Daily current affairs

1. CJI UU Lalit Recommends Justice DY Chandrachud As The Next Chief Justice Of

India
• Chief Justice of India, Uday Umesh Lalit has named Justice DY Chandrachud as his
successor. He handed over a letter to Justice DY Chandrachud, designating him as
the next CJI. The letter was handed over in the presence of the other judges of the
Supreme Court. The law ministry – as per protocol – writes to the CJI around a
month before the due date of retirement to seek the successor’s name.
About justice D Y Chandrachud :
Justice D Y Chandrachud had earlier served as the Additional Solicitor General of India in
1998. He was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court in 2013. He has been
associated with the Bombay High Court too. He was elevated as a judge in the top court in
2016.
2. PM Narendra Modi addresses UN World Geospatial International Congress
Addressing the Second United Nations World Geospatial International Congress via
video message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that steps taken by India over
the past few years has been of empowering the “last person at the last mile’’,
reflecting the theme of this year’s conference — ‘Geo-Enabling the Global Village:
No one should be left behind’.

5 Major Things about UN World Geospatial Information Congress:

1. Geospatial technology can be used to create intelligent maps and models which
help to collect geographically referenced data. Decisions based on the value and
importance of resources, most of which are limited, can become easy through
geospatial technology, according to the UNWGIC website.

2. The theme of UNWGIC 2022 is ‘Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be
left behind’, which focuses on building a community for human data and geography
against the three pillars of sustainable development for a shared future and a better
world, leaving no one behind within an inclusive and equitable global society.

3. The United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM)

convened the conference on UNWGIC 2022 and was organised by the United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It was hosted by the ministry of
science and technology of the government of India.

4. The move aims to provide high-quality and trustworthy geospatial data to support
global and national policy agendas. It also stresses international cooperation and
coordination in the development of human data linked to geography. It promotes
 societal development and well-being, addresses environmental and climate
challenges, and embraces digital transformation and technological advancement.

5. Intelligent maps and models can be created using geospatial technology. It can be
used to reveal spatial patterns hidden in large amounts of data that are complex to
access collectively through mapping.

3. Two Chief Justices for High Courts of Rajasthan, Karnataka, J-K, and Ladakh

• Two Chief Justices for High Courts: The central government announced the
appointment of two judges as chief justices of the high courts in Jammu &
Kashmir, Ladakh, and Karnataka. It also announced the transfer of the chief
justice of the J&K high court to the Rajasthan high court. Notifications were
released by the law ministry’s Department of Justice, in this regard.

Two Chief Justices for High Courts: Key Points

Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court
• According to the Constitution’s provisions, Justice Prasanna B. Varale has been
named the Karnataka High Court’s Chief Justice.
Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court
• Justice AM Magrey has been named the Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and
Ladakh.
Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court
• Justice Pankaj Mithal has been appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court,
according to Kiran Rijiju.
• The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Justice Prasanna B. Varale, and the
Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey,
were both recommended for elevation by the Supreme Court collegium during its
meeting on September 28.
• The collegium suggested in another statement that Justice Pankaj Mithal be
transferred from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to the Rajasthan High Court.

4. Union Minister Anurag Thakur inaugurated Water Sports Center in HP

• Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated a
Water Sports Center in the Koldam Barmana, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. The Water
Sports Centre, the very first of its kind in Himachal Pradesh, has been jointly initiated
by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Thermal Power Corporation
(NTPC). The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also exchanged between
SAI and NTPC during the event. The centre will be dedicated to training athletes in
water sports like Rowing, Canoeing and Kayaking.
About Himanchal Pradesh
• Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter);
 • Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur;
• Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
5. India hosts SCO joint anti-terror drill to enhance operational capabilities
The National Security Guard (NSG) is hosting the Multinational Joint Anti-Terror Exercise
(JATE) under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure
(RATS) at NSG Manesar Garrison. Stage 1 of the exercise was conducted from 27th July to
1st August 2022 by the National Terrorist Forces of SCO Members Countries in their
respective territories.

• The Exercise aims to exchange expertise, and best practices, and build
synergies between counter Terrorism Forces of the SCO RATS member
countries.
• The second phase of the exercise will be conducted from 8th October 2022 to
13th October 2022.
• The Stage-2 Exercise will be conducted at Manesar Garrison, in which eight
representatives from the National Counter Terrorism Forces of the Republic of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Russian
Federation, and NSG of the Republic of India are participating.
• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is one of the permanent organs of
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
• The objective of the exercise is to provide a platform for the participating
member countries to enhance their operational capabilities and exchange
experience in Combating Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism.

6. The Prime Minister declared Modhera, a village in the Mehsana district of Gujarat as
India's first solar-powered village.
• About Modhera Village: Modhera is famous for its Sun temple, a protected ancient
site, which is situated on the river Pushpavati. It was built by King Bhima-I of the
Chalukya dynasty in 1026-27. The temple will acquire a 3-D projection facility which
will inform tourists about the history of Modhera.
• Solar Power Generation: The solar power village would be self-sufficient in solar
energy generation, as it will utilise 1000 solar panels that have been installed on the
village houses, generating electricity round the clock for the villagers. It is developed
through Ground Mounted Solar power plant and more than 1300 Rooftop solar
systems on residential and Government buildings, all integrated with Battery Energy
storage systems (BESS). A BESS is a type of energy storage system that uses batteries
to store and distribute energy in the form of electricity.
7. It has been almost 30 years since the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment Acts
were passed to facilitate democratic decentralisation in India, but very little and
actual progress has been made in this direction.
• Democratic decentralization is the process of devolving the functions and resources
of the state from the Centre to the elected representatives at the lower levels so as
 to facilitate greater direct participation of citizens in governance. Devolution,
envisioned by the Indian Constitution, is not mere delegation. It implies that
precisely defined governance functions are formally assigned by law to local
governments, backed by adequate transfer of a basket of financial grants and tax
handles, and they are given staff so that they have the necessary wherewithal to
carry out their responsibilities.
• Related Constitutional Provisions: Local government, including panchayats, is a
state subject in the Constitution, and consequently, the devolution of power and
authority to panchayats has been left to the discretion of states.
• The Constitution mandates that panchayats and municipalities shall be elected every
five years and enjoins States to devolve functions and responsibilities to them
through law. The 73rd and 74th Amendments, by constitutionally establishing
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India, mandated the establishment of
panchayats and municipalities as elected local governments.

8. Centre Extends Ethanol subsidy scheme till March 2023

The Centre has extended the timeline for disbursement of loans up to March 31 under the
ethanol blending programme interest subsidy scheme, notified first in 2018, to facilitate
entrepreneurs to complete their projects while availing of government support.