Key for Notification No. 53/2011 Dt: 31/12/2011 , Key : J.As/JR.STENOS / TYPISTS IN V.V. PARISHAD(53/2011) :: Paper-1
Key for Notification No. 53/2011 Dt: 31/12/2011 , Key : J.As/JR.STENOS / TYPISTS IN V.V. PARISHAD(53/2011) :: Paper-2
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
36th International Geological Congress to be held in India in 2020
The 36th International Geological Congress will come
to India in 2020 after a period of 56 years. The last International
Geological Congress was held in India in 1964 in Delhi. Dr. Vishwapati
Trivedi, Secretary, Ministry of Mines today presented the bid before the
International Union of Geological Science (IUGS) Council consisting of
121 member countries and 128 votes were cast in favour of India against
51 votes to Canada, which had offered Vancouver as the venue of IGC
2020.
Schemes to Save the Girl Child
The Government recognizes that the problem of
declining child sex ratio in India is not an isolated phenomenon but must be
seen in the context of the low status of women and the girl child as a whole,
within the home and outside. While its immediate reasons can be traced to
increasing son-preference as well as advances in technology that has encouraged
sex selective abortions, concern of safety and security of the girl child along
with the practice of dowry are no less responsible for it.
Accordingly, the Government has
undertaken a number of measures to improve survival and status of girl children
in the country. While programmes for improvement of
nutrition benefit all children including girl children, like the Integrated
Child Development Scheme, National Rural Health Mission, Mid-day meal scheme
etc., specific interventions for girl children include implementing the
Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, pilot
cash transfer scheme of ‘Dhanlakshmi’, setting up a Sectoral Innovation
Council for improving child sex ratio and acting upon its recommendations, and
the pilot scheme ‘Sabla’ for a comprehensive
Intervention for adolescent girls in the age group of 11-18, with a focus on
out of school girls in select 200 districts of the country.
Of these, ‘Dhanlakshmi’ provides conditional cash incentive, and the
scheme does not discriminate on the basis of caste and economic status of
parents. It is a pilot scheme being implemented in 11 blocks in seven States of
the country.
Welfare of Disabled Persons
To provide comprehensive services to the Persons with
Disabilities at the grass root level, the Ministry of Social Justice
and Empowerment facilitates creation of the infrastructure and capacity
building at district level for awareness generation, rehabilitation,
training/guiding of grassroots level functionaries, through setting up
District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs). The amount
sanctioned to these centres during the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11
and 2011-12 is Rs. 201.08 lakh, Rs. 590.77 lakh and Rs. 410.09 lakh
respectively.
A Central Sector Scheme namely “Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse” for Social Defence Services is being implemented for identification, counseling, treatment and rehabiliation of addicts through voluntary organizations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local bodies and organizations/institutions fully funded or managed by State/Central Government are also eligible for financial assistance under the scheme.
A Central Sector Scheme namely “Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse” for Social Defence Services is being implemented for identification, counseling, treatment and rehabiliation of addicts through voluntary organizations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local bodies and organizations/institutions fully funded or managed by State/Central Government are also eligible for financial assistance under the scheme.
Innovation Programme
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME) has taken initiative in consultation with National Innovation
Council (NIC) to set up a dedicated fund with an initial contribution of
Rs.100 crores in the name of “India Inclusive Innovation Fund” for
promoting grass root innovations. It is expected that promoting
innovation would also improve the competitiveness and efficiency of SMEs
(Small and Medium Enterprises). The scheme is at the stage of approval.
The amount allocated for “India Inclusive Innovation Fund” for the current year (2012-13) is Rs.100 Cr.
The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) is the nodal programme of the Government to develop global competitiveness among Indian MSMEs. An amount of Rs.500 crores approx as GOI Contribution had been allocated for NMCP during XIth Plan. NMCP targets at enhancing the entire value chain of the MSME sector through the following schemes:
• Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme for MSMEs;
• Promotion of Information & Communication Tools (ICT) in MSME sector;
• Technology and Quality Up gradation Support to MSMEs;
• Design Clinics scheme for MSMEs;
• Enabling Manufacturing Sector to be Competitive through Quality Management Standards (QMS) and Quality Technology Tools (QTT);
• Marketing Assistance and Technology Up gradation Scheme for MSMEs;
• Setting up of Mini Tool Room under PPP Mode;
• National campaign for building awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR);
• Support for Entrepreneurial and Managerial Development of SMEs through Incubators.
In addition, Government operates a number of schemes for the MSME sector which inter alia improve competitiveness. These schemes include Credit Guarantee Scheme, Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme, Performance and Credit Rating Scheme, Cluster Development Programme, Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme.
The amount allocated for “India Inclusive Innovation Fund” for the current year (2012-13) is Rs.100 Cr.
The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Programme (NMCP) is the nodal programme of the Government to develop global competitiveness among Indian MSMEs. An amount of Rs.500 crores approx as GOI Contribution had been allocated for NMCP during XIth Plan. NMCP targets at enhancing the entire value chain of the MSME sector through the following schemes:
• Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme for MSMEs;
• Promotion of Information & Communication Tools (ICT) in MSME sector;
• Technology and Quality Up gradation Support to MSMEs;
• Design Clinics scheme for MSMEs;
• Enabling Manufacturing Sector to be Competitive through Quality Management Standards (QMS) and Quality Technology Tools (QTT);
• Marketing Assistance and Technology Up gradation Scheme for MSMEs;
• Setting up of Mini Tool Room under PPP Mode;
• National campaign for building awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR);
• Support for Entrepreneurial and Managerial Development of SMEs through Incubators.
In addition, Government operates a number of schemes for the MSME sector which inter alia improve competitiveness. These schemes include Credit Guarantee Scheme, Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme, Performance and Credit Rating Scheme, Cluster Development Programme, Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme.
New Scheme for Life Saving Drugs
The Pharmaceutical Policy as amended from time to
time also envisages making available quality medicines at affordable
price to the masses. For fulfilment of this goal, a Campaign in the
name of ‘Jan Aushadhi’ has been launched in 2008. The aim of this
campaign is to make available quality medicines at affordable prices for
all, especially the poor and the disadvantaged. Under this campaign,
less priced quality unbranded generic medicines will be made available
through Jan Aushadhi stores which inherently are less priced but are of
same and equivalent quality, efficacy and safety as compared to branded
generic medicines. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has informed
that they have taken the initiative for Free Supply of Essential
Medicines in Public Health Facilities in the country. Some of the
salient features of this scheme is as under:
• Government proposes to start an Initiative for Free Supply of Essential Medicines in Public Health Facilities in the country aiming to provide affordable health care to the people by reducing out of pocket expenses of medicines.
• The initiative aims to increase share of public health in health care from a current level of 25-30% to around 50%.
• This initiative will promote rational use of medicines and reduce the consumption of inessential, unscientific and hazardous medicines.
• The initiative is based on the Tamil Nadu model where free medicines procured in bulk by the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC), in generic name, directly from the manufacturers is supplied through an IT enabled supply chain management system to the public.
• An MoU would be signed with the States which will involve the following:-
o State would be encouraged to set up TNMSC like institutions or use any existing institution with sufficient autonomy for bulk procurement of essential drugs in generic names directly from the manufacturers in generic names. Strict instructions shall be issued to Medical Officers in Public Health facilities to prescribe generic medicines.
o The drugs would be supplied by the district ware houses through an IT enabled supply chain management system.
o States will involve Rogi Kalyan Samitis to ensure that free supply of medicines in public health facilities is properly and effectively implemented.
• Government proposes to start an Initiative for Free Supply of Essential Medicines in Public Health Facilities in the country aiming to provide affordable health care to the people by reducing out of pocket expenses of medicines.
• The initiative aims to increase share of public health in health care from a current level of 25-30% to around 50%.
• This initiative will promote rational use of medicines and reduce the consumption of inessential, unscientific and hazardous medicines.
• The initiative is based on the Tamil Nadu model where free medicines procured in bulk by the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC), in generic name, directly from the manufacturers is supplied through an IT enabled supply chain management system to the public.
• An MoU would be signed with the States which will involve the following:-
o State would be encouraged to set up TNMSC like institutions or use any existing institution with sufficient autonomy for bulk procurement of essential drugs in generic names directly from the manufacturers in generic names. Strict instructions shall be issued to Medical Officers in Public Health facilities to prescribe generic medicines.
o The drugs would be supplied by the district ware houses through an IT enabled supply chain management system.
o States will involve Rogi Kalyan Samitis to ensure that free supply of medicines in public health facilities is properly and effectively implemented.
Installation of American Nuclear Reactor in India
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a
confidentiality agreement between Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC),
USA and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) was initially
signed in 2009. An amendment to extend the term of the earlier signed
MoU till May, 2014 was signed on June 12, 2012. The amendment also
includes a clause ot sign an Early Works Agreement.
The review of safety provisions in design of AP – 1000 systems to withstand extreme natural events like earthquakes and Tsunamis, post Fukushima incident, has been carried out in the vendor country. Westinghouse Electric Company has made a presentation on the same to the Indian side. The Design Certification of the AP – 1000 reactor was issued by United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) in December 2011, after the Fukushima accident.
The review of safety provisions in design of AP – 1000 systems to withstand extreme natural events like earthquakes and Tsunamis, post Fukushima incident, has been carried out in the vendor country. Westinghouse Electric Company has made a presentation on the same to the Indian side. The Design Certification of the AP – 1000 reactor was issued by United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) in December 2011, after the Fukushima accident.
Implementation of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Yojana
The Minister of Panchayati
Raj Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo
has said that the Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Yojana (RGSY),
implemented in districts not covered by the Scheme of Backward Regions Grants
Fund (BRGF), focuses primarily on providing financial assistance to the States
/ UTs for Training & Capacity Building of elected representatives (ERs) and
functionaries of Panchayats so that they can perform
the functions devolved upon them and the schemes entrusted to them
effectively. Replying to a
question in Rajya Sabha today, he said that assistance is also provided for Satellite based training infrastructure
for Distance Learning for the ERs and Functionaries of the Panchayats
and, in respect of the Hill States and States in the North Eastern Region, for
capital expenditure on establishment of Panchayat
Resource Centers / Training Institutes at Divisional
/ District level. There is a small component of Infrastructure Development under which assistance is provided to States / UTs for
construction of Panchayat Ghars
at Gram Panchayat level. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has already proposed higher allocations for
capacity building during Twelfth Five Year Plan.
Interlinking of Rivers
The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) (erstwhile Ministry of Irrigation) had formulated a
National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Water Resources Development as early as
1980 envisaging inter-basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit
basins/areas which comprises two
components, namely, Himalayan Rivers Development Component and Peninsular
Rivers Development Component. The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) was
set up under the Ministry of Irrigation in 1982 for carrying out various
technical studies to establish the feasibility of the proposals of NPP and to
give concrete shape to it. NWDA has already identified 14 links under Himalayan
Component and 16 links under Peninsular Rivers Component. Out of these, Feasibility Reports of 14 links
under Peninsular Component and 2 links under Himalayan Component (Indian
portion) has been prepared. The present status of links identified for
preparation of Feasibility Reports is given below:-
Peninsular Rivers Development Component
1. Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link - FR completed
2. Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada)
link * -FR completed (Taken by the
state as per their own proposal)
3. Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna ( Pulichintala)link - FR completed
4. Godavari (Inchampalli ) - Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) link - FR completed
5. Krishna
(Nagarjunasagar) - Pennar (Somasila )
link - FR completed
6. Krishna
(Srisailam) - Pennar link - FR completed
7. Krishna
(Almatti) - Pennar link - FR completed
8. Pennar (Somasila) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link - FR completed
9. Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai – Gundar link - FR
completed
10. Parbati – Kalisindh – Chambal link* -
FR completed
11. Damanganga – Pinjal link* -
FR completed & DPR started
12. Par – Tapi – Narmada link* -
FR completed & DPR started
13. Ken – Betwa
link* - DPR (Phase-I) Completed
14. Pamba – Achankovil – Vaippar link -
FR completed.
15. Netravati - Hemavati Link - PFR completed
16. Bedti - Varda link - FR work taken up
Himalayan Rivers Development Component
1. Kosi-Mechi link -
Entirely lies in Nepal
2. Kosi-Ghaghra link -
S&I works taken up
3. Gandak-Ganga link - S&I works completed
4. Ghaghra-Yamuna link - FR completed (for
Indian portion)
5. Sarda-Yamuna link -
FR completed (for
Indian portion)
6. Yamuna-Rajasthan link -
S&I works completed
7. Rajasthan-Sabarmati link -
S&I works completed
8. Chunar(at
Ganga)-Sone Barrage link - S&I works
completed
9. Sone Dam - Southern Tributaries of Ganga
link - S&I works
taken up
10. Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga (M-S-T-G) link - S&I works taken up
11. Jogighopa(at Brahmaputra)-Tista-Ganga at
Farakka
(Alternate to M-S-T-G) link - S&I works
taken up
12.
Ganga (Farakka)-Sunderbans link -
S&I works completed
13.
Ganga-Damodar-Subernarekha link -
S&I works completed
14. Subernarekha-Mahanadi link -
S&I works completed
*
Priority links
PFR- Pre-Feasibility Report; FR- Feasibility
Report; DPR- Detailed Project Report
S&I - Survey & Investigation in Indian
portion
The Implementation of Inter Linking
of Rivers (ILR)
involves various steps such as
preparation of FRs of
links, negotiation and consensus among concerned States, agreement with neighbouring countries if link involve area lying in other
countries, preparation of DPRs of the projects and
structures identified for the link, clearance from appraisal agencies which
include clearance by Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF),
clearance by Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA),
techno-economic clearance by Technical Advisory Committee of MoWR, investment clearance by Planning Commission and
funding of the project
The initial cost of the Inter Linking projects as per PFR/FR
was 5.60 Lakh crore at 2002
Price Level.
Costs of
individual project have not yet been finalized. The
present cost including the cost of land required to be acquired for the project
can be estimated only after the completion of DPR of the projects.
The State Government of Bihar has submitted
six Intra state link proposals
1. Kosi – Mechi [entirely lie in India] 2. Barh – Nawada 3. Kohra – Chandravat (now Kohra-Lalbegi) 4. Burhi Gandak – None – Baya – Ganga 5. Burhi Gandak – Bagmati [Belwadhar] 6. Kosi – Ganga
The PFRs of
all six links have been completed and sent to State Government of Bihar. On the
request of Bihar Government the preparation of DPR of two links i.e. 1. Kosi – Mechi, 2. Burhi Gandak – None – Baya – Ganga is
under preparation.
As desired by Govt. of Bihar, NWDA
has completed the Preliminary Project Report (PPR) of Burhi
Gandak-None-Baya –Ganga
link and sent the same to Govt. of Bihar and CWC on 31.05.2012.
Preparation of Preliminary Project
Report (PPR) of Kosi – Mechi
link is under progress.
Further 3 additional proposals ,viz. i) Development of Bagmati
Irrigation & Drainage Project – Phase-II (Barrage near Kataunjha
in Muzaffarpur District) and Adhwara
Multipurpose Project with Kosi-Adhwara-Bagmati link,
ii) Transfer of Ganga water to South Bihar through
Pump Canal Scheme at Buxer & iii) Development of Badua-Chandan Basin, from Bihar have also been received.
These are being examined for their suitability for further studies.
The State Government of Rajasthan has
submitted two Intra state link proposals i.e. 1. Mahi
– Luni link 2. Wakal – Sabarmati – Sei
– West Banas – Kameri link.
PFR of Intra-State link of Rajasthan
viz. Wakal – Sabarmati – Sei – West Banas – Kameri link have been prepared and sent to Govt. of
Rajasthan. The PFR of Mahi-Luni is in progress.
The
report on interlinking of rivers was submitted by National Council of Applied
Economic Research (NCAER) in April, 2008.
The conclusions/recommendations given by NCAER in its report mention
various benefits of Interlinking of river programme
such as additional benefits of Irrigation & Power, increase in growth rate
of agriculture, growth of direct & indirect employment, improvement in the
quality of life of people in rural areas and mitigation of floods &
drought. The recommendations also include certain action points like setting up
National Commission for Basin Management, improving cost recovery from irrigation
projects & formation of Water Users Association. At present, no
interlinking project under National Perspective Plan is under
implementation. Therefore, the stage has
not come for taking decision on the action points suggested in the report.
Implementation of Water Policy
National Water Policy is finalised and adopted by
National Water Resources Council. Several States have formulated their
State Water Policies, by and large as per the provisions of National
Water Policy. The States implement these policies as per their
requirement and priorities.
The third Minor Irrigation Census has counted 5.56 lakh tanks and storages in India. The storage capacity of these tanks and storages was not surveyed.
The average annual water availability for the country has been assessed as 1869 billion cubic meters (BCM). Due to topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable water has been estimated to be about 1123 BCM comprising 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM of replenishable ground water. The National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD), in its report in 1999, had assessed that the annual water requirement by the year 2025 and 2050 will be about 843 BCM and 1180 BCM respectively.
The third Minor Irrigation Census has counted 5.56 lakh tanks and storages in India. The storage capacity of these tanks and storages was not surveyed.
The average annual water availability for the country has been assessed as 1869 billion cubic meters (BCM). Due to topographic, hydrological and other constraints, the utilizable water has been estimated to be about 1123 BCM comprising 690 BCM of surface water and 433 BCM of replenishable ground water. The National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development (NCIWRD), in its report in 1999, had assessed that the annual water requirement by the year 2025 and 2050 will be about 843 BCM and 1180 BCM respectively.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
TOP-50 LATEST CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQs FOR ALL APPSC EXAMS
1. The limit of overseas investment in government bonds/securities has been raised
from $15 billion to _________.
a) $20 billion
b) $25 billion
c) $30 billion
d) $35 billion
e) None of the above
2. According to “World Investment Report 2012″, the total FDI inflow in India in 2011 stood at ________.
a) $67 billion
b) $87 billion
c) $52 billion
d) $78 billion
e) None of the above
3. According to The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012, India ranks at ____.
a) 42nd
b) 36th
c) 56th
d) 53rd
e) 62nd
4. Which country tops the overall rankings in The Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012?
a) Sweden
b) Singapore
c) Netherland
d) Switzerland
e) None of the above
5. The World Bank Group have entered into an agreement with which among the following industrial bodies to establish the India Wildlife Business Council (IWBC)
to promote tiger and biodiversity conservation for sustainable development?
a) Industrial Development Bank of India
b) Indian Industries Association
c) Confederation of Indian Industry
d) The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
e) None of the above
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Saina wins bronze after Wang retires hurt
Saina Nehwal on August 04 created history by becoming the first Indian to
win an Olympic Games bronze medal in badminton, though under fortuitous
circumstances, as her world number two Chinese opponent retired from
the play-off because of a knee injury.
The 22-year-old Saina was trailing 18-21, 0-1 in the high-voltage bronze
medal play-off match when her second seeded opponent Xin Wang retired
hurt, giving India an unexpected medal without having to sweat much.
Saina also became the second Indian woman to win an Olympic medal, after
Karnam Malleswari’s weightlifting bronze in 2000 Sydney Olympics.
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