Daily Current Affairs 14 May 2020 | UPSC Current Affairs 2020

Current Affairs Of Today Are



    1) Self-Reliant India Movement

    Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced a Special economic and comprehensive package of Rs 20 lakh crores - equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP. He gave a clarion call for आत्मनिर्भर भारत अभियान or Self-Reliant India Movement. He also outlined five pillars of Aatmanirbhar Bharat – Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography, and Demand.
    Finance Minister announces measures for relief and credit support related to businesses, especially MSMEs to support Indian Economy’s fight against COVID-19

    Following measures were announced today:-

    Rs 3 lakh crore Emergency Working Capital Facility for Businesses, including MSMEs
    • To provide relief to the business, additional working capital finance of 20% of the outstanding credit as on 29 February 2020, in the form of a Term Loan at a concessional rate of interest will be provided. This will be available to units with upto Rs 25 crore outstanding and turnover of up to Rs 100 crore whose accounts are standard. The units will not have to provide any guarantee or collateral of their own. The amount will be 100% guaranteed by the Government of India providing total liquidity of Rs. 3.0 lakh crores to more than 45 lakh MSMEs.
    Rs 20,000 crore Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs
    • Provision made for Rs. 20,000 cr subordinate debt for two lakh MSMEs which are NPA or are stressed. The government will support them with Rs. 4,000 Cr. to Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). Banks are expected to provide the subordinate-debt to promoters of such MSMEs equal to 15% of his existing stake in the unit subject to a maximum of Rs 75 lakhs.
    Rs 50,000 crores equity infusion through MSME Fund of Funds
    • Govt will set up a Fund of Funds with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore that will provide equity funding support for MSMEs. The Fund of Funds shall be operated through a Mother and a few Daughter funds. It is expected that with leverage of 1:4 at the level of daughter funds, the Fund of Funds will be able to mobilize equity of about Rs 50,000 crores.
    The new definition of MSME
    • The definition of MSME will be revised by raising the Investment limit. An additional criterion of turnover also being introduced. The distinction between the manufacturing and service sector will also be eliminated.
    Other Measures for MSME
    • e-market linkage for MSMEs will be promoted to act as a replacement for trade fairs and exhibitions. MSME receivables from Government and CPSEs will be released in 45 days
    No Global tenders for Government tenders of up to Rs 200 crores.
    • General Financial Rules (GFR) of the Government will be amended to disallow global tender inquiries in the procurement of Goods and Services of the value of less than Rs 200 crore
    Employees Provident Fund Support for business and organized workers
    • The scheme introduced as part of PMGKP under which the Government of India contributes 12% of salary each on behalf of both employer and employee to EPF will be extended by another 3 months for salary months of June, July, and August 2020. Total benefits accrued are about Rs 2500 crores to 72.22 lakh employees.
    EPF Contribution to be reduced for Employers and Employees for 3 months
    • Statutory PF contribution of both employer and employee reduced to 10% each from the existing 12% each for all establishments covered by EPFO for the next 3 months. This will provide liquidity of about Rs.2250 Crore per month.
    Rs 30,000 crores Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFC/HFC/MFIs
    • The government will launch Rs 30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme, liquidity is provided by RBI. The investment will be made in primary and secondary market transactions in investment-grade debt paper of NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs. This will be 100 percent guaranteed by the Government of India.
    Rs 45,000 crores Partial credit guarantee Scheme 2.0 for Liabilities of NBFCs/MFIs
    • Existing Partial Credit Guarantee scheme is being revamped and now will be extended to cover the borrowings of lower-rated NBFCs, HFCs, and other Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs). The government of India will provide a 20 percent first loss of sovereign guarantee to Public Sector Banks.
    Rs 90,000 crore Liquidity Injection for DISCOMs
    • Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation will infuse liquidity in the DISCOMS to the extent of Rs 90000 crores in two equal installments. This amount will be used by DISCOMS to pay their dues to Transmission and Generation companies. Further, CPSE GENCOs will give a rebate to DISCOMS on the condition that the same is passed on to the final consumers as a relief towards their fixed charges.
    Relief to Contractors
    • All central agencies like Railways, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and CPWD will give an extension of up to 6 months for completion of contractual obligations, including in respect of EPC and concession agreements

    Relief to Real Estate Projects
    • State Governments are being advised to invoke the Force Majeure clause under RERA. The registration and completion date for all registered projects will be extended up to 6 months and maybe further extended by another 3 months based on the State’s situation. Various statutory compliances under RERA will also be extended concurrently.

    Tax Relief to Business
    • The pending income tax refunds to charitable trusts and non-corporate businesses and professions including proprietorship, partnership, and LLPs and cooperatives shall be issued immediately.
    Tax-related measures
    • Reduction in Rates of ‘Tax Deduction at Source’ and ‘Tax Collected at Source” - The TDS rates for all non-salaried payment to residents, and tax collected at source rate will be reduced by 25 percent of the specified rates for the remaining period of FY 20-21. This will provide liquidity to the tune of Rs 50,000 Crore.
    • The due date of all Income Tax Returns for Assessment Year 2020-21 will be extended to 30 November 2020.  Similarly, the tax audit due date will be extended to 31 October 2020.
    • The date for making payment without additional amount under the “Vivad Se Vishwas” scheme will be extended to 31 December 2020.
    Source: PIB

    2) Rajasthan’s Krishi Kalyan fees

    • Rajasthan government is levying a 2 percent Krishak Kalyan fees on agricultural produce brought or bought or sold in mandis.
    • The fees collected will be deposited in the Krishak Kalyan Kosh — dedicated to the welfare of farmers in the state.

    Background:

    • Last year, the Rajasthan Government had announced the creation of the Krishak Kalyan Kosh.
    • Accordingly, the government brought in the Rajasthan Agricultural Produce Markets (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, which was promulgated by the Governor on May 1, amending Section 17 of the Rajasthan Agricultural Produce Market Act, 1961.

    Criticisms:

    People associated with agricultural mandis in the state and farmer groups have voiced their opposition to the new cess. Why?
    • Farmer outfits are apprehensive that people at agricultural mandis will pass on the burden of the increased cost to farmers, already reeling by the lockdown imposed due to the coronavirus.
    • It may result in farmers getting fewer prices for their agricultural produce, traders incurring losses because of people choosing to sell the produce to black marketers, and agriculture produces from Rajasthan being sold outside the state.
    • There is already a mandi cess of 1.6 percent on the produce. This 2 percent fees will increase it to 3.6 percent, which is much higher than other states. This increased cess will encourage black marketing.

    What the government says?

    • The government has insisted that the money collected as Krishi Kalyan fees will be spent on the welfare of farmers.
    • The fee will be a burden neither on the people associated with the mandis nor the farmers. This charge is meant for the next point of sale after farmers sell their produce.
    • This money collected will actually benefit them as it will be spent on their welfare. The entire money will be used on ensuring that the farmers get adequate prices and providing them other incentives.
    Source: Indian Express

    3) Gujarat amends APMC Act

    • Following the Centre’s directive to States to amend their Agricultural Produce Markets (APMC) Acts, the Gujarat government has promulgated an Ordinance expanding the purview of the Act to include livestock under agricultural produce and to provide better market access to farmers.

    Changes and implications:

    • As per the amendment, the new Act is termed Gujarat Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 1963. 
    • The Act paves the way for the establishment of a livestock market.
    • Also, it seeks to have involvement of local authorities, including Panchayati raj institutions who own and operate rural periodical markets such as hats within their area.
    • Changed Structure of the market committee of a market yard. It is deemed to be of national importance with increased membership from farmers.
    • A single license will apply to the whole of the State for the traders to be granted or renewed by the Director. The existing trader licenses granted by the market committees shall be converted into a Statewide single trader license by the Director.
    • Now, even private entities can set up their own market committees or sub-market yards that can compete and offer the best possible remuneration to farmers for their produce.
    • The ordinance also restricts the jurisdiction of the market committees to the physical boundaries of their respective marketing yards. They can levy cess only on those transactions, happening within the boundary walls of their marketing yard.

    Significance of these changes:

    • The changes help develop these markets to efficiently function as a marketing platform nearest to the farm gate.
    • They also ensure that the spirit of competition is encouraged and the principle of ‘farmer first’ is kept in mind.
    • Also, the act removes the conventional involvement of middlemen by allowing farmers to sell their crops in a free market. This is a progressive step towards a more robust farm economy.
    Source: The Hindu

    4) Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed


    The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, paid homage to Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, former President of India on his  Birth Anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (May 13, 2020).
    • Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (13 May 1905 – 11 February 1977) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the fifth President of India from 1974 to 1977. He was also the 2nd President of India to die in office.
    • He met Jawaharlal Nehru in England in 1925. He joined the Indian National Congress and actively participated in the Indian Freedom Movement. In 1942 he was arrested during the Quit India Movement and sentenced to 3 1/2 years' imprisonment. He was a member of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 1936 and of AICC from 1947 to 1974 and remained the Minister of Finance, Revenue, and labor in 1948 Gopinath Bordoloi Ministry
    • After Independence, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha (1952–1953) and thereafter became the Advocate-General of the Government of Assam. He was elected on Congress ticket to the Assam Legislative Assembly on two terms (1957–1962) and (1962–1967) from Jania constituency.
    • Subsequently, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Barpeta constituency, Assam in 1967 and again in 1971. In the Central Cabinet, he was given important portfolios relating to Food and Agriculture, Co-operation, Education, Industrial Development and Company Laws.

    Presidency

    • Ahmed was chosen for the presidency by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974, and on 20 August 1974, he became the second Muslim to be elected President of India. He is known to have issued the proclamation of emergency by signing the papers at midnight after a meeting with Indira Gandhi the same day. He used his constitutional authority as head of state to allow him to rule by decree once the Emergency in India was proclaimed in 1975.
    • He is well known among Indian diplomats for his visit to Sudan in 1975. He was the second Indian president to die in office, on 11 February 1977. His death occurred after he collapsed in his office while preparing to attend his daily Namaz prayer. The cause of his death was a heart attack. Today his grave lies right across the Parliament of India next to the Sunhari Masjid, at Sansad Chowk, in New Delhi.

    Honors

    • He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Pristina, in Kosovo, in 1975, during his visit to Yugoslavia.
    • He was elected President of the Assam Football Association and the Assam Cricket Association for several terms and was also the Vice-President of the Assam Sports Council.
    • In April 1967, he was elected President of the All India Cricket Association. He was a member of the Delhi Golf Club and the Delhi Gymkhana Club from 1961.
    • A medical college, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College has been named after him at Barpeta Assam.
    Source: PIB

    5) Smart Meters

    According to the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), the Smart Metering Programme (SMP) is helping electricity distribution companies (discoms) generate 95% of billing efficiency during the lockdown.
    • The discoms using smart meters have seen a 15-20% average increase in monthly revenue per consumer.
    • EESL, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, is the designated agency to implement the smart metering program in India.

    Key Points

    • Smart Meter National Programme:
      • It is being implemented to deploy smart meters across the country.
      • Under this program, a total of 12,06,435 smart meters have been installed to date to enhance consumer convenience and rationalize electricity consumption.
    • ​Smart Meters - Advanced meter devices having the capacity to collect information about energy, water, and gas usage at various intervals and transmitting the data through fixed communication networks to utility, as well as receiving information like pricing signals from utility and conveying it to consumers.
    • Innovation: With electricity demand expected to rise by 79 % in the next 10 years, India is on a path of transforming its energy mix with innovation.
    • Reduction in AT&C Losses:
      • To meet energy needs, along with enhancing energy production, the nation also needs to cut Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses to below 12% by 2022, and below 10% by 2027.
      • Smart meters minimize human intervention in metering, billing, and collection, and help reduce theft by identifying loss pockets.
    • Smart Meters are part of the Smart Grid:
      • A smart grid includes the creation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).
      • AMI describes the whole infrastructure from Smart Meter to a two way-communication network to control center equipment and applications that enable the gathering and transfer of energy usage information in near real-time.

    Benefits of Smart Meters

    • Operational Benefits: It incentivizes energy conservation by checking data-entry errors and billing efficiencies, and cutting the costs of manual meter reading through a web-based monitoring system.
    • Smart meters deployed can also switch to prepaid mode.
    • Benefits to Customers
      • It enhances consumer satisfaction through better complaint management, system stability, reliability, and transparency.
      • The new meters have the Time of Day (ToD) tariff feature which allows consumers to reschedule electricity usage to the off-peak hours and reduction in the bill amount significantly.

    Challenges

    • High Capital Costs: A full-scale deployment of smart meters requires expenditures on all hardware and software components, network infrastructure, and network management software, along with costs associated with the installation and maintenance and information technology systems.
    • Integration: Smart Meter is a complex system of technologies that must be integrated with utilities' information technology systems, including Customer Information Systems (CIS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Outage Management Systems (OMS), Mobile Workforce Management (MWM), Distribution Automation System (DAS), etc.
    • Standardization: Interoperability standards need to be defined, which set uniform requirements for technology, deployment, and general operations.
    • Release of Radiation: Unlike the electronic meter, the smart meter allows ‘communication’ among the consumer and the meter, hence there is a probability of release of radiation.
    Source: The Hindu

    6) Portable Device to Detect Adulteration in Milk

    Recently, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru have developed a low-cost device to detect the presence of melamine (adulterate) in milk and dairy products.

    Key Points

    • The techniques currently used to detect the presence of melamine are time-taking and typically require expensive and sophisticated equipment and highly trained personnel.
    • With the help of a newly developed fluorometer device
      • Researchers were able to detect up to 0.1 parts per million (ppm) of melamine in water and milk, which is much lower than the acceptable limit of 1 ppm.
      • The detection also took just four minutes.
    • Functioning:
      • Copper nanoparticles are added to the specified DNA (double-stranded) template of the milk and the sample is tested using the fluorometer.
      • Researchers observed that the presence of melamine in the sample disrupted the synthesis of copper nanoparticles on double-stranded DNA and caused a reduction in the intensity of fluorescence, which was detected by the fluorometer.
        • These copper nanoparticles possess a property called fluorescence in which a material emits light of a different wavelength (color) when a particular wavelength of light falls on it.
    • Fluorometer:
      • It is a device used to measure parameters of visible spectrum fluorescence i.e. intensity and wavelength.
      • These parameters are used to identify the presence and the number of specific molecules in a medium. E.g
        • The fluorometer can be used to detect biomolecules and proteins using the copper nanoparticles.
        • The device can also be modified to detect other substances such as lead and mercury.
      • Fluorometer can also be deployed as a screening tool for environmental and food quality testing.
    • Earlier, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had imposed a ban on all milk and milk products from China in September 2008.
      • In April 2019, FSSAI had recommended the extension of the ongoing ban till labs at Indian ports are equipped for melamine testing.
    • India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of milk.

    Melamine

    • Melamine is an organic base chemical most commonly found in the form of white crystals rich in nitrogen.
    • It is widely used in plastics, adhesives, countertops, dishware, whiteboards.
    • Used as adulterate:
      • To increase milk volume, water is added, as a result of this dilution, the milk has a lower protein concentration.
      • Companies normally check the protein level through a test measuring nitrogen content.
      • The addition of melamine increases the nitrogen content of the milk and therefore its apparent protein content.
    • Melamine poisoning can lead to kidney-related diseases and also kidney failure.
    Source: Indian Express

    7) Annulment of Election of MLA

    The Gujarat High Court has set aside the election of a BJP leader in 2017 on grounds of “corrupt practice” and “manipulation of record”.

    Key Points

    • The order passed on a petition, filed by the opposing Congress candidate, alleged that the returning officer had illegally rejected 429 votes received via postal ballot.
    • The Court held an election as void under Section 100(1)(d)(iv) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
    • The observation gains relevance since the number of rejected votes (429) was more than the victory margin (327).
    • The judgment also held that the instructions of the Election Commission were not followed, giving an unfair advantage to the winning candidate and thus materially affecting the election.

    Election to the State Legislature

    • The Constitution of India as well as the Parliament of India has laid down qualifications and disqualifications for being elected as a member of State Legislative Assembly and State Legislative Council.
    • We can study various provisions on the same in the table given below.

    Election Petition

    • The Constitution lays down that no election to the Parliament or the state legislature is to be questioned except by an election petition presented to such authority and in such manner as provided by the appropriate legislature.
    • Since 1966, the election petitions are triable by High Courts alone. Whereas the appellate jurisdiction lies with the Supreme Court alone.
    • Article 323 B empowers the appropriate legislature (Parliament or a state legislature) to establish a tribunal for the adjudication of election disputes.
      • It also provides for the exclusion of the jurisdiction of all courts (except the special leave appeal jurisdiction of the Supreme Court) in such disputes.
      • So far, no such tribunal has been established.
    • In Chandra Kumar case (1997), the clause of the exclusion of the jurisdiction of all courts in election disputes was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
    • Consequently, if at any time an election tribunal is established, an appeal from its decision lies to the high court.
    Source: Indian Express

    8) Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol

    • Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued the ‘Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020’ laying down guidelines for sharing such data with government agencies and third parties amid Covid-19 pandemic.
    • The executive order issued came amid concerns and privacy issues expressed by a number of experts over the efficacy and safety of the app.

    Aarogya Setu App

    • It has been launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
    • It will help people in identifying the risk of getting affected by the Coronavirus.
    • It will also help to calculate risk based on the user's interaction with others, using cutting edge Bluetooth technology, algorithms, and artificial intelligence.
    • Once installed on a smartphone, the app detects other nearby devices with Aarogya Setu installed.
    • The app will help the Government take necessary timely steps for assessing the risk of the spread of Covid-19 infection and ensuring isolation where required.

    Key Points

    • Description:
      • The issued Protocol intends to ensure that data collected from the app is gathered, processed, and shared in an appropriate way.
      • The violation of the protocol will lead to penalties under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
      • MeitY is designated as the agency responsible for the implementation of this Protocol. Further, the app’s developer, National Informatics Centre (NIC) shall be responsible for the collection, processing, and managing response data collected by the Aarogya Setu app under this Protocol.
      • Further, it also calls for the Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management to review the protocol after six months; unless extended. It will be in force only for six months from the date of its issue.
        • Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) is a Group of Ministers (GoM) of the Union Government appointed by the Cabinet or the Prime Minister for investigating and reporting on such matters as may be specified.
        • These EGoMs are also authorized to take decisions in such matters after investigation.
    • Definition of Individual:
      • The order states that the data pertaining to individuals is urgently required in order to formulate appropriate health responses for addressing the Covid-19 pandemic.
      • The Protocol clarifies that individuals mean persons who are infected or are at high risk of being infected or who have come in contact with infected individuals.
    • The categorization of Data:
      • The data collected by the Aarogya Setu app is broadly divided into four categories—
        • Demographic Data: It includes information such as name, mobile number, age, gender, profession, and travel history.
        • Contact Data: It is about any other individual that a given individual has come in close proximity with, including the duration of the contact, the proximate distance between the individuals, and the geographical location at which the contact occurred.
        • Self-assessment Data: It includes the responses provided by that individual to the self-assessment test administered within the app.
        • Location data: It comprises the geographical position of an individual in latitude and longitude.
      • The demographic data, contact data, self-assessment data, and location data are collectively called as response data.
    • Ground for Data Sharing:
      • The data can be shared only if it is strictly necessary to directly formulate or implement an appropriate health response.
      • It can also be shared for appropriate research work.
    • Allowed Entities to Access Data:
      • The response data containing personal data may be shared by the app’s developer with the Health Ministry, Health Departments of State/Union Territory governments/local governments, National and State Disaster Management Authorities, other ministries and departments of the central and state governments, and other public health institutions of the central, state and local governments.
      • It can also be shared further with any third parties that include the Indian universities or research institutions and research entities registered in India.
        • Further, the Protocol also empowers the above-mentioned universities and research entities to share the data with other such institutions.
    • Checks and Balances:
      • De-identified Form: Except for demographic data, the response data must be stripped of information that may make it possible to identify the individual personally. De-identification is the process used to prevent someone's personal identity from being revealed.
        • Stripped information must be assigned a randomly generated ID.
        • The Protocol also discourages reversal of de-identification and imposes penalties under applicable laws for the time being in force.
      • Maintenance of the List: The NIC needs to maintain a list of, the agencies with the time at which data sharing was initiated, the categories of such data, and the purpose of sharing the data.
      • Data Retention: Any entity with which the data has been shared shall not retain the data beyond 180 days from the day it was collected.
    • Concerns:
      • There is a need for a Personal data protection law to back the government’s decision to make the app mandatory for everyone.
        • The Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 is in the process of being approved by Parliament.
      • The clause for data sharing with third parties is open-ended and has the highest possibility of being misused. The stated list of the third parties with which the data can be shared would have been helpful.
      • Further, the process of de-identifying the data should have been detailed, given that reversing de-identification was not difficult.
    Source: Indian Express

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