Articles covered:

• What is ‘prior approval’, and why is it needed before investigating public officials accused of corruption?
• National Essential Diagnostics List
• SHRESHTA scheme
• NSP and Srisailam projects to come under KRMB
• Secretary, MeitY launches “Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Internet of Things Sensors” and “India Innovation Centre for Graphene”.

Prior Approval to Probe Public Officials: A Split Verdict:

Introduction:

• The recent Supreme Court split verdict revolved around the requirement of ‘previous approval’ before initiating an inquiry into allegations against a public official of the State.

Section 6A of DSPE Act 1946:

• The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Act of 2003 introduced a provision (Section 6A) necessitating ‘prior approval’ before investigating alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988.
• Approval was mandatory if the accused held a rank higher than a joint secretary.
• This provision was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2014.

Section 17A of PCA – 2018 Amendment:

• The 2018 amendment to the PCA introduced Section 17A, mandating approval from the central/state government or a competent authority for inquiries or investigations into offences committed by a public servant while discharging official duties.
• This amendment faced challenges in 2018 from the NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), questioning its constitutionality.

Challenges Raised:

• CPIL argued that the requirement impedes investigations from the outset, undermining the fight against corruption.
• Imposing this burden on police officers and investigating agencies could shield corrupt officials, potentially leading to increased corruption levels.

Current Case – Split Verdict:

• In the recent case, one Justice emphasised the necessity of prior approval before initiating an inquiry.
• The opposing view held that seeking approval was only necessary for investigating offences committed post-2018 when the requirement was introduced.
• Reference was made to the 2023 case of CBI v R R Kishore, where the Constitution Bench affirmed that officials cannot claim immunity under Section 6A, even for offences committed before its annulment.

Implications and Conclusion:

• The split verdict signifies a nuanced interpretation of the necessity for ‘previous approval’ in cases involving public officials.
• The outcome of this legal debate holds significance for the balance between combating corruption and protecting the rights of accused public servants.
• The evolution of legal interpretations in subsequent cases will shape the landscape of investigations into allegations against public officials in the future

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has begun the process of revising the current National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) and invited relevant stakeholders to offer suggestions on adding or deleting diagnostic tests to the current list by the end of February:

National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL):

Objective:

• The NEDL aims to list essential and fundamental diagnostic tests that should be accessible at different levels of healthcare facilities across the country. This includes village-level, sub-health centres, health and wellness centres, and primary health centres.

Initiation by ICMR:

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) released the inaugural NEDL in 2019 with the primary goal of integrating diagnostics as a crucial component of the healthcare system.

Inclusions in the List:

• Encompasses a variety of general laboratory tests for a wide range of common conditions, facilitating the diagnosis of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Disease-specific tests for prevalent health concerns such as HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, dengue, malaria, and region-specific endemic diseases are also included.

Pioneering Initiative by India:

• India holds the distinction of being the first country to introduce the National Essential Diagnostics List.

Global Recommendations by WHO:

• Since 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advocates for the development and implementation of National Essential Diagnostics Lists (NEDL). This initiative aims to ensure the availability of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) at different tiers of healthcare facilities, irrespective of the presence of an onsite laboratory.

Essential Diagnostic Tests:

Definition:

• Essential diagnostic tests are those that address the primary healthcare needs of the population, selected considering disease prevalence, public health relevance, evidence of efficacy and accuracy, and comparative cost-effectiveness.

Focus Areas:

• These tests concentrate on conditions with a high disease burden or significant public health relevance.
• Their introduction is expected to have a clear impact on disease diagnosis and management.

Guiding Principles:

• Selection based on disease prevalence and public health significance.
• Consideration of evidence supporting efficacy and accuracy.
• Comparative cost-effectiveness is a crucial criterion.

The NEDL represents a significant step in aligning diagnostic capabilities with the healthcare needs of the population, promoting early and accurate disease diagnosis and management at all levels of the healthcare pyramid.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently issued instructions for Residential Private Schools interested in joining SHRESHTA Scheme:

Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA):

Objective:

• The SHRESHTA scheme aims to facilitate access to top private residential schools for meritorious students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.

Scope:

• Scholarships are provided under the scheme for meritorious students from SC communities, enabling them to pursue education in private and NGO-run residential schools for Classes 9-12.

Admission Projection:

• The scheme anticipates providing admissions to approximately 3,000 students annually in Classes 9 and 11.

Core Objectives:

• Enhancing the outreach of government development initiatives.
• Addressing service gaps in education within SC dominant areas.
• Collaborating with voluntary organisations to create an environment conducive to socio-economic upliftment and overall development of SC communities.

Implementation Agency:

• The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, operating under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, serves as the implementation agency for the SHRESHTA scheme.

Implementation Modes:

• SHRESHTA Schools:
  • Comprising the best CBSE/state board-affiliated private residential schools.
  • Selection of outstanding SC students through the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS).
  • Admissions granted for Classes 9 through 12.
  • Schools selected based on a performance score, requiring a pass rate of over 75 percent in Class 10 and 12 board examinations over the past three years.
• NGO and Voluntary Organization-Run Schools and Hostels:
  • Institutions operated by such organisations, providing education up to Class 12, are integrated into the scheme.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Students with an annual parental income below Rs 2,50,000 and belonging to SC communities are eligible.
• Only candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class VIII/X in the given academic session can apply for admission to Class IX/XI.

Coverage:

• The scheme covers tuition fees, hostel fees, and mess fees for qualifying students.
• Students have the flexibility to choose from a variety of schools based on their merit.

The SHRESHTA scheme emerges as a comprehensive initiative to bridge educational gaps, offering opportunities for deserving students from SC communities to receive quality residential education and fostering their overall development.

NSP and Srisailam projects to come under KRMB:

Context: The Union Water Resources Ministry (Jal Sakthi) has suggested to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to hand over the management of Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).

Krishna River Management Board (KRMB):

Establishment:

• KRMB is an autonomous body established in accordance with the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
• It operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Jal Shakti

Objective:

• Tasked with managing and regulating the waters of the Krishna Basin in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Sources of Revenue:

• As per Section 86, para 2 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the government of the successor states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) is obligated to provide necessary funds to KRMB.
• These funds are intended to cover all expenses, including staff salaries and allowances, required for the discharge of KRMB’s functions.

Board Members:

Chairperson:

• • An officer of the level of Additional Secretary to the Government of India from the Central Water Engineering (Group “A”) Service.

Members:

• Two members nominated by each of the successor states (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh).
  • One technical member not below the rank of Chief Engineer.
  • One administrative member representing the concerned states.
• One expert from the Central Power Engineering (Group ‘A’) Service.
• An officer not below the rank of Chief Engineer from the Central Water Engineering (Group ‘A’) Service serves as the Member Secretary.

Constitution Notification:

• The Krishna River Management Board was constituted by the Central Government through a notification dated May 28, 2014, exercising the powers conferred by sub-sections (1), (4), and (5) of Section 85 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

Headquarters:

• The headquarters of the Krishna River Management Board is located in Hyderabad.

Secretary, MeitY launches “Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Internet of Things Sensors” and “India Innovation Centre for Graphene” in Kerala:

India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG):

• It is an initiative funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India, State Govt. of Kerala and Tata Steel Limited, in association with various industries.
• IICG is implemented jointly by the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Digital University Kerala (DUK) and Tata Steel Limited.
• IICG is envisioned to investigate the science and technology of graphene and other 2D materials.
• The centre envisages partnering effectively the industrial-academic activities in order to promote innovative and adventurous research with an emphasis on applications.