Supreme Court Set-up Panel for Night Shelter
- The Supreme Court slammed the Centre and State governments for lackadaisical approach in providing night shelters to the poverty-stricken in urban areas despite availability of sufficient funds and set-up a committee to verify their availability on November 18, 2016.
- The bench directed that a Committee headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Kailash Gambhir be constituted to verify the availability of night shelters.
- The Committee shall issue suitable recommendations to the States to ensure that at least temporary shelters are provided for the homeless in urban areas to protect them during winter season.
Supreme Court Refused to Lift Ban on Jallikattu
- The Supreme Court refused to lift a ban on Jallikattu (taming the bull) on November 17, 2016 and dismissed the Tamil Nadu government’s petition seeking review of the May 7, 2014, judgment that put an end to the annual event held in the state as part of Pongal celebrations.
- The 2009 lavy that permitted Jallikattu violated the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, that is dedicated to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering caused to animals.
- Jallikattu is not a teligious event. State is defaming the framers of the Constitution by linking Jallikattu to Article-25. We are unable to connect this kind of reference to an event with the right to freedom of religion as it is totally alien to the Constitution.
Read Also – State Current Affairs
Panel to Look into Cash Crunch Faced by Diplomatic Missions
- The government formed an inter-ministerial committee headed by an Additional Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs on November 17, 2016 to address the issue of cash crunch faced by diplomatic missions, foreign tourists, foreigners undergoing medical treatment and foreign students following demonitisation move.
- It had reported how foreign tourists, students, patients visiting for treatment, foreign delegates besides diplomats are facing crisis following the government’s demonetisation move.
- The second set of issues are what you just raised—NRIs having cash, having Indian currency abroad.
Nod for Setting-up Special Committee for Inter-linking of Rivers
- The Cabinet gave its nod for constituting a ‘Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers’ in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment on November 14, 2016.
- The approval of Union Cabinet will help in monitoring of the precious Inter-linking of River Projects to be carried out under National Perspective Plan 1980 of the government of India.
- The CCEA approved construction of trunk infrastructure for Phase II of Part I of Shendra Bidkin Industrial Area namely the Bidkin region spread across 31.79 sq km at an estimated project cost of Rs 6414.21 crore.
