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General Awareness

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2016

Dec 2016

Dec 06, 2019

No Subsidised Food in House Canteens

  • The much-debated food subsidy in Parliament canteens is set to be abolished from the budget session of Parliament next year after Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla got full backing of party leaders on this issue. The MPs will be given food cards linked to their bank accounts, which can be swiped at canteens to pay bills.
  • The subsidy in Parliament canteens, run by the Northern Railways, came up during a meeting of party leaders chaired by Birla.

No Pension for Govt. Staff Who Resign

  • An employee becomes ineligible for pension under the Central Civil Services Pension Rules (CCS Pension Rules) when he resigns because he forfeits his past service, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled.
  • The apex court made a distinction between voluntary retirement and resignation which impacts pensionary benefits under the Rules while deciding a case relating to resignation of an employee of BSES Yamuna Power Limited.
  • The CCS Pension Rules apply to government servants including civilian government servants in the Defence Services appointed before December 31, 2003.
  • As per the rules, an employee forfeits his past service upon resignation, consequently disentitling him to pension. However, an employee who has completed 20 years of service can voluntarily retire from service, which will enable him to avail of pensionary benefits.

Mumbai Court Declares Nirav Modi a Fugitive Economic Offender

  • A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court declared diamantaire Nirav Modi, who is wanted in connection with a $2 billion fraud at Punjab National Bank (PNB), a fugitive economic offender (FEO), empowering investigators to start seizing his assets in India, the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates.
  • Special judge for PMLA cases, V. C. Barde, declared Modi an FEO on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate, which investigates money laundering offences. Under the FEO Act, which came into force in August 2018, a person can be declared a fugitive economic offender if a warrant has been issued against him or her for an offence involving Rs. 100 crore or more, and he or she has left the country and refuses to return to face the law.

Ajit Pawar Gets Clean Chit

  • Maharashtra's anti-corruption bureau (ACB) cleared Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar of allegations in connection with an irrigation scam in the state, according to an affidavit filed in the High Court last month.
  • The affidavit was filed in Bombay high court in November, in the middle of a tug-of-war for power between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a coalition of opposition parties including Pawar's NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena.

Northeast Chief Ministers Soften Stand on CAB

  • Most of the Chief Ministers of the Northeast have softened their stands on the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), set to be introduced in Parliament soon. This is a departure from their earlier stands, when they unequivocally opposed the legislation granting Indian citizenship to undocumented individuals from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians.

Dec 05, 2019

Delhi Govt. to Start Wi-Fi Hot Spots in City

  • Delhi Chief Minister announced his government would launch free Wi-Fi hot spots across Delhi from December 16, 2019. While the first 100 hot spots will be launched on December 16, 500 more will be added every week.
  • Providing free Wi-Fi was a key poll promise in AAP's manifesto ahead of the 2015 assembly elections.

Modi Govt. Set to Extend Reservation For SC/ST And Anglo-Indians

  • The Narendra Modi-led government is set to renew the reservation provided to the marginalised communities like Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Anglo-Indians in the Parliament and the state legislatures. The government is likely to further amend Article 334 of the Constitution which proposes to extend the reservation for these marginalised sections for another ten years.
  • The Centre is preparing the Bill to extend the 10 year period of reservation provided to the marginalised communities. The need for an extension of the law was felt as the current reservation provision will end on January 26, 2020, and the government wants to get the approval of the Parliament ahead of the deadline. This move is expected to have massive ramifications on the nation's political landscape. The step will be significant as the BJP is often portrayed as the party against reservation.

N-E Groups Divided over Exemption of Areas under ILP and Sixth Schedule

  • The Centre's move to exempt states with inner line permit (ILP) regime and areas under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution from the purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 evoked a mixed response.
  • Civil society groups in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh said that they will continue to protest against the divisive provisions, while an influential Mizo group said that they have no further concerns about the proposed law.
  • Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and most of Nagaland barring Dimapur are protected by an ILP regime -- under which non-locals need permission to visit these areas -- while certain areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura are protected under the Sixth Schedule, which applies to tribal-dominated autonomous regions.

Dec 04, 2019

President of India Paid Homage to Dr Rajendra Prasad on his Birth Anniversary

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, paid homage to Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (December 3, 2019). The President as well as officers and staff of the President's Secretariat, paid floral tributes before a portrait of Dr Rajendra Prasad in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

India inaugurated its Gandhi-themed pavilion at COP 25

  • New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) India Pavilion of the theme ''150 years of Mahatma Gandhi'' was inaugurated at the 25th session of Conference of Parties under the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC COP25) in Madrid.
  • Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra, who inaugurated the pavilion, said the theme was chosen to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi this year and spread his teachings of simple and sustainable living.
  • "The India Pavilion was designed to depict this theme, in particular Mahatma Gandhi''s life and messages around sustainable living," Mishra was quoted as saying in a press note issued by the ministry.
  • The Indian pavilion has a conceptual model of Gandhi Ji''s ashram, where his philosophy of minimising wants and living with simplicity is espoused.
  • "The pavilion also depicts the present and traces the arc into the future of the country, where Government of India is implementing ambitious solutions to deal with the issue of climate change, inspired by the teachings of the Mahatma, and our cultural underpinnings based on the principles of sustainable consumption and production.

ECI to roll out Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System

 The Election Commission of India reviewed the system and process of registration of political parties, is going to roll out Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System (PPRTMS) through an online portal. The registration of Political Parties is governed through the provisions of section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The move comes to facilitate tracking of status of application by applicants.
The new guidelines that have been hosted on the official website of the commission, i.e. https://eci.gov.in., will be put to force from 1st January, 2020.
The Political Parties Registration Tracking Management System, will help the applicant (who is applying for party registration from 1st January, 2020 onwards) to be able to track the progress of his/her application. They will be shared the status update through SMS and e-mail. 

Power ministry unveiled norms for allocating coal linkage to plants without PPAs

  • Power plants not having power purchase agreements (PPAs) will start getting coal supplies or linkages under auctions from Coal India LtdNSE -1.61 % and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd in few months, which would help reduce stress in the sector.
  • According to methodology issued in this regard by the Union power ministry, Coal India Ltd (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) will earmark coal mines for supply to such power plants and auctions would be done every would be done every quarter.
  • Earlier, PPA was a pre-requisite for getting coal linkage. But, the government relaxed the norms under SHAKTI, or the Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India, policy this year in March.

President of India Paid Homage to Dr Rajendra Prasad on his Birth Anniversary

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, paid homage to Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (December 3, 2019). The President as well as officers and staff of the President's Secretariat, paid floral tributes before a portrait of Dr Rajendra Prasad in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Government launched drive on fundamental duties

  • The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a yearlong programme to make citizens aware of their fundamental duties. Activities such as online quizzes, competitions, essay competitions and preamble pledge signing contest will be organised to educate them about their constitutional responsibilities.
  • The emphasis on "duties" is part of the yearlong celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Constitution Day that was celebrated on November 26. DOJ, a part of Union Ministry of Law and Justice, has outlined which duties should be handled by each ministry and asked them to prepare a calendar of activities.

Himachal Pradesh approved to sell Yamuna water

  • The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet  approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to sell Yamuna water from the State's share at Tajewala corridor.
  • The State government would earn ₹21 crore per annum from the sale of water.
  • In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, the State cabinet gave its consent to signing of the MoU to sell the Yamuna water from the State's share at Tajewala corridor.
  • He, however, did not provide details of whom the water would be sold to and with whom this MoU would be signed.
  • The Cabinet also decided to fill up 3,636 posts of teachers of Junior Basic Training (JBT), Classical and Vernacular (C&V) and Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT) categories in the elementary education department.

Dec 03, 2019

India and Sweden Resolve to Expand Overall Ties

  • Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf held extensive talks with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand overall bilateral cooperation in diverse areas including in trade and investment, innovation and culture.
  • The two sides inked three pacts providing for cooperation in polar science, innovation and research and in maritime spheres.

TN Rural Civic Polls

  • According to the Election Commission, the long-awaited elections to rural local bodies in Tamil Nadu will be held in two phases on December 27 and 30, 2019.
  • The model code of conduct comes into force immediately in local bodies that go to elections and the poll notification will be issued on December 6.
  • The nominations can be filed from December 6 to December 13 and the scrutiny will be taken up on December 16. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is December 18. The counting of votes will be taken up on January 2.

Chief of Defence Staff to Come under RTI Act; NSA-led Panel Submits Report

  • A high-level committee headed by NSA Ajit Doval to finalise responsibilities and enabling framework for the proposed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has submitted its report to the government.
  • The government is likely make an announcement to appoint the CDS who will be the single-point military adviser to the government as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999.
  • Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in the Rajya Sabha that the CDS would come under the ambit of the Right to Information Act.
  • In a landmark military reform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 announced that India will have the CDS as head of the tri-services.
  • Official sources said the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force have already recommended to the defence ministry names of their senior-most commanders for the top position.
  • The main task of the CDS will be to ensure jointmanship among the three services which will include powers to work on setting up of few theatre commands as well as to allocate military assets among the services to synergise their operations.

Govt. Launches Drive on Fundamental Duties

  • The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a yearlong programme to make citizens aware of their fundamental duties. Activities such as online quizzes, competitions, essay competitions and preamble pledge signing contest will be organised to educate them about their constitutional responsibilities.
  • The emphasis on "duties" is part of the yearlong celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Constitution Day that was celebrated on November 26. DOJ, a part of Union Ministry of Law and Justice, outlined which duties should be handled by each ministry and asked them to prepare a calendar of activities.
  • Each ministry has been asked to undertake the task to hold workshops, seminars or competitions for educating the public about the duties. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) too has been involved in the drive. The department will place the preamble to the Constitution at all its national monuments so that the tourists get to read it. The preamble can be referred to as the preface, which highlights the entire Constitution.

Dec 02, 2019

Nana Patole Elected as Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

  • Senior Congress MLA Nana Patole was elected speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly.
  • Pro-tem speaker Dilip Walse Patil made the announcement after BJP candidate Kisan Kathore withdrew his nomination.
  • Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and some senior MLAs then escorted Patole to the Speaker's chair.
  • Thackeray and BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis lauded Patole's work as legislator and farmers' leader.
  • Patole succeeded Haribhau Bagade of the BJP, who was speaker during 2014-2019 when Fadnavis was the CM.

Bar Council Panel Recommends De-recognition of 25 Law Colleges

  • A Bar Council of India (BCI) panel recommended de-recognition of 25 law colleges after it found that they were enrolling students without proper teaching staff in violation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
  • The panel found that the colleges were not paying their faculty members as per the UGC norms, which has also led to their understaffing.
  • The Bar Council of India, which is the regulator for legal education in the country, also directed all law colleges to transfer salaries to their teachers electronically to stop the practice of underpaying them.
  • Private colleges account for 75% of 1,500 law colleges across the country.

India, Japan ask Pakistan to take Concrete Action against Terror Infrastructure

  • In their inaugural foreign and defence ministerial dialogue, India and Japan voiced serious concern over the threat posed to regional peace and security by terror networks operating from Pakistan and asked it to take "resolute and irreversible" action to contain terrorism.
  • The two countries, under the new framework of two-plus-two dialogue, discussed a raft of strategic issues including the latest developments in the disputed South China Sea, evolving security scenario in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to boost bilateral cooperation in co-development of military hardware, officials said.
  • Acknowledging the emerging security challenges, the two sides specifically decided to further expand maritime security ties and expressed satisfaction over the progress made in the negotiations for the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) which would allow the two countries to use each other's military logistics.
  • While deliberating on security challenges facing the region and beyond, the two countries specifically referred to the threat posed by terrorist networks operating out of Pakistan and asked it to "fully comply" with its international commitments to deal with terrorism including implementing the steps mandated by Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global anti-terror watchdog.

Solution to Naga Political Issue Likely Soon

  • Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio greeted people on the occasion of the 57th Statehood Day, contending that the long-awaited solution to the vexed Naga political issue might be in sight.
  • Addressing people at Khouchiezie (Kohima local ground), where the India Reserve Battalion had organised a programme on the occasion, he said that negotiations between Naga Political Groups and the Centre have concluded and people of the state were set to witness history very soon.
  • Maintaining that agriculture continued to be the main occupation of the Nagas, he said that the government had been promoting organic farming in the state as it would double the income of the famers.

India Becomes 1st Country to Make Entire Haj Process Digital

  • India became the first country to make the entire process for pilgrims going on Haj completely digital, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi after signing the bilateral agreement for next year's pilgrimage with the Saudi Haj Minister in Jeddah.
  • An online application, e-visa, Haj mobile app, "e-MASIHA" health facility, "e-luggage pre-tagging" providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation and transportation in Mecca and Madina will be provided to 2 lakh Indian Muslims going for Haj in 2020.
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