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CCRGA issues notice to Government of NCT of Delhi
Why in the news?
• The Supreme Court has mandated ‘Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA)’ and has issued a notice to Government of NCT of Delhi on an advertisement of the Delhi Government which had appeared in newspapers on the 16th July 2020.
• The one-page advertisement was published by the Department of Education and Directorate of Information & Publicity, Government of NCT of Delhi.
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Background
• Under the Supreme Court guidelines dated 13th May, 2015 - “the content of government advertisements should be relevant to the governments’ constitutional and legal obligations as well as the citizens’ rights and entitlements”.
• The Government of India on 6th April, 2016 had set up a Three Member Body consisting of “persons with unimpeachable neutrality and impartiality” and who have excelled in their respective fields to look into Content Regulation of Government funded advertisements in all media platforms.
Power and ad Functions of the committee
• The Committee is empowered to address complaints from the general public on violation of the Supreme Court guidelines and make suitable recommendations.
• The Committee can also take suo-moto cognizance of any violation/ deviation of the Supreme Court guidelines and recommend corrective actions.
Note:
• Presently the CCRGA is chaired by Shri Om Prakash Rawat, former Chief Election Commissioner of India.
Topic- GS Paper 2–Governance
Source- PIB
No postal ballot for 65-plus age group in Bihar
Why in the news?
• With over 70 lakh electors above 65 years of age, the Election Commission of India (ECI) decided against extending postal ballots to them in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
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Background
• Earlier, the ECI had recommended extending the postal ballot facility to electors over 65 years as the age group had been termed most vulnerable to COVID-19 by the Union Health and Family Welfare and Home Ministries.
• Acting on the recommendation, the Law Ministry notified the change to the Conduct of Election Rues, 1961 on June 19, extending the postal ballot facility to electors above 65 years, as opposed to the existing provision for above 80 years, as well as COVID-19 patients and those suspected to have the coronavirus.
Related Information
What is postal voting?
• It is a voting facility through which a voter can cast her vote remotely by recording her preference on the ballot paper and sending it back to the election officer before counting.
Where it is mention?
• It is mention in the Section 60 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, provides for any person to be given the postal facility by the ECI in consultation with the government.
Who can avail this facility?
• Members of the armed forces like the Army, Navy and Air Force, members of the armed police force of a state (serving outside the state), government employees posted outside India and their spouses are entitled to vote only by post.
• In other words, they can’t vote in person.
• Voters under preventive detention can also vote only by post.
• Special voters such as the President of India, Vice President, Governors, Union Cabinet ministers, Speaker of the House and government officers on poll duty have the option to vote by post.
• But they must apply through a prescribed form to avail this facility.
• Recently, Postal ballots had been extended to Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and electors over 80 years in November last year, ahead of the Jharkhand and Delhi elections.
Absentee voters
• It is a new category of voters who can now also opt for postal voting.
• These are voters employed in essential services and unable to cast their vote due to their service conditions.
• Currently, officials of the DMRC, Northern Railway Services and media persons are notified as absentee voters.
Topic- GS Paper 2– Governance (Representation of the People Act, 1951)
Source- Indian Express
NSO Report on Immunization among Children
Why in the news?
• According to survey conducted by National Statistical Office (NSO) during July 2017-June 2018, on immunization among Children.
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Highlights of the report
• According to the report around 60% of children less than five years of age were fully immunized which includes about 59% of boys and 60% of girls across the country.
• They had been fully immunised with all eight prescribed vaccinations — BCG, OPV- 1, 2, 3, DPT- 1, 2, 3 and measles.
• In rural India, about 58% (57% boys and 60% girls) children under five years and about 62% (62% boys and 61% girls) children in urban India had been fully immunised.
• The survey shows majority of the children received vaccination from government hospitals or clinics.
• About 95% of children in rural India and 86% of children in urban India had received some vaccination from government hospitals including primary and community health centres or even Anganwadi centres.
• Private sector catered to about 5% of children in rural India, though the percentage was slightly higher at 14% of children in urban India who received any vaccination.
Related Information
About Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI)
• The Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) has been launched by the Government of India in 2017.
• The aim of Intensified Mission Indradhanush, to reach each and every child under two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programme.
• The special drive will focus on improving immunization coverage in select districts and cities to ensure full immunization to more than 90% by December 2018.
• Intensified Mission Indradhanush would be closely monitored at the district, state and central level at regular intervals.
• Further, it would be reviewed by the Cabinet Secretary at the National level and will continue to be monitored at the highest level under a special initiative ‘Proactive Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI)’.
Topic- GS Paper 3–Health Issue
Source- TOI
China repeats claim on Bhutan’s eastern territories
Why in the news?
• Recently China said that it has offered Bhutan a “package solution” to its boundary dispute, reviving a reference to its 1996 proposal for a territory swap to give Bhutan the disputed areas in its north in exchange for the disputed western areas, including Doklam.
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Background
• According to written records, there has been no mention of Eastern Bhutan, or Trashigang Dzongkhag (district), where Sakteng is based, that borders Arunachal Pradesh as per the negotiations of boundary held between the two countries between 1984 and 2016.
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There are three separate areas of disputed territory between Bhutan and China:
a. Eastern sector dispute over the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary
• It is in Trashigang District, Eastern Bhutan- close to the border with Arunachal Pradesh.
• China recently made territorial claims over Sakteng wildlife sanctuary at an online meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
b. Western Sector dispute over Doklam plateau
• Doklam plateau is an 89 sq.km patch of territory in Chumbi Valley between Sikkim and Bhutan which is claimed by China.
• It is called the Donglang region by China, Bhutan calls it Doklam Plateau and India refers to it as Doka La.
c. Middle sector dispute over Pasamlung and Jakarlung valleys
• It is a 495 sq km in Central Bhutan.
Topic- GS Paper 1–World Geography
Source- Indian Express
E-commerce sites must state country of origin
Why in the news?
• Recently the Centre told the Delhi High Court that all e-commerce entities, including Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal, have to ensure the mandatory declaration of country of origin of imported products sold on their respective sites.
• The law relating to the issue was enacted under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
• The enforcement of the provisions of the Act and Rules rests with the State and Union Territory governments.
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About the Legal Metrology Act, 2009
• It aims to establish and enforce standards of weights and measures, regulate trade and commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weight, measure, or number and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
About Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011
• These rules are framed to regulate the prepackaged commodities in order to provide protection to consumers from malpractices of underweight or under-measurement.
• Under these rules, the pre-packaged commodities have to comply with certain mandatory labelling requirements.
Salient features of the amendments:
• Goods displayed by the seller on e-commerce platform shall contain declarations required under the Rules like name & Address of the manufacturer, packer and importer, name of the commodity, net content, retail sale price, consumer care complaint, dimension etc.
• Specific mention is made in the rules that no person shall declare different MRPs (dual MRP) on an identical pre-packaged commodity, unless allowed under any law.
• This will benefit consumers at large as they are having complaints regarding dual MRP for item depending upon different types of public places like Cinema Hall, Airport, and Malls etc.
Topic- GS Paper 2–Governance
Source-The Hindu
Generation Unlimited India (YuWaah!)
Why in the news?
• Recently Union Ministry of Youth Affairs has signed a Statement of Intent for partnership with UNICEF India, YuWaah India and United Nations in India to work together with young people for empowering them and to make them changemakers with access to aspirational socio-economic opportunities.
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About Generation Unlimited India
• Generation Unlimited India (YuWaah) has been launched by UNICEF in November 2019.
• It is a multi-stakeholder alliance which aims to facilitate youth to gain relevant skills for productive lives and the future of work.
• The target age group of YuWaah includes adolescent girls and boys.
• Its key mission is to promote among youth foundational skills, life skills and flexible learning and identifying and scaling impactful delivery models.
• YuWaah intends to create platforms to guide youth to market opportunities (career guidance, mentorship, internships, apprenticeships) and facilitate integration of career guidance in school education.
Topic- GS Paper 2–Governance
Source- AIR
Factual News for State PSC Exams
Fact: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
• Recently the early-stage human trial data of a COVID-19 vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has shown positive result.
• It is safe and induces immune response, with mild side effects in some participants.
About ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
• It is made from a genetically engineered virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees.
• The recent study showed 90 percent of involved people developed neutralising antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus after one dose.
Fact: Punjab Government tie-up with IIT-Ropar for skill development
• Recently the Punjab government has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, in the area of skill development.
Important highlights of the agreement:
• The MoU provides for the IIT’s technical education department to become an academic mentor for the state’s engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Chamkaur Sahib, five government polytechnics and 10 government ITIs.
• The institute will also help the state in developing a model ITI and a model polytechnic. Others would be modelled on similar lines subsequently.
• Punjab Government helps to resolve the IIT’s land acquisition-related issues, while urging the institute to develop its campus as a green campus, with extensive landscaping and afforestation.
Fact: India successfully tests fires ATGM “Dhruvastra”
• Recently India has successfully conducted flight tests of its indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile ‘Dhruvastra’.
About Dhruvastra
• It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
• It is a helicopter version of ‘Nag Helina’.
• It is meant to be fired from air to destroy enemy bunkers, armoured vehicles and main battle tanks which make it one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world.
Fact: Vriksharopan Abhiyan
• Recently “Vriksharopan Abhiyan” will be launched by the Union Home Minister in New Delhi.
• Ministry of Coal will organize the abhiyan along with all Coal/Lignite PSUs.
• Under the “Vriksharopan Abhiyan”, large scale plantation would be carried out in mines, colonies, offices and other suitable areas of Coal/Lignite PSUs in order to promote “plantation by the society”.
Fact: Greta Thunberg named winner of Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity
• Recently Greta Thunberg (a 17-year-old climate activist from Sweden) has been named winner of the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity.
• She has been awarded for her efforts to mobilise younger generations to tackle climate change.
• She commenced a protest outside the Swedish parliament in 2018 and risen to global prominence, becoming the figurehead for a series of school strikes by children around the world.
About the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity
• The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, awarded annually, in the amount of 1 million euros.
• It aims to recognise people, groups of people and/or organisations from all over the world whose contributions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change stand out for its novelty, innovation, and impact.
Fact: Rare yellow turtle discovered in India
• Recently in Odisha’s Balasore district, a rare yellow turtle discovered. According to the experts, it is the product of albinism.
• The turtle is known as the “Indian flap shell turtle”.
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Distribution
• The turtle is commonly found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
What is Albinism?
• It is a type of genetic disorder where it is little or no production of pigment in the skin, eyes, and hair or in other species in the fur, feathers, or scales.
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