National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams – 11th October 2018
President to inaugurate the 13th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission
Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
IN NEWS: President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the 13th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission (CIC).
More on the Topic
- The Annual Convention on the topic “Data privacy and Right to information, Amendment in the RTI Act and Implementation of the RTI Act” is aimed at recommending measures for improving the transparency and accountability with a view to improve governance.
- The Convention shall deliberate on three specific subjects viz. “Data privacy and Right to Information”, “Amendment in the RTI Act” and “Implementation of the RTI Act.”
Central Information Commission
- The Central Information Commission (CIC) set up under the Right to Information Act is the authorised body, established in 2005,under the Government of India.
- CIC acts upon complaints from those individuals who have not been able to submit information requests to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer due to either the officer not have been appointed, or because the respective Central Assistant Public Information Officer or State Assistant Public Information Officer refused to receive the application for information under the RTI Act.
- The Commission includes 1 Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and not more than 10 Information Commissioners (IC) who are appointed by the President of India.
- CIC and members are appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of a committee consisting of Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha; a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
Source:The Hindu
Govt. sets water flow target for river Ganga
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news: In a first, the Union government has mandated the minimum quantity of water — or ecological flow as it’s called in scientific circles — that various stretches of the Ganga must necessarily have all through the year.
More on the topic:
- The new norms would require hydropower projects located along the river to modify their operations so as to ensure they are in compliance.
- The upper stretches of the Ganga from its origins in the glaciers and until Haridwar would have to maintain: 20% of the monthly average flow of the preceding 10-days between November and March, which is the dry season; 25% of the average during the ‘lean season’ of October, April and May; and 30% of monthly average during the monsoon months of June-September.
- For the main stem of the Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao the notification specifies minimum flow at various barrages: Bhimgoda (Haridwar) must ensure a minimum of 36 cubic metres per second (cumecs).
- The barrages at Bijnor, Narora and Kanpur must maintain a minimum of 24 cumecs in the non-monsoon months.
The Ganga:
- The Ganges, also known as Ganga, is a trans-boundary river of the Indian subcontinent which flows through the nations of India and Bangladesh.
- The 2,525 km (1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India.
- After entering West Bengal, it divides into two rivers: the Hooghly River and the Padma River.
- The Hooghly, or Adi Ganga, flows through several districts of West Bengal and into the Bay of Bengal near Sagar Island. The other, the Padma, also flows into and through Bangladesh, and also empties into the Bay of Bengal.
- The Ganga is one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus. It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs.
- It has also been important historically, with many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as Kannauj, Kampilya, Kara, Prayag or Allahabad, Kashi, Pataliputra or Patna, Hajipur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Murshidabad, Baharampur, Nabadwip, Saptagram, Kolkata and Dhaka) located on its banks.
- The Ganges is highly polluted. Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganges river dolphin.
- The levels of fecal coliform bacteria from human waste in the waters of the river near Varanasi are more than 100 times the Indian government’s official limit.
Source:The Hindu
100% organic Sikkim shortlisted for FAO s Future Policy Award
Topic: Awards and Honours/Environment and Ecology
In news: Sikkim’s State Policy on Organic Farming and Sikkim Organic Mission have been shortlisted for an award conferred by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations for the world’s best policies promoting agroecological approaches.
More on the Topic:
- The 2018 Future Policy Award (FPA) will commend proven policies that effectively scale up agroecological approaches at local, national and international levels. It will celebrate outstanding examples for accelerating the transformative change in the way food is produced and consumed.
- According to information about the Sikkim Organic Mission online, Sikkim became the first state in India to officially announce adoption of Organic Farming in the year 2003 to ensure long term sustenance of soil fertility, protection of environment and ecology, healthy living and decreasing the risk of health ailments.
- In 2003, Sikkim stopped imports of chemical fertilizers in the State and since then the cultivatable land there is practically organic and farmers of Sikkim are traditional users of organic manure.
- The Future Policy Award 2018 is co-organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Future Council and IFOAM – Organics International, with the support of Green Cross International, DO-IT – Dutch Organic International Trade and Sekem Group, Egypt.
- The organisations said with their holistic approach and impressive impact, these eight legal frameworks and policies create enabling environments for the implementation of agroecology, help achieve the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda and contribute directly to multiple Sustainable Development Goals.
- Agroecology is a key pathway to support the transition towards healthier and more sustainable food systems. The selected policies are outstanding examples featuring important agroecological elements that support such transitions.
Source:The Hindu
International Court of Arbitration
Topic: Important International institutions
In news: The NITI Aayog and ICC International Court of Arbitration had recently organised a Workshop on Best Practices in International Arbitration in New Delhi.
More on the Topic
- The Lok Sabha has passed the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2018. It will amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Act contains provisions to deal with domestic and international arbitration, and defines the law for conducting conciliation proceedings.
- Arbitration is a settlement of dispute between two parties to a contract by a neutral third party i.e. the arbitrator without resorting to court action. The process can be tailored to suit parties’ particular needs.
- Arbitrators can be chosen for their expertise. It is confidential and can be speedier and cheaper than court. There are limited grounds of appeal. Arbitral awards are binding and enforceable through courts.
The International Court of Arbitration
- The International Court of Arbitration is a branch of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and one of the world’s leading institutions for providing international arbitration services.
- The International Court of Arbitration is known for resolving international commercial and business disputes, administering more than half of all arbitration disputes worldwide. The ICC seat is located in Paris.
Source:Pib
Special Central Government Package for Footwear and Leather Sector
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors
In news: The Central Government has approved a special package for employment generation in leather and footwear sector. The package involves implementation of Central Sector Scheme – Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories Development Programme (IFLADP)
More on the Topic:
- The scheme aims at development of infrastructure for the leather sector, address environmental concerns specific to the leather sector, facilitate additional investments, generate employment and increase production. Enhanced Tax incentives will attract large scale investments in this sector and reforms in labour laws taking into account the seasonal nature of the sector will support economies of scale.
- The Leather Technology, Innovation and Environmental Issues sub-scheme under IFLADP provides financial support at 70% of the project cost to leather clusters to meet the prescribed pollution control discharge norms. This covers establishment, expansion, upgradation of CETPs, developing secure landfills, common recovery units, management of sludge and any other techniques for hazardous waste management.
IFLADP and the various details of the sub-schemes:
- Human Resource Development (HRD) sub-scheme provides assistance for Placement Linked Skill Development training to unemployed persons @ Rs. 15,000 per person, for skill up-gradation training to employed workers @ Rs. 5,000 per employee and for training of trainers @ Rs. 2 lakhs per person.
- Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) sub-scheme incentivizes investment and manufacturing including job creation by providing backend investment grant/subsidy @ 30% of the cost of new Plant and Machinery to Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and @ 20% of the cost of Plant and Machinery to other units for modernization /technology upgradation in existing units and also for setting up of new units.
- Establishment of Institutional Facilities sub-scheme provides assistance to Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) for upgradation of some of the existing campuses of FDDI into “Centers of Excellence” and establishing 3 new fully equipped skill centers alongside the upcoming Mega Leather Cluster.
- Mega Leather, Footwear and Accessories Cluster (MLFAC sub-scheme provides infrastructure support to the Leather, Footwear and Accessories Sector by establishment of Mega Leather, Footwear and Accessories Cluster. Leather Technology, Innovation and Environmental sub-scheme, assistance is provided for upgradation/installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) @ 70% of the project cost.
- Promotion of Indian Brands in Leather, Footwear and Accessories sub-scheme, eligible units approved for Brand Promotion are assisted.
- Additional Employment Incentive for Leather, Footwear and Accessories Sector scheme, employers’ contribution of 3.67% to Employees’ Provident Fund for all new employees in Leather, Footwear and Accessories sector are provided for enrolling in EPFO for first 3 years of their employment.
Source:The Hindu
India – Indonesia coordinated patrol (CORPAT)
Topic: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
In news: Indian Naval Ship & Aircraft reach Belawan Indonesia for 32nd India – Indonesia coordinated patrol (CORPAT)
More on the Topic:
- Indian Naval Ship Kulish, a Kora class missile corvette and an Indian Dornier (naval maritime time patrol aircraft) from Andaman and Nicobar command entered Belawan harbour, Indonesia for the opening ceremony of the 32nd edition of India Indonesia coordinated patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT)
- The ships and aircraft from both the countries would undertake patrolling on the respective sides of 236 nautical miles long International Maritime Boundary Line.
- The visit seeks to emphasize India’s peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain, consolidate interoperability and strengthen existing bonds of friendship between the two countries.
- In the recent past Indian Naval assets have been increasingly deployed to address maritime concerns of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- In addition, as part of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has also been involved in assisting countries in the IOR with EEZ Surveillance, Search and Rescue, other capacity -building and capability-enhancement activities.
- The current deployment will contribute towards the Indian Navy’s effort to forge strong bonds of friendship across the seas and consolidate inter-operability
Source:PIB
National Environment Survey (NES)
Topic: Environment and Ecology
In news: India’s first ever National Environment Survey (NES) will be launched in January, 2019 to map environment data of 55 districts across 24 states and 3 Union Territories.
More on the Topic:
- The NES will rank all districts on their environmental performance and document their best green practices based on various environmental parameters.
- The first NES will be carried out by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) through Environmental Information System (ENVIS) and its hubs and resource partners across the country. It will be done through grid-based approach, using grids measuring 9×9 km to collect comprehensive data on various environmental parameters.
- The parameters include air, water, soil quality; solid, hazardous and e-waste; emission inventory; forest & wildlife; flora & fauna; wetlands, lakes, rivers and other water bodies. It will also assess carbon sequestration potential of all the districts across the country.
- The green data from this survey will provide important tool in hands of policy-makers for decision making at all levels district, state and national. The survey will fully map and create emission inventory, provide valuation of ecosystem services and collate research in the field of environment.
The Hindu
