CONTENTS
SC ALLOWS WOMEN TO TAKE NDA EXAM
COLLEGIUM RECOMMENDS EIGHT JUDGES FOR SUPREME COURT
4th RASHTRIYA POSHAN MAAH, 2021
UNION MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE VIRTUALLY ATTENDS THE MEETING OF G-20 AGRICULTURE MINISTERS
PRIME MINISTER VIRTUALLY PARTICIPATES IN 21st MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF HEADS OF STATE OF THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION
SC allows women to take NDA exam
- The Supreme Court issued an interim order allowing women candidates to take the National Defence Academy (NDA) examination, scheduled to be held on September 5.
- “The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is directed to take out the necessary corrigendum in view of the interim orders.
- The court snubbed the Union of India’s affidavit “broadly” suggesting that Sainik schools have “started the process of admitting schools and it will be further expanded”.
- “As far as Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) is concerned, it is stated that it is a 99-year-old institution, which will complete 100 years next year.
- The question is whether it completes its 100 years with gender neutrality or not!” the Bench said in its order.
- “NDA and IMA are modes of direct entry through the UPSC. Whereas through OTA, women are commissioned along with men, both through UPSC and non-UPSC mode of entry.
- They are granted Short Service Commission, both men and women, and subsequently are considered for grant of Permanent Commission,”
- The hearing was based on a petition filed by Kush Kalra. The court listed the case for September 8.
Collegium Recommends Eight Judges for Supreme Court
- The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana, has recommended to the government nine names for appointment as judges in the court.
- Karnataka High Court judge B.V. Nagarathna, may become India’s first woman CJI a few years from now.
- Eight judges and one lawyer from the Supreme Court Bar have been recommended.
They are:
- Karnataka High Court Chief Justice A.S. Oka, the most senior Chief Justice;
- Gujarat Chief Justice Vikram Nath;
- Sikkim Chief Justice J.K. Maheshwari;
- Telangana Chief Justice Hima Kohli, the only serving woman Chief Justice;
- Justice B.V. Nagarathna;
- Kerala High Court judge C.T. Ravikumar;
- Madras High Court judge M.M. Sundresh;
- Gujarat High Court judge Bela M. Trivedi;
- Senior advocate P.S. Narasimha.
- The Supreme Court Collegium has also recommended six judicial officers and a judicial member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal for appointment as judges of the Telangana High Court.
- The judicial officers recommended are P. Sree Sudha, C. Sumalatha, G. Radha Rani, M. Laxman, N. Tukaramji and A. Venkateshwara Reddy.
- The ITAT judicial member is P. Madhavi Devi.
4th Rashtriya Poshan Maah, 2021
- As part of Poshan Maah, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development has initiated implementation of interventions related to Food, Nutrition, Health, and WASH (FNHW)
- Ministry is also partnering with the Ministry of Women & Child Development under POSHAN Abhiyaan.
- For this year’s Rashtriya POSHAN Maah, four themes, one for each week has been identified.
These are:
- Plantation activity as ‘POSHAN Vatika’,
- Yoga and AYUSH for nutrition,
- Distribution of ‘Regional Nutrition Kit’ to Anganwadi beneficiaries of high burdened districts and,
- Identification of SAM children and distribution of nutritious food.
- A video conference with all the SRLMs was conducted on September 4, 2021, under the chairpersonship of Joint Secretary, MoRD, to discuss the plan and preparations for the POSHAN Maah.
- Prime Minister interacted with the SHG members last month and advised them to spend 75 hours to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence, on awareness generation on social development issues including health, nutrition and WASH.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare virtually attends the meeting of G-20 Agriculture Ministers
- Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar participated in the G-20 Agriculture Ministerial meeting organized by Italy, the country which holds the Presidency of G20.
- The agricultural research has played an important role in tackling the problem of food security, improving the income of farmers and agriculturists and sustainable use of natural resources.
- Research contributes significantly to the three aspects of food security – availability, access and affordability.
- Agriculture Minister explained that by the year 2030-31, India’s population is likely to exceed 150 crores, for which the demand for food grains is then estimated to be around 350 million tonnes.
- Agriculture is contributing to the three biggest challenges of the 21st century – achieving food security, adapting to climate change and mitigating climate change.
- Important resources like water, energy and land are depleting rapidly. ICAR is developing bio-fortified varieties to meet the nutritional requirement of the people.
- National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture has been launched which promotes integrated farming systems approach in agriculture.
- Apart from Shri Tomar, the Indian delegation included Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Joint Secretary Ms. Alaknanda Dayal, Dr B Rajender and senior Indian Embassy officials.
Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
- Prime Minister participated virtually in the 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
- And through video-message in the Joint SCO-CSTO Outreach Session on Afghanistan.
- The 21st meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State was held on 17 September 2021 in Dushanbe in hybrid format.
- The meeting was chaired by H.E. Emomali Rahmon, the President of Tajikistan.
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Summit via video-link. At Dushanbe, India was represented by External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar.
- In his address, Prime Minister highlighted the problems caused by growing radicalisation and extremism in the broader SCO region.
- He noted that recent developments in Afghanistan could further exacerbate this trend towards extremism.
- He also spoke about India’s experience of using digital technologies in its development programmes, and offered to share these open-source solutions with other SCO members.
- Prime Minister stressed that connectivity projects should be transparent, participatory and consultative, in order to promote mutual trust.
- The SCO Summit was followed by an Outreach session on Afghanistan between SCO and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
- Prime Minister suggested that SCO could develop a code of conduct on ‘zero tolerance’ towards terrorism in the region, and highlighted the risks of drugs, arms and human trafficking from Afghanistan.
- Noting the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, he reiterated India’s solidarity with the Afghan people.