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15th July 2021
CABINET APPROVES EXTENSION OF TERM OF COMMISSION EXAMINING SUB-CATEGORISATION WITHIN OBC IN CENTRAL LIST
Recently the Union Cabinet has approved the Eleventh Extension of the term of the Commission constituted under Article 340 of the Constitution.
Highlights
- The Commission is constituted to examine the issue of Sub-categorization within Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Central List.
- The term of the commission is extended from 31st July 2021 to 31st January 2022.
- The extension shall enable the “Commission” to submit a comprehensive report on the issue of sub-categorization of OBCs, after consultation with various stake holders.
- It was constituted in 2017 under Article 340 of the Indian Constitution.
- Its objective is to examine to examine the issues of the sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes with the following terms of reference:
- To examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of Other Backward Classes with reference to such classes included in the Central List;
- To work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such Other Backward Classes; and
- To take up the exercise of identifying the respective castes or communities or sub-castes or synonyms in the Central List of Other Backward Classes and classifying them into their respective sub-categories
- The four-member Commission is headed by Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini, Chief Justice (Retd.), Delhi High Court.
- The commission had been appointed to look into the existing list of OBCs and categorise the OBCs that have not benefited from the reservations in government jobs and education.
- It deals with the appointment of a commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes.
- Article 340 (1): The President may by order appoint a Commission consisting of such persons as he thinks fit to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes within the territory of India.
- The Commission shall provide recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by the Union or any State to remove such difficulties and to improve their condition.
- Article 340 (2): A Commission so appointed shall investigate the matters referred to them and present to the President a report setting out the facts as found by them and making such recommendations as they think proper.
- Article 340 (3): The President shall cause a copy of the report so presented together with a memorandum explaining the action taken thereon to be laid before each House of Parliament.
- The UV-C air duct disinfection system is developed by CSIR-CSIO (Central Scientific Instruments Organisation).
- The system is designed to fit into any existing air-ducts and the virucidal dosages using UV-C intensity and residence time can be optimised according to the existing space.
- The virus is deactivated in any aerosol particles by the calibrated levels of UV-C light.
- Ultraviolet (UV) is a type of light or radiation naturally emitted by the Sun.
- It covers a wavelength range of 100-400 nm.
- The human visible light ranges from 380–700 nm.
- The UV is divided into three bands: UV-C (100-280 nm), UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-A (315-400 nm).
- The UV-A and UV-B rays from the Sun are transmitted through our atmosphere and all UV-C is filtered by the ozone layer.
- UV-B rays can only reach the outer layer of our skin or epidermis and can cause sunburns and are also associated with skin cancer.
- UV-A rays can penetrate the middle layer of the skin or the dermis and can cause aging of skin cells and indirect damage to cells’ DNA.
- UV-C radiation from man-made sources has been known to cause skin burns and eye injuries.
- UV-C radiation (wavelength around 254 nm) has been used for decades to disinfect the air in hospitals, laboratories, and also in water treatment.
- In 2020, a report mentioned that the UV-C radiation can destroy the outer protein coating of the SARS-Coronavirus.
- It showed that 222-nm, known as ‘far-UVC light’, efficiently kills airborne human coronaviruses i.e. alpha HCoV-229E and beta HCoV-OC43.
- An in-vitro experiment conducted by Hiroshima University researchers showed that 99.7% of SARS-CoV-2 viral culture was killed when exposed to 222 nm UV-C irradiation at 0.1 mW/cm2 for 30-seconds.
- In 2021, a study reported that the UV-C irradiation was highly effective in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 replication.
- The researchers from the IIT-Kanpur, who developed a portable disinfectant device that used UV-C radiation (222-254 nm), have noted that the device was specifically developed to disinfect non-living things.
- The release from the Ministry of Science and Technology does not state the wavelength or duration used, but mentioned that the product was tested for more than 99% disinfection.
- There are few studies which have shown that far-UVC light (207–222 nm) does not harm mammalian skin.
- The Far-UVC light has a very limited range and cannot penetrate through the outer dead-cell layer of human skin or the tear layer in the eye.
- The committee is tasked to recommend approach towards development of Longevity Finance Hub and provide road map for the same.
- It is being co-chaired by Ms. Kaku Nakhate, President and Country Head (India), Bank of America, and Mr. Gopalan Srinivasan, Ex-CMD, New India Assurance Company Limited.
- It comprise of leaders from the entire longevity finance ecosystem including from areas such as banking, insurance, wealth management, FinTech, legal, compliance and management consultancy.
- It has been established in 2020 under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019.
- It is headquartered at GIFT City, Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
- It is a unified authority for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services and financial institutions.
- The GIFT IFSC is the maiden international financial services centre in India.
- Its objective is to develop a strong global connect and focus on the needs of the Indian economy as well as to serve as an international financial platform for the entire region and the global economy as a whole.
- They are a class of securities that provide a hedge for parties exposed to longevity risks through their businesses, such as pension plan managers and insurers.
- These derivatives are designed to deliver increasingly high payouts as a selected population group lives longer than originally expected or calculated.
- The derivatives are securities that derive their value from price fluctuations in an underlying asset or group of assets.
- They are designed to offer some protection against the risks by enabling investors to make money on the side from people living longer.
- It calls for 27 member states of European Commission to cut their output of greenhouse gases by 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels.
- Its target is more aggressive than that of the United States, which committed to reduce emissions by 40% to 43% over the same period, but behind Britain, which pledged a 68% reduction.
- It includes a contentious plan called “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism” which would impose tariffs on imported products based on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with them.
- The European Union’s plan to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by more than half by the end of the decade will touch almost every industry in the trade bloc.
- The transition will be painful for some consumers and companies by raising the cost of a wide variety of goods and services.
- The proposals could reshape polluting industries like steelmaking, which directly employs 330,000 people in the European Union.
- Most automakers have announced plans to shift to electric vehicles, but many have resisted putting an expiration date on the fossil-fuel powered vehicles, which still generate the most profits.
- The European Commission plan would effectively require all new cars to be emissions-free by 2035, removing any flexibility for companies to continue selling some gasoline or diesel vehicles.
- The public funds will be used to help build charging stations every 60 kilometers, or 36 miles, on major highways.
- The commission will help finance a network of hydrogen fueling stations, benefiting companies that are planning to build long-haul trucks that run on fuel cells that convert hydrogen to electricity.
- The aircrafts are major producers of carbon dioxide emissions but also difficult to convert to emission-free operation.
- Under the new proposal, the airlines would be compelled to begin mixing synthetic fuel with the fossil fuels they now use, and they will no longer receive tax breaks on fossil fuels.
- The deal singles out companies that ship cargos by water, making them pay more for the emissions they generate to encourage their transition to cleaner energy.
- The shipping industry lobbyists have already complained that it was unclear how the plan would be applied and which shipping routes would be affected.
- The plan would raise the cost of polluting by tightening the European Trading System, which compels companies to effectively pay for the dangerous carbon dioxide they release.
- The anticipation of the changes has already helped drive up the price of credits by about 50%.
- The steelmakers have warned that the proposals could further erode their competitive advantage over producers in China and discourage the investment needed to shift to lower emissions.
- The electricity producers will be pushed to speed up the switch to wind, solar and hydropower from coal.
- The goal is to rise the figure electricity generation by renewables to 40% by 2030, largely by increasing the penalty that utility companies pay for power generated by fossil fuels.
- The scheme is extended for 5 years i.e. from 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2026.
- The total cost of Rs.9000 crore has been approved, out of which Central share will be Rs.5357 crore including Rs.50 crore for the Gram Nyayalayas Scheme.
- The scheme will be implemented in a Mission Mode through National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms.
- There are several courts which are still functioning in rented premises with insufficient space and some in a dilapidated condition without basic amenities.
- The lack of residential accommodation to all the judicial officers also adversely affects their working and performance.
- The present Government has remained sensitive to the needs of providing well equipped judicial infrastructure to subordinate judiciary to facilitate administration of justice.
- The adequacy of judicial infrastructure is critical for reduction of pendency and backlog of cases in Courts.
- The Central Government, for over 20 years, provided only Rs. 3444 crore to the State Governments/ Union Territories.
- It has been in operation since 1993-94.
- It augments the resources of the State Governments for construction of court buildings and residential quarters for Judicial Officers (JO) in all the States / UTs.
- It provides for additional activities like construction of lawyer halls, toilets complexes and digital computer rooms.
- It covers all the States and Union Territories.
- It will help in construction of 3800 court halls and 4000 residential units (both new and ongoing projects) for judicial officers of District and Subordinate Courts.
- It will help in improving the functioning and performance of the Judiciary in the country.
- It will be a new step towards building better courts for a new India.
- It will increase the availability of well-equipped Court Halls and Residential Accommodations for Judges / Judicial Officers of District and Subordinate Courts all over the country.
- The courts are being provided with better amenities enabling win-win situation for both the judiciary and the lawyers and also to ease of living of common man.
- The digital computer rooms will improve digital capabilities and give impetus to the digitization initiation being pursued as a part of India’s Digital India vision.
- The activities which will be implemented for the next five years are:
- Construction of 3800 court halls and 4000 residential units for Judicial Officers (JO) in all the District and Subordinate Courts in all the District and Subordinate Courts with an expenditure of Rs.4500 crores;
- Construction of 1450 Lawyers’ Halls in all the District and Subordinate Courts with an expenditure of Rs.700 crore;
- Construction of 1450 toilet complex in all the District and Subordinate Courts with an expenditure of Rs.47 crore;
- Construction of 3800 Digital Computer Rooms in the District and Subordinate Courts with an expenditure of Rs.60 crore; and
- Operationalisation of Gram Nyayalayas in implementing states with an expenditure of Rs.50 crore
- An on-line monitoring system has been set up by the Department of Justice enabling data collection on progress, completion of court halls and residential units under construction as well as better asset management.
- The Department of Justice has developed an online monitoring system with technical assistance from ISRO.
- The upgraded “Nyaya Vikas-2.0” web portal and mobile application is used for monitoring physical and financial progress of CSS judicial infrastructure projects by geo-tagging completed and ongoing projects.
- Regular State level meetings of the Monitoring Committee are held by various High Courts, States with State Chief Secretaries and PWD officials to enable speedy and good construction.
- The Gram Nyayalaya Portal helps online monitoring of working of the Gram Nyayalayas by the implementing states.
- The setting up of AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries comes under the purview of respective State/UT Governments because Public Health is a State subject.
- In 2020, the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to operationalise AYUSH HWCs through States/UTs under the broad umbrella of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) in a phased manner by 2023-24.
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme for development and promotion of AYUSH system of medicine including Homoeopathy.
- It is a flagship scheme of Ministry of AYUSH approved and notified in 2014.
- The grant-in-aid is being provided to State/UT Governments for development and promotion of AYUSH as per their proposed State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs).
- The specific resource pool with respect to NAM for each State/UT Government is allocated and communicated by the Central Government.
- It provides financial assistance for upgradation of Government/ Panchayat/ Government aided AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries for undertaking addition/ alteration of existing premises, furniture, fixtures, equipments etc.
- Co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs);
- Supply of essential drugs to AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries;
- Up-gradation of exclusive State Government AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries;
- Setting up of up to 50 bedded integrated AYUSH Hospital;
- Upgradation of State Government Educational Institutions;
- Setting up of new State Government AYUSH Educational Institutions including Yoga and Naturopathy in the State where it is not available;
- Strengthening of State Government/ Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Pharmacies and Drug Testing Laboratories (DTL);
- Cultivation and Promotion of Medicinal Plants; and
- Upgradation of Health facilities (AYUSH Dispensaries and Health sub-centers) into AYUSH Health and Wellness Centre
- To provide cost effective AYUSH Services, with a universal access through upgrading AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries, co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).
- To establish a holistic wellness model based on AYUSH principles and practices to empower masses for ‘self-care’ to reduce the disease burden, out of pocket expenditure and to provide informed choice to the needy public.
- To strengthen institutional capacity at the state level through upgrading AYUSH educational institutions, State Govt. ASU&H Pharmacies, Drug Testing Laboratories and ASU & H enforcement mechanism.
- Support cultivation of medicinal plants by adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) so as to provide sustained supply of quality raw-materials and support certification mechanism for quality standards, Good Agricultural/Collection/Storage Practices.
- Support setting up of clusters through convergence of cultivation, warehousing, value addition and marketing and development of infrastructure for entrepreneurs.
- Better access to AYUSH healthcare services through increased healthcare facilities offering AYUSH services and better availability of medicines and trained manpower;
- Improvement in AYUSH education through a well-equipped enhanced number of AYUSH Educational institutions; and
- To focus on reducing communicable/non-communicable diseases through targeted public health programmes using AYUSH systems of Healthcare.
- A significant national EXIM trade that is steadily growing on an annual basis, a policy of 100% FDI in shipping since 1997 and Indian shipping industry and India's national fleet is proportionately small when compared with its global counterparts.
- The Indian fleet comprises of a meagre 1.2% of the world fleet in terms of capacity.
- The share of Indian ships in the carriage of India's EXIM trade has drastically declined from 40.7% in 1987-88 to about 7.8% in 2018-19.
- It has led to an increase in foreign exchange outgo on account of freight bill payments to foreign shipping companies.
- The operating costs of Indian ships are thus much higher as compared to those of foreign ships.
- The Indian ships are less competitive while compared to their foreign peers and the Right of First Refusal (ROFR) policy has not been able to fuel growth of Indian tonnage.
- It provides subsidy to Indian Shipping companies in global tenders floated by Ministries and CPSEs for import of government cargo in the following manner:
- For a ship which is flagged in India after 1st February, 2021 and is less than 10 years at the time of flagging in India:
- The subsidy support would beextended @15% of the quote offered by the L1 foreign shipping company, or
- The actual difference between thequote offered by the Indian flag vessel exercising ROFR and the quote offered by the L1 foreign shipping company, whichever is less
-
- For a ship which is flagged in India after 1st February, 2021 and which is between 10 to 20 years old at the time of flagging in India:
- The subsidy support would be extended @10% of the quoteoffered by the L1 foreign shipping company, or
- The actual difference between the quote offered by the Indian flag vessel exercising ROFRand the quote offered by the L1 foreign shipping company, whichever is less
-
- The rate at which the above subsidy support is extended would be reduced by 1% every year, till it falls to 10% and 5%, respectively, for the two categories of ships mentioned above.
- For existing Indian flagged ship which is already flagged and less than 10 years old on 1st February 2021:
- The subsidy support would beextended @10% of the quote offered by the L1 foreign shipping company; or
- The actual difference between the quote offered by the Indian flag vessel exercising ROFRand the quote offered by the L1 foreign shipping company, whichever is less
-
- For existing Indian flagged ship which already flagged and between 10 to 20 years old on 1st February 2021:
- The subsidy support would be extended @5% of the quote offeredby the L1 foreign shipping company; or
- The actual difference between the quote offered by the Indian flag vessel exercising ROFR and the quote offered by the L1 foreign shipping company, whichever is less
- The provisions of the subsidy support would not be available in case where an Indian flagged vessel is the L1 bidder.
- The budgetary support would be provided directly to the Ministry/Department concerned.
- The subsidy support would be extended only to those ships which have bagged the award after the implementation of the scheme.
- The ships older than 20 years would not eligible for any subsidy under the scheme.
- The scheme would be reviewed after 5 years.
- The increase in Indian fleet will provide direct employment to Indian seafarers since Indian ships are required to employ only Indian seafarers.
- The cadets wish to become seafarers are required to obtain on-board training on ships and the Indian ships will therefore provide training slots for young Indian cadet boys and girls.
- It will enhance the share of Indian seafarers in global shipping, and thus Indian supply of Seafarers to the world will increase manifold.
- The increase in Indian fleet will also generate indirect employment in development of ancillary industries such as shipbuilding, ship repair, recruitment, banking, etc. and contribute to the Indian GDP.
POSTED ON 15-07-2021 BY ADMIN
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