National
The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023
⇒ The Rajya Sabha passed the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 on 03 August 2023. The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on 01 August 2023.
The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 seeks to make amendments to the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 (‘OAMDR Act’). The OAMDR Act, 2002 came into force in 2010.
The Bill seeks to provide for grant of production lease to private sector only through auction by competitive bidding to enable early allocation of operating rights through a transparent and non-discretionary process. Also to adopt other features of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, such as, establishment of trusts for mining affected persons and encouraging exploration, removing process of discretionary renewals and providing uniform lease period of fifty years, introduction of composite licence, providing for area limits, easy transfer of composite licence or production lease, etc.
The salient features of the Amendment Bill are as under:
- Two types of operating rights to be granted under the Act to private sector only through auction by competitive bidding, viz. production lease and composite licence.
- Composite licence introduced in the Act is a two-stage operating right granted for the purpose of undertaking exploration followed by production operation.
- Operating rights to be granted to PSUs in the mineral bearing areas reserved by the Central Government.
- Provision has been made for grant of operating rights only to PSUs in case of atomic minerals.
- Provision for renewal of production leases has been removed and its period is fixed as 50 years on lines similar to the MMDR Act.
- Limit has been introduced on total area one person can acquire in the offshore. Now, a person cannot acquire more than 45 minutes latitude by 45 minutes longitude in respect of any mineral or prescribed group of associated minerals under one or more operating rights (taken together).
- To ensure availability of funds for exploration, mitigation of adverse impact of offshore mining, disaster relief, research, interest and benefit of the persons affected by exploration or production operations, etc., a provision has been made for setting up of a non-lapsable Offshore Areas Mineral Trust which will maintain a fund under the Public Account of India. This will be funded by an additional levy on the production of minerals, not exceeding one third of the royalty. The exact rate of additional levy will be prescribed by the Central Government.
- To promote ease of doing business, a provision has been made for easy transfer of composite licence or production lease.
- To ensure timely start of production from the leases, the bill introduces the timelines for commencement of production and dispatch after the execution of production lease.
- Royalty, auction premium and other revenues from the production of minerals from offshore areas shall accrue to the Government of India.
Background:
India has a unique maritime position. India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over two million square kilometers holds significant recoverable resources. GSI has delineate the resources of the following minerals in the offshore areas:
- 1,53,996 million tons of lime mud within the EEZ off Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts.
- 745 million tons of construction-grade sand off Kerala coast.
- 79 million tons of heavy mineral placers in the inner-shelf and mid-shelf off Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
- Phosphorite in the Eastern and Western continental margins.
- Polymetallic Ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) nodules and crusts in Andaman Sea and Lakshadweep Sea.
As India aims to become a high-growth economy, it needs to harness its maritime resources to its optimal capacity. In order to harness the full potential of these maritime resources, it is imperative to encourage the participation of the public and private sector. The private sector will bring necessary expertise and technology to explore and mine the mineral resources present in the EEZ.
The OAMDR Act in its current form contains scope for discretion and does not provide for fair and transparent allocation of operating rights in the offshore areas. Introduction of auction regime through the present amendment in the OAMDR Act is expected to provide necessary impetus to the sector.
» The Bill became an Act after the assent of the President on August 10, 2023, and is called the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023.
‘Rajmargyatra’ a Unified Mobile Application for National Highway Users
⇒ The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) takes a significant stride towards improving the highway user experience with the launch of ‘Rajmargyatra,’ a citizen-centric unified mobile application.
- This user-friendly app empowers travelers with comprehensive information on Indian National Highways while also offering an efficient complaint redressal system. The app is currently available in Hindi and English.
Key Features of ‘Rajmargyatra’ App:
- Comprehensive Highway Information: ‘Rajmargyatra’ serves as a one-stop repository of essential information for National Highway users. Get real-time weather conditions, timely broadcast notifications, and access to details about nearby toll plazas, petrol pumps, hospitals, hotels, and other essential services that ensure a seamless and safe journey on National Highways.
- Hassle-Free Complaint Redressal: The app comes equipped with an inbuilt complaint redressal and escalation mechanism. Users can easily report highway-related issues, attaching geo-tagged videos or photos for better clarity. The registered complaints will be handled in a time-bound manner, with system-generated escalations to higher authorities in case of any delays. Users can also track the status of their grievances for complete transparency.
- Seamless FASTag Services: ‘Rajmargyatra’ integrates its services with various bank portals, making it convenient for users to recharge their FASTags, avail monthly passes, and access other FASTag-related banking services – all within a single platform.
- Over-speeding notifications and voice-assistance to encourage responsible and safe driving behavior.
With these improvements, ‘Rajmargyatra’ aims to create a seamless, user-friendly experience for highway users, fostering a safer and more enjoyable journey on Indian National Highways.
Important Day
13th Indian Organ Donation Day 2023
⇒ Indian Organ Donation Day is observed every year on 3 August. The 13th Indian Organ Donation Day was observed on 03rd of August, 2023.
Indian Organ Donation Day is observed to augment awareness about brain stem death and organ donation, dispel myths and misconceptions associated with organ donation. This day motivates and encourages the citizens of the country to donate organs and tissues after death, as well as to imbibe the values of organ donation in their lives. To reduce the demand for organ transplantation campaign activities also promote healthy lifestyles & wellness.
Campaign:
» This year 2023, the Indian Organ Donation Day resolution was “Donate Organs, Save Lives”.
» This year, an awareness campaign by the name of ”Angdaan Mahotsav” was ran in line with the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence of India.
- Angdaan Mahotsav was observed all over the country reaching from city to village level with involvement of Central Government Ministries, State/ UT Government/ Hospitals/ Institutions and medical Colleges, NGOs and other stakeholders.
» The month of July 2023 (1st -31st July) was organized as the Organ Donation Month.
History:
- National Organ Day is observed on 27 November till 2022, which was started in 2010 by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- In 2023, the Indian Organ Donation Day has been shifted to 3 August to commemorate the first successful deceased heart transplant in India in 1994 after the promulgation of The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
13th IODD Ceremony:
⇒ Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the 13th Indian Organ Donation Day ceremony.
- The 13th IODD ceremony was held to felicitate deceased donor families for their brave decision of donating organs of their loved ones, to spread awareness on deceased organ donation and to recognize the contribution of medical professionals working in the field of organ donation and transplantation by awarding them.
Key Points:
- An e-News Letter of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO); Transplant Manual and National Curriculum for Transplant Coordinator Course were released on the occasion.
- During the event, ‘Make in India’ Products like Novel Hemophilia A Rapid Card Test and Von Willebrand Disease Rapid Card Test’ of ICMR and an eCARe portal (e-clearance of afterlife remains) of International Health division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were also launched by the Union Health Minister.
- The Union Health Minister also felicitated donor families, transplant professionals, transplant coordinators, athletes of World Transplant Games and teams from MyGov, MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation), Delhi Police and Indigo Airlines during the occasion.
eCARe (e-clearance of afterlife remains) Portal:
- When a person passes away in other country, it leads to lot of paperwork and processes to bring the mortal remains of the deceased back to India which leaves the family and friends in dismay.
- Understanding the sensitivity of this issue and following the principle of minimum government and maximum governance, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India launched the eCARe portal to streamline and expedite the process of transporting human remains to India from different countries.
Haemophilia A and von Willebrand Disease Diagnostic Kits:
- Haemophilia A and von Willebrand Disease are the two most common lifelong inherited bleeding disorders. The common clinical manifestations include bleeding into the joints causing swelling and pain, bleeding into the skin (bruising) or muscle and soft tissue bleeding.
- ICMR-National Institute of Immunohematology (ICMR-NIIH), Mumbai has developed for the first time in the world; a Kit for diagnosis of Haemophilia A and von Willebrand Disease. The present kit is likely to change the diagnostic landscape of bleeding disorders not only in our country but in several other developing countries where diagnostic facilities are either lacking or not up to the acceptable standards.