CONTENTS

Honours & Awards - 2 News Makers - 4 Appointments - 6 Places in News - 7 Science Snippets - 8 Defence - 9 Space Science - 10 Deaths - 11 Economic Scenario - 12 Corporate Briefs - 13 Environment - 14 Sports - 15 Summits - 17 Committees - 19 NationalRound-Up - 20 International Round-Up - 23 Knowledge Capsules - 25 Banking Awareness - 26 (For Bank PO & Clerks Exams) Current MCQ Capsules - 28

Disclaimer : All Readers of this book undertake responsibility for the relevance and accuracy of its content. The Publisher cannot Guarantee the accuracy and Reliability of Content Current News & Events 2 Latest Current Affairs Khan. The other members include Honours & Awards Rajkumar Sangwan (boxing), Gujarat's GIFT bags World Dhanraj Pillai (hockey), Shiny Finance award Dronacharya Award 2012 Wilson (athletics), Morad Ali Khan The names of six sporting (shooting), Karnam Malleswari Gujarat International coaches were recommended for (weightlifting), Bahadur Singh Finance Tec City (GIFT), the the Dronacharya Awards for the (athletics), Bhupender Dhawan upcoming liberalised financial year 2012. Wrestling coach Yashvir (powerlifting,G S Sandhu (boxing), service centre in the state, was Singh, Boxing Coach BI Fernandez, Ramphan Mann(wrestling,Prem recently adjudged 'Best Industrial Athletics Coach Virender Poonia, Chand Degra (body building). Development & Expansion' project by London-based magazine World Kabaddi Coach Sunil Davas, About Dronacharya Award Parathletics Coach Dr. Satyapaul Finance. and Hockey Coach Harinder Singh The Dronacharya Award The project was judged on are the six coaches who have been was instituted by the government the basis of its infrastructure, selected for the coveted award, of India in 1985. The award has scope, size and complexity as well given to the coach of different been given to 72 people until 2011. as in terms of its potential for sports, for their excellent The award carries five lakh rupees enabling economic growth in the region through the relocation and contribution to the sports. and a citation and is conferred to centralization of India's financial Boxing Coach BI Fernandez, coaches of different sports for their and IT sectors, said a GIFT who is a Cuban national, became noteworthy contribution. The the first foreign coach to be statement. awards will be presented by GIFT outclassed projects recommended for the Dronacharya President Pranab Mukherjee at Award. Fernandez has been like Moscow International Finance Rashtrapati Bhawan on 29 August instrumental in India’s impressive Centre in Russia and Songdo in 2012, the National Sports Day. performances in Boxing in the South Korea. international tournaments. The Dronacharya Awards Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2012 committee was headed by former Indian hockey captain Aslam Sher The Government has announced the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Awards for the year 2012. A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by Selection Committee consisting of eminent sports persons and sports administrators; headed by Col Rajya Vardhan Singh Rathore. Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has approved to confer awards upon the following sportspersons. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award - 2012: 1. Shri Vijay Kumar (Shooting) 2. Shri Yogeshwar Dutt (Wrestling) Current News & Events 3

Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award Chennai scientist bags UNESCO Award Pakistan government on 14 Chennai based Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientist has August 2012 honoured Urdu been selected for the UNESCO'S Man and the Biosphere Programme author, Gopi Chand Narang with (MAB) awards. V M Sathish Kumar, works with the Southern Regional sitara-i-Imtiaz, the third highest Center of ZSI in Chennai, was selected as one among the 12 civilian honour given by the nation. international scientists for their projects on ecosystems, natural In the past, former Prime Minister resources and biodiversity. Morarji Desai and matinee idol Dilip Kumar has been selected for his research on developing Kumar were bestowed Pakistan's strategies and a regulatory framework for the sustainable fishing of highest civilian honour, Nishan-i- sea cucumbers in the Gulf of Manner biosphere reserve. He is the only scientist selected from India for the awards announced under Imtiaz. The award will be given to 'Laureates of Young Scientists and Michel Batisse Awards' category. Gopi Chand Narang in Pakistan on The award was announced by the International Coordinating 23 March, 2013, Pakistan's Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO (MAB) Republic Day. in Paris. Since 1989, the Man and the Biosphere Programme has Gopi Chand Narang was been awarding yearly scholarships of up to US$5,000 to ten young born on 11 February, 1931, in Dukki, researchers, to encourage them to work on ecosystems, natural Pakistan. He is an Indian scholar resources and biodiversity. Since 2010, two special fellowships are of Urdu language and literature, an also being awarded under the programme. eminent Urdu writer, scholar, critic and linguist. He is author of many Chen Shu-Chu, Taiwan: Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto, books in Urdu, Hindi and English. She is being recognized for Indonesia: Nisan-i-Imtiaz Award “the pure altruism of her personal He is being recognized for giving, which reflects a deep, “his sustained advocacy for Acclaimed Pakistani writer consistent, quiet compassion, and community-based natural Saadat Hasan Manto on 14 August has transformed the lives of the resource management in 2012 was honoured with the Nisan- numerous Taiwanese she has Indonesia, leading bold i-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian helped.” campaigns to stop illegal forest award. Manto is best known for his Romulo Davide, Philippines: exploitation, as well as fresh social Urdu short stories, especially those He is being recognized for enterprise initiatives that engage that explored the impact of the “his steadfast passion in placing the forest communities as their full partition of the subcontinent into the power and discipline of science partners.” India and Pakistan in 1947. Toba in the hands of farmers in the This year’s Magsaysay Award winners will each receive a Tek Singh, Bu (Odour), Khol Do Philippines, who have certificate, a medallion bearing the (Open It) and Thanda Gosht (Cold consequently multiplied their yields, created productive farming likeness of the late President, and Meat) were written by him. communities, and rediscovered a cash prize. PIFA Award the dignity of their labour.” Established in 1957, the Syeda Rizwana Hasan,Bangladesh: Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s Indian American Rajan highest honour and is widely She is being recognized for Gangahar has won the "best story" regarded as the region’s equivalent “her uncompromising courage and award for the movie "Khushiyaan" of the Nobel Prize. It celebrates the impassioned leadership in a at the Punjabi International Film memory and leadership example campaign of judicial activism in Academy Award (PIFAA) held in of the third Philippine President. Toronto. Bangladesh that affirms the people's right to a good Magsaysay Awards, 2012 environment as nothing less than their right to dignity and life.” Kulandei Francis, India: Yang Saing Koma, Cambodia: He is being recognized for He is being recognized for “his visionary zeal, his profound faith “his creative fusion of practical in community energies, and his science and collective will that has sustained programs in pursuing inspired and enabled vast the holistic economic numbers of farmers in Cambodia empowerment of thousands of to become more empowered and women and their families in rural productive contributors to their India.” country's economic growth.” Current News & Events 4 News Makers Miss China bags the title of Miss World 2012 Miss China, Wenxia Yu won the title of Miss World 2012 while Miss Wales Sophie Elizabeth Moulds and Miss Australia Jessica Michelle Kahawaty came second and third respectively. Miss China had to compete with 116 candidates to win the crown. Miss India Vanya Mishra made it to the list of top 7 finalists, but could not go beyond that. While the charm of the pageant, first held in 1951, has waned in the West, it continues to be an object of interest in Asian countries. Sweden's Kiki Hakans son was the first Miss World, while Oscar-winning US actress Halle Berry was a finalist in 1986. Venezuela has produced the most Miss Worlds, with six winners, while India and Britain Forbes World's Most most powerful women list. The other four Indian women in the list claim five titles each. Powerful Women 2012 are Indira Nooyi (12), Padmashree Rita Faria was the first Indian Warrior (58), Chanda Kochar (59) to bag the title in 1966, followed by Sonia Gandhi ranked number six in the Forbes and Kiran Mazzomdar Shaw (80). Aishwarya Rai(1994), Diana Gandhi was figured on 7th position Hayden(1997), Yukta Mookhey magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most powerful women. Sonia in the list of powerful women in (1999) and Priyanka Chopra(2000). Gandhi, the chairperson of the 2011. China has already hosted ruling United Progressive Alliance German Chancellor Angella the competition five times. and the Congress party is among Markel topped the list for a second the five Indian women who have successive year. She was followed been named in the world’s 100 by US Secretary of State Hillary

Delhi Government presented Lifetime Achievement Awards Celebrated Sarod exponent Amjad Ali Khan, vocalist Girija Devi and famous writer Ruskin Bond were conferred the Delhi government's Lifetime Achievement Awards on 24 August 2012. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit presented the award acknowledging the outstanding contribution of the awardees to their respective fields at the national and international level. The award was consisted of a cash prize of 11 lakh rupees and a citation. The award was instituted by the Delhi government's Sahitya Kala Parishad in 2004 to felicitate on eminent personalities for their outstanding contributions to the fields of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, sports and literature. Bhimsen Joshi, MS Subbulakshmi, Zohra Sehgal, Kapila Vatsayan, Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar, Ebrahim Alkazi, , Habib Tanvir, Vishwanathan Anand and Ram Kumar are some of the noted recipients of the award. Current News & Events 5

Clinton and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who have been V.V. Giri Memorial Award 2011 to Prof. Utsa Patnaik ranked number two and three respectively for second year in a The V.V. Giri Memorial Award 2011, instituted by the V.V. Giri row. Melinda Gates, co-chair of the National Labour Institute, an autonomous body of the Ministry of Labour Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Employment, Government of India, was conferred by Mallikarjun and wife of Microsoft Corp co- Kharge, Hon’ble Union Labour and Employment Minister, on Prof. Utsa founder Bill Gates, and Jill Patnaik, a Professor in the Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi in Abramson, executive editor of the recognition of her outstanding contributions to labour studies. Prof. New York Times was ranked fourth Patnaik, in her academic and policy oriented research studies, has and fifth respectively. strongly argued for the promotion of labour-intensive small-scale Michelle Obama, wife of the production, which ensures sustainable agrarian development. Besides US President Barak Obama and stressing the necessity of enhancing public investment in rural IMF director Christine Lagarde development, Prof. Utsa Patnaik has also emphasized the need to ranked seventh and eighth provide poor households with greater access to land and other respectively in the list. The productive assets. magazine’s list included women who have been working in the kara Lok Sabha constituencies. Democratic Alliance candidate Since 2005 he is a member of the areas such as policymaking, Jaswant Singh with a comfortable Rajya Sabha. business, entertainment, techno margin. Ansari had polled 490 first The Deputy Chairman is logy and nonprofit organizations. preference votes out of 728 valid elected in the meeting of the Rajya votes cast in the election held on Top 10 Powerful Women: Sabha as decided by Chairman of August. Jaswant Singh polled 238 1. Angela Merkel, Chancellor, the Rajya Sabha from amongst the votes. Germany members of the Rajya Sabha. He Karl Mehta was selected to 2. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of is supposed to resign from his State, United States original party because as a Deputy Work on Five High-Impact 3. Dilma Rousseff, President, Speaker, he has to remain Projects Brazil impartial. Deputy Chaiman of Rajya Indian-American entre 4. Melinda Gates, Co-Chair, Bill Sabha acts as the Presiding Officer preneur Karl Mehta was selected & Melinda Gates Foundation in case of leave or absence of the among the 18 Presidential 5. Jill Abramson, Executive Editor, Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Vice- Innovation Fellows who would work New York Times Co. President of India. on five high-impact projects in the 6. Sonia Gandhi, President, Hamid Ansari sworn in as US capital Washington DC. Indian National Congress, Selected from an applicant pool of India 14th vice-president of nearly 700 innovators from across 7. Michelle Obama, First Lady, India the country, the Fellows would United States spend six months in Washington 8. Christine Lagarde, Managing Hamid Ansari was sworn-in DC to work on five high-impact Director, International as the Vice President of the country projects aimed at supporting Monetary Fund for the second consecutive term by entrepreneurs, small businesses 9. Janet Napolitano, Secretary, President Pranab Mukherjee on and the economy, while Department of Homeland August 11. Ansari, 75, was adminis significantly improving how the Security, United States tered the oath by the President at a Federal Government serves the 10. Sheryl Sandberg, COO, grand ceremony at Rashtrapati American people. Facebook Bhawan. He had defeated National Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi Kurien elected the Deputy Quit as Iraq communica- Chairman of Rajya Sabha tion Minister Congress leader PJ Kurien Iraqi Communications was unanimously elected the minister Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. quit his post in 27 Aug accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Prime Minister Nuri – Maliki of moved the motion for the election “Political Interference” in his of Kurien. Kurien has been the ministry. Allawi’s resignation is the member of national parliament for first by a cabinet member since the last three decades Iraq’s national unity government representing Idukki, and Mavelik was formed in December 2010. Current News & Events 6 Omita is 63 years old. She replaced Gill, in a banking career spanning Appointments Christy L Fernandez. nearly 26 years, worked on various Omita Paul was appointed banking projects including capital New Chief Economic as the information commissioner market, corporate and treasury. H Advisor in the Finance in the central Information e joined the Deutsche bank in 1991 Commission in the year 2009 for at the private wealth management Ministry the short duration of time at the end and moved to the corporate Raghuram Rajan, former of the UPA-I government’s tenure. banking division in 1993. chief economist of International In addition, she had resigned to Southern Naval Command Monetary Fund (IMF) was join as the Advisor in Finance appointed the Chief Economic Ministry from 2004 to 2009. Omita gets new Chief of Staff Advisor in the Finance Ministry. The is a retired officer from Indian Rear Admiral G. Ashok Appointments Committee of Information Service (IIS) from 1973 Kumar has taken over as the Chief Cabinet cleared the appointment batch. Omita Paul is the wife of KK of Staff of the Southern Naval of Rajan as the new CEA on 10 Paul. KK Paul was the former Delhi Command, Kochi. Before this, he Police Commissioner. He is August 2012. The position was was the Flag Officer, Sea Training, working as the member of the lying vacant since Kaushik Basu Kochi, with responsibilities for demitted the office on 31 July 2012. Union Public Service Commission. preparing all major warships for Ravneet Gill appointed New combat readiness. A specialist in CEO of Deutsche Bank India navigation and direction, he commanded INS Kulish and INS Deutsche Bank, the largest Ranvir. He German lender, appointed Ravneet was the Gill as the new CEO of the bank’s executive Indian operations. Gill replaced officer of INS Gunit Chadha to the top position, Brahmaputra who was elevated as co-chief and the executive of Asia Pacific along with navigating Alan Cloete in June 2012. Prior to officer of INS his appointment as the CEO, Gill Vikrant. headed the capital markets and SEBI Appoints Muralidhar treasury solutions, and oversaw Raghuram Rajan has the successful integration of Rao as ED already been serving as the corporate treasury sales, debt Mr. S.V. Muralidhar Rao has ‘Honorary Economic Advisor to the capital markets and corporate Prime Minister’, the position he been appointed as executive banking coverage in the country, was given in November 2008. He Director with SEBI .The the German lender said in a also headed High Level Committee appointment of Mr Rao as ED statement. As the head of Bank’s comes after the vacancy created by on Financial Sector Reforms in India’s operation, Gill will report the exit of Ms. Usha Narayanan. 2007. A Professor of Finance at the Gunit Chaddha and Alan Cloete. Booth School of Business of University of Chicago, Rajan also served as the "Economic Dr. Zaidi as New Election Commissioner Counselor and Director of Dr. Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi On August 7 assumed the charge Research" (Chief Economist) at the as Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India. He International Monetary Fund from fills the vacancy in the Election Commission caused by the assumption September 2003 until January 2007. of charge by Sh. V.S. Sampath as the 18th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) succeeding Dr. S.Y. Quraishi. Omita Paul appointed as the Dr. Zaidi superannuated as Civil Secretary of the President Aviation Secretary on July 31. Dr. Zaidi had earlier worked as Director-General of Civil Appointment Committee of Aviation, and was India’s representative in the the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Omita International Civil Aviation Organisation. He Paul as the Secretary of the was also the Joint Secretary in the Civil Aviation President on 24 July 2012. Her Ministry, and Commissioner of Bareilly tenure as Secretary to the President is on contract basis. Development Authority. Current News & Events 7

Places in News Castle Naggar in Himachal Pradesh was given Meeting of the India- Heritage Status CELAC Troika Foreign The Castle Naggar, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's prime hotel in the picturesque Kullu valley, was notified Ministers under the heritage status by the Union Tourism ministry on 23 August 2012. Naggar was the capital of the erstwhile Kullu state for about The first meeting of the 1460 years. The castle was built by Raja Sidhi Singh in the 16th cen- India-CELAC (The Community of tury. The castle has traditional architecture called Kathloonmi, which Latin American and Caribbean uses a combination of stones and wooden beams. The castle was States) Troika foreign ministers handed over to state-owned HPTDC in 1978 to be run as a hotel. was held in New Delhi on 7 August 2012. The CELAC Troika was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of cost of $ 6.8 million to reduce cluster for various financial Chile Alfredo Moreno Charme, the energy and water consumption by activities like banking, insurance, pro-tempore President of CELAC. 15-19 per cent. The 45,000 sq ft mutual funds, offshore banking mosque in an area of 105,000 The Foreign Minister of Venezuela investments and debt, by setting up square feet will come up by 2013, Nicolas Maduro and the Vice a financial hub at New Town the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foreign Minister of Cuba, Rogelio Kolkata. The proposed hub would Sierra participated in the meeting Foundation has announced. The serve as a great source of as members of the Troika. The project is expected to cost $ 6.8 employment and generate Indian delegation was led by the million and the facility will External Affairs Minister of India, SM accommodate 3,500 worshippers investment capability. The hub Krishna. The meeting was held at one time. would have facilities for data with the objective of strengthening According to the foundation, warehousing, disaster recovery, India-CELAC relationship. the mosque will feature green back up office and IT BPO centres, spaces, particularly gardens on the in collaboration with township Senkaku Islands became roof for heat insulation. In addition, Infrastructure, Human Resources, the mosque will have technologies the Bone of Contention IT and Telecommunications. The such as solar panels to heat water between China and Japan for ablution and recycle plants to day-long meeting was attended by a large number of public and private Ten Japanese on 23 August treat water for gardening and 2012, made an unauthorized washroom purposes. sector banks and financial services landing on Uotsuri, which is known The mosque will also companies. Dr. Sudhir Krishna, in Japan as the Senkaku Islands house the Imam's (priest) house Secretary, Urban Development and in China as the Diaoyu Islands. and will be equipped with the latest Ministry was also present on this The uninhabited islands technologies in energy efficiency to occasion. surrounded by rich fishing grounds curb wastage in air-conditioning and air purity system. Myanmar floods - 85,000 are controlled by Japan but also homeless in Irrawaddy Delta claimed by China and Taiwan. International Financial The Senkaku Islands The Myanmar government dispute engulfs in itself a territorial Hub to come up in Kolkata has said that 85,000 people have dispute on a group of uninhabited The Union Ministry of Urban been driven from their homes by islands. Of the ten Japanese Development and WBHIDCO heavy flooding. The Irrawaddy people who visited the island, five Government of West Bengal Delta has been worst affected. were apparently conservative local organised a meeting in New Delhi Unusually heavy monsoon rains assembly members. The Senkaku for creation of an international have inundated around 250,000 Islands are located in the East financial hub in New Town, hectares of rice fields. President China Sea between Japan, and the Kolkata, West Bengal. The meeting Thein Sein has visited the affected Republic of China. The archipelago was chaired by Minister of State, areas. The damaged transport and contains five uninhabited islands. Urban Development, Prof. Saugata communications networks mean Eco-friendly mosque in Roy and Shri Firhad Hakim, Minister in charge of Urban the full picture is still emerging. The Dubai Development and Municipal Affairs, government says it has set up more Dubai will have the largest, Government of West Bengal. than 200 emergency relief centres most modern and eco-friendly The meeting sought to to help those who have had to leave mosque estimated to be built at the initiate the creation of a financial their homes. Current News & Events 8

Mr. Ouyang said the rover would be million square miles, its lowest Science Snippets powered by the sun during daytime ebb in 32 years. That’s about and by nuclear power during the 27,000 square miles less than the New Strain of Rice devel- night. previous low of 1.61 million square oped by the Scientists Shrinking heat shield of miles recorded Sept 18, 2007. Another 150,000 square miles of Scientists developed a new the planet sea ice could melt before the strain of rice that could increase The reflective Arctic sea ice middle of next month, when crop yields by a fifth for small that serves as a heat shield for the refreezing typically begins, NSIDC farmers. It grows well in soils planet has melted to a new record research scientist Walt Meier said, lacking the nutrient phosphorus. low and government-backed during a conference call with The gene will be now transferred scientists on Monday said the Arctic colleagues at NASA. to modern varieties of rice using may be largely ice- classic methods of cross- free as soon as 2020. breeding, not genetic engineering. This month, up Many soil types bond tightly to 100,000 square to phosphorus, allowing only a miles of sea ice a day small quantity of the precious disappeared, bringing mineral to plant roots.To solve this overall shrinkage over problems, farmers seek help of the past three phosphorus fertilisers. But in poor decades to 40 per countries, this option costs too cent, according to data much, which means the plant is left analysed over the undernourished. Ultimately, this weekend at the meagre growth affects yields. National Snow and Ice In October 2011, the UN Data Centre, located Population Fund (UNFPA) said the at the University of global population of seven billion Colorado in Boulder. could rise to at least 10 billion by The data show the 2100. Therefore, we need more area covered by sea yields. Phosphate fertilisers are ice shrank to 1.58 typically extracted from layers of rock which were ocean sediments millions of years ago. Rain Enhancement Techniques Conducted in India China’s first nuclear A multi-year research observational campaign entitled, “Cloud battery moon rover Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement (CAIPEEX)” was conducted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune China’s first Moon rover will during the period 2009-2011 over different parts of the country. The be powered by a home-built nuclear objectives of the program were: (1) to understand the role of aerosols battery, the chief scientist of the in the rainfall processes in the clouds and (2) to carry out cloud seeding China’s lunar project said. The experiments in research mode for rain enhancements using modern rover will land on moon next year techniques. on board Chang’e-3, China’s third During the period May to September 2009, the cloud and aerosol lunar probe, Shanghai Daily observations were conducted over different parts of country using reported. The Chang’e-3 is instrumented aircraft Total 220 hrs of flying was done. In the monsoon expected to be launched from the and post-monsoon seasons of 2010 and 2011, the cloud seeding Xichang Satellite Launch Center in experiments were conducted over the rain-shadow areas of peninsular southwest Sichuan Province. The India from Hyderabad base. Total 200 and 250 hours of flying was Chang’e-3 will also observe space done in the years 2010 and 2011 respectively. from the lunar surface as the lack Modern techniques such as (1) hired instrumented aircraft for of atmosphere allows better measuring the atmospheric state parameters, aerosols and cloud viewing than from Earth. microphysical parameters (2) equipped for seeding by flares and salt The battery, using powder, (3) radar for monitoring the potential clouds, (4) pilot to ground plutonium-238, will be able to connectivity and internet connectivity for real time transfer of data, (5) power the 100-kilogram vehicle for half hourly INSAT satellite data, weather data from IMD sites (6) high more than 30 years, Ouyang resolution weather models for the forecasting etc., were used in the Ziyuan, the chief scientist quoted. program. Current News & Events 9

Defence India’s own eye in the sky Prithvi-II missile test India’s efforts to build its own Airborne Early Warning and success Control (AEW&C) system crossed a milestone, when a fully modified Brazilian Embraer-145 aircraft, on which the system will be installed, The Strategic Forces arrived on Wednesday night at the HAL airport in Bangalore. Command, which is in charge of The aircraft, with the indigenous Active Electronic Scanning Array nuclear weapons, successfully (AESA) radar, will be an “eye in the sky.” The radar can look 240 degrees fired the surface-to-surface Prithvi- II missile from Chandipur in within a short time and has a range of 350 km. It can track more than Odisha’s Balasore district on 500 targets simultaneously. Defence Research and Development August 25, confirming yet again that Organisation (DRDO), with its various laboratories, is spearheading the armed forces are capable of the (AEW&C) system programme. The aircraft was given an launching nuclear missiles enthusiastic welcome by engineers of the Centre for Airborne Systems independently. (CABS), nodal agency for building the AEW&C system. The CABS is a DRDO facility. The most critical of these is the AESA radar, which is developed by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), Bangalore, and the antenna called Active Antenna Array Unit (AAAU), made by the CABS. The radar is the processor part of the AAAU.

Target Aircraft Lakshya-1 Brahmos Supersonic was successfully Test flown Cruise Missile The Air Force version of Defence Research and micro-light pilot-less target aircraft Development Organization (DRDO) Lakshya-1 was successfully test- successfully test-fired Brahmos flown from the launch complex-2 supersonic cruise missile from the of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, in Balasore district, at Chandipur, Orissa on 23 August Orissa on 29 July 2012. The 2012. The test was carried out with missile was test-fired as the an objective to test the validity of its developmental trial as it has engine and duration enhancement. already been inducted into the Lakshya has been inducted into the Indian Army and Indian Navy. Indian Air Force since 2000. BrahMos, which has a target The missile, drawn from the The aircraft is remote- range of 290-km, is the surface-to- inventory of the armed forces, lifted surface cruise missile. It is capable off from a road-mobile launcher at controlled from the ground and designed to provide training to both of carrying a conventional warhead 11.04 a.m. at the Integrated Test of 200 to 300 kg. The missile has airborne and air defence pilots. Range. It crossed the entire range been developed by BrahMos of 350 km and smashed the Lakshya-1, fitted with an advanced Aerospace Private Limited, a joint targeted area with a dummy digitally controlled engine and is a venture between Republic of India's payload in the Bay of Bengal, with sub-sonic, re-usable aerial target Defence Research and Develop an accuracy of less than 10 metres. system. It is launched by a solid ment Organisation (DRDO) and The Defence Research and propellant rocket motor, and Russian Federation's NPO Development Organisation sustained by a turbojet engine in Mashinostroeyenia. It is the world's (DRDO) has developed three Prithvi flight. The flight duration of the six- fastest cruise missile in operation. It can be launched from variants: Prithvi-I for the Army; foot-long aircraft is 30 to 35 submarines, ships, aircraft or land. Prithvi-II for the Indian Air Force; and minutes. the Dhanush for the Navy. All the Presently scientists at the The PTA developed by BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited three have been inducted into India’s aeronautic development service. Prithvi-II, a single-stage are working to develop the air as establishment, Bangalore has well as the submarine launch missile using liquid propellants, been designed to perform discreet version of the missile. Last time the can carry a 500-kg warhead and is aerial reconnaissance of battlefield missile was tested on 28 March meant for deep interdiction. as well as target acquisition. 2012 from the same platform. Current News & Events 10 Space Science Third Launchpad at Sriharikota Preliminary studies for establishing the third launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota are underway to meet the requirements of Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) future launch vehicle programme. The 12th Five year plan proposals of Department of Space, which is currently under consideration for approval, envisages launching of total of 58 missions consisting of 33 satellite whether the planet was ever ¨ 75kg science payload more missions and 25 launch vehicle hospitable to life. The robot rover, than 10 times as massive as missions. which epitomizes the technological those of earlier US Mars rovers Russian rocket fails to wizardry of man kind, is set to spend ¨ Equipped with tools to brush reach target orbit nearly two years for the mission. and drill into rocks, to scoop NASA undertook the up, sort and sieve samples Russia’s federal space mission with an objective to ¨ Variety of analytical techniques agency says an unmanned rocket determine whether Mars has ever to discern chemistry in rocks, and its payload of two had the conditions to support life. soil and atmosphere communications satellites failed to The ambitious project costed the ¨ Even carries a laser to zap reach the orbit, the latest in a series US government about 2.5 billion rocks; beam will identify atomic of failures that has dogged Moscow’s space programme. dollar. elements in rocks Roscosmos said August 07 Specific Technological ¨ Equipped with 17 cameras, that a secondary booster module Features of Curiosity which will identify particular of the Proton-M rocket carrying ¨ The 900 kg rover has the top targets, and a laser will zap Russian and Indonesian satellites speed of about 4cm/s those rocks to probe their switched off earlier than expected ¨ Plutonium generators chemistry minutes after late Monday’s takeoff installed on the rover will ¨ Findings of the mission will be from the Baikonur cosmodrome in deliver heat and electricity for delivered to Earth through Kazakhstan. Last August, Russia at least 14 years antennas on the rover deck lost contact with a communications satellite shortly after a Proton-M launch. In 2007, a Proton-M carrying In 2013, indigenous Cryogenic engine will propel GSLV a Japanese communications After facing bitter experiences from superpowers across the satellite crashed. The 50-metres world in the transfer of Cryogenic engine technology,India has taken long booster with a payload of up the firm decision to lauch its first cryogenic propelled launch vehicles to 20 metric tons has been in use next year.The ground tests for the respective mission are already over, since 1965. ISRO was planning to launch its ambitious GSLV space mission with indigenously built cryogenic engine early next year. NASA’s Rover Curiosity According to ISRO chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan two major touched the Surface of Mars ground tests remained before integrating the GSLV vehicle for launch. ISRO needs to recuperate its previous two GSLV launch failures. On The US space agency NASA India's Mars mission, he said ISRO was working to meet the November landed Curiosity, a huge new robot 2013 launch target. The Union cabinet had recently given the green flag rover on Mars on 5 August 2012. to the space agency's proposal to send a mission to the red planet. The one-tonne vehicle touched the Cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature surface of Mars after a 345-million- (below -150 °C) and the behavior of materials at those temperatures. mile expedition. The robot rover will Cryogenic fuels, mainly liquid hydrogen, have been used as rocket now conduct a study to find out fuels. Liquid oxygen is used as an oxidizer of hydrogen. Current News & Events 11

Deaths Vempati Chinna Satyam Neil Armstrong Kuchipudi Dance Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam passed away on 29 July 2012. He was 83 years old. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in the year 1998. He was born in Kuchipudi Village in Krishna District of coastal Andhra Pradesh where Kuchipudi dance was originated. Vempti Chinna had passed through various milestones to make this unique form of Dance popular across the world. He had trained various students in Chennai. Chinna Satyam performed the Kuchipudi Dance in 60 countries and trained 10,000 children. The Famous Guru, Vempati commenced Kuchipudi Art Academy in Madras in the year 1963. The Solo items and Dance Dramas were prepared by the students of the academy that were staged all over the India and abroad. Sri Krishna Parijatham was the first Dance Drama composed by Chinna Satyam.

Vilasrao Deshmukh Indian freedom struggle from Neil Armstrong was a quiet, 1929-1947. An ardent communist, self-described “nerdy” engineer Vilasrao Dagadojirao he was also jailed for two years who became a global hero when Deshmukh, the Union Minister for from 1947-1949 due to his leftist as a steely-nerved U.S. pilot he Science and Technology and Earth leanings. Hangal was long made “one giant leap for mankind” Sciences died of multiple organ associated with IPTA, where he failure at the Global Health City with the first step on the moon. The worked alongside Balraj Sahani Hospital in Chennai on 14 August modest man who entranced and and Kaifi Ajami. awed people on Earth has died. He 2012. He was 67. He was admitted was 82. Armstrong commanded to hospital on 6 August after his Gore Vidal the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed kidney and lever stopped to work. Born on 26 May 1945 in Contrarian author, on the moon July 20, 1969, capping playwright, politician and the most daring of the 20th Babhalgaon, Latur district, in Maharashtra, he received his commentator of USA, whose century’s scientific expeditions. His novels, essays, plays and opinions first words after setting foot on the Bachelors degree his in science were stamped by his immodest wit surface are etched in history books and arts from M.E.S Abasaheb and unconventional wisdom. He and in the memories of those who Garware College, Pune. He was 86. His works include, “The heard them in a live broadcast. entered in active politics. Starting his political career as a deputy- City and the Pillar”, “Myra Ashok Mehta chairman of Lathur District Breckinridge” and historical pices Panchayat Committee, he was first like “Lincoln” and “Burr”. Veteran Cinematographer elected to Maharashtra State Ashok Mehta passed away in Legislative Assembly from Lathur Dara Singh Mumbai on 15 August 2012. He constituency in 1980. Noted wrestler and Hindi was 65. Mehta was suffering from Actor AK Hangal cinema’s original action hero. He lung cancer and was getting was 84. Born in Punjab in 1928, he treatment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Veteran actor Avatar Krishan trained as a traditional ‘pahelwan’ Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. During Hangal, popularly called AK Hangal, before taking up professional his long career in Bollywood Mehta passed away in Mumbai on 26 wrestling. He went on to win worked with prominent filmmakers August 2012 after prolonged international recognition by winning like Subhash Ghai, Rajiv Rai and illness. He was 97. In a career the Commonwealth Champion MF Husain. He was the director of spanning nearly 40 years Hangal ship and World Wrestling photography in films like 36 worked in around 225 films. A Championship in the 1950s. In the Chowringhee Lane, Utsav, Trikal, devoted artist, he also worked in late 1980s his popularity soared Khalnayak, Bandit Queen, Chalte numerous theatre plays and TV when he played Hanuman in tele- Chalte, Gajgamini, Trimurti, Series. Born in Sialkot, now in series Ramayan. He was Khalnayak, Moksha and Ram Pakistan, on 1 February 1917, AK nominated to the Rajya Sabha in Hangal actively participated in the Lakhan. 2003. Current News & Events 12 Programme Implementation, the lakh MSMEs (10.64%). The above Economic Scenario contribution of Micro and Small data suggests that the MSMEs Enterprises (MSEs) to GDP and helped in achieving inclusive CCEA clears five more oil, total industrial production was growth. gas blocks estimated to be 8.72% and 44.86% Nine Point Action Plan for respectively during the year 2008- The Cabinet Committee on 09. The estimated contribution of TPDS Economic Affairs (CCEA), on Micro, Small and Medium A Nine Point Action Plan for Thursday, cleared five more oil and Enterprises (MSMEs) in total curbing the leakages/diversion of gas blocks that had been put on exports of the country for the year foodgrains under Targeted Public offer under the NELP IX round of 2007-08 (latest available), based bidding. The major winners on data obtained from Export Distribution System (TPDS) has included U.K.'s BG Exploration & Promotion Councils, was 30.80%. been evolved in consultation with Production and BHP Billiton Enterprise-wise data the State Governments. The Petroleum (International collected on Micro, Small and Government has been regularly Exploration) of Australia. Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) monitoring the action being taken During the New Exploration during the Fourth All India Census by States/UTs including issuing Licensing Policy (NELP) IX round of MSMEs: 2006-07 and Economic advisories, holding conferences held in 2010, the government had Census 2005, Central Statistics etc. wherein State/UT Governments offered 34 areas for exploration and Office, Ministry of Statistics & are requested to implement the production of oil and gas. Bids for Programme Implementation for Nine Point Action Plan. 33 were received at the close of activities excluded from Fourth All The Minister added that the bidding on March 28 last year. Of India Census of MSMEs 2006- Nine Point Action Plan inter-alia these, the CCEA in March awarded 2007 namely wholesale/retail stipulates that States should 16 blocks to firms such as ONGC trade, legal, educational & social undertake a campaign for review while bids for ten blocks were services, hotel & restaurants, of Below Poverty Line(BPL)/ rejected due to bidders offering transports and storage & Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) lists lesser than expected profit warehousing (except cold storage) to eliminate ghost ration cards. petroleum. indicate that out of 361.76 lakh Further, instructions were issued Petroleum and Natural Gas MSMEs, entrepreneurs belonging to all State/UT Governments to carry Minister Jaipal Reddy said the to Other Backward Classes owned out an intensive campaign from CEEA was to consider award of six 151.73 lakh MSMEs (41.94%) while October, 2009 to December, 2009 onland and two offshore blocks but Scheduled Castes and Scheduled to review the existing lists of BPL/ only five blocks were approved. Tribes entrepreneurs owned 28.34 AAY families and eliminate The Mumbai basin deep lakh (7.83%) and 20.84 lakh ineligible/bogus ration cards. As a sea block MB-DWN-2010/1 was (5.76%) MSMEs respectively. The result thereof, 27 State/UT awarded to the consortium of BG socially backward classes of the Governments have reported upto Exploration & Production and BHP society together owned 200.91 30.06.2012, deletion of 266.80 lakh Billiton Petroleum (International lakh MSMEs (51.54%). The women bogus/ineligible ration cards since Exploration) of Australia. entrepreneurs also owned 38.50 July, 2006. The BG-BHP combine beat the consortia of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Oil India Ltd. GAAR (OIL) and GAIL India to the block. General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR), allows tax authority to The shallow water block MB-OSN- declare an ‘impermissible avoidance arrangement’. Once the case is 2010/2 in the same basin is due to declared so under GAAR, tax liability is to be determined as if the be awarded to a consortium of OIL, arrangement did not exist. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation As per the draft guidelines of GAAR, any step in or a part or and Bharat Petro Resources, whole of any transaction, operation, scheme, agreement or which were the sole bidders. understanding, whether enforceable or not would be covered. P-Notes Contribution of MSMEs to and sub-accounts have been excluded. GAAR will also not have any retrospective effect and onus of proof will lie on the tax authority. GAAR, GDP essentially, covers tax avoidance (as result of actions taken by assesses, none of which are illegal or forbidden). It does not cover tax evasion or Based on the data of Gross tax mitigation. Domestic Product (GDP) GAAR has been part of global tax laws for a while now. Australia published by Central Statistical introduced it in 1981, Canada in 1988, China in 2005 and South Africa Office, Ministry of Statistics and in 2006. Current News & Events 13 Corporate Briefs Apple surpasses Microsoft to become world’s number one Microsoft updates Apple has become the most valuable company of all time, with logo for first time in a market value of approximately $623bn (£397bn). The consumer gadget and computer 25 years maker has surpassed Microsoft's record of Microsoft on Thursday $620.58bn set in 1999. Apple is planning to the unveiled a newly-designed logo iPhone 5, and possibly a smaller and cheaper featuring a new symbol and a new iPad. There is also speculation that Apple plans type face. The new logo shows the to make a TV set. But Apple, like many US symbol for Microsoft’s Windows companies, faces a number of challenges. The operating system four squares in strength of the US dollar against the euro and red, green, blue and yellow other currencies makes US-made goods more positioned to the left of the name expensive overseas. Added to that, the faltering economic recovery in Microsoft in grey in a font called the United States, combined with recession in major markets such segoe. as Europe, is also making it more difficult to sell consumer electronics. Microsoft said it made the Apple also faces stiff competition from Samsung's Galaxy S3 and change in advance of a wave of HTC's One X smartphones. product launches that will include new versions of Windows 8, Limited for seven years. In a career from 9th position in 2011. China Windows Phone 8, Xbox services spanning over three decades he topped the list. Countries which are and Office. “It’s been 25 years since had also been associated with strong in producing innovation we’ve updated the Microsoft logo Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj, Fiat India and outputs despite a weaker and now is the perfect time for a Escorts. innovation environment and inputs are poised to rank high in the change,” the release said. The REC Signed MoU with Genco product launches represent a new efficiency index, prepared by CII, era for Microsoft, the company said. The Rural Electrification Alcatel-Lucent and Booz & Co. “So our logo should evolve to Corporation(REC) on 23 August 60% Indian companies visually accentuate this new 2012 signed MoU with Genco beginning.” under which the former will provide struggling to protect The logo is already in use the latter a loan of 10873 crore corporate data in Microsoft stores in Boston, rupees to set up three power projects with a combined capacity Seattle and Bellevue, Washington. About 60 per cent Indian of 2560 MW in Andhra Pradesh. The company said it would be used businesses are struggling to These are Vijayawada and in all of its stores over the next few protect and effectively manage their Kothagudem thermal power months and all of its television ads databases, which make up 51 per stations’ expansion projections of globally. cent of an organisation's total value, 800 MW each, and the hydro- Arvind Saxena appointed electric project of Polavaram dam a survey has said. According to the the Managing Director of (960 MW). The expansion projects survey by IT security solutions of the Vijayawada and Kothagudem provider Symantec, corporate data Volkswagen India thermal stations will require 5286 in Indian companies is expected to crore rupees and 5291 crore German car maker grow 67 per cent in the next 12 rupees respectively and that of months. Volkswagen appointed Arvind Polavaram will require 3014 crore "However, with information Saxena as the Managing Director rupees. The REC loan will cover a of Volkswagen passengers car in major part of the cost of these spiralling rapidly, 60 per cent Indian India. In this new role Saxena will projects while the remaining businesses are struggling to be heading the Volkswagen brand expenditure will be carried out by effectively manage and protect their with responsibility for sales, after Genco. digital information, which makes up sales and marketing. 51 per cent of an organisation's total Prior to joining Volkswagen, Global Innovation value,," the survey added. The Saxena was heading the sales and findings are part of a global survey marketing operations at Hyundai Efficiency Index in 2012 comprising business and IT Motor India Limited. Before leaving India has jumped to the the company on 19 July 2012, he second position in the Global executives at 4,506 companies in worked for Hyundai Moto India Innovation Efficiency Index in 2012, 36 countries. Current News & Events 14 climate," said geological Environment oceanographer Matthew Schmidt from Texas A&M University. World's largest delta fast US firm plans Rs 580 crore disappearing into sea solar power project in The world's largest delta, Ganga-Bhagirathi, is slowly Bihar disappearing into the sea, finds a A US-based agency, Schanti study by river expert Kalyan Rudra. Partners, New York, has The study launched on Saturday by expressed its keen interest in union urban development minister investing Rs 580 crore for a solar Sougata Roy in Kolkata reveals that energy project in Kaimur district of the Indian ocean may soon lose Bihar. Initially, a 10MW unit would the distinction of being home to the be set up. The agency has already world's largest delta, the Ganges submitted its proposal to the Bihar delta. State Electricity Board (BSEB) and The research titled "Atlas of received approval from the Bihar Changing River Courses in West State Investment Promotion Board Bengal", a project of the Sea as also no-objection letter from Explorers' Institute, was funded by Bihar Renewable Energy the Union and the Bengal Development Agency (BREDA). Ghats panel report was roundly governments. The project was The agency intends to enter into a criticized by the state governments started by Rudra and his team in 25-year Power Purchase and other infrastructure-related November 2009 and was Agreement (PPA) with BSEB. The Central ministries. The Kasturi completed in March, this year. proposed PPA rate is Rs 12.50/ rangan committee will submit a "The delta is being kWh. report within two months to MoEF swallowed by the sea at an on how to implement the findings alarming rate both from its apex Western Ghats experts' in a 'holistic' and 'effective' manner. and the base," said Rudra. Of the panel report under review The committee has been 36 delta regions in the world, the tasked with incorporating the views Ganga delta which empties into the The Union ministry of of the state governments as well as other ministries before MoEF Bay of Bengal has been the biggest environment and forests (MoEF) takes its decision. The one. The Ganga-Bhagirathi delta has set up a committee under the environment ministry in its spans 57,000 square km - known chairmanship of Planning Commission member K notification has said the panel will to be the largest delta in the world. review the "constitutional While the sea is encroaching Kasturirangan to review the controversial Western Ghats implications of Centre-state inland, swallowing islands in the relations with respect to ecology experts panel report, which Sundarbans and adjoining areas conservation and sustainable had recommended restricting at the bottom of the delta, the apex development of the Western Ghats (from where the Bhagirathi takes industrial development in about region and the implications of the off from the Ganga) is also shifting 75% of the hilly terrain spread UNESCO heritage site recognition southwards. across six states. The Western of some parts of the ghats". Ocean temperature patterns key to climate Uttar Pradesh to have its own solar power policy change UP will soon have its own solar power policy that will lay down the guidelines for setting up of solar power plants by private parties An analysis of past oceanic and other organisations. Further, the UP chief secretary asked all DMs temperature patterns has to identify pocket of lands in villages of their districts for setting up of uncovered the role of sensitive solar power plants. triggers built into our climate The UP New and Renewable Energy Development Agency system that can cause abrupt shifts (UPNEDA) has been entrusted the task of facilitating the setting up of in global climate. solar power plants in the villages. UP has proposed to set up solar "Evidence is mounting that power plants to achieve 1,000 MW production till 2017. the Earth's climate system has Around five acres of land is required for one MW of solar power sensitive triggers that can cause project. The state government is planning to utilise the barren tracts of abrupt and dramatic shifts in global land in the villages. Current News & Events 15

Sports London Olympics 2012 Medal Tally India London Olympics 2012 Silver: The 30th Summer Olympics Vijay Kumar - Shooting (Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol) (London Olympics 2012) Sushil Kumar - Wrestling (Men's 66kg Freestyle) concluded in London on 12 August Bronze: 2012. The 17-day event was Saina Nehwal - Badminton (Women's Singles) inaugurated at Olympic Stadium at Chungneijang Mery Kom Hmangte - Boxing [Women's Fly (51kg)] the Olympic Park in East London Gagan Narang - Shooting (Men's 10m Air Rifle) on 27 July 2012. London Olympics Yogeshwar Dutt - Wrestling (Men's 60kg Freestyle) witnessed nearly 10500 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees participating in as many as 26 sports events. At the end of the game US topped the medal tally with a total of 104 medals (46 Gold+29 Silver+ 29 Silver) followed by China, which bagged a total of 88 medals (38 Gold+27 Silver+23 Bronze). Great Britain with 65 medals (29 Gold+17 Silver+19 Bronze), Russia with 82 medals (24 Gold+26 Silver+32 Laxman played 134 Tests, 7th Wimbledon title, and his first Bronze) and South Korea with 27 amassing 8781 runs at an average since 2009. He now shares the medals (13 Gold+8 Silver+6 of 45.97. He scored 17 hundreds record for most Wimbledon wins Bronze) finished third, fourth and and 56 half centuries and earned with Pete Sampras and William fifth respectively. India with a total the sobriquet Very Very Special. Renahaw. At 30 years and 11 of 6 medals (2 Silver+4Bronze) Laxman made his Test debut in months, Federer also became the finished 55th on the medal tally. 1996 against South Africa at oldest man to win a Grand Slam Ahmedabad. Laxman, played 86 title since Andre Aggasi won Roger Federer and Li Na ODI matches for an aggregate of Australian Open in 2003. 2338 at an average of 30.76. But Women’s Singles: won Cincinnati Masters he could never become the part of American Serena Williams World no. 1 tennis player Indian team in any cricket world cup powered her way to a fifth Roger Federer won a record fifth edition. Wimbledon title with a win over Western & Southern Open Title Fourth International Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska. (Cincinnati Masters ) at Cincinnati This victory made Williams the on 19 August 2012. Federer beat Junior Shotgun Cup oldest women’s singles winner second seeded Novak Djokovic 6- Ankur Mittal won the bronze since Martina Navrotilova won the 0, 7-6, (9-7). This was the first time title in 1990, aged 33. when top-seeded men’s players medal in double trap in the fourth clashed in the final of Cincinnati International junior shotgun Cup in Men’s Doubles: Masters. Orimattila, Finland. He scored 177 Jonathan Marray of Britain In women’s singles final points. Mittal had scored 45, 41 and and Frederik Nielsen of Denmark. China’s Li Na beat German 45 in qualification and 46 in the Women’s Doubles: Angelique Kerbar to win her first final. Shayan Masood, the other Indian came fourth, one point Serena and Venus Williams title of the season. Li Na overcame of USA. the terrible first set to record a 1-6, behind. He had scored 130 in 6-3, 6-1 victory over her rival. qualification following a series of Mixed Doubles: 43, 45 and 42. Second seeds Mike Bryan VVS Laxman announced Wimbledon, 2012 and Lisa Raymond beat Leander Retirement Paes (India) and Elena Vesnina Men’s Singles: (Russia) to win the mixed doubles V.V.S. Laxman, on 18 August title. It was Paes and Vesnina’s 2012 announced his retirement Roger Federer broke second grand slam final defeat in from international cricket, ending a millions of British hearts by beating 2012 after they lost in the Australian glorious career spanning 16 years. local hero Andy Murray to win his Open. Current News & Events 16

India win ICC Under-19 to the tournament victory. A total of present 16 giving an opportunity for 16 teams participated in the a number of associate and affiliate Cricket World Cup tournament. The teams were put teams to showcase its talent. India defeated host and into four groups A, B, C and D. India Lydia Ko won CN Canadian defending champion Australia to was placed in group C along with win ICC Under-19 Cricket World Papua New Guinea, West Indies Women’s Open LPGA Golf Cup. In the final match played at and Zimbabwe. Australia was Lydia Ko Won CN Canadian Women’s Open LPGA Golf on 26 Aug to become the youngest winner in LPGA Tour History and only the fifth amateur championship. she is 15-year-old . India beat Cameroon to lift Nehru Cup India lifted the Nehru Cup for the third consecutive time beating Cameroon 5-4 in a penalty shootout at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at New Delhi on September 2. This is India's third consecutive Nehru Cup title, infact they have just won the three. For the Indian football team, this is a matter of pride since the Cameroon side is ranked much higher to them in the FIFA rankings. Townsville in Australia on 26 August placed in group A alongside India is ranked a lowly 168 while 2012, the Indian under -19 squad Ireland, England and Nepal. their, opponents are 59 in the world. led by Unmukt Chand beat ICC Under-19 World Cup: Cameroon football team also took Australian side by 6 wickets. part in the Beijing Olympics 2008. Skipper Unmukt Chand scored The ICC Under-19 World unbeaten 111 runs leading his Cup started as an 8-team event in team to a glorious victory. 1988. The tournament was not Batting first the Australian staged after its first edition in 1988 team scored 225 runs with the loss till 1998 and since then has been of 8 wickets. Australian captain organised by the ICC as a biennial William Bosisto scored unbeaten event. The number of competing 87 runs. India started strongly but teams in the tournament has lost 4 wickets on just 97 runs. increased from eight in 1988 to the Subsequently skipper Chand guided the Indian team to a 6 wickets victory in the 48th over. 10 Athletes to Participate in Paralympic Games, 2012 William Bosisto, the 10 Indian athletes would be participating in the Paralympic Australian skipper received the Man Games -2012 be held at London (U.K.) between August 29 to of the Tournament award. Anamul September 09, 2012 , based on the quota places allocated to India by Haque of Bangladesh scored 365 runs, highest in the tournament. the International Paralympics Committee. There are 5 athletes in Reece Topley of England claimed Athletics, 3 in Powerlifting, 1 each in Swimming and Shooting sports 19 wickets and remained the disciplines, who have got bi-partite entry for the above Games. All the leading wicket taker of the 10 athletes underwent training in India and special acclimatization tournament. coaching camp was conducted at Balisdan Sports Village, London, This victory marked third U.K. One athlete underwent special training at Germany. The Indian under-19 world cup title for India contingent consists of 10 athletes, 10 other coaches & escorts and 3 after Mohammad Kaif in 2000 and officials, including Chef-de-Mission. Virat Kohli in 2008 had led the team Current News & Events 17

Summits 36th International Geological Congress to be held in Global Hypoxia Summit & India in 2020 4th International Conference The 36th International Geological Congress will come to India in 2020 after a period of 56 years. The last International Geological on Chronic Hypoxia Congress was held in India in 1964 in Delhi. Dr. Vishwapati Trivedi, Secretary, Ministry of Mines today presented the bid before the Minister of state for Defence International Union of Geological Science (IUGS) Council consisting Dr M.M. Pallam Raju inaugurated of 121 member countries and 128 votes were cast in favour of India the Global Hypoxia Summit & the against 51 votes to Canada, which had offered Vancouver as the venue 4th International Conference on of IGC 2020. Chronic Hypoxia on August 10 at Dr. Vishwapati Trivedi, Secretary, Ministry of Mines led a New Delhi. Addressing the delegation to participate in 34th International Geological Congress gathering he said High Altitude (IGC) being held in Brisbane from 5th August to 10th August, 2012. The hypoxia research is important for Indian bid got an overwhelming positive response from the member- our country because we are countries of all continents and Secretary, Ministry of Mines has assured constrained to deploy considerable the Council that IGC 2020 in India will be unprecedented Congress in number of soldiers in the high the history of International Geological Congress. International altitude areas. Geological Congress is held every four years and it is an Olympic of First India - Sri Lanka International Geoscience fraternity. CEOs Forum Meeting The objective of the summit as God particle). Institutions like The first meeting of the was to facilitate the Indian industry BARC, TIFR, SINP, IIT Mumbai and India-Sri Lanka CEOs Forum, to improve energy efficiency on a Delhi, Punjab and Vishwa Bharati constituted by the Honourable continuous basis and help them University groups are in CMS Prime Minister of India, Dr. in achieving the target set as part experiment and have contributed to Manmohan Singh and the of Perform Achieve and Trade under the recent discovery of Higgs like Honourable President of Sri Lanka, the National Mission on Enhanced particle. Mahinda Rajapaksa, will take place Energy Efficiency. Also, to Create a The National Meet will be on August 4, 2012 in Colombo, Sri platform for all the energy efficient inaugurated by Dr. R. Lanka. The Forum, which has been technology suppliers and Chidambaram, Principal Scientific set up to develop a roadmap for equipment manufacturer who Advisor to Government of India. Prof. increased cooperation and could interact with industry and V.S. Ramamurthy, Former mutually beneficial economic support them in achieving the Secretary, Department of Science partnership between the two target for energy efficiency & Technology, Government of India, countries, will deliberate ways and improvement. The other objective Dr. R.K. Sinha, Chairman, Atomic means to enhance trade and was also to disseminate Energy Commission & Secretary, investments between the two information on the latest trends and Department of Atomic Energy, nations. The Indian Prime Minister energy efficient technologies and Government of India and Dr. T. has appointed Mr. Sunil Bharti facilitate sharing of best practices Ramasami, Secretary, Department Mittal, Chairman & Managing amongst the Industries. of Science & Technology, Director, Bharti Airtel Ltd. to be the National Meet on “India at Government of India will grace the Co-Chair from the Indian side while occasion. Mr. Kulathunga Rajpaksa, the Large Hadron Collider” Executive Director, Samson First Meeting of NCEM International Ltd has been Department of Science and Technology, Government of India is The First Meeting of the appointed to Co-Chair from Sri National Council for Electric Lanka. organizing a 1-day National Meet on “India at the Large Hadron Mobility (NCEM) was held under the CII Eleventh Energy Collider” on 29th August, 2012 in Chairmanship of Praful Patel, Minister for Heavy Industry & Public Efficient Sumit New Delhi. India has been involved in Large Hadron Collider related Enterprises,at New Delhi on August The Confederation of Indian work since long. India has also 29. The NCEM adopted the Industry (CII) held the eleventh been actively involved in CMS, National Electric Mobility Mission Energy Efficient Sumit in HICC, ALICE and GRID projects and Plan 2020 (NEMMP 2020), which Novotel Hyderabad. The summit contributed in the recent discovery is the mission document for was held between 22 August 2012 of Higgs Boson (popularly known National Mission for Electric to 25 August 2012. Mobility (NMEM). The meeting was Current News & Events 18 attended by Shri Kamal Nath, After the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is the most Minister for Urban Development, Dr. important world body. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was founded Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New in Belgrade in 1961, and was largely the brainchild of Yugoslavia's & Renewable Energy, Dr. C.P. Joshi, Minister for Road Transport president, Josip Broz Tito; India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal and Highways, Shri Vayalar Ravi, Nehru; Egypt's second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana's first Minister for Science & Technology, president Kwame Nkrumah; and Indonesia's first president, Sukarno. Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister All five leaders were prominent advocates of a middle course for of State for Finance, Dr. K. states in the Developing World between the Western and Eastern Kasturirangan, Member, Planning blocs in the Cold War. The phrase itself was first used to represent Commission, Dr. R. the doctrine by Indian diplomat and statesman V.K. Krishna Menon in Chidambaram, Principal Scientific 1953, at the United Nations. As of 2012, the movement has 120 Adviser to the Prime Minister, members and 17 observer countries. eminent leaders from the industry, academia and research institutes. presidents, two kings and emirs, The NEMMP 2020 lays the vision, seven prime ministers, nine vice presidents, two parliamentary sets the targets and provides the speakers and five special envoys. roadmap for achieving significant The summit's framework penetration of efficient and was the "Final Document" adopted environmentally friendly electric during the Ministerial Meeting of the vehicle (including hybrids) Non-Aligned Movement technologies in India by 2020. Coordinating Bureau which was The Government last year held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from had approved the NMEM and the 7–10 May. The Foreign Ministry also setting up of a high level apex said that the agenda would structure in the form of the NCEM primarily consist of issues and the National Board for Electric pertaining to nuclear disarmament, human rights and regional issues. Mobility (NBEM) for faster adoption a "Senior Officials Meeting" Iran also intended to draw up a new of electric vehicles (including on 26 and 27 August 2012, a peace resolution aiming to resolve "Ministerial Meeting" on 28 and 29 hybrids) and their manufacture in the Syrian civil war. India. The summit consists of August. The leaders’ summit will NAM Summit two preceding events: take place on 30 and 31 August. Indian Prime Minister NAM SUMMITS Manmohan Singh has arrived at Tehran to attend this year's No. Place Country Date meeting of the 120-nation Non- 1. Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 1–6 September 1961 Aligned Movement (NAM). Mr Singh 2. Cairo (United Arab Republic) 5–10 October 1964 is expected to hold talks with Iranian 3. Lusaka (Zambia) 8–10 September 1970 leaders and Pakistan President Asif 4. Algiers (Algeria) 5–9 September 1973 Ali Zardari on the sidelines of the 5. Colombo (Sri Lanka) 16–19 August 1976 meeting. Mr Singh's visit to Iran is 6. Havana (Cuba ) 3–9 September 1979 the first by an Indian PM in over a 7. New Delhi (India) 7–12 March 1983 decade. 8. Harare (Zimbabwe) 1–6 September 1986 The 16th Summit of the 9. Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 4–7 September 1989 Non - Aligned Movement: 10. Jakarta (Indonesia) 1–6 September 1992 11. Cartagena de Indias The 16th Summit is being (Colombia) 18–20 October 1995 held between 26 to 31 August 2012 12. Durban (South Africa) 2–3 September 1998 in Tehran, Iran. According to Ramin 13. Kuala Lumpur Mehmanparast, spokesperson of (Malaysia) 20–25 February 2003 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, 14. Havana (Cuba ) 15–16 September 2006 of the Non-Aligned Movement's 120 15. Sharm El Sheikh member and 17 observer states, 50 states will participate with high- (Egypt) 11–16, July 2009 level delegations, including 27 16. Tehran (Iran) 26–31 August 2012 Current News & Events 19

Committees Welfare Schemes for Women NAC panel to study report Many welfare schemes for women are implemented by on universal health Government of India, State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The details of major schemes under implementation coverage by Ministry of Women and Child Development for the welfare of women are as under : The National Advisory Council has set up a two-member i. RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL CRECHE SCHEME FOR THE CHILDREN OF working group to study the report WORKING MOTHERS (RGNCS): This Scheme provides day care facilities on Universal Health Coverage to the children in the age group 0-6 years from families with monthly (UHC) prepared by the High Level income of less than 12000/-. In addition to being a safe space for the children, the crèches provide services such as supplementary nutrition, Expert Group and the government’s pre-school education and emergency health care, etc. proposal to expand the scope of the National Rural Health Mission ii. CENTRAL SOCIAL WELFARE BOARD: The main women welfare (NRHM) and convert it into a related schemes and programmes being implemented by CSWB are National Health Mission. family counselling centres, awareness generation programme and condensed courses of education for women. The two-member group, comprising Mirai Chatterjee and iii. NATIONAL MISSION FOR EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN (NMEW): A.K. Shiva Kumar, will work closely This is an initiative of the Government of India for empowering women with the Ministry of Health and holistically. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme sanctioned in April Family Welfare and the Planning 2011 and acts as an umbrella Mission with a mandate to strengthen Commission to resolve any inter-sectoral convergence. possible issues arising between iv. WORKING WOMEN’S HOSTEL (WWH): This Scheme envisages the two over the implementation of provision of safe and affordable hostel accommodation to working the UHC report and the National women, single working women, women working at places away from Health Mission. They will come out their home-towns and for women being trained for employment. with some recommendations v. SUPPORT TO TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME (STEP): within four weeks which will be This Scheme is was launched as a Central Sector Scheme during discussed at the next NAC meeting 1986-87. It aims at making a significant impact on women by upgrading on September 28. skills for self and wage employment. The target group includes the Chaired by United marginalized assetless rural women and urban poor. Progressive Alliance chairperson vi. RASHTRIYA MAHILA KOSH (RMK): This Scheme is a corpus of Sonia Gandhi, the NAC is tasked Rs.100 crore extends micro-finance services to bring about the socio- with providing inputs in the economic upliftment of poor women. formulation of policy by the vii. INDIRA GANDHI MATRITVA SAHYOG YOJANA (IGMSY): This is a government and to provide support Conditional Cash Transfer scheme for pregnant and lactating (P&L) to the government in its legislative women introduced in the October 2010 to contribute to better enabling business. The Planning environment by providing cash incentives for improved health and Commission wants the scope of nutrition to pregnant and nursing mothers. the existing NRHM to be expanded viii. SWADHAR SCHEME: The Ministry of Women and Child Development to towns and cities and that it be had been administering Swadhar scheme since 2001 for Women in renamed as the National Health difficult circumstances. Under the Scheme, temporary accommodation, Mission, whereas the Health maintenance and rehabilitative services are provided to women and Ministry has been pitching for a girls rendered homeless due to family discord, crime, violence, mental separate National Urban Health stress, social ostracism. Another scheme with similar objectives/target Mission (NUHM) for the urban poor. groups namely Short Stay Home (SSH) is being implemented by Central The two could be subsequently Social Welfare Board. merged into a National Health ix. UJJAWALA: This is a comprehensive scheme for prevention of Mission, the Ministry has trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of maintained. trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. Current News & Events 20 12th Plan and released Rs. 29.81 approved the proposal to set up the National crore (as on 10.7.2012 to states / centre. He said, the Regional UTs for taking up preparatory Centre for Fluoride and Fluorosis Round-Up activities / advance action for Management at Gandhinagar will implementation of NMFP. assist the Northern States including Gujrat in providing solutions to National Mission on Food The following schemes being implemented by Government Fluoride contamination in drinking Processing of India directly will not be water and Fluorosis management. implemented through State The Government of India has The Cabinet Committee on Governments under this scheme constituted an Expert Committee Economic Affairs today approved a in 2012-13: under the Chairmanship of new Centrally Sponsored Scheme i. Scheme for Technology Up- Director, National Environmental titled "National Mission on Food gradation / Establishment / Engineering Research Institute Processing (NMFP)”. This scheme Modernization of Food (NEERI), Nagpur to finalize the would start in co-operation with the terms of reference of the Institute Processing Industries. State Governments in 2012-13. and prepare Detailed Project ii. Scheme for Cold Chain, Value The NMFP scheme would Report. Addition and Preservation help the States / UTs in maintaining Infrastructure for Non- requisite synergy between India’s Stance at the UN Horticultural Products. agriculture plans of States and iii. Scheme for Human Resource on Internet Governance Development of food processing Development (HRD) sector, which in turn would help in The Minister of State for iv. Scheme for Promotional Increase in farm productivity Communications and Information Activities. thereby increase in farmers` Technology Shri Sachin Pilot Subsequently more activity income also. This would also help informed the Rajya Sabha that will be added during the 12th Plan. in ensuring efficient supply chain India’s proposal at the session of Flexibility will also be given to States by bridging Infrastructural / United Nations Commission for to add components and deviate institutional gaps. A National Food Science and Technology from central guidelines subject to Processing Development Council Development (CSTD) on 18th May approval from the National Food (NFPDC) has been set up under 2012 in Geneva was a reiteration Processing Development Council the Chairmanship of Minister (Agri. of the statement made in the 66th (NFPDC). & FPI) with representatives of State Session of the United Nations Governments, Industry Fluoride Mitigation Centre in General Assembly in October, 2011 associations and related Govt. of Gujrat will be set up within under the Agenda Item "Information India Departments. This will and Communication Technology provide guidance to all schemes the 12th Five year Plan for Development" which , inter alia, asked CSTD to establish an open of Ministry of Food Processing The Government informed ended Working Group to discuss Industries (MOFPI) including the that a Fluoride Mitigation Centre in the establishment of a Committee NMFP. Gujrat will be set up within the 12th The basic objective of for Internet Related Policies Five year Plan. Rural Development NMFP is decentralization of (CIRP). Minister and the Minister for implementation of Ministry`s The proposal was prepared Drinking Water and Sanitation schemes, which will lead to by Ministry of External Affairs and Jairam Ramesh said in a written substantial participation of State was endorsed by Department of reply to a question in the Rajya Governments / UTs. Beneficiaries Electronics and Information Sabha that the Centre has already of MOFPI schemes will also find it Technology. The proposal is as per easier to deal with State Governments. This would be a Delhi State Government launched Kerosene-free paradigm shift in the Ministry`s approach and is driven by the need Delhi Scheme to make food processing truly a In an initiative to make the national capital Kerosene free, the national initiative. Delhi Government launched Kerosene-free Delhi scheme on 21 August Government has already 2012 in capital. Under this scheme, over 3.50 lakh households will get accorded approval and LPG cylinder and a gas stove free of cost in the coming days. The communicated to all States for government , while launching the scheme, distributed the cylinders taking up preparatory activities / and stove to 200 beneficiaries. The state government will spend 108 advance action by States / UTs for crore rupees on this scheme. With this scheme, Delhi is likely to become implementation of NMFP during the first kerosene-free city in the country. Current News & Events 21 the mandate enshrined in the Tunis Agenda of Enhanced Cooperation National Monsoon Mission and is accordingly a step forward towards the democratization of the The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved global internet related public policy the implementation of the programme of the National Monsoon Mission issues. The proposal was in at the Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO) for a period of five consultation with Brazil and South years. Africa. The Department of The main objectives of the National Monsoon Mission are: Electronics and Information (i) To build a working partnership between the academic and R&D Technology (DeitY) has been organisations both national and international and the operational interacting with representatives agencies to improve the operational monsoon forecast skill over from the Civil Society and Advocacy the country. Groups as well as with Industry (ii) To set up a state of the art dynamic modelling framework for Associations regularly. A meeting improving the prediction skill of: involving, industry, civil society and a. Seasonal and extended range prediction system (16 days to one Government was held in the season) Department on 9th May, 2012. b. Short to medium range prediction system (up to 15 days). Gujarat Government The Mission has a budget of Rs.400 crore for five years to support announced to Ban on Gutka the research work related to the mission. Gujarat state government on The National Monsoon Mission after its implementation will 15 August 2012 announced a help to implement a dynamic prediction system for the prediction of comprehensive ban on gutka, monsoon in all time scales, short range to seasonal time scale at which will come into effect from 11 appropriate spatial scales with improved prediction skill. The forecasts September 2012. From this date, based on this prediction system will cater to the needs of various the production, storage, sale and sectors like agriculture, water resources management, power distribution of gutka shall be generation, disaster management, tourism and transport. banned in the state. Maharashtra The programme will be undertaken through two sub-missions government recently imposed a on two different time scales, (i) extended range to seasonal time scale comprehensive ban on gutka and to be coordinated by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) pan masala. Gutka is also banned Pune/ESSO and (ii) short to medium range scale, to be coordinated by in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting Bihar, while Rajasthan government (NCMRWF)/ESSO. The Indian National Center for Ocean Information had announced its decision to ban Services (INCOIS)/ESSO will provide the ocean observations for the product in July 2012. assimilation and the India Meteorological Department/ESSO will House Sparrow was declared implement the research outcome of the efforts in operational mode. as State Bird of Delhi The Mission will support focused research by national and international research groups with definitive objectives and deliverables to improve The House Sparrow was on the models in the short, medium, extended and seasonal range scales 14 August 2012 declared as state at appropriate spatial scales. The Mission will also support bird of Delhi by the state observational programmes that will result in better understanding of government. The new status of the the processes. The progress of the National Monsoon Mission will be bird is likely to help in its reviewed and monitored by two committees. The Scientific Review and conservation. State government Monitoring Committee (SRMC) will review the research proposals from announced the decision after different research groups and monitor the progress of the research launching a campaign Rise for the work. The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC), which is the apex body Sparrows. The campaign is aimed at conserving the species. will steer the programme, advise and direct midcourse corrections, if any. Railways to set up Bio- Background: Diesel Plants Prediction of monsoon rainfall variability in all spatial and time scales is very important for many sectors like agriculture, water Indian Railways have resources management, power generation and natural ecosystems decided to set up four bio-diesel and thus economy of the country. The present statistical methods being esterification plants for production used by the India Meteorological Department have some constraints of bio-diesel. Further, solar to meet specific user requirements for forecasts on finer spatial and photovoltaic (PV) modules and temporal scale. Therefore, it is necessary to make use of the state of wind mill power plants are generally provided based on the the art dynamic models to improve monsoon prediction skills. Current News & Events 22 availability of adequate sunlight Cabinet nod for ban on Labour Organisation (ILO), which required speed and density of prohibits any form of child labour wind, techno commercial child labour below 14 until the age of 14. considerations and availability of The Union Cabinet on Installation of American fund. The first two bio-diesel August 28 approved a proposal for esterification plants of capacity of amending the Child Labour Nuclear Reactor in India 30 tonnes of bio-diesel per day are (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, A Memorandum of 1986, to ban employment of being set up at Tondiarpet and Understanding (MoU) and a children aged up to 14 in any form Raipur at the cost of Rs. 29.99 crore confidentiality agreement between of industry. It will be an offence to and Rs. 29.98 crore respectively. Westinghouse Electric Company employ such children not only in The locations for the remaining two (WEC), USA and Nuclear Power plants are under finalization. factories or industries but also in Corporation of India Limited homes or on farms, if their labour Raipur and Tondiarpet bio- (NPCIL) was initially signed in is meant to serve any commercial diesel esterification plants are 2009. An amendment to extend the interest. The Ministry of Labour is expected to be commissioned by term of the earlier signed MoU till likely to introduce the amendment 2013. Solar PV modules and wind May, 2014 was signed on June 12, bill in Parliament soon. 2012. The amendment also mill power plants are likely to be Quoting the National includes a clause ot sign an Early operational within next two-three Sample Survey Organisation’s Works Agreement. The review of years time subject to availability of figures, official sources said the safety provisions in design of AP – funds. amendment would benefit 46 lakh 1000 systems to withstand extreme Orissa is the first state to children, who have been working natural events like earthquakes in various industries now, and they and Tsunamis, post Fukushima commence e-payment facility can concentrate on education. incident, has been carried out in for government employees The Cabinet also approved the vendor country. Westinghouse another amendment to define Electric Company has made a Orissa became the First children aged 14-18 as presentation on the same to the Indian state to commence e- “adolescents” and prohibit their Indian side. The Design payment facility for government employment in mines, explosives Certification of the AP – 1000 employees from 1 August 2012. industries, chemical and paint reactor was issued by United Now, the government employees industries and other hazardous States Nuclear Regulatory in the state will receive their salaries establishments. The government’s Commission (USNRC) in and pensions through the online decision is in line with the December 2011, after the Fukushima accident. Portal of Reserve Bank of India. convention of the International Employees received their salaries and pensions directly to their bank Panchayat Sanchar Sewa Yojana account. Reserve Bank of India took Panchayat Sanchar Sewa Kendras (PSSKs) under the an initiative for e-payment facilities. ‘Panchayat Sanchar Sewa Yojana’ scheme are opened at the Gram Punjab on top in milk Panchayat Headquarters which are without Post Offices to provide basic postal facilities at Gram Panchayat Headquarters. This scheme production is being implemented by the Gram Panchayats through agents Punjab has bagged the top appointed by them (Gram Panchayats) with the written consent of the position in the field of dairy farming concerned Superintendent/ Senior Superintendent of Post Offices. This is also subject to receipt of applications from the heads of the with the production of 95.4 lakh MT Gram Panchayats. milk annually, Animal Husbandry The extent to which the scheme achieves its objetive of providing Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said. basic postal facilities at Gram Panchayat Headquarters is dependent He said the state has the highest upon the (i) level of interest shown on part of Panchayat Sanchar milk availability of 944 gm per Sewa Yogana agents; (ii) the level of commitment shown by the PSSK person in the country. Ranike said agents over the functioning of the Panchayat Sanchar Sewa Kendra; Punjab's feat in the field of milk and (iii) the selection of suitable candidates by Gram Panchayats. production came after the record The functioning of the PSSKs are being monitored regularly by production of 179 lakh MT of wheat the Field Officer viz. Insepctor of Post Offices/ Asstt. Superintendent of last season. He said an average Post Offices/ Senior/ Superintendent of Post Offices during their visits daily milk production by a cow in to these kendras. The PSSK agents have been allowed to work as the state of Punjab was 10.947 kg, direct agent of Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) business for which was highest in the country. increasing the volume of business and income of the PSSKs. Current News & Events 23

International Russia joins WTO after 18 years of talks Russia formally became a member of the World Trade Round-Up Organisation(WTO) on 22 August 2012 after 18 years of negotiations. Lakhdar Brahimi was Russia agreed to reduce import appointed the New UN Arab tariffs on goods, including food and cars and to relax controls on League Envoy for Syria overseas companies entering its Algerian diplomat Lakhdar financial and telecom sectors. Brahimi was appointed the new Russia will be the 156th member UN-Arab League envoy for Syria on of the WTO. WTO requires that any 17 August 2012. He will succeed country that seeks to benefit from it Kofi Annan, who resigned earlier must apply the same trade rules to this month after his six-point peace all member countries. Russia negotiated for membership for 18 years, plan failed to achieve a meaningful beginning when the WTO was called the General Agreement on Tariffs cease-fire. Lakhdar Brahimi will be and Trade. known as the Joint Special Representative for Syria. Highlights of the Meet: The 78-year-old Algerian Typhoon Haikui Both the countries, diplomat has served as a U.N. Typhoon Haikui slammed reviewed the entire state of bilateral special envoy in Iraq after the U.S. into the east coast of China on 8 invasion; in Afghanistan, before relationship including trade and August 2012. This is the third and after the end of Taliban rule; commerce. and in South Africa after the typhoon to hit China's east coast in Two nations have also apartheid era. He also brokered less than a week. The other two agreed to strengthen the bilateral an end to the Lebanese civil war typhoons which hit China were relationship into a strategic as a senior Arab League official Damrey and Saola. partnership between 1984-91. He went on to A severe typhoon is Both countries share a serve as Algerian foreign minister considered to have maximum warm relationship on account of the between 1991-93. sustained wind speed of between solid foundation of historical and cultural ties. Both countries are Julian Assange would be 150 and 184 kilometers per hour (93 and 114 mph). A typhoon has also hopeful of achieving the trade Granted Political Asylum maximum sustained winds of target of 25 billion US Dollars by by Ecuador between 118 and 149 kilometers 2015. per hour (73 and 93 mph). Myanmar abolished The foreign ministry of Ecuador announced that Ecuador India, Indonesia Signed Censorship of the Media would be granting Wikileaks co- Double Taxation Avoid- founder Julian Assange a political Myanmar government on 20 asylum on 16 August 2012. ance Agreement August 2012 abolished censorship Assange shot to fame in the of the country's media. The year 2010 after he leaked a number India and Indonesia signed reporters would no longer have to of US diplomatic cables and videos an agreement to avoid double submit their work to state censors regarding the war in Iraq and taxation and prevent fiscal evasion before publication. Burma had Afghanistan through Wikileaks. with respect to taxes on income on begun censorship on media on 6 Following the incident, USA and 27 July 2012. The agreement was August 1964. The journalists were other countries whose secrets signed by Indonesian Foreign given permission to print without were divulged jumped into prior censorship and restrictions Affairs Minister Dr. R. M. Marty considerable action. Assange and were lifted on 30000 internet sites, Natalegawa and his Indian his team argue that the alleged sex allowing users unrestricted access crimes allegations and these counterpart S.M Krishna at the to political content for the first time. accusations are untrue and falsely Hyderabad House in New Delhi. built up. Apart from the agreement, both Resolution against Sri He best known as the sides also signed the agreed Lanka in the UNHRC editor-in-chief and co-founder of minutes of thefourth Joint WikiLeaks, a media website which India voted in favour of the Commission Meeting between has published information from resolution ‘Promotion, Reconcili whistleblowers. India and Indonesia. ation and Accountability in Sri Lanka Current News & Events 24 at the United Nations Human and the Union Minister of Railways transfer capacity of 40Gbps is the Rights Council (UNHRC), Geneva of India Shri Mukul Roy on bilateral equivalent of downloading a high- on 22 March 2012. The vote was in co-operation for the effective resolution DVD in about two line with the Government’s development and modernization of seconds. consistent stand to advance the railway sector of both the countries, objective, namely, the achievement here today. In pursuance of the Thiruvananthapuram new of a future for the Tamil community Vision 2020 document gateway to India in Sri Lanka that is marked by promulgated by the then Minister equality, dignity, justice and self- for Railways, Mamata Banerjee, for Thiruvanthapuram will soon respect. modernization and development of become the fifth gateway to India India enjoys close, cordial major Railway Stations as vibrant for holidaymakers from 11 and friendly relations with centres of the life of cities for neighbouring Sri Lanka with whom commerce, entertainment and it shares historic, civilisational and social space, Indian Railways has cultural links. India is Sri Lanka’s identified stations for development largest trade partner overall and Sri to the international standards and Lanka is India’s largest trade signing of this MOU will especially partner in South Asia. India has focus in this direction. emerged as the largest foreign Asia's fastest data cable direct investor in Sri Lanka. India also contributes to the largest links Tokyo to Singapore number of tourists arrivals in Sri countries who can get tourist visa A new high-speed Lanka. The close relationship has on arrival (T-VoA). At present 4 undersea data cable has opened been further strengthened by high International Airports - Delhi, to traffic in Asia. The 7,800km Asia level visits, including those of the Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata- are Submarine-cable Express (ASE) Minister of External Affairs in having the facility.Citizens of connects Japan, Malaysia, January 2012; Joint Parliamentary Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Singapore and the Philippines. It Delegation in April 2012; Minister Zealand, Singapore, Cambodia, transfers data via an optical fibre of Rural Development and Drinking Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, system at 40 gigabits per second, Water and Sanitation in July 2012; Myanmar and Indonesia can get T- and is three milliseconds faster VoA. The Union Ministry of External Minister of Commerce, Industry and than any other cable between Affairs has approved it for the Textiles in August 2012; and Singapore and Tokyo. citizens of France, Germany and Minister of Culture in August 2012. The gain in speed may Russia, and clearance from the Species of Rat sound small, but could prove Bureau of Immigration (BOI), which critical to financial trades made out functions under the Union Ministry A unique species of rat that of the region. The route for the new of Home Affairs, is awaited. doesn’t chew was discovered in cable was chosen to be as straight Thiruvananthapuram figures along Indonesia. The animal with a long, as possible, reducing the time to with Goa and Bangalore on the pointed snout is the only rodent out get information from one end to the shortlist of the BOI for granting T- of more than 2200 known species other to 65 milliseconds. The data VoA. that does not have molars and instead has bicuspid upper India, Afghanistan and Iran to set up Joint Working incisors. Rats were found in the mountainous rainforest of southern Group to spur Trade Sulawesi Island on Mount Iran, India and Afghanistan discussed options for investment in Latimojong and 100 km northwest the Chabahar Port, located in southeast Iran. In a crucial trilateral on Mount Gandangdewata. They meeting held on 26 August 2012 ahead of the Non-Aligned Movement lives off earthworms. (NAM) summit, the three nations agreed to set up a joint working group to spur trade and transit through the Iranian port of Chabahar. India and Belgium Sign Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai held dialogues with deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Afghanistan in Tehran to explore ways to MOU for Development expand trade and transit cooperation, including investment, among the A Memorandum of three countries, starting with the Chabahar Port. Understanding (MOU) was signed In another significant development Indian External Affairs Minister by the visiting Deputy Prime Minister SM Krishna held bilateral dialogues with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi on 27 August 2012. The two leaders discussed issues & Minister for Foreign Affairs, related to trade and economy during the meeting. The two nations Foreign Trade and European Affairs hoped to take their economic ties to a new level through increased of Belgium, Mr. Didier Reynders cooperation in the economic sector. Current News & Events 25 Knowledge Capsules Indian Magsaysay Award Winners Name Year Category Vinoba Bhave 1958 Community Leadership Chintaman Deshmukh 1959 Government Services Amitabha Chowdhury 1961 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Mother Teresa 1962 Peace and International Understanding Dara Khurody 1963 Community Leadership Verghese Kurien 1963 Community Leadership Tribhuvandas Patel 1963 Community Leadership Welthy Fisher 1964 Peace and International Understanding Jayaprakash Narayan 1965 Public Service Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay 1966 Community Leadership Satyajit Ray 1967 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts M. S. Swaminathan 1971 Community Leadership M. S. Subbulakshmi 1974 Public Service Boobli George Verghese 1975 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Henning Holck-Larsen 1976 Peace and International Understanding Sombhu Mitra 1976 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Ela Ramesh Bhatt 1977 Community Leadership Mabelle Arole 1979 Community Leadership Rajanikant Arole 1979 Community Leadership Gour Kishore Ghosh 1981 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Pramod Karan Sethi 1981 Community Leadership Chandi Prasad Bhatt 1982 Community Leadership Manibhai Desai 1982 Public Service Arun Shourie 1982 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Rasipuram Lakshman 1984 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Muralidhar Amte 1985 Public Service Lakshmi Chand Jain 1989 Public Service K. V. Subbanna 1991 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Ravi Shankar 1992 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Banoo Jehangir Coyaji 1993 Public Service Kiran Bedi 1994 Government Services Pandurang Athavale 1996 Community Leadership Tirunellai Seshan 1996 Government Services Mahasweta Devi 1997 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Mahesh Chander Mehta 1997 Public Service Jockin Arputham 2000 Peace and International Understanding Aruna Roy 2000 Community Leadership Rajendra Singh 2001 Community Leadership Sandeep Pandey 2002 Emergent Leadership James Michael Lyngdoh 2003 Government Services Shantha Sinha 2003 Community Leadership Laxminarayan Ramdas 2004 Peace and International Understanding V. Shantha 2005 Public Service Arvind Kejriwal 2006 Emergent Leadership Palagummi Sainath 2007 Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts Mandakini Amte 2008 Community Leadership Prakash Amte 2008 Community Leadership Deep Joshi 2009 Community Leadership Neelima Mishra 2011 Emergent Leadership Harish Hande 2011 Emergent Leadership Kulandei Francis 2012 Community Leadership Current News & Events 26 Banking Awareness For Bank PO & Clerks Exams

1. Free Trade Refers to c) Excise Duty 15. Which Among the Following is a) Free movement of Goods d) Export Duty the Full from of FDI in Indian from one country to other. 8. One of the Following is not a Economics b) Movement of Goods from Function of Reserve Bank of a) Foreign Depository Investors one Country to another free of India b) Foreign Departmental cost. a) Issuing Currency Notes Investors c) Unrestricted exchange of b) Formulating Monetary Policy c) Foreign Direct Investment Goods and Services. c) Exercising Control over all d) Foreign Development d) Tool free of Duty Banks in India Investment 2. Which of the following is not a d) Lending Money to Exporters 16. IDBI is a Drug/Pharma Company 9. In India one Rupee Coins and a) Industrial Unit a) Chevron b) Educational Institution b) Nicholas Piramal Notes and Subsidiary a) State Bank of India c) Bank c) Pfizer d) Construction Company d) Zydus Cadila b) Central Govt. 17. The Securities and Exchange 3. Which Economy Theory is also c) Reserve Bank of India Board of India (SEBI) was Known as the Theory of d) Unit trust Bank of India established in the Year Income Determination 10. Prime Cost is equal to a) 1992 b) 1993 a) The Theory of International a) Variable Cost plus Fixed c) 1994 d) 1988 Trade Cost 18. Who was the First Chairman b) Theory of Allocation b) Variable Cost only of SEBI as well of Disinvest c) The Subsistence Theory c) Fixed Cost only d) The Keynesian Theory ment Commission of India d) Variable Cost plus 4. RBI's open market operation a) C.B Bhave transactions are carried out Administrative Cost b) G.V.Ramakrishna with a view to regulate 11. Macro Economics is Based on c) A.S. Morrthy a) Liquidity in the economy a) Gross domestic Product d) Vijay Kelkar b) Prices of essential b) Net Domestic Product 19. IBRD Abbreviates commodities c) National Income Concept a) International Bank of c) Inflation only Reconstructionand Develop d) All of the above d) External Source. ment 5. When more than one bank is 12. The World Economic outlook( b) Indian Bank for Rural allowing credit facilities to one WEO ) is Published by Development party in coordination with a) White House c) Industrial Bank for Rural eachother under a formal b) IMF Development arrangement,the arrangement c) UNO d) International Bank for is generally known as d) World Economic Revenue and Development a) Participation b) Consortium 13. The Apex Bank for Rural Credit 20 Capital Market Means c) Syndication is a) Mutual Funds d) Multiple banking a) Rural Regional Bank b) Money Market 6. The Leading Trade Theorist of b) NAFED c) Securities Market the World is c) NABARD d) Banking Business a) Amartya Sen d) RBI 21. The Changed Name of Unit b) Jagdish Bhagwati 14. Highest no of Kisan Credit Trust of India Bank is c) Joseph Stiglitz Cards were issued by a) ICICI b) Axis d) Pranab Bardhan a) Commercial Banks c) Bank of Punjab 7. The Largest Revenue Source b) Cooperative Bank d) HSBC in India c) Regional Rural Bank 22. The Full Form of ICICI Bank is a) Sales Tax d) State Land Development a) Institutional Credit and b) Income Tax Banks infrastructure Corporation of India. Current News & Events 27

b) Industrial Commerce and 28. The Reserve Bank of India 34. Bank Deposits that can be Investment Corporation of India Issues withdrawn without notice are c) Infrastructure credit and a) all the Currency notes except called Industrial Corporation of India the hundred rupee note. a) Variable Deposits d) Industrial Credit and b) all the Currency Note b) Demand Deposits Investment Corporation of India c) only Notes of Rs 10 and c) Fixed Deposits 23. open market operations, one above d) Account Payable Deposits of the measure taken by RBI d) all the Currency notes 35. India's Largest Nationalized inorder to control credit except the one rupee note Commercial Bank is expansion in the economy 29. In the capital market, the term a) State Bank of India means arbitrage is used with b) ICICI Bank a) Sale or purchase of govt. reference to c) IDBI Bank securities a) purchase of securities to d) P.N.B b) Issuance of different type of cover the sale 36. Euro bond is an instument bonds b) sole of securities to reduce a) issued in the European c) Auction of gold the loss on purchase market d) To make available direct c) simultaneous purchase and b) issued in Euro Currency finance to borrowers sale of securities to make profit c) Issued in a country other 24. The bank rate means from price. than the country of the curency a) Rate of interest charged by d) variation in different market of the bond. commerical bank from 30. What is a Scheduled Bank borrowers d) All of the above a) A bank having Rs 1000 Crore b) Rate of interest at which Deposits 37. The IMF and the World bank commercial banks discounted b) A Bank included in the were conceived as institutions vills of their borrowers. Second Schedule of the RBI. to c) Rate of interest allowed by c) A Bank having Rs 100 Crore a) Strengthen international commercial banks on their Deposits economic co-operation and to deposits. d) A Bank having Branches all help create a more stable and d) Rate at which RBI proerous global economy. purchases or rediscounts bills over India 31. In Economics the Law of b) IMF promoters international of exchange of commercial mometory cooperation banks. Demand means c) The world bank promotes 25. What is an Indian depository a) When Demand Rises Price long term economics means? Falls. development and poverty a) A deposit account with a b) When Price rises, Demand public sector bank Falls reduction. b) A depository account with any c) No relationship of demand d) All of these of depositories in India with prices. 38. In the term BRIC, R stands for c) An instrument in the form of d) None of These a) Romania depository receipt created by 32. Currency swap is an b) Restriction an Indian depository against instrument to manage c) Russia underlying equity shares of the a) Currency Risk d) Regulation issuing company b) Interest Rate Risk 39. The branding line of Bank of d) An instrument in the form of c) Currency and interest rate Baroda deposit receipt issued by risk a) International Bank of India Indian depositories. d) Cash flows in diffrent b) India's International bank 26. An instrument that derives its currencies c) India's Multinational Bank value from a specified 33. Sub Prime refers to d) World's local Bank underlying ( Currency, gold, a) lending done by banks at stocks etc) is known as rates below PLR a) Derivative b) Funds raised by the banks ANSWERS b) Securitisation Receipts at sublibor rates 1. c 2. a 3. d 4. d 5. b c) Hedge Fund c) Group of Banks which are 6. b 7. c 8. d 9. c 10. b d) Factoring not rated as prime banks as 11. b 12. b 13. c 14. b 15. c 27. The Five Rupee Coin of India per bankers's Almanac. 16. c 17. a 18. b 19. a 20. c is d) Lending done by Finanacing 21. b 22. d 23. a 24. d 25. c a) Minted at Nagpur institutions including banks to 26. c 27. c 28. a 29. c 30. b b) Minted at Indore customers are not meeting c) Minted in London 31. c 32. d 33. d 34. b 35. a with normally required credit d) Minted in N.York 36. c 37. d 38. c 39. b appraisal standards. Current News & Events 28 Current MCQ Capsules

1. Who won the Miss World a) Parimarjan Negi 13. Which bacterial strain, 2012 beauty pageant on 18 b) M.R.Venkatesh developed from natural August 2012? c) P.Harikrishna isolates by genetic a) Zhang Zilin d) Vishwanathan Anand manipulation can be used for b) Kaiane Aldorino 7. Who was the flag bearer for treating oil spills? c) Alexandria Mills India during the closing a) Agrobacterium d) Yu Wenxia ceremony of the London b) Pseudomonas 2. Recently which among the Olympics on August 12, 2012? c) Clostridium following government has a) MC Mary Kom d) None 14. The largest contributor to CO launched 'Kerosene-free' b) Saina Nehwal 2 scheme? c) Sushil Kumar emission is: a) Delhi d) Gagan Narang a) US b) China b) West Bengal 8. Who is tipped to be the head c) Japan d) Russia c) Uttar Pradesh of the third Education 15. Which of the following states d) Haryana Commission to be constituted was conferred “Decadal 3. What is MIV-150 which was in by the central government Literacy Award” for achieving news recently? shortly? highest literacy growth in the a) A short range nuclear (a) Andre Beteille last decade? capable missile developed by (b) YK Alagh a) Kerala b) Manipur IRAN (c) Ramchandra Guha c) UP d) Bihar b) An antiretroviral gel (d) Sam Pitroda 16. SLINEX II is a joint naval developed to prevent HIV 9. Which of the following exercise between transmission countries granted asylum to a) India and Sri Lanka c) A humanoid robot WikiLeaks founder Julian b) India and Singapore developed by the students of Assange on August 16, 2012? c) India and USA Massachusetts Institute of 1) Sweden d) India and France technology. 2) Australia 17. Which country launched the d) A recently discovered 3) Cuba first satellite dedicated to meteor. 4) Ecuador monitoring of green house gases emissions? 4. The Pranahita Chevella 10. Recently which of the following a) Brazil b) Japan irrigat-ion project will serve is included in the UNESCO’s c) China d) USA Andhra Pradesh and World Heritage List? 18. The first Women Kabbadi Maharashtra states. a) Dilwara temple World Cup was hosted by Pranahita is a major tributary b) Western Ghats which Indian State in 2012? of which of the following c) Red fort a) Punjab rivers? d) Kalka-Shimla Railway b) Haryana a) Krishna 11. Who has been appointed as c) U.P b) Narmada Chairperson of the Advisory d) Bihar c) Godavari Board on Bank, Commercial 19. INDIA’s official entry for the d) Tapati and Financial Frauds? best foreign language film 5. Which among the following a) Usha Thorat award in OSCARS 2011 was country has recently abolished b) Shikha Sharma a) Urumi censorship on media ? c) Nainalal Kidwai b) No one killed Jessica a) Myanmar d) Shyamala Gopinath c) Adaminte Makan Abu b) Syria 12. Which bird was declared as d) Peepli live c) Afghanistan State bird by the Delhi 20. The proposed National d) Egypt Government? Waterway 6 is on 6. Who won the Asian a) House Sparrow a) River Godavari continental chess champion b) Pigeon b) River Brahmani ship in Ho Chi Minh city, c) Koyal c) River Krishna Vietnam on May13, 2012? d) Parrots d) River Barak Current News & Events 29

21. Which Countries have recently Olympic medalist in which of overseas. He was the signed Bilateral Agreement to the following sports? President of which of the avoid Double Taxation and a) Swimming following countries from 1999 Prevent Fiscal Evasion? b) Shooting to 2011? a) India and United Kingdom c) Gymnastics a) Singapore b) India and Indonesia d) Athletics b) Mauritius c) India and United States 29. Senior IPS officer Subhash c) Guyana d) India and France Joshi has been appointed as d) Nepal 22. The 25th North Atlantic Treaty the Director General of which 35. MariKana Platinum mine, Organization (NATO) Summit of the following forces? which is recently in news is was held on May 20-21, 2012 a) NSG b) CRPF one of the world's richest in which of the following c) BSF d) CISF platinum reserves. In which cities? 30. Under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, among the following a) Camp David how much incentive is countries it is located ? b) Brussels provided by the government to a) South Africa c) London every family for constructing a b) Australia d) Chicago toilet? c) China 23. Which among the following a) Rs.7,000 b) Rs.7,500 d) Canada will become 157th member of c) Rs.10,000 d) Rs.10,500 36. The Defense Ministry cleared the WTO? 31. Oscar winning actor Sean a Rs.3,000 crore deal to buy a) Russia Penn received the 2012 Peace 145 M777 ultra light howitzer b) Siriya Summit Award in April 2012 for (ULH) artillery guns from c) Tuvalu his humanitarian work in which of the following d) Vanuatu which of the following countries on May11, 2012? 24. Anshu Jain took over as co- earthquake ravaged countri es? a) France CEO of which of the following a) Japan b) USA banking giants on June 1, b) Haiti c) Russia 2012? c) Indonesia d) Sweden a) HSBC d) Philippines 37. Who won the World Snooker b) Deutsche Bank 32. Name the committee which Championship for the fourth c) Citibank has been set up by the time in Sheffield, UK on May d) BNP Paribas government of India to provide 7, 2012? 25. Which are the two countries a road map for formulating a a) John Higgins signed an signed Green National Accounting b) Stephen Hendry Collaborative Academic (GNA) system to evaluate the c) Steve Davis Research Programme impact of economic growth on d) Ronnie O' Sullivan Agreement? environment by 2015? 38. Presently how much a) India and United States a) Rangarajan Committee cultivable area in the country b) India and France b) Yashwant Sinha Committe is using biofertilisers? c) India and Israel c)Pulok Chatterjee a) 3% b) 4% d) India and France Committee c) 5% d) 2% 26. The Institutional Revolutionary d) Partha Dasgupta 39. Recently in which among the Party (PRI) leader Enrique Committee following countries 'National Peña Nieto was elected the 33. Which state of India is the first Outreach Conference on new President of...... ? to launch cashless health Global Nuclear Disarmament' a) Russia b) Mexico insurance scheme was held? c) Russia d) Iran “Swarnjayanti Aarogya Bima a) India b) USA 27. After Pratibha Patil and Prabha Yojana” for its entire c) JAPAN d) Russia Rau, Margaret Alva is the third population? 40. Who is appointed as the head woman Governor of which of a) Goa of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna & the following states? b) Haryana Arjuna Awards Committee? a) Maharashtra c) Madhya Pradesh a) Kapil Dev b) Rajasthan d) Kerala b) Sunil Gavaskar c) Karnataka 34. S.R. Nathan was conferred c) Gagan Narang d) Uttarakhand with the prestigious Pravasi d) Rajyavardhan Singh 28. Murray Rose of Australia Bhara-tiya Samman, the Rathore passed away on April 15, highest honor accorded to 41. Who among the following 2012. He was a six- time people of Indian origin Indian Cardiologists was Current News & Events 30 elected as President of the 48. Palestine has recently c) Adi Godrej World Heart Federation become full member of d) Swati Piramal (WHF), a global NGO UNESCO. Palestine is 55. In which among the following dedicated to prevention of a) 195th member of UNESCO states, the upcoming Flouride heart diseases in low and b) 194th member of UNESCO Mitigation Center will be set by middle income countries in c) 196th member of UNESCO the government ? April 2012? d) 193rd member of UNESCO a) Gujarat a) Dr.S.Padmavati 49. What was the proposed b) Rajasthan b) Dr.Naresh Trehan increase in subsidy of pluses c) Maharastra c) Dr.Devi Shetty through ration shops for BPL d) Tamil Nadu d) Dr.Srinath Reddy families by Food Ministry 56. Till now how many zonal 42. Who was honoured with Rajiv recently? cultural centers have been set Gandhi Shiromani Award a) Rs.10 per kg up by the Government of 2012? b) Rs.20 per kg India? a) D.R.Mehata c) Rs.25 per kg a) 6 b) 7 b) Retired Lt. Col. Kishan d) Rs.30 per kg c) 8 d) 9 Singh 50. Name the author who has 57. In a move aimed at c) Rohit Nandan won the Saraswati Samman, encouraging investment d) Som Mittal 2012. sentiment in the country, the 43. Hungama Report is related a) SL Bhyrappa Union Finance Ministry to b) Laxmi Nandan Bora approved what per cent of a) Corruption c) Surjit Paatar foreign direct investment in b) Hunger and Malnutrition d) A A Manavalan insurance and pension sector 51. Which of the following gives c) Education in August 2012? Crystal Awards? d) Reservations a) 29% b) 39% a) Asia Pacific Economic 44. Name the Ethiopian Prime c) 45% d) 49% Cooperation Minister who died recently? 58. Who took over as the b) IBRD a) Meles Zenawi Chairman of the National c) WHO b) Yitzhak Shamir Association of Software and d) World Economic Forum c) James Abdon Services Companies 52. Who among the following is d) Borge Martínez (NASSCOM) for 2012-13? the new Deputy Chairman of 45. Which Indian state has been a) Avinash Vashistha the Rajya Sabha? chosen to participate in the a) K.Vishwanathan b) N.Chandrasekaran SAARC conference for Early b) Karia Munda c) T.K.Kurien Childhood Care and c) Agni Hotri d) B.V.R.Mohan Reddy Education policy? d) P.J. Kurien 59. Recently the Kapilavastu relics a) Jharkhand 53. Which of the following are put on display in which b) Haryana statements about ASEAN is among the following c) Bihar not true? countries? d) Andhra Pradesh a) The Association of South a) Sri Lanka 46. The Central Statistics Office East Asian Nations (ASEAN) b) Nepal (CSO), Ministry of Statistics is a geo-political and c) China and Programme Implemen economic organization of ten d) Japan tation, has introduced the new countries. 60. Who among the following is series of consumer price b) It was formed in 1967 with not a Supreme Court Judge indices for all-India, and the secretariat in Singapore. at present? States and union territories c) The 20th ASEAN Summit a) Justice Jasti Chalameswar separately for rural, urban and was held in April 2012 in b) Justice Fakir Mohamed combined. What is the base Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Ibrahim Kalifulla year of new series? d) The theme for this summit c) Justice Ranjan Gogoi a) 2008 b) 2009 is "ASEAN: One Community, d) Justice K.G. Balakrishnan c) 2010 d) 2005 One Destiny". 61. 'Ulchi Freedom Guardian' is 47. Miss World 2012 Wen Xia Yu 54. Who has been elected as the annual joint military exercise belongs to which country? President of Confederation of of USA &____? a) Vietnam Indian Industry (CII) for the a) South Korea b) Japan year 2012-13? b) China c) South Korea a) B.Muthuraman c) France d) China b) Ajay Shriram d) India Current News & Events 31

62. Name the indigenously built 70. Best Mini Ratna Award 2012 c) GSLV F07 second pollution control has been given to which d) GSLV III vessel, specially designed to company? 77. Which among the following mitigate any marine oil spill, a) Coal India Ltd countries has recently which has been b) ONGC unveiled upgraded Fateh commissioned on July 20 at c) REIL missile? Surat? d) BHEL a) Iran a) Vishwast 71. Which State has recently b) Pakistan b) Sankalp passed a strong legislation c) Israel c) Samudra Preheredar that allows state government d) Russia d) Vadyar to seize assets of corrupt 78. After diclofenac, which among 63. GRAIL (The gravity recovery administrators and use it as the following veterinary and interior laboratory) a public property? painkiller has been identified mission refers to a) Haryana as another threat to vultures a) NASA's mission to Mars b) Kerala in India? b) NASA's mission to Moon c) Tamil Nadu a) levorphanol c) ISRO's planned mission to d) Himachal Pradesh b) Tramadol moon 72. Lal Bahadur Shastri National c) Aceclofenac d) China mission to build Award 2011 for the excellence d) Aminofenac international space station in public administration, 79. Recently which of following 64. ASEAN 2014 meet will be academics and management Indian banks have been chaired by has been given to… allowed to operate in a) Prof. Sunanda Rao Pakistan? a) Thailand b) Prof. Anand Singh a) Punjab National Bank and b) Phillippens c) Prof. Yash Pal IDBI Bank c) Myanmar d) Prof. Pranab Baneerji b) State Bank of India (SBI) d) Singapore 73. S.R Hashim Committee is and Bank of India (BoI) 65. The threat of climate change associated with c) State Bank of India (SBI) and and rising sea levels has a) Estimation of informal Punjab National Bank given rise to the emergence workforce d) Bank of India (BoI) and IDBI of which of the following b) Sustainable Agriculture Bank groups of countries? development 80. Who among the following has a) G-20 b) BASIC c) Study on employment been recently appointed as c) AOSIS d) BRIC generation sectors new chairperson of the 66. Which of the following d) Estimation of urban poverty Central Board of Direct Taxes countries has made access 74. At which among the following (CBDT)? to broadband a legal right for location, the proposed Indian a) Sudha Sharma every citizen? Institute of Agricultural b) Poonam Kishore Saxena a) South Korea Biotechnology will be c) Shobha L.Chary b) Finland established? d) Laxman Das c) Denmark a) Ranchi 81. Presently how much d) Israel b) Hyderabad cultivable area in the country 67. Green Economy initiative is led c) Bangalore is using bio-fertilisers? by d) Ahmedabad a) 3 per cent a) UNCTAD b) WTO 75. Recently which among the b) 5 per cent c) UNEP d) IPCCC following mass media giant c) 6 per cent 68. Kerry Lugar Berman Bill of has been allowed to invest d) 8 per cent USA is related to Rs.1,000 crore FDI to expand 82. Quadruple amputee Philippe a) Aid for climate change its operations in India? Croizon swam between b) Sanctions on Iran a) Time Warner islands in the icy Bering Strait c) Aid for Afghanistan b) Walt Disney to cross from America to Asia d) Aid for Pakistan c) Vivendi SA in the final part of a quest to 69. Which of the following states d) VIACOM link all continents. He hails presents the prestigious arts 76. Which among the following from _____? award Kalidas Samman will be launched as 100th a) UK annually? mission of ISRO? b) France a) UP b) Bihar a) PSLV C-20 c) Ukraine c) MP d) Orissa b) PSLV C-21 d) Germany Current News & Events 32 83. Recently UNDP and Indian a) West Bengal 96. The Indian state which stood Institute of Advance Study b) Sikkim second in wheat procurement (IIAS) have signed the MoU to c) Tripura is ? set up an international centre d) Assam a) Andhra Pradesh for human development at 89. QFI (Qualified Foreign b) Haryana ______? Investment) is regulated in c) Madhya Pradesh a) Jaipur b) Shimla India by? d) Tamil Nadu c) Dehradun d) Kanpur a) RBI 97. Mehdi Hassan who expired 84. Recently the High Level b) Financial Action Task Force recently was related to the Committee on External c) SEBI field Commercial Borrowings d) IRDA a) Shooting b) Army permitted FIIs to invest up 90. Pranab Mukherjee has been c) Acting d) Music to______in rupee bonds recently elected as the ____ 98. Which of the following states within the overall corporate th President of India? has maximum forest cover bond limit of $45 billion. a) 12th b) 13th area in India as per the recent a) $5 billion b) $10 billion c) 15th d) 14th India state of Forest report? c) $12 billion d) $15 billion 91. Which Indian Bank has taken a) Andhra Pradesh 85. What is the present FDI cap in step to form India’s first b) Bihar insurance sector in India? Mortgage guarantee entity just c) Tamil Nadu a) 26 per cent like other developed d) Madhya Pradesh b) 49 per cent countries? 99. Which of the following State c) 76 per cent a) SBI has granted Sanskrit d) 100 per cent b) National Housing Bank 86. Recently in which among the c) LIC Housing language the status of the following countries 'National d) HDFC second official language of the Outreach Conference on 92. 'State of emergency declared state? Global Nuclear Disarmament' in Western Myanmar' was the a) Bihar b) MP was held? news recently. Who is the c) UP d) Uttarakhand a) USA b) Australia president of Myanmar? 100. The Rajiv Gandhi National c) India d) Japan a) Thein Sein Sadbhawana Award 2012 has 87. The new chairman of Life b) Ahmed Abdualla been given to: Insurance Corporation of India c) Bashar Ali a) D R Mehta is? d) Zaheerul Rahman b) Shabana Azmi a) T.V. Raghu Nath 93. International donor c) Javed Akhtar b) D.K. Mehrotra conference on Afghanistan d) Dilip Kumar c) Snigdha Nandipati was held recently to donate d) Rahul Bhattacharya funding for Afghanistan ANSWERS 88. Indian state which has development. It was held in? become the first Nirmal Rajya a) Kabul 1. d 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. a that is 100% open defecation b) Tokyo 6. a 7. a 8. a 9. d 10. b free is: c) Hong Kong 11. d 12. a 13. b 14. b 15. d d) Singapore 16. a 17. b 18. d 19. c 20. d 94. The state which has created 21. b 22. d 23. d 24. b 25. c a new Limca record by holding 26. b 27. b 28. a 29. a 30. c the largest guitar ensemble of 31. b 32. d 33. a 34. a 35. a the country in which 5406 36. b 37. d 38. a 39. a 40. d guitarists participated is ? 41. d 42. b 43. b 44. a 45. a a) Andhra Pradesh 46. c 47. d 48. a 49. b 50. d b) Goa 51. d 52. d 53. b 54. c 55. a c) Assam 56. b 57. d 58. b 59. a 60. d d) Tripura 61. a 62. c 63. b 64. c 65. c 95. Dipankar Mukherjee who 66. b 67. c 68. d 69. c 70. c passed away recently is a 71. d 72. c 73. d 74. a 75. b famous ? 76. b 77. a 78. c 79. b 80. b a) Peace activist 81. a 82. b 83. b 84. a 85. a b) Cricketer 86. c 87. b 88. b 89. b 90. b c) Actor 91. b 92. a 93. b 94. c 95. d Ph. No. 9030893956 d) Parliamentarian 96. b 97. D 98. d 99. d 100. a