# COP27

• Showing remarkable political will, over 195 countries on Sunday agreed at the conclusion of the COP27 climate talks at Sharm al sheikh, Egypt, to set up a loss and damage fund for supporting poor vulnerable countries that are victims of extreme weather, worsened by cumulative emissions of rich nations.
• However, these countries could not agree to phase down all fossil fuels even as India and most EU nations wanted it included in the COP27 draft.
• The issue of loss and damage found place in the agenda for the first time and the task of setting up a new fund looked difficult but the rich countries including EU and US, showed flexibility to make it happen.

# Chhattisgarh

• The Chhattisgarh government plans to enact a legislation for quotas in Jobs and educational institutions in “proportion of the population” of ST/SCs and other categories.
• An assembly session has been called to resolve the impasse arising out of a recent High court decision that set aside a 2012 government order that took the overall quota to 58%, ruling reservation above 50% is unconstitutional.
• If the congress government goes through with its plan – there are indications it is mulling 32% quota for STs, 12% for SCs and 27% for OBCs.
• It will take reservation to 81% in the state including 10% EWS reservation.

# Food Subsidy

• The centre’s food subsidy bill is likely to cross ₹3 lakh crore during the current fiscal year.
• It is 50% more than the budget estimate of ₹2.1 lakh crore.
• This is mainly due to the extension of free foodgrain plan till December.

# Jammu and Kashmir

• The centre is planning to include a variation of the Valmiki community in the Jammu and Kashmir in the schedule castes.
• As per the proposal, the ministry of social justice and empowerment is proposing the inclusion of ‘Balmiki’ in the SC list.