General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - January 2020

Jan 2020

Feb 06, 2020

Vivad Se Vishwas Bill in LS

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a bill in Lok Sabha which seeks to provide for resolution of disputed tax cases involving Rs. 9.32 trillion.
Introducing the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill, 2020, the minister said that this bill emphasises on trust building.
The scheme will not be an open ended scheme and can be availed for a limited time.
The bill seeks to provide a formula-based solution without any discrimination.

Cabinet Approves Amendments to Bring Co-operative Banks under RBI

The Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Banking Regulation Act to bring multi-state cooperative banks under the central bank's regulation to prevent malpractices and ensure better regulation.
Currently, there are 1,540 cooperative banks with 8.6 crore depositors' money, with Rs. 5 lakh crore deposits. After the amendment, such banks will come under RBI's (Reserve Bank of India) regulation, and the administrative role will be managed by the cooperative registrars.
Such banks will also be audited as per RBI norms.
The amendments follow the collapse of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank in 2019.

Feb 05, 2020

Bill to Amend Aircraft Act Introduced

The central government introduced a bill to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934, in the Lok Sabha, proposing to increase the fine for violations from Rs. 10 lakh to up to Rs. 1 crore.
The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 also aims to grant powers to the Centre to issue directions to review, if necessary in public interest, any order passed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Besides, it seeks to bring regulations of all areas of air navigation services under the purview of the Act.
The bill also provides for keeping aircraft belonging to any armed forces of the Union, other than naval, from military or air force outside the purview of the law.
The amendments would fulfil the requirements for International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). This will enable the three regulatory bodies in the Civil Aviation sector in India, namely Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to become more effective, which will lead to enhancement in the level of safety and security of aircraft operations in the country.

Feb 03, 2020

Govt. Drafts All India Judicial Services Plan

The government has prepared an outline of the proposed All India Judicial Services (AIJS) as it plans to engage the judiciary to assuage the latter's concern that the new selection mechanism will dilute the institution's authority in selecting judges for state judicial services.
According to the proposed outline, the outline includes the procedure and career progression of those who qualify an entrance exam to join the AIJS. A lawyer with seven-year practice or someone engaged in teaching at a recognised law college or university for the same time would qualify to take the exam. A candidate is expected to be aged between 28 and 35 to be eligible for the test.
The new proposal outline is an improvement over the old one with nuanced modifications as would be appropriate to maintain the independence of the judiciary. It would fast track career progression and provide a possibility for working both at the HC [High Court] and federal level. The AIJS would have a foolproof examination process.

Feb 02, 2020

Bill to Regulate Allied Health Care Services Tabled in RS

The Bill to regulate allied health care service such as physiotherapy, nutrition, radiology and psychology among others was presented in the Rajya Sabha, which will be on the lines of councils to regulate medical and dental education and services.
The chairman of the department-related parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare presented its report on the Allied and Healthcare Profession Bill, 2018, which recommended that the degree granted only by accredited colleges through regular mode would be recognised as allied and healthcare qualification.
The Bill will include 53 professions in allied and health care streams to facilitate quality-driven services in the sector.

Jan 31, 2020

TN Chief Minister Announces New Business-friendly Measures

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami unveiled industry-friendly measures to improve the ease of doing business and attract investments.
At the 125th celebration of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he announced a 'Direct CTO scheme for green industries' to relax the process for pre-establishment clearances for green category industries.
Under the new scheme, the units just have to apply for consent-to-establish. They don't have to wait till final approvals to start project construction work.

Cabinet Approves Bill to Raise Upper Limit for Abortions

The Union cabinet approved a bill that proposes to permit the termination of pregnancy up to 24 weeks from the existing 20 weeks. The bill will be introduced in the ensuing budget session of Parliament.
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 aims to expand access of women to safe and legal abortion services on therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian or social grounds. The proposed amendments include substitution of certain sub-sections and insertion of certain new clauses under some sections in the existing Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, with a view to increase the upper gestation limit for termination of pregnancy under certain conditions and to strengthen access to comprehensive abortion care, under strict conditions, without compromising service and quality of safe abortion.
Other amendments proposed in the bill are the requirements for opinion of one doctor for termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation, and introducing the requirement of opinion of two doctors for termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of gestation.

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