18th November, 2021 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
SC allows Centre to disinvest its remaining shares in Hindustan Zinc Ltd

The Supreme Court has allowed the Central Government to disinvest its remaining shares in Hindustan Zinc Limited.
The Bench of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and A.S. Bopanna held that the Centre can disinvest the remaining 29.5 per cent of its shares in Hindustan Zinc, since it is not a government company anymore.
In 2016, theSupreme Court had directed the Central Government to maintain status quo on the proposed disinvestment of the Public Sector Undertaking, Hindustan Zinc Limited. The government was thus restricted from initiating any process of further disinvestment of its shares in the PSU.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the petitioner organization, had filed a Right to Information (RTI) query on why Hindustan Zinc's shares were disinvested. The response revealed that 50 per cent of the shares of Hindustan Zinc were disinvested and sold to Vedanta.

SC sets aside judgment that held 'skin-to-skin' contact was necessary to be taken as 'sexual assault'

The Supreme Court set aside a controversial Bombay High Court judgment which had held that the 'skin-to-skin' contact was necessary to be taken as 'sexual assault' under Section 7 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
A Bench of Justices U.U. Lalit, S. Ravindra Bhat and Bela Trivedi held that the ingredient of the offence of 'sexual assault' under POCSO is sexual intent and skin to skin contact in such incidents is not relevant. The Bench underscored that the law has to be given an interpretation that gives effect to the intention of legislature instead of defeating it.
The Apex Court added that mandating 'skin to skin' contact would amount to a narrow and absurd interpretation. Justice Ravindra Bhat delivered a separate concurring judgment.
The top court had reserved its judgment in the matter on 30th of September. In its judgment today, the court said that when the legislature has expressed clear intention with regard to a law, courts cannot create ambiguity with respect to it.
The court while setting aside the High Court verdict ordered that the accused has to undergo rigorous imprisonment for three years and simple imprisonment for one month.

Cabinet gives nod for 4G mobile services in over 7,000 uncovered villages of 44 Aspirational Districts across five states

The Union Cabinet has given the nod to provide 4G mobile services in over 7,000 villages of 44 aspirational districts across five states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha.Mobile towers connectivity will be provided in Left Wing Extremist areas.
The work related to providing of 4G mobile services in identified uncovered villages will be awarded through open competitive bidding process. The minister said, this will fulfill the vision of Digital India promoting domestic manufacturing and fulfilling the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The Cabinet has also approved the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY Phase I and II) and Road Connectivity Project for Left-Wing Extremism Affected Areas, (RCPLWEA). He said, 4,490 Km road length and 105 bridges have already been completed under RCPLWEA since 2016 in 44 districts in nine states.

INTERNATIONAL

India at UNSC meet calls for inclusive dispensation in Afghanistan

India at the United Nations Security Council meeting has called for inclusive dispensation in Afghanistan which represents all sections of Afghan society.
India urged the international community to rise above partisan interests and come together for assistance in Afghanistan.
New Delhi is willing to coordinate with other stakeholders to work towards enabling the expeditious provision of much-needed assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
One of India's immediate priorities is to evacuate stranded people as well as ensure their free movement.
Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to Afghanistan and the region.
The Security Council Resolution 2593 notes the commitment of the Taliban not to allow the use of Afghan soil for terrorism, including those designated under UNSCR 1267.

US designates Pakistan and China as countries of particular concern for violation of religious freedom

The United States has designated several nations, including Pakistan, China, Iran, North Korea and Myanmar as countries of particular concern for violation of religious freedom.
It also announced to place Algeria, Comoros, Cuba, and Nicaragua on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom.
The US has also designated al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Greater Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, Jamaat Nasr al-Islam walMuslimin and the Taliban as 'Entities of Particular Concern'.
The United States will not waiver in its commitment to advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all and in every country.
The challenges to religious freedom in the world today are structural, systemic, and deeply entrenched.
The US remains committed to working with governments, civil society organizations, and members of religious communities to advance religious freedom around the world and address the plight of individuals and communities facing abuse, harassment, and discrimination on account of what they believe, or what they do not believe.

UN nuclear chief to visit Tehran on Monday: IAEA

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog visited Tehran to discuss Iran's nuclear programme, the spokesman for Iran's atomic agency said, as several key dates approach.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi had expressed concern on November 12 over the lack of contact with the Iranian government, describing it as astonishing.
Iran responded three days later by inviting the UN nuclear chief to Tehran.
Grossi will meet Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and the head of Iran's atomic agency, Mohamed Eslami.
Grossi's last visit to Tehran was in September when he said he had technical discussions with Eslami.
Grossi's visit comes ahead of the resumption of nuclear talks on November 29 in Vienna, stalled since June. The talks aim to restore a 2015 deal that offered Tehran relief from sanctions in exchange for major curbs on its nuclear activities.
The Vienna talks will be attended by the remaining parties to the deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia -- while the US will participate in negotiations indirectly.
The US unilaterally pulled out of the deal in 2018 under the administration of President Donald Trump but talks to revive it began earlier this year.

Bangladesh writer Hasan AzizulHaque passes away at 82

Acclaimed short-story writer and literary figure of Bangladesh Hasan AzizulHaque passed away at Rajshahi. He was 82. He was born in Burdwan district of West Bengal on 2nd February 1939.
One of the most prominent literary figures of Bangladesh, Hasan AzizulHaque received the EkusheyPadak in 1999 and the country’s top civilian honour Independence award in 2019. He also received literary awards like the Bangla Academy award, AdamjeeSahityaPuraskar, and Ananda SahityaPuraskar in 2018 in Kolkata for his novel Agunpakhi.
Hasan AzizulHaque was especially known for his short stories in Bangla. He has published several collections of short stories including 'Atmoja O EktiKarabiGaach', 'JibonGhosheAgun' and 'Naamhin', and 'Gotrahin'. He got critical acclaim for his novel ‘Agunpakhi’ which won several literary awards in Bangladesh. The novel chronicles the life and times during the partition of India in 1947 through its women protagonist who wonders about the clamor for Pakistan among her kinsmen. She reminisces about the world riven with divisiveness and bloodshed. Her family members leave for Pakistan but she refuses to go with them.

REPORTS
ASER 2021 Report – Highlights

16th Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021 (Rural) was published by Pratham foundation on November 17, 2021.
ASER provides report on schooling status of children in the age group of 5-16 age across rural India including the ability to do basic reading & arithmetic tasks.
This year, ASER followed a phone-based survey format, as field survey was not possible due to covid-19 pandemic.
Survey was conducted during September-October 2021.
It tries to find out how children in aged between 5 and 16 studied at home since the onset of covid-19 pandemic as well as challenges that schools & households now face in the backdrop of opening up of schools.

Key Findings of the report
Important findings of the ASER 2021 report are as follows:

As per report, there was an overall increase in proportion of children enrolled in govt. schools in between 2018 and 2020. Enrolment increased from 64.3% to 65.8%. But in 2021, enrolment suddenly increased to 70.3%.
Enrolment rate in private schools has decreased as compared to last year. In 2020, enrolment rate was 28.8% which decreased to 24.4% in 2021.
In 2021, 73.1% school respondents received training to implement Covid-19 prevention measures.
Even though availability of smartphones increased to 67.6% in 2021 as compared to 36.5% in 2018, around 79% of children in private schools had smartphone at home as opposed to 63.7% children in government school.
Number of school-going children taking tuition increased by 40% during closure of their schools.
52% of the respondents cited financial distress caused by covid-19 pandemic as the reason of increase in enrolments in government school.

Published date : 18 Nov 2021 06:14PM