09 January 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

1. Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Awards
2. MILAN 2020
3. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
4. Electoral Bonds
5. Fast Track Special Courts for Speedy disposal of Rape and POCSO Act Cases
6. Year End Review of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

Context:

Prof. M.S. Swaminathan & Dr. G Muniratnam chosen for Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Awards.

Details:

• Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan has been chosen as the first recipient of the ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’.
• Well-known social worker Dr. Gutta Muniratnam has been chosen as the first recipient of the ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’. He works for the cause of rural India by empowering people.

About the Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Awards:

• The National Award for Excellence was instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation, while the one for Social Service was launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust.
• Each award carries a cash prize of rupees five lakh and citation.

Context:

The City of Destiny, Visakhapatnam, is gearing up to host an international naval event titled ‘MILAN’ in March 2020.

About MILAN 2020:

• MILAN 2020 is a multilateral naval exercise aimed to enhance professional interaction between friendly foreign navies and learn from each other’s strengths and best practices in the maritime domain.
• The Exercise with the theme ‘Synergy Across the Seas’ would provide an excellent opportunity for Operational Commanders of friendly foreign navies to interact with each other in areas of mutual interest.
• Of the 41 navies invited, confirmations from over 30 navies have been received towards their participation in MILAN 2020.
• MILAN stands for Multilateral Naval Exercise.
• The event consists of a sea phase and a harbour phase.

Context:

CBDT grants relaxation in eligibility conditions for filing of Income-tax Return Form-1 (Sahaj) and Form-4 (Sugam) for Assessment Year 2020-21.

About the CBDT:

• It is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
• The officials of the Board in their ex-officio capacity also function as a Division of the Finance Ministry dealing with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes.
• Prior to 1964 when the Central Board of Revenue Act became effective, there was the Central Board of Revenue to deal with both direct and indirect taxes in India. After the Act, it was split up and the CBDT was set up to take care of direct taxes.
• It is India’s official Financial Action Task Force unit.
• It is a part of the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
• The CBDT offers essential inputs for policy and planning of direct taxes.
• It is also responsible for the administration of direct tax laws through the Income Tax Department.
• CBDT Composition:
  • Chairman
  • Member (Income Tax)
  • Member (Legislation & Computerisation)
  • Member (Personnel & Vigilance)
  • Member (Investigation)
  • Member (Revenue)
  • Member (Audit & Judicial)
• The CBDT Chairman and other members are selected from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).

Context:

Sale of Electoral Bonds at Authorised Branches of State Bank of India (SBI).

Details:

To know more about electoral bonds, click on the linked article.

Context:

1023 Fast Track Special Courts will be set up for Speedy disposal of Rape and POCSO Act Cases.

Details:

• The offences of rape and gang rape of women and children require effective deterrence through fast and time-bound completion of trials relating to sexual offences.
• To bring out more stringent provisions and expeditious trial and disposal of such cases, the Union of India enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018.
  • The Criminal Law (Amendment), Act 2013 was enacted for effective deterrence against sexual offences. This widened the definition of rape and made punishment more stringent.
  • Further, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 was enacted to prescribe even more stringent penal provisions including death penalty for the rape of a girl below the age of 12 years. The Act also, among other things, mandates the completion of investigation and trials within 2 months each.
• The government has taken up the work of setting up of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) as a part of the National Mission for Safety of Women (NMSW).
  • The government has planned a series of measures to deal with women safety on mission mode and will make a comprehensive programme.
  • The NMSW is going to cover all aspects from free medical care to legal aid to the victims of sexual assault by engaging public prosecutors in states and setting up of nearly 1,023 fast track courts for fast judgements.

Also read: Violence against Children – Issues in News

The major initiatives of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy are mentioned below:

• Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM)
• Development of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPPs)
  • This Ministry has undertaken a scheme to develop Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPPs) under the existing Solar Park Scheme.
  • UMREPPs Objective:
    • To provide land upfront to the project developer and facilitate transmission infrastructure for developing Renewable Energy (RE) based UMPPs with solar/wind/hybrid and also with storage system, if required.
  • Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar (RTS) Programme
    • The goal of this programme is to achieve a cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar (RTS) Projects by the year 2022.
    • The programme will get total central financial support.
    • The programme is one of a series of World Bank’s engagements in India’s solar sector and is an important means for the Ministry to implement its scheme to install 10GW of grid connected rooftop solar power on an accelerated basis.
    • Components of the scheme:
      • Commercial Lending for GRPV (Grid Connected Rooftop Photo Voltaic)
      • Institutional support and Technical Assistance
    • Objectives of the programme:
      • To promote the grid connected SPV rooftop and small SPV power generating plants among the residential, community, institutional, industrial and commercial establishments.
      • To decrease the reliance on fossil fuel based electricity generation and encourage environment friendly solar electricity generation.
      • To create an enabling environment for investment in solar energy sector by the private sector, state governments and also individuals.
      • To create an enabling environment for supply of solar power from rooftop and small plants to the grid.
      • To encourage innovation in addressing market needs and promoting sustainable business models and ensuring employment opportunities.
      • To encourage replacement of diesel, wherever possible.
    • Solar PV manufacturing: Government Producer Scheme for setting up Solar PV Power plants using domestically manufactured SPV cells & modules.
    • National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy
      • The main objective of the Policy is to provide a framework for the promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid system for optimal and efficient utilization of wind and solar resources, transmission infrastructure and land.
      • The wind-solar PV hybrid systems will help in reducing the variability in renewable power generation and achieving better grid stability.
      • The policy also aims to encourage new technologies, methods and way-outs involving combined operation of wind and solar PV plants.
    • Offshore Wind Power in India
      • The National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, notified in 2015, has an objective of developing the offshore wind energy in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) along the Indian coastline.
    • International Solar Alliance (ISA)
    • Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY)
      • The aim of the scheme is to illuminate dark regions through the establishment of solar street lights.
      • It is implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).
      • The MNRE will provide 75% of the cost of street lights and the remaining 25% will come from Member of Parliament Local Area Development funds (MPLADS).

Also Read: National Solar Mission

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