IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-02

LGBTQ, women: Draft science policy aims for inclusion, equity

News

  • In some path-breaking suggestions to promote inclusion of marginalised groups in science, a new draft policy on science and technology proposes that at least 30 per cent representation be ensured for women in all decision-making bodies, as well as “spousal benefits” be provided to partners of scientists belonging to the LGBTQ+ community.

Inclusion of marginalised groups

  • The proposals, for tackling discrimination and providing equal opportunities in science, are part of a chapter on inclusion and equity in the draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.
  • It says that the LGBTQ+ community should be included in all conversations related to gender equity, and provisions be made to safeguard their rights and promote their representation and retention in the science and technology sector.
  • More importantly, it says partners of people from the LGBTQ+ community working in the sector be entitled to spousal benefits “irrespective of their gender”.
  • Among the proposals in the policy is removal of bars on married couples being employed in the same department or laboratory. As of now, married couples are not posted in the same department, leading to cases of loss of employment or forced transfers when colleagues decide to get married.
  • In another major proposal, the policy says that for age-related cut-offs in matters relating to selection, promotion, awards or grants, the “academic age” and not the biological age would be considered.
  • This would help women who often have to take a break from careers for family reasons and to raise children, the provision is not limited to women alone.
  • Child-care benefits are proposed to be made gender-neutral, and flexible work timings and adequate parental leave are to be offered to cater to maternity, childbirth and child care.
  • All publicly-funded research institutions and universities will be asked to provide day-care centre for children of employees, and also have a provision for elderly care.
  • For the benefit of people with disabilities, the policy asks all publicly-funded scientific institutions to make “structural and cultural changes” to support their inclusion.

Muslim man can be accused under triple talaq law, not his mother: SC

News

  • The offence under the triple talaq law can only be committed by a Muslim man, and his mother cannot be accused of it, the Supreme Court has ruled while granting anticipatory bail to a woman from Kerala.

The Muslim Women Act

  • Section 3 of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act 2019 renders void and illegal pronouncement of talaq by a Muslim man upon his wife and under Section 4 of the law, a Muslim man who so pronounces talaq upon his wife can be punished with imprisonment of up to three years, the court said.
  • The court also held that there was no bar on anticipatory bail under the Act provided the substantive conditions in Section 7(c) are met.
  • These conditions are that the court must first hear the married Muslim woman who has made the complaint and must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for granting bail to such person.

IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-03

Government publishes the Draft Model Standing Orders for the Manufacturing Sector, Mining Sector and Service Sector; invites suggestions/objections from the stakeholders within a period of thirty days.

News

  • Pursuant to section 29 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Central Government has published the draft Model Standing Orders for the Manufacturing Sector, Mining Sector and Service Sector in the official gazette, inviting suggestions/objections from the stakeholders within a period of thirty days.  Keeping in view the needs of the services sector, a separate Model Standing Orders for Services Sector has been prepared first time.

​ Salient features of these Model Standing Orders

  • ​Where an employer adopts a Model Standing Orders of the Central Government with respect to matters relevant to his industrial establishment or undertaking, then, such model standing order shall be deemed to have been certified.
  • The model standing orders adopted in respect of an industrial establishment shall also be applicable to all other industrial units of the industrial establishment irrespective of location.
  • ​Uniformity has been maintained in all the three Model Standing Orders while providing some flexibility considering the sector-specific requirements.
  • ​All the three Model Standing Orders encourage employer for use of information technology in dissemination of information to the workers through electronic mode.
  • To provide safeguard to IT industry, “Involvement in unauthorized access of any IT system, computer network of the employer/ customer/client” has been prescribed as a misconduct.
  • The concept of “Work from home” has been formalized in the Model Standing Orders for Service Sector.
  • The Model Standing Orders for Services Sector inter alia provides that in case of IT Sector, the working hour shall be as per agreement or conditions of appointment between employer and workers.
  • “Habitual” with  respect to indiscipline has been defined if the worker found guilty of any misconduct three or more times in preceding twelve months.
  • Rail Travel Facility has been extended to the workers in the mining sector.  Presently, it is being availed by the workers in coal mines only.​

Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT operations commander Lakhvi arrested in Pak: Official

News

  • Mumbai attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested in Pakistan on terror financing charges, an official said.

Terror financing

  • Lakhvi, who was on bail since 2015 in the Mumbai attack case, was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab province.
  • Lakhvi, 61, was arrested in a case of terrorism financing registered in a police station of CTD Lahore.
  • Lakhvi is accused of running a dispensary, using funds collected for terrorism financing. He and others also collected funds from this dispensary and used these funds for further terrorism financing. He also used these funds for personal expenses.

Manipur: Four IAF choppers, NDRF join fight to extinguish Dzuko valley wildfire

News

  • As many as four helicopters of the Indian Air Force and 59 personnel of NDRF were pressed into action to assist firefighters in extinguishing the wildfire that has been raging at Dzuko valley range at the Manipur-Nagaland border.
  • In addition, 35 SDRF, 32 personnel of Manipur Fire Service were also deployed at the spot.

Wildfire

  • As the firefighter team combat on the ground, four IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopters equipped with bambi buckets were deployed to spray waters from the air, said the sources.
  • Dzuko valley range is mostly covered with dry twigs, dead leaves. Moreover, the high wind velocity is making the efforts to contain the fire difficult, said the department.

India successfully cultures UK-variant of coronavirus strain: ICMR

News

  • India has successfully cultured the new coronavirus strain, which originated in the UK, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.

Successful culture

  • ICMR claimed that no country has yet reported successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant of SARS-CoV-2.
  • Culture is the process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside their natural environment.

The UK had recently announced that the newly identified strain of the virus found in their population was up to 70 per cent more infectious.

A total of 29 people have tested positive for the new UK variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India so far.