PD Panorama Year Book / 12

65 Cabinet Approved the Setting up Equal Oppor-tunities Commission

65 Parliament Passes Bill to Protect Whistleblowers66 The Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification)

Amendment Bill, 2013 Received President’sAssent

66 Delay is Ground for Commuting Death : SupremeCourt

67 Supreme Court Reinstates Ban on Gay Sex67 Government Provides Minority Status to Jains67 Parliament Passes the Lokpal Bill68 Cabinet Clears Constitutional Status for Judicial

Appointments Commission (JAC)69 New Land Acquisition Act Comes into Effect70 Gauhati High Court’s Path Breaking Judgement

Declaring CBI Unconstitutional Stayed by SC70 Supreme Court Takes Strict Stance on Use of

Red Beacon70 SC Tells Government How it should Govern

Bureaucrats71 Reject Nomination if Criminal Post Not Revealed

: Says SC71 Parliament Passes Pension Fund Bill72 The New Companies Bill Receives President’s

Assent

Defence/Space/Satellite72 India To Conduct Complex Interceptor Missile

Test73 India’s Second Navigation Satellite Successfully

Launched73 INS Sindhuratna Tragedy74 BrahMos Missile Successfully Test-fired74 India Successfully Test Fires Agni–IV74 Akash Missile Test-fired for Third Time74 BrahMos Missile Successfully Fired in Salvo

Mode by Indian Navy75 India Develops New Tactical Missile ‘Pragati’75 India Successfully Test-fires Nuclear-Capable

Dhanush Missile75 Successful Test of Pinaka75 Boeing to Deliver 10 C-17 Airlifters for Indian Air

Force by 2014

26 Editorial27 India : At a Glance40 Indian Economy : A Few Facts : At a Glance47 The Indian Polity : A Bird’s Eyeview51 Geography : At a Glance

National Events 2013-14

Political Updates58 BJP-led NDA Claimed Landslide Victory in Lok

Sabha 2014 Election58 TDP, TRS win Seemandhra, Telangana Assembly

Polls59 BJD Registers Emphatic Victory in Odisha59 Congress Retains Power with Three-Fourth

Majority in Arunachal Pradesh59 Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling all set to Become

Longest Serving Chief Minister in India59 Cabinet nod to Special Category Status to

Seemandhra60 Know about India’s 29th State60 First Pro-Hindi Political Party launched in Tamil

Nadu61 Demand for Creation of Bodaland Gains

Momentum61 Jats in Nine States to get Reservation Benefit61 Two Regional Parties from Jharkhand Join TMC61 Cabinet Approved President’s Rule in Delhi62 Results of Assembly Elections in Five States

Declared

Bill/Law/Constitution/Justice/Commission

63 SC Deadline for Trials Against Lawmakers63 Centre Announces 7th Pay Commission63 Supreme Court Recognises Transgenders as

Third Gender64 Rajya Sabha Passed the Street Vendors Bill, 201464 President Signs Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation

Bill64 Amendments in the Central List of Other Back-

ward Classes

76 ISRO Successfully Launches GSLV–D5 with Indi-genous Cryogenic Engine

76 Agni–I Successfully Test-fired from Odisha Coast77 BrahMos Clears Toughest Test77 Agni–III Test-fired Successfully by SFC Per-

sonnel77 India Successfully Test-fires Agni–V77 India Successfully Test-fires Prithvi–II Missile78 INS Arihant, India’s First Nuclear Missile

Submarine’s Reactor Goes Critical78 India Launches its First Indigenous Aircraft

Carrier INS Vikrant79 Indian Navy Inducts INS Vikramaditya79 INS Sunayna Inducted into Indian Navy80 India’s Submarine INS Sindhurakshak Sink, 18

Men on Board Feared Killed80 Nag Evaluation Trials conducted Successfully in

Pokhran80 India’s First Defence Satellite GSAT–7 Launched81 The Era of MiG–21 FL comes to an End in IAF81 Successful Launch of Mars Orbiter Mission83 Army Starts Raising ‘Strike Corps’ on LAC with

China83 US to Sell India 145 Howitzers for $ 885 m83 India Scraps VVIP Chopper Deal with Augusta

Westland

Other Vital Issues84 Meghalaya Gets Rail Connectivity84 4th Phase of AIDS Control Programme Launched84 101st Indian Science Congress85 Between 2000 and 2012 Jobs Grew by a Mere 2%

Per Year85 Casual Worker’s Real Wage up 61% in 13 Years85 2% Mandatory CSR Spending from Profits86 150 Workdays for Tribals Under MGNREGA86 Persons with Disabilities to Get Higher Financial

Help86 Poll Expense Limit Raised87 Young Male Registered Voters Still Outnumber

Females87 Odia Gets Classical Language Status87 New Norms of Mercy Pleas88 PM Lays Foundations of Largest Nuclear Power

Plant88 Nanavati Panel Gets 21st Extension to Submit

Report88 India may Take 15 Years to Catch up with

Chinese Military89 India–China Border Trade Rises by over 23% in

2013 : Report89 India Rejects Chinese Proposal on Border

Mechanism89 Hyderabad–Karnataka Development Board gets

President Nod90 Govt. Unveils Norms for Foreign Institutes

Eyeing Indian Campuses

90 India to Play Key Role in Building World’s LargestTelescope

90 FDI Rules Eased for Multi-brand Retail91 Infertility Cure Part of Family Planning Now91 Gandhi Heritage Portal Dedicated to the Nation91 Ahimsa Messenger Programme Formally Laun-

ched91 India Unveils Cyber Security Policy92 Autonomous Agency Set up to Coordinate Skill

Development Efforts92 Crime in India93 Government–India Inc Seal Pact for 2,500

Schools93 India Slips to 60th Rank on Competitiveness

Globally94 India Home to a Quarter of the World’s Hungry95 India 70th on List of Nations with Wealth Stashed

Abroad95 India Sets up System to Tap Phone Calls, E-mails95 India Rejects Resolution Against Child Marriage96 India Ranks 6th in Billionaire Club96 Upper Primary School Enrolment Rises 4·8%97 Union Cabinet Gives Approval to Pharma Pur-

chase Policy97 Centre Finalises Policy for Affordable Housing97 National Integration Council Meeting in New

Delhi97 EC’s 10-pt Plan to Curb Use of Black Money in

Polls98 PM Sets up Committee to Assess Status of Tribals98 Political Parties Unite, Oppose Supreme Court

Order on Disqualification of Convicted MPs/MLAs

99 Consensus Among Political Parties to Keep themout of the Purview of RTI Act

99 Union Cabinet Nod for Legislation for Women’sshare in Ex-hubby Inheritance

100 To Boost Growth, Govt. Relaxes Foreign DirectInvestment (FDI) Norms

100 Centre Streamlines Welfare Schemes for States’Ease

Regional Affairs 2013-14101 Andhra Pradesh101 Assam101 Bihar102 Chhattisgarh102 Delhi/NCR103 Gujarat103 Haryana104 Jammu & Kashmir104 Karnataka105 Kerala105 Madhya Pradesh105 Maharashtra106 North-East107 Punjab

PD Panorama Year Book / 14

PD Panorama Year Book / 16

123 Nawaz Sharif Sworn in Prime Minister of Pakistanfor Third Term

Deals/Agreements/Pacts123 India, China Hold Talks for Peace on Border123 China Proposes Silk Route to Link India with the

Far East123 India, Israel Sign Homeland Security Pact124 India, Canada set to Enhance Ties124 India and Saudi Arabia Signed Defence co-

operation Pact125 India Signed Two Agreements with Kyrgyz

Republic125 India, Bahrain Sign Three MoUs125 India and Netherlands Sign MoU on Renewable

Energy125 Ministry of Culture and Tate Sign MoU126 Indo-German Umbrella Agreements Signed126 India, Myanmar Ink Deal to Jointly Combat cross-

border Insurgency and Criminal Activities126 India, Nepal to Check Illegal Border Trade127 India and Saudi Arabia Sign a Labour Cooperation

Pact127 WTO Inks Landmark Pact127 India and Vietnam Sign Pacts128 India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty Takes Effect128 India Starts Power Export to Bangladesh129 India Approves $ 160 million to Boost Power

Projects in Nepal

Summits/Conferences/Meets129 3rd World Congress on Agroforestry 2014129 11th Petrotech International Oil and Gas Exhibi-

tion and Conference130 The 6th Agri Business Summit130 3rd BIMSTEC Summit131 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

(CHOGM) 2013131 4th OIC World Biz–2013 Conference in Kuala

Lumpur132 G–20 Summit at St. Petersburg, Russia132 11th ASEAN Summit in Brunei and India133 39th G–8 Summit

Guests in India134 Saudi Crown Prince Arrives in India134 Visit of the Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Re-

public to India134 Visit of the President of Zanzibar to India135 Afghan President, Hamid Karzai’s Visit to India135 Maldives President Abdulla Yameen’s Visit to

India135 US Vice-President Biden’s Visit to India

Indian Leaders in Abroad135 PM’s Visit to Runei and Indonesia136 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s US Visit136 Prime Minister’s Visit to Russia and China

107 Rajasthan108 Tamil Nadu108 Uttarakhand109 Uttar Pradesh110 West Bengal

International Events 2013-14

International Political Updates

111 Russian President Signs Treaty to Make CrimeaA Part of Russia

111 Thailand Govt. Lifts Bangkok Emergency111 Manuel Valls Becomes Prime Minister of France112 Tunisia Ends State of Emergency After 3 Years112 Congo Rebel Leader Found Guilty of Crimes

against Humanity112 Egypt’s New Govt. Sworn-in113 Iran, Britain, Resumes Diplomatic Ties113 Saudi Arabia Designates Muslim Brotherhood

‘Terrorist Group’113 UAE Backs Saudis with Muslim Brotherhood

Blacklist113 Sri Lanka Rejects Call for War Crimes Probe114 Koreas Better Ties at High-level Talks114 North, South Korea Agree to Hold Reunions114 Iran Agrees to Act on Nuclear Cooperation115 Shushil Koirala Becomes Nepal’s 37th Prime

Minister115 China, Taiwan Hold Historic Talks116 Syria Peace Talks Break off without Progress116 Iran Signs Historic Nuclear Deal with West116 Geneva : Six-month Window to Negotiate

Permanent Deal117 Bangladesh Polls : Sheikh Hasina Wins but Fails

to Quell Unrest117 Political Crisis in Central African Republic :

President Resigns after Deadly Unrest118 US Deploys Military Advisors in Somalia118 Thailand : Political Crisis Timeline119 Obama Signs $ 1·1 trillion Government Spending

Bill120 Chile’s Socialist Party Sweeps Polls : Michelle

Bachelet Wins Presidential Run off Election120 North Korea Executes its Leader Kim’s ‘Traitor’

Uncle120 Total Victory for Democratic Republic of Congo

Over Rebels120 Gambia Withdraws from Commonwealth121 North Korea Replaces Hardline Military Chief in

Reshuffle121 Saudi Arabia Turns Down UNSC Seat Over

Double Standards121 Tamil Party Secures Huge Victory in Sri Lanka

Polls121 Ibrahim B. Keita Wins Mali Election122 Mugabe Wins Polls, Opposition Mulls Protest122 Rouhani Becomes Iran’s President122 Japan PM Abe Wins Upper House Elections

PD Panorama Year Book / 18

Vital International Affairs137 India Abstains from Voting Against Lanka on War

Crimes Charges137 UN Court Orders Japan to Stop Whale Hunt138 European Court Puts on End to Phone, Email

Data Collection Law138 Japan Lifts 50–year-old Ban on Weapons Exports138 Children’s Euthanasia Bill Signed by Belgium

king139 Scotland Becomes Seventeenth Country to App-

rove Same-Sex Marriages139 Indian, Nepali Armies Hold Joint Military

Exercise139 China to Boost Defence Budget by 12·2 per cent139 SBI Opens Counter at Pashupatinath Temple140 China Releases New Rules on State Secrets140 China to Hike Military Spending to $ 148 Billion140 Afghan Casualties Rose by 14% Since 2012 : UN140 Iran, World Powers Agree on Negotiation Agenda

for N–Talks140 Iran Nuclear Deal Takes Effect141 Israel Tests Arrow Missile Shield Successfully141 Nepal Supreme Court Gives Voters Right to Reject

Candidates142 After China, South Korea Expands Air Defence

Zone142 US Tech Giants Launch Campaign for NSA

Surveillance Reforms142 Uruguay Becomes the First Country to Legalize

Marijuana Trade142 Australian Top Court Declares Gay Weddings

Invalid143 Iran sends second Monkey into Space143 US Space X Launches First Commercial TV

Satellite143 Europe Launches Satellite to Map 1 Billion Stars144 China Does Away with Labour Camps144 Japan, Russia Hold First Diplomatic Talks144 Super Typhoon, Haiyan, Pounds Philippines144 NASA Launches Maven to Study Mars Atmos-

phere145 Experts Begin Destroying Syrian Chemical Arse-

nal Banned by UN145 China Defends Plans to Build N-Reactors in

Pakistan145 UK Allows China Role in N-Power146 Sri Lankan Train Chugs into Tamil Tiger Rebels’

Territory After 23 Years146 Caribbean Nations’ Drive to Woo Indian

Immigrants with Attractive Cash–for CitizenshipOffers

146 China Building World’s Highest Altitude Airport147 Sri Lankan President Seeks More Time to Address

Tamil Issue147 Nigerian President Replaces All His Military

Chiefs147 UN, WHO Launch Polio Drive for Mideast

Children

147 UK PM Visits China to Promote Trade147 Now, Philippines Allows Use of Phone on Planes147 Gambia Breaks Relations with Surprised Taiwan147 Taiwan Gets First Batch of US-made Attack

Helicopters148 US Loses Voting Rights at UNESCO over Pales-

tine Row148 Pak Plans to Restore Sikh, Hindu Religious

Monuments148 European Union Parliament Approves Tougher

Tobacco Rules

Latest General Knowledge

Appointments/Election

149 National153 International

Awards and Honours

155 National168 International

Persons in the News

176 National177 International

Places in the News179 National180 International

Resignation/Dismissal/Removal

181 National182 International

Obituary183 National185 International189 Archeology/Heritage191 Committee/Commission/Panel/Report/Survey

/Study203 MoU/Pact/Tie-UPs/Contracts203 Books and Authors204 Abbreviations/Acronyms205 Important Days/Weeks/Years

Environment/Ecology/Wildlife/Climate Change/Biodiversity

207 Scientists Point to Volcanoes as Ice Age SafeHavens

207 Environment Ministry Exempts 3000 sq. kmFragile Land in Kerala from ESA

208 Cabinet Approved Mission to Sustain HimalayanEcosystem

PD Panorama Year Book / 20

208 GM Crops : Field Trials Get Green Signal fromMoEF

208 Vizag Zoo to Get Country’s First Wild DogBreeding Centre

209 Govt. Clears Plan to Create New Forest Cover209 800 Turtles Dead in Nellore209 Earth’s Hot Past could be Prologue to Future

Climate210 13 New Species of Birds in Wayanad210 World’s Largest Solar Power Plant Opens in

Nevada210 Green Tribunal Bans Tyre Burning in Public211 India Becomes First Country to Adopt an

Agroforestry Policy212 Grazing Animals may Protect Biodiversity212 Climate Change : Improving Heat Tolerance in

Trees213 New Ozone Threat : Small but Deadly213 Big Old Trees Grow Faster, Hold More Carbon213 15 Species of Birds from India are Critically

Endangered : IUCN Red List 2013214 India Ranks 155th in Global Environment Perfor-

mance Index214 India’s First Climate Change Theatre was opened

at Kapurthala214 March 3 Declared as World Wildlife Day by UN215 WWF India Partners Tata Housing to Conserve

Leopards215 Lions Across Western Africa Under Threat of

Extinction : Research215 Not Ready to Fight Impact of Climate Change :

China215 Greenhouse Gas in Atmosphere Hits New

Record : UN216 Climate Change Poses Risk to Food Supplies :

Report216 Green Tribunal Bans Sand Mining, Fishing in

Chambal Region216 Pollution Rises as Wind Speed Falls217 World Met Organization Announces Second

World Record for Cherrapunji217 Rare Asiatic Wild Dogs Spotted in India for the

First Time217 Indian Deltas are Sinking218 15 Indian Bird Species Among Globally Endange-

red218 Asia’s Largest Tulip Garden Thrown Open for

Public219 Cabinet Approves Mission to Sustain Himalayan

Ecosystem

Economic Vision

Salient Features of Indian Economy220 Important Infrastructural Components in India

Latest Fiscal Facts221 GAAR Deferred for Two Years

221 FII–Friendly GAAR Rules222 Black Money Accounts for 10% of GDP : Study

Report222 Rajan Report on State Development222 EPFO Raises Interest Rate to 8·75% for 2013-14223 PMEAC’s Economic Outlook 2013-14223 Govt. Set-up Two Panels on CST Compensation

and GST Design223 Tax Administration Reform Commission, 2013 to

Review Tax Laws, Implementation224 India’s Fiscal Deficit during April-February at

` 5·99 lakh Crore, Stays Above Budgeted Estima-tes

Finance Commission224 Thirteents Finance Commission Report225 14th Finance Commission225 Interim Union Budget 2014-15227 Interim Railway Budget 2014-15

National Income Latest Facts228 GDP Growth at 4·7% in Third Quarter in FY 2013-

14229 Current Account Deficit Declined to 0·9% of GDP

in Q3 of 2013-14229 India’s GDP Growth Estimated at 4·9% in 2013-

14230 IMF Maintains 5·4% Growth Forecast for India for

FY 15230 India to Growth at 5·5% in FY’ 15 : FICCI

Indian Planning231 History of Planning in India232 Planning Commission of India233 National Development Council—NDC233 Vision of Twelfth Five Year Plan

Population Statistics235 Census 2011 Revised Figures236 India’s Population Vs. World236 Literacy Rate in India236 Rural & Urban Population (%)—1901–2011236 Major Results of Indian Census236 Data of 15th Census 2011 : At a Glance238 Marginal Decline in Country’s Total Fertility Rate238 The World will have More Indians than Chinese

by 2028238 Over 80% of Rural Homes have Power but 60%

have No Toilets238 8·8 million Households Live in Urban Slums :

NSSO239 India Registers Decline in Infant Mortality Rate239 Women Account for Just 22% of Workforce in

India239 Unemployment Among Educated Youth is Rising239 UN Project 9·6 billion World Population by 2050

PD Panorama Year Book / 22

Poverty & Inequality240 New Poverty Line Definition brings Poor

Proportion down to 21·9% in 2011-12241 Inequality in India241 Rural India Tops Consumption Charts : NSSO241 Foodgrain per capita Availability in India Declines

Indian Agriculture242 India Extends Ban on Export of Pulses242 Kharif Foodgrains Output 2013-14 Estimated at

129·32 mt242 New National Agricultural Policy243 Uttarakhand to Introduce ‘Contract Farming’243 Green Revolution in India243 Call for Evergreen Revolution243 Agricultural Holdings243 National Dairy Plan Phase-I Launched243 India’s First Milk ATM244 First Robotic Dairy Plant Opened by Amul244 Sugarcane FRP Raised for 2013-14244 India’s State of Forests

Indian Industry244 Industrial Policy Since Independence245 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Develop-

ment Act, 2006245 Industrial Policy 1991 : An Overview245 National Manufacturing Policy246 Parliament Passes Companies Bill246 BHEL and GAIL Granted Maharatna Status246 Competition (Amendment) Act Bill Tabled in

Parliament247 National Electronics Policy 2012247 Report on De-control of Sugar Industry Submitted

Development Poverty Alleviation andEmployment Generation

Programmes in India248 Rural Unemployment and Poverty Elimination

Programme248 Major Ongoing Programmes for Poverty Allevia-

tion and Employment Generation248 Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY)249 National Rural Livelihood Mission—Aajeevika249 Bharat Nirman Yojana Launched249 Government Launches New Health Programme

for Adolescents250 Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment

Gaurantee Scheme (MGNREGS)250 ROSHNI : Skill Development Scheme for Tribal

Youth250 Free LPG Connections to BPL Rural Households251 Various Development and Employment Pro-

grammes in India—At a Glance254 EPFO’s Plan to Fix Minimum Pension for

Members at 1000 per Month254 6234 crore Relief Package to Weavers

Money & Banking254 RBI Makes No Change in Key Policy Rate255 First Bharatiya Mahila Bank Inaugurated255 RBI’s Annual Report 2012-13255 Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in

India : 2012-13256 RBI Releases Report on Profile of Banks 2012-13256 Parliament Approves Banking Amendment Bill,

2012256 Salient Features of Banking Laws (Amendment)

Bill, 2012257 M’s Council Recommends to Cut Stake in Banks

to 51%257 Government’s Shareholding in Public Sector

Banks258 Cabinet Approval for Raising NABARD’s Autho-

rised Capital258 Zero per cent Interest Schemess Banned by RBI258 RBI’s Financial Inclusion Panel258 SIDBI (Amendment) Bill 2012 Tabled in Parlia-

ment258 BASEL-III Became Effective w.e.f. January 2013259 Report of Financial Sector Legislative Reforms

Commission259 RBI Eased Restrictions on Foreign Exchange

Earnings and Forward Contracts259 RBI-Inflation Indexed National Savings Securities

(INSS)260 IDFC, Bandhan Get ‘Inprinciple’ Approval to Set

up Banks260 EXIM Bank Capital Raising Bill Passed in

Parliament260 5 Coins to Commemorate Aviation260 RBI for Reducing Govt. Stakes in Banks260 RBI’s 5,000 crore Support to SIDBI261 Cheque, Draft Valid for 3 Months Now261 SBI Begins Operations in Qatar261 Bill Introduced in Parliament to Amend RRB Act

1976261 Parliamentary Standing Committee Recommends

Entry of Banks and FIs in Commodity Exchanges261 India and Japan Sign Currency Swap Arrange-

ments261 Lok Sabha Passes Bill to Increase Paid-up Capital

of LIC261 Cabinet Allows 632 crore Capital Infusion in

RRBs262 New WPI to have Bigger Food Basket262 Money Stock Measures in India263 Capital Market263 Two New Share Price Indices for Mumbai Share

Market263 BSE Launches ‘Shariah Index’264 Universal Commodity Exchange Becomes India’s

6th Commodity Exchange264 IRDA Issued Guidelines for Investment in TFs264 FMC Stops Non-agriculture Trade on Saturday

PD Panorama Year Book / 24

264 Forward Markets Commission Brought UnderFinance Ministry Control

264 Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)265 Approved Stock Exchanges in India265 SEBI Allows Mobile Trading266 Sodhi Committee’s Report on Insider Trading

Regulations266 Newly Constituted Share Market MCX-SX

becomes Operational266 Rajeev Gandhi Equity Saving Scheme Launched

Foreign Trade266 Foreign Trade Policy 2009–14267 Annual Supplementary Foreign Trade Policy 2013-

14268 G-20 Summit Resolves to Promote Sustainable

Growth268 India Misses the Exports Target for 2013-14269 US Economy Remains the Biggest Destination for

India’s Exports269 Government Extends Export Duty Benefit to Few

Sectors269 Risk Management System Introduced in Export

Sector270 Interest Subsidy Increased to Boost Exports270 SEZ Norms Liberalised270 Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)270 RBI Relaxes FEMA Norms for Individuals

Foreign Direct Investment270 FDI Inflows into India in 2013 Rose 17% to $ 28

billion271 Government Notifies 100% FDI in Single-brand

Retail271 DIPP Released 6th Issue of Consolidated FDI

Policy271 India is E & Y’s Most Attractive Investment

Destination, China 3rd, US 5th272 Govt. Allows 49% FDI in Insurance and Pension

Sectors272 India and UAE Sign BIPPA272 FII, NRI Investment Allowed in Insurance, Allied

Activities272 FDI Norms Further Released273 India Allows FDI from Pakistan273 Govt. Liberalises FDI Limits in 12 Sectors,

Including Telecom

External Debt & Foreign Assistance273 India’s External Debt Rose to US $ 426 billion (at

end December 2013)274 World Bank’s Approval for $ 100 million Loan to

NHB275 India Signs $ 252 million Loan with ADB

Important International Report275 Human Development Report 2013275 Gender Equality in India Among Worst in World :

UN276 World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014 :

Global Economic Outlook276 UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report 2013

277 Asian Development Outlook 2013277 World Development Report 2013277 India Improves Tourism Competitiveness Rank :

WEF Report278 India Stands 101st in Gender Gap Index WEF278 India Registers Second Highest Growth in HNI

Population in 2012278 Global Competitiveness Index 2012-13279 India Declines to 40th Rank in Financial

Development Index 2012279 India Placed at 63rd Rank in Global Hunger Index

2013280 Third Billion Index280 Global Risks 2012 Report280 UN Project 9·6 billion World Population by 2050281 India Ranked at 115 on Women Empowerment

Scale : Survey281 India Ranks 120th in Economic Freedom Index for

2014281 India Tops in Global Slavery Index282 India Stands Second in Innovation Efficiency

Index282 India Ranks 78th on Human Capital Index282 India Ranks 134th in World Bank’s Doing

Business’ List282 India Ranks Seventh in Global Service Trade

Energy282 Power Generation Capacity India’s Stands Fifth

in World283 4000 MW Solar Power Projects by 5 PSU283 LPG Cap Hiked to 12; No Cash Transfers283 Iraq Becomes Second Biggest Crude Supplier to

India283 Govt. Unveils NELP-X284 Govt. Notifies New Gas Price Mechanism284 5 kg Cylinder and Inter-Company LPG Portability

Schemes Launched284 MoU Signed between NTPC and Ministry of

Power for 2013-14285 Tata Power Commissions 21 MW Rajasthan Wind

Project285 Rangarajan Panel to Link Domestic Gas Price to

Global Average285 Govt. Policy to Boost Wind Power in the Country285 Gandhi Power Plant Commissioned

Transport285 Maharajas Express Wins World Travel Awards for

2nd Time285 Vivek Express Now Longest Distance Covering

Train286 Fourth Rail Coach Manufacturing Factory to be

set up in Kerala286 Paradeep Port Celebrates Golden Jubilee286 Bio-toilets in all Trains in 6 years286 Ennore Port Renamed as Kamaraj Port286 Gopalpur set to be an All-Weather Port287 T2 of Mumbai Airport Inaugurated287 ‘Tata SIA Airlines Limited’ Constituted by Tata

Group and Singapore Airlines287 List of International Airports in India

PD Panorama Year Book / 25

288 New Aviation Regulator With More Power288 51 Low-Cost Small Airports to come up288 International Airport Status to Five More Domestic

Airports

Communication288 Tele-density in India Increase to 73·69 at end-

November 2013288 New Telecom Policy 2012 Provides Nationwide

Free Roaming288 Spectrum Trading : Key Guidelines of TRAI

Miscellaneous Important Facts289 National Food Security Scheme 2013290 Mor Panel Recommendations on Financial

Inclusion291 Unemployment Rate Down in 2010-11291 Parliament Passed Land Acquisition Bill292 Indra Nooyi, Chanda Kochhar Fortune’s List of

50 Powerful Business-Women292 Microsoft Names Satya Nadella its New CEO293 South Sudan Becomes IMF’s 188th Member293 Parliament Passes Pension Bill—Some Key Facts294 Facebook Acquires Whats App for $ 19 billion294 ETA : A New Mantra to Boost Tourism in India294 India Likely to be 3rd Largest Economy by 2030294 Tata Steel, ONGC in Fortune’s Most Admired

Companies in the World294 Income Rises But Services Still Inadequate :

NCAER295 Rangachary-led Panel to Review Taxation of IT

Sector295 Nobel Prize Winners in Economics296 2/3rd of Farm Suicides Take Place in 4 Cotton-

growing States296 Finance Minister’s 12-Point Plan to Revive Life

Insurance Sector

Science and Technology297 Oxadiazoles : New Class of Antibiotics Discovered297 Algae Proposed as a Viable Source to Produce

Cheaper Biofuel297 Indian–American Scientist Creates World’s First

3D Fingerprint297 CAPRISA Discovers Antibodies Capable of

Neutralizing HIV298 New Technique can Grow Ears, Nose from Body

Fat298 Indian–American Scientist Sangeeta Bhatia

Developed Paper Diagnostic for Cancer299 Indian–Origin Boy Invents Low-Cost Braille

Printer299 ASI and Google Jointly Launched the 360 Degree

Online View of Indian Heritage Sites299 Indian–Origin Doctor Hemant Thatte Finds

Solution to Preserve Organ299 Sixth Layer to Human Cornea Discovered300 Oldest Known Star in the Universe Discovered300 Destroying Greenhouse Gases in Environmen-

tally-Friendly Way300 World’s First Multi-Material, Full-Colour 3D

Printer Launched301 US–Indian Scientist ‘Re-engineering’ Tulasi301 C–DAC’s Param Yuva–II Amongst Top 100 Super

computers in World301 World’s First Artificial Heart Transplant Perfor-

med in France302 Hawking Proposes New Theory on Black Holes302 India Starts Historic Mission to Mars303 NASA Launched Spacecraft to Study Mars

Atmosphere303 Human Pancreas Grown in Lab Using Progenitor

Cells303 Oceans Turning Hot, Sour and Breathless303 NASA Sends Stunning Image of Saturn304 ‘Lost World’ with New Species Found304 Tree of Gold Found in Australia304 The Most Distant Galaxy Discovered304 Antarctica is the Coldest Spot with 92 Degrees

Celsius305 A Planetary Body Rich in Water Found305 God Particle in Light Again305 Planet Found Floating without Star in Space305 The First Malaria Vaccine to Hit Market by 2015306 A Breakthrough to Cure Diabetic306 Dazzling Comet is Dying306 Plastic on Saturn’s Moon Titan306 Existence of Life Conditions in Space306 Jupiter and Saturn may be Awash with Diamonds306 Mind-Controlled Helicopter Flies on Brainwaves307 A New Pill to Delay Ageing Process and Improve

Health307 Himalayas Lost 13% Glaciers in 40 Years307 30,000-Year-old Virus Comes Back to Life307 NASA Discovers 715 New Planets Outside the

Solar System307 Heart Transplant Patients Survive for 20 Years

Post Surgery307 A Breakthrough in Malaria Eradication308 Powerful HIV Vaccine Comes Closer to Reality308 NASA Discovers New Weird Wobbly Planet308 A Blood Test will Reveal When You are Going to

Die308 Volcanoes Behind Global Warming ‘Pause’,

Research Claims308 Water Vapour Detected on a Jupiter-Like Planet

Sports Panorama 2013-14309 Cricket314 Hockey316 Badminton317 Tennis320 Football321 Golf322 Chess324 Grand Prix326 Sports Miscellaneous

Memorable Points330 National335 International