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29 Apr

Centre should reduce tax on ATF to bring down airfares: Mamata Banerjee hits out at PM Modi

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed the Centre over airfares. She said that centre should reduce the tax on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to bring down airfares.

Banerjee demanded that the centre should reduce customs duty, additional customs duty, and excise duty.

“Instead of pointing fingers at states, GOI should reduce its customs duty(@ 5%), addl customs duty(@ 11%) & excise duty (11%) on ATF to bring down air fares,” tweeted Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee further stated that West Bengal Government has already exempted taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) at Bagdogra and Andal airports. She said while the Bengal government have been proactively slashing their levies to bring down airfares, Centre is only preaching free sermons without practising them.

“We in GOWB have exempted taxes on ATF at Bagdogra and Andal airports, take only 1% on RCS Udan flights at Kolkata, 5% on small aircrafts and 12.5% for all airlines commecing ops since 2012-13,” wrote Banerjee.

“We have been proactive in slashing all our levies to bring down airfares, while GoI is preaching free sermons without practising them,” she tweeted.

All these remarks come after PM Modi on Wednesday urged the Chief Ministers of all the states to follow the Centre’s decision by reducing taxes on petrol and diesel to provide relief to the people from the price hike.

 

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28 Apr

PM Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of 7 Cancer Hospitals In Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of seven new cancer hospitals at Dhubri, Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Golaghat to be constructed.

Assam Cancer Care Foundation, a joint venture of Government of Assam and Tata Trusts, is executing a project to build South Asia’s largest affordable cancer care network with 17 Cancer care hospitals spread across the state.

Under the Phase 1 of the project, out of 10 hospitals,  the construction of  seven hospitals have been completed while three hospitals are at various level of construction. Phase 2 of the project will witness construction of seven new cancer hospitals.

Governor of Assam Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma, noted industrialist Ratan Tata were among those present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister said that Cancer hospitals in Assam that were dedicated to nation today and the ones for which foundation stone was laid today, will augment healthcare capacities in Northeast as well as South Asia. Acknowledging that cancer has been a big problem not only in Assam but also in the North East, the Prime Minister said “our poorest, middle class families are the most affected by this”.

Modi said that this year’s Budget’s has envisaged a 1500 crore rupees scheme Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East (PM-DeVINE). Under the scheme too, cancer treatment is a focus area and a facility is proposed for Guwahati also.

The Prime Minister explained that “before 2014, there were only 7 AIIMS in the country. Out of these, except one in Delhi, there was no MBBS course or OPD, some of them were incomplete even. We rectified all these and declared 16 new AIIMS in the country. AIIMS Guwahati is also one of them.

Prime Minister Modi emphasized “the effort is that the citizens of the whole country can get the benefits of the schemes of the central government, anywhere in the country, there should be no restriction for that. This is the spirit of One Nation, One Health. This spirit gave strength to the country even in the biggest epidemic of 100 years, gave strength to deal with the challenge.”

 

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28 Apr

IndiGo becomes first airline using indigenous navigation system GAGAN to land aircraft

IndiGo became the first airline in the country to land aircraft using the indigenous navigation system GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation), according to a statement issued on Thursday.

The successful trial is a great achievement and major milestone in field of Air Navigation Services (ANS) in the history of Indian Civil Aviation Sector. India is the first country in Asia Pacific Region to achieve such a landmark.

GAGAN is an Indian Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) jointly developed by AAI and ISRO. It is the first such system developed for India and neighboring countries in the equatorial region.

Indigo Airlines using its ATR aircraft has flown an Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) with LPV minima of 250ft, using GAGAN Service.

The tests at Kishangarh Airport were performed as part of initial GAGAN LPV flight trials along with DGCA team on- board. After the final approval by DGCA, the procedure will be available for usage of commercial flights.

According to the statement issued by Ministry of Civil Aviation, number of airports including airports under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) are being surveyed for development of GAGAN based LPV Instrument Approach Procedures so that suitably equipped aircraft can derive maximum benefit in terms of improved safety during landing, reduction in fuel consumption, reduction in delays, diversions and cancellations etc.

“AAI in coordination with Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has implemented GAGAN Message Service (GMS) through which alert messages to fishermen, formers, and disaster affected people will be sent on the occurrence of natural disasters, calamities, such as flood, earthquake etc,” read the statement.

Currently Indigo (35), SpiceJet (21), Air India (15), Go First (04), Air Asia (01) and other airlines have aircraft in their fleet capable to use these LPV procedures.

 

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28 Apr

Mamata Banerjee expresses pride as Calcutta University tops higher education ranking list

On Thursday West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed pride over Calcutta University ranking 1st position in India among all Central and State aided public Universities and Institutes by Times Higher Education Impact Ranking 2022.

“Glad to learn that the Calcutta University has been ranked 1st in India among all Central and  State aided public Universities and Institutes  by Times Higher Education Impact Ranking 2022,” she wrote on Twitter.

She also announced that Calcutta University has also been awarded 14th rank globally in the sub-category ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’.

“In sub-category ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’, CU has been awarded Global Rank 14 th. Congratulations to CU authorities, faculties, researchers, students,” wrote Mamata Banerjee.

The University of Calcutta was founded on January 24, 1857. The University adopted in the first instance, the pattern of the University of London and gradually introduced modifications in its constitution.

Some of the Distinguished Alumni of the Calcutta University includes Bankimchandra Chatterjee, Kadambini Ganguli, Praphullachandra Ray, Swami Vivekananda, Rajendra Prasad and many more.

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28 Apr

Removed AFSPA from North East due to better law and order, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the ‘Peace, Unity and Development Rally’ at Diphu in Karbi Anglong District on Thursday.

During the programme, he also laid the foundation stone of various projects. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Veterinary College (Diphu), Degree College (West Karbi Anglong) and Agricultural College (Kolonga, West Karbi Anglong).

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister lauded the ‘double engine’ government. “Today this resolve has been reinforced on this land of Karbi Anglong. The work of carrying out the agreement which was signed for the permanent peace and rapid development of Assam is going on at a brisk pace”, he said.

Modi said that for a long time, Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) had been imposed on many states of the Northeast.

“However, during the last 8 years, we have removed AFSPA from many areas of North East due to the arrival of permanent peace and better law and order conditions”, the Prime Minister said.

Modi said that solution for border problems is being sought in the spirit of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. “The agreement reached between Assam and Meghalaya will encourage other matters as well. This will give impetus to the development aspirations of the entire region”, the Prime Minister emphasized.

 

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28 Apr

Japan-India have deepened ties in every sphere: Modi on 70 Years of Diplomatic Relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed happiness over 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. Modi further said that our ties have deepened in every sphere, whether strategic, economic or people-to-people contacts.

“As we celebrate 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan today, I am happy to see that our ties have deepened in every sphere, whether strategic, economic or people-to-people contacts,” tweeted PM Modi.

Modi further said that the recent visit of Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to India has laid out a roadmap for Special Strategic and Global Partnership in a post-COVID world.

“The recent visit of my friend PM Kishida to India for the Annual Summit laid out a roadmap for deepening our Special Strategic and Global Partnership in a post-COVID world. I look forward to continue working with PM Kishida to realize that objective,” Modi tweeted.

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28 Apr

Bengal govt spent Rs 1,500 cr to provide fuel subsidy: Mamata Banerjee slams Modi over fuel price issue

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked when would the central government clear all the pending dues it owed to the state.

The remarks came after Narendra Modi urged the non-BJP ruled states to reduce taxes on petrol and diesel to provide relief to the people from the price hike.

While meeting all the district police superintendents, district magistrates and other officials through video conferencing, Banerjee said, “The Centre owes West Bengal Rs 97,000 crore and I request the PM to pay us half of that amount and we will provide higher subsidy on petrol and diesel than the BJP-ruled states.”

Mamata Banerjee further stated that Modi’s comment on rising fuel prices was “one-sided” and “misleading”. She further said that the chief ministers did not get a single chance to speak at the meeting, so, they could not counter the Prime Minister’s statement.

She claimed that the West Bengal government has spent Rs 1,500 crore in the past three years to subsidise petrol and diesel in the state. And the government have been providing a subsidy of Re 1 on every litre of petrol and diesel for the past three years.

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28 Apr

India became partners with Russia as US couldn’t do it earlier: US Secretary of State Blinken

Russia became India’s partner of choice out of necessity when the United States was not in a position to be a partner said US secretary of state Antony Blinken while testifying before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee.

The remarks came when Senator William Hagerty sought Blinken’s views on the India-US relationship from US secy of state Antony Blinken.

“In the case of India, there is a relationship that goes back decades. And Russia, for India, was out of necessity a partner of choice when we were not in a position to be a partner,” he told Senators on Wednesday.

He stated that they are investing in the effort to grow the strategic convergence between the US and India.

“Now, we are an we are investing in that effort. I think there is a growing strategic convergence between the United States and India. And of course, China is a big part of that,” Blinken said.

Senator Hagerty asked Blinken, “What concrete steps United States and India could take to deepen our strategic alliance?”

“I think this partnership has the potential to be one of the most important and foundational partnerships that we have going forward over the next decades. This has actually been a success story of multiple administrations. Going back to the end of the Clinton administration, through the Bush administration…,” Blinken replied.

Talking about the Quad Blinken said, “We have energised the Quad that brings India together with Australia and Japan and us. This has been a very important vehicle for strengthening our collaboration across a whole variety of fronts with India.”

Blinken further stated, “This is a moment of strategic inflection, by which I mean this. A number of countries are now relooking at some of their relationships and some of their interests, particularly when it comes to their relationship with Russia.”

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28 Apr

8 months of GST compensation released to states, Rs 78,704 cr pending: Finance Ministry

The Finance Ministry on Wednesday released a statement saying that the Centre has released a GST compensation of eight out of ten months of dues to the states for the fiscal ended March 2022. They further stated that Rs 78,704 crore is pending due to inadequate balance in the cess fund.

“…Rs 7.35 lakh crore has been released to States till now and, currently, only for the year 2021-22, compensation of ₹78,704 crore is pending due to inadequate balance in the fund, which is equivalent to compensation of four months,” read the statement.

In the statement, the ministry said normally, GST compensation for 10 months (April-January) of any financial year is released during that year and the compensation of February-March is released only in the next financial year.

“Normally, compensation for ten months of April-January of any financial year is released during that year and the compensation of February-March is released only in the next financial year. As explained earlier, compensation of eight out of ten months of 2021-22 has already been released to States. The pending amount will also be released as and when amount from cess accrues in the compensation fund,” it said.

At the time of introduction of GST, the Constitution amendment provided that the Centre, by law shall provide compensation to States for a period of five years for loss of revenue due to introduction of GST.

Accordingly, the GST Compensation to States Act was legislated which provides for release of compensation against 14% year-on-year growth over revenues in 2015-16 from taxes subsumed in GST. This compensation cess is credited to the compensation fund and as per the Act, all compensation is paid out of the fund. Presently, cess is levied on items like pan masala, tobacco, coal and cars.

Compensation of about Rs 49,000 crore has been released for 2017-18 from the fund, which increased to Rs 83,000 crore for 2018-19 and further to Rs1.65 lakh crore in 2019-20.

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28 Apr

Cabinet Approves Opening Of Indian Mission In Lithuania

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accorded approval to the opening of a new Indian Mission in Lithuania in 2022.

A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said, “opening of Indian Mission in Lithuania will help expand India’s diplomatic footprint, deepen political relations and strategic cooperation, enable growth of bilateral trade, investment and economic engagements, facilitate stronger people-to-people contacts, allow for more sustained political outreach in multilateral fora and help garner support for India’s foreign policy objectives. Indian Mission in Lithuania will also better assist the Indian community and protect their interests.”

The statement further read, “The decision to open a new Indian Mission in Lithuania is a forward-looking step in pursuit of our national priority of growth and development or ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.”

Enhancement of India’s diplomatic presence will, inter-alia, provide market access for Indian companies and bolster Indian exports of goods and services.

 

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