Current Affairs November 19, 2015

Government approved setting up of a National Resource Facility for Bio-medical Research (NARF)

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved setting up of a National Resource Facility for Bio-medical Research (NARF) at Genome Valley in Hyderabad, Telangana.

NARF will be set up by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR).

Important Points

>NARF will be the first of its kind institution for quality laboratory animals for basic and applied biomedical research in the country.

>It will be a world-class facility for breeding and housing of animals for testing of various R&D products. It will breed and house animals such as primates, cabines and other specialized models such as knockout and transgenic rodents.

>The facility will develop, create and provide access to a range of laboratory animals along with related technological resources for advancement of biomedical research in the country.

>It will mainly facilitate research and development in medical colleges, universities, research and academic institutions and Biotech and Pharma companies.

>It will also provide training facilities in specialized areas specially in the field of biomedical research.

>It has been estimated that project would cost around 338.58 crores rupees and will be functional by year 2018-19.

>Telangana state Government has already allotted 102.69 acres of land for this project free of cost.

Justice T S Thakur appointed as Chief Justice of India (CJI)

Justice Tirath Singh Thakur has been appointed as Chief Justice of India (CJI), his tenure from 3^rd December to January 3, 2017.

Justice Thakur has headed the apex court Bench that ordered the overhaul of the cricket administration in the country in the wake of allegations of betting and fixing in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. He also instituted an inquiry against IPL players, owners and officials who had faced such charges.

Justice Thakur is the second senior most judge of the SC, next only to CJI Dattu. He took over as Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority in October 2014 and was conferred with Doctor of Laws by Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow, on October 31, 2015.

As a lawyer, he practised laws governing civil, criminal, constitutional, taxation and service matters.

Union Cabinet cleared major infrastructure projects

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared major infrastructure projects, including schemes, which were either stalled or discontinued in the year 2013-14. 

Highlights:

Approves revised cost estimate for construction of rail-cum-road bridge across Ganga at Munger; Rs 2,700 crore sanctioned for the project.

Approves issue of IPO of Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Approves sale of 10 per cent stake in Coal India Ltd.

Approves doubling of 189-km Kottavalasa-Koraput railway line.

Approves doubling of 110.22-km Jagdalpur– Koraput railway line.

Approves biomedical research facility at a cost of over Rs 338.58 crore.

Hikes relief to migrants from hilly areas of Jammu on par with Kashmiri Pandits. Now, monetary assistance will be Rs 2,500, up from Rs 400.

Approves 3,000 jobs for Kashmiri Pandits, along with 6,000 houses for them.

Major railway projects cleared for eastern states at a cost of Rs 7,500 crore.

Brings in WTO-compliant scheme for sugarcane-growing farmers to help boost production and export of sugar.

Cabinet sets March 2017 deadline to complete computerized system to interconnect police stations and prosecution agencies.

Amitabh Bachchan joined hand to spread awareness on viral hepatitis

Supersar Amitabh Bachchan has joined the government’s bid to spread awareness on viral hepatitis which is acquiring epidemic proportions in the country.

WHO estimates India’s national prevalence of HBV (hepatitis B) virus at 4 % of the population and of HCV (hepatitis C) at 1.2 %. These viruses spread through infected blood and can hide in the body for years before showing signs of damage as in Bachchan’s case.