Rajasthan govt. launches maternity benefit scheme for second child:

 

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 Issues related to women.

 

Context:

Rajasthan Government has launched a maternity benefit scheme for four districts under which mothers will get ₹6,000 for the second child. This Scheme will be called Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana.

• This will supplement the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under which mothers get ₹5,000 for their first child.

Key Points:

• The scheme is being implemented in Udaipur, Pratapgath, Banswara and Dungarpur on pilot basis for five years.
• These districts were selected because nutrition indicators among children and anaemia levels among mothers are worse than the average for the State.

Features of the scheme:

• The objective of the scheme is to compensate mothers for the loss of wages during pregnancy and after childbirth and to curb wasting and stunting among children as well as anaemia among mothers.
• Beneficiaries will receive cash in five instalments upon meeting certain conditions. However, unlike the Central scheme they will not have to submit an Aadhaar card for the State scheme and the money will be transferred directly to their bank accounts.

About PMMVY:

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a maternity benefit rechristened from erstwhile Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY).

The scheme is a conditional cash transfer scheme for pregnant and lactating women.

• It provides a partial wage compensation to women for wage-loss during childbirth and childcare and to provide conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices.

 

Prelims Link:

1. About the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
2. Eligibility.
3. Benefits.
4. Differences between Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana and PMMVY.

Mains Link:

Discuss the significance of the Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana.

Sources: the Hindu.

Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

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 Article 102 (1) and Article 191 (1) of the Constitution:

Under Article 102 (1) and Article 191 (1) of the Constitution, an MP or an MLA (or an MLC) is barred from holding any office of profit under the Central or State government.

Why in News?

• The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Office of Profit is deliberating on whether an MP can continue to teach at a university and if this draws the provisions of “Office of Profit” rules.

What is an ‘office of profit’?

If an MLA or an MP holds a government office and receives benefits from it, then that office is termed as an “office of profit”.

• A person will be disqualified if he holds an office of profit under the central or state government, other than an office declared not to disqualify its holder by a law passed by Parliament or state legislature.

What is the underlying principle for including ‘office of profit’ as criterion for disqualification?

1. Makers of the Constitution wanted that legislators should not feel obligated to the Executive in any way, which could influence them while discharging legislative functions.
2. In other words, an MP or MLA should be free to carry out her duties without any kind of governmental pressure. The intent is that there should be no conflict between the duties and interests of an elected member.
3. The office of profit law simply seeks to enforce a basic feature of the Constitution- the principle of separation of power between the legislature and the executive.

Reasons for controversies:

• The expression “office of profit” has not been defined in the Constitution or in the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• It is for the courts to explain the significance and meaning of this concept. Over the years, courts have decided this issue in the context of specific factual situations.

Role of Judiciary in defining the ‘office of profit:

The Supreme Court in Pradyut Bordoloi vs Swapan Roy (2001) outlined the four broad principles for determining whether an office attracts the constitutional disqualification.

• First, whether the government exercises control over appointment, removal and performance of the functions of the office
• Second, whether the office has any remuneration attached to it
• Third, whether the body in which the office is held has government powers (releasing money, allotment of land, granting licenses etc.).
• Fourth, whether the office enables the holder to influence by way of patronage.

 Prelims Link:

  1  What is an office of profit? Is it defined in the constitution?
 2   What are the basic criteria to disqualify an MP or MLA?
 3   Articles 102 and 191 of the constitution are related to?
 4   Principles outlined by the Supreme Court for determining whether an office attracts the constitutional disqualification.

Mains Link:

Explain the concept of ‘office of profit’. Discuss the underlying principle for including ‘office of profit’ as criterion for disqualification.

Sources: the Hindu.

 Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

Supreme Court gives ministry a deadline for appointment of expert members to NGT:

Context:

The Supreme Court has directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) to hasten the process of pending appointments to vacancies in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). It has given four weeks for the process.

What’s the issue?

The petitioners had submitted that appointment of expert members are still pending before the appointment committee since September.

About NGT:

 1    Established on 18th October, 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
 2    Established for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
 3    New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.
 4   The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
 5   NGT is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filing of the same.

With the establishment of the NGT, India became the third country in the world to set up a specialised environmental tribunal, only after Australia and New Zealand, and the first developing country to do so.

Composition:

Sanctioned strength: The act allows for up to 40 members (20 expert members and 20 judicial members).

Chairman: Is the administrative head of the tribunal, also serves as a judicial member and is required to be a serving or retired Chief Justice of a High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court of India.

Selection:

 1   Members are chosen by a selection committee (headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India) that reviews their applications and conducts interviews.
 2   The Judicial members are chosen from applicants who are serving or retired judges of High Courts.
3    Expert members are chosen from applicants who are either serving or retired bureaucrats not below the rank of an Additional Secretary to the Government of India (not below the rank of Principal Secretary if serving under a state government) with a minimum administrative experience of five years in dealing with environmental matters. Or, the expert members must have a doctorate in a related field.

Prelims Link:

1    About NGT.
2    Composition.
3    Functions.
4    Key judgements.

Mains Link:

Discuss the roles and functions of NGT.

Sources: the Hindu.

 

  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

First meeting between India and Luxembourg in 20 years:

Context:

The first meeting between India and Luxembourg in 20 years was held recently.

The meeting resulted in three new bilateral agreements.

1    All three agreements are in the financial space to promote trade ties between India and Luxembourg.
2    Luxembourg is the third largest foreign investor in India.

The three agreements that have been signed are:

1    Luxembourg Stock Exchange with State Bank of India (SBI).
2    Luxembourg Stock Exchange with the India International Stock Exchange (INX).
3    LuxInnovation and Invest India.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):

India also invited Luxembourg to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

About CDRI:

Launched by Modi in September 2019 at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in New York, US.

It is a platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure.

    It will create a mechanism to assist countries to upgrade their capacities and practices, with regard to infrastructure development in accordance with their risk context and economic needs.

Benefits and significance:

This initiative will benefit all sections of society.

1    Economically weaker sections of society, women and children, are the most vulnerable to the impacts of disasters and hence, will be benefitted from the improvement of knowledge and practice in creating disaster resilient infrastructure.
2    It will also benefit all areas with high disaster risk.
3    In India, the north-eastern and Himalayan regions are prone to earthquakes, coastal areas to cyclones and tsunamis and central peninsular region to droughts.

Why do we need a global coalition?

Many countries, including India, have over the years developed robust disaster management practices that have helped in sharply reducing human casualties in a disaster. However, the economic costs of a disaster remain huge, mainly due to the damage caused to big infrastructure.

    A global coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure would address concerns that are common to developing and developed countries, small and large economies, countries at early and advanced stages of infrastructure development, and countries that have moderate or high disaster risk.



Prelims Link:

1    Luxembourg- location.
2    About the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Mains Link:

Discuss the objectives of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Sources: the Hindu.

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

First meeting between India and Luxembourg in 20 years:

Context:

The first meeting between India and Luxembourg in 20 years was held recently.

The meeting resulted in three new bilateral agreements.

    All three agreements are in the financial space to promote trade ties between India and Luxembourg.
    Luxembourg is the third largest foreign investor in India.

The three agreements that have been signed are:

 1    Luxembourg Stock Exchange with State Bank of India (SBI).
 2    Luxembourg Stock Exchange with the India International Stock Exchange (INX).
 3    LuxInnovation and Invest India.

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):

India also invited Luxembourg to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

About CDRI:

Launched by Modi in September 2019 at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in New York, US.

It is a platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure.

    It will create a mechanism to assist countries to upgrade their capacities and practices, with regard to infrastructure development in accordance with their risk context and economic needs.

Benefits and significance:

This initiative will benefit all sections of society.

    Economically weaker sections of society, women and children, are the most vulnerable to the impacts of disasters and hence, will be benefitted from the improvement of knowledge and practice in creating disaster resilient infrastructure.
    It will also benefit all areas with high disaster risk.
    In India, the north-eastern and Himalayan regions are prone to earthquakes, coastal areas to cyclones and tsunamis and central peninsular region to droughts.

Why do we need a global coalition?

Many countries, including India, have over the years developed robust disaster management practices that have helped in sharply reducing human casualties in a disaster. However, the economic costs of a disaster remain huge, mainly due to the damage caused to big infrastructure.

    A global coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure would address concerns that are common to developing and developed countries, small and large economies, countries at early and advanced stages of infrastructure development, and countries that have moderate or high disaster risk.



Prelims Link:

    Luxembourg- location.
    About the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Mains Link:

Discuss the objectives of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Sources: the Hindu.

 

 

 India’s views:

India: India traditionally believes in the 2-state solution and supports the establishment of a sovereign independent and a viable state of Palestine. However, India’s support for Palestine has not deterred its growing relationship with Israel.

 

Prelims Link:

1. Six- day war- countries involved, reasons and the outcome.
2. Where is Gaza Strip?
3. What’s there in the Middle East peace plan?
4. Where is Jerusalem?
5. Who are Palestinians and what are their demands?
6. Countries surrounding Israel.

Mains Link:

Does India support the establishment of a sovereign independent state of Palestine? Discuss.

Sources: the Hindu.

 

{ With input from news agency language)

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