Current Affairs 06 April 2022

CONTENTS

1. Delimitation of Constituencies in J&K
2. Air Quality Database 2022: WHO
3. Nepal PM visits India
4. De- notified tribes

Delimitation of Constituencies in J&K

Context: Members of the Jammu & Kashmir Delimitation Commission faced protests in Jammu as they embarked on a two-day visit to hold consultations with citizens, civil society groups and political parties.

Relevance: GS II- Governance, Representation Of People’s Act

Dimensions of this article :

1. What is the role of the delimitation commission?
2. Delimitation Commission Act, 2002
3. Delimitation in J&K
4. How many seats have been added?
5. Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019

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Air Quality Database 2022: WHO

Context:   World Health Organisation (WHO) has released Air Quality Database 2022, which shows that Almost the entire global population (99 %) breathes air that exceeds WHO’s air quality limits.

Relevance: GS III- Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Highlights of Air Quality Database 2022
2. About WHO’s Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) 2021
3. India’s National Air Quality Index (AQI)
4. Suggestions to improve Air quality
5. About WHO

Click Here To Know More: Air Quality Database 2022: WHO

Nepal PM Visits India

Context: The Prime Minister of Nepal visited India and held a summit meeting with the Indian Prime Minister.

Relevance: GS II- International Relations  (India and its neighbourhood)

Dimensions of this Article:

1. Highlights of the Visit
2. India-Nepal Ties
3. Connectivity and Development Partnership between India and Nepal

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De- Notified Tribes

Context:  Recently, a standing committee of Parliament report has criticised the functioning of the development programme for de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes.

Relevance: GS II- Polity and Governance (Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections)

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Who are de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes?
2. What is the history of deprivation faced by these communities?
3. Policy measures for DNTs:
4. What is DWBDNC, and what is its role?
5. Schemes for the welfare of the DNT’s

Who are de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes?

These are communities who are the most vulnerable and deprived.

• Denotified tribes (DNTs): Communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminal’ during the British regime under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
• Nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes:  Communities are defined as those who move from one place to another rather than living at one place all the time.

What is the history of deprivation faced by these communities?

• This has a long history, first during colonial rule, and then in independent India.
• The Renke Commission said this is partly because these communities are largely politically ‘quiet’ — they do not place their demands concretely before the government for they lack vocal leadership and also lack the patronage of a national leader.
• Many commissions and committees constituted since Independence have referred to the problems of these communities. These include
  • Criminal Tribes Inquiry Committee, 1947 constituted in the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh),
  • Ananthasayanam Ayyangar Committee in 1949 (it was based on the report of this committee the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed),
  • Kaka Kalelkar Commission (also called first OBC Commission) constituted in 1953.
  • In 1965, an Advisory Committee constituted for revision of the SC and ST list under the chairmanship of B N Lokur referred to denotified tribes.
  • The B P Mandal Commission constituted in 1980 also made some recommendations on the issue.

Policy measures for DNTs:

• The Government had constituted National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT) to prepare a State-wise list of castes belonging to Denotified and Nomadic Tribes and to suggest appropriate measures in respect of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes that may be undertaken by the Central Government or the State Government.
• The Renke commission estimated their population at around 10.74 crore based on Census 2001.
• The Idate Commission submitted its report in January 2018. It mentioned that a permanent commission for Denotified, Semi Nomadic, and Nomadic Tribes should have a prominent community leader as its chairperson, and a senior Union government bureaucrat, an anthropologist, and a sociologist as members.
• A Development and Welfare Board for De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) has been constituted and a Committee has also been set up by the NITI Aayog to complete the process of identification of the De-Notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DNCs).
• The survey work of identification of DNT Communities and placing them in a category of SC/ST/OBC is also under process in NITI Ayog and Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI).

What is DWBDNC, and what is its role?

• The commission report submitted in 2018 had recommended the setting of up a permanent commission for these communities.
•  But since most DNTs are covered under SC, ST or OBC, the government felt setting up a permanent commission, which would deal with redress of grievances, would be in conflict with the mandate of existing commissions for SCs (National Commission for Scheduled Castes), STs (National Commission for Scheduled Tribes) and OBCs (National Commission for Backward Classes).
• The government therefore set up the DWBDNCs under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the aegis of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the purpose of implementing welfare programmes.

Schemes for the welfare of the DNT’s:

Dr.Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs :

• This Centrally Sponsored Scheme was launched w.e.f. 2014-15 for the welfare of those DNT students who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC.
• The income ceiling for eligibility is Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum. The scheme is implemented through State Governments/UT Administrations.
• The expenditure is shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25.

Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls:

• This Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2014-15 is implemented through State Governments/ UT Administrations/ Central Universities.
• The aim of the scheme is to provide hostel facilities to those DNT students; who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC; to enable them to pursue higher education. The income ceiling for eligibility is Rs. 2.00 lakh per annum.
• The Central Government provides a maximum of 500 seats per annum throughout the country. The cost norm is Rs. 3.00 lakh per seat plus Rs. 5000/-per seat for furniture.
• The expenditure is shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25.

Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNT Communities (SEED)

• To provide coaching of good quality for DNT candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations.
• To provide Health Insurance to them.
• To facilitate livelihood initiative at community level; and
• To provide financial assistance for construction of houses for members of these

-Source: Indian Express