IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-02

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Maharashtra: Students who fail board exams will not be marked ‘fail’ but as ‘candidates for skill development’

News

• In a step towards promoting holistic education, students who fail in their Class X and XII board exams in three or more subjects will soon be encouraged by the state to pursue skill development education. Rather than “fail”, their results will bear the remarks “candidate for skill development”.

Skill development education

• This move was made by the State Department for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship following then-State Finance Minister’s budget speech.
• According to a notification released by the department, the Maharashtra State Skill Development Society will be the nodal agency to implement this programme, along with Maharashtra State Council of Vocational Training.
• The programme will be run through agreement with various aided or unaided schools and colleges in all the districts. Biometric attendance of all participating students will be required.
• Class X students will be required to complete levels 1 and 2 as mandated by the National Skill Qualification Framework, whereas Class XII students will be required to complete levels 3 and 4 of the same. The scheme will be monitored online.
• Those students with a family income under Rs 8 lakh will be required to pay 30 per cent of the fees for training, whereas those with a family income of more than Rs 8 lakh will have to bear the entire cost.
• A committee will be formed under the chief secretary to further deliberate on the implementation of this education programme.

Anglo-Indians left out as Bill to extend quota in legislature gets nod

 News

• When the Union Cabinet approved extension of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliament and state Assemblies for 10 more years, it did away with the reservation for Anglo-Indians in legislative bodies.

Reservation

• The reservation for SC/ST communities and the Anglo-Indian community was to expire in January 2020, but the new Bill will extend the reservation for SC and ST communities by 10 years, till January 25, 2030.
• To ensure representation of the communities in elected legislative bodies, similar to reservation for SCs and STs, Anglo-Indians were provided two nominated seats in the Lok Sabha and nominated seats in certain state Assemblies.
• Article 331 of the Constitution states: Representation of the Anglo Indian community in the House of the People Notwithstanding anything in Article 81, the President may, if he is of opinion that the Anglo Indian community is not adequately represented in the House of the people, nominate not more than two members of that community.
• For the state Assemblies, Article 333 provided for the Governor to nominate the members.
• Article 334(b) extended it for 40 years. Subsequent amendments ensured the reservation was extended till January 2020. In 2009, the 95th Amendment extended it till 2020.
• But, according to the new Bill, it will cease to exist in January.
• The nominated Anglo-Indian members of the legislative bodies enjoy voting privileges similar to other members, except when it comes to the election for President, as only elected members of both houses of Parliament, state Assemblies and Legislative Councils are allowed to vote as the electoral college.

Rape convicts under POCSO Act shouldn’t be allowed to file mercy petition: President Kovind

News

• Stating that “demonic attacks” on women have shaken the conscience of the country, President Ram Nath Kovind said that rape convicts under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act should not be allowed to file mercy petition.

Mercy petition

• Women’s safety is a very serious issue. A lot of work has been done on this subject but much remains to be done. Incidents of the demonic attack on girls shake the conscience of the country, President said.
• Rape convicts under POCSO Act should not have the right to file mercy petition. Parliament should review mercy petitions.
• President’s statement came in the wake of Hyderabad ‘encounter’, where Telangana cops killed all four accused in the rape and murder of a veterinarian, which triggered outrage across the country.
• The Telangana Police killed all the four accused in the Hyderabad rape and murder case in “self-defence” during a recce of the crime scene. The police claimed they were “attacked” by the accused, who tried to flee. All four accused died on the spot.
• The National Human Right Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of the incident and ordered inquiry into the ‘encounter’. The human rights body said the incident was a matter of concern.
• This is the third incident in Telangana where the accused of a heinous crime against women have been shot dead while allegedly trying to escape from police custody.

Statue of Unity surpasses daily average footfall at USA’s Statue of Liberty

News

• In just over a year of its unveiling, the Statue of Unity has surpassed the footfall at the 133-year-old Statue of Liberty in the US, with an average of over 15,000 tourists visiting the monument in Gujarat daily.

Statue of Unity 

• With 74 per cent increase over the daily average of the first year, that is, November 1, 2018, to October 31, 2019, daily average of 15,036 is now registered in the first month of this second year.
• This has further increased to 22,430 on weekend days. The Statue of Liberty of New York, United States, attracts around 10,000 visitors a day.
• The Statue of Unity is a statue of Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of the country. With a height of 182 metres, it is the world’s tallest statue. It is located near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river Narmada in Kevadiya colony in Gujarat.
• Designed by Indian sculptor Ram V Sutar, the project was first announced in 2010, and was finally unveiled on October 31 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• A total of 30,90,723 tourists have visited Kevadia till November 30 this year, generating a total income of Rs 85.57 crore.

IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-03

India’s gold imports slide for a fifth month as economy slows

News

• India’s gold imports in November declined for the fifth month as elevated prices and the slowest economic growth in six years curbed demand during the peak wedding season.

Gold imports

• • Total overseas purchases slid 15% from year earlier to 597.5 tons during the 11 months through November, the person said.
  • Imports in the world’s second-biggest consumer have been falling as jewelers have been cutting purchases on poor demand. Slowing growth and a more than 20% rally in prices this year are expected to push India’s domestic consumption to the weakest since 2016. A delayed monsoon and harvest have also weighed on demand in rural India, which accounts for about 60% of the nation’s gold purchases.
  • Indians buy gold mainly to wear or gift during weddings and festivals, with the peak purchases typically taking place during the last quarter of the year.

Pune: Online fraudsters break into app, steal Rs 2.98 cr from gold jewellery store

News

• Cyber fraudsters allegedly broke into the online security application of ‘P N Gadgil & Sons’, a gold jewellery store in Pune, and transferred Rs 2.98 crore from 12 bank accounts of the store between November 11 and 13.

Cyber fraudsters

• Police have booked unidentified fraudsters along with 20 bank account holders in this case under sections 379 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Information Technology Act.
• On November 11, the fraudsters allegedly hacked into ‘Mahasecure’, an app used by the ‘P N Gadgil & Sons’ for its bank transactions. After logging into the app, the fraudsters changed the password and added some beneficiary account numbers into the system. They allegedly transferred Rs 2.98 crore from 12 bank accounts of the gold jewellery store to as many as 20 beneficiary bank accounts.
• Employees of the jewellery store discovered the online theft after they were unable to log into the app, as the cyber fraudsters had changed the password. As much as Rs 18.88 lakh, transferred to beneficiary bank accounts through the app, has since been frozen.

Aspects of data Bill differ from report of IT Ministry panel

News

• A report from the IT Ministry’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Committee tasked with recommending policy frameworks on “cyber security, safety, legal and ethical issues”, released the day the Cabinet approved the ministry’s Personal Data Protection Bill, contradicts foundational aspects of the Bill.

Contradicts

• The report states that India should maintain free flow of data, that sectoral entities are more appropriate regulators than an overarching authority, and that focus should be placed on implementation and enforcement instead of over-regulation.
• The IT Ministry constituted four committees in February 2018 to research and propose AI frameworks, which were released on the ministry website on Wednesday.
• The Bill cleared by the Cabinet restricts sensitive personal data (such as financial and health data) and critical personal data (that the government defines from time to time) from being stored abroad. Sensitive personal data can only be processed (analysed) abroad with government approval, while critical data cannot be taken abroad at all.
• While the report states that “oversight would be best provided via existing sector-specific entities” rather than “appointing an overarching entity”, the Bill calls for creation of a Data Protection Authority tasked with audits, assessments and oversight.
• The Bill placed before the Cabinet differs from a draft Bill by the Justice B N Srikrishna committee in that the panel had called for a copy or mirror of all personal data to be stored in the country.
• Personal data is any data from which an individual can be identified. Now, the Bill retains the localisation mandates for personal data that is also sensitive and critical data, not for all personal data.

Punjab: State nod for groundwater authority with no power to regulate tariff

News

• The Punjab Cabinet gave its approval for creation of a rather diluted version the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority (PWRA) that would not be empowered to issue tariff order or issue directions on groundwater extraction for domestic and agriculture use of water.

Diluted version

• The authority would only be able to issue tariff order and directions on groundwater extraction for only industrial and commercial use.
• Most of the underground water is being used for providing drinking water in cities and rural areas besides for agriculture use. Over 14 lakh tubewells extract water from aquifers in the state. Fears have already been expressed that Punjab would go dry in 20 years.
• The new version of authority is being seen as bypassing of Central Ground Water Authority’s guidelines that provides for every state to have its own authority that could ensure stringent steps to limit use of water in view of acquifers drying up fast due to over exploitation.
• A statement by the government said that the proposed legislation is aimed at development, management and regulation of water resources of the state for ensuring their judicious, equitable and sustainable utilization and management.
• Further, the Authority would have the right to impose financial penalties upon non-compliance of its orders or directions. It has been vested with the powers of a Civil Court, and would also be required to present an annual report which would be laid on the floor of the House by the government.
• The Council would also approve the State Water Policy and all other policies related to use and re-use of water in the State. The proposed regulatory Authority would be responsible for implementation of the State Water Plan.

Blue Water Force

• Blue Water Navy: A Blue Water Navy is one that has the capacity to project itself over a much bigger maritime area than its maritime borders. Simply put, it is a Navy that can go into the vast, deep oceans of the world.
• While most navies have the capacity to send ships into the deep oceans, a Blue Water Force is able to carry out operations far from its borders, without being required to return to its home port to refuel or re-stock.
• While it is evident that Blue Water navies belong to the most powerful nations, there is no one internationally agreed upon definition. Owning one or more aircraft carriers is sometimes seen as a marker.
• As the Indian Navy has the capacity to carry distant operations at or from the sea, up to considerable distance from national shore bases, it qualifies as a Blue Water Force.
• Navies are classified in terms of colours. A navy whose operations are restricted close to the shore, where the water is muddy, is called a Brown Water Force. A navy that can go farther out is called a Green Water Force. And then there is a Blue Water Force.

Indian Maritime Doctrine

• According to the Indian Maritime Doctrine, 2015, The ability to undertake distant operations distinguishes a blue-water navy from a brown-water force. It requires strong integral capacity, including logistics, surveillance, networked operations, etc., and enabling capability, including equipment design, training, doctrine and organisation.
• It states distant operations rely upon the attributes of access, mobility, sustenance and reach in order to show presence, project power and/or accomplish other national objectives in the area of interest.

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