Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 26 August 2017

::National::

Right to privacy judgement could have some bearing on Animal slaughter judgement

• The landmark judgment declaring right to privacy a fundamental right would have “some bearing” in matters relating to slaughter of cows, bulls and bullocks in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court said.
• The Bombay High Court had on May 6 last year struck down Sections 5(D) and 9(B) of the Maharashtra Animals Preservation (Amendment) Act, 1995.
• While Section 5(D) criminalises possession of flesh of cows, bulls or bullocks, slaughtered outside Maharashtra, Section 9(B) imposed burden on the accused to prove that meat or flesh possessed by him/her does not belong to these animals.
• The SC observed this while hearing a batch of appeals filed against the HC verdict decriminalising the possession of beef in case of animals slaughtered outside the state.
• A Bench comprising Justices A.K. Sikri and Ashok Bhushan was told by senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing some of the petitioners, that after privacy verdict, the right to eat food of one’s choice was now protected under privacy.
• Senior advocate C.U. Singh also told the apex court that the privacy judgement would have to be looked into while deciding the issue.

Target reduced fir Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

• Midway through the government’s ambitious Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), which promises housing for all by 2022, the Urban Development Ministry has cut down the scheme’s target.
• When the project was launched in June 2015, the government had promised to construct 1.87 crore houses.
• “The estimation of 1.87 crore houses was based on a 2012 survey. When we did a ground survey, which is still going on, we found that the demand is less. We now peg it at 1.2 crore,” Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary said.
• Despite the revised estimates, the speed with which the project is being implemented is less than satisfactory.
• By 2017-18, the government was to construct 12 lakh houses under the PMAY, out of this till last year only 1.49 lakh houses have been constructed.
• The Centre seeks to construct 26 lakh houses in 2018-19, 26 lakh in 2019-20, 30 lakh in 2020-21 and 29.80 lakh in the 2021-22 period.

Report claims that picture still not clear on Bt. Cotton

• Reigniting the debate on GM crops, a Parliamentary panel headed by Congress MP in a report said the government agencies have portrayed “a rosy picture” on Bt Cotton which is far removed from the truth.
• The report of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology claimed that the government cited only overall cotton output and not the average yield in area.
• “India’s cotton yields increased by 69% in the five years (2000-2005) when Bt Cotton was less than 6% of total cotton area, but by only 10% in the 10 years from 2005-2015 when Bt Cotton grew to 94% of the total cotton area,” the report noted.
• The “duality of the claims about the increase in yield of cotton” needs further examination, the committee said.It slammed the government for its “casual” approach to the need for a scientific study of GM crop impact on health.
• The committee noted that 20 years after introduction of GM crops in 1996, only six countries continue to account for over 90 % of all GM crop area globally including U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Canada, China and India.
• The Ministry of Agriculture conceded to the committee that herbicide-tolerant gene may escape through pollen into nearby farm and fields, to another GM or non-GM crop.
• Finally, unless bio-safety and socio-economic desirability studies are done through a participatory, independent and transparent process, the committee has recommended that no GM crop should be introduced.

::International::

US believes India’s presence in Afghanistan doesn’t pose any threat to Pakistan

• India’s economic activities in Afghanistan pose “no direct threat” to Pakistan, and Islamabad needs to change some of its “unhelpful behaviour” by cooperating with the U.S. in achieving counter-terrorism goals in the region said U.S.
• U.S. President Donald Trump has sought an enhanced role for India in bringing peace in Afghanistan as he ruled out a hasty withdrawal of troops while announcing his Afghanistan and South Asia policy.
• Mr. Trump had said that a critical part of his South Asia policy was to further develop America’s strategic partnership with India. He also sternly warned Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists.
• “While we welcome India’s role in Afghanistan, it has a lot of goodwill, they are doing developmental projects. They have given $3 billion in aid and U.S. appreciates that and wants that to continue.”
• “I am not going to discuss the steps and measures that the U.S. is considering pursuing with Pakistan,” the official said when asked about the critical statements coming out of Pakistan after Mr. Trump announced his South Asia strategy.

::Business and Economy::

New Rs. 200 note printed by RBI

• RBI said production of the newly-circulated Rs. 200 note is being ramped up by currency printing presses and will be made available in adequate quantities. RBI started circulating the Rs. 200 note from some of its offices and banks.
• “The production of these notes is being ramped up by the currency printing presses, and over time as more notes are printed, it will be distributed across the country through the banking channels and will be available for public in adequate quantity,” RBI said in a statement.
• “These notes are available only through select RBI offices and banks as is normal when a new denomination of notes is introduced and the supply increases gradually,” RBI said.
• While the notes are available from some bank branches, it will take some time before it is available through ATMs.

Committee on data protection to submit report by year end

• The Centre expects the expert committee working on a framework for data protection to submit its report by the end of this year.
• This could lend greater clarity on data privacy requirements that could be imposed on companies like Google and Facebook.
• Asked about protection of user data with firms such as Google and Facebook, Mr. Prasad said while he appreciated how these firms were helping in empowering citizens, “they will need to respect and follow the law of the land.”
• Whether there is a need for a separate law or introducing regulations under the IT Act… the government is open to both options, but that will totally depend on the nature of the recommendations.
• The Centre had formed a 10-member panel to identify “key data protection issues” and propose a framework for a data protection law.

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