Prelim Bits

  FCRA FCRA seeks to “ regulate the acceptance and utilisation of foreign contribution or foreign hospitality by certain individuals or associations or companies and to prohibit [such] acceptance and utilisation for any activities detrimental to the national interest Implemented by the  Ministry of Home Affairs . Enacted during the Emergency in 1976 amid apprehension that foreign powers were interfering in India’s affairs by pumping in funds through independent organisations An amended FCRA was enacted under the UPA government in 2010 . The law was amended again by the current government in 2020 , giving the government tighter control and scrutiny over the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by NGOs. A legal challenge to the 2020 amendments was rejected by the Supreme Court in April this year. Foreign Contribution (Regulatio2n) Act (FCRA), 2010 Individuals  are permitted to accept fore...

Single-Use Plastic Single-use plastics, or  disposable plastics ,  are used  only once   before they are thrown away or recycled. Plastic is  so cheap and convenient   that it has replaced all other materials from the packaging industry but it takes  hundreds of years to disintegrate . If we look at the data, out of  9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste  generated every year in our country, 43% is single use plastic . Further,  Petroleum-based plastic is non biodegradable   and usually goes into a landfill where it is buried or it gets into the water and finds its way into the ocean. 98% manufactured from fossil fuels . In the process of breaking down, it  releases toxic chemicals (additives that were used to shape and harden the plastic)   which make their way into our food and water supply. These gases are ioxins , furans , mercury &...

Dr Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963) Prasad’s involvement in the country’s freedom movement started during his student days when he attended an Indian National Congress session as a volunteer in 1906. Formally, he joined the Indian National Congress in the year 1911 , when the annual session was again held in Calcutta. During the  Lucknow Session of Indian National Congress held in 1916 he met Mahatma Gandhi . During one of the fact-finding missions at Champaran , Mahatma Gandhi asked him to come with his volunteers. He was so greatly moved by the dedication, courage and conviction of Mahatma Gandhi that as soon as the motion of Non-Cooperation was passed by Indian National Congress in 1920, he retired from his lucrative career of lawyer as well as his duties in the university to aid the movement. He wrote articles for the revolutionary publications ...

CR Das (1870-1925) In the 1908 Alipore Bomb Case , Das defended Aurobindo Ghosh and gained fame among Indians.. He also contributed to the English weekly ‘ Bande Mataram ’ along with Aurobindo and Bipin Chandra Pal He actively advocated the use of the Bengali language in university examinations. He championed the cause of Khadi and cottage industries and gave up his own western clothes and luxurious lifestyle. He became involved with the Non-Cooperation Movement  led by Mahatma Gandhi. When Gandhi withdrew the non-cooperation movement in 1922 owing to the incident at Chauri Chaura, Das and others objected since the movement was going on in full swing. He, along with Motilal Nehru , established the  Swaraj Party  in January 1923. He was a prolific writer and poet. He published his collection of poems in two volumes titled  ‘ Malancha’   and  ‘ Mala’ . ...