Current Affairs Weekly Updates for week

Ending 10 MAR 2013

01. Charges against Irom Sharmila for Attempting Suicide

Updated on 05 MAR 2013

Social activist Irom Sharmila, who has been on fast for about 12

years demanding the repeal of the controversial Armed Forces Special

Powers Act (AFSPA), refused to plead guilty of attempting suicide, and a

Delhi court framed charges against her.

Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain on 4 March 2013 framed

charges against her for attempt to commit suicide and issued show cause

notice to Sharmila after she refused to plead guilty.

She told the court that she "loves life and does not want to take her life".

Sharmila, who was present in the court, refused that she attempted to

commit suicide here at Jantar Matnar in 2006.

The court hearing the case told Sharmila: "We respect you but the

law of land does not permit you to take your life."

When asked if she tried to commit suicide she replied "No".

The court earlier told her counsel to explain to her that maximum

punishment in the case was a few months to a year and that she has

been in custody for more than 6 years, so if she pleads guilty, the case

would be settled Monday.

Meanwhile, her supporters protesting outside gate no. 2 of Patiala House

Court, raised slogans for justice and against AFSPA.

2. Mukesh Ambani 6th Time Richest Person of India in a row.

Updated on 05 MAR 2013

With networth of US $21.5 billion, Mukesh Ambani has retained his

title as India’s richest person for sixth year in a row, while Mexican

business tycoon Carlos Slim has emerged as wealthiest in the world for

the fourth consecutive year.

In the overall rich list of world’s billionaires, as per an annual

ranking published on 4 March 2013 by business magazine Forbes,

Mukesh Ambani is ranked 22nd, while the second-richest Indian Lakshmi

Mittal is at 41st position with a networth of $ 16.5 billion.

Slim has topped the rankings with a networth of $ 73 billion,

followed by Bill Gates ($ 67 billion), Spain’s Amancio Ortega ($ 57

billion), Warren Buffett ($ 53.5 billion) and Larry Ellison ($ 43 billion) in

top five. There are a total 55 billionaires from India on the list of 1,426

persons from across the world having a minimum networth of $ 1 billion.

Among the Indians, Mukesh Ambani and Lakshmi Mittal are followed by

Azim Premji, Dilip Shanghvi, Shashi & Ravi Ruia, Kumar Mangalam Birla,

Savitri Jindal, Sunil Mittal, Shiv Nadar, K P Singh and Anil Ambani.

Globally, Anil Ambani is ranked 233rd ($ 5.2 billion), while the

global top-100 list has only three Indians — Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi

Mittal and Azim Premji (91st position).

Mukesh Ambani’s fortune has dropped by USD one billion over the

past one year, but he remains India’s richest person and his Reliance

Industries remains country’s most valuable company.

On the other hand, his younger brother Anil Ambani saw his

networth drop by USD 2.6 billion in the past one year,“continuing a

three-year decline in his fortune.”

03. US to give ‘Women of Courage Award’ to Delhi Gangrape

Victim

Updated on 05 MAR 2013

United States has selected the 23-year-old Delhi braveheart for the

International Women of Courage Award. The award to Delhi gang rape

victim would be presented posthumously by the first lady Michelle Obama

and the secretary of state John Kerry, on March 8, an official

announcement said on 4 March 2013.

For millions of Indian women, her personal ordeal, perseverance to

fight for justice, and her family's continued bravery is helping to lift the

stigma and vulnerability that drive violence against women, the State

Department said about her as it announced the awards to be given to 10

women from across the world.

She bravely recorded two police statements while in the hospital,

repeatedly called for justice against the six attackers, and stated her will

to survive to see justice done, the State Department said.

Like many Indians inspired by her struggle, she was born into a

working class family that invested their hopes and life savings into her

dream to pursue medicine.

She had just graduated from a physiotherapy program when her

life was cut short,according to the statement of the State Department.

In the wake of her death just two weeks after the attack, India's

civil society began advocating heavily for legislation and social programs

to stem gender-based violence in all its forms and to ensure higher rape

conviction rates and gender-sensitive law enforcement and justice

systems.

The paramedical student was gangraped, beaten and thrown out of

a moving bus along with a male friend in Delhi in December 2012 which

generated widespread protests and was condemned by various women

groups, both in India and abroad.

The secretary of state's International Women of Courage Award

annually recognises women around the globe who have shown

exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and

empowerment, often at great personal risk.

Since inception of the award in 2007, the Department of State has

honoured 67 women from 45 different countries.

The other awardees for this year are Malalai Bahaduri, First

Sergeant Afghan National Interdiction Unit (Afghanistan); Samira

Ibrahim, Coordinator Know Your Rights (Egypt); Julieta Castellanos,

Rector National Autonomous University of Honduras (Honduras); Dr

Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin, President Campaign for Democracy

(Nigeria); Elena Milashina journalist, human rights activist (Russia) and

Fartuun Adan, executive director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre

(Somalia).

Three of the awardees – Tsering Woeser (Wei Se), Tibetan author,

poet, blogger (China), Razan Zeitunah, human rights lawyer and

Founder, Local Coordination Committees (Syria) and Ta Phong Tan,

blogger (Vietnam) would be given the award in absentia.

After the award ceremony, the honourees will travel separately to

cities across the United States to engage with the American people

through an International Visitor Leadership Program. They will visit

Indianapolis, Jackson Hole, Portland, San Francisco, and Tampa.

The women will reconvene in San Diego to reflect on their visit and

discuss ways to work together to improve the lives of women and girls

around the world, the State Department added.

04. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died at 58 due to Cancer

Updated on 06 MAR 2013

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died on 5 March 2013 at a

military hospital in Caracas at the age of 58. He was suffering from

Cancer and died after battling the disease for two years during which he

underwent several surgeries and chemotherapy in Cuba.

With his death his 14 year rule of Venezuela came to an end and

bringing a challenge of electing a new President for the country within 30

days as per Constitution of Venezuela. Till then the Presidency will be

assumed by the Vice-President of the country, Nicolas Maduro will

assume the charge of President of the Country.

05. Okhla Compost Plant Became First In India to Receive

Carbon Credits Worth 25 Lakh Rupees

Updated on 06 MAR 2013

South Delhi Municipal Corporation's composting plant in Okhla has

become the first to get carbon credits from United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change in the country. The civic agency has been

given an advance of Rs 25 lakh against net Carbon Emission Reduction

(CER) earning from the plant.

The plant was made operational in 2008 and since then close to

two lakh tonnes of waste has been processed. Officials say in the near

future the quantity of waste processed per day will be increased. The

corporation has outsourced the operation to IL&FS. IL&FS is preparing a

programme to upgrade the plant.

06. Pranab Mukherjee and Sheikh Hasina Inaugurated Freight

Train to Bangladesh

Updated on 06 MAR 2013

President of India Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister of

Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on 5 March 2013 jointly inaugurated

locomotives and wagons supplied under a $800 million line of credit

extended by India, reflecting growing bilateral ties in infrastructure

sector.

The freight train flagged off at the Dhaka cantonment railway

station comprised two locomotives, 20 broad gauge tank wagons and one

brake van.

After the inaugural programme, President Mukherjee left for Narail

on a private visit to the ancestral home of his in-laws.

This is the first foreign trip since his becoming Preisident of India.

07. President of India Conferred With the Liberation War

Honour Award by Bangladesh

Updated on 06 MAR 2013

The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee was conferred with

the Liberation War Honour Award by the President of Bangladesh,

Zillur Rahman on 4 March, 2013. The award was conferred upon him for

his contribution to 1971 war.

The award was given away to Pranab Mukherjee for contributions

to the Liberation War. Earlier, the top most honour of Bangladesh, the

Bangladesh Freedom Honour was conferred upon former Indian Prime

Minister Indira Gandhi posthumously in 2011 for contributing towards

creation of Bangladesh.

Liberation War Honour Awards is the second highest honour of

Bangladesh.

08. Mukul Manda Sangma Sworn-In As the Chief Minister of

Meghalaya

Updated on 06 MAR 2013

Mukul Manda Sangma was on 5 March 2013 sworn-in as the

Meghalaya Chief Minister for the second time in a row.

Governor R.S. Mooshahary administered the oath of office to the

47-year-old leader who was seen as the architect of the Congress's

victory in the assembly elections in this mountainous northeastern state,

on the lawns of the Raj Bhavan

The Congress emerged the single largest party with 29 seats - two

short of a majority in the 60-member house. The Nationalist Congress

Party (NCP), which secured two seats, and 11 independent legislators

have extended "unconditional support" to the Congress.

Mukul Sangma took oath as the state's 26th chief minister in the

presence of hundreds of Congress legislators, leaders of other political

groupings and senior government officials.

He first assumed office April 20, 2010, replacing veteran Congress leader

D.D. Lapang.

Mukul Sangma, a medical practitioner, gave up his government job

as medical and health officer in Tura health centre and plunged into the

electoral fray in 1993.

He contested and won the Ampatigiri assembly constituency in

West Garo Hills as an independent candidate. There was no looking back

for him since then.

At the age of 33, Mukul Sangma bagged a cabinet berth and held

various posts as minister of taxation, information and public relations and

others.

In 2005, he was appointed deputy chief minister in-charge of home

and education departments. But he was forced to quit after the Garo Hills

police firing, in which nine people lost their lives, over the Meghalaya

Board of School Education issue.

09. UPSC Changed the Scheme of Civil Services MAIN

Examination 2013

Updated on 07 MAR 2013

Union Public Service Commission in its latest notification released

on 6 March 2013 changed the Scheme of Civil Services {MAIN

(Written+Interview/Personality Test)} Examination, 2013. The

commission had also made some changes in the choice of language

medium in the Civil Services (Main) Examination.

For the first time in the history of Civil Services the candidates

planning to apply for the Civil Services Examination or Indian Forest

Service Examination or both will have to fill in this common Application

Form.

New topics added to the syllabus include:-

• In Paper I Section 2 – English Précis of Matriculation or 10th

standard level had been added.

• In Paper II General Studies – I part the History and Geography of

the World and Society had been added.

• In Paper IV General Studies – III Disaster Management had been

added along with Technology, Economic Development, Bio-

diversity, Environment and Security.

• In Paper-V General Studies –IV Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude has

been added.

Analysis:-

The weightage of marks of the interview have been kept at the

same standard of 13, i.e.

• Previously the Interview Carried: 300/2300*100=13% approx At

Present 275/2075*100=13% approx.

Similarly the weightage of the Optional Paper had been reduced

from 52% to 24, i.e.

• Previously it was 1200/2300*100=52% approx

• And now it is 500/2075*100=24% approx.

In case of the General Studies Paper the Weightage of Marks have

gone up to 48% from 26%, i.e.

• Previously it was 600/2300*100=26%;

• And now it is 1000/2075*100=48%.

Comparison of changes implemented in the syllabus of the

examination

Previous Present

Essay – 200 Marks Essay – 200 Marks

English – 100 marks

General Studies

Paper I and II

General Studies

Paper I, II, III and

IV

Marks carried by

General Studies was

2*300=600

Marks carried by

General Studies was

4*250=1000

Optional A Paper I -

300 Marks, Paper II

- 300 Marks

Optional A Paper I -

250 Marks, Paper II

- 250 Marks

Optional B Paper I -

300 Marks, Paper II

- 300 Marks

Optional B (No more

in existence)

Interview/Personality

Test - 300

Interview/Personality

Test – 275 marks

10. Neiphiu Rio Cabinet takes oath in Nagaland

Updated on 06 MAR 2013

Neiphiu Rio 63, of Naga People’s Front (NPF) party was sworn in as

Chief Minister of Nagaland for the third straight term on 5 March 2013

along with 11 ministers by the Governor Nikhil Kumar at the Raj Bhavan

in Kohima.

The other eleven ministers who had taken oath for the office were

from his own party, the Naga People’s Front (NPF), which had won 38

seats in the 60-member house.

The Naga People’s Front (NPF), is supported by two alliance

partners, BJP and JD(U) with one MLA each, also with an unconditional

support of 7 Independents.

The other 11 ministers who took oath are, Noke Konyak, T. R.

Zeliang, G. Kaito Aye, Imkong L. Imchen, Kuzholuzo Nienu, Kiyaneilie

Peseyie, Yanthungo Patton, C M Chang, E E Pangteang, S Pangyuh Phom

and R Merentoshi Jamir.

11. Arun Jaitley, Karan Singh and Sharad Yadav Are Best

Parliamentarian

Updated on 07 MAR 2013

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress veteran Karan Singh and

JD(U) Chief Sharad Yadav have been selected for the 'Outstanding

Parliamentarian Award.

Jaitley, who is Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, gets the

award for the year 2010, Karan Singh for 2011 and Sharad Yadav for

2012.

Jaitley and Singh are members of the Upper House from Gujarat

and Delhi, respectively, while Yadav is a Lok Sabha member from

Madhepura, Bihar. Yadav is also party President of JD (U).

The Indian Parliamentary Group had instituted the award in 1994

which is conferred every year.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had constituted an Award

Committee to select the member for the award for the three years.

The Executive Committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group

unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Award Committee at

its meeting held on 6 March 2013. The awards will be conferred at a

function later.

The Award is conferred every year on an Outstanding

Parliamentarian recommended by the Committee and approved by the

Executive Committee of the Indian

12. Nagpur Is the Most Liveable Indian City; Nashik Best

Tourist-Friendly City: Survey

Updated on 07 MAR 2013

Top healthcare facilities, greenery and public transport won Nagpur

the award for the most liveable Indian city at the ABP News-IPSOS Best

City Survey and Awards 2013 event here 6 March 2013. Delhi was

adjudged the best for primary education and roads.

The awards, given for the first time, were based on surveys that

scientifically evaluated and identified the cities with a population above

10 lakh on 13 parameters including affordable housing, roads, public

transport, cleanliness and sanitation and women safety.

While Nagpur got the award for the best public transport, health

care services and green cover, Rajkot was adjudged the city with the

best law and order.

Rajkot also ranked the highest when it came to women safety and

cleanliness and sanitation.

The city with the most efficient traffic management was Pune.

Madurai was awarded for the most affordable housing.

For frequent travellers, Nashik emerged as the best tourist-friendly

city and Delhi got the best city award for primary education and roads.

Mumbai was awarded for being the city with the best power

availability.

The objective of the survey and award is to reward cities that

provide a role model to inspire other cities to adopt a more integrated

approach to urban management.

13. AirAsia to be first foreign carrier to Enter India’s Aviation

Sector

Updated on 07 MAR 2013

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on Wednesday the

6 March 2013 cleared the investment proposal of Malaysian budget

carrier AirAsia to launch a new airline in partnership with the Tata Group

and Arun Bhatia's Telestra Tradeplace.

AirAsia, through its investment arm, AirAsia Investment Ltd (AAIL),

intends to own 49% in the new airline with the remaining stake held by

the other two Indian firms.

AirAsia will be the first foreign carrier to enter India's aviation

sector since the government changed its rules in September last year to

allow foreign carriers pick up to 49% stake in domestic airlines.

Tata Sons, the holding company of the $100 billion salt-to-software

conglomerate, would hold 30% in the joint venture but will not have any

operating role in the airline, while the Telestra Tradeplace would hold

21% stake. This will mark the return of Tatas to aviation sector.

AirAsia has announced it would set up a 49:30:21 JV with the Tata

Sons and Telestra Tradeplace of Indian investor Arun Bhatia to launch

the new airline.

The three companies would infuse $9 million within a fortnight of

the FIPB clearance to set up the venture.

The initial investment by the AirAsia led joint venture would be

around Rs 80 crore.

AirAsia is looking to start flying operations from June this year

(2013) with 3-4 planes and would be headquartered in Chennai. It would

focus on providing domestic connectivity to Tier-II and Tier-III cities. The

proposed airline would not fly on international routes any time soon as

the current rules allow only those airlines to operate on international

routes which have completed five years of domestic operations and have

a minimum fleet of five aircraft.

14. Rajeev Shahare Appointed As the New High Commissioner of

India to Maldives

Updated on 10 MAR 2013

Rajeev Shahare was appointed as the new High Commissioner to

Maldives on 28 February 2013, replacing D M Mulay.

At present, Shahare is a Joint Secretary in the West Asia North

Africa division of Ministry of External Affairs. D M Mulay, on the other

hand, has now been appointed as the India’s Consul General in New

York. He would take up office in March 2013.

The appointment of Rajeev Shahare came at a time when bilateral

relations between India and Maldives are suffering because of

termination of contract to GMR for Male International Airport

modernisation.

15. India’s First All Women Post Office Comes up in Delhi

Updated on 09 MAR 2013

Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil

Sibal inaugurated India’s First all Women Employees Post Office at the

Shastri Bhawan here on 8 March 2013 on the occasion of International

Women’s Day.

This office is a Project Arrow Office and has three counters. Two

counters offer Multi Purpose services like booking of Speed Post,

Registration, Sale of IPO’s, Booking of Money Orders etc. and an

exclusive counter for Sale of Stamps. Women employees will now man all

these counters of the Post Office. The working hours of this Post Office

will be from 9.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m.

There are 1003 women employees at the operative level in the

Delhi circle, and their percentage in total work force is about 14%. In the

administrative cadres, the percentage is 22%.

The Junior Engineer [Civil] is In-charge of maintenance of this Post

Office building, the Assistant Superintendent of Post Offices of the Postal

Sub Division as well as Senior Superintendent of Post Offices of Delhi

Central division who are controlling officers of this Post Office are also

woman.

16. Indian Financial Regulators signed MoU to Monitor

Conglomerates

Updated on 09 MAR 2013

Financial sector regulators on Friday the 8 March 2013 signed an

agreement to monitor conglomerates - large banks and other key players

- in view of their rising importance to the real economy, apart from

approving a national strategy for financial education.

The decisions were taken at a sub-committee meeting of the

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) held in New Delhi, in

the Reserve Bank.

The four financial sector regulators are the Reserve Bank of India

(RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Insurance

Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) and Pension Fund

Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

The MoU is aimed at better cooperation in the field of joint

supervision and monitoring of the large groups identified as financial

conglomerates.

The FSDC meeting, chaired by RBI Governor D Subbarao, also

approved formulating a national strategy for financial education by

incorporating the feedback received from public consultations and from a

global peer review.

Apart from Dr. Subbarao, the meeting was attended by Finance

Secretary R S Gujral, Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram,

Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Takru, Chief Economic Adviser to the

Finance Minister Raghuram Rajan, SEBI Chairman U K Sinha, IRDA chief

T S Vijayan and PFRDA Chairman Yogesh Agarwal.

All the four RBI Deputy Governors - K C Chakrabarty, Anand Sinha,

H R Khan and Urjit Patel - and RBI Executive Director G Gopalakrishna

were also present.

The meeting also discussed the continuing uncertainty in the eurozone

and the US and their impact on capital flows to India and other emerging

markets.

Other key topics deliberated upon were potential risks to the stability of

Indian financial system due to the slowing growth, rising current account

deficit and concerns on asset quality of banks.

RBI had on 22 February 2013 released rules on allowing companies

to start banks in India and such coordination among regulators is needed

for effective supervision.

17. International Women's Day 2013 Celebrated Across the

World

Updated on 09 MAR 2013

8 March 2013: International Women's Day:

International Women's Day was celebrated across the world on 8

March 2013. The theme for 2013 International Women's Day is- A

promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.

On this day, the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee laid

emphasis on the monumental role of women in designing the country.

Nirbhaya to be honoured posthumously:

It was decided by the Women and Child Development Ministry that

fighting spirit of Nirbhaya should be honoured with Stree Shakti awards

which are conferred upon outstanding women of India. Pranab Mukherjee

will give away the award to Nirbhaya’s family.

Background:

Much progress has been made to protect and promote women’s

rights in recent times. However, nowhere in the world can women claim

to have all the same rights and opportunities as men, according to the

UN. The majority of the world's 1.3 billion absolute poor are women. On

average, women receive between 30 and 40 percent less pay than men

earn for the same work. Women also continue to be victims of violence,

with rape and domestic violence listed as significant causes of disability

and death among women worldwide.

The first International Women’s Day occurred on March 19 in 1911.

The inaugural event, which included rallies and organized meetings, was

a big success in countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and

Switzerland. The March 19 date was chosen because it commemorated

the day that the Prussian king promised to introduce votes for women in

1848. The promise gave hope for equality but it was a promise that he

failed to keep. The International Women’s Day date was moved to March

8 in 1913.

The UN drew global attention to women's concerns in 1975 by

calling for an International Women's Year. It also convened the first

conference on women in Mexico City that year. The UN General Assembly

then invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for

Women's Rights and International Peace in 1977. The day aimed to help

nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. It also

focused on helping women gain full and equal participation in global

development.

International Men’s Day: is also celebrated on November 19 each

year.

Symbols:

The International Women’s Day logo is in purple and white and

features the symbol of Venus, which is also the symbol of being female.

The faces of women of all backgrounds, ages, and nations are also seen

in various promotions, such as posters, postcards and information

booklets, on International Women’s Day. Various messages and slogans

that promote the day are also publicized during this time of the year.

18. President of India Released the Commemorative Postage

Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi

Updated on 08 MAR 2013

The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on Friday the 8 March

2013 released the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi on

occasion of his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

During the release of the stamp, various dignitaries were present

and these included Union Minister for Communications and Information

Technology as well as Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

Sahir Ludhianvi died on 25 October 1980 and was a renowned Urdu

poet. He was known among the young for his poetry on beauty and love.

Sahir Ludhianvi had converged Urdu poetry into the film songs as well.

Also, he fought for recognition of lyric writers through the Film Writers

Association.

19. World Bank Bars Larsen & Turbo for six Months over Forgery

Updated on 10 MAR 2013

World Bank has barred Larsen & Toubro (L&T) from doing any

business with it or the projects funded by it for six months, after finding

that a senior executive of the Indian conglomerate has indulged in fraud.

This would make L&T ineligible for being awarded contracts for any

World Bank funded projects, from receiving any loan proceeds made by

the Bank or participating in any Bank-financed project till 6 September

2013.

The sanction order, dated 7 March 2013, said that L&T's ineligibility

would continue across the entire World Bank group and has been

imposed on L&T "for fraudulent practices" as per the bank's Procurement

Guidelines against Fraud and Corruption.

During the debarment period, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as well as any

of the entities controlled directly or indirectly by it can't be nominated

even subcontractor, consultant, manufacturer, supplier or even service

provider to an otherwise eligible firm being awarded a World Bank

financed project.

The matter pertains to a bid submitted by L&T through the regional

business head of its Medical Equipment and Systems unit to a World

Bank-financed project in Tamil Nadu.

In January 2005, the World Bank Group had entered into a

Development Credit Agreement with the Indian government to provide

$110.83 million of International Development Association credit for the

Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project.

It was set up to improve the effectiveness of health systems in the

state by increasing access to critical health services for poor,

disadvantaged and tribal groups.

In July 2008, bidding documents were issued by the Tamil Nadu Medical

Service Corporation for a contract to supply 130 ultrasound scanners

under the project, following which L&T submitted a bid on 3 September

2008 through the regional business head.

Upon technical and financial evaluation, L&T's bid was found to be

the lowest-priced, but a complaint was received later that some of the

certificates submitted with the bid might have been forged.

The bid contained a total 115 performance certificates purportedly

issued by medical facilities stating that the ultrasound scanners supplied

by L&T were working well.

After the company was asked to explain, the regional business

head said that some medical facilities may have mistakenly denied

issuing the certificates and requested that L&T not be viewed as (having)

indulged in fraudulent practice.

In December 2008, L&T was informed that the tender has been

cancelled and the contract was awarded to another firm through a new

bidding process.

After looking into the matter, the World Bank's Integrity Vice

Presidency (INT) alleged that L&T "engaged in fraudulent practices by

submitting forged performance certificates with its bid".

20. Cabinet Committee on Security approved Flexible Use of

Airspace

Updated on 09 MAR 2013

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Friday the 8 March

2013 cleared Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) by civil and military users,

which was unsettled for last few years.

There was a necessity to fulfil the demand of national security,

where the requirement of airspace by the military was to be fulfilled in

the fast changing environment of air warfare. Therefore, sharing of

airspace on a need basis, by civil and military users was an urgent

national requisite.

Ajit Singh with taking over the charge as Union Civil Aviation

Minister implemented the Flexible Use of Airspace, which will result in

fuel saving of 202380 kg per annum and reduction of carbon dioxide

emission by 6393600 kg per annum by direct routing between seven city

pairs of Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi–Chennai, Delhi-Hyderabad,

Delhi- Begaluru, Kolkata-Chennai and Chennai-Mumbai for which the

information is available.

Objective of Flexible use of Airspace (FUA):-

• The primary objective of FUA is to enhance airspace Capacity,

minimize delays, fuel conservation, emission reduction and ultimate

benefits to travelling public.

• Implementation of FUA through efficient civilian military co-

ordination is an essential requirement to foster the traffic growth

with ultimate benefit to the nation’s economy.

• FUA permits both military and civil user to efficiently and effectively

utilize the available airspace on sharing basis to gain optimum

usage, thereby enhancing its capacity, which results into efficient

operations.

• In this model a coordinated procedure between the civil and the

military and vice versa, as per need and on a real time basis if it is

not being used by the user assigned with the responsibility for its

control.

Working mechanism of Flexible use of Airspace (FUA):-

• As a first step for implementation of the FUA in India, a National

High Level Airspace Policy Body (NHLAPB) for airspace use, be set

up, to take up the job of strategic planning and assess/reassess the

national airspace requirements of various stakeholders.

• It will establish flexible airspace use structure/committee’s and

introduce procedures for allocation of these airspace structures.

• The NHLAPB will be chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation

with representation from Ministry of Defence, Indian Air force,

Indian Navy, Indian Space Research Organization, Airport Authority

of India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It can co-opt new

members in future depending upon requirement.

The Ministry of Defence has agreed with the proposal for

implementation of FUA, subject to ensuring adequate safeguards in the

system to prevent inadvertent leak of Military information and

dissemination of any information on Military Aviation activities strictly on

need to know basis.

22. Former CBI Director Ashwani Kumar appointed Nagaland

Governor

Suggested Readings: Person Appointed, March 2013 Current Affairs, News Capsule, 2013 Current Affairs

Published on: 10-MAR-2013

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62 year old Former CBI Director, Ashwani Kumar on 9 March 2013 appointed as Governor of

Nagaland.

Ashwani Kumar was the Director of the agency from August 2008 to November 2010. He will be

the first head of the agency to be appointed as a Governor.

With the appointment of Ashwani Kumar Former Delhi Police Commissioner Nikhil Kumar, who

was serving as Governor of Nagaland, has been transferred and appointed as Governor of

Kerala for the remainder of his tenure. 72-year-old Nikhil Kumar is a 1963-batch IPS officer,

who was appointed as Governor of Nagaland on 15 October 2009.

A brief insight into Aswani Kumar life

• He has worked in various positions in CBI and elite SPG(Special Protection Group)

• He completed his doctorate from Himachal Pradesh University.

Other appointments

• With the appointment of Ashwani Kumar as governor of Nagaland, President Pranab

Mukherjee also transferred Governor of Tripura D Y Patil to Bihar and shifted Bihar Governor

Devanand Konwar to Tripura for the remainder of their five-year terms,

• Four time Chief Minister of Nagaland and former Governor of Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat,

81-year-old SC Jamir was appointed as Governor of Odhisa.

• SC Jamir succeds 84-year-old M C Bhandare who had been appointed as Governor in August

2007 and was continuing even after his term had expired last year.