A person who has health, has hope and a person who has ...€¦ · A person who has health, has...

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Transcript of A person who has health, has hope and a person who has ...€¦ · A person who has health, has...

A person who has health, has hope and a person who has hope, has everything. –Arabic Proverb

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*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”.

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*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.

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*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

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*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.

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*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.

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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

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* 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.

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*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

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*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.

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*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.

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*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.

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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.”

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*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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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*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.”

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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.

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*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.

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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.

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*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.

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*“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.

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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.

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*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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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?

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