1. Election Commission proposes remote voting for inter-state migrants
Tags: National National News
The Election Commission of India has moved a proposal to all political parties to enable domestic migrants to vote for their home constituencies from their place of stay through a new remote EVM (RVM).
Important facts
RVM has been developed with the help of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). It is based on the currently used EVM system.
The Election Commission has sought written views of all recognized national and state-level parties by January 30, 2023, and has scheduled a demonstration of the RVM prototype to party representatives on January 16.
The Election Commission has also sought views of political parties on legal, administrative and technical challenges in implementing it.
According to the Election Commission, the Multi Constituency Remote EVM for Domestic Overseas Voters can handle 72 constituencies from a single remote polling booth.
It is expected that this step will help in boosting voter turnout and strengthen the democratic process of India.
Why has the proposal of remote voting been brought by the Election Commission?
There were 834 million registered voters in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections out of which only 66.44% voted.
In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the number of registered voters increased to 912 million while the voter turnout was barely 67.40%.
Registered voters are unable to vote for various reasons, the main reason being domestic migration.
Voters who are absent from their home places on the day of poll, even if they want to vote but are unable to reach their constituencies to vote due to various reasons.
That is, a large part of the population is disenfranchised due to the need for work or lack of resources to travel.
This goes directly against the EC’s “No voter left behind” goal.
2. India, Cyprus signs three agreement during S. Jaishankar visits to Nicosia
Tags: place in news Person in news International News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who is on a three day visit (29-31 December 2022) to Cyprus signed a number of agreements with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides in the capital Nicosia on 29 December 2022. This is the first visit of S. Jaishankar to Cyprus.
Three agreement signed
Both the ministers signed agreements to;
- Increase defence and military cooperation between the two countries ,
- Letter of Intent on immigration and mobility to check illegal migrations , as well as the agreement on
- Cyprus joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
S. Jaishankar also released the commemorative stamp on the 75 years of Indian Independence and 60 years of establishing diplomatic ties with Cyprus.
The minister said India and Cyprus were collectively working on pressing issues such as food and energy security, maritime security, as well as on sustainable environment.
During his three-day visit to Cyprus, Jaishankar will call Annita Demetriou, President of the Cyprus Parliament's House of Representatives.
He will also address the business and investment community of Cyprus, apart from an interaction with the Indian Diaspora.
Republic of Cyprus
It is an island European country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
It gained its Independence from Britain in 1960. The country has a majority population which are of Greece descent while the minority population are of Turkish origin.
Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974 and created a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983. Except Turkey no country recognises Turkish Cyprus.
India also recognises the Cyprus government.
Capital: Nicosia
Currency: Euro
President: Nicos Anastasiades
3. US Vice-President Kamala Harris names Indian-American Rajeev Badyal to the National Space Council Advisory Group
Tags: Person in news International News
The American Vice President Kamala Harris has named Indian American Rajeev Badyal to the National Space Council's Users Advisory Group (UAG). The UAG is tasked to maintain a robust and responsible US space enterprise and preserve space for current and future generations. The UAG is headed by US Air Force Rtd General Lester Lyles.
Rajeev Badyal is currently the vice-president of Project Kuiper of Amazon. Under Project Kuiper a number of Low Earth Orbit satellites will be launched by Amazon that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.
The UAG will provide the National Space Council advice and recommendations on matters related to space policy and strategy, government policies, laws, regulations, treaties, international instruments, programmes, and practices across the civil, commercial, international, and national security space sectors.
Kamala Harris
She is the first woman to be elected as the Vice-President of the United States.
She was elected as the Vice President in 2020 and Joe Biden was elected as the President of the United States of America.
Her mother Shyamala Gopalan was a Tamilian who immigrated to the United States and married a Jamaican Donald Harris.
4. Benjamin Netanyahu sworn in as the Prime minister of Israel for a record 6th time
Tags: Person in news International News
Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Israel for the sixth time on 29 December 2022. 73 years old Netanyahu was ousted from power 18 months ago. He replaced Yair Lapid whose party failed to win a majority in the Israeli Parliamentary election held on 1 November 2022. This was the 5th general election in Israel in the past four years.
The longest serving Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu heads a coalition government which is considered to be one of the most right wing governments in the history of the country.
The Israeli Parliament is called the Knesset. It is a unicameral house which has a term of four years. It has 120 members.
In the 120 member Israeli Parliament called as Knesset, Netanyahu has the support of 64 members. It included his Likud party supported by the ultra-orthodox Shas, United Torah Judaism, the far-right Otzma Yehudit, Religious Zionist Party, and Noam.
However the controversial leader is already facing protest in the country. During his speech to the Knesset thousands of people gathered outside the Knesset to protest against his government.
The Israeli Parliament is called the Knesset. It is a unicameral house which has a term of four years. It has 120 members.
State of Israel
It is a small country located in West Asia. It is the only Jewish nation in the world with the Jews constituting ¾ population of the country.
Israel was created by dividing the Palestine region into two. The Arab part was called Palestine and the Jewish part was called Israel.
It came into being on 14 May 1948.
Capital: Jerusalem (But it is not recognised internationally). The Government of India also doesn't accept Jerusalem as the capital of Israel .
Currency: Israeli shekel
Parliament: Knesset
President: Isaac Herzog
5. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches the “Prahari app” of the Border Security Force
Tags: National Defence Science and Technology
The Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched the Mobile App ‘Prahari’ of the Border Security Force (BSF) in New Delhi on 29 December 2022. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Director General of BSF Pankaj Kumar Singh were amongst those dignitaries present on the occasion.
Usefulness of the Prahari’ app
Amit Shah said that the BSF ‘Prahari’ app is a great example of Proactive Governance. “Now jawans can get personal information and information related to accommodation, Ayushmann-CAPF and leaves on their mobiles. Be it GPF, Bio Data or grievance redressal on “Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System” (CP-GRAMS) or information on various welfare schemes, now Jawans can get all this information through the app and this app will also connect them with the portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
The Union Home Minister also said that a “BSF Drone/UAV and Cyber Forensic Lab” has been set up in Noida, Uttar Pradesh through which captured drones of Pakistan have been thoroughly mapped for their linkages and locations across the border. These drones are used to bring narcotics and arms and ammunition to spread terrorism in India.
The Border Security Force was raised on 1 December 1965 after the India-Pakistan war of 1965. It is a border force which is deployed along the International border with Bangladesh and Pakistan.
BSF is also known as the nation’s ’first line of defence'. It comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
6. India initiates probe after Uzbekistan reports death due to Indian company made cough syrup
Tags: National
Indian health authorities have initiated a probe of the Marion Biotech’s Noida facility after the Uzbekistan Health Ministry claimed that at least 18 children have died after consuming cough syrup Doc-1 Max - manufactured by Marion Biotech
According to the Uzbekistan's health ministry, the laboratory tests of a batch of syrups found "the presence of ethylene glycol", a toxic substance.
The manufacturing of the cough syrup has been halted until the samples are tested. The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and sent to Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL), Chandigarh for testing.
A joint inquiry is being conducted by the teams of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO - north zone) and Uttar Pradesh Drugs Controlling and Licensing Authority.
Biotech is a licensed manufacturer and holds license for manufacturing of Dok1 Max syrup and Tablet for export purposes granted by Drugs Controller, Uttar Pradesh.
This is the second time in a year that India-manufactured cough syrups have come under the scanner. Earlier this year, deaths of 70 children in Gambia were linked to cough syrups manufactured by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country
Drugs Controller General of India: Venugopal Girdharilal Somani
Republic of Uzbekistan
It is a Central Asian country which was once part of the Soviet Union
Uzbekistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991.
Capital: Tashkent
President: Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Currency: Som
7. India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project handed over to Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corp
Tags: International News
The 720 MW Mangdechhu Hydropower Project built with India's assistance in Bhutan was handed over to Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) on 27 December.
Important facts
It was handed over during a program held in the capital of Bhutan which was attended by Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Bhutanese Minister for Economic Affairs and Sudhakar Dalela, Ambassador of India to Bhutan.
With the handing over of this project, India and Bhutan have successfully completed four major hydroelectric projects.
About Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project
This 720 MW Project was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering in 2019.
The Mangdechhu hydroelectric power plant has been established on the Mangdechhu River in the Trongsa district of central Bhutan.
The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan's Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44 per cent and it is now at 2,326 Mega Watts.
It is a benchmark hydroelectric project completed in an efficient manner at optimum cost, while maintaining high quality and performance standards.
Since commissioning, the project has generated over 9000 million units of energy, reducing emissions by 2.4 million tonnes annually.
The project received the Brunel Medal 2020 from the Institute of Civil Engineers, London.
It was recognized for its excellence in civil engineering and for its social and environmental credentials.
The project increased Bhutan's hydropower revenue by 31 percent in 2020.
8. Union Home Minister presides over the conference of Lieutenant Governors, Administrators of Union Territories
Tags: Summits National News
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the conference on development works in Union Territories in New Delhi on 29 December.
Important facts
Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of UTs including from Delhi, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar, Puducherry, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir attended the conference.
The conference reviewed the economic development, tourism and major schemes and future roadmap of the Union Territories to ensure their strong growth.
Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta and Umang Narula, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh represented Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh UTs respectively.
The objective of the conference is to ensure the development of the Union Territories in all respects including development works, projects and centrally sponsored schemes, besides ensuring that they (schemes) do not miss the deadline.
The focus of the conference was on economic development, tourism potential and flagship schemes.
In another programme, Shah also inaugurated the Border Security Force’s BSF App and BSF Manuals.
9. Government extends free import of Urad and Tur pulses till March 2024
Tags: National Economy/Finance
The government of India has extended the free import of Urad and Tur pulses by one more year to 31 March 2024. Earlier in March 2022 the government had allowed free import of tur and urad till 31 march 2023. Now importers can import any quantity of urad and tur dal without any quantitative restrictions. The government has taken this step to ensure adequate domestic supply in the country and to control the prices of these pulses.
Pulses and India
India is the largest producer, importer and consumer of pulses in the world accounting for nearly 25% of global production, 15% of International trade and 27% of world consumption.
In 2020-21 the total pulse production in India was 26.96 million tonnes.
India meets around 10-12 % of its demand for pulses through import.
Source of pulse import
India buys maximum pulses from Canada followed by Myanmar.
To increase the supply of pulses in India and to keep its prices down, the government of India has signed a number of agreements with foreign countries to import pulses.
- It will import 2 lakh tonnes of tur per year from Mozambique for the next five years starting from 2021.
- It will import 50,000 tonnes of tur from Malawi per year till 2025.
- It will import 100,000 tonnes of tur from Myanmar per year till 2025.
The Government of India has notified import of pulses from Myanmar, Malawi and Mozambique will be allowed through five ports – Mumbai, Tuticorin, Chennai, Kolkata and Hazira. The Mumbai port is in Maharashtra, Tuticorin and Chennai in Tamilnadu, Kolkata in West Bengal and Hazira in Gujarat.
Domestic Production of Pulses
In 2020-21 the total pulse production in India was 26.96 million tonnes.
Largest Producer of pulses in India (2020-21) (in descending order)
- Madhya Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Maharashtra
Largest Producer of Tur in India (2020-21) (in descending order)
- Maharashtra
- Karnataka
- Telangana
Source: Economic Survey 2021-22
10. IT minister launches 'Stay Safe Online' campaign to tackle cybercrime
Tags: Economy/Finance National News
As part of India's G20 presidency, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched the "Stay Safe Online" campaign and the “G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA), at Delhi on 28th December.
Important facts
MeitY, the nodal ministry for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), has represented India in several working groups and ministerial sessions.
During India's G20 presidency, MeitY will focus on three priority areas, namely Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Cyber Security, and Digital Skill Development, together with the Stay Safe Online campaign and DIA programme under the DEWG.
MeitY aims to advance the vision of digital transformation of the global digital economy for public service delivery through innovation in a secure cyber environment and a future-ready digitally skilled workforce.
About Stay Safe Online Campaign
It aims to raise awareness among citizens to stay safe in the online world due to the widespread use of social media platforms and rapid adoption of digital payments.
Rapid growth in the number of Internet users in India and rapidly evolving technology have presented unique challenges.
The campaign will sensitise citizens of all age groups, especially children, students, women, senior citizens, teachers, officials of Central/State Governments, etc., about cyber risk and ways to deal with it.
The campaign will be run in English, Hindi and local languages to reach out to a wider audience.
About G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA)
It aims to identify and enable adoption of innovative and impactful digital technologies developed by startups from G20 countries.
It can address the needs of humanity in the critically important sectors of agri-tech, health-tech, ed-tech, fin-tech, secured digital infrastructure, and circular economy.
Startup products in the aforementioned six themes enabled through Digital Public Goods Infrastructure can create a global population-scale impact and reduce the digital divide and enable sustainable, and inclusive techno-socio-economic development.
