DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS - 31 JULY 2021

1. GENERAL INSURANCE BUSINESS (NATIONALISATION) AMENDMENT BILL 2021

The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill 2021 was introduced in Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

About:

• The Bill will amend the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972. The Bill proposes three amendments.
• The first aims to omit the proviso to Section 10B of the Act so as to remove the requirement that the Central government holds not less than 51 per cent of the equity capital in a specified insurer.
• The second amendment is to insert a new Section 24B, providing for cessation of application of the Act to such a specified insurer from the date on which the Centre ceases to have control over it.
• And, the third amendment is also to insert a new Section 31A, making a director, who is not a whole-time director, liable only for acts of omission or commission committed with his knowledge and connivance by the insurer.
• Although the Bill has a provision that will allow the government to bring down its shareholding below 51 per cent, Sitharaman clarified that this is not a Bill for privatisation.

Which of the four?

• As on date, there are four public sector general insurance companies — National Insurance Company Limited, New India Assurance Company Limited, Oriental Insurance Company Limited, and United India Insurance Company Limited.
• It is not yet known in one the government will lower its shareholding.

Source : The Hindu

2. COMMISSION FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION AND ADJOINING AREAS BILL 2021

The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill 2021 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

About:

• The bill aims for the constitution of a commission for better coordination, research, identification and resolution of problems related to air quality in the national capital region and adjoining areas.
• The commission shall consist of a full-time chairperson having experience of not less than 15 years in the field of environment protection and pollution control or having administrative experience of not less than 25 years.
• The chairperson or a member, other than an ex officio member, shall hold office for a term of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier, and shall be eligible for re-appointment.
• Adjoining areas refers to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan where any source of pollution may cause adverse impact on air quality in the NCR.
• Once passed, the bill will replace an ordinance issued in the recent past.
• According to the new Bill, "the commission may impose and collect environmental compensation from farmers causing air pollution by stubble burning, at such rate and in such manner, as may be prescribed". 

Source : The Hindu

3. JUVENILE JUSTICE (CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN) AMENDMENT BILL, 2021

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2021, which seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, was passed in Rajya Sabha on July 28, 2021. It was passed in Lok Sabha on 24.03.2021.

Adoption

• The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 states that adoption of a child is final on the issuance of an adoption order by the civil court.
• The Bill provides that instead of the court, the district magistrate (including additional district magistrate) will issue such adoption orders.

Serious offences

• Under the 2015 Act offences committed by juveniles are categorised as heinous offences, serious offences, and petty offences. Serious offences include offences with three to seven years of imprisonment. 
• The Bill adds that serious offences will also include offences for which maximum punishment is imprisonment of more than seven years, and minimum punishment is not prescribed or is less than seven years.

Child Welfare Committees (CWCs)

• The Act provides that states must constitute one or more CWCs for each district for dealing with children in need of care and protection. It provides certain criteria for the appointment of members to CWC. 
• The Bill adds certain criteria for a person to be ineligible to be a member of the CWC. These include: (i) having any record of violation of human rights or child rights, or (ii) being a part of the management of a child care institution in a district. 

Source : PIB

4. CREAMY LAYER

A proposal to revise the criteria for defining the “creamy layer” among OBCs has been pending for years, and MPs have raised the issue during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

About:

• It is a concept that sets a threshold within which OBC reservation benefits are applicable.
• While there is a 27% quota for OBCs in government jobs and higher educational institutions, those falling within the “creamy layer” cannot get the benefits of this quota.
• Based on the recommendation of the Second Backward Classes Commission (Mandal Commission), the government on August 13, 1990 had notified 27% reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) in vacancies in civil posts and services that are to be filled on direct recruitment.
• After this was challenged, the Supreme Court on November 16, 1992 (Indira Sawhney case) upheld 27% reservation for OBCs, subject to exclusion of the creamy layer. 

How is it determined?

• Following the order in Indra Sawhney, an expert committee headed by Justice (retired) R N Prasad was constituted for fixing the criteria for determining the creamy layer.
• In 1993, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) listed out various categories of people of certain rank/status/income whose children cannot avail benefit of OBC reservation.
• For those not in government, the current threshold is an income of Rs 8 lakh per year. For children of government employees, the threshold is based on their parents’ rank and not income.

Source : Indian Express

5. CHILAHATI-HALDIBARI ROUTE

The first goods train on the revived Chilahati-Haldibari route between Bangladesh and India is scheduled to leave the Alipurduar section of India for Bangladesh on 31 July.

About:

• The Haldibari-Chilahati train route was opened in December last year for the operation of the goods train after a gap of 55 years during the virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
• The passenger train will also run on the same route. This route was closed during the India-Pakistan war of 1965.
• However, the operation of the trains remained disrupted due to the COVID 19 pandemic in India and Bangladesh.
• At present, five rail routes connect Bangladesh and India namely Petrapole-Benapole, Gede-Darshana, Singhabad-Rohanpur Radhikapur-Birol and Haldibari-Chilahati.

Source : All India Radio

6. SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE STATEMENT OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES (SGP)

India and the US signed the Second Amendment to the Statement of Guiding Principles on Triangular Cooperation for global development.

Background

• The SGP Agreement, signed in November 2014, underscores the contribution of India-US partnership to global stability and prosperity.
• It provides a framework for promoting cooperation between the two countries to meet the developmental aspirations of partner countries, particularly in Asia and Africa.
• This triangular cooperation with the US will complement India’s other ongoing and future development partnerships, capacity building and technical assistance with countries globally.

Second Amendment

• The Second Amendment to the SGP Agreement extends the validity of the SGP Agreement up-to 2026.
• It expands the scope of capacity building activities undertaken jointly by India and the United States under this framework.
• It also provides a consultative mechanism for joint biannual monitoring and review of activities undertaken under the SGP.

Source : All India Radio

7. COCONUT DEVELOPMENT BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2021

The Rajya Sabha passed the Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

About:

• The bill seeks to make the post of Chairman, Coconut Development Board as Non-Executive one.
• The bill will pave the way to appoint a professional persons as a non- Executive Chairman instead of a government official.
• The number of members of the board has been raised from four to six as after the amendment, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat will be able to nominate their representatives in the Board.

Background

• The Coconut Development Board Act, 1979 was enacted to provide for the development of the coconut industry under the control of the Union and for matters connected therewith.
• The Coconut Development Board was established on 28th January, 1981 under the said Act.
• At present, the Board has an executive Chairman who is a Joint Secretary level officer in the Government of India, appointed by that Government on deputation basis.

Source : All India Radio

8. DSF BID ROUND-III

Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched the Discovered Small Field (DSF) Bid Round-III.

About:

• Under the bid round, 75 discoveries across 32 Contract areas in 11 basins/locations are being offered. Estimated Hydrocarbon in place of approximately 232 MMTOE of oil and oil equivalent gas are on offer.
• In the earlier two rounds, 54 contracts were awarded to 27 companies including 12 new entrants.

Important Info :

The salient features of DSF policy are:

• Revenue Sharing Model,
• Single License for Conventional & Unconventional Hydrocarbons,
• No upfront signature bonus,
• Reduced Royalty rate in line with HELP,
• no cess,
• Full marketing and Pricing freedom for gas produced,
• Exploration allowed during entire contract period, and
• 100% participation from foreign companies/ joint ventures.

Source : PIB

9. BRICS COUNTER TERRORISM ACTION PLAN

The 6th meeting of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Working Group was held virtually on 28th and 29th of July under the Chairmanship of India.

About:

• The main outcome of the Working Group meeting was the finalisation of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan containing specific measures to implement the BRICS Counter Terrorism Strategy adopted by BRICS Leaders in 2020.
• The Action Plan is aimed at further strengthening result oriented cooperation between BRICS countries in areas such as preventing and combating terrorism, radicalisation, financing of terrorism, misuse of internet by terrorists, and curbing travel of terrorists.
• The BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan is one of the key deliverables during India’s Chairship of BRICS and will be adopted at the meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors scheduled next month.

Source : All India Radio

10. CONVERSION PRACTICES PROHIBITION LEGISLATION BILL

New Zealand has introduced legislation seeking to ban conversion therapy, which refers to the practice of trying to “cure” people of their sexuality, gender expression, or LGBTQI identity.

About:

• The Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill aims at preventing any harm caused by conversion therapy and promote healthy discussions on gender and sexuality. The bill also provides for civil redress.
• The bill proposes to make an offence to perform conversion therapy on children, youngsters under the age of 18 or anyone with impaired decision-making capacity. The punishment for the offence will be up to three years of imprisonment.
• Under the bill, it is also an offence to make anyone go through conversion therapy, irrespective of their age, and cause them serious harm. The punishment of this offence will be up to five years of imprisonment. Although, the bill is unclear on what “serious harm” means.
• The Human Rights Commission would play a significant role in educating about conversion practices and in help survivors access any support that they need.

Which are the other countries that have banned conversion therapy?

• New Zealand is not the first country to impose a ban on conversion therapy practices.
• Other countries that have, over the years, imposed a ban on such practices are Germany, Malta, Ecuador, Brazil and Taiwan. Germany passed a ban on advertising and the practice of conversion therapy in minors, in May last year.
• Other than these countries, 20 states in the US and a few cities in the US, Canada, Australia and Spain have banned the practice.

Source : Indian Express