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MARCH 11TH Current affairs Update
March 11th, 2021 Current affairs Update
TOPIC : GS 2 Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of these Vulnerable Sections.
Parliamentary standing committee on rural development recommended to increase pension funds
What is the news?
Panel recommended centre to increase ‘meager’ pension provided for poor senior citizen, widows and disabled people
Report also pulled up the Department of Rural Development for delays and disparities in the payment of wages and unemployment allowances under MGNERGA schemes
Need for National Social Assistance Scheme
Design to supplement the income of particularly vulnerable groups (elderly and disabled). It provides sense of social security and unemployment insurance to citizens. This programmes are universal in nature. Eg National old age pension scheme , National Pension Scheme etc
Need for effiective implementation of MGNERGA
Government must adequately fund through budgetary allocation. There is a need to strengthen the from grass root level through involvement of technology , social audit and banking solutions like smart card. The payment modalities must be on basis of constitution provision of “Equal pay for equal work ” .
Constitutional provision
Article 41 of the Constitution of India 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.
Mains question
National social assistance programme is a significant step towards welfare of citizens . Discuss
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/panel-flags-centres-meagre-pensions/article34030868.ece
TOPIC : GS 2 Appointment to various Constitutional Posts, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
Election commission gives parties double airtime on Doordarshan and All India Radio
What is the news?
The EC issued an order allotting national parties and recognized state parties in West Bengal, Assam , Kerala , Tamil nadu and Puducherry double the usual broadcast time on AIR and DD due to the COVID -19 pandemic in consultation with Prasar Bharathi
Important Provision
A base time of 90 minutes will be given to each national party and recognized state party uniformly on the regional Kendra’s of Doordarshan network and All India Radio network of above states.
Need for provision
EC panel said the pandemic had increased the importance of non – contact based campaigning and also to maintenance of safety for the people
Back to history
It was started in 1998, the practice involves free use of state owned media by national parties and recognized state parties in an equitable manner. The scheme was subsequently extended in all the assembly elections held after 1998 and Lok Sabha polls in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.
MAINS QUESTION
Bring out the electoral reform by Election Commission
TOPIC : GS 3 Challenges to Internal Security through Communication Networks, Role of Media and Social Networking Sites in Internal Security Challenges, Basics of Cyber Security; Money-Laundering and its prevention.
Cyber volunteer programme rolled out
What is the news?
The Ministry of Home affairs informed the lok Sabha that Cyber volunteer programme has rolled out . the service of volunteers would be utilized by state police as per requirement .
Cyber volunteer programme
- ‘Cyber Crime Volunteers Concept’, an initiative aimed at inviting ordinary citizens to sign up as volunteers who would help identify the circulation of digital “unlawful content”
- Any citizen can register herself under one of three categories: ‘Cyber Volunteer Unlawful Content Flagger’, ‘Cyber Awareness Promoter’, and ‘Cyber Expert’.
- It is part of cyber hygiene promotion to bring together citizens to contribute in fight against cybercrime in the country
- The challenges of cyber space are many which flow from its vastness and borderless character
- The volunteer will be enrolled and their services utilized by the respective state/UT police authorities
Evolution of programme
National cyber crime report portal 2019 to provide a centralized mechanism to the citizens for online reporting of all type of cyber crime incidents with special focus on cyber crimes against women and children
MAINS QUESTION
Technology with policies helps to curb greater cyber menace. Discuss
PRELIMS PUNCHERS
- National social assistance
National Social Assistance Programme is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner,belonging to below poverty line households in both rural and urban areas
Presently NSAP comprises of five schemes, namely –
- Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS),
- Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS),
- Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS),
- National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and
For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India.
: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/panel-flags-centres-meagre-pensions/article34030868.ece
- MGNERGA
- Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act 2005, is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘Right to work’.
- This act was passed in September 2005 aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
- Another aim of MGNREGA is to create durable assets (such as roads, canals, ponds and wells). Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant’s residence, and minimum wages are to be paid.
- If work is not provided within 15 days of applying, applicants are entitled to an unemployment allowance. That is, if the government fails to provide employment, it has to provide certain unemployment allowances to those people. Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement
- Colombo port terminal
Srilanka offered West container terminal at Colombo port to joint venture of india and japan with state of 85%
The Port of Colombo is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka. Located in Colombo, on the southwestern shores on the Kelani River, it serves as an important terminal in Asia due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean.
- Doha accord
The accord had stipulated the exit of American troops; extracted guarantees from the Taliban to end its terrorist activities; and required a negotiated settlement leading to a ceasefire among warring factions. Aims prevention of the use of Afghanistan by any group or individual against the security of the United States and its allies.
- Paytm unveils smart PoS and sound box
- Smart PoS enable merchants to accept debit and credit card payments through smart phones .
- The company also unveiled new version of IoT ( Internet of things) enable the ‘sound box’ provides instant voice based confirmation payments
- Smart PoS is supported by ‘paytm for business app’
- QUAD
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (, also known as the Quad or Asian NATO) is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, India and Australia that is maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills between member countries. The forum was initiated as a dialogue in August 2007 by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on “seas of freedom and prosperity” .Joint military exercises between the United States, India, Japan, and Australia, titled as Exercise Malabar.
PRELIMS QUESTION
- Consider the following statement with reference to National social assistance
- It represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 43 of the Constitution.
- This programme is being mainly focused implemented in rural area.
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b).1 and 2
(c). 2and 3 (d). None of the above
Answer 😀
National Social Assistance Programme is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner, belonging to below poverty line households in both rural and urban areas.
- Article 41of the Constitution of India 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. – Constitutional provision
- Consider the following statement with reference to QUAD
- It is formal forum betweenUnited States, Japan, India and Australia .
- Countries to hold joint naval exercises as Exercise Malabar.
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b).1 and 2
(c). 2and 3 (d). None of the above
Answer : B
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (, also known as the Quad or Asian NATO) is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, India and Australia that is maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills between member countries. The forum was initiated as a dialogue in August 2007 by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan on “seas of freedom and prosperity” .Joint military exercises between the United States, India, Japan, and Australia, titled as Exercise Malabar.