November 2024

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Daily Current Capsules - 03rd AUGUST 2019

National Affairs/Governance
One nation one ration card scheme


Relevance IN - Prelims ( about one nation one ration card) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions + centre- state relations)
What's the NEWS

  • One nation one ration card scheme was launched on a pilot basis in four states- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The scheme will provide a major boost to the national food security government.

Know! more about the scheme

  • Under the one nation one ration card scheme, families who have food security cards will be able to buy rice, wheat or any food grain at a subsidised price from any ration shop in the mentioned states.
  • The ration cards will need to be linked with the Aadhaar Number to avail the service.
  • The Union Government plans to extend the One nation one ration card scheme to all the states by August 2020 to enable the portability of the food security card.
  • In Telangana, those who have white ration card have been receiving the portability facility, which enables them to buy their subsidized food grains from any fair price shop in the state.
  • Under the one nation one ration card scheme, the same facility can now be utilized in Andhra Pradesh through PoS machines.
  • As per official data, around 2.82 crore consumers benefited from ration portability in Telangana. The facility was introduced in the state last year.
  • Now, over 56 lakh beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act in Telangana are expected to benefit from the facility.
  • With the launch of the One nation one ration card scheme, consumers in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat will also stand to benefit from the facility.

Judiciary
Cabinet approves increasing strength of SC judges from 31 to 34
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about article 124 and Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956)
What's the NEWS

  • The Union Cabinet approved increasing the number of judges in the top court from the present 30 to 33, excluding the chief justice of India. At present, the sanctioned strength of the apex court is 30, excluding the CJI.

Know! more about it

  • Once the bill to increase the number of judges gets parliamentary nod, the number of judges would go up to 33, excluding the CJI.
  • The strength will be 34, including the CJI.At present, the Supreme Court is working with its full sanctioned strength of 31, including the CJI.
  • The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 was last amended in 2009 to increase the judges' strength from 25 to 30 (excluding the CJI).
  • The decision of the Cabinet came days after Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the number of judges in the top court.

Know! the Constitutional Provisions

  • The strength of Supreme Court is fixed by law made by Parliament as per Article 124 (1) of Constitution of India.
  • Therefore, the strength can be increased by way of parliamentary legislation.
  • In pursuance of this Parliament has enacted Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, which originally provided for maximum of 10 judges (excluding the CJI). The law was last amended in 2009 to increase judges' strength from 25 to 30 (excluding the CJI).

Defence
Indian Army delegation takes part in BPM to celebrate PLA's 92nd foundation day
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the BPM and about India- china relations) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

  • An Indian Army delegation took part in special Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) held at Nathu La y to celebrate 92nd anniversary of the foundation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Know! more about it

  • On invitation from the PLA, a delegation of Indian Army comprising of officers and soldiers took part in the celebration.
  • The PLA troops interacted with the visiting Indian delegation and presented a cultural programme comprising several events to celebrate the occasion.
  • As a gesture of goodwill, the Indian side also reciprocated with traditional cultural events to mark the occasion
  • Delegations from both sides also met at Kongra La in North Sikkim. The ceremonial meeting was headed by Brigadier ranking official from both sides.
  • Celebrations took place in an atmosphere marked by warmth and cordiality and provided an opportunity to both sides to display their rich culture.
  • Such interactions go a long way in ensuring better understanding between both armies and have contributed towards achieving common goals of peace and tranquillity along the borders
  • BPM was held between the two armies at DBO-TWT meeting point opposite Eastern Ladakh.
  • BPM is a mechanism where both the armies meet to iron out their differences by resolving disputes. These disputes generally arise out of misunderstandings of each other's position along the LAC.

National Issues
Ayodhya dispute
Relevance IN - Prelims ( all about the ayodhya dispute) + Mains ( GS I Indian society)
What's the NEWS

  • Mediation process fails, Supreme Court will begin day-to-day hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute from August 6. Earlier SC allows mediation on Ram Mandir to continue till July 31
  • The SC bench led by CJI Ranjan Gogoi declared the mediation process as failed, as it did not result in any settlement.

Know! more about the developments

  • The five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court will now hear the Ram Mandir matter on a daily basis.

 

  • The bench plans to conclude the hearing before November first week, as CJI Ranjan Gogoi is slated to retire by then. If the hearing does not conclude by then, a fresh new bench will need to be constituted to hear the matter.

The mediation process

  • The Supreme Court had on July 18 allowed mediation process in the Ayodhya dispute case to continue till July 31.
  • The three-member mediation panel headed by former SC judge FMI Kalifulla submitted its report on August 1.
  • In its report, the mediation panel stated that both the parties had not been able to find an amicable solution to the issue.

Know! the Inception of the mediation process and the chronology of Ayodhya case

  • The Supreme Court of India on March 8, 2019 decided to refer the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid title dispute case for mediation.
  • The apex court has formed a panel of mediators to resolve the issue, which will be headed by Supreme Court judge, Justice F M Kalifullah.
  • The other members of the panel include spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Sankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu.
  • The mediation will be held in Faizabad, newly renamed as Ayodhya and its status report will have to be submitted to the court within the time of four weeks. The mediation proceedings are to be held confidentially and the court has banned the media from reporting it.
  • The five-judge constitution bench, headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi and comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer, had appeared divided on whether mediation between the disputing parties was the best way to resolve the decades-old dispute.
  • In 2010, a three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Court had ruled that the disputed land in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid stood for 500 years until it was demolished in 1992 shall be divided into three parts.
  • The bench comprising Justices SU Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and DV Sharma had stated that while a two-thirds portion will be shared by two Hindu parties, one-third will be given to the Sunni Muslim Waqf Board.
  • The court in a 2-1 majority verdict declared plaintiffs representing Lord Ram, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Waqf Board as joint titleholders of the property.
  • The high court allotted the portion under the central dome of the demolished Babri Masjid, under which a makeshift Rama temple currently stands, to the Hindus, asserting that it was the birthplace of Lord Rama, as per Hindi belief and faith.
  • The nearby Ram Chabutra and Sita Rasoi were also allotted to the Nirmohi Akhara, while the outer courtyard of the disputed land was allotted to the Sunni Wakf Board.The Babri Masjid was demolished by a group of kar sevaks on December 6, 1992.
  • The Bench had clarified that even though all the three parties are declared to have a one-third share each in the property, minor adjustments could be made for which the adversely affected party would be compensated from the adjoining land acquired by the Central Government.
  • The Sunni Waqf Board had said it would file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the judgment.

Government Schemes
Government to set up KABIL to ensure consistent supply of critical minerals
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about KABIL and its objective)
What's the NEWS

  • KABIL, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, a joint venture company will be set up soon to ensure a consistent supply of critical and strategic minerals to the Indian domestic market.

Know! more about it

  • KABIL will be set up in joint partnership between three Central Public Sector Enterprises including National Aluminium Company Ltd.(NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd.(HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd (MECL).

 

  • The equity participation between NALCO, HCL and MECL in the company is in the ratio of 40:30:30.

Know! the KABIL objective

  • KABIL's main objective will be to ensure a consistent supply of critical minerals to the Indian domestic market and the mineral security of the Nation.
  • The company would also help in realizing the overall objective of import substitution.
  • The Indian government has identified twelve minerals as strategic minerals that have a small resource base. Among these minerals, the most significant ones include Lithium and Cobalt.
  • KABIL would mainly carry out exploration, identification, acquisition, development, mining and processing of strategic minerals abroad for commercial use in India.
  • The company would also ensure that India's requirements of the strategic minerals are met.
  • KABIL will help in building partnerships with other mineral-rich countries such as Australia and those in Africa and South America.

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