Rapid Fire GK 55

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. Author of the book “Sons of Babar” is…….<br /> 2. The name of the small island(in Bay of Bengal) which was source of tension between India and Bangladesh…….<br /> 3. Who are the beneficiaries of TAPI pipeline?<br /> 4. Which part of poppy plant is used to make opium?<br /> 5. Chilka lake region is a delta between these two rivers……..<br /> 6. President of the World Bank……<br /> 7. Lake which forms the international boundary between Tanzania and Uganda<br /> 8. City of Eternal springs…..<br /> 9. The line of demarcation between North and South Korea….<br /> 10. Ashwini Ponappa plays which sports?<br /> <br /> Answers:<br /> 1. Salman Khurshid<br /> 2. Nalpatti<br /> 3. Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India<br /> 4. Flowers<br /> 5. Mahanadi and Godavari<br /> 6. Robert Zoellick<br /> 7. Victoria<br /> 8. Quito<br /> 9. 38th Parallel<br /> 10. Badminton</div>

Rapid Fire GK 55

1. Author of the book “Sons of Babar” is……. 2. The name of the small island(in Bay of Bengal) which was source of tension between India and...

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Agri sector likely to achieve 3.5% annual growth, says PM

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="content" style="text-align: justify;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said, the agriculture sector is likely to achieve about 3.5 per cent annual growth in the 11th Five-Year Plan, but stressed on scaling it up to 4 per cent or more in the next Plan, 2012-2017.<br /> </li> </ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><ul><li>Addressing the Golden Jubilee Convocation of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, IARI, in New Delhi, Dr Singh said, the government is committed to at least double the spending on research and development in the farm sector by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan from the existing level of about one per cent of gross domestic produce, GDP.</li> </ul><ul><li>Dr. Manmohan Singh said, the agriculture sector remained sluggish during the 10th Plan period achieving merely 2.5 per cent expansion. He emphasised that a determined effort is needed by both Central and State governments to achieve the higher growth.</li> </ul><ul><li>Stating that farm research is key element to achieve higher expansion, the Prime Minister said, the agricultural research system needs to be strengthened to meet the future challenges. He also said, the government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to improve returns to farming and step up investment in rural infrastructure. Dr Singh said, over the last seven years, the government has engineered a shift in terms of trade in favour of agriculture by raising significantly, the support and procurement prices.</li> </ul><ul><li>Dr Singh said, food production at the end of the 11th plan will exceed 250 million tonnes, an all time record. Stating that both land and water resources are limited, Dr Singh called for developing agricultural technology which can ensure high yield while commissioning on water and are also capable of withstanding water stress. The Prime Minister said, the National Agricultural Research System needs to be further strengthened to meet the challenges of the years ahead.</li> </ul><ul><li>The Prime minister said, there is a need to deal with the threat of climate change. He said, climate change and rising demand for commercial energy are expected to have a significant impact on agriculture in the country.</li> </ul></span></div><span></span></div></div>

Agri sector likely to achieve 3.5% annual growth, says PM

The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said, the agriculture sector is likely to achieve about 3.5 per cent annual growth in the 11th Five-...

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Centre is not in favour of hiking oil prices: Jaipal Reddy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Centre is not in favour of hiking oil prices, though international crude prises have gone up due to dollar-rupee fluctuations and the latest stand-off between Iran - US and other European countries. This was stated by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, S. Jaipal Reddy in Visakhapatnam.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>He was dedicating to the nation the 2,200 crore rupees " Clean Fuel Project "of Visakh Refinery at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. He said, the Government is incurring a huge loss because of subsidy on fuels.</li> </ul></div>

Centre is not in favour of hiking oil prices: Jaipal Reddy

Centre is not in favour of hiking oil prices, though international crude prises have gone up due to dollar-rupee fluctuations and the late...

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Kundankulam nuclear power project: committee constitutes to look into safety aspects

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">In Tamil Nadu, the four member committee constituted by the state government to look into the safety aspects of the Kundankulam nuclear power projects and allay the fears of the local population, returned to Chennai this evening after holding talks with various stakeholders in Tirunelveli. The convenor of the committee Professor Iniyan said they will submitting their report to the state government shortly.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The committee had during their stay in Tirunelveli, held discussions with the district authorities besides representatives of the group spearheading the anti-kundalam agitation. The high level committee had also visited the Kundankulam plant, to get a first hand account of the safety mechanism in place at the site.</li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Meanwhile, power project area has come into a security blanket with over 1000 police personnel deployed in the vicinity of the plant. Senior officials of the district including South Zone Inspector General of Police Rajesh Das are camping in the area and are closing monitoring the situation.</li> </ul></div>

Kundankulam nuclear power project: committee constitutes to look into safety aspects

In Tamil Nadu, the four member committee constituted by the state government to look into the safety aspects of the Kundankulam nuclear po...

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Iran to cut oil to more EU nations

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad Qalebani said that the Islamic republic will possibly cut its oil exports to six other European Union states, including Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>It is said that if the hostile measures of some other European countries against Iran is continued, the oil exports to these countries will be stopped.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>It is also said that  if the EU states stop "the hostile measures," Iran is ready to renew its oil contracts with those countries. Iran announced that it had stopped oil exports to British and French companies.</li> </ul></div>

Iran to cut oil to more EU nations

Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad Qalebani said that the Islamic republic will possibly cut its oil exports to six other European Union st...

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Annual Army Day observed in Nepal today on Feb 20

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>In Nepal, the annual Army Day was observed coinciding with the Mahashivaratri festival with a grand function at the army pavilion, Tundikel in the capital Kathmandu today .The President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav who is the Supreme Commander of the Nepal Army received the Guard of Honor and launched a souvenir published by the Nepal Army.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and dignitaries including Vice President Parmananda Jha, Chief Justice, Constituent Assembly Chairman Sub ash Chandra Nemwang, Defense Minister, ministers and diplomats observed different parades, games, demonstrations and cultural shows presented by the Nepal Army.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>In his message on the occasion, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav wished that the army would remain the source of inspiration of people for the highest standard of discipline, honesty and patriotism demonstrated in the course of carrying out it’s duty.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Nepal Army has been celebrating the day annually on the day of Mahashivaratri from 1991.</li> </ul></div>

Annual Army Day observed in Nepal today on Feb 20

In Nepal, the annual Army Day was observed coinciding with the Mahashivaratri festival with a grand function at the army pavilion, Tundike...

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IAEA to hold talks with Iranian in Teheran

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>A high-ranking delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA - arrived in Tehran today for talks on the relevant issues of Iran's nuclear programme. </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>According to local satellite Press TV, the delegation, is headed by IAEA's chief inspector Herman Nackaerts for the two-day talks. In January, the IAEA sent a high-level team to Iran for the first round of talks with the country's officials over the nuclear issues.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Iran's media reported that the delegation, headed by Nackaerts, did not visit or inspect any nuclear site in the country. However, it said the spirit dominating the three-day talks was positive and constructive</li> </ul></div>

IAEA to hold talks with Iranian in Teheran

A high-ranking delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA - arrived in Tehran today for talks on the relevant issues of...

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Anna to receive Rs 25L award for rural development

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Social activist Anna Hazare will receive an award of Rs 25 lakh from a Delhi-based organisation for his contribution to rural development.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The award, instituted by Sitaram Jindal Foundation, will be given on February 23 at a function in New Delhi, Hazare's aide Datta Awari told from Ralegan Siddhi.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>"Hazare will also attend a Team Anna core committee meeting in Delhi on February 22," Awari said.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Hazare returned to his native Ralegan Siddhi village on Saturday with core committee member Arvind Kejriwal after Undergoing ayurvedic treatment at a hospital in Bangalore for persistent cough, backache and swelling on hands and feet.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Awari said Hazare was advised regular walks and he has been going around the village, inspecting ongoing work on ITI building and is also meeting villagers.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Hazare met activist Banda Maharaj Karadkar and discussed the issue of toll charges on state roads. Hazare has been a vocal opponent of the toll policy, saying people were being charged fee for badly built roads. </li> </ul></div>

Anna to receive Rs 25L award for rural development

Social activist Anna Hazare will receive an award of Rs 25 lakh from a Delhi-based organisation for his contribution to rural development....

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India offers higher education expertise to Lanka

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">India, which recently tripled its scholarships for Lankan students, has offered to share its the rapid advancements made in the field of higher education and research with Sri Lanka.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>The possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in higher education are immense given that India continues to be a popular destination among Sri Lankan students, Ashok K Kantha, the High Commissioner of India said while inaugurating the 'Indian Education Fair' .  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>Kantha said the three-day fair organized as an annual feature is for the students who are unable to visit India. Such students could explore options by meeting representatives of institutions right at their door step in Sri Lanka.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>He also highlighted India's decision to increase the number of scholarships by nearly three times, to reach 270 scholarships and highly subsidized self-financing slots, which would be available from the current year.  </li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>These scholarships would be funded by India under a grant assistance amounting to 2.5 billion Sri Lankan Rupees, to be spent over a three year period. </li> </ul></div>

India offers higher education expertise to Lanka

India, which recently tripled its scholarships for Lankan students, has offered to share its the rapid advancements made in the field of h...

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Iran sanctions could put ONGC Videsh plans on the backburner

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The ongoing sanctions imposed by the US and some European countries against Iran due to its nuclear programme may put some of the ONGC Videsh's plans in that country on the backburner, according to a top executive of ONGC. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: justify;">In Iran, ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of ONGC, is currently engaged in the Exploration Service Contract (ESC) for Farsi Offshore Exploration Block involving the Master Development Plan for the Farzad -B? Gas Field in the Persian Gulf at an estimated investment of over USD 5 billion.</span> </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: justify;">ESC for Farsi Offshore Exploration Block was signed in December, 2002. OVL as an operator with 40 percent stake carried out seismic survey and drilled four exploratory wells in the Block during 2006-07 resulting in discovery of oil and gas. The other consortium partners are IOC with 40 percent and OIL with 20 percent stake.</span></span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Subsequently, the Farzad-B gas field was declared Commercial in 2008 by National Iranian Oil Company. The Master Development Plan for the Farzad B Gas Field is currently in the finalisation stage. OVL?s share of investment was about USD 36 million as on March 31, 2011. </span></li> </ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">On the possible disruptions of the crude imports from Iran, it is said that India is currently getting 18 million tonnes of oil from that country and it will be difficult for the Indian refineries to change the current arrangement.</span></li> </ul></div>

Iran sanctions could put ONGC Videsh plans on the backburner

The ongoing sanctions imposed by the US and some European countries against Iran due to its nuclear programme may put some of the ONGC Vid...

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