Current Affairs 24th November 2018

Current Affairs 24th November 2018 - Important Points

• NASI SCOPUS Young Scientist Awards-2018
• Institution’s Innovation Council Programme launched by – Union Government
• Allied and Healthcare Council of India to be set up: Cabinet approval
• Construction of Kartarpur Sahib corridor in Gurdaspur district to International Border has been approved by - Cabinet

Current Affairs 24th November 2018 - Details

NASI SCOPUS Young Scientist Awards-2018

National Academy of Sciences India SCOPUS Young Scientist Awards 2018 were given to winners in New Delhi. This year 5 multi-disciplinary groups in awards were announced. The groups are agriculture, plant sciences and rural development, women in science, environmentally sound sustainable development, bio-medical research & healthcare and innovation in engineering & physical sciences. These groups associated with National missions of Make in India, Digital India, Healthy India and Clean India. The awards include citation, trophy and Rupees 75,000. The 5 winners were nominated from pool of about 800 candidates.

2018 Winners

Agriculture, Plant Sciences and Rural Development award was presented to Jitender Giri, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.

Biomedical Research and Healthcare award was presented to Maddika Subba Reddy, Group Leader and Staff Scientist- V, CDFD, Hyderabad.

Environmentally Sound Sustainable Development award was presented to Vimal Chandra Srivastava, IIT-Roorkee, Roorkee.

Innovation in Engineering and Physical Sciences award was presented to Ajay S.Karakoti, Associate Professor, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad.

Women in Science award was presented to Zhumur Ghosh, Bose Institute, Kolkata.

More About Scopus Young Scientist Awards

It was 1st release by Amsterdam-based global publisher Elsevier in 2006. It is part of Elsevier’s global resourcefulness for backing early career scientists in their quest to advance boundaries of science across broad range of disciplines. In 2009, India formally adopted programme within its scientific community via Elsevier’s association with National Academy of Sciences, India. Indian version of this award bestows outstanding young scholars in the nation who are building their careers in academic research, helping them gain recognition for their work.

Institution’s Innovation Council Programme launched by – Union Government

Institution’s Innovation Council- IIC, Programme of Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Innovation Cell was initiated in New Delhi by Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar. Human Resource Development Ministry has recognized Innovation cell at AICTE with resolution to systematically foster culture of Innovation in all Higher Education Institutions across the nation.

Institution’s Innovation Council Programme

Institution’s Innovation Council Programme is significant step in institutionalising innovation and developing a scientific nature in the nation. The objective of formation of network of Institution’s Innovation Councils is to encourage, inspire and nurture young students by exposing them to new ideas and processes ensuing in innovative activities in their formative years.

Above 1000 Higher Education Institutions have already formed Institution’s Innovation Councils in their campuses and enrolled for Institution’s Innovation Council network managed by Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Innovation cell to encourage innovation through multitudinous modes leading to an innovation promotion eco-system in their campuses. With this initiative, India optimises to get good position in global innovation ranking in the next 2-3 years.

Innovation Cell has undertaken many initiatives for educational development in higher education for encouraging best practices in innovation and advance research. For this, it has executed programmes including Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievement, Smart India Hackathon- 2019, and many more.

Allied and Healthcare Council of India to be set up: Cabinet approval

The Union Cabinet led by PM Narendra Modi on November 22nd, 2018 sanctioned the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018 for regulation and standardisation of education and services by allied and healthcare experts.

The Bill provides for forming of an Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding state associated and healthcare councils, which will work as a standard-setter and implementor for professions of allied and healthcare.

Important Highlights

• The bill provides for the formation of central and corresponding state allied & healthcare councils and fifteen major professional categories including 53 professions in allied and healthcare streams.
• It provides for structure, constitution, composition and purposes of the central council & state councils for instance framing of policies and standards, regulation of professional conduct, creation and maintenance of live registers, provisions for common entry and exit examinations.
• The professional advisory bodies under central & state councils will study issues independently and provide guidelines relating to specific recognised categories.
• The bill will also have an dominant effect on any other current law for any of the covered professions. The state council will undertake recognition of allied & healthcare institutions.
• The clause of offences and drawbacks has been encompassed in the bill to check malpractices. The bill also empowers the central and state governments to make guidelines.
• The bill calls for the constitution of an interim council within Six months of its passing, which will grasp the charge for a period of 2 years until the establishment of the Central Council.
• The council at the centre & the states are to be formed as body corporate with a provision to get funds from various sources.

Construction of Kartarpur Sahib corridor in Gurdaspur district to International Border has been approved by - Cabinet

PM Narendra Modi led Union Cabinet has permitted building and development of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur district, Punjab to international border with Pakistan. It was permitted as part of 550th birthday festivities of Guru Nanak Dev, which falls in 2019.

Kartarpur Sahib corridor :

It will simplify pilgrims from India who visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, on the banks of the River Ravi in Pakistan every year. It was 1st proposed by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999. If connected on both sides, this could also deliver major improvement to religious tourism as additional pilgrims will be able to visit holy shrine throughout year.

It will be executed as integrated development project with Centre government’s funding. Central Government will put in place suitable amenities for smooth passage of pilgrims. It will also request Pakistan Government to recognise the sentiments of the Sikh community, and develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory.