Current Affairs: January 9, 2012

• 10th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) Concludes
• Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2012
• 20 Indians held hostages by Somali Pirates rescued by NATO
• EC reschedules the Poll Dates in Uttar Pradesh
• Madhya Pradesh to launch Panch Parmeshwar scheme
• Iran producing Enriched Uranium at Fordo: IAEA
• NCPCR proposes Shiksha Samvad for states
• Magh Mela starts at Allahabad

10th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) Concludes

• 10th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, PBD concludes in Jaipur.
• President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil addressed the valedictory session and presented this year’s Pravasi Bhartiya Samman.
• The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Mrs. Kamla Prasad Bissessar is the chief Guest of this year’s PBD.
• Chief Ministers of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala and Jharkhand elaborated various schemes and development programmes of their states.
• C.M. of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, who also launched “Know Your Rajasthan” programme for younger NRIs said that attachment of younger generation of overseas Indians with their motherland is more important than investment.
• Gehlot announces that 4 solar parks are being established in Rajasthan. To promote investors Rajsthan Government will introduce an act for development of infrastructure.
• Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda invited Overseas Indian for investment in Knowledge city and organic Tusser industry of his state.
• Kerala CM Oommen Chandy said that his state was getting its 22% of GDP from non resident keralites.HJe also announces that social security for the workors of kerala is the priority of his govt and there is a potential of investment in tourism and nano technology sectors.

Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2012

• Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2012 was conferred to 14 eminent personalities and Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, for their excellent work in various fields overseas. Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms Kamla Prasad Bissessar, the chief guest of this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, also received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for public service.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is the highest award conferred by Government of India on Non-resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and institutions run by them for their contribution in serving the Indian diaspora and enhancing India’s image in different parts of the world.
• The eminent personalities who received Pravasi Bharatiya Award 2012 are:

1. Ms Kamla Prasad Bissessar →Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
2. P.V Radhakrishna Pillai from Bahrain
3. Sachchidanand Sahai from Cambodia,
4. Deepak Naraindas Shivdasani from Cote D’Ivoire
5. Victor Shahed Smetacek from Germany
6. Prakash Lohia, chairman of Indorama Corporation,
7. Jose Parayanken from Mozambique,
8. Kiran Navinchandra Asher from Oman,
9. Hassan Abdulkarim Chougule from Qatar,
10. S.R. Nathan from Singapore,
11. Khorshed Noshir Ginwala Rustomjee from South Africa,
12. Rajesh Kumar Saraiya from Ukraine,
13. Surendra Kumar Kaushik from US
14. Kalpalatha Kummamuri Guntupalli from US.

Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also honoured for its contribution in bettering business and economic relations between the two countries.

• With the PBD Awards 2012, the number of NRI and PIOs awarded stands at 133, apart from 3 institutions.

20 Indians held hostages by Somali Pirates rescued by NATO

• As per a NATO statement, the NATO warships have freed 20 Indians held hostage by Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa.
• Nine Pakistanis and five Iranians have also been rescued from the pirates.
• The NATO said that US warship, USS Carney, intercepted the Indian-flagged dhow Al-Qashmi off the southwestern coast of Oman and freed its 20 Indian crew members on January 6-7, 2012.

EC reschedules the Poll Dates in Uttar Pradesh

• Election Commission announces new poll dates after the postponement of first phase of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will be March 3.
• Earlier polling in 60 constituencies spread over 10 districts was slated on February 4, it has been rescheduled because it coincidences with Eid-e-Milad un Nabi.
• Counting of votes will take place on March 6 instead of March 4.

Madhya Pradesh to launch Panch Parmeshwar scheme

• The Madhya Pradesh government is launching its Panch Parmeshwar scheme to further empower village Panchayats.
• Under the Panch Parmeshwar scheme funds for different schemes will be provided to more than 23 thousand Panchayats in lump sum.
• As of now the funds were being provided into various stages.

Iran producing Enriched Uranium at Fordo: IAEA

• International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA says that Iran is enriching uranium to 20 percent at Fordo, a nuclear facility 160 kilometers south-west of Tehran.
• Uranium enrichment to the level of 20 percent means it can be upgraded more quickly for use in nuclear weapons than the Iran’s main enriched stockpile at Natanz plants.

NCPCR proposes Shiksha Samvad for states

• National Commission for Protection of Child Right, NCPCR, has asked the state governments to propose a system called Shiksha Samvad.
• Shiksha Samvad would be the regular dialogue sessions between government officials and civil society on the implementation of the Right to Education Act.
• Implementation of Right to Education Act is monitoted by NCPCR.

Magh Mela starts at Allahabad

• Devotees take holy dip at Prayag Sangam in Allahabad since morning on the occasion of first bathing of magh month Paush Purnima.
• With the Paush purnima bathing, the famous magh mela of Allahabad also starts.

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Month: Current Affairs - January, 2012

Category: Government Schemes Current Affairs