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NATIONAL AFFAIRS - November 2019

Nov 2019

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.

Dec 01, 2019

Lokpal Paying Rs. 50 lakh every Month in Rent

  •  In the absence of a permanent office in the national capital, the country's apex anti-corruption body, Lokpal, set up to look into complaints against public servants, pays a monthly rent of Rs. 50 lakh to government-owned Hotel Ashoka for the office space it occupies in the five-star luxury hotel.
  • A reply under the Right to Information Act, disclosed that "Lokpal is provisionally operating from the Ashoka Hotel. Total monthly rent is around Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 3 crore 85 lakh has been paid till now ( from March 22, 2019 to October 31, 2019) for rent fixed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT).
  • In March this year, former judge of the Supreme Court, PC Ghose, was appointed by the government as India's first Lokpal. Besides him, the government also appointed four judicial and four non-judicial members to all the nine posts in the office of Lokpal. Since then, the office of the Lokpal has been functioning from the second floor in Ashoka Hotel and has 12 rooms for its office space.

Uddhav Wins Trust Vote

  •  The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra won the trust vote in the state Assembly amid a ruckus and walkout by the opposition BJP. Of the 288 members in the Assembly, 169 members voted in favour of the government while four abstained. The 105 BJP MLAs walked out during voting with former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accusing the government of violating rules while convening the Assembly session.
  • Two MLAs from the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), and one legislator each from the CPI-M and the MNS abstained. Pro Tem Speaker Dilip Walse Patil carried out a headcount. In his speech shortly before the walkout, Fadnavis said the session was not being held as per the constitutional norms. He hit out at the government for replacing Kalidas Kolambkar with Dilip Walse Patil as Pro Tem Speaker. 
  • Never in the history of India has Pro Tem Speaker ever been changed. Why was this done? Never in the history of the Maharashtra Assembly was a trust vote conducted without the Speaker getting elected first. 

State Orders Idol Wing Special Officer to Hand over All Records

  •  The Tamil Nadu government issued an order asking A.G. Ponn Manickavel, Special Officer, Idol Wing CID and retired Inspector General of Police(IG) to hand over all records/ details pertaining to cases and work done by him and by the special investigation team, to the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of the special wing.
  • On the date of his retirement last year, the Madras High Court reappointed Mr. Manickavel, former Inspector General(IG) of Police, as a special officer for a period of one year to conduct a probe after being impressed with his work during his tenure as IG. His appointment was challenged by the State government in the Supreme Court. The apex court also confirmed his appointment as special officer.
  • The State government has moved Supreme Court opposing the reappointment of Mr. Manickavel since his one-year extension term ends Saturday. The government also asked the Court to order the special officer to hand over all records. It is learnt that the Supreme Court has adjourned the case to December 2.

Northeastern States to be Shielded from Citizenship Law Impact

  •  Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured civil society and political representatives from the northeastern States that tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, and States protected by the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system — Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland — would be shielded from the impact of the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019.
  • The exemption will mean that undocumented non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who acquire Indian citizenship under the new law, will not be allowed to settle in these areas and States, but can do so in other parts of the country. Civil society groups and political representatives from the region met Mr. Shah in Delhi as part of a consultative process on the CAB, which is expected to be introduced in the ongoing Parliament session. Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Director, Intelligence Bureau Arvind Kumar were also part of the consultative process.
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