January 9

The union cabinet has cleared guidelines for television rating agencies. Accord
ing to the new guidelines, no company will be allowed to hold more than 10% in a
TV ratings agency as well as in a media company. The government has also instru
cted the agencies to increase the minimum panel size to 20,000 homes within six
months.
The union cabinet approved the National Youth Policy 2014, which focuses on edu
cation, skill development, employment, entrepreneurship and health of people in
the age group of 15-29 years, which constitutes 27% of the countrys population.
The government of India has modified the trade policy on imports of cars and mo
torcycles for racing events.
* According to new norms, sports vehicles imported under this provision will not
be registered under CMV Act/ Rules, nor be alienated/ sold to any individual/ o
rganisation/ institution in India (but can be exported), etc anywhere in India.
* The importer shall be required to execute a bond with Customs with adequate se
curity/ surety to re-export the vehicle(s) within 30 days of the completion of t
he event.
The Election Commission (EC) rejected a proposal by Internet search engine oper
ator Google Inc.
* US-based Google had earlier this week made a formal presentation to the Electi
on Commission proposing a tie-up with it for voter facilitation services ahead o
f Lok Sabha elections.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the proposal relating to the
Centrally-sponsored scheme for up gradation of existing State government/ Centr
al government medical colleges to increase the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor
of Surgery (MBBS) seats in the country.
* This will result in an increase of about 10,000 seats at a total cost of Rs. 1
0,000 crore, with a proposed Central assistance of Rs. 7,500 crore and State/ Un
ion Territory share of Rs. 2,500 crore.
In an attempt to help the loss making PSUs Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL).
* The Union Cabinet allowed the state-run telecommunications carriers to get ref
unds of a total Rs. 11,260 crore by returning their 4G radio spectrum.
* The government will refund Rs. 6,724 crore to BSNL and Rs. 4,534 crore to MTNL
.
Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) has decided to choose Airbus SASs A320 aircraft ove
r Boeing Co.s 737 for the launch of its Indian airline joint venture with Tata So
ns Ltd.
* The full-service carrier will take up to 20 A320s worth $1.83 billion at list
prices. The planes will be sourced from leasing companies, rather than purchased
direct from Airbus.
January 11
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje introduced a new scheme Kisan Kaleva dur
ing a presentation by the Agriculture Department about its two-month planning. U
nder this scheme, meals will be provided at the cost of just Rs. 5, to farmers w
ho are going to mandis (Wholesale Markets) to sell their crops. This scheme will
be introduced initially in 17 mandis.
The Union Environment and Forests Minister announced a decision to reject the f
orest clearance for Vedantas bauxite mining project in Niyamgiri Hills of Odisha,
while renewing the stand-alone environmental clearance for Poscos eight Million
tonnes per annum steel plant. Vedantas proposal for mining was rejected after 12
village councils of Dongriya Kondh tribal groups of Niyamgiri hills turned down
the project in their traditional forestlands.
January 12
After intervention by the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI), Coal India (CI
L) received approval from the ministry of Environment and Forest for 23 projects
.
All India Radio (AIR) will launch a new program named India 360 this Republic Day
. The initiative of AIR, in coordination with The External Affairs Ministrys exte
rnal publicity division, will aim to bring the world to radio listeners in a uni
que format and highlight Indias bilateral ties with countries by presenting inter
esting facts and anecdotes. The program will be aired on FM Gold.
With a view to give relief to farmers in drought-affected states, a ministerial
panel decided to increase the number of guaranteed work days under MGNREGA (MAH
ATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYEMENT GUARANTEE ACT) from 100 to 150 days and c
ut interest rates on crop loans to 7% for one year. The decision has been approv
ed by Empowered group of Ministers (EGoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad
Pawar.
Addressing the inaugural function of 18th National Youth Festival at the Punjab
Agricultural University in Ludhiana, Union Minister of State for Sports and You
th Affairs and Defense Shri Jitender Singh that Rajiv Gandhi National Institute
for Youth Development will be established at Chandigarh to cater to the needs of
the youth of Northern India.
January 13
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone of a 2800 Megawatt
Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (Nuclear Power Project) in the Gorakhpur
Village of Fatehabad district of Haryana.
The Election Commission announced biennial poll schedule for 55 Rajya Sabha sea
ts from 16 States. The poll will be held on February 7 and the notification will
be issued on January 21st. T. Subbarami Reddy, K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, N.Ellaih
, M.A. Khan, T. Ratnabhai, N. Harikrishna are the members from Andhra Pradesh wh
ose term will expire in April.
Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, Shri Pankaj Agra
wal will launch Indias first community radio based consumer helpline on January 1
5th 2014. This helpline would be managed by Mewat based community radio station,
Radio Mewat.
Aiming to combat crime incidents on women in trains, North-Central Railway is d
istributing Nirbhaya Card- ATM-sized cards, to the passengers of all trains passin
g through Kanpur Station. The card has contact of Railway Police and other helpl
ine numbers inscribed on it.