DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS
18 APRIL 2022
| S. No. | Topic Name | Prelims/Mains |
| 1. | ABOUT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION | Prelims & Mains |
| 2. | ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIA | Prelims & Mains |
| 3. | WHAT IS THE PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING ACT | Prelims & Mains |
| 4. | ABOUT THE GIANT AFRICAN SNAIL | |
| 5. | ABOUT THE AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV INITIATIVE | Prelims & Mains |
1–ABOUT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION:
GS II
Health Related Topics & International Organizations
Basic Info:
- In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) was established as the United Nations’ specialised health organisation.
- The company’s headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.
- There are 194 Member States, 150 Country Offices, and six Regional Offices in the Organization.
- It is an intergovernmental organisation that collaborates with its member countries’ ministries of health.
- The WHO directs research, defines norms and standards, articulates evidence-based policy alternatives, assists countries with technical assistance, and monitors and analyses global health trends.
- On April 7, 1948, which is now recognised as World Health Day, it originally opened its doors.
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Goals:
- Take up the role of global health director and organiser.
- Establish and maintain effective cooperation with the United Nations, specialised agencies, government health administrations, professional organisations, and other organisations as appropriate.
- On request, assist governments in strengthening health services.
- Encourage collaboration between scientific and professional organisations that aim to enhance health.
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Administration:
- Delegates who represent members make up the Health Assembly.
- Each Member is represented by up to three delegates, one of whom is the head delegate.
- These delegates are chosen from among those with the most technical experience in the subject of health, preferably from inside the Member’s national health administration.
- The Health Assembly meets on a regular basis and for special sessions on occasion.
2 –ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIA
GS II
Topic: Constitutional Posts and their related topics
The Attorney General of India is:
- India’s Attorney General (AG) is a member of the Union Executive.
- The Attorney General is the country’s highest law enforcement official.
- The position of Attorney General of India is established by Article 76 of the Indian Constitution.
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Appointment and Eligibility:
- The Attorney General is chosen by the President based on the advice of the administration.
- According to the President’s decision, he must be an Indian citizen who has worked as a high court judge for five years, a high court attorney for ten years, or a prominent jurist.
- The Constitution does not specify the length of the office’s term.
- The Constitution is silent on the procedures and circumstances for the removal of the Attorney General. He/she serves at the pleasure of the President (may be removed by the President at any time).
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Responsibilities:
- To provide legal advice to the Government of India (GoI) on subjects assigned to her or him by the President.
- To carry out any extra legal responsibilities imposed by the President.
- To represent the Government of India in all Supreme Court and High Court cases involving the Government of India.
- To represent the Government of India in any Supreme Court referral made by the President under Article 143 of the Constitution (Power of the President to Consult the Supreme Court).
- To carry out the duties assigned to her or him by the Constitution or other laws.
- Limitations and Rights:
- He or she has the right to speak and participate in the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament, as well as any Parliamentary committee to which he or she may be assigned, but he or she does not have the right to vote.
3 –WHAT IS THE PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING ACT:
GS III
Topic: Indian Economy
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The 2002 PMLA Act:
- The Prevention of Money Laundering Act ((PMLA), 2002) is India’s specific legislation dealing with money laundering.
- The law, which was enacted to prevent money laundering in India, has three main goals:
- Money laundering prevention and detection.
- To allow property gained through money laundering to be forfeited and seized.
- To deal with any additional money-laundering-related issues in India.
- The Enforcement Directorate is authorised to conduct a Money Laundering inquiry under the PMLA Act.
- Other specialised standards, such as the RBI/SEBI/IRDA anti-money laundering regulations Enforcement Directorate, exist in addition to the PMLA provisions.
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Recent changes include:
- The Union government amended the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2019, providing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) additional jurisdiction in dealing with money laundering cases.
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What will be the exact changes that will be made:
- Money laundering will be classified as a separate offence under the amendment.
- Money laundering was not initially a stand-alone criminal; rather, it was dependent on the proceeds of a “predicate offence” or “scheduled offence” that formed the subject of the money laundering crime.
- Property “generated or received directly or indirectly as a result of any criminal action pertaining to the planned offence” is now included in the definition of “proceeds of crime.”
- The deletion of clauses in sub-sections (1) of Section 17 (Search and Seizure) and Section 18 (Criminal Procedure) are the most noticeable changes (Search of Persons).
- Other agencies authorised to investigate the offences listed in the PMLA schedule were obliged to file a FIR or charge sheet under these provisions.
4–ABOUT THE GIANT AFRICAN SNAILS:
Prelims Specific Topic
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Facts about the Giant African Snail:
- The Giant African Snail (Achatina fulica) is a big land snail with the generic name Achatina fulica. It consumes ferociously, destroying both agricultural and wild vegetation.
- As the name implies, giant African snails are native to East Africa.
- The snails are around 7 centimetres in height and 20 centimetres in length.
- Conical snail shells are twice as tall as they are wide and have a conical shape. The shell is also extremely durable.
- Plants, vegetables, fruits, paper, and cardboard are all claimed to be eaten by snails. They eat sand, very small stones, even cadaver bones on occasion.
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Invasion of Giant African Snails in India:
- According to a recent study, the massive snail has penetrated India on a regular basis, particularly in Kerala.
- At the Kerala Forest Research Institute, researchers collaborated with the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and the Environment (KSCSTE), the UAE’s Environmental Agency, Nottingham University in the United Kingdom, and the Natural History Museum in London (KFRI).
- The research took place between 2016 and 2020.
5–ABOUT THE AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV INITIATIVE:
Topic: Prelims Specific Topic
- The Indian government has organised the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to remember and honour 75 years of progressive India, as well as its people, culture, and achievements.
- This Mahotsav is dedicated to the people of India who have not only helped brought India this far in its evolutionary path, but also hold the power and capacity to enable the vision of activating India 2.0, driven by the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- The Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav honours India’s developing sociocultural, political, and economic character. The official journey of the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” will begin on March 12, 2021, and culminate on August 15, 2022, following a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of independence.
UPSC Civil Services Daily Current Affairs 18th April 2022
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