General Awareness

GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - June 2023

Jun 2023

Dec 30, 2023

J&K Approves Amendments for OBC Reservation in Panchayati Raj Act

The Administrative Council, under the chairmanship of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, approved amendments to be carried out in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 to incorporate the definition of OBCs in the Act to ensure reservation for them.
The draft J&K Panchayati Raj Act (Amendment) Bill 2023 was initially submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India. Following this, observations raised by the MHA were carefully examined, leading to necessary amendments being incorporated into the revised draft.
Incorporation of OBC Definition: The Amendment bill proposes defining OBCs to ensure their reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
Disqualification and Removal Process: The bill outlines the method of disqualification from membership of Halqa Panchayat, as well as the suspension and removal procedures for Sarpanch, Naib-Sarpanch, and Panch by the Government.
Role of State Election Commissioner (SEC): The amendments detail the process for removal and conditions of service of the State Election Commissioner (SEC).
The proposed changes aim to enhance the effectiveness of the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989. The focus is on ensuring transparency in the functioning of PRIs, aligning the Act constitutionally, and maintaining consistency with practices in other states where OBC reservation is provided alongside Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Dec 26, 2023

President Draupadi Murmu Gives Assent to Three Criminal Code Bills

President Draupadi Murmu granted her assent to three groundbreaking criminal code bills, marking a significant shift in India's legal landscape. These bills, namely the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act, received parliamentary approval and are poised to replace the age-old Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.

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.

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