Joint initiative of Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and FICCI (GS Paper 3, Economy)
Why in news?
Recently, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Family Welfare, launched the Project Management Unit (PMU) on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Agriculture in New Delhi.
Why PPP initiatives in the Agriculture sector?
- Agriculture investments and increasing gross capital formation in agriculture are key to modernizing the Agriculture sector.
- Combining public investments, in the form of various Central Government and State Government initiatives in agriculture along with the Private sector investment, can be a force multiplier for the agriculture sector.
- The Government is keen to incentivize PPP initiatives in the Agriculture sector to improve yields, reduce losses and enhance farmer incomes.
- PPP initiatives will crowd in private capital in agriculture, leverage public investment and align the Central and State Governments, the Private sector, and farmers in a shared vision of dynamic and value-added growth in the sector.
- PPP initiatives will also lead to the convergence of various schemes to benefit farmers and improve their impact.
Objectives:
- The primary objective of this PPP initiative is to enhance the income of small farmers by creating additional value, - from provisioning of quality inputs, technology extension to market linkages, and value addition.
- PPP initiatives are also expected to lead to modernizing agriculture practices, promoting research in climate resilient crops, developing agriculture and rural infrastructure, and increasing agricultural exports.
- A particular objective is to assist the States to unlock the full potential of their respective agro-climatic regions, and wide variety of agri-produce and help producers to integrate better with domestic and export markets.
Way Forward:
- The PMU initiative for PPP in Agriculture launched today will accelerate large scale PPP projects in Agriculture by leveraging the private sector investments and bring convergence of Government schemes and subsidies.
SC fixes issues for adjudication on pleas challenging govts 10% EWS quota
(GS Paper 2, Economy)
Why in news?
Recently, the Supreme Court fixed three broad issues for adjudication arising from the pleas challenging the Centre's decision to grant 10 per cent reservation to EWS in admissions and jobs.
Details:
- It will also decide whether the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act breached the doctrine of the basic structure of the Constitution by allowing the state to make such special provisions.
- A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice said the three issues suggested by Attorney General K KVenugopal for the decision "broadly" covered all the aspects relating to the petitions on the constitutional validity of the decision to grant the reservation.
Three issues:
- It will decide whether the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act breached the doctrine of the basic structure of the Constitution by allowing the state to make such special provisions, including reservation, based on economic criteria.
- The second legal question was whether the constitutional amendment could be said to breach the basic structure by permitting the state to make special provisions concerning admissions to private unaided institutions.
- Whether the 103rd Constitution amendment can be said to breach the basic structure of the Constitution in excluding the SEBCs/OBCs, SCs/STs from the scope of EWS reservation," the third issue.
Doctrine of basic structure:
- The doctrine of basic structure was propounded by the top court in 1973 while deciding the KeshavanandaBharati case.
- It was held that Parliament could not amend every bit of the Constitution, and aspects such as rule of law, separation of powers, and judicial freedom formed part of the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution and hence, could not be amended.
103rdConstitutional Amendment Act, 2019:
- The Centre, through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019, introduced the provision for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reservation in admissions and public services.
- The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha cleared the bill on January 8 and 9 in 2019 respectively and it was then signed by then President Ram NathKovind.
- The EWS quota is over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation to SCs, STs, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
- Earlier, the Centre had told the apex court that its law, granting a 10-per cent quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs), was brought in to promote "social equality" by providing "equal opportunities in higher education and employment to those who have been excluded by virtue of their economic status".
- It had said the new law will not be covered by the IndraSawhney versus Union of India (popularly called Mandal Commission verdict) verdict of 1992 as provision for the reservation was made after amending the Constitution.
Way Forward:
- The bench,had made clear that it would commence hearing from September 13 on the batch of 40 petitions after deciding the issues for its adjudication and passing the directions to ensure a smooth hearing.
- The CJI asked the intervenors, including states like Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Maharashtra, to file their written submissions in the case and assured them that they will also be allowed to argue provided there is no repetition of arguments.
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's monarch for 70 years, passed away
(Miscellaneous)
Why in news?
- Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch passed away recently.
- Charles, who is her eldest son and the former Prince of Wales, will now be leading the country as its new King, as per the protocol.
Background:
- Since assuming the throne after the death of her father on 6 February, 1952, Elizabeth had been a symbol of stability as Britain negotiated the end of empire, the dawn of the information age and the mass migration that transformed the country into a multicultural society.
- Elizabeth has been Queen of Britain and more than a dozen other countries since 1952, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and earlier 2022 marked her 70th year on the throne with four days of national celebrations in June.
Operation London Bridge:
- The plan to deal with the death of the head of state in Britain was termed Operation London Bridge.
- The London Bridge plan, factored in the eventuality of her passing at Balmoral.
- The part of the plan for her death at her favourite castle in Scotland was codenamed ‘Operation Unicorn’.
- These protocols are actually a detailed script for key logistical matters and procedures, including the funeral procession.
- The plan terms the day after her death as D+1 and the day of her funeral as D+10 (D-day plus 10 days). During this period, the British parliament will suspend business for these 10 days after relaying a condolence message.
Immediately after death:
As per the plan, after informing the British PM, the information about the Queen’s death has already been conveyed to other governments where she was the head of state, and then to 38 other nations of the Commonwealth.
Timeline of the queen's life and reign:
- April 21, 1926 - Elizabeth was born at 2.40 a.m. at 17 Bruton Street, London, and christened on May 29 that year in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace.
- Dec. 11, 1936 - She became heir apparent, aged 10, when her uncle Edward VIII abdicated and her father became King George VI.
- Nov. 20, 1947 - She married navy lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, a Greek Prince, at London's Westminster Abbey. They had four children: Prince Charles (born in 1948), Princess Anne,(1950), Prince Andrew (1960) and Prince Edward (1964).
- February 1952 - Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, set out on a tour of Africa and Asia in place of her ailing father, King George VI. News of the king's death reaches her in Kenya on Feb. 6, meaning she is the first sovereign in more than 200 years to accede to the throne while abroad.
- June 2, 1953 - Queen Elizabeth is crowned at Westminster Abbey in the first televised coronation service.
- Nov. 24, 1953 - The Queen's first Commonwealth tour begins covering a distance of 43,618 miles.
- 1977 - The queen marks her Silver Jubilee - 25 years as monarch - with a tour of Commonwealth countries and lavish celebrations in Britain.
- 1991 - The queen tours the United States and becomes the first monarch to address Congress.
- 1992 - Her 40th year on the throne, which she calls her 'annushorribilis' (horrible year), is marked by marital upsets and public dissent.
- 1995 - In March, the queen makes the first address by a British monarch to a South African parliament since 1947.
- May 2011- Queen makes four-day state visit to Ireland, the first by a British monarch since Ireland won its independence from London in 1921.
- Feb. 6, 2022 - Queen marks her 70th year on the throne, using the occasion to give her blessing to Charles's second wife Camilla being called Queen Consort when he becomes king.
Google Doodle: Music maestro DrBhupen Hazarika 96th birth anniversary
(Miscellaneous)
Why in news?
- Recently, Google celebratedDrBhupen Hazarika's 96th birth anniversary by paying tribute using a Google Doodle.
Mumbai-based artist Ruturaja Mali designed the Google Doodle.
Who was Bhupen Hazarika?
- He renowned for his work in filmmaking, writing, poetry and singing. However, people know him for his song 'DilHoomHoomKare' from the movie Rudaali in 1993. The song was composed by Dr Hazarika and written by Gulzar.
- He holds several accolades under his names such as Padma Vibhushan (2012- posthumously), Bharat Ratna (2019-posthumously), Padma Shri (1997), DadaSahebPhalke Award (1992), Padma Bhushan (2001), SangeetNatakAkademi Fellowship (2018), AsomRatna (2009) and Friends of Liberation War Honour (2011).
- He has sung over 75 songs in the Assamese language, making him one of the best artists in India.
