• 23 Feb 2024

No “Plus Two” Classes in Colleges in Bihar

Why in News?

Recently, the Bihar government announced the discontinuation of plus two (intermediate) classes being held in colleges affiliated to various universities in the state.

Key Points

• According to the notification, the intermediate education (in all three streams — arts, science and commerce) will now be imparted only in higher secondary schools from the new session.
• The delinking of intermediate from colleges has been recommended in the Universities Act, 1956 but the same could not be enforced until now because of inadequate infrastructure and manpower in higher secondary schools.
  • In 2007 the government had taken a policy decision to phase out intermediate education from colleges in conformity with the National Education Policy (1986/92) and had introduced 10+2 format in plus two.
  • Under a special drive, the department has already developed large-scale infrastructure and recruited 67,961 teachers for higher secondary schools and another 65,737 teachers in secondary schools.
• The Bihar government had also taken a policy decision to have one higher secondary school in every panchayat and had upgraded the existing secondary schools.

Financial Options for Funding of Road Infrastructure in Rajasthan

Why in News?

The Rajasthan government is examining some innovative financial options, including Public-Private Partnership (PPP), for securing increased funding for the expansion of road infrastructure.

Key Points

• Rajasthan ranks seventh in terms of the State highways and second largest in terms of the national highways in the country.
• The Rajasthan State Highways Authority has started adopting new measures to cater to the need for better connectivity and facilitate innovative investment and financing models.
• A workshop was organised on “Financing models for road infrastructure development”, jointly by the Public Works department (PWD) and the India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) Projects.
  • IIFCL is a leading public sector infrastructure finance institution, which has funded about 21% of the country’s national highway capacity, comprising nearly 30,000 km of roads.
• The State government would work closely with the IIFCL Projects for strengthening its road network and bring it parallel with those in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Public-Private Partnership Model

• PPP is an arrangement between government and private sector for the provision of public assets and/or public services. Public-private partnerships allow large-scale government projects, such as roads, bridges, or hospitals, to be completed with private funding.
  • In this type of partnership, investments are undertaken by the private sector entity, for a specified period of time.
  • These partnerships work well when private sector technology and innovation combine with public sector incentives to complete work on time and within budget.
  • As PPP involves full retention of responsibility by the government for providing the services, it doesn’t amount to privatization.
  • There is a well defined allocation of risk between the private sector and the public entity.
  • Private entity is chosen on the basis of open competitive bidding and receives performance linked payments.
  • The PPP route can be an alternative in developing countries where governments face various constraints on borrowing money for important projects.
  • It can also give required expertise in planning or executing large projects.

Haryana Cops to Impose National Security Act Against Protesting Farmers

Why in News?

According to Haryana Police in Ambala District, amid a stand-off with the farmers, who are protesting with their demands, any loss to the government and private property during the protest will be compensated by attaching the property and seizure of bank accounts of the protestors.

Key Points

• Continuous efforts are being made by the farmer organisations to break the barricade imposed on Shambhu Border by the farmers regarding their march to Delhi and daily attempts are being made to spoil the law and order by pelting stones at the police administration and creating disturbance.
• If public property is damaged by the agitators during the movement, there is an amendment in the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 (PDPP Act)
  • Under the provisions of the Supreme Court in which, the people who caused damage to public property during the movement or called for the movement and the officials of that organisation are held responsible for any damage caused.
• According to the Haryana Public Administration's Property Recovery Act, 2021, in case of damage to government property, there is a provision to compensate for the loss of public property by attaching property and confiscating bank accounts of the person causing the loss.
• The police have initiated the National Security Act (NSA),1980 against the farmer leaders.

Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984

• It punishes anyone “who commits mischief by doing any act in respect of any public property” with a jail term of up to five years and a fine or both. Provisions of this law can be coupled with those under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• Under this Act, public property includes “any building, installation or other property used in connection with the production, distribution or supply of water, light, power or energy; any oil installation; any sewage works; any mine or factory; any means of public transportation or of telecommunications, or any building, installation or other property used in connection therewith”.

Haryana Public Administration's Property Recovery Act, 2021

• The Bill provides for recovery of damages to properties caused by persons during disturbances to public order by an assembly, lawful or unlawful, including riots and violent disorder.
• It also ensures compensation to the victims.
• The recovery will not only be made from those who indulge in violence but also from those who lead the protest, the organizers, those involved in its planning and provide encouragement and the participants.
• The provision for the constitution of Claims Tribunal to determine the liability, to assess the damages caused and to award compensation.

National Security Act, 1980

• The NSA is a preventive detention law enacted in 1980 to maintain public order and national security.
• Preventive Detention involves the detainment (containment) of a person in order to keep him/her from committing future crimes and/or from escaping future prosecution.
  • Article 22 (3) (b) of the Constitution allows for preventive detention and restriction on personal liberty for reasons of state security and public order.
  • Article 22(4) states that no law providing for preventive detention shall authorize the detention of a person for a longer period than three months.
• The act also provides for the constitution of a National Security Council, which advises the Prime Minister on matters relating to national security.

Madhya Pradesh Introduces 'Bag Less School' Initiative

Why in News?

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced 'bag less school' day once a week for students in classes 1 to 12, starting from the upcoming academic session in 2024-25. This decision applies to all government and private schools operating in the state.

Key Points

• The state government, aiming to alleviate the burden on students, has issued a notice outlining the maximum permissible weight of school bags for different classes.
  • The weight of school bags for students in classes 11 and 12 will be determined by the school management committee based on the students' respective streams.
• The initiative includes a designated 'bag less school' day each week, during which students are encouraged to engage in recreational activities such as games, sports, cultural programs, and music.
• The aim is to ensure that school is not perceived as a source of stress for students but rather a source of joy.
  • Strict instructions have been issued to schools to adhere to the new school bag policy from the commencement of the academic session in 2024-25.

Uttarakhand to Table 90,000 Crore Budget

Why in News?

Recently, the Uttarakhand cabinet approved a proposal to table an annual budget of Rs 90,000 crore in the assembly session.

Key Points

• The amendments that would be tabled in the state assembly are:
  • The cabinet has decided to include child labour, fake currency and human trafficking under the ambit of the Gangster Act, 1986.
  • The Jamrani Dam and Song Dam project have been approved and boring in catchment areas of rivers from where drinking water is being used has been prohibited.
  • Mobile lab vans approved for students in all 13 districts.
  • A proposal to purchase equipment for hospitals at Kedarnath and Badrinath.
• Two amendments were approved in the Real Estate:
  • Regulation and Development Act 2016 under the housing department. And the construction of Economically Weaker Section(EWS) housing projects.
• Under the education department the cabinet also gave nod to:
  • A proposal stating that if the post of vice chancellor (VC) in a university becomes vacant, additional charge can be given to the VC of another university for a term of six months.
  • BEd has been made mandatory for arts teachers in the education department and the duration of Sangeet Prabhakar degree for music teachers has been increased from five to six years.