India-UK Science & Innovation Council meeting held recently paved way for announcing India-UK NET Zero Innovation Virtual Centre

NET Zero Innovation Virtual Centre

• Countries - India and United Kingdom.
• It will provide a platform to bring stakeholders from both countries together to work in some of the focus areas in Science & Tech.
• It includes Decarbonization of manufacturing process & transport systems and Green Hydrogen as renewable source.
• It also helps both countries to reach the Paris Agreement climate change collective targets to limit the global warming to acceptable levels.
• Energy efficiency and Renewable energy are two central pillars of science and technology in India.
• India has already taken lead by various initiatives like India Solar Alliance, Clean energy mission etc.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have endured five failed consecutive rainy seasons since October 2020 that resulted in drought in those regions.

Horn of Africa

• It is a region of eastern Africa.
• It is home to the countries of Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti.
• Part of the Horn of Africa region is also known as the Somali Peninsula, (Lands of Somalia and eastern Ethiopia).
• The Horn contains such diverse areas as the highlands of the Ethiopian Plateau, the Ogaden desert, and the Eritrean and Somalian coasts
• People - Amhara, Tigray, Oromo and Somali peoples and  others.
• Surrounded by - Red sea , the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean. 
• Ancient Religions - Islam and Christianity. 
• Language - Afro-Asiatic languages related to those of North Africa and the Middle East. 

Counsellor for India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations speaks on India’s right to reply at UN General Assembly (UNGA), in New York.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

• The United Nations Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council.
• It gives primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security to the UNSC, which may meet whenever peace is threatened.
• Only the UNSC has the power to make decisions that member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter.
• The UNSC is composed of 15 members:
• 5 permanent members - China, France, Russian Federation, the United States, and the United Kingdom has veto powers.
• 10 non-permanent members - elected by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• Each of the 15 members has one vote.
• The non-permanent members are elected for 2-years term.
• So every year, the UNGA elects five non-permanent members out of the total 10.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched IFFCO’s liquid nano Di-Ammonia Phosphate (DAP)

Nano Di-Ammonia Phosphate (DAP)

• It is a concentrated phosphate-based fertilizer.
• It is perfect for any agriculture crop to provide full phosphorus nutrition throughout crop growth and development.
• It is also used as a starter dose of nitrogen and low sulphur.
• It can be applied in autumn for tilling and in spring during sowing, as well as for pre-sowing cultivation.
• Dissolving in soil, it provides temporary alkalization of pH of the soil solution around the fertilizer granule, thus stimulating better uptake of phosphorus from the fertilizers on acid soils.
• Fertilizer’s sulphur also contributes to the better intake of nitrogen and phosphorus by plants.
• Nano DAP is manufactured by the cooperative major IFFCO.
• Recently, the Centre had notified the Nano DAP in the Fertilizer Control Order, 2023.

Fertilizer Control Order, 2023

• It is administered by Dept. of Agriculture Cooperation.
• It has been issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
• It regulates the sale, pricing, and distribution of fertilizers in the country.

The Kesavananda Bharati case which limits the power of parliament to amend the constitution completed 50 years.

Kesavananda Bharati case

• The Kerala government tried to impose restrictions to the management of Edneer mutt property which was headed by Kesavananda Bharati.
• Kesavananda Bharati filed a case in Kerala high court citing restrictions to property management breached the fundamental right (right to property).
• The case is known as the Kesavananda Bharati Sripadagalvaru & Ors. Vs. State of Kerala & Anr and also called Fundamental Rights Case.
• The court held that fundamental rights cannot be taken away by parliament by amending the constitution.
• The court upheld the land ceiling law but it drew the line by observing that certain parts are so inherent and intrinsic to the Constitution that even Parliament cannot touch it.

Effects of Kesavananda Bharati case

• Limitation to parliament - The case has refined the relation between parliament and constitution by limiting the powers to amend the constitution.
• Expanding judicial powers - Although the Supreme Court has invoked “basic structure” it has mostly struck down amendments where judicial powers have been curtailed.
• Doctrine of basic structure - The Supreme Court in its case judgment laid down the basic structure which cannot be amended by the parliament and the provisions in the basic structure cannot be amended.
• Judicial review - In cases such as Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhu and Others (1992) the portion curtailing the judicial review are struck down citing it as part of basic structure.
• Dilution of separation of power - The case diluted the separation of powers between the executive and legislative.