Current Affairs 29th December 2015

Important Points :

• Who has been appointed as the CEO of NITI Aayog - Amitabh Kant
• Who has been appointed as CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ - Karan Adani
• Who has gave clearance for four greenfield airports - Civil Aviation Ministry
• Which Oscar-winning cinematographer has passed away - Haskell Wexler
• Which state has won the maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy - Gujarat
• Name the geostationary satellite launched by China - Gaofen-4 

Details : 

Who has been appointed as the CEO of NITI Aayog - Amitabh Kant

Among the important appointments, On 28th December 2015, Amitabh Kant was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At present, he is currently serving as Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). He is an IAS officer of 1980 Batch of Kerala Cadre. 

Do You Know : 

On 1st January 2015, the National Institution for Transforming India Aayog (NITI Aayog) was formed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a Government of India policy think-tank to replace the Planning Commission.

Who has been appointed as CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ - Karan Adani

Among the important appointments, On 28th December 2015, Gautam Adani’s son Karan Adani was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ).

About Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ)

• It is the India’s largest private multi-port operator and a part of the Adani Group.

Currently, eight ports are operated by the company in India:

• Adani Petronet (Dahej) Port Pvt. Ltd.
• Adani  Dhamra Port
• Mundra Ports
• Adani Hazira Port Pvt. Ltd.
• Adani Murmugao Port Pvt. Ltd. (Goa)
• Adani Vizag Coal Terminal Pvt. Ltd. In Vishakhapatnam
• Adani Kandla Bulk Terminal Pvt. Ltd. 
• Adani Ennore Port

Who has gave clearance for four greenfield airports - Civil Aviation Ministry

On 28th December 2015, clearance for four greenfield airports was given by the Civil Aviation Ministry among which one is international airport at Dholera, Gujarat and other are located in Andhra Pradesh.

For the development of a greenfield airport in Nellore and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh the Ministry has also given its green signal under a public-private partnership.

Do You Know :

• The meaning of the Greenfield Airport is a new airport which is built from scratch in a new location due to the unavailablity of the projected requirements of traffic on the existing airport.
• Brownfield projects are the projects which are modified or upgraded from existing facilities.

Which Oscar-winning cinematographer has passed away - Haskell Wexler

On 27th December 2015, Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler passed away in California, US at the age of 93. 

He is famous for his work in films like American Graffiti and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

About Haskell Wexler 

• He had won Academy award for his documentary work on the Emmy-winning Paul Jacobs and the Nuclear Gang and Interviews with My Lai Veterans.
• In 1966 he won the Oscar award for his film Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? and Bound for Glory in 1976. 
• In the year 1996, he became the first cinematographer to receive star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Which state has won the maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy - Gujarat

Among the important Sports Current Affairs, On 28th December 2015, the Vijay Hazare Cricket Trophy was won by Gujarat for the first time by defeating Delhi by 139 runs in the finals.

This was the 14th session of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

About Vijay Hazare Trophy

It is also known as the Ranji One Day Trophy started in 2002–03 as a limited-overs cricket domestic competition involving state teams.

Name the geostationary satellite launched by China - Gaofen-4 

Among the important International Current Affairs, On 29th December 2015, Gaofen-4 Earth observation satellite was launched by China toward a geostationary orbit aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre.

Highlights of the Gaofen-4

• It will offer optical spatial resolution of better than 50 metres and infrared sensing capabilities from geostationary orbit. 
• It can see an oil tanker on the sea with a huge CMOS camera, reaching the best imaging level among global high-orbit remote sensing satellites. 
• It is designed to operate for eight years at an altitude of almost 36000 km above the Earth.
• It will be used for disaster prevention and relief, surveillance of geological disasters and forest disasters, and meteorologic forecast.