Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 11 February 2017
:: National ::
National Women's Parliament bring the issue of women reservation in forefront
The National Women's Parliament (NWP), organised by AP Legislative Assembly with the theme “Empowering women — strengthening democracy”, began at the Pavitra Sangamam (confluence of Godvari and Krishna rivers).
Over 10,000 women delegates, including women MPs, MLAs and those who have excelled in different walks of life from across the country and abroad, are attending the conclave.
The Women Reservation Bill occupied centre stage with Union Urban Development Minister and AP Chief Minister batting for reservation of one-third seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women.
Recalling that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was a pioneer in extending reservation to women in the political arena, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu stressed on the need for passing the Women Reservation Bill.
The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but it lapsed following the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha.
Emphasising on the role of women in the well -being of society and mankind, Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama said women had a special role in society.
There will be seven plenary sessions at the event, with discussions on subjects such as socio-political challenges in women empowerment, women’s status and decision-making, building own identity and vision for the future.
The government plans to set up a Defence Procurement Organisation
The government plans to set up a Defence Procurement Organisation (DPO) to integrate and streamline the long and arduous process of defence acquisitions.
A government appointed committee, headed by former Director of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, Dr. Pritam Singh, has submitted a report on the modalities of setting up the DPO to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
The aim is not to create another bureaucracy. The DPO will be a vertical under the Defence Ministry and the philosophy is to integrate the processes.
The Defence Procurement Process, which applies to all defence capital procurements, has been modified several times to bring in transparency and speed up acquisitions but it continues to be lengthy and complicated.
In a related move to shorten the procurement cycle, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), has increased the financial powers of the Defence Minister.
In the past, the Defence Minister was entitled to clear deals upto Rs. 500 crore, which has now gone up to Rs. 2,000 crore Jointly, the Finance Minister, the Defence Minister can approve projects up to Rs. 3,000 crore, up from the earlier Rs. 1,000 crore.
The Defence Secretary too has now been given financial powers upto Rs. 500 crore to clear deals. This ensures that a major chunk of the procurements are approved within the ministries.
About 70% of the deals by number are below Rs. 3,000 crore. So now only deals of Rs. 3,000 crore and above would go to the CCS for approval.
Govt says it will take steps to remove the black money
The Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation, D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that demonetisation was a step in the right direction to curb corruption, black money and terrorism.
He was speaking at the Digi Dhan Mela, organised by the Government of India through the National e-governance Division, to promote digital transactions.
The Minister said the government was committed to uprooting the scourge of black money and terrorism and it was already paying rich dividends by way of reduced terror incidents in Kashmir and violence in regions of naxal influence in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Another minister said India was aspiring to be an economic power but the cash to GDP ration was 12% as against the global average of 4% and this was to be reduced by opting for cashless transactions.