Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 14 August 2016
:: National ::
Govt notifies significant changes to OBC list
The Union government has notified several significant changes to the Central List of OBCs toward including, amending and deleting the list pertaining to Andhra Pradesh, and for including several OBCs in the list for Telangana.
This is based on the recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), a permanent body that determines the backwardness or otherwise of a caste/community.
87 castes/communities have been included in the Telangana list, making them eligible for reservation.
Significant inclusions are the Dasari and Jangam communities, which are traditionally engaged in begging, and the Odde and Kurmi communities.
The Commission is empowered under an Act of Parliament to examine requests for the inclusion of any class of citizens as a Backward Class in the list, take up claims on a periodic basis for consideration and recommendation.
It is also empowered to hear complaints of over-inclusion and under-inclusion of any Backward Class in such lists, and advise the Central Government as it deems appropriate.
It was constituted underSection 3 of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 (27 of 1993) as a follow up to the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations.
Elephant corridors identified by WWF-India
The Wayanad leg of a Central project to restore elephant corridors has remained a non-starter owing to the apathy of Revenue Department officials and lack of coordination between departments.
The project is aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict in Wayanad.
The studies suggested the revival of the Pakramthalam-Periya, Periya-Kottiyur, Nilambur-Gudallur, Thirunelly-Kuddrakode, and South Wayanad-Malabar sanctuary elephant corridors in the Wayanad region.
The Forest Department had given priority to the Periyar-Kottiyur corridor, which connects the North Wayanad forest division and the Aralam WildlifeSanctuary.
The Centre approved the project in 2007 at an estimate of Rs.7.89 crore and allocated Rs.4.5 crore in 2008.
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:: International ::
India- China talks about India’s entry into NSG
India on Saturday offered a new “mechanism” of talks to China on the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) issue.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also expressed concern to the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The proposed talks featuring the Directors-General on disarmament issues on both sides would be a new track to convince China about India’s needs to be integrated into the global nuclear technology market.
External Affairs Minister outlined importance of meeting our clean energy goals in the context of COP-21. Offered to discuss any technical issues China may have. It was agreed that the DGs of Disarmament of the two countries would meet soon.
The proposal for a separate track for discussion on nuclear issues came weeks after India failed to get into the NSG during the June 23-24 plenary of the organisation in Seoul.
India had said “only one country” (indirectly referring to China) had raised a procedural objection to India’s inclusion into the NSG.
China had opposed India’s candidature saying that its application for membership lacked merit as India had not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
So far, India and China maintained the mechanism of bilateral dialogue at the level of Special Representatives (SR), which covers comprehensive diplomatic and strategic affairs.
Ms. Swaraj also “urged” China to reconsider its opposition to India’s UN-level campaign to blacklist Pakistan-based terror mastermind Masood Azhar, who is wanted for his role in multiple terror attacks including in Pathankot.
China had placed a “technical hold” or a diplomatic note of opposition to India’s campaign to include Azhar on the list of “globally designated terrorists”.
The “technical hold” will turn into a formal blockade in early September unless China cooperates.