Current Affairs 21st May 2017

Current Affairs 21st May 2017 - Important Points

• Setting up of Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Assam approved by - CCEA
• Former FBI Director Robert Mueller named Special Counsel for - Russia Probe
• Electrified doubling line between Phephana-Indara and Mau-Shahganj in UP approved by - CCEA
• ICJ stays Kulbhushan Jadhav's execution till - Final order
• World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2017 observed on - 21st May 2017
• Manual titled Living conditions in Institutions for Children in conflict with Law released by - WCD Ministry
• New Coal Linkage Policy 2017 approved by - CCEA

Current Affairs 21st May 2017 - Details

Setting up of Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Assam approved by - CCEA

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave green signal to the setting up of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (lARI) on 17th May 2017. The Indian Agricultural Research Institute will be set up in Assam. The Department of Agriculture Research proposal and Education (DARE) under the scheme, the establishment of the "Indian Agricultural Research Institute (lARI)-Assam" seeks to set up the Institute on 587 acre of land provided by the Govt. of Assam.

More about Indian Agricultural Research Institute

• The lARI-Assam would be a Post-Graduate Institution of higher learning in Agricultural Education.   
• It will have the hallmark identity of an IARI including all sectors of agriculture like horticultural crops, agro-forestry,field crops,animal husbandry, and more.
• There will be an off-campus study center of the IARI in New Delhi.
• Integrated multi-disciplinary research would be undertaken in school mode i.e. Schools of Natural Resource Management, Crop Sciences, and Animal Sciences & Fisheries.
• IARI-Assam would work on the agrarian challenges and complexities of North Eastern India in tandem with all existing Union and State Government R&D Institutions and Private sector enterprises.
• It would undertake research, extension programs in its mission towards developing quality human resource, generation of farmer-friendly technologies to increase productivity, quality and profitability, promote agro-based industries and generate employment opportunities  for holistic and sustainable development of the agriculture sector in the North Eastern region.

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller named Special Counsel for - Russia Probe

Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),Robert Mueller was appointed as a special prosecutor to oversee the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. The appointment was announced by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein on 17th May 2017.

Key Highlights

• Robert Swan "Bob" Mueller III served as the sixth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 4th September 2001 to 4th September 2013.
• He was nominated for the FBI Director position by President George W. Bush on 5th July 2001.
• He served as an Acting Deputy Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice for several months, before officially becoming the FBI Director just one week before the September 11th attacks against the United States.
• On 4th September 2013, he was replaced by James Comey.
• The United States Government's intelligence agencies indicated towards Russian government’s interference in 2016 United States elections.
• U.S. intelligence community assessment expressed "high confidence" that Russia favoured Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in Jan 2017. It also stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered an "influence campaign" to disparage and harm Clinton's electoral chances and potential presidency.
• The report showed that Russia used disinformation, data thefts, and leaks to attempt to advantage Trump over Hillary Clinton. These conclusions were reaffirmed by the lead intelligence officials in the Trump administration in May 2017.
• On 7th October 2016, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly stated that Russia hacked the Democratic 
• National Committee (DNC) servers and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's personal email account and leaked their documents to WikiLeaks.
• In October 2016, former President Barack Obama used the red phone line to directly contact Putin and issue a warning to him regarding the cyber attacks. 
• Russian officials denied the involvement in any DNC hacks or leaks repeatedly.

 Electrified doubling line between Phephana-Indara and Mau-Shahganj in UP approved by - CCEA

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the construction of double line with electrification between Phephana-Indara and Mau-Shahganj (excluding Indara-Mau) in Uttar Pradesh (UP) on 17th May 2017. The electrified doubling line will spread across 150 km approximately.
• The length of the Phephana-Indara and Mau-Shahganj lines will be 50.53 km and 99.75 km respectively. 
• The estimated Project cost will be Rs 1028.95 crore with expected completion cost of Rs 1190.98 crore. The project is likely to be completed in next five years.
• The doubling of these lines will remove the pressure over the congested North Central Railway route by providing an alternative route.
•  It will also lead to economic prosperity and areas development.

 ICJ stays Kulbhushan Jadhav's execution till - Final order

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav till its final decision on 18th May 2017. Ruling in the favour of India, the Court asked Pakistan to keep it informed about the measures, including on consular access, taken by it in this regard.

Important Highlights

• Reading out the verdict at The Hague, Netherlands, ICJ President Ronny Abraham said that India has the right to consular access to Jadhav  under Vienna convention. He said the court considers that it has prima facie jurisdiction in the matter as there is a dispute between both the parties.
• After the order, the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the ICJ order has come as a great relief to the Kulbhushan Jadhav family and Indian people. 
• She also mentioned that the union government is grateful to Harish Salve for presenting India's case so effectively before ICJ.
• She assured the nation that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the government will leave no stone unturned to save Jadhav.
• The decision of the International Court of Justice was hailed by Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu.
•  He said that this decision is a major victory for India.
• In a tweet, Naidu said the World Court has upheld India's right to consular access and put a stay on death execution. He said justice has prevailed in this matter.

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2017 observed on - 21st May 2017

The 2017 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was observed across the world on 21st May 2017 with an aim to bridge the gap between different cultures.

Interesting Highlights

• The Day celebrates not only the richness of the world’s culture but also the important role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.
• The UN General Assembly in its resolution declared 21st May as the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development following UNESCO's adoption of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in 2001 in Dec 2002.
• This day aims to deepen the understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the four goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Diversity promotion of Cultural Expressions

Manual titled Living conditions in Institutions for Children in conflict with Law released by - WCD Ministry

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has relased a manual titled “Living conditions in Institutions for Children in conflict with Law”. The manual was prepared following the directions of the Supreme Court dated 5th February 2016 in the matter of Re-inhuman conditions in 1382 prisons, WP (C) 406 of 2013.

More about the Manual 

• The Manual has been framed within the scope of the influence of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016.
• The Manual puts in all aspects of the living conditions and other issues pertaining to children in conflict with the law who are in Observation Homes, Special Homes and Place of Safety one place.
• It also lays down the processes to be followed by all of the concerned stakeholders while providing services to children.
• The Manual shall enable all duty bearers in Observation Homes, Special Homes and Safety place to appreciate the importance of their roles and contribute positively and proactively in the children rehabilitation in conflict with law living in these institutions.

New Coal Linkage Policy 2017 approved by - CCEA

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved  the new Coal Allocation Policy for Power Sector 2017- SHAKTI (Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India on 17th May 2017. The cabinet approved signing of Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) with Letter of Assurance (LoA) holders of Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) for this purpose.

Coal linkages allocation for power sector will be based on auction of linkages or through Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) based on competitive bidding of tariffs except for the State and the Central Power Generating companies and the exceptions provided in Tariff Policy, 2016. The FSA ensures that all projects with linkages are supplied with coal as per their entitlement. This will ensure the coal supplyrights for FSA holders and signing of FSA with LoA holders. The coal allocation of linkages in future will be transparent and bidding based, barring some exceptions as per Tariff Policy. 

Highlights of SHAKTI

• Thermal Power Plants having LoA shall be eligible to sign FSA after ensuring that the plants are commissioned, respective milestones are met, all specified conditions of the LoA fulfilled within specified timeframe.
• TPPs, part of 78000 MW, that could not be commissioned by March 2015 shall now be eligible for coal drawal if the plants get commissioned before March 2022.
• Actual coal supplies to all TPPs will be to the extent of long term PPAs or medium term PPAs to be concluded in future.
• Future coal linkages shall be granted to Central and State Gencos on Ministry of Power recommendations or shall be granted on auction basis for Independent Power producers 
• (IPPs) with PPA based on domestic coal or on the basis of auction where bidding for linkage shall be done over the Notified Price of Coal Company. 
• Coal linkages will be earmarked to the states where any linkage quantity unutilized for two years will be considered lapse. 
• It attempts to make maximum allocation of the vital natural resource across the power units.