NATIONAL MARCH 2011

NATIONAL MARCH 2011

• The Gujarat government has banned Joseph Lelyveld's controversial book, Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His struggle with India, which allegedly calls the Father of the Nation a racist and bisexual. A resolution to ban the sale, distribution and reprint of the book was moved in the Assembly on by Chief Minister Narendra Modi and promptly supported by Leader of the Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil of the Congress. 
• Census 2011
• India's population has jumped to 1.21 billion, an increase of more than 181 million during 2001-11, according to provisional data of Census 2011 released on 31 March. Though the population is almost equal to the combined population of the U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan (1,214.3 million), the silver lining is that after 1911-21 the past decade (2001-11) witnessed the addition of smaller population than the previous decade's growth. 
• Of the total provisional population of 1,210.2 million, the number of males stood at 623.7 million and females at 586.5 million. The percentage growth in 2001-11 was 17.64 — males 17.19 and females 18.12. India's population accounts for 17.5 per cent of the world's. 
• Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India C. Chandramouli released the provisional data in New Delhi, in the presence of Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai.
• Among the States and the Union Territories, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous State with 199 million people, followed by Maharashtra with 112 million people. Lakshadweep is the least populated at 64,429 people.
• The percentage decadal growth rates of the six most populous States have declined during 2001-11 compared with 1991-2001. The overall sex ratio nationwide has increased by seven percentage points to 940 against 933 in Census 2001. Kerala with 1,084 has the highest sex ratio followed by Puducherry with 1,038. With 618, Daman and Diu has the lowest ratio. 
• The provisional data showed that the child sex ratio [0 to 6 years] came down to 914 females per 1,000 males against 927 in Census 2001. It showed a continuing preference for male children in the last decade.
• The literacy rate has gone up from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent, an increase of 9.21 percentage points.
• Andhra Pradesh has retained its place as the fifth most populous State in the country with a head count of 8.46 crore, recording an 11.10 per cent growth rate over 2001 census. The increase in population was 84.55 lakh. 
• The provisional 2011 census figures showed a male population of 4.25 crore and 4.21 crore that of female. The State registered 11.10 per cent growth rate as against 14.59 per cent in 2001, down by 3.49 per cent. The declining trend started in 2001, apparently because of the implementation of the ‘small family' norm. The State recorded a sex ratio of 992 females (for every 1,000 males) as against 978 in 2001, a 14-point increase during the decade. The density of population also increased from 277 to 308 persons per sq. km. The literacy rate went up from 60.47 per cent to 67.77 per cent. Proportion of children in the age group of 0-6 years to total population came down from 13.35 per cent in 2001 to 10.21 per cent. 
• The census figures showed that Nizamabad retained its top position with regard to the sex ratio in the State with 1,038 females for every 1,000 males. In 2001, the sex ratio in the district was 1,017.Behind Nizamabad were Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts with 1,016 (1,009 in 2001) and 1,014 (same in 2001) females, respectively.The lowest sex ratio was recorded in Hyderabad with 943 females, while Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar had 955 and 975 females, respectively, for 1,000 males.
• Ranga Reddy had overtaken East Godavari in terms of population with a decadal growth rate of 48.15 per cent. Ranga Reddy topped the table with a population of 52.96 lakh, while East Godavari was second with 51.51 lakh persons. On the other hand, West Godavari recorded the lowest growth of 3.45 per cent.
• The density of population was found to be the highest in Hyderabad with 18,480 persons per square km., against 17,649 persons in 2001. Ranga Reddy had only 707 persons per sq. km, while the lowest in the category was Adilabad with 170 persons per sq. km. The density was equally low at 175 and 188 persons in Khammam and Kadapa districts, respectively. 
• The literacy rate was the highest in Hyderabad at 80.96 per cent (percentage of literates to total population above 7 years of age). Ranga Reddy accounted for 78.05 per cent and Krishna 74.37 per cent in the category.
• The proportion of child population in the age group 0 to 6 to total population was the highest in Kurnool at 11.79 per cent.The lowest was Karimnagar with a percentage of 8.47. 
• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs.1,237 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund to Andhra Pradesh during 2010-11.The State occupied third position in the country in terms of assistance sanctioned under RIDF during the year after Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. 
• The Gujarat Information Commission for the first time released a Braille version of the Right to Information Act and its rules in Gandhi Nagar for the benefit of the visually challenged. According to Chief Information Commissioner R.N. Das, Gujarat is the first State to bring out a Braille version. He said the Commission was also working on bringing out an audio CD for the visually challenged and other differently abled people.
• State bank of India started its first ATM center in Andhra Pradesh for the Blind in Hyderabad. This is the second ATM center for the blind in the country. 
• India has emerged as the largest arms importer in the world, overtaking even China, claims a report by a Swedish think-tank, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). India accounted for 9% of all international arms imports between 2006 and 2010 making it the world’s largest weapons importer. 
• Sixteen charges of corruption and irregularities have been slapped by a Rajya Sabha constituted panel against Chief Justice of the Sikkim high court Justice P D Dinkaran, who is facing impeachment proceedings in Parliament. The committee comprising Supreme Court Justice Aftab Alam, Karnataka high court Justice K S Khehar and eminent jurist P P Roy issued the charge sheet to Dinakaran on March 16 and has sought his response by April 9. 
• Nirmal Gram Puraskar, the incentive award which, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj gives annually to the Panchayati Raj Institutions to take up sanitation promotion schemes somehow doesn't seem to be a motivating factor anymore with the number of panchayats getting the award declining drastically over the years. Only 2,808 gram panchayats and just one block panchayat have been chosen for the 2010 award, which will be given away by President Pratibha Patil at a function in New Delhi on 22 March. Instituted in 2005, the award is given to Panchayati Raj Institutions which attain full sanitation coverage with a totally open, defecation-free environment. 
• The Union government has decided to declare April 14, 2011 as a holiday on account of the birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar for all its offices, including industrial establishments. 
• The country's oldest lioness, Rehana (23), has died in the government-run zoo Van Vihar, Bhopal on March 21. The lioness was not well for sometime, following a digestive system failure. 
• The foundation stone for Sankhya, the National Museum of Statistics at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus would be laid by former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on March 30. UoH Vice-Chancellor Seyed E. Hasnain described the proposed museum as one of its kind in the world. Eminent statistician and the man behind the project, C.R. Rao said statistics was poised to play a crucial role in the coming days. 
• Excavations conducted by the State Department of Archaeology and Museums, Andhra Pradesh at pre- Satavahana historic site of Kotilingala in Karimnagar district has unearthed antiquities datable to 4th century BC to 2nd century AD, throwing new light on history of Telemann region. Located on the right bank of Godavari River, Kotilingala was the capital of Assakajanapada, considered one of the 16 great janapadas of early India. The site and its neighbourhood had contacts with Magadha during the time of Buddha, as attested by Suttanipata, according to P. Chenna Reddy, Director of Archaeology and Museums. The site yielded coins issued by pre-Satavahana kings. Coins of Chimukha, the founder of Satavahana dynasty and those cast in lead copper issued by later kings were found. 
• Andhra Pradesh continues to occupy first rank in egg production and broiler production in the country with an annual production of 1,940 crore eggs and 18 crore broilers. 
• India's top nuclear bodies said they would revisit all safety aspects of atomic plants in the country and analyse the nuclear crisis arising in Japan after the tsunami as it had offered new lessons to fine-tune existing emergency preparedness. This was the general practice adopted by the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the NPCIL would closely work with the Department of Atomic Energy and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) to revisit the safety aspects. Nuclear experts says, in the International Nuclear Event Scale, the Three Mile Island accident was at level 5, Chernobyl was at level 7, whereas the current Japanese incident is at level 4. 
• A High power committee headed by N.R.Madhava Menon constituted to ‘evolve a comprehensive policy for autonomy of central educational institutions has called for sweeping changes in the higher education system. 
• Recommendations: It recommends that the office of the Visitor for central universities be done away with and the powers transferred to the Chancellor; and that all legislative framework under which these universities are established be uniformly revised and brought under a common Act. 
  The committee recommends that every central educational institute establish an office of ombudsman to intervene in times of crisis and find solutions acceptable to the stakeholders so that minor disputes do not disrupt the academic calendar and peace.
  The committee says the central educational institutes should be free to decide the fees to be charged, the scholarships to be granted and the recoveries to be made, subject to the government's broad policy guidelines. And to improve the performance of teachers, it recommends that all faculty members be subjected to a review once in five years by a committee appointed by the executive council. The committee suggests that the Indian Institutes of Management be allowed to grant degrees to make them more autonomous. 
• The 20th international World Wide Web Conference will be held in Hyderabad from March 28 to April 1. 
• Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced Rs 2,370-crore bonanza for MPs by raising allocations under Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) scheme from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore, even as he expressed concern over inflation and recalled the steps to bring back funds stashed abroad. 
• The Supreme Court on March 7 allowed passive mercy killing of a patient in a permanent vegetative state (PVS) by withdrawing the life support system with the approval of a medical board and on the directions of the High Court concerned. A Bench of Justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Misra, however, did not accept the plea of Pinky Viranai seeking permission to withdraw life support to her friend, Aruna Ramachandra Shanbaug, who has been lying in a PVS in the KEM hospital Mumbai for 37 years 

 

President Pratibha Patil launched the ‘Sanchar Shakti' project of the Department of Telecommunications, a suite of mobile value-added services (VAS) to provide a variety of useful information to women and women's self-help groups about government schemes and health and social issues, besides inputs related to and training in livelihood, over the mobile phone. Financed by the Universal Service Obligation Funds (USOFs), the unique ICT scheme envisages empowering women, especially in rural areas, with the help of NGOs and other national and international organisations working for the uplift of women. Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Kapil Sibal said: “The Sanchar Shakti scheme includes four categories of projects aimed at rural women SHGs — giving subsidised VAS subscription; setting up mobile repair, modem repaid centres in rural areas; and installing solar-based mobile charging centres in rural areas.” 

To mark the International Women's Day, Air India, for the second consecutive year, is operating on March 7 night an ultra long haul flight from Delhi to Toronto, with an all-women crew. 

The Pune-based stud farm owner and real estate agent, Hasan Ali Khan, who has been under the scanner for alleged money-laundering was interrogated and later taken into custody by officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March7. 

The Second Vishwa Kannada Sammelan has begun on 11 March in Belgaum . The first sammelan was organized in Mysore in 1985. 

Following the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Orissa government has banned the practice of “bartan” system under which upper caste families extract work from barbers and washer men during important family occasions in return for just 15 kg of paddy for the whole year. The age-old practice has ended with the Panchayat Raj Department issuing the notification abolishing it. 

Somali pirates on March 9 freed all crew members of a hijacked ship M.V. Rak Afrikana including 11 Indians, who have since been shifted to a Spanish naval ship. 

In yet another step towards modernizing India's postal services, Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal on 10 Marche launched ‘e-post office,' the e-commerce portal of India Post that will provide various postal services online. The portal will enable customers to transact postal business anytime and from anywhere through Internet and by using either debit card or credit card. 

More than 500 Indian nationals, including a large number of women and children, stranded in strife-torn Libya, arrived New Delhi from Tripoli in the early hours of 27 February, while more people are crossing over land to neighbouring Tunisia. These people returned under the multimode “Operation Safe homecoming,' launched by India to evacuate 18,000 Indian nationals in Libya. 

The sixth BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) ministerial meeting on climate change was held in India.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony has inaugurated the country's first titanium sponge plant (TSP) on the Chavara complex of the public sector Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) near kollam. The TSP is a joint venture of KMML, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory. The VSSC has fully funded the Rs.147-crore TSP project. With the inauguration of TSP, India becomes the 7th country in the world having the technology for producing titanium sponge, which is the raw material for titanium metal.

The country's first Coast Guard Academy is going to be set up in Kerala. 

Chief Minister of A.P. N. Kiran Kumar Reddy launched the first phase of Carbon Black Project established at Pudi village in Visakhapatnam district at a cost of Rs.1,500 crore by the Continent Carbon Company. It is expected to provide jobs to 3,000 people

As chairman of the working group on consumer affairs, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has recommended that futures trading in essential commodities be banned and that organised retail in agri-produce be encouraged to make a dent in food inflation. The working group, comprising the Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, was set up in April last. Mr. Modi submitted its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 2 March. Among the 20 specific recommendations is a suggestion to set up a ministerial coordination mechanism at the national and regional levels for coordinated policy-making and for evolving a single national agriculture market.

A federal district court in New York has issued summons to the Indian National Congress in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, acting on a Sikh rights group's petition charging it with “conspiring, aiding and abetting” organised attacks against the community. The law suit was filed by the ‘Sikhs for Justice,' which has offices in New York and India. The Sikh group has charged the Congress with “conspiring, aiding, abetting and carrying out organised attacks on the Sikh population of India in November 1984.”The proceedings are still at the pre-trial stage in New York. Senior Congress leader and Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath is a defendant in the lawsuit.

In a major blow to the Centre, the Supreme Court quashed the appointment of P.J. Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).A Bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia and Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar set aside his appointment acting on the writ petitions filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, the former Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh, and others. And within hours of the judgment, Mr. Thomas stepped down from the post. Mr. Thomas had been appointed CVC pursuant to a recommendation made by a high power committee (HPC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who was a HPC member, disagreed with the decision. The other member was Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

The Union Cabinet on 3 March cleared a Bill seeking to prevent sexual abuse of children, with provisions for stringent punishment for such offences. The proposed legislation aims at protecting children against offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment, pornography and provides for establishment of special courts for trial of such offences. Section 7 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill, 2011, does not provide for any punishment if the consent for sexual act has been obtained with a person between the age of 16 and 18.

The second Vishwa Kannada Sammelan is going to be held in Belgaum.

The recent excavations at Kondapur, one of the well-known, early, historic Satavahana sites in Medak district, approximately spread over 81 acres represent the Brahmanic culture in addition to Buddhist culture. The excavations have been continuing here for the past one year, headed by G. Maheswari, Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India, with a team of about 15 members. 

Election commission announced the Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry would be held from April 4 to May 10. 

A special fast track court in Ahmedabad on 1 march sentenced 11 convicts to death and 20 others to life imprisonment in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. The court, however, gave the convicts 90 days to appeal against the judgment in the Gujarat High Court. 

The Haryana Government has constituted a Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice T. P. Garg, a retired Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to inquire into the killing of Sikhs in the November 1984 riots in Haud-Chillar village of Rewari district. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the Commission would also inquire into the damage caused to properties of Sikhs living there. The Commission would submit its report to the State Government within six months from the date of its first sitting and its headquarters would be at Hisar.

Setting a New benchmark in e-governance, Haryana has achieved the rare distinction of being the first State in the country to successfully hold the annual B-1 test totally online for its police force for the fourth consecutive year since 2008. Officials said on that the “objective, fair, transparent and instant online” system facilitates simultaneous and instant screening of more than 6,000 constables at more than 25 different centres set up all over the State.

The protests for cancellation of the project took place at the Kakarapalli area of Andhra Pradesh, where the 2,640 megawatt thermal power project covering 800 hectares has been proposed by East Coast Energy (ECE). At least two protestors were killed, allegedly as a result of police firing, and five others sustained injuries as police tear-gassed them.