GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) has recently revoked a plant variety protection certificate granted to PepsiCo India for the FC5 potato, a special variety that was grown exclusively for Lay’s chips.

Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA)

• The PPVFRA is set up under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act 2001.
• The Act is not only in conformity with International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), 1978 [India has been given the status of observer], but also have sufficient provisions to protect the interests of public sector breeding institutions and the farmers.
• Plant variety cannot be patented in India. A patent deals with IPR over devices of Industrial applications whereas PPV & FR Act, 2001 confers IPR to plant breeders who have bred or developed plant varieties.

FC5 Potato variety

• The FC5 variety, registered in the US as FL2027, has 5 per cent lower moisture content than other varieties.
• With 80 per cent moisture content, as compared to the usual 85 per cent, this variety is considered more suitable for processing and therefore, for making snacks such as potato chips.
• The variety was first cultivated by Dr Robert W. Hoopes, who holds the most potato patents and potato variety protections in the whole world.

Recently, a Journalist was charged with Sedition by the Assam Police for allegedly promoting animosity between the Assamese and Bengali-speaking people of Assam.

• He has been charged under 124A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and other stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code.

What is Sedition Law?

• The Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with the offence of sedition, states: “Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which a fine may be added; or, with fine.”
• As per the Schedule 1 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), sedition is a cognizable and non-bailable offence and is not listed under Compoundable offences.

Recently, the Chief Minister of Nagaland has called for scrapping the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act after a botched ambush by para commandos in Nagaland.

What is Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958?

• AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior warrant.
• AFSPA gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”. They have the authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area, can use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in contravention of the law. If reasonable suspicion exists, the army can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or search a premises without a warrant; and ban the possession of firearms.
• Any person arrested or taken into custody may be handed over to the officer in charge of the nearest police station along with a report detailing the circumstances that led to the arrest.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, in a written reply in Lok Sabha recently mentioned that more than 1.2 crore have benefited under Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana.

What is Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana?

• PMRPY Scheme is aimed at incentivising employers to generate employment, where the Government pays the employers’ Employee Pension Scheme share of 8.33 percent, for new employees for the first three years of their job. 
• The Ministry of Labour has implemented the same scheme and has been in operation since August 2016. 
• The PMRPY scheme was announced during the 2016-17 Budget with the primary purpose of promoting the generation of employment with INR 1000 crores having been made. 
• The scheme targets workers who earn wages of less than INR 15000 on a monthly basis.
• It encourages employers of Small and Medium Enterprises and Micro Businesses to avail the benefits of this project.

A tiny snail with a striking, pellucid golden-yellow shell found in the Edappally canal in Kochi has been flagged as an invasive species that could play havoc with native ecosystems.

• This is the first time that this snail has been reported in Kerala.

What are Invasive Alien Species (IAS)?

• Invasive alien species are species that are introduced, accidentally or intentionally, outside of their natural geographic range and that become problematic.
• They are often introduced as a result of the globalization of economies through the movement of people and goods, for instance via shipping, consignments of wood products carrying insects, or the transport of ornamental plants to new areas.
• All invasive alien species remain unproblematic in their land of origin where natural enemies limit their population increase.