Current Affair 1:

Central Drugs Standard Control Organization

 

News:

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is the Central Drug Authority for discharging functions assigned to the Central Government under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India.

The Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and rules 1945 have entrusted various responsibilities to central & state regulators for regulation of drugs & cosmetics.

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs in the country and coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organizations by providing expert advice with a view of bring about the uniformity in the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Further CDSCO along with state regulators, is jointly responsible for grant of licenses of certain specialized categories of critical Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera.

Current Affair 2:

International Criminal Court (ICC)

 

News in the context of: International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin for the alleged war crimes of unlawful deportation of population and unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

About:

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome, Italy on 17 July 1998 and it entered into force on 1 July 2002.

Governed by an international treaty called the Rome Statute, the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court.

How the Court works?

The Court's founding treaty, called the Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four main crimes.

1. First, the crime of genocide is characterised by the specific intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group by killing its members or by other means.
2. Second, the ICC can prosecute crimes against humanity, which are serious violations committed as part of a large-scale attack against any civilian population.
3. Third, war crimes which are grave breaches of the Geneva conventions in the context of armed conflict and include, for instance, the use of child soldiers, ETC,
4. Finally, the fourth crime falling within the ICC's jurisdiction is the crime of aggression. It is the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, integrity or independence of another State.

The ICC's 18 judges are elected by the Assembly of States Parties for their qualifications, impartiality and integrity, and serve 9-year, non-renewable terms. They ensure fair trials and render decisions, but also issue arrest warrants or summonses to appear, authorize victims to participate, order witness protection measures, and more.

The Assembly of States Parties ("the Assembly") is the Court's management oversight and legislative body and is composed of representatives of the States which have ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute. Each State Party has one representative in the Assembly who may be accompanied by alternatives and advisers.

The Permanent Secretariat of the Assembly commenced its work in 2004 in The Hague.

As a judicial institution, the ICC does not have its own police force or enforcement body; thus, it relies on cooperation with countries worldwide for support.

While not a United Nations organization, the Court has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations. When a situation is not within the Court’s jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction.

The ICC is intended to complement, not to replace, national criminal systems; it prosecutes cases only when States do not are unwilling or unable to do so genuinely.

As an international court, the ICC's legal process may function differently from that in your national jurisdiction.

Both the Prosecutor and the Defence have the right to appeal on the verdict (decision on guilt or innocence of the accused) and the sentence.

India is not a member of ICC.

 

Current Affair 3:

International Conference on Dam Safety-2023

 

The International Dam Safety Conference in 2023 (Jaipur) is 7th in the series of Dam Safety Conferences organized first in Chennai (2015).

The International Conference on Dam Safety-2023 is part of the series of Dam Safety Conferences organized under the aegis of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).

This Conference is being organized by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India in collaboration World Bank and the AIIB.

About DRIP

In order to improve the safety and operational performance of select existing dams in the country, Government of India is implementing the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) with external funding. Under the World Bank funded DRIP Phase-I programme, which was implemented during April 2012 to March 2021, 223 existing dams located in 7 States have been comprehensively audited and rehabilitated at a cost of Rs. 2,567 crores.

After completion of DRIP Phase- I programme, Government of India has taken up DRIP Phase-II & III scheme. The scheme envisages rehabilitation and safety improvement of 736 dams located in 19 States, with a budget outlay of Rs. 10,211 Crore. The scheme is of 10 years duration. DRIP Phase-II has become operational from 12th October 2021, and is being co-financed by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank.

Also see Dam Safety Act, 2021

Today, India ranks third globally after China and USA in terms of number of large dams. There are about 5300 completed & functional large dams in India and more than 400 are under construction stage; safety of these dams is of paramount importance.

Majority of these dams (98%) are owned by the State Governments while the remaining is being owned by Central Public Sector Undertakings and private agencies. About 80% of these dams are more than 25 years of age and 234 dams are more than 100 years old. Ensuring the safety of the dams in India is primarily the responsibility of the dam owners.

To address the dam safety issues holistically, Union Government has enacted the landmark legislation on Dam Safety in 2021, culminating 40 years of journey to provide a comprehensive framework for safe functioning of dams.

Provisions of the Act have come into force with effect from 30th December, 2023. This Act provides for proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dams for prevention of dam failure related disasters and to create an institutional mechanism to ensure their safe functioning.

 

Current Affair 4:

Integrated Check Posts

 

The Government of India has set up Integrated Check Posts at international land borders of the country with the aim to facilitate cross-border trade and movement of passengers.

Land Port Authority of India:

India developed its first ICP at Attari along the international border between India and Pakistan, located at a distance of about 28 kms from the holy city of Amritsar.

Why ICPs?

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