ASPIRANTS' SPACE: Current Affairs

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Current Affairs – 23rd December

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Current Affairs – 23rd December

via Prep4Civils by Ram on 12/23/11

The Union Cabinet has approved 4.5 per cent quota for backward minorities within the existing 27 per cent reservation for Other backward Classes (OBCs) in Central government jobs and admission to Central Educational Institutions. Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and (Parsis) are notified as minority communities in National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The decision is based on the recommendation of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (headed by former Chief Justice of India, Ranganath Misra) and Congress has promised reservation to minorities in its poll manifesto.
The Government has said that it is trying to build consensus on important economic Bills, including the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Act (PFRDA), FDI's in various other sectors etc., which are also the part of next generation economic reform.
The Government also said that it is in the process of strengthening the Bureau of Police Research and Development. BPRD also provides a platform for professionals as a think tank to its stake holders promoting excellence, and best practices of various areas of policing and providing a link to research scholars in police related subjects. It is the only organisation having a combination of police expertise of social sciences, criminology experts, research and academicians and thus in the light when naxalism and terrorism are the major challenges facing the country, there is need to strengthen it with infrastructures resources etc. Central academy for police training is also being set up in Bhopal in the 11th plan period while two more central detective training schools are being established at Ghaziabad and Jaipur. President's police medal were also presented to Mr. Ish Kumar, a 1985 batch Andhra cadre IPS officer.
In Kerala, the Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court to ascertain the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam has reached Idukki to obtain samples of surkhi mixture by drilling nine different points of the dam. Meanwhile, satyagraha and hunger strike by people's representatives are continue as they were demanding reduction of water level in Mullaperiyar dam to 120 feet and construction of a new dam decommissioning the existing one.
In Rajasthan, 11 persons are reported to have died due to lack of medical facilities as the strike by the in-service doctors and some others were continued to the 3^rd day. Police has arrested the state President of in-Service Doctors' Association and more than 200 other doctors under Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act.
Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has started consultation with all stakeholders on forming a law for the protection of livelihood rights and social security of street vendors. is also proposing a scheme in the 12 th five year plan that facilitates the development of vendor market and vending zones in the country. According to the National Commission on Enterprises 92% of the workforce in India is engaged in the informal economy.
Central Silk Board officials today said that Assam has produced highest Muga and Eri silk in the year 2010-2011 in comparisons to other states. The use of muga and eri reflects the culture and tradition and also occupies a unique place in the socio-economic life of the people of the state. Shiny, highly durable and the strongest of all natural silks-muga holds the geographical tag of Assam. Both muga and eri are categorised under Vanya or forest -based silks.
The 109th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, Chaudhery Charan Singh or the Farmer's day is being celebrated. He was the chief formulator and implementor of the Zamindari Abolition Act in the country which had united all the farmers against the moneylenders and landlords.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced measures against France after French National Assembly passed a bill criminalising denial of the 1915-16 Armenian genocide which says those publicly denying genocide will face a year in jail and a fine. Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915-16.
The Argentine government has won control of the country's newsprint supplies and said the production, sale and distribution of newsprint is of national interest. However, critics have denounced the move as an attack on press freedom.
US President has announced an additional 113 million USD in emergency aid to the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia), where recent droughts and famine have killed approx. 10,000 people.
Pakistan armed forces have rejected the conclusion of a US investigation into an American air attack on Afgan-Pak border. The US investigation had concluded that both sides had made mistakes that led to the death of Pakistani soldiers.