General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - August 2022

Aug 2022

Dec 25, 2023

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana achieves target of Rs. 1000 Crore in Sales in FY 2...

The government's Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) achieved a landmark of selling generic medicines worth Rs. 1,000 crore this year (FY 2023-24). A total savings of about Rs. 5,000 crore was made by people who purchased medicines from the Jan Aushadhi Kendras, which is present in more than 785 districts across the country.
This substantial growth is a testament to PMBI's commitment to serving more communities and reaching a broader audience.
With an objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India in November, 2008.

Dec 23, 2023

Lok Sabha Clears Bill to Ease Newspaper Registration

The Lok Sabha passed the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023, with a single Opposition MP present in the House. The bill, which replaces the colonial-era law of the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, was passed by the Rajya Sabha earlier.
The Bill simplifies and digitises the process of registering newspapers and other periodicals with the Press Registrar, sets up an appellate board to deal with issues related to registration, and decriminalises all but one offence.
The BJP-led government and the previous Congress-led government had made multiple attempts to replace the colonial-era act. The Congress government introduced a bill in 2011 but it was not passed.
Under the PRP Bill, anybody who is convicted of a terrorist or unlawful activity [as defined under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967], or of acting against national security, is not allowed to release a periodical. The Press Registrar General of India, appointed by the central government, will be responsible for registering periodicals (which include newspapers and magazines, but not academic journals) after receiving an online application from interested entities.
It will no longer take 2-3 years to get registration done. It will take only two months now to get permission for your newspaper.

Dec 22, 2023

MSME Ministry Launches 3 Sub-schemes under RAMP Programme

MSME Minister Narayan Rane launched three sub-schemes under the ministry's existing RAMP ((Raising and Accelerating MSME Productivity) programme to encourage the adoption of sustainable technology in business, boost the circular economy and address delayed payments issue.
The MSME Green Investment and Financing for Transformation Scheme (MSE GIFT Scheme) will help enterprises adopt green technology with interest subvention and credit guarantee support while the MSE Scheme for Promotion and Investment in Circular Economy (MSE SPICE Scheme) is the first-ever scheme in the government to support circular economy projects which will be done through credit subsidy and support MSME sector towards zero emissions by 2070.
The third scheme MSE Scheme on Online Dispute Resolution for Delayed Payments, is a first-of-its-kind scheme to synergise legal support with modern IT tools and artificial intelligence in order to address the issue of delayed payments for micro and small enterprises.

Jharkhand Passes Domicile Bill to Settle 'Who is Local Resident' Question

The Jharkhand Assembly passed the domicile bill, which defines a 'local person' based on land records from 1932 or before.
The Local Resident of Jharkhand Bill, which was ratified by the government, paved the way for 100 per cent reservation for the locals in Class-III and Class-IV jobs under the state government.
Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan had earlier returned the bill with suggestions from the Attorney General of India, asking the Hemant Soren government to reconsider.
The Raj Bhavan had mentioned that the bill violates the spirit of Article 14 of the Constitution, which ensures the right to equality, and Article 16(A) of the right to equality at the workplace.

Dec 21, 2023

Lok Sabha Passes Telecommunications Bill, 2023

The Lok Sabha passed the Telecommunications Bill, 2023 to replace the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act of 1950.
The bill aims to amend and consolidate the law relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks, assignment of spectrum and connected matters.
The proposed Bill aims to overhaul the existing licensing regime for telecom networks, transitioning from the current system to an authorisation framework. Under the present arrangement, the telecom department issues over 100 types of licenses, registrations and permissions. The Bill aims to streamline this process by consolidating many of these into a single authorisation mechanism.
Moreover, the Bill empowers the government to reclaim spectrum that remains unused. It also introduces provisions for sharing, trading, and leasing of spectrum. Entities will now have the option to surrender unused spectrum although they won't receive compensation from the government for the same.

Dec 20, 2023

Parliament Passes National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Second (Amendment)...

Both Houses of Parliament passed The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The bill, which extends the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act's validity from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026, aims to provide continued protection from punitive action for various unauthorised developments in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. This includes slum dwellers, hawkers, unauthorised colonies, schools, religious and cultural institutions, and agricultural godowns.
The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011, which was initially valid until December 31, 2014, has seen many extensions. The most recent amendment, passed in 2021, extended it until December 31, 2023, and now (2023) the Lok Sabha approval extends it further until December 31, 2026.

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