Current Affair 1:

Definition of Slums in India

 

The number of slums has reduced from 51,688 in 2002 to 33,510 in 2012 as per 58th and 69th round Survey of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

‘Slums’ is a state subject.

Responsibility of center and state:

1. Development of urban infrastructure is a state subject.: It is the responsibility of the States / Union Territories (UTs) to frame policies and implement schemes for improving the quality of life for all including the poor and the disadvantaged people residing in its cities.
2. Land and colonization are State subjects. The schemes related to housing including rehabilitation of slum dwellers are implemented by States/ Union Territories (UTs).
3. Public health and sanitation are State subjects. The primary responsibility of strengthening public health and sanitation in all urban areas including slums lies with the respective State/UT Governments.

According to the 2011 census, around 6.5 crore of the Indian population live in slums, of which 1.18 crore live in Maharashtra.

 

Current Affair 2:

SC: Caste or Religion of parties should not be mentioned in any court documents

 

Justices presiding over a family dispute transfer petition, Shama Sharma vs. Kishan Kumar, objected to the mention of the parties’ caste in the court documents. They emphasized discontinuing this practice, stating it should be ‘shunned.’

The petitioner’s counsel explained the registry’s objection to altering the memo of parties filed in lower courts. The Supreme Court thus issued a general order explicitly directing that the caste or religion of parties should not be mentioned in any petition or proceeding filed before the Courts, regardless of prior disclosure in lower courts.

To ensure immediate compliance, the Court directed the circulation of this order to the Registrar Generals of all the High Courts after placing a copy before the concerned Registrar.

Current Affair 3:

Investment Forum for Advancing Climate Resilient Agrifood Systems in India

 

News:

NITI Aayog, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations jointly launched the ‘Investment Forum for Advancing Climate Resilient Agrifood Systems in India’ in New Delhi.

This initiative aims to develop an investment and partnership strategy to advance climate resilient agrifood systems among the government, private sectors, and farmers’ organizations and financial institutions in India.

 

Current Affair 4:

India Dispatches Malathion to Afghanistan

 

News:

In its continued efforts to help Afghanistan, India has supplied 40,000 litres of Malathion, a pesticide used to fight locust menace, through the Chabahar port.

Malathion, known for its efficacy in arid regions and minimal water usage, is considered a crucial tool in locust control. The aid not only addresses the immediate threat in Afghanistan but also serves to prevent the spread of locusts to neighbouring Central Asian countries.

Locusts are voracious in nature and are known for their vegetation-destroying abilities and their large-scale presence may potentially threaten food security.

The locust menace was at its worst in neighbouring Pakistan in early 2020, when the country declared a national emergency.

At the same time, India too witnessed a large-scale locust incursion in several states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, some parts of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

<< Previous Next >>