Current Affairs : February 1, 2012

Dassault Aviation bags India’s biggest ever military contract for supplying combat aircrafts to Indian Air Force

• French firm Dassault Aviation bagged India’s biggest-ever military contract.
• This contract is for supplying 126 Rafale combat aircraft for the Air Force.
• Dassault Aviation edged out European rival EADS in getting the deal as it was declared the lowest bidder.
• Dassault Aviation will now get the contract, worth 10 billion dollars under India’s defence procurement procedure.
• The companay will have to supply 18 of the 126 aircrafts to the IAF in 36 months from its facilities and the remaining would be produced at HAL facilities in Bangalore.

All Private Banks eligible to handle Government Business

• As per the latest directive of the RBI, all the private sector banks will now be considered eligible to handle any Central or State Government business at par with public sector banks.
• As of now, only three private banks, namely ICICI Bank Ltd, HDFC Bank Ltd and Axis Bank Ltd were appointed by RBI as its agents to carry out limited general banking business.
• The RBI notification says that this particular decision would improve customer convenience by increasing the number of customer service outlets.

State Restructuring Commission, Nepal submits its report

• The State Restructuring Commission in Nepal has presented its report to the government.
• One of the important proposal is an eleven state federal model based on ethnic and linguistic lines.
• The commission was formed late in 2011 and had been given a mandate to suggest to government the federal structure and decide on the number of states.

Bangladesh Railways signs agreement with RITES Limited for 10 Diesel locomotives

• The Bangladesh Railways have signed an agreement with India’s public sector company RITES Limited for the purchase of ten broad gauge diesel electric locomotives.
• The deal is worth 31 million US Dollars.
• RITES would supply two locomotives to Bangladesh in the first 13 months from the date of signing the deal and the rest of the eight engines are expected to be delivered five months after the first supply.

Khajuraho Festival Begins

• The world famous Khajuraho dance festival begins in Khajuraho with  dance presentation of Odissi dancer Sujata Mahapatra.
• The annual festival showcases different forms of Indian classical dances including Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Manipuri and Kuchipuri.
• More than 25 renowned dancers and seven dance groups from across the country have been invited to perform in the festival. The dances will be performed in the backdrop of Chitragupt and Vishwanath temples.

Surajkund Mela Begins in Haryana

• The annual Surajkund Crafts Mela organized by the Haryana Tourism Department begins at Surajkund.
• The objective of the fair is to promote the traditional Indian Handicrafts in rural ambience.
• Every year, there is a theme state, the theme state for 2012 Suraj Kund Mela is Assam.
• Over 700 crafts persons from India and abroad will participate in the mela.
• The Surajkund mela was first time organized in 1981. It mela offers to its visitors, skilful paintings, textiles, wood stock, ivory work, pottery, terracotta, stonework, lac work and cane and grass work.

Biennial congregation of navies begins at Port Blair

• A biennial congregation of Navies featuring 14 countries, Milan 2012, begins at Port Blair.
• The objective of the congregation is to undertake joint planning in dealing with present day problems of piracy, drug running and also capacity building through maritime cooperation.
• Naval ships and delegations representing Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand start arriving at Port Blair.

India’s exports grow 6.7% in December 2011

• India’s exports grew 6.7 percent, year-on-year, to 25 billion dollars in December 2011.
• This was  lower growth, mainly because of the demand slowdown in the western markets of the US and Europe.
• However, imports during the same period rose 19.8 per cent, year-on-year, to 37.7 billion dollars during the month.
• India’s trade deficit stood at 12.7 billion dollars in December 2011, compared to 8 billion dollars in December 2010.

CIL signs a pact with trade unions for wage hike

• The State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) signs a pact with its trade unions to increase wages of workers by 25 per cent.
• This agreement would benefit over 3.7 lakh workers of the world’s largest coal producer.
• Under the agreement, minimum guaranteed benefit would be 25 per cent of gross as on June 30 last year.
• CIL will have to bear the additional burden of 6,500 crore rupees after this hike.

National CSR organized in Delhi

• The 2nd National CSR Conclave was organized in New Delhi.
• In this conclave, the Union Minister for Corporate Affairs M. Veerappa Moily urges the private sector to come forward for corporate social responsibility, CSR.
• At present, the Public Sector Companies are providing 2 per cent of their profit towards CSR. There are no considerable contributions from the private sector.

All India Police Games 2012 begin in Patna

• 60th All India Police Games 2012 began at Patna at the Mithilesh Stadium on Bihar Military Campus.
• Various competitions including Kabaddi, Handball, Volleyball and Basketball will be held during the five day sports and games event.
• More than 1500 sportspersons of Border Security Forces, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo -Tibetan Border Police Force, Railway Protection Force, Central Reserve Police force and Central Industrial Police Force participating in the sports meet.

Venue of the Mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012- Dubai

• Mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012 would be organized in October 2012 in Dubai.
• The event is aimed at bringing together the large NRI Community in Dubai, UAE and the West Asia region to recognize their efforts in nation building.

Planning Commission gives green signal to Phase II & III of Majuli Island Project

• The Planning Commission of India gives its investment clearance for Rs. 116-crore  flood and erosion control project in Majuli
• Majuli, located in Assam is world’s largest river island
• The scheme is aimed to ensure economic development and social upliftment of the local population after reconstruction of roads and bridges usually destroyed during floods.

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Month: Current Affairs - February, 2012

Category: Government Schemes Current Affairs