Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Amazon Prime Video''s India head Aparna Purohit

• The term ‘bail’ is originated from an old French verb ‘bailer’ which means ‘to give’ or ‘to deliver’. Bail refers to the provisional release of the accused in a criminal case in which the court is yet to announce the judgment.

Types of Bail In India

Depending upon the sage of the criminal matter, there are commonly three types of bail in India:

• Regular bail It is generally granted to a person who has been arrested or is in police custody. A bail application can be filed for the regular bail under section 437 and 439 of CrPC.
• Interim bail- This type of bail is granted for a short period of time and it is granted before the hearing for the grant of regular bail or anticipatory bail.
• Anticipatory bail- It is granted under section 438 of CrPC either by session court or High Court. An application for the grant of anticipatory bail can be filed by the person who discerns that he may be arrested by the police for a non- bailable offence.

Conditions for bail in bailable offence are:

• There are sufficient reasons to believe that the accused has not committed the offence.
• There is sufficient reason to conduct further enquiry in the matter.
• The person is not accused of any offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment up to 10 years.

Conditions for bail in non- bailable offence are:

• If the accused is a woman or a child, bail can be granted in a non-bailable offence.
• If there is lack of evidence then bail in non-Bailable offences can be granted.
• If there is delay in lodging FIR by the complainant, bail may be granted.
• If the accused is gravely sick.

Cancellation of Bail

• Court has the power to cancel the bail even at a later stage. This power is laid upon the court under section 437(5) and 439(2) of the CrPC. The court can cancel the bail granted by it and give directions to the police officer to arrest the person and keep in police custody.

GEF-UNIDO-BEE Project

• The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in collaboration with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is executing a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded national project titled “Promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in selected MSME clusters in India”. The project was initiated in 2011.
• Aim: To develop and promote a market environment for introducing energy efficiency (EE) and enhanced use of renewable energy (RE) technologies in process applications in selected energy-intensive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sectors.
• The project has been supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• The project has implemented its programmatic intervention in 26 clusters in five different energy.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

• It is an agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Power created in 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
• The mission of BEE is to assist in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nationsthat assists countries in economic and industrial development.
• It was established in 1966 by the UN General Assembly to promote and accelerate the industrialization of developing countries, which were emerging from decolonization in record numbers and with little to no industrial base.

NCPCR launches ''GHAR'' to enable smooth repatriation of children to their native place

• The portal - “GHAR - Go Home and Re-Unite” will be a platform for information on children from every district to smoothen the process of their repatriation and restoration.

Salient features

1. Digital tracking and monitoring of children who are in the Juvenile Justice system and have to be repatriated to another Country/State/District.
2. Digital transfer of cases of children to the concerned Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the State. It will help in speedy repatriation of children.
3. Where there is a requirement of a translator/interpreter/expert, request will be made to the concerned State Government.
4. Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Officers can ensure proper restoration and rehabilitation of children by digitally monitoring the progress of the case of the child.
5. A checklist format will be provided in the forms so that the children who are being hard to repatriate or children who are not getting their entitled compensation or other monetary benefits can be identified.
6. List of Government implemented schemes will be provided, so that at the time of restoration the Child Welfare Committees can link the child with the schemes to strengthen the family and ensure that child remains with his/her family.

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015

• The Act provides for protection of children in need of care and protection and those in conflict with law by catering to their basic needs through care, protection, development, treatment and social re-integration.
• The Child Welfare Committees have been empowered to take decisions with regard to the children in need of care and protection for the best interest of the children.
• Every State Government has to constitute a District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) for every district to take up matters relating to children.
• To ensure effective coordination in the Child Safety, Protection and Development; District Magistrates have been made the head of DCPUs. DMs have been empowered to review the functioning of DCPUs and CWCs at regular intervals to ensure prompt decisions

Centre extends PM SVANidhi scheme till December 2024

• The government has also introduced third loan of upto Rs 50,000 in addition to first and second loans of Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000, respectively.
• PM SVANidhi was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on June 01, 2020 for providing affordable Working Capital loan to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 lockdown.
• Scheme Benefits
  • Vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year.
  • On timely/ early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy @ 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer on quarterly basis.
  • There will be no penalty on early repayment of loan.
  • The scheme promotes digital transactions through cash back incentives up to an amount of Rs. 100 per month.
  • The vendors can avail the facility of escalation of the credit limit on timely/ early repayment of loan.
• Implementation agency: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

Is lecanemab the Alzheimer''s drug that will finally make a difference?

• Lecanemab, is jointly developed by pharma companies Biogen and Eisai.
• Lecanemab belongs to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. These antibody-mediated drugs target beta amyloid, the protein deposition that is seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and disrupts cells function.

Alzheimer’s disease

• It is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die. It involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
• It can seriously affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.

India’s scenario:

• In India, only 1 in 10 peoplewith dementia receive any diagnosis, treatment or care for the disease, according to the World Alzheimer’s Report, 2021.

President of India Graces the Human Rights Day Celebration Organised by the National Human Rights Commission

• Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on 10 December.
• It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms to which all of us are entitled. It guarantees the rights of every individual everywhere, without distinction based on nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, language, or any other status.
• Although the Declaration is not a binding document, it inspired more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights.
• 2022 Theme: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All

GST Council to discuss circular trading, de-criminalisation

• Circular trading refers to fraudulently availing input tax credit by traders by issuing of invoices without availing any real goods or service.
• In simple words, circular trading refers to the transaction of selling and buying of goods (without actual movement of goods) through shell companies.
• Circular trading is a circular which is being formed by a group of companies engaging themselves in fake sales transaction by producing fake sale invoices.
• The main objective of circular trading is inflating turnover of the business. However, through circular trading, companies may also aim to:
  • To increase the valuation of the company/business;
  • To benefit higher loans from the Banks or Non-Banking Financial Corporation (NBFC);
  • To bring black money into the system;
  • To avail fake input tax credit.

Meetei Mayek to Replace Bengali Script in Manipuri Newspapers

• The Meitei script was once patronised by Meitei rulers but which fell into disuse with the advent of Hinduism and eventually disappeared.
• The earliest epigraphic record of the script is a stone inscription from Khoibu village which was erected on the orders of Meidingu Kiyamba (1467-1508).
• The Meitei Mayek or Meitei script evolved with time and this led to conflict between various proponents. The inscriptions on the coins of the 7th and 8th Century were perhaps in the 18-letter script, which, with the advent of Hinduism in the 17th century during the reign of Meidingu Pamheiba (1709-1748), was perhaps expanded to the 36-letter script.
• With the advent of Hinduism, Bengali scripts became so popular that stone inscriptions in the 18th and 19th century were in Bengali script.

Recent developments

• The Manipur Official Language Act, 1979, was enacted with the definition of Manipuri language as “Meiteilon written in Bengali script and spoken by the majority of Manipuri population”
• By an Amendment Act of 2021, the definition of “Manipuri language” was modified as “Meiteilon in Meetei Mayek and spoken by the majority of Manipur population” with a proviso that for 10 years, both the Bengali and Meitei Mayek scripts shall be allowed.

One District One Product (ODOP) initiative operationally merged with ‘Districts as Export Hub (DEH)’ initiative

• ODOP was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to help districts reach their full potential, foster economic and socio-cultural growth, and create employment opportunities, especially, in rural areas.
• It aims to do this by identifying, promoting and branding a product from one district.
• Its objective is to turn every district in India, into an export hub through promotion of the product in which the district specialises.
• The initiative plans to accomplish this by scaling manufacturing, supporting local businesses, finding potential foreign customers and so on, thus helping to achieve the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
• The one district one product launch date is January 24, 2018, by the Uttar Pradesh Government, and due to its success, was later adopted by the Central Government.
• This initiative is carried out with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is an important stakeholder. In the scheme, the ODOP product is identified by the state for a district. The criteria for ODOP identification are given below:
  • Percentage of ODOP produce relative to total agricultural produce of the district
  • Perishable nature
  • ODOP presence in the district relative to other districts
  • Recognisability of the district with the ODOP product
  • Processing level for ODOP in that district, other districts and states
  • Number of workers engaged in ODOP production and processing
  • Marketing linkages
  • ODOP processing infrastructure in the district

Uttarakhand plans genetic enhancement of its indigenous Badri cow

• The Badri breed derived its name from the holy shrine of Char Dham at Badrinath.
• It is found only in the hill districts of Uttarakhand and was earlier known as the ‘pahadi’ cow.
• The cattle breed is small in size with long legs and varied body colours— black, brown, red, white or grey.
• The USP of the Badri cow’s produce is indigenousness and environment (in the Himalayas), as it eats medicinal herbs and is far away from toxic pollution, polythene and other harmful things that cows in the plains are subject.
• As the cow grazes only on herbs and shrubs available in the mountains, its milk has rich medicinal content and high organic value.
• This cattle of Uttarakhand clinched the coveted title of being the first certified cattle breed of Uttarakhand after National Bureau Of Animal Genetic Resource included it as Badri breed.