Parliament to discuss on crimes against women
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government is ready for a discussion in LokSabha on the issue of crime against women and willing to explore stringent provisions in laws to check incidents like the Hyderabad rape and murder case.
Responding to a discussion during Zero Hour in the wake of the rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, Singh said he was falling short of words to condemn the heinous crime.
As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Om Birla said he would allow members to raise the “serious issue” in Zero Hour.
Uttam Kumar Reddy (Cong) raised the issue of the rape and murder of the 26-year-old veterinarian and slammed the Telangana Home Minister for his purported “insensitive” remarks.
He also slammed the state police for initially delaying to lodge a case.T R Baalu (DMK) raised the issue of sexual assault of a school girl in Coimbatore.Saugat Roy (TMC) said rape convicts should be hanged.
PinakiMisra (BJD) questioned the delay in executing the death sentence awarded to convicts in the “Nirbhaya” gang-rape case.He said laws and establishment on fast track courts will not make a differences till the time the death sentences are not executed.
On November 29, four men, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on charges of raping and killing the young woman veterinarian in Hyderabad.
Inner Line Permit (ILP)
Simply put, an Inner Line Permit is a document that allows an Indian citizen to visit or stay in a state that is protected under the ILP system.
Context: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the civil society groups that the Citizenship Bill would provide protection to such regions and states where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is applicable, and autonomous administration has been granted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill aims to make it easier for non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship.
- If it is implemented with provisions for excluding from its ambit the states under the ILP regime, it means that beneficiaries under CAB will become Indian citizens but will not be able to settle in these three states.
- As a matter of fact, the same restriction applies to existing Indian citizens.
Now, on these lines, even Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya are demanding the implementation of ILP system.
The ILP is obligatory for all those who reside outside the protected states;
- Currently, the Inner Line Permit is operational in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
- It can be issued for travel purposes solely.
- An ILP is issued by the state government concerned.
Origin of ILP:
ILP’s origin dates back to the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873- It prohibited “British subjects” or Indians from entering into these protected areas.
After Independence, in 1950, the word “British subjects” was replaced by Citizens of India and the focus of the ban on free movement was explained as a bid to protect tribal cultures in northeastern India.
Nationwide vaccination to be conducted under Mission Indradhanush 2.0
Centre is launching nationwide vaccination drive to prevent eight diseases under Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 across the country today.
The government’s flagship scheme is aimed at immunizing children under the age of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases.
The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and hemophilus influenza are also being provided in selected areas.
The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts spread over 27 States. The IMI 2.0 will be carried out between December 2019 and March 2020.
The campaign will be carried out in 260 development blocks of 43 districts of the state including the capital Bhopal and Indore. In addition , the mission will be running in four-phases in state. Children will be vaccinated under the National Mission Indradhanush in the months in January , February and March next year.
Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Tulsiram inaugurated this campaign in Indore district. The Project Officers of the District Urban Development Agency has been made the nodal officer for the successful operation of the mission.
Australia’s points-based visa policy
Context: In what is seen as an effort to block entry to unskilled people, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to introduce an Australian style points-based visa policy from January 1, 2021.
Generally, for visas that are points-tested, points may be given for different categories ranging from age to proficiency in English and amount of work experience. To be granted such visas, the individual’s score must reach a cutoff fixed by the authorities.
For workers with an “eligible skilled occupation” there are 10 categories of visas available. Applications are tested with points awarded in various categories. One of these is “Skilled Independent Visa”.
- A migrant with this visa can live and work permanently anywhere in Australia, study in Australia, sponsor eligible relatives for permanent residence and if eligible, enroll in Australia’s health-care system and subject to eligibility, also become an Australian citizen.
Some of the skilled jobs that come under the ambit of the skilled migration program include: accountant, actor, aeronautical engineer, advertising manager, air conditioning and mechanical services plumber, author, baker, swimming coach, urologist and vegetable grower.
What are the advantages of points systems?
The ability to qualify without an employer sponsor- workers entering under the Australian points system are less dependent on their employers and do not need permission to switch between jobs as they do in the UK; as a result, they are expected to have more bargaining power and to operate in a more competitive labour market.
Steel imports have increased over a period of 5 years ,claims govt.
Government today said import of steel has increased during the last few years.
Replying to questions in the LokSabha, Steel Minister DharmendraPradhan, however, said domestic production has consistently increased regardless of such imports. Mr Pradhan said, in the current year, country is a net exporter.
He said, to counter import of cheap steel, anti-dumping duties have been imposed on various grades of steel which were dumped into the country.
Mr Pradhan further said, import of steel grades which are not manufactured in adequate quantity in the country is essential for supporting manufacturing sector.
The Minister informed the House that the total number of steel plants in the country is 977. He said, work is currently going on in NMDC steel plant in Nagarnar, Chattisgarh, which is a Greenfield project.
In reply to another question, the Minister said, the production of iron ore in the country is sufficient to meet the current demand by domestic steel industry. Mr Pradhan said, the supply of iron ore during last year 2018-19 was 207 metric tonne against its demand of 189 metric tonne.
Centre plans listing of single-use plastics
The Centre is likely to identify as many as eight articles as ‘single-use plastic’ items that will be discontinued on a priority basis, including plastic cutlery, plastic bags and certain Styrofoam items.
Defining single-use plastic is the first step in the direction of doing away with such products in India by 2022, as called for by Prime Minister NarendraModi during his Independence Day address.
While many states have banned plastic, there are wide variations in implementation and the range of products covered.After consulting stakeholders, the environment ministry is close to announcing a clear and uniform definition of single-use plastic.
The idea is to completely phase out single-use plastic where it is replaceable with environment friendly alternatives and to bring in a robust segregation, collection and disposal mechanism for single-use plastic.
The ministry wrote to the states in September asking them to curb production of plastic bags, irrespective of thickness and size, and Styrofoam (thermocol) cutlery and to encourage manufacturers and consumers to shift to other environmentally friendly material.
Every village will be asked to start waste segregation. They will send plastic waste to block-level units that will convert the aggregated waste into bales, shred them and transport them to aggregators for recycling to build in a sustainable mechanism.
India –Sweden to expand cooperation at delegation level talks
Prime Minister NarendraModi held delegation level talks with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Hyderabad House in New Delhi today.
The meeting is aimed at giving a boost to bilateral co-operation in various sectors. Several agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia arrived on a state visit to India this morning at the invitation of President Ram NathKovind. They were given a ceremonial welcome at RashtrapatiBhawan. This is His Majesty’s third visit to India. The King will meet President Ram NathKovind this evening.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on the King and Queen after their arrival and held discussions on ways to deepen bilateral ties.
Apart from the official programme in Delhi, the royal couple is scheduled to visit Mumbai and Uttarakhand. Several documents on furthering bilateral engagement are likely to be signed during the five day visit.
UN chief urges to improve efforts to counter climate change
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that the world’s efforts to stop climate change have been utterly inadequate so far.
There is a danger global warming could pass the point of no return. He was speaking before the start of a International Climate Conference in Madrid scheduled for today.
The U.N. Chief noted that the world has the scientific knowledge and the technical means to limit global warming, but the political will is lacking.
Mr Guterres said, he hoped the meeting in Madrid would see governments make more ambitious pledges ahead of a deadline to do so next year.
Delegates from almost 200 countries will try to put the finishing touches on the rules governing the 2015 Paris climate accord at the two-week meeting.
Govt. considering satellite mechanisms to monitor forestation
A satellite-based mechanism to monitor areas under green cover and the growth of saplings planted there is being developed by the government, Union Environment Minister PrakashJavadekar said on Saturday. The Environment minister said some states have made significant achievements in nurturing planted saplings to their full growth.
The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds to the tune of Rs 47,000 crore will be utilised for greening India, he said after a meeting with the forest ministers and officials of various states.
The minister said “very positive discussions” on issues like the use of CAMPA fund for forestation, water conservation, fodder augmentation and moisture management in the forests, besides the eradication of Lantana weed were held in the meeting.
In August this year, the Environment minister handed over Rs 47,436 crore of CAMPA funds to various states for the promotion of afforestation and achieving green objective of the country.
In the wake of under-utilisation of money for compensatory afforestation, the Supreme Court in 2001 had ordered for coming up with CAMPA fund.
In 2009, the Supreme Court permitted release of Rs 1,000 crore every year to the states and Union territories for compensatory afforestation and other activities.
Jnanpith Award
Context: Eminent Malayalam poet Akkitham has been chosen for 55th Jnanpith Award for the year 2019, Instituted in 1961.
Eligibility: Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour.
Operation ‘Clean Art’
It is first pan India operation to crackdown on the smuggling of mongoose hair. Conceived by WCCB
Aim: To ensure that the mongoose hair brush trade should be closed down across the country.
Protection: Mongoose is listed in Schedule II Part 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Any smuggling or possession of its body part is a non-bailable offence.
Gurpreetsingh and Sunil Kumar wins national wrestling championships
In wrestling, Asian Championships silver medallists Gurpreet Singh and Sunil Kumar clinched gold medals on the final day of the senior national championships in Jalandhar yesterday.
Gurpreet defeated two-time world junior championships medallist SajanBhanwal, who was representing the Railways, by a 3-1 margin, in the 77 kilogram category. This was Punjab grappler’s fourth senior national title.
Sunil also managed an easy win over Punjab’s Prabhal. The Railway’s grappler used all his experience to crush the Punjab wrestler 5-1 in the 87 kg final. In the 55 kg category, Arjun, representing Services, won against Ajay by technical superiority.
Source: The Hindu/Indian Express/Times of India/PIB