Jan 2013 Current Affairs by Avk

8/12/2019 Jan 2013 Current Affairs by Avk

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JAN 2013 CURRENT AFFAIRS

JUSTICE M.B. SHAH Commission

One man commission

ILLEGAL MINING from 2006-2011 Nov 2010

Verma Committee Sexual Assault

GODREJ COMMITTEE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

PARAM YUVA IIINDIAS FASTEST SUPER COMPUTER by CDAC

IBM SEQUOIA - FASTEST COMPUTER IN THE WORLD.

GOLDEN GIRL SYSTEMANDHRA PRADESHProtecting Girl Child and Ensure her Education- Only for 2

children of BPL family -Govt provides periodical financial benefit.

JSYJANANI SURAKSHA YOJANAReduction in Child Mortality RateCash Assistance to Pragnant women

ASHAACCREDITED SOCIAL HEALTH ACTIVISTCommunity based Health volunteer8 lakhs volunteers -

Rs 600 per delivery in RURAL AREAS ** Rs 400 per delivery for urban areas.

LATVIA - small ex SOVIAT STATE - becomes 18thcountry joined in EURO ZONE. 02.01.2014

Losara New Year festival of Ladakh

ONE LINERS DECEMBER 2013

Name the person who on 4 December 2013 was re-appointed as the OPCW Director-General at the 18th

Session of the Conference of State Parties- Ambassador Ahmet Uzumcu

Name the body that on 6 November 2013 declared that the Category 3 (unfilled) munitions of Syrian

Government have been destroyed was named - Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

(OPCW)

Park Geun-hye, the President of South Korea on 6 December 2013 agreed to join hands to denuclearize North

Korea (DPRK) with - the Vice President of US, Joseph Biden

An informal Group of Ministers headed by the Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar on 6 December 2013

recommended a bailout package to- Sugar Industry

Sri Lankas Board of Investment on 5 December 2013 announced plans to start how many export processing

and industrial zones across the countryeight

Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid revolutionary of South Africa died on 5 November 2013. He was also

known- as Madiba in South Africa

The Union Cabinet on 5 December 2013 approved the Telangana draft Bill. Telangana will have - 10 districts


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Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 came into force on - 6

December 2013

The Supreme Court of India has favoured punishment of life imprisonment to people indulging in production

and marketing of- adulterated milk

The country that was elected as a non-permanent member of United Nation Security Council (UNSC) -

Jordan

Armed Forces Flag Day was observed across India on - 7 December 2013

Who was crowned with the pageant of Miss Earth 2013 at the Versailles Palace, Philippines -Miss Venezuela

Alyz Henrich

The government has modified the FDI policy allowing unlisted companies to directly list on - stock

exchanges abroad

Indian freestyle grapplers bagged seven gold, four silver and three bronze medals and has won the team title

in the category in the - 2013 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in Johannesburg

World Trade Organization (WTO) today issued a revised draft of the Bali package that would address India's

concerns on food security and take through the - Trade Facilitation Agreement

The Supreme Court of India on 5 December 2013 said that politicians and businessmen heading sports bodies

are causing harm to the games and should leave their running to - Sport persons

Committee to formulate a Policy document on Corporate Governance on 6 December 2013 submitted its

report to the Union Government of India. The Committee was constituted on 7 March 2012 under - the

Chairmanship of Adi Godrej.

Name of the Vice President of Sudan, who resigned to pave way for the new Governme nt - Ali Osman Taha

Insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has decided to stop selling as many as - 34 policies

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 8 December 2013 won the state assembly elections in - Madhya Pradesh,

Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

The members of the opposition party (Democrat Party) of a country resigned en masse from the Parliament on

8 December 2013 to protest a Government claimed by them as illegitimateThailand

The scientists has decoded the oldest DNA from ever found 400000 year old thigh bone of human family

found at - a burial site Sima de los Huesos in Spain's northern Sierra de Atapuerca highlands

His Imperial Majesty Akihito, Emperor of Japan and Imperial Majesty Michiko, Empress of Japan were on a

visit toIndia after 1989

7346 crore rupees for the relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit Uttarakhand was sanctioned by the Cabinet


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Committee on Uttrakhand that was headed by- Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh

Indian National Congress on 9December 2013 emerged as the winner in the Mizoram Assembly election by

winning - 33 seats in the 40 member house

Human Rights Day was observed across the world on 10 December 2013 to bring to light the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights with a theme - 20 Years Working for Your Rights

The Union Cabinet on 9 December 2013 approved the finalization of the reserve price for the auction ofspectrum in- 1800 MHz band for all service areas

Ranjan Mathai, the former Foreign Secretary of India on 9 December 2013 took over as the- India's High

Commissioner to UK

The Supreme Court of India on 10 December 2013 ordered red beacons to be provided only on the vehicles of

high dignitaries and the people, who hold - Constitutional posts

Alstom T&D Indiaon 9 December 2013 bagged two contracts of 151 crore rupees from - Gujarat Energy

Transmission Company Ltd (GETCO).

Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of State for Environment & Forests inaugurated a workshop to discuss the Role of

Bamboo and Rattan in Pro-Poor Green Development - Asia Regional Workshop on Bamboo and Rattan at

New Delhi

The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is an intergovernmental organization established in

1997 with its headquarters - Beijing, China.

A US commissionhas asked Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel to explain the exclusion of Sikhs from the

American armed forces for adhering to their religious beliefs, the name of the person who asked this is - Martin

R Castro, he is the Chairman of the Commission on Civil Rights

India has welcomed the inking of the first disarmament treaty at the- Biological Weapons Convention in

Geneva

President of India, Pranab Mukherjee visited South Africa in Memorial service of its- anti-apartheid icon and

former South African President Nelson Mandela

The US has called on China to release the jailed Nobel Peace prize winner five years after he was first

detained- Liu Xiaobo

The Supreme Court of India on 10 December 2013 set a fresh four month deadline to make functional a ll the-

22 CBI courts across the country for the Centre and States

ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) on 9

December 2013 signed an agreement to evaluate - E&P opportunities in Ecuador

Scientistsin the first week of December 2013 in their report claimed that the super volcano lying beneath -

Yellowstone National Park in US


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The first Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre (TCM) of Spacecraft of India's maiden interplanetary mission to

Mars was carried out successfully on 10 December 2013 and the TCM was fired by - 22 Newton Thrusters

The Chairman of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) on 10 December 2013 announced his

retirement from active politics - Panruti S. Ramachandran

Tech MahindraLtd on 10 December 2013 launched its Global Center of Excellence (CoE) with - Hewlett

Packard (HP) in Bangalore

The World Innovation Summit for Health-2013 (WISH-2013) began in Doha, Qatar on 11 December 2013 with

an aim of - practical, innovative and sustainable health solutions

The High Level Committee to Review the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 1992 was

constituted under the Chairmanship of- Justice N.K. Sodhi

Person who in December 2013 was named as the Person of the Year2013 by Time Magazine - Pope Francis

Waqar Younis, the former captain of Pakistan cricket team was inducted into the- ICC Crickets Hall of Fame

A Bank that has been granted the license to start its banking operations in India Doha Bank

The West Bengal Assembly on 12 December 2013 adopted a fresh Bill to tackle illegal activities of- Chit

Funds in the State

India and UAE has signed a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement that would accelerate-

fresh capital investments of UAE in India

The European Union has granted GSP- Plus status to Pakistan.

British-based Sahara Force India on 12 December 2013 signed - Sergio Perez as race driver for the team

in 2014 and beyond

Islamist leader Abdul Kader Mullah of Bangladeshwas executed on 12 December 2013. His execution was

done at- Dhaka Central Jail

The Indian cricketer and a Rising Test batsman on 13 December 2013 bagged the Emerging Cricketer of the

Year trophy at the ICC Annual awards announced in Dubai was - Cheteshwar Pujara

The Uttar Pradesh Government on 13 December 2013 set -up a high-level committee to look into the issue of

deaths of children in relief camps set after the - Muzaffarnagar riots

The Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra on 13 December 2013 passed the much - awaited Anti

Superstition Bill.

A person has sworn in as the Chief Minister of Mizoram for the second successive term on 14 December 2013

is- Lal Thanhawla of Congress party


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Darmar Murugensan, the former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court will be the next Chairman of the-

Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC)

The former footballer of India, who died on 14 December 2013 died at a hospital in Guwahati, Assam after a

prolong illness was- Babul Phukan

An Indian actor, who won the best actor award for his brilliant performance in his film The Lunchbox at the

10th edition of Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is- Irrfan Khan

The Interim President of Egypt, Adly Mansour on 14 December 2013 announced 14 -15 January 2014 as the

date for - national referendum on the new draft of the constitution

The first lunar rover of China which was carried by an unmanned remotely piloted spacecraft Chang'e -3 was

deployed successfully on moon on 14 December 2013. The lunar rover that landed on mood was named - Jade

Rabbit (called Yutu in Chinese)

India defeated Pakistan 48-39 on 14 December 2013 in the World Kabaddi Cup in the finals played at - Guru

Nanak Dev Stadium in Ludhiana, Punjab

The Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) met on 12 December 2013 at - Kolkata.

International Migrants Day observed on- 18 December 2013 across the world

Eminent historian Bipan Chandra on 17 December 2013 was awarded Itihas Ratna from- Asiatic Society

Bihar.

Proposals of Irans President Hassan Rouhani on fight against extremism and violence were put on the

agenda of the - United Nations General Assembly to be ratified as a UN resolution

The International Cricket Council today inducted Australia's legendary wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist

into its - Hall of Fame during the ongoing third Ashes Test

Iranian negotiators halted the ongoing nuclear talks in Vienna with P5+1 group of nations Britain, China,

France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany - the move came after Washington blacklisted a dozen

companies and individuals for evading US sanctions.

Russia is to increase its arms exports worth 50 billion dollars - by 2020

India has rejected to the reference made on Jammu and Kashmir by the Organisation of the Islamic

Conference (OIC) in its recently held- session in Guinea

The Bengaluru International Airport will be renamed after- Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, who founded

Bengaluru in 16th century

South Indias first high altitude cricketstadium was inaugurated at- Krishnagiri in Waynad district of Kerala

President Vladimir Putin announced a plan to buy 15 billion dollar of Ukrainian bonds and - slashed Kiev's

bill for Russian gas imports


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The US has appealed to India to uphold the Vienna Convention principles and ensure - safety and security

of its diplomats stationed in the country

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations was inked in 1961 and is an international accord and defines - a

framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries

Indias deputy consul in New York, Devyani Khobragade was transferred to Indias Permanent Mission in

United Nations in New York- to boost her diplomatic immunity

Saab, the Swedish manufacturer won a 4.5 billion dollar contract to supply 36 Gripen NG fighter jets to - Brazil

by 2020

The Sahitya Akademi Awards 2013 was announced by Sahitya Akademi and - poetry writers have

dominated the awards announced in 2013

Odisha Administrative Tribunal quashed the provision of 27 percent reservation under Odisha Reservation of

Posts and Service (Socially and Educationally Backward Classes) Act, 2008 for- Socially and Educationally

Backward Classes (SEBC) candidates in public employment

Kuwait will host the Second edition of the Syria Donors conference in the capital Kuwait city in January and it

will be chaired by- UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon

India's first World Cup winning captain, Kapil Dev will be conferred with the- Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime

Achievement award for the year 2013

The Ariyalur plant of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited in Tamil Nadu has been honoured with the- National

Energy Conservation Award for the year 2012-13 by the Ministry of Power, Government of India

Europe on 19 December 2013 launched the Gaia satelliteone of the most ambitious space missions in

the history


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Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill 2013

Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India on 1 January 2014 gave his assent to the Lokpal and

Lokayuktas Bill, 2013. With this accent, the Bill has turned to be an Act. It provides creation of an anti-graft

watchdog that will bring under its purview to even the office of the Prime Minister with certain safeguards.

The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session on 18 December 2013. Earlier, the

amended Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 17 December 2013.

A copy of the Bill, which was signed by Meira Kumar, the Speaker of Lak Sabha was sent to the Law

Ministry by the secretariat on 1 January 2014. Further, the same was forwarded for Presidents assent to

the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

After the signing by the President, the Bill has taken a shape of an Act following certain procedures. For

publication of the Act in the official gazette, the Bill will be sent for signing to the Secretary of Legislative

Department in the Law Ministry after the assent of the President.

The Bill aims to set-up an institution of Lokpal at Centre and Lokayuktas in the states by the law enacted

by respective legislatures within one year from the date of its coming into effect.

Earlier in 2011, the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha during its winter session, but was debated in Rajya

Sabha till the adjournment of its session before voting. Further, a select committee of Rajya Sabha

suggested some changes in the Bill of which maximum were incorporated and approved by the UnionCabinet.

Important features of the Act are

As per the Act a Lokpal will be at the centre level and Lokayuktas will be at the states level s

A Lokpal consist of a Chairperson and a maximum of eight members, of which 50 percent should be of

judicial members

The Act provides that 50 percent of the total members of the Lokpal should be from SC/ST/OBCs,

minorities and women

The Chairperson and members of the Lokpal will be selected through a selection committee, which

include the Prime Minister of India, Lok Sabha Speaker, Lok Sabhas leader of opposition, the Chief

Justice of India or the Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by the Chief Justice. Then the President of

India will nominate the eminent Jurist on the basis of the recommendations of the first four members of the

selection committee

The Prime Minister has been brought under the purview of the Lokpal

The jurisdiction of the Lokpal will cover all the categories of the public servant

Under its also comes any/all entities, which will receive the donations from a foreign source in excess of


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10 lakh rupees in context of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)

The Act will provide adequate protection to the honest and upright public servants

The Act provide Lokpal the right to superintendence and direct any investigation agency including the

CBI on the cases, which will be referred to them from the Lokpal itself

The Director of the CBI will be recommended by the high power committee that will be chaired by the

Prime Minister of India

Director will control the Directorate of Prosecution that is headed by the Director of Prosecution

The Central Vigilance Commission will recommend the Director of Prosecution, CBI for appointment

Lokpals approval will be required for the transfers of the officers of CBI, who are investigating the cases

referred by the Lokpal

The Act gives the provisions to attach and confiscate the property that has been acquired by corrupt

means even in the case that the prosecution of the case remains pending

Clear time lines for preliminary enquiry and trial has been layed in the Act. It also mentions setting-up of

special courts towards the end of the trial

It mentions that a mandate for setting up the Lokayukta institution through enactment of a law by the

State Legislature within 365 days from the date on which the Act was commenced

The top 10 Powerful Supercomputers of the world:

1. Sequoia at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California - US

2. K Computer at RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science campus in Kobe - Japan

3. Mira at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois - US

4. SuperMUC at Leibniz Supercomputing Centre in Garching - Germany

5. Tianhe-1A at National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin - China

6. Jaguar at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee - US

7. Fermi at CINECA in Bologna - Italy

8. JuQueen at Forschungszentrum Juelich in Julich - Germany

9. Curie thin nodes at CEA/TGCC-GENCI in Bruyeres-le-Chatel - France

10. Nebulae at National Supercomputing Centre in Shenzhen - China - See more at:

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Jan 2013 Current Affairs by Avk