Sunday, 7 August 2016

Daily news on 7-8-2016

1. Vijay Rupani takes oath as Gujarat Chief Minister
i. 60 year old BJP leader Vijay Rupani has sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar today.
ii. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the Governor OP Kohli.
iii. While Nitin Patel has sworn in as the Deputy CM of the state.


2. Modi Launches PMO App At MyGov Anniversary Event

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the new PMO app at a function organised by MyGov in New Delhi. The app would correspond to the website of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
ii. The app is developed by a team of young engineering students from Delhi who has won the contest to develop the app.
iii. The new app will allow mobile users to connect with the website of the Prime Minister's Office.



3. 2nd National Handloom day has celebrated today

i. The second National Handloom Day has been celebrated all over the country, on today (August 7). As the first National Handloom Day was celebrated last year and Hon’ble Prime Minister was the Chief Guest in the main event held in Chennai on 7th August, 2015.
ii. But this time, the main function was held in Varanasi in which Sant Kabir Awards and National Handloom Awards has been presented by the Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani who was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
iii. Besides the main event in Varanasi, there was many other programmes across the nation.

4. Odisha govt launches new website of state Home department

i. The Odisha government has launched a new website of the state Home department to enable the differently-abled persons to see and hear the website.
ii. The portal has been designed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) with accessibility guidelines for differently-abled persons and inaugurated by the state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
iii. This is a bilingual website available in both English and Odia language. It facilitates access to all directorates or departments along with various citizen services like Secretariat Pass, Tracking the Missing Child, Reservation of Odisha Bhawan, Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems and other such services.

5. Telangana signs MoU with ISRO for water resources info system

i. Telangana Irrigation Department has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Space Research Organisation for setting up a Telangana Water Resources Information System (TWRIS) on the ‘Bhuvan’ web portal.
ii. The MoU was inked in the presence of Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar at the Hyderabad-headquartered National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO.
iii. The main aim is to capture every field-level irrigation network including dams/barrages, anicuts, main and field channels, etc. and mark every irrigation structure on satellite visualisation tool Bhuvan (similar to Google Earth). The project, likely to be completed in one year.

6. Taxis in Dubai to promote Kerala Tourism

i. Kerala Tourism has rolled out a promotional campaign in Dubai targeting Arab travellers and showcasing the state's backwaters and waterfalls on taxis plying in the bustling metropolis, with the onset of the outbound tourism season in the Middle East.
ii. In this regards, as many as 200 Kerala-branded taxis will ferry the message of 'A Faraway Land Four Hours Away' - with eye-catching visuals featuring hill stations, backwaters, waterfalls and also Ayurvedic therapies - through the streets of Dubai, the throbbing heart of the UAE.
iii. The campaign, inspired by the previous highly successful branding efforts on London taxis and the Mumbai metro, will run till August 15. The government has also given the administrative sanction for a budget of Rs. 60 lakh for Kerala Tourism’s marketing strategy.

7. Tamilnadu CM gives cash awards to five sportspersons

i. Five sportspersons from Tamil Nadu, including a differently-abled woman who had won honours in international contests, have been given cash awards by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa which includes Jenitha Anto of Tiruchirappalli has presented with a cheque for Rs 25 lakh for winning an international chess tournament for the differently abled held in Serbia last month. Anto had won the tournament for the fourth time.
ii. The other receiver of the cash awards are- C Ajith Kumar, R Naveen, L Samayasri, and S Priyadarshini.
iii. Jayalalithaa also gave away a total cash incentive of Rs 1.20 crore to four other sportspersons who had won medals in different events at the World School Athletics Championship in Turkey in July.

8. Kathakali dance troupe in Egypt for first time

i. A nine-member Kathakali dance troupe has performed first time in Egypt.
ii. The Kathakali dance troupe was a part the 14th Summer Festival organized by Bibliotheca Alexandrina. And as part of their tour, the Indian dance troupe will performe in different places including Port Said Cultural Palace, Ismailia Cultural Palace.
iii. Kathakali is a complex art belongs to Kerala, which is combination of many different forms of art. It includes dance, drama, literature, music both vocal and instrumental, and plastic form of art, such as painting and sculpture.

9. CSS Corp appoints Manish Tandon as its new CEO

i. CSS Corp, a global Technology Support company, has appointed Manish Tandon as its new Chief Executive Officer of the company. He will be inducted as a whole time director of the board and as CEO later this quarter.
ii. He will take over from "Tiger" TG Ramesh, the current CEO who now transitions to a strategic advisor role as a non-executive director on the board.
iii. Mr. Manish is an IIT Kanpur alumnus, and a Gold Medalist from IIM Bangalore. He is currently the head of Healthcare & Life Sciences, Insurance and High-Tech Manufacturing businesses at Infosys. He also is a director on the board of Infosys Lodestone, Infosys Public Services and EdgeVerve.

10. ‘Vietnam Veedu' Sundaram passes away

i. Veteran South Indian film director and scriptwriter “Vietnam Veedu’ Sundaram has passed away in Chennai. He was 76 years old.
ii. Sundaram was born in Tiruchi and 'Vietnam Veedu' became part of his name after he wrote the script, first for theatre and then for the film, starring Sivaji Ganesan.
iii. He also acted in a few films and directed a lot of teleserials.

11. New head for BHEL Corporate R&D
i. KK Khurana, General Manager in-charge, has taken over as Head of BHEL Corporate R&D with effect from August 4, 2016.
ii. Prior to the elevation as GM I/C of Corporate R&D, he was involved in Project Engineering Management (PEM), Technical service among other areas in the company.
iii. He has wide experience in thermal power plant projects.


ரியோ ஒலிம்பிக்கில் முதன்முறையாக 'நாடிழந்தவர்கள் அணி ' பங்கேற்கிறது

சி ரியத் தலைநகர் டமாஸ்கசில் இருந்து படகு ஒன்று துருக்கி நோக்கி  நம்பிக்கையுடன் புறப்படுகிறது.

படகில் 20 பேர் இருக்கின்றனர்.

தாய்நாட்டைப் பிரிந்து செல்லும் சோகம் அவர்கள் முகத்தில் அப்பிக் கிடக்கிறது.

சிரியாவில் தொடர்ந்து வசித்தாலும் உயிருக்கு உத்தரவாதம் இல்லை.

வாழ்வியல் ஆதாரமும் கிடையாது.

படகில் ஏறுவதும் மரணத்தை தழுவிக் கொள்வதற்கு சமம்தான்.

ஆயினும் துணிந்து கிளம்பி விட்டனர்.

மத்திய தரைக்கடலின் ஆழமான பகுதிகளை, ஓங்கி எழுந்த அலைகளையெல்லாம் சமாளித்து முன்னேறிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது படகு.

இரவு பகலாக பயணித்த படகில் இருப்பவர்களின் கண்களுக்கு, தொலைவில் ஒரு கரை தெரிகிறது.

படகில் மகிழ்ச்சிப் பெருக்கெடுத்து ஓடுகிறது. இன்னும் சில மணி நேர பயணத்தில் ஏதோ ஒரு ஐரோப்பிய கடற்கரையைத் தொட்டுவிடலாம் என்ற நம்பிக்கை.

ஒருவரையொருவர் தழுவிக்  கொள்கின்றனர்.

அந்த சந்தோஷம் கண நேரம் கூட நீடிக்கவில்லை.

ஓடிக் கொண்டிருந்த என்ஜின் திடீரென்று நின்றது.

படகு கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக கடலில் மூழ்குவது போன்ற உணர்வு.

அனைவரும் பயத்தில் அலறுகின்றனர். குழந்தைகள் கதறுகின்றனர்.

படகில் எடை குறைந்தால்தான் படகு மூழ்குவதை தடுக்க முடியும்.

படகில் இருந்த யூஸ்ரா மெர்டினி, என்ற பெண் முதலில் கடலில் குதிக்கிறார்.

அவரது சகோதரி சாராவும் கடலில் இறங்க, இருவரும் படகை இழுத்துக் கொண்டு நீச்சல் அடிக்கத் தொடங்குகின்றனர்.

இருவரது முயற்சியில் படகு கரையை நோக்கி நகர ஆரம்பிக்கிறது.

சுமார் 3 மணி நேர போராட்டத்துக்குப் பிறகு படகு ஒரு தீவில் கரை ஒதுங்குகிறது.

கரையிறங்கிய அனைவரும் யூஸ்ராவை கட்டியணைத்து முத்த மழை பொழிகின்றனர்.

யூஸ்ராவின் துணிச்சலால் படகில் இருந்த 20 பேரும் உயிர் பிழைத்துக் கொண்டனர்.

பத்தொன்பது பேரின் உயிரை காப்பாற்றிய யூஸ்ரா, சாதாரண பெண் என்று மட்டும் நினைத்து விடாதீர்கள். சிரிய நாட்டின் தலைசிறந்த நீச்சல் வீராங்கனைகளுள் ஒருவர்.

அதனால்தான் ஆபத்து நேரத்தில் தைரியமாக அவரால் கடலுக்குள் குதிக்க முடிந்தது.

தற்போது ஜெர்மனியில் வசித்து வரும் யூஸ்ரா, ரியோ ஒலிம்பிக்கில் பங்கேற்கப் போகிறார்.

ரியோ ஒலிம்பிக்கில் முதன்முறையாக 'நாடிழந்தவர்கள் அணி ' பங்கேற்கிறது.

'ரெஃப்யூஜி டீம்' என அழைக்கப்படும் இந்த அணியில் 10 வீரர்- வீராங்கனைகள் இடம் பெற்றுள்ளனர்.

இவர்கள் ஒலிம்பிக் கொடியின் கீழ் பங்கேற்பார்கள்.

அதில் ஒருவர் யூஸ்ரா.

ஒலிம்பிக்கில் 100 மீட்டர் பிரீஸ்டைல் நீச்சலில் பங்கேற்கும் யூஸ்ரா, உயிர் பிழைத்த 'திகில்' அனுபவத்தை பகிர்ந்து கொண்டுள்ளார்.

''கடலில் குதித்த போது, ஒரு விஷயம் என்னிடம் தெளிவாக இருந்தது.

ஒன்று உயிர் பிழைப்பது அல்லது சாவது.

எனது சகோதரி சாரா என்னை முதலில் தடுத்தாள்.

படகில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் உதவி செய்ய முடியாது. நாம் நீச்சல் அடித்து கரைக்கு போய் விடுவோம் என்றாள். 

ஆனால் இந்த விஷயத்தில் நான் உறுதியாக இருந்தேன்.
படகில் இருந்தவர்களில் யாருக்கும் நீச்சல் தெரியவில்லை.

எங்கள் இருவருக்கும் மட்டுமே நீச்சல் தெரிந்திருந்தது.

உயிர் பயத்தில் தவிப்பவர்களை விட்டு விட்டு, நாம் மட்டும் தப்பிப்பதா என்ற எண்ணம் எனக்குள் ஏற்பட்டது.

நான் மட்டும் நீந்தி கரைக்கு வந்திருந்தால், எனது மீதி வாழ் நாட்களில் அந்த அழுத்தத்தாலேயே தினம் தினம் செத்து கொண்டிருப்பேன்.

எல்லோரும் ஒன்றாகத்தான் வந்தோம். செத்தால் மொத்தமாக சாவோம். பிழைத்தால் ஒட்டுமொத்தமாக வாழ்வோம் என்ற எண்ணத்தில் முதலில் நான் கடலில் குதித்தேன்.

சாராவுக்கும் நன்றாக நீச்சல் தெரியும். அவளும் கடலில் குதித்தாள்.

தொடர்ந்து படகை பிடித்துக் கொண்டு நீச்சல் அடித்தோம்.

உடல் சோர்வடைந்தது.

ஏதேச்சையாக கிரீஸ் நாட்டுக்கு சொந்தமானத் தீவில் கரை ஒதுங்கினோம்.

வாழ்க்கை போராட்டத்திற்கான நீச்சல் அது'' 

எனக் கூறும் யூஸ்ராவுக்கு, ஐரோப்பிய நாடுகள் அகதிகளுக்கு கதவைத் திறந்து விட வேண்டும்; ஒலிம்பிக்கில் பதக்கம் வெல்ல வேண்டும்; சொந்த ஊரான டமாஸ்கசில் அமைதி திரும்ப வேண்டுமென்ற மூன்று கனவுகள் இருக்கின்றன.


Friday, 5 August 2016

All you need to know about the GST


As all of you know that yesterday night, the Rajya Sabha passed a bill to amend the Constitution to facilitate the rollout of the historic GST amid government's assurance that the tax rates would be kept "as low as possible". The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014 was approved by the Upper House with 203 votes in favour and none against, after a seven-hour debate during which a rare bonhomie was witnessed among the ruling and the opposition parties. Six official amendments, including the scrapping of one percent additional tax, moved by the government were approved with cent percent votes. 
Earlier, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha. It will now go back to the Lower House to incorporate the amendments approved by the Rajya Sabha. The bill will also have to be approved by 50 percent of all the state assemblies. AIADMK was the only party to oppose the measure and its members staged a walkout from the House to register their unhappiness over the bill which lays the ground for the rollout of uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime that will subsume all indirect taxes including central excise duty and state VAT/sales tax.
So here is a ready reckoner on the issues surrounding the proposed tax reform and it will mean for the Indian economy. But first, let's know more -
What is Goods and Services Tax (GST)?
As the name suggests, it is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc. This is how it is done in most developed countries. It will be a comprehensive nationwide indirect tax on the manufacture, sale, and consumption of goods and services. The aim is to have one indirect tax for the whole nation, which will make India a unified common market. GST will be levied and collected at each stage of sale or purchase of goods or services based on the input tax credit method and would make not just manufacturing but also the interstate transportation of goods more efficient.
How will GST work and what all will it subsume?
GST is a single tax on the supply of goods and services, right from the manufacturer to the consumer. Credits of input taxes paid at each stage will be available in the subsequent stage of value addition, which makes GST essentially a tax only on value addition at each stage. The final consumer will thus bear only the GST charged by the last dealer in the supply chain, with set-off benefits at all the previous stages.
At the central level, the following taxes will be subsumed: Central Excise Duty, Additional Excise Duty, Service Tax, Countervailing Duty (Additional Customs Duty), and Special Additional Duty of Customs.
At the State level, the following taxes will be subsumed: State Value Added Tax/Sales Tax, Entertainment Tax, Central Sales Tax, Octroi and Entry tax, Purchase Tax, Luxury tax, and Taxes on the lottery betting and gambling.
How will GST be beneficial?
The benefits of GST can be summarized as under:
• For business and industry
1. Easy compliance
2. Uniformity of tax rates and structures
3. Removal of cascading
4. Improved competitiveness
5. Gain to manufacturers and exporters

• For Central and State Governments
1. Simple and easy to administer
2. Better controls on leakage
3. Higher revenue efficiency

• For the consumer
1. Single and transparent tax proportionate to the value of goods and services
2. Relief in overall tax burden
 
What are the Earlier Opposition’s objections?
  • The opposition party 'Congress' wants a provision capping the GST rate at 18 percent to be added to the Bill itself. It also wants to scrap the proposed 1 per cent additional levy (over and above the GST) for manufacturing states. This levy was demanded by manufacturing states who argued that they needed to be compensated for the investment they had made in improving their manufacturing capabilities. The Centre had agreed to this demand to encourage the states to support the GST Bill.
  • The next demand by the Congress was to change the composition of the GST council—the body that decides the various nitty-grittys like rates of tax, period of levy of an additional tax, principles of supply, special provisions to certain states, etc. The proposed composition is for the Council to be two-thirds comprised from states and one-third from the Centre.
  • The Congress also wants the Centre’s share to be reduced to one-fourth. This demand, however, was rejected by even the Rajya Sabha Standing Committee.
By when will it be implemented?
Assuming the Constitution Amendment Bill does pass in the Monsoon Session, GST will still not be in force before April 1, 2017. And that is putting it optimistically. Apart from the legislative process mentioned above, the states, India Inc, and industries and service providers big and small, will also have to prepare themselves for a completely new nationwide tax regime.
How would GST be administered in India?
There will be two components of GST – Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST). Both Centre and States will simultaneously levy GST across the value chain. The tax will be levied on every supply of goods and services. Centre would levy and collect Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST), and States would levy and collect the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) on all transactions within a State.
The input tax credit of CGST would be available for discharging the CGST liability on the output at each stage. Similarly, the credit of SGST paid on inputs would be allowed for paying the SGST on output. No cross utilization of credit would be permitted.