1. Efforts to revive the India-Brazil-South Africa Forum
Tags: International News
Diplomatic focus is likely to increase on the long-dormant trilateral India-Brazil-South Africa forum.
About India-Brazil-South Africa forum (IBSA)
It is a trilateral dialogue forum ofIndia, Brazil and South Africa which was created in the year 2003.
The grouping was formalized under the name of theIBSA Dialogue Forum under the Brasilia Declaration.
On June 6, 2003, at a meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries in Brasilia (Brazil), the Brasilia Declaration was issued and the grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum.
It brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges.
IBSA Fund was established in 2004 which facilitates the execution of human development projects to advance the fight against poverty and hunger in developing countries.
IBSAMAR is a joint multinational maritime exercise, among the Indian, Brazilian and South African navies.
Forum Meetings
Between 2011 and 2022, the forum has held only four trilateral ministerial commission meetings.
The latest is in September 2022, when senior ministers from the three countries meet in New York.
However, there has not been a meeting of their heads of state or government since 2011.
The meetings have become inactive in recent years.
2. Central Government notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023
Tags: National News
On April 18, thecentral government notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 and the rules aim to address the Supreme Court guidelines in a writ petition by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and People for Elimination of Stray Troubles.
An Overview of the News
The Supreme Court has specifically mentioned that transfer of dogs cannot be allowed.
Under the new rules, local bodies including municipalities, municipal corporations and panchayats are responsible for carrying out the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme.
The ABC program aims to sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs, reduce their population, and address animal welfare issues.
The rules provide guidelines on how to handle conflicts between humans and stray dogs without relocating the dogs.
ABC programs should be conducted by AWBI accredited organisations specifically recognized for this purpose.
The list of such organisations will be available on the website of AWBI and will be updated regularly.
About Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)
It is a statutory advisory body that provides guidance to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.
AWBI is headquartered in Ballabgarh, Haryana, and was earlier located in Chennai.
As an advisory body, AWBI plays an important role in shaping policies related to animal welfare in India.
AWBI was established under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 with the objective of preventing cruelty to animals and promoting their welfare.
The Board consists of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and a number of other members who are appointed by the Government of India.
Some of the major functions of the AWBI include conducting research on animal welfare, creating awareness about animal rights, and monitoring the use of animals in animal-related activities such as transportation, slaughter, and entertainment.
Founder -Rukmini Devi Arundale
Established - 1962
3. Supreme Court refers same-sex marriage pleas to Constitution bench
Tags: National News
The Supreme Court has set up a five-judge Constitution bench to hear petitions seeking legal recognition of same sex marriages.
An overview of the news
The bench set up by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud comprises Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha, besides the CJI.
The Supreme Court had on March 13 referred the petitions to the Constitution bench stating the matter raised questions of “seminal importance”.
A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, set down the matter for final arguments before a Constitution bench from April 18 after noting that the petitions involve the interplay between constitutional rights and specific legislative enactments, including the Special Marriage Act, 1954.
Background:
The Delhi high court in July 2009 de-criminalised consensual homosexual acts in private by declaring as unconstitutional a part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalises unnatural sex.
However, in December 2013, the Supreme Court set aside the HC verdict, holding it was for the legislature to take a call on the controversial provision.
Adoption of a child in same-sex marriage
The bench said one of the issues raised before it also relates to the rights of transgender couples to marry.
While hearing the petitions,CJI Chandrachud said that it is not necessary that a child adopted by a homosexual couple will be a homosexual.
What is the Centre's stance on same-sex marriage?
In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the government has opposed the petitions and submitted that despite the decriminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the petitioners cannot claim a fundamental right for same-sex marriage to be recognised under the laws of the country.
At the same time, it submitted that although the Centre limits its recognition to heterosexual relationships, there may be other forms of marriages or unions or personal understandings of relationships between individuals in a society and these "are not unlawful".
Is same-sex marriage legal in India?
On September 6, 2018, the SC decriminalised consensual gay sex between adults in the Navtej Singh Johar verdict.
It also decriminalised Section 377 of the India Penal Code (IPC) which considered sex with the same gender as a criminal activity.
However, it said that this should not be meant as conferring any right including the right to marry. So, homosexual couples currently do not have a right to legally marry in India.
Which countries have legalised same-sex marriage?
Currently, there are 32 countries globally where same-sex marriage is legal.
These are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay.
4. Namami Gange: 8 Projects Worth Rs 638 Crores Approved
Tags: Government Schemes National News
The 48th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was held on 18th April under the chairmanship of Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) G. Asok Kumar.
An overview of the news
Eight projects worth around Rs. 638 crore were approved in the meeting.
In an attempt to clean River Hindon, which is a tributary of River Yamuna, four projects worth Rs 407.39 crore were approved for pollution abatement in the Shamli district.
These projects are part of the comprehensive Hindon Rejuvenation Plan.
Hindon river is identified as Priority 1 polluted river stretch.
The projects which were sanctioned are to prevent theflow of polluted water into Krishna River.
Krishni is one of the major tributaries of Hindon which discharges pollution from Shamli district into River Hindon.
Two more sewerage management projects were approved in the meeting, one each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
In Bihar, a project for construction of 3 STPs (7 MLD, 3.5 MLD and 6 MLD in Zone 1 and 2 respectively) along with other works was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 77.39 crore.
These projects will arrest the flow of polluted water into theKiul River, a tributary of the Ganges.
About Namami Gange
It was approved as a 'Flagship Programme' by the Central Government in June 2014.
It was launched to serve the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of the national river Ganga.
It is being operated under the Ministry of Water Resources, Department of River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The program is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its State Program Management Groups (SPMGs).
5. Syria is the world's largest 'narco-state'
Tags: International News
Syria has become the world's largest 'narco-state' and most of its foreign exchange earnings come from the production and export of Captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine commonly referred to as "poor man's coke".
An Overview of the News
Drug trafficking, is especially Captagon, which is a significant part of Syria's economy.It accounts for more than 90 percent of the country's foreign exchange earnings according to criteria to be classified as a narco-state.
Experts have indicated that Syria is the major producer of Captagon, with much of it exported to the Gulf region. Following a crackdown on protesters by President Bashar al-Assad in 2011 and subsequent sanctions or trade embargoes with Syria, the Lebanese regime along with Hezbollah increased the production and export of Captagon to the Gulf countries.
The US enacted the Captagon Act last year, linking the drug trade to the Assad regime in Syria and labelling it an "international security threat".
About Syria
Capital - Damascus
Official language - Arabic
President - Bashar al-Assad
Vice President -Najah Al-Attar
Prime Minister -Hussain Arnoos
Speaker of the People's Assembly - Hammouda Sabbagh
6. Govt launches 'Sangathan se Samriddhi' scheme to bring marginalised rural women into SHGs network
Tags: Government Schemes National News
Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh launched the 'Organization to Prosperity' campaign on 18 April.
An overview of the news
It will empower marginal rural households by bringing all eligible rural women into Self Help Groups (SHGs).
The government is targeting to bring the existing 9 crore to 10 crore women under the ambit of SHGs.
The number of members, which was only 2.35 crore in May 2014, has now crossed nine crore.
The government has set a target that every woman associated with self-help groups should be able to earn one lakh rupees annually.
What are SHGs?
Self-help groups (SHGs) are informal associations of people who choose to come together to find ways to improve their living conditions.
It can be defined as a self-governing, peer-controlled information group of people having a similar socio-economic background and desiring to collectively serve a common purpose.
SHGs rely on the concept of "self-help" to encourage self-employment and poverty alleviation.
Its objective is to build the functional capacity of the poor and the marginalized in the field of employment and income generating activities.
7. Narendra Modi to inaugurate first Global Buddhist Summit on 20th April
Tags: Summits National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi on 20th April.
An overview of the news
The two-day summit will be hosted by the Ministry of Culture in association with its grantee body International Buddhist Confederation.
Eminent scholars, Sangha leaders and Dharma practitioners from all over the world will attend the Conference.
The theme of the Global Buddhist Summit is ‘Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis’.
For the first time prominent Buddhist monks from different countries will come to India and participate in the summit.
There will be discussions on how to deal with contemporary challenges with the help of Buddhist philosophy and thought.
This global summit will mark the importance of India in Buddhism, as Buddhism originated in India.
This global summit will also be a medium to enhance cultural and diplomatic relations with other countries.
Delegates from around 30 countries will participate in the event and around 171 delegates from foreign countries and 150 delegates from Indian Buddhist organizations will participate.
The main approach of the summit is to reflect on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, which have been continuously enriched by the practice of Buddhism over the centuries.
Four Themes of Discussions
Buddha Dhamma and Peace
Buddha Dhamma: Environmental Crisis, Health and Sustainability
Preservation of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition
Buddha Dhamma Pilgrimage, Living heritage and Buddha Relics: a resilient foundation to India’s centuries-old cultural links to countries in South, Southeast and East Asia.
Buddhism in India
It is one of the important religions of South and South-Eastern Asian countries.
Buddhism started in India about 2600 years ago.
Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini around 563 BC. He belonged to the Shakya dynasty.
Buddha is considered to be the eighth incarnation of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
The core teachings of Buddhism are contained in the Four Noble Truths and the core concept of the Eightfold Path.
The essence of Buddhism lies in the attainment of enlightenment or nirvana, which can be achieved in this life.
The branches of Buddhism are Mahayana (idolatry), Hinayana, Theravada, Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism), Zen.
UNESCO heritage site related to Buddhism
Archaeological site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
Mahabodhi Vihara Complex in Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad (Maharashtra)
8. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launches ‘YUVA PORTAL’
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr.Jitendra Singh launched the Youth Portal in New Delhi.
An Overview of the News
It aims to connect and identify potential youth start-ups.
Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh also launched the One Week - One Laboratory programme.
The event emphasises the need for broad-based participation from stakeholders in the industry for startups to remain sustainable.
Each of the 37 CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) laboratories is dedicated to a different specialised area of work.
The One Week - One Lab program will provide an opportunity to CSIR laboratories to showcase their work.
About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, or CSIR, is an autonomous body established by the Government of India in September 1942.
Its primary goal is to promote scientific and industrial research in India.
Its research activities cover a wide range of fields, including aerospace, biotechnology, chemistry, earth science, electronics, engineering, information technology, materials science and physics.
It operates a network of laboratories and research institutes across India, which conduct cutting-edge research in their respective fields.
Establishment - 26 September 1942
Founder - Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar
President - Narendra Modi
Director General - Dr. N. Kalaiselvi
Parent Organization - Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India
Motto - CSIR-The Innovation Engine of India
9. MRF emerges as ‘second strongest tyre brand in the world’
Tags: National News
MRF Ltd has emerged as thesecond-strongest tyre brand in the world according to the latest report by Brand Finance on the 'Most Valuable and Strongest Tyre Brands' in the world.
An overview of the news
MRF has scored high in almost all parameters and is also recognized as the second fastest growing tire brand in the world.
It has scored 83.2 out of 100 in brand strength and has been awarded AAA- brand rating.
MRF scored high in the Sustainability Perception Value and is the only Indian tire manufacturer to feature in the top 10.
Brand Finance's annual report on the Most Valuable and Strongest Automobile, Auto Component, Tire and Mobility 2023 analyzes the value of brands across these industries.
Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would gain by licensing it on the open market.
A brand's strength is assessed through a balanced scorecard of factors such as marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance.
About MRF Ltd
MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) is India’s No.1 tyre manufacturing company.
It was started in 1946 by K M Mammen Mappillai as a small toy balloon unit.
In November 1960 it ventured into manufacturing of tyres.
The company entered into a technical collaboration with Tire & Rubber company, USA.
Currently MRF exports tyres to over 65 countries including America, Europe, Middle East, Japan, and the Pacific region.
It has overseas offices in Dubai, Vietnam and Australia.
10. Sixth meeting of the Steering Committee on the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960
Tags: Summits National News
The sixth meeting of the Steering Committee on matters relating to the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 was held in New Delhi on 17 April.
An Overview of the News
The purpose of the meeting was to take stock of the ongoing amendment process of the Indus Water Treaty.
The meeting was presided over by Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Pankaj Kumar.
About Indus Water Treaty (IWT)
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to utilise the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries.
The treaty was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960by the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the then Pakistani President Ayub Khan.
The treaty gives control over the waters of three "eastern rivers' ' – the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej with an average annual flow of 41 billion m3 (33 million acre feet)– while controlling the waters of all three. The "Western Rivers" – the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum, with an average annual flow of 99 billion cubic metres – flow to Pakistan.
India has about 20% of the total water carried by the Indus system while Pakistan has 80%.
The treaty allows India to use the waters of the western river for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use for applications such as power generation, navigation, floating of assets, fisheries, etc.
