National Population Register 

National Population Register (NPR)​ The National Population Register (NPR) is a Register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local (Village/sub-Town), sub-District, District, State and National level under provisions of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. It is mandatory for every usual resident of India to register in the NPR. A usual resident is defined for the purposes of NPR as a person who has resided in a local area for the past 6 months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next 6 months or more. Objectives of National Population Register The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars. WHO IS USUAL RESIDENT OF INDIA A usual resident is defined, for the purposes of the NPR, as a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more, or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months. The law compulsorily seeks to register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card. Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2020 WHO WILL CONDUCT NPR ? The process of updating NPR will be carried out under the aegis of the Registrar General and ex-Officio Census Commissioner, India. Demographic Particulars: The following demographic details of every individualare required for every usual resident: · Name of person · Relationship to head of household · Father’s name · Mother’s name · Spouse’s name (if married) · Sex · Date of Birth · Marital status · Place of birth · Nationality (as declared) · Present address of usual residence · Duration of stay at present address · Permanent residential address · Occupation/Activity · Educational qualification WHEN AND WHERE NPR WILL BE CONDUCTED The process of collecting information for NPR will start in April 2020and will be completed by September.NPR will be conducted across India, exceptAssam as the state has already gone through the National Register of Citizens. Present Status: The data for National Population Register was collected in 2010 alongwith the houselisting phase of Census of India 2011. The updation of this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey. The digitisation of the updated information has been completed. Now it has been decided to update the National Population Register along with the Houselisting phase of Census 2021 during April to September 2020 in all the States/UTs except Assam. Implementation of the Code on Wages Act, 2019 Challenges: The concerns over the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) has prompted several state governments to halt the ongoing data collection process for a National Population Register (NPR). The fear is that the information sought under NPR is much wider in scope and could potentially be used to target a section of the society. NPR is not just a census exercise, but a larger data convergence project that can result in the government putting its citizens under surveillance, that is unwarranted and dangerous to the secular and constitutional credentials of the country. NPR Vs Census: While the process of NPR and Census will begin simultaneously, the two databases are not same. The decennial census is the largest single source of a variety of statistical information on different characteristics of the people of India. While NPR only contains demographic information, more details are required for census like information on demography, economic activity, literacy and education, and housing and household amenities besides others. The census is the basis for reviewing the country’s progress in the past decade, monitoring the ongoing schemes of the government and plan for the future. The census provides detailed and authentic information on demography, economic activity, literacy and education, housing and household amenities, urbanisation, fertility and mortality, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, language, religion, migration, disability besides others. The enumerators also collect data related to cultivators and agricultural labourers, their sex, occupational classification of workers in the non-households industry, trade, business, profession or service by class of worker and sex. There will be a detailed survey on gender and literacy rate, a number of towns, slum households and their population. Information is also collected on sources of potable water, energy, irrigation, method of farming, whether a house is a concrete, thatched or others. HOW IS NPR DIFFERENT THAN NRC ? National Population Register is a database of people living in India, citizens or not, but National Resgiter of Citizens is a database of Indian citizens. The NRC process demands proof of citizenship from the respondents. Those who found in wnat of the proof may face deportation or detention in long run. But in NPR, there is no need to provide any document. Conclusion: NPR data helps identify the demographics of actual residents who will be direct beneficiaries of any schemes launched in the area. The NPR data will help government design and adapt schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Jandhan Yojna, or medium of instruction in schools as per the current demographics, thus making the schemes more effective.      Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Galathea Bay

Galathea Bay The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) denotified the entire Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary to allow for the port there. The NBWL committee seemed unaware that India’s National Marine Turtle Action Plan that was under preparation then (it was released on February 1, 2021) had listed Galathea Bay as one of the ‘Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas’ and ‘Important Marine Turtle Habitats’ in the country. It is included in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-I, the zone with maximum protection. Environment Ministry expert committee approved a “zero extent” Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) for the Galathea NP to allow use of land in the south-eastern and south-western part of the island for the NITI Aayog plan. Read Also Kaziranga National Park Flora and Fauna: Zero extent ESZ had ironically listed out in great detail the park’s ecological uniqueness – that it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses a range of forest types, has one of the best preserved tropical rainforests in the world. The park is home to 648 species of flora and hosts 330 species of fauna including rare and endemic ones such as the Nicobar wild pig, Nicobar tree shrew, the Great Nicobar crested serpent eagle, Nicobar paradise flycatcher and the Nicobar megapode. It also notes that the park is home to the indigenous Shompen community. The beaches here, like at the mouth of the river Galathea in South Bay are among the most prominent nesting sites globally of the Giant leatherback. It for this reason that the bay was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1997, but has now been denotified to allow for the transhipment port. Way Forward: ESZ is needed to protect the park from an ecological, environmental and biodiversity point of view, but goes on in the very next para to propose a zero extent ESZ for nearly 70% of the periphery of the park. It is almost as if the unique diversity of life just listed suddenly disappeared because of an arbitrary line drawn to allow a slew of high value projects. This is illustrated in the case of the Giant leatherback turtle and the Nicobar megapode, two charismatic species for whom Great Nicobar is very important. Source: The Hindu Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Teesta River

Teesta River The Teesta river originates in Sikkim and flows through West Bengal as well as Bangladesh. India claims a share of 55 percent of the river’s water. Bangladesh wants a higher share than it gets now. Currently, its share is lower than that of India’s. How has the Teesta dispute progressed? The two countries were on the verge of signing a water-sharing pact in September 2011, when Prime Minister  was going to visit Bangladesh. But, West Bengal Chief minister  objected to it, and the deal was scuttled. Bangladesh PM confident they could reach a “fair solution” on the Teesta through cooperation between central and state governments. Five years later, the Teesta issue remains unresolved. How has India’s relationship with Bangladesh played out over the years? New Delhi has had a robust relationship with Dhaka, carefully cultivated since 2008. India has benefited from its security ties with Bangladesh, whose crackdown against anti-India outfits has helped the Indian government maintain peace in the eastern and Northeast states. Bangladesh has benefited from its economic and development partnership. Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia. Bilateral trade has grown steadily over the last decade: India’s exports to Bangladesh in 2018-19 stood at $9.21 billion, and imports from Bangladesh at $1.04 billion. India also grants 15 to 20 lakh visas every year to Bangladesh nationals for medical treatment, tourism, work, and just entertainment. A weekend shopping trip to India by Bangladesh’ elite is quite common .For India, Bangladesh has been a key partner in the neighbourhood first policy — and possibly the success story in bilateral ties among its neighbours. What are these irritants? These include the proposed countrywide National Register of Citizens(NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed in December last year. Bangladesh had cancelled visits by ministers, and Hasina has expressed reservations about CAA. She had said that while the CAA and the proposed nationwide NRC are “internal matters” of India, the CAA move was “not necessary”. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who has served as India’s envoy in Dhaka, flew to Dhaka in early March to assuage such concerns. Amid discussions between Bangladesh and China, Shringla went to Bangladesh this week, too. He was the first visitor Hasina has met since the Covid-19 pandemic How have relations between Bangladesh and China been developing? “China is the biggest trading partner of Bangladesh and is the foremost source of imports. In 2019, the trade between the two countries was $18 billion and the imports from China commanded the lion’s share. The trade is heavily in favour of China,”. Recently, China declared zero duty on 97% of imports from Bangladesh. The concession flowed from China’s duty-free, quota-free programme for the Least Developed Countries. This move has been widely welcomed in Bangladesh, with the expectation that Bangladesh exports to China will increase. India too has provided developmental assistance worth $10 billion, making Bangladesh the largest recipient of India’s total of $30 billion aid globally. China has promised around $30 billion worth of financial assistance to Bangladesh. Additionally, Bangladesh’s strong defence ties with China make the situation complicated. China is the biggest arms supplier to Bangladesh and it has been a legacy issue — after the liberation, officers of Pakistan Army — who were well-versed with Chinese arms — joined Bangladesh Army and that’s how they preferred Chinese weapons As a result, Bangladesh forces are equipped with Chinese arms including tanks, missile launchers, fighter aircraft and several weapons systems. Recently, Bangladesh purchased two Ming class submarines from China. In the wake of the Ladakh standoff, India has become more sensitive to Chinese defence inroads into Bangladesh.   How has India been engaging with Bangladesh post CAA? Over the last five months, India and Bangladesh have cooperated on pandemic-related moves. Hasina supported Modi’s call for a regional emergency fund for fighting Covid-19 and declared a contribution of $1.5 million in March 2020. India has also provided medical aid to Bangladesh. The two countries have also cooperated in railways, with India giving 10 locomotives to Bangladesh. The first trial run for trans-shipment of Indian cargo through Bangladesh to Northeast states under a pact on the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports took place in July. However, in recent weeks, Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s call to Hasina raised eyebrows in Delhi. While Islamabad portrayed it as a conversation on Kashmir, Dhaka said it was about cooperating to deal with Covid-19. How has India sought to address China’s latest move? During Shringla’s recent meeting with Hasina, “security-related issues of mutual interest” were discussed. The visit tried to address issues on areas that have emerged as potential irritants in the relationship. Bangladesh expressed “deep concern” at the rise in killings at the Indo-Bangladesh border by “BSF or Indian nationals” during the first half of this year, and the Indian side assured that the BSF authorities have been sensitised of the matter and it will be discussed in detail at the DG-level talks between Border Guards Bangladesh and BSF to be hosted by Dhaka next month. Among other issues: The two sides agreed that Implementation of projects should be done in a timely manner, and that greater attention is required to development projects in Bangladesh under the Indian Lines of Credit. Bangladesh sought return of the Tablighi Jamaat members impacted by the lockdown in India, and also early release of the 25 Bangladeshi fishermen in custody in Assam. India assured Bangladesh that its nationals would be able to return soon. Bangladesh requested for urgent reopening of visa issuance from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, particularly since many Bangladeshi patients need to visit India. India was also requested to reopen travel through Benapole-Petrapole land port which has been halted by the West Bengal government in the wake of the pandemic. Bangladesh told Shringla that it is ready to collaborate in the development of a Covid-19 vaccine, including its trial, and looks forward to early, affordable availability of the vaccine when ready. What is the way ahead? While the Teesta project is important and urgent from India’s point of view, it will be difficult to

Gram Ujala Scheme

Gram Ujala Scheme State-run EESL arm Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) launched the Gram Ujala Scheme under which high quality energy efficient LED bulbs will be given for Rs 10 per piece in certain villages of five states in the first phase. The Gram Ujala programme was launched by Power & New and Renewable Energy Minister  in Bihar. First phase: In the first phase of this programme, 15 million LED bulbs will be distributed across villages of Aarah (Bihar), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra), and villages in western Gujarat. The programme will be financed entirely through carbon credits and will be the first such programme in India. Gram Ujala programme: Under the programme, 7 watt and 12-watt LED bulbs with three years of warranty will be given to rural consumers on submission of working incandescent bulbs. The Gram Ujala programme will be implemented in villages of the five districts only and consumers can exchange a maximum of five LED bulbs. These rural households will also have metres installed in their houses to account for usage.The programme will have a significant impact on India’s climate change action energy savings of 2025 million KWh/year and CO2 reductions of 1.65 million tonnes CO2/year.It will also enable better illumination, at an affordable price. This will usher in a better standard of life, financial savings, more economic activity, and better safety for rural citizens. 36 crores LED bulbs have been distributed as well as 1.15 crores street lights have been replaced with the LED lights all over the country. The step resulted in energy savings of thousands of megawatts. Under the Shine Program of Activities, carbon credits will be prepared. There will be an option for verifying under the Voluntary Carbon Standard which will depend on the need of the buyers. Benefit: Fight against climate change  Increasing energy efficiency A better standard of life Financial savings Better safety for the citizens in rural areas Conclusion: The Gram Ujala program has been designed to support widespread distribution by removing the chief barrier for rural consumers. In addition, the energy savings garnered will reduce household’s energy outlay, enabling higher disposable income and savings. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Melghat Tiger Reserve

Melghat Tiger Reserve The Government of India in consultation with the State Government and in accordance with the recommendations of the Task Force appointed on the matter of Tiger Conservation, by the Indian Board of Wildlife established nine Tiger reserve in the first phase in the country during the year 1973-74. Melghat Tiger Reserve was one of this Nine Tiger Reserve and came in to being on 22.2.1974 initially over an area of 1571.74 Sq. K.m. This was the first Tiger Reserve to be declared in the State of Maharashtra, which subsequently get expanded to 2029.04 Sq.  Location Situated in the Satpura hill ranges of Central India, Melghat Tiger Reserve lies in Melghat Forests of Amravati district in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra bordering Madhya Pradesh in the North and East. Its area is geographically located as given below: Latitude: Between 210 151 N and 210 451 N Longitude: Between 760 571 E and 770 301 E Altitude: 312M to 1178 M above MSL. Features: Melghat tiger reserve is located in the Amaravati district of Maharashtra. Melghat Tiger Reserve is located on the southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range in Central India, called Gavilgarh Hill. It is 225 km west of Nagpur. It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1967, and was declared a tiger reserve in 1974. It was among the first nine tiger reserves notified in 1973-74 under Project Tiger, a wildlife conservation project initiated in India in 1972 to protect Bengal tigers. It was the first tiger reserve of Maharashtra. It is still one of the biggest tiger reserves in the country in terms of area. The name ‘Melghat’ means the confluence of various ‘ghats’ or valleys as is typical from the landscape of this tiger Reserve. Apart from Tigers the other prominent animals are Sloth Bear, Indian Gaur, Sambar deer, Leopard, Nilgais, etc. The endangered and ‘back from extinction’ Forest Owlet is also found in various areas of Melghat. The forests are of deciduous nature and have been classified as‘dry deciduous forests’. Most prominent is  It forms a very important catchment to Tapi river The Korku tribeadds to the cultural diversity of the Reserve.

Places of Worship Act 1991

Places of Worship Act 1991 The Supreme Court asked the Centre to respond to a plea challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. In agreeing to examine the law, the court has opened the doors for litigation in various places of worship across the country including Mathura and Varanasi. What is the law about? Passed in 1991 by the P V Narasimha Rao-led Congress government, the law seeks to maintain the “religious character” of places of worship as it was in 1947 — except in the case of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which was already in court. The law was brought in at the peak of the Ram Mandir movement, exactly a year before the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Introducing the law, then Home Minister S B Chavan said in Parliament that it was adopted to curb communal tension. What are its provisions? The clause declaring the objective of the law describes it as “an Act to prohibit conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August, 1947, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”. Sections 3 and 4 of the Act declare that the religious character of a place of worship shall continue to be the same as it was on August 15, 1947 and that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination into one of a different denomination or section. Section 4(2) says that all suits, appeals or other proceedings regarding converting the character of a place of worship, that were pending on August 15, 1947, will stand abated when the Act commences and no fresh proceedings can be filed. However, legal proceedings can be initiated with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship after the commencement of the Act if the change of status took place after the cut-off date of August 15, 1947. What does it say about Ayodhya, and what else is exempted? Section 5 says: “Act not to apply to Ram Janma Bhumi Babri Masjid. Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to the place or place of worship commonly known as Ram Janma Bhumi-Babri Masjid situated in Ayodhya in the State of Uttar Pradesh and to any suit, appeal or other proceeding relating to the said place or place of worship.” Besides the Ayodhya dispute, the Act also exempted: any place of worship that is an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site, or is covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958; a suit that has been finally settled or disposed of; any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced. What has the Supreme Court said about the Act? In the 2019 Ayodhya verdict, the Constitution Bench led by former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi referred to the law and said it manifests the secular values of the Constitution and strictly prohibits retrogression. “In providing a guarantee for the preservation of the religious character of places of public worship as they existed on 15 August 1947 and against the conversion of places of public worship, Parliament determined that independence from colonial rule furnishes a constitutional basis for healing the injustices of the past by providing the confidence to every religious community that their places of worship will be preserved and that their character will not be altered. The law addresses itself to the State as much as to every citizen of the nation. Its norms bind those who govern the affairs of the nation at every level. Those norms implement the Fundamental Duties under Article 51A and are hence positive mandates to every citizen as well. The State, has by enacting the law, enforced a constitutional commitment and operationalized its constitutional obligations to uphold the equality of all religions and secularism which is a part of the basic structure of the Constitution,” the court said. Why is the law under challenge? Delhi  advocate Ashwini Upadhyaya has challenged the law on the ground that violates secularism. He has also argued that the cut-off date of August 15, 1947 is “arbitrary, irrational and retrospective” and prohibits Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs from approaching courts to “re-claim” their places of worship which were “invaded” and “encroached” upon by “fundamentalist barbaric invaders”. The BJP had opposed the law even when it was introduced, arguing that the Centre has no power to legislate on “pilgrimages” or “burial grounds” which is under the state list. However, the government had said it could make use of its residuary power under Entry 97 of the Union List to enact this law. Entry 97 confers residuary powers to the Centre to legislate on subjects that are not enumerated in any of the three lists. Another criticism against the law is that the cut-off is the date of Independence, which means that status quo determined by a colonial power is considered final. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Panna Tiger Reserve

Panna Tiger Reserve The devastating impact of the Ken-Betwa river linkage project on the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh. Panna Tiger Reserve: Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a popular tourist spot for wildlife lovers has been declared as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. A prime tiger-land Located in Vindhyan Hills in northern Madhya Pradesh. Covering an area of approx 542.67 sq km, the thick deciduous forest of the Panna National Reserve is the natural habitat of sloth, Indian wolf, Bear Pangolin, Leopard, Gharial, Indian fox and a lot more. Fragile though dynamic dry deciduous forest. Characterised by extensive plateaus and gorges. Land of mesmerising waterfalls. Naturals and archaeological splendour. Land of legends and cultural richness. The land of the Ken river, which lends it unparalleled beauty. The northern most boundary of natural distribution to teak (Tectona grandis). The eastern limit of teak-kardhai (Anogeissus pendula) mixed forests. Links the eastern and western populations of wild animals through the NE-SW running Vindhyan Hill ranges. The most important protected area in the north-central highlands of india. Tiger Reintroduction Project started in 2009 by bringing five female and two male felines from Bandhavgarh and Kanha national parks. The Panna National Park got the status of Project Tiger Reserve 13 years after its formation in 1981. Report by the All India Tiger Estimation made Madhya Pradesh the state with the highest number of tigers. The state had a total of 526 big cats according to 2018 census. After Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand have the highest number of tigers.  Read also Critical Tiger Habitat CWH Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Production Linked Incentive Schemes

Production Linked Incentive Schemes The Ministry of Electronics and IT had approved some proposals by electronics manufacturers under its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. PLI Scheme: The production linked incentive (PLI) scheme, introduced by the government across the 10 key specific sectors is aimed at making manufacturers globally competitive and attract investment in the areas of core competency. The scheme is targeted at making the country an integral part of the global supply chain. According to a recent research report by CARE Ratings, the final proposals of PLI for the individual sectors will be appraised by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) and approved by the Union Cabinet. Read Also NIRVIK scheme The production linked incentive scheme will affect the 10 key specific sectors once they are individually implemented:  The scheme for ACC battery is likely to incentivize large domestic and international players in establishing a competitive ACC battery set-up in the country The scheme is likely to make the Indian automotive industry more competitive and will enhance global activity for the sector. For the telecom sector, the scheme is expected to attract large investments from global players and help domestic companies seize emerging opportunities, to become major players in the export market. The scheme will attract large investment in the sector to further boost domestic manufacturing, especially in the MMF segment and technical textiles. A focused scheme for solar PV modules will incentivize domestic and global players to build large-scale solar PV capacity in the country and help in capturing the global value chains for solar PV manufacturing A PLI scheme in the specialty steel sector will help in enhancing manufacturing capabilities for value-added steel leading to an increase in total exports. Specific product lines in food sector having high growth potential to generate medium-to large scale employment have been identified for providing support through the PLI scheme. Read Also SVAMITVA Scheme Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. JOIN NOW

Yogyakarta Principles

Yogyakarta Principles In a landmark judgment the Indian Supreme Court has held that the ‘Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Law in Relation to Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’ should be applied as a matter of national law. Significance: The Yogyakarta Principles were developed by a coalition coordinated by the International Service for Human Rights and the International Commission of Jurists and were formally adopted by a panel of leading international law experts in November 2006. They provide authoritative guidance on the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and the obligations of States to promote and protect these rights, ensure full equality and address discrimination. ‘ISHR welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court of India affirming the right to non-discrimination on the grounds of gender identity and recognising the relevance and applicability of international human rights norms, such as the Yogyakarta Principles,’ ‘The right to non-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity is both fundamental and universal and we call on all States to comply with the Yogyakarta Principles in developing and implementing laws, policies and practices in this regard,’. Why are they needed? Human rights violations targeted toward persons because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity constitute an entrenched global pattern of serious concern. They include extra-judicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, sexual assault and rape, invasions of privacy, arbitrary detention, denial of employment and education opportunities, and serious discrimination in relation to the enjoyment of other human rights. Key human rights mechanisms of the United Nations have affirmed States’ obligation to ensure effective protection of all persons from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, the international response has been fragmented and inconsistent, creating the need for a consistent understanding of the comprehensive regime of international human rights law and its application to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Yogyakarta Principles do this. Read GS Notes How did the Principles come about? The Principles were developed and unanimously adopted by a distinguished group of human rights experts, from diverse regions and backgrounds, including judges, academics, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Special Procedures, members of treaty bodies, NGOs and others. The Rapporteur of the process, Professor Michael O’Flaherty, has made immense contributions to the drafting and revision of the Yogyakarta Principles. A key event in the development of the Principles was an international seminar of many of these legal experts that took place in Yogyakarta, Indonesia at Gadjah Mada University from 6 to 9 November 2006. That seminar clarified the nature, scope and implementation of States’ human rights obligations in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity under existing human rights treaties and law. What do they cover? The Yogyakarta Principles address the broad range of human rights standards and their application to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. These include extrajudicial executions, violence and torture, access to justice, privacy, non-discrimination, rights to freedom of expression and assembly, employment, health, education, immigration and refugee issues, public participation, and a variety of other rights. How can these rights be implemented? The Principles affirm the primary obligation of States to implement human rights. Each Principle is accompanied by detailed recommendations to States. The Principles also emphasise, however, that all actors have responsibilities to promote and protect human rights. Additional recommendations are therefore addressed to the UN human rights system, national human rights institutions, the media, non-governmental organisations, and others. India: In the case of India, in particular, call on the Government to act consistently with the Yogyakarta Principles by repealing section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which effectively criminalises same-sex relations. Also call on India to comply with the spirit and intent of this judgment by supporting efforts at the UN Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution condemning violence and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.’ Yogyakarta Principles and the Section 377 India is one of the 72 countries worldwide that criminalise homosexuality now. Forty five of these countries have outlawed sexual relationships between women. According to an annual report by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), there are eight countries in which homosexuality can result in a death penalty, and dozens more in which homosexual acts can result in a prison sentence. Against this backdrop, the International Commission of Jurists and the International Services for the Human Rights, on behalf of a coalition of Human Rights Organisations, have developed the Yogyakarta principles. Yogyakarta principles are a set of international legal principles on the application of the international law to human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity to bring greater clarity and coherence in state’s human rights obligations. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Irrawaddy Dolphin

Irrawaddy Dolphin The population of dolphins in Chilika Lake, the largest freshwater lake,and along the Odisha coast has doubled this year compared to the last year. The endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population has jumped from 146 in 2020 to 162 this year. The Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A distinctive dolphin with a rounded head and no beak, this species is patchily distributed in shallow, coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific, and also occurs in three large river systems – the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar, the Mekong in Cambodia, and the Mahakam in Borneo, Indonesia. The main threat to the Irrawaddy Dolphin is entanglement in gillnets. Habitat loss and degradation from pollution, dam construction, sedimentation, and vessel traffic are additional concerns. These dolphins are revered in many parts of Asia. Five subpopulations, including all three freshwater populations, have suffered dramatic declines in range and numbers and are considered Critically Endangered. The Irrawaddy Dolphin is legally protected from deliberate capture in most of its range, and specially protected areas have been designated in several areas. Restrictions on the use of gillnets are necessary to reduce entanglement mortality. The use of non-entangling and more selective gear is to be encouraged. Read Ganges River Dolphin Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now