12 July 2024, The Indian EXPRESS
Citing ‘Naxalism in urban areas’, Maharashtra Govt tables Bill
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GS3-Linkages between Development and Spread of Extremism
- Stating that the “menace of Naxalism” is “increasing in urban areas… through Naxal frontal organisations”, the Maharashtra government on Thursday tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, which proposes jail term even if a person is “not… a member of an unlawful organisation”, but “contributes/ receives/ solicits any contribution or aid” or “harbours” its member, as well as for those who “promote or assist in promoting a meeting” of such groups.
- The Bill grants the state the authority to declare an organisation as “unlawful” — a decision which can be reviewed by an advisory board set up by the state government.
- Citing “safe houses and urban dens of the Maoist network” in Maharashtra, it says such groups seek to “propagate their ideology of armed rebellion against the constitutional mandate”.
After three shocks, 16.45 lakh jobs lost in informal sector over 7 yrs
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GS3-Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment
- The number of workers employed in the informal sector in 2022-23 has dropped by 16.45 lakh or about 1.5 per cent to 10.96 crore compared to 11.13 crore in 2015-16, according to the latest Annual Survey of Unincorporated Enterprises (ASUSE) for 2021-22 and 2022-23 released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- The data available for the first time since 2015-16, provides an understanding of the impact of the three major exogenous shocks viz., demonetisation in November 2016, rollout of the Goods and Service Tax in July 2017, and the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, on the growth of unincorporated enterprises and the employment in these enterprises.
Fake immigration stamp, illegal boat journey: How ‘Dunki network’ thrives
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GS2-Indian Diaspora
- All Rupa Ram, 28, wanted was a better paying job and a way out of his hometown in Rajasthan’s Sikar district.
- On October 6, 2023, Ram took a flight from Delhi and arrived at Bangkok before reaching Malaysia on a bus with a dozen others like him.
- In Malaysia, he worked at a restaurant for seven months before he had to rush home after his father took ill.
- At the Delhi airport, he was swiftly handed over to the authorities and ended up spending four days in police custody.
- As it turned out, on checking his passport, immigration authorities spotted a Malaysia visa arrival stamp of 2022, which did not match his travel history.
At BIMSTEC meet, Jaishankar calls for better cooperation
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GS2-Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
- Underlining that BIMSTEC should harbour higher aspirations, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar said Thursday that the grouping should infuse new energies, resources and a fresh commitment to bolster cooperation among the Bay of Bengal countries.
- Jaishankar, while speaking at a two-day retreat of foreign ministers and officials from BIMSTEC countries in Delhi, said, “We all benefited from the last such exercise in Bangkok.
- This one now has a particular importance as it serves to prepare strong outcomes for the Summit to be held later in the year.”
US envoy: There is no such thing as ‘strategy autonomy’ in times of conflict
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GS2-Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests
- Underlining that “no war is distant anymore”, US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said Thursday there is no such thing as strategic autonomy in times of conflict.
- Garcetti, who was speaking at the Defence News Conclave organised by CUTS International, said: “I respect that India likes its strategic autonomy, but in times of conflict, there is no such thing as strategic autonomy.
- We will, in crisis moments, need to know each other. I don’t care what title we put to it, but we will need to know that we are trusted friends… that in times of need in the next day be acting together, that we’ll know each other’s equipment, that we know each other’s training, we’ll know each other’s systems, and we’ll know each other as human beings as well.”
Chasing asteroids: Why ISRO wants to venture into planetary defence
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GS3-Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath said last week that “we should be able to go and meet” the asteroid Apophis when it passes by Earth at a distance of 32,000 km in 2029.
- However, “it is yet to be decided in what way [ISRO] should participate”.
- The Indian space agency might send its own spacecraft, or collaborate with other space agencies. A NASA mission has already been confirmed.
