Kudankulam nuclear plant starts commercial operations

India's largest nuclear reactor at Kudankulam started generating electricity on a commercial basis on Wednesday. The reactor was made at a cost of over Rs. 8000 crores. The construction work was amid protests by activists who called it ‘unsafe’. India recently signed a deal for importing another 14 reactors from Russia. The first unit attained criticality, which is the beginning of the fission process, in July 2013. The second 1000 MW unit at Kudankulam is likely to come online in 2015, reports said. 
The 1000 MW of electricity will provide much needed relief to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka and Kerala where power output will be increased.  The present power allocation from Kudankulam nuclear plant as per the ministry of power is:
1. Tamilnadu = 562.50 MW
2. Puducherry = 33.50 MW
3. Kerala = 133.00 MW
4. Karnataka = 220.00 MW
5. Andra Pradesh = 50.00 MW

Dhoni retires from Test Crickets

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday retired from Test cricket with immediate effect, citing strain of playing all formats, after his team lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia in Melbourne. "One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the BCCI said in a statement on Tuesday. "M S Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats. BCCI while respecting the decision of M S Dhoni to retire from Test Cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test Cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India," it added. India, trailing 0-2 in the four-match series after Tuesday’s draw, would be led by Virat Kohli in the fourth and final match in Sydney.

Government Appoints Chief of four Nationalised Banks IOB, OBC, Vijaya Bank, UBI

Government Appoints Managing Director (MD) and CEO of four Nationalised Banks IOB, OBC, Vijaya Bank, UBI. Based on the recommendations of Appointments Board chaired by the Governor, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, Government of India announced the appointment of MD & CEO of four Nationalised Banks. The appointments announced are as follows:


Sl.No.
Name of the person & present designation
Name of the Bank where appointed and designation
1.
Shri R. Koteeswaran, Executive Director, Bank of India
Indian Overseas Bank - MD & CEO
2.
Shri Animesh Chauhan, Executive Director, Bank of India
Oriental Bank of Commerce – MD & CEO
3.
Shri Kishore Kumar Sansi, Executive Director, Punjab & Sind Bank
Vijaya Bank – MD & CEO
4.
Shri P. Srinivas, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda
United Bank of India – MD & CEO

The appointment of the above MD & CEOs is for a period of three years or till the date of superannuation, whichever is earlier. In a significant departure from the past practice, the Government of India has decided to now separate the post of Chairman and MD & CEO.

Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee, Madan Mohan Malviya

President's Office on Wednesday announced the Bharat Ratna award to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee #PresidentMukherjee has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) December 24, 2014. The announcement was made on the eve of Mr. Vajpayee's 90th birthday and the 153rd birth anniversary of Pandit Malviya. The BJP has been demanding Bharat Ratna for Mr. Vajpayee for a long time; and BJP patriarch L.K. Advani has been at the forefront of seeking the highest civilian honour for the former Prime Minister.  A Bharat Ratna for Pandit Malviya, a freedom fighter and the founder of the Benaras Hindu University was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaign. Justice Giridhar Malviya, the grandson of Pandit Malviya was one of those who proposed the nomination of Mr. Modi from Varanasi parliamentary constituency. Mr. Vajpayee will be the seventh Prime Minister to receive the award, while Pandit Malviya will be the 12th person to be honoured posthumously. Earlier recipients of the award include former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Lal Bahadur Shastri, along with first Governor General of free India C. Rajagopalachari, and former Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has expressed delight at the Bharat Ratna being conferred on Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya and Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Bharat Ratna being conferred on Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya and Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a matter of great delight. Country's highest honour to these illustrious stalwarts is a fitting recognition of their service to the Nation. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya is remembered as a phenomenal scholar and freedom fighter who lit the spark of national consciousness among people. Atal ji means so much to everyone. A guide, inspiration and giant among giants. His contribution to India is invaluable," the Prime Minister said.

India GK Question Paper 121

India GK Question Sample Paper 121: India General Knowledge (GK) Sample Question Paper No. 121 with Collection of 10 Question of India GK Questions under GK Quiz in PDF @  India GK Sample Papers. India General Knowledge (GK) and General Science (GS) Questions are also available with Quiz on daily basis. For Update on India GK Quiz Follow us on 
India GK Question Paper NO. 121:
Q.2031 Gresham's law in economics relates to ?
A. Supply and demand
B. Circulation of currency
C. Consumption of supply
D. Distribution of goods and services
Answer: B

Q.2032 Who has been chosen for the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award for Excellence in Journalism for 2013?
A. Mammen Mathew
B. Barkha Dutt
C. Rajdeep Sardesai
D. Vikram Chandra
Answer: A

Q.2033. J. J. Irani Committee has been set up to suggest change in ?
A. Indian Telegraph Act
B. Cable Act
C. Companies Act
D. Patent Act
Answer: C

Good Governance Day on 25th December

Former prime minister and BJP patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday will be observed as 'Good Governance Day'. The decision has been taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting held on Tuesday. The veteran leader celebrates his birthday on December 25. Vajpayee, a widely respected leader across political spectrum was made a part of BJP's 'Marg Darshak' committee recently. BJP has always highlighted the various schemes started by Vajpayee during its campaigns.University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities across the country to observe December 25 as 'Good Governance Day' amid the controversy over organising events on the occasion which requires physical presence of students in campus on Christmas day.  
Vajpayee is a two-time PM. He was first elected to the top post in 1996 but could not hold the government together for more than 13 days. BJP-led NDA government was re-elected in 1998 when Vajpayee was promoted as the PM. He held office till 2004. All government employees and public representatives are expected to play a major role in promoting the cause of Good Governance and help in bringing transparency and accountability in the systems.

Sachin Tendulkar named ambassador for 2015 ICC World Cup

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, who is the all-time leading run-getter in World Cup history, was named the event's ambassador for the second successive edition. "The International Cricket Council today announced Sachin Tendulkar as the World Cup 2015 Ambassador. It will be the second successive time that the India maestro will be the Ambassador of ICC's pinnacle tournament, after he fulfilled the role in the previous event in 2011," the ICC said in a statement in Dubai on Monday.
In his role as ambassador, Tendulkar will promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives to enhance the profile of the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Australia and New Zealand from 14th February to 29th March. Tendulkar retired from international cricket last year after representing India in 200 Tests, 463 One-Dayers and one Twenty20 International.

ISRO GSLV Mark III successfully launched from Sriharikota

India successfully launched its first experimental suborbital flight of latest generation Launch Vehicle - GSLV Mark-III, carrying Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE). The Mission Readiness Review and the Launch Authorisation Board, which met on Wednesday, has cleared the launch for 18th December at 9.30 AM, it said. A senior ISRO official explained that the lesser duration of the countdown for the mission was due to the dummy cryogenic stage. As per the plan, soon after the lift-off at Sriharikota, ISRO would study the flight validation of the complex atmospheric flight regime of LVM 3 and would also test the ability of the CREW module to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere with thermal resistance, parachute deployment in cluster formation, aero braking system and apex cover separation procedures.
About ISRO GSLV Mark III: GSLV-III or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III , is a launch vehicle currently under development by the Indian Space Research Organization. GSLV Mk III is conceived and designed to make ISRO fully self reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4500 to 5000  kg. It would also enhance the capability of the country to be a competitive player in the multimillion dollar commercial launch market. The vehicle envisages multi-mission launch capability  for GTO, LEO, Polar and intermediate circular orbits. GSLV-Mk III is designed to be a three stage vehicle, with 42.4 m tall with a lift off weight of 630 tonnes. First stage comprises two identical S200 Large Solid Booster (LSB) with 200 tonne solid propellant, that are strapped on to the second stage, the L110 re-startable liquid stage. The third stage is the C25 LOX/LH2 cryo stage. The large payload fairing measures 5 m in diameter and can accommodate a payload volume of 100 cu m. Realisation of GSLV Mk-III will help ISRO to put heavier satellites into orbit.

Minorities Rights Day India 18th December

Minorities Rights Day in India is celebrated on 18th December by education people on rights and various schemes for Minorities. National Commission for Minorities celebrated Minorities Rights Day on 18 December 2012. Minorities Rights Day is celebrated on 18th December every year. The day is celebrated to protect rights of the minorities communities as well as bringing the better understanding among religious minorities in India.

Anil Kumar Sinha is New CBI Director

Anil Kumar Sinha was on Tuesday appointed the new CBI Director to succeed Ranjit Sinha who retired in a glare of controversy with the Supreme Court directing him to recuse from 2G spectrum scam case probe. Sinha, a 1979 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadrde, was the Special Director in CBI. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the name of Anil Kumar Sinha who was among the candidates shortlisted by the search committee earier Tuesday evening. The term of Sinha will be for two years from the date he takes charge, an official notification said. Earlier in the day, Modi held discussions with the Chief Justice of India and leader of the main Opposition in Lok Sabha on selecting a new CBI head. The panel discussed the names of about 40 officers shortlisted by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), sources said.

Current Affairs December 2014 for India, World

Current Affairs of India, World for the Month of December 2014: Current Affairs General Knowledge(GK) Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) for IAS/ Bank and other competitive examinations across India.  As part of Current Affairs , We will daily provides you Question of Current Affairs, India GK and World GK during whole month of December 2014. For Current Affairs Live Updates Follow us:
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Current Affairs for December 2014 - Daily Updates:
- PV Sindhu wins Macau Open Grand Prix Gold Badminton Title
- Petrol price cut by 91 paise a litre, diesel by 84 paise a litre, amid sliding global oil prices, with effect from midnight tonight. The revised prices will take effect from 1st December 2014.
- India and Mozambique signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the oil and gas sector for a period of five years.
- The number of new HIV infections in India has come down by 57 percent and related deaths by 25 percent in the last decade with the government now working to achieve the ambitious global goals of zero new infection and death by raising awareness and boosting preventive methods.

Kathak legend Sitara Devi passes away

Eminent Kathak danseuse Sitara Devi died here early Tuesday after prolonged illness, her son-in-law confirmed. She was 94. Sitara Devi was on ventilator and her condition was serious Monday while she was admitted to the Jaslok Hospital here, said her son-in-law. 
A recipient of prestigious awards like Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padma Shri and Kalidas Samman, she was born Dhannolakshmi in the family of Brahmin 'kathakar' Sukhdev Maharaj in Kolkata in 1920. When she turned 11, the family moved to Mumbai, where she impressed Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore with a three-hour solo recital. Over the next six decades, she became a Kathak legend and is known as a pioneering force in bringing the genre to Bollywood.

India GK Question Paper 120

India GK Question Sample Paper 120: India General Knowledge (GK) Sample Question Paper No. 120 with Collection of 15 Question of India GK Questions under GK Quiz in PDF @  India GK Sample Papers. India General Knowledge (GK) and General Science (GS) Questions are also available with Quiz on daily basis. For Update on India GK Quiz Follow us on 
India GK Question Paper NO. 120:
Q.2016 "Jeevan Pramaan" scheme recently launched by Narendra Modi is related to ?
A. EPFO
B. Pensioners
C. Swatch Bharat Abhiyan
D. Make in India
Ans: B

Q.2017 Which Indian mission has named among the best inventions of 2014 by Time magazine ?
A. Chandrayan
B. SBI Net banking
C. Mangalyaan
D. Barefoot
Ans: C

Q.2018 Maiden National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was celebrated across the nation on 31 October 2014 in the 139th birth anniversary of?
A. Sardar Vallabhai Patel
B. B R Ambedkar
C. Lal Bahadur Shashtri
D. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
Answer: A

India GK Question Paper 119

India GK Question Sample Paper 119: India General Knowledge (GK) Sample Question Paper No. 119 with Collection of 15 Question of India GK Questions under GK Quiz in PDF @  India GK Sample Papers. India General Knowledge (GK) and General Science (GS) Questions are also available with Quiz on daily basis. For Update on India GK Quiz Follow us on 
India GK Question Paper NO. 119:
Q.2001 G20 summit 2014 was held in which country ?
A. India
B. USA
C. China
D. Australia
Ans: D

Q.2002 Which of the following pairs is correctly matched ?
A. Purna Swaraj Resolution : 1929
B. Martyrdom of Sardar Bhagat Singh : 1931
C. Formation of the Congress Socialist Party: 1939
D. Simla Confeence: 1940
Answer: B

India GK Question Paper 118

India GK Question Sample Paper 118: India General Knowledge (GK) Sample Question Paper No. 118 with Collection of 20 Question of India GK Questions under GK Quiz in PDF @  India GK Sample Papers. India General Knowledge (GK) and General Science (GS) Questions are also available with Quiz on daily basis. For Update on India GK Quiz Follow us on 
India GK Question Paper NO. 118:
Q.1981 Which one of the following states does not form part of the Narmada basin ?
A. Gujarat
B. Maharashtra
C. Rajasthan
D. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: C

Q.1982 ASEAN summit 2014 begins on 12th November at Nay Pyi Taw. Name the country ?
A. Bhutan
B. China
C. Nepal
D. Myanmar
Answer: D

Ministers and their Portfolios 2014 - Updated

Ministers and their Portfolios 2014 - Updated on 10th November 2014:


Prime Minister

Shri Narendra Modi
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, All important policy issues and All other portfolios not allocated to any Minister
Cabinet Ministers
1
Shri Raj Nath Singh
Home Affairs
2
Smt. Sushma  Swaraj
External Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs
3
Shri Arun Jaitley
Finance, Corporate Affairs, Information & Broadcasting
4
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu
Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Parliamentary Affairs
5
Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari
Road Transport and Highways, Shipping
6
Shri Manohar Parrikar
Defence
7
Shri Suresh Prabhu
Railways
8
Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda
Law & Justice
9
Sushri Uma Bharati
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
10
Dr. Najma A. Heptulla
Minority Affairs
11
Shri Ramvilas Paswan
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
12
Shri Kalraj Mishra
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
13
Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi
Women and Child Development
14
Shri Ananthkumar
Chemicals and Fertilizers
15
Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
Communications and Information Technology
16
Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda
Health and Family Welfare
17
Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju
Civil Aviation
18
Shri Anant Geete
Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
19
Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Food Processing Industries
20
Shri Narendra Singh Tomar
Mines, Steel
21
Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh
Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation
22
Shri Jual Oram
Tribal Affairs
23
Shri Radha Mohan Singh
Agriculture
24
Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot
Social Justice and Empowerment
25
Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani
Human Resource Development
26
Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Science and Technology, Earth Sciences
Ministers of State
27
General V. K. Singh
Statistics and Programme Implementation (Independent Charge), External Affairs
28
Shri Inderjit Singh Rao
Planning (Independent Charge), Defence
29
Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar
Textiles (Independent Charge)
30
Shri Bandaru Dattatreya
Labour and Employment (Independent Charge)
31
Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy
Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge), Parliamentary Affairs
32
Shri Shripad Yesso Naik
AAYUSH (Independent Charge), Health & Family Welfare
33
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge)
34
Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent Charge)
35
Shri Prakash Javadekar
Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge)
36
Shri Piyush Goyal
Power (Independent Charge), Coal (Independent Charge) and New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge)
37
Dr. Jitendra Singh
Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space
38
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman
Commerce and Industry (Independent Charge)
39
Dr. Mahesh Sharma
Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge), Civil Aviation
40
Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Minority Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs
41
Shri Ram Kripal Yadav
Drinking Water and Sanitation
42
Shri Haribhai P Chaudhary
Home Affairs
43
Shri Sanwar Lal Jat
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
44
Shri Mohanbhai K Kundariya
Agriculture
45
Shri Giriraj Singh
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
46
Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir
Chemicals & Fertilizers
47
Shri G. M. Siddeshwara
Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
48
Shri Manoj Sinha
Railways
49
Shri Nihalchand
Panchayati Raj
50
Shri Upendra Kushwaha
Human Resources Development
51
Shri Radhakrishnan P
Road Transport & Highways, Shipping
52
Shri Kiren Rijiju
Home Affairs
53
Shri Krishan Pal
Social Justice & Empowerment
54
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan
Agriculture
55
Mansukhbhai D Vasava
Tribal Affairs
56
Shri Raosaheb Dadarao Danve
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
57
Shri Vishnu Deo Sai
Mines, Steel
58
Shri Sudarshan Bhagat
Rural Development
59
Dr.Ram Shankar Katheria
Human Resource Development
60
Shri Y. S. Chowdary
Science and Technology, Earth Science
61
Shri Jayant Sinha
Finance
62
Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore
Information & Broadcasting
63
Shri Babul Supriyo
Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
64
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti
Food Processing Industries
65
Shri Vijay Sampla
Social Justice & Empowerment