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tune in with UPSC: Daily News Notes: 7th Feb, 2012
- · Today, the birth anniversary of great saint and social reformer Sant Ravidas is being celebrated with devotion.
- · The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has published its 12th India State of Forest Report 2011 of the forest cover in the country since 1987. The India State of Forest Report is recognized as the authoritative assessment of the country’s forest resources. It is based on interpretation of satellite data from the indigenous IRS-P6-LISS III sensor. Special coverage is provided to forest cover in hill districts, tribal districts and the north-east keeping in mind the special symbiotic relationship of communities with forests in these regions. As per the present assessment, the Forest and Tree cover of the country is 23.81% of the geographical area of the country. In comparison to the 2009 assessment, there is a minor fall of forest cover. 15 states have registered aggregate increase in their forest cover with Punjab leading, while 12 states/UTs (mainly the NE states) have shown decrease. Decline in Forest cover of NE is particularly due to prevailing practice of shifting cultivation in this region. The state of Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Aruncachal Pradesh. In terms of percentage of forest cover in relation to total geographical area, Mizoram tops with 90.68% followed by Lakshadweep with 84.56. The India State of Forest Report 2011 contains the regular features like forest cover, tree cover, mangroves and growing stock both in forests and areas outside forests. It adds three new chapters: a detailed assessment of bamboo resources, a production-consumption assessment of wood based on data stock in India’s forests reported under the NATCOM project.
- · The Governor of Karnataka has rejected nomination of Justice S R Bannurmath for the post of Karnataka Lokayuktha. Justice Bannurmath faces allegations of illegally owning a site in the judicial layout among other charges. He had written a letter to the Chief Minister yesterday in which he requested that his nomination be withdrawn as he is unable to withstand the continuous onslaught of false and reckless allegations against his integrity and character in the absence of an iota of truth.
- · The Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the advance estimates of national income at constant (2004-05) and current prices, for the financial year 2011-12. The economic growth is likely to be around 6.9 per cent in 2011-12. It was 8.4 per cent in the last fiscal. Government data says this is mainly due to sharp slowdown in the manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors. In its mid-year Economic Review, the government had also pegged growth at around 7.5 per cent. The current estimate is sharply lower than the 9 per cent growth projection for 2011-12 made by the government in its pre-Budget survey in February last year.
- · The General Budget for 2012-13 will be presented on 16th of March. Rail Budget will be presented on 14th March and Economic Survey will be released on the 15th. Budget session will begin from 12th March.
- · The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has launched the National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF) to be implemented in polytechnics, Engineering Colleges and other colleges in the University systems from 2012-13. The programmes are sector specific and the sectors like IT, Media, Entertainment, Telecommunications, Mobile Communications, Automobile, Construction, Retail, Food Processing, Tourism, Hotels, Jewellery Design and Fashion Design and many other have been identified for implementation.
- · A Group of Ministers (headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee) decided to allow airlines to directly import aviation turbine fuel (ATF or jet fuel) to enable them save on high incidence of tax. They also allowed foreign airlines to pick up 49 per cent stake in Indian carriers.
- · Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai on his first bilateral visit to the US said that the Indian IT industry in the US has contributed 15 billion US Dollars in taxes alone in the last five years and underlined the need to eliminate discriminatory actions. He also expressed the hope that the current economic woes in the US would not lead to protectionism and said concerns of the Indian IT industry over anti-outsourcing measures announced by President Barack Obama recently will be addressed quickly. Meanwhile, on increasing pressure from the US to reduce its dependence on Iranian oil, he said India ties with Tehran are neither inconsistent with non- proliferation objectives nor is in contradiction with its relationships with the West.
- · Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed resigned and hand over the presidency to the Vice President, Mohammed Waheed Hassan following weeks of public protests over his controversial order to arrest a senior Judge. The resignation comes after weeks of protests in the Indian Ocean island nation known more for its lavish beach resorts than political turmoil.
- · Prime Minister David Cameron's government has rejected the demands for halting Britain's financial assistance to India, but will now change its approach and focus on three poorest states. He said that continuance of aid is based on the reason that a huge number of the poorest people in the world live in these states. Britain currently gives 280 million pounds annually to India, totaling 1.4 billion pounds between now and 2015.
- · Amidst rising pressure and a call for nationwide civil disobedience movement by protesters from 11th February, Egypt’s military rulers have decided to hasten the preparations for Presidential elections. Egyptian election commission has been asked to begin the registration of Presidential candidates from 10th March; one month ahead of 15th April set earlier by the military regime. The move implies that Presidential elections may be held during April-May. The Revolutionary alliance, an umbrella group of 50 political outfits has demanded immediate exit of military rulers and handing over power to a civilian Government.
- · In the Philippines, 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit a narrow strait between the heavily populated islands of Negros and Cebu, with more than 200 aftershocks, causing further panic throughout the day. Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire -- a belt around the Pacific Ocean where friction between shifting tectonic plates causes frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
- · Indonesia formalized ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty yesterday at the United Nations and has become the 157th country to adopt the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) completed its talks on the regional weapons free zone last year and the 10 member states are now completing ratification of that treaty. The Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone treaty commits ASEAN's 10 member states not to develop, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or have control over atomic weapons
- · Facing heavy fine for alleged promotion of tobacco, Cricket Australia has withdrawn a Hindi advertisement of Indian brand’s mouthwash from the ongoing tri-series as it appears that there is a tobacco company with the same or similar brand name to the product that is being advertised.
