(Current Affairs) National Events | October: 2013

National Events

Ordinance on Food Security

President Pranab Mukherjee signed the ordinance on food security on 5 July 2013 which seeks to give legal rights to 67 per cent of the population over subsidised grains every month. Now, with the presidential consent, the bill will be presented before the Parliament when it convenes for the Monsoon Session. The Government had issued the ordinance to give nations two-third population the right to get 5 kgs of foodgrains every month at
highly subsidised rates of 1-3 Rupees per kg amid political opposition. The food security arrangements will be the largest in the world after implementation, with the government spending estimated at one lakh 25 thousand crore rupees annually on supply of about 62 million tonnes of rice, wheat and coarse cereals to 67 per cent of the population. The Food Security Bill was tabled during the budget session of Parliament, but was not taken up for discussion because of opposition-led disturbances of proceedings arising out of scamrelated allegations.

Creation of Strike Corps along China Border approved

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on 17 July 2013 gave an approval to the proposal of Army to raise a Mountain Strike Corps along the entire Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The committee also
gave its go ahead to deployment of 50000 additional troops along the border with China at an expense of 65000 crore rupees. The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared the proposal after a meet. The proposal got the clearance from CCS after the return of Defence Minister, A.K. Antony from Beijing. This would be the fourth Strike Corp of India and has been designed mainly for offensive operations into enemy land, whereas, the mountain corps is the first dedicated strike corps for offensive mountain warfare. The other three strike corps in existence is based close to border of Pakistan and is armed to fight land battle. The existing Strike Corps in the force include the 1, 2 and 21 Corps. As per the proposed plan, the Mountain Strike Corps will have its headquarters at Panagarh in West Bengal with two of its divisions in Bihar and Assam and other units from Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.

For the first time, this strike corps would provide India the capability to launch offensive action into the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). For rapid reaction, the corps will have two high-altitude divisions also. In 2009- 10, two new infantry divisions at Lekhapani and Missamari were raised in Assam and are tasked for defending Arunachal Pradesh. To enhance the missile and fighter capabilities along the borders of China, India is looking forward for development of infrastructure to match-up with the military capabilities of China. Whereas, China by now has developed five fully-operational airbases, 58000 km of roads an extensive rail network along the Indian border and. Following the provisions of plan, Indian Air Force (IAF) would deploy assets of force multiplier mid-air refueling tankers, C-130J Super Hercules Special operations Aircraft at the headquarters of Strike Corps at Panagarh. The Army will also get a number of new armoured and artillery divisions along with it to be deployed along the Northeast region.

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