By India Ashok
Although policies in India take time to be updated and/or implemented, there’s still a lot of action that takes place, which may go unnoticed. Here are the most interesting and important updates made to significant policies in India
No more Baghban-like family drama or you’ll end up in jail
As BJP gears up to woo its voters for the 2019 general election, the Modi government is cracking down on unloving sons and daughters, who abandon or abuse their elderly parents. The Centre plans to impose longer jail terms, of up to six months, to those who mistreat their parents.
The Hindu reported that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has also proposed to “widen the definition of children to include adopted children or stepchildren, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, grandchildren and minors represented by their legal guardians”.
Centre to strengthen army’s position along Chinese border
The Indian government, in a final policy push, has decided to sanction major infrastructure and manpower to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), by approving the development of a strategic headquarters, nine new 9,000-strong battalions, a dozen new patrol camps and more.
The move reportedly comes after several instances of border confrontations with the Chinese army at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Indian Express reported that the new battalions will likely “help the border guarding force to better rotate troops from forward locations to units in the mainland”.
Domestic Violence Act to now also protect divorced women
The Domestic Violence Act, which extends to all man-woman relationships, and is designed to punish men who abuse women in any relationship, now also extends to protecting divorced women. In 2013, a Rajasthan High Court that domestic violence can not be limited to marital relationships.
In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the previous ruling, the Hindu reported.
Domestic relationship includes any relationship between two persons who either live at the present moment or have at any point of time in the past lived together in a shared household… Absence of subsisting domestic relationship in no manner prevents the court from granting certain reliefs specified under the Act, the Supreme Court stated.
Locals open the first independent public library opened in Nagaland
In Dimapur, Nagaland, locals got together on Facebook to crowdfund what is believed to be the state’s very first independent public library. Although Nagaland has around 80 registered rural libraries across several districts, most of them are reportedly closed.
The newly-opened Dimapur Public Library is now managed by a core team consisting of eight members. In just 4 days after the library opened its doors to the public, it has already garnered around 50 registrations.
We also have registration fee for adults (Rs 300 per year) and students (Rs 100 per year) while children, elderly and Persons With Disability can visit free of cost. This is the only income we generate from the library,” said Dimapur-based entrepreneur Imtisunup Longchar, who was the driving force behind the establishment of the new library, the Indian Express reported.
New Journalist Act amendment will jail employers not paying journalists
Earlier this week, President Ram Nath Kovind gave the green light to a recently passed bill by the Delhi Assembly in 2015, which enhances jail time and fines for employers that fail to pay journalists or violate the terms of the Working Journalist Act.
Employers who violate any of the terms of the Act will now face a six-month prison term or a fine that could extend over Rs 5,000 or both, the NDTV reported.