Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 19 May 2020

::NATIONAL::

Centre drop order on wages after Supreme Court ruling

• The Union Home Ministry has dropped a crucial order that required all employers — shops, industry and commercial establishments — to pay wages to workers for the period the units were shut during lockdown.
• The order that has now been dropped also called for action against landlords who forced students and migrant workers to vacate the premises during the lockdown.
• Several companies had moved the Supreme Court against the order last week and the apex court asked the government to not take any coercive against them.
• Since the lockdown was first imposed on March 24, the Centre invoked provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which is binding on all States.
• District magistrates and Superintendents of Police are personally liable for the implementation of the orders issued under the DM Act.
• Clause III of the March 29 order said, “all the employers, be it in the industry or in the shops and commercial establishments, shall make payment of wages of their workers, at their workplaces, on the due date, without any deduction, for the period their establishments are under closure during the lockdown.”
• It also said, “wherever the workers, including the migrants are living in rented accommodation, the landlords of those properties shall not demand payment of rent for a period of one month. If any landlord is forcing labourers and students to vacate the premises, they will be liable for action under the Act.”

ADR study finds party funding from unknown sources

• More than half of the income of 23 regional parties whose annual audit and contribution reports were analysed came from unknown sources in 2018-19, a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Monday said.
• The report initially considered 52 recognised ...................................

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::ECONOMY::

Centre allocates 40000 cr for employment generation in rural India

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman yesterday unveiled the fifth and final tranche of financial stimulus and policy measures to help build a self-reliant India under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Campaign.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday in his address to the nation announced a special economic package equivalent to 10 per cent of India’s GDP, amounting to 20 lakh crore rupees.
• Addressing a media briefing in New Delhi, Finance Minister outlined structural reforms with focus on seven areas of MNREGA, Health and Education, Business during Covid, Decriminalisation of Company Act, Ease of doing business, Policy related to Public Sector Units, State government and resources related to it.
• Under the MNREGA scheme, an additional 40 thousand crore rupees will be allocated for employment generation in the rural parts of the country. She said, this will help to generate nearly 300 crore person days to provide relief to the migrant workers.

HRD ministry claims online digital education platforms to reach remotest areas of country

• Union Minister for Human Resources and Development Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has said that One nation, One Digital Platform and One Class, One Channel will ensure reach of quality education to farthest corners of the country.
• He said, the initiatives will boost the access and equity in .........................................................

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Online session of world health assembly held

• Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today participated in the 73rd World Health Assembly through video conference and highlighted the timely, graded and proactive measures taken by India towards COVID management. He said India undertook the COVID-19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment.
• The Minister said India took all necessary steps well in time, including surveillance at points of entry, evacuation of nationals stranded overseas, massive community surveillance through robust disease surveillance network, and strengthening of health infrastructure.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan urged upon all Governments, industry and philanthropy to prioritise the long term and pool their resources, to ensure everyone benefits.
• He said India is playing a key role in fostering bilateral and regional partnerships. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has supplied essential medicines to 123 nations as an expression of solidarity.

India backs EU resolution at WHO for probing corona crisis

• India has backed a European Union resolution seeking a probe into the response of World Health Organization during the Corona virus crisis around the world.
• It calls for an impartial, independent and .............................................

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Odisha tribals allege destruction of forest biodiversity

• Tribals of Pidadamaha village in Daringbadi block of Odisha’s Kandhamal district have alleged that without the consent of their gram sabha, Forest Department officials were trying to destroy the biodiversity of traditional community forest near their village.
• About 90 tribal families living in Pidadamaha protect the community forest near their village. The forest has been providing livelihood to these tribals as it contains fruit-bearing trees as well as several other forest produce.
• According to ‘Jungle Adhikar Committee’ of the village, in the recent past officials from the Brahmanigaon forest range arrived in their village to press them to support commercial plantation in the community forest.
• Inhabitants of Pidadamaha alleged that the Forest Department has not taken permission of the local gram sabha for the same. They have written to the authorities concerned in Kandhamal district on the issue.
• According to them, the department is planning to plant trees that will destroy the biodiversity of the forest near their village, affecting their livelihood.
• Green Nobel Prize winner and environmental activist Prafulla Samantara has taken up the issue. Mr. Samantara has written to the Governor seeking his intervention. Mr. Samantara said as per his information, the officials have already cut several trees in the forest affecting its biodiversity.
• “Forceful commercial plantation without approval of the local gram sabha is against the Forest Rights Act, 2006. It is undemocratic unconstitutional action in a scheduled area,” he said.

::SPORTS::

ICC panel recommends ban on use of saliva for shining ball

• The ICC’s Cricket Committee has recommended the prohibition of the use of saliva to shine the ball to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19 when the sport resumes.
• However, the committee has not barred the use of sweat. It has not allowed any external polishing material.
• The committee, chaired by former India captain and coach Anil Kumble, has also proposed that local umpires be appointed for matches in the short term to deal with international travel restrictions during the pandemic. It has also recommended an increase in reviews per innings through DRS for this.

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