Current Affairs 19th September 2017

Current Affairs 19th September 2017 - Important Points

• First permanent American base in Israel inaugurated by - IDF and US Army
•  North Korea’s Nuclear Test fall out by - Some Countries
• First state to set up district family welfare committees - Tripura
• The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has decided to provide a monthly honorarium of Rs 2500 to 'Jal Rakshaks' on -  18th September 2017.
• First-ever National Conference on under-nutrition hosted by - WCD Ministry

Current Affairs 19th September 2017 - Details

First permanent American base in Israel inaugurated by - IDF and US Army

The US Army and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) inaugurated a permanent base on Israeli soil in September 2017. For the first time that a permanent American base has been opened in the Middle Eastern country. The long-standing partnership is represtented by the base, the strategic commitment between the armies and the militaries of the USA and Israel. Several dozen American soldiers will going to be stationed at the base in Israel’s south, which America and Israel have been working on from the last two years.

Relations between US and Israel

• One of the most important factors in the overall policy of US Government in the Middle East is the Israel-United States relations.
• The main expression of Congressional support for Israel has been foreign aid so far.
• It has provided around USD3 billion in grants per anum to Israel, with Israel being the largest annual recipient of American aid from 1976 to 2004 and the largest cumulative recipient of aid since World War II since 1985.
• Almost all of the United States aid to Israel is in the form of military assistance, while in the past it also received significant economic assistance.
• The United States also provides political support to Israel, having used its United Nations Security Council veto power 42 times with respect to Israel resolutions, out of a total 83 times in which its veto has ever been used.From 1991 to 2011, 15 vetos were used to protect Israel out of 24 in total.

 North Korea’s Nuclear Test fall out by - Some Countries

In response to the most powerful nuclear test on 3rd September by North Korea till date, some countries have announced  they have expelled the North Korean ambassadors from their respective capitals. Due to the North Korea’s constant violation of international norms and sanctions, it is continuously being isolated at world platform. Whereas, it still enjoys the diplomatic relations with 160 countries, as per the S South Korea's Unification Ministry.

North Korea has the largest missions in Beijing and Moscow, along with some major embassies in Stockholm, Rome, London,Berlin, and dozens of smaller embassies all across Asia and Africa.

Spain and Kuwait are the countries that have expelled North Korean diplomats following its sixth nuclear test.

While Egypt , Philippines and Uganda have scaled back their ties but haven't expelled ambassadors.

First state to set up district family welfare committees - Tripura

Tripura becomes the first state in India to set up family welfare district committees on 18th September 2017. State Governor Tathagata Roy has formally launched the family welfare committees in all eight districts in Tripura at a function in Tripura High Court.
The committees have been set to deal with the issue of fake and biased complaints by women against their husbands, husband's relatives and in-laws. The decision to set up the committees came following an order of the Supreme Court to form such committees in all states.

Important highlights

• The Tripura High Court is the first high court among 24 High Courts in India that has constituted family welfare district committees.
• The district welfare committee would scrutinise the complaint after filing of complaint by a woman against her husband, in-laws and husband's relatives.
• The committee will be trying to mitigate and mediate between the two sides to settle the dispute.
• After the report submission of the district family welfare committees, the police officials would be starting appropriate legal action.

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet has decided to provide a monthly honorarium of Rs 2500 to 'Jal Rakshaks' on -  18th September 2017.

Himachal Pradesh Cabinet decides to provide Rs 2500 monthly honorarium for 'Jal Rakshaks' on  18th September 2017 . The qualified Jal Rakshaks with ITI diplomas will be given quota for fitters and pump operators.
Those with matric and 12 years of experience will be inducted against the pump attendants and Chowkidar post.  Approximately 1000 existing posts of Beldars will be re-designated as Chowkidar and pump attendants. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided over in Shimla by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Key Details

• The Cabinet has decided to increase payment of Asha workers to Rs 1000 per month in addition to incentives provided.
• It decided to give subsidised ration at Dharamshala to the inmates of Tibetan Children Villages.
• It decided to give an annual increment to Primary Assistant Teachers on the lines of regular Junior Basic Teachers.
• It approved an annual scholarship of Rs 5000 for girls studying in graduate-level and equivalent courses from BPL families under the 'Beti Hai Anmol Yojna'.
• It approved the creation of 50 posts of Medical Officers in Family Welfare Department and Health on contract basis.
• It decided to establish a state-of-the-art Industrial training Institute at Baldhar in Nagrota Bagwan of Kangra district.
• A policy to sponsor in-service General Duty Officers in health department in difficult, hard and tribal areas of the State was approved by the Cabinet.
• It approved the filling of various posts and creation in various state departments such as Health,Agriculture Department, Forest Department, Panchayati Raj department and Sports Department.
• It has also given approval to open new Ayurvedic Health Center (AHC) at various locations in the state.

First-ever National Conference on under-nutrition hosted by - WCD Ministry

The Ministry of Women and Child Development hosted the first ever National Conference in New Delhi on 19th September 2017 on Mission Mode to address Under-Nutrition in the country. The WCD Ministry organised this conference in collaboration with Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, keeping in mind the goal of “Malnutrition Free India-2022”.
The main reason behind holding the conference was to give complete attention on the issue of under-nutrition and for this purpose only, the WCD ministry  has identified 113 most backward districts across the country based on the composite index of NITI Ayong and prevalence of stunting from NFHS-4 data.
This composed list has included at least one district from each State or Union Territory so that the action taken in the selected district can be followed in other districts also.

More about the National Conference

• The conference mainly aims to sensitize the District-level officers on a large number of topics related to mal-nutrition and wasting and the key strategic interventions which are urgently required.
• The District Magistrates, Collectors and Deputy Commissioners in these 113 backward districts will be required to monitor regularly and review the schemes implementation having a direct bearing on nutrition and Health in departments within their jurisdiction at least once in a three-month period.
• The review process would be conducted in an exclusive and dedicated manner four times a year, between 1st to 10th of January, April, July and October in total.
• Other than spreading awareness on under-nutrition, the event also saw conferral of awards to three states which are Chattisgarh, Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh, to show good progress in the areas to reduce in stunting as measured between NFHS-3 and NFHS-4.
• Some of the important sessions at the conference included the sustainable solution through breast feeding, the food fortification efficacy, dietary diversification, improving maternal & child health through ‘Mission Indradhanush’, improving accelerating Real-Time Monitoring and program delivery effectiveness.