30 December Current Affairs
Beyond the Horizon: Current Affairs Uncovered
Copra
Context:
∙ The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for Copra for the 2024 season.
∙ MSP Announcement for 2024 Season
∙ The MSP for Fair Average Quality of milling copra has been set at Rs. 11,160 per quintal.
∙ The MSP for ball copra has been fixed at Rs.12,000 per quintal.
Usage of Copra
∙ Milling copra is used to extract oil.
∙ Ball/edible copra is consumed as a dry fruit and used for religious purposes.
Major Producers
∙ Kerala and Tamil Nadu are major producers of milling copra. ∙ Karnataka is a predominant producer of ball copra.
∙ Minimum Support Price:
∙ MSP is a "minimum price for any crop that the government considers as remunerative for farmers and hence deserving of "support".
∙ It is also the price that government agencies pay whenever they procure a particular crop.
∙ MSP is given for the following crops:
∙ The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) recommends MSPs for 23 mandated crops and fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane.
∙ CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Government of India.
∙ It came into existence in January 1965.
∙ It is an advisory body whose recommendations are not binding on the Government.
∙ It is recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
Black Tigers
∙ Black Tigers are not a distinct species but a rare colour variant of Bengal Tiger. The coat colour and patterning of black tigers are due to a single mutation in the Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep) gene. This mutation is called pseudo-melanism.
∙ Similipal Tiger Reserve was designated in 1956, part of Project Tiger since 1973, and declared a biosphere reserve in 1994.
∙ It is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves and the Similipal- Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve popularly known as Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve.
∙ Similipal is rich in wildlife, housing tigers, elephants, different bird and amphibian species.
∙ Two tribes, Erenga Kharias, and Mankirdias, inhabit Similipal and engage in traditional agricultural activities.
Black Tiger About:
∙ Black Tigers are a rare color variant of the tiger and are not a distinct species or geographic subspecies.
∙ The coat coloration and patterning that makes the wild cats appear dark boil down to a single mutation in the Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep) gene.
∙ The abnormally dark or black coat in such tigers is termed pseudo-melanistic or false-colored.
∙ If you pick any tiger from Similipal, the chance that it carries the mutant gene is almost 60%.
Factors for Occurring Black Color:
Due to Geographic Isolation, genetically related individuals have been mating with each other for many generations in Similipal, leading to inbreeding. It should be noted that this has important implications for tiger conservation as such isolated and inbred populations are prone to extinction over even short periods.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officially announced the increase in tiger population in Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR).
It witnessed a growth in the number of big cats from 31 (2018) to 54 (2023). The Bihar government is waiting to obtain NTCA approval for declaring Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as the state's second tiger reserve after VTR. The number of Tigers in VTR Increased
∙ A total ban on sand and stone mining inside VTR, and strict restrictions on mining in its eco-sensitive zone, helped increase grassland cover. ∙ An increase in grassland cover thus helps in supporting the prey population, in turn increasing the chances of the carnivores' survival.
∙ The reserve is dedicated to managing and sustaining the tiger population by raising awareness among local residents and monitoring mining activities in and around the area to minimize human-wildlife conflict.
∙ The NTCA placed the reserve in the 'Very Good' category.
Important Facts of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR)
∙ The VTR is the only tiger reserve in Bihar, which forms the easternmost extent of the Himalayan Terai forests in India.
∙ The VTR is located in Bihar's West Champaran district, bordering Nepal to its north and Uttar Pradesh to its west.
∙ Situated in the Gangetic plains bio-geographic region, the vegetation of this Tiger Reserve is a combination of Bhabar and Terai regions.
∙ According to the Forest Survey of India Report 2021, 85.71% of its total area is covered by forest cover.
∙ Wild mammals found in the forests of Valmiki Tiger Reserve include tiger, sloth bear, leopard, wild dog, bison, wild boar, etc.
∙ It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
∙ It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it.
Objectives:
∙ Providing statutory authority to Project Tiger so that compliance with its directives becomes legal.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
About:
∙ National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
∙ Fostering accountability of Center-State in management of Tiger Reserves, by providing a basis for MoU with States within our federal structure.
News: -
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry has recently put forth crucial recommendations regarding the extension and enhancement of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme Phase-II.
The committee suggests extending the FAME India Phase-II Scheme's deadline by at least three more years to facilitate the transition momentum to electric mobility.
The current deadline is March 31, 2024, with a budget allocation of Rs 10,000 crore.
It also recommends projecting enhanced budget allocations, if required, to maintain the momentum and pace of electric vehicle penetration.
Inclusion of Private Electric Four-Wheelers:
∙ The ministry should increase the number of electric vehicles supported in the four-wheelers category and include private electric four-wheelers in the FAME-II Scheme, with a cap based on the cost and battery capacity of the vehicle.
Supportive Government Frameworks:
∙ The committee emphasizes the need for supportive, transparent, and consistent government frameworks at national, state, and local levels to make India a global EV hub.
∙ It also recommends focusing on establishing dedicated manufacturing hubs and industrial parks for batteries, cells, and EV auto components.
∙ Funding for BHEL and Charging Stations:
∙ More funds should be allocated to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to facilitate popularizing EV mobility.
∙ BHEL provided Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) solutions for EV charging stations. These include solar-based charging stations and battery energy storage systems.
∙ Additionally, public sector undertakings and government institutions should participate in installing charging stations on their premises.
Tribunals
Context:
∙ Supreme Court (SC) in case Union of India (Uol) & OR’s. v. AIR Commodore NK Sharma (2023), has clarified that Tribunals functioning under the strict parameters of their governing legislations cannot direct the government to make policy.
∙ The SC was dealing with a question of whether the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) could have directed the government to make a policy to fill up the post of the Judge Advocate General (Air).
SC's Ruling in Uol & Ors. v. AIR Commodore NK Sharma Case ∙
Tribunals, including the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), do not have the authority to direct the government to formulate specific policies.
∙ The role of making policy is not within the domain of the judiciary, including quasi-judicial bodies like the AFT.
∙ Even though the AFT is vested with powers akin to a civil court, it lacks the authority of the Supreme Court or the High Courts. Additionally, the High Courts, exercising powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, cannot direct the government or its departments to create particular policies.
∙ Article 226 provides the High Courts the authority to bring a lawsuit against a government entity if any citizen's rights and freedoms are violated. The High Court has broad powers to issue orders and writs to any person or authority under Article 226 of the Indian Constitution.
∙ The formulation or sanctioning of policies regarding the service of defense personnel or their regularization falls solely within the government's prerogative.
∙ A tribunal functioning within the confines of its governing legislation lacks the power to mandate the creation of a policy.
Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT):
∙ It is a military tribunal in India. It was established under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007.
∙ It has provided the power for the adjudication or trial by AFT of disputes and complaints with respect to commission, appointments, enrolments and conditions of service in respect of person’s subject to the Army Act, 1950, The Navy Act, 1957 and the Air Force Act, 1950.
∙ The Judicial Members are retired High Court Judges and Administrative Members are retired Members of the Armed Forces who have held the rank of Major General/ equivalent or above for a period of three years or more, Judge Advocate General (JAG), who have held the appointment for at least one year are also entitled to be appointed as the Administrative Member.
National Green Tribunal (NGT):
∙ The National Green Tribunal (NGT), established by the National Green Tribunal Act 2010, is a body dedicated to swiftly resolving environmental disputes.
Saturday, December 30, 2023
∙ Comprising judges and environmental specialists, it expedites cases involving nature conservation and damage compensation.
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal:
∙ Section 252 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 provides that the Central Government shall constitute an Appellate Tribunal consisting of many Judicial Members and Accountant members as it thinks fit to exercise the powers and functions conferred on the Tribunal by the Act.