Current Affairs 21 September 2020 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 21 September 2020 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. Country of origin Guidelines Come Into Force
2. Indigenous Production of Defence Equipment
3. SPICe+ Portal deployed by MCA
4. Code Of Ethics Electronic Media
5. International Day of Peace
6. Kakatiya Dynasty
7. Chendamangalam Saree In Kerala

Country of origin Guidelines Come Into Force

Why in News ?

Importers will have to do their due diligence to ensure that imported goods meet the prescribed rules of origin provisions for availing concessional rate of customs duty under free trade agreements (FTAs). Country of origin Guidelines Come Into Force. 

• Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR, 2020), notified on August 21, shall come into force from September 21.

What is Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR, 2020) ?

• CAROTAR, 2020 applies to import of goods into India where the importer makes a claim of preferential rate of duty in terms of a trade agreement.
  • Preferential rate of duty means rate at which customs duty is charged in accordance with a trade agreement.
• A list of minimum information, which the importer is required to possess, has also been provided in the rules along with general guidance.
• An importer would now have to enter certain origin related information in the Bill of Entry, as available in the Certificate of Origin.
• For instance :
  • ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) FTA allows imports of most items at nil or concessional basic customs duty.
  • The benefit of concessional customs duty rate applies only if an ASEAN member country is the country of origin of goods.
  • This means goods originating from China and routed through these countries will not be eligible for customs duty concessions under the ASEAN FTA.
• Properly claim the concessional duty and assist customs authorities in smooth clearance of legitimate imports under FTAs.

How CAROTAR 2020 Rules Helpful ?

• In the budget speech itself had mentioned the need to protect domestic industry from misuse of free trade agreements.
• Country of origin Guidelines under CAROTAR 2020 helps eliminating en-routing of the products for getting tariff benefits.
• By en-routing and getting tariff benefits it hurts the local industries.

FTA significantly reduce or eliminate import/customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them.

Source : The Hindu

Topic

GS II : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

GS III : Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth

SPICe+ Portal deployed by MCA

Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has notified and deployed a web-form namely ‘SPICe+’

• Web-form offers 10 services by three Central Government Ministries and Departments
• It aims at saving procedures, time and cost for Starting a Business in India.
• The new web form facilitates On-screen filing and real time data validation for seamless incorporation of companies.
• After introduction of the aforesaid new Web Form
  • The number of procedures has been reduced to 3 as against 10 earlier
  • Time has also been reduced to 4 days as against 18 days earlier for starting a Business in the Country.

Indigenous Production of Defence Equipment

Why in News ?

During the Parliament session Government provided the details for Indigenous Production of Defence Equipment to boost Indian products.

What are the various initiatives ?

• New category of capital procurement Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)} has been introduced.
  • It aims to promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment.
• There are specific reservations for MSMEs under the ‘Make’ procedure.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign of Govt of India, Ministry of Defence (MoD)
  • • It prepared a list of 101 items for which there would be an embargo on the import beyond the timeline indicated against them.
    • Opportunity to the Indian defence industry to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces in the coming years.
    • These includes high technology weapon systems like artillery guns, assault rifles, corvettes, sonar systems, transport aircrafts, light combat helicopters (LCHs), radars
• Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) has been launched in April, 2018.
  • iDEX is aimed at creation of an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace
  • A maximum of Rs 1.5 crore funding is available to a participant for development of a prototype.
  • iDEX is also aimed at supporting MSMEs, Start-ups, Individual Innovators etc.
• Strategic Partnership (SP) Model in May, 2017, which envisages establishment of long-term strategic partnerships.
• An indigenization portal namely SRIJAN has been launched for DPSUs/OFB/Services with an industry interface to provide development support to MSMEs/Startups/Industry for import substitution.
• MSMEs are partnering in DRDO projects and also DRDO developed technologies are also being transferred to them.
• Defence Offset guidelines have further paved the way for proactive participation of MSME of India.
• Defence Investor Cell has been created to provide all necessary information including addressing queries related to investment opportunities, procedures and regulatory requirements for investment in the sector.

Source : PIB

Topic

GS II : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

International Day of Peace

Why in News ?

International Day of Peace 2020: World Peace Day is observed every year on September 21. 

About International Day of Peace 2020

• A United Nations-designated day, it was first established in 1981.
• On International Day of Peace, the world body encourages countries to observe the day by adhering to “24 hours of non-violence”.
• Shaping Peace Together” is the theme for world peace day this year.

Need for such Initiatives

• eight countries Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Turkey, Somalia, Iraq, Mexico and Libya — suffered at least 1,000 deaths each through militarised attacks and battles.
• Maghreb and Sahel regions of North and West Africa, over 25 countries are being ravaged by deadly wars today.
• 79.5 million were displaced at the end of 2019, due to armed conflicts, persecution and other reasons.
• There are various situations arose in militarised conflict that was lead by US, Russia and China the peace keepers of the world.
  • US partnered with Saudi and UAE make tragic situation in Yemen. 
  • Human rights violations has been done with increased Chinese trade of arms to South Sudan leads to ethnic Violence.

Way Forward

Both Macro and Micro level initiatives for Peace keeping should be done. Ensure the machinations do not lead to the internal disturbance of any country. 

Source : The Hindu

Topic

Prelims : About International Day of Peace 2020

GS III : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Kakatiya Dynasty

Why in News ?

A temple constructed by emperor Ganapati Deva ruler of Kakatiya dynasty has been converted into an abode of local goddess Balusulamma (Goddess Durga).

Kakatii Devi temple

• Presiding deity at this 13th century temple was Kakati Devi.
• Due to ravages of time and for no upkeep, the presiding deity got damaged.
• Villagers of Dharanikota, who had no knowledge about the hoary past of the temple, installed Balusulamma idol and started worshipping.
• The idol is placed in a small shelter on the southern side of the temple, locally known as Gollabhama Gudi.

About Kakatiya

• The 12th and 13th centuries saw the emergence of the Kakatiyas
• They were the first feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyana, ruling over a small territory near Warangal.
• The rule of Kakatiya Dynasty is considered to be in the region Telugu & Andhra Pradesh.
• Ganapati was another king who came after Mahadeva who has made extension to Coastal regions.
• Ganapathi Deva and Rudrama Devi are the prominent among the rulers.
• As a result of the expansion policy of Delhi Sultanate under Alauddin Khalji leads the decline of the Dynasty. 
• Major Architecture
  • Their Major constructions were reservoirs for irrigation.
  • During this period well establoshed Hindu temple was there. 

Source : The Hindu

Topic

GS I : Indian History

Chendamangalam Saree In Kerala

Why in News ?

Care 4 Chendamangalam (C4C) initiative is supporting the 2018 Kerala flood-affected weavers the Chendamangalam Saree In Kerala. GI-tagged Chendamangalam sari is recognisable.

Care 4 Chendamangalam

• Aims in order to raise funds for the distressed weavers.
• C4C has two objectives
  • To revive the cluster that have adopted
  • To train the next generation.
• C4C started interactions with the society of woman weavers in January 2019 and hopes to help them reap benefits by 2021 with mission statement is to Uplift, Upscale, Uphold.
• Conducting various exhibitions recovery for the weavers.

About Chendamangalam Sari

• GI-tagged Chendamangalam sari is recognisable by its puliyilakara border, a thin black line that runs abreast with the sari’s edge.
• With its extra-weft chuttikara and stripes and checks of varying width.
• The saris made from the fine-count cotton yarn of 120s, 100s and 80s take between two to four days of painstaking labour, depending on the design vocabulary.

What is Geographical Indication or GI

• Sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin.
• Possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
  • It provides legal protection to Indian Geographical Indications thus preventing unauthorized use of the registered GIs by others.
• Geographical Indications are part of the intellectual property rights that comes under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
• It comes under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999.
  • Registration of GIs began in the financial year 2004-05 after the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 came into effect from September 2003.
• Geographical indications are typically used for
  • Agricultural products
  • Foodstuffs
  • Wine and spirit drinks
  • Handicrafts
  • Industrial products.
• Geographical Indications Registry has a total of 361 GIs registered in India as of September 2019.
  • So far 65 Handloom products and 6 product logos are registered under GI Act.
  • Karnataka has the highest number of GI-tagged products.
  • Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged product in India, in 2004–2005.

Source : The Hindu

Topic

Prelims : About Chendamangalam Sari, Geographical Indication

GS I : Aspects of Art Forms, Indian Heritage and Culture

GS III : Issues relating to intellectual property rights

Current Affairs 21 September 2020 : Our major Sources for the Current Affairs are The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB. For more queries and mentor-ship please contact us.