National Current Affairs – UPSC/KAS Exams- 20th March 2020

by Mentors4ias · March 20, 2020

Plea against Ranjan Gogoi’s Rajya Sabha nomination

Topic: Polity and Governance

In News: Recently a petition was filed in SC conveying “widespread disquiet and unease” triggered by the nomination of the former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha.

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The petition said former judges should be insulated from “post-retirement allurements” like the Lokpal, as faith in the judiciary will dry up.
There is no law or constitutional provision that prohibits such a nomination. Nor is this an unprecedented decision by the government. Still, it is not a common practice that a government nominates or appoints a former Supreme Court judge or even a high court judge to some office within months of her or his retirement.
Currently, the only bar imposed on a Judge of the Supreme Court who has retired is that he shall not thereafter plead or act in any Court or before any authority.

Law Commission’s recommendation:

14th report of the Law Commission of India considered the question of such nominations and appointments before forming a negative opinion.
The report said it is clearly undesirable that Supreme Court Judges should look forward to other Government employees after their retirement.
Explaining the reason for why Supreme Court judges should resist such offers from the government, the Law Commission report says, “The Government is a party in a large number of causes [cases] in the highest Court and the average citizen may well get the impression, that a judge who might look forward to being employed by the Government after his retirement, does not bring to bear on his work that detachment of outlook which is expected of a judge in cases in which Government is a party.”
Therefore, the practice has a tendency to affect the independence of the judges and should be discontinued.

Why Gogoi Should not have taken up the government’s offer?

Within five months of his retirement as Chief Justice of India, Justice Ranjan Gogoi has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the government.
Shortly before his retirement from the Supreme Court of India, he delivered several important verdicts with far-reaching political consequences that left the government pleased, including the Ayodhya judgment, Rafale fighter aircraft deal, Presiding National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam etc.
Then there was the Sabarimala temple review. A Constitution Bench judgment of the Supreme Court held that excluding menstruating women from entering the temple was discriminatory, and therefore against “constitutional morality”.

Is this a politico-Judiciary Nexus?

Because, he no longer represents the judiciary, and his contribution will be limited to the expertise and knowledge he can bring to debates in Parliament. Any attempt to create ‘nexus’ between the two wings would necessarily encroach on the judiciary’s role as a restraining force on the executive and legislature.

Need of the hour:

There is concern that post-retirement jobs are a result of pre-retirement judgments. Above all, public confidence in the judiciary cannot be shaken through such appointments. The issue needs to be resolved convincingly.
Besides, ethics demand that no retired judge of the highest court accepts a post that will room to criticism and controversy.

Model Mains Question: Lines between roles of the executive and judiciary have got blurred. Comment.

Source: Hindu

Corona and Unemployment

Topic: Economy

In News: The International Labour Organization warned that the economic and labour crisis sparked by the coronavirus will have “far-reaching impacts on labour market outcomes”.

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Presenting different scenarios depending on how quickly and with what level of coordination governments react, it found that even in the best-case scenario, 3 million more people will be pushed into unemployment.
At the high end meanwhile, 24.7 million more will become jobless, on top of the 188 million registered as unemployed in 2019.
Underemployment is also expected to increase on a large scale, as the economic consequences of the virus outbreak translate into reductions in working hours and wages.
Self-employment in developing countries, which often serves to cushion the impact of economic shifts, might not do so this time due to the severe restrictions being placed on the movement of people and goods.
Reductions in access to work will also translate in to large income losses between $860 billion and $3.4 trillion by the end of 2020. (for workers)
It will also turn into falls in consumption of goods and services, in turn affecting the prospects for businesses and economies.

Effect on the Poor:

The number of people who live in poverty despite holding one or more jobs will also increase significantly. Between 8.8 and 35 million more people will be added to the ranks of the working poor.
The strain on incomes resulting from the decline in economic activity will devastate workers close to or below the poverty line.

Need of the Hour:

The ILO called for urgent, large-scale and coordinated measures to protect workers in the workplace, stimulate the economy and employment and support jobs and income, including through social protections, paid leave and other subsidies.
The agency pointed out that some groups will be disproportionately impacted by the jobs crisis, including youth, older workers, women and migrants, in a way that could increase already soaring inequality.
In 2008, the world resented a united front to address the consequences of the global financial crisis, and the worst was averted. We need that kind of leadership and resolve now.

Model Mains Question: Discuss how some groups will be disproportionately impacted by the job crisis due to Corona Pandemic.

Source: Hindu

National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill

Topic: Polity and Governance

In News: Recently RS has passed the National Commission for Homoeopathy bill.

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The bill seeks to repeal the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973.
It too proposes to constitute a National Commission for Homoeopathy.
It is proposed that the Commission, among things, will frame policies for regulating medical institutions and homeopathic medical professionals, and assess requirements of healthcare-related human resources and infrastructure.

Source: PIB

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

Topic: Disaster Management

In News: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has trained more than 15,000 staff deployed at the air and land ports across the country on the protocols to be followed given the COVID-19 outbreak.

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As part of the awareness and acclimatization drive, the personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force and the Bureau of Immigration posted at these ports have also been sensitized.
Over 5,000 personnel of the NDRF, stationed in different states, have been kept on standby. The units are in regular contact with the State and District Disaster Management Authority officials. The NDRF officials have also been provided with personal protection kits.
India is currently in the second stage of the virus outbreak. At the national level, Prime Minister led National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has been coordinating with the State and District authorities for implementing measures on a war footing to check the spread.
The National Crisis Management Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary, which is devising the strategy to deal with the outbreak. Concerns and suggestions of Chief Secretaries from the States are being taken into consideration for devising the action plan.
The NDMA’s National Executive Committee (NEC) headed by cabinet secretary ensures implementation of the policies on disaster management, has been constantly monitoring the situation.
Textiles Ministry has been roped in to ensure the mass production of protective clothing. The government has also placed an order for about 1 million nasal swab pins from Germany. Taking into account a possible proliferation of the infection which impacts the respiratory system, the authorities are also preparing to make adequate arrangements for ventilators.
On the health front, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is monitoring the developments about testing labs. The ICMR, which is coordinating with the World Health Organisation, the Indian Medical Association, Council is also in touch with over 50 private accredited labs for facilitating free-ofcost testing.

Source: PIB

New guidelines for payment aggregators

Topic: Economy

In News: RBI has released new guide lines for payment aggregators.

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Capital requirements for payment aggregators have been reduced to Rs 15 crore at the time of application for the license. This needs to be increased to Rs 25 crore within three years of operations.
Existing non-bank entities offering payment aggregation (PA) services shall apply for authorization on or before June 30, 2021.
Pure-play payment gateway companies would be separated as an entity and would be identified as technology service providers for banks and non-banks.
PAs have also been asked to adhere to strict security guidelines, adhere to all KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti Money Laundering) rules.
The guidelines have also mandated that PAs need to check their merchant customers are not involved in the selling of prohibited or fake items.
The central bank has also asked PAs to set up designated nodal offices to deal with customer grievance.
The RBI has prohibited PAs from allowing online transactions to be done with ATM pin as the second factor of authentication, which few payment gateway companies were offering as a service.

Payment aggregators are players who integrate with e-commerce companies and connect them with banks. They receive payments on behalf of these companies and transfer the money to their accounts. Ex: Bill desk, PayTm

Source: PIB

National Guidelines on Infant and Young Child Feeding

Topic: Government Policies

In News: The National Guidelines on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) were released by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2004.

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These are in line with the adoption of the Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding by the 55th World Health Assembly in May 2002 and adoption of the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply, and Distribution) Amendment Act, 2003 by the Parliament of India.
The National Nutrition Policy adopted by the Government of India under the aegis of the Department of Women and Child Development in 1993 laid due emphasis on nutrition and health education of mothers on infant and child feeding.
According to the guidelines, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development, and health.
Thereafter to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond.

Government Initiatives on Infant and Child Nutrition:

Promotion of breastfeeding practices under Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA).
Observation of the Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs) for the provision of maternal and child health services and creating awareness on maternal and child care.
Counseling to pregnant and lactating mothers under the Anganwadi Services Scheme.
Schemes such as Revised Mother and Child Protection Card, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), POSHAN Abhiyaan, etc.

Source: Hindu

India: 3rd Largest Producer of Electricity

Topic: Economy

In News: As per the Key World Energy Statistics 2019, India is the 3rd largest producer of electricity after US and China. India was 106th in terms of per capita consumption in 2017.

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India has become power surplus from power deficit situation. Thus, power sector reforms now focus on supply of 24×7 quality power to consumers, higher standards of service, promotion of renewable energy sources, development of hydro power, improving efficiency, especially in distribution sector, etc.
Reforms linked distribution scheme and changes in tariff policy are some of the measures under consideration in this regard.
Although power generation has grown more than 100-fold since independence, growth in demand has been even higher due to accelerating economic activity.
Electricity is also one of the eight core industries of India.

Source:Hindu