National Current Affairs – UPSC/IAS Exams- 3rd October 2019

Draft social security code 2019

Topic: Polity and Governance

In News: The union government has circulated the third draft on the Social Security code of 2019.

More on the Topic:

• Objectives of the draft are:
• To amalgamate a clutch of existing laws and proposes several new initiatives including universal social security for unorganized sector workers and, insurance and health benefits for gig workers.
• To Corporatize of existing organizations like EPFO and ESIC headed by people other than the labour minister.

Key highlights of the draft:

• Insurance, PF, life cover for unorganized sector employees: Central Government shall formulate and notify, from time to time, suitable welfare schemes for unorganised workers including temporary workers on matter relating to life and disability cover; health and maternity benefits; old age protection; and any other benefit as may be determined by the central government.
• Corporatization of EPFO and ESIC: The pension, insurance and retirement saving bodies including EPFO and ESIC will be body corporate. Labour minister, labour secretary, the central PF commissioner and Director General of ESIC may not be by default the head of such organizations.
• Maternity Benfit: Subject to the other provisions of this Code, every woman shall be entitled to, and her employer shall be liable for, the payment of maternity benefit at the rate of the average daily wage for the period of her actual absence.
• The Code on Social Security, 2019 once in place will merge eight exiting labour laws including Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923; Employees‘ State Insurance Act, 1948, Employees‘ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952; Maternity Benefit Act, 1961; Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972; Cine Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981; Building and Other Construction Workers Cess Act, 1996 and Unorganized Workers‘ Social Security Act, 2008.

Concerns:

• It merely clubs together existing schemes in the organised sector.
• It has avoided the ambiguities over the basic criteria for availing social security benefits such as the minimum number of employees in an organisation and length of service.

The basic structural and conceptual flaws in the code are

• No uniform definition of “social security”.
• No central fund. The corpus is proposed to be split into numerous small funds creating a multiplicity of authorities and confusion.
• It is unclear how the proposed dismantling of the existing and functional structures, such as the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) — is a better alternative.
• No clear definition for the crucial categories such as workers, wages, principal-agent in a contractual situation; and “organised-unorganised” sectors.
• This will continue to impede the extension of key social security benefits such as PF, gratuity, maternity benefits, and healthcare to all sections of workers.
• There is no commitment from the government to contribute to the listed social security measures, even as the Code is clear about employee and employer contributions.
• It is heartening to welcome aboard large sections of the workforce such as those working in taxi aggregate companies.
• But how exactly the government proposes to facilitate their access to PF or medical care is not clear.

Source: Hindu

The Gandhian Challenge

Topic: Government Policies

In News: On the 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India has launched ‘the Gandhian Challenge’.

More on the Topic:

• This innovation challenge provides a platform for every child across India to ideate innovative solutions for a sustainable India of their dreams, using Gandhi’s principles.
• The contest is open for every child in India from 2 October to 20 October.
• It also celebrates 70 years of partnership between the Government of India and UNICEF India to enable Every Right for Every Child.
• The most innovative, sustainable solutions/ideas will be showcased as a symbol of a larger movement by children taking root in every district of India.
• Ideas and solutions to the Gandhian Challenge may be expressed through broad categories: Art & Innovation (Letters, poems, painting, videos, and photos, among others) and Science, Technology & Innovation (Robotics, IoT, sensors and 3D printers, among others).

Source: The Hindu

Enzyme Technology for Biofuels

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: The scientists from International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, have received a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office for the enzymes that enhances the production of biofuels from agricultural waste.

More on the Topic:

• Scientists disrupted a control mechanism found in the fungus Penicillium Funiculosum (PF) that regulates its metabolic activity.
• Disrupting this mechanism helped the scientists to increase the production of enzymes that are involved in converting cellulose into sugars and thus increased the production of biofuels.

Significance:

• It will address the problem of very limited availability of commercial cellulase enzyme preparation in the market for 2G ethanol and thus help in reducing the prices.
• It can produce higher quantities of the Second Generation (2G) ethanol from agricultural waste materials including rice and wheat straws, whose burning deteriorates the air quality in the national capital and other parts of Northern India.
• Estimates show that India produces around 500 million tonnes of agricultural waste annually.

Mains Question: How can biotechnology improve the living standards of farmers?

Source: Hindu

Consumer App

Topic: e-Governance

In News: Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has launched the ‘Consumer App’ to fast-track consumer grievance redressal process.

More on the Topic:

• The app aims to provide a one-stop solution for consumer grievance redressal.
• The registered consumer will be informed about their complaint via SMS/email with a unique number which can be tracked by the consumer.
• There will be a time-bound resolution of all grievances.Grievances in simple nature will be resolved within 20 days. Grievances in Complex nature will be solved within 60 days.
• If after 60 days the grievance is not resolved, the consumer will be advised to proceed to consumer fora.
• Also, the consumer will be informed before the closure of a complaint and if the consumer is not satisfied then the complaint will be referred further to the concerned department.
• It will also provide an effective forum for consumers to give their valuable suggestions to the department on consumer-related issues.
• Consumers can use this app in both Hindi and English languages.

Source: PIB

Drone Innovators Network Summit 2019

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 is being held in New Delhi. It was Organised by the World Economic Forum under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

More on the Topic:

• Drone Innovators Network (DIN) was started by the World Economic Forum to hasten and contribute to healthy drone policies in need of legislation.
• Established to help overcome common challenges regulators are facing in enabling drones and unmanned aviation, such as how to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights at scale, autonomous operations and flights over densely populated areas.
• It is composed of Government aviation agencies, academics, and established drone entities.
• Inaugural Drone Innovators Network summit was held in Zurich in 2018.

India – Drone Regulations:

• DigiSky is a portal for registration and flying of civil drones in India.
• India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), effective 1 December, 2018 for drones.
• As per the regulations, manufacturers of drone are required to comply with the requirements of No Permission, No Take-off (NPNT) on the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).
• These regulations (CAR Version 1.0) only permit operations of drones during daytime Visual Line of Sight.

Source: Hindu

Maitree – 2019

Topic: International Relations

In News: India and Thailand organized Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 at Meghalaya.

More on the Topic:

• Its scope encompassed joint training in various facets of counter terrorism operations in urban and jungle environments.
• It aims to share experience gained during a various counter-terrorism operation in their respective countries.
• MAITREE-2019 will be the third consecutive army engagement between India and Thailand’s forces. It shows warm ties between both of the countries.

Source: Hindu

RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: To mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd October as Rashtriya Swachhta Diwas, publicity vans were flagged off in Delhi, to generate awareness among the people about the OMCs’ initiative of converting Used Cooking Oil to Biodiesel.

More on the Topic:

• RUCO project was initiated by FSSAI.
• The initiative will enable collection and conversion of used cooking oil to bio-diesel.
• FSSAI wants businesses using more than 100 litres of oil for frying, to maintain a stock register and ensure that UCO is handed over to only registered collecting agencies.
• India has the potential to recover 220 crore litres of used cooking oil for the production of biodiesel by 2022 through a co-ordinated action.
• While biodiesel produced from used cooking oil is currently very small, but a robust ecosystem for conversion and collection is rapidly growing in India and will soon reach a sizable scale.

Health Aspect:

• During frying, several properties of oil are altered, Total Polar Compounds(TPC) are formed on repeated frying.
• The level of TPC increases every time oil is re-heated.
• The toxicity of these compounds is associated with several diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, liver diseases.

Source: PIB