20th December, 2023 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
Parliament Passes Post Office Bill, 2023, Replacing 125-Year-Old Indian Post Office Act, 1898

• The Indian Parliament recently approved the Post Office Bill, 2023, marking a significant overhaul of the 125-year-old Indian Post Office Act, 1898. The new legislation aims to modernize and consolidate the legal framework governing post offices in India.
• The Bill grants post office employees the authority to open, detain, or intercept any item during transmission in the interest of national security or public safety. However, this power is subject to specific conditions.
• While providing immunity for post office employees from liability in delivering services, the Bill includes conditions. Officers are exempt unless they act fraudulently or willfully cause loss, delay, or misdelivery of services.
• The Central Government, through notification, can empower officers to intercept, open, or detain items in transit by the post office. This authority extends to situations involving security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, emergencies, or public safety.
• Post office officers can deliver items, suspected of duty evasion or being prohibited by law, to customs or relevant authorities. The handling of such items will follow legal provisions.
• The Post Office Bill, 2023, aims to replace the outdated Indian Post Office Act, 1898, to accommodate the evolving landscape of post office services. With over 1.5 lakh post offices in India, including a substantial presence in rural areas, the legislation addresses concerns related to national security, public safety, and the expanding role of post offices in citizen-centric service delivery.

World's largest meditation centre inaugurated

• Prime Minister Monday recently inaugurated the world's largest meditation centre, Swarved Mahamandir, in Varanasi.
• It is the world's largest meditation centre, where 20,000 people can sit together and meditate.
• Location: It is located in Varanasi city, Uttar Pradesh.
• It covers an expansive area of 3,00,000 square feet.
• It aims to illuminate humankind with its spiritual aura and engulf the world in a state of peaceful alertness.
• The temple is named after the Swarved, a spiritual literature written by Sadguru Shri Sadafal Deoji Mahara, the creator of Vihangam Yoga and an eternal yogi.
• The temple propagates Swarveda teachings, with a focus on Brahm Vidya, a body of knowledge that enables spiritual seekers to sustain a state of perfect Zen, a state of unyielding constancy in peace and happiness.

Features:

• It is a seven-floor superstructure.
• It has a beautiful design with 125-petal lotus domes.
• The ceiling and doors with intricate carvings are made of teakwood.
• The temple has 101 fountains.
• The pink sandstone decor surrounds the temple walls, and there is an exquisite garden with medicinal herbs.
• Verses of the Swarveda have been carved upon the walls of the Mahamandir.

Key Facts about Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)
The Ministry of Mines launched PMKKKY in 2015 for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining-related operations, using the funds generated by DMFs.
Objectives:

• to implement various developmental and welfare projects in mining-affected areas, complementing the existing ongoing schemes of the State and Central Government;
• to minimize/mitigate the adverse impacts, during and after mining, on the environment, health, and socio-economics of people in mining districts; and
• to ensure long-term sustainable livelihoods for the affected people in mining areas.

Implementation:

• It will be implemented by the DMFs of the respective districts using the funds accruing to the DMF. The MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, mandated the setting up of DMFs in all districts in the country affected by mining related operations.
• The Central Government has notified the rates of contribution payable by miners to the DMFs.
• In case of all mining leases executed before 12th January, 2015 miners will have to contribute an amount equal to 30% of the royalty payable by them to the DMFs. If mining leases are granted after 12.01.2015, the rate of contribution would be 10% of the royalty payable.

Utilisation of Funds:

• At least 60% of PMKKKY funds to be utilized for High priority areas such as Drinking water supply, Health care, Education, Environment preservation etc.
• Up to 40% of the PMKKKY to be utilized for other priority areas such as- Physical infrastructure, Irrigation, Energy and Watershed Development etc.

Also Read: Weekly Current Affairs (Persons) 4-10 November 2023 Bitbank: Who is set to be the next CMD of Konkan Railway?

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INTERNATIONAL
Donald Trump cannot run for US President next year in state, citing constitutional insurrection clause

• Colorado's Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump cannot run for US President next year in the state, citing a constitutional insurrection clause. In a landmark decision, the court ruled 4-3 that Mr Trump is not an eligible candidate.
•  It is the first time that Section 3 of the US Constitution's 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. Several attempts to kick Mr Trump off the ballot in other states have failed. Last night's decision - which has been placed on hold pending appeal until next month - does not apply to states outside Colorado.
• The ruling only applies to the state's primary election on 5 March, when Republican voters will choose their preferred candidate for president. The decision reverses an earlier one from a Colorado judge, who ruled that the 14th Amendment's insurrection ban does not apply to presidents because the section does not explicitly name them.

US announces creation of new multinational task force to counter Houthi threat in Red Sea

• The US has announced the creation of a new multinational task force to counter Houthi threat in Red Sea. The 10 nation Task Force, named as Operation Prosperity Guardian will include the Navies of Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles Spain and United Kingdom.
• The Houthis have violated international law by harassing ships in the Red Sea. The new security initiative will address the security challenges in the southern Red Sea,the Bab el-Mandeb Strait near Yemen and the Gulf of Aden, with the goal of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity.
• The Iran-backed Houthis rebel group has been continuously attacking multiple merchant vessels and forced companies to suspend routes through the region for the past weeks.  

ECONOMY
RBI directs banks to refrain from investing in any scheme offered by Alternative Investment Funds

• The Reserve Bank of India has directed all Commercial Banks, Co-operative Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies including Housing Finance Companies and Financial Institutions to refrain from investing in any scheme offered by Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which has downstream investments either directly or indirectly in the bank’s debtor company.
• RBI has stated that the debtor company means any company that has taken a loan from the bank anytime during the preceding twelve months. RBI has further directed banks to liquidate their investment from such AIFs within thirty days.
• The circular adds that in case the bank is unable to liquidate their investment within the specified time frame, then it must make 100 percent provision on such investments. RBI has said that the instructions have come into effect immediately. RBI has said that it has recently noticed that some of such transactions may develop regulatory concerns, prompting the issuance of said directions. It may be noted that AIFs means venture capital funds, angel funds, infrastructure funds, private equity funds and hedge funds, among others.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
National Geoscience Data Repository Portal launched

• The union Ministry of Mines is to launch the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) Portal.
• It is a comprehensive online platform for accessing, sharing, and analyzing geospatial information across India.
• The NGDR initiative spearheaded by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Bhaskarachaya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N).
• It represents a significant leap forward in democratizing critical geoscience data, empowering stakeholders across industries and academia with unprecedented access to invaluable resources.

APPOINTMENTS
India’s Uma Sekhar Elected to Governing Council of UNIDROIT

• Ms. Uma Sekhar achieved a remarkable victory by securing 45 out of 59 votes in the initial round of elections for the Governing Council of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) held in Rome, Italy. This historic win not only represents Ms. Sekhar’s individual achievement but also elevates India to a prominent on the Governing Council for the term spanning 2024-28.
• UNIDROIT, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, operates as an independent intergovernmental organization headquartered in Rome, Italy. Its core mission involves studying the needs and methods for modernizing, harmonizing and coordinating private and commercial law among States and groups of States. UNIDROIT actively formulates uniform law instruments, principles and rules to achieve these objectives.

Published date : 21 Dec 2023 01:09PM