National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 26th October 2018
Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management Award
Topic: Governance
In news: India wins CAPM Award 2018.The CAPAM Awards celebrate the spirit of innovation in the public service by recognizing organizations that have made significant contributions to improve governance and services in the public sector.
More on the topic:
- Government of India had sent entries for CAPAM International Innovations Awards, 2018 under various categories.
- The initiative entitled “Unnayan Banka- Reinventing Education Using Technology of Banka District, State of Bihar has been awarded under the Category “Innovation Incubation”.
- “Unnayan Banka” is an initiative which envisages “Quality education for all’ especially for those at the bottom of the Pyramid, using latest technologies. It’s a holistic model of overall development of youths from Education to Employability. One of the most important Millennium Development Goals.
- Another initiative entitled “Unified Agriculture Markets” of Co-operation Department of Government of Karnataka has also been selected under the Category ‘Innovation in Public Service Management’. This initiative has also been awarded the overall Gold Award for CAPAM Awards, 2018.
About Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management
- In 1994, Commonwealth countries established CAPAM – an institution where cooperation and dialogue regarding public sector administration and management amongst participating countries would serve to strengthen all governments and the people that they serve.
- CAPAM provides a forum for the active exchange of innovations, knowledge and practice in citizen-centred service delivery, leadership development and growth, and public service management and renewal. CAPM serve members as a centre of excellence in good governance and endeavour to build a more responsive and dynamic public service.
- CAPAM enables public service professionals to effectively solve challenges and pursue interests by exchanging knowledge, networking, and engaging in shared learning about leading practices.
Source:Hindu
Govt. notifies rules on granting citizenship
Topic: Polity and Governance
In news:The Union Home Ministry has empowered the Collectors of certain districts in seven States to accept online applications to grant citizenship to “persecuted minorities” from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh living in India.
More on the Topic:
- The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, is intended to be supportive of religious minorities facing persecution.
- A parliamentary committee has been examining the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which proposes to grant citizenship to six persecuted minorities: Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists who came to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before 2014.
- As the Bill is pending, the Home Ministry gave powers to the Collectors in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to grant citizenship and naturalisation certificates to the migrants under Sections 5 and 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955. No such power has been delegated to Assam officials.
- Under the new rules, the migrants can apply online, and the verification reports or the security clearance reports of the applicants shall be made available to the Centre through an online portal.
- Citizenship will be granted after the verification reports are received from the States and the Centre.
- The Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2016, also seeks to reduce the number of continuous years of stay in India needed to obtain citizenship by naturalisation from 11 to six years.
Why is it facing opposition?
- Assamese political parties believe that the Bill would alter the cultural and linguistic identity of the indigenous people of the state.
- Most opposition parties, including the Congress, have opposed the proposal of granting citizenship on the basis of religion. The opposition has argued that the move would nullify the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is currently under way in Assam.
Source:The Hindu
India set to be third largest aviation market
Topic: Indian Economy
In news:India will be the third largest aviation market globally a year sooner than was earlier predicted. It is now expected to be among the top three countries by 2024 from its current seventh position, according to global aviation body IATA.
More on the Topic:
- This is possible due to a host of factors, including increased competition, low-cost carriers, modern airports which are expanding, improved technology in both air side and city side operations, foreign direct investment (FDI) and increased emphasis on regional connectivity.
National Civil Aviation Policy
- The policy aims to take flying to the masses by making it affordable and convenient, establish an integrated eco-system which will lead to significant growth of the civil aviation sector to promote tourism, employment and balanced regional growth, enhance regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development and enhance ease of doing business through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance.
Key features of the policy:
- Earlier, a domestic airline could start international operations only after five years of domestic operations and having a fleet of at least 20 aircraft. As per new rules, they will be required to deploy 20 aircraft or 20% of the total fleet size, whichever is higher on domestic routes to get international flying rights.
- Airlines will no longer be able to charge more than Rs. 2500 for a 1-hour flight connecting two small cities. The government will provide financial support to fund airlines’ losses on such un-served routes. A 2% levy has been proposed on all domestic and international flights on metro routes to boost regional connectivity.
- India will have this policy for countries beyond the 5000 km radius from Delhi on a reciprocal basis. This means that airlines from European or SAARC countries, will have unlimited access, in terms of number of flights and seats, to Indian airports, leading to increased flight frequencies with these countries.
Source:The Hindu
Operation Digital Board
Topic: Education
IN NEWS: Operation Digital Board’ has lauched across 15 lakh classrooms in the country.
More on the Topic:
- The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) passed a resolution to take steps towards Operation Digital Board on the lines of Operation Blackboard of 1987, which was started with the purpose of providing minimum basic facilities to all primary schools.
- Operation Digital Board will be undertaken jointly by Centre, State, CSR, and community. This will improve the quality of education. Students will be empowered with 360 degree information with interesting learning experience and teacher accountability will also increase.
- The idea of Operation Digital Board is aimed at providing better digital education in all schools. This will offer new opportunities and new ways of teaching and learning to schools
Source:The Hindu
Disqualification MLAs
Topic: Indian Polity
In news: The Supreme Court-appointed third judge of the Madras High Court upheld the validity of an order passed by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker disqualifying 18 AIADMK MLAs under the anti-defection law.
Ante Defection Law:
- The 52nd amendment to the Constitution added the Tenth Schedule which laid down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds of defection. A member of parliament or state legislature was deemed to have defected if he either voluntarily resigned from his party or disobeyed the directives of the party leadership on a vote.
- That is, they may not vote on any issue in contravention to the party’s whip. Independent members would be disqualified if they joined a political party.
- Nominated members who were not members of a party could choose to join a party within six months; after that period, they were treated as a party member or independent member.
- The law also made a few exceptions. Any person elected as speaker or chairman could resign from his party, and rejoin the party if he demitted that post.
- A party could be merged into another if at least two-thirds of its party legislators voted for the merger. The law initially permitted splitting of parties, but that has now been outlawed.
Source:The Hindu
Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony
Topic: Awards and Honours
In news: Manipuri dancer Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh has been selected for the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony Award.
More on the Topic:
- The annual award was instituted by the Government of India during the commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
- The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque as well as an exquisite traditional handicraft/ handloom item. The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or sex.
Manipuri Dance:
- Manipuri dance, also known as Jagoi is one of the major Indian classical dance forms, named after the region of its origin – Manipur, a state in northeastern India.
- It is particularly known for its Hindu Vaishnavism themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna called Raslila.However, the dance is also performed to themes related to Shaivism, Shaktism and regional deities such as Umang Lai during Lai Haraoba.
- The roots of Manipuri dance, as with all classical Indian dances, is the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text Natya Shastra, with influences and the culture fusion between various local folk dance forms.
Source:Pib
India Mobile Congress 2018
Topic: Science and Technology
In news:T The second edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC-2018) was held New Delhi from October 25-27, 2018. It was organised by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The theme was “New Digital Horizons. Connect. Create. Innovate”.
About India Mobile Congress:
- India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2017, held in September last year, was a first of its kind event in the Indian Subcontinent, bringing together Mobile, Internet, and Technology companies on one platform, under the theme, “Connecting the Next Billion”.
- The second edition of IMC expects to bring together the largest congregation of global professionals from the digital ecosystem, encompassing 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smart Cities, Start-ups in the technology space and allied industry sectors.
- The platform will see a greater International presence with the participation of policy makers and regulators from partner countries in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) regions.
PIB
