General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - June 2019

Jun 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%.

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.

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