DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

05^th November 2021

S. No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	About MGNREGA	Prelims & Mains
2.	About the National Fund to Control Drug Abuse	Prelims & Mains
3.	All about Input Tax Credit	Prelims & Mains
4.	About the Anticipatory Bail	Prelims & Mains
5.	About the DLX1 Protein	Prelims Specific

 

1. About MGNREGA:

GS II

Topic – Government Schemes:

• Why in News:
• According to its financial statements, the financial corpus Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been depleted in the current financial year.
• Impacts:
• This means that payments under MGNREGA will be delayed, unless governments use additional money to support the MGNREGA coffers.
• About MGNREGA:
• The program was launched in 2005 as a social initiative that guarantees the “right to work”.
• A key point of this social and labour law is that local/state government will have to formally provide at least 100 days of wages in rural India to improve their quality of life.
• Key objectives:
• Generation of paid rural employment of not less than 100 days for each volunteer worker with unskilled work.
• Continuing to ensure community inclusion by strengthening the livelihood of the rural poor.
• Construction of durable infrastructure in rural areas such as springs, lakes, roads and canals.
• Reduce urban migration from rural areas.
• Building rural infrastructure through underutilized domestic workers.
• The following are eligible ways to receive benefits under the MGNREGA program:
• You must be a citizen of India to claim the benefits of MGNREGA.
• A job applicant has completed 18 years of age.
• The applicant must be part of a local family of that village (i.e. the application must be made through a local Gram Panchayat).
• Applicants must volunteer for unskilled jobs.
• Program implementation:
• Within 15 days of submitting the application or from the date on which the job is sought, salary work will be provided to the applicant.
• There is a right to receive an unemployment benefit grant, in the event that the work is not granted within 15 days of submission of the application or from the date of application.
• The Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory to enhance their accountability and transparency.
• Prelims Link:
• Under MGNREGA, what are the roles of Gram Sabha, Gram Panchayat, States, State Food Commission, Center?
• What is payroll?
• Who does social research?
• Source – The Hindu

2. About the National Fund to Control Drug Abuse:

GS III

Topic – Internal Security related issues:

• Why in the News:
• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has recently recommended that the National Fund against Drug be used to implement anti-addiction programs, rather than only policing services.
• About the National Fund against Drug Abuse:
• It is instituted in accordance with the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs Act and the Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
• It has a corpus of around Rs 23 crores.
• Under the NDPS Act, the proceeds from the sale of any expropriated property or any grants made by any person or an institution go to the fund.
• Use of the fund: The law states that the fund will be used to combat illicit drug trafficking, rehabilitate addicts, and prevent drug abuse.
• World Drug Report 2021:
• An estimated 275 million people worldwide use drugs.
• More than 36 million people suffer from drug abuse disorders.
• The enhancement in marijuana use during the epidemic has been reported in many countries.
• Non-therapeutic use of some medicinal drugs has also been observed at the same time.
• According to the latest international estimates, about 5.5 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 64 used drugs at least once a year.
• More than 11 million people worldwide are estimated to be injecting drugs – half of them infected with Hepatitis C.
• Opioids continue to account for the heavy disease burden associated with drug abuse.
• Main Reasons for Drug Abuse:
• Peer acceptance.
• Growing economic pressure.
• Changing cultural norms.
• Neurotic addiction.
• Police Inaction.
• Cases of drug abuse in India:
• According to a report by the National Crime Records Bureau’s Crime in India 2020, a total of 59,806 cases were filed under the NDPS Act.
• In 2019, there were 3.1 crore cannabis users and 2.3 crore opioid users.
• The Indian government has adopted a number of policies and programs to address the problem of drug trafficking:
• The ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ or ‘India Drug-Free Campaign’ campaign was announced on 15 August 2020 in 272 regions of the country that were found to be most vulnerable based on data from various sources.
• The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has embarked on the implementation of the National Drug Reduction Program (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025.
• The government established the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) in November, 2016.
• The government has established a fund called the “National Drug Abuse Fund” to cover the costs incurred in the fight against trafficking in Narcotic Drugs; Addiction rehabilitation, and educating the public about drug abuse, etc.
• Prelims Hot-Link:
• About UNODC.
• Overview of the “International Financial Control Drug Assistance” program.
• Structure of the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD).
• National Drug Abuse Fund.
• About the Narcotics Control Bureau.
• International Day Against Drug Abuse and Trafficking in Persons and Themes this year.
• Source – The Hindu

3. All about Input Tax Credit:

GS III

Topic – Economy related issues:

• Why in News:
• GST Network said it has withheld a total tax revenue (ITC) of Rs 14,000 for 66,000 businesses registered under Goods and Service Tax.
• What is Input Tax Credit (ITC):
• ITC is a way to avoid tax cuts a Tax reduction, in simple language, ‘tax deduction’.
• Input Tax Credit refers to a tax already paid by a person at the time of purchase of goods or services and is available as a tax deduction.
• Simply put, it means that at the time of paying tax on the output, you can reduce the tax you have already paid on the input and pay the remaining amount.
• The exception: A business under a composition scheme cannot incur an input tax liability.
• ITC cannot claim to be used for personal or free goods.
• Concerns about its misuse:
• There is currently a time gap between the ITC claim and compliance with supplier taxes.
• It could be an opportunity to misuse a business offer by making fake invoices just to claim a tax credit.
• About 80% of GST total debt is settled by ITC and only 20% is deposited as cash.
• Under the current period, there is no provision for real-time comparisons of ITC claims and taxes already paid by product suppliers.
• Source – The Hindu

4. About the Anticipatory Bail:

GS II

Topic – Constitutional Provisions:

• Why in News:
• The Supreme Court held that a superior court could set aside the expected bail order if there was

sufficient evidence to suggest that matters such as the size and role of the defendants in the case

were not considered by the lower court.

• About the Anticipatory Bail:
• The granting of the anticipatory bail under Section 438 was introduced when the CrPC was amended in 1973.
• Contrary to the usual bail, granted to an arrested person, on pending bail, a person is ordered to be released on bail even before arrest under the Anticipatory Bail.
• Time frame: High Court (SC) in the case of Sushila Aggarwal v. The State of NCT of Delhi (2020) has issued a landmark decision, declaring that no time limit may be set for the expected bail application and may continue until the end of the case.
• It is issued only by the Sessions Court and the High Court.
• Significance:
• The reason for the inclusion of Section 438 in the Act was the adoption by parliament of the fundamental principle of human liberty in a free and democratic country.
• Parliament wishes to promote respect for personal freedom and allow for a higher position in the basic law of criminal justice, so that everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty.
• Recent observations made by the Supreme Court on its use:
• HCs and SCs are empowered to grant the accused the anticipatory bail due to the mandate that the Constitution places on the right to freedom guaranteed under Article 21.
• The granting or refusal of an application under the CrPC directly affects the right to life and liberty of the individual.
• Therefore, the provision needs to be read openly, and considered in its beneficial nature.
• Courts should not read about the restrictions that the legislature did not give explicitly.
• In doing so, the Supreme Court may exercise its jurisdiction under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass that order.
• The need for such protection:
• The respondent, without being a suspect, may also be the primary caregiver or sole breadwinner.
• His imprisonment could leave his loved ones in a state of famine and neglect.
• In the 1980 case of Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia vs State of Punjab, a five-judge panel of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice YV Chandrachud ruled that 438 (1) should be interpreted in accordance with Article 21 of the Constitution (protection of health and personal freedom).
• Prelims Hot-Link:
• Various rights under Article 21.
• What is bail?
• What is anticipatory bail?
• Conditional Grant Terms
• Time limit for anticipatory bail
• Source – The Indian Express

5. About the DLX1 Protein:

Prelims Specific Topic:

• Researchers have found that the genetic code (DLX1) plays a key role in the growth of the jaw, bone, and interneuron in the brain plays a vital role in the growth and development of prostate cancer.
• Source – The Hindu