ASSAM

Real estate sector requests government to intervene in sand, stone price crisis

Assam Real Estate and Infrastructure Developers Association (Areida) requested the state government to intervene into the problem of acute scarcity and unabated price rise of sand and stone chips. The real estate body said they have been suffering huge losses for the last few years. The prices have shot up by 30% since December 2017.

Sand and stone chips which used to cost Rs 1,100 and Rs 1,500 per cm (cubic metre) is now selling at Rs 1,800 and Rs 2,800 respectively. The quantities available even at these inflated prices are grossly insufficient and a large number of projects have been stalled and workers are being laid off en masse.

This sector has otherwise received a boost across India, with as many as 20 different support initiatives notified by the central government, including the Prime Minister’s flagship programme Awaas Yojana (PMAY) and the earnest endeavour of the government to provide affordable housing to all by 2022. Unfortunately, while other states have made significant progress taking advantage of the government’s liberal policies.

INTERNATIONAL

Singapore Names Exotic Orchid After PM

An orchid was named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate his visit to the National Orchid Garden of Singapore.

The orchid, located within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, was named Dendrobrium Narendra Modi to mark Prime Minister’s visit.

It is the only tropical garden to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

OP Nistar – Evacuation of Stranded Indians from Socotra, Yemen

Indian Naval Ship Sunayna, currently deployed for a mission based deployment in the Gulf of Aden, was directed to evacuate 38 Indian nationals stranded on the Yemeni island of Socotra in the aftermath of cyclone Mekenu.

A very Severe Cyclonic Strom Mekenu crossed the Yemeni Island of Socotra on 24 May 18, leaving the 38 Indians stranded on the island with limited food and water.

INS Sunayna, deployed on a mission based deployment in the Gulf of Aden was pressed into action to evacuate the 38 Indian nationals from Socotra.

The operation, code name ‘NISTAR’, was carried out on the morning of 03 Jun 2018 off the coast of Socotra.

· Facebook Ties-Up With National Women Commission To Launch Digital Literacy Programme

Social networking giant Facebook partnered with the National Commission for Women (NCW) to launch a Digital Literacy Programme (DLP).
The DLP will be launched in collaboration with the Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF).
Cyber Peace Foundation is a Ranchi, Jharkhand-based civil society organization involved in training related to all aspects of cybersecurity.

NATIONAL

· NTPC adopts Charminar under Swachh Iconic Places Project

NTPC Ltd has adopted the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad under the Swachh Iconic Places Projects of India.

This is part of a special drive under the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Mission.

NTPC Ltd and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding for implementation of development and beautification works under the Charminar Pedestrianization Project in Hyderabad.

PM Modi Unveils Plaque At Singapore’s Clifford Pier Paying Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore’s former premier Goh Chok Tong jointly unveiled a plaque to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the immersion site of his ashes at the waterfront Clifford pier.

After Mahatma Gandhi’s death in 1948, his ashes were sent to various parts of India and the world, including Singapore, for immersion.

Agni-5 missile Successfully Tested

The long range ballistic missile Agni 5 is successfully flight tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island).

All the Radars, Electro Optical Tracking Stations and Telemetry Stations tracked the vehicle all through the course of the trajectory.

All the mission objectives have been achieved. Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman has congratulated all the DRDO Scientists, Staff, Armed Forces and Industries for the success of A5 Mission.

· Union Government launches new scheme SevaBhojYojna

The Union Ministry of Culture introduced a new scheme called ‘SevaBhojYojna’ to reimburse the central share of CGST and IGST on items for food/Prasad/langar/Bhandara offered free of cost by charitable religious institutions.
The scheme launched for financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 with a total outlay of Rs. 325.00 crores.
The scheme seeks to reimburse the central government’s share of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) on purchase of raw items such as ghee, edible oil, atta, maida, rava, flour, rice pulses, sugar, and jaggery, which go into preparation of food/Prasad/langar/Bhandara offered free of cost by religious institutions.
The main objective of the scheme is to lessen the financial burden of such charitable religious institutions, which provide free of cost without any discrimination to the general public and devotees.

· Central Government sets up Cauvery Water Management Authority to address water sharing dispute

The Centre constituted the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMA)in compliance with a Supreme Court order to address the dispute over sharing of river water among the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.
On 16th of February, the Supreme Court had directed the government to form the CMA within six weeks.
A notification by the Ministry of Water Resources said, it has framed a scheme, constituting the CMA and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to give effect to the decision of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as modified by Apex Court order.

· Income Tax Department launches new Benami Transactions Informants Reward Scheme, 2018

The Income Tax Department has issued a new reward scheme titled “Benami Transactions Informants Reward Scheme,2018” to seek people’s participation in the Income Tax Department’s efforts to unearth black money and to reduce tax evasion.
Under the new rewards scheme, a reward up to Rs 1 crore would be given to those who can give specific information in a prescribed manner to the Joint or Additional Commissioners of Benami Prohibition Units (BPUs) in Investigation Directorates of Benami transactions and properties as well as proceeds from such properties which are actionable under Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988, as amended by Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.
Substantial evasion of tax on income or assets in India which are actionable under the Income-tax Act, 1961
People of foreign origin would also be eligible for such a reward if they can provide the required specific information.

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