Current Affairs

1. PM-EAC REPORT ON SHARE OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES –

• According to a new analysis by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PM-EAC), the percentage of Hindus in India has decreased by 7.82% between 1950 and 2015, while the percentages of Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs have increased.
• From 1950 to 2015, as per the data collected on the religious demographics of 38 OECD countries, 30 of these countries experienced a significant decrease in the proportion of Roman Catholics, the predominant religious group.
• In the South Asian region, the majority religious group is increasing while minority populations have significantly declined in countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.
• The population of Hindus has declined by 7.82%. As per 2011 census, Hindu population in India as of 2011 is approximately 79.8%.
• The share of Muslim population rose from 9.84% to 14.095% and Christian population rose from 2.24% to 2.36%.
• Sikh population increased from 1.24% to 1.85% and the share of the Buddhist population rose from 0.05%to 0.81%.
• The share of Jains dropped from 0.45% to 0.36%, and the share of the Parsi population decreased by 85% from 0.03% to 0.0004%.
• As per the data from National Family Health Survey, India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is currently around 2, which is close to the preferred TFR of 2.19. TFR is a reliable indicator for projecting population growth.

 

2. INDIAN SPACE SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT 2023 –

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released the Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) for 2023, which provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of India’s space assets and their vulnerability to potential collisions in space.
• Globally, 3,143 objects were added in 2023 from 212 launches and on-orbit breakup events. India contributed to this with the launch of 127 satellites by the end of December 2023.
• In the year 2023, all seven launches of ISRO, namely SSLV-D2/EOS7, LVM3- M3/ONEWEB 2, PSLV-C55/ TeLEOS-2, LVM3-M4/ Chandrayaan-3, and PSLV- C57/Aditya L-1, were successful.
• A total of 5 Indian satellites, 46 foreign satellites, and 8 rocket bodies (including POEM-2) were placed in their intended orbits.
• As of 31st December 2023, India has 22 operational satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 29 in Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
• There are three active Indian deep space missions, Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, Aditya-L1, and Chandrayaan-3 Propulsion Module.

Space Situational Awareness Activities-

• ISRO regularly carries out analyses to predict close approaches by other space objects to Indian space assets.
• In case of critical close approaches, ISRO carries out Collision Avoidance Maneuvers (CAMs) to safeguard its operational spacecraft.
• About 1 lakh close approach alerts were received from USSPACECOM (US Space Command), and over 3,000 alerts for close approaches within a distance of 1 km were detected for ISRO satellites.

 

3. SUPREME COURT GRANTS INTERIM BAIL TO DELHI CM ARVIND KEJRIWAL –

• The Supreme Court (SC) has granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. This decision provides temporary relief to Kejriwal amid ongoing legal proceedings.
• The Supreme Court’s decision to grant temporary bail to the Delhi Chief Minister for campaigning aims to ensure a level playing field in elections. This move underscores the importance of allowing all candidates the opportunity to actively participate in the democratic process.
• The decision to grant interim bail to the Delhi CM may set a precedent for similar interventions in the future. Other political detainees, such as former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, may seek bail for campaigning purposes, especially during crucial election periods. Some analysts criticize the judgement, arguing that the right to campaign for an election is not explicitly enshrined as a fundamental, constitutional, or legal right. They reference a 2017 decision by the Delhi High Court in Election Commission vs Mukthar Ansari to support their position.
• The Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, also known as the new liquor policy, was implemented on November 17, 2021. It marked a significant change in how liquor was sold in the city, with the government withdrawing from the business and allowing only private operators to run liquor shops.
• The Delhi Chief Minister reportedly skipped 9 summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case. The ED claimed that the CM was the kingpin and key conspirator in the Delhi excise scam. Subsequently, on March 21, he was arrested by the ED.