RIVANCH

In his latest speech in Parliament, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said, among other things, that India is described in the Constitution as a “union of states” and not as a nation. There can be no quarrels with the first part of his assertion: Article 1(1) of the Constitution states precisely that. The first sub-clause reads: India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. What, however, did Rahul Gandhi mean when he also added that India is not a nation? He seemed to give some explanation by going on to say that someone from Tamil Nadu should have the same rights as someone from Maharashtra. This begs a question: If someone from Tamil Nadu should have the same rights as someone from Maharashtra, doesn’t that necessitate that India be a  nation  with some level of homogeneity? And the fact that India is a nation is precisely what can be found in the very Constitution Rahul Gandhi referenced in his speech. The Preamble resolves to constitute India into a republic to secure to

Petrol and diesel prices remained unchanged in the country on Sunday, 6 February. In Delhi, fuel is relatively cheaper than the rest of the metros because the state government had earlier decided to reduce the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on petrol, bringing down the price of the fuel in the city by about Rs 8 per litre. At a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, it was decided that the VAT on petrol will be reduced from the present 30 percent to 19.4 percent, leading to a cut of around Rs 8 per litre, officials said. The price of petrol after the VAT cut will go down from the current Rs 103 per litre to Rs 95 per litre, sources told PTI . Earlier, the petrol price in Delhi was higher as compared to the NCR cities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, where the state governments had announced a VAT cut following the Centre reducing the excise duty on fuel prices. The Centre had on the eve of Diwali, announced excise duty cut on fuels resulting in a sharp decrease in petrol a

The global electric vehicle (EV) industry has significantly evolved over the last decade led by China, followed by other major automobile markets. China leads the group, in terms of the number of EVs and model variants (200+), developed vendor ecosystem, charging infrastructure and battery cell manufacturing capabilities, which has resulted in economies of scale benefits and thereby affordable pricing compared to other markets. India, however, lags considerably in terms of EV penetration, compared to other larger markets and much still needs to be done as far as the number of models, charging infrastructure, developing vendor ecosystem and providing financial incentives are concerned. The country has a negligible share in EVs, even though we are the largest 2W and 3W market globally and amongst the top five in commercial vehicles (CV) and passenger cars. That said, the scope for growth is encouraging in the electric two and three-wheeler segment, followed by the electric bus segment

There are many videos of elephants on social media that go viral for their cuteness and adorability. But a recent one has caught the attention of people for a totally different reason. A video of an elephant family trying to cross over a barrier alongside a railway track in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district is currently going viral. This heart-breaking clip has once again triggered a discussion among people regarding the need for wildlife corridors. However, after the video grabbed all the attention, the concerned authorities took quick action to cut a path for elephants passing by. The video was shared on 2 February by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer Supriya Sahu on her Twitter handle. In her post, she expressed her dissatisfaction stating that elephants in that area were facing issues to cross over the barriers. “Distressing to see that this herd of elephants had to negotiate their way through a danger-filled railway track. Need to have a mandatory SOP for all infra agenc

The finance minister delivered a Union Budget that the MSME sector welcomed wholeheartedly, as India is coming out gradually from the reeling impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The worst-hit MSME sector stands to benefit most from the Budget announcements. The Union Budget 2022-23 seems intent on not just prioritising the revival of MSMEs but also giving the sector a much-needed boost. As a sector that is responsible for around 45 percent of the country’s total manufacturing output, 40 percent exports, and almost 30 percent of the national GDP, there’s no doubt the MSME sector deserves to be a top priority. However, what exactly are the Budget announcements the MSME sector is counting on and why? Read on to know. Over the next five years, the government intends to roll out a Rs 6,000-crore-worth programme to rate MSMEs. As part of this rollout, the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, or ECLGS, will be extended up to March 2023. Additionally, the guaranteed cover amount will be expanded

The government relaxed the fiscal deficit targets to meet the huge funding requirements for productive asset creation, without which achieving targets under both the Bharatmala and the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) would have been challenging. NIP involves an outlay of around Rs 20.3 trillion in the road sector over FY2020-FY2025 and is expected to play a significant role in asset creation. Of the total outlay under NIP, the central government’s contribution stands at Rs 13.8 trillion with the balance of Rs 6.5 trillion to be contributed by the state governments. However, budgetary allocations have lagged behind and not kept pace with the funding requirement of these plans. The central government has allocated a total of Rs 4.9 trillion between FY2020 and FY2022 (36 percent of the total outlay). Of this, Rs 2.9 trillion is provided as gross budgetary support by the central government while the balance of Rs 2.0 trillion was funded by raising debt at NHAI. Consequently, the t

Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami is an auspicious day that is solely dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. She is the wife of Brahma and is considered as the Goddess of knowledge, music, learning, and arts, as per the Hindus. This year, Basant Panchami will be observed on 5 February (Saturday). Hindus celebrate this festival with great pomp and show across the country especially on the fifth day (Panchami Tithi) of Magha month, Shukla Paksha. As per their belief, Hindus begin a new work, get married or even perform a house warming ceremony during this time. They consider this season and time to be extremely auspicious for such occasions. Here are a few wishes, messages for Facebook and WhatsApp to celebrate Basant Panchami 2022 - Status for WhatsApp and Facebook: Hope the light of wisdom inspires your life to the fullest, wishing you a very Happy Basant Panchami 2022. I hope your life is always filled with smiles and happiness. Happy Vasant Panchami! May you rise daily with inspirati

Basant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day or Panchami of the Magha month, as per the Hindu calendar.  This year, the festival falls on 5 February. Basant Panchami marks the beginning of the spring season and the end of the harsh, cold winter season. The day is also marked as Saraswati Puja in Bihar, West Bengal and other parts of eastern India. On this day, people offer prayer to Goddess Saraswati, who is the patron of knowledge and learning. The colour yellow holds a special significance for Basant Panchami, as it symbolises prosperity, energy and optimism. Many people wear new clothes and make a variety of delectable dishes to celebrate the occasion. As with any festival, food plays an important role in Basant Panchami, with some dishes being essential to the celebrations. Here are some easy traditional recipes you can make for Basant Panchami this year: Khichdi : This mix of rice and pulses is a staple for Basant Panchami. With a generous dose of ghee and some crunchy delig

In his first interview after filing nomination from the Gorakhpur Assembly seat, Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not against any particular religion but is opposed to appeasement politics. Explaining explain his relationship with the Muslim community, Uttar Pradesh's chief minister told Rahul Joshi, Group Editor-in-Chief, Network18 that the BJP and his government firmly believe in ‘Sabka Saath, Sakba Vikas’. #YogiToNews18 #ElectionsWithNews18 What does U.P CM Yogi Adityanath say about not announcing any Muslim candidate? Watch this mega exclusive feisty conversation between Uttar Pradesh CM @myogiadityanath and Network18 Group editor @18RahulJoshi pic.twitter.com/U6E6hrumk3 — News18 (@CNNnews18) February 4, 2022 “There is a Muslim minister in my cabinet. There is a Muslim minister in the Union Cabinet. Arif Mohammad Khan is serving as the Governor in Kerala... We are not focused on faces, but on development, ha

In an exclusive interview to News18 on Friday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath placing confidence in BJP's 'double-engine government' said that the electoral battle in UP polls this year will be of 80:20 ratio. "The 'double engine' government will win with majority because women, children and people of all sections have benefitted under this government. The Bharatiya Janata Party's 'double engine' government will get more than 300 votes this time. There's no doubt in that. It's a competition of 80:20 — BJP will get 80 percent of seats and other parties will get 20 percent," Yogi told Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi in an interview in Gorakhpur. Attack on Owaisi's vehicle 'unacceptable': Yogi In his first interview after filing nomination for the Gorakhpur Assembly seat, Adityanath said that the firing on Asaduddin Owaisi's vehicle on Thursday was "intolerable and unacceptable". Co

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the entire gamut of cancer care in India, including delaying diagnosis and treatment, and halting clinical trials. The diagnosis and management of cancer are time-sensitive and are likely to be substantially affected by these disruptions.  In response, healthcare systems are rapidly reorganizing cancer services to ensure that patients continue to receive essential care while minimizing exposure to the COVID-19 infection. According to a Lancet Oncology study, India reports about 1.3 million cancer cases annually and almost eight per cent of total deaths. This is likely to increase in the next 5-10 years due to delay in diagnosis and treatment owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 exposed cancer care vulnerabilities The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed several vulnerabilities and adversely affected cancer care. Lockdowns and restrictions on movement during the pandemic, along with patients’ fear of contracting COVID-19, prevented patients from trav

The birth anniversary of Pandit Birju Maharaj falls today, 4 February. The legendary Kathak maestro passed away on 17 January this year at the age of 83. Born as Brij Mohan Nath Mishra to a family of known Kathak dancers in Lucknow, Birju Maharaj was one of the most famous performing artists in the country. He belonged to the Kalka-Bindadin Gharana. The Kathak maestro’s uncles Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj and his father and guru Acchan Maharaj, had a huge impact on his life and craft. According to a Hindustan Times report, he was also greatly influenced by Bindadeen Maharaj. Birju Maharaj began performing alongside his father from the age of seven. By the time he was a teenager, he had become a Guru (Maharaj). By the time he reached 28 years of age, he had been awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. He was fondly called Pandit-ji or Maharaj-ji by his followers. Birju Maharaj was also an excellent singer, with an impeccable command over Dadra, Thumri, Bhajan and Ghazal. He

Given that many businesses have bitten dust post-COVID, the finance minister in Budget 2022 introduced bold new fiscal policies, giving tax breaks to MSMEs, and increased liquidity in the market by putting money in the hands of the people to kickstart the economy. As the nation starts picking up the pieces after two tough years, the Narendra Modi government has extended its symbolic credit arm to favourably reach out to the forgotten middle – the beleaguered SMEs/ MSMEs – a sector that has been under a wrench, but is also one of the largest job creators in the country. Access to credit for SMEs/MSMEs With over 95 percent of India’s businesses falling in the SME and MSME category, banks and lending agencies are finding it increasingly difficult to provide credit to this sector. It is noteworthy that this sector contributes to 30 percent of the GDP of India. The conventional approach to funding SMEs/MSMEs has been through the traditional route of overdraft facilities, bank loans, and

In the round-up to the Budget, there was a general perception that there could be populist measures like rejig of tax slabs, increase in the standard deduction, etc. to provide a feel-good factor. However, it’s very heartening to note that the finance minister in the Budget placed before the Parliament on 1 February succumbed to no such temptation and on the contrary, her proposals were much forward-looking. The major amendments with respect to individual taxation are discussed: Filing of updated return of income With an objective of voluntary compliance, it is proposed that an individual can file an updated return of income (even if an original or amended return of income is not filed) to offer additional income and pay the tax (and interest) due on it along with additional tax as prescribed.  Such voluntary updation of return can be done any time within twenty-four months from the end of the relevant assessment year. Conditions have been stipulated when such voluntary updation can

COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges for the world economy. The Indian pharmaceutical industry, which ranks third in the world in terms of production by volume, has emerged as a key player in providing the much-needed support and impetus to the healthcare system and the economy. The Government of India (GoI) has been equally proactive in recognising the need to boost and support the healthcare and life sciences sector at large. Recently, the GoI released the Economic Survey 2021-22. The Economic Survey considered the existing circumstances which demonstrate volatility, uncertainty, complexity and unambiguity. Therefore, the central theme of ‘agile’ approach was adopted in contrast to the pre-determined ‘waterfall’ approach. The Economic Survey suggested that the overall health of the economy has reached pre-pandemic levels. Particularly for the pharmaceutical industry, the Economic Survey indicated extraordinary growth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during 2020-2

Students appearing for Class 12 board exams in Bihar were forced to write papers in front of the headlights of cars parked inside the exam centre. The incident took place at Maharaja Harendra Kishore Singh college in Motihari town on 1 February, where over 400 students sat in front of the headlights of cars to write their papers. The video of the incident, which was shared by news agency ANI , has gone viral on the internet. In the 22-second clip, students can be seen writing their Hindi papers with the help of car headlights as the only source of light. Watch the video here: #WATCH | Students took their Class 12 exam in the light of car headlights at an exam centre in Motihari, Bihar on Tuesday evening pic.twitter.com/67hiEHD2Tx — ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2022 Since being shared on Twitter, the video has garnered 36.6k views and 191 retweets. Users slammed the authorities for the mismanagement. As per The Times of India, the exam for the second sitting was scheduled to be h

In what was perhaps the briefest Budget presentations in recent years, the Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman made it amply clear that 'growth' is a priority for the government in a post-pandemic India. A significant increase in capital expenditure of over 35 percent to Rs 7.5 lakh crores is indicative of the fact that the government is stepping up to achieve its target of 8-8.5 percent GDP growth in FY’23. The Budget speech set the stage for long-term growth over 25 years with an all-inclusive focus on promoting digital and fintech economy, technology-led development, and positive climate action. Supporting MSMEs and startups The finance minister announced the extension of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) till March 2023 along with an enhanced guarantee cover of Rs 50,000 crore (that takes the total limit to Rs 5 lakh crore) for micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) is a crucial move to help the backbone of the economy that in most cases had to bea

The official notifications for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination 2022 and the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (CSE) 2022 have been released by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Interested aspirants can view the notification and register for the exams at the official website at https://upsconline.nic.in/ . Steps to register for UPSC CSE and IFS exam 2022: ―    Visit the official website at https://ift.tt/Nz8FpkB19 ―    Click on the link for online application for UPSC exams and select the link for the exam you wish to take ―    Register yourself at the UPSC portal and complete the application ―    Pay the UPSC application fee and submit the completed application ―    Take a printout of the completed UPSC application for future reference Direct link to apply is here . According to the official notice released by the UPSC, candidates can apply for the exam by 6 pm on 22 February. The exam will be held by the UPSC on 5 June this year. Eligibility crite

The Budget 2022-23 is highly focused on ‘growth’ and ‘capex spending’ across sectors and is a positive step in the right direction. For a ‘multiplier effect’ which the consumer retail sector looks out for, Budget 2022-2023 seems to have strategically chosen to address the ‘supply’ side, instead of giving a ‘direct booster’ to the demand-side for increasing disposable income. In the medium to long-term, Budget 2022-23 seems to be aiming at giving a good push to infrastructure by significantly increased capital expenditure, with a renewed focus on supply chain and logistics, and domestic manufacturing. This should, in the medium to long-term, result in a strong employment generation, buoyancy, and growth in the economy, thereby benefiting the sector. Key takeaways for the sector from the Budget 2022-23 : Capital expenditure Large capital expenditure increase of 35.4 percent in FY 2022-23 vs FY 2021-22, taking the capex of the government to 2.9 percent of GDP. This is the highest-ever

Petrol and diesel prices remained unchanged in the country on Thursday, 3 February. In Delhi, fuel is relatively cheaper than the rest of the metros because the state government had earlier decided to reduce the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on petrol, bringing down the price of the fuel in the city by about Rs 8 per litre. At a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, it was decided that the VAT on petrol will be reduced from the present 30 percent to 19.4 percent, leading to a cut of around Rs 8 per litre, officials said. The price of petrol after the VAT cut will go down from the current Rs 103 per litre to Rs 95 per litre, sources told PTI . Earlier, the petrol price in Delhi was higher as compared to the NCR cities in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, where the state governments had announced a VAT cut following the Centre reducing the excise duty on fuel prices. The Centre had on the eve of Diwali, announced excise duty cut on fuels resulting in a sharp decrease in petrol