17th Nov to 18th Nov 2014

Biggest electronics trade exhibition of Japan CEATEC concluded

18-OCT-2014

The biggest electronics trade exhibition of Japan CEATEC concluded on 11 October 2014 at Makuhari Messe International convention complex in Chiba prefecture of Japan. CEATEC stands for Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies. The five-day exhibition had started on 7 October 2014.
The main highlight of the exhibition was the introduction of sign and display technology solutions by Japanese companies like Fujifilm which provides total solutions for wide-format print system.
The technology will come handy for the outdoor advertising industry in India and ASEAN region where the trend of outdoor advertising on billboards and POP is fast catching up.
The technology mainly uses graphics based on Ultra-Violet (UV) inks. UV inks are used because they remain protected in outdoor climate and do not evaporate, so the system can be installed in one room.
On the other hand, the harmful VOC - solvent based ink systems are used to the conventional wide-format printing machine, which required the separate forced exhaust facility.
About CEATEC
CEATEC provides a platform for companies and organizations from all over the world to showcase their cutting-edge products, services and technologies. The event also serves as key industry networking and information-gathering opportunity, with numerous seminars and other activities offered during the fair.

ICC awarded global broadcast rights from 2015 to 2023 to Star India and Star Middle East

18-OCT-2014

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on 10 October 2014 awarded the global broadcast agreement rights for ICC Events from 2015 to 2023 to Star India and Star Middle East.
The agreement is said to be the biggest ever global broadcast partnership of Cricket. The agreement included the eight-year period. During the period, 18 ICC tournaments, including two ICC Cricket World Cups (2019 and 2023), two ICC Champions Trophy tournaments (2017 and 2021) and two ICC World Twenty20 tournaments (2016 and 2020) will be held.
The decision was made by the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board during a meeting at the ICC headquarters in Dubai. IBC is the commercial arm of ICC.
The decision followed a robust tender, bidding and evaluation process which was started in July 2014.
The process of Selection
During the process, the ICC received 17 competitive bids from various broadcasters across different territories for its audio-visual rights.
The current cycle has seen ESPN Star Sports hold the audio-visual rights until the contract expires at the end of 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
About Star India
Star India is one of India’s largest media and entertainment companies and is a fully owned subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, INC.
The Star group has defined India’s broadcast media over two decades and today broadcasts more than forty channels in seven languages, reaching more than 650 million viewers every week across India and around 100 other countries.

About Star Middle East
Star Middle East is a wholly owned subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, INC. in the Middle East. It distributes 13 satellite cable television channels in the Middle East and Africa.
Astronomers discovered a new planet that resembles Uranus of our solar system. It was discovered in a binary star system 25000 light-years away near the constellation Sagittarius.
The Astronomers led by Radek Poleski of Ohio State University revealed this in a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal on 13 October 2014.
This is the first time that a twin for ice-giant planets, Uranus and Neptune has been spotted. These two planets are mainly composed of hydrogen and helium and significant amounts of methane ice that helps them to appear blue.
Astronomers were not able to tell anything about composition of this planet due to their distance from Earth. But astronomers are considering it to be a Uranus analog because, the planet’s distance from its star suggests that it’s an ice giant and its orbit resembles to Uranus.
As per the report, the planet is four times as massive as Uranus, but it orbits the first star at almost exactly the same distance as Uranus orbits our Sun.
This discovered planet leads a turbulent existence as it orbits a 0.7 M star at ≈18 AU in a binary star system with the other star close enough to disturb the planet’s orbit.
The first star is about two thirds as massive as our Sun, and the second star is about one sixth as massive. The projected separation of the planet is only about three times smaller than that of the companion star, suggesting significant dynamical interactions.

How the planet was discovered?
The solar system was spotted due to a phenomenon called gravitational microlensing that happens when the gravity of a star focuses the light from a more distant star and magnifies it like a lens. The two separate microlensing events occurred in 2008 and 2010.
The 2008 event revealed the main star and suggested the presence of the planet, while the second event of 2010 confirmed the presence of the planet and also revealed the second star.
Both these observations were done at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile as part of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) with the help of the 1.3-metre Warsaw Telescope.
According to Andrew Gould, professor of astronomy at Ohio State University, this discovery would solve a mystery a about the origins of the ice giants in our solar system.

Union Home Ministry drafted a new counter-Naxal doctrine

18-OCT-2014

Union Home Ministry on 17 October 2014 drafted a new counter-Naxal doctrine. In the drafted law, the ministry clearly demarcated the role of the state police and central paramilitary forces (CPMFs) in anti-Maoist operations.
The ministry proposed to put state police forces in the lead, while tasking CPMFs with using their pan-Indian mandate for seamless operations across state borders and holding the counter-insurgency grid together.
The new policy will be circulated to all the states for their comments soon. It will seek to fight the Maoists through a four-pronged approach, comprising elements like security-related measures, development-based approach, rights and entitlement-based measures and public perception management.
The approach of the new law will be to focus on security interventions in worst LWE-affected areas. In moderately-affected areas, it will witness security and development initiatives going hand in hand; while in less affected areas, development interventions will take precedence.

Highlights of the drafted Law

• The policy proposed oversight committee at the national and state level. The national panel will comprise home minister, finance minister, tribal affairs minister, environment minister, rural development minister, panchayati raj minister and road & transport minister, besides chief ministers of all Naxal-hit states, and will meet bi-annually.

•   There will be an inter-ministerial group, a coordination committee to oversee operational strategies comprising Central and state level officers, as well as a state-level committee for coordinated response by various state agencies.
•   Also, the new law insisted on a periodic review of the counter-Naxal strategies.
•   The new counter-LWE doctrine pitches for making CRPF a world-class counter-insurgency force, with a sustained upgrade in its training, infrastructure, arms and financial powers.
•   It seeks to encourage police/CPMFs to recruit local tribal youth by holding more rallies and working around the DoPT rules to identify ways to push up their representation in the forces.
•   There is emphasis also on honouring tribal icons by renaming projects and key local buildings after them.

Peace talks with Naxalites
As regards possible peace talks with Naxalites, the draft policy makes it clear that any offer of talks will be taken up only after the Maoists renounce violence as a means of capturing state power and express faith in the democratic process.

Union MoEFCC launched the National Air Quality Index

18-OCT-2014

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 17 October 2014 launched the National Air Quality Index (AQI) in New Delhi. The National Air Quality Index is an initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce the culture of cleanliness.
AQI will act as a One Number- One Colour-One Description to judge the Air Quality for Common Man. The earlier measuring index was limited to three indicators, while this index has been made quite comprehensive by the addition of five additional parameters.
The proposed AQI will consider eight parameters (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.
Background
Air pollution has been a matter of environmental and health concerns particularly in urban areas. Central Pollution Control Board along with State Pollution Control Boards has been operating National Air Monitoring Program (NAMP) covering 240 cities of the country.
In addition, continuous monitoring systems that provide data on near real-time basis were also installed in a few cities.
Traditionally, air quality status was reported through voluminous data. Thus, it was important that information on air quality is put up in public domain in simple linguistic terms that is easily understood by a common person through AQI.

Air Quality Index (AQI)
•   Air Quality Index (AQI) is one such tool for effective dissemination of air quality information to people that entails the system to account for pollutants which have short-term impacts.
•   This index was developed by an expert group comprising medical professionals, air quality experts, academia, NGOs, and state
•   There are six AQI categories namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe with colour coding ranging from green to dark red.
•   This index transforms various air pollution levels into a single number for a simple description of air quality to citizens.
•   The AQI will prompt the local authorities to take quick action to improve air quality and is aimed at attracting people's participation in the process

Union Home Ministry announced to rename 12 cities and towns of Karnataka

18-OCT-2014

Union Home Ministry on 17 October 2014 announced to rename 12 cities and towns of Karnataka. The proposal was made on 27 October 2006 to change the names of the 12 towns and cities in consonance with their pronunciation in Kannada language by the Karnataka Government.
The State Revenue Department had sent the proposal to the Union Government seeking its nod for changing the names of 12 cities on 13 October 2008.
According to the proposal, the 12 cities whose names were sought to be changed are

Bangalore as Bengaluru;
Mangalore as Mangaluru;
Bellary as Ballari;
Bijapur as Vijayapura or Vijapura;
Belgaum as Belagavi;
Chikmagalur as Chikkamagaluru;
Gulbarga as Kalaburagi;
Mysore as Mysuru;
Hospet as Hosapete;
Shimoga as Shivamogga;
Hubli as Hubballi, and
Tumkur as Tumakuru

The decision of home Ministry came after Survey of India, Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts, Ministry of Science and Technology and Intelligence Bureau have given their No Objection and clearance for the change in the nomenclature of the identified cities.

Treason Act of 1351 to be used to tackle ISIS

18-OCT-2014

Treason Act of 1351: Act passed during the reign of English King Edward III
Britain’s Treason Act of 1351 passed during the reign of English King Edward III was in news in October 2014. It was in news as there are chances that Britain would use the medieval law to charge its citizens if they go to fight with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) insurgents in Iraq and Syria.
In his statement to the media the Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that any British citizen who had sworn personal allegiance to the so-called Islamic State could have committed an offense under the Treason Act of 1351.
The Treason Act 1351 is an Act of the Parliament of England which codified and curtailed the common law offence of treason. It is one of the earliest English statutes still in force, although it has been very significantly amended.
The Act was passed at Westminster in the Hilary term of 1351, in the 25th year of the reign of Edward III and was entitled A Declaration which Offences shall be adjudged Treason. The Act was last used to prosecute William Joyce (was hanged) in 1945 for collaborating with Germany in World War II.
This Act is still in force in the United Kingdom (as of August 2013) and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Until 1998, the Act carried death sentence to.
Background
Earlier, David Cameroon, the British Prime Minister had warned that fighters of ISIS pose a grave threat to Britain. Britain’s police and intelligence reports have suggested that they have seen a rise in potentially deadly plots.
Security officials of the country have predicted that some 500 Britons, mainly with Muslim immigrant backgrounds, are fighting in Iraq and Syria for ISIS and their return could carry out an attack on Britain.

Nigeria and Boko Haram sealed deal on freeing girls

18-OCT-2014

Nigeria on 17 October 2014 sealed a deal with the militant group Boko Haram to free the girls.
The Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria Alex Badeh announced the truce. However, Boko Haram has not made any public statement.
The deal was signed at the close of a three-day security meeting between Nigeria and Cameroon. The arrangements for the release of girls would be finalised at another meeting next week in Chad's capital, Ndjamena.
Background
In May 2014, Boko Haram sparked global outrage by abducting more than 200 schoolgirls. The girls were seized in the north-eastern town of Chibok in Borno state, and their continued captivity has led to criticism of the Nigerian government's efforts to secure their release.
The group has been fighting an insurgency since 2009, with some 2000 civilians reportedly killed in 2014.
In July 2014, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger agreed to form a 2800 strong regional force to tackle Boko Haram militants.
About Boko Haram Group
The group promotes a version of Islam which makes it haram, or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society.
It frequently attacks schools and colleges, which it sees as a symbol of Western culture.
Human Rights Watch has reported that 2053 civilian were killed in the first half of 2014, while Amnesty International estimated that 4000 people were killed in violence including Nigerian military operations - in the first seven months of 2014.

RBI & CBK signed MoU on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information

18-OCT-2014

The Reserve Bank of India on 16 October 2014 signed a pact with the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) for Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information.
Apart from this, the RBI signed 22 such MoUs and one Letter for Supervisory Co-operation. The signing ceremony was held at Hyderabad.
The MoU was signed by RBI Governor Dr. Raghuram Rajan and Central Bank of Kenya Governor Prof. Njuguna Ndung'u.
The RBI has been signing the MoUs and Letter for Supervisory Co-operation with supervisors of other countries to promote greater co-operation and share supervisory information among the authorities.

Hurricane Gonzalo struck Bermuda

18-OCT-2014

Hurricane Gonzalo of Category 2 struck Bermuda with winds of about 185 kilometers per hour on 18 October 2014. The hurricane lashed the tiny Atlantic island chain with torrential rain and howling wind.
Eighty percent of the island chain lost power because of the hurricane. The island also witnessed flooding in some areas and many banana trees had been knocked over.
Earlier, the US National Hurricane Center warned of high winds and life threatening storm surge after the hurricane passed the British Atlantic territory.
Bermuda is an island chain in the Atlantic Ocean that frequently sees strong tropical storms. Hurricane Gonzalo is one of the biggest hurricanes faced by the tiny British island of Bermuda, in many years. Gonzalo struck Bermuda, a low-lying archipelago occupying just 21 square miles (54 sq km) and home to 65000 people, just five days after the island witnessed a tropical storm.
The last major hurricane to strike Bermuda was Fabian in 2003, a Category 3 storm that killed four people.

India successfully test-fired nuclear capable Nirbhay cruise missile

18-OCT-2014

India on 17 October 2014 successfully test fired its first long range subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay with a strike range of over 1000 km from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa.
This 6 meter tall low altitude flying missile was fired from a mobile launcher. Carrying a dummy payload of n350 kg, the missile also demonstrated the critical ability to zero-in on its target by diving towards a pre-designated impact point in the Bay of Bengal.
This was the second flight trial of the missile as the first test was aborted mid way in March 2013 when the missile deviated from its path.
Nirbhay cruise missile
•   The missile was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at its aeronautics R&D laboratory ADE (Aeronautical Development Establishment) based in Bengaluru.
•   The avionics of the missile was provided by the Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad. The DRDL has also contributed to the development of the missile.
•   Nirbhay cruise missile can carry conventional and nuclear war heads.
•   Nirbhay has good loitering capability, good control and guidance, high degree of accuracy in terms of impact and very good stealth features.
•   Nirbhay is very manoeuvrable and can fly at tree-top level, making it difficult to be detected on radar.
•   It can strike the targets more than 700 km away carrying nuclear warheads giving India the capability to strike deep into enemy territory

Time released its annual list of The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014

18-OCT-2014

Time on 13 October 2014 released its annual list of The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014. Time compiled its list of 25 teens counting accolades shared by siblings and partners. The list released after analyzing their social media following, business successes and cultural importance.
The youngest were Sasha Obama and fellow 13-year-old Mo'ne Davis, a pitching sensation who led her Philadelphia boys' baseball team to the Little League World Series and landed a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Sasha Obama is a daughter of US President Barak Obama.
Others in the list were Grammy-winning New Zealand singer Lorde aged 17 and Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai aged 17. Malala Yousafzai is the Pakistani education activist winner. They were all on the unranked list dominated by 20 females.
The dominant categories were athletes, actors and singers.
Tavi Gevinson is the 18-year-old fashion writer and founder of popular online magazine Rookie. She was noted as emblematic of the contemporary teen in the Internet age. Transgender activist Jazz Jennings, 14, and Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, 18, also made the list.
Actors in the list
Actors taking center stage were Kiernan Shipka, 14, of Mad Men, Rico Rodriguez, 16, of Modern Family and The Equalizer's Chloe Grace Moretz, 17.
Pop singers Becky G, 17, and Austin Mahone, 18, earned plaudits as did New Zealand pro golfer Lydia Ko, 17, and Afghan National Cycling Team member Salma Kakar, 17.
Jaden Smith, 16, son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, was recognized for acting and his Twitter following, while reality TV stars the Jenner sisters Kendall, 18, and Kylie, 17, were noted for their burgeoning Hollywood and merchandising careers.

Entrepreneurs in the list

Teens noted for business success include 15-year-old Erik Finman, founder of the online tutoring site Botangle.com; YouTube fashion star Bethany Mota, 18, and actress-turned-stockpicker Rachel Fox, 18.
Irish trio Ciara Judge, 16, Emer Hickey, 17, and Sophie Healy-Thow, 17, were noted for their discovery of bacteria that deposits nitrogen from the atmosphere into soil.
Los Angeles teen chef Flynn McGarry, 15, joined stars of Twitter's Vine short-form video service, Nash Grier, and singer Shawn Mendes, both 16.
Also in the spotlight were 19-year-olds Megan Grassell, founded of the Yellowberry clothing company that makes bras for teens, and South African-Australian YouTube star and actor-musician Troye Sivan

Raghuram Rajan won Euromoney Award for Best Central Bank Governor of the Year 2014

18-OCT-2014

Dr. Raghuram Rajan, Governor of Reserve Bank of India on 10 October 2014 was conferred with Euromoney’s Central Bank Governor of the Year Award 2014 in Washington.
Euromoney in its comment said that Rajan’s tough monetary medicine combated the storm ravaging the deficit-ridden economy in the recent emerging market crisis. At present, he is battling vested interests to arouse a sleepy financial system for over one million people.
Bank of Mexico Governor Agustin Carstens was the winner of the award in 2013.
About Dr. Raghuram Rajan
• He is the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
• Rajan has served as chief economic adviser to India's Ministry of Finance
• He has been the Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund from October 2003 to December 2006
• The internationally-renowned economist, earned acclaim for his warnings in 2005 of an upcoming global crisis of sorts, which has been true to his word
• In January 2003, the American Finance Association awarded Rajan with the inaugural Fischer Black Prize for the best finance researcher under the age of 40
• Some other awards received by Rajan includes
a) The global Indian of the year award from NASSCOM in 2011
b) The Infosys prize for the Economic Sciences in 2012
c) The Center for Financial Studies-Deutsche Bank Prize for financial economics in 2013 for his "ground-breaking research work which influenced financial and macro-economic policies around the world

PSN Rao appointed as Chairman of the DUAC

18-OCT-2014

The Union Urban Development Ministry on 17 October 2014 appointed PSN Rao as the new Chairman of the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC). Rao succeeds eminent architect Raj Rewal, who was appointed as Chairman of the commission in July 2011 for three years.
At the time of appointment as DUAC chairman, Rao was heading the Department of Housing, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He studied urban management in Canada.
Apart from this, the ministry also named four new members of the commission, namely Sonali Bhagwati (an architect), Sonali Rastogi (an architect), Samir Mathur (a landscale architect) and Durga Shankar Mishra (Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development). The tenure of this new panel will be of three-year.
About Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC)
Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) was constituted under the provisions of the Delhi Urban Art Commission Act 1973. DUAC was set up in May 1974 and is mandated with preserving, developing and maintaining the aesthetic quality of urban and environmental design in Delhi.

Tamil poet Iqbal named for Singapore's highest cultural award, Cultural Medallion

17-OCT-2014

Indian-origin Singaporean poet and writer KTM Iqbal on 15 October 2014 was named for the 2014 Cultural Medallion, the highest cultural award of Singapore. He will be awarded by the Tony Tan, the President of Singapore.
Along with the award, Iqbal will get 80000 Singapore dollar grants, which can be used to fund artistic endeavours over their lifetime.
This award will be the highest recognition for the 74-year-old Tamil poet. His achievements include more than 200 children's songs written for Radio Singapore in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as seven collections of poetry.
Iqbal is a poet, whose compositions are studied in schools and some of them have appeared in the subway stations as part of efforts to bring the arts close to the community.
Apart from KTM Iqbal, the award will be also given to sculptor Chong Fah Cheong, 68, and 51-year old Alvin Tan, the artistic director of a theatre company, by President Tony Tan Keng Yam. Each of these recipients will be eligible for 80000 Singapore dollar grant.
The award, instituted 35 years ago, has been presented to 115 artists to date, including Iqbal, Chong and Tan.
About KTM Iqbal
• Iqbal learned the basics of Venpa, a form of classical Tamil poetry from a poetry-writing workshop
• He is a retired bank executive and continues to pen down poems and hopes to produce an edited collection of his best Tamil poems and an English translation of it
• He has also received recognition in the education system of Singapore
• He migrated to Singapore in 1951, at the age of 11 with his father from Kadayanallur in South India
• He was introduced to the simple but evocative compositions of Tamil poet Mathithasan by a Tamil newspaper Malaya Nanban, which is now defunct
• The poet's vivid depiction of people and values in society inspired the young Iqbal to start penning poems

Cairo International conference held to raise fund for reconstruction of Gaza strip

17-OCT-2014

Cairo International conference on 12 October 2014 was held to raise the fund for reconstruction of Gaza Strip. At the conference, International donors pledged 5.4 billion US dollar for reconstruction of Gaza Strip of Palestine over three years.
The half of the 5.4 billion US dollar pledged amount will be dedicated to reconstruction and the assistance will be distributed in response to the daily needs of Palestinians.
• The US pledged 212 million US dollar
• United Arab Emirates and Turkey both committed 200 million US dollar
• Qatar alone promised 1billion US dollar
• European Union promised 568 million dollar
• India promised 4 million US dollar
During the conference, Palestinian government led by Mahmoud Abbas unveiled reconstruction plan with major share of assistance to build housing. Israel was absent in conference and Palestine referred to maintain the August 2014 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestine to maintain peace in the region.
In the conference, President of Egypt Sisi urged government and people of Israel to put an end to the conflict that started in June 2014. The conference was attended by delegates representing about 50 nations and 20 regional and international organizations.
The US aid to the Palestinians especially will go to security, economic development, food and medicine, and shelter, water and sanitation projects.

ACC approved appointment of Rajiv Mehrishi as the Union Finance Secretary

17-OCT-2014

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on 16 October 2014 approved appointment of Rajiv Mehrishi as the Union Finance Secretary in Department of Economic Affairs of the Union Ministry of Finance.
Mehrishi, an IAS of the 1978-batch of Rajasthan Cadre, replaced his batch-mate Arvind Mayaram, who was appointed as the Union Tourism Secretary.
Mehrishi will retire from the post in August 2014, which means that he will have just about 10 months at Ministry of Finance. At the time of appointment, Mehrishi was serving as Chief Secretary of Rajasthan.
Mayaram, a 1978-batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre was made the Union Tourism Secretary in place of Parvez Dewan who will retire in October 2014.
Apart from Rajiv Mehrishi and Arvind Mayaram appointments, the ACC on 16 October 2014 made other 18 transfers and appointments of which one-third was at the secretary level. Some of the important appointments included
• Anil Swarup, a 1981 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre – appointed as the new Coal Secretary. He will take over as Coal Secretary when incumbent SK Srivastava retires on 31 October 2014.
• Alok Rawat, a 1977 batch IAS officer of Sikkim cadre – appointed new secretary in the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare. At the time of this appointment, he was Secretary in Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
• Prabhu Dayal Meena, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre – appointed as Secretary in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare. He was serving as Special Secretary in Department of Land Resources and will replace Sangita Gairola, who retires in October 2014
• Anuj Kumar Bishnoi, a 1981 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre – appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. Bishnoi was Additional Secretary in the Department of Defence.
• Ashok Kumar Angurana, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre – appointed as Secretary in Ministry of Panchayati Raj. He was working as Managing Director, TRIFED, Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Vinod Agrawal, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre – appointed as Secretary in National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). He was working as Advisor, Inter State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Government to import potatoes for 1st time to check rising prices

17-OCT-2014

The Union Government on 16 October 2014 decided to import potatoes to check rising prices. This is the first time that the potatoes will be imported.
As per the decision, potato will be imported from Pakistan and European countries. Imports will be done to ensure sufficient supply till January 2015.
Also, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation will float tender in this regard and the tenders will be invited by end of October 2014 so that shipments reach India by the end of November 2014.
Apart from this, the government also asked Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium to explore possibilities of imports.
India in crop-year 2013-14 produced more than 44 million tonnes of potatoes which is 2.3 per cent less than crop-year of 2012-13. As a result, potatoes prices in last few weeks have shown a rising trend and in the National Capital Delhi, it is being retailed at 35 to 40 rupees per kilogram.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed on 17 October

17-OCT-2014

17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty was observed across the world on 17 October 2014. The theme for the day was Leave no one behind: think, decide and act together against extreme poverty.
The 2014 theme recognises and underscores the demanding challenge of identifying and securing the participation of those experiencing extreme poverty and social exclusion in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which will replace the Millennium Development Goals.
The day was observed to promote people’s awareness on the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide.
Actions performed to observe the day includes
The official commemoration on 17 October at UN Headquarters in New York was organised in partnership with the International Movement ATD Fourth World, the NGO Sub-committee for the Eradication of Poverty and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, supported by the Missions of France and Burkina Faso to the UN.
The commemoration was done to recognize people living in poverty as critical partners for fighting the development challenges we face.
Earlier, on 16 October 2014, a panel discussion was organised at the United Nations Headquarters titled, Beijing+20 - Leaving No One Behind: Women, Poverty, and Participation. The discussion was organised to explore the disproportionate effects of poverty on women and women's contributions to ending poverty.
About International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is being observed annually since 1993, the year when the United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness on the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries.
Apart from this, fighting poverty remains at the core of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the development of the post-2015 development agenda.

Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela elected as non-permanent members of UNSC

17-OCT-2014

Venezuela, Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand and Spain on 16 October 2014 were elected as non-permanent members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
They were elected after member states voted in support of these five nations after three rounds of voting. All these five new members received over two-thirds of the votes cast in a secret ballot.
The new members of the Security Council will begin their two-year appointment on 1 January 2015 and will serve on the Council until 31 December 2016.
These nations will join five other non-permanent members, namely Chad, Chile, Jordan, Lithuania and Nigeria.
On the other hand, Argentina, Luxembourg, South Korea, Australia and Rwanda will step down from their seats on 31 December 2014 to make way for the newly-elected members.
Angola Malaysia, Venezuela and New Zealand were elected in the first round of voting whereas Spain was elected after two rounds of restricted balloting to.
Spain and New Zealand were elected from the Western European and Other States Group.
Venezuela was elected unopposed from the Latin America and Caribbean seat whereas Malaysia and Angola were also elected unopposed from the Asian and African seat.
The five overall seats available for election in 2014 were distributed regionally and they were:
• One seat for the African Group (currently held by Rwanda)
• One seat for the Group of Asia- Pacific Group (currently held by the Republic of Korea)
• One seat for the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, (currently held by Argentina)
• Two seats for the Western European and Others Group (currently held by Australia and Luxembourg)
• Lithuania will maintain for another year, the seat for the Eastern European Group

The five permanent Council members, which each wield the power of veto, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States

President Pranab Mukherjee visited Norway

17-OCT-2014

President Pranab Mukherjee visited Norway from 13 to 14 October 2014. He became the first Indian head of state to visit Norway and first president to cross the Arctic Circle. He was invited for a ceremonial reception at the Royal Palace in Oslo and held talks with King Harald V.
During his visit, he held meeting with top Norwegian political leaders and signed 13 agreements to reaffirm India's long-standing friendly ties with Norway.
• MoU to promote cultural co-operation and exchanges between the two nations
• MoU in the field of Earth System Sciences to allow exchange of scientific resources, personnel and technical knowledge
• Three MoU signed by IIT Kanpur with NTNU, University of Oslo and NILU.
• Two MoU signed by IISER, Thiruvananthapuram with SINTEF Materials and Chemistry and Institute of Energy Technology
• Three MoU signed by University of Hyderabad with University of Oslo, NTNU and University of Bergen
• Statement of Intent (SoI) in Defence sector
• MoU to support promotion and extension of cooperation in Scientific Research and Technology Development
• MoU to establish a health research relationship for encouraging research in a range of health-related areas
• MoU between Indira Gandhi National Tribal University and University of Agder
Pranab Mukherjee explained that India’s interests in the Arctic region are scientific, environmental, commercial as well as strategic. He also mentioned that India does not want to be left out in the cold in the ongoing race among the countries to explore and exploit the vast reservoirs of oil and gas present in the Arctic region.
In case of new deep sea shipping routes (Arctic Ocean), he expressed that India can join hands with a member state like Russia for both navigation and exploration of hydrocarbons, even though its present policy is largely geared towards scientific research.
He invited Norway to join the Make in India initiative, so that investors and entrepreneurs can explore possibilities of investment in infrastructure sector of India. He extended an invitation to the King of Norway, Harald V to visit India.

Indian-born scientist Sanjaya Rajaram received World Food Prize 2014

17-OCT-2014

An eminent Indian scientist Dr Sanjaya Rajaram on 16 October 2014 received the World Food Prize 2014 for his scientific research that led to a prodigious increase in world wheat production by more than 200 million tons building upon the successes of the Green Revolution.
Rajaram is credited with developing the Veery lines of wheat in the 1980s which were used to breed locally adapted high-yielding varieties in various wheat-growing countries.
PBW-343, a workhorse wheat variety grown in about 10 million hectares of India was based on the Veery material that was bred at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) under Rajaram.
The Veery lines resulted from a cross between a Russian winter wheat Kavkaz and a Mexican spring wheat Buho. These new lines showed improved resistance to stripe and leaf rust pathogens which helped create a second generation of high-yielding wheat.
Sanjaya Rajaram
• Dr. Rajaram originally belongs to a small farming community in Uttar Pradesh, India where he dedicated his life in making direct improvements for farmers and people who depend on agriculture.
• He has spent much of this early career at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) where he served as Director of the Wheat Breeding Program and worked with the eminent crop scientist Dr Norman E. Borlaug.
• With the help of his research teams, Dr Rajaram has developed some 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries across six continents and an estimated 58 million hectares. These varieties provide average annual wheat consumption to more than one billion people.
• Dr Rajaram has helped secure a 1.3 percent rise in global wheat production per annum during the last four decades.
• Currently, Dr Rajaram is a senior scientific advisor at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).
• At ICARDA, Dr Rajaram came up with the experience to help develop strategies that would fundamentally tackle the challenges facing wheat in dry areas including the semi-arid and arid regions of India.
About the World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing individuals whose achievements have advanced human development by increasing the quality, quantity, or availability of food.
The World Food Prize was created in 1987 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Norman Borlaug. It was sponsored by businessman and philanthropist John Ruan who stepped forward to endow the Prize in 1990. Today John Ruan's son, John Ruan III has succeeded his father as chairman of the World Food Prize
A Selection Committee of experts chaired by Indian Professor MS Swaminathan oversees the nomination and selection process.

The first World Food Prize was awarded to Indian scientist Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan in 1987.
The World Food Prize 2013 was awarded to three distinguished scientists Marc Van Montagu of Belgium, Mary-Dell Chilton and Robert T. Fraley of the United States.

DoPT amended the selection procedure for the post of chief of CVC

17-OCT-2014

Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on 16 October 2014 amended the selection procedure for the post of Chief of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
As per the new amendment, now the CEO or MD of Private bank can also apply for the post.
The notification released by the department reads that a person who has held office or are holding office in a corporation established by or under any Central Act or a Government company owned or controlled by the Central Government and persons who have expertise and experience in finance including insurance and banking, law, vigilance and investigations are also eligible for the appointments.
With this, DoPT began the selection process for Chief of Central Vigilance Commission and issued guidelines.
Highlights of the guidelines
A CVC or VC will be appointed from persons who have been or are in an all India Services (IAS, IPS and IFoS) or in any civil service of the Union or in a civil post having knowledge and experience in the matters relating to vigilance, policy making and administration including police administration among others.
These persons must have held or is holding the position of Chairman, Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer of a Schedule A Central Public Sector Enterprise and have served as a whole time Director on the Board for a period of at least three years are eligible to apply.
All the applicants should be of outstanding merit and impeccable integrity and should have knowledge and at least 25 years of experience in the relevant field.

Background
As per rules, the appointment of the CVC and VC is done by the President on the basis of recommendation of a three-member selection committee headed by Prime Minister and comprising Home Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha as members.
The CVC is headed by a Central Vigilance Commissioner and has two Vigilance Commissioners.
At present the post of CVC and one VC is lying vacant because of demitting of office by Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar and Vigilance Commissioner J M Garg in September 2014.

Union government launched Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram

17-OCT-2014

Union government on 16 October 2014 launched Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram. The scheme is aimed at creating conducive environment for industrial development and doing business with ease.
Besides, it will also herald towards good governance, welfare and skill development of labour sector.
It was launched during a daylong Conference of Labour & Employment Ministers, Health Ministers and Vocational Training Ministers of State Governments on 16 October 2014 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Under the scheme, the following new initiatives are provided:
• Labours will be provided Unique Labour Identification number, Local Interconnect Network, to facilitate their online registration.
• Unified Labour Portal (Shram Suvidha) and a Transparent & Accountable Labour Inspection Scheme to facilitate ease of compliance http://efilelaboutreturn.gov.in to facilitate ease of compliance especially for four Central Government Organizations i.e. ESIC, EPFO, DGMS and CLC.
• Demand Responsive Vocational Training
• Apprentice Protsahan Yojana
• Portability through Universal Account Number for Employees’ Provident Fund Account Holders
• Implementation of Revamped Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) for the workers in the unorganized sector

World Food Day observed globally on 16 October

17-OCT-2014

World Food Day was observed across the world on 16 October 2014 with the theme Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth.
The UN General Assembly has designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. This is a strong signal that the international community recognizes the important contribution of family farmers to world food security.
The aim of World Food Day 2014 is to focus world attention on the significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas.
Why family farmers need support to reduce food losses?
Family farming is inextricably linked to national and global food security. Both in developing and developed countries, family farming is the predominant form of agriculture in the food production sector.
Mostly, family farmers lack access to good seeds, adequate storage for crops, transportation and well-functioning markets, as well as financing. By supporting family farmers in these areas, it is possible to reduce food losses and increase farmers' incomes.
Around 500 million out of the 570 million farms worldwide are family farms. These farms account for the production of fruit, vegetables, grain, livestock and fisheries, as well as non-wood forest products. The farms are managed and operated by a family and rely predominantly on family labour.
In Brazil, family farmers provide an average of 40 percent of the production of major crops, while working on less than 25 percent of the farmland. While in the US, family farmers produce 84 percent of all produce working on 78 percent of all farmland.
World Food Day (WFD)
World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October globally in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
World Food Day was established by FAO's Member Countries at the 20th General Conference of FAO in November 1945. The Hungarian Delegation suggested the idea of celebrating the WFD worldwide during the General Conference.

Since then, it is being observed every year in more than 150 countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger. World Food Day was first held on 16 October 1981.

Arvind Subramanian appointed as Chief Economic Advisor

17-OCT-2014

Union Government on 16 October 2014 appointed US-based economist Arvind Subramanian as Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) in the Union Finance Ministry. He has been appointed as the CEA for a period of three years on contract basis.
Subramanian is the third economist of international rapport to be appointed to the key post of CEA in the recent years. Other two internationally renowned economists who recently have served as CEA are Kaushik Basu (World Bank Chief Economist) and Raghuram Rajan (current RBI Governor and former IMF chief economist).
About Arvind Subramanian
• Subramanian is a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and at Center for Global Development. Both institutes are based in Washington
• He is an expert of the economics of India, China and the changing balance of global economic power
• He is an alumnus of St Stephens College, Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad
• Subramanian’s academic work has focused on trade and its effect on developing countries
The post of CEA was lying vacant since Raghuram Rajan left the Union Finance Ministry to join the Reserve Bank as its 23rd Governor in 2013. He succeeded D. Subbarao who demitted the office as RBI Governor on 4 September 2013.