General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - July 2019

Jul 2019

Nov 25, 2019

Maharashtra Becomes the Only State to Protect Scribes

Even as the political slugfest in Maharashtra continues, President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Maharashtra Media Persons and Media Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Bill, 2017, one of the first laws in the country which ensures protection for journalists.
The Bill, passed by the Devendra Fadnavis government, has been pending for two years with the Centre and recommends punishment up to three years or a fine of up to ₹50,000 or both in case of attack on mediapersons on duty. Acts of violence against mediapersons will be treated as cognizable, nonbailable and cases under this law will be investigated by an officer not below the rank of DySP/ACP.
As per the Maharashtra legislation, the offender shall be liable to pay compensation for damage or loss caused to the property of the mediaperson or the media house as determined by court. The assailant would be liable to reimburse the medical expenditure incurred by the mediapersons in the attack.
According to the World Press Freedom Index 2019, India dropped two places on a global press freedom index to be ranked 140th out of 180 countries in the annual 'Reporters Without Borders'.

Nov 23, 2019

Bill to ban e-Cigarettes introduced in Lok Sabha

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that seeks to prohibit the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes.
Vardhan said the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019, is aimed at protecting people from the harmful effects of e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that produce aerosol by heating a solution containing nicotine. These include all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), Heat Not Burn Products, e-hookah and the likes. Harsh Vardhan said 30 countries have banned e-cigarettes, while 98 have regulatory mechanisms in place for the same.
About 18 states and two Union territories in India--i.e. Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, Haryana, Mizoram, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Odisha--have already banned the use and sale of e-cigarettes, vape pens and e-hookah over health concerns.

Odisha Govt Asks Employees to take Online Courses on Better Governance

Odisha government has asked its 3 lakh-odd employees to enrol into policy-oriented online courses offered by institutions like IMF, World Bank and Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab for a grounding on fiscal policy, financial markets and institutions and macroeconomic management among several other subjects.
The finance department in a letter asked all the departments to order the Group-A, B and C employees to get themselves registered for the online courses offered by these institutions as part of the holistic development of the skills of the employees.

Nov 22, 2019

Cabinet Approves Extension Of Pharmaceuticals Purchase Policy

The Union Cabinet approved the extension of Pharmaceuticals Purchase Policy (PPP) for pharmaceutical Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) till their closure or strategic disinvestment.
Pharmaceuticals Purchase Policy (PPP) was approved by the Cabinet in 2013 for five years in respect of 103 medicines manufactured by pharma CPSUs and their subsidiaries.
The policy is applicable to purchases by central/ state government departments and their public sector undertakings.
The pricing of the products is done by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). The term of the policy expired in 2018.

Cabinet Approves The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019

The Union cabinet approved the Labour Code on Industrial Relations 2019, allowing companies to hire workers on fixed-term contract of any duration.
The code has retained the threshold on the worker count at 100 for prior government approval before retrenchment, but it has a provision for changing 'such number of employees' through notification.
Fixed-term employment means a worker can be hired for any duration, three months or six months or a year depending on season and orders.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of the Industrial Relations Code, 2019 in the Parliament.
The bill provides for setting up of two-member tribunal (in place of one member), thus introducing a concept that some of the important cases will be adjudicated jointly and the rest by a single member resulting speedier disposal of cases, is one of the benefits of the bill.

Union Cabinet Approves Proposals To Mitigate Telecom Sector's Financial Stress

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved proposals for mitigating financial stress being faced by telecom service sector.
Under the approval, the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) will provide an option to telecom companies to defer payment of the spectrum auction installments that are due for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, either for one or both years.
This comes soon after Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio said they will increase phone call and data tariffs.

Assam Govt To Gift 10 Gm Of Gold To Every Bride

The Assam government announced that it will gift 10 grams of gold to every adult bride, if she has studied at least up to class 10 and her marriage is registered.
The annual family income of the bride has to be less than Rs 5 lakh to avail the benefit of the scheme.
There are some other conditions as well to avail the benefit of the 'Arundhati Gold Scheme', which will cost the state exchequer around Rs 800 crores per annum.
The minister clarified that the benefit will be given only in case of the first marriage of the girl and it has to be registered under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.
The scheme has some riders like the girl has to be at least 18 years of age and the boy 21 years. This will also stop child marriage. Besides, the girl has to pass matric exams (class 10 board exam) to avail the scheme. This will also emphasise on girls' education.
However, the educational qualification norm will not be applicable to the girls from the tea garden communities and adivasis as "the government has not been able to set up high schools in such places.
All the conditions, including the educational and financial, are not applicable to the bridegroom.
The figure of Rs 30,000 for 10 grams of gold has been arrived at after taking its average price for the entire year and it will be revised during the presentation of every budget.
Gold will not be given in the physical form. After registration and verification, the government will deposit Rs 30,000 in the bride's bank account. Then she has to submit the receipt of the gold purchase. This amount cannot be used for other purposes
The scheme will commence from January 1, 2020.

Cabinet Approves Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for introducing the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in order to replace the Ordinance.
Economic developments after the enactment of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2019 (Finance Act) along with reduction of rate of corporate income tax by many countries world over necessitated the provision of additional fiscal stimulus to attract investment, generate employment and boost the economy.
As these could have been achieved through amendment to the Income-tax Act, 1961 (IT Act) or to the Finance Act and the Parliament was not in session, it was done through promulgation of The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2019 (the Ordinance) in September, 2019.

Nov 21, 2019

Lok Sabha Passes Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Lok Sabha passed the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by voice vote. The bill seeks to amend the Chit Funds Act, 1982, which regulates chit funds and prohibits a fund from being created without the prior sanction of a State Government.
The amendments have been made to facilitate the orderly growth of the chit fund sector to remove bottlenecks and enable greater financial access to people.
Under the legislation, the prescribed ceiling of aggregate chit fund amount for individuals has been raised from one lakh rupees to three lakh rupees and in case of firms, the limit has been raised from 6 lakh to 18 lakh rupees.

Assam Govt Makes Sanitary Napkins Mandatory In Factories, Industries

Assam government has made mandatory for all factories and industries to keep sanitary napkins in a bid to promote hygiene among women.
The decision was taken in the Assam cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, to promote hygiene among women.
The other key decisions taken by the cabinet were related to bamboo farming and the government holiday list for the coming year among others.

Nov 20, 2019

Andhra Pradesh Govt Enhances Financial Aid for Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, other Biblical Places

The Andhra Pradesh government enhanced the financial assistance to Christians for undertaking pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other Biblical places.
A government order issued in this regard said pilgrims with an annual income of upto ₹3 lakh would be given ₹60,000 for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jordan River, Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee.
The assistance was last enhanced to ₹40,000 which was fixed by the then Chandrababu Naidu government in 2016.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

September GK, August GK, July GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26