Current Affairs 01-07-2020

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNERGA)

What is in news?

The role of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) as a lifeline for the working poor in rural India has been proved once again with the experience of the lockdown. In April and part of May, it was the absence of MGNREGA which accentuated rural distress. The Central government revised lockdown guidelines to allow MGNREGA work only from April 20, nearly a month after the nationwide lockdown was imposed, and released funds for it belatedly.

About :

The scheme was introduced as a social measure that guarantees “the right to work”. The key tenet of this social measure and labour law is that the local government will have to legally provide at least 100 days of wage employment in rural India to enhance their quality of life.

Key facts :

• The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt of India is monitoring the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.
• Individual beneficiary oriented works can be taken up on the cards of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, small or marginal farmers or beneficiaries of land reforms or beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojana of the Government of India.
• Within 15 days of submitting the application or from the day work is demanded, wage employment will be provided to the applicant.
• Right to get unemployment allowance in case employment is not provided within fifteen days of submitting the application or from the date when work is sought.
• Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory, which lends to accountability and transparency.
• The Gram Sabha is the principal forum for wage seekers to raise their voices and make demands.
• It is the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat which approves the shelf of works under MGNREGA and fix their priority.

Reviving SAARC to deal with China

What is in news?

Several foreign policy experts argue that India’s strategic dealing with China has to begin with South Asia. In this regard, it is important to reinvigorate SAARC, which has been in the doldrums since 2014.

About:

• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka on 8 December 1985.
• The idea of regional cooperation in South Asia was first raised in November 1980. After consultations, the foreign secretaries of the seven founding countries—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981.
• Afghanistan became the newest member of SAARC at the 13th annual summit in 2005.
• The Headquarters and Secretariat of the Association are at Kathmandu, Nepal.

Members of SAARC

SAARC comprises of eight-member states:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• India
• Maldives
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• There are currently nine Observers to SAARC, namely: (i) Australia; (ii) China; (iii) the European Union; (iv) Iran; (v) Japan; (vi) the Republic of Korea; (vii) Mauritius; (viii) Myanmar; and (ix) the United States of America.

Objectives of the SAARC

• To promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their quality of life.
• To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potentials.
• To promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia.
• To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another’s problems..
• To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields.
• To strengthen cooperation with other developing countries.
• To strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests; and
• To cooperate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes.

Hul divas

What is in news?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to freedom fighters on the occasion of Hul Divas.

About:

• Bhognadih is a village in Sahebganj district of Jharkhand. Bhognadih was the main centre of the Santhal rebellion of 1855.
• On 30 June 1855, a large number of Santals assembled in a field in Bhognadih, they declared themselves as free and took oath under the leadership of Sido Murmu and Kanhu Murmu to fight unto the last against the British rulers as well as their agents.
• It started on June 30, 1855 and lasted until January 3, 1856 when the movement was brutally ended by troops loyal to the British.
• In the memory of Santhal Hul (rebellion), Hul Divas (Rebellion Day) is celebrated each year on the same date 30 June, especially among Santhal tribes.

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat :

What is in news?

PIB Regional Office, Chandigarh of M/o I&B organises  webinar on Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat showcasing rich culture & heritage of paired states Himachal Pradesh & Kerala.

About:

• The programme was announced by the Prime Minister in 2015 on the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Subsequently, the initiative was announced in the Union Budget for 2016-17.
• To promote engagement and thereby understanding amongst the people of different states/UTs to ensure ensure a stronger united India.
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development has been designated Nodal Ministry for co-ordination of the programme
• Illustrative List of Activities under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat:Cultural Exchange Programmes between partnering States
• Translation of at least 5 Award Winning Books and Poetry, popular folk songs of One State in the Language of the partner State.
• Exchange programme for Writers and poets.
• Organize Culinary festivals with opportunity to learn culinary practices.
• Organize Educational Tours for schools/Universities Students reciprocally.
• Promotion of Rajya Darshan for tourists.

Engagement matrix between states and UTs:

The below mentioned States and UTs are to enter into a wide range of mutual engagements.

• Jammu & Kashmir : Tamil Nadu
• Punjab : Andhra Pradesh
• Himachal Pradesh : Kerala
• Uttarakhand : Karnataka
• Haryana :Telangana
• Rajasthan : West Bengal
• Gujarat : Chhattisgarh
• Maharashtra :Odisha
• Goa : Jharkhand
• Delhi : Sikkim & Assam
• Madhya Pradesh : Manipur & Nagaland
• Uttar Pradesh : Arunachal Pradesh & Meghalaya
• Bihar : Tripura & Mizoram
• Chandigarh : Dadra & Nagar Haveli
• Puducherry : Daman & Diu
• Lakshadweep : Andaman & Nicobar

Ujjwala

What is in news?

• India’s Ujjwala Experience will Catalyse Social Change in Bangladesh, says Petroleum Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
• Indian Oil’s subsidiary signs Joint Venture Agreement with RR Holdings to expand LPG business in Bangladesh

About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana:

• It aims to provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to poor households.
• Under the scheme, an adult woman member of a below poverty line family identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is given a deposit-free LPG connection with financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection by the Centre.
• Eligible households will be identified in consultation with state governments and Union territories. The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Objectives:

• Empowering women and protecting their health.
• Reducing the serious health hazards associated with cooking based on fossil fuel.
• Reducing the number of deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel.
• Preventing young children from significant number of acute respiratory illnesses caused due to indoor air pollution by burning the fossil fuel.

Airborne Locust Control System (ALCS) for  MI -17 Helicopter

What is in news?

• Using all indigenous components, the atomized airborne spraying of pesticide has been successfully achieved in air through a configuration of nozzles mounted both sides on external trusses of a Mi-17 helicopter. The nozzles used for the purpose are a mix of commercially available nozzles as well as the nozzles developed by CSIO, Chandigarh. 
• The pesticide Malathion in appropriate concentration would be filled in the internal Auxiliary tank of 800 liters capacity fitted inside the helicopter and pumped into the nozzles by using an electrical pump as well as compressed air, achieving nearly 40 minutes of spaying duration in the infected zone covering an area of approximately 750 hectares in each mission.

About :

• The Mi-17 V5 is a potent helicopter platform, equipped with modern avionics and glass cockpit instrumentation. They are equipped with state-of-art navigational equipment, avionics, weather radar and are NVG-compatible.
• The bulk of rotorcraft are Medium Lift Helicopters (MI-17/MI-17IV/MI-17V5 and Mi-8s) well over two hundred of these types serving in helicopter units through out the country, playing a vital logistic support role. Induction of the latest machine, the Mi-17 V5, is a quantum jump in our Medium Heli-lift capability in terms of the avionics, weapon systems as well as its hot and high altitude performance.
• Medium Lift Helicopters of IAF are operated for commando assault tasks, ferrying supplies and personnel to remote mountain helipads, carrying out SAR (Search and Rescue Operations) and logistic support tasks in the island territories, Siachen Glacier, apart from armed role.

e - SANCHIT (eStorage and computerised handling of indirect tax documents)

what is in news?

• Globally, digitisation of procedures and lower human intervention are the two major pillars that drive trade across borders.
• Post India’s ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the World Trade Organization in April 2016, reforms focused on infrastructural upgradation, digitisation and automation.
• Schemes such as Direct Port Entry and Direct Port Delivery, and the Radio Frequency Identification system and Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade, were all aimed at reducing the time and cost of clearance of goods.
• The Port Community System was aimed at seamlessly integrating all maritime trade-related stakeholders on a single platform.
• And e-SANCHIT (e-Storage and computerised handling of indirect tax documents) was aimed at reducing human intervention.

Key highlights

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has launched e- Sanchit (e-Storage and Computerized Handling of Indirect Tax documents) for paperless processing, uploading of supporting documents, to facilitate the trading across Borders.
• It has already been made available to importers and exporters in the country and as a next step, CBIC is extending this facility to PGA (Participating Government Agencies).
• This will enable PGAs to provide necessary clearances, in the form of certificates, through the document upload facility to the beneficiaries (importer and exporters). Beneficiaries shall be accordingly notified of the uploaded documents.
• Only those PGA users who are registered on ICEGATE, along with a valid digital signature certificate, can upload supporting documents in this electronic format.

NYAY (NYUNTAM AAY YOJANA):

What is in news?

NYAY promises annual income transfers of ₹72,000 to each of the poorest five crore families comprising approximately 25 crore individuals. If implemented, it will cost the exchequer ₹3.6 lakh crore per annum.

About :

• Concerns over the fiscal burden: Government finances cannot afford such high additional spending, as the fiscal space is limited.
• Withdrawal of provisions of the basic services: No government can afford MIG unless several existing welfare schemes are converted into direct income transfers, or the fiscal deficit is allowed to shoot up way above its existing level, 3.4% the GDP. No income transfer scheme can be a substitute for universal basic services.
• Withdrawal of beneficiaries from the labour force: Large cash transfers can result in withdrawal of beneficiaries from the labour force.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY):

What is in news?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the free grain distribution scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) will be extended by five months till the end of November, with an additional estimated outlay of ₹90,000 crore.

About:

• During this five-month period from July till the end of November, more than 80 crore people will be provided 5 kg free wheat/rice per month. Along with providing 5kg free rice/wheat to each member of a family, 1 kg free whole chana will also be provided to each family per month.
• The government will spend more than Rs 90,000 crore towards the extension of the scheme. If the amount spent towards it in the previous three months is added together, a total of almost Rs 1.5 lakh crore would be spent towards the scheme.
• The Modi government had announced an additional allocation in the world’s largest food security scheme – PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana – earlier this year, which aimed to ensure sufficient foods with the poor and needy amid the coronavirus crisis.
• The food grains were to be distributed to all the beneficiaries under the targeted public distribution system (TPDS) for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority household (PHH) ration cardholders.

Marsha P. Johnson

What is in news?

On June 30, 2020, Google celebrated LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson with a Google Doodle, bidding farewell to the Pride month.

About:

• Marsha P. Johnson (1945 – 1992) was an American gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen.
• Known as an outspoken advocate for gay rights, Johnson was one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969 — widely regarded as a critical turning point for the international LGBTQ+ rights movement.
• The following year, she founded the Street Transvestite (now Transgender) Action Revolutionaries (STAR) with fellow transgender activist Sylvia Rivera. STAR was the first organization in the U.S. to be led by a trans woman of colour and was the first to open North America’s first shelter for LGBTQ+ youth.
• On June 30 2019, Marsha was posthumously honoured as a grand marshal of the New York City Pride March.

Pride month?

'Pride month' refers to the commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, US, and is now celebrated worldwide in the month of June every year by members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) communities and LGBTQ allies.

Amendments in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899

What is in news?

The Amendments in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 brought through Finance Act 2019 and Rules made thereunder will come into effect from tomorrow, i.e. 1st July, 2020 vide notifications dated 30th March, 2020.

About :

• The stamp-duty on sale, transfer and issue of securities shall be collected on behalf of the State Government by the collecting agents who then shall transfer the collected stamp-duty in the account of the concerned State Government.
• The collecting agents shall be the Stock Exchanges or authorized Clearing Corporations and the Depositories.
• For all exchange based secondary market transactions in securities, Stock Exchanges shall collect the stamp duty; and for off-market transactions (which are made for a consideration as disclosed by trading parties) and initial issue of securities happening in demat form, Depositories shall collect the stamp duty.
• The Central Government has also notified the Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL) under the jurisdiction of RBI and the Registrars to an Issue and/or Share Transfer Agents (RTI/STAs) to act as a collecting agent. The objective is to bring OTC derivative transactions reported to CCIL and physical space (non-demat) transactions in mutual funds handled through RTI/STAs under the ambit of stamp duty regime so as to avoid any tax arbitrage.
• The collecting agent shall transfer the collected stamp-duty in the account of concerned State Government with the Reserve Bank of India or any scheduled commercial bank, as informed to the collecting agent by the Reserve Bank of India or the concerned State Government.
• Secondary market transfer of instruments which are traded with differences in a few basis points, like interest rate / currency derivatives or corporate bonds are being charged at a very lower rate from the existing rates. For the newly introduced ‘repo on corporate bonds’, a far lower rate is specified, since similarly positioned repo on Government Securities is not subject to duty.
• No stamp duty shall be chargeable in respect of the Instruments of transaction in stock exchanges and depositories established in any International Financial Services Centre set up under section 18 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005.
• Tax arbitrage is avoided by providing the same rate of stamp duty for issue or re-issue or sale or transfer of securities happening outside stock exchanges and depositories.