Current Affairs : June 28, 2011

ADB to render grant of $ 25.1 million to Nepal

• ADB: The Asian Development Bank
  
• ADB to provide a render assistance of $25.1 million to Nepal Govt for the execution of HIMALI (High Mountain Agri-business and Livelihood Improvement)
  project
  and for Capital and infrastructure Capacity Support project
  
• HIMALI project comprises 3 components-
  
• Mountain agri-business development
  
• Value chain capacity development
  
• Project management activities
  
• The HIMALI project is for Rasuwa, Solukhumbu, Jumla, Dolakha, Sankhuwasabha, Mustang, Humla, Dolpa, Manang and Mugu districts
  
• Capital and Infrastructure Capacity Support Project: The key aim of the project is to smooth the progress of greater private sector participation
  
• The agreement signed b/w Nepal Government, Secretary of Finance Ministry Krishna Hari Baskota and ADB Country Director Barry J. Hitchcock in Kathmandu
  
• Out of the aid, the ADB to provide 1,441.17 million nepali rupees to the HIMALI Project and around 358.5 million nepali rupees for the Capital Market and Infrastructure Capacity Support Project
  

 Indo-Pak trade via ICPs to begin by October 2011

• Trade b/w India and Pakistan via ICPs (Integrated Check Posts) on both the sides to be commenced by October, 2011
  

Further consultation needed before the formation of the CDS System: Air Chief

CDS System: Chief of Defence Staff System

• Air Chief Marshal: P.V. Nayak
  
• As per Mr. Nayak further consultation and debate is essential prior to the creation of CDS system for the armed forces
  
• Mr. Nayak held that he was not in favour of CDS at this point in time
  
• Defending his views on the concept of CDS, Mr. Nayak held that the Armed forces have always been working with synergy
  

UAE eager to invest more in the infrastructure and energy sectors in India

• UAE (United Arab Emirates) is eager to put in further in infrastructure and energy sectors in India
  
• The visiting UAE Foreign Minister Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan held comprehensive considerations with his Indian counterpart S M Krishna
  
• They signed an MoU on political references and talked over a host of bilateral, regional and international issues
  

Bill to deal nuisance of forged certificates

• To deal with the nuisance of forged certificates for getting admission to educational institutions, Government will table a Bill
  
• The Academic Depository Bill, 2011 which has been cleared by the Cabinet, to be tabled in the Monsoon session of Parliament commencing from August 1, 2011
  
• The Certificates will be in De-mat format in order that no one is able to produce forged certificates
  
• Objective: To curb the menace in the wake of increasing cases of getting admission through fake certificates
  

New Anti Piracy Bill

The Government will bring a New Anti Piracy bill in the monsoon session of Parliament

Objective:

• The Indian piracy bill being vetted by the Law Ministry, to empower the Navy to arrest pirates in open seas and try them in the Indian courts
  
• The bill also allows Indian courts to prosecute pirates
  
• The bill attempts to define
  
• "Piracy"
  
• The people who can be termed as "Pirates"
  
• The Courts of law which would be trying these Pirates
  
• The amount of punishment
  
• Right now piracy is taken care under the provisions of IPC (Indian Penal Code) and the Admiralty law
  
• Several Ministries including Defence, Shipping and External Affairs have given their suggestions for framing the proposed law
  

14-team format for the Cricket World Cup 2015

• Under attack for its verdict to limit the 2015 World Cup to 10 teams, the ICC decided to restore the associate nations by returning to the old 14-team for the event
  
• The ICC had in April 2011 decided to restrict the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand to top 10 nations only
  
• The verdict was strongly opposed by the associate nations like Ireland and the Netherlands
  

An elite unit to be prepared by the Government to address the issue of financing of terrorist activities

• The GOI to set up place an elite unit in the Home Ministry to efficiently address the issue of financing of terrorist activities
  
• The First-ever such cell will function under the MoHA
  
• But to be headed by an officer of the Indian Revenue Service
  
• The unit to function as the "nodal office" b/w several investigative and enforcement agencies to address solely with cases of terror financing and cases of money laundering for such activities
  
• The cell to have a strength of 8 Officials ab initio and will be a part of the Internal Security-I division of the Home Ministry 
  

Karchan Wangtoo Hydro Electricity Project in Kinnaur, HP, commences generating electricity

• Karchan Wangtoo Hydro Electricity Project in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
  
• 1000 MW Project, started generating more than 550 MW electricity
  
• Beneficial for: Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
  
• 80% of the power generated to be sold to these 3 States
  
• Project was allocated to JP group in 2003 at the run of Satluj River with approximate cost of
  

  Rs 7000 Crores
  

• Himachal Pradesh to get 12% royalty from the project's earning
  

Establishment of a 15 Member Committee for the Re-introduction of legislative council in WB

• A 15-member committee to be established for the re-introduction of the legislative council in the West Bengal
  
• The Committee to submit its report to the House within 6 weeks