Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 21 October 2020

::NATIONAL::

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar today unveiled preparation framework for Block and District development plans.
This framework is a step-by-step guide for Block and District Panchayats to formulate plans and will assist planners, concerned stakeholders at appropriate level.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Tomar expressed hope that this framework will promote inclusive development at the block and district levels by focusing on locally available resources, local people's aspirations and priority areas.
He said, the framework will serve as an important tool for all resource persons, stakeholders associated with decentralized planning in block and district panchayats and will play an important role in transforming rural India.
The 73rd amendment to the Constitution of India formalized the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, Gram Panchayat at village level, intermediate Panchayat at Block, taluka level and District Panchayat at district level.
A total of 60 thousand 750 crore rupees is to be distributed to the Panchayats in the year 2020-21.

The poll spending limit for candidates contesting LokSabha and Assembly elections has been enhanced by 10 percent.
Centre has approved this based on the recommendation of the Election Commission that contestants be allowed to spend more on campaigning keeping in mind difficulties they may face due to COVID-19 curbs.
The notification issued by the Law Ministry last night said the maximum expenditure a candidate can incur for campaigning in LokSabha polls is now Rs. 77 lakh.It was Rs. 70 lakh earlier.
The last time the expenditure ceiling was enhanced was ahead of the LokSabha polls in 2014.For Assembly election, it has been hiked from Rs. 28 lakh to Rs. 30.80 lakh.
Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and a few Union Territories, based on the size of their constituencies and population, have a lower ceiling on poll expenditure.

The government has said that total Foreign Direct Investment- FDI inflow grew by 55 per cent from 231.37 billion dollar in 2008 to 2014 to over 358 billion dollar in 2014 to 2020.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a statement said, FDI equity inflow also increased by 57 per cent from around 160 billion dollar during 2008-14 to over 252 billion dollar in 2014-2020.
The Ministry said, during April to August this year, total FDI inflow of 35.73 billion is received.
It is the highest ever for first 5 months of a financial year and 13 per cent higher as compared to first five months of 2019-20.
It said, FDI is a major driver of economic growth and an important source of non-debt finance for the economic development of India.
It has been the endeavour of the Government to put in place an enabling and investor friendly FDI policy.

The Reserve Bank of India has said that there is no violation of any law of the nation in bringing the cooperative banks under its supervisory control.
In an affidavit filed in the Madras High Court today, the RBI has said, the recent legislation enacted in Parliament is aimed at regulating banking.
It further said that the law is aimed at safeguarding the interests of the depositors and the public.
It said, the laws governing the cooperatives vary from state to state and therefore, the banking activities being done by them require a national law.
It further said, the RBI is empowered to regulate any banking activity including those by the cooperative bodies.
It pointed out that 430 urban cooperative banks in the country have lost their banking licenses due to very poor financial positions.
Earlier, two cooperative banks in Tamil Nadu filed the petitions against the Central Government ordinance bringing them under the RBI control. The ordinance has since been replaced by a law.

The India Vietnam Business Forum was organised virtually today.Speaking on the occasion, Secretary (East), External Affairs Ministry, Riva Ganguly Das reaffirmed the growing bilateral trade and investment ties between India and Vietnam.
She said, trade between India and Vietnam has grown steadily and presently stands at 12.34 billion dollars in 2019-20.
Export basket from India to Vietnam includes bovine meat, fishery products, corn, steel, pharmaceuticals, cotton, machinery while imports from Vietnam include mobile phones, electrical machinery and equipment, computers, electronic hardware, natural rubber, chemicals, and coffee.
The Secretary said, the bilateral trade turnover is still not commensurate with the levels of economic development and more needs to be done to broaden and intensify the trade relations to achieve its full potential.

India today participated in 18th meeting of Prosecutors General of SCO via video conference.
Representing India, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said India has zero tolerance to corruption and black money.
He also highlighted government’s flagship PradhanMantri Jan DhanYojna, saying it has expanded India’s financial architecture.AIR Beijing Correspondent reports, India is keeping its engagements up at SCO.
Today’s meeting of Prosecutors, agreed to strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating corruption, mutual legal assistance and exchange of regulatory legal acts.
India will host the next meeting of Prosecutors General in 2021. SCO Law ministers met last week and SCO Trade Ministers will meet next week.
The eight member bloc will meet for this year’s SCO Council of Heads of Govt on 30th Nov which will be hosted by India.The SCO Summit will be held in early November.

The Army has significantly improved its electronic surveillance along the Line of Control (LoC) to check infiltration, and work on converting the existing border fence into a smart fence integrated with several sensors is under way, several officers have said.
However, there is a rethink on converting the entire fence over a 700 km stretch into a smart one due to the high cost. A hybrid model is now being adopted.
“The new hybrid model of the smart fence being tested will cost around ₹10 lakh per km and 60 km is being attempted this year,” a senior officer on the ground said.
The fence will be integrated with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors, infrared sensors and cameras among others.
In recent months, the Army has beefed up troops close to the LoC to plug gaps and it has resulted in a drop in infiltration this year.
Lt. Gen. B.S. Raju, General Officer Commanding, 15 Corps, said that while the multi-tier anti-infiltration grid remains in place, the first tier has been strengthened. Troops have also been given drones, both big and small, to monitor the ground.

The doping charges brought against Bahrain’s women’s 400m World champion Salwa Eid Naser, 22, have been dismissed, Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Tuesday.
She was provisionally suspended in June and charged with failing to meet ‘whereabouts’ criteria.