Current Affairs 31st May 2018

Current Affairs 31st May 2018 - Important Points

• Who  has been appointed as Deputy National Security Advisor ? -  Senior diplomat Pankaj Saran
• PRAAPTI App and Web portal launched to bring transparency in electricity payments to Generators by -  The Union Ministry of Power
• Use of blockchain technology to curb spam calls, texts proposed by - TRAI
• World No Tobacco Day observed globally on - 31st May 2018
• Scientists create world’s first 3D-printed human corneas in - Newcastle University, United Kingdom
• Andhra Pradesh gets separate state symbols post split declared on -  May 30th , 2018
• Kailash Satyarthi, AS Kiran Kumar conferred with Santokbaa Humanitarian Award on - 30th May 2018

Current Affairs 31st May 2018 - Details

Who  has been appointed as Deputy National Security Advisor ? -  Senior diplomat Pankaj Saran

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has designated Senior Diplomat Pankaj Saran as Deputy National Security Advisor. He will have tenancy of 2 years, on deputation. In his fresh role, he will support National Security Advisor Ajit Doval along with Rajinder Khanna who was selected as Deputy National Security Advisor in January 2018
More about Pankaj Saran

• He is IFS officer of 1982 batch. He had detained various posts in India and overseas including the nation’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh.
• He also worked as the Joint Secretary in the PM’s Office between 2007-2012. Earlier to his appointment as Deputy National Security Advisor, he was working as India’s Ambassador to Russia from November 2015.
• His wife Preeti Saran is Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs.

Who is National Security Advisor?

• The National Security Advisor is the chief executive of National Security Council and main advisor to PM on national and worldwide security and oversees strategic matters.
• It is National Security Advisor to whom intelligence agencies including RAW and Intelligence Bureau report, rather than straight to PM.
• Due to such bestowed powers, National Security Advisor is prominent and influential office in the
  administration. National Security Advisor is aided by a Deputy National Security Advisor. The position was formed in November 1998 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government.
• Brajesh Mishra was the 1st to be nominated National Security Advisor of India. Since then, all National Security Advisors selected belong to IFS except M.K.Narayanan and obligatory, Ajit Doval, who belong to IPS.

PRAAPTI App and Web portal launched to bring transparency in electricity payments to Generators by -  The Union Ministry of Power

The Union Ministry of Power has released web portal-www.praapti.in and application known as Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators-PRAAPTI. The web portal and app focus to convey transparency in power acquisition transactions between Generators and Discoms.
Key Features
The PRAAPTI application and web Portal will catch invoicing and payment information for different long-term Power Purchasing Agreements from power generation organisations. This will assist shareholders in receiving month-wise and legacy information on outstanding amounts of Discoms against power purchase.
The PRAAPTI application will also permit subscribers to get the details of payments and time of
payments accomplished by Discoms to power generators. It will also facilitate clients to estimate
financial performance of their Discoms in terms of payments paid to generators.
The PRAAPTI web portal will also assist DISCOMs and GENCOs to settle their outstanding dues. It will
help relative calculation of different State DISCOMs on comfort of completing payments to different
generators and will also assist doing businesses in power Sector clearer.

Use of blockchain technology to curb spam calls, texts proposed by - TRAI

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India in its draft Telecom Commercial Communication Customer
Preference Regulation, 2018 has projected usage of blockchain technology to check threat of Unsolicited Commercial Communication, spam calls and messages. This will be for 1st time, that any nation will arrange blockchain technology to cross-check unwanted calls.

Key Points

• The blockchain technology-based standards to check threat of Unsolicited Commercial Communication will record all message between users and entities, seizing customer consent for data and authorised telemarketing agencies.
• It will make sure 2 things, i.e. non- repudiate and privacy.
• It will be protecting personal data of the customers for better eye on UCC. Only those permitted to use details will be able to permit user details and only when they required to provide the service.
• The draft proposes to check misappropriation of frequent Unsolicited Commercial Communication being done even to those users who have given permission.
• The user will be now able to cancel permission given to entities via Telecom Regulatory Authority of India app and other process that will be delivered under guideline.
  Advantages
• Using blockchain technology, all data can be recorded and more choices can be provided to clienteles regarding commercial communications.
• The tele-callers will not have permission to database of telecom subscribers and they can only reach out to those, who have selected to accept communication.
• Moreover, any spam who practices normal ten digits number to communicate with people, can be traced instantly after few people report to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India as information can be coordinated.

World No Tobacco Day observed globally on - 31st May 2018

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated worldwide on May 31st , 2018. WHO along with its associates mark the day each year by lime-lighting the health and other dangers related with tobacco usage and encouraging for effective policies to diminish tobacco consumption.
Key Highlights

• The World No Tobacco Day 2018 accords with a variety of global initiatives and options that are focused at addressing the tobacco epidemic and its ill-effects of public health, particularly in causing the cancer, death and suffering of millions of people worldwide.
• The actions include the World Health Organisation supported Global Hearts and RESOLVE initiatives, which goals to reduce cardiovascular disease and improve care and the 3rd UNs General Assembly High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of NCDs, being organised in 2018.
• Tobacco utilisation is an imperative risk factor for the growth of cardiovascular disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.
• Presently, cardiovascular diseases are known to kill more people around the world than any other cause and tobacco usage and exposure to passive smoking causes around 17 percent of all heart disease deaths.
• Tobacco habit is the 2nd leading cause of cardiovascular diseases, after high BP.
• Universally, tobacco consumption results into the lives of above seven million people every year, of which approximately 900 000 are non-smokers dying from exposure to passive smoke.
• Moreover, close to 80% of from one billion smokers across the world live in less or middle-income nations, where the burden of tobacco-related diseases and death is on higher side.

Scientists create world’s first 3D-printed human corneas in - Newcastle University, United Kingdom

Researchers from Newcastle University, United Kingdom have produced world’s 1st 3D printed human corneas that could solve problem of scarcity of available eye donors and benefit millions of blind people gain sight again.
Cornea is the outermost layer of the human eye. Its important function is to focus visualization. It also blockades eyes against harmful dirt particles and bacteria. Any damage to cornea from injury and infection can falsify vision and even results to blindness.
Key Points

• The 3D printed human corneas were created using bio-ink solution comprising of healthy corneal stem diversified together with alginate and collagen.
• The amalgamation of alginate gel derivative from seaweeds and collagen supports to keep corneal stem cells alive and creates material of essential dimensions which is rigid enough to embrace its shape and soft enough to be enfolded out nozzle of 3D printer.

Andhra Pradesh gets separate state symbols post split declared on -  May 30th , 2018

Andhra Pradesh has informed its distinct state symbols after separation and formation of Telangana
in 2014. The declaration of the fresh symbols was done by the state department of environment, forest,
science and technology on May 30 th , 2018. The initiative comes 4 years after unified Andhra Pradesh
was divided into 2 states- Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in June, 2014.
Elucidation the reasons for proclaiming the new symbols, the department informed that thegovernment of Andhra Pradesh felt that it is essential to have a distinct set of symbols for the state
of Andhra Pradesh after divergence of the joint state.
Significance
The most distinguished change was in the symbol of the state bird. However, the state bird of unbroken Andhra Pradesh was Indian Roller or Palapitta, the separated Andhra Pradesh changed it to Rama Chiluka. Palapitta is now the state bird of Telangana, Odisha and Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh has reserved undivided Andhra Pradesh’s symbol of state animal as blackbuck in the form of its state animal. Telangana had dropped it to adopt spotted deer as their state animal.

The state tree Neem of combined Andhra Pradesh was also reserved by separated Andhra Pradesh,
while Telangana accepted Jammi Chettu, due to its cultural significance in the region.
Another distinguished change was in the state flower, as though unbroken Andhra Pradesh had
water Lilly as the state flower, both divided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana dropped it.

Kailash Satyarthi, AS Kiran Kumar conferred with Santokbaa Humanitarian Award on - 30th May 2018

President Ram Nath Kovind offered the 'Santokbaa Humanitarian Award' to Child rights activist and Noble Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and to space scientist A.S.Kiran Kumar, former Chairman of ISRO, on May 30th , 2018. 

The award was given during President’s visit to Surat, Gujarat in the presence of the Gujarat Governor O.P.Kohli and CM Vijay Rupani. After getting the award, Kailash Satyarthi acknowledged that he would donate the award money to Surakshit Bachpan Fund for the prosperity of children. While, A.S.Kiran Kumar publicised to dedicate the award money to further R&D work in space science and technology.
Santokbaa Humanitarian Award

• The Santokbaa Humanitarian Award was introduced by Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation
  and headed by diamond baron Govind Dholakia.
• The award consists of a trophy and award money of Rupees one crore.
• Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation deliberates the prize every year for humanitarian
  assistances by entities whose life and work are categorized by their selfless and inspiring service.
• The award was 1st given in 2007 and since then, the award has grateful various renowned personalities including Ratan Tata, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Bhikhu Parekh, Dr.Verghese Kurien, Gandhian Narayan Desai and Sam Pitroda.