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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 26 December 2014

:: National ::

PM leads ‘good governance’ carol

It was Christmas for the rest of the world, but for the Modi government, it was Good Governance Day — the regime’s tribute to BJP veteran and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 90th birthday.
Schools and universities in the national capital remained closed, but several Union Ministries marked the day with e-governance initiatives, launch of new programmes and websites.
Some dedicated existing initiatives to the nation, while others released year-end reviews of their programmes.
The government’s decision to celebrate Good Governance Day on Christmas had invited criticism from several quarters, but it went ahead with its programme of events.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the programmes with a visit to his Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, launching development activities and participating in the “Clean India” campaign.
On his second visit to Varanasi after becoming Prime Minister, Mr. Modi took part in the Swachh Bharat mission and inaugurated development works in the city.
While commencing expansion of diesel locomotive works, Mr. Modi asked the people to shed inhibitions over foreign and private capital that could be used in improving railway infrastructure.
At Banaras Hindu University, Mr. Modi launched a mission in the name of the university’s founder, Madan Mohan Malaviya, who along with Mr. Vajpayee has been chosen for the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna.

No privatisation of Railways: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi categorically ruled out plans to privatise the Railways. He said he was committed to bringing in huge investments, domestic as well as foreign, to ensure a turnaround of the sector that would boost economic growth and development.
He also announced plans to set up four railway universities and explore the option of utilising railway stations in rural areas as skill development centres.
“Rumours being spread about privatisation of the railways are totally wrong and baseless... I have never thought about it and will never do it,” Mr. Modi said after inaugurating a project for expansion of the local Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW).
Asking employees’ unions to trust him and work for modernisation of India’s largest transporter, he said: “My vision is to make railways the backbone of India’s growth.” He said railway stations in rural areas that had very limited footfalls would double up as skill development centres to train rural youth.

No talks with NDFB says Home Minister (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: International ::

Asia marks 10 years since Indian Ocean tsunami

Beachside memorials and religious services were planned across Asia to mark 10 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami slammed into a dozen nations and killed nearly a quarter million people.
Survivors, government officials, diplomats and family members of victims will attend ceremonies on Friday in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and elsewhere as part of the day’s solemn commemorations.
On December 26, 2004, the region’s most powerful earthquake in 40 years tore open the sea bed off Indonesia’s Sumatra, displacing billions of tonnes of water and sending waves roaring across the Indian Ocean at jetliner speeds as far away as East Africa.
About 230,000 people were killed by the disaster. Many victims were never found or never identified.

WB approves $75 million credit to the States (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: Business & Economy ::

Tea industry fears hurdles to PPC implementation from Jan 1

Sensing several challenges in the way of implementation of the Plant Protection Code (PPC) from January 1, 2015, the Consultative Committee of Plantation Association (CCPA), the apex body of planters, said that the Tea Board and the Commerce Ministry need to be sensitised about the hurdles faced by them.
They wanted implementation to happen over a gradual manner. This comes at a time major buyers such as Tata Global Beverages and Hindustan Unilever have sought confirmation on the immediate implementation, voicing concern that they were the ones who remained vulnerable to regulatory action by the State government for the teas that they were sold in packaged form.
The PPC is a comprehensive document, developed by the Tea Board, which lays down the manner in which chemicals are to be used safely, in tea cultivation. Its implementation was deferred from September 1, 2014, to January 1, 2015.
The CCPA had called a meeting of all the stakeholders recently to review the status. “It was nobody’s intention to delay the implementation, it was pointed out.
However, there were certain critical areas which needed action, it was argued. Tea growers felt that the list of chemicals and pesticides (plant protection formulations) should be expanded.
Also, some chemicals removed earlier had to be restored as they were crucial in tea cultivation. Quite a few of the pests had not been attended at all by the PPC,” the industry said noting that the PPC was not aligned to the list of key chemicals allowed by the European Union.
The CCPA also highlighted the need to give attention to the small tea growers’ sector, whose importance was growing in tea cultivation.
Aiming to achieve sustainability through Good Agricultural Practices, including integrated pest management by gradually reducing dependence on chemicals, the Tea Board had issued a directive under the Tea Marketing (Control) Order, 2003, in March.
The regulator said that the industry was facing increased challenges by the way of awareness among consumers on the need for using safer, healthier and more environment-friendly products.

Sumitomo Mitsui (SMTB) to pick up stake in Reliance Cap. Ltd. (Register and Login to read Full News..)

BPL expecting a business of Rs. 500 cr. from home automation (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: Sports ::

Hockey India League, Rupinder keen to perform well

Bracing up for the third Hero Hockey India League, penalty corner specialist Rupinder Pal Singh said he would be aim to be a standout performer for his team -- defending champions Delhi Waveriders.
Playing for Delhi Waveriders consecutively for the third time, Rupinder is eagerly waiting to display his proficiency alongside an experienced bunch of defenders like India’s Surender Kumar and Diwakar Ram, New Zealand’s Steven Edwards, Andrew Hayward and Australia’s Tristan White.
The 23-year-old drag-flicker has been a significant contributor to the Delhi Waveriders in both the seasons and played a major role in steering his team to win the second season of the tournament.
Rupinder is keen to share the field with Edwards and White who have successfully boosted the Waveriders defence.
Speaking on the upcoming tournament, an excited Rupinder said, “Playing for a team which has been the champion in the last season, I am much more confident and geared up to play our first match against Uttar Pradesh Warriors.
“With an advantage of a good defence line up, I am looking forward to a successful tournament for my team and aiming to retain the title.
“Under the very efficient leadership of Sardar Singh, supported by the brilliant Danish Mujtaba along with much experienced Gurbaj Singh, young Akashdeep Singh and Yuvraj Walmiki to name a few, I am anticipating a good game of hockey from my team.
I am even waiting to play alongside Andrew Hayward who will be new to the team this year and going by his record it will be an experience for me to play with him,” he added.

:: Science & Technology ::

DRDO conducts first test-flight of ‘Panchi’

Panchi, the wheeled version of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Nishant, capable of taking off from and landing on small airstrips, had its maiden flight on December 24 from an airfield at Kolar in Karnataka.
The aim of the flight, which lasted 25 minutes, was “to demonstrate that Panchi can take off and land on its wheels. It was a textbook flight,” said Anil Kumar Agarwal, Project Director, Panchi.
The flight was preceded by high-speed taxi trials that began at the Kolar airfield on November 22. Panchi was designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility at Bengaluru.
K. Tamilmani, Director-General (Aeronautical Systems) of the DRDO, lauded “the aggressive efforts in the past eight months by the ADE team, which led to the creation of this version.”
Nishant, which has an underbelly airbag, is launched by a catapult, and lands with the help of an onboard parachute. Panchi has all the surveillance capabilities of Nishant, but it can stay in the air longer because it does not have to carry the airbag and the parachute systems of the other.
It is also a light vehicle with its body made of composites, and has a high degree of stealth because it has a low radar cross-section signature.
Mr. Agarwal said that since the Army wanted a wheeled version of Nishant, the ADE quickly developed it with modifications to the hardware and software.
Ravi Kumar Gupta, Director of Public Interface, DRDO, said Nishant which had already been with the Army, was designed for battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance, tracking of targets and artillery fire correction. A sophisticated image processing system was used for analysing the images transmitted by it.