Important Days

Important Days 

National Consumer Day or Bhartiya Grahak Diwas – December 24

• The Day is annually observed across India on December 24 to create awareness about consumer rights and responsibilities.
• The day also aims to commemorate the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 (Received President’s Assent on 24th December 1986)
• The day is also known as National Consumer Rights Day.
• Observed for the first time on 24th December 1986.
• Theme for 2022 – “Fair Digital Finance.”

About the Consumer Protection Act, 2019

• The Consumer Protection Bill of 2019, was passed by Parliament in 2019.
• It replaced the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
• Rights of the consumers recognised under the Act are

• Right to information
• Right to protection against goods and services that can be dangerous to life and property.
• Right to be protected from unfair or restrictive trade practices.
• Right to access a variety of goods and services at competitive prices.
• Right to redressal.

Good Governance Day or Sushasan Divas – December 25

• The day is being celebrated on December 25 to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee since 2014
• The day aims to create awareness amongst the citizenry, especially young people, who are the future of the country.
• Good Governance Day acts as a reminder to the government that it should be unbiased, transparent and development-oriented.

History

• On 23 December 2014, former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) were announced as recipients of India’s highest civilian award for merit, the Bharat Ratna, by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.
• The Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 established the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister as Good Governance Day.

About Atal Bihari Vajpayee (25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018)

• He was an Indian politician and statesman who served three terms as the 10th Prime Minister of India.

• First for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004.

Political Career

• He began his political career as a freedom fighter and took part in the Quit India movement of 1942.
• He, along with Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat founded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980 and was appointed its first president.

Achievements

• • Conferred with the Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to the country in 1992.

• The Kanpur University honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in 1993.
• In 1994, he was recognized as the best Parliamentarian.
• Conferred the Lokmanya Tilak Puruskar in 1994.
• In 2015, Vajpayee was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

Profile of States 

Maternity Leave to Pregnant Students

• In a first in Kerala, the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) in Kerala has decided to grant maternity leave of 60 days to UG and PG students of 18 years and above 
• The move will help the girl students continue their studies without any interruptions.
• According to the university, maternity leave can be taken before or after delivery, but will be granted only for the first or second pregnancy and only once during the duration of a course.

Sports and Games

French football player Blaise Matuidi retired

• Former France midfielder Blaise Matuidi has announced his retirement from professional football. 
• Matuidi won the World Cup with France in 2018 and has spent the last two years of his career at Inter Miami 
• Mattudi has played 84 times for France and scored 9 goals.

Cultural Panorama 

16th century Vijayanagara inscription near Tirupattur

• • Vijayanagara inscription belonging to 16th century AD has been found near Tirupattur.
  • The inscription has been found at Annandapatti near Tirupattur in the field study conducted by K. Mohan Gandhi, professor of Tamil Department of Sacred Heart College, and ‘Kani Nilam’ M. Munisamy.
  • The inscription is engraved in 22 lines on the front side and 13 lines on the back side on a 3 feet high slab stone.
  • This inscription was written during the reign of Vijayanagara king Venkatapati Deva Raya who ruled in the 16th century.  
  • This inscription is written in a mix of both Tamil and Grantha script.

• This inscription glorifies Venkatapati Raya as Maha Mandaleshwaran and Rajathi Raja Raja Parameswaran.

• This inscription mentions Tiruppettroor (Tirupathur) in Ail Nadu.  Here Thiru means wealth.
• Currently Tirupattur is a separate district.  Tirupattur has been a prosperous town for the last 500 years.
• There were 79 countries in Thondai Nadu.  Ail Nadu is one of them.