Comprehensive Current affairs 24 October 2020

Government Allows OCI & PIO card holders to visit India.

The government has decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All such travellers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other COVID-19 matters.

Under this graded relaxation, Government of India has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa).

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants.

 

Culture ministry launches life in miniature project.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched Life in Miniature project today.The project is a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts and Culture.

From today, several hundred miniature paintings from the National Museum can be viewed online on Google Arts and Culture by people around the world.

The project uses technologies like machine learning, augmented reality and digitization with high-definition robotic cameras, to showcase these special works of art in a magical new way.

IRDAI unveils standard term life insurance cover.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come up with a standard individual term life Insurance Product.

• These features as well as standard terms and conditions are expected to help customers make an informed choice and reduce mis-selling.

Standard Individual Term Life Insurance Product:

• The product, Saral Jeevan Bima to be offered by all life insurance companies will be a non-linked, non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan.

• It will pay the sum assured in lump sum to the nominee in case of the life assured’s death during the policy term.

• The regulator mandated all life insurers to offer the standard product by January 1, 2021.

• Insurers have to file the product with the regulator latest by December 1.

• The plan will be for those in the 18-65 years age group.

• The policy term will be 5-40 years, while the sum assured will be a minimum of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh.

 

• Insurers have the option of offering sum assured beyond ₹25 lakh with all other terms and conditions remaining the same.

• The product shall be offered to individuals without restrictions on gender, place of residence, travel, occupation or educational qualifications.

• On the death benefit, for regular and limited premium payment policies, it will be the highest of 10 times of annualised premium; 105% of all the premiums paid as on the date of death; or the absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• In case of single premium policies, it will be higher of 125% of single premium, or absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• There will be no maturity benefit. Neither will there be any surrender value nor can any loan be taken against the product.

• The pricing (premium) by insurers will be as per the File and Use (F&U) process. There shall be no exclusions, except suicide.

Background:

• The last few years there has been an increased customer preference towards pure term life Insurance Products Resulting in Insurers launching many term products with varying terms and conditions.

IRDAI:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.

• It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India.

• The agency’s headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001.

 

• IRDAI is a 10-member body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.

Functions of the IRDAI:

• Issuing, renewing, modifying, withdrawing, suspending or cancelling registrations.

• Protecting policyholder interests

• Specifying qualifications, the code of conduct and training for intermediaries and agents.

• Specifying the code of conduct for surveyors and loss assessors

• Promoting efficiency in the conduct of insurance businesses.

• Promoting and regulating professional organisations connected with the insurance and re-insurance industry

• Levying fees and other charges

• Inspecting and investigating insurers, intermediaries and other relevant organisations.

• Regulating rates, advantages, terms and conditions which may be offered by insurers not covered by the Tariff Advisory Committee under section 64U of the Insurance Act, 1938.

• Specifying how books should be kept

• Regulating company investment of funds.

• Regulating a margin of solvency

•Adjudicating disputes between insurers and intermediaries or insurance intermediaries.

• Supervising the Tariff Advisory Committee.

• Specifying the percentage of premium income to finance schemes for promoting and Regulating Professional Organisations.

 

 

Digital Media Regulation.

The Centre has recently announced new guidelines for digital news platforms.

Highlights:

• The government has put emphasis on compliance to the 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap under the government approval route in digital media.

• The 26% FDI through the government approval route in the digital media sector was brought in 2019. FDI in print media is capped at 26%, and that in TV news is 49%.

• The majority of the directors on the company’s board, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company would have to be an Indian citizen.

• All foreign employees working for more than 60 days would need security clearance. If the government denies or withdraw security clearance, the digital media company will ensure that the concerned person resigns or his/her services are terminated.

• The government has given a year to digital media news entities to align their shareholding with these requirements. The guidelines will be applicable to the following categories of entities registered or located in India:

• Digital media entities which streams/uploads news and current affairs on websites, apps or other platforms.

• The News agency which gathers, writes and distributes/transmits news, directly or indirectly, to digital media entities and/or news aggregators.

• The News aggregator, an entity which uses software of web applications to aggregate news content from various sources, such as news websites, blogs, podcasts, video blogs, user submitted links, etc in One Location.

 

 

 

Advantages:

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be considering in the near future to extend the following benefits, presently available to traditional media (print and TV), to digital media entities also:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) accreditation for its reporters, cameramen, videographers enabling them with better first-hand information and access including participation in official press conferences and such other Interactions.

• Persons with PIB accreditation can also avail Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benefits and Concessional rail fare.

• Eligibility for digital advertisements through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication.

• Similar to self-regulating bodies in print and electronic media, entities in digital media can form self-regulating bodies for furthering their interests and interaction with the Government.

Srilankan parliament passes 20th amendment.

The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-day debate.

The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa administration’s first big test in the legislature, since it triggered concern and resistance from not just the political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist clergy that Sri Lanka’s southern polity venerates.

The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

 

 

In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued that the Amendment threatened to take the country on a path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for centralised power for better governance.

The 20th Amendment’s passage comes at a time when the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028 cases and 14 deaths as of Thursday evening.

EU,France urged to impose sanctions against Pakistan.

Members of European Parliament urged France and EU to impose sanctions against unabated terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Members of EU, RyszardCzarnecki, FulvioMartusciello and Gianna Garcia raised the demand in a letter to the French government and the European Union.

This move came ahead of the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Pakistan's invasion of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the letter, the Parliament members stated that since its creation Pakistan has inflicted untold horrors on the world.The letter also mentioned the incident of genocide by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

The members also pointed out that Pakistan was re-admitted to the Financial Action Task Force Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing grey list for its continued failure to comply with obligations to prevent terrorism financing.

CPI-IW base year revised by labour and employment ministry.

The Labour and Employment Ministry on Thursday revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

 

Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments, a Ministry statement said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said that in the future, the Bureau would work towards revising the index every five years. The reduction in weight to spending on food and beverages indicated an increase in disposable income.

Mr.Gangwar said the new series, representing the latest consumption pattern, would be in the interest of workers. The number of centres, markets and the sample size for working class family income and expenditure survey were all increased.

The Minister also released the first index, with 2016 as the base year. The index for September, calculated for 88 centres as opposed to the previous 78 centres, was 118.

The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

RBI to conduct purchase of government securities under OMO’s.

On a review of the current liquidity and financial conditions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said that it has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs. 20,000 crores on 29th of this month.

OMOs in general sense refer to the sale or purchase of government securities by the RBI to commercial banks with a view to adjust liquidity conditions in the economy.

The State Development Loans (SDLs) are defined as securities issued by the states to manage their own finances.

In a press release issued today, the central bank said that SDLs will be bought through a multi-security auction.

 

DRDO test fires final trial of Nag Anti-tankk missile.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday carried out the final user trial of the third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

“The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier, NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour,” the DRDO said in a statement.

The test was carried out at 6.45 a.m. “With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase,” DRDO stated. Nag had been developed to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

The missile has “fire and forget” and “top attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all Main Battle Tanks (MBT) equipped with composite and reactive armour, the DRDO said.

Bioremediation Mechanism.

Recently, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai has developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology using consortia (group of two or more species) of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue Bacterial Cells.

About Eco-friendly Crude Oil Bioremediation Mechanism Technology:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.

• In the marine ecosystem, deep sea hydrocarbon clastic (ability to degrade hydrocarbon) microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.

• This microbial community serves as energetic primary degraders of a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons into various aldehydes, ketones and acidic metabolites.

 

• These hydrocarbon degrading bacteria don’t depend on hydrocarbons for survival, but have a metabolic mechanism where they use petroleum products as carbon and energy source and thus, help cleaning up oil spills.

• The complete breakdown and degradation of crude oil is achievable using wheat bran marine bacterial consortia (which are low-cost non-toxic agro-residues) in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Advantages:

• They are more effective in their immobilised state than the free bacteria cells in degrading the oil spills.

• They could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimised conditions.

• They are more versatile and resistant to adverse conditions. They have efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environments through non-toxic clean-up Technology.

Microbes to Fight Oil Spillage in Oceans

The scientists of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology.

• The technology uses a consortium of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue bacterial cells.

Bioremediation:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment (i.e., within soil and water) to their Original Condition.

 

 

 

Oil Spills:

• An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity.

• It is a form of Pollution.

• Oil Spills can occur on land also.

Recent Oil Spill Events:

• Deepwater Horizon drilling accident was the largest accidental oil spill disaster in history that took place on April 20, 2010, releasing 779 million litres of crude oil into the Gulf of

Mexico.

• The Ennore oil spill occurred outside the Kamarajar Port in Ennore near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on 28 January 2017, when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker Dawn Kanchipuram releasing at 9.9 million gallons (37,000 m3) of oils into the Bay of Bengal.

• The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius — about 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship struck a coral reef on 25 July 2020.

Consequences:

• The costs of oil spills are considerable in both economic and ecological terms

• Affect commercial and Subsistence Fishing.

• Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen. Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.

• Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals and there is a high risk of biomagnification.

 

• Damage to shore-based coastal ecosystems such as saltwater marshes and mangroves.

• Affect tourism and commerce associated with beaches.

Remedial Suggestions:

• Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours.

• Use various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water.

• The floating oil is set to fire by igniting it safely. It is the most proficient method of oil clean-up, as it can efficiently remove 98% of the total spilt oil.

• Using dispersal chemicals which are spread over the spilt oil to initiate the disintegration of oil.

• Other methods employed are hot water washing or washing with high -pressure water; manual labour; and Bioremediation and Natural Recovery. 

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 24 October 2020

Government Allows OCI & PIO card holders to visit India.

The government has decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All such travellers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other COVID-19 matters.

Under this graded relaxation, Government of India has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa).

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants.

 

Culture ministry launches life in miniature project.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched Life in Miniature project today.The project is a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts and Culture.

From today, several hundred miniature paintings from the National Museum can be viewed online on Google Arts and Culture by people around the world.

The project uses technologies like machine learning, augmented reality and digitization with high-definition robotic cameras, to showcase these special works of art in a magical new way.

IRDAI unveils standard term life insurance cover.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come up with a standard individual term life Insurance Product.

• These features as well as standard terms and conditions are expected to help customers make an informed choice and reduce mis-selling.

Standard Individual Term Life Insurance Product:

• The product, Saral Jeevan Bima to be offered by all life insurance companies will be a non-linked, non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan.

• It will pay the sum assured in lump sum to the nominee in case of the life assured’s death during the policy term.

• The regulator mandated all life insurers to offer the standard product by January 1, 2021.

• Insurers have to file the product with the regulator latest by December 1.

• The plan will be for those in the 18-65 years age group.

• The policy term will be 5-40 years, while the sum assured will be a minimum of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh.

 

• Insurers have the option of offering sum assured beyond ₹25 lakh with all other terms and conditions remaining the same.

• The product shall be offered to individuals without restrictions on gender, place of residence, travel, occupation or educational qualifications.

• On the death benefit, for regular and limited premium payment policies, it will be the highest of 10 times of annualised premium; 105% of all the premiums paid as on the date of death; or the absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• In case of single premium policies, it will be higher of 125% of single premium, or absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• There will be no maturity benefit. Neither will there be any surrender value nor can any loan be taken against the product.

• The pricing (premium) by insurers will be as per the File and Use (F&U) process. There shall be no exclusions, except suicide.

Background:

• The last few years there has been an increased customer preference towards pure term life Insurance Products Resulting in Insurers launching many term products with varying terms and conditions.

IRDAI:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.

• It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India.

• The agency’s headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001.

 

• IRDAI is a 10-member body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.

Functions of the IRDAI:

• Issuing, renewing, modifying, withdrawing, suspending or cancelling registrations.

• Protecting policyholder interests

• Specifying qualifications, the code of conduct and training for intermediaries and agents.

• Specifying the code of conduct for surveyors and loss assessors

• Promoting efficiency in the conduct of insurance businesses.

• Promoting and regulating professional organisations connected with the insurance and re-insurance industry

• Levying fees and other charges

• Inspecting and investigating insurers, intermediaries and other relevant organisations.

• Regulating rates, advantages, terms and conditions which may be offered by insurers not covered by the Tariff Advisory Committee under section 64U of the Insurance Act, 1938.

• Specifying how books should be kept

• Regulating company investment of funds.

• Regulating a margin of solvency

•Adjudicating disputes between insurers and intermediaries or insurance intermediaries.

• Supervising the Tariff Advisory Committee.

• Specifying the percentage of premium income to finance schemes for promoting and Regulating Professional Organisations.

 

 

Digital Media Regulation.

The Centre has recently announced new guidelines for digital news platforms.

Highlights:

• The government has put emphasis on compliance to the 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap under the government approval route in digital media.

• The 26% FDI through the government approval route in the digital media sector was brought in 2019. FDI in print media is capped at 26%, and that in TV news is 49%.

• The majority of the directors on the company’s board, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company would have to be an Indian citizen.

• All foreign employees working for more than 60 days would need security clearance. If the government denies or withdraw security clearance, the digital media company will ensure that the concerned person resigns or his/her services are terminated.

• The government has given a year to digital media news entities to align their shareholding with these requirements. The guidelines will be applicable to the following categories of entities registered or located in India:

• Digital media entities which streams/uploads news and current affairs on websites, apps or other platforms.

• The News agency which gathers, writes and distributes/transmits news, directly or indirectly, to digital media entities and/or news aggregators.

• The News aggregator, an entity which uses software of web applications to aggregate news content from various sources, such as news websites, blogs, podcasts, video blogs, user submitted links, etc in One Location.

 

 

 

Advantages:

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be considering in the near future to extend the following benefits, presently available to traditional media (print and TV), to digital media entities also:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) accreditation for its reporters, cameramen, videographers enabling them with better first-hand information and access including participation in official press conferences and such other Interactions.

• Persons with PIB accreditation can also avail Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benefits and Concessional rail fare.

• Eligibility for digital advertisements through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication.

• Similar to self-regulating bodies in print and electronic media, entities in digital media can form self-regulating bodies for furthering their interests and interaction with the Government.

Srilankan parliament passes 20th amendment.

The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-day debate.

The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa administration’s first big test in the legislature, since it triggered concern and resistance from not just the political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist clergy that Sri Lanka’s southern polity venerates.

The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

 

 

In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued that the Amendment threatened to take the country on a path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for centralised power for better governance.

The 20th Amendment’s passage comes at a time when the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028 cases and 14 deaths as of Thursday evening.

EU,France urged to impose sanctions against Pakistan.

Members of European Parliament urged France and EU to impose sanctions against unabated terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Members of EU, RyszardCzarnecki, FulvioMartusciello and Gianna Garcia raised the demand in a letter to the French government and the European Union.

This move came ahead of the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Pakistan's invasion of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the letter, the Parliament members stated that since its creation Pakistan has inflicted untold horrors on the world.The letter also mentioned the incident of genocide by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

The members also pointed out that Pakistan was re-admitted to the Financial Action Task Force Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing grey list for its continued failure to comply with obligations to prevent terrorism financing.

CPI-IW base year revised by labour and employment ministry.

The Labour and Employment Ministry on Thursday revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

 

Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments, a Ministry statement said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said that in the future, the Bureau would work towards revising the index every five years. The reduction in weight to spending on food and beverages indicated an increase in disposable income.

Mr.Gangwar said the new series, representing the latest consumption pattern, would be in the interest of workers. The number of centres, markets and the sample size for working class family income and expenditure survey were all increased.

The Minister also released the first index, with 2016 as the base year. The index for September, calculated for 88 centres as opposed to the previous 78 centres, was 118.

The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

RBI to conduct purchase of government securities under OMO’s.

On a review of the current liquidity and financial conditions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said that it has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs. 20,000 crores on 29th of this month.

OMOs in general sense refer to the sale or purchase of government securities by the RBI to commercial banks with a view to adjust liquidity conditions in the economy.

The State Development Loans (SDLs) are defined as securities issued by the states to manage their own finances.

In a press release issued today, the central bank said that SDLs will be bought through a multi-security auction.

 

DRDO test fires final trial of Nag Anti-tankk missile.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday carried out the final user trial of the third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

“The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier, NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour,” the DRDO said in a statement.

The test was carried out at 6.45 a.m. “With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase,” DRDO stated. Nag had been developed to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

The missile has “fire and forget” and “top attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all Main Battle Tanks (MBT) equipped with composite and reactive armour, the DRDO said.

Bioremediation Mechanism.

Recently, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai has developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology using consortia (group of two or more species) of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue Bacterial Cells.

About Eco-friendly Crude Oil Bioremediation Mechanism Technology:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.

• In the marine ecosystem, deep sea hydrocarbon clastic (ability to degrade hydrocarbon) microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.

• This microbial community serves as energetic primary degraders of a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons into various aldehydes, ketones and acidic metabolites.

 

• These hydrocarbon degrading bacteria don’t depend on hydrocarbons for survival, but have a metabolic mechanism where they use petroleum products as carbon and energy source and thus, help cleaning up oil spills.

• The complete breakdown and degradation of crude oil is achievable using wheat bran marine bacterial consortia (which are low-cost non-toxic agro-residues) in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Advantages:

• They are more effective in their immobilised state than the free bacteria cells in degrading the oil spills.

• They could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimised conditions.

• They are more versatile and resistant to adverse conditions. They have efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environments through non-toxic clean-up Technology.

Microbes to Fight Oil Spillage in Oceans

The scientists of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology.

• The technology uses a consortium of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue bacterial cells.

Bioremediation:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment (i.e., within soil and water) to their Original Condition.

 

 

 

Oil Spills:

• An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity.

• It is a form of Pollution.

• Oil Spills can occur on land also.

Recent Oil Spill Events:

• Deepwater Horizon drilling accident was the largest accidental oil spill disaster in history that took place on April 20, 2010, releasing 779 million litres of crude oil into the Gulf of

Mexico.

• The Ennore oil spill occurred outside the Kamarajar Port in Ennore near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on 28 January 2017, when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker Dawn Kanchipuram releasing at 9.9 million gallons (37,000 m3) of oils into the Bay of Bengal.

• The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius — about 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship struck a coral reef on 25 July 2020.

Consequences:

• The costs of oil spills are considerable in both economic and ecological terms

• Affect commercial and Subsistence Fishing.

• Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen. Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.

• Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals and there is a high risk of biomagnification.

 

• Damage to shore-based coastal ecosystems such as saltwater marshes and mangroves.

• Affect tourism and commerce associated with beaches.

Remedial Suggestions:

• Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours.

• Use various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water.

• The floating oil is set to fire by igniting it safely. It is the most proficient method of oil clean-up, as it can efficiently remove 98% of the total spilt oil.

• Using dispersal chemicals which are spread over the spilt oil to initiate the disintegration of oil.

• Other methods employed are hot water washing or washing with high -pressure water; manual labour; and Bioremediation and Natural Recovery. 

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 24 October 2020

Government Allows OCI & PIO card holders to visit India.

The government has decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All such travellers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other COVID-19 matters.

Under this graded relaxation, Government of India has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa).

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants.

 

Culture ministry launches life in miniature project.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched Life in Miniature project today.The project is a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts and Culture.

From today, several hundred miniature paintings from the National Museum can be viewed online on Google Arts and Culture by people around the world.

The project uses technologies like machine learning, augmented reality and digitization with high-definition robotic cameras, to showcase these special works of art in a magical new way.

IRDAI unveils standard term life insurance cover.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come up with a standard individual term life Insurance Product.

• These features as well as standard terms and conditions are expected to help customers make an informed choice and reduce mis-selling.

Standard Individual Term Life Insurance Product:

• The product, Saral Jeevan Bima to be offered by all life insurance companies will be a non-linked, non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan.

• It will pay the sum assured in lump sum to the nominee in case of the life assured’s death during the policy term.

• The regulator mandated all life insurers to offer the standard product by January 1, 2021.

• Insurers have to file the product with the regulator latest by December 1.

• The plan will be for those in the 18-65 years age group.

• The policy term will be 5-40 years, while the sum assured will be a minimum of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh.

 

• Insurers have the option of offering sum assured beyond ₹25 lakh with all other terms and conditions remaining the same.

• The product shall be offered to individuals without restrictions on gender, place of residence, travel, occupation or educational qualifications.

• On the death benefit, for regular and limited premium payment policies, it will be the highest of 10 times of annualised premium; 105% of all the premiums paid as on the date of death; or the absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• In case of single premium policies, it will be higher of 125% of single premium, or absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• There will be no maturity benefit. Neither will there be any surrender value nor can any loan be taken against the product.

• The pricing (premium) by insurers will be as per the File and Use (F&U) process. There shall be no exclusions, except suicide.

Background:

• The last few years there has been an increased customer preference towards pure term life Insurance Products Resulting in Insurers launching many term products with varying terms and conditions.

IRDAI:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.

• It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India.

• The agency’s headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001.

 

• IRDAI is a 10-member body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.

Functions of the IRDAI:

• Issuing, renewing, modifying, withdrawing, suspending or cancelling registrations.

• Protecting policyholder interests

• Specifying qualifications, the code of conduct and training for intermediaries and agents.

• Specifying the code of conduct for surveyors and loss assessors

• Promoting efficiency in the conduct of insurance businesses.

• Promoting and regulating professional organisations connected with the insurance and re-insurance industry

• Levying fees and other charges

• Inspecting and investigating insurers, intermediaries and other relevant organisations.

• Regulating rates, advantages, terms and conditions which may be offered by insurers not covered by the Tariff Advisory Committee under section 64U of the Insurance Act, 1938.

• Specifying how books should be kept

• Regulating company investment of funds.

• Regulating a margin of solvency

•Adjudicating disputes between insurers and intermediaries or insurance intermediaries.

• Supervising the Tariff Advisory Committee.

• Specifying the percentage of premium income to finance schemes for promoting and Regulating Professional Organisations.

 

 

Digital Media Regulation.

The Centre has recently announced new guidelines for digital news platforms.

Highlights:

• The government has put emphasis on compliance to the 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap under the government approval route in digital media.

• The 26% FDI through the government approval route in the digital media sector was brought in 2019. FDI in print media is capped at 26%, and that in TV news is 49%.

• The majority of the directors on the company’s board, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company would have to be an Indian citizen.

• All foreign employees working for more than 60 days would need security clearance. If the government denies or withdraw security clearance, the digital media company will ensure that the concerned person resigns or his/her services are terminated.

• The government has given a year to digital media news entities to align their shareholding with these requirements. The guidelines will be applicable to the following categories of entities registered or located in India:

• Digital media entities which streams/uploads news and current affairs on websites, apps or other platforms.

• The News agency which gathers, writes and distributes/transmits news, directly or indirectly, to digital media entities and/or news aggregators.

• The News aggregator, an entity which uses software of web applications to aggregate news content from various sources, such as news websites, blogs, podcasts, video blogs, user submitted links, etc in One Location.

 

 

 

Advantages:

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be considering in the near future to extend the following benefits, presently available to traditional media (print and TV), to digital media entities also:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) accreditation for its reporters, cameramen, videographers enabling them with better first-hand information and access including participation in official press conferences and such other Interactions.

• Persons with PIB accreditation can also avail Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benefits and Concessional rail fare.

• Eligibility for digital advertisements through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication.

• Similar to self-regulating bodies in print and electronic media, entities in digital media can form self-regulating bodies for furthering their interests and interaction with the Government.

Srilankan parliament passes 20th amendment.

The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-day debate.

The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa administration’s first big test in the legislature, since it triggered concern and resistance from not just the political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist clergy that Sri Lanka’s southern polity venerates.

The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

 

 

In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued that the Amendment threatened to take the country on a path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for centralised power for better governance.

The 20th Amendment’s passage comes at a time when the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028 cases and 14 deaths as of Thursday evening.

EU,France urged to impose sanctions against Pakistan.

Members of European Parliament urged France and EU to impose sanctions against unabated terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Members of EU, RyszardCzarnecki, FulvioMartusciello and Gianna Garcia raised the demand in a letter to the French government and the European Union.

This move came ahead of the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Pakistan's invasion of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the letter, the Parliament members stated that since its creation Pakistan has inflicted untold horrors on the world.The letter also mentioned the incident of genocide by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

The members also pointed out that Pakistan was re-admitted to the Financial Action Task Force Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing grey list for its continued failure to comply with obligations to prevent terrorism financing.

CPI-IW base year revised by labour and employment ministry.

The Labour and Employment Ministry on Thursday revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

 

Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments, a Ministry statement said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said that in the future, the Bureau would work towards revising the index every five years. The reduction in weight to spending on food and beverages indicated an increase in disposable income.

Mr.Gangwar said the new series, representing the latest consumption pattern, would be in the interest of workers. The number of centres, markets and the sample size for working class family income and expenditure survey were all increased.

The Minister also released the first index, with 2016 as the base year. The index for September, calculated for 88 centres as opposed to the previous 78 centres, was 118.

The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

RBI to conduct purchase of government securities under OMO’s.

On a review of the current liquidity and financial conditions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said that it has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs. 20,000 crores on 29th of this month.

OMOs in general sense refer to the sale or purchase of government securities by the RBI to commercial banks with a view to adjust liquidity conditions in the economy.

The State Development Loans (SDLs) are defined as securities issued by the states to manage their own finances.

In a press release issued today, the central bank said that SDLs will be bought through a multi-security auction.

 

DRDO test fires final trial of Nag Anti-tankk missile.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday carried out the final user trial of the third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

“The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier, NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour,” the DRDO said in a statement.

The test was carried out at 6.45 a.m. “With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase,” DRDO stated. Nag had been developed to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

The missile has “fire and forget” and “top attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all Main Battle Tanks (MBT) equipped with composite and reactive armour, the DRDO said.

Bioremediation Mechanism.

Recently, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai has developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology using consortia (group of two or more species) of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue Bacterial Cells.

About Eco-friendly Crude Oil Bioremediation Mechanism Technology:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.

• In the marine ecosystem, deep sea hydrocarbon clastic (ability to degrade hydrocarbon) microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.

• This microbial community serves as energetic primary degraders of a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons into various aldehydes, ketones and acidic metabolites.

 

• These hydrocarbon degrading bacteria don’t depend on hydrocarbons for survival, but have a metabolic mechanism where they use petroleum products as carbon and energy source and thus, help cleaning up oil spills.

• The complete breakdown and degradation of crude oil is achievable using wheat bran marine bacterial consortia (which are low-cost non-toxic agro-residues) in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Advantages:

• They are more effective in their immobilised state than the free bacteria cells in degrading the oil spills.

• They could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimised conditions.

• They are more versatile and resistant to adverse conditions. They have efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environments through non-toxic clean-up Technology.

Microbes to Fight Oil Spillage in Oceans

The scientists of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology.

• The technology uses a consortium of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue bacterial cells.

Bioremediation:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment (i.e., within soil and water) to their Original Condition.

 

 

 

Oil Spills:

• An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity.

• It is a form of Pollution.

• Oil Spills can occur on land also.

Recent Oil Spill Events:

• Deepwater Horizon drilling accident was the largest accidental oil spill disaster in history that took place on April 20, 2010, releasing 779 million litres of crude oil into the Gulf of

Mexico.

• The Ennore oil spill occurred outside the Kamarajar Port in Ennore near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on 28 January 2017, when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker Dawn Kanchipuram releasing at 9.9 million gallons (37,000 m3) of oils into the Bay of Bengal.

• The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius — about 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship struck a coral reef on 25 July 2020.

Consequences:

• The costs of oil spills are considerable in both economic and ecological terms

• Affect commercial and Subsistence Fishing.

• Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen. Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.

• Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals and there is a high risk of biomagnification.

 

• Damage to shore-based coastal ecosystems such as saltwater marshes and mangroves.

• Affect tourism and commerce associated with beaches.

Remedial Suggestions:

• Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours.

• Use various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water.

• The floating oil is set to fire by igniting it safely. It is the most proficient method of oil clean-up, as it can efficiently remove 98% of the total spilt oil.

• Using dispersal chemicals which are spread over the spilt oil to initiate the disintegration of oil.

• Other methods employed are hot water washing or washing with high -pressure water; manual labour; and Bioremediation and Natural Recovery. 

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 24 October 2020

Government Allows OCI & PIO card holders to visit India.

The government has decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All such travellers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other COVID-19 matters.

Under this graded relaxation, Government of India has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa).

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants.

 

Culture ministry launches life in miniature project.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched Life in Miniature project today.The project is a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts and Culture.

From today, several hundred miniature paintings from the National Museum can be viewed online on Google Arts and Culture by people around the world.

The project uses technologies like machine learning, augmented reality and digitization with high-definition robotic cameras, to showcase these special works of art in a magical new way.

IRDAI unveils standard term life insurance cover.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come up with a standard individual term life Insurance Product.

• These features as well as standard terms and conditions are expected to help customers make an informed choice and reduce mis-selling.

Standard Individual Term Life Insurance Product:

• The product, Saral Jeevan Bima to be offered by all life insurance companies will be a non-linked, non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan.

• It will pay the sum assured in lump sum to the nominee in case of the life assured’s death during the policy term.

• The regulator mandated all life insurers to offer the standard product by January 1, 2021.

• Insurers have to file the product with the regulator latest by December 1.

• The plan will be for those in the 18-65 years age group.

• The policy term will be 5-40 years, while the sum assured will be a minimum of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh.

 

• Insurers have the option of offering sum assured beyond ₹25 lakh with all other terms and conditions remaining the same.

• The product shall be offered to individuals without restrictions on gender, place of residence, travel, occupation or educational qualifications.

• On the death benefit, for regular and limited premium payment policies, it will be the highest of 10 times of annualised premium; 105% of all the premiums paid as on the date of death; or the absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• In case of single premium policies, it will be higher of 125% of single premium, or absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• There will be no maturity benefit. Neither will there be any surrender value nor can any loan be taken against the product.

• The pricing (premium) by insurers will be as per the File and Use (F&U) process. There shall be no exclusions, except suicide.

Background:

• The last few years there has been an increased customer preference towards pure term life Insurance Products Resulting in Insurers launching many term products with varying terms and conditions.

IRDAI:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.

• It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India.

• The agency’s headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001.

 

• IRDAI is a 10-member body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.

Functions of the IRDAI:

• Issuing, renewing, modifying, withdrawing, suspending or cancelling registrations.

• Protecting policyholder interests

• Specifying qualifications, the code of conduct and training for intermediaries and agents.

• Specifying the code of conduct for surveyors and loss assessors

• Promoting efficiency in the conduct of insurance businesses.

• Promoting and regulating professional organisations connected with the insurance and re-insurance industry

• Levying fees and other charges

• Inspecting and investigating insurers, intermediaries and other relevant organisations.

• Regulating rates, advantages, terms and conditions which may be offered by insurers not covered by the Tariff Advisory Committee under section 64U of the Insurance Act, 1938.

• Specifying how books should be kept

• Regulating company investment of funds.

• Regulating a margin of solvency

•Adjudicating disputes between insurers and intermediaries or insurance intermediaries.

• Supervising the Tariff Advisory Committee.

• Specifying the percentage of premium income to finance schemes for promoting and Regulating Professional Organisations.

 

 

Digital Media Regulation.

The Centre has recently announced new guidelines for digital news platforms.

Highlights:

• The government has put emphasis on compliance to the 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap under the government approval route in digital media.

• The 26% FDI through the government approval route in the digital media sector was brought in 2019. FDI in print media is capped at 26%, and that in TV news is 49%.

• The majority of the directors on the company’s board, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company would have to be an Indian citizen.

• All foreign employees working for more than 60 days would need security clearance. If the government denies or withdraw security clearance, the digital media company will ensure that the concerned person resigns or his/her services are terminated.

• The government has given a year to digital media news entities to align their shareholding with these requirements. The guidelines will be applicable to the following categories of entities registered or located in India:

• Digital media entities which streams/uploads news and current affairs on websites, apps or other platforms.

• The News agency which gathers, writes and distributes/transmits news, directly or indirectly, to digital media entities and/or news aggregators.

• The News aggregator, an entity which uses software of web applications to aggregate news content from various sources, such as news websites, blogs, podcasts, video blogs, user submitted links, etc in One Location.

 

 

 

Advantages:

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be considering in the near future to extend the following benefits, presently available to traditional media (print and TV), to digital media entities also:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) accreditation for its reporters, cameramen, videographers enabling them with better first-hand information and access including participation in official press conferences and such other Interactions.

• Persons with PIB accreditation can also avail Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benefits and Concessional rail fare.

• Eligibility for digital advertisements through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication.

• Similar to self-regulating bodies in print and electronic media, entities in digital media can form self-regulating bodies for furthering their interests and interaction with the Government.

Srilankan parliament passes 20th amendment.

The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-day debate.

The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa administration’s first big test in the legislature, since it triggered concern and resistance from not just the political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist clergy that Sri Lanka’s southern polity venerates.

The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

 

 

In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued that the Amendment threatened to take the country on a path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for centralised power for better governance.

The 20th Amendment’s passage comes at a time when the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028 cases and 14 deaths as of Thursday evening.

EU,France urged to impose sanctions against Pakistan.

Members of European Parliament urged France and EU to impose sanctions against unabated terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Members of EU, RyszardCzarnecki, FulvioMartusciello and Gianna Garcia raised the demand in a letter to the French government and the European Union.

This move came ahead of the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Pakistan's invasion of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the letter, the Parliament members stated that since its creation Pakistan has inflicted untold horrors on the world.The letter also mentioned the incident of genocide by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

The members also pointed out that Pakistan was re-admitted to the Financial Action Task Force Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing grey list for its continued failure to comply with obligations to prevent terrorism financing.

CPI-IW base year revised by labour and employment ministry.

The Labour and Employment Ministry on Thursday revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

 

Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments, a Ministry statement said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said that in the future, the Bureau would work towards revising the index every five years. The reduction in weight to spending on food and beverages indicated an increase in disposable income.

Mr.Gangwar said the new series, representing the latest consumption pattern, would be in the interest of workers. The number of centres, markets and the sample size for working class family income and expenditure survey were all increased.

The Minister also released the first index, with 2016 as the base year. The index for September, calculated for 88 centres as opposed to the previous 78 centres, was 118.

The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

RBI to conduct purchase of government securities under OMO’s.

On a review of the current liquidity and financial conditions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said that it has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs. 20,000 crores on 29th of this month.

OMOs in general sense refer to the sale or purchase of government securities by the RBI to commercial banks with a view to adjust liquidity conditions in the economy.

The State Development Loans (SDLs) are defined as securities issued by the states to manage their own finances.

In a press release issued today, the central bank said that SDLs will be bought through a multi-security auction.

 

DRDO test fires final trial of Nag Anti-tankk missile.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday carried out the final user trial of the third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

“The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier, NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour,” the DRDO said in a statement.

The test was carried out at 6.45 a.m. “With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase,” DRDO stated. Nag had been developed to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

The missile has “fire and forget” and “top attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all Main Battle Tanks (MBT) equipped with composite and reactive armour, the DRDO said.

Bioremediation Mechanism.

Recently, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai has developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology using consortia (group of two or more species) of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue Bacterial Cells.

About Eco-friendly Crude Oil Bioremediation Mechanism Technology:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.

• In the marine ecosystem, deep sea hydrocarbon clastic (ability to degrade hydrocarbon) microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.

• This microbial community serves as energetic primary degraders of a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons into various aldehydes, ketones and acidic metabolites.

 

• These hydrocarbon degrading bacteria don’t depend on hydrocarbons for survival, but have a metabolic mechanism where they use petroleum products as carbon and energy source and thus, help cleaning up oil spills.

• The complete breakdown and degradation of crude oil is achievable using wheat bran marine bacterial consortia (which are low-cost non-toxic agro-residues) in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Advantages:

• They are more effective in their immobilised state than the free bacteria cells in degrading the oil spills.

• They could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimised conditions.

• They are more versatile and resistant to adverse conditions. They have efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environments through non-toxic clean-up Technology.

Microbes to Fight Oil Spillage in Oceans

The scientists of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology.

• The technology uses a consortium of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue bacterial cells.

Bioremediation:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment (i.e., within soil and water) to their Original Condition.

 

 

 

Oil Spills:

• An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity.

• It is a form of Pollution.

• Oil Spills can occur on land also.

Recent Oil Spill Events:

• Deepwater Horizon drilling accident was the largest accidental oil spill disaster in history that took place on April 20, 2010, releasing 779 million litres of crude oil into the Gulf of

Mexico.

• The Ennore oil spill occurred outside the Kamarajar Port in Ennore near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on 28 January 2017, when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker Dawn Kanchipuram releasing at 9.9 million gallons (37,000 m3) of oils into the Bay of Bengal.

• The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius — about 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship struck a coral reef on 25 July 2020.

Consequences:

• The costs of oil spills are considerable in both economic and ecological terms

• Affect commercial and Subsistence Fishing.

• Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen. Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.

• Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals and there is a high risk of biomagnification.

 

• Damage to shore-based coastal ecosystems such as saltwater marshes and mangroves.

• Affect tourism and commerce associated with beaches.

Remedial Suggestions:

• Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours.

• Use various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water.

• The floating oil is set to fire by igniting it safely. It is the most proficient method of oil clean-up, as it can efficiently remove 98% of the total spilt oil.

• Using dispersal chemicals which are spread over the spilt oil to initiate the disintegration of oil.

• Other methods employed are hot water washing or washing with high -pressure water; manual labour; and Bioremediation and Natural Recovery. 

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 24 October 2020

Government Allows OCI & PIO card holders to visit India.

The government has decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All such travellers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other COVID-19 matters.

Under this graded relaxation, Government of India has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa).

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants.

 

Culture ministry launches life in miniature project.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched Life in Miniature project today.The project is a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts and Culture.

From today, several hundred miniature paintings from the National Museum can be viewed online on Google Arts and Culture by people around the world.

The project uses technologies like machine learning, augmented reality and digitization with high-definition robotic cameras, to showcase these special works of art in a magical new way.

IRDAI unveils standard term life insurance cover.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come up with a standard individual term life Insurance Product.

• These features as well as standard terms and conditions are expected to help customers make an informed choice and reduce mis-selling.

Standard Individual Term Life Insurance Product:

• The product, Saral Jeevan Bima to be offered by all life insurance companies will be a non-linked, non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan.

• It will pay the sum assured in lump sum to the nominee in case of the life assured’s death during the policy term.

• The regulator mandated all life insurers to offer the standard product by January 1, 2021.

• Insurers have to file the product with the regulator latest by December 1.

• The plan will be for those in the 18-65 years age group.

• The policy term will be 5-40 years, while the sum assured will be a minimum of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh.

 

• Insurers have the option of offering sum assured beyond ₹25 lakh with all other terms and conditions remaining the same.

• The product shall be offered to individuals without restrictions on gender, place of residence, travel, occupation or educational qualifications.

• On the death benefit, for regular and limited premium payment policies, it will be the highest of 10 times of annualised premium; 105% of all the premiums paid as on the date of death; or the absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• In case of single premium policies, it will be higher of 125% of single premium, or absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• There will be no maturity benefit. Neither will there be any surrender value nor can any loan be taken against the product.

• The pricing (premium) by insurers will be as per the File and Use (F&U) process. There shall be no exclusions, except suicide.

Background:

• The last few years there has been an increased customer preference towards pure term life Insurance Products Resulting in Insurers launching many term products with varying terms and conditions.

IRDAI:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.

• It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India.

• The agency’s headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001.

 

• IRDAI is a 10-member body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.

Functions of the IRDAI:

• Issuing, renewing, modifying, withdrawing, suspending or cancelling registrations.

• Protecting policyholder interests

• Specifying qualifications, the code of conduct and training for intermediaries and agents.

• Specifying the code of conduct for surveyors and loss assessors

• Promoting efficiency in the conduct of insurance businesses.

• Promoting and regulating professional organisations connected with the insurance and re-insurance industry

• Levying fees and other charges

• Inspecting and investigating insurers, intermediaries and other relevant organisations.

• Regulating rates, advantages, terms and conditions which may be offered by insurers not covered by the Tariff Advisory Committee under section 64U of the Insurance Act, 1938.

• Specifying how books should be kept

• Regulating company investment of funds.

• Regulating a margin of solvency

•Adjudicating disputes between insurers and intermediaries or insurance intermediaries.

• Supervising the Tariff Advisory Committee.

• Specifying the percentage of premium income to finance schemes for promoting and Regulating Professional Organisations.

 

 

Digital Media Regulation.

The Centre has recently announced new guidelines for digital news platforms.

Highlights:

• The government has put emphasis on compliance to the 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap under the government approval route in digital media.

• The 26% FDI through the government approval route in the digital media sector was brought in 2019. FDI in print media is capped at 26%, and that in TV news is 49%.

• The majority of the directors on the company’s board, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company would have to be an Indian citizen.

• All foreign employees working for more than 60 days would need security clearance. If the government denies or withdraw security clearance, the digital media company will ensure that the concerned person resigns or his/her services are terminated.

• The government has given a year to digital media news entities to align their shareholding with these requirements. The guidelines will be applicable to the following categories of entities registered or located in India:

• Digital media entities which streams/uploads news and current affairs on websites, apps or other platforms.

• The News agency which gathers, writes and distributes/transmits news, directly or indirectly, to digital media entities and/or news aggregators.

• The News aggregator, an entity which uses software of web applications to aggregate news content from various sources, such as news websites, blogs, podcasts, video blogs, user submitted links, etc in One Location.

 

 

 

Advantages:

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be considering in the near future to extend the following benefits, presently available to traditional media (print and TV), to digital media entities also:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) accreditation for its reporters, cameramen, videographers enabling them with better first-hand information and access including participation in official press conferences and such other Interactions.

• Persons with PIB accreditation can also avail Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benefits and Concessional rail fare.

• Eligibility for digital advertisements through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication.

• Similar to self-regulating bodies in print and electronic media, entities in digital media can form self-regulating bodies for furthering their interests and interaction with the Government.

Srilankan parliament passes 20th amendment.

The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-day debate.

The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa administration’s first big test in the legislature, since it triggered concern and resistance from not just the political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist clergy that Sri Lanka’s southern polity venerates.

The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

 

 

In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued that the Amendment threatened to take the country on a path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for centralised power for better governance.

The 20th Amendment’s passage comes at a time when the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028 cases and 14 deaths as of Thursday evening.

EU,France urged to impose sanctions against Pakistan.

Members of European Parliament urged France and EU to impose sanctions against unabated terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Members of EU, RyszardCzarnecki, FulvioMartusciello and Gianna Garcia raised the demand in a letter to the French government and the European Union.

This move came ahead of the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Pakistan's invasion of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the letter, the Parliament members stated that since its creation Pakistan has inflicted untold horrors on the world.The letter also mentioned the incident of genocide by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

The members also pointed out that Pakistan was re-admitted to the Financial Action Task Force Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing grey list for its continued failure to comply with obligations to prevent terrorism financing.

CPI-IW base year revised by labour and employment ministry.

The Labour and Employment Ministry on Thursday revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

 

Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments, a Ministry statement said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said that in the future, the Bureau would work towards revising the index every five years. The reduction in weight to spending on food and beverages indicated an increase in disposable income.

Mr.Gangwar said the new series, representing the latest consumption pattern, would be in the interest of workers. The number of centres, markets and the sample size for working class family income and expenditure survey were all increased.

The Minister also released the first index, with 2016 as the base year. The index for September, calculated for 88 centres as opposed to the previous 78 centres, was 118.

The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

RBI to conduct purchase of government securities under OMO’s.

On a review of the current liquidity and financial conditions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said that it has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs. 20,000 crores on 29th of this month.

OMOs in general sense refer to the sale or purchase of government securities by the RBI to commercial banks with a view to adjust liquidity conditions in the economy.

The State Development Loans (SDLs) are defined as securities issued by the states to manage their own finances.

In a press release issued today, the central bank said that SDLs will be bought through a multi-security auction.

 

DRDO test fires final trial of Nag Anti-tankk missile.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday carried out the final user trial of the third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

“The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier, NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour,” the DRDO said in a statement.

The test was carried out at 6.45 a.m. “With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase,” DRDO stated. Nag had been developed to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

The missile has “fire and forget” and “top attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all Main Battle Tanks (MBT) equipped with composite and reactive armour, the DRDO said.

Bioremediation Mechanism.

Recently, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai has developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology using consortia (group of two or more species) of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue Bacterial Cells.

About Eco-friendly Crude Oil Bioremediation Mechanism Technology:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.

• In the marine ecosystem, deep sea hydrocarbon clastic (ability to degrade hydrocarbon) microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.

• This microbial community serves as energetic primary degraders of a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons into various aldehydes, ketones and acidic metabolites.

 

• These hydrocarbon degrading bacteria don’t depend on hydrocarbons for survival, but have a metabolic mechanism where they use petroleum products as carbon and energy source and thus, help cleaning up oil spills.

• The complete breakdown and degradation of crude oil is achievable using wheat bran marine bacterial consortia (which are low-cost non-toxic agro-residues) in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Advantages:

• They are more effective in their immobilised state than the free bacteria cells in degrading the oil spills.

• They could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimised conditions.

• They are more versatile and resistant to adverse conditions. They have efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environments through non-toxic clean-up Technology.

Microbes to Fight Oil Spillage in Oceans

The scientists of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology.

• The technology uses a consortium of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue bacterial cells.

Bioremediation:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment (i.e., within soil and water) to their Original Condition.

 

 

 

Oil Spills:

• An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity.

• It is a form of Pollution.

• Oil Spills can occur on land also.

Recent Oil Spill Events:

• Deepwater Horizon drilling accident was the largest accidental oil spill disaster in history that took place on April 20, 2010, releasing 779 million litres of crude oil into the Gulf of

Mexico.

• The Ennore oil spill occurred outside the Kamarajar Port in Ennore near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on 28 January 2017, when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker Dawn Kanchipuram releasing at 9.9 million gallons (37,000 m3) of oils into the Bay of Bengal.

• The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius — about 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship struck a coral reef on 25 July 2020.

Consequences:

• The costs of oil spills are considerable in both economic and ecological terms

• Affect commercial and Subsistence Fishing.

• Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen. Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.

• Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals and there is a high risk of biomagnification.

 

• Damage to shore-based coastal ecosystems such as saltwater marshes and mangroves.

• Affect tourism and commerce associated with beaches.

Remedial Suggestions:

• Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours.

• Use various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water.

• The floating oil is set to fire by igniting it safely. It is the most proficient method of oil clean-up, as it can efficiently remove 98% of the total spilt oil.

• Using dispersal chemicals which are spread over the spilt oil to initiate the disintegration of oil.

• Other methods employed are hot water washing or washing with high -pressure water; manual labour; and Bioremediation and Natural Recovery.

 

 

Comprehensive Current affairs 24 October 2020

Government Allows OCI & PIO card holders to visit India.

The government has decided to permit all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a Tourist Visa to enter by air or water routes through authorized airports and seaport immigration check posts.

This includes flights operated under Vande Bharat Mission, Air Transport Bubble arrangements or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

All such travellers will, however, have to strictly adhere to the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding quarantine and other COVID-19 matters.

Under this graded relaxation, Government of India has also decided to restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa).

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply for a Medical Visa including for their medical attendants.

 

Culture ministry launches life in miniature project.

Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched Life in Miniature project today.The project is a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts and Culture.

From today, several hundred miniature paintings from the National Museum can be viewed online on Google Arts and Culture by people around the world.

The project uses technologies like machine learning, augmented reality and digitization with high-definition robotic cameras, to showcase these special works of art in a magical new way.

IRDAI unveils standard term life insurance cover.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has come up with a standard individual term life Insurance Product.

• These features as well as standard terms and conditions are expected to help customers make an informed choice and reduce mis-selling.

Standard Individual Term Life Insurance Product:

• The product, Saral Jeevan Bima to be offered by all life insurance companies will be a non-linked, non-participating individual pure risk premium life insurance plan.

• It will pay the sum assured in lump sum to the nominee in case of the life assured’s death during the policy term.

• The regulator mandated all life insurers to offer the standard product by January 1, 2021.

• Insurers have to file the product with the regulator latest by December 1.

• The plan will be for those in the 18-65 years age group.

• The policy term will be 5-40 years, while the sum assured will be a minimum of ₹5 lakh and a maximum of ₹25 lakh.

 

• Insurers have the option of offering sum assured beyond ₹25 lakh with all other terms and conditions remaining the same.

• The product shall be offered to individuals without restrictions on gender, place of residence, travel, occupation or educational qualifications.

• On the death benefit, for regular and limited premium payment policies, it will be the highest of 10 times of annualised premium; 105% of all the premiums paid as on the date of death; or the absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• In case of single premium policies, it will be higher of 125% of single premium, or absolute amount assured to be paid on death.

• There will be no maturity benefit. Neither will there be any surrender value nor can any loan be taken against the product.

• The pricing (premium) by insurers will be as per the File and Use (F&U) process. There shall be no exclusions, except suicide.

Background:

• The last few years there has been an increased customer preference towards pure term life Insurance Products Resulting in Insurers launching many term products with varying terms and conditions.

IRDAI:

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is an autonomous, statutory body tasked with regulating and promoting the insurance and re-insurance industries in India.

• It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India.

• The agency’s headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001.

 

• IRDAI is a 10-member body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.

Functions of the IRDAI:

• Issuing, renewing, modifying, withdrawing, suspending or cancelling registrations.

• Protecting policyholder interests

• Specifying qualifications, the code of conduct and training for intermediaries and agents.

• Specifying the code of conduct for surveyors and loss assessors

• Promoting efficiency in the conduct of insurance businesses.

• Promoting and regulating professional organisations connected with the insurance and re-insurance industry

• Levying fees and other charges

• Inspecting and investigating insurers, intermediaries and other relevant organisations.

• Regulating rates, advantages, terms and conditions which may be offered by insurers not covered by the Tariff Advisory Committee under section 64U of the Insurance Act, 1938.

• Specifying how books should be kept

• Regulating company investment of funds.

• Regulating a margin of solvency

•Adjudicating disputes between insurers and intermediaries or insurance intermediaries.

• Supervising the Tariff Advisory Committee.

• Specifying the percentage of premium income to finance schemes for promoting and Regulating Professional Organisations.

 

 

Digital Media Regulation.

The Centre has recently announced new guidelines for digital news platforms.

Highlights:

• The government has put emphasis on compliance to the 26% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap under the government approval route in digital media.

• The 26% FDI through the government approval route in the digital media sector was brought in 2019. FDI in print media is capped at 26%, and that in TV news is 49%.

• The majority of the directors on the company’s board, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company would have to be an Indian citizen.

• All foreign employees working for more than 60 days would need security clearance. If the government denies or withdraw security clearance, the digital media company will ensure that the concerned person resigns or his/her services are terminated.

• The government has given a year to digital media news entities to align their shareholding with these requirements. The guidelines will be applicable to the following categories of entities registered or located in India:

• Digital media entities which streams/uploads news and current affairs on websites, apps or other platforms.

• The News agency which gathers, writes and distributes/transmits news, directly or indirectly, to digital media entities and/or news aggregators.

• The News aggregator, an entity which uses software of web applications to aggregate news content from various sources, such as news websites, blogs, podcasts, video blogs, user submitted links, etc in One Location.

 

 

 

Advantages:

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will be considering in the near future to extend the following benefits, presently available to traditional media (print and TV), to digital media entities also:

• Press Information Bureau (PIB) accreditation for its reporters, cameramen, videographers enabling them with better first-hand information and access including participation in official press conferences and such other Interactions.

• Persons with PIB accreditation can also avail Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benefits and Concessional rail fare.

• Eligibility for digital advertisements through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication.

• Similar to self-regulating bodies in print and electronic media, entities in digital media can form self-regulating bodies for furthering their interests and interaction with the Government.

Srilankan parliament passes 20th amendment.

The controversial 20th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution that envisages expansive powers and greater immunity for the Executive President was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority, following a two-day debate.

The 20th Amendment was the Rajapaksa administration’s first big test in the legislature, since it triggered concern and resistance from not just the political opposition, but also the influential Buddhist clergy that Sri Lanka’s southern polity venerates.

The 20th Amendment rolls back Sri Lanka’s 19th Amendment, a 2015 legislation passed with wide support from the Rajapaksa camp — then in Opposition — that sought to clip presidential powers, while strengthening Parliament. The new legislation in turn reduces the Prime Minister’s role to a ceremonial one.

 

 

In the two-day debate, opposition MPs broadly argued that the Amendment threatened to take the country on a path of authoritarianism, giving the President unbridled powers, while government MPs emphasised the need for centralised power for better governance.

The 20th Amendment’s passage comes at a time when the country is facing a new wave of COVID-19, with the number of cases rapidly increasing — after Sri Lanka contained the pandemic in the early months — to 6,028 cases and 14 deaths as of Thursday evening.

EU,France urged to impose sanctions against Pakistan.

Members of European Parliament urged France and EU to impose sanctions against unabated terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Members of EU, RyszardCzarnecki, FulvioMartusciello and Gianna Garcia raised the demand in a letter to the French government and the European Union.

This move came ahead of the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of Pakistan's invasion of Jammu and Kashmir.

In the letter, the Parliament members stated that since its creation Pakistan has inflicted untold horrors on the world.The letter also mentioned the incident of genocide by the Pakistani military in Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

The members also pointed out that Pakistan was re-admitted to the Financial Action Task Force Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing grey list for its continued failure to comply with obligations to prevent terrorism financing.

CPI-IW base year revised by labour and employment ministry.

The Labour and Employment Ministry on Thursday revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) from 2001 to 2016 to reflect the changing consumption pattern, giving more weightage to spending on health, education, recreation and other miscellaneous expenses, while reducing the weight of food and beverages.

 

Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW is used to regulate the dearness allowance (DA) of government staff and industrial workers, as well as to revise minimum wages in scheduled employments, a Ministry statement said.

Labour and Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra said that in the future, the Bureau would work towards revising the index every five years. The reduction in weight to spending on food and beverages indicated an increase in disposable income.

Mr.Gangwar said the new series, representing the latest consumption pattern, would be in the interest of workers. The number of centres, markets and the sample size for working class family income and expenditure survey were all increased.

The Minister also released the first index, with 2016 as the base year. The index for September, calculated for 88 centres as opposed to the previous 78 centres, was 118.

The sample size was increased from 41,040 families to 48,384, and the number of selected markets for collecting retail price data from 289 to 317. The weight to food and beverage was reduced from 46.2% to 39%, while spending on housing increased from 15.2% to 17%.

RBI to conduct purchase of government securities under OMO’s.

On a review of the current liquidity and financial conditions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said that it has decided to conduct purchase of Government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs. 20,000 crores on 29th of this month.

OMOs in general sense refer to the sale or purchase of government securities by the RBI to commercial banks with a view to adjust liquidity conditions in the economy.

The State Development Loans (SDLs) are defined as securities issued by the states to manage their own finances.

In a press release issued today, the central bank said that SDLs will be bought through a multi-security auction.

 

DRDO test fires final trial of Nag Anti-tankk missile.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday carried out the final user trial of the third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), Nag, at the Pokhran firing range.

“The missile was integrated with the actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated range. This was launched from NAG Missile Carrier, NAMICA. The missile hit the target accurately defeating the armour,” the DRDO said in a statement.

The test was carried out at 6.45 a.m. “With this final user trial, NAG will enter into production phase,” DRDO stated. Nag had been developed to engage highly fortified enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

The missile has “fire and forget” and “top attack” capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all Main Battle Tanks (MBT) equipped with composite and reactive armour, the DRDO said.

Bioremediation Mechanism.

Recently, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai has developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology using consortia (group of two or more species) of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue Bacterial Cells.

About Eco-friendly Crude Oil Bioremediation Mechanism Technology:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment to their original condition.

• In the marine ecosystem, deep sea hydrocarbon clastic (ability to degrade hydrocarbon) microbial consortium plays an important role in breaking down oil in the event of a spill.

• This microbial community serves as energetic primary degraders of a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons into various aldehydes, ketones and acidic metabolites.

 

• These hydrocarbon degrading bacteria don’t depend on hydrocarbons for survival, but have a metabolic mechanism where they use petroleum products as carbon and energy source and thus, help cleaning up oil spills.

• The complete breakdown and degradation of crude oil is achievable using wheat bran marine bacterial consortia (which are low-cost non-toxic agro-residues) in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Advantages:

• They are more effective in their immobilised state than the free bacteria cells in degrading the oil spills.

• They could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimised conditions.

• They are more versatile and resistant to adverse conditions. They have efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environments through non-toxic clean-up Technology.

Microbes to Fight Oil Spillage in Oceans

The scientists of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) have developed an eco-friendly crude oil bioremediation mechanism technology.

• The technology uses a consortium of marine microbes wheat bran (WB) immobilized on agro-residue bacterial cells.

Bioremediation:

• Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to remove and or neutralize contaminants within the environment (i.e., within soil and water) to their Original Condition.

 

 

 

Oil Spills:

• An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity.

• It is a form of Pollution.

• Oil Spills can occur on land also.

Recent Oil Spill Events:

• Deepwater Horizon drilling accident was the largest accidental oil spill disaster in history that took place on April 20, 2010, releasing 779 million litres of crude oil into the Gulf of

Mexico.

• The Ennore oil spill occurred outside the Kamarajar Port in Ennore near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on 28 January 2017, when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded oil tanker Dawn Kanchipuram releasing at 9.9 million gallons (37,000 m3) of oils into the Bay of Bengal.

• The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius — about 1,000 tonnes of oil spilled into a sanctuary for rare wildlife after the Japanese ship struck a coral reef on 25 July 2020.

Consequences:

• The costs of oil spills are considerable in both economic and ecological terms

• Affect commercial and Subsistence Fishing.

• Oil on ocean surfaces is harmful to many forms of aquatic life because it prevents sufficient amounts of sunlight from penetrating the surface, and it also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen. Crude oil ruins the insulating and waterproofing properties of feathers and fur, and thus oil-coated birds and marine mammals may die from hypothermia.

• Ingested oil can be toxic to affected animals and there is a high risk of biomagnification.

 

• Damage to shore-based coastal ecosystems such as saltwater marshes and mangroves.

• Affect tourism and commerce associated with beaches.

Remedial Suggestions:

• Floating booms can be placed around the source of the spill or at entrances to channels and harbours.

• Use various sorbents (e.g., straw, volcanic ash, and shavings of polyester-derived plastic) that absorb the oil from the water.

• The floating oil is set to fire by igniting it safely. It is the most proficient method of oil clean-up, as it can efficiently remove 98% of the total spilt oil.

• Using dispersal chemicals which are spread over the spilt oil to initiate the disintegration of oil.

• Other methods employed are hot water washing or washing with high -pressure water; manual labour; and Bioremediation and Natural Recovery.

Comprehensive Current affairs 22 October 2020

 Cengov. brings new framework for Block and District development plans.

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ministry unveiled preparation framework for Block and District development plans.

This framework is a step-by-step guide for Block and District Panchayats to formulate plans and will assist planners, concerned stakeholders at appropriate level.

This framework is believed to promote inclusive development at the block and district levels by focusing on locally available resources, local people's aspirations and priority areas.

• The framework will serve as an important tool for all resource persons, stakeholders associated with decentralized planning in block and district panchayats and will play an important role in transforming rural India.

The 73rd amendment to the Constitution of India formalized the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, Gram Panchayat at village level, intermediate Panchayat at Block, taluka level and District Panchayat at district level.

 A total of 60 thousand 750 crore rupees is to be distributed to the Panchayats in the year 2020-21.

India increases election expenditure limits by 10%.

The poll spending limit for candidates contesting LokSabha and Assembly elections has been enhanced by 10 percent.

Centre has approved this based on the recommendation of the Election Commission that contestants be allowed to spend more on campaigning keeping in mind difficulties they may face due to COVID-19 curbs.

The notification issued by the Law Ministry last night said the maximum expenditure a candidate can incur for campaigning in LokSabha polls is now Rs. 77 lakh.It was Rs. 70 lakh earlier.

The last time the expenditure ceiling was enhanced was ahead of the LokSabha polls in 2014.For Assembly election, it has been hiked from Rs. 28 lakh to Rs. 30.80 lakh.

Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and a few Union Territories, based on the size of their constituencies and population, have a lower ceiling on poll expenditure.

Regional Raw Drug Repositories.

Regional Raw Drug Repository for AYUSH Systems launched at Chennai.

Regional Raw Drug Repositories (RRDRs):

• RRDRs are important components of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, National AYUSH Mission.

• The repositories play an important role in medicinal plants cultivation.

• As a step in this direction, the Ministry of AYUSH, through the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), initiated the establishment of the National Raw Drug Repository and

Regional Raw Drug Repositories.

 • The collaborating institutes as identified by the NMPB are the National Institute of Siddha,with the Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, and the Siddha Central Research

Institute, all three located in Chennai.

• The RRDR in Chennai would play a major role in the collection, documentation, and authentication of raw drugs collected from the agro-climatic region, that is, the Southern Plateau Region.

• This RRDR will not only act as collection centres of raw drugs available and used in the southern region but also as an accredited reference library for authentication of raw drugs and establish standard protocols and keys for authentication of raw drug used in the Herbal Industries.

Background & Significance:

• Medicinal plants form the major resource base of India’s indigenous health care traditions.

•Their relevance has grown substantially in the current pandemic scenario, thanks to their disease preventive effects.

• The outreach and acceptability of AYUSH systems, both nationally as well as globally, are dependent on the uninterrupted availability of quality medicinal plants based raw material.

• Though most of the raw drugs are commonly available, there is a lack of scientific documentation that makes research on these medicines very difficult. This also reduces the chances of commercial exploitation of these Medicines.

Easy availability of authentic scientific data of the raw drugs will promote research on the medicines belonging to the AYUSH system which will lead to further propagation of these systems.

• Currently, India has more than 9000 manufacturing units for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy medicine.

• However, the quality of medicines produced by these units critically depends upon the manufacturing process followed as well as the quality of raw material.

• The Government has made it mandatory for all manufacturing units to adhere to the Good Manufacturing Practices as notified under Schedule T of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940.

India participates in meeting of Prosecutors General of SCO.

India today participated in 18th meeting of Prosecutors General of SCO via video conference.Representing India, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said India has zero tolerance to corruption and black money.

He also highlighted government’s flagship PradhanMantri Jan DhanYojna, saying it has expanded India’s financial architecture.AIR Beijing Correspondent reports, India is keeping its engagements up at SCO.

Today’s meeting of Prosecutors, agreed to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating corruption, mutual legal assistance and exchange of regulatory legal acts.

India will host the next meeting of Prosecutors General in 2021. SCO Law ministers met last week and SCO Trade Ministers will meet next week.

The eight member bloc will meet for this year’s SCO Council of Heads of Govt on 30th Nov which will be hosted by India.The SCO Summit will be held in early November.

India holds business forum meeting with Vietnam.

The India Vietnam Business Forum was organised virtually today.Speaking on the occasion, Secretary (East), External Affairs Ministry, Riva Ganguly Das reaffirmed the growing bilateral trade and investment ties between India and Vietnam.

She said, trade between India and Vietnam has grown steadily and presently stands at 12.34 billion dollars in 2019-20.

Export basket from India to Vietnam includes bovine meat, fishery products, corn, steel, pharmaceuticals, cotton, machinery while imports from Vietnam include mobile phones, electrical machinery and equipment, computers, electronic hardware, natural rubber, chemicals, and coffee.

The Secretary said, the bilateral trade turnover is still not commensurate with the levels of economic development and more needs to be done to broaden and intensify the trade relations to achieve its full potential.

Finance ministry claims FDI increased by more than 50% since 2014.

The government has said that total Foreign Direct Investment- FDI inflow grew by 55 per cent from 231.37 billion dollar in 2008 to 2014 to over 358 billion dollar in 2014 to 2020.

Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a statement said, FDI equity inflow also increased by 57 per cent from around 160 billion dollar during 2008-14 to over 252 billion dollar in 2014-2020.

The Ministry said, during April to August this year, total FDI inflow of 35.73 billion is received.

It is the highest ever for first 5 months of a financial year and 13 per cent higher as compared to first five months of 2019-20.

It said, FDI is a major driver of economic growth and an important source of non-debt finance for the economic development of India.

It has been the endeavour of the Government to put in place an enabling and investor friendly FDI policy.

RBI gives clarification over control of cooperative banks.

The Reserve Bank of India has said that there is no violation of any law of the nation in bringing the cooperative banks under its supervisory control.

In an affidavit filed in the Madras High Court today, the RBI has said, the recent legislation enacted in Parliament is aimed at regulating banking.

 It further said that the law is aimed at safeguarding the interests of the depositors and the public.

It said, the laws governing the cooperatives vary from state to state and therefore, the banking activities being done by them require a national law.

It further said, the RBI is empowered to regulate any banking activity including those by the cooperative bodies.

It pointed out that 430 urban cooperative banks in the country have lost their banking licenses due to very poor financial positions.

Earlier, two cooperative banks in Tamil Nadu filed the petitions against the Central Government ordinance bringing them under the RBI control. The ordinance has since been replaced by a law.

Indian military tests hybrid model fence at LoC.

The Army has significantly improved its electronic surveillance along the Line of Control (LoC) to check infiltration, and work on converting the existing border fence into a smart fence integrated with several sensors is under way, several officers have said.

However, there is a rethink on converting the entire fence over a 700 km stretch into a smart one due to the high cost. A hybrid model is now being adopted.

“The new hybrid model of the smart fence being tested will cost around ₹10 lakh per km and 60 km is being attempted this year,” a senior officer on the ground said.

The fence will be integrated with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors, infrared sensors and cameras among others.

In recent months, the Army has beefed up troops close to the LoC to plug gaps and it has resulted in a drop in infiltration this year.

Lt. Gen. B.S. Raju, General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, said that while the multi-tier anti-infiltration grid remains in place, the first tier has been strengthened. Troops have also been given drones, both big and small, to monitor the ground.

 Holographic Imaging Method .

Scientists from New York University have developed a method using holographic Imaging to detect both Viruses and Antibodies.

Highlights:

• Holography is a process that creates three-dimensional images called holograms using laser beams, the properties of interference and diffraction, light intensity recording, and illumination of the recording.

• It uses laser beams to record holograms of the Specially prepared test beads.

• The surfaces of the beads are activated with biochemical binding sites that attract either antibodies or Virus Particles, Depending on the intended test.

• Binding Antibodies or viruses causes the beads to grow by a few billionth parts of a metre.

• The Researchers detect this growth through changes in the beads’ holograms. The test can analyse a dozen beads per second.

• The method can test either for the virus (current infection) or antibodies (immunity).

• The breakthrough has the potential to aid in medical diagnoses, and specifically, those related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

• If fully realised, this proposed test could be done in under 30 minutes, is highly accurate, and can be performed by minimally trained personnel.

Madhuca Diplostemon Tree .

The Madhuca diplostemon tree has recently been rediscovered after a gap of more than 180 years from a sacred grove in Kollam district, Kerala

• It locally known as Kavilippa in Malayalam.

 • It has been identified by the scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) at Palode, Kerala.

• The Threatened species of the Western Ghats was believed to be extinct.

• It is the second time a tree of this species has ever been located and only one mature tree has been found so far, which makes this remarkable rediscovery extremely valuable from a Scientific, Environmental and conservation point of view.

• In 1835, Robert Wight, a surgeon-botanist with the East India Company, found the first specimen.

• Its original collection, specimens of the tree were never collected again, neither from its locality nor elsewhere, and botanical explorations in Eastern and Western Ghats failed to locate the species.

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has included it in the endangered species list.

• There is only one specimen left in a single locality, it is eligible to be categorised as 'Critically Endangered'. The JNTBGRI is planning to undertake the ex-situ conservation of this species through the institute’s species recovery programme.

Focus on mains :

Public Safety Act

The J&K administration on October 13 revoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) and detention of former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, who has been under arrest for over 14 months since the Centre abrogated J&K’s special status on August 5, 2019.

What happens after PSA is used?

• Within four weeks of passing the detention order, the government has to refer the case to an Advisory Board. This Advisory Board will have to give its recommendations within eight weeks of the order. If the Board thinks that there is cause for preventive detention, the government can hold the person up to two years.

• The person detained has limited rights. Usually when a person is arrested, they have the right to legal representation and can challenge the arrest. But, when a person is arrested under the PSA, they do not have these rights before the Advisory Board unless sufficient grounds can be established that the detention is illegal. There have been cases where the High Court has interfered and quashed the detention.

• According to Section 13(2), the detaining authority need not even inform the detained individual as to the reason for the action, if it decides that it goes against Public Interest.

What is the J&K PSA?

• The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) received the assent of the J&K Governor on April 8, 1978.

• The Act was introduced as a tough law to prevent the smuggling of timber and keep the smugglers “out of circulation”.

• The law allows the government to detain any person above the age of 16 without trial for a period of Two Years.

 • The PSA allows for administrative detention for up to two years “in the case of persons acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State”, and for administrative detention up to one year where “any person is acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.

• Detention orders under PSA can be issued by Divisional Commissioners or District Magistrates. Section 22 of the Act provides protection for any action taken “in good faith” under the Act: “No suit, prosecution or any other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything done or intended to be done in good faith in pursuance of the provisions of this Act.”

• Under Section 23 of the Act, the government is empowered to “make such Rules consistent with the provisions of this Act, as may be necessary for carrying out the objects of this Act”.

 Why is it often Referred to as a “Draconian” Law?

• Right from the beginning, the law was misused widely, and was repeatedly employed against political opponents by consecutive governments until 1990. After the emergence of militancy, the J&K government frequently invoked the PSA to crack down on separatists.

• In August 2018, the Act was amended to allow individuals to be detained under the PSA outside the state as well.

• The detaining authority need not disclose any facts about the detention “which it considers being against the public interest to disclose”.

• The terms under which a person is detained under PSA are vague and include a broad range of activities like “acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State” or for “acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”.

• The vagueness provided in the act gives unbridled powers to the authorities. The detainees, therefore, are effectively debarred from contesting the legality of their detention.

• PSA does not provide for a judicial review of detention. To checkmate the J&K High Court orders for release of persons detained under the act the state authorities issue successive detention orders. This ensures prolonged detention of people.

• PSA has been used against human rights activists, journalists, separatists and others who are considered as a threat to the law & order. Right to dissent is stifled by these Acts.

Way Forward:

• The report of the Group of Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir held that the sweeping powers in Public Safety Act make it open to misuse. It Recommended:

✓ The detention period should range from one week for minor offences to one month for major offences.

 ✓ Assuming that actions ‘prejudicial to the security of the State’ constitute far graver offences, three months’ detention should be ample for proceeding to trial.

✓ Juveniles should not be held under the PSA at all.

• Now that the state has become a union territory, PSA should have been brought in line with the all-India legislation.

• Regional leaders remain India’s best bet in J&K; their continuing detention will not go well in pursuance of establishing peace and finding a political solution in J&K.

• The Supreme Court has held that in order to prevent misuse of this potentially dangerous power, the law of preventive detention has to be strictly construed and meticulous compliance with the procedural safeguards is mandatory and vital.

• If citizens’ right to criticise a government becomes a law and order threat, the future of the republic as a functioning democracy becomes an Open Question.

SC upholds Madras HC order on T.N. Elephant Corridor.

The Supreme Court recently upheld the Tamil Nadu government’s authority to notify an ‘elephant corridor’ and protect the migratory path of the animals through the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

About the Issue:

• The Supreme Court judgment came on 32 appeals filed by resorts/private land owners, against a Madras High Court decision of July 2011.

• The High Court had confirmed a State government order of August 2010, notifying the Elephant Corridor.

What are the Observations by SC?

• The reserve is the largest protected forest area in India, spanning across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

 • It said that it is the State’s duty to protect a “keystone species” like elephants, which are immensely important to the environment.

• Elephant corridors allow elephants to continue their nomadic mode of survival, despite shrinking forest cover, by facilitating travel between distinct forest habitats.

• These corridors play a crucial role in sustaining wildlife by reducing the impact of habitat isolation.

About Elephant Corridors:

• As estimated, there are 101 elephant corridors, of which almost 70% are used regularly.

• Nearly three-quarters of the corridors are evenly divided among southern, central and north-eastern forests.

• The rest are found in northwest Bengal and the north-western region.

• Some of these passages are precariously narrow, at only a Hundred Metres wide.

• Nilgiris - There are an estimated 6,500 elephants in just the Brahmagiri- Nilgiris -Eastern Ghats ranges.

• Most of the resorts in the Nilgiris have come up right under the gaze of the Forest Department.

• The majority continue to function without the requisite permissions.

• This must be thoroughly investigated to check whether there was any wrongdoing.

• The grey area of mushrooming home-stay structures, which are just hotels on forest fringes, also deserves scrutiny.

About Nilgiris Elephant Corridor:

• The corridor is situated in the ecologically fragile Sigur plateau, which connects the Western and the Eastern Ghats and sustains elephant popula- tions and their genetic diversity.

 • It has the Nilgiri hills on its south -western side and the Moyar river valley on its north-eastern side. The elephants cross the plateau in search of food and water depending on the Monsoon.

Why it is Needed?

• Forests that have turned into farms and unchecked tourism are blocking animals' paths.

Animals are thus forced to seek alternative routes resulting in increased elephant-human conflict.

• Weak regulation of ecotourism is severely impacting important habitats. It particularly affects animals that have large home ranges, like Elephants.

• The movement of elephants is essential to ensure that their populations are genetically viable.

• It also helps to regenerate forests on which other species, including tigers, depend.

• Elephant corridors are also crucial to reduce animal fatalities due to accidents and other reasons. So fragmentation of forests makes it all the more important to preserve migratory corridors.

• Ending human interference in the pathways of elephants is more a conservation imperative.

• The Supreme Court’s order is thus a necessary step to restore the ecology of these species.

Way Forward:

• Nearly 40% of elephant reserves are vulnerable, as they are not within protected parks and sanctuaries.

• Also, the migration corridors have no Specific Legal Protection.

• Illegal structures in these pathways should be removed without delay.

• Efforts should be to expand elephant corridors, using the Successful models within the country.

• This includes acquisition of lands using private funds and their transfer to the Government.