Government Committees, Schemes & Bills - Current Affairs for December, 2015

CCEA chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the introduction of ATUFS or Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme in place or Revised Restructured Technology Upgradation Fund scheme for technology upgradation of the textiles industry with effect from the date of notification of the scheme. New scheme targets employment generation and export as well as promotion of Technical Textiles. Office of Textile Commissioner has been reorganised and set up in each state. Implementation of the scheme would be executed under ITUFS launched in April 2015.

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd has on 27th December 2015 launched the 4G service marking the birth anniversary of Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of RIL. Currently, it is limited to employees and families of the company. Commercial services are expected to commence from April 2016. The 4G service has a 3 pronged focus on broadband networks, reasonably priced smartphones and availability of rich content. Users will also have the option to switch to 5G later.

According to the Union Budget 2015-2016, FM Arun Jaitley has announced PPP mode of infrastructure development has to be revised and revitalised. Committee on Revisiting and Revitalising the PPP model of Infrastructure Development chaired by Dr. Vijay Kelkar has submitted its report.

GoI has announced a new rule that individuals earning INR 10 lakh or more will lose their eligibility for subsidised LPG cylinders as per a fresh rule implemented from January 2016. Individuals earning 10 lakh or more per year will not be eligible for subsidised LPG cylinders in line with bringing down the LPG subsidy. PM Narendra Modi has led the GiveitUp campaign asking people to voluntarily give up their subsidy. Around 57 lakh persons have given up their subsidy so far, yet this is only 3.5% of 16 crore customers using LPG.

Parliament has passed the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill 2015 moved by Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya. The Bill allowing doubling of the wage ceiling for calculating bonus to reach INR 7000 per month with factory workers for establishment with 20, more workers. Benefits are going to be applicable from April 2014. Both LS and RS have now approved this Bill. Official amendments provide that benefits of the Act will come into force w.e.f April 2014 instead of April 2015. The Bill also enhanced eligibility limit for payment of bonus from INR 10000 per month to INR 21,000 per month.

CCEA has approved the implementation of an umbrella CSS scheme for integrated development and management of fisheries with an outlay of INR 3000 crore for 5 years. The Central Sector Scheme covers development and management of inland fisheries and marine fisheries including deep sea fishing as well as realising the Blue Revolution through activities undertaken by the National Fisheries Development Board. Scheme has the following 6 parts:

(a) National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities,
(b) Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture,
(c) Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations,
(d) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector,
(e) Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector and
(f) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions.

The components of the scheme namely (a) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector, (b) Institutional Arrangement for the Fisheries Sector and (c) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions would be implemented Departmentally with 100% central funding. Scheme also provides for linkages with Sagar Mala project.

This Bill will ensure 16 year olds involved in heinous crimes will be prosecuted as adults. Bill was taken up against the backdrop of the release of the lone juvenile convict in the Nirbhaya case.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014, provides for the trial of those between 16-18 years as adults for heinous offences. Also, anyone between the age of 16-18 who commits a less serious offence may be tried as an adult if he is apprehended after he attains the age of 21.

The Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Shri Lov Verma has launched the Eyeway National Helpdesk for blind and visually impaired at Department HQ in Paryavaran Bhawan. This helpdesk is an initiative of Score Foundation. Visually impaired citizens of India will be able to call the Eyeway Helpdesk on a toll free number, 1800-300-20469, and get queries addressed from trained counsellors.

Union Minister of HRD launched the 6th All India Survey on Higher Education in New Delhi. She highlighted the fact that GER has shown considerable improvement from 19.4% in 2010-11 to 23.6% in 2014-15.THe minister expressed confidence that the target of 30% GER by 2020 as envisaged in 12th Plan would be achieved.

Upper House of the Parliament, RS on 21st December 2015 passed the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2015. Bill aims to amend SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Bill amends existing categories and adds certain categories of actions by non SC and ST against ST or SC to be treated as offences.

In line with the Digital India initiative of the Government of India, National Handloom Development Corporation has made the decision to implement Enterprise Resource Planning/ERP system for commercial activities to benefit handloom weavers. This system will improve productivity, increase efficiency, decrease cost and improve the supply of raw materials processes in NHDC.

State Cabinet of Uttar Pradesh has approved state’s participation in UDAY/ Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana. 11 states so far have joined the UDAY scheme namely
Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir , Jharkhand , Gujarat , Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

LS passed the Arbitration and Reconciliation (Amendment Bill), 2015 by voice vote. The Bill seeks to make the arbitration process more investor-friendly, cost effective and affordable apart from meeting standards of international arbitration.

World Bank has approved a loan of USD 1.5 billion for clean India campaign to support improved sanitation in the country. According to WB stats, 2.4 billion people in the world lack access to improved sanitation of which 750 million are in India and 80% are living in rural areas. Loan will be used for the SBM Support Operation Project.

LS passed the Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill 2015 with voice vote for treasury and opposition benches. It now has to be ratified by RS. The Bill seeks to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, thus clearing the way for Atomic Energy Units, including NPCIL to enter into joint-ventures with other Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and government sector companies.

Central Government has appointed Justice L.N. Narasimhan Reddy, the retired CJ of Patna HC to head the judicial committee to look into implementation of OROP(one rank one pension scheme)/ The terms of the reference of this committee shall be to examine and make recommendations on OROP.

Numerous states in the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana has reached double digits with Gujarat becoming the 10th Indian state to join UDAY/Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana. Other states which have joined the UDAY scheme include AP, HP, MP, J&K, Jharkhand, Punjab and Rajasthan.

UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana) Scheme of Ministry of Power was not only joined by Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan, but State Governments of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Himachal Pradesh, & Uttarakhand have communicated their in- principle approval to the Ministry of Power ( MoP) to join UDAY Scheme . This scheme seeks to promote financial solvency of DISCOMs through voluntary restructuring of their debts.

Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has recommended the approval of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill 2015 as per the report of the Select Committee of Rs. Bill will now be passed by the Parliament after consideration. It is a major initiative to protect the interests of the customers.

The in-principle approval was given on 6th December 2015. Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana has provided incentives to states to restructure discom debts. Incentives include taking over of DISCOM debt by states outside the fiscal deficit limits and reduction in power cost. UDAY aims at lowering the cost of power generation.

AP government has given the approval for joining Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana or UDAY Scheme. The UDAY scheme has been launched to improve financial and operational efficiency of power companies or discoms. The aim is to reduce interest burden and cost of power losses.

Delhi Assembly has passed the Jan Lokpal Bill which provides for an ombudsman to act against government functionaries including those of the Centre, which was a tribute to veteran activist Anna Hazare.The bill received 64 votes in favour in a 70 member Delhi Assembly. The Bill has also made provision for one additional HC judge, one eminent person and a former chairperson in the selection panel for the Jan Lokpal. As per the Bill, the impeachment process for the removal will commence only after HC monitors probe against Lokpal. As per provisions of the Bill, Lokpal can even probe corruption against Union Ministers and central government officials in Delhi/NCR.

Gold Monetisation Scheme is considered purely voluntary for individuals and institutions and they can make their own decision for monetising gold held by them. This is in response to reports that government will directly intervene to monetise gold held by charitable, religious and other institutions.

Central Government has approved the formation of Indian Skill Development Service. This service will be notified following consultation with UPSC and other government organisations. The service’s formation was also discussed in the Indian Parliament.

LS has passed a bill entitled Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill 2015 for enhancing the compensation airlines must give to passengers in the event of flight delays, death, injury or lost baggage. Death in an air accident will now fetch compensation of INR 1 crore as against 89 lakh earlier. Bill also gives GoI the capacity to revise liability limits of air carriers in line with Montreal Convention.

Tribal Advisory Council has been launched in States having scheduled areas namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana. Besides, two other States namely, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, have also set up TAC. The TAC shall comprise not more than 20 members of whom 3/4th will be reps of ST in Legislative Assembly of the State. TAC will give advise on matters like welfare and advancement of ST and make rules for the same.

The human resource development (HRD) ministry initiative was launched at IIT Gandhinagar by HRD Minister Smriti Irani, and IIT Kharagpur. GIAN will deliver courses in Indian institutions in partnership with foreign universities and leading academicians and is connected with Make in India campaign and IMPRINT programme. Its nodal institution is IIT Kharagpur.