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Current Affairs [PDF] - March 16-31, 2020

artificial recharge of under ground water. The Mission is being implemented by the CGEB under Ministry of
Jal Shakti
Central Ground Water Board
The CGEB was established in 1970. The main aim of the board is to provide scientific inputs in exploration,
management, assessment, augmentation and regulation of ground water in the country.
It is a statutory body constituted under the Environment (Protection) act, 1986.
GoI: Benefits to COVID-19 affected workers under Atal Beema Vyakti Kalyan Yojana
On March 19, 2020, the Government of India announced that it will provide unemployment benefits to the
section of unorganized workers. These workers include, persons who have lost their jobs due to the impact
of the Corona Virus Pandemic.
Highlights
Along the lines of countries like USA in combating the deadly Corona Virus, GoI is to provide cash to
workers. These workers are those that become unemployed due to the impact of corona virus. They are to
receive cash for 3 months.
This step is to be implemented by Atal Beema Vyakti Kalyan Yojana.
Atal Beema Vyakti Kalyan Yojana
The scheme provides unemployment insurance to those workers enrolled in EST scheme. ESI is Employee
State Insurance Scheme. Under the scheme, the workers receive cash of 25% of their salary that they were
receiving in the last 2 months. The scheme is operation since 2018. It provides compensation to those who
become unemployed for three months.
March 20, 2020
Nirbhaya Case Convicts Hanged to Death in Tihar Jail
On March 20, 2020, four convicts of the Nirbhaya Gang Rape were hanged to death in Tihar Jail.
Highlights
In September 2013, a fast track court convicted them with death sentence. Several curative and mercy
petitions were filed by them at the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court. In 2017, the Supreme Court upheld
death penalty. Recently, in 2020, the Supreme Court refused to take in the petitions.
Article 145
Article 145 of the constitution allows the Supreme Court to frame its own rules. Under the Article, the SC
rules its own proceedings, cases handled by the it, transferred to high courts, etc. It has powers to stay
proceedings, grant bail, allocate number of judges to sit in a bench, etc.
With this power, the apex court refused to consider the petitions of the accused.
Criminal Law (Amendment) act, 2013
The act was also called Nirbhaya Act. The act made several changes to the punishments of rape and sexual
harassment accused. Also, the other laws such as Indian Penal code, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973,
Indian Evidence Act were all amended.
J S Verma Committee
Six days after the Nirbhaya incident GoI constituted a judicial Committee under J S Verma. The judicial
changes were made according to the recommendations of the committee.
1 million USD dispersed to SAARC nations under Emergency COVID-19 Funds
On March 19, 2020, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that 1 million USD has been dispersed
towards the Emergency COVID-19 funds. The fund was set up PM Modi during a video conference recently.
Walking on the foot steps of India, Saudi Arabia had recently initiated similar conference among G20
countries to fight COVID-19.

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