Current Affairs 13th May 2017

Current Affairs 13th May 2017 - Important Points

• Kochi Metro Rail Ltd offers jobs to - Transgender community members
• The first woman senator to breastfeed in Parliament - Larissa Waters
•  Who has been appointed as Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee ? - Justice Mukul Mudgal
• Who has been appointed as Secretary of Department of Telecommunications? - Aruna Sundararajan
•  National Contact Centre launched by - Election Commission of India
• VVS Laxman awarded honorary life membership of - Marylebone Cricket Club
• TN Government to form a panel to study harmful - 'Seemai Karuvelam' trees
• Brazil declares end to - Zika emergency
• Himachal Pradesh cabinet minister Karan Singh passed away on - 12th May 2017
• IT Department simplifies linking PAN with Aadhaar for - Taxpayers
• New WHO’s goodwill ambassador for hepatitis - Amitabh Bachchan
• No school bag day in UP government schools declared by - Yogi Adityanath
• New Chancellor of JNU - V K Saraswat
• IIT Madras generated white light from - Turmeric and Pomegranate

Current Affairs 13th May 2017 - Details

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd offers jobs to - Transgender community members

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd announced to employ 23 members from the transgender community on 11th May 2017. This is the first time in the Indian history that a government owned company has formally appointed members of the transgender community. 

These 23 transgender workers will going to be a part of the 530 Kudumbasree workers to be employed at 11 stations in Kochi Metro’s Aluva-Palarivattom corridor. The workers with better qualification will be posted at ticket counters and the rest will be deputed for housekeeping works, parking, gardening, customer relations, and to man the coach-depot canteen. 

More about Kochi Metro 

• Kochi Metro is an under-construction metro project which will cater to the Kochi needs in Kerala on completion. 
• The metro first phase project covering a 13.4 km distance from Aluva to Palarivattom is set to become operational soon. 
• A second line of 5km section from Palarivattom up to Maharaja’s College will be made operational after that.
• It is the first government company to employ transgenders once it becomes operational.
• All of the workers including transgenders were appointed after a thorough written test and interview and were given a training on soft and technical skills.

Do you know ?

The Union Government in July 2016 approved The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill to protect transgenders from discrimination. The bill calls for economic, social and educational empowerment of the transgenders.

The first woman senator to breastfeed in Parliament - Larissa Waters

Australian Senator Larissa Waters, the deputy co-leader of the Australian Greens party became the first woman in the history of Australian Politics to breastfeed her baby during a Parliamentary session on 9th May 2017. The senator who returned to Parliament after 10 weeks of maternity leave, breastfed Alia Joy, her 2-month-old daughter, during a vote for a Greens policy motion on a federal budget. Waters also tweeted after the incident saying that she was so proud that her daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament! She mentioned that there is a need for more women, parents in the Parliament.

Interesting Highlights

• In 2003 Kirstie Marshall, a Victorian MP, was ejected from state parliament as she breastfed her 11-day old baby girl.
• Coalition MP Andrew Southcott opened an inquiry into the matter of revising house rules in November 2015 after more than 10 parliament members welcomed babies into their families.
• The amendment had finally come into force on 1st February 2016.
• This milestone comes after Waters played a significant role in pushing the Senate to allow female politicians to  bring their children into the Parliament for breastfeeding.
• Before this, children were banned from entering the parliamentary chambers and breastfeeding mothers were given a proxy vote.

Do you know?

Licia Ronzulli, Italian politician had taken her then 7-week-old daughter to European Parliament in September 2010. A politician in Iceland spoke in parliament while breastfeeding her baby daughter in 2016.

 Who has been appointed as Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee ? - Justice Mukul Mudgal

Justice Mukul Mudgal, retired judge of Delhi High Court was elected as the Chairman of FIFA Governance Committee on 12th May 2017. This appointment was made at the world football governing body’s 67th Congress at Manama, Bahrain. Mudgal former Deputy Chairman of the Committee, will take the office for four years effective immediately. Former Vice-President of Finland, Olli Rehn, the European Commission, will be the Deputy Chairman of the FIFA Governance Committee. Maduro allegedly played a role in blocking Russian World Cup official Vitaly Mutko from retaining his seat on the ruling council.

The FIFA Governance Committee deals with, advises and assists the Council on all FIFA governance matters.

More about Justice Mukul Mudgal

• He is a retired Indian judge of Delhi High Court.
• He was born in New Delhi to Professor Vinay Chandra Maudgalya, a renowned classical musician from the Gawalior gharana.
• He completed his schooling from Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi then B.Sc. (Hons) from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and then LL.B from Law faculty, University of Delhi.
• He started his career as an advocate at the Indian Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court in 1973.
• He was appointed as a Judge of the Delhi High Court on 2nd March 1998 and served as the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court from 2009 to 2011.
• He headed Mudgal Committee, which included Additional Solicitor General of India L Nageswara Rao and senior advocate and former cricket umpire Nilay Dutta in 2014.

Who has been appointed as Secretary of Department of Telecommunications? - Aruna Sundararajan

Aruna Sundararajan was appointed as Secretary of Department of Telecommunications on 10th May 2017. She will also continue to serve as the Secretary for Union Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity). Aruna replaced PK Pujari, who was appointed to the post temporarily in March 2017. Sundararajan’s Secretary position will also going to be temporary.

Interesting Facts

• Sundararajan is an IAS officer who played an important role in creating an IT department for Kerala government in 1998. 
• She has rich experience in overseeing Kerala Government’s Bharat Broadband Scheme operations which provides subsidized broadband connections. 
• Her previous important posts include IT secretary for Kerala Government and CEO of National Common Service Center.

 National Contact Centre launched by - Election Commission of India

The Election Commission of India has launched National Contact Center with a toll free number- 1800111950. This move would enable any citizen from any part of the country to call on the toll-free number and get their query or complaint addressed at any time of the day in Hindi or English.

Important Details 

• The callers would be able to enquire on elections, voting dates, electoral roll and online registration.
• Just by simply dialling the toll free number, they would be able to register their complaints.
• The Contact centre  executives would also be making outbound calls to educate the electors and spread voter awareness.
• The EC through the establishment of the Contact Center focuses to bring about electoral reforms that empower the citizens and officials to monitor and report any irregularity or violation of the ECI’s instructions during, before or post elections.  

VVS Laxman awarded honorary life membership of - Marylebone Cricket Club

Former India batsman V V S Laxman was awarded an honorary life membership to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on 11th May 2017. After Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan, Laxman is the fifth Indian to receive this honour.

More about VVS Laxman

• Born on 1st November 1974, Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman is a former Indian cricketer.
• Laxman for his numerous match-winning and saving innings, as he was a right-hand aggressive batsman, who played mostly in the lower middle order.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri award in 2011.
• He is one of the few players who have played 100 Tests but never played in a Cricket World Cup.
• He was named one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year 2002.
• He retired from international cricket in 2012.

Do you know?

Marylebone Cricket Club founded in 1787,is a cricket club in London.

TN Government to form a panel to study harmful - 'Seemai Karuvelam' trees

The Tamil Nadu government formed an expert committee to study the impact of 'Seemai Karuvelam' trees. In additional to that, Advocate General (AAG) Ayyadurai made the official submission on the same before the full bench of Madras High Court comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justices M Sundar and M M Sundresh, which ordered an extension of the interim stay on the cutting of 'Seemai Karuvelam' trees until the next date of hearing on 5th July 2017.

Vital Points

• The AAG submitted that government has formed a 7-member committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Conservator of Forest (Research).
• The committee would be studying deep into the various positive and negative aspects of the harmful plant species.
• After that, it will be submitting a detailed report within a period of three months.
• The AAG has assured the bench that there won't be cutting of trees anymore till the final submission of the report by the expert committee.

Do you know?

The issue was raised after an advocate, Meganathan filed a petition seeking to stop the authorities from completely removing the trees on the direction of the court without first conducting a proper scientific study. 

Brazil declares end to - Zika emergency

Brazil declared an end to public health emergency for the Zika virus after about 18 months of fight against this mosquito-borne virus on 11th May 2017. The Zika virus emergency fell upon Brazil when the country was preparing to host the 2016 Olympics, spreading the concerns that Rio Olympics could spread the virus. 

Key Highlights

• Brazil launched a mosquito-eradication campaign which in result helped to dramatically reduce cases of Zika.
• From January till mid-April 2017, Brazil recorded 95 percent lesser cases than during the same period in 2016 when there were 170535 cases. 
•  The number of cases of microcephaly fell as well.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) lifted its own international health emergency status for Zika in November 2016.
• However, the emergency end does not signify the end of providing assistance. Moreover, measures to reduce the number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which carry the Zika virus, dengue and chikungunya, will also remain in place.

Do you know?

Zika Virus was not considered a major health threat until the 2015 outbreak of it which revealed that Zika could lead to severe birth defects like microcephaly which causes babies to be born with skulls much smaller than expected.

Himachal Pradesh cabinet minister Karan Singh passed away on - 12th May 2017

Karan Singh, Himachal Pradesh Cabinet Minister passed away on 12th May 2017 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. He was 59 at the time of death. Singh was suffering from cancer since some time ago. The state government is arranging for his funeral at Kullu with full state honours. His body would be flown from Delhi to Kullu on 12th itself.

Important Details

• He represented the Banjar assembly constituency in Himachal Pradesh.
• He was a member of the Kullu royal family and the younger brother of the former Raja of Kullu , BJP stalwart Maheshwar Singh.
• He was a three-time MLA and minister twice.
• He was elected from the Banjar Assembly constituency thrice in 1990, 1998 and 2012.
• He was a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party initially and had won candidature in 1990 and 1998 and served as the minister of state for primary education under Prem Kumar Dhumal’s government.
• Later on in 2002 state Assembly elections, he switched over to the Congress.
• He was sworn as an Ayurveda minister in the Virbhadra Singh cabinet in August 2015.

IT Department simplifies linking PAN with Aadhaar for - Taxpayers

The Income Tax (IT) Department launched an e-facility for taxpayers to link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar on 11th May 2017. Taxpayers can go to http://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and click on 'Link Aadhaar' on the left pane. In order to link PAN with Aadhaar, there is no need to login or register on the E-filing website.

Process of linking Aadhar with PAN

• Visit www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in
• Click on the link on 'Link Aadhaar' on the left pane.
• Enter PAN, Aadhaar number and Name exactly as given in aadhaar card and Submit.
• After verification from UIDAI, the linking gets confirmed.

This facility will be useful for Income Tax returns E-Verification using OTP sent on the mobile number registered with Aadhaar.

New WHO’s goodwill ambassador for hepatitis - Amitabh Bachchan

The World Health Organisation appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its goodwill ambassador for hepatitis in South-East Asia region to boost awareness and intensify action to arrest the epidemic on 12th May 2017. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for South-East Asia of WHO made this decision public.

 She termed the association as historic and said that it is expected to strengthen the international body’s efforts in reducing the high number of premature deaths and illness caused by viral hepatitis. The virus kills over 410000 people every year in the region including India.

Important Details

• According to the data released by WHO in 2017, nearly 90 million people suffer from chronic liver diseases,  which are driving rates of liver cancer and cirrhosis in the region.
• As the new WHO goodwill ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan would be expected to lend his voice and support to the organisation’s public awareness programmes aiming to scale up preventive measures and advocate for early diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis.
• Amitabh Bachchan would also be advocating for the full implementation of WHO South-East Asia Region's action plan for hepatitis to provide a road map for sustainable prevention, treatment and care for all forms of hepatitis within the universal health care framework.
• As per the national immunisation schedule of countries in the region, a dose of hepatitis B vaccination within the first 24 hours of birth followed by three doses in the first six months would protect the new born and prevent the spread of the disease from mother to child.
• Speaking on the development, the legendary actor stated that he is fully committed to the cause and as a person living with hepatitis B, he understands the pain and suffering and doesn't want anyone to suffer with that.

No school bag day in UP government schools declared by - Yogi Adityanath

The UP government is planning to declare "no school bag day" on Saturdays in all the state-run schools. The proposal for the same was submitted at a meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on 12th May 2017 in Lucknow.

Important Highlights

• The move focuses to encourage more involvement of children in creative activities on those days.
• It will also help establishing a good rapport between students and teachers and help in their personality development.
• The UP government led by Yogi Adityanath decided to do away with the khaki uniform worn by students of government schools.
• There are around 1.78 crore children studying in 1.68 lakh government schools in 75 districts of the Uttar Pradesh.
• The schools include 1.14 lakh primary schools and 54,000 upper primary schools.
• The decision to change the uniform was taken after the state’s Chief Minister expressed his unhappiness on the dress and compared it with the guards uniform.
• The khaki uniform was introduced in 2012 when the Samajwadi Party came to power, replacing the traditional navy blue shorts and trousers for boys and skirts and salwars paired with sky blue shirt for girls.
• New state CM Adityanath is extremely keen on delivering all the BJP promises of providing uniform, shoes, free books,band school bags to poor students from 1st July to 10th July 2017.

New Chancellor of JNU - V K Saraswat

Eminent scientist V K Saraswat was appointed as the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on 12th May 2017.  He succeeds former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan, who completed his term on 30th March 2017. 

Key Highlights

• Saraswat will be serving five years term at JNU and he is currently serving as the Member of NITI Aayog.
• As the JNU Chancellor, Saraswat will discharge functions such as presiding over the convocation ceremony for awarding degrees.
•  Apart from being JNU court member, he will be the competent authority to sanction leave to the vice-chancellor.
• Saraswat played a very significant role in the development of the country’s first liquid propulsion engine- Devil.
• He also contributed in the development of other rocket engines such as Prithvi, Dhanush and Prahaar. 
• He earlier served as the Director General of Defense Research and Development Organisation.
• He has held the posts of Scientific Advisor to the Defense Minister, and secretary to the Department of Defense (research and development).
• In 1998, Saraswat was awarded the Padma Shri and in 2013 Padma Bhushan.

IIT Madras generated white light from - Turmeric and Pomegranate

Two researchers from the Department of Chemistry at IIT Madras produced white light using a mixture of two natural extracts - red pomegranate and turmeric. The experiment was conducted by former research scholar Vikram Singh and his colleague Ashok Mishra. Both the researchers used a simple and environment-friendly procedure to extract dyes from pomegranate and turmeric.

Important Highlights

• While polyphenols and anthocyanins present in red pomegranate emit at blue and orange-red areas of the wavelength respectively, 
• Curcumin from turmeric emits at the green area of the wavelength.
• and White light emission is produced when red, blue and green mix together.
• This is the first time that white light emission has been generated using low-cost, edible,and natural dyes.
• Journal Scientific Reports published the results.
• Vikram Singh bagged the BIRAC Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Award 2017 for his work.
• Speaking on the occasion, Singh who is also the first author of the paper stated that they had to mix the two extracts in a particular ratio to produce white light.
• Singh is currently at researching at Lucknow’s CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI).