National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 17th November 2018

Maternity leave: govt. for incentive scheme

Topic: Social Issues

IN NEWS: In a bid to encourage employers, especially in the private sector, to implement the extended 26-week maternity leave law, the Labour Ministry plans to refund them for seven weeks’ worth of wages for women workers with a wage ceiling up to ₹ 15,000 per month.

More on the Topic:

• The Ministry is in the process of getting budgetary approvals for the ₹400 crore incentive scheme.

Background:

• In March 2017, the Centre amended the Maternity Benefit Act to increase paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks for all women employees in establishments employing ten or more people.
• However, the Ministry statement noted that while implementation of the provision was good in the public sector, it was poor for those with private sector or contract jobs.
• There is also a wide perception that private entities are not encouraging women employees because if they are employed, they may have to provide maternity benefit to them, particularly 26 weeks of paid holiday.

Significance of The Scheme:

• The scheme would “ensure the women equal access to employment and other approved benefits along with adequate safety and secure environment.

Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017

• The Maternity (Amendment) Bill 2017, an amendment to the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, was passed by parliament of India.
• The Maternity Benefit Act 1961 protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity and entitles her of a ‘maternity benefit’ – i.e. full paid absence from work – to take care for her child. The act is applicable to all establishments employing 10 or more.
• Maternity leave of 12 weeks to be available to mothers adopting a child below the age of three months from the date of adoption as well as to the “commissioning mothers”. The commissioning mother has been defined as biological mother who uses her egg to create an embryo planted in any other woman.
• The Maternity Benefit Amendment Act has also introduced an enabling provision relating to “work from home” for women, which may be exercised after the expiry of the 26 weeks’ leave period. Depending upon the nature of work, women employees may be able to avail this benefit on terms that are mutually agreed with the employer.
• The Maternity Benefit Amendment Act makes crèche facility mandatory for every establishment employing 50 or more employees. Women employees would be permitted to visit the crèche 4 times during the day (including rest intervals)

Source:The Hindu

Kilogram gets a new definition

Topic: Science and Technology

IN NEWS: In a historic vote, nations on 16^th November unanimously approved a ground-breaking overhaul to the international system of measurements, uniting together behind new scientific definitions for the kilogram and other units.

More on the Topic:

• For more than a century, the kilogram has been defined as the mass of a cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy kept in a high-security vault in France.
• That artefact, nicknamed ‘Le Grand K,’ has been the world’s sole true kilogram since 1889. But now, the kilogram and all of the other main measurement units will be defined using numerical values that fit handily onto a wallet card.

New Kilo Gram:

• Unlike a physical object, the new formula for the kilo, also known as “the electric kilo,” cannot pick up particles of dust, decay with time or be dropped and damaged.
• It is expected to be more accurate when measuring very, very small or very, very large masses and help usher in innovations in science, industry, climate study and other fields.

Source:The Hindu

India’s Act East policy can meet OBOR: Chinese envoy

Topic: International Relations

In news: India’s Act East policy and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (One Belt One Road or OBOR) are a “natural” area of cooperation between the two countries, said China’s Ambassador to India making another pitch for India to join China’s mega-infrastructure corridor, which New Delhi has rejected thus far.

More on the Topic:

• The ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative is a Chinese economic and strategic agenda by which the two ends of Eurasia, as well as Africa and Oceania, are being more closely tied along two routes–one overland and one maritime.
• “Belt” refers to the overland routes, or the Silk Road Economic Belt; whereas “road” refers to the sea routes, or the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

What is India’s stand:

• The initiative includes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that goes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
• Though India supports connectivity, India considers the initiative is not open and equitable.
• The initiative includes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that goes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and there was no clarification from the Chinese side regarding this.
• New Delhi boycotted a high- profile Belt and Road Forum organised by China as India cannot accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• India’s stand is that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality, and must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Source: The Hindu

SC to hear plea against Article 370 in April

Topic: Polity and Governance

In news: The Supreme Court said that it will hear in April a plea challenging the validity of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir, following a request by the State and the Centre.

 Article 370

• Article 370 of the Indian Constitution confers special autonomous status to Jammu & Kashmir.
• It is a ‘temporary provision’ under Part XXI of the Constitution of India, which deals with “Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions.”
• The state has different provisions than all other states, according to the Constitution. For example, till 1965, J&K had a prime minister in place of the chief minister.

What are the provisions of Article 370?

• Indian Parliament needs Jammu & Kashmir government’s nod for applying laws in the state — except defence, foreign affairs, finance, and communications.
• The law of citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights of the residents of Jammu & Kashmir is different from the residents living in the rest of India.
• Under Article 370, citizens from other states cannot buy property in Jammu & Kashmir. Under Article 370, the Centre has no power to declare financial emergency.

Is the provision temporary or permanent?

• A petition filed by a NGO challenged the validity of Article 370 against the Delhi High Court’s April 11, 2017 order.
• The petition had said that the continuance of the temporary provision of Article 370 even after dissolution of the Constituent Assembly of J&K, and that of J&K Constitution which has never got the assent of the President of India or Parliament or the government of India, “amounts to fraud on the basic structure of our Constitution”.
• The Constitution makers did not intend Article 370 to be a tool to bring permanent amendments, like Article 35A, in the Constitution.
• The plea said Article 35 A is against the “very spirit of oneness of India” as it creates a “class within a class of Indian citizens”. Restricting citizens from other States from getting employment or buying property within Jammu and Kashmir is a violation of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
• Supreme Court said that in its earlier verdict of 2017 in the SARFESI case, it has been already held that Article 370 was “not a temporary provision”.
• During the hearing, the central government said that the matter be heard after some time as similar matters are pending before the court and are to be listed shortly.
• The Jammu and Kashmir government clarified that other matters which are pending before the apex court relates to Article 35 A of the Constitution and not Article 370 as submitted by the ASG.
• It also said that that matter cannot be heard along with the present case, which only deals with Article 370.

Conclusion

• There has been a concerted and rigorous effort on both sides of the argument which surrounds Article 370. While one section of the people believes that Article 370 is the only constitutional link between the state and the rest of India, there are many who insist that Article 370 has, in fact, is a stumbling block which continues to prevent from becoming an integral part of India. Though legal and constitution factors are still burning, ever since the creation of India, the true sufferers are the people of Kashmir.

Source:The Hindu

Himalayan State Regional Council

Topic: Polity and Governance

In news: NITI Aayog has constituted the ‘Himalayan State Regional Council’ to ensure sustainable development of the Indian Himalayan region.

More on the Topic

• The Council has been constituted to review and implement identified action points based on the Reports of five Working Groups, which were established along thematic areas to prepare a roadmap for action.
• The Himalayan States Regional Council will be the nodal agency for the Sustainable development in the Himalayan Region which consists of the twelve States namely Jammu &Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, two districts of Assam namely Dima Hasao and KarbiAnglong and Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal.
• The terms of reference of the Council states that it shall monitor the implementation of action points for Central Ministries, Institutions and 12 Himalayan State Governments in Indian Himalayan Region which include river basin development and regional cooperation, spring mapping and revival across Himalayas in phased manner for water security; develop, implement and monitor tourism sector standards as well as bring policy coherence, strengthen skill & entrepreneurship with focus on identified priority sectors, among other action points.
• The Himalayan State Regional Council will be chaired by the Dr VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog and will consist of the Chief Secretaries of the Himalayan States as well as the Secretaries of key Central Ministries, senior officers of NITI Aayog as well as special invitees.

Source:The Hindu

Network for Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific (NEDAC)

Topic: Agriculture

In news: Meeting of General Assembly of Network for Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific(NEDAC) is being held in New Delhi. The general assembly of 22 prominent cooperative organizations from eight countries unanimously decided to focus on C2C and capacity development to meet challenges of climate change as transformative cooperatives.

More on The Topic:

• NEDAC was set up in 1991 by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
• NEDAC sensitises Governments in the region on the role of agricultural cooperatives in promoting agricultural and rural development to ensure rural food and livelihood security for millions of people in Asia and Pacific.

NIPUN

Topic: Government Policies

In news: Delhi Police has launched an e-learning portal ‘Nipun’ to impart training and provide up to date information to police officers.

More on The Topic:

• The initiative is aimed at imparting in-service online training and information to police personnel through specialised courses available online which have been designed by experts in various fields.
• The online courses on this portal have been designed in collaboration with University Grant Commission (UGC), FICCI, NHRC, NCPCR and Janaki Devi Memorial College, Delhi University under project CLAP “The Collaborative Learning and Partnership”.
• It will have online courses and resources on law, standing orders, investigation checklists, forms for case files, latest High Court and Supreme Court rulings. It is envisioned that Investigating Officers (IOS) will be able to take benefit of this information during course of their duty or while handling case.

Source: The Hindu