YOJNA IAS WEEKLY CURRENT AFFARS - Basement C32 Noida Sector-2 Uttar Pradesh 201301 Contact No.: +91 8595390706 Website : www:yojnaias.com
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2021
YOJNA IAS
WEEKLY CURRENT AFFARS
Basement C32 Noida Sector-2 Uttar Pradesh 201301
Contact No.: +91 8595390706
Website : www:yojnaias.com
1
2021
YOJNA IAS
WEEKLY CURRENT AFFARS
YOJNA IAS WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS
26/07/2021 TO 01/08/2021
Basement C32 Noida Sector-2 Uttar Pradesh 201301
Contact No. : +91 8595390705 | website : www.yojnaias.com
CURRENT AFFAIRS
JULY 2021
Special economic zone (SEZ)
Context
Around 250 fishermen and their families from Kattukuppam in Ennore protested on Monday
demanding that the Tangedco stop construction work on a coal conveyor belt.
Special economic zone (SEZ)
• A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from
the rest of the country.
• SEZs are located within a country’s national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance,
employment, increased investment, job creation and effective administration.
• To encourage businesses to set up in the zone, financial policies are introduced. These policies
typically encompass investing, taxation, trading, quotas, customs and labour regulations.
• Additionally, companies may be offered tax holidays, where upon establishing themselves in a zone,
they are granted a period of lower taxation.
Reasons for SEZ
• The creation of special economic zones by the host country may be motivated by the desire to
attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
• The benefits a company gains by being in a special economic zone may mean that it can produce
and trade goods at a lower price, aimed at being globally competitive.
• In some countries, the zones have been criticized for being little more than labour camps, with
workers denied fundamental labour rights
The SEZ Rules Provide for:
• Simplified procedures for development, operation, and maintenance of the Special Economic Zones
and for setting up units and conducting business in SEZs;
• Single window clearance for setting up of an SEZ;
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• Single window clearance for setting up a unit in a Special Economic Zone;
• Single Window clearance on matters relating to Central as well as State Governments;
• Simplified compliance procedures and documentation with an emphasis on self-certification
Objectives of SEZ
• Creating additional economic activity.
• Boosting the export of goods and services.
• Generating
• Boosting domestic and foreign
• Developing infrastructure facilities.
Challenges of SEZ:
Unutilized Land in SEZs: Due to lack of demand for SEZ space and disruptions caused by the
pandemic.
Existence of Multiple Models: There are multiple models of economic zones such as SEZ, coastal
economic zone, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, National Investment and Manufacturing Zone,
food park and textile park which pose challenges in integrating the various models.
Competition from ASEAN Countries:
In the past few years, many of the ASEAN countries have tweaked their policies to attract global
players to invest into their SEZs and have also worked on a developmental set of their skilling
initiatives.
Consequently, Indian SEZs have lost some of their competitive advantages globally and hence need
to have fresher policies.
Performance of SEZ
Source: Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (2012-2013)
1.
As on 30th September 2014 Incremental employment has shown growth rate of 49.61% in 2007-
2008. It has shown an increasing trend from 25.41% in 2008-2009 to around 46.89% in 2010-
2011.
2.
However, incremental growth rate registered a decline from 2013 to 2016 on account of continuous
de-notification of number of SEZs as a result of several adverse market conditions.
3. S EZs have generated employment from 1, 34,704 employees in 2006 to 18, 23,451 employees in 2017-
2018 (i.e., more than 13 folds).
However, SEZs has created an employment but there is a shortfall between the projected and actual
employment.
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A Climate Risks
Context:
1. Last 2 weeks of July has seen over 50% more than what is normal for this time of the year.
2.
Many regions in the Konkan coast and the southern peninsula have been seeing instances of extreme
rainfall.
Distribution
• According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data on the regional distribution, the South
Peninsula has seen 29% more rain from June 1-July 25 than what is normal for this period.
Reason:
• Rainfall in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, was torrential enough to beat its all-time record, according
to the IMD. The monsoon is characterised by unexpected variability that forecast models can
capture only in a limited way.
• Distinctive change in climate patterns.
Changes Observed
• The frequency and the strength of cyclones over the Arabian Sea have increased in the last two
decades. There has been a 52% increase in the frequency of cyclones over the Arabian Sea from
2001-2019 and an 8% decrease over the Bay of Bengal compared to 1982-2002, when, historically,
most cyclones have been in the Bay of Bengal
• Even the duration of these cyclones has increased by 80%. More cyclones are bringing in more
moisture from the Arabian Sea and contributing to extreme rainfall events over the western coast,
the most recent example being cyclone Tauktae in May, which at 185 kilometres per hour was
among the strongest cyclones to approach Mumbai.
• They drive storm surges that flood the coast. Heating globe has increased atmospheric moisture
levels, contributing to short, intense spells of rains.
• The interaction between warming, rainfall and temperature is complex and variables such as aerosol
emissions, particulate matter pollution, agriculture and forestry patterns must be accounted for.
Future Holds
1. Bursts of torrential localised rainfall and prolonged droughts and heatwaves are likely to increase,
making the role of accurate forecasts that are able to warn of such events at least three to five days
ahead even more important.
Challenge
1. Challenge is to undertake so-called climate-proofing of the most vulnerable regions and taking
warnings of scientific risk assessment seriously.
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2. limited construction in places that have been marked vulnerable Just as it is possible to plan
earthquake-resilient structures and site them scientifically, but hard to anticipate a major quake
3. Proper planning can insure against the inevitable extremities of nature.
4. Adhering to International climate change agreements
India’s 39th World Heritage Site: Rudreswara Temple
Context:
Rudreswara Temple (Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Warangal, Telangana
The decision was taken at the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO.
Ramappa temple, a 13th century engineering marvel named after its architect, Ramappa, was
proposed by the government as its only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the
year 2019.
About:
The Rudreswara(Ramappa) Temple
• The Rudreswara temple was constructed in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire by
RecharlaRudra, a general of Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva.
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• The presiding deity in temple is Ramalingeswara Swamy. It is also known as the Ramappa temple,
after the sculptor who executed the work in the temple for 40 years.
• The temple complexes of Kakatiyas have a distinct style, technology and decoration exhibiting the
influence of the Kakatiyan sculptor. The Ramappa Temple is a manifestation of this and often stands
as a testimonial to the Kakatiyan creative genius. The temple stands on a 6 feet high star-shaped
platform with walls, pillars and ceilings adorned with intricate carvings that attest to the unique
skill of the Kakatiyan sculptors.
• The sculptural art and decoration specific to the time and Kakatiyan Empire have an outstanding
universal value. The distinct style of Kakatiyas for the gateways to temple complexes, unique only
to this region confirms the highly evolved proportions of aesthetics in temple and town gateways
in South India.
• European merchants and travellers were mesmerized by the beauty of the temple and one such
traveller had remarked that the temple was the “brightest star in the galaxy of medieval temples of
the Deccan”.
United Nation’s Global Survey on Digital and
Sustainable Trade Facilitation:
Context:
India has scored 90.32% in United Nation’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific’s
(UNESCAP) latest Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation.
The Survey hails this as a remarkable jump from 78.49% in 2019.
About:
The Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation:
• The Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation is conducted every two years by
UNESCAP.
• The 2021 Survey includes an assessment of 58 trade facilitation measures covered by the WTO’s
Trade Facilitation Agreement. The Survey is keenly awaited globally as it evidences whether or not
the trade facilitation measures being taken have the desired impact and helps draw comparison
amongst countries. A higher score for a country also helps businesses in their investment
decisions.
Parameters of Evaluation:
• After evaluation of 143 economies, the 2021 Survey has highlighted India’s significant improvement
in the scores on all 5 key indicators, as follows:
1. Transparency:100% in 2021 (from 93.33% in 2019)
2. Formalities: 95.83% in 2021 (from 87.5% in 2019)
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3. Institutional Arrangement and Cooperation: 88.89% in 2021 (from 66.67% in 2019)
4. Paperless Trade: 96.3% in 2021 (from 81.48% in 2019)
5. Cross-Border Paperless Trade: 66.67% in 2021 (from 55.56% in 2019)
India’s Performance:
• The Survey notes that India is the best performing country when compared to South and South
West Asia region (63.12%) and Asia Pacific region (65.85%).
• The overall score of India has also been found to be greater than many OECD countries including
France, UK, Canada, Norway, Finland etc. and the overall score is greater than the average score of
EU.
• India has achieved a 100% score for the Transparency index and 66% in the “Women in trade”
component.
Measures that helps in Improving India’s Ranking:
• CBIC, has been at forefront of path breaking reforms under the umbrella of ‘Turant’ Customs to
usher in a Faceless, Paperless and Contactless Customs by way of a series of reforms. This has had
a direct impact in terms of the improvement in the UNESCAP rankings on digital and sustainable
trade facilitation.
During the Covid19 pandemic, Customs formations have made all efforts to expedite Covid related
imports such as Oxygen related equipments, life-saving medicines, vaccines etc. A dedicated single
window COVID-19 24*7 helpdesk for EXIM trade was created on the CBIC website to facilitate quick
resolution of issue(s) faced by importers.
Gross Environment Product (GEP)
Context:
• The Uttarakhand government recently announced it will initiate valuation of its natural resources
in the form of ‘Gross Environment Product’ (GEP).
• It is along the lines of GDP
About:
Need of GEP:
• Rapid degradation of ecosystems, which led to adverse impacts on more than 60 per cent of services
we get from the ecosystems in general.
• Uttarakhand, through its biodiversity, gives services to the tune of Rs 95,112 crore per year to the
nation. The state has over 71% area under forests.
• Uttarakhand is a state which provides a lot of environment services and in continuity as a result of
which, there is a natural degradation in those services.
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Concept of GEP
Concept of (Gross Environment Product) GEP
• It was established back in 1997by ecological economists like Robert Costanza at the global level.
• It is an assessment system to measure ecological status.
• It is considered as the product and service value that the ecosystem provides for human welfare
and economic and social sustainable development, including provisioning, regulating and cultural
ecosystem services.
• Overall, GEP accounts for the economic value of the ecosystem in providing products and services,
and it is one of the components of green GDP.
• Green GDP is an indicator of economic growth with environmental factors taken into consideration
along with the standard GDP of a country. It factors biodiversity losses and costs attributed to
climate change.
Issues with Adoption of GEP
• It may confuse policy makers and negate the past efforts.
• The purpose of introducing GEP is not transparent.
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Way Forward
• Instead of introducing a well-defined concept of ecosystem services, planting a new term with no
clear-cut narrative invites serious doubts on the intention of the government.
• So, it is important that the state should be steady in approach, focusing on Ecosystem Services,
which has global acceptance and a strong knowledge base.
The Assam-Mizoram Border Dispute
Context:
• At least five Assam Police personnel were killed after the old boundary dispute between Assam and
Mizoram exploded in violent clashes a contested border point on Monday.
• The violence spotlights the long-standing inter-state boundary issues in the Northeast, particularly
between Assam and the states that were carved out of it.
• In October last year, residents of Assam and Mizoram had clashed twice in the space of a week over
territory, in which at least eight people were injured and a few huts and small shops were torched.
About:
The Genesis of the Boundary Dispute:
• The boundary dispute between present-day Assam and Mizoram, 165 km long today, dates back to
the colonial era, when Mizoram was known as Lushai Hills, a district of Assam.
• The dispute stems from a notification of 1875 that differentiated the Lushai Hills from the plains of
Cachar, and another of 1933, which demarcates a boundary between the Lushai Hills and Manipur.
• Mizoram believes the boundary should be demarcated on the basis of the 1875 notification, which
is derived from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act, 1873.
• Mizo leaders have argued in the past against the demarcation notified in 1933 because Mizo society
was not consulted.
• On other hand, the Assam government follows the 1933 demarcation.
What led to the Violence and Clashes?
• According to Mizoram authority, an agreement between governments of Assam and Mizoram some
years ago, status quo should be maintained in no man’s land in the border area. However, people
from Lailapur (Assam) broke the status quo and allegedly constructed some temporary huts. People
from Mizoram side went and set fire on them.”
• On the other hand, Assam authority maintained that the contested land belongs to Assam as per
the state’s records.
Way Forward:
• Boundary disputes between the states can be settled by using satellite mapping of the actual border
locations.
9 www.yojnaias.com• Reviving the Inter-state council can be an option for resolution of an Inter-state dispute.
• Under Article 263 of the Constitution, the Inter-state council is expected to inquire and advise
on disputes, discuss subjects common to all states and make recommendations for better
policy coordination.
• Similarly, Zonal councils need to be revived to discuss the matters of common concern to states in
each zone—matters relating to social and economic planning, border disputes, inter-state transport,
etc.
India is the epitome of unity in diversity. However, in order to strengthen this unity furthermore, both
the centre and state governments, need to imbibe the ethos of cooperative federalism
Insolvency and Bankruptcy (amendment) Bill on
Pre-pack Resolution of MSMEs
Context:
• The Bill is set to replace the IBC Amendment Ordinance 2021 promulgated in April which
introduced pre-packs as an insolvency resolution mechanism for micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) with defaults up to Rs 1 crore.
About:
Major Provisions of Amendment Bill:
• Distressed corporate debtors (CDs) are permitted to initiate a pre-packaged insolvency resolution
process (PIRP) with the approval of two-thirds of their creditors to resolve their outstanding debt
under the new mechanism.
• CDs are also required to submit a base resolution plan at the time of the initiation of the PIRP.
10 www.yojanaias.com• Unlike in the case of corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP), debtors remain in control of
their distressed firm during the PIRP.
• The PIRP also allows for a Swiss challenge to the resolution plan submitted by a CD in case
operational creditors are not paid 100 per cent of their outstanding dues. Under the Swiss challenge
mechanism, any third party would be permitted to submit a resolution plan for the distressed
company and the original applicant would have to either match the improved resolution plan or
forego the investment.
Need of Pre-Packs:
• CIRP is a time taking resolution. At the end of December 2020, over 86% of the 1717 ongoing
insolvency resolution proceedings had crossed the 270-day threshold.
• Under the IBC, stakeholders are required to complete the CIRP within 330 days of the initiation of
insolvency proceedings.
• One of the key reasons behind delays in the CIRPs are prolonged litigations by erstwhile promoters
and potential bidders.
Benefits of Pre-packs:
• Quick resolution:
• It is limited to a maximum of 120 days with only 90 days available to the stakeholders to bring
the resolution plan to the NCLT.
• Besides offering a way for MSMEs to restructure their debts, the pre-pack scheme could also
reduce the burden on benches of the NCLT by offering a faster resolution mechanism than
ordinary CIRPs.
• Minimizes Disruptions to the Business: Existing management retains control in the case of pre-
packs rather than resolution professionals in CIRP, hence avoids the cost of disruption of business
and continues to retain employees, suppliers, customers, and investors.
• Addresses the entire liability side: PIRP will help CD to enter into consensual restructuring with
lenders and address the entire liability side of the company.
Challenges of PIRP:
• Raising additional capital: Initially CDs may not raise additional capital or debt from Investors or
Banks, because of the risk involved in recovering the money being provided by these Investors and
lenders.
• Small timeline: Resolution Plan under PIRP is 90 days with an additional 30 days to AA (Adjudicating
Authority) for support of the scheme. It is challenging for CoC (Committee of Creditors) members
to decide on the Base resolution Plan within this short period without any broad parameters on
which the Resolution Plan be approved
Way Forward:
• While the PIRP is a timely effort to protect viable MSMEs, it is likely that operationalizing it only
for MSMEs now may just be the first step towards a sound Pre-pack and will lead to a much wider
coverage in the future which, like the IBC, is expected to evolve with time and jurisprudence.
• The government should consider setting up specific benches of the NCLT to deal with pre-pack
11 www.yojnaias.comresolution plans to ensure that they are implemented in a time-bound manner.
Exercise Cutlass Express 2021
Context:
• Indian Naval Ship Talwar is participating in Exercise Cutlass Express 2021, being conducted from
26 July 2021 to 06 August 2021 along the East Coast of Africa.
• The exercise is an annual maritime exercise conducted to promote national and regional maritime
security in East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.
• The 2021 edition of the exercise involves participation of 12 Eastern African countries, US, UK,
India and various international organisations like International Maritime Organisation (IMO),
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Interpol, EurEuropean Union Naval Force
(EUNAVFOR), Critical Maritime Routes Indian Ocean (CRIMARIO) and EUCAP Somalia.
• Indian Navy is participating in the exercise in a ‘trainer role’.
About:
Exercise Cutlass Express 2021:
• The exercise focuses on East Africa’s coastal regions and is designed to assess and improve
combined maritime law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security and increase
interoperability between the regional navies.
• As part of the exercise, the Indian Navy, together with other partners, shall undertake training of
contingents from various participating countries in various field across the spectrum of maritime
security operation.
• Information sharing and information flow between various partner countries with respect to
maritime domain awareness is also a key focus of the exercise and participation of India’s Information
Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) would contribute in achieving the same.
12 www.yojanaias.com• As part of the exercise, the ship is visiting Mombasa, Kenya, wherein various other professional
interactions are also planned with the Kenya Navy. The ship, during its stay at Mombasa, will also
host a number of events to build stronger bridges of friendships with Kenya, Indian community and
host of other partners in addition to the Cutlass Express participants.
• India’s commitment to the countries along East Coast of Africa and the Western IOR is further
going to be strengthened with the visit of INS Talwar and is in keeping with India’s stated policy
towards maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and vision SAGAR (Security and Growth
for All in the Region).
Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR):
• Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime
neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities. For this, India would cooperate
on the exchange of information, coastal surveillance, building of infrastructure and strengthening
their capabilities.
• Further, India seeks to safeguard its national interests and ensure Indian Ocean region to become
inclusive, collaborative and respect international law.
13 www.yojnaias.comDholavira became the UNESCO Heritage site
Context:
Dholavira, the archaeological site of a Harappan-era city, received the UNESCO world heritage site tag
on Tuesday. While Dholavira became the fourth site from Gujarat and 40th from India to make the list,
it is the first site of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) in India to get the tag.
About:
Dholavira Sites:
• The IVC acropolis is located on a hillock near present-day Dholavira village in Kutch district, from
which it gets its name. It was discovered in 1968 by archaeologist Jagat Pati Joshi.
• The site’s excavation between 1990 and 2005 under the supervision of archaeologist Ravindra Singh
Bisht uncovered the ancient city, which was a commercial and manufacturing hub for about 1,500
years before its decline and eventual ruin in 1500 BC.
Distinct Features of Dholavira:
• After Mohen-jo-Daro, Ganweriwala and Harappa in Pakistan and Rakhigarhi in Haryana of India,
Dholavira is the fifth largest metropolis of IVC.
• The site has a fortified citadel, a middle town and a lower town with walls made of sandstone or
limestone instead of mud bricks in many other Harappan sites.
14 www.yojanaias.com• Archaeologist Bisht cites a cascading series of water reservoirs, outer fortification, two multi-
purpose grounds — one of which was used for festivities and as a marketplace — nine gates with
unique designs, and funerary architecture featuring tumulus — hemispherical structures like the
Buddhist Stupas— as some of the unique features of the Dholavira site.
• In dholavira we found the origin of the Buddhist Stupas in memorials in Dholavira.
• Unlike graves at other IVC sites, no mortal remains of humans have been discovered at Dholavira.
Accoding to Archaeologist Bisht, memorials contain no bones or ashes but offerings of precious
stones, etc. add a new dimension to the personality of the Harappans.
Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee Corporation
(DICGC) Bill
Context:
• Cabinet approves amendment to Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) Bill to
provide account holders access to up to Rs 5 lakh funds within 90 days of bank failure.
• The government had last year raised insurance cover on bank deposit by five-folds to Rs 5 lakh to
provide support to the depositors of struggling lenders like Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative
(PMC) Bank. Following the collapse of PMC Bank, private sector lender Yes Bank and Laxmi Vilas
Bank too came under stress, leading to restructuring by the regulator and the government.
• The DICGC Bill insures all bank deposits and covers all commercial banks, even foreign bank
branches in India are covered under it.
• Under the DICGC, each depositor’s bank deposit is insured up to Rs 5 lakh in each bank (for both
principal and interest).
• The increase of insured amount from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh will cover 98.3 per cent of all deposit
accounts and 50.9 per cent of deposit value.
About:
Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation
• DICGC came into existence in 1978 after the merger of Deposit Insurance Corporation (DIC) and
Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd. (CGCI) after passing of the Deposit Insurance and
Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, 1961by the Parliament.
• It serves as a deposit insurance and credit guarantee for banks in India.
• It is a fully owned subsidiary of and is governed by the Reserve Bank of India
• DICGC charges 10 paise per Rs. 100 of deposits held by a bank. The premium paid by the insured
banks to the Corporation is paid by the banks and is not to be passed on to depositors.
• Banks, including regional rural banks, local area banks, foreign banks with branches in India, and
cooperative banks, are mandated to take deposit insurance cover with the DICGC.
15 www.yojnaias.comAdvantage:
• Normally, it takes 8-10 years after complete liquidation to get money under insurance; but now,
even if there is a moratorium, within 90 days, the process will definitely be completed, giving relief
to depositors, the finance minister said.
• It will foster the confidence in household small depositor against the backdrop of multiple bank
collapse in recent time.
Lithium exploration
Context:
Geological Survey of India, an attached office of Ministry of Mines, takes up different stages of mineral
exploration following the guidelines of United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) and Mineral
Evidence and Mineral Content Rules (MEMC-2015) for augmenting mineral resource for various
mineral commodities including lithium.
About:
Lithium:
• Properties:
• It is a chemical element with the symbol
• It is a soft, silvery-white metal.
• Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element.
• It is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in mineral oil.
• It is an alkali metal and a rare metal.
• The alkali metals consist of the chemical elements lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium,
cesium, and francium. Together with hydrogen they constitute group 1, which lies in the
s-block of the periodic table.
Uses:
• Lithium metal is used to make useful alloys.
• For example, with lead to make ‘white metal’ bearings for motor engines, with aluminum to make
aircraft parts, and with magnesium to make armor plates.
• In Thermonuclear reactions.
• To make electrochemical cells. Lithium is an important component in Electric vehicles, Laptops etc.
Benefits of Domestic Exploration:
• Reducing Import Bill: India currently imports all its lithium needs. Over 165 crore lithium batteries
are estimated to have been imported into India between 2016-17 and 2019-20, at an estimated
import bill of upwards of USD 3.3 billion.
16 www.yojanaias.com• Reducing Overdependence on China: China is a major source of lithium-ion energy storage
products being imported into the country.
Issues Associated with Domestic Exploration:
• The new find is categorized as “inferred”.
• The ‘inferred’ mineral resource is the part of a resource for which quantity, grade and mineral
content are estimated only with a low level of confidence based on information gathered from
locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings, and drill holes that may be of limited or
uncertain quality, and also of lower reliability.
• The lithium find is comparatively small, considering the size of the proven reserves in Bolivia,
Argentina, Australia, and China respectively.
• India is seen as a late mover in attempts to enter the lithium value chain, coming at a time when
Electric Vehicles are predicted to be a sector ripe for disruption.
• 2021 is likely to be a turning point for battery technology with several potential improvements to
the li-ion technology, and alternatives to this tried-and-tested formulation in advanced stages of
commercialization
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children)
Amendment Bill 2021
Context:
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021, was passed in Parliament.
The bill is amendment over the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015
17 www.yojnaias.comAbout:
Background:
• The National Commission for Protection For Child Rights, audit of Child Care Institutions (CCIs)
in 2020 and found that 90% of CCIs are run by NGOs and 39% CCIs were not registered,.
• Commission also found that less than 20% CCIs, especially for girls, had not been set up in some states.
• Further, three-fifths CCIs have no toilets; one-tenth CCIs have no drinking water.
Amendments Proposed in the Bill:
• Serious Offences: Serious offences are those offences for which the punishment under the IPC
(Indian Penal Code) or any other law for the time being is imprisonment between three and seven
years.
• Non-cognizable Offences: The Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 provides that an offence which is
punishable with imprisonment between three to seven years to be cognizable i.e., arrest is allowed
without warrant and non-bailable. The amendment bill provides that such offences will be non-
cognizable.
• Adoption: According to The Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 the adoption order issued by the court
establishes that the child belongs to the adoptive parents. The amendment Bill provides that instead
of the court, the District Magistrate (including Additional District Magistrate) will issue such
adoption orders.
• Appeals: The amended Bill provides that any person aggrieved by an adoption order passed by the
District Magistrate may file an appeal before the Divisional Commissioner, within 30 days from the
date of passage of such order.
• Designated Court: The amendment Bill proposes that all offences under the earlier Act be tried in
children’s court.
• Child Welfare Committees (CWCs): Eligibility Parameters for Appointment of CWC Members
Redefined to ensure that Only the Persons Capable of Rendering Quality Service with Requisite
Competence and Integrity are Appointed. Amendment bill provides that a person will not eligible
to be a member of the CWC if he/she
• He/she has any record of violation of human rights or child rights,
• He/she has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude,
• He/she has been removed or dismissed from service of the central government, or any state
government, or a government undertaking.
Government Launches the “Secured Logistics
Document Exchange” to boost Ease of Doing
Business in the country
Context:
• To improve ease of doing business, government launched the “Secured Logistics Document
Exchange”.
18 www.yojanaias.com• The Digital initiative is now set to improve logistics efficiency, reduce logistics cost, and promote
multi-modality and sustainability in a big way.
• These digital initiatives have been launched to fill the gap areas where no action has yet been taken
either by private players or any of the line ministries.
About:
Secured Logistics Document Exchange
• The SLDE platform is a solution to replace the present manual process of generation, exchange
and compliance of logistics documents with a digitized, secure and seamless document exchange
system.
• This will enable generation, storage and interchange of logistics-related documents digitally using
Aadhaar and blockchain-based security protocols for data security and authentication.
• It will also provide a complete audit trail of document transfer, faster execution of transaction,
lower cost of shipping and overall carbon footprint, easy verification of authenticity of documents,
lowered risk of fraud, etc.
• The proof of concept of the platform has been developed and executed with banks (ICICI, Axis Bank,
State Bank of India and HDFC Bank) and stakeholders including freight forwarders, exporters,
importers and vessel operators.
Benefits of Secured Logistics Document Exchange:
• Improved Efficiency: Initiatives will improve logistics efficiency, reduce logistics cost, and promote
multi-modality and sustainability in a big way, also help fill the gap areas where no action has yet
been taken either by private players or any of the line ministries.
Achieving Targets: It will help achieve the targets of improved India’s ranking in Logistics Performance
Index (India ranked 44th on the LPI in 2018.) reduction in logistics cost and establishment of indigenous
India-specific metrics for continual improvement in logistics
19 www.yojnaias.comCreamy Layer Among OBCs:
Context:
During the ongoing Monsoon Session, members of parliament have addressed the topic of a proposal to
modify the criteria for designating the "creamy layer" among OBCs.
About:
Other Backward class (OBCs)
• The Government of India uses the phrase "other backward class" to designate castes that are
educationally or socially disadvantaged. Along with General Class, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled
Tribes, it is one of India's official population classifications (SCs and STs).
• According to the Mandal Commission report from 1980, the OBCs made up 52 percent of the
country's population, and 41 percent in 2006, when the National Sample Survey Organization was
conducted.
Reservation for OBCs:
• The Indian Constitution's Article 15 prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste,
sex, or place of birth.
• Furthermore, Article 15(4) empowers the state to make exceptional measures to promote the
interests and welfare of society's socially and educationally disadvantaged groups.
• In addition, Article 16(4) of the Constitution states that “nothing in this article 15 shall preclude
the State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any
backward class of citizens who, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the
services under the state.”
• Furthermore, the government is required by Article 340 of the Indian Constitution to promote the
welfare of the OBCs.
• As a result, OBCs are entitled to 27 percent quota in government jobs and higher education. The
Indian Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment maintains a dynamic list of OBCs, with castes
and groups being included or deleted based on social, educational, and economic reasons. While
there is a 27% quota for OBCs in government positions and higher education institutions, people
who fall into the "creamy layer" (different categories based on income and parents' rank) are not
eligible for this quota.
Concept of “creamy layer”:
• The government had notified 27 percent reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes
(SEBCs) in vacancies in civil posts and services that are to be filled by direct recruitment, based on
the proposal of the Second Backward Classes Commission (Mandal Commission). Following a
legal challenge, the Supreme Court (in the Indira Sawhney case) affirmed the 27 percent reservation
for OBCs, subject to the creamy layer's exclusion.
20 www.yojanaias.comCriteria for “creamy layer”:
• To establish the criteria for identifying the creamy layer, an expert group led by Justice (retired) R
N Prasad was formed.
• The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) identified a number of adults of various ranks,
statuses, and income levels whose children are ineligible for OBC reservations.
1.
For people who are not employed by the government, the current income criterion is Rs 8 lakh per
year.
2.
The cutoff for children of government employees is determined by their parents' rank rather than
their income. People whose parents are on constitutional posts, such as Group-A officials, or whose
parents are both in Group-B services, are considered cremy layers and hence are not eligible for OBC
benefits.
3. When defining the creamy layer, income from salaries or agricultural land is not taken into account.
Government’s Proposal to revise the criteria for defining the “creamy layer”:
• According to a draught Cabinet note, the creamy layer will be assessed on all income, including
salary for income tax purposes, but not agriculture income.
• The government is considering a consensus of Rs 12 lakh,
• whereas a Parliamentary Committee has recommended that the annual income ceiling for the
creamy layer category of OBCs be increased to Rs 15 lakh per year, and that salary and agricultural
revenue be excluded when calculating the annual income ceiling.
Source: The Hindu
DISCOM Restructuring:
• The Union cabinet has adopted a Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme that is based on reforms
and results.
• To be eligible for funding, DISCOMs (Power Distribution Companies) must submit detailed project
reports (DPRs) outlining how they expect to reduce operating losses.
• The discoms were set a rough deadline of October 31, 2021. It has now been extended till December
31, 2021.
About:
Scheme based on reforms and connected to results:
Goals:
• By 2024-25, AT&C (aggregate technical and commercial) losses in India will be reduced to 12-15
percent.
• By 2024-25, the ACS-ARR gap (the difference between the overall cost of electricity and the revenue
generated from supplying power) will be zero.
• Modern discoms' institutional capacities are being developed.
21 www.yojnaias.com• A financially viable and operationally effective Distribution Sector will improve the quality,
dependability, and affordability of power delivery to consumers.
• Rather to a "one-size-fits-all" approach, the Scheme would be implemented based on the action
plan developed for each state.
Features:
• Conditional Financial Assistance: By providing conditional financial assistance for supply
infrastructure strengthening, the Scheme intends to improve the operational efficiencies and
financial sustainability of all DISCOMs (except private sector DISCOMs).
• Subsumption of Various Schemes: It is proposed that the following schemes be merged: Integrated
Power Development Scheme (IPDS), Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Ujwal
Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY).
• Solarization of Agricultural Feeders: The Scheme focuses on enhancing farmers' electricity supply
and supplying them with daytime electricity through the solarization of agricultural feeders. This
scheme is similar to the PM-KUSUM scheme, which intends to solarize all feeders and provide
farmers with new income opportunities.
• Prepaid Smart Metering: A crucial aspect of the Scheme is to promote customer empowerment
through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Smart Metering.
• Smart metres would allow consumers to monitor their electricity consumption on a daily rather
than monthly basis, allowing them to use electricity more efficiently based on their individual needs
and available resources.
• In the first phase, it is planned to deploy around 10 crore prepaid Smart Meters by December 2023.
• Using Technology: Artificial Intelligence will be used to develop system-generated energy
accounting reports, allowing DISCOMs to make more informed judgments on loss reduction,
demand forecasting, Time of Day (ToD) tariffs, Renewable Energy (RE) Integration, and other
predictive analysis.
Source: Indian Express
RAHUL NAGARE
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