Current Affairs 17th July 2019

Current Affairs 17th July 2019 - Important Points

• Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill introduced in Parliament by minister - Minister Nitin Gadkari 
• Agri-Business Incubation Centre formed by - Union Agriculture Ministry
• Who has been designated as Singapore International Commercial Court Judge ? - Justice Sikri 
• International arbitration court imposes penalty  to - Pakistan
• WW-II Code-breaker Alan Turing to appear on U.K.’s new £50 bank note selected by - Bank of England
• Pakistan agrees to Visa-free, year-long travel for Indians via - Kartarpur Sahib

Current Affairs 17th July 2019 - Detail

Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill introduced in Parliament by minister - Minister Nitin Gadkari 

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari initiated Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Parliament. He requested the members of the Lok Sabha to approve it to save lives of lakhs of people who are been killed every year in road accidents.
Under this Bill government pursues to modify the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. It also suggests the development of a National Transportation Policy to make clear strategies for transportation of passengers and goods. Apart from this, this bill pursues to simplify the 3rd party insurance for motor
vehicles.
Important Features of the Bill

• The Motor Vehicle (amendment) Bill 2019 modifies the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to handle issues
  including regulation of taxi aggregators, 3rd party insurance and road safety. 
• This Bill pursues extreme accountability for 3rd party insurance in case of a vehicle accident at
  Rupees 10 lakh in case of death and Rupees 5 Lakh in case of grievous injury.
• This bill also describes strategies for cabs that will be finalized by central government.
• Motor Vehicle (amendment) Bill encourages the digitalization of few specific services. For example
  services including Issue of licenses/permits, application filing process, receipt of fines, and change of
  address.
• The Bill permits state governments to ensure the electronic monitoring and implementation of road
  safety on national highways, state highways, and urban roads.
• The Bill also amends the compensation and insurance provisions in case of motor vehicle accidents.

Agri-Business Incubation Centre formed by - Union Agriculture Ministry

Union Agriculture Ministry has formed an Agri Business Incubation Centre in Chhattisgarh. The centre has been formed by Agriculture Ministry in Indira Gandhi Agriculture University of Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
More about Agri Business Incubation Centre

• Agri Business Incubation Centre is formed under National Agriculture Development Scheme-
  RAFTAAR which means Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation.
• It is recognized to focus on innovations, skill building and entrepreneurs’ development in agriculture and associated sectors.
• It will also work as catalyst for evolving an ecosystem conducive for growth of entrepreneurship in
  agriculture in state and foster a start-up environment.
  More about National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR
• In November 2017, CCEA led by PM Narendra Modi, sanctioned extension of National Agriculture
  Development Scheme as Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation
  for a time period of three years that means 2017-18 to 2019-20.
• To make farming a remunerative economic commotion by firming farmer’s effort, risk mitigation and encouraging agribusiness entrepreneurship.

International arbitration court imposes penalty  to - Pakistan

International Arbitration Court has forced more than $5 billion penalty on Pakistan for unlawful denial of a mining lease to a company known as Tethyan Copper Company for Reko Diq project in 2011. This penalty on cash-impecunious Pakistan is one of the biggest in its history.
More about Tethyan Copper Company v/s Pakistan Case

• In 2012 Tethyan Copper Company had filed claims for international arbitration before World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes following Balochistan government disallowed a leasing request from firm in 2011.
• Tethyan Copper Company which is a joint venture between Chilean mining company Antofagasta
  and Canada’s Barrick Gold Corporation had requested 11.43 billion dollars in damages.
• Case between Pakistan government and company continuous for seven years.
• During August 2010 Tethyan Copper Company undertook an extensive and comprehensive bankable feasibility study that recognized basis for mine development at Reko Diq and forwarded a mining lease application in February 2011, along with an environmental and social impact assessment report.
• Then in November 2011, following Balochistan government immediately refised application by
  local operating subsidiary of Tethyan Copper Company for mining lease in respect of Reko Diq,
  the project was stationary.
• Imran Khan, PM Pakistan has released orders for development of commission to investigate and fix
  responsibility for massive loss borne by nation in Reko Diq Mining case.
  More about Reko Diq
• In Balochi language Reko Diq means sandy peak. It is a minor town in Chagai district Balochistan
  that situates close to the border with Iran and Afghanistan.
• Reko Diq mine is famous for its vast Gold and Copper deposits. It is alleged to have the world’s 5th
  largest gold reserve.

Who has been designated as Singapore International Commercial Court Judge ? - Justice Sikri 

Justice A K Sikri, former Supreme Court judge has been designated as an International Judge of Singapore International Commercial Court. President of Republic of Singapore, on advice of PM Singapore, has done appointment of Justice
Sikri starting from 1st August 2019. He is designated until 4th Jan 2021.
More about Justice A K Sikri

• He retired from SCI on 6th March 2019.
• He was selected in January 2018 for appointment to Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal
  at London, UK.
• But, following the controversy coming out of luck of his recommendation with his participation in committee meeting which endorsed removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director, he later chose to withdraw his consent for Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal selection.
• On 14th May 2019 he was selected as Chairman of News Broadcasting Standards Authority.
  More about Singapore International Commercial Court
• Singapore International Commercial Court was formally initiated on 5th January 2015. It was
  founding in line with vision to promote Singapore as a leading dispute resolution centre.
• It is recognized as part of Supreme Court of Singapore, and is a division of Singapore High Court
  which tackles with international commercial arguments and has 16 international judges in its panel.

Pakistan agrees to Visa-free, year-long travel for Indians via - Kartarpur Sahib

Pakistan has decided in principle to permit year-long visa-free entry for Indian pilgrims to holy
Gurdwara of Kartarpur Sahib. The pact was reached at 2nd bilateral official meeting organised at
Wagah for finalising the modalities for Kartarpur Sahib corridor, which is a gateway for pilgrims to
visit Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.
Indian delegation at 2nd bilateral official meet included representatives from Union Ministry of
Home Affairs, Union Ministry of External Affairs, Union-Ministry of Defence, Government of Punjab
and NHAI.
Key Highlights

• Pakistan has decided to permit year-long Visa-free travel to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara for pilgrims
  holding Indian passport and OCI card holders for seven days a week.
• Throughout the year, 5000 pilgrims will be permitted to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara/day. India
  urged that 10000 extras could be permitted to visit Gurudwara on special occasions and festivals.
  Pilgrims will be permitted to travel individually/groups and can also travel on foot.
  Permit system
• Although India proposed that holy shrine be initiate to Indian residents of all faiths but Pakistan
  government repeated its stand that there will be establishment for a permit system for pilgrims
  travelling via religious corridor.
• India commended Pakistan to permit ‘Nagar Kirtan’ from Delhi to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan in
  July and during October-November 2019 as part of festivities to mark 550th birth anniversary of
  Baba Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism.

WW-II Code-breaker Alan Turing to appear on U.K.’s new £50 bank note selected by - Bank of England

Alan Turing, the code-breaker during World War-II has been selected by Bank of England to print on Britain’s new £50 note. The £50 note will be the last of Bank of England collection to shift from paper to polymer and is due to arrive circulation by end of 2021. It presents a photo of Alan Turing taken in 1951.
This admired announcement comes decades following his tragic death after a conviction for homosexuality.
More about Alan Turing

• He is known for his code-cracking effort that demonstrated dynamic to Allies in World War-II.
  He played a critical role in development of early computers.
• He was an outstanding mathematician whose work has had a massive influence on today’s world.
• He is also mentioned as Father of Computer Science and AI for his far ranging and path-breaking
  contributions in field.
• His career was cut short by his principle in 1952 for gross indecency with a 19 years old man.
• Although he did not go to jail but was chemically emasculated and died aged 41 due to cyanide
  poisoning in an ostensible suicide in 1954.
• In 2013 he got a posthumous pardon from Queen Elizabeth-II.
• Later in 2017, the Alan Turing Law retrospectively pardoned men who had been imprisoned under historical legislation that banned homosexual acts in Britain.