RAPID GK SERIES 48

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. This is the World s Fastest Rail Link<br /> 2. The World Health Day is observed on<br /> 3. The 1st Person to travel twice to Space as a Tourist is<br /> 4. Dadra & Nagar Haveli was liberated from Portugese Rule in<br /> 5. In Indian Constitution, Cultural and Educational Rights have been laid down in<br /> 6. The Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering & Technology is located at<br /> 7. Agriculture involving both Crops and Livestock is called<br /> 8. Indira Gandhi Canal draws its water from<br /> 9. The Magyars are the people of<br /> 10. In India, the Dyarchy was started by <br /> <br /> <strong>ANSWERS</strong><br /> <br /> 1. The Wuhan “ Guangzhou Railway Link<br /> 2. 7th April<br /> 3. Charles Simonyi<br /> 4. 1954<br /> 5. Article 29-30 of the Constitution<br /> 6. Ludhiana<br /> 7. Mixed Farming<br /> 8. River Sutlej and Beas<br /> 9. Hungary<br /> 10. Montagu “ Chelmsford Reforms</div>

RAPID GK SERIES 48

1. This is the World s Fastest Rail Link 2. The World Health Day is observed on 3. The 1st Person to travel twice to Space as a Tourist is...

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Amartya Sen selected for 2011 US National Humanities Medal

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">India-born Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has been selected for the 2011 US National Humanities Medal. He would be felicitated with the award by President Barack Obama along with others.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The White House announced that the award is being given to Sen for his insights into the causes of poverty, famine, and injustice.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The White House said, by applying philosophical thinking to questions of policy, Sen has changed how standards of living are measured and increased the understanding of how to fight hunger.</li> </ul></div>

Amartya Sen selected for 2011 US National Humanities Medal

India-born Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has been selected for the 2011 US National Humanities Medal. He would be felicitated with the award ...

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Assam Govt to create a separate Rural Administrative Service cadre

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5976" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Assam Government has decided to create a separate Rural Administrative Service cadre to ensure speedy implementation of schemes meant for village uplift. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>This was disclosed by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi while addressing the 69th general meeting of the Assam Civil Service Officers’ Association at Guwahati.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>He said, the development of the economy depends upon proper implementation of schemes meant for weaker sections of the society. </li> </ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">He hinted at conducting aptitude test to verify ability of state civil service officers after every 10 years. The officers passing the examination would be placed in the ‘Super Scale’ of the pay structure.</li> </ul></div></div>

Assam Govt to create a separate Rural Administrative Service cadre

Assam Government has decided to create a separate Rural Administrative Service cadre to ensure sp...

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Iraq opens new oil export terminal in Persian Gulf

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Iraq has opened the taps at a new oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf in a vital step to bringing sorely needed cash for reconstruction after decades of war and international sanctions.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Oil Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad says oil exports through southern Iraq — which currently stand at about 1.7 million barrels a day — will be boosted by about 200,000 barrels per day beginning in March.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Jihad said the new single point mooring (SPM) was inaugurated on Sunday by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during a ceremony in the oil-rich province of Basra. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Iraq's total daily oil exports averaged 2.145 million barrels in December. The government relies on oil exports for 95 percent of its revenue. </li> </ul></div>

Iraq opens new oil export terminal in Persian Gulf

Iraq has opened the taps at a new oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf in a vital step to bringing sorely needed cash for reconstructio...

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CBI submits probe report on MNREGA before Supreme Court

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI has placed before the Supreme Court its report on the investigation into alleged corruption in utilisation of Central funds by six districts of Odisha under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employement Generation Act, MNREGA.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The report in a sealed cover was placed before a bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia in compliance with its May 12, 2011 order by which CBI was directed to conduct the investigation on the basis of survey reports provided by the petitioner, CAG report and the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD). </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The alleged irregularities have been detected in the districts of Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, hawanipatna, Koraput and Malakangiri. The CBI was asked to spell out the offences likely to be made against the officials. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The apex court had on December 16, 2010, while hearing the PIL, rapped both the Union and the state governments for their failure in properly executing the rural job guarantee scheme.</li> </ul></div>

CBI submits probe report on MNREGA before Supreme Court

The Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI has placed before the Supreme Court its report on the investigation into alleged corruption in ut...

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New National Air Cargo Policy on the anvil

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">With air freight traffic in India projected to grow over five times in the next two decades, the government is giving shape to a new national air cargo policy on the basis of a roadmap which is being prepared by the Airports Authority of India to meet the situation. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Disclosing this, Civil Aviation Secretary Nasim Zaidi said a working group on air cargo, set up by the Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council, was close to completing its report and a framework to address all the issues, taking into account the realities of the air cargo industry. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>While air cargo traffic in and out of India projected to grow over five times in 20 years, domestic traffic was projected to grow six times in this period. While Mumbai airport leads in air cargo operations, it is followed by Delhi and Chennai respectively.</li> </ul><ul><li>Air cargo accounts for over 30 per cent of the merchandise trade in and out of the country, official estimates show.</li> </ul><ul><li>The AAI would come out with a detailed roadmap for capacity planning and development to cater to the needs of the growing air cargo operations at airports under their control.<br /> </li> </ul><ul><li>While AAI would be asked to provide install and maintain modern equipment in the cargo terminals, it would also work on providing aircargo space in those airports which are currently undergoing modernisation, the Civil Aviation Secretary said.<br /> </li> </ul><ul><li>Greenfield airports would also be asked to plan for capacity enhancing, keeping in view cargo growth potential over the next 10-15 years. </li> </ul><ul><li>Another major area of reform where rationalisation was needed was in the processes and procedures which acted as a "stumbling block" for the growth of air cargo industry, Zaidi said, adding that procedures mandated by multiple agencies "stifle innovation and growth besides causing inefficiently in the system".</li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>He said that standardisation in air cargo movement, as in marine cargo, has to be brought about quickly and procedures would have to be simplified to facilitate that process. </li> </ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Pointing towards lack of training institutions for imparting knowledge and skill in air cargo operations, Zaidi said the ministry was planning to set up a National Aviation School to cater for comprehensive aviation education. </li> </ul></div>

New National Air Cargo Policy on the anvil

With air freight traffic in India projected to grow over five times in the next two decades, the government is giving shape to a new natio...

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Centre, Kerala to spend Rs500 cr to promote state tourism

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The Centre and the Kerala government together will spend Rs 500 crore to boost tourism in the state, known as 'the God's own country'.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The plan is to further promote the state as a popular tourism hub by creating better infrastructure like roads, hotels, shopping centres and houseboats.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The work will be done in three phases with a total investment of Rs 500 crore. The new facilities would be developed on a public-private partnership mode. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>In the first phase, the central government has provided Rs 50 crore and an equal amount has been given by the state.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Besides, special emphasis would be given on picturesque backwaters of Alappuzha in Kerala which is one of the major attractions for tourists. As a part of the plan, a number of houseboat terminals, resting points, night halt centres, curio and souvenir shops would be built along the panoramic banks of the backwaters, they added.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Besides, the state would invest in showcasing the glory of heritage Muziris port situated on the south-western coast.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Further, the state would also promote coir tourism. The tourists would be attracted to the state using the facilities of the coir industry and also arrangements should be made for them to watch the process of producing coir. This will in turn be beneficial to the sector as a whole. The sector, which employs 3.25 lakh people in Kerala, is a priority sector for the government. The state is a major hub of coir production in the country. </li> </ul></div>

Centre, Kerala to spend Rs500 cr to promote state tourism

The Centre and the Kerala government together will spend Rs 500 crore to boost tourism in the state, known as 'the God's own count...

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Govt considering study on living patterns of tribals

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The government is planning to rope in health and nutrition experts to study living pattern of tribals, including Jarawas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in an effort to reduce their susceptibility to diseases.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Observing that the immunity of tribals and forest dwellers in the country is an area of concern, Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo said that "utmost importance" should be given to their health needs.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Replying to a question on various tribes being susceptible to epidemics and genetic disorders, Deo said, "Basically, they would need to be immunised and probably the medical experts and anthropologists will have to study and tell us how they existed all these years and what needs to be done now."  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Probably they (tribals) have their own medicines to deal with their diseases, unless some new disease have appeared in their areas, he added.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The gov emphasised that utmost importance should be given to that area to ensure that their immunity increases. Nutrition is another thing which can do benefits for their existence.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Tribal population in India is located in various states such as Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Mizoram, and other northeastern states, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Maximum tribal population density is found in areas of North East and faraway Union Territories such as Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. </li> </ul></div>

Govt considering study on living patterns of tribals

The government is planning to rope in health and nutrition experts to study living pattern of tribals, including Jarawas of Andaman and Ni...

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Govt may enhance tax deduction for housing loan in Budget

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">In a bid to boost housing sector credit, the government is contemplating to enhance income tax exemption for up to Rs 3 lakh paid as interest on housing loans in a year, from the existing limit of Rs 1.5 lakh.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The government is considering to raise the tax deduction limit for housing loan in the coming Budget.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Budget is scheduled to be tabled on March 16.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>At present, a deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh is available from taxable income towards interest on loan taken for house. Besides, borrowers can enjoy exemption on payment of principal amount. However, it is part of exemption to savings capped at Rs 1 lakh per annum.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>With the property prices and interest rates rising with each passing year, there is need to revise the limit.<span>     </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>In order to arrest the declining growth rate, the industry associations have demanded raising the tax limit ceiling for the housing loan.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>According to Ficci Secretary General Rajiv Kumar the exemption should be harmonised with the rising interest rates and increased to at least Rs 2.5 lakh.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>"We recommended that the existing tax deduction limit on income tax of an individual should be increased from the current level of Rs 2.5 lakh to at least Rs 5 lakh," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Of this, Rs 3 lakh should be towards interest payment to offset the impact of high interest rates, he said, adding the remaining Rs 2 lakh should be exclusively towards principal loan repayment as the present limit of Rs 1 lakh is already overcrowded with several other items.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Echoing views, Assocham and PHD chamber said that exemption limit need to be raised both for interest and principal.<span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>As per the Direct Taxes Code, which would replace the decades old Income Tax Act, there is income tax exemption for up to Rs 1.5 lakh paid as interest on housing loans in a year.</li> </ul></div>

Govt may enhance tax deduction for housing loan in Budget

In a bid to boost housing sector credit, the government is contemplating to enhance income tax exemption for up to Rs 3 lakh paid as inter...

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India, Pakistan achieve medical feat

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Highlighting the unexploited potential for collaboration in medical treatment, Indian doctors on Feb 10 provided a helping hand to their Pakistani counterparts in conducting what is being billed as the first-ever Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT) in Pakistan. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Four doctors from New Delhi's Apollo Hospital assisted their counterparts from Lahore's Shaikh Zaid Hospital in transplanting livers from live donors to two persons suffering from complete liver failure, in a complicated procedure that puts at risk both the donor and the recipient. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>According to <em>Dawn</em> newspaper, the Indian doctors' help was sought after some British doctors were refused permission to travel to Pakistan by the British government on security considerations. Usually, Pakistanis travel to India for liver transplants, but the costs and procedures involved are phenomenal, especially given the tight visa regime. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>This joint surgery was conducted just a day ahead of the first-ever India Show in Lahore, which opened on Saturday. This is the first time in the collective institutional memory of both governments that India has been able to mount a country-specific exhibition in Pakistan. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>At least 200 Indian companies are participating in the three-day show that will close in the presence of Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who will begin his four-day visit to Pakistan on Feb 13. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Cross-border traffic has seen an incremental increase in recent months, with contacts taking place at various levels and between different categories of people. Last week's Lahore Book Fair had a couple of Indian publishers who evinced interest in publishing some Pakistani authors. And this weekend, there is a significant Indian presence at the Karachi Literature Festival.</li> </ul></div>

India, Pakistan achieve medical feat

Highlighting the unexploited potential for collaboration in medical treatment, Indian doctors on Feb 10 provided a helping hand to their P...

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China loans two pandas to Canada

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">China has loaned two rare giant pandas to Canada for a research program. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens (CAZG) on Feb 11 signed an agreement with two Canadian zoos in this regard in Chongqing municipality in southwest China. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The panda pair, both about five years old, will stay in Toronto and Calgary zoos for five years each after they arrive in Canada early next year, Xinhua reported. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The male panda, named “Er Shun”, is from a zoo in Chongqing and the female “Ji Li” lives at a research centre in Chengdu. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Giant pandas are the world’s most endangered species. Currently, only about 1,590 Giant pandas live in the wild, mostly confined to the jungles in south-western China’s Sichuan province. About 300 others have been bred in captivity. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper witnessed Saturday’s signing ceremony. “They will be the first pair of pandas to visit Canada since the 1980s,” Mr. Harper said. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Harper arrived in Beijing Tuesday on a five-day trip as a state guest. He held talks with top Chinese leaders and witnessed the signing of several bilateral agreements. He visited the southern economic hub of Guangdong province before heading to Chongqing.</span></li> </ul></div>

China loans two pandas to Canada

China has loaned two rare giant pandas to Canada for a research program. The Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens (CAZG) on Feb 11 si...

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