Expected Most Important Topics for UPSC - 2018 (Part - 23)
Delimitation: The constitution was amended to freeze the delimitation till 2026, This led to a situation where many states have representation in parliament that is disproportionate to their population.
- Delimitation literally means the act of fixing the boundaries of constituencies.
- Important provisions: Article 82, Article 170
How did the present problem evolve?
- Government suspended delimitation in 1976 until 2000.
- This is done for the reason that the states family planning programs would not affect their political representation in the LokSabha.
- 84th Constitution Amendment, Act 2001 extended deadline from 2000 to 2026.
- Later, delimitation based on the 2001 census was done.
- As a result increasing populations are being represented by a single representative.
National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017
- Lok Sabha passed National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
- Bill seeks to amend NABARD Act, 1981.
- NABARD is responsible for providing and regulating facilities like credit for agricultural and industrial development in rural areas.
- NABARD is an apex development financial institution in India.
- Features of Bill:
- Increase in capital of NABARD
- Transfer of the RBI՚s share to Union government
- Adds Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) terms
don՚t Criminalise Martial Rape, May Disturb Institution of Marriage: Government
- Central government took a stand against criminalising marital rape, in its affidavit to the Delhi High Court, on the ground.
- It may destabilise institution of marriage apart from being an easy tool for harassing the husbands.
- Section 375 of the IPC dealing with rape makes an exception.
Important data:
- Lot of data for National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 4, was carried out in 2015 - 16, has released, information on sexual violence has been withheld.
- Only 0.6% of sexual violence committed by husbands was reported to the police.
- More than 4 in 10 women, experienced physical or sexual violence felt that wife - beating was justified under various excuses.
Recommendations: Justice Srikrishna Committee on Institutionalization of Arbitration Mechanism
- High Level Committee, under the Chairmanship of Justice B. N. Srikrishna, to review institutionalization of arbitration mechanism and suggest reforms thereto has submitted its report.
- Key Recommendations:
- Arbitration Promotion Council of India (APCI)
- Specialist Arbitration Bench
- Changes in Arbitration and Conciliation Act
- National Litigation Policy (NLP)
- International Centre for Alternate Dispute Redressal (ICADR)
International Centre for Alternate Dispute Redressal (ICADR)
- ICADR is an autonomous organization working under the aegis of the Ministry of Law & Justice, Govt. of India.
- Headquarters at New Delhi and Regional Centres at Hyderabad and Bangalore.
- Regional Centres of ICADR are fully funded and supported by respective State Governments.
- It necessary to provide a new forum and procedure for resolving international and domestic disputes quickly.
- The Chief Justice of India is Patron of ICADR.
Government to Allow NRIs to Vote in the Lok Sabha and Assembly Elections through a Proxy
- Union cabinet recently approved proposal to change the electoral laws to allow NRIs to vote in Lok Sabha and assembly elections through a proxy.
- Earlier, this was permitted only to service personnel.
- Overseas electors will have to appoint a nominee afresh for each election.
- One person can act as proxy for only one overseas vote.
- Currently, voters residing abroad can only cast their votes in their respective constituencies.
360-Degree Rating System
- Parliamentary standing committee criticized new 360-degree rating system for the bureaucrats proposed as one of major administrative reform by the government.
- 360 - degree approach: It is a new multi - source feedback system for performance appraisal of bureaucrats started by current government for future postings.
- Currently, performance of civil servants is assessed through Annual Confidential Report (ACR) prepared by superior authority.
- It is a method of Performance appraising.
Advertisement Standards Council of India (ASCI)
- Misleading Advertisements in Electronic Media.
- The complaints received through online portal GAMA are processed by Advertisement Standards Council of India (ASCI) based on an MoU signed with the Department of Consumer Affairs.
- Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is self - regulatory voluntary organization of the advertising industry in India.
- It is a non - Government body.
Article 35A
- Supreme Court hearing a PIL petition challenging constitutional validity of Article 35A.
- Article 35A gave protection to existing laws in force in the State.
- Article 35A of the Indian Constitution empowers J&K state՚s legislature to define permanent residents of the state.
- It provides special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.
Law Commission Released DNA Based Technology (Use and Regulation) Bill, 2017
- It aims to prevent misuse of DNA technology by regulating and standardizing DNA testing as well as supervising the activities of all authorized laboratories.
- It will allow government to establish National DNA Data Bank and DNA Profiling Board.
- Features of Bill:
- Establishing new institutions
- Mandatory consent
- Option for deletion of data
- Rights to an under trial
- Penalties
Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill, 2017
- Jharkhand cabinet approved Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill, 2017.
- This bill forbids religious conversion through allurement or coercion.
- If the crime involved a minor, a woman or a person from SC⟋ST community, the prison term would be up to 4 years and penalty of ₹ 1 lakh.
- Those converting willingly will have to inform the district administration or they are liable to face action.
- Section 3 of the Bill prohibits forceful conversion.
Consensus on NCBC Bill
- Constitution 123rd Amendment Bill, 2017 providing for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes.
- It was recently passed by the Rajya Sabha after dropping Clause 3.
About Clause 3:
- Pertains to the insertion of new article 338B.
- The bill is meant to upgrade Backward Classes Commission from a statutory body to constitutional body.
- Bill proposes:
- Insertion of a new Clause (26C) under Article 366
- Insertion of provision after Articles 341 and 342.
- Repeal of National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993, and Rules framed there under.
- Dissolution of the Commission constituted under the Act of 1993.
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will get constitutional status.
CBFC Board Reconstituted
- In exercise of the powers conferred by:
- sub - section (1) of section 3 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952
- Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983
- Central Government reconstituted the existing Central Board of Film Certification for period of 3 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
- New board will be headed by Sh. Prasoon Josh.
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) :
- It is a statutory censorship and classification body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
Portal Pencil
- PENCIL: Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour
- It is an electronic platform for no child labour developed by Labour Ministry.
- Aims: To connect the Centre to state government, district and to all project so, cities for effective implementation of NCLP.
- Portal has a component of child tracking system.
- Portal creates a robust implementing and monitoring mechanism for enforcement of the legislative provisions of National Child Labour Policy (NCLP) .
Jan Sampark
- It is a monthly programme to facilitate adoption.
- Organized by Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) .
- Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) under MoWCD is the nodal authority.
- The first of its kind programme was held recently in New Delhi.
- Programme enables public to have interaction with its officials and staff for seeking information related to Adoption.
National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF) for 2018
- NIRF for 2018 announced by the centre with a change.
- NIRF ranking was started in 2016, ranks higher educational institutions in India on the basis of a variety of parameters.
- 2016 and 2017 NIRF lists reflected the ranks of only those institutions that had taken part in the exercise.
- For 2018, instead of institutions choosing to take part in the exercise, they are being auto registered through large online database.
- All - India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) portal of institutions available with Ministry of Human Resource Development.
- It will be used for auto registration of institutions.
Citizenship for Chakma and Hajong Refugees
- GoI announced that it will grant citizenship to all chakma and hajong refugees living in north east.
- Also, government ensured that the rights of the indigenous people are not diluted.
- Chakmas and Hajongs originally residents of Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) .
- They left their homeland when it was submerged by the Kaptai dam project near Chittagong, Bangladesh, in 1960s.
- Centre moved majority of them to the North East Frontier Agency, which is now Arunachal Pradesh.
- Chakmas, who are Buddhists, and Hajongs, who are Hindus.
West Bengal to Bangle
- West Bengal cabinet approved changing State՚s name to Bangla.
- West Bengal be named Bangla in Bengali, Bangal in Hindi and Bengal in English.
- Centre rejected the proposal of having 3 names in 3 different languages and state is compelled to have Bangla as the new name.
- According to the Indian Constitution, the power of changing the name of the State lies with the Centre.
- Article 3 of the Constitution deals with the formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States.
Divyang Sarathi
- Government launched Divyang Sarathi.
- The accessible and comprehensive mobile application for easy dissemination of information to Divyangjans.
- According to the Census 2011,
- There are over 2.68 crore Divyangjans in India.
- It constitutes more than 2.2% of the population.
- This mobile application aims at providing all relevant information relating to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) .
✍Examrace Team at Aug 29, 2021