Current Affairs Assam – August 2018
( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the month of August 2018 )
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August 7
NHAI aims to earn Rs 5362 crore from its second TOT bid
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has come up with second Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) Request For Proposal (RFP) with an aim to generate a minimum of Rs 5,362 crore from eight road assets in four states. The total National Highways put together measures 586.55 km in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal.
In March this year, NHAI had received a highest bid of Rs 9,681.50 crore from Macquarie Group-Ashoka Buildcon as against the reserved bid price of Rs 6,258 crore to manage 648 km of National Highways in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gujarat.
The government is looking at putting up more road assets under future TOT bids to monetise them for its ambitious Bharatmala Programme. The aim is to put up 75 road projects on the block on a long-term lease.
According to Crisil, about Rs 60,000 crore is estimated to be raised by NHAI over the next 2-3 years.
Under the TOT model, successful international and domestic private players are required to pay the bidding amount upfront. This money will be utilised by NHAI for funding construction of the upcoming highway projects. Those bagging the assets will recover their investments as well as returns by way of collection of toll.
FACTFILE – The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
- NHAI is an autonomous agency of the Government of India, responsible for management of a network of over 50,000 km of National Highways out of 1,15,000 km in India.
- It is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- The NHAI was created through the promulgation of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. Section 16(1) of the Act states that the function of NHAI is to develop, maintain and manage the national highways and any other highways vested in, or entrusted to, it by the Government of India.
- In February 1995, the Authority was formally made an autonomous It is responsible for the development, maintenance and management of National Highways, totaling over 92,851.05 km (57,694.97 mi) in length.
Criminal Law (Amendment) Bills Passed in the Parliament
The Parliament passed a stringent legislation prescribing death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years and making the law against such sexual offences harsher. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on 30 July, was approved by a voice vote in the Upper House.
The bill stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape. A death sentence has been provided for cases in which the girl is below 12 years. The minimum punishment in cases of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to ten years.
SC/ST Bill
- The Lok Sabha passed The Schedule Caste &The Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018 overturning the Supreme Court order concerning certain safeguards against arrest under SC/ST law.
- The bill passed on 6 August rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order.
The Constitution Bill, 2017 and NCBC (Repeal) Bill, 2017
- The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to grant the National Commission on Backward Classes (NCBC) constitutional status, at par with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
- The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced in LokSabha by Gehlot on 5 April 2017. It seeks to grant the National Commission on Backward Classes (NCBC) constitutional status, at par with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
- It was passed by the LokSabha on 2 August superseding the amendments earlier carried out by the RajyaSabha.
- The bill was passed after the House repealed the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.
Assam CM launches ‘Hello Ma’ helpline service
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has launched a helpline service, ‘Hello Ma’, which is aimed at helping people experiencing challenging moments in their lives and are in need of support.
The Chief Minister also stressed the need to maintain a positive outlook in day-to-day life and said that challenges are temporary and people with positive outlook can overcome that.
Sonowal further called upon the people to show reverence to their parents and take good care of them, which is of foremost requirement for the elderly people.
Through ‘Hello Ma’, people can get counselling and support at the time of need. The service can be accessed through 2202237, 2202238 and 2202239 or email [email protected]. People in need can also log on to the website, www.helloma.assam.co, to get details about the helpline service.
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