Daily Current Affairs : 28-Jan-2020
Major Topics Covered :
ANDHRA PRADESH ASSEMBLY - TO ABOLISH STATE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
BODO ACCORD
SAGARMATHA DIALOGUE
NATIONAL SECURITY ACT (NSA)
STRATEGIC DISINVESTMENT- PIM
WORLD BREASTFEEDING TRENDS INITIATIVE (WBTI)
PADMA AWARDEES 2020
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
ANDHRA PRADESH ASSEMBLY - TO ABOLISH STATE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Part of GS- 2 Polity and Governance
Why in news?
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution to abolish the State Legislative Council.
Highlights:
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy moved the one-line resolution in the assembly to abolish the council.
Speaker, Tammineni Seetharam announced that the statutory resolution was adopted with 133 members voting in favour of it.
He said the Assembly passed the resolution on dissolution of the Council after a wide range of discussions. Later, the Speaker adjourned the House indefinitely.
The resolution will now be sent to the Centre for necessary follow-up action.
The move came after the YSRC government failed to get two crucial bills on its plans to have three capitals cleared by the opposition TDP-dominated Upper House.
Legislative Council only for 5 states
Article 171 of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of a Vidhan Parishad. The Vidhan Parishad or Legislative Council is the upper house in those states of India that have a bicameral legislature. As of 2017, Six states have a Legislative Council.
Karnataka
Uttar Pradesh
Maharashtra
Bihar
Telangana
Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishad)
Power of abolition or creation of Legislative council lies with parliament.
If legislative assembly of state passes a resolution by a majority of total membership & not less than 2/3rd of the members of the assembly present & voting, Parliament may or may not approve the resolution with simple majority.
A resolution passed by legislative assembly of state for creation or abolition of its council is not binding on parliament.
How are members of the Council elected?
1/3rd Elected by electorates consisting of members of municipalities, District boards & other local authorities in state
1/3rd Elected by members of legislative assembly of state from amongst persons who are not member of assembly
1/6th Nominated by governor (From fields of art, science, literature, social science & cooperative movements)
1/12th Elected from graduates of 3 years, residing in that state 1/12th Elected by persons engaged in teaching for not less than 3 years in educational institutions within the state, not lower than secondary school
Strength:
Not more than 1/3rd of legislative assembly, but cannot be less than 40.
Legislative council is a permanent body (term 6 years) & not subjected to dissolution.
After every 2 years, 1/3rd of its members retire, however, retiring members are subjected to re-election & re-nomination
Source: PIB
BODO ACCORD
Part of GS- 2 Polity and Governance
Why in news?
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi hailed the historic Bodo Accord signed on 27th January, 2020, and said the Accord will lead to transformative results for the Bodo people.
Highlights:
The tripartite agreement was signed by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, top leadership of the four factions of the NDFB, ABSU, and the Centre.
The All Bodo Students' Union, which has been spearheading the statehood movement, was also a signatory.
Under the agreement, the Centre will take a sympathetic view of those who took up arms for the statehood movement.
According to the agreement, the area called BTAD will be renamed as Bodoland Territorial Region and the Centre would expedite 'hills tribe' status to Bodo people living in the hill districts of Assam.
The Bodo language, with Devnagri script, will become associate official language for entire of Assam.
The agreement also involves a hefty financial package - the state government would give Rs 250 crore for 3 years to develop the area.
The Centre will also add an equivalent amount, bringing the total to Rs 1500 crore.
The funds would be used to set up industry and employment package and promote eco-tourism.
Under the socio-cultural package, the government will set up a Central University in name of Upendranath and a national sports university.
The other projects will include a regional medical institute, hotel management campus, a Mother Dairy plant, a National Institute of Technology and more Navodaya Vidyalayas.
THIRD BODO ACCORD
This is the third Bodo accord to be signed in last 27 years when the violent movement for a separate Bodoland state claimed hundreds of lives, destruction of public and private properties.
The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in 1993, leading to creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.
In 2003, the second Bodo accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with four districts of Assam -- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri -- called the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).
The BTC has control over 30 subjects like education, forests, horticulture but no jurisdiction on the police, revenue and general administration departments, which are controlled by the Assam government.
The BTC was formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.
The demand for a separate state for the Bodos has been going on in Assam for about five decades and several Bodo overground and militant groups raising it leading to agitations, protests, violence and many deaths.
Source: PIB
SAGARMATHA DIALOGUE
Part of GS-2 IR
Why in news?
Nepal has invited the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan along with several other heads of government and heads of state for the Sagarmatha Sambaad, officials in Kathmandu have confirmed.
Highlights:
The first ever multi-stakeholder dialogue event is expected to be the biggest diplomatic initiative in Nepal’s recent history that will be attended by many global figures apart from the leaders of the member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
About Sagarmatha Sambaad:
It is a multi-stakeholder, permanent global dialogue forum initiated by the Government of Nepal. It is scheduled to be held biennially in Nepal.
The Sambaad (dialogue) is named after the world's tallest mountain Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) which is also a symbol of friendship and is meant to promote the notions of common good and collective well-being of humanity.
Source: The Hindu
NATIONAL SECURITY ACT (NSA)
Part of GS- 3 Defence and Security
Why in news?
Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal has issued an order giving the Police Commissioner the power to detain individuals under the tough National Security Act (NSA), 1980.
Highlights:
A notification to this effect was issued on January 10, and the order comes into effect from Sunday (January 19).
Given the daily protests in the national capital against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the National Population Register (NPR), and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), the order triggered apprehensions that a crackdown was imminent.
Delhi Police officers have, however, clarified that the order is routine, and is issued periodically.
An identical order was, for example, issued on October 16, 2015, conferring the “powers of detaining authority” upon the Commissioner for the period 19.10.2015 to 18.1.2016. Najeeb Jung was L-G at the time.
Sections mentioned in the order
The January 10 notification speaks of “powers conferred by the sub-section (3) of section 3, read with clause (e) of Section 2 of the National Security Act, 1980”.
Section 3 of the Act deals with the “Power to make orders detaining certain persons”. Section 3(3) of the Act, which is mentioned in the notification,
The Act has been widely criticised as being “draconian” because of the powers of preventive detention that it gives to the government.
The detention under the NSA can extend up to 12 months — or even for longer if the government is able to produce more evidence against the detainee.
Source: Indian Express
STRATEGIC DISINVESTMENT- PIM
Why in news?
The government had earlier released the preliminary information memorandum (PIM) for seeking expression of interest for strategic disinvestment of Air India.
Mr Puri added that Air India is under a debt trap due to accumulated debt of around Rs 60,000 crore.
Highlights:
After failing to sell majority stake in Air India in 2018, the government has worked on critical areas this time around to make the disinvestment bid more attractive to the prospective bidder.
The revised disinvestment guidelines include stake sale of 100 per cent in Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express, 50 per cent stake sale in ground operations holding company AISATS and freezing of debt.
Disinvestment- refers to the use of a concerted economic boycott to pressure a government, industry, or company towards a change in policy, or in the case of governments, even regime change.
Source: PIB
WORLD BREASTFEEDING TRENDS INITIATIVE (WBTI)
Part of GS- Health
Why in news?
Sri Lanka has ranked first among 97 countries globally on breastfeeding rate according to a new survey conducted by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi)
Highlights:
Sri Lanka’s rank is based on its performance on ten indicators of policies and programs.
WBTi uses to color- code and rank countries.
Sri Lanka has scored 91 out of 100 points and earned a green color code, which implies best level of performance.
The WBTi congratulating Sri Lanka said its status is the result of persistent efforts since 2005 to pursue improvements.
It said Sri Lanka has demonstrated high level of commitment towards health and nutrition of mothers and babies.
Experts at the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India in Delhi developed the WBTi and launched it worldwide.
So far, 120 countries have been involved in WBTi and 97 have completed assessments.
World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi):
WBTi was launched in 2004. WBTi assists countries to assess the status of the participating countries.
It will also benchmark the progress in implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding in a standard way.
The WBTi assists countries to measure strengths and weaknesses on the 10 parameters of policy and programmes that protect promote and support optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices.
Source: AIR
PADMA AWARDEES 2020
Part of GS- Award
Why in news?
Padma Awards — one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
Highlights:
One of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
They were instituted in the year 1954.
The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
Three Categories for Padma Award
Padma Vibhushan- is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service ;( it is a second degree honour).
Padma Bhushan- is awarded for distinguished service of high order. (it is a third degree honour).
Padma Shri- is awarded for distinguished service in any field. (it is a fourth degree honour).
Source: The Hindu
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Part of GS- 3 Economy
Why in news?
A working group, put in place by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in November 2019, has proposed tweaking the definition of ‘related party’. It also proposed that an audit committee approval must be made mandatory for transactions between a listed entity or its subsidiary with its related party.
Highlights:
Broaden the definition of RPTs (related-party transactions) to include transactions which are undertaken, whether directly or indirectly, with the intention of benefitting related parties.
An audit committee approval must be made mandatory for transactions between a listed entity and its subsidiary with its related party.
Any entity related to the promoter or promoter group should be considered a related party. Further, any entity holding directly or indirectly along with their relatives 20% or more stakes in the company should also be considered a related party.
What is Related party transaction?
In business, a related party transaction is a transaction that takes place between two parties who hold a pre-existing connection prior to the transaction.
An example is how a dominant shareholder may benefit from making one of their companies trade to the other at advantageous prices.
Source: The Hindu