INSIGHTS

DAILY
CURRENT
AFFAIRS + PIB
SUMMARY

28 JULY 2023

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 GS Paper 2
Table Of Contents
THE JAN VISHWAS (AMENDMENT
GS Paper 2
• The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill OF PROVISIONS) BILL 2023
2023  2
Syllabus: Important Aspects of Governance, Transpar-
• The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023  3 ency and Accountability
• The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Reg-
ulation) Amendment Bill, 2023  5 Context: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill
• Jharkhand issues PESA draft rules for consultations 2023 is set to be taken up during the ongoing Monsoon Ses-
sion of the Parliament.
 5
Content for Mains Enrichment Objective of the Bill:
• Cooling solutions  6 ● To redefine the regulatory landscape of the country
• Intelligent Traffic Management System  6 with decriminalisation of minor offences under 42
Acts.
● To reduce compliance burden and promote ease of
Facts for Prelims (FFP) living and doing business in the country.
• Bharat Mandapam  6
• Bengaluru 1st an Indian city to be a member of the More about the Bill:
cultural forum  7 ● The Bill was tabled in Parliament by the Union Minis-
try of Commerce and Industry (December 2022) and
• Byculla railway station (Mumbai)  7 then referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
• Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Amend- ● As per reports, most recommendations of the JPC
ment Bill, 2023  7 have been approved by the Union Cabinet, clearing
the way for its passing.
• Persons with Disabilities  8
• India’s Rice Export Ban  8 Salient provisions of the Bill:
• INDIAai  8 ● Decriminalising: 180 offences across 42 laws gov-
erning environment, agriculture, media, industry
and trade, etc.
● Completely remove/ replace imprisonment claus-
es: With monetary fines.
● Compounding of offences in some provisions.
● Removes all offences and penalties under the Indian
Post Office Act, 1898.
● Changes in grievance redressal mechanisms: Ap-
pointment of one or more Adjudicating Officers for
determining penalties.
● A periodic revision of fines and penalties: An in-
crease of 10% of the minimum amount every 3 years
for various offences in the specified Acts.

Some key laws covered in the Bill:

● The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981
● The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
● The Indian Forest Act, 1927
● The Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act,
1937
● The Information Technology Act, 2000
● The Copyright Act, 1957
● The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
● The Cinematograph Act, 1952
● The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, etc

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Need for the Bill:
● A large number of compliances govern doing busi-
ness in India:
○ Currently, there are 1,536 laws which trans-
late into around 70,000 compliances that
govern doing business in India.
○ Among these, 26,134 have imprisonment
clauses as a penalty for non-compliance.
● Lengthy processing times for the needed approv-
als: Escalating costs and dampening the entrepre-
neurial spirit.
● Implications:
○ Excessive compliances have proved burden-
some for business enterprises, especially
MSMEs.
○ Creating barriers to the smooth flow of
ideas and the creation of jobs, wealth and
GDP.
Significance of the Bill:
● Reducing the compliance burden gives impetus to
the business ecosystem and improves the well-be-
ing of the public.
● Smoother processes will attract more investment.
● It will reduce judicial burden, as settlement by com-
pounding method, adjudication and administrative
mechanism will save time, energy and resources.
● In short, the Bill seeks to bolster ‘trust-based gover-
nance’ - promoting ease of doing business and ease
of living.
Concerns:
● Quasi-decriminalisation: The monetary fines or
penalties are not a good enough attempt at decrim-
inalisation.
● Remove the deterrence effect of the environmental
legislation: The blanket removal of imprisonment
provision might remove deterrence, especially for
large corporations profiteering from the offence.
● Adjudicating Officers may lack the technical com-
petence: Necessary to decide all penalties under the
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981
and the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.
● Many offences (like theft or misappropriation of
postal articles) proposed to be removed have noth-
ing to do with its objective of decriminalisation to
promote ease of doing business.
Conclusion:
● The cornerstone of democratic governance lies in
the government trusting its own people and institu-
tions and a web of outdated rules and regulations
causes trust deficit.
● After resolving the above issues, the Jan Vishwas
Bill will help to clear the burdensome collection of
old and outdated legislation.
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Insta Links:
Good Governance Practices
GS Paper 2
THE CINEMATOGRAPH (AMEND-
MENT) BILL 2023
Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions for
Development in various sectors and Issues arising out
of their Design and Implementation
Context: Rajya Sabha passed the Cinematograph (Amend-
ment) Bill 2023, which cracks down on film piracy along with
changing how movies are certified by the censor board.
The background:
● The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2019 was in-
troduced in the Rajya Sabha proposing changes re-
lated only to film piracy.
● This Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on
Information Technology, whose recommendations
included age-based categories of certification.
● The revised Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2021
and the final version (2023 Bill) were drafted after
consultations with industry stakeholders and the
public.
About the 2023 Bill:
● Introduced by the Ministry of I&B, the Bill seeks to
amend the Cinematograph Act 1952.
● The 1952 Act authorises the Central Board of Film
Certification (CBFC) to require cuts in films and clear
them for exhibition in cinemas and on television/ re-
fuse the exhibition of a film.
Why does the Cinematograph Act 1952 need amendments?
● To harmonise the law with various executive orders,
SC judgements, and other legislations like the Copy-
right Act, 1957 and the IT Act (IT) 2000.
● To improve the procedure for licensing films for
public exhibition by the CBFC, and
● To expand the scope of categorisations for certifi-
cation.
● To curb the menace of piracy, there was a huge de-
mand from the film industry to address the issue
of unauthorised recording and exhibition of films,
which is causing them huge losses (Rs 20,000 crore
annually).
 Salient features
Additional certificate catego- Under the Act, film may be certified
ries
Separate certificate for tele-
vision/other media
The Cinematograph Act 1952
for exhibition: without restriction
(‘U’); without restriction, but subject
to guidance of parents or guardians
for children below 12 years of age
(‘UA’); only to adults (‘A’), or only to
members of any profession or class of
persons (‘S’).
The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023
The Bill adds certain additional certificate cate-
gories based on age. It substitutes the UA cate-
gory with the following three categories to also
indicate age-appropriateness: UA 7+, UA 13+ or
UA 16+.
This is in line with the Shyam Benegal commit-
tee’s (2017) recommendations.
Films with an ‘A’ or ‘S’ certificate will require a
separate certificate for exhibition on television,
or any other media prescribed by the central
government.

The Board may direct the applicant to carry ap-

propriate deletions or modifications for the sep-
arate certificate.
Unauthorised recording and Provides for certain exemptions - use In order to stop piracy, the Bill prohibits carrying
exhibition to be punishable of copyrighted content without own- out or abetting the unauthorised recording and
er’s authorisation in case of reporting unauthorised exhibition of films.
of current affairs, etc.

Exemptions under the Copyright Act 1957 will

also apply to the above offences.

The above offences will be punishable with: im-

prisonment between 3 months and 3 years, and
a fine between 3 lakh rupees and 5% of the au-
dited gross production cost.
Validity of certificates For 10 years Perpetually/always valid
Revisional powers of the Empowers the central government to Removes this power of the central government.
central government examine and make orders in relation
to films that have been certified or are
pending certification. The Board is re-
quired to dispose of matters in confor-
mance with the order.

Significance of the Bill:

● It will make the certification process more effective, in tune with the present times.
● By comprehensively curbing the menace of film piracy, it will help in faster growth of the film industry and boost
job creation in the sector.

Concerns:
● OTT platforms out of the purview of the Bill: What if an uncut movie is broadcast on OTT?
● Age-appropriate categories are self-regulatory: It places the onus on parents and guardians to determine if the
material is appropriate for viewers of a particular age range.

Insta Links:

The draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2021

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GS Paper 2
THE OFFSHORE AREAS MINERAL
(DEVELOPMENT AND REGULA-
TION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2023
Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions for
Development in various sectors and Issues arising out
of their Design and Implementation
Context: The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Reg-
ulation) Amendment Bill 2023 to amend the offshore areas
mineral law was introduced in Lok Sabha.
About the bill:
The bill, prepared by the Ministry of Mines, seeks to amend
the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation)
Act 2002, to allow auction of minerals mined offshore.
Purpose behind amending the 2002 Act:
● To mine rocks under the sea: Under the original Act,
not even a single rock could be not mined out from
the sea bed mainly due to pending litigations.
○ Hence, the Bill allows the use of the national
wealth in the sea for the use of the people
of the country.
● To provide an auction of minerals mined offshore:
The original Act does not allow the auction of such
minerals.
● To facilitate private sector participation: In the min-
ing of non-atomic minerals in India’s territorial wa-
ters and continental shelf.
○ Meanwhile, the bill includes a provision to
grant mineral concession without compet-
itive bidding to Government companies or
corporations.
○ However, private companies might be en-
couraged to contribute cutting-edge tech-
nologies for the execution of complex min-
ing operations.
● To improve transparency in the allocation of miner-
al resources: With a provision for granting produc-
tion leases only through auction, Mint reported.
● To grant an exploration licence or production lease:
Only to a government company in case the quality of
minerals in that particular area is equal to or above
the threshold value decided by the Centre.
● To propose area under a production lease: Such ar-
eas shall comprise contiguous standard blocks and
shall not exceed an area of 15 minutes latitude by 15
minutes longitude.
● To promote ease of doing business: A provision has
been made for easy transfer of exploration licence,
composite licence or production lease.
● To remove discretion in the grant of renewals: The
provisions for renewal of production leases have
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been removed and the period of production lease
has been increased to 50 years.
● To grant powers to the central government: To re-
vise the order made by the Administering Authority,
issue directions and call for information from the Ad-
ministering Authority, in the public interest.
What India gains from this Bill?
● As India aims to become a high-growth economy, it
needs to harness its maritime resources to its opti-
mal capacity.
● The bill encourages the participation of the pub-
lic-private sector.
● The private sector will bring the necessary expertise
and technology to explore and mine the mineral re-
sources present in the EEZ.
Insta Links:
Amendment to Mines and Minerals (Development and Reg-
ulation) Act
GS2
JHARKHAND ISSUES PESA DRAFT
RULES FOR CONSULTATIONS
Syllabus: Government Programme and Policies
Context: The Jharkhand government has released draft rules
for public consultation to implement The Provisions of the
Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) en-
acted in 1996.
• In Jharkhand, Scheduled Areas are identified by the
Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, covering 13 out
of 24 districts in the state.
The draft rules grant gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas cer-
tain rights, such as resolving traditional and family dis-
putes, hearing specific cases under the Indian Penal Code
(IPC), and maintaining peace and order in accordance with
the principles of the Constitution.
About PESA Act:
• The PESA Act was enacted in 1996 “to provide for
the extension of the provisions of Part IX of the
Constitution relating to the Panchayats to the
Scheduled Areas”.
• Part IX, comprising Articles 243-243ZT of the Con-
stitution, contains provisions relating to municipal-
ities and cooperative societies.
Under the Act, Scheduled Areas are those referred to in
Article 244(1), which says that the provisions of the Fifth
Schedule shall apply to the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled
Tribes in states other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and
Mizoram.
The Fifth Schedule provides for a range of special provisions
for these areas.
Ten states — Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himach-
al Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odis-
ha, Rajasthan, and Telangana — have notified Fifth Schedule
areas that cover (partially or fully) several districts in each
of these states.
Purpose:
Self-governance recognises the right of tribal communities
and empowers Gram Sabha.
Insta Links: PESA Act
Mains Link:
Q. The PESA Act is considered to be the backbone of trib-
al legislation in India, in this backdrop do you think proper
implementation of it can rejuvenate self-governance in the
tribal pockets of the country? Analyse.
Content for Mains Enrichment
COOLING SOLUTIONS
India has introduced a Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) that aims
to achieve a 20% reduction in cooling load through cli-
mate-appropriate building envelopes and a 30% reduction
in cooling energy through improved efficiency and practices.
The key to providing thermal comfort lies in recognizing the
appropriate cooling technologies for different climatic con-
ditions.
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Examples include:
• Ceiling fans for heat dispersal
• Desert coolers for hot and dry months
• Ventilation and dehumidification for humid climates
Innovative Cooling solutions include:
• Using the Earth’s potential as a heat sink through
tunnels embedded underground
• Evaporative cooling by passing air through water-sat-
urated mediums
• Indirect evaporative cooling cools incoming air with-
out adding moisture
• Dehumidification for extremely humid weather con-
ditions.
Usage: These cooling solutions offer energy-efficient alter-
natives to conventional air conditioners and can significant-
ly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the
building and construction sectors.
INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC MANAGE-
MENT SYSTEM
Mysuru city will introduce Intelligent Traffic Management
System, equipped with AI-powered cameras at 25 locations.
The system will automatically capture violations such as
helmetless riding, triple-riding on two-wheelers, driver-on-
call, seat belt violation, and signal jump. Once a violation is
captured, a challan will be generated, and a notice will be
sent to the vehicle owner’s address.
A similar type of Traffic Management System is operational
in cities like Bengaluru, Ahmedabad etc.
Usage: Such an example can be used in governance ques-
tions related to urban management.
Facts for Prelims (FFP)
BHARAT MANDAPAM
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the in-
ternational exhibition-cum-convention Centre (IECC) com-
plex named Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan in New
Delhi.
• The IECC complex is India’s largest MICE (meetings,
incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) destina-
tion and features state-of-the-art facilities, includ-
ing a convention centre, exhibition halls, and an
amphitheatre.
The architectural design of the convention centre incorpo-
rates elements from India’s traditional art and culture, rep-
resenting the nation’s rich heritage and modern achieve-
ments.
The term ‘Bharat Mandapam’ is derived from Lord
Basaveshwara’s concept of ‘Anubhav Mantapa,’ which was
a significant institution in the 12th century. Anubhav Manta-
pa is considered one of the earliest parliaments in human
history, where poets and socio-spiritual reformers known as
Sharanas discussed and deliberated on various reforms.
In this historical context:
• Prabhudeva, a renowned Yogi, served as the Presi-
dent, while Lord Basaveshwara acted as the Prime
Minister.
• The members of the Anubhav Mantapa were not
elected by the people; instead, they were chosen or
nominated by the higher authorities of the Manta-
pa.
BENGALURU 1ST AN INDIAN CITY
TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CUL-
TURAL FORUM
Context: Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to join
the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), an organization
founded in 2012 by the office of the Mayor of London.
• With 40 member cities already in its portfolio, Ben-
galuru becomes the 41st member of the forum. The
city’s inclusion was attributed to its dedication to an
inclusive and globalized culture.
The WCCF will collaborate with the Unboxing BLR Founda-
tion, and together, they plan to organize a ‘city festival’ to
facilitate the exchange of cultural learning as part of the
forum’s global outreach.
Bengaluru is seen as a microcosm of the new aspirational
India, showcasing a vibrant design and theatre communi-
ty, numerous museums, and a cosmopolitan food culture,
which will be highlighted and structurally presented through
the WCCF platform.
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BYCULLA RAILWAY STATION
(MUMBAI)
Context: The 169-year-old Byculla railway station in Mum-
bai, which has been restored to its original glory, received the
prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award.
The Byculla railway station is one of the oldest railway sta-
tions in India still in use. Additionally, the Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Stepwells of Golcon-
da (Hyderabad) and Domakonda Fort (Telangana) also won
the highest award of excellence in the UNESCO Asia Pacific
awards in 2022 in different categories.
The first train was run by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway
(now Central Railway) between Bori Bunder (now Chhatra-
pati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and Thane, a distance of 34
km (21 mi), on 16 April 1853.
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND
DEATHS (RBD) AMENDMENT BILL,
2023
Context: The Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Amend-
ment Bill, 2023, proposes to create digital birth certificates
that will serve as comprehensive documents for various pur-
poses.
Aim: It aims to eliminate the need for multiple documents to
prove the date and place of birth.
Key features:
• The Bill introduces significant amendments to the
Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
• Provides for the appointment of a Registrar-General,
India for issuing general directions for registration of
births and deaths.
• Create a National and State level database of regis-
tered births and deaths which would help in updat-
ing other databases.
• The Bill makes it mandatory for States to register
births and deaths digitally on a centralized portal
called the Centre’s Civil Registration System (CRS).
• Medical institutions will be required to provide a
certificate stating the cause of death to the Regis-
trar.
Applicability:
• The digital birth certificate will be used for admis-
sion to educational institutions, driving licenses,
government jobs, passports, Aadhaar, voter enroll-
ment, and marriage registration.
Benefits:
• The centralized register will facilitate the efficient
and transparent delivery of public services and so-
cial benefits.
• The database will also update the National Popula-
tion Register (NPR), ration cards, and property reg-
istration records.
• It will also simplify the registration process for ad-
opted, orphaned, abandoned, surrendered, and
surrogate children.
is also intended to support the ethanol-blending program,
reduce costly oil imports, and benefit the animal husbandry
and poultry sectors by lowering animal feed costs.
India’s status in rice exports:
India is the second-largest producer of rice in the world, af-
ter China. India has become the largest rice exporter glob-
ally, accounting for nearly 40% of global rice exports in
2022/23. Non-basmati white rice constitutes approximately
25% of the total rice exported from the country.

Impact of the ban:

• IMF predicts a potential rise of 10-15% this year in
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES international rice prices.
• Countries in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, which
Context: The Union government is facing criticism from heavily rely on India as a major supplier of rice, may
rights activists and the Opposition for omitting disabili- face vulnerability due to potential disruptions in the
ty-related questions in the sixth round of the National Fam- rice market.
ily Health Survey (NFHS).
• The government’s response to the Parliamentary
committee’s earlier recommendations explained
that data on PwDs is primarily derived from decen-
nial censuses and sample surveys on disability.
• The government also introduced Unique Disability
ID (UDID) cards for individuals covered under dis-
ability schemes, but the committee found this ap-
proach insufficient, as the number of issued UDID
cards did not match the estimated PwD population.

Recommendation:
The committee emphasized the need for innovative solu-
tions and recommended that the government collaborate
with State governments and other departments/organiza-
tions involved in PwD welfare schemes to arrive at a realistic
assessment of the PwD population in the country.

About Persons with Disabilities:

• Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) refer to individuals
who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual,
or sensory impairments that may hinder their full
and effective participation in society on an equal ba-
sis with others.
• As per Census 2011, at the all-India level, disabled
persons constitute 2.21% of the total population.
INDIAAI
Context: INDIAai is an initiative under Digital India Corpora-
tion, and Meta, India, has signed an MoU to foster collabo-
INDIA’S RICE EXPORT BAN ration in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emerging
Technologies.
Context: IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas stat-
ed that India’s decision to restrict exports of certain types of What is INDIAai?
rice could contribute to food price inflation and should be It is a joint venture between the Ministry of Electronics and
reversed. Information Technology (MeitY), the National e-Governance
Division (NeGD), and NASSCOM. It is a knowledge portal,
Previously, India has implemented restrictions on non-bas- research organization, and ecosystem-building initiative fo-
mati white rice exports to ensure sufficient availability in cused on preparing the nation for an AI-driven future.
the domestic market at reasonable prices. The export ban

8 www.insightsonindia.com
Objectives:
• To establish a framework for cooperation and to
make Meta’s open-source AI models available for
use by the Indian AI ecosystem.
• To advance research and development in AI and
Emerging Technologies, seeking breakthroughs in AI
technology and its applications.
• Establishing a Centre of Excellence to nurture the
startup ecosystem of AI and other Emerging Tech-
nologies.
• Building datasets in Indian Languages to enable
translation and large language models, prioritizing
low-resource languages to foster social inclusion
and improve government service delivery.
• Enhance accessibility to AI compute resources for
researchers, startups, and organizations with limited
resources.

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