LAST DATE FOR FILING OF ANNUAL RETURN IN GST FOR THE YEAR
2017-18 EXTENDED UP TO 30TH JUNE, 2019
The GST law mandates
filing of annual return in FORM GSTR -9 and FORM GSTR-9A. Vide Order No
3/2018-Central Tax, dated 31.12.18, the last date for filing the Annual Return
for the Financial Year 2017-18 has been extended to 30th June 2019 It is being
informed to the trade and industry that the form is now available on the common
portal for filing and taxpayers are requested to file their returns at the
earliest. Taxpayers may please exercise caution while filing this return as
facility to revise the FORM GSTR -9 and FORM GSTR-9A is not available.
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GST EXEMPTION LIMIT OF RS 40 LAKH FOR SMES TO BE EFFECTIVE
FROM APRIL 1
The government Thursday
notified April 1 as the date for the implementation of doubling of GST
exemption limit to Rs 40 lakh which will benefit small and medium enterprises.
Besides, the effective date for availing higher turnover cap of Rs 1.5 crore
for availing composition scheme by traders has also been fixed as April 1.
Also, service providers and suppliers of both goods and services with a
turnover of up to Rs 50 lakh would be eligible to opt for the GST composition
scheme and pay a tax of 6 per cent from the beginning of next fiscal. The
Threshold for Registration for service providers would continue to be Rs 20
lakhs and in case of Special Category States Rs 10 lakhs, it said. Also the GST
Composition Scheme, under which small traders and businesses pay a 1 per cent
tax based on turnover, can be availed by businesses with a turnover of Rs 1.5
crore, against the earlier Rs 1 crore, with effect from April 1.
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GOVT NOTIFIES TIME LIMIT FOR FILING GSTR-1
The Central Board of
Indirect Tax and Customs has notified the due dates for filing GSTR-1 for the
taxpayers with the aggregate turnover up to Rs.1.5 crores and with an aggregate
turnover of more than Rs. 1.5 crores for the months of April 2019 to June 2019.
As per a notification issued by the Board last day, the Board has extended the
time limit for furnishing the details of outward supplies in FORM GSTR-1 under
the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, by such class of registered
persons having aggregate turnover of more than 1.5 crore rupees in the
preceding financial year or the current financial year, for each of the months
from April, 2019 to June, 2019 till the eleventh day of the month succeeding
such month The time limit for furnishing the details or return, as the case may
be, under sub-section (2) of section38 and sub-section (1) of section 39 of the
said Act, for the months of July 2017 to June 2019 shall be subsequently
notified in the Official Gazette, the Notification said. Further, the
Government also notified that the registered persons having an aggregate
turnover of up to 1.5 crore rupees in the preceding financial year or the
current financial year, as the class of registered persons, who shall follow
the special procedure as mentioned below for furnishing the details of outward
supply of goods or services or both. As per the notification, such taxpayers
shall file GSTR-1 for the quarter of April –June 2019 on 31st July 2019.
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CLARIFICATION ON VARIOUS DOUBTS RELATED TO TREATMENT OF SALES
PROMOTION SCHEMES UNDER GST
Various representations
have been received seeking clarification on issues raised with respect to tax
treatment of sales promotion schemes under GST. To ensure uniformity in the
implementation of the law across the field formations, the Board, in exercise
of its powers conferred under section 168(1) of the Central Goods and Services
Tax Act, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as the said Act) hereby clarifies the
issues in succeeding paragraphs It has been noticed that there are several
promotional schemes which are offered by taxable persons to increase sales
volume and to attract new customers for their products. Some of these schemes
have been examined and clarification on the aspects of taxability, valuation,
availability or otherwise of Input Tax Credit in the hands of the supplier
(hereinafter referred to as the ITC) in relation to the said schemes are
detailed hereunder:
A. FREE SAMPLES AND GIFTS
i. It is a common practice
among certain sections of trade and industry, such as, pharmaceutical companies
which often provide drug samples to their stockists, dealers, medical
practitioners, etc. without charging any consideration. As per subclause (a) of
sub-section (1) of section 7 of the said Act, the expression supply includes
all forms of supply of goods or services or both such as sale, transfer,
barter, exchange, licence, rental, lease or disposal made or agreed to be made
for a consideration by a person in the course or furtherance of business.
Therefore, the goods or services or both which are supplied free of cost
(without any consideration) shall not be treated as „supply‟ under GST (except in case
of activities mentioned in Schedule I of the said Act). Accordingly, it is
clarified that samples which are supplied free of cost, without any
consideration, do not qualify as supply under GST, except where the activity
falls within the ambit of Schedule I of the said Act.
ii. Further, clause (h) of
sub-section (5) of section 17 of the said Act provides that ITC shall not be
available in respect of goods lost, stolen, destroyed, written off or disposed
of by way of gift or free samples. Thus, it is clarified that input tax credit
shall not be available to the supplier on the inputs, input services and
capital goods to the extent they are used in relation to the gifts or free
samples distributed without any consideration. However, where the activity of
distribution of gifts or free samples falls within the scope of supply on
account of the provisions contained in Schedule I of the said Act, the supplier
would be eligible to avail of the ITC.
B. BUY ONE GET ONE FREE OFFER
i. Sometimes, companies
announce offers like Buy One, Get One free For example, buy one soap and get
one soap free or Get one tooth brush free along with the purchase of tooth
paste. As per sub-clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 7 of the said Act,
the goods or services which are supplied free of cost (without any
consideration) shall not be treated as supply under GST (except in case of
activities mentioned in Schedule I of the said Act). It may appear at first
glance that in case of offers like Buy One, Get One Free, one item is being
supplied free of cost without any consideration. In fact, it is not an
individual supply of free goods but a case of two or more individual supplies
where a single price is being charged for the entire supply. It can at best be
treated as supplying two goods for the price of one
ii. Taxability of such
supply will be dependent upon as to whether the supply is a composite supply or
a mixed supply and the rate of tax shall be determined as per the provisions of
section 8 of the said Act.
iii. It is also clarified
that ITC shall be available to the supplier for the inputs, input services and
capital goods used in relation to supply of goods or services or both as part
of such offers.
C. DISCOUNTS INCLUDING ‘BUY MORE, SAVE MORE’ OFFERS
i. Sometimes, the supplier
offers staggered discount to his customers (increase in discount rate with
increase in purchase volume). For example- Get 10 % discount for purchases
above Rs. 5000/-, 20% discount for purchases above Rs. 10,000/- and 30%
discount for purchases above Rs. 20,000/-. Such discounts are shown on the
invoice itself.
ii. Some suppliers also
offer periodic / year ending discounts to their stockists, etc. For example-
Get additional discount of 1% if you purchase 10000 pieces in a year, get
additional discount of 2% if you purchase 15000 pieces in a year. Such
discounts are established in terms of an agreement entered into at or before
the time of supply though not shown on the invoice as the actual quantum of
such discounts gets determined after the supply has been effected and generally
at the year end. In commercial parlance, such discounts are colloquially
referred to as volume discounts. Such discounts are passed on by the supplier
through credit notes.
iii. It is clarified that
discounts offered by the suppliers to customers (including staggered discount
under Buy more, save more scheme and post supply / volume discounts established
before or at the time of supply) shall be excluded to determine the value of
supply provided they satisfy the parameters laid down in sub-section (3) of
section 15 of the said Act, including the reversal of ITC by the recipient of
the supply as is attributable to the discount on the basis of document (s)
issued by the supplier.
iv. It is further
clarified that the supplier shall be entitled to avail the ITC for such inputs,
input services and capital goods used in relation to the supply of goods or
services or both on such discounts.
D. SECONDARY DISCOUNTS
i. These are the discounts
which are not known at the time of supply or are offered after the supply is
already over. For example, M/s A supplies 10000 packets of biscuits to M/s B at
Rs. 10/- per packet. Afterwards M/s A re-values it at Rs. 9/- per packet.
Subsequently, M/s A issues credit note to M/s B for Rs. 1/- per packet.
ii. The provisions of
sub-section (1) of section 34 of the said Act provides as under:
·
Where one or more tax
invoices have been issued for supply of any goods or services or both and the
taxable value or tax charged in that tax invoice is found to exceed the taxable
value or tax payable in respect of such supply, or where the goods supplied are
returned by the recipient, or where goods or services or both supplied are
found to be deficient, the registered person, who has supplied such goods or services
or both, may issue to the recipient one or more credit notes for supplies made
in a financial year containing such particulars as may be prescribed.
iii. Representations have
been received from the trade and industry that whether credit notes(s) under
sub-section (1) of section 34 of the said Act can be issued in such cases even
if the conditions laid down in clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 15 of
the said Act are not satisfied. It is hereby clarified that financial /
commercial credit note(s) can be issued by the supplier even if the conditions
mentioned in clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 15 of the said Act are
not satisfied. In other words, credit note(s) can be issued as a commercial
transaction between the two contracting parties.
iv. It is further
clarified that such secondary discounts shall not be excluded while determining
the value of supply as such discounts are not known at the time of supply and
the conditions laid down in clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 15 of the said
Act are not satisfied.
v. In other words, value
of supply shall not include any discount by way of issuance of credit note(s)
as explained above in para 2 (D)(iii) or by any other means, except in cases
where the provisions contained in clause (b) of sub-section (3) of section 15
of the said Act are satisfied.
vi. There is no impact on
availability or otherwise of ITC in the hands of supplier in this case.
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MAHARASHTRA OFFERS ONE-TIME GST AMNESTY
State governments have
begun rolling out one-time amnesty schemes to wipe out all legacy tax issues
from before the rollout of the goods and services tax regime. Maharashtra has
unveiled an amnesty scheme for settlement of pre-GST state tax disputes to
ensure that the government recovers outstanding taxes and also clears the
backlog of long pending assessments. Karnataka and West Bengal had announced
such schemes earlier. The Maharashtra government has issued an ordinance to
bring into effect a scheme that provides for settlement of dues under various
state levies, including VAT, CST, entry tax, professional tax, luxury tax, and
purchase tax on sugarcane. The industry has been pressing for such a scheme
across the country for settling past disputes. That is because prior to GST,
tax regime was not uniform with each state having its own laws and procedures.
So, businesses now have multiple disputes across states. Moreover, VAT
assessments in some states are still pending with a backlog of 2-3 VAT assessment
in each state for every dealer, industry experts said. Most tax administration
officials in states have now been shifted to GST, and only a few are left to
cater to old taxes, fuelling further pendency. The Maharashtra scheme provides
for settlement of various state tax disputes for the period ending till the
introduction of GST on July 1, 2017. However, there is no waiver in respect of
any undisputed tax which includes taxes shown payable in the returns filed. The
relief under the scheme is available only to taxpayers who have filed their
relevant tax returns on or before July 15, 2019. Tax experts said this will
help the industry and the government to reduce past litigation and move on in
the new tax regime.
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SC DIRECTIONS MAY DISARM CBDT CONCESSION TO START-UPS
Even though the Central
Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) wants to relax its regime for start-ups to accept ₹25-crore
investment from angel investors, the Supreme Court has advised careful scrutiny
in the practice of conversion of un-accounted money particularly so in the case
of private placement of shares. The CBDT just days ago allowed start-ups to
avail full angel tax concession on investments worth up to ₹25
crore from an earlier set threshold of ₹10 crore. But the apex
court directions may only end up exciting tax assessment officers, who now have
a clear way in going behind start-ups accepting angel investments of any
amount, legal experts said. SC judges U U Lalit and Indu Malhotra said in one
of their orders this week that the practice of conversion of un-accounted money
through the cloak of share capital, premium must be subjected to careful
scrutiny. Further, the SC said that onus to prove the genuineness of the
transaction to the satisfaction of assessing officer (AO) was on the assessee.
Such a direction may make it stress-full for start-ups to accept huge amounts
from little known investors, as it puts the onus to stand guarantee on the
creditworthiness of the investors on the start-up receiving the funds, experts
told. On the point of both onus and careful scrutiny of share capital and
premium, the SC has further stressed that it would be particularly so in the
case of private placement of shares, where a higher onus is required to be
placed on the assessee since the information is within the personal knowledge
of the assessee.
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FINANCE MINISTRY STARES AT DIRECT TAX REVENUE SHORTFALL BY RS
70,000 CRORE TO RS 1 LAKH CRORE
The government may be
staring at higher-than-projected deficit for the current fiscal with country's
direct tax revenue expected to fall short by Rs 60,000 to 70,000 crore over the
revised target of Rs 12 lakh crore for FY19, officials privy to the numbers
said. Direct tax revenue has totalled to Rs 8.4 lakh crore so far this fiscal
and it is doubted if the target could be reached in the next three weeks even
though collections pick up in the last few months of the fiscal. The Finance
Ministry officials said that the direct tax revenue growth is at 12.2 per cent
so far as against revised full year aim of 19.8 per cent. We expect Rs 1.5 Lakh
crore advance tax payments by companies in fourth quarter. There will also be
late income tax filers with penalty before the end of the fiscal, said an
official source. However, another source added that the direct tax shortfall is
going to be over Rs 1 lakh crore and the government should not have revised the
target upwards just buoyed by last fiscal 's precedent. Over estimation of
revenues is a soft path taken without looking at hard numbers projections, the
source said. The Finance Ministry will also receive direct tax revenue from
property tax, estate tax, gift tax, capital gains tax. But the prominent will
be the income tax and the corporate tax. The Centre had mopped up Rs 7.88 lakh
crore in direct tax during April-January 2019. As per the Budget documents, the
government has revised its direct tax collection target to Rs 12 lakh crore in
revised estimate from earlier budgeted level of Rs 11.5 lakh crore. The
government had met close to two-third of its revenue collection target from
direct taxes, garnering Rs 7.88 lakh crore from April 2018 to January 2019. In
FY18, direct tax collection was Rs 10.02 lakh crore, which exceeded the then
revised budgeted target of Rs 9.8 lakh crore. The income tax e-returns filed
for the April-February period has grown nearly 30 per cent compared with the
corresponding period in FY18. While almost 6.4 crore taxpayers filed returns in
the first 11 months of the fiscal, the government is expecting 7.6 crore
returns to be filed by the end of FY19 against 6.7 crore in FY18. In the last
three fiscals, March alone had seen 0.8 crore (FY16), 1.1 crore (FY17) and 1.85
(FY18) crore e-return filings. The surge is seen after the Income Tax
Department started sending notices to people who are involved in high-value
transactions but don't file returns.
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ANGEL TAX: DISCUSSIONS UNDERWAY OVER CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITED
INVESTORS, SAYS DPIIT SECRETARY
The Department for
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is deliberating the issue of
accreditation of investors, investing capital in startups, with the Central
Board of Direct Taxes for exemption from Section 56(2)(viib) of the Income Tax
act, also known as the angel tax. We have held consultations with stakeholders
on who can be the accredited investors. What can be the criteria for accredited
investors (to invest) and who will accredit them, all this is under discussion
right now. We would like to do this at the earliest, DPIIT Secretary Ramesh
Abhishek said. Investors’ accreditation has been among the key requests made by
angel investors and angel networks investing in startups to the government. For
instance, if an entrepreneur raises Rs 5 lakhs from his relative, the amount
will be taxed unless the relatives had the income of Rs 50 lakhs per annum or
net worth of Rs 2 crores, serial entrepreneur and partner at venture-builder
platform GrowthStory K Ganesh told. Introducing a formal concept of accreditor
investor will introduce an objective test for determination of eligibility of
an investor. It will not only align the Indian funds industry with its
international counterparts but will also lead to deepening the participation
from domestic pools of capital by removing the artificial minimum investment
criterion, Shagoofa told. With respect to the March 9 deadline for e-commerce
players to respond to the draft e-commerce policy launched last month, Ramesh
Abhishek said that the department is working on the revised deadline but didn’t
disclose the the time it would take. The idea is that startups should be able
to raise funding from all sources. We have recommendations that AIF Category II
(funds) should also be included in this (exemption bracket) and so we would
like to recommend that to the ministry of finance, Ramesh Abhishek said.
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SOLAR POWER GENERATION 5.8 PER CENT COSTLIER WITH GST: REPORT
The introduction of Goods
and Services Tax (GST) has led to an increase in the cost of solar photovoltaic
(PV) power generation by almost 6 per cent, an independent study by the Council
on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and the International Institute for
Sustainable Development (IISD) said on Thursday. At the same time, the GST has
resulted in a decline in the cost of thermal power generation by 1.6 per cent.
The uncertainty surrounding the GST rates for various solar PV contracting structures
and the imposition of safeguard duty may constrain India's progress toward its
ambitious target of 100 GW (gigawatt) of installed solar capacity through
delayed investments, Abhinav Soman, said. It is important for policymakers to
evaluate such impacts and their influence on our choices of energy sources, he
added. The GST Council recently clarified that 70 per cent of the solar PV
contract value will attract 5 per cent GST while the remaining 30 per cent will
be treated as 'supply of services' and attract 18 per cent GST. The absolute
size of the subsidy to coal-based power generation remains Rs 7,685 crore ($1.1
billion), higher than for solar PV in financial year 2018.
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A CHANGE IN GST MEANS A CAR DEALER’S WORKING CAPITAL WILL GO
UP BY RS 1 CR PER MONTH
Federation of Automobile
Dealers Associations, the apex body of Automobile Retail Industry feels that
the recent amendment made by the Government in Section 49 of CGST Act by
introducing new section 49A will lead to an unwarranted blow for the auto
retail sector The amendment will impact on the method of tax payment and
therefore, have major impact on the cash flow of auto retail industry while
discharging its tax liability. According to the new law which comes into effect
from February 1 2019, IGST credit has to be first utilised and when such credit
is exhausted only then the credit of CGST and SGST if any, shall be utilised
against output tax liability. Majority of auto dealers purchases vehicles from
OEMs on IGST and sell it to the end customers on SGST which they will not be
able to set it off by utilizing the existing credits as according to the new
law as IGST has to be used first for setting off IGST followed by CGST and the
remaining for SGST. According to a statement this will create an additional
requirement of Working Capital to the tune of Rs 1 crore for 4-wheelers and Rs
50 lakhs for 2 -wheelers on a monthly basis for 25,000 auto dealerships across
the country.
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INDIA'S GOODS EXPORT TO HIT USD 330 BILLION IN 2018-19: SURESH
PRABHU
The country's goods export
will touch USD 330 billion in 2018-19, which will be the highest ever, Prabhu
said Thursday. He said the country's merchandise exports have seen high growth
in the past six years through sector-specific interventions, focused export
promotion initiatives, and quick resolution of issues. With the structural
reforms that have been put in place over the past five years by the ministry
and action-oriented plans for major sectors, the minister said India is on the
path to become the fifth-largest economy this year. India's goods export will
peak at USD 330 billion in 2018-19 which will be the highest ever, the ministry
said in a statement quoting Prabhu. He also said the Department of Commerce has
identified nine sectors - gems and jewellery, leather, textiles, engineering,
electronics, chemicals, pharma, agriculture and marine products -- to achieve
at least 16 per cent growth in exports in 2018-19. During April-January this
fiscal, exports grew 9.5 per cent to USD 271.8 billion.
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NIRAV MODI'S BEACH BUNGALOW BLOWN-UP WITH CONTROLLED BLAST
Authorities here on Friday
carried out a controlled blast to raze the luxurious beach bungalow of
absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi, one of the prime accused in the Punjab
National Bank scam, official sources said. Over 100 dynamite sticks were
strategically placed within and outside the 33,000 sq. feet bungalow near the
Kihim Beach, and the first of the blast took place at 11.15 a.m. amidst tight
security. Few days ago, detonators were fixed at various points on the bungalow
to carry out the controlled-blast and bring it down in a single-shot.
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AN ADAMANT ICICI LEAVES ED HELPLESS, UNUSUAL TWIST IN
GITANJALI GEMS RESOLUTION DRAMA
An appellate tribunal
stayed an order allowing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to attach the assets
of fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi’s Gitanjali Gems after lender ICICI Bank
argued that this was preventing the bankruptcy process from going ahead. The
resolution process cannot be blocked, he said. A Prevention of Money Laundering
Act (PMLA) court had on December 11 affirmed a provisional order of attachment
(POA) enabling ED to attach property, bank accounts and jewellery in connection
with the Rs 12,000-crore Punjab National Bank fraud case. The trial in the
matter may take a number of years, said tribunal chairman justice Manmohan
Singh. No one is aware when the borrowers will return and pay the due amount
and face the criminal trial and how much time will take to complete the trial.
The amount due against the security cannot be delayed. The ruling was in
response to an application filed by ICICI Bank and resolution professional
Vijay Kumar Garg.
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ED TO NOT OPPOSE SAXENA’S APPLICATION SEEKING TO TURN AN
APPROVER
The Enforcement Directorate
(ED) is unlikely to oppose an application moved by co-accused, Rajiv Saxena to
turn an approver in the VVIP chopper scandal. The agency will convey its stand
to a local Court. This comes after Saxena recorded his statement before a
Judicial Magistrate making significant revelations in the case. Informed
sources told that Saxena has made disclosures which will aid the agency in its
investigation. Seeking permission of the Court to turn a straight approver,
Saxena had moved an application to become an approver under Section 306 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure. He had assured that he will make a full disclosure
about facts in his knowledge out of free will. Saxena will become the first
approver in the case if the Court allows his application. Saxena was enlarged
on regular bail on February 25 on medical grounds after ED refused to oppose
his bail.
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GOVT PUTS COMPLETE BAN ON IMPORT OF SOLID PLASTIC WASTE
Taking an important step
towards tackling the menace of plastic waste in India the government has
completely banned import of solid plastic waste/scrap into the country. India
generates 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste every day. The country has now
completely prohibited the import of solid plastic waste by amending the
Hazardous Waste (Management & Trans-boundary Movement) Rules on March 1, an
environment ministry official said.
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INDIA CAN INVOKE PEACE CLAUSE IF FOOD SUBSIDIES DISPUTED
India can invoke the peace
clause that grants immunity to its food procurement programmes in case any
country takes its farm subsidies to dispute. A recent ruling of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) against China saying that it provided trade distorting
support for its grain producers and questioning the methodology of calculating
its subsidies is damaging for India as well. Brazil and Australia have
requested WTO dispute consultations with India regarding domestic support
measures and alleged export subsidies provided by India to producers of
sugarcane and sugar. This is a damaging ruling because though this doesn’t
apply to us, any country can take us to dispute. Our eligible production has
been challenged for sugar, said an official. The US had complained in 2016 that
China had paid its farmers too much for wheat, Indica rice and Japonica rice in
2012-15 and that its trade-distorting subsidies went beyond the permitted level
of up to 8.5% of the total value of production. While India and China calculate
eligible production as procurement by the government, the US has taken total
production as the basis. We have not breached the de minimis level. We are
still in consultations, said another official. The peace clause protects
India’s food procurement programmes against action from WTO members in case the
subsidy ceilings—10% of value of food production in India’s case—are breached.
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RAHUL GANDHI ACCUSES PM NARENDRA MODI OF FAVORING COMPANIES OVER
FARMERS
Rahul Gandhi attempted to
draw parallel between Rafale controversy and Punjab government’s local issue of
accumulated expenditure on foodgrain, at a rally in Moga, alleging the Prime
Minister Narendra Modi for extending benefits worth Rs 30,000 crore to Anil
Ambani in the fighter plane deal but ignoring similar amount to the state for
national food security. In order to harvest political dividend for the debt
waiver schemes extended by the Congress ruled states in run up to polls, he
questioned the Centre government’s logic for allowing corporate debt waiver
worth Rs 3.5 billion crore to selective few but not heeding to demand of debt
waiver by agrarian states. Gandhi, while sounding poll bugle in Punjab where
the party sees better support, said that Centre government has repeatedly
denied to pay Rs 31,000 crore to Punjab for procurement of food grain from the
farmers but it had ensured benefit worth Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani in
Rafale deal by sidelining Hindustan Aeronautical Limited in the contract.
Punjab government has been asking Centre to accommodate unrecovered cost of
procurement of wheat and paddy for national food security accumulated over
several years.
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PMLA CASE: ED ATTACHES ASSETS WORTH ₹ 28-CR OF PARAMOUNT
AIRWAYS PROMOTER
Assets worth ₹28.19
crore of Paramount Airways promoter M Thiagarajan have been attached under the
anti-money laundering law the ED said Thursday. It said a provisional order for
attachment of assets has been issued by it under the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case related to alleged bank fraud by the accused
and others. Immovable and movable properties worth ₹28.19
crore have been attached under the PMLA in an ongoing investigation against M
Thiagarajan and Ms Paramount Airways Private Limited, Madurai, the agency said
in a statement. The ED had filed a criminal case against Thiagarajan on the
basis of two separate chargesheets filed against him and others by the CBI. The
first chargesheet filed against him by the CBI was for causing wrongful loss to
five nationalised banks to the tune of ₹441.11 crore.
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WE ARE STILL SEEKING INTERNATIONAL BAN ON PAKISTAN DESPITE ICC
SNUB: COA CHIEF VINOD RAI
Committee of
Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai on Thursday said the BCCI is still seeking
an ICC ban on countries that harbour terrorism despite a recent rejection but
was non-committal on whether India will boycott Pakistan at the World Cup. The
International Cricket Council (ICC) dismissed the BCCI's request to sever ties
with countries from where terrorism emanates, though the Indian Board did not
make a specific reference to Pakistan. India and Pakistan are scheduled to play
in the World Cup on June 16 and Rai said due process will be followed before
the final decision is taken on boycotting the high-octane clash in the wake of
the Pulwama terror attack. Let the time come. It is still four months away. We
have expressed our concerns (over security) and they (ICC) said yes, 'security
will be tightened' and everything else, said Rai. Rai insisted that the ICC has
not shot down BCCI's request of banning Pakistan from international cricket. The
letter was placed. It clearly says Pakistan. It is a process which goes slow.
Have we been able to boycott any of the countries in the Security Council? The
process goes on slowly. We have started a process, said the former CAG.
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PRESS STATEMENT
After visiting the forward
locations along the Line of Control in J&K and International Border in
Jammu region, Bipin Rawat visited forward areas along the International Border
in Rajasthan. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited forward location of Barmer
& Suratgarh Sectors to review the operational deployment and preparedness
of the forces. During the visit, the COAS was briefed and updated on the
current operational situation, prevailing security scenarios and preparedness
of the formations. The COAS expressed his complete confidence in the
capabilities of the Indian Army to thwart any nefarious Pakistan design to
destabilise any situation. He praised high state of morale of troops and
instructed them to remain prepared for all eventualities in close coordination
with the Air Force.
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PRESS STATEMENT
The Indian Air Force is in
a high state of preparedness to proactively engage any perceived threat in the
present security scenario. A strict vigil in the skies to detect and thwart any
act of aggression from Pakistan Air Force is being maintained. As per NOTAM No.
A0234/19 issued by CAA Pakistan, it has opened their airspace with Oman, Iran,
Afghanistan and China only. The eleven Entry/Exit points located along Indo-Pak
airspace boundary are still closed.
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MAHARASHTRA MINISTER PANKAJA MUNDE ACCUSED OF RS 106 CR SCAM
Pankaja Munde, has been
accused by her cousin and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde of masterminding a Rs 106
crore scam involving mass purchase of cellphones. The party says Pankaja showed
a bloated price of the Panasonic Eluga 17 mobile phone while purchasing 1.02
lakh of them for 85,452 Anganwadi centres in 30 districts. The market price is
Rs 6,499 per handset, but Pankaja raised an invoice for Rs 8,777. The Panasonic
Eluga 17 mobile is priced between Rs 6,000 to Rs 6,400 online. The mobiles were
distributed to Anganwadi workers along with SIM cards and data plan, said the
Government Resolution issued on February 28, 2019. Dhananjay, who is also
Leader of Opposition in the state, says If the same model can be bought for Rs
6,499, why have they bought it at such a steep price? Something is fishy and
needs to be probed.
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HONEST ROBERT VADRA ELIGIBLE FOR BHARAT RATNA UNDER FAMILY
QUOTA: BJP
Robert Vadra has said that
he will not leave India or be part of active politics until he clears his name.
Vadra, who is married to Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s sister, is under
scanner in a money laundering case pertaining to possession of illegal foreign
assets. I’m in this country, there are people who have looted the country and
run away, what about them? I’m always going to be in this country, I will not
leave or be in active politics till I clear my name, that is my promise, Vadra
said. He is currently being questioned regularly in the money laundering case
by the Enforcement Directorate. BJP has now taken a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s
brother-in-law and posted on Twitter, Robert is really honest. Thanks for
accepting that you looted. You are now eligible for the Bharat Ratna as per
your family quota :). This is the first ever instance when Vadra is being
investigated by a probe agency on alleged criminal charges of suspicious
financial deals. Denying these allegations in the past and calling them a
vendetta, Vadra has dubbed it as a political witch hunt against him.
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PRASHANT BHUSHAN ADMITS IN SUPREME COURT HE MADE 'GENUINE
MISTAKE'
Advocate Prashant Bhushan
on Thursday admitted before the Supreme Court that he made a genuine mistake by
tweeting that the government had perhaps submitted fabricated minutes of
meeting of the high-powered selection committee on the appointment of M
Nageswara Rao as an interim CBI director. Attorney General KK Venugopal told a
bench comprising justices Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha that in view of Bhushan's
statement, he would like to withdraw his contempt plea filed against the noted
lawyer. Bhushan also refused to tender an unconditional apology before the
bench for seeking Justice Mishra's recusal. Venugopal told the court that he
stood by his earlier statement that he did not want any punishment for Bhushan
in the matter. The bench, however, said it would consider the larger issue of
whether a person can criticise the court in a sub- judice matter to influence
public opinion. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on April 3.
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DOES RAHUL NEED CERTIFICATE FROM PAKISTAN ON RAFALE, ASKS BJP
Rahul Gandhi of speaking
blatant lies on the Rafale issue, the BJP on Thursday said he neither believed
the Indian Air Force nor the Supreme Court verdict and asked if he needed a
certificate from Pakistan about the fighter aircraft. Soon after Mr. Gandhi
demanded a probe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rafale deal, the
BJP hit back with Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleging that the Congress
president believed Pakistan more than Indian forces and its leaders. I totally
condemn blatant lies of Rahul Gandhi.
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IAF SAYS IT'S IN HIGH-STATE OF PREPAREDNESS TO DEAL WITH
THREAT FROM PAKISTAN
The Indian Air Force
Thursday said it was in a high state of preparedness to pro-actively engage any
perceived threat from Pakistan, in clear indication that underlying tension
between the two countries remained. Citing a document of Pakistan's civil
aviation authority, the IAF said the neighbouring country has opened its
airspace with Oman, Iran, Afghanistan and China only and the 11 entry and exit
points located along Indo-Pak airspace were still closed. The Indian Air Force
is in a high state of preparedness, to pro-actively engage any perceived threat
in the present security scenario, the IAF said in a statement. It said a strict
vigil in the skies to detect and thwart any act of aggression from Pakistan Air
Force is being maintained.
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PAK SEIZES 182 RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS, DETAINS 121 IN CRACKDOWN ON
MILITANTS
Pakistan intensified its
crackdown against Islamist militants on Thursday, with the government
announcing it had taken control of 182 religious schools and detained more than
100 people as part of its push against banned groups. Pakistani officials say
the crackdown is part of a long-planned drive and not a response to Indian
anger over what New Delhi calls Islamabad's failure to rein in militant groups
operating on Pakistani soil. The interior ministry said other institutions from
different groups had been taken over, including 34 schools or colleges, 163
dispensaries, 184 ambulances, five hospitals and eight offices of banned
organisations.
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UN REJECTS HAFIZ SAEED'S PLEA FOR REMOVAL FROM LIST OF BANNED
TERRORISTS
In a significant
development, the United Nations has rejected an appeal of JuD chief Hafiz
Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind, to remove his name from its
list of banned terrorists government sources said on Thursday. Notably, the
decision comes at a time when UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee has received a new
request to ban Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar after the Pulwama terror
attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Pakistan-based JeM has claimed
responsibility for the strike. The UN decision to reject appeal of Saeed, also
a co-founder of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), came after India provided
detailed evidence including highly confidential information about his
activities, sources told PTI, adding that the verdict of the global body was
conveyed to his lawyer Haider Rasul Mirza earlier this week. Saeed, chief of
UN-designated terrorist organisation Jammat--ud-Dawa (JuD), was banned on
December 10, 2008 by the United Nations Security Council after the horrific
Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed. Saeed had filed an appeal with
the UN through Lahore-based law firm Mirza and Mirza in 2017, while he was
still under house arrest in Pakistan, for removal of the ban. Independent
Ombudsperson Daniel Kipfer Fasciati, appointed by the UN to examine all such
requests, has informed Saeed's lawyer that it has been decided following
examination of his request that that he will continue as a listed individual,
sources said. The Ombudsperson recommended that after gathering all
information, it has been decided to continue with the ban as there was
sufficient information to provide a reasonable and credible basis for
continuing the listing, sources said, adding the recommendation was endorsed by
the UN's Sanctions Committee.
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PAKISTAN BLOCKS UN TEAM FROM INTERVIEWING HAFIZ SAEED
In a significant move by
Pakistan, visa requests of a United Nations team to interview 26/11 Mumbai
terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed residing in Pakistan were rejected by the
country's consulate in New York. A fresh proposal had been moved by Hafiz Saeed
to remove his name from the UNSC 1267 sanctions list which is a list of UN
recognized terrorists. As is the norm, before removing an individual name from
this list, the United Nations conducts in-person interviews of the individuals
being considered for delisting. However, they were unable to do this in the
case of Hafiz Saeed due to Pakistan visa refusal. According to sources that
confirmed Pakistan's latest duplicity in the Hafiz Saeed case, Pakistan was
fearful that Saeed would voluntarily reveal more incriminating evidence against
it and their support to various terror organisations operating from its soil,
therefore, Pakistan blocked a face-to-face interview of Hafiz Saeed by the UN
officials.
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FORMER PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF INDICATES PAKISTAN INTELLIGENCE
USED JEM TO TARGET INDIA DURING HIS TENURE
Former Pakistan President
Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said the Masoor Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)
was a terror outfit but indicated that his country’s intelligence had used it
to carry out attacks in India during his tenure. Musharraf also welcomed the
action against the JeM, saying it had tried to assassinate him twice in
December 2003, as per a video clip shared on the journalist’s Facebook and
Twitter page. Mr. Musharraf, added that the Pakistan government’s crackdown on
the JeM, which also tried to assassinate him twice, was a good move. This is a
good move. I have always said that the JeM is a terrorist organisation and they
only had carried out a suicide attack in an attempt to assassinate me. Action
should be taken against them, Mr. Musharraf said. When asked why he had not
taken action against the organisation during his stint in power, he claimed
those times were different. Both India and Pakistan were involved in a
clandestine struggle, carrying out bombings in each other’s territory, he said,
adding his country’s intelligence agencies were engaged in it.
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NATIONS TO RESOLVE IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE: UN OFFICIAL
UN Environment Acting
Executive Director Joyce Msuya has issued a forceful call to nations for action
ahead of the fourth UN Environment Assembly slated to take place here from
March 11 to 15. Time is running short, Msuya wrote in a letter to UN member
states. We are past pledging and politicking. We are past commitments with
little accountability. What's at stake is life, and society, as the majority of
us know it and enjoy it today. The call comes as heads of state and environment
ministers from across the globe prepare to travel to Nairobi to participate in the
world's highest-level environmental forum. Negotiations at the UN Environment
annual assembly are expected to tackle critical issues such as stopping food
waste, promoting the decarbonization of economies, tackling the crisis of
plastic pollution in oceans, among many other pressing challenges. Msuya
concluded the letter with a strong and direct appeal to UN member states,
urging them to come to the environment assembly with courage and determination
to fight for a sustainable future.
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AMID RISING TRADE TENSIONS WITH US, INDIA WANTS TO EXTEND IRAN
OIL SANCTIONS WAIVER
India wants to keep buying
Iranian oil at its current level of about 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), as it
negotiates with Washington about extending a waiver of US sanctions past early
May, two sources in India with knowledge of the matter said. India has reduced
its purchases of Iranian oil, but has been in talks on extending a sanctions
waiver, known as a significant reduction exception, a senior India official
said in January. The talks come just as trade tensions rise between Washington
and New Delhi. The United States is planning to end preferential trade
treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to $5.6 billion worth of
its exports to the United States. India is the biggest beneficiary of the
Generalized System of Preferences, which dates from the 1970s, and ending its
participation would be the strongest punitive action that Washington has taken
against the country since President Donald Trump took office. Amid this, New
Delhi is asking Washington to be allowed to still buy Iranian oil at current
levels of around 1.25 million tonnes per month, equal to about 300,000 bpd, the
sources said. We continue to have bilateral discussions with each of the
countries, including India, Campos said. Talks with Washington on extending the
waiver slowed due to the US government shutdown that extended through January,
one of the Indian sources said. Talks have now resumed and India wants to get
clarity before general elections scheduled in May, the source said.
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WILL TAKE 'MEASURES' TO DEFEND LEGITIMATE RIGHTS OF HUAWEI,
OTHERS: CHINA
China's foreign minister
slammed US accusations against telecom giant Huawei and said Beijing will take
all necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights of the country's
companies and individuals. Wang Yi's remarks came as the US has pressed charges
against the company and a top executive over violations of Iran sanctions while
warning Western allies to shun the firm over security fears. It's quite obvious
to any fair and unbiased person that the recent action against a particular
company and Chinese individual is not just a pure judicial case but deliberate
political suppression, Wang said at a news conference. We have already and will
continue to take all necessary steps, and resolutely safeguard the legitimate
rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens, Wang said, without explaining
what kind of measures Beijing would take. Wang's remarks come as Huawei is
mounting a legal and public relations campaign to counter US warnings that the
company's networks and equipment could serve as Trojan horses for Chinese
intelligence services. Huawei announced on Thursday that it had filed a lawsuit
in the US state of Texas to seek the reversal of legislation that prevents
American federal agencies from buying its equipment and services.
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INDIA ONCE AGAIN EXCLUDED FROM STUDENT VISA DOCUMENTATION
RELAXATION
India is, for another
time, not to be included in an expanded list of countries from which students
applying for visas will be subject to less stringent documentation requirements.
Further changes to Britain’s immigration rules were announced on Thursday. It
follows last year’s controversy, when China, Indonesia, the Maldives and other
countries were included on the list. The failure to include India triggered
much criticism particularly after the UK sought to suggest that the the
exclusion related to India’s decision to pull out of a Memorandum of
Understanding on the return of illegal migrants. Among the new countries to
which the streamlined documentary requirements, applies include Peru,
Kazakhstan, Mauritius and Oman. This change will not only benefit students, who
will be able to apply for visas through a more streamlined process, but also
help to ensure that the UK’s world-leading education institutions remain
competitive internationally, the Home Office said. This adds insult to injury,
said Lord Karan Bilimoria, a cross bench member of the House of Lords who has
been critical of the government’s approach to immigration, particularly
relating to students. It is incredible to think that Britain still has the
audacity to talk of a trade deal with India, while this is its approach. The
changes for students are part of a wider update to Britain’s immigration system
that will introduce two new visa routes for setting up businesses in the UK –
including a start-up, route and an equivalent for more seasoned business
people. In both cases, business experts will be involved in assessing the
merits of the business ideas. This will make sure that the routes are focussed
on only the most innovative, viable and scalable businesses, said the Home
Office. The government has also updated its rules governing a fast-track visa
scheme for wealth investors – that has been used by many Indians. The scheme,
which is open to those who invest at least £2 million in UK government, shares
or businesses, offers a faster route to settlement in the country. Eighty-two
Indian nationals applied for an investor visa through this route between 2008
and March 2018, according to Transparency International.
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H-1B EXTENSION REJECTIONS ROB INDIAN IT FIRMS OF VISA POWER
Tata Consultancy Services,
Cognizant and Infosys have seen the maximum rejections of requests for
extension of H-1B visas during 2018 as the Trump administration tightened
procedures, a move that is seen to have favoured American technology firms.
Bengaluru-based Infosys saw 2,042 rejections, followed by TCS at 1,744. The
numbers were put out by the Centre for Immigration Studies, a US think tank,
after an analysis of the H-1B data. Cognizant, which is headquartered in the US
but has the majority of its workforce in India, saw 3,548 rejections during the
year — the highest for any company. Six Indian companies — TCS, Infosys, Wipro,
Cognizant, and the US arms of Tech Mahindra and HCL Technologies — accounted
for nearly two-thirds of the rejections among the top 30 companies, the think
tank said after analysing data put out by the US Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS). The six firms got just 16%, or 2,145, H-1B work permits, less
than the 2,399 visas that Amazon bagged in 2018. In January, the US introduced
a new rule effective April that will include work visa petitions of US advanced
degree holders for the lottery of the first 65,000 H-1B visas. This would
favour US companies looking for Indian talent over Indian IT services companies
that largely employ those holding a bachelor’s degree.
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BCCI OMBUDSMAN TO DECIDE PANDYA AND RAHUL'S FATE AFTER COA
REFERS HIM FIRST CASE
The Committee of
Administrators (COA) running Indian cricket Thursday referred the investigation
into K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya's sexist remarks to the newly-appointed
Ombudsman D K Jain, who will decide if the cricketers will get a punishment
more severe than the already served provisional suspensions Rahul and Pandya
were suspended for their loose talk on women on a popular TV show but their
suspension was eventually revoked pending an inquiry to be conducted by a
Supreme Court-appointed Ombudsman We have referred the matter concerning Rahul
and Pandya to the Ombudsman. He has just taken charge (earlier this month) and
it is the only case we have referred so far. It is his domain entirely and he
will take a call, said COA chief Vinod Rai when asked about the possibility of
Rahul and Pandya receiving a stricter punishment.
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WALK THE TALK, NITISH KUMAR CAUTIONS NEW BIHAR DGP GUPTESHWAR
PANDEY
Nitish Kumar has warned
Director General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey to be ready to face the heat
if he fails to discharge his duties. Kumar referred to the extensive media
coverage that the new appointee has been getting since he joined duty on
January 31. Nitish asked the DGP to focus on maintaining the law and order
situation in the state. Kumar noted that Pandey’s statements are getting space
on front pages of newspapers and inviting applause from people. However, he
cautioned the top cop that the same media would destroy him in the next few
months if they notice laxity in work. If you see the front page page (of
newspapers), you would come to know what’s happening you have to do it, we can
only monitor, ask you and direct you but it is you who will have to execute, he
said. But if you fail to walk the talk, the same media will destroy you. If
media has brought you to the front page, it is for sure that it will tear you
into pieces, Kumar added.
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NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SCIENCE MUSEUMS OF CULTURE MINISTRY
COLLABORATES WITH GOOGLE ARTS & CULTURE
The National Council of
Science Museums (NCSM), an organization under the Ministry of Culture, has
collaborated with Google Arts & Culture for ‘Once Upon a Try’: Epic
journeys of invention and discovery - the largest online exhibition about
inventions and discoveries ever curated, as an attempt to explore humanity’s
greatest inventions and discoveries in an interactive online exhibition. The
online exhibition was launched and contains collections, stories and knowledge
from over 110 renowned institutions from across 23 countries, highlighting
millennia of major breakthroughs and the great minds behind them. Everybody can
now explore more than 400 interactive exhibitions that pay tribute to
humanity's greatest leaps in science and technology, and the visionaries that
shaped our world, as well as tales of epic fails and happy accidents. National
Council of Science Museums contributes six interactive stories that share some
key insights into the long and glorious Science and Technology Heritage of
India. India's historical contributions to the field are considerable but not
well known. The following six sections of the exhibition are key examples:
1. Historic Beginnings
The Indus Valley
Civilization - By the middle of the 3rd millennium BCE, we see a fairly
developed urban culture emerged along the Indus and Saraswati rivers in the
North West India. The Indus Valley Civilization has a distinct set of features
not seen anywhere else in the ancient world. The section is a tribute to the
development of human wisdom of technology in the early part of world history.
(Link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/QQLyzPzKbMlEKg )
2. Ayurveda
Indian Contributions to
Medicine - This interactive exhibit explores the science of the body and mind,
which in India had its origin in the healing arts of the Vedic times. This
knowledge and practice, called Ayurveda, emerged as a holistic medical science
par excellence by about the fifth century BC.
(Link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/dQICeAS1BHX5Jw )
3. Susruta Samhita
Ancient Indian Surgical
Knowledge - This interactive exhibit explores the Susruta Samhita, which
accords pride of place to surgery. It describes more than 300 hundred different
operations.
(Link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/8wKyx4LRDmyVKA )
4. Rasashala
Ancient Indian Alchemical
Lab - The section depicts the ancient Indians’ contributions to the science of
alchemy (the older form of chemistry) highlighting the usage of a variety of
yantras (instruments) for producing mercury and other chemical compounds.
(Link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/KwJCaP1RF0y-KQ)
5. Itr: Ancient Indian
Knowledge of Perfumery
Ancient Indians achieved great
technical understanding and technological progress in perfumery, due to
considerable use of cosmetics and perfumery for the purpose of worship, sale
and sensual enjoyment.
(Link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/bgJyuEAUIIOfJw)
6. Musical Instruments
from the Indian Subcontinent
From ancient times, Indian
musicians have developed and performed with traditional and indigenous musical
instruments that suited their style. Indians played on a variety of string
instruments, wind instruments and percussion instruments since antiquity.
(Link:
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/HwIyq8vyFBEtLw)
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SURESH PRABHU RELEASES A COFFEE TABLE BOOK: CRUISING NEW
HEIGHTS- FLYING FOR ALL ON ACHIEVEMENTS OF MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
Suresh Prabhu released a
Coffee Table Book- Cruising New Heights- Flying For All. Suresh Prabhu observed
that Civil Aviation Sector has seen exponential growth in India and the growth
trajectory has continued during 2018-19. He further mentioned that the growth
itself has posed many challenges and opened up new avenues The Coffee Table
Book is an attempt to capture achievements and the roadmap for sustaining and
stimulating further growth and development in the aviation sector.
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EVERY EDITION OF ‘INDIA 2019’ AND ‘BHARAT 2019’ SETS NEW
PUBLISHING BENCHMARKS
The popular Reference
Annuals ‘Bharat 2019’ and ‘India 2019’ were released by Shri Amit Khare. These
have been compiled by the New Media Wing and edited and published by
Publications Division under the Ministry. This is the 63rd Edition of the
prestigious publication. Amit Khare said that these books are an important tool
to highlight the policies and achievements of the Government. He said that
these books are read not only by young readers and those desirous of knowing
about the development of the country, but also by foreigners who want to get
authentic information about India.
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CHINA FEBRUARY EXPORTS TUMBLE MOST IN 3 YEARS, HEIGHTEN FEARS
OF GLOBAL SLOWDOWN
China's exports tumbled
the most in three years in February while imports fell for a third straight
month, pointing to a further slowdown in the economy despite a spate of support
measures. While seasonal factors may have been at play, the shockingly weak
readings from the world's largest trading nation added to worries about a
global slowdown, a day after the European Central Bank slashed growth forecasts
for the region. Global investors and China's major trading partners are closely
watching Beijing's policy reactions as economic growth cools from last year's
28-year low. February exports fell 20.7% from a year earlier, the largest
decline since February 2016, customs data showed. Economists polled by Reuters
had expected a 4.8 percent drop after January's unexpected 9.1% jump. Imports
fell 5.2% from a year earlier, worse than analysts' forecasts for a 1.4% fall
and widening from January's 1.5% drop. Imports of major commodities fell across
the board.
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HINDUSTAN UNILEVER DRAWS FLAK FOR NEW BROOKE BOND RED LABEL AD
FILM
Hindustan Unilever (HUL),
the country’s largest consumer goods company, is in the eye of a storm over an
advertisement for tea brand Brooke Bond Red Label. Reactions have been so sharp
that #boycotthindustanunilever was among the top five Twitter trends for a
while on Thursday, with users, including yoga guru Baba Ramdev commenting about
it. The ad shows a man leaving his father in a crowd at the Kumbh before
experiencing a change of heart. The video was first accompanied by a tweet,
which went: Kumbh Mela is a place where old people get abandoned, isn’t it sad
that we do not care for our elders? Red Label encourages us to hold the hands
of those who made us who we are: An eye opener to a harsh reality. The tweet
has been replaced with a new one, but netizens are hardly impressed. The fresh
tweet says: Red Label encourages us to hold the hands of those who made us who
we are. #ApnoKoApnao In a statement, HUL’s spokesperson said, Through the
Brooke Bond Red Label campaign, our intention was to urge people to take care
of the elderly. We do not intend to hurt the sentiments of people, and have
modified the tweet which could have been inadvertently misconstrued. A screen
grab of the video that shows a man trying to abandon his father at the Kumbh
mela before returning to look for him
This is the second instance
in three months where HUL, also the country's largest advertiser, has courted
controversy over its commercial. Baba Ramdev tweeted: From East India Co to
@HUL_News that’s their true character. Their only agenda is to make the country
poor economically & ideologically. Why shld we not boycott them? For them
everything, every emotion is just a commodity. For us parents are next to Gods.
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LUPIN GETS USFDA NOD FOR BEST SELLING PRESCRIPTION DRUG IN
WORLD HISTORY; TO SELL LIPITOR IN US
Indian pharmaceutical firm
Lupin has got USFDA approval for selling its generic version of cholesterol
drug Lipitor in the US, it said in a statement. Lipitor, Pfizer’s
cholesterol-reducing tablet is the best selling prescription drug in the world
history, which, by some estimates, has brought over $125 billion in revenues
for Pfizer. Lupin can now market in the US its Atorvastatin Calcium tablet,
which is a generic version of Pfizer’s Lipitor. Atorvastatin Calcium tablets —
the generic Lipitor — had annual sales of $696 million in the US last year.
Lupin said that its generic tablet available in USP 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80
mg, is indicated to lower blood cholesterol among children aged above 10 years
and adults. Lupin is the 8th largest generics pharmaceutical company in India
in terms of market capitalisation and in terms of market revenue globally. The
company is also the 3rd largest player in the US in terms of the total market
of pharmaceutical companies.
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CHINA WORRIED BAN ON AZHAR WILL MAKE JAISH TARGET CPEC
China, which has to take a
call within the next week to change its stand on proscribing Masood Azhar, is
now said to be worried that such an action will make the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) a
target of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The CPEC passes through not only POK and
Gilgit-Baltistan, but also the Mansehra district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where
Balakot is located. Most terror training camps are located in this district as
it abuts POK. The Indian Air Force had struck one of the largest JeM camps in
Balakot after the Pulwama attack. China has recently acquired large tracts of
land near Balakot for the CPEC. Significantly, the Karakoram Highway that links
Pakistan with China through POK also passes through Mansehra. Chinese vice
foreign minister Kong Xuanyou visited Pakistan on March 5-6 in this backdrop.
He is believed to have discussed guarantees for CPEC, which is Beijing’s
flagship project under the mega Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The second BRI
summit is due early April, according to reliable sources. Around 10,000 Chinese
nationals are working on various CPEC-related projects. India, for its part, is
being very cautious as China weighs options ahead of the March 13 deadline at
the UNSC. The proposal on designating Azhar as a global terrorist under UNSC
1267 resolution was initiated by France and backed by other three permanent members
— the United States, United Kingdom and Russia. China has thrice blocked
proposals to list Azhar but is now engaged in intense internal consultations on
the UNSC proposal given that it comes right after a major terror attack in
India.
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IRANIAN HACKERS CAUSED LOSSES IN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS: REPORT
Iranian hackers working to
penetrate systems, businesses and governments around the world have caused
hundreds of millions of dollars in damages a report said Wednesday. Researchers
for tech giant Microsoft said the attackers stole secrets and wiped data from
computer networks after targeting thousands of people at some 200 companies
over the past two years, according to The Wall Street Journal. John Lambert,
told the newspaper the attacks were massively destabilizing events. The report
said the hackers notably targeted oil-and-gas companies, heavy-machinery
manufacturers and international conglomerates in Saudi Arabia, Germany,
Britain, India and the United States.
#For Source of Information copy and paste the heading in google.
Thanks & Regards,
CS Meetesh Shiroya
Thanks & Regards,
CS Meetesh Shiroya
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