[CA/Econ] Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana

The disaster of COVID-19 has affected the lives globally from personal to professional, from rich to poor; all are under the black cloud of virus. Every national government is trying hard to get over this situation. Indian government is also one of them. Everyday new relief measures are being launched by our government to tackle this situation effectively and efficiently. On March 26, 2020, our Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman has publicized the Rs. 1.70 Lakh Crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), during the Press Conference in New Delhi. The motive behind this is to aid and support the Poverty-stricken people to fight a battle against Corona Virus.

Highlights of PMGKY:-

Ø Insurance Cover of Rs 50 Lakh per healthcare worker workers fighting COVID-19 in Govt Hospitals& health centres

Ø Scheme ensures non-availability of foodgrains due to disruption in the next three months and will cover 80 crore poor individuals.Each one of them would be provided double of their current entitlement over the next three months. This additionality would be free of cost.

Ø Farmers to get first instalment of Rs 2000 under PM KISAN in April 2020

Ø Women Jan Dhan account holders to get Rs 500 per month for next 3  months

Ø Increase in MNREGA wage to Rs 202 a day from Rs 182 to benefit 13.62 crore families

Ø Ex-gratia of Rs 1,000 to 3 crore poor senior citizen, poor widows and poor disabled

Ø Building and Construction Workers Welfare Fund used for Construction Workers

Ø Gas cylinders would be provided free of cost to poor families for the next three months. It will cost Rs 19,200 crore.

Ø Government will pay the24% of EPF (Employees’ Provident Fund) contribution for both employer and employee for next three months, in establishments where upto 100 people are employed, and 90% of who earn less than Rs 15,000 a month.

[CA/GK] Various stages for a disease to be declared as "pandemic"

COVID – 19 is a pandemic disease. For a disease to be declared as pandemic, there are four stages.

Stages	Events
Stage – 1	The epidemic disease that eventually takes the form of a pandemic sweeping the globe, cases are imported into a country in which the infection did not originate. An infection whose spread is contained within the boundaries of one or a few countries is obviously not a pandemic.
Stage – 2	When the virus starts being transmitted locally. Local transmission means that the source of the infection is from within a particular area and the trajectory the virus has taken from one person to the next is clearly established.
Stage – 3	Community transmission. community spread is when we do not know the source of the infection — we are unable to trace it back to someone who has travelled in an affected area overseas, or got it through contact with someone who is infected. 80% of population got affected by COVID – 19 by Community transmission
Stage – 4	When the disease becomes endemic in some countries. Among diseases that are currently endemic in India — meaning they occur round the year across the country — are malaria and dengue.

[CA/GK/Polity] Section 188 of IPC

The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 lays down punishment as per Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for flouting orders issued by various state governments to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In the past, the Act has been routinely enforced across the country for dealing with outbreaks of diseases such as swine flu, dengue, and cholera. Its penal provisions are currently being invoked by states to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Section 188 relates to Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.

Ø It says violators can be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both;

Ø and if such disobedience causes or tends to cause danger to human life, health or safety, or causes or tends to cause a riot or affray, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

What happens if we violate the lockdown orders?

Under Section 188, there two offences:

Disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant, If such disobedience causes obstruction, annoyance or injury to persons lawfully employed

·       Punishment: Simple Imprisonment for 1 month or fine of Rs 200 or both if such disobedience causes danger to human life, health or safety, etc.

·       Punishment: Simple Imprisonment for 6 months or fine of Rs 1000 or both

According to the First Schedule of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973, both offences are cognizable, bailable, and can be tried by any magistrate.

[CA] Tamil Nadu COVID - 19 Regulations 2020

Tamil Nadu Health department passed a rare order, Tamil Nadu COVID – 19 Regulations, 2020, empowering State officials to forcibly hospitalise or isolate nay person to prevent the spread of COVID – 19. 

It also empowers District Collectors to even seal a geographical area like a ward, village, town or city if cases of COVID – 19 are reported from that particular area. This includes barring entry or exit of people from the sealed area. The order was passed by invoking powers from the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. 

The order also bans any private laboratory from taking or testing samples of COVID – 19. Meanwhile, Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi interacted with the leaders of the SAARC countries through video conference to chart out a common strategy in order to combat COVID-19 in the region. Prime Minister announced the setting up of a COVID – 19 Emergency Fund and pledged to put $10 million in its pool.