Current Affairs 18th April 2017

Current Affairs 18th April 2017 - Important Points

• RUSA web portal and Mobile App launched by - Union Minister Prakash Javadekar
• World Heritage Day observed on - 18th April 2017
• Which subject will be introduced in IIT Kharagpur - Vastu Shastra
• Vijay Mallya was arrested by - Scotland Yard
• Projects related to SAUNI Yojana at Botad launched by - Prime Minister Narendra Modi
• Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Girish Chandra Saxena died on - 14th April 2017

Current Affairs 18th April 2017 - Details

RUSA web portal and Mobile App launched by - Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

On 17th April 2017, Union Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar launched Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) web portal and mobile app.

Minister also launched 17 facilities under this scheme in 14 states which includes a Cluster university in J&K, Micro ATM facilities, New Professional Colleges and Equity Initiatives.

World Heritage Day observed on - 18th April 2017

Among Important Days, On 18th April 2017, World Heritage Day was observed across the globe. Theme of this year was "Cultural Heritage & Sustainable Tourism".

This is an annual event observed with an aim to raise awareness about protecting and preserving various sites around the world, as these sites have achieved world heritage status.

Do You Know ?

International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) decided to observe this day on 18th April 1982 during a meeting in Tunisia. 

Which subject will be introduced in IIT Kharagpur - Vastu Shastra

Vastu Shastra was in news as IIT KharagpurIndian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has decided to introduce Vastu Shastra for its architecture students from August 2017.

Do You Know :

Vastu Shastra is a traditional system of Architecture related to Hinduism. It states basic and advanced principles about design, layout, interior, exterior, location, geometry etc for buildings. 

Vijay Mallya was arrested by - Scotland Yard

On 18th April 2017, Vijay Mallya was arrested in London by Scotland Yard. As you must be aware he is accused of defaulting on loans worth crores.

India requested UK Government in Feb 2017 to extradite him as he has many pending cases against him in country.

Special Court for the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has already declared him Proclaimed Offender in a loan diversion case.

Projects related to SAUNI Yojana at Botad launched by - Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated Phase 1 (Link 2) of the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana to the nation on 17th April 2017.

Important Highlights

• He also laid the Foundation Stone of Phase 2 (Link 2) of the SAUNI Yojana.
• The design of Phase 2 is to pump Narmada water in 17 dams spread across Botad, Bhavnagar and Amreli districts of Gujarat state. 
• This is considered as a second milestone of the Rs 12000 crore projects to pump Narmada water to the dry Saurashtra region.
• SAUNI Yojana’s Link 1 canal will take water to 30 dams in the Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka districts.
• PM Modi had dedicated Phase-I of the Link-I canal to the nation in August 2016.
• The Saurashtra-Narmada Avataran Irrigation Yojana has been launched to divert one million acre feet (MAFT) excess over flowing flood water of Narmada allocated to Saurashtra Region.
• This project aims to utilize the floodwater, which otherwise overflows the Narmada dam during monsoon and drains into the sea.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Girish Chandra Saxena died on - 14th April 2017

Girish Chandra Saxena, former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir passed away on 14th April 2017 at the age of 90.

More about Girish Chandra Saxena

• Born in Agra in 1928, he joined the Indian Police Service (IPS).
• Girish retired as the Director of India's external intelligence agency - the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• He served in the RAW for 16 years and leading it between 1983 and 1986.
• He was agency chief during the Kanishka Bombing and Operation Blue Star.
• Later, he remained as an advisor to the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for about two years till 31st January 1988.
• Saxena's main areas of specialization included international affairs, national security and intelligence matters.
• He attended international Conferences in India and abroad on these subjects, gave speeches and participated in many seminars and panel discussions.
• For his contributions to the nation, the Union Government honoured him with the prestigious Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour, in 2005.