[Newsbits] 8.12.2023: Pompe Disease, Aspirational Blocks Programme, Section 6A of Citizenship Act & more

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Explanation

Section 6A of the Citizenship Act of India is a special rule about who can become a citizen in the state of Assam. It was made in 1985 based on the Assam Accord, an agreement to solve problems in Assam about people moving there. This rule says that people who came to Assam from other countries between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, can become Indian citizens, but they can’t vote for 10 years. This rule was made to help people and has to do with India’s history, like helping Bangladesh become free. The Supreme Court of India is looking at whether this rule is fair and follows the constitution. Some people think it’s not fair because it treats Assam differently than other states, like West Bengal, which also has many people coming from other countries. The court is also trying to figure out how this rule has changed Assam and what should be done about people who move to India illegally.

The Revised Rubber (Promotion and Development) Bill, 2023, is an initiative by the Indian Union Government aimed at modernizing and promoting the rubber industry in India. The Bill focuses on replacing the Rubber Act of 1947 to address contemporary challenges in the industry, such as falling rubber prices, high labor costs, and increasing import competition. It proposes changes to the Rubber Board’s structure, including quality standards and stakeholder representation. The Bill has attracted both support for its potential to strengthen the sector and criticism for certain exclusions and lack of emphasis on vital areas like research. Going forward, measures such as promoting research and development, adopting new technologies, providing financial support, and strengthening market linkages are suggested to revitalize the industry.

To summarize, the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, passed in the Lok Sabha, aims to establish the Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University in Telangana, focusing on empowering tribal communities and enhancing access to higher education and research in tribal art, culture, customs, and technology. It amends the Central Universities Act, 2009, in alignment with the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Impatiens karuppusamyi is a newly discovered plant species, identified on December 8, 2023, in the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India. It was discovered by researchers from the Botanical Survey of India and Madras Christian College, Chennai, and named in honor of Dr. S Karuppusamy for his significant contributions to the taxonomy of South Indian angiosperms. The plant resembles Impatiens Bicornis but is distinguished by its small leaves, 6-8 flowered short scapes, and small flowers with unique characteristics like a conical spur, purplish auriculate projections, biseriate purplish-blue hairs, and orange-pinkish pollen grains. It grows as a lithophytic tuberous scapigerous herb, primarily amongst mosses and Selaginella sp., on wet rocky slopes at elevations between 1200–1500 meters above sea level, and is currently found only in the Agasthyamalai hill ranges within the protected area of the tiger reserve. The discovery highlights the rich biodiversity of the region and raises concerns about the potential risks of climate change on such limitedly distributed species.