National
Western Ghats Now In World Heritage List
The Western Ghats has made it to the coveted list of world Heritage sites. The world Heritage committee, meeting in st.Petersburg, Russia, late on Sunday 1 July 2012 , decided to inscribe 39 serial sites of the western Ghats of India on the world Heritage list. “The Western Ghats was inscribed under criteria 9 and 10 of the operational Guidelines of the world Heritage convention. “Vinod B. Mathur, Dean of the Wild Life institute of India told from Russia . To explain it clearly, Western Ghats are those properties which contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding Universal value from the point of science conservations.
Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2011′
Every four minutes, one person takes his own life in this country and one in every five suicides is that of a housewife. This and other startling figures are part of a government report ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2011’ released here recently. According to the report, the number of suicides have increased in 2011 by 0.7 per cent to touch 1,35,585 compared to 1,34,599 in the previous year. West Bengal has reported the highest number of suicides (16,492) accounting for 12.2 per cent followed by Tamil Nadu (15,963), Maharashtra (15,947), Andhra Pradesh (15,077) and Karnataka (12,622). These 5 States together accounted for 56.2 per cent of the total suicides reported in the country.
Cabinet clears Rs.25 Crore Plan To Airlift Bhopal Waste
Almost three decades after deadly gasses spread out of the Union carbide plant in Bhopal, the union cabinet has finally approved the proposal to airlift 350 tonnes of toxic waste from the defunct pesticide factory site to Germany for sale disposal. The central government will pay rs.25Lakh to German firm G12 to remove the waste.
Crime Report 2011 from NCRB
“National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) releases its data of crime happen in India for the year 2011. The report made public shows alarming situation of crime in India. Highlights of this reports given below. The report shows crimes under IPC has registered a 2.5%rise in 2011 over previous year; while crimes under special and local laws -such as Arms Act and Gambling Act – have declined by 7.4%. Total number of crimes reported in India in 2011 are 62.5 lakh. Delhi, Kanpur, Mumbai and Bengaluru accounted for 9.9% , 7.3%, 6.7% and 6.3% of criminal activities, respectively. Andhra Pradesh accounting for nearly 7% of the population of the country recorded 12.4% of the total crimes against women in India.”
Free Medicines For All Scheme
Center’s $5.4 b plan to benefit makers of generics. India has put in a place a 4 5.4 billion policy to provide. Free medicine to its people, a decision that could change the lives of hundreds of millions, but a ban on branded drugs stands to cut Big pharma out of the wind fall. This policy to be implemented by the end of 2012 and rolled out nation wide in 2 years, is expected to provide 52 percent of the population with free drugs by April 2017.
Union Government Of India Unveiled New Free Drug Policy
The Union Government of India unveiled the 5.4 billion dollar free drug to benefit country’s 120 crore population. Under the new policy, every citizen of the country will be provided free medicines in all public health centers spreaded across the country. As the Ministry of Health and Family welfare kept branded drugs out of this policy, the patients will be given only generic drugs. The policy which will remain effective over the next five years will provide a much needed support to nearly 40% people of the country, which spends 1.25 dollar or less a day on health.
States Advised To Give Preferences To Drinking Water & Irrigation Supply
An Alarming depletion in the water levels (at 57 percent of last year’s stage ) of important reservoirs, owing to the delayed and weak south west monsoon, has prompted the central government to issue an advisory to the states on 9 July 2012 to make “Judicious and regulated ” releases. The states have been told to enhance ground water use, Deficient storage in all major dams, expect those in central India.
Least UN-Employed States
India’s jobless rate stood at 3.8 percent last fiscal, with Daman & Diu and Gujarat topping the list of least un-employment among states and Union territories. India’s un-employment is better than other countries like US, Spain and South Africa. The latest report for the year 2011-12 released by the labour bureau . Daman & Diu and Gujarath had un-employment rates of 0.6% and 1% respectively. Chhhattisgardh stood at 3rd , Rajasthan stood at 4th and Punjab stood in 5th place.
Delhi is India’s most competitive city, Mumbai next
Delhi has emerged the most competitive city in the country for the third straight time with the commercial hub of Mumbai retaining the second spot, according to a report by an international think tank released on 11 July 2012.Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata, in that order, make up the top five in rankings of the India City Competitiveness Report-2012, compiled by the Institute for Competitiveness (IFC) that conducts studies in this area for use by businesses and governments.
Centre Ask States To Video Graph Gram sabha Proceedings
Aiming to strengthen the functioning if panchayat Raj institutions, center has advised state governments to video graph Gramsabha proceedings, besides introducing a slew of schemes for improving their set up. For strengthening Gramsabhas with the help of IT- enabled measures, four software including a web portal have been launches by the Ministry and states are ‘being encourages to adopt it’.
Union HRD Ministry Granted Two Central Universities In Bihar
Conceding to the demand of Bihar chief minster Nitish kumar, the Union human Resource Development Ministry agreed to set up two central Universities in the state. The Union Governments nod for two central universities also put an end to the 3-year long impasse over the location of the University . There are 41 central Universities functioning in India at present , with Delhi and up have a maximum of 4 Universities each.
Chandrayaan-II Awaits Government Nod
Indian Space Research Organization chairman k.Radha Krishna said chandrayaan-II , the country’s second mission to Moon, was in the last phase of security approval from the Government and a decision was likely to be announced soon. presenting an overview of the forthcoming missions, Dr,Radha Krishnan said chandrayaan-II was slated for 2012 launch.
LTTE’s Strong Anti-India Posture Continues; Govt Extends Ban
Government has extended the ban on LTTE declaring that it continues to adopt a strong anti- India posture and pose a grave threat to the security of its citizens. LTTE was banned in India in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.In a notification, the Home Ministry said the activities of LTTE are detrimental to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and there is a continuing strong need to control all such separatist activities by all possible means. “LTTE continues to adopt a strong anti-India posture as also continues to pose a grave threat to the security of Indian nationals, it is necessary to declare LTTE as an ‘unlawful association’ with immediate effect”.
Tribal Reserve in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Supreme Court of India on 3 July 2012 declared the area within a five-kilometre radius around the Jarawa Tribal Reserve in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as “no go zone”. The Apex Court banned all commercial and tourism activities near the Jarawa habitat. The court’s verdict came following a news report which showed some tourists throwing money, food and bananas at the tribal people. The news report had forced the government to order an inquiry. Jarawas are one of the oldest living indigenous people in the world. The tribe has their home in the forests of the Andaman Islands in India. The present number of Jarawa tribe is estimated to be about 250-400. Jarawas have been living in the forests of the Andaman Islands for past thousands of years.
INS Sahyadri Adds Teeth To ‘Blue water’ Navy
In the salty sea breeze of an overcast Mumbai monsoon day, the country’s latest warship, the INS Sahyadri, joined the Indian Navy on 21 July 2012. The tricolour and the naval ensign were hoisted, the national anthem played, and AK Antony, the defence minister, formally commissioned the bristling 5,600-tonne warship, urging the crew to “promote peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.” the Sahyadri is the Indian Navy’s 134th ship. Another 46 vessels are under construction, 43 of these in India including three 6,800 tonne destroyers under Project 15A; four similar warships under Project 15B; four 2,500 tonne corvettes under Project 28; and six Scorpene submarine sunder Project 75.
Pranab Mukherjee 13th President of India
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee, 76, was declared elected the 13th president on 22 July 2012. The UPA nominee defeated the former Lok sabha speaker, P.A.Sangama, by 3,97,776 value voter. While Mr. Mukherjee polled 3,095 votes(value 7,13,763) Mr.Sangama got 1483 votes (3.15.987). Mr.Mukherjee who will be sworn in by chief justice of India S.H.Kapadia New Delhi on 23 July 2012. Secured 68.12% of the total 10,47,971 valued votes cast by 4.659 members of the state/Territorial Assemblies and parliament. Only the former president, K.R.Narayanan,secured the maximum value votes of 9,56,290(94.97%) When he won in the 1997 election against the former chief election commissioner, T.N.Seshan.
Uttar Pradesh Government renames Eight Districts in the State
Uttar Pradesh government on 23 July 2012 rechristened eight districts in the state, which had been given a new name by erstwhile BSP government. The UP government’s decision to restore the early name of the districts, which were named after the dalit and OBC icons by the previous Mayawati led government, was taken in a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar was rechristened as Amethi, while Rambai Nagar was named Kanpur Dehat. The districts namely Bheem Nagar, Prabuddha Nagar and Panchseel Nagar will now be known as Sambhal, Shamli and Hapur respectively. Similarly, Kanshiram Nagar, Mahamaya Nagar and JP Nagar will be known as Kasganj, Hathras and Amroha respectively.
Supreme Court allowed Tamil Nadu to carry out Small Maintenance Works on the Mullaperiyar Dam
The Supreme Court of India on 23 July 2012 allowed Tamil Nadu government to carry out repair and maintenance works on the Mullaperiyar dam. However, the court instructed that the repairing and maintenance work is to be carried out in the presence of the Superintending Engineer of Kerala and an independent member nominated by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission.
Changes in Union Cabinet
Congress on 31 July 2012 saw as natural the changes in the Union Cabinet that has witnessed P Chidambaram moving to Finance and Sushilkumar Shinde to Home.
This is Prime Minister’s prerogative after Pranab Mukherjee’s election as President. Naturally there was a vacancy in the Finance Ministry. Chidambaram was today made the Finance Minister as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh effected a minor reshuffle in portfolios in the Union Cabinet, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is the new Home Minister in place of Chidambaram, Corporate Affairs Minister M Veerappa Moily was given the additional charge of Power Ministry.
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