Current Affairs 22 June 2021 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 22 June 2021 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) 1985

Source : Indian Express
GS III : Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security

Approach “Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985” : Mains

1. About Section 27A
2. About Amendment 2014
3. What is NDPS Act 1985 ?

Why in News ?

Tripura High Court recently discovered that an oversight in drafting the 2014 amendments to the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) 1985 had unintentionally rendered a key provision of the Act Section 27A which provides for punishment of those financing illicit trafficking, inoperable.

Key Facts

• What is Section 27A ?
  • Section 27A of the NDPS Act, 1985 prescribes the punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders.
  • Whoever indulges in financing directly or indirectly any of the activities specified in sub-clauses (i) to (v) of clause (viiia) of section 2 or harbours any person engaged in any of the aforementioned activities, shall be punishable with
    • Rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years
    • Shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh rupees.
  • Provided that the court may for reasons to be recorded in the judgment impose a fine exceeding two lakh rupees.
• About Amendment 2014
  • Offences mentioned under Section 2(viiia) sub-clauses i-v are punishable through Section 27A.

    

  • Section 2 (viiia) sub-clauses i-v, which is supposed to be the catalog of offences, does not exist after the 2014 amendment.
  • Removed state-barriers in transporting, licensing drugs classified as “essential narcotic drugs.
  • Section 2 that defines essential narcotic drugs and subsequently in Section 9 allowing the manufacture, possession, transport, import inter-State, export inter-State, sale, purchase, consumption and use of essential narcotic drugs.
• Why it is Amended ?
  • To allow for better medical access to narcotic drugs. 3
  • The regulation under NDPS was very stringent, despite being a leading manufacturer of morphine, an opioid analgesic used as a painkiller it was difficult to access the drug even for hospitals.
• Why it should get rectified ?
  • Even if the amendment is brought in, the result of the drafting error could lead to more constitutional questions being raised.
  • Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees protection against double jeopardy.
  • Article 20(1) says that no person shall be convicted of any offence except for violation of the law in force at the time of the commission of the act

NDPS Act 1985

• • Through which  state regulates the operations of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
  • It provides a stringent framework for punishing offences related illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances through imprisonments and forfeiture of property.

Suicide Worldwide In 2019

Source : Down To Earth
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Approach “Suicide Worldwide In 2019” : Prelims

• What is it?
• About the report

Why in News ?

The report titled Suicide worldwide in 2019 was published June 17, 2021.

• It shows that some 703,000 people or one in a 100, died by suicide in 2019.
• This is published by World Health Organisation

Key Facts

• Go hand-in-hand with foundational pillars like situation analysis, multi-sectoral collaboration, awareness raising capacity building, financing, surveillance and monitoring and evaluation.
• Reducing the global suicide mortality rate by a third is both an indicator and a target in the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• World will not be able to reach this target if a new report by the WHO is to be believed.

About the Suicide Worldwide In 2019

• Many of the suicide person are young people. 
• Half of global suicides (58 per cent) occurred before the age of 50 years.

  

• Suicide was the fourth-leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29 globally in 2019.
• 77 per cent of global suicides in 2019 occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
• On an average, 9 out of every 100,000 people ended their lives in the world.
• WHO regions Africa, Europe and South-East Asia recorded suicide rates higher than the global average.
• This number was highest in the WHO Africa region (11.2) followed by Europe (10.5) and South-East Asia (10.2).
• In 20 years (2000-2019), the global suicide rate had decreased by 36 per cent.
  • The decrease ranged from 17 per cent in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to 47 per cent in the European Region and 49 per cent in the Western Pacific Region.
• The world will not be able to achieve the SDGs concerning mental health.
• What need to be done to reduce suicide rate ?
  • Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
  • Universal health coverage which mental health is part of.
  • Suicide prevention high on their agendas.

Decarbonisation And Promotion of RE

Source : PIB
GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Approach “Decarbonisation And Promotion of RE” : Mains

1. About the Order
2. How it helps

Why in News ?

Ministry of Power has issued order for extension of the waiver of Inter-State Transmission system (ISTS) charges on transmission of electricity generated from solar and wind sources for projects to be commissioned up to 30th June 2025.

Key Facts

• The order promotes the development of solar, wind, Hydro Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), trading of RE in the power exchanges and seamless transmission of RE power across the states.
• What is the order ?
  • The waiver of inter-state transmission charges on transmission of the electricity generated from solar and wind sources of energy that was available to solar and wind projects commissioned up to 30th June 2023 has now been extended till 30th June 2025.

    

  • Allowed for Hydro Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects to be commissioned up 30th June 2025.
  • The waiver of transmission charges has also been allowed for trading of electricity generated/ supplied from Solar, wind, PSP and BESS in Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) and Green Day Ahead Market (GDAM) for two years i.e. till 30th June 2023.
• How this Help ?
  • Promote the Hydro Pumped Storage Plant (PSP) and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects for meeting the balancing requirement of the grid caused due to large scale integration of Renewables in the Electricity Grid ie around 450 GW by 2030.
  • Encourage the RE trade in the Power Exchanges.
  • The volume of renewable energy trade in the power exchange is expected to increase further.
  • An opportunity to minimise the curtailment of RE as the RE developers will also have the option to sell power in the power exchanges and get instantly paid on the day of delivery of power itself.
  • This will helps to achieve the targets of Government of India in meeting the international obligations towards climate change.

Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules 2020 Proposed Amendment

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

Approach for Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules 2020 Proposed Amendment : Prelims Mains

• Need For Amendment
• What exactly it aims?
• Propose Feature the amendment
• Indian E-Commerce Market

Why in News ?

• For the purposes of preventing unfair trade practices in e-commerce Central Government had notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 with effect from 23 July 2020. 

Key Facts

• Need for Amendment
  • Negatively impacted the consumer and business sentiment : Prevalence of such unfortunate incidents were in

    

    the market causing immense distress and anguish to many.

  • Evident lack of regulatory oversight : It was observed that there was lack of regulation in e-commerce which required some urgent action.
  • Rapid growth of e-commerce platforms : This also brought into the purview the unfair trade practices of the marketplace
    • E-commerce entities engaging in manipulating search result to promote certain sellers, preferential treatment to some sellers, indirectly operating the sellers on their platform
    • This impinging the free choice of consumers, selling goods close to expiration. 
• Impact after the notification
  • Since the notification of these rules the Government has received several representations from aggrieved consumers, traders and associations.
  • With complaining against widespread cheating and unfair trade practices being observed in the e-commerce ecosystem.
• Flash sale 
  • Flash sales by third party sellers are not banned on e-commerce platform.
  • Certain e-commerce entities are engaging in limiting consumer choice by indulging in flash sales.
  • Here one seller selling on platform does not carry any inventory or order fulfilment capability.
  • They places a flash or back to back order with another seller controlled by platform.
  • This prevents a level playing field and ultimately limits customer choice and increases prices.

What is the aim of Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules 2020 Proposed Amendment ?

• To protect the interests of consumers, prevent their exploitation and encourage free and fair competition in the market
• The proposed amendments aim to bring transparency in the e-commerce platforms and further strengthen the regulatory regime to curb the prevalent unfair trade practices.

What are the proposed amendments ?

• Chief Compliance Officer
  • It aims to ensure compliance to their orders and deal with compliance of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Rules
  • A nodal contact person for 24×7 coordination with law enforcement agencies.
  • Resident Grievance Officer for redressing of the grievances of the consumers on the e-commerce platform, has been proposed.
  • This would ensure effective compliance with the provisions of the Act and Rules
  • Also strengthen the grievance redressal mechanism on e-commerce entities.
• Framework for registration
  • This aims to verify the genuineness of an e-commerce entity before transacting through their platform.
  • Every e-commerce entity with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) for allotment of registration number which shall be displayed prominently on website
  • Also provide the number in invoice of every order placed the e-commerce entity.
• Prohibition of mis-selling
  • Selling goods or services by deliberate misrepresentation of information
  • This aims to ensure that consumers are aware about the expiry date of the products they are buying on the e-commerce platform
  • All inventory e-commerce entities to provide best before or use before date to enable consumers to make an informed purchase decision.
• Fair and equal treatment
  • To ensure that the domestic manufacturers and suppliers get a fair and equal treatment on the e-commerce platform
  • An e-commerce entity offers imported goods or services shall incorporate a filter mechanism to identify goods based on country of origin.
  • It should suggest alternatives to ensure fair opportunity to domestic goods.
• Failure of delivery of goods
  • Provisions of Fall-back liability for every marketplace e-commerce entity have been provided.
  • This will ensure that consumers are not adversely affected in the event of delayed, fails to deliver and negligent conduct.

Indian E-Commerce Market

• India’s e-commerce orders volume increased by 35-36% in the last quarter of 2020
• E-commerce market is expected to grow to more than US$ 200 billion by 2026.
• It also has huge potential to employment generation. 
• What is the major reason for huge growth ?
  • Penetration of Smartphone
  • Cheap Data availability like 4G network
  • Digital India’ programme
  • Government eMarket place (GeM) listing 

International Yoga Day June 21

Source : Indian Express
Prelims Fact 

Why in News ?

June 21 is observed as International Yoga Day by recognising the many benefits of the ancient Indian practice of yoga. 

• 21 June 2021  marked 7th International Yoga Day.
• It falls on the with the summer solstice, June 21.

Key Facts

• 2021 the day is celebrating under the theme “Yoga for wellness”.

  

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the m-Yoga fitness app on the occasion of International Yoga Day.
  • Jointly developed by the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organisation.
  • Aims to bring assisted yoga training to everyone with a smartphone for free without needing any signing in.
• UN proclaimed June 21 as International Day of Yoga by passing a resolution on December 11, 2014.
• Yoga had Two Guinness World Records
  • First record was set for housing 35,985 people
  • Second was for having the most number 84 of nationalities participating in it.

About Yoga

• Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India.
• The word yoga derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness.

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