Current Affairs 23rd December 2017

Current Affairs 23rd December 2017 - Important Points

• Sasikala summoned in Jayalalithaa death probe by - Tamil Nadu government
• Union Government to launch Ganga Gram project on - 23rd December 2017
• Indian Coast Guard Commissions Sixth 105m Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Sujay’ on - 21st December 2017

Current Affairs 23rd December 2017 - Details

Sasikala summoned in Jayalalithaa death probe by - Tamil Nadu government

The Arumughaswamy Commission, established by the Tamil Nadu government to investigate the demise of previous Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, on Friday released summoned her former assistant VK Sasikala.
Sasikala is presently serving a 4-year jail in Bengaluru's Parapana Agrahara jail after being guilty in the disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court. The panel, which is led by retired judge A  Arumughaswamy, has provided Sasikala with 15 days to reply to the issued summons.
It is yet to be finalized if Sasikala will appear in person or via a video conference.
Sasikala had been Amma's best friend for more than thirty years. In year 2011, Sasikala and  her Mannargudi family had been stroked out by Jayalalithaa.
However, after few years, Sasikala arranged a return with her sister Jayalalithaa. At a time when there is intense guesswork even after 1 year of the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's death on various issues relating to her illness and her treatment, Sasikala was the one who passed much of the time with her.

Union Government to launch Ganga Gram project on - 23rd December 2017

The Union Government is going to formally launch the Ganga Gram plan at the Ganga Gram Swachata Sammelan in New Delhi on 23rd December 2017. The plan, which is a part of the government’s clean Ganga objective- Namami Gange, is a united approach towards the village's holistic development  situated on the banks of Ganga with the active participation of villagers.
The event will be organized by Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Uma Bharti. It will be addressed by Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Nitin Gadkari and Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Did you know?

• In August 2017, the Union government had announced all 4,470 villages on the banks of the Ganges, situated in Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, as open defecation-free.
• Of these villages, the Centre and the state governments have recognized 24 villages to be taken up under a pilot project to convert them into 'Ganga Grams.
  Key Objective
• The project forecasts solid and liquid waste management, restoration of ponds and water resources, organic farming, horticulture, water conservation projects and promotion of medicinal plants.
• The recognized villages will set the benchmark for cleanliness and joint efforts of development and will be changed into Ganga Grams by 31st December 2017.

Indian Coast Guard Commissions Sixth 105m Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Sujay’ on - 21st December 2017

The Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Sujay’, the 6th in the series of six 105m Offshore Patrol Vessel was appointed into service in Goa on 21st December 2017.
The appointment was done by the Director General of Indian Coast Guard, Rajendra Singh in the presence of senior officials from Coast Guard, CMD Goa Shipyard Limited and other senior officials of the Central and State Government. The ship is located at Paradip, Odisha under the operational and administrative control of Commander Coast Guard Region (North-East).
Key Features-

• The 105 meters OPV has been fabricated and constructed indigenously by Goa Shipyard Ltd and is equipped with state-of- the-art navigation and communication apparatus, sensors and machineries.
• Its special features include 30mm CRN 91 Naval Gun, Integrated Bridge System, Power Management System, Integrated Machinery Control System and High Power External Fire Fighting System.
• The ship is planned to carry 1 twin engine Light Helicopter and 5 high speed boats including 2 Quick Reaction Inflatable Boats for swift boarding performances, law enforcement, search and rescue and maritime patrol.
• The ship is also efficient of carrying pollution response apparatus to handle oil spill at sea.

Importance

• The ship’s name ‘Sujay’ means ‘Great Victory’, which is a prediction of the Indian Coast Guard’s will and promise “to serve and protect” the maritime interest of the country.
• The appointment of the ship will strengthen the Indian Coast Guard’s operational capability to destroy the diverse maritime tasks.
• It will also help strengthen up the maritime protection of our huge coastline of Eastern Seaboard in general and the maritime state of Odisha and West Bengal.