Governance Community

On Tuesday, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah stated that “we must all accept professionalism and embrace all principles of corporate governance in a cooperative spirit.” In his address to the national convention on cooperative policy here, he stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the cooperative sector the goal of ‘Sahakar se Samridhi’ by creating a separate Ministry for Cooperation. “If we are able to do this, then in the coming 20-25 years, we can take the cooperative sector to new heights and create a situation in which the cooperative sector should have a large share in the country’s development,” he added. “We have to accept professionalism and embrace all principles of corporate governance with a cooperative spirit and while creating an economic model for rural development and providing employment to the poor people, so that they can live a dignified life, cooperatives to play a huge role,” the Minister said. He also stated that for a large portion of the country that is economically backward, cooperative is the only model that can make 80 crore people financially prosperous in the country. Describing that only cooperatives can achieve equitable profit distribution, where the entire profit goes to the stakeholders and management costs are kept to a minimum, cooperatives are the only way to achieve this. Shah also stated that there are many models in our country, such as IFFCO and Amul, that have maintained the cooperative spirit while following in the footsteps of corporate governance. “There are about 8,55,000 cooperatives running in the country today, 1,77,000 are credit societies, another 700,000 are cooperative societies, 17 are national-level cooperative unions, 33 are state cooperative banks, there are more than 63,000 active PACS and more than 12 crore members, and today around 91 per cent of the villages have presence of cooperatives,” he said. Describing the need for a new cooperative policy, the Minister also stated that the impediments that exist must be removed by making new provisions, new policies, and harmonisation, and this can only happen if a cooperative policy is developed to meet all of today’s needs in a holistic manner. He also stated that a completely updated cooperative policy will be prepared within the next eight to nine months. Computerisation of the entire cooperative sector and modernisation and professionalism will also have to be brought in the working of big cooperative societies, he further said, adding that after the brainstorming in this two-day discussion will make a new policy. Source: IANS

SEBI, the capital markets regulator, set up a committee on Monday to review and make recommendations for improving governance norms at stock exchanges and other market infrastructure institutions (MIIs). The news comes amid allegations of corporate governance failures at the NSE, with various issues surfacing following a SEBI order revealing the presence of a ‘Himalayan yogi’ who influenced the exchange’s previous MD and CEO Chitra Ramkrishna’s decisions. Apart from that, Ramkrishna had discussed with the yogi various internal confidential information, including as the NSE’s financial and business strategies, dividend scenario, and financial outcomes, and even consulted him on the exchange’s employee performance appraisals. According to a statement, G Mahalingam, a former whole-time member of SEBI, would chair the six-member committee. MD and CEOs of stock exchanges NSE and BSE, as well as depositories NSDL and CDSL; J N Gupta, MD of Stakeholders Empowerment Services; Aarti Nihalani, Partner, Oliver Wyman; Sandip Bhagat, Partner, S&R Associates; and Uttam Bagri, former chairman, BSE Brokers Forum are the other members of the committee. The committee’s mandate includes offering recommendations on how to increase the role of MIIs’ governing boards and committees. In addition, the panel will examine the requirements for the appointment, role, and responsibility of board directors and Key Managerial Persons (KMPs), as well as the development of appropriate metrics for monitoring various aspects of MII and KMP operations. The committee will also improve accountability and transparency, evaluate the policy on the safekeeping and sharing of information held by MIIs, and revisit the governing board’s and KMPs’ codes of conduct and ethics. Source: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Tuesday that poverty can be eradicated through empowering people and aligning their power with good governance. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister virtually addressed the ‘Grih Pravesham’ of nearly 5.21 lakh Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin beneficiaries in Madhya Pradesh. “When a hardworking government and the aspirations of the common man join hands, then growth and progress always remain limitless. Poverty is eliminated when poor people get empowered while their strength is aligned with good governance,” PM Modi stated. He also said that around 5.21 lakh Madhya Pradesh families have received ‘pucca houses,’ which will “mainly empower the state’s women” and “open a world of opportunities for the poor.” “This scheme is a step toward the empowerment of the poor and gives them hope for a bright future filled with possibilities. The 5.21 lakh homes also signify empowerment of women in Madhya Pradesh,” PM Modi said. Furthermore, the Prime Minister stated that the programme to provide underprivileged people with pucca houses is not solely a government initiative. PM Modi said, “It is a commitment to give hope to the poor.” “It is the first step to give courage to the poor to come out of poverty. When poor people have a roof over their head, they can focus on educating their children,” he said adding that despite the COVID pandemic, the government has ensured that the construction of ‘pucca houses’ continues without any hindrance. “These houses are special because they include amenities like gas connection under Ujjwala Yojna, LED bulb connection under Ujala Yojna, toilets under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and water supply under the Har Ghar Jal Yojna,” PM Modi said, highlighting the key features of the houses given under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin scheme. Traditional celebrations with conch, light, flowers, and rangoli were also held in the new houses erected under the plan in Madhya Pradesh during the ceremony. Source: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart have reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Afghans, despite the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. “Leaders reiterated their firm commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, in view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation, and also reaffirmed calls on those in positions of power throughout Afghanistan to adhere to counter-terrorism commitments and human rights, in accordance with 2593,” according to a joint statement released after the India-Australia virtual summit on Tuesday. Last year, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2593 was passed, which mandates that Afghan territory not be used for terrorist sanctuary, training, or financing, and asks for coordinated action against all terrorist groups. The two leaders also reiterated their call for the protection of women’s and girls’ rights, as well as their full involvement in public life, in their joint statement. “They agreed that long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan require a broad-based and inclusive government,” according to the statement. This joint statement follows the UN Special Political Mission in the country’s mandate being renewed, with a focus on priorities ranging from humanitarian relief coordination to human rights monitoring and dialogue facilitation. The adopted agreement extends the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, but with a shift in priority tasks. Seven months after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the mission’s priority has shifted to managing humanitarian aid, providing outreach and good offices for dialogue, and promoting good governance and the rule of law. Members also urged Afghan political actors and stakeholders – including competent authorities as needed – to work with UNAMA to carry out its mandate and ensure the safety, security, and freedom of movement of its personnel. Source: TOI

S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, will make a statement in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday about the situation in Ukraine and the status of Indian students being evacuated as part of Operation Ganga. In the second part of Parliament’s Budget Session, the Opposition slammed the government for delaying the rescue of students trapped in the conflict zone and criticized the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for releasing “vague” advisories. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu praised the federal and state governments for rising to the challenge of evacuating Indian students. Later, around zero hour, members expressed concern about the future of students from Ukraine. Ravindra Kumar, a TDP MP, said that now that the students’ safety and security had been assured, the government should take the required steps to protect their future by consulting all stakeholders. “Students who returned from Ukraine owing to the war are in a really terrible situation,” Congress MP K.C. Venugopal said. Their future is a major concern for their family. “The government must explain what steps it is taking to accommodate medical students who were compelled to return from Ukraine midway through their degree,” he said. On February 24, the Indian government began Operation Ganga to bring back trapped Indians in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent four central ministers, Kiren Rijiju, Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and General VK Singh, to coordinate rescue operations in various countries. In more than 80 special evacuation flights, India has been able to rescue over 20,000 stranded citizens. Buses and trains carried Indians to Ukraine’s western borders, where they were flown back to India through Bucharest, Budapest, Suceava, and Warsaw. Over 600 students were evacuated from Sumy, and the last group was taken back to India via Poland. Meanwhile, India has decided to relocate its embassy in Ukraine to Poland for the time being. “In view of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, including attacks in the western parts of the country,” the Ministry of External Affairs said, “it has been decided that the Indian Embassy in Ukraine will be temporarily relocated to Poland.” On Monday, the second part of the Budget session began and will end on April 8. In addition to conducting legislative work, the Rajya Sabha is expected to spend more than 64 hours debating issues of public importance. Source: ANI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was victorious in four of the five states after a high-octane electoral battle. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won a historic victory in Punjab, receiving the state’s largest mandate in recent years. Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has also written history by returning to power. Since 1985, the BJP has been the first party to retain power in the state. In Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa, the party is returning to power. Despite the fact that CM Pushkar Singh Dhami lost his seat, the party was able to overcome anti-incumbency. Three Independent candidates and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which extended its support to the saffron party despite a pre-poll arrangement with the TMC, helped the BJP gain a majority in Goa. “The overwhelming majority voted against the BJP, but their votes were split among many parties, which gave the BJP the opportunity to win 20 seats,” said Congress leader P Chidambaram. Congress is in the midst of its worst crisis ever, following a resounding rejection in every state: The Congress, which ruled the country in 2004 and even nine states in 2014, today governs only two states: Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Many veterans, including those represented by the G-23, felt this was a case of “we told you so.” Ghulam Nabi Azad, a member of the CWC, remarked, “I am shocked, my heart is bleeding to see our defeat in state after state.”

In Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party won by a landslide, while the BJP bucked the trend in Uttar Pradesh, where it faced a tough fight from Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party. In Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand, the BJP is also leading. In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has a significant lead, with close to 90 seats in the 117-seat assembly. With 13 members, the ruling Congress is in second place. As the counting of votes began the third hour on Thursday, both the Congress’s top leaders in Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state unit boss Navjot Singh Sidhu, were trailing. Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh loses his seat in the Patiala Urban constituency. The BJP appears to have successfully combated anti-incumbency in Uttar Pradesh, winning over 250 seats. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are tied for second place. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Gorakhpur and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav of Karhal were among the leaders. In the 403-member legislative assembly, 202 votes are required for a majority. The BJP has extended its lead in Uttarakhand, with the Congress trailing in the hill state, according to election trends. As per the latest trends as of 10:57 a.m., the BJP is leading in 44 seats and the Congress in 21 in the Uttarakhand assembly elections. According to the most recent trends available, the BJP was leading in 19 of Goa’s 40 Assembly seats, while the Congress was leading in 11. So far, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has a 448-vote lead in the Sanquelim Assembly seat. In Manipur, polls reveal that the BJP is in the lead. In the Manipur elections, the BJP is leading in 24 seats, while the Congress is leading in 12.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan stated on Monday that the state government has been working tirelessly for the past three years to ensure decentralised and inclusive governance, adding that in line with that goal, the state government has begun restructuring districts. On the first day of the budget session, the Governor told the joint session of the AP State Legislative Assembly and Council that in addition to the existing 13 districts, 13 more are being constructed, and the new system will begin functioning on April 2 in Ugadi. The Governor noted the country and the state have gone through a difficult period in the last two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic in his one-hour speech, which began at 11 a.m. Bifurcation-related stress, five years of policy paralysis from 2014 to 2019, an economic slowdown from 2014 to 2019, a year of economic depression from 2019 to 2020, and two years of Covid-19 pandemic have all had a significant impact on the state’s budget, according to him. “The government’s steadfast commitment for extending support to farmers, women, underprivileged, marginalised and vulnerable groups has ensured, even during these excruciatingly difficult times, rural consumption and spending and the economy as a whole does not take a nosedive,” he said. Because of the government’s effective intervention, the state’s GSDP increased by 0.22 percent in the fiscal year 2020-21. In contrast, the country’s GDP fell by 7.3 percent over the same period. In the fiscal year 2021-22, the State GSDP increased by 9.91 percent at constant prices over the previous year. According to him, the State economy is expected to rebound to pre-Covid levels following a year of sluggish growth. At current prices, the state economy is expected to increase 16.82 percent in 2021-22, according to advanced estimates. With a growth rate of 15.87 percent, per capita income has risen to Rs 2,04,758 from Rs 1,76,707 last year. The government has adopted the 11th PRC, reaffirming the state’s commitment to the welfare of government employees. He mentioned how the proper implementation of Navarathnalu was made possible by directly providing cash support to beneficiaries’ bank accounts without any leakages. It made a big difference in the lives of the citizens of the state. The Governor went on to describe how the village and ward secretariats, as well as the volunteer system, are paying off handsomely. He went into detail about the state’s efforts to raise educational standards through the Nadu-Nedu programme, for which the government is spending Rs 15,000 crore. The Governor discussed the government’s efforts to help farmers and improve the farm sector through a variety of programmes including YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan, free crop insurance, zero-interest loans, e-cropping, and in-time input subsidies. According to the Governor, the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative fiscal impact. “While revenues were constrained, the expenditure had gone up due to Covid mitigation measures,” he said.

India and France have espoused a road map on the ‘blue economy’ and ocean governance to boost cooperation for the exploitation and preservation of marine resources through economic, infrastructure and scientific cooperation. The road map was adopted at meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris on Sunday. It’s a part of measures agreed on by the two ministers to consolidate the bilateral strategic cooperation, especially in trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, exploration and innovation, energy and climate change. Jaishankar travelled to France after participating in the Munich Security Conference in Germany last week. France is among India’s closest strategic partners in Europe, and the two sides also are working with other countries in areas like critical technologies and supply chains. During their addresses, Jaishankar and Le Drian appreciated the close cooperation between India and France during the Covid-19 pandemic and agreed on heightening the strategic cooperation, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. The “India-France Roadmap on the Blue Economy and Ocean Governance” adopted by the two sides envisages enhancing partnership in blue economy through institutional, economic, infrastructure and scientific cooperation, it said. The two ministers agreed to continue and enhance cooperation in sports and to soon conclude a joint declaration of intent in the area of sports to facilitate people-to-people contact. They also agreed to strengthen long- standing cooperation on public administration and administrative reforms between the applicable authorities in India and France. Source: Hindustan Times

The Centre said to the Supreme Court that Aadhaar card isn’t mandatory for registration on the CoWIN portal for Covid-19 vaccination. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant was informed by the ministry of health and family welfare that one among the nine identity documents including passport, driving licence, PAN card, voter’s card, and ration card may be produced for vaccination. The apex court took note of the submission and disposed of a plea filed by Siddharthshankar Sharma who claimed that Aadhaar card was being mandatorily insisted upon for administering Covid-19 vaccination on the CoWIN portal. The apex court had on October 1, 2021 issued notice to the Centre on the PIL. The bench said, “Pursuant to this court’s order dated October 1, 2021, the ministry of health and family welfare has filed an affidavit which records that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for registration on CoWIN portal and one of the nine identity documents can be produced. it is also recorded in the affidavit that a provision has been made for other categories of persons who may not have identity cards in their possession like prison inmates, inmates at mental health institutions etc. Counsel for Union submits that about 87 lakh people without ID cards have been vaccinated. The grievance of the petitioner that he was denied vaccination for non-production of Aadhaar card has also been dealt in the affidavit. The health ministry addressed a letter to principal secretary, health in Maharashtra to require action against the concerned private vaccination centre which denied vaccination to the petitioner despite production of valid passport ID. The grievance of the petitioner is duly met. All concerned authorities act in accordance with the policy of the government.” The plea had sought active and non-discriminative enforcement of the already notified rules/ policies within the entire country in a uniform manner, for the protection of the right to vaccination granted to citizen of India which is dangerously endangered on account of denial of vaccination due to non-submission of Aadhaar details to the concerned authority. The plea said that such actions are in blatant violation of right to life under Article 21 read with right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution and hence, the petitioner urges sympathetic indulgence of this court by way of issuing appropriate directions to direct the concerned authority to line aside the mandatory pre-condition of production of Aadhaar details from enabling administration of vaccination.