Current Affairs June 14 , 2011

June 19, 2011

S.M.Krishna in Kazakhstan for SCO

S M Krishna (External Affairs Minister India) in Astana to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)-11th Summit.
Kazakhstan’s capital : Astana
SCO is expected to roll out the Memorandum of Obligations that the new aspirant members need to fulfill in order to become full members.
The SCO is now in the process to finalize rules for taking in new members.
India keen to play larger role in SCO.
Areas of interest for India: Counter-Terrorism and Economic development of the region in addition to focusing on improving transport corridors amongst affiliate nations.
SCO founded on June 15, 2001
SCO members: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Observers: India, Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia

For River Ganga Cleaning Project World Bank to extend $1 billon Loan to India

World Bank and India signed 3 agreements in New Delhi for cleaning the Ganga River
WB will provide $1 billon for the River Ganga cleaning project
Besides this Credit worth approx $24 millon dollars will be given for the two projects: Strengthening Rural Livelihoods and Biodiversity Conservation in the India.
Objective of Ganga project: To prevent the flow of untreated municipal sewage and industrial runoff into the Ganga by 2020.
2 protected areas, one each in Uttarakhand and Gujarat, will put in place a complete new model of managing the protected areas while safeguarding the livelihoods of local communities.
The new models will be later applied in other areas of the country as well.
Investments to be made in 4 key sectors:
wastewater collection and treatment
industrial pollution control
solid waste management
riverfront management
The Ganga basin accounts for almost 1/4 of the country’s landmass
This basin is abode to ~ 400 million people.
The Ganga faces immense challenges from increasing population, urbanization and industrial growth, apart from ever growing pollutants.

National Athletics Championship: Kerala overall champion

Kerala overall champions in National Senior Inter-State Athletics Championships concluded in Bangalore.
Asian Games gold medalist of Uttar Pradesh won gold in women’s 3000 m steeplechase.

India-Slovenia sign 3 agreements

India and Slovenia signed 3 agreements.
One on cooperation in the field of Education, Science and
Technology.
The other two are shared promotion and protection of
investments including an MoU between BIS (Bureau of Indian
Standards) and Slovenian Institute for Standards.
The agreements were signed after the delegation level talks b/w PM Dr M. Singh and his Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor in New Delhi.
In the previous 5 years, the bilateral trade amid India and Slovenia has quadrupled to €245 million
India seeks admission in Central and SE-European markets via the European nation.
Mr Pahor to travel to Agra and then to Bangalore tol visit the IIS (Indian Institute of Science), Infosys, Biocon and Narayana Hrudayalaya.
Slovenia, a part of the former Yugoslavia, announced Independence in 1991.
It was recognised by India in May 1992.

Agriculture credit flow of Government goes past target by 14%

Agriculture credit flows surpassed its target by about 14% to over Rs 4,26,000 Crore in last financial year.
Target of agricultural credit disbursal at Rs 3,75,000 Crore during 2010-11.
Target for the current financial year fixed at Rs 4,75,000 Crore.
Banks asked to step up direct lending, particularly to small and marginal farmers.
GOI providing crop loans at concessional interest rates since 2006-07.

A Voluntary Code of Conduct adopted by more than 1,500 companies in private sector

Above 1,500 companies in the private sector adopted a voluntary code of conduct for implementation of affirmative action.
Disclosed by the industry associations during the Review Meeting of the Coordination Committee on Affirmative Action in the Private Sector, chaired by TKA Nair (Principal Secretary to Prime Minister) in New Delhi.
Under the Programme 1,12,702 persons have benefited so far.
The action has four major points (4Es):-
Employability
Education
Entrepreneurship Development
Employment
FICCI and ASSOCHAM appointed Ombudsman to monitor the progress, CII in the process of doing so.
For implementation of the 4E Programme:
CII adopted district of Nawashahar in Punjab and Cooch Behar in West Bengal
FICCI adopted Sonbhadra in UP
- Focus: Skill improvement and livelihood support for deprived population in these districts.
- The Industry Associations also supporting Mid Day Meal programmes and Education schemes.

Maritime Boards to be Constituted by Coastal States

All coastal states in India asked to constitute SMBs (State Maritime Boards) at the earliest.
Union Minister of Shipping: G K Vasan
All ports dealing with EXIM cargo would install Vessel Traffic Management System for security purpose.
The Port Regulatory Authority Bill to be proposed.
Port capacity of the country would go up 3 times more than it was at present as per the Maritime Agenda 2020.
The tonnage would increase 4 times
2 more major ports would be set up:-
One on east coast
One on west coast

WB govt to passes Singur bill

The Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill, 2011
Bill seeks to revoke the Singur lease contract with the Tatas and take back the land leased to them.
To hand over 400 acres of land at Singur to the farmers who never accepted compensation for their land from the government.
The historic Bill vested 997 acres of the Nano plot with Government for concluding return of about 400 acre to those farmers.
The primary aim of this Bill: To return back the land to the owners whose land was taken by the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee administration for the what it called public purpose of setting up the country’s first Nano factory of Tata Motors at Singur in Hooghly, about 40 km from Kolkata.
The Bill marks the deliverance of the major and first political swear of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who as opposition leader, vowed to return the land to the disinclined land losers.
On May 18, 2006 former chief minister of West Bengal B. Bhattacharjee and Tata chairman Ratan Tata announced Singur as location of the site for the production of the world’s cheapest car: Nano

After constant protest by Mamata Banerjee, on October 3, 2008 Tata announced exit from Singur.

ATP Aegon Championships : Paes-Bhupathi end as Runners-up

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi ended runners up at the ATP Aegon Championships in London
Lost finals to American twins Mike and Bob Bryan
‘Indian Express’: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Paes and Bhupathi had lost to Bryan brothers in the Australian Open summit clash in January also.

This defeat meant a 3^rd title of the 2011 season slipped out of the hands of the Indian veterans, who had won the Chennai Open and Miami Masters earlier.

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