General awareness Updates -June-July 2013
Persons in News
In a deadly attack, Maoist rebels killed 27 persons and injured another 32 in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. The dead include Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh, and senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma, the originator of the anti-Naxalite people’s movement, Salwa Judum. Former union minister V. C. Shukla was seriously injured in the ambush.The Maoist attack took place in a dense forest near National Highway 202 connecting Chhattisgarh with Naxal-hit Bhadrachalam district in adjacent Andhra Pradesh.
Opposition Congress’ Parivartan Yatra, comprising senior party leaders, had launched Parivartan Yatra on 12th April in the state where Assembly elections are due by year end. The Centre has rushed more than 600 CRPF personnel, including elite CoBRA anti-Maoist commandos, to sanitise and take control of the Naxal attack site in Chhattisgarh. The Centre has mobilised the CRPF personnel to not only take control of the area but also launch search and rescue operations as it is suspected that some people may be present in nearby jungles.
Shashi Kant Sharma was sworn in as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) by President Pranab Mukherjee. Prior to this, he was the Defence Secretary. Sharma, who holds a Masters degree in Political Science from the University of York
Mr Sharma, a 1976 Bihar cadre IAS officer, replaced Vinod Rai, who superannuated after a five-and-a-half year eventful tenure as the CAG. Mr Sharma will have tenure up to September 24, 2017. His appointment comes at a time when the CAG has come under sharp attack from the government and ruling party for its reports on assessment of 1.76 lakh crore loss in allocation of 2G spectrum.
Under Mr Rai’s tenure, the CAG was accused of going beyond its auditing ambit and indulging in analysing policy decisions. He, however, had hit back saying the government just wanted the CAG to be an accountant.
The new CAG will have to handle the audit report on AgustaWestland chopper deal, among other reports. He was closely associated with the deal from its early days till its completion in 2010.
The CAG reports on 2G spectrum and coal block allocations during Mr Rai’s tenure had triggered a number of controversies and raised the hackles of the government, besides bringing in the concept of presumptive loss in audit.
Yuichiro Miura, an 80-year-old Japanese national, set a new world record by becoming the oldest climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest , the world’s highest peak. With this Mr Miura has taken away the record from his closest rival Nepalese climber Min Bahadur Serchan who scaled the world’s highest peak in 2008 at the age of 77, becoming the oldest person to do so. Incidentally, Mr Serchan had also broken the previous record set by Miura, who had climbed the Everest at the age of 70 in 2003 and became the oldest summitter then.
Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was put under house arrest and sent to judicial custody for a fortnight by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case. Though he was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days, the 69-year-old former military strongman will be held at his plush farmhouse at Chak Shahzad on the outskirts of Islamabad
The Federal Investigation Agency’s joint investigation team had completed its investigation against Mr Musharraf and gathered "solid evidence" that "directly connects the accused with the commission of the offences with which he has been charged". Bhutto was assassinated by a suicide bomber after addressing an election rally inRawalpindi
Mr Musharraf returned to Pakistan Pakistan
Najib Razak was sworn-in as Malaysia
Barisan Nasional (BN) won the general elections by a simple majority of 133 parliamentary seats, two less than the seats it held before, to opposition alliances’ 89 in the 222-seat Parliament.
Siddaramaiah was sworn in as the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka, marking the return of the administration back to the hands of Congress after more than seven years. Mr Siddaramaiah, a self-declared atheist, took the oath of office in the name of ‘Truth’.
Former Chief Justice of India
Justice Verma was the 27th Chief Justice of India and served from March 25, 1997 until his retirement on January 18, 1998.
He had headed the committee formed by the government to give recommendations for a stringent anti-rape law after the brutal Delhi
Born on January 18, 1933, Jagdish Sharan Verma had his early education in Satna, Madhya Pradesh. He began his legal career in 1955 and became a Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court in June 1973. He became Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court in June1986 and also served as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court from September 1986 to mid-1989. In June 1989, he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court and became Chief Justice of India in January 1998. Justice Verma was also a former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission. He was also the first Chairperson of News Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Justice Verma was a part of the nine-judge bench in 1994 which gave the landmark verdict in the S R Bommai case relating to proclamation of President’s Rule under Article 356 of the Constitution in Karnataka. In this judgement, the Supreme Court held that Presidential proclamation can only be imposed after Parliament’s approval.
Mahesh Kumar, Member (Staff) Railway Board who had allegedly paid a bribe of `90 lakh to the nephew of Railway Minister P K Bansal, has been suspended. He was placed under suspension after the receipt of a report from CBI in the matter. He was arrested by CBI after the agency apprehended him while paying the bribe to Bansal’s nephew Vijay Singla reportedly for a plum post.
Willem-Alexander was installed as the Netherlands ’ first king since 1890 after the abdication of his mother, Queen Beatrix, amid celebrations in Amsterdam
Queen Beatrix, the 75-year-old monarch signed the instrument of abdication after 33 years on the throne in the Royal Palace Dam Square
Legendary singer Shamshad Begum, one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry and voice behind hit songs like ‘Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon’, ‘Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar’ and ‘Kajra Mohabbat Wala’, has died, aged 94.
Begum was born on 14th April, 1919 in Amritsar , Punjab . She made her debut on Peshawar Radio in Lahore
Indian death row prisoner Sarabjit Singh died in a Lahore Lahore
Mr Singh had illegally crossed into Pakistan Faisalabad , Multan and Lahore
His security was tightened after the recent execution in India of Afzal Guru, who was convicted of involvement in the 2001 terror attack on the parliament. His mercy petitions were rejected by courts and former President Pervez Musharraf.
Places in News
A boat carrying about 200 Rohingya Muslims who were evacuating ahead of a storm has capsized off western Myanmar Rakhine State Bangladesh and Myanmar Myanmar Myanmar
At least 55 people were killed when radical Islamist Boko Haram militants dressed in army uniforms attacked an army base, a police station and a prison in northernNigeria
Boko Haram has been a major terrorist group in Nigeria Nigeria
About 1237 people are said to have died in a building collapse in Dhaka, in what is being described as Bangladesh Dhaka housed five garment factories.
The police have charged the building owner Sohel Rana and five factory owners with causing deaths due to negligence and violating construction laws, charges punishable by a maximum seven years in jail. According to the police, the building owner added three floors illegally and allowed the factories to install generators. Some of the survivors of the collapse alleged that the factory owners had forced them to work despite appearance of a huge crack on the building the day before it collapsed.
Awards & Honours
Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila and Oscar-winning Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have been named as SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV/AIDS.
Eminent Belgian scientist Christian de Duve, aged 95, a winner of the Nobel prize for medicine, died after committing euthanasia, which is legal in Belgium
Mr De Duve was the second well-known Belgian to choose mercy killing after the death in 2008 of writer Hugo Claus. Belgium
UN Public Service Award for Kerala CM
Kerala CM Oommen Chandy has won the United Nations’ Public Service Award for his Mass Contact Programme, which saw him directly engaging with people in the state to address their grievances. Mr Chandy bagged the first prize from the Asia Pacific region with awardees chosen every year from five zones around the world.
Since 2003, UN has been giving the award as part of its programme for Public Service Day, which is observed on 23rdJune. The awards, instituted through a UN resolution, are announced after a three-tier scrutiny and detailed examination. The shortlisted candidates are examined by a seven-member sub-committee of UN’s Committee of Experts in Public Administration.
Mr Chandy’s mass contact programme has been widely lauded as a unique democratic experiment in which the CM of an Indian state met thousands of people directly without any intermediaries. He received upto 5.5 lakh petitions, of which around 3 lakh were resolved, and distributed financial assistance of 22.68 crore as part of the programme.
Kirti Chakra for Major Manjali
Major Anup Joseph Manjali was awarded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra by President Pranab Mukherjee for killing three foreign militants inJammu and Kashmir
12 defence personnel were awarded the Shaurya Charkra for their acts of bravery, including Captain A. Rahul Ramesh and Naik Krishna Kumar who were given the honour posthumously.
Major Manjali, who was deployed in Jammu and Kashmir
Naik Krishan Kumar was given the award for his role in a crisis situation in Congo
Captain A. Rahul Ramesh, an Engineer with the Border Roads Organisation, was conferred the award for saving the life of his colleague while carrying out a bridge construction operation in Uttarakhand last year. The Shaurya Chakra awardees include Captain Manish Singh of 9 Para (SF), who was badly injured in a terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir
Kirti Chakra for Major Manjali Lydia Davis receives Man Booker International Prize
American author Lydia India
The judges were Christopher Ricks, Elif Batuman, Aminatta Forna, Yiyun Li, and Tim Parks. They recognised that "crafting spare, philosophical and original works, however short, is not for the lazy at all but takes time, skill and effort". The prize is worth 60,000 pounds and is awarded for an achievement in fiction on the world stage and "Davis
Noted for her short stories, Ms Davis is also a novelist, essayist, and translator from French and other languages, and has produced several new translations of French literary classics, including Proust’s Swann’s Way and Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. She has published six collections of short stories, including The Thirteenth Woman and Other Stories (1976) and Break It Down (1986)
Lydia Davis has written only one novel – The End of the Story (1995) – a title that suggests the humour that runs through her work and that is comprehensively gainsaid by the award of the Man Booker International Prize, say the judges.
Sports
Rajasthan Royals cricketers, Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, along with a host of bookies, have been arrested by Mumbai and Delhi
CRICKET
Mumbai Indian win IPL 6
Mumbai Indians finally annexed their maiden Pepsi Indian Premier League title upstaging a jittery Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs in the final in Kolkata to bring the curtains down to a tarnished sixth season of the cash-rich league. Kieron Pollard (60 no and 1/34, 1 catch) was the man-of-the-match for his all-round effort.
MOTORRACING
Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Germany/Red Bull-Renault)
Second: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland/Lotus-Renault)
Third: Romain Grosjean (France/Lotus-Renault)
Winner: Fernando Alonso (Spain/Ferrari)
Second: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland/Lotus)
Third: Felipe Massa (Brazil/Ferrari)
Winner: Nico Rosberg (Germany/Mercedes)
Second: Sebastian Vettel (Germany/Red Bull)
Third: Mark Webber (Australian/Red Bull)
TENNIS
Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters
Winner: Novak Djokovic (Serbia
Runner-up: Nadal Rafael (Spain
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
Winner: Maria Sharapova (Russia
Runner-up: Li Na (China
BADMINTON
Men’s
Winner: Lee Chong Wei (China
Runner-up: Kenichi Tago (Japan
Women’s
Winner: Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand
Runner-up: Juliane Schenk (Germany
Malaysian Grand Prix
Men’s
Winner: Alamsyah Yunus (Indonesia
Runner-up: Goh Soon Huat (Malaysia
Women’s
Winner: P. V. Sindhu (India
Runner-up: Juan Gu (Singapore
India to host Thomas & Uber Cups
The final rounds of the prestigious Thomas and Uber Cup Badminton Championship will be held in India
Economy & Business
Air Asia India will have India-born management consultant Mittu Chandilya as its CEO. The 33-year-old Mr Chandilya is a Singapore-based management consultant whose last appointment was as the Head of the Asia -Pacific division of global search firm Egon Zehnder International, which is focused on advisory leadership in Aviation, Travel and Hospitality, among other things.
Amid demands for special category status by Bihar , the Centre set up an expert committee to evolve a composite index to measure backwardness of states. "It has been decided to constitute an Expert Committee to consider backwardness of the states in terms of measures like distance of the state from the national average under criteria such as per capita income and other human development indicators and for evolving a Composite Development Index of states," the Finance Ministry said. The terms of reference of the committee will be issued separately, it added.
The six-member committee headed by Raghuram G. Rajan, Chief Economic Adviser, would submit its report within 60 days. The other members of the committee are Shaibal Gupta, Bharat Ramaswami, Najeeb Jung, Nirija G Jayal, and Tuhin Pandey. The panel, set up in pursuant to the Budget announcement, can invite other experts as Special Invitees for deliberations.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his party JD (U) have been demanding special category status for Bihar , which lags behind the national average on all important indices, to spur its development process.
The present criteria for determining backwardness are based on terrain, density of population and length of international borders. In his Budget 2013-14 speech, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had proposed to evolve new criteria and reflect them in future planning and devolution of funds.
The Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) has directed cement companies to pay 10 per cent of a 6,307-crore penalty imposed on them by fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) for forming cartel in the sector.
Passing an interim order, a COMPAT bench, headed by its Chairman Justice V. S. Sirpurkar, asked 11 cement producers along with their lobby group Cement Manufacturer’s Association (CMA) to pay around 630 crore within a month. The tribunal also clarified that if the cement firms fail to deposit the amount within a 30 days time-frame, their petition would be dismissed. The matter would now come up for final hearing in August.
The cement companies charged with cartelisation include Lafarge India
The Indian economy is likely to grow by 6.2 per cent in the current financial year, economic think-tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) said. NCAER’s GDP growth projection for the current fiscal is significantly higher than the Reserve Bank of India
Stating that there are millions of unbanked people even in urban areas, the Reserve Bank in a significant move has asked banks to bring all districts in metropolitan areas under the Lead Bank Scheme (LBS) fold. The lead bank scheme, launched way back in 1969, is an integrated mechanism to extend banking services to the doorsteps of consumers, especially the poor. The move is part of increasing the scope of its financial inclusion drive to urban areas on one hand and helping the government realise its efforts to plug the loopholes in subsidy deliveries by transferring all the benefits directly to the bank accounts of the target people.
The RBI Governor D. Subbarao said the purpose of the LBS extension is to bring all the unbanked urban areas under the banking fold. "With the objective of providing an institutional mechanism for coordination between government authorities and banks, facilitating doorstep banking to the excluded segment of urban poor, and to implement direct benefit transfer scheme of the government, it has been decided to bring all the districts in metropolitan areas under the LBS fold," he said. It can be noted that at present, the LBS is applicable only to non-urban districts as of now. Explaining the rationale for the move, the RBI said: "The challenge of financial exclusion is widespread in metropolitan areas as well, especially amongst the disadvantaged and low-income groups and not just in villages."
According to the latest edition of the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, officially recorded remittance flows to developing countries grew by 5.3 per cent to reach an estimated U.S.$401 billion in 2012. Remittances to developing countries are expected to grow by an annual average of 8.8 per cent for the next three years and are forecast to reach U.S.$515 billion in 2015, it added.
"Migration and remittances offer a vital lifeline for millions of people and can play a major role in an economy’s take-off. They enable people to partake in the global labour market and create resources that can be leveraged for development and growth. But they are also a source of political contention, and for that very reason deserving of dispassionate analysis," said Kaushik Basu, the World Bank’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics.
Officially recorded remittance flows to South Asia are estimated to have increased sharply by 12.8 per cent to U.S.$109 billion in 2012, the World Bank report said. This follows growth averaging 13.8 per cent in each of the previous two years, it added.
As a percentage of GDP, the top recipients of remittances, in 2011, were Tajikistan (47 per cent), Liberia (31 per cent), Kyrgyz Republic (29 per cent), Lesotho (27 per cent), Moldova (23 per cent), Nepal (22 per cent), and Samoa (21 per cent), the report said. Remittance flows to developing countries have more than quadrupled since 2000. Global remittances, including those to high-income countries, are estimated to have reached U.S.$514 billion in 2012, compared to U.S.$132 billion in 2000, the report added.
IMD will issue the update forecasts in June as a part of the second stage forecast. A separate forecast for the July-August rainfall over the country as a whole and seasonal June-September rainfall over the four geographical regions will also be declared.
Worried over the widening trade gap, the government has set up a six-member inter-ministerial committee under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary R. S. Gujral that will suggest measures to boost MSME exports. The other members of the committee include Commerce Secretary S R Rao, Revenue Secretary Sumit Bose, MSME Secretary Madhav Lal, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv takru and Chief Economic Adviser Raghuram Rajan.
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector contributes about 40 per cent in the country’s total exports and over 8 per cent to India
Although the government is taking every step including recent announcement of incentives and revamping special economic zone (SEZ) policy in order to increase shipments from the country, "more needs to be done". India
The widening trade gap is adding woes on the Current Account Deficit (CAD) front, which has emerged as a tough policy challenge for the government. The CAD crossed 6.7 per cent of the GDP in the third quarter of last fiscal. As per estimates, the share of MSME exports has fallen from 40 per cent to 36 per cent to the country’s total exports. The sector accounts for around 45 per cent of the manufacturing output and provides employment to about 60 million persons through 26 million enterprises.
After clearing five "No-Go" areas for oil and gas exploration, the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) eased stringent conditions imposed by Defence Ministry on another 25 blocks, freeing U.S.$4.61 billion investments. There are about 31 blocks where work has been stopped on account of security restrictions imposed by Ministry of Defence. It is believed that the 31 blocks where restrictive conditions were imposed included 13 of Reliance Industries-BP combine, 15 of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) or its lead consortium, two blocks of Santos of Australia and one block of Cairn India-led consortium.
For these blocks, the Defence ministry had imposed stringent conditions like asking companies not to locate any pipelines or structures on sea surface in the blocks cleared for exploration and production activities. Subsea/submerged permanent structures, if any, were to be located more than 100 metres below sea surface or outside the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)/Indian Air Force (IAF) danger zone area (on sea surface) or Naval exercise areas. The oil industry saw these conditions as impractical and after discussions, the conditions have been substantially diluted now.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into the services sector declined by 3.5 per cent to U.S.$4.66 bn during the April-Jan period of last fiscal, according to the Dept of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
The financial and non-financial services sector had attracted FDI worth U.S.$4.83 billion during the same period in the previous year. As far as overall FDI inflows are concerned, during the April-January period of 2012-13 financial year, it declined by 39 per cent to U.S.$19.10 billion. In 2011-12, foreign investment in the services rose to U.S.$5.21 billion from U.S.$3.29 billion in 2010-11. Service sector contributes over 60 per cent to India
The other sectors which have received FDI during April-January 2012-13 include hotel and tourism (U.S.$3.19 billion), metallurgy (U.S.$1.38 billion), construction (U.S.$1.2 billion) and drugs (U.S.$1 billion).
India received maximum FDI from Mauritius (U.S.$8.17 billion), followed by Japan (U.S.$1.69 billion), Singapore (U.S.$1.82 billion), the Netherlands (U.S.$1.51 billion) and the UK (U.S.$1.04 billion).
Foreign investments are considered crucial for India
Faced with declining exports, the Central government announced a slew of measures including extension of the popular EPCG scheme to all sectors and sops for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to boost shipments.
The initiatives announced by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma as part of the annual supplement to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) are aimed at pushing exports which declined by 1.76 per cent to U.S.$300.6 billion during 2012-13 and pushed up the trade deficit to U.S.$190.91 billion.
The Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme, which allows exporters to import capital goods at zero duty, would be extended beyond March 2013 and would be applicable to all sectors. As regards the SEZ scheme, the minimum land area requirement for setting up such zones has been reduced to half and there would be no ceiling for IT and ITeS SEZs. Also, on the issue of demand of an exit policy for the SEZs, it has been decided to allow transfer of ownership and sale of SEZs units.
The government will set up the Second Task Force to suggest measures for reducing transaction costs. Recommendations of the earlier committee had resulted in reduction of transaction costs. Referring to the decline in exports and rising trade deficit, the Central government said that was "indeed a disturbing trend...it is a matter of concern that trade deficit which was U.S.$183.4 billion (in 2011-12) has increased to U.S.$190.1 billion in 2012-13".
Adding to the government’s woes, the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) recent report paints a disturbing picture of the global trade in the current year. The WTO in its latest report has revised the global trade growth projections downwards from 3.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent for the current year, which is less than half of the previous 20 years average.
Indicating that India
For Asia as a whole the economic growth is likely to be 5.7 per cent this calendar and 6 per cent in 2013, the IMF said in its ‘Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific’ report. As per IMF’s projections, India
It further said that in South Asia, "notwithstanding a modest growth recovery in India China , India , and other emerging Asia economies have recently become focus of economic debates in the region.
Within hours of online portal Cobrapost alleged money laundering by financial institutions, the Finance Ministry asked PSU banks and LIC to take immediate action against employees "appears to be advising" customers on ways of violating Know Your Customers (KYC) and other regulatory norms.
The ministry’s communication has been sent to SBI and its associate banks, LIC, PNB, BoB, Canara Bank, BoI, Allahabad Bank, Andhra Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Dena Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, UCO Bank, United Bank of India, Vijaya Bank, Indian Bank, Corporation Bank, Union Bank of India, IDBI Bank, Syndicate Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce.
In its exposé, Cobrapost has named as many as 23 public and private sector banks and insurance companies for allegedly "running a nation-wide money laundering racket, blatantly violating laws of the land". They are alleged to have violated the KYC and ‘Anti-Money Laundering Guidelines’.
The ministry asked the banks to place under suspension with immediate effect officers and employees "who clearly appears to be advising potential customers along lines that would be an infringement of the legal process/could facilitate money laundering/could defeat the KYC norms or the norms of due diligence prescribed by RBI and the law".
The banks, the ministry said, should also "initiate a detailed scrutiny of such officer’s work and institute a special audit, if necessary, for this purpose". Banks have been asked to divest the officials concerned of their current portfolio and advise them to proceed voluntarily on leave pending investigations. Besides, the Finance Ministry has sought detailed reports from the financial institutions about names of erring employees, their designations and action taken against them.
Bharti Enterprises Chairman and Group CEO Sunil Bharti Mittal has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), one of the world’s oldest global business organisations.
Prior to Mr Mittal, late Bharat Ram (1969-1971), who was also the first Indian to be appointed as the Chairman of the ICC Executive Board and late Hari Shankar Singhania (1993-1994) were appointed to the ICC. Founded in 1919, the ICC represents private sector views to national governments and inter-governmental bodies around the world.
Miscellaneous-1
Around 10,000-15,000 farmers with the clear land holdings would benefit from the card during the first phase, followed by the landless agriculturists. Goa government plans to introduce similar cards to the fishermen and dairy farmers, which is conceptualised by state-run Goa Electronic Limited.
Prior to this, farmers had to go through rigmarole of submitting the documents like affidavits every time they apply for the agro subsidy. Now they will have to quote the Unique Identity Number to get access to the subsidy. The card will also make farmers eligible for the loan depending on their land holding. Loan up to 30,000 per annum for farmers owning minimum land of one hectare would be made available through various financial institutions that would be empanelled by the government.
The Indian association is considering plans to ask the St Lucian government to notify May 6 as Indian Arrival Day. Other island governments in the Caribbean such asTrinidad and Tobago , St Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica
The first group of 318 Indians arrived in St Lucia on the Palmyra
More than 300,000 babies die within 24 hours of being born in India
The report on 186 countries showed South Asia —which accounts for 24% of the world’s population—recording 40% of the world’s first-day deaths.
"Progress has been made, but more than 1,000 babies die every day on their first day of life from preventable causes throughout India , Pakistan and Bangladesh
A decade of rapid economic growth has allowed India to boost spending on poor and rural communities but Save the Children said most such programmes had not benefited those most in need. More than half of all Indian women give birth without the help of skilled healthcare professionals, leading to infections and complications. In far-flung areas, doctors and hospitals are rare and villagers often put the health of their children in the hands of poorly trained substitutes.
Experts believe that India
The charity said the problem of infant mortality could be addressed by closing the equity gap in a developing country like India India
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and actor Aamir Khan have been named by TIME magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world in its annual list of global achievers that also includes teenaged Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai and the U.S. President Barack Obama. Others on the list are, Indian-origin Attorney General of California Kamala Harris, Indian human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, American pop star Beyonce Knowles and Britain’s Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton.
The UN SIAP was established in Tokyo in 1970 by 20 countries in Asia and the Pacific and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as an international centre to bring about regional co-operation in training government statisticians from developing countries of the region. SIAP was accorded the legal status of a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in 1995. SIAP governing council has a representative designated by the Government of Japan and eight representatives nominated by other members.
The U.S. U.S. U.S. Myanmar
Steps to operationalise the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant would go on uninterrupted as the Supreme Court disposed of a public suit seeking to halt its commissioning with a direction to the government to submit a report on the compliance of all safety steps before the plant is commissioned.
However, the apex court issued detailed directions to the government on the safety and the monitoring of the plant’s operations. While allowing the commissioning of the plant, the court said that nuclear energy is extremely important for the country’s growth and a balance has to be struck between the right to life and sustainable development. The court said that various expert groups have opined that there would be no impact on the life around the plant because of radiation. While concurring with the directions and the commissioning of the plant, the court said that the larger public interest should prevail over the minor inconveniences that may be caused to the people.
China accused the United States of sowing discord between China and its neighbours after the Pentagon (U.S. Defence Headquarters) said Beijing is using espionage to fuel its military modernisation, branding Washington the "real hacking empire". The latest salvo came a day after China ’s foreign ministry dismissed as groundless a Pentagon report which accused China for the first time of trying to break into the U.S. Beijing
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily called the report a "gross interference in China China military threat theory’ can sow discord between China and other countries, especially its relationship with its neighbouring countries, to contain China
The United States is "trumpeting China ’s military threat to promote its domestic interests groups and arms dealers", the newspaper said, adding that it expects "U.S. China and the United States over hacking, now a top point of contention between Washington and Beijing
A U.S. computer security company, Mandiant, said in February this year a secretive Chinese military unit was likely behind a series of hacking attacks that targeted theUnited States Washington and Beijing
Observing that deployment in counter-insurgency operations was straining the resources of the Indian Army, a Parliamentary panel said the force should be relieved from these tasks to focus on undertaking its regular conventional duties.
In its report, the Standing Committee on Defence expressed concern for saving lives of soldiers in counter-terrorist operations and slammed the Defence Ministry for its "lackadaisical attitude" for doing away with the deficiency of around 1.86 lakh bullet-proof jackets for Army troops.
On the Army’s role in counter-terrorism operations, it said the force’s "commitments towards counter-insurgency operations strain its resources and is at the expense of its conventional war-fighting potential. The Committee endorse the Defence Ministry’s views that counter-insurgency operations should ideally be conducted by the state-police or central police forces as the matter lies within the domain of internal security and the Army should be deployed only as the last resort". The Committee asked the Ministry to discuss the "matter with higher echelons in light of the recommendations and relive Army from Counter Insurgency operations so that the personnel deployed in operations are available to undertake their regular duties."
Defence Minister A. K. Antony commissioned warfare aircraft MiG-29 K Black Panther squadron into the Indian Navy, the squadron initially comprising 16 aircraft would be known as IANS 303. The commissioning was held at INS Hansa, which would be the base for Black Panther squadron along with other fighter aircraft squadrons of Indian Navy.
The aircraft tagged as new era fighter were inducted into the Indian Navy in February 2010 following which it underwent trials before the actual commissioning. MiG-29 K is a potent carrier borne fighter, which, once integrated with INS Vikramaditya, will bolster the Navy’s punch with its multi-role capability. The aircraft is armed with its arsenal of weapons including advanced anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, precision bombs and sophisticated system to support weapon delivery. Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is likely to be commissioned later this year.
Miscellaneous-2
SC calls CBI a "caged parrot that has many masters"
The Supreme Court expressed anger at the Central Bureau of Investigation over the fact that the CBI made a confidential report on its coal investigation, meant for the judges, available to the government in March this year. It has rapped the Centre for interfering with the CBI’s investigations and has observed that the agency is a "caged parrot that has many masters".
The court made specifically strong observations on the Law Minister Ashwani Kumar’ role, and questioned whether he can ask the CBI to show details of probe or status report in a case involving people of other ministries and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The Supreme Court referred to the 1997 Vineet Narain case in which the court laid down guidelines for transparency and said "Vineet Narain case only gives administrative powers to the minister, he cannot interfere with investigation".
The court has directed CBI not to share future coal status reports with any minister, not even with any law officers. The court examined a nine-page CBI affidavit that details three "significant changes" made by the Law Minister and officials in the coal ministry and prime minister’s office, to a draft of its coal report.
The court said that "the heart of the report was changed on the suggestion of government officials", rejecting the CBI’s contention that the "central theme of the status reports have not changed".
The court reprimanded the government officials, both joint secretaries, and has sought to know from the Centre when it will bring a law to "free the CBI from the clutches of the government".
The apex court spelled out three specific guidelines for the CBI: If any change in composition is to be done, the CBI will come to court; there will be no interaction with any person without the permission of the court; and none will be allowed to peruse the report. It also directed the CBI to reinstate Ravi Kant Mishra, the investigating officer in the case who had been transferred.
The CBI has said it will "follow directions of the Supreme Court in letter and spirit", and assured the court of "a thorough and qualitative investigation".
Top 10 observations of SC
1. It is a sordid saga that there are many masters and one parrot.
2. While making CBI answerable to the Government, no part of investigation can be touched.
3. Right now we concerned with two ministries. They were only called to supply information. What business do they have to peruse report?
4. How on earth could you (CBI) make it available when the report was to be given to the Court?
5. Even if administrative superintendence is there, the investigation must be left alone.
6. As far as the CBI goes, steps were to be taken that independence was given and that control was to be only of administrative nature.
7. Will the government attempt legislation to free CBI from its clutches?
8. Job of the CBI is not to interact with government officials but to interrogate to find the truth.
9. The CBI must know how to stand up against all pulls and pressures by government and its officials.
10. Probe report is not a progress report to be shared with government and its officials.
UPA presents four-year performance report card
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi presented the UPA report card on its fourth anniversary as the coalition at the Centre completed nine years in power. The UPA projected its government’s performance during the last nine years, contending the fruits of economic growth have reached both urban and rural areas.
In the ‘Report to the People’, released by Prime Minister Dr Singh and Congress President Ms Gandhi on the fourth anniversary of UPA-II, the government presented figures to highlight growth in employment and doubling of wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), three-fold increase in food subsidy, growth in social sector schemes and tele-density.
The function organised for the release of the report at the Prime Minister’s residence was attended by Congress allies NCP chief Sharad Pawar, RLD chief Ajit Singh. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A. K. Antony were among the key leaders present at the ceremony.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath termed the completion of UPA’s nine years in government as a "moment of celebration and rejoicing".
Talking about economic security, the report said consumption has "increased phenomenally" both in urban and rural areas "as fruits of economic growth reached the people". Due to the government’s pro-poor policies, consumption in rural areas registered an increase of 3.4 per cent from mere 0.8 per cent during 1999 to 2004 (when NDA was in power), it said. "This establishes the fact that the economic growth during UPA is both inclusive and widespread," it said. Credit and loan facilities to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) have been more than doubled during the last five years, the UPA said in the annual report.
The report said MNREGA, "the largest social welfare scheme of its kind in the world started by UPA in 2006," has benefitted every fifth rural household in India
Referring to food security, the UPA report said food subsidy has seen a three-fold increase during UPA tenure, reflecting the government’s commitment to ensure adequate food at affordable prices at all, especially the poor.
In this context, it said the UPA government is committed to enactment of the National Food Security Bill, which legally entitles families under Antyodaya Anna Yojana to 35 kg of foodgrains per month and other families for 5 kg per person at subsidised rates under Public Distribution System.
The report also spoke about strengthening agriculture sector which entails five-fold increase in agriculture credit and has led to a record production of foodgrains in recent years.
Indigenous rotavac vaccine unveiled, to save lives of millions
Indian scientists unveiled the first completely indigenous and affordable vaccine to prevent severe rotavirus diarrhoea, which kills more than one lakh children under the age of five in India
Rotavac is a oral vaccine administered to infants in a three-dose course at the ages of six, 10 and 14 weeks alongside routine immunisations recommended at these ages.
The results of the Phase III clinical trials of the Rotavac vaccine, a culmination of efforts spanning 28 years, released at an international conference, pegged its efficacy at 56 per cent in the first year of life.
"Rotavac significantly reduced severe rotavirus diarrhoea by more than half," M. K. Bhan, former secretary, Department of Biotechnology, who isolated the rotavirus strain in 1985 while pursuing research at AIIMS. However, commercial production of the vaccine would take some time as it is yet to get clearance from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
"We are planning to file a dossier with the DCGI in July. We will come to the market after getting the requisite regulatory clearances," Krishna M Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech, said. Bharat Biotech, which has been associated in the development of vaccine candidates and clinical trials, has announced a price of U.S.$1 per dose—much cheaper than other rotavirus vaccines available in the market.
Experts said there were two licensed rotavirus vaccines introduced in more than 40 countries but they remain out of reach for many in the developing world. The results indicate that the vaccine, if licensed, could save the lives of thousands of children each year in India
Government sets up National Skill Development Agency
In an effort to give a single point focus to skill development initiative, the Central government cleared a proposal to set up of a National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) subsuming other bodies engaged in this initiative.
The Union Cabinet gave its nod to the NSDA replacing the Prime Minister’s National Council on Skill Development (PMNCSD), the National Skill Development Coordination Board (NSDCB) and the Office of the Adviser to the PM on Skill Development.
To be located in the Ministry of Finance, the new skill body will coordinate and harmonise the skill development efforts of the government and the private sector to achieve the targets of the 12th Plan and beyond.
It will also anchor and operationalise the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and be the nodal agency for sector skills councils and endeavour to bridge the social, regional, gender and economic divides in skilling.
Further, it will also be empowered to raise extra budgetary resources. The central ministries and NSDC will continue to implement schemes in their remit. The NSDA is expected to provide the much-needed single point focus to ensure that skilling quality and standards meet sector-specific requirements benchmarked to international standards. Such an initiative will boost employability of youth in India
The proposal to set up the NSDA was first considered by the Cabinet in its meeting held in January this year and it was referred to a Group of Ministers (GoM) to review all aspects. Initially, there were some objections from ministries such as HRD and Labour and Employment which argued since they are involved in skilling exercise as well, the new body would lead to duplication of efforts. However, the differences were sorted out subsequently.
Pulled down by poor performance of farm, manufacturing and mining sectors, economic growth slowed to 4.8 per cent in the January-March quarter and fell to a decade’s low of 5 per cent for the entire 2012-13 fiscal. The growth rate in the fourth quarter ending on 31st March, stood at 4.8 percent showing a marginal improvement over 4.7 per cent recorded in the third quarter of 2012-13. The economy had grown at 4 per cent in 2002-03.
"Growth numbers are as per expectations," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said after the CSO released data on national income accounts in New Delhi
Commenting on the data, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said, "There is evidence the economy has bottomed out. But we still don’t have evidence of a strong recovery. It is challenging to get to 6 per cent (growth) where last quarter is 4.8 per cent."
The Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C. Rangarajan said, "GDP numbers has been on expected lines.... as far as manufacturing is concerned perhaps we have reached the bottom. WPI based inflation has slowed, I think there is a greater room for the RBI to act."
In January-March quarter of 2012-13, manufacturing sector grew marginally by 2.6 per cent, against 0.1 per cent growth in the same period of the earlier fiscal. During 2012-13, the sector under review grew by a meagre one per cent compared to 2.7 per cent in the previous fiscal.
Mining and quarrying sector contracted by 3.1 per cent during the fourth quarter of last fiscal, as against growth of 5.2 per cent in output in the same period of 2011-12. The contraction in mining sector remained unchanged at 0.6 per cent in 2012-13 over the previous fiscal.
Farm sector output expanded by just 1.4 per cent in January-March this year, as against 2 per cent in the same quarter of 2011-12. The agriculture sector also grew at a slower rate of just 1.9 per cent in 2012-13 compared to 3.6 per cent in 2011-12.
The growth rate of electricity, gas and water supply also slowed to 2.8 per cent in the fourth quarter from 3.5 per cent witnessed in the same quarter of 2011-12. The segment grew by 4.2 per cent in 2012-13 compared to 6.5 per cent in previous fiscal. Construction sector expanded by 4.4 per cent in Q4 of 2012-13, as against 5.1 per cent in the year-ago period. The segment grew by 4.3 per cent in 2012-13 as against 5.6 per cent in the previous fiscal.
India is world’s third largest economy by PPP
India has probably surpassed Japan to become the world’s third largest economy after the U.S. and China, Paris-based think-tank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said even as it lowered the country’s economic growth projection for 2013 to 5.3 per cent.
"China will likely pass the United States as the world’s largest economy in the next few years and India has probably recently surpassed Japan China is set to have to highest growth rate among major countries, but could be then surpassed by India
OECD also said that by early 2030s, the BRIICS’ (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China, and South Africa) combined GDP on purchasing power party (PPP) terms should roughly equal that of the OECD (based on current membership), compared with just over half that of OECD now. "Between now and 2060, GDP per capita is seen to increase more than 8-fold in India and 6-fold in Indonesia and China
The OECD, which in November had projected India India
OECD said the world real GDP is projected to increase by 3.1 per cent this year and by 4 per cent in 2014. Across OECD countries, GDP is projected to rise by 1.2 per cent this year improve to 2.3 per cent in 2014. Growth in non-OECD countries will rise by 5.5 per cent this year and 6.2 per cent in 2014.
In the U.S. Japan India ’s neighbour China
Referring to India
It further said that with inflation projected to decline, the Reserve Bank of India
Brazilian diplomat Roberto Azevedo is WTO new chief
In a big boost to Brazil
Mr Azevedo will succeed Pascal Lamy, the current head of WTO who goes out after two four-year terms. The Brazilian trade negotiator now faces the challenge of reviving the long-stalled global trade liberalization talks, which dominated the election process that lasted six months.
In a tight, three-round election, Mr Azevedo beat Mexico’s former trade minister Herminio Blanco and emerged winner from a field of nine candidates, easily the largest in the WTO’s history. With Mr Azevedo winning the tough contest, it seems the emerging countries and the developing world came together to support him over Mr Blanco, who was seen as close to the Americans.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said Mr Azevedo was chosen with the aim of creating a "more dynamic and fair" world economic order. "Still suffering the effects of the global crisis that started in 2008, it will be up to the WTO in the coming years to give a new, balanced and vigorous impetus to world trade so that it enters into new period of growth and social justice," Ms Rousseff said, underlining the policies of her government that support the interest of emerging and developing countries vis-a-vis the developed world. "This message was understood by most and, for this reason, I appreciate the support that our candidate received from the governments around the world. This is not a victory for Brazil
According to analysts, the Brazilian candidate won as he was seen as a defender of the developing world’s concerns in global trade talks. It is important to recall that Mr Azevedo had played a critical role in deflecting U.S.
As Brazil ’s representative in Geneva since 1997, Mr Azevedo challenged the U.S. , Canada U.S. U.S. to pay fines to Brazil and opened the door for the Latin American country to compensate for losses by boosting tariffs on other U.S.
Mr Azevedo’s first big test will come soon – at the WTO’s biennial ministerial meeting, to be held in Bali in December. The Geneva-based organization is struggling to get an agreement lined up for Bali, despite massively pruning its ambitions after failing in a 10-year attempt to conclude the "Doha Bali deal aims to cut bureaucracy by standardizing customs procedures, lending a potential trillion dollar boost to the world economy, while introducing new rules to promote food security and concessions for poorer countries. The Doha Round aims at lifting developing countries out of poverty by striking an accord that would cut agriculture subsidies and tariffs on industrial goods.
On these issues, Brazil has strong alignment with some powerful emerging economies like India and China India have been pressing for reduction of trade distorting agriculture subsidies by the U.S. India
Imports surge on gold rush, widens trade deficit
Gold and silver imports during the month under review has increased by 138 per cent to U.S.$7.5 billion from U.S.$3.1 billion in April 2012. Imports has seen an undue growth of 10.9 per cent (in April to U.S.$41.95 billion) largely contributed by significant increase in gold imports.
Exports in April stood at U.S.$24.16 billion as against U.S.$23.7 billion in April 2012. Expressing concern over the ballooning trade deficit, the government said that it would take steps to bridge the gap. The Central Government is viewing this growing trade imbalance with concern and is likely would come out with considered steps as how to contain this growing trade deficit.
After touching the second highest figure ever in a month in January to U.S.$20 billion, the trade gap came down to U.S.$14.9 billion in February and U.S.$10.3 billion in March.
On the steps to discourage gold imports, Director General of Foreign Trade, Anup Pujari, said the government has imposed certain duty but the steep fall in prices have neutralised its impact. "Gold imports have been so much, it is not an accepted thing. In fact all of us must have been taken it by surprise," he added. Besides, gold and silver, imports of crude oil; metals and scraps and chemicals grew by 4 per cent, 52 per cent and 23 per cent respectively. After declining for consecutive eight months from May 2012, India
Analysts say the absence of alternative avenues of investment was also pushing demand for gold upwards, as it is an inflation-proof investment for a citizen. If economic growth picks up and better avenues for investment (appear), then the consumer behaviour shifts.
Oil imports in April stood at U.S.$14 billion as against U.S.$13.5 billion in April 2012. Non-oil imports grew by 14.9 percent to U.S.$27.86 billion during the period.
Sectors which registered positive export growth include rice, gems and jewellery (22 per cent), ready-made garments (8.6 per cent), cotton (8.1 per cent), tea (5.4 per cent) and marine products (25 per cent).
Sectors which registered negative growth include petroleum (0.5 per cent), engineering (8.6 per cent), chemicals (1.4 per cent), man-made yarn (3.3 per cent) and pharmaceuticals (1.6 per cent).
The positive growth trend is expected to continue in the coming months as new markets are performing. The U.S. Europe . Latin America, Africa and Far East nations are continue to do well. Also, the RBI’s proposed steps to facilitate easy availability of credit to exporters, if accepted, will help in boosting exports.
The government has fixed a target of U.S.$325 billion for exports during the current fiscal. In 2012-13, the shipments declined 1.76 per cent to U.S.$300.6 billion. In 2012-13, the country’s trade deficit touched a record high level of U.S.$191 billion.
Ranbaxy pays record U.S$500 mn fine for faulty manufacturing practices
In the largest drug safety settlement case of a generic drugmaker in the U.S., Gurgaon-based Ranbaxy Labs agreed to pay U.S.$500 million penalty to the U.S. government to settle a criminal and civil lawsuit which levelled charges of falsifying data from its drug facilities and shoddy manufacturing practices against it.
The whistle-blower, Dinesh Thakur, a former employee of Ranbaxy, who alerted the U.S.
Of this, criminal fine and forfeiture accounted for U.S.$150 million (`825 crore)and U.S.$350 million (`1,925 crore) would be paid by Ranbaxy to settle civil claims under False Claims Act, a U.S. Department of Justice statement said. "Ranbaxy Laboratories, pleaded guilty to felony charges relating to the manufacture and distribution of certain adulterated drugs made at two of Ranbaxy’s manufacturing facilities in India
Ranbaxy USA , a subsidiary of Gurgaon-headquartered Ranbaxy Labs, pleaded guilty on account of three violations to U.S.
Ranbaxy USA
In December 2011, Ranbaxy set aside U.S.$500 million to resolve the potential criminal and civil liabilities related to the investigation by the government into its manufacturing practices and falsifying data. The financial provision Ranbaxy established in December 2011 will be sufficient to cover all material financial obligations under the agreement, the company said.
Ranbaxy, majority-owned by Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd, stopped selling drugs to the U.S. markets while it fixed problems with its manufacturing procedures in the United States and India. The company has also grappled with other manufacturing problems. In November 2012, it recalled some generic Lipitor, known as atorvastin calcium, in the United States
SC clears decks for FDI in multibrand retail
The Supreme Court has cleared the hurdles for the implementation of FDI in multi-brand retail sector saying that the "consumer is king and if that is the philosophy working behind the policy then what is wrong".
The apex court said the policy aimed at throwing out the middleman, who are curse to Indian economy and sucking it, has to be welcomed. A bench headed by Justice R. M. Lodha said the policy does not suffer from any unconstitutionality or illegality requiring it to be quashed.
"This court does not interfere in the policy matter unless the policy is unconstitutional, contrary to statutory provisions or arbitrary or irrational or there is total abuse of power. The impugned policy cannot be said to suffer from any of the vires," the bench, also comprising justices Madan B. Lokur and Kurien Jospeh, held while dismissing a PIL challenging the notification on the FDI in multi-brand retail sector.
Before pronouncing the order, the bench said the policy was for the benefit of the consumer, farmers and the retailers with the objective to eliminate middlemen. "Consumer is the king and if that is the philosophy working behind the policy what is wrong. The policy is to free the economy from the middleman. Middleman is sucking our economy. These are suckers to be thrown out for direct benefit of consumers. If that is the objective of the policy what is wrong with it. The middleman is a curse to Indian economy. They work as sucker and they have to be thrown out and that is the object of the policy and you have to welcome it," the bench said and added that the policy would bring choice for the consumers who are the real king.
The bench in its order said "it is thus left to the choice of state governments whether or not to implement policy to allow FDI up to 51 per cent in multi-brand retail". It rejected the contention that Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under its business rule was not empowered to make policy pronouncement.
The apex court further said there was no merit in the contention that the Centre has no authority to formulate FDI policy and the PIL (filed by advocate M. L. Sharma) has to be dismissed as "there is no challenge to the amendments in Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or issue of Security by a person, resident, outside India) Regulation, 2000)", by which FDI in multi-brand retail sector was allowed. While upholding the policy, the bench said, "We have carefully considered the submission made by petitioners and the challenge is not founded on any material".
During the hearing, the bench said the policy of FDI in multi-brand retail was discussed and debated in detail in both Houses of Parliament before it was voted in favour of the government. The bench noted that the policy was prepared after detail study of the economy of developing countries like China , Brazil , Argentina , Singapore
In the order, the bench accepted the submission made by the Centre in its affidavit in which it said that the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail is a policy formulated by the Government of India in conformity with FEMA 2000.
While formulating the policy, the primary focus was to benefit the consumer by enlarging the choice of purchase at more affordable prices and by eradicating the traditional trade intermediaries/middleman to facilitate better access to the market (ultimate retailer) for the producer of goods. The affidavit had said farmers will also benefit significantly from the option of direct sales to organised retailers.
The apex court also noted that a study commissioned by the World Bank shows that the average price that a farmer receives for a typical horticulture product is only 12-15 per cent of the price the consumer pays at the retail outlet. Profit realisation for farmers selling directly to organised retailers is about 60 per cent higher than that received from selling in the ‘mandi’ (wholesale market). The affidavit had said these aforesaid views are supported through the findings of a study instituted by government on the subject of ‘Impact of organised retailing on the unorganised sector’, through the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), submitted in May 2008.
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