◇ Governor-General of Bengal now made the Governor- General of India and vested in him all civil and military powers. ◇ It deprived the Governor of Bombay and Madras of their legislative powers. ◇ It ended the activities of the East India Company as a commercial body, which became a purely administrative body. ◇ Attempted to introduce a system of open competition for selection of civil servants andstated that the Indians should not be debarred from holding any place, office and employment under the Company.
CHARTER ACT OF 1853
◇ Separated Legislative and Executive functions of Governor-General’s council. ◇ It provided for Addition of Six new members to the Council. ◇ It introduced open Competition for Selection and recruitment of Civil servants.◇ Extended Company’s rule of Indian possession on behalf of British Govt. But did notspecify any particular period. ◇It introduced Local representation in Indian (central) Legislative Council. ◇ Of 6 new members 4 members appointed by Local Governments of Madras, Bombay, Bengal, and Agra
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT OF 1858
◇ India will now be governed by, and in the name of, Her Majesty. ◇ Designation of Governor-General of India will now be changed to that of Viceroy ofIndia. ◇ It ended the system of Double government by abolishing the Board of Control and Court of Directors.◇ Created a new office, Secretary of State for India, vested with complete authority and control overAdministration. ◇ It established a 15 – member council of india to assist the secretary of state of India. ◇ It constituted the secretary of state in council as a body corporate, capable of suing and being sued in India
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT, 1919[PART 3]-
◇ It created a new office of the High Commissioner for India in London and transferred to himsome of the functions hitherto performed by the Secretary of State for India. ◇ It provided for the establishment of a public service commission. Hence, a CentralPublic Service Commission was set up in 1926 for recruiting civil servants. ◇ It separated, for the first time, provincial budgets from the Central budget andauthorised the provincial legislatures to enact their budgets. ◇ It provided for the appointment of a statutory commission to inquire into and report on its workingafter ten years of its coming into force
SIMON COMMISSION
◇ In November 1927 the British Government announced the appointment a seven-member statutory commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon to report on the condition of India under its new Constitution. ◇ All members of the commission were British and hence, all parties boycotted commission. ◇ The commission submitted its report in 1930 and recommended the abolition of dyarchy, extension of responsible Government in the provinces, establishment of a federation of British India and princely states, continuation of communal electorate and so on. ◇ To consider the proposals of the commission, the British Government convened three round table conferences of the representatives of the British Government, British India and Indian princely states. ◇ On the basis of these discussions, a ‘White Paper on Constitutional Reforms was prepared and submitted.
COMMUNAL AWARD
◇ In August 1932, Ramsay MacDonald, the British Prime Minister,announced a scheme of representation of the minorities, which came to be known as theCommunal Award. ◇ The award not only continued separate electorates for the Muslims, Sikhs,Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans but also extended it to the depressed classes(Scheduled Castes). ◇ Gandhiji was distressed over this extension of the principle of communalrepresentation to the depressed classes and undertook fast unto death in Yerwada jail (Poona) toget the award modified. At last, there was an agreement between the leaders of the Congress andthe depressed classes. ◇ The agreement, known as Poona Pact, retained the Hindu joint electorate and gave reserved seats to the depressed classes.
15 Sept 2022 Daily Current Affairs
. No. Topic Name Prelims/Mains 1. BRICS Prelims & Mains 2. Emergency Provisions Prelims & Mains 3. Self Sufficiency in Urea Sector Prelims & Mains 4. Reforms needed in UNSC Prelims & Mains 1 – BRICS: GS II International Organizations · About: · The abbreviation BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, a grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies. · Every year, the BRICS Leaders’ Summit is held. · Structure: · BRICS is not a formal organisation; rather, it is an annual summit between the leaders of five countries. · According to the formula B-R-I-C-S, the chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members. · Over the last decade, BRICS cooperation has grown to include an annual programme of over 100 sectoral meetings. · Important Characteristics · BRICS accounts for over 40% of the world’s population and 30% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), making it an important economic engine. · It’s a global power bloc and a burgeoning investment market. · The name “BRICS” was coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill in a report on the growth prospects for the economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which combined accounted for a major portion of global production and population. · The four countries began an annual informal diplomatic cooperation in 2006, with Foreign Ministers meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s General Debate (UNGA). · Following this positive encounter, it was decided that the debate would take place at the level of Heads of State and Government at yearly Summits. · Timeline: · In 2009, the Russian Federation hosted the first BRIC Summit, which focused on themes such as global financial architecture reform. · In December 2010, South Africa was asked to join BRIC, and the group’s acronym was changed to BRICS. In March 2011, South Africa attended the Third BRICS Summit in Sanya, China. · Objectives: · For more sustainable, equitable, and mutually beneficial development, the BRICS aspire to deepen, broaden, and accelerate collaboration within the grouping and among individual nations. · To guarantee that interactions are established on the respective country’s economic strengths and to prevent competition whenever possible, BRICS takes into account each member’s growth, development, and poverty objectives. · BRICS is establishing itself as a new and promising political-diplomatic body with a wide range of goals that extend far beyond the basic goal of overhauling global financial institutions. · Cooperation Domains: · Cooperation in the Economic Sector: · Trade and investment flows between BRICS countries are quickly increasing, as are economic cooperation efforts in a variety of industries. · Economic and trade cooperation, innovation cooperation, customs cooperation, strategic cooperation between the BRICS Business Council, contingent reserve agreement, and the New Development Bank all have agreements in place. · These agreements help to achieve the common goals of strengthening economic cooperation and promoting integrated trade and investment markets. · Interaction between people: · The need to strengthen People-to-People interactions and create closer collaboration in the areas of culture, sport, education, cinema, and youth has been recognised by BRICS members. · In the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, variety, and mutual learning, people-to-people interactions aim to establish new connections, develop relations, and mutual understanding between BRICS peoples. · The Young Diplomats Forum, Parliamentarian Forum, Trade Union Forum, Civil BRICS, and Media Forum are examples of people-to-people encounters. · Cooperation in the Political and Security Spheres: · The goal of BRICS member countries’ political and security cooperation is to achieve peace, security, development, and cooperation in order to make the world a more equitable and fair place. · BRICS offers chances for policy advice and best practise exchanges on domestic and regional issues, as well as pushing the restructuring of the global political architecture to make it more balanced, based on the pillar of multilateralism. · South Africa’s foreign policy initiatives, such as the promotion of the African Agenda and South-South Cooperation, are driven by BRICS. · Mechanism of Cooperation: · The following methods are used to achieve member cooperation: · Track I: Official diplomatic relations between national governments. · Track II: Government-affiliated organisations, such as state-owned businesses and business councils, are used to engage people. · Civil society and People-to-People involvement is the third track. · The BRICS Group’s Impact on Global Institutional Reforms · The financial crisis of 2008 were the catalyst for the BRIC nations to begin cooperating. The crises cast doubt on the dollar-dominated monetary system’s long-term viability. · “Multilateral institutions must be reform[ed] to reflect structural changes in the international economy and the increasingly central role that emerging markets currently play,” the BRICs said. · The BRICs were successful in pushing for institutional reform, which resulted in quota reform at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2010. As a result of the financial crises, western legitimacy was temporarily eroded, allowing the BRIC countries to become “agenda setters” in multilateral institutions. · A new development bank has been established: · Shanghai is the headquarters of NDB. · The prospect of establishing a new Development Bank was discussed at the Fourth BRICS Summit in New Delhi (2012) to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies, as well as in developing nations. · The presidents signed the Agreement establishing the New Development Bank during the Sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil, in 2014. (NDB). · The NDB will boost BRICS cooperation and augment the efforts of international and regional financial institutions for global development, according to the Fortaleza Declaration, contributing to sustainable and balanced growth. · Clean energy, transportation infrastructure, irrigation, sustainable urban development, and economic cooperation among member nations are among the NDB’s primary areas of work. · The NDB is based on a consultation framework among the BRICS countries, with equal rights for all members. · Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) is a type of contingency reserve · In 2014, the BRICS states signed the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) as part of the Fortaleza Declaration at the Sixth BRICS Summit, in response to the increasing frequency of global financial crises. · The BRICS CRA aims to give members with short-term liquidity support through currency swaps in order to
14 Sept 2022 Daily Current Affairs
. No. Topic Name Prelims/Mains 1. About the New START Treaty Prelims & Mains 2. Details of the Waqf Board Prelims & Mains 3. About the Fair and Remunerative Price Prelims & Mains 4. Details of the Central Vigilance Commissioner Prelims Specific Topic 1 – About the New START Treaty: GS II Topic International Relations · The Russian Federation and the United States of America signed the New START Treaty, which outlines measures for further reducing and limiting strategic offensive weaponry. · The agreement goes into force on February 5, 2011. · It is intended to replace the START framework, which in 1991 set a limit on the number of warheads and strategic delivery vehicles that might be deployed by either side (after the conclusion of the Cold War). · It continues the bipartisan process of verifiably reducing the strategic nuclear arsenals of the US and Russia by restricting each side to 700 strategic launchers and 1,550 operational warheads. · Unless it is renewed for an additional five years, it ends in February 2021. Source The Indian Express 2 – Details of the Waqf Board: GS II Topic Statutory and Non-Statutory Bodies · About: · the giving of money or other resources to religious or charitable causes in the name of God. · According to the law, the permanent dedication of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by Muslim law as pious, religious, or benevolent by a person professing Islam · How are Waqf Boards formed? · A property may become a waqf if it has been continuously utilised for religious or charity purposes for a long time; otherwise, a waqf may be created by the drafting of a deed or other legal document. · The funds are commonly used to support mosques, cemeteries, schools, and shelter homes. · The waqf would remain an ongoing entity, making it impossible for the individual who founded it to regain the assets. · A non-Muslim may also create a waqf, but they must do it with Islamic goals in mind and in a way that declares Islam. · What is the Waqf Board’s procedure? · It is governed by the 1995 Waqf Act. · According to the Act, a survey commissioner is expected to conduct local research, speak with witnesses, and acquire public records in order to compile a list of all properties that have been designated as waqf. · A manager who doubles as a mutawali oversees the waqf’s activities. Despite the fact that trusts can be created for motives other than charitable and religious ones, it is equivalent to one created in compliance with the Indian Trusts Act of 1882. In contrast to a waqf, a trust can also be disbanded by the board. · It is allowed to buy, hold, and transfer any kind of property. · Due to its status as a legal organisation or juristic person, the board is able to bring legal claims and be sued in court. · Composition: · The Waqf Board, which consists of a chairperson, one or two state government nominations, Muslim lawmakers and parliamentarians, Muslim state bar council members, recognised Islamic scholars, and mutawalis of waqfs with an annual income of Rs. 1 lakh and more, is present in every state. · Other information: · According to the law, the Waqf Board is responsible for overseeing the waqf’s assets and must get permission before transferring any immovable property owned by a waqf via a sale, gift, mortgage, exchange, or lease. However, unless at least two-thirds of the Waqf Board members vote in favour of the transaction, the sanction will not be granted. Source The Hindu 3 – About the Fair and Remunerative Price: GS III Topic Indian Agriculture · Details of the FRP: · FRP is the regulated price that the government mandates mills pay farmers for the cane that they purchase from them. · Through the use of a contract with mills, farmers have the option to pay the FRP in instalments. · When payments are late, interest fees of up to 15% per year may apply. Additionally, the sugar commissioner may seize mill assets to recover unpaid FRP as revenue recovery dues. · According to the Sugarcane Control Order, 1966, which was issued under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955, FRP is required to be paid across the country within 14 days of the date the cane was delivered. · Following the proposal of the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs made the announcement (CCEA). · CACP is the name of a division within the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. As an advisory body, the government is not compelled to take its recommendations into consideration. · The organisation is presided over by the Prime Minister of India. · The FRP was built on the findings of the study on sugarcane industry restructuring conducted by the Rangarajan Committee. · What elements are taken into account when the FRP is announced? · Sugarcane production costs: · Returning to the trend of agricultural commodity pricing and alternative crop growers, sugar is given to customers at a fair price. · The cost at which producers of sugar sell their sugar that is made from sugarcane. · Molasses, bagasse, and press mud are examples of byproducts that might bring in a profit or have their worth attributed to them. · Sugarcane farmers should have enough margins to cover earnings and risk. · Payment options for FRP: · The FRP is based on the sugar-recovery capacity of the cane. · FRP has been established at Rs 2,900 per tonne at a base recovery of 10% for the sugar season of 2021–2022. · Sugar recovery is the proportion of sugar produced to cane crushed that is expressed as a percentage. · Higher FRP and sugar production are the results of higher recovery. · Details of the sugarcane crop: · 21 to 27 degrees Celsius, humid and sticky. · Between 75 and 100 cm of rain fall. · Deep, rich loam makes up the soil. · Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
13 Sept 2022 Daily Current Affairs
. No. Topic Name Prelims/Mains 1. About the Tuberculosis Prelims & Mains 2. Details of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Prelims & Mains 3. About the Free Trade Agreement Prelims & Mains 4. Detail of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office Prelims Specific Topic 1 – About the Tuberculosis: GS II Topic Health related issues About: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a member of the Mycobacteriaceae family with roughly 200 species, is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB). Some mycobacteria infect a variety of animals, while others cause diseases like leprosy and TB in humans. TB most frequently impacts the lungs in people (pulmonary TB), however it can also impact other organs (extra-pulmonary TB). It has been proven that TB, a very old disease, was present in Egypt as early as 3000 BC. The disease TB is curable and treatable. Transmission: Through the air, TB can transmit from one person to another. People who have lung TB cough, sneeze, or spit into the air, spreading the TB bacteria. Symptoms: Chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats are all common signs of active lung TB, as do coughs that occasionally produce sputum and blood. Global TB Impact: In the 30 countries with a high TB burden in 2019, 87% of new TB cases were reported. Eight nations—India, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and South Africa—accounted for two thirds of the new TB cases. Between January and December 2020, India reported 1.8 million TB cases, down from 2.4 million the year prior. MDR-TB continued to be a public health emergency and a threat to health security in 2019. MDR-TB is a type of tuberculosis that is resistant to the two anti-TB medications that are typically used as first-line therapy. Extensively A type of tuberculosis known as drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is brought on by germs that are resistant to several of the most potent anti-TB medications. The BCG vaccine: By altering a Mycobacterium bovis strain, two Frenchmen named Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin created the BCG vaccine (that causes TB in cattle). In humans, it was first applied in 1921. BCG was first made available in India on a small basis in 1948, and it was included in the National TB Control Program in 1962. In addition to its principal application as a TB vaccine, it also offers defence against other mycobacterial diseases like Leprosy and Buruli’s ulcer as well as infant respiratory and bacterial infections. Malignant melanoma and urinary bladder cancer are both treated with it as an immunotherapy agent. It’s an intriguing truth regarding BCG that it performs well in certain places and poorly in others. In general, a country’s efficiency increases with distance from the equator. In nations near or on the equator, such India, Kenya, and Malawi, where the prevalence of TB is higher, it has little to no efficacy. It has a high efficacy in the UK, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Related Projects: Global Initiatives: The Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership have joined forces with the WHO (World Health Organization) to launch the “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” effort. The Global Tuberculosis Report is additionally published by WHO. India’s Initiatives: The TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign, The Nikshay Ecosystem (a national TB information system), The Nikshay Poshan Yojana (financial support), and The National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination (2017–2025). Two TB vaccines, MIP (Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii) and VPM (Vaccine Projekt Management) 1002, have been created, identified, and are currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials. Source The Indian Express 2 – Details of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization: GS II Topic International Organizations About: A permanent multinational intergovernmental organisation is the SCO. Keeping the peace, security, and stability in the area is the goal of this Eurasian political, economic, and military institution. In 2001, it was founded. In 2003, the SCO Charter came into effect after being signed in 2002. Genesis: The Shanghai Five, which included Tajikistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, existed prior to the establishment of the SCO in 2001. The Shanghai Five (1996) was the result of several boundary delineation and demilitarisation negotiations between China and the four former Soviet republics to maintain peace along the boundaries. The Shanghai Five became known as the SCO after Uzbekistan joined the group in 2001. Pakistan and India joined in 2017. It was reported that Iran would join the SCO as a full member on September 17, 2021. Objectives: enhancing the member states’ sense of cooperation and neighbourliness. encouraging efficient collaboration in the fields of politics, trade, the economy, science, and culture. strengthening connections in areas such as environmental protection, energy, transportation, and tourism. Maintain and uphold the region’s peace, security, and stability. creation of a new international political and economic order that is democratic, fair, and logical. Membership: Iran, China, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Structure: The top SCO body, the Heads of State Council, decides how the organisation will operate internally, interact with other States and international organisations, and take into account global challenges. The Heads of Government Council approves the budget and deliberates on matters relating to the interaction of economic sectors within the SCO. Considers daily operation-related topics in the Council of Foreign Ministers. To combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) was created. Secretariat of the SCO: Located in Beijing to offer organisational, analytical, and informational support Language Used: Chinese and Russian are the SCO Secretariat’s official working languages. Source The Indian Express 3 – About the Free Trade Agreement: GS III Topic Indian Economy FTA: Free Trade Agreement: It is an agreement between two or more countries to lower import and export restrictions. Under a free trade policy, there are little to no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions that prevent the exchange of products and services across international borders. The idea of free trade is the antithesis
MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE:
What precisely is MSP? The minimum support price is the price the government pays farmers for their wheat (MSP). MSPs have been created for 23 crops farmed in both the Kharif and Rabi seasons. What methodology was used in its calculation: The rate at which the government purchases crops from farmers is known as the MSP, which is calculated at least one and a half times the producers’ cost of production. According to the Union Budget for 2018–19, MSP would be kept at 1.5 times the cost of production. Two times a year, the MSP is determined using recommendations made by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), a statutory organisation that submits separate reports for the kharif and rabi seasons. Which production costs are included while determining MSPs: When recommending MSP, the CACP considers both “A2+FL” and “C2” expenditures. All of the money farmers spend on things like seeds, pesticides, fertilisers, hired labour, gasoline, and irrigation is included in category A2 expenditures. A2+FL considers actual out-of-pocket expenses as well as the worth of unpaid family labour. In addition to A2+FL, the C2 expenses also comprise the rent and interest forfeited on owned land and fixed capital assets. MSP’s drawbacks include: The main issue with the MSP is a lack of government procurement equipment for all crops, with the exception of wheat and rice, which the Food Corporation of India actively purchases under the PDS. Farmers who live in places where the government buys all of their grain profit the most, while those who live in areas where government grain purchases are less common are frequently impacted. Additionally, the MSP-based procurement system relies on commission agents, intermediaries, and APMC representatives, all of whom are difficult for smaller farmers to get a hold of.