8th January, 2022 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL

ECI withdraws appointment of Actor Sonu Sood as state icon for Punjab

Election Commission of India (ECI) has withdrawn the appointment of Actor Sonu Sood as a state icon for Punjab.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr S Karuna Raju confirmed that ECI has withdrawn the appointment of Actor Sonu Sood as a state icon of Punjab on 4th January, 2021.

NHRC expresses concerns over living conditions of slum dwellers

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has expressed concerns over the living conditions of slum dwellers in Mumbai.
Acting on a complaint in this regard, the Commission has issued notices to Government of Maharashtra and Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to seek their responses in the matter.
Government of Maharashtra in its response, through its Chief Secretary has said that several efforts have been made and schemes formulated to provide dwelling units to the slum dwellers for Economically Weaker Sections with the State and Central assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna, Urban. Shortage of funds has been cited as a constraint.
The Centre on its part responded that out of 2.24 lakh houses in Maharashtra, 2 lakh were sanctioned for Mumbai alone, out of which 58,225 have been grounded.
The Commission has also sought a comprehensive report on this matter from the Secretary, Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry within a four weeks time. Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, vide its communication dated 3rd December, 2021, submitted that the land and colonization are State subjects.
The Centre is augmenting the efforts of the State to meet the housing needs of economically weaker sections in urban areas through Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna, Urban.

Centre reviews preparedness status of Entire spectrum of oxygen infrastructure

The Centre has reviewed the preparedness status of the Entire spectrum of oxygen infrastructure including PSA Plants, Oxygen Concentrators and Oxygen Cylinders and Ventilators with States and Union Territories.
Union Health Secretary chaired a high-level meeting in this regard for timely and effective management of the COVID19 pandemic through a Video Conference.
Underlining the challenge posed by increasing number of COVID cases across the country with the focus on Omicron, Union Health Secretary emphasized that it is the primary and critical responsibility of States and UTs to ensure all oxygen equipment, till the field level at all health facilities is tested and kept in a functional state to meet any emergent situation.
States and UTs were urged to ensure full and optimal utilization of Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package- Phase-II funds through daily reviews. Under it, funds are also made available for installing Liquid Medical Oxygen tanks and Medical Gas Pipeline Systems.
Mr Bhushan also urged the concerned States to commission PSA plants being set up under state’s own funds and CSR funds on a war-footing through daily reviews.
States were also asked to ensure that mock drill of the PSA plants are carried out to ensure that oxygen flow at the patient bedside adheres to adequate purity, recommended outlet pressure with no leakages. During the meeting, States were exhorted to also monitor installation of PSA plants in private hospital facilities and Medical College Hospitals.
Union Health Secretary also emphasized that States need to ensure that the delivered ventilators are quickly installed and commissioned at the designated field health facilities.
It was also pointed out that the Union Health Ministry has started the National Oxygen Stewardship Program from 22nd December last year and States need to ensure that Technical Training of the operators is completed across the country. More than 1600 candidates joined the said training programme covering 738 districts.
States were also urged to buffer stock details of drugs with Government hospitals as well as with Medical Colleges on the Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System portal.

INTERNATIONAL

India, China to hold Corps Commander-level talks next week after gap of 3 months

India and China will hold Corps Commander-level talks next week after a gap of three months.
The 14th round of the talks to resolve the 21-month-long standoff in eastern Ladakh will take place on January 12. According to reports, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta will lead the Indian delegation at the talks.
Mr Sengupta, who took over as commander of the Leh-based XIV Corps from Lt Gen PGK Menon, was also part of the previous round of talks, during which the Indian delegation was led by Lt General Menon. The latest round of talks comes on the heels of a series of incidents that include China’s move to announce its own names for more than 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh.

Zimbabwe President declares date for long-delayed by-elections

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared that 28 parliamentary by-elections postponed in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic will now be held on 26th of March.
The state electoral body told the media agencies that local government by-elections would also be held on the same day as numerous seats have become vacant.
These by-elections are seen as an early test for general elections scheduled for mid-2023. Previous national elections have been marred by allegations of violence and electoral fraud. Critics had accused the government of using the Covid pandemic to thwart democracy.
Most had belonged to the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, led by Nelson Chamisa.
But dozens of his allies have been expelled from parliament, and more than 100 MDC councellors were recalled in 2020 after the Supreme Court declared that Mr. Chamisa was not the party’s legitimate leader following a legal wrangle with a splinter group.
Opposition parties have long alleged that the ruling Zanu-PF party rigs elections - which it denies.
They have called for various reforms, including an overhaul of the electoral body, equitable access to the media and for Zimbabweans living abroad to be allowed to vote.

SPORTS

Naomi Osaka withdraws from WTA tournament in Melbourne due to injury

Defending Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from her semifinal match at a WTA tournament in Melbourne with an abdominal injury, allowing her opponent Veronika Kudermetova to advance to the final on a walkover.
In a statement Osaka said she had a lot of fun playing here in Melbourne. Unfortunately, she had an abdominal injury for which she needs rest and prepare for the Australian Open.
Kudermetova will face second-seeded Simona Halep, who beat Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2 in the other semifinal in the Summer Set 1 event.
Earlier, American Amanda Anisimova advanced to her first final since 2019 with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Daria Kasatkina in the WTA's Summer Set 2 event today at Rod Laver Arena. The Australian Open begins on Jan. 17.

Sports Ministry’s MOC approves inclusion of Alpine Skiing athlete Md Arif Khan in Target Olympic Podium Scheme Core group, until Winter Olympics

Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), has approved the inclusion of Alpine Skiing athlete Md Arif Khan in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Core group, until the Winter Olympics, scheduled this February in Beijing, China.
Mr. Khan will take part in the Winter Olympics in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events.
He has also been approved an amount of 17 lakh 46 thousand rupees under TOPS towards training in Europe and procurement of equipment, ahead of the grand event in China.
The MOC approved the European training camp for Khan for a total of 35 days, which started since his qualification for the Winter Olympics. He won the quota in giant slalom in a competition in Montenegro in December last year.

Published date : 08 Jan 2022 05:24PM