Current Affairs Topic-wise Strategy Contents

Current Affairs 1-132

1. National 1 zz AFSPA Removed From Meghalaya and Few Parts of Arunachal Pradesh 4 zz Walmiki and Malhar : Two ‹ Endangered Languages Discovered 1 ‹ Where AFSPA is in Force at Present? 4 ‹‹ What is AFSPA? 4 ‹‹ Important Points 1 ‹‹ What is a ‘Disturbed Area’ and How is ‹‹ North Dravidian Languages 1 an Area Declared as ‘Disturbed’? 4 ‹‹ Impact 1 ‹‹ Where AFSPA Can be Invoked? 5 ‹ ‹ Endangered Languages 1 ‹‹ Powers Conferred on the Armed Forces zz Government Appoints Panel to Under AFSPA 5 Review CSR Enforcement Under zz Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Companies Act 1 Naidu Rejected Impeachment ‹‹ Terms of Reference 1 Notice Against CJI Dipak Misra 5 ‹‹ Panel Members 2 ‹‹ Key Highlights 5 ‹‹ Background 2 ‹‹ Background 5 ‹ ‹‹ Corporate Social Responsibility 2 ‹ How is the CJI Removed? 5 ‹ zz HRD Ministry Constitutes Committee ‹ Impeachment Procedure 5 to Reduce the Fear of Maths zz Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Amongst Students 2 Launched 6 ‹‹ ‹‹ National Achievement Survey 2 Key Highlights of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan 6 ‹‹ Setting up of Kadiyam Srihari ‹ Committee to Strengthen the ‹ States and UTs Covered 6 ‹ Teacher’s in-service Training 2 ‹ Expenditure to be Incurred on Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan 6 zz India Formed Committee to Reform ‹ Higher Defence Planning 2 ‹ Significance 7 ‹‹ Background 7 ‹‹ Composition of the Committee 2 zz HRD Ministry Launched Second ‹‹ Functions of the Committee 2 Edition of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 7 ‹‹ Significance 3 ‹‹ Objective 7 ‹‹ Background 3 ‹‹ About Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 7 zz President Signed Ordinance to ‹‹ Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 7 Provide Death Penalty to Rapists zz PM Modi Launched Van Dhan Scheme of Girls Below 12 Years 3 to Help Increase Tribal Income 7 ‹‹ Key Features of the Ordinance 3 ‹‹ Key Highlights 8 ‹‹ Other Details 3 ‹‹ Van Dhan Vikas Kendra 8 ‹‹ Background 4 ‹‹ Significance 8 zz GOBAR-DHAN Scheme Launched ‹‹ Transformation of the Higher Under Swachh Bharat Mission to Education Set up is Guided Promote Wealth and Energy by the Following Principles: 15 From Waste 8 zz President Ram Nath Kovind ‹‹ GOBAR-DHAN Scheme 8 Launched Solar Charkha Mission 15 ‹‹ Impact 8 ‹‹ Solar Charkha Mission 15 ‹‹ How GOBAR-DHAN Scheme Will ‹‹ Sampark Portal 15 Impact the Swachh Bharat ‹‹ Indian Micro, Small and Medium Mission (Gramin)? 8 Enterprises Sector 15 ‹‹ Swachh Bharat Mission 9 zz Suresh Prabhu launched ‘ReUnite’ zz India Ranked 4th in Asia-Pacific on Mobile App 16 Power Index 9 ‹‹ Highlights of the App 16 ‹‹ How is the Index Measured? 9 ‹‹ Bachpan Bachao Andolan 16 ‹‹ Key Findings of the Report 9 ‹‹ Facts and Figures 16 ‹‹ India’s Score 9 zz Language Census 2011: Surge ‹‹ Conclusion 9 in Hindi and English Speakers; ‹‹ Ranks of Other Nations 9 Tribal Language Speakers Decline 16 zz Union Cabinet Approved National ‹‹ Key Highlights of the 2011 Census Policy on Biofuels 2018 10 Data on Language and Mother Tongue 16 ‹‹ National Policy on Biofuels 2018 10 ‹‹ Rise in Hindi Language Speakers 16 ‹‹ Benefits 10 ‹‹ Decline in South Indian Language zz Home Minister Commissioned Speakers 17 Anti-Naxal ‘Bastariya’ Battalion 10 ‹‹ Growth of Hindi Language Speakers ‹‹ Key Highlights 10 in South India 17 ‹‹ Deployment 11 ‹‹ Drop in Numbers of Urdu Speakers 17 ‹‹ Background 11 ‹‹ Bengali Retains its Position as 2nd zz Health Insurance to Now Cover Most Spoken Language 17 Mental Illness: IRDAI 11 ‹‹ Sharpest Language Divide in Assam 18 ‹‹ Provisions of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 11 ‹‹ Increase in English Language Speakers 18 zz Centre Allows Oxytocin Sale by ‹‹ Decline in Tribal Languages Speakers 18 Private Chemists 11 ‹‹ Language Census 18 ‹‹ About Oxytocin 12 zz Government launched Student zz India Launched its First National Police Cadet Programme 19 Healthcare Facility Registry 12 ‹‹ Objective 19 ‹‹ Significance 13 ‹‹ Key Highlights 19 ‹‹ E Sreedharan Committee to Lay Down ‹‹ Other Details 19 Standards for Metro Rail Systems 13 zz Government Launched Logo, ‹‹ Cooperative Federalism 14 Tagline For ‘Geographical ‹‹ Background 14 Indication’ Certified Products 19 zz Government Approved Draft Act to ‹‹ Significance 19 Replace UGC with Higher Education ‹‹ The Contest 20 Commission of India 14 zz PM Modi launched Ayushman ‹‹ Provisions of the Draft Act and the Bharat Yojana 20 Role of Higher Education Commission ‹‹ Hospital Empanelment 21 of India (HECI) 14 ‹‹ Remaining States 21 zz Cabinet Approved Provision of zz New Plant Species Fimbristylis Bail in Instant Triple Talaq Bill 21 Agasthyamalaensis Discovered in ‹‹ What is the concept of Triple Talaq Western Ghats 26 as per Islamic Law? 22 ‹‹ Critically Endangered Species 26 ‹‹ ‹‹ Islamic Countries Which Have Already Key Points 26 Banned the Practice of Triple Talaq 22 ‹‹ Different from Fimbristylis zz PM Narendra Modi Inaugurated Onchnidiocarpa 26 Inland Multi-Modal Terminal zz Chocolate Production May be Port in Varanasi 22 Harming Environment: Study 27 ‹‹ Study: Key Findings 27 ‹‹ Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) 22 ‹‹ Background 27 zz #MeToo Movement: Union Minister ‹ MJ Akbar Resigns From His Post ‹ Mountain Erosion can Release CO Back Into Atmosphere: Study 27 Over Sexual Harassment Charges 23 2 ‹‹ Study: Key Highlights 27 ‹‹ Reaction of NCW 23 zz Union Environment Ministry Notified ‹‹ #MeToo Movement in India 23 Plastic Waste Management zz Government Constituted GoM (Amendment) Rules, 2018 27 to Look Into Sexual Harassment ‹‹ Plastic Waste Management at Workplace 23 (Amendment) Rules, 2018 27 ‹‹ Objective 23 ‹‹ Background 27 ‹‹ Key Details 23 zz FAO Designated 14 New Sites as ‹‹ Background 24 Globally Important Agricultural zz PM Modi Unveiled World’s Tallest Heritage Systems 28 Statue ‘Statue of Unity’ 24 ‹‹ 14 New Agricultural Heritage Sites 28 ‹ ‹‹ Key Highlights 24 ‹ Globally Important Agricultural ‹‹ Other Details 24 Heritage Systems (GIAHS) 28 zz Union Environment Ministry ‹‹ Background 24 Released the Draft of National 2. Environment & Ecology 25 Clean Air Programme 28 ‹‹ Highlights of the National Clean zz Scientists Developed Sun Shield to Protect Great Barrier Reef 25 Air Programme 28 ‹‹ NCAP Details a Host of Measures to ‹‹ Key Points 25 Bring Down Air Pollution 28 ‹‹ Great Barrier Reef 25 zz Population of Critically zz Nepal Launched ‘Accessible’ Endangered River Dolphin Trekking Trail For Disabled, Elderly 25 Increased for First Time 28 ‹ ‹ Key Highlights 25 ‹‹ Significance 28 zz NASA to Build Quiet Supersonic ‹‹ Reasons for the Dolphin Population Manned Plane 25 Increase 29 ‹‹ Key Highlights 25 ‹‹ Background 29 ‹‹ Design of the Plane 26 zz Government Relaxed Protected, zz NASA’s Hubble Telescope Captured Restricted Area Permit Regime in the Most Distant Star Ever Seen 26 Selective Areas 29 ‹ ‹‹ How the Astronomers Were able to ‹ Objective 29 Spot this Distant Star? 26 ‹‹ What is a Protected Area? 29 ‹‹ Hubble Space Telescope 26 ‹‹ What is a Protected Area Permit (PAP)? 29 zz National Workshop for Creating zz Gaj Yatra Launched in Garo Hills Disaster Risk Reduction Database of Meghalaya 34 Begins in Delhi 29 ‹‹ Highlights of the Gaj Yatra 34 ‹‹ Objective 29 ‹‹ Gaj Yatra Campaign 34 ‹‹ Significance 29 zz NGT Directs Hill States to File ‹‹ Key Highlights 29 Report on Forest Fires 34 ‹‹ Background 30 zz Uttarakhand HC Banned zz India Begins First Organised Census to Commercial Use of Elephants Estimate Population of Indus Dolphin 30 in Tiger Reserve 35 ‹‹ Objective 30 ‹‹ Court’s Directions for Various ‹‹ Significance 30 Departments 35 ‹‹ Key Highlights 30 ‹‹ Ban on Elephant Joyrides 35 ‹‹ About Indus Dolphins 30 ‹‹ Court’s Directions Came on the PIL zz National Workshop for Creating Filed by Ramanagar-based NGO 35 Disaster Risk Reduction Database zz World’s First Thermal Battery Plant Concludes 30 Inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh 36 ‹‹ Objective 30 ‹‹ Key Highlights 36 ‹‹ Significance 30 ‹‹ Background 36 ‹‹ Key Highlights 31 zz National Green Tribunal Formed ‹‹ Background 31 Monitoring 36 zz India Develops Model to Forecast ‹‹ Committee to Clean Yamuna 36 Reach of Tsunami Waves 31 ‹‹ Composition of the Committee 37 ‹‹ Key Highlights 31 ‹‹ Key Highlights 37 ‹‹ Background 31 ‹‹ Other Details 37 zz UN Chief Antonio Guterres ‹‹ DJB on its Progress 37 Announces to Hold Climate ‹‹ Background 37 Summit in September 2019 32 zz Khangchendzonga Biosphere ‹‹ US Withdrawal From Paris Agreement Reserve Enters UNESCO List 37 on Climate Change 32 ‹‹ Key Highlights 37 zz Renewable Energy Ministry Issues zz IMD to Set up Cyclone Warning National Wind-solar Hybrid Policy 32 Centre in Thiruvananthapuram 38 ‹‹ Key Features of the Policy 32 ‹‹ Significance 38 ‹‹ Significance 33 ‹‹ Third C-B and Doppler Weather Radar zz Environment Ministry formed 19 to be Set up to Cover Northern Kerala 38 Teams to Undertake Cleaning ‹‹ Other Details 38 of Beaches, River Fronts 33 ‹‹ Background 38 ‹‹ Key Highlights 33 zz World’s Largest Iceberg Set to ‹‹ Cleaning Drive: Other Details 33 Disappear After 18-year-Long ‹‹ Background 33 Journey 38 zz Banned Ozone-destroying Chemical zz Green Climate Fund Approved Emissions on a Rise: Study 33 $1 Billion to Assist Poor Countries 39 ‹‹ Key Highlights 33 ‹‹ Key Highlights 39 ‹‹ The Study: Key Points 34 ‹‹ Background 39 zz NGT Set up Committee to Check zz National Pension System: Air Quality in Delhi-NCR 39 Government’s contribution ‹‹ Joint Committee Headed by the Delhi to NPS hiked to 14 per cent 44 Government’s Urban Development ‹‹ Changes Approved in the National Secretary 39 Pension System 44 ‹‹ Terms of Reference 40 ‹‹ When Will these Changes ‹‹ Plea Filed by Westend Green be Implemented? 45 Farms Society 40 ‹‹ Expenditure Involved 45 3. Economy 41 ‹‹ Number of Beneficiaries 45 ‹‹ Impact 45 z z RBI Board Meeting: Key Decisions 41 zz Government Decided to Set up a ‹‹ Some Undecided Issue 41 Domestic Gold Council in India 45 ‹ ‹ What Will be the Impacts of ‹‹ Why Gold Council? 45 These Decisions? 41 zz Allied and Healthcare Council zz Baba Kalyani Committee Submits of India to be Set up 45 Report on India’s SEZ Policy 42 ‹‹ Key Highlights 45 ‹ ‹ Key Highlights 42 ‹‹ Impact 46 ‹ ‹ Background 42 ‹‹ Background 46 zz Government appointed Akhilesh zz Defence Minister Launched Ranjan as Convenor of Task ‘Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti’ 47 Force drafting a New Direct ‹‹ Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti: Tax Legislation 42 Key Highlights 47 zz Urjit Patel resigned as ‹‹ Background 47 RBI Governor 42 zz Government Launched New ‹‹ How the Indian Economy Fared Initiative to Introduce School Under Urjit Patel? 42 Students to 22 Indian Languages 47 ‹ ‹ Demonetisation 43 ‹‹ What is Bhasha Sangam? 47 ‹ ‹ Turns in Monetary Policy Stance 43 ‹‹ Schedule VIII of the Constitution 47 ‹‹ Battle Against NPAs through zz Tourism Ministry Formulates Bankruptcy Code 43 Guidelines for Approval of ‹‹ Decline in Rupee 43 Online Travel Aggregators 48 ‹‹ About Urjit Patel 43 ‹‹ Objective 48 zz Shaktikanta Das became 25th ‹‹ Guidelines: Key Highlights 48 Governor of Reserve Bank of India 43 ‹‹ Background 48 ‹‹ Das to Address Upcoming Challenges 43 zz Government Notifies Four Commonly ‹‹ Shaktikanta Das 44 Used Medical Devices as Drugs 49 ‹‹ RBI Constituted Expert Committee ‹‹ Key Highlights 49 Headed by Bimal Jalan on Economic ‹‹ Background 49 Capital Framework 44 zz Supreme Court Dismisses All Petitions ‹‹ Terms of Reference of the Committee 44 Alleging Irregularities in Rafale Deal 49 ‹‹ What is Economic Capital ‹‹ The Judgement: Key Highlights 49 Framework (ECF)? 44 ‹‹ Background 49 zz Australia refused to sign zz India Received Highest Remittances UN migration pact 50 of USD 69 Billion in 2017: ‹‹ Key Highlights 50 World Bank 54 ‹‹ Background 50 ‹‹ Highlights of the World Bank’s zz Qatar to withdraw from Migration and Development Brief 54 OPEC in January 2019 50 zz 15th Finance Commission ‹‹ Impact on Oil Prices 51 Constituted an Advisory Council 55 ‹ ‹‹ Qatar’s Removal from GCC 51 ‹ Functions of the Advisory Council 55 ‹ ‹‹ Organisation of the Petroleum ‹ Composition of the Council 55 Exporting Countries (OPEC) 51 ‹‹ About 15th Finance Commission 55 zz Urban Cooperative Banks ‹‹ OPEC Statute 51 Can Now Become Small ‹‹ Objective 51 Finance Banks 55 ‹‹ Observers 52 ‹‹ Rising Yields 55 ‹‹ OPEC Secretariat 52 ‹‹ zz India, UAE Signed Agreement Recommendations Made by the on Currency Swap 52 High Powered Committee 55 ‹‹ How Transition into SFBs will be ‹‹ Key Highlights 52 Beneficial for UCBs? 56 ‹‹ Other Details 52 zz 99.3 Per cent of Demonetised ‹‹ Background 52 Currency Returned : RBI 56 zz e-Way Bill System Rolled ‹ Out in India 52 ‹ Currency Circulation Post Demonetisation 56 ‹‹ Functioning of e-Way Bill System 52 ‹‹ Counterfeit Banknotes 57 ‹‹ Facts and Figures 52 zz Prime Minister Launched ‹‹ Trial Run of e-Way Bills 53 India Post Payments Bank 57 zz Panel Set up to Examine Tax ‹‹ Key Highlights 57 Evasion Risks Posed by Super Rich 53 ‹‹ Background 57 ‹‹ Key Highlights 53 zz Banks With Over 10 Branches ‹‹ Background 53 to Have Internal Ombudsman: RBI 57 zz RBI Directed Banks to Stop ‹‹ Highlights of the Scheme 57 Services to Businesses Dealing ‹‹ Why Was There a Need of Revised in Virtual Currencies 53 Directions Regarding Internal zz TCS becomes First Indian Ombudsman? 58 company to achieve USD zz Govt Formed Panel to Upgrade 100 billion Market Capitalisation 53 Norms for Computation of ‹‹ What Led to This Record-breaking Economic Data 58 m-cap of TCS? 53 ‹‹ Terms of Reference of the Committee 58 ‹‹ Top 10 Companies in India as zz CSO: Organisation Responsible Per Market Capitalisation 53 For Revising the Base Year of ‹‹ About Tata Consultancy Services 54 Macroeconomic Indicators 58 zz President promulgated Fugitive zz Mehta Panel Submits 5-point Plan Economic Offenders Ordinance 54 to Fight NPAs: Project Sashakt 58 ‹‹ Key Provisions of the Ordinance 54 ‹‹ Recommendations of the Committee 58 ‹‹ Who is a Fugitive Economic offender? 54 ‹‹ Significance 59 ‹‹ Other Details 54 ‹‹ Comment 59 zz Tax Department Launched ‘Instant’ 4. Judiciary 66 PAN Card Service 59 zz Consent to Marriage is Inherent ‹ ‹ Highlights of the ‘Instant’ PAN in Hindu Marriage Act: Card Service 59 Supreme Court 66 zz India Becomes World’s Sixth ‹ Biggest Economy, Pushes France ‹ Marriage Without Consent 66 zz CJI is First Among Equals, Will to 7th Place in World Bank Ranking 60 Decide Allocation of Cases: SC 66 ‹‹ Report: Key Highlights 60 ‹‹ Background 66 ‹‹ Background 60 zz Section 377 Verdict: Supreme Court zz India Became Regional Head of Legalised Homosexuality, Partially Asia Pacific Region in WCO 61 Strikes Down Section 377 66 ‹‹ Key Highlights 61 ‹‹ Lead Petitioners 67 ‹‹ About WCO 61 zz Aadhaar Verdict: Supreme zz Government Appointed Swaminathan Court Upheld Constitutional Gurumurthy, Satish Marathe as Validity of Aadhaar 68 Part-time Directors on RBI Board 61 ‹‹ Privacy is a Fundamental Right ‹‹ Swaminathan Gurumurthy: under Article 21: Supreme Court 70 Convener of the RSS affiliate ‹‹ Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch 61 Financial and Other Subsidies, ‹‹ Satish Kashinath Marathe: Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 70 Patron of Sahakar Bharati 62 zz Justice Ranjan Gogoi appointed zz RBI-Govt tussle: Invoking of next Chief Justice of India 71 Section 7 of the RBI Act 62 ‹‹ Brief of Justice Gogoi 71 ‹‹ What Led to This Situation? 62 ‹‹ Impactful Career 71 ‹‹ Dispute between the Government ‹‹ CJI Dipak Misra Recommended and RBI 63 Justice Ranjan Gogoi as his Successor 71 ‹‹ NPA Crisis 63 zz Supreme Court Scraps NOTA ‹‹ Nirav Modi-PNB Scam 63 Option For Rajya Sabha Polls 71 ‹‹ NBFCs issue 63 ‹‹ Govt Support to Petition 72 zz Government Proposed Merger ‹‹ “Recipe for Corruption” 72 of Bank of Baroda, Dena ‹‹ Background 72 Bank and Vijaya Bank Under zz Assam-NRC Draft Can’t be Basis Alternative Mechanism 63 of Any Action by Any Authority: SC 72 ‹‹ How These Three Banks Will Add zz The Ruling 72 Value to Each Other? 64 ‹‹ Final Draft of NRC 73 ‹‹ Consolidation of Public Sector Banks 64 ‹‹ First Draft of NRC 73 ‹‹ Why is There a Need of Banks zz Lieutenant Governor Bound by Consolidation in India? 65 ‘Aid and Advice’ of Elected zz IDFC Bank to be Renamed as Delhi Government: Supreme Court 73 IDFC First Bank 65 zz Highlights of the Ruling 73 zz ‹‹ IDFC Bank 65 Delhi not a ‘State’ 74 zz Bharat Stage-IV Vehicles Not to zz Indian Navy - Indonesian Be Sold in The Country From Navy Bilateral Exercise April 1, 2020: SC 74 ‘Samudra Shakti’ Held 79 ‹‹ No Grace Period For Automobile ‹‹ Highlights of the Bilateral Manufacturers Beyond April 2020 74 Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ 80 ‹ ‹‹ What are Bharat Stage norms? 74 ‹ Background 80 zz Supreme Court: 15-year-old zz India, Russia Conduct Joint Petrol, 10-year-old Diesel Military Exercise ‘INDRA 2018’ 80 Vehicles in Delhi-NCR not Allowed 74 ‹‹ Key Highlights 80 ‹‹ ‹‹ The Ruling 75 Background 80 ‹‹ Directions Came on a Note Placed 6. Sports 81 by Advocate Aparajita Singh 75 zz Germany top FIFA rankings, 5. Defence 76 Brazil second 81

‹ zz Indo-Korean Joint Exercise ‹ Key Highlights 81 SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG 2018 Held 76 ‹‹ Other Details 81 z ‹‹ Key Highlights 76 z AB de Villiers Announces Retirement zz Indian and Malaysian Armies from All Forms of Cricket 81 Concluded Exercise Harimau ‹‹ Career Highlights 81 Shakti 2018 76 ‹‹ About AB de Villiers 82 ‹‹ Highlights of the Harimau Shakti 2018 76 zz Mithali Raj Becomes First Indian zz Indian Navy Commissioned Fourth to Score 2,000 Runs in T20 Ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV 76 International 82 ‹‹ IN LCU L54 76 ‹‹ Key Facts 82 ‹‹ About Landing Craft Utility (LCU) ‹‹ Debut in Cricket 83 MK-IV Ships 77 zz Alastair Cook Announced zz Indian Coast Guard Interceptor his Retirement from International boat ICGS C-440 Commissioned 77 Cricket 83 zz Exercise Pitch Black 2018 held ‹‹ Alastair Cook: Achievements 83 in Australia 77 ‹‹ Falling Form 83 ‹‹ Indian Contingent 78 zz Former India Pacer RP Singh zz INS Arihant: India’s Nuclear Retired From All Forms of Cricket 83 Submarine Completed First ‹‹ About RP Singh 83 ‘Deterrence Patrol’ 78 zz Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting ‹‹ Key Highlights 78 Inducted into ICC Hall of Fame 83 ‹‹ Background 78 zz Hima Das Scripted History, Became zz SIMBEX 2018: India, Singapore First Indian Woman to Win Gold Bilateral Naval Exercise Held 78 in World Junior Athletics 84 ‹‹ Indian Fleet 79 zz Tokyo 2020 Committee Officially ‹‹ Singaporean Fleet 79 Launched Olympic Mascots 85 ‹‹ Key Highlights 79 ‹‹ Mascot Selection Process 85 ‹‹ About SIMBEX 79 ‹‹ About 2020 Summer Olympics 85 zz Virat Kohli Became Fastest zz US President Trump Signed ‘Faith Batsman to Reach 10,000 Initiative’ to Promote Religious ODI Runs 85 Freedom in US 92 ‹‹ Key Highlights 85 ‹‹ Objective 92 zz Asian Games 2018: India Ends ‹‹ Significance 92 Asian Games Campaign with ‹‹ Key Highlights 92 Best Medal Haul 85 ‹‹ Why was the moment significant ‹‹ Indian Medal Winners 86 for India? 93 zz Key Medals Lost 89 zz US Opened New Embassy in 7. International / World 90 Jerusalem 93 ‹‹ The Key Highlights 93 zz India Replaced Vietnam to ‹‹ Background 93 Become World’s Second Largest zz Russia Launched World’s First Mobile Phone Producer 90 Floating Nuclear Power Plant 93 ‹‹ Key Highlights 90 ‹‹ Key Details 94 ‹‹ Background 90 ‹‹ Significance 94 zz Donald Trump Declared ‹‹ Nuclear Titanic 94 DACA Program Dead 90 zz Nepal Became First Country in ‹‹ Other Details 90 South-East Asia to Eliminate zz UAE Approved Law on Equal Trachoma: WHO 94 Wages for Men and Women 90 ‹‹ Nepal’s Fight Against Trachoma 94 ‹‹ Significance 91 ‹‹ WHO’s efforts to tackle Trachoma 95 ‹ ‹ Background 91 zz China Officially Set Civilisation ‹‹ About Gender Balance Guide 91 Age at 5800 Years 95 z z India Won Crucial Election to ‹‹ Key Findings 95 UN’s NGO Committee 91 ‹‹ 15 Years of Study 95 ‹‹ About Committee on Non- zz Ireland Ended Abortion Governmental Organisations 91 Ban as ‘Quiet Revolution’ ‹‹ Key Highlights 91 Transforms Country 95 zz Swaziland King Changed his ‹‹ What’s next? 96 Country’s Name to ‘Kingdom ‹‹ In Favour of the Vote 96 of eSwatini’ 91 ‹‹ Against the Vote 96 ‹‹ Why was there a Need for the zz Colombia to be NATO’s First Change of Name? 91 Latin American ‘Global Partner’ 96 ‹ ‹ Impact of the Change of Name 92 ‹‹ Key Details 96 zz French National Assembly Passed zz US-North Korea’s Singapore Summit 96 Controversial Immigration Law 92 ‹‹ Revival of Singapore Summit 97 ‹ ‹ The Controversy 92 ‹‹ Singapore Summit Earlier Cancelled ‹‹ Key Highlights 92 by Donald Trump 97 ‹‹ Provisions of the law 92 ‹‹ What Led Trump to Cancel ‹‹ Is ITA Repressive Law? 92 the Singapore Summit? 97 ‹‹ Background 92 ‹‹ Comment 97 zz BRICS Summit 2018: 8. Appointments 104 Johannesburg Declaration Adopted 97 zz Ecuador’s Espinosa Garces Elected ‹ ‹ Johannesburg Declaration 98 UN General Assembly President 104 ‹‹ Sustainable Development 98 ‹‹ Who Maria Fernanda Espinosa ‹ ‹ Climate Change 98 Garces is? 104 ‹‹ Energy 98 ‹‹ Election Process in UNGA 104 ‹‹ Agriculture 98 zz PTI’s Candidate Arif Alvi Wins ‹‹ Environment 98 Pakistan’s Presidential Election 104 ‹‹ Population 98 ‹‹ Votes Tally 104 ‹‹ Terrorism 98 ‹‹ About Arif Alvi 105 ‹ ‹ International Peace and Security 98 ‹‹ Arif Alvi’s Political Career 105 ‹‹ Israel-Palestine Crisis 99 zz Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ‹‹ Arms Race in Outer Space 99 Appointed NGT Chairperson 105 ‹‹ Economy 99 ‹‹ Pending Cases before NGT 105 ‹‹ Trade 99 ‹‹ About Justice AK Goel 105 ‹‹ Corruption 99 zz NDA Candidate Harivansh ‹‹ India at BRICS 99 Singh Elected Rajya Sabha ‹‹ Other Details 99 Deputy Chairman 106 ‹ ‹‹ Relevance of BRICS Today 100 ‹ Key Highlights 106 zz Financial Action Task Force kept ‹‹ About Harivansh Narayan Singh 106 Pakistan on ‘Grey List 100 zz Nandula Raghuram Elected as Chair of International Nitrogen ‹‹ Pakistan Sanctuaries 100 Initiative 107 ‹‹ Case Presented by Shamshad Akhtar-led Pakistani Delegation 100 ‹‹ Nandula Raghuram 107 ‹‹ International Nitrogen Initiative 107 ‹‹ Decision Taken during FATF Plenary zz Imran Khan Sworn in as 22nd Meeting in February 2018 101 Prime Minister of Pakistan 108 ‹‹ How ‘Grey Listing’ would ‹ Impact Pakistan? 101 ‹ Significance 108 zz Ethiopia Appointed Sahle-Work ‹ ‹ Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 101 Zewde as First Female President 108 zz Israel Adopted Law Allowing ‹ Only Jews to have Right of ‹ About Sahle-Work Zewde 108 zz Supreme Court Appointed Self-Determination in the Country 101 Four New Judges 109 ‹‹ Key Highlights 102 ‹‹ Strength of Supreme Court Judges 109 ‹‹ The Arabs in Israel 102 ‹‹ Justice Hemant Gupta 109 zz 33rd ASEAN Summit Held in ‹‹ Justice Ramayyagari Subhash Reddy 109 Singapore 102 ‹‹ Justice Mukeshkumar Rasikbhai Shah 109 ‹‹ Multilateral Cooperation 102 ‹‹ Justice Ajay Rastogi 109 ‹‹ South China Sea 102 ‹‹ Passing the Baton 103 9. Awards & Books 110 zz World’s First Sovereign Blue zz Dharmendra to be Conferred Bond Launched by Seychelles 103 Raj Kapoor Lifetime ‹‹ Key Highlights of the Blue Bond 103 Achievement Award 110 ‹‹ Seychelles and its Rich Marine Resources 103 ‹‹ About Dharmendra 110 ‹‹ About Raju Hirani 110 zz Books 116 ‹‹ Other Awardees 110 ‹‹ Book on Experiential Learning zz 2018 Pulitzer Prize Winners Gandhi’s Nai Talim Launched 116 Announced 110 ‹‹ RK Singh Released Book on zz Jailed Egyptian Photographer Weather Information Portal for Mahmoud Abu Zeid Won Indian Power System 117 UNESCO Press Freedom Prize 112 ‹‹ Khaled Hosseinis New Book ‹‹ Why was Abu Zeid arrested? 112 Sea Prayer a Tribute to Alan Kurdi 117 ‹‹ UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom ‹ Prize 112 ‹ VVS Laxman Wrote Down his zz Gujarati Poet Sitanshu Autobiography Titled ‘281 and Beyond’ 117 Yashaschandra Chosen ‹‹ Shane Warne Autobiography No for 2017 Saraswati Samman 112 Spin to be Released in October 117 ‹ ‹‹ About Sitanshu Yashaschandra 112 ‹ Ramachandra Guha Wrote a New ‹‹ About Saraswati Samman 112 Book on Mahatma Gandhi 117 zz President Ram Nath Kovind ‹‹ Book Titled ‘Winning Like Sourav: Presented 65th National Think & Succeed Like Ganguly’ Released 117 Film Awards 112 ‹‹ The English Patient by Michael ‹‹ When were the Awards Announced? 112 Ondaatje Won the Golden Man ‹‹ Key Highlights 112 Booker International Prize 2018 117 zz Polish Author Olga Tokarczuk ‹‹ Vice President of India Venkaiah Won Man Booker International Prize 2018 113 Naidu has Received the Book Vedvigyan Alok 117 ‹‹ Other Finalists 113 ‹‹ Former PM Manmohan Singh ‹‹ About Olga Tokarczuk 113 zz Anna Burns Won Man Booker Launches Economist Rao’s Book 117 Prize 2018 for her novel ‘Milkman’ 114 ‹‹ Sri Lanka Pays Tribute to J Dalmiya ‹‹ ‘Milkman’ 114 with Book ‘A Tribute to Jagu’ 117 ‹‹ Man Booker Prize 114 10. Obituary 118 zz PM Narendra Modi Conferred Seoul Peace Prize 2018 zz Kofi Annan, Former Secretary- for ‘Modinomics’ 114 General of United Nation, ‹‹ Recognition of ‘Modinomics’, Died at 80 118 ‘Modi Doctrine’ and ‘Act East Policy’ 114 ‹‹ Key Details 118 ‹‹ About Seoul Peace Prize 115 ‹‹ Critics of Kofi Annan 118 zz Asma Jahangir won UN Human zz Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India’s Rights Prize posthumously 115 Nuclear Myth Buster, Dead 119 ‹ ‹ About Asma Jahangir 115 ‹‹ Vajpayee’s Political Career 120 ‹‹ About UN Human Rights Prize 116 zz ‘Kalaignar’ M. Karunanidhi, zz India’s Bharat Vatwani, Sonam Passed Away 120 Wangchuk Among 2018 Ramon zz Somnath Chatterjee, Former Lok Sabha Magsaysay Award Winners 116 Speaker, Passed Away, Aged 89 121 ‹‹ Bharat Vatwani’s Contribution ‹‹ A Glance at Chatterjee’s Political Career 121 and Recognition 116 zz Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji ‹‹ Sonam Wangchuk’s Contribution Dass Tandon Passed Away 121 and Recognition 116 Practice Set 123 ‹‹ Ramon Magsaysay Award 116

Chapter 1 National

OO The Government of India has initiated a Scheme known as Walmiki and Malhar : Two Endangered “Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages of Languages Discovered India”.

OO OO A linguist Prof Panchanan Mohanty from the University of Under this Scheme, the Central Institute of Indian Languages Hyderabad (UoH) has discovered two languages recently (CIIL), Mysore works on protection, preservation and called Walmiki and Malhar, which were “lying hidden from documentation of all the mother tongues/languages of India linguists”. spoken by less than 10,000 speakers keeping in mind the OO Prof. Mohanty has collected the data, did a preliminary degree of endangerment and reduction in the domains of usage. analysis and published a paper in the Annual Conference of Endangered Languages the Foundation for Endangered Languages, UK. The UNESCO has categorised languages on basis of endan- OO He is also trying to explore if there are other speakers of the germent as follows:- language in the neighbourhood or states. 1. Vulnerable Important Points 2. Definitely Endangered 3. Severely Endangered OO The languages are categorised `endangered’ as it is spoken by a very small number of people. 4. Critically Endangered According to the criteria adopted by the UNESCO, a language OO The Malhar is spoken by just 75 including children from a becomes extinct when nobody speaks or remembers the language. particular community. These people live in a remote and isolated hamlet about 165 kms from Bhubaneswar, the capital Government Appoints Panel to Review CSR of Odisha. nforcement nder ompanies ct OO These people live completely isolated from the Odia speaking E U C A

neighbours. They survive on daily labour and collections from OO The union government has set up a 12-member panel the nearby forest. to review the enforcement of CSR provisions under the OO As per the analysis by prof. Mahanty, tongue belongs to the Companies law, as well as to consider having a centralised North Dravidian subgroup of the Dravidian family of languages. scrutiny and prosecution mechanism to deal with violations. OO The Walmiki is spoken in the district of Koraput and in the OO The latest move by the Corporate Affairs Ministry, which is bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh. implementing the Companies Act, comes little over four years OO The origin of the name Walmiki is also interesting. It is pointed after the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) norms came out that the people speaking the language have descent from into force on April 1, 2014. the Indian saint-poet Valmiki, the writer of epic Ramayana. Terms of Reference

North Dravidian Languages OO A 12-member committee on CSR would review the functioning OO Malhar has close affinities with other North Dravidian of CSR enforcement and recommend a uniform approach for languages like Malto and Kurux spoken in Jharkhand, Bihar its enforcement. and West Bengal. OO The committee would inter-alia re-study the guiding principle OO Mohanty, the President of Linguistic Society of India and for enforcement of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team are trying to explore if there are other speakers of the provisions and basis, including the structure of Centralised language in the neighbourhood or states. Scrutiny and Prosecution Mechanism (CSPM). Impact OO The committee would also review the methodologies for monitoring of compliance by companies with CSR norms for OO The Union Government has been making efforts to document having an effective CSPM. the endangered tribal and minor languages. There are several OO As per the government notification, the panel will revisit languages unknown to the world and waiting to be discovered “Schedule VII of Companies Act, 2013, on the basis of and documented. India is also considered a linguists Paradise references received from stakeholders, including ministries and termed as sociolinguistic giant, the University said in a and department of centre and states, members of Parliament, press release. member of state legislatures and civil societies”. 2 Current Affairs

OO Schedule VII pertains to the board list of CSR activities that can OO The committee will also suggest the ways to make the maths be taken up under the Act. subject easy and will submit its report in July 2018. Panel Members OO The formation of the committee came after the National Assessment Survey of state-run schools revealed the “fear OO The 12-member panel is headed by Regional Director complex” about the mathematics. (Western Region) Manmohan Juneja. Other members include Joint Director (Legal) Sanjay Shorey and Joint Director (Policy) National Achievement Survey N K Dua, while Deputy Director (CSR) Seema Rath will be the OO The National Achievement Survey (NAS) was conducted convener. for 3rd, 5th and 8th standard students in government and OO Representatives from apex bodies of chartered accountants, government-aided schools throughout the country in cost accountants and company secretaries, among others will November 2017. be part of the panel. OO The survey was conducted using the multiple test booklets OO Besides, there will be two sub-committees — legal and with 45 questions related to language and mathematics for technical — that would go into various aspects in relation to 3rd and 5th class students and 60 questions for class 8 in compliance with CSR provisions. mathematics, language, sciences and social sciences. OO It assessed the learning levels of over 25 lakh students from Background 110,000 schools across 700 districts in all states and Union OO Under the Companies Act, 2013, certain group of profit- Territories. making units are needed to spend at least two per cent of their three-year annual average net profit towards CSR activities. In Setting up of Kadiyam Srihari Committee to case of disobedience, explanations need to be submitted by Strengthen the Teacher’s in-service Training

the concerned units to the ministry. OO The Human Resource Development Ministry also constituted OO Recently, the government has come across increasing another committee under the chairmanship of Kadiyam instances of non-compliance with CSR rules. Srihari, Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana, to suggest and OO Last year, the ministry had sought the explanation from many strengthen the teacher’s in-service training. companies as they were found to not have complied with CSR OO Eminent educationist and senior official will also be part of norms. this committee. The committee will submit its report by July OO As per the official data, 6,286 companies spent Rs 4,719 crore 2018. towards various CSR activities in 2016-17. The total number of such projects taken up stood at 11,597. India Formed Committee to Reform Higher Corporate Social Responsibility Defence Planning

OO The Companies Act 2013 has introduced a new provision OO The Union Government on April 18, 2018 formed a new called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in order to change integrated institutional mechanism, Defence Planning the face of Indian corporate business. It has come into effect Committee (DPC) to reform the process of higher defence from 1 April 2014. planning. OO The idea of CSR rests on the principle of giving back to the OO The committee is expected to drive the country’s military and society. It is believed that companies take resources from the national security strategy, draft capability development plans society in the form of raw materials, human resources etc. and guide and accelerate defence equipment acquisitions. And through the act of CSR activities, companies are giving something back to the society. Composition of the Committee OO The permanent body would be chaired by National Security OO Under this CSR provision, the qualifying companies/firm needs to shell-out at least 2 per cent of its average net profit Advisor Ajit Doval. for the last three financial years on CSR activities. OO It will comprise the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), three service chiefs and the Defence, Expenditure and OO Further, these companies will have to constitute a committee (CSR Committee) of the Board of Directors (Board) consisting Foreign Secretaries. of three or more directors. The CSR Committee shall be made OO The Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman of responsible to formulate a policy which will indicate the the Chief of the Staff Committee (CISC) will be the member activities to be undertaken. secretary of the committee. Functions of the Committee HRD Ministry Constitutes Committee to OO The committee will be required to undertake external security Reduce the Fear of Maths Amongst Students risk assessment and define national defence and security priorities. OO The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development on April 11, 2018 constituted a committee under the Chairmanship OO It will also have to prepare draft reports on national military of Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama to strategy, national security strategy and international defence eliminate the fear of maths among the students. engagement strategy. National 3

OO It will also have to prepare a roadmap to build defence OO The President’s approval followed Union Cabinet’s approval manufacturing ecosystem and a strategy to boost defence of the ordinance on April 21, after Prime Minister Narendra exports and priority capability development plans. Modi held an emergency meeting in response to nationwide OO It will have to submit all its draft reports to Defence Minister outrage in the wake of a series of shocking rape cases. Nirmala Sitharaman. OO The ordinance: Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 OO Besides, four sub-committees could be created under the DPC stipulates stringent punishment including death sentence, for across four broad areas: those guilty of rape, particularly of girls below the age of 16

XX Policy and strategy and 12 years. XX Plans and capability development Key Features of the Ordinance

XX Defence diplomacy OO According to Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018,

XX Defence manufacturing ecosystem new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases

OO The membership and the terms of reference of the sub- and special forensic kits for such cases will be given to all committees will be finalised separately. police stations and hospitals in the long term. OO Under the new law, the minimum punishment in case of rape Significance of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of OO The formation of the committee comes at a time when seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

India is facing multiple threats from its highly militarised OO In the case of rape of girls under the age of 16 years, the neighbourhood and is trying to balance budgetary constraints minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 with its need for arms. years, extendable to life imprisonment, which means jail term OO India is currently working on increasing its own expertise in till the convict’s ‘natural life’’. manufacturing and exporting defence equipment. OO In the case of gangrape of girls below the age of 16 years, the OO Further, the decision of bringing foreign and expenditure punishment will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of secretaries into the defence planning process will help convict’s life. overcome the problems of coordination between various OO In the case of rape of girls below the age of 12 years, stringent ministries on matters of national security. It will, in fact, speed punishment has been provided with a minimum jail term of up the decisions on military purchases. 20 years, which may go up to life imprisonment or even death Background penalty. O OO This is the first time that a defence body has been created O In the case of gangrape of girls under 12 years of age, the that will take into account everything from foreign policy punishment would be jail term for the rest of the life or death imperatives to operational directives and long-term defence penalty. equipment acquisition and infrastructure development plans Other Details to technological developments in other parts of the world. OO With the promulgation of the ordinance by the President, OO Though the idea to create such a mechanism that can the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of undertake a comprehensive and integrated planning of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from higher defence matters had been in discussion for long, Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act will now stand amended. nothing concrete had come out of the talks until now. OO The law has also prescribed a mandatory deadline of two OO However, an equivalent reform was undertaken in 1974 when months for the investigation and trial of all rape cases, the Apex Group was established under the Planning Minister enabling speedy investigation. to bring defence planning within the broader purview of the OO A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases national planning. has also been prescribed. OO Again in 1977, the government had set up a Committee for Defence Planning (CDP) under the Cabinet Secretary with OO There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a different Union secretaries and service chiefs as its members. person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. OO The court would be required to give a notice of 15 days to a OO The committee was tasked with allocating resources among the defence services and undertaking regular assessments public prosecutor and the representative of the victim before relevant to defence planning. However, it did not achieve the deciding bail applications, in case of rape of girls below 16 desired results. years of age. OO Besides, the National Crime Records Bureau will maintain a President Signed Ordinance to Provide Death national database and profile of sexual offenders. Penalty to Rapists of Girls Below 12 Years OO The data will be regularly shared with the states and Union territories for tracking, monitoring and investigation, including OO President Ram Nath Kovind on April 22, 2018 promulgated an verification of antecedents of sex offenders by the police. ordinance that provides for stringent punishment, including OO The present scheme of One Stop Centres for assistance to death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the victims will also be extended to all districts in the country. age of 12 years. 4 Current Affairs

Background OO Till September 2017, 40 per cent of Meghalaya was under AFSPA including the 20 km stretch of the state’s 884.9 km OO Rape is the fourth most common crime against women in India. Around 40,000 rape cases were reported in the country border with Assam. However, AFSPA has been restricted to in 2016. The victims were children in 40 per cent of those cases. eight police stations of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam and three districts adjoining Myanmar namely Tirap, Longding OO The latest outpouring of national protests came after details emerged of the gang rape of an eight-year-old Muslim girl and Changlang. Asifa Bano in Kathua, a Hindu-dominated area of Jammu and OO The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also relaxed the Protected Kashmir state. Area Permit (PAP) for foreigners visiting Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. The PAP will be valid for five years, but residents OO The girl, member of a nomadic Muslim community, was locked in a Hindu shrine, drugged, gang-raped for several days and from Pakistan, Afghanistan and China will not be allowed to beaten to death with a stone. visit these areas. OO What led to the removal of AFSPA? The North-East region OO In another horrific case, a teenage girl attempted to set herself on fire outside the residence of an MLA in Unnao, northern witnessed a huge reduction of 96 per cent in casualties among Uttar Pradesh. The girl accused the MLA of raping her at his the security forces from 289 in 2000 to just 12 in 2017. While, house in 2017. the Civilian casualties dropped by 96 per cent from 907 in the year 2000 to 37 in 2017. OO The girl’s father was beaten to death by the lawmaker’s men after the girl refused to withdraw her complaint against him. OO The insurgency-related incidents also witnessed a sharp fall during the same period. The insurgency incidents reduced AFSPA Removed From Meghalaya and Few from 1963 in 2000 to 308 in 2017. OO After witnessing 85 per cent drop in the insurgency-related Parts of Arunachal Pradesh incidents in the northeast region, the Ministry of Home Affairs OO The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) was decided to remove the AFSPA from Meghalaya and some completely removed from Meghalaya and some areas of areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh with effect from April 1, 2018.

Incidents Number of Deaths in Year Number of Deaths in Year Decline (in per cent) 2000 2007 Insurgency-related incidents 1963 308 85 per cent Security forces killed 289 12 96 per cent Civilian casualties 907 37 96 per cent

Where AFSPA is in Force at Present? Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. OO At present, AFSPA is applicable only in Nagaland, Manipur (excluding Imphal), Assam and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. What is a ‘Disturbed Area’ and How is an OO However, the state governments of Assam and Manipur now have the power to keep or revoke the Act. In 2017, the Home Area Declared as ‘Disturbed’? Ministry gave up its power and asked the Assam government OO The government considers those areas to be ‘disturbed’ to take a decision on continuing AFSPA in the State. that witness differences or disputes between members of OO Tripura government withdrew AFSPA from the state in 2015, different religions, races, languages, regional groups, castes or as there was decline in insurgency-related incidents. Mizoram communities. and Tripura reported no incidents of insurgency in 2017. OO Under this Act, the State or the Central Government has the power to demarcate an area in the Indian Union as ‘disturbed’. What is AFSPA? The decision of the State Government as to whether or not OO The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) is one an area is ‘disturbed’ can be overruled by the Governor or the of the most draconian legislations that gives unrestricted and Centre. unaccounted power to all security forces to carry out their OO Section (3) of the AFSPA, 1958 empowers the Governor operations, once an area is declared ‘disturbed’. of the State or Union territory to issue notification on OO Even an officer, who is not on duty, is granted the right to The Gazette of India about the ‘disturbed’ area, following shoot to kill, just on the basis of mere suspicion to ‘maintain the public order’. which the centre will send in armed forces for civilian aid. Once declared ‘disturbed’, the region has to maintain status OO The Act was first applied to the North Eastern states of Assam and Manipur and was amended in 1972 to extend to these quo for a minimum of three months, according to The ‘seven sisters’ states in the north- eastern region- Assam, Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976. National 5

Where AFSPA Can be Invoked? OO The leaders of these parties earlier met in Parliament and gave final shape to the notice for impeachment. OO The Section (3) of the AFSPA states that the act can be invoked in places ‘where the use of armed forces in aid of the civil OO After the meeting, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad power is necessary’. confirmed that the leaders were moving the notice for impeachment against CJI. Powers Conferred on the Armed Forces OO Two parties - Trinamool Congress and the DMK, which were Under AFSPA initially in favour of the impeachment against the CJI, are no longer a part of it. OO The AFSPA gives the wide powers to armed and central forces to shoot and arrest anyone acting in contravention of law and Background

search any premises without a warrant and provide cover to OO The impeachment notice comes a day after a Supreme forces from prosecution and legal suits, all in the name of Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, dismissed aiding civil power. petitions seeking an independent probe into the death of OO At first, officer has to give a warning and after giving warning, Judge B H Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh an officer can shoot or use other kinds of force, even if it encounter case, stating the death to be natural and such causes death. petitions to be an attack on the Judiciary. OO He can seize any unauthorised arms storage, hide-outs, OO Brijgopal Harkishan Loya was an Indian judge who served in shelter or training camp which is supposed to be used by the a court in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He was militants. presiding over the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, and allegedly died under unnatural circumstances on December 1, 2014 in OO He can arrest anyone, without a warrant, who has commited cognisable offences or is suspected of having committed such Nagpur, 15 days before the next hearing when the verdict was supposed to be given. a crime. OO The Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case involves the death OO He can search any place to recover any suspect or confiscate of an alleged criminal Sohrabuddin Anwarhussain Sheikh on unauthorised arms and ammunition. November 26, 2005, while he was in police custody. OO He can stop and search any vehicle or vessel, suspected to be carrying such a person or weapons. How is the CJI Removed? O O The arresting officer needs to present the suspect to the OO The Constitution lays down the procedure for the removal of a nearest police station with least possible delay. judge of Supreme Court, which is applicable in the case of the OO No Army officer can be held against any arrest under the Chief Justice of India as well. AFSPA. No prosecution or any other legal proceeding can be OO The Chief Justice of India remains in the office until the age made against the arrest or seize. Even the state government of 65 years, unless he or she is impeached on grounds of cannot question his action. misbehavior or incapacity. OO The procedure for the removal of a Supreme Court judge R ajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah including the Chief Justice is laid down in Article 124(4) of the Constitution. aidu ejected mpeachment otice N R I N OO The article states, “a Judge of the Supreme Court shall not be Against CJI Dipak Misra removed from his office except by an order of the President passed after an address by each House of Parliament OO Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu supported by a majority of the total membership of that House on April 23, 2018 rejected the impeachment notice submitted and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members by the Opposition parties against Chief Justice of India Dipak of that House present and voting, has been presented to the Misra. President in the same session for such removal on the ground OO Naidu rejected the notice stating that the motion lacked of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.” substantial merit and that it was based on mere suspicion, conjecture or assumption rather than factual proof. The Impeachment Procedure decision comes a day after Naidu held extensive consultations OO The impeachment notice of an SC judge or CJI can be moved with experts to determine the legality of the motion. in either House of the Parliament. However, it should be issued by at least 50 MPs from the Rajya Sabha and 100 MPs from the OO In a first, seven opposition parties led by the Indian National Congress had submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Lok Sabha. and Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu on April 20 for the OO The impeachment notice has to be handed over either to the impeachment of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on five Speaker of Lok Sabha if it is from the lower house MPs or to the grounds of ‘misbehavior’. Chairman of Rajya Sabha if it is from the upper house MPs. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is also the Vice President of India. Key Highlights OO Once the motion is submitted to the Speaker of Chairman, OO The members of Parliament who signed the notice belongs the person concerned will have to constitute a three-member to parties including the Congress, NCP, CPI-M, CPI, SP and the committee to investigate the charges leveled against the BSP. Supreme Court judge. 6 Current Affairs

OO The three-member committee will consist of a senior Supreme OO Earlier, this restructured centrally sponsored scheme of Court judge, a High Court judge and a ‘distinguished jurist’ Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) was approved by who has been appointed as a Supreme Court judge by the the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on April President of India. 21, 2018. The scheme aims at making rural local bodies self- OO The three-member committee has to support the motion for sustainable, financially stable and more efficient. it to be sent back to the House where it was introduced. OO In the House, it has to be discussed and passed with a special Key Highlights of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj majority — not less than two-thirds. This means, in case of a Abhiyan

full House, at least 364 Members should have voted for the OO The restructured Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme will motion in the Lok Sabha, and 164 Members in the Rajya Sabha. have both Central and State Component. OO Once the motion is passed by the house it was introduced in, OO The Central component includes national level activities it has to be passed on to the other House where it again needs such as ‘National Plan of Technical Assistance’, ‘Mission Mode to be passed by special majority. project on e-Panchayat’, ‘Incentivisation of Panchayats’; while OO Once it is passed by both the Houses of Parliament, then the President can be approached to remove the Chief Justice of the State component includes ‘Capacity Building of Panchayati India. Raj Institutions (PRIs)’. OO This is the first-ever time that an impeachment notice was OO The Central Component will be fully funded by the Union filed against a sitting CJI. However, it is not the first time that Government. However, for all states, centre and states will a notice of impeachment was submitted against a sitting together provide the funds in the ratio of 60:40, except the Supreme Court Judge. North East and Hill States where Centre:State funding pattern OO Justice V. Ramaswami was the first judge against whom will be 90:10.

impeachment proceedings were initiated, however, the OO For all Union Territories (UTs), the center's share will be 100 motion failed to gather the required two-thirds majority of per cent. the total members present. OO The scheme will be implemented with the main aim of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan launched achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with main thrust on Panchayats identified under OO On the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day, Prime Mission Antyodaya and 115 Aspirational districts as identified Minister Narendra Modi on April 24, 2018 launched the by NITI Aayog. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Scheme to strengthen the panchayat system and tackle the gaps that hinder its success. OO The State Governments will formulate the Annual Action Plans for seeking assistance from the Central Government. OO PM Modi launched the scheme during his visit to Madhya Pradesh to meet and address panchayat bodies as well OO The scheme will be implemented in a demand driven mode. as independent communities. He acknowledged the OO The final deadline for the RGSA will be March 31, 2030. Sarpanches of villages which have achieved 100 percent States and UTs Covered smokeless kitchens, 100 per cent vaccination under Mission OO The Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme will be now Indradhanush, and 100 per cent electrification under extended to all the states, union territories (UTs) and in all Saubhagya Scheme. the institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, Development of Tribal Areas of Madhya Pradesh where Panchayats do not exist.

OO During the launch of the scheme, PM Modi addressed a rally Expenditure to be Incurred on Rashtriya Gram in Madhya Pradesh on ‘Adivasi Diwas’. Swaraj Abhiyan OO He unveiled a roadmap for development of tribal areas of OO The scheme will be implemented during the period from April Madhya Pradesh over the next five years. 1, 2018 to March 31, 2022 at the total cost of Rs 7255.50 crore. OO Under the plan, Rs 2 lakh crore will be spent for the Of the total cost, the Central share will be Rs 4500 crore and development of areas under the tribal panchayats. the State share will be Rs 2755.50 crore.

Year Expenditure in 2018- Expenditure in 2019- Expenditure in 2020- Expenditure in 2021- Total Expenditure 19 (Crore) 20 (Crore) 21 (Crore) 22 (Crore) (Crore) State share 585.51 877.84 712.63 579.52 2755.50 Central 969.27 1407.76 1160.94 962.03 4500.00 share National 7

Significance identifying development challenges and evolving appropriate

OO The scheme will help more than 2.55 lakh Panchayati Raj solutions for accelerating sustainable development in rural Institutions (PRIs) to develop e-governance capabilities for areas. achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through About Unnat Bharat Abhiyan inclusive local governance. OO It is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Human Resources OO The key taglines of SDGs are- leaving no one behind, reaching Development, with the intention to enrich Rural India. the farthest first and universal coverage and gender equality OO Under the program, the knowledge base and resources of to be instilled in all capacity building interventions including the premier institutions of the country will be leveraged to trainings, training modules and materials. bring in a transformational change in the rural developmental OO The scheme seeks for programmatic union of the Mission process. Antyodaya’s identified Gram Panchayats and 115 Aspirational OO The project aims to create a vibrant relationship between the districts identified by NITI Aayog. society and the higher educational institutes, with the latter OO The scheme will encourage Gram Sabhas to work as effective providing the knowledge and technology support to improve institutions with social inclusion of citizens particularly the the livelihoods in rural areas and to upgrade the capabilities of vulnerable groups. both the public and private organisations in the society. OO It will establish the institutional structure for capacity building of PRIs at the national, state and district level with adequate Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 human resources and infrastructure. OO The second edition of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is the higher Background version of the program’s previous edition. OO Under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, the institutions have been OO The Union Finance Minister Arun Jailtey announced the selected on a Challenge Mode and the scheme has been launch of new restructured scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj extended to 750 reputed Higher Educational Institutes (both Abhiyan (RGSA) in his budget speech 2016-17 to strengthen public and private) of the country. the Panchayati Raj system across the nation. OO The scope for providing Subject Expert Groups and OO Subsequently, a committee under the Chairmanship of the Regional Coordinating Institutes to handhold and guide the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog was constituted to restructure participating institutions has also been strengthened in this the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) edition. Scheme as Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Scheme. OO IIT Delhi has been designed to function as the National Coordinating Institute for the programme and the Ministry HRD Ministry Launched Second Edition of intends to extend the coverage to all the reputed Higher Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Educational Institutes, in a phased manner. OO Each selected institute would adopt a cluster of villages/ OO The Union Human Resource Development Ministry on panchayats and gradually expand the outreach over a period April 25, 2018 launched the second edition of Unnat Bharat of time. Abhiyan in New Delhi. OO Institutes through their faculty and students, will carry out OO Under the program, students from 750 higher educational studies of living conditions in the adopted villages, assess institutions from across the country will adopt nearby villages the local problems and needs, work out the possibilities of and visit them to get acquainted with the regular lifestyle of leveraging the technological interventions and the need village people and the problems faced by them in their day to improve the processes in the implementation of various to day life. government schemes, prepare workable action plans for the OO Speaking at the launch ceremony of the program, Minister of selected villages. Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar said that OO Such knowledge inputs would make their way into the the students are the real agents of change who can develop, development programmes in rural areas. empower and brighten the future of the country. OO The Institutes would be expected to closely coordinate with OO Javadekar added that the unique initiative will provide the district administration, elected public representatives of an opportunity to the students to learn about the basic panchayat/villages and other stakeholders and will become challenges faced by rural people and to bring out practical very much a part of the process of development planning and solutions for their betterment. implementation. OO He advised the students to involve local village people at every odi aunched an han cheme to stage of problem identification and solving issues relating to PM M L V D S health, cleanliness, waste management, plantation, financial Help Increase Tribal Income inclusion, women and child development. OO The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi launched the Objective Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED on April 14, 2018, during the celebrations of Ambedkar Jayanti at OO The main objective of the program is to enable higher education institutions to work with the people of rural India in Bijapur, Chattisgarh. 8 Current Affairs

OO While speaking at the launch, the Prime Minister said that the cheme aunched nder Van Dhan scheme along with others like Jan Dhan and Gobar- GOBAR-DHAN S L U Dhan schemes had the potential to change the tribal-rural Swachh Bharat Mission to Promote Wealth economic system. Hence, he stated that all the three schemes and Energy From Waste need to be promoted by the state governments. OO Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti, Key Highlights on April 30, 2018 launched the GOBAR - DHAN (Galvanising OO Under Van Dhan, 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers Organic Bio-Agro Resources Fund) Scheme at the National would be constituted. Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Auditorium, Karnal. O OO The groups will then be trained and provided with working O On the same occasion, the guidelines of GOBAR-DHAN scheme capital to add value to the products that they collect from the were also launched, detailing about the implementation jungle. arrangements, financing provisions and roles and responsibilities of the Centre, State governments, districts and OO These groups would then be able to market their products, by other stakeholders involved in implementation of the scheme. working under the leadership of collector, not only within the OO The launch was attended by sarpanches from the project states but also outside the states. villages, implementing agencies, officers from 14 states and OO The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation district officers. of India (TRIFED) would be providing all the required training and technical support. GOBAR-DHAN Scheme OO The SHGs will be appropriately trained on sustainable OO Under GOBAR-DHAN scheme, solid waste of dung and fields harvesting/collection, primary processing & value addition will be changed into compost and fuels such as biogas and and be formed into clusters so as to aggregate their stock in bio-CNG. tradable quantity and link them with the facility of primary OO The cooking gas will be provided to the rural habitations processing in a Van Dhan Vikas Kendra. with optimum technical support to ensure that the schemes functions on a sustainable basis. OO The stock after primary processing shall be supplied by these OO The government has selected over 115 districts for SHGs to the State Implementing Agencies or direct tie up for implementation of the scheme. supply to the corporate secondary processor. OO Under the scheme, farmers will be able to make use of easily OO Big corporates shall be involved under PPP model for the available Compost fertilizer for their farm lands. creation of secondary level value addition facility at district OO As part of the scheme, people will be educated about the level and tertiary level value addition facility at the state level. utilisation of cattle dung for converting it into more valuable OO The PPP model will be based on utilising Private entrepreneur fuel, biogas and manure. skills in undertaking processing as well as marketing of the produce. Impact OO The scheme will boost village cleanliness and generate wealth OO The central and state government would provide support by creating infrastructure and providing enabling environment and energy from cattle and organic wastes. for undertaking value addition of systematic scientific lines. OO It will create new rural livelihood opportunities and enhance income for farmers and other rural people. Van Dhan Vikas Kendra OO It will help in saving electricity and environment too. OO The centre would be established under the scheme for OO The GOBAR-DHAN Scheme was announced by Union Finance providing skill upgradation and capacity building training and Minister Arun Jaitley in his 2018-19 Budget Speech. setting up of primary processing and value addition facility. How GOBAR-DHAN Scheme Will Impact the OO The first model of the centre will be set up in Bijapur. It will be used for the training of 300 training beneficiaries. Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin)? OO The funds allocated for the project include Rs 43.38 lakhs. OO The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) comprises two main It will be used for training, providing equipment & tools for components for creating clean villages – creating Open primary level processing and infrastructure & building for Defecation Free (ODF) villages and managing solid and liquid housing the Kendra. waste in villages. OO The centre will initially start with a processing facility for OO As over 3.5 lakh villages, 374 districts and 16 States and UTs Tamarind brick making, Mahua flower storage facility and have already been declared ODF; the next move is for ODF- chironjee cleaning and packaging. plus activities such as measures to enhance the solid and OO It is proposed to develop 30,000 such centres across the country. liquid waste management. Significance OO The GOBAR-DHAN scheme comes as a savior at this point, with its focus on keeping villages clean and generating OO The Van Dhan Vikas Kendras will be an important milestone in energy from cattle waste, which is just a part of this ODF-plus the economic development of tribals, as the centres will help strategy. them in optimum utilisation of natural resources and provide OO The scheme envisages the implementation of 700 bio-gas a sustainable livelihood. units in different states of the country in the year 2018-19. National 9

Initiatives Taken under Swachh Bharat Mission (From October 2014 to April 2018) Number of villages/Districts/States/UTs Household Toilets Built 7,08,53,159 Open Defecation Free (ODF) Villages 3,55,838 Open Defecation Free villages in Namami Gange 4,465 Open Defecation Free Districts 380 Open Defecation Free States and UTs 16

Swachh Bharat Mission OO It also stated that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in Asia, compared to just over a tenth in the West. OO Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on October 2, 2014 to accelerate the efforts to achieve India’s Score universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation. OO India was ranked fourth on the parameters of economic OO The Secretary of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation resources, military capability and diplomatic influence. It was (MDWS) was assigned the Mission Coordinator with two ranked fifth on resilience. Sub-Missions – the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and the OO However, on the parameters of cultural influence and future Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). trends, India scored well by ranking third in both. OO Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) seeks to motivate OO India scored low on the measure of economic relationships communities and Panchayati Raj Institutions to adopt and defense networks, ranking 7th and 10th respectively. sustainable sanitation practices through awareness creation and health education. Measurement Terms OO It also calls for developing managed sanitation systems with Economic relationships: They are measured in terms of the focus on scientific solid & liquid waste management systems capacity of states or territories to exercise influence through for overall cleanliness in the rural areas. economic interdependencies; measured in terms of trade OO The Mission aims to achieve a Swachh Bharat by 2019, as a relations, investment ties and economic diplomacy. tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. Defence networks: They are defence partnerships that act as force multipliers of military capability. They are measured India Ranked 4th in Asia-Pacific on Power through assessments of alliances, non-allied partnerships and Index arms transfers. Cultural influence: It is defined as the ability to shape OO The inaugural Asia Power index by the Lowy Institute, an international public opinion through cultural appeal and Australian think tank, has ranked India at the 4th position interaction. It is measured in terms of cultural projection, among 25 nations in the Asia Pacific region. information flows and people exchanges. OO The index measures the overall power of 25 countries and Future trends: It is the projected distribution of economic, territories across the Asia-Pacific region including nations military and demographic resources in 2030, which play into such as Pakistan, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and the perceptions of power today. The trends are measured in terms of United States. GDP, military expenditure and working-age population forecasts. How is the Index Measured? Conclusion OO The index measures a country’s overall power through its weighted average across eight measures of power - OO The report ranked India at the 3rd position for its aggregate economic resources, military capability, resilience, future resources score. trends, diplomatic influence, economic relationships, defence OO According to the report, India is set to become the fastest- networks and cultural influence. growing economy in the region, predicted to grow 169 per cent between 2016 and 2030. Key Findings of the Report OO India is also expected to gain an additional 169 million people OO The index revealed Japan and India to be countries sharing to its working-age population by 2030. major power status. OO However, India trails behind in indicators of defence networks OO While the report labeled Japan as a smart power, it called India and economic relationships. the giant of the future. Ranks of Other Nations OO It also found that US remained to be the pre-eminent power in OO The US claimed the top spot in five of the eight Index measures Asia, while China, the emerging superpower, was found to be and a 10-point lead over China in overall power. rapidly closing in on the United States. OO The country retains the most powerful military force in Asia OO The report revealed that three of the world’s four largest and is at the centre of a network of regional alliances that economies are in Asia, and the fourth, the United States, is a China cannot match. It has a 65-point lead over China in Pacific power. defence networks. 10 Current Affairs

OO However, in terms of economic relationships the US lags China Benefits by more than 30 points. OO Reduce dependency on imports: The ethanol supply year OO Future trends also point towards a relative decline in US 2017-18 is likely to see a supply of around 150 crore litres of power even though the nation continues to outspend China ethanol which will result in savings of over ` 4000 crore of in military expenditure. forex. OO China held top-two positions across all but one measure and OO Cleaner environment: The decline in crop burning and ranked first in economic relationships, diplomatic influence conversion of agricultural wastes to biofuels will further lead and future trends. to reduction in green house gas emissions.

OO Further, nations including Russia, Australia, South Korea, OO Health benefits: Prolonged reuse of cooking oil for preparing Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, food such as deep-frying is a potential health hazard and can Vietnam, Pakistan, Taiwan, Philippines and North Korea were lead to many diseases. However, the use of old cooking oil for ranked as middle powers, while nations such as, Bangladesh, making biodiesel will prevent the practice of used cooking oil in the food industry. Brunei, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, Laos and OO Management of municipal solid waste: As per the estimates, Nepal were ranked as minor powers. 62 MMT of municipal solid waste gets generated in India Union Cabinet Approved National Policy on annually. One ton of such waste has the potential to provide around 20 percent drop in fuels. There are technologies which Biofuels 2018 can convert MSW to drop in fuels.

OO The Union Cabinet on May 16, 2018 approved the National OO Boost infrastructural investment in rural areas: At present Oil Policy on Biofuels 2018. Marketing Companies are in the process of setting up 12 2G OO The policy categorises biofuels into different groups such as bio refineries with an investment of around Rs 10,000 crore. First Generation, Second Generation and Third Generation to The further addition of 2G bio refineries across the country enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives will encourage infrastructural investment in the rural areas. under each category. OO Employment generation: One 2G bio refinery may contribute 1200 jobs in plant operations, village level entrepreneurs and The Policy categorises biofuels as supply chain management.

OO First Generation (1G) - Basic Biofuels such as Bioethanol & OO Additional income to farmers: The conversion of surplus Biodiesel grains and agricultural biomass to ethanol can help in price OO Second Generation (2G) - Advanced Biofuels, ethanol, stabilisation. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels OO Third Generation (3G) biofuels - Bio-CNG Home Minister Commissioned Anti-Naxal ‘Bastariya’ Battalion National Policy on Biofuels 2018 OO Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on May 21, 2018 The Policy expands the scope of raw material for ethanol pro- commissioned into service the ‘Bastariya’ battalion of the duction by allowing use of products that are unfit for human Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), in Raipur. consumption for ethanol production. These are: OO The anti-Naxal battalion, created for the first-time with more OO Sugarcane Juice than 534 tribal youth from Chhattisgarh, has 33 per cent OO Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, representation of women combatants with 189 women OO Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, constables. OO Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, Rotten OO The Passing out Parade will be held at a training centre at Potatoes Ambikapur, a city in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh.

OO Considering that farmers are at a risk of not getting appropriate Key Highlights price for their produce, the Policy allows use of surplus food OO The localised battalion of the young combatants will be grains for production of ethanol for blending with petrol, with immediately deployed for anti-Naxal operations in some of the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee. the worst Naxal-hit areas such as Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur. OO The battalion was named Bastariya’, as its members were OO The policy indicates a viability gap funding scheme for 2G recruited from Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur ethanol Bio refineries of` 5000 crore in 6 years in addition to districts of undivided Bastar region in southern Chhattisgarh, additional tax incentives, higher purchase price as compared bordering Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana. to 1G biofuels. OO The new recruits were trained for about 44 weeks in jungle OO It encourages setting up of supply chain mechanisms for warfare, weapons firing, map reading, police laws and biodiesel production from non-edible oilseeds, used cooking unarmed combat.The maiden anti-naxal force will be known oil and short gestation crops. as 241 battalion of CRPF. National 11

OO The troops will be given their ranks of constables and take up mostly out-of-pocket, added to the financial burden, the arms against the Naxals, like regular security forces personnel. survey found. OO Rajnath Singh would be awarding the best performers of the OO The authority referred to Section 21(4) of the Mental Healthcare new unit after they present him with a guard of honour and a Act, 2O17 which states that every insurer shall make provision military parade. for medical insurance for treatment of mental illness on the same basis as is available for treatment of physical illness. The Objective Act came into force on May 29, 2018. The battalion has been raised with the aim of strengthening OO Thus, all insurance companies were directed to comply with the security forces’ operations in the areas where they have the aforesaid provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 witnessed maximum fallouts for a few years owing to a lack of with immediate effect. concrete intelligence, familiarisation with the locals and the topography. Note Until now, health insurance policies did not cover mental illnesses. Deployment All of them exclude mental and psychiatric conditions. As per the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences’ National OO The total strength of the ‘Bastariya’ battalion will be 743 Mental Health Survey of India of 2016-17, nearly 15 per cent of personnel, as it will include some of the young but regular Indian adults are in need of active intervention for one or more combat personnel besides officers to ensure a blend of both mental health issues. young blood and experience. OO This new personnel will be deployed as small ‘hit’ teams, along Provisions of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 with regular CRPF and CoBRA battalions, for operations and other duties in south Bastar. Definition of Mental Illness Background As per the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, “mental illness” is defined as a substantial disorder of thinking, mood, perception, OO The Centre had sanctioned the battalion in July 2017. orientation or memory that grossly impairs ability to meet OO The concept to raise the team was taken forward with the aim the ordinary demands of life, judgment, behavior, capacity to that the recruits, mostly tribals, will help address local issues recognise reality, or mental conditions associated with the abuse such as unemployment, provide a tactical advantage to CRPF of alcohol and drugs, but does not include mental retardation in operations, intelligence collection and language benefits. which is a condition of incomplete or arrested development of OO The CRPF is the leading anti-Naxal operations force of the mind of a person, specially characterised by sub-normality of country and has deployed over 35,000 personnel for these intelligence. tasks in Chhattisgarh alone. OO Every person shall have the right to access mental health care and treatment from services run or funded by the government. Health Insurance to Now Cover Mental OO The right to access mental health care includes affordable, Illness: IRDAI good quality of and easy access to services. OO Persons with mental illness also have the right to equality OO The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of of treatment, protection from inhuman and degrading India (IRDAI) on August 16, 2018 directed all the insurance treatment, free legal services, access to their medical records, companies to make a provision to cover mental illness also in and complain regarding deficiencies in provision of mental insurance policies. health care. OO Three months after the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 came into OO The Act further states that every person with mental illness force, the Indian insurance regulator has notified insurers to will be treated as equal to persons with physical illness when cover medical treatment for mental illnesses. it comes to healthcare, including health insurance. OO The notice issued on Aug. 16, said that, “every insurer shall OO Every insurer shall make provision for medical insurance for make provision for medical insurance for treatment of treatment of mental illness on the same basis as is available mental illness on the same basis as is available for treatment for treatment of physical illness. of physical illness.” The order is applicable on all insurance companies in India with immediate effect. Centre Allows Oxytocin Sale by OO The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, which came into effect on Private Chemists May 29, is aimed at protecting the rights of persons with mental illnesses during delivery of mental healthcare and OO Setting aside its ban on the sale of oxytocin, the Health services. Ministry has allowed private retail shops to sell the life-saving OO Atleast 15 crore Indians were in need of active interventions for hormone from September 1. different levels of mental disorders, according to the National OO The ministry in its notification dated April 27 had stated that Mental Health Survey of India 2015-16. Families had to spend sale of oxytocin through private retail chemists would be approximately ` 1,000 - ` 1,500 a month for treatment and banned from July 1 and that the drug would be sold only in travel to access care. Other hidden and intangible expenses, government hospitals and clinics. 12 Current Affairs

OO Later, it deferred the implementation of the ban till September Oxytocin Ban was Unplanned 2018. All retail sale shops are permitted to sell oxytocin. The The move demonstrates that the decision to ban Oxytocin was government has restricted the manufacture of oxytocin unplanned. As per Malini Aisola, co-convenor of the All India formulations for domestic use to just one public sector Drug Action Network (AIDAN), government’s decision was company. State-owned Karnataka Antibiotics Pvt Ltd (KAPL) without consultation with maternal health experts and those will be the only company to manufacture and distribute who would be affected. oxytocin in India from September 1. OO In a meeting on August 6, the ministry had asked the state About Oxytocin governments and Union territories to place purchase orders OO Oxytocin, a hormone naturally produced in the human body, with KAPL to ensure that there is no shortage of oxytocin is manufactured as a drug that is usually administered to injections in government hospitals and clinics. Oxytocin is a a woman during pregnancy in the third stage of labour to naturally-occurring hormone that causes uterine contractions prevent excessive bleeding. during labour and helps new mothers lactate. OO Oxytocin is administered to “prevent and treat” postpartum OO But its misuse is widespread in the dairy industry where haemorrhage (PPH), which is the leading cause of maternal livestock is injected with oxytocin to make them release milk mortality across the world according to World Health at a time convenient to farmers. The hormone is also used to Organisation (WHO). PPH accounts for about 35 per cent of all increase the size of vegetables such as pumpkins, watermelons, maternal deaths. brinjals, gourds and cucumbers. The government has already OO The hormone stimulates the uterine muscles to contract, banned the import of oxytocin and its formulations. so that the labour begins. Synthetic oxytocin (pitocin) is Oxytocin to be Moved Under Schedule sometimes used to induce a woman to start labour, if she cannot start naturally. Once the baby is born, oxytocin OO As per the recent notification, with effect from September 1, promotes lactation, causing the milk to release so the baby 2018, oxytocin will be moved from Schedule H to Schedule can feed. H1. OO Currently, Pfizer and Mylan are two leading producers of OO Schedule H & Schedule Oxytocin in India. OO Drugs under Schedule H can only be sold against a prescription by a registered medical practitioner. India Launched its First National OO Under Schedule H1, the retailer has to maintain a separate register giving the name and address of the prescriber, the Healthcare Facility Registry

patient, the drug and the quantity supplied. These records OO The Union ministry of health and family welfare on June have to be maintained for three years and be available for 19, 2018 launched the National Health Resource Repository inspection. (NHRR), the first ever registry in the country registry of OO Schedule H1 was introduced in 2013 to prevent misuse of authentic, standardised and updated geo-spatial data of all third and fourth generation antibiotics. public and private healthcare. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the project technology partner for OO April 27 notification of the Union Government regarding providing data security. restriction on sale of Oxytocin OO It will now be possible to provide comprehensive data on all OO The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare restricted the private and public health establishments and other resources, manufacture of Oxytocin formulations to public sector for including Railways, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation domestic use only from July 2018. (ESIC), defence and petroleum healthcare establishments. OO It also banned the import of Oxytocin and its formulations. Under the Collection of Statistics Act 2008, more than 20 lakh OO No private manufacturer will be allowed to manufacture or healthcare establishments such as hospitals, doctors, clinics, sell the drug for domestic use. diagnostic labs, pharmacies and nursing homes would be

OO Only Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KAPL), a enumerated under this census, which will capture data on public sector company, would be manufacturing this drug for more than 1,400 variables. domestic use. OO The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) has looped in key stakeholders, including leading associations, allied OO The Oxytocin formulations meant for domestic consumption ministries, and several private healthcare service providers. will be supplied by KAPL to the registered hospitals and clinics OO This resource repository shall enable advanced research in public and private sector directly. towards ongoing and forthcoming healthcare challenges OO All the registered hospitals and clinics in public and private arising from other determinants of health such as disease and sector in the country shall contact KAPL and place their orders the environment. Approximately 4,000 trained professionals with the company as the drug will not be available with retail are working with dedication to approach every healthcare chemists or any other manufacturer. establishment to collect information. National 13

OO It shall also enhance the coordination between central and OO In recent years, India has shown substantial progress on state government for optimisation of health resources, several indicators. India’s national health indicators like Infant making ‘live’ and realistic state project implementation Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Maternity Rate (MMR) and Total plans (PIPs) and improving accessibility of data at all levels, Fertility Rate (TFR) are declining faster than the world’s pace. including state heads of departments, and thus decentralise OO Objective: This resource repository shall enable advanced the decision making at district and state level. research towards ongoing & forthcoming healthcare OO “Some key benefits of the NHRR project are to create a reliable, challenges arising from other determinants of health such as unified registry of country’s healthcare resources showing the disease and environment. distribution pattern of health facilities and services between OO Key Highlights cities and rural areas,” said Union health minister J.P. Nadda. OO The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) has OO “Additionally, it shall generate real-world intelligence to actively engaged with key stakeholders including leading identify gaps in health and service ratios, and ensure judicious Associations, Allied Ministries and several private healthcare health resource allocation and management. It shall identify service providers. key areas of improvement by upgrading existing health OO Approximately 4,000 trained professionals are dedicatedly facilities or establishing new health facilities keeping in view working to approach every healthcare establishment for the population density, geographic nature, health condition, information collection. distance,” he said. OO The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the project OO The NHRR project aims to strengthen evidence-based decision making and develop a platform for citizens and technology partner adhering to paramount data security. provider-centric services by creating a robust, standardised Expected outcomes of NHRR and secured Information Technology (IT)-enabled repository of India’s healthcare resources. The expected outcomes include: Providing comprehensive data on all health resources including OO “Data is an important source of navigation. It helps in understanding the goals, our strengths and weaknesses and it private doctors, health facilities, chemists, and diagnostics labs. is also an important means to strategise. Good compiled data Establishing a National Health Resource Repository for evidence- enables the policymakers to make evidence-based policies based decision making, in line with digital India mission. and aids effective implementation of various schemes. NHRR Enhancing the coordination between central and state should have inbuilt process for updating the data so that the government for optimisation of health resources. Improving data accessibility at all levels including State Head system is relevant for a long time,” said Nadda. of Departments, thus, decentralising the decision making at OO The health minister on Tuesday also released the National district and state level. Health Profile (NHP)-2018, prepared by CBHI. The National Health Profile covers demographic, socio-economic, health status and health finance indicators, along with comprehensive Key Benefits of NHRR information on health infrastructure and human resources in The project would create a reliable, unified registry of Country’s health. healthcare resources showing the distribution pattern of health Significance facilities and services between cities and rural areas. It would generate real-world intelligence to identify gaps in Vision of NHRR Project health and service ratios and ensure judicious health resource al- location and management. OO The project envisions strengthening of evidence-based It would also identify key areas of improvement by upgrading ex- decision making and developing a platform for citizen and isting health facilities or establishing new health facilities keep- provider-centric services by creating a robust, standardised ing in view the population density, geographic nature, health and secured IT-enabled repository of India’s healthcare condition and distance. resources. OO NHRR will be the ultimate platform for comprehensive E Sreedharan Committee to Lay Down Standards information of both, private and public healthcare for Metro Rail Systems establishments including Railways, ESIC, defence and OO Transport infrastructure is one of the most important petroleum healthcare establishments. factors for a country’s progress. With rapid Industrialization, OO Under the Collection of Statistics Act 2008, over 20 lakh Urbanisation, Globalisation and concentration of large healthcare establishments such as hospitals, doctors, clinics, population in urban centers, the cities and towns of the diagnostic labs, pharmacies and nursing homes would be country are growing at a faster pace. To keep this faster pace, enumerated under this census capturing data on over 1,400 for moving people, goods and services, metro rail projects are variables. playing a crucial role not only as a transportation solution but OO The National Health Profile is a very important tool as it has as a means to transform cities. helped in designing various programmes such as free drugs OO The Indian government has taken various steps to develop and diagnostics and Mission Parivar Vikas. Indian Metro sustainable and systematic. However, there are 14 Current Affairs

numerous other areas for which indigenous standards need Cooperative Federalism to be formulated.These are layout of metro station,platforms, OO The Prime Minister linked process of making metro systems signage& displays, size of tunnels, fire protection systems, to cooperative federalism. He said wherever metros are being disaster management systems, environment friendly and built in India, the Centre and the respective state government waste management systems, standards for solar panels at are working together. stations etc. OO He approved setting of the panel during the inauguration OO These indigenous standards will ensure that metro rail sub of Mundka-Bahadurgarh section of the Delhi Metro Green systems for all new metro projects conform to the prescribed Line, which is part of a series of phase-III launched that are standards thus incentivizing manufacturers to plan for long expected to add about 170km more to the capital’s metro term investments in the country and set up manufacturing network this year. units. This will also bring down the cost of the metro rail OO The 11.2-km fully-elevated Bahadurgarh corridor has seven constructions and operation. stations. Bahadurgarh would be Delhi metro’s third foray into OO To make this possible, The Prime Minister Narendra Modi Haryana, after Gurugram and Faridabad. approved a proposal to set up a committee which will lay Background down standards for India’s metro rail systems in the country. OO Last year, Sreedharan had written to Modi to make the metro It will bring India to the international standard in line with a completely “Make in India” project. Russia and Eastern Europe where every metro has the same OO Currently, metro projects with a total length of 370km are standards, the same signaling system and track gauge, etc. operational in eight cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, OO A committee has been constituted for this purpose under Chennai, Kochi and Mumbai. Work on another 537km is in the chairmanship of E. Sreedharan for Standardisation and progress in 13 cities. Besides, metro projects with a total Indigenisation in Metro Rail with the following members: length of 595km across 10 new cities are at various stages of OO Chairman Dr. E. Sreedharan planning and appraisal. OO Sh. H.S. Anand, (for Rolling Stock) Former Director, Rolling OO The metro policy approved by the government in 2017 Stock, DMRC emphasised the need to standardise and indigenise OO Sh. Sameer Lohani, (for Rolling Stock) Executive Director components. (Carriage), RDSO, Indian Railways

OO Sh. D. K. Sinha, (for signalling) Director, Operations, Kochi Government Approved Draft Act to Metro Rail Replace UGC with Higher Education OO Sh. Jitendra Tyagi, (for Civil Engineering) MD, Dehradun Metro, Commission of India Uttrakhand OO OO Sh. Vipul Kumar, (Track & Civil Structure) Executive Director, The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development on Track Modernisation, Railway Board June 27, 2018 proposed a draft bill to repeal the University Grants Commission (UGC) and set up the Higher Education OO Sh. Prashanth Rao (Automatic Fare Collection System) Director Systems, Ahmedabad Metro Commission of India (HECI), a move that aims to reform higher education in India. OO Sh. Anoop Gupta (Traction, Power Supply, Ventilation) OO The Minister also stated that “The draft Act is in accordance Director, Electrical, DMRC with the commitment of Government for reforming the OO Sh. Mukund Kumar Sinha, (Member Secretary) OSD (UT) and regulatory systems that provide for more autonomy and Ex Officio Joint Secretary, MoHUA facilitate holistic growth of the education system.” The OO The committee is expected to submit its report in 3 months. Minister has appealed to all educationists, stakeholders and After 3 months, based on specific task of standardisation, the general public to give comments and suggestions on the Dr. Sreedharan could co-opt the relevant expert members for draft legislation before July 7, 2018. the task for a specified period of time. OO The Act entitled ‘Higher Education Commission of India Act, Objectives 2018 (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act)’ revamps UGC Act, 1951 and its parent legislation completely. The HECI Besides recommending standardisation norms for various compo- Act, 2018 is expected to be introduced in Parliament in the nents, the Sreedharan Panel will also propose ways to indigenise upcoming monsoon session. metro components that are currently imported. This will bring down costs and also give a boost to the govern- Provisions of the Draft Act and the Role of Higher ment’s Make in India policy. Education Commission of India (HECI) Instead of evolving standards for each component separately, OO The focus of the Commission will be on improving academic the committee will go into all aspects and then come up with standards and quality of higher education. uniform standards for various components that will be followed by metro rail systems across the country. OO It will specify norms for learning outcomes and will lay down Standardisation will also reduce costs. standards of teaching/research etc. National 15

OO It will provide a roadmap for mentoring of institutions found institutions, mentoring of institutions, training of teachers failing in maintaining the required academic standards. and promote use of educational technology. OO It will enforce its decisions through legal provisions in the Act. OO Powers to enforce: HECI will have powers to enforce OO It will have the power to grant authorisation for starting of compliance to the academic quality standards and will have academic operations on the basis of their compliance with the power to order closure of bogus institutions. norms of academic quality. Criticism of UGC OO It will also have the powers to annul a higher education institution where there is a case of wilful or continuous default The UGC and its regulatory regime have been criticised several in compliance with the norms. times by a number of committees for its restrictive and suf- OO It will have the power to recommend closure of institutions focating processes. which fail to adhere to minimum standards without affecting Several committees including the Professor Yash Pal committee students’ interest. and the National Knowledge Commission of the UPA era and the Hari Gautam committee of Modi regime have recommended a OO The Commission will encourage higher education institutions to formulate a Code of Good Practices, covering promotion of single education regulator to rid higher education of red tape and lethargy. research, teaching and learning. OO The Bill also provides for the penal provisions which will cover withdrawal of power to grant degrees/ diplomas or direction President Ram Nath Kovind Launched Solar to cease academic operations. Charkha Mission OO The cases of wilful non-compliance may result in prosecution OO President Ram Nath Kovind launched the ‘Solar Charkha as per the Criminal Procedure Code with a punishment of Mission’ on the occasion of the UN MSME Day, to mark the imprisonment for a term which may extend up to 3 years. important economic role played by Micro, Small and Medium OO It will also specify norms and processes for fixing of fee Enterprises (MSMEs). chargeable by higher education institutions. OO It will monitor all matters covering the development of Solar Charkha Mission

emerging fields of knowledge and balanced growth of higher OO The Solar Charkha Mission was launched with an aim to education institutions in all spheres. employ artisans in 50 identified clusters. OO The mission will entail a subsidy of ` 550 crore in the initial Constitution of the HECI two years for 50 clusters and every cluster will employ 400 to OO The Commission will be constituted by the Chairpersons of 2000 artisans. regulatory bodies in higher education, namely the AICTE OO The mission will generate employment in rural areas and will and the NCTE. contribute to the green economy. OO The Chairpersons/Vice-Chairpersons and members will be OO It also aims at linking five crore women across the country to scholars of eminence, standing in the field of academics and the initiative. research and possess leadership qualities. OO The mission is expected to create one lakh jobs during the first OO There will be an Advisory Council within the HECI to two years. render advice to the Commission on matters concerning Sampark Portal coordination and determination of standards in the OO President Kovind also launched the ‘Sampark portal’, a digital country. This will be represented by the Chairpersons / Vice- platform to connect five lakh job seekers with recruiters. Chairpersons of State Councils for Higher Education and will OO This digital platform will be useful in creating a skill pool of be chaired by the Union Minister for HRD. workers and connecting trained youth with job opportunities. Transformation of the Higher Education Set up is Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Sector

Guided by the Following Principles: OO The Indian MSME sector provides maximum opportunities for OO Less Government and More Governance: To Downsising the both self-employment and wage-employment outside the scope of the Regulation and ensure minimum interference in agricultural sector. the management issues of the educational institutions. OO The sector generates around 100 million jobs through over 46 OO Separation of grant functions: The grant functions will now be million units situated throughout the geographical expanse done by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and of the country. the HECI would focus only on academic matters. OO Besides the wide range of services provided by the sector, the OO End of inspection raj: Regulation will now be done through sector is engaged in the manufacturing of over 6,000 products transparent public disclosures, merit-based decision making ranging from traditional to hi-tech items. on matters regarding standards and quality in higher education. OO Currently, MSME sector leverages demographic dividend OO Focus on academic quality: HECI has been mandated of the country and promotes inclusive growth in rural and to improve academic standards with specific focus on backward areas. The sector accounted for around 60 percent learning outcomes, evaluation of academic performance by employment in India. 16 Current Affairs

OO There are about 6.5 crore MSMEs in India which have created Facts and Figures over 11 crore job opportunities. OO Every year, around 44,000 children go missing in the country, OO Such enterprises have registered over 10 per cent growth of which, just 11000 are rescued. in recent times which is much more compared to large OO As per the BBA study, 117480 children were reported missing, enterprises. 74209 were traced and 41546 remained untraced in two years OO At Present, the Ministry of MSME is working to set up 15 new between 2008 and 2010. modern technology centres all over the country including in OO Among 20 states and 4 UTs, Maharashtra (26211) reported the Northeast. Each centre is being built at a cost of around highest number of missing children followed by West Bengal ` 150 crore. (25413), Delhi (13,570) and Madhya Pradesh (12,777). OO Maharashtra (1,706) also has the highest number of traced uresh rabhu launched e nite obile pp S P ‘R U ’ M A children followed by Delhi (11870), Madhya Pradesh (9537), OO Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Uttar Pradesh (7586), West Bengal (6653) and Karnataka (3522). Suresh Prabhu on June 29, 2018 launched a mobile application ‘ReUnite’ to track and trace missing and abandoned children Language Census 2011: Surge in Hindi in India. and English Speakers; Tribal Language OO The app has been developed jointly by NGO ‘Bachpan Bachao Speakers Decline Andolan’ and IT major Capgemini. OO The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner Highlights of the App of India on June 26, 2018 released the 2011 Census data on OO The app will work to reunite parents with their children who Language and Mother Tongue. The Language Census 2011 have gone missing. represents an updated linguistic scenario. OO The app is multiuser where parents and citizens can upload OO As per the 2011 Census data, there is a rise in number of Hindi pictures of children, and provide detailed description like speakers, however, speakers of South Indian languages and name, birth mark, address, report to the police station, search Urdu dropped down. and identify missing kids. Key Highlights of the 2011 Census Data on OO The photographs will not be saved in the mobile phone’s physical memory. Language and Mother Tongue OO As per the 2011 census, 43.63 per cent of Indians speak Hindi OO Amazon Rekognition, web facial recognition service, is being as their mother tongue. used within the app to identify missing kids. OO Bengali, with 8.03 per cent speakers, is second in the list, OO The app is available for both Android and iOS. followed by Marathi at 3rd with 6.86 percent speakers, Bachpan Bachao Andolan Telugu at 4th with 6.7 per cent speakers and Tamil at 5th with

OO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) is an NGO and India’s largest 5.7 per cent speakers. movement for the protection of children and works along OO In all, 13 of the 22 scheduled languages were reported as the with law enforcement agencies and policymakers. mother tongue by at least 1 per cent of the population. OO OO It was founded by Kailash Satyarthi, a social activist and Nobel Except for Sanskrit, each of the 21 scheduled languages was Laureate. reported as the mother tongue by at least 10 lakh people. OO Sanskrit is the only language that is spoken by a set of around OO BBA pioneered the first consulted effort in the country on the issue of missing children and its linkages with trafficking 25000 people. in the case involving missing children of Nithari in 2006. The Rise in Hindi Language Speakers

case led the Supreme Court pass the landmark judgement in OO Hindi is the most spoken Indian language. It is one of two 2013 ordering that FIR has to be lodged in all cases of missing languages used by the Union government, the other being children. English.

STATEMENT - 4 Scheduled Languages in Descending Order of Speakers’ Strength - 2011 S. No. Language Persons who returned the language Percentage to total population as their mother tongue 1. Hindi 52.83.47.193 43.63 2. Bengali 9.72.37.669 8.03 3. Maratiti 8.30.26.680 6.86 4. Telugu 8.11.27.740 6.70 National 17

5. Tamil 6.90.26.881 5.70 6. Gujarati 5.54.92.554 4.58 7. Urdu 5.07.72.631 4.19 8. Kannada 4.37.06.512 3.61 9. Odia 3.75.21.324 3.10 10. Malayalam 3.48.38.819 2.88 11. Punjabi 3.31.24.726 2.74 12. Assamese 1.53.11.351 1.26 13. Maithili 1.35.83.464 1.12 14. Santal 73.68.192 0.61 15. Kashmiri 67.97.587 0.56 16. Nepali 29.26.168 0.24 17. Sindhi 27.72.264 0.23 18. Dogri 25.96.767 0.21 19. Konkani 22.56.502 0.19 20. Manipuri 17.61.079 0.15 21. Bodo 14.82.929 0.12 22. Sanskrit 24.821 N

OO Currently, 43.63 per cent of India speaks Hindi including OO However, in some cases, this growing migration from North to languages such as Bhojpuri that are fighting to be accorded South resulted in agitation, such as in Bengaluru, Karnataka; separate status. Between 2001 and 2011, Hindi grew at a rate the government was forced to remove Hindi signages from of 25 per cent, adding about 100 million new Hindi speakers. the city metro. OO Among the 10 largest languages in India, Hindi is the only Drop in Numbers of Urdu Speakers one that saw the rise in the proportion of its speakers. The OO As per the language census data 2011, two scheduled language has been witnessing the growth since 1971, driven languages, Urdu and Konkani, saw fall in absolute numbers. mostly by high population growth in the Hindi-speaking There are 50772631 Urdu speakers in India, a fall of about states. 1.5 per cent since 2001. The decline in Konkani speakers is Decline in South Indian Language Speakers 9.5 per cent.

OO The lower population growth in the five Dravidian language- OO Urdu speakers are spread across India but the language’s speaking states, namely Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra strongest presence is in the two largest Urdu-speaking states Pradesh and Telangana has resulted in the fall in proportion of - Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam language speakers. OO The Urdu language in modern India is associated only with OO While Hindi grew by 161 per cent between 1971 and 2011, Muslims, however, this fall in Urdu speakers is strange as the these four largest Dravidian languages grew at half that rate Muslim population in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has grown that is at 81 per cent over the same period. between 2001 and 2011.

Note Bengali Retains its Position as 2nd Most Spoken The 1981 census data for Tamil language was lost in a flood and Language is unavailable. The data for Tamil has been inferred by observing OO As per the 2011 census, Bengali, with 8.03 per cent, is second in the change between 1971 and 1991 census data. the list after Hindi in terms of percentage of speakers. As Hindi language, Bengali too spreads to other states with migration. Growth of Hindi Language Speakers in The language is spreading to the south and west, there are 4.4 South India lakh Bengalis in far-off Maharashtra and 2.2 lakh in Delhi. OO In South, the numbers are small, however, they are growing. OO The growing movement of people from north to south has led to greater presence of Hindi in the five southern states. In In Kerala, the proportion of Bengali speakers has grown nine Tamil Nadu, the proportion of Hindi speakers nearly doubled times. from 2001 to 2011. OO Comparative Ranking of Language Census of 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011. 18 Current Affairs

STATEMENT-6 COMPARATIVE RANKING OF SCHEDULED LANGUAGES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF SPEAKERS STRENGTH-1971. 1981. 1991 2001 AND 2011 Language and its percentage to total population 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 Language % Language % Language % Language % Language % 1 2 3 4 5 1 Hindi 38.99 1 Hindi 38.74 1 Hindi *2 39.29 1 Hind 41.03 Hindi 43.83 2 Bengali 8.17 2 Bengali 7.71 2 Bengali 8.30 2 Bengali 8.11 2 Bengali 8.03 3 Telugu 8.16 3 Telugu 7.61 3 Telugu 7.87 3 Tekkuu 7.19 3 Marathi 8.86 4 Marathi 7.61 4 Marathi 7.43 4 Marathi 7.45 4 Marathi 6.99 4 Telugu 6.70 5 Tamil 6.88 5 Urdu 5.25 5 Tama 6.32 5 Tamil 5.91 5 Tamil 5.70 6 Urdu 5.22 6. Gujarati 4.97 6 Urdu 5.18 6 Urdu 5.01 6 Gujarati 4.58 7 Gujarati 4.72 7. Kannada 3.86 7 Gujarati 4.85 7 Gujarati 4.48 7 Urdu 4.19 8 Malayalam 4.00 8 Malayalam 3.86 8 Kannada 3.91 8 Kannada 3.69 8 Kannada 3.81 9 Kannada 3.96 9 Oriya 3.46 9 Malayalam 3.62 9 Malayalam 3.21 9 Odia 3.10 10 Oriya 3.82 10 Punjabi 2.95 10 Oriya 3.35 10 Oriya 3.21 10 Malayalam 2.88 11 Punjabi 2.57 11 Maithil1 1.13 11 Punjabi 2.79 11 Punjabi 2.83 11 Punjabi 2.74 12 Assamese 1.63 12 Santali1 0.65 12 Assamese 1.56 12 Assamese 1.28 12 Assamese 1.28 13 Maithili1 1.12 13 Kashrniri 0.48 13 Maithail 0.93 13 Maithili1@ 1.18 13 Maithili 1.12 14 Santali1 0.69 14 Sindhi 0.31 14 Santali1 0.62 14 Santali1 0.63 14 Santali 0.61 15 Kashmiri 0.48 15 Konkani2 0.24 15 Nepal2 0.25 15 Kashmiri (+) 0.54 15 Kashmiri 0.56 16 Sindhi 0.31 16 Dogri1 0.23 16 Sidhi 0.25 16 Nepali2 0.28 16 Nepali 0.24 17 Konkani2 0.28 17 Nepali2 0.20 17 Konkani2 021 17 Sindhi 0.25 17 Sindhi 0.23 18 Nepali2 0.26 18 Manipuri2 0.14 18 Bodo1 0.15 18 Konkani2 0.24 18 Dogri 0.21 19 Dcgri1 0.24 19 Sanskrit 0.00 19 Manipuri 0.15 19 Doori1 (+) 0.22 19 Konkani 0.19 20 Manipuri2 0.14 20 Assamese** ** 20 Sanskrit 0.01 20 Manipuri2$ 0.14 20 Manipuri 0.15 21 Bodo1 010 21 Bodo1 ** 21 Kashmiri *** 21 Bodo1 0.13 21 Bodo 0.12 22 Sanskrit 0.00 22 Tamil ** ** 22 Dogri(+)1 *** 22 Sansluit 0.00 22 Sanskrit 0.00

Sharpest Language Divide in Assam Decline in Tribal Languages Speakers

OO The sharpest language divide of India exists in Assam, where OO The lesser-known tribal languages spoken in remote corners a proposed citizenship law and National Register of Citizens of India have shown a decline, as per the findings of the 2011 have divided the state’s Assamese and Bengali speakers. Language Census. OO Assam is the only major state that does not have any language OO These include the Sema language of the Naga tribe, the group in a majority. Assamese speakers, the largest group, Monpa language of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland’s Phom, make up 48 per cent of the state, however, the proportion of Odisha’s Jatapu, Himachal Pradesh’s Lahauli and Bhumij of Bengali speakers went up in 2001-2011. Eastern India Note Language Census The National Register of Citizens is a project that aims to cre- OO The primary objective of the Linguistic Survey of India is to ate a definitive list of citizens of the state and identify illegal present an updated linguistic scenario. immigrants. OO The census followed a certain methodology to arrive at these Increase in English Language Speakers findings. It defined “Mother tongue” as ‘the language spoken in childhood by the person’s mother to the person. If the OO English seems to have registered a 15 per cent jump in number of speakers since 2001, making it one of the fastest growing mother died in infancy, the language mainly spoken in the languages in the decade. person’s home in childhood will be the mother tongue’. National 19

OO There are total 121 languages that are considered as mother Other Details tongues. Of these, 22 languages are included in the Eighth OO The programme will be steered by a state level committee Schedule of the Indian Constitution. headed by the Principal Secretary, Home Department with OO The 22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule account for the Principal Secretary, Education and Director General of the mother tongue of 96.72 per cent Indians as per the 2011 Police as members. census. OO A similar committee will be formed at the district level, headed by the District Magistrate with the District Inspector overnment launched tudent olice adet G S P C of Schools and Superintendent of Police as members. Programme OO The Centre has released an amount worth `67 crores to the states for the implementation of the programme. OO The Student Police Cadet (SPC) programme was launched for nationwide implementation by Union Home Minister Rajnath OO Besides, an amount of `50,000 will be earmarked for Singh at a ceremony in Gurugram, Haryana on July 21, 2018. each school to be spent on educational aids, training and contingency. OO Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that he hoped that the SPC would lead to a silent revolution over the years by OO The programme shall first be implemented in government focusing on character building by imparting moral values to schools, in both urban and rural areas. budding minds. Government Launched Logo, Tagline For OO The Home Minister further expressed concern that education these days stressed more on mere book reading with little ‘Geographical Indication’ Certified Products attention being paid towards character building of students, OO Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on which shows negative effects on society in terms of increased August 2, 2018 launched the tricolour logo and a tagline for crime. Geographical Indication (GI) certified products. OO The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Union Human OO The logo has tagline “Invaluable Treasures of Incredible Resources Minister Prakash Javadekar and the Chief Minister India” printed below it. The winning logo was designed by Adri of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar. Chatterjee and the winning tagline was coined by Akancha Objective Tripathi. OO The SPC programme seeks to build a bridge between the Significance Police and the larger community through school students OO From now on, GI-registered goods will sport logo and tagline by inculcating values and ethics in them through classes in to make them more attractive. school and outside OO The GI logo will act as a certifying mark that can be used to Key Highlights identify all registered GIs irrespective of the categories. OO Major airports of the country will have stalls displaying GI and OO The programme will focus on students of class 8 and 9 and special care will be taken to ensure that it does not increase self-help group products. the workload of the students. Objective OO The programme will not have any prescribed text book and nor will it include any exam. OO While launching the logo for India’s GI products, Prabhu said OO Under its schedule, only one class is proposed in a month. that the logo and tagline were chosen to depict the labour OO The programme broadly seeks to cover two topics: and creativity of artisans from different parts of India. The GI OO Crime prevention and control: The topics covered under this tag will give artisans and the place of origin their rightful part include community policing, road safety, fight against share in intellectual property. social evils, safety of women and children, fight against OO The logo and tagline also aim to increase awareness corruption and disaster management. about Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)and also and OO Values and ethics: The topics covered under this part include values and ethics, respect for elders, empathy and sympathy, importance of GI products in the country. tolerance, patience, attitude, team spirit and discipline. OO This will promote grass root development and will give a OO The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) with boost to the development of districts for which 6 districts in the support of NCERT has prepared a handbook for imparting 5 states have been selected for a pilot project.

instructions. OO GI products may also benefit the rural economy in remote OO The programme would lay a greater emphasis on field areas, by supplementing the incomes of artisans, farmers, demonstrations and hands on learning of the functioning weavers and craftsmen. India’s rural artisans possess unique of the police through visits to women police stations, child protection homes including NGOs, traffic police and fire skills and knowledge of traditional practices and methods, brigade stations. which need to be protected and promoted. OO OO It will also enable learning through group discussions and The promotion of GIs is in line with the Government’s ‘Make audio-visual mediums. in India’ campaign. 20 Current Affairs

The Contest OO Ayushman Bharat, the government-sponsored health insurance scheme, will provide free coverage of up to `5 lakh OO Earlier, the Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion per family per year in any government or even empanelled (DIPP) on October18, 2017 had launched a Logo and a Tagline private hospitals all over India. OO Launched with an aim to help the poor and the economically Contest for Geographical Indications of India through mygov. deprived, the scheme will be available for 10.74 crore in platform. beneficiary families and about 50 crore Indian citizens. OO A total of 918 entries for tagline and slogan and 383 entries OO This scheme will strengthen the healthcare services in India. for logo were received and the winners of logo and tagline Around 13000 hospitals in the country have been coordinated contest were awarded an amount of `50000 each. for the implementation of the scheme. What does Geographical Indication imply? Who all can avail of the scheme and how? OO A Geographical Indication is a sign used on products that OO The Ayushman Bharat is an entitlement based scheme with have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or entitlement decided on the basis of deprivation criteria in a reputation that are due to that origin. the SECC database. OO Such signs convey an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, OO Here are the different categories of families in rural areas which is essentially attributable to its origin in that defined that can be covered under the scheme: geographical locality. Darjeeling Tea, Mahabaleshwar OO The beneficiaries are identified based on the deprivation Strawberry, Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Banarasi Sarees, Kangra categories (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D7). These are: Paintings, Nagpur Orange, Kashmir Pashmina and Tirupati OO Families having only one room with kucha walls and Laddus are some of the registered GIs in India. kucharoof OO GIs are of utmost importance to the country as they are an OO Families having no adult member between age 16 to 59 integral part of India’s rich culture and collective intellectual OO Female headed households with no adult male member heritage. between age 16 to 59 OO It is an area of strength and optimism for India, whereby the OO Disabled member and no able bodied adult member in the GI tag has accorded protection to a number of hand-made family and manufactured products, especially in the informal OO SC/ST households sector. OO Landless households deriving major part of their income from manual casual labour OO Certain GI products can benefit the rural economy in remote areas, by supplementing the incomes of artisans, farmers, OO The scheme will automatically include families in rural weavers and craftsmen. areas having any one of the following- households without shelter, destitute, living on alms, manual scavenger families, primitive tribal groups or legally released bonded labour. odi launched yushman harat ojana PM M A B Y OO For urban areas, 11 defined occupational categories are

OO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018 entitled under the scheme. launched the flagship scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya OO In addition, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) Yojana’ (PMJAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat or the beneficiaries in states where it is active are also included. National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM). OO There is no cap on family size and age in the scheme. OO One would only need to establish one’s identity to avail OO While launching the healthcare scheme at Ranchi, Jharkhand, PM Modi said that, “This is the world’s largest health scheme benefits under the scheme and it could be through Aadhaar card or election ID card or ration card. Having an Aadhaar which will serve a population that equals 27-28 European card is not mandatory. countries. The beneficiaries are almost equal to the population OO All the beneficiaries will be given letters having QR codes of Canada, Mexico and US put together.” which will be scanned. A demographic authentication will OO Beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat insurance programme be conducted for identification to verify his or her eligibility in Jharkhand were sent a two-page personalised letter to avail the benefits of the scheme. from PM Modi outlining the importance and benefits of the OO In case of hospitalisation, members of the beneficiary project. The government will send similar letters to 10.74 crore families do not need to pay anything under the scheme, beneficiary families. The letters will have photograph of PM provided if one goes to a government or an empanelled Modi. private hospital. OO On the same occasion, the Prime Minister also launched a toll free number 14555 for people to get more information about OO The Ayushman Bharat programme will be funded with 60 Ayushma Bharat scheme. per cent contribution from the Centre and the remaining from the states. OO The scheme will become operational from September 25, 2018, the birth anniversary of Deendayal Upadhyay. OO The scheme aims to target poor and vulnerable population of the country, based on the Socio Economic and Caste Census OO Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman Bharat or AB- NHPM) 2011 (SECC) database. There will be no cap on family size and age in the scheme. National 21

OO The benefit cover will also include pre and post-hospitalisation Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana or Ayushman Bharat to expenses. All pre-existing conditions will be covered from day cover child cancer treatment one of the policy. OO The Union Government has announced that the treatment OO A defined transport allowance per hospitalisation will also be of childhood cancer will be covered under Pradhan Mantri paid to the beneficiary. Jan Arogya Yojana. The information was shared by NITI OO The scheme allows the beneficiary to take cashless benefits Aayog member Vinod Kumar Paul, while speaking at a from any public or private empanelled hospitals across the function in New Delhi on September 9, 2018. country. OO Paul revealed that child cancer will be treated under the

OO The payment for treatment will be done on package rate Ayushman Bharat scheme and the rate in this regard has which will be defined by the Government in advance basis. been fixed. The package rates will include all the costs associated with treatment. The States and UTs will have the flexibility to Cabinet Approved Provision of Bail in Instant modify these rates within a limited bandwidth. Triple Talaq Bill OO For beneficiaries, it will be a cashless and paper less transaction. OO The Cabinet approved the provision of bail in the triple talaq OO The scheme will work in partnership with NITI Aayog to bill and also allowed reconciliation proceedings, besides operationalise a robust, modular and interoperable IT platform allowing only a wife, her blood relatives or those in the family which will involve a paperless and cashless transaction. she has married into to file a police complaint against a man. OO The National Health Agency (NHA), the apex body OO The ‘offence’ of instant triple talaq will remain a non-bailable implementing the scheme, has launched a website (mera. offence, when a man is arrested but he will be able to apply pmjay.gov.in). for bail before the trial, but only after the magistrate hears the wife. Pronouncement of talaq in one go will attract a jail term Hospital Empanelment of three years for the husband. OO The beneficiaries can avail of the benefits in both public and OO The ‘Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill’ empanelled private facilities. All public hospitals in the States was cleared by Lok Sabha but hit a wall of opposition in Rajya implementing the scheme will be considered empanelled for Sabha, where many parties demanded that the provision of the Scheme. bail be included. OO Hospitals belonging to Employee State Insurance Corporation Amendments approved by Cabinet (ESIC) will also be empanelled based on the bed occupancy OO The amendment mandates that the magistrate can decide ratio parameter. on releasing the husband on bail only after hearing the wife. OO While, the private hospitals will be empanelled online, based However, the offence remains non-bailable. The government on defined criteria. has not struck down the three year jail penalty for the husband OO Each empanelled hospital will have an ‘Ayushman Mitra help or the provision that only empowers a magistrate to release the desk’ where a prospective beneficiary can check documents accused on bail. to verify the eligibility and enrolment to the scheme. OO Another amendment allows only a woman, or a close relative,

OO So far, 15686 applications for hospital empanelment have to file a police case against her husband for instant triple talaq. been received and over 8735 hospitals, both public and OO And the last amendment allows a wife to drop the case, if private, have been empanelled for the scheme. husband returns to her later and they arrive at a compromise.

OO Provisions of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Remaining States Marriage) Bill, 2017 The bill says that “any pronouncement OO As many as 30 states and Union Territories have signed MoUs of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken with the Union Government to implement the programme or written or in electronic form or in any other manner over the next two to three months. However, Telangana, whatsoever, shall be void and illegal.” Odisha, Delhi, Kerala and Punjab have still not signed the OO It makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat illegal and void, MoUs, so the scheme will not be implemented in these states be it in any form- spoken form, in writing or by electronic till they come on board. means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp or in any other manner whatsoever. OO States will be required to form a State Health Agency (SHA) OO It defines ‘talaq’ as ‹talaq-e-biddat’ pronounced by a Muslim to implement the scheme and at the district level also, a man resulting in instant and irrevocable divorce. Talaq-e- structure for implementation of the scheme will be set up. To biddat refers to the practice under Muslim personal laws ensure that the funds reach SHA on time, the transfer of funds where pronouncement of the word ‘talaq’ thrice in one from Central Government to State Health Agencies may be sitting by a Muslim man to his wife results in an instant and done through an escrow account directly. irrevocable divorce. 22 Current Affairs

OO It makes declaration of talaq a cognizable and non-bailable Islamic Countries Which Have Already Banned offence. A husband declaring talaq can be imprisoned for up the Practice of Triple Talaq to three years along with a fine. OO 10 Islamic countries have already banned the practise OO Any offence committed under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 will be treated as cognisable and non-bailable. of instant triple talaq including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Morocco, Tunisia, Indonesia and Malaysia. OO It envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance. It gives power to wife, upon whom talaq is OO Countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan even have penal pronounced, to approach a magistrate seeking subsistence provisions like jail for one year for husbands who pronounce allowance for herself and her minor children. ‘talaq’ thrice at once. OO A married Muslim woman will be entitled to custody of her arendra odi naugurated nland minor children in the event of pronouncement of talaq by her PM N M I I husband, which will be determined by the Magistrate. Multi-Modal Terminal Port in Varanasi OO The Bill will help in ensuring gender justice and gender OO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12, 2018 equality of married Muslim women and will help them in inaugurated India’s first multi-modal terminal on the Ganga practising their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and river in his parliamentary constituency here and received empowerment the country’s first container cargo transported on inland Supreme Court’s ruling on instant Triple Talaq waterways from Kolkata. OO The first consignment containing food and beverage had set OO The Bill was prepared following the Supreme Court’s verdict sail from Kolkata in the last week of October. of August 22, 2017, which held the Islamic practice of OO This is the first of the four multi-modal terminals being ‘instant’ triple talaq’ as unconstitutional. constructed on the National Waterway-1 (River Ganga) as OO The verdict was delivered by a 5-judge bench led by the part of the World Bank-aided ‘Jal Marg Vikas Project’ of the then Chief Justice J S Kehar. All the 5 judges belonged to 5 different religions. Inland Waterways Authority of India. The total estimated cost of the project is `5,369.18 crore, which will be equally shared OO The verdict came out in a ratio of 3:2, as two judges including the Chief Justice voted to uphold the practice between the Government of India and the World Bank.The saying that it cannot be declared illegal, while others called other three terminals are under construction at Sahibganj, it unconstitutional and banned it for a period of 6 months Haldia and Gazipur. till the government introduced a new law. Note OO The court also held that the practice of instant triple talaq was violative of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Indian The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Min- Constitution. It also goes against Shariat and the basic ister Narendra Modi on January 3, 2017 approved the implementa- tenets of the Quran. tion of the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1 (NW-1). What is the concept of Triple Talaq as per The project was approved at a cost of `5369.18 crore with the techni- Islamic Law? cal assistance and investment support of the World Bank. Following this, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on OO Among Muslims, marriage is treated as a social contract February 2, 2018 signed a project agreement with the World Bank and the Muslim Sharia (Islamic Law) provides the ways to for Jal Marg Vikas Project. World Bank entered into a USD 375 mil- terminate marriage in the form talaq. lion loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Union OO The term ‘talaq’ means ‘freeing or undoing the knot’, referring Ministry of Finance to a divorce. OO Triple talaq is basically a process of Divorce wherein the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) husband pronounces three talaqs upon wife, one in each OO The Jal Marg Vikas Project aims to enable commercial menstrual cycle, only to ensure that she is not pregnant. navigation of vessels with the capacity of 1500 - 2000 tons on Note National Waterway-1. OO The development and operations of the National Waterway-1 During the time of Prophet Mohammed, triple talaq was given project will lead to direct employment generation to the tune in different time spans. Later, the tradition of triple talaq being of 46000 and indirect employment of 84000 in the states of pronounced at a single instance came to be accepted; and over the Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal. years, this practice was institutionalised. OO The project includes development of fairway, Multi-Modal The practice of instant triple talaq became controversial in recent Terminals at Varanasi, Haldia and Sahibganj, strong river decades, as it has been misused by married men to get rid of their navigation system, modern River Information System (RIS), wives for petty reasons. This kind of triple talaq in an impulsive and Digital Global Positioning System (DGPS), night navigation instantaneous manner raised concerns in the Muslim Community. facilities, construction of a navigational lock at Farakka. National 23

OO The National Waterway-1 along with proposed Eastern OO Almost after an year, the movement has now arrived in the Dedicated Freight Corridor and National Highway-2 Bollywood, Indian film industry; and is spreading through India. constitutes the Eastern Transport Corridor of India connecting OO The #MeToo movement started after former Bollywood the NCR with the eastern and north-eastern states. actress Tanushree Dutta alleged that Nana Patekar sexually OO This waterway will function as a link to Bangladesh, Myanmar, harassed her on a movie set in 2008. However, Patekar has Thailand, Nepal and other east and south-east Asian countries rejected Dutta’s allegations and said he made the same denial through the Kolkata Port and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol 10 years ago. Route. OO The movement has recently gained momentum in India as OO The JMVP will result in an environment-friendly, fuel-efficient more women have begun sharing their experiences of sexual and cost-effective alternative mode of transportation, harassment on social media. especially for bulk goods, hazardous goods and over- OO To name a few, these brave women are actress Kangana dimensional cargo. Ranaut, actress Sandhya Mridul, writer-director-producer Vinta Nanda, singer Sona Mohapatra, journalist Avantika #MeToo Movement: Union Minister MJ Mehta, writer Mahima Kukreja, reporter Anoo Bhuyan, Akbar Resigns From His Post Over Sexual journalist Sandhya Menon, and many more. OO Many well-known comedians, journalists, and actors have arassment harges H C been named and shamed on social media as allegations of OO Union Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar resigned sexual misconduct continue to burst out. from his post on October 17, 2018 over sexual harassment charges levelled against him by several women journalists in Government Constituted GoM to Look Into the wake of #MeToo movement. Sexual Harassment at Workplace OO President Ram Nath Kovind accepted Akbar’s resignation from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect. OO The Union Government on October 24, 2018 constituted a four-member Group of Ministers (GoM) to examine and Reaction of NCW strengthen the existing legal and institutional frameworks for OO The National Commission for Women (NCW) welcomed MJ dealing with matters of sexual harassment of women at the Akbar’s resignation. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said, workplace. “Finally, the government has listened to the voice of women and acted accordingly. NCW welcomes the move”. Composition of GoM According to official notification, the Group of Ministers will be #MeToo allegations against Akbar by over 20 women headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

OO Akbar’s resignation came two days after he filed a criminal The other members of the group will include Road Transport defamation complaint in a Delhi’s Patiala House Court and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Defence Minister Nirmala against journalist Priya Ramani, who was the first to put Sitharaman and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka #MeToo allegations against Akbar. Gandhi. OO Following Ramani’s complaint, as many as 20 women came out in support of Priya Ramani, accusing Akbar of sexual Objective harassment and inappropriate behaviour when he worked OO The GoM has been constituted in view of the felt need for as an Editor in ‘The Asian Age’ newspaper. broader consultation on the issue, from the point of view of OO The journalists urged the court to hear their testimonies developing appropriate recommendations and laying down against Akbar, claiming that some of them suffered sexual a comprehensive plan of action and for ensuring its time- harassment by the minister and others have been a witness bound implementation. to it. Key Details Who are these women? OO The Group of Ministers will recommend action required OO These women are Meenal Baghel, Manisha Pande, Tushita for effective implementation of the existing provisions, as Patel, Kanika Gahlaut, Suparna Sharma, Ramola Talwar well as for strengthening the existing legal and institutional Badam, Hoihnu Hauzel, Aisha Khan, Kushalrani Gulab, frameworks for addressing issues related to sexual harassment Kaniza Gazari, Malavika Banerjee, A T Jayanthi, Hamida at workplace. Parkar, Jonali Buragohain, Meenakshi Kumar, Sujata Dutta OO The GoM will be required to examine the existing provisions Sachdeva, Reshmi Chakraborty, Kiran Manral, Christina Francis and Sanjari Chatterjee. for the safety of women and recommend further measures, within three months of its constitution. #MeToo Movement in India OO The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act is the key legislation for OO The #MeToo campaign first began as a hashtag on Twitter in 2017, when Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was protecting women against sexual harassment in the workplace accused of sexual harassment by over 70 women. and to ensure effective redressal of complaints. 24 Current Affairs

OO Besides this, the Women and Child Development Ministry OO A viewing gallery has been set up at a height of 135 metres, has also launched an Electronic Complaints Box that enables which can accommodate 200 visitors at one time. It offers a women, irrespective of their work status, to raise their voice spectacular view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, its reservoir, and against sexual harassment at workplace. the Satpura and Vindhya mountain ranges. OO Once a complaint is submitted to the ‘SHe-Box’, it will be OO The dedication ceremony shall comprise a flypast of IAF directly sent to the concerned authority having jurisdiction to aircraft and performances of cultural troupes. take action in the matter. OO The Surya Kiran of the Air Force will perform aerobatics in the OO The government would be putting into place a mechanism to sky over the statue while spreading the colours of the Indian regularly monitor the action taken on the complaints. flag in the sky. At the same time, a team of Jaguar fighter aircraft will also fly and a team of MI-17 choppers will shower Background rose petals on the statue.

OO OO The GoM has been set up in the wake of #MeToo movement in Besides, cultural programmes and folk dance performances India where a number of women publicly named the people by artists from Gujarat, Punjab, Assam and Mizoram have also who had harassed them at their workplace. been planned. OO One of the prominent names that came out in the midst of the Other Details shocking revelations was that of Minister of State for External OO The Statue, set up under the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Affairs M J Akbar, who faced allegations of inappropriate Ekta Trust, has been constructed at a cost of `2,989 crore in behaviour and sexual harassment from almost 20 women. less than four years. OO The accusations forced the former editor of the Asian Age to OO Built by engineering major Larsen & Toubro Ltd, the statue will step down from his Ministerial position. be treated as the largest memorial to the ‘Iron Man of India’. OO Approximately, more than 70,000 tonnes of cement, 24,000 PM Modi Unveiled World’s Tallest Statue tonnes of steel and about 1,700 tonnes of bronze have gone ‘Statue of Unity’ into its construction. About 15,000 tourists are expected to visit the statue daily. OO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018 unveiled the bronze statue of India’s first deputy prime minister, Sardar ‘Wall of Unity’ Vallabhbhai Patel at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district. On the occasion, PM Modi also unveiled the ‘Wall of Unity’ that OO The ‘statue of unity’ dedicated to the ‘Iron Man of India’ has has been created with the earth samples collected from various been constructed on a river island called the Sadhu Bet on the states across the country. Narmada river in Kevadiya town. As part of the effort to make the region around the statue a tourist spot, many projects like ‘Valley of Flowers’ and ‘Tent City’ Key Highlights have also been developed. OO The Prime Minister inaugurated the structure on the occasion The Prime Minister also unveiled a ‘Light and Sound show’ on of Sardar Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary, dedicating the Statue Sardar Patel in the exhibition hall built at the pedestal of the of Unity to the country. Statue of Unity. The show will depict the Iron Man of India’s fight against British rule. OO At 182 metres, the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will be the tallest statue in the world, surpassing the height of Spring Background Temple Buddha in China, which had previously held the OO PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of the project on record at 153 metres. October 31, 2013 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. OO The structure will be double the size of the Statue of Liberty in OO With the unveiling, the statue will become a representative New York city in the United States. and inspiration of Unity, Integrity and Peace across the globe.