Navy inducts Russian-made nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra, joining an elite group of nations possessing sophisticated warships. The submarine has been leased for 10 years from Russia. It can go up to a depth of 600m and has an endurance of 100 days with a crew of 73. 10—Bharti Airtel launches India’s first 4G (TD-LTE) service in Kolkata. 12—Guns fall silent in Syria as UN-backed ceasefire comes into effect. 13—India’s first Integrated Check Post (ICP) is inaugurated by Home Minister P. Chidambaram at Attari, near Amritsar (Punjab). The check post is expected to double bilateral trade between India and Pakistan. 16—Afghan forces regain control over parts of Kabul after killing all 36 Taliban militants who had unleashed on April 15 the biggest wave of coordinated suicide attacks in a decade. 19—Agni-V, India’s most potent missile with a 5,000 km range, is successfully launched, putting the country into ICBM league. 26—India successfully launches a microwave Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1) using PSLV, from the spaceport at Wheeler Island in Andhra Pradesh. 27—A Delhi court convicts former President of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in a graft case and sentences him to four-year imprisonment. In 2001, he was caught on camera taking bribe from a fake arms dealer. MILESTONES Ajit Pal Singh: Former captain of Indian hockey team, he has been selected as the chef-de-mission of the Indian contingent at the London Olympics. He is the first Olympian to lead the Indians in Olympics. He had led India to their only Hockey world cup triumph in 1975. Dr Amit Garg: Haryana boy and a former IIT topper, he has created a world record by mentally dividing a 10-digit number with a five-digit number in 34.5 seconds. The previous world record of a similar calculation was 36 seconds. He will represent India at the Mental Calculations World Cup in Germany in September 2012. Justice Dalveer Bhandari: He has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice. He will serve a 2012-18 term in the ICJ, which is the principal judicial organ of the UN, based in The Hague, Netherlands. It is after a gap of over two decades that an Indian has been elected as a judge of ICJ.

INDIAN CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL 2012

INDIAN CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL 2012

International News

• Russia to build two more nuclear reactors in China
  Nuclear countries Russia and China have cemented their nuclear cooperation leading the Russian capital to build two more reactors in the Chinese soil.
  
  Earlier also Russia helped China in building two reactors in the Taiwan nuclear plant in Jiangsu province. Those two reactors went into operation in the year 2007 as said by the Sergey Sergeevich Razov, Moscow's envoy. The two reactors being built have a combined capacity of 2,000 mw and are using Russia's VVER 1000 nuclear model.
  
  Russia will build the two reactors in Taiwan after the Chinese government lifts its suspension on the new atomic power plants imposed after the nuclear disaster in Japan last year.
  
• Britain's Duke of York Prince Andrew to visit the Capital Delhi on Monday
  Britain's Duke of York Andrew, will arrive in the capital for a week-long visit in order to enhance ties with India in areas like defence and trade.
  
  The Prince will be in Capital to represent Queen Elizabeth II in the year of her Diamond Jubilee. After visiting the capital the Prince is slated to visit other states of the country as well which includes Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and north eastern state of Nagaland.
  
  The British High commission to India stated that -"The Prince’s visit includes diverse themes that range from inclusive development and defence ties to the growing business relationship".
  
  It is also said the meeting will also discuss how the British-Indian relations have changed and enhanced over the 60 year reign of their Queen.
  
• Following deadly strikes by terror group Taliban, Delhi and Kabul soon to share real time intelligence info
  India and Afghanistan are looking forward to renew up the intelligence sharing system shared by the two following the recent multiple strikes by terror group Taliban. The air strikes were made in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan. With the Indian foreign minister S M Krishna's meeting with his Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul the government officials have stated that the two countries have decided to stop the practice of sharing intelligence using routine' letters and now they will simply provide intelligence inputs immediately to the each other’s government.
  
  Taliban stroked Kabul and other cities in Afghanistan on April 15. These attacks are being seen as the most ferocious air strikes coordinated by the group in the country. The report stated that the Indian establishments were not the main targets.

National

• Congress sounds out DMK chief Karuna for the President post
  Congress has intensified all its current efforts in order to draw a unanimous consensus for the nominees it prefers for the post of President. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s main emissary A K Antony sounded out DMK chief M Karunanidhi regarded the candidatures of our current vice-president Hamid Ansari and our finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. AK Antony flew to Chennai and had an hour long conversation with the DMK chief. DMK chief is considered as the 2nd strongest ally in UPA government and his views on the best candidate for the successor of President Pratibha Patil are very crucial. Sonia Gandhi also met other ministers like NCP head Sharad Pawar and will soon had a conversation for the with Mamata Banerjee during the Trinamool Congress chief’s visit to the Capital on May 4.
  
• Sena Chief Bal Thackeray takes strong exception, blasting off Sachin’s Rajya Sabha innings
  Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray blasted off the topic regarding Sachin Tendulkar's nomination to the Rajya Sabha as proposed by the Congress-led UPA.
  
  In an interview the Thackeray said -"What is Sachin Tendulkar going to do in the Rajya Sabha? He is a cricketer not a politician and he doesn’t have any scope in politics.” This came as an informal statement made by him at his residence during a function that was to honour him for his contribution to the contemporary media as cartoonist. Raipur based magazine 'Cartoon Watch', facilitated the Sena Chief.
  
  Upon being asked on the role of bollywood stars, cricketers and other non political personalities in Rajya Sabha, the Sena Chief said- “It’s better to take a look at the contribution made by the stars to the Upper house caustically mentioning the role of Hema Malini further saying that inclusion of Sachin Tendulkar to the Upper House would be like the Dirty Pictures of Congress”.
  
• Malegaon blasts perpetrators linked to 4 other blast in Maharashtra
  The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has the work of probing the saffron terror cases, found new evidence stating that blasts in cities like Purna, Jalna, Parbhani, and Nanded between the year 2003 and 2006 have been carried out by the same perpetrators of Malegaon blasts, even though in a peculiar fashion. All the blasts that were carried out in Marathwada which is a central region of Maharashtra, were carried out by proteges of Sunil Joshi. Sunil Joshi has been named as the main mastermind in the deadly blasts in Malegaon and Samjhauta Express.
  
  NIA in its investigation found that accused Himanshu Panse, Sanjay Chaudhari and several other associates were trained by Sunil Joshi's group that allegedly carried out blasts in Malegaon, Samjhauta Express, Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Sharif.
  
  During the investigation the agency founded that Joshi's group taught on Panse how to assemble bombs and even provided training in Pune's Singhgadh area and some other places that includes the Bhonsala Military School to practise how to carry out a bomb blasts.
  
• Talks with the Naxal positive stating collector safe release soon
  The interlocutors of Chhattisgarh government met the Maoists counterparts that Sukma Alex Paul Menon was safe and is in good health. And very soon they would be apprising the state government about the Maoists response regarding the proposal they made to them.
  
  The interlocutor from the Maoists side B.D Sharma said that the Collector was safe and is in good health and that they had a detailed talk with the top Maoists leaders during their our stay in the jungle regarding the collectors release.
  
  Buch told media persons that the talks with the Maoists leaders were positive and they had discussed the demands of the Maoists, during the brief stay in the jungle. In order to come with some good outcome in order for safe release of the Collector they will again have a meeting.

Business and Economy Current Affairs

• First economic dialogue between India, Japan To impart a renewed momentum in order to grow and flourish new ties and to resolve issues relating to civil nuclear issues, India and Japan are going to hold their first economic dialogue and sixth strategic talks.
  
  The two dialogues will be co-chaired by our external Affairs Minister along with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba, who will be on a two day visit to the National Capital.
  
  The dialogues are slated to be centred on range of bilateral and global issues. These issues include the prospects of civil nuclear cooperation, maritime security and the evolving East Asia regional security architecture.
  
• Gold breaks record price at Rs 29,590 per 10g
  Gold hit to an all-time high of Rs 29,590 per 10 grams following the brisk buying by stockists. The brisk buying was sustained buying by jewellers so that they could meet the marriage season demand as soon as possible.
  
  The precious metal had already gained Rs 650 in its last eight trading sessions and was advanced further by Rs 50 to Rs 29,590 per 10 grams. This level was never seen before after the consumption of the precious metal. But as per the trade gurus the demand rose for the ongoing marriage season. Even in London gold gained 0.1% to $1,665.23 an ounce.
  
• India, Switzerland to share tax details conveniently
  The Indian and Switzerland government agreed to have a liberal interpretation of the identity rules under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement. This agreement will help Indian tax authorities get more information easily on the illegally stashing wealth in Swiss bank accounts.
  
  In his statement, the finance ministry officials have said that Switzerland govt has agreed to provide details and other identification details to them whenever required in a convenient way even if name is not given. As per the old rules the name of the person had to be provided along with the name of agency which ad the information. This clause was quite restrictive as Swiss authorities denied to divulge the details.
  
• India to join the league top five markets for Sony
  Even before Kazuo Hirai took charge as the chief executive officer for the Sony Corp the first senior colleagues he met was Masaru Tamagawa, chief of Sony's Indian operations. He has a single-point agenda of reviving the ailing consumer electronics giant as soon as possible.
  
  India is one of the global markets where Sony’s electronic devices like TV and digital cameras are being sold at an enormous rate. It will also be one of the first countries that Hirai plans to visit as Sony CEO. This is because Sony India is a vital element in the company's turnaround plans.
  
  "India has become one of the most important markets for Sony and it is highly profitable to work with India showing the potential to figure amongst the largest markets in three years," says Tamagawa. Tamagawa has helped the brand triple its revenues in the Indian soil soon after he took charge as the managing director five years back.

Sports Current Affairs

• Real Madrid eyes 32nd Spanish title at Athletic
  The Real Madrid can still hold the Spanish league title with their victory at the Athletic Bilbao. In the score update the real Madrid is seven points clear of its top rival with only three games to play. Also even a Barcelona loss will also award the Spanish leader its record 32nd domestic crown.
  
  Barcelona's last three games are seen to serve as preparation for next month's Copa del Rey final against Athletic. These matches will be the last games for the coach Pep Guardiola’s before he hands over the reins to assistant Tito Vilanova.
  
• Yuvraj Singh to be back on April 9
  After battling lung cancer and receiving treatment for close to two months in the state of Boston Indian Cricketer Yuvraj Singh is all set to return to his homeland on April 9. The cricketer is currently in London and is recovering at a good pace.
  
  He was diagnosed with a rare form of germ cell cancer and underwent three rigorous sessions of chemotherapy. Following the treatment he was discharged from his hospital last month. Yuvraj is expected to announce his future plans including the details of his treatment after he reaches India.
  
  Even though during his stay in Boston for his treatment the Flamboyant player was in touch with his well wishers via twitter and thanked all those who prayed for his well being.
  
• Leander Paes to be Haryana's sports ambassador
  Ace tennis player and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee, Leander Paes, will be seen as the brand new face as the Sports Ambassador of Haryana.
  
  The decision to make Paes as the sports ambassador was taken at a meeting held between Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Paes.
  
  An official said in his statement that the decision is in sync with the declared objective of the Haryana Government to promote sports in the state.
  
  The official said that Paes will motivate the youths of the state to take up sports as a career. As per the reports Peas has decided to set up a sports centre in the state, for which the land will be provided by the state government.
  
  Besides this Paes is also going to help the Sports Department of the State of Haryana in developing better sports infrastructure and provide best state-of-art training facilities for sportspersons.
  
  An MoU was signed between the Haryana Game Authority with Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association, in the presence of the Chief Minister and Paes, to facilitate the training of the players.
  
• Pakistan Cricket Board hopeful of home series
  The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hopeful of the home series against Bangladesh team.
  
  The PCB has asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to update them regarding the appeal filed in the high court. The appeal is against the petition in order to sought cancellation of Bangladesh's cricket tour of Pakistan. The home series was postponed by the Dhaka High Court for four weeks citing security concerns. The series consisted for the ODI and Twenty20 matches in the land of Pakistan.
  
  The petition was filled by Dhaka university teacher Khandaker Didarus Salam to cancel the tour on security grounds.
  
• Jwala eyeing London berth
  India's ace doubles shuttler Jwala Gutta is eyeing a good run at the Yonex Sunrise India Open in order to book a ticket for herself at the 2012 London Olympics.
  
  In the mixed doubles the Indian ace will team up with V.Diju where as in women's doubles she will be pairing with Ashwini Ponappa. Both the matches will be played at the Siri Fort Complex, where she has some fond memories.
  
  Because at the very same venue she and Ashwin won their Commonwealth Games doubles gold medal in 2010. Nintendo posts first annual loss
  
  Japanese videogame giant Nintendo officially posted its first annual loss after it became a public company. The reason for the loss was considered a soaring yen and the price cuts on its consoles leading to a loss of $530 million.
  
  The Kyoto-based Japanese company slashed the price of its new Nintendo 3DS last year in August. The slash in price was about 40.0 percent after they had a lacklustre debut. This slash was followed in similar reductions in its overseas gaming market as it failed to boost sales during the Christmas period.
  
• Newer version of Halo in November
  Microsoft has revealed that they’ll be releasing a new instalment to the hit videogame "Halo" in November this year. The officials stated that Microsoft will launch the hugely popular franchise instalment.
  
  Halo 4 has been designed exclusively to be played on Microsoft's Xbox 360 consoles. Microsoft Studios corporate vice president Phil Spencer said in a release-"We are starting a new era with Halo 4 and will embark our journey which will encompass the next decade of 'Halo' games".
  
• India’s Gaming Carnival to be hosted in Noida
  For all the gamers of India there’s good news. Noida the suburb of the national capital will be hosting its first ever digital games carnival from April 6. This is a three-day event and it welcomes both international and national gamers to compete with one another under the same roof. The India Gaming Carnival (IGC) is being organised by WTF Eventz Pvt Ltd. This gaming carnival will encompass all the latest digital and online games like: Need for Speed, Fifa Soccer, Tekken,Dota, Counter Strike, Hello, Pool, Poker, Angry Birds and Call of Duty. Kushagra, director, WTF Eventz Pvt Ltd, said in a statement that "The motive behind this gaming carnival is to give the Indian players an expose to the electronic gaming experience,"

Siachen Glacier – Hold the position or Let it go

Siachen Glacier – Hold the position or Let it go

Known to the world as the highest battleground on earth, Siachen has been in the news since 1984, ironically Siachen means ‘Place of Wild Roses’ however the terrain does not have anything but snow all across. India and Pakistan have maintained their military presence at a height of more than 20,000 feet; even when the death toll data of soldiers are more in this region than deaths due to combats between the two countries.

This glacier region till date is not populated leaving the military presence, the harsh weather takes the temperature down to a – 50 degree and the average snowfall in winters is 35 feet. On the Indian side, the village of Warshi is the only place where the civilian population is present, this is way before the Indian base camp.

There have been various series of discussions on de-militarize the region as the cost of managing military positions in this region takes a huge cut of the defense budget of both the countries, however instances in the past like the Kargil war and other infiltration bids have always led to a failure in this region.

Siachen was in the news recently when an avalanche on the glacier buried more than hundred Pakistani soldiers at their military headquarters in the early hour of morning on 7th April. The Pakistani president on his visit to India discussed about signing an agreement on the Siachen Glacier, he suggested that this move will surely strengthen Indian ties with the Pakistani people and also tone down the military relations between the two countries.

However to let the positions also go away could prove costly for India as it holds some of very strategic positions in that region since 1984. There always were earlier attempts by Pakistani forces to take these positions however they failed in all the attempts till date.

CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS FOR MAY 2012

CURRENT AFFAIRS QUESTIONS FOR MAY 2012
1. ISRO recently gave clearance for using which frequency band from satellite for internet on trains?Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
A. C Band
B. KU band
C. S Band
D. 3G Spectrum
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
2. Who is recently appointed New Governer of Goa:
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
A. Shivraj singh
B. Manohar Parrikar
C. BV Vachoo
D. Kamla Beniwal
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
3. Employees’ Provident Fund(EPF) launches new service on 1st May 2012:
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
A. Pay Online EPF
B. E-Challan and Receipt (ECR) facility
C. EPF Balance Check Online facility
D. RTI File Online for RPF Issues
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
4. Supreme Court Cancelled All 2G Licenses of which Operator in Feb. 2012
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
A. Uninor
B. Airtel
C. Reliance
D. MTNL
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
5. Which foreign restaurant chain is planning to open 1,000 stores in India by 2015?
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
A. Pizza Hut
B. Dominos
C. Nascafe
D. Subway
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May

6. Who won the award in the best Actress category at the London Asian Film Festival (LAFF) 2012 for film "BOL":
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May
A. Sabana Azami
B. Veena Malik
C. Humaima Malick
D. Frieda Pinto
7. 28th Asian Snooker Title winner is:
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A. Pankaj Adwani
B. Geet sethi
C. Aditya Mehta
D. Somdev Barman
Current Affairs May 2012 | General Knowledge May 2012 | Latest GK May

ANSWER KEY:
1. B 2. C 3.B 4. A 5. D 6. C 7. C

Article:Economic Growth Of India In 2011

Economic Growth Of India In 2011

India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The Indian economy is characterized by population bursts, poverty, unemployment and child labour. These rising issues have become a major concern for the Indian economy but yet have proven to bring a raise in the Indian economy for the 2011 year. This economic burst will not be sustainable for the Indian economy in the approaching years.

Researchers have found that India is becoming a very populous nation. It readily has an increasing birth rate and statistics show that the numbers will keep growing. India’s population is expected to reach 1.5 billion in 2030, accounting Indians’ to occupy 20% of the human population on earth. If the population bursts continue then the economy of India will go downhill. It will have an effect on many factors that play a role in the economy. This will not only make life harder for people who are already on the verge of poverty but make those who are under the poverty line have a harder time surviving.

Poverty is a growing concern in India especially when the nation has been estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. Population bursts are causing poverty in the society, making it harder for families to gain access to their daily necessities. The increase in poverty is the leading cause of children being malnourished and underweight. If this continues than there will not be a future generation to run the Indian economy. Due to the baby boomers and poverty on the line Indians’ are on high demand for jobs.

The unemployment rate is increasing slowly due to the baby boomers. The poor are looking for any job opportunities viable to the. Although, many don’t have the proper education and don’t meet the criteria for the jobs due to not sufficient education, a major issue due to poverty. Indian officials need to make more jobs for the people and offer free education to children throughout middle and high school. At this rate many children will remain uneducated and will be a victim of child labour.

To make the economy boom the nation needs to put a stop towards child labour. It is very unhealthy for these children to work for long periods of times in an unhealthy environment. Just like other nation India needs to set aside money to help under privileged families meet their basic needs. Indians need to pitch in and work together to make the economy grow. On this rate not only will the Indian economy decline but also we will be endangering the future of our young generation. In order to have a sustainable economy we need to stop the population bursts, poverty, unemployment and child labour by educating the citizens of India.

Article:Disputes over National Counter Terrorism Center

Disputes over National Counter Terrorism Center

Ever since the Mumbai blasts of 1993 have occurred the threat of terrorism has grown significantly in India and over the years sporadic events of terror have made news every time an act took place. 26/11 was also one such act but the manner in which it was carried not only reminded us of the growing threat of terror but also managed to expose some serious loopholes that exist in our system of national security. Comprehensive reforms in national security began henceforth and recently one of the primary institutions slated to be setup under such reforms was proposed by union HM P. Chidambaram. It is the national counter terrorism centre (NCTC).

The body of NCTC is made on the similar lines of its US counterpart (with some changes made to suite Indian requirements) whose main objective is to counter any terrorist activity that might take place India. It is being seen as a huge step in dealing with the evil of terrorism.

However the detailed provisions governing the body have raised a lot of questions especially amongst the state govts with allegations like infringement of federal setup. This along with some other disputes are explained as follows-:

CENTRE V/S STATE :
The main cause of the dispute is considered to be section 43(a) of the act which empowers the nctc “to arrest and detain any person if the body feels that the subject is associated with a terror act(even potential)” on its own. This provision has been widely criticized by states (primarily non congress) alleging central domination on state powers and authority. Law and order is a state subject and in this case NCTC will have overriding powers and none of the state police will have the mandate to interfere. Note- although sect 43(b) says that the body will have to submit a reason of arrest to the concerned person as well as intimate the closest police station of the state regarding the arrest.

OVERBURDENED :
The proposed institution of NCTC will have investigation , intelligence and operational powers vested with it. critics say that not only the powers are extraordinary but it is too much for a single body to handle effectively. Intelligence should be the only prerogative of NCTC and the rest should be handled by the already existing setups of police and central agencies.

DRACONIAN IN NATURE :
NCTC has can be considered as POTA with a different name .we all are aware of the human rights violation that had let to repealing of the POTA. Now the NCTC has sought to work on same lines, the only difference being that it is now a more centrally dominated body.

The above mentioned are the major disputes encircling the NCTC ,but it is important to consider a wider picture too . The same old apprehension of federal structure being distorted must not undermine the wider concerns of terrorism which is a serious threat to national security. Political points must not be scored at the cost of ignoring terrorist threats. Moreover the concerns of the states can always be resolved by a dialogue (speedy) but striking down the whole institution as a whole will not be a sagacious step.

The centre can further strengthen its stand by ensuring open and transparent working of the body to an extent that it does not create a terror image amongst its own citizens itself ,which many fear it may. Also the operational and investigative powers should be vested with existing bodies so that NCTC can fully concentrate on its sole objective of integrated intelligence gathering from across the nation rather than creating confusion with other bodies on matters of investigative and operational jurisdiction. A synergy must exist b/w central and state institutions to reap the desired results of this proposed setup.

It must be revisited that India is a union of states and not a federation, which necessitates the centre to play a crucial role in all activities concerned with the welfare of people .NCTC is a need of the hour and rather than looking at narrow concerns of infringement of state rights (which can be resolved by a consensus and also showing some trust in centre) a more important concern of counter terrorism must be addressed after all it is our country as a whole which is a victim of this menace of terrorism and the solution too lies in dealing with it as a unit rather than in fragments.