Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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More Indians have access to drinking water, basic sanitation

News

• Between 2000 and 2017, India, like many other nations, has been able to provide access to drinking water and better sanitation facilities to a larger percentage of the population.
• With a push from Swachh Bharat, open defecation has dropped drastically. However, demographic inequalities persist.

Beyond News

• About 60% of India’s population had access to basic sanitation facilities in 2017 compared to just 16% in 2000. However, the number was lower compared to the overall global percentage.
• India’s rural-urban disparity is less compared to the global average; but in India’s case, percentage differences translate to a higher absolute number of people due to the large population.
• Gaps between the rich and poor are stark in India, with 82% of the poorest quintile still defecating in the open. The gap was narrowest in access to drinking water.
• A much smaller percentage of people in Sub-Saharan Africa have access to basic drinking water and basic sanitation facilities. India is part of Central and Southern Asia.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Cauvery Water Management Authority asks Karnataka to release 40.43 TMC water to Tamil Nadu

News

• The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) asked Karnataka to release nearly 40.43 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet water to Tamil Nadu for the months of June and July, sources said.

Beyond News

• The decision is, however, subject to review, depending on the rainfall received by Cauvery basin and the water storage of four reservoirs in Karnataka.
• According to the monthly schedule fixed by the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, the quantum to be released by Karnataka from Biligundlu site is 9.19 TMC and 31.24 TMC for June and July, respectively.
• The decision was taken by the CWMA in a meeting which was attended by representatives of the Centre and the riparian States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry.
• The existing arrangement between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will continue.
• Several parts of Tamil Nadu are grappling with acute water shortage. The Centre had, last month, issued a drought advisory to the State in the backdrop of depleting water levels in its reservoirs.

Government warns foreign e-commerce firms like Amazon, Flipkart over discounts-sources

News

• Government has told foreign e-commerce firms such as Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart that they must ensure compliance with new foreign investment rules aimed at deterring them from providing steep online discounts, three sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

Beyond News

• While the government was prepared to listen to concerns about its new foreign direct investment rules (FDI), it was committed to protecting small traders from predatory behaviour by foreign-funded companies.
• India from Feb. 1 imposed new e-commerce FDI rules to help hundreds of thousands of small traders, but small businesses and a right-wing group close to Prime Minister’s ruling party say there are still issues.
• They allege big online retailers use complex business structures to circumvent federal rules, and still burn billions of dollars to offer discounts.
• Amazon and Flipkart say they’ve complied with the rules and deny any wrongdoing. Both companies, and the U.S. government, protested against the rules in January, saying they would force firms to change their business structures.
• In a statement, the commerce ministry said it had formed a committee to hear grievances on issues related to FDI in e-commerce, adding it will ensure small retailers thrive in the country. It did not detail discussions around the question of steep online discounts.
• The government brought in the new policy in February after complaints from small traders who said the e-commerce giants used their control over inventory from affiliated vendors to create an unfair marketplace in which they offered major discounts. Such practices are now prohibited.
• The United States government and American firms have voiced concerns about several recent Indian policies. Other than stricter e-commerce rules, India has demanded companies to store more of their data locally. In 2017, the United States lodged a written protest against India’s decision to cap medical device prices.
• Amazon and Flipkart argued they provide logistics support and other services to small Indian retailers who use their e-commerce platforms to boost their businesses.

India-Pakistan clash over Nizam of Hyderabad funds in U.K.

News

• A decades-old legal dispute between India and Pakistan over around £35 million belonging to the Nizam of Hyderabad at the time of Partition and deposited in a London bank account has reached an important stage in the U.K. High Court.

Beyond News

• The Nizam’s descendants, Prince Mukarram Jah the titular eighth Nizam of Hyderabad and his younger brother Muffakham Jah, have joined hands with the Indian government in the legal battle against the Pakistan government over the funds lying with the NatWest Bank plc in London.
• The dispute revolves around 1,007,940 pounds and nine shillings that were transferred in 1948 from the then Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan, to the High Commissioner in Britain of the newly-formed Pakistan. That amount has since grown into millions.
• The late Nizam Osman Ali Khan, who faced the quandary of joining Pakistan or staying with India at the time of the funds transfer back in 1948, had later reportedly sought the return of the funds.
• NatWest Bank has since held on to the funds deposited into the account of then Pakistan High Commissioner Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola in safekeeping until its rightful legal owner is established.

Kerala best state on health parameters, UP worst

News

• According to the second Health Index launched by the Niti Aayog, Kerala has ranked first in terms of overall health performance, while Uttar Pradesh is the worst.

Beyond News

• The second round of the health index took into account the period 2015-16 (base year) to 2017-18 (reference year).
• According to a report by the government think tank, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have emerged as the second and third best performers, respectively, on health parameters.
• The health index is a composite measure of States and Union Territories based on 23 health indicators with major weightage to the outcomes.
• Among larger states, Haryana, Rajasthan and Jharkhand were the top three states in terms of incremental performances, according to the report.
• The report has been prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with technical assistance from the World Bank.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

₹50 cr. in fake currency seized in last three years, says Centre

News

• Over ₹50 crore in fake currency was seized by different investigating agencies in the past three years, the government informed the Lok Sabha.
• A little over ₹5 crore was seized this year.

Beyond News

• The highest number of 53 cases were registered in West Bengal, followed by Gujarat with 42 and Uttar Pradesh with 34.
• One of the reasons cited by the government in 2016 for scrapping the ₹500 and ₹1,000 denomination notes was that it would wipe out fake currency in circulation.
• India had accused Pakistan’s ISI of printing high quality fake Indian currency notes and channelling them into the Indian market.
• Culling data from the central Fake Currency Compilation System of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Minister of State for Home said in a written response that 20,068 pieces of fake ₹2,000 notes were seized across the country till June 18 this year.
• This is the first time the government has shared year-wise data on fake currency post-demonetisation.
• As many as 53,254 FIRs were registered and 357 accused have been arrested this year. Government data shows that 13,513 pieces of fake ₹500 notes, 10,682 pieces of fake ₹100 notes and 2,233 pieces of fake ₹200 notes were seized.
• ₹28.10 crore in fake currency was seized 2017 and ₹17.75 crore in 2018. In 2017, the number of cases registered was 978 and 1046 persons were arrested.
• In 2018, the number of cases stood at 884 and 969 persons were arrested. In 2015, before demonetisation, ₹15.48 crore in fake currency was seized, 1178 persons were arrested and 1100 cases were registered.

Disability pension for military personnel to be taxed unless invalidated from service

News

Disability pension for military personnel who retired normally from service and not invalidated will now be taxed, according to a notification issued by the Finance Ministry.

Beyond News

• In the notification the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said that such tax exemption will be available only to armed forces personnel who have been invalidated from service on account of bodily disability attributable to or aggravated by such service and not to personnel who have been retired on superannuation or otherwise.
• Disability pension are of two types, war and normal. War disability is 60% of the last salary drawn in case of 100% disability and normal disability is 30% of the last salary drawn in case of 100% disability. It goes down proportionally for lower percentage of disability. Disability pension for armed forces is available based on a 1922 notification.
• As per procedure, the CBDT will now issue a circular to all the banks for implementation as they are the ones that disburse the pensions.
• Disability pension has long been an issue of contention over the rates and different slabs for officers and jawans, among others.
• There are also a large number litigations filed by veterans against the Defence Ministry over non-recognition of disability.

Cross-LoC traders meet in Tashkent, urge trade resumption

News

• Three months after the Home Ministry suspended cross-Line of Control trade in J&K, traders on both sides have met in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent and urged India and Pakistan to “come up with the modalities and technical mechanism to restore the operation as soon as possible”.

Beyond News

• At least 19 traders bodies signed the joint statement. The meeting was facilitated by the Conciliation Resources, an independent organisation working in many conflict zones.
• The traders also assured their respective governments of their full support and assistance in putting the trade on modern and transparent lines for economic development and peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The confidence-building measures like trade and travel across the LoC have contributed in building trust and enhancing shared understanding between the regions and communities. It also demonstrated the statesmanship of Indian and Pakistan in leadership.
• The Ministry suspended the trade on April 18 citing “funnelling of illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency” as reasons.
• The decision followed the investigations carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which suggested a significant number of trading concerns engaged in LoC trade were being operated by persons “closely associated with banned terrorist organisations”. It came in the backdrop of the Pulwama attack.
• The cross-LoC trade was started in 2008 between two parts of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir by setting up two Trade Facilitation Centres located at Uri’s Salamabad in Baramulla, and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Poonch.
• The trade would takes place four days a week. It was based on barter system and zero duty basis.

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