GS-III

The Congress on Tuesday denied reports that Finance Ministers from Opposition-ruled States at the GST Council had objected to recently announced reduction in tax rates of several items. “An impression has been sought to be conveyed that the BJP was trying to reduce the taxes while the Congress or Opposition …

Senior Superintendent of Police, Noida, Ajay Pal said on Tuesday that the notice to private firms in Noida Sector 58 was issued by the SHO of the area police station, Pankaj Rai. The SHO told the media that the notice was issued to 23 companies as over the past few …

An estimated 30 million newborns require specialised care in hospital every year without which many either die or develop preventable health conditions and disabilities that affect them for life, according to a recent study by a global coalition that includes UNICEF and WHO. The report urges countries to invest in …

At least 260 leopards were poached in the country between 2015 and 2018, with Uttarakhand accounting for 60 cases and Himachal Pradesh reporting another 49, according to information given to Parliament by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Of this, 64 cases of leopard poaching were recorded …

Authorities in tourist hotspot Leh have put 65 tonnes of waste to productive use after the ecologically sensitive region’s garbage output went up drastically following the release of 3 Idiots on Christmas day nine years ago, drawing tourists in hordes. “The 65,000 kg of waste was first collected from the …

The draft rules proposed by the government to curb “unlawful content” on social media that make it mandatory for intermediaries to trace the “originator” of such content have drawn strong criticism from the Opposition. The latter contend that the state is expanding the scope for surveillance of citizens. However, a …

Scientists have successfully used sound waves to levitate and manipulate multiple objects simultaneously for the first time, using the system to “sew” a thread into a piece of fabric. The system could be use to acoustically stitch up internal injuries or deliver drugs to target organs. Sound exerts a small …

About 97.5% of goods are already in the 18% or lower Goods and Services Tax bracket, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wrote in a blog post on Monday, adding that though the GST revenue targets set are ‘very stiff’, several States are already achieving those targets. Mr. Jaitley also wrote that …

Lupin Ltd. on Monday announced a partnership with global pharmaceutical giant AbbVie for the development and commercialisation of its novel oncology drug to treat hematological cancers. AbbVie has entered into a licensing agreement with Lupin for its MALT1 (Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation Protein 1) inhibitor programme and taken the …

Pointing that a number of lynching incidents were reported in 2018 mostly due to fake news being circulated through WhatsApp and other social media sites, the government said social media has brought new challenges for the law enforcement agencies, including inducement for recruitment of terrorists, circulation of obscene content, spread …

Notwithstanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 will be passed, the numbers are stacked against the legislation in the Rajya Sabha. The new triple talaq Bill that makes the offence (of resorting to triple talaq) a bailable one is slated …

With farmer issues taking centre stage in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the BJP-led government was making dedicated efforts to bring a fundamental transformation in the farm sector. The Centre was taking a new initiative with a scientific approach to bring …

The Narendra Modi government’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project may turn out to be a loss-making proposition and burden Maharashtra’s already dwindling finances, the latest information obtained by an activist under the Right to Information (RTI) has revealed. As per the RTI response, a State Transport Department report has highlighted several …

India’s longest rail-road bridge that took Rs. 5,920 crore to build was born “small” on paper – a scribbled note in Parliament after a dramatic display of anger – 22 years ago. The 4.94 km Bogibeel, the fourth bridge across river Brahmaputra to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi …

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. has decided to induct the first six-car train on the Green Line in the first week of January. The BMRCL is likely to operate the six-car train, with a capacity to carry close to 2,000 passengers, during peak hours. Source :  https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/green-line-to-get-six-car-train-in-jan-first-week/article25823618.ece

Getting a coveted engineering seat involves students having to score well in their board exams and getting a good rank in entrance exams. But of late, an increasing number of students are finding it a challenge to continue studying engineering. After taking up engineering, some students are deciding to drop …

WhatsApp, FB will be asked to remove ‘unlawful’ content under proposed rules The government has sought public comments on the proposed amendments to the IT Act that seek to make it mandatory for platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter to trace “originator” of “unlawful” information, while also removing such …

The GST Council is likely to consider lowering GST on under-construction flats and houses to 5% in its meeting next month, an official said.Currently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied at 12% on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued …

The Goods and Service Tax (GST) has had good impact on the manufacturing industry in India. Starting out a bit rockily, GST implementation has impacted the manufacturing industry favourably by bringing in a unified and consistent tax structure. Businesses that were facing slowdowns in the early days its roll-out, are …

India needs to open up its dredging market to boost trade by its major ports, which currently cannot handle very large vessels in the absence of proper draft depth, government think tank NITI Aayog has said.More competition, mainly from global players, in dredging activities would help increase and maintain draft …