Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 17 AUGUST 2020

SSC CGL Current Affairs

::NATIONAL::

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has denied a Right to Information (RTI) request related to the PM-CARES Fund on the grounds that providing it would “disproportionately divert the resources of the office”.
However, a High Court judgment and multiple orders of the Central Information Commission (CIC) have previously held that, under the RTI Act, this rationale can only be used to change the format of information provided, not deny it altogether.
This is a “misuse” of the Act, which should attract penalties under the law, says the country’s first Chief Information Commissioner WajahatHabibullah.
RTI activist Commodore LokeshBatra (retd.) had filed an RTI request asking for the total number of RTI applications and appeals received and disposed of in the PMO since April 2020, and the number of such applications related to PM-CARES and the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Section 7(9) of the Act says, “An information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question.”

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM (NSCN-IM) said on Sunday that after Naga interlocutor R.N. Ravi created an imbroglio in the peace talk process, Prime Minister NarendraModi had mandated a team of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials to fast-track the communication and clear the pending issues.
The group also released a copy of the original 2015 framework agreement, which stated that the Centre had agreed on “sharing the sovereign power” and provided for an “enduring inclusive new relationship of peaceful co-existence of the two entities”.
The NSCN-IM, one of the largest Naga groups, signed a framework agreement in the presence of Prime Minister on August 3, 2015 to end the decades-old Naga issue.
Mr. Ravi had signed the agreement on behalf of the Centre. After five years, the group is demanding the removal of Mr. Ravi, accusing him of “highhandedness” and tweaking the agreement to mislead the other Naga groups. Mr. Ravi was also appointed as Nagaland Governor last year.
In November 2017, Mr. Ravi included more Naga groups within the fold of the talks and signed a preamble with the seven Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs).

The finance ministry is working on norms to regulate salary paid to retired central government employees re-appointed on contract and has proposed keeping nomination-based appointments at "bare minimum".
The expenditure department has framed draft regulations for salary payments in case of appointment of retired central government employees and has invited comments of ministries/departments within 10 days.
The draft guidelines state that appointment of retired employees on contract basis, including as consultants, by way of nomination based on the credentials of past service and not through open market advertisement, should not be made as a "matter of practice and must be kept at bare minimum".
With regard to salary payment, the draft guidelines said a fixed monthly amount shall be admissible, arrived at by deducting the basic pension from the salary drawn at the time of retirement. It shall be termed as "salary".

In the coming one thousand days, every village in the country will be connected with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), Prime Minister NarendraModi said in his address on the occasion of 74th Independence Day today.
Mr.Modi mentioned that before 2014, only five dozen Panchayats in the country were connected with optical fiber cable. In the last five years, nearly one lakh 50 thousand Gram Panchayats in the country have been connected with optical fiber cable.
He further added that participation of rural India and villages in Digital India is very important for balanced development of India. To enable this, he said, optical fibre networks will be expanded in the country.
OFC connectivity to the villages and submarine OFC to the Lakshadeep islands will help the people in rural areas and villages and those in Lakshadweep islands in getting cheaper and better connectivity and all the benefits of Digital India.

Central Europe’s biggest nation and India’s traditional partner in the region is keen to invest in India and simultaneously keen to expand basket of Indian investments in the country.
PM NarendraModi is keen on creating new investment opportunities in India in the post-COVID period and on facilitating the inflow of foreign investments. India is the primary location in Asia for Polish investors (currently 270 mln USD).
Poland would encourage its entrepreneurs to invest in India and also would like to invite more Indian investors to make business in Poland, sources informed.
Increasing two-way investments was one of key issues discussed at the Indo-Polish Foreign Office Consultations held last week through a virtual meet. Poland has also proposed cooperation with India on research and innovation.
The global COVID-19 crisis has seriously challenged free trade and created significant disruptions in global supply chains, which is particularly problematic as regards deliveries of medical and protective equipment needed to tackle the pandemic. The best way to overcome this global crisis is by strengthening international cooperation.

Government has proposed stricter norms for construction machinery to ensure greater safety on highways. This includes features like machine-mounted audible travel alarms, requirements for operator station and maintenance areas, non-metallic fuel tank and wider operator visibility for construction equipment machinery.
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has come out with a draft notification for construction equipment vehicles that addresses issues of safety requirements, while such machines are running on public roads along with other vehicles.
The Ministry said, currently, certain safety requirements are already mandated for such vehicles in Central Motor Vehicles Rules but the proposed notification aims to introduce Automotive Industry Standard, AIS 160 to introduce various safety requirements.
Construction equipment vehicles are extensively used for carrying out various infrastructure projects. Government has invited suggestions from stakeholders and people on the proposed safety norms within 30 days.