TNPSC Current Affairs January 17, 2018

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January 17, 2018 (17/01/2018)

 

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Topic : Latest Diary of Events, General Administration, India’s Foreign Policy

Haj subsidy

The government has abolished the subsidy being given to Haj pilgrims every year. The government said it will use the subsidy funds to empower the minorities.

Background:

The policy to support Muslims in making the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, can be traced back to 1932, when the British enacted the Port Haj Committees Act.

In the ensuing decades, the Act has undergone numerous changes. And in recent years it has called for significant criticism from various parties. In 2012, a Supreme Court order directed the Haj subsidy to be gradually phased out in the coming ten years.

In 2017, a Central Haj Committee meeting decided to do away with the subsidy by the following year.

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Topic : Latest Diary of Events, General Administration, India’s Foreign Policy

Raisina Dialogue 2018

The 2018 edition of Raisina Dialogue is being held in New Delhi.

Theme: ‘Managing Disruptive Transitions: Ideas, Institutions & Idioms’.

About the Raisina Dialogue:

This is an annual geo-political event, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

It is designed to explore prospects and opportunities for Asian integration as well as Asia’s integration with the larger world.

It is predicated on India’s vital role in the Indian Ocean Region and how India along with its partners can build a stable regional and world order.

Significance of the event:

The Raisina Dialogue was born two years ago, in 2016, in the belief that the Asian century that the world was talking about was not about any exclusive geographical region.

It was rather about the engagement of global actors with Asia and of Asia with the world. So this dialogue took birth as a platform, where the old and the new could work together, to discover their connections, their inter-dependence.

It has today become a crucible for conversations and ideas that while located in India can be owned by the world.

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Topic : Awards and Honours, Latest Diary of Events

World environment award 2018

The Energy Globe World Award is an international award in the field of environment instituted by the Energy Globe Foundation annually to recognise projects that make careful and economical use of resources and employ alternative energy sources.

Who won?

Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) has won the 18th Energy Globe World Award -2017 as the one and only organisation from India.

KISS won the award in ‘Fire’ Category for green initiatives undertaken by this institute that reduces the ecological footprint for large scale cooking.

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Topic : International Events

World’s largest air purifier

China has built the world’s largest air purifier in an attempt to curb the air pollution. The 100 meters high tower is located in the city of Xian in Shaanxi province of northern China.

In the initial experiments, the tower was successful in reducing the smog on severely polluted days to moderate levels.

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Topic : World Organizations, Profile of States, Persons in news

Two T.N. students’ artwork finds place in NASA calendar

Two students from Tamil Nadu won the NASA’s 2018 Commercial Crew Program Calendar Art Contest.

Who are they?

The artworks of students Kaviya B.J. and K. Selva Sreejith of Class VI were among the 12 selected from about 3,000 entries submitted by children in the age group of 4-12 years from 193 countries.

Their work will be printed in the 2018 calendar of NASA will be sent to the International Space Station.

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Topic : Awards and Honours, General Administration, Profile of States

Tiruvalluvar Day award

Tamil Nadu government conferred state awards to the following personalities on the occasion of Thiruvalluvar Day on January 15.

A total of nine awards were conferred on nine eminent personalities for their contribution to society and development of Tamil language.

Awardees:

Tiruvalluvar Award – Dr. G. Periannan (Tamil literature)

Thanthai Periyar Award – B. Valarmathi (Social Welfare Minister)

Annal Ambedkar Award – Dr. George K.J (education to students belonging to scheduled tribe communities)

Perarignar Anna Award – Founding member of Anna Thozhisangam A. Subramanian

Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Award – T.R. Dhinakaran (Eductionalist)

Mahakavi Bharathiar Award – Dr. S. Balasubramaian alias Bharathibalan (Academician)

Pavendhar Bharathidasan Award – K. Jeevabharathi and Thamizhthendral (writer)

Thiru. Vi. Ka. Award – V. Balakumaran (Writer and Dialogue Writer)

Muthamizh Kaavalar K.A.P Viswanathan Award – Professor Dr. P. Marudhanayagam (Academician in the Central Institute of Classical Tamil)

All the awards carry a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh, a sovereign gold medal, citation and a shawl.

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Topic : Awards and Honours, Persons in News

Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists

Madan Babu, who is at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England, has been honoured at the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists.

Dr. Babu is the 2018 Life Sciences laureate.

Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists:

The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists was established in 2007 through a partnership between the Blavatnik Family Foundation, headed by American industrialist and philanthropist Len Blavatnik, chairman of Access Industries, and the New York Academy of Sciences, headed by president and CEO Mr. Ellis Rubinstein.

The awards have been given annually to selected faculty and postdoctoral researchers age 42 years and younger who work in the life and physical sciences and engineering at institutions in the New York tri-state area.