1 August 2019: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam.

August 1st, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

Bye Elections to the Legislative Councils

Context

• There are casual vacancies created in the Legislative Council of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

What does casual vacancy mean?

• When the seat of a member elected to a legislative house becomes vacant, due to resignation, death, etc. Then this causes casual vacancy and a bye-election is held within six months from the date of the occurrence of the vacancy.

About Legislative Councils

• Our constitution does not force a bicameral legislature on states.
• It gives states the option of having a second House. As of today, seven states have Legislative Councils. These are Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• Under Article 169 of the constitution, Parliament may by law create or abolish the second chamber in a state if the Legislative Assembly of that state passes a resolution to that effect by a special majority.

Election to Legislative Councils

• Membership may vary, but the Legislative Council must not have more than a third of the total membership of the Assembly of that state, and in no case fewer than 40 members.
• The exception is J&K, where the Legislative Council has 36 members vide Section 50 of the constitution of the state.
• About 1/3rd of members are elected by members of the Assembly
• another 1/3rd by electorates consisting of members of municipalities, district boards and other local authorities in the state
• 1/12th by an electorate consisting of teachers
• and 1/12th by registered graduates
• The remaining members are nominated by the Governor from among those who have distinguished themselves in literature, science, art, the cooperative movement, and social service.
• Legislative Councils are permanent Houses, and like Rajya Sabha, one-third of their members retire every two years.

Government to support India’s IT Industry

Context

• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal,held a meeting with senior managers of IT companies in New Delhi

About the Industry

• India’s IT industry contributed 7.7% to the country’s GDP in FY 2017 and is expected to contribute 10% of India’s GDP by 2025.
• The United States account for 2/3rds of India’s IT services exports.
• India is the largest exporter of IT services in the world and exports dominate the Indian IT industry and constitutes about 79% of the total revenue of the industry.
• India’s IT service sector is now gearing up to be the digital partner of intelligent automation like smart algorithms, bots and AI tools, which arefast becoming a part of every industry and an increasingly digital world.

Challenges and support

• the representatives of the companies informed that although the Chinese IT services market is the third largest in the world India’s investments and business have not been able to grow in China.
• This is due to various non-tariff barriers and challenges faced by Indian companies to set up their entity in China.
• Market access issues that create hurdles for Indian companies to open their business in China was also discussed.
• Government of India will give all support for the global growth of India’s flagship industry and will make all efforts to facilitate the IT service industry and for that it is ready to engage with China and also Japan and Korea
• Commerce and Industry Minister urged India’s IT services companies to explore other markets and not be inhibited in operating in countries that are non-English speaking.

Mr. Girraj Prasad Gupta takes over as the CGA

Context

Mr. Girraj Prasad Gupta took over as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in national capital.

Controller General of Accounts (CGA)

• The Principal Advisor on Accounting matters to the Union Government
• Responsible for establishing and managing a technically sound Management Accounting System
• Responsible for preparation and submission of the accounts of the Union Government
• Responsible for exchequer control and internal audits

Duties and responsibilities of CGA

• General principles of Government accounting relating to Union or State Governments and form of accounts, and framing or revision of rules and manuals relating thereto;
• Reconciliation of cash balance of Union Government with Reserve Bank in general and, in particular, of Reserve Deposits pertaining to Civil Ministries or Departments;
• Overseeing the maintenance of adequate standards of accounting by Central Civil Accounts Offices;
• Consolidation of monthly accounts, preparation of review of trends of revenue realization and significant features of expenditure etc and preparation of annual accounts, the annual receipts and disbursements.
• Administration of Central Treasury Rules and Central Government Account (Receipt and Payment Rules 1983);
• Coordination and assistance in the introduction of management accounting system in Civil Ministries or Departments;
• Cadre management of Group ‘A’ (Indian Civil Accounts Service) and Group ‘B’ Officers of the Central Civil Accounts Offices;
• Matters relating to the Central Civil Accounts staff belonging to Group ‘C’ and ‘D’;
• Disbursement of Pension through Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in respect of Central Civil Pensioners, Freedom Fighters, High Court Judges, Ex-M.P.s and Ex-Presidents.

KABIL Set up to Ensure Supply of Critical Minerals

Context

• A joint venture company namely Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) is to be set up

About KABIL

• The company is set up with the participation of three Central Public Sector Enterprises namely, National Aluminium Company Ltd.(NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd.(HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. (MECL).
• KABIL is to ensure a consistent supply of critical and strategic minerals to Indian domestic market.
• While KABIL would ensure mineral security of the Nation, it would also help in realizing the overall objective of import substitution.
• The KABIL would carry out identification, acquisition, exploration, development, mining and processing of strategic minerals overseas for commercial use and meeting country’s requirement of these minerals.
• The sourcing of these minerals or metals is to done by creating trading opportunities, G2G collaborations with the producing countries or strategic acquisitions or investments in the exploration and mining assets of these minerals in the source countries.
• The new company will help in building partnerships with other mineral rich countries like Australia and those in Africa and South America, where Indian expertise in exploration and mineral processing will be mutually beneficial bringing about new economic opportunities.

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August 1st, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

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