Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 12 July 2021

::NATIONAL::

State’s population policy for 2021-2030

Uttar Pradesh government has launched the State’s population policy for 2021-2030.

Key objectives:

The new policy aims to

1. decrease the Total Fertility Rate from 2.7 to 2.1 by 2026 and 1.7 by 2030;

2. increase Modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate from 31.7 to 45 by 2026 and 52 by 2030;

3. increase male methods of contraception use from 10.8 to 15.1 by 2026 and 16.4 by 2030;

4. decrease Maternal Mortality Rate from 197 to 150 to 98 and Infant Mortality Rate from 43 to 32 to 22 and Under 5 Infant Mortality Rate from 47 to 35 to 25.

Targeting population stabilization, the draft of the policy also said the state would attempt to maintain a balance of population among the various communities.
The policy comes at a time when The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission has prepared a proposed draft bill for population control, under which a two-child norm would be implemented and promoted.
A person who will have more than two children after the law comes to force would be debarred from several benefits such as government sponsored welfare schemes, ration card units would be limited to four, and the person will be barred from contesting elections to local authority or any body of the local self-government, the draft says.
The person contravening the law would also become ineligible to apply for government jobs under the State government, will be barred from promotion in government services and will not receive any kind of subsidy.
The State’s policy also aims at increasing the life expectancy from 64.3 to 69 by 2030 and child sex ratio (0-6 years) from 899 to 919 by 2030.

Electing a Speaker, Deputy Speaker

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has been without a Speaker for most of this year.
Last week, it concluded its two-day Monsoon Session without electing a Speaker.

How they are elected?

The Constitution specifies offices like those of the President, Vice President, Chief Justice of India, and Comptroller and Auditor General of India, as well as Speakers and Deputy Speakers.
Article 93 for Lok Sabha and Article 178 for state Assemblies state that these Houses “shall, as soon as may be”, choose two of its members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The Constitution neither sets a time limit nor specifies the process for these elections. It leaves it to the legislatures to decide how to hold these elections.
In Lok Sabha and state legislatures, the President/Governor sets a date for the election of the Speaker, and it is the Speaker who decides the date for the election of the Deputy Speaker.
The legislators of the respective Houses vote to elect one among themselves to these offices.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Critical race theory

In the US, Republicans have been railing against ‘critical race theory’, with many state legislatures controlled by the party passing laws restricting how race can be taught in public schools.

About:

Critical race theory (CRT) is a body of legal scholarship and an academic movement of civil-rights scholars and activists in the United States.
It seeks to critically examine U.S. law as it intersects with issues of race in the U.S. and to challenge mainstream American liberal approaches to racial justice.
CRT examines American history through the lens of racism, and acknowledges that systemic racism is part of the country’s society.
CRT examines social, cultural and legal issues primarily as they relate to race and racism in the United States.
CRT originated in the mid-1970s in the writings of several American legal scholars.
It emerged as a movement by the 1980s, reworking theories of critical legal studies (CLS) with more focus on race.

STI-led BRICS Innovation Cooperation Action Plan (2021-24)

All BRICS countries have agreed to the STI-led BRICS Innovation Cooperation Action Plan (2021-24) proposed by India during the 12th meeting of the BRICS Science and Tech Steering Committee.

About:

Plan is to facilitate sharing of experiences of each other's innovation ecosystem in 10 thematic areas including anti-microbial resistance and big data analytics.
The details of the action plan will be worked out by the BRICS Science, Technology Innovation Entrepreneurship Partnership (STIEP) working group.
BRICS is the group composed by the five major emerging countries- Brazil, Russia, India,Chinaand South Africa.
It represents about 42% of the population, 23% of GDP, 30% of the territory and 18% of the global trade.
India took over chairmanship of BRICS to host 13th BRICS Summit in 2021.

::ECONOMY::

Inclusive Cities Center

Inclusive Cities Center Set up by National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
It aims to develop tools and frameworks for institutional strengthening of city authorities to promote inclusivity.
It will facilitate cities in evidence-based planning and investments to improve quality of life and productivity for all in general and vulnerable sections like women, urban poor, PWDsetc in particular.

About:

National Institute of Urban Affairs established in 1976,
It supports government for successful implementation of urban development projects such as Smart Cities Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, HRIDAY and AMRUT.

::SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY::

Lymphatic filariasis elephantiasis

Maharashtra government has flagged off its mass drug administration drive for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis.
Mass drug administration is one of the two pillars of the National Programme forElimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, under which anti-filaria drugs are administered to the eligible population once a year.
Lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease that occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes.
Symptoms include swelling of legs, and hydrocele and can cause a raft of societal stigma.

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::SPORTS::

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic became the first player to qualify for this year’s ATP Finals after the world number one tied Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal’s record with his 20th major at Wimbledon on Sunday.
Djokovic defeated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 6-3 in the final to seal a sixth Wimbledon title and qualify for the November 14-21 ATP Finals in Turin.
The 34-year-old, who is on course to finish the year as the top-ranked player for a record-breaking seventh time, has won 34 out of 37 matches this year.

Euro Cup 2020

Italy continued their 34-match winning streak as it defeated England in the final of Uefa European Championship (Euro 2020).
They Went into a penalty shootout after a 1-1 scoreline after extra time at the Wembley Stadium in London on Monday.
England missed three penalties in the shootout as Italy defeated England 3-2 in the Euro 2020 final.
The loss for the home team meant their search for a second major title after their 1966 World Cup, 55 years ago, and first European title continues.
For Italy, this is their second European title after 1968 and first major title since the 2006 World Cup win. This was their second final in the last three Euro editions.

Copa America 2021

Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in Saturday’s Copa America final to secure the national team’s first title in 28 years and the superstar’s first major international trophy.
Argentina’s winning goal at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro came in the 22nd minute after Rodrigo de Paul made a long pass to Angel di Maria.