Important Govt. Programme And Policies and Committees

(1) Prerna:- The ‘janasankhya sthirata kosh (national population

stabilization fund) has to promote & under take activities aimed at achieving population stabilization at a level consistent with the needs of sustainable economic growth. Social development and environment protection by 2045

• Prerna is a responsible for parenthood strategy. It is monetary incentive strategy aimed at pushing up the age of marriage of girls and delay the birth of the first child.

(2) National Rural Health Mission:-Lunched in April 2005 the mission seeks to provide universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care which is accountable and at the same time responsible to the needs of the people.

• It also aims to achieve the goals set out under the national policy and the millennium development goals during the mission period.

(3) Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna:-Launched by ministry of labour & employment, govt of India to provide health insurance coverage for BPL families.

• Beneficiaries are entitled to hospitalization coverage up to Rs 30,000 for most of the disease that require hospitalization.

(4) National Food Security Mission:-Sponsored scheme launched in august 2007.

• Objective is to increased production and productivity of wheat, rice and pulses.

(5) 15 Point Programme:-In Oct 2009 govt decided to include 3 more schemes in the Prime minister’s new 15 point programme for the welfare of minorities.

Those are: -

• National rural drinking water programme.

• Urban infrastructure developed scheme for small and medium town.

• Urban infrastructure and governance scheme.

(6) Bharat Nirman Yojna:- It is a time bound business plan for action in rural in infrastructure .Under Bharat nirman , action was proposed in the areas of:-

I. Irrigation.

II. Rural housing.

III. Rural water supply.

IV. Rural electrification.

V. Rural telecommunication connectivity.

(7) National Mission On Education:-It is a mission in which education is provide through information and communication technology. “SAKSHAT” one stop education portal was launched on Oct 30 2006 by the president of India.

• Head of National knowledge commission:-Sam Pitroda.

(8)Right To Education Act 2009:- Article 21-(A), as inserted by the constitution (86th Amendment Act) 2002, provides for free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years as a fundamental rights. Consequently the parliament has enacted this in April 2009.

Salient features:-

(a) Free and compulsory education 6 to 14 age group.

(b) Will apply to all India except J&K.

(c) Provide for 25% reservation for economically disadvantaged communities in admission in private school.

(d) A child who completes elementary education (up to class 8) shall be awarded a certificate.

(9) Female Literacy:-It is a scheme to provide education & related facilities to ST Students launched by ministry of trial affairs in dec 11, 2009.

(10) Anil Kalkaska Committee on reforms in IITS:-it will suggest reforms to make these elite institutions a global brand.

(11) Yashpal Committee Report:- It was set up in 2008 for higher education and research.

• It has suggested the scrapping of all higher education regulatory /monitoring bodies and creation of a super regulation.

• It also recommended that the deemed university status be abandoned and that all deserving universities be either converted into full fledged universities or scrapped.

(12) National Rural Livelihood Mission:-Ministry of rural development and panchyati raj proposed to restructure the existing swarnjayanti gram swarojgar yojna into rural livelihood mission to have a focused approach to rural poverty eradication in a time bound manner.

• Objective is to reduce poverty among rural BPL by promoting diversified and gainful self employment and wage employment opportunities which would lead to an appreciable increase in sustainable basis.

(13) NREGA Renamed After Mahatma Gandhi:- On Oct 2, 2009.

(14) Chandra Sheker Panel:- on the recomandation of a committee headed by cabinet secretary K.M Chander shaker. Centre had increased the pension for retired service man.

(15) Rajiv Awas Yojna:-Ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation had launched the housing project called the Rajiv awas yojna for slum dwellers and the urban poor.

• Aimed at making India slum free in the next five years.

(16) Government Gave 50% Women’s Quota: - For women in urban local bodies from 33 % to 50 % by the 108th const. amendment act.

(17) B.K Chaturvedi panel to resolve the inter ministrial issues to speed up the ambitious national highways development project taken up by the road transport and highway ministry.

(18) Librahan Commission:- It was set up in dec 16 ,1992 by the Narashima Rao govt. to probe the demolition of Babri Mosque. The commission was initially asked to give a report in three months, however it could do so only after over 16 years that saw 39 sitting and 48 extensions, finally on June 30 2009 it gave the report.

(19) S.D. Tendulkar Committee:-It is to estimate poverty in the country. It’s said that about 38% of the country’s population are living below poverty line. This figure is 10% higher than the present poverty estimate of 28.5 % by the planning commission.

(20) Moily Panel:- For administrative reform commission it is the 2^nd administrative reform commission.

(21) Unique Identification Authority:- Chairman of UID is Nandan Nilekani. He revealed that the first set of 16 digit unique identification number for citizen of the country will roll out by the end of 2010.

• The UIAI is a part of the planning mission of India.

• AADHAR:-UIDAI now new name AADHAR and also a logo.

• AADHAR or foundation through through which the citizen can claim his/her rights and establishment when assumed of equal opportunities as symbolized by the logo which has the halo of the sun in the imprint of a thumbs.

(22) M.S swami Nathan Panel:- It’s recommendation is on coasted management zone.

(23) G.T Nanavati-Akshay Mehta judical commission:- Probing the Godhra train carnage and post Godhra riots.

(24) Justice B.N Srikrishna is the head of the committee on Telangana issue. The committee is requested to submit its report by dec 31, 2010.

(25) Census 2011:-15th national census of India. President being first person to share her details. First census was conducted in 1872.

(26) D.P Wadhawa Committee On PDS:-Established by the Supreme Court to give recommendation on the reform of public distribution system.

(27) Rajiv Gandhi Grammeen LPG Vitarak Yojna:- Union petroleum and natural gas ministry inaugurated this scheme for providing liquefied petroleum gas to the rural house hold at Lachhman ghar in sikar district of Rajasthan .

• Under the scheme it is proposed to increase the number of connection to 16 crores with coverage of 75% of population by 2015.

(28) Punchhi Commission:-Commission on centre state relation. It was constituted in April 2007. It was ask to make recommendation to help address the emerging challenges faced by the nation regarding centre state relation.

Before this in mid 1980’s the SARKARI commission had undertaken a comprehensive review of the center state relation.

(29) National Integration Council:-The Govt. has reconstituted it which will be chaired by prime minister. Set up in the early 60’s by Nehru.

(30) E.R Rammohan Committee on Dantewada Massacre of CRPF personal.

(31) ICDS:-Integrated child development service launched on 2nd Oct 1975.

• It is the world largest programme for early child hood.

• The objective is to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 0-6 years.

(33) Green India Mission:- Ministry of environment and forests and the defense research and development organization have launched the mission.

• The aim is to bring a million heacter of high altitude, cold desert

ecosystem under cultivation by 2020.

(34) Pradhan Mantra Adarsh Gram Yojna:- It was launched in Rajasthan Sriganga nagar district.

• Aim at integrated development of 1,000 villages where a majority of the population belongs to the schedule caste.

• It is a replica of U.P’s Ambedkar village scheme.

(35) Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission:- Objective -Generation of 20000 mw of solar energy in three phases by 2022.

• Under this govt. aims to add at least 1000 mw solar power by the end of 2013.

• Power Finance Corporation and the rural electrification corporation had agreed to provide financial assistance.

(36) Certified command of state centre force in chattisgrah, orissa,Jharkhand, Bengal was mooted to counter naxal problem. Under this a IG rank officer or a retired major general on board should be headed the certified command. In this:-

• Additional helicopters should be provided.

• 400 new police stations should be opened.

• 34 new battalions should be constituted.

(37) S. Irani committee:- Rajasthan Govt appointed this committee regarding the Issue of providing reservation to Gujjars.

(38) Pradhan committee:-

• Investigate Nov 26 2008 terror attack.

(39) Muzzafar Jan Commission:-

This committee had probed the gang rape of 17 years old Asiya and pregnant neelofar in shopiaon (J&K).

(40) Kasturi Rangan Committee:- Council of scientific and industrial research (CSIR) has set up this committee. To see the capability of the national aerospace laboratory (NAL) to build civil aircraft.

(41) Goverdhan Mehta Committee:-To review the procedure of the intergovernmental panel on clime change.

(42) National Advisory Council:-

• A consultative body, chained by Sonia Gandhi.

• To serve as

HIGHLIGHTS OF UNION BUDGET 2011-12

HIGHLIGHTS OF UNION BUDGET 2011-12

· I-T exemption limit raised to Rs 1.80 lakh from Rs 1.60 lakh .

· Exemption for senior citizens raised to Rs 2.5 lakh

· Tax under women slab unchanged.

· Tax exemption raised to Rs 5 lakh for senior citizens of 80 years.

· To increase service tax on air travel

· Excise and customs duty proposals to result in the net gain of Rs 7,300 crore.

· Export duty rates on iron ore unified and kept at 20% ad valorem.

· Basic customs duty on agricultural machinery reduced to 4.5% from 5%

· Basic customs duty on raw silk reduced from 30 to 5 per cent

· Excise and customs duty proposals to result in the net gain of Rs 7,300 crore

· Nominal one per cent central excise duty on 130 items entering the tax net. Basic food and fuel and precious stones, gold and silver jewellery will be exempted.

· Peak rate of customs duty maintained at 10% in view of the global economic situation.

· Customs duty exemptions for hybrid auto parts.

· Nominal one per cent central excise duty on 130 items entering the tax net. Basic food and fuel and precious stones, gold and silver jewellery will be exempted.

· Standard rate of central exercise duty maintained at 10%.

· Central government debt in proportion to GDP will be 44.2% in 2011-12.

· 20% export duty on all grades of iron ore.

· Basic customs duty reduced on certain textile products

· No change in service tax rate of 10%.

· No change in central excise duty.

· Plan to levy 1% on 130 consumer items.

· Revenue deficit fixed at 2.3 per cent in revised estimates of 2010—11 and 1.8 per cent in 2011—12,

· Total plan expenditure will go up 100 per cent in nominal terms in the next year

· 15% tax on dividend for Indian cos from foreign unit.

· Direct Tax proposals result in expenditure of Rs 11,500 cr.

· To reduce surcharge on domestic companies to 5% from 7.5%

· MAT rate hiked to 18.5% from 18%.

· MAT on developers in SEZs to be levied.

· Fiscal deficit revised to 5.1% from 5.5% for FY'11

· Total expenditure raised by 13.4% at Rs 12.57 lakh cr over budget estimates

· Gross tax receipts estimated at 9.32 lakh cr for FY 2011-12

· Bill to amend India Stamp Act soon.

· Budget allocation of Rs 100 cr for Ladakh and Rs 150 cr for Jammu for implementation of projects identified by taskforce

· Old age pension to persons of over the age of 80 raised from Rs 200 to Rs 500

· Health allocation up by 20% to R 27,600 cr.

· Rs 9- lakh ex-gratia for defence personnel for 100% disability fighting Left-wing extremism.

· To set up 15 more mega food parks.

· Remuneration of anganwadi workers raised from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per month. Helpers to get Rs 1,500 from Rs 750

· Tax free bonds of Rs 30,000 cr to be issued for infrastructure development. This will cover Warehousing Corporation, NHAI, IRFC and Hudco.

· Allocation under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana to be raised from Rs 6,755 crore in the current year to Rs 7,860 crore.

· Rs 50 cr grant to Aligarh Muslim University centres in Murshidabad in West Bengal and Malappuram in Kerala.

· Rs 200 cr for environmental remediation programme.

· Age for pension eligibility reduced from 65 years to 60 years under Indira Gandhi Yojana scheme

· To move insurance, pension and banking bills in Parliament

· Rs 500-cr for National Development Fund.

· Rs 400-cr as one-time grant for IIT-Kharagpur.

· Move to set up State Innovation Councils underway.

· Allocation to education sector raised to Rs 52,000 cr

· Scholarship scheme for SC/ST students in classes iX, X.

· Increase in allocation to higher education

· Increase in remuneration for Anganwadi workers from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per month.

· Plan 17% increase in social sector spending.

· To introduce Food Security Bill

· Tax free bonds of Rs 30,000 cr to be issued for infrastructure development. This will cover Warehousing Corporation, NHAI, IRFC and Hudco.

· Fertiliser industry to be included under infrastructure category.

· New companies bill to be introduced.

· GoM to be set up to deal with corruption

· Five-fold strategy to deal with black money.

· Mega cluster for leather products to be introduced.

· Existing interest subvention scheme on short term farm loans at 7 % interest to continue.

· Self-assessment in customs to be introduced.

· Credit flows to farmers raised from Rs 3.75 lakh crore to Rs 4.75 lakh crore.

· Constitution Amendment Bill for introduction of GST in this session.

· Goods and Services Tax Bill this year.

· Direct Taxes Code Bill likely to be passed by Parliament next financial year after getting Standing Committee report.

· Public Debt Management Agency Bill in the next fiscal.

· Indian mutual funds to get direct access to foreign markets; FIIs to be allowed to invest in MFs.

· To liberalise FDI policy further.

· To extend infra tax breaks to fertiliser sector.

· To set up microfinance equity fund.

· Government to move towards direct cash transfer of cash subsidy as regards kerosene, LPG and fertilisers from March 2012 for BPL in view of large diversion.

· 3% interest subvention to farmers who repay in time.

· Nabard capital base to be increased by infusing Rs 10,000 cr

· Rural housing fund increased to Rs 3,000 cr

· Banks asked to step up lending to agriculture.

· Allocation under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana to be raised from Rs 6,755 crore in the current year to Rs 7,860 crore.

· Budget proposes to raise housing loan limit from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for priority sector lending.

· Allocation for farm development hiked to Rs 7,860 cr.

· Rs 300 cr proposed to promote production of cereals.

· Indian micro-finance equity with SIDBI to be formed at Rs 100 crore.

· Rs 6,000 cr to be given to public sector banks to maintain capital-to-risk assets ratio norms

· RBI to bring in new guidelines for banking licences.

· Aiming Fiscal deficit of 3% by fiscal 2014

· Central electronic registry to reduce fraud cases.

· FII investment limit for infra corporate bonds hiked to $40 billion.

· Discussions on to further liberalise FDI policy.

· Preparation of GST rollout in final stages.

· Microfinance equity fund of Rs 100 cr proposed.

· Govt committed to hold 51% in PSUs.

· Rs 3,000 cr to Nabard for handloom societies.

· Women self-help group development fund to be set up.

· Direct transfer of subsidy for kerosene.

· Goods and Services Tax Bill to be introduced in Parliament this year.

· Direct Tax Code Bill likely to be passed by Parliament next financial year after getting Standing Committee report.

· Disinvestment target at Rs 40,000 cr.

· Direct Tax Code from April 2012.

· SEBI-registered MFs to be allowed direct access to foreign funds.

· Expect RBI to moderate inflation.

· Public Debt Management Agency Bill to be introduced next financial year.

· Current account deficit and average inflation in 2011-12 likely to be less than current year.

· FDI policy review done in Sept 2010.

· Economic growth in 2011-12 likely to be 9 per cent.

· Admits large-scale diversion of kerosene.

· Introduction of DTC will be a watershed moment.

· Debt managment bill to be introduced.

· Constitutional Amendment Bill on GST to be introduced.

· Expect agri sector to grow at 5.4% in 2011.

· Growth in 2010-11 broad-based.

· Economy resilient to shocks.

· RBI measures will further moderate inflation.

· GDP estimated growth at 8.6% in real terms.

· New dynamism in rural economy.

· Core inflation in check.

· Current account deficit is at 2009-10 levels, and is a matter of concern.

· Huge difference in wholesale and retail prices not acceptable.

· Total food inflation down from 20.2 per cent last year to 9.3 per cent in Jan

· Revival in private investment should be sustainable.

· Service growing in double digits.

· Need to reconcile legitimate environmental concerns with developmental needs.

· Food Inflation has declined by half, but still a matter of concern.

General Knowledge Questions and Current Affair- India

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUIZ,CURRENT AFFAIRS,GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, PERSONALITY,WHO'S WHO,INDIA GK,WORDS AND VOCABULARY,BUSINESS GK,SCIENCE GK, ENVIRONMENT GK, AMAZING FACTS,BANK PO AND CLERICAL EXAM QUESTIONS,INDIA'S ECONOMY,BRAIN TEASERS,INDUSTRY NEWS-INDIA,SPORTS GK,COMPETITIVE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS,HISTORY,GEOGRAPHY,INDIAN CONSTITUTION AND 5 YEAR PLAN,GK FOR MBA ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS, MAT,SNAP 2010,INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES, GROUP DISCUSSION, RAILWAY RECRUITMENTS, UPSC, IAS, FREE QUIZZES,TRIVIA

1. … actor, Vishnuvardhan died of cardiac arrest. Frenzied fans, who could not pay tribute to the icon due to surging crowd, went berserk and threw stones which did not spare even the wife of the deceased.
   a. Tamil
   b. Kannada
   c. Telugu
   d. Malyalam
   
   
2. Name the head of All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) who was sworn in as a minister in Jharkhand Assembly alongside Shibu Soren as the chief minister.
   a. Sudesh Mahato
   b. Raghubar Das
   c. Aditya Swaroop
   d. Yashwant Sinha
   
   
3. N Ram, editor-in-chief of newspaper ‘The Hindu’, has been conferred the second Lokmanya Tilak National Journalist Award by the Kesari Mahratta Trust. Who was the recipient of the first award in 2009?
   a. Barkha Dutt, NDTV
   b. Rajdeep Sardesai, CNN-IBN
   c. Govind Singh, ‘Amar Ujala’
   d. Vir Sanghvi, ‘Hindustan Times’
   
   
4. Name the barrister of Indian-origin, who has been appointed as the Recorder by Queen Elizabeth in the United Kingdom.
   a. Kalyani Kaul
   b. Arpita MAjumdar
   c. CV Ramanna Rao
   d. Austin Joseph
   
   
5. Which country does the al Qaeda suspect, charged with trying to blow up a United States airliner, belong to?
   a. Egypt
   b. Iraq
   c. Nigeria
   d. Ghana
   
   
6. Why has a constitutional amendment bill been tabled in the legislature Parliament in Nepal?
   a. To extend term of the present government
   b. To make Nepal a Hindu state
   c. To define boundaries of Nepal’s constituencies
   d. To allow people of authority to take oath in their mother tongue
   
   
7. Recently Japan showed its keenness for India to ratify a treaty. Which treaty is it?
   a. Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty
   b. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
   c. Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security
   d. None of the above
   
   
8. The Union tourism ministry has launched an initiative on ‘safe and honourable tourism’ which would essentially promote the cause of protecting ….
   a. Women
   b. Children
   c. Women and children
   d. Beggers
   
   
9. According to a survey by Hotels.com, an accommodation website, which is the most favourite building of the world among the international travelers?
   a. Taj Mahal
   b. Statue of Liberty
   c. Empire State Building
   d. Eiffel Tower
   
   
10. An Indian Airline’s plane from Kathmandu, bound to Delhi, was hijacked in December 1999 by terrorists demanding release of their friends. Where did the terrorists take the plane?
    a. Back to Kathmandu, Nepal
    b. Delhi, India
    c. Kandhar, Afghanistan
    d. Peshawar, Pakistan
    
    
11. The ODI between India and Sri Lanka at Firoz Shah Kotla, Delhi was cancelled due to bad condition of the pitch. Where was a match between the same countries cancelled due to same reason in 1997?
    a. Kanpur
    b. Indore
    c. Hyderabad
    d. Chennai
    
    
12. The by-election to the Pennagaram Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu was postponed as some political parties said that the current schedule was close to Pongal festival. Who is the chief electoral officer of Tamil Nadu?
    a. Naresh Gupta
    b. Shekhar Channe
    c. Pooja Kulkarni
    d. Ajit Srivastava
    
    
13. According to the US magazine, ‘Entertainment Weekly’, who/what is “the greatest entertainer of the decade”?
    a. Harry Potter
    b. YouTube
    c. Facebook
    d. Friends, serial on Star World
    
    
14. Which country’s top legislature has adopted an amendment to the renewable energy law mandating electricity grid companies to buy all the power produced by renewable energy generators?
    a. United Kingdom
    b. Germany
    c. China
    d. Japan
    
    
15. With which country will the DRDO tie-up to develop the Kaveri aero engine?
    a. Switzerland
    b. France
    c. United States
    d. Australia
    
    
16. The Danish police had to fire at a person who had attacked the cartoonist who had made the controversial cartoon of Prophet Mohammad. Name him. What was the attacker’s nationality?
    a. Somalia
    b. Iraq
    c. Lebanon
    d. Libya
    
    
17. ‘Three Idiots’, the recent movie directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is at the center of controversy due to credit placement to the author Chetan Bhagat, from whose book ‘Five Point Someone’ the movie is inspired. Which other film is based on one of Chetan Bhagat’s works?
    a. ‘Love Aaj Kal’
    b. ‘Aloo Chat’
    c. ‘Hello’
    d. ‘Chai, Paani etc’
    
    
18. The environment and forest ministry has cleared this 56,400 crore project and has allowed it to acquire 2,900 acres of forestland to this project. Name it.
    a. Vedanta
    b. Posco
    c. Tata Nano
    d. Arcelor Mittal
    
    
19. The BJP has stated that in the year 2010 it will keep a watch on the Congress on … issues.
    a. 5
    b. 7
    c. 9
    d. 10
    
    
20. MK Alagiri had requested to be allowed to speaking in Tamil in the Parliament, as he is neither comfortable with Hindi, nor with English. Which ministry does he head?
    a. Mines
    b. Shipping
    c. Chemicals and fertilisers
    d. Overseas Indian affairs
    
    
21. Who is the author of newly-released ‘A Tale of Two Revolts: India 1857 & the American Civil War’?
    a. Ramachandra Guha
    b. Rajmohan Gandhi
    c. William Dalrymple
    d. Sumit Sarkar
    
    
22. Who is the author of ‘We Must Have No Price’, which scrutinizes several scams and takes up issue of internal security?
    a. Mani Shankar Aiyer
    b. Arun Jaitley
    c. Sitaram Yechury
    d. Arun Shourie
    
    
23. A court in this country has set aside government’s ban on Christians using the name of Allah, saying that Christians have the Constitutional right to the word. Which country are we talking about?
    a. Indonesia
    b. Malaysia
    c. Pakistan
    d. Oman
    
    
24. Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu has scored a first. What is it?
    a. She has become the first person to ski to the South Pole
    b. She has become the first Indian to ski to the South Pole
    c. She has become the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole
    d. She has become the first Indian woman to skydive onto the South Pole
    
    
25. Salman Rushdie’s visit to this site has angered the Muslim clerics, 21 years after the Fatwa against him over Satanic Verses. Name the monument he visited in a hush-hush manner.
    a. Jama Masjid, Delhi
    b. Taj Mahal, Agra
    c. Ajmer Sharif
    d. Haji Ali, Mumbai
    
    
26. Billy Arjan Singh, who passed away on January1 this year, was the man behind ….
    a. Kanha National Park
    b. Dudhwa National Park
    c. Kaziranga National Park
    d. Sariska Bird Sanctuary
    
    
27. This state has enacted a legislation, which makes voting in local body polls mandatory. We are talking about ….
    a. Gujarat
    b. Maharashtra
    c. Tamil Nadu
    d. Karnataka
    
    
28. The Harvard Business Review has named this Indian among the world’s five best performing CEOs. Whom are we talking about?
    a. Sunil Bharti Mittal
    b. Shiv Nadar
    c. Anil Ambani
    d. Mukesh Ambani
    
    
29. The Indian team won 16 out of 21 gold medals in the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships. In which city was the Championship held?
    a. Jalandhar
    b. Ludhiana
    c. Amritsar
    d. Karnal
    
    
30. Who is the author of ‘The Rediscovery of India’?
    a. Rahul Gandhi
    b. Priyanka Gandhi
    c. Gurcharan Das
    d. Meghnad Desai

Answers 1. b. Kannada 2. a. Sudesh Mahato 3. d. Vir Sanghvi, ‘Hindustan Times’ 4. a. Kalyani Kaul 5. c. Nigeria 6. d. To allow people of authority to take oath in their mother tongue 7. b. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty 8. c. Women and children 9. d. Eiffel Tower 10. c. Kandhar, Afghanistan 11. b. Indore 12. a. Naresh Gupta 13. a. Harry Potter 14. c. China 15. b. France 16. a. Somalia 17. c. ‘Hello’ 18. b. Posco 19. d. 10 20. c. Chemicals and fertilisers 21. b. Rajmohan Gandhi 22. d. Arun Shourie 23. b. Malaysia 24. c. She has become the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole 25. b. Taj Mahal, Agra 26. b. Dudhwa National Park 27. a. Gujarat 28. d. Mukesh Ambani 29. a. Jalandhar 30. d. Meghnad Desai

Obama makes presidential pitch for 2016 Olympics to be held in Chicago

Washington, Apr 5 (ANI): US President Barack Obama in a video welcomed Olympic evaluators to Chicago to begin the task of grading whether the city is ready to host the 2016 games.
Obama described Chicago as an international city that he and his wife and children call home, the Chicago Sun Times reported.
Obama, who remains overseas, described a city that grew up under architect Daniel Burnham’s refrain – used a lot in the city’s bid for the games – “make no small plans, they have no magic to stir the soul,” and called the city a great American melting pot.
“It’s a city where the world’s races and religions and nationalities all live and work and play and reach for the American Dream that brought them here; where our civic parades wave the colors of every culture; where our classrooms are filled with the sounds of the world’s languages,” he said, noting that jazz, ranchera and bhangra can be heard “down the street from one another.”
But beyond that, the President told the 13-member International Olympic Committee’s evaluation commission, Chicago is his home.
“After your visit, once you discover the Chicago that I know – the city that I made my home, the city where my wife grew up, the city where we raised our daughters just blocks from where these games will be held – I am confident you will discover that you’re already in the perfect host city for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” the President said.
While Chicago is the first to be evaluated, the IOC team will also be grading finalist cities Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo.
Today’s closed-door discussions will focus on environmental issues, transportation, proposed sporting venues across the city, and the Olympic Village planned for the Michael Reese Hospital campus in the 2900 block of South Ellis.
The IOC evaluation commission will tour the venues and Olympic Village site on Sunday. By the time they wrap up their work on Tuesday, the group will be prepared to report back to the 100-plus members of the IOC, which will vote on a host city for the games on October 2 in Copenhagen. (ANI)