Current Affairs : June 27, 2011

17th SAARC summit

• 17th SAARC summit to be held in Maldives from the November 10, 2011
  
• Theme of the two-day summit will be -"building bridges"
  
• Objective of selecting the theme is to unite member countries in order to build an improved region
  
• SAARC consists of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives
  

In order to wipe out witchcraft practice Assam Government escalates awareness activities

• In Assam, Govt steped up alertness activities to wipe out witchcraft practice widespread in a few parts of the state
  
• Awareness drive in the effected districts
  
• The Assam State Commission for Women in association with the Assam Police, revitalized the Project Prahari
  
• Project Prahari:
  A Plan of the state police, on track to combat the ill practice of witchcraft
  
• Street drama, circulation of leaflets and alertness meetings being held in the susceptible areas of the state
  

Basant Nayak: Renowned Film Producer& Director of Odia Film Industry passed away

• Basant Nayak: Noted film producer and director of Odia film industry
  
• Produced several successful movies
  
• First production-direction venture was "Naga Phasa" in 1977
  
• Produced hit movies 'Jahaku Rakhibe Ananta' and 'I Love You' and 'Don'
  
• Basant Nayak owned Brajraj Movies
  
  
• Ollywood: Odia film industry
  

Rs 181 crore discharged by Union for the 7 Eastern States to stretch Green Revolution

• Centre released over Rs 181 Crore for the seven eastern states
  
• Including Eastern UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Assam to extend Green Revolution to east India
  
• Objective: To boost crop productivity in Eastern India which has two to three times additional rainfall compared to the Northwest States and yet low crop productivity
  
• The scheme introduced under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana in the financial year 2010-11 with an allocation of Rs 400 Crore
  

India's next Foreign Secretary: Ranjan Mathai

• Mr. Ranjan Mathai (currently India's Ambassador to France) to be the next Foreign Secretary of India
  
• He succeeds Ms Nirupama Rao, who retires on July 31, 2011
  
• Ms Rao to take over as India's Ambassador to USA
  
• Mr Mathai: 1974-batch IFS officer, to assume the office on August 1, 2011
  
• To hold the post for a period of 2 years
  
• A brief about Mr. Mathai's Career:-
  
  
• Completed PG studies in Political Science at the University of Poona
  
• Joined the IFS in 1974
  
• Served in Indian embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and             Brussels
  
• Joint Secretary in the MoEA in New Delhi between January 1995 to February             1998, headed the division dealing with India's relations with Bangladesh, Sri             Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives
  
• Served as Indian Ambassador to Israel from February 1998 to June 2001
  
• Indian Ambassador in Qatar from August 2001 to July 2005
  
• Held the post of Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London from             August 2005 to January 2007
  

Thailand crawfishes out from the UNESCO's World Heritage Convention

• Thailand crawfishes out from the UNESCO'S World Heritage Convention
  
• Reason for the withdrawal:
  
• A Row with Cambodia over a disputed Nine Hundred Year Old temple.
  
• The verdict made since the Convention established to put on its agenda the             Cambodia's projected management plan for the Preah Vihear temple, which is             the centre of controversy and conflict b/w the two neighboring countries and             that has left 28 people dead in two episodes of fierce fighting b/w their armies             earlier this year
  
• The verdict was proclaimed by Thai delegate at an assembly of the Convention in Paris
  
• Thailand - along with Cambodia - was one of 21 members of the Convention selected to serve on the World Heritage Committee
  
• World Heritage Committee assembles annually to determine on the add-ons to the World Heritage list
  

Recommendations of the NAC to be incorporated in Land Acquisition Bill

• Law Minister of India: Virappa Moily
  
• As per Mr. Moily, the NAC's (National Advisory Council's) recommendations on the land acquisition will be incorporated in the Land Acquisition Bill which is to be introduced in Monsoon session of Parliament
  
• As per Mr. Moily, once it becomes an Act, it will take care of the ambitions of land losing people in the country
  
• The NAC chaired by Ms Sonia Gandhi in a letter to the Government, suggested a checklist of seven parameters which includes provisions for rehabilitation package that is sensitive to the aspirations of the affected people
  

A 17-member Parliamentary Monitoring Committee created by Nepal to administer the Peace Process

• A 17-member Parliamentary Monitoring Committee announced by Nepal to administer the Peace Process
  
• The Constituent Assembly formed the Committee, headed by the Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang
  

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple: Clandestine chambers opened

• Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple: In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
  
• The secret chambers of the historical Temple opened in the presence of Supreme Court appointed observers
  
• The observers include: A Former high court judges and representative of state government, Travancore palace and archeological department
  
• The Two of the secret underground chambers close to the holy of holies of the temple are believed to contain priceless gold, silver ornaments, precious stones and antique value articles
  
• These chambers to be opened on Friday July 1, 2011
  
• They are closed for the last 136 years
  
• The Supreme Court in recent times directed to open the secret chambers and organize an account of items in a case relating to the temple
  
• The temple is run by a trust made by the Travancore royal house
  

The Golden Jubilee session of AALCO in Colombo

AALCO: Asia Africa Legal Consultative Organization

Sri Lankan President: Mahinda Rajapaksa

Mr. Rajapaksa inaugurated the 50th yearly session of the AALCO in Colombo

About 200 representatives from 47 member states are taking part in the discussions on international issues, including piracy on high seas

AALCO is an outcome of the Bandung Conference held in Indonesia in 1955

Objective: Member States meet yearly to exchange views, experiences, and information on matters of common concern having legal implications and to make recommendations if deemed necessary

Sri Lanka is hosting an AALCO yearly session for the 4^th Time

Sri Lanka is privileged to host the Golden Jubilee Session

The current President of AALCO, Celina Kombani, Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs of Tanzania will hand over the presidency to Sri Lanka Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem at the 50^th Session of AALCO in Colombo