Current Affairs 12th December 2015
India and Japan ink 14 agreements in various fields
India and Japan have inked fourteen agreements in various fields to enhance bilateral co-operation between both countries. These agreements were signed during ninth annual Indo-Japan summit talks held in New Delhi. The summit was jointly held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.
Some important agreements signed are
- Agreement in transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation: Provides a framework to enhance defence and security cooperation.
- Agreement on security measures for the protection of classified military information: Ensures the reciprocal protection of classified military information transmitted to each other.
- Agreement on Amendment Protocol of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement: Amends the Convention between both countries for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, signed in 1989.
- MoC on Technological Cooperation in Rail Sector: Establishes areas for comprehensive technological cooperation including sharing of information and best practices.
- MoU on technological cooperation on Rail safety: proposes to cooperate in the areas of safety in train operation and advanced techniques of maintenance along with use of environment friendly technologies, etc.
- MoC on Medical Products Regulation Dialogue and Cooperation Framework: Seeks to facilitate a constructive dialogue in areas pertinent to raw materials for pharmaceutical use, biological products, medical devices, quasi-drugs, cosmetic products.
- MoC in the field of forests: Enhance cooperation in sustainable forest management, forest conservation and forest disaster prevention, conservation of biodiversity and effective utilization of forest resources etc.
ndia & Japan sign MoC on High Speed Rail on Mumbai-
Ahmedabad sector
India and Japan have signed historic Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) to introduce High Speed Rail (HRS) on Mumbai Ahmedabad sector to revolutionize Indian Railways. The MoC was signed in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in New Delhi. This agreement confirms developing of high speed rail corridor using of Japanese high speed rail technologies along with financial and technical assistance from Japan.
Under the agreement
- The HRS project will be India’s first high speed rail line. It is a 508 km line connecting the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
- The total project cost is 97,636 crores rupees and will be implemented in 7 years. It will reduce travelling time between the two cities from eight hours to around three.
- Japan will extend highly concessional loan of 12 billion dollars and technical assistance on easy terms for this project through its Shinkansen Technology.
- The loan will provided with the interest rate at 0.1 per cent for a period of 50 years with a 15 years moratorium.
- The cooperation on this project will also be fixed on transfer of technology and Make in India initiative. Japan will also assist India in training of personnel for High Speed Rail.
India and Japan also have reached substantive Agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. Under it both sides have confirmed cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The final deal will be signed after certain technical and legal issues are thrashed out
Myanmar’s first UNESCO biosphere reserve Inle Lake
launched
Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/month/current-affairs-december-2015/page/2
Myanmar has launched the country’s first United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve Inle Lake in Shan state.
With this launch Myanmar opens a new chapter in its commitment to bio-diversity and eco-system conservation. In June 2015, the lake was officially designated as Myanmar’s first biosphere reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Bioshpere (MAB) programme.
About Inle Lake
- Inle Lake is located in Taunggyi district in Myanmar’s eastern Shan state.
- It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 116 km2.
- The wetland ecosystem of this freshwater Inle Lake is home to diverse flora and fauna.
- It is home to 267 species of birds, out of which 82 are wetland birds. The Inle Lake is nesting place for globally endangered Sarus crane.
- It also has 43 species of freshwater fishes of which 9 species of fish are found nowhere else in the world.
- Apart from its ecological importance, Inle Lake is also has unique for the way the local inhabitants have adapted their life style to their environment
- Presently, the lake gets funding from the government of Norway for conservation purpose under the framework of the Inle Lake Conservation and Rehabilitation project
Renowned agro-economist Sharad Joshi passes away
Renowned agro-economist and veteran leader of farmers Sharad Anantrao Joshi passed away in Pune, Maharashtra. He was 81. He was founder of Shetakari Sanghtana (farmers’ Organisation) an NGO dedicated to the cause of farmers in Maharashtra
About Sharad Joshi
- Sharad Joshi was born in 1935 in Satara district of Maharashtra.
- Prior to establishing Shetakari Sanghtana in 1979 he had worked with Pune University as lecturer of Economics and Statistics and later worked with United Nations (UN).
- He had served as a member of Advisory Board of the World Agricultural Forum (WAF).
- Joshi had spearheaded numerous agitations, protests, fasts throughout the state to highlight the issue of reasonable prices for agricultural produce.
- He was Rajya Sabha member from 2004 to 2010. He was the sole MP in Upper House to vote against the bill providing 33% reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies
