Important Current Affairs 17th May 2016

Handwara: Girl wants FIR against SP

• The 16-year-old girl whose alleged molestation by an Armyman had sparked violence in Handwara, demanded the registration of a case against the accused soldier as well as the Handwara SP.
• The issue had raised huge protests in the area, leading to the death of five civilians in police and Army firing.
• The alleged molestation took place on April 12.

Green pigment on Taj: NGT issues notice

• A petition filed by environmental activist D K Joshi has drawn NGT’s attention to stagnation of water in Yamuna, which has led to breeding of Geoldichironomus, an insect that causes water pollution.
• NGT has issued notices to Ministry of Environment, UP govt., UPPCB and the State EIA Authority.
• It has sought their responses on the steps being taken to curtail the adverse impact on the Taj Mahal.

Crackdown on ads that objectify women

• MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has asked government departments to prepare a plan of action within 10 days to stop portrayal of women as commodities in advertisements.
• ‘Dignity of women’ was one of the 51 points in the ‘Simhastha Declaration’ released by PM Modi at Ujjain during the valedictory session of the Antarrashtriya Vichar Mahakumbh.

Law on civil fines for Green violations

• Environment minister Prakash Javdekar has said that a law on civil penalties for green violations is near finalisation, which will help make implementation of green laws better.
• The minister also said that the government would deploy greater use of technology to implement new emission standards for industries and the updated regulations for waste management.

Monetary Policy Panel by Sep this year

• Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das has said that the government is planning to set up a Monetary Policy Committee in the first half of FY17.
• He said that the government is also hoping to move two legislative initiatives in the monsoon session of Parliament, one to deal with bankruptcy of financial firms and the other for dispute resolution of public-private partnership (PPP).

Political Parties join Anti-NEET voices

• Major political parties on Monday came out in favor of deferring implementation of Supreme Court-ordered National Eligibility cum Entrance Test(NEET) as the sole medical and dental entrance test.
• After meetings with State Health Ministers, the govt said it was in favor of implementing NEET but it has to take on board the issues raised by States on holding a common gateway test from this year.

Gujarat CM faces exit

• Party leadership is exploring various options to replace CM Anandiben Patel, who will be completing two years on May 22.
• A prominent factor cited for the proposed reshuffle is the protracted agitation by the Patel community, seeking quota in education and jobs.
• Allegations of the “growing influence of her children in the government” are also said to have worked against the Chief Minister.

Sushil Kumar takes fight to High Court

• Kumar has moved the Delhi High Court, seeking a trial against Narsingh to decide who among them gets to represent the country at the Rio Olympics.
• Kumar had not been able to participate in the 2015 world championships as he was unwell. Yadav had represented India and secured the berth for Olympics.
• The Olympics has 18 wrestling events, out of which India has secured berths to participate in 8.

Cheap power for industry : Piyush Goyal

• Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal has said that a model of cheap power at fixed long-term rates for industry has been prepared.
• He also said that this will not end cross-subsidisation for agriculture demand.
• It is anticipated that private investment in the energy sector would come in transmission, mining development and operations in coal and in renewables resulting in revenue generation for Govt.

MCD By-Election: BJP loses ground to AAP

• The Congress has won four of the 13 seats in the MCD or Municipal Corporation of Delhi for which by-elections were held on Sunday.
• AAP, making its civic poll debut, won five seats.
• The BJP, which dominates the 272-member civic body, has been left with only three of the seats that voted to fill vacancies after councilors contested and won the state election.