Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 14 August 2016

:: National ::

Govt notifies significant changes to OBC list

• The Union government has notified several significant changes to the Central List of OBCs toward including, amending and deleting the list pertaining to Andhra Pradesh, and for including several OBCs in the list for Telangana.

• This is based on the recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), a permanent body that determines the backwardness or otherwise of a caste/community.

• 87 castes/communities have been included in the Telangana list, making them eligible for reservation.

• Significant inclusions are the Dasari and Jangam communities, which are traditionally engaged in begging, and the Odde and Kurmi communities.

• The Commission is empowered under an Act of Parliament to examine requests for the inclusion of any class of citizens as a Backward Class in the list, take up claims on a periodic basis for consideration and recommendation.

• It is also empowered to hear complaints of over-inclusion and under-inclusion of any Backward Class in such lists, and advise the Central Government as it deems appropriate.

• It was constituted underSection 3 of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 (27 of 1993) as a follow up to the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations.

Elephant corridors identified by WWF-India

• The Wayanad leg of a Central project to restore elephant corridors has remained a non-starter owing to the apathy of Revenue Department officials and lack of coordination between departments.

• The project is aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict in Wayanad.

• The studies suggested the revival of the Pakramthalam-Periya, Periya-Kottiyur, Nilambur-Gudallur, Thirunelly-Kuddrakode, and South Wayanad-Malabar sanctuary elephant corridors in the Wayanad region.

• The Forest Department had given priority to the Periyar-Kottiyur corridor, which connects the North Wayanad forest division and the Aralam WildlifeSanctuary.

• The Centre approved the project in 2007 at an estimate of Rs.7.89 crore and allocated Rs.4.5 crore in 2008.

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:: International ::

India- China talks about India’s entry into NSG

• India on Saturday offered a new “mechanism” of talks to China on the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) issue.

• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also expressed concern to the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

• The proposed talks featuring the Directors-General on disarmament issues on both sides would be a new track to convince China about India’s needs to be integrated into the global nuclear technology market.

• External Affairs Minister outlined importance of meeting our clean energy goals in the context of COP-21. Offered to discuss any technical issues China may have. It was agreed that the DGs of Disarmament of the two countries would meet soon.

• The proposal for a separate track for discussion on nuclear issues came weeks after India failed to get into the NSG during the June 23-24 plenary of the organisation in Seoul.

• India had said “only one country” (indirectly referring to China) had raised a procedural objection to India’s inclusion into the NSG.

• China had opposed India’s candidature saying that its application for membership lacked merit as India had not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

• So far, India and China maintained the mechanism of bilateral dialogue at the level of Special Representatives (SR), which covers comprehensive diplomatic and strategic affairs.

• Ms. Swaraj also “urged” China to reconsider its opposition to India’s UN-level campaign to blacklist Pakistan-based terror mastermind Masood Azhar, who is wanted for his role in multiple terror attacks including in Pathankot.

• China had placed a “technical hold” or a diplomatic note of opposition to India’s campaign to include Azhar on the list of “globally designated terrorists”.

• The “technical hold” will turn into a formal blockade in early September unless China cooperates.

:: Business and Economy ::

Off-grid solar can meet India’s power demand

• The slow pace of capacity addition in the solar sector has created room for a variety of off-grid solar solutions to grow and provide electricity to those as yet not connected to the power grid, according to a private sector industry leader.

• Off-grid solar is increasingly being viewed as the way to bring sustainable and cheap lighting to the vast segments of India that are yet to be connected to the electricity grid, especially in difficult terrain.

• “Over 300 million people in India don’t have access to the electricity grid and are living in complete darkness,” Ms. Modi added.

• The coming together of various factors, both external and domestic, has meant that there are several types of household solar products entering the market, ranging from simple solar lanterns powered by in-built solar panels, to entire solar invertors that use rooftop solar panels.

• These off-grid solar solutions, apart from helping the government meet its renewable energy target, also provide economical savings — both to the government and the consumer.

• “The government is spending Rs.30,000 crore a year on importing kerosene, which is a complete waste of foreign exchange,” Ms. Modi said.

• “The average rural household uses 18 litres of kerosene a month, 12 of which are used only for lighting. The rest is for cooking. They spend Rs.150 a month only on kerosene.”

• However, despite some cost factors easing in the off-grid solar industry, others still pinch, leading to economic activity that could have taken place in India moving to China instead.

• The battery makes up 30 per cent of the cost of the product, according to Ms Modi, and the company has to pay a 30 per cent duty on its import. This renders making solar lanterns and invertors in India economically unviable.

Govt to do away with the minimum educational qualification for public transport drivers

• The Centre has proposed doing away with the minimum educational qualification for public transport drivers.

• At present, it is compulsory for drivers of all commercial vehicles, such as buses, trucks and taxis, to clear class VIII at the school-level before applying for a driving licence.

• The Centre has proposed diluting this requirement in the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill of 2016 which was introduced in Lok Sabha earlier this week.

• Taxi drivers may no longer need to have one year’s driving experience in a private vehicle before being eligible for a commercial vehicle licence, provided that one has undergone specialised training from any government accredited driving school.

• At present, driving a private vehicle for at least one year is a must before one can get a learner’s licence to drive a public transport vehicle.

• As per the plan, the Central government will empower a body to certify schools to impart training to aspirant drivers across the country.

• The official said that a “structured training programme” will be formulated by the Centre, possibly with the help of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) so that faster issuance of transport licences is possible.

• The training programme will likely be for 2-3 months and may focus on core driving skills, latest technology exposure, vehicle maintenance, soft skills, discipline and health and hygiene of the drivers, the official said.Remedial training

• At present, after the applicant has failed the test of competence more than three times, he or she can re-apply only after two months of appearing for the test.

• Now, the applicant will also have to undergo this remedial training course compulsorily.

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Sources: Various News Papers & PIB

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