Daily NEWS 22 February 2024

Article 142 of the Constitution

• SC used Article 142 to quash Chandigarh’s Mayor election.
• Article 142 empowers SC to pass decrees or orders for complete justice.
• Decrees or orders are enforceable throughout India as per law made by Parliament.
• SC can make orders for attendance, discovery, investigation, or punishment of contempt.

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

• NTPC's ESG score improved in CDP Water Security Rating.
• Ratings improved due to NTPC's efforts in water reuse and recycling.
• CDP is a charity managing global disclosure system for environmental impacts.
• Founded in 2000, CDP leverages investor pressure for corporate disclosure.

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)

• FSDC asked financial regulators to check unauthorized lending through online apps.
• FSDC is an apex-level forum set up by the Government in 2010.
• Chairman is Union Finance Minister.
• Members include heads of financial regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, IRDA & FMC), Finance Secretary, etc.
• FSDC deals with financial stability, sector development, and inter-regulatory coordination.
• No separate funds allocated for FSDC activities.

Zombie Deer Disease

• ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ recently is on the rise in USA.
• Also known as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
• Caused by misfolded proteins called prions, affecting deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer, and moose.
• Contagious neurological condition with no treatments or vaccines.
• No evidence of human transmission yet.
• Symptoms include weight loss, stumbling, listlessness, and other neurologic symptoms.

Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved FRP of sugarcane payable by sugar factories for sugar season 2024-25.
• Price set by the central government for sugar factories to pay farmers for sugarcane.
• Established under the Sugarcane (Control) Order 1966.
• Recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.
• Linked to sugar recovery rate, with a premium for higher recoveries.
• Some states have State Advised Price (SAP) higher than FRP for sugarcane procurement.

Competition Act Amendment 2023: Cooperation for Lesser Penalty

• Ministry of Corporate Affairs notification enforces Section 33.
• Empowers CCI to impose lesser penalty for anti-competitive agreements.
• Entities can get lesser penalty by making full and true disclosure.

Sammakka-Sarakka Festival

• Prime Minister extends greetings for the festival.
• Biennial tribal festival celebrated by Koya tribe in Telangana.
• Largest tribal fair in Asia, second-largest in India.
• Commemorates fight of Sammakka and Saralamma against unjust law.
• Tribals take holy dip in red water of Jampanna Vagu.

T-50 Tunnel Opening

• The longest transportation tunnel in the country opened on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) known as T-50.
• The tunnel is 12.77 km long and falls between the Khari-Sumber section.

India-Greece Cooperation

• India and Greece have agreed to expand cooperation in diverse areas.

About Greece:

• Political Boundaries:

• • Greece is the southernmost country of the Balkan Peninsula.
  • It is surrounded by the Aegean Sea (east), Mediterranean Sea (south), and Ionian Sea (west).
  • It shares land borders with Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey (east), and the Republic of Macedonia.
• Geographical Features:

• • The highest peak in Greece is Mount Olympus.
  • Major rivers in Greece include Haliacmon and Marista.
  • Greece has a Mediterranean climate.

Cabinet approves amendment in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy on the space sector:

• Previous FDI policy in space sector: - FDI only permitted through Government approval route for satellites.
• Amended FDI policy:

• • 100% FDI allowed in space sector.
  • Satellite sub-sector divided into three activities with defined FDI limits.

ADD TABLE

Upto 74% under Automatic route    Automatic route for satellite manufacturing and operation, satellite data products, and ground segment & user segment up to 74%
Government route for these activities beyond 74%
Upto 49% under Automatic route    Automatic route for launch vehicles and associated systems or subsystems, creation of spaceports up to 49%
Government route for these activities beyond 49%
Upto 100% under Automatic route    Automatic route for manufacturing of components and systems/sub-systems for satellites, ground segment, and user segment up to 100%

• Significance of the amendment:

• • Integrating Indian companies into global value chains
  • Generating employment and enabling technology absorption
  • Supporting 'Make In India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives.

NASSCOM released “Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) of India - Accelerating India’s Digital Inclusion” report:

• DPI is a digital network that helps countries deliver economic opportunities and social services to all residents.
• India Stack consists of digital identity products, payments, and data.

Key findings:

• By 2030, DPIs could increase economic value add from 0.9% to 2.9-4.2% of GDP.
• Advanced digital organizations that have achieved widespread acceptance and a greater economic influence. Take Aadhar, for instance.
• Future digital entities that have successfully completed proofs of concept and are prepared for widespread adoption. As an illustration, consider ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) and ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission).
• Currently, more than 30 nations are either considering implementing India's DPI or have adopted it already.

Challenges in DPI Adoption:

• Lack of interconnectedness among government ministries.
• Lack of real-time data availability.
• Limited language options for users.
• Need for partnerships beyond government services.

Recommendations for Achieving 2030 DPI Potential:

ADD TABLE

Government:    Start-ups:    Corporates:
Implement proactive policies and provide regulatory clarity on data privacy, open networks, and interoperability.    Develop products and services for the digital market in India to leverage existing digital infrastructure    Prepare for the future demand for digital services and build necessary infrastructure
Increase awareness of the benefits of the digital ecosystem through awareness campaigns.    Create business models to drive the adoption of existing Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs)    Launch accelerator programs to support innovation and solve citizen problems by incubating startups and non-profits
Establish a task force to address challenges and barriers to adoption of new digital entities.    Explore new technologies to enhance and integrate into the digital ecosystem    Think globally when developing solutions and create innovative solutions for the global market.
Create a sandbox for fostering innovation through partnerships with startups and corporates      

UNICEF Supported Survey on Young Women's Participation in Labor Force and Non-traditional Jobs

• Survey conducted through U-Report and YuWaah initiative.
• YuWaah Initiative aims to provide economic opportunities to young people.
• Targeted youth aged 18 to 29 through social media.
• Used International Labour Organisation definition for non-traditional jobs.

Key Findings of the Survey

• Majority believe young women prefer working from home.
• Access to information and family support seen as key drivers.
• Around half consider non-traditional jobs unsafe for women.

Recommendations of Survey

• Gender-sensitive policies in workplaces.
• Policies to encourage women in non-traditional jobs.
• Work-from-home guidelines and flexible work models.
• Community-based models for behavioral change to support women in workforce.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

• Headquarters in New York.
• Established in 1946 as UN International Children’s Emergency Fund.
• Works in over 190 countries to protect children's rights.

Key Reports

• The State of the World’s Children.
• Rights Denied.

ISRO completes human rating of CE20 cryogenic engine:

• Human-rating ensures safe transportation of humans.
• Final test conducted at High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex.
• Human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan missions.
• Three-stage vehicle with solid, liquid, and cryogenic stages.
• Capable of launching Orbital Module to Low Earth Orbit of 400 km.
• Orbital Module includes Crew Module and Service Module.
• Crew Escape System for emergency situations.

Gaganyaan mission:

• India's first human spaceflight mission.
• Aims to launch a crew of 3 members to low earth orbit for three days.
• India will be the fourth country to send a crewed spacecraft to space after USA, Russia and China.

Right to adopt children not a fundamental right: Delhi High Court:

• HC rules that PAPs cannot demand their choice of who to adopt.
• Upholds Regulation 5 (7) of Adoption Regulations 2022.

Regulation 5 (7) for couples with two or more biological children:

• Eligible for special needs children and hard-to-place children.
• Special needs child defined by Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
• Hard-to-place child not adopted after procedure mentioned under rule.

Regulation 5 (2) for Other PAPs irrespective of marital status, with or without a biological child (son or  daughter) can go for adoption subject to following:

• Marital status, with or without biological child, can adopt.
• Requirements for married couple, single female, single male.

2022 Regulations issued under JJ Act of 2015

• JJ Act 2015 (Amended in 2021)

• • Secular Act governing adoption of orphan / abandoned / surrendered child.
  • Hindu Adoption Maintenance Act, 1956 also governs adoption.
  • Establishes CARA under Ministry of Women & Child Development.
  • CARA monitors and regulates in-country and inter-country adoptions of Indian children.

National Livestock Mission (NLM) approved by Cabinet.

Additional activities included:

• Eligible entrepreneurs will receive capital subsidies.
• State government will be assisted for breed conservation of horse, donkey, mule, camel.

Enhancing Fodder supply:

• Capital subsidy for seed processing Infrastructure for eligible entrepreneurs.
• Assistance to state government for fodder cultivation in non-forest land, waste land, range land, non-arable land.

Simplification of Livestock Insurance programme:

• Premium for farmers reduced to 15%.
• Centre and State will share remaining premium.
• Number of animals to be insured increased to 10 cattle unit.

About NLM

• Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• Type: Centrally Sponsored and Central sector.
• Objectives: Entrepreneurship development, breed improvement, increased production of meat, eggs, goat milk, wool, and fodder.
• Components: Breed improvement, Feed & Fodder, Innovation and Extension.
• Jurisdiction: Implemented nationwide from 2021-22.