1-2 may 2015 eng

Union Cabinet approved the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015

The Union Cabinet on 29 April 2015 gave its nod for introduction of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Bill, 2015 in the Parliament.

The objective of the legislation is to provide for institutional mechanism, both at the Centre and in each State and Union Territory, to ensure expeditious utilization of amounts realised in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest purpose.

Key Provisions of the bill
• Establishment of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) and the State CAFs to credit amounts collected by Union Territory Administrations and State Governments to compensate loss of forest land diverted for non-forest purpose.

• Constitution of National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to manage and utilise amounts credited to the National CAF.

• Constitution of State CAMPA in each State and Union Territory to manage and utilise the amounts credited to the State CAFs.

• Establishment of a Monitoring Group to assist the National CAMPA in monitoring and evaluation of activities undertaken from amounts released from the National CAF and State CAFs.

Importance of the bill

• The proposed legislation would bring the CAF within broader focus of both Parliament and State Legislatures and in greater public view, by transferring them to non-lapsable interest bearing funds, to be created under public accounts of the Union of India and each State.

• It will also ensure expeditious utilization of accumulated unspent amounts available with the ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), which presently is of the order of 38000 crore rupees.

• Further, it would also ensure fresh accrual of compensatory levies and interest on accumulated unspent balance, which will be of the order of approximately 6000 crore rupees per annum, in an efficient and transparent manner.

• Utilization of these amounts will facilitate timely execution of appropriate measures to mitigate impact of diversion of forest land, for which these amounts have been realised.

• Apart from mitigating the impact of diversion of forest land, utilisation of these amounts will also result in creation of productive assets and generation of huge employment opportunities in rural areas, especially in backward tribal areas.

India, Afghanistan released Joint Statement

India and Afghanistan on 28 April 2015 released a Joint Statement to take bilateral relations to a higher level. The Joint statement was released after meeting of Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Mohammad Ghani was on a visit to India from 27 April to 29 April 2015. This was the first visit of Ghani to India after assuming the Presidency in September 2014 at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.

Details of the Joint Statement
• The two nations agreed to patiently and systematically work towards strengthening of the India Afghanistan Strategic Partnership, with a clear focus on the long term relationship between the two countries.
• Both the countries reviewed the progress made in the implementation of all areas of cooperation envisaged under the strategic partnership agreement
• The Prime Minister assured the President of Afghanistan of India's abiding support for Afghanistan's ongoing crucial transitions-political, economic and security, for the decade of 2015-24 and beyond. 
• The two nations agreed that they will not allow their territories to used against any other country 
• The two nations expressed determination to work together, along with the international community, to combat and defeat the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
• President Ghani expressed satisfaction on the steps taken by India to promote business links and trade between the two countries and India's decision as a fourth party to join the recent PATTTA (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan Trade and Transit Agreement)negotiations that would allow the arrangement to contribute in a meaningful manner to the vision of wider regional economic integration.
• Afghanistan also welcomed the Indian stewardship of the Trade, Commerce and Investment Confidence Building Measures (TCI-CBM) under the Afghan-led Heart of Asia process whose activities remain focused on showcasing Afghanistan's potential and its unique location at the Heart of Asia.
• The two leaders agreed to work towards a more liberalized business visa regime for all businesses, including large, medium and small-size enterprises.
• The two leaders agreed to work closely with the Government of Iran to make Chahbahar port a reality, and a viable gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
• The two leaders agreed to work together for their shared goal of bringing reforms to the UN system and PM Modi thanked President Ghani for Afghanistan for supporting and co-sponsoring the G-4 resolution on UN reforms, including the expansion of the UN Security Council in the 70th year of the UN.
• Both the leaders also agreed to sign the following documents within three months of the visit. The documents include:
a) Extradition Treaty between India and Afghanistan
b) Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons between India and Afghanistan
c) Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters
d) Bilateral Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters between India and Afghanistan
e) Motor Vehicles Agreement for the Regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic betweenIndia and Afghanistan
f) MOU on Visa free entry for holders of diplomatic passports

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan conferred with Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Ibn Ali Peace Award

Noted Islamic scholar and activist Maulana Wahiduddin Khan was on 30 April 2015 conferred with the Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Ibn Ali Peace Award in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is known for his knowledge and efforts in keeping peace, that make him one of the most respected scholars. The 90-year-old Maulana has also authored several books and articles on Islam.

Maulana Wahiduddin is an Islamic spiritual scholar who has adopted peace as the mission of his life and is known for his Gandhian views as he considers non-violence as the only method to achieve success.

He has authored over 200 books on Islam, prophetic wisdom, spirituality and peaceful co-existence in a multi-ethnic society. His most recent book is The Prophet of Peace: The Teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

He has received many awards including Demiurgus Peace International Award; the Padma Bhushan in January 2000, India's third highest civilian honour; the National Citizen’s Award presented by Mother Teresa and the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 2009.

Prannoy Roy honoured with the RedInk Lifetime Achievement Award 2015

Prannoy Roy, the Executive Co-chairman of NDTV, was on 30 April 2015 conferred with the Redink Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 at a function in Mumbai. The awards were presented by the Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

Other Awardees
Journalist of the Year Award: Sreenivasan Jain of NDTV for his consistent investigative work epitomized in his series Truth versus Hype. 

Impact Editor of the Year Award:Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Times Now for his ability to capture eyeballs and expand audience reach with his News Hour show. 

News Start-Up of the Year Award: News website Scroll.in for scaling up its influence rapidly as an alternative source of news and features. 

Other than these, awards were also presented in the categories of crime, politics, courts, health, environment and science. As many as 24 journalists were awarded along with Prannoy Roy, Sreenivasan Jain, Arnab Goswami and Scroll.in.

The RedInk Lifetime Achievement Award was instituted in 2010 by the Mumbai Press Club to encourage good, ethical journalism that impacts people and society. It comprises of a trophy and a citation.

China’s NDRC released new action plan One Belt, One Road initiative

China’s top economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), on 28 March 2015 released a new action plan One Belt, One Road initiative. The initiative will establish new routes linking Asia, Europe and Africa.

It has two parts, a new Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) linking China to Europe that cuts through mountainous regions in Central Asia; and the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) that links China's port facilities with the African coast and then pushes up through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.

The word Belt is referred as a planned network of overland road and rail routes, oil and natural gas pipelines, and other infrastructure projects that will stretch from Xi’an in Central China, through Central Asia, and ultimately reach as far as Moscow, Rotterdam, and Venice.

While Road is its maritime equivalent, that is, a network of planned port and other coastal infrastructure projects that dot the map from South and Southeast Asia to East Africa and the northern Mediterranean Sea.

Scope of the plan

The scope of the initiative will extend well beyond infrastructure construction. It also includes efforts to promote greater financial integration and use of the Renminbi, Chinese Currency, by foreign countries.

The plan will further extent to create an Information Silk Road linking regional information and communications technology networks, and lower barriers to cross-border trade and investment in the region, among other initiatives.

New regional institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and New Silk Road Fund (NSRF) are also designed in part to complement and support the Belt and Road’s development.

Benefits to China

• The infrastructure projects proposed as part of the Belt and Road—many of which would run through some of China’s poorest and least developed regions—could provide stimulus to help cushion the effects of the deepening slowdown of China.
• The Belt and Road will improve China’s internal economic integration and competitiveness and spur more regionally balanced growth.
• The construction is intended to help make use of China’s enormous industrial overcapacity and ease the entry of Chinese goods into regional markets.
• The plan would strengthen China’s importance as an economic partner for its neighbors and, potentially, enhance Beijing’s diplomatic leverage in the region.
• Increased investment in energy and mineral resources, particularly in Central Asia, could also help reduce China’s reliance on commodities imported from overseas, including oil transiting the Strait of Malacca.

Comment

Chinese president Xi Jinping has made the program a centerpiece of both his foreign policy and domestic economic strategy. Initially billed as a network of regional infrastructure projects, this latest release indicates that the scope of the Belt and Road initiative has continued to expand and will now include promotion of enhanced policy coordination across the Asian continent, financial integration, trade liberalization, and people-to-people connectivity.

China’s efforts to implement this initiative will likely have an important effect on the region’s economic architecture—patterns of regional trade, investment, infrastructure development—and in turn have strategic implications for China, the United States, and other major powers.

Rubella eradicated from North and South America region

North and South America on 27 April 2015 became the first regions of the world to eradicate rubella, also known as German measles. These regions were declared free of endemic transmission of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) after no home grown cases were reported in five years.

The last endemic cases registered in the region were in Argentina and Brazil in 2009.

The declaration of elimination was made by an international expert committee during a meeting at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). 

With the eradication of rubella and CRS from Americas region, the total number of vaccine-preventable disease that has been eliminated from this region has gone up to four. Earlier in 1971, the region became the first in the world to eradicate Smallpox and in 1994 it became the first to eradicate Polio. 

How rubella was eradicated from the region?
These regions were able to eradicate rubella through its mass vaccination campaign which started 15-year ago in 2000. They used vaccination against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

As a result, some 250 million adolescents and adults in 32 countries and territories were vaccinated against rubella between 1998 and 2008 and the last endemic (local origin) cases of rubella and CRS were reported in the Americas in 2009.

About Rubella
Rubella is an infection caused by the rubella virus. The virus, spread by sneezes or coughs, can lead to serious birth defects if contracted by pregnant women. It usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. The disease is threat mainly for pregnant women, as if they get contracted of the disease during the first three months of pregnancy, then the rubella virus can cause congenital rubella syndrome. This can lead to a multitude of problems like miscarriage and birth defects such as blindness, deafness, or heart defects.

Argentine Parliament passed a law to compensate victims of Jewish centre attack

Argentine parliament on 30 April 2015 passed a law to compensate the victims of an attack on AMIA Jewish cultural centre in Buenos Aires more than 20 years ago.

As per the law, relatives of those who died will receive a one-off payment similar to that awarded to victims of Argentina’s 1976-1983 military dictatorship, and a 1992 attack on the Israeli embassy, in which 29 people died and 200 were injured.

Jewish cultural centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina was bombed on 18 July 1994 in which 85 people were killed and hundreds were wounded. It was Argentina's deadliest bombing ever.

However, so far no one was brought to justice for the attack. On the one hand, prosecutors have accused Iran of involvement and since 2006 and the Argentinean courts have demanded the extradition of eight Iranians for the bombing. On the other hand, Tehran denies involvement in the attack.

Argentina is home to a Jewish community of 200000, the largest in Latin America and sixth in the world outside Israel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Three-Nation Visit: An Analysis

Introduction
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-nation tour to France, Germany and Canada from 9 April to 17 April 2015 was intended to deepen bilateral strategic partnership, augment investment flows into our economy and enhance bilateral scientific and technological cooperation. 
The significance of the visit can be well understood by analyzing the initiatives of the Prime Minister in the Strategic/Political and Economic spheres coupled with the domestic economic situation.

Strategic/Political sphere
PM’s summit level talks with the heads of the three governments viz., French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper resulted in signing various Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) and Agreements related to Defence, Energy, Infrastructure, Space, Skill Development, etc.

India’s relations with France assume importance because of France’s endorsement for India’s permanent membership in the UNSC. By virtue of being one of the permanent five members of the UNSC, France’s cooperation is of vital importance for India’s entry into the Global elite league. Signing of an agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets in fly-away condition is aimed at deepening the strategic partnership and to meet immediate domestic defense requirements.

India’s relations with Germany assume importance because of its leadership role in the European politics and its sphere of influence in the leading global forums like G8 and G20. India along with Brazil, Germany and Japan have formed the G4 grouping to press for speedy United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms and their inclusion in the powerful organ of the world body. The joint statement issued by the two leaders during the visit is a reflection of growing cooperation between the two countries.

India’s emphasis on augmenting relations with energy-rich Canada is evident from the fact that Modi’s visit is the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 42 years. The signing of a business deal with Cameco Corporation to operationalise the India-Canada Nuclear Cooperation Agreement of 2013 is aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation and overcome the energy deficit.

Economic sphere
For India, European Union (EU) leads in terms of trade partnership, source of investment and source of technology in the world; hence economic cooperation with the 28 member politico-economic grouping is of utmost importance. 

Apart from the above fact, the declining capital formation rate from 38.2 percent  in 2011-12 to 32.3 in 2013-14 coupled with declining saving rate (As per the Economic Survey 2014-15) necessitate stronger relations with the EU in order to mobilize the necessary resources for achieving the objectives ofMake In India, Digital India and Smart Cities initiatives.

Hence, during the visit, Germany agreed to leverage its influence over the EU for early completion of talks over the India-EU Free Trade Agreement which was launched in June 2007. Germany, the world’s fourth largest economy after USA, China and Japan and the largest economy and the manufacturing hub of the EU also agreed to take proactive steps to advance collaboration in the areas of manufacturing, skill development, urban development, environment, railways, cleaning of rivers, language and science and technology.

India’s economic relations with France, which derives about 75 per cent of its electricity from nuclear energy, are of importance to tackle energy deficit in the country. During the visit, French nuclear major AREVA has signed two MoUs with L&T and NPCIL to develop indigenous nuclear technology and fast-track the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant in Maharashtra.

In a similar move, Cameco Corporation of Canada, the world’s largest uranium supplier, agreed to supply the nuclear fuel worth 350 million US dollars till 2020 starting from 2015. Both the countries also agreed to conclude talks on India-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by September 2015 and early operationalisation of the bilateral Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) signed in 2007.

The nuclear energy deals with France and Canada are significant because of the fact that India is the fourth largest energy consumer in the world and will have high energy requirements to sustain the growth momentum in the future.

Conclusion
In essence, Modi’s visit to three developed nations (members of G8) focused on articulating the improved ease of doing business conditions in the country and to attract necessary capital and technological resources to ensure faster and sustainable economic development of the country.

Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs launched Form-INC-29 for easier establishment of companies

The Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs on 1 May 2015 launched Form-INC -29 to make the process of establishing new companies smoother for entrepreneurs.

The Form-INC-29 is an integrated electronic application form and can be used alternatively in the place of filling five separate e-Forms to set up a new company.

Features of Form-INC-29
• Through the form, organisations can apply for company name, Director Identification Number (DIN) and registration of company.
• In the form, along with the company’s name, applicants are required to furnish the details about significance of abbreviated or coined word in the proposed name.
• The applicants has to declare that the proposed name is not offensive to any section of people and also not in violation of the provisions of Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.

Comment
Introduction of the Form-INC-29 is in tune with the Union Government’s intention to improve the ease of doing business in India and there by attracting the necessary investments into the economy. As per recent Ease of Doing Business Index of the World Bank, India is at the 142nd position among the 189 countries in the world.

Pakistan court sentenced 10 men to 25 years in jail for attacking Malala Yousafzai

Pakistan court on 30 April 2015 sentenced 10 men to 25 years in jail for attacking education activist and Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai in 2012.

The group was tried in an anti-terrorist court and the exact charges against them were unclear, though 25 years imprisonment is considered a life sentence. All the 10 men belonged to the Pakistan Taliban but the chief suspect did not figure among those sentenced.

She was 15 when she was shot in the head on board her school bus in Swat Valley northwest of the capital, Islamabad in 2012.

Now, Malala lives in the United Kingdom (UK) where she received treatment after the attack. She is unable to return to her homeland because of Taliban threats to kill her and her family.

Addressing the UN in 2013 she told the assembly that books and pens scare extremists and called for education for all.

In 2014, she became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her campaigning work.

Nadia in West Bengal became the first open defecation-free (ODF) district of India

Nadia district of West Bengal was on 30 April 2015 declared as the first open defecation-free (ODF) district in India.

Nadia district could achieve this feat due to its collaborative effort with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank aimed at construction of toilets across the district.

Incidentally, in order to eliminate open defecation from the rural landscape of the state, the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee formally launched the Mission Nirmal Bangla (MNB) on 30 April 2015 and declared the day as Nirmal Bangla Diwas to mark the occasion.

The mission is akin to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in its objectives which was launched on 2 October 2014 with the objective of ensuring cleanliness in all the 4041 statutory cities and towns of the country by 2 October 2019 which marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill, 2015

The Lok Sabha on 30 April 2015 gave its nod for the Finance Bill, 2015 through voice vote. The bill deals with the income side (basically tax proposals) of the Union Government for the financial year 2015-16 as proposed in the budget which was introduced in the Parliament on 28 February 2015.

The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha, the sole authority in taxation matters, after the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved as many as 41 official amendments which among others include:
• Promoters of foreign real estate investment trusts were exempted from paying Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) on the notional gains arising from shares of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to a business trust in exchange of units allotted by that trust.
• Foreign companies including Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) are exempted from paying MAT on any interest, royalty or fees for technical services including incomes earned on investments in Government and other fixed income securities.
• Diluted tax proposals applicable to sovereign wealth funds which plan to relocate to India, in case they are floated by foreign government. 

The above amendments are intended to attract much needed foreign capital to sustain the growth momentum and reach double digit Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth target in the years to come, as envisaged by the 2015-16 budget.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) held Theera Veta defence exercise in Arabian Sea

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) from 28 April to 29 April 2015 held a security exercise, Theera Veeta, in the Arabian Sea.

The exercise was intended to augment the preparedness of the security agencies in protecting the porous maritime borders of Kerala, Lakshadweep, Minicoy Islands and Mahe (part of Puducherry) from external attacks.

The exercise was conducted by the ICG from its Operation room at Kochi and Kavaratti and monitored from the Joint Operation Centre (JOC) located at the Kochi Naval base.

In the two day exercise, along with the ICG, Indian Navy, Coastal Police and other central and state/Union Territory (UT) police agencies were involved.

Comment
Theera Veta is a periodical exercise conducted by the security agencies in order to assess and augment the defence preparedness against security related threats to the off shore economic assets like oil wells and mineral rich areas in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and coastal population.

Former Gujarat assembly speaker Barjorji Pardiwala passed away

Former Gujarat assembly speaker Barjorji Pardiwala passed away on 30 April 2015 due to age-related illness at a private hospital in Ahmedabad. He was 86.

Pardiwala was also a renowned lawyer in Valsad. Pardiwala joined the lawyer's bar at Valsad town of Gujarat in 1955 and practiced the law for more than 40 years.

He also contested election successfully as an Indian National Congress candidate from Valsad assembly constituency and was made the speaker of the seventh state assembly for period from December 1989 to March 1990.

He was the father of Gujarat High Court Justice J B Pardiwala.

Microsoft named its next Web Browser as Edge

Microsoft, American multinational technology company, on 29 April 2015 announced Edge as its next Web Browser’s name at the Build Developer Conference held at San Francisco in California, USA.

Earlier, Microsoft had called it as Project Spartan; a code name given by the company. The browser is intended to replace the Internet Explorer (IE) in future.

Key Features of Edge Web browser
•    It will feature new inking function, which allows users to draw or scribble directly on a Web page. It works with finger or stylus and offers pen as well as highlighter with option to choose the color for it.
•    Microsoft’s personal assistant service Cortana will be integrated to the new browser in order to enhance the user experience.
•    It will allow users to save pages for offline reading. The reading lists thus created by a user will get synced to be accessed across multiple devices.
•    It will exhibit a new tab page that will show information on recently opened tabs, favourites, new apps, etc.

First meeting of Sub-Group of CMs on Swachh Bharat Mission held in New Delhi

The first meeting of the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was held on 30 April 2015 at NITI Aayog in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu who is the convener of the sub group.

Highlights of the meeting
• It discussed robust institutional mechanisms for effective implementation of the mission. 
• It prepared guidelines and process chart to work on the subject.
• It decided to recommend measures for technological support, including solid waste management in rural and urban areas.
• It decided to constitute a working group headed by NITI Aayog’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to study the best practices showing alternative methods and best technology.
• It examined the need of sending some members to other countries to study sanitation practices 
• Technologies from other countries would also be imported and modified to suit the country’s requirements.

As per the term of reference, the sub-group will examine the financial requirements for the comprehensive implementation of SBM and suggest measures for meeting budgetary needs.

It will also examine models of private sector participation in the SBM and suggest ways to substantially improve participation of private sector and civil society organisations for effective implementation of the programme.

The final report on Swachh Bharat would be submitted to the Union Government by end of June 2015.

Telecom operators slashed roaming call rate by upto 40%, SMS by upto 75%

Four major telecom operators of India, namely Airtel, Vodafone, Idea and Reliance Communication on 30 April 2015 slashed their roaming call rates by upto 40 percent and SMS rates by upto 75 percent.

This reduction in national roaming tariff will be effective from 1 May 2015.

This rate revision was made after Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 9 April 2015 reduced maximum or ceiling rate for national roaming calls and SMSes. Accordingly, telecom companies were allowed to only charge maximum 1.15 rupees per minute for STD calls on roaming and 80 paise per minute for local calls. Earlier, the STD roaming charge was 1.50 rupees per minute and local call charge were 1 rupee.

On the other hand, National SMS ceiling rate was reduced to 38 paise from 1.50 rupees and 25 paise for local SMS instead of 1 rupee.

Union finance Ministry exempted MAT for foreign investors

Union finance Ministry on 30 April 2015 exempted Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) for foreign investors.

During the Finance Bill debate in Parliament, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that MAT would not be applicable on foreign companies’ earning from capital gains on securities, royalty, fee on technical services and interest.

However, MAT would not be applicable on sale of units of real estate investment trusts (REITs). Further, the exemption would apply only in those cases where the normal tax rate is below 18.5 percent.

The issue between foreign investors and the government cropped up in 2014-15 when the tax department started sending notices to FIIs to cough up MAT.

Total 68 notices were sent to FIIs for their past capital gains up to 31 March 2015 creating a huge uproar.

The government has been trying to soothe the foreign institutional investors, who turned net sellers for the first time since April 2014. 

Minimum Alternate Tax

MAT is a way of making companies pay minimum amount of tax. It is applicable to all companies except those engaged in infrastructure and power sectors. Income arising from free trade zones, charitable activities, investments by venture capital companies are also excluded from the purview of MAT.

2 may

Surender Singh took over as Director General of CISF

Senior IPS officer Surender Singh on 1 May 2015 took over as Director General (DG) of central paramilitary force Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Surender Singh is a 1980-batch police officer of West Bengal cadre. Earlier, he served as a Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) before getting the new assignment.

His appointment was confirmed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

His tenure will end in August 2016.  He succeeded Arvind Ranjan.

Arvind Ranjan retired on 30 April 2015 as the DG of the CISF. He is a 1977-batch IPS officer of Kerala cadre, had been the head of the force for close to 16 months during which he initiated a slew of best practices in the force, especially, with regard to enhancing the security consultancy wing of the force.

CISF is the largest industrial security force in the world. It is directly under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and its headquarters are at New Delhi.

CIEF is the force of 1.41-lakh personnel strong force tasked to secure some of the most vital and strategic installations in the country like civil airports and facilities in the nuclear and aerospace domain.

NASA ended operations of MESSENGER Mission to Mercury

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 30 April 2015 ended the operations of MESSENGER Mission. 
MESSENGER stands for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging and it was launched on 3 August 2004 to study Mercury’s atmosphere

The journey of the spacecraft came to an end with Expected Impact (EI) on Mercury’s surface. It plunged to the Mercury’s surface at around 14000 kmph, creating a crater up to 52 feet wide.

Although the mission completed its primary science objectives by March 2012, the spacecraft’s mission was extended two times, allowing it to capture images and information about the planet in unprecedented detail.

Among its many accomplishments, the mission determined Mercury’s surface composition, revealed its geological history, discovered its internal magnetic field is offset from the planet’s center and concluded its polar deposits are dominantly water ice.

Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at Laurel in Maryland, USA built and operated the spacecraft and managed the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

Nitin Gadkari dedicated two Major Highway Projects in the North East to the Nation

Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari on 1 May 2015 dedicated Shillong Bypass Highway Project and four lane Jorabat-Barapani Section of NH-40 to the nation in Shillong, Meghalaya. 

The two projects are intended to improve connectivity between Guwahati and Shillong and other parts of the North East.

The48.76 Km Shillong Bypass was constructed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) mode and connects National Highway (NH) 40 and NH 44 (New NH 6). This will help decongest the traffic in the city of Shillong from trucks and heavy vehicles coming from or moving towards North Eastern parts of Assam, Mizoram and Tripura.

Four laning of 61.80 km Jorabat-Barapani section is intended to augment connectivity between Guwahati and Shillong. The project was constructed by the NHAI on Design Build Finance Operate & Transfer (DBFOT) Mode on annuity basis. 

The above projects are part of the Union Government’s larger agenda to improve the connectivity within the Northeast (NE) region and between the NE and other parts of the country in order to tackle the regions isolation and improve the socio economic conditions.

Union Ministry of Tourism released Draft National Tourism Policy 2015

The Union Ministry of Tourism on 1 May 2015 released the Draft National Tourism Policy 2015 after re-visiting National Tourism Policy 2002. The policy is aimed at boosting tourism sector in the country.

Its objective is to increase India’s share in world tourist arrivals from the present 0.68% to 1% by 2020 and increase to 2% by 2025 and position tourism as a priority on the National political and economic agenda.

Key Features of the Draft National Tourism Policy 2015
• It enshrines the vision of developing and positioning India as a MUST EXPERIENCE and MUST RE-VISIT destination encompassing the aspects of Swachhta (cleanliness), Suraksha (safety) and Swagat (welcome).
• It seeks to evolve a framework for tourism development, which is Government-led, private sector driven and community welfare oriented.
• Its focus is on Employment Generation and Community Participation in the development of tourism industry in a sustainable manner.
• The emphasis of the policy will be on skill development across all segments including setting up of a dedicated university for tourism and hospitality education and deployment of technology in promotion of tourism.
• National Tourism Advisory Board (NTAB) will be set up under chairmanship of Union Tourism Minister and having tourism ministers of States / Union Territories (UTs) and domain experts as its members to monitor the implementation of the policy.
• National Tourism Authority will be established with representation from the trade and industry and interconnected departments or agencies to execute the policy.
• Core infrastructure (airways, railways, roadways, waterways, etc.) as well as Tourism Infrastructure (Swadesh Darshan, PRASAD, Buddhist Circuit, etc) will be developed.
• Focus on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth and on development and promotion of the North East Region and the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
• To attract foreign tourists the government will play a more pro-active and decisive role at multilateral tourism fora such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) on themes that link the countries such as the Buddhist Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Heritage Circuit, etc.

The new tourism policy will be finalised after receiving inputs and suggestions from the general public. The suggestions have been invited by the ministry till 10 May 2015.

DoT extended deadline of full implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) till 3 July 2015

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on 1 May 2015 extended the date of implementation of the full Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by two months, that is, till 3 July 2015. 

Earlier, on 3 November 2014, the DoT on the basis of recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ordered Indian telecom companies to implement full MNP by 3 May 2015.

The DoT extended the deadline on the basis of a request made by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) as telecom operators have to make some technical changes to their networks due to changes in National Numbering Plan (NNP) which would take about eight weeks.

The full MNP will allow telecom subscribers to retain their mobile number in any part of the country even when they change their operator or telecom circle. At present, partial MNP allows subscribers to retain their number while changing mobile network only within a telecom circle.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana introduced 5 lakh rupees Accident Insurance Scheme for transport

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on 1 May 2015 introduced 5 lakh rupees Accident Insurance Scheme for transport drivers. It will also cover education of two children of the beneficiary.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu formally launched the scheme at Rajhamundry while Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhara Rao made the announcement in Hyderabad.

Both the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an insurer to bear the additional amount of 3 lakh rupees insurance cover, over and above the 2 lakh rupees cover that the Union Government will provide through the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).

To claim the benefit, the transport drivers have to register their names on a specified portal. About 11 lakh transport drivers and journalists in the two states will be benefited under the programme. About 16 thousand Home Guards in Telangana will also be benefited by the scheme.

Union Sports Ministry recognised Motor Sports as a Sports under NSF

Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 23 March 2015 recognised Motor Sports as a sport by including it in the list of sports ministry-backed National Sports Federations (NSF).

Motor Sports is one of the 59 sports recognised by the Ministry during the review of categorization of various sports discipline into ‘High Priority’, ‘Priority’ and ‘Others’.

After the review Motor Sports was put into ‘Others’ category which means that no financial assistance will be provided to it.

The decision to include Motor Sports was welcomed by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the governing body for the motor sports in India.

Sports Ministry after each Olympics Games and Asian Games reviews and categorise various sports discipline with respect to their performance in these Games. The categorization is done with a view to review and provides financial assistance to the NSF. The last such review was done in 2008.

Accordingly, 9 sports disciplines were put into ‘High Priority’ category. These include Archery, Boxing, Weight Lifting, Wrestling, Tennis, Shooting, Hockey, Badminton and Athletics.

23 sports disciplines were put under ‘Priority’ category and rest were put into ‘Others’ category.

Four Indians to be conferred with 2015 Spring Imperial Decorations of Japan

Four Indians will be conferred with the Spring Imperial Decorations of Japan which were announced on 29 April 2015.

These Indians are among the 85 foreign recipients who will receive the award at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on 8 May 2015. The awards will be conferred by Emperor of Japan Akihito.

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star

(i)Thottuvelil Krishna Pillai Aiyappankutty Nair (75): He is a former Advisor and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. 

He was awarded for the contribution to the enhancement of relations and the promotion of friendship between Japan and India.

(ii)Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao (80): He is the Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advance Scientific Research, Bangalore and a former Chair of the Japan-India Science Council.  He was awarded with the highest civilian award of India Bharat Ratna in 2014.

He was awarded for contribution to promoting academic interchange and mutual understanding in science and technology between Japan and India.

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays

(iii)Nikunj Parekh (74): He is the President of Indo-Japanese Association, Mumbai and Director of Bonsai Study Group of Indo-Japanese Association, Mumbai. 

He was awarded for contribution to promoting and presenting Japanese Culture in India

The Orders of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Rays

(iv)Topgay Bhutia (64): Former local employee of the Embassy of Japan in India was awarded for his contribution to the activities of the Japanese overseas establishment.

WHO released a report on Economic cost of the health impact of air pollution in European Region

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on 28 April 2015 released a report titled Economic cost of the health impact of air pollution in Europe: Clean air, health and wealth.

This is the first assessment of the economic burden of deaths and diseases resulting from outdoor and indoor air pollution in the 53 countries of the WHO European Region.

The report provides key inputs for the policy makers and the civil society across region emphasizing the need for evolving stringent environmental friendly norms.

Important findings of the report
• The report estimated that the WHO European region in 2010 lost 1.6 US trillion dollars due to premature deaths and diseases caused by air pollution, out of which around 1.4 US trillion dollars loss was caused only due to 600000 premature deaths.
• The amount of 1.6 trillion US dollars is nearly equivalent to one tenth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the entire European Union in 2013.
• Out of the 53 countries surveyed in 10 countries this cost is at or above 20 percent of national GDP.
• Over 90 percent of citizens in the Region are exposed to annual levels of outdoor fine particulate matter that are above WHO's air quality guidelines. This accounted for 482000 premature deaths in 2012 from heart and respiratory diseases, blood vessel conditions and strokes and lung cancer. 
• In 2012, indoor air pollution resulted in an additional 117200 premature deaths, five times more in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries.

Another report titled Improving environment and health in Europe: how far have we gotten? jointly published by WHO and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) informed that one in four Europeans still falls sick or dies prematurely from environmental pollution.

Tesla Motors launched solar energy based Powerwall battery system

Tesla Motors Inc., an American based company, on 1 May 2015 launched its new solar energy based battery system Powerwall. It is a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels.

The product will be marketed under Tesla Energy, a new business arm of the company. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tesla Motors is Elon Musk.

Important features of Powerall
• It is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery designed to store energy at a residential level for load shifting, backup power and self-consumption of solar power generation.
• It is a smart device in the sense that it consists of liquid thermal control system and software that receives dispatch commands from a solar inverter.
• The battery can provide a number of different benefits including:
a) Load shifting – The battery can provide financial savings by charging during low rate periods when demand for electricity is lower and discharging during more expensive rate periods when electricity demand is higher.
b) Increasing self-consumption of solar power generation – The battery can store surplus solar energy not used at the time it is generated and use that energy during night.
• The unit mounts seamlessly on a wall and is integrated with the local grid to harness excess power and give customers the flexibility to draw energy from their own reserve.
• It is a 350 – 450 volts battery system with 5.8 amp nominal, 8.6 amp peak output and it is single phase and three phase utility grid compatible.

A Book titled China – Confucius in the Shadows written by Poonam Surie released

China – Confucius in the Shadows: Poonam Surie

A Book titled China – Confucius in the Shadows was released by the Vice President M. Hamid Ansari on 1 May 2015. Confucius was considered as the most efficient author in Chinese history.

Book has been written by Poonam Surie. Poonam Surie is an Adjunct Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi.

The book highlights that in the evolving socio political milieu of China; interpreting Confucian philosophy as being non-confrontationist, benevolent and with values such as filial piety and harmony could help the current political regime deal with such problems as corruption and rising inequalities.

Maharashtra FDA ordered to file a FIR against Snapdeal and its CEO Kunal Behl

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 1 May 2015 ordered to file a FIR against the Snapdeal, its CEO Kunal Bahl and Directors for allegedly selling prescription drugs online. Selling of drugs without prescription is a crime under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The FIR was filed after FDA officer on an investigation found that Jasper Infotech Pvt. Ltd. entered into agreements with dealers across India to supply medicines offered or exhibited for sale on its website, snapdeal.com, and to collect the sale proceeds on their behalf.

The FDA found that 45 of the displayed drugs were with objectionable claims which contravened the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.

The FDA will be investigating other online shopping companies such as Flipkart and Amazon.

Tennis player Rafael Nadal received Golden Medal for Merit in Work of Spain

Ace tennis player Rafael Nadal on 1 May 2015 received the Golden Medal for Merit in Work. Golden Medal is one of the top civilian honours of Spain which aims to highlight an exemplary performance in any job or profession.

Nadal received the honour from the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey at the PM’s official residence Moncloa Palace in Madrid.

Rafael Nadal is 14-time Grand Slam singles champion out of which he has won the French Open for a record nine times. He is often called The King of Clay and is currently ranked World Number 5.

Besides, he has won the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles, a record 27 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and 15 ATP World Tour 500 tournaments.

World’s largest solar photovoltaic plant of 750 MW to be built in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet in the last week of April 2015 gave its approval to build 750 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (SPV) plant atGurh tehsil in Rewa district. The plant, to be developed in three phases of 250 MW, once completed will become the world’s largest solar power plant.

At present, the largest SPV plant is the Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW) in California’s San Luis Obispo county, US, which was commissioned in 2014

Characteristic Feature of SPV plant

• The plant will use photovoltaic (PV) technology to generate electricity from the sun and is estimated to be completed by March 2017 at an estimated cost of 4500 crore rupees.
• The loan for it will be provided by World Bank and New and Renewable Energy Department of Madhya Pradesh government will provide land for the project. The state government is also on the lookout for private land.
• The plant will provide power at a price as low as 5.50 rupees per unit as against the 6.86 rupees per unit, which is the benchmark forlevelised tariff (tariff realised over the span of the project)  of SPV for 2015-16 announced by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.
• The project is being set up under the scheme for development of solar parks and ultra mega solar power projects. The PV modules for the plant would be sourced from the domestic market which is not mandatory.
• The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited will construct the grid connections and transmission lines of the solar plant.
• Once commissioned, Jabalpur-based Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited will buy 40 per cent of power.

The solar project in Rewa would be one of the first of the 25 solar parks planned in the country. There is a proposal to set up another 750 MW plant in Rewa.

Global warming will lead to extinction of 1 in 6 species by end of century: Study

Global warming phenomenon will lead to extinction of 1 in 6 species by the end of century if the emission of carbon dioxide stays the same. This was revealed by a study titled Accelerating extinction risk from climate change published in the Journal Science on 1 May 2015.

The author of the study is Mark C. Urban of Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, US. The study highlighted the urgency of taking strong action to address climate change.

Main Findings of the Study

• The future global extinction risk from climate change will not only increase but accelerate as global temperatures rise.
• Global extinction risks will increase from 2.8 percent at present to 5.2 percent at the international policy target of a 2°C post-industrial rise.
• Overall, 7.9 percent of species are predicted to become extinct from climate change.
• If the global temperature increases to 3°C, the extinction risk will increase to 8.5 percent.
• If we follow our current, business-as-usual trajectory climate change threatens one in six species, that is, 16 percent of species will become extinct.
• North America and Europe are the regions that have the lowest extinction risk.
• Extinction risks in South America, Australia and New Zealand is the highest and in the later two regions it will be further exacerbated by small land masses that limit shifts to new habitat.
• Endemic species with smaller ranges and certain taxonomic groups such as amphibians and reptiles will face greater extinction risks. The endemic species will face a 6 percent greater extinction risk.

Thus, the author calls for urgent need to adopt strategies that limit further climate change if we are to avoid an acceleration of global extinctions