Comprehensive News Analysis - 18 September 2016

Table of Contents:

A. GS1 Related:
B. GS2 Related:

1. Rajarhat farmers want their land back

2. CBI starts probe in Embraer aircraft scam

3. Yatri Mitra Sewa

4. Nadia Murad Basee Taha made UN Ambassador

C. GS3 Related:

1. Missile destroyer – Mormugao

2. Foreign embryos frozen in doubt

3. Balancing populism with spending

D. GS4 Related
E. Important Editorials : A Quick Glance

The Hindu

F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
G. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
H. Archives

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Useful News Articles

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here today folks!


B. GS2 Related


  1. Rajarhat farmers want their land back

Category: State policies

Topic: Land Acquisition

Key Points:

  • In the wake of Apex court verdict – returning of land to farmers in Singur, farmers in Rajarhat in North 24 Paraganas whose land was acquired for development of Rajarhat Township have demanded that it should also be given back. Alleging that the land was acquired by force, the farmers said they would be organising a gherao of the office of the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), which currently owns the land.
  • HIDCO till the end of 2012 has acquired about 6,839 acres of land for the township project. The affected farmers asserted that either the State Government return their original land or give them five kottah of land inside the township area.
  • Recently, the Supreme Court quashed the acquisition of 997 acres of land in Singur by the erstwhile Left Front government for the Tata Motor’s car factory, ordering that the land be returned to the farmers. Following the verdict, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee distributed deeds of lands to hundreds of affected farmers in Singur on September 14.


  1. CBI starts probe in Embraer aircraft scam

Category: Government organizations

Topic:  CBI

Key Points:

  • The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started a preliminary inquiry against unknown officials of the Defence Ministry and others, in connection with the allegations of corruption in the purchase of three Embraer aircraft in 2008. The enquiry has been registered on a reference from the Union Defence Ministry. The Embraer contracts include the one with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in 2008. The DRDO had inked a deal with Embraer worth $208-million for three ERJ-145 aircraft for a project to build indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems for the Air Force. A joint committee set up the Indian Air Force and the DRDO, had short-listed Embraer after evaluating several options.
  • It has been alleged that the Brazilian supplier had taken the services of middlemen, said to be based in the U.K. to strike deals for sale of aircraft in India and Saudi Arabia. A joint committee, set up the Air Force and the DRDO, had short-listed Embraer. Following the allegations, the DRDO has sought an explanation from the Embraer.
  • The CBI institutes a preliminary enquiry to determine whether there are prima facie grounds to register a regular case for further investigation and prosecution of the accused persons.


  1. Yatri Mitra Sewa

Category: National programs and policies

Topic:  Union ministry of railways 

Key Points:

  • The Union Ministry of Railways has launched the Yatri Mitra Sewa, an initiative to improve the railway travel experience of elderly, differently-abled and ailing passengers and to simplify access to wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services. The scheme will be operational at major railway stations across the country.
  • The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) will implement the program. The services that can be availed at the time of booking tickets online, accessing an app to be developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), calling or messaging ‘139’ IVRS, or by simply dialling a dedicated mobile phone number to be activated for the purpose.
  • ‘Yatri Mitra’ also called ‘Passenger Friend’ can be an assistant or any other person nominated for the purpose. In a communication sent to all Zonal Railways, the Railway Board said the IRCTC may provide the service ‘free of cost’ through some NGO, charitable trust, PSUs, etc under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category.

How it works: Once the service is booked, the IRCTC will ensure the ‘Yatri Mitra’ is made available at the coach when the passenger arrives at the designated railway station. The assistant would show an SMS to the passenger who would also have the same message on his/her mobile for identification. The ‘Yatri Mitra’ would contact the passenger on the mobile number given at the time of booking and confirm the expected time of arrival. Passengers reaching a railway station to board a train can also avail the services.


  1. Nadia Murad Basee Taha made UN Ambassador

Category: International

Topic:  Persons in news

Key Points:

  • Nadia Murad Basee Taha, a young Iraqi woman, also a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
  • She survived trafficking at the hands of the Islamic State (IS). The appointment marks the first time a survivor of atrocities is bestowed with this distinction. Nadia is a fierce and tireless advocate for the Yazidi people and victims of human trafficking everywhere.

 

C. GS3 Related


  1. Missile destroyer – Mormugao

Category: Science and Technology     

Topic:  Defense – Indian navy

Key Points: 

  • An indigenously built warship equipped with a range of high-tech missiles was launched and released into the Arabian Sea for the first time. According to the Indian Navy, the stealth destroyer, most advanced guided missile destroyer can be compared with the best vessels in the world. Named Mormugao, the vessel has been built by government-run Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) and belongs to Visakhapatnam class of ships being constructed under Project 15B.
  • The vessel would be subsequently known as INS Mormugao after undergoing certain testings required by Indian Navy. Mormugao has a displacement of 7,300 tonne with maximum speed of over 30 knots. The warship is equipped with surface- to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles and anti-submarine rocket launchers. It is also capable of carrying two anti-submarine warfare helicopters.


  1. Foreign embryos frozen in doubt

Category: Science and Technology

Topic: Commercial surrogacy

Key Points:

  • Human embryos of couples from across the world, frozen in liquid nitrogen at countless infertility clinics across India, now float in a sea of uncertainty with surrogacy laws in India set to become tougher, but no explanation on offer as to why these embryos can’t be returned to their genetic owners.
  • Couples from the world over who came to India for surrogacy service are now demanding that their embryos be shipped back to them, but it is an almost impossible proposition as export of human embryos is barred. India banned commercial surrogacy in November, 2015, but panic among couples has set in only now after the Cabinet cleared the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 The bill, which has made the government’s intent to ban commercial surrogacy clear, is silent on the fate of embryos already banked in India.
  • Medical experts say the Indian government has given no real thought, no concession to people who have their embryos locked in India.

Overview:

Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 – Recently, the Union cabinet cleared the bill.

Reasons for the introduction of the bill –

  • India has emerged as a surrogacy hub for couples from different countries and there have been reported incidents concerning unethical practices, exploitation of surrogate mothers, abandonment of children born out of surrogacy and rackets of intermediaries importing human embryos and gametes.
  • Widespread condemnation of commercial surrogacy prevalent in India has also been regularly published in different print-and electronic media since last few years highlighting the need to prohibit commercial surrogacy and allow ethical altruistic surrogacy.
  • The 228th report of the Law Commission of India recommended for prohibiting commercial surrogacy and allowing ethical altruistic surrogacy to the needy Indian citizens by enacting a suitable legislation.

It has the following provisions –

  • The Bill shall apply to whole of India, except Jammu and Kashmir.
  • It will regulate surrogacy in India by establishing National Surrogacy Board and State Surrogacy Boards at the central and state levels respectively and Appropriate Authorities Union Territories.
  • It will ensure effective regulation of surrogacy, prohibit commercial surrogacy and allow ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile couples. All infertile Indian married couple who want to avail ethical surrogacy will be benefited. Further the rights of surrogate mother and children born out of surrogacy will be protected.

Note: The major benefits of the Act –

  • It will regulate the surrogacy services in the country. While commercial surrogacy will be prohibited including sale and purchase of human embryo and gametes, ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile couples will be allowed on fulfillment of certain conditions and for specific purposes.
  • It will control the unethical practices in surrogacy, prevent commercialization of surrogacy and will prohibit potential exploitation of surrogate mothers and children born through surrogacy.


  1. Balancing populism with spending

Category: Economy     

Topic: Fiscal reforms

Key Points:

  • Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Governments need to balance their political impulse towards populism and the need for sound expenditure management. Highlighting the importance of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act and its related targets in ensuring this, the finance minister said: “One of the reasons why the FRBM targets in India were statutorily brought in was really because, in public life and politics, there was always a conflict between populism and financial discipline.”
  • Constitution of a panel to review FRBM act, 2003: The government in May, 2016 announced the constitution of a panel under Former Revenue Secretary N.K. Singh to review the FRBM Act of 2003, as outlined by Mr. Jaitley in 2016-17 Budget speech. The panel will also look into the possibility of replacing absolute fiscal deficit targets with a target range.
  • Servicing debt – Arun Jaitley said living within their means was too conservative a proposition for either governments or companies, which need to borrow to grow. But most of the problems arise when this borrowing is disproportionate to the ability to service that debt.

He said the Non Performing Asset (NPS) issue was entirely a product of poor fiscal foresight.


D. GS4 Related

Nothing here today folks!


E. Important Editorials: A Quick Glance

Nothing here today folks!

 

The Hindu
Nothing here today folks!


F. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn:
  • Singur land verdict and Land Acquisition procedure in India
  • CBI
  • Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd
  • UN Office on Drugs and Crime
  • Missile destroyers
  • Commercial surrogacy
  • Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act


G. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS

Links to Refer

Commercial Surrogacy bill, 2016

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149186


H. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
Question 1: Which constitutional amendment made right to property a mere constitutional/legal right?
a) 44

b) 43

c) 42

d) Both (a) and (c)


Question 2: Recently Indian navy launched ‘Mormugoa’ and released into the Arabian Sea. It is a
a) Nuclear powered submarine

b) Aircraft carrier

c) Most advanced guided missile destroyer

d) None of these


Question 3: Recently the Union Ministry of Railways launched the Yatri Mitra Sewa to

a) Improve the railway travel experience of elderly, differently-abled and ailing passengers

b) Improve the railway travel experience of women passengers

c) Reform passenger service delivery system

d) None of these


Question 4: Which of the following statements are correct regarding the UN office of drugs and crime?
    (i) It is a member of the United Nations Development Group

    ii) It aims to combat illicit trafficking and abuse of drugs, crime prevention and criminal justice, international terrorism, and political corruption.

a) i) only

b) ii) only

c) both i) & ii)

d) neither i) nor ii) 


Question 5: Which of the following statements are correct regarding the Central Bureau of Investigation?
    (i) It is a constitutional body

    ii) It works under the ministry of Personnel

a) (i) only

b) (ii) only

c) Both (i) and (ii)

d) Neither (i) nor (ii)

 

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