Current Affairs 19th December 2018

Current Affairs 19th December 2018 - Important Points

• Bhupesh Baghel sworn in as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh on - 17th December 2018
• Who has been named PETA India's Person of the Year for 2018? - Sonam Kapoor
• UN members adopt Global Compact on Refugees on - 17th December 2018
• Famous classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri passed away on - 17th December 2018
• Kaiga Atomic Power Station creates world record for continuous operation for - 941 days
• International Migrants Day 2018 observed on  -18th December
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) extended to all - Poor households
• Who is the new Additional Solicitor General?- Madhavi Divan
• Indra Navy-18 Joint Exercise concluded between India and Russia on - 16th December 2018
• Tamil Nadu fishermen get NavIC-powered  - ISRO Gadgets

Current Affairs 19th December 2018 - Details

Bhupesh Baghel sworn in as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh on - 17th December 2018

Chhattisgarh Congress president Bhupesh Baghel took oath as the CM of Chhattisgarh on December 17th, 2018. Chhattisgarh Governor Anandiben Patel directed the sworn-in of office and secrecy to Baghel at oath ceremony organised in Raipur. By taking oath, Bhupesh Baghel became the 3rd CM of Chhattisgarh since its inception in the year 2000.
More about Bhupesh Baghel

• Bhupesh Baghel is a knowledgeable administrator who is well known for his organisational services.
  Born on August 23rd, 1961, Baghel belongs to the Kurmi community  is a powerful leader of the OBC group which makes about 52% of Chattisgarh's whole 2.55 crore population.
• Baghel began his political career with the Congress in the 1980s. He was 1st selected as a Member of Legislative Assembly from Patan constituency in 1993 & then in 1998 & 2003 from the same constituency.
• In the 2008 Assembly polls, he was defeated by the BJP candidate Vijay Baghel, succeeding which he was issued ticket from Raipur for the 2009 Lok Sabha election, where he also got defeated.
• He came back again by securing victory from the Patan Assembly seat in 2013. In December 1998, he was designated as the minister of state for public grievance in the Digvijaya Singh cabinet of United MP.
• Following the development of Chhattisgarh in 2000, he worked as a Revenue Minister in the Ajit Jogi Government until 2003, when the Bhartiya Janta Party came in to power.
• When the Congress lost the 2003 elections, Baghel was designated as deputy leader of the opposition in the assembly. He got defeated the next elections from Patan in 2008 also.

Who has been named PETA India's Person of the Year for 2018? - Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor, a vegetarian, has been termed PETA India's Person of the Year for 2018. PETA- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, is the major animal rights group in the world, with above 6.5 million associates and supporters.
The group works on a variety of other topics as well including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals who are often measured ‘pests’ as well as cruelty to farm animals.
PETA India’s Associate Director Sachin Bangera in a statement informed that "Whether Sonam enjoying vibrant vegetarian food and rallying her fans to do their part to stopover animal suffering without any hesitation to aid animals any way she can.”
Important Highlights

• Sonam Kapoor has been recognized to be an advocate for animal rights. She is a vegetarian herself and keeps animal skin out of her fashion brand Rheson, separately from taking other acts for the welfare of animals.
• In 2016, Sonam Kapoor was termed PETA India's Hottest Vegan Celebrity and she received a Compassionate Business Award from the group a year later for her brutality-free handbag range.
• Her previous animal advocacy hard work including advising the Minister of Environment, Forests & Climate Change not to withdraw the prohibition on classroom dissection for university life science &  zoology students.
• She had also been at the lead to call for a Maharashtra-wide prohibition on the glass-coated manja, which troubles and slaughters birds as they get entangled in it.
• She had also contributed ‘kind kites’ to kids to benefit preventing injuries from manja.

UN members adopt Global Compact on Refugees on - 17th December 2018

The United Nations member states on December 17th, 2018 nominated in favour of the Global Compact on Refugees, upholding International solidarity and co-operation for refugee protection &host community development.
The Global Compact on refugees got 181 votes in favour in the 193 members assembly, days after a United Nations conference in Morocco accepted a same compact on migration. The US and Hungary were the only 2 countries that nominated against the contract, while 181 nations voted in favour & the Dominican Republic, Eritrea & Libya withdrawn.
4 significant objectives of the Global Compact
1) Comfort pressures on nations that host huge numbers of refugees;
2) Develop self-reliance of refugees.
3) Develop access to 3rd-country/refugees via resettlement & other pathways of admission.
4) Backing conditions that permit refugees to return to their nations of origin.
Global Compact for Migration
The international compact on refugees launches the planning for a tougher, extra predictable and extra equitable international response to great refugee situations.
The agreement goals to directs the International community in supporting refugees & nations and communities introducing large numbers via the mobilisation of political will, broadening of the base of support and the initiation of arrangements for extra reasonable and predictable burden & responsibility sharing.

Famous classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri passed away on - 17th December 2018

Renowned classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri deceased on 17th December 2018 at the age of 75, following a long illness. He is survived by his wife and son.
Pandit Bhaduri had been suffering for relatively some time from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD & other illnesses.
CM of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee articulated grief over the abrupt death of Pandit Bhaduri. She
expressed her sympathies to the family members, friends and supporters of Pandit Arun Bhaduri.
More about Pandit Arun Bhaduri

• Pandit Arun Bhaduri was born on October 7, 1943 in Murshidabad, West Bengal.
• He was a Hindustani Classical Music & Semi-Classical Music Vocalist, primarily instructed by Mohammed A. Daud Khan.
• Pandit Arun Bhaduri was a proponent on Kirana and Rampur Gharana.
• He was well-known for fusing all these styles attractively to create his own unique style. He also sang Bengali songs as well as Bhajans.
• In 2014, he was rewarded as Banga Bibhushan Samman. He also secured many other prizes. He had
  worked as a guru teacher at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy.

Kaiga Atomic Power Station creates world record for continuous operation for - 941 days

The Kaiga Atomic Power Station of Karnataka has formed a new world record, with one of its units working continuously without any disruption for above 940 days. The earlier world record was secured by Unit-2 of Heysham of the UK. It functioned without any disruption for 940 days. The similar unit of Kiaga Power plant had formed a world record in October 2018 when it worked non-stop for 894 days. The record formed by Kaiga power plant is a record for all kinds of plants worldwide which produce nuclear power, as well as advanced gas-based reactors.
More about Kaiga Atomic Power Station

• Kaiga Atomic Power plant is a nuclear power producing station positioned at Kaiga in Karnataka, India.
• It is functioned by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India. The power unit has been working since March 2000.
• The Kaiga power unit has 4 further units of 220 megawatts each. The total power generating capacity of Kaiga power unit is 880 megawatts.
• It is the 3rd largest nuclear power unit in India. Tarapur, with 1400 megawatts of Maharashtra, is the largest  Rawatbhata with 1180 megawatts of Rajatshan is the 2nd largest power unit in India.
• It gives electricity to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) extended to all - Poor households

The central Government has finalised to outspread the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana- PMUY to all poor families in the country.
PMUY is the government’s flagship programme to delivers free LPG connections. The Pradhan Mantri
Ujjwala Yojana scheme marks to reach out to provide free Liquified Petroleum Gas connections to 80
million families by year 2020.
With the expansion of the PMUY scheme, all the poor families can gain the benefit from PMUY and it will not be compulsory to be part of the Socio-Economic Caste Census list or the 7 identified categories under the program to be eligible for the scheme.
PMUY Details

• PMUY scheme was released in May 2016. The preliminary target set for the scheme was to deliver 50 million Liquified Petroleum Gas connections to Below Poverty Line families by 2019, by giving financial help of Rupees 1600/family.
• Till now, Under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana schemes 58.5 million connections have been issued across 715 districts.
• According to the government data, about 80% of the beneficiaries come back for a 2nd refill and about 45% take 3 or more refills yearly.
• The government has also recently launched Liquified Petroleum Gas Panchayats to promote the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana scheme.
  The vision behind the scheme
• The successful implementation of the scheme will make sure universal coverage of LPG in India, which will benefit in women empowerment and also will safeguard their health.
•  The time spent on cooking and drudgery will decrease.
• Additionally, it will also produce employment for youth in the rural areas in the supply chain of Liquified Petroleum Gas.

International Migrants Day 2018 observed on  -18th December

The International Migrants Day 2018 celebrated on December 18 th , 2018 worldwide. In harmony with the Resolution 55/93 of the UN General Assembly, the International Migrants Day is celebrated every year on 18th December. The Resolution 55/93 was accepted by United Nations on December 4th, 2000.
Also, Resolution 45/158 which is a resolution on the “International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers & their Families members” was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18th December 1990.
On this day many intergovernmental as well as NGOs in different nations disseminate information on human rights & fundamental political freedoms of immigrants among the people. The design of actions for the protection of immigrants and experiences of immigrants are also communal with the public.
Theme
The theme of International Migrants Day 2018 is ‘Migration with Dignity’. The reason for selecting this
theme is that about 3400 immigrants and refugees passed away around the world in 2018. The UN
have given a call for immigration that is secure, regular & honourable for everyone.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on this day informed that immigration is a powerful driver of economic development, that permits people to pursue new prospects. Immigration profits both the communities at the origin as well as destination.

Who is the new Additional Solicitor General?- Madhavi Divan

The Union government has designated advocate Madhavi Goradia Divan as the Additional Solicitor General in the government of India. She will lead office of Additional Solicitor General till 30th June, 2020 and will came to the Supreme Court on behalf of the Government of India.
She is the 3rd female to grasp the position of Additional Solicitor General. Senior advocate Indira Jaising was the 1st female in India to become Additional Solicitor General. Pinky Anand was the 2nd female and she still embraces the position.
The ASG of India, also known as the Additional Solicitor General, is the 3rd-ranked law-officer in the Indian government.
The position of Additional Solicitor General is not constitutional because the constitution does not have any necessities regarding this.
More about Madhavi Divan

• Madhavi Divan started her legal profession from the Bombay High Court.
• She has signified the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in judicial accounts.
• She is married to Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, who freshly appeared in the Right to Privacy case as a lawyer for the requesters.
• She played a vital role in receiving Triple Talaq accomplishment criminalised by the Supreme Court of India.
• Also, she supported against giving the death penalty by the courts for the rape of minor sufferers.

Indra Navy-18 Joint Exercise concluded between India and Russia on - 16th December 2018

A bilateral naval exercise, Indra Navy-18, between India & Russia settled on December 16th, 2018. It was a four-day naval exercise that occurred in the Bay of Bengal. This India–Russia Navy Exercise is being directed since 2003. The 1st edition of this exercise was directed in May 2003 in India.
India & Russia are chief defence partners & India is also a main importer of Russian defence equipment.
Both the nations plan regular exercises with each other. The previous edition of Indra Navy occurred in 2016 in the Bay of Bengal with the main objective behind directing such bilateral military exercises is the establishment of friendly ties among India & Russia armed forces.
Indra Navy 2018

• 10 warships from both nations took part in the Indra Navy-2018 exercise, which also encompassed an Indian Navy submarine.
• The exercise consisted search & seize drills, underway replacement at sea drills & anti-submarine warfare drills along with other mechanisms.
• The naval forces of India & Russia also planned live-firings against aerial goals in the exercise.
• The Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet flagship Varyag took part in Indra Navy 2018. An anti-submarine
  warfare ship Admiral Panteleyev and a sea tanker Boris Butoma, were also included by Russia in the
  exercise.
• INS Ranvir, Satpura, Kadmatt, Kuthar and Khanjar & INS Jyoti also took part from Indian counterpart.
• The principal aim of Indra Navy exercise is to upsurge inter-operability amongst the naval forces of
• India & Russia and inter change best practices.

Tamil Nadu fishermen get NavIC-powered  - ISRO Gadgets

The Tamil Nadu Government has dispersed 200 NavIC-powered satellite capable communication gadgets produced by Indian Space Research Organisation to 80 fishing boat groups in Tamil Nadu. These gadgets will assist the Tamil Nadu fishermen to receive cyclone & weather updates on a real-time basis.
Past year various fishermen were missing in the cyclone Ockhi. Therefore, Tamil Nadu government had to face numerous criticisms for not delivering timely weather alerts to fishermen. Thus, the Tamil Nadu government had announced giving these gadgets free to fishermen in this year’s state budget. Tamil Nadu government rolled-out these gadgets after CM K Palaniswami dispersed the gadgets to 7 fishermen engaged in deep sea fishing in Chennai.
More about NavIC Gadgets

• These gadgets, are of the size of a soap box, which are fundamentally ‘receivers’ for producing a beep sound when alerts are received by the gadget.
• These gadgets are Bluetooth enabled and the alerts received can be read on the NavIC App which can be easily downloaded on an android phone.
• The alerts will be in the Tamil language so that the fisherman find it simple to recognize it.
  NavIC- Navigation with Indian Constellation, can be acknowledged as the Indian version of the American GPS system.
  NavIC provides exact real-time position, navigation & timing services over India and region ranging 1,500 kilometres around Indian borders.