Problems in Conduct of Public Elections
Government panel to study simultaneous polls to LS, State Assemblies
- A committee has been formed under the headship of former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, to look into the feasibility of simultaneous elections to State Assemblies and the Lok Sabha.
Note
- Holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Assemblies would require at least five constitutional amendments which include
- Article 83 relating to the duration of Houses of Parliament
- Article 85 relating to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha by the President
- Article 172 relating to the duration of the State legislatures
- Article 174 relating to the dissolution of the State legislatures
- Article 356 relating to the imposition of President’s Rule in States.
- A parliamentary panel and Election Commission of India had already examined the issue.
- The matter now stands referred to the Law Commission for further examination.
Govt – Welfare oriented Govt schemes, their utility
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) completes seven years.
- Seven years has been completed since the government unveiled its ambitious ₹20,000crore National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
About NMCG
- It was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
- Acts as implementation arm of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council)
- The Act envisages five tier structures at national, state and district level to take measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga
- National Ganga Council under chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
- Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under chairmanship of Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation)
- National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
- State Ganga Committees
- District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its tributaries in the states.
Other information related to Ganga River Cleaning
- Clean Ganga Fund (CGF): Established in 2015 as a trust under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, to enable Resident Indians, Domestic and Overseas Corporates / Trusts, and NRIs / PIOs to contribute towards the conservation efforts of River Ganga.
- Namami Ganga Programme: Launched in June 2014. Its main objective is to ensure that no untreated sewage flows into the river.
- Bhuvan-Ganga Web App: It ensures involvement of the public in monitoring of pollution entering into the river Ganga.
- Ganga was declared as the ‘National River’ of India in 2008.
