Today in History (August 22nd, 1894)
Mahatma Gandhi forms the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) in order to fight against discrimination against Indian traders in Natal, South Africa.
Summary of Today’s News
Centre plans to take caste count during Census
• Centre’s Plan: The Indian government is considering adding a caste column to the next Census form.
• Political Pressure: The move responds to persistent demands from Congress and other political parties.
• Census Delay: The Census, last held in 2011, is indefinitely delayed, partly due to debates over including caste data.
• Historical Context: Independent India has not conducted a caste-wise population count, except for the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), which was never published and criticized for inaccuracies.
• Digital Census: The next Census will be conducted digitally, allowing self-completion of questionnaires.
• Boundary Freeze: The deadline to finalize administrative boundaries for the Census has lapsed multiple times since 2019.
• State Initiatives: Bihar and Karnataka have conducted state-level caste censuses recently, with varying levels of public disclosure.
17 workers killed as fire breaks out after ‘reactor blast’ at A.P. pharma plant
• Incident Overview: A fire erupted at Escientia Advanced Sciences Pvt. Ltd. in Atchutapuram, Andhra Pradesh, following a reactor blast.
• Casualties: At least 17 workers were killed, and 20 others sustained burns. The death toll may rise as some bodies are feared trapped under rubble.
• Damage: Thick smoke engulfed the area, and body parts were scattered on the premises.
• Emergency Response: Ten fire tenders and two National Disaster Response Force teams were deployed to rescue workers and control the fire.
• Workforce: The plant employed 381 workers in two shifts; the blast occurred during a shift change.
• Government Action: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.
Puja Khedkar’s ‘fraud’ affected chances of other aspirants, UPSC tells Delhi HC
• Accusations: UPSC alleges Puja Khedkar committed fraud by improperly using OBC and disability quotas to clear the exam.
• Legal Proceedings: Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea was opposed by UPSC, which argued her arrest is crucial to uncover the extent of the fraud.
• Current Status: The Delhi High Court extended Khedkar’s interim protection from arrest until August 29.
• Police Allegations: Delhi police claim Khedkar falsely declared her eligibility and attempts in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) by changing her name and misrepresenting her family’s status.
• Fraud Details: Khedkar is accused of having used all permissible attempts but still appeared in subsequent CSEs by providing false information.
PM begins Poland visit, says it will help forge more vibrant relations
• Historic Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Poland is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 45 years.
• Objective: Modi aims to strengthen and enhance relations between India and Poland, marking 70 years of diplomatic ties.
• Activities:
• Welcoming Ceremony: Modi was received warmly by the Indian community in Warsaw, including a Garbha performance.
• Homage: Paid respects at memorials for Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, who aided Polish students during WWII, and at the monument for the Battle of Monte Cassino honoring Indian and Polish soldiers.
• Diplomatic Engagements: Modi plans to meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda to advance bilateral cooperation.
• Future Visits: After Poland, Modi will visit Ukraine.
• Strategic Significance: The visit highlights India’s balancing act between the West and Russia and aims to boost trade and investment opportunities, with Poland as part of the EU’s ongoing investment and free trade negotiations with India.
SC to Review Need for Environmental Regulator
• Examination Proposal: The Supreme Court is considering whether to establish a permanent environmental regulator, similar to those in telecom and electricity sectors.
• Current Situation: Existing environmental and climate regulators operate separately, leading to potential inefficiencies.
• Amicus Curiae’s Argument: Senior advocate K. Parameshwar suggested consolidating various regulators into a single entity for better oversight.
• Government’s Stance: The Centre views a new regulator as potentially duplicative, citing existing layers of decision-making and specialized bodies.
• Further Hearing: The Supreme Court will hear the issue in detail on November 20.
• Mining Activities: The Court also asked the Centre to consider banning mining in conservation and community reserves.
Rapid E-Commerce Growth Could Impact Retail Jobs and Storefronts
• Minister’s Concerns: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal expressed worries about e-commerce’s rapid growth and its potential to harm millions of small retail stores and jobs.
• Predatory Pricing: Goyal questioned whether predatory pricing strategies by major e-commerce players, like Amazon, are beneficial for the country.
• Impact on Employment: He criticized a recent report that downplayed e-commerce’s impact on employment, suggesting it was biased to minimize concerns.
• Cloud Kitchens and Delivery Apps: Goyal also highlighted concerns about the negative effects of online food delivery services on traditional restaurants.
• Amazon’s Practices: He criticized Amazon’s reported losses and questioned the true intent behind their investments in India, suggesting they may be employing strategies to bypass regulations prohibiting certain business practices.
• Regulatory Compliance: Goyal referred to Press Note 3 of 2016, which restricts foreign e-commerce firms from holding their own inventory, and accused firms of circumventing these rules through complex arrangements.