Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 9th July 2021

What is in news : In a move aimed at protecting the interests and rights of both landlords and tenants, the Karnataka government proposes to introduce the Model Tenancy Act, circulated by the Union government, with specific features on dispute redressal.

What is in the act :

• Subletting of premises, but with prior consent of the landlord and caps the security deposit to two months’ rent in case of residential premises and six months’ rent in case of non-residential premises
• Bars the landlord from withholding essential supplies/services and the tenant cannot be evicted during the currency of the tenancy period
• In case of dispute, the tenant has to continue paying rent during the pendency of dispute. Among others, the landlord can engage property managers to manage the property.
• Rent Authority, Rent Court, and Rent Tribunal could be set up to hear complaints and appeals in case of disputes, and jurisdiction of civil courts has been barred.

What is in news : The Union Cabinet has approved the Model Tenancy Act to be sent to the States and Union Territories to enact legislation or amend laws on rental properties.

Provisions :

• Mandatory  written agreement between the property owner and the tenant
• Establishment of a Independent Authority and Rent Court for grievance redressal
• Limit the tenant’s advance security deposit to a maximum of two months rent for residential purposes and to a maximum of six months for non-residential purposes
• The landlord will be responsible for activities like structural repairs except those necessitated by damage caused by the tenant, whitewashing of walls and painting of doors and windows, etc.
• The tenant will be responsible for drain cleaning, switches and socket repairs, kitchen fixtures repairs, replacement of glass panels in windows, doors and maintenance of gardens and open spaces, among others.
• A landowner will have to give 24-hour prior notice before entering the rented premises to carry out repairs or replacement.
• If a landlord has fulfilled all the conditions stated in the rent agreement - giving notice etc.- and the tenant fails to vacate the premises on the expiration of the period of tenancy or termination of tenancy, the landlord is entitled to double the monthly rent for two months and four times after that

Coverage :

• Apply to premises let out for residential, commercial or educational use, but not for industrial use
• Won’t cover hotels, lodging houses, inns, etc
• Will be applied prospectively and will not affect existing tenancies

What is in news : Supreme court has enquired about details of vacancies in CIC

About CIC

• Established under the Right to Information Act (2005)
• Members : Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners.
• Who appoints :  President on the recommendation of a high level committee the
• Who are the members of the committee : Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.
• Tenure : As prescribed by the Central Government or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.They are not eligible for reappointment.
• Jurisdiction: Extends over all Central Public Authorities
• Power and Functions :
  • To receive and inquire into a complaint from any person regarding information requested under RTI, 2005.
  • Can order an inquiry into any matter if there are reasonable grounds (suo-moto power).

While inquiring, the Commission has the powers of a civil court in respect of summoning, requiring documents etc.

MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

What is in news : Government announced the formation of a separate Union Ministry of Cooperation, a subject that till date was looked after by the Ministry of Agriculture

What is Cooperative movement in a political scenario :

• Organisations formed at the grassroots level by people to harness the power of collective bargaining towards a common goal
• Example - Village-level primary agricultural credit societies

Why a new ministry: Restore the importance of the cooperative structure in the country

Objective of new ministry

• Provide a separate administrative legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country
• streamline processes for ‘Ease of doing business’ for co-operatives and enable development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS)

What is Collegium :

• It is a forum consisting of the CJI and the four senior-most judges of the SC
• Appointments and promotion and transfer of the judges of the Supreme Court are decided by the forum

What does constitution say : Article 124 and 214 of the Constitution empowered the judiciary to make appointments to the higher judiciary to secure the rule of law.

Why collegium : Only those persons should be considered fit for appointment as judges of the superior judiciary who combine the attributes essential for making an able, independent and fearless judge” and had “legal expertise, ability to handle cases, proper personal conduct and ethical behaviour, firmness and fearlessness are obvious essential attributes. These considerations will be made by the collegium

What is the issue : Large Vacancies in Indian judiciary and huge pending cases

Criticism of Collegium

• Opaqueness and a lack of transparency.
• Scope for nepotism.
• Embroilment in public controversies.
• Overlooks several talented junior judges and advocates.

Way forward

• A permanent, independent body to institutionalize the process with adequate safeguards to preserve the judiciary’s independence guaranteeing judicial primacy but not judicial exclusivity. It should ensure independence, reflect diversity, demonstrate professional competence and integrity.
• Instead of selecting the number of judges required against a certain number of vacancies, the collegium must provide a panel of possible names to the President to appoint in order of preference and other valid criteria

What is in news : Centre has extended usage of Agri-Infra funds to APMC developments

About Agri-Infra Fund

• Central sector scheme
• Aim - Medium - long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets
• Duration - 2020  to 2029
• Who are eligible- Farmers, FPOs, PACS, Marketing Cooperative Societies, SHGs, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Start-ups, and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Projects

What is in news : The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has inaugurated the online filing of Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) applications.

Background : AEO is a programme (2007) under the aegis of the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade.

India & IEO

• The AEO Programme was introduced as a pilot project in 2011.
• Aim of Indian AEO Programme:
  • To provide business entities with an internationally recognized certification.
  • To recognize business entities as “secure and reliable” trading partners.
  • To incentivize business entities through defined benefits that translate into savings in time and cost.
  • Secure supply chain from point of export to import.
  • Enhanced border clearance.
  • Reduction in dwell time and related costs.
  • Customs advice/assistance if trade faces unexpected issues with Customs of countries.

What is in news : Kerala is on alert after detecting at least 15 cases of the Zika virus.

What is Zika :

• Viral infection
• Host - Aedes aegypti mosquito
• Symptoms - Skin rashes, Muscle pain, Joint pain, Headache, Fever, temperature around 102 degrees and others resembling Dengue
• Transmission

• Other health effects caused by Zika -
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome — a neurological disorder that could lead to paralysis and death
  • Microcephaly - Babies from infected mother who are born with small head
• Treatment - No specific treatment / Vaccine, Clinically treated
• Protocols followed by government on Zika outbreak
  • Mosquito control measures
  • Focus on contraceptives
• MAHITI FOR PRELIMS : Zika was first identified in 1947 in Zika Forest, Uganda from where it derives its name.

Where : Mansehra city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, Pakistan

What is in news : The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has decided to take possession of the Gurdwara  from the local authorities and open it for the local Sikh community to offer prayers

Other information :

• The building hosts muncipal library and is regarded as architectural wonder
• Manshera city has no Gurudwara and the move will be significant for the local Sikh community
• The beautiful frescoes inside the gurdwara are still intact and one of a kind
• Built in early 1900s
• Guru granth sahib was never installed here after partition

What is in news :  Ganesan Sandhirakasan  won  a government-initiated competition for migrant workers in Singapore for his performance of Silambam

SILAMBAM

• Staff Fencing art
• Originated in Tamil Nadu
• Techniques: Swift movements of the foot, use of thrust, cut, chop, sweep to achieve mastery & development of force, momentum & precision at different levels of the body, snake hits, monkey hits, hawk hits etc.
• Promoted in Tamil Nadu by the rulers Pandya, Chola and Chera and the reference to the sale of Silambam staves, pearls, swords and armours can be seen in a Tamil literature ‘Silapaddigaram’.
• Travelled to Malaysia, where it is a famous sport apart from a self-defence technique.
• Sage Agasthya are credited with the creation of Silambam. Even during Vedic age, training was imparted to young men as a ritual and for an emergency.

• A regular M.Tech. Program in Defence Technology has been launched by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to impart necessary theoretical & experimental knowledge, skill and aptitude in various defence technology areas. Secretary Department of Defence R&D & Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy and Chairman AICTE Prof Anil D Sahasrabudhe launched the program during a virtual event organised by AICTE, New Delhi
• Jovenel Moïse, Haiti’s 53-year-old President, was assassinated at his private residence in Port-au-Prince