India beat Belgium 2-1 in the final to win Junior Hockey World Cup after 15 years
New Delhi : Government will soon launch a new programme, Digital Village, to provide services like health and education in villages with the help of technology.
The programme would be rolled out in 100 villages initially and will be expanded later, Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
“We are going to unleash another important initiative– Digital Village. As per my understanding, it will be a collector-driven initiative. We propose to begin with 100 villages and expand it later,” Prasad said at the Digital India Awards event here.
He said a collector with the help concerned local bodies may select a village to provide health, education and other virtual world service through Wi-Fi connectivity.
The minister appealed officers at the event to join pro-actively in government’s digital initiative aimed at transforming the country.
“We have trained 18 lakh people over a span of four days.
We may scale it (digital payments training) up in January,” he said.
Government has set a target of training 1.25 crore people on digital payments by March 31, 2017.
Minister of State for Law and IT P P Chaudhary appreciated National Informatics Centre and said that there are about 8,000 websites carrying information about government work and facilitating transactions.
“I would like to suggest some of the areas where we have to perform. We are far behind in the generation of Intellectual Property. In the area of cyber security, we have to be pro-active and not only be reactive,” Chaudhary said.
IT secretary Aruna Sundararajan said this is the first time Indians are having access to government without intermediaries.
At the event, e-governance service of departments from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab and Jharkhand won Digital India awards, earlier known as Web Ratna Aawards. Rajasthan won platinum award in the state category while Tamil Nadu received Gold and Haryana silver award for e-governance services.
North Goa won platinum award in districts category.
Kupwara received Gold and Udham Singh Nagar bagged silver award for e-governance. Municipal Corporations of Surat, Greater Visakhapatnam, Madurai and UP’s e-NagarSewaUP bagged award.
The Finance Ministry, on Monday, laid down restrictions on the amount of de-legalised currency that can be deposited in bank accounts till the December 30 deadline.
According to the Finance Ministry, now an amount exceeding Rs 5,000 (in value terms) can be deposited in the bank accounts only once till the December 30 deadline runs out.
So far, there were no restrictions on the amount that could be deposited in the bank accounts while the government had put in place caps on the exchange and withdrawals. People were allowed to deposit the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes till the deadline. However, this has changed now.
In a statement on the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) website, it said, “it has been decided to place certain restrictions on deposits of Specified Bank Notes into bank accounts while encouraging the deposits of the same under the Taxation and Investment Regime for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016.”
That’s not all. If you’re going to deposit an amount exceeding Rs 5000 into your bank account would be approved only after “questioning the tenderer, on record, in the presence of atleast two officials of the bank as to why this could not be deposited earlier and receiving a satisfactory explanation. The explanation should be kept on record to facilitate an audit trail at a later stage. An appropriate flag also should be raised in CBS to that effect so that no more tenders are allowed,” the RBI said.
However, tenders up to the value of Rs 5000 can be deposited over the counter till the deadline but “even when tenders smaller than Rs 5000 are made into an account and such tenders taken together on cumulative basis exceed Rs 5,000 may be subject to the procedure to be followed in the case of tenders above Rs 5000, with no more tenders being allowed thereafter until December 30, 2016,” the central bank said.
Further, an amount exceeding Rs 5000 can only be deposited in KYC compliant accounts.
These caps, however, are not applicable if the deposits are being made under Taxation and Investment Regime for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, 2016.
United Nations, Dec 19 : The UN Security Council will vote today on a French-drafted resolution to quickly deploy UN observers to Aleppo, with Russia, Syria’s ally, giving cautious backing to the measure.
Russia had threatened to veto a first draft presented by France calling for observers to monitor evacuations from Aleppo and report on the protection of civilians in the besieged Syrian city.
But after nearly four hours of closed-door council consultations yesterday, a new draft was agreed.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters: “We put in some good hours of work and I think we have a good text.”
French Ambassador Francois Delattre declared that the council had reached “common ground,” while US Ambassador Samantha Power anticipated the member states would vote “unanimously” at 9 am (local time).
The vote, initially tabled for yesterday, was delayed until today to allow the Russian delegation to consult with Moscow on the final draft resolution that provides for UN and other international observers to be dispatched to eastern Aleppo.
The new draft calls on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to make arrangements, in consultation with Syrian authorities and the rebels, to allow UN monitoring of “the well-being of civilians.”
Moscow had presented its own draft resolution that requested that the United Nations make “arrangements” to monitor the situation, but made no specific mention of sending observers to east Aleppo.
France and the United States said the new text, which took into account Russian proposals, resulted in minor changes.
“The text left standing includes all the core provisions to allow for UN monitoring, to get the 100-plus UN people ready to go to team up with the ICRC and the Syrian Red Crescent,” said Power.
Evacuations of fighters and civilians from Aleppo were suspended yesterday after gunmen attacked buses for a similar operation from two rebel-besieged villages.
Syrian forces this week moved to assert full control over the east of the city, which had been held by opposition fighters since 2012.
Russia, which has deployed forces in Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad’s military, has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the conflict began in March 2011.
Delattre said the international presence would prevent Aleppo from turning into another Srebrenica, where thousands of Bosnian men and boys were massacred in 1995 when the town fell to Bosnian Serb forces.
“If adopted, I believe it will be the first time the Security Council has been able to agree on a text in a long time,” said Delattre.
“It will give us collectively the tools to try to avoid a new Srebrenica.”
The draft resolution “demands that all parties allow complete, immediate, unconditional, safe and unhindered access” for humanitarian aid to Aleppo, which has been under siege since July.
Mumbai: The Reserve Bank today said it will shortly issue Rs 500 notes in Mahatma Gandhi (New) series with the inset letter E in both the number panels.
The notes will have Swachh Bharat logo printed on the reverse of the banknote.
“Some of the captioned banknotes will have an additional character * (star) in the number panel in the space between the prefix and the number,” RBI said.
Packets containing these notes will have 100 pieces as usual but not in serial order. To facilitate easy identification of note packets containing ‘star’ notes, the bands on such packets will clearly indicate the presence of these notes in the packet.
‘Star’ banknotes in Rs 500 denomination are being issued for the first time. ‘Star’ banknotes in the denomination of Rs 10, 20, 50 and 100 are already in circulation.
In a serially numbered packet, banknotes with any defect, detected at the printing stage, are replaced at the note printing presses by banknotes having the same number so that the sequence of the packet is maintained.
As part of its efforts to benchmark procedures against international best practices as also for cost effectiveness at printing presses, RBI had adopted ‘star’ series numbering system for replacement of the defectively printed banknotes.
Meanwhile, the RBI said foreign citizens will be allowed to exchange foreign exchange for Indian currency notes up to a limit of Rs 5,000 per week till December 31.
Earlier, the facility was available till December 15, 2016.
New Delhi : Offering one last chance to black money holders, the Indian government on Friday said they have time until March-end to come clean by paying 50 per cent tax on bank deposits of junk currencies made post demonetisation.
Offering tax dodgers confidentially and immunity from prosecution under the new tax evasion amnesty scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), which kicks-in from tomorrow, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said non disclosure of deposits made in banks after the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes were junked will attract stiffer penalties as well as prosecution.
Not declaring the black money under the scheme now but showing it as income in the tax return form would lead to a total levy of 77.25 per cent in taxes and penalty. In case the disclosure is not made either using the scheme or in return, a further 10 per cent penalty on tax will be levied followed by prosecution, he said.
The disclosure scheme is part of The Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2016, which was approved by the Lok Sabha earlier this month and has been assented by the President.
The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) will commence on December 17 and shall remain open for declarations up to March 31, Adhia told reporters here.
“Beginning tomorrow most of the banks will have challans to be filled for depositing tax for availing the PMGKY scheme.
Only after payment of 50 per cent tax and setting aside the 25 per cent of the remaining undisclosed amount for 4 year, a person can avail the PMGKY scheme,” he said.
Adhia emphasised that mere depositing of cash in banks will not convert black money into white. Taxes have to be paid.
As per the scheme, taxes will have to be paid first and then the scheme can be availed on production of tax receipt, unlike the recent Income Disclosure Scheme and other such plans wherein disclosures were made first and taxes were recovered later.
Also, as the disclosures will be kept confidential, the holder of unaccounted cash need not disclose it in Income Tax Returns forms.
After the shock November 8 demonetisation announcement, the government allowed the junked Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes to be deposited in bank accounts.
For those holding unaccounted cash, it offered new tax evasion amnesty scheme wherein 50 per cent tax will be charged on declarations and quarter of the total sum be parked in a non-interest bearing deposit for four years. .
New Delhi, Dec 16 : The Delhi government today launched a process for getting city traders registered under Goods and Services Tax regime, which is expected to be rolled out in 2017.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who formally initiated the procedure that continues till December 31, sought “queries and concerns” from the traders to properly shape up the new tax law.
Sisodia said the GST is a new tax reform and also good for the country and it will benefit every citizen and trader as well.
There are currently around 3.48 lakh traders registered with the Trade and Taxes Department of Delhi Government and they are eligible to get themselves registered under GST regime.
“There is good atmosphere about GST in the country. We have started the practice of registering 3.50 lakh traders under GST regime so that they won’t have to face problems when the new tax law comes into force. We hope that GST will be implemented from April 1 in the country,” Sisodia said while addressing a gathering here.
He also said that GST is currently in initial state and it is our responsibility to properly shape it.
“Traders should come forward and tell us about their queries and concerns relating to GST so that I could raise them in the GST council,” Sisodia, who also holds finance portfolio, said.
The Deputy CM also demanded that the word- ‘dealers’ which exists in the current tax law should be replaced with ‘partners’ in the GST regime.
“I don’t know why ‘dealers’ word is there (in existing tax law). It should be replaced with ‘partners’ as traders collect tax from people and give it to the state government and hence, they are ‘partners’ in collecting tax.
“Instead of calling them dealers, they should be called partners,” he said.
A senior government official said that a self-training module is available on the website- gst.gov.in and that could be used for understanding the process.
All verification of documents will be done online. If all documents are provided, the process will be completed in just few minutes, he said.
Beijing, Dec 16: China today took strong exception to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan during a children’s summit, saying India must respect China’s “core interests” to avoid “any disturbance” to the bilateral ties.
“Recently in disregard of China’s solemn representation and strong opposition, the Indian side insisted on arranging for the 14th Dalai Lama’s visit to the Indian Presidential palace where he took part in an event and met President Mukherjee,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang told a media briefing here.
“The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to that,” he said, replying to a question on the Dalai Lama’s presence in the opening session of the ‘Laureates and Leaders for Children Summit’, organised by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s Children’s Foundation on December 10.
“The Dalai Lama is in political exile and is long been engaged anti-China separatist activities with the attempt of separating Tibet away from China under the cloak of religion,” Geng said.
The Chinese side firmly opposes any form of contact between officials of the other countries with him.
“We urge the Indian side to see through the anti-China separatist nature of the Dalai Lama clique, fully respect China’s core interests and major concerns, take effective means to remove the negative impact caused by the incident to avoid any disturbance to China-India relationship,” Geng said.
China routinely protests world leaders meetings with the Dalai Lama.
This is the second time that China objected to the Dalai Lama’s activities in India in recent months.
Beijing objected in October this year to India’s permission to the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as part of southern Tibet.
Early this month, China also objected to the visit of prominent Tibetan religious leader, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje to Arunachal Pradesh, hoping that India would abide by consensus and refrain from taking any action that might complicate the boundary dispute.
India also came under the criticism from Chinese official media over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Mongolia following which Beijing was accused of imposing a blockade of the land-locked country.
While China besides criticising Mongolia for permitting the Dalai Lama reportedly blocked movement along the Mongolia-China border, Beijing was also livid over the Mongolian Ambassador to India Gonchig Ganhold s appeal to New Delhi to help Mongolia to deal with China s countermeasure against Ulaanbaatar.
India has said Mongolia can avail the USD one billion aid, which one of the Chinese newspaper Global Times termed it as a bribe.
An article in the daily also warned Mongolia that it is “politically harebrained” to ask for New Delhi s support as it will further complicate bilateral ties.
Scientists say they have successfully increased the lifespan of mice by reprogramming their body’s cells using a technique that suggests the ageing process could be “reversed”.
Previous attempts to do this resulted in apparently younger cells but the mice quickly developed tumours and died.
However, the team behind the latest research, led by Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte of the Salk Institute in the US, said the mice lived about 30 per cent longer than untreated animals and did not get cancer.
They also reported positive results in tests on human cells in the laboratory.
Professor Izpisua Belmonte said: “Our study shows that ageing may not have to proceed in one single direction.
“It has plasticity and, with careful modulation, ageing might be reversed.”
The technique involves turning cells back into stem cells, which can develop into any kind of specialist cell.
Another of the researchers, Alejandro Ocampo, said: “What we and other stem-cell labs have observed is that when you induce cellular reprogramming, cells look younger.
“The next question was whether we could induce this rejuvenation process in a live animal.”
But creating stem cells, which can divide rapidly and are important in the growth of embryos, in adults appears to increase the risk of causing tumours. Cancer causes death because the cells divide uncontrollably until they cause organs to fail.
Another problem with reprogramming cells is that they are needed for the proper functioning of the body, so turning too many into stem cells would result in death.
Professor Izpisua Belmonte said: “Our study shows that ageing may not have to proceed in one single direction.
“It has plasticity and, with careful modulation, ageing might be reversed.”
The technique involves turning cells back into stem cells, which can develop into any kind of specialist cell.
Another of the researchers, Alejandro Ocampo, said: “What we and other stem-cell labs have observed is that when you induce cellular reprogramming, cells look younger.
“The next question was whether we could induce this rejuvenation process in a live animal.”
But creating stem cells, which can divide rapidly and are important in the growth of embryos, in adults appears to increase the risk of causing tumours. Cancer causes death because the cells divide uncontrollably until they cause organs to fail.
Another problem with reprogramming cells is that they are needed for the proper functioning of the body, so turning too many into stem cells would result in death.
The research was reported in the journal Cell.
The Supreme Court banned on Thursday all liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways across the country, a move aimed at reducing drink driving and road accidents that claim thousands of lives every year.
Licences of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31 next year, it said.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur ordered removal of all signboards of alcohol vends along highways.
Last week, the bench made it clear that such an order was necessary for the safety and security of highway commuters who get tempted to down a few drinks after seeing liquor shops. It also expressed serious concern over 150,000 fatalities every year in road accidents, a majority of them attributed to drink driving.
The order came on petitions challenging high court verdicts that disallowed sale of liquor on highways.
The Supreme Court banned on Thursday all liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways across the country, a move aimed at reducing drink driving and road accidents that claim thousands of lives every year.
Licences of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31 next year, it said.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur ordered removal of all signboards of alcohol vends along highways.
Last week, the bench made it clear that such an order was necessary for the safety and security of highway commuters who get tempted to down a few drinks after seeing liquor shops. It also expressed serious concern over 150,000 fatalities every year in road accidents, a majority of them attributed to drink driving.
The order came on petitions challenging high court verdicts that disallowed sale of liquor on highways.
The courts had said liquor shops should be located away from highways so that they were neither visible nor accessible to travelers.
The top court came down heavily on states for not paying heed to the Centre’s constant advice not to give licence to shops selling alcohol along highways. Instead, the states have increased the number of licences. The first communiqué was sent in 2007 and since then the Centre has been sending reminders.
“You can start a door delivery of liquor,” the bench told the counsel for Jammu and Kashmir, who argued that people will face difficulties because of the state’s terrain in accessing the shops if they are put away from the highway.
“We would not like any vend on national highways, state highways, advertisements, or signage about availability of liquor shops. We will direct all highway authorities to remove all signboards. It should be absolutely free from any distraction or attractions. It should not be visible. Visibility is the first temptation,” Justice Thakur said.
The Punjab government’s counsel had faced the court ire.
“You are acting like a mouthpiece for the liquor lobby by defending the policy,” the bench told the advocate who pleaded the ban should be made effective from April 1 to avoid revenue loss of Rs 1,000 crore.
“You (state) are the vendor? You are speaking in the language of the liquor lobby. You have a responsibility to ensure people are safe. Constitution provides for prohibition,” it said.
“Every year you keep on adding, because you want to keep the liquor lobby happy. You want the excise minister to be happy, make the government happy … let 1.5 lakh people die but you must serve liquor?” the bench retorted.
The court was shocked to learn that there were 62 liquor shops within a span of a kilometer on the national highway in Mahe district, Puducherry. The place is a haven for tipplers from Kerala where drinking and sale of alcohol is prohibited.
The Chief Justice pointed out that the Centre had asked for the removal of these vends in 2007. But the Union Territory, which is under the Centre’s control, didn’t take any action.