General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2018

Dec 2018

Sep 20, 2020

National Generic Document Registration System Launched in J&K

Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha launched the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) at a ceremony organized at Deputy Commissioner Srinagar's office.
NGDRS represents a major shift from the existing manual registration system to online registration of all transactions in sale-purchase/transfer of land and the stamp papers have been replaced by e-stamps which have been incorporated in coordination with Stockholding Corporation of India.
J&K will be the 10th among States/UTs to become part of NGDRS.

Govt Looking Into Reports That China Tracking 10,000 Indians via 'Hybrid Warfare' Firm

The Narendra Modi government, it is learnt, is looking into reports that a Chinese data firm that pioneers in "hybrid warfare" and is linked to the country's administration tracked over 10,000 Indian nationals, including leading personalities like PM Modi and interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, as well as their families.
The report is centred on one firm, Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co. Limited, which reportedly counts the Chinese government and military among its clients.

Rajya Sabha Passes Epidemic Diseases Amendment Bill, 2020

The Upper House passed the Epidemic Diseases Amendment Bill, 2020 to bring a law that punishes those who attack health workers or doctors who are fighting the coronavirus outbreak or during any situation similar to the current Covid-19 pandemic.
The legislation provides for up to five years in jail for those who attack doctors and health care personnel.
The Centre implemented the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 in order to provide protection to health care service personnel, their living premises as well as their workplaces against any violence during the course of a pandemic.

Sep 19, 2020

India's First Terminal for Private Jets Inaugurated at Delhi Airport

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated India's first General Aviation Terminal at Delhi airport. The exclusive terminal will handle the flight operations of private jets.
With the facility, Delhi Airport marks a milestone of setting up high-end infrastructure for passengers. The new terminal has been built to support the movement and processing of passengers flying through chartered flights from IGI Airport.
The terminal has 57 parking bays and can handle up to 150 private jet flights per day.

PM Dedicates Kosi Rail Mega Bridge to Nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the historical Kosi Rail Mega Bridge to the nation and inaugurated new rail lines and electrification projects in Bihar via video-conferencing. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was present at the event.
These projects will improve Bihar's railway network and also strengthen connectivity in areas of West Bengal and West India.
The PM took a dig at the Congress government for not expediting the Kosi Rail line programme for which foundation stone was laid by Atal Bihari Vajpayee when his government was in power before 2004.

Sep 18, 2020

Two Bills Aimed at Transforming Agriculture Passed

Two bills aimed at transforming agriculture in the country and raising farmers' income were passed by Lok Sabha today. The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were introduced in Lok Sabha on 14th September 2020 by Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, to replace ordinances promulgated on 5th June 2020.
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to provide for the creation of an ecosystem where the farmers and traders enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of farmers' produce which facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels to promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter-State and intra-State trade and commerce of farmers' produce outside physical premises of markets or deemed markets notified under various State agricultural produce market legislations; to provide a facilitative framework for electronic trading and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 seeks to provide for a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services and sale of future farming produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Sep 17, 2020

PM Narendra Modi's Birthday: BJP Organises 'Sewa Saptah'

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has organised several events as part of the "sewa saptah" programme to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 70th birthday.
From blood donation camps to distribution of oximetres, food items etc, the party has organised a series of events to celebrate the PM's birthday.

Lok Sabha Clears Bill to Reduce Salaries of MPs by 30%

Lok Sabha has passed the bill on September 15, 2020, that reduces the salary payable to the Members of Parliament by 30% for one year starting from April 1, 2020.
The Salary, Allowances, and Pensions of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 has replaced an ordinance that was brought earlier as part of the measures to gather resources for fighting the Coronavirus pandemic.
The bill was introduced in the lower house on September 14, 2020. The temporary suspension of Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme Fund for 2020-21 and 2021-22 was also approved by the government in the wake of the pandemic.

Sep 16, 2020

Rajya Sabha Passes Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill

The Rajya Sabha (RS) passed the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020.
The institute will be declared an institution of national importance following the passage of the bill and will be instrumental for the promotion of quality and excellence in education, research and training in Ayurveda.
The bill seeks to merge three institutes into one integrated centre. It will be called the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, which will be based in Jamnagar, Gujarat. It will be the first Ayurveda institution to be given the status of institution of national importance.

New Parliament Project: Tata's Bid Lowest

Tata Projects Limited's financial bid of Rs. 861.90 crore for the construction and five-year maintenance contract of a new Parliament building was the lowest of the two bids opened by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), according to the bid documents.
Citing security concerns and the nature of the project, the CPWD had opted for pre-qualification of potential bidders before inviting financial and technical bids.
The project, which is a part of the HUA Ministry's larger Central Vista redevelopment plan, is scheduled to be completed in 21 months from the start of construction, according to the CPWD's invitation for bids.

Aircraft (Amendment) Bill cleared in Rajya Sabha

A Bill that gives three aviation regulators statutory powers and enhances the fine for violations from Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 1 crore in a bid to improve aircraft safety, was passed by Parliament after a heated discussion in Rajya Sabha over privatisation of airports.
The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 17, was passed by the Upper House by voice vote in September 2020.
The Bill gives statutory powers to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said the changes were necessary in view of the growth of the sector.
The Bill empowers the aviation watchdog DGCA to levy penalties of upto Rs. 1 crore on airlines, airports and other aviation entities.

Essential Commodities Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha passed the Essential Commodities Amendment Bill by a voice vote. The Bill proposes to deregulate the production, storage, movement and sale of several foodstuffs, including cereals, pulses, edible oils and onions, except in the case of extraordinary circumstances.
With thousands of farmers rising up in protest against the Bill in Punjab, one of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) allies, the Shiromani Akali Dal MP and president Sukhbir Singh Badal, expressed concerns and misgivings about the proposed legislation during the debate in the House.
He questioned the manner in which the Bill was brought without consultation with farmers' organisations. Punjab farmers were the worst affected, he said, adding that they feared multinational players would initially offer lucrative deals and then dominate the market to the detriment of farmers.

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