Inter-state agri trading via eNAM in 8 states so far: Govt

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February 7, 2019

Eight states including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are offering inter-state trading via 21 electronic national agricultural market (eNAM) so far in the country, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal said on Thursday.

Under the eNAM, launched in 2016, agri-trading was initially allowed within a mandi and later inter-mandi within a state was permitted. So far, 10 states are offering inter-mandi trade within their states.

Now, inter-state trading via eNAM mandis has started.

“Inter-state trade of agricultural produce in wholesale mandis through eNAM platform is gathering pace…,” Agarwal said in a statement.

As many as 136 transactions have taken place so far via inter-state eNAM trading. Over 14 commodities like vegetables, pulses, cereals, oilseeds, spices among others have been traded in a short span of time, he said.

“Volume of inter-state trade is also picking up as farmers and traders are gaining confidence in the system,” the Secretary said.

Initially started with 25 commodities, e-trade facilities have been provided on 124 commodities with tradable parameters on e-NAM portal.

Agarwal said, the latest transaction took place at the Madhya Pradesh Mandsaur e-NAM mandi, which sold coriander to the Ramganj mandi of Rajasthan.

Similarly, inter-state transaction took place at the Maharashtra’s Akola e-NAM mandi, which sold green gram to the Nokha mandi of Rajasthan.

“So far, 21 e-NAM mandis of eight states namely Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have joined hands to start inter-state trade on e-NAM,” Agarwal said.

Apart from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, inter-state trade also happened between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Rajasthan is the first state to start inter-state trade with more than one state, establishing trade link with Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh through e-NAM.

Inter-state trade on eNAM aims to remove barriers of movement of agriculture produce between geographies, increases income through appropriate monetisation of farmers’ produce.

The Secretary said the details on logistic providers is also being provided on the e-NAM portal to traders from outside the state, which will facilitate transportation of commodities after trading.

Interim Budget 2019 – Affordable Housing Gains Amidst High Electoral Pitch

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February 7, 2019

The interim budget was more or less a vote bank-facing exercise – an electoral pitch that drew attention to past achievements. Vote-bank directed announcements included benefits to 12-crore small farmers via credit of INR 6k/year directly into their bank accounts, and also to 10 crore labourers by way of direct pension bonanza.

Direct and indirect positives for the real estate sector:

Boost to Affordable Homes: People earning up to 5 lakhs will get a full tax rebate. However, if one invests in specified Government saving schemes then the tax exemption extends to Rs. 6.5 lakhs. This can have good implications for affordable housing, but not really on the mid-income housing.

The Government also extended the benefit of tax exemption for developers by 1 more year, up to 2020 now. This, too, will give a push to the affordable housing segment.

Electricity for all by 2019 could have positive implications by making more far-flung areas liveable and therefore more viable for affordable housing.

The standard deduction for the salaried class was raised from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000, which definitely implies some increase in disposable income.

There was a decisive push to the second home market via exemption of notional rent on second self-occupied homes. This could boost the second home market to some extent.

Unsold Inventory Benefits: The period for taxing unsold inventory has been extended up to two years. This is a welcome move and will benefit the housing sector, as currently there are more than 6.73 lakh unsold units across the top 7 cities.

Boost to Investors: There will now be no tax on house rents up to Rs. 2.4 lakh from the previous limit of Rs. 1.8 lakh. This can attract more investors to buy second homes for earning rental income.

The rollover of capital gains tax on the sale of houses has been increased from 1 to 2 houses. This is a good move to incentivize genuine homebuyers and investors to buy new properties.

Infra push: Infrastructure was given a major push by increasing spending in airports, railways etc. This indirectly benefits the real estate sector, but much depends on actual implementation. There has been a huge gap between allocations and actual disbursements towards projects so far. On a direct positive, it will increase the demand for logistics and warehousing.

There was a significant boost to rural development by the sanctioning of Rs. 19000 crore for this fiscal. As per the Government, construction of rural roads tripled in 5 years, and if the momentum is maintained, then the increased connectivity will definitely help the real estate sector.

On the Downside:

There was no major tax relief to the ‘real’ middle-class.

No announcements were made with regards to clearing the NBFC deadlock which continues to hold the real estate sector to ransom.

Industry status for the real estate sector, while not really expected, was ignored again.

There were promises of reduction on GST burden on homebuyers, but no announcement of actual relief

To bail itself out from the issue of job creation deficit in the country, this budget could have given a far more decisive impetus to real estate sector – one of the largest creators of jobs. Alternately, it could have created a stress-asset fund to bail out distressed homebuyers.

All in all, this was a balanced budget for real estate, even though it was clearly configured as a crowd-pleasing electoral pitch with a cursory nod towards the ongoing challenges in the economy.

For the housing sector to regain significant momentum, the real need is to woo back the long-term investors who exited the residential market. One possible way was to re-introduce the home loan benefit on second homes. The Government’s move on this front is certainly welcome.

In mature markets, long-term investors keep the equity flow intact, and Indian real estate needs to have equity inflow rather than relying on debt. Equity can come through long-term investors and private equity or institutional players.

Definitely, no single Union Budget has ever actually come to the rescue of the real estate industry. Any incumbent Government perpetually walks a perpetual tightrope stretched between the expectations of various industries and compelling economic prerogatives. Also, there are always areas for which there are no quick fixes possible at all.

Anuj Puri

Mamata is today’s Rani Jhansi, won’t kowtow to Centre: TMC

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February 7, 2019

The Trinamool Congress on Thursday called its leader Mamata Banerjee as “today’s Jhansi Ki Rani” and warned the BJP government that like the brave queen, the TMC chief will not be cowed down by “attacks” as the people were with her party.

Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address in Lok Sabha, TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi drew a parallel between the central government and the pre-independence British regime, alleging that both have used threats and intimidation to quell opposition.

“Recently a movie called Manikarnika was released…. We are reminded of Queen of Jhansi…. Who was Rani Jhansi? She was an ordinary woman whom people chose that she should guard Jhansi,” he said.

“In Bengal also there is Rani Jhansi whose name is Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee said that ‘sar kata sakte haen lekin sar jhuka sakte nahin’ (we are ready to be beheaded but will not kowtow). She is today’s Rani Jhansi who is an ordinary women and not a queen,” Trivedi said, referring to the West Bengal chief minister

“No matter how much you attack us it will not affect us as the public is with us,” he said.

Against the backdrop of the standoff between the Centre and the West Bengal government on the CBI issue, he alleged that the central government was trying to frighten the TMC to toe its line.

Coming down heavily on the BJP-led government on its performance, he claimed that four things, including demonetisation and unemployment, “will take you where you came from in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections”.

Ahead of LS polls, PM to launch railway projects with ‘Make in India’ focus

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February 7, 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch at least three new railway projects in the coming weeks, which were accomplished during the tenure of the present government highlighting the theme of ‘Make in India’, just before the model code of conduct kicks in.

Sources said that officials at different railway zones have also been asked to list their major achievements within a month so that they can be showcased in a “fitting manner”.

First off the mark will be flagging off of the Train 18 or Vande Bharat Express on February 15 from the New Delhi railway station. The train was manufactured in just 18 months by the Integral Coach Factor in Chennai, officials said.

India’s first engineless train, Vande Bharat Express, will travel from Delhi to Varanasi on its first run.

The second major event will be held on February 19, when the prime minister will flag off the railways’ first-ever converted-locomotive — a diesel locomotive converted into an electric one, they said.

“The locomotive is likely to be launched by the prime minister from Varanasi and it will travel to Ludhiana,” a railway official said.

On February 27, the prime minister is slated to lay the foundation stone for the new broad gauge railway line connecting Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu, which was destroyed in a cyclone in 1964 and had remained unattended since then.

The line connecting the two major pilgrim destinations will be built at a cost of Rs 208 crore.

Kejriwal launches bike ambulances for east Delhi on pilot basis

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February 7, 2019

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched on Thursday bike-ambulance services, equipped with GPS device, for east Delhi on a pilot basis, saying it would provide a quick pre-hospital response in congested areas.

Talking to reporters after flagging off the fleet of 16 bike ambulances (First Responder Vehicles) outside the Delhi Secretariat here, Kejriwal said it was a big step taken by the Aam Aadmi Party government for the people.

The Chief Minister said that it was difficult for four-wheeler ambulances to enter narrow lanes.

“If there’s a medical emergency in narrow bylanes, bike ambulance can go there and immediately provide its service to patients.”

The AAP chief said that the number of bike ambulances would be increased in the coming days.

The government in a statement said that Centralised Accident & Trauma Services (CATS) purchased 16 bikes which are fabricated and medically equipped.

Among the facilities available in FRV include a portable oxygen cylinder, a first aid kit and dressing materials, air-splints, foldable transfer sheets, ambu bags, glucometer, pulse oximeter, a portable manual suction machine, a GPS device, and a communication device.

These FRVs are manned by trained ambulance manpower. Against the sanctioned funds of Rs 40 lakhs, the project is completed in Rs 23 lakhs, the statement stated.

Congress will scrap Triple Talaq law when it comes to power: Sushmita Dev

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February 7, 2019

The Congress will scrap the triple talaq law if it forms the government in 2019, the party’s women’s wing chief Sushmita Dev said on Thursday.

Addressing the Congress’ Minority Department convention here, Dev alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had created an atmosphere pitting Muslim women against Muslim men through the triple talaq law.

“A lot of people told us that women will be empowered if the triple talaq bill is passed. But we opposed that law because it is a weapon that Narendra Modi Ji has prepared to put Muslim men in jail and make them stand in police stations,” the All India Mahila Congress Chief said.

She hailed Muslim women from all parts of the country for writing “crores of letters, carrying out signature campaigns and rebelling against” the law.

“The Congress party stood up and opposed it in Parliament. I promise you, people, that the Congress government will come in 2019 and we will scrap this law. But it is also certain that whatever law is brought for women’s empowerment, by whichever government, the Congress will support it,” Dev said.

In December last year, a fresh bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offense was introduced in Lok Sabha to replace an ordinance issued in September.

Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 superseded an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The earlier bill was approved by the Lower House. Amid opposition by some parties in the Upper House, the government cleared some amendments, including the introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more palatable.

As the bill continued to face resistance in Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating amendments.

The ordinance was re-promulgated recently as the first one was about to expire.

The government has maintained that despite the Supreme Court striking down the practice of talaq-e-biddat (instant triple talaq) as unconstitutional, men were divorcing their wives on flimsy grounds and even via WhatsApp.

The opposition has said divorce cannot be made a penal offense and the provisions of the bill are against basic principles of the Constitution.

About 15.7 lakh public grievances against govt departments in 2018

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February 7, 2019

Around 15.7 lakh public grievances were received last year against various central government departments, Union minister Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Of these, 14.98 lakh were disposed of and nearly 8.4 lakh grievances were pending, he said in a written reply.

In 2017, around 18.66 lakh public grievances were received of which 17.7 lakh were disposed of, said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.

As many as 14.83 lakh such complaints were received by the central government on an online platform — Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) — in 2017. Of these, 12.62 lakh were resolved.

“Regular review meetings are held to monitor both disposed and pending grievances in the respective departments and also in Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India,” the minister said.

9.16 cr toilets built, 5.5 lakh villages declared ODF since 2014: Govt

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February 7, 2019

More than nine crore toilets have been constructed across the country till February 5 this year under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) launched in 2014, increasing the sanitation coverage in rural areas to over 98 per cent, the government said on Thursday.

Giving out the details of toilets constructed under the mission, Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi said so far 27 states and 5.5 lakh villages have been declared open defecation free (ODF).

“Under SBM(G), 9.16 crore toilets have been constructed till February 5, 2019. As a result, sanitation coverage in the rural areas of the country, which was 38.7 per cent on October 2, 2014, has increased to more than 98 per cent.

“Twenty-seven states, 601 districts, 5,934 blocks, 2,46,116 gram panchayats and 5,50,151 villages have been declared ODF,” he told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The minister also said that since the launch of SBM-G in 2014, 9.16 crore individual household latrines (IHHLs) have been constructed till February 5 this year out of which, 5.22 crore IHHLs have been constructed during the last two years.

According to the government, the maximum funds under the SBM-G for the year 2018-19 were released to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at Rs 6,592.64 crore and Rs 2,943.69 crore, respectively.

The data provided by the government revealed that both the states received double amount of funds in 2018-19 compared to 2017-18.

The government had launched the SBM-G from October 2, 2014 with an aim to attain open defecation free (ODF) India by October 2, 2019, by providing access to toilet facilities to all rural households in the country.

The states and UTs which have been declared ODF are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.

During LS debate, Sena laments ‘step-motherly’ treatment by BJP

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February 7, 2019

NDA ally Shiv Sena on Thursday lamented it is being given “step-motherly” treatment by senior partner BJP which has led to questions about its continuance in the alliance.

Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address in Lok Sabha, Sena leader Anandrao Adsul chose to vent out his party’s grievances against the BJP and said that while the NDA government at the Centre has done several commendable works, some mistakes have also been committed.

“It is time for introspection,” he said.

He said Sena was a happier alliance partner when Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, and Bal Thackeray were at the helm of affairs.

He questioned claims of the government that note ban has benefited the economy.

Adsul, whose party is an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra also, said that farmers, small traders, and labourers were the worst hit as they were deprived of much-needed cash to meet their day-to-day requirements.

Adsul said the Sena feels that it is being meted out “step-motherly” treatment by the BJP which has led to speculation about his party’s continuation in the alliance.

“As an NDA partner, we were happy earlier. But later we were given step-motherly treatment.

“The prime minister talks about ‘sabka sath, sabka vikas’. We were with NDA, we are in NDA at least today … can’t say about tomorrow,” Adsul said.

He, however, added that the BJP wants that Shiv Sena remains in the NDA in future also.

No FIR against 21 disqualified BMC corporators including Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar yet

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February 7, 2019

A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed how much BMC administration is soft on those offenders who first dare to produce fake caste certificates and become corporator and when they are found guilty of it, BMC does not take any action them, which encourages them to repeat the same. RTI Activist Anil Galgali had filed an RTI with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and wanted to know how many corporators were disqualified for producing fake caste certificates, and reply given to him has revealed not even a single councillor has been booked for producing fake caste certificates to win the civic election in the last three election held in 2007, 2012 and 2017.

Galgali’s queries was filed with Municipal Secretary’s office which was later transferred to the Legal and Election department of the BMC. Replying to the query, officer of the legal department of the BMC SD Fulsunge replied that no case has been filed against any councillor for procuring fake caste certificates, however, the details about such cases (FIR) can be obtained from the deputy legal officer of the Small Causes Court. The deputy law officer of the Small Causes Court Anant Kajrolkar too replied that no FIR has been filed against any disqualified councillors in the last three elections. Clarifying the legal department’s stand in such cases, the officer further replied, “The legal department files election petitions in the Small Causes Court and then verify the submissions made by the either sides.”

While election department in its reply said that that total 21 corporators were disqualified in 2007, 2012 and 2017 election. Out of 21 disqualified corporators, 20 were disqualified for procuring fake caste certificate while one corporator was disqualified for having more the two children, which a restriction to become a corporator in BMC. In this list Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar name also include.

Reacting over the BMC’s lethargical approach, Galgali slammed the babus of the civic body and termed it as “unprofessional”. He also dashed off a letter to Chief Minister. In his letter written to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, he said, “This is absolutely absurd and unprofessional. There should be clarity that which department will take legal action against the offenders.”

Galgali further asked, “When corporators have been disqualified after founding procuring fake caste certificates, then why not BMC initiate criminal cases against these offenders? If BMC start taking action against these fraudulent people, then this will act as deterrent, otherwise, in every election, candidates will keep procuring fake certificate.”