25 June 2024, The Indian EXPRESS
A tax less taxing
Page no-8
GS3-Government Budgeting
- On Saturday, the GST council, which met for the first time since the formation of the new Union government, tweaked tax rates on some items, and took a series of steps to bring down litigation and ease compliance for taxpayers.
- The Council has recommended waiving the interest and penalties on demand notices under Section 73 for three financial years if tax is fully paid by March 2025, bringing down the amounts of pre-deposit required to file an appeal, and introducing monetary limits for the tax department to file appeals.
- While these are steps in the right direction, other equally pressing issues warrant urgent attention.
Blame and stigma
Page no-8
GS2-Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes
- The death of 57 people and hospitalisation of dozens following the consumption of illicit liquor in the village of Karunapuram in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district is a tragedy that could have been avoided.
- Like the 22 people who died after consuming a methanol-laced brew in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts in May last year, the bulk of the Kallakurichi victims are from the poorest sections of society — conservancy and headload workers.
- The latest tragedy too, which began unfolding on Thursday, is a case of methanol poisoning.
- It points to the urgent need to address larger lapses, failing which the state government’s immediate response of arresting five people, including the person who allegedly sold the spurious liquor, transferring key officials and appointing a one-man commission under a retired judge to investigate the Kallakurichi incident, would be mere band-aids.
Who dies in a heatwave
Page no- 8
GS3-Disaster and Disaster Management
- Heat is both an environmental and occupational health hazard. The National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCC-HH) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported 46 heat-related deaths and over 19,000 cases of suspected heat stroke across the country in May 2024.
- The two key statistics that make heat-related news are maximum temperature and deaths.
- This newspaper reported on June 18, “Noida: Amid heat wave, 7 people found dead with no injury marks”.
- According to the police spokesperson, the causes of death would be subject to the post-mortem reports but were tentatively presumed to be on account of the prevailing heat wave conditions.
- The National Heat-Related Illness (HRI) and Death Surveillance under the NPCC-HH defines “heat-related death” as a death in which exposure to high ambient temperature either caused the death or significantly contributed to it.
One election, one phase
Page no- 9
GS2-Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
- The logic of multi-phase elections has increasingly come under question in the last decade. I have been asked this question umpteen number of times and have always defended it, mentioning that the only reason for it is the protection of lives — of voters and the polling staff.
- People have accepted this reply as reasonable, but not anymore.
- It is increasingly clear that the problems arising out of multi-phase elections far outweigh the benefits.
- The recent seven-phase election was held in 45-50 degrees temperatures, leading to several deaths.
- The prolonged election was questioned by almost all political parties, the media, not to mention the voters.
- Even the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, admitted that the one lesson the Election Commission (EC) learnt from the latest election was that it should have been shorter.
Navigating a multipolar world
Page no- 9
GS2-Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
- On June 9, a new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in. For the first time in a decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party has missed the majority mark.
- While a coalition government will have implications for India’s domestic policies, on the foreign policy front there will be continuity. S Jaishankar, at the helm of the foreign ministry, has a set goal to make India a “leading power”.
- This aligns with the BJP’s projection of India as Vishvabandhu — a friend of the world, but one to whom the nation comes first.
A 3rd of MPs from farm sector, a few engineers and ‘career politicians’
Page no- 10
GS2-Parliament and State Legislatures
- From cardiologists and professors to actors and cricketers, the 18th Lok Sabha which convenes for the first time on Monday accounts for a wide range of professions among the newly-elected MPs.
- The number of MPs who have declared their professions as social workers, farmers and business people, however, has declined in comparison to the 17th Lok Sabha.
Srinagar gets tag of ‘World Craft City’, fourth from country
Page no- 11
GS1-Urbanization
- Srinagar has earned the World Craft City (WCC) tag from the World Crafts Council (WCC), a non-government organisation working to empower artisans and safeguard craft heritage globally.
- This is likely to reopen Kashmir’s centuries old linkages with craft centres in Central Asia and Iran.
- The executive board of the WCC, in a formal communication to officials of J&K, said on Sunday that Srinagar city has earned the designation of WCC-World Craft City, from members of the Council’s sub-committee after a detailed tour of craft centres earlier this year.
What is Enemy Agents Ordinance, tough law applicable in J&K?
Page no- 12
GS3-Role of External State and Non-state Actors in creating challenges to Internal Security.
- Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain on Sunday said those found assisting militants in J&K should be tried by investigating agencies under the Enemy Agents Ordinance, 2005.
- The law is more stringent than the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and has the punishment of either a life term or a death sentence.
- “The fighters can’t be brought under the realm of investigation, they should be shot dead.
- Those who support them, if we are talking of investigation there, I’ve said somewhere that they will be treated as enemy agents,” DGP Swain said.
Law against cheating
Page no- 12
GS2-Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education
- The Centre on Monday (June 24) notified the Rules required to operationalise The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, the anti-cheating law passed by Parliament in February.
- The law itself came into force on June 21, after it was notified in the official gazette.
- The Rules notified by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, provide a framework of actions to prevent the use of unfair means in public examinations, including appointing Centre Coordinators, venue in-charges, and Regional Officers.
Power markets in India: their working, advantages, and road ahead
Page no- 12
GS3-Infrastructure: Energy
- To meet peak power demand during the unusually hot summer, the government has allowed the trading of surplus electricity generated from “linkage coal” in the country’s power markets.
- Coal linkages are typically made by the government to thermal units against long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with distribution companies (discoms).
- Power markets offer a flexible, reliable, and transparent alternative to PPAs, enabling generators to respond swiftly to demand fluctuations and sell surplus power at market-determined prices.
Govt offers 10 new critical mineral blocks, fresh incentives
Page no- 13
GS3-Infrastructure: Mining
- The Ministry of Mines led by Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy launched the fourth tranche of critical minerals auction, offering a total of 21 blocks across fourteen states, including 11 blocks that are being reoffered from the second tranche after failing to secure the mandatory participation of at least three bidders.
- At the launch on Monday, the ministry also unveiled an incentive scheme for reimbursing up to Rs 20 crore in exploration expenses incurred by licence holders.
