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Archive for January, 2011

UK Sinha has appointed as the New Chairman of Sebi

Posted by admin On January - 31 - 2011

The government has appointed UTI chief UK Sinha as the new chairman of market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (Sebi). Sinha will succeed incumbent CB Bhave, whose term is scheduled to end on February 17.

According to senior government officials, Sinha’s appointment has been formally approved and orders will be issued soon. A search panel headed by Cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar had recommended Sinha’s name for the post in December 2010. He is currently chairman and managing director of UTI-Asset Management Company and is also serving as the mutual fund industry body AMFI’s chairman.

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India's Five Year Plans at a Glance

Posted by admin On January - 31 - 2011

India’s Five Year Plans at a Glance

The Five Year Plans.
The development plans are drawn by the Planning Commission to establish India’s economy on a socialistic pattern in successive phases of five year Periods-called the Five Year Plans.
Major Bodies Behind the Making of Five Year Plans
The organisation was set up to formulate basic economic policies, draft plans and watch its progress and implementation. It consists of:
(I) Planning Commission of India
(ii) National Planning Council
(iii) National Development Council and State Planning Commissions
DETAILS OF THE FIVE YEAR PLANS
FIRST FIVE YEAR PLAN (1951-56)
In July 1951, the Planning Commission issued the draft outline of the First Five Year Plan for the period April 1951 to March 1956. It was presented to the Parliament in December 1952. In the First Plan, agriculture received the main thrust, for sustaining of growth and development of industries which would not be possible without a significant rise in the yield of raw materials and food.
Objectives:
i) To increase food production.
ii) To fully utilise available raw materials.
iii) To check inflationary pressure.
Outlay: The total proposed outlay was Rs. 3,870 crore.
SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN (1956-61)
The main objective was to launch upon industrialisation and strengthen the industrial base of the economy. It was in this light that the 1948 Industrial Policy Resolution was revised and a new resolution of 1956 was adopted. The Second Plan started with an emphasis on the expansion of the public sector and aimed at the establishment of a socialistic pattern of society.
Objectives:
i) A sizeable increase in national income so as to raise the level of living.
ii) Rapid industrialisation of the country with particular emphasis on the development of basic and key industries.
Outlay: The Second Plan proposed a total public sector outlay of Rs. 4,800 crores though actual outlay was only Rs. 4,672 crore.
THIRD FIVE YEAR PLAN (1961-66)
In the third Plan, the emphasis was on long-term development. The Third Plan report stated that during the five-year period concerned, the Indian economy “must not only expand rapidly but, at the same time, become self-reliant and self-generating.”
Objectives:
i) An increase in national income of more than 5 per cent annually. The investment pattern laid down must be capable of sustaining this growth rate in the subsequent years.
ii) An increase in the agricultural produce and to achieve self sufficiency by increasing food grain production.
iii) Greater equality of opportunities, more even distribution of economic power and reducing wealth and income disparities.
FOURTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1969-74)
After the ‘Plan Holiday’, the Fourth Plan was begun in 1969.
Objectives:
i) To achieve stability and progress towards self-reliance.
ii) To achieve an overall rate of growth of 5.7 per cent annually.
iii) To raise exports at the rate of 7 per cent annually.
Outlay: The total proposed outlay was Rs. 24,880 crore, which included Rs. 15,900 crores as public sector outlay and Rs. 8,980 crore as private sector outlay.
FIFTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1974-79)
The Plan was formulated against the background of sever inflationary pressure.
Objectives: In addition to removal of poverty and attainment of self-reliance, the Fifth Plan had the following major objectives.
i) 5.5 per cent overall rate of growth in Gross Domestic objectives.
ii) Expansion of productive employment and fuller utilisation of existing skills and equipment.
iii) A national programme for minimum needs and extended programmes of social welfare.
Outlay: A total outlay of Rs. 53,410 crore was proposed for the Fifth Plan.
SIXTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1980-85)
The draft of the Sixth Five Year Plan (1978-1983) was presented in 1978. However, the plan was terminated with the change of Government in January 1980. The new Sixth Five Year Plan was implemented in April 1980.
Objectives:
i) To eliminate unemployment and underemployment.
ii) To raise the standard of living of the poorest of masses.
iii) To reduce disparities in income and wealth.
Outlay: The proposed outlay for the Sixth Plan totalled Rs.
1, 58, 710 crore.
SEVENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1985-90)
The draft of the Seventh Plan was approved on November 9, 1985 by the National Development Council. The plan was part of the long-term plan for the period of 15 years.
Objectives:
i) Decentralisation of planning and full public participation in development.
ii) The maximum possible generation of productive employment.
iii) Removal of poverty and reduction in income disparities.
EIGHTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1992-97)
The Eighth Plan proposed a growth rate of 5.6 per cent per annum on an average during the plan period. The Eighth Plan focused on (i) clear prioritisation of sectors/projects for investment in order to facilitate implementation of the policy initiatives taken in the areas of fiscal, trade and industrial sectors and human development.
Objectives:
i) Generation of adequate employment of achieve near full employment level by the turn of the century.
ii) Containment of population growth through people’s active co-operation and an effective scheme of incentives and disincentives.
iii) Universalisation of elementary education and complete eradication of illiteracy among the people in the age group of 15 to 35 years.
THE NINTH FIVE-YEAR PLAN (1997-2002)
It began on April 1, 1997. The Ninth Plan was the first concrete attempt to translate the programme of economic reforms and the New Economic Policy within the framework of an indicative Plan. The Approach Paper to the Ninth Plan (1997-2002) was approved by the N.D.C. on 16th January, 1997.
Objectives:
i.) Priority to agriculture and rural development
ii.) Accelerating growth rate of economy
iii.) Food and nutritional security for all
iv.) Containing growth rate of population
v.) Empowerment of women and socially disadvantaged groups such as SC/ST, backward classes and minorities.
vi.) Promoting and developing participatory institutions like “Panchayati Raj” institutions, co-operatives and self-help groups.
TENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (2002-07)
On December 21, 2002, the Tenth Five Year Plan was approved by the National Development Council (NDC). The Plan has further developed the NDC mandated objectives, of doubling per capita income in 10 years, and achieving a growth rate of 8% of GDP per annum. An 8% growth rate is considered necessary for achieving the social and economic targets of Tenth Plan Keeping in mind decadal growth performance and the steady acceleration that the country has recorded in growth over the past two decades, it is a realisable target. The plan has a number of new features, such as, for the first time
(a) It recognises the rapid growth of labour force over the next decade
(b) Addresses the issue of poverty and the unacceptably low levels of social indicators
(c) Adopted a “differential development strategy” to equate national targets into balanced regional development as there is vast difference in the potentials and constraints of each state
(d) Recognises that the governance is perhaps one of the most important factors for ensuring realisation of the Plan
(e) Identifies measures to improve efficiency, unleash entrepreneurial energy, and promote rapid and sustainable growth
(f) Proposes major reforms for agricultural sector making ‘agriculture’ the core element of the Plan.
Since economic growth is not the only objective, the Plan aims at harnessing the benefits of growth to improve the quality of life of the people by setting the following key targets:
1. All children to be in school by 2003 and all children to complete five years of schooling by 2007
2. Reduction in poverty ratio from 26% to 21%
3. Growth in gainful employment to, at least, keep pace with addition to the labour force
4. Decadal population growth to reduce from 21.3% in 1991-2001 to 16.2% by 2001-11
5. Reducing gender gaps in literacy and wage rates by 50%
6. Literacy rate to increase from 65% in 1999-2000 to 75% in 2001
7. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to be reduced from 72 in 1999-2000, to 45 in 2007
8. .Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) to be reduced from 4 per 1000 in 1999-2000 to 2 per 1000 in 2007
9. Providing portable drinking water in all villages
10. Cleaning of major polluted river stretches
11. Increase in forest/tree cover from 19% in 1999-2000 to 25% in 2007
ELEVENTH PLAN (2007-2012)
The United Progressive Alliance government issued a paper in the eleventh plan titled “Towards faster and more inclusive growth.” According to the approach paper, the monitorable targets of five-year plan are:
1. GDP growth rate to be increased to 10% by the end of the plan;
2. Farm sector growth to be increased to 4%;
3. Creation of seven crore job opportunities;
4. Reduce educated unemployed youth to below 5 percent
5. Infant mortality rates to be reduced to 28 per 1000 births;
6. Maternal death rates to be reduced to 1 per 1000 births;
7. Clean drinking water to all by 2009;
8. Improve sex ratio to 935 by 2011-12 and to 950 by 2016-17;
9. Ensure electricity connection to all villages and broadband over power lines (BPL) households by 2009
10. Roads to all villages that have a population of 1000 and above by 2009;
11. Increase forest and tree cover by 5%;
12. Achieve the World Health Organization standard air quality in major cities by 2011-12;
13. Treat all urban wastewater by 2011-12 to clean river waters;

14. Increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2016-17

Australian Open 2011 winners and prize money

Posted by admin On January - 31 - 2011
Prize Money (AUS$)
Event Champions
Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic 2,200,000
Women’s Singles Kim Clijsters 2,200,000
Men’s Doubles Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 454,500
Women’s Doubles Gisela Dulko / Flavia Pennetta 454,500
Mixed Doubles Daniel Nestor / Katarina Srebotnik 135,500

Tendulkar named Indian Cricketer of the Year

Posted by admin On January - 30 - 2011

Sachin Tendulkar’s genius made way for another evening of celebrations as the cricketing fraternity got together to honour him with the Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year award.

Lifetime Award for Jimmy

Former India all-rounder and man-of-the-match in the 1983 World Cup semifinal and final, Mohinder Amarnath, was felicitated with the Castrol Lifetime Achievement award.

Note: Event held in Mumbai on Jan 29,2011

Civil Services and UPSC Examinations-The Do's and Don'ts

Posted by admin On January - 30 - 2011

Do’s and Don’ts for filling up the Application Forms of UPSC .

Do’s

Before submitting the filled in application form, ensure that you have purchased the Application Form from the Post Office only.

That you have correctly indicated the name and year of the examination for which you are applying.

That you have filled all the relevant columns correctly.

To change responses, if required, you have erased darkened circles completely.

That you have pasted your photograph firmly at the space provided.

That you have pasted firmly the CRF Stamp (if applicable). You should paste only one CRF Stamp of requisite denomination and get it cancelled from the Post Office of purchase.

That you have mentioned correctly the Commission’s Notice No. and date as published in the Employment News/Rozgar Samachar.

That you have signed the Declaration and mentioned the date and place of mailing the Form.

That you are using the pre-addressed envelope supplied to mail the Application form and Acknowledgement Card. No other documents or copies of certificates or self-addressed envelopes are required to be sent along with the Application Form.

That you have read the relevant examination rules and instructions before filling up the form.

That you have noted down separately and kept for record and future reference the eight digit form number printed under the bar-code and entered the same correctly in the acknowledgement card.

Also do ensure that you dispatched the form sufficiently in advance to ensure that it reaches the Commission office before the prescribed closing date.

Don’ts

Do not use the photocopy of the Application Form.

Do not make any stray marks on the Form.

Do not staple, pin, mutilate, scribble, tear, or wet the Form.

Do not send enclosures (like certificates, etc.) with your form  only acknowledgement card is necessary, if application is sent by post.

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Clijsters Wins Australian Open 2011 Title Over Li

Posted by admin On January - 30 - 2011

Kim Clijsters won her second straight Grand Slam title and the fourth of her career, struggling early before beating Li Na 3-6 6-3 6-3 yesterday  in the Australian Open final.

The result ended the outstanding run of Li, who became the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam singles final.

Japan won the Asian Cup 2011

Posted by admin On January - 30 - 2011

DOHA, Qatar — Japan won the Asian Cup 2011 for a record fourth time Saturday, defeating Australia 1-0 .

The lone goal was scored by substitute Tadanari Lee in extra time, a left-footed volley in the 109th minute. He was left unmarked from 10 yards out and beat Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Lee then ran to the center circle and fired a symbolic arrow into the night sky.

Japan midfielder Keisuka Honda was voted the tournament’s most valuable player.

2011-The International Year of Forests

Posted by admin On January - 28 - 2011

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

National Voters’ Day

Posted by admin On January - 28 - 2011

The Election Commission of India has decided to celebrate January 25 every year as “National Voters’ Day”, as part of its ongoing efforts to create awareness among the people about their greater participation in the electoral process.

The Union cabinet has approved the declaration of January 25 every year as “National Voters’ Day” beginning from 2011 and to provide voters a badge with its logo and the slogan “Proud to be a voter—Ready to vote”.

IndiaPay is India’s first indigenous payment gateway

Posted by admin On January - 28 - 2011

IndiaPay is India’s first indigenous payment gateway and is scheduled to be launched in mid-2011. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is the owner of IndiaPay and will make its first move by cutting charges levied to merchant establishments by half, compared with what MasterCard and Visa charge. IndiaPay’s shareholders consist of 10 banks, six of which are PSU banks, and is promoted by the Reserve Bank of India.

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