20-APRIL-2015 CURRENT AFFAIRS
CKerala government launches Subodham project to end liquor, drug abuse
Kerala government has launched Subodham, a major campaign in a bid to wean people away from addiction to liquor, drug and other substance abuse. It was launched by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Art of Living Foundation founder Sri Sri Ravishankar.
About Subodham project
Subodham project aims to free one lakh people in the state each year from alcohol addiction, through systematic, comprehensive awareness campaigns. It also aims to achieve the ambitious target of making the state totally alcohol free over the next 10 years. The project is supported by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs), religious leaders and other stake holders are also participating in the project. Under this project, state government also has decided to introduce anti-drug and alcohol awareness content in the curriculum from the academic year 2016. The Subodham project is envisaged by the state excise department and will be implemented by a high-level committee comprising experts from various fields. This project is also state government’s first step towards ‘Punarjani 2030 Project’, an initiative to completely eradicate the menace of substance abuse.
>> Three Indian race walkers qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics
Three Indian race walkers Khushbir Kaur, Manish Rawat and Sandeep Kumar have qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics. In the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Race Walking Challenge held at Rio Maiorin Portugal, National women’s 20km walk record holder Khushbir Kaur clocked 1 hour 33 minute and 58 seconds below the Rio Oympic qualification time of 1 hour and 35 minutes. In the men’s 20km race walk event Manish Rawat and Sandeep Kumar qualified for Rio Games. In this event, Manish Rawat logged his personal best performance with a timing of 1 hour 22 minutes and Sandeep Kumar clocked 1 hour 23 minute and 32 seconds. Both of them performed above the Rio Oympic qualification time of 1 hour and 24 minutes.
>> President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates centenary celebration of Patna High Court
The centenary celebration of Patna High Court was inaugurated on 18 April 2015 by President Pranab Mukherjee. He also released a commemorative postage stamp on this occasion to mark HC’s glorious judicial history. Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was in the chair and Chief Justice of India (CJI) H.L. Dattu was guest of the honour on this occasion. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Law Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also had attended the function. Facts about Patna High Court On 1 December 1913, then Viceroy of India, Lord Charles Hardine had laid the foundation stone of the existing Patna High Court building. On 3 February 1916, the building was formally opened by Lord Hardine. The court had started functioning with a chief justice and 6 judges under the provisions of Government of India Act 1915. At present it has sanctioned strength of 43 judges. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President and Sachchidanand Sinha, first president of the constituent assembly also had practised at this court. 3 Chief Justices from Patna High Court went on to become the Chief Justice of India (CJI). They are Justice B.P. Sinha (6th CJI), Justice Lalit Mohan Sharma (24th CJI) and Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha (41st CJI).
