Daily Prelims 22nd December 2023

1) Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, 2023: Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2023 has been jointly awarded to Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad .  

• They have brought together the youth and peoples of Israel and the Arab World for a non-violent resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict.  
• It has been conferred every year since 1986 by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.   
• It consists of a monetary award of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation 

2) Right to Persons with Disabilities(RPwD) Act of 2016: Social Justice Minister said that persons with blood disorders including Thalassemia are not eligible for the benefit of reservation under the RPwD Act.  

• It identifies 21 disabilities e.g. Blindness, low vision, etc.  
• It provides for reservation of not less than 4% in government jobs for persons with disabilities, as well as a 5% reservation in higher education institutions.  
• Stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildings (both Government and private) in a prescribed time frame. 

3) Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill 2023: Lok Sabha passed the Bill to give immediate effect to the changes in customs and excise duties announced in the Budget.  

• Replaced the erstwhile Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1931.  
• Provisions under the Bill  
• Interim collection of taxes – obtain the authority from Parliament to provisionally levy and collect the newly imposed or increased duties of customs and excise for 75 days.  
• Refund of taxes and duties in certain cases – Refunds will be made on the difference between the declaration and the enacted provision 

4) Fly Ash: Recent National Green Tribunal cases show that thermal power plants are still not disposing off fly ash properly. Thermal Power plants have been mandated to ensure 100% utilisation of fly ash under notification issued in 2021.  

• A very fine powdery material left after burning coal.  
• Composition  
• Made up of silicon dioxide, calcium oxide, and it also contains toxic elements.  
• Usages  
• In manufacturing of Portland cement, bricks etc.  
• Manufacturing of Absorbents (for Removal of Air and Water Pollutants).