Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 15 December 2022

::NATIONAL::

Punjab’s sacrilege Bills 

• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah last week, seeking his intervention in getting the President’s assent on two sacrilege Bills passed by the erstwhile Congress government in 2018.

About:

• The Punjab Assembly had unanimously passed The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill in 2018.
• It stipulates punishment upto life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagwat Gita, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people.
• The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, seeks to amend the IPC by inserting Section 295AA.
• Under the existing Section 295 A [Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs], a convict can be awarded a maximum of three years’ imprisonment with or without fine.

What is the Governor’s function in passing a Bill?

• Under Article 200, the Governor maygrant assent, withhold assentreturn for reconsideration by the Legislature orreserve for the consideration of the President any Bill passed by the State legislature and presented to him for assent.
• There is no timeframe fixed in the Constitution for any of these functions.
• The Constitution makes it mandatory that the Governor should reserve for the President’s consideration if, in his opinion a Bill that “so derogates from the powers of the High Court as to endanger the position which that Court is by this Constitution designed to fill”.

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Pradhan Mantri AdiAdarsh Gram Yojna

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs has revamped the existing Scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) with nomenclature ‘Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)’, for implementation during 2021-22 to 2025-26.

About:

• Under PMAAGY, Ministry of Tribal Affairs aims to develop 36,428 villages with at least 50% tribalpopulation and 500 Scheduled Tribes (STs) into model tribal villages.
• PMAAGY is modified version of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme’ and will beimplemented during 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Objective of PMAAGY is to achieve integrated socio-economic development of selected villagesthrough convergence approach.

Main Components of Scheme are:

• Preparing Village Development Plan.
• Maximizing coverage of individual / family benefit schemes of Central / State Governments.
• Improving infrastructure in vital sectors like health, education, connectivity etc.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Geminids Meteor Shower

• The Geminids will peak around December 13-14, when, with a clear sky and away from bright city lights, you can watch scores of meteors streak across the sky.

About:

• Meteors are usually fragments of comets. As they enter the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they burn up, creating a spectacular “shower”.
• Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from asteroids. When these objects come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. 
• Every year Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.
• The Geminids are unique because unlike most meteor showers, they originate not from a comet, but from an asteroid, the 3200 Phaethon. 
• The 3200 Phaethon was discovered on October 11, 1983. It is named after the Greek mythology character Phaethon, son of the Sun God Helios. It takes 1.4 years to complete one round of the Sun.
• As the 3200 Phaethon moves close to the Sun while orbiting it, the rocks on its surface heat up and break off. When the Earth passes through the trail of this debris, the Geminids are caused.

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UK, France, and UAE support for India's permanent membership at UNSC

• The UK, France, and UAE have extended their support for India's permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). 
• India is holding the presidency of United Nations Security Council for the month of December 2022. 

About United Nations Security Council (UNSC):

• The United Nations Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the UN Security Council (UNSC).
• UNSC has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• Under the Charter of the United Nations, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
• The Security Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression.
• The Security Council has permanent residence at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

::Economy::

Environment Education,Awareness and Training

• Environment Education, Awareness and Training (EEAT)is a Central Sector scheme implemented by Ministry of Environment, Forest and ClimateChange.

Key highlights:

• It aims is to promote environmental awareness and mobilize students’ participation forenvironment conservation.
• National Green Corps (NGC) Programme - more than 1 lakh Eco-clubs have been formed inschools and colleges to educate students and to spread awareness on environmental issues.
• National Nature Camping Programme (NNCP) -organization of field visits/ nature camps indifferent Protected Areas/ Nature Parks/ Tiger Reserves of the country for students weresupported.

::SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY::

Aeronomy Studies

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology informed that ISRO has taken initiatives for feasibility studies on missions to Venus as well as Aeronomy studies.

About:

• The term “aeronomy,” coined and introduced about 60 years ago, refers to the scientific study of the upper atmospheric regions of the Earth and other solar system bodies. 
• It includes the distribution of temperature, density, and chemical constituents, and the chemical reactions that occur.
• It also includes the studies of aurora, airglow, the ionosphere, Van Allen radiation belts, cosmic rays, and radiative and photochemical phenomena.
• It covers the chemistry, dynamics and energy balance of both neutral and charged particles.

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