Compendium of India Economic and Business Developments

Updated Dec 31, 2020 07:20 pm

• Hon’ble Prime Minister launched Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT to extend coverage to all residents of Jammu & Kashmir - The Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT to extend coverage to all residents of Jammu & Kashmir through video conference. He mentioned that the Jammu and Kashmir Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT scheme involves getting free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees under this scheme that would improve the ease of living. Right now about 6 lakh families of the state are getting the benefit of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. All 21 lakh families will get the same benefit after the SEHAT scheme. He added that another benefit of this scheme would be that treatment is not limited to government and private hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir only. Rather, treatment can be availed from thousands of hospitals impaneled under this scheme in the country.
• Rajasthan becomes 6th State to complete ease of doing business reforms - Rajasthan has become the 6th State in the country to successfully undertake Ease of Doing Business reform stipulated by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. Thus, the State has become eligible to mobilize additional financial resources of Rs. 2,731 crore through Open Market Borrowings. Permission for the same was issued by the Department of Expenditure on 24th December 2020. Rajasthan has now joined the five other States namely, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, who have achieved this feat.  On completion of reforms facilitating ease of doing business, these six States have been granted additional borrowing permission of Rs.19,459 crore.
• Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) extends the validity of Vehicular documents like DLs, RCs, Permits, etc till 31st March 2021 - The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has extended the validity of vehicular documents like DLs, RCs, Permits, etc till 31st Mach 2021 in the light of the need to prevent the spread of Covid -19. Ministry has issued a directory to the States and Union Territory administrations in this regard. MoRTH had earlier issued advisories dated 30th March 2020, 9th June 2020, and 24th Aug 2020 regarding extension of validity of documents related to Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. It was advised that the validity of Fitness, Permit (all types), License, Registration, or any other concerned document(s) may be treated to be valid till 31st December 2020.
• Hon'ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah launched several development projects in Manipur - The Hon'ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated several development projects in Manipur today. Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the e-office and Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Thoubal Dam) in Imphal through virtual mode. He also laid the foundation stone of seven major development projects, including the Churachandpur Medical College, IT-SEZ at Mantripukhri, Manipur Bhawan in Dwarka, New Delhi and the Integrated Command and Control Center at Imphal. The projects will serve as a benchmark for the entire North East. Shri Amit Shah said that the State Police Headquarters and Smart City Integrated Center at Imphal will help in advancing Smart Governance.
• Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah launched several development projects in Assam - The Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah launched several development projects in Assam. Shri Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of New Medical College in Guwahati. To be built at a cost of around Rs 850 crore, this will be the second medical college in Guwahati city. Shri Shah also laid the foundation stone of nine law colleges to be built in different parts of Assam. He also distributed financial grants to 8,000 Namghars (traditional Vaisnavite monasteries of Assam) under the Assam Darshan program.
• MHA extends Guidelines for Surveillance, Containment, and Caution - The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an Order to extend the earlier Guidelines for Surveillance to remain in force up to 31.01.2021. While there has been a continuous decline in the active and new COVID-19 cases, there is a need to maintain surveillance, containment, and caution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and the emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK). Accordingly, Containment Zones continue to be demarcated carefully; prescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones; COVID-appropriate behavior promoted and strictly enforced, and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect of various permitted activities followed scrupulously.
• Hon’ble Prime Minister Inaugurates the New Bhaupur- New Khurja Section and the Operation Control Centre of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor - The Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated the New Bhaupur- New Khurja section and the Operation Control Centre of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor through video conference.  Speaking on the occasion, the Hon’ble Prime Minister expressed happiness on seeing the modern rail infrastructure project getting implemented on the ground. He said that when the first goods train runs in the Khurja Bhaupur freight corridor we can hear the roar of Self-reliant India. He said that the Prayagraj Operation Control center is one of the modern control centers and a symbol of the new strength of the new India.
• Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) releases Data on Police Organizations - The Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) released Data on Police Organizations as of 01.01.2020 online. The BPR&D has been publishing the “Data on Police Organizations” (DoPO), annually, since the year 1986. DoPO as of 01.01.2019 was released by the Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, on 29th January 2020.  This is for the first time in the history of BPR&D that DoPO for a particular year has been released during the year itself.
• Decisions taken by the Union Cabinet - Cabinet Approves Export of Akash Missile System and Creates a Committee for faster Approval of Exports; Cabinet approves MoU between India and Bhutan on Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space; Cabinet approves Opening of 3 Indian Missions in Estonia, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic; Cabinet approves Deepening and Optimization of Inner Harbour Facilities including Development of Western Dock on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis under Public-Private Partnership PPP mode to handle cape size vessels at Paradip Port; Cabinet approves Industrial Corridor nodes at Krishnapatnam and Tumakuru under CBIC.