Today's Headlines - 01 August 2023
Lok Sabha passes MMDR Amendment bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was taken up for consideration and passed by the Lok Sabha. This bill proposes to empower the Central government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for 26 critical minerals in the country.
More about the Amendment
This amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, “would facilitate, encourage and incentivise private sector participation in all spheres of mineral exploration for critical and deep-seated minerals”. Under the existing framework, state governments auction mining blocks.
Even in case of conduct of auction by the central government, the mineral concession shall be granted to the selected bidders by the state government only and the auction premium and other statutory payments shall accrue to the state government.
According to the statement of objects and reasons for the bill, it would help hasten the pace of auction and early production of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite that are crucial for electric vehicles and batteries.
Nickel, platinum, and tin-bearing minerals are also among the 26 that are proposed to be brought under the ambit of the central government.
This would be the Fifth Amendment to the MMDR Act since 2014. Earlier changes included mandating e-auction for mineral resources, and allowing extension of mining leases which were expiring.
#upsc #news #loksabha #MMDR #amendnent #bill #polity #mines #minerals #development #central #goverment #critical #goverments #statutory #exploration #lithium #cobalt #grapite #nickel #platinum #resources #leases #private #sector
Lok Sabha passes MMDR Amendment bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was taken up for consideration and passed by the Lok Sabha. This bill proposes to empower the Central government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for 26 critical minerals in the country.
More about the Amendment
This amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, “would facilitate, encourage and incentivise private sector participation in all spheres of mineral exploration for critical and deep-seated minerals”. Under the existing framework, state governments auction mining blocks.
Even in case of conduct of auction by the central government, the mineral concession shall be granted to the selected bidders by the state government only and the auction premium and other statutory payments shall accrue to the state government.
According to the statement of objects and reasons for the bill, it would help hasten the pace of auction and early production of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite that are crucial for electric vehicles and batteries.
Nickel, platinum, and tin-bearing minerals are also among the 26 that are proposed to be brought under the ambit of the central government.
This would be the Fifth Amendment to the MMDR Act since 2014. Earlier changes included mandating e-auction for mineral resources, and allowing extension of mining leases which were expiring.
#upsc #news #loksabha #MMDR #amendnent #bill #polity #mines #minerals #development #central #goverment #critical #goverments #statutory #exploration #lithium #cobalt #grapite #nickel #platinum #resources #leases #private #sector
Today's Headlines - 07 August 2023
Offshore mining and mineral auctions
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
In a significant step toward exploiting India's offshore resources, the Council of States passed the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill (OAMDR), 2023. The Bill represents a transformative change for the offshore mining sector, which has remained largely inactive since the enactment of the OAMDR Act in 2002.
More about the Bill
It aims to increase transparency in the allocation of minerals found in the country's offshore basins, permitting the granting of production leases exclusively through auctions and reserving some allocations for government entities and public sector units (PSUs).
The passage of the Bill marks a historic milestone, unlocking India's vast mineral-rich offshore areas.
This move promises strategic benefits, strengthening the nation's territorial waters, which have been frequently threatened by neighboring countries.
The extraction of minerals from these areas is expected to bolster India's strategic position further.
Auctions as primary means
The Bill stipulates a fixed 50-year production lease for offshore minerals. Under this new legislation, the government plans to introduce auctions as the primary means to award production leases for offshore minerals.
The amendment enables the granting of production leases to the private sector solely through competitive bidding auctions.
Under the composite licensing system, explorers will also have the right to develop and mine minerals under a single license.
The Bill introduces a four-year timeline for the start of production and dispatch following the execution of a composite license or production lease.
It also establishes a two-year timeline (extendable by one year) for the resumption of production and dispatch after a discontinuation.
#upsc #news #headline #offshore #mineral #polity #resources #development #regulation #OAMDR #bill #PSU #india #strategic #water #nations #territorial #award #production #lease #legislation #singlelicense #compositelicensing #historic #milestone #amendment
Offshore mining and mineral auctions
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
In a significant step toward exploiting India's offshore resources, the Council of States passed the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill (OAMDR), 2023. The Bill represents a transformative change for the offshore mining sector, which has remained largely inactive since the enactment of the OAMDR Act in 2002.
More about the Bill
It aims to increase transparency in the allocation of minerals found in the country's offshore basins, permitting the granting of production leases exclusively through auctions and reserving some allocations for government entities and public sector units (PSUs).
The passage of the Bill marks a historic milestone, unlocking India's vast mineral-rich offshore areas.
This move promises strategic benefits, strengthening the nation's territorial waters, which have been frequently threatened by neighboring countries.
The extraction of minerals from these areas is expected to bolster India's strategic position further.
Auctions as primary means
The Bill stipulates a fixed 50-year production lease for offshore minerals. Under this new legislation, the government plans to introduce auctions as the primary means to award production leases for offshore minerals.
The amendment enables the granting of production leases to the private sector solely through competitive bidding auctions.
Under the composite licensing system, explorers will also have the right to develop and mine minerals under a single license.
The Bill introduces a four-year timeline for the start of production and dispatch following the execution of a composite license or production lease.
It also establishes a two-year timeline (extendable by one year) for the resumption of production and dispatch after a discontinuation.
#upsc #news #headline #offshore #mineral #polity #resources #development #regulation #OAMDR #bill #PSU #india #strategic #water #nations #territorial #award #production #lease #legislation #singlelicense #compositelicensing #historic #milestone #amendment
Today's Headlines - 11 August 2023
Aspirational districts programme
GS Paper - 2 (Infrastructure)
Haryana's Nuh district has achieved the second position in Niti Aayog's 'Delta ranking' under the aspirational districts programme on 10 August 2023. The programme aims at uplifting and developing the most socio-economically challenged districts in India, and this progress in Nuh is certainly a step in the right direction.
More about the News
The continuous efforts are on to improve the ranking of the district on several parameters.
Nuh tops in parameters of agriculture and water resources while in health and nutrition parameters, it comes in second place.
Due to continuous improvement in the ranking of other departments, the district has bagged an overall second position.
The Delta rankings for the aspirational districts measure the incremental progress made by them across the developmental areas of health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.
The Aspirational Districts Programme is a part of the government’s endeavour to raise the standard of living of its citizens and ensure inclusive development for all under the vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.
The programme focuses on improving the capacity of people to participate fully in a growing economy, ensuring optimum utilisation of their potential.
Health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development and basic infrastructure are the thrust areas of the programme.
#upsc #news #headline #aspirational #districts #programme #infrastructure #haryana #nitiaayog #deltaranking #NUH #developing #economically #right #direction #efforts #agriculture #water #resources #health #sabkasathsabkavikas #nutrition
Aspirational districts programme
GS Paper - 2 (Infrastructure)
Haryana's Nuh district has achieved the second position in Niti Aayog's 'Delta ranking' under the aspirational districts programme on 10 August 2023. The programme aims at uplifting and developing the most socio-economically challenged districts in India, and this progress in Nuh is certainly a step in the right direction.
More about the News
The continuous efforts are on to improve the ranking of the district on several parameters.
Nuh tops in parameters of agriculture and water resources while in health and nutrition parameters, it comes in second place.
Due to continuous improvement in the ranking of other departments, the district has bagged an overall second position.
The Delta rankings for the aspirational districts measure the incremental progress made by them across the developmental areas of health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.
The Aspirational Districts Programme is a part of the government’s endeavour to raise the standard of living of its citizens and ensure inclusive development for all under the vision of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.
The programme focuses on improving the capacity of people to participate fully in a growing economy, ensuring optimum utilisation of their potential.
Health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development and basic infrastructure are the thrust areas of the programme.
#upsc #news #headline #aspirational #districts #programme #infrastructure #haryana #nitiaayog #deltaranking #NUH #developing #economically #right #direction #efforts #agriculture #water #resources #health #sabkasathsabkavikas #nutrition
Today's Headlines - 12 September 2023
A new member in G20
GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)
The African Union (AU) was admitted as a new member of the G20, barely three months after India floated the idea of including the organisation. The development took place at the ongoing 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi.
What is the AU?
The AU is an intergovernmental organisation of the 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.
The grouping is guided by its vision of “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
Although the AU was officially launched on 9 July 2002, its roots go back to the 1960s when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was established.
The OAU was also an intergovernmental organisation and it aimed to bring African nations together and resolve common issues through collective action.
Its main focus, however, was to help liberate the colonised countries in the continent. To do so, OAU mustered diplomatic support and provided logistical aid to liberation movements across Africa.
Notably, the man spearheading the idea of the AU was the Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
He also did more than any other leader to ensure the creation of the African Union (AU) in 2002, hosting several meetings, and forcing Nigeria and South Africa to react to his frantic drive towards creating a federal body, an analysis published in The Guardian said.
What are the objectives of the AU?
Unlike the OAU, the AU concentrates its energy and resources on achieving greater unity and solidarity between African countries and their people.
It seeks to accelerate the process of the political and socio-economic integration of the continent.
Moreover, the AU addresses the multifaceted social, economic and political problems that the African nations have been facing.
Its key objectives also include promoting peace, stability, and security across the region. Protecting and promoting human rights are also part of the agenda.
What are the notable achievements of the AU?
Many of the AU’s peacekeeping missions have helped governments tackle terrorism across Africa, from the Sahel to northern Mozambique. Over the years, the organisation’s interventions have prevented violence in countries like Burundi, the Central African Republic, Comoros, Darfur, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Mali.
AU’s diplomatic efforts have also resulted in resolving conflicts in Africa. Last year, it brokered a peace deal between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in South Africa, almost two years after the two entities began fighting.
The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into force in 2021, is yet another achievement of the organisation.
With 54 member countries as signatories, AfCFTA is the world’s largest new free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994.
#upsc #news #headline #newmember #G20 #internationalrelations #AU #newdelhi #africa #peaceful #prosperous #libyan #dictator #muammargaddafi #resources #unity #stability #peace #achivements #TPLF #AFCFTA #WTO #trade #area #social #economic #integration #resources #members
A new member in G20
GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)
The African Union (AU) was admitted as a new member of the G20, barely three months after India floated the idea of including the organisation. The development took place at the ongoing 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi.
What is the AU?
The AU is an intergovernmental organisation of the 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.
The grouping is guided by its vision of “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
Although the AU was officially launched on 9 July 2002, its roots go back to the 1960s when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was established.
The OAU was also an intergovernmental organisation and it aimed to bring African nations together and resolve common issues through collective action.
Its main focus, however, was to help liberate the colonised countries in the continent. To do so, OAU mustered diplomatic support and provided logistical aid to liberation movements across Africa.
Notably, the man spearheading the idea of the AU was the Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
He also did more than any other leader to ensure the creation of the African Union (AU) in 2002, hosting several meetings, and forcing Nigeria and South Africa to react to his frantic drive towards creating a federal body, an analysis published in The Guardian said.
What are the objectives of the AU?
Unlike the OAU, the AU concentrates its energy and resources on achieving greater unity and solidarity between African countries and their people.
It seeks to accelerate the process of the political and socio-economic integration of the continent.
Moreover, the AU addresses the multifaceted social, economic and political problems that the African nations have been facing.
Its key objectives also include promoting peace, stability, and security across the region. Protecting and promoting human rights are also part of the agenda.
What are the notable achievements of the AU?
Many of the AU’s peacekeeping missions have helped governments tackle terrorism across Africa, from the Sahel to northern Mozambique. Over the years, the organisation’s interventions have prevented violence in countries like Burundi, the Central African Republic, Comoros, Darfur, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Mali.
AU’s diplomatic efforts have also resulted in resolving conflicts in Africa. Last year, it brokered a peace deal between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in South Africa, almost two years after the two entities began fighting.
The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into force in 2021, is yet another achievement of the organisation.
With 54 member countries as signatories, AfCFTA is the world’s largest new free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1994.
#upsc #news #headline #newmember #G20 #internationalrelations #AU #newdelhi #africa #peaceful #prosperous #libyan #dictator #muammargaddafi #resources #unity #stability #peace #achivements #TPLF #AFCFTA #WTO #trade #area #social #economic #integration #resources #members