Current Context : Recently, Supreme Court underscored that the constitutional right of a speedy trial, as enshrined in Article 21, applies to all cases regardless of the crime’s gravity.

SPEEDY TRIAL AS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT 

• Article 21 of the Constitution gives all individuals the fundamental right to life and personal liberty. Through a catena of SC judgments, the right to speedy trial has been acknowledged as an extension of Article 21.
• It emphasizes that defendant should be tried for their alleged crimes within a reasonable time period.
• Judgement : In Kartar Singh Vs State of Punjab (1994), a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court unequivocally construed the right of speedy trial as a fundamental right.
• Other Important Judgement: Abdul Rehman Antulay vs RS Nayak
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the new code that has replaced Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), has sought to address delayed justice.

Current Context : A new portal called ‘Prahari’ (sentry) is launched by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

Aim : to raise awareness about drugs and substance abuse in schools.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to combat substance abuse among school children.

Management: Activities will be conducted by children and teachers nominated by ‘Prahari’ clubs.

Current Context : NITI Aayog launched ‘Sampoornata Abhiyan’ focused on health, nutrition, agriculture, social development, and education.

• Aim : to achieve 100% saturation of 12 key social sector indicators across all Aspirational Districts and Blocks.
• It is a 3-month campaign to achieve saturation of 6 key indicators in Aspirational Districts and 6 key indicators in Aspirational Blocks.

Districts and blocks are under the Aspirational Districts Programme and Aspirational Blocks Programme respectively.

• Aspirational districts include number of Soil Health Cards distributed, percentage of schools with functional electricity at the secondary level, percentage of children fully immunized, etc.
• Aspirational blocks include percentage of persons screened for Diabetes and hypertension, Percentage of SHGs that have received a Revolving Fund, etc.

• Observed anually on 6 July.
• Aim : to emphasise and bring problem awareness about the risks and impacts of zoonotic diseases on human and animal health.
• World Zoonosis Day marks the anniversary of the first vaccination against a zoonotic disease.
• On July 6, 1885, Louis Pasteur, a French scientist, successfully administered the first vaccine for zoonotic disease.

ABOUT

• Zoonotic diseases are illnesses that can be transmitted between animals and humans. These diseases can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi.

Current Context : Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation, visited Rajgarh, Sirmaur to review the progress of the lift water supply scheme.

ABOUT ATAL MISSION FOR REJUVENATION AND URBAN TRANSFORMATION (AMRUT) 2.0

• Launched on 01 October, 2021 for the period of 05 years .
• It is designed to provide universal coverage of water supply through functional taps to all households in all the statutory towns in the country.

IN HIMACHAL

• Scheme will catera population of 5,914 people, and would benefit 945 households by providing 7,97,873 litres of water.
• Eleven projects have been sanctioned under AMRUT 2.0 to urban local bodies of the state — Theog, Sunni, Rampur, Dalhousie, Amb, Bhuntar, Nahan, Baijnath, Arki, Nirmand and Palampur.

Current Context : Recently, 17th session of the Conference of State Parties to UN-CRPD was held in New York.

• Theme of the Confrence was “Rethinking disability inclusion in the current international juncture and ahead of the Summit of the Future ”.

ABOUT CRPD

• Adopted in New York in 2006 and entered into force in
• Objective: To promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
• Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.
• Members: 164 Signatories countries  (including India).

Current Context : 13th edition of joint military Exercise MAITREE is scheduled to take place from July 1 to 15, 2024.

• It will be held between India-Thailand was conducted in
• Last edition of the same exercise was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya in September 2019.
• Aim : to foster Military Cooperation between India and Thailand.
• It will enhance combined capabilities in executing Joint Counter Insurgency/ Terrorist Operations in Jungle and Urban Environment

Current Context : Recently, Certain portions of speech from opposition leaders were expunged from the record of parliament during 1^st Assembly of 18^th L.S.

ABOUT EXPUNCTION

• Expunction means deletion of words, phrases or expressions from the proceedings or records for being defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified.
• Presiding officer of the house (Speaker in Lok Sabha and Chairman in Rajya Sabha) has the authority to decide which portion will be expunged.
• Rule 380 and 381 of the Rules of Procedure in Lok Sabha and Rule 261 and 262 of the Rules of Procedure in Rajya Sabha details provisions related to expunction to prevent misuse of freedom of speech guaranteed inside Parliament.
• Article 105(2) of the Constitution protects Members of Parliament from any court proceeding for anything said in parliament.

Current Context : Odisha will plant around 1.9 million Palm trees to reduce casualties from lightning strikes.

ABOUT PALM TREE

• Belongs to Tropical Forest Ecosystem.
• Varieties : Coconut, Oil Palm, Arecanut, Palmyrah etc.
• Palmyrah variety of Palm is declared as State Tree of Tamil Nadu.
• It act as natural conductors during lightning strikes and prevent loss of lives.
• Male palm tree produces only flowers, while female tree produces fruits as well.
• Benefits: Palm leaf is common writing medium extensively used in Southeast Asian countries.
• Uses : Leaves of tree are used as construction materials for fences, walls, and roofs.

Current Context : Viswanathan Anand former world chess champion of India has won the Leon Master chess championship for the 10th time.

• He defeated Jaime Santos Latasa of Spain in the final 3-1.
• The Leon Masters chess tournament is held in the Leon city of Spain.

ABOUT V ANAND

• He was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu is considered to be the best chess player of India.
• Anand has previously won the Leon Masters in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2024.
• He was awarded India’s second highest civilian award, Padama Vibhushan in 2007 and became the first sports person to achieve the Padma Vibhushan award.