Cabinet approves introduction of the revamped Merchant Shipping Bill 2016 in the Parliament and simultaneous repealing of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and the Coasting Vessels Act, 1838.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 for introducing it in the Parliament.
The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 is a revamped version of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. The Bill provides for repealing of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 as well as for the repealing of the Coasting Vessels Act, 1838.
The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 had become a bulky piece of legislation over the years as a result of various amendments carried out in the Act from time to time. It was amended 17 times between 1966 and 2014 resulting in an increase in the number of sections to more than 560 sections. These provisions have been meticulously shortened to 280 sections in the Bill.
The provisions of the Bill will simplify the law governing the merchant shipping in India. Further, certain redundant provisions will be dispensed with and remaining provisions will stand consolidated and simplified so as to promote case of doing business, transparency and effective delivery of services.
The significant reforms that will usher in, upon enactment of the Bill, are:
A. Augmentation of Indian tonnage promotion/development of coastal shipping in India by:-
a) allowing substantially-owned vessels and vessels on Bare Boat-cum-Demise (BBCD); charter by Indians to be registered as Indian flag vessels;
b) recognising Indian controlled tonnage as a separate category;
c) dispensing with the requirement for issuing of licences to Indian flag vessels for coastal operation and for port clearance by the Customs authorities; and
d) making separate rules for coastal vessels to develop & promote coastal shipping.
B. Introduction of welfare measures for seafarers, such as:-
a) seafarers held in hostage captivity of pirates will receive wages till they are released and reach home back safely;
b) owners of vessels to compulsorily take insurance of crew engaged on vessels including fishing, sailing without mechanical means of propulsion and whose net tonnage is less than 15; and
c) the requirement of signing of articles of agreement by the crew before the Shipping Master will no longer be necessary.
C. Registration of certain residuary category of vessels not covered under any statute and lo make provisions for security-related aspects.
D. Incorporation of all International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Conventions/Protocols in the Indian laws up-to-date (an essential pre-requisite for compliance with the IMO Member-State Audit Scheme that is mandatory since 1/1/2016) by inserting provisions relating to seven different conventions, namely,
a) the Intervention Convention 1969,
b) the Search and Rescue Convention 1979
c) the Protocol for Prevention of Pollution from Ships Annex VI to Marine Pollution Convention,
d) the Convention for Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004,
e) the Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention, 2007,
f) the Salvage Convention 1989 and
g) the International Convention for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001.
Besides, the provisions for survey, inspection and certification of vessels which were scattered in various Parts of the existing Act are placed together to provide for a simplified regime for convenience of Indian shipping industry. The Coasting Vessels Act, 1838, which is an archaic legislation of the British era providing for registration of non-mechanically propelled vessels to a limited jurisdiction of Saurashtra and Kutch, is proposed to be repealed since in the Merchant Shipping Bill 2016 provisions have been introduced for registration of all vessels for the whole of India.
Penetration to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas to increase; 35000 more students to be accommodated
Cabinet approves setting up of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in 62 uncovered districts of the country
62 new Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas to be opened in uncovered districts
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved opening of one Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in each of the 62 uncovered districts with an outlay of Rs.2,871 crore.
The expenditure for this purpose during the 12th Plan will be Rs.109.53 crore with a spill over amount of Rs.2,761.56 crore from 2017-18 to 2024-25.
What is Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya?
These JNVs will provide good quality modern education to the talented children prominently from rural areas. It is expected that nearly 35,000 students will be benefitted from these JNVs.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are important source of employment
A full fledged Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya provide employment to 47 persons and accordingly 62 JNVs will provide direct permanent employment to 2914 individuals.
As JNVs are residential and co-educational in nature, it is compulsory for all the staff and students to reside in the Vidyalaya campus. Due to its residential nature, each JNV will generate opportunities to the local vendors for supply of essential commodities such as food, consumables, furniture, teaching material etc. It will also create large opportunity for local service providers such as barber, tailor cobbler, manpower for housekeeping and security services etc.
Background:
As on date, there are 598 sanctioned JNVs in 576 districts spread across 35 States / Union Territories. Out of these, 591 are functional. Each JNV has classes from VI to XII with a sanctioned strength of 80 students per class and total strength of 560 students. Admissions to JNVs in class VI are done through an entrance examination. At least 75% of the seats in a district are filled by candidates selected from rural areas of the district.
Further, reservation of seats in favour of children belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is provided in proportion to their population in the concerned district subject to the condition that in no district such reservation is less than the national reservation percentage (15% for SC and 7.5% for ST). One third of the total seats are reserved for girls.
List of the 62 uncovered districts in the country where new JNVs will be opened
S.No.
|
STATE
|
NAME OF DISTRICT
|
1
|
Andaman & Nicobar
|
1. South Andaman
|
2
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
2. Tirap
|
3. Capital Complex (Itanagar)
| ||
3
|
Karnataka
|
4. Kolar
|
5. Ramanagara
| ||
6. Gulbarga
| ||
4
|
Delhi
|
7. East Delhi
|
8.West Delhi
| ||
9. North Delhi
| ||
10. South Delhi
| ||
11. North East Delhi
| ||
12. Shahdara
| ||
13. South East Delhi
| ||
5
|
Rajasthan
|
14. Pratapgarh
|
6
|
Haryana
|
15. Palwal
|
7
|
West Bengal
|
16. Malda
|
17. Jalpaiguri
| ||
8
|
Jharkhand
|
18. Ramgarh
|
19. Khunti
| ||
9
|
Vlaharashtra
|
20. Bhandara
|
10
|
Gujarat
|
21.Surat
|
22. Dwarka
| ||
23. Junagarh
| ||
24. Botad
| ||
25. Mahisagar
| ||
26. Chota Udaipur
| ||
27. Morbi
| ||
28. Sabar Kantha
| ||
11
|
Chattisgarh
|
29. Narayanpur (Bastar)
|
30. Bijapur (Dantewada)
| ||
31. Balodabazar
| ||
32. Gariyaband
| ||
33. Bemetara
| ||
34. Balod
| ||
35. Mungeli
| ||
36. Sukma
| ||
37. Kondagaon
| ||
38. Balrampur
| ||
39. Surguja
| ||
12
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
40. Singrauli
|
41. Jhabua
| ||
42. Agar Malwa
| ||
13
|
Punjab
|
43. Gurdaspur
|
44. Fazilaka
| ||
14
|
Jammu & Kashmir
|
45. Srinagar
|
46. Bandipura
| ||
47. Ramban
| ||
48. Kishtwar
| ||
49. Phulwama
| ||
15
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
50. Kasganj
|
51. Sultanpur
| ||
52. Shamli
| ||
53. Hapur
| ||
54. Badayun
| ||
16
|
Tripura
|
55. Shepahijala
|
56. Unakoti
| ||
57. West Tripura
| ||
58. South Tripura
| ||
18
|
Meghalaya
|
59. East Jantia Hills
|
60. South West Khasi Hills
| ||
61. South West Garo Hills
| ||
62. North Garo Hills
|
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