National
Report on Online Dispute Resolution for Speedy Access to Justice
⇒ NITI Aayog released the report ‘Designing the Future of Dispute Resolution: The ODR Policy Plan for India’, to scale dispute avoidance, containment and resolution online on 29 November 2021.
The roll out of the stated recommendations in the report can help make India a world leader in using technology and innovation through Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) for effective access to justice for every individual.
The report is a culmination of the action plan made by a committee constituted at the peak of the Covid crisis by NITI Aayog on ODR in 2020.
- The committee was chaired by Supreme Court Justice (retd.) AK Sikri.
The report recommends measures at three levels to tackle challenges in adopting ODR framework in India.
At the Structural level:
It suggests actions to increase digital literacy, improve access to digital infrastructure and train professionals as neutrals to deliver ODR services.
At the Behavioural level:
The report recommends adoption of ODR to address disputes involving Government departments and ministries.
At the Regulatory level:
The report recommends a soft-touch approach to regulate ODR platforms and services.
Key Points:
- This involves laying down design and ethical principles to guide ODR service providers to self-regulate while fostering growth and innovations in the ecosystem.
- The report also stresses on strengthening the existing legislative framework for ODR by introducing necessary amendments to statutes.
- The report offers a phased implementation framework for ODR in India.
About ODR:
- ODR is the resolution of disputes, particularly small- and medium-value cases, using digital technology and techniques of ADR, such as arbitration, conciliation and mediation.
- It refers to the process of using technology for dispute avoidance, containment and resolution outside the traditional court system.
Book ‘The Midway Battle’
⇒ The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu launched Gautam Chintamai’s book ‘The Midway Battle: Modi’s Roller-coaster Second Term’ at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas on 04 December 2021.
Terming the book ‘The Midway Battle’ as a commendable effort by the author, Shri Naidu said it would give readers a deeper understanding of the contemporary period and its many challenges.
Foundation stone of various projects in Dehradun
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various projects worth around Rs 18,000 crore in Dehradun on 04 December 2021.
Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of eleven development projects. These includes:
- Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor (from Eastern Peripheral Expressway Junction to Dehradun) which will be built at a cost of around Rs 8300 crore.
- Greenfield alignment project from Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, connecting Halgoa, Saharanpur to Bhadrabad, Haridwar will be constructed at a cost of over Rs 2000 crore.
- Haridwar Ring Road Project from Manoharpur to Kangri, to be built at a cost of over Rs 1600 crore.
- Dehradun – Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) road project, to be constructed at a cost of around Rs 1700 crore.
- Najibabad-Kotdwar road widening project will reduce travel time.
- A bridge across River Ganga next to the Laksham Jhula will also be constructed.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the following:
- Child Friendly City Project, Dehradun, to make the city child friendly by making the roads safer for their travel.
- Projects related to development of water supply, road & drainage system in Dehradun at a cost of over Rs 700 crore.
- Infrastructure development works at Shri Badrinath Dham and Gangotri-Yamunotri Dham
- Also, a new Medical College in Haridwar will be constructed at a cost of over Rs 500 crore.
He inaugurated seven projects which focus on making travel safer by tackling the problem of chronic landslides in the region.
- Road widening project from Devprayag to Srikot, and from Brahmpuri to Kodiyala on NH-58, under Chardham road connectivity project.
- Landslide mitigation project at Lambagad (which is en-route the Badrinath Dham), and chronic landslide treatment at Sakanidhar, Srinagar and Devprayag on NH-58.
- The 120 MW Vyasi Hydroelectric Project, built over River Yamuna at a cost of over Rs 1700 crore.
- Himalayan Culture Center at Dehradun: It will house a state level museum, 800 seat art auditorium, library, conference hall, etc.
- State of Art Perfumery and Aroma Laboratory (Centre for Aromatic Plants) in Dehradun.
'Connect 2021'
⇒ The 20th edition of Confederation of Indian Industry’s flagship event, Connect 2021, aimed at taking the state GDP to USD one trillion by 2030, was held in Chennai between November 26 and 27, 2021.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated the event on November 26, 2021.
Host:
Connect 2021 was organized by CII and hosted by the TN government and co-hosted by Union ministry of electronics and telecommunications’ Software Technology Parks of India.
Partner countries:
The partner countries for Connect 2021 were Australia and the United Kingdom.
Theme:
The theme for the Connect 2021 was “Building a Sustainable Deep Tech’N’ology Ecosystem”, focussing on key technology pillars like-
Startups, IT & ITES, ESDM, Emerging Technologies and Skills and will have leading tech providers and technology consuming industries presenting on a number of topics with special focus on Electronics Manufacturing and the overall Services industry.
About:
CONNECT is the flagship international event of CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) in Tamil Nadu since 2000.
Connect has witnessed the growth of various path breaking initiatives like the formation of Tech corridors, ICT Academy, Specialized Technology Parks, new developments in the Aero Park and many more.
Death
Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri K. Rosaiah
⇒ Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri K. Rosaiah passed away on 04 December 2021 in Hyderabad. He was 88.
Konijeti Rosaiah was appointed as the CM on 3 September 2009, following the death of the then CM Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash on 2 September. He had a brief stint as CM till November 24, 2010.
He was the 15th chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2009 to 2010. He also served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu and the Governor of Karnataka.