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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 20 July 2019

::NATIONAL::

Plea in Supreme Court for proper identification of minorities

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Attorney-General of India to be served a copy of a writ petition filed by advocate AshwiniUpadhyay, who is seeking directions to the government to either frame guidelines for identification of minorities at States’ level or, in the alternative, to “declare Hindus as ‘Minority’ for States where they are real minority”.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India RanjanGogoi was hearing the petitioner, represented by senior advocate MukulRohatgi, challenging a notification issued on October 23, 1993 under the “unbridled powers” of Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act of 1992.
The petition said the October 1993 notification declared Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis as ‘Minority’ community without conducting any study, research or homework.
According to the petition minority benefits are given to religious communities in certain States where they are in fact a majority, whereas religious communities which are actually minorities in those States are not even given equal status.
“Denial of minority rights to real minorities and arbitrary/unreasonable disbursement of minority benefits to the majority, infringes upon fundamental right to prohibition of discrimination,” the petition said.

LokSabha passes protection of human rights (amendment)bill 2019

The Protection of Human Rights(Amendment) Bill 2019 has been passed by voice vote in LokSabha today.
In his reply in the House, the minister of State for Home Affairs NityanandRai said that the Government is sensitive to the rights of humanity and is committed to strengthen Human Rights Commission in the country.
He negated the allegation that India’s Human Rights Commission has lost its good grade and informed that it is given ‘A’ grade by the international agency.
Saying that it was Prime Minister NarendraModi who suggested to increase the presence of civil Society in the Commission, the minister emphasised that every section of the society has now received representation.
He further added that they are not for Human rights of terrorists and perpetrators of sexual crime but of the victims. He stressed that the amendment has ensured transparency in the appointment of Chairman and members of the Commission and will help fill all the vacancies. The OBCs and minorities rights, he added, have been protected by the Government.

::ECONOMY::

International energy agency praises Ujjawala scheme

Prime Minister NarendraModi'sUjjwala scheme for providing free cooking gas connection to poor came in for praise from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Agency said it is a major achievement in improving the environment and health of women.
Speaking at a conference in New Delhi, IEA Executive Director FatihBirol said, providing access to LPG across India by 2020 is a major achievement. Mr Birol said it is not an energy issue, it is an economic issue and it is a social issue.
Launched by Modi on May 1, 2016, in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, PradhanMantriUjjwalaYojana (PMUY) aims to safeguard the health of women and children by providing free cooking gas (LPG) connection to poor families.

Centre seeks response from Indigo for misgovernance

The government has sought a response from IndiGo on allegations of corporate misgovernance levelled by its co-promoter RakeshGangwal, the airline informed the stock exchanges on Friday.
“The company has received a communication from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Office of Registrar of Companies requiring the company to furnish certain information/explanations pursuant to Section 206 (4) of the Companies Act, 2013, in relation to complaint dated July 8, 2019 received from Mr.Gangwal, co-founder and director of the company. The company will respond to MCA within the prescribed period,” IndiGo said.
The airline is witnessing a battle of sorts with Mr.Gangwal seeking the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s intervention in the matter relating to ‘unusual rights’ available with another promoter, Rahul Bhatia, allegedly leading to governance problems.
He had also raised an issue with the businesses conducted between IndiGo and Mr. Bhatia’s InterGlobe Enterprises.
Mr. Bhatia, though, had called these charges “hot air” and an attempt to dilute his controlling rights.Amid this tussle, the IndiGo board is headed for a stormy meet on Friday to finalise June quarter results.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

U.S to increase surveillance in middle east

The United States announced yesterday that the US Central Command(CENTCOM) is developing a multinational maritime effort to increase surveillance of and security in key waterways in the Middle East.
The effort, christened as Operation Sentinel, comes a day after the US said it destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz after it came within threatening range. Iran has denied that its drone has been downed.
The US Central Command said in a statement that it is developing a multinational maritime effort to ensure freedom of navigation in light of recent events in the Arabian Gulf region.
The goal of Operation Sentinel is to promote maritime stability, ensure safe passage and de-escalate tensions in international waters throughout the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (BAM) and the Gulf of Oman, it said.
CENTCOM said, this maritime security framework will enable nations to provide escort to their flagged vessels while taking advantage of the cooperation of participating nations for coordination and enhanced maritime domain awareness and surveillance.

India-Srilanka sign agreement to upgrade railways

Sri Lanka has signed an agreement with India to upgrade tracks in a key railway segment connecting the north and south at a cost of $ 91.26 million.
This is the first time in 100 years that the 130 km-long-tracks, running from Maho town in the North Western Province to Omanthai in the Northern Province, are being upgraded.
The contract agreement for concessional financing was signed in Colombo on July 18 between the Government of Sri Lanka and IRCON International Ltd., represented respectively by ArjunaRanatunga, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, and Sunil Kumar Choudhury, Chairman & Managing Director, IRCON.
The terms of the agreement, as in earlier Lines of Credit extended by India to Sri Lanka, include an interest rate of 1.75 %, with a grant element of 31.37 %, and a repayment period of 20 years, with a five-year moratorium, according to official sources.
The agreement comes as part of India’s ongoing support to further develop Sri Lankan railways. New Delhi has so far committed Lines of Credit worth $1.3 billion for development of the sector in the island, including restoration of an arterial railway line that was destroyed during civil war, and the island’s southern railway line that was hit by the 2004 tsunami.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Highlands of Kaziranga saves animals from flood

Kaziranga National Park (KNP)’s man-made highlands have turned into islands of relative safety for the park’s animals as large parts of Assam remain inundated by flood waters.
Among the handful of species that have taken refuge in these patches of higher ground are the one-horned rhino and the water buffalo, while most other animals have moved to the hills of KarbiAnglong district just beyond a highway that runs along the southern fringe of the park.
Two decades ago, the Assam Forest Department constructed 111 highlands as an experiment. It helped keep a few animals above the water level but served little purpose when 75% or more of the park was flooded.
In 2017, the park authorities started work on 33 more highlands that were bigger in dimension. “The older ones were 100x40 metres in area and 4 metres high,” said Rohini B. Saikia, KNP’s Divisional Forest Officer. “The newer ones are 100x50 metres and 5 metres high,” Mr.Saikia added.
The new highlands, constructed at a cost of ₹13 crore, were designed scientifically with provision for adequate grass, and plants yielding fruits such as elephant apple and Indian gooseberry, said State Forest Minister ParimalSuklabaidya.

::SPORTS::

Indian men& women teams wins at commonwealth table tennis

In Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship held in Cuttack today, India made a record by winning gold in both men’s and women’s category.
The Indian men won the final match defeating England 3-2. The Indian women team defeated England 3-0 in final match. The Indian women team won the gold for the first time in the history in the commonwealth games.