Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 12th December 2022

Aam Aadmi Party Became The 9th National Party Of India:

The Aam Aadmi Party became the 9th National Party of India after the result of Gujarat elections where it gained almost 13% of the vote share.

• It has a nationwide presence as opposed to a regional party that is restricted to only a particular state or region.
• A certain stature is sometimes associated with being a national party, but this does not necessarily translate into having a lot of national political influence.

Conditions for Declaring a Party ‘National’:

• As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party would be considered a national party if:
  • It is ‘recognised’ in four or more states; or
  • If its candidates have secured at least 6% of total valid votes in at least 4 states (in latest Lok Sabha or Assembly elections) and the party has at least 4 MPs in the last LS polls; or
  • If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the LS from at least 3 states.

Party Declared a State Party:

• A party is recognised as a state party in a state if any of the following conditions is fulfilled:
  • If it secures 6% of the valid votes polled in the state at a general election to the respective state legislative assembly (state LA) and also, it wins 2 seats in the same state LA.
  • If it secures 6% of the total valid votes in the state at a general election to the LS; and also, it wins 1 seat in the LS from the same state.
  • If it wins 3% of seats in the LA at a general election to the legislative assembly of the state concerned or 3 seats in the assembly (whichever is more).
  • If it wins 1 seat in the LS for every 25 seats or any fraction thereof allotted to the state at a general election to the LS from the state concerned.
  • If it secures 8% of the total valid votes polled in the state at a General Election to the LS from the state or to the State LA.

One District One Product Merged With Districts As Export Hub:

The ODOP initiative operationally merged with ‘Districts as Export Hub (DEH)’ initiative of DGFT, Department of Commerce, with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as a major stakeholder.

• ODOP was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to help districts reach their full potential, foster economic and socio-cultural growth, and create employment opportunities, especially, in rural areas.
• It aims to do this by identifying, promoting and branding a product from one district.
• Its objective is to turn every district in India, into an export hub through promotion of the product in which the district specialises.
• The initiative plans to accomplish this by scaling manufacturing, supporting local businesses, finding potential foreign customers and so on, thus helping to achieve the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
• The one district one product launch date is January 24, 2018, by the Uttar Pradesh Government, and due to its success, was later adopted by the Central Government.
• This initiative is carried out with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce.
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is an important stakeholder.
• In the scheme, the ODOP product is identified by the state for a district.

GHAR Portal:

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), has developed and launched this portal.

• The portal – “GHAR – Go Home and Re-Unite” will be a platform for information on children from every district to smoothen the process of their repatriation and restoration.

Salient features of the portal:

• Digital tracking and monitoring of children who are in the Juvenile Justice system and have to be repatriated to another Country/State/District.
• Digital transfer of cases of children to the concerned Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the State.
• It will help in speedy repatriation of children.
• Where there is a requirement of a translator/interpreter/expert, request will be made to the concerned State Government.
• Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Officers can ensure proper restoration and rehabilitation of children by digitally monitoring the progress of the case of the child.
• A checklist format will be provided in the forms so that the children who are being hard to repatriate or children who are not getting their entitled compensation or other monetary benefits can be identified.
• List of Government implemented schemes will be provided, so that at the time of restoration the Child Welfare Committees can link the child with the schemes to strengthen the family and ensure that child remains with his/her family.

International Human Rights Day 2022:

The President of India graced and addressed the Human Rights Day celebration, organised by the National Human Rights Commission.

• Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on 10 December.
• It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms to which all of us are entitled.
• It guarantees the rights of every individual everywhere, without distinction based on nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, language, or any other status.
• Although the Declaration is not a binding document, it inspired more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights.
• 2022 Theme: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All

GEF-UNIDO-BEE Project:

During National Conclave on Accelerating Energy Efficiency in MSMEs , the success story of the GEF-UNIDO-BEE Project was showcased.

• The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in collaboration with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is executing a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded national project titled “Promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in selected MSME clusters in India”.
• The project was initiated in 2011.
• Aim: To develop and promote a market environment for introducing energy efficiency (EE) and enhanced use of renewable energy (RE) technologies in process applications in selected energy-intensive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sectors.
• The project has been supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• The project has implemented its programmatic intervention in 26 clusters in five different energy.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE):

• It is an agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Power created in 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• The mission of BEE is to assist in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO):

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nationsthat assists countries in economic and industrial development.
• It was established in 1966 by the UN General Assembly to promote and accelerate the industrialization of developing countries, which were emerging from decolonization in record numbers and with little to no industrial base.

Circular Trading:

The issue of circular trading could be taken up by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council in its upcoming meeting.

• Circular trading refers to fraudulently availing input tax credit by traders by issuing of invoices without availing any real goods or service.
• In simple words, circular trading refers to the transaction of selling and buying of goods (without actual movement of goods) through shell companies.
• Circular trading is a circular which is being formed by a group of companies engaging themselves in fake sales transaction by producing fake sale invoices.
• The main objective of circular trading is inflating turnover of the business.
• However, through circular trading, companies may also aim to:
  • To increase the valuation of the company/business;
  • To benefit higher loans from the Banks or Non-Banking Financial Corporation (NBFC);
  • To bring black money into the system;
  • To avail fake input tax credit.

Three Medicinal Plant Species Added To IUCN Red List Of Threatened Species:

Three medicinal plant species (Meizotropis pellita, Fritillaria cirrhosa, Dactylorhiza hatagirea) found in the Himalayas have been added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species following a recent assessment.

Key Highlights of these Species:

Meizotropis pellita:

• It is commonly known as Patwa, is a perennial shrub with a restricted distribution that is endemic to Uttarakhand.
• The study stated that the species is listed as ‘critically endangered’ based on its limited area of occupancy (less than 10 sq. km).
• The species is threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation and forest fires.

Fritillaria cirrhosa:

• It is commonly known as Himalayan fritillary, is a perennial bulbous herb.
• Considering the rate of decline, long generation length, poor germination potential, high trade value, extensive harvesting pressure and illegal trade, the species is listed as ‘vulnerable’.
• In China, the species is used for the treatment of bronchial disorders and pneumonia. The plant is also a strong cough suppressant and a source of expectorant drugs in traditional Chinese medicine.

Dactylorhiza hatagirea:

• It is commonly known as Salampanja, is a perennial tuberous species endemic to the Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
• It is threatened by habitat loss, livestock grazing, deforestation, and climate change, the species is listed as ‘endangered’.
• It is extensively used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and other alternative systems of medicine to cure dysentery, gastritis, chronic fever, cough and stomach aches.

National Judicial Commission Bill, 2022:

The National Judicial Commission Bill, 2022 was introduced after the majority of voice votes were in its favour.

Highlights of the Bill:

• The bill aims to regulate the procedure to be followed by the National Judicial Commission for recommending people for appointment as the Chief Justice of India and other judges of the Supreme Court and Chief Justices and other judges of High Courts.
• It also aims to regulate their transfers and to lay down judicial standards and provide for accountability of judges, and establish credible and expedient mechanism for investigating into individual complaints for misbehaviour or incapacity of a judge of the apex court or of a high court and to regulate the procedure for such investigation.
• It also proposes for the presentation of an address by parliament to the president in relation to proceeding for removal of a judge and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.