Amended Motor Vehicles Bill reintroduced  

News Important For:  GS Paper- 2 I Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States.

Context

The Amendments to The Motor Vehicles Bill 2019 was reintroduced in the parliament.

 

 

About the proposed amendments

●       It seeks to provide a compensation of ₹5 lakh for death and ₹2.5 lakh for grievous injury in a motor vehicle accident case.

●       It also seeks to increase penalties for violations, facilitate grant of online learning licence, simplified provisions for insurance to provide expeditious help to accident victims and their families, and protection of good Samaritans.

●       The Bill also proposes to raise the time limit for renewal of driving licence from one month to one year before and after the expiry date.

●       The provisions in the legislation of the bill are not binding on States and it is up to them to implement it or not.

Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2017

●       The Bill seeks to take the license issuing process online.

●       Aadhaar will be mandatory for getting a driving licence and vehicle registration.

●       The time limit for renewal of driving licence is increased from one month to one year before and after the expiry date.

●       A Motor Vehicle Accident Fund is proposed to be created.

●       It will provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India for certain types of accidents.

●       In traffic violations by juveniles, the guardians or owner of the vehicle would be held responsible.

●       It proposes three-year jail for parents of minor’s drivers causing fatal accidents

●       Penalties - The penalties for violations have been increased substantially from the present amounts.

●       Good Samaritans - People coming forward to help accident victims will be protected from civil or criminal liability.

●       Contractors, consultants and civic agencies will be accountable for faulty design, construction or poor maintenance of roads leading to accidents.

●       The Bill defines taxi aggregators as “a digital intermediary or market place for a passenger to connect with a driver for the purpose of transportation.” E.g. Uber, Ola

●       Aggregators, however, now have to be compliant with the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Source link:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/amended-motor-vehicles-bill-reintroduced/article28449373.ece

 

Blue Flag Certification

News Important For:  GS Paper- 3 I Environment and Biodiversity

Context

The Union Environment Ministry has selected 12 beaches to be nominated for blue flag certification.

 

 

About

●       To achieve the internationally recognised highest standard for the purpose of beach management, planning and execution of projects for infrastructure development, cleanliness, safety and security services, these beaches have been identified for Blue Flag Certification in different States and Union Territories.

●       It is given to the beaches that meet certain criteria of cleanliness and environmental propriety.

●       India is set to apply for certification for two beaches, at Shivrajpur, Gujrat and Ghogla, Diu.

●       If approved, beaches are given the qualification for a year and must apply annually to continue meriting the right to fly the flag at their locations.

●       To help Indian beaches meet these criteria, the Ministry has allowed structures such container toilet blocks, change rooms, shower panels, mini grey water treatment plants in an enclosed structure, mini solid waste recycling plants and off-grid solar photovoltaic panels, provided they are a minimum 10 metres from the high tide line.

Blue Flag Certification

●       The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education).

●       It was started in France in 1985 and has been implemented in Europe since 1987.

●       Japan and South Korea are the only countries in South and southeastern Asia to have Blue Flag beaches.

●       Spain tops the list with 566 such beaches; Greece and France follow with 515 and 395, respectively.

●       There are nearly 33 criteria that must be met to qualify for a Blue Flag certification, such as the water meeting certain quality standards, having waste disposal facilities, being disabled- friendly, have first aid equipment, and no access to pets in the main areas of the beach. Some criteria are voluntary and some compulsory.

Source Link:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/12-indian-beaches-in-the-race-to-crest-the-blue-flag-challenge/article28448172.ece

 

Trade deficit shrinks 8% in June

News Important For:  GS Paper- 3 I Economy and Development

Context

India has been witnessing a narrowed trade deficit this month.

 

 

 

 

About

●       India’s trade deficit narrowed by nearly 8% as against last year.

●       Department of Commerce is pro-actively pursuing an export promotion strategy involving conscious engagement with the EPCs and exporters to quickly address domestic and overseas constraints impacting exports.

●       There has been a decline in exports of India as well.

●       The World Bank, in its Global Economic Prospects (June 2019), has projected weakening of global trade in 2019.

●       Global trade is projected to grow at 2.6% this year.

●       The major commodities which led to this decline were petroleum products, rice, cotton yarn/Fabrics/made-ups, gems and jewellery, ready-made garments, organic & inorganic chemicals, and Engineering goods.

●       The fall in the global Brent price is also a factor in the declining value of petroleum product exports.

●       De-growth in exports is a reflection of sluggish global demand and rising tariff war.

Source link:

https://www.thehindu.com/business/trade-deficit-shrinks-8-in-june/article28449827.ece

 

Opposition calls for greater scrutiny on key Bills       

News Important For:  GS Paper- 2 I Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States.

Context

Several important bills have been recommended by the upper house to the standing committees for better regulation.

 

 

Analysis

●       The bills including the NIA (Amendment) Bill 2019, the DNA (Use and Application) regulation Bill and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 for further parliamentary scrutiny under standing committees.

The NIA(Amendment) Bill,2019

●       The NIA Bill seeks to give greater powers to the National Investigation Agency by expanding its jurisdiction to offences committed outside the country. The latest amendments will enable the NIA to additionally investigate offences related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019

●       The UAPA Bill is aimed at strengthening India’s security framework. It seeks “to introduce fourth schedule to add or remove the name of individual terrorists”.

The DNA (Use and Application) regulation Bill

●       DNA Bill seeks to regulate the use of DNA technology for establishing the identity of persons in respect of matters listed in a Schedule. These include criminal matters (such as offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860), and civil matters such as parentage disputes, emigration or immigration, and transplantation of human organs.

 

Standing committees ●       Standing committee is a committee consisting of Members of Parliament. ●       It is a permanent and regular committee which is constituted from time to time according to the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business ●       Both Houses of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha have similar Committee structures with a few exceptions ●       These standing committees are elected or appointed every year, or periodically by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, or as a result of consultation between them ●       Important committees are the Committee on Estimates, the Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee on Public Undertakings and DRSCs ●       These committees play an important role in exercising a check over governmental expenditure and Policy formulation.

 

Source link:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in-rajya-sabha-opposition-seeks-to-move-key-bills-to-standing-committees/article28449593.ece

 

 

 

 

 

A WASH for healthcare

News Important For:  GS Paper- 2 I Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context

The study shows that WASH( Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities are majorly missing from all sectors of healthcare.

 

 

What is a WASH facility?

●       WASH stands for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) amenities.

●       It also includes waste management and environmental cleaning services which are critical to safe functioning.

●       When a healthcare facility lacks adequate WASH services, infection prevention and control are severely compromised.

●       As a result (and in addition), efforts to improve maternal, neonatal and child health are undermined.

●       Lack of WASH facilities also results in unnecessary use of antibiotics, thereby spreading antimicrobial resistance.

Condition of WASH services

●       A joint report published by the World Health Organization and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) outlines that WASH services in many facilities across the world are missing or substandard.

●       According to data from 2016, more than 1.5 billion people have no sanitation services.

●       One in every six healthcare facilities was estimated to have no hygiene service.

What Has been done

●       A World Health Assembly Resolution passed recently is hoping to catalyse domestic and external investments to help reach the global targets.

●       These include ensuring at least 60% of all healthcare facilities have basic WASH services by 2022; at least 80% have the same by 2025; and 100% of all facilities provide basic WASH services by 2030.

Way Forward

●       Implementation of each of the WHO and UNICEF recommended practical steps.

●       Health authorities should conduct in-depth assessments and establish national standards and accountability mechanisms.

●       A national road-map to improve WASH services should be developed, health authorities should create clear and measurable benchmarks that can be used to improve and maintain infrastructure and ensure that facilities are ‘fit to serve’.

●       health authorities should increase engagement and work to instil a culture of cleanliness and safety in all healthcare facilities.

●       All workers in the health system from doctors and nurses to midwives and cleaners should be made aware of, and made to practise, current WASH and infection prevention and control procedures (IPC).

●       To help do this, modules on WASH services and IPC should be included in pre-service training and as part of ongoing professional development.

●       In addition, authorities should work more closely with communities, especially in rural areas, to promote demand for WASH services.

●       Authorities should ensure that collection of data on key WASH indicators becomes routine.

Source link:

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-wash-for-healthcare/article28448690.ece

 

Moon mission launch aborted

News Important For: GS Paper- 2 I Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology.

Context

The launch of Chandrayaan2 was called off before the launch.

 

 

 

About

●       The above step was taken due to a technical snag in the system.

●       The move was for complete precaution and safety purposes.

●       The revised date of launch of Chandrayaan will be released by ISRO soon.

●       Significance of Chandrayaan-2 mission:

●       It will push the boundaries of scientific knowledge for a better research and technology.

●       It will support innovation by throwing challenges at the youth of the country.

●       It will help to explore economic possibilities by strengthening ISRO’s alliance with the industry.

●       Making India a key contributor of exploring and uncovering the secrets of the universe, thus fostering shared aspirations of the international community.

Source link:

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-calls-off-chandrayaan-2-launch-due-to-technical-glitch/article28431674.ece