The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed by the parliament.
The existing Act provides for the use of Aadhaar number as proof of identity of a person, subject to authentication.
Authentication involves submitting the Aadhaar number and biometric information.
The Bill additionally allows ‘offline verification’ of an individual’s identity, without authentication, through modes specified by UIDAI.
The act provides that an individual may voluntarily use his Aadhaar number to establish his identity, by authentication or offline verification.
The authentication of an individual’s identity via Aadhaar, for any service, may be made mandatory only by a law of Parliament.
The Bill amends this to allow such disclosure on directions of officers not below the rank of a Secretary.
UIDAI Fund- Under the existing Act, all fees and revenue collected by the UIDAI will be credited to the Consolidated Fund of India.
The Bill removes this provision, and creates the Unique Identification Authority of India Fund.
All fees, grants, and charges received by the UIDAI shall be credited to this fund.
The fund shall be used for expenses of the UIDAI, including salaries and allowances of its employees.
Complaints- Under the existing Act, courts can take cognizance of an offence only if the UIDAI registers a complaint.
The Billamends this to allow the individual to register complaints in certain cases.
It includes impersonation or disclosure of their identity.
Use of Aadhaar- The existing Act allowed State or a corporate entity under any law to use Aadhaar.
The Bill replaces this bit and allows the UIDAI to decide whether an entity can use Aadhaar.
Gaganyaan - National Advisory Council
Gaganyaanis a India’s manned mission to space.
It is a crewed orbital spacecraft which is expected to carry three people into the space for seven days.
The mission is on track to be realized by the 75th Independence day or earlier.
A “Gaganyaan National Advisory Council” has been created with members from different institutions and industries.
The council comprises of,
Secretaries of Department of Space, Science and Technology, Defence Research and Development, Scientific and Industrial Research
Principal Scientific Advisor to PM
Senior Officials from Armed Forces, Indian Coast Guard
Former Chairman of ISRO
Member of Space Commission
Former Director of Aeronautical Development Agency
Former Indian Astronaut
Directors of Premier Academic and Research Institutions and Heads of various Indian Industries.
The council will discuss on the overall project status of Gaganyaan, covering technical details as well as collaboration with various national stake holders.
It set priorities at various National Institutions including Industries to accomplish Gaganyaan.
Study in India
The ‘Study in India’ is a programme of HRD Ministry.
Its objectives-
To make India a preferred education destination for foreign students.
To improve the soft power of India with focus on the neighbouring countries and use it as a tool in diplomacy.
To double India’s market share of global education exports from less than 1 % to 2 %.
To reduce the export, Import imbalance in the number of International students.
To boost the number of inbound International students in India.
Increase in contribution of international student in the form of direct spends, indirect spends, spillover effects.
Increase in global ranking of India as educational destination.
Growth of India’s global market share of International students.
Fee waivers are proposed to meritorious foreign students.
It also envisages setting up of call centres for support, algorithm for allocation of seats to the meritorious candidates.
This programme will also act as a source of Forex.
Study in India is helmed by EdCIL (Educational Consultants of India), a Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE).
It’s under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India.
It is a joint initiative of Ministry of HRD, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Operation Thirst
The ‘Railway Protection Force’(RPF), Ministry of Railways launched “Operation Thirst”.
It isan all India Drive to crack down selling of unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water.
Almost all major stations over Indian Railway were covered during this operation.
The bottles of unauthorised Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) have been seized under section 144 and section 153 of Indian Railway Act.
International Cooperation Scheme
The Scheme is implemented by ‘Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises’(MSME).
It’s objective,
is to enhance the competency of MSMEs,
Capturing new markets for their products,
exploring new technologies for improving manufacturing capacity.
The Scheme covers the following activities,
Visit of MSME business delegations to other countries to international exhibitions, trade fairs for exploring new areas of technology up-gradation, facilitating joint ventures.
Holding international Conferences and Seminars on topics and themes of interest to the Indian MSMEs.
Visit and participation by Indian MSMEs for improving market for MSMEs products, foreign collaborations.
It will provide financial assistance on reimbursement basis to the eligible,
State/Central Government Organisations
Registered Industry Associations,
societies/trusts associated with promotion and development of MSME sector.
Government Institutions and Registered Industry Associations associated with promotion and development of MSME sector can apply for financial assistance.
