TNPSC Current affairs April 2017 05 for group 1 & group 2 mains(All)

TNPSC Current Affairs April 2017

1.Union Cabinet approves Collaboration Agreement to support the Belmont Forum Secretariat

The Union Cabinet has given its nod for signing of the collaborative agreement with French National research Agency (ANR) for supporting the Belmont Forum secretariat which is based in France. As per agreement the support is from January 2015 to December 2017 at cost of Euro 40,000 and also continued financial support further 2017

About Belmont Forum:

• The Belmont Forum is a group of world’s major and emerging funders of global environment change research which is created in 2009.
• It aims to accelerate the delivery of the international environmental research priorities for the society, by way of trans-national research collaboration between natural and social scientist and alignment of international resources,
• The members are Austria, Australia, Brazil, China, the European Commission, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Qatar, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the USA.
• For coordination the activities of the Belmont, a Secretariat is hosted by one of the Member on rotational basis. ANR France is hosting the Secretariat from Jan 2015 to Dec 2017.
• All the expense of hosting will be borne by member countries.

2.Cabinet approves various MoU’s between India and Bangladesh

Union cabinet has approved the various MoU’s between India and Bangladesh on Wednesday, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Memorandum of Understanding:

• The MoU on Audio Visual Co-Production India and Bangladesh.
• MoU on Cooperation in the field of Mass Media between India and Bangladesh.
• MoU on passenger cruise services on the coastal and protocol routes between both countries for starting regular movement of passengers and tourists in water crafts.
• MoU in the field of judicial sector cooperation which aimed at developing, promoting and strengthening mutual cooperation between the judiciaries of both the countries.
• MoU for fairway development of Ashuganj-Zakiganj stretch of Kushiyara river and Sirajganj-Daikhawa stretch of Jamuna river by undertaking necessary dredging jointly by both the countries.

  

3. Backward Commission likely to get Constitutional Status.

The New bill to get constitutional status to the Backward classes commission has been introduced in lokh Sabha by Union Government. The bill was introduced as 123^rd amendment bill of constitution by social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot. Previously Backward Classes Commissionhas only statutory powers.

This amendment will insert new article 338B in Constitution and new clause 26C under Article 366 will define the term “ socially and Educationally backward clasess”.

About Amendment: 

• The New Amendment will create National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes ( NSEBC as) under new article 338B in constitution.
• It will replace current National Commission for Backward classes act, 1993 and its rules framed under the act.
• It will insert provision to provide parliament’s approval for every inclusion into and exclusion from the central list of other backward classes under article 341,342 viz 342A.
• It also define the term “Socially and Educationally Backward classes”  inserting new clause (26C) under Article 366
• It will dissolute the commission constituted under act 1993 and will compose new commission “National commission for socially and Educationally Backward classes, with a chairperson, vice chairperson and 3 other members.

4. Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Australia on cooperation in Health and Medicine.

Union cabinet has approved the MoU between India and Australia on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Areas of Cooperation:

• Cooperation on Communicable diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis  
• Cooperation on Mental Health and Non-Communicable Diseases; 
• Cooperation on Anti-Microbial Resistance and responding to public health emergencies; 
• Cooperation on Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical devices; 
• Cooperation on Digital Health; 
• Cooperation on Tobacco Control; 
• and any other area of cooperation decided mutually between the both India and Australia.