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- ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill Introduced in Lok Sabha; PM Inaugurates 24 Projects Worth Rs 46,300 Crore
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Environmentalist and Padmashree awardee Tulsi Gowda passed away. Google appointed Preeti Lobana as the new country manager of India. Meanwhile, NSA Ajit Doval will visit China today.
Information about some major current affairs, which are important for students preparing for government jobs…
NATIONAL
1. ‘One Country, One Election Bill’ introduced in Lok Sabha: During the winter session of Parliament, ‘One Country, One Election Amendment Bill 2024’ was introduced on the table of Lok Sabha today i.e. on 17th December. This is the 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill. To introduce the bill, electronic voting was first conducted. 269 votes were cast in its favor and 198 against it.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has introduced this bill.
- The Union Cabinet had approved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill on December 12.
- A panel was formed on 2 September 2023 under the chairmanship of former President Ramnath Kovind to consider ‘One Nation One Election’.
- The panel had submitted its report to President Draupadi Murmu on March 14, 2024, after discussions with all parties and experts and 191 days of research.
- In September 2024, the Central Government had approved the recommendations of the High Level Committee formed for ‘One Nation, One Election’, in which it was proposed to hold Lok Sabha, State Assembly and local body elections simultaneously in a phased manner.
- According to the recommendations, the first bill will amend Article 82A of the Constitution to allow simultaneous expiry of the tenure of the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies.
- According to the committee report, the tenure of many state assemblies will be reduced to implement ‘one country-one election’.
- In states where assembly elections are held by the end of 2023, their tenure can be extended.
- Apart from this, Meghwal also introduced a bill to amend three laws related to Union Territories.
- This includes ‘The Government of Union Territories Act- 1963’, ‘The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi- 1991’ and ‘The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act- 2019’.
- Through this, amendments can also be made to give full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
2. PM Modi inaugurates PKC-ERCP: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 17 inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 24 projects worth more than Rs 46,300 crore related to power, water, roads and railways in Rajasthan. Of these, 16 are central government and 8 state government projects. Besides this, he also inaugurated the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal East Rajasthan Canal Project (PKC-ERCP). This is expected to end the decades-long water crisis in 21 districts of Rajasthan.
PM Modi had attended the ‘Ek Varsh-Parinaam Utkarsh’ program organized in Dadiya, Jaipur to commemorate the completion of one year of Bhajan Lal government.
- During this, MoU was signed between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh regarding PKC-ERCP.
- In January 2024, the name of East Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) was changed to PKC-ERCP i.e. Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal East Rajasthan Canal Project. The PKC-ERCP covers the Chambal and its tributaries Parvati, Kalisindh, Kuno, Banas, Banganga, Ruparel, Gambhiri and Mej.
- Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is a river-interlinking project.
- The objective of this project is to send excess water of Parvati, Kalisindh and Newaj rivers to Chambal river.
- It will supply drinking water, irrigation and industrial water in 21 districts of Rajasthan. This will affect Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Gangapur City, Karauli, Dholpur, Bharatpur, Deeg, Dausa, Alwar, Khairthal-Tijara, Jaipur, Jaipur Rural, Kotputli-Behror, Ajmer, Beawar, Kekri, Tonk and Dudu districts. Will get water.
- This is expected to reduce the water crisis in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
- Under the project, about 158 dams, ponds and other water sources will be filled.
- 600 million cubic meter water reserve will be kept in Rajasthan Canal Project.
International
3. NSA Ajit Doval will visit China: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will visit China today i.e. on 17th December. As India’s Special Representative (SR) on the India-China border dispute, he will hold his 23rd meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on December 18. Wang Yi is a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Foreign Minister of China.
Earlier, the Special Representatives (SR) talks were held in New Delhi five years ago in December 2019.
- The SR mechanism, formed in 2003 regarding the dispute over the India-China border spanning 3,488 kilometers, has met 22 times in the last few years.
- Indian PM Modi held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024. This was the first bilateral conversation between Modi and Jinping after the Galwan clash between India and China in 2020.
- This is the first time after 2019 that a senior Indian official or leader will visit China. Earlier, Foreign Minister Jaishankar had visited China in August 2019.
Appointment
4. Google appointed Preeti Lobana as the new country manager of India: American tech giant ‘Google’ has appointed Preeti Lobana as the new country manager and vice president for India. She will replace Google’s former country manager Sanjay Gupta. Gupta recently took charge as chairman of Google’s Asia-Pacific region.
As Country Manager, Preeti Lobana will now take charge of the sales and operations of Google India.
- Lobana has worked as the Vice President of Google’s gTech team.
- He has more than 30 years of experience in the technology and financial industries.
- In her new role, Preeti Lobana will work together with Roma Dutta Chaubey.
- Roma Dutta Choubey led the company as interim country manager.
- Roma will now continue her work as Managing Director, Digital Native Industries, Google India.
DEATH
5. Environmentalist Padmashree Tulsi Gowda passed away: Eminent environmentalist and Padmashree awardee Tulsi Gowda passed away on 16 December. She was 86 years old. Tulsi was a resident of Karnataka. He was awarded the country’s fourth highest civilian award Padma Shri in the year 2021 for his contribution to environmental protection. She went barefoot to receive this award.
Tulsi Gowda was also famous as Forest Encyclopedia.
- Tulsi Gowda has planted more than 30,000 saplings in his life. These plants also include many species of herbs.
- Tulsi Gowda is known as ‘Mother of Trees’ due to her love and dedication towards trees.
- Tulsi Gowda had detailed information and knowledge about plants. That is why Tulsi Gowda is called ‘Forest Encyclopedia’.
- Tulsi Gowda was born in Honnali village in Ankola taluk of Karnataka. She comes from the Halaki tribe.
- Tulsi Gowda was a temporary volunteer in the Forest Department for 30 years.
- Due to her dedication to nature conservation, she was later offered a permanent job and retired from the department at the age of 70.
AGREEMENT
6. Gati Shakti University and Indian Navy signed MoU: Gati Shakti University, Vadodara signed an MoU with the Indian Navy in New Delhi on 16 December. The purpose of this agreement is to increase education, research and training related to logistics for the Indian Navy.
Vice Admiral Deepak Kapoor (left), Logistics Controller of the Indian Navy and Vice Chancellor of Gati Shakti University, Prof. Manoj Chaudhary (right) signed the MoU.
- Through this cooperation, the logistics infrastructure of the Indian Navy will be improved.
- In this the focus will be on supply chain management, multimodal transportation and logistics.
- Under this agreement, expertise and case studies will be exchanged in sectors such as AI applications and blockchain technology. This will improve the logistics work.
- Certain officers of the Indian Navy will have the opportunity to pursue academic degrees at Gati Shakti University, with management development programs designed for them.
TODAY’S HISTORY
History of 17 December: On this day in 1903, the Wright Brothers’ plane flew for the first time. These two brothers were Wilbur and Orville Wright, who flew an airplane for the first time. The plane had created history by flying at a height of 120 feet for 12 seconds. Earlier he had worked in printing presses, motor shops and other places. He invented the airplane by combining bicycle parts.
In the year 1908, the Wright Brothers received recognition for the invention of the airplane.
- Mahatma Gandhi suspended the Satyagraha movement in 1940.
- In 1933, cricketer Lala Amarnath scored a century in the second innings of his debut Test match.
- In 1927, Sir Don Bradman of Australia scored a century in the first match of first class cricket.
- Ugyen Wangchuck became the first king of Bhutan in 1907.
- In 1902, Italy’s famous inventor Marconi created the first radio station.
- In 1803, the East India Company captured Odisha.
- France recognized American independence in 1777.
- In 1715, Banda Bahadur Bairagi, the chief of the Sikhs, laid down arms before the Mughals in Gurudaspur.
- Noorjahan Begum, wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir, died in 1645.
- In 1556, the famous poet Rahim of Emperor Akbar’s court was born.
- Mongol emperor Taimurlung captured Delhi in 1398.
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