27-28 march 2015
27-March-2015
Vikas Swarup appointed as MEA spokesman
Diplomat Vikas Swarup was appointed as an official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 25 March 2015. Swarup a 1986 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer is also author of bestseller debut novelQ&A, on which the Oscar-winning filmSlumdog Millionaire was based.
Swarup succeeds incumbent spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin and will take the charge of the office on 18 April 2015.
Syed Akbaruddin, who became the spokesman of MEA in December 2011, has been appointed as Chief Coordinator of the Indo-Africa Forum Summit. The India-Africa Summit is scheduled to be hosted by New Delhi on 29 October 2015.
At the time of appointment, Swarup was heading the UN Political division of the ministry. Earlier, he has served in several countries like Turkey, US, UK, Japan and South Africa. He has also served as a director of the sensitive PAI (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran) division.
As a novelist, he has published three books namely Q&A(published in 43 languages), Six Suspects and The Accidental Apprentice.
Land customs station inaugurated at Zokhawthar in Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar border
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on 26 March 2015 inaugurated a land customs station at the Indo-Myanmar border trade centre at Zokhawthar in Champhai district of Mizoram.
The Zokhawthar Land Customs Station is equipped with a weigh bridge, plant quarantine building and toll-gate, and was since 2012 authorised to facilitate trade of 62 different commodities.
Beside, Sitharaman also promised the village leaders of Zokhawthar that a branch of State Bank of India and a post office would soon be established in the border trade centre village.
Comment
The Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to pursue development work in the North-Eastern states on a mission mode. Thus the Prime Minister had asked all Union Ministers to quickly deal with all matters and issues of people of these states and sort out them as soon as possible and make ground visits whenever needed.
Book titled Food for All written by Uma Lele
Food for All: Uma Lele
Food for All: International Organizations and the Transformation of Agriculture written by Uma Lele was in news in March 2015. The book will be published by Oxford University Press.
The book surveys the food and agricultural development assistance delivered by five major international organizations since their establishment to gauges their relevance, effectiveness, and impacts in a dramatically changed world.
The five organisations surveyed by the book are: the World Bank Group, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme, International Fund for Agricultural Development and Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research.
The book is the result of a meeting convened at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in October 2010 to explore how to address the challenges and opportunities of the global food and agriculture system.
It draws on research, evaluations, interviews, and the authors’ operational experience to assess organizational responses to the changing external and internal environment to address the post 2015 agenda.
About the Author
Uma Lele is Ph.D from Cornell University and has four decades of experience in agricultural research, project design and implementation, policy analysis, and program evaluation.
She is a former senior adviser to the World Bank and has published notable works on agricultural and rural development.
Union Ministry of Coal launched Electronic Coal Projects Monitoring Portal (e-CPMP)
The Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal launched the e-CPMP (Electronic Coal Projects Monitoring Portal) on 26 March 2015 for tracking projects that entail an investment related to coal. The portal has been developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC).
It is an institutional mechanism to automate the entire tracking of issues related to stalled projects from submission of a new project to commissioning on time.
Characteristic Features of e-CPMP
• The aim of the portal is to enhance efficiency and transparency in the Ministry’s functioning
• It will improve communication between B2G (Business to Government), G2G (Government to Government) and G2B (Government to Business) by automating work processes, removing human interaction and timely disposal of important issues.
• Government agencies, departments, ministries and private entrepreneurs are eligible to submit issues related to stalled projects through the portal.
• It will proactively identify potential and existing bottlenecks in the execution of projects and communicates administrative measures to overcome them.
• The portal also provides for various Graphical Analysis and Reporting functionalities related to coal projects.
• Apart from issues related to stalled projects the portal also acts as a platform to discuss general issues related to the ministry.
Launching of this portal is in tune with the NDA government’s focus on reviving investment climate in the country by removing policy bottlenecks related to infrastructure projects.
CNN IBN announced Indian of the Year Award 2014
CNN-IBN announced the Indian of the Year Award 2014 on 18 March 2015. The award recognises the remarkable achievements and contributions of Indians who worked tirelessly towards strengthening India’s foundation in 2014.
The CNN-IBN Indian of the Year Award is presented annually to various Indians for their work in their respective fields. The awards are presented in various categories of Politics, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Public Service and Global Indian.
The award was instituted in 2006 and this was the ninth edition of CNN-IBN Indian of the Year Award.
List of the Winners of CNN-IBN Award 2014:
Narendra Modi - Indian of the Year 2014
He was chosen for making the story of Lok Sabha elections 2014 - the story of Narendra Modi.
Arun Jaitley - Indian of the Year 2014: Politics
He is credited with ending the festering and unresolved leadership issues within the BJP post the Vajpayee - Advani era.
Jitu Rai - Indian of the Year 2014: Sports
He won three medals including Gold at World Cup, a Commonwealth Gold, a Silver at World Championship and won India's first Gold at Incheon Asian Games in 2014.
N Chandrasekaran - Indian of the Year 2014: Business
He is known for his management and leadership style. He has been the CEO and MD of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) since October 2009 and was re-appointed a few months ago by the company's board for another five year term.
Chetan Bhagat - Indian of the Year 2014: Entertainment
An investment banker, an author and now a screenplay writer, Chetan Bhagat has churned six best-selling novels.
Tongam Rina - Indian of the Year 2014: Public Service
In 2012, Tongam Rina, the Associate Editor of Arunachal Times was shot at close range for writing against the endemic corruption in her state.
Satya Nadella - Indian of the Year 2014: Global Indian
Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella is the third CEO in technology giant Microsoft’s history.
K Chandrasekhar Rao - Indian of the Year 2014: Popular Choice
He steered the oldest statehood movement of India that led to the creation of Telangana in 2014 and went on to become the first Chief Minister of Telangana.
P Vijayan - Indian of the Year 2014: Popular Choice
IPS officer P. Vijayan is the force behind the Student Police Cadet Project that started in Kerala and is now set to go national. The project trains high school students to respect the law and develop empathy for vulnerable sections of society.
Kangana Ranaut - Indian of the Year 2014: Special Achievement
She was recognised for positioning herself as a fearless actor who prefers to speak her mind on and off the screen.
Pankaj Advani - Indian of the Year 2014: Special Achievement
Unlike most of his sporting contemporaries, Pankaj Advani does not have the lure of the Olympics to motivate himself.
Kailash Satyarthi - Indian of the Year 2014: Outstanding Achievement
The Nobel Peace Prize winner of the year 2014. His organization Bachpan Bachao Aandolan has rescued over 82000 children from a life of exploitation.
Azim Premji - Indian of the Year 2014: Outstanding Achievement
The famously reclusive Chairperson of WIPRO, Azim Premji launched the Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiative in 2014 to fund non-profit organizations working in key areas like nutrition, disabilities and governance.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) - Indian of the Year 2014: Lifetime Achievement
For Mangalyaan its mission to Mars had the world gasping in 2014.
India and ADB signed 300 million US dollar loan agreement to improve connectivity in NE Region
The Union Ministry of Finance and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 26 March 2015 signed a loan agreement for 300 million US dollars to improve road connectivity along the North Bengal-North Eastern (NB-NE) Region. The agreement was signed in New Delhi.
The funds will be utilized to improve road connectivity and efficiency of the international trade corridors by expanding roads in NB-NE region of the country.
Tarun Bajaj, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Institutions) in the Department of Economic Affairs of Ministry of Finance and Teresa Kho, ADB’S country Director in India, signed the Agreement on behalf of the Government of India and ADB respectively.
Details of the Agreement
• The loan is the first tranche under 500 million US dollar South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation Road Connectivity Investment Program (SRCIP). Under this multi-tranche program, about 500 km of roads will be constructed in the NB-NE region.
• The funds will be utilized to construct two national highways totaling about 150 km in West Bengal and State roads totaling about 180 km in Manipur, which will be extended till the Myanmar Border.
• The loan amount makes-up nearly 71 percent of the total project cost of about 425 million US dollars with the central and state governments providing counterpart finance of about 125 million US dollars.
• The loan has a 25-year repayment term, including a five-year grace period with an annual interest rate determined in accordance with ADB's LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate)-based lending facility.
• The project is expected to be completed by 31 December 2021.
About SRCIP
SRCIP is a strategic initiative that aims to achieve regional integration among the members of the South Asia Sub regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) group by improving road connectivity within the NB-NE Region in India. The members of this group are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.
Union Government sanctioned 250 crore rupees to Andhra Pradesh to set up Polavaram SPV
he Union Ministry of Finance on 26 March 2015 sanctioned 250 crore rupees to Andhra Pradesh to set up Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the implementation of the Polavaram Multi Purpose Irrigation Project.
This amount is in addition to 100 crore rupees allotted for the project in the 2015-16 Union Budget.
The decision to extend financial assistance is in tune with the Section 90 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 that declares Polavaram project as a national project.
The Polavaram project provides irrigation to 4.36 lakh hectares, water supply to towns and villages en route, and generates hydel power with an installed capacity of 960 MW.
The project is being constructed on the river Godavari in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Under this project few areas of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Odisha states are also submerged.
RBI signed Currency Swap Agreement with Central Bank of Sri Lanka
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 25 March 2015 signed a 400 million US dollar currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The agreement is valid for a period of three years from the date of signing.
According to the agreement, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka can make withdrawals of US dollar or Euro in multiple tranches up to a maximum of 400 million US dollar or its equivalent.
This agreement will further economic co-operation between the two countries and also bring in more financial stability in the region.
The Currency Swap Agreement with Sri Lanka was inked in backdrop of the announcement of May 2012 by the RBI Governor during the SAARCFINANCE Governor’s meeting, held in Nepal. At the meeting, RBI had offered swap facilities aggregating 2 billion US dollar, both in foreign currency and Indian Rupee to neighbouring countries of the SAARC region.
This facility will be available to all South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries, that is, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The swap arrangement is intended to provide a backstop line of funding for the SAARC member countries to meet any balance of payments and liquidity crises till longer term arrangements are made or if there is need for short-term liquidity due to market turbulence.
Supreme Court stayed AFT's decision to quash Army's 2009 Promotion Policy
The Supreme Court of India on 26 March 2015 stayed the decision of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) to quash the Army's promotion policy for the rank of Colonel from January 2009. The 2009 promotion policy of Army is based on Command Exit Model (CEM).
The decision of AFT was stayed by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Justice TS Thakur (head of the bench), Justice R Banumathi and Justice Amitava Roy.
The decision of AFT was quashed by the SC after the Defence Ministry appealed before the SC and justified the CEM policy.
It justified the promotion policy on the grounds that the Army, being the employer, has a right to have its promotion policies and that the AFT should not have interfered in the policy decision.
AFT decision on CEM policy
Earlier on 2 March 2015, the AFT had upheld a petition filed by 30 Army officers against the 2009 promotion policy which gave infantry and artillery more Colonels than other arms and services.
The tribunal quashed the CEM policy on the ground that it was discriminatory and hence in violation of the Article 14 (right to equality) of Constitution of India.
For instance, under the CEM policy in 2009, out of 734 vacancies, 441 vacancies were cornered by infantry and 186 vacancies were cornered by artillery.
CEM policy was pushed in by the Army HQ and is based on the functional requirements of the Army in which Infantry and Artillery are two biggest arms.
Promotion policy in Army
Before the existence of CEM policy, the promotions in Army were made on pro rata basis. That is, promotions up to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel were time-bound if the requisite exams are cleared whereas for the rank of Colonel and above were based on the result of selection boards.
In 2001 the AV Singh Committee (AVSC) constituted to restructure the officer cadre with the objective of reducing the age of battalion and brigade commanders and improving the career aspirations of military officers.
The Kargil Review Committee had recommended that battalion commanding officers or colonels should be around 37 years of age, while brigade commanders should be around 45.
ADB released Asian Development Outlook 2015
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) released the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) on 24 March 2015. The report is titled Financing Asia’s Future Growth.
The ADO report projected that India will overtake China in terms growth rate in Financial Year (FY) 2015, and 2016.
India is forecasted to grow at the rate of 7.4 percent in FY 2014, 7.8 percent in FY 2015 and 8.2 percent in 2016 compared to China’s growth rate of 7.4 percent in FY 2014, 7.2 percent in FY 2015 and 7.0 percent in FY 2016.
Main Highlights of the ADO 2015
• Developing Asia will grow at a steady 6.3percent in 2015 and 2016—the same pace as 2014.
• Driven by the fall in oil prices, Inflation will slow from 3.1 percent in 2014 to 2.6 percent in 2015. As oil prices gradually rebound, inflation will pick up to 3.0 percent in 2016.
• Driven by the growth in the United States (US), the major industrial economies are collectively forecast to expand by 2.2 percent in 2015 and accelerate further to 2.4 percent in 2016.
• Weaker investment in real estates in China is expected to further curtail growth to 7.2 percent in 2015 and 7.0percent in 2016. China grew at a pace of 7.4 percent in 2014.
• The combined GDP of the 10 ASEAN economies is forecast to expand by 4.9 percent in 2015, lifted from 4.4 percent in 2014 by recovery in Indonesia and Thailand.
• Developing Asia has been the main source of global growth since the Financial Crisis in 2009. The region contributed 2.3 percentage points to global GDP growth, nearly 60 percent of the world’s annual 4.0 percent pace.
• The drop in commodity prices, for oil in particular, will enlarge developing Asia’s current account surplus by 0.2 percentage points to 2.5 percent of GDP in 2015.
• Asia has experienced rapid credit growth since the global financial crisis. From 2009 to 2013, proliferating bank loans and bonds in the 14 large economies of developing Asia almost doubled total domestic debt from 18.3 trillion US dollars to 34.1 trillion US dollars.
Dangers to growth in the Asian region
• Reversals in an otherwise supportive environment could dampen growth. If China falters as it adjusts to its new normal, or if India reforms less decisively than anticipated, their slower growth could spill over to others in developing Asia.
• Outside the region, the Greek debt crisis and deepening recession in the Russian Federation may have global consequences.
• The impending rise in US interest rates may reverse capital flows to the region, requiring monetary responses to maintain stability.
• The benefits flowing from the low price of crude oil could evaporate if geopolitical tensions push it sharply higher.
Recommendations for financing Asia’s growth
• Financial stability must be maintained to enhance growth and equity.
• A sound, efficient, and well-regulated financial system can help sustain the region’s growth momentum without jeopardizing stability.
• An inclusive financial system that broadens access to finance is a cornerstone of more inclusive growth.
• Macroprudential policy can be applied to directly tackle excessive credit to certain sectors.
• Capital built by long-term finance is vital for productivity growth and innovation. Bond market development in particular deepens the pool of long-term financing
• The approach to developing the financial sector must fit each country’s circumstances.
• Foreign direct investment and diverse foreign funding can cushion external financial shocks.
ADO and India
The initial phase of the Indian government’s effort to remove structural bottlenecks is lifting investor confidence. With the support of stronger external demand, India is set to expand by 7.8 percent in FY2015 (ending 31 March 2016), a sharp uptick from 7.4 percent growth recorded in FY2014.
This momentum is expected to build to 8.2 percent growth in FY2016, aided by the expected easing of monetary policy in 2015 and a pickup in capital expenditure.
Union Government announced 430 crore rupees project for production of Geo-textile in NE region
The Union Minister of State for Textile Santosh Kumar Gangwar on 25 March 2015 announced a 430 crore rupees project for production of the Geo-textiles in the North Eastern region.
The announcement was during the laying of foundation stone for first ever modern Apparel and Garment Manufacturing Centre in Gangtok, Sikkim.
The Geo-textile will be very helpful in protecting the infrastructure like roads, especially in the regions like the North East which receive excessive rain.
Beside this, the Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling stressed on the need for imparting training to the local youth for creating a locally available manpower for the textile industry and also for ensuring usage of locally available material like bamboo in textile production.
What are Geo-textiles?
Geo-textiles, also called filter fabrics, are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain.
These textiles are made from polypropylene or polyester and come in three basic forms: woven (resembling mail bag sacking), needle punched (resembling felt), or heat bonded (resembling ironed felt).
TC Goyal to retire from the post of Managing Director of DLF Limited
TC Goyal, the Managing Director realty major DLF Limited, will retire on 31 March 2015. This was informed by the company in a filing to Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on 26 March 2015.
He will also resign as director of the company. His resignation has been accepted by the Board of Directors of DLF Limited.
Mohit Gujral and Rajeev Talwar would be jointly responsible for affairs of the company after the retirement of TC Goyal. Mohit Gujral and Rajeev Talwar are the Whole Time Directors of the company.
Goyal will continue to be associated with the company as chief mentor to help, advise and guide the leadership team.
He had joined the company in 1981 and was elevated to the position of managing director in 1998.Goyal successfully steered the company in various phases of its growth and expansion.
Railway Minister flagged off first goods train from Lumding to Silchar in Assam
The Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 27 March 2015 flagged off the first goods train from Lumding to Silchar in Assam. He flagged off the train through video conferencing at a function in New Delhi.
Prabhu announced a cash award for those involved in the Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion project which will give thrust to better rail connectivity in North Eastern states.
In addition to Lumding-Silchar broad gauge, Union government had floated other rail projects to provide rail connectivity in the NE states of Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura which are expected to be completed by March 2016. These rail projects are:
• Badarpur-Kumarghat project of 118 kilometer
• Arunachal-Jiribam (50 kilometer)
• Baraigram-Dullabchera (29 kilometer)
• Karimganj-Mahishana including Karimganj bypass (13.50 kilometer)
About Lumding-Silchar section in Assam
The gauge conversion of 210 kilometer Lumding-Silchar section in Assam connects Barak valley of Assam with the rest of the country. It was completed at a cost of 3500 crore rupees.
The broad gauge line comrpises of 21 tunnels (with the longest of 3.23 kilometer length), 79 major bridges and 340 minor bridges, 28 stations and four halt stations.
Lumding is a town and a municipal board in Nagaon district in Assam, while, Silchar is the headquarters of Cachar district of Assam and lies 343 kilometres south east of Guwahati.
The Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 27 March 2015 flagged off the first goods train from Lumding to Silchar in Assam. He flagged off the train through video conferencing at a function in New Delhi.
UN unveiled Arc of Return for victims of transatlantic slave trade
Arc of Return: Permanent memorial for victims of transatlantic trade
The term Arc of Return was in news as the United Nations (UN) unveiled the permanent memorial for victims of transatlantic trade at the UN headquarters in New York, USA.
The Arc was unveiled by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the occasion of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March 2015.
The memorial reminds not only the gross injustice done to African slaves but also the successful journey of the UN in restoring their dignity by actively condemning the practice.
India contributed 260000 US dollar to the memorial which was built under the supervision of Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon.
ADB sanctioned 300 million US dollars under SCRIP for road construction in NBNE region
CRIP: SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program
The abbreviation SCRIP (SASEC Road Connectivity Investment Program) was in news as a loan agreement of 300 million US dollars under the programme was signed between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Union Ministry of Finance on 26 March 2015.
Under this multi-tranche programme, about 500 km of roads will be constructed in the North Bengal-North East (NBNE) region. ADB is providing 500 million US dollars for the execution of the programme.
SRCIP is a strategic initiative that aims to achieve regional integration among the members of the South Asia Sub regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) group by improving road connectivity within the North Bengal-North Eastern Region in India. The members of this group are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal.
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade observed
25 March: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2015 was observed globally on 25 March 2015. The theme for the year 2015 is Women and Slavery.
The theme is a tribute to the many women who suffered and died during the slave trade.
On this occasion the United Nations (UN) unveiled a permanent memorial for victims of transatlantic trade, named as Arc of Retrun, at the UN headquarters in New York. The memorial reminds not only the gross injustice done to African slaves but also the successful journey of the UN in restoring their dignity by actively condemning the practice.
Background
The decision to observe the Remembrance Day was taken by the UN in its resolution 62/122 of 17 December 2007.
The resolution also called for the establishment of an outreach programme to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice.
The theme for the year 2014 was Victory over Slavery: Haiti and Beyond.
25 March: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2015 was observed globally on 25 March 2015. The theme for the year 2015 is Women and Slavery.
The theme is a tribute to the many women who suffered and died during the slave trade.
On this occasion the United Nations (UN) unveiled a permanent memorial for victims of transatlantic trade, named as Arc of Retrun, at the UN headquarters in New York. The memorial reminds not only the gross injustice done to African slaves but also the successful journey of the UN in restoring their dignity by actively condemning the practice.
Background
The decision to observe the Remembrance Day was taken by the UN in its resolution 62/122 of 17 December 2007.
The resolution also called for the establishment of an outreach programme to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice.
The theme for the year 2014 was Victory over Slavery: Haiti and Beyond.
Nobel Laureate John Nash won Abel Prize 2015 for work on partial differential equations
Nobel Laureate John F Nash Jr. won the Abel Prize 2015 for his work on partial differential equations. The prize was announced on 25 March 2015 by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters. They will receive the Abel Prize from His Majesty King Harald at a ceremony in Oslo on 19 May 2015.
He will share the Prize with Louis Nirenberg, Professor Emeritus at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. They both will share the prize money of 760000 US dollar.
Nash and Nirenberg won the prize for striking and seminal contributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations and its applications to geometric analysis. Partial differential equations are important in both pure math and describing natural phenomena.
John Nash is a senior research mathematician at Princeton University. He won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994 for his work in game theory as dramatized in the 2001 film A Beautiful Mind in which he was portrayed by actor Russell Crowe.
About the Abel Prize
The Abel Prize is an international prize presented annually by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians. The prize was named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.
The award was established in 2001 by the Government of Norway and complements the Holberg Prize in the humanities.
The Abel Prize has often been described as the mathematician's Nobel Prize, competing in that respect with the much older Fields Medal. It comes with a monetary award of 6 million Norwegian kroner (NOK).
In 2014, it was won by Yakov G Sinai, Professor at Princeton University and Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences.
The first Abel Prize was won by Jean-Pierre Serre, Professor at Collège de France, Paris in 2003.
ISRO won Gandhi Peace Prize 2014
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 27 March 2015 won Gandhi Peace Prize 2014. The award was selected by the jury under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Besides Prime Minister, other members of the Jury that selected the ISRO for the award were Justice H L Dattu, Chief Justice of India; Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the single largest Opposition Party in the Lok Sabha; LK Advani, Member of Parliament and Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
The Indian space agency successfully launched Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and at a very cost effective price of 450 crore rupees.
The launch makes India the first Asian country to enter the Martian sphere of influence.
ISRO became the fourth space agency after National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the US, Russian Federal Space Agency (RFSA) and European Space Agency to have undertaken a mission to Mars.
Besides launching various research and communication satellites, the space agency through its cutting-edge technologies contributes to the nation's development through satellite based education, health care and connectivity to community activities for sustainable economic development.
About the Award
The Gandhi Peace Prize for social, economic and political transformation through non-violence was instituted in the year 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
It is given to individual or organisation for making social, economic and political transformation through non-violence means.
The award comprises an amount of one crore rupees and a citation.
Previous recipients of the award includes
• Julius K Nyerere, former Tanzanian President (he was the first recipient of the award in 1995)
• Nelson Mandela, former South African President,
• AT Ariyaratne, founder President of Sarvodaya Shramadana movement in Sri Lanka
• Gerhard Fischer of Rama Krishna Mission in Germany and
• Baba Amte (Murlidhar Devidas Amte), a social worker of India who is known particularly for his work for the rehabilitation and empowerment of poor people suffering from leprosy
• Archbishop Desmond Tutu, cleric and activist of South Africa (received the award in 2005)
28-march-2015
Delhi Government launched India’s first e-ration card Service
Delhi Government on 27 March 2015 launched India’s first e-ration card service. The service was launched by the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal.
in this service, E-ration card will be linked with Aadhaar cards and it would enable the beneficiaries of Public Distribution System (PDS) to get the cards online from the government’s web portal without hassles.
The new service is expected to curb corruption and increase transparency in the system.
The service would cut down the delays in preparation of ration card and would ensure the fast delivery to the beneficiaries.
As soon as an application for providing food security is approved by the Food Supply Officer concerned, a message will go to the cellphone number of the beneficiary informing him or her about approval of application and ration card.
The beneficiary can go to the portal of the department, http://nfs.delhi.gov.in, enter the ration card number and other basic information and get a password on cellphone. After entry of this password, the e-ration card will be generated which can be stored in the electronic form and used to get the ration supplies. It can also be printed by the beneficiary from anywhere.
President presented Bharat Ratna award to Atal Bihari Vajpayee
President of India Pranab Mukherjii on 27 March 2015 presented Bharat Ratna award to Former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his home. Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian honour.
He is the seventh prime minister to receive the award after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Gulzarilal Nanda.
The award giving ceremony is usually held at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, but an exception was made keeping in mind the poor health of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Vajpayee is the first non-Congress prime minister to serve full five years in office. He held the post from 1998 to 2004. In 1996, he had held the post for 13 days. Within two weeks of assuming office for a second time, Vajpayee had ordered nuclear tests at Pokhran.
During his tenure, he is credited with taking bold initiatives, notable among them being the historic bus journey to Lahore in 1999 when he signed the landmark Lahore Declaration with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with both sides pledging to push for peace and security.
His other awards are:
• Padma Vibhushan in 1992
• Lokmanya Tilak Award in 1994 by Government of India
• Best Parliamentarian Award in 1994.
• Bharat Ratna Pandit Govind Vallabh Pant Award in 1994
He is famous for his writing style. Some of his penned Autobiographies are:
• Atal Bihari Vaj mem tina dasaka (1992)
• Pradhanamantri Atala Bihari Vajapeyi, chune hue bhashana
• Values, vision & verses of Vajpayee: India's man of destiny
• India's foreign policy: New dimensions
• Assam problem: Repression no solution
Fortune released the list of 2015 roster of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders
Fortune Magazine on 26 March 2015 has released the list of 2015 roster of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.
The list included Prime Minister of India at 5th rank and Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi at the 28th rank.
The list was topped by Apple CEO Tim Cook. Others are European Central Bank President Mario Draghi at the second rank, followed by Chinese President Xi Jingping at third Rank, Pope Francis at fourth rank and General Motors CEO Mary Barra at ninth rank.
A notable exclusion from the list is US President Barack Obama, who has not been named in the list for a second year in a row.
Fortune mentioned that Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India has actually begun to deliver on his election promises and is making genuine progress in his efforts to make India more business-friendly and less regulated, addressing violence against women, improving sanitation and patching up relations with other Asian countries and the US.
Regarding Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, Fortune said that he has led the global fight against child labor for more than three decades. It said no one has done as much to prevent child labour as he has.
The list also includes Indian-origin CEO of nonprofit Last Mile Health Raj Panjabi on the 34th rank. Panjabi, a native of Liberia, is working with Liberia's government to launch a national community health worker programme.
Saina, Srikant won India Open Super Series Badminton Women's & Men's Singles titles
Indian shuttlers, Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth on 29 March 2015 won the women’s and men's singles titles of the 275000 dollar India Open Super Series badminton tournament.
In the final clash played at the Siri Fort Indoor Complex in New Delhi, Saina defeated former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-16, 21-14.
Later in the title clash of the men’s section, World Number Four and second seed Srikanth defeated sixth seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 18-21, 21-13, 21-12. It is second Super Series title of his career.
This was their maiden women and men's singles titles at the India Open Super Series badminton tournament.
Earlier on 28 March 2015, Saina Nehwal became the first woman badminton player from India to be ranked number one in the world. She is the second Indian player to achieve this feat, after Prakash Padukone.