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National
Education Day observed on 11th November
India
> National
Education Day > Nov 12
National
Education Day was observed across India on 11th November to mark the
birth-anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, first Education
minister of Independent India. This year was the 125th birth
anniversary of Azad. In 2008, the Government of India had declared
that Azad’s birth anniversary will be celebrated as the National
Education Day. The Ministry of Human Resource Development launched
the following new initiatives to mark the National Education Day:
- Saksham - a college level scholarship for differently abled, needy and meritorious children.
- Pragati - a scholarship for girl students who are pursuing technical education at college level.
- Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth (SAMAVAY) allows multiple pathways between Vocational education - skills, education and job markets.
- Know your College Portal is an application developed for helping a prospective student makes a valued judgment of the college he/she wishes to join.
- Unnat Bharat Abhiyan involves higher educational institutions to work with the people of rural India in identifying development challenges and provide appropriate solutions for sustainable growth.
Minorities
Affairs ministry launches Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills
Politics
and Government > MANAS > Nov 12
The Minorities Affairs
ministry launched the Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills
(MANAS) to impart training to youths following the emphasis laid by
PM Narendra Modi on skill development. The programme was launched on
a pilot basis on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of
India’s first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Two MOUs
were also signed on the occasion. One was signed with Health Sector
Council for training programmes for 200 girls and boys through Skill
Tree Consultant Ltd, the other was inked with the Security Sector
Council for a security services training programme for 100 persons.
The training programmes will ensure 100 percent employment for
trainees. Based on the success of the programme, the ministry will
expand MANAS on an all-India basis. To increase coverage of the
programme, the ministry has also increased the income eligibility
criterion for trainees from Rs 1.03 lakh to Rs 6 lakh (annual) to
facilitate provision of training and concessional credit.
Farhan
Akhtar appointed as Un Women’s goodwill ambassador for South Asia
World
> UN Women > Nov 13
Bollywood actor-director
Farhan Akhtar has been appointed as the South Asia Goodwill
Ambassador for UN Women, the United Nations organization dedicated to
gender equality and women’s empowerment. Farhan is the first man to
be chosen as a Goodwill Ambassador in the organization’s history.
He will serve as an advocate for UN Women's newly-launched HeForShe
initiative in advocating for gender equality and women's empowerment.
The organization chose Farhan for raising voice on the issue of
gender equality and violence against women and girls in India through
his Men against Rape and Discrimination (MARD) campaign.
K
Srikanth and Saina Nehwal clinch Singles title in China Open Super
Series
Sports
> Badminton > Nov 16
Indian badminton players K
Srikanth and Saina Nehwal created history by winning the men’s and
women’s singles title of the $700,000 China Open Super Series
Premier. Srikanth achieved a stunning straight-game victory over
two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion, Lin Dan of
China to register his maiden Super Series title. Saina Nehwal,
currently World no 5, also played brilliantly to defeat Akane
Yamaguchi of Japan
Others
Railways
identifies 17 areas for FDI
India
> FDI in
Railways > Nov 12
The Railways has
identified 17 areas which can be thrown open to 100 percent private
and foreign direct investment (FDI). Some of these areas include
cleaning up trains, installation of bio-toilets in passenger coaches
and setting up of mechanized laundry facilities, construction,
maintenance and operation facilities to supply non-conventional
sources of energy to the Railways, setting up of technical training
institutes, testing facilities and laboratories and providing
technological solutions to improve safety. FDI is also being
permitted for rail route electrification, signalling system and
logistics parks. The government had relaxed the FDI norms permitting
100 per cent investment in rail projects, such as high-speed trains,
suburban service, dedicated freight corridors, freight and passenger
terminals. Earlier, the government had relaxed the FDI norms
permitting 100 per cent investment in rail projects, such as
high-speed trains, suburban service, dedicated freight corridors,
freight and passenger terminals.
22nd
APEC Summit held in Beijing China
World
> APEC > Nov 12
The 22nd Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit was held in Beijing, China from
9th to 11th November 2014. The theme for this year was “Shaping the
Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership”. The Leaders of the 21
APEC member economies concluded their meeting by issuing the 22nd
APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting Declaration - Beijing Agenda for an
Integrated, Innovative and Interconnected Asia-Pacific. The next APEC
Summit will be held in Philippines in 2015.
Rohit
Sharma scores 264, becomes first man to score 250 in ODI
Sports
> Cricket > Nov 13
27 year old Indian
batsman Rohit Sharma became the first man to hit 250 in a one-day
international. Sharma scored 264 in the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka
to beat the previous record of 219 made by fellow Indian batsman
Virender Sehwag against West Indies in 2011. India scored 404 against
Sri Lanka and won the match. Before 2010, no batsman had passed 200.
Rohit's effort is the fourth double hundred. They have all have been
made by India batsmen in India. Sachin Tendulkar became the first man
to reach 200 against South Africa, with Sehwag beating that record a
year later. Rohit then made 209 against Australia at Bangalore in
November 2013.
India,
US resolve stand-off over food security, clears way for TFA
World
> Trade
Facilitation Agreement > Nov 13
The United States of
America has agreed to support India’s proposal on public
stockholding related to food security, finally paving the way for
signing of a global trade agreement that has been stalled for months.
India’s proposal will now go for ratification to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) to facilitate signing of the Trade Facilitation
Agreement (TFA). India had made its stand clear that I won’t sign
the TFA until a permanent solution was found on the food subsidy
issue. India had asked WTO to amend the norms for calculating
agri-subsidies so that the country could continue to procure
foodgrains from farmers at minimum support price and sell them to
poor at cheaper rates without violating the WTO norms.
Children’s
Day observed on November 14th
India
> Children’s
Day > Nov 14
Children’s Day (known
as Bal Divas in Hindi) was celebrated across India on 14th
November. The day is observed every year on the birthday of Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, to showcase his
love for children. The day is observed to increase the awareness of
people towards the rights, care and education of children.
National
Bal Swachhta Mission launched
India
> Swachh
Bharat Mission > Nov 14
The National Bal
Swachhta Mission was launched in New Delhi by the Union Minister of
Women and Child Development Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi. The Bal
Swachhta Mission is a part of the nationwide sanitation initiative of
'Swachh Bharat Mission' launched by the Prime Minister on 2nd
October, 2014. Speaking at the launch Mrs. Gandhi said that children
can play a very important role in achieving a clean India. They can
motivate others to keep their homes and surroundings clean. The
nationwide Bal Swachhta Mission will have the following six themes:-
1. Clean Anganwadis
2. Clean Surroundings
e.g. Playgrounds
3. Clean Self (Personal
Hygiene/Child Health)
4. Clean Food
5. Clean Drinking Water
6. Clean Toilets
During the Bal Swachhta
Week from 14th to 19th November, one of the above themes would be
covered at each Anganwadi Centre in the states. The events will be
organized at State, District, Block, and Gram Panchayat level.
DD
National to be re-launched as Desh ka Apna Channel
India
> DD
National > Nov 15
Public broadcaster
Doordarshan is re-launching its national channel DD National as “Desh
ka Apna channel" with a host of new content in order to attract
more viewers. The channel will launch 8 new shows in prime time and
the entire channel will have a new look and feel with new colours -
purple and pink. A statement released by Doordarshan said that the
channel will focus on themes like traditional family values, nation
before self and trustworthiness.
Novak
Djokovic wins ATP World Tour Final after Roger Federer pulls out
Sports
> Tennis > Nov 16
World no. 1 tennis
player Novak Djokovic won a third straight World Tour Finals after
Roger Federer withdrew from the final. Federer said that he wasn’t
match-fit and later revealed that he had hurt his back in the
previous match. Djokovic thus becomes the first men's player since
Ivan Lendl in 1987 to claim three consecutive year-end titles and his
31-match winning streak indoors remains intact.
eBay
ties up with Odisha State Cooperative Handicraft Corporation
Corporate
> eBay > Nov 17
American etailer eBay
has tied up with Odisha State Cooperative Handicraft Corporation to
ensure a steady supply of Odisha handicrafts across the world.
Odisha’s finely crafted stones and statues such as Konark form of
statues and pattachitra (palm-leaf etching) are very popular in USA,
Australia, Canada and rest of the world.
Kisan
Vikas Patra to be relaunched today; money to double in 100 months
Politics
and Government > Kisan
Vikas Patra > Nov 18
The government has
re-launched the Kisan Vikas Patra scheme today, hoping to lure small
investors away from gold and fraudulent schemes by offering
attractive terms. There won't be any upper limit on investments, the
minimum denomination being Rs 1,000. Investors will be able to double
their money in 100 months. The government has also introduced a
number of features to enhance liquidity. The certificates can be used
as collateral to avail of loans. Investors can exit the scheme after
two years and six months, and every six months thereafter after
paying a pre-determined amount. There are no tax benefits in the
scheme as of now. However, it will yield an annual rate of nearly 8.7
percent, more than most other small savings instruments. The
certificates, which will be initially issued by post offices, can be
bought in single or joint names and can be transferred from a person
to another multiple times. Investors will also be able to transfer
them from one post office to another, and later they could be made
available through nationalised banks as well. The popular scheme had
been closed in 2011 as part of the government's drive to rationalise
small savings schemes.
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