23/08/2022
1. Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy meets PM Modi in Delhi
Context:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi
at his residence here on Monday.
This is CM Reddy's second meeting with the prime minister in three months.
According to an official statement released at that time, among the development works
discussed, the Polavaram project took the spotlight among the requests for implementation of
bifurcation promises for AP.
Background:
There are 14 assurances in the main sections of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act,
2014.
1) Fully implemented – 0
2) Partly implemented –5 (Special Development Package for 7 districts; Polavaram;
Educational Institutions and Infrastructure Projects; Tax incentives, Support for Capital)
3) Not implemented –9 (Greyhounds; APLA seats; Division of properties of A.P. Bhavan;
Apportionment of Tax arrears, loans and refunds; Government of India reference under Sec.
66; Apportionment of Schedule IX Government Companies and Corporations; Bifurcation of
Schedule X Institutions; Bifurcation of Schedule X Institutions; River Management Boards)
Section 90 (Polavaram Irrigation Project to be a national project)
90(1): Polavaram Irrigation Project is hereby declared to be a national project
90(2): It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should
take under its control the regulation and development of the Polavaram Irrigation Project for
the purposes of irrigation
90(3): The consent for Polavaram Irrigation Project shall be deemed to have been given by
the successor State of Telangana
90(4): Central Govt shall execute the project and obtain all requisite clearances including
environmental, forests, and rehabilitation and resettlement norms
2. AP Chief minister sought for allocation of Iron ore to APMDC
Context:
During the Delhi visit, Chief Minister Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy sought allotment of iron ore
to the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) to pave the way for the establishment
of the proposed integrated steel plant in Kadapa district.
Background:
The AP government established the YSR Steel Corporation Limited for development and
operation of a new steel plant in Kadapa district. The proposed steel plant will have a
capacity of up to three million tonnes per annum for producing high grade steel products. The
state government already signed a memorandum of understanding with NMDC for supplying
the required 4.5 million tonnes of iron ore every year for the proposed steel plant.
According to the government claim, the plant would provide direct and indirect employment
to about 25,000 people. The state government pooled 3,148.68 acres of land spread over two
villages for the integrated steel plant, which would now be alienated to the YSR Steel
Corporation for Rs 1.65 lakh an acre.
APMDC: The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation Ltd., was incorporated on
24th Feb., 1961 as a wholly owned undertaking of the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the
development of mineral resources and promotion of mineral based industries in Andhra
Pradesh including exploration, exploitation, conservation, processing, beneficiation and
conversion into value added products. APMDC Ltd. is registered under the Companies Act
1956.
3. AP High court cancels the Governor's remission order for murder convicts.
Context:
The governor' s order granting remission of sentence to eight murder convicts before they
completed 14 years in jail prima facie amounted to violation of rules, the Andhra Pradesh
high court said.
Background:
Under Article 161 of the Constitution, the Governor shall have the power to grant pardons,
reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence
of any person convicted of any offence where the sentence is a sentence of death.
Pardon: It removes both the sentence and the conviction and completely absolves the convict
from all sentences, punishments and disqualifications.
Commutation: It denotes the substitution of one form of punishment for a lighter form. For
example, a death sentence may be commuted to rigorous imprisonment, which in turn may be
commuted to a simple imprisonment.
Remission: It implies reducing the period of sentence without changing its character. For
example, a sentence of rigorous imprisonment for two years may be remitted to rigorous
imprisonment for one year.
Respite: It denotes awarding a lesser sentence in place of one originally awarded due to some
special fact, such as the physical disability of a convict or the pregnancy of a woman
offender.
Reprieve: It implies a stay of the execution of a sentence (especially that of death) for a
temporary period. Its purpose is to enable the convict to have time to seek pardon or
commutation from the President.
Difference Between Pardoning Powers of President and Governor
Court Martial: The power of the President to grant pardon extends in cases where
the punishment or sentence is by a Court Martial but Article 161 does not provide any such
power to the Governor.
Death sentence: The President can grant pardon in all cases where the sentence given is the
sentence of death but the pardoning power of the Governor does not extend to death sentence
cases.
4. JAC urges Tribal Affairs Minister to reconsider the plan of NH 516E.
Context:
The members of Andhra Pradesh Adivasi Joint Action Committee has urged Union Tribal
Affairs Minister Arjun Munda to take up the issue of building the proposed NH 516 E, that
connects Rajamahendravaram to Vizianagaram, cutting across vast tracts of tribal land
notified under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.
Background:
NH 516E project: The proposed Rajamahendravaram to Vizianagaram National Highway-
516E, which passes through mandals in the Agency areas of erstwhile districts of East
Godavari, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, is going to be a game changer as tribal
people of interior hamlets can have better road-connectivity to Visakhapatnam and
Rajamahendravaram.
The Centre had sanctioned Rs 5,68 crore for the construction of the Rampachodavaram -
Koyyuru stretch as part of National Highway-516E, a short route forming a branch of
National Highway 16.
The 406.17 km-long National Highway-516E with an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore, gained
momentum with the Union Ministry inviting bids to construct two-lane highways as part
of Green National Highway Corridor Project in the State. Another noteworthy aspect of
the highway is that it passes through left-wing extremism-hit areas in the Agency of East
Godavari, which may help the other way in checking movement of Naxals.
Fifth Schedule areas: The administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled
Tribes are addressed in the fifth Schedule. Article 244(1) is directly related to Schedule 5.
Ten states currently have Fifth Schedule Areas: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat,
Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and
Telangana.
5. APSACS to roll out HPV vaccine for girls in A.P
Context:
Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) will soon commence the HPV 16/18
bivalent vaccination programme for girls aged between nine and 14 to prevent cervical cancer
in the State. The vaccine helps prevent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Background:
APSACS: Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society is a division of the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare that provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programme in Andhra
Pradesh through 35 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Societies.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination
Cervical cancer, mainly caused by Human Papillomavirus infection, is the leading cancer in
Indian women and the second most common cancer in women worldwide. Though there are
several methods of prevention of cervical cancer, prevention by vaccination is emerging as
the most effective option, with the availability of two vaccines.
