Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 04 January 2017
:: National ::
PM underlined the need to inculcate the concept of scientific social responsibility
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underlined the need to inculcate the concept of ‘scientific social responsibility,’ akin to corporate social responsibility, to connect the leading institutions with all stakeholders, including schools and colleges.
The idea is to create an environment for sharing of ideas and resources by providing opportunity to the brightest and best of brains in every corner of India to excel in science.
Delivering the 104th Indian Science Congress on Sri Venkateswara University campus, on the theme ‘Science and Technology for national development’, Mr. Modi announced all form of support to the scientific and research organisations.
He in turn, told scientists to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the fruits of science reached the marginalised sections of society.
Pledging his government's support to building a strong S&T infrastructure that is accessible to academia, start-ups, industry and R&D labs, the Prime Minister sought to address the problems of ease of access, maintenance, redundancy and duplication of expensive equipments.
In this connection, he mooted the idea of establishing professionally-managed centres in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode to house high-value scientific equipment. Mr. Modi exhorted national laboratories to establish a ‘connect’ with schools and colleges to develop appropriate training programmes.
Referring to the constraints involved in securing and completing research projects, he indicated the need to ensure ‘ease of doing science’ as an empowering factor for scientific delivery.
Samajwadi party’s symbol to be decided by EC
A day after Mulayam Singh staked claim to the Samajwadi Party symbol “bicycle,” the Akhilesh Yadav camp representative Ramgopal Yadav met Election Commissioners and maintained that a majority of the party members supported him.
The Election Commission (EC) later received a written representation on the Akhilesh camp’s claim, confirming that it was contesting Mr. Mulayam Singh’s assertions.
Mr. Yadav, submitted before the Commission that the real Samajwadi Party was the one of which Akhilesh had been elected national president.
Both the groups have staked claim to the symbol and therefore the Commission will now ask them to produce documentary evidence to prove their stand. It will also examine the party’s constitution to determine whether procedures were followed.
However, the final test will be the numbers in the organisational and legislative structures. In the Sadiq Ali case, the Supreme Court has held that the test of majority applied by the EC to settle a dispute of this nature is valid and relevant.
Defying his father’s directions, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav had issued a separate list of candidates for the coming Assembly elections.
As claimed by the Akhilesh group, 220 of the 229 legislators have supported him. It is learnt that their signatures have also been taken to be produced before the Commission.
As the EC is expected to announce the poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh and four other States in a couple of days, it may not have enough time to decide the dispute. Thus, in all likelihood, the Samajwadi Party symbol will be frozen till the issue is settled.