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  • Current Affairs 11th March 2015

    Updated : 11-Mar-2015

    Current Affairs 11th March 2015 - Important Points

    Current Affairs 11th March 2015 - Details

    Which state has launched Bhagyashree scheme for girl child - Maharashtra

    Among the National Current Affairs, On 8th March 2015, Maharashtra Government launched Bhagyashree scheme for girl child replacing the Sukanya scheme. According to the scheme, the state government will deposit an amount of 21200 rupees in bank for a girl child born in a Below the Poverty Line (BPL) family.

    The Bhagyashree scheme aims at providing one lakh rupee on maturity after the girl completes 18 years of age. The scheme was launched in the presence of Bollywood actress Bhagyashree by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis. Bhagyashree is the brand ambassador of the scheme.

    Name the Solar powered plane that took off to round-the-world odyssey from Abu Dhabi - Solar Impulse-2

    Among the International Current Affairs, On 8th March 2015, The solar-powered plane named Solar Impulse-2 took off to round-the-world. Solar Impulse-2 will be the first round-the-world flight powered by solar power. The objective of this round-the-world voyage is to create awareness about replacing old polluting technologies with clean and efficient technologies.

    Solar Impulse -2 during its 12-leg journey of round-the-world will cover 35000 kilometer and will stop at Mandalay, Myanmar and Chongqing; Ahmedabad and Varanasi, India; Nanjing, China and Muscat, Oman. After traversing the Pacific Ocean via Hawaii, it will fly across the US pausing in three locations namely New York City at John F Kennedy airport and Phoenix.

    In the final leg, after traversing the Atlantic Ocean, it will make a pause in North Africa or Southern Europe before arriving back in Abu Dhabi. Solar Impulse is expected to complete its journey of 350000 km in five months and it will be piloted by Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg.

    About Solar Impulse-2

    Solar Impulse is the only airplane of everlasting continuity, able to fly day and night on solar power, without any fuel. It is a 2.3 tonne plane with top sped of 87 miles per hour (mph) and can carry just one passenger and emits precisely zero Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

    Solar Impulse -2 has a wingspan of 72 meters and 3.5 meter wide. This length allows it to support 17000 solar panels that help it to produce enough electricity to power the flight and to charge 633 Kilogram lithium batteries.

    Name the Indian-American who decided to run for US Congress in 2016 elections - Kumar P Barve

    On 9th March 2015, Indian-American Kumar P Barve of Democratic Party decided to run for US Congress in 2016 elections. He will compete on for the seat vacated by Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Republican Party.

    If elected he would be the fourth from the Indian–American community to be elected to the House of Representatives. Also, If elected, he would join fellow Democrat Ami Bera from California. Ami Bera is the only Indian-American in the US Congress.

    Barve made history in 1990 after he became the first Indian-American to be elected to a state legislature of the United States (US). At present, he is the Chairman of the House Environment and Transportation Committee and since 2002 he has served as the Majority Leader of the House of Delegates in Maryland.

    Where does the First Kisan Call Centre of North-East opened - Agartala, Tripura

    Among the National Current Affairs, On 9th March 2015, First Kisan Call Centre (KCC) of North-East was established in Agartala, Tripura. The KCC was started by the Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

    Tripura government financed the Kisan Call Centre. It will be run by a private enterprise with experts of animal husbandry, horticulture, fisheries and agriculture.

    The Kisan Call Centre will give instantaneous solution and real time advisory to farmers if they need expert consultation regarding seed procurement, agro-metric, fertilizer, soil health, pesticides usage and marketing of the produces.

    Land Acquisition (amendment) Bill, 2015 passed in - Lok Sabha

    On 10th March 2015, Land Acquisition (amendment) Bill, 2015 is passed by Lok Sabha by voice vote. The bill modifies the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

    Before being passed the Union Government made nine amendments in the Bill (more than 50 were proposed). But it refused to bring back the social impact assessment or consent clause.

    Amendments in the Bill

    • Indemnity for Social Infrastructure Projects in public-private-partnership mode has been removed.
    • Land that will be obtained for industrial corridors will be limited to one kilometre on either side of highways and railway lines.
    • It is mandatory to provide employment to one member of a farming family that is selling its land.
    • A convenient grievance redressal mechanism of land losers will be put in place.
    • Farmers may get right to complain/appeal over land acquisition hearing and redressal of grievances at the district level.
    • Ceiling on land for accession in industrial corridors.
    • Panchayat's nod may be compulsory for acquiring tribal land.
    • Government may acquire land for corporations, government bodies.
    • Term private entity was substituted with private enterprise.

    Attorney General is a public authority under the RTI Act, 2005 - High Court of Delhi

    Among the National Current Affairs, On 10th March 2015, High Court (HC) of Delhi held that the office of the Attorney General of India falls under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The court said that the Attorney General is a Constitutional Authority and is not merely a lawyer for the government.

    Justice Vibhu Bakhru headed bench of Delhi HC while reversing the decision of the Central Information Commission (CIC) held that the office of Attorney General (AG) is a public authority within the meaning of section 2(h) of the RTI Act. This is because functions performed by the AG under Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of India are in the nature of public functions.

    The judgment was made by High Court while hearing two separate plea filed by RTI activists RK Jain and Subhash Chandra Agarwal. The two RTI activists had questioned the CIC ruling and urged the court to declare AG office answerable to RTI Act.

    Allowing their plea, High Court also directed the AG to reconsider the RTI application of RK Jain, whose plea for information was denied on basis of the CIC order that the office of AGI is not a public authority.