Daily Current Affairs | April 9 2025

1) Governor’s Constitutional Role

• The Supreme Court, in “The State of Tamil Nadu v. The Governor of Tamil Nadu & Anr”, has criticised Tamil Nadu Governor for unconstitutional delay in granting assent to 10 re-passed Bills.

• The Supreme Court deemed these bills assented and fixed time-bound procedures for future Governor decisions.

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 200 - After receiving the bill passed by state legislature, the Governor can : Grant Assent, Withhold Assent, Send it back for reconsideration (except money bills), Reserve it for President’s Consideration.

• The Governor cannot withhold assent after the bill is passed again after reconsideration.

• The problem is that there is no timeline for assent mentioned in Article 200. Hence, the Governor has “Pocket veto”, which can be misused.

Supreme Court’s Judgement

• Governor’s Delay Deemed Unconstitutional - Withholding and referring Bills to the President after re-enactment by State Assembly is unconstitutional.

• 10 Re-passed Bills Deemed Assented - Exercising Article 142, SC treated the 10 re-passed Bills as having been assented.

• Article 142 - Grants the Supreme Court the power to do “complete justice” in any case.

• Article 163 - Governor must act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, except in matters where discretion is allowed. The Supreme Court said that this discretion shall only be under cases mentioned in 2nd proviso of Article 200.

Benefits

• Restoration of Legislative Autonomy of elected state governments.

• Re-establishes federalism by restricting the role of Governor.

• Affects pending disputes in Kerala, Telangana, Punjab, enhancing judicial consistency.

• Prevents misuse of the office of Governor in opposition ruled states.

Timeline Introduced by Supreme Court

• 1 Month to assent or reserve as per State Cabinet’s advice.

• 3 Months if Governor withholds assent against advice.

• 1 Month to grant assent to a re-enacted Bill.

• 3 Months maximum to reserve Bill for President (if justified).

2) 3-D Printed Train Station

• The West Japan Railway Company — a major railway operator in Japan — late last month unveiled a 3D-printed train station, which it claimed was a world first.

• Located in the city of Arida, the new station’s components were 3D-printed elsewhere and assembled on-site in less than 6 hours.

• The new station, Hatsushima, replaced a weathered wooden complex which was completed in 1948.

3-D Printing

• 3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing is a technique of creating three-dimensional objects by layering materials based on a digital model.

• The process begins with a 3D digital model created using CAD software.

• The 3D printer deposits material layer by layer, following the instructions as per the 3-D model.

• These layers are fused together, either through heat, light, or a chemical process, to form a solid object.

Advantages of 3-D Printing

• Customisation - Creates objects with complex shapes and designs not easily achievable by traditional manufacturing.

• Flexibility - Allows for rapid iteration and design modification.

• Cost-Effective - Can be cheaper than traditional manufacturing for certain types of parts, especially for small batches and custom designs.

• Applications - Prototyping, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Architecture etc.

Constraints

• Material Limitations: Only select plastics, metals, or composites work with specific printers. This restricts its use across many conventional manufacturing areas.

• Size Constraints: Printers have limited build volumes; large items need to be printed in parts. These parts then require assembly, which increases complexity.

• Structural Weakness: Layer-by-layer bonding may lead to delamination or weak joints under stress. This limits usage for heavy-duty or high-pressure applications.

• Intellectual Property Issues: Easily shareable digital designs increase the risk of counterfeit products.

3) Niveshak Didi Initiative

• To promote financial inclusion and rural empowerment, Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) have launched Phase 2 of the “Niveshak Didi” initiative.

• Aim - Scale financial literacy among women in rural, semi-urban, and underserved areas through grassroots mobilisation and community-driven education.

About the Initiative

• It is a unique initiative that trains women postal workers and community leaders to act as financial educators within their local regions.

• During Phase 1(2023), more than 55,000 beneficiaries participated in IPPB Financial Literacy Camps across India.

• Phase II will see the deployment of over 4,000 financial literacy camps.

• These camps will be led by 40,000 women postal workers trained as Niveshak Didis.

Aims and Objectives

• To build financial awareness and responsible money management habits among rural women through community-driven models.

• Women Empowerment - Using local women influencers, the scheme promotes inclusive banking, digital literacy, and fraud prevention.

• Curriculum - Covers savings, digital banking, safe investment, and fraud prevention.

About IEPFA and IPPB

• IEPFA - It is a statutory body functioning under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs established to ensure that investors across the country are both informed and protected.

• IPPB - Established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by the Government of India. The bank has been set up with the vision to build the most accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man in India.

4) Palna Scheme

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has launched the 7th edition of Poshan Pakhwada, being observed from April 8 to 22, as part of the government’s intensified efforts to tackle malnutrition.

• Poshan Pakhwada - It is an annual event, organised by Ministry of Women & Child Development, that focuses on improving nutrition across India, especially for women and children.

• With a spotlight on early childhood nutrition, and the government’s Palna Scheme is being promoted as a key childcare intervention under Mission Shakti.

Palna Scheme

• It is a centrally sponsored scheme that provides quality crèche services for children aged 6 months to 6 years.

• It was launched in 2022 as a restructured version of National Crèche Scheme.

• It operates under the Samarthya sub-scheme of the government’s Mission Shakti.

Objectives of Palna Scheme

• Women Empowerment - Support working mothers by providing safe, accessible, and affordable day-care services.

• Child Care - Ensure early childhood care, nutritional support, and early education for children.

Mission Shakti

• Mission Shakti is a multifaceted initiative by the Government of India aimed at strengthening interventions for women's safety, security, and empowerment.

• Support Women throughout their lifecycle - Addresses women's issues throughout their life cycle, ensuring they have access to services and support at every stage.

• Women Empowerment - The program strives to make women equal partners in nation-building by providing them with opportunities, skills, and confidence to participate fully in society.

• Two Sub-Schemes :

  • Sambal - Focussing on women safety & security.

  • Samarthya - Focussing on women empowerment.