The Hindu News Paper Analysis | 15th July’ 2022 | PDF Download

Inflation, trade deficit are key challenges: FinMin

Identifying elevated inflation and a widening trade deficit as ‘twin challenges’ for the economy, the Ministry, however, emphasised that economic activity in the country remained resilient almost five months into the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

The great omission in the draft disability policy

• Unless there is political inclusion of the disabled, the goal of inclusiveness and empowerment will remain elusive
• The Department of Empowerment of Person with Disabilities (DoEPwD) recently released the draft of the national policy for persons with disabilities (“Policy”).
• The necessity for a new policy which replaces the 2006 policy was felt because of multiple factors such as India’s signing of the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities; enactment of a new disability legislation (Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016) which increased the number of disabilities from seven conditions to 21 and being a party to the Incheon Strategy for Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 (“Incheon commitment”).
• These commitments have changed the discourse around disability by shifting the focus from the individual to society, i.e., from a medical model of disability to a social or human rights model of disability.
• the inaccessibility of the voting process, barriers to participation in party politics or a lack of representation at the local, State or national levels have all aggravated the marginalisation of the disabled.
• The lack of live aggregate data on the exact number of the disabled people in every constituency only furthers their marginalisation.
• The first visually disabled Member of Parliament in independent India, Sadhan Gupta, hardly finds mention in our political or disability discourse.

Bridging the gap

• India needs to help women get greater access to jobs and resources
• The struggle to achieve gender equality and bridge the gap between men and women is a long and difficult one.
• India has got another opportunity to do much better for half of its population with the Global Gender Gap Index for 2022, released by the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, placing it at 135 out of 146 countries.
• There have been enough numbers from the ground to indicate that India, with a female population of approximately 66 crore, has faltered on the road to gender parity.

No nod for contempt case against ex-judge –

• 
• The power to punish for contempt is a constitutional power vested in this court which cannot be abridged or taken away even by legislative enactment.
• Article 142 (2) states that “subject to the provisions of any law made in this behalf by Parliament” the Supreme Court shall have all and every power to make any order on punishment of any contempt of itself.
• About ‘Contempt of Court’:
  Contempt of court is the power of the court to protect its own majesty and respect. The power is regulated but not restricted in the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
  • The expression ‘contempt of court’ has not been defined by the Constitution.
  • However, Article 129 of the Constitution conferred on the Supreme Court the power to punish contempt of itself.
  • Article 215 conferred a corresponding power on the High Courts.
• The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 defines both civil and criminal contempt.
  • Civil contempt refers to wilful disobedience to any judgment of the court.
  • Criminal contempt can be invoked if an act:
    • Tends to scandalise or lower the authority of the court.
    • Tends to interfere with the due course of any judicial proceeding.

India to give land for I2U2-backed food parks

• 
• India will provide “appropriate land” for “food parks” across the country that will be built in collaboration with Israel, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

U.S. vows to use all means to stop Iran nuclear bomb

• The U.S. and Israel signed a new security pact on Thursday reinforcing their common front against Iran, as President Joe Biden pledged to use “all” American power to stop the Islamic republic from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The debate around the Forest Conservation Rules

What are the Forest Conservation Rules?

• The Forest Conservation Rules deal with the implementation of the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. They prescribe the procedure to be followed for forest land to be diverted for non-forestry uses such as road construction, highway development, railway lines, and mining.
• For forest land beyond five hectares, approval for diverting land must be given by the Central government. This is via a specially constituted committee, called the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).
• The new rules, according to the Centre, “streamline” the process of approvals. The rules make a provision for private parties to cultivate plantations and sell them as land to companies who need to meet compensatory forestation targets.

How to grease the wheels of justice

• 
• In India, more than 40% of cases are decided after three years, while in many other countries less than 1% of cases are decided after three years.
• Computer algorithms should decide on case listing, case allocation and adjournments with only a 5% override given to judges.
• All the courts in the country must switch to a hybrid virtual mode immediately and start disposing cases. Even after the COVID-19 crisis ends, it would be beneficial to continue hybrid virtual courts.

Daily Prelims question

Q.) Consider the following statement regarding amendments to Directive Principles of state policy

1. The 86th Amendment Act of 2002 changed the subject-matter of Article 45.
2. The 97th Amendment Act of 2011 added a new Directive Principle relating to cooperative societies.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2
 
 

Download Free PDF – Daily Hindu Editorial Analysis

Sharing is caring!