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

The Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy, 2015 that seeks to promote green covers along National Highway corridors was launched at the National Conference in New Delhi.The Green Highway Policy will make it compulsory for road developers to set aside 1 percent of the Total Project Cost (TPC) for Highway Plantation and Maintenance and seeks participation from the various segments of community including farmers, private sectors, government institutions and NGOs. Policy also called for creation of Green Highways Fund for developing green covers along NH corridors.

Numerous initiatives launched on World Tourism Day

The following initiatives have been launched on World Tourism Day:

- Medical Wellness and Tourism Promotion board chaired by Union Tourism Minister
- Ashok Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Centre of Excellence
- Tourism Vision Document 2030 commissioned by Experience India Society and put together by KMPG
- Launch of Ministry of Tourism Bilingual website including web based e-Recognition System
- Audio Visual Presentation Introduction to India

A seminar was also held on the theme of World Tourism Day 2015. The theme for the day was “One Billion Tourist, One Billion Opportunity” with the following panelists- Vikram Oberoi, Subhash Goyal, Atul Bhatnagar.

The Union Cabinet approved the setting up of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. More than 5 million people in India are hearing impaired and this centre will help them. The Centre will be a Society consisting of a President and 12 Members in the General Council. There will be an Executive Council consisting of a Chairperson and nine Members and members from National Organisations of the Universities/Academic Institutions and independent experts in Indian Sign Language

PM Narendra Modi has launched the Integrated Power Development Scheme/IPDS worth INR 45,000 crore to strengthen distribution networks and ensure 24/7 power supply by 2022. This scheme will address issues such as fraud in the power sector, specifically in urban areas. IPDS will cover works pertaining to distribution and transmission system. This includes provisioning of solar panels, metering of distribution consumer/ feeder/ transformers in urban areas. Scheme also focuses on strengthening power distribution. Scheme will also work to make the city of Kasha a smart one through use of the INR 572 crore fund in this scheme.

Proposed bill for disability has expanded the list of disabilities from 7 to 19. Centre has established a committee of experts to measure mechanisms for 19 disabilities included in the bill. The 30 member panel includes technical experts and reworked law will create more awareness amidst the target group.

Cabinet has provided ex post facto approval to increase the number of working days in MGNREGA by 50 and monsoon rains have been 16% below normal so far making this the second successive poor monsoon. Diesel subsidy has also been announced to help farmers save standing crops. Cabinet approved Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission with an outlay of INR 5,142.08 crore. The mission seeks to set up 300 rural clusters by 2019-20 across the country to bridge the rural-urban divide.

Central government has launched the Shyama Prasad Rurban Mission (SPMRM) to deliver project based urban infrastructure as well as amenities in rural areas entailing a cost of INR 5000 crore. The scheme has 12 major constituents such as piped water, waste management, education and lighting. In the first phase of the scheme, close to 100 rural clusters will be developed and number of working days under MGNREGA will be increased to 150.

As more than 60% of the available water is used for irrigation, the panel will focus on restructuring at river basin and sub basin level to take control of farming sector needs. CWC manages surface water while CGWB manages group water.

Restructuring is the aim due to unpredictable monsoon, climate factors, huge projected demand for water by 2050 and lowered per capital availability of water. Creation of last mile connectivity in the irrigation sector has also been emphasised.

PM has promised INR 6000 crore for tribal development in areas where mining is carried out.

Each district where mining activity has to be carried out will have to set up a District Mineral Foundation under DM or DC. Foundation will identify persons affected by mining and work undertaken for their welfare. In case of all mining leases executed prior to January 12, 2015, mines will have to pay around 30% of the royalty to DMFs. Where mining leases are granted following January 12 2015, rate of contribution will be 10% of royalty. Close 60% of the funds under PMKKKY have to be used for high priority areas such as schools, primary health care centres, women and child development, drinking water supply , environment preservation and pollution control measures. Around 40% funds can be used for infrastructure projects such as physical infrastructure, irrigation, energy and watershed development and any other measures for enhancing environment quality in mining districts. INR 6,000 crore is the expected amount under this scheme as total royalty for major minerals is INR 20,000 crore.

RBI panel has suggested that private banks with over INR 20,000 may be incentivised to convert to commercial banks though conversion need not be de jure compulsory. RBI aims to push cooperative banks into private sector as compliance with global guidelines like Basel III needs that all lenders (and this includes cooperative banks) will hold adequate capital and meet prudential norms. Cooperatives are regulated by registrar of cooperatives and RBI.

Only one bank has converted from cooperative to private namely Development Credit Cooperative Bank into DCB. Conversion from cooperative to private banks would subject them to more stringent regulation under Companies Act and Banking Regulation Act.

The Justice Mukherjee Commission concluded that Netaji did not perish in the Taihoku air crash and an Allahabad HC ordered that the findings were in consonance with evidence. The Mukherjee Commission concluded that ashes preserved at Renkoji in Tokyo were of Japanese national I. Okura alone. A 7 year enquiry after August 18, 1945 found that Netaji did not perish in the place crash.

Under this scheme ex servicemen of same rank and same length of service will get uniform pension regardless of date of retirement. Pension will be re-fixed every five years and personnel who retire voluntarily will not be covered under OROP scheme. The estimated cost to implement OROP will be 8000 crore rupees to 10,000 crore rupees at present and it will increase further in future. All arrears to be paid in four half-yearly installments & all widows to be paid arrears in one installment.

The State Chief Minister Miss Mamata Banerjee inaugurated a programme called ‘Muktir Alo’, in Kolkata. In this programme, a total of Rs 2, 500/- will be granted to each sex worker and to those rescued from the human traffickers. Besides this, different types of trainings will be imparted to them, to make them self reliant. These women will get scope for work in different self-help groups and other non-government organizations, after training.