Current Affairs 29th September 2018

Current Affairs 29th September 2018 - Important Points

• Husband is not the master of wife, says Supreme Court while striking down 158 years old adultery law on - 27th September 2018
• Government hikes custom duty on 19 items including ACs, refrigerators on - 26th September 2018
• 2nd Anniversary of Surgical Strike to be commemorated as Parakram Parv on  - 29th September 2018
• Online platform for Agmark quality certification launched by - Government 
• Conversion of GSTN into government entity approved by - Cabinet
• Rs 8,606 crore for 60 projects under scheme of Border Infrastructure and Management approved by - Government
• Government sets up 8-member search committee for -  Lokpal
• Model code of Conduct kick in as soon as House dissolved -  Election Commission
• India, United Nations sign Sustainable Development Framework for 2018-2022 on - 28th September 2018

Current Affairs 29th September 2018 - Details

Husband is not the master of wife, says Supreme Court while striking down 158 years old adultery law on - 27th September 2018

The Supreme Court of India on September 27th, 2018 hit a 158 years old penal provision in the IPC that made adultery a criminal offence. The conclusion was taken by a 5 judges bench containing Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices R.F.Nariman, A.M.Khanwilkar, D.Y.Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra. The bench consistently detained Section 497 of the IPC, which pacts with the offence of adultery.
Judgement

• The Apex court informed that Adultery can be a civil incorrect and a base for divorce but it cannot be a criminal offence.
• The court informed Section 497 is violative of right to equality and right to equal opportunity to females and disallows them from making their own choices.
• The Apex court marked 4 sets of concurring Judgements to state as unconstitutional the penal provision on adultery and Section 198 of the Code of Criminal Procedure that contracts with prosecution of offences against marriage.
  Section 497 of IPC
• The section 497 of IPC explains that whoever has sexual contact with a person whom he knows or has reason to trust to be the wife of another man, without the accord or connivance of that man, such sexual relations not amounting to the offence of rape, is embarrassed of the offence of adultery.
• However, the IPC section 497 excuses from criminal examination a man who has engaged in sexual relation with a married lady if the same emerges with the consent of the said married lady’s husband.
• The offence of adultery involved a maximum punishment of 5 years or fine or both of these.

Government hikes custom duty on 19 items including ACs, refrigerators on - 26th September 2018

The Union Government on September 26th, 2018 increased custom duties 19 goods, consisting Jet fuel, Air conditioners and refrigerators to control imports of non-vital items. The increase of custom duties was put into effect from September 26-27 midnight.
The rise in custom duties is targeted at tapering the Current Account Deficit. The restriction of non- essential imports is part of the 5-pronged steps declared by the government to rectify the widening Current Account Deficit and capital outflows. 
Key Highlights

• The government double-folded the import duty on Air-conditioners, household refrigerators and washing machines which are less than 10 kgs to 20%.
• The import duty on speakers and radial car tyres was increased from 10% to 15%.
• The import duty obligatory on footwears was raised from 20% to 25%. 
• The government has also declared an import duty of 5% on aviation turbine fuel, which was nil earlier.
• The other items, on which the import duty was hiked, include jewellery goods, kitchen and tableware items, certain plastic goods and suitcases.
• The total value of imports of these items in the past fiscal year in 2017-18 was approximately Rupees 86000 crores.

2nd Anniversary of Surgical Strike to be commemorated as Parakram Parv on  - 29th September 2018

The 2nd anniversary of the surgical strike will be honored by the Indian Army as the “Parakram Parv”
during September 29th to 30th, 2018 to highligt the gallant action of brave Army in the manner of Surgical Strikes on September 29th, 2016. The Day will also be honoured to remember the sacrifice of soldiers during the “Uri incident’.
Events during the commemoration 

• Various programmes will be organised at key military stations to honour the 2nd anniversary of Surgical Strikes.
• An exhibition will be organised to display the valour of armed forces; display of ships, submarines, aircraft, arms, equipment models; playing of video clippings on the surgical strike and naval videos and launching of digital /selfie walls.
• Additionally, ships will be uncluttered for visitors and even school and National Cadet Core children visits to ships, submarine, air stations are being prearranged. 
• School children are also being fortified to do letter writing and participate in poster making competitions in honour of valiant soldiers. 
• A band display and bugle call are prearranged on September 29 to honour the fallen soldiers at the Ballard pier memorial.
• The assorted event is prearranged by the Navy to be apprehended at Mumbai and Goa over a period of 2 days in the Western Naval Command. 
• The location for the exhibition of different stalls and video walls is at Ballard pier in naval dockyard. The entrance to cruiser wharf will be via tiger gate.

Online platform for Agmark quality certification launched by - Government 

Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare released online software for processing apps Agmark quality certification mark for agricultural produces. It was initiated by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
More about Agmark

• Agmark is certification mark that promises conformity to form standards sanctioned by Government agency Directorate of Marketing and Inspection.
• It is legitimately enforced by Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act of 1937 and amended in 1986.
• The current AGMARK standards shelter quality rules for 205 different commodities straddling variety of cereals, pulses, vegetable oils, essential oils, fruits and vegetables, and semi-processed products alike vermicelli.
• The term AGMARK was coined by combining the words ‘Ag’ that mean agriculture and ‘mark’ for authorization mark.
• This term was announced originally in bill presented in Parliament for the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act.
  Agmark online system
• It is being executed around the nation to execute quality control purposes. It will be available 24×7.
• It will ease the process of application simple, fast and transparent.
• With this online system, certificate of authorisation (domestic), laboratories permission (domestic), permission of printing press and services concerned to laboratory information management system will be provided online.
• The online system will make processes easy, dependable and cost effective.
•  It also has necessities for online receipt of fees from the aspirants because payments can be acknowledged in digital way via bharatkosh.gov.in website.
  Directorate of Marketing and Inspection
• Directorate of Marketing and Inspection is a committed Office of Department of Agriculture,
  Cooperation and Farmers Welfare under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• It was formed in 1935 to device agricultural marketing policies and programmes for combined development of agricultural marketing and other associated products in nation with view to protect interests of farmers and the consumers.
• It preserves close connection between Central and State Governments.

Conversion of GSTN into government entity approved by - Cabinet

The Union Cabinet has sanctioned conversion of Goods and Services Tax Network into government- owned organisation. Government will now own 100 percent of Goods and Services Tax Network which is IT backbone to Goods and Services Tax regime. Majority of Goods and Services Tax processes with registration, filing of returns, payment of taxes, processing of refunds is IT driven and mainly through Goods and Services Tax Network.
Did you know?
Previously in May 2018, Goods and Services Tax Council, led by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising state finance ministers had approved to make Goods and Services Tax Network a
government organisation with Centre owning 50 percent share and states together holding the balance
50 percent. More than 1.1 crore businesses are recorded on Goods and Services Tax Network portal.
With improved role of Goods and Services Tax Network from just collecting taxes to data analytics,
Government had realised that it should now be the mainstream owner in the IT backbone provider.
Goods and Services Tax Network
Goods and Services Tax Network was formed as not for profit, non-Government, private limited organisation in 2013. It was recognized primarily to provide Information Technology infrastructure and
services to Central and State Governments, tax payers and other shareholders for execution of GST.

Presently, Centre and states collectively embrace 49 percent share with 24.5 percent each in Goods and Services Tax Network. The outstanding 51 percent is preserved by 5 private financial institutions
including ICICI Bank, National Stock Exchange, HDFC Ltd, HDFC Bank and Life Insurance Corporation
Housing Finance Ltd. Its income model after Goods and Services Tax was rollout out involved User
Charge to be compensated by shareholders who will utilise the system and developing it self-sustaining
company.

Rs 8,606 crore for 60 projects under scheme of Border Infrastructure and Management approved by - Government

The Union Government has sanctioned Rupees 8606 crores for 60 projects being executed under parasol scheme of Border Infrastructure and Management. The projects are being executed in 111border regions in 17 states having the international borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. It will ease to meet special development requirements of people living in those areas within 50 kilometres of the international border. India shares borders with Pakistan about 3323 kilometres, China about 3488 kilometres, Nepal about 1751 kilometres, Bhutan about 699 kilometres, Myanmar approximately 1643 kilometres and Bangladesh with 4096 kilometres.
More about Border Infrastructure and Management Scheme

• The BIM scheme includes creation of roads, schools, primary health centres, promotion of rural tourism, border tourism, cleanliness mission, Sports Activities Promotion, drinking water supplies, heritage sites protection, community centres, connectivitya and drainage to facilitate sustainable living in border areas.
• It also consists formation of helipads in remote and unreachable hilly areas which do not have
  connectivity with road, skill development training of farmers for practice of modern and scientific
  technique in farming, organic farming and few of the other areas where the schemes are being executed.

Government sets up 8-member search committee for -  Lokpal

Government has formed 8 members search committee led by former Supreme Court judge Justice
Ranjana Prakash Desai, just to endorse names for positions of Lokpal C.E.O. and members. The selection
process of Lokpal is ongoing according to the strategies of Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

Members of Lokpal Search Committee are Justice Sakha Ram Singh Yadav, earlier State Bank of India Chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, retired Indian Administrative Services officer Ranjit Kumar, former Gujarat Police head Lalit K Panwar, former judge of Allahabad High Court Shabbirhusein S Khandwawala; Prasar Bharati chairperson A Surya Prakash and Indian Space Research Organisation Head AS Kiran Kumar.
More about Committee’s Terms of Reference

• The search committee will initiate working soon. It will mention names for Lokpal chairperson and
  members.
• It can also deliberate names other than those suggested by the search committee.
  Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
• It was approved in 2013 to constitute statutory body to request into accusations of corruption against public officials.
• Under it, the arrangements to Lokpal is made by high-level selection committee comprising of PM, Chief Justice of India, Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of Opposition Party and an eminent
  jurist chosen by them.

Model code of Conduct kick in as soon as House dissolved -  Election Commission

Election Commission has publicized that Model Code of Conduct comes into force instantly in states
where legislative assemblies have been dissolved impulsively. It also found that following dissolution
custodian government and the central government is banded from proclaiming new schemes in
particular state from the date of dissolution of legislative assembly till new House is nominated.
Model Code of Conduct

• Model Code of Conduct is combination of strategies released by EC to control conduct of political parties and their candidates in run up to elections.
• It is intended at guaranteeing free and fair elections.
• The Code doesn’t have any constitutional basis and not enforceable by law.
• But it has unquestionable legitimacy and parties across the political spectrum have normally stick to to its letter and spirit. It was delivered for 1st time in 1971 before 5th Lok Sabha elections.
• Since that time, it has been dispensed before every central and state election and reviewed from time to time.
• The main aim of Model Code of Conduct is to make sure level playing field for all political parties, avoid struggles among parties, and make sure law and order in heat of election season.
• Its chief purpose is to make sure that ruling party does not mismanage or use government machinery for their benefit for its election campaign purpose.
• It is valid to political parties, their applicants and polling agents, government in power and all government workforces.
  Date of enforcement of MCC
• It has grown over years of struggle between Election Commission and government.
• It kicks in day Election Commission declares the poll dates. This is based on agreement among Election Commission and Central government reached on April 16, 2001.
• It was decided that installation of any project will be completed by civil servants so that Model Code of Conduct does not stand in the way of public interest.

India, United Nations sign Sustainable Development Framework for 2018-2022 on - 28th September 2018

India and the UNs on September 28th, 2018 inked the Government of India-United Nations Sustainable
Development Framework for the term 2018-2022.
The framework was inked by Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog and UNs Resident Coordinator in India, Yuri Afanasiev. The adoption ceremony was chaired over by NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Dr.Rajiv Kumar, members of NITI Aayog and the heads of United Nation agencies in India.
Government of India-United Nations Sustainable Development Framework 2018-2022

• The Framework summaries the work of UNs agencies in India to backing the accomplishment of crucial development products that have been acknowledged in consultation with the government and are associated to the national priorities.
• The NITI Aayog is the National complement for the UN in India for the operationalisation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework.
• 19 United Nations agencies have inked on the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework 2018-2022.
  Seven priority areas of UNSDF 2018-22
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Framework 2018-22 includes 7 priority areas that outline the work that UN agencies will undertake jointly/individually completely aligned with the significances of the Union Government.
• The 7 priority areas outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework are:
  i. Poverty and Urbanization
  ii. Health, Water, and Sanitation
  iii. Education and Employment
  iv. Nutrition & Food Security
  v. Climate Variation, Clean Energy & Disaster Flexibility
  vi. Skilling, Entrepreneurship & Job Formation
  vii. Gender Equality and Youth Development.