Current Affairs November 2019 - Committees

1 - J&K’s Dal Lake to be declared Eco-Sensitive Zone

The Jammu and Kashmir government has set up a 10-member committee to declare Srinagar's famous Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as a “eco-sensitive zone”. The 10-member committee will be headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir.

Pollution and encroachments have resulted in the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area of 22 sq kms to 10 sq kms. The committee shall finalise the draft notification within a period of one month. The J&K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, which looks after the Dal Lake, has banned construction within 200 metres from the water body.

2 - Company Law Committee-2019 submits its report to Finance Minister

The Company Law Committee which was constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in September 2019, submitted its report to the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. Shri Injeti Srinivas, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs was the Chairman of the committee.

The committee has recommended for changes with regards to 46 penal provisions under the existing company law. The report is focused to take more measures to provide further Ease of Living for Corporates in the country.

3 - Committee formed to speed up Gas Infrastructure

A “high-level committee” has been set up by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory board (PNGRB) on City Gas Distribution (CGD) to frame a national policy. National policy will be framed to speed up development of infrastructure for supply of piped natural gas to households and industrial units. The policy will boost industrial development to attract more investments.

The committee is result of obligations faced in getting approvals for new City Gas Distribution (CGD) at state level.

4 - Sports Ministry constituted committee to review Draft National Sports Code

Sports Ministry has constituted a 13-member expert committee to review the Draft National Sports Code. The expert committee will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Mukundakam Sharma. Gagan Narang, Bhaichung Bhutia, Anju Bobby George and Pulella Gopichand are part of the panel. Boxing Federation president Ajay Singh, Kho Kho Federation president Sudhanshu Mittal, Athletics Federation president Adille Sumariwala and Weightlifting Federation president B P Baishya have been included in the committee.

Panel will suggest measures to make the Sports Code and strike a balance between the autonomy of National Sports Federations vis-a-vis need for transparency and autonomy.