“Scam se Bacho” Campaign

• Aim: To combat rising online scams and cyber fraud by fostering digital safety and vigilance across India.
• Partnership: Collaboration between Meta (formerly Facebook) and key government ministries, including:
• Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
• Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB)
• Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)
• Ministry: Led by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
• Coverage: National initiative, aimed at India’s over 900 million internet users.
• Features:
• A whole-of-government approach to raising awareness on cyber safety.
• Focus on educating citizens to prevent cyber threats and scams.
• Leverages Meta’s global expertise in online safety to empower Indian users.
• Support from the highest levels of government to align with Digital India’s cybersecurity goals.

“The Unjust Climate” report

 India’s rural poor, particularly those trapped in multidimensional poverty

Key findings of FAO’s “The Unjust Climate” report:

• Poverty reduction with ongoing challenges: India has reduced rural poverty from 42.5% in 2005/06 to 8.6% in 2022/24, but transitory poverty remains, driven by extreme weather events.
• Gender disparities: Female-headed households experience 8% more income loss from heat stress and 3% more from floods, worsening existing gender inequalities.
• Vulnerability of rural poor: Poor households face 5% greater income loss due to heat stress and floods than wealthier households, reflecting the economic disparity in climate impacts.
• Maladaptive coping strategies: Rural poor resort to harmful strategies like selling livestock, increasing their vulnerability to future climate shocks.
• Worsening child labour and unpaid work: Climate extremes worsen child labour and unpaid work for women, perpetuating long-term social inequalities.

Policy Recommendations:

• Anticipatory social protection: Scaling up social protection programs ahead of extreme weather events can prevent households from resorting to adverse coping mechanisms like selling off productive assets.
• Workforce diversification: Investing in skills development and vocational training can help rural households diversify from climate-sensitive work, enhancing their resilience to income shocks.
• Gender-transformative approaches: Addressing gender norms and improving women’s access to non-farm employment is critical for income diversification and climate resilience.
• Participatory agricultural extension: Group-based agricultural experimentation helps rural farmers adapt to changing conditions, promoting shared learning and reducing individual risks.
• Access to adaptive technologies: Public investments in climate-resilient agricultural technologies are essential for supporting land-constrained households and improving rural livelihoods.

About the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):

• Established: FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established in October 1945, making it the oldest permanent specialized UN agency.
• Mandate: The FAO’s mission is to defeat hunger by improving nutrition, increasing agricultural productivity, raising rural living standards, and contributing to global economic growth.
• Key functions:
• Research: Conducts research and provides technical assistance in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources.
• Education: Operates educational programs, seminars, and training centers for agricultural development.
• Data and Statistics: Maintains global statistics on production, trade, and consumption of agricultural commodities.
• Publications: Publishes reports such as The State of the World’s Forests and The State of Food Security and Nutrition.
• Headquarters: Located in Rome, Italy.
• Membership: FAO has 194 member states, along with the European Union as a member organization.
• Funding: It receives 100% funding from its member countries.
• Relief operations: FAO does not directly manage food relief during conflicts or scarcity; such operations are usually overseen by the World Food Program (WFP).
• Key reports: FAO publishes various important reports like SOFO, SOFIA, SOCO, and SOFI, addressing global issues in forests, fisheries, agriculture, and food security.

Chief Justice of India Appointment

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud is set to retire on November 10, 2024, and has recommended Justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor to become the 51st Chief Justice of India.

Process of Chief Justice of India appointment (CJI):

• Seniority Principle: The appointment of the CJI is typically based on the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court.
• Memorandum of Procedure (MoP): The Law Ministry requests a recommendation from the outgoing CJI regarding their successor.
• Presidential Appointment: After receiving the recommendation, the President of India appoints the next CJI.
• Tenure and Retirement: The CJI serves until reaching the age of 65, and the process repeats upon each CJI’s retirement.
• Merit and Integrity Consideration: In addition to seniority, merit and integrity are important factors in the recommendation, as seen in previous appointments like Justice Khanna’s own elevation to the Supreme Court.

Coogee Beach

Tar balls:

• Formation: Result from oil spills, forming when oil mixes with seawater, sand, and debris, creating a hardened substance.
• Size & texture: Vary from small pebbles to fist-sized, with smooth or rough surfaces depending on environmental exposure.
• Environmental impact: Pose significant hazards to marine life and human health due to toxic components like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Location in the news:

• Coogee Beach, Sydney: On October 15, 2024, black, ball-shaped debris, potentially tar balls, were discovered along the length of the beach.

IndiaAI Mission

• Origin: Launched during the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit in 2023, New Delhi, by the Prime Minister of India.
• Background: Announced to drive AI innovation and build a comprehensive AI ecosystem in line with the visions of “Making AI in India” and “Making AI Work for India.”
• Aim: To create an advanced AI infrastructure supporting various sectors, boost AI innovation, enhance data quality, and promote ethical AI practices across the country.
• Nodal ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
• Implementing agency: IndiaAI Independent Business Division (IBD) under the Digital India Corporation (DIC)
• Key Components:

• IndiaAI Compute Capacity: Develop AI compute infrastructure with 10,000+ GPUs via public-private partnerships.
• IndiaAI Innovation Centre: Create Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and sector-specific foundational AI models.
• IndiaAI Datasets Platform: Unified platform providing access to high-quality non-personal datasets for AI research and startups.
• IndiaAI Application Development Initiative: Promote AI applications addressing key challenges in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and governance.
• IndiaAI FutureSkills: Expand AI education through new programs at various academic levels and set up Data & AI Labs in smaller cities.
• IndiaAI Startup Financing: Easier access to funding for AI startups, with Rs 2,000 crore allocated.
• Safe & Trusted AI: Ensure responsible AI practices with indigenous tools and frameworks.

Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme

IDEAS scheme:

• Origin: Launched in 2003-04 as the “India Development Initiative,” later renamed as IDEAS Scheme.
• Aim: To promote India’s political, economic, and strategic interests by providing developmental assistance to developing countries.
• Ministry: The scheme is administered by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with support from Exim Bank.
• Features:
• Provides Lines of Credit (LoCs) to developing countries for projects in infrastructure, water, education, and other key sectors.
• Projects funded are typically recommended by MEA and are aimed at bolstering socio-economic development in partner countries.
• The financing includes concessional terms to reduce the burden on developing nations.
• The scheme fosters diplomatic goodwill, strengthening India’s ties with countries in the Global South.

Challenge to the Marital Rape Exception

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):

• Definition of rape: Section 375 of the IPC defines acts constituting rape committed by a man against a woman.
• Exceptions:
  It provides two exceptions:
• Marital rape decriminalization: A man is not considered guilty of rape if he has sexual intercourse with his wife, provided she is not under 18 years of age.
• Medical procedures: Medical procedures or interventions are excluded from the definition of rape.
• Historical context: Originally enacted during British colonial rule in 1860, the age of marital consent was raised from 10 to 15 years in 1940, and later to 18 years through a 2017 Supreme Court ruling.

Laws governing marital rape:

1. Section 375 of IPC: Defines rape but includes Exception 2, which decriminalizes marital rape for wives over 18, granting immunity to husbands for non-consensual sex within marriage.
2. Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017): The Supreme Court raised the age of consent in marriage from 15 to 18 but did not criminalize marital rape.
3. Section 85 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: Addresses cruelty towards women but doesn’t explicitly recognize marital rape as a criminal offense.
4. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005: Provides civil remedies like protection orders and monetary compensation for victims of marital abuse but lacks provisions for criminal prosecution of marital rape.

Judicial cases and verdicts:

1. Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018):
• The Supreme Court dismantled parts of the doctrine of coverture, asserting that marriage shouldn’t limit a woman’s autonomy.
2. Hrishikesh Sahoo v. State of Karnataka (2022):
• The Karnataka High Court allowed prosecuting a husband for marital rape, citing the 2013 Justice J.S. Verma Committee Report. The ruling was stayed by the Supreme Court.
3. Delhi High Court Split Verdict (2022):
• Justice Rajiv Shakdher ruled that the marital rape exception violates Article 21 and bodily autonomy.
• Justice C. Hari Shankar upheld the exception, citing that sexual relations are a legitimate marital expectation.

Government’s arguments against criminalizing marital rape:

• Impact on marriage: The government argued that making marital sexual acts punishable as “rape” could severely impact conjugal relationships and the institution of marriage.
• Parliamentary decision: Parliament retained Exception 2 to Section 375 during the 2013 amendments, which exempted marital rape from being criminalized.
• Separate provisions for consent within marriage: The government acknowledged violations of consent but argued that the consequences should differ for marital relationships compared to non-marital relationships.
• Judicial interference: The government urged the Supreme Court to respect Parliament’s decision and not interfere in socio-legal matters concerning marriage.
• Disproportionate punishment: Criminalizing marital rape could lead to disproportionate punishment, as it may not consider the nuances of the marital context.

Arguments in favour of criminalizing marital rape:

• Violation of consent: Consent remains central to the definition of rape, and marriage should not negate the autonomy of a woman over her body.
• Arbitrary legal exception: The marital rape exception is arbitrary, as it discriminates against married women, depriving them of legal protections available to unmarried women.
• International norms: Around 77 countries, including Australia, Canada, and the USA, have criminalized marital rape, aligning with international human rights standards.
• Equal protection under law: The law should provide equal protection to all women, irrespective of their marital status.
• Supreme court’s recognition: The Supreme Court has already recognized marital rape under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, showing the need for broader criminal recognition.

Way ahead:

• Legislative review: Parliament should reconsider the current exception, focusing on gender justice and equal protection of women’s rights.
• Public dialogue: A broader socio-legal dialogue is essential to align marital rape laws with evolving social norms and international standards.
• Safeguards: Implement safeguards to prevent misuse, addressing concerns of false accusations while ensuring justice for victims of marital rape.

Criminalizing marital rape is a necessary step to protect the dignity and rights of women. While respecting the institution of marriage, it is crucial to ensure consent and equality in marital relationships, moving toward a more just legal framework for all.

Musaned Platform

• Purpose: Musaned is a digital platform created by Saudi Arabia to ensure wage protection and improve working conditions for foreign domestic workers.
• Coverage: It benefits workers from 10 African countries (e.g., Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya) and 9 Asian countries (e.g., India, Bangladesh, Pakistan).
• Features:
• Enables workers to check employment contracts.
• Tracks financial transactions between employers and workers.
• Can be linked to contract insurance and health benefits.
• Objective: To safeguard workers’ rights, minimize illegal immigration, and meet Vision 2030 goals of providing a stable working environment.
• Human rights: The platform promotes human rights by ensuring employers fulfill their obligations.

Constitutional Bench of SC upholds validity Section 6A of Citizenship Act

• Enacted in 1985 as part of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, following the Assam Accord.
• The Assam Accord aimed to resolve issues related to the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh into Assam after the Bangladesh Liberation War (1971).
• Section 6A was inserted specifically to address the unique historical and demographic challenges faced by Assam due to large-scale migration.

Provisions:

• Citizenship for Migrants Pre-1966:
  Persons of Indian origin who entered Assam from Bangladesh before January 1, 1966, were granted Indian citizenship retroactively.
• Migrants Between 1966-1971:
  Migrants who arrived between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971 were to register and were granted citizenship after 10 years of residence, provided they fulfilled certain conditions.
• Post-1971 Migrants:
  Persons who entered Assam after March 25, 1971, were to be detected and deported as per the law.

Citizenship Act, 1955:

• Governing Indian Citizenship: The Citizenship Act, 1955 regulates who can obtain Indian citizenship based on birth, descent, registration, or naturalization.
• Illegal Immigrants: The Act bars illegal immigrants from obtaining citizenship. An illegal immigrant is someone who:
• Enters India without valid documents (e.g., passport, visa), or
• Enters with valid documents but overstays beyond the permitted period.
• Single Citizenship: India follows a policy of single citizenship, and the Act does not allow dual citizenship.
• Constitutional Framework: Citizenship matters fall under the Union List and are dealt with in Part II of the Indian Constitution (Articles 5-11). The term “citizen” is not defined in the Constitution, leaving it to statutory laws like the Citizenship Act.