A person who has health, has hope and a person who has ...€¦ · A person who has health, has...
Transcript of A person who has health, has hope and a person who has ...€¦ · A person who has health, has...
www.studyiq.com
*The time has come to undo the judicial wrong done to homosexual individuals in 2013.
*Section 377 of the IPC which criminalises gay sex.
Draws from 9 Judge Bench
*Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India: “equality demands that the sexual orientation of each individual in society must be protected on an even platform. The right to privacy and the protection of sexual orientation lie at the core of the fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution.”
*The Bench has rightly observed that social morality changes from age to
age, that “the morality that public perceives, the Constitution may not
conceive of,” and that what is “natural to one may not be natural to
another”.
www.studyiq.com
*2009 Delhi High Court judgment: Section 377 to decriminalise consensual
sex between adults, may be restored.
*Gender identity and sexual orientation as an aspect of privacy, personal
freedom and dignity.
*The formulation in Koushal that constitutional protection is not available
to a tiny fraction of the population can be overturned only on the
touchstone of Article 14, which protects the right to equality.
*Curative petition: normally allowed only on the limited grounds of
violation of principles of natural justice and circumstances suggesting
possible bias on the part of judges.
www.studyiq.com
*The tragic death of Bajirao, one of India’s breeding tigers from the Bor reserve in Maharashtra, on a highway is a reminder that building unsuitable roads through wildlife habitats has a terriblecost.
* are one of the most protected species: hit-and-run
*Fate of the big cat, and that of so many other animals such as leopards, bears, deer, snakes, amphibians, butterflies and birds that end up as roadkill, highlights the contradictions in development policy.
*It is inevitable that new roads are built, but good scientific advice to
keep them out of wildlife corridors is mostly ignored.
*Protected areas are just 4% of the land.
*Article 14 of the Convention on Biological Diversity
www.studyiq.com
*The Centre and the National Highways Authority of India have been
repeatedly advised by the National Board for Wildlife, as well as
independent researchers, to realign or modify sensitive roads.
*Wildlife Institute of India: tigers in at least 26 reserves face the
destructive impact of roads and traffic.
*User fees, proper signs and warnings, CCTVs, anti-speed roads, speeding
cameras, underpasses, allowing only escorted convoys, etc
*This would ensure that tigers and other animals are not isolated, and can
disperse strong genetic traits to other populations.
www.studyiq.com
*With rural economic anxieties acquiring a
political voice, the expectation is that the
Budget will focus on agriculture.
*Country has been in denial mode.
*Farm incomes are unattractive for a variety of reasons: absurd policies
A. Overriding objective of price stability: tilted farm policy in favour of
the consumer, the numerically larger vote bank.
B. Trade and price controls: highly restrictive, and mostly anti-farmer.
C. Protection afforded to the inefficient fertilizer industry ensures that
input costs are high.
www.studyiq.com
D. The farmer is forced to sell in the domestic market where prices tend to be lower than global agricultural prices.
*Agri-markets are not free (Govt. influence price): Absence of state intervention, prices soar in bad weather years and plunge in good weather years, hurting consumers and farmers.
*Levelers: A) import & export controls B) buffer stocks mgmt. & (C) MSPs
*The MSP, the price at which the government offers to procure from farmers, is an economic policy tool which requires technical acumen.
*Sensible policy: buy from farmers when market prices are depressed and sell stocks in the open market when prices are elevated.
*MSP is pegged higher than the market price, the procurement will raise the market price, boosting farm incomes.
*Offloading its stocks at a price lower than the market price: Cushion consumers
www.studyiq.com
* Mistake: Pulses in 2016-17
* Former Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu has written about the mindset behind the reluctance to release stocks to cool rising prices.
* Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati’s calculations: Indian MSPs of rice and wheat are less than support prices in China and other Asiancountries, betraying India’s bias in favour of consumers.
* The Chinese economic reforms were kicked off in 1978 with an overhaul of agriculture. As farm prices were decontrolled, real per capita incomes began rising and, in just six years Chinese poverty levels halved, from 33% in 1978 to 15% in 1984.
* In contrast, India’s 1991 reforms bypassed agriculture altogether and instead focussedcompletely on industrial liberalisation. Indian poverty halved in 18 years from 45% in 1993 to 22% in 2011.
www.studyiq.com
*The recent protests which spread around Iran in the waning days of 2017
and early 2018 represented the largest public display of discontent in
Iran since the 2009 Green Movement.
*2009 Green Movement: largely a product of the urban middle class youth
in Tehran
www.studyiq.com
*Recent unrest in Iran seems to reflect the economic grievances of the
lower and working classes, alienated from institutional politics and
suffering heavily from the consequences of an unjust and unequal
management of the Iranian economy.
*As a result, these protests have been largely driven by disaffected young
people in rural areas, towns and small cities who seized a pretext to
express their frustrations with economic woes that are caused by Iran’s
foreign policy, as the country has been largely involved in both the Syrian
conflict and turmoil in Yemen.
*The growing generational gap between the Islamic government and the
Iranian youth, particularly young women, has never been wider.
www.studyiq.com
*On one side are those who use power to make money, and on the other side are those who disobey the social and political order’.
*Political fragmentation within Iran has never been more evident, and the clerical elite have never been challenged more clearly, both at the domestic and international level.
*‘demonstrating for better working conditions or pay, but insisting on wholesale rejection of the system itself’
*Re-election of Mr. Rouhani:youth unemployment more than 40%.
*Nuclear deal of 2015: better society
*Global community on Iran: Unpredictable and problems are not over.
www.studyiq.com
*Fundamental departure from 70 years of American foreign
*He has also turned his back on the existential basis of American society, which is that we are an immigrant nation.
*Withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement, and we are the only country that is out of it now, and we are the second largest carbon emitter.
*This President has not been consistent. He sees the world almost solely through the prism of trade and investment, and ignores the value of democracy and other strategic issues.
*There is a crisis in Europe — the crisis is the rise of right wing populism.
*For countries like the U.S., India, Japan or France, soft power is very important.
*If you look at President Trump’s policies worldwide, one of the brightest spots has been his policy towards India.
www.studyiq.com
India, U.K. to ink illegal migrants pact
*India will sign a pact with the United Kingdom for a return of illegal Indian migrants within a month of their being detected by authorities.
*The U.K. has consistently raised the issue of return of illegal migrants —said to number in thousands — with India.
*The memorandum of understanding comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit in March.
*During her visit to India in 2016, British Prime Minister Theresa May said the U.K. would consider an improved visa deal, “if, at the same time, we can step up the speed and volume of returns of Indians with no right to remain in the U.K.”
www.studyiq.com
*Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju will lead a delegation to the U.K.
this week. The team is expected to ask Westminster to “spell out” its
position in court on businessman Vijay Mallya’s extradition.
*Mr. Modi’s visit to the U.K. coincides with the hearing in Mr. Mallya’s case
when the court takes up the “admissibility of evidence.”
*A senior Home Ministry official said, “Till now U.K has assured us of all
possible help in the extradition requests placed by India, but we would
like to know the stand they are going to take in court in Mallya’s case.”
www.studyiq.com
Playing of national anthem in cinema
halls made optional
*The Supreme Court on Tuesday
modified its November 30, 2016,
interim order and made it optional for
cinema halls to play the 52-second
national anthem before every show.
*A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India
Dipak Misra, clarified that it is not
mandatory to play the anthem before
screenings.
www.studyiq.com
No change in H-1B rules: U.S.
*The United States has no plans under consideration to
discontinue the extension of H-1B visa beyond six
years, when beneficiaries apply for a permanent
residency (green card), authorities clarified on Monday.
*Speculative reporting on the issue over the last 10 days
had caused considerable panic among Indian
Americans.
*Fears that up to 7,50,000 Indian Americans could be
forced to leave the U.S. as the result of possible
changes in H-1B visa policy were dispelled this week.
www.studyiq.com
No viable alternative to hanging, Centre tells court
*There is no viable method at present other than hanging to execute condemned prisoners. Lethal injections are unworkable and often fail, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
*The government was responding to a query from the court on alternativemodes of execution.
*The court had previously said a condemned convict should die in peace and not in pain. A human being is entitled to dignity even in death.
*Additional Solicitor-General Pinky Anand, while seeking more time to file a detailed affidavit, orally submitted that “today, there is no viable method other than hanging.”
www.studyiq.com
*Petitioner-in-person and advocate Rishi Malhotra countered that death
by lethal injection is practised in several States in the U.S. and even the
Law Commission of India had recommended lethal injection.
*The court has already clarified that it is not questioning the
constitutionality of the death penalty. Section 354 (5), which mandates
death by hanging, of the Code of Criminal Procedure has already been
upheld.
*However, the Bench had, at an earlier hearing, favoured a re-look at the
practice of hanging to death as “the Constitution of India is an organic
and compassionate document which recognises the sanctity of flexibility
of law as situations change with the flux of time.”
www.studyiq.com
Kamala Mills fire: Ribeiro moves High Court seeking probe
*Former city Commissioner of Police Julio F. Riberio moved the Bombay
High Court on Tuesday, seeking a comprehensive fire safety audit, a
special investigation team (SIT) and a judicial commission to fix
accountability for the loss of 14 lives in the recent fire at two
restaurants in Kamala Mills.
*It mentions how the “BMC chief has frankly admitted that there was
immense pressure from the powerful persons to ‘not take action against
certain officials’, and that there were people who were insistent that no
action should be taken against them”. The PIL points out that neither
restaurant had fire safety equipment.
www.studyiq.com
*Among other requests, Mr. Riberio has sought a direction from the court
to the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) to conduct a comprehensive fire safety
audit of all eateries, lounges, bas and pubs. He wants the Urban
Development Department to depute an officer in all civic wards to aid
the CFO in conducting a comprehensive ward-wise fire safety audit, and
report a submit to court in a time-bound manner.
*Mr. Riberio, who was also the Indian Ambassador to Romania, sought
alternate relief through a judicial commission that will fix accountability
of public officers and private individuals, which will submit a report to
the court. The PIL also sought the constitution of an SIT comprising IPS
officers not below the rank of Additional CP (Crime) to continue with the
investigation into the Kamala Mills fire. All FIRs in the incident have been
registered at NM Marg police station.
www.studyiq.com
PIOs make ‘mini-world Parliament’
*India on Tuesday reached out to lawmakers of Indian origin spread across
the world, seeking support for its emerging status as a global power.
*Speaking at the “First PIO Parliamentarian Conference”, External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj urged the legislators and political figures to
consider what kind of contribution they could make for India’s global
ambition.
*“This conference will be a mix of two dimensions on your present
situation and past struggle, and what you can do to promote the
emerging India in the global scene,” she said.
www.studyiq.com
*Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: Atal Bihari Vajpayee
*“Your ancestors had to leave India under various circumstances and that is why when you return to an Indian airport, you are reminded of your ties with this country. You have a desire to return to India and I understand your feelings very well. On the one hand, you have preserved Indian culture. On the other hand, your people have excelled in sports, arts, cinema in the global platforms and have contributed to your adopted country’s welfare,” PM said in Hindi.
*He mentioned the presence of former Guyanese President Bharat Jagdeo, and noted that from Mauritius to Guyana, there were several Indian-origin individuals who had become leaders of their countries. “We have a mini-world Parliament in front of us today,” Mr. Modi said.
www.studyiq.com
*“For enhancing our pride and dignity, you all deserve our appreciation,”
he said noting that India was experiencing aspirational and societal
changes.
*He said there was an “irreversible change” sweeping India, and urged
the leaders to come forward to join hands.
www.studyiq.com
Modi, Netanyahu plan roadshow
*After his mega roadshow with Japanese premier Shinzo Abe here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, on a similar trip in the city on January 17.
*The Prime Ministers will travel in an open jeep from the airport to the Sabarmati Ashram following Mr. Netanyahu’s arrival at 10.30 a.m. The civic body is decking up the route.
*Mr. Modi will take Mr. Netanyahu around the ashram and Mahatma Gandhi’scottage.
*Both would later inaugurate a new incubation and start-up support centre, iCreate, set up with Israeli assistance. More than 1,000 delegates from industry and business would be present.
www.studyiq.com
*In the afternoon, both leaders would reach Vadraj village in Sabarkantha
in North Gujarat where a centre for excellence for vegetable farming
had been set up with Israel’s help. Mr. Netanyahu will inaugurate another
centre of excellence for date farming in Kutch.
*“We have three events during Israel Prime Minister’s day-long visit to the
State,” the Gujarat government official added.
*In 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping became the first foreign dignitary
to visit Mr. Modi’s home state. In Ahmedabad, Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi
attended a variety of events.
*Mr. Shinzo laid the stone for the bullet train project.
www.studyiq.com
Army satisfied with Akash missile
*The Army is fully satisfied with the performance of the indigenously
developed Akash short-range surface-to-air missile (SR SAM) system and
is looking for further performance enhancements in future
*The Army currently has two Akash regiments which it began inducting in
2015.
*Akash has a range of 25 km and can simultaneously engage multiple
targets in all weather conditions and has a large operational envelope
from a low altitude of 30 metres to a maximum of up to 20 km.
www.studyiq.com
Delhi, Male set to reboot bilateral ties
*In a sign of a possible thaw in India-Maldives ties, Maldivian Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim will arrive in Delhi on Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday.
*Mr. Asim’s visit is the first high-level visit between the two countries in nearly a year, since Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar visited in February 2017, and the first since the Maldives and China signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in November 2017.
*Shortly thereafter, India had indicated its displeasure at the speed with which the FTA was passed in the Maldivian parliament, followed by President Yameen’s state visit to Beijing.
www.studyiq.com
1. Maximum number of sugar factories are located in
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. Tamil Nadu
C. Bihar
D. Assam
2. Oldest and still active oil field of India
A. Bombay High
B. Ankleshwar
C. Digboi
D. Naharakatiya
www.studyiq.com
1. The largest tribe group of India is
A. Bhils
B. Gonds
C. Santhals
D. Tharus
2. Identify the non Green House Gas
A. Methane
B. Nitrous oxide
C. Sulphur hexafluoride
D. Carbon monoxide
3. Ozone layer present in our atmosphere absorb
A. Cosmic rays
B. Infr-red rays
C. Ultraviolet rays
D. All rays
4. Identify: Modji visited this car of train at which place?