Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 01 April 2017
:: National ::
SC clarified its verdict on making National and State Highways liquor-free zones
Supreme Court clarified that its prohibition on the sale of liquor within a distance of 500 metres from the outer edge of these main thoroughfares is not restricted to liquor shops alone but also includes other larger establishments.
The court said exempting establishments other than shops involved in sale of liquor, which include bar-attached hotels and beer parlours dotting highways, would amount to dilution of the objective of its December 15 judgment.
“The pernicious nature of the sale of liquor along the National and State Highways cannot be ignored. Drunken driving is a potent source of fatalities and injuries in road accidents.
The Constitution preserves and protects the right to life as an over-arching constitutional value,” the 32-page clarification order observed.
The court said its duty to protect public health and safety clearly overrides the interests of liquor traders.
The December verdict had directed the States and Union Territories to stop the grant of licences to establishments located within 500 metres of National and State Highways. April 1, 2017 was fixed as the date for phasing out existing liquor licences.
Anti-Romeo squad in UP asked to use only lawfull means
The Uttar Pradesh police were directed by the State government to ensure that its anti-Romeo squads do not resort to blackening of the face or “murga” position type punishments in the name of protecting women.
The move by the government comes amid outrage over the way the squads have punished loitering men on the streets and a day after the Allahabad High Court directed it to ensure that guidelines were followed by the police teams.
There should be no shaving of heads, blackening of faces or “murga pose” (a stress position used as a corporal punishment where sit-ups are done holding the ears), said a senior official while listing out the dos and don’ts.
The fresh guidelines were issued after the intervention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amid reports of alleged harassment by anti-Romeo squads.
The Chief Minister has also directed administrative and police officials in districts to regularly review the steps being taken for women security and inform senior officials on a regular basis, the official said.
Stressing that his government was firm on upholding the security and dignity of women, the CM said a State-wide drive has been launched to free public places of anti-social elements and check incidents of eve-teasing and indecent behaviour.
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:: International ::
India is among the 16 target countries in a review of trade ties by US
India is among the 16 target countries in a review of trade ties that President Donald Trump was scheduled to order.
The President would also sign a second order to strictly enforce anti-dumping and countervailing duties, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said.
A “country-by-country, product-by-product” report will be prepared in 90 days that would form the basis of further measures that the Trump administration would take to reduce the country’s trade deficit.
The report will identify “every form of trade abuse and every non-reciprocal practice that now contributes to the U.S. trade deficit,” Mr. Ross said.
India is the ninth biggest trading partner of the U.S. and had a trade surplus of around $26 billion with the U.S in goods trade alone last year. Of its top 20 trading partners, the U.S. has a surplus with only five.
With China, the U.S. had a deficit of $347 billion in 2016. The review will be to assess whether deficit is being caused by cheating, specific trade agreements, lax enforcement or World Trade Organization rules.
Mr. Navarro has been a long time critic of China, but on Thursday, he insisted the presidential executive orders were not exclusive to China and was not linked to the scheduled visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping next week.
The 20-page long chapter on India lists a range of trade restrictions by India such as an existing ban on animal-tested cosmetics and restrictions on dairy products and alcohol.
It also accuses India of being opaque in its non-tariff regulations, and lists export subsidy programmes in several sectors as a matter of concern.