Current Affairs - 10 August 2015

General Affairs

He Called Bihar 'Sick', Insulted its People: Nitish Kumar's Rebuttal to PM Modi

• PATNA:  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar offered a rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Patna.
  
  Here are the highlights of what he said:
  

  • PM Modi came to Bihar for the second time in a short time.
  • There were high expectations.
  • His visit has disappointed yet again.
  • Last time he came, he raised questions about my DNA.
  • He insulted Bihar.
  • We asked him not to make such statements, and asked him to withdraw the comment.
  • He did nothing of the sort.
  • Instead, he called Bihar "unfortunate" and "sick" (bimaru).
  • He forgot the development that has happened in Bihar in education, health.
  • Calling Bihar 'sick', your are making a joke of yourself.
  • He gave examples of two states - Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan - and said they have stopped being sick because BJP has been ruling there.
  • I want to ask, who was at the Centre when these states stopped being sick?
  • There was a different government at the Centre.
  • Bihar is no longer sick.
  • Going by the very same yardsticks that he applied to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Bihar is not sick.
  • Arguments should be based on facts. What are his facts?
  • That development can only happen if there are same governments at Centre and State is nulled by his examples.
  • There were different governments at the Centre and State.
  • And is this cooperative federalism?
  • You are threatening the people that elect us or we won't cooperate with your state government? Is this your idea of cooperative federalism?
  • And what does 'janta ka daman' and 'utpeedan' even mean?
  • Where are these people you allege have been oppressed?
  • The development that has come in the last ten years, he has ignored.
  • He has disowned himself from all the work that we have done in the last few years. I'm glad, I am thankful.
  • The BJP is not at all responsible for any progress in Bihar. He has said this. I am thankful for that.
  • Education, health, development work... They have washed the BJP's hands from all the work.
  • Respected Prime Minister, you are Prime Minister for the entire country.
  • You have made your opinion clear. Jails are places for reform. It's is expected that when people go to jails they will come back reformed.
  • Anyway, it is his belief that people who go to jail come back with bad habits.
  • And he said it at a time his Bihar party president, who spoke right before him, has also sent time in jail.
  • But you did well, you have give the responsibility of Bihar to a person who according to you has such qualities.
  • During the Lok Sabha elections, you had promised that in the first year of your term you would decriminalise Indian politics.
  • We hoped you would make announcements on those lines. But, nothing has been done.
  • He is all about Twitter. His works and talks only on Twitter.
  • Bodh Gaya is the land of enlightenment, land of salvation - He came here and spoke lies.
  • He should have done something in Gaya.
  • More people come to Gaya than Goa.
  • The place has been developed a lot.
  • Everything he says is on Twitter. He listens and hears on Twitter. When I understood this, I also went on Twitter because that's the only way to make him listen.
  • About everything, you have said negative things.
  • And you are threatening that you have to get the same government in Bihar or else there will be no development.
  • Kahaan hai ulta lota? We went straight up to you, asked what we deserved.
  • Whatever he has said is against the federal structure.
  • Talking about cooperative federalism, is like betraying the people. Because you are not doing what you are saying.
  • If there is cooperative federalism, then tell us where is it happening.
  • No work is done in India without the people of Bihar.
  • The kind of things he had said do not suit the Prime Minister or any leader.
  • Calling RJD and JDU names is not befitting.
  • He gave the example of Jharkhand.
  • Mr PM, Jharkhand was a part of Bihar.
  • Most power units, factories, mines have gone to Jharkhand.
  • In the past, you have compared the entire India to Gujarat.
  • But why compare us to Punjab, Odisha now? What contribution do you have in their development?
  • About engineering students. You talked a lot about seats. But you should have said how many engineers you have given employment to?
  • What happened to your promises of minimum support price to our farmers.
  • What happened to your promise of bringing back black money?
  • What happened to the promise of every Indian getting Rs. 15-20 lakhs?
  • Your party chief called all that a 'jumla' (non-serious promise).
  • So is your Party the 'Bharatiya Jumla Party' then?

Army Foils Infiltration Attempt In Jammu and Kashmir, 1 Soldier Killed

• SRINAGAR:  An Indian soldier was killed and two injured in a major operation against infiltrating terrorists in the Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.
  
  The Army said the operation is still underway but is slowed down because the area is under dense forest cover.
  
  In another encounter of the operation, India soldiers foiled an infiltration attempt and killed two terrorists at Jumagund Nar in Keran sector.
  
  Their bodies and assault rifles have been recovered by the Army which engaged the group of terrorists trying to sneak into the Indian side from across the Line of Control.
  
  An Indian Army officer said Indian soldiers challenged the terrorists who started firing indiscriminately.
  
  According to the Army, 21 terrorists have been killed during counter-infiltration operations in last seven weeks along the Line of Control in the Kupwara district.

In Gaya, PM Modi Backs Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Chouhan

• PATNA:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi today backed Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from the most public of forums - an election campaign rally in Bihar's Gaya.
  
  Both ministers have been under fire from the opposition for their involvement in what is called the "Lalitgate" and the Vyapam scam. But the BJP has backed both, turning down the Opposition's demand for their resignation.
  
  Today, while taking on the Nitish Kumar government over development in Bihar, Prime Minister Modi came up with what was seen a powerful endorsement for the two Chief Ministers.
  
  Both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, he said, were included among the "Bimaru" states - an acronym comprising the first letters of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in Hindi, meaning sick -- where the development index was extremely low.
  
  "Rajasthan was called a bimaru (sick) state, but no longer. Under Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan has scaled new heights," he said.
  
  The situation he said, was similar in Madhya Pradesh. But "Madhya Pradesh elected a BJP government... in just 10 or 12 years under Shivraj Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh is no longer a sick state."
  
  In contrast, the 20-year rule of Rashtriya Janata Dal led by Lalu Prasad and JD(U) led by Nitish Kumar, has kept Bihar in the dark, literally.
  
  "These lantern wallahs have kept you in the dark," he said, taking a dig at the poll symbol of RJD, a lantern. "Is there electricity in the state? If there is the lowest per capita consumption of electricity anywhere, it is in Bihar. Even Sikkim, Jharkhand have more power."
  
  "You should get a BJP-NDA government in Bihar, I can speak from experience" he added.

Doubts Over Trinamool Hand In Bengal Student's Murder, Opposition Cries Foul

• KOLKATA:  Fresh controversy has erupted in West Bengal's West Midnapore district where a 21-year-old student, a member of the Congress party's youth wing, was beaten to death inside a college at Sabang.
  
  CCTV footage released by the police have contradicted charges made against three people who are Trinamool  supporters and were named in the FIR over the murder of Congress Chatra Parishad member Krishnapada Jana. The accused were arrested and sent to police custody.  
  
  "Very surprisingly, those who were named in the FIR were not found in the entire CCTV footage of all the 15 cameras, neither with lathi or any other instruments," Bharati Ghosh, the superintendent of police, said.
  
  Instead, Ms Ghosh said, one of the complainants - a leader of the Congress Chatra Parishad - is seen "wielding a lathi (stick) and threatening students".
  
  The opposition has reacted strongly, claiming the police officer is parroting what Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said.
  
  "The CCTV footage is being released selectively and shows nothing. The police superintendent is only repeating what the Chief Minister said," said Manash Bhuiyan, the Congress legislator from Sabang and a senior party leader.
  
  Ms Banerjee has denied any involvement of her party supporters in Jana's death. She instead suggested Jana was killed in a factional fight inside the Congress Chatra Parishad union room on college campus.
  
  "The incident happened inside the congress Chattra Parishad's union room in the college. The door to the union room was closed from inside when Jana was beaten to death with a bat," she said.
  
  CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty said, "The chief minister has set the tone to cover up the murder and the police are following it."
  
  Congress lawmaker Adhir Ranjan Choudhury has called for a Bengal bandh on August 20 to protest Jana's murder.
  
  More CCTV footage is likely to be released soon. Some local sources say Jana was killed in a factional clash and the Trinamool is being dragged in to malign the party.

MH370 Search Resumes on Reunion Island

• SAINT-DENIS DE LA REUNION:  The hunt for more wreckage from the missing MH370 resumed on France's Reunion island in the Indian Ocean today after being suspended since Friday, local officials said.
  
  A search plane circled overhead and foot patrols combed the eastern coastline of the island, resuming a hunt that had been suspended on Friday evening.
  
  "Navy units and police will be mobilised only if debris is found at sea," the local government office said in a statement.
  
  

  A ship used for the search on Friday was forced to turn back due to rough weather.
  
  A wing part was found on the island in late July and confirmed by the Malaysian prime minister to be part of the Boeing 777 which went missing on March 8, 2014 with 239 people onboard.
  
  The search party is using a small military transport plane for the hunt, and also has three police and navy helicopters and three boats at their disposal.
  
  The plane searched a 5,300 square-kilometre zone of the coastal region and sea east of the island on Friday.
  
  Searches are also being carried out on the nearby island of Mauritius.

Business Affairs 

Imports to be last resort, new defence policy to push Make in India

• With 'Make in India' the new mantra for defence manufacturing, the government has decided against importing equipment unless it is impossible to make it at home and this thrust on indigenisation will reflect in the new Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), sources said.

  According to highly placed sources, the modified DPP, a draft of which is ready and under discussion in the defence ministry, is expected to be finalised by the end of this month.

  The document, along with provisions for encouraging domestic industry, will have its spirit summed up in a preamble that will stress on Make in India.

  "The DPP will have a preamble, which will clearly state that every product should be designed, developed and made in India," a highly placed source told IANS, not wishing to be identified by name.

  "Imports will be allowed only in case we cannot make it in India and as a last resort," the source said, quoting from the preamble.

  The defence ministry has recently cleared several big ticket proposals under the Make in India initiative and the new procedure will push it further.

  Among other provisions, the DPP is likely to initiate the process for a Technology Development Fund (TDF), with initial capital of Rs 100 crore, a defence ministry official said.

  This fund will provide financial support to the public and private sector, including small and medium enterprises, and over 69 academic and scientific research and development institutions other than the Defence Research and Development Organisation. The fund will provide support for development of defence equipment and systems that enhance cutting-edge technology in the country.

  There is a provision for promoting domestic manufacturing in the existing DPP under the 'Make Procedure' but officials said it was "not yielding results".

  The government is now likely to provide 80 per cent of the research funding for promoting domestic manufacturing in the defence sector.

  Other changes being made in the procedure include formulating a way to address complaints, as even anonymous and unsigned complaints often delay the procurement procedure. There is also a proposal to redefine the procedure for blacklisting a company.

  "Nuanced changes in the offset policy are also on cards, as the ministry felt the current offset policy is not effective," the official said.

  "In most cases we are being forced to deviate or give concessions to the foreign companies because our policy is not right," the official added.

  He said under the modified DPP, the offset policy will be linked to Make in India.

  The modified procedure has a provision for asking foreign suppliers to forge links with Indian companies and manufacture spare parts in India.

  "We have had discussions with the Russians, Americans, Britons and French on this (offsets) and we have got a positive response," the official said.

  The Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) was first drafted in 1992 and reviewed in 2002. It was then revised in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2013.

  A 10-member panel was constituted by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to modify the DPP document which gave its draft report last month.

Rangarajan favours RBI majority in Monetary Policy Committee

• Rajan Joining the debate over the powers of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor in setting policy rate, the  bank's former head C Rangarajan on Saturday said the government can do away with the veto power of Governor but the majority of members in the Monetary Policy Committee should be from the apex bank.

   Rangarajan's comments come at a time when the government and RBI are finalising the structure of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which will decide the interest rates. The Monetary Policy Framework Agreement has put the onus of inflation management on RBI.

  " I would think that the MPC should have a majority of members from the RBI and the veto power of Governor can be done away with," Rangarajan said.

   The Finance Ministry is expected to soon float a Cabinet note, which might suggest a six-member MPC with three members each from the RBI and the government.

  In case there is an equal representation from the RBI and government, the casting vote should be with the Governor, Rangarajan  said.

  Under the present system, the Governor is appointed by the government, but controls monetary policy and has veto power over the existing advisory committee of RBI members and outside appointees that sets rates. The revised draft of the Indian Financial Code (IFC) as released by the Finance Ministry last month had suggested doing away with this veto power adding that the seven-member MPC to take decisions by a majority vote. Of the seven members, four would be government nominees and the rest from RBI.

  The Bank's present  Governor Raghuram Rajan had earlier this month favoured doing away with the veto power of the central bank chief, arguing it would be better for a committee to decide the key rate rather than one individual. Rajan had said that when a committee decides on rates, it lessens the pressure on individual and also ensures continuity in policy when any single member of the committee changes.

Govt expenditures must be within means: Jaitley

• Stressing the need for fiscal consolidation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that governments spending more than their means could lead to capital flight and loss in value of currency. Speaking at the first Indian Cost Accounts Service Day celebration here, Jaitley said what happened in Greece recently was a direct consequence of the fact that governments there decided not to live within their means.

  The public exchequer, government money is people's money after all and this money is something which is sacrosanct. Sacrosanct for the reason that governments have to learn the discipline of living within their means, he said. In the inter-connected world, if governments do not live within their means, it can have a lot of adverse consequences, Jaitley added. It can lead to outflow of capital, it can have an adverse impact on your currency rates. It can knock off fiscal discipline, Jaitley said.

  The government has pegged the fiscal deficit at 3.9 per cent of the GDP for FY 2015-16 and proposed to lower it to 3 per cent by FY 2017-18.

  Jaitley further said the only way to stick to fiscal discipline and follow the road of fiscal consolidation is either you earn more or spend less. And the ideal route is to do both. And that is what governments are now endeavouring to do, he said. He added that governments need professional advice so as to ensure that they do not overspend.

  And obviously, people with varied experience who run the government, the permanent establishment of the government is civil service. How above the professional the civil service is, its ability at analysing cost could always be limited. And therefore, the creation of a catalyst service which analyses the cost and comes to a realistic assessment of cost is necessarily required, the Finance Minister said.

Par panel asks FinMin to make 15% of PSB branches all-women offices

• A parliamentary panel has recommended making at least 15 per cent Public Sector Banks (PSBs) branches all-women offices to provide safe and convenient work environment to women in the banking sector.

  It has also recommended flexible working hours for women employees to help them balance their professional and family responsibilities. In a report on 'Working Conditions of Women in Public Sector Banks', the panel said that PSBs should be instructed by the Finance Ministry to open at least 15 per cent of their branches as all-women units, especially in those parts of the country where discrimination against women has traditionally been on the higher side than the rest of the country.

  It will make womenfolk feel comfortable to access a banking system that is devoid of gender-biases as well as is non-discriminatory towards them, the Committee on Empowerment of Women said in its report. The report said the government should also work out the modalities for introducing flexible working hours for women employees in PSBs.

  As flexi working hours will allow women employees to strike a balance between her professional and family responsibility, maintain healthy lifestyles and contribute to parenting well, it is recommended for the same and urge upon the government to work out the modalities in this direction, it said.

  The Committee asked the banks to take a lenient view regarding transfer of women employees. There arises the need for the banks to take the most lenient view while taking decisions regarding posting of women employees, keeping in view her spouse's place of posting, her obligation towards off-springs and also the dwelling place of parents in case she is as yet not married, it said.

  The PSBs have a total staff strength of about 8,57,868. Of this, women employees account for 1,96,374, constituting 24 per cent of the total workforce as of September, 2014. Among them 72,625 are officers, 1,02,354 clerks, and 20,475 women work at the level of sub-staff.

Greece, creditors seen closing in on third bailout accord

• Debt ravaged Greece and its creditors resumed talks in Athens on Sunday with both sides indicating that the terms of a third bailout will be finalised in short order.

  The finance and economy ministers, Euclid Tsakalotos and Giorgos Stathakis, were back at the negotiating table with the ECB, the International Monetary Fund and the European Stability Mechanism at 3:00 pm (1200 GMT).

  They are finalising the draft of a crucial new bailout of up to 86 billion euros ($94 billion) in exchange for further reforms before the debt-ridden country must repay 3.4 billion euros to the European Central Bank on August 20.

  Stathakis said ahead of negotiations on Saturday that lasted more than six hours that the talks were in the final stretch.

  On Sunday, pro-government newspaper Avgi said:  All signs are pointing to an agreement... possibly being reached even today. It added that parliament could vote on the accord this week, or that Eurozone finance ministers could approve it first on Friday, after which parliament would vote on it on August 18.

  Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported Sunday that the Greek government would likely approve a 27-page draft memorandum of reform commitments this weekend to allow the new bailout to go through before the August 20 repayment deadline.

  With its lenders insisting on very good cooperation from Athens, both sides are working flat out and intense talks with Greece will continue over the weekend, an EU source said. An agreement will have to be reached by August 17 to prevent Greece from having to ask for a bridging loan to avoid another loan default. The cash-strapped country already missed two key payments to the IMF that were due on June 30 and July 13, but the repayments  -  amounting to around two billion euros  - were later made possible with a short-term EU loan.

  Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is under pressure not only by the payment deadline but also from many in his radical left Syriza party who say the new accord will pile further austerity on a weakened economy and goes against the party's campaign pledges. But with his popularity among Greeks still high, Tsipras has warned the dissidents of early elections in the autumn if they continue to resist the measures.

  Former energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, who has voted against the new bailout agreement, has dismissed it as a negotiating fiasco and said Tsipras could not avoid the outcry by resorting guiltily and hurriedly to elections. Neither a Syriza-led government nor the country have a future if we accept a third memorandum, he said in an interview with Avgi on Sunday.

  Iskra, a website of the Lafazanis-led Left Platform, the anti-euro group inside Syriza, on Saturday raised the prospect of snap elections as soon as the first half of September. Quoting anonymous government sources, the website says the plan was to rush the bailout accord through parliament and then immediately call for snap elections in order to purge MPs who oppose the new bailout.

General Awareness

MODI schemes: Tourism & Pilgrimage Development and Augmentation Yojana Part 8

• • Dear Readers & Aspirants, We collected MODI Schemes, Tourism & Pilgrimage Development and Augmentation Yojanaand make it in PDF format. We Hope it will definitely help you for your Exams.All the Best My Dear Aspirants & Readers.
    • Modi Schemes: Banking & Insurance Part 1
    • Modi Schemes:  Agriculture & Irrigation – Part 2
    • Modi Schemes:  Technology Part 3
    • Modi Schemes: Environmental and Health Part 4
    • Modi Schemes: child and Women Empowerment Part 5
    • Modi Schemes: Rural infrastructure Part 6 
    • Modi Schemes: Urban Infrastructure Part 7
    1.HRIDAY – Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana
    The Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, launched the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme on 21st January, 2015, with a focus on holistic development of heritage cities. The scheme aims to preserve and revitalise soul of the heritage city to reflect the city’s unique character by encouraging aesthetically appealing, accessible, informative & secured environment.
    With a duration of 27 months (completing in March 2017) and a total outlay of INR 500 Crores, the Scheme is being implemented in 12 identified Cities
    The Scheme supports development of core heritage infrastructure projects which shall include revitalization of urban infrastructure for areas around heritage assets identified / approved by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and State Governments. These initiatives shall include development of water supply, sanitation, drainage, waste management, approach roads, footpaths, street lights, tourist conveniences, electricity wiring, landscaping and such citizen services.
    list of HRIDAY selected places
    1. WARNAGAL–TELANGANA
    2. AMRITSAR — PUNJAB
    3. VARANASI–UTTARPRADESH
    4. PURI–BHUBNESWAR
    5. KANCHIPURAM –TAMILNADU
    6. GAYA -BIHAR
    7. MATHURA –UTTARPRADESH
    8. DWARAKA–GUJARAT
    9. BADAMI–KARNATAKA
    10. AMARAVATHI –ANDHRAPARADESH
    11. AJMER–RAJSTHAN
    12. VELANKANNI–TAMILNADU
    
    MOTO _
    • The scheme aims at developing tourism and job creation because India’s rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritages have a huge potential of tourism.
    • Earlier, in his maiden budget speech in July 2014, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had made the announcement of launching HRIDAY scheme.
    • As per the announcement, the scheme will involve a partnership between the government, academic institutions and local communities, combining affordable technologies.
    • The joint consultation included Municipal Commissioners, District Magistrates and other representatives of the Heritage Cities. Other participants included, representatives of institutions and organizations like INTACH, UNESCO, CEPT University, Indian Heritage Cities Network, SAHAPEDIA, India City Walks and Cities Alliance. Participants agreed that the HRIDAY Scheme should focus on engagement with the entire city ecosystem including citizens, tourists and local businesses. It was jointly agreed that 85% of the total outlay will be earmarked for project formulation and execution. The remaining 15% shall be utilized for other critical components, such as capacity building, establishment of Project Management Units, preparation of Heritage Management Plan (HMP), stakeholder engagement. Based on inputs from the consultation, the Ministry finalizes the guidelines for the HRIDAY Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 500 crores.
    2.Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)
    Twelve ancient cities with pilgrimage connections have been identified by the Union Ministry of Tourism for development under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).
    list of PRASAD selected places
    1. Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)
    2. Gaya (Bihar)
    3. Dwarka (Gujarat)
    4. Amritsar (Punjab)
    5. Pushkar-Ajmer (Rajasthan)
    6. Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu)
    7. Vellankani (Tamil Nadu)
    8. Puri (Odisha)
    9. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
    10. Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)
    11. Kedarnath (Uttarakhand)
    12. Kamakhya (Assam)
    Mission directorate
    • The criterion for selection of these cities is their rich heritage and cultural history.
    • To implement the PRASAD scheme a Mission Directorate has been set up in the Ministry of Tourism. The Budget provision of Rs.15.60 crore has been made in Revised Estimate (RE) 2014-15. For Development of basic facilities at Vishnupad Temple, Gaya in Bihar under this Scheme first installment of Rs.85.78 lakh has been released.
    3.SWADESH DARSHAN-world-class infrastructure in the respective destinations
    SWADESH DARSHAN _
    Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) Mahesh Sharma in a written reply said that both the schemes would be implemented in mission mode. Developing world-class infrastructure in the respective destinations/circuits is one of the mission objectives of the schemes, he added. The schemes have been launched in pursuant to the announcements made in budget 2014-15. According to him, under PRASAD, initially, 12 cities namely Amritsar, Ajmer, Amaravati, Dwaraka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Kedarnath, Kamakhya, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi and Vellankani have been identified for development
    AIM
    • develop tourist circuits potential
    • develop intergrated infrastrcuture theme based circuit
    • promote cultrual and heritage value of the country
    • provide complete tourism facility in common based circuit
    • follow commuinity based devlopment and pro-poor tourism approach
    • promote local arts , culture , heritage to generate livelihood in the identified region