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Polity & Government Agencies
Table of Contents
Concepts in News
Section 151A of the RPA 1951 ....................................................................................................... 5
Anti-defection law ......................................................................................................................... 5
Enemy property ............................................................................................................................. 7
Double Jeopardy ........................................................................................................................... 7
Determination of Minimum Wages in India .............................................................................. 8
Juristic person or legal entity .......................................................................................................9
‘Essential practice’ doctrine ........................................................................................................ 10
Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir ................................................................................... 11
No-confidence motion ................................................................................................................ 12
Privilege Motion .......................................................................................................................... 13
Article 35A of the Constitution of India ..................................................................................... 14
Special Category Status ............................................................................................................... 15
Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha ................................................................................................. 15
Electoral bonds ............................................................................................................................ 16
Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS)....................................................... 17
Aadhaar Authentication.............................................................................................................. 18
Restricted Area Permit ............................................................................................................... 19
Creation of Legislative Council .................................................................................................. 20
Renaming of States ..................................................................................................................... 21
MCC for guidance of political parties and candidates ..............................................................22
Office of profit .............................................................................................................................23
Discretionary powers of the Governor ...................................................................................... 24
Appointment of Chief Justice of India .......................................................................................25
Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha ............................................................................................. 26
Government Agencies
National Human Rights Commission ....................................................................................... 28
Solicitor General & Attorney General ....................................................................................... 30
Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ........................................................................................ 31
Airports Authority of India .........................................................................................................33
Himalayan State Regional Council ............................................................................................33
Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) .......................................................................................34
Ilearnias.com +91 808 916 6792 P a g e 1 | 85

Allied and Healthcare Council of India ...................................................................................... 35
Child Care Institutions (CCIs) .................................................................................................... 35
Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) ................................................................................36
Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (REAT) .....................................................................................36
Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) ................................................................................... 37
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) ................................................................ 38
National Medical Devices Promotion Council .......................................................................... 38
National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) .............................................................................39
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ................................................................................ 40
Animal Welfare Board Of India ................................................................................................. 40
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) ................................................................................................. 41
National Green Tribunal ............................................................................................................. 41
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) ...........................................................................43
National AIDS Control Organization ........................................................................................ 44
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ....................................................................... 44
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) ............................................................... 46
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) .......................................................... 46
North Eastern Council ................................................................................................................ 47
Appellate Tribunal for Electricity .............................................................................................. 48
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights .............................................................. 49
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) .......................................................................................... 50
Lieutenant Governor (Lt) of Delhi ............................................................................................. 51
Competition Commission of India (CCI) ................................................................................... 51
National Commission for Backward Class .................................................................................52
Zonal Councils ............................................................................................................................. 53
Press Council of India .................................................................................................................54
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) ................................................................................ 55
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) ..............................................................56
National Testing Agency (NTA) ................................................................................................. 57
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) ........................................................................ 58
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) ..................................................................... 58
Cauvery Water Management Authority .....................................................................................59
Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India ........................................................................ 60
EPFO and ESIC .......................................................................................................................... 60
National Security Guard (NSG)................................................................................................. 62
Central Water Commission ........................................................................................................63

Indian Council of Medical Research ......................................................................................... 64
National Cyber Coordination Centre ........................................................................................ 64
National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies and Quality Council of India .............65
Enforcement Directorate ............................................................................................................65
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research .......................................................................... 66
Strategic Policy Group ............................................................................................................... 66
National Solar Energy Federation of India ................................................................................ 67
National Health Authority .......................................................................................................... 67
Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council .......................................................................... 68
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs ................................................................................. 69
Cabinet Committee on Security................................................................................................. 69
Reports & Indices

World University Rankings 2019 ............................................................................................... 71
India Youth Development Index (YDI) ...................................................................................... 71
E-Government Development Index ........................................................................................... 71
NITI Aayog-Health Index ........................................................................................................... 72
Exporting Corruption report ...................................................................................................... 72
The World Happiness Report ..................................................................................................... 73
UN’s ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’ Report ............................................ 73
Public Affairs Index..................................................................................................................... 74
Global State of Democracy Index (GSoD) ................................................................................. 75
Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements ...................................................... 75
Global Slavery Index ................................................................................................................... 76
Inclusive Wealth Report ............................................................................................................. 76
Global Nutrition Report .............................................................................................................. 77
SDG India Index .......................................................................................................................... 77
Global Education Monitoring Report ........................................................................................78
Gender Gap Index .......................................................................................................................78
Democracy Index ........................................................................................................................ 79
Global RTI Rating ...................................................................................................................... 80
World Development Report ...................................................................................................... 80
Global Risks Report .................................................................................................................... 81
Miscellaneous
Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record ..................................................................................... 82

Section 377 of IPC ...................................................................................................................... 82
Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 ....................................... 83
National Digital Communications Policy-2018 ........................................................................ 84
National Sports Awards ............................................................................................................. 84
Skoch Smart Governance Award ............................................................................................... 85

Government Agencies
- Government Agencies –
National Human Rights Commission
Why in news?
 International Human Rights Conclave was organized as a part of the Silver Jubilee
Celebrations of the National Human Rights Commission.
About NHRC
 It is a statutory (and not a constitutional) body established under ‘Protection of
Human Rights Act’, 1993.
 The commission is the watchdog of human rights in the country.
Chairperson and Members

 The commission has four full-time members:
 A Chairperson who has been a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
 One Member who is or has been, a Judge of the Supreme Court.
 One Member who is, or has been, the Chief Justice of a High Court.
 Two Members to be appointed from amongst persons having knowledge of, or

practical experience in, matters relating to human rights.
 In addition to these full-time members, the commission also has four ex-
officio members:
 The chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.
 The chairman of National Commission for SCs.
 The chairman of National Commission for STs.
 The chairman of National Commission for Women.
Appointed by:
 The Chairperson and the Members shall be appointed by the President of India.
 But the President should obtaining recommendations from a Committee consisting of
 The Prime Minister (Chairperson of this committee)
 Speaker of Lok Sabha
 Union minister of Home Affairs
 Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha
 Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha
 Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
 Moreover no sitting Judge of the Supreme Court or sitting Chief Justice of a

High Court shall be appointed except after consultation with the Chief Justice
of India.

Government Agencies
Removal of members:
 The Chairperson or any Member shall only be removed from his office by order
of the President of India.
 President shall consult Supreme Court before any such removal if the cause of removal
is proved misbehavior or incapacity.
Terms of office
 A person appointed as Chairperson or member shall hold office for a term of 5
years or until he attains the age of 70 years.
 On ceasing to hold office, a Chairperson or a Member shall be ineligible for

further employment under the Government.
 But a member is eligible for reappointment.
 Salaries and allowances are to be determined by central government.
Functions:
 To inquire into any violation of human rights or negligence in the prevention of such
violation by a public servant (Either suo motu or on a petition presented to it or
on an order of a court).
 To recommend to the concerned Government for the grant of immediate interim

relief to the victim or the members of his/her family in case of a human rights
violation.
 To intervene in any proceeding involving allegation of violation of human rights

pending before a court.
 While dealing with complaints of human rights violation by armed forces the
Commission shall seek report from central government and the government
shall inform the Commission of the actions taken within 3 months.
 To review the constitutional and other legal safeguards for the protection of
human rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
 To study treaties and other international instruments on human rights and

make recommendations.
 To spread human rights literacy among the people.
 To encourage the efforts of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the field

of human rights.
What all are its powers?

 It is vested with the power to regulate its own procedure.
 It has all the powers of a civil court and its proceedings have a judicial character.
Reporting:
 The commission submits its annual or special reports to the Central
government and to the state government concerned.
 These reports are laid before the respective legislatures, along with

Government Agencies
 A memorandum of action taken on the recommendations of the
commission and
 The reasons for non-acceptance of any of such recommendations.
Limitations:
 Time period
 The commission is not empowered to inquire into any matter after the
expiry of one year from the date on which the act constituting violation of human
rights is alleged to have been committed.
 Recommendatory powers only
 Functions of the commission are mainly recommendatory in nature.
 It has no power to punish the violators of human rights, nor to award any
relief including monetary relief to the victim.
 Its recommendations are not binding on the concerned government or authority.
 But, it should be informed about the action taken on its recommendations within
one month.
 Armed forces:
 The commission has limited role with respect to the violation of human
rights by the members of the armed forces.
Solicitor General & Attorney General

About Solicitor General of India:
 Solicitor General of India and Additional Solicitor General of India assists the
Attorney General (AG) in the fulfillment of his official responsibilities.
Constitutional status:
 Only the office of the AG is created by the Constitution. Article 76 does not mention
about the solicitor general and additional solicitor general.
About Attorney General (AG)

 The Attorney General (AG) is the chief law officer of the Government of India,
appointed by the President.
 He must be a person who is qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court.
 The term of office and remuneration of the AG is not fixed by the Constitution.
 He receives such remuneration as the President may determine.
 The Attorney General is not a full-time counsel for the Government. He does not fall
in the category of government servants.
 Further, he is not debarred from private legal practice.
Removal

Government Agencies
 The Constitution does not contain the procedure and grounds for his removal.
 He holds office during the pleasure of the President.
Duties and Functions

 To give advice to the Government of India upon such legal matters, which are referred to
him by the President.
 To appear on behalf of the Government of India in all cases in the Supreme

Court or in any High Court in which the Government of India is concerned.
 To represent the Government of India in any reference made by the President to the
Supreme Court under Article 143 of the Constitution.
Rights:
 In the performance of his official duties, the Attorney General has the right of audience
in all courts in the territory of India.
 Further, he has the right to speak and to take part in the proceedings of both
the Houses of Parliament and their joint sitting and any committee of the
Parliament of which he may be named a member (But, no right to vote).
 He enjoys all the privileges and immunities that are available to a member of Parliament.
(But he is not a Member of Parliament).
 He is a member of Union Executive (others are President, Vice-President and Council

of Ministers).
Limitations:
 He should not advise or hold a brief against the Government of India.
 He should not defend accused persons in criminal prosecutions without the

permission of the Government of India.
 He should not accept appointment as a director in any company or corporation without

the permission of the Government of India.
Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

Why in news?
 CVC to observe ‘Vigilance Awareness Week 2018’ from 29th Oct-3rd Nov.
 The Commission observes the Vigilance Awareness Week every year during the week in
which the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31st October) falls.
About CVC
 Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is the main agency for preventing corruption in the
Central government.
Establishment
 It was established in 1964 by an executive resolution of the Central government.
 In 2003, the Parliament enacted a law conferring statutory status on the CVC.

Government Agencies
 In 2004, the Government of India authorised the CVC as the “Designated Agency” to
receive written complaints for disclosure on any allegation of corruption or misuse of
office and recommend appropriate action.
Composition
 The CVC is a multi-member body consisting of a Central Vigilance Commissioner
(chairperson) and not more than two vigilance commissioners.
 They are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-

member committee consisting of :
 Prime minister
 Union minister of home affairs and
 Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha
Service conditions:
 Term of office of Chairman and members of CVC would be four years or till the age
of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
 After their tenure, they are not eligible for further employment under the Central or a
state government.
 The salary and other conditions of service of the Central Vigilance Commissioner are
similar to those of the Chairman of UPSC and that of the vigilance commissioner
are similar to those of a member of UPSC.
 But they cannot be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.
Removal
 President can remove Central Vigilance Commissioner or any vigilance
commissioner.
 But if removal is on the ground of proved misbehavior or incapacity, President has to

obtain the consent of Supreme Court.
Functions and powers:

 To inquire on a reference made by the central government wherein it is alleged
that a public servant has committed an offence under the Prevention of
Corruption Act, 1988.
 Tender advice to the Central Government, Government companies, societies and local
authorities owned or controlled by the Central Government.
 Exercise superintendence over the vigilance administration of the various
Ministries of the Central Government.
Under which Ministry?
 The CVC is not controlled by any Ministry/Department.
 It is an independent body which is only responsible for the Parliament.
 CVC presents its annual report to the President of India.

Government Agencies
Can the CVC investigate a case against anybody?

 Firstly, the CVC is not an investigating agency. The CVC either get the investigation
done through the CBI or through the Departmental Chief Vigilance Officers.
 Secondly, the CVC orders investigation in to cases of officials of Central Government
Departments/Companies/Organisations only.
 But the Commission is empowered to enquire in to offences committed under
the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by certain categories of public
servants.
Airports Authority of India

Why in news?
 The Union Cabinet approved leasing out six more airports of Airports Authority
of India for operation, management and development through the Public
Private Partnership.
 Presently, airports being managed under PPP model include Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore,
Hyderabad and Cochin.
About Airports Authority of India:

 Airports Authority of India (AAI) was constituted under Airports Authority of India
Act, 1994.
 It is entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and

managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and air space in the
country.
Add Ons:
 The PPP airports in India have been ranked among the top 5 in their respective categories
by the Airports Council International (ACI) in terms of Airport Service Quality
(ASQ).
What is ‘Airport Service Quality (ASQ)’?

 ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) is an established global benchmarking programme
measuring passengers’ satisfaction whilst they are travelling through an
airport.
Himalayan State Regional Council

Why in news?
 NITI Aayog has constituted the ‘Himalayan State Regional Council' on 15-November-
2018 to ensure sustainable development of the Himalayan region.
More about the council:

 It will be nodal agency for Sustainable development in Himalayan Region which

Government Agencies
consists of 12 States namely Jammu &Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam
and West Bengal.
Members:
 It chaired by a Member of NITI Aayog and its members includes Chief Secretaries of the
Himalayan States.
The terms of reference of the Council

 The council shall monitor the implementation of action points for Central
Ministries, Institutions and 12 Himalayan State Governments.
 The action points include :
 River basin development and regional cooperation.
 Spring mapping and revival across Himalayas in phased manner for water
security.
 Develop, implement and monitor tourism sector standards.
 Strengthen skill & entrepreneurship with focus on identified priority sectors.
Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC)

Why in news?
 Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry launched ‘Institution’s
Innovation Council (IIC) program under Innovation cell of the Ministry.
What is innovation cell?

 MHRD has established an “Innovation cell” at AICTE with a purpose
to systematically foster the culture of Innovation in all Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) across the country.
 A network of IICs will be established in selected higher educational

institutions leading to an innovation ecosystem in the campuses.
Current status of the programme:

 More than 1000 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have formed IICs in their
campuses and enrolled for the IIC network managed by MHRD’s Innovation cell.
 Universities are also setting up research centers through ‘Institution’s

Innovation Council (IIC) program.
Initiatives undertaken by Innovation Cell

 Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievement (ARIIA)
 Smart India Hackathon (SIH).

Government Agencies
Allied and Healthcare Council of India

Why in news?
 Cabinet approves Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding State
Allied and Healthcare Councils.
Why this council?

 The council is for regulation and standardization of education and services provided by
allied healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists and nutritionists.
 It will play the role of standard-setters and facilitators for professions of Allied
and Healthcare sector.
Constitution of council
 Central council is constituted by central government and state council is constituted by
respective state government.
Functions of the council

 Undertake recognition and registration of allied and health care institutions.
 Regulate the professional conduct of allied and healthcare professionals

through specifying the standards of professional conduct.
 Prescribe the minimum standards of education, courses, curricula etc.
 Provide for a scheme of reciprocity for the purpose of recognition of foreign

qualifications.
 Provide for a uniform entry examination for admission into allied and
healthcare educational institutions at the graduate, postgraduate and doctoral
level.
Child Care Institutions (CCIs)

Why in news?
 539 child care institutions (CCIs) have been shut down by the Women and Child
Development Ministry across the country for various irregularities.
 The Ministry also had asked the National Commission for Protection of Child
Rights (NCPCR) to conduct a social audit of all the CCIs.
About CCIs
 A child care institution is defined under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
 A per the Act, CCI means Children Home, Open Shelter, Observation Home, Special
Home, Place of Safety, Specialised Adoption Agency and a Fit Facility recognized under
the Act for providing care and protection to children, who are in need of such
services.
Under which ministry?

Government Agencies
 Women and Child Development Ministry.
Registration
 Section (41) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
requires that all Child Care Institutions (CCIs) whether run by State Government
or by voluntary or non-governmental organizations shall be registered
under the Act.
Role of centre and state government

 Registration is approved by state government and centre government has
supervisory role as it provides the funding.
Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA)

Why in news?
 Regional Workshop on Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) held in Pune.
About RERA
 The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2006 mandates state
government to establish Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) for
regulation and promotion of the real estate sector.
Aim:
 To ensure sale of real estate project, in an efficient and transparent manner.
 To protect the interest of consumers in the real estate sector.
 Acts as an adjudicating body for speedy dispute redressal.
Composition
 RERA shall consist of a Chairperson and not less than two whole time Members to be
appointed by the state government.
Functions of the Authority:

 To register and regulate real estate projects and real estate agents registered
under this Act.
 To publish and maintain a website of records, for public viewing, of all real
estate projects and real estate agents for which registration has been given.
 To fix the standard fees to be levied on the allottees or the promoter or the real
estate agent.
Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (REAT)

About REAT
 Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 mandates state
governments to form Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (REAT) to ensure faster resolution

Government Agencies
of disputes.
 Government of two or more States or Union territories can also establish one single
Appellate Tribunal.
Purpose of establishment:
 Parties aggrieved by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) order can
appeal before REAT and REAT has to adjudicate such cases within 60 days.
 Civil Courts have been prevented from exercising jurisdiction on such matters.
Composition
 Tribunal shall consist of a Chairperson and not less than two whole time
Members of which one shall be a Judicial member and other shall be a technical
or administrative member.
 The chairperson is a retired Judge of a High Court.
Appointment
 The Chairperson and members of the Appellate Tribunal shall be appointed by the
concerned state Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of High
Court.
Terms of office:
 Chairperson and members of the Appellate Tribunal shall hold office for a term not
exceeding 5 years; and shall not be eligible for re-appointment.
Powers:
 For the purpose of discharging its functions, the tribunal have the powers of a civil
court.
 Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil
Procedure and shall be guided by the principles of natural justice.
Appeal:
 If any of the parties is not satisfied with the REAT order they can file an appeal to
the High Court within 60 days.
Rural Electrification Corporation (REC)

Why in news?
 The Cabinet Committee gave approval to the strategic sale of the Centre’s 52.63 per cent
holding in Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) to the Power Finance
Corporation (PFC).
About Rural Electrification Corporation (REC)

 It is a Navratna company under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power.
 It is the nodal agency for implementation of Saubhagya (Pradhanmantri Sahaj

Bijli Har Ghar Yojana) and DDUGJY (Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti

Government Agencies
Yojana), the schemes which aim at providing 24x7 sustainable and affordable power to
all households in the country.
Objectives:
 To promote and ﬁnance projects aimed at power generation, promotion of
decentralized and non-conventional energy sources, energy conservation etc.
 To mobilize funds from various sources including raising of funds from domestic
and international agencies and sanction loans to the State Electricity Boards,
Power Utilities etc.
About Power Finance Corporation

 Power Finance Corporation Ltd. is a Schedule-A Navratna CPSE, and is a leading
NBFC under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power.
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)

About GEAC
 GEAC is the apex body constituted in the Ministry of Environment and Forests
and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
 It aims for regulation of genetically engineered organisms.
Functions:
 Approval of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and
recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.
 Approval of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered organisms

and products into the environment including experimental field trials (However
MoEFCC gives final approval).
 The committee or any persons authorized by it has powers to take punitive action
under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
National Medical Devices Promotion Council

Why in news?
 Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced the setting up of a National
Medical Devices Promotion Council.
 It was announced in 4th Global Forum on Medical Devices.

 It will be set up under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
(DIPP).
 The council is headed by Secretary of DIPP.
Objectives:

Government Agencies
 Facilitating and promotion for the Indian medical devices industry.
 It would achieve convergence as medical devices were covered under various

Ministries.
 Identify technical assistance to the agencies concerned to simplify the approval

processes involved in medical device industry.
About Global Forum on Medical Devices:

 It is held under the aegis of World Health Organization.
 The forum is aimed at increasing access to priority medical devices under

Universal Health Coverage.
National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA)

 It has been constituted under section 171 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Act, 2017.
Objectives
 To determine whether the reduction in tax rates or benefit of input tax credit is
being passed on to the recipient (or consumer) by way of commensurate reduction
in prices.
Powers:
 When the NAA certify that there is anti-profiteering in a specific case, it can order the
business concerned :
 To reduce its prices
 To return the undue benefit availed by it to the recipient of the goods or services.
 If the undue benefit cannot be passed on to the consumer, it can be ordered to be

deposited in the Consumer Welfare Fund.
 In extreme cases, the NAA can impose a penalty on the defaulting business
entity and even order the cancellation of its registration under GST.
Temporary body:
 The Authority shall cease to exist after the expiry of two years unless the GST
Council recommends otherwise.
What is profiteering?
 Profiteering means unfair profit realized by traders by manipulating prices, tax rate
adjustment etc.
 In the context of GST, profiteering means that traders are not reducing the prices
of the commodities when the GST Council reduces the tax rates.

Government Agencies
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)

About NCLT
 The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) is a quasi-judicial body that

adjudicates issues relating to Indian companies.
 The NCLT was established under the Companies Act, 2013.
 It was constituted on 1 June 2016 based on the recommendation of the Justice Eradi
committee on law relating to insolvency and winding up of companies.
Role of NCLT under Insolvency and Bankruptcy code

 The National Company Law Tribunal is the Adjudicating Authority for Insolvency
resolution process of Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships under the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
 A plea for insolvency is submitted to the NCLT (in case of corporate debtors) by
financial or operational creditors or the corporate debtor itself.
Time bound resolution

 If the plea is accepted, the tribunal has to appoint an Insolvency Resolution Professional
(IRP) to draft a resolution plan within 180 days (extendable by 90 days).
 Following which the Corporate Insolvency Resolution process is initiated by the court.
Appeals
 Decisions of the NCLT may be appealed to the National Company Law Appellate
Tribunal (NCLAT).
 The decisions of NCLAT may be appealed to the Supreme Court of India.

 NCLT comes under Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Animal Welfare Board Of India

Why in news?
 The Animal Welfare Board of India asked states and union territories to build "hostels"
for stray cows and dogs.
 It also said a separate committee will ensure that animals in films are not subjected to
cruelty.
 And movies with animals in it shall be released only after obtaining the NOC (No
Objection Certificate) from the AWBI.
What is AWBI?
 The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare
Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country.
 Established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,

Government Agencies
1960.
 It is a 28 member body with a tenure of 3 years.
 It was started under the stewardship of Late Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale.
Roles played:
 Ensuring that animal welfare laws in the country are diligently followed.
 To provide grants to Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs).
 Advising the Government of India on animal welfare issues.
 Grants recognition to the newly started Animal Welfare Organisations (AWOs).
Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

Why in news?
 Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with
National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) to facilitate obtaining
necessary approvals under wildlife and forest laws for a 50-km highway cutting
through the core of the Corbett tiger reserve.
About Wildlife Institute of India

 It is an Autonomous Institution of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change.
 Its mandate is to train government and non-government personnel, carry out research,
and advise on matters of conservation of wildlife resources.
 It is chaired by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
About NBCC
 National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) is a Central Public Sector
Enterprise.
 It is designated as the implementing agency for executing projects under :
 Atal Mission for Rural Transformation (AMRUT)
 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY)
 Solid Waste Management (SWM) and
 Developmental work in North Eastern Region
 NBCC was accorded Navratna status by the government.

 It works under Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
National Green Tribunal

About NGT

Government Agencies
 The NGT was established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
 NGT replaces the earlier National Environment Appellate Authority.
 The Principal Bench of the NGT has been established in the National Capital – New
Delhi, with regional benches in Pune, Bhopal, Chennai and Kolkata.
Objective
 To provide a specialized forum for effective and speedy disposal of cases
pertaining to environment protection and conservation of forests.
 For seeking compensation for damages caused to people or property due to

violation of environmental laws or conditions specified while granting
permissions.
Chairperson and Members

 The Chairperson of the NGT is a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or Chief
Justice of High Court.
 Other Judicial members are retired Judges of High Courts.
 Each bench of the NGT will comprise of at least one Judicial Member and one Expert
Member.
Powers
 The NGT has the power to hear all civil cases relating to environmental issues and
questions that are linked to the implementation of laws listed in Schedule I of the NGT
Act.
 These include the following:
 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
 The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
 The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
 The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;
 The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
 This means that any violations pertaining only to these laws, or any order or
decision taken by the Government under these laws can be challenged before
the NGT.
 Importantly, the NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter
relating to the
 Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,
 the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and
 various laws enacted by States relating to forests, tree preservation etc.
 Therefore, specific and substantial issues related to these laws cannot be raised before
the NGT.

Government Agencies
 Moreover Civil courts cannot hear matters related to Environmental issues under
the seven laws which the NGT is empowered to deal with.
Time bound resolution

 Once the application is received by the NGT, the cases are to be disposed of within
six months from the date of filing.
Principles of Justice adopted by NGT

 The NGT is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
 Further, NGT is also not bound by the rules of evidence as enshrined in the
Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
Review and Appeal

 Under NGT Rules, there is a provision for seeking a Review of a decision or
Order of the NGT.
 If this fails, an NGT Order can be challenged before the Supreme Court within
ninety days.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)

Why in news?
 Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) developed standardised state-of-
the-art ship designs suitable for large barge haulage on river Ganga (National
Waterway-1).
 The first implementation will be between Varanasi-Haldia stretch in assistance

and investment from World Bank.
How does it benefit?

 The designs will remove ambiguity on the class and type of vessels that can
sail on river Ganga with efficient manoeuvrability.
 It will serve as an enabler for domestic shipbuilding industry working on inland

vessels and open huge possibilities for cargo and passenger movement on National
Waterway-1.
About IWAI
 Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory authority that came into
existence on 27th October 1986.
 It aims for development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping

and navigation.
 The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of IWT
infrastructure on national waterways through grant received from Ministry
of Shipping.

Government Agencies
National AIDS Control Organization

Why in news?
 National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) releases HIV Estimations 2017 report.
 The objective of HIV estimations is to provide updated information on the status of the
HIV epidemic in India.
About HIV Estimations 2017 report

 The HIV Estimations 2017 is the 14th round in the series of HIV-estimations under the
National AIDS Control Programme (NACP).
 NACO undertakes HIV estimations biennially in collaboration with the Indian

Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Medical Statistics
(NIMS).
Major findings
 As per the report, in 2017, India had around 21.40 lakh people living with HIV with
adult prevalence of 0.22%.
 Around 87.58 thousand new HIV infections and 69.11 thousand AIDS related
deaths happened in 2017.
About NACO
 National AIDS Control Organization is a division of the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare.
 It provides leadership to HIV/AIDS control programme in India through 35

HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Societies.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

Why in news?
 The TRAI recommended setting up of a pan-India broadband public protection disaster
relief (PPDR) communications network for an ‘advanced communication networks’ to be
used during disasters.
About TRAI:
 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is a statutory body set up by the
Government of India under TRAI ACT, 1997.
Powers and functions:

 TRAI aims to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for
telecom services.
 Making recommendations on issue of license to telecom service provider.
 TRAI also has the power to fix the rates at which telecommunication services are being
provided in and outside India.

Government Agencies
Recommendatory body
 The recommendations made by the TRAI are not binding on the Central
Government.
 However, the Central Government has to mandatorily ask for recommendations from
TRAI with respect to need and timing of new service provider and terms and conditions
of the license to be granted to the service provider.
Government control over TRAI

 Government has the power to issue directions which are binding on TRAI.
 The TRAI is funded by the Central Government.
 The chairperson and the members of TRAI are appointed by the Central
Government.
TRAI Mobile apps

 On 06 June 2017, TRAI launched three new apps.
 These apps aims to ensure that the Indian users are fully aware of the telecom services
that are being offered to them.
 Mycall app
 MySpeed app
 Do not disturb (DND 2.0) apps
About Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal

 The TRAI Act was amended in 2000 to establish Telecommunications Dispute
Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).
Objectives
 It aims to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI.
 It is the sole dispute resolution body in the communication sector.
 Also hear and dispose of appeals against any direction, decision or order of TRAI.
 However, the Tribunal does not have any jurisdiction to try any matter which
deals with anti-competitive trade practices or any consumer complaint.
Composition of the tribunal:

 The Tribunal consists of a chairperson and two other members, appointed by the Central
Government.
 Selection of chairperson and the two members is done in consultation with Chief Justice
of India.
Qualification:
 The minimum qualification for a Chairperson is that he/she is or has been a judge
of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of a High Court.
Procedure:
 The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure,

Government Agencies
1908.
 It has the power to regulate its own procedure.
 It is to be guided by the principles of natural justice.
Add ons:
 TRAI issued new cable and DTH rules, to protect the interest of consumers.
 As per the new rules the users will be able to pick and choose which channels they
want to see and pay for only those channels instead of buying packages made by
the broadcaster.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

Why in news?
 Central Government proposed to restructure the National Pharmaceutical Pricing
Authority (NPPA), in an attempt to revamp drug price regulation in the country.
About NPPA:
 NPPA is a government regulatory agency that controls the prices of
pharmaceutical drugs in India.
 It functions under Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers.
Major objectives of NPPA:

 NPPA was established to fix/ revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and
formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the
country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995.
 The organization is also entrusted with the task of recovering amounts overcharged by
manufacturers for the controlled drugs from the consumers.
 It also monitors the prices of decontrolled drugs in order to keep them at reasonable
levels.
Functions:
 To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order.
 To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages and to take remedial steps.
 To maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual
companies, profitability of companies etc. for bulk drugs.
 To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to
the drug pricing.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

Why in news?
 FSSAI directs 10 e-commerce firms to delist non-licensed food operators.

Government Agencies
About FSSAI
 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an autonomous body
established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
 FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the
regulation and supervision of food safety.
Under which Ministry

 The FSSAI functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare.
 The FSSAI is headed by a non-executive Chairperson, appointed by the Central

Government.
Major aims:
 Lay down science-based standards for articles of food.
 To regulate manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of food.
 To facilitate food safety.
North Eastern Council

Why in news?
 An amount of Rs.1156 crore has been allocated to North Eastern Council for the year
2018-19.
About the council

 The North Eastern Council is the nodal agency for the economic and social
development of the North Eastern Region.
 It consists of the eight States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,

Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
 NEC was established through an Act of Parliament and hence a statutory body.
Members and Chairman

 The NEC comprises of Governors and Chief Ministers of all the eight
northeastern states as its members; along with three Members nominated by
the President.
 The President will nominate the Chairman of the Council and he need not be nominated
from amongst the other Members.
 As of now Home minister is the ex-officio chairman of the NEC.
 Union Minister of development of north-eastern region (DoNER) would serve

as vice chairman of the council.
Mandates
 NEC was established under the North Eastern Council Act, 1971 as an apex level
body for securing balanced and coordinated development and facilitating

Government Agencies
coordination with the States.
 Subsequent to the Amendment in North Eastern Council Act in 2002;
 NEC has been mandated to function as a regional planning body for the
North Eastern Area.
 And while formulating a regional plan for this area, shall give priority to the
schemes and projects benefiting two or more states.
Activities:
 Implements various projects through the State and Central agencies.
 Review the implementation of the projects/schemes.
 Recommend effective measures for coordination among the state Governments etc.
Powers
 The Council shall have such powers as may be delegated to it by the Central
Government.
Appellate Tribunal for Electricity

About Appellate Tribunal for Electricity
 APTEL was established under the Electricity Act, 2003.
Aims:
 To hear appeals or original petitions against the orders of the adjudicating officer or
Central Regulatory Commission or State Regulatory Commission or Joint
Commission constituted.
 The Tribunal has the authority to overrule or amend that order, just like the Income-Tax
tribunal.
 It have jurisdiction throughout India (except Jammu and Kashmir).
 The tribunal is guided by the principles of natural justice.

 Ministry of Power.
Members
 The Appellate Tribunal shall consist of a Chairperson and three other Members.
 All are appointed by the central government.
 A person shall not be qualified for appointment as the Chairperson unless is a judge of
the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice of a High Court.
Time bound settlement

 The Electricity Act of 2003 stipulates that appeals before APTEL should be disposed
within a period of 180 days.
Appeals:

Government Agencies
 Appeals against the orders of the tribunal lies in the Supreme Court of India.
About Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)

 Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), a key regulator of power sector
in India, is a statutory body functioning under Electricity Act 2003.
 It has a quasi-judicial status.
Functions of CERC
 To regulate the tariff of electricity.
 To regulate the inter-State transmission of electricity.
 To adjudicate upon disputes involving generating companies or transmission licensee.
 To specify and enforce the standards with respect to quality, continuity and reliability of
service by licensees.
 To issue license to persons to function as transmission licensee and electricity trader.
 Formulation of National Electricity Policy and Tariff Policy.
 Promotion of competition, efficiency and investment in the electricity industry.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

Why in news?
 The Union Minister for Woman and Child Development has ordered the National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights to conduct a social audit of all 9,000
childcare homes in the country.
About the commission:

 National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body
established under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act,
2005.

 Works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child
Development.
Mandates
 To ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in
consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of
India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
 The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.
Members
 The commission consists of a chairperson and six other members; out of which at least
two are woman.
 All are appointed by the Central Government for three years.

Government Agencies
Activities:
 Take up specific complaints that come up before it, take up suo moto cases, summon
the violators of child rights and recommend to the Government or the Judiciary, action
based on an inquiry.
 Proper research and documentation on the rights of children.
 Look at the gaps in the policy framework and the legal framework to see that
rights-based perspective is adhered to.
Additional responsibilities:
 Right to Education Act 2009 allows NCPCR to examine the safeguards for rights
provided under this Act, inquire into complaints and take necessary steps.
 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 also allows
NCPCR to monitor the implementation and provisions of POSCO Act.
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

Why in news?
 The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded approval for the procurement of six
indigenously designed and manufactured Next Generation Offshore Patrol
Vessels (NGOPVs) for the Indian Navy.
About DAC
 Defence Acquisition Council was constituted under Defence Ministry for overall
guidance of the defence procurement planning process.
 The council is headed by Union Defence Minister.
 Other memebers include Defence Secretary, Head of DRDO, Chiefs of the Army,Navy
and the Air Force, Financial Adviser etc..
Why it was instituted?

 To counter corruption and speed up decision-making in military procurements.
How does it counter corruption?

 The DAC structure ensures that there are in-built checks and balances in relation
to procurements.
 For instance, the armed forces are well represented, ensuring that the defence
bureaucracy does not exercise overwhelming influence on decision- making.
Functions of DAC:
 To give policy guidelines to acquisitions, based on long-term procurement plans.
 To clear all acquisitions, including imported equipment and those produced indigenously
or under a foreign license.
 To monitor the acquisition process, the DAC will preside over three wings

Government Agencies
 Defence Procurement Board which will deal with purchases.
 Defence Production Board which will supervise procurement from indigenous

sources.
 Defence Research and Development Board.
Lieutenant Governor (Lt) of Delhi

Why in news?
 Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Cabinet colleagues strikes at the office of the
lieutenant-general (L-G) seeking his intervention in the alleged strike by IAS officers.
Similarities between lieutenant governor of Delhi and governor of

a state:
 Lieutenant Governor is appointed by the President and shall hold office during
the pleasure of the President.
 Council of Ministers of Delhi aid and advice the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of
his functions.
Differences:
 Delhi Legislative Assembly cannot make laws with respect to Public orders, Police
and Land (entries 1, 2 and 18 in the state list) in which the lieutenant governor
can exercise his discretion.
 In the case of difference of opinion between the Lieutenant Governor and his Ministers
on any matter, the Lieutenant Governor shall refer it to the President for
decision and act according to the decision given by the President.
 The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers
shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Chief Minister.
 The Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.
 LG has discretionary power to appoint Chief Secretary.
Competition Commission of India (CCI)

Why in news?
 CCI imposes penalty on Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) for anti-
competitive conduct.
About Competition Commission of India

 The Competition Act, 2002 aims to prohibit anti-competitive agreements,
abuse of dominant position by enterprises and regulates combinations which
likely to cause an adverse effect on competition within India.
 The objectives of the Act are sought to be achieved through the Competition

Government Agencies
Commission of India (CCI).
 It is established by the Central Government in 2003, as a quasi-judicial statutory

body.
 In the discharge of its functions, the Commission shall not be bound by the
procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure,1908 but shall be guided
by the principles of natural justice.
Members
 CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members.
 The Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Central

Government from a panel of names recommended by a selection committee
headed by Chief Justice of India.
Objectives of the Commission

 To eliminate practices having adverse effect on competition.
 Promote and sustain competition.
 Protect the interests of consumers.
 Ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.
Other functions
 The Commission is also required to give opinion on competition issues on a
reference received from a statutory authority.
 It also need to create public awareness and impart training on competition issues.
National Commission for Backward Class

Why in news?
 Parliament has passed Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill,
2017 that seeks to provide constitutional status to the National Commission
for Backward Class.
About National Commission for Backward Classes

 The National Commission for Backward Classes is an Indian statutory body
established in 1993.
 It works under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
 The Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney case directed centre and state governments to
constitute a permanent body in the nature of a Commission for entertaining,
examining and recommending upon requests for inclusion and complaints of over-
inclusion and under-inclusion in the list of OBCs.
 Thus, the present NCBC can only
 Recommend inclusion and exclusion of castes from the OBC list and

Government Agencies
 Recommend the level of income that cuts off the “creamy layer” among these castes
from the benefits of reservation.
Objectives of the 123rd Amendment Bill

 It seeks to grant the National Commission on Backward Classes (NCBC)
constitutional status, at par with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes
(NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
 The Bill also seeks to provide NCBC the authority to examine complaints and welfare
measures regarding socially and educationally backward classes.
 Role of NCSC:
 The Bill also seeks to remove the power of the National Commission for
Scheduled Castes to examine matters related to backward classes.
 Backward classes:
 The Bill states that the President may specify the socially and educationally
backward classes in the various states and union territories.
 He may do this in consultation with the Governor of the concerned state.
 However, a law of Parliament will be required if the list of backward classes is to be

amended.
Composition and service conditions:

 The NCBC will comprise of five members appointed by the President.
 Chairperson should be a sitting/retired Judge of Supreme Court/High Court.
 Their tenure and conditions of service will also be decided by the President
through rules.
Functions:
 The duties of the NCBC will include:
 Investigating and monitoring how safeguards provided to the backward classes
under the Constitution and other laws are being implemented.
 Inquiring into specific complaints regarding violation of rights
 Advising and making recommendations on socio-economic development of such
classes.
 The central and state governments will be required to consult with the NCBC on all
major policy matters affecting the socially and educationally backward classes.
Powers of a civil court:
 NCBC will have the powers of a civil court while investigating or inquiring into any
complaints.
Zonal Councils
Why in news?
 The 28th meeting of the Southern Zonal Council was held in Bengaluru on 18 Sept 2018.

Government Agencies
About zonal councils:

 The Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not the constitutional) bodies.
 They are established by States Reorganisation Act of 1956.
 The act divided the country into five zones (Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and
Southern) and provided a zonal council for each zone.
 While forming these zones, several factors have been taken into account which include:
 Natural divisions of the country.
 River systems and means of communication.
 The cultural and linguistic affinity.
 The requirements of economic development.
 Security and law and order.
Chairman and vice-chairman

 The home minister of Central government is the common chairman of the five
zonal councils.
 Each chief minister from the states in the zones acts as a vice-chairman of the council by
rotation, holding office for a period of one year at a time.
Other Members:
 Two ministers (other than chief minister) from each state in the zone.
 Administrator of each union territory in the zone.
Objective of zonal council

 The zonal councils aims at promoting cooperation and coordination between
states, union territories and the Centre.
 They discuss and make recommendations regarding matters like economic and social
planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes, inter-state transport etc.
 They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.
Press Council of India

About Press Council of India
 The Press Council of India is a statutory & quasi-judicial body in India that governs
the conduct of the print media.
Composition of the Council

 The Council shall consist of a Chairman (who is usually, a retired judge of the Supreme
Court of India) and twenty-eight other members.
 The Chairman shall be a person nominated by a Committee consisting of

 Chairman of Rajya Sabha
 Speaker of Lok Sabha and

Government Agencies
 A person elected by the members of the Council
Aim
 To preserve the freedom of the Press and to maintain and improve the standards of
newspapers and news agencies in India.
Functions
 To help newspapers and news agencies to maintain their independence.
 To build up a code of conduct for news agencies and journalists.
 To keep under review cases of assistance received by any newspaper or news agency in
India from any foreign source.
 To undertake studies of foreign newspapers; their circulation and impact.
Power of a civil court
 The Council shall have the same powers throughout India as are vested in a civil court
while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
 Decisions of court are final and cannot be questioned in any court of law.
Power to Censure
 On receipt of a complaint that the newspaper or news agency has offended against the
standards of journalistic ethics the Council may hold an inquiry and if it is
satisfied it may censure the newspaper, editor or the journalist.
Funding of the council

 The Council may levy fee at the prescribed rates from registered newspapers
and news agencies.
 Apart from this, the Central Government will provide grants.
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)

Why in news?
 TRIFED & National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) signed an MoU on 9th
August 2018.
 It aims to promote Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) forest produce for livelihood
development of tribal people by promoting primary level value addition to
produce from forest area at grassroots level.
About NMPB
 The primary mandate of NMPB is to develop a mechanism for coordination
between various ministries or organizations in India and implements programs
for overall growth of medicinal plants sector.
 It focuses on conservation, cultivation, trade and export of medicinal plants.
Under which Ministry

 It works under the Ministry of AYUSH.
Functions of NMPB

Government Agencies
 Advice concerned governments on schemes and programs for development of medicinal
plants.
 Promotion of in-situ or ex-situ conservation and cultivation of medicinal plants.
 Development of protocols for cultivation and quality control.
 Encouraging the protection of patent rights and IPR.
Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plant Produce

 It is launched by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) in collaboration
with Quality Council of India (QCI).
 It aims to encourage Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Field

Collection Practices (GFCP) in medicinal plants and enhance quality and safety
of these plants.
National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK)

Why in news?
 National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) in collaboration with the New Delhi
Municipal Council (NDMC) organised an Awareness-cum-Health Camp for Safai
Karamcharis.
Definition of Safai Karamchari

 Person engaged in or employed for any sanitation work and includes his/her dependants.
Definition of Manual Scavenger

 A person engaged for manually cleaning, carrying and disposing of human excreta in an
insanitary latrine or in an open drain or on railway track or in such other spaces.
About NCSK
 (NCSK) was constituted in 1994 as a statutory body by an Act of Parliament.
 But in 2004, the validity of the NCSK Act lapses and there onwards the Commission is
acting as a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment.
 Its tenure is extended from time to time through government resolutions.
Mandates:
 Recommend to the Central Government specific programmes of action to end
discrimination of Safai Karamcharis.
 Evaluate the implementation of schemes relating rehabilitation of Safai Karamcharis.
 Investigate specific grievances relating to non-implementation of programmes in respect

of Safai Karamcharis.
 To monitor the working conditions, safety and wages of Safai Karamcharis working
under various kinds of employers including Government.
About NSKFDC
Government Agencies
 National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) is a
Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
Objective of NSKFDC
 To promote socio-economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis/Scavengers and their
dependents.
 It provides financial assistance at concessional rates of interest for any income generating
activity.
 Loan is provided through the State Channelising Agencies (SCAs).
Schemes under NSKFDC:

 Mahila Samridhi Yojana (MSY)
 Mahila Adhikarita Yojana (MAY)
 Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY)
 Sanitary Marts Scheme etc.
Other functions of NSKFDC

 It also provides technical training, technology up-gradation, and common facility centers
for carrying out sanitation works.
National Testing Agency (NTA)

Why in news?
 The Union Cabinet has approved creation of National Testing Agency (NTA) to
conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.
Features:
 It is registered as a society under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860.
 It as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization.
 The NTA would initially conduct those entrance examinations which are
currently being conducted by the CBSE and other examinations will be taken up
gradually.
Constitution:
 NTA will be chaired by an eminent educationist appointed by MHRD.
 The CEO will be the Director General to be appointed by the Government.
 There will be a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions.
Finances:
 NTA will be given a one-time grant of Rs.25 crore from the Government of
India to start its operation in the first year.
 Thereafter, it will be financially self-sustainable.

Government Agencies
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA)

Why in news?
 The nodal body for adoption in the country, CARA, has barred partners in live-in
relationships from adopting a child.
About CARA
 Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body under Juvenile
Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
 It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children.
 CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in

accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Inter-country
Adoption, 1993 (ratified by India in 2003).
Functions
 To promote in-country adoptions and to facilitate inter-State adoptions in co-
ordination with State Agency.
 To regulate inter-country adoptions.
 To frame regulations on adoption and related matters.
 To issue instructions to any Specialised Adoption Agency or any child care institution.
Regulation of CARA
 It is under Ministry of Women & Child Development.
 The Authority shall submit an annual report to the Central Government, and the Central
Government will lay it before each House of Parliament.
 The accounts of Authority shall be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-

General.
Mandatory registration of Child Care Institutions

 All child care institutions, whether run by State Government or by non-governmental
organizations are to be mandatorily registered under JJ Act.
Guidelines for Adoption

 The CARA permits a single woman to adopt a child of any gender, while single men can
adopt only boys.
 In case an applicant is married, both spouses must give their consent for adoption and
should be in a stable marriage for at least two years.
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)

Context:
 The Union Government recently declared that the National Financial Reporting
Authority is likely to be set-up in two months.

Government Agencies
What is the National Financial Reporting Authority?

 The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) under the Companies Act 2013, will
be an independent regulator for the auditing profession.
Objectives:
 Establishment and enforcement of accounting and auditing standards and
oversight of work of auditors.
 Strengthen independence of audit firms and therefore, enhance investor and

public confidence in financial disclosures of companies.
Jurisdiction and functions:

 Investigation of Chartered Accountants and their firms to all listed companies as
well as large unlisted public companies.
 Government can also refer other entities for investigation where public interest is
involved.
 It subsumes certain powers of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of

India (ICAI) to act against erring chartered accountants.
 It can debar an erring auditor or auditing firm for up to 10 years and slap penalties.
 However, the role of existing ICAI will continue in the following respects:
 Issues associated with its members
 Audits of private limited companies and public unlisted companies below the
threshold limit.
 Advisory role with respect to accounting and auditing standards.
Cauvery Water Management Authority

Context:
 Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has recently asked Karnataka to release
31.24 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) water to Tamil Nadu in July.
What is the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA)?

 Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) was formed to address the
dispute over sharing of river water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and
Puducherry.
 It was constituted by the Central Government as per the Cauvery Management

Scheme following directions from Supreme Court.
Powers and functions:

 CWMA deals with release of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Puducherry as per the Cauvery Management Scheme.
 CWMA will be sole body to implement CWDT award as modified by Supreme Court.
 It will also advise the states to take suitable measures to improve water use

Government Agencies
efficiency.
 CWMA will prepare an annual report covering its activities from the preceding year.
Composition:
 CWMA will comprise a chairman, a secretary and eight members.
 Out of the eight members, two will be full time, while two will be part time members from
centre’s side. Rest four will be part time members from states.
Working:
 CWMA would also be assisted by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
 The Central Government will have no say in implementing of the scheme except
for issuing administrative advisories to the CWMA.
Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India

Context:
 Cabinet recently approved capital infusion in Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Ltd.
What is Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India?
 ECGC Limited (Formerly Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd) is a
company set up in 1957 with the goal of promoting exports from the country by
providing Credit Risk Insurance and related services for exports.
Operation:
 It is wholly owned by Government of India and functions under the administrative
control of Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
 It is managed by a Board of Directors comprising representatives of the Government,
Reserve Bank of India, banking, and insurance and exporting community.
Function:
 Provides a range of credit risk insurance covers to exporters against loss in export of
goods and services.
 Offers Export Credit Insurance covers to banks and financial institutions to enable
exporters to obtain better facilities from them.
 Provides Overseas Investment Insurance to Indian companies investing in joint
ventures abroad in the form of equity or loan.
 Provides guidance and information on different countries, credit-worthiness of
overseas buyers and export-related activities.
 Assists exporters in recovering bad debts.
EPFO and ESIC

Why in news?
 Labour ministry is planning to move to a public-private-partnership mode to run

Government Agencies
and administer its flagship schemes- EPFO and ESIC that it wants to make universal.
What is EPFO?
 Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) a statutory body formed by the
Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (extends to the
whole of India except J&K).
 EPFO assists the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) in administering a compulsory

contributory Provident Fund Scheme, a Pension Scheme and an Insurance
Scheme for the workforce engaged in the organized sector in India.
 The EPFO's apex decision making body is the CBT.
 It is also the nodal agency for implementing bilateral social security agreements with
other countries on a reciprocal basis.
 EPFO is one of the world's largest Social Security Organisations in terms of clientele and
the volume of financial transactions undertaken.
Coverage:
 EPFO covers industries that employ atleast 20 employees.
 EPFO covers employees that earn a threshold salary of Rs 15000 or less.

 It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour.
Universal Account Number (UAN)

 The UAN is a 12-digit number allotted to employee who is contributing to EPF and
will be generated by EPFO.
 The UAN will act as an umbrella for the multiple Member Ids allotted to an individual by
different establishments and also remains same through the lifetime of an employee.
 The UAN will help in easy transfer and withdrawals of claims across different
firms.
What is ESIC?
 Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is a statutory body created under the
ESI Act, 1948.
 It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour.
 ESI is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme for Indian
workers in organized sector.
Coverage:
 ESIC covers industries employing over 10 employees.
 For all employees earning ₹21,000 or less per month as wages, the employer
contributes 4.75 percent and employee contributes 1.75 percent, total share 6.5
percent.
Benefits:

Government Agencies
 The employees registered under the scheme are entitled to medical treatment for
themselves and their dependents, unemployment cash benefit in certain
contingencies and maternity benefit in case of women employees.
 There is also provision for disablement benefit and family pension.
 ESIC runs 1418 ESI dispensaries and 145 ESI hospitals.
 In addition to insured workers, poor families eligible under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima
Yojana (RSBY) can also avail facilities in ESI hospitals and dispensaries.
Add ons:
 ESIC has introduced introduction of Pehchan smart cards as a part of Project
Panchdeep.
National Security Guard (NSG)

Why in news?
 National Security Guard, popularly known as 'Black Cats', are to be deployed in counter-
militancy operations in Jammu & Kashmir, which was placed under governor's rule on
June 2018.
Objectives:
 The National Security Guard (NSG) is an Indian Special Forces unit under the
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
 It was raised in 1984, following Operation Blue Star and the assassination of Indira
Gandhi.
 It aims "for combating terrorist activities with a view to protect states against internal
disturbances".
 As a specialized counter terrorism force, it is intended for use "only in exceptional

situations".
 And it is not meant to take over the "functions of the State Police Forces or other Para
Military Forces.

 NSG comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
 The head of NSG, designated as Director General (DG), is selected by the Union Home
Minister.
 It is not categorised under the uniform nomenclature of Central Armed

Police Forces.
Special Action Group (SAG)

 The SAG is the main offensive or the strike wing of the NSG.
 Its members are drawn exclusively from the Indian army.
Special Rangers Group (SRG)

Government Agencies
 The Special Rangers Group (SRG), the police component of NSG, which also handles VIP
security.
 It is composed of personnel on deputation from other Central Armed Police Forces and
State Police Forces.
Central Water Commission

Why in News?
 Central Water Commission (CWC) has been in news in the context of controversy
regarding Mekedatu dam project.
About CWC
 The Central Water Commission is a technical organization in the field of Water
Resources.
 It is presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of Water Resources.
 It is thus entrusted with the coordination of schemes for control, conservation and
utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose of flood
control, irrigation, navigation, drinking water supply and water power
development.
Some noteworthy functions of CWC includes:

 To provide flood forecasting services to all major flood prone inter-state river basins
of India.
 To conduct studies on dam safety aspects.
 To conduct and coordinate research on the various aspects of river development schemes
such as flood management, irrigation, navigation, power development, etc.
 Monitoring of projects under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP),

and Command Area Development (CAD) programme.
Note:
 The task of ensuring sustainable development and management of ground water
resources of the country is entrusted to Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
About Mekedatu Dam Project

 Being set up by the Karnataka government, the project is across the river Cauvery.
 Its primary objective is to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and recharge the
groundwater table in the region.
 Tamil Nadu is opposing the construction of the dam and claims that the dam violates the
final award of the Cauvery River Water Tribunal.

Government Agencies
Indian Council of Medical Research

Why in News?
 The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to undertake trials of the
indigenously developed vaccine against Zika virus.
About ICMR
 The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, is the apex body in India
for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is
one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world.
 The governing body of the council is presided over by the Union Health Minister.
Functions of ICMR
 The Council's research priorities coincide with the National health priorities such as
 control and management of communicable diseases
 fertility control
 maternal and child health
 control of nutritional disorders
 developing alternative strategies for health care delivery
 containment within safety limits of environmental and occupational health
problems
 research on major non-communicable diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases,
blindness, diabetes and other metabolic and haematological disorders
 mental health research and drug research (including traditional remedies).
Add-On
 The Indian Journal of Medical Research is published under the auspices of the council.
National Cyber Coordination Centre

Why in News?
 Recently Prime Minister has launched the website of Cyber Coordination Centre.
What is NCCC?
 National Cyber Coordination Centre is an operational cyber security and e-
surveillance agency in India.
What are the functions of NCCC?

 It is intended to screen communication metadata and co-ordinate the
intelligence gathering activities of other agencies.
 It would also act as bridge between law enforcement agencies on the one hand,
and academia and private cyber security professionals on the other.
NCCC is under which ministry?

 Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Government Agencies
National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies
and Quality Council of India

Why in News?
 The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) accreditation
programme for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Certification
Bodies has been accorded the recognition of equivalence in the Asia-Pacific region.
About NABCB
 NABCB, a constituent Board of the Quality Council of India, is responsible for
accreditation of certification/inspection bodies.
 NABCB provides accreditation to Certification and Inspection Bodies based on

assessment of their competence as per the Board's criteria and in accordance
with International Standards and Guidelines.
 NABCB is a member of International Accreditation Forum (IAF) & Pacific

Accreditation Cooperation (PAC).
About Quality Council of India

 QCI is an independent autonomous body that worked towards assuring quality
standards across all spheres of economic and social activities.
 The Council is independent and works under the directions of its Governing Body (GB)
having equal representation of government, industry and industry
associations.
 It does not get funded by the government and is a self-sustaining non-profit

organization with its own Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Rules.
 Chairman of QCI is nominated by the Prime Minister of India and is a non-

executive post.
Enforcement Directorate
Why in News?
 IRS officer Sanjay Kumar Mishra was appointed as the full-time chief of the Enforcement
Directorate (ED).
About Enforcement Directorate

 The Directorate of Enforcement is a law enforcement agency and economic intelligence
agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India.
 It is part of the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
What are the objectives of ED?

 The prime objective of the Enforcement Directorate is the enforcement of two key
Acts.

Government Agencies
 Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and
 Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).
 ED renders cooperation to foreign countries in matters relating to money

laundering and restitution of assets under the provisions of PMLA and to seek
cooperation in such matters.
 Processing cases of fugitives from India under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act,
2018, Sponsor cases of preventive detention under Conservation of Foreign Exchange
and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974(COFEPOSA) etc.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

Why in News?
 CSIR recently developed ‘green’ firecrackers with significantly less soot and gaseous
emissions.
What is CSIR?
 CSIR was established in 1942 as an autonomous body and has emerged as the largest
research and development organisation in India.
 Although it is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, it

operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
 The research and development activities of CSIR include aerospace engineering,

structural engineering, ocean sciences, life sciences, metallurgy, chemicals,
mining, food, petroleum, leather, and environmental science.
Organization Structure of CSIR

 Prime Minister of India acts as the President of CSIR and its Vice President is
the Minister of Science & Technology.
Strategic Policy Group

What is Strategic Policy Group?
 The Strategic Policy Group is the first level of the three tier structure of the
National Security Council.
 It forms the nucleus of the decision-making apparatus of the NSC.
Who heads SPG?

 National Security Advisor is the chairman of the group.
About National Security Council

 NSC is an executive government agency tasked with advising the Prime
Minister's Office on matters of national security and strategic interest.
 The three tier structure of the NSC comprises the Strategic Policy Group (SPG),

Government Agencies
the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and the National Security
Council Secretariat.
 All aspects of national security are deliberated upon by the National Security Council
(NSC), the apex body, headed by the Prime Minister.
 The Ministers of Home Affairs, Defence, External Affairs, Finance and

Deputy Chairman of the NITI Aayog are its members.
 The National Security Adviser is its Secretary.
National Solar Energy Federation of India

About NSEFI
 National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) is an umbrella organization of
all solar energy stakeholders of India.
Functions & Objectives

 This apex solar organization works in the area of policy advocacy and is a National
Platform for addressing all issues connected with solar energy growth in
India.
Members of NSEFI
 It consists of leading international, National and regional companies and
works in a complimentary manner with the Central and State Governments for achieving
India’s national solar target of 100 GW by 2022.
Add-On
 NSEFI is a founding member of the Global Solar Council (GSC).
National Health Authority

Why in News?
 Cabinet has cleared the constitution of a National Health Authority (NHA) through an
executive order, for better implementation of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (PM-JAY).
 The ministry’s role will now be limited to acting as the nodal ministry for
NHA in parliamentary matters, like the presentation of annual reports.
 With this approval, the existing society "National Health Agency" has been
dissolved and will be replaced by National Health Authority as an attached
office to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Structure of NHA
 The post of the NHA CEO will be upgraded to that of a Secretary to the Government
of India with full financial powers.

Government Agencies
 Till now, all funds released by the National Health Agency, which is implementing
the PM-JAY, were done through the Ministry of Health.
 NHA’s governing board will be chaired by the Minister for Health and Family
Welfare, while its members will include NITI Aayog CEO and NHA CEO.
Functions of NHA
 NHA will be responsible for PM-JAY’s operational guidelines, fixing the ceiling
of premium amounts, and developing mechanisms for strategic purchase of
healthcare from the private sector.
 It is also tasked with building a health information technology platform, and

working with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.
About PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat)

 PM-JAY, is being described as the world’s largest health insurance scheme.
 It is a cashless and paperless access to health services up to Rs. 5 lakhs per

year to poor and vulnerable people identified as per the socio economic caste
census.
Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council

Why in News?
 Economist Surjit Bhalla has resigned from PM’s Economic Advisory Council.
About PMEAC:
 Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PMEAC) is a non-constitutional,
non-permanent and independent body constituted to give economic advice to the
Government, specifically the Prime Minister.
Establishment:
 The Economic Advisory Council was reconstituted time and again with different
organisational structures.
 The PMEAC has been constituted several times since the independence.
Functions:
 The primary role of the PMEAC is to give a neutral viewpoint on economic policy
matters that are referred to it by the Prime Minister.
 Terms of Reference as defined by the PMEAC are as follows:
 Analyzing any issue, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Prime Minister and
advising him thereon.
 Addressing issues of macroeconomic importance and presenting views thereon to

the Prime Minister.
 Submitting periodic reports to the Prime Minister on macroeconomic

developments.

Government Agencies
Organizational structure:
 The PMEAC is chaired by a Chairperson and consists of eminent economists as members.
 There is no fixed definition on the exact number of members and staff of the
PMEAC.
 For administrative, logistic, planning and budgeting purposes, the NITI Aayog serves
as the Nodal Agency for the PMEAC.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

What is CCEA?
 CCEA is one of the standing committees of the cabinet constituted by the government.
 CCEA is headed by the Prime Minister and includes other important portfolios in
the government.
What are the Functions of CCEA?

 Review economic trends on a continuous basis, and also the problems and prospects.
 The CCEA also lays down priorities for public sector investment and considers
specific proposals for investment of not less than specific levels (Rs. 3 Billion at present)
as revised from time to time.
 Directs and coordinate all policies and activities in the economic field that require policy
decisions at the highest level.
 Other functions includes:
 Price controls of industrial raw materials and products.
 Industrial licensing policies.
 Reviewing performance of Public Sector Undertakings.
 Matters relating to disinvestment including cases of strategic sale, and pricing of

Government shares in Public Sector Undertakings.
Cabinet Committee on Security

Why in News?
 Cabinet Committee on Security is seen on the news frequently on account of
investigations into Rafale deal.
About Cabinet Committee on Security

 The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is the final decision-making body on senior
appointments in the national security apparatus, defence policy and expenditure, and
generally all matters of India's national security.
Who are the members of CCS?

 The CCS is chaired by the Prime Minister of India. The CCS also consists of -

Government Agencies
Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister of External Affairs,
Minister of Defence.
Other senior Cabinet Committees include:

 Appointments Committee of the Cabinet - chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
 Cabinet Committee on Accommodation - chaired by the Home Minister of India.
 Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs - chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
 Cabinet Committee of Parliamentary Affairs - chaired by the Home Minister of

India.
 Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs - chaired by the Prime Minister of India.

Reports & Indices
- Reports & Indices –

World University Rankings 2019
Why in news?
 ‘Times Higher Education World University Rankings-2019’ was released on 26th
Sept 2018.
 IISc Bengaluru has been ranked the best in the country and was placed between
the 251-300 band.
About ‘World University Rankings’:

 World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings by
Times Higher Education (THE) magazine.
 Oxford University has emerged the best institutes across the globe, followed by
Cambridge and Standford.
What is ‘World Reputation Rankings’ ?

 Times Higher Education's World Reputation Rankings serve as a subsidiary
of World University Rankings
 It ranks universities independently in accordance with their scores in prestige.
India Youth Development Index (YDI)

Released by
 The Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD).
Objectives
 The objective of India Youth Development Index (YDI) 2017 is to track the trends in
Youth Development across the States.
 The Index enables recognizing the high and low performing states, and informs
the policy makers the priority areas of intervention for youth development
in the states.
Parameters:
 Employment , education , health , civic, political spheres and social inclusion
E-Government Development Index

Why in news?
 India has ranked 96 in United Nation’s E-Government Index 2018.
What is this?
 It measures countries’ use of information and communications technologies

Reports & Indices
to deliver public services
Developed by
 It is produced every two years by the UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs.
NITI Aayog-Health Index

Why in news?
 NITI Aayog released a comprehensive Health Index report titled, “Healthy States,
Progressive India”.
About the report

 The report ranks states and Union territories innovatively on their year-on-year
incremental change in health outcomes, as well as, their overall performance with
respect to each other.
Developed by
 The report has been developed by NITI Aayog with technical assistance from the
World Bank, and in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW).
Ranking
 Among the Larger States Kerala, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu ranked on top in terms of
overall performance.
Exporting Corruption report

Why in news
 2018 edition of Exporting Corruption report released on 14th September 2018.
Released by:
 Transparency International, a nonprofit organization that aims to combat global
corruption and prevent criminal activities arising from corruption.
 They also publishes Global Corruption Barometer and the Corruption

Perceptions Index.
What is it for?
 To rate countries based on their enforcement against foreign bribery under the OECD
Anti-Bribery Convention.
Findings regarding India and China

 For the first time, this year’s report evaluates China, the world’s largest
exporter, as well as India, Singapore and Hong Kong,
 These countries are each responsible for more than two per cent of global exports but

Reports & Indices
are not signatories to the OECD Convention.
 They are, however, parties to the UN Convention against Corruption, which also
calls for enforcement against foreign bribery.
 Transparency International urges them to join the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.
What is OECD Anti-Bribery Convention?

 The OECD Convention requires signatory countries to criminalise bribery of
foreign public officials and introduce related measures.
The World Happiness Report

Who publishes the report?
 It is an annual publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development

Solutions Network which contains rankings of national happiness
Parameters
 Income
 Healthy life expectancy
 Social support
 Freedom
 Trust and generosity
Report-2018
 As per the report Finland is the happiest country in the world.
 The World Happiness Report 2018 ranks 156 countries by their happiness levels
 The 2018 report focused on the relation between happiness and migration.
India’s status
 India is ranked 133 out of 156 countries.
UN’s ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’ Report

Who prepares the report?
 The ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’ is an annual flagship report
jointly prepared by :
 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
 International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
 World Food Programme (WFP)
 World Health Organization (WHO)

Reports & Indices
Objective
 To inform on progress towards ending hunger, achieving food security and improving
nutrition
 To provide in-depth analysis on key challenges for achieving this goal in the context of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Report of 2017- Major findings

 After a prolonged decline, estimates indicate that global hunger increased in 2016
and affected 815 million people.
 The failure to reduce hunger is attributed to the increase in conflicts and violence
in several parts of the world.
 Adult obesity is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as

cardiovascular ailments and diabetes.
In India:
 India is home to 190.7 million of undernourished people - a 14.5% prevalence of hunger
vis-a-vis its total population.
 38.4% of children under five in India are stunted.
 51.4% of women in reproductive ages are anemic.
Public Affairs Index

Why in news?
 The Public Affairs Index 2018 released on 22nd July ranked Kerala in the top
followed by Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat.
What is it?
 The index examines governance performance in the states through a data-based
framework.
 It is released annually since 2016.
Published by:
 The index is released by a Bengaluru based think-tank, Public Affairs Centre(PAC).
About PAC
 Public Affairs Centre (PAC) is a not for profit think tank, established in 1994 with a
mandate to improve the quality of governance in India.
Parameters of the Index

 Essential Infrastructure
 Support to Human Development
 Social Protection
 Child and Women

Reports & Indices
 Crime, Law and Order
 Delivery of Justice
 Environment
 Transparency And Accountability
 Fiscal Management
 Economic Freedom
Global State of Democracy Index (GSoD)

What is GSoD?
 The Global State of Democracy indices depict democratic trends at the country, regional
and global levels across a broad range of different attributes of democracy in the period
1975–2015.
 The GSoD indices, which were constructed for the first time in 2017, cover
155 independent countries.
Published by:
 International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements

Why in news?
 Union government has introduced Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation
Achievements (ARIIA) to promote a culture of innovation and research in higher
education.
What is ARIIA?
 ARIIA systematically ranks education institutions and universities primarily on
innovation related indicators.
 It is an initiative by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
Mandate:
 Encourage, inspire and nurture young students by exposing them to new ideas and
processes resulting in innovative activities in their formative years.
 This would be fostered through a network of Innovation clubs in Higher Educational

Institutions.
Parameters for evaluation:

 Budget Expenses and Revenue generated through Innovation and entrepreneurship
development.
 Facilitating access to advance centres/facilities and entrepreneurial support

Reports & Indices
system.
 Ideas for Entrepreneurship.
 Development of Innovation ecosystems supported through teaching & learning.
 Innovative solutions developed in-house to improve governance of the institution.
Global Slavery Index

Why in news?
 The 2018 Global Slavery Index was recently released and estimated that there were
nearly 8 million people living in modern slavery in India.
About the Global Slavery Index:

 The Global Slavery Index is an annual study of world-wide slavery conditions by
country published by the Walk Free Foundation.
What is modern slavery?

 Contemporary slavery, also known as modern slavery, refers to the institutions of
slavery that continue to exist in the present day.
 'Modern slavery', 'Trafficking in persons', and 'Human trafficking' have been used as
umbrella terms for the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining
a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force,
fraud, or coercion.
India in the Global Slavery Index:

 Among 167 countries India ranked 53 in terms of prevalence with North Korea at
the top of the list with 104.6 per 1,000.
 Japan registered the lowest prevalence rate of 0.3 per 1,000.
 However, as far as absolute numbers go India topped the list on prevalence. China
found itself at 111th place with a prevalence rate of 2.8 per 1,000.
Inclusive Wealth Report

About the report
 The Inclusive Wealth Report (IWR) is a biennial effort led by the UN Environment to
evaluate the capacities and performance of the nations around the world to measure
sustainability of economy and well-being of their people.
What is inclusive wealth according to the report?

 Inclusive wealth is a measure of human well-being—totalling the value of an economy’s
stock of manufactured capital (buildings, equipment, machines and roads), human
capital (aptitude, education, knowledge and skills) and natural capital (forests,
agricultural land, rivers and estuaries, the atmosphere and the oceans).

Reports & Indices
Findings of the report

 The report finds that, for many countries, increases in overall global wealth come
at the expense of environmental assets, including biodiversity, forests, clean air
and water.
 The report indicates that natural capital declined in 127 of the 140 countries, even as
the global economy grew.
 It says that in developing countries the rate of decline in natural capital has
been five times higher than in rich economies.
 In low- and middle-income economies other forms of capital investments compensated

for the rising natural capital depletion since the late 1990s.
 The findings maintain that the two major threats to world economy are: increasing
natural resource degradation and growing rich-poor divide.
 It says that the main cause behind the economic imbalance lies in the fact that natural
capital is under-priced and hence over exploited, while the resulting proceeds
are insufficiently invested in other forms of wealth, especially human
capital.
Global Nutrition Report

About Global Nutrition Report
 The Global Nutrition Report published by WHO acts as a report card on the world’s
nutrition—globally, regionally, and country by country—and on efforts to improve it.
 It assesses progress in meeting Global Nutrition Targets established by the World

Health Assembly.
Important Findings on India

 The country holds almost a third (31 per cent) of the global burden for stunting.
 India again tops the list with the most number of wasted children at 25.5 million,
followed by Nigeria (3.4 million) and Indonesia (3.3 million).
 The urban prevalence of stunting on average 19.2 per cent compared with 26.8 per cent
in rural areas.
 India is also among the countries with more than a million children who are overweight.
Factors behind poor nutrition status

 The report attributes factors such as gender, education, economic status, health,
hygiene etc as the reasons behind India’s poor nutrition status.
SDG India Index

Why in News?

Reports & Indices
 NITI Aayog has recently published SDG India Index.
About the index

 The SDG India Index measures the progress of states and UTs complying with
the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global

Goals, set forward by UNDP are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect
the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
 The report has been prepared with support from Global Green Growth Institute and
the UN.
 The index covers 13 of the 17 sustainable development goals, including healthcare, gender
equality, clean energy, infrastructure, education, peace and building strong, accountable
institutions.
 Four goals, including climate action and sustainable use of marine resources, were
left out because of lack of data at the state level.
Highlights of the index

 Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have emerged as the front runners in
achieving SDG targets while Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are the laggards.
 According to the SDG India Index, the nation as a whole has a score of 58, showing
the country has reached a little beyond the halfway mark in meeting the
sustainable development goals.
Global Education Monitoring Report

About GEM Report
 Global Education Monitoring Report is an editorially independent, authoritative and
evidence-based annual report published by UNESCO.
 Its mandate is to monitor progress towards the education targets in the new Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) framework.
Findings of latest survey

 Literacy levels in rural households of India dip with seasonal migration.
 Construction sector absorbs the majority of short-term migrants.
 80% of seasonal migrant children in 7 cities lacked access to education, and 40% were
likely to end up in work.
Gender Gap Index

About Gender Gap Report and Index
 The Global Gender Gap Report is published by the World Economic Forum. The

Reports & Indices
report covers 144 major and emerging economies.
 The Global Gender Gap Index is an index designed to measure gender equality.
 The global list was topped by Iceland having closed more than 85.8 per cent of its
overall gender gap.
What are the parameters considered?

The report examines four overall areas of inequality between men and women:-
1. Economic participation and opportunity – outcomes on salaries, participation

levels and access to high-skilled employment.
2. Educational attainment – outcomes on access to basic and higher level education
3. Political empowerment – outcomes on representation in decision-making

structures.
4. Health and survival – outcomes on life expectancy and sex ratio.
 India ranked lower on all segments.
India’s performance
 India has been ranked 108th in World Economic Forum (WEF) gender gap
index, same as 2017, while recording improvement in wage equality for similar
work and fully closing its tertiary education gender gap for the first time.
 WEF also noted that India continues to rank third-lowest in the world on health
and survival.
 India’s ranking on political empowerment came down to 19 in 2018, from 15 in the

previous year.
 India has the second-largest artificial intelligence (AI) workforce but one of
the largest AI gender gaps, with only 22 per cent of roles filled by women.
 South Asia was the second-lowest ranking region in the index, with only 65 per
cent of its gender gap now closed.
 India is slightly ahead of the regional average having closed 66 per cent.
 But it is worth noting that, from a low base, South Asia has made the fastest progress
on closing its gender gap of any world region over the past decade.
Democracy Index
Who compiles democracy index?
 UK-based company, Economist Group’s the Economist Intelligence Unit
(EIU).
What does it measures?

 It intends to measure the state of democracy in 167 countries, of which 166 are sovereign
states and 164 are UN member states.
 To rank the countries the EIU gives a score out of 10 for a number of categories, such as

Reports & Indices
political participation and the functioning of government, then classifies each country as
full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes and authoritarian regimes.
Findings of the index
 Topping out the index are Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand, and Denmark.
 North America holds the claim for the highest average score of any region.
 Australia and New Zealand are the only "full democracies" in the entire Asia-Pacific
region.
 India is ranked 41st and is under the classification of flawed democracies.
Global RTI Rating

Why in News?
 In the recent rankings on the performance of countries with functional right to
information laws. India’s rank came down 6th out of the 123 countries in the list, last
year it was on fifth position.
What is Global RTI Rating?

 The RTI Rating is the leading global tool for assessing the strength of national legal
frameworks for accessing information held by public authorities (or the right to
information, RTI).
 It is widely used by inter-governmental organisations, RTI advocates, reformers,

legislators and others.
Who publishes the ratings?

 The ratings are published by the Access Info Europe and the Centre for Law and
Democracy.
What is RTI Act?

 Right to Information (RTI) is act of the Parliament of India to provide for setting out the
practical regime of the right to information for citizens.
 Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen of India may request information from a
"public authority" (a body of Government or "instrumentality of State") which is required
to reply expeditiously or within thirty days.
 The Act also requires every public authority to computerise their records for wide
dissemination and to proactively disclose certain categories of information so that the
citizens need minimum recourse to request for information formally.
World Development Report

 World Development Report (WDR) is an annual report published since 1978 by the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) or World
Bank.

Reports & Indices
 Each WDR provides in-depth analysis of a specific aspect of economic development.
 The World Development Report 2019 studies the impact of technology on the
nature of work.
Global Risks Report

Who publishes Global Risks Report?
 World Economic Forum.
What is the report about?

 Based on the work of the Global Risk Network, the report describes changes
occurring in the global risks landscape from year to year and identifies global
catastrophic risks.
 The report also explores the interconnectedness of risks and considers how the
strategies for the mitigation of global risks might be structured.

Miscellaneous
- Miscellaneous –`
Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record
Why in news
 President of India inaugurated the National Conference on “The Changing Face of Legal
Education in India", which was organised by Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record
(AOR) Association.
About Advocates-on-Record
 Only these advocates are entitled to file any matter or document before the
Supreme Court.
 They can also file an appearance or act for a party in the Supreme Court.
 The other two categories of Advocates entitled to practice law before the Supreme
Court are (a) Senior Advocates and (b) Other Advocates.
Senior Advocates
 These are Advocates who are designated as Senior Advocates by the Supreme Court of
India or by any High Court.
 The Court can designate any Advocate, with his consent, as Senior Advocate if in its
opinion the said Advocate is deserving of such distinction.
 A Senior Advocate is not entitled to appear without an Advocate-on-Record

in the Supreme Court or without a junior in any other court or tribunal in India.
Other Advocates:
 These are advocates whose names are entered on the roll of any State Bar Council
maintained under the Advocates Act, 1961.
 They can appear and argue any matter on behalf of a party in the Supreme Court but
they are not entitled to file any document or matter before the Court.
Section 377 of IPC

What is section 377 of IPC?
 Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code introduced during the British rule of India
criminalizes sexual activities "against the order of nature", including
homosexual activities.
Koushal v. Naz Foundation case

 Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 377 of IPC which
criminalises ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature’
Puttuswamy Judgment
 On 24 August 2017 in Puttuswamy judgment, the SC had upheld the Right to Privacy as

Miscellaneous
a fundamental right under the Constitution.
 The SC also stated that the protection of sexual orientation lies at the core of the
fundamental rights and the rights of the LGBT population are founded on
constitutional doctrine.
 The Puttuswamy judgment have implications for section 377 as consensual sexual
acts in private can no longer be overseen by law.
Recent rulings
 A five-member constitutional bench of the SC hearing the pleas of challenging the
constitutionality of section 377, stated that:
 “A person’s choice of a partner is a fundamental right, and it can include

same-sex partner”.
Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016

 This act amends the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 by
widening its scope against child labour.
Objectives
 The Act prohibits employment of children below 14 years in all occupations except
where the child helps his family after school hours.
 Addition of a new category of persons called “adolescent”. Act defines children

between 14 to 18 years as adolescents and bars their employment in any
hazardous occupations.
 The three hazardous occupations are mining, inflammable substances, and

hazardous processes under the Factories Act.
 The Act empowers Union Government to add or omit any hazardous

occupation from the list included in the act.
Child labour- a cognizable offence

 The Act makes child labour a cognizable offence.
 Employing children below 14 years will attract a jail term between 6 months to two years
or a penalty between twenty-thousand to fifty thousand rupees or both for the first time.
 Repeat offenders will attract imprisonment of 1 year to 3 years.
 In case, the offender is a parent, it provides a relaxed penal provision.
 According to Supreme Court orders, the amount collected as penalties should be

used for providing education and rehabilitation of rescued child labourer.
Rehabilitation fund:
 The act has a provision of creating Rehabilitation Fund for the rehabilitation of
children.

Miscellaneous
National Digital Communications Policy-2018

Why in news?
 Union Cabinet on 26th September 2018 approved the National Digital
Communications Policy-2018 (NDCP-2018).
Objectives of the Policy

 Broadband for all.
 Creating four million additional jobs in the Digital Communications sector.
 Enhancing the contribution of the Digital Communications sector to 8% of India's

GDP from 6% in 2017.
 Propelling India to the Top 50 Nations in the ICT Development Index of

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) from 134 in 2017.
 Enhancing India's contribution to Global Value Chains.
 Ensuring Digital Sovereignty.
 These objectives are to be achieved by 2022.
Key targets
 Provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 Mbps to every citizen.
 Provide 1 Gbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats by 2020 and 10 Gbps by 2022.
 Ensure connectivity to all uncovered areas.
 Attract investments of USD 100 billion in the Digital Communications Sector.
 Train one million manpower for building New Age Skill.
 Expand Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem to 5 billion connected devices.
 Establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that

safeguards the privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals.
 Facilitate India's effective participation in the global digital economy.
 Enforce accountability through appropriate institutional mechanisms to assure citizens

of safe and Secure digital communications infrastructure and services.
National Sports Awards

Why in news?
 The National Sports Awards 2018 were announced by the Union Ministry of
Youth Affairs and Sports on September 20, 2018.
About National Sports Awards

 National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports
 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award:
 It is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of

Miscellaneous
sports by a sportsperson over a period of four year.
 Arjuna Award:
 It is given for consistency outstanding performance for four years.
 Dronacharya Award
 Award for coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious International sports
events.
 Dhyan Chand Award
 It is given for life time contribution to sports development.
 Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar
 It is given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and
individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and
development.
 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy
 Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given this

trophy.
Skoch Smart Governance Award

Why in news?
 SKOCH has conferred the ‘Best performing Social Sector Ministry’ award on the Ministry
of Women and Child Development.
About SKOCH:
 SKOCH is an independent think tank dealing with socio -economic issues in India.
SKOCH - Smart Governance order of merit awards

 SKOCH Smart Governance Award is an initiative recognizing top performing
government organisations operating at local, state and national level.

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Polity & Government Agencies

Anti-defection law ......................................................................................................................... 5

Enemy property ............................................................................................................................. 7

Double Jeopardy ........................................................................................................................... 7

Determination of Minimum Wages in India .............................................................................. 8

Juristic person or legal entity .......................................................................................................9

‘Essential practice’ doctrine ........................................................................................................ 10

Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir ................................................................................... 11

No-confidence motion ................................................................................................................ 12

Privilege Motion .......................................................................................................................... 13

Article 35A of the Constitution of India ..................................................................................... 14

Special Category Status ............................................................................................................... 15

Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha ................................................................................................. 15

Electoral bonds ............................................................................................................................ 16

Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS)....................................................... 17

Restricted Area Permit ............................................................................................................... 19

Creation of Legislative Council .................................................................................................. 20

Renaming of States ..................................................................................................................... 21

MCC for guidance of political parties and candidates ..............................................................22

Office of profit .............................................................................................................................23

Discretionary powers of the Governor ...................................................................................... 24

Appointment of Chief Justice of India .......................................................................................25

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha ............................................................................................. 26

Solicitor General & Attorney General ....................................................................................... 30

Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ........................................................................................ 31

Airports Authority of India .........................................................................................................33

Himalayan State Regional Council ............................................................................................33

Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) .......................................................................................34

Ilearnias.com +91 808 916 6792 P a g e 1 | 85

Child Care Institutions (CCIs) .................................................................................................... 35

Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) ................................................................................36

Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (REAT) .....................................................................................36

Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) ................................................................................... 37

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) ................................................................ 38

National Medical Devices Promotion Council .......................................................................... 38

National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) .............................................................................39

National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ................................................................................ 40

Animal Welfare Board Of India ................................................................................................. 40

Wildlife Institute of India (WII) ................................................................................................. 41

National Green Tribunal ............................................................................................................. 41

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) ...........................................................................43

National AIDS Control Organization ........................................................................................ 44

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ....................................................................... 44

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) ............................................................... 46

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) .......................................................... 46

North Eastern Council ................................................................................................................ 47

Appellate Tribunal for Electricity .............................................................................................. 48

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights .............................................................. 49

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) .......................................................................................... 50

Lieutenant Governor (Lt) of Delhi ............................................................................................. 51

Competition Commission of India (CCI) ................................................................................... 51

National Commission for Backward Class .................................................................................52

Zonal Councils ............................................................................................................................. 53

Press Council of India .................................................................................................................54

National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) ................................................................................ 55

National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) ..............................................................56

National Testing Agency (NTA) ................................................................................................. 57

Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) ........................................................................ 58

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) ..................................................................... 58

Cauvery Water Management Authority .....................................................................................59

Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India ........................................................................ 60

EPFO and ESIC .......................................................................................................................... 60

National Security Guard (NSG)................................................................................................. 62