Union Cabinet approved Swachh Bharat Mission for Urban Areas

The Union Cabinet on 24 September 2014 approved Swachh Bharat Mission for Urban Areas. The mission will begin from 2 October 2014 and will be implemented over a period of five years.

The mission will be implemented in over 4041 statutory towns of the country and will cost around 62009 crore rupees of which 14623 crore rupees will be borne by the Union Government.

The Mission is the urban component of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and will be implemented by Union Ministry of Urban Development. The rural component of the Mission will be implemented by Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Main elements of the Mission

• The Mission includes elimination of open defecation, conversion of insanitary toilets to pour flush toilets, eradication of manual scavenging, Municipal Solid Waste Management.
• The Programme consists of components for providing (i) Individual household toilets; (ii) Community and public toilets; and (iii) Municipal Solid Waste Management in all 4041 statutory towns
• It would cover 1.04 crore households, provide 2.5 lakh seats of community toilets, 2.6 lakh seats of public toilets and solid waste management facility for all towns.

Aim of the Mission

• It aims towards bringing a behavioural change in people regarding healthy sanitation practices and generating awareness among citizens about sanitation and its linkages with public health.
• It also aims at strengthening of urban local bodies to design, execute and operate systems to fulfill these objectives and creating an enabling environment for private sector participation in capital expenditure and operational expenditure.

Background

The plan of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was mentioned in the Union Budget 2014-15 by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 10 July 2014. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was proposed in the Union Budget under Drinking Water & Sanitation plan. As proposed, the Abhiyan will cover every household with sanitation facility by the year 2019

Schemes/Projects Mentioned Under Union Budget 2014-15

1. Kissan Vikas Patra - Kisan Vikas Patra is a saving scheme that was announced by the Government of India to encourage small savings in the country

2. One Rank One Pension - The allotment of Rs. 1,000 crore for implementing ‘One Rank, One Pension’ (OROP) scheme will bring justice to scores of armed forces personnel struggling with meagre pensions.

3. NAMAMI GANGE - sets up an integrated Ganga conservation mission

4. Digital India - a Pan India programme to be launched with an outlay of 500 crore rupees

5. E-Visa - New visa power, five tourist circuits

6. National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) — for conserving and preserving the heritage characters of these cities.

7. Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects— provided to States of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Laddakh

8. Ultra-Modern Super Critical Coal Based Thermal Power Technology Scheme

9. Jal Marg Vikas—Project on Ganges called Jal Marg Vikas to be developed between Allahabad and Haldia

10. Pashmina Promotion Programme(P-3) -- for the development of other crafts of Jammu & Kashmir\

11. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna-– to improve access to irrigation

12. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana-– for rural electricity.

13. Varishtha Pension Bima Yoja–- revived for 1 year from Aug 15, 2014.

Relaxation of Upper Age Limit from 34 to 40 years for recruitments through A.P. Public Service Commission and other Recruiting Agencies

CURRENT AFFAIRS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

లేటెస్ట్ కరెంట్ అఫైర్స్

1. ఇటీవల రాజీనామా చేసిన మహరాష్ట్ర గవర్నర్‌ ఎవరు? - కె. శంకర నారాయణన్‌

2. భారత రక్షణ పరిశోధన, అభివృద్ధి సంస్థ(డిఆర్‌డిఒ) ప్రస్తుత డైరెక్టర్‌ జనరల్‌ ఎవరు? - అవినాశ్‌ చందర్‌

3. యుపిఎ ప్రభుత్వ హయాంలో అమలైన నిర్మల్‌ భారత్‌ అభియాన్‌ స్థానంలో ప్రస్తుత ఎన్డీఎ ప్రభుత్వం ఏ పేరుతో కొత్త పథకాన్ని రూపొందించింది? - స్వచ్ఛ భారత్‌ అభియాన్‌

4. ఇథనాల్‌తో నడిచే పర్యావరణహిత బస్సును కేంద్ర రవాణ మంత్రి నితిన్‌ గడ్కరి ఎక్కడ ప్రారంభించారు? - నాగ్‌పూర్‌

5. ఇటీవల విశాఖలో 18 గంటల 18 నిమిషాల 18 సెకండ్లబాటు నిర్విరామంగా క్యారమ్స్‌ ఆడిన హైదరాబాద్‌ బాలిక ఎవరు? - షేక్‌ హుస్నా సమీర

6. కేంద్ర సాహిత్య అకాడమీ యువ పురస్కారాన్ని 2014కిగాను అనంతపురానికి చెందిన అప్పిరెడ్డి హరినాథరెడ్డికి ఇచ్చారు.  అయితే ఈ పురస్కారం ఏ విమర్శ సంకలనానికి లభించింది? - సీమ సాహితీస్వరం-శ్రీ సాధన పత్రిక

7. ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌ పరిపాలన ట్రిబ్యునల్‌ చైర్మన్‌గా నియమితులైనది ఎవరు? - జస్టిస్‌ గోవిందరాజులు

8. ఇటీవల బ్రిటన్‌ ట్రెజరీ మంత్రిగా నియమితురాలైన భారత సంతతి మహిళ ఎవరు? - ప్రీతి పటేల్‌

9. అమెరికా నౌకాదళ ఫోర్‌స్టార్‌ అడ్మిరల్‌గా 2014 జూలైలో నియమితురాలైన తొలి మహిళ ఎవరు? - మిషెల్‌ హోవర్డ్‌

10. ఇటీవల యునెస్కో ప్రపంచ వారసత్వ సంపద జాబితాలో స్థానం సంపాదించిన తొలి ప్రదేశం ఏది? - మలేషియాలోని ప్రాచీన ప్యూ పిటీస్‌

11. బోర్‌ వన్యప్రాణి సంరక్షణ కేంద్రం ఏ రాష్ట్రంలో ఉంది? - మహరాష్ట్ర

12. ఐక్యరాజ్య సమితి మానవ హక్కుల కొత్త హై కమిషనర్‌గా నవీ పిళ్ళై (దక్షిణాఫ్రికా)స్థానంలో నియమితులైన జోర్డాన్‌ యువరాజు ఎవరు? - జీద్‌ అల్‌ -హుస్సేన్‌

13. ఇటీవల జరిగిన భారత్‌ -బంగ్లా వన్డే సిరీస్‌లో మ్యాన్‌ ఆఫ్‌ ద సిరీస్‌గా ఎంపికైనది ఎవరు? - భారత బౌలర్‌ స్టువర్ట్‌ బిన్నీ

14. ప్రపంచ ఫుట్‌బాల్‌ కప్‌ను అధికంగా అయిదుసార్లు గెలుచుకొన్న దేశం ఏది? - బ్రెజిల్‌

15. కేంద్ర మాజీ మంత్రి, బిజెపి సీనియర్‌ నేత చెన్నమనేని విద్యాసాగర రావు(తెలంగాణ) ఏ రాషా్ట్రనికి గవర్నర్‌గా నియమితులయ్యారు? - మహరాష్ట్ర

16. ఉత్తరప్రదేశ్‌ మాజీ ముఖ్యమంత్రి కల్యాణ్‌సింగ్‌ ఏ రాషా్ట్రనికి నూతన గవర్నర్‌గా నియమితులయ్యారు? - రాజస్థాన్‌

17. గుజరాత్‌ రాష్ట్ర శాసనసభ స్పీకర్‌గా పనిచేసిన వాజూభాయ్‌ రూఢాభాయ్‌ వాలా, ఏ రాషా్ట్రనికి నూతన గవర్నర్‌గా నియమితులయ్యారు? - కర్ణాటక

18. గోవా నూతన గవర్నర్‌గా నియమితులైనది ఎవరు? - మృదుల సిన్హా

19. ఉద్యోగుల భవిష్య నిధి మొత్తాలపై 2014-15కిగాను ఎంత శాతం వడ్డీ చెల్లించాలని ఉద్యోగుల భవిష్యనిధి సంస్థ నిర్ణయించింది?- 8.75

20. ప్రస్తుత కేంద్ర కార్మిక శాఖ మంత్రి ఎవరు? - నరేంద్ర సింగ్‌ తోమార్‌

21. ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌ రాష్ట్ర దేవాదాయ శాఖ మంత్రి ఎవరు? - పి. మాణిక్యాల రావు

22. ప్రస్తుత పాకిస్థాన్‌ సైన్యాధిపతి ఎవరు? - జనరల్‌ రహీల్‌ షరీఫ్‌

23. తమిళనాడు ప్రభుత్వాసుపత్రుల్లో ప్రసవాలను ప్రోత్సహించేందుకుగాను ముఖ్యమంత్రి జయలలిత ఏ పథకాన్ని ప్రవేశ పెట్టారు? - అమ్మ బేబీకేర్‌ కిట్‌

24. పేద ప్రజలను బ్యాంకింగ్‌ సేవల రంగంతో అనుసంధానించడమే లక్ష్యంగా 2014 ఆగస్టు 15న ప్రధానమంత్రి నరేంద్రమోడీ ప్రకటించిన పథకం ఏది? - ప్రధానమంత్రి జన్‌ధన్‌ యోజన

25. తూర్పు ఆసియా విదేశాంగ మం త్రుల నాలుగో సదస్సు 2014 ఆగస్టు 10 న ఎక్కడ జరిగింది? - మయన్మార్‌ రాజధాని న్యేపిడా

26. ప్రపంచంలోని నిరుపేదల్లో మూడోవంతుమంది ఎక్కడ ఉన్నారని ఐక్యరాజ్యసమితి సహస్రాబ్ది అభివృద్ది లక్ష్యాల తాజా నివేదిక వెల్లడించింది? - భారతదేశం

27. తెలంగాణ రాష్ట్ర ఉన్నత విద్య మండలికి చైర్మన్‌గా నియమితులైనది ఎవరు? - టి. పాపిరెడ్డి

28. తెలంగాణ ప్రభుత్వ పాలన వ్యవహారాల నిబంధనల రూపకల్పనకుగాను ప్రభుత్వం ఏర్పాటు చేసిన ఉన్నత స్థాయి కమిటీకి చైర్మన్‌గా నియమితులైనది ఎవరు? - వి. నాగిరెడ్డి

29. శాసీ్త్రయ విధానాన్ని రైతులకు అందుబాటులోకి తెచ్చి తక్కువ పెట్టుబడితో ఎక్కువ ఆదాయం పొందడమే లక్ష్యంగా విశాఖ జిల్లా చోడవరంలో ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌ ముఖ్యమంత్రి నారా చంద్రబాబునాయుడు ప్రారంభించిన కార్యక్రమం ఏది? - పొలం పిలుస్తోంది

30. ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌ను అయిదేళ్లలో కరవు రహిత ప్రాంతంగా తీర్చిదిద్దేందుకుగాను ప్రభుత్వం  ఏ కార్యక్రమాన్ని ప్రారంభించనుంది? - నీరు-చెట్టు

31. భారత పౌరసత్వ చట్టాన్ని ఎప్పుడు ప్రవేశపెట్టారు?  - 1955

32. విటి కల్చర్‌ అనేది వ్యవసాయానికి సంబంధించి దేనిని సూచిస్తుంది? - ద్రాక్షపండ్ల ఉత్పత్తి

33. భారతదేశంలో స్పేస్‌ సిటీగా ఏ నగరాన్ని పరిగణిస్తారు? - బెంగళూరు

34. ప్రతి పార్లమెంటు సభ్యుడు తన నియోజక వర్గంలో కనీసం ఒక గ్రామాన్ని 2016లోపు ఆదర్శంగా రూపొందించేందుకు కృషి చేయాలంటూ కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం ప్రారంభించనున్న పథకం ఏది? - సంసద్‌ ఆదర్శ గ్రామ యోజన

35. టర్కీ నూతన అధ్యక్షుడిగా ఇటీవల ఎన్నికైనది ఎవరు? - రిసెప్‌ తయ్యిప్‌ ఎర్దోగన్‌

36. టర్కీ రాజధాని ఏది? - అంకారా

37. కామిక్‌ పుస్తకాల్లో పుట్టి, ఆ తరవాత వెండితెరకు వచ్చిన బ్యాట్‌మెన్‌  పాత్ర ఇటీవల ఎన్నేళ్లు పూర్తి చేసుకొంది? - 75 ఏళ్లు

38. భారత్‌కు మూడేళ్ళుగా ఏ దేశం అతిపెద్ద ఆయుధ సరఫరాదారుగా ఉందని కేంద్ర రక్షణ మంత్రి అరుణ్‌జైట్లీ 2014 ఆగస్టు 12న లోక్‌సభలో వెల్లడించారు? - అమెరికా

39. జార్ఖండ్‌లో రూ.22 వేల కోట్ల విలువైన ఇనుము, మాంగనీస్‌ ముడిఖనిజాన్ని అక్రమంగా తవ్వి పలు కంపెనీలు సొమ్ము చేసుకొన్నాయని ఇటీవల ఏ కమిషన్‌ తన నివేదికలో తెలిపింది? - జస్టిస్‌ ఎం.బి.షా

40. ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌ అభివృద్ధిని వేగవంతం చేసేందుకుగాను అవసరమైన వనరుల సమీకరణకు ప్రభుత్వం ఎవరి నేతృత్వంలో రిసోర్స్‌ మేనేజ్‌మెంట్‌ కమిటీని నియమించింది? - రాజ్యసభ సభ్యుడు వై. సుజనా చౌదరి

41. ఇటీవల ముంబైలో జరిగిన ఇండియా అఫైర్స్‌ ఆఫ్‌ బిజినెస్‌ అవార్డు-2014 కార్యక్రమంలో ఇండియాస్‌ మోస్ట్‌ అడ్మైర్‌ కార్డియాలజిస్ట్‌ అవార్డుకు ఎంపికైనది ఎవరు? - కేర్‌ ఆసుపత్రుల చైర్మన్‌ డా. బి. సోమరాజు

42. ప్రపంచ ప్రసిద్ధి పొందిన చాచా చౌదరి కార్టూన్‌ పాత్ర సృష్టి కర్త 2014 ఆగస్టు 5న హర్యానాలోని గుర్గావ్‌లో మరణించారు. అయితే ఆయన పేరు ఏమిటి? - ప్రాణ్‌కుమార్‌ శర్మ

43. అరవై ఏళ్లు అంతకంటే ఎక్కువ వయసున్న వృద్దులకు ఆర్థిక భద్రత కల్పించేందుకుగాను పింఛన్‌తో కూడిన బీమా పథకాన్ని కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం ప్రారంభించింది. ఈ పథకం పేరేమిటి? - విరిష్ఠ పింఛను బీమా యోజన

44. కోడెడ్‌ కాన్‌స్పిరసీ అనే నవలకు గాను అమెరికన్‌ లిటరరీ సొసైటీ పురస్కారానికి ఎంపికైనది ఎవరు? - నిఖిల్‌ చంద్వానీ

45. భారతదేశంలో ఇటీవల సార్వత్రిక ఎన్నికల్లో అత్యధికంగా ఖర్చు చేసిన రాజకీయ పార్టీగా అగ్రస్థానంలో నిలిచినది ఏది? - శిరోమణి అకాలీదళ్‌

46. బ్రెజిల్‌, దక్షిణాఫ్రికా, భారత్‌, చైనా దేశాల మంత్రుల స్థాయీ సమావేశం  2014 ఆగస్టు 7,8 తేదీల్లో ఎక్కడ జరిగింది? - న్యూఢిల్లీ

47. ఇటీవల అంతర్జాతీయ ఫుట్‌బాల్‌కు రిటైర్మెంట్‌ ప్రకటించిన జర్మనీ క్రీడాకారుడు ఎవరు? - మిరోస్లావ్‌ క్లోజ్‌

48. వ్యవసాయం, అనుబంధ రంగాల్లో చేసిన కృషికి గుర్తింపుగా 2014 ఆగస్టు 21న పాకిస్థాన్‌లోని ఫైసలాబాద్‌ వ్యవసాయ విశ్వవిద్యాలయం ఏ శాస్త్రవేత్తకు(భారత్‌)కు గౌరవ డాక్టరేట్‌ను ప్రదానం చేసింది? - ఎం.ఎస్‌ స్వామినాథన్‌

49. ప్రపంచంలో ఎత్తయిన శిఖరాల్లో ఒకటైన 6,125 మీటర్ల స్టాక్‌ కంగ్రిని అధిరోహించిన హైదరాబాద్‌ బాలిక(12 ఏళ్లు)ఎవరు? - జాహ్నవి

50. ఆఫ్ఘనిస్థాన్‌లో 95 వ స్వాతంత్ర దినోత్సవాన్ని ఎప్పుడు నిర్వహించారు? - 2014 ఆగస్టు 19

51. పార్లమెంటరీ ఒబిసి సంక్షేమ కమిటి చైర్మన్‌గా ఇటీవల బాధ్యతలు స్వీకరించింది ఎవరు?  - బండారు దత్తాత్రేయ

52. సేవలపై పన్నును సిఫార్సు చేసిన కమిటి ఏది? - రాజా చెల్లయ్య

53. 13వ ఆర్థిక సంఘ సిఫార్సు ప్రకారం కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వ పన్నుల రాబడిలో ఎంత శాతాన్ని గరిష్ఠంగా రాషా్ట్రలకు బదిలీ చేయాలి? - 39.5 శాతం

54. పబ్లిక్‌ ప్రావిడెంట్‌ ఫండ్‌, నెలసరి ఆదాయ ఖాతా, పోస్టాఫీస్‌ సేవింగ్స్‌ అకౌంట్‌ వంటి డిపాజిట్‌ స్కీమ్‌లపై పొదుపు పరిమితిని పెంచాలని సిఫార్సు చేసిన కమిటి ఏది? - గుప్తా కమిటి

55. దేశంలో మొదటి కాంగ్రేసేతర ప్రధానమంత్రి ఎవరు? - మొరార్జీ దేశాయ్‌

56. ప్రపంచ ఆరోగ్య సంస్థ ప్రధాన కార్యాలయం ఎక్కడ ఉంది? - స్విట్జర్లాండ్‌లోని జెనీవా

57. ప్రపంచ ఆరోగ్య సంస్థ ఎప్పుడు ఏర్పడింది? - 1948 ఏప్రిల్‌ 7

58. ప్రస్తుత ప్రపంచ ఆరోగ్య సంస్థ డైరెక్టర్‌ జనరల్‌ మార్గరెట్‌ చాన్‌ ఏ దేశానికి చెందినవారు? - చైనా

59. ప్రపంచ ఆరోగ్య సంస్థ డైరెక్టర్‌ జనరల్‌గా పనిచేసిన తొలి భారతీయ మహిళ ఎవరు? - రాజ్‌కుమారి  అమృత్‌కౌర్‌

60. ఇటీవల ఏ వైరస్‌ వ్యాప్తి కారణంగా పశ్చిమ ఆఫ్రికా దేశాల్లో ఆరోగ్య అత్యవసర పరిస్థితిని విధించారు? - ఎబోలా

61. భారతదేశంలో సమాచార హక్కు చట్టం ఎప్పుడు అమల్లోకి వచ్చింది? - 2005 అక్టోబరు 12

62. చెర్నోబిల్‌ అణు కర్మాగార ప్రమాదం ఎక్కడ సంభవించింది? - రష్యా

63. మణిపూర్‌లో సాయుధ దళాల ప్రత్యేక అధికార చట్టాన్ని రద్దు పరచడానికి ఉన్న అవకాశాలను పరిశీలించడానికి కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం ఏ కమిటీని నియమించింది? - జస్టిస్‌ బిపి. జీవన్‌రెడ్డి

CENSUS – 2011 ABSTRACT

1st Census Started India	-	1872; Present Census in India - 15th.
Total Population of India	-	1.21 Billions (World's Population -7Billions).
Population of India has increased by 181 Million during the decade 2001	-	2011 i.e. percentage of growth in 2001- 2011 is 17.64% = 181 Millions.
Sex Ratio	-	940:1000 (Female: Male); AP - 992:1000.
Highest Sex Ratio	-	Kerala (1084 : 1000)
Least Sex Ratio	-	Daman&Dayyu (618:1000).
Literacy Rate.	-	74.04% (Male - 82.14%; Female - 65.46%).
Highest Literacy State	-	Kerala (93.91%).
Lowest Literacy State	-	Bihar (63.82%).
Highest Literacy District	-	Serchip, Mijoram (98.76%)
Lowest Literacy District	-	Alirajpur", MP (37.22%).
Density of India	-	382 per Sq KM (2001 324).
Highest Density State	-	Bihar (1102 per Sq KM).
Lowest Density State	-	Arunachal Pradesh (17 per Sq KM).
Highest Density U.T.	-	Mew Delhi (11,297 per Sq KM).
Lowest Density U.T.	-	Andaman& Nicobar (46 per Sq KM).
Highest Density District	-	North East Delhi (37,346 per Sq KM).
Lowest Density District	-	Dibang, Arunachal Pradesh (1 per Sq KM).
The most Populous States	-	1. Uttar Pradesh, 2. Maharashtra, 3. Bihar, 4. West Bengal, 5. Andhra Pradesh.
The least Populous State	-	Sikkim.
Highest Populous District	-	Thane (Mumbai).
Lowest Populous District	-	Dibang (Arunachal Pradesh).
100% Literacy District in India	-	Palakkad (Kerala).
100% Banking District in India	-	Palakkad (Kerala).
100% Banking State in India	-	Kerala.
2011 Census Motto	-	OUR CENSUS OUR FUTURE.
Highest Urban population	-	Maharashtra
No of villages covered in 2011 Census	-	6,40,867
Rural population in India comprises	-	68.84% of the total population
940:1000 (Female: Male); AP	-	992:1000. Kerala (1084:1000).
India's Populations is equal to the combined Population of US, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan.
Present Register General and Census Commissioner

6th Economic Census Report

As per the the 6th Economic Census Report 2013, Arunachal Pradesh has the maximum percentage of hired workers amongst all states, including in segments like education and health.

• Percentage of female hired workers in Arunachal Pradesh: 30.3%
• Growth rate in the number of establishments over the 5th Economic Census is 34.09% and that of total employment is 17.73%
• Growth rate of total number of persons employed over 5th Economic Census 2005 has been recorded at all India level at 34.73% but at Arunachal Pradesh level it is 17.73%,.
• Total number of establishments in the Arunachal Pradesh is 36,602 with the 19,288 of them in rural and 17,314 in urban areas. The number of establishments in urban areas has increased at 83.22%, which is more than 3 times the population growth. This development is owing to the fact that in between the 5th and 6th Economic Census 10 districts or SDO headquarters having concentration of establishment has been notified as urban areas.
• But in rural areas, the increase of 8.08% is found to be 3 times less than the population growth.
• The average number of workers per establishments was found to be higher than the national average in spite of the having the lowest population density and scarce workers.

The 6th Economic census was organized by the Department of Economics and Statistics in association with the district administration in 2013. The activities covered in the 6th Economic Census have a share of about 86% in total GDP of the country.

Govt sets up panel to review environment laws

The Government has constituted a high-level committee to review various environment laws in order to bring them in line with current requirements.

The committee has been set up in the backdrop of government taking serious measures to fasten the environment clearance process for achieving economic growth without compromising green issues.  CABINET SECRETARY T S R SUBRAMANIAN TO HEAD THE PANEL  The four-member panel, headed by former Cabinet Secretary T S R Subramanian, has been asked to review five key green laws concerning protection and conservation of environment, forest, wildlife, water and air among others.  The Environment Ministry has asked the panel to submit its report in two months.  "Based on experience gained in the implementation of aforesaid Acts, it has been decided to constitute a high-level committee to review these Acts and suggest appropriate amendments to bring them in line with their objectives," said a Ministry order.  PANEL TO REVIEW GREEN LAWS ENACTED BETWEEN 1971 & 1986 The panel will review the important green laws enacted between 1971 and 1986.  These laws include Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.  According to the Terms of Reference, the committee will assess the status of implementation of each of the Acts vis-a-vis the objectives.  It will also examine and take into account various court orders and judicial pronouncements relating to these Acts.  "The panel has been asked to recommend specific amendments needed so as to bring them in line with current requirements. It has also been asked to draft proposed amendments in each of the aforesaid Acts to give effect to the proposed recommendations," the order said.  The members of the committee include former Environment Ministry secretary Viswanath Anand, Justice (Retd) A K Srivastav and senior advocate of Supreme Court K N Bhat.

India has second-highest number of child marriages: UN

India had the highest number of unregistered children under age five between 2000 and 2012 and the second-highest number of child marriages, according to a UN report which said the country still needs to improve immunisation coverage and stop gender-based sex selection.

The report 'Improving Childrens Lives, Transforming the Future 25 years of child rights in South Asia' by the United Nations' children agency UNICEF analyzes the progress made over the last quarter century on key issues that directly affect the lives of children in the region.  At 71 million, India had the largest number of children under the age of five whose births were not registered between 2000-2012.  The report said that birth registration levels in South Asia have increased since 2000, but progress has been slow.  India, along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives, has been recording"significant improvements" in birth registration but about 100 million children in the region are still not registered at birth.  India has the greatest disparity between the poorest and richest households, with children in the poorest households being three times less likely to be registered than those in the richest.  Religion also appears to play a role as Muslims have the lowest level of birth registration in India (39 per cent) followed by Hindus (40 per cent) while the Jains have the highest (87 per cent). The highest rate of child marriage is in Bangladesh (where two out of every three girls marry before age 18), followed by India, Nepal and Afghanistan. Almost half of all girls in South Asia marry before the age of 18.  One in five girls are married before the age of 15. These are the highest rates in the world.  "These figures confirm that child marriage is rooted in gender norms and in expectations about the value and roles of girls," the report added. In India, 43 per cent of women aged 20-24 were first married by the age of 18 between 2005-2013.  Girls with no education are 5.5 times more likely to marry or enter into union as those with at least 10 years of education.  On gender-biased sex selection, the report said the practice is more prevalent in the west and northwest part of the country.  The child sex ratio, which is the number of girls per 1,000 boys, among children aged 0-4 in India was 924. On immunisation coverage, it said some countries in South Asia, particularly Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, have made significant improvements since 1990 but coverage is still far too low in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

Oxford Award for Chancellor of MS University

Dr Mrunalinidevi Puar, Chancellor of Maharaja Sayajirao University at Vadodara, has been conferred with the "Best Manager" award by the Oxford Summit of Leaders (Science and Education) in UK, according to University Registrar Amit Dholakia.

Dr Mrunalinidevi Puar is known for her research in availability of zinc in Indian food and was also awarded PhD by a Hyderabad based university, he said.  In a letter, Irina Bright, event manager EBA said, "Socrates Committee of Europe Business Assembly (EBA Oxford, UK) has selected you (Puar) for this award based on the criteria that includes the university in the field of quality educational services rendering, implementation of up-to-date technologies and social focus."  Dr Puar will get this award at the summit of leaders and International Socrates Award ceremony to be held in Oxford UK on October 14. Participants from 50 countries will attend it.  The MS University was eastblished as Baroda College in 1881 and it was converted into a university in 1949 after merger of erstwhile princely state of Baroda.  Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, father of the Indian constitution and Maharshi Aurbindo Ghosh were known personalities associated with this college.  Union Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani has assured the Gujarat government to convert it into a central university as this university has signed number of MoUs with its counterparts in UK, USA, Canada and France.

China to be focus at IFFI 2014

China will be the focus country for the 45th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2014,scheduled to be held in Goa between November 20 and 30.

Developed nations back India’s stand at WTO

India said on 12th September it has won the support of major developed countries, including the U.K. and Germany, as also the European Commission, for its stand at theWorld Trade Organisation (WTO)demanding that the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) be kept pending unless its apprehensions on the issue of food security are addressed.

Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram presented India’s perspective at the Eleventh Meeting of the Finance Ministers’ of Asia Europe (ASEM) in the Italian city of Milan on 11th September. Following protracted negotiations, the ASEM agreed to not only drop a reference to non-implementation of the TFA but also include the need for implementation of all of the WTO’s Bali Ministerial decisions in its draft communiqué 

He also garnered the support of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Russia for India’s standpoint. India is not opposed to the TFA as it increases the ease of doing business but wants its adoption postponed till there is “satisfactory” progress on finding a permanent protection for its minimum support prices to farmers against the WTO’s agriculture subsidy caps that are benchmarked to food prices of the 1980s. At the WTO’s General Council meeting in Geneva on July 31, India stalled the ratification of the TFA owing to these concerns.

India got a reference to BRICS and disappointment with poor progress on the IMF quota reforms also included in the ASEM communiqué. The communiqué talks about enhanced cooperation between countries of Asia and Europe to create sustainable and profitable growth.

The reasons for India’s opposing to WTO’s agreement

• According to the WTO rule, public stockholdings must not exceed 10% of the value of food grains produced and calculated at the base price of 1986-88. India says that one cannot calculate current food subsidy limits by 1986-88 prices.
• For most of the developing countries including India, public stockholding for food security is a livelihood issue, a matter which should not be even debated at WTO.
• Developed countries lose nothing if they allow higher public stockholding by developing countries after putting in place a mechanism with reasonable limits to ensure developing countries do not dump their excess cereals at rock bottom prices in the international market.
• Food security is the foundation upon which the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger stand. Forcing developing countries and Least Developed Countries to agree to anything which may compromise their right to food security will not only compromise basic human dignity but also go against the UN declaration to which all countries are a signatory.
• The government support to farmers in developed countries are way ahead of what developing countries can even afford to provide. For example, while India provides about $12 billion farm subsidy to its 500 million farmers, the US provides around $120 billion to its 2 million farmers. The figures could be contested, but not the trends.
• There is wide realisation in India at the state and central government level about the rising burden of subsidies and there is a serious move to make it more targeted through the use of technology as in the case of the Direct Benefits Transfer programme. To expect it to happen at the pace developed countries wish means one does not understand the complexities of a country like India.

SBI celebrated 150 years of its operations in Sri Lanka

State Bank of India (SBI) on 13 September 2014 celebrated 150 years of its operations in Sri Lanka. 
SBI Managing Director Krishna Kumar reaffirmed the bank's commitment to partner in Sri Lanka’s efforts in developing its economy. 
India has committed large resources for the progress of Sri Lanka. Indian assistance to Sri Lanka is in tune of 1.6 billion US dollars and one fourth of this is in form of direct grant assistance while the rest is soft long-term loans for development projects.

About State Bank of India, Colombo
State Bank of India, Colombo is operational since 1864. It was earlier a branch of Bank of Hindustan, which was taken over by Bank of Madras in 1867. In 1921, Bank of Madras was merged with the Imperial Bank of India. Subsequently in 1955, Imperial Bank of India became State Bank of India.

The branch was mainly opened to handle the business of export of coffee and the Government business. The branch is the oldest bank in the country.  
The branch is located in a heritage building in the Fort area of Colombo, which is the financial hub of Sri Lanka. 
The branch is fully equipped with modern technology and with modern communication facilities such as SWIFT etc. All the Branches are networked with each other. 
It's catering mainly to the Corporate and Retail clients and the product range from all types of deposit accounts, financing working capital, term loans, vehicle loans, housing loans and trade finance.

WHO honoured Bangladesh and Timor-Leste for Excellence in Public Health

The World Health Organisation (WHO) honoured Bangladesh and Timor-Leste with South East Asia Regional Award for Excellence in Public Health. The newly instituted awards were presented to Saima Hossain of Bangladesh and National Malaria Control Programme of Timor-Leste in Dhaka on 10 September 2014.

Saima Hossain was conferred the Award in the individual category for leadership in advancing the cause of Autism in South East Asia and worldwide. She is a chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Neuro development and Autism in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of Bangladesh.

The National Malaria Control Programme of Timor-Leste was conferred the Award in the region category for its aggressive anti-malaria effort which has drastically reduced malaria cases in Timor-Leste.

Solar power technology Electrodialysis unveiled in India to desalinate water

A new solar power technology Electrodialysis unveiled in India in second week of September 2014 that can turn undrinkable salty water into clean and filtered drinking water. 
The technology was unveiled by the researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The same technology can also be used for disaster relief and for military use in remote locations.

About Electrodialysis
•    Electrodialysis works by passing a stream of water between two electrodes with opposite charges.
•    The electrodes pull the ions out of the water as the salt dissolved in water consists of positive and negative ions. It leaves fresher water at the center of the flow. 
•    A series of membranes separate the freshwater stream from salty ones.
•    Unlike reverse-osmosis technology, the use of membranes in Electrodialysis is exposed to lower pressures and can be cleared of salt by simply reversing the electrical polarity.

Reasons behind the need for desalinating drinking water 
•    Approximately 60 percent of India contains salty water. Much of that area is not served by an electric grid that could help run conventional reverse-osmosis desalination plants.
•    Though moderately salty water is not directly toxic, but it can have long-term effects on health. Its unpleasant taste can make people turn to other dirtier water sources.
•    Many homes in India currently use home-based filtration systems to treat water. But, the village-scale system will be more effective as it will become easy for people to access filtered water.
•    By blending village-scale Electrodialysis systems with a simple set of solar panels, enough water can be supplied to meet the needs of a village comprising 2000 to 5000 people.

Report titled Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion 2014 released by UNEP and WMO

A report titled Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion 2014 was released on 10 September 2014. The report has been prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The report revealed that the ozone layer is well on track to recovery in the next few decades.

Highlights of the Report
• Actions taken under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1986 are enabling the return of the ozone layer to benchmark 1980 levels.
• The Montreal Protocol and associated agreements have led to decreases in the atmospheric abundance of gases, such as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and halons, once used in products such as refrigerators, spray cans, insulation foam and fire suppression.
• Total column ozone declined over most of the globe during the 1980s and early 1990s. Since 2000, it has remained relatively unchanged, but there are recent indications of its future recovery.
• The Antarctic ozone hole continues to occur each spring and it is expected to continue occurring for the better part of this century given that ozone depleting substances persist in the atmosphere, even though their emissions have ceased.
• The Arctic stratosphere in winter or spring 2011 was particularly cold that led to large ozone depletion as expected under these conditions.
• The Montreal Protocol has made large contributions toward reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. 
• In 1987, ozone-depleting substances contributed about 10 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year. The Montreal Protocol has now reduced these emissions by more than 90 percent. 
• The decrease in ozone-depleting substances is about five times larger than the annual emissions reduction target for the first commitment period (2008-2012) of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) currently contribute about 0.5 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year. These emissions are growing at a rate of about 7 percent per year. Though HFCS do not harm the ozone layer but many of them are potent greenhouse gases.
• The annual Antarctic ozone hole has caused significant changes in Southern Hemisphere surface climate in the summer due to cooling of the lower stratosphere there is associated impacts on surface temperature, precipitation, and the oceans.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, where the ozone depletion is smaller, there is no strong link between stratospheric ozone depletion and tropospheric climate.
• The concentrations of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide are the three main long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which will tend to increase global ozone levels.

Narendra Ambwani elected as chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)

Narendra Ambwani on 12 September 2014 elected as Chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). 
He succeeded Partha Rakshit. Narendra Ambwani is the Director of Agro Tech Foods Ltd. 
He has been a member of the board of governors for seven years and provided active support to self-regulation in the advertising market. 
Moreover, Benoy Roy Chawdhuri was elected as Vice-Chairman and Shashidhar Sinha was appointed Honorary Treasurer. 

About Advertising Standards Council of India 

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) was established in 1985. ASCI has been committed to the cause of Self-Regulation in Advertising, ensuring the protection of the interests of consumers. 
ASCI was formed with the support of all four sectors connected with Advertising -- Advertisers, Advertising Agencies, Media (including Broadcasters and the Press) and others like PR Agencies and Market Research Companies.The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) is the agency of ASCI.

Achievements of ASCI

In a noteworthy achievement, ASCI issued guidelines on skin lightening & fairness products which ensured that these advertisements do not depict people with dark skin as somehow inferior to those who are fairer. 
Also recently, the Government took notice of ASCI’s efforts to curb teleshopping ads that violate ASCI Code and ensured a strict compliance of the advertising code in the Cable Television Networks Act (CTN).

U.C. Nahta has appointed member of Competition Commission of India (CCI)

The government has appointed U.C. Nahta as member of Competition Commission of India (CCI) for five years. He was a Director in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' (PMJDY) Related practice Questions

1. 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' (PMJDY) launched by Prime Minister of India on 28 August 2014. The theme of the scheme is ....
1) Bringing more people under financial inclusion
2) Providing cash subsidy to farmers
3) Creating awareness about the value of money encouraging people to buy gold
4) Providing cash to people to participate in Mutual Funds market
5) None of above

2. What is the tag line of 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana'?
1) Hamara Khatha Hamara Swabhiman
2) Khatha Kholo, Paisa Bachao
3) Mera Khatha Bhagya Vidhata
4) Hamara Khatha Bhagya Vidhata
5) Sab ka Khata Sab ka Vikas

3. 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' (PMJDY) is the dream project of the central Government provides ......
1) At least one bank account to every house hold
2) Bank account with locker facility to keep the valuables of people
3) One bank account to every house hold and ask the bank to enroll the minor names to open the account in future
4) None of above
5) All of above

4. How many crore people cover under Jan Dhan Yojana by January 26, 2015?
1) 1.5 crore
2) 4.5 crore
3) 7.5 crore
4) 90 lakh
5) 10.50 crore

5. How many no frill accounts opened under PMJDY on the day of launch?
1) 2.5 crore
2) 4.5 crore
3) 1.5 crore
4) 3.5 crore
5) None

6. Under PMJDY, every account holder will get a .......
1) RuPay debit card
2) Visa International debit card
3) Master Card debit card
4) EVM debit card
5) All of above

7. Issuing of KCC as RuPay Kisan Card also proposed under PMJDY. KCC stands for ......
1) Kisan Core Card
2) Kisan Call Card
3) Kisan Combo Card
4) Kisan Credit Card
5) None

8. The account holder under Jan Dhan Yojana, get how much life insurance cover, if the account open before 26 January, 2015?
1) Rs.5,000
2) Rs.10,000
3) Rs.80,000
4) Rs.70,000
5) Rs.30,000

9. After six months of satisfactory operations, the account holder would be eligible ...... overdraft facility under PMJDY.
1) Rs.5,000
2) Rs.15,000
3) Rs.25,000
4) Rs.35,000
5) None

10. While speaking on the occasion of launching of Jan Dhan Yojana, PM said .......
1) To eradicate poverty we have to get rid of financial untouchability.
2) Financial stability break the vicious cycle of poverty.
3) Once bank accounts open, the people connected with the economic system.
4) None of the above
5) All of above

11. Account given under Jan Dhan Yojana, also cover accidental insurance of up to ........
1) Rs.1 lakh
2) Rs.2 lakhs
3) Rs.5 lakhs
4) Rs.3 lakhs
5) None

12. In order to make the programme PMJDY successful, at least 50000 Business Correspondents, more than 7000 branches and more than how many new ATMs will be established?
1) 10000
2) 200000
3) 45000
4) 20000
5) 75000

13. The earlier schemes of financial inclusion focussed on villages. The present PMJDY focus on .......
1) Employees
2) House wives
3) Rural youth
4) Urban slum dwellers
5) House holds

14. Under Phase I under PMJDY Universal access to banking, cover all house holds with at least one Basic Banking Account with RuPay debit card, providing insurance cover, linking DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) Scheme provided. Phase I runs between .......
1) 15 August, 2014 to 14 August, 2015
2) 15 August, 2014 to 31 March, 2015
3) 15 August, 2014 to 31 August, 2015
4) 1 August, 2014 to 1 August, 2015
5) None

15. The Phase II of PMJDY (15th August, 2015 to 14th August, 2018) covers .......
1) Providing micro-insurance.
2) Unorganised sector Pension schemes like Swavalambana through the Business Correspondents.
3) All basic savings accounts opened will be shifted to PMJDY accounts.
4) Facility to buy immovable property through PMJDY accounts.
5) 1 & 2 only


ANSWERS:
1-1, 2-3, 3-1, 4-3, 5-3, 6-1, 7-4, 8-5, 9-1, 10-5
11-1,  12-4, 13-5, 14-1, 15-5, 

CURRENT AFFAIRS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana

Unit 5 of RAPS became second longest running nuclear reactor of World

Unit 5 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station on 6 September 2014 became the second longest running reactor in the world.
The Unit 5 of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) is a 220 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). The power station is in uninterrupted operation from 2 August 2012 and it has been operating at full power with a capacity factor of 105 per cent. 
The unit 5 has been in operation for 765 days continuously. It has since then generated around 4258 million units of electricity.

World’s first
Unit 7 of Canada's Pickering nuclear plant holds the world record of running the largest operating plant that ran continuously for 894 days. There are only 10 reactors in the world that have crossed 500 days of uninterrupted operation. 

About the plant
The plant was commissioned in February 2010. It has been running at the capacity of 98.5 per cent and until now generated 8663 million units of electricity.
RAPS Unit 1 was commissioned in August 1965 with a gross capacity of 100 MW.
RAPS have 6 units of which five are in operation. 
Work on units 7 and 8 are expected to be in operation by 2017-2018.