• 23 Feb 2022

Marriage Certificate is Not Required to Adopt a Child

Why in News

• Recently, the Allahabad High Court held that marriage certificate is not a mandatory condition for adoption of a child.

Key Points

• The court made this observation while hearing a writ filed by transgender Reena Kinnar and her husband, seeking adoption of the child.
• According to the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, single parents can also adopt a child.
• Significantly, the Madras High Court in a judgment in 2019 had held that under the Hindu Marriage Act, the term 'Bride' includes transgender and intersex persons who identify themselves as women.
• The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament in the year 2019 for the welfare of transgenders and to end discrimination against them. It completely prohibits discrimination against a transgender person, including denial of service or unfair treatment in respect of- (1) Education (2) Employment (3) Healthcare (4) Access to and enjoyment of products, facilities and opportunities available at the public level (5) Right to move anywhere (6) To reside, rent or own a house (7) Opportunity to hold public or private office.

Swine Fever

Why in News

• Recently, more than a thousand pigs have died in Saran district of Bihar, for which prima facie swine fever is believed to be responsible.

Key Points

• Swine fever is a contagious animal disease. There are mainly two types of it:

1. African Swine Fever (ASF)

• It is a highly contagious and fatal animal disease, which infects domestic and wild boars and leads to an acute form of hemorrhagic fever.
• ASF does not pose a threat to humans, as it only spreads from animal to animal.

2. Classical Swine Fever (CSF)

• CSF is also known as Hog Cholera.
• It is caused by a virus of the genus Pestivirus (family Flaviviridae), which is closely related to the viruses that cause bovine viral diarrhea in cattle and border disease in sheep.
• ICAR-IVRI has developed a cell culture CSF vaccine (live attenuated) using lapinized vaccinia virus from a foreign strain.

Vidhan Sabha's iOS Mobile App

Why in News

• On February 22, 2022, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Secretary Mahavir Prasad Sharma launched the Vidhan Sabha's iOS (iPhone Operating System) based mobile app in the Vidhan Sabha.

Key Points

• The Secretary of the Vidhan Sabha informed that the latest information related to the work of the Vidhan Sabha will be available in this app developed by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in collaboration with the National Informatics Center, leading in this latest technology.
• In this app questions, motions, bills, agenda, session review, budget speech, Governor's address, details of the proceedings of the House, procedure and business rules and news clippings will also be available for the use of the members of the Legislative Assembly. Biographies of important persons will also be available in this app.
• It is noteworthy that the Android based mobile app of the assembly has been running in the past. This app has been released for the convenience of users with iPhone operating system devices.

National Skoch Award for 'Vaidya Aapke Dwar' Telemedicine App

Why in News

• On February 22, 2022, Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Department's telemedicine app 'AYUSH Cure' was awarded Silver Award at All India level by the prestigious Skoch Award.

Key Points

• The Ayush Cure App developed under the 'Vaidya Aapke Dwar' scheme has been appreciated by subject matter experts and management experts at various stages of the competition. It has also been suggested to publicize it as much as possible among the general public.
• Through this app citizens can get consultation from AYUSH doctors sitting at home. The facility to send reports and get treatment related guidelines has also been made available through the app itself.
• Ayush Cure App has been downloaded by more than 37 thousand users in Madhya Pradesh so far. 88 percent of those who booked on the app have received medical advice.
• Through the 'Vaidya Aapke Dwar' scheme launched by the Department of AYUSH, free medical consultation is being done through live video call from AYUSH medical specialists sitting at home.
• In this scheme, all three disciplines of AYUSH – Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani can be taken advantage of.
• The Department of AYUSH has made this scheme available through telemedicine app for the purpose of providing AYUSH health services to the general public easily at home.

Plastic and Textiles Industry Included in Special Incentive Package

Why in News

• Recently, keeping in view the immense potential in the state, it was approved to give a special investment incentive package to two industries of plastic and textile sector.

Key Points

• The two industries which have been approved to give special incentive packages include plastic goods manufacturing plants and non-woven interlining fabric industry.
• An MoU of Rs.107.73 crore has been signed with M/s VTech Plastics Pvt Ltd, Raipur for setting up a plastic goods manufacturing plant, in which about 200 people will get employment.
• Similarly, an MoU of Rs 22.15 crore has been done by M/s SBT Textiles Private Limited, Raipur for setting up non-woven interlining fabric industry. With the establishment of this textile industry, about 220 people will get employment.
• Under the 'B Spoke Policy', the iron-steel, cement and electricity industries of the core sector of the state have already been included in the special incentive package.
• Under the 'B-spoke policy', about 400 people will get employment in the state due to the establishment of two industries of plastic and textile. Under this policy, the sector-wise exemption limit for sponge iron and steel sector industries has been given from 60 percent to 150 percent.

Distribution of Food Grains Through e-Pass

Why in News

• Recently, while issuing a letter to all the collectors of the state by the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department of Chhattisgarh, it has been said that food grains will be distributed through e-pass from the month of March in the fair price shops run by the Chhattisgarh government.

Key Points

• The department has given instructions for distribution of food grains for the month of February through e-pass devices as well as through tablets.
• It may be mentioned that 13 thousand 294 government fair price shops are being operated in the state, out of which e-pass equipment has been installed in 12 thousand 322 government fair price shops.
• In these shops, the distribution of food grains will be done through e-pass devices instead of tablets. Food grains will be distributed through tablets till the e-pass device is installed in the remaining 972 fair price shops.
• Except Narayanpur, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada districts, the ration card holders of 12 thousand 322 fair price shops established in the remaining 24 districts will get the facility of getting ration from the fair price shop of their choice in these districts.
• Such ration card holders, whose Aadhaar of any member is verified but Aadhaar authentication is failing through the e-pass device, have been asked to send a proposal to the Food Directorate through the District Collector for the determination of the nominee (representative) for the distribution of food grains. After getting permission from the Directorate, the food can be distributed through the nominee after the food officer has appointed the other beneficiary as the nominee at the district level.
• On the written application of disabled, more than 60 years or less than 10 years of ration card holders, distribution of food grains can be done through the nominee by appointing the beneficiary appointed by the Food Officer at the district level.
• According to the monthly allocation in all government fair price shops, the storage distribution of rice, sugar, gram, salt, jaggery and kerosene has been compulsorily asked to be done every month before the first day of the month.

Statutory Crisis over Panchayat Elections in Haridwar

Why in News

• Recently, a legal crisis has arisen regarding the three-tier panchayat elections in Haridwar district. After the amendment in the Panchayati Raj Act, even after increasing the tenure of the administrators by six months, the situation of elections is not being created there. After the formation of the state, such a situation has been seen for the first time regarding the three-tier panchayat elections.

Key Points

• Haridwar is such a district in the state, where elections to three-tier panchayats are not held along with other districts. This sequence has been maintained since the formation of the state.
• Here Panchayats are formed after a year from other districts. Due to this, elections could not be held in Haridwar in the Panchayat elections held in October 2019. The last panchayat elections in Haridwar were held at the end of 2015. Then there was the first meeting of Gram Panchayats on 29th March, 2016, Zilla Panchayats on 16th May and Kshetra Panchayats on 10th June. The five-year term of panchayats begins with the first meeting, which ended last year.
• According to the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Act, 2016, Panchayats can be handed over to the administrators for six months in case elections are not held for 15 days before the end of their term. In this sequence, administrators were appointed in three-tier panchayats in Haridwar district from March. Even if elections were not held within this period, the government amended the Panchayati Raj Act and extended the tenure of the administrators for six more months.
• The tenure of administrators in 306 gram panchayats of Haridwar will end on March 29. Even during this period, the situation of elections is not being made, due to which a legal crisis has arisen. Although, after the completion of the voting for the assembly elections, the government had sought permission from the Election Commission in view of starting the process of Panchayat elections in Haridwar, but it could not be received.
• State Panchayati Raj Secretary Nitesh Jha said that due to non-conduct of Panchayat elections in Haridwar district, a situation of legal crisis is arising. Opinion is being taken from the Advocate General and the Justice Department in this regard.