Lok Sabha Passes Mines and Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill
The Lok Sabha gave its nod to the Mines and Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill amid sloganeering by Opposition members over the Delhi violence and other issues.
The Bill proposes to remove end-use restrictions for participating in coal mine auctions, and it will open up the coal sector fully for commercial mining for all domestic and global companies. It would also pave the way for auctioning of iron ore mining leases which expire this month.
Lok Sabha Passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill
Lok Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill amid noisy protests.
The bill seeks to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) so that successful bidders of insolvent companies are ring-fenced from any risk of criminal proceedings for offences committed by previous promoters of the companies concerned.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman sought the cooperation of the members to pass the Bill in the House.
The Bill was declared passed by Rajendra Agarwal, who was in the chair, amidst continuous protests by Congress members, who have been demanding a discussion on the riots in Delhi.
The amendments in the law seek to remove bottlenecks and streamline the corporate insolvency resolution process, wherein successful bidders will be ring-fenced from any risk of criminal proceedings for offences committed by previous promoters of companies concerned.
Mar 04, 2020
Tamil Nadu CM Launches Health System Reform Programme
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami launched the Rs. 2,857 crore Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Programme (TNHSRP) in Chennai. The health scheme will be implemented with funding support from the World Bank.
The five-year programme focusses on three key areas, including improved quality of care, management of non-communicable diseases & injuries, and reduced equity gaps in reproductive and child health.
Under the new scheme, quality certification of the government hospitals will also be undertaken, which will help improve the medical service. It will focus on diagnosing non-communicable diseases, like diabetes, cancer, blood pressure, breast cancer, and psychological disorders at an early stage.
Mar 03, 2020
Punjab Cabinet Okays Lokayukta Bill
The Punjab cabinet approved the Punjab Lokayukta Bill, 2020, for passage in the ongoing session of the legislative assembly in its bid to improve governance and curb corruption.
The bill seeks to replace the existing Punjab Lokpal Act, 1996, and, once passed, will cover all public functionaries, including the Chief Minister. However, the prosecution of a sitting Chief Minister, ministers and members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) would require the approval of two-third members of the House.
Lokayuktas in some states, such as Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra, have the powers to prosecute sitting chief ministers, but under certain conditions. A Lokayuta has seldom recommended action against a sitting chief minister. As per the new law, the Lokayukta will enjoy all the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
The bill is an extension of a central act passed by the Modi government in its first term, which mandated the states to bring a legislation on similar lines, giving more power to the Lokayukta. The official said that the bill bars a parallel probe into a complaint against any officer or public functionary, if an inquiry is being conducted into the matter by the Lokayukta.
Mar 02, 2020
Om Birla Launches Social Campaign to Provide Nutritional Support to Kota Women and Girls
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla launched a social campaign aimed at providing nutritional support to pregnant women and adolescent girls in his parliamentary constituency for the next nine months.
The campaign called "Suposhit Maa Abhiyan" and aided and funded by public participation and various civil societies, was launched in the presence of Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani.
The initiative was aimed at curbing the problem of malnutrition among pregnant women and adolescent girls.
Apart from a 17-kg kit, containing various nutritional food items, the women and girls will also be given medical cards detailing their health conditions and entitling them to the monthly check-up of their health.
Mar 01, 2020
Govt. to Set up Central Consumer Protection Authority by First Week of April
Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has said that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) will be set up by the first week of April this year. The CCPA to be set up under Consumer Protection Act 2019 will address issues related to consumer rights, unfair trade practices, misleading advertisements and impose penalties for selling spurious and adulterated products.
Briefing reporters in New Delhi after interaction with industry bodies on the roles and functions of CCPA, Mr. Paswan said that an investigative wing will be formed under the aegis of the authority and it will carry out inquiries in matters related to unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements. He also said the rules related to Consumer Protection Act will be finalized within one and half months.
The Minister asserted that protecting the interest of consumers is paramount for the government. During the meeting with industry bodies, Mr. Paswan also stressed on the need to regulate e-commerce and direct selling as there is no regulatory body for these sectors right now.
Maharashtra:"Smart Gram Yojana" Will be Named after Ex-minister R. R. Patil
The Maharashtra government's "Smart Gram Yojana" will be named after former Deputy Chief Minister the late R. R. Patil, the assembly was informed on Thursday.
Since November 2016, the 'Smart Gram Yojana' (smart village) is being implemented in the state where awards are given to gram panchayats at taluka and district level for their performance on certain parameters.
The scheme seeks to transform rural Maharashtra through development initiatives. Villages performing well in a range of areas, including cleanliness, health, education, environment, use of infotech and renewable energy sources, rewarded by the state government.
Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif told the assembly that Patil had worked tirelessly for development of villages.
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