Category: Uncategorized

NATIONAL NEWS 

India, Central Asian countries reiterate Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering terrorists

The foreign Ministers of India and five Central Asian countries reaffirmed the significance of UNSC Resolution 2593 (2021) which unequivocally demands that Afghan territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist acts and calls for concerted action against all terrorist groups. The foreign ministers in the third meeting of the India- Central Asia Dialogue, reiterated strong support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan. 

Kidambi Srikanth becomes first Indian male shuttler to win silver at BWF World Championships

Kidambi Srikanth became the first Indian male shuttler to win silver at the BWF World Championships on December 19, 2021. He had earlier become the first Indian to enter the men’s singles final at the Championships. He, however, had to settle for silver after losing to Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew in the summit clash in straight sets of 21-15, 22-20. Loh Kean Yew has also become the first male shuttler from Singapore to have won the gold men. 

Mathura to get grand temple after Ayodhya, Kashi?

BJP MP Hema Malini said on December 19, 2021 that after Ayodhya and Kashi, her constituency Mathura will get a grand temple like the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. She said that “Mathura, which is the birthplace of Lord Krishan who is the symbol of love and affection, I will say that there should be a grand temple. A temple is already there and can be beautified like Modi ji developed Kashi Vishwanath corridor.”

UP CM to distribute free mobiles, tablets to one lakh students on December 25

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditanath will distribute free mobiles and tablets to one lakh final year students studying in different streams on December 25, 2021. The free mobiles and tablets will be distributed to the students at the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Bajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow in the first phase. A large number of students from every district of UP are expected to participate in the program.

Uttarakhand appoints Rishabh Pant as state brand ambassador

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appointed Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant as the state brand ambassador on December 19, 2021. The Chief Minister wrote in a Twitter post, “One of the best cricket players of India, the idol of youth and Lal Shri Rishabh Pant of Uttarakhand has been appointed by our government as “State Brand Ambassador” with the aim of encouraging the youth of the state towards sports and public health.”

Tripura devises 25-years action plan, sets goal on zero dropout

Tripura government has devised an action plan for the next 25 years that focuses on infrastructure development, better employment, and education opportunities. The Tripura Chief Secretary Kumar Alok said that the path of Tripura’s development for the next 25 years has been defined through the two-day Vision 2047 workshop that culminated on December 18. 

Mormugao, Indian Navy’s Stealth Destroyer, begins maiden sea sortie

Indian Navy conducted the maiden trials for Mormugao. It is the second indigenous stealth destroyer of the P15B class. Mormugao ship has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd and is named after the port town in Goa. Stealth Destroyer was launched in September 2016 when the late Manohar Parrikar was the Defence Minister of India. The Indian Navy plans on commissioning the stealth destroyer in mid-2022 after which the shop will be known as the INS Mormugao. It will further add significantly to the combat capabilities of the Indian Navy. The sea trials of Mormogao have come less than a month after the recent commissioning of INS Vishakhapatnam which was the first of the P15B contract.

Govt selects 485 participants to perform in Republic Day Parade 2022

485 participants have been selected to perform on the 2022 Republic Day parade which will be held at Rajpath in New Delhi. In Vande Bharatam Final Competition which was held in New Delhi, 73 groups comprising 850 dancers from all four zones showcased their talent at the Grand Finale of the competition. The launch of Vande Bharatam- Nritya Utsav was announced by the Government, The major objective of the event was to select the top dancing talent from across the country as well as to provide them with the opportunity to perform during Republic Day. Vande Bharatam- Nritya Utsav has been started with an aim to promote the art and culture of India. The traditional dances of India are thousands of years old and have been preserved in the country..

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to visit India next year

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will visit India in 2022, informed Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi on December 19, 2021 during the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue. The FM said we are eager to maintain a trustworthy political dialogue and look forward to organizing a high-level visit by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to India next year. The visit will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Kazakhstan.

Deliberations going on for global treaty to deal with future pandemics

The Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Soumya Swaminathan has informed that the discussions have been going on at the international level on whether an international treaty is required to combat future pandemics. The discussion on the international treaty came amid the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant which is said to be much more infectious. The discussions among the nations that are happening are about whether there should be a global pandemic treaty that will bind all the countries across the world into particular types of behaviour. It will be similar to just having rules around the atomic use of nuclear energy.

Low turnout in Hong Kong for its 1st poll under new ‘patriots only’ rules

The low turnout was recorded in Hong Kong for its first poll under the ‘new patriots only’ rule. Only 30 percent of the voters cast their ballots to choose the city lawmakers in the polls that took place on December 19, 2021. The recent turnout was lowest since the first-ever direct election in Hong Kong of its legislatures in 1991. The turnout was 58% in 2016 and was 44% in 2000. The new rules have drastically reduced the number of directly elected seats in the region. The polling stations in Hong Kong were closed after 14 hours of voting.

Traditional New Year fireworks cancelled in Paris amid Omicron concern

Traditional New Year Fireworks have been canceled in Paris as Europe braced for the tighter curbs to control the spread of new covid-19 strain Omicron. The Chief of the European Union has warned that the Omicron variant can be dominant in Europe by mid-January 2022. Many countries around the world decided to reintroduce travel restrictions as well as other containment measures since the variant was first detected in South Africa. Ireland has announced the bars and restaurants to be closed from 8.00 pm until January 30, 2022. While Switzerland has also stepped up its anti-covid measures.

NATIONAL NEWS 

GST Council may consider bringing petrol, diesel under GST

The GST Council might on Friday consider taxing petrol, diesel and other petroleum products under the single national GST regime, a move that may require huge compromises by both central and state governments on the taxing of these products. The Council, which comprises central and state finance ministers, in its meeting scheduled in Lucknow on Friday, is also likely to consider extending the time for duty relief on COVID-19 essentials, according to sources in the know of the development. GST is being thought to be a solution for the problem of near-record high petrol and diesel rates in the country, as it would end the cascading effect of tax on tax (state VAT being levied not just on the cost of production but also on the excise duty charged by the Centre on such output). In June, the Kerala High Court, based on a writ petition, had asked the GST Council to decide on bringing petrol and diesel within the goods and services tax (GST) ambit. The sources said bringing petrol and diesel within GST would be placed before the Council for discussion in the light of the court asking the Council to do so. GST is being thought to be a solution for the problem of near-record high petrol and diesel rates in the country, as it would end the cascading effect of tax on tax  When a national GST subsumed central taxes such as excise duty and state levies like VAT on July 1, 2017, five petroleum goods – petrol, diesel, ATF, natural gas and crude oil – were kept out of its purview for the time being. This is because both central and state government finances relied heavily on taxes on these products. Since GST is a consumption-based tax, bringing petro products under the regime would have meant that states where these products are sold get the revenue and not ones that currently derive the most benefit out of them because of their being the production centre. Simply put, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with their huge population and a resultant high consumption would get more revenues at the cost of states like Gujarat. With central excise and state VAT making up for almost half of the retail selling price of petrol and diesel currently, levying GST on them would mean charging a peak rate of 28% plus a fixed surcharge going by the principle of the new levy being equal to the old taxes.

T.N. withdraws 5,570 cases against protesters who peacefully opposed controversial projects, CAA

The Tamil Nadu government has formally withdrawn 5,570 cases registered those who protested peacefully against the three Agricultural Amendment Laws and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as well as controversial projects such as the Salem-Chennai eight lane expressway, methane extraction, Neutrino and Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Cases registered by the erstwhile AIADMK regime against the media have also been withdrawn. This follows Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s announcement in the Assembly on June 24 that cases against media and protestors would be withdrawn. Home Secretary S.K. Prabakar in his order on September 4 said the Director General of Police had furnished details of cases registered for consideration of withdrawal. There are 26 cases against media, 2,831 cases against those who protested against the farm bills, 2,282 against the CAA protestors, 405 cases against Eight lane, Methane and Neutrino protests and 26 cases against Kudankulam protesters. The public prosecutor had opined that in cases where the investigation was still pending or charge sheet not taken on file, further action may be dropped by the police concerned. In cases where the cases are pending trial, the assistant public prosecutors in charge of respective cases may be directed to move an application under section 321 of the CrPc for withdrawal of prosecution and follow the procedure prescribed therein.

LJP MP Prince Raj Paswan booked for rape, party calls it ‘political conspiracy’

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP Prince Raj Paswan, a cousin of Chirag Paswan, has been booked on rape charges in New Delhi following a direction by a court, police said on Tuesday. A complaint was filed three months ago by the alleged victim, who is a party worker, and the case was registered under sections related to rape, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence, they said. LJP spokesperson Shravan Kumar defended Prince Raj and claimed that the allegations against him are a political conspiracy to malign him. He said the MP had lodged a complaint of extortion and blackmailing with Delhi Police on February 10 against the woman who has accused him of rape. The alleged rape took place in 2020, according to the complaint. The court’s direction came on September 9 and a case has been registered under relevant sections at the Connaught Place Police Station, a police officer said. Police said that an investigation is underway and nobody has been questioned in this regard yet. Without naming anyone, Shravan Kumar alleged that it was a political conspiracy and said the police should swiftly probe the case lodged by the Samartipur MP. We have absolute faith in the judiciary, he added. Without elaborating, he said cases of honey-trapping also frequently happen. LJP leader Chirag Paswan was also mentioned in the FIR, police said. The victim alleged that Chirag pressured her not to file the complaint against Prince, the police said. Chirag Paswan had earlier said that he had spoken to his cousin and the complainant when the matter was brought before him. He had asked both of them to pursue the matter with police, he had said. Chirag Paswan and Prince Raj are estranged now, with the latter joining the party faction headed by their uncle and Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras. In her complaint, the victim claimed that she met Prince first at the party office. They later met on many occasions and at one such meeting, the accused allegedly gave her something to drink. When she became unconscious, he made physical relations with her, the police said. When she confronted him later, he showed her a video recorded by him in which he was seen making physical relations with her. She also alleged that he proposed to marry her and threatened her that he would put the video on the internet, they said. She also alleged that Prince then started visiting her at odd hours.

Trinamool Congress nominates Sushmita Dev to Rajya Sabha

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday nominated Sushmita Dev for the Rajya Sabha. Dev is a former president of the Mahila Congress who joined the TMC only a month ago. We are extremely pleased to nominate @SushmitaDevAITC to the Upper House of Parliament. @MamataOfficial’s vision to empower women and ensure their maximum participation in politics shall help our society to achieve much more! the TMC tweeted from its official handle. Dev, who represented the Silchar Lok Sabha seat in Assam and had joined the TMC on August 17, thanked party chairperson Mamata Banerjee for the opportunity. I am overwhelmed. I thank my leader @MamataOfficial from the bottom of my heart. Her conviction to see more women in Parliament is exemplary. To give someone from northeast is path breaking. I will do my very best, Dev tweeted. The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant due to the resignation of Manas Ranjan Bhunia, who won the Assembly poll. Elections to six seats from five States are scheduled on October 4. The nomination of Dev assumes significance as it is crucial to the TMC’s plans to extend its footprint in the northeast. According to sources in the TMC, Dev is crucial for the campaign in Tripura where elections are scheduled in 2022. She has been visiting Tripura regularly with senior party leaders from West Bengal. Her father, veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev, represented the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat in the 1990s and Dev is the best face for the party in the State. Political observers say Dev is among the few from outside West Bengal nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Trinamool. Earlier, the TMC nominated industrialist K.D. Singh and a few months ago, retired bureaucrat Jawhar Sircar, to the Upper House

Yogi Adiyanath’s language changed as BJP is set to lose in U.P.: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday targetted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his abba jaan jibe, saying the BJP leader changed his language as the saffron party was destined to be wiped out in the 2022 assembly polls. The BJP is destined to go. That’s why the ‘mukhiya’ [head] of the government has changed his language. The people want change and prosperity, Yadav said in a press conference in Lucknow. Though he did not directly mention the abba jaan remarks made by Adityanath on Sunday, Yadav referred to the Chief Minister’s trip to Kushinagar where he made the controversial comment. People are asking questions. So they are deliberately changing their language. It’s certain the BJP is going to be wiped out in U.P., he asserted. On Sunday, Adityanath said that prior to his government’s formation in 2017, the ration meant for the poor would get ‘digested’ by those who uttered abba jaan. This led to a reaction on social media. Several users condemned his words and accused him of making communal references and shared posts about their fathers. In several parts of India, Muslims use the phrase abba jaan to refer to their fathers or as an endearment. However, in the recent context in the State’s politics, Adityanath’s remark was also seen as an attack on Akhilesh Yadav and his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, whom the right-wing led by BJP-RSS have for decades accused of minority appeasement, especially in the context of the firing on ‘karsevaks’ trying to break into the Babri Masjid enclosure in Ayodhya under his government in 1990. Speaking at an official function in Kushinagar, Adityanath, while taking a swipe at the alleged appeasement by previous governments, had said that now the BJP did not look at anyone’s face before providing them benefits likes toilets or grains. Are you getting ration? Did you get this ration prior to 2017? Back then, those who say ‘abba jaan’ would digest all the ration. Kushinagar’s ration would end up in Nepal and Bangladesh. If today anyone tries to swallow the ration of the poor, that person will land in jail, he claimed. The SP ruled U.P. from 2012 to 2017. In a recent interview to a television channel, when asked about the work done in the State since 2017, Adityanath took a swipe at Mulayam Singh Yadav and referred to the firing on the ‘karsevaks’ in 1990 under his tenure when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was at its peak, and the ongoing construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. His ‘abba jaan’ would say that he would not allow even a bird to fly [around the Babri Masjid enclosure], Adityanath said, boasting that the BJP had fulfilled its promise of building a Ram mandir.

Owaisi dares Centre to declare Taliban a terrorist outfit under UAPA

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday dared the Central government to declare the Taliban a terrorist organisation and put it on the list of outfits banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Addressing the media in Patna, Owaisi said, If the Central government has courage, it should declare the Taliban a terrorist organisation. Since 2013, I’ve been saying that the Taliban’s emergence could be a sign of concern for India and it might benefit China and Pakistan but for the BJP all Muslims are Taliban asked if the AIMIM will be contesting U.P. Assembly poll next year, Owaisi said his party was willing to contest on 100 seats. There is no tie-up yet for the poll but we can also go alone, Owaisi added. Those who accuse us of helping any party in elections should explain what happened during the parliamentary poll when AIMIM was not in the fray. In Bihar we contested on 19 seats and won five. We’re making expansion to ensure that Muslims should get their deserved rights, he said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Sri Lanka slams external initiatives at HRC

Sri Lanka on Tuesday said it rejects any external initiatives established by UN mechanisms, envisaged in the resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council in March, claiming that domestic processes are vigorously addressing questions of accountability and justice lingering from the civil war years. The March 2021 UN resolution on Sri Lanka, adopted with 22 of the 47 memberstates of Council backing it, underscored the persistent lack of accountabilityof domestic mechanisms, and decided to strengthen the capacity of the Office of the High Commissioner to collect, consolidate, analyse, and preserve information and evidence and todevelop strategies for future accountability processes for gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Sri Lanka. Delivering a statement a day after the UN Human Rights Chief’s oral update on Sri Lanka, in which she sought close attention on, and concrete actions from Sri Lanka, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris said external initiatives will polarise our society. The Council must adhere to its founding principles. External initiatives embarked upon without the cooperation of the country concerned cannot achieve their stated goals, and will be subject to politicisation, he noted, adding that Sri Lanka is committed to achieving tangible progress on the entire range of issues relating to accountability, reconciliation, human rights, peace and sustainable development. Govt. initiatives The Minister further outlinedinitiatives taken by the Rajapaksa administration, in regard to enforced disappearances, reparations, reconciliation efforts and institutional reform. Survivors of the country’s 30-yearlong civil war have repeatedly stated that the existing domestic mechanisms are yet to inspire faith, or deliver on past promises on truth, accountability and justice. Minister Peiris also pointedtoa Cabinet sub-committeetasked with evaluation and possible reform of the country’s anti-terrorism law, widely criticised as draconian. In her oral update on Monday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet sought an immediate moratorium on the use of the Act, and a clear timeline for its comprehensive review or repeal.

Britain delays full post- Brexit border checks from EU. 

Britain on Tuesday said it would push back its implementation of full post-Brexit borders checks on goods from the European Union, as the pandemic, red tape and new immigration rules fuel supply problems. Plans to introduce full controls in areas such as the import of food and animal products had been due from next month but would now start from January next year under a pragmatic new timetable, Downing Street said. Britain will still introduce fullcustoms declarations and controls on January 1, 2022, as planned. Certification and physical checks on foodand animal goods designed to protect against diseases, pests and contaminants – due to be introduced on January 1 – will now be introducedinJuly 2022. Requirements for Safety and Security declarations will be also be pushed back to July. We want businesses to focus on their recovery from the pandemic rather than have to deal with new requirements at the border, which is why we’ve set out a pragmatic new timetable for introducing full border controls, said Minister David Frost. Businesses will now have more time to prepare for these controls which will be phased in throughout 2022. The pandemic and the effectsof leaving the EU single market have left Britain short of truck drivers,causing supply problems, particularly in the food and drink sector.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Experts warn of imminent third wave of COVID-19 in Sept-Oct

An expert panel, set up by an institute under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has predicted a third wave of Covid-19 hitting the country anytime between September and October and suggested significantly ramping up the pace of vaccination. The committee of experts, constituted by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), also said that children will have a similar risk as adults since paediatric facilities, doctors and equipment like ventilators, ambulances, etc. are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of children become infected. The report, which has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), observed that only around 7.6% (10.4 cr) people are fully vaccinated in India and if the current vaccination rate is not increased, India can witness six lakh cases per day in the next wave. Leading experts have repeatedly warned of an imminent third Covid-19 wave in India. Epidemiologists predict a series of surges till we achieve herd immunity through infection or vaccination and the disease becomes endemic, the report said. The NIDM report quoted the prediction of experts from IIT Kanpur which suggested three likely scenarios for the third wave based on the level of unlocking. In scenario one, it said that the third wave could peak in October with 3.2 lakh positive cases per day. In scenario two, with the emergence of new and more virulent variants, the third wave could peak in September with likely five lakh positive cases per day. In scenario three, the experts predicted that the third wave could peak in late October with two lakh positive cases per day. According to the report, earlier, it was proposed that if 67% of the population became immune (a few by infection and rest through vaccination), herd immunity could be achieved. But this has now been complicated by the new and more virulent mutated variants of SARS Cov-2 that have the ability to escape immunity from earlier infections and in some cases even the prevalent vaccines, it said. This has pushed the target immune population for achieving herd immunity to 80-90%, it said. The report said there isn’t sufficient data to back widespread fears that children will be hit more severely in the anticipated third wave of the pandemic. However, as the virus continues to evolve, this is going to be a major challenge for children as there is no approved vaccine for children in India yet (first week of August). Children with Covid-19 infection have largely been seen to be asymptomatic or develop mild symptoms. But this becomes worrisome in case children have any comorbidity or other special needs. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, out of all the children hospitalised due to Covid-19, 60-70% had comorbidities or low immunity. Children have also been seen to develop MIS-C (Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome) which is a rare but extremely serious condition developed post-Covid recovery, it said. According to a parliamentary standing committee report in 2015, there is an 82% shortage of paediatricians in India’s primary health centres and up to 62.8% of positions for paediatricians in community health centres were vacant. According to a recent study done by professors and alumni from Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) in collaboration with Nirma University, the vaccination rate of India is currently 3.2% and if does not improve, India can witness six lakh cases per day in the third wave. 

CM Nitish-led all party team from Bihar meets PM Modi for caste census 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with a delegation of leaders from ten parties from the State, including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and BJP representatives, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for a caste census. Modi, it is learnt, has not given any assurances, though the meeting was described as positive. So far the BJP has walked a tightrope on the issue, with leaders from Bihar speaking in favour of a caste census while the party leadership at the Centre has kept mum. The wider implication of such a census on the party’s carefully crafted OBC bloc in U.P. has kept it on tenterhooks. Sources said the Prime Minister did not counter the delegation nor did he express the Centre’s inability to carry out such an exercise. Given that the last caste census was done in 1931, the delegation argued that it would be a historic step, if the Prime Minister was to hold a census now. At the end of the meeting after listening to each member of the delegation, Modi, as per sources, said he will get the issue thoroughly examined. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kumar said all parties spoke in one voice. It is up to the Prime Minister and the Union government to decide. We explained our stand and he sincerely heard us out, he said. He also said that the fear that a caste census will bring a return of the Mandal days with widespread protests and chaos is misplaced. Every person no matter which caste or religion he is from wants the caste census to take place. Once we have the caste data, then we can formulate policies for upliftment of each and every caste, the Chief Minister said. Tejashwi Yadav, who was part of the delegation, said that if the animals and trees can be counted so can people. The caste census is in national interest. It will help the poor and deprived sections of the society. The recent narrative on caste census built up by the Bihar parties could impact the U.P. elections. A senior leader who was part of the delegation said that when every political party in the country is demanding a caste census, and with BJP themselves claiming that they are not against it, the Centre will be hard put to delay it. The OBC community in every State is getting restive. They feel that their population, which is more than 55%, is not getting the benefits that they deserve. The reservation somehow is only applicable to class four posts. There is not a single secretary in any of the ministries here in Delhi who is from the OBC community, JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi said. Former Deputy CM of Bihar and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi, ahead of Monday’s meeting in a series of tweets, had said, BJP has never been against caste census; that’s why we supported the resolution passed in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council on this issue. BJP is also included in the delegation of Bihar to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

No immediate plan to ban two Hurriyat factions, says official 

The Central government is currently not thinking about any ban on the two Hurriyat factions, said a government official on Monday. Responding to reports in a section of the media that the Centre was considering a ban on the Hurriyat factions under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the official said there was no such plan at this stage. The Ministry of Home Affairs had banned the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) under the UAPA in March 2019, days after the Jamat-e-Islami (JeI-J&K) was proscribed under Section 3(1) of the Act. The decision to ban the JKLF followed a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government decides to ban any organisation based on evidence warranting such a step. In the past, probe agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have taken legal action against several separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. In July 2017, the NIA arrested seven persons, including Altaf Ahmed Shah who is the son-in-law of Syed Ali Shah Geelani. In a charge sheet filed in January 2018, it arraigned several separatist leaders for their alleged involvement in orchestrating violent protests in J&K. The NIA also conducted searches in February 2019 at multiple locations, including the premises of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF chief Yasin Malik, Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Shah, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman Mohammad Ashraf Khan and All Party Hurriyat Conference general secretary Masarat Alam. 

I-T portal glitches: Finance Minister sets September 15 as deadline for Infosys to resolve issues 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday conveyed to Infosys CEO Salil Parekh in no uncertain terms the government’s deep disappointment and concern over the continuing glitches in the new income tax filing portal and set September 15 as the deadline for the software major to resolve all snags. As glitches continued to mar the functioning of the portal even after over two months of its launch, Sitharaman summoned Infosys MD & CEO Parekh at her office here to know the reasons for not resolving the snags in the portal. A statement issued by the Income Tax Department said that during the meeting the finance minister emphasised that there is a need for putting in more resources and efforts on the part of Infosys so that the much delayed delivery of agreed services is ensured. Hon’ble Finance Minister demanded that the issues faced by taxpayers on current functionalities of the portal should be resolved by the team by 15th September 2021 so that taxpayers and professionals can work seamlessly on the portal, the I-T department said in a statement after the meeting. Sitharaman, the statement said, conveyed the deep disappointment and concerns of the government and the taxpayers about the continuing glitches in the e-filing portal. She sought an explanation from Infosys for the repeated issues faced by taxpayers, it added. During the meeting, Parekh was also sensitized on the difficulties that the taxpayers were facing and the problems that are arising on account of the delays in the functioning of the portal. Parekh explained that he and his team are doing everything to ensure the smooth functioning of the portal. Further, he said, over 750 team members are working on this project and Pravin Rao, COO of Infosys, is personally overseeing this project. He also assured that Infosys is working expeditiously to ensure a glitch-free experience to the taxpayers on the portal, the statement added. The portal, which went live on June 7, was not accessible on August 21 and 22 till late evening. It came back after what the tech major described as an emergency maintenance. This is the second time that Sitharaman has met the Infosys team over the issue. She had on June 22 met Parekh and Rao. Infosys was awarded the ₹4,242 crore contract in 2019 to develop the new portal. The project was aimed at developing the next-generation income tax filing system to reduce processing time for returns from 63 days to one day and also expedite refunds. Between January 2019 to June 2021, the government has paid ₹164.5 crore to Infosys for developing the portal. The new income tax e-filing portal ‘www.incometax.gov.in’, however, faced tech glitches from day one with users complaining that certain functionalities were either unavailable or working slow. Consequently, the I-T department had to allow the manual filing of remittance forms and also extend due dates for electronic filing of forms related to intimation by pension funds and sovereign wealth funds. PHDCCI Chair Direct Tax Committee Mukul Bagla said India has around 7 crore persons or entities who file their income tax returns. Due to glitches in the income tax portal, their day-to-day functioning has been adversely affected since June 7. Taxpayers are unable to download documents filed earlier with the income tax department or file their income tax returns for AY 2021-22 if they opt for new rates u/s 115BAC. The assessee is not able to file returns pursuant to notice u/s 148, file reply to penalty proceedings etc. Many other important tax functions have been affected, he said. In the absence of a fully functional income tax portal, we should suspend all income tax proceedings till it is functional and further extend due dates of filing ITR. Otherwise the life of the tax payer as well as the tax professional is very miserable, Bagla added. 

₹6 lakh cr national monetisation plan announced for infrastructure assets 

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday announced a ₹6 lakh crore National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) that will look to unlock value in infrastructure assets across sectors, ranging from power to road and railways. She also said the asset monetisation does not involve selling of land and it is about monetising brownfield assets. Projects have been identified across sectors, with roads, railways and power being the top segments. NMP estimates aggregate monetisation potential of ₹6 lakh crores through core assets of central government over the four-year period from FY 2022 to FY 2025, she said. Ownership of assets will remain with the government and there will be a mandatory hand-back. Asset monetisation will unlock resources and lead to value unlocking, she said. Union Budget 2021-22 had identified monetisation of operating public infrastructure assets as a key means for sustainable infrastructure financing. Towards this, the Budget provided for preparation of a ‘National Monetisation Pipeline’ of potential brownfield infrastructure assets. NITI Aayog in consultation with infra line ministries has prepared the report on NMP. The aggregate asset pipeline under NMP over the four-year period is indicatively valued at ₹6 lakh crore. The estimated value corresponds to 14% of the proposed outlay for Centre under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (₹43 lakh crore). The end objective of this initiative is to enable infrastructure creation through monetisation wherein the public and private sector collaborate, each excelling in their core areas of competence, so as to deliver socio-economic growth and quality of life to the country’s citizens, she added. 

Clinical trial participants to get digital vaccination certificates 

Digital Covid-19 vaccination certificates will now be issued to the clinical trial participants of Covishield and Covaxin through Co-WIN, tweeted Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday. The Minister added that the nation thanks them (trial participants) for their incredible commitment & contribution to COVID-19 vaccine research & treatment. He said participants can download their individual certificates through Co-WIN Portal, Aarogya Setu, Digilocker or the UMANG application. The Union Health Ministry in its release noted that Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in partnership with Serum Institute of India (SII) had conducted phase II/III bridging studies of Covishield from August 2020. Phase III efficacy clinical trials for Covaxin were also conducted by Bharat Biotech International Limited from November 2020.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

U.S. grants Pfizer vaccine full approval, triggers new mandates. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, a move expected to trigger a new wave of vaccine mandates as the Delta variant batters the country. Around 52% of the country is fully vaccinated, but health authorities have hit a wall of vaccine hesitant people, impeding the national campaign. The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement. While all three COVID vaccines have met FDA’s strict standards for emergency use, this FDA approval should give added confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective. If you’re not vaccinated yet, now is the time, tweeted President Joe Biden. The vaccine, which will. Now be marketed under its brand name Comirnaty, is the first to receive full approval. More than 200 million shots have already been administered under an emergency use authorization (EUA) that was granted on December 11, 2020. The FDA is continuing to investigate safety data regarding myocarditis (heart inflammation), particularly within seven days after the second dose. The U.S. military said shortly after the announcement that it would mandate the vaccine, and a slew of, more businesses will private businesses and un- require the vaccine as a coniversities are expected to follow. Immediately after the announcement, New York City said it would require all its department of education employees to receive at least one dose of vaccine by September 27. The vaccine remains available under emergency use authorisation to children aged 12 to 15, but because it has now been fully approved, physicians may prescribe it to children under 12 if they believe it will be beneficial. One of the talking points of the anti-vaccine movement which has falsely claimed that this was an ‘experimental vaccine’ has been removed, Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security said.

Nepal PM Deuba behind silent campaign against Oli: Bhattarai. 

The Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba has launched a silent campaign against former premier K.P. Sharma Oli that is fast reconfiguring the political set-up in Nepal, said a leading member of Mr. Oli’s party, CPN-UML. The allegation by Mr. Rajan Bhattarai, the chief of the foreign affairs cell of the party, came on a day when Mr. Vijay Chauthaiwale of Bharatiya Janata Party’s foreign affairs cell held extensive discussion on the changing political scenario of Nepal. He has changed the rules of formation of Nepal’s political parties and helped Madhav Kumar Nepal in splitting away from CPN-UML. This was done to reduce the size and influence of our party which is the largest communist party of Nepal. This is aimed at strengthening the position of the government, said Mr. Bhattarai, explaining that the move will have widespread ramification in Nepal’s political system. The government of Prime Minister Deuba on August 18 passed an ordinance that allows split in a political party with the support of 20% central committee or parliamentary party members. Earlier, the requirement for registering a new party was support from 40% members of central committee or parliamentary party. The ordinance has benefited former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal, who was among the main challengers against Mr. Oli and created a series of political crises for Mr. Oli that ultimately led to his dismissal by the Supreme Court of Nepal. Mr. Nepal has formed a separate party. The ordinance is expected to reconfigure the setting of the political parties in Nepal and influence the equation between the government of Mr. Deuba and the rest of the political class. In the midst of the ongoing political reconfiguration, Mr. Chauthaiwale held a meeting with the leaders of several political parties in Kathmandu. Mr. Chauthaiwale is the first high-level Indian delegate to visit Nepal since the August 18 amendment was passed by the Deuba government. The Opposition led by CPN-UML has been criticising the amendment as a move to corner more political power. In last 24 hours, I met four senior-most leaders of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, K.P. Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Mahanta Thakur Ji, representing diverse ideological and political spectrum, said Mr. Chauthaiwale in a social media post.