PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS, 2- OCTOBER-2017
Topic: Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of
other countries.
Spain hit by constitutional crisis
Referendum on independence for Catalonia was recently held. Catalan officials have claimed that
preliminary results of its referendum have shown 90% in favour of independence
in the vote vehemently opposed by Spain.
§ The referendum, declared illegal by Spain’s central
government, has thrown the country into its worst constitutional crisis in
decades and deepened a centuries-old rift between Madrid and Barcelona.
§ The ballot will have no legal status as it has been blocked
by Spain’s Constitutional Court and Madrid for being at odds with the 1978
constitution.
Why does the referendum matter?
Catalonia, an area in
northeastern Spain of 7.5 million people, accounts for 15% of Spain’s
population and 20% of its economic output. About 1.6 million people live in
Barcelona, Catalonia’s capital, which is a major tourist destination.
The latest referendum was the
region’s second referendum on independence in three years. The previous ballot,
a non-binding vote in November 2014, returned an 80% result in favour of an
independent Catalan state. However, less than half of the 5.4 million eligible
voters participated.
Demand for independence:
Catalonia has a distinct
history, culture and language. First referenced in the 12th century, a defined
region of Catalonia had existed for more than 250 years before it joined Spain
during the country’s formation in the 16th Century.
§ As such, identity plays a large role in the debate surrounding
independence. Under the military government of Francisco Franco, from
1939-1975, Catalan culture was suppressed.
§ Symbols of Catalan identity such as the castells, or human towers,
were prohibited and parents were forced to choose Spanish names for their
children. The Catalan language was also restricted.
§ The push for full autonomy appears to have gathered pace in recent
years, most notably since Spain’s 2008 debt crisis. In that moment, people in
Catalonia demanded more self-government and control over what is done with
their money.
§ Pro-independence supporters claim Catalonia, which is one of
Spain’s wealthiest regions, offers more financial support to Spain than it
receives from the central government in Madrid. Many view the region’s strong
economy as an indicator that it would be viable as a sovereign state.
§ Following a ruling by Spain’s constitutional court in 2010, which
stated there is no legal basis for recognising Catalonia as a nation,
independence appears to have taken preference over reform for a portion of the
region’s population.
What powers does Catalonia
already have?
In 1931, when Spain became a
republic, Catalonia was given greater political autonomy within the confines of
the state. However, by 1939 its powers had been revoked following the
Nationalists’ victory in the Spanish Civil War.
§ In 1979 a new Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia was issued, which
restored the Catalan parliament. Elections for the 135-member body were held
the following year.
§ The region, which forms one of Spain’s 17 “autonomous
communities”, has its own police force and powers over affairs such as
education, healthcare and welfare. There are also provisions in place to
protect Catalan identity, including joint language status for Catalan and
Castilian and a law that requires teachers, doctors and public sector employees
to use the Catalan language in their places of work.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions
and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
5 new governors appointed
President Ram Nath Kovind has
appointed new Governors to Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and
Meghalaya.
President appointed Banwarilal
Purohit as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.) as the
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Satya Pal Malik as the Governor of Bihar,
Jagdish Mukhi as the Governor of Assam and Ganga Prasad as the Governor of
Meghalaya.
Appointment and tenure of
governors: Quick look:
The governors and
lieutenant-governors are appointed by the president for a term of 5 years.
Article 157 and Article 158 of the Constitution of
India specify eligibility requirements for the post of governor.
§ The term of governor’s office is normally 5 years but it
can be terminated earlier by: Dismissal by the president on the advice of the
prime minister of the country, at whose pleasure the
governor holds office or Resignation by the governor.
§ There is no provision of impeachment, as it happens for the president.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: India and its
neighbourhood- relations.
China ignores a yearly practice
Departing from past practice,
the Chinese army did not send an invitation to its Indian counterpart for a
ceremonial border personnel meeting (BPM) to mark China’s National Day on
October 1. This follows a no-show by the Chinese in response to an Indian invitation
to attend a ceremonial BPM on Indian Independence Day on August 15.
This is the first time since 2005 that there was no BPM held on
the India-China border. Although tensions between
India and China have reduced following the disengagement between the two armies
at the face-off site in Dolam plateau on August 28, relations between the two
armies have not reverted to normal so far.
Background:
Ceremonial BPMs are held on
National Days and, usually, the process of inviting and confirming is carried
out a couple of days in advance. It is seen as an opportunity for each side to
showcase its traditions and cultural diversity to the other.
§ These ceremonial meetings include a small cultural show, a
sporting contest and a meal. They are attended by officers, soldiers and
families from both sides, and are different from flag-meetings, which are
convened to discuss border issues.
§ Both sides had agreed to two ceremonial meetings every year,
starting from 2005, consequent to the signing of the Protocol on Modalities for
the Implementation of Confidence Building Measures in the Military Field Along
the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas.
§ There are five BPM points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)
at Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in
Ladakh, and Nathu La in Sikkim.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 3:
Topic: Land reforms in India.
Odisha government creating land bank for industrial
allocation
The state government of Odisha
is creating a 1.2 lakh acre land bank across the state for allocation to the industrial
sector to avoid a repeat of the Posco fiasco.
§ In order to cut red tape and wrangling with local issues in the
land acquisition process, the state government is acquiring government land for
industrial use and proposes to offer it with all facilities in place.
Background:
Odisha government has created a
huge land bank and has identified areas across the state to bring under one
umbrella for the industrial sector. Already, the land bank has reached 57,655
acres. With the creation of the land bank, the industry department is looking
for investment in various sectors including steel, aluminium, agro and food
processing based units, apparel, IT and plastic units that will further create
employment potential.
Significance of this move:
It is a plug-and-play kind of
model wherein the facilities related to water, power, roads and all clearances
are in place. The companies need to only make the payment of base premium
upfront for the land and the annual rent for rest of the 90 years (their
lease).
Sources: et.
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways
etc.
EESL To Procure 10,000 Electric Vehicles From Tata Motors
State-run Energy Efficiency
Services Ltd (EESL) has decided to procure 10,000 electric vehicles from Tata
Motors after a competitive bidding. Tata Motors will supply the electric
vehicles (EVs) in two phases with 500 e-cars in the first phase in November 2017
and the remaining 9,500 EVs in the second phase.
EESL claimed that its tender was for the world’s largest single
electric vehicle procurement. The company (Tata Motors) was
selected through an international competitive bidding aimed at increased participation.
About EESL:
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) is a joint venture of
NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation, Rural Electrification Corporation and
POWERGRID, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) was set up under Ministry of Power (India) to facilitate
implementation of energy efficiency projects.
Sources: the hindu.
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