General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - July 2019

Jul 2019

Jul 17, 2019

Rajya Sabha Passes AERA of India (Amendment) Bill

The Rajya Sabha passed a Bill allowing the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) to bid out any new airport at a pre-determined tariff structure.
As per Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, as many as 16 airports will be in the purview of AERA. All other airports continue to be looked after by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Currently, major airports with an annual capacity to handle one-and-a-half million passengers come under the purview of Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA).
If the amendment is passed by Parliament, the definition of major airports would be changed to any aerodrome which has or is designated to have annual passenger capacity of three-and-a-half million.

Jul 16, 2019

Bill for More Power to NIA

The Union government secured Lok Sabha's approval for an amendment that gives the National Investigation Agency (NIA) more powers, following a fierce debate in which opposition lawmakers alleged the provisions had greater potential for misuse while ministers called the changes crucial in the fight against terrorism.
NIA was formed as a federal unit to investigate and prosecute cases of terrorism following the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which would need Rajya Sabha clearance, would give the agency jurisdiction over several more crimes, allow it to investigate incidents that have taken place abroad, and attach properties of suspects without having to wait for local police.

Jul 13, 2019

First State to Come Up with Water Policy

Amid a drought scare in half of India, Meghalaya is all set to become the first state in the country to have a proper water policy.
The state Cabinet approved the draft water policy after an elaborate presentation and detailed discussion at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.
The objective of the policy is to recognise water resources as a common pool resource, to provide safe and hygienic water for drinking, domestic and sanitation and livelihood development to all residents of the state.
The policy was prepared in consultation with the stakeholders and that it would be formally notified shortly.
It also aims at ensuring protection and conservation of catchment areas of all water sources to prevent degradation of the quantity and quality of water sources and promote principle of 3R's – reduce, recycle and reuse, besides enhance resilience to disasters and the impacts of climate change.

Lok Sabha Passed the Central Universities Bill

The Lok Sabha passed the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with a voice vote to establish a central university and a tribal university in Andhra Pradesh.
The bill, which also seeks an amendment to the Central Universities Act, 2009, was introduced by Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal.
Participating in the debate on the Bill, Congress MP K. Suresh claimed that percentage of expenditure on education had been reduced under the NDA government while YSR Congress Party's L.S. Krishna Devarayalu urged that more funds be allocated towards building of Central universities and research programmes in these universities.

Jul 11, 2019

Lok Sabha Gives Nod to Arbitration Bill

The Lok Sabha cleared the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Bill, 2019. The Bill, which replaces an Ordinance promulgated in March this year, provides for the incorporation of the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC) for creating an autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration.
The Bill, moved by Union Law Minister Ravi Shanker Prasad, has a provision to declare the NDIAC as an Institution of National Importance "The Bill provides for the establishment of the NDIAC to conduct arbitration, mediation and conciliation proceedings," said the Minister, speaking in the Lower House. The Minister said the Centre will be headed by a chairperson, who has been a judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court or an eminent person having special knowledge and experience in the administration of arbitration.

Jul 09, 2019

RS Passes Aadhaar Bill

The Rajya Sabha passed the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asserting that the incumbent government will soon bring a comprehensive law on the data protection.
The Bill sought to amend the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
It allowed voluntary use of Aadhaar as proof of identity for opening a bank account and procuring a mobile phone

Jallianwala Bagh Bill

The Congress opposed the introduction of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. It sought to remove the Congress president as a permanent member of a trust that runs the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial.
The Bill was moved by Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel and states that it sought to delete the mention of President of the Indian National Congress as a trustee. A similar one was brought by the previous government but it could not get parliamentary nod and lapsed.

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