Current Affairs 23rd January 2018

Current Affairs 23rd January 2018 - Important Points

• 112 first ladies felicitated dy - President Ram Nath Kovind
• Name of 2nd Made in India Offshore Patrol Vessel of Indian Coast Guard - Vijaya
• India inked loan agreement with World Bank to improve Water Supply Services in Uttarakhand with - USD 120 million
• ONGC to acquire Government’s entire 51.11% stake in - HPCL

Current Affairs 23rd January 2018 - Details

112 first ladies felicitated dy - President Ram Nath Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind has honoured 112 exceptional Female achievers at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. These Female achievers FIRST LADIES are those, who are 1st to form milestone of achievement in their respective speciality. This First Ladies is 2nd leg of the 100 Women Achievers program of the Ministry.

Important Points :

These 112 Females were choosed after extensive research action by Ministry of Women & Child Development. They have been first in any area like 1st woman judge, 1st woman porter, 1st woman to led missile project, 1st para-trooper, 1st Olympian between others. Their felicity focuses to inspire other females to break the glass ceiling and do females of India proud.

Among those who were honoured by President consists of -

• Bachendri Pal: 1st Indian female to reach the Mount Everest summit;
• Deepa Malik: 1st woman to grab a medal at the Paralympics;
• Priya Jhingan: First Female Cadet to join the Indian Army;
• P V Sindhu: Olympic silver Winner
• Nicole Faria: medallist of the Miss Earth title;
• Karnam Malleswari: Olympic medal weightlifting winner
• Anshu Jamsenpa: 1st Indian woman to scale Mt Everest for 5th time.
• Chhavi Rajawat: India’s 1st female Sarpanch
• Diana Edulji: 1st ODI skipper of the 1st ever Indian Women’s Cricket Team.

Background

Every year on March 8,  WCD Ministry felicitates Nari Shakti Puruskars to those females, who have gifted society but have remained unacknowledged. These awards are presented by President of India at Rashtrapati Bhawan. It started to recognise those females, in various ways, who have broken the glass ceiling and proceeded into unusual areas.

Name of 2nd Made in India Offshore Patrol Vessel of Indian Coast Guard - Vijaya

The 2nd made in India Offshore Patrol Vessel named “Vijaya” manufactured by Larsen and Toubro- L&T Shipyard for Indian Coast Guard was inaugurated at Kattupalli Shipyard, Tamil Nadu. It is believed to be admitted into service by September 2018 after trials on the instrument.

OPV Vijaya

The OPV is 98m long and 14.8m wide with gross weight of 2,100 tonnes. It has toleration of 5000 nautical miles with sailing velocity of 12-14 knots which can be raised to 26 knots. The ship is loaded with 2 units of diesel driven engines of 9000 kilowatts each with less fuel consumption.

It is fitted with state-of art radar, communication and navigational system. It will be used for day and night patrol and surveillance, anti-smuggling operations, costal security and anti-terrorist. It is loaded with 30 mm automated gun system with Fire Control System and 2 units of 12.7 mm gun with FCS.
Its navigation and communication system are efficient of operating in tropical situations. It also has efficiency to carry single integral twin engine helicopter which further will enhance surveillance, operational, search and rescue capability. It will be staffed by 102 crew, consisting 14 officers.

Background

The Defence Ministry as a part of rapid expansion of Indian Coast Guard to give strength to maritime security tool had signed Rs.1432 crores agreement with Larsen and Toubro Shipyard at Kattupalli to indigenously design and manufacture 7 OPVs. The 1st OPV named Vikarm as part of the deal was initiated in October 2017. It was nation’s 1st-ever such defence craft to be manufactured in private shipyard.

India inked loan agreement with World Bank to improve Water Supply Services in Uttarakhand with - USD 120 million

India and World Bank on January 22nd, 2018 signed USD 120 million loan accordance to improve water supply facilities in peri-urban areas of Uttarakhand.

The accordance for the project was signed by Arvind Singh Hyanki, Secretary in Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation of Uttarakhand, Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, under Union Ministry of Finance and Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director of World Bank, India.

The USD 120 million loan will have a 5 years grace time period and a maturity of seventeen years.

Highlights of Uttarakhand Water Supply Program for Peri-Urban Areas

The Uttarakhand Water Supply Plan for Peri-Urban locations will help the state in expanding water supply coverage and safeguard sustainable water supply service delivery in peri-urban locations.

It will enhance and execute a service-oriented and efficient water supply scheme for peri-urban areas and will give strength to the present monitoring and evaluation systems.

Services will give through piped network system and metered service attachments with a focal point on improving the operation and management of it.

The schedule will also consist of 100% customer metering and volumetric taxes and maintained water supply systems which will recover O&M values through user charges with transparent grants.

Comment

The peri-urban areas are identified as rural, but effectively urban in nature according to the density of population, the composition of the economy and aspirations of the citizens.

From 2001-2011, Uttarakhand's urban population grew by around 42%, which is substantially greater than the national average of 32%. While the state has been implementing innovative ideas in water supply and sanitation services, water supply facilities in peri-urban areas have not been an aim.

ONGC to acquire Government’s entire 51.11% stake in - HPCL

The Union Government and state operated oil explorer ONGC settled deal for acquisition of government’s 51.11 percent stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation for a consideration of Rs. 36915 crores. The agreement will be closed by ending of January 2018. Earlier empowered panel led by finance minister Arun Jaitley had passed amount bid for acquisition. The whole cash agreement will aid government improve its non-debt capital receipts and complete disinvestment target of Rs.72500 crore.

Importance

With this purchase, ONGC is obtaining midstream and downstream presence and entrance to marketing network. This acquisition will make ONGC India’s first vertically integrated oil leader, having presence entire value chain in sector. The united entity will have benefit of having enhanced capacity to bear greater risks, take greater investment steps and neutralising influence of volatility of global crude prices. As for HPCL, agreement will aid it in further leveraging synergy at different levels of vertical value chains as fraction of integrated oil and gas category. It also will permit ONGC to mitigate risk of crude price volatility.

Background

In 2017-18 Union Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had declared that state-run oil organizations will be incorporated to create oil leader. After this Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in July 2017 had permitted in-principle acceptance to the strategic sale of HPCL to ONGC. This also contained change in management control, but permitted HPCL to keep its brand as additional of the national oil explorer.