Prelims: PIB

  • Measures taken by Government to prevent Crime against Women

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, in a written reply to a question regarding crime against women, in Lok Sabha today, said that women safety is a high priority for the Government and several initiatives have been taken for safety of women across the country, which are given below:

  • The Criminal Law (Amendment), Act 2013 was enacted for effective deterrence against sexual offences. Further, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 was enacted to prescribe even more stringent penal provisions including death penalty for rape of a girl below the age of 12 years. The Act also inter-alia mandates completion of investigation and trials within 2 months each.
  • Emergency Response Support System provides a pan-India, single, internationally recognized number (112) based system for all emergencies, with computer aided dispatch of field resources to the location of distress.
  • Using technology to aid smart policing and safety management, Safe City Projects have been sanctioned in first Phase in 8 cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai).
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched a cyber-crime portal for citizens to report obscene content.
  • MHA has launched the ‘National Database on Sexual Offenders’ (NDSO) to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies.
  • In order to facilitate States/UTs, MHA launched an online analytic tool for police called ‘Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences’ to monitor and track time-bound investigation in sexual assault cases in accordance with the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018.
  • One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme is being implemented across the country since 1st April 2015 which is exclusively designed to provide integrated services such as medical aid, police assistance, legal counselling/ court case management, psycho-social counselling and temporary shelter to women affected by violence under one roof. As per available information, 728 OSCs have been approved by Government of India, 595 OSCs are operational in the country.

 

  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana for Disabled Persons

A Central Sector Scheme namely ‘Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana’ (RVY) is being implemented by D/o Social Justice and Empowerment (M/o SJ&E) with an objective to provide to senior citizens, belonging to BPL category and suffering from age-related disabilities/ infirmities, with such physical aids and assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions.

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under M/o SJ&E is implementing ‘Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP)’ Scheme under which aids and assistive devices are distributed to eligible Divyangjan for their physical, social, psychological and economic empowerment. Persons with disabilities fulfilling following conditions would be eligible for assistance under ADIP Scheme:

  1. An Indian citizen of any age.
  2. Holds a 40% Disablement Certificate.
  • Has monthly income from all sources not exceeding Rs. 20,000/- per month.
  1. In case of dependents, the income of parents/guardians should not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month.
  2. Who have not received assistance during the last 3 years for the same purpose from   any source. However, for children below 12 years of age, this limit would be one year.

 

  • Drug Abuse Among Youths

A National Survey to collect State wise Data on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use was conducted in the country during the year 2018. The report presents major findings of the survey in terms of proportion of Indian population in the group of 10-75 years using various substances and those affected by substance use disorders.

The National survey was conducted to generate estimates for eight categories of psychoactive substances: Alcohol, Cannabis, Opioids, Cocaine, Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS), Sedatives, Inhalants and Hallucinogens. As per the report, Alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians. After Alcohol, Cannabis and Opioids are the next commonly used substances in India.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated and is implementing a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025.

The Plan aims at reduction of adverse consequences of drug abuse through a multi-pronged strategy. The activities under the NAPDDR, inter-alia, include awareness generation programmes in  schools/colleges/Universities, workshops/seminars/with parents, community based peerled interactions intervention programmes for vulnerable adolescent and youth in the community, provisioning of treatment facilities and capacity building of service providers.

The Ministry also implements a “Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drug) Abuse” under which financial assistance is provided to eligible Non-Governmental Organizations based on the recommendations of State Governments/UT Administrations for running Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts to provide composite/integrated services for the rehabilitation of addicts including adolescents.

 

  • Cabinet approves Agreement on Social Security between India and Brazil

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has given its approval for signing the Agreement on Social Security between the Republic of India and the Federative Republic of Brazil.

Background

India has been entering into bilateral Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with other countries in order to protect the interests of Indian professionals / skilled workers working abroad for short durations and enhance the competitiveness of Indian companies.

SSAs broadly provide the following three benefits: 

  1. Avoiding making of double social security contributions by the workers (detachment);
  2. Easy remittance of benefits (Exportability);
  • Aggregating the contribution periods (in two countries) to prevent loss of benefits (Totalization). The agreement will also provide for disability insurance benefits to the Indian nationals working abroad. As on date, India has signed SSAs with 18 countries.

The idea to ink pacts on social security programmes with BRICS nations was discussed at the meetings of the BRICS Labour& Employment Ministers held on 9 June 2016 in Geneva and on 27-28 September 2016 in New Delhi, respectively. The possibility of concluding social security agreements between BRICS countries also finds mention in the Goa Declaration of the 8th BRICS Leaders’ Summit. Taking forward the spirit of the Goa Declaration, India and Brazil held the negotiations on SSA from 13-16 March 2017 in Brasilia. At the end of the negotiations, both sides initialled the finalized text of the Agreement on Social Security.

The signed agreement will be hosted on the Ministry’s website and the website of Employee’s Provident Fund Organisation for the information of the stakeholders so that they can secure certificates of coverage to avoid making double social security contributions.

At present, about 1,000 Brazilians are living in India, while about 4,700 Indians are living in Brazil. All posted/detached workers and self-employed persons will benefit from this proposal without any discrimination.  Thus, it would promote equity and inclusiveness. Export of Social Security benefits of Indian workers after their relocation from Brazil is an innovative arrangement to ensure that there is no loss of social security benefits and also adds to the competitiveness of Indian companies by reducing their overall costs.

The SSA will cover the territories of the Republic of India and the Federative Republic of Brazil.

 

  • Cabinet approves Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister approved the proposal to make amendments in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (code), through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019.  The amendments aim to remove certain difficulties being faced during insolvency resolution process to realise the objects of the code and to further ease doing of business.

Details of the Proposal

The Amendment Bill seeks to amend sections 5(12), 5(15), 7, 11, 14, 16(1), 21(2), 23(1), 29A, 227, 239, 240 and insert new section 32A in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code).

Impact

  1. Amendments to the Code to remove bottlenecks, streamline the CIRP and protection of last mile funding will boost investment in financially distressed sectors.
  2. Additional thresholds introduced for Financial Creditors represented by an authorized representative due to large numbers in order to prevent frivolous triggering of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP).
  3. Ensuring that the substratum of the business of corporate debtor is not lost, and it can continue as a going concern by clarifying that the licenses, permits, concessions, clearances etc. cannot be terminated or suspended or not renewed during the moratorium period.
  4. Ring-fencing corporate debtor resolved under the IBC in favour of a successful resolution applicant from criminal proceedings against offences committed by previous management/promoters.

 

 

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