Context:
∙ Recently, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) demonstrated a green propulsion system, developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme.
About Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme
∙ It is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Defence executed by DRDO under the ‘Make in India’ initiative for funding innovation in defence and aerospace, especially to start-ups and MSMEs.
∙ It is executed to meet the requirements of the Tri-Services, Defence Production and DRDO.
∙ It encourages participation of public/private industries to create an ecosystem for enhancing cutting edge technology capability in the defence sector.
Focus Areas:
∙ Development of futuristic technologies, innovative products which can be useful for defence applications;
∙ Significant upgradation, improvements, developments in the existing products, processes, applications;
∙ Import substitution of components whose technologies do not exist in the Indian market.
Uttarakhand’s Draft on Uniform Civil Code
Syllabus: GS 2/Polity and Governance
Prelims + Mains
In News
∙ The Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved the final draft of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)
About the draft
∙ It is set to focus on gender equality by introducing provisions that treat men and women equally, especially in matters pertaining to inheritance.
∙ It will also revoke practices governing marriage and divorce such as polygamy, iddat (mandatory period of waiting to be observed by women following the dissolution of a Muslim marriage) and triple talaq.
About Uniform Civil Code
∙ Overview : UCC is part of Part IV of the Constitution which includes the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
∙ Article 44 in DPSP states that “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”
∙ Background : The UCC can be traced back to the debates during the framing of the Indian Constitution.
∙ Some members of the Constituent Assembly, including Dr BR Ambedkar believed that a UCC was necessary to promote gender equality, secularism, and national integration.
∙ However, many other members including Nazirrudin Ahmad were against it, claiming that the religious laws of different communities should not be tampered with, without their consent.
∙ Purpose : It aims to enforce a uniform legal framework to all citizens, irrespective of their religion.
∙ Right now, matters including marriage, divorce and succession are governed by religion-based personal laws.
Supreme Court’s Observations
∙ Over the years, the Supreme Court has deliberated upon the UCC in several judgments, but refused to issue any directive to the government since law-making falls within the exclusive domain of Parliament.
∙ In its 1985 judgment in the Shah Bano Begum case, the Court observed that “it is a matter of regret that Article 44 has remained a dead letter” and called for its implementation.∙ Such a demand was reiterated in subsequent cases such as Sarla Mudgal versus Union of India (1995), and John Vallamattom versus Union of India (2003) among others
