GUJARAT

Reflecting a major shortfall in tax collection,Gujaratstill awaitsGST compensationof Rs 10,186 crore from the Centre for the period from April 2020 to May 2021.

The data issued by the Union finance ministry suggests that in 2020-21, GSTcompensationto the tune of Rs 6,583 crore remains pending for clearance from the Centre. Moreover, Rs 3,603 crore is due for clearance for the April-May 2021 period.
A constitutional amendment made states clocking less than 14% year-on-year Growth in their GST collection eligible for compensation for the loss of revenue, over a five-year period from 2017-2022. This was done because several state levies were subsumed under the common national tax.

Higher the compensation amount due, deeper is the tax collection shortfall. Gujarat clocked a total GST collection of Rs 34,561.34 crore in 2020-21, down by 3.75% against the 2019-20 collection of Rs 35,908.64 crore. The tax collection went down due to the pandemic-induced lockdown and a slow recovery in demand.

Gujarat has the fourth highest amount of compensation pending from the Centre after Maharashtra (Rs 23,133 crore); Karnataka (Rs 12,702 crore) and Uttar Pradesh (Rs 11,157 crore). Being a manufacturing-oriented state, Gujarat is at a loss when it comes to GST collection as compared to the circumstances in the previous tax regime.

As theNarmada Water Disputes Tribunal(NWDT) prepares to review the allocation ofNarmada waterto stakeholder states in 2024, theGujaratgovernment has initiated a crucial process to determine the state’s water requirement.
With the last NWDT award dating back to over four decades to 1979, Gujarat aims to secure a significant boost in its share of Narmada water, considering the substantial Growth in Irrigation area and the doubling of the state’s Population.

Under the 1979 award, the total water availability in the Narmada basin from July 1 to June 30 stood at 28 million acre-feet (MAF), with Gujarat receiving 9MAF, Madhya Pradesh getting 18.25MAF, and Maharashtra and Rajasthan being awarded 0.25MAF each.

To streamline the process, the state Narmada, Resources“>Water Resources, and water supply department has instructed all field and constituent offices to compile correspondence files from various stakeholders. The matter is periodically reviewed by the state chief secretary and top officials. Officials of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited have been directed to provide original copies of correspondence related to the NWDT award to the head office.

Established by the Centre on October 6, 1969, the NWDT was tasked with resolving the Narmada water-sharing dispute. The tribunal’s award, announced on December 7, 1979, was subsequently notified by the Union Government, making it binding on the disputing parties: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.

Indias first-ever girl Panchayat, called Balika Panchayat, was started in several villages of Kutch district in Gujarat.

The Balika Panchayat Initiative was started with the aim of promoting social and political development of girls as well as ensure active participation of girls in politics.

The Balika Panchayat initiative was started by the Women and Child Development Welfare department ofGujaratGovernment. It was launched under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign.

Main objective of the Balika Panchayat is to promote social and political development of girl child. It also seeks to remove evil practices like child marriage and dowry system from Society. It aims for girls to get their nominations done in decision-making process in Panchayat. It seeks to make girls active in politics since childhood.

In a research published this April, Nimesulide poisoning in white-rumpedvultureGyps bengalensis in Gujarat, India, the authors found the anti-inflammatory drugnimesulidein the Tissues of all the dead vulture fromGujaratthey studied. The research was part of a project funded entirely by the Union ministry of Environment, forest and https://exam.pscnotes.com/Climate-change”>Climate Change.

The collection of tissues of dead vultures sampled in the study were permitted by Gujarat forest department, and shared by Jivdaya Charitable Trust, Ahmedabad.

The study found that residues of all the 32 most commonly used pesticides in the tissues from kidneys, livers and guts of the four white-rumped vultures collected from Sanand and Dhrangadhra were below detection limits.

TheGujaratgovernment initiated a comprehensivesurveyto assess the impact of cycloneTauktaeand subsequent loss to life and property, including damage to crops, in the affected districts.

A comprehensive survey to assess the cyclone’s impact and subsequent loss to life and property has been initiated in Bhavnagar district.

The had shifted around 2.5 lakh persons to safer places and approved a daily cash dole of Rs 100 for each adult and Rs 60 for each child (who were shifted), for a period of seven days.

TheGujaratgovernment will have to spend over Rs 2,000 crore to immunize people between the age of 18 and 45 years.

While the government of India has been funding the vaccination drive of citizens above the age of 45, the will have to pay vaccine manufacturers for doses to inoculate persons between the ages of 18 and 45.

According to government sources, there are about 3.25 crore citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 in Gujarat. With each citizens requiring to be administered two vaccine doses, there is requirement of 6.50 crore doses of the vaccine for this age group.

The state government has placed orders of 2.50 crore doses with two Indian vaccine manufacturers. While an order of two crore doses has been placed with Pune-basedSerum Institute of India, an order of 50 lakh doses of the vaccine manufactured byBharat Biotech, Hyderabad, has also been placed.

Gujaraton Tuesday achieved a major milestone of more than 10,000 5G base transceiver station (BTS) across various districts.

BTS is a piece of equipment that facilitates wireless Communication between user equipment (UE) and a Network. UEs are devices like mobile phones (handsets) or WLL phones.

Gunjan Dave, head of DoT Gujarat, told TOI that as on date there are 10,189 5G BTS on air in the state.

Gujarat was the first state in India to have 5G Services in all the 33 districts. The UT of Dadra &Nagar Haveliand Daman & Diu has also achieved a milestone of more than 100 5G BTS with a total 106 on air 5G BTS covering all the 3 districts.

The self-financed and government schools in the state are yet to receive grants under the girl child Education scheme for about two years now. The AkhilGujaratRajyaShala Sanchalak Mahamandalhas in a written representation to state education ministerJitu Vaghanihas asked the government to immediately release the pending funds as the schools are facing financial Stress. One of the flagship projects in Gujarat,Kanya Kelavni Nidhi, is a scheme to improve girl child education in the state.