CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 23, 2011

Polio campaign: International experts exalts India

International experts have praised India for having just one case of polio in the

first 6 months of 2011

As per them, India has run very high quality vaccination campaigns

They, however, added that a plan to rid the world of polio by the end of next year

is off track

The report by independent monitors, warned that Pakistan risks becoming the last

global outpost of this brutal disease

Polio also resurfaced in four other countries

There were around 1,000 cases of polio worldwide last year

The virus remains present in Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan

In the countries where it has resurfaced there, have been twice as many cases –

162 – as there were in the endemic countries. The experts are also particularly

concerned about new cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad

GAGAN : Safety System launched by AAI

GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN)

The Airports Authority of India, AAI launched the process of implementing a critical

safety system for safe navigation of flights

GAGAN safety system will improve air navigation, not only over the Indian

airspace but also over the airspace over the Indian Ocean region from Southeast

Asia to the African shores

An accord to employ the Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS) as a

pilot project at Chennai airport was signed by the AAI and the US Trade

Development Agency recently in New Delhi

India 4th country in the world to adopt this system

It will augment information for satellite navigation to aircraft flying over Indian

airspace and routes over high seas with high level of accuracy, integrity and

continuity during the entire flight operations – from take-off to landing

Delhi celebrates Indian Broadcast Day July 23, 2011

July 23, 2011: A symposium and cultural programmes are being organized in New

Delhi to mark the Indian Broadcast Day

Government approves two projects for National Highways

Government approved two highway projects

Projects worth over Rs. 2,330 Crore

Cover Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Kerala

Objective: with a view to expediting the infrastructure work in these states

Includes the project for development of 4 laning of 150 km long Chhattisgarh-

Odisha Border – Aurang section on National Highway-6 in Chhattisgarh

This is also aimed at helping reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic,

particularly heavy traffic, plying between the two states

The Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure also gave its nod to the development of

four laning of 54 km long Walayar -Vadakkancherry section on National Highway-

47 in Kerala

Both these projects are expected to raise the employment potential for local

laborers

Haryana bans virgin and recycled plastic

Haryana State Government prohibited the manufacturing, sale, supply

and use of virgin and recycled plastic carry bags and recycled plastic

containers

Step taken after considering the undesirable effects of its use on the environment,

health and local ecology

No person would be allowed to manufacture, sale or use containers made of

recycled plastic for storing, carrying, dispensing or packing of food stuffs

Only containers made by using natural color or white plastic and recycled plastic

using pigments and colorants as per standards and specifications of BIS (Bureau of

Indian Standards) are allowed

Perfect landing by Atlantis

The space shuttle Atlantis made a perfect landing, bringing an official end to 30

years of U.S. space shuttle missions

At 0556 Local Time, the space ship with a crew of 4 astronauts on board touched

the ground at the Kennedy Space Center in the southern state of Florida

Perfect weather conditions and a crowd of hundreds welcomed the shuttle home

Atlantis’ 13-day mission capped off its 33rd and final flight after 26 years in

service

The 4th shuttle in NASA’s fleet, Atlantis first flew into space in October 1985. The

crew departed from the ISS (International Space Station) after an 8-day visit to

deliver a year’s worth of supplies, and haul trash and used equipment back to

Earth

To Develop Kankesanthurai port India and Sri Lanka sign MoU

Kankesanthurai (KKS) harbor: In Sri Lanka in the Jaffna peninsula

KKS soon to be developed with the aid of India

India and Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the

Kankesanthurai (KKS) port

The Kankesanthurai Harbor was earlier destroyed during the 30 year war with the

LTTE

India: 10th in Global Export of Services

As per latest WTO (World Trade Report) report, 2011:

India attained 10th rank in export of services worldwide

India emerged as the 20th biggest merchandise exporter in 2010

In 2009, India stood 12th and 22nd Globally in Services and Goods Exports,

respectively

In value terms, India exported Services worth $ 110 bn and merchandise exports

worth $216 bn last year