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PM Modi unveils Transparent Taxation platform to honour honest taxpayers

Fasal Bima Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched “Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest”, a platform to honour the honest taxpayers of the country. He said that it will be a new milestone in the structural reforms initiaited by the government.

Unveiling the platform through video conferencing, PM Modi also laid out the next phase of reforms of the direct taxes which is aimed at easing the tax compliance in the midst of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has severely hit the Indian economy.

While addressing the video conference, the Prime Minister said, “The ‘Transparent Taxation – Honoring The Honest’ platform will bring in faceless assessment, faceless appeal, and taxpayers’ charter. Faceless assessment & taxpayers charter come in force from today, whereas faceless appeal service will be available from September 25.”

PM Modi also stated that in a country of 130 crore people only 1.5 crore citizens were paying taxes.

“The new reform will instill a sense of fearlessness among the honest taxpayers who play an important role in national development,” PM further added.

“It strengthens our resolve of minimum government, maximum governance,” PM Modi said adding, “The emphasis is on making every rule-law, policy people-centric and public friendly. This is the use of the new governance model and the country is getting its results.”

With this launch, the government has taken another step to make the lives of the taxpayers easier. Over the years, the income tax department has carried out several major reforms, including reduction in the corporate tax. The department had also abolished the dividend tax.

It has also been focusing on simplification of direct tax laws and increasing transparency in communication.

-CHK

US relaxes H-1B visa rules, allows visa holders to return for same jobs

US President Donald Trump

New Delhi (NVI): The US State Department has relaxed some rules for H-1B visas allowing visa holders to enter the US if they return to the same jobs in a similar position, which they had before the visa ban.

In the latest advisory, the state department has also allowed children and spouses of primary visa holders to travel with them.

The US departement has allowed some exemptions to President Donald Trump’s June 22 announcement where he had indicated that the entry of foreign and non-immigrant workers will be banned till the end of 2020.

The new relaxations allow H-1B and L-1 vias holders to go back to US for continued employment with the same employer.

“Travel by applicants seeking to resume ongoing employment in the United States in the same position with the same employer and visa classification,” the state department advisory said.

This is the first set relaxations given by the US administration following June 22 proclamation signed by President Donald Trump, which suspended the entry into the country under H-1B and L-1 visa categories.

The State Department has said that it has decided to allow certain categories of workers and non-immigrant visa holders in “national interest”.

Furthermore, the US has also allowed travel by technical specialists, senior-level managers and other workers who hold H-1B visas, saying it is necessary to facilitate the “immediate and continued economic recovery of the United States”.

With the new changes, people employed in critical infrastructure sectors including healthcare and information technology, whose roles are important for their respective organisations to flourish are also allowed to get the visas.

The state department has issued five guidelines and the applicant must meet at least two of them to get a visa.

H1-B visa applications have been also been allowed for travel as a public health or healthcare professional, or researcher to alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, or to conduct ongoing medical research in an area with a substantial public health benefit (e.g. cancer or communicable disease research).

-CHK/ARK

Security forces bust two Lashkar hideouts in J&K’s Pulwama

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Security forces today busted two terrorist hideouts of Lashkar-e-Toiba in the forest area of Badroo and Barsoo in Awantipora of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and recovered huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosive besides edible items, officials said.

A police spokesman in a statement said that based on the credible input about presence of Lashkar terrorists in the forest, the J&K Police along with Army’s 50RR and 130 BN CRPF launched a search in the area during the intervening night of August 12 and 13.

“During the early morning search, two hideouts of Lashkar terrorists were busted and destroyed,” the police spokesman said. He said that incriminating material and huge cache of explosive material and ammunition have been recovered from these hideouts.

The police spokesman said that the arms, ammunition and explosives recovered from the two hideouts include 1,918 rounds of AK 47, two grenades, one UBGL thrower, four UBGL grenades, half a bag of ammonium nitrate like substance, five gelatin sticks, crude pipe bomb and three code sheets. “The other materials recovered include Rs 5,400, food items , utensils, gas stoves, gas cylinder and edibles,” the police spokesman added.

He said that a case has been registered under Explosive Substance Act and 7/25 Arms Act at Awantipora police station, Pulwama.

-CHK

J&K: Civilian injured in CFV at Kupwara last week succumbs at Sgr hospital

Policeman
Representational Pic.

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): A 60-year-old civilian who was injured in the intense Ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Karnah sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, succumbed at a Srinagar hospital this morning, hospital officials said.

The deceased has been identified as Muhammad Yaqoob Mir, 60, a resident of Kachadia Bagh, Bella, Karnah sector of Kupwara district. He had received grave head injuries last week during the intense shelling from across the LoC in Karnah sector and was being treated at SKIMS hospital, Soura, Srinagar.

“His condition deteriorated this morning and he breathed his last. He had serious splinter injuries in his head,” a doctor at SKIMS, Soura hospital said. Two others were injured along with Mir, who are being treated at the same hospital.

On last Friday, Karnah sector of Kuwpara witnessed intense shelling between the two sides that left six people injured of which one died on the spot.

With today’s fresh causality, the number of people who have died due to the CFV in Karnah sector since last Friday has reached two. A few residential houses had also suffered damage in the CFV.

-RJV

Coronavirus cases surpass 20.6 million worldwide; death toll nears 7.5 lakh

Coronavirus cases
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): Worldwide coronavirus cases have surpassed 20.6 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 12.7 million have recovered, and more than 7,49,000 have died.

In the US, the total number of coronavirus cases are nearing 5.2 million while the death toll has surpassed 1,66,000 in the country.

In Brazil, the number of infections have crossed 3.16 million while the number of fatalities have climbed past 1,04,000.

Australia posted its lowest one-day rise in new COVID-19 cases in more than three weeks. Victoria reported 278 new infections in the past 24 hours, down from 410 a day earlier.

Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales reported 12 new cases, while Queensland state said it had found no new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours.

New Zealand health officials have identified 14 new coronavirus cases– and warned they were likely to find more — as the country tackles a fresh outbreak that ended a run of more than 100 days without any locally transmitted infections.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 1,445 to 2,19,964. The reported death toll rose by 4 to 9,211, the tally showed.

Russia’s confirmed coronavirus case tally, the fourth largest in the world, rose to 9,02,701 after officials reported 5,102 new infections.

-CHK

Former President Pranab Mukherjee in coma, vital parameters stable

Former President Pranab Mukherjee

New Delhi (NVI): Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s condition remains unchanged this morning and he is in comatose state but his vital parameters are stable and on ventilatory support, Army’s Research and Referal (RR) Hospital said in a statement.

Mukherjee was admitted to Army hospital in Delhi cantonment on Monday in a critical condition. He underwent a brain surgery to remove a clot in his brain.

His condition had worsened on Tuesday and he had not shown signs of improvement since then.

Taking to twitter, Mukherjee said on Monday that he had also tested positive for coronavirus. “On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self isolate and get tested for COVID-19,” he tweeted.

Earlier today, his son Abhijit tweeted and asked people to stop circulating fake news about Mukherjee’s health. “Speculations & fake news being circulated by reputed Journalists on social media clearly reflects that Media in India has become a factory of Fake News,” he said.

Mukherjee’s daughter Shamistha also said that rumours should not be spread about the former President.

The hospital last evening stated that the 84-year-old leader’s health continues to remain critical and is presently “haemodynamically stable and on ventilator”.

-RJV

India’s Covid-19 tally nears 24 lakh; death toll tops 47,000

New Delhi (NVI): The number of coronavirus cases in India reached 23,96,637 after 66,999 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the biggest single-day jump so far, Union Health Ministry said.

The country’s death toll stands at 47,033 with 942 new fatalities being reported during this period. With this, India now stands at number four on COVID-19 death toll tally.

So far, 16,95,982 patients have recovered all over the country, taking the recovery rate to 70.76 per cent.

In terms of total number of cases, Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state with 5,48,313 coronavirus cases followed by Tamil Nadu (3,14,520) Andhra Pradesh (2,54,146) and Delhi (1,48,504).

The other worst affected states includes Karnataka (1,96,494) Uttar Pradesh (1,36,238), West Bengal (1,04,326) and Gujarat (74,318).

In terms of fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 18,650 deaths, ministry said.

The death toll in the national capital surged to 4,153 while another 1,33,405 patients have recovered so far, healthy ministry data shows.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 2,68,45,688 samples have been tested up to August 11 with 8,30,391 samples being tested on yesterday.

-RJV

J&K: 59 travellers among 482 fresh cases, tally at 26,413

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today recorded 482 fresh coronavirus cases including 59 travelers, taking the total number of positive cases in the Union Territory to 26,413.

Among the total 26,413 positive cases, 20,461 are from Kashmir and 5,952 from the Jammu division.

Officials said among 482 new cases, 376 belong to Kashmir division while 106 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir has reached 20,461 including 13,430 recoveries. The total number of positive cases in Jammu division has reached 5,952 including 4,093 recoveries and 37 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir is 7,392 including 5,570 from Kashmir division and 1,822 from Jammu division. With 544 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in J&K has reached 18,523 which is 70.12 percent of the total cases.

Pertinently, Srinagar district alone has 6,435 positive cases which is more than the total number of positive cases in Jammu division where total cases are 5,952.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 88 from Srinagar, 26 from Baramulla, 52 from Pulwama, 17 from Kulgam, 01 from Shopian, 53 from Anantnag, 29 from Budgam, 42 from Kupwara, 29 from Bandipora and 39 from Ganderbal in Kashmir division while as 106 from Jammu division include 42 from Jammu, 14 from Kathua, 04 from Rajouri, 05 from Ramban, 02 from Udhampur, 04 from Samba, 07 from Doda, 16 from Poonch, 07 from Reasi and 05 from Kishtwar,” officials disclosed.

As per the daily information bulletin, 4,02,509 persons in J&K are under observation while 42,494 persons have been kept under home quarantine. Besides that, 7,392 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 3,03,399 persons have completed surveillance period and 48,726 persons are under home surveillance.

So far, results of 7,50,847 samples out of which 7,24,434 have tested negative. 26,413 have been tested positive, among which 7,392 are active and 18,523 persons have recovered.

-ARK

Govt allows sale and registration of electric vehicles without batteries

New Delhi (NVI): In a bid to spur demand for electric vehicles and encourage electric mobility in the country, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) today issued a notification, allowing registration of EVs without pre-fitted batteries.

In a letter to Transport Secretaries of all the States and UTs, the ministry has clarified that vehicles without batteries can be sold and registered based on the type approval certificate issued by the Test Agency.

The Ministry further stated that there is no need to specify the Make/Type or any other details of the Battery for the purpose of Registration.

However, the prototype of the electrical vehicle, and the battery (regular battery or the swappable battery) is required to be type approved by the test Agencies specified under Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the Ministry said.

The Government is striving to create an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric mobility in the country. “It is time to come together to work jointly to achieve the broader national agenda to reduce vehicular pollution and oil import bill. This will not only protect the environment and reduce the oft import bill but also provide opportunities to sun rise industry,” the Ministry said in an official release.

For the promotion of electrical two-wheelers and three-wheeler vehicles, there are recommendations brought to the notice of the Ministry to delink the cost of battery (which accounts for 30-40% of the total cost) from the vehicle cost.

Vehicles could then also be sold in the market without the battery. This will make the upfront cost of the electrical 2 wheeler (2W) and 3 wheelers (3W) to be lower than ICE 2 and 3W. The battery could be provided separately by the OEM or the energy service provider, the ministry said.

-ARK

Shripad Naik tests Covid positive

New Delhi (NVI): Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik today said that he has tested positive for novel coronavirus and has opted for home isolation as he was asymptomatic.

In a tweet, the Union Minister said his vitals were “within normal limits”.

“I underwent Covid-19 test today & it has turned out asymptomatically positive. My vitals are within normal limits and I have opted for home isolation. Those who have came in contact with me in last few days are advised to get tested for themselves and take required precautions,” Naik tweeted after being diagnosed with the virus.

Naik has done into home quarantine at his residence near Panaji, Goa. According to media reports, he is likely to preside over an online launch of his ministry’s campaign “Ayush for immunity” on Friday.

Meanwhile, Naik has joined a growing list of ministers tested positive for the virus. He is the fourth Union minister to test positive. Earlier, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Arjun Meghwal, Dharmendra Pradhan and Kailash Chaudhary had tested positive.

-ARK

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