Gist of The Hindu : MARCH 2024

Gist of The Hindu: MARCH- 2024

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Section 82 of Code of Criminal Procedure

The Supreme Court recently held that an accused would not be entitled to pre-arrest bail if the non-bailable warrant and the proclamation under Section 82(1) Cr.P.C. is pending against him.

About Section 82 of Cr.P.C:

It provides for the issuing of a proclamation in a case where the court has reason to believe that the person has concealed himself or has absconded in order to evade the execution of warrants issued against him.
The court may form its opinion suo motu from the material on a record or on the presentation of evidence by the prosecution.
Through a written proclamation, the court orders the accused to appear at a specific place, and a specific time should be given; it should not be less than 30 days from the date of publishing of the proclamation.
The provisions under this section are not for punishing the accused but have the sole purpose of compelling him to appear before the court. Therefore, a proclamation cannot be issued without first issuing a warrant.
The issuing of the proclamation cannot be done in an arbitrary manner, but there should be reasons recorded by the court to substantiate the order of the proclamation.

Grievance Redressal Assessment Index

The Ministry of Home Affairs has consistently ranked amongst the top 10 Ministries in 2023-24 in the grievance redressal assessment index (GRAI).

About Grievance Redressal Assessment Index:

It was conceptualised and designed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India.
Objective: To present an organisation-wise comparative picture and provide valuable insights about strengths and areas of improvement regarding the grievance redressal mechanism.
It is based on a comprehensive index in the dimensions of Efficiency, Feedback, Domain and Organisational Commitment. It uses data from the Centralised Public Grievance Redressal and Management System (CPGRAMS).

Key facts about CPGRAMS

It is an online platform available to the citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery. It is a single portal connected to all the Ministries/Departments of Government of India and States.
The status of the grievance filed in CPGRAMS can be tracked with the unique registration ID provided at the time of registration of the complainant.
It also provides an appeal facility to the citizens if they are not satisfied with the resolution by the Grievance Officer.

ULLAS Initiative

The Ministry of Education is set to conduct the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) as part of the ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.

About ULLAS Initiative:

The Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) initiative is poised to revolutionise education and literacy across the nation.
It is done by fostering a learning ecosystem that reaches every individual, bridging the gaps in basic literacy and critical life skills.
It imparts basic education, digital and financial literacy and critical life skills to citizens aged 15 and above who lost on the opportunity to go to school. It is being implemented through volunteerism.
Its objective is to impart not only Foundational Literacy and Numeracy but also to cover other components which are necessary for a citizen of 21st century such as
Critical Life Skills(including financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education, and family welfare);
Vocational Skills Development(with a view towards obtaining local employment);
Basic Education(including preparatory, middle, and secondary stage equivalency)
Continuing Education(including engaging holistic adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports, and recreation, as well as other topics of interest or use to local learners, such as more advanced material on critical life skills).

Model Code of Conduct

Chief Election Commissioner of India asked all political parties to strictly adhere to the Mode Code of Conduct (MCC).

About Model Code of Conduct:

It traces its origins back to the assembly elections in Kerala in 1960.
It serves as a set of conventions unanimously agreed upon by all stakeholders involved in the electoral process.
Its primary objective is to ensure that campaigns, polling and counting proceed in an orderly, transparent and peaceful manner.
Additionally, it serves as a mechanism to curb any misuse of state machinery and financial resources by the ruling party.
It does not possess any statutory backing but has been upheld by the Supreme Court on multiple occasions.

What Activities Are Prohibited After Implementation of MCC?

Ministers and other authorities are barred from announcing any financial grants or making commitments once the elections are announced, as per the guidelines of the election panel.
Once the dates for the Lok Sabha elections are announced, Ministers and other authorities are also restricted from laying foundation stones or initiating projects or schemes of any kind, except civil servants. No project or scheme that may sway voters in favor of the ruling party can be announced after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Additionally, ministers are prohibited from using official machinery for campaign purposes. Official visits must not be combined with any electioneering activities after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Furthermore, the use of official machinery or personnel for electioneering purposes is strictly forbidden. Ministers and other authorities are not allowed to sanction grants or payments from discretionary funds once the elections are announced.
Government accommodations should not serve as campaign offices or be used for holding public meetings for election propaganda by any party, as prohibited by the poll body.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) prohibits the issuance of advertisements at the cost of the public exchequer in newspapers and other media during the election period.

Sagar Parikrama

The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying will release a book and video on “Sagar Parikrama”.

BIt is an outreach program intended to reach out fishermen community across the entire coastal belt of the country through a predetermined sea route.
The initiative has been launched to understand the issues, experiences, and aspirations of fishermen and also to create awareness of various schemes and programs of the Government available to fishermen in coastal areas.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
The Sagar Parikrama Yatra spanned over 12 captivating phases in just 44 days. The Yatra meticulously navigated the diverse coastal tapestry of India, covering an impressive coastal length of 7,986 Kilometres out of 8,118 Kilometres, touching 3,071 fishing villages in 80 coastal districts of all the Coastal States/UTs.
During the Sagar Parikrama events, certificates and sanctions related to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) were awarded to progressive fishermen, fish farmers, and young fishery entrepreneurs.
Literature on various schemes, including PMMSY, KCC and others, was disseminated through print media, electronic media, videos, and digital campaigns to raise awareness among fishers.

Barberton Greenstone Belt

Scientists recently found signs of some of the earliest known earthquakes at the Barberton Greenstone Belt.

About Barberton Greenstone Belt:

It is situated on the eastern edge of the Kaapvaal Craton in South Africa. It is known for its gold mineralisation and for its komatiites, an unusual type of ultramafic volcanic rock named after the Komati River that flows through the belt.
Some of the oldest exposed rocks on Earth (greater than 3.6 Ga) are located in the Barberton Greenstone Belt of the Eswatini–Barberton areas, and these contain some of the oldest traces of life on Earth, second only to the Isua Greenstone Belt of Western Greenland. The Makhonjwa Mountains make up 40% of the Baberton belt.

What are ultramafic rocks?

Ultramafic (or ultrabasic) rocks are dark-colored igneous and meta-igneous rocks that are rich in minerals containing magnesium and iron ("mafic" minerals) and have a relatively low content of silica.
They are generally composed of more than 90 percent mafic minerals—that is, they have a high content of magnesium oxide (more than 18 percent MgO) and iron oxide (FeO). Their silica content is less than 45 percent, and their potassium content is low.
The Earth’s mantle is thought to be composed of ultramafic rocks. Most of the exposed ultramafic rocks have been found in orogenic (mountain-forming) belts.