UPSC Daily Current Affairs – Prelims [02nd March 2023]
What is a whip in a state Assembly or Parliament?
Source – IE
In News
The significance of a whip is being highlighted in the ongoing hearing of petitions related to the political crisis in Maharashtra last year. A five-judge bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India, is hearing the case.
What is a whip in a state Assembly or Parliament?
- A whip in parliamentary language can refer to a written instruction given to members of a political party in the House to comply with a specific direction or a designated party official who has the authority to issue such instructions.
- The term “whip” is rooted in the old British tradition of “whipping in” lawmakers to compel them to follow the party’s position.
How serious are whips issued by parties?
The significance of a whip can be determined based on the number of underlines on the order.
- A one-line whip with a single underline is typically used to notify party members of a vote and permits them to abstain if they choose not to follow the party’s stance.
- A two-line whip with double underlines instructs members to be present and vote according to the party’s position.
- A three-line whip, indicated by triple underlines, is the most forceful and is reserved for important matters such as the second reading of a bill or a no-confidence motion. It requires members to strictly adhere to the party’s position.
What can happen if a whip is defied?
- In the United Kingdom, an MP who defies the whip can lose their party membership but can still retain their House seat as an Independent.
- In the US, the role of the party whip is to assess the level of support for a Bill among legislators and persuade them, to the extent possible, to vote in line with the party’s position on the issue.
- In India, going against a three-line whip can put a lawmaker’s House membership in jeopardy. The anti-defection law empowers the Speaker/ Chairperson to disqualify such a member, except when more than one-third of legislators vote against the directive, leading to a de facto split in the party.
SWAYATT
Source – PIB
In News
The success of “SWAYATT” is being celebrated by the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
What is SWAYATT?
SWAYATT is an acronym for “Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage Through eTransactions” and is an initiative aimed at promoting these groups on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). It was initially launched in February 2019.
Aim
The main objective of SWAYATT initiative on the GeM portal is to promote inclusiveness of various categories of sellers and service providers. It facilitates training and registration of women and youth manufacturers and sellers, and encourages the participation of MSME sector and startups in public procurement.
About GeM
- GeM is a Section 8 company that was established in 2016 to serve as a one-stop National Public Procurement Portal, enabling the online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Central and State Government Departments, Organizations, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
- It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- It is compulsory for government agencies to purchase goods and services available on the GeM portal. In addition, the portal offers e-bidding and reverse e-auction tools to assist government users in obtaining the best value for their money.
Delhi excise policy case: how the right against self-incrimination
Source – IE
In News
A plea by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was declined to be heard by the Supreme Court.
- The reason behind this decision was that the Supreme Court disapproved of Sisodia’s approach to it directly under Article 32 of the Constitution, when he could have moved the High Court under Section 482 of the CrPC.
- Sisodia’s claim that he had a right against self-incrimination was dismissed by the court.
What is right against self-incrimination?
- As per Article 20(3) of the Indian Constitution, “No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.”
- The burden of proving a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt lies on the state, therefore, an individual cannot be forced to give testimony against themselves or provide information that may incriminate them during a trial.
About Delhi excise policy case
The liquor sales policy, which has since been scrapped in 2021, permitted only private shops to sell liquor and allowed for home delivery and unlimited discounts. The policy relieved the state from the sale of liquor and led to a 27% increase in revenue for the government. However, there were allegations of rules being bent and undue benefits being provided to liquor vend licensees.
News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA)
Source – IE
In News
The News Broadcasters & Digital Association’s (NBDSA) Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and Specific Guidelines were violated by certain programmes, as identified by the NBDSA. As a result, News18 India, TimesNow, and Zee News were requested to remove the videos.
NBDSA is an independent body established by the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA).
About NBDA
The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (formerly known as the News Broadcasters Association) is a private association of various current affairs and news television broadcasters in India. Formed in 2007, it serves as their representative and aims to protect its members from unfair and unethical practices carried out by others.
BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC)
Source – PIB
In News
The first meeting of the Governing Board of BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) was hosted by India.
- During the meeting, India emphasized its “Neighbourhood First” and “Act East” policies.
- India will set up the BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) at the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) in Bengaluru.
Understanding the Windsor framework
Source – TH
In News
Recently, the UK and EU have announced the proposed post-Brexit legal agreement, known as the Windsor Framework.
- The framework aims to tackle the challenges associated with the movement of goods between the European Single Market and the United Kingdom, specifically within the Northern Ireland Protocol.
- Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU customs regulations apply to Northern Ireland.
The implementation of green and red lanes for goods flowing into Northern Ireland will enable free trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Goods intended to remain in Northern Ireland will be directed to the green lane, while those intended for the EU will be directed to the red lane.
VAIBHAV Fellowship’ for NRI researchers
Source – ET
In News
The Ministry of Science and Technology has introduced a fellowship program designed to attract researchers of Indian origin to higher educational institutions in India for a maximum period of two months per year.
Aim of the fellowship
The primary objective of the fellowship is to enhance the research environment of India’s higher educational institutions by fostering academic and research partnerships with top institutions globally through the movement of foreign researchers to India.
Criteria
To be eligible, the applicant must hold a Ph.D./M.D./M.S. degree from a recognized university and be classified as an NRI, PIO, or OCI.
Other schemes for improving the research ecosystem in India
- A 3-tiered graded autonomy regulatory system has been implemented.
- The Global Initiative for Academics Network (GIAN) has been introduced to invite distinguished academicians and experts from around the world to teach in India.
- The National Institutional Ranking Framework was established in 2015.
- The Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) initiative aims to upgrade the research and academic infrastructure in India to global best standards by 2022.
- The Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP) aims to position at least 50 Indian institutions among the top 1,000 global universities.
India’s spending on R&D has been consistently around 0.6% to 0.7% of its GDP, which is lower than the investment made by other countries such as the US (2.8%), China (2.1%), Israel (4.3%), and Korea (4.2%).
DNA vaccine against dengue
Source – DTE
In News
A breakthrough in DNA vaccination research has been achieved as India’s solitary DNA vaccine candidate for dengue has exhibited encouraging outcomes.
About DNA Vaccines
- DNA vaccine is a type of vaccine that involves inserting a specific DNA sequence that encodes an antigen into the cells of an organism, eliciting an immune response.
- In 2021, the world’s first DNA vaccine, ZyCoV-D, developed by Zydus Cadila, was authorized for emergency use against COVID-19.
Why developing an effective DNA vaccine for dengue is tough?
- Dengue fever is caused by four closely related viruses, known as serotypes, including DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4.
- Each serotype interacts with human blood antibodies in distinct ways. A person who contracts DEN-1 develops lifelong immunity to it, but not to the other three serotypes. Therefore, an effective vaccine must target all four serotypes.
Country Reports on Terrorism 2021: India
Source – HBL
In News
The US Bureau of Counterterrorism’s “Country Reports on Terrorism 2021: India” has recognized India’s notable efforts to strengthen its counterterrorism infrastructure.
Concerns raised
- Indian law enforcement agencies, including those at the border, are challenged by budgetary, staffing, and equipment constraints.
- India has not developed any novel counter-radicalization strategies.
- Counter-radicalization strategies tested by various states in India are inconsistent and predicated on regional interests and circumstances.
India has adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 2396 (UNSCR 2396), which encourages member states to address the menace of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) through actions related to border control, criminal justice, information-sharing, and counter-extremism.
Military Exercises in News
Source – PIB
India-Japan
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) conducted Exercise Shinyuu Maitri.
- This exercise was conducted parallel to the Indo-Japan Joint Army Exercise, Dharma Guardian.
Multi-nation Exercise that India is participating
- The UAE hosts Exercise Desert Flag VIII annually, which involves the participation of Air Forces from countries such as France, Kuwait, and Australia.
- Exercise Cobra Warrior is the Royal Air Force’s (UK) largest air exercise and is held twice a year.
PALM 400
Source – BS
The Indian Army is currently testing armed drone variants in Pokhran, Rajasthan. Specifically, they are testing an aerial targeting system called PALM 400, which is an armed remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) developed by AVision Systems, a joint venture between Israeli and Indian firms. The drone can pick out its target and fire an armor-penetrating projectile from the top, where the target’s armor protection is the weakest.
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