Daily Current Affairs – 10th March 2021

Given below are the daily current affairs for 10th March 2021. You can take the daily current affairs quiz here for free.

Over 72% rise in UAPA cases registered in 2019

Context:

According to the data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), there has been over 72% increase in the number of persons arrested under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act) in 2019 compared to the year 2015.

Details:

• In 2019, the highest number of such cases were registered in Manipur, followed by Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Assam.
• The highest number of arrests in the same year was made in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand.
• However, only 2.2 % of cases registered under the UAPA between 2016-2019 ended in convictions by a court.
• The government has declared 42 organisations as terrorist organisations and listed their names in the First Schedule of the UAPA.

Note:

• Cases under the UAPA are investigated by the State police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
  • Under the UAPA, getting bail is rare and the investigating agency has up to 180 days to file a charge sheet.
• As far as the NIA is concerned, so far, 48 special courts have been constituted across the country for the speedy trial of terror-related cases.

Panel flags Centre’s meagre pensions

Context:

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development in its report has said that the Centre must increase the meagre pensions provided for poor senior citizens, widows and disabled people.

Issues:

• The panel also slammed the government’s laxity in raising the amount.
• It pointed out that recommendations to increase the sums had been made in the last two years as well.
• The committee said that it was baffled to observe the meagre amount of assistance ranging from ?200 to ?500 per month under the different components of the National Social Assistance Programme.
• The panel also slammed the DoRD for delays and disparities in the payment of wages and unemployment allowances under the flagship MGNREGA scheme.
• Another issue it flagged with MGNREGA was the disparity in wages in different States.

Details:

• The panel had previously urged the increase of these minuscule pensions in its reports on the Department of Rural Development’s (DoRD) demand for grants in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP):

• National Social Assistance Programme is applicable to elders, widows and physically challenged.
• It is a scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Note:

Article 41 of the Constitution of India (DPSP) directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens in case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want within the limit of its economic capacity and development.

SC questions delay in setting up environment regulator

Context:

The Supreme Court has asked the government to explain why it had not set up an independent environment regulator to oversee green clearances.

Background:

• In the ‘Lafarge mining case’, the Supreme Court had ordered the setting up of a national environment regulatory body to ensure independent oversight of green clearances, in July 2011.

Details:

• The court had asked the Centre to appoint a national regulator for:
  • Appraising projects
  • Enforcing environmental conditions for approvals
  • Imposing penalties on polluters
• The court had explained the need for an independent regulatory mechanism.
• It had stated that the identification of an area as a forest area is solely based on the declaration to be filed by the user agency [project proponent]. The project proponent was required to undertake EIA by an expert body/institution.
• The court had made it clear that till such mechanism was put in place, the Environment Ministry (MoEF) should prepare a panel of accredited institutions from which alone the project proponent should obtain the Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and, that too, on the Terms of Reference to be formulated by the MoEF.

U.S. asks Afghan leaders to consider ‘an inclusive govt.’

Context:

U.S.A’s latest strategy of regional talks on Afghanistan.

Details:

• Blinken’s (US Secretary of State) plan is to ask the United Nations to convene a meeting of “Foreign Ministers and Special Envoys from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and the U.S.” to discuss a unified approach on Afghanistan.
• The inclusion of India in the United States’s latest strategy of regional talks on Afghanistan was welcome but it did not remove several misgivings India had about the US policy over the conflict.
• For India, which has protested being left out of regional formulations in the past both in the original Moscow process, and in the United Nation’s April 2020 “6+2+1” that included Afghanistan’s immediate neighbours only, the U.S.’s suggestion is a relief.

Turkey’s role:

• The U.S. also plans to ask the government of Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of both sides in the coming weeks to finalise a peace agreement.
• The new emphasis for an Istanbul process over the current process in Doha, might indicate a greater role for Turkey.
• It also signifies a significant role for Turkish troops as a part of a proposed NATO stabilisation force.
• This could be a matter of concern for India, given close ties between Turkey and Pakistan.

Inclusive Government in Afghanistan:

• The U.S. has also pushed for a road map to a new, inclusive government in Kabul.
• This indicates its desire to replace Mr. Ghani’s government with an interim one that would include the Taliban’s nominees.

Conclusion:

There seems to be a certain inevitability in these proposals for Afghanistan, as it suggests that the U.S. has decided that the Taliban has a legitimate place in Kabul.

Virus passport

• Launched by China.
• Basically, it is a health certificate programme for Chinese international travellers.
• The digital certificate shows a user’s vaccination status and virus test results.
• Although the certificate is meant for travel in and out of China, it is currently only available for use by Chinese citizens, and it is not yet mandatory. There is also no indication authorities in other countries will use it when Chinese travellers go abroad.

Joint Exercise Dustlik

Second Edition of Joint Exercise Dustlik between Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army is being held in India.

• The exercise is based on counter-terrorist operations and aims at enhancing military cooperation.