Current Affairs 17th December 2018

Current Affairs 17th December 2018 - Important Points

• Government to set up National Medical Devices Promotion Council declared on - 14th December 2018
• Bharat Bhushan Vyas Appointed as New Member of Union Public Service Commission on - 13th December 2018
• 4th edition of Kochi-Muziris biennale inaugurated  by  - Kerala CM
• India, ADB sign USD 60 Million loan agreement to reduce floods in - Assam
• 47th Anniversary of Vijay Diwas celebrated on - 16th December 2018
• Kamal Nath takes oath as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on - 17th December 2018
• PV Sindhu claims maiden BWF World Tour Finals Title on - 16th December 2018
• Miss Philippines Catriona Gray crowned Miss Universe 2018 on - 17th December 2018

Current Affairs 17th December 2018 - Details

Government to set up National Medical Devices Promotion Council declared on - 14th December 2018

The government will form a National Medical Devices Promotion Council- NMDPC under the
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry to encourage the medical devices sector. This declaration has been done by Union Minister of Commerce  Industry & Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu on December 14th, 2018.
Proposed Structure
NMDPC will have representations form related departments of the Government of India & also
healthcare industry & quality control institutions of the nation. It will be led by Secretary of Department of Industrial Policy &Promotion. It will receive technical support from Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone, Visakhapatnam.
More about Objectives & Activities

• To serve as a facilitating & developmental organisation for Indian Medical Devices Industry.
• To organise seminars, workshop & other promotional & networking activities to encourage the sector.
• To locate redundant processes & provide technical assistance to simplify the sanction processes involved in medical devices industry.
• To effort towards making an export driven market in the area.
• To support dissemination & documentation of Global norms & standards for medical devices’  encourage global best performs.
• To drive a vigorous & dynamic Preferential Market Access policy, by locating the strengths of the Indian producers & discouraging unfair trade practices in imports; while making sure pro-active monitoring of public procurement notices across India to make sure compliance with Preferential Market Access norms of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion & DoP.
• Benefit validation of Limited Liability Partnerships & other such entities within Medical Devices Industry sector.

4th edition of Kochi-Muziris biennale inaugurated  by  - Kerala CM

4th edition of Kochi-Muziris biennale was initiated by Kerala CM at Parade Ground in Fort Kochi, Kerala. The Biennale was curated by Anita Dube & become the 1st Biennale worldwide in which participation of female’s accounts for half of the contributing artists. The 108 days long programme will display 94 artists in 10 venues of the city. The subject of the Biennale is ‘Possibilities for a Non-Alienated Life’.
Kochi Muziris Biennale
It is the mega contemporary art exhibition of India organised in Kochi, Kerala. The programme is the joint effort of Kochi Biennale Foundation & government of India. The aim of the initiative is to bring artist globally & encourage contemporary art. Contemporary artists Bose Krisnamachari & Riyaz Komu
anticipated the state government the idea of Biennale on the lines of Venice Biennale. 1st Kochi-Muziris
Biennale started in December 2012.
Kochi Biennale Foundation
It is a non-profit charitable trust initiated in 2010 for promoting art & cultural educational activities in
India. It is the chief organization to host Kochi-Muziris Biennale. It also serves towards the conservation
of heritage assets & raising tradition art.

India, ADB sign USD 60 Million loan agreement to reduce floods in - Assam

Government of India & Asian Development Bank have inked a loan contract of $60 million for financing
project for renovation, protection & community-based flood risk management actions along the
Brahmaputra river in Assam. The aim of the programme is to enhance the reliability & effectiveness of
flood & river bank erosion risk management systems in Assam. Duration of the agreement is 20 years
with the elegance period of 5 years. Interest rates are finalised by Asian Development Bank based on
London Interbank Offered Rate & commitment charge of 0.15 percent/year.
Important Points

• In 2010, Asian Development Bank had sanctioned the Trench 2 Loan of $120 million for Assam
  Integrated Flood & River Bank Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme.
• The Project 2 of the programme will assist to fund the structural & non-structural measures in 3 sub Project areas including Palasbari Gumi, Kaziranga & Dibrugarh along the Brahmaputra river which covers 20 kilometres of riverbank protection work & flood embankments up to 13 kilometres.
• The implementing & implementing agencies for this plan are Flood & River Erosion Management Agency of Assam & Assam State Disaster Management Authority.
• The plan will form & fortify disaster management system & knowledge base for flood forecasting.

Bharat Bhushan Vyas Appointed as New Member of Union Public Service Commission on - 13th December 2018

On 13th December 2018, Bharat Bhushan Vyas has appointed as a member of the Union Public Service Commission. Union Public Service Commission Chairman Arvind Saxena directed him the sworn-in as office & secrecy. Bharat Bhushan Vyas has become the 1st IAS officer from Jammu & Kashmir cadre to join any constitutional body. His tenure will be for 3 years.
More about Bharat Bhushan Vyas

• He is an IAS officer of the 1986 batch, working at J&K for past 32 years.
• He retired from his post as Chief Secretary of J&K.
• He worked on prominent positions including Principal Secretary Finance, Srinagar Deputy Commissioner, Divisional commissioner.
  More about UPSC
• Union Public Service Commission is a central recruiting body in India which determined its mandate from Article 315 to 323 in Part XIV of Indian Constitution.
• Union Public Service Commission consists of a Chairman & 4 other members selected by President of India.
• The term of the Chairman & members of Union Public Service Commission is of 6 years/until they attain the age of 65 years.  
• As per to Constitution, Union Public Service Commission is “watch–dog” of merit system in India.

47th Anniversary of Vijay Diwas celebrated on - 16th December 2018

India observed Vijay Diwas on 16 December 2018 marking the 47th anniversary of its victory over
Pakistan in the 1971 conflict. On this eve, the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with the
leaders of the 3-armed forces paid honours to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New
Delhi.
More about Vijay Diwas

• Vijay Diwas is also known as Victory Day which is observed on every 16 December in India.
• At the conclusion of the 1971 war, the Pakistani Army separately and unconditionally surrendered
  resulting in the independence of East Pakistan, which was known as Bangladesh.
• On this day in 1971, the leader of the Pakistani forces along with 93,000 soldiers, surrendered to the allied forces of Indian Army & Mukti Bahini in Dhaka after they got beaten in the war.
• On the anniversary of Vijay Divas, esteem & tributes are paid to the martyrs who laid down their lives for their nation.
• Every year on Vijay Diwas, the Indian Defence Minister along with leaders of Indian armed forces pay their tributes to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate, New Delhi & also at the National Military Memorial, Bangalore.

Kamal Nath takes oath as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on - 17th December 2018

Senior Congress front-leader Kamal Nath took oath as the 18 CM of Madhya Pradesh on December 17th, 2018.  The oath ceremony completed at the Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel directed the sworn-in of office to Kamal Nath in the presence of various senior Congress leaders including Digvijaya Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, party president Rahul Gandhi, leaders from other parties including National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and recently oath bearer Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot along with Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot.
Important Highlights

• The Congress termed veteran leader Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh’s upcoming CM after hours of hectic debate organised by party Chief Rahul Gandhi with other senior leaders among a discussion on the old versus the new guard.
• The other potential CM candidate was from the younger leader, Jyotiraditya Scindia.
  Scindia had, projected Nath’s name as the Congress Legislative Party leader and it was sanctioned consistently by the MLAs.
• Kamal Nath informed that as the new CM he would make sure all aptitudes accomplished by the Congress party are satisfied and that Madhya Pradesh’s future was secure.
• Kamal Nath also recalled his elongated association with the Gandhi family, initial with the late Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi as well as Sanjay Gandhi.

PV Sindhu claims maiden BWF World Tour Finals Title on - 16th December 2018

Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu wrote history on December 16th, 2018 by becoming the 1st Indian to secure the BWF World Tour Finals. PV Sindhu claimed the desired Gold medal with a victory over 2017 world champion Nozomi Okuhara in straight pairs of 21-19, 21-17. In both games, Sindhu made a quick start but Okuhara handled to stay within touching distance. Sindhu, though victory points at crucial junctures to maintain her dominance in the match.
The 23 years old Sindhu had beaten Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon 21-16, 25-23 in the semi-final game, organised on December 15th.
Crucial Highlights

• With the victory, Sindhu claimed her 14th title general and the 1st for this year, which had followed-up with a series of dissatisfactions after she was unable to victory even a single tournament.
• Sindhu had lost her the Gold medal and settled for silver in many games in 2018 including the World
  Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Thailand Open and India Open.
• This is Sindhu’s 3rd consecutive season-ending finale. She had lost to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the 2017 edition and had to settle for silver.
• Sindhu became the 1st Indian to secure the acclaimed title in a match that lasted an hour and 2 minutes.
• Saina Nehwal had touched the finals of 2011 World Super Series Finals, while Jwala Gutta and V Diju ended as runners-up’s in the 2009 edition.

Miss Philippines Catriona Gray crowned Miss Universe 2018 on - 17th December 2018

Miss Philippines Catriona Gray won Miss Universe tittle after she secured the final round of the Miss Universe 2018 pageant, organised in Bangkok, Thailand on December 17th, 2018. Outgoing Miss Universe Demi Leigh Nel Peters from South Africa crowned her successor.
Miss Philippines reached to the Top Five along with Miss Puerto Rico, Vietnam, Philippines, South Africa  and Venezuela. The Top 5 were then asked questions that were created by fellow contestants which had to be answered in 30 seconds or less by the top 5 contestants. This finalised the Top Three.
The final 3 contestants comprised Miss Philippines, South Africa & Venezuela.
Important Highlights

• Catriona Gray secured the 2018 Miss Universe pageant, beating 93 other females representing their nations.
• With her victory, Gray became the 4th contender from the Philippines to secure Miss Universe in about 50 years.
• She joins Pia Wurtzbach in 2015, Margarita Moran in 1973 and Gloria Diaz in 1969 in the feat. 
  Pia Wurtzbach had last secured the Miss Universe crown for the Philippines in 2015 and the following edition was hosted in Manila.
• Tamaryn Green of South Africa was 1st runner-up trailed by Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutiérrez, who was the 2nd runner-up of Miss Universe 2018.
• This year’s pageant was commended for its inclusivity and diverse competition. Miss Spain Angela Ponce made history as the pageant’s 1st openly transgender contender and Rosa Montezuma became Panama’s 1st indigenous Miss Universe contender.