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Current Affairs [PDF] - March 16-31, 2020

lock down in many other areas. These measures are being done to contain the spread of the virus.
Lock Down
The action is called Lock Down when there are restrictions on assembly. However, essential services are
available in these situations. The Lock Down shall be enforced by a collector or the chief medical officer.
The chief Medical Officer shall enforce Lock Down according to Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. With Lock
Down being imposed five or more people are not allowed to assemble.
During Lock Down, the police has rights to arrest person and book him under Section 271 when he tries to
escape from quarantine.
Section 144
The action is called Section 144, when the assembly of people are prohibited abiding to Indian Penal Code.
Under Section 144, more than 5 people are not allowed to assemble.
Curfew
The action is called Curfew when Section 144 is imposed along with the shutdown of essential services.
The Curfew powers lies with Collector and Police Commissioner.
Labour Ministry transfers Cess Funds for the Construction Workers to fight against COVID-19
On March 24, 2020, the Ministry of Labour and Employment transferred funds to the account of construction
workers in the backdrop of outbreak of COVID-19.
Highlights
The Labour Ministry has directed the state governments and Union Territories to transfer Rs 52,000 crores
to the accounts of construction workers. Around 3.5 crore workers who were registered with the
Construction Welfare Boards were benefitted under this.
Legislation
The step has been taken by the Ministry according to the ruling under Section 60 of Building and Other
construction Workers Act, 1996 (BOCW Cess Act). Also, the Cess funds are allowed to be collected under
BOCW Cess Act.
BOCW Cess Act
Under the act, the cess is collected from every employer working in construction work of Government or
other Public Sector undertaking. It is collected by the state Government.
What is Cess?
In Colonial India, Cess was a taxation prefix. For instance, it was collected as irrigation-cess, education-
cess, etc. In modern India, it refers to tax collected for a specific purpose.
GoI: Invest India Business Immunity Platform launched
On March 24, 2020, the India’s National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency called the Invest
India launched “The Invest India Business Immunity Platform”. The platform is to operate on the website of
Invest India.
Highlights
The platform is to give real time updates about India’s response and actions against Corona Virus. It will
provide latest initiatives of the central and state governments to combat the virus. It is to operate 24/7
under dedicated expertise.
The Platform has partnered with SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India). It also includes details
about other essential aspects such as locations of COVID-19 testing, special permissions, etc.
Significance
The spread of the virus has disrupted normal life of the people in the country. The GoI is providing several
guidelines in order to minimize its impacts and crisis, especially on the business sector. The platform will
act as a source of information to learn about such steps and keep businesses running under normalcy.

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