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Current Affairs-10 IAS ACADEMY-RICE

SCHEMES FOR WOMEN ‘IN DANGER’

The Rajasthan Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said a universal maternity entitlement of at least Rs. 6,000 has been available as a right to all pregnant and lactating women in the country since 2013 with the passing of the National Food Security Act. Although Mr. Modi had presented it as an ‘original idea.

Civil rights groups have also questioned the eligibility criteria determining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s New Year’s eve announcement of a cash entitlement of Rs. 6,000 for pregnant women, saying its restriction to only the first two births would defeat its purpose.

NGTSTAYSMETRORAILWORKONRIVERBEDINPUNEThe western zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued an interim stay on a proposed portion of the metro rail route passing through the Mula-Mutha riverbed in the city on Monday.

The project, touted as a panacea for Pune’s nightmarish traffic woes, was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 24 amid much political acrimony between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) scrambling to take credit for it.

A two-judge bench of Justices U.D. Salvi and Dr. Ajay Deshpande passed the directive acting on an Environmental Interest Litigation (EIL) filed in the NGT on May 26 last year by a group of prominent Pune citizens, which contended that in the proposed metro rail alignment, a 1.7 km stretch passing through the left bank of the Mula-Mutha river could spell the death knell for the riverbank ecosystem along that route.

The petitioners in the EIL included Member of Parliament Anu Aga, senior journalist late Dileep Padgaonkar, architect Sarang Yadwadkar and environmentalist Aarti Kirloskar.

Phase I will be hit

A stay on work on this stretch, which falls on Line 2, will naturally affect work on the entire Phase I of the project.

The lawyer representing the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) proposed that the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which will implement the Pune Metro project, be made a respondent as well, to which the judges agreed

Biodiversity Monitoring Committee had corroborated the objections in the EIL against the Pune Metro, stressing that the present alignment on the Mutha riverbed, from the Panchaleshwar temple to Nava Pul, would allegedly “destroy the biodiversity of what remained of the riparian zone (the interface or space between the existing water and the actual riverbank) still untouched by urban incursions.

A riparian buffer is a vegetated area (a "buffer strip") near a stream, usually forested, which helps shade and partially protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses. It plays a key role in

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increasing water quality in associated streams, rivers, and lakes, thus providing environmental benefits.

It had noted that the removal of trees to make way for the project would severely rupture the natural habitat of birds of at least 18 different species and adversely affect 63 species of exotic flowering plants.

SEEKINGVOTESONRELIGIOUSBASISACORRUPTACT:SC

Terming religion a very private relationship between man and his God, a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on Monday, in a majority judgment, held that an appeal for votes during elections on the basis of religion, caste, race, community or language, even that of the electorate, will amount to a ‘corrupt practice’ and call for disqualification of the candidate.

“Election is a secular exercise and therefore a process should be followed – The relationship between man and God is an individual choice and state should keep this in mind,” the Supreme Court held in a majority judgment of 4:3. The court was interpreting the pronoun ‘his’ used in Section 123 (3) of the Representation of the People Act.

The provision mandates that it would amount to a ‘corrupt practice’ if a candidate or his agent or any other person, with his consent, appeals for votes on religious or such grounds.

The majority on the Bench — the Chief Justice and Justices Madan B. Lokur, S.A. Bobde and L. Nageshwara Rao — interpreted that Parliament meant by ‘his’ a complete ban on any reference or appeal to religion, race, community, caste and language during elections. This meant the pronoun extended to the social, linguistic and religious identity of the voter also.

Justice Lokur said the primary legislative aim of Section 123(3) of the Representation of People Act is to “curb communal and separatist tendencies in the country.”

He also said that by allowing a candidate to take advantage of the voters’ religious identity merely to gain votes would be a disservice to the “little man” and against public interest.

SUPREME COURT WIDENS BOUNDARIES OF JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ORDINANCE

In a blow to Ordinance Raj, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court widened the boundaries of judicial review to the extent that it can now examine whether the President or the Governor was spurred by an “oblique motive” to bypass the Legislature and promulgate an ordinance.

In case the apex court concludes that the President or the Governor was influenced by ulterior motives to promulgate the ordinance, such an act by the two constitutional authorities would amount to a fraud on their powers, the apex court held on Monday.

The satisfaction

“The satisfaction of the President under Article 123 and of the Governor under Article 213 is not immune from judicial review,” Justice D.Y. Chandrachud wrote in a common judgment with Justices S.A. Bobde, A.K. Goel, U.U. Lalit and L. Nageshwara Rao.

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Justice Chandrachud observed that the apex court would scrutinise whether the satisfaction of the President or the Governor to promulgate an ordinance was based on relevant material or whether it amounted to a “fraud on power or was actuated by an oblique motive.”

The seminal question

The seminal question that came up in reference before the seven-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur dealt with the constitutionality of seven successive re-promulgations of The Bihar Non-Government Sanskrit Schools (Taking Over of Management and Control) Ordinance of 1989. The State government had approached the Supreme Court after the High Court of Patna declared that repeated re-promulgation of the ordinances was unconstitutional after relying on the D.C. Wadhwa judgment on the dos and don’ts of promulgation of ordinances by another Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in 1986.

Confirming the High Court’s view, Justice Chandrachud, supported by Chief Justice Thakur in a separate judgment, held that “re-promulgation of ordinances is a fraud on the Constitution and a subversion of democratic legislative processes.”

Mandatory obligation

“The requirement of laying an ordinance before Parliament or the State Legislature is a mandatory constitutional obligation cast upon the government,” Justice Chandrachud held in the common judgment.

GOVERNMENT TARGETING HOUSES FOR 44 LAKH PEOPLE WITH POWER, WATER, LPG

Pursuing its aim of providing ‘homes not houses’, the Centre on Monday said it will not only ensure roof over head of as many as 44 lakh rpt lakh people in the next financial year but will also provide them LPG, power and water connections.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin) or PMAY, the Centre will directly transfer about Rs 1.30 lakh and Rs 1.50 lakh in accounts of the beneficiaries staying in plain areas and hilly areas respectively, announced Rural Development Secretary Amarjeet Sinha.

The broader aim is to ensure homes to those who are homeless and concrete houses to those staying in kachha houses,” he said adding that Centre also requested states to transfer land in name of those beneficiaries who are homeless

It is estimated that about 60 per cent of beneficiaries for whom these houses will be constructed belong to SC and ST communities.

The work for selection and validation of beneficiaries under the PMAY has been completed. The scheme will be on DBT (direct benefit transfer) mode.

The government has provided training to 30,000 masons for construction of houses which are being designed as per local geography.

In a bid to boost rural and urban housing post demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on eve of New Year announced interest subsidy of up to 4 per cent on loans taken under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana.

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Announcing a slew of measures, Modi in his national address had also said 33 per cent more homes will be built for the poor under this scheme in rural areas.

Besides, in urban areas housing loans of up to Rs 9 lakh and up to Rs 12 lakh will receive interest subsidy of 4 per cent and 3 per cent respectively, while in rural areas loans up to Rs 2 lakh will get an interest subvention of 3 per cent.

RAILWAYS TO PROCURE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE PASSENGER SAFETY

The Railways has decided to procure the latest technology on a "war footing" to ensure passenger safety and reduce dependence on manual systems.

The railways will procure modern equipment for faster detection of fracture on rail tracks.

Besides, experts from Japan and Korea would examine the existing safety mechanism and suggest ways to strengthen it. Prabhu said all railway officers have been instructed to involve in inspection on a regular basis.

PSUs under railways, like IRCON, RITES and RVNK would also be involved in checking safety parameters and suggest measures to repair loopholes, if any.

Ircon International Limited (IRCON) is an engineering and construction company, specialized in transport infrastructure. The company was established in 1976, by the Government of India under The Companies Act, 1956. IRCON was registered as the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited, a wholly owned entity of the Ministry of Railways.

RITES Limited (earlier known as Rail India Technical and Economic Service) is an engineering consultancy company, specializing in the field of transport infrastructure. Established in 1974 by the Government of India, the company's initial charter was to provide consultancy services in rail transport management to operators in India and abroad

SERVICE CHARGE BY RESTAURANTS, HOTELS NOT MANDATORY: CENTRE

The Centre announced that service charge on a food bill is not compulsory and a customer can choose to have it waived if not satisfied with the experience.

The Union Consumer Affairs Ministry also asked the states to ensure that hotels/ restaurants disseminate this information through displays at their premises.

Arbitrary surcharge being levied as part of the bill by some hotels and restaurants in the name of service charge has been a major sore point with consumers, with many consumer rights groups also filing complaints with the government over this practice.

Highlighting provisions under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, the ministry said the law provides that a trade practice which, for the purpose of promoting the sale, use or the supply of any goods or for the provision of any service, adopts any unfair method or deceptive practice, is to be treated as an unfair trade practice.

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The Ministry had also sought a clarification from the Hotel Association of India, which replied that “service charge is completely discretionary and should a customer be dissatisfied with the dining experience, he/she can have it waived”.

The Association said it was “deemed to be accepted voluntarily”.

A consumer can make a complaint to the appropriate consumer forum against such unfair trade practices.

“The Department of Consumer Affairs has asked the state governments to sensitise the companies, hotels and restaurants in the states regarding aforementioned provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986

CONSUMERPROTECTIONACT,1986

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1986 to protect the interests of consumers in India. It makes provision for the establishment of consumer councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumers' disputes and for matters connected therewith.

Consumer Protection Council

Consumer Protection Councils are established at the national, state and district level to increase consumer awareness.

The Central Consumer Protection Council

The Central Govt. shall by notification establish with effect from such date as it may specify in such notification a Council to be known as the Central Consumer Protection Council

Consumer Disputes Redressal Agencies

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (DCDRF): Also known as the "District Forum" established by the State Government in each district of the State. The State Government may establish more than one District Forum in a district. It is a district level court that deals with cases valuing up to 2 million (US$30,000).

State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC): Also known as the "State Commission" established by the State Government in the State. It is a state level court that takes up cases valuing less than 10 million (US$150,000)

National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): Established by the Central Government.

Objectives

The objectives of the act is to promote and protect the rights of the consumers such as:-

1. The right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property.

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2. The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or services,

3. The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices or restrictive trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers; and

4. The right to consumer education. 5. The right against consumer exploitation 6. The right to choose

PRAVASIDIVASTHISYEARTOHIGHLIGHTSOCIALINNOVATIONS

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2017, annual global convention for the Indian diaspora, will focus on social innovators, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday.

The January 7 to 9 conclave to be held in Bangalore will be the first full-fledged festival of diaspora Indians under a new format adopted by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

The event will be attended by more than 4,000 delegates and high-power delegations from Mauritius, Malaysia and Qatar.

Highlight of the PBD 2017 is ‘social innovations by Indians’. Twenty social innovations will be highlighted. There will also be a contest of innovators and the winner will get an award of 1 lakh.

The highpoint of the event would be the award for the ‘ Pravasi achievers’ (Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards) that will be conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee on January 9.

The current format of the PBD 2017, which was first announced by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during the annual conference of 2016, generated interest as reports had indicated participation by delegates who trace their origin to Pak-occupied Kashmir.

QUOTASAREFORJUSTICE,NOTTOPLUGJOBHOLES

Reservation is not a programme for poverty-removal.

It is to remove the monopoly of a few castes in administration.

A major issue that recently bedevilled the nation is that of the agitations by the Patels/Patidars in Gujarat, the Marathas in Maharashtra and the Jats in Haryana and neighbouring states, demanding inclusion in the list of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEdBCs) and provisions for reservation on that basis. This is in conflict with the Constitution.

These are dominant castes whose members are major landowners in their states. Some of these castes have leveraged their advantageous position in agriculture to diversify and enter business, trade and industry in addition to state services. The national and state backward class commissions have found that these communities are not socially and educationally backward and not inadequately represented in the services. Therefore, their past requests for inclusion in SEdBC lists have been rejected by governments.

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The Constitution provides reservation for three social classes as a part of comprehensive social justice measures to secure equality for them: Scheduled Castes (SCs), victims of “un touchability” under the caste system with all-round deprivation, discrimination and disadvantage; Scheduled Tribes (STs), sufferers of isolation under vulnerable “tribal” conditions with all-round deprivation and disadvantage; Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, victims of “social backwardness”, a low position in the traditional caste hierarchy and linkages with “lowly” traditional occupations.

There must be clarity on why reservation came into existence. Reservation was adopted in the presidencies and princely states of the peninsula well before Independence. Reservation is not a programme for the removal or amelioration of poverty and unemployment. It was instituted to remove the imbalance in governance and administration, the monopoly of a few castes and the exclusion of castes that account for the vast majority of the population. With the Constitution, reservation also became an integral part of the basic structure of measures required for the elimination of inherited inequality, based on caste with “untouchability”, and for social equality, a basic feature of the Constitution.

The motivation for the present demand of some SACs is that they find persons from castes which they once looked down upon coming up through reservation. The SACs find it difficult to stomach the limited progress of Dalits, Adivasis and SEdBCs, in admission to educational institutions and employment, and also in positions such as presidents and chairpersons of panchayats and municipalities.

Another reason mentioned in support of the SAC demand is the fragmentation of lands and difficulties faced by certain industries like Surat’s diamond trade — these economic exigencies by themselves cannot be the criterion for recognising a caste as socially backward. It is true that there are difficulties in agriculture and cyclical problems in industry; the solution for these must be found through appropriate policies. The genuinely poor among the SACs deserve sympathy and help through an appropriate dispensation — the solution for them is not inclusion in the list of SEdBCs and reservation.

Socially Advanced Castes and Socially Backward Lists are a patent contradiction in terms, but measures like scholarships and education loans, so that no youth has to drop out at any stage due to financial incapacity, can be put into effect.

The political class should desist from such behaviour and take an unequivocal stand that SACs cannot be included in the list of Socially Backward Classes — the genuinely poor among them will be given appropriate relief and help, but not reservation. The leaders of the SACs have the duty to guide SACs along these lines.

GoodNewsForSolarInstallationInIndia

According to Mercom Capital Group Solar installations in India are expected to reach over 4 GW in 2016 compared to 2.3 GW installed in 2015. Mercom reiterates its 2017 solar installation forecast of over 9 GW is by adding the cumulative installations including large-scale and rooftop projects in the country have reached 9.6 GW. Of the 4 GW to be installed in 2016, 3.7 GW are expected to be utility-scale projects and about 275 MW are expected to be rooftop projects, it said.

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The country's solar development pipeline is now more than 14.2 GW with about 6.3 GW of projects tendered and pending auction. Government agencies have announced solar tenders of 3,781 MW during September-December 2016 and auctioned about 1,311 MW. Auction activity has slowed over the last three months, it said. The statement said that the project development landscape has changed significantly over the last quarter largely due to Chinese module price declines. The average selling prices (ASPs) of Chinese modules in India have declined approximately 10 per cent since August and by about 30 percent over the last 12 months. This decline in prices has provided a much-needed boost to developers that won projects at low bids and were struggling to make project economics work, it said. The report says that the major concerns for the industry are currently around transmission, evacuation, curtailment, timely payments and the outcome of the goods and services tax (GST). Solar park development is experiencing some setbacks due to incomplete infrastructure. In some cases, developers are incurring expenses to clean the land, build roads, and are waiting for power to be evacuated after commissioning. All of this is having a negative effect on project costs and profitability. The government announced demonetisation on November 8, 2016 to end the use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as legal tender. While the effects of note ban have caused chaos across the country, Mercom's research indicates a possible overall positive outcome for the power sector, it said. India's share of solar generation continues to grow with 16.7 percent of new power generating capacity added, as of November 2016. Solar accounted for almost one per cent of electricity generated from April-October (FY 2016-2017), 50 per cent more than all of FY 2015-2016. The top 10 states account for about 90 per cent of all solar installations and pipeline, are--Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.

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