Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 21 December 2023 | Download PDF

• The Lok Sabha passed three amended Bills that seek to repeal and replace criminal laws which date back to colonial times. 
• This criminal law reform brings terrorism offences into a general crime law for the first time, drops the crime of sedition, and makes mob lynching punishable by death.

Key replacements

• The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSS) will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860; 
• the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill (BSS) will replace the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and 
• the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSSS) will replace the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Key points

• Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of India drafted in 1860 in the wake of the first law commission established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833.
• Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) provides procedures for administering criminal law in India. It was enacted in 1973 and became effective on 1 April 1974.
• The Indian Evidence Act, originally passed in India by the Imperial Legislative Council in 1872, during the British Raj, contains a set of rules and allied issues governing admissibility of evidence in the Indian courts of law.

Former chair of the National Commission for Women and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr. V. Mohini Giri passed away 

About

• She was an iconic women’s rights activist 
• She founded the Guild of Service in 1979, which was dedicated to empowering women, underprivileged children and war widows.
• Dr. Giri was the founder trustee of Women’s Initiative for Peace in South Asia and trustee of various organisations.

• It refers to a proposed five-year review of the impact of countries’ climate change actions.
• Under the Paris Agreement, every country must present a climate action plan in five-year cycles.
• The first global stocktake was scheduled for 2023 under the Paris Agreement.
• It will assess whether the net result of the climate actions being taken was consistent with the goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature from pre-industrial times to within 2 degrees Celsius.
• It will help the world determine whether it needs to do more — and how much more.
• It also recognises that money needs to be made available for Loss and Damage and energy transition in developing countries.

• Green finance refers to the financial arrangements that are specific to the use for projects that are environmentally sustainable or projects that adopt the aspects of climate change. 
• Environmentally sustainable projects include the production of energy from renewable sources like solar, wind, biogas, etc.; clean transportation that involves lower greenhouse gas emission; energy efficient projects like green building; waste management that includes recycling, efficient disposal and conversion to energy, etc.

The Defence Ministry signed a ₹1,614.89-crore contract with Mazagon Dockyard Shipbuilders, Mumbai for procurement of six next-generation offshore patrol vessels for the Coast Guard.

Key points

• Of the six vessels being procured, four would replace the existing ageing vessels and the other two would augment the Coast Guard fleet
• These modern and high-tech ships will play a critical role in enhancing surveillance, law enforcement, search and rescue, maritime pollution response, and other important capabilities
• The vessels would be equipped with multipurpose drones and AI capability.

The Lok Sabha passed the Telecom Bill, 2023, which will replace existing laws, including the 138-year-old Indian Telegraph Act.

Key points

• The Bill seeks to reform and simplify the regulatory and licensing regime for telecommunications and remove bottlenecks in creating telecom infrastructure. 
• It also allows the government to temporarily take control of telecom services in the interest of national security and provide a non-auction route for the allocation of satellite spectrum.
• The Telecom Bill, 2023 provides a mechanism to exercise the right of way for laying telecom infrastructure in public as well as private property. 

Karnataka’s Natasha Chethan won the sub-junior girls’ snooker title in the 90th National billiards and snooker championships in Chennai.

            Angul           Fruit Based Products (Mango)

Balasore Fish Based Product

Bargarh Oil seed Based Products (Groundnut)

Bhadrak Fish Based Products

Bolangir (Milk Based Products)

Boudh           Dal Processing

Cuttack Milk Based Products

Deogarh Tamarind Based Products

Dhenkanal Milk Based Products

Gajapati Fruit Based Products (Pineapple)

Ganjam Fish Based Products

Jagatsinghapur Milk Based Products

Jajpur             Oil seed Based Products (Groundnut)

Jharsuguda Spices Based Product (Chilli)

Kalahandi Fish Based Product

Kandhamal Spices Based Products (Turmeric)

Kendrapara Milk Based Products

Keonjhar Urad Based Products

Khordha Fish Based Products

Koraput Spices Based Products (Ginger)

Malkangiri Millet Based Products

Mayurbhanj Honey Based Products

Nabarangapur Maize Based Products

Nayagarh Sugarcane Based products

Nuapada Millet Based Products

Puri             Milk Based Products

Rayagada Tamarind Based Products

Sambalpur Spices Based product (Chilly)

Subarnapur Fruit Based Products (Mango)

Sundargarh Mushroom Processing

• Eminent poet Ashutos Parida of Odisha has been selected for prestigious Sahitya Akademi Awards for 2023.
• Parida has been selected for the award for his Odia poetry collection ‘Aprastuta Mrutyu’.
• Parida had been awarded with Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry collection ‘Ipsita Krodha’ in 1990.

Key points

• Sahitya Akademi announced the awards for excellent books in 24 languages in India
• The awardees will be presented with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a copper shield each by the Sahitya Akademi.

• From 700 castor-based Eri silk farming in five districts, the state government has expanded its ‘Karuna Silk’ (vegan or cruelty-free silk) project to 2,000 silk farmers this year. 
• The project is now being taken up in 12 districts. 

Key points

• Three varieties of silk are grown in Odisha: mulberry, tasar, and eri. 
• Under the brand name “Karuna Silk,” these Eri silkworms are raised using a novel and humane technique.
• ‘Karuna Silk’ was introduced as a pilot plan involving approximately 700 sericulture farmers under the Odisha government’s 5T (teamwork, technology, transparency, timely completion leading to transformation) initiative. 
• The Eri silkworm is raised On castor plants

• Chief Minister sanctioned Rs 15.2 crore for the renovation of religious institutions and community projects in the state capital. 
• The amount will be utilised for renovation and repair of 507 such institutions in the Bhubaneswar north, Ekamra and Bhubaneswar central Assembly constituencies of the city. 

Key points

• Bhubaneswar is famous as a temple city as the city has more than 700 temples, including several ancient shrines. 
• Thousands of tourists and pilgrims visit the places every day.
•  The amount has been sanctioned keeping in view the need for beautification and improvement of all religious places including ancient structures.

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