Government to observe Former PM A B Vajpayee’s birthday as National Good Governance Day

Government will observe national ‘Good Governance Day’ on the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee i.e. 25^th December each year. It was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting held New Delhi. On this day all BJP MPs and government officials will make the day symbolic of good governance.

Copper and brass crafts of Punjab’s ‘Thatheras’ on UNESCO heritage list

The traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab is being inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2014.
It was announced at UNESCO’s 9th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage in Paris, France.

Key facts about Thatheras

• The craft of the Thatheras constitutes the traditional techniques of manufacturing brass, copper and kansa (an alloy of copper, zinc and tin) utensils.
• They have a unique ethnic and historical identity with an oral tradition that underpins their skill.
• The name of the community – ‘Thatheras’ is identical with the name of the element.
• These craft utensils of Thatheras have both utilitarian and ritualistic value.
• The tradition of using the metals is recommended by the ancient Indian school of medicine, Ayurveda.
• Skills of the Thatheras have been orally transmitted from one generation to other generations.
• During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1883) – the great 19^th Century Sikh Monarch, the Thatheras crafts colony was established in Jandiala Guru, Punjab. Thus, Jandiala Guru became an area of repute due to the skill of the Thatheras.

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is made up of those intangible heritage elements that help demonstrate the diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance.
It encourages dialogues between communities worldwide that practice traditional metal craftsmanship to manufacture handcrafted products that are both useful and beautiful.

Bollywood Veteran comedian Deven Verma passes away

Veteran Bollywood actor, comedian and filmmaker Deven Verma, passed away in Pune, Maharashtra. He was 77.
About Deven Verma

• He was born and brought up in Pune.
• In his four decades of film career he has worked around 149 films. He had also worked in Marathi and Bhojpuri films.
• He is well known for his comic roles in films such as Angoor, Golmaal, Rang Birangi, Chori Mera Kaam and Chor Ke Ghar Chor among others.
• Among the new films in which he acted were ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Ishq’, ‘Kya Kehna’, ‘Salaakhein’, ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’ and ‘Hulchul’. His last Hindi film was ‘Calcutta Mail’ that released in 2003.
• A graduate in politics and sociology, Varma studied at Pune’s Nowrosjee Wadia College for Arts and Science between 1953 and 1957.
• He has won three Filmfare awards

1. 1976- Chori Mera Kaam.
2. 1979- Chor Ke Ghar Chor.
3. 1983- Angoor.

• Films produced by him are- Dana Paani, Chatpati, Besharam , Nadaan, Yakeen.
• Films directed by him are- Dana Paani, Besharam, Bada Kabutar, Nadaan.

Centre appoints Anil Kumar Sinha as new CBI Director

The Centre has appointed senior IPS officer Anil Kumar Sinha as the new Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He will take over from Ranjit Sinha who will retire 3^rd December 2014.
His name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Appointments Committee had shortlisted Anil Sinha’s name from names of about 40 officers shortlisted by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Earlier Prime Minister Narendra had consulted Selection committee headed by him to clear Sinha’s name.  Selection committee’s collegium comprised of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India HL Dattu and the leader of the largest Opposition party (Congress) – Mallikarjun Kharge.
The term of Anil Sinha will be for two years from the date he takes charge.

About Anil Kumar Sinha

• He is a 1979 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.
• Before appointment as Director of CBI, he was serving as a Special Director in CBI.
• Before joining CBI, he was posted as additional secretary in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). He has also served as DIG and IG in Special Protection Group, New Delhi.
• In Bihar, he has held various senior positions including ADG (law and order) and ADG (vigilance) before moving to the Centre.
• He was awarded the police medal for meritorious service in 2000 and the President’s police medal for distinguished service in 2006.

Former Maharashtra CM and Congress veteran AR Antulay passes away

Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and a veteran Congressman, Abdul Rahman Antulay, passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 85.
About AR Antulay

• Abdul Rahman Antulay, widely known as AR Antulay.
• He was 8^th and first and only Muslim Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 1980 to 1982.
• He had resigned from his CM post following allegations of corruption scandal which was named as the “Cement scandal”. He was convicted in an extortion case by the Bombay High Court.
• As a veteran Congressman and lawyer remained loyal to Indira Gandhi during the Emergency and its aftermath when the Congress party split in 1978. The new outfit of Congress under leadership Indira Gandhi was born at his residence.
• He also served as the Union Minister of Minority Affairs in the UPA-I government lead by Dr. Manmohan Singh.
• He was elected as Congress party MLA and MP, from Raigad district of Maharashtra.
• He had fought his last election in 2009, which he lost to the Shiv Sena, after which he remained out of the active politics.

Cement scandal:  After becoming the chief minister, A R Antulay was embroiled in the cement scandal.  He was accused of forcing builders to contribute, albeit through cheques, to the Indira Gandhi Pratibha Pratishtan, a trust he had set up, allegedly in exchange for quotas for cement which was then a controlled commodity.

 in Current Affairs : December 2014, Persons in News

India successfully test fired Nuclear-Capable Agni IV missile

India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable strategic ballistic missile Agni-IV, from a test range located at Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast.
Test: The missile was supported by a mobile launcher. It was flight tested from the launch complex-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR). The test was conducted by the specially formed Strategic Force Command (SFC) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
This test was the fourth trial of Agni-IV missile. The last trial was carried out successfully on 20^th January 2014 from the same test range.

Key facts

• Agni-IV is sophisticated surface-to-surface missile is equipped with modern and compact avionics to provide high level of reliability.
• It has a strike range of about 4000 km.
• It is equipped with state of the art Avionics, 5^th generation On Board Computer and distributed architecture. It has the latest features to correct and guide itself for in-flight disturbances.
• It is integrated with Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and supported by highly reliable redundant Micro Navigation System (MINGS), which ensures that missile hits the target within two digit accuracy.

At present India has arsenal of Agni-I, II and III and Prithvi missiles with strike reach of over 3000 km, giving an effective deterrence capability.

Cabinet gives nod to Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014

The Union cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given nod to for introduction of the comprehensive Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014 in the Parliament. The Cabinet has also given its approval to ratify Beijing Protocol, 2010 of the UN body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to which India is a signatory.
Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014 proposes

• Death punishment for the offence of the hijacking, where such offence results in the death of a hostage or of a security personal.
• Imprisonment for life and the confiscation of moveable and immoveable property d of persons involved in hijacking.

The current law, the Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982, which was last amended in 1994, will be repealed after passage of this new Bill.

Background

It was felt necessary for providing death penalty award to perpetrators of the act of hijacking in the wake of the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 in December 1999.
It was also necessary to amend current Indian hijacking act after the incident of 9/11, in the US where aircraft were used as weapons.
The Anti-Hijacking (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August 2010. It was introduced during the process of amendment of a global diplomatic conference on anti-hijacking which was held at Beijing in August-September, 2010.
Beijing Protocol: This Protocol has brought out new principal offences in hijacking. This protocol is combined with ancillary offences, enlarged the scope of ‘hijacking’, expanded jurisdiction and strengthened extradition and mutual assistance regimes in case hijacking.