Daily PIB Analysis For UPSC/IAS | Free PDF Download -21st September 2018

Table of Contents

Criminalisation of Politics

- Centre to Supreme Court: only 6% of the criminal cases filed against MLAs and MPs in which the verdict has been reached ended in convictions.
- Total: 3,884 cases
- Guilty: 38 cases
- Acquitted: 560 cases
- This could mean 2 things
- Most cases are politically motivated: conviction means a 6-year ban from contesting in polls.
- Difficult or impossible to convict powerful politicians
- Common observation: prosecution witnesses turn hostile, evidence goes missing or is lost in mishaps
- Criminal cases against lawmakers be fast-tracked
- Verdict has been reached in just 15% of the cases.
- March 2018 was deadline to set up fast track courts.
- So far only 10 states have set up 12 fast track courts.
- God knows what other states and UTs are waiting for?
- 6 months past deadline only 1,233 cases have been transferred to the special courts.
- Why such delay? Why such pendency?

➢ Lack of personnel in courts

➢ High Courts vacuum: 427/1079

➢ Supreme Court vacuum: 6/31

➢ Lower Courts: 5500+

➢ Lack of resources with courts

The low turnaround in the judging of criminal cases against lawmakers also has to do with how slow states have been to set up special courts.
While Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of cases (565) against lawmakers, its special court started operations only on August 21.
Given how Indian politics is in dire need of a clean up of criminals, such inertia is unacceptable.
Apart from fast-tracking, there needs to be a protocol to ensure that trials are not waylaid by hostile witnesses and that evidence isn’t lost in murky conditions.

NK-SK

- In the Cold War era, Olympic Games were an occasion for nations to announce their ideological affiliations and take sides.
- The North and South Koreas had fielded joint teams in basketball and a couple of other sports at the recent Jakarta Asian Games.
- North Korea is closing down a missile test facility and the two nations will cease military drills along the Military Demarcation Line, which divides the two countries, by November 1.
- Sport often offers that warm fuzzy feeling experienced en masse and multiplied by millions watching the drama unfold together.
- Presidents Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Unproposed a joint bid for the 2032 Olympics
- In the Cold War era, Olympic Games were an occasion for nations to announce their ideological affiliations and take sides.

The North and South Koreas had fielded joint teams in basketball and a couple of other sports at the recent Jakarta Asian Games.
North Korea is closing down a missile test facility and the two nations will cease military drills along the Military Demarcation Line, which divides the two countries, by November 1.
Sport often offers that warm fuzzy feeling experienced en masse and multiplied by millions watching the drama unfold together.
Presidents Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Unproposed a joint bid for the 2032 Olympics

Prime Minister’s Office

September 23, 2018: PM Modi will launch Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) at Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The Prime Minister will visit an exhibition on the PMJAY. He will witness a demonstration of activities such as beneficiary identification, and e-card creation.
On September 24, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Pakyong Airport, which will bring the State of Sikkim on the country’s aviation map.
The airport will provide a big boost to connectivity in the Himalayan State, and also give a fillip to tourism.

Vice President’s Secretariat

19th Convocation of the National Board of Examinations, in New Delhi Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu has advised the graduating Doctors to be never content on complacent with status quo and yearn to learn and learn to innovate.
The Vice President said that education is a life-long learning process, especially when it comes to the Medical Field where breakthroughs and advancements happen rapidly.
Scientific temper, he said, was a grand tradition in India right from the times of Charaka and Sushruta.
Problems highlighted by Mr Naidu 1. Urban-rural divide 2. Huge medical cost

MEA

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will be on a four day visit to India from the 1st of next month.
Mr Guterres who will be accompanied by a six member delegation, will participate in the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention scheduled on 2nd October.
The Convention, to mark the launch of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations as well as the 4th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission, will be held at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre.
Besides the conventions the UN Secretary General will also attend the joint inaugural ceremony of the First Assembly of International Solar Alliance.
2nd RE-INVEST Conference and Energy Ministers Meet of Indian Ocean Rim Association of States on the same day in New Delhi.

Cyclone Daye

Cyclone Daye weakened into a deep depression and moved towards Chhattisgarh on Friday but left a trail of a deluge in several districts of Odisha.
Under its influence heavy rain lashed in north and south Odisha causing a flash flood in Malkangiri and Balasore districts.
Reviewing the situation Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced relief for the flood-hit people of Malkangiri district for seven days.
The CM announced Rs 60 each for elderly people and Rs 45 for children below 12 years for the next seven days.
He also directed the district administration to cooperate with the people in the flood-hit areas.

Neelakurinji

- Tamil Nadu government has announced a novel scheme for the protection of the exotic Neela kurinji (Strobilanthus kunthianus) plants that flower only once in 12 years.
- Following complaints that these rare and ecologically unique flowers are being packaged and sold on commercial basis, the state department has warned that strict fines will be imposed on offenders.
- The Neela Kurinju, native to the Western Ghats, is a major attraction for foreign and native tourists.

Home Ministry

Home Ministry today said no policeman in Jammu and Kashmir has resigned.
In a statement, the Ministry denied the reports that have appeared in a section of media about the resignation of some special police officers (SPOs), and said, that these reports are untrue, motivated, and, are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements.
The statement added, that there are over 30 thousand SPOs and their services are reviewed from time to time.
It said, due to pro-active actions of State police force, terrorists have been pushed to corner and are being driven to desperation. It said, 28 terrorists have been neutralised this year in Shopian district alone.

MEA

- India has called off the meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi in New York.
- External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar in a statement said, the decision was taken in view of the brutal killings of India’s security personnel by Pakistanbased entities and the recent release of a series of twenty postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism.

He said, these incidents confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways.
Mr Kumar said, now it is obvious that behind Pakistan’s proposal for talks to make a fresh beginning, the evil agenda of Pakistan stands exposed and the true face of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been revealed to the world in his first few months in office.

International News

In Tanzania, the death toll in a ferry capsize in Lake Victoria climbed to 126 today. • Many are missing and it is feared that more than 400 people in total may have drowned. • The ferry MV Nyerere overturned near Ukara island on its way from Bugorora yesterday afternoon. • Witnesses said the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock. • Local media said the ferry’s official capacity was 100 people, but officials said the vessel was carrying more than 400 passengers when it capsized.