Daily GK Update - 9th January 2016

1.French soldiers to march down Rajpath on Republic Day 2016 along with Indian troops

 The French soldiers will march down the Rajpath on Republic Day along with Indian troops in the presence of President Francois Hollande.

Hollande is the Chief Guest for 26 January 2016 celebration.

This is the first time that a foreign army will participate in the 26th January Parade, since 1950. 

A French contingent, comprising 56 personnel of 35th Infantry Regiment of 7th Armoured Brigade, is already in the country to take part in a joint exercise, Shakti 2016, which began in Rajasthan on 8 January 2016. Some soldiers will also fly down from France to form a proper marching contingent.

Earlier similar event occurred in France when Indian troops drawn from the three services (Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force) marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris along with French Army on the Bastille Day. The event was held on 14 July 2009 and saw participation of the Maratha light infantry, which is one of the oldest regiments of Indian Army. 

Bastille Day (French National Day) is celebrated on 14 July each year. The French National Day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, an important event in Paris that was the symbolic start of French revolution.

2.President promulgated Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2016

President Pranab Mukherjee on 7 January 2016 promulgated the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2016 to make amendments to the Enemy Property Act, 1968.

These amendments will help is dealing with the loopholes of the Enemy Property Act, 1968 and ensure that the enemy properties that have been vested in the Custodian remain so and they do not revert back to the enemy subject or enemy firm.

The amendments through the Ordinance include 

• Once an enemy property is vested in the Custodian, it shall continue to be vested in him as enemy property irrespective of whether the enemy, enemy subject or enemy firm has ceased to be an enemy due to reasons such as death and others.

• The law of succession does not apply to enemy property.

• There cannot be transfer of any property vested in the Custodian by an enemy or enemy subject or enemy firm and that the Custodian shall preserve the enemy property till it is disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Act. 

Background
The Union Government enacted the Enemy Property Act in the year 1968 that provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the custodian. The Union Government through the Custodian of Enemy Property for India is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country. In addition, there are also movable properties categorized as enemy properties.

To ensure that the enemy property continues to vest in the Custodian, appropriate amendments were brought in by way of an Ordinance in the Enemy Property Act, 1968 by the then Government in 2010.

However, the ordinance lapsed on 6 September 2010. Later on 22 July 2010, it was introduced in Lok Sabha in form of a Bill but was withdrawn and another bill with modified provisions was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 15 November, 2010.

This bill was thereafter referred to the Standing Committee. However, the said bill could not be passed during the 15th term of the Lok Sabha and it lapsed.

In the wake of the Indo-Pak war of 1965 and 1971, there was migration of people from India to Pakistan. Under the Defence of India Rules framed under the Defence of India Act, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of such persons who had taken Pakistani nationality. These enemy properties were vested by the Union Government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.

After the 1965 war, India and Pakistan signed the Tashkent Declaration on 10 January 1966. The Tashkent Declaration inter alia included a clause, which said that the two countries would discuss the return of the property and assets taken over by either side in connection with the conflict. However, the Government of Pakistan disposed of all such properties in their country in the year 1971 itself.

3.Thermal power companies to transport fly ash free of cost to road construction site in Odisha

Thermal Power companies in Odisha will now have to transport fly ash free of cost to road construction site located within 100 kms perimeter of their plant. 

The decision in this regard was taken at the joint meeting between NTPC and State Pollution Control Board at Bhubaneswar on 8 January 2016.Daily GK Update - 9th January 2016

For this purpose, a law will be formulated to ensure that the plants that generate fly ash will make arrangement for transportation of the material to work site free of cost. This will help the contractor involved in road construction to utilise the plant residue without putting an additional burden.

The utilization of the fly ash over last 3 years has been around 58-60 percent in the State. In the country, annual utilization of fly ash in road construction is about 8.82 million ton, which is around 16 percent of total utilization.

4.US introduced measures to combat recruitment of Americans to extremist groups

To combat recruitment of Americans to extremist groups like the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), US on 8 January 2016 introduced new initiatives. These initiatives aim at halting the extremist groups from radicalising and encourage violence online. 

The raft of measures includes setting up of a task force to counter the online propaganda of terror groups. It also seeks creation of task force for countering violent extremism, established by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice.

The State Department also announced a new Global Engagement Center, which will focus on enabling foreign audiences to counter pro-IS messages. A center will employ two-part strategy and they are undermining the messages from militants groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda and offering positive alternatives.

It will also plan thematic social media campaigns and provide factual information that counters disinformation on behalf of counter-terrorism allies. 

The announcement comes as administration officials meet leaders from Silicon Valley to discuss ways that technology can thwart terrorists. The meet was participated by Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter.

5.Norms for erecting memorials of national leaders and others notified in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 8 January 2016 laid down norms for erecting memorials of national leaders, freedom fighters, saints, historical personalities and politicians.

The state government has issued a Government Resolution (GR) that lays down the norms and guidelines for the construction of memorials. The GR said the guidelines are only meant for memorials of national leaders and venerable leaders.

Major highlights of the Resolution 

• There will not be more than two memorials of a national leader in the state.

• These two memorials will be erected in two separate administrative divisions.

• If any monument is constructed without prior approval of the state Urban Development Department, then such a structure shall be removed. 

• The policy states that in case more than two memorials are to be erected, then it is the responsibility of the institution making such a demand to provide the land for it and bear its construction cost. The monetary assistance for its construction will not be provided by government. 

• The memorial should not be just in the form of a statue, but should be constructed in the form of schools, colleges, hospitals, multipurpose auditoriums, research centres, libraries, reading rooms, hostels and other institutions meant for public use.

• The memorials should be constructed in such a way that highlight the facets of the lives of the national leaders and venerated tall leaders.

The GR states that instead of constructing memorials attempts should be made to start new socially relevant schemes in the name of the national leaders.

The GR also states that in respect of memorials of other prominent personalities the respective concerned departments of Urban Development, Rural Development and Water Resources

Department shall issue guidelines to this effect.

6.South Korea's Parliament adopted a resolution denouncing DPRK's fourth nuclear test

South Korea's Parliament on 8 January 2016 adopted a resolution, denouncing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s fourth nuclear test, urging the DPRK to dismantle its nuclear programme.

The resolution passed at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea was unanimously through the National Assembly two days after Pyongyang announced its first successful test of a hydrogen bomb.

In the resolution, the South Korean lawmakers urged Pyongyang to scrap all plans relevant to nuclear development, saying that its reckless acts would further isolate itself from the international society and increase pressures and ostracism.

They also asked DPRK to scrap all its nuclear programmes, including nuclear materials and facilities. 

The resolution denounced the DPRK's nuclear test as a serious provocative act threatening the lives and safety of South Koreans and the peace in Northeast Asia and the world.