Rail Passenger Fares Up 14.2 Percent

The government Friday raised the railway passenger fares by 14.2 percent in all classes and freight charge by 6.5 percent.

The new passenger fare and freight rates will come into effect from June 25, the railway ministry said in a release.

The ministry said the revision of rates was done as part of interim budget presented by the previous government, but was not implemented because of the elections.

The release said the annual expenditure of the ministry could not be met unless the revised rates as finalized by previous government is implemented.

Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda  said the former Congress-led government was to blame for the hike in railway fares, and questioned the opposition criticism of the government now.

“As far as railway is concerned, the whole country – whether BJP or Congress – felt there should be certain reforms. Today, all those who are opposing this hike were all partners with UPA during the presentation of the budget (when UPA raised railway fares). Nobody opened their mouths at that time… now everyone is shouting… why are they politicising the railways?” Gowda asked.

He blamed the hike on the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

“There was an exercise by my predecessor to tackle losses… and it was not implemented… How can they now say this (BJP) government is doing something wrong?” Gowda said.

“They had consulted the then prime minister (Manmohan Singh). I have documents where the prime minister has said from May 1, it (rail fare hike) should come into effect,” Gowda said in the interview.

Asked about his earlier criticism of previous railway ministers on rail fare hike when the BJP was in opposition, Gowda said: “I haven’t criticised him personally, I was in the state, as opposition leader.”

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Hindi poet Kedar Nath Singh selected for Jnanpith Award 2013

Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh was chosen for the prestigious Jnanpith award for 2013.  He is the 10th Hindi writer to receive the honour and is the 49th recipient of Jnanpith award.

Kedarnath  was born in 1934 in Chakiya village of Balia district of Uttar Pradesh and he completed his MA and PhD from Banaras Hindu University in 1956 and 1964.  his .

He became famous with a book entitled teesra saptak edited by Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayan whose pen name was Agyeya.  He has been a professor and Head of Department of Hindi department of Jawaharlal Nehru University (Delhi).

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Global Economy Prize For India’s Biotech Queen

India’s biotechnology queen and Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has been awarded the coveted Global Economy Prize for business by the Kiel Institute in Germany during its centenary celebrations.

“Mazumdar-Shaw is the first Indian woman and fourth Indian to be conferred this prize,” the Bangalore-based biotech company said in a statement here Monday.

The German institute is an international centre for research in global economic affairs, economic policy consulting and economic education.

“The award, set up in 2005, is bestowed on pioneers finding solutions to global economic problems by influencing and implementing economic or trade systems based on individual initiative,” the statement said.

The annual prize is awarded to three individuals – a high-ranking policy maker, a renowned economist and an outstanding entrepreneur.

After receiving the prize at Kiel Sunday, Shaw said: “I am honoured to receive this prestigious award and consider it a privilege to be in the company of great economists, world leaders and entrepreneurs.”

Liberia President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and University of Chicago professor Richard H. Thaler were the other two who were conferred the honour along with Shaw for 2014.

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, Kalyani group chairman Baba N. Kalyani and Bharti group chairman Bharti Mittal are three Indians who received the prize in the past.

Shaw pioneered biotechnology in India and started Biocon as a novel enzymes company, which evolved into the country’s largest biopharmaceutical enterprise committed to affordable innovation.

With the largest scientific talent pool, the company is engaged in research to develop novel and differentiated biopharmaceuticals aimed at reducing the cost of treatment for cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disorders for patients worldwide.

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NASA built World’s most powerful telescope to track alien’s life

NASA built World’s most powerful telescope to track alien’s life

National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) plan to build Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) in Portsmouth. It will be the World’s most powerful and largest telescope once it is built.

The telescope can analyze the environment of other planets and able to track the existence of aliens life. The telescope will track the species for about 30 light years away.

The telescope will be prepared and set up in space itself, because the telescope very  large in size  it is not possible to send the telescope to space from the earth  via rocket.

For the setting up the telescope, NASA will send a group of astronauts to space via Orion rocket.

Features of the ATLAST telescope 

•    The telescope will be about four times larger than the existing 44 feet- Hubble Space Telescope.

•    The mirror inside the telescope will have a diameter of around 52 feet, which will be the largest mirror ever created by any man on Earth.

•    The telescope will be located at a distance of 10 lakh miles.

•    Telescope to be ready by 2030

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Civil Service entrance exam Time Table 2014

Civil Service entrance exam

Civil Service Preliminary Exams This is only the first level exam for entrance into the IAS. Once you have cleared the Prelims you have to appear in the Mains written exams. This is to be followed by the personality test (interview).

The Prelim exam is only of qualifying nature. The scores of the Mains written exam and personality test will be counted to decide the final results.

The number of candidates called for the interview is normally double the vacancy announced.

A degree from a recognized University or equivalent is required to write the Civil Services exams.

Candidates appearing at the final year of the degree examination are also eligible to write the Prelim examination subjected to certain conditions.

The date of notification of the exam is Saturday 17.05.2014. The last date for receipt of the application is Monday 16.06.2014.

Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2014 will be held on Sunday 24.08.2014 and will be completed on the same day.
Candidates applying for Civil Services Examination or Indian Forest Service Examination or both will have to fill in this common Application Form.
Applicants are advised to go through the common reasons on account of which online applications may be rejected by the Commission. These may be carefully noted so that chances of application being rejected could be avoided. The details are here;
upsconline.nic.in

Witten Mains Examination 2014 
This year the Civil Services (Main) examination will be held from 14th to 19th December, 2014. The entire exam will be completed in five days. The exam of eight compulsory papers with take place in two shifts and will be completed in four days. The two papers of the optional subject will take one day.

Civil Services Examination Time Table 2014

Name of Examination	Date of Notification/ Last date for receipt of applications	Date of commence ment of Examination and its duration	Minimum academic qualifications prescribed	Remarks
Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2014	17.05.2014 (SATURDAY)/ 16.06.2014 (MONDAY)	24.08.2014 (SUNDAY) 1 DAY	A degree from a recognised University or equivalent.	Candidates appearing at the degree examination also eligible to compete subject to certain conditions
Civil Services (Main) Examination 2014	-	14.12.2014 (SUNDAY) 5 DAY	-	-
INDIAN FOREST SERVICE (MAIN) EXAM, 2014	-	22.11.2014 (SUNDAY)	-	-
Civil Services (Interview) Dates 2014	-	09.04.2014 to 05.06.2014	-	-

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