Current Affairs May 2020 - Committees
1 - Centre reconstituted empowered groups to fight COVID-19 activities
The Union Government has reconstituted the empowered groups for planning and ensuring implementation of COVID-19 activities. The reconstitution was necessitated due to appointment or transfer or superannuation of members of some of these Empowered Groups.
The eleven Empowered Groups of officers were constituted on 29th of March for ensuring comprehensive and integrated response to COVID 19. These groups were set up under Disaster Management Act. A total of 80 bureaucrats
2 - Assam sets up consultation committee to revive state economy
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has set up an 8 member consultation committee to revive the state economy. The state government has appointed retired IAS officer Subhash Das as the Chairman of the Committee. The committee will have consultations with farmers, leading businessmen, experts from the industry and services sectors.
The committee will study various aspects of the economic activities in the state and advise the government to bring the economy back on track. The eight-member committee includes prominent economists and experts of the state.
3 - SAI forms committee to prepare SOP to resume training post lockdown
Sports Authority of India (SAI) has formed the first committee, headed by Secretary, Sports Authority of India Rohit Bharadwaj. The committee will recommend the Standard Operating Procedures describing protocols and preventive measures to be observed by all stakeholders, including trainees and coaches once training resumes after the lockdown is lifted.
separate committee has been formed to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure for swimming, since the sport requires athletes to train in water and may have different health risks involved, as compared to other sport.
4 - SC ordered setting up of high-powered committee to consider restoration of 4G internet services
The Supreme Court ordered setting up of a high-powered committee headed by Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs to consider pleas seeking restoration of 4G internet services in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The committee would include the Chief Secretary of the UT and the Secretary of Ministry of Communications to look into the demands by petitioners seeking restoration of 4G internet services to ensure balance of national security and human rights.
5 - EC set up committee to examine Gujarat HC decision to invalidate Dholka election
Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up a three-member committee to examine the Gujarat High Court decision to invalidate the Dholka constituency election. The Gujarat High Court declared state minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama's election in 2017 as void on the grounds of malpractices and manipulation.
The panel will be headed by Umesh Sinha, secretary-general at the Election Commission. The other two members are Chandra Bhushan Kumar and Vijay Pandey. Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod had challenged his BJP rival's victory by a mere 327 votes.
6 - Government implemented Shekatkar Committee recommendations on border infrastructures
Union Government implemented Lt. General D B Shekatkar Committee's recommendations related to creating border infrastructure. The recommendations were:
- Speeding up road construction leading to socio-economic development in the border areas
- Outsource road construction work beyond optimal capacity of Border Roads Organization Introduction of modern construction plants, equipment and machinery
- Use of new technology like blasting technology for precision blasting
- Geo-textiles for soil stabilization
- Adopt Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) mode for execution of all works costing more than 100 crore rupees
7 - 15th Finance Commission reconvened its high level group on Health Sector
The Fifteenth Finance Commission has reconvened its high level group on Health Sector. The high level group, which is headed by Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi Dr. Randeep Guleria, will also now have Dr. S K Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences and Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Founder of Mahajan Imaging.
The decision comes in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity to formulate the way ahead to handle similar health challenges in the country. The high level group of the Finance Commission will review its original recommendations in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
8 - MoHFW constituted committee to reform Drug Regulatory System
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has constituted a 11 member high-level committee to reform the Drug Regulatory System. It is headed by Rajesh Bhushan and will submit its report within a period of one month from the date of its formation.
The committee has been tasked to examine the current drug regulatory system and submit recommendations for reforming the system to bring it in line with global standards. It will also address unimplemented recommendations suggested by RR Choudhary Committee on clinical trials and SN Mishra Committee on qualification of DCGI.
