October 5 2019 : PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam.

October 5th, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

List of MoUs/Agreements exchanged between Bangladesh and India

Context

India and Bangladesh have entered into agreements during the official visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India.

List of MoUs

• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports for Movement of goods to and from India
• MoU on withdrawal of 1.82 cusecs of water from Feni river by India for drinking water supply, scheme for Sabroom town, Tripura
  • The two leaders directed the Technical Level Committee of the Joint Rivers Commission to expeditiously exchange updated data and information and prepare the draft framework of Interim Sharing Agreements for the six rivers — Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla and Dudhkumar and to firm up the draft framework of interim sharing agreement of Feni river.
• Agreement concerning the implementation of GoI Line of Credits (LOC) extended to Bangladesh
• MoU between the University of Hyderabad and University of Dhaka
• Cultural Exchange Programme- Renewal
• MoU on Co-operation in Youth Affairs
• MoU on providing Coastal Surveillance System

Impact

• They have decided to expand connectivity network corridors boosting Delhi’s Indo-Pacific strategy, with Dhaka emerging as a key pillar in that vision.
• Tripura will be a major beneficiary of the seven Indo-Bangladesh agreements signed during Bangladesh Prime Minister’s visit.
  • It will become the first Northeast state to have direct access to international sea trade routes, once the agreements are implemented.
  • The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is in the process of setting up a jetty for inland waterways connectivity with Bangladesh.
  • This new route would put Tripura in direct access to Ashuganj port, which is 60 km from the international border.
• Both leaders underlined the immense potential of movement of cargo using the inland water and coastal shipping trade.
  • Towards this, they welcomed the decision to operationalize the Dhulian-Gadagari-Rajshahi-Daulatdia-Aricha Route (to and fro) and include Daudkandi-Sonamura Route (to and fro) under Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade.
• The Indian ports will attract enhanced cargo and also the overall transportation cost to Bangladesh will get reduced.

Make policing and police stations people-friendly: Vice President

Context

• The Vice President of India Addressed a National Seminar on SMART Policing organized jointly by the Indian Police Foundation, the National Centre for Good Governance and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).

What SMART policing?

• S – Strict and sensitive
• M – Modern and mobile
• A – Alert and Accountable
• R – Reliable and responsive
• T – Techno-savvy and Trained

Police in India

• Under the Constitution of India, Police and Public order are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution.
• As a result, all states have their individual police laws. Also, Article 355 of the Constitution enjoins upon the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance.
• It also imposes the duty upon the Union Government to ensure that that government of every state is carried on in accordance with the Constitutional provisions.
• Legally, the Police Act, 1861 is still the basic instrument governing the functioning of the Indian Police. Besides the Indian Penal Code, 1862, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973 also govern the functioning of the police.

Major issues with Police in India

• Huge vacancies: With the phenomenal expansion of the geographic area to be policed and the increase in the number of lives to be guarded, the Indian police, more than in many western democracies, have been stretched and outnumbered.
• Over-burden: Police force is over-burdened especially at lower levels where constabulary is forced to work continuously for 14-16 hours, 7 days a week. It adversely impacts their performance.
• Arduous nature of duties and working conditions: The nature of the duties is very uncertain and the police itself say that policemen are on duty all the time – it’s a violation of Human Rights.
• Risk to life: The risk to life in Police is very high. Policemen are killed in India in the performance of duties than in any other country of the world. There’s no indication that in future the risk element would be less.
• Police Infrastructure:The weaponry, vehicles etc. used by police force at lower level is obsolete and is unmatched with the modern weaponry used by the criminals and anti-social elements.
• Qualifications and training of police personnels: Police training methods have been out dated and aspects of human rights are largely ignored in training modules.
• Lack of co-ordination between centre and states is a matter related to maintenance of law & order results in ineffective functioning of police force.

Reforms required for SMART Police:

• Improvement in capacity and infrastructure of police forces: Boosting infrastructure and capacity of the police forces includes increase in the number of police personnel in the country, improvement in recruitment, training and service conditions.
• Revisiting the constitution of police forces in the country through legislative/administrative changes: The legislative changes include, enactment of the organized Crimes Act, a single police act for the country, moving Police to the Concurrent List, declaration of Federal Crimes, measures regarding registration of crimes, statutory backing for the CBI, Commissionerate system for large areas, etc.
• In addition to the legislative changes, there is an urgent need for administrative reforms as well. On the administrative side, changes include separation of investigation from law and order, specialized wings for Social and Cyber Crimes, restricting the police to core functions, setting up authorities as directed by the Supreme Court, strengthening state machinery and linking prosecution with police.
• Technological scaling-up: The police force needs to keep pace with changing times. Modernization of the force has become inevitable especially in cyber security, counter-terrorism/insurgency and relying on technology for policing.

North East Handloom and Handicraft Exhibition in Aizawl

Context

• Union Minister for Home Affairs inaugurated the North East Handloom and Handicraft Exhibition in Aizawl, Mizoram.

About the exhibition

• This first ever North-East Handloom and Handicraft Exhibition is fully funded by the North Eastern Council and hosted by the Government of Mizoram.
• Mizoram has invited all the North Eastern states including Sikkim for participation in the event.
• Besides participation from state government departments, participation from organisations such as North East Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation Shillong, Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre Assam, Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency and craftsmen and weavers from the north east will be featured in the event.

Significance

• Handloom and handicrafts can generate huge employment opportunities in the North East, due to availability of natural resources and presence of traditional culture and skill
• Handloom will play a bigger role for progress of the region.

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October 5th, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

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