12th NOV, 2022

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EXPLAIN DELAY IN APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES: SUPREME COURT (SC) TO GOVERNMENT
Underlining that government is bound to accept the Collegium’s reiteration of its

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decision on appointment of judges, SC issued notice to Ministry of Law and Justice over
JUDGES CASES
delays in appointing judges. Constitution provides that every judge

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Total sanctioned judicial strength in 25 High Courts (HCs) is 1,108. However, present of SC and HC shall be appointed by
working strength is 772 with 336 vacancies as on October 1. President, after consultation with
judiciary (Articles 124 and 217).
About Collegium system
First Judges Case’ (1981) ruled that
It is the system of appointment and transfer of judges that has evolved through “consultation” was not “concurrence”
judgments of SC (called the Judges Cases).

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– meaning that although President will
SC collegium is headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) and comprises four other consult, his decision was not bound to
senior-most judges of SC. be in concurrence.
HC collegium (led by the incumbent Chief Justice and two other seniormost Second Judges Case (1993)
judges of that court) sends recommendation to SC collegium. introduced Collegium system,

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holding that “consultation” really
Final decisions are taken by a collegium of CJI and two senior-most judges of
meant “concurrence”. SC said that
SC.
recommendation should be made by

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Judges of higher judiciary are appointed only through the collegium system, and CJI in consultation with his two
government has a role only after names have been decided by collegium. senior-most colleagues.
Government’s role is limited to getting an inquiry conducted by Intelligence Third Judges Case (1998), SC
Bureau. expanded its Collegium to a

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To address opaque nature of its procedure, government brought National Judicial five-member body, comprising the CJI
Appointment Commission (NJAC) Bill, 2014. However, it was struck down by SC. and four of his senior-most colleagues.

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RISE IN PER CAPITA INCOME SHOWS LESS VULNERABILITY OF HOUSEHOLDS: CENTRE ON
NFSA
Union government informed Supreme Court (SC) that per capita income of population has increased in real terms by 33. 4% in

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eight years since enactment of National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
SC had asked Centre to undertake a comprehensive exercise to re-determine NFSA, 2013 beneficiaries in rural and urban areas.
About NFSA
It provides legal entitlement to nearly 2/3rd of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to receive highly
subsidized foodgrains (based on Census 2011).
Centre provides beneficiary identification norms, following which the
States/UTs are to identify beneficiaries (responsible for inclusion and
exclusion of beneficiaries also).
State-wise coverage ceiling within national ceiling (81.4 crore
beneficiaries) of coverage is also determined.
Two categories of beneficiaries: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority
households (PHH).
Every person in PHH category is entitled to receive 5 kg of foodgrains
per month and each AAY household gets 35 kg of foodgrains per month.
Eldest woman of beneficiary household (18 years or above) is considered
'Head of Family' for the purpose of issuing ration cards.
It also provides for reforms in Targeted Public Distribution Systems
(TPDS) including schemes such as Cash transfers.

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MORTH ISSUES CONTRACT FOR FIRST MULTI-MODAL LOGISTICS PARKS (MMLPS) IN

THE COUNTRY
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) awarded contract for
setting up MMLP near Chennai to offer modern logistics services to
domestic and international traffic.
MMLP as an inter-modal freight-handling establishment comprising
warehouses, dedicated cold chain facilities, freight terminals, bulk cargo

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terminals etc. optimizes merchandise movement via road, rail,
waterway, and air.
As part of PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, government plans to
build 35 MMLPs under Bharatmala Pariyojana.

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All MMLPs will be developed as part of Design, Build Finance,
Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model.

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Significance of MMLP
Reducing logistics costs (India’s logistics cost as a percentage of GDP is 14-16%
compared to around 8% in US and Europe). US KEEN TO DEEPEN INDIA TIES
Diversification of freight network (about 60% of India’s cumulative freight is
ferried via road).
UNDER ‘FRIEND-SHORING’ PLAN
Citing deepening economic integration, US

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Others: Reduced cost of warehousing and storage, lower overall freight costs,
Treasury Secretary pitched for
reduced vehicular pollution and congestion, enhanced tracking and traceability
friend-shoring for India.
of transport consignments etc.
Friend-shoring is pitched (by US) as a means to
Other initiatives taken for logistics sector
insulate global supply chains from external
Launch of National Logistics Policy. disruption or economic coercion.

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Infrastructure status to logistics sector. Over the past few years, world has
Creation of Logistics division in Department of Commerce. experienced series of trade disruptions --

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Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) ranking US-China trade war, COVID-19 pandemic,
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
COP27: BREAKTHROUGH AGENDA COUNTRIES SET Idea is for a group of countries with shared

PRIORITIES
values to deploy policies encouraging
companies to spread manufacturing within

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Signatories to Breakthrough Agenda have mapped out Priority Actions, to be that group.
delivered by COP28 climate summit, to help make clean technologies cheaper Sectors under importance are semiconductor

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and cleaner. industry, green energy,
telecommunications and mineral industries.
Launched at COP26 by a coalition of about 45 world leaders (India is also a
signatory), Breakthrough Agenda provides a framework for countries, Significance of Friend-shoring
businesses and civil society to strengthen their actions in key emitting Will prevent nations (like China and Russia)

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sectors. from unfairly leveraging their market
Priority Actions aim to speed up decarbonisation under five key sectors of position in key raw materials, technologies or
power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture. products to disrupt global economy.
Diversifying global supply chains that will
Priority Actions include agreements to:
also help businesses become more resilient
Develop common definitions for low-emission and near-zero emission steel, to external shocks like wars, famine, political
hydrogen and sustainable batteries. changes or next pandemic.
Ramp up deployment of essential infrastructure projects. Concerns related to Friend-shoring
Set a common target date to phase out polluting cars and vehicles, Considered part of a deglobalisation
consistent with Paris Agreement. process, which could see further supply
shocks and higher prices in short term and
Stimulate global demand for green industrial goods. lower growth in long run.
Drive investment in agriculture research, development & demonstration. Poor countries needing global trade might
These priority actions are being supported by various initiatives including: be excluded from this.

First Movers Coalition: launched at COP26 to help drive industrial OTHER RELATED TERMS
decarbonisation (India also joined). Offshoring: Companies cutting costs by
Climate Investment Funds: largest multilateral climate fund focused on shifting manufacturing to countries with
transformational climate innovation in 72 middle- and low-income countries cheaper labour.
(including India). Reshoring: Countries bringing production
Mission Possible Partnership: an alliance of leading climate organizations. back to their home country

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ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST SOME CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS DUE TO THEIR

ILLEGAL PRACTICES: INDIA AT UNHRC
As Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of India’s human rights record is underway at UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), some
members raised concerns over issue of Foreign Contribution (regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010.
India stressed that activities of human rights defenders, journalists etc. should be in conformity with law of the land.
Through UPR, UN Member States are able to review human rights records of all other Member States to improve human rights
situations globally.

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UPR is carried out by an inter-governmental working group of UNHRC.
Reviews are based on information provided by state under review; reports of independent human rights experts and group,
other UN entities and information from national human rights institutions, NGOs etc.
FCRA, 2010 regulates acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals, associations and companies.

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Recent Amendments in FCRA:
Furnishing of Aadhaar numbers by office-bearers of NGOs is mandatory for registration.

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All foreign contributions are to be received in a bank account opened with SBI’s main branch in New Delhi.
Certain persons are prohibited to accept any foreign contribution: election candidates, editor or publisher of a newspaper,
judges, government servants, members of any legislature, and political parties, among others.

ALSO IN NEWS

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Jharkhand Assembly cleared a bill to increase reservation in vacant government posts and
services to 77%.
However, government stated that it will come into force only after Centre include it in Ninth
Schedule.

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Ninth schedule was added by the 1st Amendment (1951) to protect the laws included in it from
judicial scrutiny on the ground of violation of fundamental rights.

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Ninth Schedule of the However, in I R Coelho vs State of Tamil Nadu case, Supreme Court ruled that laws cannot escape
constitution the “basic structure” test if inserted into Ninth Schedule after 1973.
Exercising its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, Supreme Court set free the remaining
six convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

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About Article 142 (Enforcement of decrees and orders of Supreme Court):
Supreme Court in exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is

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necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
Article 142 Any decree so passed or order so made shall be enforceable throughout the territory of India
in such manner as may be prescribed.
United States’ Department of Treasury has removed India from its Currency Monitoring List.

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This is a label given by US government to countries it feels are engaging in “unfair currency
practices” by deliberately devaluing their currency against dollar.
An economy meeting two of three criteria is placed on the Monitoring List:
A significant bilateral trade surplus with US.
A material current account surplus equivalent to at least 2 percent of GDP over a 12-month
Currency Monitoring List period.
Persistent, one-sided intervention (Occurs when net purchases of foreign currency are
conducted repeatedly).

NFRA has published its audit quality inspection guidelines to improve quality of audit
profession.
NFRA was constituted in 2018 by the Government under the Companies Act, 2013.
Chairperson of NFRA is appointed by the Central Government and it has a maximum of 15
members.
Functions and Duties include:
National Financial
Recommend accounting and auditing policies to be adopted by companies;
Reporting Authority
(NFRA) Monitor and enforce compliance with accounting standards and auditing standards;
Oversee quality of service of the professions associated with ensuring compliance.

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Nine new countries including Belgium, Colombia, Germany, US, UK etc join GOWA.
GOWA will bring together governments and other stakeholders to accelerate deployment of
offshore wind power.
Its objective is to contribute to achieving a total offshore wind capacity of a minimum of 380
GW by 2030 and an installed capacity increase of at least 70 GW per year from 2030.
Global Offshore Wind It is initiated by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Denmark and Global Wind
Alliance Energy Council (GWEC).

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GWEC is international trade association for the wind power industry (India is also a member).

MARS, launched at COP27, is new satellite-based system that will alert governments, companies
and operators about large methane sources to foster rapid mitigation action.
Methane released by human activities is responsible for around 25% of anthropogenic climate
change.

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It will scale up global efforts to detect and act on major emissions sources in a transparent
manner and accelerate implementation of the Global Methane Pledge.

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Methane Alert and MARS is set up as part of the UNEP International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO)
Response System (MARS) strategy.
IMEO aims to catalyse reduction of methane emissions, starting with fossil fuel sector.

Differences in altitude make Himalayan grey langur to choose between flowers and fruits as

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food options beyond their staple menu of leaves.
Himalayan Grey Langur or the Chamba Sacred Langur is a colobine, meaning leaf-eating
monkey.
IUCN Status: Endangered.
Himalayan Grey Langur
Threats: Fragmentation, deforestation, persecution and retaliatory killing due to crop raiding, and

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(Semnopithecus ajax)
commercial horticulture expansion etc.

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East Timor (Capital: Dili)
ASEAN has agreed in principle to admit East Timor as
the group's 11th member.
East Timor is Officially called the Democratic Republic

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of Timor-Leste.
Location: Southeast Asia, on the southernmost edge of

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the Indonesian archipelago, northwest of Australia.
Bordered by Indonesia in west.
Water bodies: Savu Sea and the Timor Sea.
Places in News
Geographical features

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Comprises the eastern half of Timor Island, the western half of which is part of Indonesia.
Climate: Tropical and generally hot and humid, characterised by distinct rainy and dry
seasons.
Highest point: Mount Ramelau (also known as Mount Tatamailau).

Nadaprabhu Kempegowda
PM unveiled a 108-feet tall bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda in Bengaluru.
He was a 16th century chieftain of the Vijayanagara empire and is credited as the founder of
Bengaluru.
A descendant of Morasu Gowda, he is considered one of the most educated and successful ruler of
his time.
He is also known to have developed around 1,000 lakes in the city to cater to drinking and
agricultural needs.
He built Bangalore Fort and town in 1537.
Personalities in New
He is also credited for prohibiting custom of amputation of last two fingers of left hand of
unmarried women during “ Bandi Devaru”.
Personality traits: Leader, Farsighted, Multilingual, Social reformer.

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