While people voted in a fifth round that will set the tone as this election rounds into the straight, and while Modi on the stump chews the cud of personal grievances and hackneyed promises that have long since passed their use-by date, there is a rogue wave rising -- what damage it will do, we will know 16 days from today, observes Prem Panicker.
Telecom firms earning foreign exchange on incoming overseas calls, Internet services and rentals from cable networks are not entitled to duty sops under an export promotion scheme, says the government.
The decision to permit the third child came after this month's once-in-a-decade census showed that China's population grew at the slowest pace to 1.412 billion amid official projections that the decline may begin as early as next year.
Shailaja, who had won accolades for containing the Nipah infection effectively in 2018, said the southern state has a protocol and standard operating procedure (SOP) to effectively fight the infection and prevent its spread.
Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday rejected the Kelkar panel proposal for lifting tax sops on savings, housing loans and agricultural income saying it was against the interest of vulnerable sections of society.
The supplement is scheduled to be released in the first half of April this year. Exporters were disappointed with Budget 2008-09 as it does not propose any specific measures to help them tide over the situation. In the April-January period of 2007-08, exports stood at $124.19 billion, an increase of 21.62 per cent from $102.12 billion during the year-ago period.
A section of sugar industry has expressed dissatisfaction over the government's export incentives, saying a Rs 100 per tonne extra subsidy for mills in northern region as compared to those for coastal areas was not enough.
The government on Tuesday announced incentives worth Rs 450-500 crore (Rs 4-5 bllion) for exporters encouraging them to aggressively market products in China and Japan and build on the recovery witnessed since November last year.
The minister termed the killing of CRPF personnel at Pampore as an act of 'frustration' on part of Pakistani terrorists several of whom were killed by Indian forces in past one year.
Based on discussions with stakeholders, the ministry is proposing to allocate Rs 26,400 crore for FAME-III subsidy alone with electric two wheelers getting around Rs 8,158 crore, electric buses Rs 9,600 crore and electric three-wheelers Rs 4,100 crore, according to sources in the know. Along with some other components like setting up an innovation fund and money for testing , the total allocation could cross Rs 33,000 crore, estimates suggest.
To give impetus to the real estate sector, Goyal proposed to extend the period of exemption from levy of tax on notional rent on unsold inventories from one year to two years.
Nobody is held accountable for lapses, no matter how badly it affects the person or business whose accounts are frozen. Nor is there compensation for losses. Most people get to know their accounts are blocked only when a cheque bounces, points out Debashis Basu.
India will never provide company or enterprise-specific incentives in the electric vehicle sector, a top government official said on Friday, amid a push from American electric carmaker Tesla for special sops to set up its factory in the country. If the government has to consider providing incentives then it will only be for all EV makers and entrants who want to come to India, the official said. The official added that inter-ministerial discussions have happened on the customs duty concession demand of the US-based electric car maker Tesla, but "we never" came to any conclusion on those.
"If we continue with the polices in terms of assisting exporters . . . as long as we see those numbers climbing every month in an environment around the world where output and trade is shrinking, I think this is reassuring sign," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said on the sidelines of a CII function in New Delhi.
A slew of sops were announced for teachers, employees of municipalities and others.
Against the backdrop of the violent clashes with villagers from Meghalaya, the Assam cabinet on Wednesday decided to hand over the investigation to CBI, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
While foreign direct investment is not allowed in the multi-brand retail, the organised retail stores promoted by the domestic industrial houses have been steadily growing.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said it's a pity that since switching sides, Scindia has adopted the Modi government's "uncaring attitude" to the public.
Against predictions by most exit polls that the ruling Congress had an edge in the state, the BJP banked heavily on the charisma of the PM.
The top court drew parallel between driving and technology and said if one doesn't know how to handle technology then he or she can't be a judge and questioned the approach of some of the high courts.
The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday decided that Kunbi caste certificates will be issued to those Marathas hailing from the Marathwada region who possess revenue or education documents from the Nizam era that recognise them as Kunbis, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said.
In a big-ticket measure, the direct tax benefits to 100 per cent export-oriented units (EoUs) have been extended till March 31, 2010. These benefits, available under Section 10 B of the Income Tax Act, were to expire on March 31, 2009.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a directive that telecom operators will have to refund the duty sops availed under the commerce ministry's export promotion scheme for services -- Served From India Scheme.
Empathising with Indian exporters hit by a rising rupee, the World Bank on Monday said government should look at options beyond tax sops to raise productivity and make the industry globally competitive.
The party released its manifesto -- Samajwadi Vachan Patra -- for the coming assembly elections, shortly after the BJP released its own.
India has set a target of $160 billion for merchandise exports during 2007-08.
Under pressure from textile industry for more concessions, government on Thursday announced more tax sops including raising of excise duty exemption limits for powerloom weavers and readymade garments.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has ruled out any more sops for the exporters hit hard by the rising rupee, asking them to get used to stronger currency as dollar inflows would continue to grow.
Sugar industry suffered another jolt this week when the Central government dropped its plans to offer incentives to mills for raw sugar exports.
In yet another decision to please the priest community after withdrawing the Chardham Devasthanam Board Act, the Uttarakhand government has reconstituted the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee under a new head to manage the affairs of the two Himalayan shrines.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday announced the withdrawal of police cases filed against pro-Maratha reservation protesters in Jalna district, the epicentre of the latest round of stir on the issue, and urged quota activist Manoj Jarange to end his indefinite fast.
A string of populist promises, including extension of the free ration scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Mahadev betting app issue and the Hindutva card are among key factors that have catapulted the Bharatiya Janata Party to power in Chhattisgarh after five years.
The guidelines issued by the government also make it mandatory for Ganesh Utsav mandals to take permission from local authorities.
Having faced a debacle in four Assembly elections recently, the UPA government is exploring ways to woo voters before the coming general elections - without deviating from the path of fiscal consolidation.
Slapped a 10 per cent surcharge on 'super-rich' and corporates. Levied an inheritance tax and raised duties on mobile phones, cigarettes, and luxury vehicles.
"These three officers have primarily been held responsible for the incident. Their services have been terminated by the central government with immediate effect. Termination orders have been served upon the officers on August 23," it said.
The finance ministry on Friday said revenue loss on account of fiscal sops to Special Economic Zones is estimated to be Rs 1,02,621 crore.
Measures may include tax slab and rate revisions for individuals, companies.
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