12 March 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

March 12th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Nidhi Companies
2. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
3. Major Port Authorities Bill 2020
4. Sagarmala Programme
5. New Textile Policy – 2020
6. Silk Samagra Scheme
7. Modernisation of Jute Mills
8. Vocational Training Centres for Tribals
9. Malnutrition among Women

1. Nidhi Companies

Context:

The Central Government has amended the provisions related to NIDHI under the Companies Act and the Rules (effective from 15.08.2019).

Details:

• The step was taken by the government in order to make regulatory regime for Nidhi Companies more effective and also to accomplish the objectives of transparency & investor friendliness in corporate environment of the country.
• The amended provisions of the Companies Act (Section 406) and Nidhi rules (as amended) require that the Nidhi companies have to apply to the Central government for updation of their status/declaration as Nidhi Company in Form NDH-4.

Nidhi Company:

• Under Nidhi Rules, 2014, ‘Nidhi’ is a company which has been incorporated as a Nidhi with the object of cultivating the habit of thrift and saving amongst its members, receiving deposits from, and lending to, its members only, for their mutual benefit.
• Nidhi Company is a type of Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
• It is formed to borrow and lend money to its members.
• It works on the principle of mutual benefit.
• Nidhi Company is not required to receive the license from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and hence it is easy to form (unlike other NBFCs). It is registered as a public company and should have “Nidhi Limited” as the last words of its name. They are governed by Nidhi Rules, 2014.
• Nidhi companies are more popular in southern India and 80% of such companies are in Tamil Nadu.
• A Nidhi company cannot deal in chit funds, leasing finance, hire-purchase finance, insurance or securities business.
• It is also prohibited from lending money or accepting deposits from non-members.
• Additionally, it cannot advertise to ask for deposits.

2. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

Context:

NCRB celebrated its 35^th Inception Day.

Details:

• For more on the NCRB, check PIB dated 17^th Oct, 2019.
• On the occasion, the Bureau also launched Crime Multi Agency Centre (Cri-MAC) and National Cybercrime Training Centre (NCTC).
• Crime Multi Agency Centre (Cri-MAC):
  • Cri-MAC was launched for sharing of information on heinous crime and other issues related to inter-state coordination.
• National Cybercrime Training Centre (NCTC):
  • NCTC will provide professional quality eLearning services on cybercrime investigation on a large scale to police officers, judges, prosecutors and other stakeholders.
  • Also called CyTrain, the project’s aim is capacity building focused on combating cybercrimes, impact containment and investigations.
  • Objectives:
    • Focusing on standardization of course curriculum.
    • Development of hands-on training modules for cybercrime detection, containment and reporting using simulated cyber environments.
    • Development of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).
    • Establishment of Cyber Labs.
  • This is a virtual training centre hosted by the NCRB.
  • The intended trainees are officers of all ranks including senior officers from States/Union Territories as well as from Central Police Organizations/Central Armed Police Forces.

3. Major Port Authorities Bill 2020

Context:

Major Port Authorities Bill 2020 was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Details:

• The Bill seeks to provide for regulation, operation and planning of Major Ports in India and to vest the administration, control and management of such ports upon the Boards of Major Port Authorities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
• The Cabinet had approved the proposal of the Ministry of Shipping to replace the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 by the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020.
• This will empower the Major Ports to perform with greater efficiency on account of full autonomy in decision making and by modernizing the institutional framework of Major Ports.
• Earlier, the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2016 and thereafter referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC).
• The PSC, after taking evidence and wide spread consultations, submitted its report in July 2017. Based on this, the Ministry of Shipping introduced the official amendment to the Bill in the Lok Sabha in 2018.  However, the Bill got lapsed after the dissolution of previous Lok Sabha.
• Expected benefits from the new Bill:
  • With a view to promote the expansion of port infrastructure and facilitate trade and commerce, the Major Port Authorities Bill 2020 bill aims at decentralizing decision making and to infuse professionalism in governance of major ports.
  • It would help to impart faster and transparent decision making benefiting the stakeholders and better project execution capability.
  • The Bill is aimed at reorienting the governance model in central ports to landlord port model in line with the successful global practice.
  • This will also help in bringing transparency in operations of Major Ports.
• The salient features of the Major Port Authorities Bill 2020 are as under:
  • Simplified composition of the Board of Port Authority.
    • It will comprise of 11 to 13 Members from the present 17 to 19 Members representing various interests.
    • Provision has been made for inclusion of representative of State Government in which the Major Port is situated, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Defence and Customs, Department of Revenue as Members in the Board apart from a Government Nominee Member and a Member representing the employees of the Major Port Authority.
  • The role of the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) has been redefined.
  • An Adjudicatory Board has been proposed to be created to carry out the residual functions of the erstwhile TAMP for Major Ports.
    • To look into disputes between ports and PPP concessionaires.
    • To review stressed PPP projects.
    • To suggest measures to revive such projects.
    • To look into complaints regarding services rendered by the ports/private operators operating within the ports would be constituted.
  • The Boards of Port Authority have been delegated full powers to enter into contracts, planning and development, fixing of tariff except in national interest, security and emergency arising out of inaction and default. In the present MPT Act, 1963 prior approval of the Central Government was required in 22 instances.
  • Other changes to make the Ports’ functioning more streamlined and efficient.

4. Sagarmala Programme

Details:

• The Sagarmala programme is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Shipping to promote port-led development in the country through harnessing India’s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes.
• The main vision of the Sagarmala Programme is to reduce logistics cost for EXIM and domestic trade with minimal infrastructure investment.
• For more on the Sagarmala Programme, click here.

Context:

The above information was provided by the Minister of State for Shipping in the Lok Sabha.

5. New Textile Policy – 2020

Context:

The Government is formulating a New Textile Policy for the overall development of the sector.

Details:

• Over a period of time, the textile industry is facing some problems like technological obsolesce, high input cost (power & capital), poor access to credit, fragmented units, absence of fibre neutrality, etc.
• In order to address these issues/problems, GOI has implemented various schemes to provide support to Textiles & Apparel Sector.
  • Knitting and Knitwear Sector scheme: Government has launched a separate scheme for the development of the Knitting and Knitwear Sector to boost production in the knitting and knitwear cluster at Ludhiana, Kolkata and Tirupur.
  • Amended Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS): For technology upgradation of the sector.
  • National Handloom Development Programme, Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme, Handloom Weaver Comprehensive Welfare Scheme and Yarn Supply Schemes.
  • National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handicraft Cluster Development Schemes.
  • Power Tex India: A comprehensive scheme for the power loom sector.
  • Silk Samagra – An integrated scheme for the development of silk.
  • Jute ICARE for increasing the income of farmers through different interventions.
  • North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) for promoting textiles industry.
  • Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP): The Government is implementing the SITP which provides support for the creation of world-class infrastructure facilities for setting up of textile units.

6. Silk Samagra Scheme

Background:

• Sericulture is an agro-based cottage industry having huge employment and income generating potential in rural and semi-urban areas.
• Silkworm rearing is mainly practiced in rural areas of the country providing livelihood to weaker section of the society.

About Silk Samagra:

• The Government of India through the Central Silk Board has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme “Silk Samagra”, an Integrated Scheme for the Development of the Silk Industry (ISDSI).
• The aim of the scheme is to scale up production by improving quality and productivity and to empower the downtrodden, poor & backward families through various activities of sericulture in the country.
• The scheme comprises four major components:
  • Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and I.T. Initiatives
  • Seed Organizations
  • Coordination and Market Development
  • Quality Certification Systems (QCS)/Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation
• Under the scheme, the R&D units develop technology packages, impart training on improved technology programmes to stakeholders and transfer the technology to the field through front line demonstration.
• The seed production units produce basic and commercial seeds of improved silkworm breeds developed by the research institutes.
• Assistance is extended to sericulture stakeholders for the beneficiary oriented components like the raising of Kissan nursery, plantation with improved Mulberry varieties, Irrigation, chawki rearing centres with incubation facility and rearing equipment.
• The scheme also envisages assistance for door to door service agents for disinfection and input supply, support for improved reeling units like automatic reeling units, multi-end reeling machines, improved twisting machines and support for post yarn facilities for quality silk and fabric production.

Context:

The above information was given by the Union Minister of Textiles in the Rajya Sabha.

7. Modernisation of Jute Mills

Details:

• For the revival of jute mills, some major steps have been taken by the Government some of which are:
  • Imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty: the GOI imposed anti-dumping duty to protect Indian jute growers and farmers. This step led to the additional demand for jute in the domestic industry, which led to the reopening of more than 10 jute mills in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Under the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987, the GOI prescribes commodities which are mandatorily required to be packed in jute packaging materials. At present, a minimum of 100% of food grains and a minimum of 20% of sugar are to be compulsorily packed in jute sacking.
  • Jute products have been included in the list of Technical Textiles items.
  • Minimum Support Price (MSP) for raw jute and mesta is fixed every year to protect the interest of farmers.
  • The National Jute Board (NJB) has been implementing schemes for the modernisation of the industry by replacing old machines with new and technologically advanced machines.
  • JUTE – ICARE: This pilot project launched in 2015 is aimed at addressing the difficulties faced by the jute cultivators by providing them certified seeds at subsidized rates, seed drills to facilitate line sowing, nail-weeders to carry out periodic weeding and by popularising several newly developed retting technologies under water limiting conditions.
• The NJB has also been implementing schemes for the benefit of workers, artisans and small producers and for the promotion of the jute industry.
  • Export Market Development Assistance Scheme to facilitate registered manufacturer exporters of jute products to participate in international fairs and take business delegations abroad for export promotion of lifestyle and other diversified jute products.
  • Jute Integrated Development Scheme (JIDS) aims at setting up local units and agencies at distant locations around the country through collaboration with bona-fide bodies to carry out various activities. JID agencies act as a facilitator for rendering the backward and forward linkages to the existing and potential entrepreneurs, imparting awareness and training at grass-root levels mainly on technology application and design/product development and disseminations.
  • Jute Raw Material Bank (JRMB) Scheme aims at accelerating the pace of Jute Diversified Products (JDP) activities in the country by catering to the jute unorganised sector and the production units so that jute raw material is supplied to them regularly at economic rates i.e., mill gate price plus actual transportation cost, to help them manufacture high value products, both for domestic and international markets.
  • The Board has also set up a Design Cell at the National Institute of Design.
  • It also engages in various skill and market development programmes.

Context:

The above information was given by the Union Minister of Textiles in the Rajya Sabha.

8. Vocational Training Centres for Tribals

Details:

• The National Scheduled Tribes Finance Development Corporation (NSTFDC) provides financial assistance in the form of loans through State Channelizing Agencies. Financial assistance is extended to eligible Scheduled Tribe persons for undertaking any income generation activities/self-employment through its implementing agencies.
• The main schemes of the NSTFDC are:
  • Term Loan scheme: Term loans for any income-generating scheme.
  • Micro CREDIT Scheme for Self Help Groups.
  • Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY): Under this scheme, Scheduled Tribes women can undertake any income generation activity. Loan up to 90% for scheme costing up to Rs 2 Lakh is provided at 4% p.a. rate of interest.
  • Adivasi Shiksha Rinn Yojana (ASRY): This scheme provides cheap loans to ST students for pursuing higher education in India.

Context:

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

9. Malnutrition among Women

Details:

• As per the recent report of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) – 4 conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2015-16, 22.9% women (15-49 years of age) are underweight (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2).
• The five States having highest percentage of malnutrition among women are Jharkhand (31.5%), Bihar (30.4%), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (28.7%), Madhya Pradesh (28.4%), Gujarat (27.2%) and Rajasthan (27%).
• Schemes like Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojna (PMMVY) under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme are direct targeted interventions being implemented to address the problem of malnutrition among women and children in the country.
• Read more on the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

Also read: POSHAN Abhiyaan

Context:

The above information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development in the Rajya Sabha.

March 12th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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