In the year 2019, Ministry of Minority Affairs, under the dynamic and energetic leadership of Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, focussed on educational empowerment of Minorities, especially Muslim girls, and job-oriented skill development of youths belonging to Minority communities. “Development with Dignity” has been the goal of Minority Affairs Ministry.
Educational Empowerment- More than 80 lakh students from six notified Minority communities- Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, Christian, Sikh and Muslim- have been sanctioned pre-matric, post matric, merit-cum-means and other scholarships in first six months of the Modi Govt-2. These students include 60 per cent girls. Besides, in the year 2019, celebrating 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Ministry of Minority Affairs provided “Begum Hazrat Mahal Girls Scholarships” to 3 lakh economically backward girls belonging to the six notified Minority communities.
Under the programme to connect Madrasas with formal education, more than 750 teachers including large number of women teachers, from Madrasas from various states have been trained by the Ministry of Minority Affairs this year so that these teachers can impart mainstream education to Madrasa students across the country.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi speaking on the subject said, “besides traditional teachings in Madrasa, Urdu, Arabic and other languages, Madrasa teachers are also being provided training for mainstream formal education like Hindi, Maths, English, Science, Computer, regional languages etc. These teachers are being provided training from reputed institutions of the country such as IIT, Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Hamdard, Anjuman-e-Islam, Amity University and other reputed educational institutes”.
About more than 650 school dropout students have also been provided bridge course by the Ministry in 2019 so that these students can continue their higher studies or go for a job. Skill Development/Employment Opportunities- More than 1 lakh 25,000 youths belonging to Minority communities were provided job-oriented skill development training through various schemes such as “Gharib Nawaz Employment Scheme”, “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Nai Manzil”, “Usttad”, “Nai Raushni” in 2019.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has decided to organise 100 “Hunar Haat” in the next five years across the country to provide market and employment and employment opportunities to master artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary experts. First “Hunar Haat” of the Modi Government-2 was organised in Jaipur from 24th August to 1st September, 2019. More than 200 master artisans and culinary experts including a large number of women artisans from every corner of the country participated in this “Hunar Haat”. Then “Hunar Haat” was organised at North Central Zone Cultural Centre in Prayagraj (UP) from 01st to 10th November, 2019 where more than 300 master artisans and culinary experts including a large number of women artisans from every corner of the country participated. “Hunar Haat”, organised by Ministry of Minority Affairs, from 14th to 27th Nov, 2019 at India International Trade Fair, Pragati Maidan, was inaugurated on 15.11.2019. All the “Hunar Haat”, being organised in 2019 and 2020 will be based on the theme of “Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat”. “Hunar Haat” was also organized at Sabarmati River Front Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 07th to 15th December, 2019. The next “Hunar Haat” is being organised at Mumbai from 20th to 31st December, 2019 and then Lucknow (10th to 20th January, 2020); Hyderabad (11th to 19th January, 2020); Chandigarh (from 20th January to 1st February, 2020) and Indore (08th to 16th February, 2020).
In the coming days, “Hunar Haat” will also be organized in New Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Dehradun, Patna, Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Raipur, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jammu, Shimla, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati, Ranchi, Bhubneshwar, Ajmer and other places.
Thousands of master artisans, craftsmen, including large number of women artisans and people associated with them were provided employment and employment opportunities through “Hunar Haat” in 2019. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has also sanctioned 100 “Hunar Hubs” in different parts of the country in the first six months of the Modi Government-2. Training is being provided to master artisans, craftsmen and traditional culinary experts according to modern needs in these “Hunar Hubs”. More than 2 lakh 65 thousand artisans and craftsmen and people associated with them have been provided employment and employment opportunities through “Hunar Haat” in the last about 2 years.
“Pradhanmantri Jan Vikas Karykram” (PMJVK)- Under “Pradhanmantri Jan Vikas Karykram” (PMJVK) of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, 104 Common Service Centres have been approved across the country in the first six months of the Modi Govt-2. These centres will work as a single-window assistance centre for the needy people to provide information regarding Central Government and State Governments schemes as well as to assist them in getting benefits of these welfare schemes.
Under PMJVK, several development projects—Toilet facilities- 53, Solar Power Facilities in Schools- 16, Additional Class Rooms- 324, Health Centres- 223, Anganwadi Centres- 52, Residential Schools- 33, Degree Colleges-7, School Buldings-98, Hostel-98, ITI-4, Hunar Hubs-100, Skill Development Centres-10, Medical College-1 and Polytechnics- 3 have been sanctioned/constructed in 2019. Besides, a Yunani College is being constructed in Bareily in UP with an estimated cost of Rs 130 crore. Girls hostel, school buildings etc. are being constructed in Aligarh Muslim University, Mallapuram in Kerala and Murshidabad in West Bengal.
Haj- India has become the first country in the entire world which has made the entire Haj 2020 process 100 per cent digital. Online application, E-Visa, Haj mobile app, “E-MASIHA” health facility, “E-luggage pre-tagging” providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation/transportation in Makkah Madinah have been provided to Indian Muslims going for Haj.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi signed Bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia with Haj & Umrah Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten on 01st December, 2019 in Jeddah.
For the first time facilities have been provided for digital pre-tagging of baggages of pilgrims. This will ensure the Indian pilgrims will get information in India itself about building along with the room allotted to the pilgrims and transportation like details of bus to be taken by the pilgrims after reaching to the airport in Saudi Arabia. Even SIM card has been linked to mobile app which will ensure Haj pilgrims immediately getting all the latest information regarding Haj in Makkah-Madina on their mobile phone. This year, a 100-line information centre has been established at Haj House, Mumbai for providing information regarding entire Haj process. While on one hand health card is being provided to Indian Haj pilgrims in the country, on the other hand “E-MASIHA” (E Medical Assistance System for Indian Pilgrims Abroad), an online system to create and maintain the complete health database of Indian pilgrims along with doctors’ prescriptions, medical treatment as well as medicine disbursals, has been developed to deal any emergency in Makkah-Madinah.
Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) have also been connected with 100 per cent digital system which has ensured transparency in their functioning and it has also ensured better facilities to Indian Haj pilgrims. For the first time, a portal of HGOs—http://haj.nic.in/pto/ (Portal for Haj Group Organisers) has been developed which contains all the details of HGOs, their packages etc.
A record number of 2 lakh Indian Muslims including 48 percent women Haj pilgrims performed Haj in 2019 in first six months of the Modi Govt-2, that too without any subsidy. A record number of 2340 Muslim women also performed Haj this year without “Mehram” (male companion). Union Minority Affairs Minister Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi chaired a meeting to review Haj 2019 and preparation for Haj 2020. Two lakh Indian Muslims will go for Haj 2020 from 22 embarkation points across the country. One new embarkation point will be opened for next Haj- Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh).
Waqf- In a major achievement, 100 per cent digitisation of Waqf properties across the country has been completed. There are about 6 lakh registered Waqf properties across the country. A programme on war footing has been launched for 100 per cent Geo tagging and digitalisation of Waqf properties across the country to ensure these properties can be utilised for welfare of the society.
Geo tagging of a total of about 1 lakh 40 thousand Waqf properties has been completed. GIS/GPS mapping of the Waqf properties has been initiated with the help of IIT Roorki and Aligarh Muslim University. The Central Waqf Council has provided video conferencing facilities to 20 state Waqf boards and it would be provided in the remaining state Waqf boards by the end of this year.
On 8th November, 2019, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi chaired conference of “Mutawalis” of Southern States at Kochi, Kerala. “Mutawali” Conference was attended by more than 200 Mutawalis from southern states. In the conference, Shri Naqvi said that Mutawalis are “Custodian” of the waqf properties and it’s their responsibility to ensure safety and better utilisation of waqf properties.
On 17th January, 2019, report of a five-member committee, constituted to review waqf properties lease rule, headed by Justice (Retd) Zakiullah Khan, was presented to Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in New Delhi.
A total of 8 Mutawalis were awarded under “Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme” for better management of Waqf properties in their respective state Waqf boards. In a national conference of Central Waqf Council (CWC), organised at NDMC Convention Centre in New Delhi on 29th July, 2019. This was for the first time that Mutawalis had been encouraged and awarded for better utilisation of Waqf properties especially for socio-economic-educational empowerment of needy.
How the strength of Lok Sabha is determined presently? Article 81 of the Constitution defines the composition of the House of the People or Lok Sabha. It states that the House shall not consist of more than 550 elected members of whom not more than 20 will represent UTs.
It also mandates that the number of Lok Sabha seats allotted to a state would be such that the ratio between that number and the population of the state is, as far as possible, the same for all states. This is to ensure that every state is equally represented.
Exceptions: However, this logic does not apply to small states whose population is not more than 60 lakh. So, at least one seat is allocated to every state even if it means that its population-to-seat-ratio is not enough to qualify it for that seat.
Basis for determination of population: As per Clause 3 of Article 81, population, for the purpose of allocation of seats, means “population as ascertained at the last preceding Census of which the relevant figures have been published” — in other words, the last published Census.
However, as a result of an amendment to this Clause in 2003, the “population” now means population as per the 1971 Census — and will be so until the first Census that is taken after 2026.
Need for more seats: The composition of the Lower House has remained more or less the same for four decades. Every MP currently represents an average 16-18 lakh Indians — too large a number to be kept in touch with in a meaningful way. Therefore, the number of Lok Sabha seats should be rationalized on the basis of population. The Constitution (126th Amendment) Bill passed by Parliament last week, while extending the reservation for SC/STs, did away with the provision for nomination of Anglo Indians. This has brought the strength of Lok Sabha down to 543 now.
Besides, even after statehood was attained by Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram in 1986, the creation of a Legislative Assembly for the National Capital Territory of Delhi, and the creation of new states such as Uttarakhand, the number of seats have not been revised.
For Prelims and Mains: Features of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-lll (PMGSY-III): Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to consolidate 1,25,000 Km road length in the States. It involves consolidation of Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.
The funds would be shared in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and State for all States except for 8 North Eastern states and Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand for which it is 90:10.
Background: A total of 5,99,090 Km road length has been constructed under the scheme since inception till April, 2019 (inclusive of PMGSY-I, PMGSY-II and RCPLWEA Scheme.
PMGSY-I: PMGSY was launched in December, 2000 with an objective to provide single all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitation of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East, hill, tribal and desert areas as per Census, 2001) for overall socio-economic development of the areas.
Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Area (RCPLWEA): Launched in the year 2016 as a separate vertical under PMGSY to provide all-weather road connectivity with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures in 44 districts (35 are worst LWE affected districts and 09 are adjoining districts), which are critical from security and communication point of view. Under the Scheme, 5,066 Km road length has been sanctioned.
Background: So far only two American presidents have been impeached. In 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached on charges of sexual relationship with his intern. However, the senate acquitted him. Before him, in 1868, President Andrew Johnson was impeached. He was acquitted by one vote in the Senate. In 1974, President Nixon resigned over water gate corruption charges. The judiciary committee approved the articles of impeachment before the house could even pass them.
What is Impeachment? Impeachment is a provision that allows Congress to remove the President of the United States.
Under the US Constitution: The House of Representatives (Lower House) has the “the sole power of impeachment” while the Senate (Upper House) has “the sole power to try all impeachments”. The Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court has the duty of presiding over impeachment trials in the Senate.
Grounds for impeachment: The President can be removed from office for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”. Essentially, it means an abuse of power by a high-level public official. This does not necessarily have to be a violation of an ordinary criminal statute. Historically, in the US, it has encompassed corruption and other abuses, including trying to obstruct judicial proceedings.
The process: It begins with an investigation by a House committee. If they find that there is enough evidence of wrongdoing, it will refer the matter to the full House. Stage_By_Stage HOUSE VOTE: When the full House votes, if one or more of the articles of impeachment gets a majority vote, the President is impeached. Next, the proceedings move to the Senate.
SENATE TRIAL & VOTE: The Senate holds a trial, overseen by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. A team of lawmakers from the House, known as managers, play the role of prosecutors. The President has defence lawyers, and the Senate serves as the jury. If at least two-thirds of the Senators present find the President guilty, he is removed and the Vice President takes over as President.
About the Project: It involves laying of semi high-speed trains between the two corners of the state of Kerala.
It is 532- km long. The corridor will be built away from the existing line between Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. It aims to connect major districts and towns with semi high-speed trains that will run on their own tracks.
The Kerala Rail Development Corporation (K-Rail), a joint venture between the Ministry of Railways and the Kerala government to execute projects on a cost-sharing basis, will be the nodal agency.
Trastuzumab – a monoclonal antibody – was included in the WHO Essential Medicines List in 2015 as an essential treatment for about 20% of breast cancers.
Background: Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. 2.1 million women contracted breast cancer in 2018. 630 000 of them died from the disease, many because of late diagnosis and lack of access to affordable treatment.
For Prelims: What are Biosimilars? It is a biologic medical product that is almost an identical copy of an original product that is manufactured by a different company. They are officially approved versions of original “innovator” products and can be manufactured when the original product’s patent expires. Reference to the innovator product is an integral component of the approval.
Characteristics: Biological medicines contain active substances from a biological source, such as living cells or organisms. Most biological medicines in current clinical use contain active substances made of proteins. Difference between biosimilars and generics: Biosimilars involve developing equivalent of biological entitywhile generics involve developing equivalent of a chemical entity-the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
Cost: Generic drugs are chemically identical to the original branded drug and, as such, cost significantly less because they don’t require much testing. Because biosimilars are made from living organisms, though, and don’t contain identical ingredients to their name-brand counterparts, they still require some testing. So, they cost more than generics, but less than the branded biologic.
Need of the hour: Biosimilars industry can act as a springboard for the pharma cos to innovate, excel and earn profit and the same needs to promoted at the earliest. we need to increase access through affordable pricing and some of the drugs need to be under price control. Governments can support growth in production of complex generics and biosimilars by clarifying the regulatory framework for them, which is still evolving in many countries.
It is a large scale Anti Hijacking Exercise conducted recently by the Indian Navy in collaboration with Indian Coast Guard.
The latest edition was held in Kerala. Aim: To streamline the response mechanism/ preparedness to thwart any attempt to hijack a merchant vessel or attempt forced entry of a rogue/commandeered merchant vessel into Indian harbour.
Context: Pakistan has issued special permits to the Emir of Qatar and nine other members of the royal family to hunt the houbara bustard, an internationally protected bird species.
Key facts: The houbara bustard, which lives in arid climates, comes in two distinct species as recognised by the IUCN, one residing in North Africa (Chlamydotis undulata) and the other in Asia (Chlamydotis macqueenii). The population of the Asian houbara bustards extends from northeast Asia, across central Asia, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula to reach the Sinai desert.
Roughly 33,000 Asian houbara bustards and over 22,000 of the North African houbara bustards remain today. After breeding in the spring, the Asian bustards migrate south to spend the winter in Pakistan, the Arabian Peninsula and nearby Southwest Asia. IUCN Conservation status: Vulnerable. Note: Some articles of today’s current events will be covered tomorrow.