![FM Interim Budget 2024-2025.jpeg FM Interim Budget 2024-2025.jpeg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim Budget 2024-2025 on February 1, 2024. Her Budget speech and related Budget Documents c
![NITI Aayog Report: National Multidimentional Poverty Index 2023 NITI Aayog Report: National Multidimentional Poverty Index 2023](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
“The National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023 presents the second edition of the national MPI and is a follow-up to the Baselin
![Covid Test-1.jfif Covid Test-1.jfif](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
An up-to-date compilation of more than 1,800 official statements by the Government of India from January 17, 2020. Links to articles published by The
![image.jpg image.jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Government of India, has published an e-Book, “A Treatise on Indian Censuses since 1981”.
![CCG OPEN LETTER.jpg CCG OPEN LETTER.jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
A group of retired senior civil servants has expressed concern over the proposed FCA (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and has urged Members of Parliament to “n
![Resource Collage image-2.jpg Resource Collage image-2.jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
Article 124A of the Indian Penal Code has been through engaging court speeches, Bills and Acts, Reports of commissions and committees, and insightful
![Panel Discussion on March 24-2016.jpg Panel Discussion on March 24-2016.jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
Links to a Panel Discussion on Free Speech and Sedition in a Democracy organised by The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy on March 24, 2016,
![Karnataka-High-Courtjpg Karnataka-High-Courtjpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
On March 15, 2022, a three-Judge Bench of the High Court of Karnataka, headed by the Chief Justice, Ritu Raj Awasthi, pronounced its verdict on the pe
![Draft-India-Data-Accessibility-and-Use-Policy Draft-India-Data-Accessibility-and-Use-Policy](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, has published the draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy 202
![PTI02012022000088A PTI02012022000088A](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The Union Budget, 2022-2023, presented by the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and related Budget Documents can be accessed here.
![Economic-Surveyjpg Economic-Surveyjpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The full text of the Economic Survey 2021-22 (and Statistical Appendix) can be accessed here.
![FactFigures-English-2016-17-1jpg FactFigures-English-2016-17-1jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
Periodically, the India Railways comes out with a database of facts and figures that include volume of traffic, freight movement, revenue from commerc
![Recommendations-of-Working-Group-on-Urban-Transportjpg Recommendations-of-Working-Group-on-Urban-Transportjpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
Cities and towns in India are expected to contribute about 70 per cent of the country's GDP by the year 2030. Also, India's urban population is likely
![N21092966-2jpg N21092966-2jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
A High-Level Committee to Study the Impact of NEET [National Eligibility cum Entrance Test] on Medical Admissions in Tamil Nadu, 2021, submitted its r
![CII-2020-Volume-1-1jpg CII-2020-Volume-1-1jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The annual Crime In India reports published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) since 1953, provide country-wide data on crime. This page con
![CoverMainCroppedjpg CoverMainCroppedjpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
Crime in India 2018 - Volume 1 [PDF 2.95 MB] Volume 2 [PDF 2.19 MB] Volume 3 [PDF 3.38 MB] Source: National Crime Records Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs
![214646-1-croppedjpg 214646-1-croppedjpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS The Citizenship Act, 1955 (57 of 1955) was enacted to provide for the acquisition and determination of Indian citizenship. 2. It is a historical fact that trans-border migration of population has been happening continuously between the territories of India and the areas presently comprised in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Millions of citizens of undivided India belonging to various faiths were staying in the said areas of Pakistan and Bangladesh when India was partitioned in 1947. The constitutions of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh provide for a specific state religion. As a result, many persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities have faced persecution on grounds of religion in those countries. Some of them also have fears about such persecution in their day-to-day life where right to practice, profess and propagate their religion has been obstructed and restricted. Many such persons have fled to India to seek shelter and continued to stay in India even if their travel documents have expired or they have incomplete or no documents. 3. Under the existing provisions of the Act, migrants from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Pakistan or Bangladesh who entered into India without valid travel documents or if the validity of their documents has expired are regarded as illegal migrants and ineligible to apply for Indian citizenship under section 5 or section 6 of the Act. 4. The Central Government exempted the said migrants from the adverse penal consequences of the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and the Foreigners Act, 1946 and rules or orders made thereunder vide notifications, dated 07.09.2015 and dated 18.07.2016. Subsequently, the Central Government also made them eligible for long term visa to stay in India, vide , orders dated 08.01.2016 and 14.09.2016. Now, it is proposed to make the said migrants eligible for Indian Citizenship. 5. The illegal migrants who have entered into India up to the cut of date of 31.12.2014 need a special regime to govern their citizenship matters. For this purpose the Central Government or an authority specified by it, shall grant the certificate of registration or certificate of naturalisation subject to such conditions, restrictions and manner as may be prescribed. Since many of them have entered into India long back, they may be given the citizenship of India from the date of their entry in India if they fulfil conditions for Indian citizenship specified in section 5 or the qualifications for the naturalisation under the provisions of the Third Schedule to the Act. 6. The Bill further seeks to grant immunity to the migrant of the aforesaid Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities so that any proceedings against them regarding in respect of their status of migration or citizenship does not bar them from applying for Indian citizenship. The competent authority, to be prescribed under the Act, shall not take into account any proceedings initiated against such persons regarding their status as illegal migrant or their citizenship matter while considering their application under section 5 or section 6 of the Act, if they fulfil all the conditions for grant of citizenship. 7. Many persons of Indian origin including persons belonging to the said minority communities from the aforesaid countries have been applying for citizenship under section 5 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 but they are unable to produce proof of their Indian origin. Hence, they are forced to apply for citizenship by naturalisation under section 6 of the said Act, which, inter alia , prescribe twelve years residency as a qualification for naturalisation in terms of the Third Schedule to the Act. This denies them many opportunities and advantages that may accrue only to the citizens of India, even though they are likely to stay in India permanently. Therefore, it is proposed to amend the Third Schedule to the Act to make applicants belonging to the said communities from the aforesaid countries eligible for citizenship by naturalisation if they can establish their residency in India for five years instead of the existing eleven years. 8. Presently, there is no specific provision in section 7D of the Act to cancel the registration of Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder who violates any provisions of the Act or any other law for the time being in force. It is also proposed to amend the said section 7D so as to empower the Central Government to cancel registration as Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder in case of violation of any provisions of the Act or any other law for the time being in force. 9. Since there is no specific provision in the Act at present to provide an opportunity of being heard to the Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder before cancellation of the Overseas Citizen of India Card under section 7D, it is proposed to provide the opportunity of being heard to the Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder before the cancellation of the Overseas Citizen of India Card. 10. The Bill further seeks to protect the constitutional guarantee given to indigenous populations of North Eastern States covered under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution and the statutory protection given to areas covered under "The Inner Line" system of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873. 11. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives. NEW DELHI; AMIT SHAH The 4th December, 2019 [Minister of Home Affairs] The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, after it received Presidential Assent on December 12, 2019, can be accessed here: The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 [PDF 645 KB] Source: Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India Note: The Statement of Objects and Reasons is part of the Bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha and can be accessed here . Related Link: Supreme Court of India. 2020 . Application for Intervention , www.livelaw.in, March 5.
![145742996resized 145742996resized](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court of India delivered the Judgment on the Ayodhya dispute. The full text of the Judgment can be accessed here: Judgment by the Supreme Court of India on the Ayodhya case [PDF 3.86 MB] Source: Supreme Court of India On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court of India also dismissed a Special Leave Petition by the Shia Central Board of Waqf, Uttar Pradesh, against a 1946 Judgment by the High Court, Faizabad, as there was "inordinate delay" in the filing of the petition. The text of this Judgment can be accessed here: Shia Central Board of Waqf, U.P. vs Sunni Central Board of Wakf [PDF 106 KB] Source: Supreme Court of India
![3865980jpg 3865980jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has invited public comments on a preliminary draft of the Code on Wages (Central) Rules. In a Note issued on November 1, 2019, the Government said it invited "inputs/comments/suggestions of various stakeholders including general public", for a period of one month. A notification issued by the Ministry said: "Objections and suggestions, if any, may be addressed to Rajiv Ranjan, , (Email ID: [email protected]), Deputy Director, and Shri Bikash Kumar Malick ([email protected]), Assistant Director, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi110001". One of the Schedules in the Draft identifies workers under four categories: Unskilled (123), Semi skilled (127), Skilled (320), and Highly Skilled (111). The Draft was published by the Ministry at [https://labour.gov.in/sites/default/files/The%20Wages%28Central%29%20Rules_Preliminary_Draft_1_11_2019_WC.pdf]. The Wages (Central) Rules Preliminary Draft [PDF 888 KB] Source: Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India
![National-Health-Profile-1jpg National-Health-Profile-1jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
FOREWORD The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) has been releasing its annual publication "National Health Profile (NHP)" on a regular basis since 2005. It involves prolonged, systematic and genuine efforts to collect an enormous amount of national data from the Directorates of Health & Family Welfare of all the 36 States/UTs, Central Government Organizations, National Health Programmes and various other concerned national and international agencies in India. This publication of vital national significance brings out very substantial Health Information under six major indicators viz. Demographic, Socio-Economic, Health Status, Health Finance, Health Infrastructure and Human Resources for the specified calendar year and much more relevant information required for an efficient public health system in our country. The sources as well as shortcomings of the data are also indicated. The 14 th edition of NHP includes updated information from concerned State/UTs, Central Government Ministries and other organizations/agencies. It is expected that this national reference document shall be of immense support to all concerned government departments & institutions, public sector enterprises, non-government organizations, policy makers, planners, administrators, managers, researchers and academicians for a strong and efficient health system in India. I would like to applaud Director, CBHI and her entire team for timely publication of this 14th edition of ' National Heath Profile '. The ideas for further improvement of this publication will be highly appreciated and may kindly be shared with CBHI, Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India. Dr S. Venkatesh Director General of Health Services National Health Profile 2019 [PDF 4.53 MB] Source: Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare , Government of India External link to National Health Profile Reports
![CNNS-report-first-page1jpg CNNS-report-first-page1jpg](https://www.thehinducentre.com/theme/images/thc-online/1x1_spacer.png)
The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (2016-18), the first ever nationally representative nutrition survey of children and adolescents in India,