General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - December 2018

Dec 2018

Dec 12, 2019

LS Passes Bill to Set Up Unified Authority

The Lok Sabha passed a bill to set up a unified authority for regulating all financial activities in international financial services centres (IFSCs) in the country.
The first IFSC in India was set up at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The unified authority will act as a single-window for regulating various financial activities in the IFSC.
All the laws of land, including the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, will apply, the unified authority which will be independent would be subject audit by the CVC and the CAG.

Rajya Sabha Passes the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The parliament passed a bill granting citizenship to religious minorities from three Muslim-majority countries in India's neighbourhood, as the government rushed troops to the North-east to contain protesters who went on a rampage against the controversial legislation that opposition parties called divisive and unconstitutional.
After a seven-hour debate, the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, or CAB, 125-99. The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill earlier. It will become law once President Ram Nath Kovind formally gives his assent to the bill.
The CAB seeks to amend the 1955 Citizenship Act by bestowing citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and Jains who entered India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014. This was a key election promise of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014 and 2019.

Dec 11, 2019

Amendments for Stricter Arms Act

Parliament cleared changes to the Arms act, making the manufacture and possession of illegal fire arms punishable with a life term in an effort to bring in tighter gun control.
The Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019, also has a provision for imprisonment of two years or fine, which may extend to Rs. 1 lakh or both for those using firearms in a rash or negligent manner in celebratory gunfire.
The amendments were passed by voice vote in the Upper House. The Lok Sabha had approved the bill.

Bill May Give Govt. a Wider Berth on Data Surveillance

The proposed law to protect personal privacy in India gives the government more powers to access people's data over reasons such as safeguarding national security as compared to the law recommended by an expert committee, according to a version set to be introduced in Parliament this week.
The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, which will underpin India's first legal framework to protect privacy after it was held as a fundamental right by the Supreme Court in 2017, has been circulated among parliamentarians. MPs are likely to push for the bill to be sent to a joint committee for closer scrutiny.
The draft is yet to be tabled in Parliament.
The law is based on a draft prepared by the expert committee led by retired justice B. N. Srikrishna, and on the whole, gives ownership of personal data to the individual, defines obligations for any organisation handling such data, and lays down penalties and punishments in case a user's privacy is breached.

Dec 10, 2019

Andhra Plans New Law for Justice within Three Weeks

The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to bring in a new legislation to fast track the cases pertaining to atrocities on women and children and award punishment to the accused within three weeks. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the state legislative assembly.
The new bill, to be introduced in the state assembly, envisages completion of investigation within a week, trial in two weeks and awarding punishment within three weeks. "If the accused in the rape and murder cases are caught red-handed and the evidences including DNA reporters are strong, they would be sentenced to death death within three weeks.

Bill on Maritime Piracy Tabled

A bill that provides for strict punishment, including death penalty or life imprisonment, to those involved in piracy at sea was tabled in the Lok Sabha. Congress's Shashi Tharoor opposed the introduction of the bill, saying that the provision of automatic death penalty was against the law. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar assured the house that the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill does not have automatic death penalty provision. It is aimed at promoting the safety of India's maritime trade.

Citizenship Bill Clears Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha passed a controversial bill that grants citizenship to religious minorities from three Muslim-majority countries in India's neighbourhood after a fierce nine-hour debate in which opposition parties alleged the draft legislation violated the Constitution by linking faith to citizenship.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) 2019 seeks to amend the 1955 Citizenship Act by granting citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and Jains who entered India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.

Dec 08, 2019

Free Ride Scheme for Women in Chittoor

The Chittoor police launched the "Free Ride Scheme" for women in Chittoor municipal corporation limits, to provide secure transportation for them during nights.
According to Superintendent of Police S. Senthil Kumar, the scheme would be made available for women in need of emergency services between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. He said the unique service would be operational in Chittoor corporation limits initially and would soon be extended to Madanapalle, Palamaner, Chittoor, Puttur and Sri City sub-divisions soon.

Dec 06, 2019

Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 Gets Rajya Sabha Nod

The Rajya Sabha gave its consent to the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, replacing an ordinance that was used to slash corporate tax rates to stimulate growth.
The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was cleared by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha, for returning to the Lower House. The amendment replaces an ordinance that reduced the tax rate for domestic companies from 30% and 25% (for those with annual turnover of over Rs. 400 crore) to 22% if they don't claim certain exemptions under the Income Tax Act. The rate for new domestic manufacturing companies set up after October 1 was lowered to 15%.

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