G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, District Development Councils (DDC) & 4th India Energy Forum

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 27, Oct 2020

Why in News?

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addresses the 1st ever Ministerial Meeting of G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group

Dr Jitendra Singh referred to the India’s Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which the Modi government amended after 30 years in 2018 to introduce a number of new provisions including criminalizing the act of giving bribe also in addition to taking bribe and at the same time putting in place an effective deterrence for such actions by individuals as well as corporate entities.

Provisions under PCA, 1988:

The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to combat corruption in government agencies and public sector businesses in India.

The Central and the State Government is empowered to appoint Special Judges to try the following offences:

1. Any offence punishable under this Act.
2. Any conspiracy to commit or any attempt to commit or any abetment of any of the offences specified under the Act. A Special Judge, while trying any offence punishable under the Act, shall exercise all powers and functions exercised by a District Judge under the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance,1944

2018 amendments to the act:

• Giving bribe is a specific and a direct offence.
• Those convicted of taking bribes can be imprisoned for three to seven years besides being fined.
• Bribe-givers have also been included in the legislation for the first time and they can be punished with imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine or both.
• It makes a provision for providing protection to ‘coerced’ (forced to pay a bribe) bribe-givers if the matter is reported to the concerned law enforcement agencies within a week.
• It redefines criminal misconduct and will now only cover misappropriation of property and possession of disproportionate assets
• It proposes a ‘shield’ for government servants, including those retired, from prosecution by making it mandatory for investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation to take prior approval from a competent authority before conducting an enquiry against them.

Fugitive Economic Offender?

• According to Section 4 of the law, any person against whom a warrant for arrest in relation to a scheduled offense has been issued by any court in India, is a fugitive economic criminal who leaves or leaves India to avoid criminal prosecution. Has finished or refuses to return to India to face criminal cases.
• The Bill provides for confiscation of property of fugitive economic offenders worth Rs 100 crore or more.
• According to Section 4 of the law, any person against whom a warrant for arrest in relation to a scheduled offense has been issued by any court in India, is a fugitive economic criminal who leaves or leaves India to avoid criminal prosecution.
• Has finished or refuses to return to India to face criminal cases.
• The Bill provides for confiscation of property of fugitive economic offenders worth Rs 100 crore or more.

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA):

• The National Financial Reporting Authority was constituted on 1 October 2018 under section 132 (1) of the Companies Act, 2013.
• Due to numerous accounting scandals and the need for the creation of an independent regulator to ensure better enforcement of auditing standards and the quality of audits, the public's confidence in the transparency of financial information of companies and investors was felt.
• Under the Companies Act, NFRA there will be a Chairman appointed by the Central Government and a maximum of 15 members.

Why in News?

Recently, the Central Government amended the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, to facilitate the setting up of District Development Councils (DDC), the members of which will be directly elected by voters in the Union Territory.

About:

• Legislation to this effect was brought in by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• DDCs are set to become a new unit of governance in Jammu and Kashmir.

What are District Development Councils (DDC)?

• The new system effectively replaces the District Planning and Development Boards in all districts and will prepare and approve district plans and capital expenditure.
• Number and Composition- The number of DDCs has been specified at 14 elected members per district representing its rural areas, alongside the Members of Legislative Assembly chairpersons of all Block Development Councils within the district.
  • The term of the DDCs will be five years, and the electoral process will allow for reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women.
  • The DDCs will form five standing committees, for Finance, Development, Public Works, Health and Education and Welfare.
  • The scope of the functions of the DDCs has been amplified by the addition of the planning process being handed over directly to the elected representatives.
  • The Act mentions that the Council will hold at least four “general meetings” in a year, one in each quarter.

Why in News?

PM delivered inaugural address at 4th India Energy Forum by CERAWeek through video conference. The theme of this edition is "India's Energy Future in a world of Change".

Key Points :

• India to nearly double its energy consumption over the long term.
• India's Energy Plan aims to ensure energy justice while adhering to global commitments to sustainable growth.
• India’s energy sector to be growth centric, industry friendly and environment conscious.
• India would continue its efforts to fight climate change.

About CERAWeek:

CERAWeek is an annual energy conference organized by the information and insights company IHS Markit in Houston, Texas.

The Prime Minister said like the seven horses driving the chariot of Sun god, India's energy map will have seven key drivers.

1. Accelerating our efforts to move towards a gas-based economy.
2. Cleaner use of fossil fuels particularly petroleum and coal
3. Greater reliance on domestic sources to drive bio-fuels.
4. Achieving the renewables target of 450 GW by 2030.
5. Increasing the contribution of electricity to de-carbonize mobility.
6. Moving into the emerging fuels including hydrogen
7. Digital innovation across all the energy systems.

About India Energy Forum:

It was established in October 2001, the Forum has acquired a unique status as a spokesman of total energy sector. Most major public and private sector organizations in Power, Oil and Gas, Coal and Renewable Energy have become its members.

• The Forum is perhaps the only Indian Organisation which represents energy sector as a whole.
• The Forum tries to bring, Government institutions, policy makers, and multi-national agencies in an attempt to identify and resolve problems, which impede the development of projects in India.
• The Forum serves as a catalyst for the development of a sustainable and competitive energy sector in India.
• India’s energy requirements are enormous and the demand is growing but our resources are limited both in physical and financial terms.

Why in News: European Union (EU) Environment Ministers have signed a deal that aims to make the EU’s 2050 net-zero emissions target legally binding on the states.

However, they left a decision on a 2030 emissions-cutting target for leaders to discuss in December.

Facts:

Background: The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 – an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

What does the deal provide?

• The deal will fix in law the EU target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and define the rules for reviewing progress towards climate targets.
• The law will give the EU the legal possibility to act when those who make promises don’t deliver on the promises.

Additional Facts:

• Net zero emissions: It refers to achieving an overall balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere.
• Zero Carbon law: It was passed by New Zealand with the aim to tackle climate change by setting a net-zero target for almost all greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.