02-11-21 Daily-Tamilnadu-TNPSC Current Affairs

In the past couple of years, the Union Government has been ushering in a change in the rules governing the working conditions of people. But the new labour codes, by amalgamating existing asymmetrical labour laws, not only weaken safeguards for and entitlements of the countrys vast workforce, but also strike at one of the basic structures of theConstitution Federalism.

Since labour falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution, Parliament and state legislatures can make laws on the subject. The government of India has shifted deadlines and not fixed a date to implement theWage Code(enacted in August 2019), the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (enacted in September 2020). The draft rules (by the Centre) for all the codes have been notified. But major industrial states like Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana andWest Bengalare yet to frame and notify them. The rules could make a big difference, especially inTamil Naduwhere the DMK government has all along emphasised federalism and social Justice.

The buzz around federalism has made a comeback with the DMK assuming office and with it the demand for state autonomy. This is apparent especially on subjects like Education (shift from the concurrent to state List); NEET, UDAY scheme, one nation-one ration card, smart city projects and the National Food Security Act, which are perceived to be a push towards homogenisation.

The State Government must be alert about the following provisions which obfuscate the line between the Centre and states. Under the Wage Code, the Union government enjoins upon itself the power to fix a floor wage. Once fixed the state governments cannot fix minimum wage less than the floor wage. With an already low floor wage, states, to attract capital, could fix a relatively low minimum wage. The Wage Code also dispenses with the scheduled EMPLOYMENT under the Minimum Wages Act that provides state governments with the power to add any employment to the schedule for which minimum wages should be fixed. The absence of categorisation of different classes of work within the same scheduled employment could lead to skilled and semiskilled workers being paid less than the wages they received under the earlier schedule.
The Social Security Code envisages discretionary powers with the Union and state governments, which were previously either mandatory or specific under the existing laws. This discretion may result in arbitrary restrictions of coverage of schemes on the grounds of public interest and boosting Growth. The code also provides for schemes to be notified both by the Centre and the state governments, leaving the workers confused about their registration with either or both the governments to avail of their benefits.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) got registered in the Guinness Book of World Records On the first day of Ganga Utsav.

Highlights:

Because a record amount of images of handwritten notes were uploaded to Facebook in an hour, it was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Ganga Utsav event was held to promote awareness about Ganga rejuvenation as well as to expand the festival’s scope.

The 5th edition of Ganga Utsav began with a bang, with lots of fun and celebrations. The celebration will honor the glory of the Ganga, as well as other Indian rivers.

The Trophies for 2020 Government Sports Awards were handed over to the winners on 1 November.

Highlights:

The Sports Awards ceremony happened virtually in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak, winners of the Awards were unable to collect their trophies and citations during the 2020 event.

On August 29, 2020, the Sports Ministry presented a total of 74 National Sports Awards, including 27 Arjuna Awards and 5 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awards.

Highlights of the occasion include the presence of Vinesh Phogat and Ishant Sharma.

National Sports Award is the collective name for six sports awards in India. The award is presented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

The First Place for the World Deaf Judo Championship was won by the Jammu and Kashmir team.

Highlights:

The deaf team from Jammu and Kashmir took first place in the World Deaf Judo Championships held in Paris Versailles, France.

Rakshanda Mehak, a member of the Indian deaf team, won the bronze medal in the semifinals by defeating the South Korean team.

The event was contested in the French city of Versailles.

The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf is in charge of organizing the event.

The International Committee of Deaf Sports is a non-profit organization that promotes deaf sports around the world.

The two-day apple festival was launched Virtually by Union Minister Of <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar.

Highlights

The Apple Festival, which was held for the first time in Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir, was virtually opened by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.

It will give apple growers and other stakeholders a greater platform.

With an annual production of more than 2 million metric tonnes, apple production in Jammu and Kashmir accounts for 87 percent of national production and supports the livelihoods of roughly 30 percent of the people.

The INDIAN NAVY Frigate P1135.6 class was launched at the Yantar Shipyard in Russia.

Highlights:

It was launched at the Yantar Shipyard at Kaliningrad in Russia.

Tushil, a word that means guardian shield, has been given to the ship.

Tushil will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in mid-2023, with its sister ship following close behind by the end of the year.

The ship was designed as part of an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) signed in 2016 between India and Russia for the building of four more P1135.6 class ships for the Indian Navy.
Two Project 1135.6 ships were to be built in Russia, while two ships were to be built in India at M/s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

The Project 1135.6 class is also known as the Talwar class, and Russian frigates of this class are manufactured for the Indian Navy.

International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) was launched at the Summit.

Highlights

The Methane Observatory was established to encourage people to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It was started with the help of the European Union.
It was started since methane is one of the most hazardous gases for the Environment.

IMEO

IMEO will use satellites to track methane emissions.

The Observatory will compile a global dataset of empirically validated methane emissions for public use.

It will begin by focusing on the fossil fuel Industry, which accounts for one-third of all anthropogenic emissions. This industry offers the most potential for cost Savings.