Current Affairs (5th July, 2024)

Current Affairs


 05-Jul-2024

Current Affairs

Exercise MAITREE 2024

Why in the News?

  • The Indian Army contingent departed for the 13th edition of India - Thailand joint military exercise MAITREE.
  • The exercise is scheduled at Fort Vachiraprakan in Tak Province of Thailand.
  • The last edition of the same exercise was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya in September 2019.
  • The Indian Army contingent is being represented by a Battalion of the Ladakh Scouts along with personnel from other arms and services.
  • The Royal Thailand Army contingent comprises from 1st Battalion, 14 Infantry Regiment of 4 Division.

Historical Background of MAITREE

  • The exercise began in 2006 as the Thai-Indian Cooperation Field Exercise (TICAFE).
  • In 2013, the name changed to Maitree, which means “friendship” in Hindi.
  • Aim: Foster Military Cooperation between India and Thailand and improve military ties by sharing training operations.

Sopna Kallingal Wins Spice Award 2024

  • She is an agriculturist from Kallingal Plantation in Thrissur.
  • The award is instituted by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) for her outstanding work in business diversification and integrated crop management.

About Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

  • It was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
  • It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
  • It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.

Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR)

  • It is located in Moozhikkal, Silver Hills, Kozhikode, Kerala.
  • It is a subsidiary of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Agriculture, India.
  • The institute provides research facilities related to spice crops and ensures standard methods to make large scale productions, also taking pest and disease management in measures.

NAMO Drone Didi Scheme

Why in the News?

  • Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, emphasized the development of the drone ecosystem.
  • He stated that deploying drones in villages nationwide aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'NAMO Drone Didi' initiative.
  • The initiative aims to empower women in the agriculture sector.
  • He mentioned that technological advancements in the drone industry will help combat erratic weather patterns.
  • These advancements will assist farmers in achieving higher quality and higher quantity yields.

About NAMO Drone Didi Scheme

  • It was launched on 11th March 2024, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.
  • The scheme falls under the Sashakt Nari-Viksit Bharat programme.
  • The scheme aims to empower rural women by providing them with agricultural drones and training them to become drone pilots for agricultural purposes.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Goes Global

Why in the News?

  • India launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments at the flagship store of the world-renowned Galeries Lafayette in Haussman, Paris.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

  • UPI was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016.
  • It is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application, merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood.
  • It also caters to the peer to peer collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience.
  • Other Countries having UPI are Sri Lanka, Mauritius, France, UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, and Nepal.

General Knowledge

Chief Justice of India (CJI)

  • Qualifications
    • The CJI should be a citizen of India.
    • He should have been for at least five years a Judge of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession or
    • He has been for at least ten years an advocate of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession, or
    • He should be a distinguished jurist in the opinion of the President.
  • Appointment of the CJI
    • The CJI and the Judges of the Supreme Court (SC) are appointed by the President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution.
    • The SC collegium is headed by CJI and comprises four other senior most judges of the court.
    • The collegium system is the system of appointment and transfer of judges that has evolved through judgments of the SC (Judges Cases), and not by an Act of Parliament or by a provision of the Constitution.
  • Powers and Functions
    • Acts as the head of the Indian judiciary and the Supreme Court of India.
    • Advises the President of India on matters of law and the Constitution under Article 143.
    • Represents the judicial system of India at national and international levels.
    • Interprets the Constitution and ensures its provisions are upheld.
    • Oversees the administration and functioning of the Supreme Court.
    • Allocates cases to different benches and decides the roster of judges.
    • Consults with the President on the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts.
    • Manages the appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary.
    • Hears and adjudicates cases, particularly those of national importance.
    • Issues writs and passes judgments to protect fundamental rights and enforce the rule of law.
    • Reviews and decides on appeals against the decisions of lower courts.
    • Initiates and oversees proceedings related to the impeachment of judges.
    • Exercises general supervision over all subordinate courts in the country.
    • Ensures the efficient and fair administration of justice at all levels.
  • Removal
    • He can be removed by an order of the President only after an address by Parliament has been presented to President.
    • This should be supported by a special majority of each House of Parliament.
    • Grounds of Removal: Proved misbehaviour or Incapacity (Article 124(4)).
  • Present CJI: Justice Dhanajaya Yeshwant Chandrachud

Note: Special Majority

  • It refers to a majority of 2/3rd members present and voting supported by over 50% of the total strength of the House.

United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)

  • It was established in 2006 by the General Assembly to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide.
  • It is the main intergovernmental body within the United Nations responsible for human rights.
  • The Council, composed of 47 Member States, provides a multilateral forum to address human rights violations and country situations.
  • The Council benefits from substantive, technical, and secretariat support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
  • The Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
  • Function
    • Serves as an international forum for dialogue on human rights issues with UN officials and mandated experts, states, civil society, and other participants;
    • Adopts resolutions or decisions during regular sessions that express the will of the international community on given human rights issues or situations.
    • Holds crisis meetings known as special sessions to respond to urgent human rights situations, 36 of which have been held to date.
    • Reviews the human rights records of all United Nations Member States via the Universal Periodic Review.
    • Appoints the Special Procedures, independent human rights experts who serve as the eyes and ears of the Council by monitoring situations in specific countries or by looking at specific themes.
    • Authorizes commissions of inquiry and fact-finding missions, which produce hard-hitting evidence on war crimes and crimes against humanity.