15 July – Current Affairs

15 July – Current Affairs

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) :

Ø The Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries recently told the Parliament that it has advised NDDB to “extend the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005 to its subsidiary companies including NDDB Dairy Services.”

Ø Type: An Institution of National Importance set up by an Act of Parliament of India.

Ø History: It was founded by Dr. Verghese Kurien in 1965.

Ø Headquarters: Anand, Gujarat.

Ø NDDB's subsidiaries include: IDMC Limited-Anand, Mother Dairy, Delhi, NDDB Dairy Services, Delhi and Indian Immunologicals Ltd, Hyderabad.

World Youth Skill Day :

Ø The fourth anniversary of the Skill India Mission is being observed on July 15, 2019 o the occassion of World Youth Skills Day.

Ø The United Nations, at its General Assembly in November 2014, declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day. 

Ø Traditionally organized by the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Sri Lanka, together with UNESCO, ILO and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, this year the UN’s observance of the WYSD will shed light on the “mechanisms needed to operationalize lifelong learning”. 

Skill India mission? 

Ø National Skill Development Mission also known as Skill India Mission was launched on this day in 2015. 

Ø Nearly One Crore youth are being presently imparted skills training annually under the mission. 

Ø The mission also envisages convergence, coordination and harmonization of the fragmented skilling efforts of various Ministries in Government of India and other key stakeholders through the instruments of Common norms, implementation of National Skills Qualification Framework and data integrations through the Skill India Portal. 

Kartarpur Sahib :

Ø Pakistan has agreed to give year-long visa-free access for Indian pilgrims to the holy Gurdwara of Kartarpur Sahib. The agreement was reached at the second formal meeting held at Wagah.

Ø It was agreed to allow visa-free travel for the Indian passport-holders and OCI card-holders seven days a week. 

Ø Throughout the year, 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara per day.

Ø The pilgrims will be allowed to travel as individuals or in groups and also on foot. 

Ø There will be provision for a permit system for the pilgrims travelling through the religious corridor.

Ø India also urged Pakistan to allow ‘Nagar Kirtan’ from Delhi to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan in July and during October-November 2019 as part of the celebrations to mark the birth of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. 

Kartarpur Sahib? 

Ø Location: Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is located at Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district. It stands on the bank of the River Ravi, about 120 km northeast of Lahore. The shrine is visible from the Indian side. 

Ø Significance: It was here that the First Sikh Guru (Nanak Dev) assembled a Sikh community and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539. It is the final resting place of Guru Nanak. 

Ø Background: The gurdwara was opened to pilgrims after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee paid a visit to Pakistan in 1999. Since then Sikh Pilgrims are visiting the shrine regularly. 

Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) :

Ø The Ministry of Shipping informed parliament that it is planning to safeguard the population of the Ganges River Dolphin in the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) by restricting the speeds of vessels and blowing sirens and horns.

Ø The Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS), from Sultanganj to Kahalganj on the Ganga in Bihar is the only dolphin sanctuary in the country. Experts have pegged the population of the Ganges dolphin in VGDS from 150 to 200. 

Ø National Waterway-1 connecting Haldia to Varanasi passes through the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS). 

Ø Measures being taken by the Ministry of Shipping to safeguard the population of the Ganges River Dolphin in the VGDS: 

o   Vessel speed would be restricted to 2.7 knots in VGDS area to reduce the noise generation from propeller. 

o   lf any aquatic mammal/dolphin is spotted, then the measures will be taken to push it away through sirens/signals. 

o   Vessels to be fitted with propeller guards and dolphin deflectors to minimise dolphin accidents. 

o   Using non-toxic paints for painting vessels. 

Ø The mitigation measures are based on Comprehensive Environmental and Social lmpact Assessment (ESIA) study on National Waterway-I including on stretches falling within VGDS.