Current Affairs 19th December 2017

Current Affairs 19th December 2017 - Important Points

• BJP wins Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections 2017 on - 18th December 2017
• Distorting facts in Passive Euthanasia cases may attract jail term by - The Management of Patients with Terminal Illness- Withdrawal of Medical Life Support Bil
• Skill Development Ministry and  Maruti Suzuki sign MoU to impart skill training to youth on - 18th December 2017
• Telangana's Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project gets environmental clearance on - 18th December 2017
•  Meeting of WTO member nations to be hosted by India in -  February 2018
• NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar retired on - 19th December 2017

Current Affairs 19th December 2017 - Details

Distorting facts in Passive Euthanasia cases may attract jail term by - The Management of Patients with Terminal Illness- Withdrawal of Medical Life Support Bil

The Management of Patients with Terminal Illness- Withdrawal of Medical Life Support Bill states that hospitals will be required to form approval committees for considering instances of Passive Euthanasia.
Passive Euthanasia is also known as the withdrawal of medical therapy and life support system of a terminally-ill patient. 
Provisions of the Bill-

• The Bill explain that all super-specialty hospitals should have approval teams on passive euthanasia.
• It also explains that any distortion of facts before approval teams may lead to jail of 5 to 10 years and a fine of Rs 20 lakh to Rs 1 crore.
• The approval teams will decide on applications of “Living will”, a written certificate that allows patients to explicitly state their wish against life when recovery is not possible from a terminal situation. 
• It issues for soothing care for patients even if they have chosen passive euthanasia.
• This redrafted bill does not boost active euthanasia and thus, only helps passive euthanasia.
• It also has provisions for the safeguard of competent patients, medical practitioners and attendants who will not be considered accountable for the act of passive euthanasia. 
• It provides for approval of relatives to apply for withdrawing of medical treatment of ‘incompetent’ terminally ill patients.
  Recognition of Passive Euthanasia by Supreme Court
• The draft Bill in the past was known as Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill. It was put in the public territory in May 2016 and comments and proposals were asked from various stakeholders.
• The Union Government in October 2017 passed this draft bill to the Supreme Court which advised there should be adequate protections for the implementation of a living will.
• The Supreme Court, hearing a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause, has reserved their order on the topic. 
• The Supreme Court recognized passive euthanasia in 2011 in the Aruna Shanbaug issue, the former nurse who spent 42 years in vegetative state after a sexual assault till her death in 2015. In 2011, SC laid down instructions on passive euthanasia and told the process should be followed across nation.
  Passive Euthanasia 
• Passive Euthanasia is an act of fastening the death of a terminally-ill patient by altering some form of support and letting nature take its course. 
• It involves switch off respirators, halting medications, discontinuing diet and water so that patient gets a comfortable death.
• It can also include administrating high doses of morphine to control pain apart from giving painkiller that can result into fatal respiratory issues.
• Passive euthanasia involves providing the right to a patient to refuse life support system in case of indefinite fatal illness, while active euthanasia is the increasing of death with the help of injections or overdose of drug.

BJP wins Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections 2017 on - 18th December 2017

The BJP on 18th December 2017 won Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections 2017 by grabbing 44 of Himachal Pradesh's 68 seats. While, opposition party Congress got 21 seats in the state. A party requires 35 seats or more than that to form the government in Himachal.
However, BJP's chief ministerial representative Prem Kumar Dhumal got defeated in the elections for the
Sujanpur Assembly. He was defeated by Congress rival Rajinder Singh Rana by approximately 3500 votes. 
CPI(M) party could only win a single seat. CPI(M) State Secretary Rakesh Singha won by a difference of 1983 votes over BJP’s Rakesh Verma in Theog.
The counting of votes Himachal Pradesh started at forty-two centers on 18th December 2017 for all 68 assembly seats. The counting was directed by 68 returning officers, 1 in every constituency. 
The 1st victory was announced in Himachal Pradesh's Kasumpti for Congress candidate Anirudh Singh. He won with a difference of 9397 votes against BJP's Vijay Jyoti.
Key Highlights of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections 2017

• In 12 of the 17 constituencies set apart for SC candidates, the BJP led the vote share. 
• In Balh, the BJP's candidate Inder Singh won with 10452 votes against Congress's incumbent Prakash Chaudhary. 
• In Kasauli, BJP's present MLA Rajiv Saizal won by 442 votes over Congress's Vinod Sultanpuri.
  6-time CM and Congress candidate Virbhadra Singh won in the Arki legislation with approximate 28000 votes against the BJP's Rattan Singh Pal who won approximate 23000 votes. 
• Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya Singh recorded victory from Shimla (Rural).
• In Dehra, Independent representative Hoshiyar Singh won by 3914 votes over BJP representative Ravinder Singh Ravi.
• Congress representative Kaul Singh Thakur defeated in Darang to BJP candidate Jawahar Thakur by a difference of approximate 2000 votes.
• In Dharamshala, BJP representative Kishan Kapoor won by defeating Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma.
• Earlier Congress Minister Anil Sharma won from Mandi, but with a BJP ticket this time.
  Record-breaking Polling in Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections 2017.
• The Himachal Pradesh took polls in a single stage on 9th November 2017. A total of 377 representatives took part for 68 seats. The Bhartiya Janata Party and Congress took part for all 68 seats, while BSP took part in 42 seats and the CPI(M) contested in fourteen seats. 
• The Swabhiman party and the Lok Gathbandhan Party each took part for 6 seats and the CPI contested in 3.
• The state submitted a record 74.61% polling for the Assembly elections, breaking the 74.51% record of 2003.
• The polling was 71.61% in 2007 and 73.51% in year 2012.
• The Doon legislation in Solan district registered the highest amount of 88.95% and Shimla Urban registered the lowest at 63.76%. 
• The other districts like Chamba recorded 73.21 percent turnout of voters, Kangra 72.47 percent, Lahaul - Spiti 73.40 percent, Kullu 77.87 percent, Mandi 75.21 per cent, Bilaspur 82.04 percent, Solan 77.44 percent, Shimla 72.68 percent and Kinnaur 75.09 percent.

Skill Development Ministry, Maruti Suzuki sign MoU to impart skill training to youth on - 18th December 2017

The Skill Development Ministry on 18th December 2017 signed a MoU with Maruti Suzuki to announce training to youth and boost their employment potential. The accordance was signed by Vijay Kumar Dev, Director General, Directorate General of Training, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Mukesh Kumar Gupta, VP Maruti Suzuki India Limited in New Delhi.
The accordance was signed in the presence of Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Anantkumar Hegde.
Key Highlights

• The MoU objects to provide high employment potential trades in the field of automobile and production industry to youth under the Skill India Mission.
• The training program would mainly serve to students who are 10 and 12 pass outs.
• Under the accordance, Maruti Suzuki in consultation with DGT will flourish specific training programs as per the need of the automobile industry.
• The Indian automobile producer will then conduct courses at pan-India places leveraging the facilities and services available at ITIs, training centers of training partners, regional training centers, vendors and dealers connected with it.
• The courses include production, Automotive Body Repair, Automotive Service & Repair and Automotive Paint Repair.
• Maruti Suzuki would also recognize new courses according the requirements of the automobile value chain and propose the same to DGT for acceptance.
• All these courses are to be accepted by National Council for Vocational Training and it will grant certificates to all students who successfully complete the course.
  Significance of MoU
• The agreement will give an opportunity to the youngsters to acquire skills associated to automobile and  production industry through specially fabricated training.
• It will also aid to the overall growth of automobile and production industry by creating a pool of skilled resources.

Telangana's Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project gets environmental clearance on - 18th December 2017

The Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 18th December 2017 deal environmental clearance for the Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project in Telangana. However, it instructed the Telangana Government to take care of alterations in the micro-climatic conditions in the project area during the construction and after construction period of the project as it demand submergence of a large area.
The project is assumed to cost around Rs 80499.7 crore and is proposed to be completed in 3 years.
Environmental clearance accorded with some conditions.

The Expert Appraisal Committee governed that there is a requirement to plan a greenbelt and reservoir rim treatment in consultation with the State Forest Department with aim on local indigenous species.
The construction work should be taken up post following due procedure of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in land Acquisition, Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
It also called upon the State to file 6 monthly compliance reports to MoEF, Chennai, until fulfillment of the modernization works.

Kaleshwaram Irrigation Project-

• The project looks forward to provide drinking water solutions for Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
  The total land needed is about 32000 hectares and out of this, around 2866 hectares is the forest area.
• The total swamp area is estimated to be approximate 13706 hectares.
• It proposes to build Medigadda barrage and 2 more barrages between Medigadda and Sripada Yellampally.
• It includes a canal system of about 1832 km. The project lies in the interstate borderline with submerge area of 302 hectares in Maharashtra.
• It needs 4227 MW of electricity to be supplied by TSGenco.

 Meeting of WTO member nations to be hosted by India in -  February 2018

India has declared that it would be hosting a conference of World Trade Organization member nations in February 2018 to muster help for food security and other issues.
The declaration was made by Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu while talking at an event
organized by Apparel Export Promotion Council in New Delhi on 18th December 2017. 
The minister informed that the government is trying to call a meeting of approximately 30 to 40 nations in Delhi to aid the multi-lateral process.
The main objective of the conference is to bring together like-minded countries and explain to them the nation's position as well as worries over issues of common interest.
Did you know?

• The declaration comes against the backdrop of developed countries forming groupings to prepare the ground for pushing investment facilitation, making rules for e-commerce, enhancing gender equality and slashing subsidy on fisheries with a view to curbing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
• India has been keenly propelling agriculture issues at the World Trade Organization.
• It has also been lifting its voice against bringing new problems, especially those which are not directly connected to trade, on the negotiating table.
• The conference is supposed to help India in describing its stand on different issues to the member countries and preparing them for a collective movement.

NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar retired on - 19th December 2017

The NGT Chairperson, Justice Swatanter Kumar is retired  from his post on 19th December 2017, after completing his 5-year tenure. A full bench reference was organized at the NGT on the event.
Justice Swatanter Kumar was appointed to the position of NGT Chairperson on 20th December 2012. Earlier, he was working as a judge in the Supreme Court of India.
As NGT chief, he passed several landmark orders and judgments during his tenure as an NGT chief, like-

• The restriction on 10 year-old diesel and 15 year-old petrol motor vehicles.
• Issuance of instructions for the rejuvenation of the River Ganga and Yamuna.
• Destroying illegal hotels in Himachal Pradesh.
• The restriction on plastic items in Delhi, Haridwar and Punjab.
• Capping the number of devotees at Vaishno Devi to 50,000 per day.
• Direction to sustain silence at Amarnath.
• Justice Swatanter Kumar’s successor is yet to be nominated.

More about NGT

• The NGT was established on 18th October 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of issues relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
• The tribunal's primary bench is situated in New Delhi while its zonal benches are in Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai and its circuit benches in Shimla, Shillong, Jodhpur, and Kochi.
• The structure of the tribunal includes a full-time chairperson, judicial members, and expert associates.
• The minimum number of judicial and expert associates prescribed is 10 in each class and the maximum number is 20 in each class.
• The 1st chairperson of the tribunal was Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta, who was appointed on 18th October 2010 and relinquished the position in 2011 when he was appointed  Lokayukta of  Himachal Pradesh.