NATIONAL:
1. Amitabh Kant Panel
Why in news – The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has set up a committee headed by Amitabh Kant.
Key Points –
• Aim - to examine stalled real estate projects and recommend ways to complete them.
• It is a 14-member committee.
• Amitabh Kant is India’s G20 Sherpa and the former CEO of NITI Aayog.
• On April 12, 2022, Central Advisory Council formed under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) recommended it.
2. ‘Natural Justice’ and ‘Proportionality’
Why in news – The Supreme Court set aside the orders passed by M/o Information & Broadcasting refusing to renew news channel Media One’s broadcast license.
Key Points –
• Ministry of Home Affairs had declined to grant it security clearance while considering its request for renewal of license.
• The Supreme Court upheld Media One’s appeal on two procedural grounds, namely, principles of natural justice and proportionality.
Principles of Natural Justice –
• It was constitutionalized in the Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India case 1978.
• These principles include –
(a) No person should be a judge in his own cause.
(b) No decision should be given against a party without affording them a reasonable hearing.
(c) Quasi-judicial enquiries should be held in good faith and without bias, and not arbitrarily or unreasonably.
Proportionality –
• The validity of the claim of involvement of national security considerations must be assessed on the test of -
(i) whether there is material to conclude that the non-disclosure of information is in the interest of national security; and
(ii) whether a reasonably prudent person would draw the same inference from the material on record.
• Article 19(2) - It allows the state to make laws that restrict freedom of speech so long as they impose reasonable restrictions in the interests of –
(a) sovereignty and integrity of India (added by 16th amendment act 1963)
(b) security of the state
(c) friendly relations with foreign states (added by 1st Amendment Act, 1951)
(d) decency or morality
(e) contempt of court
(f) defamation or incitement to an offence
INTERNATIONAL:
1. UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
Why in news - India was elected as a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS.
Key Points –
• The Commission on Narcotic Drugs supervises the application of international drug control treaties.
• India has also been elected to the United Nations’ highest statistical body for a 4-year term beginning on 1 January 2024.
• India was a member of the Statistical Commission last in 2004.
ECONOMY:
1. Global Trade Growth
Why in news – As per World Trade Organization (WTO), global trade growth would remain "subpar" in 2023.
Key Points –
• The volume of global merchandise trade slowed to 1.7% in 2023.
• Real global GDP growth at market exchange rates - 2.4% in 2023.
• WTO chief - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
• WTO hq - Geneva, Switzerland.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary
Why in news – The Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh would soon be notified as a tiger reserve.
Key Points –
• Tiger reserve is notified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary biodiversity - Mishmi takin, musk deer, goral, clouded leopards, snow leopards and tigers.
• Pakke (Pakhui) Tiger Reserve – It is located in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. It is surrounded by the Tenga Reserve Forest (North), Doimara Reserve Forest (West), Nameri National Park and Tiger Reserve, Assam (South) and Papum Reserve Forest (East).
• It has caused disquiet among the area’s Idu Mishmi people.
About Idu Mishmi –
• Sub-tribe of the larger Mishmi group (the other two Mishmi groups are Digaru and Miju).
• Spread - Mishmi Hills in Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet.
• Known for their weaving and craftsmanship skills.
• Their language (also called Idu Mishmi) is considered endangered by UNESCO.
• “iyu-ena” – Their strict belief system of myths and taboos that restrict them from hunting many animals, including a complete prohibition on killing tigers.
REPORTS & INDICES:
1. 3rd India Justice Report 2022
Why in news – It was released by Tata Trusts in collaboration with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
Key Points –
• It categorizes data of states and UTs based on “4 pillars” of justice delivery—
(a) Police
(b) Judiciary
(c) Prisons
(d) Legal aid
• It “separately assessed the capacity of the 25 State Human Rights Commissions” as well.
• Except Delhi and Chandigarh, no state spends more than 1% of its total annual expenditure on the judiciary.
• The national per capita spending on police significantly increased from Rs 912 in 2017-18 to Rs 1151 in 2020-21.
• National per capita spend on legal aid (including expenditure on NALSA) is a “meagre Rs 4.57 per annum”.
• Top in “justice delivery” (18 states, population - over 1 crore) –
(a) Karnataka (1st)
(b) Tamil Nadu (2nd)
(c) Telangana (3rd)
• Last - Uttar Pradesh (18th).
• India has about 20,076 judges for a population of 1.4 billion, indicating a vacancy of 22% among the sanctioned posts.
• As of December 2022, India had only 19 judges per one million people (Law Commission’s 1987 target - Reaching 50 judges per million population in a decade).
• Prisons are over-occupied at over 130%.
• The police-to-population ratio is 152.8 per lakh (international standard – 222).
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur
Why in news - Philanthropist and art collector Kiran Nadar was conferred “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion of Honour).
Key Points –
• It is the highest French civilian award.
• She chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA).
• “Bonjour India 2022” - A 6-month cultural festival organised by France across India on India’s 75th Independence anniversary.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. World Health Day 2023
Why in news - On April 7, 2023, World Health Day was observed.
Key Points –
• Theme - “Health For All”.
• On April 7, 2023, World Health Organization observed its 75th birth anniversary.
• In April 1945, politicians from around the world gathered in San Francisco to establish the United Nations.
• April 7, 1948 - WHO constitution came into effect.
• WHO hq - Geneva, Switzerland with 6 regional offices.
APPOINTMENTS:
1. Sudha Shivkumar
Why in news - Sudha Shivkumar took over as the 40th President of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO).
Key Points –
• FLO - the oldest women-led and women-centric business chamber of Southeast Asia.
POINTERS:
• According to the new rule of IPL, who became the first impact player of the tournament – Tushar Deshpande (CSK).
• Who became the new Vice Chief of the Indian Navy – Sanjay Jasjit Singh.
• Who was given the Chameli Devi Jain Award 2022 for women media persons - Dhanya Rajendran.
• Where was the passing out parade of the first batch of Agniveers held - INS Chilka, Odisha.
• China's yuan replaces the dollar as the most traded currency in which country – Russia.
• Bank of Maharashtra inaugurates its first dedicated branch for start-ups in which city – Pune.
• Which country passed Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill 2023 to reduce emissions – Australia.
• Who has developed DAGGER model to forecast geomagnetic disturbances and provide warning of impending solar storms – NASA.
• A study by which institute showed that occurrences of landslides are not related to hydroelectric projects in operation/under construction - Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), ISRO, Dehradun.
• India initiates anti-dumping probe into imports of which poisonous chemical from China, the European Union, Japan and Korea following a complaint by domestic players - Sodium cyanide.