Public Accounts Committee
Syllabus: GS2/ Indian Polity
In News
- Delhi Congress leaders welcomed the CAG report on AAP’s 2021-22 excise policy and urged the immediate formation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for review and public discussion.
Public Accounts Committee
- Definition: The PAC is a committee in the Indian Parliament responsible for auditing the revenue and expenditure of the Government of India.
- It ensures that parliamentary control over the executive is maintained, particularly regarding government spending.
- Composition: The PAC consists of up to 22 members: 15 from the Lok Sabha (Lower House) and 7 from the Rajya Sabha (Upper House).
- No ministers can be members of the PAC.
- Members are elected annually by their respective houses using proportional representation through a single transferable vote.
- The chairperson is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- The term of office for members is one year.
- Functions: It examines the audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) after they are presented in Parliament.
- It verifies whether government expenditure aligns with the budget approved by Parliament.
Source: TH
Deputy Speaker
Syllabus :GS2/Governance
In News
- Six-time MLA Mohan Singh Bisht has been nominated for the Deputy Speaker’s post.
Deputy Speaker
- Articles 93 (Lok Sabha) and 178 (State Legislative Assembly) state that the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker is mandatory under the Constitution
- The Constitution says the Deputy Speaker must be elected “as soon as may be” but does not specify a time frame.
- Generally, the Speaker is elected in the first session, and the Deputy Speaker is elected in the second session.
- The Deputy Speaker remains in office until the House is dissolved or if they cease to be a member.
Deputy Speaker’s Duties and Powers
- Aids the Speaker in the functioning of the House.
- Chairs the House if the Speaker’s post is vacant and performs the Speaker’s duties.
- Participates in debates and votes like other members but can cast a vote in case of a tie when presiding.
- The Deputy Speaker cannot sponsor bills or table questions.
- The Deputy Speaker receives salary from the Consolidated Fund of India, not subject to a vote.
- Presides over the sittings, maintains order and ensures discipline in the House during the absence of the Speaker.
- The Deputy Speaker cannot preside over proceedings if a motion to remove him is being debated.
Parliamentary Tradition
- It is a convention that the Deputy Speaker is from the Opposition to ensure balance in proceedings.
- This tradition has been followed post-Emergency (1975) with only a few exceptions.
Source: IE
SWAYATT Initiative
Syllabus: GS3/Economy
Context
- Government e Marketplace (GeM) commemorated six years of Startups, Women & Youth Advantage through eTransactions (SWAYATT) initiative.
About
- Launch: Initiated in 2019, aimed to boost participation of women-led enterprises, youth, and startups in public procurement.
- Goals:
- Promote social inclusion by enhancing ease of business and providing direct market linkages for startups, women entrepreneurs, MSEs, SHGs, and youth, especially from backward sections.
- Facilitate training and onboarding of sellers and promote small-scale businesses in government procurement.
- Growth Stats:
- Startups have fulfilled ₹35,950 Crore in orders.
- At launch, GeM had 6,300 women-led enterprises and 3,400 startups.
- Now, women entrepreneurs comprise 8% of the total seller base on GeM, 177,786 Udyam-verified women MSEs have fulfilled ₹46,615 Crore in orders.
- Future Goals:
- Aim to onboard 1 lakh startups and double women entrepreneurs’ participation, increasing their share of overall public procurement from 3.78%.
Source: PIB
SPHEREx
Syllabus: GS3/Space
Context
- NASA is tentatively scheduled to launch its new megaphone-shaped space telescope called Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx).
About
- Duration: Two years.
- Mission Objectives: SPHEREx will collect data on over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way.
- It will explore the origins of the universe, focusing on the period after the Big Bang.
- It will create a 3D map of the cosmos in 102 different wavelengths of light (colours).
- Cosmic Inflation: SPHEREx will measure cosmic inflation, which occurred around 14 billion years ago.
- Cosmic inflation is believed to explain the universe’s flatness and lack of curvature on large scales.
- Inflation remains poorly understood, and SPHEREx can help improve that understanding.
- PUNCH Mission: SPHEREx will launch alongside NASA’s PUNCH mission, which studies the Sun’s solar wind.
- PUNCH consists of four small satellites in low Earth orbit.
- It will make 3D global observations of the inner heliosphere to understand how the Sun’s corona becomes the solar wind.
- The satellites will map the transition zone where the Sun’s corona turns into solar wind.
Source: IT
Black Plastic
Syllabus :GS3/Environment
In News
- A study published in October last year analyzed 203 black plastic products (e.g., kitchen utensils, takeout containers, toys) sold in the U.S.
Black Plastic
- Black plastic is often made from recycled electronic waste (e.g., computers, TVs, appliances).
- These electronics contain substances like bromine (a flame retardant), antimony, and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury).
- These chemicals are toxic at high exposure levels and have been banned in many countries.
Findings of study
- It found that black plastic products contained decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209), a flame retardant linked to health risks, which was phased out in the U.S. over a decade ago.
- Researchers advise against immediately discarding all black plastic products.
- It is suggested to continue using items until they are no longer usable, rather than replacing them prematurely.
- Black plastic that cannot be recycled should be handled appropriately.
Source:IE
Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater (Merops persicus)
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
Context
- The first breeding site of the Blue-Cheeked Bee-eater in peninsular India has been discovered in the saltpans of Aandivilai near the Manakudy Mangroves in Kanniyakumari district.
About
- Physical Characteristics: The Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater is a slender bird with a predominantly green plumage.
- Its face has blue sides, a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat.
- The bird possesses a black beak, which is adapted for catching insects.
- It can grow up to 31 cm in length, with its two central tail feathers extending an additional 7 cm.
- Habitat: The Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater is a migratory bird found across Northern Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India.
- Diet: The species primarily feeds on insects, including bees, wasps, and hornets.
- IUCN Status: Least Concern.
Source: TH
Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN
Syllabus: GS3/ Defence
Context
- The 6th edition of India- Japan Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN has commenced in the East Fuji Manoeuvre Training area of Japan.
About
- Genesis: In 2018 is an annual event conducted alternatively in India and Japan. Last edition in Rajasthan in 2024.
- Aim: To enhance interoperability between the two forces while undertaking joint urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations under UN mandate.
- Significance: The exercise underscores the shared commitment of India and Japan towards regional security, peace and stability, while advancing their common vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
Source: PIB
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