Current Affairs

Important Topics
Set - 10
INDEX
#

Topics

Page No

01
02
03
04

Satellites launched by ISRO in 2014

German Vs Sanskrit
Beijing+20 Review Meeting
Land Ordinance 2014 vs. Land
Acquisition Act 2013: Salient Features,
Comparison & Criticism

01-02
03-07
08-11
12-19

Satellites launched by ISRO in

2014

Rocket
GSLV D5 / Mk II
PSLV C24
PSLV C23

Weight
(in kg)
1982
1432
1600

PSLV XL C25
1337
[Though launched on
Nov 05, 2013, it was
in news in 2014 as
MoM entered the
Mars orbit on Sep 24,
2014]
PSLV C26
1425
Ariane 5ECA
3100

Launch Date
Jan 05, 2014
Apr 04, 2014
Jun 30, 2014

Nov 05, 2013 /

Sep 24, 2014

Oct 16, 2014

Dec 06, 2014

Satellite

Launched
from
Sriharikota
Sriharikota
Sriharikota

GSAT 14
IRNSS 1B
5 foreign satellites
i) SPOT 7 (France)
ii) AISAT(Germany)
iii) NLS 7.1(Canada)
iv) NLS 7.2(Canada)
v) VELOX 1
(Singapore)
Mangalyaan /
Sriharikota
MoM (Mars Orbiter
Mission)

IRNSS 1C
GSAT 16

Sriharikota
French
Guiana

PSLV C26
27th consecutive success mission of PSLV
IRNSS 1C is the third navigation satellite of India
IRNSS: Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System

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Navigation satellites of India

IRNSS 1A July 02, 2013 PSLV XL C22
IRNSS 1B Apr 04, 2014 PSLV C24
IRNSS 1C Oct 16, 2014 PSLV C26
GSAT 16 / Ariane 5ECA
11th series of GSAT
Lifespan of 12 years
Replacement of INSAT 3E (launched n Sep 28, 2003 and decommissioned
on Apr 2014)
Heaviest satellite launched by ISRO

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German Vs Sanskrit

Why in news?
Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) decided to use
Sanskrit as a third language in schools of Kendriya Vidyalaya (KVs) in place
of German language.
The decision to discontinue German was taken after the meeting of Board of
Governors of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
The meeting was headed by Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
[German, which was taught as an option to Sanskrit, has now been made an
additional subject or hobby class (not a third language) for students from classes 6 to
8.]

Aftermath:
The decision is expected to affect about over 70000 students across 500 KVs
from classes 6 to 8 who will be asked to switch from German to Sanskrit.
However, students will be given an option to pick any Indian language of their
choice as annual exams are barely three months away.

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Flashback:
German was taught as a third language from classes 6 to 8 in KV schools after
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between KVS and
Goethe InstituteMax Mueller Bhawan in 2011.
However, the MoU was not referred to HRD Ministry at any stage.
Earlier at the start of 2014, Sanskrit Shikshak Sangh had moved the Delhi
High Court alleging that KVS had introduced German as a third language in
place of Sanskrit against the education policy.
The three language formula as enunciated by the National policy on
Education states and subsequently by the National Curriculum Framework
2005 states that Sanskrit may be studied as a modern Indian language apart
from Hindi and English.
Though the HRD Ministry had said that not teaching Sanskrit as third
language in KV schools is the violation of the Constitution and National
Policy on Education and have even launched an investigation on the MoU
signed between KVS and Goethe Institute in 2011, however, critics see it
otherwise.

What the 2011 MoU says

Agreement signed in Sept 2011 in presence of then German MoS in foreign
office Cornelia Pieper and erstwhile MoS, HRD, E Ahmed
KVs to teach German as option for third language from Class VI to VIII
In 2011, about 200 KVs began teaching the language
Every year, the number of KVs offering German was to go up
Goethe Institute supports KVs with teaching material, selection and training
of teachers
Organizes competitions and cultural programmes for students
German in Schools - a statistics:
From 2008, the number of Indian students going to Germany for higher
studies has risen by 114 per cent.
Germany is one of the top destinations for Indian students, particularly those
studying engineering, science and technology, for affordable higher education
and possible employment.
Proficiency in German language is an asset that these students pursue while in
school itself.

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Modi & Angela meets:

German Chancellor Ms. Angela Merkel raised the issue with Mr. Narendra
Modi on the sidelines of G20 Summit.

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Story behind German Vs Sanskrit:

The scrap German decision likely to affect more than 65000 students across
nearly 500 KV schools and also make untenuous the job of 700teachers of the
language in these schools
Oct 27: KV board decides to discontinue German teaching as option to
Sanskrit
Nov14: Smriti Irani defends decision saying existing arrangement violates 3language formula
German to continue to be taught as additional subject of hobby class
Says 2011 MoU on German as third language unconstitutional
HRD Ministry claims MoU between KVS and Goethe Institute Max
Mueller Bhavan never referred to it. Matter came to light when it came
up for renewal
Nov 21: SC petitioned. Issues notice to government
Nov 27: Govt reiterates position before apex court that Sanskrit would be third
language in place of German in KVs from classes VI to VIII
Nov 28: SC asks HRD to consider continuing German for present academic
session
Dec 05: Centre stood by its decision on replacing German as third language
with Sanskrit but conceded before the SC that no exam would be conducted
for the subject in the current academic session
Continue with German suggest SC: As time runs out for Kendriya Vidyalaya
students nearing the end of their academic year and facing final exams, the Supreme
Court asked the NDA government not to unsettle them by replacing German with
Sanskrit as the third language this year. Why dont you permit students to study
German? a Bench of Justices Anil R. Dave and Kurian Joseph asked AttorneyGeneral Mukul Rohatgi. The Bench suggested that the government continue with
German as the third language as there were only a few months left in this academic
year.

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Ya sure, will
look into it
Modi
ji,
plz
allow German in
KV schools
Modis Mind Voice:
We wont allow any
Indian
languages
itself to grow except
our
Hindi
and
Sanskrit then how
come German and all
!!! So pity on
(whats
her
name?)Ayyo
!!
I
forgot her name.
can anyone remind
me her name plz.

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Beijing+20 Review Meeting

1995: Beijing Declaration & Platform for Action
Since 1975, United Nations has organized 4 world conferences on Women at
Mexico, Copenhagen, Nairobi and Beijing.
1995: The fourth World conference on Women, at Beijing, China led to
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
It charted out 12 key areas for women empowerment and protection.
The 12 Key areas of Beijing Declaration

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Environmental degradation increases unremunerated work of

women e.g. they have to walk for longer distances to fetch
water and firewood.
Poverty and environmental degradation are interlinked.
1. Environment
Therefore, All states must work for poverty removal,
sustainable Development and involve women in policy
formulation.
All states must facilitate agriculture loans, land ownership,
education and vocational Development for poor women.
Adopt gender budgeting and give social security cover /
2. Poverty
pension to women.
Ensure that migrant women and working women are not
3. Economy
exploited.
All states must provide affordable healthcare and family
planning to women.
Special focus on HIV/AIDS, with help of NGOs.
4. Health
Prevent prenatal sex determination, forced abortion, genital
mutilation and other forms of medical abuse.
In every third world country, girl child is discriminated
5. Girl Child
against, from her childhood to adulthood- female infanticide,
child marriage, child prostitution, genital mutilation, sexual
abuse, incest, child labour and so on.
Therefore, all states must remove gender-biased syllabus from
books, must ban child labour, increase girls enrollment in
6. Education - primary and higher education, improve their health-nutrition,
and protect them from all forms of abuse.
Training
Reduce female illiteracy by 50% compared to 1990s levels.
Ensure atleast 80% of children receive primary education by
2000.
All states must give gender sensitization training to its
judicial, police and health officials.
Strictly enforce laws to punish and deter the wrongdoers.
7. Violence
Create shelters for female victims, provide them medical,
legal and vocational assistance.
8. Human Rights Stop forced marriages, sex-tourism and prostitution.
International networking to stop trafficking of women and
children.
Governments must take all actions to stop violence against
women in public and private life.

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In armed conflicts, 80% of the refugees are women and

children.
9.Armed
Governments should reduce military Expenditure, and use
Conflicts
the money for peaceful development.
During armed conflicts, security personnel involved in
extrajudicial conflicts (fake-encounters), sexual-abuse,
custodial abuse etc. must be punished without velvet glove
treatment.
10. Institutional All states must form institutes to help women participate in
policy making at national and regional level.
Mechanisms
11.
Decision Ensure gender balancing during appointments in
Government bodies, judiciary and bureaucracy.
Making
Allow women freedom of expression on media platform.
Setup media watch-groups to ensure there is no gender
12. Media
stereotyping or commodification of womens bodies in
electronic and print media.
What happened after Beijing 1995?
Every 5 years, they review progress on 12-Areas
2000
5-years review of Beijing platform for action.
2005
10-years review of Beijing platform for action.
2014
20 years review for Asia-Pacific region.
Meeting held at Bangkok, Thailand, under the aegis of
ESCAP: United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for the Asia Pacific.
2015 (March) Beijing+20 review meeting at New York
To review the 20 years implementation at National and
regional level and do decide Post-2015 action for gender
equality.
2014: Beijing+20 review meeting for Asia-Pacific
At Bangkok, the ministers agreed on following:
Poverty
Migrant women are not given basic labour rights such as union-formation and
collective bargaining.
Gender equality is prerequisite to sustainable Development.
Weve to strictly enforce CEDAW- Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women.
Many women survive on less than $2 a day. Weve to solve this persistent
feminization of poverty.

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 At primary school, girl-students have increased but weve to ensure they

continue till highschool and vocational training. Only then, education will
improve economic conditions of women.
Public-Health
Weve to pay special focus to girl child, indigenous (tribal) women, and
disabled women.
Maternal Mortality ratio has declined in Asia, female life expectancy has
improved. But challenges still remain: shortage of birth attendants, family
planning, unsafe abortions.
Weve to stop the new cases of HIV infection among females.
Age appropriate sex-education is necessary.
Safety
The police and judicial officers still behave with gender-stereotype mindset.
Were worried about the rising incidents of sexual crimes, cybercrimes and
domestic violence against women. Even medieval practices such as witchhunting, honor-killing and genital mutilation are reported from some
countries.
Internet and Mobile companies need to ensure safety of women. (recall UberApp Delhi-rape incident)
Decision Making
Some countries have provided women reservation in local-political bodies. We
welcome this. But still, women participation is dismal in parliament and
corporate governance.
Need to improve gender-budgeting mechanism to stop duplication of schemes
and ensure accountability on money spent.
Governments should help NGOs and grassroot organizations working for
women rights.
Indias stand at Beijing+20 Asia-Pacific meeting
Yes, our country has deep rooted gender inequalities in education,
employment, decision and health care.
Therefore, we are unable to translate economic growth into inclusive
development.
But there is no armed conflict in the country. In other words, UN and foreign
NGOs need not poke their head in alleged women-abuse during operations
against Maoists, secessionists and terrorists in India.
In the ministerial declaration, India forced the panel members to change the
word caste to social origin.
In other words, Caste is not a factor for gender inequality in India (!). Perhaps
this wordplay was done to ensure UN racial discrimination Committees and
foreign NGOs do not poke their head in caste-based violence in of India. In
2001 too, India followed the same line: caste-discrimination is not same as
racism.

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Land Ordinance 2014 vs. Land

Acquisition Act 2013: Salient
Features, Comparison & Criticism
LARR Act 2013
Land Acquisition, Rehab, Resettlement Act (LARR) 2013
Department of Land resources under Rural Development ministry,
implements this act.
But why was this law enacted?
Land Acquisition means government/private company purchasing private
land for public purpose.
But, under the British-era Land acquisition act of 1894, the term public
purpose was ambiguous and open to executive-discretion. So, poor peoples
land was acquired at throwaway prices in pretext of development projects.
Sometimes such projects never started, and the same cheap land was resold at
higher price to real estate developers, without building anything for public
purpose.
With this tactic politicians, their sons-in-law and bureaucrats made billions out
of thin air. LARR act-2013 tried to fix this problem.

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Salient features of LARR-2013 Act

Colonial Act, 1894
LARR Act, 2013
The term public purpose was Clearly defines various types of public
ambiguous
and
open
to purpose projects for which, Government
Governments discretion
can acquire private land.
Land could be acquired forcibly.
For private project, 80% affected
families must agree.
For PPP project, 70% affected
families must agree.
Only then land can be acquired.
They were given no voice in decision Under Social impact assessment (SIA) even
making.
need to obtain consent of the affected
artisans, laborers, share-croppers, tenant
farmers, fishermen, small traders, Desiliquor den owners etc. whose (sustainable)
livelihood will be affected because of the
given project.
Government was free to decide how
Compensation proportion to market
much money to pay while acquiring
rates.
private land.
4 times the market rate in rural area.
2 times in urban area.
Affected artisans, small traders,
fishermen etc. will be given one-time
payment, even if they dont own any
land.
No such restrictions on fertile land
To ensure food security:
(1) Fertile, irrigated, multi-cropped farmland
can be acquired only in last resort.
(2) If such fertile land is acquired, then
Government will have to develop equal size
of wasteland for agriculture purpose.
---If Government acquires the lands for private
company- the said private company will be
responsible for relief and rehabilitation of
the affected people.
Additional rehab.package for SC/ST
owners. Example- fishing rights over dam,
25% extra money if settled outside their
native district and so on.

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No such safeguards

State Governments have to setup dispute

settlement authorities. Chairman must be a
district judge or lawyer for 7 years.
Head of the department will be made
responsible, for any offense or mischief
played from Governments side. (although
No such accountability
this made the officers very cautious given
the media-trials. Theyd sit on the files
instead of taking any action).
If project did not start, then acquired If project doesnt start in 5 years, land has to
land was secretly sold/leased to be returned to the original owner.
private players at sky-high prices.
Why Land ordinance?
1894s land act was bogus and exploitive. So Congress government enacted
new law in 2013, with provisions for social impact assessment, fair
compensation, dispute settlement and other fancy things.
LARR-2013 Act became effective from 1st January 2014.
But, this LARR Act-2013 established an extremely complex and impractical
land acquisition process.
Holdouts: NGOs would instigate 20-25% of the affected families to stage
holdout- promising them itll fetch them even higher prices. and Given the 7080% consent requirement, the project will never kickoff.
Litigation: because local (and therefore corruption) Thasildars never maintain
proper land records of who owns how much land.
This raised the land prices, red tapism and thus the overall project cost.
Neither the farmer could sell its land and move to urban areas, no the
entrepreneur could buy the land and move towards rural areas.
Combined with Environment-activism and policy paralysis of UPA regime,
the end result was infrastructure bottleneck, high inflation and fall in GDP.

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Why Modi had to bring Land Ordinance, 2014?

As such those stringent LARR provisions did not apply to 13 central laws e.g.
if land was acquired under Railways Act or Atomic Energy Act, then Socialimpact assessment, market-rate compensation etc. were not applicable.
But this Exemption was given only for a year i.e. upto 1st January 2015. By
the time, Government needed to amend those 13 acts so that LARR-like high
compensation rates can be given to farmers in those projects also. But it was
no possible to amend 13 central laws because:
Frequent Disruptions in Winter session (December 2014)
Modi doesnt enjoy majority in Rajya Sabha.
Some of the union ministries had not even prepared the bills.
Therefore, Government decided to use ordinance route under Article 123 of
the Constitution.

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Land Ordinance, 2014 features

LARR Act, 2013
Land Ordinance 2014
Those
mandatory
things are no
Mandatory 70% consent for
longer required for 5 types of projects:
PPP projects.
Mandatory 80% consent for (1) National security and Defense
Production
private projects.
Mandatory
Social
impact (2) Rural infrastructure, Rural
assessment (SIA) for every electrification
(3)
Infrastructure
and
Social
projects
infrastructure
(4) Industrial corridors
(5) Housing for Poors
SIA mandatory for every type of SIA not needed for:
project.
1. Those five categories listed above
2. PPP projects, IF Government owns
the land.
-------Building private hospitals and private
educational institutes will also count
as public purpose. Means, they too
can acquire land if 80% affected
families agreed.
Compensation:
Remains the same
4 times the market rate in rural
area.
2 times in urban area.
Stringent provisions for relief and Remains the same
rehabilitation (R&R).
Private companies can acquire land Private entities can acquire.
for public purpose.
Meaning private companies, NGOs,
trusts, foundations, charity bodies,
proprietors etc. too can acquire land
for public purpose.
If
any
mischief
played
on Head of the department cant be
Governments part then head of the prosecuted without prior sanction of
department will be responsible.
government (under CrPC Section
197).
This immunity is given to ensure
bureaucrats dont sit on the files,
fearing media-trials and judicial
activism.

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17

Land ordinance: Criticism/Anti-arguments

Given the Immunity against prosecution, Bureaucrats will play mischief in
land acquisition, to help Raabert Vaadra types unabated.
Those five exempted categories are very broad- particularly infrastructure
and social-infrastructure. So, Pretty much all projects can be done without
social impact assessment or taking consent of 70-80% of affected families.
Entire LARR-2013 is made invalid through clever-wordplay.
Social impact assessment (SIA) not required in five types of projects. So, local
laborers, artisans, small traders will either get zero or very small relief
package, even if their livelihood is lost because of industrial/infrastructure
project.
Private colleges and hospitals too can acquire land. BUT if they continue to
charge hefty-fees then no real public-purpose is served. Mushrooming of selffinanced bogus-quality Engineering, Pharmacy and MCA colleges doesnt
help reaping Indias demographic dividend.
Ordinance doesnt specifically say that such private hospitals and
school/colleges are exempt from Social impact assessment (SIA). But they
too can dodge SIA-bullet by claiming its a social-infrastructure project.
In parliamentary democracy, Ordinance should be used only for dire
emergency. Modi could have waited till budget session, and get proper
approval from parliament. [Counter-argument: there was deadline of
1/1/2015].
Examples of Public Purpose acquisition
Strategic projects e.g. missile silos, anti-aircraft batteries, artillery
installments and army bunkers.
All type of infrastructure projects and PPP projects.
Cold storage, Packaging-Processing units for Agriculture produce, dairy,
fisheries and meat.
Industrial corridors and manufacturing clusters.
Education, research, vocational institutes.
Sports, healthcare, tourism, space-tech.
Housing for low income group.
Creating new houses/towns for people affected in natural or manmade
disasters.

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13 central laws exempted

If land is acquired for any of these 13 central laws, then LARR-2013 Acts
provisions will not apply (For a year).
Within that time, Government had to amend those 13 laws to give fair
compensation. Since Modi couldnt do it, he got an ordinance cleared to
extends LARR-high-compensation rates to these central laws:
These Acts were exempted from LARR-Act-2013 but covered via
Ordinance
Old Act
Year
Land Acquisition (Mines) Act
1885
Indian Tramways Act
1886
Damodary Valley Corporation Act
1948
Resettlement of Dispalced Persons (Acquistion) Act
1948
Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act 1952
National Highways Act
1956
Coal Bearing Areas Acquisition and Devlopment Act
1957
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Act
1958
Atomic Energy Act
1962
Petroleum and mineral Pipelines Act
1962
Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act
1978
Railways Act
1989
Electricity Act
2003

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