General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - September 2015

Sep 2015

Aug 09, 2019

J & K, Ladakh Will Prosper In New Era That Has Begun: PM

In first public address after the government pushed through constitutional changes with regard to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to citizens in the state-turned-Union Territory with a vision of peace and development for the future.
Addressing the nation, Modi laid out the rationale for ending Article 370, bifurcating J&K, and making it a Union Territory along with granting a distinct UT status to Ladakh.
He outlined the economic, educational and development opportunities that would now open up for Indian citizens in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh; reassured J&K that its system of political representation would remain intact and that there would be a return to full statehood once the conditions were right; signalled to government employees that their work would be recognised and rewarded; underscored the importance of Panchayat leaders in delivering welfare programmes; acknowledged the difficulties that citizens had to face in the region currently with a promise to ease them eventually.

TMC Wins Back Bongaon After BJP Defectors Return

Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrested majority in Bengal's Bongaon municipality after four councillors, who had switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) , returned, making it the third civic body in the state where the ruling party regained majority after losing it to the BJP since the Lok Sabha election results.
Bongaon municipality in North 24 Parganas district has 22 wards. The TMC count stood at 14 with 7 remaining with the BJP.
One councillor was elected with a ticket from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

2 Delhi Legislators Disqualified Under Anti-Defection Law

Delhi Speaker Ram Niwas Goel disqualified rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs Devinder Sehrawat and Anil Bajpai under the anti-defection law.
Both Sehrawat and Bajpai will move to the High Court against the disqualification orders. The duo had shared the stage with BJP leaders in Delhi during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, which stirred a controversy.
The decision comes after Goel disqualified rebel former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra for campaigning for the BJP.
Sehrawat represented Bijwasan, while Bajpai represented Gandhi Nagar in the Assembly. Both seats now stand vacant. There will, however, not be a bye-elections as the assembly polls in Delhi are likely to be scheduled in less than a year.

Aug 08, 2019

Mufti Tells MPs to Resign from RS

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti wants her two members of Parliament to resign from the Rajya Sabha. She passed a message to them, telling them to resign or to face expulsion.
The Peoples Democratic Party, which was in an alliance with the BJP till the latter withdrew support in June 2018, has two members in the Upper House. Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway tore up the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, soon after the government introduced the move in Rajya Sabha.

Delhi Airport on Alert

Due to increased security ahead of Independence Day celebrations, the Delhi airport operator asked domestic flyers to reach at least three hours in advance and international passengers four hours prior to departure.
The move also comes at a time when security has been heightened across several installations in the country after the Union government's decision to nullify the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into two Union Territories.
The operator also said entry to the meet and greet area will be barred from August 10-20, 2019.

2 crucial bridges being reopened in Andheri

Two crucial connectors are being reopened to light vehicles in Andheri. Oshiwara bridge was reopened, while another at SNDT, Juhu, will be reopened on 09 th August, 2019.
Both were declared dilapidated by BMC, with restrictions being imposed on motorists. The bridges are major connectors to Juhu, Bandra and Santa Cruz.
BMC reopened both arms of the bridge on Oshiwara nullah, near Siddhivinayak temple, which was shut for traffic since June, 2019.
The bridge, which has a nullah running below, had been severely corroded but a re-audit stated that it could be reopened to light vehicles.
Twenty-nine bridges were declared 'dangerous' by BMC after a re-audit was conducted following the Himalaya FOB crash.

Delhi to join league of states with digital anganwadi centres

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, announced that 10,000-odd anganwadi workers in the city will be given smartphones for real-time monitoring of centres.
This makes Delhi the 11th state so far to join the league of digitised anganwadi centres.
The smartphone initiative is in line with Centre's POSHAN Abhiyan scheme, rolled out in 2018, which provides for digitisation of anganwadis across the country and 50% of the total cost of the initiative will be incurred by the Central government.
Smartphones will have pre-installed applications that would enable Aadhaar based registration of people employed in the anganwadi, record their attendance, registering the centre's opening and closing time and sharing daily photographs and details of children being served food.

Aug 07, 2019

NMC Bill

The Rajya Sabha passed the NMC bill with two amendments—increased representation from state medical council and vice-chancellor of medical universities—and referred it to the Lok Sabha, which too passed the amendments.
The bill will now go to the President for his assent.
Seeking sweeping reforms to medical education, largely opposed by the medical fraternity, the bill attempts to set up a regulatory body called the National Medical Commission in place of the tainted Medical Council of India (MCI).
According to the government, the NMC bill will provide for a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education, and ensures availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals in all parts of the country.

Consumer protection bill gets RS approval

The Upper House passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019, that seeks to establish authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes.
The bill calls for setting up of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and forums at the district, state and national levels for adjudicating consumer complaints and a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce consumer rights as a class.
The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 has already been passed by the Lower House of Parliament.
The amendment being brought in is very limited one and relates to public premises for residential accommodation.
It applies to Members of Parliament, government officers and employees.
The bill would enable the estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting the unauthorised occupants after a three-day notice.
In addition, the bill has proposed a new clause that says that if the person challenges the eviction order passed by the estate officer in any court, he has to pay the damages for every month for the residential accommodation held by him.

Goa Amends Portuguese-Era Law

The BJP-led Goa government would amend the Portuguese-era Uniform Civil Code (UCC), introduced in the year 1870, so that non-Goans can register their marriages in the coastal state.
The UCC was introduced by the erstwhile Portuguese rulers.
It was retained even after the territory was merged with India in the year 1961.
Registration of marriage of non-Goans is currently banned in Goa.

Aug 06, 2019

Bigger, Better Delhi Airport by 2022

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, the busiest in the country, is expected to complete its expansion work by June 2022, and take its overall capacity to 100 million per annum against 70 million currently. Under the plan, work on which has already started, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) would carry out integration of the departure and arrival terminals of T1, construction of new T1 apron, a fourth runway and dual elevated taxiway.

Rajya Sabha Passes J&K Reorganisation Bill

The BJP Government got a major boost in the Rajya Sabha over its long-standing agenda of ending special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. The Rajya Sabha passed two resolutions regarding Article 370, as well as Jammu and Kashmir reorganisation and reservation bills moved by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Rajya Sabha adopted the resolutions via voice vote. The reorganisation bill, which provides for bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories, was passed via division. The bill got 125 votes in favour and 61 against it.
All provisions under Article 370, except 370(1), would cease to operate in Jammu and Kashmir. This translates into an end to special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Article 370 was introduced in the Constitution as a temporary provision. But over the years, it turned into a permanent feature that was acknowledged by the Supreme Court in a couple of cases.
Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh when India gained independence.
Article 370 was incorporated in the Constitution in 1949, two years after the state had acceded to India. It was signed between Hari Singh and Lord Mountbatten, the then Governor General of India, with Nehru's blessings.

72% voter turnout in Vellore LS Election

Polling to the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu, which was postponed due to allegations of bribery and financial irregularities in April 2019, registered a voter turnout of 72 %, according to the state chief electoral officer Satyabrata Shau.
Polling was held at a total of 1,553 booths across the six assembly segments in the constituency with 7,500 personnel and 3,752 EVMs.

Congress RS Chief Whip Resigns

The Congress Rajya Sabha MP and chief whip Bhubaneshwar Kalita resigned from the membership of the House opposing the party's stand on the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Samajwadi Party member from Uttar Pradesh Sanjay Seth also resigned from the Upper House.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaih Naidu accepted both the resignations.

India Briefs UNSC Envoys

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefed envoys of all countries in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) -permanent and non-permanent - on India's decision to remove the special status under article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir.
According to India, the proposals under consideration in front of the Parliament on the administrative reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir and Article 370 is a matter internal to India and aimed at providing good governance and ensuring economic development in Jammu and Kashmir.

Aug 05, 2019

AIIMS doctors call off strike over NMC after meeting health minister

Resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) called off their strike in protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) following a meeting with Union health minister Harsh Vardhan.
The health minister assured the doctors that their apprehensions about the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019, be it related to the National Exit Test (NEXT) or training of staff to practice medicine at the mid-level as community health providers, will be addressed while drafting the regulations.

Omar, Mehbooba under 'house arrest'; restrictions in Kashmir

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti were placed under house arrest as Jammu and Kashmir remained on edge over a security build-up in the region that has prompted several political parties to resolve to defend the identity and autonomy of the state.
Restrictions were imposed in Srinagar under Section 144 and mobile internet was suspended in several areas in a late-night development that came after authorities stepped up security deployment at sensitive places.

100 electric buses to connect Delhi with Jaipur soon

Residents will soon have 50 electric buses at their disposal to commute within Jaipur city. Moreover, citizens commuting on the Jaipur to Delhi route will also be able to avail the facility with 100 electric buses soon to be made available for the purpose.
Rajasthan state roadways transport corporation (RSRTC) and Jaipur city transport service limited (JCTSL) will soon acquire electric buses.
The buses will be acquired on a contractual basis—the buses will belong to the manufacturer and after the tendering procedure, the contractor will be paid based on the distance covered by the buses.

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