GS- 3rd Paper
Topic- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
Context
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2019.
About IBBI
- The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) was established under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code).
- IBBI is the regulator for overseeing insolvency proceedings and entities like Insolvency Professional Agencies (IPA), Insolvency Professionals (IP) and Information Utilities (IU) in India.
- The new code will speed up the resolution process for stressed assets in the country.
- It attempts to simplify the process of insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings.
- It handles the cases using two tribunals like NCLT (National company law tribunal) and Debt recovery tribunal.
- It functions under Ministry of Commerce.
- It covers Individuals, Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships and Partnership firms.
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016
- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 is considered as one of the biggest insolvency reforms in the economic history of India.
- This was enacted for reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms and individuals in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons.
- The Code also consolidates provisions of the current legislative framework to form a common forum for debtors and creditors of all classes to resolve insolvency.
Key features of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
- The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 is a comprehensive law and covers all individuals, companies, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) and partnership firms.
- The adjudicating authority is National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for companies.
- LLPs and Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) are the adjudicating authority for individuals and partnership firms.
- The insolvency resolution process can be initiated by any of the stakeholders, i.e. firm/ debtors/ creditors/ employees.
- The code aims to resolve insolvencies in a strict time-bound manner – the evaluation and viability determination must be completed within 180 days.
- Moratorium period of 180 days (extendable up to 270 days) for the Company.
- For start-ups and small companies the resolution time period is 90 days which can be extended by 45 days.
- Introduce a qualified insolvency professional (IP) as intermediaries to oversee the Process.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2019
- The Bill amends the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
- The Code provides a time-bound process for resolving insolvency in companies and among individuals.
- Insolvency is a situation where individuals or companies are unable to repay their outstanding debt.
- The Bill addresses three issues–
- First– it strengthens provisions related to time-limits.
- Second– it specifies the minimum payouts to operational creditors in any resolution plan.
- Third– it specifies the manner in which the representative of a group of financial creditors (such as home-buyers) should vote.
- Resolution plan– The Code provides that the resolution plan must ensure that the operational creditors receive an amount which should not be lesser than the amount they would receive in case of liquidation.
- Time-limit for resolution process– The Code states that the insolvency resolution process must be completed within 180 days, extendable by a period of up to 90 days.
- The Bill adds that the resolution process must be completed within 330 days.
- On the enactment of the Bill, if any case is pending for over 330 days, the Bill states it must be resolved within 90 days.
- Representative of financial creditors– The Code specifies that, in certain cases, such as when the debt is owed to a class of creditors beyond a specified number, the financial creditors will be represented on the committee of creditors by an authorised representative.
- These representatives will vote on behalf of the financial creditors as per instructions received from them.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP)
Context
Under National Rabies Control programme(NRCP) funds are not provided for procurement of Anti- Rabies vaccine(ARV).
About
- Funds under NRCP are only provided for training, surveillance, laboratory strengthening and advocacy etc.
- Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) was directed to monitor the pharmaceutical firms producing ARV for ensuring regular supply of ARV to the States.
Issues
- There is rabies elimination drive by 2030 globally.
- There is significant demand of Anti Rabies Vaccine and Serum from the neighboring courtiers like Myanmar, Malaysia and Philippines.
- These countries are importing vaccine from India.
- Many states and stakeholders have pointed out that preferential export of ARV by Indian Manufactures at escalated prices to the neighboring countries.
- It has resulted in nonresponse and non-participation by the manufactures in domestic tenders.
About NRCP
Background
- Rabies is responsible for extensive morbidity and mortality in India.
- The disease is endemic throughout the country.
- With the exception of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, human cases of rabies are reported from all over the country.
- About 96% of the mortality and morbidity is associated with dog bites. Cats, wolf, jackal, mongoose and monkeys are other important reservoirs of rabies in India.
- Bat rabies has not been conclusively reported from the country.
- To address the issue of rabies in the country, National Rabies Control Programme was approved during 12th FYP as Central Sector Scheme.
Objectives
- Training of Health Care professionals on appropriate Animal bite management and Rabies Post Exposure Prophylaxis.
- Advocacy for states to adopt and implement Interdermal route of Post exposure prophylaxis for Animal bite Victims and Pre exposure prophylaxis for high risk categories.
- Strengthen Human Rabies Surveillance System.
- Strengthening of Regional Laboratories under NRCP for Rabies Diagnosis.
- Creating awareness in the community through Advocacy & Communication and Social Mobilization.
Activities undertaken in last one year (2018-19) under NRCP –
- Training and capacity building
- Guidelines and technical support to states– To review the recent WHO recommendation on Rabies post exposure prophylaxis (2017) expert group meeting on Revision of National Guidelines for Rabies Prophylaxis
- Rabies and animal bite surveillance
- Laboratory strengthening for rabies diagnosis.
- IEC activites – Under the Programme Prototype IEC material was developed and disseminated to the States.
- World Rabies Day is observed on 28th September each year.
- Interectoral coordination for Rabies control
- Operationl research – Preliminary meeting on study on assessment of Rabies burden in the country held with stakeholders ( NIE Chennai, APCRI ) at ICMR on 28th December, 2018.
GS- 3rd Paper
Topics Covered– Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (N.A.I.P)
Context
Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme launched by Prime Minister picks pace.
About NAIP
The National Artificial Insemination Programme was launched on sidelines with ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ Programme, 2019 and National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) at Mathura.
Key Features of NAIP
- The Programme will be implemented in 600 identified districts having less than 50% Artificial Insemination (AI).
- It will cover around 120 lakh breedable female bovine populations, covering 100 villages and 200 animals per village.
- All breeds of cattle and buffaloes will be covered under this programme.
- Monitoring of the project and follow-up of all the animals covered under the programme shall be continued till calves are born.
What is Artificial insemination?
- Artificial insemination can triple milk production rates, especially for the vast majority of non-descript indigenous cows, and improve the overall quality of the cattle.
- However, using sex-sorted semen — which increases the possibility of a female calf to about 90% — also drastically increases the cost of insemination, as the technology is still new in India.
- The government-subsidised price of a single semen dose is only ₹20; sex-sorted semen, on the other hand, can cost ₹500 to 600 per dose.
- Of the 11.9 crore semen doses produced in the country every year, only 10 lakh are sex-sorted.
- Currently, only four centres — including two owned by the government — produce such semen.
- Government would soon open 11 such centres across the country to promote widespread adoption of the technology and reduce costs
National Animal Disease Control Progreamme (NACDP)
- The launch of the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NACDP) took place in Mathura.
- The program aims to control and eradicate the Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis among livestock in the country.
- More than 600 million cattle in the country are set to be vaccinated in an effort to mitigate the two diseases, Brucellosis and FMD (locally known as muh paka bimari), as part of the Centre’s ₹12,652 crore programmes.
Aims
- The programme aims to control the livestock diseases by 2025 and eradicate these by 2030.
- The programme aims at vaccinating over 500 million livestock including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs against the FMD.
- The programme also aims at vaccinating 36 million female bovine calves annually in its fight against the brucellosis disease.
Funding
- NADCP project will cost ₹12,652 crores for a period of five years till 2024,.
- It will be funded entirely by the government.
Key facts
- The Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) and brucellosis are common among livestock such as- cow, buffaloes, bulls, pigs, sheep and goats. Both the diseases have a direct negative impact on trade of milk and other livestock products.
- As per government data if a cow or buffalo gets infected with FMD, the milk loss is up to 100% which could last for4-6 months.
- In case of Brucellosis, the milk output reduces by 30% during entire life cycle of animal and animal and also causes infertility among animals.
- The infection of brucellosis can also be transmitted to farm workers and livestock owners.
For Prelims
Exercise SURYA KIRAN – XIV
Highlights
- Joint military exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN – XIV’ between India and Nepal will be conducted at Salijhandi, Rupendehi district of Nepal.
- Exercise SURYA KIRAN – XIV is an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Nepal and India.
- The aim of this exercise– is to conduct a Battalion level combined training between Indian Army and Nepal Army.
- to increase interoperability in jungle warfare and counter terrorist operations in mountainous terrain, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, medical and environmental conservation including aviation aspects.
World AIDS Day
Highlights
- The Government is organizing an event to commemorate World AIDS Day on 1st December, 2019.
- The theme of the event is “Communities make the difference”.
- The event will be attended by People Living with HIV (PLHIV).
- As per latest estimations (2017), there are around 21.40 lakh People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in India.
