National Current Affairs October 2013

1. The Union HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju inaugurated the National Workshop on Skilling India for the Next Decade through NVEQF (National Vocational Education Qualification. Framework). It is important to note that India is aiming to increase the percentage of the workforce which has received formal skills through vocational education and training from 12.0 percent at present to 25.0 percent by 2017.
2. Ranjan Mathai Appointed as India’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom.
3. Union Cabinet on 2 October 2013 decided to withdraw the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, as well as the Bill that sought to amend the Representation of the People Act. The Union Cabinet had approved the Ordinance which sought to negate the Supreme Court order of  July 2013 which ruled that any lawmaker would stand immediately disqualified if convicted by a court. The Ordinance was not signed by President Pranab Mukherjee as he had reservations on it. The ordinance, once promulgated, will allow the convicted MPs or MLAs to continue in office if their appeal is admitted by a higher court within 90 days of conviction by the trial court. However, they will not be allowed to vote or draw salaries till the case is decided.
4. Union Cabinet Approved Proposal for Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences The objective of creation of the Institute is to facilitate attraction of talented professionals in the Central Armed Police Forces and their retention, besides providing in-house training, specialization, Post Graduate and Super Specialty Post Graduate courses to in-service health care professionals
5. Union Cabinet Approved the Creation of a New State of Telangana The city of Hyderabad will function as the common capital for both the States (Telangana and Seemandhra) for a period of ten years. The new state will have a geographical area of 10 of the 23 districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh.The districts that will be a part of the new State are Hyderabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Mahaboobnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Warangal.
6. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for reforming the state higher education system.
7. Schedule for the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies Announced for Five States .Poll Schedule as Announced by the Election Commission
   • Chhattisgarh- 11 Nov 2013 (Phase I), 19 Nov 2013 (Phase II)
   • Madhya Pradesh- 25 Nov 2013
   • Rajasthan- 1 Dec 2013
   • Delhi- 4 Dec 2013
   • Mizoram- 4 Dec 2013
8. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India launched two schemes to empower the consumers. Under these two new schemes consumers can purchase 5 kg LPG cylinders at market price with minimal documentation through Company Owned Retail Outlets (Petrol Stations) and a consumer can opt for the distributor of his choice within a cluster of LPG distributors (portability)
9. Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing, Government of India Dr. Charan Das Mahant laid the foundation stone on 8 October 2013 for establishment of Shaktiman mega Food Park (the first in the north India) in Jagdishpur of Amethi district in Uttar Pradesh.
10. The Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court pronounced a verdict on 30 September 2013 related to 17-year-old multi crore fodder scam case. In this case main convicted persons were Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar Chief Minister and Congress leader Jagannath Mishra and 43 others. Lalu Prasad Yadav sentenced to five year term related the fodder scam. Lalu Prasad Yadav now becomes one of the first politicians to lose his parliamentary seat after a recent Supreme Court ruling which bans convicted legislators from holding the office.
11. The Supreme Court of India directed the Union and all state governments to provide 3 percent job reservation to disabled persons in all their departments, companies and institutions.
12. The Union Cabinet of India approved the National Identification Authority of India Bill that will give statutory status to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The new law will provide for the creation of a National Identification Authority of India. It will oversee implementation of the Aadhaar project. It also seeks to define penalties in case of misuse of data collected under the Aadhaar project.
13. The Union Government reconstituted the Group of Ministers on Telangana, reducing the number of ministers from ten to six. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram have been retained. The new entrants are Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M. Veerappa Moily and Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.
14. The Supreme Court of India directed the Election Commission of India to introduce Vote Verifier Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system in EVMs in phased manner for the next general elections in 2014.
15. The Election Commission appointed 42 awareness observers for assembly polls to be conducted in five states- Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan. These observers will oversee the management of electoral process as well as help in increasing the voter turnout. In the meanwhile, the awareness observers will also keep an eye on the paid news.
16. Union Cabinet Approved Special Board for Hyderabad-Karnataka Region. The Development Board will ensure equitable allocation of funds to meet the development needs of the region from the State Budget, Promote employment from the region by providing for local cadres in service, Provide for reservation in educational and vocational training institutions.
17. The India Post launched instant electronic money transfer service in partnership with Wall Street Exchange, (a company of UAE’s Emirates Post Group) in New Delhi.
18. The Ministry of Railways took measures in order to prevent the misuse of Izzat Monthly Season Ticket (Izzat MST), which is aimed at the person belonging to low income category. The new measures became effective from 15 October 2013.
19. The Union Government of India on 15 October 2013 decided to bring all the post offices across India under the core banking solution system to cover more people of rural areas with AADHAAR seeded accounts.
20. Election Commission of India Approved None of the Above Option in EVMs and Ballot Papers. The NOTA option was made mandatory by the Supreme Court of India on 27 September 2013 and gave the direction to the Election Commission of India to provide none of the above options at the end of the list of candidates contesting an election in a constituency.
21. Union Cabinet Approved A Committee on Babhli Barrage Project. The Babhli project / barrage is a controversial reservoir project being constructed by Maharashtra state across the river Godavari. The project brought dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra states The Union Government took this decision to implement the direction the Supreme Court of India.
22. Ten regional parties of North East India formed the North East Regional Political Front (NERPF).The North East Regional Political Front will work to safeguard the political ,economic, social  and ethnic identity of the people of the North East region.
23. Indian Railways Decided to Increase Speed of the Superfast Trains to 160-200 kmph.
24. EC issued Guidelines on use of Social Media in Election Campaigning. . Every candidate, at the time of filing the nomination, has to give their e-mail IDs and accounts of their social networking sites, if any, for monitoring by poll or expenditure officials. Contents of the advertisements issued by parties or candidates in such websites should be pre-certified by the appropriate authorities and all expenditure made towards such campaign or advertisement would be included in the election expenditure accounts of candidates or parties. The provisions of the code of conduct and related instructions issued by it would apply to the content being posted on the Internet, including the social media websites, by candidates and parties. Payments made to social media websites for carrying advertisements, expenditure on development of content, and spending on salaries for staff hired to maintain the social media accounts of the parties and the candidates would be included in poll expenses.

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