National
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023
⇒ The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 was passed in Lok Sabha on 27 July 2023. The Bill was first introduced in Lok Sabha on 22nd December 2022.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 Besides decriminalisation of minor offences, the Bill envisages rationalisation of monetary penalties, depending on the gravity of offence, bolstering the trust-based governance. Yet another novelty involved in the proposal is increase of ten per cent of the minimum amount of fine and penalty levied, after the expiry of every three years, once the Bill becomes a law.
Through The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023, a total of 183 provisions were proposed to be decriminalized in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments.
Decriminalization was proposed to be achieved in the following manner:
- Both Imprisonment and/or Fine are proposed to be removed in some provisions.
- Imprisonment is proposed to be removed and fine retained in few provisions.
- Imprisonment is proposed to be removed and Fine enhanced in few provisions.
- Imprisonment and Fine are proposed to be converted to Penalty in some provisions.
- Compounding of offences is proposed to be introduced in few provisions.
For effective implementation of the above, the bill proposes measures such as-
- pragmatic revision of fines and penalties commensurate to the offence committed;
- establishment of Adjudicating Officers;
- establishment of Appellate Authorities; and
- Periodic increase in quantum of fine and penalties
It is also ensured that degree and nature of punishment is commensurate with the severity of the offence.
The benefits of the Amendment Bill are outlined as under:
- The Amendment Bill will contribute to rationalizing criminal provisions and ensuring that citizens, businesses and the government departments operate without fear of imprisonment for minor, technical or procedural defaults.
- The nature of penal consequence of an offence committed should be commensurate with the seriousness of the offence. This bill establishes a balance between the severity of the offence/violation committed and the gravity of the prescribed punishment. The proposed amendments ensure the adherence to law by businesses and citizens, without losing the rigor of the law.
- The criminal consequences prescribed for technical/procedural lapses and minor defaults, clog the justice delivery system and puts adjudication of serious offences on the back burner. Some of the amendments proposed in the Bill are to introduce suitable administrative adjudication mechanisms, wherever applicable and feasible. This would go a long way in reducing undue pressure on the justice system, reduce the pendency of cases and help in a more efficient and effective justice dispensation.
- Decriminalization of provisions which affect citizens and certain categories of government employees will help them live without the fear of imprisonment for minor violations.
- The enactment of this legislation would be a landmark in the journey of rationalizing laws, eliminating barriers and bolstering growth of businesses. This legislation would serve as a guiding principle for future amendments in various laws. Consolidated amendments in various laws with a common objective will save time and cost for both Government and Businesses alike.
Ministry/Department-wise List of 42 Acts (Covered under The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023)
» The Bill became an Act after the assent of the President on August 11, 2023, and is called the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023.
Important Day
17th Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
⇒ The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) celebrated its 17th foundation day at its Prithvi Bhavan headquarters in New Delhi on 27 July 2023.
Background:
- The MoES officially came into being in 2008 by re-organising the then Ministry of Ocean Development, formerly known as the Department of Ocean Development (set up in 1981).
- The MoES is mandated to provide services for weather and climate, ocean and coastal state, hydrology, seismology, and natural hazards; to explore and harness marine living and non-living resources in a sustainable manner for the country; to explore the three poles of the Earth (Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas); and explore and harness resources of the deep oceans.
Union Minister for MoES Shri Kiren Rijiju launched the following important initiatives to mark the 17th Foundation Day celebrations of MoES.
New Meteorological Centres:
Four new meteorological centres were inaugurated in Imphal (Manipur), Kohima (Nagaland), Aizawl (Mizoram), and Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar).
- A meteorological centre is a specialised division for observing and disseminating information, advisories, and warnings about regional weather.
- With these new four additions, the country’s total number of meteorological centres has risen to 26.
New Website:
A new website for disseminating information was released, including alerts for block-level weather forecasts and advisories to benefit our agricultural community, including farmers, fisherfolk, and livestock rearers.
- The website “Green Alerts” will be accessible at greenalerts.in.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD), a sub-ordinate office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, will be collaborating with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to share the real-time weather forecasts disseminated through this website with Heads and Members of the Gram Panchayats through SMS or WhatsApp.
- This is being done to ensure that weather-related services of the MoES effectively reach the last-mile user.
Rainfall Atlas of India:
A Rainfall Atlas of India from 1971 to 2020 was released. It is based on the rainfall data of 4389 rain-gauges stations spread across India with 110 maps of various rainfall variables.
- The atlas prepared by IMD would be a valuable resource for various user agencies, researchers, students and operational meteorologists.
New Mobile Application:
A new mobile application to provide comprehensive information on all ocean-related services of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), an autonomous institute of the MoES.
- The mobile app named SAMUDRA (Smart Access to Marine Users for Data Resources and ocean Advisories) provides information on ocean-related services of INCOIS, including (but not limited to) potential fishing zone advisories, ocean state forecasts, and alerts on tsunamis, cyclones, storm surges, high waves, swell surges, etc.
- The app is designed using the latest technologies and will help disseminate information directly to users, especially coastal communities.
New Web Portal:
A new web portal featuring the biodiversity of our Indian Ocean EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) was made open to the public.
- The web portal is called IndOBIS and can be assessed at indobis.in.
- The portal has been developed by the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi, an attached office of the MoES.
- IndOBIS provides information on marine species of the Indian Ocean, including their occurrence and scientific classification. It serves as one of the 30 regional nodes of the OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System).
- OBIS is an international open-access web platform for data and information on biodiversity and biogeography of global marine life.
- OBIS is a project under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)-UNESCO International Oceanographic Data and Information programme.
Scientific Catalogue:
A detailed scientific catalogue entitled ‘Systematic account of Indian deep-water Brachyuran crabs collected during the expeditions of FORV Sagar Sampada’ was released.
- It provides in-depth information on deep-sea crab diversity in the Indian EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) with pictures and maps of sampling locations.
- The Indian EEZ is the area in India’s territorial Waters limited to 200 nautical miles from the coast.
- The catalogue authors are Vinay P Padate, Sherine Sonia Cubelio, and N Saravanane from CMLRE, Kochi.
CAIPEEX IV Report:
A detailed report of the CAIPEEX IV (Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment) by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, an autonomous institute of the MoES, was released.
- The report elaborates results and recommendations of a scientific experiment strategy called cloud seeding used for enhancing rainfall and managing drought.
- It finds that rainfall can be enhanced by up to ≅ 46±13 per cent at some locations and on average, and ≅ 18±6 per cent in 100 square kilometres (km2) area in the downwind of seeding location over the rain shadow region of Solapur, Maharashtra.
- The cloud seeding project contributed to ≅867 million litres of water, yielding a positive cost-benefit ratio.
- It aims to benefit a variety of stakeholders, especially academia and policy-makers.
Infographics Book:
An Infographics book entitled ‘75 Years of Earth Sciences in India’ was released to highlight the success story of the growth and achievements of the MoES through smart still visuals and crisp text description. The book aims to enhance awareness and document significant accomplishments and milestones of the MoES.
Annual report of the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting:
The first-ever annual report of the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Noida, a subordinate office of the MoES.
- The report is a step towards enhancing transparency and visibility of the societally-relevant work of the institute.
» A new website of NCMRWF with an enhanced user interface was also launched. The website address is ncmrwf.gov.in.
Sports
2023 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships
⇒ The 2023 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships was held from July 28 to August 5, 2023 at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- For the first time, the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships was held in India.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023 on 27 July.
Performance of India:
» The Indian weightlifting contingent finished the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023 with a total of 42 medals. India’s overall medals tally comprised 15 medals won by the junior weightlifters and 27 by the youth weightlifters.
» India also won the Best Team Youth Girls award for the meet. India’s junior women’s team, meanwhile, finished runners up behind Uzbekistan.
India’s medal winners at Asian Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023:
| Weightlifter | Category | Event and Medal |
| Mukund Santosh Aher | Men’s junior 55kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver Clean and jerk- Bronze |
| Siddhanta Gogoi | Men’s junior 61kg | Overall- Gold Snatch- Gold Clean and jerk- Gold |
| Sankar Lapung | Men’s junior 61kg | Overall- Bronze |
| Gyaneshwari Yadav | Women’s junior 49kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver Clean and jerk- Silver |
| Sanapathi Pallavi | Women’s junior 64kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Gold Clean and jerk- Silver |
| Sanjana | Women’s junior 76kg | Clean and jerk- Silver |
| Anjana Sreejith | Women’s junior 108kg | Clean and jerk- Bronze |
India’s medal winners at Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships 2023:
| Weightlifter | Category | Event and Medal |
| Sanapathi Guru Naidu | Men’s youth 55kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver |
| M Tomchou Meetei | Men’s youth 55kg | Overall- Bronze Snatch- Bronze Clean and jerk- Bronze |
| Bedabrate Bharali | Men’s youth 67kg | Overall- Gold Snatch- Gold Clean and jerk- Silver |
| Krishna Venkata | Men’s youth 73kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver Clean and jerk- Silver |
| Kapil Sonowal | Men’s youth 102kg | Overall- Bronze Snatch- Bronze |
| Sabar Jyoshna | Women’s youth 40kg | Overall- Bronze Snatch- Bronze Clean and jerk- Bronze |
| Koyel Bar | Women’s youth 49kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver Clean and jerk- Silver |
| Bellana Harika | Women’s youth 59kg | Overall- Bronze Clean and jerk- Gold |
| Sanjana | Women’s youth 76kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver Clean and jerk- Gold |
| M Martina Devi | Women’s youth +81 Kg | Overall- Silver Snatch- Silver Clean and jerk- Silver |