CURRENT AFFAIRS
12 January 2021
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) SC says it intends to stay farm laws.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it intended to stay the implementation of the controversial agricultural laws while proposing to form an independent committee chaired by a former Chief Justice of India to amicably resolve the stand-off between the protesting farmers and the Union government. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad A. Bobde underlined its disappointment at the Centre’s handling of the farmers’ protest, including the string of failed talks, States up in rebellion, suicides among protestors, and the sight of aged farmers, women and children suffering in the biting cold amid the pandemic even as Republic Day looms close. Meanwhile, the Centre has filed an urgent affidavit saying that there is a misconception being propagated that government held no discussions or consultations with any Committee before the Farm Acts were passed. The Agriculture Ministry said that this was an erroneous notion being spread by the protestors and that most farming communities were happy with the laws. In another development, Delhi Police, in a separate intervention in the Supreme Court, has sought an order of injunction against any tractor rallies by farmers on Republic Day.
B) PM-KISAN payouts worth ₹ 1,364 cr went to 20 lakh ‘wrong’ beneficiaries: RTI info.
PM-KISAN payments worth ₹ 1,364 crore have been wrongly made to more than 20 lakh ineligible beneficiaries and income tax payer farmers, according to information provided by the Agriculture Ministry in response to an RTI request from activist Venkatesh Nayak. There are 11 crore beneficiaries registered under the scheme. Punjab tops the list of States where undeserving payouts were made, accounting for 23% of the people who wrongly received money. Maharashtra and Assam also saw large numbers of such payments. A number of State Agriculture Departments have now been tasked with recovering the money wrongly paid. PM-KISAN is the Centre’s flagship scheme to provide income support worth ₹6,000 per year to farming families. When it was launched just before general elections in 2019, it was meant to cover only small and marginal farmers who owned less than two hectares of agricultural land. Later that year, large farmers were included in the scheme as the government removed land size criteria. However, certain exclusions remained. If any member of a farming family paid income tax, received a monthly pension above ₹10,000, held a constitutional position, or was a serving or retired government employee, they were not eligible for the scheme. Professionals and institutional landholders were also excluded. Until July 2020, 20.5 lakh people who should have been excluded had wrongly received PM-Kisan payouts. According to the Agriculture Ministry’s response to the RTI query, 56% of these undeserving persons belonged to the income tax payee category, while the rest belonged to the ineligible farmers category. However, 72% of the payout amount was paid to income tax payees, indicating that this category continued to receive money for multiple installments before their ineligible status was discovered and they were weeded out of the scheme’s beneficiary database. Punjab (23%), Maharashtra (17%) and Assam (14%) accounted for more than half of the beneficiaries of wrong payments, followed by Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh with 8% each.
C) Bird flu outbreak confirmed in 10 states so far: Govt.
The Centre on Monday said bird flu has been confirmed in 10 states so far and stressed on increased surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos and poultry farms. Till January 11, 2021, Avian Influenza has been confirmed in 10 states of the country, the department of animal husbandry and dairying said in a statement. The outbreak was confirmed in seven states : Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh as on January 10. On Monday, bird flu has also been confirmed in Delhi, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. States have been asked to build awareness among the public and avoid the spread of misinformation. States/ UTs have been requested to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos, poultry farms, etc. along with proper disposal of carcass, and strengthening of biosecurity in poultry farms, it said. The Centre has also directed states to maintain adequate stock of PPE kits and accessories required for culling operations.
D) AAP MLA Somnath Bharti arrested in UP shortly after youth hurls ink at him.
Aam Aadmi Party MLA Somnath Bharti on Monday had ink hurled at him in Rae Bareli and was arrested later for allegedly making objectionable remarks. Shocked to learn that his bail application has been kept pending till 13th January n he was sent to judicial custody of 14 days, Bharti tweeted. He was arrested on charges of criminal intimidation and promoting enmity between groups, the police said, following derogatory remarks allegedly referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state’s hospitals. A little earlier, a youth hurled ink at the Delhi MLA when he was emerging out of a guest house. Superintendent of Police (of Rae Bareli) Shlok Kumar said, ink was thrown on the AAP MLA, and the matter is being probed. The arrest took place less than an hour after the ink-throwing incident. Shortly after ink was flung at him, Bharti retweeted a video clip in which he is heard using a derogatory term for Adityanath while talking about atrocities on women in the state. Amethi police arrested Bharti, a former Delhi minister, in Rae Bareli on the basis of a complaint filed by BJP worker Somnath Sahu over the alleged remarks made last week.
E) Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments.
The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 1,04,76,734 with the death toll at 1,51,339. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday claimed that the two already approved made-in-India Covid-19 vaccines are more cost-effective than any other in the world, and have been developed as per the country’s needs. Interacting with chief ministers of all States to discuss the vaccine roll-out, Modi also said that apart from the two already approved vaccines, four others are in the pipeline. Public representatives are not part of the three crore corona warriors and frontline workers to be vaccinated first, Modi said. In the first phase, starting on January 16, the cost of vaccination for these three crore people would be borne by the central government, he added. Meanwhile, the government has placed a purchase order with Serum Institute of India (SII) for 11 million doses of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine, Covishield, each costing ₹210, including GST. India’s drugs regulator has approved Covishield and the indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, for restricted emergency use in the country.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Trump could be impeached again.
The U.S House of Representatives plans to vote on a resolution on Monday to ask Vice- President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, a statute by which the President Donald Trump can be removed on grounds of incapacitation. This comes days after Trump’s supporters attacked the Capitol building. If Pence does not invoke the statute, the House will consider impeaching Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to fellow House Democrats on Sunday evening (U.S. time). In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both. As the days go by, the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action, Pelosi wrote. Given Pence’s apparent hesitation to invoke the 25th Amendment, it is highly likely the House will seek to impeach Trump this week. There are 10 days left in Trump’s term and if impeached, he will be the first President to be impeached twice. If convicted in the Senate, Trump could be barred from running for office again in the future.
B) WHO experts to visit China to trace origins of COVID-19.
Chinese authorities said on Monday a team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) will arrive in China on Thursday to study the origins of COVID-19. The trip had been scheduled for last week, but some members of the team were at the last minute told the trip would be delayed. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week he was very disappointed China had not permitted the trip, in rare criticism of Beijing from the agency. China’s National Health Commission said the team will arrive on Thursday to conduct joint research with Chinese scientists on the origin-tracing of the novel coronavirus. China’s Foreign Ministry said during the visit the international experts will hold exchanges with Chinese scientists and medical experts over scientific cooperation in origin-tracing. China’s decision to not permit the trip last week appeared to come at the last minute and catch the WHO by surprise, with some of the experts already having left home and in transit when told the visit would not take place. Investigations into the origins of the coronavirus have Zhao Lijian already become politicised. The WHO has been criticised, particularly by the United States, for its response to the pandemic and was de scribed by President Donald Trump as being China-centric and a puppet of China. China’s authorities for their part have suggested they will control how much access international scientists will have and that its scientists will have a say in how the investigations go forward.
SPORTS NEWS
A) Third Test between India and Australia ends in a draw.
India’s Hanuma Vihari receives treatment to a leg injury during play on the final day of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia on January 11, 2021. Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin batted out the entire evening session on Day 5 to eke out a memorable draw against Australia in the third Test in Sydney on Monday. Vihari (23 not out off 161) and Ashwin (39 not out off 128), who got together in the 89th over of India’s second innings, batted for more than 42 overs. India ended up with 334 for five in 131 overs. Vihari, who was limping for a major part of his innings due to a hamstring injury, and Ashwin kept the Australians at bay with a marathon match-saving effort. The series remains tied at 1-1 going into the fourth and final Test, beginning at the Gabba in Brisbane on January 15.
