Monday 23 September 2013

Today's GK



Nelson Mandela presented humanitarian achievement award

Ailing former South African President Nelson Mandela has been presented with a humanitarian achievement award for his contribution to South-South cooperation and sustainable development.
In accepting the prize on behalf of their father, Zindzi Mandela and Josina Machel stressed his dedication to wide-ranging cooperation among developing nations.
Mr. Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, was also recognised for her humanitarian work advocating for culture, children, and women.
Mr. Mandela, 95, has been suffering from a recurring lung infection. He is under intensive care at his Johannesburg home, since he was shifted from the Pretoria hospital on September 1.
The theme of the annual event was innovation and technology for sustainable development. The awards seek to highlight the achievements of countries in the Global South, and recognise public and private sector leaders who have contributed significantly to South-South cooperation and sustainable development.
Among this year’s public sector award recipients were Costa Rica, the Kingdom of Bahrain and Fiji.
In his remarks to the star-studded gathering, Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, president of the International Organisation for South-South Cooperation and co-chair of the award committee, underlined the crucial role of information and communications technologies as a tool for development.
The awards, he said, “bring not only the bridge between the public and private sectors, but also give us the opportunity to serve as facilitator” in strengthening cooperation in developing countries.
The South-South Awards 2013 is co-organised by the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN), the South-South Steering Committee for Sustainable Development (SS-SCSD), the International Organisation for South-South Cooperation (IOSSC) and South-South News.

Getting Aadhar card not mandatory: Centre

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that securing Aadhar cards, being issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), was optional and it has not made it mandatory for the citizens.
The apex court, hearing a batch of pleas against decisions of some States to make Aadhar cards compulsory for a range of activities including salary, PF disbursals and marriage and property registrations, asked the Centre not to issue it to illegal immigrants as it would legitimise their stay.
The counsel for UIDAI and Centre responded to the pleas of petitioners, saying, “So far as the Union of India is concerned, we have said the Aadhar card is voluntary.”
During the brief hearing, the bench of justices B.S. Chauhan and S.A. Bobde was told that despite the fact that the Aadhar card is “voluntary” in nature, an order has been issued by the Registrar of the Bombay High Court in pursuance of an order of the State government that it would be necessary for disbursal of salary of judges and staff also.
“The scheme is complete infraction of Fundamental Rights under Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to life and liberty). The government claims that the scheme is voluntary but it is not so.
“Aadhar is being made mandatory for purposes like registration of marriages and others. Maharashtra government has recently said no marriage will be registered if parties don’t have Aadhar cards,” senior advocate Anil Divan, arguing for Justice (retd.) K.S. Puttaswamy, former judge of Karnataka High Court, said.
Justice Puttaswamy, in his PIL, has also sought a stay on the implementation of the scheme.
Making Aadhar mandatory for various purposes raises questions over the government’s authority to implement such types of the scheme, it said, adding it also highlighted “the perils of the manner of its implementation“.
The Centre has said the consent of an individual was indispensable for Aadhar and it has been launched to “promote inclusion and benefits of the marginalised sections of the society that has no formal identity proof.”

Foundation of MEMU Coach Factory was laid at Bhilwara

The foundation stone of Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit (MEMU) Coach Factory was laid on 22 September 2013 at near Rupaheli Station, Bhilwara District, Rajasthan. MEMU Coach Factory had been approved in the Rail Budget 2013-14 at an estimated cost of 800 crore rupees. This factory is a joint effort of Indian Railways, Government of Rajasthan and BHEL. MOU between Ministry of Railways and BHEL was signed for setting up for this factory on 25 February 2013. MOU between Ministry of Railways and Government of Rajasthan for providing 518 acres of land free of cost for setting up for this factory was signed on 21 September 2013.
Once operational, this factory will meet the demand of MEMU Coaches on Indian Railways to a large extent. Besides, it will generate direct and indirect employment & give thrust to area development. With establishment of the factory Bhilwara will now have a new identity that of MEMU Coach Factory, besides being a textile city.
Entire cost of this factory will be incurred by BHEL. Presently the only source manufacturing of the MEMU coaches is Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala of Indian Railways, which has been manufacturing about 112 coaches per year. The new factory in Bhilwara will further facilitate the supply of additional MEMU coaches required by Indian Railways.
MEMU Trains
MEMU trains are very popular in non suburban sections. These trains are usually used by local commuters to commute from nearby rural areas and small towns to bigger cities for work. They have higher carrying capacity. MEMU trains ensure a better and economical mode of transport for people to commute daily for the livelihood. These trains are more powerful and have faster acceleration and deceleration as compared to conventional trains. This results in less running time resulting in saving of 30 percent in energy consumption. These trains are equipped with toilet and are vestibuled for greater passenger comfort.

Freedom Fighter Ranjit Singh Died at 97

Freedom fighter Ranjit Singh died on 20 September 2013.He was 97 year old. He was close associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

About Ranjit Singh

• He was member in the Indian National Army.
• He was working president of All India Freedom Fighter Organisation.
•Post  retirement, he started work for the welfare of freedom fighter's families.

About Indian National Army (INA)

• Indian National Army was formed in 1942 for the liberation of India from the British rule in South East Asia.
• The INA was initially formed by Mohan Singh but it was collapsed in December 1942.
• INA was revived under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943.
• INA is also known as Azad Hind Fauj.

Virat Kohli Appointed As the Brand Ambassador of Border Security Force

Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was appointed as the brand ambassador of the Border Security Force (BSF) on 22 September 2013. It is important to note that any central force in India has appointed its brand ambassador. BSF is the second largest paramilitary force of India that guards two crucial Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Virat Kohli was roped in for bolstering the appeal of 2.5 lakh personnel capable strong BSF. BSF director general Subhas Joshi explained that he was appointed as the brand ambassador because his name (Virat) meant huge and symbolised the force.

Virat Kohli was honoured in the presence of Minister of State for Home Affairs R.P.N. Singh. The BSF director general, in the meanwhile, also explained that Virat Kohli’s association with BSF will play a key role in enhancing the public image of BSF.

Virat Kohli is the 25-year old cricketer who made his debut in the year 2011 in the Test series against the West Indies.

About the Border Security Force (BSF)

The Border Security Force (BSF), a border patrol agency of the Government of India was established on 1 December 1965. BSF is a component of the paramilitary forces of India (PMF) and its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime as well as prevent transnational crime. The BSF is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The BSF, apart from ensuring the border security, also has the responsibility of conducting the anti-Naxal operations in India as well as playing roles in maintenance of the internal security.

Sandeep Tulsi Yadav Won Bronze Medal at Senior World Wrestling Championship

Indian wrestler Sandeep Tulsi Yadav on 22 September 2013 won bronze medal in the 66kg Greco-Roman category at the Senior World Wrestling Championships in Budapest. Sandeep Tulsi Yadav defeated Serbia's Aleksandar Maksimovic, 4-0 to bag the bronze medal.

This bronze medal is India’s first ever medal in the 66kg Greco-Roman category at the Senior World Wrestling Championships.

In the elimination round, Sandeep Tulsi Yadav got a bye. In the second round he defeated Spanish Wrestler Navarro Sanchez Isamel by 5-0 points. The next round was with the Moldova wrestler Cosniceanu Mihali which won by 6-2 points.

Unfortunately, in the next bout with the Korean Wrestler Ryu Han Su he lost by 0-10. Since the Korean wrestler entered in the final, the Indian got the chance to qualify for the repechage.

This is India's best-ever show at the World Championships with three medals. Freestyle wrestlers, Amit Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Kumar had, earlier, won a silver and a bronze in their respective weight categories (55kg and 60 kg).

The freestyle wrestlers finished a commendable sixth in the overall team rankings, which also earned the country its maiden berth in the World Cup to be held in March 2014.

Deepika Kumari won Silver Medal at the Paris Archery World Cup

India's Deepika Kumari on 22 September 2013 settled for a silver medal at the Archery World Cup in Paris, France. In the final, Deepika lost to the Korean Olympic champion Ok-Hee Yun, 6-4, and had to settle for a Silver in the showpiece annual fixture, held after four stages. This was Deepika’s fourth successive World Cup Final appearance and second loss to Yun.
Deepika Kumari had finished fifth in 2010 and won silver medals in both 2011 and 2012. She is from Ranchi, Jharkhand. She is 19-year-old.
Deepika Kumari had defeated Ajejandra Valencia of Mexico in semifinal.

The Ninth Edition of Indian Navy and Royal Omani Navy Exercise Started

The ninth edition of Indian Navy and Royal Omani Navy biennial exercise Naseem Al Bahr started on 23 September 2013 in Omen.

Indian Naval Ships participating were Indian Naval Ship(INS) Mysore (guided missile destroyer), INS Tarkash , INS Tabar (stealth frigates) and INS Aditya (fleet tanker) under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla.

The Royal Omani Navy Ships participating were Royal Navy of Oman Vessels (RNOV) missile and gun vessels, RONV Al Muazzar, RONV Al Mussandam, RONV Al Naja and a Landing ship RNOV Temsah, along with Royal Air Force of Oman aircraft F-16, Hawks and Jaguars amongst others.

The scope and content of Naval exercise Naseem Al Bahr 2013  

The scope and content of Naval exercise Naseem Al Bahr 2013  includes Surface Warfare, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Anti Air Warfare, Air Operation, Advanced Helo Operations and Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO).

About Indian Navy –Royal Navy of Omen exercise

• The first Indian Navy-Royal Navy of Oman exercise conducted in 1993.This year marks 20 years of Indian Navy and Roayal Navy of Omen bilateral exercises.
• Naseem Al Bahr 2013 will be the ninth edition of the biennial bilateral exercise between the two navies of India and Omen.
• Indian Navy –Royal Navy of Omen exercise is aimed at deriving mutual benefit from the experiences of both navies of India and Omen.

Typhoon Usagi hit Shanwei City in China

Second Meeting of the India-Lesotho Joint Bilateral Commission of Cooperation held in Lesotho

Jiyo Parsi Scheme Launched by The Government of India

Jiyo Parsi, the Central Sector Scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India launched on 23 September 2013 by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.

Objective of the Jiyo Parsi scheme


The main objective of the Jiyo parsi scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize the Parsi population and increase the population of Parsis in India.

Main features of the Jiyo Parsi scheme


• 100 percent funded by Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.
• Medical interventions under Standard Medical protocols in empanelled hospitals/clincs.
• Confidentiality of the patients to be given utmost importance.

Target groups

• The scheme is meant for only Parsis community.
• Parsi married couples of child bearing age who seek assistance.
• Adults/young men/women/adolescent boys/girls for detection of diseases resulting with consent of parents/legal guardians.

Seekho Aur Kamao (Learn and Earn) Progrmme Launched by Union Government of India

Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India on 23 September 2013 launched a central sector scheme for Skill Development of Minorities.

Main Objectives of the scheme Learn and Earn


• To bring down unemployment rate of minorities during 12th Plan period (2012-17).
• To conserve and update traditional skills of minorities and establish their linkages with the market.
• To improve employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc. and ensure their placement.
• To generate means of better livelihood for marginalised minorities and bring them in the mainstream.
• To enable minorities to avail opportunities in the growing market.
• To develop potential human resource for the country.

Key features of Learn and Earn scheme


• Placement linked training programme for modern trades.
• Skills Training Programme for Traditional Trades.
• The training programme also includes soft skills training, basic Information and Technology (I.T) and English training.
• Project implementing agencies to ensure 75 percent employment and out of that 50 percent in organized sector.
• Mechanism for placement and post placement support.
• 100 percent assistance by Ministry of Minority affairs of Government of India.

The scheme will be implemented for the benefit of the 5 notified minority communities under National Commission for Minorities Act 1992(Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis). However, in the States/UTs where some other minority communities notified by respective State/UT Governments exist, they may also be considered for the programme but they will not occupy more than 5 percent of the total seats.

7th India-Russia Trade Investment Forum held in St. Petersburg

Bharat Nirman- Public Information Campaign launched at Viramgam block of Ahmedabad

Bharat Nirman- a Public Information Campaign launched at Viramgam block of Ahmedabad District in Gujarat on 23 September 2013 to spread the information of Government flagship programmes like MGNREGA, NRHM etc.

This Bharat Nirman -Public Information Campaign has been organised by the various media units of Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting- including Press Information Bureau, Diroctorate of Field Publicity, Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity, All India Radio, Doordarshan etc.

About Bharat Nirman Campaign

It is a three day campaign organised at a rural venue particularly in a Minority Dominated Area and Naxalite affected Area, Border Area, SC-ST Dominated Area or other backward areas.

The Press Information Bureau, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India has developed the concept of Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, a media outreach strategy to disseminate information to the targeted beneficiaries focusing on the flagship programmes of the Government of India.

This strategy combines information dissemination and demonstration of the benefits at the doorstep of the beneficiaries, particularly in the rural areas.

Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign is designed as a more inclusive tool of information dissemination and envisages direct contact with the Aam Aadmi.
The campaign seeks to empower ordinary citizen particularly from the rural areas with knowledge of the flagship programmes so that they can avail the advantages of these programmes to improve the quality of their life.

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