Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 24 August 2019

::NATIONAL::

VP confirms India’s stand of non-acceptance of mediation in internal matters

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has said that India would not accept interference or mediation in the internal affairs of the country. He asserted that restructuring of Jammu Kashmir state was aimed at improving governance and fostering inclusive and equitable growth.
An official release today said that Mr Naidu made the statement while addressing 60 heads of Estonian diplomatic missions along with the Foreign Minister of Estonia, UrmasReinsalu on the last day of his tri-nation tour to the Baltic Region.
The Vice President arrived in New Delhi this morning after completing a series of official engagements in Estonia on the last leg of his tour.
Mr Naidu decried attempts to spread misinformation and internationalize the re-structuring of Jammu & Kashmir, which was purely an administrative matter and within the purview of the Indian government.
The release further said that the Vice President urged all members of the UN to demonstrate a collective political will for early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism which was proposed by India in 1996.
Mr Naidu also called for comprehensive reform of the UNSC and sought support for India's claim to permanent membership of the UN body.

Centre initiates measures to control onion prices

With onion supplies falling prey to hoarders and profiteers at entry points to Delhi, the Union government has asked the police from all the neighbouring States to take action to prevent artificial shortage in the Capital.
The issue was raised at a meeting called to review the prices of essential commodities such as onions, pulses and oilseeds under the chairmanship of Consumer Affairs Secretary Avinash K. Srivastava.
Police from all neighbouring States have been asked to hold regular meetings with each other and ensure seamless checks on hoarding both within the Capital and in other States, as well as at entry points along the border, said an official statement.
Heavy rain in key onion-growing States such as Maharashtra and Karnataka have caused concerns about a hike in prices of the kitchen staple.
On Friday, the committee decided to further increase the daily supply of onions from government buffer stock and directed the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) to release stock from the Price Stabilisation Fund into the market to ensure improved availability at reasonable rates.

::ECONOMY::

Govt. sets out measures to boost private sector investments

The government on Friday came out on the front foot to try to boost private sector sentiments, with Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman announcing a slew of measures to reduce the burden on the sector, including withdrawing the controversial surcharge on Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) and reiterating the Prime Minister’s statement that the government “respects all wealth creators”.
Ms.Sitharaman told a press conference that the government would not treat corporate social responsibility violations as criminal offences, as it had earlier said.
She, however, clarified that the increased surcharge announced in the Budget would still apply to high net-worth individuals earning more than Rs. 2 crore a year. This, she said, would be the case till India’s 75th Independence Day, when the decision would be reviewed.
In keeping with the overall push to allay private sector concerns, the Minister also stressed that the government was in favour of penalties rather than prosecution. This would extend to violations of the CSR rules, which it had earlier said could attract a jail term of up to three years along with a fine. The decision had spooked India Inc, and the roll-back should come as a relief.
The government also decided to front-load the Rs. 70,000 crore of capital infusion in public sector banks that was announced in the Budget, a move that is further aimed at increasing private investment by facilitating greater credit disbursal by the banks.

Centre considers treating CSR violations as civil liabilities

Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman on Friday announced that corporate social responsibility (CSR) violations would not be treated as criminal offences and would instead be a civil liability, in a move welcomed by India Inc.
When asked for comments, AbhishekLodha, MD, Lodha Group, said, “Job creators (business) will appreciate the steps taken on CSR and other measures. While the economy will take time to recover, the process will start from today. The important steps announced today will boost job creation and revive economic sentiment.”
The government has provided companies, through revised orders, the time for completing on-going projects towards fulfilling their CSR obligations.
“With the fiscal space available to the government being limited, the private sector needs to be encouraged.“The willingness to address the risk and cost of doing business, as is reflected with the decision on CSR issue, is an important gesture in this context,” he said.
“Today’s press conference by Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman will, I hope, mark the start of a new, interactive and interdependent relationship between the government and business,” Mr. Mahindra tweeted.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Brazil faces global backlash in amazon fires

As dozens of fires scorched large swaths of the Amazon, the Brazilian government has struggled to contain growing global outrage over its environmental policies, which have paved the way for runaway deforestation of the world’s largest rainforest.
The fires, many intentionally set, are spreading as Germany and Norway appear to be on the brink of shutting down a $1.2 billion conservation initiative for the Amazon.
Concern over the environmental policies of President JairBolsonaro, which have prioritised the interests of industries that want greater access to protected lands, has also put in jeopardy a trade agreement the EU and a handful of South American nations struck in June, following decades of negotiations.
Brazil has strict environmental laws and regulations, but they are often violated with impunity. Forest fires are common in Brazil during this time of the year. But the number now raging in the Amazon is unusually high.
Data released by Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research shows that from January to July, fires had consumed 4.6 million acres of the Brazilian Amazon, a 62% increase compared to last year.

UNSC criticises China and Pakistan for persecuting religious minorities

A UN Security Council meet has criticised China and Pakistan for persecution of their religious minorities. Western powers such as the US and UK criticised China and Pakistan for the oppression faced by Christians, Ahmadis, Uighurs and other ethnic minorities.
The Arria-Formula Meeting of the Security Council on 'Advancing the Safety and Security of Persons Belonging to Religious Minorities in Armed Conflict' was organised by Poland, the Council President for August, to mark the first International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.
Addressing the meeting, US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback said religious freedom is essential for achieving peace and stability within nations and among nations. He then called out Pakistan for the persecution religious minorities continue to suffer from in the country.
He also voiced concern over the “undue restrictions” on religious freedom in China. UK, France and Canada also spoke out against the oppression of religious minorities in China and Pakistan. Addressing the meeting, UN chief AntónioGuterres called for an end to the persecution of religious groups.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

India and France plans for cooperation in ship surveillance

India and France have formalised the development and launch of what is probably a unique constellation of around 10 low-earth orbit satellites that will continuously provide maritime surveillance and security.
They will cover a wide belt around the globe and specifically focus on the Indian Ocean region where France, with its Reunion Islands, has a strategic interest.
When in place, the satellite-based Automatic Identification System or AIS will detect, identify and track a range of vessels moving in the ocean region and guard against aggression, terrorism, piracy, smuggling, source of oil slicks and also be useful for rescues.
At present, ship operators do fix a non-space-based AIS on their vessels but they can turn it off when they do not want to be detected and identified.
Most ships are mandated to have a transponder that gives their details and also to detect ships around them. By making out the kind of ship, its location, speed and course with AIS, a country’s maritime force can make out potential threats, similar to the aviation system of IFF or ‘identify friend or foe’ for planes.
Also,It is reliably learnt that ISRO and CNES will share development of the spacecraft and their payloads; the AIS satellites would be launched by ISRO at its space port in Sriharikota.

::SPORTS::

India wins bronze medal in world archery championship

In Archery, the Indian team of Sukhbeer Singh, Sangampreet Singh Bisla and TusharPhadtare clinched a bronze medal in the junior compound men's team event in the World Youth Championships in Madrid today.
Trailing by one point till the penultimate end, the Indian trio made a spectacular recovery, shooting a flawless final end with two Xs to defeat Colombia's JagdeepTeji Singh Mejia, Gomez Zuluaga Felipe and Toro Vasquez Manuel 234-231.
In the final, the Indians shot 60 out of 60 while the Colombians made 56 to lose the battle in the bronze play-off.