Daily News Notes: 8th July to 10th July, 2012

· Six nominations were received till yesterday for the Vice Presidential polls. The Vice-President is elected by the members of the Electoral College consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The nominated Members of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College. The polls are scheduled for the 7th of August, and the results will be known on the same day.
· Certain doubts have arisen in the minds of some of the electors at the current Presidential Election, 2012 to the effect whether a member of a political party voting in defiance of the political party’s decision would attract the disqualification on the ground of defection under the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution of India or the political party taking such decision would be liable to any penalty for asking their members to vote in a particular manner or not to vote at all. Clarifing this doubt, the Election Commission of India has said that, every elector at the Presidential election has the freedom of making a choice to vote for any of the candidates or not to vote at the election, as per his free will and choice. Also, the political parties cannot issue any direction or whip to their members to vote in a particular manner or not to vote at the election leaving them with no choice, as that would tantamount to the offence of undue influence within the meaning of section of the IPC.
· The Tourism Ministry has decided to provide clean and hygienic environment at 98 prominent tourist sites including Taj Mahal, Dal Lake, Red Fort, India Gate, Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Lotus Temple, Jantar Mantar, Rajghat, Purana Qila, Safdarjung Tomb, Konark, Charminar, Kovalam Beach, Mysore Palace, Golkonda Fort, Ajanta Caves, Mahabodhi Temple, Har ki Pauri, Hawa Mahal etc. Round-the-clock garbage clearance, maintenance of parking lots and toilets and proper signages at the tourist complex are some of the steps to be carried out under the Clean India campaign launched by the ministry.
· India’s DRDO is all set to take a giant leap forward with the development of multipurpose Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) and submadrones, underwater drones to meet the Navy’s quality requirements of 10 such platforms primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), mine mitigation and sensor deployment.
· By the end of the 12th plan, the Planning Commission is setting a target of bringing down poverty by 10%. The Commission had set a like target during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12). As per the data, the rate of poverty reduction b/w 2004-05 to 2009-10 was 1.5% every year whereas it was 0.7% b/w 1993-94 to 2004-05. Later on, the Commission had accepted there was discrepancy in NSSO data and national accounts which led to fixing such a poverty criteria. In May 2012 the Planning Commission constituted an expert group headed by renowned economist C. Rangarajan to reexamine the Tendulkar Committee methodology for figuring poverty. The expert group is anticipated to table its report in 7-9 months.
· Infosys' Executive Co-Chairman S.Gopalakrishnan will head the committee that will suggest framework for cloud computing services. Cloud computing is the delivery of computing and storage capacity. In cloud computing, end users are not required to buy software or devices as they are provided by service providers on a rental basis. Cloud computing is one of the major areas of the proposed National IT Policy that visualizes to increase revenues of IT and ITES Industry from USD 100 billion at present to $300 billion by 2020. As per research firms, the public cloud market in the country is expected to touch USD 685 million by 2014.
· The first mega food park in the country was inaugrated at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. As a model 'Mega Food Park' and the first of its kind in India, Srini Food Park provides state-of-the-art food processing infrastructure designed as per global standards and develops a veritable market place with common facilities on the lines of a software park or a textile park. On par with software parks, this new-age facility is equipped with Central Processing Centre and Primary Processing Centres. With the highest growth in the fruits and vegetables sector (20%) and with Chittoor being the largest fruits and vegetables cluster in India, this Mega Food Park becomes an ideal destination for food processing units. The key benefits of Mega Food Park are: [1.] Avail of backward and forward linkage benefits; [2.] Avail of primary processing facilities, Cold Storages, Ripening Chambers, and Ware houses; [3.] Reduce losses through best practices in handling and packing; [4.] Avail of information regarding seed and other best practices; [5.] Benefit from quality assurance from our testing labs; [6.] Benefit from good transportation facilities viz reefer trucks and vans; [7.] Avail of labeling, packing facilities at mega park; [8.] Be sure of product quality through food chain; [9.] Quality assurance provided.
· “Emerging Kerala,” a three-day global meet for business leaders, investors and policy makers has been organized by the Kerala Government in Kochi. The State government is reaching out to investors in the gulf region to take advantage of the opportunity and put their money in various projects in the state. They highlighted measures including online Single window clearance for all new projects, fast track clearance of projects routed through Emerging Kerala within 90 days, Empowered Committee for special incentives or concessions, a permanent secretariat for Emerging Kerala and an enabling environment in public private partnership mode. 26 sectors have been identified including infrastructure, Telecom, IT enabled services, Education and Knowledge development, healthcare, tourism.
· Anup Sankar Bhattacharya has been appointed as the Director of the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS). He took the place of M Balachandran. After the abolition of Banking Services Recruitment Board, IBPS plays a pivotal role for candidates who are looking for Bank Jobs. It also conducts separate test for SBI and its associate banks.
· India will provide humanitarian food aid comprising rice to Yemen. The United Nations has urged the international community to help the Arab country in the period of political developments impacting its economy.
· INDIA and UNESCO have signed the agreement to establish the Mahatma Gandhi Institute Of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development on 9th July 2012 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. The Institute to be located in India, is the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region. The Institute’s core activity will lie in research and capacity building. It will encourage knowledge exchange, regional networking and catalyse innovation by helping to design and test new approaches to education. The Institute would be greatly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of peace and sustainability.
· India’s largest steel maker Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) & Kobe Steel of Japan have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) at Kobe’s headquarters in Tokyo today for setting up a 0.5 million tonne per annum iron nugget making plant using Kobe’s patented ITmK3 technology at SAIL’s Alloy Steels Plant in Durgapur, West Bengal. The ITmK3 technology will utilise dump iron ore fines, disposal of which is an environmental issue.
· Mr. Ashok Chawla , Chairperson , Competition Commission of India has been elected unanimously the chair of the 12th session of Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Competition law and policy, UNCTAD in Geneva. His name was proposed by the Chairperson of Competition Commission of Pakistan. UNCTAD´s Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Competition Law and Policy is a specialized intergovernmental forum based on consensus building and voluntary cooperation for developing countries´ competition authorities and government agencies. Every year, UNCTAD hosts the Group for consultations on competition issues of common concern to member States and informal exchange of experiences and best practices. Currently, the Group is holding its 12th session in Geneva during 9-11th July. Mr. Chawla will chair the activities of the Group for next one year.
· Minister for State for Commerce and Industry (Jyotiraditya M Scindia) Calls for Closer Economic Engagements with Colombia. Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) between the two countries which came into effect on June 25, 2012 was welcomed by leaders of both the countries. Mr Scindia urged the Colombian minister to expedite the ratification of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) from the Colombian side as such measures will help build the investor’s confidence on both sides. The Indian Minister mentioned about delay in granting environment Clearance by Colombian authorities to ONGC Videsh Ltd and suggested that such delay, if unavoidable, must result in automatic extension of the block exploration period. The limit of 10% on employment of foreign professionals in IT sector in Columbia was also raised by the MoS and he requested the Colombian Minister to consider relaxation in this rule to encourage Indian IT companies to operate in Colombia. Further, the Minister said that Colombia is quite rich in natural resources such as Petroleum, Coal , Minerals and India needs such resources to sustain its high growth rate. On the other hand, India’s strength and expertise in IT, Manufacturing, Pharma, Biotech and Railway construction can help improve Colombia’s global competitiveness.
· Releasing the UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2012, Mr. Nagesh Kumar (Chief Economist, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) has said that the major global companies consider India their third most favoured destination after China and the United States and investment inflows could increase by more than 20 per cent both this year and the next. He said that the Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into India leapt 30 per cent to nearly 32 billion dollar in 2011. China drew 124 billion dollar last year, while Brazil attracted nearly 67 billion and Russia 53 billion dollar
· India and Unites States have launched the Millennium Alliance, a platform to leverage Indian creativity, expertise and resources to source and scale innovations being developed and tested in the country. The focus areas of the alliance are basic education, health, food security, clean energy, water and sanitation. The alliance encourages entrepreneurs, innovators, NGOs and local partners to submit proposals for innovative development solutions.
· The Prime Minister of Singapore Mr. Lee Hsien Loong arrives in New Delhi on a two day State Visit to India. Singapore is India’s largest trading partner among the ASEAN countries and the second largest source of FDI inflows into India. Singapore will push India again to play a bigger role in Asean and the East Asia Summit (EAS). As all of Asia looks to hedge a rising China, there are more calls for India to step up its presence in the region. India will take Singapore’s suggestion seriously and it plans to host a series of events to mark the 20th anniversary of India-Asean ties later this year. India and Singapore will be signing an MoU between the Indian ministry of labour and their ministry of education to set up skills-based vocational training institutes. According to a study by Ficci, “India is expected to be home to a skilled workforce of 500 million by 2022.”. Currently, India can throw up only about 3 million skilled personnel. The visit of the Singapore Prime Minister coming shortly after the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Singapore in November last year enables a strong momentum to be maintained in bilateral relations.
· Britain has announced a more tougher targeted interview system for student VISA applicants from India and other non-EU countries to screen entry of students for education to the country. The new toughening of measures follows a study carried out in India, Pakistan and 11 other countries, which revealed that some applicants could not answer basic questions in English without an interpreter, but had claimed in forms that they had the ability to study at UK universities. During the pilot scheme, over 2,300 interviews were conducted at application stage between December 2011 and February 2012. It revealed that almost half (45 per cent) of applicants from Myanmar would have been refused visas if they had been interviewed. The British Home office put the figure for India at 29 per cent, while for Bangladesh it was 38 per cent. The British Home Office also announced that new restrictions announced recently applicable for non-EU spouses and other family migration categories have come into effect.
· Monsanto (2nd largest producer of Genetically Engineered US-based seed technology company) is all set to roll out BOLLGARD II Roundup Ready Flex technology for cotton in 2013. This third generation biotechnology product would offer protection against weeds, besides continuing protection against insects. RRF technology which will provide the plant the internal strength to withstand herbicides. While other weeds around the plant die after application of herbicide, those with this technology will live on. However, Monsanto has been accused of using terminator genes in its seeds, involving higher cost in seed production and employing child labor in the manufacture of cotton-seeds in India, causing demonstrations against the company in India. In February 2012, European and Indian activists started opposing a patent on virus resistant traits of indigenous melon varieties in India which was awarded to Monsanto. The activists lay claim it was not an innovation of Monsanto but instead bio-piracy. The activists lay claim it is bio-piracy since the plants originated in India and were registered in international seed-banks.
· The most recent spacecraft in Europe's long-running Meteosat series has moved into orbit on an Ariane rocket. The spacecraft being guided into a position about 36,000 kms above the Earth from where it can keep an unceasing eye on developing weather systems. Since 1977, this spacecraft is the 10th Meteosat platform to go into service.
· The leader of Institutional Revolutionary Party, Enrique Peña Nieto has been elected as the new President of Mexico. He beat Party of the Democratic Revolution (PDR) candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador. As per the Mexican Constitution, the President is the head of both the state and the Government, and the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces. Mexico holds Presidential elections every 6 years since 1934 (earlier it was every 4 years).
· Swiss Tennis star Roger Federer defeated British player Andy Murray to win the Wimbledon Open Championship 2012 in London on. With this win Federer reclaimed the world No. 1 rank breaking Pete Sampras' record of 286 weeks at the pinnacle of the game. If we include this title then Federer now keeps 17 Grand Slam including 6 Wimbledon titles. William Renshaw's and Pete Sampras are the only players who have won the prestigious Wimbledon singles title on 7 occasions. Highlights of Wimbledon 2012 : [1.] Serena Williams of US conquered Ladies’ singles title by beating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland; [2.] In mixed doubles Mike Bryan and Lisa Raymond beat the pair of Leander Paes and Elena Vesnina to lift the Mixed Doubles final; [3.] Jonathan Marray and Frederick Nielson won Men’s doubles by defeating Robert Lindstedt; [4.] The pair of Serena Williams and Venus Williams won Ladies’ doubles title as they defeated Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka. About Wimbledon: It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is played on a grass court.
· Delphinus - An Indian Air Force, swimming team that has set a record by successfully crossing the English Channel b/w the UK and France twice within a fortnight. The team has already crossed the Channel in 12 hours and 14 minutes on the June 26, 2012. The team became the fastest Asian relay team ever.