Current Affairs 19 May 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 19 May 2021  focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. Plasma Therapy Not Effective
2. Independent Collegium For Election Commission
3. Legislative Council For West Bengal
4. Gold Exchange Framework Proposal In India
5. 2-DG Drug For Covid-19
6. Concessional Import Duty
7. Children Orphaned During Covid And Trafficking Chance High

Prelims Facts

1. Audio-Visual Guide App

Plasma Therapy Not Effective

Source : Indian Express
GS III : Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Why in News ?

Plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients has not been found effective in reducing the progression to severe disease or death and is likely to be dropped from the clinical management guidelines.

• The present guidelines allows off label use of plasma therapy
• Especially at the stage of early moderate disease within seven days of the onset of symptoms
• Can be done if there is availability of a high titre donor plasma.

Key Facts

• Removing the use of convalescent plasma from the Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult COVID-19 Patients citing its ineffectiveness and inappropriate use in several cases.
• Why it s dropping ?
  • The decision to remove it from the guidelines comes in the backdrop of some clinicians and scientists cautioning against the irrational and non-scientific use of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 in the country.
  • Public health professionals alleged that the current guidelines on plasma therapy are not based on existing evidence
  • Evidence that indicates a possible association between emergence of variants with lower susceptibility to neutralising antibodies in immuno-suppressed people given plasma therapy.
  • Convalescent plasma was not associated with a reduction in progression to severe COVID-19 based on large trial of 11,588 patients found.
  • Also Plasma trial in Argentina concluded that there is no significant difference.

Plasma Therapy for COVID antibodies from the blood of a patient who has recovered from COVID-19 are used to treat serious patients.

What is Plasma Therappy ?

• Also known as convalescent plasma therapy.
• Plasma the yellowish liquid part of the blood is extracted from a person who has recovered from the infection and injected into a patient who is suffering from that disease.
• The plasma contains that antibodies that can help a patient fight the pathogen and recover from the disease.
• In the case of COVID-19 a plasma donor should have recovered from the infection in around 28 days and should be in the age group of 18 to 60 years.

Independent Collegium For Election Commission

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies

Why in News ?

A petition was moved in the Supreme Court for seeking the constitution of an independent collegium for making appointments to the Election Commission.

Read in-line with : Formalise Election Commissioners appointment through law

Key Facts

• The Association of Democratic Reforms moves to court.
• Petition says the present process of appointing members to the Commission by the executive is incompatible with Article 324 (2) of the constitution.
  • The present system of appointment is a violation of Article 324 (2) of the constitution.
  • It should be appointed by an independent collegium.
• The appointment of members of Election Commission on the “pick and choose” of the executive violates the very foundation for which it was created.
  • It leads EC a branch of executive.
• Present System
  • Based on the Transaction of Business rules 1961, the President shall appoint the CEC and EC based on the recommendations made by the Prime Minister.
  • The Parliament has the power to regulate the terms of conditions of service and tenure of ECs according to Article 324(5).

Article 324(2) states that the President shall, with aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, appoint CEC and ECs, till Parliament enacts a law fixing the criteria for selection, conditions of service and tenure.

Report in-favour of Independent Collegium For Election Commission

I. 255th Law Commission Report

• Ministry of Law and Justice, in January 2013, requested the Twentieth Law Commission of India to consider the issue of “Electoral Reforms”
  • After detailed deliberations, the Commission has now come up with its recommendations which are put  in the form its final Report, Report No.255, titled “Electoral Reforms”.
  • Aim to consider the issue of ‘electoral reforms’ in its entirety and suggest comprehensive measures for changes in the law.
• It was recommended that the appointment of all the Election Commissioner should be made by the President in consultation with a three-member collegium or selection committee consisting of the
  • Prime Minister
  • Leader of the Opposition of the Lok Sabha
  • Chief Justice of India
• This is still under the consideration of Government.

II. 4th Report by the Second Administrative Reform Commission

• Recommended for the constitution of a neutral and independent collegium
• It is headed by the Prime Minister with the
  • Speaker of the Lok Sabha
  • Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
  • Law Minister
  • Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
• These members for making recommendations for consideration of the President for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners. 

III. Dinesh Goswami Committee in its Report of May 1990

• Recommended for the effective consultation with neutral authorities like
  • Chief Justice of India
  • Leader of the Opposition for the appointment in Election Commission

IV. Justice Tarkunde Committee in its Report of 1975

• Recommended that the members of Election Commission should be appointed by the President on the advice of a Committee consisting of the
  • Prime Minister
  • Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha
  • Chief Justice of India

Legislative Council For West Bengal

Source : The Hindu
GS II : Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these

Why in News ?

West Bengal government has decided to set up a Legislative Council, or a Vidhan Parishad the Upper House of state legislature.

Key Facts

• West Bengal had a two-House or a bicameral system of legislature till it was abolished by the United Front government in 1969.
• Members of Legislative Council (Upper House) are either elected by Members of Legislative Assembly, members of local bodies or nominated by the Governor.
• Once the Council is set up, West Bengal will become the seventh Indian state to have a bicameral system of legislature.
• States having Bicameral System : Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• Many other states like Assam, Rajasthan and Odisha have also been exploring such a possibility.
• Criticism against the creation
  • Once the council is set up, it would pave way for accommodating those who could not be get elected to Legislative Assembly or the leaders who were excluded from the party candidates list for the assembly elections.
  • CM Banerjee and Bengal’s Finance Minister Amit Mitra are currently not members of the Legislative Assembly and thus can be nominated to the Council once it is established.
  • In that case, the leaders will not be required to get elected to the Assembly.
  • A chief minister or a minister has to be member of either of the two Houses.

Legislative Council

• The size of the legislative council cannot be more than one-third of the membership of the state legislative assembly.
• So for the case o West Bengal there can be 98 Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) for the 294-member West Bengal Legislative Assembly members.
• An Member of Legislative Council has to be at least 30 years of age and is elected for six years.
• The Council has a chairman and a deputy chairman like the Rajya Sabha.
• Majority For Create and Abolish
  • As per the norm to create or to abolish a state legislative council the state Legislative Assembly must pass a resolution which must be supported by majority of the strength of the House.

Gold Exchange Framework Proposal In India

Source : Indian Express
GS III : Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment

Why in News ?

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a consultation paper proposing draft regulations for exchanges that permit trading in gold.

• Gold Exchange Framework Proposal In India now out for public feedback.
• Finance Minister in budget speech for FY22 had announced that the Sebi will be the regulator for gold exchange.

Key Facts

• It has proposed an elaborate framework wherein one can convert physical gold into Electronic Gold Receipts (EGR) and even convert those back into physical gold.
• Proposed flow of transactionsin the Gold exchange
• The entire transaction in the proposed Gold Exchange has been divided into three tranches
  • First Tranche : Conversion from Physical Gold to Electronic Gold Receipt
  • Second Tranche: Trading of Electronic Gold Receipton stock exchange/s
  • Third Tranche: Conversion from Electronic Gold Receipt to Physical Gold
• The proposed denominations reflecting underlying physical gold of EGRs are 1 kilogram, 100 gram, 50 gram and subject to conditions, those can also be even for 5 and 10 gram.
• Key issues on which SEBI needs public feedback
  • Taxation is a key issue as the EGRs would be traded on an exchange, Securities Transaction Tax (STT) would be levied.
  • GST would be applicable when EGRs are converted into physical gold for withdrawal.
  • feedback on the kind of incentives or waivers that should be sought from the government to make the segment more investor-friendly.
  • What should be the smallest denomination for conversion of EGR into physical gold.

Need for regulations

• India is the second largest consumer of gold globally with annual gold demand of approximately 800-900 tonnes, and holds an important position in the global markets.
• Despite being second only to China, in consumption of gold, India has remained only as a price-taker in the global markets.
• At present, India does not play any significant role in influencing the global price-setting for the commodity.
• The proposed gold exchange would infuse transparency in gold transactions and over a period of time enable India to emerge as a global price setter for the commodity.

Gold Exchange

• It would offer trading facilities in gold.
• Entities like retail investors, banks, foreign portfolio investors jewellers and bullion dealers among others would be allowed to trade on the exchange.

Methods of Investment

• Buy physical gold, a visit to the neighbourhood jeweller
• Buy gold in digital form from paltform like Paytm, Indiagold
• Sovereign gold bonds issued by the government
• Gold funds by mutual funds

2-DG Drug For Covid-19

Source : Indian Express
GS III : Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology

Why in News ?

Defence and Health Minister released the first batch of the indigenously developed anti-Covid-19 drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose or ‘2-DG’.

Key Facts

• The national drug regulator, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), had cleared the formulation on May 1 for emergency use as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe Covid-19 patients.
• 2-DG has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) New Delhi a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Hyderabad-based pharma company Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL).
• Clinical trial data show that the molecule helps in faster recovery of patients hospitalised with Covid-19, and reduces their dependence on supplemental oxygen.
• The drug accumulates in virus-infected cells, and prevents the growth of the virus by stopping viral synthesis and energy production.
• Its selective accumulation in virally-infected cells makes this drug unique.
• 2-DG being a generic molecule and an analogue of glucose it can be easily produced and made available in large quantities.
• The drug is available in powder form in a sachet and can be taken orally after dissolving in water.
• The drug undergone three clinical test successfully since the first wave.

Concessional Import Duty

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

Why in News ?

CBIC has amended the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules,

Key Facts

• Importers taking advantage of concessional rate of import duty will have to give prior information to Customs officers about goods being imported and also its estimated quantity and value, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• One major change that accommodates the needs of trade and industry is that the imported goods have been permitted to be sent out for ‘job work’.
• Importers who do not have any manufacturing facility can now avail the IGCR, 2017 to import goods at concessional Customs duty.
• Some sectors such as gold, jewellery, precious stones and metals have been excluded.
• Those who import capital goods at a concessional Customs duty to clear them in the domestic market on payment of duty and interest, at a depreciated value.
• The required intimations and records can be sent by email to the jurisdictional Customs officer thereby obviating any physical interface.

Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, 2017

• It lay down the procedures and manner in which an importer can avail the benefit of a concessional duty on import of goods required for domestic production of goods or providing services.
• Job-Work Activity :
  • New Rule 6A has been inserted enabling job-work activity on imported goods (except Gold, Jewellery and articles thereof, and other precious metals or stone).
  • The maximum period for which goods can be sent to job-worker is six (6) months.
• Penalty on importer / job-worker :
  • New Rule 8A has been inserted providing for imposition of penalty on the importer / job-worker for contravention of the provisions of the IGCRD Rules.
  • The quantum of penalty under this Rule may extend upto Rs.2 lakhs as specified in Section 158(2)(ii) of the Customs Act, 1962.

Children Orphaned During Covid And Trafficking Chance High

Source : The Hindu
GS II :Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections
GS III : Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism

Why in News ?

COVID situation not only make the health issues it impact all areas like Economy, Society, Food Security. Recently a news article in The Hindu provides the impact over Children regarding their vulnerability. 

• Many children left orphaned during COVID 19 after the death of parents.
• The report shows some instances from various region
  • Ganjam district in Odisha, a 45 day old girl was found next to her mother’s body.
  • A mother left two daughters, a 15 year old and a seven year old, lost battle against COVID 19.
  • Four members of a family died over 12 days leaving behind two daughters aged six and 10.

Key Facts

• COVID19 has left many children extremely vulnerable, particularly those who have been orphaned.
• Childline 1098 recorded 51 calls between May 1 and 12 for children whose parents had died of COVID19, but the actual number was likely to be much higher
• Child rights activist after messages on social media and WhatsApp groups began circulating containing adoption appeals for children who had recently been orphaned by COVID19.
• Response from Ministry
  • Ministry flag such adoption requests as illegal.
  • Reason : Urged people to prevent trafficking in the garb of adoption.
  • Ministry wants report all such cases to 1098, to the police or a child welfare committee (CWC).
  • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to add a column in hospital admission forms asking patients to specify in whose custody their children could be left in case of any eventuality.
  • Only a district CWC could decide the future of children found orphaned in such circumstances.

What will happen for the Child lost parents ?

• CWC referred the child to a special adoption agency for interim care.
• The District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) would now undertake a social investigation which would include effort to find members from the extended family who could be given the custody of the child.
• Failing that the child may be declared orphaned, surrendered or abandoned before she is declared legally free for adoption.

What happen if some willing to keep children in custody ?

• They would have to be produced before a CWC.
• The CWC would first make effort to find members of the birth family and then make an assessment.

Issues related to adoption Children Orphaned During Covid

• Illegal adoption will increase the chance of trafficking.
• If children have faced one crisis such as a loss of a family member or separation from their parents due to death and desertion, then the emotional trauma for them is very high.

Laws in-favour of Adoption

• They could follow the rules to adopt or seek legal custody under
  • Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956
  • Juvenile Justice Act, 2015
  • Guardianship and Wards Act, 1890.

Way Forward

The best option, and recommended kinship care as a more suitable alternative. to respond to such a crisis is
to retain the child within the birth family so that the child doesn’t face double trauma. 

• Kinship care programme and make it part of foster care provisions under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
• Child protection system such as Maharashtra’s Bal Sangopan Yojana, where the State grants educational support of Orphaned children.

India’s Effort against Trafficking

• Trafficking in Human Beings or Persons is prohibited under the Constitution of India under Article 23 (1).
• The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 : legislation for prevention of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
• Criminal Law (amendment) Act 2013 : has come into force wherein Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code has been substituted with Section 370 and 370A IPC which provide for comprehensive measures to counter the menace of human trafficking including trafficking of children for exploitation in any form.
• Protection of Children from Sexual offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 : which has come into effect from 14th November, 2012 is a special law to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation with precise definition of abuse.
• Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 : To prohibit the engagement of children in certain employments and to regulate the conditions of work of children in certain other employments.
• Sections 372 and 373 : Dealing with selling and buying of girls for the purpose of prostitution.
• Anti Trafficking Cell (ATC) : Anti-Trafficking Nodal Cell was set up in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) (CS Division in 2006.

Prelims Facts

Audio-Visual Guide App

• National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi, announced the launch of the NGMA’s Audio-Visual Guide App on the occasion of International Museum Day.
• The app is an audio-visual guide for exploring the modern art treasures on display across galleries of the Museum.
• The NGMA app and tours are free for all users.
• Children and youth will use the app prolifically, experiencing art as a vital expression of the human spirit.

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