CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
SC appoints former justice Lokur to monitor steps to prevent stubble burning
- The Supreme Court appointed former justice Madan B Lokur to monitor steps taken to prevent stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh amid rising levels of pollution in the national capital and adjoining regions.
- The order was passed by an apex court bench headed by Justice SA Bobde while hearing a PIL filed by two environmental activities seeking directions to ensure the implementation of the complete ban on stubble burning.
- As many as 2,873 incidents of stubble burning were reported between 21 September and 12 October, up from 755 a year ago.
- The bench also directed court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) and chief secretaries of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh to help the Lokur panel with physical surveillance of fields to check instances of stubble burning and other related matters.
- “The concerned state governments will provide secretarial, security and financial facilities to this committee. The committee will submit its report to the Supreme Court in 15 days,” the court stated.
- It has also directed that the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme and Bharat Scouts be deployed to assist the panel.
Govt amends Panchayat law to set up District Development Councils in J&K, elections soon
- The Central government has amended Jammu and Kashmir’s Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, to establish District Development Councils (DDCs) in all districts in the union territory.
- This is the first time such councils have been established in the country, senior government officials stated.
- According to the amendment, every district in J&K will be divided into 14 territorial constituencies to elect members of the body in the maiden DDC elections to be held later this year.
- The final step in the implementation of the 73rd Amendment, which envisages the Gram Sabha as the foundation of the Panchayat Raj system and empowers Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women.
- “For each district there shall be a District Development Council, having jurisdiction over the entire district excluding such portions of the district as are included in a Municipality or Municipal Corporation constituted under any law for the time being in force,” states the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Fourth Order, 2020, which was issued.
Prime Minister to inaugurate India Energy Forum
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the annual India Energy Forum by CERAWeek, which gathers energy leaders to further important dialogue on the nation’s new energy future.
- Modi will deliver the inaugural address at the virtual event, to be held on October 26-28, organiser IHS Markit stated.
- India Energy Forum by CERAWeek, now in its fourth year, is hosted by IHS Markit, a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions.
- “The event will convene an international group of speakers and delegates as well as a community of a thousand delegates from India and regional energy companies, energy-related industries, institutions and governments,” it stated.
- The event’s speakers include energy ministers, senior industry executives and leading national and international energy experts.
- Besides Modi, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) secretary general Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud are scheduled to speak at the three-day event.
NCDC to launch Ayushman Sahakar scheme to fund co-operative healthcare facilities
- Inspired by the successfully-run cooperative hospitals in Kerala, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has come up with a scheme, Ayushman Sahakar, to involve co-operatives in creating healthcare infrastructure.
