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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 17 August 2020

::NATIONAL::

PMO denies information regarding PM-CARES sought via RTI

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has denied a Right to Information (RTI) request related to the PM-CARES Fund on the grounds that providing it would “disproportionately divert the resources of the office”.
However, a High Court judgment and multiple orders of the Central Information Commission (CIC) have previously held that, under the RTI Act, this rationale can only be used to change the format of information provided, not deny it altogether.
This is a “misuse” of the Act, which should attract penalties under the law, says the country’s first Chief Information Commissioner WajahatHabibullah.
RTI activist Commodore LokeshBatra (retd.) had filed an RTI request asking for the total number of RTI applications and appeals received and disposed of in the PMO since April 2020, and the number of such applications related to PM-CARES and the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Section 7(9) of the Act says, “An information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question.”
“There is no ambiguity. This is a misuse of the clause by CPIOs. It is up to the information commissions to levy penalties as this would amount to misinformation provided under the Act,” said Mr.Habibullah.

IB officials to fast track Naga peace process

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM (NSCN-IM) said on Sunday that after Naga interlocutor R.N. Ravi created an imbroglio in the peace talk process, Prime Minister NarendraModi had mandated a team of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials to fast-track the communication and clear the pending issues.
The group also released a copy of the original 2015 framework agreement, which stated that the Centre had agreed on “sharing the sovereign power” and provided for an “enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities”.
The NSCN-IM, one of the largest Naga groups, signed a framework agreement in the presence of Prime Minister on August 3, 2015 to end the decades-old Naga issue.
Mr. Ravi had signed the agreement on behalf of the Centre. After five years, the group is demanding the removal of Mr. Ravi, accusing him of “highhandedness” and tweaking the agreement to mislead the other Naga groups. Mr. Ravi was also appointed as Nagaland Governor last year.

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::ECONOMY::

Finance ministry to workout norms regarding re-appointment of central government officers

The finance ministry is working on norms to regulate salary paid to retired central government employees re-appointed on contract and has proposed keeping nomination-based appointments at "bare minimum".
The expenditure department has framed draft regulations for salary payments in case of appointment of retired central government employees and has invited comments of ministries/departments within 10 days.
The draft guidelines state that appointment of retired employees on contract basis, including as consultants, by way of nomination based on the credentials of past service and not through open market advertisement, should not be made as a "matter of practice and must be kept at bare minimum".
With regard to salary payment, the draft guidelines said a fixed monthly amount shall be admissible, arrived at by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement. It shall be termed as "salary".
It further said that in cases where the appointment of retired central government employee is made from open market, then the remuneration may be regulated as per terms and conditions of the contract.

PM aims to cover all villages through optical fibre network

In the coming one thousand days, every village in the country will be connected with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), Prime Minister NarendraModi said in his address on the occasion of 74th Independence Day today.
Mr.Modi mentioned that before 2014, only five dozen Panchayats in the country were connected with optical fiber cable. In the last five years, nearly one lakh 50 thousand Gram Panchayats in the country have been connected with optical fiber cable.
He further added that participation of rural India and villages in Digital India is very important for balanced development of India. To enable this, he said, optical fibre networks will be expanded in the country.
This will reach all the six lakh villages within the next one thousand days. Prime Minister also announced that in the next one thousand days, Lakshadweep will be connected with submarine optical fiber cable.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India-Poland to expand bilateral investments post COVID

Central Europe’s biggest nation and India’s traditional partner in the region is keen to invest in India and simultaneously keen to expand basket of Indian investments in the country.
PM NarendraModi is keen on creating new investment opportunities in India in the post-COVID period and on facilitating the inflow of foreign investments. India is the primary location in Asia for Polish investors (currently 270 mln USD).
Poland would encourage its entrepreneurs to invest in India and also would like to invite more Indian investors to make business in Poland, sources informed.
Increasing two-way investments was one of key issues discussed at the Indo-Polish Foreign Office Consultations held last week through a virtual meet. Poland has also proposed cooperation with India on research and innovation.
The global COVID-19 crisis has seriously challenged free trade and created significant disruptions in global supply chains, which is particularly problematic as regards deliveries of medical and protective equipment needed to tackle the pandemic. The best way to overcome this global crisis is by strengthening international cooperation.
Presently, about 30-40% of goods exported by India to Poland are reexported to other EU Countries. Poland possesses reputed clean coal technologies and Polish public-sector companies have played a substantial role in development of mining and power sectors in India.

Post deal, Israel-UAE establish direct phone link

The Israeli and UAE Foreign Ministers inaugurated on Sunday direct phone services between the two countries in their first announced call after an agreement to normalise relations, said an Emirati official.
The UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Israel’s Gabi Ashkenazi “inaugurated a phone link between the United Arab Emirates and the state of Israel, and exchanged greetings following the historic Peace Accord signed by the two countries,” tweeted Hend al-Otaiba, director of strategic communications at the UAE’s Foreign Ministry.
The Israel-UAE deal, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, and raises the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.
Mr. Trump said leaders from the two countries would sign the agreement at the White House in around three weeks.

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Government to bring in stricter norms to ensure greater safety on highways

Government has proposed stricter norms for construction machinery to ensure greater safety on highways. This includes features like machine-mounted audible travel alarms, requirements for operator station and maintenance areas, non-metallic fuel tank and wider operator visibility for construction equipment machinery.
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has come out with a draft notification for construction equipment vehicles that addresses issues of safety requirements, while such machines are running on public roads along with other vehicles.
The Ministry said, currently, certain safety requirements are already mandated for such vehicles in Central Motor Vehicles Rules but the proposed notification aims to introduce Automotive Industry Standard, AIS 160 to introduce various safety requirements.
Construction equipment vehicles are extensively used for carrying out various infrastructure projects. Government has invited suggestions from stakeholders and people on the proposed safety norms within 30 days.

::SPORTS::

Former Indian cricketer and UP cabinet minister passes away

Former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister ChetanChauhan died at the Medanta Hospital here on Sunday due to multiple organ failure. He was 73.
Chauhan was admitted to the hospital on July 17 after he tested positive for COVID-19 and breathed his last around 5 p.m., hospital sources said. He was put on ventilator support a day earlier after he developed kidney and blood pressure-related problems and his condition deteriorated.
In 2017, he won the Assembly election on a BJP ticket from the Naugawan Sadat seat in Amroha securing over 96,000 votes. He currently held the Sainik Welfare, Home Guards, PrantiyaRakshak Dal and Civil Security portfolios.

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