1 News @ a glance POLITY ................................................................................. 3 2) Russia registers coronavirus vaccine - 1) National Human Rights Commission Sputnik V ..................................................................... 17 (NHRC) ............................................................................ 3 3) HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) .......... 18 2) Inclusion of more languages in 4) Next-Generation Sequencing ........................... 19 Governance ................................................................... 4 5) HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) ........... 20 3) Daughters have an equal birthright to 6) National Expert Group on Vaccine inherit property .......................................................... 5 Administration for coronavirus (COVID- ENVIRONMENT ............................................................... 7 19) .................................................................................. 21 1) World elephant day ................................................. 7 ART & CULTURE .......................................................... 22 2) Tree loss in Arunachal threatens hornbills . 8 1) Mushaira .................................................................... 22 3) Fishing cat collaring project to begin in PIB ANALYSIS ................................................................ 23 A.P.’s Coringa ............................................................... 9 1) UMANG APP .............................................................. 23 ECONOMY ........................................................................ 11 2) Krishi Megh ............................................................... 23 1) RBI surplus transfer ............................................. 11 3) PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi 2) Index of Industrial Production........................ 11 (PM SVANidhi) ......................................................... 24 3) “Transparent Taxation-Honouring the 4) National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority24 Honest” platform .................................................... 11 5) Naval Innovation and Indigenisation INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS .............................. 13 Organisation .............................................................. 25 1) Indus Water Treaty ............................................... 13 6) Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi 2) Pakistan’s new political map ........................... 13 Pariyojana (PMBJP) ............................................... 25 3) India’s assistance to the Maldives ................. 14 7) World Biofuel Day ................................................. 26 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ................................ 16 1) The magnetic field of the Sun measured ... 16 For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com 2 News in Depth AIR NEWS ........................................................................ 28 4) A self-reliant foreign policy .............................. 34 1) Asprational Districts Programme ................. 28 5) India’s population data and fertility 2) Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana ......... 29 decline .......................................................................... 34 THE HINDU EDITORIALS ........................................ 30 INDIAN EXPRESS EXPLAINED .............................. 36 1) The WHO’s relevance is fading ....................... 30 1) The Pendency of cases and the role of 2) Landslides in Kerala ............................................. 31 Virtual Courts ........................................................... 36 3) Historic ratification............................................... 32 For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com 3 News @ a glance POLITY 1) National Human Rights broad mandate, pluralism in Commission (NHRC) membership, broad functions, adequate About NHRC: powers, adequate resources, cooperative . NHRC of India is an independent methods and engage with international statutory body established on 12 bodies. October 1993 as per provisions of . Full compliance with the Paris Principles Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, provides NHRIs with international later amended in 2006. recognition. It is the watchdog of human rights in the country, i.e. the rights related to life, Functions of NHRC: liberty, equality and dignity of the . The National Human Rights Commission individual guaranteed by Indian Functions: Constitution or embodied in the . Inquire, on its own or a petition presented international covenants and enforceable to it by a victim or any person on his by courts in India. behalf, into a complaint of- i ) violation of human rights or abetment or What Are Human Rights? ii) negligence in the prevention of such . Human rights are rights inherent to all violation, by a public servant; human beings, regardless of race, sex, . Intervene in any proceeding involving any nationality, ethnicity, language, allegation of violation of human rights religion, or any other status. Human pending before a court with the approval rights include the right to life and liberty, of such court; freedom from slavery and torture, . Visit, under intimation to the State freedom of opinion and expression, the Government, any jail or any other right to work and education, and many institution under the control of the State more. Everyone is entitled to these Government, to study the living condition rights, without discrimination. of the inmates and make . NHRC was established in conformity with recommendations thereon ; the Paris Principles, adopted for the . Review the safeguards by or under the promotion and protection of human Constitution or any law for the time being rights held in Paris in October 1991, and in force for the protection of human rights endorsed by the General Assembly of the and recommend measures for their United Nations. effective implementation; . Review the factors, including acts of What does the Paris Principles say? terrorism that inhibit the enjoyment of . The Paris Principles are the international human rights and recommend minimum standards for effective, appropriate remedial measures; credible National Human Rights . Study treaties and other international Institutions (NHRIs). instruments on human rights and make . They require that NHRIs have recommendations for their effective independence in law, membership, implementation; operations, policy and control of . Undertake and promote research in the resources. field of human rights; . They also require that NHRIs have a For free learning, visit www.officerspulse.com 4 . Spread human rights literacy among number of genuine grievances go various sections of society and promote unaddressed. awareness of the safeguards available for . State human rights commissions cannot the protection of these rights through call for information from the national publications, the media, seminars and government, which means that they are other available means; implicitly denied the power to investigate . Encourage the efforts of non - armed forces under national control. Governmental organizations and . Also, the National Human Rights institutions working in the field of human Commission powers related to violations rights; of human rights by the armed forces have Structure of NHRC been largely restricted. According to the Protection of Human . Another major problem is that it is Rights (Amendment), 2019 Act, NHRC flooded with too many complaints, and consists of a Chairperson, who has been a are finding it difficult to address the Chief Justice of India or a Judge of the increasing number of complaints. Supreme Court. Why in News? . Members of NHRC: One member who is, . The National Human Rights Commission or has been, a Judge of the Supreme Court has sought an action-taken report within of India and One member who is, or has four weeks from the Centre and the been, the Chief Justice of a High Court. Madhya Pradesh government on a . NHRC includes chairpersons of various complaint by Bhopal gas tragedy commissions such as the National survivors demanding the monthly Commission for Scheduled Castes, pension of ₹1,000 to each widow of National Commission for Scheduled victims that was discontinued in Tribes, and National Commission for December 2019. Women, National Commission for Backward Classes, the National 2) Inclusion of more languages in Commission for the Protection of Child Governance Rights, and the Chief Commissioner for Constitutional provisions related to Official Persons with Disabilities as ex officio languages members. Part XVII of the Indian constitution deals . Adding to the Act, NHRC also includes with the official languages in Articles 343 three persons knowing human rights to to 351. be appointed of which at least one will be . Article 343(1): Under this provision of a woman. the Constitution of India, Hindi in . The Chairperson and the members of the Devanagari script shall be the official NHRC are appointed for 3 years or till language of the Union. the age of 70 years, whichever is . Article 343(2): Provided that English earlier. shall also be continued to be used in . They can be removed only on the charges official work of the Union for 15 years of proved misbehaviour or incapacity if from the date of commencement of the proved by an inquiry conducted by a constitution, i.e., up to the 25th of Supreme Court Judge. January 1965. Limitations of NHRC . Article 343(3): Made provisions for the . The NHRC can only make continuation of English even after 25th recommendations, without the power