22 March 2016 Current Affairs
8th BRICS Summit To Be Held In Goa
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on 22 March announced that India will host the 8th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit from 15 October to 16 October 2016 in Goa. India will host the summit in its capacity as chair of the influential bloc comprising five countries with 42% of the world population and combined GDP of over 16 trillion US dollars. India assumed chairmanship of BRICS from Russia on 15 February 2016 and it will last till 31 December 2016. The minister also unveiled a logo and a website of the Summit in New Delhi. The logo for the Summit is a lotus having colours from all the five member countries and a traditional Namaste in the centre. The theme of India’s BRICS Chairmanship is Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions.
76 Million In India Lack Access To Safe Water
According to the WaterAid report titled ‘Water: At what cost? The State of the World’s Water’, India has the highest number of 76 million–people in the world without access to safe water supply, followed by China and Nigeria. The report placed India on the top of 10 countries in the world with the greatest numbers of people living without access to safe water, followed by China and Nigeria.
India, France sign MoU for construction of six nuclear reactors at Jaitapur
India and France have signed an MoU for the construction of six nuclear reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra.The pact was signed between Electricite de France (EDF – French public utility) and National Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) at the end of two day meeting held in Mumbai on March 22. This cooperation roadmap was finalised during the official state Visit of French President Francois Hollande to India in January 2016. EDF is France’s public electricity producer and supplier. It has been designated by the French government for taking over AREVA NP and shall supply equipment to for Jaitapur nuclear park. About Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project It is a 9900 MW power project proposed by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) at Madban village of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra. On completion, it will become the largest nuclear power generating station in the world by net electrical power rating.
Justice HL Dattu appointed as member of International coordinating Committee Bureau of NHRC
Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and former Chief Justice of India HL Dattu was appointed a member of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) Bureau in Geneva on 22 March 2016. NHRC, India will now be representing Asia-Pacific Region along with Mongolia, Qatar and Australia.No other National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) from the Asia Pacific region nominated a candidate against Dattu to fill the position of a member vacated by the representative of NHRI of South-Korea. The International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) is a global network of NHRIs administrative bodies set up to promote, protect and monitor human rights in a given country. The ICC coordinates the relationship between NHRIs and the United Nations human rights system.
Aung San Suu Kyi Nominated To Myanmar’s Cabinet
Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been nominated to become a member of the cabinet Myanmar’s president-elect, Htin Kyaw. The Nobel Peace Prize-winner’s name was on a list of proposed ministers announced on 22 March by the speaker of parliament. The list has Aung San Suu Kyi’s name next to four posts — minister of the president’s office, foreign affairs, energy and education.
Indian Wells Tournament Director Resigns
Raymond Moore has on 22 March resigned as tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells following a tide of outrage for his controversial comments on women’s tennis.
President Conferred Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards
The President and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces Pranab Mukherjee on 22 March conferred Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards at a solemn ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. He awarded 16 Param Vashishta Seva Medals, two Kirti Chakras, three Uttam Seva medals, 24 Ati Vishishta Seva medals and 11 Shaurya Chakras. Among the winners of the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime decoration, is Sepoy Jagdish Chandra of Defence Security Corps, killed while fighting the attackers of the Pathankot air base. Subedar Mahendra Singh of Parachute Regiment was also awarded Kirti Chakra for his role in an anti-terrorist operation in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.The list of Shaurya Chakra – the third highest peacetime award – awardees includes two Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel – Head Constable Mohd. Shafi Sheikh, and Constable Reyaz Ahmad Lone – but both posthumously. The recipients also include Colonel M.N. Rai from Gorkha regiment who died fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in January 2015, and Commander Mohan Milind Mokashi, commanding officer of INS Sumitra, who played a pivotal role in evacuating Indian nationals from Yemen under ‘Operation Rahat’.