Current Affairs

16th SAARC Summit :-

       16th SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Summit was held in Bhutan. This is also the first time that Bhutan is hosting a SAARC Summit. Theme of this year's Summit is "Climate Change". It had significance as it was taking place on the 25th anniversary of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It brings together India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan. It was established in 1985 for the South Asian region.   Two important agreements, on Environment and Trade in Services, would be signed. Bhutan has also proposed a Summit Declaration entitled "Towards a Green and Happy South Asia" and a separate Ministerial Declaration on Climate Change. The important fact will be that SAARC Development Fund (SDF) Secretariat will be inaugurated in Thimphu during the Summit. India had proposed the establishment of the SDF at the 15th Summit in Colombo in August 2008. All the nations of south Asia are connected geographically with India (Afghanistan through POK). Only Maldives, the island nation has no land connectivity with India. According to a World Bank report the 2/3rd people of south Asia live on less than 2 dollar per day

       - Bhutan’s PM - Jigmi Y Thinley    

      -  president of Maldives - Mohammad Nasheed     

      - The Moortidevi Award  of the Bharatiya Jnanpit is given in literature field and recently Union Law and Justice Minister M. Veerappa Moily for his work ‘Sree Ramayana Mahanveshanam'. Veerappa Moily was also the chairman of Second Administrative Reforms Commission.

       - India will plough US$86 million into extending its green revolution to the eastern drylands.  Unlike the first phase of the country's green revolution — which introduced high-yielding wheat varieties that need a lot of irrigation, fertiliser and pesticide — India will now focus on drylands where there is little water available for irrigation. An additional US$43 million will be invested in a climate-resilient agriculture initiative.

- Arjuna Awards are given to sportspersons with outstanding achievement in sports.  Dronacharya awards are given to sport coaches. Moortidevi awards are given in field of literature.  Dadasaheb Phalke Award is given by for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema