Current Affairs : June 12, 2011

India clinches five-match ODI series against West Indies

Jyoti Dey:

• A senior journalist working with an English tabloid “Mid-Day” in Mumbai was shot dead.
  
• He extensively covered underworld and crime for over two decades.
  
• Book: He wrote a book titled ‘Zero Dial’ on the underworld. 
  

   

Singhey Khababs Festival:

• A 3-day long Hindu festival ;
  
• Celebrated in: The Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir annually ;
  
• Began on 12^th June, 2011
  

   

Meeting on Electoral Reforms in NE States held in Guwahati:

• 7^th meeting on electoral reforms comprising the 8 NE states held in Guwahati.
  
• Organized by: Union Law Ministry in collaboration with the Election Commission. 
  
• Agenda of the Meeting: To discuss important issues relating to the poll panel’s initiatives to check criminalisation of politics, funding and better management of polls and regulation of political parties.
  
  • Current Union Law Minister – Mr. Virappa Moilly , Chief Election Commissioner : S.Y. Quraishi
    

     

World’s shortest man

• Guinness Book of World Records declared a Filipino: Junrey Balawing as the world’s shortest man;
  
• Measures : Just under 60 centimeters.
  

   

SAARC Meeting:

• South Asian Free Trade Agreement;
• SAARC meeting of its commerce ministers in Maldives.
  
• The SAARC agreement on trade in services has so far been ratified by Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka i.e. 4 out of 8 Members
  
• Members of SAARC: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Total 8 Members
  
• Commerce and Industry Minister of India : Mr. Anand Sharma
  

   

Govt to extend DEPB scheme for 3 more months:

• DEPB : Duty Entitlement Passbook;
  
• The Govt likely to extend the tax relief for exporters under DEPB scheme for another 3 months, from its 30th of June deadline
  

Trials begin of upgraded ‘Arjun’:

• Arjun: India’s main battle tank;
  
• The advanced version ‘Arjun Mark 2′ most likely be inducted next year into the Indian Army;
  
• Some Features : Phenomenal launching capabilities for its missiles, explosive armor panels, enhanced auxiliary power unit, mine plough, advanced system for land navigation, auto target tracking and digital control and other features.
  

Indian Police to acquire 3D technology from US

• Indian Police to get latest 3D imagery technology from the United States
  
• Will equip Police force with modern weaponry and hi-tech systems.
  
• Modern global positioning system devices, Laser range finders, 3D imaging warfare technology and latest thermal imagers.
  
• The 3D technology – modern imagery system that can capture even images of an interior of a building.
  

Agriculture Ministry to put into action a particular program to boost the area under Palm farming

• Will lift Palm Oil Production 3 Lakh Tonnes in 5 Years.    
  
• Special programme to increase the area under palm farming by 60,000 hectares to over 2.11 lakh hectares, from the current 1.71 lakh hectares.
  
• 300-crore rupee programme is to be implemented in eight states.Under the 12th Five Year Plan
  
• The ministry is giving particular attention to oilseed production in the country, which continues to insulate consumption despite fresh efforts at boosting production.
  
• In 2010-11, Oilseed production to exceed 30 million tonnes , comparable to about 8 million tonnes of edible oil.
  
• The country still has to import more than the domestic production to meet up consumption needs.
  
• In the 2010-11 financial year, India’s edible oil imports stood at 8.82 million tonnes – 82 lakh tonnes more than the total domestic production.