Is ‘compromise’ the route that one stop centres should choose?

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes

 

Context:

        ★ More than 1,90,000 victims across the country have accessed the One Stop Center(OSC) centres, sponsored by the Centre under the Nirbhaya fund.

 

More about the news:

        ★ So far, 234 OSCs have been set up and 485 more are in the pipeline to cover all 719 districts in the country.

        ★ According to government data shared before Parliament, more than 1,90,000 women across the country have accessed these centres.

 

One Stop Center (or) Sakhi center:

         ★ OSC, or Sakhi centre, is a scheme sponsored fully by the Central government under the Nirbhaya fund set up for safety of women after the gang rape of a paramedical student in December 2012 in New Delhi.

         ★ The scheme envisages an OSC for medical, legal, psychological and police help for victims of gender-based abuse such as sexual assault or domestic violence.

 

Objective:

         ★ To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof.

         ★ To facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women.

 

Target Group:

         ★ The OSC will support all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence, irrespective of caste, class, religion, region, sexual orientation or marital status.

         ★ For girls below 18 years of age, institutions and authorities established under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 will be linked with the OSC.

 

Services Offered:

        ★ Emergency Response and Rescue Services

        ★ Medical assistance

        ★ Assistance to women in lodging FIR /NCR/DIR

        ★ Psycho - social support/ counselling

        ★ Legal aid and counselling

        ★ Shelter

        ★ Video Conferencing Facility - To facilitate speedy and hassle free police and court proceedings the OSC will provide video conferencing facility (through Skype, Google Conferencing etc.).

                                                                                                                                       Source:- The Hindu

It is not a nod for Mekedatu: Centre

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

 

Context:

       ★ Centre has given conditional clearance to Karnataka for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) on Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project.

 

More about the news:

       ★ According to the governmnet, The conditional clearance is only for preparing the detailed project report and it no way conveys clearance by the central government or the Central Water Commission (CWC) for construction of the project.

       ★ The nod of the Cauvery Water Management Authority would be a “pre-requisite” for consideration of the Detailed Project Report for techno-economic approval by the advisory  committee of the ministry.

       ★ As far as Mekedatu project was concerned, the conditional clearance for preparation of DPR was subject to project authority (Karnataka) resolving inter-state matters amicably by due consultation with co-Basin States of Cauvery basin.

         

Mekedatu Project:         ★ Mekedatu, is a deep gorge situated at the confluence of the rivers Cauvery and Arkavathi, about 100 km from Bengaluru, at the Kanakapura taluk in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district.         ★ Its primary objective is to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and recharge the groundwater table in the region.   Tamil Nadu Objection:        ★ Soon after the project was announced in 2013, then Tamil Nadu Government raised the objection over dam because it will affect the natural flow of the river Cauvery considerably and will severely affect the irrigation in Tamil Nadu.        ★ Tamil Nadu stated that the construction of a reservoir would be against the principles of federalism because in a federal structure, no upper riparian State can unilaterally interfere with the natural flow of an inter State river without the consent and concurrence of the lower riparian State        ★ Tamil Nadu’s stand was that the project would not only impede the water available to farmers in the state but it would also go against the mandate that the total quantity of water must be for consumptive use, as prescribed by the Tribunal.

                                                                                                                                    Source:- The Hindu

Train hits killed 49 elephants in 3 years

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

 

Context:

       ★ Environment Ministry provides numbers on wild animals killed in road and train accidents

 

More about the news:

       ★ In 2016, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) released ‘Eco-friendly measures to mitigate impacts of linear infrastructure’, an advisory document for mitigating human-animal conflicts.

       ★ Despite this advisory, and many others issued by conservationists and organisations, deaths of wild animals in road and railway accidents have continued unabated.

 

Facts and Figures:

       ★ West Bengal and Assam together accounted for 37 out of the 49 deaths of elephants on train tracks across the country.

       ★ While the number of elephant casualties on railway tracks in West Bengal has fallen from five in 2015-16 to three in 2016-17 to two in 2017-18,

       ★ The number of elephants dying in railway accidents in Assam have increased in the same period — the State recorded three elephant deaths by accidents in 2015-16, ten in 2016-17 and 14 in 2017-18.

   

                                                                                                                                       Source:- The Hindu

Govt. re-promulgates triple talaq ordinance

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

 

Context:

        ★ The government has re-promulgated the ordinance "Muslim Women(Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, commonly known as Triple Talaq Ordinance.

         

More about the news:

        ★ The ordinance making Triple Talaq a criminal offence was first promulgated on September 20, 2018.

        ★ A Bill to convert the earlier ordinance, issued in September, 2018, was cleared by Lok Sabha in December and was pending in Rajya Sabha.

        ★ Since the Bill could not get the parliamentary approval, the fresh ordinance was issued. The Union Cabinet had last week approved reissuance of the ordinance.

 

Key feature of Triple Talaq Ordinance:

        ★ "Talaq" for the purposes of the Ordinance means as "talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq having the effect of instantaneous and irrevocable divorce pronounced by a Muslim husband".

        ★ Section 3 of the Act declares pronouncement of talaq to be void and illegal. Pronouncement of talaq has been made an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years and fine.

        ★ The offence will be cognizable only if the complaint is lodged by the victim wife or her close blood relatives.

        ★ Also, the offence will be compoundable at the instance of the wife on such terms and conditions as deemed fit by the Magistrate.

        ★ The offence is also bailable, and Magistrate can grant bail, but only after hearing the wife.

        ★ The Ordinance provides for grant of custody of the minor child to the wife, and also maintenance suitably determined by the Magistrate.

                                                                                                                        Source:- The Hindu

Gujarat to implement 10% quota

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

 

Context:

        ★ Gujarat the first State to implement 10% quota.

         

More about the news:

       ★ Gujarat government announced on 13 january 2019 that the State would implement the 10% quota in government jobs and higher education for the economically backward sections in the general category from January 14.

       ★ After Gujarat, Telangana is all set to become the second state in the country to implement the 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category that was announced by the Centre.

        ★ On 12 January 2019, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the constitutional amendment to allow the 10% quota.

                                                                                                                                         Source:- The Hindu

India for Afghan-led peace talks

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

 

Context:

       ★ At the India-Central Asia Dialogue at Samarkand, India supported the efforts of the government and the people of Afghanistan to build an inclusive nation at a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Central Asian countries and Afghanistan.

         

More about the news:

       ★ India will support for a peace process that will help end the war of Afghanistan.

       ★ India’s position will remain unchanged regarding peace building in Afghanistan.

       ★ A joint statement issued after the Samarkand meeting highlighted the opportunities that the collaborative platform would provide for the people of Afghanistan and asked for Kabul’s participation.

       ★ The regional Ministers described Afghanistan as a “land link” in the region that will help in connectivity among the nations.

                                                                                                                                       Source:- The Hindu

At mini 2+2, India, U.S. review progress on pacts

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

 

Context:

       ★ India and the U.S. reviewed the progress on finalizing two key agreements and defense cooperation during the 2+2 intercession meeting. The two sides also exchanged notes on developments in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

2+2 dialogue:

       ★ The ‘2+2’ dialogue is a meeting between the India Ministers for External Affairs and Defense, and the US Secretaries of State and Defense.

       ★ This “2+2” dialogue was meant to replace the Strategic and Commercial Dialogue between the foreign and commerce ministers of the two countries that was held during the previous Obama administration.

       ★ It is to focus on “strengthening strategic, security and defense cooperation” between the two countries.

 

Outcome of Mini 2+2 Dialogue:

      ★ The two agreements which were reviewed were the Industrial Security Annex (ISA) and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA), a foundational agreement.

      ★ The third foundational agreement, Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement, was signed on the sidelines.

      ★ Defense cooperation such as the greater Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and the first tri-service exercise were also reviewed.

 

Significance:

        ★ The ISA is particularly essential as the Indian industry looks for a greater role in defense manufacturing.

        ★ It allows sharing of classified information from the U.S. government and American companies with the Indian private sector, which is so far limited to the Indian government and the defense public sector undertakings.

                                                                                                                                Source:- The Hindu

‘SHe-box’ receives 169 harassment complaints

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

 

Context:

        ★ Women and Child Development Ministry has said, a total of 169 complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace have been received in private industries since 2017.

       ★ The highest number of complaints had been received from the State of Maharashtra (33), followed by Delhi (23).

       ★ The report further claimed that in the government sector the highest number of complaints were received by the Finance Ministry that is 21. Followed by the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Defence at 16.

 

SHe - box:

      ★ It is an online complaint management system for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace.

      ★ It was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

      ★ The complaint management system has been developed to ensure the effective implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013.

      ★ This Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) is an effort of GoI to provide a single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working in organised or unorganised, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment.

 

Working:

     ★ Any woman facing sexual harassment at workplace can register their complaint through this portal.

     ★ Once a complaint is submitted to the ‘SHe-Box’, it will be directly sent to the concerned authority having jurisdiction to take action into the matter.

                                                                                                                                    Source:- The Hindu

Panel pulls up govt. for diverting coal cess

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

 

Context:

        ★ The 42nd standing committee on energy report pulled up government for not using coal cess for reviving stressed gas-based power plants rather using it for post GST compensation to states

 

Recommendations of the committee:

        ★ Diversion of funds for unrelated activities shows lack of commitment of government of clean energy projects

        ★ To provide financial support to the stressed gas-based power projects in the country from National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)

 

Benefits of Revival of Gas based power plant:

        ★ It could be used as peak based plants as demand for electricity increasing on account of government effort to electrify all households

        ★ To meet Paris agreement INDC target of installing 40% of power capacity from renewable energy by 2030.

         

National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF):        ★ The National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is a fund created in 2010-11 using the carbon tax - clean energy cess - was created out of cess on coal produced / imported (“polluter pays” principle) for the purposes of financing and promoting clean energy initiatives, funding research in the area of clean energy or for any other purpose relating thereto.        ★ Subsequently, the scope of the fund has been expanded to include clean environment initiatives also.        ★ These projects include innovative schemes like Green Energy Corridor for boosting up the transmission sector, Namami Gange, Green India Mission, Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM)’s installation of solar photovoltaic (SPV) lights and small capacity lights, installation of SPV water pumping systems, SPV Power Plants, Grid Connected Rooftop SPV Power Plants, pilot project to assess wind power potential etc

                                                                                                                                  Source:- The Hindu

Govt. plans technology centres for MSMEs

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

 

Context:

     ★ 20 technology centres, along with extension centres across the country will be developed by The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in another 3-5 years.

         

Technology Centers:

     ★ Technology Centres are collaborative entities established and led by industry. They are resourced by highly-qualified researchers associated with research institutions who are empowered to undertake market focused strategic R&D for the benefit of industry.

     ★ They have modern technology machinery and testing equipment and the services are offered to industries at a competitive price.

     ★ With the development of technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality, the manufacturing units in the MSME sector will have access to these.

     ★ The Ministry is creating trained manpower in virtual reality through the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC). It has also developed training modules that use virtual reality and these will be launched across the country through the NSIC in a couple of months.

                                                                                                                                      Source:- The Hindu

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