Daily Current Affairs : 17/1/2019

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CSE

1. Collegium system
2. External Commercial Borrowing
3. Process of Appointing DGP
4. ASER Report
5. NREGA
6. Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD)
7. Facts for Prelims

1 . Collegium System

Context : The Collegium said “fresh” and “extensive” deliberations were held after the vacations by the newly constituted body, in which Justice Arun Mishra replaced Justice Lokur. It said it had “deemed it appropriate to have a fresh look at the matter and also to consider the proposals in the light of the additional material that became available.”

What is the Collegium system?

• The Collegium system is one where the Chief Justice of India and a forum of four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court recommend appointments and transfers of judges.
• However, it has no place in the Indian Constitution. The system was evolved through Supreme Court judgments in the Three Judges Case.

About Three Judges Case – Must Read

Why is Collegium system being criticised?

• The Central government has criticised it saying it has created an imperium in imperio (empire within an empire) within the Supreme Court.
• The Supreme Court Bar Association has blamed it for creating a “give-and-take” culture, creating a rift between the haves and have-nots. “While politicians and actors get instant relief from courts, the common man struggles for years for justice.”

Selection procedureof judges in SC

• The selection of the judges in the top court comes when there is any vacancy. If a judge is about to retire or retires, then the CJI initiates the proposal and sends the recommendation to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company affairs to fill up the seat.
• The recommendation of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for the appointment of a Judge of the Apex Court should be formed in consultation with a collegium of the four seniormost Judges of the Supreme Court.
• After acknowledging the views of the four judges, the CJI sends the proposal for appointment to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company affairs, which forwards it to the Prime Minister who further moves the proposal to the President of India for the final approval.
• After the assent of the President, the Secretary to the Department of Justice is set to announce the appointment and issue the circular in the Gazette of India.

Current Issue

• The Collegium led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi unanimously recommended Justice Khanna’s name along with Justice Maheshwari’s, despite objections raised by sitting apex court judge, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.
• Justice Kaul had complained about how Justice Khanna’s elevation would be at the cost of overlooking the seniority of other high court chief justices and judges. Justice Khanna was ranked 33 in the high court judges’ seniority list.
• It was reported that the Collegium had at first decided to recommend Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court Pradeep Nandrajog and Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajendra Menon to the Supreme Court on December 12.
• In its resolution dated January 10, the Collegium said “certain decisions” were indeed taken on December 12. However, it said, there was no time for the “required consultation” on the decisions taken on December 12 due to the intervening Winter vacations for the court and retirement of Justice Madan Lokur, which changed its composition.
• The Collegium said “fresh” and “extensive” deliberations were held after the vacations by the newly constituted Collegium, in which Justice Arun Mishra replaced Justice Lokur. The Collegium said it had “deemed it appropriate to have a fresh look at the matter and also to consider the proposals in the light of the additional material that became available.

2 . External Commercial Borrowing

Context : In a bid to improve ease of doing business, the Reserve Bank of India has decided to liberalise external commercial borrowing (ECB) norms, allowing all companies that are eligible for receiving foreign direct investment, to raise funds through the ECB route.

What is External Commercial Borrowing

• The External Commercial Borrowings or ECBs is the financial instrument used to borrow money from the foreign sources of financing to invest in the commercial activities of the domestic country. Simply, borrowing money from the non-resident lenders and investing it in the commercial activities of India is called as external commercial borrowings.
• The external commercial borrowings are considered as a source of finance to expand the existing capacity of the Indian corporates and finance new investment ventures, with an objective to have a sound economic growth
• External commercial borrowings cannot be used for the investments in a stock market or any speculation business. And to keep a check on it, department of economic affairs, finance ministry, government of India and RBI monitor and regulates the policies of external commercial borrowings
• Such borrowing is a type of funding other than equity this means, if the money is used to finance the core capital (equity shares, preference shares, convertible preference shares, convertible debentures, etc.) of any company, then it will be termed as a foreign direct investment and is not included under external commercial borrowings.

Changes in norms

• Reserve Bank of India has drawn up a new external commercial borrowing (ECB) framework allowing all eligible borrowers to raise up to $750 million per financial year under the automatic route, replacing the existing sector-wise limits
• Minimum maturity period for the ECB will be three years, the framework allows manufacturing companies to raise up to $50 million per financial year with a maturity period of one year. Earlier, the minimum average maturity period was five years
• Any entity who is a resident of a country which is financial action task force compliant, will be treated as a recognised lender. “This change increases lending options and allows various new lenders in ECB space while strengthening the [anti money laundering / combating the financing of terrorism] framework,” it said.
  

3 . Process of Appointing DGP

Context : The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the pleas made by five States to implement their own local laws for selection and appointment of their State police chiefs.

Process

• The State government concerned has to send UPSC the names of the probables three months before the incumbent DGP is to retire.
• The UPSC will prepare a panel of three officers fit to be DGP and send it back.
• The UPSC shall, as far as practicable, choose the people within the zone of consideration who have got a clear two years of service and must give due weightage to merit and seniority.
• The State shall “immediately” appoint one of the persons shortlisted by the UPSC.

4 . ASER Report

Context : ‘Slump in numeracy skills of rural Class VIII students’

About the Issue

• The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2018, the results of a yearly survey that NGO Pratham has been carrying out since 2006, shows that more than half of Class VIII students cannot correctly solve a numerical division problem and more than a quarter of them cannot read a primary level text.
• The ASER survey covered almost 5.5 lakh children between the ages of 3 and 16 in 596 rural districts across the country. In an encouraging trend, it found that enrolment is increasing and the percentage of children under 14 who are out of school is less than 4%.
  

Findings of the Survey

• The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2018, the results of a yearly survey that NGO Pratham has been carrying out since 2006, shows that more than half of Class VIII students cannot correctly solve a numerical division problem and more than a quarter of them cannot read a primary level text.
  
• In 2008, 84.8% of Class VIII students could read a text meant for Class II; by 2014, only 74.6% could do so, and by 2018, that percentage had fallen further to 72.8%.
• Four years ago, 44.1% of students in Class VIII could correctly divide a three digit number by a single digit number; in 2018, that figure had fallen slightly to 43.9%.
• The picture is slightly more encouraging at the Class III level, where there has been gradual improvement since 2014. However, even in 2018, less than 30% of students in Class III are actually at their grade level, that is, able to read a Class II text and do double digit subtraction. This means that a majority of children need immediate help in acquiring foundational skills in literacy and numeracy
  

5 . NREGA

Context : After exhausting 99% of its annual allocation three months ahead of time, the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGA) scheme has been given an additional allocation of Rs. 6,084 crore to tide over the next three months.

About MGNREGA

• The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is Indian legislation enacted on August 25, 2005. The MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage. The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt of India is monitoring the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments
• This act was introduced with an aim of improving the purchasing power of the rural people, primarily semi or un-skilled work to people living below poverty line in rural India. It attempts to bridge the gap between the rich and poor in the country. Roughly one-third of the stipulated work force must be women.
• Adult members of rural households submit their name, age and address with photo to the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat registers households after making enquiry and issues a job card. The job card contains the details of adult member enrolled and his /her photo. Registered person can submit an application for work in writing (for at least fourteen days of continuous work) either to Panchayat or to Programme Officer.
• The Panchayat/Programme officer will accept the valid application and issue dated receipt of application, letter providing work will be sent to the applicant and also displayed at Panchayat office. The employment will be provided within a radius of 5 km: if it is above 5 km extra wage will be paid.

Key facts

1. MGNREGA guarantees hundred days of wage employment in a financial year, to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
2. Individual beneficiary oriented works can be taken up on the cards of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, small or marginal farmers or beneficiaries of land reforms or beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojana of the Government of India.
3. Within 15 days of submitting the application or from the day work is demanded, wage employment will be provided to the applicant.
4. Right to get unemployment allowance in case employment is not provided within fifteen days of submitting the application or from the date when work is sought.
5. Receipt of wages within fifteen days of work done.
6. Variety of permissible works which can be taken up by the Gram Panchayaths.
7. MGNREGA focuses on the economic and social empowerment of women.
8. MGNREGA provides “Green” and “Decent” work.
9. Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory, which lends to accountability and transparency.
10. MGNREGA works address the climate change vulnerability and protect the farmers from such risks and conserve natural resources.
11. The Gram Sabha is the principal forum for wage seekers to raise their voices and make demands. It is the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat which approves the shelf of works under MGNREGA and fix their priority.

Activities covered under MGNREGA

• Union Rural Development Ministry has notified works under MGNREGA, majority of which are related to agricultural and allied activities, besides the works that will facilitate rural sanitation projects in a major way.
• The works have been divided into 10 broad categories like Watershed, Irrigation and Flood management works, Agricultural and Livestock related works, Fisheries and works in coastal areas and the Rural Drinking water and Sanitation related works.
• Briefing the MGNREGA 2.0 (the second generation reforms for the rural job scheme) the priority of the works will be decided by the Gram Panchayats in meetings of the Gram Sabhas and the Ward Sabhas.
• The Rural development also informed that the 30 new works being added in the Schedule 1 will also help the
• Rural sanitation projects, as for the first time toilet building, soak pits and solid and liquid waste management have been included under MGNREGA. Though the overall 60:40 ratio of labour and material component will be maintained at the Gram Panchayat level but there will be some flexibility in the ratio for certain works based on the practical requirements.
• Construction of AWC building has been included as an approved activity under the MGNREG Act. ‘Guidelines for construction of Anganwadi Centres’ under MGNREGS have been issued jointly by Secretary, WCD and Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, on 13th August, 2015. Under MGNREGS, expenditure up to Rs.5 lakh per AWC building for construction will be allowed. Expenditure beyond Rs. 5 lakh per AWC including finishing, flooring, painting, plumbing, electrification, wood work, etc. will be met from the ICDS funds.

6 . Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD)

Context : The virus that causes Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, has extended its footprints this season as its presence has been confirmed in 13 gram panchayats (GPs) across Shivamogga, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts triggering apprehensions of a widespread outbreak.

About Kyasanaur Forest Disease

• The disease was first reported from Kyasanur Forest of Karnataka in India in March 1957.
• The disease first manifested as an epizootic outbreak among monkeys killing several of them in the year 1957. Hence the disease is also locally known as monkey disease or monkey fever.

Transmission

• There are a variety of animals thought to be reservoir hosts for the disease, including porcupines, rats, squirrels, mice and shrews
• The vector for disease transmission is Haemaphysalis spinigera, a forest tick 
• Humans contract infection from the bite of nymphs of the tick.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of the disease include a high fever with frontal headaches, followed by haemorrhagic symptoms, such as bleeding from the nasal cavity, throat, and gums, as well as gastrointestinal bleeding
• Other symptoms include vomiting, muscle stiffness, tremors, absent reflexes, and mental disturbances

Preventive Measures

• Distributing dimethyl phthalate (DMP) oil, a tick repellent, to the people in affected areas to avoid them coming into contact with the ticks that act as vectors for the virus that causes the disease

7 . Facts for Prelims

• Numaligarh Refinery :