Current Affairs January 2014

India suffered 4-0 loss in 5 match ODI series against New Zealand

Newzeland on 31 January 2014 won the five ODI Series of 5 matches against India by 4-0 after defeating India in the fifth match by 87 runs at the Westpac Stadium at Wellington. New Zealand that batted first gave a score of 304 runs to chase to the visitors, who were all out at the score of 216.

While chasing the score of 303 runs in the fifth and final match, India lost wickets at regular intervals apart from Kohli and Dhoni, who scored 82 and 47 respectively, 20 runs was scored by two players and five batsmen fell for single digits along with one duck. From India Varun Aaron took 2 wickets by giving 60 runs and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as well as Mohammad Shami took one wicket each.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the fifth match became the fourth fastest batsman to complete 8000 runs in one-day cricket.

New Zealand
• Debutant Matt Henry as a bowler took 4 wickets in 10 over by giving 48 runs
• Ross Taylor scored 102, his 10th ODI century
• Williamson contributed 88 his fifth-consecutive half century

News Of Tripura,Current Affairs,GK, SSC,TPSC solved Question Paper,TET - and Other important Information.

In the series win, the hosts, New Zealand won the first two and last two matches. The third match was tied. This loss of the series by the men in blue had dethroned them from the number one spot in the ODI rankings.

Result
• Man of the Match Ross Taylor
Earlier series losses of India
• October-December 1983: 5-0 loss against West Indies
• March 1989: 5-0 loss in West Indies
• November-December 2006: 4-0 loss in South Africa

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This loss of the series can be termed as one of the worst defeat of the team in the ODI series in New Zealand. Earlier, India lost 2-5 in a seven-match ODI series in 2002-03 to New Zealand. Before that India lost to win even a single match against New Zealand in their country in 1956-76 and 1980-81, both the two-match series was lost by 0-2.

Union Government decided to fix two year tenure for IAS, IPS

The Union Government decided to amend the rules governing IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officers to assure them at least two years in a given posting on 30 January 2014. The rules were amended following the Supreme Courts direction to check the unnecessary political interference.

The highlights of the amended rules for IAS/IPS/IFoS cadre
• Every state will now have to make appointments of cadre officers on the recommendation of a Civil Services Board constituted by it under chairmanship of the chief secretary.
• The transfer of a cadre officer before the minimum specified tenure can be done only on the recommendation of the Board.
• The competent authority may reject the recommendation of the board, but the reasons thereof must be recorded.
• A cadre officer appointed to any cadre post shall hold the office for at least two years unless in the meantime, he/she is promoted, retired or sent on deputation outside the state or training exceeding two months.
• The fixed tenure may be specified by the state government in the case of cadre officer appointed to non-cadre posts.
• The Board shall examine cases of premature transfers, consider for transfer before fixed tenure based on circumstances it thinks fit, and recommend to the competent authority names of officers for premature transfer with reasons to be recorded in writing.
• The board can seek justification from the administrative department of the concerned state for premature transfers, obtain comments or views of the officer proposed to be transferred, and not recommend premature transfer unless satisfied with the reasons.
• The board shall also submit a quarterly report to the Centre giving details of officers recommended to be transferred before the minimum tenure and the reasons thereof.

Earlier in a path-breaking judgement given by the Supreme Court on 31 October 2013, the SC had directed the Centre to ensure fixed tenure for bureaucrats. The landmark judgment meant to curb political interference in civil services was delivered by the Bench of Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Pinaki Chandra Ghose.
Not more than 13 States had notified IAS (cadre) rules for stability of tenure, while 11 states were yet to do so. The states of Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal were disinclined to notify the rules, citing reasons like legal complications, existence of a similar law and already stable tenures.

Cabinet approved second Phase of Bangalore Metro Rail Project

The Union Cabinet on 30 January 2014 approved the second phase of Bangalore Metro Rail Project to improve public transport system and provide additional public transport infrastructure in the city. It is named as Namma Metro and will cover a distance of 72 kilometer in the second phase.

Construction in the second phase includes construction of four extension lines of the East-West and North-South corridors of Phase 1 and two new lines also.

The government will make an investment of estimated 26405 crore rupees of which 5281 crore rupees will be the share of the central government and 8983 crore by Karnataka government. The remaining 12141 crore rupees will be raised through debt. The project is scheduled to be completed in five years.

At present, the Bangalore Metro (Namma) is operational for about 6.7 kilometer, which was the part of phase one of the project. The Bangalore Metro rail Corporation has created the project jointly share of center and state with 50:50 equity.

By June 2014 India to have 243 million Internet users: IAMAI

The internet user base in India was projected to touch 243 million by June 2014. This was according to the data released by the Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on 29 January 2014.

With more and more people accessing the Web through mobile phones, the IAMAI projected a growth of 28 percent in internet user base from June 2013 to June 2014. The Internet user base in the country stood at 190 million at the end of June 2013.

The other highlights of IAMAI data

• The internet user base in the whole year 2013 grew by 42 per cent. It increased from 150 million in 2012 to 213 million in 2013.
• Of the total user base, mobile Internet users accounted for 130 million in 2013, a growth of about 92 per cent from 68 million in 2012.
• The number of mobile Internet users was expected to touch 185 million by June 2014, accounting for about 76 per cent of the Internet user base in the country.
• The growth of Internet users has also led to a substantial growth of other digital industries such as e-commerce and digital advertising.
• Digital commerce market stood at 8146 crore rupees in December 2007 and it grew to 47349 crore rupees by the end of 2012. At the end of December 2013, digital commerce in India grew to 62967 crore rupees.
• Digital Advertising is projected to touch 2938 core rupees by the end of March 2014 witnessing a steady growth.

Agriculture Ministry issued guidelines on National Mission on Oil seeds and Oil Palm

Union Agriculture Ministry on 31 January 2014 issued detailed guidelines and strategy for implementation of National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm. The issued scheme is aimed at enhancement of production of traditional and tree-borne oilseeds. The scheme also seeks to bring-in large area under the oil palm cultivation. Under the 12th five-year plan, the government has sanctioned 3507 crore rupees for the Mission.

Implementation of the strategy includes
• Increasing Seed Replacement Ratio
• Irrigation coverage under oilseeds from 26 to 36 percent
• Diversify of area from low yielding cereal crops to oilseed crops and inter-cropping of oilseeds with cereals, sugarcane and pulses
• Use of fallow land after paddy and potato cultivation

Active involvement of all the stakeholders would be implemented under the scheme of which 75 percent cost will be borne by centre and 25 percent by the states. The fund flow will be monitored strictly to ensure benefits of the Mission reaches to the targeted beneficiaries at a proper time.