TNPSC Current Affairs August 19, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs August 19, 2020 (19/08/2020)

Topic: Profile of States

Mysuru zoo receives three African hunting cheetahs from South Africa

Mysuru zoo has received three Cheetahs from Ann Van Dyke Cheetah Centre, South Africa as part of the Animal Exchange Programme.

Mysuru zoo is the second zoo in the country to house hunting cheetahs after Hyderabad zoo which has a pair of big cats.

About Cheetah:

The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era.

The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal. It is listed as vulnerablein IUCN red listed species. It was declared extinct in India in 1952.

The Asiatic cheetah is classified as a “critically endangered” species by the IUCN Red List, and is believed to survive only in Iran.

Topic: International News

Digital Quality of Life Index 2020

The report was released recently. The index is prepared by Surfshark, a virtual private network (VPN) provider based in the British Virgin Islands.

It seeks to rank countries on internet affordability and quality, and electronic infrastructure, security and government. All parameters have equal weightage.

Performance of other countries:

Top 3: Scandinavian countries Denmark and Sweden topped the index, with Canada rounding up the top three.

Best Internet Quality– Singapore, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Canada leads in American continents, Japan in Asia, South Africa in Africa and News Zealand in Oceania.

Indian Rankings: India stands at the overall rank of 57 out of the 85 countries.

Internet Affordability: 9th place and outperforms countries like the UK, the USA and China.

Internet Quality: 78th place and is almost at the bottom of the pillar.

E-infrastructure: 79th place and below countries like Guatemala and Sri Lanka.

Electronic Security: 57th position.

E-government: 15th place and just below countries like New Zealand and Italy.

Topic: Latest Reports and Events

National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020

According to the recently released National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020, cancer cases in India are likely to increase to 15.6 lakhs by 2025, a 12% increase from the current estimated cases.

The report has been released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru.

Key Facts:

Number of Cases: The number of cases are likely to touch 15.6 lakhs by 2025 from the current 13.9 lakhs in 2020.

Major Cause: Tobacco-related cancers are estimated to contribute 27.1% of the total cancer burden.

Regional Distribution: Cancers related to use of any form of tobacco were highest in the northeastern region of the country and in higher proportions in men.

Topic: Profile of States

Reservations Based on Place of Birth

Recently, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh has announced that the government jobs will be reserved for the “children” of the state and legal provisions will be made for the same.

Key facts:

Arguments Against Providing Reservation Based on Place of Birth:

Article 16 in the Constitution of India refers to equality of opportunity in government jobs.

Article 16(1) provides for equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to ’employment or appointment’ to any office under the State.

Article 16(2) provides that there cannot be any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them.

Reservation on the basis of domicile and residence would mean discrimination as even a minimal departure creates an irrational class depriving a meritorious candidate of his fundamental rights.

This kind of parochialism encourages regionalism and threatens the unity of the nation.

Arguments in favour of Providing Reservation Based on Place of Birth:

Article 16(3), allows for making provisions in government appointments with respect to residence (not place of birth).

The Parliament (and not the legislature of a state) can prescribe residence within a state or union territory as a condition for certain employments or appointments in that state or union territory, or local authority or other authority within that state or union territory.

Some states have been using the loopholes in the laws to reserve government jobs for locals. They have used other criteria like language tests or proof of having resided/studied in the state for a certain period of time.

In Maharashtra, only those living in the state for over 15 years with fluency in Marathi are eligible.

Distinction between domicile status and place of birth:

According to the SC ruling in DP Joshi vs Madhya Bharat case,1955, Domicile or status of residence is a fluid concept that can change from time to time, unlike place of birth, which is fixed.

Domicile of a person means his permanent home.

The place of birth is one of several grounds on which domicile status is conferred.

Way Forward:

The move to give reservation to the candidates born in the state itself runs against the spirit of constitutional equality and fraternity. It is more likely that such politically motivated steps would be overturned by the judiciary as has been done several times in the past.

Also, the government is not an employment guaranteeing agency rather an authority which should create an environment through its policies which minimizes inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities.

Topic: Public Awareness and General Administration

No Audit of PM-CARES Funds by CAG: SC

The Supreme Court said that being a public charitable trust, “there is no occasion for audit of Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) by the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India”

It also refused to order transfer of funds from the PM CARES Fund to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

Key Facts:

No Audit by CAG: The Court ruled that while NDRF is to be audited by the CAG of India according to the Disaster Management Act, 2005, a public charitable trust like PM-CARES Fund need not be.

The Fund will, however, be audited by an independent auditor.

No Transfer of Funds of PM-CARES to NDRF: The Court ruled “The PM CARES Fund is a charitable trust registered under the Registration Act, 1908. The trust does not receive any Budgetary support or any Government money.”

NDRF, formed under Section 46 of the DM Act of 2005, were provided for by Central and State Budgets.

Individuals Can Contribute to NDRF: The court held that there is “no statutory prohibition on individuals to make voluntary contributions to NDRF” under Section 46(1)(b) of the DM Act.