Notification under sub-section (3) of Section 1 of the ESIC Act, 1948 (34 of 1948) (dated – 23.09.2021) -MOLE

• In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (34 of 1948), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st day of October, 2021, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act, namely,-
• sections 38(All employees  to  be  insured), 39(Contributions), 40(Principal  employer  to  pay  contributions  in  the  first  instance), 41(Recovery of contributions from immediate employer), 42(General  provisions  as  to  payment  of  contributions), 43(Method  of  payment  of  contribution) and sections 45A(Determination of contributions in certain cases) to 45H(Application  of  certain  provisions  of  the  Income-Tax  Act) of Chapter IV;
• sections 46(Benefits) to 73(Employer not  to  dismiss  or  punish  employee  during    period  of  sickness,  ) of Chapter V; and
• Sections 74(Constitution of Employees’ Insurance Court), 75( Matters to  be  decided  by  the  Employees’  Insurance  Court), sub-sections (2) to (4) of section 76(Institution  of  proceedings,  ), 80(Benefit not admissible unless claimed in time) 82(Appeal) and 83 (Stay  of  payment  pending  appeal)of Chapter VI, shall come into force in all the areas of Dhalai, Gomati, North Tripura and Sepahijala district, in the State of Tripura.

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Notification on Service exports from India Scheme for services rendered in the Financial Year -2019-20 (dated 23.09.2021) – DGFT

• In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 read with Para 1.02 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-20 and the enabling para 3.13 of the FTP, the Central Government hereby notifies the following changes in SEIS in the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, as amended from time to time, with immediate effect:
• After the existing para 3.08 (a) of FTP 2015-20, the following para 3.08 (aa) is inserted :
• “ 3.08 (aa) For SEIS claims on services rendered in the FY 2019-20, the notified services and rates are listed in Appendix 3X as per Annexure to this Notification.”
• At the end of para 3.08 (c) of FTP 2015-20, the following is added:
• “However, there shall be no such specified services under Appendix 3E for exports made in the financial year 2019-20”
• After the existing para 3.10 of FTP 2015-20, the following paras are inserted:
• “ 3.10A For SEIS claim for FY 2019-20, service providers of eligible services shall be entitled to Duty Credit Scrip at notified rates (as given in Appendix 3X) on net foreign exchange earned, with the total entitlement capped at Rs 5 Crore per IEC for FY 2019-20.
• 10 B For SEIS claim for FY 2019-20, the deadline for filing the online application as per ANF 3B shall be 31.12.2021. Provision of late cut under para 9.02 of HBP 2015-20 shall not apply for SEIS applications for FY 2019-20 and such applications shall get time-barred after 31.12.2021.”
• Effect of this Notification: List of eligible services and rates under SEIS for services rendered in the FY 2019-20 is being notified. A limit on total entitlement under SEIS has been imposed for service exports rendered in the period 01.04.2019 to 31.03.2020, and capped at Rs. 5 Cr per IEC.

Notification regarding amendment in export policy of Mercury and insertion of policy condition (dated -23.09.2021) – DGFT

• In exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 (No. 22 of 1992), as amended, read with Para 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-20, the Central Government hereby makes following amendment to ITC (HS) Code 28054000 of Chapter 28 of Schedule – 2 of ITC (HS) Export Policy related to export of Mercury:
• 115 D -28054000 –Mercury-Restricted-A Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure as per the provisions of the Minamata Convention on mercury is to be obtained from the National Focal Point of Minamata Convention in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in case of import/export of mercury. Details of PIC procedure can be accessed from the website of MoEF&CC: http://moef.gov.in/ (Divisions -> Environment Divisions-> Hazardous Substance Management Division -> Import/Export)
• Effect of this Notification:
• Export Policy of Mercury has been amended from ‘Free’ to ‘Restricted’ with immediate effect. The export will be subject to obtaining Prior Informed Consent (PIC) from MoEF&CC.

Notification under Sub-section (1) of Section 11A of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (dated – 22.09.2021) – Ministry of Finance

• In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 11A of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (15 of 2003), the Central Government on being satisfied that the reporting entities mentioned below comply with standards of privacy and security under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016), and it is necessary and expedient to do so, and after consultation with the Unique Identification Authority of India established under sub-section (1) of section 11 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 and the regulatory authority, namely the Reserve Bank of India, hereby notifies the reporting entity specified below to undertake Aadhaar authentication service of the Unique Identification Authority of India under section 11A of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002, namely:-
• M/s. SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited.
• M/s. PhonePe Private Limited.

Draft notification of the Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2021 (dated – 22.09.2021) -FSSAI

• 60 days’ timeline given of objection and suggestions.

Draft notification of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2021 (dated – 22.09.2021) – FSSAI

• 60 days’ timeline given of objection and suggestions.

Notification on direction under Section 16(5) of FSS Act, 2006, w.r.t applicability of Food Category/additives for the products mouth freshener’s and related products (dated 22.09.2021) – FSSAI

• This is with reference to the Food Category System specified under Appendix A of FSS (Food Products Standards and Food additives) Regulations 2011.
• In this regard, representations were received from stake holders seeking clarity for food category & permitted food additives for some traditional mouth fresheners such as Dried
• fruits/vegetables/ nut based mouth fresheners, Spice based mouth fresheners, other traditional mouth fresheners so that license can be obtained for these products.
• Presently, there are no standards for Mouth fresheners under FSSR and such products are being licensed as Proprietary Foods under the broad food category 5.0. The matter has been examined by FSSAI and as an interim measure, in order to facilitate the licensing for these products in a specific category, it has been decided that a new sub-category under the food category ‘5.2 Confectionary’ be created as “Mouth Fresheners” with the following classification
• 2.4 Mouth Fresheners
• 2.4.1 Dried fruits/vegetables/nut based mouth fresheners
• 2.4.2 Spice based mouth fresheners
• 2.4.3 other traditional mouth fresheners not covered under 5.2.4.1 and 5.2.4.2.
• These categories will be made available on FoSCoS under General Manufacturing kind of business for licensing purpose based on the eligibility criteria mentioned under FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. The petty food manufacturer and FBOs who are involved in kind of businesses other than General manufacturer are required to select the broad Food category 05 while applying for license/registration for these products.
• The food products falling under these newly created categories shall comply only with horizontal parameters of the largest/major ingredient of the respective products. The additives permitted in the main category 5.2 shall be applicable for these sub categories.
• The FBOs already holding FSSAI license for manufacturing these products need not modify their licenses to the new food category. However, any new license/renewal of licenses being granted from the date of this order shall use the aforesaid new category for these products as specified above.

Amended notification of the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Second Amendment Regulations, 2021 (dated – 22.09.2021) -FSSAI

• They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette and food business operator shall comply with all the provisions of these regulations with effect from 1st April, 2022.
• In the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018, in regulation 4 relating to “Compliance with Standards on Micronutrient Content in Fortified Foods” for sub-regulation (1) the following shall be substituted, namely:-
• “Any manufacturer who fortifies any food shall ensure that the level of added micronutrients on label of such fortified food shall fall within the range specified in Schedule-I. The tolerance of minus 10 per cent of the declared total value on the label may be allowed for the purposes of compliance and analysis at any point in time. Provided that the maximum limit of added micronutrients specified in Schedule-I must be complied with.”

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Notification regarding extending the Medical benefits to the families of insured persons in entire area of Mayiladuthurai, Vellore and Ariyalur districts in Tamil Nadu (dated – 21.09.2021) – ESIC

• In pursuance of powers conferred by Section 46 (2) of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 (34 of 1948), read with Regulation 95-A (Medical benefit to families of insured persons) of the Employees’ State Insurance (General) Regulations, 1950, the Director General has fixed the 01/09/2021 as the date from, which the medical benefit as laid down in the said Regulation 95-A and the Tamil Nadu Employees’ State Insurance (Medical Benefit) Rules, 1955 shall be extended to the families of insured persons in the entire area of Mayiladuthurai, Vellore and Ariyalur districts in the State of Tamil Nadu, in addition to the already implemented area in the district.

Notification of Use of Aadhaar based e-KYC service of Unique Identification Authority of India as an alternate process for issuing mobile connections to individual customers including outstation customers and Bulk connection(dated 21.09.2021) – Ministry of Communications

• Amendment in Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, notified by Central Government on24.07.2019, provided for re-introduction of Aadhaar based e-KYC process for issuing of new mobile connections.
• The Telecom Service Providers shall implement the process as given in Annexure for issuing of new mobile connections using Aadhaar based e-KYC. Accordingly, the instructions issued vide letter of even number dated 29.09.2020 is hereby superseded.
• Union Cabinet has now approved the proposal for charging Re.1/- for the process of authentication through Aadhaar based e-KYC services of UIDAI for issuing new mobile connections.
• The testing and verification in consultation with Government agencies will not be necessary. However, all security related compliances must be ensured by the TSPs while implementing the process. Action taken shall be informed to DoT and MHA.

Amended notification of the Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2021 (dated – 22.09.2021) – Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

• This notification has come into effect from 22.09.2021.
• In the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, in rule 4, in sub-rule (1), for clause (b), the following clause shall be substituted, namely: –
• “(b) carry bags made of recycled plastic or products made of recycled plastic can be used for storing, carrying, dispensing, or packaging ready to eat or drink food stuff subject to the notification of appropriate standards and regulation under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006) by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India;”.

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