National
Govt. sets up panel for policy directives on startup ecosystem
The government has constituted a team which will assist in policy formulations for creating an ecosystem for startups.
Besides, the Centre has also appointed a consulting agency to help the team in its work, Commerce and Industry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech had announced a new campaign ‘Start-up India, Stand up India’, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in the country.
Maharashtra becomes first state to allow MLAs raise online question
The Maharashtra legislature has become the first in the country to launch an online mechanism for its members to send questions and move different motions in the House.
In this regard state government has launched a website mls.org.in as part of Digital MLAs initiative in the winter session of state legislature in Nagpur.
Fact Punch:
This system has been launched in an effort of state government to move towards complete digitization of the legislative process that aims at bringing the paper work to minimum.
All MLAs and MLCs have been given unique user names and passwords to access to website so that they can send their questions and requests online.
Facilitates them to move different motions like calling attention and half-an-hour discussion questions for legislature sessions.
The system has been designed by the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL).
Cannot direct Parliament to enact Uniform Civil Code: SC
The Supreme Court declined to hear a Bharatiya Janata Party leader seeking to bring the civil code which brings all religious personal laws under one umbrella.
A bench of Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur and Justices A.K. Sikri and R. Banumathi asked BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay to withdraw his petition, while saying that it could still consider such a plea for a common civil code had someone aggrieved by a harsh or discriminatory personal law of her community come to it.
Background
The Bench said that 21 years ago the apex court had declined to go into the issue of civil common code, and the position has not changed.
The Chief Justice Bench's refusal to entertain this plea even as another Bench of Justices Anil R. Dave and Adarsh Kumar Goel, in a judgment, directed a suo motu PIL to be filed in the Supreme Court to have a re-look at the issue of "gender discrimination" suffered by Muslim women in the country.
In a judgment by Justice Goel, the Bench said that it is time for the apex court to settle once and for all whether the Islamic personal law violated the fundamental rights of Muslim women.
Another bench led by Justice Vikramjit Sen had also recently asked the government to clarify whether there is any definite move to usher in the Uniform Civil Code.
Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 introduced in Lok Sabha to fast track nuclear power projects
Union Government has introduced Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to facilitate and fast track setting up of new nuclear projects in the country.
It was introduced by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh. The Bill seeks to amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
Key provisions of the Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015
Under the Act, a government company is one in which at least 51% of the paid-up share capital is held by the central government. Paid-up share capital is the capital received by a company from the issue of shares.
Redefines paid-up share capital: Expands the definition of paid-up share capital in parent Act to include joint ventures (JV) of public sector undertakings (PSUs).
The whole of the paid up share capital would be held by one or more PSUs and empowers the Union government to constitute its Board of Directors for such JV.
Licenses: Henceforth it will only be granted to entities such as a government company or a department of Union Government.
Under the parent Act, license is required for acquisition, production, use, export and import of any plant designed for the production and development of atomic energy or research.
License granted will be cancelled if it ceases to be a government company for (i) acquiring and using substances or minerals from which atomic energy can be obtained (ii) producing atomic energy etc.
Comment
The amendment to Atomic Energy Act, 1962 has been proposed to facilitate the fast expansion of nuclear power and its generation in the country to meet electricity demand. The passage of Bill would enable Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCI) to enter into joint ventures (JVs) with other public sector undertakings (PSUs) for civil nuclear power projects.
Note: The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 empowers the Union government to produce, develop, control, and use atomic energy.
Lok Sabha passes High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2015
Lok Sabha has passed The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2015.
The Bill amends the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958 and the High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954.
Key features of Bill
The Bill aims at removing anomalies in pensionary benefits of High Court judges elevated from the bar.
Seeks to bring uniformity and do away with the indiscrimination of salaries and pensions for judges elevated from the Bar.
Pension payable to HC judges: For the purpose of providing pension, a period of 10 years will be added from April 2004 to the service of a Judge. This provision would be applicable to a HC judge who has been an advocate of a HC for at least 10 years.
Casual leave for SC and HC judges: The casual leave for SC and HC judges will be computed in a manner to be prescribed. The previous 1954 and 1958 Acts provided leave to judges on full allowances and half allowances respectively.
Leave allowances of HC judges: Henceforth Judges would have the option of availing leave on partly full and partly half allowances or full allowances, half allowances specified in the 1954 and 1958 Acts.
Joining time allowance for HC judges: Deletion of provision in 1954 Act that provides for an allowance at the rate of Rs.1110 per month instead of salary to HC judges in relation to joining time on his return from leave out of India.
International
Centre-right MUD coalition wins 2015 Parliamentary election of Venezuela
Opposition Centre-right Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition has won the 2015 Parliamentary elections of Venezuela.
The MUD coalition won at least 99 seats in the 167-seat legislature of the National Assembly by defeating ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) led by President Nicolás Maduro.
In this election, PSUV won 46 seats and remaining candidates from different parties have won 22 seats.
With this, the 17 years of socialist ruling regime came to an end which was founded by former President Hugo Chavez in 1999.
Background
Parliamentary election 2015 for the 167 members of the National Assembly of Venezuela was held on 6 December 2015 and was based on a mixed majoritarian system.
Under this system, of the total 167 members, 113 members are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 87 constituencies.
51 seats are elected by closed list of proportional representation based on the 23 states and the Capital District and the seats are allocated using the d’Hondt method.
The remaining 3 seats are reserved for indigenous peoples and are elected by the community.
Venezuela:
It is oil-rich Latin American country located on the northern coast of South America. Presently, the country is facing worst economic slowdown due to due to continuing low price of oil in the international market as it is its main export commodity. It also has the highest inflation rate around 100 per cent in 2015 in the South America.
First red alert on pollution declared in Beijing
The Chinese government has issued its first red alert on pollution (smog) it its Capital Beijing due to hazardous air quality caused by severe air pollution.
The warning was an upgrade from the previous second highest orange alert. The red alert is the most serious (highest) warning on a four-tier system of emergency air-pollution response system was adopted in 2013.
Under the alert Government has advised schools to be voluntarily close unless they had good air filtration systems.
Half of private cars in the capital city would be also ordered off the road during the period with an odd-even number plate system in force.
The other extra measures to be enforced include halting outdoor construction, banning fireworks and outdoor cooking.
China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter in recent times is grappling with the serious chronic problem of the air pollution leading to smog in cities. Most of the pollution is caused by the coal-fired power plants along with vehicle emissions, heating systems and construction and factory work.
Particulate matter (PM) 2.5
Readings of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 particles in Beijing also has climbed 300 micrograms per cubic meter which is far more than World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limit of 25 per cubic meter.
PM 2.5 are fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter that may occur naturally or from anthropogenic activities like human industrial processes. They often reach the lungs causing lifelong respiratory disease and may be fatal if it mixes into the bloodstream.
India-Russia joint naval exercise INDRA NAVY-15 begins in Visakhapatnam
The eighth edition of India-Russia joint naval exercise-INDRA NAVY-15 has begun in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
INDRA NAVY-15 is a bilateral maritime joint naval exercise between the Indian and Russian navies for epitomising the strategic relationship between the two countries.
About INDRA NAVY-15
The primary aim is to increase interoperability between the navies of two countries and develop common understanding of procedures for maritime security operations.
The scope includes wide- ranging professional interactions during the Harbour phase and spectrum of maritime operations during the Sea Phase.
The Harbour Phase encompasses planning conferences ashore and table-top exercises prior to progressing to sea. The Sea Phase would include various facets of fleet operations.
Indian Navy will be represented by: INS Sahyadri&ndash an indigenous frigate, INS Ranvijay&ndash a guided missile destroyer and INS Shakti-a Fleet Support Ship.
It also is represented by INS Sindhuvir&ndash a submarine, P81 Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Dornier Short Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer.
Russian Federation Navy (RFN) will be represented by: 4 ships from Vladivostok based Pacific Fleet. They are Bystry-a destroyer, Varyag-a cruiser, Alatau-a rescue ocean going tug and Boris Butoma-a fleet tanker.
INDRA NAVY-15 bilateral naval exercise was initiated in 2003. Since then, it has matured over the years with increasing scope, complexity of operations and level of participation. The eight edition of exercise will be another milestone in strengthening maritime security cooperation between the two navies. It will also serve to reinforce the long-standing bond of friendship between both countries.
Sports
India scores biggest ever win against SA by 337 runs
Ravichandran Ashwin’s five-wicket haul to trounce a defiant South Africa by a record margin of 337 runs on the fifth day of the fourth and final Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla.
The victory was India’s biggest ever against South Africa. The host remained ‘invictus’ to win the Freedom Series, conceptualised as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, with a 3-0 verdict.
It also pushed India to second place in the ICC rankings.
Crushing blow
The Proteas’ colossal series loss, the worst since their 3-0 reversal against Australia in 2005-06, was a crushing blow to their reputation as the No.1 Test team. Prior to this series, the South Africans had not lost an away series in nine years, earning the eminence of formidable travellers.
In the face of South Africa’s tenacious effort in the quest of a draw while chasing an improbable 481, India’s prospects of a win looked bleak.
Slowest Strike rate:
Amla’s strike rate of 10.24 (25 in 244 balls) was the slowest in Tests for an innings spanning a minimum of 200 deliveries.
Man of the match: Ajinkya Rahane
Man of the Series: Ravichandran Ashwin
Current Affairs bullet points Round up 1st to 6th December, 2015 Current Affairs: 7th December, 2015 Current Affairs: Weekly Bullets. Current Affairs Round up November, 2015.
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