Current Affairs - December 20, 2013

Current Affairs

December 20, 2013

International Affairs

1. 'International Human Solidarity Day' observed today. Theme is to 'Bridge the gaps to reach the Millennium Development Goals'.

2. Russia on Friday blocked a US-drafted UN Security Council statement condemning the Syrian government's increasing military offensive on Aleppo, diplomats said.

3. The United States has ruled out acceding to either of the two Indian demands - withdrawal of charges against its diplomat Devyani Khobragade, and an apology for alleged mistreatment, after her arrest in New York last week.

4. North Korea has threatened a "merciless" strike against the South after activists burned effigies of the ruling Kim dynasty on the anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-II.

5. Russian President Vladimir Putin decrees to pardon jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. 

i. Having spent 10 years in jail, Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky walked free out of jail on Friday after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree pardoning him, reports said.

ii. Khodorkovsky walked out of the jail eight months before his scheduled release as Putin had announced yesterday his decision to pardon him.

iii. Putin, who is known for marathon press conferences, had announced the surprise decision yesterday in an annual presser, when asked about Khodorkovsky.

iv. Explaining his move, Putin cited that Khodorkovsky, formerly the richest man of Russia and also Putin’s top political foe, had asked for a pardon.

v. “He has been in jail already more than ten years… this is a serious punishment… He cites humanitarian reasons. His mother is ill, “Putin said.

vi. Khordorkovsky, who has already spent over a decade in jail, was convicted of crimes including fraud, theft and money laundering and arrested in 2003.

6. ‘India to become 3rd largest aviation market in world by 2020′
i. India is expected to become the third largest aviation market by in the world by 2020after the US and China, Civil Aviation Secretary KN Shrivastava said.

ii.“India is among the fastest growing and currently the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world,” he said, speaking at an event here to rename Bengaluru International airport as Kempegowda international airport.

iii.At present, the Indian aviation market is witnessing 117 million domestic and 43 million international passengers, he added.

iv.“India’s domestic aviation market is the second highest growing market in the world after China, and it is expected to become the third largest aviation market in the world after the US and China by 2020,” he said.

7. Aizaz Chaudhry is Pakistan’s new Foreign Secretary

i. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has cleared the appointment of career diplomat Aizaz Chaudhry, one of the key officials who handled the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, as Pakistan’s new Foreign Secretary.

ii. Chaudhry, a moderate known for his strong conviction, earlier served as Foreign Office spokesman and Additional Foreign Secretary.

iii. Current Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani has already been named as Pakistan’s new Ambassador to the US. Chaudhry’s appointment came after he was promoted with several other diplomats this week.

National Affairs

8. Sushma Singh takes oath as New CIC !
i. President Pranab Mukherjee appointed Sushma Singh as the new Chief Information Commissioner of India.
ii. She is the second woman to become CIC after Deepak Sandhu, whose term comes to an end later this month.

iii. A panel comprising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, and Law Minister Kapil Sibal appointed Ms. Singh.

iv. Prior to joining the CIC, Ms. Singh served as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministries of Information & Broadcasting, Panchyati Raj and the Development of the North East Region (DONER).

Note: The CIC is mandated to resolve appeals and complaints filed by information seekers, under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, against government departments or public authorities.

9. Petroleum Ministry conferred National E-governance Award

i. The Petroleum Ministry has been awarded the National E-governance Award by Computer Society of India for implementing project ‘Lakshya’ which is aimed at improving LPG distribution.

ii. “The prestigious CSI Nihilent National e-Governance Award 2012-13 was awarded to the Project Lakshya — Empowering Consumers: Transparent Supply Chain and Efficient Subsidy Administration at Vishakhapatnam as part of 48th Annual Convention of Computer Society of India (CSI-2013),” a ministry press release said.

iii. The award was received by Neeraj Mittal, Joint Secretary, Marketing, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, at the ceremony along with a team of officers from oil marketing companies.

iv. This award is recognition of the IT initiatives undertaken by the ministry to improve LPG distribution system efficiency by bringing transparency and competition in LPG marketing and by plugging the subsidy leakages in LPG supply chain,” it said.

10. Search for RBI deputy governor Sinha’s replacement starts

i. The government has started the process of finding replacement for Anand Sinha,deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India who retires on 18 January, 2014.

ii. A four member search panel headed RBI governor Raghuram Rajan will interview nine executive directors on 27 December for select Sinha’s successor.

iii. The other members of the selection committee are Rajiv Takru, secretary, financial services, Shekhar Chaudhuri, professor and former director of Indian institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta and Prakash Apte, former director of IIM-Banglaore. To be eligible for becoming deputy governor, a person needs to be below 60 years.

iv. G Gopalakrishna, the senior most executive director of RBI is seen as a strong contender for the post, along with executive directors, R Gandhi and P Vijaya Bhaskar.

v. G Gopalakrishna, the senior most executive director of RBI is seen as a strong contender for the post, along with executive directors, R Gandhi and P Vijaya Bhaskar.

vi. However, the new deputy governor may not automatically get Sinha’s portfolio and the governor can award outgoing DG departments to others.

vii. The other deputy governors of RBI are K C Chakrabarty, HR Khan and Urjit Patel. Chakrabraty– who was a commercial banker – will also retire in June 2014, after completing five years in RBI.

11. Following protests and outcry, government files review petition in Supreme Court for re-examination of its ruling on constitutional validity of IPC Section 377 regarding Gay Sex.

Review petition on the ground of violation of  fundamental rights (Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution).

Government has also requested an "open court" argument as generally review petitions are decided in chamber hearing.

Earlier in its ruling a division bench (2 Judge) had validated Section 377 which holds Gay sex an offence punishable with life imprisonment.

12. Rs 6,600-cr sweetener for sugar mills Govt clears interest-free loans to clear cane farmer arrears; proposal on raising grain buffer stocks to GoM

i. Sugar mills will be eligible for a combined Rs 6,600 crore ofinterest-free loans, to be able to pay arrears to cane farmers. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) cleared a proposal in this regard on Thursday.

ii. The original proposal was to give interest-free loans of Rs 7,200 crore. CCEA has also allowed mills to sell sugar without any quantitative restriction.

iii. However, it decided to retain the mandatory limits on grain buffer stocks, against a proposal to increase these, in view of the new food security law. It decided to refer the matter to a panel for closer scrutiny, comprising Agriculture MinisterSharad Pawar, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

13. V Balakrishnan quits Infosys – 8th big exit

i. Infosys today announced the resignation of Director V. Balakrishnan, who was widely tipped to be in the race for becoming the company’s next chief executive officer when the incumbent S.D. Shibulal retires in 2015.

ii.The resignation is effective December 31, 2013, Infosys said in a statement

iii.Balakrishnan, who was earlier the chief financial officer at India’s second largest information technology (IT) firm, is also the Head of Infosys BPO, Finacle, and India Business Unit, as well as the Chairman of Infosys Lodestone.

14. Javed Akthar, Mridula Garg chosen for Sahitya Akademi Awards

i. Bollywood lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar, Hindi novelist Mridula Garg and renowned Bengali poet Subodh Sarkar are among those selected for this year’s Sahitya Akademi Award.

ii. The Akademi said eight books of poetry, four essays, three novels, two short stories, two travelogues, an autobiography, a memoir and one play have been chosen for the coveted award.

iii. Akhtar has been chosen for “Lava”, his compilation of 55 Urdu poems.

iv. The Awards are recommended by distinguished jury members, representing 22 Indian languages and approved by the Executive Board of the Akademi, which met on Wednesday under the Chair of Sahitya Akademi President Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari.
v. The award, a literary honour conferred to writers for their outstanding works in the field of literature, is scheduled to be conferred in New Delhi on 11th March during the annual Akademi’s Festival of Letters.

vi. Mridula Garg (Hindi- Miljul Man), R N Joe D’ Cruz (Tamil-Korkai) and Manmohan (Punjabi- Nirvaan) won it for novels.
vii. Sureshwar Jha (Maithili- Sangharsh Aa Sehanta) won the award for memoir, M N Paloor (Malayalam- Kathayillathavante Katha) for autobiography and Bijoy Mishra (Odiya-Banaprastha) for a play.

15. Tejas aircraft gets initial official clearance

i. Tejas, India’s indigeneously-designed Light Combat Aircraft,on Friday got initial operation clearance (IOC-II).

ii. Defence minister AK Antony handed over release to service document (RTS) to Indian Air Force chief NAK Browne.

iii. The certification paves the way for the induction of Tejas into the Indian Air Force.

16. Former Rajasthan Agriculture minister Harjiram Burdak, 84 dies.

Science and Technology

17. The indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas got its second Initial Operation Clearance today at an event in Bangalore, attended by Defence Minister A K Antony.

18. Samsung's next-generation flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, could sport a new exterior featuring a scratch-resistant coating with a diamond-like material.

19. Department of Telecommunications to start pre-bid conference for 2G spectrum auction and allocate spectrum to players next year.