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Daily Current Affairs for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, BPSC, MPPSC, RPSC and All State PCS Examinations

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World Food Prize

Why in NEWS?

Recently, Indian-American soil scientist Dr. Rattan Lal has been named as this year’s recipient of the World Food Prize. The announcement was made by World Food Prize Foundation president Barbara Stinson in an online ceremony from Washington on June 11.

Contribution of Dr. Rattan Lal for which he has won World Food Prize

• For developing and mainstreaming a soil-centric approaches for increasing food production that conserves natural resources and mitigates climate change.
• Contribution to soil conservation will also increased the global food supply by helping small farmers improve their soil’s health.
• His research led to improved food production along with a better understanding of how atmospheric carbon can be held in the soil to help combat climate change.
• Restoring soil health can lead to multiple benefits by the year 2100, including more than doubling the global annual grain yield to feed the growing world population, while decreasing the land area under grain cultivation by 30% and decreasing fertiliser use by half.

About World Food Prize

• The World Food Prize was established by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug in 1986.The foundation is based in Iowa, US
• It is also called ‘Nobel of Agriculture’. The World Food Prize is considered equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the field of agriculture, and the recipient is awarded $250,000 for improving the quality and availability of food.
• The first recipient of this award was Indian agricultural scientist Dr M.S. Swaminathan in 1987, regarded as the father of India’s Green Revolution.

For India

• Research by Dr. Rattan Lal could help managing India’s food crisis as it almost doubles the agricultural yield.
• It could significantly help small farmers as it doubles the agricultural yield along with decreasing the land area under grain cultivation by 30%.
• Thus, it could supplement India’s goal of doubling farmer’s income by 2022.
• Adopting practice could also help India’s effort of combating climate change.

Sahakar Mitra Scheme

Why in news?

Recently, Scheme on Internship Programme (SIP) was launched by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmer’s Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in effort of keeping with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call for Self Reliant India(Atma-Nirbhar Bharat) emphasizing the importance of local for vocal.

About Sahakar Mitra Scheme

• In the series of initiatives by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), the new scheme called Sahakar Mitra Scheme on Internship Programme (SIP) will provide the young professionals an opportunity of practical exposure and learning from the working of NCDC and cooperatives as a paid intern. It will be a win-win situation both for cooperatives as well as for the young professionals.
• It will also be a supplementary scheme to promote start-up cooperative enterprises.
• Each intern will get financial support over a 4 months internship period.
• It will be helpful in realising the goals of Self Reliant India (Atma-Nirbhar Bharat).

Objective of Scheme

• To provide an opportunity to professionals from academic institutions to develop leadership and entrepreneurial roles through cooperatives as Farmers Producers Organizations (FPO).
• To assist cooperative institutions access new and innovative ideas of young professionals while the interns gain experience of working in the field giving confidence to be self-reliant.

Eligibility Criteria

• Professional graduates in disciplines such as Agriculture and allied areas, IT etc. will be eligible for internship program.
• Professionals who are pursuing or have completed their MBA degrees in Agri-business, Cooperation, Finance, International Trade, Forestry, Rural Development, Project Management etc. will also be eligible for internship program.

About National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)

Sahakar Mitra scheme is an initiative by (NCDC), the cooperative sector development finance organization.

• It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1963 as a statutory Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
• Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
• The objectives of NCDC are planning and promoting programmes for production, processing, marketing, storage, export and import of agricultural produce, foodstuffs, industrial goods, livestock and certain other notified commodities and services on cooperative principles.
• It ensures supply through cooperatives of fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural machinery, lacquer, soaps, kerosene, textiles, rubber, etc., for consumer goods.
• Activities including collection, processing, marketing of dairy, fisheries, sericulture, handloom etc. and minor forest produce helps in income generation.

Impact of COVID-19 on Child Labour

Why in NEWS ?

Recently, on the World Day against Child Labour i.e. June 12, 2020, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) and the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), India organized a National Stakeholder Webinar on "COVID-19: Protect Children From Child Labour, Now More Than Ever". UNICEF and ILO released a report COVID-19 and child labour: A time of crisis, a time to act, according to which, the COVID-19 crisis could push millions of children into child labour in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Brazil and Mexico.

World Day against Child Labour

• The World Day against Child Labour, held every year on June 12, to foster the worldwide movement against child labour in any of its forms.
• It was first launched in 2002 to raise awareness and prevent child labour.
• This World Day against Child Labour in 2020 focuses on the impact of COVID-19 crisis on child labour.
• This day brings together governments, local authorities, civil society and international, workers and employers organizations to point out the child labour problem and define the guidelines to help child labourers.
• ILO launched the World Day against Child Labour to bring attention and join efforts to fight against child labour.

Covid-19 and Child labour

• Due to recession and loss of jobs informal sector is highly affected that has forced the children of poor households to get trapped in bonded labour.
• Schools closed for extended periods and the return of many labourers to their villages will emerge as the biggest reason behind the anticipated increase in child labour in India.
• According to UNESCO, it also affected more than 30 crore students in India, many of whom were dependent on mid-day meals being served in their school for at least one meal a day.

Major findings of the Report

• Child labor has decreased by 94 million since 2000, but Covid-19 may once again increase this risk.
• Children already in child labour work hours in difficult conditions and under these circumstances many of them may be forced to work in the worst forms of labour, which can cause serious damage to their health and safety.
• COVID-19 crisis may result in millions of children being pushed into child labour, leading to huge increase in child labour, almost nullifying the efforts of ILO and UNICEF.
• More than 1 billion students are affected in at least 130 countries due to temporary school closures to prevent the spread of the disease. Even when classes resume, many families cannot afford to send their children to school due to financial difficulties.
• Earlier studies have found that 1% increase in poverty could lead to at least 0.7% increase in child labour.

Major Child Labour Laws in India

• The Constitution of India in the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy prohibits child labour below the age of 14 years in any factory or mine or castle or engaged in any other hazardous employment (Article 24).
• Both the central and state governments can and have legislation on child labour. The major national legislative developments include the following-
• The Factories Act of 1948: The Act prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 years in any factory.
• The Mines Act of 1952: The Act prohibits the employment of children below 18 years of age in a mine.
• The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986: A "Child" is defined as any person below the age of 14 and the CLPR Act prohibits employment of a Child in any employment including as a domestic help (except helping own family in non-hazardous occupations). It is a cognizable criminal offence to employ a Child for any work.
• The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act of 2015: This law made it a crime, punishable with a prison term, for anyone to keep a child in bondage for the purpose of employment.
• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009: The law mandates free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years 25% of seats in every private school must be allocated for children from disadvantaged groups and physically challenged children.

Donald Trump Considering Suspending H1B, Other Visas

ABOUT

• US President Donald Trump is considering suspending a number of employment visas including the H-1B, most sought-after among Indian IT professionals, in view of the massive unemployment in America due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a media report.
• The proposed suspension could extend into the government's new fiscal year beginning October 1, when many new visas are issued

H1B-VISAS

• The H1B visa classification permits a foreign national to work in the United States for a temporary period. It is available for offers of employment that are in a specialty occupation.
• A person may hold H1B status for a maximum of six years, and it may be issued in increments of up to three years. An employee may receive extensions of H1B status beyond six years in certain circumstances, if s/he is in the process of applying for employment-based permanent residence (commonly referred to as the “green card”).
• H1B visas are numerically limited, with a total of 85,000 visas available each fiscal year (20,000 of these visas are restricted to individuals who have received master’s degrees or higher from U.S colleges or universities). This limitation is referred to as the H1B cap.

IMPACT

• The Indian technology industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth. Around 55% of the work of these giant corporations comes from America. Also, around 15% of the workforce is deployed in the United States using visas like H1B, L1, etc.
• H-1B is the most coveted foreign work visas for technology professionals from India
• That could bar any new H-1B holder outside the country from coming to work until the suspension is lifted, though visa holders already in the country are unlikely to be affected

CONCLUSION

• Donald Trump wants to make America great again. However, it was the economic freedom that made America great in the first place. Right through the ages, America has benefitted from the fruits of people who came in to make a better life. Without immigrants, America would face a severe crunch of people who would start or manage huge companies.
• Apple’s founder Steve Jobs was born to immigrant parents. Microsoft CEO Sathya Nadella is also of Indian origin, and so is Google’s Sundar Pichai. If Trump’s proposals are brought into effect, a lot of these people would not be in the United States.
• They would be taking their hard work and innovation to another country and making it great! Making America great again should be about attracting more talent and not deporting the one that is already there!

The 40th GST Council

IN NEWS

In 40th GST COUNCIL meet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced major relief for small taxpayers with an aggregate turnover of less than Rs 5 crore. Nirmala Sitharaman cut the interest rate on late submission of returns for the month of February, March, and April from 18 per cent to 9 per cent. The government also announced that there will be no late fee for filing GSTR 3B returns with no liability and pending from July 2017 to January 2020

ABOUT

• Goods & Services Tax Council is a constitutional body for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Service Tax. The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States.
• The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Second Amendment) Bill, 2016, for introduction of Goods and Services tax in the country was introduced in the Parliament and passed by Rajya Sabha on 3rd August, 2016 and by Lok Sabha on 8th August, 2016.
• As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, the GST Council has to be constituted by the President within 60 days of the commencement of Article 279A. The notification for bringing into force Article 279A with effect from 12th September, 2016 was issued on 10thSeptember, 2016.
• The Goods and Services Tax Council shall consist of the following members, namely: —

• the Union Finance Minister................................................................ Chairperson;
• the Union Minister of State in charge of Revenue or Finance................. Member;
• the Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other
• Minister nominated by each State Government...................................... Members.

PURPOSE

• As per Article 279A (4), the Council will make recommendations to the Union and the States on important issues related to GST, like the goods and services that may be subjected or exempted from GST, model GST Laws, principles that govern Place of Supply, threshold limits, GST rates including the floor rates with bands, special rates for raising additional resources during natural calamities/disasters, special provisions for certain States, etc.

International Criminal Court Condemns U.S. Sanctions (ICC)

ABOUT

• The International Criminal Court has condemned the Trump administration’s decision to authorise sanctions against court staff, saying it amounted to “an unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law and the Court’s judicial proceedings.”
• An executive order by U.S. President on Thursday authorises sanctions against ICC staff investigating American troops and intelligence officials and those of allied nations, including Israel, for possible war crimes in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

ICC

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal that sits in The Hague, Netherlands. The ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
• The ICC began functioning on 1 July 2002, the date that the Rome Statute entered into force. The Rome Statute is a multilateral treaty that serves as the ICC's foundational and governing document.
• As of November 2019, there are 123 ICC member states. 42 states are non-party, non-signatory states.
• INDIA is Non-state party, non-signatory

IMPACT/REACTIONS

• Mr. Trump’s order would block the financial assets of court employees and bar them and their immediate relatives from entering the United States.
• According to ICC- an attack against the interests of victims of atrocity crimes, for many of whom the Court represents the last hope for justice. ICC stands firmly by its staff and officials and remains unwavering in its commitment to discharging, independently and impartially, the mandate.
• Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, backed the U.S. action, accusing the court of fabricating “outlandish charges” against his country, and praising the U.S. for standing up for what he called truth and justice.

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