[MyThought] Growth vs Growth

Before going to our main topic lets us look what growth means to us. The definition of growth is vary from person to person , situation to situation , nation to nation .what is growth for India may not be growth for USA. Thus, we find that growth is a dynamic phenomenon that is changing it looks according to its environmental factors. In simple term growth defined as to make our environment a better place to live. Well it is a too simple way to express growth but in reality defining growth is far more complicate phenomenon. There are many indicators for growth because growth can’t be sustained on single factor. Some of these indicators are likes – Education, Sex ratio, Poverty etc.

Sebastian Vettel wins Indian Grand Prix again

For the second successive year, Sebastian Vettel  of Red Bull wowed the spectators at the Buddh International Circuit here on Sunday afternoon as he registered a stupendous victory in the Indian Grand Prix. He finished nearly 10 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso, who pushed his Ferrari past the line in 1:31:20.181s. Mark Webber, Vettel’s  teammate, came in third (1:31:23.961s).

India topples Thailand as world's largest rice exporter: USDA (US Department of Agriculture0

India has the emerged as the world's largest rice exporter in 2012 beating its Asian counterpart Thailand with shipment of 9.75 million tonnes, according to USDA's latest report.

Thailand was the top rice exporter with exports of 10.65 million tonnes in 2011. However, its volume slipped to 6.5 million tonnes in 2012.

NSE tops bourse CEO salary chart

Chiefs of leading stock exchange NSE and the top commodity bourse MCX have topped the executive salary charts of their businesses, getting hike of nearly 6 per cent in last fiscal.

Among the stock exchanges, the net pay package of National Stock Exchange (NSE) MD and CEO Ravi Narain rose to Rs 4.1 crore in 2011-12, from Rs 3.85 crore in the previous fiscal, as per the bourse’s latest annual report.

Pankaj Advani wins seventh billiards world title

Ace Indian cueist Pankaj  Advani proved his class once again as he notched up his seventh World Billiards Championship title after comprehensively beating defending champion and seasoned Englishman Mike Russell in the final here.

Person in News :Bo Xilai

Bo Xilai expelled from China’s Parliament, stripped of legal immunity

China expelled disgraced Communist Party leader Bo Xilai’s from country’s Parliament and also stripped him of legal immunity to start legal proceedings into offences alleged on him.

Govt. approves setting up of Aircraft Acquisition Committee

The government gave its nod for setting up a new committee which will consider, examine and make recommendations on allowing import or acquisition of aircraft for various purposes by airlines. After analyzing the proposals, the panel would make suggestions for operation of scheduled air transport services, regional scheduled air transport services and non-scheduled air transport services.

Mali readmitted into African Union

African Union (A.U.) readmitted Mali after a meeting of the A.U. Peace and Security Council [AUPSC].

Why Mali’s membership was annulled? 

 Mali’s membership was suspended by the African Union after a coup in the country in March 2012 when a military junta seized power even as two thirds of Mali slipped into the control of a coalition of armed groups and organized gangs.

Person in News : Dr. C.L. Laxmipathi Gowda

International Crop Science award to ICRISAT scientist Dr. C.L. Laxmipathi Gowda

Person in News : Brahma Chellaney

Bernard Schwartz award to Brahma Chellaney

Brahma Chellaney has been awarded with 2012 Asia Society Bernard Schwartz Book Award for his book Water: Asia’s New Battleground.

[My Thought] “ Good Fences make good neighbors”

“Good fences make good neighbors “ it is a proverb means that it is better for people to mind their own business and to respect privacy of others. This well known saying applicable to every field of our life whether it is our family or our office or our Nation .Interference with others matter always ushered to a conflict. Every one of us like our privacy and don’t want that anyone interference in our personal matter. Now coming to problems, why we need fences? Off-course that is a psychological question, but I are not interested in that. Since the dawn of human civilization , people felt fundamental need to divide the world into territorial areas. In last century, hundred thousands of people died in ethnically violent clashes due to Territorial dispute. A Territorial dispute is disagreement of possession or control of land between two or more states. There are many countries in world which are indulging in some kind of territorial disputes. this list of disputes is to large so we can’t explain each and everyone but let try to understand some majors disputes in briefly.

India has territorial disputes with Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh. India had fought many war with these country on the matters of territorial possession. Recent, Kargil war between India and Pakistan was a good example. The cause of war was infiltration of Pakistan soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions of Indian side of LOC, which served as de facto border between these two nation. Finally The Indian Army with the help of Indian Air force, recaptured the majority of Indian territory occupied by Pakistani militants. But in the whole process is there any gain for any country whether it is India or Pakistan but of course they looses live of many soldiers. They are fighting for Kargil sector, which is Iceland not suitable for habitation. There are many other cases also like Gaza strip dispute between Israeli and Palestinian , Arunachal Pradesh disagreements between India and China , territorial disputes in south china sea between China and Vietnam , etc.

This disagreement or disputes affect not only political, social and cultural conditions of these countries but also global economy. Recently, in news we heard about the dispute over East China Sea islands , called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, is such an emotionally charged issue in China that it has sparked widespread anti-Japanese riots across the country and a boycotting of Japanese products there. This will adversely affected some of companies like Toyota Motors whose sales depend on China to a considerable extent fall down gradually. Apart from these territorial disagreements also affect economic life of people of territory because extra cost burden of these conflict bear by people only. If government more indulge in these kind of conflicts it levy more tax to fulfill extra burden created due to these conflicts.

Now finally we conclude that wheather it is a individual life or a nation it is better to keep visible and acceptable fences between them because it not only make life peaceful but also help to grow economically, politically and socially.

 

SUN TV Network acquires Hyderabad IPL franchise

 Sun TV Network won the Hyderabad Franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a sum of Rs 85.05 crore per annum.

§       On September 15, the BCCI floated tenders for a new IPL franchise after terminating Deccan Chargers’ contract following payment default by the team owners DCHL.

§        DCHL was unable to furnish bank guarantee of Rs 100 crore before October 12, 5 pm deadline.

 

Next-gen sequencing approach to identify diseases from bone samples

A new technology that uses a next-gen sequencing approach, including hybridization capture technology, to analyze gene sequences within seconds to identify diseases accurately. Scientists used the technique to identify tuberculosis (TB) genes in a 19th century female skeleton found in a crypt in Leeds.

[My Thought] does IT can help to reduce corruption?

I think yes, IT can surely help us to increase transparency and accountability in government. In western world countries corruption rate is much lower compare to Asian countries. One of the main reasons for that is these countries are technologically much advance. The use for Information and communication Technology ( ICT) in government in India still lagging behind developed country. Still, we believe in pen paper system for work although there is other way around. Through using pen-paper system we are not only harming our environment but also hiding loophole in various government policies. Its very difficult to keep accountability of government servants in pen paper system because their discrepancy in work hide somewhere in collections of huge piles of files. If we can use IT services then this kind discrepancy never come because there is no hiding of information. WE CAN MAKE HUMAN FOOL BUT WE CAN NOT MAKE MACHINE FOOL. So use of IT will enhance the efficiency as well as productivity of government. Well , our government has taken many step to promote IT-IT enabled services . there is one state owned enterprise called NIC (National Informatics centre) that help government to implement IT enabled services for government. 20 years back function of government is totally confidential and out of reach of common man. Of course there is provision to publish important bills in gazette for get people thought about that bills, but that is just a formality kind of thing, because for getting people thought meeting was organized or people have to send their thought via post. Well both of these processes are very slow and limited to some person only due to government time and money restriction they can’t make people more participative. But as the concept of New public management come in picture government realize that for a good governance it is better to make people more participative in policy making and implementation but that is very difficult with use of traditional Pen-Paper system. Our Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi created a remarkable history by making India front runner in IT Industries. From that period IT industry is booming in India. it help private sector to grow a lots but government sector lazy to use of this services , because if everything going to be transparent than how they can hide their discrepancy in duties. But due to pubic agitation as well as pressure from international forum make India to make government more transparent. Coming to present scenario of ITes in India , Well by late off course but government finally realize the importance of IT-ITes . Now we can find almost every department have their portal in internet . Anyone can access these portals and find about activity of department as well as register his/her grievances if any. Through the use of ITes many kind of time consuming activity people perform from home like applying for passport, filling Income tax return. It save time for both the government official as well public and it also don't give any opportunity to staff to do favor someone for their personal gain. CPGRAMSGrievance Redress Mechanism in Government developed by NIC is a fine IT enabled services in India. Recently prime minister announces National policy for direct case transfer in this policy with the help of ITES government can reach direct to beneficiary of various policies. This will reduce the role of minister in allocating fund because government directly transfer fund to beneficiary account. This policy help to reduce corruption to a large extent, because then minister have to just administer the policy and there is no scope for scam like thing.

So, finally we find that IT-ITes play a vital role to make our government more transparent, efficient, accountable, productive and corruption free India.

Mukesh Ambani richest Indian for fifth straight year: Forbes

Mukesh Ambani has retained his position as the world’s richest Indian for the fifth year in a row, although his net worth declined by $1.6 billion to $21 billion but remained well above that of the second-ranked Lakshmi Mittal.

Burma Rakhine violence

New clashes between Muslims and Buddhists have broken out in volatile western Myanmar, leaving people dead and more than a thousand homes burned to the ground.

Italian court convicts scientists who were not able to give earthquake warning

An Italian court sentenced six scientists and a government official 6-year imprisonment on the charges  of manslaughter. The scientists were accused of not being able to give adequate warning of an earthquake that killed more than 300 people in L’Aquila in 2009.

All the convicts who were member of National Commission for the Forecast and Prevention of Major Risks, were accused of negligence and malpractice in assessing the danger and informing the city about the risks.

France will provide car maker Peugeot Citroen, a €7 billion ($9.1 billion) bailout package.

Why this move?

The government in France wants to rein in rising unemployment. In return of this rescue package the government is expected to demand a reduction in layoffs. The car-making sector is also critical to the French economy.

Bangladesh awarded Jagjivan Ram with “Friends of Liberation War Honour”

Bangladesh awarded Former Deputy Prime Minister  and Defence Minister   of India Jagjivan Ram, “Friends of Liberation War Honour” posthumously in recognition to his contribution to the 1971 war.

Person in News : 2012 Hoover Medal to Narayana Murthy

NR Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, was honored with prestigious 2012 Hoover Medal at the Global Humanitarian Technology Conference in Seattle, Washington. The medal was given to recognize Murthy for establishing a foundation that forges outstanding improvements in healthcare, social rehabilitation, rural uplift and education. The Infosys Science Foundation was established in 2009 to encourage science research in India.

Persons in News: Rajat Kumar Gupta

Two-year jail term to Rajat Gupta

A U.S. court sentenced Rajat Gupta (63), the former Goldman Sachs Director and McKinsey and Company Managing Partner a 2 year jail term.

Infant Mortality Rate Reduced to 44 Per 1000 Live Births during 2011

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has dropped by 3 points from 47 to 44 infant deaths per 1000 live births during 2011. As per October 2012 bulletin of the Sample Registration System (SRS) released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the IMR for rural areas has dropped by 3 points from 51 to 48 infant deaths per 1000 live births while the Urban rate now stands at 29 from the previous 31/1000.

ICRISAT-led research to improve lives of people in semi-arid tropics

The world’s largest international agriculture research coalition, the Fund Council of CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research), has sanctioned two 10-year research programmes directed at improving food, nutrition and income security of billions of poor in the semi-arid tropics of the world.

Person in News : Jaspal Bhatti

Jaspal Bhatti  passed away

Profit Sharing Formula in Mining Related Activity

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 does not provide for any profit sharing formula between Government and local people. However, the Government has proposed a provision for sharing of benefits with the local population in the draft Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill (MMDR bill), 2011, which would enable monetary benefit to families affected by mining related activities, and creation, management and maintenance of local infrastructure in areas affected by mining related operations.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is most common form of dementia (loss of memory). The disease, caused by the degeneration of brain cells and nerves, impacts functioning of the brain, affecting day-to-day activities in its victims. The disease is generally diagnosed in the people over 65-year age. The main symptoms include difficulty in remembering recent events which gradually develops into advance symptoms like confusion, irritability and aggression, mood swings, trouble with language, and long-term memory loss. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death.

About a fourth of the world's Alzheimer's patients live in India

What is Youth Unite for Voter Awareness (YUVA) ?

The Election Commission of India unveiled an initiative to identify the missing and non-voters to encourage them for voting. The Commission has designed a YUVA strategy which abbreviates “Youth Unite for Voter Awareness” (YUVA) to encourage increased participation of young women and men in the electoral process.

Person in News : Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai is a school student and education activist from the town of Mingora in the Swat District of Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province. She is famous for her education and women’s rights activism in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban has at times opposed girls from attending school. Yousafzai gained prominence by giving interviews in print and on television. She was appointed as chairperson of the District Child Assembly Swat.

Person in News : Monisha Kaltenborn

First Woman Team Principal in Formula one

Persons in News : Felix Baumgartner

First Skydiver to break Sound  barrier

Person in News :Ali Zidan

New Prime Minister of Libya

Five New Non-Permanent Member Countries on UNSC

The UN General Assembly elected five new non-permanent members to the Security Council. The New Members are:    

1. South Korea

2. Luxembourg

3. Argentina

4. Australia

5. Rwanda

The newly elected member countries will have 2-year term in UN body that will begin on January 1, 2013.
The members which will be replaced are Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa, whose term ends on December 31, 2012.

The others Non permanent members in Security Council are Azerbaijan ,Guatemala , Morocco ,Pakistan ,Togo from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013.

Person in News :Anaka Alankamony

Indian Squash player Ms Anaka Alankamony clinched Ipswich Open women’s title after defeating top seed Kylie Lindsay of New Zealand.

Person in News : Yash Chopra

Renowned filmmaker Yash Chopra(80) passed away.

Human DNA Profiling Bill soon

The Human DNA Profiling Bill, to create a DNA data centre to profile people accused of serious crimes and unknown deceased is on the anvil

• Proposal was considered in 2007, but then dropped down due to factor in ethical, moral and legal issues on the sensitive issues.
• The Bill is drafted by the Department of Biotechnology.
• The bill allows DNA profiling for cases of culpable homicide, murder, etc.

Bharti Airtel: World’s fourth largest mobile operator

As per the ‘Scoreboard’ report by analyst firm Wireless Intelligence,Bharti Airtel with over 250 million mobile subscribers is world’s fourth-largest operator in terms of subscribers. Airtel overtook Telefónica ofSpain to reach this position.

Persons in News: Sunil Gangopadhyay

Eminent Bengali writer and poet Sunil Gangopadhyay passed away.

EC prohibits publication/broadcast Opinion Polls during election in Gujarat and HP

The Election Commission put a ban on the publication/broadcast kind of opinion poll during the period of assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal  Pradesh.

Hyderabad ranked 3rd best city for 2013 visit

Travel guide book Lonely Planet ranked Indian city and capital of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad at 3^rd position to visit in 2013.

[Essay] Urbanization in India and issues involved

It is more than half of a century that India became independent. The country has evolved and emerged a lot from pre independence to post independence era. At the time of independence, the country was poverty stricken, impoverished and a rural agrarian society. In 1947, only 15 per cent of the population in cities and towns were classified under urban areas. The rapid development and economic growth helped the country achieve the status of emerged nations.

Conference of the Parties 11: Outcomes

During the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which was held in Hyderabad, the world’s governments have agreed to increase funding in support of actions to halt the rate of loss of biodiversity at the.

UN Women

UN Women unveiled South Asia's 1^st virtual knowledge hub in India.
What is UN Women?
UN Women is a UN organization established in 2010 with the aim to promote for gender parity and women empowerment.

Law Commission supports Passive Euthanasia

The Law Commission which advice government on legal matters suggested the government to take measures to enact a comprehensive law on Passive Euthanasia, subject to certain safeguards.
As per the Commission, Passive Euthanasia is not objectionable legally or constitutionally.

DoT rejects proposal of Parekh panel

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has rejected the proposal of the high-level committee on the financing of infrastructure to raise the ceiling on foreign direct investment (FDI) in this sector to 100 per cent, from the existing 74 per cent.

5+5 Summit calls for greater co-operation b/w member countries

The 5+5 Summit of European and North African nations along the Mediterranean Sea called for closer co-operation between the member nations. The heads of states and the foreign ministers of the 10 member group met at the capital of Malta  Auberge de Castille for two days. They discussed several issues including regional security, irregular migration, and ways of strengthening political and economic cooperation in the wake of Arab Spring.

Who are the members of 5+5?

Newly discovered black hole

Swift J1745-26

It is the name of newly discovered black hole toward the centre of Milky Way galaxy. It was discovered by NASA's Swift satellite which detected a rising tide of high-energy X-rays from a source toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy. It is named after the coordinates of its position in the sky. The nova is located a few degrees from the center of our galaxy toward the constellation Sagittarius

Ganges River Dolphin

In a collaborative effort World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India and the Uttar Pradesh forest department with the support of HSBC Bank will hold a 3-day programme "My Ganga, My Dolphin" to count the number of river dolphins in the Ganges River in and around Uttar Pradesh. The programme will also make people aware about the endangered mammal.

World observes first International Day of Girl Child

The first ever International Day of the Girl Child was observed on October 11, 2012. The theme for this year is “Ending Child Marriage”. The UN General Assembly had announced in 2011 to observe this day as International Day of Girl Child, to recognize rights of girls and the unique challenges they face around the world. 

Person in News : Chandrashekar Kambar

Poet-writer Chandrashekar Kambar has been conferred with the Jnanpith Award. The award was given to him in recognition to his contributions to Kannada literature.

Global Hunger Report 2012: India placed 65th

India was ranked at 65^th position on the Global Hunger Index released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide.

What was the theme of the report?

The theme of the report was “The Challenge of Hunger: Ensuring Sustainable Food Security under Land, Water, and Energy Stresses”.

Six Indian UN peacekeepers injured in Congo ambush

Six Indian peacekeepers and a local interpreter, serving with the United Nations mission in strife-torn Congo, were wounded when their patrol was ambushed in what is being termed as a “targetted and deliberate” attack.

The six peacekeepers were part of the Indian contingent serving with the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).

DGCA Suspends Kingfisher’s Scheduled Operator’s Permit

Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the Scheduled Operator’s Permit of Kingfisher Airlines dated 26.08.2003 pursuant to Clause 15(2) of Schedule XI  of the Aircraft rules 1937 read in conjunction with Para 10.21 of CAR Section 3, Series C Part II. The permit has been suspended with effect from 20th October, 2012 till such time the Kingfisher Airlines submits a concrete and reliable revival plan ensuring safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable Scheduled Air Transport Services to the satisfaction of DGCA. 

Prime Minister launches Aadhaar Enabled Service Delivery

·     21 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated in 2 years: The 21^st crore Aadhaar number was handed over to  Smt.Vali, a resident of Meghwalon ka Mohalla, Kurawar, District Udaipur. UIDAI has generated 21 crore Aadhaar numbers since the issuance of the first Aadhaar number on Sep 29, 2010.

Government panel headed by A P Shah proposed curbs on phone taps

A government-appointed expert group suggested enactment of a law to protect individuals against misuse of information collected through telephone tapping, videography; use and storage of data as well as setting up of dispute resolution entities at Centre and state-level to protect the privacy of individuals.

UN State of the World's Cities Report-2012

UN-Habitat has launched the State of World's Cities Report 2012/2013. Titled 'The Prosperity of Cities', the report recommends that those engaged in development work need to explore a more inclusive notion of prosperity and development. According to the report there was an urgent need for a shift in attention around the world in favour of a more robust notion of development. – one that looks beyond the narrow domain of economic growth that has dominated ill-balanced policy agendas over the last decades, and includes other vital dimensions such as quality of life, adequate infrastructures, equity and environmental sustainability.

Chair’s Summary Statement at the High Level Segment of CoP-11 to the CBD

Following is the text of Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, the Minister for Environment and Forest and the CoP President’s, Summary Statement at the High Level Segment of CoP-11, being held in Hyderabad, to the CBD following the Plenary and Panel Discussions held on 17 – 18th October 2012:

Person in News :Bandya Kakade dead

Bandya Kakade, former India football goalkeeper, passed away here on Wednesday evening. A close family friend said 67-year-old  Kakade died of a heart attack.

GoM clears final draft of land acquisition Bill

The group of ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has cleared the much-delayed Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill, after approving some relaxations which addressed the concerns expressed by several ministries.

SPV recommended to implement environment conservation plan

The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended the formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to implement the Environment Conservation Plan (ECP) in the three mining districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur.

Following the directive issued by the Supreme Court on September 28, the CEC recommended the setting up of a SPV. The term of the project is 30 years and the total cost envisaged is Rs. 30,000 crore.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) is Important for the Country’s Infrastructure Development: Dr. C. P. Joshi

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Railways, Dr. C. P. Joshi has said that Public Private Partnership (PPP) is important for the fast development of country’s infrastructure network. He said that Central Government has adopted policies which are leading the nation to fast economic growth. He emphasised that a country cannot be economically stronger unless its infrastructure is developed. Dr. Joshi was speaking while laying the foundation stone for the commencement of work of four-laning of Gomati ka chauraha-Udaipur Section of National Highway-8 (NH-8) in the State of Rajasthan at Rajasamand district of Rajasthan. 

Islanding Scheme for Delhi during Grid Disturbance

To safeguard Delhi and its surrounding areas from electricity supply disruption during grid failure, The Minister for Power Sh. Veerappa Moily and Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dixit announced the ‘Islanding Scheme for Delhi. At the joint press conference, Sh.Veerappa Moily said that Delhi is the first state to formulate such a scheme to overcome grid disturbance problem. The main objective of the initiative is to isolate our generating stations so that supply of power does not get affected even if the Northern grid collapses.

Person in News :Smt. Kanwaljit Deol

Smt. Kanwaljit Deol, IPS (AGMU:77) has been appointed as Director General (Investigation), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Her appointment will be on deputation basis from the date of assumption of charge of the post or till the date of her superannuation or until further orders, whichever is earlier. 

Person in News :Pranay Sahay

Shri Pranay Sahay, IPS presently working as DG, SSB and holding additional charge of Director General, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been appointed DG, CRPF on regular basis with effect from the date of his taking over the charge of the post and till his superannuation or till furthers orders, whichever is earlier. he will hold the charge of DG,SSB in addition to his regular charge of DG,CRPF till a new incumbent takes over the charge of the post of DG,SSB or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

[Essay]Impact of Modernization and Westernization on Indian society

Indian society is very old and surviving even after many ups and down and social issues. This article involves a brief about the Indian society and impact of the social process of modernization and westernization on it. How the Indian society has implemented these both processes and to what extent.

Society is a platform that gives a shape to the people's livings, demands, aspirations, needs and all kinds of growths. When numerous people having diverse mindsets, aspirations and demands yet live together for a common cause is what we understand by the society. A society may either include people of the same interests or people of diverse interests but there always lies a commonality among all the people who composite the society.

SC green signal to resumption of tourism in Tiger reserves

With the Centre formally notifying fresh guidelines on tiger conservation, the Supreme Court today cleared the decks for resumption of tourism activities in the areas reserved for the wild cat.
A bench of justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar gave the green signal for resumption of tourism activities, modifying its July 24 order by which it had earlier halted all tourism related activities in Tiger reserve areas.

President of Mauritius to be the Chief Guest of 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

The President of Mauritius, Shri Rajkeshwur Purryag will be the Chief Guest of the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention, which will be held from 7 to 9 January, 2013 in Kochi. Addressing a press conference here today, Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs said that since the centenary of the Gadar Movement is being celebrated in 2013, the PBD Oration will be on the Gadar Movement and an exhibition on this will also be organized during PBD-2013. He said that PBD has become a significant forum to connect the overseas Indians from all over the world and the PBD-2013 will be focusing on more connectivity with overseas Indians. He further said that Kerala will be the partner State of the 11th PBD, which would provide the Diaspora an opportunity to understand the vibrant culture and potential of the State. Kerala has been chosen as the host for the convention since Keralites constitute one of the largest expatriate communities of India. He expressed the hope that more than 2000 delegates would participate in PBD-2013 from all over the world.

Iran denies U.S. allegation of cyber attack

Iran has denied any role in cyber-attacks against two major oil and gas companies in the Persian Gulf, amid statements from the United States that alluded to the possible rise in Tehran’s capability to launch massive cyber-strikes against Washington and its allies.

The director of Iran’s National Center of Cyberspace, Mehdi Akhavan Beh-Abadi, on Sunday dismissed U.S. claims that Tehran was behind the recent cyber- attacks against a number of Persian Gulf oil and gas companies. Addressing a press conference in Tehran, Mr. Beh-Abadi said that US claims were bereft of any “technical basis”. “We interpret this issue politically and in light of domestic issues and election in the United States,” he said referring to the upcoming November 6 presidential polls. The Iranian official said he sympathised with the two companies, Saudi Arabia’s Aramco and Qatar’s Ras gas, which had been attacked by the Shamoon virus.

Person in News :First woman chief of AU takes charge

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma waved an African Union flag, tapped a wooden gavel and became the first woman to take office as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) at the A.U. headquarters in Addis Ababa on Monday.

Upon taking office, Dr. Dlamini-Zuma shall be confronted by simmering conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea Bissau; chronic instability in Somalia; and an insurgency in northern Mali where fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda have taken control of large swathes of land.

[Essay] Modernization and Westernization are not Identical Concepts

Introduction

The battle between the east and the west still continues as each try to preserve its culture and assert its powers. Just as the fight to be superpowers continues, the west and east continue to outdo each other in other aspects. The concept of modernization means an evolution from traditional society practices to modern social status. Modernization has brought about transformation of societies which has been experienced since time in history. The term modernization however, has been mistakably been taken to mean the adoption of policies that favor other societies. The changes have been witnessed in the political, economic production and social systems. In addition, it has also been reflected in the way of thinking and behavior of the people.

National Security Advisor Releases Joint Working Group Report on Cyber Security

India’s National Security Advisor Sh Shivshankar Menon released a report on the “Recommendations of Joint Working Group on Engagement with Private Sector on Cyber Security”, in New Delhi today.

Making public the report, Sh Menon said facing the challenges from cyber space requires both the government and industry to work together; the government cannot do this alone nor can the private sector do it on its own. He said it is a delicate act, how to balance social media responsibility with democratic freedom. Sh Menon pointed out that the Report has been readied in a record time; work started on it only in July this year. He hoped that India would set new benchmarks for the world in cyber security.

EC seeks changes in law on funding of political parties

The Election Commission has written to the government suggesting amendments to the election law to make it mandatory for political parties to declare monetary contributions received from foreign companies and government bodies.

Official sources said the EC wrote to the Law Ministry recently to revise the format of reporting of monetary contributions that are declared by political parties in ‘Form 24 A’ under section 29 of the Representation of People Act.

Person in News :Nobel prize winners 2012

Physics:

Serge Haroche: Serge Haroche (born 11 September 1944) is a French physicist who was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics jointly with David J. Wineland for "ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems", a study about the light particles, the photons. Since 2001, Haroche is a Professor at the Collège de France and holds the Chair of Quantum Physics.

David J. Wineland : David Jeffrey Wineland (born February 24, 1944) is an American Nobel Prize-winning physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) physics laboratory and the University of Colorado at Boulder. His work has included advances in optics, specifically laser cooling of ions in Paul traps and use of trapped ions to implement quantum computing operations. He was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physics, jointly with Serge Haroche, for “ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems”, a study about the light particles, the photons.

Recognition to NSFs

The Government has introduced annual recognition procedure for the National Sports Federations (NSFs) from the year 2010. The NSFs which complied with the Government guidelines and furnished complete information/documents sought by the Government have been granted annual recognition. 51 NSFs have been granted recognition by the government for the year 2011. This was stated by Shri Ajay Maken, Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs & Sports, in the Lok Sabha today, in a written reply to a question by Dr. Nilesh N. Rane & Dr. M. Jagannath. The Government does not deal with the State level Federations/ Associations.

Punchhi Commission

The Punchhi Commission on Centre – State relation was constituted on April 28, 2007 by the UPA government, under the chairmanship of former Chief Justice of India Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi, which submitted its report on April 20, 2010. The Punchhi commission made very pertinent observations regarding the qualifications, appointment and removal of governors. As for qualifications pertaining to governor, the Punchhi Commission was forthright in suggesting that the nominee should not have participated in active politics at even local level for at least a couple of years prior to his appointment.

[Essay] Is Gandhian Mode of Protest (Satyagraha) still relevant?

Satyagraha is the method of resistance and mass movement developed by Gandhi during his days in South Africa and later epitomised in India during its freedom struggle against British Empire. Satyagraha was developed as a broad term for techniques of civil disobedience, non cooperation, hunger strike and protest. Satyagraha is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit words Satya (meaning "truth") and Agraha ("insistence", or "holding firmly to"). For Gandhi, Satyagraha went far beyond mere "passive resistance" and became strength in practising non-violent methods. Later on Satyagraha went to become the most successful resistance technique and inspired many other great leaders like Martin Luther King Junior, Nelson Mandela and others. Not only it led to freedom of our country but also created a cadre of thousands of activists for whom it became a mode of life and they were there to shape India's future in right form to ensure not just independence but also to the face challenges that a newly developed nation face.

SASS moves Apex Court against NTCA move to restrict pilgrim movement in PTR

The Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajom (SASS) has moved the Supreme Court of India against the proposal of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to restrict pilgrim movement through Tiger Reserves, including the Periyar Tiger Reserve that houses Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, by introducing new guidelines for Project Tiger and tourism.

India Signs Loan Agreement with World Bank for US$ 500 Million for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan

An agreement between Government of India and the World Bank for loan of US$ 500 million (equivalent) from World Bank for the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) was signed recently . The agreement was signed by Shri Prabodh Saxena,Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank. Representative(s) from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Education & Literacy and officials from the World Bank were present among others.

Brief overview of Green Building Ratings.

Everybody is talking of energy conservation and green buildings, but did you know that India has only 267 certified green buildings so far? To promote sustainable architecture, a system of green ratings has now been evolved specifically for India, that closely mirrors global environmental standards.

What does green mean?

A ‘green building’ is one that has minimum impact on its immediate and global environment. Its construction and subsequent operations do minimum or no harm to the ecology.

Minister for Environment and Forests Surveys Kaziranga National Park Announces Measures for Relief

The Minister for Environment and Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan visited the Kaziranga Reserve, Assam on 10 October, 2012, for an appraisal of the flood situation and the relief measures undertaken.

Besides making an aerial survey of the landscape, the Minister visited the reserve along with the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister of Assam, accompanied by officials of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Wildlife Division of the Ministry, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and State Chief Wildlife Warden, Field Director-Kaziranga and other officials.

Seventh Annual Convention of Central Information Commission on “RTI: Lessons Learnt”

Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India has inaugurate the 7th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission on “RTI:Lessons Learnt” at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi . The Central Information Commission (CIC) had been organizing a Convention every year on 12-13 October to appraise the implementation of the RTI Act, 2005. The Commission in the past six conventions organized so far, has deliberated and discussed a wide range of issues relating to the Act and its implementation with a view to learning from experiences as well as to chart the future road map for greater transparency and accountability.

RTI Act can't violate personal privacy

Raising concern about the possible infringement of personal privacy while providing information under the Right to Information Act, prime minister Manmohan Singh said a fine balance should be maintained between the Right to Information and the Right to Privacy, which stems out of the Fundamental Right to Life and Liberty.

Tiger Authority can notify tourism norms, subject to challenge

The Supreme Court has permitted the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Ministry of Environment and Forests, to notify its fresh Comprehensive Guidelines on Strategy, Tiger Conservation and Tourism in and around Tiger Reserves.

A Bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar, however, made it clear that it would not validate or invalidate or give its seal of approval to the guidelines. With several States pointing out certain deficiencies in the guidelines, the Bench said, it would be open to the aggrieved parties to challenge them.

Planning Commission to have discretionary powers on release of funds to States

The Planning Commission has decided to restructure 16 Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) into Additional Central Assistance (ACA) Schemes. The new funding pattern will be effectivefrom2013-14.

While restructuring the CSSs will give more flexibility to the States to utilise the funds, it will also give the Planning Commission absolute control over the quantity of money to be released. CSS funds are routed through the Ministries, but once the new system is in place as many as 11 ministries will lose monetary control over their schemes. It is feared that the new funding pattern could be used as a political tool by the Centre to discriminate between States on the basis of the party in power.　

Arogya Fair 2012

“AROGYA” is an exhibition showcasing the strength, efficacy and affordability of the AYUSH systems of medicine which include Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy. The fair showcases the best and latest developments in the field of AYUSH. The last Arogya fair at Hyderabad was held in November 2005. Addressing the meeting of AROGYA fair at Hyderabad today, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare said the fair started in 2001. The fair has grown into a country-wide phenomenon with more than 10 fairs organized throughout the year now. The Department of AYUSH organizes and supports these fairs to encourage the dissemination of information on the benefits and achievements of the AYUSH systems of medicine and for sharing of experiences and best practices between the industry, academia and research institutions. The active participation of AYUSH drug industries, medicinal plant traders, research institutions, hospitals, publishers and other stakeholders in the AROGYA fairs ensures a wide spectrum of activities thus making it more informative and interesting for the general public. Shri Azad said that over the past three decades there has been a tremendous resurgence of peoples’ interest in the AYUSH Systems of Medicine, not only in India but also in many parts of the world, including Europe and the USA. This is mainly because of holistic approach towards preventive, promotive and positive health and multi-dimensional aspects of disease management in these traditional systems of medicine. It is a matter of pride that there are 504 AYUSH educational institutions including 111 postgraduate colleges where about 27,000 students are admitted annually. India has the largest number of traditional and alternative medicine teaching institutions in the world. India has signed several MoUs for bilateral cooperation in the area of traditional medicine and setting up Ayurveda chairs and AYUSH information centres in various countries, such as South Africa, Malaysia and Trinidad & Tobago.

Rehabilitation of Children Under NCLP Scheme

Under the Child Labour Policy, Government of India follows a multi-pronged approach with the following three major elements:

·         Legal Action Plan

·         Focus on general development programmes for the benefit of the families of child labour; and

·         Project-based action in areas of high concentration of child labour.

 

Report of the Rangarajan Committee on Deregulation of Sugar Sector in India

A government committee has favoured complete decontrol of the sugar industry, dispensing immediately with the levy sugar obligation and administrative control on non-levy sugar. These recommendations are in line with the industry’s demand for easing controls.The committee, led by C. Rangarajan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, pitches for a stable trade policy and a moderate duty on imports and exports, but wants outright ban or quantitative restrictions done away with.

Amendments in the "Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986"

The Union Cabinet today approved the introduction of Amendments to the "Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986" in Parliament.

Key amendments proposed are as follows:
i. Broaden the scope of the law to cover the audio-visual media and material in electronic form.

ii. Penalties to be enhanced to a maximum of three years of imprisonment and fine of between Rs.50,000 to Rs.1,00,000 for first conviction, and imprisonment of not less than two years, but which may extend to seven years, and a fine between Rs.1,00,000 to Rs.5,00,000 for second conviction.

(iii) Police officers not below the rank of Inspectors authorized to carry out search and seizure, in addition to State and Central Government officers authorized by the State or Central Government.

Person in News :President of India to Confer Sangeet Akademi Fellowships and Akademi Awards 2011 on 9 October 2012

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will confer the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Akademi Awards for 2011 at a special ceremony on 9 October 2012. This year eleven eminent personalities will be conferred with Akademi Fellowships and thirty six artists will receive the Akademi Awards.

Election Commission of India and United Nations Development Programme Sign MoU to Support Electoral and Democratic Practices

Election Commission of India and the United Nations Development Programme UNDP  signed an MOU for cooperation in election management, particularly for supporting elections and democratic process in other countries. The MOU was signed by Shri Akshay Rout, Director General from the Commission and Ms. Lise Grande, UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator from UNDP’s side in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner of India, Shri V SSampath, Election Commissioners, Shri H S Brahma and Dr Nasim Zaidi and UN Under Secretary General and UNDP Associate Administrator, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan. Senior officials of ECI and UNDP were present on the occasion.