Prelim Bits 03-03-2023 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

FCRA

The Centre suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the think tank Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

• The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was enacted during the Emergency in 1976.
• The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations.
• The act ensures them to function in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic.
• 2010 amendment - It was to consolidate the law on utilisation of foreign funds, and to prohibit their use for any activities detrimental to national interest.
• 2020 Amendment - The government was given tighter control and scrutiny over the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by NGOs.
• Registration - FCRA registrations are granted to individuals or associations that have definite cultural, economic, educational, religious, and social programmes.
• NGOs that want to receive foreign funds must apply online and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) makes inquiries through the Intelligence Bureau.
• The MHA is required to approve or reject the application within 90 days.
• Criteria - The FCRA requires every person or NGO seeking to receive foreign donations to be registered under the Act and open a bank account for it in State Bank of India, Delhi.
• NGO’s should utilise those funds only for the purpose for which they have been received and as stipulated in the Act.
• They are also required to file annual returns, and they must not transfer the funds to another NGO.
• Validity - FCRA registration is valid for 5 years.
• Renewal - Can be renewed within six months of the date of expiry of registration.
• In case of failure to apply for renewal, the registration is deemed to have expired.
• Cancellation - For violation of the Act, defunct or misutilisation of foreign funds.
• Once the registration of an NGO is cancelled, it is not eligible for re-registration for 3 years.
• Suspension - The ministry also has powers to suspend an NGO’s registration for 180 days pending inquiry, and can freeze its funds.
• All orders of the government can be challenged in the High Court.

References

1. IE - FCRA licence of think tank CPR suspended

Anti-defection Law

The Constitution Bench was hearing political dispute in Maharashtra held that Anti-defection law applies even if a faction splits from a party.

• The anti-defection law was added by 52^nd Constitutional Amendment Act as the Tenth Schedule in 1985.
• Its purpose was to bring stability to governments by discouraging legislators from switching parties.
• It was a response to the toppling of multiple state governments by party-hopping MLAs after the general elections of 1967.
• The anti-defection law punishes individual MPs/MLAs for leaving one party for another.
• Deciding Authority - The Presiding Officers of the Legislature (Speaker, Chairman).
• The decision can be challenged before the higher judiciary.
• The law contemplates two kinds of defection:
  1. by a member voluntarily giving up membership of the party on whose symbol he got elected
  2. by a member violating a direction (whip) issued by his party to vote in a particular way or to abstain from voting
• Split - If one-thirds of a legislature party leaves it or joins another party, it amounts to a ‘split’.
• Originally, in the 10^th Schedule a ‘split’ in a legislature party is an exception to the disqualification rule.
• This was deleted by the Constitution (91st Amendment) Act, 2003.
• Exemption- The law allows a group of two-third MP/MLAs to join (i.e. merger) another political party.
• The merger has to take place between 2 parties and after that, two-third of the members, if they agree with the merger, then they are exempted from disqualification.
• SC observation - The anti-defection law applies even if a faction splits from a political party and manages to cobble up a majority within the party itself.
• Irrespective of the faction being majority or minority, anti-defection law applies.
• Related topic - The political crisis in Maharashtra, Kihoto Hollohan Judgment

References

1. The Hindu - Anti-defection law applies even if a faction splits from a party
2. The Hindu - Has the anti-defection law failed?

Pushpagiri Kshetram

13th-century Hindu temple ruins have been recently unearthed at Pushpagiri Kshetram in Kadapa district.

• The Pushpagiri Kshetram hillock is also known as Pushpachala.
• The hillock is famous for the chain of temples dedicated to the pantheon of Hindu gods and has over a hundred small and big temples in its vicinity.
• Chennakesava, Umamaheswara, Rudrapada, Vishnupada, Trikooteswara, Vaidyanatha, Subrahmanya, Vighneswara and Durga Devi temples are found here.
• The Penna River flows in the southwest of the hills.
• Pushpagiri is referred to as Hari-Hara Kshetra, as there are a number of temples dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu.
• Temple ruins - The architectural features of the ruins reveal a style which is contemporary to a temple at Vallur.
• The Vallur temple was built by the Kayastha rulers in the 13^th Century AD.
• Kayasthas - The Kayasthas were subordinates to the rulers of the Kakatiya dynasty.
• They ruled the region with Vallur as the capital.

References

1. The Hindu - 13^th century temple discovered at Pushpagiri Kshetram

Global Security Initiative

China has put forward the Global Security Initiative at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (G20FMM).

• China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang took part and spoke at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meet (G20FMM) event.
• The Chinese Foreign Minister put forward the Global Security Initiative (GSI).
• China also issued the concept paper on Global Security Initiative.
• He also put forward the Global Development Initiative proposed by the Chinese President Xi Jinping to make global development more inclusive, resilient and beneficial for all.
• G20FMM - The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting took place in New Delhi under India's G20 Presidency.

References

1. Times Of India - China puts forward Global Security Initiative

Ornamental fish aquaculture and Agatti Island

Community-based ornamental fish aquaculture, using local resources, is expected to help women in the Lakshadweep islands.

• Women in the islands have limited resources to generate income, mostly in the form of coconut and tuna fish.
• To expand the activity and enhance the income of women, community-based breeding of marine ornamentals is done.
• Aquaculture - It is a first-of-its-kind experiment in community-based breeding and sale of ornamental fish, including shrimps.
• In addition to the 2 species of ornamental shrimps, captive-raised clownfish seeds were also supplied to the groups for further rearing.
• Islanders mostly women, were chosen for intensive training and have formed them into groups for ornamental fish aquaculture.
• Support - The ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) maintains a germplasm resource centre for marine ornamental organisms on Agatti Island for conservation.
• NBFGR provides the technical support for the clusters.
• NBFGR also gives capacity building and hand-holding community aquaculture units maintained by local women.
• The NBFGR project team on Agatti Island will monitor the units and provide technical inputs, till the organisms reach the marketable size.
• The aquaculture is done in an environment-friendly manner by using coconut fronds and leaves as well as deploying solar panels.

Agatti Island

• Agatti, a 5.6 km long island in Lakshadweep is in the Laccadive group.
• Agatti Island is the gateway to Lakshadweep.
• Agatti is a small chain of islands that lies about 459 km off Cochin from the mainland and the nearest island is Bangaram.

References

1. The Hindu - Ornamental fish aquaculture in Lakshadweep