ASPIRANTS' SPACE: Current Affairs

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Current Affairs – 13th December

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Current Affairs – 13th December

via Prep4Civils by Ram on 12/13/11

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Inaugurating a National conference of Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the Government is considering the establishment of a credit risk guarantee fund of 1000 crore rupees (with in the current year) to encourage banks to lend to the poor. Presently, Urban India generates two thirds of the GDP and its population is projected to increase from 377 million today to 600 million by 2031. He added that for harvesting the demographic opportunity of young India, it is important to focus on livelihood opportunities in Industry and Service Sectors and improving productivity in Agricultural Sector and urged to pay greater attention to the participatory approach for delivery of services and strongly advocated encouraging private public partnership. Citizen Charter for delivery of services could be instituted to ensure that public services and private sector services providers are indeed made accountable to citizens. Prime Minister also referred to several other challenges including sustainability concerns besides use of E-Governance to fast-track the development of cities across the country.
The government has so far approved 49 projects for establishing Cold-storage chain facilities in the country. Food Processing Industry Ministry has also facilitating creation of post harvest processing infrastructure with a view to reduce wastages of produce through its various schemes of financial assistance being implemented in this sector.
The Lok Sabha is now discussing a Bill to further amend the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995 to replace an Ordinance promulgated by the President on 25th October, this year, that will bring transparency in cable TV operations. It will intend to reduce dependency on the Television Rating Points (TRP's) by the channels, entirely digitize cable TV operations across the country by 2014 and will curb the illegal activities of some unscrupulous operators.
The government has also set up a two-tier self-regulatory 13 member body to monitor television broadcast contents, and has proposed a broadcast regulatory Bill to deal with the situation. The bill will introduce digital system which will enable regulatory agencies to exercise supervision over illegal activities indulged in by some unscrupulous elements.
Odisha government has prepared a State Action Plan on Climate Change under eleven sectors including agriculture, water, coastal and disaster, energy, health and industry with a total budgetary provision of over 17,000 crores for five years in response to the request made the Environment and Forests Ministry.
India is the first country in the world to initiate steps as a pilot project in 21 states for screening of the entire population to detect cancer, cardio vascular diseases and stroke. Under the project, the Centre is providing equipment, human resource and facilities for Chemotherapy for 100 patients in each selected district.
The government is implementing a scheme to provide financial assistance for setting up of Integrated Re-Cycling facilities for e-waste on a public-private-partnership mode. E-waste management and handling rules notified this year will come into effect from May next year.
Government has decided to develop 35 tourist cities through Public Private Partnership (in phases) in the next five years to attract more tourists in the country. Tourism Ministry has appointed a National level consultant, which is in the process of identification of the four tourist circuits and two rural clusters in each State.
In Tunisia, Moncef Marzouki has been elected as the new President of the country. He will serve for a year until the constitution is re-written and new elections are held. Tunisia became the birth-place of the Arab Spring uprisings in January when protests forced Ben Ali, in power for more than 23 years, to flee to Saudi Arabia.
US President Obama has asked Iran to return a military drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) captured by Iranian forces by hacking into the plane's control systems earlier this month. Washington has maintained that the drone had probably malfunctioned. Meanwhile, Iran has said that it is in the final stages of unlocking the aircraft's software secrets and its next action will be to reverse-engineer the aircraft. Thus in the near future, they will be able to mass produce it. (lol)
The current OPEC President, Iran has called upon the member nations to roll back their oil output to Pre Libyan war levels since Libyan has already begun exporting the oil. While a day ahead of the crucial OPEC ministers meeting in Vienna, the member nations are trying to work out a consensus on the oil production targets. 12 member cartel of oil exporting nations (OPEC) fixes the output targets of oil every year.
The Indian rupee dropped 56 paise to a historic low of Rs 53.40 per dollar in early trade today. While the euro fell to its lowest level in two weeks amid renewed concerns on the region's sovereign debt crisis.
The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has told the U.N. Security Council that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the crackdown on protesters in Syria. Thus urged to UNSC for its timely action.
The Canadian government has introduced a ban on the wearing of veils while swearing the oath of citizenship.