Current Affairs 19th September 2018

Current Affairs 19th September 2018 - Important Points

• World’s first hydrogen-powered train  rolled  out by - Germany
• Kent RO to set up its second manufacturing plant at - Noida
• Virat Kohli, Mirabai Chanu recommended for -  2018 Khel Ratna Award
• First-ever & dial-FIR scheme  to be launched by - Uttar Pradesh Police
• India first country in world to develop document on cooling action plan on - World Ozone Day
• Bangladesh to provide India access to key ports by - PM Sheikh Hasina
• Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa to be first private passenger on  - SpaceX’s Lunar BFR Mission
• Government organises All India Pension Adalat for pensioners’ welfare on - 18th September 2018

Current Affairs 19th September 2018 - Details

World’s first hydrogen-powered train  rolled  out by - Germany

Germany has turned out world’s 1st hydrogen power-driven passenger train. These trains named iLint trains produce zero emissions, making them eco-friendly. This locomotive technology proposes greener and quieter substitute to diesel on non-electrified railway lines. These hydrogen locomotives are produced by French TGV-maker Alstom and are commercially running on 100 kilometres route between towns and cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and Buxtehude in northern Germany.
More about Hydrogen trains

• Hydrogen locomotives are fitted with fuel cells that generate electricity by merging hydrogen with oxygen.
• This conversion process only releases steam and water, thus resulting and generating zero emissions.
• Additional energy produced in this process is stored in ion-lithium batteries on board train.
• These locomotives also produce very little noise. Moreover, hydrogen fuel cells have benefits over
  batteries. Instead of recharging, they can easily be re-fuelled like gas and diesel engine.
• It is also easier to figure refuelling infrastructure for these trains at railway stations.
• These locomotives can run for about 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen, which is same to the range of diesel trains. These locomotives offer attractive panorama to many cities scrambling to curb air pollution.
• The only drawback of these hydrogen trains is that they are much expensive than fossil fuel-
  based trains.

Virat Kohli, Mirabai Chanu recommended for -  2018 Khel Ratna Award

India cricket skipper Virat Kohli and World Champion Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu were together endorsed for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, which is the nation’s uppermost even-handed honour for any sports personality.
This recommendation will seek approval from Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and post sanction Indian Cricket Captain Virat Kohli will become the 3rd cricketer to get the Khel Ratna honour after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar who was bestowed with this award in 1997 and the double World Cup winning Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in year 2007.
Mirabai Chanu was suggested for the prestigious award after her Gold Medal victory in 48 kilogram group at the World Championships past year.

First-ever & dial-FIR scheme  to be launched by - Uttar Pradesh Police

UP state police launched its 1st ever “Dial-FIR” scheme in the state to curb the crime incidents in the state. In this scheme, a common public can record regular crimes without approaching to a Police Station, just by dialling the emergency number Uttar Pradesh 100 and file an First Information Report, and that would be a call-based FIR.
An e-FIR or dial-FIR scheme is the First Information Report that forms the law into motion and to initiate an investigation. To fight against crime, an online dossier of more than one-lakh small and big criminals in the UP state has also been organized. Uttar Pradesh is the only 2nd state to organise such a localised online criminal database after Punjab state.

Kent RO to set up its second manufacturing plant at - Noida

Kent RO (reverse osmosis) Systems, which is a healthcare products organisation, is going to form its 2nd
manufacturing unit at Noida, UP. For this project, the organisation has capitalized above Rupees 150
crores.

Important Highlights

• The provision will be complete in upcoming 4-5 years.
• Previously, Kent RO inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uttar Pradesh government to finance Rupees 200 crores. Kent is targeting to surpass rupees 950 crores income during the present fiscal year. 
• Notwithstanding its other products including air purifiers, vegetable and fruit purifiers and water softeners above and beyond some of the home appliances, the water purifiers contribute above 85 percent of the total income of the organisation.
• This initiative will also help in generating employment and thus will help in improving financial stability in the state.

India first country in world to develop document on cooling action plan on - World Ozone Day

Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on occasion of World Ozone Day i.e. 17th September, revealed the draft India Cooling Action Plan. It enables India as 1st nation in world to
advance such document. The draft was drafted by Ozone Cell of Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.  It focuses to deliver maintainable cooling while keeping in view, the prerequisite to protect the ozone layer from substances that can degrade it. It delivers a 20 years perspective, with forecasts for cooling requirements in 2037-38.
India Cooling Action Plan

• India Cooling Action Plan addresses cooling needs across sectors and lists out activities which can benefit decreasing cooling mandate.
• Its thrust is to look for synergies in activities for making secure both environmental and socio-economic advantages.
• India Cooling Action Plan’s predominant motive is to deliver sustainable cooling and thermal relief for all whereas securing environmental and socio-economic profits for the society.
  Goals suggested in ICAP are-
• Diminish refrigerant mandate by 25 percent to 30 percent by year 2037-38.
• Diminishing cooling mandate across sectors by 20 percent to 25 percent by year 2037-38.
• Diminish cooling energy needs by 25 percent to 40 percent by year 2037-38.
• Train and verify 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23, in collaboration with Skill India
  Mission.
• Identify cooling and concerned areas as areas of research under national science and technology
  initiative to care development of technological solutions.

Bangladesh to provide India access to key ports by - PM Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Cabinet led by PM Sheikh Hasina has sanctioned draft contract permitting India to custom its Chittagong and Mongla ports for transporting cargo to and from its north-eastern states. The draft was designed following both neighbouring nations had inked MoU on the usage of 2 ports during PM
Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka in June, 2015.
Agreement on sea ports for transporting goods

• Under this contract, India can transport things according to the size of 2 sea ports.
• Only Bangladeshi automobiles will be utilised for transportation of things within its territory.
• Indian items can be transported via 4 entry points including Akhaura in Bangladesh and Agartala in Tripura, Tamabil in Bangladesh and Dauki in Meghalaya, Sheola in Sylhet and Sutarkandi in Assam and Bibirbazar in Bangladesh and Srimantapur in Tripura India.
• Under this, India will have to shadow General Agreement on Tariff and Trade and Bangladeshi guidelines, pay customs duties and buy tax comparable bonds to transport freight.
• India will also pay fees for utilising Bangladeshi land ports infrastructure. To maintain track of cargo, new modern tracking system will be utilised.
• The MoU will be effective for 5 years, but it can be renewed for another 5 years itself. However, any
  nation can withdraw the MoU after giving 6 months’ notice and append deal.
• Standard Operational Procedure will be designed for implementing this MoU. The Standard Operational Procedure will be prepared following consulting with various shareholders.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa to be first private passenger on  - SpaceX’s Lunar BFR Mission

United States private space firm SpaceX on September 17th, 2018 inked the world’s first private passenger to fly to the Moon aboard its Big Falcon Rocket launch vehicle.
Japanese billionaire and founder of online fashion giant Zozo, Yusaku Maezawa will be the 1st Moon tourist on SpaceX’s Lunar Big Falcon Rocket Mission. Maezawa wants to take 6-8 artists from around the world on the approximately week-long trip to the Moon. 
However, the organisation failed to reveal the amount Maezawa paid for the mission, but they make sure that he is paying a very noteworthy amount of money.
More about Big Falcon Rocket Mission

• Earlier in February 2017, the SpaceX had proclaimed that 2 passengers would be flying around the Moon in the Crew Dragon Capsule, released by SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket.
• However far ahead in the beginning of 2018, Musk explained that SpaceX is bearing in mind using the BFR instead.
• The Big Falcon Rocket was 1st publicized in 2016, and was advertised as the most powerful rocket in history, much potent than the Saturn V Moon rocket that released the Apollo missions 5 decades ago.
• The BFR is a massive, 35-story tall rocket fabricated to release and land like SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, but could transport dozens of people on board instead of satellites only. 
• Big Falcon Rocket is the dream mission of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk who released the construction of the vehicle with a dream to create a permanent, self-sustaining human presence on Mars.
• The mission is anticipated to initiate in 2023.
  More about Yusaku Maezawa
• Yusaku Maezawa is Chief Executive of Japan's principal online fashion mall Zozotown.
• He is the 18th richest person in Japan with a fortune of USD 3 billion, according to the business magazine Forbes.
• In 2017, he proclaimed the acquisition of a Jean-Michel Basquiat masterpiece worth USD 110.5 million.

Government organises All India Pension Adalat for pensioners’ welfare on - 18th September 2018

The All India Pension Adalat was initiated on September 18th, 2018 by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh in New Delhi.
The Pension Adalat, being initiated by the Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare, is one of the mega exercises for pensioners’ welfare ever undertaken by the Government as part of good governance keen to central government pensioners. 
Key Highlights

• On the occasion, all the central government ministries would be leading their respective pension adalats, in which on-the-spot solutions would be delivered across the table to the complaint holder.
• All the concerned shareholders of the pensioner’s case counting the department, pay and account officer, bank, along with the pensioner or his representative, will settle the grievance within the outline of existing rules. 
• This is a countless reformative portion to get the complaints resolved in the quickest possible way by avoiding pointless recourse by the pensioners to Courts.
• Additionally, the offices of AG would be distinctly addressing the pensioner complaints of all-India service officers, in all the states across the nation.
• The initiative is supposed to determine issues of thousands of pensioners in single day, in a single sitting across the nation.