Top News Highlights-25 October 2024

Supreme Court’s Ruling on Industrial Alcohol

• Title: Jurisdiction Clarification: SC’s New Judgment on Industrial Alcohol
• The Supreme Court has overturned a 1990 judgment that had widened the definition of “intoxicating liquor” to comprise industrial alcohol, allowing states to regulate and tax it.
• It will have implications for regulatory provisions under Entries 52, 33 of the Union List and Entry 8 of the State List, with industrial use staying within the more pronounced State Revenue and Power.
• Industrial alcohol, which is very essential for industrial and medical use, would now come under the purview of the state government and thus can foresee changes in prices as well as supply.

Great Indian Bustard Artificial Insemination Success

• Title: Historic Step for Conservation: Artificial Insemination of Great Indian Bustard
• A landmark in wildlife conservation the Great Indian Bustard was artificially inseminated in Rajasthan.
• Restoration of Status: The project focuses on the restoration of the species with less than more than 150 individuals left in the wild.
• It has been a process of habitat preservation, awareness generation, and new breeding techniques that might prevent the species from extinction and increase the population.

Amendments to Disability Act Rules

• Title: Accessibility Made Easy: Changes in Disability Act Rules
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act introduces new color-coded UID cards representing different disability levels.
• Changes in the process and paperwork concerning the application for a disability certificate have been made, including mandatory Aadhaar linkage, which appears to be inconvenient to different quarters due to accessibility issues.
• There might be a delay in the generating process depending on the processing time. This implies that it has to be implemented with proper efficiency.

Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index 2024

• Title: India’s Position in the Global Field of Inequality: What Does the CRI Index 2024 Reveal?
• It ranked 127, meaning it experienced more challenges in addressing inequality than other nations in the region, such as Nepal and Sri Lanka.
• The index deals with public spending, taxes, and the protection of labor rights, and India needs to improve in these areas.
• Adopt practical national policies along with increasing progressive taxation to deal with inequality adequately, the report suggests.

Supreme Court Directions for Legal Aid Accessibility

• Headline: The Supreme Court Pushes for Better Legal Aid Facilities
• New directives are working to ensure prompt legal services are available for prisoners as well as the deprived within the earliest phases.
• NALSA works in consultation with the states and districts to implement standard operating procedures regarding easy access to legal aid.
• Requires a campaign for awareness and a proper information channel for facilities for legal aid towards due delivery of justice to all.

Key Terms and Concepts:

• Industrial Alcohol: Used in various industries, though of late, it has been brought under state control for taxation and monitoring.
• Great Indian Bustard (GIB): It is among the species from India that have been incorporated into the conservation list.
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act: Framework for disability and related protections in India
• Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index: It measures how countries are coping with the challenge of inequality through policy and governance.
• Legal Services Authority Act: It constitutes the framework of giving free legal aid to eligible people in India.