Current Affairs : August 5, 2011

NASA discovers First Evidence of Water on Mars

• NASA Scientists claimed to have discovered the first substantiation of flowing water on Mars
  
• Evidence collected by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter the first discovery of active liquid water in the ground on the red planet
  
• The orbiter circling Mars since 2006, monitored several instances of what seemed to be water flows occurring at numerous locations during the Martian spring and summer
  
• Time-sequence imagery of the Newton crater in the southern mid-latitude region showed finger-like markings spreading along several steep slopes and then fading again once colder temperatures move in
  

Soil Health Cards to be issued to farmers by 2013

• Soil health cards to be issued to farmers across the country by 2013
• Government according high priority to soil testing to get the status of its health and ascertain fertility for subsequent crop utilisation.
• Central Government providing assistance to state governments for setting up Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) for increasing current capacity of states for soil testing
• About 413 Lakh soil health cards have been distributed to farmer’s upto 2010-11

SC postulates tour operators not to carry luggage on roof of buses

• The Supreme Court ruled that the tourist operators cannot keep the luggage on the roof of the buses as it will jeopardize the life and safety of passengers
• It discarded the argument of transporters that limitations imposed on storing the luggage at the top was offensive of the fundamental rights guaranteed to a citizen for carrying out an occupation without restriction
• The apex court passed the judgement while dismissing appeals filed by transporters challenging Rule 128(9) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, which says that no luggage could be carried on the roof of the vehicle

Government to expand diabetes screening programme

• Government to expand the diabetes screening programme all over the country to tackle its rising cases
• The International Diabetes Federation estimated the total number of people in India with diabetes to be over five crore in 2010
• The figure likely to go up to eight crore by 2030
• Unhealthy lifestyle, physical inactivity and inappropriate diet are the major reasons for increase in diabetes
• Centre has also initiated a National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases in one hundred districts in 21 States

Finance Minister: Nationalized banks can’t stop disbursement of loans for fear of poor recovery

• As per the Government: ‘Nationalized banks cannot stop disbursement of loans for fear of poor recovery ‘
• Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee opined that a balanced approach needed to disburse loans in the priority sector and necessary measures are being taken to contain the growing trend of Non Performing Assets, of the bank; all nationalized banks have been asked to take due care while granting loans

SPIC MACAY to get Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award

• SPIC MACAY
  : An organization promoting Indian classical music and culture 
  
• 19^th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award to be presented to the SPIC MACAY for its outstanding contribution towards the promotion of communal harmony, peace and goodwill
  
• The award is given annually on 20^th August
  

Rs. 1,134 Crore provided by Government for establishing model schools in 17 states

• Government provided Rs. 1,134 Crore for setting up 1,107 model schools at block level in 17 states
• Andhra Pradesh has got the maximum of Rs. 412 Crore for setting up 355 model schools and Bihar, the second highest at Rs. 118 Crore
• Government in 2009, launched a centrally-sponsored scheme to set up 6,000 model schools at block level
• Of these, 3,500 were to be set up in educationally backward blocks via the State Governments and the remaining in blocks which are not educationally backward via PPP

Decontrolling of urea prices approved by National NeGoM

• A group of ministers on fertilizers approved decontrol of urea prices
• The Meeting also allowed the companies to raise rates of the fertilizer up to 10% this fiscal
  
• Objective: The move will aid government reduce its subsidy bill
  
• Government spends around Rs. 75,000 Crore on fertilizer subsidy at present
  
• Urea is the only fertilizer which is till now under government control
  
• The government had partially freed other fertilizers from its control in the last financial year
  
• Urea is the cheapest and the most used fertiliser in the country    

The above 5 questions are part of Daily Current Affairs 20 MCQs Series in GKToday Android Application. This series can be subscribed in the app only for Rs. 799/- for entire year. Download Now

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2011

Category: Government Schemes Current Affairs