CURRENT AFFAIRS 21 NOVEMBER 2019

CURRENT AFFAIRS

21 NOVEMBER 2019

nature is peace.......pic by sumit

1.NAtional Register of Citizens(NRC)(GS-2)

CONTEXT:The process of creating a National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be undertaken across India, Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and whenever it is done, the exercise will be repeated

NAtional Register of Citizens(NRC):

What’s the issue?

Cut-off date for detecting and deporting foreigners- March 24, 1971– was agreed upon while signing the Assam Accord in August 1985 to end a six-year violent agitation against foreigners in the State.
However, it is now being demanded to declare 1951 as the cut-off year for determining citizenship as in other parts of India

Need for changing the cut- off year:

It is because the base year of 1971 will not protect the rights of indigenous people because many migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan and later Bangladesh entered Assam from 1951 onward.

What is NRC?

The NRC is the list of Indian citizens and was prepared in 1951, following the census of 1951.
The process of NRC update was taken up in Assam as per a Supreme Court order in 2013.
In order to wean out cases of illegal migration from Bangladesh and other adjoining areas, NRC updation was carried out under The Citizenship Act, 1955, and according to rules framed in the Assam Accord.
The Assam government released the final draft of NRC on July 30, 2018. The list incorporates names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants. The names of 40.07 lakh people have been left out.

Why is it being carried out?

Crisis of identity: Influx of immigrants has created a crisis of identity among the indigenous. Locals fear that their cultural survival will be affected, political control weakened and employment opportunities undermined because of immigrants.
Environmental degradation: Large areas of forest land were encroached upon by the immigrants for settlement and cultivation. The state experienced declining percent of land area under forest from 39% in 1951-52 to about 30% now.
Increase financial burden: Immigration has increased pressure on the part of state government, as the government has to increase the expenditure on education and health facilities to the immigrants.

Assam agitation:

The failure of government to respond the issue of illegal migration led to the agitation by the Assamese under the leadership of All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP) and All Assam Student’s Union (AASU). Assam witnessed governmental instability, sustained civil disobedience campaigns and worst cases of ethnic violence. Assam accord was the result of this agitation.
Illegal voters: Most of the Bangladeshi immigrants have got their names enlisted in the voting list illegally, thereby claiming themselves as citizens of the state. The immigrant’s population act as a vote bank for the political parties in Assam.

Why is this worrisome?

The official presumption that people residing in Assam areas are foreigners has reduced several million of these highly impoverished, mostly rural, powerless and poorly lettered residents to a situation of helplessness and extreme poverty, destitution, hardship.
It has also caused them abiding anxiety and uncertainty about their futures. They are required to convince a variety of usually hostile officials that they are citizens, based on vintage documents which even urban, educated, middle-class citizens would find hard to muster

Women are especially in danger of exclusion from the citizenship register. Typically, they have no birth certificates, are not sent to school, and are married before they become adults.
UN experts recently warned that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam could render millions of citizens stateless and create instability in India.

Way ahead:

A person’s citizenship is a basic human right. Declaring people foreigners in haste without judicially verifying their credentials can leave many human beings stateless.
The need of the hour is that Union Government should clearly chart out the course of action regarding the fate of excluded people from final NRC data and political parties should refrain from colouring the entire NRC process through electoral prospects that may snowball in to communal violence.
There is a need for a robust mechanism of legal support for the four million who have to prove their citizenship to India with their limited means.

Measures to boost border security:

The Central Government should appoint a National Immigration Commissionto frame a National Migration Policy and a National Refugee Policy. The Commission should examine ways of strengthening the Foreigners Act 1946, as well as feasibility of Identity Cards for both citizens and non-citizens and Work Permits for migrants.
Border fencing in Assam must be completed forthwith on a war footing. The existing Border Security Force posts and the BSF water wing should be strengthened.
Our nationals in the border districts and for that matter in the whole State should be provided multipurpose photo identity card.
The ongoing NRC updating should be completed without delay and proper arrangement for the deportation of illegal migrants should be done.
The Illegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal (IMDT) Act of 1983should be repealed.

2.Strategic Disinvestment(GS-2)

CONTEXT:Govt. to sell off its entire stake in BPCL, 4 other PSUs

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the go- vernment’s proposal to sell its entire 53.29% stake in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Finance Minis- ter Nirmala Sitharaman announced. However, BPCL’s 61.65% share in Numaligarh Refinery Limited will be transferred to a public sec- tor company operating in the oil and gas space. The government will also sell its entire 63.75% stake in the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and will cede management control. Simi- larly, it will sell its 30.8% stake in the Container Cor- poration of India (CONCOR) and hand over management control.

Strategic Disinvestment

Disinvestment means the dilution of stake of the Government in a public enterprise.

Strategic disinvestment is transferring the ownership and control of a public sector entity to some other entity (mostly to a private sector entity).

Unlike the simple disinvestment, strategic sale implies some sort of privatization.

According to the government, strategic disinvestment would imply the sale of a substantial portion of the Government shareholding of a central public sector enterprises (CPSE) of upto 50%, or such higher percentage as the competent authority may determine, along with transfer of management control.

Strategic disinvestment in India has been guided by the basic economic principle that the government should not be in the business to engage itself in manufacturing/producing goods and services in sectors where competitive markets have come of age, and economic potential of such entities may be better discovered in the hands of the strategic investors due to various factors, e.g. infusion of capital, technology up-gradation and efficient management practices etc.

3.Arundhati gold scheme(GS-2)

Assam govt to start Arundhati gold scheme by January 2020

The Assam government will start Arundhati gold scheme by January next year for the registered newly married couples. Under the scheme, an amount of 30 thousand rupees will be given to the bride to purchase gold.

Talking to the media in Guwahati, Assam Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the scheme is aimed to promote marriage registrations and prevent under-age marriages in the state. He said that the annual income of the bride and her father should not be more than 5 lakh rupees per year to get the benefit.

The Minister said that the minimum age of the bride and groom to be 18 and 21 years to avail the benefit under the scheme. He hoped that this scheme would help in population control and also in empowering the women.

4.SEBI(GS-3)

CONTEXT:SEBI approves stricter disclosure norms for listed companies

The Securities and Exchange Board of India, SEBI, has approved stricter disclosure norms for listed companies.

Accordingly, in case of default in repayment of loans beyond 30 days, listed companies will have to disclose the fact of such default within 24 hours.

SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi hoped that the move will help investors make informed choices.

Secondly, SEBI has amended Portfolio Managers (PM) Regulations, 2019 following which net worth requirement of portfolio managers has been enhanced from two crore to five crore rupees.

The regulator has informed that existing portfolio managers will have to meet the enhanced requirement within 36 months.

After a board meeting in Mumbai today, SEBI announced that it has approved a proposal to reduce the overall time taken for a rights issue from 55 days to 31 days

SEBI:

About

SEBI is a statutory body established on April 12, 1992 in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992.

The basic functions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India is to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote and regulate the securities market.

Background

Before SEBI came into existence, Controller of Capital Issues was the regulatory authority; it derived authority from the Capital Issues (Control) Act, 1947.

In April, 1988 the SEBI was constituted as the regulator of capital markets in India under a resolution of the Government of India.

Initially SEBI was a non statutory body without any statutory power.

It became autonomous and given statutory powers by SEBI Act 1992.

The headquarters of SEBI is situated in Mumbai. The regional offices of SEBI are located in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi.

Structure

SEBI Board consists of a Chairman and several other whole time and part time members.

SEBI also appoints various committees, whenever required to look into the pressing issues of that time.

Further, a Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has been constituted to protect the interest of entities that feel aggrieved by SEBI’s decision.

SAT consists of a Presiding Officer and two other Members.

It has the same powers as vested in a civil court. Further, if any person feels aggrieved by SAT’s decision or order can appeal to the Supreme Court.

Powers and Functions of SEBI

SEBI is a quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial body which can draft regulations, conduct inquiries, pass rulings and impose penalties.

It functions to fulfill the requirements of three categories –

Issuers – By providing a marketplace in which the issuers can increase their finance.

Investors – By ensuring safety and supply of precise and accurate information.

Intermediaries – By enabling a competitive professional market for intermediaries.

By Securities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2014, SEBI is now able to regulate any money pooling scheme worth Rs. 100 cr. or more and attach assets in cases of non-compliance.

SEBI Chairman has the authority to order "search and seizure operations". SEBI board can also seek information, such as telephone call data records, from any persons or entities in respect to any securities transaction being investigated by it.

SEBI perform the function of registration and regulation of the working of venture capital funds and collective investment schemes including mutual funds.

It also works for promoting and regulating self-regulatory organizations and prohibiting fraudulent and unfair trade practices relating to securities markets.

5.JAG(GS-2,3)

CONTEXT: Lt Col Sharma appointed as Army's first female JAG officer to be deploy on foreign mission

Jyoti Sharma has been appointed as Indian Army's first female Judge Advocate General officer to be deployed on a foreign mission. Indian Army officials told ANI that she will be appointed as the military legal expert with the government of Seychelles. Jyoti's main role would be to update the government of Seychelles officials on the defence and military act. In September, Wing Commander Anjali Singh joined Indian Embassy in Russia as India's first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the mission abroad. Singh joined her new assignment as deputy air attache.

Judge Advocate General :(

JAG):

The post of Judge Advocate General in India is held by a major general who is the legal and judicial chief of the Army. The Indian Army has a separate JAG branch which consists of legally qualified army officers. Officers can either be commissioned directly into the JAG Branch or can be sidestepped from other branches, arms or corps. JAG officers provide legal help to the military in all aspects, in particular advising the presiding officers of courts-martial on military law.

Eligibility

Must be an Indian.

Age limit: 21 to 27 years.

Minimum 55% aggregate Marks in LLB Degree (three years professional after graduation or five years after 10+2 examination). The candidates should be eligible for registration with Bar Council of India/State. Candidate should be from a College/University recognized by Bar Council of India

Method of Selection

The selection process to be followed is indicated below :-

(a) Initial shortlisting of applications will be done by Recruiting Directorate, Integrated HQ of MoD (Army) and the decision of DG Recruiting will be final. Details of the shortlisted online applications will be put on the website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. In this regard no representation will be entertained.

(b) Candidates whose applications are found to be correct shall be detailed for SSB interview[2] at allotted selection centres on specified dates.

(c) Two Stage Selection Procedure. Two stage selection procedure based on psychological Aptitude Test is held at Selection Centres. All the candidates will face stage one test on first day of reporting at Selection Centres. The candidates who fail to pass stage one will be returned on the same date.

(d) Those candidates who qualify stage II will submit the attested photo copy of educational documents mentioned in Para 14 (b) (i) to (viii) to Selection Centre for completion of their Dossier/verification.

(e) The candidates who qualify at the Service Selection Board and are found medically fit by a Medical Board, will be placed in order of merit. The final selection will be made in that order up to the number of vacancies available at that time.

Role played by JAG in Indian Army

A Judge Advocate General of the Indian army advises the military personnel on their day to day matters. Work is very similar to any litigator save, all the works are done for military officers.[3]

From the filing of drafts to appearing at courts and military tribunals, JAG officers are equal to the rank of lieutenant and are master in practice of Military laws.

6.Constitution Day (India)(GS-2)

CONTEXT:UGC asks higher educational institutions to celebrate Constitution Day on Nov 26

UGC asks higher educational institutions to celebrate Constitution Day on Nov 26

ugc.ac.inUniversity Grants Commission, UGC has issued circular to higher educational institutions to celebrate Constitution Day on 26th of November.

On this day in 1949, the Constitution was adopted which came into force on 26th January, 1950, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of India.

The commission has requested universities and affiliated colleges to make dedicated efforts to promote and spread awareness about the constitution and fundamental duties among their students, teachers staff and officials.

UGC said, it will also develop a dedicated portal for promotion and monitoring of the activities throughout the yeaR

Constitution Day (India):

Constitution Day (National Law Day), also known as Samvidhan Divas, is celebrated in India on 26 November every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

The Government of India declared 26 November as Constitution Day on 19 November 2015 by a gazette notification. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made the declaration on 11 October 2015 while laying the foundation stone of the B. R. Ambedkar's Statue of Equality memorial in Mumbai.The year of 2015 was the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar, who had chaired the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly and played a pivotal role in the drafting of the constitution.Previously this day was celebrated as Law Day. 26 November was chosen to spread the importance of the constitution and to spread thoughts and ideas of Ambedkar

7.Global Bio-India Summit(gs-2,3)

Context:3-day Global Bio-India Summit from today

A three-day mega event will kick off from Thursday here with an aim to showcase India’s potential in bio-tech sector to the world as well as to chart out an actionable roadmap to catapult the industry on the global map.

Union Science and Technology Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the Global Bio-India Summit, 2019 that will witness academia, innovators, researchers, start-ups, medium & large companies coming together on the same platform which will facilitate acceleration of the innovation ecosystem in the country.

Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology & Chairperson BIRAC, said, “Global Bio-India Summit is being organized for the first time in India. Biotechnology is recognized as the sunrise sector- a key driver for contributing to India’s USD 5 Trillion economy target by 2025.”

More than 25 countries besides 11 States from India are participating in the event which is being held at Aero City in association with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE) and Invest India. Various MoUs will be signed while there would be several interesting events such as “NanoBioteck-2019” and Nano for Agri-2019” which will cover most recent research and developments in their respective fields, said Dr Manish Diwan from BIRAC.

Global Bio-India 2019

Biotechnology sector is recognized as the key driver for contributing to India's USD 5 Trillion economy target by 2024. As India progresses on this transformational journey, Global Bio-India 2019, the largest Bio event, would showcase opportunities in Indian Biotechnology sector to the world.

Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India and it's Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) are organizing Global Bio-India Summit 2019, a mega international congregation of biotechnology stakeholders, including international bodies, regulatory bodies, Central and State Ministries, SMEs, large industries, bioclusters, research institutes, investors, and the startup ecosystem.

8.BIMSTEC(gs-2,3)

Context:Maiden Coastal Security Workshop for BIMSTEC countries underway in New Delhi

The maiden Coastal Security Workshop for BIMSTEC countries got underway in New Delhi this morning. The workshop aims at sharing views, best practices and experiences on issues of common maritime interest.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, BIMSTEC is an international organisation of seven nations - Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

Giving the keynote address, Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh said BIMSTEC offers a unique link between South Asia and South-East Asia. She said the Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world and therefore, India attaches great importance to BIMSTEC.

The Secretary said BIMSTEC nations have to be mindful of security challenges, both at sea and at the coastline. She said that in the last three years, BIMSTEC has developed full security cooperation and this should continue, deepen and diversify, be it in cybersecurity, or maritime security.

BIMSTEC:What is BIMSTEC?

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional multilateral organisation.

Its members lie in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity.

Out of the 7 members,

Five are from South Asia –

Bangladesh

Bhutan

India

Nepal

Sri Lanka

Two are from Southeast Asia –

Myanmar

Thailand

BIMSTEC not only connects South and Southeast Asia, but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.

It mainly aims to create an enabling environment for rapid economic development; accelerate social progress; and promote collaboration on matters of common interest in the region.

Genesis of BIMSTEC

This sub-regional organization came into being in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.

Initially, it was formed with four Member States with the acronym ‘BIST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Sri-Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).

It became renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ in 1997, following the inclusion of Myanmar.

With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan in 2004, the name of the grouping was changed to ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’ (BIMSTEC).

Objectives

Creating an enabling environment for the rapid economic development of the sub-region.

Encouraging the spirit of equality and partnership.

Promoting active collaboration and mutual assistance in the areas of common interests of the member countries

Accelerating support for each other in the fields of education, science, and technology, etc.

Principles of BIMSTEC

Sovereign Equality

Territorial Integrity

Political Independence

No-interference in Internal Affairs

Peaceful Co- existence

Mutual Benefit

Constitute an addition to and not be a substitute for bilateral, regional or multilateral cooperation involving the Member States.

Potential

Bridge between South and South East Asia and represents a reinforcement of relations among these countries.

Platform for intra-regional cooperation between SAARC and ASEAN members.

Home to around 1.5 billion people that constitute around 22% of the global population.

With a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.7 trillion economy, BIMSTEC Member States have been able to sustain an average 6.5% economic growth trajectory in the last five years.

A fourth of the world’s traded goods cross the bay every year.

Important Connectivity Projects:

Kaladan Multimodal Project – links India and Myanmar.

Asian Trilateral Highway - connecting India and Thailand through Myanmar.

Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement - for seamless flow of passenger and cargo traffic.

Significance for India

Allows India to pursue three core policies:

Neighborhood First - primacy to the country’s immediate periphery;

Act East - connect India with Southeast Asia; and

Economic development of India’s northeastern states – by linking them to the Bay of Bengal region via Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Allows India to counter China’s creeping influence in countries around the Bay of Bengal due to the spread of its Belt and Road Initiative.

A new platform for India to engage with its neighbors with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) becoming dysfunctional because of differences between India and Pakistan.

Areas of Cooperation

Trade and Investment

Technology

Energy

Transportation and Communication

Tourism

Fisheries

Agriculture

Cultural Cooperation

Environment and Disaster Management

Public Health

People-to-People Contact

Poverty Alleviation

Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime

Climate Change

Institutional Mechanisms

BIMSTEC Summit – highest policymaking body in BIMSTEC process and is comprised of heads of state/government of member states.

Ministerial Meeting – second apex policy-making forum of BIMSTEC attended by the External/Foreign Ministers of Member States.

Senior Officials’ Meeting – represented by Senior Officials of Foreign Ministries of the Member States.

BIMSTEC Working Group – attended by Ambassadors of BIMSTEC Member Countries to Bangladesh or their representatives on a monthly basis at the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka.

Business Forum & Economic Forum – the two important forums to ensure active participation of private sector.

Challenges

Though largely devoid of bilateral tensions, as is the case in SAARC, BIMSTEC does not seem to have made much progress.

Inconsistency in Meetings: BIMSTEC planned to hold summits every two years, ministerial meetings every year, but only four summits have taken place in 20 years upto 2018.

Neglect by member states: It seems that India has used BIMSTEC only when it fails to work through SAARC in the regional setting and other major members like Thailand and Myanmar are focused more towards ASEAN than BIMSTEC.

Broad Focus Areas: The focus of BIMSTEC is very wide, including 14 areas of cooperation like connectivity, public health, agriculture etc. It is suggested that BIMSTEC should remain committed to small focus areas and cooperate in them efficiently.

Bilateral Issues between Member Nations: Bangladesh is facing one of the worst refugee crisis of Rohingyas from Myanmar who are fleeing prosecution in the state of Rakhine in Myanmar. There is a border conflict between Myanmar and Thailand.

No FTA: BIMSTEC FTA was negotiated in 2004, talks on it are yet to be concluded.

BCIM: The formation of another sub-regional initiative, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum, with the proactive membership of China, has created more doubts about the exclusive potential of BIMSTEC