21 December 2017 - Daily Current Affairs
Cabinet Approves Establishing India's 1st National Rail and Transportation University
- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Ministry of Railways' transformative initiative to set up the first ever National Rail and Transport University (NRTU) in Vadodara (Gujarat) to skill its human resources and build capability.
- The University will be set up as a Deemed to Be University under de novo category as per the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2016.
- A not-for-profit Company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 will be created by the Ministry of Railways which shall be the Managing Company of the proposed university.
- The first academic program will be launch in July 2018.
Justice Salvi takes charge as acting NGT Chairman
- Justice Umesh Dattatraya Salvi (Judicial Member, NGT) took charge as the acting Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) following the retirement of Justice Swatanter Kumar.
- He will continue in office until the date a new chairperson is appointed or the date of his superannuation.
- Justice Salvi was appointed City Civil and Additional Sessions Judge, Mumbai in August 1993
- On February 14, 2013, Justice Salvi was appointed a Judicial Member of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).Note:
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has Original Jurisdiction on matters of "substantial question relating to environment" & "damage to the environment due to specific activity" (such as pollution).
Punjab CM launches app to check illegal construction
- unjab Chief Minister ‘Amarinder Singh’ has launched a mobile app “PUDA-UCIC (Unauthorised constructions and illegal colonies)” to check unauthorized construction, and also unveiled a new web portal of the housing department for online issuance of change of land use.
- With this app, the field staff and public would be able to click pictures of any unauthorized construction from the spot and upload them for further action.
- The app will enable quick action to stop any ongoing illegal construction, the web portal will facilitate easy land use change and help citizens track any such change.
- The satellite and geotagging based app will provide the unique details of the location, enabling the officials to take quick action to stop the ongoing illegal construction and illegal colonies on the land.
‘Chillai Kalan’ begins in Kashmir Valley
- Today, the traditional 40-day long period of harsh winter known as the ‘Chillai Kalan’ has begun in the Kashmir Valley.
- Chillai Kalan is a period of forty extremely cold days starting from 21st of December.
- This is the date on which Winter Solstice is observed in the Northern Hemisphere.
- The temperatures during this period remain generally very low, often near or below zero-degree Celsius.
- Chillai Kalan is followed by a period of another 20 days of Chillai Khurd and 10 days of Chillai Bacha.
Indian Navy conducts naval exercise with Oman Navy
- The Indian Navy deployed a submarine and the P8I long-range maritime aircraft for a bilateral naval exercise with the Omani navy.
- Indian Naval Ships Trikand and Teg are deployed to Oman for bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ or ‘Sea Breeze’.
- The first exercise Indian Navy with Royal Navy of Oman was conducted in 1993 and this year marks 24 years of Indian Navy -Royal Navy of Oman bilateral exercises.
- Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Girish Luthra is visiting Oman from 21 Dec to 25 Dec 17 to witness the ongoing bilateral exercise.
SEBI hikes FPI investment limit
- Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has raised the investment limit for foreign portfolio investors in central government securities to over 1.91 lakh crore from next month.
- Currently, investment limit for foreign portfolio investors is 1.89 lakh crore rupees.
- The move is part of an effort by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to push inflow from overseas investors in the country's capital markets.
Note:
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulator for the securities market in India.
- It was established in the year 1988 and given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992.
UK: Damian Green resigned from Cabinet
- Damian Green (61-year) has resigned from the UK Cabinet as her First Secretary of State after an investigation found that he had breached the ministerial code.
- Green stepped down after a parliamentary investigation found he had breached the ministerial code of conduct by making inaccurate and misleading statements about what he knew about claims that pornography had been found on a computer in his House of Commons office in 2008.
Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Cuba
- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post-facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Cuba on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.
- A Joint Working Group (JWG) will be set up to further elaborate the details of cooperation and to oversee the implementation of this MoU.
- The MoU was signed on 06th December this year in New Delhi.
Shree Saini from Washington crowned Miss India USA 2017
- nti-bullying activist Shree Saini (Washington resident) has been crowned Miss India USA 2017 at the Royal Alberts Palace in Edison, New Jersey.
- Prachi Singh from Connecticut was declared the first runner-up at the pageant.
- Cancer surgeon Kavita Malhotra Pattani (Florida) was declared Mrs India USA 2017.
- Swapna Mannam (17-years) from New Jersey was crowned with Miss Teen India USA 2017.
Messi beats Ronaldo To La Liga Best player award
- The star forward of FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi (30-years) has received La Liga’s top scorer and best player awards for the football season 2016-17.
- Messi scored 37 goals in league action last season to earn his fourth Pichichi award for most goals in La Liga.
- Second to the Argentine was Los Blancos superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar finished in third place.
