National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 15th February 2019

Half of India’s waste-to-energy plants defunct

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: Nearly half of India’s waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, meant to convert non-biodegradable waste, are defunct. Further, the country’s inability to segregate waste has resulted in even the existing plants working below capacity, says an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment.

More on the Topic:

• Since 1987, 15 WTE plants have been set up across the country. However, seven of these plants have shut down.
• The key reasons for closure are the plants’ inability to handle mixed solid waste and the high cost of electricity generated by them that renders it unattractive to power companies.
• However, this track record has not stopped the government from betting big on WTE.
• The NITI Aayog, as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, envisages 800 megawatt from WTE plants by 2018-19, which is 10 times the capacity of all the existing WTE

 Importance of waste to Energy:

•  Most wastes that are generated, find their way into land and water bodies without proper treatment, causing severe water pollution.
• They also emit greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide, and add to air pollution.
• Any organic waste from urban and rural areas and industries is a resource due to its ability to get degraded, resulting in energy generation.
• The problems caused by solid and liquid wastes can be significantly mitigated through the adoption of environmentfriendly waste-to-energy technologies that will allow treatment and processing of waste before their disposal.
• These measures would reduce the quantity of wastes, generate substantial quantity of energy from them, and greatly reduce environmental pollution.
• India’s growing energy deficit is making the government central and state governments become keen on alternative and renewable energy sources.
• Waste to energy is one of these, and it is garnering increasing attention from both the central and state governments. While the Indian Government’s won figures would suggest that the cost of waste to energy is somewhat higher than other renewable sources, it is still and attractive option, as it serves a dual role of waste disposal and energy production.

Model Mains Question: Waste to energy is one of the solutions to India’s growing energy deficit. It serves dual role of waste disposal and energy production. Comment.

Source: The Hindu

Panel moots minimum wage of Rs. 375 per day

Topic: Indian Economy

In News: An expert panel has recommended that a need-based national minimum wage for workers across the country be set at Rs. 375 per day, or Rs. 9,750 per month.

More on the Topic:

• In a report submitted to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, an Expert Committee on Determining the Methodology for Fixation of the National Minimum Wage has also recommended different national minimum wages for “different geographical regions of the country to suit the local realities and as per socio-economic and labour market contexts.”
• These regional wage recommendations range from Rs. 342 per day in some States including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to Rs. 447/day for States such as Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Different minimum wages:

• While the Minimum Wages Act was enacted in 1948, it stipulates different wages according to occupation and State; there is no national minimum wage. In 2016, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hiked minimum wages for unskilled non-agricultural workers by 42% to Rs. 350 per day.
• The Code on Wages Bill, 2017, had proposed a national minimum wage and five regional minimum wages. However, it was referred to a parliamentary standing committee which, in its December 2018 report, said State governments must be consulted before any national minimum wage is set by the Centre.

Source: The Hindu

India signs defence pacts with Germany and Sweden

Topic: International Relations

In News: India concluded defence cooperation and security protection agreements with Germany and Sweden during the ongoing visit of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

More on the Topic:

• The agreement will enable both the countries to share classified information with each other.
• India and Sweden have had a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the area of defence since 2009.
• Sitharaman met her German counterpart Dr. Ursula von der Leyen and signed an implementing arrangement on enhanced defence and defence industry cooperation to strengthen military to military engagement as well as defence industry and research and development linkages.
• Both Germany and Sweden are important suppliers of defence equipment to India and their companies are currently in the race for multi-billion tenders to supply submarines and fighter aircraft.

Source: The Hindu

Registration of Marriage of NRI Bill, 2019

Topic: Government Schemes

In News: The Union Cabinet has approved the introduction of Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Bill, 2019 to create more accountability to Indian citizens living abroad.

More on the Topic:

• The bill is intended to offer more protection against the exploitation of Indian citizens, mostly Indian women by their NRI partners.
• The bill has been introduced with the hope of restricting NRI husbands from using marriage as a tool of exploitation and making money and providing better enforcement of rights for the deserted woman under the family laws.
• The introduction of the Bill was necessitated due to numerous complaints received from Indian nationals mostly women, who were deserted or harassed by their Non-Resident Indian Spouses.

Provisions of the bill:

• Amendment of the legal framework to act as a deterrent to the erring NRI spouses and creating more accountability and offer protection against exploitation of Indian Citizens, especially women married to NRIs.
• Under the new bill, a marriage between an NRI and an Indian citizen will have to be registered in India or Indian missions and posts abroad within 30 days from the date of marriage. If the marriage isn’t registered within 30 days, the passport of the NRI will be revoked, summons and warrant be issued.
• Section 86A: After the bill’s passing, the necessary changes would be carried out in the Passports Act, 1967 and Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 by insertion of Section 86A.
• The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, solving a major problem of serving judicial summons for court proceedings in India.

Significance and impact of the legislation::

• The Bill would offer great protection to Indian citizens married to NRIs and serve as a deterrent to NRIs against harassment of their spouses.

Source:The Hindu

Credit linked capital subsidy scheme

Topic: Economy

In News: The Central government will continue the “Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Upgradation Scheme” for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) beyond the 12th Plan period for three years from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

More on the topic:

• The objective of the Scheme is to facilitate technology up-gradation in MSMEs by providing an upfront capital subsidy of 15 per cent (on institutional finance of up to Rs 1 crore availed by them) for induction of well-established and improved technology in the specified 51 sub-sectors/products approved.
• The major objective is to upgrade their plant & machinery with state-of-the-art technology, with or without expansion and also for new MSEs which have set up their facilities with appropriate eligible and proven technology duly approved under scheme guidelines.
• The Scheme is a demand driven one without any upper limit on overall annual spending on the subsidy disbursal.
• Source:Hindu

 National Commission for Safai Karmacharis

Topic: Social Justice

In News: The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for Extension of tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karmacharis(NCSK) beyond 31.3.2019 for three years.

More on the Topic:

• The NCSK was established in the year 1993 as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993 initially for the period upto 1997.
• Later the validity of the Act was initially extended upto 2002 and thereafter upto 2004. The NCSK Act ceased to have effect from 2004.
• After that the tenure of the NCSK has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time. The tenure of the present Commission is upto 31.3.2019.

About NCSK work domain:

• Recommend to the Government regarding specific programmes for welfare of Safai Karamcharis, study and evaluate the existing welfare programmes for SafaiKaramcharis, investigate cases of specific grievances etc.
• Also as per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, the NCSK has been assigned the work to monitor the implementation of the Act, tender advice for its effective implementation to the Centre and State Governments and enquire into complaints regarding contravention/non-implementation of the provisions of the Act.

Beneficiaries:

• The major beneficiaries of the proposal would be the Safai Karamcharis and persons engaged in manual scavenging in the country since the NCSK will work for their welfare and upliftment.
• Though the Government has taken many steps for the upliftment of the SafaiKaramcharis, the deprivation suffered by them in socio-economic and educational terms is still far from being eliminated. Further the practice of manual scavenging is still prevalent in the country and its eradication continues to be an area of the highest priority for the Government.

Source: The Hindu