The Government of India is to launch e – passports from 2022 – 23. This is to increase the convenience of the citizens. This was announced by the Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman during budget presentation.

Working of e – passports

The e – passports have a small silicon chip. It is embedded within the jacket of the passport. The chip has a memory of 64 KB. The chip holds personal information of the holder. It includes their signature as well. The chip can store 30 visits. In later stages, the passport will carry photo of the holder and his biometric data. These passports have thick front and back cover. The e – passports are to carry the same information as that of the traditional passports.

E – Passports in other countries

The e – passports are currently used in 120 countries. This includes Germany, US, UK. These three countries have biometric e – passport systems. That is, just by using finger print or retinal identification, the passport of the person is verified.

Benefits

The e – passports can be scanned very quickly as compared to that of physical verification. It will help to reduce the use of fake passports.

E – Passport manufacturing

The e – passports are compliant with ICAO standards. ICAO is International Civil Aviation Organization. The contract of manufacturing the e – passports was given to Nashik based ISP. ISP is India Security Press. ISP is currently procuring operating systems and electronic contactless inlays. The GoI is to issue new passports after ISP completes procuring.

On February 13, 2022, a special parliamentary assembly re-elected German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for a second term of five years.

Highlights

• Steinmeier was endorsed for head of the state, ahead of the elections, by most mainstream political parties.
• He was elected with a big majority by a special assembly comprising of the members of lower house of parliament and representatives of 16 states of Germany.
• He became president in 2017. Before that, he served two stints as foreign minister of Chancellor Angela Merkel and as chief of staff to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

President of Germany

President of Germany has little executive power. However, it is considered an important moral authority. He is the head of the state. The president has ceremonial obligations, but also has the right and duty to act politically. They can provide direction to general societal & political debates. Article 81 and others of the Basic law provides them some important “reserve powers” in case of political instability. The president also has prerogative to grant pardons on behalf of federation.

Tenure of German Presidents

The German presidents can be elected for two consecutive five-year terms.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (SB) has booked ABG Shipyard Ltd, in its biggest bank fraud case.

Highlights

• CBI also booked its then Chairman and Managing Director Rishi Kamlesh Agarwal along with others.
• They have been booked for cheating a consortium of banks led by State Bank of India of more than Rs 22,842 crore.
• They have been charged with alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust & abuse of official position and cheating, under the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

SBI’s complaint

SBI had first filed a complaint on November 8, 2019. On this, CBI had sought some clarifications on March 12, 2020. The bank filed a fresh complaint in August 2020, after scrutinising for around one and a half-year. CBI acted on the complaint filing an FIR on February 7, 2022.

What is the issue?

The ABG Shipyard Ltd was sanctioned credit facilities from 28 banks and financial institutions. In thus, SBI was having an exposure of Rs 2468.51 crore. According to forensic audit, between 2012-17, accused colluded together and committed illegal activities like misappropriation, diversion of funds, and criminal breach of trust. Funds were used for other purposes than for which banks released. It is the biggest bank fraud case registered by CBI.

On February 13, 2022, India delivered medical supplies to Kiribati after Pacific Island nation asked for help, for dealing with the first outbreak of COVID-19.

Key Facts

• According to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), consignment contained emergency Covid-19 medication, pulse oximeters and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits.
• Medical supplies to Kiribati affirm India’s commitment for providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support as early responder in Pacific region.
• Medical supplies were put together and despatched from India, in a short span of time, despite the logistical challenges in reaching Kiribati Island.

Significance of the India’s assistance

India’s consignment of medical supplies to Kiribati affirms its commitment to provide disaster relief support and humanitarian assistance as an early responder in the Pacific region. It shows India’s commitment to extend full support to Kiribati’s national efforts in mitigating the challenges arising due to covid-19 pandemic.

India celebrated National Productivity Day on February 12, 2020 which provides for planning time, skills, energy, intelligence, resources, and opportunities in order to achieve goals.

Who organises the day?

National Productivity Day is organised by National Productivity Council (NPC), with the objective of stimulating and promoting productivity and quality awareness in all sectors of India.

Productivity Week

National Productivity Council will celebrate “National Productivity Week” from February 12 to 18, 2022.  The week is celebrated with following objectives:

1. To draw attention towards the concept of encouraging implementation of productivity tools.
2. To enhance techniques with contemporary relevant themes.
3. To propagate productivity, competitiveness, quality, and efficiency.
4. To increase consciousness through seminars, workshops and quality events.
5. To arrange seminars, campaigns as well as provide knowledge on enhancing productivity.

National Productivity Council will celebrate productivity week under the theme “Self-Reliance Through Productivity.”

The West Bengal Governor prorogued the assembly using his powers under Article 174 of the constitution.

What is Proroguing?

It is discontinuing the session of parliament or state legislative assembly. This does not involve dissolving the assembly.

Article 174

The article provides powers to the governor to summon, prorogue and dissolve the legislative assembly. The governor can do so only based on conditions as mentioned in Article 163.

Article 163

The Governor should act based on the advice of the chief minister and the council of ministers.

Supreme Court on the issue

The 2016 the Arunachal Pradesh case was based on this issue. The dispute was between Deputy Speaker of Arunachal Pradesh and Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix. The SC pronounced that power does not lie in the hands of governor totally. It should be exercised with the aid of council of ministers.

Justification

The governor is not an elected member. He is nominated by the president. The nominated personalities shall not override the representatives of the people. The governor shall not over rule state legislature. This is because the constitution was created based on the principle of ministerial responsibility.

Discretionary powers of Governor

Article 163 (1): It limits the discretionary powers of governor. The governor shall act only in cases where the constitution specifies that he shall act on his independent mind.

The governor shall use his discretionary power under Article 174 only if the Chief Minister of the State has lost support from the house.

Article 169

The Parliament shall abolish Legislative Council of a state by law. However, this happens only if the legislative assembly of the state passes a resolution.

Article 175

The Governor shall address the state legislative assembly and the council. He shall send messages to the houses.

It is an annual festival held in Venice city of Italy. The festival is being held in 2022 after a long gap. It was not conducted in the past two years due to COVID.

About the Carnival

The first Carnival of Venice was conducted after the military victory of Venice in 1162. Venice won against Ulrich von Treven. Treven was the Patriach of Aquilea. Aquilea was an ancient Roman city. Patriach is the highest ranking of the bishops. After the victory, the Venetians started dancing together in San Marco Square. The place still exists in Venice. Today it is referred to as la Piazza or simply the Square. The festival became official during renaissance.

What is Shrove Tuesday?

The Venice Carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday. The day is marked by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Mathodists and Lutherans. On this day, the Christians make self – examination. They list out their wrong doings and repent them. Most of the observers participate in absolution and confession.

Carnival Masks

The masks have been the most important feature of the Venetian festival. The masks are made of porcelain or leather. Earlier the masks were simple and decorative. In modern days, the masks are made of gesso and gold leaf. They are hand painted.

On Feb 11, 2022, India remembered the revolutionary freedom fighter and tribal leader Tilka Manjhi, marking his 272nd birth anniversary.

Who was Tilka Majhi?

Tilka Manjhi was an Indian freedom fighter and the first Adivasi leader from Paharia (Hill Peoples) Community. He revolted against the British in 1784, about 70 years before Mangal Pandey. He organized the Adivasis to form an armed group, in order to fight against resource grabbing and exploitation by British.

Famine in Santhal Region

There was severe famine in the Santhal region in 1770, due to which people were dying of hunger. To save people, Tilka Manjhi looted the treasury of Company and distributed it among them. Many other tribal also joined the rebellion, after getting inspired from this noble act of Tilka. With this loot, revolt of the Santhals (Santhal Hool) started. He continued to attack the British and their sycophantic allies. From 1771 to 1784, he never surrendered.

Attack on Augustus Cleveland

Tilka Manjhi attacked Augustus Cleveland, who was an East India Company administrator. Tilka fatally wounded him. Following this incident, the British surrounded the Tilapore forest from which Tilka operated. He was caught in 1784. He was tied to the tail of a horse and was dragged to the Collector’s residence at Bhagalpur in Bihar. His torn body was hung from a Banyan tree.

Statue of Tilka Manjhi

After Indian Independence, a statue to Tilka Manjhi was erected at the spot where he was hanged. It is the nearby residence of S.P. Bhagalpur and has been named after him. Bhagalpur University was also renamed as “Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University”.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) has come out against the suggestion by National Medical Commission’s (NMC), to replace Hippocratic Oath with Charak Shapath during the convocation with medical graduates.

Key Points

• According to IMA, Charak Shapath was not made from the viewpoint of modern medicine.
• IMA is of the view that, oaths shall follow an international outlook. It must be beyond the views of race, caste, gender and creed.
• Oath is for betterment of human beings. It shall be suitable for modern science promoting constant questioning and corrections. But Charak Shapath is based on regionalism. It insists on aspects hindering the personal freedom of woman patients and promotes superstition. Thus, not suitable for scientific methods.

Exclusion from Global Community

IMA is concerned that; the proposed oath will lead to exclusion of modern medicine from the global community. It will drag the sector backward.

When was decision on replacement made?

The suggestion for replacement of oath was made during a recent meeting of NMC, which is the regulator for medical education and practices in India.

What is Hippocratic Oath?

Hippocratic Oath is an ethical code for fresh medical graduates. It is believed to be written by ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. This oath was revised by World Medical Association (WMA) and promoted it as the Declaration of Geneva in 1948. It outlines the professional duties of physicians and affirms ethical principles of global medical profession.

Indian Medical Association (IMA)

IMA is a national voluntary organisation of physicians in India. It looks and cares after the interest of doctors or wellbeing of the community. It was established as All India Medical Association in 1928. In 1930, it was renamed as the “Indian Medical Association”. It is a society registered under “Societies Act of India”.

World Medical Association (WMA)

WMA is an independent and international confederation of free professional medical associations. It represents physicians worldwide. It was formally established on September 18, 1947. It has grown to 115 national medical associations, as of 2021.