DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

19^th January 2022

No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	DETAILS OF THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK	Prelims & Mains
2.	ALL ABOUT THE CONTEMPT OF COURT	Prelims & Mains
3.	DETAILS OF THE RICE CULTIVATION IN INDIA	Prelims & Mains
4.	ABOUT THE AK-203 RIFLES	Prelims Specific
5.	DETAILS OF THE KALADEO NATIONAL PARK	Prelims Specific

 

1 – DETAILS OF THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK:

GS II

Topic – International Relations

• What exactly is AIIB:
• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international development bank tasked with improving social and economic results in Asia and beyond.
• The Bank’s Membership is made up of the parties to the agreement (57 founding members).
• Beijing is the bank’s headquarters.
• It first opened its doors in January of 2016.
• Aim:
• It seeks to connect people, services, and markets that will influence billions of lives and build a better future by investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive industries now.
• Membership:
• There are now over 100 members.
• France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom are among the 14 G-20 countries that are members of the AIIB.
• Right to vote:
• China is the bank’s largest stakeholder, with 26.61 percent of voting shares, followed by India (7.6%), Russia (6.01%), and Germany (6.01%). (4.2 percent ).
• Regional members have 75 percent of the Bank’s total voting power.
• AIIB organs include:
• Board of Governors: Each member country appoints one Governor and one Alternate Governor to the Board of Governors. Governors and Alternate Governors serve at the discretion of the member who appoints them.
• Board of Directors: The Bank’s general operations are directed by a non-resident Board of Directors, which exercises all powers given to it by the Board of Governors.
• The Bank has formed an International Advisory Panel (IAP) to advise the President and Senior Management on the Bank’s strategy and policies, as well as basic operational matters.
• Source – The Hindu

2 – ALL ABOUT THE CONTEMPT OF COURT:

GS II

Topic – Judiciary related issues

• What is meant by Court’s Contempt:
• Contempt of Court is a legal term that refers to a violation of a court’
• “Contempt of court” refers to a court’s ability to preserve its own grandeur and respect. This ability is regulated but not limited by the 1971 Contempt of Courts Act.
• In the United States Constitution, the term “contempt of court” is not defined.
• The Supreme Court, on the other hand, has the jurisdiction to punish itself for contempt under Article 129 of the Constitution.
• Article 215 of the Constitution grants the High Courts the same authority.
• The 1971 Contempt of Courts Act defines both civil and criminal contempt.
• Civil contempt refers to willful disregard of a court’s decision.
• If a conduct has the potential to disgrace or undermine the court’s authority, criminal contempt may be employed.
• It has a proclivity to hinder the proper administration of any court proceeding.
• Laws relating to the contempt of court:
• “Fair criticism” or “fair comment” on the merits of a final decision does not constitute contempt, according to Section 5 of the Act.
• However, the judges’ judgement of what is “fair” is left to their discretion.
• This open-ended interpretation occasionally jeopardises Article 19’s freedom of speech and expression.
• Natural Justice Principle Violation: Judges may appear to be acting in their own best interests, violating natural justice principles and jeopardising the public faith that the processes are supposed to uphold.
• Steps to Take Next:
• Freedom of speech is the most fundamental of the fundamental rights, and any restrictions on it should be kept to a minimum.
• Under the law of contempt of court, only the limits essential to sustain the legitimacy of judicial institutions can be applied.
• As a result, regulations and standards describing the method superior courts must follow while conducting criminal contempt proceedings must be drafted, keeping natural justice and fairness principles in mind.
• Source – The Hindu

3 – DETAILS OF THE RICE CULTIVATION IN INDIA:

GS III

Topic – Indian Agriculture

• The required temperature is between 22 and 32 degrees Celsius, with a high level of humidity.
• Rainfall is variable, ranging from 150 to 300 cm.
• Soil type: Loamy, clayey soil with a lot of clay.
• West Bengal > Punjab > Uttar Pradesh > Andhra Pradesh > Bihar are the top rice-producing states in the country.
• It is the primary food crop for the vast majority of Indians.
• In states like Assam, West Bengal, and Odisha, paddy is cultivated three times a year. Their names are Aus, Aman, and Boro.
• Among the Major Rice Producing Countries à India is the world’s second-largest rice producer after China.
• Initiatives of the Government Include à The National Food Security Mission, Hybrid Rice Seed Production, and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana are some of the government’s rice-growing projects.
• Source – The Hindu

4 – ABOUT THE AK 203 RIFLES:

Prelims Specific Topic

• The Indian government has recently approved a plan to create over five lakh AK-203 assault rifles in Korwa, Amethi, as a boost to the country’s self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. The transaction is valued at Rs 5,124 crore.
• The project will most likely be carried out by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Ltd, a special purpose joint venture (IRRPL).
• The 7.62 x 39mm calibre AK-203 Rifles will replace the INSAS Rifle, which has been in service for nearly three decades.
• With a range of 300 metres, the AK-203 Assault Rifles are lightweight, sturdy, and simple to use Modern Assault Rifles with proven technology that will improve soldiers’ fighting potential to address current and future operational problems.
• Source – The Hindu – 08/12/21 – Page Number 10

5 – DETAILS OF THE KALADEO NATIONAL PARK:

Prelims Specific Topic

• About:
• It is located in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, in the eastern section of the state.
• The park covers about 30 square kilometers and includes numerous artificial and seasonal ponds.
• Keoladeo is home to a variety of migratory birds who use it as a breeding and wintering habitat.
• It is a Ramsar site as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The Siberian crane is a rare bird that was last seen in this area before the turn of the century.
• It is home to roughly 365 different bird species, including raptors and waterfowl.
• The terrain is home to jackals, sambars, nilgais, wild cats, hyenas, wild boar, porcupine, and mongoose.
• About the Ramsar Convention:
• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental convention on wetlands.
• It establishes a framework for wetlands conservation and judicious utilization of their resources.
• In 1971, the Convention was signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar, and it went into effect in 1975.
• Since then, about 90% of UN member states from all geographic regions of the world have agreed to become “Contracting Parties.”
• All lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, Peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangroves and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans are included in the Convention’s definition of wetlands.

• Source – The Hindu