• Views and statements on NEP

1. NEP 2020 gives impetus to learning of foreign languages: Shringla  

Key points:

1. The new education policy recently introduced by the government gives impetus to learning of foreign languages, half of which are European, and therefore, the future for exchanges between India and Europe is brighter than ever, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday.
2. Delivering the closing address of the celebrations of the Day of Languages organised by Mayo College in association with the Goethe Institut, Shringla said the most defining feature of the human civilisation is undoubtedly the ability to communicate through languages.
3. A key element that intertwines Europe and India is, in fact, languages, he said.
4. “India and Europe are both linguistically diverse lands. India alone has 22 scheduled languages in its Constitution and over a thousand mother tongues. India is home to various language families,” Shringla said.

(Business Standard, 27 October 2020) News Link

1. Major boost to development: DDCs to have direct funding from Centre

Key points:

1. The Government of India Monday issued a notification stating that any Indian citizen can now buy land, except agricultural, in municipal areas of Jammu and Kashmir without being a domicile.
2. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the ‘Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, 2020’ shall come into force with immediate effect, and “will encourage development in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir”. After the J&K’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution was withdrawn on 5 August 2019, the reorganisation Act bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories — J&K and Ladakh.
3. Under the notification, for the first time the spouse of a J&K domicile shall also be deemed as a domicile. Earlier, spouses of Permanent Resident Card holders were considered at par but were not considered domiciles. Children of central government officials posted for over ten years in Jammu and Kashmir will also continue to be considered domiciles.
4. Political parties in J&K have called the notification “unacceptable”, and said it will hit the small land-owning farmers in the union territory.

(The Print, 27 October 2020) News Link