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.

Source: http://upsc-updates.blogspot.com

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Why force first will not work

 

 

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Why force first will not work

via Prep4Civils by Bharath Vaishnov on 12/21/11

The author stresses on need for better governance in Naxalism effected regions rather than mere armed offensives

• Naxalism today has become a political movement with a support base comprising of poor alienated peasants and tribals
• Their long term aim is to overthrow the state
• They project themselves as warriors fighting for justice, security of the tribals
• Naxalism is today spread across 200 districts in 7 states
• They have set shop in regions which are backward, inaccessible and lack governance structures
• The inability of successive governments to provide even basic services to people has created a sense of alienation among large section of people  these regions
• Maoists have tapped into this sentiment to expand and grow their network
• They have formed the Peoples liberation guerrilla army to wage war against the Indian state
• It comprises of motivated and passionate cadres who are weel versed with the terrain and have a local rapport with the people
• In this scenario, it is difficult for state armed forces to take on the naxals
• Unfortunately government has refused to accept this reality
• Uni dimensional approach of armed assault on naxals has lead human right violations
• All these are only helping the cause of naxals

Way ahead

• Security and development objectives must be achieved simultaneously
• Win the hearts and minds of the alienated people in backward regions
• Strengthen local governance mechanisms to bridge the political deficit
• Effect rehab packages for surrendered naxalites

The author has written earlier on same issue. Please find its summary below

http://iasblogz.blogspot.com/2011/09/tripura-insurgency.html

 

 

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Current Affairs -22nd December

 

 

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Current Affairs -22nd December

via Prep4Civils by Ram on 12/22/11

• The Lok Sabha was adjourned over the alleged exclusion of the minorities from the 50 percent quota in the proposed Lokpal bill.
• The Food Security Bill, which seeks to give legal right to food grains at cheaper rates for a majority of the country's population (75%-rural area, 50%-urban area), was introduced in the Lok Sabha today. The bill seeks to provide 7 kg of rice, wheat and coarse grains per person per month to priority households at 3 rupees, 2 rupees and 1 rupee per kg. General category would get at least 3 kg of grains at a rate not exceeding 50 per cent of the minimum support price. The legislation makes provision for Constitution of food commissions at Centre and the State which will ensure regular supply of food grains to people and conduct periodic social audits and other related works.
• Parliament adopted modifications in the list of Scheduled Tribes by including 6 communities from Manipur and 16 from Arunachal Pradesh, by passing the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order Amendment Bill, 2011. But govt. said it is not possible to bring a comprehensive list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes across the country at this stage as the process involves a set of procedure which has to be followed.
• The Health and Family Welfare Minister introduced the National Commission for Human Resources for Health Bill, 2011, to ensure adequate availability of human resources in the health sector in all the states and to regulate professional Councils in various disciplines of the health sector.
• In Bihar, the Governor approved the Bihar Lokayukta Bill 2011 (1 chairman and 2 member) passed by both the houses of the State Legislature which will bring the Chief Minister, Ministers, Speaker and officers under the purview.
• In Assam, the continued protest blockade programme launched by several organizations for the last eight days has severely affected the construction work of the 2000-megawatt mega power project on dam over the Subansiri River at Gerukamukh, which is scheduled to be completed on Dec, 2012.
• Food inflation (measured by Wholesale Price Index) fell sharply to a near four-year low of 1.81 per cent for the week ended December due to considerable price fall in onion, potatoes, wheat and vegetables. In Gujarat, hundreds of protesting farmers of Banaskantha District hit by a potato crop glut, dumped huge quantity of potatoes on the roads in Deesa town yesterday where the crop's price has fallen to as low as Rupee 1 per kg.
• The Textile Ministry and Apparel Export Promotion Council ,AEPC launched a new common compliance code of conduct will give the opportunity to negate international claims against child labour promotion in the garment industry and will encourage better social and labour practices.
• In Madhya Pradesh, the Woman and Child Development Department will install Global Positioning System in the vehicles of their officers to monitor the implementation of the welfare schemes, thus will get information directly through the GPS on the details of tour and inspections conducted by the department. A Management Information System has been also rennovated to monitor and evaluate the implementation about planning of Department.
• In Iraq, more than 50 people have been killed and more than 130 injured in a series of bomb attacks in the capital, Baghdad
• The Arab League has expressed serious concerns over the situation in Syria (as a part of Arab spring) and asked the Syrian Government to protect the Syrian civilians in view of its commitments under the Arab peace plan. Advance team of Arab League comprising of legal, medical and administrative experts is leaving for Damascus which will prepare the ground for the arrival of a larger observer mission to start implementing the Arab League peace plan to end violence in the country. Meanwhile, in one of its strongest statements on Syria, the United States has said the President Bashar Al-Assad has lost all legitimacy and credibility.
• Afghanistan is ready to find its place in the railway map of the world with the successful trial run of the first cargoless train between Mazar-e-Sharif and Hairatan (a dry port along the Afghan border near Uzbekistan) which is funded by the Asian Development Bank.

Source: http://upsc-updates.blogspot.com

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Current Affairs – 15th December

 

 

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Current Affairs – 15th December

via Prep4Civils by Ram on 12/16/11

• Finance Minister said the government has brought out the National Manufacturing Policy and the FDI in retail sector to boost the economy, thus has expressed hope that consensus will emerge amongst the political parties on Foreign Direct Investment also in retail sector. He also said that India has to invest in infrstructure sector for sustainable growth.
• Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that Government has no proposal to extend the winter session of Parliament to pass the Lokpal Bill but government is working overtime to evolve a consensus on Lokpal with 33 political parties. Meanwhile, Members of Parliamentary Forum of Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes today again staged a protest in the Parliament House Complex demanding reservation for SC, ST, Backward Classes, Minority Communities and Women in Lokpal, apart from Judiciary and private sector.
• The BJP today demanded a week-long special session of Parliament to discuss the agrarian crisis in the country and for total structural changes in the policies and programmes. They also underlined the need for having a separate budget for agriculture and demanded that the government should allow exports of agricultural produce while banning on foreign companies selling low quality inputs in agriculture.
• The Centre has decided to set up 71 apart from 48 (which are already functional) additional special courts exclusively for the trial of CBI cases in different states. There are more than 7000 cases pending under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 till date.
• The government has earmarked 20 thousand crore rupees under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana and planning to connect the  more new areas under the scheme and Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are the thrust areas in this regard.
• The government today said that the three-month long agitation by a section of the local people has hampered the work on the project resulting in the delay in commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant while units One and Two are at an advanced stage of commissioning and is made ready for fuel loading. Meanwhile, the central expert committee led by Dr A E Muthunayagam met the panel formed by the Tamil Nadu government today to find a solution to the Koodankulam Nuclear power plant issue.
• Referring to dams of similar nature at the US, France and England, the Chief Minister of TN assured that Mullaperiyar Dam is safe in all aspects. Taking note of the various measures towards strengthening the dam, she said that utmost care and concern of the lives of the people in the area was taken into account while ensuring the safety aspects. She also asked Kerala government to bring in necessary amendments in the Kerala Irrigation and water protection Act passed in 2006 and accept the Supreme Court's order to increase the water level and allow TN continue the strengthening work at the Dam so that the water level is raised. While, Kerala Chief Minister said that his state is willing to enter into a tripartite agreement on the issue and enact a law assuring Tamil Nadu that it will get same quantity of water from the new dam.
• The Death toll in the hooch tragedy in West Bengal has mounted to 107 when more than hundred people fell ill after consuming illicit liquor.
• A meeting of the Committee of Governors on Farmer-Industry Partnership, headed by the Punjab and Rajasthan Governor Mr.Shivraj Patil, was held today at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi to discuss rain fed area farming and application of knowledge in these areas. The President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil is chairing the meeting in which programmes for dry land farming, animal husbandry and fisheries for sustainable agriculture, farmer industry partnership and the role of Panchayats in the development of agriculture infrastructure were also came up.
• Enhancing bilateral consultations in international forums like the UNSC, G-20, BRICS and the East Asia Summit will be high on the agenda of talks between the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Russian President Medvedev, besides matters of International and regional issues of mutual concern. The Prime Minister asserted that Indo-Russia Relation encompass diverse sectors including nuclear energy, defence, space, science and technology, hydrocarbons, trade and investment and people-to-people exchanges.
• Food inflation (measured by the Wholesale Price Index) fell to a nearly four-year low of 4.35% during the week ended December as compared to 10.78% last year.
• India`s ace shuttler Saina Nehwal stormed into the elimination round of the BWF Super Series Finals with a straight-game victory over Sayaka Sato of Japan in the women`s singles in Liuzhou, ChinaWorld number four Saina, who had defeated Korean Youn Joo Bae yesterdaySaina will now face World number three Xin Wang, who has always enjoyed an upper hand against the Indian, defeating her four times. Tomorrow`s encounter will decide who will top the Group B.Saina had lost to Xin in the finals of the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold to finish runner-up.Saina had a highly successful last year, winning a hat-trick of Super Series titles — Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong — beside the Commonwealth Games gold medal and the Indian Grand Prix.However, so far this year, the Indian has won only the Swiss Grand Prix Gold, besides two runners-up finishes at Malaysia and Indonesia.

Souce: http://upsc-updates.blogspot.com

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Aadhar: time to disown the idea

 

 

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Aadhar: time to disown the idea

via Prep4Civils by Bharath Vaishnov on 12/18/11

Standing committee on UIDAI bill rejected the scheme. Committee identified 5 major issues with the Aadhar scheme

• Started Aadhar program without parliament approval
  • Government stand: executive power coextensive with legislature power
  • Committee: Aadhar program has potential to violate constitutional rights and privacy, hence parliament approval was a must

• Flawed enrollment process
  • Lack of coordination between enrollment agencies-> confusion and overlapping
  • Introducer model compromises with national security concerns
• Lack of data protection
  • Misuse of personal information
  • Ensuring confidentiality of collected information
• No feasibility study
  • No pilot studies for a scheme that is expected to cost thousands of crores
  • No comparisons made with other alternatives
• Faulty technology
  • Makes use of uncertain untested technology
  • IRIS scans utility has been doubted by government itself
  • Biometric standings committee found high error rate in finger print scanning

 

 

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