Monday, 29 October 2012

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.

Sunday, 28 October 2012

[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.

 

Saturday, 27 October 2012

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.

Friday, 26 October 2012

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.

Thursday, 25 October 2012

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

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

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