Government formally approved the 22nd Law Commission for 3 years
Context :
Government formally approved the twenty-second Law Commission of India for a period of three years. The law commission will provide a recommendation on different aspects of law, to the government, which are entrusted to the Commission for its study and recommendations, as per its terms of reference.
Members of the Commission :
The 22nd Law Commission will consist of :
- a full-time Chairperson– The chairperson is usually is a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired chief justice of a high court)
- four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary)
- Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs as ex-officio Member
- Secretary, Legislative Department as ex officio Member
- part-time Members (not more than five)
Roles of Law Commission :
- Law Commission does research in law and review of existing laws in India for making reforms therein and enacting new legislations.
- It will undertake studies to bring reforms in the justice delivery systems for elimination of delay in procedures, speedy disposal of cases, reduction in the cost of litigation, etc.
- It will provide a measure that is necessary to harness the law and the legal process in the service of the poor.
- The commission will revise various Central Acts of general importance so as to simplify them and remove anomalies, ambiguities, and inequities.
Law Commission of India :
The Law Commission of India was constituted by the Government of India in 1955. The non-statutory body is reconstituted every three years. The tenure of the twenty-first Law Commission of India ended on 31 August 2018. Law Commission has made a significant contribution towards the progressive development and codification of Law of the country. It has submitted 277 reports so far.
Hampi
Context :
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is about to install a wooden barricade around the stone chariot inside Vittala Temple complex at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi to protect it from damage.
The Vittala Temple is among the most-visited and the most photographed protected monuments at Hampi.
Hampi :
- Hampi is the 14th century capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, located in the Tungabhadra basin in Bellary District, Central Karnataka.
- Vittal Temple Complex is the finest example of Vijaynagar Temple Architecture.
- A large number of royal buildings were raised by Krishnadeva Raya (A.D. 1509-30) and Vittal Temple Complex is one of them.
- Temples of Hampi are noted for their large dimensions, florid ornamentation, bold and delicate carvings and stately pillars which include subjects from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
- Majority of these temples in Hampi were provided with widespread bazaars flanked on either side by storied Mandapas.
- The Mahanavami Dibba, a variety of ponds and tanks, and the row of pillared Mandapas are some of the important architectural remains of Hampi.
In 1986, Hampi was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Amendments in Arms Act, 1959 and Arms Rules, 2016 notified
Context :
Amendments in Arms Act, 1959 and Arms Rules, 2016 notified.
key changes :
- As per the new rules, now International medallists/renowned shooters are allowed to keep additional weapons up to a total of twelve under the exempted category, which earlier was seven.
- If a shooter is renowned in one event, he/she can keep maximum eight (previously it was four), if a shooter is renowned in two events he/she can keep maximum ten (previously it was seven) and if a shooter is renowned in more than two events, he/she can keep maximum twelve (previously it was seven) firearms under the exempted category.
- Junior target shooters/aspiring shooters are now allowed to possess two weapons (previously one) of any category in which the person is engaged.
- Apart from the above exemptions, shooters are entitled to possess two firearms as normal citizens under provisions of the Arms Act, 1959.
- Similarly, by amending the provision under Rule 40 of the Arms Rules, 2016 the quantity of ammunition that can be purchased by the shooters during the year for the practice has also been increased considerably.
- Through these amendments, it has also been clarified that no licence is required for Indian citizens for acquisitions, possession of small arms falling under the category of curio.
- However, appropriate licence as prescribed would be required for use or to carry or transport such small arms.
- Without the endorsement of such firearms in the prescribed licence of the owner, no ammunition shall be sold for their use.
About the Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019:
- It seeks to enhance the punishment for existing offences like illegal manufacture, sale, transfer, etc.; illegal acquiring, possessing or carrying prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition; and illegal manufacture, sale, transfer, conversion, import, export, etc., of firearms.
- It also proposes to define new offences and prescribes punishment for them, such as taking away firearms from police or armed forces, involvement in organized crime syndicate, illicit trafficking including smuggled firearms of foreign make or prohibited arms and prohibited ammunition, use of firearms in rash and negligent manner in celebratory gunfire endangering human life, etc.
- It seeks to enhance the period of arms license from three years to five years and also to issue arms license in its electronic form to prevent forgery.
Source : pib
One Year of PM-KISAN
Context :
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare observed the 1st anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme on 24th February.
- The PM-KISAN was launched on February 24 in 2019.
- All states are implementing the scheme, except West Bengal.
- The PM-KISAN Mobile App developed and designed by the National Informatics Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been launched.
- The farmers can view the status of their application, update or carry out corrections of their Aadhaar cards and also check the history of credits to their bank accounts.
PM-KISAN :
- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
- It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare.
- Under the scheme, the Centre transfers an amount of Rs 6,000 per year, in three equal instalments, directly into the bank accounts of the all landholding farmers irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
- It intends to supplement the financial needs of the Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income at the end of each crop cycle.
- The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiary farmer families rests with the State / UT Governments.
Source: TH
‘A Future for the World’s Children’ report
Context :
‘A Future for the World’s Children’ report was recently released by the WHO, UNICEF and the Lancet medical journal. The report calculates the Flourishing Index and Sustainability Index of 180 countries.
How are the countries ranked
Flourishing Index:
Flourishing is the geometric mean of Surviving and Thriving.
- The parameter of Surviving considers maternal survival, survival in children younger than 5 years old, suicide, access to maternal and child health services, basic hygiene, sanitation, and lack of extreme poverty.
- The parameter of Thriving considers educational achievement, growth and nutrition, reproductive freedom, and protection from violence.
- Sustainability Index:
The Sustainability Index ranks countries on the basis of excess carbon emissions compared with the 2030 target.
Performance of India:
- India stands 77th (sustainability index) and is at 131st on a ranking that measures the best chance at survival and well-being for children.
- India has improved in health and sanitation but has to increase its spending on health.
Global Scenario:
- Children in Norway, the Republic of Korea and the Netherlands have the best chance at survival and well-being.
- Children in the Central African Republic, Chad, Somalia, Niger and Mali face the worst odds.
- World-wide the number of obese children and adolescents has increased from 11 million in 1975 to 124 million in 2016 — an 11-fold increase, with dire individual and societal costs.
- The only countries on track to beat the CO2 emission per capita targets by 2030, while also performing fairly (within the top 70) on child flourishing measures are: Albania, Armenia, Grenada, Jordan, Moldova, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay and Vietnam.
Concerns expressed:
No single country is adequately protecting children’s health, their environment and their futures.
Threats: Health and future of every child and adolescent worldwide is under immediate threat from ecological degradation, climate change and exploitative marketing practices that push heavily processed fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco at children.
Progress reversing: Despite improvements in child and adolescent health over the past 20 years, progress has stalled, and is set to reverse. It has been estimated that around 250 million children under five years old in low- and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential, based on proxy measures of stunting and poverty.