DAILY GK UPDATE: 23RD JANUARY

1.  Govt will aim at 4.8% fiscal deficit in 2013-14: Chidambaram
     i. Expressing India's commitment to fiscal prudence, Finance Minister P Chidambaram  on said the government will contain deficit at 5.3 per cent of GDP in the current year, and bring it down to 4.8 per cent in 2013-14.

    ii. Chidambaram said the government is committed to lowering the fiscal deficit by 0.6 per cent every year for the next five years.

    iii. Containing the fiscal deficit at 5.3 per cent of GDP this year would also depend on the revenue receipts from disinvestment and spectrum sale as also the tax mop up.

  NOTE: i. Ratings agency Standard & Poor's and Fitch have threatened a downgrade of India's sovereign ratings.

    ii. As per the fiscal consolidation roadmap outlined by the Finance Ministry, the fiscal deficit would be brought down to 3 per cent of the GDP by 2016-17 fiscal.

 

2.    Election Commission of India nominated Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom as the National Icons

i. The Election Commission (EC) of India on 22 January 2013 announced Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom as the National Icons to help promote, voter participation in India.

ii. Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom, both are Olympic Bronze Medalists in the London Olympics 2012, in Badminton and Boxing respectively.

iii. The duo, Nehwal and Mary Kom are roped in to be the National Icons to attract youth voters in the age group of 18 to 19 years in age.

NOTE: i. The third National Voters Day would be observed by the Poll Panel on 25 January 2013 and some of the first-time voters would be given their photo identity cards on this day.

ii. The National Voters day is celebrated on the foundation day of the Election Commission.

iii. Apart from these two, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Captain of the Indian National Cricket Team and former President of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam are the existing National Icons of the Board and they will continue to be at the position.

3.    Rajnath Singh is new BJP president :

i. Rajnath Singh was on Wednesday unanimously elected president of BJP, capping last minute dramatic turn of events which saw Nitin Gadkari being forced out of the race for the second term.

ii. The 61-year-old senior party leader from Uttar Pradesh takes the baton back from Nitin Gadkari whom he handed over the post in 2009.

iii. Mr. Singh, who emerged as the consensus candidate on Tuesday night after Mr. Gadkari dramatically opted out of the race for a second term, was the only candidate to file the nominations and was declared elected unopposed.

NOTE: Born on July 10, 1951 at Bhabhaura village in Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district, Rajnath Singh obtained MSc degree in physics from Gorakhpur University and was appointed lecturer in the K B Post graduate degree college in Mirzapur in 1971.

4.    Failure of governance root cause of crimes against women: Verma committee

i. Justice J.S. Verma committee, set up to recommend measures to improve laws dealing with sexual offences, has received around 80,000 suggestions and wrapped up its work within 29 days.

ii. He said sexual assault cases must be tried by women Judges. The failure of governance was the root cause of crimes against women. He also said it was “equally shocking” that there was total apathy of everyone who had a duty to perform.

iii. Justice Verma, the head of the three-member panel, was approached by the Central government for the task on December 23. The other members of the panel are former Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice Leila Seth and former Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam.

Highlights of Verma Committee report:

i. Imminnent need to review AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act)  in conflict areas

ii. Sexual offences by armed forces and uniformed men in conflict areas should be brought under ordinary criminal law

iii. Recommends appointment of Special Commissioners with adequate powers to redress complaints of sexual violence against women in conflict areas

iv. Ambiguity over the control of Delhi Police should be cleared

v. Delhi gang rape case shows the failures of traffic regulations, maintenance of law and order and dealing of sexual assault cases

vi. Every district magistrate should prepare census of missing children

vii. Police action on peaceful Delhi protesters scarred Indian democracy

NOTE: i. The Justice Verma Committee was constituted to look at existing legislation and suggest changes to check crimes against women.

ii. Justice Verma critcize Home Secretary R. K. Singh for his praise of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar in the aftermath of the Delhi gang rape incident, saying he was shocked to hear this when an apology was expected.

iii. He said “Youth has taught us what we, the older generation, were not aware of. I was struck by the peaceful manner in which the protests were carried out...the youth rose to the occasion,”.

5.    RBI directs urban co-op banks to extend interest subvention for exporters

i. With a view to encouraging exports, Reserve Bank of India, RBI has directed urban co-operative banks to extend interest subvention of 2 per cent for exporters in segments like handicraft, carpets,small and medium enterprises and certain engineering goods, by a year till March 2014.

ii. RBI in its notification has said that it has also been decided to extend the interest subvention of 2 per cent on rupee export credit on specified export sectors from 1st April 2013 to March 31, 2014.

iii. Under the scheme, banks would reduce the interest rate chargeable to exporters.

6.    West Bengal Government gave Heritage Status to Neta Ji’s Ancestral House

The West Bengal Government on 22 January 2013, the day of Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary, declared that it would give a heritage status to his ancestral house at Kodalia in South 24 Parganas district. 

7.    World's largest Optical Telescope to be developed by Five-Nation Consortium

i. A five-nation consortium including India would be constructing the world’s largest optical telescope, which would be the world’s most advanced ground based observatory.

ii. This telescope will be developed in Hawaii at the summit of the Mauna Kea Volcano.

iii.  Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) governing body on 22 January 2013 met to decide the contributions to be made by the member nations namely, India, Japan, Canada, China and the US in the development of world’s largest optical telescope.

NOTE: i. The work on this telescope is expected to start in 2014 and the project is planned at an investment of 1.2 billion US dollar.

ii. The Indian scientists would play a major role in the development of the key components of the telescope and 15 percent of the 492 mirror segments, each of 1.44 m in size, would be fabricated in India.

8.    Japan to close embassy in Mali over worsening security situation

i. Japan today said, it will close its embassy in Mali because of the worsening security situation in the war-torn country.

ii. A foreign ministry statement said Japan will temporarily close the embassy in Mali, including in the capital of Bamako.

NOTE: The decision came a day after Japan announced that at least seven of its citizens were killed in a hostage crisis in neighbouring Algeria.

9.    Spice Global Entered Healthcare Sector in India:

i. Spice Global, the diversified company entered into the healthcare sector and announced its plans to invest more than 1400 crore Rupees by 2016 in order to establish its 1st hospital.

ii. The hospital called Saket City Hospital would have 1000 beds at first.

iii. Global Founder and Chairman B K Modi announced that the company had already committed 400 crore Rupees for first phase of its hospital project in which there will be 230 beds by June 2013.

NOTE: i. Spice Global is a Singapore-based company that has left its presence in various sectors such as finance, entertainment and mobility.

ii. Spice Global is a 2 billion US dollar firm with its mark in various locations of the world. It employs more than 9000 employees across its different locations.

10.  Djokovic & Roger Federer advances to Australian Open semis

i. Novak Djokovic won his 19th consecutive match at Melbourne Park to keep alive his bid for a third successive Australian Open title, beating fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night.

ii. Djokovic has now reached the semi-finals at an 11th consecutive major, second only to Roger Federer’s streak of 23.

iii. The top-ranked Djokovic will next play No. 4 David Ferrer, who came back to beat fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in five sets.

iv. Roger Federer defeat  Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open semifinals for a 10th consecutive year.

v. The 17-time Grand Slam champion will now play Andy Murray, who advanced in straight sets over unseeded Jeremy Chardy of France.