Current Affairs - India & World: 2014

Bank Jobs in India 2015

This Page lists down all the Bank related jobs for this year.

Bank Jobs in India 2015
Bank	Job Name	Vacancies	Last Date	More Info Link
SIB- Delhi Region	Clerk	35	14-Feb-15	Official Notification
SIB- HYD Region	Clerk	35	14-Feb-15	Official Notification
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Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around Protected Areas

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) came out with new guidelines to create eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) around Protected Areas to prevent ecological damage caused due to developmental activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in 2011.

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013

Following are some important features of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, passed by Parliament on Jan 18, 2013.

Central Information Commission of India

The Central Information Commission (CIC) set up under the Right to Information Act is the authorised body, established in 2005, under the Government of India to act upon complaints from those individuals who have not been able to submit information requests to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer due to either the officer not having been appointed, or because the respective Central Assistant Public Information Officer or State Assistant Public Information Officer refused to receive the application for information under the RTI Act.

National Human Rights Commission of India

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is an autonomous public body constituted on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance of 28 September 1993. It was given a statutory basis by the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 (TPHRA).

National Development Council

The National Development Council (NDC) is the apex body for decision making and deliberations on development matters in India, presided over by the Prime Minister. It was set up in 1952. The Council comprises the Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all States or their substitutes, representatives of the Union Territories and the members of the Commissions. Ministers of State with independent charge are also invited to the deliberations of the Council.

Planning Commission of India

Planning Commission of India was established in accordance with article 39 of the constitution which is a part of directive principles of state policy.

Rudimentary economic planning, deriving the sovereign authority of the state, first initiated in India in 1938 by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose when he was the Congress president and drafted by Meghnad Saha.

Statutory Liquidity Ratio and Cash Reserve Ratio

Statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) refers amount that the commercial banks require to maintain in the form of gold or Government approved securities before providing credit to the customers. Statutory Liquidity Ratio is determined and maintained by the Reserve Bank of India in order to control the expansion of bank credit.

What is Marginal Standing Facility

Marginal Standing Facility, MSF is the rate at which banks can borrow overnight from RBI.This was introduced in the monetary policy of RBI for the year 2011-2012. The MSF is pegged 100bps or a % above the repo rate.Banks can borrow funds through MSF when there is a considerable shortfall of liquidity. This measure has been introduced by RBI to regulate short-term asset liability mismatches more effectively.

Constitutional Body : Election Commission of India

The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, constitutionally established federal authority responsible for administering all the electoral processes in the Republic of India. Under the supervision of the commission, free and fair elections have been held in India at regular intervals as per the principles enshrined in the Constitution. The Election Commission has the power of superintendence, direction and control of all elections to the Parliament of India and the state legislatures and of elections to the office of the President of India and the Vice-President of India.

National Skill Development Agency

NSDA is an autonomous body which will coordinate and harmonize the skill development efforts of the Government and the private sector to achieve the skilling targets of the 12th Plan and beyond and endeavour to bridge the social, regional, gender and economic divide

(i) by ensuring that the skilling needs of the disadvantaged and marginalized groups like SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, women and differently-abled persons are taken care of through the various skill development programmes and

(ii) by taking affirmative actions as part of advocacy by the NSDA. The Central Ministries and NSDC will continue to implement schemes in their remit. The NSDA will anchor the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and facilitate the setting up of professional certifying bodies in addition to the existing ones.

What is Qualified institutional placement

Qualified institutional placement (QIP) is a capital-raising tool, primarily used in India and other parts of southern Asia, whereby a listed company can issue equity shares, fully and partly convertible debentures, or any securities other than warrants which are convertible to equity shares to a qualified institutional buyer (QIB).

National Mission on Food Processing (NMFP)

The NMFP scheme would help the States / UTs in maintaining requisite synergy between agriculture plans of States and Development of food processing sector, which in turn would help in Increase in farm productivity thereby increase in farmers' income also. This would also help in ensuring efficient supply chain by bridging Infrastructural / institutional gaps. The basic objective of NMFP is decentralization of implementation of Ministry's schemes, which will lead to substantial participation of State Governments / UTs.

National Water Mission Goals

The main objective of the National Water Mission is “conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management”.

Current Affairs Notes from PIB - May 2013 - Part 3

1. Antyodaya Anna Yojana for Subsidised Foodgrains - Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) was launched in December, 2000 in all States/UTs for one crore families to be identified from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. Coverage under this scheme has been expanded thrice. The identification of AAY families within the target of AAY families allocated to each State/UT is the responsibility of concerned State/UT Government. Against the accepted number of 2.50 crore AAY families given to State/UT Governments, upto March, 2013, they have reported issuance of AAY ration cards to 2.43 crore AAY families. Allocation of foodgrains (rice & wheat) to these AAY families is made @ 35 kg per family per month at a highly subsidized Central Issue Price (CIP) of Rs.2 per kg for wheat and Rs.3 per kg for rice.

Current Affairs Notes from PIB - May 2013 - Part 2

1. Mangroves are woody, specialized types of trees of the tropics that can live on the edge, where rainforests meet oceans. Found on sheltered coastlines and river deltas, they grow in brackish wetlands between land and sea where other plants can't grow. They protect the coastline and prevent erosion by collecting sediment from the rivers and streams and slowing down the flow of water. There are about 39.3 million acres of mangrove forests in the warm coastlines of tropical oceans all over the world. More than 10.5 million acres, or 27% of mangrove forests are found in Southeast Asia.

National Action Plan on Climate Change - Eight Missions

In 2008, Government of India released India’s first National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) outlining existing and future policies and programs addressing climate mitigation and adaptation. The plan identifies eight core “national missions” running through 2017 and directs ministries to submit detailed implementation plans to the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change by December 2008.

Emphasizing the overriding priority of maintaining high economic growth rates to raise living standards, the plan “identifies measures that promote our development objectives while also yielding co-benefits for addressing climate change effectively.” It says these national measures would be more successful with assistance from developed countries, and pledges that India’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions “will at no point exceed that of developed countries even as we pursue our development objectives.”

Current Affairs from PIB - May 2013 - Part 1

1. Earlier, farmgate prices of urea (a nitronegous fertilizer) and complex fertilizers have traditionally been controlled by the government. Consequently, any increase in the cost of production for fertilizer companies was reimbursed by the government in the form of a subsidy. To rein in the ballooning fiscal deficit, the government, in 2010, introduced an NBS regime in complex fertilizers, under which the subsidy was fixed for each nutrient. Simultaneously, farmgate prices of complex fertilizers were decontrolled.

Natural gas is the predominant input in the manufacture of urea, which accounts for 50 per cent of fertilizer consumption in the country.

Current Affairs Notes from Hindu May 2013 - Part 2

1. Describing high Current Account Deficit (CAD) as the biggest risk to Indian economy, the RBI said any further deterioration of CAD could result in its policy reversal stance.CAD, which is the difference between the inflow and outflow of foreign currency, had touched a record high of 6.7 per cent in the December quarter of 2012.

2. The apex bank had also expressed concern over rising external debt and short-term borrowings to meet the widening CAD.

Current Affairs Notes from Hindu - May 2013 - Part 1

1. CRR, the portion of deposits that the banks are required to maintain with the RBI.

2. The repo rate, the rate at which banks borrow funds from the RBI.

3. Divergence between wholesale price index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation has widened on account of higher food inflation and other factors such as increase in housing rents and transportation costs.

4. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is the price of a representative basket of wholesale goods. India use WPI changes as a central measure of inflation. The Indian WPI figure is released on a monthly basis.

Vallabhbhai Patel led the Kheda Satyagraha

Vallabhbhai Patel led the Kheda Satyagraha. The government agreed to negotiate with Patel and decided to suspend the payment of revenue for the year, even scaling back the rate. Patel emerged as a hero to Gujaratis and admired across India. In 1920, he was elected president of the newly formed Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee—he would serve as its president till 1945.

When Gandhi was in prison, Sardar Patel was asked by Members of Congress to lead the satyagraha in Nagpur in 1923 against a law banning the raising of the Indian flag. He organised thousands of volunteers from all over the country in processions hoisting the flag.

Automatic and Government Approval Route of FDI

Automatic Route of FDI

FDI under the automatic route does not require prior approval either by the Government of India or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Investors are only required to notify the concerned Regional Office of RBI within 30 days of receipt of inward remittances and file required documents with that office within 30 days of issue of shares to foreign investors.

Indian Culture - Nataraja

Nataraja is a depiction of the god Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for the god Brahma to start the process of creation. he two most common forms of Shiva's dance are the Lasya (the gentle form of dance), associated with the creation of the world, and the Tandava (the violent and dangerous dance), associated with the destruction of weary worldviews – weary perspectives and lifestyles.

Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement - India

Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) also referred as Tax Treaty is a bilateral economic agreement between two nations that aims to avoid or eliminate double taxation of the same income in two countries.

Why PNG is better than LPG

PNG is an effective alternative for LPG and will be beneficial in the long term. The only requirement is to have a network in place. The carbon emission from PNG is minimum compared to all other fuels. Since the fuel is supplied through pipelines, the headache of storage never arises hence the safety quotient is also good.

Mid Day Meal Scheme

The Mid Day Meal Scheme is a programme of the Government of India which seeks to address issues of food security, lack of nutrition and access to education on a pan nation scale. It involves provision for free lunch on working days for children in Primary and Upper Primary Classes.

National Knowledge Commission

The National Knowledge Commission is a high-level advisory body to the Prime Minister of India, with the objective of transforming India into a knowledge society. In its endeavour to transform the knowledge landscape of the country, the National Knowledge Commission has submitted around 300 recommendations on 27 focus areas during its three and a half year term. While the term of the NKC has come to an end, the implementation of NKC's recommendations is currently underway at the Central and State levels.

National Mission on Libraries

The National Mission on Libraries India, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, works to modernise and digitally link nearly 9,000 libraries across India to provide readers access to books and information. The scheme was approved by Government in November 2013 and the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee launched the mission.

Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme

More than 20 Lakh persons have been provided employment under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) which is being implemented by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Benefits of increased usage of CNG/PNG

CNG is one of the cleanest and most environment friendly fuel as compared to other fuels used by automotive vehicles. The level of vehicular emissions is significantly lower in case of CNG when compared to liquid fuels like Diesel and Petrol.

PIB News Analysis - 15 January 2013

Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch
The Union Cabinet approved the introduction of a Bill in the Parliament for declaring Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch (121 kms.) of the Barak River as a National Waterway. The Government of India has so far declared five waterways as National Waterways. These are:-

1. Allahabad-Haldia stretch of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (1620 km);

2. Dhubri-Sadiya stretch of Brahmaputra River (891 km);

3. Kottapuram-Kollam stretch of West Coast Canal along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals (205 km);

4. Kakinada-Puducherry stretch of the canal along with designated stretches of Godavari and Krishna Rivers (1078 km);

5. Designated stretches of East Coast Canal, Brahmani River and Mahanadi Delta (588 km).

6. The Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch of the Barak River would be the sixth National Waterway.

PIB News Analysis - 09 January 2013

National Electric Mobility Mission Plan
The principal end objectives of the National Mission for Electric Mobility (NMEM) are National energy security, mitigation of the adverse impact of vehicles on the environment and growth of domestic manufacturing capabilities. It sets the vision, lays the targets and provides the joint Government – industry vision for realizing the huge potential that exists for full range of efficient and environmentally friendly electric vehicle (including hybrids) technologies by 2020.

PIB News Analysis - 02 January 2013

FDI vs Portfolio Investment
Foreign direct investment is a direct investment into production or business in a country by an individual/company of another country, either by buying a company in the target country or by expanding operations of an existing business in that country. But Portfolio investment is a passive investment in the securities of another country such as stocks and bonds.

PIB News Analysis - 01 January 2013

Current Account Deficit widening due to large gold import
CAD was financed without drawing on reserves. This was mainly due to adequate inflow of FDI (US$ 12.8 billion) and FII (US$ 6.2 billion). In addition, external commercial borrowing amounted to US$ 1.7 billion. The net result is that we have not drawn on the foreign exchange reserves and, in fact, there is a marginal accretion of US$ 0.4 billion to the foreign exchange reserves. While the CAD is indeed worrying, it is within our capacity to finance the CAD, thanks to FDI, FII and ECB.

PIB News Analysis - Ecologically Sensitive Areas of Western Ghats

The great mountain chain of Western Ghats is the source of all the major rivers of India’s southern peninsula. Its ecological health depend on the livelihoods of millions of people, not only in the six Western Ghats states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala, but of Andhra Pradesh as well. Besides, it is one of the world’s treasure troves of plant and animal life, with a great wealth of unique plant and animal species. The mountains also harbour a number of wild relatives of cultivated plants, including pepper, cardamom, mango, jackfruit and plantain.

PIB News Analysis - Visa on Arrival Scheme

In order to promote tourism, Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) scheme was introduced for the nationals of five countries, namely, Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg and New Zealand with effect from Jan 2010 for one year. The scheme has been found to be useful by the foreign nationals. The Government of India has extended the Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) scheme for the nationals of above mentioned five countries. Further, TVOA scheme has been introduced for the nationals of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia with effect from Jan 2011.

CSAT 2014 Syllabus | Syllabus of CSAT 2014 | UPSC CSAT Syllabus 2014

The Syllabus for UPSC CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test ):

Paper I - (200 marks) Duration: Two hours - 2 Marks each with negative mark of .33%

Current events of national and international importance
History of India and Indian National Movement
Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic geography of India and the World.
Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization
General Science.

Arunachal Pradesh Facts

Most of Arunachal Pradesh is covered by the Himalayas. However, parts of Lohit, Changlang and Tirap are covered by the Patkai hills. Kangto, Nyegi Kangsang, the main Gorichen peak and the Eastern Gorichen peak are some of the highest peaks in this region of the Himalayas.

The Government of India Act 1833

This Act was also known as Saint Helena Act 1833. This Act extended the charter by 20 years. It contained the following provisions:

Charter Act of 1793 and 1813

Charter Act of 1793
Charter Act of 1793 renewed the charter issued to the British East India Company for 20 years, and continued the Company's rule in India. The Act made only fairly minimal changes to either the system of government in India or British oversight of the Company's activities.

Assam Facts

Assam is a state in the north-eastern region of India. Its capital is Dispur, located within the municipal area of Guwahati city. Located south of the eastern Himalayas, Assam comprises the Brahmaputra and the Barak river valleys along with the Karbi Anglong and the North Cachar Hills. Assam is surrounded by 6 of the other 7 Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. Geographically Assam and these states are connected to the rest of India via a narrow strip of land in West Bengal called the Siliguri Corridor or "Chicken's Neck".

Pitt Act of 1784

The Regulating Act of 1773 had proven to be a failure within a few years and the British government decided to take a more active role in the affairs of the Company. In 1781, British Parliament passed an amendment act called the Act of Settlement.

Regulating Act of 1773

The Regulating Act of 1773 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain planned to regulate the management of the East India Company's rule in India

Constituent Assembly of India

The idea of a Constituent Assembly was formulated by M.N. Roy in 1936 Faizpur session of Congress, presided by Nehru. The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and served as its first Parliament as an independent nation.

CSAT Study Note 4 - Capital Account of a Country

The Capital Account (also known as financial account) is one of two primary components of the balance of payments, the other being the current account. Whereas the current account reflects a nation's net income, the capital account reflects net change in ownership of national assets.

CSAT Study Note 3 - Current Account of a Country

The difference between savings and its investment of a country. The current account is defined as the sum of the balance of trade (goods and services exports less imports), net income from abroad and net current transfers. A positive current account balance indicates that the nation is a net lender to the rest of the world, while a negative current account balance indicates that it is a net borrower from the rest of the world.

CSAT 2014 Study Note 2 - Balance of Payment

Balance of payments (BoP) accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions consist of payments for the country's exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers. The BOP accounts sum up international transactions for a specific period, usually a year. Sources of funds for a nation, such as exports or the receipts of loans and investments, are recorded as positive or surplus items. Uses of funds, such as for imports or to invest in foreign countries, are recorded as negative or deficit items.

CSAT 2014 Study Note -1

High Level Working Group (HLWG) report on Western Ghats

The Working Group was constituted to advise the Government on the recommendations of an earlier report – that of the eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP). The WGEEP had recommended that the entire Western Ghats should be declared as an ecologically sensitive area; had suggested three levels of categorization where regulatory measures for protection would be imposed and had recommended the establishment of the Western Ghats Ecology Authority for management.

Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Flora and Fauna

Important points about Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Flora and Fauna

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