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The Government is planning to bring a Bill to Parliament to clarify “some provisions in the 102nd Constitutional amendment Bill” to restore the power of the states to identify backward classes. In India, separate OBC lists are drawn up by the Centre and each state concerned. Articles 15(4), 15(5) and 16(4) expressly conferred power on a state to identify and declare …

Recently, the Union Government gave the information on Major Administrative Reforms which were introduced in recent years and emphasised the importance of these reforms in making governance more accessible. These reforms aim to encourage greater efficiency, transparent and corruption free governance, accountability and reduce scope for discretion. The Government follows the maxim …

Recently, the Standing Committee on Finance has criticised the decision of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure) for giving barely a week’s time to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) for funding ongoing Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) projects, owing to which 50% funds lapsed. Important points: The resultant funding crunch would …

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the school education programme Samagra Shiksha Scheme 2.0 till the 2025-26 financial year. It has been upgraded to align it with the Sustainable Development Goal for Education and the new National Education Policy launched in 2020. Important points: It is an integrated scheme for school education covering the entire gamut from pre-school to class XII. It aims to …

The Forum for Human Rights in J&K (FHRJK) released its report a day ahead of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) completing two years as Union Territory. The report raised concerns about the militancy that continues to remain a major challenge in J&K. FHRJK is an independent body co-chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur and …

Recently, the Union Government approved the continuation of more than 1000 Fast Track Special Court (FTSCs) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for two years (April 2021-March 2023). It includes 389 exclusive POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Courts. The Central share will be provided from the Nirbhaya Fund. Important points: Fast track courts (FTCs) were …

Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour has released a report on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on rising unemployment and job loss. The panel called on the government to improve social security measures and take measures like Direct transfer of money and urban employment guarantee scheme for informal sector workers Social Security According to the International …

Recently, the Delhi High Court has allowed the medical termination of pregnancy of a woman who had completed 22 weeks of gestation as the foetus was suffering from multiple abnormalities. Gestation is the foetal development period from the time of conception until birth. In India, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act stipulates a ceiling of 20 weeks, for …

Recently, the Union Minister of Education has informed in the Lok Sabha about the various steps taken by the government to promote the Languages in Eighth Schedule Important points It lists the official languages of the republic of India. Part XVII of the Indian constitution deals with the official languages in Articles 343 to 351. The Constitutional provisions related to the Eighth …

Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that a preventive detention order can only be passed if the detenu is likely to adversely affect the maintenance of public order. The SC also gave direction to governments and to other courts, for dealing with detention under preventive detention. Important points The court held that it cannot seriously be disputed that …

Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) held that the Governor’s power to pardon overrides Section 433A of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Earlier in January 2021, in a case of mercy petition, the SC noted that the Governor cannot reject the state’s recommendation but there is no time prescribed to take a decision. Important points SC held that the Governor of a …

People of Halam sub-tribes, who took refuge in Assam following clashes with Bru refugees in north Tripura, are returning to their village Damcherra in North district of Tripura. The Brus came to Tripura in 1997 to escape an ethnic clash in Mizoram and started staying at six relief camps in the North District. Important points: …

Recently, Bangladesh and India started regular operation of freight trains through the restored Haldibari-Chilahati rail route after over 50 years, which will strengthen railway connectivity and bilateral trade between the two countries. The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link is one such route that was operational till 1965. Another rail link, between Agartala-Akhaura, is scheduled to …

Recently, India and the UK have collaborated to conduct a study on ‘Ashwagandha (AG)’ for promoting recovery from Covid-19. After the trial’s success, ‘Ashwagandha’ will be a proven medicinal treatment to prevent infection and be recognised by the scientific community worldwide. This is the first time that the Ministry of Ayush has collaborated with a foreign institution to investigate its …

Recently, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare presided over the 112th Annual Day celebrations of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Important points: The Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was inaugurated. WGS is a comprehensive method for analyzing entire genomes. Genomic information has been instrumental in identifying inherited disorders, characterizing the …

Recently, India assumed the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of August 2021. This will be the country’s first presidency during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. India began its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in January 2021. This is India’s eighth …

The 36th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (India-Indonesia CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted. Important points: To reinforce maritime links, the two navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line since 2002. Indian Naval Ship (INS) Saryu, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel is participating in …

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is administrating the schemes of “Support of Tribal Research Institute” and “Tribal Festival, Research, Information and Mass Education” under which various activities to promote tribal culture have been undertaken. The schemes aim to ensure quality and uniformity in research works, evaluation studies, training, awareness generation among tribals, showcasing of …

Recently, the Government of India has accorded sanction to Team CLAW to lead a team of people with disabilities to scale Siachen Glacier and create a new world record for the largest team of people with disabilities. This is the land world record expedition part of ‘Operation Blue Freedom Triple World Records’ being undertaken. Triple Elemental World …

Recently, the centre has claimed that no deaths due to manual scavenging have been reported in the past five years. However, according to the National Convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan, 472 manual scavenging deaths across the country were recorded between 2016 and 2020, and 26 so far in 2021. Safai Karmachari …