Daily Current Capsules - 17^th JULY 2019

Internal Security
Lok Sabha passes NIA (Amendment) Bill 2019 that gives more powers to NIA

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the amendments and power given to NIA) + Mains ( GS III challenges to internal security)
What's the NEWS

• The Lok Sabha passes The National Investigative Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019
• Special powers have been given to the officers of NIA through this amendment bill.
• This bill mandates the setting up of Special Courts for NIA.
• NIA was set up in 2009 in aftermath Mumbai terror attack that had claimed 166 lives.

Know! more about the bill and the amendments done

• Three important amendments have been done to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act of 2008.
• These amendments enable the NIA to investigate offences related to the sale and manufacture of prohibited arms, human trafficking, fake currency, cyber terrorism and crime related to the Explosive Substance Act, 1908.
• First important amendment is that circle of investigation has been extended. At present, the NIA can investigate offences under Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.
• Now NIA will be able to investigate cases related to human trafficking, terrorism, cyber-crime or terrorism. After amendment NIA will also be able to handle cases related to prohibited arms and ammunition.
• Another major change under this amendment is that NIA's jurisdiction has been extended. Now officers of NIA will have same powers as police officers. This will be applicable across the country.
• After amendment, Bill gives NIA officers the power to investigate offences committed outside India.
• NIA's jurisdiction will be subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other countries.
• Another change done in NIA is related to the establishment of special trials courts for the offences that come under NIA's purview.
• The existing Act allows the Centre to constitute special courts for NIA's trials. But the Bill enables the Central government to designate session courts as special courts for such trials.

Know! about Scheduled offences

• The schedule to the Act specifies a list of offences which are to be investigated and prosecuted by the NIA.
• These include offences under Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.
• The Bill seeks to allow the NIA to investigate the following offences, in addition: (i) human trafficking, (ii) offences related to counterfeit currency or bank notes, (iii) manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, (iv) cyber-terrorism, and (v) offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.

Know! the importance of NIA Amendment Bill 2019

• This amendment Bill of NIA allow government agency NIA to probe terror cases targeting Indians and Indian assets abroad, provides more power the centre government to designate existing session courts as special NIA courts.

Bilateral Relations
5,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit Kartarpur Sahib per day throughout the year : Pakistan

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about kartarpur corridor) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• Pakistan would allow 5,000 Sikh pilgrims per day throughout the year to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib
• The Foreign Office (FO) in a statement after the second meeting of officials of India and Pakistan said that experts of both sides also discussed technical details of the Kartarpur Corridor, including the alignment and other details of the proposed corridor.

Know! more about the meeting outcomes and about the corridor

• During the meeting, it was decided that Indian passport-holders and OCI card-holders will be allowed visa-free travel to the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib.
• The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.
• Pakistan has decided to allow 5,000 pilgrims per day (to be increased as capacity allows) throughout the year except for closure on administrative or other basis which will be informed in advance,' the statement said.
• To further facilitate the pilgrims, Pakistan is building walkways to permit travel by foot from the start. Pilgrims may travel individually or in groups, preferably of 15 people each.
• The FO said that the decision to allow maximum pilgrims was taken in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan's commitment to operationalise the corridor for the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Know! all about Kartarpur Corridor

• The Indian government in November 2018 decided to build the Kartarpur Corridor between India's Gurdaspur district and the holy Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, resting place of Guru Nanak, to mark Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary in 2019.
• India and Pakistan both agreed to build the corridor on their respective boundaries to allow Sikh pilgrims visa-free travel to the holy shrine.
• The Indian side of the corridor, which will include 4 lanes, will be built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The construction work on the corridor is half-way complete, as per the Home Ministry. The work is expected to be fully completed by October 31, a week before the celebrations are expected to begin. The projected is being funded by the Union Government.

Health Services
National Digital Health Blueprint

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about national digital health blueprint) + Mains ( GS II issues relating to development and Management of social services like health)
What's the NEWS

• National Digital Health Blueprint: The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan has released the National Digital Health Blueprint to ensure wider reach of healthcare services.

Know! more about NDHB

• National Digital Health Blueprint(NDHB) aims to create a National Digital Health Eco-system that will support Universal Health Coverage in an inclusive, easily accessible, affordable, efficient, timely and safe manner.
• The digital blueprint will aim to ensure a wider reach of healthcare services through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services.
• At the same time, it will ensure security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.
• The National Digital Health Blueprint is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to provide doorstep services to each individual in the country under Digital India Programme.
• The Health Ministry appealed to all the concerned stakeholders to provide valuable inputs to the blueprint to make it more inclusive.

The need for IT enabled schemes

• IT enabled schemes such as NIKSHAY and Reproductive Child Healthcare are also benefitting the patients with right service delivery at the right time.
• There is a need to ensure convergence across these IT systems to monitor and provide health services in a robust and efficient manner and therefore, an integrated e-Health system under the National Digital Health Blueprint can bring about a digital revolution in healthcare.
• The National Digital Health Blueprint can be accessed at www.mohfw.gov.in for eliciting feedback, inputs or comments from all stakeholders. The report will be available for the next three weeks.
  
  

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