Important Daily Facts of the Day

Cabinet approves the extension of the term of the Twenty second Law Commission of India (GS Paper 2, Governance)

Why in news?

• Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the extension of the term of the Twenty-second Law Commission of India upto 31st August, 2024.

 

About Law Commission of India:

• The Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body, constituted by the Government of India from time to time.
• The Commission was originally constituted in 1955 and is re-constituted from time to time. The tenure of present Twenty-second Law Commission of India ends on 20th February, 2023.
• The various Law Commission have been able to make important contribution towards the progressive development and codification of Law of the country. The Law Commission has so far submitted 277 Reports.

 

Composition:

The Twenty-second Law Commission will consist of the same composition, which is as under:

1. a full-time Chairperson;
2. four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary)
3. Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs as ex-officio Member;
4. Secretary, Legislative Department as ex officio Member; and
5. Not more than five part-time Members.

 

Responsibilities of the Commission:

The Law Commission during its extended term shall continue to discharge its existing responsibility, as bestowed upon it by order dated 21.02.2020, which, among other things, includes: -

1. identification of laws which are no longer relevant and recommending for the repeal of obsolete and unnecessary enactments;
2. suggesting enactment of new legislations as may be necessary to implement the Directive Principles and to attain the objectives set out in the Preamble of the Constitution;
3. Considering and conveying to the Government its views on any subject relating to law and judicial administration that may be specifically referred to it by the Government through Ministry of Law & Justice (Department of Legal Affairs);
4. Considering the requests for providing research to any foreign countries as may be referred to it by the Government through Ministry of Law & Justice (Department of Legal Affairs);
5. preparing and submitting to the Central Government, from time to time, reports on all issues, matters, studies and research undertaken by it and recommending such reports for effective measures to be taken by the Union or any State; and
6. performing such other functions as may be assigned to it by the Central Government from time to time.

 

Cabinet approves Air Services Agreement between India and Guyana

(GS Paper 2, International Relation)

Why in news?

• Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the signing of India and Guyana.
• The Air Services Agreement will come into force after the exchange of diplomatic notes between the parties confirming that each party has completed the necessary internal procedure for entry into force of this Agreement.

Why it matters? 

• Indians have a sizeable presence in Guyana and are the largest ethnic group comprising about 40% of the population as per 2012 census.  The signing of Air Services Agreement with Guyana will enable a framework for provision of air services between the two countries. 
• In view of the growing aviation market and developments such as liberalization of aviation sector in India, air services agreement has been signed with many countries for paving way for International air connectivity. 

 

Air Services Agreement (ASA):

• Air Services Agreement (ASA) provides the legal framework for air operations between two countries which is based on the principles of sovereignty of nations, nationality of carriers and reciprocity in terms of commercial opportunities for the designated airlines of each side. 
• At present there is no Air Services Agreement (ASA) between the Government of India and the Government of Co-operative Republic of Guyana at present.

 

Background:

• India and Guyana are signatories to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). 
• The delegations of both countries met in Nassau, Bahamas on 06 December 2016 during the ICAO Air Services Negotiations event where both countries had initialled the text of an ASA for scheduled air services between the two countries in terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and Guyana. 

 

Way Forward:

• The new Air Services Agreement between India and Guyana will provide enabling environment for enhanced and seamless connectivity while providing commercial opportunities to the carriers of both the sides.

Japanese startup unveils balloon flight for space viewing tours

(GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)

Why in news?

• A Japanese startup is to launch commercial space viewing balloon flights that it hopes will bring an otherwise astronomically expensive experience down to Earth.

 

Details:

• The company, Iwaya Giken, based in Sapporo in northern Japan, has been working on the project since 2012 and says it has developed an airtight two-seat cabin and a balloon capable of rising up to an altitude of 25 kilometers (15 miles), where the curve of the Earth can be clearly viewed.
• While passengers won’t be in outer space, the balloon only goes up to roughly the middle of the stratosphere, they’ll be higher than a jet plane flies and have an unobstructed view of outer space.

 

How it works?

• Unlike a rocket or a hot air balloon, the Iwaya Giken vessel will be lifted by helium that can be largely reused, and flights will safely stay above Japanese territory or airspace.
• The balloon, which can carry a pilot and a passenger, would take off from a balloon port in Hokkaido, rise for two hours to as high as 25 kilometers (15 miles) and stay there for one hour before a one-hour descent.
• The drum-shaped plastic cabin is 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in diameter and has several large windows to allow a view of space above or the Earth below.

 

SpaceX:

• While Japanese space ventures have fallen behind U.S. companies like SpaceX, the aim is to make space more reachable.
• SpaceX launched three rich businessmen and their astronaut escort to the International Space Station in April for $55 million each, the company’s first private charter flight to the orbiting lab after two years of carrying astronauts there for NASA.

What’s next?

• The first trip is planned as early as later 2023.