Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018
In News:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sent the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018, to the Union cabinet for approval, to replace the related Ordinance.
Highlights of the Bill:
Need for a stringent law:
The number of reported cases of rapes of children increased in India by 82% in 2016 compared to 2015. A climate of violence, social and economic insecurity, alienation, and a progressive undermining of the status of women and children seem to have given an impetus to carry out crimes against women and children.
Therefore, the legal system must give a clear signal that we as a nation consider the rape of children below the age of 12 as among the most heinous of offences. Making such crimes punishable by capital punishment certainly gives such a signal.
Is it sufficient?
Statistics have not been able to prove or disprove the efficacy of capital punishment as a deterrent. While the U.K. has seen an increase in murders since 1965 when capital punishment for murder was removed from the statute book, Canada has not seen any such impact since it abolished the death penalty in 1976. The underlying socio-economic conditions in a society that cause crimes seem to have as much of an impact on the increase or decrease of crimes as the law does.
Way ahead:
It is not the severity of the punishment but the certainty and uniformity of it which will reduce crime. Even for capital punishment to work as a deterrent, the fairness of the investigation, the certainty of conviction, and the speed of the trial are vital. With the police and judicial independence being under a cloud, especially after the incidents in Kathua and Unnao, the deterrent value of capital punishment seems diminished unless police reforms and fast-track courts are a part of the package.
Source: The Hindu
Eat Right Movement
In News:
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has unveiled ‘The Eat Right Movement’ with a view to get industry on board for implementation of draft food labelling regulation.
Eat Right Movement:
About FSSAI:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments.
It was created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is the Administrative Ministry for the implementation of FSSAI.
Composition: The Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are appointed by Government of India. The Chairperson is in the rank of Secretary to Government of India.
Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations 2018:
The proposed regulations will prescribe the labeling requirements of pre-packaged foods and display of essential information on premises where food is manufactured, processed, served and stored.
The draft Regulation also states that HFSS (high in fat, sugar or salt) food products shall not be advertised to children in any form.
It also introduces labelling of genetically modified (GM) food.
Source: The Hindu
India-Korea Technology Exchange Centre
In News:
The India-Korea Technology Exchange Centre was recently Inaugurated in New Delhi. It has been established at the National Small Industries Corporation premises in New Delhi.
India- Korea Technology Exchange Centre:
Purpose: To create a platform for micro, small and medium enterprises of India and Korea where they can be assisted to identify and exchange latest technologies, share management expertise, product development and technology applications for product development.
Significance:
With this platform, SMEs of both the countries can learn from each other to enhance their comparative advantages and be competitive in the world.
Korea has strong industrial base withwell-developed small and medium enterprises (SME) sector, especially in advanced manufacturing technologies such as machinery & equipment, electronics, electrical machinery & equipment and robotics.
Facts for Prelims:
Government Schemes implemented by NSIC:
Source: PIB
Ease of Doing Business Ranking of States
In News:
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has released the final rankings of States in Ease of Doing Business.
Performance of states:
BRAP- 2017:
The rankings are based on the performance of states in implementing the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP).
DIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the World Bank conducted an annual reform exercise for all States and UTs under the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP). The aim of this exercise is to improve delivery of various Central Government regulatory functions and services in an efficient, effective and transparent manner.
The reform plan includes 372 recommendations for reforms on regulatory processes, policies, practices and procedures spread across 12 reform areas including labour regulation enablers; contract enforcement; registering property; inspection reform enablers; single window system; land availability and allotment; construction permit enablers etc.
BRAP 2017 includes two new sectors i.e. Healthcare and Hospitality.
Facts for Prelims:
India climbed up 29 spots to the 100th position out of 190 surveyed countries in the World Bank’s ease of doing business (EDB) index 2018.
Source: PIB
In news- Marshall Islands
In News:
The Union Minister of State (MoS) for Human Resource Development Shri Upendra Kushwaha is on an Official Visit to the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI). This is the first ever Ministerial visit from India to Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI).
Key facts:
First Chairman of Rajya Sabha to sign an MOU
Rajya Sabha has, for the first time in 76 years since it came into being, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a foreign counterpart for promoting inter-parliamentary dialogue.
Shri Venkaiah Naidu, has, in the process, become the first Chairman of Rajya Sabha to sign such an agreement when he inked an MOU with the visiting President of the Senate of the Republic of Rwanda, Mr. Bernard Makuza.
World’s largest mobile phone factory
Samsung Electronics has opened the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturing plant by production capacity.
In the industrial city of Noida, India.
Lonely Planet’s top five “2018 Best in Asia” list
It is a collection of 10 of the best destinations to visit in the continent for the year. It is considered a Bible by travellers worldwide.
Top destinations: