Current Affairs: February 2, 2012

122 2-G licenses cancelled by SC

• The Supreme Court cancels 122 2-G licenses allocated to telecom companies in 2008.
• The court mandated that the licenses were granted in arbitrary and unconstitutional manner.
• The Supreme Court asks the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to make fresh recommendation on the grant of these licenses.
• The companies which offloaded their licenses after getting the 2G license were slapped a fine of Rs. 5 Crore each.
• The order came on petitions filed by an NGO and the Janata Party President Dr.Subramanian Swamy.

“Shared Awareness and Deconfliction” launched between India, Japan & China

• Shared Awareness and Deconfliction is the name of the new initiative between India, Japan & China, which is the recently signed trilateral pact between these three nations for the efficient use of the Naval forces in the Indian Ocean region.
• The three countries have also agreed to carry out more effective coordination by establishing a convoy coordination working group as part of the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction Mechanism.
• China, India, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Yemen have deployed ships and aircraft to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean region.

Defense Dialogue between India & Sri Lanka held

• India and Sri Lanka held the first defence dialogue that focused on regional security situation and maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.
• The inaugural defence dialogue, to be an annual feature, was led by the Defence Secretaries of both the countries in New Delhi.
• Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma and his Sri Lankan counterpart Gotabhaya Rajapaksa co-chaired the meeting along with their delegations, comprising officers of the Defence Ministries and the Armed forces.

EC asks the media to not to violate the provisions of RoP Act 1951

• In the backdrop of the assembly elections in several states, thethe Election Commission has asked Television and Radio channels and cable networks not to violate the provisions of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 which prohibits display of poll matter 48 hours before the end of voting.
• The Election Commission in its advisory said that the violation of this Act is punishable with imprisonment upto a period of two years, or a fine or both.
• The Commission has also clarified that while telecasting or broadcasting programmes like debates, panel discussions or current affairs programmes, it should be ascertained that these do not violate the provisions of the Act.

National Council for Senior Citizens established

• The Government of India sets up the National Council for Senior Citizens, which shall be headed by the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• The National Council for Senior Citizens will advice the Central and State Governments on issues related to welfare of senior citizens.
• The National Council for Senior Citizens will suggest special policies and programmes for the physical and financial security of the senior citizens in the country.
• The National Council for Senior Citizens will comprise of 20 members including the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment along with the oldest members from both the Houses of Parliament and distinguished personalities from different fields.

Ban Ki-moon urgest Israel & Palestine to reach an agreement by the end of 2012

• After meeting the Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the U.N. Chief Ban Ki-moon has called on Israel to create an atmosphere to resume direct talks with the Palestinians.
• He said that Israel should reach an agreement with the Palestinians by the end of 2012.

ICC hikes the prize money three fold

• The International Cricket Council raises the prize money in test cricket three fold to 3.8 million US Dollars for top 4 test cricket teams from 2013 till 2015.
• Previously, the prize money was 175,000 US dollars.

NEET for PG Medical Courses

• The National Board of Examinations agrees to conduct a single common entrance test for admission to post-graduate medical courses across the country from next year.
• National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test NEET for post-graduate medical courses like MD and MS is to be conducted as per directions of the Supreme Court to the Medical Council of India.
• The nod from ministry of health is necessary for conducting the NEET from 2013.

MG NREGA sammelan 2012 organized in New Delhi

• MGNREGA Sammelan 2012 is organized in New Delhi.
• On this occassionm the Prime Minister calls upon the states to ensure that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural employment Guarantee Act , MNREGA, workers get wages within 15 days.
• MGNREGA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, whose implementation is done by the states. Dr Manmohan Singh asked the States to see that the formalities for payment to these workers are well coordinated and verified on time to ensure timely payment.
• The Rural Development Minister Mr. Jairam Ramesh informed that by next month MGNREGA will be modified and restructured to sort out the discrepancies in its implementation.

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 - February, 2012

Category: Government Schemes Current Affairs