Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.– Denis Waitley
ORANGE COLOUR: Important for Prelims.
RED COLOUR: Important for Mains.
BLACK COLOUR: Must Read !
BLUE COLOUR : Important Links/Survey.
PINK COLOUR: Reports/Themes/Summits.
Page Contents:
16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2021
Today's Must Read Articles :
GST: Centre to borrow for States
HEADLINES:
GST: Centre to borrow for States
WHY IN NEWS:
Will pass on funds as ‘back-to-back loans’, says govt.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: GST
ISSUE:
- Government of India (GOI) will now undertake the required borrowings in tranches and pass them on to the States as “back-to-back loans” that will reflect on their own books.
- The move may help break the impasse between the Centre and the States over the issue of borrowings to recompense the latter.
- The consensus remaining elusive despite extensive talks over three GST Council meetings.
WHAT IS THE MONEY MARKET?
- At the wholesale level, it involves large-volume trades between institutions and traders.
- At the retail level, it includes money market mutual funds bought by individual investors .
- The money market is characterized by a high degree of safety and relatively low rates of return.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The money market involves the purchase and sale of large volumes of very short-term debt products.
- An individual may invest in the money market by purchasing a money market mutual fund, buying a Treasury bill, or opening a money market account at a bank.
IASbhai WINDUP:
Economists welcomed it as a cleaner way of raising the necessary funds swiftly and bringing the focus back to fighting the pandemic.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Gupkar Declaration
HEADLINES:
J&K parties team up for restoring special status
WHY IN NEWS:
Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration formed
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : Pressure Groups
ISSUE:
GUPKAR DECLARATION
- It comprising the parties that had signed it on August 4 last year “to fight for Jammu and Kashmir’s special status”.
The six political parties include-
- The National Conference (NC)
- The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
- The Indian National Congress
- The J&K Peoples Conference (PC)
- The Communist Party of India (Marxist)(CPI (M))
- The Awami National Conference (ANC).
JOINT STATEMENT
The joint statement reads,
- ‘We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the State and any division of the State is unacceptable to us.
- We unanimously reiterate that there can be nothing about us without us.’
- ‘The series of measures undertaken on 5 August 2019 was grossly unconstitutional.
KEY POINTS
- The six parties have jointly stated the Centre’s decision to alter the special status of Jammu and Kashmir is ‘grossly unconstitutional’.
- This clearly means that the Centre has to take the people of Jammu and Kashmir in confidence before making any changes in the Constitution.
- The parties have stated that the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A is a measure to disempower the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
BACKGROUND
- On August 4, 2019, first Gupkar declaration was signed before the abrogation of Article 370.
- The president of the National Conference stated that he will raise the Gupkar declaration in Parliament.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi hailed the Gupkar Declaration citing that it is not an ordinary occurrence but an important development.
- To this, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah reverted, ‘Let me make it clear that we are not anyone’s puppets, neither New Delhi’s nor of anyone across the border.
- We are answerable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will work for them.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
‘Adopt-An-Animal’ programme
HEADLINES:
Zoo revives scheme for animal adoption
WHY IN NEWS:
Nandankanan is struggling for funds
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Conservation of Biodiversity
ISSUE:
NANDANKANAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK
- Nandankanan Zoological Park is a 437-hectare zoo and botanical garden in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
- Established in 1960, it was opened to the public in 1979.
- The NZP is one of the leading zoos in the country in terms of its fauna population and species diversity.
- It had received a record 32 lakh footfall three years ago.
- With resources drying up due to the closure for more than six months, the NZP authorities revived the ‘Adopt-An-Animal’ programme.
LOCATION OF ZOOS IN INDIA | CREDIT : MAPS IN INDIA
‘ADOPT-AN-ANIMAL’ PROGRAMME
- The Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) in Bhubaneswar, which suffered a huge loss following its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The scheme has received encouraging response from animal lovers.
- More than 100 organisations and individuals have come forward to adopt animals, pledging ₹22 lakh .
- When one adopts an animal or a bird, the contribution goes to its care, feeding, enclosure enrichment and renovation.
- The adoption scheme would bring public, corporate bodies and institutions closer to the zoo .
- This heighten their love and passion for captive animals and birds.
ADOPTION CERTIFICATE
- The zoo authorities came up with the scheme urging animal lovers to provide funds from ₹500 to ₹2.5 lakh.
- In lieu, a ‘Thank You’ in the form of an adoption certificate, a plaque in the zoo and income tax rebates are available to individuals and organisations.
- They are hopeful that ₹1 crore can be generated through adoption.
- Similarly, people can adopt the Asiatic lion and the Bengal tiger for ₹1 lakh per annum.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- The NZP earns in the range of ₹15 crore-₹17 crore from entry passes and outsourcing of boating and parking facilities every year.
- With a minimum of ₹50 lakh required per month for the upkeep of animals, the zoo faced huge hardships due to the loss of revenue following the closure.
- Though the Odisha government had stepped in to provide funds for feed and medicines, critical gap persisted in other bare minimum necessities.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
BARC suspends ratings
HEADLINES:
BARC suspends ratings of all news channels
WHY IN NEWS:
‘Effort to improve statistical robustness’
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Information and Broadcasting : Communication
ISSUE:
- Mumbai police pointed at a possible tampering of Target Rating Point (TRP) by certain news channels, television rating agency .
- The decision was taken after the BARC Board directed its technical committee .
- It will cover all Hindi, regional and English news and business news channels with immediate effect.
BARC
- Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India is a Joint Industry Company.
- It is founded by stakeholder bodies that represent Broadcasters, Advertisers, and Advertising and Media Agencies.
- Apart from the currency products to the TV industry, BARC India also provides a suite of Insight products designed for Broadcasters, Advertisers and Agencies.
- The Big Data and Insights generated by BARC India powers efficient media spends and content decisions in a highly dynamic and growing television sector.
IASbhai WINDUP:
With a panel size of 180,000 individuals, BARC India is also the largest measurement company of its kind in the world.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Farm fires not key factor in Delhi pollution
HEADLINES:
‘Farm fires not key factor in Delhi pollution spike’
WHY IN NEWS:
Contribution from Punjab minimal, says State official
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: AQI : Pollution
ISSUE:
BLAME GAME
- The stubble burning cases in Punjab started around September 21.
- PPCB said that AQI levels in Punjab during this period had largely remained within ‘moderate’ level whereas in Delhi the AQI has slipped into ‘very poor’ category.
- Contribution of stubble burning from Punjab is minimal to Delhi’s air pollution.
- Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is being blamed as one of the reasons behind it.
MAJOR FACTORS OF AIR POLLUTION
- Even active farms fires in the NCR are significantly responsible for deteriorating the Delhi environment than Punjab.
- As paddy (rice) harvesting has gathered momentum in Punjab, as many as 3,517 cases of stubble fire incidents have been reported between September 21 and October 14.
IASbhai WINDUP:
The hypothesis of stubble fires being responsible for most of the PM enhancements in Delhi does not hold true every time.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Internet Freedom Foundation
HEADLINES:
IFF questions India’s move to seek encryption access
WHY IN NEWS:
Files RTI plea for data on decision
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : 3 : Right to privacy : Internet : Digital freedom
ISSUE:
This follows an October 11 joint statement by seven countries — the U.K., the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, India and Japan — urging tech companies to work with governments to find solutions to ensure the safety of citizens, without eroding user privacy or cybersecurity.
- Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, and Ministry of Electronics and IT, the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)sought to know if any legal opinion was sought before India became a signatory to the statement.
- Also whether the government planned to introduce any legislation pursuant to becoming a signatory.
- In the recent past, the Centre had demanded that WhatsApp help it trace the origin of fake messages.
- However, the demand was turned down by WhatsApp, which pointed out such a move would undermine the privacy of users.
INTERNET FREEDOM FOUNDATION (IFF)
WHAT IS IFF?
- The IFF is an Indian digital liberties organisation that seeks to ensure that technology respects fundamental rights.
- The goal is to ensure that Indian citizens can use the Internet with liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.
- IFF is incorporated as a public charitable trust registered in New Delhi, and are granted exemptions under Sections 12A and 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act.
NEED FOR IFF
- Digital freedom is our common path
- Technology has the power to fulfil constitutional ideals
- Freedom needs champions and advocates
PRINCIPLES
- Strategy comes first
- IFF bridges the public and policy divide
- Building community for public victories
- IFF are no strangers to campaigns
- Channeling advocacy into institutional outcomes
IASbhai WINDUP:
In order to make a meaningful and lasting contributing towards a free and open Internet, IFF banded together to incorporate an organisation, set up to support research regarding the online freedoms and rights of Indian citizens.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
Supreme Court: Woman has right of residence
HEADLINES:
Supreme Court: Woman has right of residence in ‘shared household’ of in-laws
WHY IN NEWS:
The ruling came on a plea by a Delhi resident against an order of the Delhi High Court setting aside a trial court decision allowing his plea to evict his daughter-in-law from the first floor of his property in New Friends Colony.
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 2 : Judiciary
ISSUE:
THE VERDICT
- Supreme Court said Thursday while ruling that a woman is entitled to claim right to residence in a “shared household” where she has been living with her husband even if the said premises belongs to his relatives.
- A three-judge Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah overruled a 2006 judgement.
- The conditions mentioned in Section 2(s) (of The Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act, 2005) are satisfied and the said house will become a shared household.
SIGNIFICANCE
- The SC dwelt on the rights of women and the circumstances meaning to the passing of the 2005 Act which it described “is a milestone for protection of women in this country”.
- “The domestic violence in this country is rampant and several women encounter violence in some form or the other or almost every day, however, it is the least reported form of cruel behavior.
IASbhai WINDUP:
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
- A woman resigns her fate to the never ending cycle of enduring violence and discrimination as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a partner or a single woman in her lifetime.
- This non-retaliation by women coupled with the absence of laws addressing women’s issues, ignorance of the existing laws enacted for women and societal attitude makes the women vulnerable.
- Where women are expected to be subservient, not just to their male counterparts but also to the male’s relatives”, the court said.
SOURCES:THE HINDU | 16th Oct Current Affairs News Analysis
DISCOVER MORE : Important Daily Current Affairs for UPSC PRELIMS 2021
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