The Assam government has decided to provide the National Food Security Act (NFSA) card to 40 lakh beneficiaries of the state in July 2021. According to the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, upper-income limit for new ration card beneficiaries will increase to Rs. 4 lakh from Rs. 2.5 lakh. The state will provide Rs. 1 lakh each to the casual labourer families of Doloo tea garden. 1496 such families will receive the compensation. The state cabinet also approved providing Rs. 2.5 lakh each to 173 families for construction of houses who would be displaced for the proposed Greenfield airport. The state also decided to create Adivasi Welfare & Development Council as per the Adivasi Accord signed on September 15, 2022. The council will form to ensure accelerated and focused development of Adivasi-inhabited villages/areas and tea garden areas. The state government also announced that people can now store their driving license, registration certificate in their digilocker and get it online. After three months, the department will completely stop issuing QR-based smart cards of DL and RC.
Bharatiya Kisan Union opposes sunflower’s inclusion in Bhawanter Bharpai Yojana in Haryana
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Charuni in Haryana has opposed the state government’s decision to include sunflower crop under the Bhawanter Bharpai Yojana (BBY) as per the BBY-Bajra template. This is a scheme designed to compensate farmers when their crops fetch low prices in the market. The agriculture department ordered support to registered and verified sunflower farmers with interim support of Rs 1000 per quintal under this scheme. BKU Charuni believes that sunflower farmers should be procured at minimum support prices (MSP) as was done in previous years. They argue that with the import duty reduction on edible oil, the price of oil crops has reduced heavily as compared to last year, with the present market price of sunflower between Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,200 per quintal. This is causing farmers to lose Rs 12,000 per acre. The farm union says that the government’s implementation of BBY in this manner is causing farmers to fear an abolishment of MSP. Furthermore, the payment to farmers under the BBY is pending, further exacerbating their concerns.
India’s Kanoongo conducts raid on another Catholic facility in Madhya Pradesh
The head of India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Priyank Kanoongo, continues to target Catholic educational institutions in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Kanoongo, who is a member of the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, conducts surprise inspections at Christian-run children’s facilities, often leading to accusations of fraud and forced conversions of children. The latest target in his crosshairs is the Asha Kiran Children’s Care Institute in Katni, a city in the Diocese of Jabalpur, which is run by the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel. During an inspection, Kanoongo alleged forced conversions of Hindu children through Christian prayers and filed a complaint with the police under the state’s strict anti-conversion law. The nuns denied these accusations and stated that they were merely keeping misbehaving children instead of expelling them, as they had nowhere else to go. Kanoongo’s actions are seen by many to be politically motivated, and they typically lead to a greater sense of hostility towards Christians in the state, where elections are scheduled for later this year.
Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot Reviews GST Situation in Meeting with Trade and Taxes Officials
Delhi Finance Minister, Kailash Gahlot, recently chaired a meeting with officials from the Department of Trade and Taxes to review the situation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) in the national capital. The meeting focused on making the tax collection system more structured and systematic in Delhi by identifying the existing problems and looking for ways to solve them. The revenue collection from GST and VAT combined was more than Rs 34,000 Crores in 2022-23, and the government expects the collection to increase this year.
The government plans to adopt the best practices from leading states across the country to create a well-structured system. By deploying IT systems, the government aims to make the tax collection system more transparent and efficient. The focus is also on increasing convenience for taxpayers by resolving existing pain points in the system.
The government will organize regular outreach camps to understand grievances faced by Market and Trade Associations and sensitize them about the latest notifications, circulars, and amended provisions of DGST. The camps will also address their grievances.
In conclusion, the Delhi government is taking various measures to make the GST collection system more robust and structured. By adopting the best practices, deploying IT systems, and organizing outreach camps, the government aims to increase the convenience of taxpayers while resolving problems.
Miscreant Steals Over Three Lakhs from Person Near Bank of India Branch in Garoth, Madhya Pradesh
In Garoth village, Madhya Pradesh, a person was robbed of Rs 3.41 lakh in front of the Bank of India (BoI) branch on Bhanpura Road. Hardayal Chawla had withdrawn Rs 3.9 lakh and placed the cash in a bag. While he was helping his mother, he left the bag on the vehicle and his mother did not notice it. When he went back to find it, the cash was missing. The police reviewed CCTV footage and saw an unidentified suspect at the scene. Bank of India’s branch manager said that theft is common outside the bank and that the suspect has been captured on camera. The branch is currently hosting the Direct Benefit Transfer of the Chief Minister’s Ladli Behna Yojana form, which has heavy foot traffic.
Ahmednagar District in Maharashtra to be Renamed After Ahilya Devi Holkar
The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, has announced that Ahmednagar District in India will be renamed after Queen Ahilya Devi Holkar. This decision was made on the 298th birth anniversary of Ahilya Devi Holkar, who was born in Chaundi village in Ahmednagar district. The announcement came after various leaders of the area had been calling for the name change to honor the queen’s legacy. Eknath Shinde praised Ahilya Devi for her work in improving the welfare of people from all walks of life. The district will now be known as Ahilya Devi Holkar District. This is part of the Maharashtra government’s efforts to recognize the contributions of historic figures and honor their legacies. Earlier, Eknath Shinde announced that the Bandra-Versova sea-link bridge will be named ‘Veer Savarkar Setu.’
Jan-March GDP Growth Reaches 6.1%; Experts Share Insights
India’s economy grew by 6.1% in the first quarter of this year according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The GDP growth is higher than what was expected, indicating that India’s growth is resilient in the face of external headwinds and is still going strong. Agriculture, construction, and service sectors have recorded high growth rates, and this is highly commendable. India is likely to remain the fastest-growing G-20 economy, even though there is a potential for its domestic and global demand to slow down due to inflation and impact of interest rate hikes on various interest-sensitive segments. Experts are optimistic and see India as an attractive destination for investment. The government can boost growth by continuing to support infrastructure development and decriminalizing minor offenses. The government is also expected to cap its revenue spending consciously, curtail fiscal deficit, and give impetus for sustainable growth.
Madhya Pradesh Approves Pipeline Project Between Kundalia Dam and Nalkheda Under AMRUT 2.0
The government has given approval for a water pipeline project between Kundalia Dam and Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh at a cost of Rs 9.74 crore under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme. The project aims to alleviate the water shortage faced by residents during the summer season. The pipeline will also involve the construction of water tanks at the fort and Bhaisonda Road. Currently, the town’s water supply comes from Lakhundar River, which dries up during Summer. The AMRUT 2.0 scheme, initiated to promote self-sustaining and water-secure towns in India, was designed to provide all households with functional taps for water supply.
GMR Plans to Construct Two Hotels at Manohar Airport in Goa
GMR Goa International Airport Ltd (GGIAL) has announced plans to set up two hotels at Manohar International Airport in Goa, India. GGIAL has identified 4.26 acres of land in front of the parking lot for the two hotels, with each hotel set to be constructed on 2.13 acres of space reserved for city-side development. The company is seeking a hotel chain with a yearly turnover of over INR100 crore ($13m) to construct, develop, operate and maintain the hotels. The hotels will need to become operational within three years. GGIAL is a subsidiary of GMR Airports, which holds exclusive rights over the airport until May 2059. As per the Request for Proposal, each hotel will pay a one-time concession fee of INR50m ($658,000). GGIAL could also require modifications and alterations after reviewing the state government’s suggestions. Real estate developer Axon predicts around INR27bn ($355m) will be spent on luxury and eco hotels and other resorts in the Mopa region.
CS emphasizes online issuance of ‘Life Certificate’ and extends auto-appeal for eligible services until June 15
The Chief Secretary of Srinagar, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, has encouraged the use of online services for the issuance of life certificates and bringing all eligible services under the auto-appeal system until June 15. He launched new online services for architects and draftsmen in Municipal Corporations of Jammu/Srinagar and all the Municipalities across J&K. The IT department and NIC were praised for their in-house expertise and resources for developing these services. Dr. Mehta advised the concerned to expedite the auto-appeal feature on the national platform of Serviceplus, including at least 100 services onboarded by next week. He further directed the incorporation of all required improvements, upgrading departmental websites, and improving the ratings by bringing all the services and portals in line with guidelines. Commissioner Secretary, IT, Prerna Puri, informed the meeting of the increase of online services offered by the UT to 480, with more to come. The progress of online FIR registration, online billing of water connections, and other services were reviewed during the meeting.
