Article on Recent Issues

In this section we are trying to provide you detail of the article which were in news in recent past and are buring isssue of the present. Such issues are very important from the point of the view of current affairs that is why a separate section is made for such articles Right to Information Right to information started by interpretation of fundamental right, right to speech stated under article number 19. This become more contextual under recent ruling of high court (Delhi) stating that the judiciary position in higher courts including high supreme court is also included under the ambit of RTI. Actual case was related to declaration of assets of supreme courts judges. At present, assets detail of HC and SC judges is given to CJI but these assets are not made public. Delhi high court in recent case held that office of chief justice of India is a 'public authority' and that come under the ambit of Right to information. it was unforeseen incidence in the history if higher judiciary when a high court was ruling an case filled by supreme court bench gave the reasoning that the CJI can not fiduciary VIS - a - Vis judge of supreme court, judges of supreme court held independent office and there is no hierarchy in their judicial function. Soon after the ruling, SC made a request for grant of certificate for appeal to supreme court under art. 134A. in 2002, supreme court gave to people the right to know about an MP and MLA s full back ground. Even if this was no RTI act, citizen or subjects could know about things like financial assets those who rules was including the judiciary As for as RTI is concern, it surely applies to all public authority established or constituted under our constitution. next question is whether supreme court could hide behind any of the 10 exemptions provided by the act itself. supreme court council concentrated on fiduciary clause. but according to law fiduciary relation has special meaning relating to the trust including private management. No institution can come out of RTI act simply marking information confidential, and if so, RTI act will be ruined. But judges do not have any institutionally built mechanism. by which they can communicate to media and larger public so it will be one ended sward to always point to higher judiciary. In short litigant party can try that a constitutional mechanism should be established to communicate with larges public. Thus it become imperative that a constitutional mechanism should be established to communicate with public UNEP - To Combat Climate Change UNEP is key Stone agency of UNO to govern program on climate change, and environment protection. It head quarter is at Nairobi. On Copenhagen meet Dec 2009, stress was on an international treaty to replace Kyoto protocol which expiring in 2012. UNEP activities cover wide range of issues regarding atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystem. UNEP has played significant role in developing international environmental convention. Works on the development and implementation of policy with national governments and regional institutions and NGOs Its other factions are to analyze the state of global environment To develop international environmental law. To advance the implementation of agreed international norm and policies. To promote greater awareness and to facilitate effective co-operation To provide advisory service.

New pension cum saving scheme. Pension regulator PERDA is working on a pension - cum - saving scheme. In which person can withdraw money in contingency situations This scheme is under NPS and called tier - II account. In this pension saving account customer can withdraw almost entire amount. the pension amount withdrawn from tier II is under exempt - exempt mode. Customer having Tier - I account will be eligible for tire II account Post and telegraph department will be its POP (Point of preference) At present there are 21 POP. There are 6 fund managers. Social Audit Social Auditing

In order too ensure effective implementation of NREGA, states has been directed to conduct social audit of each of its project within 3 months. Gram Sabha will conduct regular social audit of all projects taken by it. Social audit is a tool using which government departments, implementing agencies can monitor, plan, manage and measure the non- financial activities and social and commercial operations. legislature, civil society organizations, implementing organizations are undertaking social audit to monitor and verify their social performance. Basic idea behind social audit is not to find fault but to access and evaluate performance in term of social, environmental and economic goal of organization. Social audit term of used in 1950s.

Principle for Social Audit

Participatory always encourages participation of stakeholder involved in the work, and sharing their ideas. Multi perspective, which aims to reflect the views (Voices) of all people involved. Comprehensive aim to report on all aspects of the organization Multidirectional To produce social accounts on regular basis. It provide means to compare performance between organization to organization working on same field. Verifications ensures that social accounts. Disclosure ensures that audited accounts are disclosed to stakeholder.

Objective of Social Audit

Assessing the physical and financial gaps between needs and resources available for local development. Creating awareness among beneficiaries and provider of local social and productive services. To increase efficiency and effectiveness of the program. Scrutiny of various policy decisions, keeping in view the interest of state holders. Estimation of opportunity cost of stake holders.

Advantage of Social Audit

Trains the community on participatory local planning. encourage local democracy. Encourage community participation. Benefits disadvantaged groups

Promoter collective decision making. Develops human capital and resources and social capitals Enhance transparency.

FATA FATA - Federally administered tribal area (FATA)

These are 7 tribal district bordering Afghanistan. Denial of political freedoms, economic opportunity and on ambiguous constitutional status has led to increased Talibanization. Fata was severely underdeveloped even before the rise of militancy due to government neglection. lack of work opportunity make Fata resident vulnerable to militant recruitment. For solution Government needs to 1.Dismanthe undemocratic structure of patronage of political agents. 2.Economic Opportunity 3.Enhenced Civil and political rights. 4.Fundamental change in political and administrative structure. President enjoys discretionary power to make regulation with respect to peace and good governance of FATA. FATA is Governed by an administrative and legal frame work codified in colonial era.

SAFRON - The federal ministry of states and frontier regions (SAFRON) is responsible for overall political and administrative control of FATA. Economic Condition

It was extremely under developed even before growth of militancy 60% of it residents are below poverty line. Taliban Rank Reportedly Receive monthly salary of Rupee 15000 much more than any other occupation.

Reform Required for stabilization of FATA

Frontier criminal regulation 1901 should be replaced with Pakistan's criminal procedure code. Extension of full provincial right to FATA with in NWFP. Allocating seats for FATA's seven tribal districts. establishment of uniform judicial system. Rehabilitation of inhabitant of FATA. Disbanding of all Lashkarn (Militia) Economic reform Strengthening the social infrastructure of FATA

Financial Inclusion Financial Inclusion in India

Financial inclusion broadly means physical access to financial products and services along with access to use and understanding. financial access can be divided into 4 groups. 1.The proportion of population that uses bank or bank like institutions. 2.The population that uses service of other formal financial institution but not banks. 3.Popution which uses service of informal service provider. 4.The population which does not use financial service.

In India financially excluded section comprises marginal farmers, landless laborers, Urban slam dwellers, self employed, ethnic minority and socially excluded sections. Why Financial Infusions. 1.its considered essential to sustain the growth momentum. 2.To get higher agriculture growth rate. 3.To get demographic dividend . 4.To facilitate effective credit delivery system to provide investment in employment generating sector. 5.To exploits the growth potential of unorganized sector. 6.Financial inclusion will lead to inclusive growth. Factor Affecting access to financial services.
1. 3. 5. 7. 9. Gender issue Legal identity Place of living Social security payments Term and condition 2. 4. 6. 8. Age factors Limited literacy Psychological and cultural barriers Bank charges

10 Level of Income 12. Attractiveness of product.

11. Type of occupation

Biofuels in India.

Official line is pushing for 20% biofuels in gasoline and diesel by 2017. But for biofuel we have to consider two things simultaneously food security Vs energy security. Bio-fuel development and utilization has various socio- economic implication. India has two non edible plant sources for biofuels Jatropha Curcas and Pongamia Pinnata. Above both plants are Xerophytes. Jatropha has 30-35% oil yield. One hectare plantation of 4000plants/hectare yield is 5000Kg of seeds. Jatropha fuel efficiency is 3% less than usual diesel. India can save 4 Billion $ by mixing 5% of biodiesel. Jatropha can grow in Bare land and requires little water to grow. Best student for arid and semi- arid region. Poor shallow soil, input, scanty rainfall are not barriers for it. Other benefits are that it is highly pest and disease resistant. Other benefit is that leave of jatropha caucus are used to feed silk worm to produce high quality silk. Residue after extraction of oil from seeds can be used as oil cake to feed animals and fish. It can be used as organic manure. Leaf bark and seed extracts has high medical value Curcas oil that is formed as byproduct of bio-ethanol can be used in soap industry. ICRISAT - International crop research centre for semi arid tropics has been activity engaged in research on bio diesel from Pongamia and jatropha.

Assessment of Biodiesel Industry.

UNCTAD has estimated that in India current production cost of bio-diesel is Rs.21/Lit, same as petrol and diesel. India is 4th largest ethanol, producer after Brazil, USA and China But main problem is that former do not consider jatropha crop rewarding enough.

TERI - The energy and research institute has launched as a 10 year project to study issue involved from jatropha seed to filling station.

Demand for New States Creating new states How Desirable.

Demanded States. 1.Mothilanchal in Bihar 2.Saurastra in Gujarat. 3.Coory in Karnataka 4.Harit Pradesh In UP. 5.Telangana in Andhra Pradesh 6.Gorakhaland comprising area of MP and UP . 7.Bhojpur curved out of eastern UP, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Observers believe that such demands are political in nature. Part of populist rather than being genuinely a popular demand.

Fertilizer Subsidy In India Fertilizer Subsidy.

India is not self sufficient in fertilizers as for as demand is concerned thus state regulates the price of fertilizers. To make form input under control government has to subsidize the fertilizer. Because of growing concern of subsidy bill government has decided to launch new scheme for subsidy called "Nutrition Based Subsidy" this will help to make farmer using fertilizer judicially.

Existing Regime - (Product based subsidy). 1. It cavers 19 fertilizers whose MRP is fixed by centre. 2. For selling at this cost, manufactures and importers are eligible for subsidy. Nutrient Based Subsidy.

In nutrient based subsidy system, subsidy is to be linked with underlying nutrient composition not to specific fertilizer product. Scheme had Taken off from 1st April.

Genetically modified Food Case study of Bt Brinjal

Brinjal was Originated in India. Brinjal is 2nd most common vegetable in India after potato. Bt brinjal is transgenic brinjal created out of inserting agent from soil bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis. This made Bt brinjal plant resistant against lepedopteran insects and shoot borer and fruit borer. Further, Bt brinjal has been developed in India by M/s Mahyco (Maharashtra Hybrid seed company). Theoretically, Bt brinjal cultivation should lead to reduction in pesticide use and vegetable waste. proliferation of illegal Bt. cotton in country is good testimony to serious irreversible lapse that could happen at trial phase. Five Giants in field of GM crop seeds. monsanto, Dupont , Syngenta, Bayer, and Dow, these

comprise 84% of the Market. Genetic Engineering.

A technique of removing, modifying and adding gene to a DNA molecule in order to get desired change. Dew to change in genetic information organism become enable to generate new substance or to perform new functions. Example of desired characteristics sought for the plants include fast growth, pest resistance, drought resistance and high productivity. Genetically modified plants are also called as, Transgenic, bioengineered. Genetic engineering permits the transfer of genes between two such organisms which can not breed. Genetic engineering usually make use of carrier (vector) which can transfer desirable gene to DNA. Vectors are generally bacteria and they infect the call and transfer the gens to cell.

GM foods

Genetic Engineering approval committee cleared the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) brinjal. It was an ad- hoc 30 members committee. This momentous decision has opened the door for other GM crops 1.But environmentalist and agriculturist were opposing the move in for of unpredictable change. and effects on human health. 2. Supreme court expert has stated that necessary bio-safety test were skipped before clearance was given.

Issue Related To GM Crops

It could relieve world hunger According to proponents, biotechnology can increase quantity of harvest by addressing the factor that traditionally deplete crop such as pest, weeds, draught and wind. Main issue with GM crop is safety concern. WHO, US food and drug Administration,(FDA), US department of agriculture have all certified safety of GM foods. In US, Recombinant advisory committee of US made is mandatory for companies to provide a list of negative and harmful impact of GM crops before approving for commercial sale. But in India field trial are basically mockery of scientific norms. GM crop experiment showed that country is fast moving into hitherto unforeseen era of biological pollution. GM crops are directed towards sustainable development by reducing use of pesticide etc but environmental risk assessment of GM crop is least understood area. Potential development of drug resistant verities of pests and weeds can not be ruled out.

Medical Tourism

In last decode Indian tourism has emerged as major economic activity as it has become 3rd largest foreign exchange earner. In 1973 Indian government has setup separate tourism dept. Medical tourism has been identified as "the travelling to a particular destination to avail the opportunity of world class services offered by best experienced health professionals at the technologically most advanced medical facilities on affordable cost." Special attraction of medical tourism is that you can rejuvenate physical and mental health. In the recent past, the patients from under developed countries used to travel to advanced countries to take benefit of better health facility.

At present, the trend is reversing, the main driving force is popularity of medical tourism would include access to higher quality care at lower than prevailing price, and shot waiting periods. According CII India has potential to attract 2 million tourists which could contribute 5 billion dollar to economy. In India, private(Apollo) as well as public sector(AIIMS) are participating in medical tourism. Medical tourism is fact developing sector of Indian economy. India attracts patients from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan Myanmar, south east Asia, Africa, and middle east and cross the world. Most common treatment available at economic cost are heart surgery knee transplant, cosmetic surgery and dental case . Top medical tourism destinations are Costarica, India, Israel Mexico and south Korea. Attraction to Indian medical tourism are. 1.Care product . Ayurveda, Naturotherapy, Yoga, Meditation 2.Price advantage. 3.Compirt level and quality of service. 4.Inteiative from govt. Bottlenecks of health tourism. 1.Lack of good infrastructure 2.Lack of standardization in all hospitals. 3.Lesser market accessibility. 4.State intervention. 5.Problem with insurance back from foreign insurance providers.