Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Editorials are covered separately. HINDU NOTES are available free date wise| CLICK HERE 

Rajasthan passes Bill to hike OBC quota

News:

The Rajasthan Assembly passed a Bill which has increased reservation for Other Backward Classes in government jobs and educational institutions from 21% to 26%.

Why it’s important?

With the Bill’s passage, reservation in Rajasthan now stands at 54%, exceeding the 50% ceiling mandated by the Supreme Court.

Beyond News:

• The Bill created a new “most backward” category within the OBCs for providing the quota benefit to Gujjars and four other nomadic communities.

India, Sri Lanka ink housing project deal in Hambantota

News:

Sri Lanka signed an agreement with India to build 1,200 houses in a public ceremony held in the southern port city

Why its important?

The coastal city of Hambantota gained strategic significance after President Rajapaksa built a massive port and an airport with huge Chinese loans.

Beyond News:

The signing of the MoU in Hambantota assumes significance not only in its timing, but also in taking India’s housing project to the Sinhala-majority Southern Province.

‘Don’t deny food items for lack of Aadhaar’

News: The Centre has instructed the States not to deny PDS benefits to any person who does not have Aadhaar or has not linked the ration card.

Beyond News:

• This comes a week of after an 11-year-old Jharkhand girl allegedly died of starvation recently after she was denied PDS ration.
• It also asked the States not to delete eligible households from the list of beneficiaries for non-possession of Aadhaar.

Ex-Kerala Minister moves SC against Aadhaar linking

News:

• Former Kerala Minister Binoy Viswam on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging a provision in the Income Tax law that mandates the linking of Aadhaar with PAN as a violation of the fundamental right to privacy.

Beyond News:

June 9, 2017: A Division Bench of the Supreme Court upheld Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act of 1961, which mandates the linking of PAN with Aadhaar number, to the extent that it was not discriminatory under Article 14 and not a violation of the fundamental right to trade and profession under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.

• Later Justice A.K. Sikri had left the question whether Section 139AA was violation of the right to privacy open.

Aug 24: The issue was finally decided by a nine-judge Bench of the Supreme Court; unanimously held that privacy was indeed a part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21

• Petitioner claims that Section 139AA,was introduced into the Income Tax statute by the government this year via the Finance Act & asks to suspend the same.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Russian team in Vizag to inspect damaged submarine

News:

A Russian technical team is in Vizag for a joint investigation into the mysterious damage suffered by INS Chakra.

Beyond News:

• INS Chakra,is a nuclear submarine leased to India by Russia in 2011.
• The damage to the submarine was not very serious, and did not impact the nuclear reactor, because it was all contained to the outer hull.
• The Russian team arrived in India after it refused to be satisfied with the findings of a three-member Indian team’s official inquiry.

[sociallocker id=”2087″] [/sociallocker]

CLICK HERE TO SEE DATE WISE CURRENT AFFAIRS