Daily Current Affairs 9 January 2022 | Daily News Teller

 Current Affairs of today are

1) Transparency and social accountability law

• The demand has revived in Rajasthan for the enactment of a transparency and social accountability law.
• A ‘Jawabdehi Yatra’ (accountability march) organized by civil rights groups, which covered 13 districts in the State during the last fortnight, has once again brought the issue to the forefront.
• Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had expressed his resolve to enact the legislation in his Budget speech in 2019 and later assured that the accountability law would incorporate the provisions of the Guaranteed Delivery of Public Services Act and the Right to Hearing Act.
• The committee appointed by the State government had laid emphasis on evolving a legal framework to guarantee accountability to the citizens and highlighted the limitations in the existing administrative system which prevented timely delivery of services. Representatives of Suchna Evum Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan were also members of the committee

About the bill

• The draft Bill has incorporated the suggested provisions for transparency in governance, citizens’ participation, public hearing, social audit, information and facilitation centers, decentralization of the process, and establishment of an independent grievance redressal structure. The mechanism for redressing grievances will start from village panchayats and involve public hearings at the block level.
• Countless citizens were suffering from an inability to access their rights and have their complaints redressed in a time­bound manner because of the absence of the law.

Source: The Hindu

2) LCA MK-­1A

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) expects to deliver all Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas in the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) variant to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2022 while the LCA MK­-1A, with specific enhancements, will take flight by the middle of this year
• Last February the Defence
• HAL will be attempting at least 6­8 aircraft (LCA) this year. All 10 aircraft are already ready, there are some systems to be delivered from Israel. If that happens in time, we can deliver all 10
• Ministry had signed a ₹48,000 crore deal with HAL to supply 83 LCA MK­1A to the IAF. HAL will be delivering the first three aircraft in 2024 and 16 aircraft per year for the subsequent five years, the Defence Ministry had stated earlier
• To ramp up production, HAL has already set up two additional assembly lines. Stating that all three LCA assembly lines are operational now, the back end of the lines is what they are finishing now including supply of sub­assemblies by vendors
• The design for LCA MK-­2, a much bigger aircraft, has been frozen and some of the manufacturing activities have started. Hopefully, by this year-end or early 2023 HAL should have the first roll-out of the aircraft, and one year after that it will be taken to the skies
• The LCA MK­2 features enhanced range and endurance including Onboard Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS), which is being integrated for the first time. Heavy stand-off weapons will also be integrated on the MK­-2. The MK­-2 will be a heavier and much more capable aircraft than the current LCA variants with the aircraft 1350mm longer, featuring canards, and can carry a payload of 6,500 kg compared to 3,500 kg by the LCA.

Source: The Hindu

3) Ayurvedic kit

• The Ministry of AYUSH has developed an Ayurvedic kit for increasing immunity to combat the variants of COVID­-19
• Ministry has developed an Ayurvedic kit named Ayuraksha Kit comprising Chyavanprash, Sanshmani Vati, Anu Taila, and Ayush Kwath to increase immunity in the fight against the coronavirus. Together with yoga, it can help in maintaining fitness during the pandemic

Source: The Hindu

4) Orang National Park

• The gharial wiped out from the Brahmaputra River system in the 1950s, could be the prime beneficiary of a process to expand an Assam tiger reserve that shed its “Congress connection” five months ago. 
• The Assam government had on January 3 issued a preliminary notification for adding 200.32 sq. km to the 78.82 sq. km Orang National Park, the State’s oldest game reserve about 110 km northeast of Guwahati
• Much of the area to be added comprises the Brahmaputra river and the sandbars or islands in it, some cultivated by locals or used as sheds for livestock.
• Orang, on the northern bank of the river, is strategic to the Kaziranga Orang Riverine Landscape. Tigers and rhinos are known to use the islands in this riverine landscape, about 180 km long, to hop between Orang and Kaziranga. 
• The government is pursuing a policy for the reintroduction of the gharial that became locally extinct more than six decades ago. With better protection, the stretch of Kaziranga­Orang landscape is ideal for sustaining the gharial
• The Gangetic dolphin is also expected to be a beneficiary of the final notification of the addition to Orang, expected to take at least three months after the rights and claims are settled. 
• There are a few points within the riverine landscape where the endangered dolphin thrives. The landscape has 16 species of turtles that need more conservation too
• One of the four major rhino habitats in Assam, Orang was recognized as a tiger reserve in 2016
• Other national parks in Assam are Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Dibru-­Saikhowa, Raimona and Dehing Patkai.

Source: The Hindu

5) Urea and DAP Production by using 'Green Hydrogen

• Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a high-level meeting to make Atmanirbhar Bharat in Urea and DAP Production by using 'Green Hydrogen. 
• In the Independence Day speech on 15.08.2021, Prime Minister announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission and stated the goal to make India a global hub for Green Hydrogen production and export. The Mission proposes a framework for inter alia creating demand for Green Hydrogen in sectors such as petroleum refining and fertilizer production; support for indigenous manufacturing of critical technologies; Research & Development activities; and an enabling policy and regulatory framework. The proposed steps will lead to the development of additional renewable energy capacity for Green Hydrogen production.

Source: PIB

6) Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

• According to the SBI Research report on ECLGS:
• The scheme has saved 13.5 lakh firms from going bankrupt and consequently 1.5 crore jobs.
• In absolute terms, MSME loan accounts worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore were saved.
• Almost 93.7 percent of such accounts are in the micro and small category.
• Amongst the states, Gujarat has been the biggest beneficiary, followed by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

About the scheme:

• The scheme was launched as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package announced in May 2020 to mitigate the distress caused by coronavirus-induced lockdown, by providing credit to different sectors, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• 100% guarantee coverage is being provided by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company, whereas Banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) provide loans.
• The credit will be provided in the form of a Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility.
• No Guarantee Fee shall be charged by NCGTC from the Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) under the Scheme.
• Interest rates under the Scheme shall be capped at 9.25% for banks and FIs, and at 14% for NBFCs.
• In August 2020, the scheme was extended to Mudra borrowers and Individual loans for business purposes.
• On Nov 20, the scheme was extended through ECLGS 2.0 for 26 sectors identified by the Kamath Committee and for the Health Care sector up to Mar 21, for entities with outstanding credit of above Rs.50 crore and not exceeding Rs.500 crore.
• The scheme is expected to provide credit to the sector at a low cost, thereby enabling MSMEs to meet their operational liabilities and restart their businesses.
• By supporting MSMEs to continue functioning during the current unprecedented situation, the Scheme is also expected to have a positive impact on the economy and support its revival.

Source: PIB

7) Election Expenditure Limit

The Election Commission of India has raised the expenditure limit for candidates contesting elections.

The following changes have been made:

• The expenditure limit for candidates for Lok Sabha constituencies was increased from Rs 54 lakh-Rs 70 lakh (depending on states) to Rs 70 lakh-Rs 95 lakh.
• The spending limit for Assembly constituencies was hiked from Rs 20 lakh-Rs 28 lakh to Rs 28 lakh- Rs 40 lakh (depending on states).
• The enhanced amount of Rs 40 lakh would apply in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab and ₹28 lakh in Goa and Manipur.

Election Expenditure Limit:

• Under Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, every candidate shall keep a separate and correct account of all expenditure incurred between the date on which they have been nominated and the date of declaration of the result.
• All candidates are required to submit their expenditure statement to the ECI within 30 days of the completion of the elections.
• An incorrect account or expenditure beyond the cap can lead to disqualification of the candidate by the ECI for up to three years, under Section 10A of RPA, 1951.
• The last major revision in the election expenditure limit for candidates was carried out in 2014, which was further increased by 10 percent in 2020.
• The same year, ECI was also formed to study the cost factors and other related issues, and make suitable recommendations.
• Limits on campaign expenditure are meant to provide a level-playing field for everyone contesting elections. It ensures that a candidate can’t win only because she is rich.
• The 255th Report of the Law Commission on electoral reforms argued that unregulated or under-regulated election financing could lead to “lobbying and capture, where a sort of quid pro quo transpires between big donors and political parties/candidates”.
• The EC has asked the government to amend the R P Act and Rule 90 of The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, to introduce a ceiling on campaign expenditure by political parties in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
• It should be either 50% off or not more than the expenditure ceiling limit provided for the candidate multiplied by the number of candidates of the party contesting the election.
• The limit will ensure a level playing field for all political parties and curb the menace of unaccounted money in elections.
• It will also control the money power used by political parties and their allies.
• Supreme Court of India has said that money is bound to play an important part in the successful pursuit of an election campaign in the Kanwar Lal Gupta Vs Amarnath Chawla case.
• Voters get influenced by the visibility of a candidate and party and huge election spending thus impact voters’ choice.

Various Committees and Commissions in this regard:

• Law Commission of India- 170th Report on “Reform of the Electoral Laws” in 1999.
• Election Commission of India- Report in 2004 on “Proposed Electoral Reforms”.
• Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms in 1990.
• Vohra Committee Report in 1993.
• Indrajeet Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections in 1998.
• National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution in 2001.
• Second Administrative Reforms Commission in 2008.

Recently, the Law Commission in its 255th Report has also made several recommendations on electoral reforms under 3 categories namely viz:

• Limits on political contribution and party candidate expenditure.
• Disclosure norms and requirements.
• State funding of elections.
• These recommendations of the Law Commission are under consideration by the government.

Source: The Hindu