This page contains "31St July 2018" current affairs analysis from different newspapers and magazines like The Hindu, Indian express, PIB and Yojna.
Quality and relevance are two key features considered while writing the content, all the topics are based on the pattern of previously asked questions in exams like UPSC CSE, IAS, State PCS, SSC, Banks PO and likewise competitive exams.
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016
Why in news ?
Proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has been termed as Anti-Assam by Assamese regional parties, who along with locals are engaged in a series of protest against the bill.
What is Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016
The government has introduced "Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016" in parliament in July 2016, to amend Citizenship Act, 1955, the bill seeks to achieve following things:
1) The bill seeks to provide citizenship to illegal migrants, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who are of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities.
2) Changes in conditions regarding acquiring "citizenship by naturalisation", by reduce the requirement of 11 years of continuous stay in the country to six years.
While seeking to provide citizenship to illegal migrants of 6 minorities (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian), it excludes Muslims like Shias and Ahmadis who also face persecution in Pakistan.
Why the bill is opposed ?
According to "Assam Accord (1985)", signed between the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the AASU; March 24, 1971, was decided as the cut off date for migrants from Bangladesh into Assam. As per the accord all persons coming to Assam after March 24, 1971 are illegal immigrants and should be deported back.
Supreme Court of India has ordered to update NRC (National Register of Citizens of India) in Assam to detect Bangladeshi nationals who might have entered the State illegally after the midnight of March 24, 1971.
If the bill is passed that is to provide citizenship on the basis of religion, it is contradictory to NRC which does not distinguish people on the basis of religion.
International Organisation for Migration
Why in news ?
U.N. migration agency has rejected Trump's nominee Ken Isaacs for next leader of the International Organisation for Migration after reports surfaced of anti-Muslim social media posts.
International Organization for Migration
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) was established in 1951 with a name "Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM)" and was tasked with resettling people displaced by World War II.
IOM is an 166 member (8 Observer states), inter-governmental organisation that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers. In 2016 it became a related organisation of United Nations.
IOM advises member states on orderly and humane migration policies and promote international cooperation on migration issues. Migration and development, facilitating migration, regulating migration, and addressing forced migration are four key areas of organisation's work.
What is Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1)
In a bid to ease export controls for high technology product, USA has decided to place India in the Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) list. USA had already recognised India as major defence partner in 2016.
Addition to Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) list will make India the only south Asian nation to be given the designation along with the US' NATO allies like South Korea, Australia and Japan.
What is STA status ?
STA status is a license exemption that allows US to export a set of items listed on the Commerce Control List under defined conditions without a transaction-specific licence.
USA can export, re-export and transfer technology to a STA status country without a licence required under the Export Administration Regulations. Export Administration Regulations is one of the two important US export control laws that affect the manufacturing, sales and distribution of technology.
STA-1 benefits for India
By securing STA Tier 1, India will get comparable treatment as NATO allies and it will expand the scope of exports subject to the EAR that can be made to India without individual licences.
In simple words, the move will make USA to ease export controls for high technology product sales to India, granting it the same access as NATO allies ? Australia, Japan and South Korea.
Items included in STA -1
Items eligible for export to STA-1 nations includes chemical or biological weapons, nuclear non-proliferation, regional stability, crime control and items under control for national security.
The list also include electronics, lasers and sensors, information security, computers and electronics, navigation, telecommunications, aerospace, etc.
What is Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill 2018 ?
There are around 10 million people in India who depends on homeopaths, while only 2 million homeopathy doctors. There is a need of 12,000 teachers every year but the registration is open only for 6,000.
Why such an amendment is needed ?
The Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill 2018 seeks to supersede and reconstitute "Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH)" within a year from the date of its supersession.
There have been instances of serious malpractices in the council which leads to compromise in the quality of medical education, the council is also accused of stalling efforts by the Central government to streamline its functioning.
CCH chief was arrested by the CBI for allegedly accepting bribe of Rs 20 lakhs as part payment for granting approval to a homeopathy college.
What is Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill 2018 ?
Homoeopathy Central Council Amendment Bill, 2018, was introduced in parliament to amend the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 to supersede the Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH) .
Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH) is a Board of Governors which had been set up under Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973.
An ordinance was also promulgated by the President earlier this year to overcome the irregularities in the Council, the proposed bill also intend to replace the ordinance.
The amendment bill seeks to revamp "Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH)" by reconstituting it within a year from the date of the supersession. A Board of Governors, comprising seven eminent homeopathy practitioners and administrators, appointed by the government will exercise the powers of the Central Council in the interim period.
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