Current Affairs : October 2, 2011

October 2, 2011: Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi

• Nation paid homage to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 142^nd birth anniversary
  

 

October 2, 2011: The nation also remembers Lal Bahadur Shastri

• Nation paid homage to the 2^nd Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 107^th birth anniversary
  
  

National Institute of Sports Science & Medicine to be set up by the Govt.

• National Institute of Sports Science and Medicine, NISSM to be setup by the Govt. at the premises of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi at a cost of Rs 200 Crore
  
• Objective: The institute will aim at developing the much needed disciplines of Physchology, Nutrition, Biochemistry, Biomedical and Sports Medicine for providing cutting edge excellence, evaluation, performance and assessment related advice to evaluation, performance and assessment related advice to Indian Sports and athletes
  
• NISSM is modeled on the lines of China Institute of Sports Sciences (CISS)
  
• During the visit of Indian President to China on 27 May 2010, the decision was taken to setup the Institute
  
• NISSM to be registered as Society under Societies Registration Act by November 1, 2011
  
• Institute to be headed by a Director equivalent to a Vice- Chancellor of a Central University
  
• NISSM to work in partnership with national and international partners from USA, UK, China, South Korea, Australia, Germany and South Africa
  
• NISSM to function under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
  

   

Disposable plastic products banned by Himanchal Pradesh

• Himachal Pradesh has banned disposable plastic products from today
  
• Packaged drinking water will, nevertheless, not be impacted by the ban
  
• Following a total ban on utilization of recycled and plastic bags in the state in 2009, today ban now imposed on use of plastic cups and plates also
  
• But keeping in view the tourism sector mineral water bottles and glasses have been exempted
  
• Violators will be fined up to Rs. 5,000 under the law
  

Blanket ban on usage & manufacturing of plastic bags in Delhi soon

• Delhi Government to inflict a blanket ban on the use and production of plastic bags in the next 2 months
  
• Draft notification in this concern has been issued by the State Government
  
• As per the notice those violating the ban could be imprisoned for up to 5 years or have to pay a fine of up to one Lakh rupees or both
  

Official retirement age abolished by Britain

• Official retirement age in Britain abolished
  
• The fresh laws stop employers pressurizing employees to leave their jobs as they reach the 65
  
• Now, the companies will have to give objective reasons for asking someone to go away their job on grounds of age
  

India determines to double up spending in R & D

• While addressing the Opening Plenary Session of the 8th Annual Meeting STS Forum on Science and Technology for the future of Humankind in Tokyo, The Minister of State for Planning, Science and Technology and Earth Science Dr. Ashwani Kumar stated that India has decided to double the expenses in Research and Development
  
• Key initiatives were being taken by India in super computing, material sciences, genomics, nano sciences and plan breeding techniques and synthetic biology
  

Dalai Lama to be awarded ‘Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace’

• Dalai Lama to receive the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace
  
  
• Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi declared the Award in Johannesburg on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and requested the South African Government to grant a visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit the country
  
• The award will be given at the yearly Satyagraha Awards to be held at the Durban City Hall on October 9, 2011
  

 

World Wide Travel Alert issued by US to its Citizens

• The United States issued a world-wide travel alert to its citizens, warning of a enhanced risk of violence in the wake of the killing of an important al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki
  
• The US-born radical Islamist cleric was killed by US drones in Yemen on September 30, 2011
  

   

Social Auditing Programme of Gram Panchayats launched by the Assam Government

• Social auditing programme of Gram Panchayats at Aamlokhi Gram Panchay under Baajia Development Block in Nagaon district was launched by the Assam Government on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti ( October 2, 2011)
  
• Objective: To make certain lucidity and arrest corruption in Panchayat Raj institutions. It is also be being believed as an instrument via which Government Departments can plan, manage and gauge their functions, consequences and competence