1

What Made the Headlines in 2013!

Bills Approved Food Security Bill: The Indian National Food Security Act, 2013, aims to provide subsidized ood !rains to appro"imately t#o thirds o India$s 1%2 billion people% Lo pal Bill: The landmar& 'an (o&pal )ill, also re erred to as the *itizen$s +mbudsman )ill, #as inally passed% This is an anti,corruption bill dra ted and dra#n up by civil society activists in India see&in! the appointment o a 'an (o&pal, an independent body to investi!ate corruption cases% Se!ual Harass"ent o# $o"en %ill: The Se"ual -arassment o .omen at .or&place /0revention, 0rohibition and 1edressal2 Act, 2013 has #idened the de inition o se"ual harassment and its victims% &rdinance on convicted la$"a ers $ithdra$n: The 3nion *abinet on +ctober 2 decided to #ithdra# the bill that o ered protection to convicted 40s and 4(As% The ordinance #as controversial and the decision to #ithdra# it #as ta&en a ter stron! push by 0resident 0ranab 4u&her5ee and 1ahul 6andhi% Land Ac'uisition Bill: 1i!ht to Fair *ompensation and Transparency in (and Ac7uisition, 1ehabilitation and 1esettlement Act, 2013 is a le!islation that re!ulates land ac7uisition and provides laid do#n rules or !rantin! compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement to the a ected persons in India% (ension Bill: The 0ension Fund 1e!ulatory and 8evelopment Authority /0F18A2 )ill, 2011, #as passed by the 0arliament% It #ill help e"tend pension cover to more citizens o the country throu!h 0F18A$s Ne# 0ension Scheme /N0S2% )ud*"ents Ho"ose!uality is still a cri"e! In a 5olt to lesbian, !ay, bise"ual and trans!ender, the Supreme *ourt held that Section 399consensual se" bet#een adults o the same !ender is an o ence% Settin! aside the 8elhi -i!h *ourt verdict o 200:, this 5ud!ment restored the controversial Article 399 even a ter 12 years o le!al proceedin!s% This #as a rude shoc& to the (6)T community in India% +a"pa +ola +o"pound: In a ma5or relie to over 100 amilies at 4umbai$s *ampa *ola society, the Supreme *ourt on November 13 put on hold the demolition o their ille!al lats% The housin! society in the southern part o .orli in South 4umbai has seven buildin!s and is occupied by around 230 amilies #ho have been residin! there or over 2; years% S+ order on +auvery $ater issue: The Supreme *ourt ordered <arnata&a to release 2%== T4* /thousand million cubic eet2 o *auvery river #ater to Tamil Nadu or the purpose o irri!ation o its standin! crops in the delta basin% The ape" court bench o 'ustice 1%4% (odha passed its order a ter it received the report o the e"pert committee that had surveyed Tamil Nadu Achieve"ents ,uclear-capa%le A*ni-.. "issile "a es success#ul test run: India test, ired its nuclear,capable A!ni, II strate!ic ballistic missile rom a military base in +disha% This #as a si!ni icant achievement that may boost our de ense sector% Man*alyaan/s Mission: India$s ambitious 4ars +rbiter, 4an!alyaan success ully #as success ully launched by IS1+$s 0S(> 4ars roc&et rom Srihari&ota% The roc&et standin! around == meters tall and #ei!hed around 320 tones% The 4an!alyaan$s 4ission #ill loo& or the presence o methane, an indicator o li e there% This #as a success ul 4ars mission by India and #as hailed by other countries li&e *hina and the 3S% .AF %i**est aircra#t "a es "aiden landin*: In September, *,19 6lobemaster III, Indian Air Force$s /IAF2 bi!!est transport aircra t, made its maiden landin! at 'aisalmer air base as part o the lyin! trainin! schedule% The aircra t #as procured rom the 3S under a deal e"pected to be #orth over 1s

2 20,000 crore% -o#ever, it is believed that aircra t o this size #ould re7uire much bi!!er and advance run#ays and air bases% -ence, ma5or #or& should be underta&en in this arena% 0ecisions 0irect su%sidy trans#er in states: The central !overnment started the 2013 by initiatin! an ambitious direct cash trans er o bene its, #hich covered seven #el are schemes in 20 districts across the country, reducin! sta!!erin! subsidy bill o 1s%1,?=,000 crore% It$s irst o its &ind scheme in India #ith the poor !ettin! the cash directly sans middlemen, aimed to remove corruption to some e"tent% 1rain #ares hi ed a#ter a decade: For the irst time in the span o 10 years, train ares #ere increased% 1ail#ay 4inister 0a#an <umar )ansal said that this #as needed to sustain the #orld$s second,lar!est rail net#or&% An amount o 1s%?,000 crore is e"pected to be made rom the are hi&e% .ndia and the $orld )apanese 2oyal +ouple in .ndia: 'apanese 1oyal couple, @mperor A&hito and @mpress 4ichi&o, arrived on a rare visit to India a ter ;3 years% (ast they had come to India in the year 1:?0, or their honeymoon, as the *ro#n 0rince and 0rincess% The visit is seen as a stron! oundation or ma&in! India,'apan relations, one o the ma5or alliances o the near uture% +urrent A##airs )anuary 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs )anuary 2013 .nternational ,e$s 3)anuary 20134

,o plans to run #or (residency in 2015: Hillary >irtually puttin! to rest all speculations about her contestin! the ne"t 3S presidential elections, out!oin! secretary o state -illary *linton has said she has absolutely no such plans and is 5ust ocussin! on inishin! her term in o ice% A.ell I have absolutely no plans to run or presidency% 1i!ht no#, I am tryin! to inish my term as Secretary o State,A she told *NN in an intervie# #hen as&ed about reports o her contestin! the elections o 201?% AI don$t &no# everythin! I$ll be doin!% I$ll be #or&in! on behal o #omen and !irls, and hope ully be #ritin! and spea&in!% Those are the thin!s that I am plannin! to do ri!ht no#%A*linton said she does not &no# #hat her ne# li e entails or her, #hen there are no appointments or her% ,e$ levels o# horror in Syria6 says 7, The Syria #ar has reached $unprecedented levels o horror$, 3N envoy (a&hdar )rahimi said a ter dozens o men #ere &illed in a !rim ne# massacre% )rahimi told the divided 3N Security *ouncil that it must no# act to halt the carna!e epitomised by the nearly B0 youn! men &illed #ith a sin!le bullet and dumped in a river in the battle ront city o Aleppo% Syrian rebels blamed 0resident )ashar al,Assad$s !overnment or the &illin!s, but state media said an Islamist opposition action #as to blame% Syria Ais brea&in! up be ore everyone$s eyes% +nly the international community can help, and irst and the oremost the Security *ouncil,A )rahimi told the council$s 1; ambassadors, apolo!isin! or soundin! li&e a bro&en old record% T#enty t#o months o con lict have no# le t #ell over ?0,000 dead, accordin! to the 3N, #hich #ill see& C1%; billion in humanitarian undin! or belea!uered Syrians at a con erence in <u#ait, +hina ur*es )apan to #oster nor"al ties *hina ur!ed 'apan to create conditions or the normal development o bilateral relations, sayin! the t#o sides should Aproperly handle tensionsA over the soverei!nty o the disputed 8iaoyu islands% Forei!n ministry spo&esman -on! lei said 'apanese 0rime 4inister Shinzo Abe had

3 su!!ested that a summit bet#een 'apan and *hina #as necessary to mend bilateral relations hampered by recent territorial disputes, Dinhua reported% -on! said *hina attaches importance to developin! relation #ith 'apan, and stressed that )ei5in! hopes that To&yo #ill ma&e 5oint e orts to overcome ma5or di iculties so as to push bilateral ties bac& to the trac& o normal development% ,ational 3)anuary 20134

(o$er %ills to *o up #or the ne!t three "onths There$s no escapin! the price monster% Startin! February 1, you$ll have to pay more or po#er or the ne"t three months as the 8elhi 1e!ulatory *ommission has approved provisional 3E and 1%;E po#er purchase cost ad5ustment char!es /00A2 or )S@S and T088( areas, respectively or this period% So i you live in South and @ast 8elhi /)S@S areas2 and consume =00 units a month, your bill #ill rise rom 1s% 1B=0 to 1s%1B:;%20% In .est and North 8elhi /T088( areas2, it #ill !o up to 1s%1B?9%?0% Not a bi! hi&e% )ut #ith ne# tari s or 2013 to be out in the ne"t e# months, there #ill be no relie % +ops #ile char*e sheet6 let "inor accused o## the hoo As controversy ra!es around la# !overnin! punishment or 5uveniles in serious crimes, the 8elhi 0olice appear to have !iven up their attempt to establish that the most brutal attac&er in the 8ecember 1? !an! rape is an adult% The police iled a supplementary char!e sheet a!ainst him be ore a 'uvenile 'ustice )oard /'')2, a si!n that they are prepared to settle or a li!ht sentence or the youn!ster, a ma"imum o three years in a re ormatory or a particularly vicious !an! rape that resulted in the victim$s death% Senior police o icials told they #ere not optimistic o overturnin! a '') indin! in 'anuary that the accused individual is a 5uvenile% 3ntil this point, the police have maintained that they are e"plorin! all options to ensure the youn!sters, described by them as the most brutal o the si" assailants !ets ma"imum punishments% /Aa" aad"i/ $ants British pounds Arvind <e5ri#al$s Aam Aadmi 0arty /AA02 is !oin! places, or unds% The 0arty is to start raisin! money throu!h a 3< chapter opened in 'anuary, accordin! to unit$s spo&esperson% AFundin! is a &ey aim but #e$ll be happy even i someone #ants to !ive us 10 pounds,A 1a5 1edi5,6ill o Aam Aadmi 0arty 3< told a ne#spaper% A.e #ill see& unds rom N1I$s, not 3< citizens,A said 1edi5, 6ill, alludin! to the controversy over alle!ed orei!n corporate undin! o the )'0 and *on!ress% All payments #ould be made online% The party #as tryin! to chan!e the #ay politics #as done in India, he said% A.e don$t #ant someone$s million pounds in anticipation o somethin! to !iven to them in the uture%A 8a"al6 2ushdie pay as 1,6 Ben*al side $ith culture %ullies *ultural intolerance stal&ed the #orld$s lar!est democracy recently% The ban on <amal -aasan$s ne# movie #as upheld, promptin! him to consider movin! to another country, and internationally acclaimed #riter Salman 1ushdie #as stopped rom attendin! Asia$s lar!est boo& air in <ol&ata% ' 'ayalalithaa$s Tamil Nadu !overnment #as 7uic& to ban the screenin! o -aasan$s ne# movie >ish#aroopam a ter certain 4uslim !roups thou!ht it #as reli!iously o ensive% 4amata )aner5ee$s .est )en!al !overnment pressured the boo& air or!anisers not to have 1ushdie over, earin! that the presence o The Satanic >erses author #ould o end minorities% It #as clear that politicians still loo&ed at India$s as many castes and communities purely as vote ban&s, and #ere #illin! to bullied by even the smallest and most violently intolerant !roups%

B)(- %ac ed *roup $ins *urd$ara polls In a political development that is li&ely to have an impact on 8elhi politics, the )'0 supported Shiromani A&ali 8al /)adal2 has s#ept the 8elhi Si&h 6urd#ara 4ana!ement *ommittee /8S64*2 elections, de eatin! the con!ress bac&ed Shiromani,A&ali 8al /8elhi2 !roup% SA8 /)adal2 #on 39 o the =? seats to ta&e control a ter more than a decade as 4a5inder Sin!h, the party$s candidate de eated SA8 /8elhi2 chie 0aram5it Sin!h Sarna% (ast year in November, the t#o A&ali actions #ere involved in a violent clash that le t 11 in5ured% The 8S64* is a cash rich body and its president is considered a po#er ul Si&h leader, #ho can attract voters in assembly and parliamentary elections% .ith about 10la&h Si&h >oters in 8elhi, the outcome is li&ely to have an impact on 10,1; seats in the 2013 assembly elections% &%a"a "i*ration re#or"s to %ene#it .ndian students 3S 0resident )arac& +bama unveiled a comprehensive immi!ration re orm plan aimed amon! other thin!s at holdin! on to brin! orei!n students such as those in India% An increasin! number o #hom are leavin! the 3S a ter studies because o di iculty in obtainin! permission to stay on, a!ainst a visa to #or& or start a business% AThere are brilliant students rom all over the #orld sittin! in classrooms at our top universities,A +bama said in (as >e!as% +nce they inish school, he added, there is a !ood chance they #ill leave the 3S to start a business or create 5obs in *hina, India, 4e"ico or some#here else%A -oldin! on to them as part o the e ort to i" the le!al immi!ration system #ould be one o the three broad principles o his plan, #hich trac&ed closely the one announcement by a bipartisan !roup o senators%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3)anuary 20134

2oshni ,adar to ta e over the reins o# H+L The in ormation technolo!y industry is seein! the rise o an heiress to the top% 1oshni Nadar 4alhotra #ill ta&e over the reins o -*( *orporation that controls t#o o India$s leadin! IT companies as chairman, her ather and current chairman Shiv Nadar% -e did not mention any date or his 31 yr old dau!hter ta&in! char!e% In all li&elihood, the 4)A !raduate #ho has #or&ed as a media producer #ould step into her ather$s shoes only a ter Nadar, ?9, retires% -*( *orporation is the holdin! company o -*( Technolo!ies and -*( In osystems, the t#o publicly listed irms o the !roup that also has other entities% 1oshni is already *@+ and e"ecutive director in the holdin! company% )oth -*( Tech and -*( In osystems continue to be pro essionally run by their respective *@+$s and board o directors% .hile -*( Tech is India$s ourth lar!est so t#are services irm, -*( In osystems is primarily a hard#are company that manu actures personal computers and tablets% :oda#one sla"s auction nor"s6 see s $ithdra$al -ectic lobbyin! has be!un in the telecom sector to reduce the reserve price o spectrum #ith the !overnment in the process o inalisin! modalities or auction o air#aves% >oda one India has sou!ht #ithdra#al o the recently issued !uidelines or the round o spectrum auction termin! them Aille!al, discriminatory and bene ittin! one set o playersA% The company said the !uidelines #ere AdiscriminatoryA in nature, as they i" the reserve price o spectrum in the :00,4-z band at three times the price #aves o B00,4-z, #hile the Telecom 1e!ulatory Authority o India had recommended both these had to be treated at par% AFi"in! reserve price o B00 4-z band at comparatively lo# levels o bene its a certain set o telecom operators,A the company said in a letter to telecom secretary 1 *handrashe&har , #hile see&in! the #ithdra#al o the !uidelines% It said the auction o spectrum in the :00,4-z band includes spectrum that is currently bein! used by the company or 4umbai, 8elhi and <ol&ata circles and since the same spectrum is already bein! used in its net#or&s, it cannot be put out or auction%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3)anuary 20134

Hoc ey .ndia Lea*ue postponed The player$s auction or the -oc&ey India (ea!ue /-I(2 has been postponed rom 8ecember 1 to 8ecember 1?% Subse7uently the lea!ue too has been postponed and #ill commence on 'anuary 19% ASome o the coaches involved #ith the lea!ue are busy as the FI- *hampions Trophy starts in 4elbourne rom 8ecember 1, and couldn$t have participated in the auction,A -I( chairman Narinder )atra, said in a statement% ASince the ranchises e"pressed concern that the coaches could not be present or the auction, to pic& players, it #as necessary to reschedule the event,A said )atra% Almost all top players e"pected to compete in the -I( are representin! their nations in the champions Trophy, #hich #ill see India, +lympic champions 6ermany, @n!land, the Netherlands, )el!ium, 0a&istan, Ne# Fealand and hosts Australia compete or top honours% Sunil ;avas ar as s to accept the cric et tea" as selected< Former Indian cric&et team captain, Sunil 6avas&ar has said that the team selectors should not be bo!!ed do#n by droppin! the non,per ormin! players and has re used to point out at the selection o the team or the upcomin! Asia *up% A ter the controversial statement o the present *aptain 4%S%8honi, there #ere risin! speculations that the selectors may drop some senior players ollo#in! the team$s poor per ormance in Australia% )ut even the selectors didn$t ma&e any ma5or chan!es in the team$s side% .hen as&ed by the media personals #hether the players should be &ept o rom the ne"t match i they sho#ed poor per ormance 6avas&ar said that yes such action should be 5usti ied% In his statement, 6avas&er said AI you don$t drop o the non per ormin! players then it could mean that the team may lose the ne"t matches% It does not matter #hether some more prominent players are removed or not #hat matter is that the team should not be a bunch o non per ormin! players% And i that$s a case then all the cric&et lovers must be prepared or the result o the uture matches as #ell%A 2eal Madrid eyes 32nd Spanish title at Athletic The 1eal 4adrid can still hold the Spanish lea!ue title #ith their victory at the Athletic )ilbao% In the score update the real 4adrid is seven points clear o its top rival #ith only three !ames to play% Also even a )arcelona loss #ill also a#ard the Spanish leader its record 32nd domestic cro#n% )arcelona$s last three !ames are seen to serve as preparation or ne"t month$s *opa del 1ey inal a!ainst Athletic% These matches #ill be the last !ames or the coach 0ep 6uardiola$s be ore he hands over the reins to assistant Tito >ilanova% Manipur road na"ed a#ter &ly"pian $inner Mary 8o" A road in 4anipur$s *hurachandpur district, ?;&m south o the state capital, #as named $4* 4ary <om road$ at a elicitation unction to honour the +lympic medallist% 4ary <om #on a bronze at the (ondon$s 2013 +lympic% 4ary <om #as honoured #ith numerous other a#ards that included a cash a#ard o 1s%1%; la&h, a mithun apart rom !ettin! cash re#ard o 1s% ; la&h% So ar she has received cash a#ard o 1s 9; la&h rom the 4anipur !overnment and 1s 10la&h rom the 4inistry o Tribal a airs% +n the occasion the 2: yr old #orld champion appealed to brin! peace and unity in the trouble torn state in order to brin! more laurels in the uture%

Leander paes roars- no one can step hi" #ro" enterin* 2013 &ly"pics (eander 0aes, India$s No% 1 doubles player arrived or his .imbeldon post match alon! #ith his dau!hter Aiyana and trainer San5ay Sin!h% The champion then con irmed his participation the (ondon$s +lympic removin! any doubt% -e urther said in his statement that he #as ready to partner anyone that AITA, All India Tennis Association nominates to play #ith him i%e% Sania 4irza in the mi"ed and >ishnu >ardhan in the men$s doubles% In his stament, 0aes said,AI am here to play sport not politics and am loo&in! or#ard to represent my country in the 2013 +lympics% -o#ever #ith bad luc& I see !ames bein! played in !ames itsel #hich is very disheartenin!% Still I am loo&in! ahead to play my si"th +lympics or my country as I have played or last 22yrs or my country and countrymen% At irst 0aes re used to tal& about any matter, later he cleared tou!her 7uestions re!ardin!, Sania$s press statement #hich slammed the demands made by 0aes or ho# he #ill prepare or the 7uadrennial #ith Sania %

+urrent A##airs Fe%raury 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs Fe%raury 2013 .nternational ,e$s 3Fe%raury 20134

World Ban %ar Larsen = 1ur%o #or si! Months over For*ery The .orld )an& in the month o 4arch 2013 barred (arsen G Toubro /(GT2 rom doin! any business #ith it or the pro5ects unded by it or a period o si" months, as it ound that a senior e"ecutive o the con!lomerate indul!in! in raud% The department has made (GT ineli!ible or bein! a#arded o any contract o the .orld )an& Funded pro5ects and also rom receivin! any loan proceeds made by the )an& or participatin! in any )an&, inanced pro5ect% The department is supposed to continue till ? September 2013% .ndia (roposed Hydrocar%on (ipeline #ro" 8a>a hstan India in the month o 4arch 2013 proposed the idea o a hydrocarbon pipeline #ith <aza&hstan that is intended to brin! uel throu!h a ive,nation route% The concept o the pipeline, unveiled could be in uture e"tended to 1ussia% + icials said currently most hydrocarbon pipelines rom *entral Asia are on an east,#est a"is% This pipeline #ill, li&e TA0I, be on a north,south a"is, providin! a ne# route to South Asia or hydrocarbons e"tracted rom *entral Asia%

,ational 3Fe%raury 20134

+ri"inal La$ %oo s %rou*ht out in 0i*lot #or" Imaan 4edia and 0ublishin! -ouse 0vt% (td% /I40-2 has brou!ht out the authentic 3rdu version in 0ersian Script as #ell as in 8evna!ri Script o the Indian 0enal *ode, 1B?0 and The Indian @vidence Act, 1B92 &no#n as Taziraat,e,-ind G HanoonShahadat,e,-ind in 8i!lot orm% $These e"positions o la# have stood the test o time or over a century and hal , but surprisin!ly there #as no authentic translation o the &ey la#s !overnin! criminal 5urisprudence in India$, says 4uhammad Irshad-ani , Advocate,on,1ecord, Supreme *ourt o India, under #hose able ste#ardship I40- has brou!ht out these ma!num opus% ,o .(L in 1a"il ,adu i# Sri Lan ans participate: )ayalalithaa Tamil Nadu #ill permit I0( matches only i the or!anisers promise that no Sri (an&an players, umpires, o icials or support sta #ill participate, *hie 4inister '% 'ayalalithaa told 0rime 4inister

7 4anmohan Sin!h Tuesday% 'ayalalithaa said in a letter to the prime ministerI AIn vie# o the popular antipathy and an!er in Tamil Nadu a!ainst the actions o the !overnment o Sri (an&a, the !overnment o Tamil Nadu is o the vie# that I0( matches involvin! Sri (an&an players, umpires and other o icials should not be played in Tamil Nadu%A

.taly "arines return to #ace .ndia char*es India has claimed a diplomatic victory a ter Italy overturned its earlier re usal to return t#o marines char!ed #ith the murder o t#o ishermen they mistoo& or pirates o the country$s 4alabar *oast last year%The t#o marines, 4assimilano (atorre and Salvatore 6irone, have been bailed to the Italian embassy in Ne# 8elhi since the incident in February last year, but success ully applied to the India$s Supreme *ourt to be allo#ed to return brie ly to Italy to vote in the country$s !eneral election and to see their amilies over @aster% .talian #orei*n "inister 'uits protestin* "arines/ return Italy$s Forei!n 4inister 6iulioTerzi Tuesday resi!ned out o disa!reement #ith his !overnment$s decision to return t#o Italian marines bac& to India #here they ace trial or &illin! t#o ishermen% A4y reservations had no impact and the decision #as not mine% 4y voice #ent unheard,A Terzi told the Italian parliament, reported Dinhua%AI #aited to hand in my resi!nations here in this parliament to e"press publicly my position that I cannot be part o this !overnment anymore,A he said%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3Fe%raury 20134

(<+hida"%ara" announces "ore re#or"s to %oost *ro$th Announcin! urther liberalisation o FII investment norms, inance minister 0 *hidambaram on Saturday said the !overnment is Asteadily and surelyA #or&in! on ne"t !eneration o re orms to put the economy bac& on hi!h,!ro#th path% Addressin! the National @ditors *on erence, he said that #ith liberalisation o F8I and other measures, the !overnment has traversed considerable len!ths to ensure iscal consolidation #ith re orms% In a urther liberalisation o norms or investment by FIIs in !overnment securities and corporate bonds, he announced that the norms have been rationalised% AThere #ere a number o sub divisions and in order to rationalise, it is proposed to mer!e the e"istin! sub limits and create only t#o broad cate!ories,A he said% F.(B +leared .nvest"ent (roposal o# Air Asia to 9nter .ndia/s Aviation Sector The Forei!n Investment 0romotion )oard /FI0)2 on ? 4arch 2013 cleared the investment proposal o Air Asia, the 4alaysian bud!et carrier to launch the ne# airline alon! #ith Tata 6roup and Arun )hatia$s TelestraTradeplace% +rucial points to note: Air Asia has plans to o#n =: percent in ne#ly ormed airline throu!h its investment company Air Asia Investment (td /AAI(2% 1est o the sta&e #ould be held by t#o Indian irms% A ter the deal, Air Asia #ill become the irst orei!n carrier that #ill enter the aviation sector o India a ter the 6overnment altered rules in September 2012 to allo# orei!n carriers to have =: percent sta&e in the domestic airlines%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3Fe%raury 20134

.ndia Wins +ric et Series a*ainst Australia India completed a =,0 Test cric&et s#eep o Australia #ith a si",#ic&et victory inside three days,

8 #innin! our matches in a series or the irst time since 5oinin! the elite ran&s B1 years a!o% *hetesh#ar 0u5ara scored an unbeaten B2 on Saturday to !uide India to the victory in Ne# 8elhi #ith t#o days to spare% Spin bo#ler 1avindra 'ade5a earlier too& ;,;B as India s&ittled Australia or 1?= in its second innin!s to leave the home team needin! 1;; to #in%

0e%orah #ro" .ndia Won a Bron>e Medal in Asian +yclin* +ha"pionship 2013 8eborah rom India #on a )ronze medal in the inal o #omen$s 5uniors o ;00m cycle event in Asian *yclin! *hampionship on 9 4arch 2013 in Ne# 8elhi% 1:,year,old 8eborah helped India claim its second medal in the Asian *yclin! *hampionship 2013 #hich is on!oin!% 8eborah inished ;00 meter time trial inals in 39%B=1 seconds% 6old medal #as #on by <orea$s 'an! Jeonhee and Ju Shiou *hen! o *hinese Taipei #on the silver medal% The t#o remained ahead o 8eborah #ith 39%1;: and 39%B3= seconds respectively%

9nviron"ent 3Fe%raury 20134

2hino census in 8a>iran*a a"id ra"pant poachin* '+1-ATI <aziran!a National 0ar& authorities launched a rhino census or a headcount% The t#o,day e"ercise #ill be conducted in all the ive ran!es o the par& KLM <ohora, )a!ori, )urapahar, A!oratoli and )is#anath!hat% 4ore than 2;0 personnel rom the state orest department, N6+s and media !roups have been en!a!ed in the operation% 0ar& director San5iv <umar )ora said the census operation is a scheduled one% AThe headcount o rhinos in <aziran!a is a re!ular practice and is conducted to implement a ruit ul conservation method% It is important to assess the number o the one,horned rhinos in the par& at re!ular intervals,$$ he said% World Forestry 0ay #or 2aisin* A$areness a%out :alue o# Forests &%served Across the World 21 4arch 2013 is observed as the .orld Forestry 8ay across the !lobe% This day is celebrated or risin! as #ell as promotin! a#areness about the value o orests% Importance o ecosystem and the orests is stressed upon on this day% >arious events are held in the #orld on this day in order to hi!hli!ht contribution o orests% It is important to note that orests house B0 percent o the terrestrial biodiversity% India State o Forest 1eport 2011 revealed that Forest and Tree cover o India encompasses 9B%2: million ha or 23%B1 percent o !eo!raphical area o India%

,ei*h%ors 3Fe%raury 20134

.ndia ?oins hand $ith (a 6 Lan a on sustaina%le develop"ent 'oinin! hands #ith its South Asian nei!hbours Sri (an&a and 0a&istan, India has appealed to the 3nited Nations to ensure that economic prosperity, social cohesion and environmental protection remain in the core o its e orts in achievin! sustainable development tar!ets% Ta&in! part in the 3N 6eneral Assembly$s debate on sustainable development !oals /S86s2, 4an5eev Sin!h 0uri, the Actin! India 0ermanent 1epresentative to the 3N stressed that issues li&e poverty eradication must be the overridin! priority to#ards achievin! the tar!ets o sustainable !ro#th%

Five Writers honoured $ith SAA2+ Literature A$ard 2013 SAA1* (iterature A#ard #as presented to ive #riters at A!ra durin! the t#o days SAA1* Festival o (iterature on 10 4arch 2013% A poet,diplomat rom India Abhay < #as amon! the ive #riters to be honoured #ith the presti!ious (iterature A#ard% +ther #riters to be honoured #ith this a#ard #ere Farheen*haudhary /0a&istan2, Abdul <hali7 1ashid /A !hanistan2, Suman0o&hrel /Nepal2 and novelist 8aya8issanaya&e /Sri (an&a2%

.ndian 0e#ense 3Fe%raury 20134

2a*hura? (ratap Sin*h resi*ned #ro" the State +a%inet in $a e o# 0S( 8illin* 0ratap!arh district% -e submitted his resi!nation to the *hie 4inister o 3ttar 0radesh, A&hilesh Jadav at (uc&no# and 6overnor o the state, )%(% 'oshi accepted his resi!nation% .ssue that led to 2esi*nation 8S0 Fia,ul,-a7 #as &illed by a mob in 0ratap!arh on 2 4arch 2013 #hen he rushed there a ter a villa!e head #as shot dead over a land dispute% 1a5a )haiya #as accused or the attac& on the 8S0 by his slain #i e% The complaint #as iled a!ainst 1a5a )haiya at the <unda 0olice Station, #here 8S0 Fia,ul,-a7 #as posted% Mu eshA"%ani Beca"e 2ichest (erson o# .ndia #or Si!th +onsecutive @ear 4u&eshAmbani retained his title as the richest person o India or the si"th consecutive year #ith the net #orth o 21%; million 3S 8ollars, accordin! to the annual ran&in!s published by Forbes on = 4arch 2013% The richest man in the #orld or ourth time in a ro# #as 4e"ican business tycoon *arlos Slim #ith the net #orth o 93 billion 3S 8ollars% In the overall list o the billionaires o the #orld, 4u&eshAmbani #as ran&ed at number 22% (a&shmi 4ittal, on the other hand #as ran&ed at =1st position #ith the net #orth o 1?%; billion 3S 8ollars% The irst in the list #as *arlos Slim, ollo#ed by )ill 6ates #ith the net #orth o ?9 billion 3S 8ollars, Spain$s Amancio +rte!a #ith net #orth o ;9 billion 3S 8ollars, .arren )u ett #ith the net #orth o ;3%; billion 3S 8ollars and (arry @llison #ith the net #orth o =3 billion 3S 8ollars% A total o ;; billionaires rom India appeared on the list o 1=2? people rom the #orld #ho have a minimum net #orth o 1 billion 3S 8ollars%

+urrent A##airs March 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3March 20134

,o &scar #or Bo"%ay )ayashri6 Adele $ins #or ori*inal son* Indian vocalist )ombay 'ayashri, #ho #as nominated in the best ori!inal son! cate!ory at the B;th Academy A#ards or her trac& A0i (ullabyA rom A(i e o 0iA, lost the trophy to )ritish sin!erAdele, #ho too& home the statuette or AS&y allA% -o#ever, A(i e o 0iA #on the best music KLN ori!inal score a#ard% .ritten and sun! by 'ayashri, A0i (ullabyA #as also competin! #ith other numbers li&e A)e ore my timeA rom A*hasin! IceA /music and lyrics by '% 1alph, A@verybody needs a best riendA rom ATedA /music by .alter 4urphyO lyrics by Seth 4acFarlane2 and ASuddenlyA rom A(es 4iserablesA /music by *laude,4ichel Schonber!O lyrics by -erbert <retzmer and Alain )oublil2%

)enni#er La$rence6 0ay-Le$is %a* %est actor &scars 8aniel 8ay,(e#is and 'enni er (a#rence #on the best actor and best actress a#ards respectively at the B;th Academy A#ards held here Sunday ni!ht% .hile (a#rence #on or her role in ASilver (inin!s 0layboo&A, 8ay,(e#is ba!!ed it or A(incolnA% +ther vyin! or best actor

10 trophy #ere )radley *ooper, -u!h 'ac&man, 'oa7uin 0hoeni", 8enzel .ashin!tonThe nominations or best actress cate!ory #ere 'essica *hastain, @mmanuelle 1iva, Huvenzhane .allis and Naomi .atts% ,ational 3March 20134

.ndia a"on* top ten ato"ic countries o# the $orld The development and security o the nation are t#o sides o the same coin and India has achieved its ran& amon! the top atomic countries on its o#n, says S% <ailas, director, physics division o )habha Atomic 1esearch *entre /)A1*2, 4umbai% Addressin! at the National Science 8ay pro!ramme in Ali!arh 4uslim 3niversity /A432 here Thursday to honour Nobel (aureate, Sir *%>% 1aman or the discovery o 1aman @ ect, <ailas said the shorta!e o ener!y resources is a ma5or challen!e and India #ould need to !enerate nuclear ener!y to ul ill the need% .ndia %eat Australia %y ei*ht $ic ets in #irst 1est India achieved the tar!et o ;0, losin! t#o #ic&ets in the second innin!s to beat Australia by ei!ht #ic&ets be ore lunch on the inal day o the irst cric&et Test at the 4%A% *hidambaram Stadium here Tuesday% Sachin Tendul&ar remained unbeaten on 13, assisted by t#o bi! si"es, and *hetesh#ar 0u5ara on B% @arlier, Australia #ere all out or 2=1 in the second innin!s% 4oises -enri7ues remained unbeaten on B1 and Nathan (yon /112 #as dismissed by le t,arm spinner 1avindra 'ade5a, #ho inished #ith three or 92%Australia, resumin! at 232 or nine, added 5ust nine runs be ore bein! pac&ed up in 30 minutes%

AL to supply 20 +heetal choppers to .ndian Ar"y State,run de ence behemoth -industan Aeronautics (td /-A(2 Friday said it #ill supply 20 multirole *heetal helicopters to the Indian Army at an estimated value o 1s%=1B core% A.e have si!ned a contract #ith the de ence ministry to supply 20 *heetal to the army over the ne"t our years besides providin! trainin! to its pilots and technical cre#,A the company said in a statement here Friday% .ndia has 51<3 "n people over 20 years $ith dia%etes An estimated ?1%3 million people in India su er rom diabetes, 3nion -ealth 4inister 6hulam Nabi Azad said Friday% Accordin! to .orld -ealth +r!anisation /.-+2, actors responsible or the increase in non,communicable diseases, includin! diabetes, are unhealthy diet, lac& o physical activity, harm ul use o alcohol, obesity and tobacco use, the minister said in a #ritten reply in the (o& Sabha%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3March 20134

9!ports o# .ndia .ncreased By 0<A (er +ent in )anuary 2013 The e"ports o India increased by 0%B percent in the month o 'anuary 2013 to 2;%;B billion 3S dollars, comparativelyO e"ports in 'anuary 2012 #ere 2;%39 billion 3S dollars% Imports on the other hand, increased by ?%12 percent to =;%; billion 3S dollars% 8urin! April to 'anuary 2012,2013, the overseas shipments o India dropped by =%B? percent to 23:%? billion 3S dollars% The main concern or the country is ho#ever to #iden the trade de icit%

11

As a cumulative result, the e"ports depicted an arrest in decreasin! e"ports% No#, the result is ,=%: percent%

9cono"ic ;ro$th o# .ndia 9sti"ated to Fall 1o B (ercent in 2012-2013 F@ The *entral Statistics + ice /*S+2 on 9 February 2013 revealed that the economic !ro#th o India is estimated to all to ; percent in 2012,2013 inancial year, #hich is a lo#est i!ure in 10 years% A all in the economic !ro#th is because o the poor per ormance o the services, a!riculture and manu acturin! sectors% The *entral Statistics + ice /*S+2 in its advance orecast o the national income chopped o the !ross domestic product /6802 !ro#th estimate to ; percent or inancial year #hich #ill end on 31 4arch 2013% This is much less than the 680 o ?%2 percent in 2011,2012 inancial year% This is said to be the #orst per ormance o economy o India since 2002,2003 #hen the economic !ro#th #as = percent%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3March 20134

.ndia "aintained their ,u"%er &ne Spot in the .++ &0. +ha"pionship 1a%le India maintained their number one spot in the I** +8I *hampionship table in the latest ran&in!s issued in 8ubai on 11 February 2013% )oth India and @n!land have same 11: ratin! points, but @n!land la!s behind on the basis o decimal points% Australia and South A rica ollo# the top t#o teams closely #ith 11? and 112 points respectively% Amon! the batsmen, South A rican run machine -ashim Amla is at number one ollo#ed by ello# countryman A) 8evilliers% India$s >irat <ohli is at number three ollo#ed closely by the s&ipper 4ahendra Sin!h 8honi% Amon! the bo#lers, 0a&istan o spinner Saeed A5mal maintains his top billin! ollo#ed by 4ohammad -a eez% In the All rounder$s cate!ory, 0a&istan s&ipper 4ohammed -a eez is the leader ollo#ed by )an!ladesh$s Sha&ib Al -asan%

Sachin 1endul ar e'ualed Sunil ;avas ar/s record o# A1 +enturies in First +lass +ric et Sachin Tendul&ar on B February 2013 e7ualed the record o Sunil 6avas&ar o B1 irst class hundreds in irst class cric&et at 4umbai% -e mana!ed to e7ual 6avas&ar$s record a ter scorin! an unbeaten 1=0 runs in Irani Trophy a!ainst 1est o India in the irst innin!s o the tournament o 4umbai team%

Science and 1echnolo*y 3March 20134

Astrono"ers 0iscovered Si! Speedin* Stars 2acin* 1hrou*h Mil y Way Astronomers in the third #ee& o 'anuary 2013 discovered si" speedin! stars #hich #ere racin! throu!h the space at a speed o 3%2 million &ilometers per hour% These stars #ere e5ected rom the hu!e blac& hole #hich sits in the middle o @arth$s !ala"y, 4il&y .ay% These stars represented the irst,&no#n hypervelocity stars that have mass 5ust li&e that o @arth$s Sun% The discovery is said to be very important because it #ould reveal ho# stars #ere ormed in the dust,cloa&ed core o 4il&y .ay%

First +o"plete Bionic Man o# the World 7nveiled at London/s Science Museu" First bionic man o the #orld called 1e" #as unveiled on 9 February 2013 at (ondon$s Science

12 4useum% The bionic man #as created usin! 1 million 3S dollar limbs as #ell as or!ans% 0rosthetic le!s and an&le came rom 4IT, synthetic blood rom She ield 3niversity, spleens, pancreas and arti icial &idneys rom 3niversity *olle!e (ondon, retinas rom +" ord 3niversity and arti icial lun!s came rom S#ansea%

9nviron"ent 3March 20134

1he 9nviron"ent Ministry +onstituted +o""ittee to 9!a"ine Le*al +over #or 9lephant Ha%itats The @nvironment 4inistry in the third #ee& o February 2013 constituted a committee that #ill revie# better le!al protection to elephant reserves as #ell as the corridors in India under the !reen la#s #hich are already present% The committee #as constituted a ter National )oard or .ildli e raised concerns about absence o any le!al cover or the elephant corridors and reserves% Hydro (ro?ects Worth 2B00 MW accorded +learance %y the Ministry o# 9nviron"ent = Forest The -ydro 0ro5ects #orth 2;00 4. across various states #ere accorded clearance by the Forest Advisory *ommittee /FA*2 o 4inistry o @nvironment G Forest /4o@F2 on ; February 2013% The pro5ects include Ta#an!,II -%@% 0ro5ect /B00 4.2 in Arunachal 0radesh, Teesta,I> -%@% 0ro5ect/;20 4.2 in Si&&im to be e"ecuted by N-0* (imited and (uhri -%@% 0ro5ect /99; 4.2 in -imachal 0radesh to be e"ecuted by Satlu5 'al >idyut Ni!am /S'>N2 (imited% The National )oard or .ild (i e /N).(2 has accorded #ild li e clearance to >ishnu!ad 0ipal&oti -%@% 0ro5ect /=== 4.2 in 3ttara&hand to be e"ecuted by T-8* India (imited sub5ect to clearance by the State )oard o .ild (i e%

,ei*h%ors 3March 20134

.ndian-ori*in science $riter $ins British (hysics ?ournalis" pri>e Anil Ananthas#amy, a (ondon based Indian ori!in #riter, has #on the inau!ural 0hysics 'ournalism 0rize sponsored by the Institute o 0hysics /I+02 and the Science and Technolo!y Facilities *ouncil /STF*2% The prize is desi!ned to inspire the ne"t !eneration o physicists by encoura!in! 5ournalists to !rapple #ith o ten comple" topics and help spread e"citement about the sub5ect, accordin! to an I+0 release or#arded by the American Astronomical Society%

Lyonchhen )i*"i @< 1hinley6 (ri"e Minister o# Bhutan visited .ndia 0rime 4inister o )hutan, (yonchhen 'i!mi J% Thinley #as on the home visit to India rom 9 February to : February 2013% 8urin! his visit to India he met #ith 0resident o Indian 3nion, 0ranab 4u&her5ee at 1ashtrapati )havan, >ice, 0resident o India,-amid Ansari, 0rime 4inister, 4anmohan Sin!h, 4inister o Finance,0 *hidambaram and Forei!n Secretary,1an5an 4athai% -is visit #as aimed at improvin! India, )hutan bilateral relationship%

13 .ndian 0e#ense 3March 20134

7nion +a%inet approved 020& #or developin* AWA+S #or .AF The 3nion *abinet o India on ? February 2013 !ave approval to 8e ence 1esearch and 8evelopment +r!anisation /818+2 or developin! an indi!enous Airborne @arly .arnin! and *ontrol System /A.A*S2 or IAF% A.A*S allo#s IAF to &eep a close #atch on the enemy territory% The !overnment !ranted an inprincipal approval to the proposal or developin! an indi!enous A.A*S% The approval #as !ranted in the meetin! o *abinet *ommittee on Security%

+urrent A##airs April 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3April 20134

C1he &rphan Master/s SonC $on the (ulit>er (ri>e #or Fiction Adam 'ohnson$s novel The +rphan 4aster$s son #on the 0ulitzer 0rize or iction in 2013% (ast year, 5ud!es had ailed to select a #inner o the a#ard or iction or the irst time in 3; years% The boo& carries the reader on an adventuresome 5ourney into the depths o totalitarian North <orea and into the most intimate spaces o the human heart% 'ohnson teaches creative #ritin! at Stan ord 3niversity% -e spent time in North <orea to research his boo&% +ther boo&s in contention #ere, .hat .e Tal& About .hen .e Tal& About Anne Fran&, by Nathan @n!lander and The Sno# *hild, by @o#yn Ivey%

.ndian-&ri*in 9cono"ist 2a? +hetty Won )ohn Bates +lar Medal For 2013 8elhi,born 1a5 *hetty, the pro essor in the 8epartment o @conomy at the -arvard 3niversity #on 'ohn )ates *lar& medal or 2013, also called )aby Nobel% 1a5 *hetty$s #or& #as also cited by the 3S 0resident )arac& +bama in State o the 3nion Address% 'ohn )ates *lar& medal is con erred upon the American economist #hose a!e is belo# =0 years and the one #ho has made crucial contribution to economic &no#led!e and thou!ht% )aby Nobel is one o the most presti!ious a#ards o economy% In act, it is second only a ter Nobel 0rize in economic science% 1a5 *hetty, 33, is the irst Indian,ori!in person to #in this hi!h honour% -is areas o #or& include social insurance, ta" policy as #ell as education policy%

,ational 3April 20134

Land"ar verdict *ives %i* %oost to cancer patients $In a rulin! that #ill help patients continue to buy several li e,savin! medicines as !eneric dru!s, the Supreme *ourt on 4onday held that the modi ication o a #ell &no#n cancer, i!htin! dru! is not a patentable ne# invention% The 5ud!ment allo#s suppliers to continue ma&in! !eneric copies o S#iss irm Novartis$ 6livec or 6leevec, #hich has been sho#n to i!ht chronic blood cancer e ectively% .hile the Novartis dru! costs more than 1s 1 la&h per month, #ith doctors o ten advisin! patients to ta&e it li elon!, the !eneric e7uivalents cost less than one,tenth% The rulin! #ould be a relie to some 300,000

14 patients in India currently ta&in! the dru!% +bservers say that the *ourt$s 5ud!ment sets a precedent a!ainst the practice o Aever!reenin!A KLM a strate!y throu!h #hich dru! manu acturers introduce modi ications o dru!s to e"tend the ive,year patents on them% They say that other Aever!reenin!A patent applications could be re5ected citin! this 5ud!ment, helpin! to &eep many li e,savin! dru!s out o the patent re!ime and pushin! do#n costs%

(resident re?ects #ive "ercy petitions6 co""utes sentence o# t$o +ut o seven people convicted or heinous crimes, 0resident 0ranab 4u&her5ee has upheld e"ecution in ive cases #hile commutin! death sentence to li e term in t#o others% 3nder Article 92 o the *onstitution, the 0resident has po#er to $!rant pardons, etc, and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases$% No more mercy iles are pendin! to be cleared by the 0resident%

(resident *ives assent to anti-rape %ill Ne# 8elhi, April 3 /IANS2 0resident 0ranab 4u&her5ee has !iven his assent to the anti,rape bill, providin! enhanced punishment or rape, ma&in! stal&in! and voyeurism criminal o ences and i"in! the a!e o consent or se" at 1B% AThe 0resident o India has accorded his assent to the )ill on April 2 /Tuesday2 and it #ill no# be called the *riminal (a# /Amendment2 Act, 2013,A said a statement by the union home ministry .ednesday% The bill #as passed by the (o& Sabha 4arch 1:, and by the 1a5ya Sabha 4arch 21% The bill incorporates su!!estions o the 'ustice '%S% >erma *ommittee, ormed a ter the brutal 8elhi !an!,rape o 8ec 1? last year, to ma&e anti,rape la#s stron!er%

7nion ;overn"ent approved 0ecision to 0ou%le the ,u"%er o# )ud*es in ne!t B years The 3nion 6overnment o India decided to double the number o sanctioned 5ud!es in India in ne"t ive years to ensure speedy disposal o cases% .ith this increase in the number o 5ud!es is e"pected to reach to a mar& o 39000 in ne"t ive years% The *hie 'ustice o India Altamas <abir and (a# 4inister Ash#ani <umar on 9 April 2013 durin! the release o comprehensive a!enda or le!al and 5udicial re orms announced that the 3nion 6overnment o India approved the decision o increasin! the 5ud!e population ratio rom 1;%=9 per million to 30 per million% The comprehensive a!enda #as released at the con erence o *hie 'ustices o -i!h *ourts and *hie 4inisters% Increase in the number o ast trac& courts or trial o heinous crimes li&e o ences a!ainst elderly, #omen and children is also under the plan o the central !overnment% The unds or development o the in rastructure #ould be released under a centrally sponsored scheme on 9;I2; bases%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3April 20134

Andhra to supply nine #ood ite"s #or 2s<1AB to poor -yderabad, April 11 /IANS2 The Andhra 0radesh !overnment Thursday launched a ne# scheme

15 to supply a bas&et o nine essential commodities to )elo# 0overty (ine /)0(2 amilies in the state% +n the occasion o $3!adi$, the Telu!u Ne# Jear, *hie 4inister N% <iran <umar 1eddy launched the scheme, Amma -astam, under #hich every )0( amily #ill be supplied one pac& a month throu!h air price shops or 1s%1B;% 4inister or *ivil Supplies 8% Sridhar )abu said 2%2; crore #hite card ration holders #ill !et the pac&, #ith one &! o red !ram, palmolein oil, #hole meal lour, #heat, iodized salt, hal &! su!ar, tamarind, 7uarter &! chilli po#der and 100 !m turmeric po#der%

Sahara .ndia (ari$ar/s Sahara D Shop 9ntered into the ;uinness World 2ecords The retail business o Sahara India 0ari#ar called Sahara H Shop entered into the 6uinness .orld 1ecords #hen it opened record 31; outlets in 10 states o India, 5ust at one time on 1 April 2013% The commencement o these retail outlets #as closely monitored by the 6uinness .orld 1ecords$ o icials in order to veri y as #ell as re!ister ne# #orld record o Sahara H Shop% The certi icate o the record #as presented to Subrata 1oy, the !roup chairman% The Sahara H Shop stands a!ainst adulteration and 7uality consumer merchandise products at the air prices% At present, Sahara has ;;0 operational stores% )y the end o 2013,1=, Sahara e"pects to open 10000 stores across India%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3April 20134

Sania Mir>a Beca"e &ne o# the Four :ice-(residents o# .ndian 1ennis (layers Association The Indian Tennis 0layers Association /IT0A2 Secretary, <arti 0 *hidambaram on 1= April 2013 announced that the tennis star player, Sania 4irza became one o the >ice,0residents o IT0A% Sania 4irza no# became one o the our >ice,0residents o Indian Tennis 0layers Association, #hich is a ne#ly, ormed body% +ther three >ice,0residents o the body are Somdev 8evvarman, 4ahesh )hupathi and (eander 0aes% Former 8avis *up captain 'aideep 4u&her5ea is the 0resident o the Association%Sania 4irza is the irst emale player rom India #ho #on a 6rand Slam% She no# plays in doubles only%

.ndian Wo"en +ric et 1ea" $on the &0. Series a*ainst Ban*ladesh Wo"en 3-0 Indian .omen made a clean s#eep in the three,match )an!ladesh .omen in India +ne 8ay International *ric&et Series, 2012P13 a!ainst )an!ladesh on 12 April 2013 a ter #innin! the third and the inal match at Sardar 0atel Stadium in Ahmedabad% India de eated )an!ladesh by ;B runs in the third match% Scores o the third 4atch India .omenI 1;= all out in =B%3 overs -i!hest run !etters rom India #ere S#a!ati&a 1ath scored 30 runs and -armanpreet <aur scored 2: runs )an!ladesh .omenI :? all out in =1%1 overs -i!hest 1un !etter rom )an!ladesh #as Salma <hatun scored 22 runs )e ore the +8I series, the Indian #omen also made a clean s#eep T20 international series a!ainst )an!ladesh .omen #ith 3,0 on ; April 2013%

16 Science and 1echnolo*y 3April 20134

Scientists developed 0evice to detect ;astro-.ntestinal +ancers Scientists developed a prototype o an advanced multi,bendin! cholan!ioscope to detect and cure 6astro,Intestinal *ancers% @arlier, most patients used to visit a physician #hen the disease #as in an advanced sta!e% This ne# e7uipment has a video camera and can bend easily% It could detect cancers o bile duct, liver and pancreas% It #ill help in detectin! the disease in early sta!e% The multi,bendin! peroral direct cholan!ioscope /08*S2 cannot be inserted ree,hand into the bile duct% )ut a hi!h success rate o direct insertion #ill be achieved i the endoscope is passed over a !uide,#ire and an anchorin! balloon% In act, pancreatic cancer is the third most prevalent !astro,intestinal cancer in India #hereas liver cancer is the most common%

7nion ;overn"ent Approved (ro?ect #or ,ational &ptical Fi%re ,et$or +reation in ;ra" (anchayats The 6overnment o India approved the pro5ect or creation o National +ptical Fibre Net#or& /N+FN2 connectin! all the 2;0000 6ram 0anchayats /60s2 in the country throu!h +ptical *able /+F*2% The 3nion 6overnment decided to und the pro5ect throu!h 3niversal Service +bli!ation Fund /3S+F2% The State 6overnment on the other hand, #ill have the role o providin! ree 1i!ht o .ay /1o.2 or layin! +F*% The pro5ect envisa!ed si!nin! a tripartite 4o3 or ree 1i!ht o .ay /1o.2 amon! the 3nion 6overnment, State 6overnment and )harat )roadband Net#or& (imited /))N(2% 1? StatesP3Ts si!ned the 4o3s on 2? +ctober 2012% These states and 3Ts #ere Andhra 0radesh, Arunachal 0radesh, *hhattis!arh, 'har&hand, <arnata&a, 4anipur, 4izoram, 1a5asthan, Tripura, 3ttar 0radesh, 3ttara&hand and 3 3nion Territories viz% 8adra G Na!ar -aveli, 8aman G 8iu and 0uducherry% 3nder the 4o3s, 1=0929 60s #ill be acilitated #ith +ptical Fibre Net#or& in these States and 3Ts%

9nviron"ent 3April 20134

Supre"e +ourt o# .ndia &rdered 2elocation o# 9ndan*ered Asiatic Lions #ro" ;u?arat to M( A bench led by 'ustice < S 1adha&rishnan o the Supreme *ourt o India on 1; April 2013 ordered 6u5arat to share the endan!ered Asiatic lions #ith its nei!hbourin! state, 4adhya 0radesh% The population o these Asiatic lions has almost become ne!li!ible but because o certain conservation e orts in the state o 6u5arat in past ;0 years, these endan!ered lions have been saved rom e"tinction% At present, the population o these lions in 6ir orests o 6u5arat is =00% The political leaders in 6u5arat resisted relocation o these lions, but Supreme *ourt ordered that they should be relocated in order to save them rom elimination because o ire or epidemic% *onversationalists too had recommended establishment o second sanctuary outside 6u5arat in order to ma&e sure about !enetic diversi ication%

17

+B. *iven the +har*e to (ro%e into 2hino 8illin* in Assa" The State @nvironment and Forest 4inister o Assam, 1oc&ybul -ussain on 9 April 2013 announced that the *entral )ureau o Investi!ation /*)I2 #as !iven the char!e o probin! into the &illin! o 1hinos in the State% The decision #as ta&en ollo#in! a communication passed by the 3nion 4inistry o 0ersonnel, 0ublic 6rievances and 0ensions to the state% The decision o initiatin! a *)I probe into the &illin!s o the rhinos rom the centre came up ollo#in! the repeated incidences o poachin! and rhino &illin!s in the <aziran!a National 0ar& and other #ildli e par&s o the state% The details o the number o cases underta&en by *)I or probin! into and the time,period o investi!ation #ere not cleared% Apart rom this to protect rhinos rom poachin! activity, the National Ti!er *onservation Authority o the 3nion @nvironment and Forests 4inistry #ill underta&e test li!hts o unmanned aerial vehicles over the sanctuary rom today%

,ei*h%ors 3April 20134

:isa on Arrival #acility #or (A8 Senior +iti>ens o# (a istan initiated Indian on 1 April 2013 started >isa on Arrival />oA2 acility or the Senior *itizens o 0a&istan% The 0a&istani Senior *itizens in the a!e !roup o ?;Q years #ould be allo#ed to ta&e the >isa at AttariP.a!ah *hec&,0ost% This is !oin! to be a sin!le entry >isa and #ill allo# a 0a&istani resident in India or a ma"imum period o =; days% The services o !rantin! the >isa on arrival started rom 1 April 2013 based on mutual a!reements% The >isa on Arrival initially #as scheduled to start rom 1; 'anuary 2013 but #as delayed citin! technical problem in #a&e up o the &illin! o the t#o Indian Soldiers on the (o* by the 0a&istani Army on B 'anuary 2013%

.ndian-&ri*in 9cono"ist 2a? +hetty Won )ohn Bates +lar Medal For 2013 8elhi,born 1a5 *hetty, the pro essor in the 8epartment o @conomy at the -arvard 3niversity #on 'ohn )ates *lar& medal or 2013, also called )aby Nobel% 1a5 *hetty$s #or& #as also cited by the 3S 0resident )arac& +bama in State o the 3nion Address% 'ohn )ates *lar& medal is con erred upon the American economist #hose a!e is belo# =0 years and the one #ho has made crucial contribution to economic &no#led!e and thou!ht% )aby Nobel is one o the most presti!ious a#ards o economy% In act, it is second only a ter Nobel 0rize in economic science% 1a5 *hetty, 33, is the irst Indian,ori!in person to #in this hi!h honour% -is areas o #or& include social insurance, ta" policy as #ell as education policy%

.ndian 0e#ense 3April 20134

.ndian +oast ;uard Ship +-E02 +o""issioned in Mu"%ai The Indian *oast 6uard Ship *,=02 #as commissioned in 4umbai by San5eev 8ayal, 8irector

18 6eneral 0olice, 4aharashtra, in the third #ee& o April 2013% This is the second ship o series o thirty,si" Interceptor )oats #hich #ere built and desi!ned by (arsen and Toubro, Surat% About the Indian *oast 6uard Ship *,=02 *,=02 is 30,metre lon! interceptor boat #hich has :0 tonnes displacement% It can reach a ma"imum speed o =; &nots% *,=02 is urnished #ith technolo!ically,advanced navi!ation as #ell as communication e7uipment% It is also urnished #ith medium,ran!e armament% Indian *oast 6uard Ship *,=02 is desi!ned or close,coast patrol, search and rescue, hi!h speed interception, lo#,intensity maritime operations and maritime surveillance%

S+ allo$s Sterlite to operate 1a"il ,adu plant Ne# 8elhiI The Supreme *ourt Tuesday allo#ed the Sterlite Industries$ smeltin! copper plant to continue operations in Tamil Nadu$s Tuticorin and as&ed it to deposit 1s%100 crore #ith the authorities to restore the environmental dama!es% The ape" court bench o 'ustice A%<% 0atnai& and 'ustice S%'% 4u&hopadhyay said the amount #as imposed in vie# o the pollution caused by the plant in the Tuticorin area rom 1::9 to 2011% AAn amount less than this #ill not have the desired deterrent e ect,A 'ustice 0atnai& said #hile pronouncin! the 5ud!ment% The court said that its order directin! the Sterlite Industries India (td% to pay dama!es o 1s%100 crore #ould not stand in the #ay o any other dama!e claims durin! that period by #ay o civil suit%

+urrent A##airs May 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3May 20134

.ndia *ranted &%server Status %y Arctic +ouncil India on 1; 4ay 2013 #as success ul in !ettin! the observer status in the Arctic *ouncil alon! #ith ive other nations namely *hina, Italy, Sin!apore and South <orea% This step o the Arctic *ouncil #ill !ive India a oothold in the resource rich Arctic +cean #ith the meltin! o the ice% As India #ill !et an access rom navi!ation to oil and !as e"ploration% The observer status #as assi!ned to India a ter a meetin! held at <iruna, S#eden% .ndia is the lar*est producer and consu"er o# +hic peas in World Food G A!riculture +r!anization /FA+2 in its latest report or 2011 claimed that India is the lar!est consumer and producer o *hic&peas in the #orld% The second advance estimates or 2012,13 mar&ed a record production o *hic&pea is B;?9%B thousand tonnes%

,ational 3May 20134

19

,ational Food Security La$ on Anvil 4inistry or *onsumer A airs, Food G 0ublic 8istribution introduced amendments in the National Food Security )ill in the (o& Sabha on : 4ay 2013 and placed the amended )ill or consideration and passin! by the -ouse% ;ovt declares 2013 as Water +onservation @ear The decision to declare the year 2013 as .ater *onservation Jear 2013 #as approved by the 3nion *abinet o India on : 4ay 2013% A number o mass a#areness activities #ill be underta&en durin! .ater *onservation Jear 2013 #ith emphasis on sensitizin! the masses on #ater related issues, encoura!e them to conserve and use it 5udiciously% ,e$ *uidelines #or .ndira A$as @o?na The !overnment on 13 4ay 2013 approved ne# !uidelines or the Indira A#as Jo5na Scheme or rural poor% )uildin! Toilets has been made compulsory under the Indira A#as Jo5na% 4anual scaven!ers reed bonded labourers and tribal !roups #ill be !iven pre erence in allotments%The allocation or each d#ellin! unit #as increased rom =;000 rupees to9;000 rupees% In 4aoist, a ected and hilly re!ions, the allocation #ould no# be 9;000 rupees rom the e"istin! =B;00 rupees% (andless labourers #hich #ere !iven 10000 rupees or 9!pert +o""ittee to "easure Bac $ardness o# states The 3nion 6overnment on 1; 4ay 2013 had set up an e"pert *ommittee under the supervision 1a!huram 6 1a5an, *hie @conomic Adviser to evolve a composite inde" to measure bac&#ardness o states%The panel is set up in consistent to the )ud!et announcement, and it can also invite other e"perts as Special Invitees or discussions%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3May 20134

.ndia $orld/s 3rd lar*est econo"y: &9+0 The Indian economy has probably recently surpassed 'apan to be the third lar!est economy !lobally, the +r!anisation or @conomic *ooperation and 8evelopment /+@*82 has said% )ut, the +@*8 revised do#n#ards its orecast or !ro#th or India in 2013 to ;%3E rom the previous ;%:E and said the recovery #ould be aided by the e orts bein! made to speed up approval or lar!e pro5ects as #ell as partial dere!ulation o orei!n direct investment% (M says #unda"entals o# econo"y are stron*6 invites investors Assertin! that the undamentals o the Indian economy #ere stron!, 0rime 4inister 4anmohan Sin!h e"pressed con idence that the country #ould return to the !ro#th o ei!ht per cent per annum% The 0rime 4inister said opportunities or investment #ere aboundin! in India and invited investors to come to the country%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3May 20134

S<Sreesanth and other +ric eters arrested #or Spot-Fi!in* Indian ast bo#ler, S% Sreesanth and his t#o team mates rom 1a5asthan 1oyals namely A5it *hadila and An&eet *havan #ere arrested by 8elhi 0olice on 1? 4ay 2013 on char!es o Spot Fi"in! in Indian 0remier (ea!ue /I0(2% The three cric&eters #ere arrested rom 4umbai and #ill be brou!ht to 8elhi or bein! produced in a *ourt% Apart rom the three cric&eters the police also

20 arrested seven boo&ies% )oth the cric&eters and the boo&ies are char!ed under t#o sections o Indian 0enal *ode, Section =20 /cheatin!2 and Section 120) /criminal conspiracy2%

Sachin 1endul ar retires #ro" 120 Sachin Tendul&ar announced retirement rom T#enty20 cric&et ormat on 2? 4ay 2013, immediately a ter 4umbai Indians beat *hennai Super <in!s to li t the title o 0epsi Indian 0remier (ea!ue 2013 at @den 6ardens in <ol&ata% This 3: means that I0( Season ? #as the last I0( season played by Sachin Tendul&ar%

Science and 1echnolo*y 3May 20134

7S Scientists created #irst +loned Hu"an 9"%ryo A !roup o 3S Scientists in second #ee& o 4ay 2013 declared that they have succeeded in creatin! a cloned human embryo usin! the techni7ue that helped in developin! the cloned sheep in 1::?% The scientists too& i teen years to create the cloned embryo% The team o scientists developed the embryo usin! s&in samples o a #oman$s e!! to develop an early cloned human embryo% Aim o this research is development o a source o stem cells not a baby% These can be help ul in repair o dama!e created a ter heart attac& or brains o patients o 0ar&inson$s disease% Super%u* H0E1 can %e "ore deadly than A.0S 8octors have #arned that the ne# se"ually transmitted Se",Superbu! named -0=1 can be much more deadly than the AI8S virus% 1ecently, t#o cases o the se",superbu! #ere con irmed in -a#aii% 8octors have claimed that the superbu! is the antibiotic resistant strain o !onorrhea% In 2011, the superbu! #as discovered or the irst time in 'apan and then it spread to -a#aii and no# visible in Nor#ay and *ali ornia% As per 8octors, the -0=1 bacteria can be much more deadly than the AI8S >irus because the bacteria is more a!!ressive and #ill a ect more people 7uic&ly and e ect is more direct%

9nviron"ent 3May 20134

1rade o# (eacoc #eathers %anned The @nvironment 4inistry o India decided to put a ban on the trade o peacoc& eathers as a measure to conserve the national bird o India, peacoc&% The !overnment has no data re!ardin! peacoc& population, but it is evident that the number o peacoc&s in India is d#indlin! because o poachin! o the eathers #hich etches !ood price in not 5ust international mar&ets, but also #ithin Indian mar&ets% Hill Forts o# 2a?asthan and Hi"alayan ,ational (ar to %e World Herita*e 1a5asthan and 6reat -imalayan National 0ar&I India nominated cluster o si" hill orts in 1a5asthan as #ell as 6reat -imalayan National 0ar& in -imachal 0radesh or .orld -erita!e Sites or 2013% The 3N@S*+$s .orld -erita!e *ommittee #ill be held in 0hnom 0enh in *ambodia in 'une 2013 and con errin! the status o .orld -erita!e Sites on these places #ill be decided in this meetin!%

,ei*h%ours 3May 20134

21

.ndia and +hina si*ned 9i*ht A*ree"ents *hina$s ne# premier (i <e7ian!$s visited India on his irst orei!n trip to India rom 1:,22, 4ay 2013 since ta&in! his o ice in 4arch 2013% )oth the countries are loo&in! or speedin! up their e orts to settle a decades,old border dispute and stren!then economic ties% The leaders o both the countries had a thorou!h e"chan!e o vie#s on bilateral relations and re!ional and international issues o common interest in a sincere and cordial atmosphere and reached broad consensus% 201E declared as .ndia-+hina Friendship @ear 201= #as declared as the Friendship Jear by *hinese 0remier (i <e7ian! or increased people, to,people interaction bet#een India and *hina% 201= #as declared as the year o e"chan!es bet#een the t#o countries in order to enhance riendship and understandin!% As a measure, (i <e7ian! declared that they #ould support *hinese enterprises to increase investments in India and help Indian products to have access to *hinese mar&et%

.ndian 0e#ense 3May 20134

.ndian ,ational 0e#ence 7niversity to %e set up in ;ur*aon Indian National 8e ence 3niversity, a dedicated irst,o ,its,&ind institution or trainin! and research in military studies #ill be set up in 6ur!aon on 23 4ay 2013% The spra#lin! 200 acre campus #ill be set up in )inola villa!e #ith an estimated cost o 300 crore rupees% The proposed institute #ill be e7uipped #ith trainin! and research acilities on all aspects o national security as part o the strate!ic national policy,ma&in!% .hile one,third o its stren!th #ill comprise o civilian students, the remainin! seats #ill be reserved or in,service de ence personnel% .ndia test #ires BrahMos Supersonic +ruise Missile India on 22 4ay 2013 success ully test ired the 2:0,&m ran!e )rah4os supersonic cruise missile rom the Navy$s latest !uided missile ri!ate INS Tar&ash o the coast o 6oa% The missile per ormed the hi!h,level $*$ manoeuvre in the pre,determined li!ht path and success ully hit the tar!et% 'ointly developed by India and 1ussia, the )rah4os is capable o carryin! a conventional #arhead o 300 &!%

+urrent A##airs )une 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3)une 20134

+hina 0eveloped the Fastest +o"puter o# the World +alled 1ianhe-2 A survey conducted by Top ;00, revealed on 19 'une 2013 that the *hinese supercomputer is the astest computer o the #orld% This *hinese supercomputer is called Tianhe,2 and it replaced 3S machine called Titan, #hich #as earlier said to be the astest computer o the #orld% .ndia to %e "ost (opulous +ountry %y 202A The 3N report titled .orld 0opulation 0rospects #as released on 13 'une 2013, orecasted that India #ill be the most populous country o the #orld by 202B leavin! behind *hina% The report also claimed that by 202; the #orld population #ill increase by one billion and reach to B%1 billion rom 9%2 billion at present% )y 20;0, the #orld population #ill be :%? billion as per the report%

22

,ational 3)une 20134

(ercenta*e o# people %elo$ poverty line declines to 21<F The percenta!e o people belo# poverty line declined sharply to 21%: in the inancial year 2011, 12 rom 39%2 recorded in 200=,1;, o icial data sho#ed Tuesday% The decline #as sharper in urban areas% In the inancial year ended 4arch 2012, percenta!e o people belo# poverty line in urban areas #as 13%9 #hile in rural area it #as 2;%9, accordin! to data released by the 0lannin! *ommission% 2B. leaves ey rates unchan*edG cuts *ro$th #orecast The 1eserve )an& o India /1)I2 Tuesday le t all &ey policy rates unchan!ed to support the battered rupee and said the recent li7uidity ti!htenin! measures #ill be rolled bac& #hen stability returns to the currency mar&ets% In the irst 7uarter revie# o the monetary policy, the central ban& cut !ro#th orecast or the current inancial year to ;%; percent rom its earlier pro5ection o ;%9 percent, sayin! continued domestic as #ell as !lobal uncertainties #ould hit the Indian economy% 2ashtriya 7chhtar Shi sha A%hiyan Launched The 3nion !overnment o India on B 'une 2013 decided to launch National -i!her education *ampai!n, 1ashtriya 3cchatar Shi&sha Abhiyan, to ocus on e7uity based development, improvement in teachin!,learnin! 7uality and research% 3nder it, unds #ill be provided to public 3niversities and *olle!es so that hi!her educational institutes do not rely heavily on the a iliation ees% .ndia launches satellite #or %etter $eather #orecast India$s advanced satellite Insat,38, #hich #as launched early Friday onboard Ariane,; roc&et rom <ourou in French 6uiana o the 0aci ic coast, #ill improve #eather and monsoon orecastin! system% AA ter a per ect li t,o at 01I2=am rom the @uropean Arianespace spaceport at <ourou, the t#o,tonne advanced #eather satellite #as placed in the !eosynchronous trans er orbit /6T+2 32 minutes later, about 3?,000&m above rom earth,A the Indian Space 1esearch +r!anisation /IS1+2 said in a statement here%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3)une 20134

7nion ;overn"ent o# .ndia proposed plan to raise F0. Li"it in 8ey Sectors To promote India as an attractive destination or investment, the 3nion Finance 4inistry on 1B 'une 2013 proposed s#eepin! chan!es in Forei!n 8irect Investment /F8I2 re!ime% The committee that #as headed by the @conomic A airs Secretary Arvind 4ayaram recommended to raise the Forei!n 8irect Investment limit to =: percent rom 2? percent at present in almost all sectors li&e multi,brand retail, de ence and telecom throu!h automatic route% Forei*n .nvest"ent (ro"otion Board Approved 9i*ht F0. (roposals The Forei!n Investment 0romotion )oard /FI0)2 on 31 4ay 2013 approved ei!ht F8I proposals, #hich include those o 4c<insey G *ompany, A*4@ Solar @ner!y and 6@TIT In oservices% These ei!ht proposals are #orth ?:? crore 1upees% FI0) cleared A*4@ Solar @ner!y$s proposal

23 to !et 29; crore 1upees orei!n investment% The orei!n investment #orth 21? crore 1upees #as roped in by clearance to 6@TIT In oservices% Sports +urrent A##airs 3)une 20134

.ndia Beat 9n*land %y Five 2uns to Win .++ +ha"pions 1rophy 2013 )irmin!hamI India clinched the I** *hampions Trophy 2013 on 23 'une 2013 a!ainst @n!land at @d!baston in )irmin!ham #ith a ive,run victory% India made a total o 12: runs in 20 overs or seven #ic&ets% It then restricted @n!land to 12= or ei!ht% 1avindra 'ade5a #as declared as the 4an o the 4atch a ter he too& t#o #ic&ets and scored unbeaten 33 runs% -e #as also a#arded #ith the 6olden )all or !rabbin! ma"imum number o #ic&ets in the series% Man?eet Sin*h %a**ed Silver Medal at 3rd +hina &pen Bo!in* 1ourna"ent 4an5eet Sin!h ba!!ed a Silver medal or India at the 3rd *hina +pen bo"in! tournament on 22 'une 2013% In the inal o the super heavy #ei!ht cate!ory /Q:1&!2, the 21,year,old Indian #ent do#n to local lad A&epeer Jusu % Althou!h 4an5eet lost in the inal, he became the only Indian bo"er to reach the inal o the third *hina +pen bo"in! tournament% It #as his irst international tournament%The bo"in! tournament #as held in 6uiyan!, *hina%

Science and 1echnolo*y 3)une 20134

;enetic 9n*ineerin* Approval +o""ittee ;ave Approval #or Field 1rials o# B ;M +rops The 6enetic @n!ineerin! Approval *ommittee /6@A*2 permitted certain companies as #ell as the research institutes or conductin! the ield trials o ; 64 /!enetically modi ied2 crops% The trials or development o !enetically modi ied cotton, maize, castor, #heat and rice #ere permitted% The specialty o 64 crops is that they are ormulated or !ettin! protection a!ainst the insects% Also, these crops are resistant to salinity and #ater% Also, they are more resistance to the use o nitro!en #hich is re7uired by them or !ro#in! e iciently% 9arly 1suna"i Warnin* Syste" installed in 2an*achan* *hie Scientist o the National Institute o +cean Technolo!y /NI+T2, >inith <umar on 11 'une 2013 announced that the @arly Tsunami .arnin! System /@T.S2 installed at 1an!achan! in Andaman and Nicobar Islands can predict a tsunami immediately a ter an earth7ua&e% >inith <umar claimed that the ne# technolo!y installed can predict the Tsunami #ithin 3 minutes a ter the initial tremors are elt and can send alerts%

9nviron"ent 3)une 20134

7,9S+& declared Si! Forts o# 2a?asthan as World Herita*e Sites Si" Forts o 1a5asthan included in the list o .orld -erita!e Site o 3N@S*+ and #on international reco!nition on 21 'une 2013 in the 39th session o the .orld -erita!e *ommittee /.-*2 in 0hnom 0enh, *ambodia% The si" ma5estic orts include Amber /'aipur2, <umbhal!arh, *hittor!arh, 'aisalmer, 1anthambhore /Sa#ai 4adhopur2 and 6a!aron /'hala#ar2%

24

0evap Air-+oolin* Syste" to %e used in ,alanda 7niversity Architects buildin! Nalanda International 3niversity at )ihar decided to ma&e use o the 8esiccant @nhanced @vaporative or the 8evap air,coolin! system% It is the irst time that this &ind o system #ill be used in India% The 8evap system unctions by ma&in! use o dessicant material #hich !ets rid o the moisture rom usin! by ma&in! use o heat% The system also ma&es use o the evaporative technolo!ies #hich brin! coolin! by ma&in! use o up to :0 percent less ener!y in comparison to the older methods%

,ei*h%ours 3)une 20134

.ndia-Myan"ar set 1hree Billion 0ollar 1rade 1ar*et %y 201B India and 4yanmar set three billion dollar trade tar!et by 201; durin! the meetin! o India$s ener!y minister Anand Sharma #ith his 4yanmar counterpart 3 Than -tay in Ne# 8elhi held on ? 'une 2013% India conveyed the interest o Indian ban&s in settin! up their branches in 4yanmar% It also conveyed its interest in deepenin! cooperation in the ields o ener!y, oil and natural !as% Improvin! air, road and #ater connectivity bet#een the t#o countries #as also discussed durin! the meetin!% .ndia and ,epal a*reed to address 9ach &ther/s Security +oncerns India and Nepal on 1 'une 2013 a!reed to address each other$s security concerns and curb ille!al activities across the open border% The a!reement too& place durin! the annual -ome Secretary,level tal&s held in <athmandu% )oth nations a!reed to increase vi!ilance and cooperation in border areas a!ainst criminal activities such as human and dru! tra ic&in!, smu!!lin! o Indian counter eit currency and trade in ille!al substances%

.ndian 0e#ense 3)une 20134

.AF launched &peration 2ahat to rescue (il*ri"s in 7ttara hand and H( Indian Air Force received its irst o the ten )oein! *,19 6lobemaster III Aircra t rom 3nited States on 1B 'une 2013% The irst *,19 6lobemaster landed at -indan Airbase in India% The IAF si!ned a =%1 billion 3S dollar deal #ith )oein! to !et 10 *,19 Aircra t% The deal #as si!ned a ter conductin! a thorou!h study o its capabilities o bein! operational under all conditions and abilities to ta&e,o rom short run#ays #ith heavy loads .ndo-2ussian .,02A 2013 "ilitary e!ercise $ill ta e place in &cto%er 2013 Indo,1ussian IN81A 2013 military e"ercise is scheduled to ta&e place in +ctober 2013 at 4aha5an ield irin! ran!e o 1a5asthan in India% The 5oint 4ilitary e"ercise #ill involve over 2;0 servicemen rom the @astern 4ilitary 8istrict and the same number o troops #ill be involved rom the Indian armed orces% Around 2;0 1ussian servicemen rom the @astern 4ilitary 8istrict are already set to 5oin 1usso,Indian 5oint !round and naval drills at Indra,2013%

+urrent A##airs )uly 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3)uly 20134

25

9uropean 7nion leaders reached an A*ree"ent on 1<3 trillion 0ollar Bud*et #or 201E to 2020 All 29 member states o @uropean 3nion collectively approved the deal in )russels a ter providin! a solution to )ritish concerns about a rebate that remains intact%It is e"pected that the plan or 201=,2020 period is !oin! to be approved by the @uropean 0arliament in 'uly 2013% @3 leaders also resolved to spend B billion dollar over the ne"t t#o years to support 5ob creation, trainin! and apprenticeships or youn! people% 7, Security +ouncil eased Sanctions a*ainst .ra' The 3N Security *ouncil eased sanctions a!ainst Ira7 imposed a ter Saddam -ussein$s invasion o <u#ait in 1::0% Ira7 #elcomed the move as a landmar& decision and promised to enhance cooperation #ith <u#ait or its support and assistance to !et the sanctions li ted% , See more atI httpIPP###%5a!ran5osh%comPcurrent,a airsPun,security,council,eased,sanctions,a!ainst,ira7, 1392=0=B31,1Rsthash%b8 "9""3%dpu

,ational +urrent A##airs 3)uly 20134

.ndia and &"an Bilateral 1rade re*istered a 12F (ercent ;ro$th 8urin! the ive,year period rom 200B,0: to 2012,13, India,+man bilateral trade increased by 12: percent as per the data released by 4inistry o @"ternal a airs o India% India has been a ma5or e"porter to +man and emer!ed as the ourth lar!est source o imports into +man a ter 'apan, 3SA and Saudi Arabia in 2012%The balance o trade is in India$s avour due to increase in e"port o mineral uels, mineral oils and products o their distillation% ;overn"ent %anned 1estin* o# +os"etic (roducts on Ani"als Indian 6overnment in the 4onth o 'une 2013 has banned the testin! o *osmetic product on animals and thus became the irst country in South Asia to end such tests% No#, #ith the ban on testin! and as per the 8ru! *ontroller 6eneral o India /8*6I2 any cosmetic product made in India #ill be ree o animal testin!% ;overn"ent to set-up B1 ne$ lo$-cost Airports to .ncrease Air +onnectivity The 3nion 6overnment o India on 2B 'une 2013 decided to set up ;1 ne# lo#,cost airports in Tier,II and Tier,III cities o the nation% The decision #as ta&en #ith an aim to the !ive a boost to civil aviation sector and increase air connectivity to Tier,II and Tier,III cities%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3)uly 20134

.(L Spot Fi!in* (ro%e 2eport su%"itted to B++. @arlier )**I, appointed 1N Sa#ani, a ormer I0S o icer to probe into the spot, i"in! issue% 1N Sa#ani is the same o icer, #ho probed into the 2000 match, i"in! case% Sa#ani #as !iven the tas& o e"aminin! in detail the char!es levelled by 8elhi 0olice a!ainst the three cric&eters and the three I0( matches i!ured out by the police%

+urrent A##airs Au*ust 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3Au*ust 20134

World Ban to loan H100 "n #or lo$-cost housin* Thee .orld )an& #ill e"tend a C100,million loan or sustainable housin! in India that can be used to purchase, build or up!rade lo#,cost d#ellin!s, the inance ministry said Thursday% The state,run National -ousin! )an& #ill e"ecute this pro5ect%

26

."port 0uty &n ;old6 Silver Hi ed 1o 10 (ercent The Indian !overnment Tuesday hi&ed customs duties on !old, platinum and silver to 10 percent to curb imports and lo#er the current account de icit% This led to a recovery in the rupee% The partially convertible rupee closed at ?1%1: per dollar compared to ?1%29 4onday%

.ndia/s 020& launches e!plosive detection it in 7S It loo&s li&e a little poc&et sized ci!ar bo", but it pac&s a mi!hty punch in the i!ht a!ainst terrorism% And no# this ni ty e"plosive detection &it, developed by the India$s 8e ence 1esearch G 8evelopment +r!anization /818+2, is all set to play its part in the 3S too%

,ational 3Au*ust 20134

.ndia/s #irst /"ilitary/ satellite launched success#ully India$s irst $military$ satellite /6SAT,92 #as success ully put into the !eosynchronous trans er orbit early Friday by the @uropean Space A!ency$s /@SA2 heavy roc&et, authorities said% It #as launched in the early hours rom its spaceport at <ourou in French 6uiana o the 0aci ic coast% 0e#inin* Mo"ent/ As .AF .nducts +-1I Heavy-Li#t 1ransporter .ith 8e ence 4inister A%<% Antony termin! it a Ade inin! momentA, the Indian Air Force /IAF2 4onday ormally inducted the )oein! *,19 6lobemaster III heavy,li t transport aircra t at a unction here% + the 10 *,19 aircra t ordered, three have been delivered to the IAF #hile t#o more #ill be delivered this year and the remainin! ive in 201=% +ore industries post 3<1 percent *ro$th in )uly @i!ht &ey in rastructure sectors that include coal, po#er, crude oil, !as, cement and steel, posted a slu!!ish 3%1 percent !ro#th in 'uly, !overnment data sho#ed 4onday%The ei!ht core in rastructure industries KLM that have 39%: percent #ei!ht in the Inde" o Industrial 0roduction /II02 KLM had posted =%; percent e"pansion in the correspondin! month o last year, and 0%1 percent !ro#th in 'une 2013%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3Au*ust 20134

+a%inet clears po$er pro?ects $orth over 2s<A36000 crore The *abinet *ommittee on Investment has cleared a sle# o pro5ect investments, in #hich it has !iven !o ahead to 1B po#er pro5ects #orth 1s% B3,992 crore and nine other pro5ects #orth 1s%:2,;00 crore, Finance 4inister 0% *hidambaram said here Tuesday% ;overn"ent sets up ta! re#or" co""ission The !overnment 4onday set up a commission under the chairmanship o 0arthasarathy Shome, advisor to inance minister, to su!!est re orms in ta" administration aimed at #idenin! the ta" base and enhancin! compliance%The ATa" Administration 1e orm *ommissionA has been as&ed to submit its report and recommendations #ithin 1B months, the inance ministry said in a statement%

27

F0. in#lo$ to .ndia rises to 15 percent in )une Forei!n 8irect Investment /F8I2 in lo#s into India rose by 1? percent year,on,year to C1%== billion in 'une, !overnment data sho#ed .ednesday% 8espite the year,on,year increase, this is the lo#est monthly in lo# o F8I in India so ar in 2013%

Sports +urrent A##airs 3Au*ust 20134

Sports "inistry #inally con#ir"s Sodhi #or 8hel 2atna 3nion Sports 4inister 'itendra Sin!h ound time rom his busy schedule and cleared the national sports a#ards ile Thursday #ithout ma&in! any chan!es in the list inalised by the committee headed by ormer .orld billiards champion 4ichael Ferreira% 8ouble,trap shooter 1on5an Sodhi #ill be !ettin! the 1a5iv 6andhi <hel 1atna, the hi!hest sports a#ards in the country% .orld championship bronze medal #innin! shuttler 0%>%Sindhu and cric&eter >irat <ohli are amon! the 1; sportspersons selected or the Ar5una% Mehtra $ins snoo er *old at World ;a"es Asian Snoo&er champion Aditya 4ehta toppled tournament avourite (ian! .enbo o *hina 3,0 to clinch the men$s !old medal at the .orld 6ames here on Tuesday% The top,ran&ed Indian became the irst cueist rom the country to become .orld 6ames champion, saod Salil 8eshpande, 5oint secretary o the )illiards and Snoo&er Association o 4aharashtra%

Science and 1echnolo*y 3Au*ust 20134

9astern .ndia to *et its #irst %io-%an %y 2015 @astern India$s irst bioban&, aimed at storin! cancer tissues or urther research and analysis, is slated to come up here by 201?, an o icial said Saturday% The Tata Translational *ancer 1esearch *entre /TT*1*2 #ill come up on a t#o,acre plot near the e"istin! Tata 4edical *entre,*ancer -ospital in Ne# To#n, 1a5arhat, on the north,eastern rin!es o the )en!al capital% .ndia *ets its o$n national "edia centre A state,o ,the art National 4edia *entre comparable to those in capitals across the #orld #as inau!urated Saturday, #ith an impressive con erence hall, #or&place or the media, a library, ca eteria and hi!h,speed internet% The our,storied 1s%?0 crore acility, built over three years, is located at the heart o the capital, on 1aisina 1oad KLN #ith many important !overnment buildin!s a stone$s thro# a#ay and in the vicinity o the 0arliament -ouse and 1ashtrapati )havan%

9nviron"ent 3Au*ust 20134

S+ Bans ;reen ,od For ,e$ Hydro-(o$er 7nits .n 7ttara hand @"pressin! concern over the recent rain havoc in 3ttara&hand, the Supreme *ourt Tuesday told the central and state !overnments not to !rant environmental clearance or any hydro,po#er pro5ect in the hill state% A.e direct the 4o@F as #ell as state o 3ttara&hand not to !rant any

28 urther environmental or orest clearance or any hydroelectric po#er pro5ect in the state o 3ttara&hand, until urther orders,A said the ape" court bench o 'ustice <%S% 1adha&rishnan and 'ustice 8ipa& 4isra%

/.ndia $ell ahead in ti*er protection strate*ies/ Noted ti!er conservationist )elinda .ri!ht said that the South A rican model o #ildli e conservation is Anot the model to ollo#A and that India is AaheadA in its protection strate!ies%

,ei*h%ours 3Au*ust 20134

+li"ate chan*e also causes spi e in violence: Scientists A ne# study claims that there is scienti ic !round to predict that climate chan!e, resultin! in hi!her temperatures, #ould contribute to violence and con lict% 1esearchers rom 0rinceton 3niversity and the 3niversity o *ali ornia,)er&eley report in the 5ournal Science that even sli!ht spi&es in temperature and precipitation have !reatly increased the ris& o personal violence and social upheaval throu!hout human history% BA2+ 0evelops E1 ,e$ Superior +rop :arieties The )habha Atomic 1esearch *entre /)A1*2 has developed =1 ne# crop varieties under its Nuclear A!riculture pro!ramme, a top o icial said Tuesday% These include 1; varieties o !roundnut, ei!ht o mun!bean /!reen!ram2, ive o udad /blac&!ram2, our o tur /pi!eonpea2, three o mustard, t#o o soyabean and one each o sun lo#er, chavali /co#pea2, rice and 5ute%

.ndian 0e#ense 3Au*ust 20134

.ndian ,avy set to launch indi*enous aircra#t carrier The Indian navy #ill launch its irst indi!enous aircra t carrier Au! 12 at <ochi, ma&in! the country only the i th in the #orld #ith capability to build such vessels% Tal&in! to media persons here, navy vice chie >ice Admiral 1%<% 8ho#an said the =0,000 tonne indi!enous aircra t carrier /IA*2 #as one o its most presti!ious #arship pro5ects and #as unprecedented in terms o size and comple"ity% .ndia test #ires n-capa%le (rithvi-.. "issile India 4onday test, ired its home !ro#n nuclear,capable sur ace,to,sur ace 0rithvi,II missile rom a military base in +disha, o icials said% The indi!enously,developed ballistic missile #ith a ran!e o 3;0 &m #as ired rom the Inte!rated Test 1an!e at *handipur,on,sea in )alasore district, about 230 &m rom )hubanes#ar%

+urrent A##airs Septe"%er 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3Septe"%er 20134

)hu"pa Lahiri novel co"petes #or Man Boo er (ri>e Indian American author and 0ulitzer 0rize #inner 'humpa (ahiri$s ne# novel, The (o#land, has been shortlisted or the 2013 4an )oo&er prize, or!anisers said Tuesday% Set in the 1:?0s, AThe

29 (o#landA, provides a vie# o suburban streets o *alcutta /<ol&ata2 throu!h the eyes o Subhash%

;u?arati #il" /1he ;ood 2oad/ .ndia/s entry #or &scar 8ebut eature ilmma&er 6yan *orrea$s 6u5arati ilm AThe 6ood 1oadA has been chosen to represent India in the best orei!n ilm cate!ory at the Academy A#ards%

,ational 3Septe"%er 20134

2I6EAA *overn"ent posts #or S+sJS1sJ&B+s un#illed A sta!!erin! 29,=BB !overnment 5obs reserved or scheduled castes and tribes and other bac&#ard classes are lyin! vacant #ith the ma"imum discrimination a!ainst these cate!ories bein! in the educational sector, an N6+ said .ednesday% .ndia/s &r%iter For Mars Mission +o"in* Soon India has built the orbiter or the country$s maiden 4ars mission in +ctober,November, to ta&e o rom the spaceport at Srihari&ota o the )ay o )en!al, an o icial said .ednesday% 2a*hura" 2a?an 1a es &ver As 23rd ;overnor &# 2B. 1a!huram 6ovind 1a5an .ednesday too& over as the 23rd !overnor o the 1eserve )an& o India /1)I2% 1a5an, ;0, #ho #as chie economic advisor in the inance ministry, too& char!e at the 4int Street here rom 8uvvuri Subbarao, the 1)I said in a statement% Si i"/s First Airport 1o Be 2eady By 201E Si&&im$s irst airport #ill be completed by end,201= providin! much,needed air connectivity to the landloc&ed state, Tourism 4inister )him 0rasad 8hun!el said here Thursday% 7(S+ critici>ed #or re"ovin* Ara%ic6 (ersian #ro" +ivil Services e!a"s The All India Association o Arabic Teachers G Scholars /AIAATS2 and the All India 0ersian Scholars$ Association /AI0SA2 has criticized the 30S* or removin! Arabic, 0ersian rom *ivil Services e"ams%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3Septe"%er 20134

.ndia/s e!ports rise 13 percent in Au*ust India$s e"ports 5umped by 13 percent to C2?%1= billion in Au!ust, #hile imports declined mar!inally, helpin! to contain trade de icit at C10%: billion, !overnment data sho#ed Tuesday% +a%inet nod to plan to reduce ur%an poverty Aimin! to reduce poverty and vulnerability o urban poor, the *abinet *ommittee on @conomic A airs Tuesday approved restructurin! o the S#arna 'ayanti Shahri 1oz!ar Jo5ana /S'S1J2 as the National 3rban (ivelihoods 4ission /N3(42 in the 12th Five Jear 0lan at a cost o 1s%?,=0; crore, an o icial statement said% ;overn"ent sets up Ith +entral (ay +o""ission An estimated ei!ht million central !overnment employees and pensioners can no# loo& or#ard to hi!her emoluments #ith the constitution o the Seventh *entral 0ay *ommission /*0*2, #hich the !overnment announced .ednesday% .n#lation6 rupee "ay #orce 2B. to eep rates on hold 1eserve )an& o India 6overnor 1a!huram 1a5an is li&ely to maintain his predecessor 8uvvuri Subbarao$s Aha#&ishA policy and &eep &ey rates on hold due to continued in lationary pressure and the volatility in rupee, analysts say%

30 Science and 1echnolo*y 3Septe"%er 20134

.ndian ,uclear (lants ,otch 1op (er#or"ance .n 2012 The per ormance o Indian nuclear po#er plants as #ell as several uel cycle acilities reached their hi!hest levels last year, a top o icial said .ednesday% .ndian Satellite/s 1ransponders S$itched &n All the 11 transponders o India$s advanced multiband communication satellite /6SAT,92 have been s#itched on and are per ormin! #ell, the space a!ency said late .ednesday% .ndian /"ilitary/ satellite put into earth/s or%it India$s irst $military$ satellite #as .ednesday put into the !eosynchronous orbit, about 3?,000 &m above the earth, ive days a ter it #as launched Au! 30 on board an @uropean roc&et rom <ourou in French 6uiana o the 0aci ic coast%

,ei*h%ours 3Septe"%er 20134

.ndia +ontri%utes H1 Mn 1o Myan"ar India .ednesday contributed C1 million to build 10 schools in 4yanmar$s 1a&hine state #here ethnic 1a&hine )uddhists and 1ohin!ya 4uslims have clashed%

.ndian 0e#ense

0e#inin* Mo"ent/ As .AF .nducts +-1I Heavy-Li#t 1ransporter .ith 8e ence 4inister A%<% Antony termin! it a Ade inin! momentA, the Indian Air Force /IAF2 4onday ormally inducted the )oein! *,19 6lobemaster III heavy,li t transport aircra t at a unction here% .ndian ,avy *ets Ha$ trainer #ro" HAL State,run de ence behemoth -industan Aeronautics (td /-A(2 4onday handed over the irst naval variant o the advanced 5et trainer /A'T2 -a#& 4&,132 to the Indian Navy here%

+urrent A##airs &cto%er 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3&cto%er 20134

7S shutdo$n not to hit .ndian Mars "ission The partial shutdo#n o the 3S !overnment #ould not a ect the Indian 4ars +rbiter 4ission /4+42 scheduled or launch +ct 2B, the Indian space a!ency said Saturday% ANational Aeronautics Space Administration /NASA2 and 'et 0ropulsion (aboratory /'0(2 authorities o the 3S have rea irmed support to our 4ars +rbiter 4ission spacecra t, scheduled or launch +ct 2B,A the state,run Indian Space 1esearch +r!anisation /IS1+2 said in a statement here%

.F+ to sell rupee-lin ed %onds o# H1 %n The International Finance *orporation /IF*2, the .orld )an&$s investment arm, plans to raise C1 billion by sellin! rupee,lin&ed bonds to help inance private sector investments in India and

31 stren!then capital mar&ets% The pro!ramme, the lar!est in the o shore rupee mar&et, #as launched here .ednesday% ,ational 3&cto%er 20134

Bha ra 0a" 1urns B0 *alled the ATemple o a resur!ent IndiaA by irst prime minister 'a#aharlal Nehru, )ha&ra 8am completes ;0 years Tuesday% A !olden 5ubilee event is planned at Nan!al, 110 &m rom here, by the )ha&ra )eas 4ana!ement )oard /))4)2% 3nion 4inister or .ater 1esources -arish 1a#at, *hie 4inisters 0ar&ash Sin!h )adal o 0un5ab and )hupinder Sin!h -ooda o -aryana, #ill be amon! those to attend the !olsden 5ubilee event% A commemorative stamp on the dam #ill also be released on the occasion, a ))4) spo&esman said 4onday%

.ndian Air Force *ets #ourth airli#ter The Indian Air Force /IAF2 has received its Fourth )oein! *,19 6lobemaster III, a lar!e, versatile military transport aircra t capable o carryin! heavy, oversize loads lon! distances and landin! on rou!h and unprepared sur aces% +nce India receives its ull complement o ten aircra t, it #ill be the lar!est *,19 operator outside the 3S% The plane departed or India +ct 1: rom )oein!$s (on! )each, *ali ornia, acility &eepin! the company on trac& to deliver a total o ive advanced airli ters to the IAF this year% )oein! #ill deliver ive more *,19s to India in 201= to complete the contract, the company said in a media release%

1op 100 2ich .ndians/ ,et Worth 2aises 1o H2B0 Billion The total #ealth o India$s top 100 rich people rose to C2;0 billion this year as compared to C221 billion in the previous year, a research report sho#ed% .ith personal #ealth o C1B%: billion, 1eliance Industries (imited chairman 4u&esh Ambani tops the country$s rich list ollo#ed by (ondon,based Arcelor 4ittal$s chie (%N% 4ittal #ith assets o C1;%: billion, accordin! to the second edition o -urun India 1ich (ist released here Thursday%

+ivil services aspirants $ant 9n*lish dropped #ro" e!a" Around 300 students and teachers o 'a#aharlal Nehru 3niversity /'N32 sta!ed a protest outside the 3nion 0ublic Service *ommission /30S*2 o ice here Thursday, demandin! e"clusion o the @n!lish lan!ua!e rom the civil service e"amination syllabus% The students demanded that the authorities either remove @n!lish or include other orei!n lan!ua!es bac& to the 30S* e"amination syllabus% 2e#or"s to Save .ndia KLM Boo on .ndian ad"inistrative syste" S% 6o&ulra5$s boo& A1e orms to Save IndiaA su!!ests #ays to clean up the systems that administer India% -o# do you eliminate the numbers !ame in 0arliamentS @lect a person in a true democratic #ay, su!!ests S% 6o&ulra5, author o A1e orms to Save IndiaA% A0eople are ea!er or a chan!e% )ut,

32 they need to be a#are% They start votin! rom 1B, select the 40 or 4(A and or!et about it,A he says% 6o&ulra5 is an entrepreneur rom Tirupur%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3&cto%er 20134

.n#lation to re"ain at elevated level this year: 2B. .holesale price,based in lation that 5umped to ?%=? percent in September, is li&ely to remain around the same level in the second hal o the current inancial year, the 1eserve )an& o India /1)I2 said 4onday% In a note released ahead o the second 7uarter revie# o monetary policy 2013,1=, the 1)I said the persistent hi!h consumer price,based in lation remained a concern%

;overn"ent to in#use 2s<1E6000 crore e'uity in %an The !overnment .ednesday said it #ill in use 1s%1=,000 crore e7uity capital in 20 public sector ban&s durin! the current inancial year% AThe 6overnment o India has approved in usion o 1s%1=,000 crore in the 0S)s durin! inancial year 2013,1=, throu!h pre erential allotment o e7uity in its avour,A the inance ministry said in a statement% The country$s lar!est lender State )an& o India #ill !et 1s%2,000 crore e7uity capital rom the !overnment% The *entral )an& o India and I8)I )an& #ill !et 1s%1,B00 crore each%

.ndia/s current account de#icit "ay #all to HEB %n: Stan+hart Standard *hartered )an& Thursday sharply lo#ered its orecast or India$s *urrent Account 8e icit to C=; billion rom its earlier pro5ection o C92 billion, due to positive orei!n trade numbers% In a research note, the ban& said it has revised do#n#ard its orecast on India$s current account de icit to C=; billion, or 2%; percent o the country$s !ross domestic product rom C91%B billion, our percent o the 680, pe!!ed in its earlier report%

Science and 1echnolo*y 3&cto%er 20134

.ndia/s Mars Mission 1o Blast &## &n ,ove"%er B India$s ambitious 1s%=;0 crore space mission to 4ars has no# been i"ed or blast,o Nov ;, said a top Indian space a!ency o icial Tuesday% AThe 4ars mission has been i"ed or Nov ;% The heat shield o the roc&et /0olar Satellite (aunch >ehicle,0S(>2 has been closed and the inal electrical chec&s #ill be carried out .ednesday,A <%1adha&rishnan, chairman, Indian Space 1esearch +r!anisation /IS1+2, told%

Hi*h Speed 2ail +orporation o# .ndia launched 1ail#ays 4inister 4alli&ar5un <har!e Tuesday launched the -i!h Speed 1ail *orporation o India (td /-S1*2, a subsidiary o 1ail >i&as Ni!am (td% /1>N(2 and tas&ed to develop -i!h Speed 1ail /-S12 *orridors in India to run passen!er trains at speeds up to 3;0 &m per hour%

33

Inau!urated a t#o,day international technical con erence on A-i!h Speed 1ail TravelO (o# *ost SolutionA here, the minister also unveiled the lo!o o -S1* that has been desi!ned by National Institute o 8esi!n, Ahmedabad% ,ei*h%ours 3&cto%er 20134

Bhu%anes$ar6 ."phal airports *et international status The !overnment .ednesday accorded international operation status to )hubanes#ar and Imphal airports% Accordin! to a statement o the 3nion *abinet, #hich met here, declaration o these airports as international airports A#ill o er improved connectivity, #ider choice o services at competitive costA%

.ndian 0e#ense

.ndia success#ully test-#ires n-capa%le "issile India 4onday success ully test, ired its nuclear,capable sur ace,to,sur ace 0rithvi,II missile rom a military base in +disha, a senior de ence o icial said% The indi!enously,developed ballistic missile #ith a ma"imum ran!e o 3;0 &m #as ired rom the Inte!rated Test 1an!e at *handipur,on,sea in )alasore district, about 230 &m rom )hubanes#ar%

Sports 3&cto%er 20134

2ecord #ive .ndians in World Bo!in* 'uarters India created history at the AI)A .orld )o"in! *hampionships here Tuesday #hen ive o its bo"ers reachin! the 7uarter inals o their respective #ei!ht cate!ories% It is the irst time that ive Indians have reached the last ei!ht o the competition% Four rom India made the 7uarters in the last edition%

Sania Mir>a-Blac $in +hina &pen title Sania 4irza and her Fimbab#ean partner *ara )lac& eased past >era 8ushevina and Arant"a 0arra Santon5a to #in the #omen$s doubles title at the *hina +pen here Saturday% 4irza and )lac&, seeded ei!hth, #on the title clash ?,2, ?,2 in one hour and si" minutes% They seemed a much superior unit a!ainst the 1ussian,Spanish combine%

+urrent A##airs ,ove"%er 2013 .nternational +urrent A##airs 3,ove"%er 20134

,irupa"a 2ao na"ed visitin* #ello$ at 7S varsity Former Indian ambassador to the 3S, Nirupama 1ao, has accepted a one,year appointment as the 4eera and >i&ram 6andhi Fello# #ith the )ro#n,India Initiative at the .atson Institute or International Studies%

34

1ao, #ho retired earlier this month a ter a =0,year diplomatic career, be!ins her appointment in 'anuary 201=, 0rovidence, 1hode Island based )ro#n 3niversity announced 4onday% .hile at )ro#n 1ao #ill be #ritin! a boo& ocusin! on ho# the advent o ne# media technolo!ies are chan!in! the #ay countries respond to policy,related situations%

Antony 1o +o""ission .,S :i ra"aditya .n 2ussia ,ov 15 8e ence 4inister A%<% Antony #ill Saturday commission Indian Naval Ship >i&ramaditya, the country$s second aircra t carrier and its bi!!est #arship, at the Sevmash shipyard in 1ussia% Antony #ill leave 8elhi Friday or a our,day visit to 1ussia% -e #ill also co,chair the 13th meetin! o the India,1ussia Inter,6overnmental *ommission on 4ilitary Technical *ooperation /I1I6*, 4T*2 #ith his 1ussian counterpart Ser!ey Shoi!u in 4osco# 4onday, said a de ence ministry release%

,ational 3,ove"%er 20134

;ra#t Hinderin* 9##icient (er#or"ance &# 9cono"y: (resident *orruption is one o the bi!!est actors that hinders e icient per ormance o our economy and there is a need to eliminate its inter ace in the delivery o services, 0resident 0ranab 4u&her5ee said here Friday% Spea&in! on the occasion o the Fourth 30S* Foundation 8ay (ecture on $6overnance and 0ublic Service$, the president said the success o a country$s development pro!rammes depends on the 7uality o public administration%

1al$ars sentenced to li#e #or dou%le "urder A day a ter they #ere held !uilty, a *)I court Tuesday sentenced dentist couple 1a5esh and Nupur Tal#ar to li e imprisonment on char!es o &illin! their dau!hter and domestic help in 200B% (a#yers o the distrau!ht couple, #ho #ere immediately ta&en bac& to the 8asna 'ail in 6haziabad district, said they #ould appeal in a hi!her court a!ainst the rulin!%

&ver 32 "illion KLM a record KLM vote in Madhya (radesh A record 32 million people KLN or the population o 0eru KLN voted 4onday in 4adhya 0radesh in a lar!ely peace ul e"ercise, #ith both the rulin! )'0 and the *on!ress claimin! they #ill #in% +nly minor incidents o violence marred the pollin! that be!an at B a%m% to pic& a ne# 230, member le!islature barrin! three constituencies o )ala!hat district #here it started an hour earlier to oil 4aoist desi!ns%

.nternational standard airport at A*artala %y 2015 The Airports Authority o India /AAI2 has underta&en a 1s%300,crore pro5ect to modernise A!artala airport and up!rade it to international standards by 201?, o icials said Tuesday% A.ithin 3? months, the modernisation pro5ects o the A!artala airport #ould be completed% The

35 1s%300,crore pro5ect has already been sent to the AAI board o directors or approval,A Sudhir 1ahe5a, member AAI board /0lannin!2 told reporters here%

Business and 9cono"y +urrent A##airs 3,ove"%er 20134

.ndian 9cono"y ;ro$s E<A (ercent .n D2 -elped by the !ood per ormance o the arm and some in rastructure sectors, India$s economic !ro#th recovered mar!inally to =%B percent in the second 7uarter o the current inancial year rom =%= percent recorded in the previous 7uarter, !overnment data sho#ed Friday% Accordin! to data released by the *entral Statistics + ice /*S+2 here, the a!riculture sector re!istered healthy !ro#th o =%? percent, #hile manu acturin! e"panded at a slu!!ish 1 percent in the 'uly,September 7uarter%

20 F0. (roposals Worth 2s<F15 +rore +leared The !overnment Tuesday said it has cleared 20 proposals o orei!n direct investment /F8I2 #orth 1s%:1? crore, includin! Sin!apore Airlines plan to start a ull service airline in partnership #ith Tata Sons% Sin!apore Airlines has ormed a 5oint venture #ith Tata Sons to run ull service airline% In the 5oint venture, Sin!apore Airlines #ill control =: percent #hile Tata Sons #ill have the ma5ority sta&e o ;1 percent%

.ndia can *ro$ at A percent: Ahlu$alia India can achieve ei!ht per cent !ro#th provided di icult policy decisions are ta&en, 0lannin! *ommission 8eputy *hairman 4onte& Sin!h Ahlu#alia said here Saturday% -e called or !reater attention to lin&in! economic policy ma&in! #ith e"ternal and internal security%

Science and 1echnolo*y 3,ove"%er 20134

/.ndia Must Be (art &# ;lo%al Me*a-Science (ro?ects/ Stressin! on the importance o critical research relevant to the country, eminent physicist and principal scienti ic advisor to the Indian !overnment 1% *hidambaram Friday said the nation needs to be a part o !lobal me!a,science pro5ects% Spea&in! at *alcutta 3niversity$s annual convocation here, *hidambaram re erred to the studies re!ardin! the recent path,brea&in! discovery o the -i!!s )oson, and advocated India$s participation in pro5ects relatin! to ori!ins o the universe%

.ndia to slin* Mars cra#t into Sun or%it Sunday ndia$s maiden 4ars cra t #ill slin! into Sun orbit early Sunday or a 2B0,day lon! voya!e to reach the red planet Sep 2=, 201=% AThe +rbiter entered the inal orbit o earth early .ednesday or its trans,in5ection into the Sun

36 orbit Sunday at 00%=: a%m% or a nine,month 5ourney to 4ars throu!h the interplanetary space, a senior space a!ency o icial said here%

.ndia Leaps .nto .nterplanetary Space With Mars Mission India #ill be the irst Asian country and the ourth entity in the #orld to leap into interplanetary space Tuesday #ith an e"ploratory mission to 4ars, about =00 million &m rom planet @arth% ASo ar, only 1ussia, the 3S and the @uropean Space A!ency /@SA2 have underta&en such missions to 4ars% India #ill be the ourth and irst in Asia,A a top space a!ency o icial told IANS ahead o the 4ars +rbiter 4ission /4+42 launch rom Srihari&ota spaceport, about B0&m northeast o *hennai%

.ndian 0e#ense 3,ove"%er 20134

(ro"ote research6 %uild indi*enous %ase #or de#ence: Antony 8e ense 4inister A%<% Antony 4onday called or the promotion o research and development in ordnance manu acturin! to build a stron! indi!enous base in #eaponry and ammunition% A.e need to be able to develop a stron! domestic de ense base,A Antony said at a unction to !ive the 1a&sha 4antri A#ards or @"cellence or the +rdnance Factory )oard /+F)2%

Ar"y 1est Fires Advanced :ersion &# BrahMos Missile The Indian Army 4onday test, ired an advanced version o the 2:0,&m ran!e )rah4os supersonic cruise missile in 1a5asthan, piercin! the desi!nated concrete structure% AAn advanced version o )rah4os supersonic cruise missile system #as success ully test ired at the 0o&hran test ran!e,A an o icial said%