General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - January 2019

Jan 2019

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%.

Dec 05, 2019

Data Protection Bill Gets Cabinet Nod

The government approved the Personal Data Protection Bill that will spell out a framework for handling of personal data including its processing by public and private entities.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Bill is likely to contain broad guidelines on collection, storage and processing of personal data, consent of individuals, penalties and compensation, code of conduct and an enforcement model.

Bar Council Brings Out New Rules

In the wake of the recent violent clashes between lawyers and Delhi Police officials in the capital ahead of the Tis Hazari bar association elections, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has notified new rules for lawyers keen to contest elections to bar associations.
The rules include prohibiting them from seeking votes in the name of religion, race or caste or exceeding the limit fixed by the apex regulator on election expenditure. These activities, said BCI, would amount to corrupt practices and could lead to suspension of an advocate's practice license if he or she is found guilty. Though the rules were approved by the BCI general council in an April meeting, the notification was issued this week and sent to all the State Bar Councils for circulation among all bar association.

Rajya Sabha Passes Bill Granting Rights to Illegal Colonies

A bill that grants ownership rights to people living in 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi was passed by the Rajya Sabha.
The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, which was passed in the Lok Sabha in November, 2019 is expected to benefit eight lakh families.
According to Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri, after the bill gets the President's nod, work on uploading of maps of 1,731 colonies would be completed.

Citizenship Bill Approved by Cabinet

The Union Cabinet cleared a draft legislation that proposes citizenship for religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, fulfilling a key election promise of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and setting the stage for a parliamentary showdown with opposition parties that have called the move divisive.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, gives Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians if they entered India from the three nearby countries on or before December 31, 2014. It may be placed before Parliament.
The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 but is likely to stoke protests in the north-eastern region that has long complained of an influx of illegal immigrants and opposed a previous version of the bill earlier this year.
According to the government, the draft bill was aimed at three goals: equity, accountability and innovation; and the bill would apply to those people who were forced or compelled to seek shelter in India due to persecution on the ground of religion or fear of such persecution in his country.

Dec 04, 2019

Parliament passed bill to merge Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli UTs

The Parliament passed a bill to merge two Union territories Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli into one unit.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019 through voice vote.
Lok Sabha has already passed this bill on November 27

Lok Sabha Cleared The Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019

The Lok Sabha passed the Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019, by voice vote. The Bill was introduced by the Minister of State for Shipping, Mansukh Mandaviya, seeks to restrict the use of hazardous material on ships and regulates the recycling of ships by establishing a National Authority.
Ship recycling refers to dismantling of a ship to recover the components and materials for reuse, and taking care of the hazardous material so produced. It includes associated operations such as storage and treatment of materials and components on site.

Rajya Sabha passed SPG bill

The Rajya Sabha passed the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, a week after it was cleared by the Lok Sabha. The Congress party staged a walkout during voting on the Bill.
The amendments to the Act aims to provide SPG cover for only the prime minister and his "immediate family residing with him at his official residence", as well as any former prime minister and members of his immediate family "residing with him at the residence allotted to him for a period of five years, from the date he ceases to hold the office of Prime Minister."
The passage of bill follows a security breach at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's residence on 25 November. Senior Congress party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jairam Ramesh turned up the heat on the Centre for the proposed amendments, which the party claims has left the family vulnerable to threats.

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