Daily Current Capsules - 07^th August 2019

Centre-State relations/Infrastructure development
Kosi-Mechi linking project gets Centre's green signal
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Kosi -Mechi linking project and about ken-betwa project) + Mains ( GS II centre - state relations + GS III infrastructure development)
What's the NEWS

• Cabinet has approved Rs. 4,900 crore for Kosi-Mehi interlinking project in Bihar.
• The central government has approved the second river interlinking project after the Ken-Betwa project in Madhya Pradesh.
• The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change gave its nod to the state's Kosi-Mechi river linking (KMRL) project, paving the way for work to begin next year
• To be undertaken at a cost of around Rs 4,900 crore, the KMRL project is likely to be completed in five years.
• Once completed, it will irrigate 2.14 lakh hectares in four Seemanchal -59,970 hectares in Araria, 59,642 hectares in Purnia, 39,548 hectares in Kishanganj, and 35,635 in Katihar district of Purnia division.
• A 76.2km canal will be built to link the two rivers basins of Kosi (Supaul and Saharsa districts) in the west with Mechi basin in Kishananj on the east, and their linkage with the Mahananda basin, further east.

Kosi-Mechi Interlinking Project

• This project can provide relief to the region from the menace of recurring floods. Also, it will provide irrigation facility to more than 2.14 lakh hectares of command areas spread across the districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar and Purnia in north Bihar.
• This project will provide a diversion to the surplus water of Kosi River through existing Hanuman Nagar barrage to Mechi River of Mahananda basin.
• Mechi River will get water from another source and it will become a vast natural resource of irrigation.
• This project has a possibility to escort the next green revolution in Seemanchal region. This project involves no displacement of population and there is no diversion of any forest land.
• Another benefit of the project is that there is no national park, wildlife sanctuary; eco-sensitive areas, etc. are present within 10 kilometres (km) radius of the project.

About Ken-Betwa Interlinking Project

• Ken-Betwa Interlinking is country's first river interlinking project that will connect two rivers in Madhya Pradesh.
• The project aims to transfer surplus water of Ken River to the Betwa basin through a concrete canal to irrigate India's worst drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
  
• This project will help irrigate an area of 6.35 lakh hectares annually in Bundelkhand region.
• Two powerhouses of 2×30 MW and 3×6 MW each, 221 km long Ken-Betwa link canal and two of 1.9 km long upper level are other attractions of the project.

Centre - State Relations
Parliament approves bill for bifurcation of J&K into two Union Territories- (part II)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about article 370 , 35A and the facts related to it) + Mains ( GS II centre state relations + functions and responsibilities of the Union and the states+ challenges pertaining to federal structure )

What's the NEWS

• Home Minister Amit Shah today moved the resolution to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, in Lok Sabha.
• He also introduced Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019 in the Lower House of Parliament.
• A resolution removing the special status of the state under Article 370 was approved by the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
• With this move, there are now 9 Union Territories and 28 States in India. The decision came after President Ram Nath Kovind issued Government Order in Jammu and Kashmir Gazette, scraping Article 370, except Clause 1 which states that J&K is a part of India. With the revocation of Article 370, Article 35A gets revoked as well.

Know! the sequence of events in Jammu and Kashmir since 1947

• Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) also got Independence from the British rule. But then king of Jammu and Kashmir Raja Hari Singh decided not to join the Indian union and wanted to keep his principality as independent state.
• Kashmir was invaded by the Pakistan-backed "Azad Kashmir Army on October 20, 1947 and confiscated a part of Kashmir region which is now known as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
• In this situation, Maharaja Hari Singh, signed the "Instruments of Accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India" with then PM of India, Pt. Nehru on October 26, 1947.
• Under this agreement the state surrendered three subjects (defence, communication and external affairs) to the dominion of India.
• The Article 306A was enshrined as Article 370 in the constitution as a "temporary provision". Sheikh Abdullah did not want that temporary provision and insisted for guarantee of autonomy but India did not accept that. So the provisions of the article 370 came into force from 17 November, 1952.

Article 370 gives the following rights and facilities to the citizens of J & K

• Jammu & Kashmir; is an integral part of the Indian Union. But its area, name and boundary can't be altered without the consent of the state assembly.
• According to this article, the central government has to get approval from the state government to implement all other laws except defence, foreign affairs and communication in the state.
• Jammu and Kashmir has its constitution because of article 370 and its administration is run accordingly not according to the Constitution of India.
• J & K has 2 flags; One of Kashmir and another is India's Tri color flag.
• The citizens of other Indian states can not buy any property or kind of any property in this state. It means, the fundamental right to property is still in force in this state.
• The people of Jammu and Kashmir have two types of citizenship. One is Indian citizenship and another is Kashmiri citizenship. Worth to mention that no other Indian can have two citizenship simultaneously.
• If a Kashmiri woman marries an Indian, then her Kashmiri citizenship terminates, but if she marries a Pakistani, it does not affect her citizenship status.
• If a Pakistani boy marries a Kashmiri girl, he gets Indian citizenship too while Indians don't have this privilege.
• Part 4 of the Indian Constitution (Directive Principal of State Policy) and Part 4A (Fundamental Duties) are not applicable in this State.
• It means the citizens of Kashmir are not bound to save the cow, maintain the dignity of the women and respect the National Flag of India.
• One of the most shocking right is that Insulting National Symbols of India (National Anthem, National Flag etc.) in J & K does not fall under the category of crime.
• The President of India does not have power to declare financial emergency in the state.
• Any amendment in the Constitution of India does not apply automatically to J & K unless a special order of President is not passed.
• The Central government can impose National Emergency in the state in two conditions only; war and external invasion
• The President has no power to suspend the constitution of the state on the ground of failure to comply with the directions given by him.
• If the national emergency is imposed in the country on the basis of internal disturbance; this emergency is not applicable in the Jammu and Kashmir until it is approved by the state government.
• The Central Government can not impose National Emergency in the state on the basis of internal disturbance in the state. The central government must take the permission of state government before doing so.
• Only the resident of the Kashmir can take selection in the jobs of the state government.

Know the Key Changes