All India Radio News Summary: 27 OCTOBER 2017
- Government has asked states to complete the identification of properties owned by de-registered companies at the earliest
The Government has asked states to complete the identification of properties owned by de-registered companies at the earliest and ensure that district administrations prevent transactions in those assets.
- Amid intensifying efforts to fight black money, the Corporate Affairs Ministry has also urged the states to initiate disciplinary action against the concerned officials in case such transactions go through.
- The number of such firms is about 2 lakh 25 thousand.
- Over two Lakhs companies that have not been carrying out business activities for long have been de-registered.
- Tackling the menace of shell companies is an imperative element of fight against black money.
- The Ministry has asked states to complete identification of properties owned by de-registered companies at the earliest and ensure district administrations prevent transactions in those assets.
- Defence Minister will hold extensive talks with her French counterpart
The Defence Minister will hold extensive talks with her French counterpart in New Delhi to deepen the close bilateral strategic ties between the two countries.
- The talks will ranged from defence operational co-operation, in particular on maritime security, joint exercises of the armed forces, counter-terrorism, and industrial and technological partnership under the Make in India initiative.
- Infantry Day is being celebrated(27 October)
Infantry Day is being celebrated today.
- The Infantry celebrates 27 October each year as the Infantry Day to commemorate the first Infantry action post-independence.
- On this day 69 years ago, in response to the threat posed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation, the leading elements of the Indian Army from the 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, air landed at Srinagar.
- This bold action by Indian Army and resolute fighting by the Infantrymen reversed the tide of events and thwarted the nefarious designs of Pakistani Raiders aided by Pakistan Army.
- The Rajasthan Backward Classes Bill 2017 was passed by the State Assembly
The Rajasthan Backward Classes Bill 2017 was passed by the State Assembly, increasing the reservation of Other Backward Classes from 21 to 26 percent.
- The total reservation in the state now stands at 54 per cent from 50 per cent.
- The bill has been brought to the House and it will provide the benefit of reservations to five castes including Gujjars.
- The Jammu & Kashmir Public Property (Prevention and Damage) (Amendment) Ordinance 2017
J & K governor promulgated The Jammu & Kashmir Public Property (Prevention and Damage) (Amendment) Ordinance 2017.
- The ordinance will more effectively discourage and prevent the deleterious activities of individuals and organizations which result in damage to public and private properties.
- The Governor on the recommendations of the chief minister promulgated the Ordinance which comes into force with immediate effect.
- The Ordinance states that whoever announces direct action in the form of strikes, demonstrations or other public forms of protests which result in damage to public as well as private property can be punished with imprisonment for a period of 2 to 5 years and can be imposed a fine equivalent to the market value of the property damaged or destroyed.
- The Karnataka cabinet has cleared the State Policy for Transgenders, 2017
The Karnataka cabinet has cleared the State Policy for Transgenders, 2017 with an aim of bringing the community into the mainstream and safeguarding them from exploitation.
- The policy had been drafted in compliance with a landmark judgment by the Supreme Court on transgenders in 2014.
- The term third gender will be used in all documents and communications.
- The Department of Women and Child Development will act as a nodal department for implementing the policy aimed at protecting the transgender from insults, social discrimination and abuse.
- Public Finance Management System (PFMS) for all Central Sector Schemes
Context:
The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs said that the mandatory use of Public Finance Management System (PFMS) for all the Central Sector Schemes of the Government of India.
Purpose of PFMS:
The PFMS is designed to serve the pertinent need of establishing a common electronic platform for complete tracking of fund flows from the Central Government to large number of programme implementing agencies, both under Central Government and the State Governments till it reaches the final intended beneficiaries.
Utility:
- PFMS would ensure that the benefits of the various Government Schemes like DBT (Direct Benefits Transfer) reach to the last mile;
- It would help in tracking and monitoring the flow of funds to the implementing agencies.
- The actual status of utilization of funds by the multiple implementing agencies of the Central and the State Governments can be known.
- Reduce the float in the financial systems by enabling ‘just in time’ releases and also the Government borrowings with direct impact on interest costs to the Government.
- Minimizing the cases of delay and pending payments to a large extent.
- Bring about a transformational accountability and transparency in the Government Financial Management Systems and promoting overall Good Governance
- PFMS thereby enables real time monitoring of disbursements and utilization of funds which in turn provides a sound Decision Support System.
- External Affairs Ministry has launched a new initiative titled #Ask the Spokesperson” on Twitter
External Affairs Ministry has launched a new initiative titled #Ask the Spokesperson” on Twitter with an objective to bring better awareness and understanding of foreign policy issues to general public.
- Under the initiative, the Ministry uses the social media platforms for inviting questions from public on India’s foreign policy and the selected questions are responded to by the spokesperson live on social media.
- India and France bilateral defence cooperation
India and France have reiterated to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation as a key Pillar of strategic partnership between the two countries.
- Defence minister and French Minister for the Armed Forces discussed a range of measures to expand military to military ties, including enhancing the scope of their joint exercises, in particular the VARUNA naval exercise scheduled in early 2018.
- Both countries will also actively explore additional measures to facilitate operational level interactions between their respective armed forces.
- Recognising the growing significance of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and the need for greater maritime domain awareness, India and France will further expand information sharing arrangements of exchange of White Shipping information signed earlier this year.
- The 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law Conference
The 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law Conference along with the 11th SAARC Chief Justices Conference was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Prime minister in Colombo.
- The conference provides a platform for legal professionals to meet and discuss issues of mutual interests and emerging legal trends in the South Asian countries.
- The SAARC LAW and chief justice conference is scheduled to discuss a range of emerging legal issues ranging from combating trafficking to use of artificial intelligence.
- The First International Consumer Protection Conference on empowering consumers
The First International Consumer Protection Conference on empowering consumers in new markets for the South, South East and East Asian Countries concluded in New Delhi.
- The Conference affirmed that comprehensive implementation of the United Nations guidelines for consumer protection is a priority for governments and stakeholders in ensuring more effective and better-coordinated protection efforts in all countries and across all areas of commerce.
- ‘Tougher consumer protection law soon’
Goal:
A new consumer protection law is on the anvil to crack down on misleading advertisements and simplify the grievance redressal mechanism.
The proposed Act lays great emphasis on consumer empowerment. A Central Consumer Protection Authority with executive powers will be constituted for quick remedial action
Impact
- The new law will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and is in line with the revised UN guidelines on consumer protection.
- The new Real Estate law, new Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, the Ujjwala scheme and direct benefit transfers as steps taken to empower consumers.
Consumer Protection Act, 1986
- Enacted to provide better protection of the interest of consumer.
- Act applies to whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.
- The consumer protectionAct, 1986 tries to help a consumer when for example, the goods purchased are defective or the services rendered to him are subject to so deficiency. Prior to the consumer Protection Act, 1986 for any consumer complaint one had to go to an ordinary Civil Court.
