Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

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President signs bankruptcy ordinance

News

• President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday gave his assent to the ordinance approved by the Union Cabinet to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to strengthen the regime.

Beyond News

• The ordinance aims at putting in place safeguards by prohibiting wilful defaulters, those associated with non-performing assets (NPAs), and the habitually non-compliant, from regaining control of the defaulting company or stressed assets through the back door in the garb of being a ‘resolution applicant’.
• The amendments also provide for fine ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 crore for those violating these norms.

According to the statement, a new section has been introduced in the IBC that makes certain persons ineligible be to a ‘resolution applicant’.

India to help Mauritius on digital locker

News

• The Government of India will assist Mauritius to develop and set up digital locker services.

Beyond News

• Ajay Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of electronics and IT said that With Mauritius showing keen interest in India’s DigiLocker service, we will be helping them to set up the service.
• The government will offer technical support and advisory services to Mauritius. The decision was taken during a bilateral meeting during the conference.

Besides, in similar separate meetings with Iran and Denmark,  decided to collaborate on issues related to IT.

U.S. calls for arrest of Hafiz Saeed

News

• Expressing “deep concern” over the release of Mumbai terror attacksmastermind Hafiz Saeed, Washington on November 24 said the JuD leader should be “arrested and charged for his crimes”.

Beyond News

• In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said that, The United States is deeply concerned that Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Seed has been released from house arrest in Pakistan.
• LeT is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks, including a number of American citizens.”

The statement also pointed out that Saeed carried a $10 million on his head.

More seats for Sikkim Assembly

News

• The Home Ministry has proposed an increase in the number of seats in the Sikkim Assembly from 32 to 40.

Why this News Important

• The expansion will be the first since the State merged with India in 1975.
• The seats are being increased to accommodate people from the Limboo and Tamang communities, notified as the Scheduled Tribes in Sikkim in January 2003.
• As per the Delimitation Act, 2002, the number of seats in an Assembly of any State can only be readjusted on the basis of the first census conducted after 2026.

Beyond News

• Of the eight seats proposed to be increased, five will be reserved for Limboo and Tamangs. Now, Sikkim has 12 seats reserved for Bhutias and Lepchas, two for the Scheduled Castes, one seat for the Sanghas and 17 general seats.
• As per constitutional provisions, the total number of seats for STs should be in proportion to the population.

A senior government official said a proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice to amend the Representation of the People Act (RPA) for the purpose.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Unite to fight dark forces in digital space: PM

News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for sharing of information and coordination among nations to ensure that “digital space does not become a playground for the dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation”.

Beyond News

• At the Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS), attended by delegates from 131 countries, Mr. Modi pitched for creating “cyberwarriors” to keep the digital space safe.
• One of the major focus areas should be the training of well-equipped and capable professionals to counter cyberthreats.

Mr. Modi launched the Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) mobile app.

Right to access Internet non-negotiable: India

News

• Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the right to access the Internet is non-negotiable and no single entity can have a monopoly over this.

Beyond News

• Prasad’s comments follow the U.S. proposal to roll back earlier rules related to open internet, clearing the way for service providers to charge users differently based on content or restrict access to some content.
• The Minister said that the right of access is not negotiable

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