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  • Current Affairs 13th September 2018

    Updated : 13-Sep-2018

    Current Affairs 13th September 2018 - Important Points

    • EC removes NOTA option from Rajya Sabha, Legislative Council polls on - 11th September 2018
    • MEA, TCIL inked agreement to provide e-health and education in Africa - e-VBAB Network Project
    • 100 percent electrification of Broad Gauge Routes of Indian Railways approved by - CCEA
    • Government makes demat mandatory for issue and transfer of shares from - 2nd October 2018
    • ASI discovers 254 copper coins of medieval era at - Khirki Mosque
    • Health Ministry notifies HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017  from - 10th September 2018

     Current Affairs 13th September 2018 - Details 

    MEA, TCIL inked agreement to provide e-health and education in Africa - e-VBAB Network Project

    Union Ministry of External Affairs and Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd have inked MoU for implementation of e-VidyaBharati and e-AarogyaBharati (e-VBAB) Network Project in Africa. The plan is seen as digital bridge of knowledge and health among India and Africa. It is also measured as significant milestone in India’s development partnership with Africa.
    More about E-VBAB Network Project

    • E-VBAB is technological advancement and extension of Pan-African e-Network Project which was
      executed in 48 partner nations across Africa from 2009 till 2017. The phase 1 of project had effectively imparted tele-education and tele-medicine by connecting educational institutions and hospitals in India with those from contributing nations from Africa.
    • e-VBAB Network Project is entirely funded by Government of India for its complete duration. It is open for participation to all India’s partner nations in Africa.
    • Over its 5 years duration, this project will deliver free tele-education courses to 4000 students every year from African nations. It will also be used for delivering free continuing medical education i.e. 1000 every year doctors, nurses, para-medical staff fromAfrica.
    • Further, Indian doctors, via this project will also deliver free medical consultancy to those African
      doctors looking for such consultancy.

    EC removes NOTA option from Rajya Sabha, Legislative Council polls on - 11th September 2018

    The Election Commission of India on September 11th, 2018 extracted the provision of NOTA- None of the above option from ballot papers of the Rajya Sabha and the state’s Legislative Council polls according to the Supreme Court directions.
    The Election Commission of India, via the notification, directed the returning officers for Rajya Sabha and legislative council to make sure that there is no NOTA column demonstrated in the ballot paper.  The NOTA option will be accessible only in Lok Sabha and state’s assembly election. 

    More about NOTA

    • The EC has made an plan in the voting system through which it can record the proportion of people who have not considered voting to anyone.
    • In the December 2013 assembly elections, the ECI had fixed to provide the option of None of the above buttons in the electronic voting machine. 
    • The NOTA decision by Apex court was taken on a petition filed by Gujarat Congress leader Shailesh Manubhai Parmar to do away with the ‘NOTA’ option in Rajya Sabha elections in 2017, in which Congress leader Ahmed Patel was contesting.
    • A bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and justices A.M.Khanwilkar and D.Y.Chandrachud had form aside the Election Commission’s announcement permitting the “None Of The Above” option in the ballot papers for the Rajya Sabha polls.

    Did you know?
    The Supreme Court on August 21st, 2018 ruled that the NOTA option will not be valid for voting in the Rajya Sabha elections. NOTA could continue to be an option in the direct elections including the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies.

    The Chief Justice of India led bench found that the NOTA option is available only for the general public in direct elections and not for the polls organised by the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote as in the Rajya Sabha.

    100 percent electrification of Broad Gauge Routes of Indian Railways approved by - CCEA

    The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by PM Narendra Modi, on September 12th, 2018 sanctioned the proposal for electrification of balance un-electrified Broad Gauge Routes of Indian Railways.
    The Broad Gauge Routes consist of 108 sections covering 13675 route kms that will be electrified at an amount of Rupees 12134.50 crore by 2021-22.
    The major trunk routes on Indian Railways network have already been electrified and are operational.
    Importance

    • The proposed electrification, which is largely for missing links and last mile connectivity, will enhance the operational efficiency, increase the line capacity, and advance the average speed of trains.
    • It will decrease the use of imported fossil fuels, thereby advance energy security of the country.
    • After the planned electrification, there would be drop in the usage of high speed diesel oil by about 2.83 billion litres annually and a decrease in Green House Gasses emissions and this will decrease environmental impact of Railways.

    Government makes demat mandatory for issue and transfer of shares from - 2nd October 2018

    Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs has made it compulsory for unlisted public organisations to release
    new shares or transfer of all shares in dematerialised/demat, which is an electronic form, from October
    2nd, 2018. With this, chief advantages of dematerialisation of securities will now be accessible to
    unlisted Public organisations.
    Important Facts

    • The Companies Act 2013, provides for government to directive that as in case of registered public
      organisations’ other classes of public organisations should also release securities only in dematerialised form.
    • Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ latest step is observed as measure for further attractive transparency, investor protection and governance in the corporate sector. It also comes at a time when the ministry is fastening down on shell organisations that are alleged of being conduits for illicit fund flows.
    • It will aid in removal of risks linked with physical certificates including loss, theft, mutilation, fraud and many more. It will aid in civilizing corporate governance system by growing transparency and preventing mal-practices including unknown stakeholding, back-dated issuance of shares, etc.
    • It will also help in transfer, pledge etc. of securities and deliver exemption from payment of stamp duty on transfer.
      Unlisted Organisations
      As per to Companies Act 2013, a public firm is designed by 7 persons or more than that, while for private firm this number is 2 and above. If shares of such organisations are not traded on stock exchange, they are known as unlisted organisations.

    ASI discovers 254 copper coins of medieval era at - Khirki Mosque

    The Archaeological Survey of India unearthen a collection of 254 Copper Coins in the sites of Khirki Mosque during the conservation of the monument. 
    This mosque is situated on the southern periphery of the village Khirki, New Delhi. The mosque was constructed by Khan-I-Jahan Junan Shah, the PM of Firoz Shah Tughluq and is supposed to be one of the seven mosques constructed by him.
    Important Highlights

    • Following the discovery of coins, instantly, a team of archaeologist, consternation assistant and photographers visited the site and took the hoard of coins under their ownership.
    • Few coins got eviscerated by the authorities of Science of Branch of ASI; and on the grounds of initial observation, it was instituted that few of the coins are related to the reign of Shershah Suri and his beneficiaries.
    • Previously in the year 2003, a reserve of 63 Coins were found from the similar area during cleaning and conservation. 
      More about Khirki Mosque
    • The Khirki Mosque is double-storeyed constructed with rubble stone.
    • The lower floor consists only of a series of basement cells. Untidy bastions inhabit its 4 corners, informing it the look of a fortified building.
    • The gateways of 3 sides, except on the west, are edged by narrowed minarets and the main entrance is from the east.
    • The pillared courtyard is segmented into 20 - 5 squares, 5 on each side, each square consisting of 9 smaller squares.
    • The superior squares, along with the square in the centre of the courtyard, are each sheltered with a cluster of 9 small low domes.

    Health Ministry notifies HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017  from - 10th September 2018

    Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released notification for carrying HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 in force from 10th September 2018. The Act protects rights of people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and exaggerated by Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It also discourses Human Immunodeficiency Virus-related discernment, fortify present programme by bringing in legal accountability and create formal mechanisms for interested into complaints and redressing grievances.
    Key Provisions

    • The Act looks forward to avoid and control spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired
      Immune Deficiency Syndrome, bans discrimination against persons with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It lists numerous grounds on which discrimination against Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive persons and those living with them is banned.
    • These discernment grounds consist of denial, termination, discontinuation with regard to employment, educational establishments, health care services, standing for public/private office, residing/renting property and facility of insurance.
    • It also bans need for Human Immunodeficiency Virus testing as pre-requisite for gaining employment or accessing health care or education. It remarks that every Human Immunodeficiency Virus infected or affected patient less than age of 18 years has right to reside in shared household and enjoy facilities of household.
    • It also bans any individual from issuing data or advocating feelings of hatred against Human
      Immunodeficiency Virus positive persons and those living with them.
    • It gives right to each and every person in care and custody of the state to Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention, testing, treatment and counselling facilities.