Current Affairs : June 24, 2011

Export of 5 Lakh Tonnes of additional sugar under OPG (Open General License) allowed by the Centre

• Central Government allowed export of 5 Lakh Tonnes of additional sugar under the Open General Licence
  
• EGoM, headed by Pranab Mukherjee (Finance Minister) also decided to release 50 lakh tonnes of foodgrains for sale to above poverty line families
  
• Sugar production in India which is the world's 2^nd largest producer is estimated to be 24.2 million tonnes in this season whereas the annual domestic demand for sugar is only 22.5 million tones
  

UK declares to construct 8 new Nuclear Power Plants

• UK to build 8 eight new Nuclear Power Plants to avoid energy crisis
  
• Secretary of State for Energy Chris Huhne announced the construction of the plants
  

New Home Secretary: Raj Kumar Singh    

• Raj Kumar Singh appointed new Home Secretary
  
• 1975-batch Bihar Cadre IAS officer
  
• To take charge after the current officeholder, Mr. G K Pillai who retires on June 30, 2011
  
• Mr. Raj Kumar Singh is currently Secretary Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence
  
• Also served as Joint Secretary in MoHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) earlier
  
• Mr. Raj Kumar Singh to serve a fixed tenure of 2 years from the day he assumes charge
  

Centre stretches ceasefire with NDFB(P), DHD(N)

• Centre stretched ceasefire with illegitimate NDFB(P)-[National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive)] and DHD(N) [Dima Halam Daogah (Nunicha)] factions of Assam by another 6 months
  
• Previously Suspension of Operations agreements b/w the Centre and the two outfits expires on June 30, 2011
  
• Judgment to this effect taken after dialogue with leaders of the two outfits and the Union Home Ministry representatives
  
• The two militant groups are at present engaged in political dialogue with the Centre to settle their issues harmoniously
  
• Last round of talk was held in Guwahati last week with the Centre's interlocutor, P C Haldar
  
  

Norms cleared by Government for setting up of IDF (Infrastructure Debt Fund)

• Government cleared norms for setting up of Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF)
  
• Objective: It is aimed at enhancing flow of long term debt to fund infrastructure development
  
• IDF may be set up either as a trust or company
  
• A Trust based IDF will be regulated by the SEBI, while an Company based IDF will be regulated by the RBI
  
• The IDF would attempt to attain resources from domestic and off-shore institutional investors, especially insurance and pension funds
  
• IDF was proposed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in this year's Budget
  
• The requirement of infrastructure in the 12th Plan has been pegged at $ 1 Trillion
  

Proposals exchanged b/w India and Pakistan on conventional, nuclear confidence-building measures

• India and Pakistan exchanged numerous proposals on conventional and nuclear confidence-building measures
  
• Proposal for admitting cruise missile tests in the existent bilateral agreement on Pre-Notification Of Flight Testing Of Ballistic Missiles, signed in October 2005, was considered by the Indian side during talks b/w the Foreign Secretaries on peace and security
  
• Making a reference to the recent nuclear accident at the Fukushima atomic plant in Japan after a disturbing Earthquake and Tsunami, Pakistani side proposed that the two sides could work together to address similar safety concerns
  
• The existing agreement between India and Pakistan on pre-notification of missile tests covers surface-to-surface ballistic missiles
  
• In the nuclear field, a leading Confidence Building Measure is the annual exchange of lists of nuclear installations of the two countries
  

Training Programme for young lawyers launched by Government

• Government launched an aspirational Training Programme - Rajiv Gandhi Adhivakta Prashikshan Yojana
  for young lawyers practicing in Magistrate and Munsif courts
  
• Objective: To give inspiration and support to young lawyers
  
• Under the scheme 2 Months Professional Training will be given to the advocates so that they may serve the need of law professionals at the grass root level
  
• Initially each year, 10 practicing young advocates from every state will be selected for imparting the training and subsequently their numbers will be increased in the coming years
  
• Mr. Veerapa Moily: Union Law Minister
  

Congress Working Committee endorses Government's approach on Lokpal Bill

• CWC (Congress Working Committee) endorsed the Government's approach to the Lokpal Bill
  
• Working Committee held the undisputed view that the Government should not submit to the any other external pressure
  
• The highest policy making body of the party met under the chairmanship of its President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi
  

DTAA amended by India and Singapore

• India and Singapore amended their DTAA (Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement) for effective exchange of information in banking and taxation matters
  
• The protocol amending DTAA was signed in New Delhi
  
• India negotiated DTAAs and signed tax information swaping agreements with 44 countries to reinforce exchange of information concerning tax evasion, money laundering and other criminal activities