RAPID GK SERIES 42

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. The first President of India who died while in office<br /> 2. The First Post Office which Opened in India is<br /> 3. The Administrative Capital of the Union Territory ˜Dadra and Nagar Haveli is<br /> 4. The World Tourism Day is observed on<br /> 5. The Instrument which is used to measure the Blood Pressure is<br /> 6. The Discoverer of China is<br /> 7. The National Emergency can be imposed by this Article Number<br /> 8. The Nearest Position of Earth to the Sun is<br /> 9. Poona Pact was established in the year<br /> 10. This individual was the First Englishman who visited the Akbar s Court in 1585<br /> <i><br /> <strong>ANSWERS</strong></i> <i><br /> </i><br /> 1. Dr. Zakir Hussain<br /> 2. Kolkata(1727)<br /> 3. Silvasaa<br /> 4. September 27<br /> 5. Sphygmomanometer<br /> 6. Marco Polo<br /> 7. Article 352<br /> 8. Perihelion<br /> 9. 25th September, 1932<br /> 10. Ralph Fitch </div>

RAPID GK SERIES 42

1. The first President of India who died while in office 2. The First Post Office which Opened in India is 3. The Administrative Capital o...

+ Read more »

Govt discontinues weekly Wholesale Price Index release

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5864" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The government today announced discontinuation of release of weekly primary and food inflation data based on the Wholesale Price Index. It, however, will continue releasing the monthly headline or overall inflation data, which also contains the break-up for all segments including food, non-food, and fuel and manufactured items. The headline inflation figures for January are scheduled to be released on February 14. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Besides, the government will also come out with a retail inflation data based on the all-India Consumer Price Index, CPI, from this month. The first nationwide CPI numbers, for the month of January, will come out on 21st of next month. </li> </ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The government has last month decided to do away with the practice of releasing the weekly primary and food inflation data as the figures were not portraying the holistic picture of the price situation.</li> </ul></div></div>

Govt discontinues weekly Wholesale Price Index release

The government today announced discontinuation of release of weekly primary and food inflation da...

+ Read more »

The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011–Main Features

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 27, 2011 by the Minister of HRD and Information Technology.  The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Information Technology on January 5, 2012, which is scheduled to submit its report in three months.</span></span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Bill provides that the central government, the state government and public authorities shall deliver all <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">public services</span> through electronic modes, except those that cannot be delivered electronically.  The government may also notify other services which will not be delivered electronically.  Services that can be delivered through electronic means include the <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD11">receipt</span> of forms and applications, the issue of <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">licenses and permits</span>, and receipt and payment of money, among others.  Public authorities are required to deliver services through electronic means within five years of the enactment of the Bill, which may be extended by a further three years.</span></span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Bill provides that every public authority should publish <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD8">the list</span> of public services to be delivered electronically within <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD12">180 days</span> of its enactment.  This list should be reviewed every January and the following notified: (a) the date by which each service will be made available electronically and (b) the manner and quality of delivery of such services. </span></span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Every public authority is required to notify a Grievance Redressal Mechanism.  Aggrieved persons can file <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">complaints</span> against an authority for failing to provide public services electronically or for deficiencies in <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">the delivery</span> of services.</span></span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The Bill establishes three-member commissions at the central and state levels.  The central <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">selection</span> committee tasked to appoint the members will consist of the cabinet secretary, a secretary and an expert.  The state selection committee will consist of the chief secretary, a principal secretary and an expert.  The Bill bars judicial review of appointment of members.</span></span></li> </ul></div>

The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011–Main Features

The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 27, 2011 by the Minister of HRD and Information...

+ Read more »

India, Japan and China pact to share data on efficient use of Navy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5866" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;">India, Japan and China have entered into a pact to share data to achieve most efficient use of Naval Forces present in the Indian Ocean Region.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The initiative is known as Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE). Talking to reporters in New Delhi Wednesday, Naval spokesperson Admiral Monty Khanna said that initiative began functioning from first of last month.  </li> </ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">It is reported that China, India, and Japan have also agreed to carry out more effective coordination by establishing a convoy coordination working group as part of the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction Mechanism.</li> </ul></div><a href="http://www.tippani.in/blog/xbusiness.php?submit=showComments&id=5866"> </a></div>

India, Japan and China pact to share data on efficient use of Navy

India, Japan and China have entered into a pact to share data to achieve most efficient use of Na...

+ Read more »

Climate conservation with sustainable growth would be focus of 12th five Year Plan, says PM

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today on Feb 2 said that climate conservation along with sustainable growth will be the focus of the 12th 5-yr plan. A National Action Plan is already in place and progressing satisfactorily.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Addressing Delhi-Sustainable Summit in New Delhi today, he called for global cohesion to tackle the problem of climate change. Dr Singh said that cooperation must be based on the foundation of the right to development and the need for an equitable distribution of burden sharing. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Prime Minister said that the problem of global warming needs to be solved in a way that it addresses the concerns of development of the growing economies. He added, India, which is in the frontline of climate vulnerability, has a vital stake in the evolution of a successful response to climate change. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>He stated that India's forest cover had increased by nearly 5 per cent between 1997 and 2007. Dr Singh said that the Green India Mission which aim to increase the forest and tree cover by five million hectares and improve forest cover on another 5 million hectares. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Dr Singh presented sustainable Development Leadership Award for 2012 to President of Finland Ms. Tarja Halonen.</li> </ul></div>

Climate conservation with sustainable growth would be focus of 12th five Year Plan, says PM

The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today on Feb 2 said that climate conservation along with sustainable growth will be the focus of the ...

+ Read more »

Govt launches campaign of National Tobacco Control Programme

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5868" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Government today launched the campaign of <strong>National Tobacco Control Programme," Life Se Panga Mat Le Yar"</strong> to create awareness among people about the harmful effects of Tobacco. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Speaking at the launching function Additional Secretary of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Mr K Desiraju said that, Tobacco is the biggest killer across the globe and India is also severely infected by this. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Expressing concern over the use of Tobacco in youth between the age of 16 to 17, he urged the youth to leave this bad habit. He expressed hope that through this campaign government is able to communicate with the people about the dangerous effect of Tobacco on the individual health. </li> </ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Mr Desiraju sought for co-operation of civi-society and NGO's to fight with the menace of Tobacco. It is reported that everyday more than 55 thousand children in the country below the age group of 15 years are estimated to try tobacco for the first time .Five million Indian children are said to be addicted to tobacco.</li> </ul></div></div>

Govt launches campaign of National Tobacco Control Programme

Government today launched the campaign of National Tobacco Control Programme," Life Se Panga ...

+ Read more »

BMS calls for industrial strike on Feb 28

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has given a nationwide industrial strike call on February 28, a day before the presentation of Union Budget protesting the neglect of working population in the country.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The strike will affect public sector banks, ports and docks, railways, insurance, road transport, energy, mines and aviation sector, Vice-President of BMS Vinayak Joshi said in a statement, here today.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The economic policies pursued by the central government are against the interests of the nation. Liberlisation policy has increased number of unemployed in the country and laws of minimum wages are violated in several sectors. Social security schemes are either minimised or denied, the BMS release said.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Also, employments on contract basis, disinvestments and outsourcing are pushing organised workers into unorganised sector and about 42 crore workers are being denied job guarantee, service conditions and social security, Joshi said in the release.</li> </ul></div>

BMS calls for industrial strike on Feb 28

The Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has given a nationwide industrial strike call on February 28, a day before the presentation of Union Budg...

+ Read more »

UK appoints first Somali ambassador since 1991

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Britain is appointing a new ambassador to Somalia, resuming its diplomatic presence after more than 20 years of upheaval.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Foreign Secretary William Hague arrived in Mogadishu on Thursday and appointed Matt Baugh as a senior UK Somalia representative. Hague is the first British foreign secretary to visit Mogadishu in 20 years.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The appointment comes just ahead of a February 23 global conference on Somalia that the UK is hosting.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Hague met with Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and said the UK will help Somalia during a year of political transition. The Somali government's UN mandate expires in August.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The UN last month sent its senior representative on Somalia to Mogadishu for the first time in nearly two decades.</li> </ul></div>

UK appoints first Somali ambassador since 1991

Britain is appointing a new ambassador to Somalia, resuming its diplomatic presence after more than 20 years of upheaval.  Foreign Secretar...

+ Read more »

China counter: Arunachal to get mega hydel project

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">China's bid to have big hydel projects along the Indian border in north-east may witness a counter with environment ministry set to approve 1,750 MW Demwe hydel project in Arunachal Pradesh. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>China has planned to build at hydel project in Zangmu, 140 km south-east of Tibetan capital city of Lhasa in a bid to tap the hydro potential of Brahmaputra river. The river flows about 1,625 kms in Tibet, 918 kms in India and remaining 363 kms in Bangladesh before submerging into Bay of Bengal. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Arunachal Pradesh government has planned hydel projects on five major rivers in the state, which finally drain in Brahmaputra, to generate over 50,000 MW of power. Many of these projects are stalled because of protest against them in Assam claiming that these projects will dry the river in down stream areas.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>But, the environment ministry is likely to approve one of these projects, Demwe Lower hydel project in Lohit district of the state despite it being rejected by the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife headed by minister in-charge Jayanti Natarajan. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The committee had rejected the project claiming that it will adversely impact wildlife in Kamleng wildlife sanctuary. Contrary to the committee's view, the ministry officials say there will be no submergence of the sanctuary even when the reservoir is full. The project has already received environment and forest approval, mandatory for making a project operational in a forest area.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Natarajan has reportedly decided to issue an order overruling the standing committee's decision after Arunachal chief minister Naban Tuki met her recently. The CM argued that exploiting hydel potential was an important economic incentive of the state, which is required to protect forest covering 70 % of the state's geographical area. Tuki was also of the view that hydel projects in Arunachal were a key to counter China's plans to develop mega hydel projects in Tibet. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Government sources expect the minister to issue an order regarding Demwe project this month paving a way for clearance of more hydel projects in the state.</li> </ul></div>

China counter: Arunachal to get mega hydel project

China's bid to have big hydel projects along the Indian border in north-east may witness a counter with environment ministry set to ap...

+ Read more »

Oil firms stop jet fuel supplies to AI over dues

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5873" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;">State-owned oil companies today snapped supplies of jet fuel (ATF) to Air India after the national carrier failed to honour payments even after 90-day credit period. According to an oil company official, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have stopped ATF supplies to Air India at the four metros, Trivandrum and Kochi from this evening.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The move follows Air India not honouring its commitment to make payments for jet fuel it bought from the oil companies even after expiry of 90 day credit period. </li> </ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Air India owes about 4,200 crore rupees as past dues towards fuel purchases. The official said that payments for ATF sold to the national carrier in mid-October was due on January 22 but AIR India did not make any payment.</li> </ul></div></div>

Oil firms stop jet fuel supplies to AI over dues

State-owned oil companies today snapped supplies of jet fuel (ATF) to Air India after the nationa...

+ Read more »

Ferry with 350 aboard sinks off Papua New Guinea

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Several people are feared dead after a ferry carrying as many as 350 passengers on board sank off the north coast of Papua New Guinea, PNG.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said this is obviously a major tragedy and there is likely to be a very high death toll. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>A maritime official said rescue workers have rescued 28 people from the water so far. He added, hundreds of passengers were still unaccounted for. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Rescue co-ordinator Captain Nurur Rahman said four merchant ships were diverted to the scene by Australian authorities to help with the rescue.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority said a distress signal was sent from the MV Rabaul Queen on Thursday morning when travelling between Lae and the West New Britain town of Kimbe in the east of the Pacific nation today.</li> </ul></div>

Ferry with 350 aboard sinks off Papua New Guinea

Several people are feared dead after a ferry carrying as many as 350 passengers on board sank off the north coast of Papua New Guinea, PNG...

+ Read more »

2G telecom policy set by NDA, we merely followed it, says govt

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Putting up a defiant face to the Supreme Court's indictment of its spectrum sale policy, the government passed the blame on the previous NDA regime for putting in place a ''faulty policy'' on allocating spectrum which his government then merely followed. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said the Supreme Court has criticised the first-come-first-serve policy. “This was set by the NDA. Its Cabinet passed it on October 31, 2003. We followed it. The court found the policy discriminatory, not the fact that we followed it,” Sibal said. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Sibal also said the government has learnt a lesson from the verdict -- “ministers must consult all on policies and not commit irregularities”. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>He ducked a question on why the UPA government should blindly follow procedures put in place many years ago. He was asked why the UPA thought that the NDA policy was "cast in stone". </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Sibal was also flustered when asked why licences granted by NDA telecom ministers were not cancelled if the Supreme Court only found the policy faulty, and not its implementation. "At that point of time, we thought the first-come-first-serve policy was okay. Now we shall reconsider," Sibal said. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Nearly four hours after the Supreme Court's verdict to revoke 122 telecom licences given by A Raja, Kapil Sibal said the judgement had ended the two years of uncertainty in the sector and brought clarity on how things would now be taken forward. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>“We welcome the verdict, we will wait for TRAI's recommendations and proceed with the direction of the court,” Sibal said.</li> </ul></div>

2G telecom policy set by NDA, we merely followed it, says govt

Putting up a defiant face to the Supreme Court's indictment of its spectrum sale policy, the government passed the blame on the previo...

+ Read more »