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INDIAN AFFAIRS
International Congress of Military Medicine begins in New Delhi
42nd World Congress of the International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM) begun in New Delhi on November 19, 2017.
More Information about 42nd World Congress of ICMM:
i.This 5-day event has been organised by the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Defence.
ii.This is the first time World Congress of ICMM is held in India. It is also the largest medical conference ever organised by Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS).
iii.Theme of the 42nd World Congress of ICMM is “Military Medicine in Transition: Looking Ahead”.
iv.This event will be attended by around 350-400 foreign delegates from 80 countries and about 300 Indian delegates comprising Armed Forces Medical, Dental, Nursing and Veterinary Officers.
Quick Facts about International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM):
Created in – 1921
Secretariat – Brussels, Belgium
Membership – 112 countries
Maharashtra CM launches initiative to curb Childhood Obesity
On November 16, 2017, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched a new initiative against childhood obesity in Pune.
More information about Maharashtra Govt’s initiative to curb Childhood Obesity:
i.Under this initiative, schools will be given Body Mass Index (BMI) dialler, through which children will be able to know their BMI.
ii.This initiative has been taken by Rotary Club of Koregaon Park with JT Foundation.
iii.With the help of BMI dialler and a supporting documentary, not only school children, but their parents and teachers will also be given information about childhood obesity.
iv.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), India is projected to be the second-largest country with childhood obesity by 2025.
v.Around 6000 children in Pune will benefit from this campaign by gaining information about BMI. It is to be noted that Pune is among the top five Indian cities having high prevalence of obesity.
Haryana Government’s New Scheme Offers Domestic Power Connections On EMI
On November 19, 2017, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a new scheme offering Domestic Power Connections in rural areas On Equated Monthly Instalment (EMI).
i.Currently it costs between Rs. 3000/- to Rs. 4000/- to get a domestic power connection.
ii.Under this new scheme, households in rural areas can pay just Rs. 200 and get a domestic power connection. The remaining amount can be paid in easy instalments of Rs. 100 to Rs. 200.
iii.Haryana State Government has initiated several schemes aimed at reducing losses of State Power Department. In certain villages, where line losses have been reduced by 20 per cent are now getting 24-hour power supply.
iv.Mr Khattar has stated that his government would fulfil its promise to provide 24-hour power supply all over Haryana in the next two years.
Quick Facts about Haryana:
Capital – Chandigarh
Current Chief Minister – Manohar Lal Khattar
Current Governor – Kaptan Singh Solanki
Important National Park – Sultanpur National Park
World’s biggest toilet pot model unveiled at ‘Trump village’ in Haryana
On 19th November 2017, the world’s biggest toilet pot model was unveiled at Marora, popularly known as the “Trump village”, in Haryana.
World’s biggest toilet pot model:
i.On the World Toilet Day (November 19), a mega toilet pot made up of iron, fibre, wood and plaster of Paris, measuring 20×10 feet was unveiled at Marora, in an aim to create awareness towards sanitation and use of toilets.
ii.Sanitation expert and Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak and other dignitaries inaugurated the “biggest toilet pot of the world” model anddedicated another 95 new household toilets to the residents of the village.
iii.Bindeshwar Pathak said the large pot replica would be moved to Delhi’s Sulabh Toilet Museum. Apart from inaugurating individual toilets, two books on the use of toilets and sanitation were also released.
About Sulabh International:
Purpose – to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, waste management and social reforms through education
Founder – Bindeshwar Pathak
Jammu & Kashmir celebrates ‘Heritage Week’ to preserve, protect its culture
On 19th November 2017, Jammu and Kashmir Education and Tourism Minister Priya Sethi inaugurated ‘Heritage Week’ to generate awareness on preservation of the state’s ancient culture and environment, in Jammu & Kashmir.
Heritage Week:
i.Heritage Week is celebrated throughout Jammu and Kashmir from November 19 to 25, 2017. Special programmes are held showcasing the cultural heritage and rich biodiversity of the state.
ii.Illumination of heritage sites, heritage walks and special cleanliness drives are undertaken by involving tourism, culture, education, urban development and other concerned departments.
iii.On November 20, 2017, a symposium and painting competition was held along with a photo exhibition. This will be followed by ‘Food Ethnic Day’ on November 22, 2017.
iv.On November 22 and 23, 2017, an ‘Ethnic Cultural Programme’ promoting the local folk dances and music will be organized. ‘Heritage Walk’, showcasing composite culture of the state, will take place on November 24, 2017.
Festivals celebrated in Jammu & Kashmir:
Lohri – marks the culmination of the cold season
Baisakhi – New Year for the Sikh community in Jammu region
Hemis Festival – Buddhist festival to mark the birthday of Guru Padmasambhava
Government cancels Israeli missile deal worth $500-million
Indian Government has decided to cancel a $500 million deal for procuring Spike ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) from Israel.
Background Information and Rationale behind cancelling the deal:
i.The $500 million deal to procure Spike ATGM form Rafael Advanced Defence Systems of Israel was expected to be signed after price negotiations completed last year.
ii.However, the deal was cancelled as India’s Defence Ministry believes that importing a foreign ATGM at this stage would negatively impact the programme for indigenous development of the weapon system by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
iii.Union Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman wants that Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for the Indian Army should be indigenously develop and build by DRDO.
iv.Moreover, DRDO is confident about providing Indian Army with an MPATGM of 3rd generation missile technology, which will be similar to Spike, within three to four years.
Govt sets Rs 10000 min balance in bank accounts as rural poverty measure
Central Government has set Rs 10000 minimum balance in bank account as one of the 21 parameters to assess poverty in gram panchayats under ‘Mission Antyodaya’.
About Mission Antyodaya:
Union Rural Development Ministry’s ‘Mission Antyodaya’ aims to create 50000 poverty-free gram panchayats.
- The goal is to converge, all existing government initiatives and schemes in these 50000 gram panchayats so that every household within these panchayats is benefited which shall consequentially lead to elimination of poverty.
- 50000 gram panchayats will be grouped together in 5000 clusters. State wise list of gram panchayats selected for this mission has already been finalised.
Overview of Parameters to assess poverty in a gram panchayats:
21 parameters which have been finalised to measure the poverty status of gram panchayats under ‘Mission Antyodaya’ are placed under three broad categories viz. “economic development and diversification of livelihoods”, “social development and protection” and “infrastructure”.
- One of the parameters to determine ‘economic development’ is number of households with a minimum Rs 10,000 in their savings account. Panchayats with higher number of households having minimum Rs 10000 in their savings account will be rated positively on the poverty index.
- Earlier, the threshold for minimum balance in savings account was set at Rs. 20000. However after months of brainstorming, Rural Development Ministry has now fixed it at Rs. 10000.
- Other parameters to measure “economic development and diversification of livelihoods” include number of families with bank loans for diversified livelihood, number of families employed in dairy and animal resources and those in non-farm employment with skills, markets and bank linkage.
- Parameters to measure “social development and protection” include prevalence of malnutrition among children up to three years, number of girls completing secondary education and percentage of children with full immunisation.
- “Infrastructure” development will be measured by considering all weather roads, open defecation free status, internet connectivity, community waste disposal system and number of families living in safe houses.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India moves up one notch to 126 in GDP per capita terms’: IMF Data
As per data which forms part of the latest World Economic Outlook report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India ranks 126th out of 200 countries in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita
Highlights of IMF Data on GDP Per Capita of Countries:
- GDP Per Capita of a country is computed by dividing its gross domestic product(GDP) by the number of people in the country. In theoretical terms, higher GDP per capita results in to a higher standard of living.
- India’s rank has improved by one spot as compared to previous year’s rank. This improvement is on account of increase in GDP to USD 7170 in 2017, from USD 6690 in the previous year.
- However, India still ranks lower among BRICS nations on this parameter. Brazil’s GDP Per Capita is USD 15500, Russia – USD 27900, China – USD 16620 and South Africa – USD 13,400.
- Despite of India’s low rank, it is interesting to know that India is home to 2.45 lakh millionaires with a total household wealth of USD 5 trillion (as per Credit Suisse report)….Click here to Read more
India, China Hold First Border Talk After Doklam Standoff in Beijing’
On November 18, 2017, 10th round of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held between Indian and Chinese officials in Beijing.
More Information about 10th round of WMCC:
i.This is the first meeting between Indian and Chinese officials under WMCC after the 70-day Doklam standoff which started in June 2017.
ii.Pranay Verma, Joint Secretary (East Asia) led the Indian delegation which comprised diplomats and military officials. The Chinese side was led by Xiao Qian, Director General, Department of Asian Affairs in the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
iii.Situation in all sectors of India-China border was reviewed during this meeting.
iv.At this meeting, India and China also exchanged views on confidence-building measures and strengthening of military-to-military contacts.
Facts about WMCC:
Initiated in – 2012
Objective – To maintain peace and tranquillity along Indo-China disputed border till a final resolution
Modi Government third most trusted in the world after Switzerland and Indonesia
Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ranked as third most trusted government in the world as per Government at a Glance 2017 published by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
OECD Report on Most Trusted Governments:
i.As per the report, nearly 74 percent of Indians have expressed confidence in their national government.
ii.The confidence of people was assessed in context of economy, political upheaval, and headline-grabbing events like major corruption cases.
iii.This list is topped by Switzerland wherein 84% have expressed confidence in national government. Indonesia has ranked 2nd on this list.
iv.As per World Economic Forum (WEF), Indian masses’ high levels of confidence in their government can be ascribed to the recent anti-corruption and tax-reform drive undertaken by the incumbent Modi Government.
Bengaluru joins 91-city network to collate climate change data
Bengaluru has joined 91 cities across the globe in Datacity programme to collate data on climate change.
More Information about Datacity Programme:
i.Datacity programme was launched in Paris in 2015 with an objective to develop data which can help resolve climate challenges. This programme is led by French start-up accelerator NUMA and is supported by technology experts including Carto, OpenDataSoft and Dataiku.
ii.Under this programme, city governments, corporates, start-ups and technology entrepreneurs collaborate for deliberating on urban challenges and at the end arrive at sustainable solutions.
iii.So far, this programme has been successfully implemented in Paris and Casablanca (Morocco).
iv.Bengaluru has joined this network by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NUMA.
BANKING & FINANCE
GOVT. sets Rs 10000 min balance in bank accounts as rural poverty measure
Central Government has set Rs 10000 minimum balance in bank account as one of the 21 parameters to assess poverty in gram panchayats under ‘Mission Antyodaya’.
About Mission Antyodaya:
Union Rural Development Ministry’s ‘Mission Antyodaya’ aims to create 50000 poverty-freegram panchayats.
- The goal is to converge, all existing government initiatives and schemes in these 50000 gram panchayats so that every household within these panchayats is benefited which shall consequentially lead to elimination of poverty.
- 50000 gram panchayats will be grouped together in 5000 clusters. State wise list of gram panchayats selected for this mission has already been finalised.
Overview of Parameters to assess poverty in a gram panchayats…Click here to Read more
Govt seeks Rs 13,000-cr surplus from RBI
On November 19, 2017, Economic Affairs Secretary, Subhash Chandra Garg, stated that Central Government has only sought Rs 13,000 crore of surplus which Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has and has not asked it to pay any ‘special dividend’.
i.The fiscal year for RBI is June-July. For 2016-17 fiscal, ending in June 2017, RBI’s profit was about Rs 44,000 crore.
ii.Out of this 44000 crore, in August 2017, it had paid a dividend of Rs 30659 crore and retained remaining amount of profit to contain risks and build reserves.
iii.As clarified by Mr. Garg, the government is seeking Rs. 13000 crore surplus which has been retained and is not asking for any additional amount over it as special dividend.
iv.This clarification comes in wake of media reports that government has asked for a special dividend from RBI (in addition to the surplus) to fund a part of its Rs 2.11-lakh crore plan to recapitalise public sector banks.
Quick Facts about RBI
Formed in – 1935
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Current Governor – Urjit Patel
NSE arm launches SME Index to track firms on Emerge platform
On November 20, 2017, India Index Services & Products (IISL), a National Stock Exchange (NSE) Group entity, launched Nifty SME Emerge Index, a new Nifty Index to measure the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) listed on NSE’s EMERGE platform (dedicated NSE platform for small companies).
More information about Nifty SME Emerge Index:
i.This index represents about 62 per cent of the full market capitalisation of all SMEs listed on EMERGE.
ii.Launch of this index coincides with the listing of ANI Integrated Services, which has become 100th company to list on NSE EMERGE.
iii.December 1, 2016 is the base date for this new index and its base value has been set at 1000.
iv.Composition of Nifty SME Emerge Index will be reconstituted on a quarterly basis. Currently, it is a well-diversified basket of SMEs representing 14 sectors of the economy.
v.The index value will be calculated and published at the end of every trading session and will thereby help investors to track the performance of SMEs listed on EMERGE.
Quick Facts about National Stock Exchange (NSE):
Founded in – 1992
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Current Chairman – Ashok Chawla
Logistics sector gets infrastructure status
The government has given infrastructure status to logistics sector, covering cold chain and warehousing facilities, in a move to attract more funding at competitive rates for these segments.
Logistics sector – Infrastructure status:
i.Amending the existing framework, a notification issued by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) has widened the category of infrastructure sub-sectors to “transport and logistics” from the earlier sub-head of “transport”.
ii.The infrastructure status would help the logistics sector get credit at competitive rates and on a long-term basis as rising logistics cost impacts global competitiveness of exporters.
iii.According to the notification, logistics infrastructure includes “Multimodal Logistics Park comprising Inland Container Depot (ICD) with minimum investment of Rs 50 crore and minimum area of 10 acre“.
iv.Further, a cold chain facility having an investment of at least Rs 15 crore and warehousing facility with investment of minimum Rs 25 crore would come under logistics infrastructure.
v.In both cases, the facilities should also have a minimum required area. As part of the changes in the classification, the DEA has updated the ‘Harmonised Master List of Infrastructure Sub-sectors’.
About Department of Economic Affairs (DEA):
Purpose – to formulate and monitor country’s economic policies and programmes having a bearing on domestic and international aspects of economic management
Secretary – Subhash Chandra Garg
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Veteran journalist Manik Banerjee gets IMF award
Veteran journalist Manik Banerjee, who is also a renowned mountaineer was presented with the Life Time Achievement Award by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF).
Manik Banerjee – Life Time Achievement Award by IMF:
i.Manik Banerjee was presented the Life Time Achievement Award in recognition of his achievements in mountaineering over a period of four decades.
ii.Manik Banerjee is a former sports journalist. He has made invaluable contribution in promotion of mountaineering and allied adventure activities in various media besides his service in spreading the spirit of adventure activities among the under privileged.
About Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF):
Objective – organize and support, mountaineering and rock climbing expeditions at high altitudes in the Himalayas
Headquarters – Delhi
Formed in – 1957
Actor Trisha gets UNICEF celebrity advocate status
On 20th November 2017, Tamil actor Trisha Krishnan was conferred the UNICEF celebrity advocate status for child rights at an event held in Chennai.
Trisha Krishnan – UNICEF celebrity advocate status for child rights:
i.Trisha Krishnan is the first actor from the South Indian film industry to receive the UNICEF celebrity advocate status. This was previously awarded to Bollywood actors Nandita Das, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Raveena Tandon.
ii.Trisha Krishnan will support efforts to address issues such as anaemia, child marriage, child labour and child abuse, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
iii.She will also promote education and health of adolescents and the value of girl child in family and society. After receiving the honour, she said that, educating girl children up to the age of 18 will help control child marriage and child labour.
About UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund):
Purpose – provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries
Headquarters – New York City
Executive Director – Anthony Lake
Nabaneeta Dev Sen honoured with Big Little Book Award
Popular Bengali writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen has been declared as winner in ‘Author in Bengali language’ category at the second edition of Big Little Book Award.
Nabaneeta Dev Sen – Author in Bengali language – Big Little Book Award:
i.The Big Little Book Award honours authors and illustrators who have contributed to children’s literature that are global in appeal and contextual in nature.
ii.The award has been instituted under Parag initiative of Tata Trusts to promote children’s literature. The chief of Parag Initiative is Swaha Sahoo.
iii.Nabaneeta Sen is a recipient of the Sahitya Academy Award and the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award. She has been writing for children as well as general readers for the past three decades.
iv.In the illustrator category, Proiti Roy received the award. Her work includes illustrations in translated fairy tale books.
About Tata Trusts:
Consists of – Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Allied Trusts, and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Allied Trusts
Chairman – Ratan N Tata
Managing Trustee – R Venkataramanan
SPORTS
Grigor Dimitrov beats David Goffin to win the singles title of 2017 Nitto ATP Finals (tennis)
On 19th November 2017, Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov beat Belgium’s David Goffin and won the singles title of 2017 Nitto ATP Finals, at The O2 Arena, in London.
Grigor Dimitrov wins 2017 Nitto ATP Finals singles title:
i.Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov beat Belgium’s David Goffin by 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 at the finals and won the singles title of 2017 Nitto ATP Finals.
ii.Grigor Dimitrov has become the first debutant for 19 years to win the singles title at the ATP Finals since Alex Corretja in 1998.
iii.Grigor Dimitrov collected £1.9m in prize money for coming through the tournament unbeaten in five matches across the group stage, semi-finals and final. He will end the year ranked third in the world, with David Goffin up to seventh.
About 2017 Nitto ATP Finals:
Date – 12–19 November 2017
Prize money – $8,000,000
Surface – Hard / indoor
Venue – The O2 Arena, London, United Kingdom
Hockey Karnataka clinches Hockey India 5-a-side Senior Men’s National Championship 2017
On 19th November 2017, Hockey Karnataka won the second edition of the Hockey India 5-a-side Senior Men’s National Championship 2017 title at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Stadium, in Balewadi, Pune.
Hockey Karnataka wins Senior Men’s National Championship 2017:
i.Hockey Karnataka won the Hockey India 5-a-side Senior Men’s National Championship 2017 title after beating Hockey Haryana 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout.
ii.At the final between Hockey Karnataka and Hockey Haryana, the two teams went into a penalty shootout after 4-4 stalemate in the 30 minutes regulation time.
iii.Also, Hockey Haryana emerged victories in the second edition of the Hockey India 5-a-side Senior National Championship (Women) after a nail-biting final against Hockey Maharashtra.
About Hockey India:
Purpose – governing body of field hockey in India
Affiliation – International Hockey Federation (FIH)
Founded – 2009
Headquarters – New Delhi
Sponsor – Sahara India Pariwar
Ethiopian athletes clinch Gold medals in both sections of Delhi Half Marathon 2017
On 19th November 2017, Ethiopia’s current woman world athlete of the year Almaz Ayana and Ethiopia’s Berhanu Legese won gold in the women’s and men’s event respectively at the Delhi Half Marathon 2017.
Delhi Half Marathon 2017:
i.Almaz Ayana, the world’s leading woman long distance runner on track, clocked one hour, seven minutes and 11 seconds and became champion in her first half marathon race, securing the gold medal.
ii.In the men’s elite race, 2015 winner Berhanu Legese bagged the gold in 59 minutes and 46 seconds. Another Ethiopian Anadamlak Belihu was second in 59:51.
iii.Both Ayana and Legese could not break the course record of 1:06:54 and 59:06 respectively. Around 35,000 runners participated in the Delhi Half Marathon.
iv.Among the Indian women, L Suriya bagged the gold in course record (for Indians) time of 1:10:31. Olympian Nitendra Singh Rawat won the Indian men’s race, clocking a new course record time of 1:03:53.
About Delhi Half Marathon 2017:
Date – 19 November 2017
Distance – 21.097 km
Title Sponsor – Airtel
Afghanistan clinches 2017 Under-19 Asian Cricket Cup
On 19th November 2017, Afghanistan defeated Pakistan and won the Under-19 Asia Cup for the first time at the Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Afghanistan wins 2017 Under-19 Asian Cricket Cup:
i.Afghanistan has won its first Under-19 Asia Cup with a 185-run victory over Pakistan. Afghanistan’s Ikram Ali Khelofscored a century. He was named the ‘man of the match’.
ii.Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Zadran took an overall 20 wickets in the tournament and was named the ‘best player of the tournament’.
iii.Pakistan had won the toss and elected to field. They managed to restrict Afghanistan to 248 for 7 off 50 overs. However, the Pakistani players were all out on just 63 off 22.1 overs, with Afghanistan’s M Rahman taking 5-13 and Q Kamawal 3-18.
About 2017 Under-19 Asia Cricket Cup:
Dates – 10 – 19 November 2017
Host – Malaysia
Participants – 8
OBITUARY
Naim Suleymanoglu, Turkey’s 3-time Olympic gold weightlifter, dead at 50
On 18th November 2017, Naim Suleymanoglu, the Turkish weightlifter who won three Olympic Gold Medals and was known as “Pocket Hercules,” died at an Istanbul hospital.
Death of Naim Suleymanoglu:
i.Naim Suleymanoglu died at an Istanbul hospital where he was receiving treatment for cirrhosis of the liver.
ii.He was 50 years old. He earned his nickname “Pocket Hercules” for his strength and diminutive size of 4-foot-10.
iii.He won three straight Olympic gold medals for Turkey between 1988 and 1996. He could lift three times his weight. He also won seven world and six European championships.
iv.He was born to an ethnic Turkish family in Bulgaria. He won his first gold at Seoul, South Korea, in 1988.
About Naim Suleymanoglu:
Occupation – Weightlifter
Age – 50
Nick name – The Pocket Hercules
Former Union Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi passed away
On 20th November 2017, Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, in coma since 2008, died at Apollo hospital in Delhi.
Death of Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi:
i.Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi had been critically ill over the past month. He died on 20th November 2017, in the presence of his wife Deepa Dasmunsi and their son.
ii.He fell into a coma after suffering a massive stroke that left him paralysed and unable to speak. He was one of the Congress’s most popular leaders in West Bengal.
iii.He was union Parliamentary Affairs Minister when he went into coma. He was on life support for over a decade.
iv.In 2006, he was the first Indian to be a match commissioner in a FIFA World Cup game between Australia and Croatia. He was heading the Indian football governing body at the time of his stroke in 2008.
About Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi:
Occupation – Politician
Political Party – Indian National Congress
Positions held – Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Minister of Information and Broadcasting etc.
Justice Bhagwati Prasad passed away
On 19th November 2017, Former chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court Bhagwati Prasad passed away at a private hospital, in Ahmedabad.
Death of Justice Bhagwati:
i.Justice Bhagwati Prasad was admitted to the hospital on 18th November 2017 after he suffered low blood pressure complications. He died at the hospital on 19th November 2017.
ii.He was 68 years old. He hailed from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. He started his career as a lawyer at the Rajasthan High Court and served as the chief of the Rajasthan High Court Advocates Association and president of the Bar Council of India.
iii.He was appointed as a judge of the Rajasthan High Court in 1996 and of the Gujarat High Court on February 7, 2008. He was elevated as the chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court on August 22, 2010.
iv.He was appointed as the GSHRC (Gujarat State Human Rights Commission) chairperson on August 4, 2016.
About Jharkhand High Court:
Location – Ranchi, Jharkhand
Established – 2000
Chief Justice – Justice D.N.Patel
IMPORTANT DAYS
Universal Children’s Day – November 20
On 20th November 2017, Universal Children’s Day was observed all over the world.
Universal Children’s Day:
i.Universal Children’s Day was established in 1954. It is celebrated on November 20th each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.
ii.The theme for Universal Children’s Day 2017 is: It’s a #KidsTakeOver.
iii.Since 1990, Universal Children’s Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the declaration and the convention on children’s rights.
iv.To celebrate the 2017 Universal Children’s Day, UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) had invited children from around the world taking over key roles in media, politics, business, sport and entertainment to voice their support for millions of their peers who are unschooled, unprotected and uprooted on 20th November 2017.
Similar observances:
Children’s Day (India) – November 14
Siblings Day (United States) – April 10
International Day of the Girl Child – October 11
Africa Industrialization Day – November 20
On 20th November 2017, Africa Industrialization Day was observed in various parts of the world.
Africa Industrialization Day:
i.The theme for 2017 Africa Industrialization Day is: “African Industrial Development: A Pre-Condition for an Effective and Sustainable Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA)”.
ii.The purpose of Africa Industrialization Day (AID), marked each year on 20 November, is to raise global awareness of the challenges faced by the continent with regard to industrialization.
iii.It also aims to mobilize both African leaders and international organizations to advocate for the accelerated and sustainable industrialization of Africa.
iv.United Nations General Assembly, in 1989, proclaimed 20 November as “Africa Industrialization Day”.
About Africa:
World’s second largest and second most-populous continent
Countries – 54
Largest cities – Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Khartoum, Dar es Salaam, Alexandria, Abidjan, Algiers, Kano, Casablanca, Ibadan, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Abuja, Accra
Qaumi Ekta Week being observed across India
“Qaumi Ekta Week” (National Integration Week) is observed all over India, from the 19th to 25th November, 2017.
Qaumi Ekta Week:
i.The Qaumi Ekta Week is celebrated with a view to foster and reinforce the spirit of Communal Harmony, National Integration and pride in vibrant, composite culture and nationhood.
ii.The week long programmes to be observed during Qaumi Ekta Week are:
- November 19, 2017 – National Integration Day
- November 20, 2017 – Welfare of Minorities Day
- November 21, 2017– Linguistic Harmony Day
- November 22, 2017– Weaker Sections Day
- November 23, 2017– Cultural Unity Day
- November 24, 2017– Women’s Day
- November 25, 2017– Conservation Day
iii.The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), organises Communal Harmony Campaign coinciding with the Qaumi Ekta Week and observes the Communal Harmony Flag Day on 25th November 2017.
About National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH):
Purpose – provides assistance for the rehabilitation of child victims of different kinds of violence, promotes communal harmony and national integration either independently or through state governments or NGOs, etc.
Functions under – Ministry of Home Affairs
