10th December 2013 - Current Affairs

Published for http://www.jobentra.blogspot.com

1.    Human Rights Day is being observed today

i. Human Rights Day was observed across the world on 10 December 2013 to bring to light the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 2013

ii. Theme of the day is 20 Years Working for Your Rights.

iii. In his message, Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Justice K G Balakrishnan asked people to resolve to help maintain a value-based society and stand up for the promotion and protection of human rights. NHRC is observing the day by organising a programme in New Delhi which was addressed by Vice President Hamid Ansari. 

Human Rights Day
The UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day in 1950, to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

United Nations Human Rights Prize
The UN Human Rights Prize is given on 10 December to the individuals and organizations in recognition of outstanding achievement in human rights.

2.    Sumit Bose appointed as Finance Secretary

i. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has appointed Sumit Bose, a 1976 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer, as Finance Secretary.

ii. Bose would replace R S Gujral (1976, Haryana cadre), who superannuated recently.

iii. The country top Finance man brings with him, not only the seniority but variegated experience in his chequered career spanning above 37 years.

iv. Arvind Mayaram (economic affairs) and  Ratan P Watal (expenditure) are the other two secretaries. ACC also upgraded  as the additional secretary (finance) in the department of atomic energy.

v. The post of the finance secretary fell vacant after R.S. Gujral who was also looking after the expenditure department, retired last month. Watal took over as secretary in the expenditure department.

vi. Educated at the Doon School, Dehradun (class of 1970), St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and the London School of Economics, Bose had joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1976.

3.    CCI imposes Rs 1,773-cr penalty on Coal India

i. The country's fair trade regulator has imposed a penalty of Rs 1,773 crore on Coal India for abusing its dominant position.

ii. Sources said the Competition Commission of India issued the order after investigating two complaints filed by customers of CIL and its subsidiaries.

iii. The first is by Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco) against CIL and Mahanadi Coalfields and Western Coalfields against abuse of their dominant market position.

iv. The other complaint was by the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation.

v. Also, protests have been voiced against CIL’s unilateral right to terminate supplies, seeking security deposits and the mechanism for settlement of disputes between the supplier and the buyer.

vi. Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of the 530 million tonnes of coal produced in the country.

4.    India gives Nepal Rs 374 million to control floods 

i. India on Monday handed over Rs 374.68 million to Nepal to build embankments on three border rivers to control floods affecting both neighbours. 

ii. The constructions along the Lalbakeya, Bagmati and Kamla rivers in southern Nepal are being undertaken in accordance with the decisions taken by the India-Nepal Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management. 

iii. Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae, handed over a cheque in Kathmandu on Monday to Umakant Jha, Minister for Energy, Irrigation and Science and Technology. 

iv. India remains committed to continue working closely with Nepal for further cooperation in the field of Water Resources so that this contributes to the development and prosperity of a close and friendly neighbour," a statement from the Indian embassy said. 

5.    AAP to contest all 90 seats in Haryana Assembly polls next year

i. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to contest all 90 seats in the Haryana Assembly polls next year.

ii. AAP state spokesman Rajiv Godara said that they will start preparing for the polls within a week, but will not ally with any party. 

iii. AAP leaders are confident the party's performance in Delhi would have a positive impact on their performance in Haryana.

iv. He said that they will raise problems like poor education, health and sewerage, which otherwise do not become poll issues. 

v. Meanwhile, Haryana Transport Minister Aftab Ahmed said that AAP's performance in Delhi's poll would not have any significant impact in Haryana. He said that Congress is strong in the state and has tsaken up lot of development projects.

6.    Mid-day meal scheme of India at 12th rank among lower-middle-income countries

i. A report released by the World Food Project (WFP) for 2013 on 169 countries has said that India’s midday meal programme stands 12th among 35 lower middle income countries.

ii. However it noted that India has the largest school feeding programme in the world, catering to over 114 million children. It covers almost 79 per cent of its total number of school-going children.

iii. The report has been titled State of School Feeding Worldwide, 2013 has based its conclusions on a global survey conducted by the World Food Programme in2012. The report shows praise for India’s mid-day meal scheme as a good example of a mixed implementation approach.

iv. It observes the two procurement processes in India’s Midday Meal scheme— one for food grains, which are subsidized by the Centre through Food Corporation of India (FCI), and one for other items like fresh fruits or vegetables, procured at the State level.

v. According to the Report the Midday Meal Scheme is the primary reason behind increase in gross primary enrolment between 2001-02 and 2007-08. The link is more pronounced in case of Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

Note: The Budget 2013 has allocated 13215 crore rupees for the school feeding programme. It is 80% of total elementary education budget.

7.    Ranjan Mathai took over as the India's High Commissioner to UK

i. Ranjan Mathai, the former Foreign Secretary of India took over as the India's High Commissioner to the UK.

ii.  He has succeeded Jaimini Bhagwati, who retired recently from the post.

iii. Born on 24 May 1952, the 61-year old Mathai joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974

iv. On 31 July 2013, he demitted the office of Foreign Secretary and was replaced by Sujata Singh as the new Foreign Secretary

8.    Anna Hazare begins fast for Lokpal Bill

i. Veteran activist Anna Hazare launched an indefinite hunger strike at his village to press for the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

ii. In the chilly 6 degrees Celsius temperature sweeping Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, Hazare went on his usual morning walk and then started his hunger strike near the Yadavbaba temple in the village, under the banner of his new organization, Jantantra Morcha.

iii. The Jan Lokpal Bill, also referred to as the Citizen's Ombudsman Bill, is an anti-corruption legislation drafted by civil society activists, seeking appointment of an independent panel to investigate cases of corruption.

9.    Vasundhara Raje to take oath Dec 13

i. Vasundhara Raje, the BJP's chief minister-elect in Rajasthan, will be sworn-in Dec 13. She met Governor Margaret Alva Tuesday and staked claim to form the government in the state.

ii. This would be second time that Raje is to be the chief minister of the state. Her first chief ministerial stint in the desert state was from 2003 to 2008.

iii. The BJP legislature party Monday unanimously elected Vasundhara Raje as its leader. She is also the president of the party's state unit.

iv. The oath taking ceremony is likely to be held on Janpath near the state assembly and senior BJP leaders, including its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, are expected to attend the ceremony.