Navigate

  • Current Affairs 28th June 2018

    Updated : 28-Jun-2018

    Current Affairs 28th June 2018 - Important Points

    • Draft Act to replace UGC with Higher Education Commission proposed by -  Government 
    • Oxytocin formulations ban to come into effect from -1st July 2018
    • Financial Action Task Force puts Pakistan on ‘grey list’ on - 27th June 2018
    • Emergency declared in Papua New Guinea over - Polio outbreak
    • France’s EDF and GE sign deal to build 6 nuclear reactors  by -  Jaitapur nuclear plant

    Current Affairs 28th June 2018 - Details

    Draft Act to replace UGC with Higher Education Commission proposed by -  Government 

    The Union Ministry of HRD projected a draft bill on June 27th, 2018 to revoke the UGC and form the Higher Education Commission of India, with an initiative that goals to improve higher education in India.
    The Act entitled“Higher Education Commission of India Act, 2018 renovates UGC Act, 1951 and its parent legislation entirely. The Higher Education Commission of India Act, 2018 is projected to be announced in Parliament in the forthcoming monsoon session.
    Provisions of the Higher Education Commission of India Act, 2018

    • In continuation with the Narendra Modi government’s Minimum Government, Maximum Governance policy, the Act foresees HECI to aims exclusively on academic matters.
    • The major emphasis will be on academic quality with focus on enlighten learning results, academic
      performance assessment by institutions, mentoring of institutions, teachers training and use of technology and many more.
    • The Higher Education Commission of India will be supported with penal powers to order closing of
      institutes that violate norms and impose penalties where required.
    • The Higher Education Commission of India will not incorporate the AICTE and NCTE. The legislation's governing All India Council for Technical Education and National Council for Teacher Education will be revised to take changes, if required.
    • The important emphasis of the NCTE will be on justifying the over governance of institutions and bring-in revelation grounded regulatory command.
    • This fresh commission will establish norms for opening and closing of institutes, deliver better flexibility and will set standard selection norms for critical leadership posts at institutions across ranges.

    Oxytocin formulations ban to come into effect from -1st July 2018

    The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has banned the production of Oxytocin compositions for domestic usage and public area only from July 1st , 2018.
    Oxytocin formulations ban from 1st July 2018

    • The import of Oxytocin and its compositions is also restricted. From July 1 st 2018, private producers will not be permitted to produce Oxytocin for domestic usage.
    • Only Public-Sector firm, Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, will produce Oxytocin for domestic use from July 2018 onwards.
    • Oxytocin compositions for domestic usage will be delivered by Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd to the authorised hospitals and clinics in public and private sector on direct basis.
    • Oxytocin in any form will not be permitted to be trade by retail Chemists all the panelled hospitals and clinics in public and private sector in India are asked to contact only Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd for their orders.

    Financial Action Task Force puts Pakistan on ‘grey list’ on - 27th June 2018

    The Financial Action Task Force on June 27th , 2018 entered Pakistan to its “Grey List” of nations that are indulged in delivering financial aid to terrorism and concerned activities. The conclusion was accepted during Financial Action Task Force meeting on Money Laundering in Paris.
    At the Financial Action Task Force discussions in Paris, a delegation guided by Dr.Shamshad Akhtar, Interim Minister for Finance and Planning, Pakistan described the Financial Action Task Force of actions taken by Pakistan to control terror financing and money laundering, imploring exclusion of name of Pakistan from Financial Action Task Force grey list.
    Pakistan had previously been involved in the ‘grey list’ from 2012-2015.
    Case Details

    • Dr.Shamshad Akhtar, reached Paris on June 24th, 2018 along with delegates of the financial monitoring team to fight the nation’s case and requested the Financial Action Task Force to exclude Pakistan from its grey list.
    • In compliance with the Financial Action Task Force's references, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, on June 20th, 2018 supplied the Anti Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Regulations, 2018.
    • Previously, on June 8th, 2018, the National Security Committee- Pakistan had reiterated its promise to  collaborate with Financial Action Task Force in attaining common objectives and shared goals.

    Decision taken during FATF Plenary meeting in February 2018

    • Financial Action Task Force had previously taken the decision to place Pakistan on its “Grey List” during a plenary meeting in February 2018.
    • At that time, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, heading the 6 countries Gulf Cooperation Council that votes as single bloc, were against Pakistan for placing in the grey list.
    • According to Financial Action Task Force guidelines, 3 votes from the Financial Action Task Force's
      associates are desirable for not putting a nation in the grey list.

    Emergency declared in Papua New Guinea over - Polio outbreak

    A public health emergency has been acknowledged in 3 Papua New Guinea provinces as the nation
    responds to its 1 st polio epidemic in 18 years when it was stated free of the disease. According to the Health Ministry report, minimum 3 provinces Morobe, Madang and the Eastern Highlands inveterate the outbreak of the possibly deadly virus.
    According to the WHO, the virus was sensed in a 6 years old boy in April present year. Later, it was
    diagnosed that the similar virus has been recognized in other healthy children in the similar location and
    communal.

    As per to the World Health Organisation, Polio has no cure and can result into irretrievable paralysis. Polio primarily affects children under age group of 5. It can only be cured by giving a multiple vaccine dosages to children.
    The public health emergency will continue in place for minimum one year, according to the Minister for
    Health Puka Temu.
    Papua New Guinea was specialized as polio-free in 2000 sideways with the rest of the World Health
    Organisation Western Pacific Region as it has not had a case of wild polio-virus since 1996.
    Required Actions
    To restrict the epidemic of the extremely infectious disease proximately, the government requires to fortify the surveillance systems to sense it in early stages and a significant immunisation movements.
    The World Health Organisation has turn up with few specialists and $500,000, while the PNG government had form sideways $2 million for the response.

    France’s EDF and GE sign deal to build 6 nuclear reactors  by -  Jaitapur nuclear plant

    French state-run energy utility EDF and American multinational GE have inked strategic collaboration
    agreement with State operated NPCIL for building of Six European Pressurized Reactors type nuclear
    reactors with a capacity 1,650 MW each at Jaitapur nuclear plant in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
    Key Points

    • This strategic collaboration agreement is for long duration cooperation for building conventional
      island on each of Six reactor plants of Jaitapur nuclear plant.
    • GE Power will outline conventional island for the plant with delivery its main machineries. EDF will supply EPR-technology and will be accountable for constructing and managing industrial partners for this project.
      Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant
    • It is planned 9900 megawatts nuclear power project to work at Madban village of Ratnagiri district
      Maharashtra. State operated NPCIL is builder and machinist of this unit. It will be constructed under Indo-France Civil Nuclear Deal inked in December 2010.
    • It will have six EPR outlined and developed by Areva of France, each with capacity of 1650 megawatts, thus sum of 9900 megawatts.
    • EPR is 3rd generation Pressurised Water Reactors. The predictable cost of this project was approximately US $15 billion.
    • The layout of nuclear power plant comprises two major parts including nuclear island and turbine
      island.
    • The nuclear island is core of nuclear power plant, while turbine island keeps important
      element which abstracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and translates it into electrical
      power.