1. President Droupadi Murmu address her maiden joint session of Parliament
Tags: National National News
Focusing on ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, President Droupadi Murmu addressed her maiden joint session (Lok Sabha and Rajay Sabha) of Parliament on 31st January.
An overview of the news
President Murmu said, India has entered the Amrit Kaal by completing 75 years of its independence.
Amrit Kaal is the period of 100 years of independence and the making of a developed India. These 25 years is a period for all citizens to focus on their duty.
She said that the government is trying to get rid of every sign of slavery, an example of which is the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path.
She said that the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign has been successful, due to which the number of women in India is more than men for the first time.
The government's priority is the 11 crore small farmers who were deprived of government benefits for decades.
Earlier there was a long wait for the tax refund, but today the refund is received within a few days of filing the income tax return.
Indian Railways is fast moving towards becoming the largest electric railway network in the world.
India is trying to find collective solutions to global challenges along with the G20 member countries.
Parliamentary Sessions
In general, the parliamentary sessions are of three types:
Budget Session
It is the longest Session, starts at the end of January and concludes by the end of April or the first week of May.
The session has a recess so that Parliamentary Committees can discuss the budgetary proposals.
This session begins every year with the President's address to both the Houses.
Monsoon Session
Monsoon session is held every year from July to September. It begins after a gap of two months from the budget session.
Matters of public interest are discussed in this session.
Winter Session
This session is held every year from mid-November to mid-December. This is the shortest session.
It takes up those matters which could not be considered earlier.
Joint Sitting of Parliament
The Constitution of India provides for a joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament to resolve a deadlock between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The joint sitting of the Parliament is called by the President of the country.
The speaker presides over the joint sitting. In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over it.
If none of the above is present, any other member of Parliament may preside with the consensus of both the Houses.
Article 108 of the Indian Constitution provides for a joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament.
According to the provision given in Article 87 of the Constitution, the President addresses both the Houses of the Parliament twice under the legislative powers-
1. After each new election
2. Every year on the first session of the Parliament
2. Udaipur to host first G20 Sherpa Meeting in India from 4 to 7 December
Tags: place in news Summits
Udaipur city in Rajasthan will host the first G-20 Sherpa Meeting in India from 4 to 7 December 2022. The Sherpa’s are the personal emissaries of the leaders of the members of the G-20 group. The G-20 Sherpa meeting will be presided by the Indian Sherpa Amitabh Kant.
India will formally assume the presidency of the G-20 on 1 December 2022. India as a host nation will set the agenda of the G-20 summit meeting to be held in September 2023 in New Delhi.
Before the summit meeting of the top leaders of the G-20 countries a number of meetings are held to prepare the agenda for the leaders.
The Sherpa’s oversee negotiations over the course of the year, discussing agenda items for the Summit and coordinating the substantive work of the G20.
Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation of 19 countries and the European Union was set up in 1999.India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999. India will be holding the G20 Presidency from 1 December 2022 and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2023 for the first time.
Udaipur
It was founded in 1559 by Udai Singh II of the Sisodia clan of Rajput’s.
It is popularly known as the "City of Lakes". It has seven lakes surrounding the city. The 7 lakes of Udaipur are; Fateh Sagar Lake. Lake Pichola.Udaisagar Lake. Jaisamand Lake (Dhebar Lake), Rajsamand Lake.Badi Lake (Jiyan Sagar), Doodh Talai (Milk Pond), Swaroop Sagar Lake (Khumaria Talab).
3. Indonesian President Joko Widodo handed over the G-20 presidency to Modi as the G 20 summit concludes in Bali
Tags: place in news Summits
The Indonesian President Joko Widodo formally handed over the G-20 presidency to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 November 2022 at the conclusion of the two-day (15-16 November) 17th G-20 Summit in Bali.
Prime Minister Modi said that India's presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action-oriented. He said that the country is taking the charge at a time when the world is grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown and rising food and energy prices.
India will officially assume the G-20 Presidency from 1 December 2022.
The 18th G-20 Leaders' Summit at the level of heads of state/government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi.
Modi also listed India's priorities for the G-20.
- Over the next one year, India will strive to ensure that the G-20 acts as a global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action,"
- The sense of ownership over natural resources is giving rise to conflict today, and has become the main cause of the plight of the environment. For the safe future of the planet, the sense of trusteeship is the solution.
- Modi noted that LiFE that is a 'Lifestyle for Environment' campaign can make a big contribution to this. "Its purpose is to make sustainable lifestyles a mass movement." The prime minister emphasised that the benefits of development are universal and all-inclusive.
- Modi said the G-20 has to convey a strong message in favour of peace and harmony.
- "All these priorities are fully embodied in the theme of India's G-20 Chairmanship -- 'One Earth, One Family, One Future'," he said.
During the G-20 summit meeting the Prime Minister held meetings with various world leaders like British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Macron, the American president Joe Biden and had a brief interaction with the Chinese President Xi Jingping. It was the first face to face between the Indian and Chinese leaders after the Galwan clash in June 2020 which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and many Chinese soldiers.
Issue of Russia and Ukraine and call for “This Era is not of War”
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attended the meeting where the issue of Russia-Ukraine conflict divided the member countries of G-20. Western countries want an outright condemnation of Russia while others notably Indian and China are not in favour of condemning Russia.
However the final G-20 document which was issued later condemned “in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and demanded “its complete and unconditional withdrawal” from Ukrainian territory.
It also used the phrase “ This Era is not of War '' and called for an end to the war . This phrase was used by Prime Minister Modi while meeting Valdimir Putin during the SCO meeting in Uzbekistan in September 2022. The statement was well received in Europe, which regards India as a close strategic partner of Russia.
G-20 Group
- Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation which was set up in 1999.
- It consists of the world's major developed and developing countries.
- It consists of 19 countries and the European Union. The member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
- Italy was the President of the G-20 in 2021. Indonesia is the President for 2022 and India will be the President in 2023.
- The first Summit meeting of the leaders of the G-20 was held in 2008 at Washington, United States.
- The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
- G-20 members constitute 60% of the world population, 80% of the World economy and 75% of world trade.
4. Parameswaran Iyer takes over as new Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog
Tags: Person in news
Former drinking water and sanitation secretary Parameswaran Iyer, who led the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Mission, took charge as chief executive officer (CEO) of Niti Aayog on 11 July.
Important facts
His appointment to the post was approved by the Cabinet Appointments Committee on June 24.
Iyer replaces Amitabh Kant, who stepped down on June 30.
A 1980 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, Amitabh Kant was appointed as the CEO of NITI Aayog in 2016 for a tenure of two years.
Kant has been appointed as the new Sherpa of India for the G20.
A 1981-batch officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Iyer will serve as the CEO of NITI Aayog for two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Iyer has over 25 years of experience in the water and sanitation sector.
Iyer led the implementation of the country's flagship Swachh Bharat Mission, which successfully provided 550 million people access to safe sanitation.
The Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog is appointed by the Prime-minister for a fixed tenure.
About NITI Aayog
It is the premier policy think tank of the Government of India, it provides directional and policy inputs.
It designs strategic and long-term policies.
It also provides relevant technical advice to the Centre, States, and Union Territories.
The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes the Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories and the Lieutenant Governors of other Union Territories.
It was constituted on January 1, 2015.
NITI stands for National Institution for Transforming India.
The Government of India constituted the NITI Aayog to replace the Planning Commission, which was set up in 1950.
This step was taken to better meet the needs and aspirations of the people.
Kindly see 23 April 2022 post
