Navigate

  • Current Affairs 31st October 2017

    Updated : 31-Oct-2017

     Current Affairs 31st October 2017 -  Important Points

    • SC to form Constitutional bench to hear petitions against Aadhar on - 30th October 2017
    • Arctic sea ice declining faster than predicted- Study Report
    • Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observed on 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on - 31st October 2017
    • Union Government launches MSME Samadhaan Portal on - 30th October 2017
    •  India, Tunisia sign agreements to boost bilateral relations  on - 30th October 2017
    • Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj top the ICC ODI Rankings  on - 30th October 2017
    • World's fastest, shortest laser pulse created by -  Switzerland Scientists
    • India’s first indigenously built offshore patrol vessel handed to  - Coast Guard
    •  World Cities Day 2017 observed globally on - 31st October 2017

    Current Affairs 31st October 2017 - Details

    SC to form Constitutional bench to hear petitions against Aadhar on - 30th October 2017

    The Supreme Court on 30th October 2017 conclude to form a constitutional bench to hear appeals against Union Government’s decision to mandate Aadhaar for utilize different services and government welfare plans.
    A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, notified that a larger bench would be allocated to hear these appeals.
    Important Highlights

    • On 24th August 2017 a 9-judge Constitution bench told that the Right to Privacy was a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Petitioners are opposing the validity of Aadhaar raising the problem that the scheme disobeys rights of privacy.
    • The appeals termed the connecting of the UIDAI number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as illegal and non-constitutional.
    • They also opposed the CBSE’s move to make Aadhar compulsory for students for their exams.
    • Appeals also contend that the Union Government cannot force citizens to linking their Aadhaar with either bank accounts or mobile numbers.

    • Aadhaar is a 12-digit number code which is issued by the UIDAI. It establishes any person's identity on the basis of unique biometric information.
    • Section 139AA of IT Act allows compulsory linking of Aadhaar for filing ITRs and allotment of PAN number.
    • In June 2017 Government ordered Aadhaar compulsory for new accounts opening. It also stated that all existing bank accounts will require to be linked with Aadhaar number otherwise the accounts will be declared invalid.
    • However, on 30th October 2017, the Supreme Court asked the West Bengal government for filing a plea against Union government’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory so as to utilize advantages of different social welfare plans.
    • The Apex Court also questioned CM West Bengal Mamta Banerjee to lodge a plea as an individual and not as a whole state. The court explained that state cannot go antagonist the Centre in a constitutional matter.

    Arctic sea ice declining faster than predicted- Study Report

    A key sign of climate change, Arctic sea ice, could be reduce faster than forcasted, as per a study done by the University of Calgary, Canada. The study also stated that satellite measurements  have overestimated the thickness of Arctic sea ice by as much as 25% due of the presence of salty snow over the years.
    This indicates that the prediction of an ice-free Arctic ocean by 2050 could happen much earlier.

    Results of Decreasing Arctic ice Cover
    reducing ice sheet accelerates the warming of sea, and has an impact on weather like the El Nino that affects the Asian monsoon.
    It further would make difficult for animals like seals, polar bears and organisms like microscopic plants to survive.

    Why prediction goes wrong?
    The study is lies on satellite information and extensive field measures. It noted that salty snow does not let radar waves from satellites to go through them, resulting into weak measurements.
    Now, they have offered a snow salinity correction factor that could bring down the mistakes in estimation of sea ice width.
    More about Arctic sea ice decline

    • In past decades in the Arctic Ocean, scientists have studied that the sea ice is decreasing.
    • A study finished in 2011 suggested that internal variability increased the greenhouse gasses pushed sea ice decline over the last years.
    • However, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that greenhouse gas forcing is extremely, but not completely, responsible for the shrinking in Arctic sea ice levels.

    Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observed on 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on - 31st October 2017

    The nation celebrated Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on 31st October 2017. The day is observed yearly to commemorate the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who has played an important role in unifying the country.
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Sardar Patel on his 142nd birthday. Talking on this Home Minister Rajnath Singh requested to the people of the country to take pledge for ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’. 
    The Prime Minister also inaugurated the ‘Run For Unity’ from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. ‘Run for Unity’ is to celebrate Sardar’s extraordinary vision and strategic exceptional intelligence. In 2013 he also laid the foundation of Statue of Unity as a tribute to the great leader.
    More about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

    • Famously known as the Iron Man, Patel was a lawyer by profession. He was known Sardar which means leader.
    • In 1946, during Congress elections 13 out of 16 states chose Sardar Patel as their president, who was practically more popular candidate for the first Prime Minister of independent nation than Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. However, upon Mahatma Gandhi’s behest he put down as a candidate and recommended Jawaharlal Nehru instead.
    • Thus, Sardar Patel became the 1st deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India in 1947.
    • He is appreciated for the political unity of over 500 princely states into the independent Indian Union.
    • The Iron Man of India did not allow the country to divide into various states and the ‘National Unity Day’ or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrates Sardar Patel every year on 31st October.
    • In 1991, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel honored the Bharat Ratna after their death.

     Union Government launches MSME Samadhaan Portal on - 30th October 2017

    The Union Government on 30th October 2017 initiated Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise delayed payment portal 'MSME Samadhaan' http://msefc.msme.gov.in.
    The portal was initiated with a focus to empower micro and small entrepreneurs across the nation to directly report their cases related to delayed payments by Central Ministries, Departments and State Governments.
    Highlights of the MSME Samadhaan Portal

    • The portal will provide information on the pending payments of MSEs with individual CPSEs, Central Ministries, State Governments and more.
    • The CEO of public sector enterprises and the Secretary of the Ministries related will also be able to detect the cases of delayed payment under their power and issue important instructions to resolve the problems.
    • The portal will provide help in detecting the delayed payments in a more effective way.
    • The information on the portal will be available in public territory with a focus to deploy moral stress on the defaulting organizations.
    • It will also facilitate the MSEs to access the portal and detect their cases.

     India, Tunisia sign agreements to boost bilateral relations  on - 30th October 2017

    India and Tunisia on 30th October 2017 jointly signed to enhance cooperation in different sectors of renewable energy, infrastructure, healthcare, automobiles and transport, textiles, agriculture, drugs & pharmaceuticals, ICT, SMEs and energy. The two countries also signed to jointly fight terrorism and extremism while enhancing cooperation in the field of security.
    The accordance was signed during the 12th Session of the India-Tunisia Joint Commission, which was organized in New Delhi on 30th October. Where External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj led the Indian delegation at the meeting, the Tunisian delegation was escored by Khemaies Jhinaoui, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia.
    Key Highlights

    • This was the 1st time India-Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting at the Foreign Ministerial level.
    • The meeting enabled a complete review of bilateral tie-ups between India and Tunisia and also completes discussions on how to strengthen them further.
    • The two nations also discussed regional and international issues of correlative interest.
    • The two countries have also come with a road map for India-Tunisia partnership to give a new propel to bilateral relations.

    Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj top the ICC ODI Rankings  on - 30th October 2017

    Indian cricket team skippers Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj became secured first rank on 30th October 2017 at ICC ODI rankings for batsman and batswomen. Quick look at the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen and bowlers in brief Indian skipper Virat Kohli reclaimed the top position of the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen with 889 points.

    Important Highlights

    • Kohli lost the top position 10 days to South African batsman AB de Villiers. However, Kohli scored 263 runs in the New Zealand series and earned 889 points, which is the best ever by any Indian batsman.
    • Rohit Sharma is at 7th position with 799 points.
    • Former skipper MS Dhoni climbed one place to 11th in the rankings.
    • Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah is placed at 3rd rank after finishing with 6 wickets in the series against New Zealand.
    • Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali is on top position in ICC ODI bowlers rankings.
    • Indian team ranks on top in the men's ODI team rankings.

    Quick look at the ICC ODI rankings for batswomen and bowlers in brief-

    • Mithali Raj was ranked number 1 with 753 rating points.
    • Ellyse Perry of Australia and Amy Satterthwaite of New Zealand ranked number 2 and 3 with 725 and 720 point in ICC ODI rankings for batswomen.
    • Among women bowlers, Jhulan Goswami remained on 2nd position with 652 rating points only behind Marizanne Kapp with 656 of South Africa.
    • Australia's 2-1 victory over England in the ICC Women's Championship series supported them regain the top spot in the women's team rankings.

    World's fastest, shortest laser pulse created by -  Switzerland Scientists

    Scientists from Switzerland have succeeded in producing the world's shortest laser pulse with duration of only 43 attoseconds. This laser pulse is the shortest human created and controlled event ever. The discovery was made by researchers from ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
    The discovery will now facilitate researchers to observe details of how electrons move within a molecule or chemical bonds formation.
    Key Highlights

    • To fully grasp the dynamics during the chemical reaction, scientists must  observe all movements of atoms & molecules on their basic time scales.
    • Molecules rotate in the big range of picoseconds, their atoms move in the femtoseconds range, and the electrons displace in the attoseconds range.
    • The Attosecond spectroscopy could grant to the development of more useful solar cells, as for the 1st time it would be possible to follow the event of excitation through sunlight up to the step by step generation of electricity.
    • A brief understanding of the alteration transfer process could help optimizing the efficiency of the next generation of photosensitive cells.
    • The laser pulse can also be used to change the course of a chemical process; even chemical bonds can be broken by restricting the charge shift at a desired location in the molecule.

    India’s first indigenously built offshore patrol vessel handed to  - Coast Guard

    OPV Vikram, the 1st-ever defense vessel to be entirely built in a private shipyard, was presented by L&T to the Indian Coast Guard, ahead of the March 2018 delivery plan. This vessel was indigenously developed in-house at the L&T’s Kattupalli shipyard. Its complete design and construction processes have passed dual certification from American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Registrar of Shipping.
    Key Highlights

    • OPV Vikram is the 1st of the seven vessels for which Ministry of Defence had granted Rs 1,432 Cr contract to L&T in March 2015. The vessel is furnished with modern weapon and state-of- the-art radar systems.
    • It would mainly be deployed for day and night inspection patrol, search and rescue and in pollution response operations in entire economic zones of the country.
    • It will be admitted into service by April 2018 after completion of extensive trials of equipment and machineries.
      Main Features of OPV Vikram
    • The vessel is 97 meters long, 15 meter wide and has 2,140 tones displacement capacity.
    • It has a range of 5,000 nautical miles and can go to a speed of 26 knots.
    • It is filled with state-of-the-art radars, navigation and communication systems capable of operating in tropical conditions.
    • Its 60 per cent of the components have been sourced from home suppliers.
    • Apart from this, the ship is loaded with one 30 mm automatic gun and 2 12.7 mm gun with fire control systems.
    • It also has an internal twin-engine helicopter and backend helipad that boosts its operational, surveillance, search and rescue abilities.

     World Cities Day 2017 observed globally on - 31st October 2017

    The World Cities Day was celebrated across the world on 31st October 2017 with the subject 'Innovative Governance, Open Cities'. While, the basic theme of World Cities Day is 'Better City, Better Life'.
    Every year, a unique sub-theme is planned to celebrate the day to encourage successes of urbanization and to address specific hurdles resulting from urbanization. This year's sub-theme Innovative Governance, Open Cities limelight’s the important role of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion.
    Important Information

    • The UN General Assembly planned 31st October as World Cities Day through its resolution 68/239.
    • In 2014, the UN-Habitat released 'Urban October' to address world’s urban hurdles and hold the international community towards the New Urban Agenda.
    • The New Urban program is the roadmap for building cities that can fulfill as engines of success and centers of cultural and social well-being. The program also supplies the foundation for actions to address climate change.