Daily Current Affairs 20 February 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are

1) Historical Gastronomica - The Indus Dining Experience

Visualization of a Late Harappan Kitchen

The National Museum, New Delhi is hosting a unique exhibition on India’s ancient food history “Historical Gastronomica - The Indus Dining Experience” from 19th to 25thFebruary that goes back to more than 5000 years ago.
The National Museum, New Delhi is hosting a unique exhibition on India’s ancient food history “Historical Gastronomica - The Indus Dining Experience” from 19th to 25thFebruary that goes back to more than 5000 years ago.
The exhibition in the National Museum features

An illustrative story of man’s food history since his evolution and continues to conclude at the Indus-Saraswati Civilization,
Gallery Walk: Use of Harrapan pottery and artifacts,
Food Tasting: finger-food samplers and dinners.

A model of a Late Harappan Kitchen and other specially designed exhibits -- recreated by OSMS take viewers back to the Harappan era.
The exhibition demonstrates how the first humans evolved due to food habits, learned to distinguish edible from non-edible substance, food processing techniques and related architecture of the Harappans. It shows how Climate Change defined and continues to define Food Security. The exhibition will resonate with anyone working towards the future of food.
Genomic data from diverse present-day South Asians reveal that there is a continuity in our ancestral lineage linking us to the Iranian agriculturalists and South Asian hunter-gathers. Combined with the traditional knowledge of cooking styles and methods still practiced in present-day villages of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Sindh, and Baloch, our basic diet may bear more similarities to present-day consumption than differences as this area matter of innate taste.
One of the main draws of this exhibition is tasting the food of the Indus-Saraswati Civilization -- recreated by National Award-winning Chef Saby (Sabyasachi Gorai).] Saby, who has a cult following in the culinary world, is the President - Young Chefs’ Forum of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA).

Source: PIB

2) Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill 2020

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved a historic bill for the welfare of Women in the Country – the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill 2020. This follows the introduction in Parliament of the Surrogacy Regulation Bill 2020 and the approval of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill 2020. These legislative measures are path-breaking steps to protect women’s reproductive rights.
Once the Bill is enacted by the Parliament, the Central Government shall notify the date of the commencement of the Act. Consequently, the National Board will be constituted.
The National Board shall lay down code of conduct to be observed by persons working at clinics, to set the minimum standards of physical infrastructure, laboratory and diagnostic equipment and expert manpower to be employed by clinics and banks.
The States and Union Territories shall constitute the State Boards and State Authorities within three months of the notification by the Central Government.
The State Board shall have the responsibility to follow the policies and plans laid by the National Board for clinics and Banks in the State.
The Bill also provides for National Registry and Registration Authority to maintain a Central database and assist the National Board in its functioning. The Bill also proposes for stringent punishment for those practicing sex selection, sale of human embryos or gametes, running agencies/rackets/organizations for such unlawful practices.

Benefits

The major benefit of the Act would be that it will regulate the Assisted Reproductive Technology services in the country. Consequently, infertile couples will be more ensured/confident of the ethical practices in ARTs.

Background

The Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill 2020 is the most recent, in a series of legislation approved by the Union Cabinet to protect and safeguard the reproductive rights of women. The bill makes provisions for the safe and ethical practice of assisted reproductive technology services in the country. Through the bill, the National Board, the State Boards, the National Registry and the State Registration Authorities respectively will regulate and supervise assisted reproductive technology clinics and assisted reproductive technology banks.
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years. India has one of the highest growths in the ART centers and the number of ART cycles performed every year. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), including In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), has given hope to a multitude of persons suffering from infertility but also introduced a plethora of legal, ethical and social issues. India has become one of the major centers of this global fertility industry, with reproductive medical tourism becoming a significant activity. Clinics in India offer nearly all the ART services—gamete donation, intrauterine insemination (IUI), IVF, ICSI, PGD, and gestational surrogacy. However, despite so much activity in India, there is yet no standardization of protocols and reporting is still very inadequate.
The need to regulate the Assisted Reproductive Technology Services is mainly to protect the affected Women and Children from exploitation. The oocyte donor needs to be supported by an insurance cover, protected from multiple embryo implantation and children born through Assisted reproductive technology should be provided all rights equivalent to a Biological Child. The cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes, and embryo by the ART Banks needs to be regulated and the bill intends to make Pre-Genetic Implantation Testing mandatory for the benefit of the child born through assisted reproductive technology.

Surrogacy Regulation Bill 2020

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020 proposes to regulate surrogacy in India by establishing the National Board at the central level and State Boards and Appropriate Authorities in the States and Union Territories. The Bill has been examined by the Select Committee and the report has been tabled in the Rajya Sabha on the 5th of February 2020.
The major benefit of the Act would be that it will regulate surrogacy services in the country. While commercial surrogacy will be prohibited including sale and purchase of human embryos and gametes, ethical surrogacy to the Indian Married couple, Indian Origin Married Couple and Indian Single Woman (only widow or Divorcee) will be allowed on fulfillment of certain conditions. As such, it will control the unethical practices in surrogacy, prevent commercialization of surrogacy and will prohibit the potential exploitation of surrogate mothers and children born through surrogacy.

Medical Termination Pregnancy Amendment Bill 2020

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (34 of 1971) was enacted to provide for the termination of certain pregnancies by registered medical practitioners and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The said Act recognized the importance of safe, affordable, accessible abortion services to women who need to terminate a pregnancy under certain specified conditions. Besides this, several Writ Petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court and various High Courts seeking permission for aborting pregnancies at gestational age beyond the present permissible limit on the grounds of fetal abnormalities or pregnancies due to sexual violence faced by women.
Taken together, the three proposed legislations create an environment of safeguards for women's reproductive rights, addressing changing social contexts and technological advances.

Source: PIB

3) Ra’ad-II missile

Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of the air-launched nuclear-capable cruise missile Ra’ad-II.
It has a range of 600 km.
The system is equipped with state-of-the-art guidance and navigation systems ensuring the engagement of targets with high precision.
Pakistan’s development of the Ra’ad could be seen as an attempt to match India’s BrahMos cruise missile.

4) Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED)

A mammoth Northern European Enclosure Dam (NEED) has been proposed to protect millions of people and important economic regions of 15 Northern European Countries from rising seas as a result of climate change.

About the proposed dam:

Two dams of a combined length of 637 km will be constructed.
The first dam will be built between northern Scotland and western Norway, measuring 476 km and with an average depth of 121 m and a maximum depth of 321 m.
The second dam will be built between France and southwestern England, of length 161 km, and an average depth of 85 m and a maximum depth of 102 m.

Costs involved:

Researchers have estimated the total costs associated with NEED at between €250 billion and €550 billion. If construction is spread over 20 years, this will work out to an annual expense of around 0.07%-0.16% of the GDP of the 15 Northern European countries that will be involved.

Implications:

The construction will “heavily impact” marine and terrestrial ecosystems inside and outside the enclosure, will have social and cultural implications, and affect tourism and fisheries.

Need for such measures:

Such protection efforts are required if mitigation efforts fail to limit sea-level rise.

And, separating the North and Baltic Seas from the Atlantic Ocean may be the “most viable option” to protect Northern Europe against unstoppable sea-level rise (SLR).

While NEED may appear to be “overwhelming” and “unrealistic”, it could be “potentially favorable” financially and in scale when compared with alternative solutions to fight SLR.

Way ahead:

Such mega-enclosures could potentially be considered in other regions of the world, including the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Irish Sea, and the Red Sea.

Source: Indian Express

5) ICRG Recommends Continuation of Pakistan in Grey List

The International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG) of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has recommended that Pakistan be retained on the “Grey List”, given the country’s failure to completely implement the 27-point action plan to check terror financing.
It needs to be noted that a recommendation by the ICRG is a precursor to the final decision at the FATF plenary session, and is usually not overturned. Since 2007, the ICRG has analyzed high-risk jurisdiction and recommended specific action to address the money laundering/terror financing risks emanating from them.
The FATF Plenary is the decision making body of the FATF. It meets three times per year. The latest meeting will conclude on 21st February 2020 in which the final decision concerning Pakistan will be taken.
The FATF meeting is being held a week after an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack and founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), to 11 years in two terror financing cases.

Background

The FATF plenary held in October 2019 had noted that Pakistan addressed only five out of the 27 tasks given to it in controlling funding to terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen, responsible for a series of attacks in India.
The FATF, then, strongly urged Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by February 2020.
Pakistan was placed on the grey list by the FATF in June 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete by October 2019 or face the risk of being placed on the blacklist with Iran and North Korea.

Current Scenario and India’s Stand

In the FATF Asia Pacific Joint Group meeting in Beijing in January 2020, Pakistan was adjudged to have cleared 14 points.

The Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering was established in 1997 as an autonomous regional anti-money laundering body by unanimous agreement among 13 original founding members. Presently, it has 41 active members including India.

Pakistan’s Current Stand

Since the 2019 meeting, it has taken all possible measures against terror financing.
It has convicted an unprecedented number of persons, which includes Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed.
It has also recently informed the FATF that JeM founder Masood Azhar and his family are “missing”.

India’s Stand

India has been maintaining that Pakistan extends regular support to terror groups and has urged FATF to take action against Pakistan.
India counters Pakistan's claims, saying the recent action taken by Islamabad against Saeed and others was an attempt to evade further FATF sanctions.
India asserts that the terror funding operations are still on and outfits such as the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed, whose chief Masood Azhar's location as per Pakistan is “missing”, are having a free run in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Status on Grey List

Pakistan needs 12 votes out of 39 (total members in the FATF) to exit the ‘Grey List’ and move to ‘White List’. To avoid the ‘Black List’, it needs the support of three countries.
In the Beijing 2020 meeting, Pakistan got support from Malaysia and Turkey besides FATF current chair China.
India has lobbied with several countries, from the US to Europe, Australia to West Asian countries, to make the case for blacklisting of Pakistan.

Impact on Pakistan

If Pakistan continues on the grey list, it would be very difficult for the country to get financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the European Union, making its financial condition even more unsteady.

The Financial Action Task Force

Formation: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris.
Objectives: To set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
Secretariat: Its Secretariat is located at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris.
Member Countries: The FATF currently has 39 members including two regional organizations — the European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council. India is a member of the FATF.
Lists under FATF:

Grey List: Countries that are considered a safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are put in the FATF grey list. This inclusion serves as a warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.
Black List: Countries known as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) are put in the blacklist. These countries support terror funding and money laundering activities. The FATF revises the blacklist regularly, adding or deleting entries.

6) Cabinet approves Revamping of "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)"

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved revamping of "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)" and "Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)" to address the existing challenges in the implementation of Crop Insurance Schemes.

It is proposed to modify certain parameters/provisions of ongoing schemes of PMFBY and RWBCIS as under:

Allocation of business to Insurance Companies to be done for three years (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
The option shall be given to States/UTs to choose the Scale of Finance or district level Value of Notional Average Yield (NAY) i.e. NAY* Minimum Support Price (MSP) as Sum Insured for any district crop combination (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS). The farmgate price will be considered for the other crops for which MSP is not declared.
Central Subsidy under PMFBY/RWBCIS to be limited for premium rates up to 30% for unirrigated areas/crops and 25% for irrigated areas/crops. Districts having 50% or more irrigated areas will be considered as irrigated areas/districts (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
Flexibility to States/UTs to implement the Scheme with the option to select any or many of additional risk covers/features like prevented sowing, localized calamity, mid-season adversity, and post-harvest losses. Further, States/UT can offer specific single peril risk/insurance covers, like a hailstorm, etc, under PMFBY even with or without opting for base cover (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
States not to be allowed to implement the Scheme in subsequent Seasons in case of considerable delay by States in the release of requisite Premium Subsidy to concerned Insurance Companies beyond a prescribed time limit. Cut-off dates for invoking this provision for Kharif and Rabi seasons will be 31st March and 30th September of successive years respectively (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
For estimation of crop losses/admissible claims, the Two-Step Process to be adopted based on defined Deviation matrix" using specific triggers like weather indicators, satellite indicators, etc. for each area along with normal ranges and deviation ranges. Only areas with deviations will be subject to Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) for assessment of yield loss (PMFBY).
Technology solutions like Smart Sampling Technique (SST) and optimization of the number of CCEs to be adopted in conducting CCEs (PMFBY).
In case of non-provision of yield data beyond cut-off date by the States to implementing Insurance Companies, claims to be settled based on yield arrived through the use of Technology solution (PMFBY alone).
Enrolment under the Scheme to be made voluntary for all farmers (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
Central Share in Premium Subsidy to be increased to 90% for the North Eastern States from the existing sharing pattern of 50:50 (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
Provisioning of at least 3% of the total allocation for the Scheme to be made by the Government of India and Implementing State Governments for administrative expenses. This shall be subject to an upper cap fixed by DAC&FW for each State (Both PMFBY/RWBCIS).
Besides above, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare in consultation with other stakeholders/agencies will prepare/develop State-specific, alternative risk mitigation programs for crops/areas having a high rate of premium. Further, as the scheme is being made voluntary for all farmers, therefore, to provide financial support and effective risk mitigation tools through crop insurance especially to 151 districts which are highly water-stressed including 29 which are doubly stressed because of low income of farmers and drought, a separate, scheme in this regard would also be prepared.
The concerned provisions/parameters of the scheme and operational guidelines of the PMFBY and RWBCIS shall be modified to incorporate the above said modifications and shall be made operational from Kharif 2020 season.

Benefits

With these changes, it is expected that farmers would be able to manage risk in agriculture production in a better way and will succeed in Stabilizing the farm income. Further, it will increase coverage in the northeastern region enabling farmers of NER to manage their agricultural risk in a better way. These changes will also enable quick and accurate yield estimation leading to faster claims settlement.
These changes are proposed to be implemented from Kharif’ 2020 Season throughout the Country.

Source: The Hindu

7) Constitution of 22nd Law Commission of India

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Twenty-second Law Commission of India for three years from the date of publication of the Order of Constitution in the Official Gazette.

Benefits

The Government will have the benefit of recommendations from a specialized body on different aspects of law which are entrusted to the Commission for its study and recommendations, as per its terms of reference.
The Law Commission shall, on a reference made to it by the Central Government or suo-motu, undertake research in law and review of existing laws in India for making reforms therein and enacting new legislations. It shall also undertake studies and research for bringing reforms in the justice delivery systems for elimination of delay in procedures, speedy disposal of cases, reduction in the cost of litigation, etc.

The Law Commission of India shall, inter-alia,

identify laws which are no longer needed or relevant and can be immediately repealed;
examine the existing laws in the light of Directive Principles of State Policy and suggest ways of improvement and reform and also suggest such legislation as might be necessary to implement the Directive Principles and to attain the objectives set out in the Preamble of the Constitution;
consider and convey to the Government its views on any subject relating to law and judicial administration that may be specifically referred to it by the Government through Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs);
Consider the requests for providing research to any foreign countries as may be referred to it by the Government through the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs);
take all such measures as may be necessary to harness law and the legal process in the service of the poor;
revise the Central Acts of general importance to simplify them and remove anomalies, ambiguities, and inequities;

Background

The Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body constituted by the Government of India from time to time. The Commission was originally constituted in 1955 and is re-constituted every three years. The tenure of the twenty-first Law Commission of India was up to 31st August 2018.
The various Law Commission have been able to make an important contribution towards the progressive development and codification of Law of the country. The Law Commission has so far submitted 277 reports.
The 22nd Law Commission will be constituted for three years from the date of publication of its Order in the Official Gazette. It will consist of:

a full-time Chairperson;
four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary)
Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs as ex-officio Member;
Secretary, Legislative Department as ex officio Member; and
not more than five part-time Members.

Source: The Hindu

8) India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy

Recently, the India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development was inaugurated jointly by both the countries. This task force was launched during the Norwegian Prime Minister's visit to India earlier in 2019.
The two countries also commenced a new collaboration on Integrated Ocean Management & Research.

Key Points

The bilateral collaboration intends to manage the resources in the oceans in a sustainable manner.
The India-Norway cooperation in the field of oceans is based on a shared interest in the blue economy and the sustainable use of marine resources.
Both countries also desire to advance scientific knowledge about oceans.

India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development

The purpose of the task force is to develop and follow up joint initiatives between the two countries.
It also intends to mobilize relevant stakeholders from both Norway and India at the highest level, and ensure continued commitment and progress across ministries and agencies.

India-Norway Relations

India and Norway have been enjoying a cordial and friendly relationship since the establishment of relations in 1947.
The two countries respect each other for their commonly shared values such as democracy, human rights and rule of law. In recent years, both countries have been increasing their engagements in the field of trade and technology.
Norway has supported India’s membership to export control regimes the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) and the Australia Group (AG).
India has signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Norway in 1986 which was revised in February 2011.
Total bilateral trade between India and Norway stands around $1.1 billion in 2015-16.
Three Arctic Missions from India have so far visited Norway, in 2007, 2008 and 2009. India’s Polar Research Station “Himadri” is located at Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen Island, Norway.

Blue Economy

The concept was introduced by Gunter Pauli in his 2010 book- “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs”.
It is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health.
It comprises renewable energy, fisheries, maritime transport, tourism, climate change, waste management.
It is also reflected in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14), which calls to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Blue Economy can help to generate livelihoods, to achieve energy security, to build ecological resilience and to improve living standards of coastal communities.

India has a long coastline of 7,517 km covering nine states and two union territories – with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 mn. sq.km.

NOTE:

Norway is an expert on the subject of the Ocean Economy as 70% of Norway's export is from Norway's maritime industry.
Starting the bilateral ocean dialogue has added a new dimension in India-Norway relations and will help India to understand the know-how of the maritime industry.

Source: PIB

9) Central Vigilance Commission

There are 3 principal actors at the national level in the fight against corruption: the Lokpal, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Central Vigilance Commission is the apex vigilance institution, free of control from any executive authority, monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government and advising various authorities in Central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.
Background: The CVC was set up by the Government in February 1964 on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by K. Santhanam.
The Parliament enacted the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 (CVC Act) conferring statutory status on the CVC.
It is an independent body which is only responsible to the Parliament.
Composition: It is a multi-member Commission consisting of a Central Vigilance Commissioner (Chairperson) and not more than 2 Vigilance Commissioners (Member).
The Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a Committee consisting of the Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Minister of Home Affairs (Member) and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People (Member).
Tenure: The term of office of the Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners is 4 years from the date on which they enter their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
Role and Functions: Exercise superintendence over the functioning of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) insofar as it relates to the investigation of offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The CVC receives complaints on corruption or misuse of office and recommends appropriate action. Following institutions, bodies, or a person can approach CVC: Central government, Lokpal and Whistleblowers.
CVC has no investigation wing of its own as it depends on the CBI and the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVO) of central organizations, while CBI has its own investigation wing drawing its powers from Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.

Source: The Hindu

10) Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM (G)] till 2024-25, which will focus on Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF Plus), which includes ODF sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). The program will also work towards ensuring that no one is left behind and everyone uses a toilet.
SBM (G) Phase-II will also be implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25 in a mission mode with a total outlay of Rs. 1,40,881 crores. This will be a novel model of convergence between different verticals of financing. Of this Rs.52,497 crore will be allocated from the budget of D/o Drinking Water and Sanitation while the remaining amount will be dovetailed from the funds being released under the 15th Finance Commission, MGNREGS and revenue generation models particularly for solid and liquid waste management.
Under the program, provision for an incentive of Rs.12,000/- for construction of Individual Household Toilet (IHHL) to the newly emerging eligible households as per the existing norms will continue. Funding norms for Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) have been rationalized and changed to per capita basis in place of no. of households. Additionally, financial assistance to the Gram Panchayats (GPs) for construction of Community Managed Sanitary Complex (CMSC) at the village level has been increased from Rs.2 lakh to Rs.3 lakh per CMSC.
The program will be implemented by the States/UTs as per the operational guidelines which will be issued to the States shortly. The fund sharing pattern between Centre and States will be 90:10 for the North-Eastern States and the Himalayan States and UT of J&K; 60:40 for other States; and 100:0 for other Union Territories, for all the components.
The SLWM component of ODF Plus will be monitored based on output-outcome indicators for four key areas: plastic waste management, bio-degradable solid waste management (including animal waste management), greywater management and fecal sludge management.
The SBM-G Phase II will continue to generate employment and provide impetus to the rural economy through the construction of household toilets and community toilets, as well as infrastructure for SLWM such as compost pits, soak pits, waste stabilization ponds, material recovery facilities, etc.
The rural sanitation coverage in the country at the time of launch of SBM (G) on 02.10.2014 was reported as 38.7%. More than 10 crore individual toilets have been constructed since the launch of the mission; as a result, rural areas in all the States have declared themselves ODF as on 2nd October 2019. The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) has, however, advised all the States to reconfirm that there are no rural households that still don’t have access to a toilet, and provide the necessary support to any such identified households to build individual household toilets to ensure that no one is left behind under the program.
The approval by the Cabinet to SBM Phase II will help rural India effectively handle the challenge of solid and liquid waste management and will help in substantial improvement in the health of the villagers in the country.

Source: PIB

11) Formation and Promotion of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for 10,000 FPOs to be formed in five years period from 2019-20 to 2023-24 to ensure economies of scale for farmers. Support to each FPO is continued for 5 years from its year of inception.

Benefits

Small and marginal farmers do not have the economic strength to apply production technology, services, and marketing including value addition. Through the formation of FPOs, farmers will have better collective strength for better access to quality input, technology, credit and better marketing access through economies of scale for better realization of income.

Brief of the Scheme:

A new Central Sector Scheme titled "Formation and Promotion of Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs)" to form and promote 10,000 new FPOs with a total budgetary provision of Rs. 4496.00 crore for five years (2019-20 to 2023-24) with a further committed liability of Rs. 2369.00 crore for the period from 2024-25 to 2027-28 towards the handholding of each FPO for five years from its aggregation and formation.
Initially, there will be three implementing Agencies to form and promote FPOs, namely Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium (SFAC), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). States may also if so desire, nominate their Implementing Agency in consultation with DAC&FW.
DAC&FW will allocate Cluster/States to Implementing Agencies which in turn will form the Cluster-Based Business Organization in the States.
FPOs will be formed and promoted through Cluster-Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) engaged at the State/Cluster level by implementing agencies. The CBBOs will have five categories of specialists from the domain of Crop husbandry, Agri marketing / Value addition and processing, Social mobilization, Law & Accounts and IT/MIS. These CBBOs will be a platform for an end to end knowledge for all issues in FPO promotion.
There will be a National Project Management Agency (NPMA) at SFAC for providing overall project guidance, data compilation, and maintenance through integrated portal and Information management and monitoring.
Initially, the minimum number of members in FPO will be 300 in plain area and 100 in North East & hilly areas. However, DAC&FW may revise the minimum number of membership-based on experience/need with approval of Union Agriculture Minister.
Priority will be given for the formation of FPOs in aspirational districts in the country with at least one FPO in each block of aspirational districts.
FPOs will be promoted under the "One District One Product" cluster to promote specialization and better processing, marketing, branding & export by FPOs.
There will be a provision of Equity Grant for strengthening the equity base of FPOs.
There will be a Credit Guarantee Fund of up to Rs. 1,000.00 crore in NABARD with an equal contribution by DAC&FW and NABARD and Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs.500.00 crore in NCDC with an equal contribution by DAC&FW and NCDC for providing suitable credit guarantee cover to accelerate the flow of institutional credit to FPOs by minimizing the risk of financial institutions for granting a loan to FPOs.
States/UTs will be allowed to avail loan at prescribed concessional rate of interest under Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund (AMIF) approved for set up in NABARD for developing agriculture marketing and allied infrastructure in GrAMs, by making marketing & allied infrastructure including Common Facilitation Centre / Custom Hiring Centre for FPOs as eligible category for providing assistance to States / UTs.
Adequate training and handholding will be provided to FPOs. CBBOs will provide initial training. Professional training of CEO / Board of Directors / Accountant of FPOs will be provided in organizational training, resource planning, Accounting/management, marketing, processing, etc in reputed National / Regional training Institutes.

Background

The report of 'Doubling of Farmer's Income (DFI)' has emphasized this fact and recommended the formation of 7,000 FPOs by 2022 towards convergence of efforts for doubling the farmers' income. In the Union Budget 2019-20, Government has announced the creation of 10,000 new FPOs to ensure economies of scale for farmers over the next five years, for which a dedicated supporting and holistic scheme as Central Sector Scheme is proposed for the targeted development of FPOs and its sustainability.

Source: PIB

12) Private Member Bill for Two-Child Policy Norm

Recently, a Private Member’s Constitution Amendment Bill has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha proposing incentives in taxation, education, and employment for people who limit their family size to two children.
The Bill is likely to be discussed when Parliament meets for the second half of the Budget session.

Key Features of the Bill

The Bill proposes for the incorporation of a new provision — Article 47A(Duty of the State to promote small family norm) — in Part IV of the Constitution.

Part IV of the Indian Constitution deals with the Directive Principles of the State Policy.

The proposed insertion of Article 47A intends to withdraw all concessions from people who fail to adhere to the ‘small-family-norm’.
The Bill also intends to offer incentives in taxes, employment, education and priority in social benefit schemes and school admissions, etc to its people who keep their family limited to two children.

Current Status

Presently, six states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh have made the two-child norm mandatory for all panchayat members.
In 2018, 412 panchayat members in Rajasthan had been removed from their posts because they failed to comply with the two-child norm.
The Supreme Court has upheld the provision in several states that debars members with more than two children from contesting and holding panchayat posts.

Need for Two-Child Policy Norm

India’s population has already crossed 125 crores and India is expected to surpass the world’s most populous nation-China in the next couple of decades.
Despite having the National Population Control Policy (2000), India is the second-most populous country in the world.
Thus, India’s natural resources are extremely over-burdened and facing over-exploitation.

Criticism of the Two-Child Policy

The restricted child policy will create a shortage of educated young people needed to carry on India’s technological revolution.
The problems like gender imbalance, undocumented children, etc. faced by China (as a result of the one-child policy) might be experienced by India.
India's birthrate is slowing down to sustainable levels. In 2000, the fertility rate was still relatively high at 3.2 children per woman. By 2016, that number had already fallen to 2.3 children.

Private Member’s Bill

Any Member of Parliament (MP) who is not a minister is referred to as a private member.
The purpose of the private member’s bill is to draw the government’s attention to what individual MPs see as issues and gaps in the existing legal framework, which require legislative intervention. Thus it reflects the stand of the opposition party on public matters.
Its introduction in the House requires one month’s notice.
Its rejection by the House has no implication on the parliamentary confidence in the government or its resignation.
The last time a private member’s bill was passed by both Houses was in 1970.
It was the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1968.
14 private member’s bills have become law so far.

NOTE:

Entry 20-A in List III (Concurrent List) of the 7th Schedule deals with population control and family planning. This provision was added through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment 1976.
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, headed by M.N. Venkatachaliah had also recommended in 2002, that Article 47A to be inserted into the Constitution to control population explosion.

Source: Indian Express

13) European Union Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD)

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sign an updated Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) MoU signed between SEBI and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), UK, under UK's exit from the European Union on 31st January 2020.

Major impact

The UK exited the EU on 31st January 2020. FCA, UK had submitted to SEBI that no transitional measures would be available if the amended MoU is not signed before the date when the UK exits the European Union (Brexit) and requested SEBI to sign an updated MoU as early as possible. As such, the proposal is not expected or intended to have any effect on employment in India.

Background

Following the requirement of establishing adequate supervisory cooperation arrangements between EU and non-EU authorities under the European Union Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), a bilateral MoU was signed by SEBI with securities regulators of 27 member States of EU / European Economic Area, including Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), United Kingdom on 28th July 2014. In the context of UK's proposed withdrawal from EU, FCA brought to the notice of SEBI that the existing MoU between SEBI and FCA relating to AIFMD, which is currently anchored on EU law, will no longer apply directly in the UK, and have, therefore, suggested signing an updated MoU after amending the AIFMD MoU by suitably modifying it and substituting references to EU legislation with the relevant UK law.

Source: PIB

14) Elevation of BISAG as BISAG(N) under MEITY

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved Elevation of Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG), Gujarat as Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG(N)) under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY), Government of India.

Benefits

To maintain efficiency and innovation of services, the currently skilled manpower working at BISAG may join the national level institute on the as-is and where-is basis.
To facilitate the implementation of the expanded scope of activities
To facilitate the implementation of the expanded scope of activities and efficient rollout of GIS projects.
To facilitate the implementation of the expanded scope of activities, aid research & development, and technology development.
Facilitate development planning and good governance through spatial decision support systems.

Background

At present, BISAG is a state agency of the Department of Science and Technology Government of Gujarat, located at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It is registered as a Society and Trust with the Charity Commissioner of Ahmedabad. Its Governing body is chaired by the Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat. Its charter is based on the philosophy that modern-day planning for holistic development calls for transparent, efficient and low-cost decision-making systems. This involves multi-disciplinary information that encourages people’s participation and ensures equitable development. The application of space technologies (especially the space-based remote sensing technology), satellite communication and geo-informatics has contributed significantly towards the socio-economic development.
Since this is not a new organization but only an elevation of the existing body which will be an Autonomous Scientific Society under Government of India instead of State Government, the following key steps have been undertaken by MEITY for the consideration of proposal: -

An Expert Committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, MeitY with representatives from Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Science & Technology and ex-Secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences for analyzing the proposal. The Expert Committee recommended the proposal during the meeting held on January 28th, 2019.
The CEE proposal was put for consideration of the appraisal body i.e. Committee on Establishment Expenditure (CEE). The CEE meeting was held on August 6th, 2019 under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, along with representatives of NITI Aayog, Ministry of Finance and Department of Science & Technology. The proposal was recommended by CEE.

Source: The Hindu