All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council welcomes amendments in Waqf Amendment Bill

• The government of India is all set to table the waqf bill Amendment Bill 2024 in the Lok Sabha.
• The Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024 will make crucial changes to the Waqf Act of 1995 while revoking several clauses.

The Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024

• The Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024 proposes a series of around 40 amendments to the existing Waqf Act of 1995. The bill is known as the amendment bill as it seeks to modify the existing act. This bill is designed to regulate the management of Waqf properties more effectively.
• The primary focus of the Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024 is to ensure greater accountability, transparency, and inclusivity within the Waqf system. 

The Waqf Board Act

• Waqf Act was first passed by Parliament in 1954. Subsequently, it was repealed and a new Waqf Act was passed in 1995 which gave more powers to Waqf Boards. In 2013, this Act was further amended to give far-reaching powers to the Waqf Board to designate the property as ''Waqf Property''.
• The Waqf Boards Act provides provisions to manage and designate properties as Waqf and establish a Central Waqf Council for oversight. The act aims to protect the interests of the Muslim community by ensuring that Waqf properties are used for charitable and religious purposes. 

Key Provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995

Establishment of Waqf Boards:

• The Act mandates the establishment of Waqf Boards in each state and Union Territory for the administration of Waqf properties.

Functions of Waqf Boards:

• Waqf Boards are responsible for maintaining Waqf properties, ensuring their proper use, and generating revenue for their upkeep.

Survey of Waqf Properties:

• The Act requires periodic surveys of Waqf properties to maintain updated records and prevent encroachments.

Registration of Waqf Properties:

• Waqf properties must be registered with the Waqf Boards, providing details of their location, usage, and revenue.

What Are the Proposed Amendments in the Waqf Act?

The cabinet has reviewed around 40 changes that will be brought through the Waqf Board Amendment Bill 2024. These amendments aim to curb the extensive powers previously held by Waqf Boards, ensuring a more regulated approach. Here are some of the key amendments proposed in the bill:

• Property Registration and Verification: Waqf Boards will be required to register their properties with district authorities to ensure proper verification and oversight.
• Verification of Properties: The bill requires mandatory new verification of disputed lands, enhancing the clarity around property ownership and management.
• Reform in Functioning: Revision in sections 9 and 14 to reform the functioning of the Waqf Boards to curb its arbitrary powers.
• Inclusion of Women: The proposed amendments advocate for the inclusion of women in Waqf Boards, promoting gender equality in decision-making processes.

Political and Social Implications of Waqf Act

          Support for Reforms:

• Proponents argue that the amendments will enhance transparency, accountability, and proper management of Waqf properties, preventing misuse and irregularities.

           Opposition from Muslim Organizations:

• Several Muslim organizations and political parties oppose the amendments, viewing them as an infringement on the autonomy of Waqf Boards and an attempt to control Muslim religious and charitable affairs.

           Broader Political Context:

• The amendments are seen in the broader context of the government’s efforts to reform laws related to Muslim personal law, with parallels drawn to previous initiatives like the Triple Talaq Bill.

Union Minister of Labour and Employment directed the implementation of the Employment-Linked Incentive-ELI Scheme in a mission mode

Definition:

• Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) is a proposed policy framework aimed at directly incentivizing companies based on the number of new jobs they create. 
• Unlike traditional incentive schemes like Production Linked Incentives (PLI), which reward companies based on their production output, ELI focuses purely on employment. 
• The idea is to provide financial incentives to companies for each new payroll job they add, irrespective of the industry they belong to or the nature of their production. 

The Centre will implement three schemes for “employment-linked incentive” as part of the Prime Minister’s package, focusing on enrolment in the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

• First Scheme- This scheme will provide one-month wage to all persons newly entering the workforce in all formal sectors. The direct benefit transfer of one-month salary in 3 instalments to first-time employees, as registered in the EPFO, will be up to Rs. 15,000. The eligibility limit will be a salary of Rs. 1 lakh per month. The scheme is expected to benefit 210 lakh youth.
• Second scheme-  An incentive will be provided at specified scale directly both to the employee and the employer with respect to their EPFO contribution in the first 4 years of employment. The scheme is expected to benefit 30 lakh youth entering employment, and their employers.
• Third scheme- This employer-focussed scheme will cover additional employment in all sectors. All additional employment within a salary of Rs.1 lakh per month will be counted. The government will reimburse to employers up to Rs. 3,000 per month for 2 years towards their EPFO contribution for each additional employee. The scheme is expected to incentivize additional employment of 50 lakh persons.

Skilling Programme and Upgradation of Industrial Training Institutes: 

Under this policy, the central government (Rs. 30,000 crore) in collaboration with the state government (Rs. 20,000 crore) and companies (Rs. 10,000 crores from CSR funds) will deploy Rs. 60,000 crores to upgrade 1000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). It will cover 200 hubs and 800 spoke (ITIs), redesign existing courses, launch new courses, and augment the capacity of 5 national institutes. It is expected to benefit 20 lakh students. 

Internship Policy:

The government aims to place 1 crore interns across the top 500 companies with a stipend subsidy of Rs. 5,000 per month and one-time assistance of Rs. 6,000, while the rest of the training cost is expected to be borne from the company’s CSR funds.

Concerns

• Undermining Productivity and Global Competitiveness: Critics argue that ELI might undermine productivity and global competitiveness by prioritising labour over technological advancements. However, the current emphasis on capital and GDP growth has not sufficiently addressed job creation and economic inequality, making a shift towards labour incentives potentially necessary.
• Impact on Employment and Political Proposals: The shortage of jobs has led to extreme measures, such as proposals to reserve jobs for locals, driven by political pressures. Merely criticizing such measures without offering concrete solutions is unproductive. Addressing the jobs deficit requires innovative ideas beyond traditional reforms.

Boilers Bill, 2024 introduced in Rajya Sabha

Key Highlights:

• The Boilers Bill, 2024 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha to repeal and replace the Boilers Act, 1923.The Bill aims to modernize and simplify the legislative framework governing boiler safety and regulation.

Key Features:

• Reorganization and Clarity: The Bill consolidates provisions into six chapters for better clarity and understanding, detailing the roles and functions of the Central Government, State Governments, and the Central Boilers Board.
• Ease of Doing Business: It incorporates decriminalization measures by retaining criminal penalties for major safety-related offences while converting minor offences into fiscal penalties. This aims to reduce the burden on the judiciary and facilitate easier compliance.
• Safety Enhancements: New provisions ensure that boiler repairs are conducted by qualified professionals, enhancing overall safety.
• Redundancy and Updates: Outdated provisions from the 1923 Act have been removed, and new definitions and enabling clauses have been added for clarity and modern relevance.
• Regulatory Powers: The Bill details the rule-making powers of the Central Government, State Governments, and the Central Boilers Board, and includes provisions for handling difficulties and saving existing regulations until new ones are established.

The Bill represents a significant update to ensure that boiler regulations meet current industry needs and safety standards.

What is boiler?

• A boiler is simply an enclosed vessel which boils water and ultimately turns it into steam which is used for heating of rooms and heavy fuel oils on the ships.
• The boilers are fitted with different safeties as the steam pressure is upto 8 bars in most cases.

The Indian Boiler Act,1923

Indian Boilers Act-1923 was enacted with the objective to provide mainly for the safety of life and Property of persons from the danger of explosions of steam boilers and for achieving uniformity in registration and inspection during the operation and maintenance of boilers in India.

Salient features:

• Every boiler owner is required to make an application to the Chief Inspector of Boilers for the inspection of the boiler along with the treasury challan of the requisite fees as per requirements of Indian Boilers Act-1923.
• Under Indian Boilers Act-1923 Indian Boilers Regulation-1950 has been framed. This Regulation deals with the materials, procedure & inspection techniques to be adopted for the manufacture of boilers & boiler mountings & fittings.
• The boiler is inspected by the Inspectorate as per the procedure laid under IBR -1950 and if found satisfactory, a Certificate is issued for operation for a maximum period of 12 months.
• The boilers which are not found satisfactory during the inspection are repaired as per the procedure laid under Indian Boilers Regulation-1950 & are re-inspected as explained above.
• The Boilers which are transferred to NCT of Delhi are also inspected in the similar fashion after their records are obtained from the parent state.
• The Boilers are also casually visited by the Inspectorate from time to time to check the validity of their certificates, safe and efficient operation.

10th National Handloom Day Celebrations

Source: PIB

Highlights:

• Date & Venue: August 7, 2024, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Chief Guest: Hon’ble Vice President of India.
• Awards: Sant Kabir Awards and National Handloom Awards to be presented.
• Publication: Release of Award Catalogue and Coffee Table Book “Parampara- Sustainability in Handloom Traditions of India.”
• Initiated: August 7, 2015, to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement of 1905.
• Purpose: Honour handloom weavers and raise awareness about the handloom sector''s cultural and economic impact.

Significance of Handlooms in India

Economic Contribution

• GDP Share: The handloom sector contributes approximately 0.8% to India''s GDP, reflecting its role in the broader economic framework.

Employment

• Direct Employment: The sector provides direct employment to around 4.5 million people, with a significant number being women. This includes weavers, dyers, and allied artisans.

Production Value

• Annual Production: The total value of handloom production is estimated at over ₹37,000 crore. This includes a diverse range of products such as sarees, fabrics, and garments.

Exports

• Export Value: Handloom exports are valued at around ₹2,500 crore. Key export destinations are the United States, Europe, and Japan, showcasing the global appeal of Indian handloom products.

Key States

• Tamil Nadu: Renowned for Kanchipuram silk.
• West Bengal: Known for traditional Bengali textiles like Murshidabad silk.
• Assam: Famous for Muga silk and Assam silk.
• Uttar Pradesh: Noted for Banarasi sarees.
• Maharashtra: Known for Paithani sarees.

Problems in the industry

The lack of effective policy support 

• Combined with the fragmented nature of the sector has given rise to many problems.

Weaver and supply chain problems

• Most of the problems concerning the sector can be broadly categorised into weaver and supply chain problems.

Lack of financial viability

• According to the Handloom Census, approximately 67 per cent of the weavers still earn less than 5,000 a month, which is less than the amount that an unskilled worker earns as per the minimum wage rule.

Handing the tradition over

• Existing weavers are not showing an interest in handing the tradition over to their next generations.

Indirect sources of credit

• Most of the weavers depend on indirect sources of credit with high rates of interest. This is due to the low penetration of banking facilities among the weaver community.

Government Initiatives

National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)

• NHDP has been formulated for its implementation during the financial year 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• The scheme will follow a need-based approach for integrated and holistic development of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers. 

The Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)

• The Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS) with partial modification and renamed as Raw Material Supply Scheme (RMSS) has been approved for implementation during the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• To make available quality yarn & their blends to the eligible Handloom weavers at subsidized rates. 

Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme

• It is providing Life, accidental and disability insurance coverage to handloom weavers/workers under the components Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY).

Weaver MUDRA Scheme

• Under the Weavers’ Mudra Scheme, credit at concessional interest rate of 6% is provided to the handloom weavers.  

Urban Haat

• These are set up in the big towns/metropolitan cities to provide adequate direct marketing facilities to the craft persons/weavers and eliminate middle agencies.  38 such Urban Haats have been sanctioned across the country so far.

Government spends 14% of funds under Ayushman Bharat on those over 70 years.

Source: PIB

Under the vision of Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan AarogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY) shall be implemented so that each and every citizen receives his due share of health care. With Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan AarogyaYojana, the government is taking healthcare protection to a new aspirational level. This is the “world’s largest government funded healthcare program” targeting more than 50 crore beneficiaries.

Features of the scheme:

• Ayushman Bharat is a progression towards promotive, preventive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative aspects of Universal Healthcare through access of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) at the primary level and provision of financial protection for accessing curative care at the secondary and tertiary levels through engagement with both public and private sector.
• It adopts a continuum of care approach, comprising of two inter-related components: Creation of 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres which will bring health care closer to the homes of the people.
• These centres will provide Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC), covering both maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases, including free essential drugs and diagnostic services.The first Health and Wellness Centre was launched by the Prime Minister at Jangla, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh on 14^th April 2018.
• The second component is the Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (PMJAY) which provides health protection cover to poor and vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary care.
• The Health and Wellness Centres will play a critical role in creating awareness about PMJAY, screening for non-communicable diseases, follow-up of hospitalization cases among others

Benefits under the scheme:

• Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (PMJAY) will provide a cover of up to Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
• Over 10.74 crore vulnerable entitled families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) will be eligiblefor these benefits.
• PMJAY will provide cashless and paperless access to servicesfor the beneficiary at the point of service.
• PMJAY will help reduce catastrophic expenditure for hospitalizations,which impoverishes people and will help mitigate the financial risk arising out of catastrophic health episodes.
• Entitled families will be able to use the quality health services they need without facing financial hardships.
• When fully implemented, PMJAY will become the world’s largest fully government-financed health protection scheme. It is a visionary step towards advancing the agenda of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Implementation Challenges:

• Healthcare Facilities: Need for improved infrastructure and capacity to handle increased patient load.
• Quality Assurance: Ensuring consistent quality of care across both public and private hospitals.
• Beneficiary Awareness: Ensuring that all eligible individuals are aware of and can access the benefits.
• Community Engagement: Effective outreach strategies to reach remote and underserved populations.
• Detection Mechanisms: Implementing robust systems to detect and prevent fraud.
• Audit and Evaluation: Regular audits and evaluations to ensure proper utilization of funds and services.