Earth Hour 2026
- Earth Hour 2026 will take place on March 28 between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm. It is a global event that is observed every year on the last Saturday of March.
Current Facts
- Sonowal Kacharis
- The Sonowal Kacharis are a plains tribe of the state of Assam. During the Ahom rule, they were engaged in the occupation of gold extraction.
- They belong to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family and are renowned for their knowledge of traditional herbal medicine.
- Current Facts
- Election Commission of India
- Article 329 of the Constitution once the actual process of elections is started, the judiciary cannot intervene by entertaining petitions on the conduct of the polls.
- Once the polls are completed and result declared, the Commission cannot review any result on its own.
- Absentee voters have an option entitled to vote by postal ballot.
- Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)
- The Chief Election Commissioner is the head of the Election Commission of India and is responsible for maintaining the independence and fairness of the electoral system.
- The CEC is appointed by the President of India as per Article 324(2) of the Constitution.
- The position plays a key role in implementing the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), overseeing the preparation of electoral rolls, and ensuring that elections are conducted in a free and impartial manner.
- In the T.N. Seshan vs Union of India (1995) case, the Supreme Court ruled that all Election Commissioners have equal authority and status, promoting a system of collective decision-making.
- The CEC is regarded as the protector of India’s electoral democracy and is accountable only to the Constitution and Parliament.
- Chief Election Commissioner: Gyanesh Kumar
- Election Commissioners: Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Dr. Vivek Joshi
- Transgender Welfare Board
- Transgender people in Tamil Nadu are called thirunar in Tamil (திருனர்), specifically thirunangai (திருநங்கை) for transgender women and thirunambi (திருநம்பி) for transgender men.
- The state of Tamil Nadu was the first state to introduce a transgender welfare policy.
- The Government of Tamil Nadu has constituted a Third Gender Welfare on 15.04.2008 to redress their grievances.
- The Government provides monthly pension to help Third Gender who are above the age of 40 years.
- An “Award for the third gender” of Rs.1.00 lakh and a citation has been instituted from the year 2020 to encourage the third gender who has done eminent work for the welfare of third gender.
- The award will be felicitated on “Third Gender Day” which falls on 15th April of every year.
- Exclusive Mobile App, “Thirunangaial” has been developed to enable transgender to register their details and easily avail Identity Card. It also helps to enumerate the transgenders by their age, educational qualification, residence, etc. to formulate welfare schemes for them.
- Current Facts
- Initiatives by the Government of India
- The Government of India, through the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), has launched several measures to protect and empower transgender persons.
- The National Portal for Transgender Persons, launched on 25 November 2020, enables online applications for identity certificates and access to benefits.
- The SMILE Scheme, introduced in February 2022, provides livelihood, skill training, and shelter support through Garima Greh centres and Ayushman Bharat TG Plus health coverage.
- The Central Government constituted National Council for Transgender Persons on 21st August 2020.
- It serves as a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to safeguard and promote the rights of transgender persons in India.
- SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E).
- It is a flagship initiative aimed at the comprehensive rehabilitation and empowerment of transgender persons and other marginalised communities in India.
- Introduced as a Central Sector Scheme, SMILE was launched on February 12, 2022 and operationalised to align with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
- SMILE aims to uphold the constitutional rights under Articles 14, 15, and 21, ensuring equality, non-discrimination, and the right to dignity for transgender persons.
- Money Bill
- Article 110 of the Constitution of India defines bills containing only specific financial matters as ‘Money Bills’.
- These include taxes, borrowing by the Central Government, the custody/withdrawal of funds, appropriation, charged expenditure, receipts, audit, and other matters incidental thereto.
- The final authority to decide whether a bill is a Money Bill or not rests solely with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- It can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha. The prior recommendation of the President is mandatory for this purpose.
- The Rajya Sabha cannot amend or reject this Bill; it can only offer recommendations.
- The President may give assent to the Bill or withhold it; however, he cannot return it for reconsideration.
- In the case of a Money Bill, there is no provision for a joint sitting of both Houses (Article 108) in the event of a disagreement.
